JP2013111778A - Printing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing apparatus with improved total through put of colorimetry and capable of preventing a recorded image from being damaged.SOLUTION: A distance between a colorimetry unit having a colorimetry part and drying part, and a sheet supporting surface can be variable. The distance becomes a first distance when printing by a print part, becomes a second distance shorter than the first distance when drying by the drying part, and becomes a third distance shorter than the second distance when performing colorimetry by the colorimetry part.

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus including a color measurement device that measures a color measurement pattern recorded on a sheet.

  Some ink jet printers have a colorimetric function. According to such an ink jet printer, the color image (color patch) after printing is measured for the purpose of color calibration, etc., and the result is reflected in the subsequent image prints based on the color measurement data, Desired color reproduction can be obtained.

  The color patch needs to be sufficiently dried to obtain desired color data, and there is a problem that it takes time from the completion of recording to the start of color measurement. Therefore, in Patent Document 1, a drying unit that forcibly performs drying is configured downstream of the print unit and the colorimetric unit, and forced drying is performed before colorimetry, so that colorimetry starts from the completion of recording. Proposal to shorten the time until

JP 2008-254221 A

  In the apparatus of Patent Document 1, the interval between the drying unit and the sheet is fixed with respect to the conveyed sheet. For this reason, when the leading edge of the sheet is introduced under the drying unit, the sheet may be rubbed against a part of the drying unit, and an image in which the ink is not dried before drying may be damaged. In particular, the use of a sheet having a strong curl increases the possibility of damage.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus capable of improving the total colorimetric throughput and preventing damage to a recorded image.

Therefore, the printing apparatus of the present invention includes a printing unit that prints an image using ink on a sheet, a drying unit that dries the sheet printed by the printing unit, and a colorimetric unit that performs colorimetry on the sheet on which the image is printed. A colorimetric unit that became a unit,
A guide unit provided opposite to the color measurement unit and having a support surface for supporting a sheet when drying the color measurement unit and performing color measurement by the color measurement unit, and the color measurement unit and the support surface Can be made variable, and the distance becomes a first distance when printing is performed on the printing unit, and the first distance is used when drying is performed on the drying unit. The second distance is shorter than the second distance, and the third distance is shorter than the second distance when the color measurement is performed by the color measurement unit.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a printing apparatus capable of improving the total colorimetric throughput and preventing damage to a recorded image.

1 is a schematic diagram of a configuration example of a color measurement device and a printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the structural example inside the color measurement apparatus which concerns on the form of this invention. It is the figure which showed the movement of the color measurement unit in color measurement operation. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a system configuration of an inkjet printer. It is the figure which showed the structure which attached the shielding rib to the discharge guide. It is the figure which showed the color measurement unit in 2nd Embodiment. It is the figure which showed the color measurement unit in 3rd Embodiment. It is the figure which showed the color measurement unit in 4th Embodiment. It is the figure which showed the color measurement unit in 5th Embodiment. 5 is a flowchart showing a flow from printing to discharging according to the printing apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a configuration example of a color measurement device and a printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the printing apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1, the sheet 1 is stacked on the printing apparatus 100, and after the user inputs the sheet type to the operation panel 25, the sheet 1 is conveyed by the conveyance roller pair 2 and is measured by the printing unit 3 for color measurement. A pattern is recorded. Thereafter, the sheet 1 on which recording has been performed is dried by the color measurement unit 200 conveyed to the color measurement unit 200, and then the sheet is cut and discharged by the cutter 4.

  The color measurement unit 200 includes a drying unit and a color measurement unit as an integrated unit. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an internal configuration of the apparatus with the color measurement unit as the center. In the color measurement unit, a color measurement sensor 5 that quantitatively measures the color of a color pattern is held by a sensor holder 6. The sensor holding body 6 is connected to a support plate 7, and a sliding member 8 provided on the bottom surface is in contact with the support plate 7. Further, a loop-shaped belt 9 locked to the sensor holding body 6 is placed between the motor pulley 11 and the idler pulley 12, and the sensor holding body 6 can be moved in the sheet width direction by the motor 10. ing. During this movement, the posture accuracy of the pressing surface 7 a of the support plate 7 and the colorimetric sensor 5 is maintained via the support plate 7, the sliding member 8 and the sensor holder 6.

  A drying unit is provided downstream of the above colorimetric unit. The drying unit has an air outlet that blows out air so that the wind flows upstream with respect to the sheet supported under the color measurement unit. The drying unit includes a drying duct 13 and a blower fan 14 with variable wind speed on the downstream side of the colorimetric sensor 5 in the sheet conveying direction. The air generated by the blower fan 14 is sent to the drying duct 13, and the air blown from the drying duct 13 is uniformly applied toward the surface of the sheet 1 on which the color patch is printed, so that the ink printed with the color patch is printed. Promotes drying. Air flows upstream.

  Immediately below the support plate 7 of the colorimetric unit, a discharge guide 16 (guide portion) having a sheet support surface inclined so that the downstream side in the transport direction is lowered is installed. The sheet 1 is conveyed through an opening between the pressing surface 7 a and the support surface of the discharge guide 16. Further, the support plate 7 is provided with a color calibration plate 15, and the colorimetric sensor 5 scans the support plate 7 in the sheet width direction and measures the sheet 1 through the slits 7 b provided on the support plate 7. Perform color motion. The color proofing plate 15 is used for calibrating changes with time of the colorimetric sensor 5, and the colorimetric sensor 5 frequently moves to a position facing the color proofing plate 15 during colorimetric scanning and performs calibration. Do.

  The colorimetric sensor 5, sensor holder 6, support plate 7, sliding member 8, belt 9, motor 10, motor pulley 11, idler pulley 12, drying duct 13, blower fan 14, and color calibration plate 15 are all integrated. Hereinafter, this is referred to as a colorimetric unit U. The color measurement unit U is rotated by a color measurement unit driving means 17 around a color measurement unit axis (second axis) 18 provided upstream of the color measurement sensor 5 in the transport direction, thereby pressing the surface. The opening height H of the opening between 7a and the discharge guide 16 can be adjusted.

  Next, a series of operations of printing, colorimetry, and discharging in this configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 (a) to 3 (f) and FIG. 3A to 3F are views showing the movement of the color measurement unit U in the color measurement operation, and FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of the ink jet printer according to this embodiment. . The CPU 300 controls the entire recording, drying, and colorimetry in accordance with a control program stored in the ROM 26. The CPU 300 receives print data, print mode setting information, and the like from the host computer 302 via the input interface 303. Further, the CPU 300 writes or reads print data or the like in the RAM 304. The CPU 300 prints data from the host computer 302, print mode information, time information from the time measurement unit 400 that measures the elapsed time after printing, temperature / humidity information from the thermohygrometer 24, and measurement from the colorimetric sensor 5. Get color data. The CPU 300 controls the print head 305, the sheet conveyance motor 306, the carriage motor 307, the motor 10, the blower fan 14, and the color measurement unit driving unit 17 based on the acquired data. When print data, print mode setting information, and the like are transferred from the host computer 302 to the printer, the CPU 300 determines recording control according to the print mode setting information and starts printing.

  The printing apparatus 100 prints a patch row P, which is a color patch that is an image for colorimetry, on the sheet 1 by the printing unit 3. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3A, the colorimetric unit U is retracted upward to increase the opening height H. In this state, the patch row P is printed while the sheet is conveyed in the conveyance direction by driving the conveyance roller pair 2. At this time, the sheet 1 is conveyed substantially horizontally without following the top surface of the discharge guide 16 because the sheet 1 has a strong curl at the leading edge depending on the type and temperature and humidity of the sheet, as shown by the broken line, and has a strong rigidity as shown by the alternate long and short dash line. Even a thing, since the opening height H is high, the surface of the sheet | seat 1 does not touch the press surface 7a. Thereby, damage to the print surface can be prevented.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 3B, when the printing of the patch row P is completed, the sheet 1 is conveyed, and the conveyance stops when the patch row P comes to a position downstream of the colorimetric sensor 5. At this time, the leading edge of the sheet 1 comes out of the leading edge of the discharge guide 16. When the sheet having strong rigidity is conveyed to the extent that the leading end of the sheet comes out of the leading end of the discharge guide 16, the sheet is bent downward due to gravity, and is conveyed following the discharge guide 16 in the same manner as a general sheet.

  Thereafter, in the case of a general sheet conveyed following the discharge guide 16, the color measurement unit U is rotated counterclockwise about the color measurement unit axis 18 as shown in FIG. The opening height H is lowered. Next, in order to measure the color of the patch row P printed in the first row, the sheet 1 is conveyed in a direction opposite to the conveyance direction during printing by driving the conveyance roller pair 2. At the same time, the blower fan 14 is operated to dry the patch row P, and the conveyance of the sheet 1 is stopped when the patch row P comes to a position where the drying air blown from the drying duct 13 hits. Then, in the state as it is, drying air is applied to the surface of the patch row P to promote drying of the patch row P. At that time, the color measurement unit U is rotated to lower the opening height H, so that the air blowing distance L between the air blowing port 13a of the drying duct 13 and the surface of the sheet 1 is shortened, and the drying air having a high wind speed is patched. For the row P, the drying time is shortened. Further, the discharge guide 16 is inclined so as to become narrower as it goes downstream in the air blowing direction R formed by the sheet 1 following the discharge guide and the pressing surface (colorimetric surface) 7a. The wind speed is increased and the drying time is further shortened.

  In addition, since the color measurement unit shaft 18 is on the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the color measurement unit U, the drying air can maintain the wind direction upstream of the sheet 1 in the conveyance direction at any opening height. In addition, by disposing the color measurement unit shaft 18 at a lower position in the height direction than the position shown in FIG. 3, the amount of movement when the color measurement unit U is rotated can be reduced.

  Next, a case where the leading edge curl is strong depending on the type of sheet 1 and temperature and humidity will be described with reference to FIG. In order to suppress variations in color stability after drying of the patch array P depending on the type of the sheet 1, the air blowing distance L needs to be constant regardless of the type of the sheet 1. Therefore, in the case of a sheet with strong curl, the opening height H is set higher than that in FIG. The opening height H at this time is controlled in the ROM 26 from the sheet type input from the operation panel 25 and the measurement result of the temperature and humidity around the printing apparatus measured by the thermohygrometer 24 (see FIG. 1). A predetermined time is determined based on the table. By making the opening height H variable according to the type of sheet and the temperature and humidity around the printing apparatus, the air blowing distance L becomes constant, and variations in color stability due to drying can be suppressed.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a shielding rib 19 (shielding means) is attached to the discharge guide 16. By providing the shielding ribs 19 at both ends of the discharge guide 16 in the sheet width direction, it is possible to prevent the drying air from escaping from both ends (direction intersecting the sheet conveying direction) of the discharge guide 16 in the drying region of the patch row P. . Thereby, the loss of the air volume hitting the patch row P can be prevented and the drying time is shortened. The height of the shielding rib 19 is preferably higher than the blower opening 13a in the highest case, as shown in FIG. Further, the shielding rib 19 has an effect of preventing the sheet 1 from being skewed by guiding the end portion of the conveyed sheet 1.

  Thereafter, in FIG. 3E, when the patch row P is conveyed to just below the slit 7b which is the colorimetric position, the conveyance of the sheet is stopped, and the colorimetric unit U is further rotated counterclockwise to thereby open the opening. The height H is further lowered, and the sheet 1 is pressed from the surface by the pressing surface 7a. In the pressed state, the colorimetric sensor 5 performs colorimetry by scanning in the sheet width direction. However, when the patch row is composed of a plurality of rows, it is necessary to release the press and transport the sheet 1 each time the colorimetric row is switched. In that case, the color measurement unit U is rotated clockwise to move to the position of the opening height at the time of drying to release the pressure. When the next patch row is conveyed to the color measurement position, the color measurement unit U is rotated counterclockwise again to press the sheet 1, and the color measurement sensor 5 scans in the sheet width direction to perform color measurement. I do. Note that the position of the color measurement unit U when the pressure is released is not necessarily the position of the opening height at the time of drying, and a minimum conveyance path that can be rotated at a small angle to convey the sheet 1 is provided. It is enough to secure. By repeating this operation with a small amount of rotation, the time required for the rotation can be shortened, so that the throughput can be improved during the colorimetric operation of a plurality of rows of patches.

  When the color measurement of the patch row P is completed, the color measurement unit U is rotated counterclockwise again in FIG. 3F to move to the retracted position before printing, and the sheet 1 is conveyed in the discharge direction, and the cutter 4 The sheet 1 is cut and discharged. This operation is repeated, colorimetric data of all colorimetric patches is acquired, and colorimetric information is stored in the RAM 304.

  As described above, according to the printing apparatus of the present invention, the opening height H is adjusted by moving the color measurement unit U while the discharge guide is fixed. As a result, the total colorimetric throughput can be improved, and the sheet surface can be prevented from being damaged by touching the colorimetric unit during sheet conveyance. Furthermore, the drying time of the patch row P can be shortened regardless of the type of sheet and the temperature and humidity.

(Second Embodiment)
Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Since the basic configuration of the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, only the characteristic configuration will be described below.

  In the first embodiment, the color measurement unit U is rotated about a color measurement unit shaft 18 provided on the upstream side in the transport direction with respect to the color measurement sensor 5, thereby enabling the opening height H to be adjusted. An example configuration is shown. The present embodiment is a configuration example in which the opening height H can be adjusted by moving the color measurement unit U up and down.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the color measurement unit U in the present embodiment. The color measurement unit U can be moved up and down in the direction perpendicular to the guide surface of the discharge guide 16 by the color measurement unit lifting and lowering means 20, and the opening height H of the opening between the pressing surface 7 a and the discharge guide 16 is set. It is adjustable. As a result, the color measurement unit U is retracted to the upper side during printing of the patch row P, and the color measurement unit elevating means 20 is operated to lower the color measurement unit U by operating the color measurement unit elevating means 20 during ink drying. At that time, the colorimetric unit U is further lowered to lower the opening height H. The opening height H can be changed by the color measurement unit U that can be moved up and down in this way, and during the color measurement, the operation of pressing the sheet 1 from the surface with the pressing surface 7a is equivalent to the first embodiment. An effect is obtained.

(Third embodiment)
Hereinafter, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Since the basic configuration of the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, only the characteristic configuration will be described below.

  In the first embodiment, the opening height H can be adjusted by rotating the color measurement unit U around the color measurement unit shaft 18 provided on the upstream side in the transport direction from the color measurement sensor 5. An example is shown. In the present embodiment, the opening height H can be adjusted by rotating the discharge guide 16 about a discharge guide shaft (first shaft) 22 provided upstream of the colorimetric sensor 5 in the transport direction. It is a structural example.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the colorimetric unit U in the present embodiment. The discharge guide 16 can be rotated around the discharge guide shaft 22 by the discharge guide driving means 21, and the opening height H of the opening between the pressing surface 7 a and the sheet support surface of the discharge guide 16 is set. It is adjustable. Thereby, the effect equivalent to 1st Embodiment is acquired.

(Fourth embodiment)
The fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Since the basic configuration of the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, only the characteristic configuration will be described below.

  In the third embodiment, the discharge guide 16 rotates about the discharge guide shaft 22 provided on the upstream side in the transport direction from the colorimetric sensor 5 so that the opening height H can be adjusted. An example configuration is shown. The present embodiment is a configuration example in which the opening height H can be adjusted by raising and lowering the discharge guide 16.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the colorimetric unit U in the present embodiment. The discharge guide 16 can be moved up and down in the vertical direction of the support plate 7 by the guide lifting means 23, and the opening height H of the opening between the pressing surface 7 a and the discharge guide 16 can be adjusted. As a result, during printing of the patch row P, the discharge guide 16 is retracted to the lower part, and during drying, the guide lifting / lowering means 23 is operated to raise the discharge guide 16 to reduce the opening height H. Further, during the color measurement, the discharge guide 16 is further raised to lower the opening height H, and the operation of pressing the sheet 1 from the back surface with the pressing surface 7a provides the same effect as that of the first embodiment. .

(Fifth embodiment)
Hereinafter, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Since the basic configuration of the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, only the characteristic configuration will be described below.

  In the drying of the patch row P according to the first embodiment, the blower fan 14 is normally operated so that dry air with a high wind speed is generated as the maximum output. When the opening height H is lowered, the operation of the blower fan 14 is changed to a slow wind speed (the output of the blower fan is reduced). By changing the output of the blower fan according to the opening height H, it is possible to apply dry air having a constant wind speed to the patch row P regardless of the opening height H. Drying can be started from an earlier stage, and the drying time is further shortened.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the colorimetric unit U in the present embodiment. In the configuration of the present invention, the drying duct 13 and the blower fan 14 are arranged on the downstream side of the colorimetric sensor 5, but the dry duct 13 and the blower fan 14 are arranged on the upstream side of the colorimetric sensor 5 as shown in FIG. And may be arranged.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a flow from printing to discharging according to the printing apparatus to which the present invention is applied. Hereinafter, the flow from printing to discharging in this embodiment will be described using this flowchart.

  When the user starts printing, drying, and the color measurement process, either the color measurement unit or the discharge guide is driven or rotated so that the opening height between the pressing surface and the discharge guide is increased in the slit S101. Move. Thereafter, in step S102, printing of the patch row on the sheet is started, and when printing is completed, the printing process is ended. In step S103, the printed sheet is printed under various conditions previously input to the print control device from the type of the sheet to be used and the temperature and humidity values around the printing device measured by the thermohygrometer. The opening height during the drying process is determined in light of the above data. The opening height at this time is lower than that at the time of printing.

  When the selection in step S103 is a weak curled paper type with weak curl at the leading edge, the process proceeds to step S104, and the opening height is minimized. If medium curled paper is selected in step S103, the opening height is set higher than weak curled paper in step S105, and if strong curled paper is selected in step S103, the opening height is medium in step S106. Set higher than curl paper. In either step S104 to step S106, when either the colorimetric unit or the discharge guide is driven or rotated to reach a predetermined opening height during drying, drying is performed in the drying step of step S107. When the drying process is completed, the opening height is further lowered in step S108, and the color measurement is performed in the color measurement process of step S109. When the color measurement process is completed, the opening height is increased in step S110, and the sheet is discharged (discharged) in step S111, thus completing the entire process.

1 Sheet 5 Colorimetric Sensor 14 Blower Fan 16 Discharge Guide 100 Printing Device 200 Colorimetric Device P Patch Row

Claims (7)

A print unit that prints an image using ink on a sheet;
A colorimetric unit in which a drying unit that dries a sheet printed by the printing unit, and a colorimetric unit that performs colorimetry on a sheet on which an image is printed;
A guide unit provided opposite to the color measurement unit, and having a support surface that supports a sheet in drying of the drying unit and color measurement of the color measurement unit,
The distance between the colorimetric unit and the support surface can be variable, and the distance is
It becomes the first distance when printing at the print section,
When drying in the drying unit, the second distance is shorter than the first distance,
The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a third distance shorter than the second distance is used in the color measurement by the color measurement unit. The color measuring unit is provided between the printing unit and the drying unit,
The sheet on which the image is recorded in the print unit is sent downstream and dried in the drying unit, and then the sheet is sent back upstream and measured in the color measurement unit. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printer is transported downstream and discharged.   The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the distance is changed by moving at least one of the color measurement unit and the guide unit.   4. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the drying unit has a blower port that blows out air so that air flows upstream toward the sheet supported by the support surface. 5.   5. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a shielding unit that suppresses a wind blown from the air blowing port and flowing between the color measurement unit and the support surface in a direction intersecting a sheet conveyance direction. The printing apparatus as described.   6. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second distance is varied according to at least one of a type of a sheet to be used, a temperature around the printing apparatus, and humidity. .   The printing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein an output of a blower fan included in the drying unit is changed in accordance with a change in the second distance.

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