JP2702454B2 - Recording paper remaining detector - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording apparatus used for facsimile machines, copiers, printers, etc., and a roll recording paper remaining amount detecting apparatus such as an ink jet recording apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for detecting the remaining amount of recording paper, for example, a predetermined pattern that rotates with the rotation of the roll-shaped recording paper is provided on a recording paper receiver, and a sensor provided at a position where this pattern can be detected is provided in a roll-shaped manner. The number of rotations of the recording paper is measured, and the remaining length of the rolled recording paper is detected based on the measured number of rotations. One example of this is disclosed in JP-A-60-252555.

[0003]

In this conventional recording paper remaining amount detecting apparatus, when roll-shaped recording papers having different recording paper core diameters are mounted, the recording paper outer diameter is different even if the recording paper winding length is the same. There is a problem that the remaining amount of the roll-shaped recording paper cannot be accurately detected because the rotation cycle of the roll-shaped recording paper is different with respect to a fixed recording paper transport amount.

[0004]

According to the present invention, there is provided a recording paper remaining amount detecting device in which a pattern is disposed at regular intervals on a surface perpendicular to a rotation axis of a rolled recording paper, and the recording paper rotates integrally with the rolled recording paper. A paper receiver, a sensor for detecting the pattern of the recording paper receiver, and a cycle of an output signal when the sensor detects the pattern, and the remaining amount of the roll-shaped recording paper is determined from the cycle to perform recording. A recording paper remaining amount detection device including a remaining amount determination circuit that visually displays the remaining amount of paper;
The pattern is adjusted to the paper core diameter of the two types of roll-shaped recording paper.
Corresponding flange portions of the recording paper receiver
The patterns are arranged at different intervals on the surface, and when the remaining amount of recording paper is the same, the patterns are arranged such that the cycle of the output signal of the sensor becomes equal regardless of the diameter of the paper tube .

[0005]

Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 showing an embodiment of the present invention, a recording paper receiver 1 has a circular flange portion (flange portion) 1a on a middle portion thereof, and the inner surface of the collar portion 1a has a roll-like recording shape. It comes into contact with the side of the paper 2a. At the rear end from the brim portion 1a of the recording paper receiver 1, a projection 1b having a cylindrical shape and a tapered tip is provided, and this projection 1b is fitted with the paper tube 2b of the roll-shaped recording paper 2a, The fulcrum portion 1c is inserted into the fulcrum receiving portion of the fixing member 5, and the rolled recording paper 2a and the recording paper receiver 1 rotate integrally about the fulcrum portion 1c. Radial patterns 3 are provided at equal angular pitches on the outer surfaces of the recording paper receiver 1 and the flange 1a. Recording paper tray 1
A sensor 4 facing the collar 1a of the recording paper receiver 1 is provided below the recording paper receiver 1, and detects the pattern 3 on the outer surface of the collar 1a. The recording paper receiver 1 is prepared corresponding to the type of the paper core diameter of the roll-shaped recording paper 2a. If the remaining amount of the roll-shaped recording paper 2a is equal even if the paper core diameter paper is different,
The patterns 3 are provided at such a pitch that the period of the output signal when the sensor 4 detects the pattern 3 becomes equal.

The signal detected by the sensor 4 is input to a remaining amount determination circuit 11 comprising a pulse converter 6, a counter 7, a memory 8, a comparator 9, and a display 10 to determine the remaining amount of recording paper. To detect.

Next, a case where the remaining amount of the roll-shaped recording paper 2a is detected based on the number of rotations of the roll-shaped recording paper 2a measured by the above configuration will be described. When the rolled recording paper 2a is conveyed and starts rotating to record image data, the recording paper receiver 1 rotates integrally with the rolled recording paper 2a, and the sensor 4 detects the pattern 3 of the recording paper receiver 1. ,
The pulse signal shown in FIG. This pulse signal is converted by the pulse converter 6 into an n-th pulse signal and (n
The pulse signal is converted into a pulse signal shown in FIG. This pulse signal is input to the counter unit 7, the pulse widths of the clock signals having a fixed period shown in FIG. 3C are compared, the number of clock signals included in the pulse signal width is counted, and the comparison unit 9 Is entered. The comparison unit 9 stores information on the relationship between the remaining amount of recording paper and the number of clock signals in the memory 8.
Is connected, and the data is compared with the data of the number of clock signals input to the comparison unit 9 to detect the remaining amount of recording paper, and displays the remaining amount of recording paper on the display unit 10.

As shown in FIG. 4, when detecting the remaining amount of roll-shaped recording paper 20a having a different diameter of the paper core, the recording paper receiver 10 provided with a pattern 30 corresponding to the diameter of the paper core is replaced. For example, the remaining amount of recording paper can be detected in the same manner.

As shown in FIG. 5, an equally spaced pattern 5 corresponding to the paper tube diameter of another type of recording paper is provided on the opposite side of the brim portion of the recording paper receiver 50 on which the equally spaced pattern 50a is arranged.
No. 0b is provided, and a recording paper receiver provided with a protrusion attachable to the paper core diameter of both rolled recording papers is used. Can be detected.

[0010]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The pattern interval differs depending on the diameter of the paper core of the roll-shaped recording paper. When the remaining amount of recording paper is the same, the recording paper receiver with the pattern arranged so that the period of the output signal of the sensor becomes the same regardless of the diameter of the paper core Is provided, it is possible to easily and accurately detect the remaining amount of roll-shaped recording paper having different recording paper cores, and to visually display the remaining amount.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining a recording paper remaining amount determination circuit.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a pulse width detection method.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an external view of a recording paper receiver capable of supporting two types of different recording paper cores.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 10, 50 Recording paper receiver 1a Collar 1b Protrusion 1c Support 2a, 20a Rolled recording paper 2b Paper tube 3, 30, 50a, 50b Pattern 4 Sensor 5 Fixing member 6 Pulse converter 7 Counter 8 Memory 9 Comparison unit 10 Display unit

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A recording paper receiver which is arranged at regular intervals on a surface orthogonal to a rotation axis of a roll-shaped recording paper and rotates integrally with the roll-shaped recording paper, and detects the pattern of the recording paper receiver. A recording device comprising: a sensor; and a remaining amount determination circuit for measuring a period of an output signal when the sensor detects the pattern, determining a remaining amount of the roll-shaped recording paper from the period, and visually displaying the remaining amount of the recording paper. In the apparatus for detecting the amount of remaining paper, the pattern is formed of two types of paper tubes of the roll-shaped recording paper
Facing the flange of the recording paper receiver to correspond to the diameter
Wherein the patterns are arranged at different intervals on the surfaces to be printed , and when the remaining amount of recording paper is the same, the patterns are arranged so that the period of the output signal of the sensor becomes equal regardless of the diameter of the paper tube. Paper remaining amount detection device.