JP3333312B2 - Image creation and cropping equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image creating and clipping device, and more particularly to an image creating and clipping device capable of creating a desired image and cutting out a desired image based on image data. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, cutting is performed under the control of a microcomputer and cuts out an image such as a character, a figure or a symbol from a sheet such as paper or a marking film based on image data output from a host computer. -Plotters are known.

In such a conventional cutting plotter, an image can be cut out based on image data by attaching a cutter to a cutting head held by a carriage. By attaching various drawing pens, an image based on image data can be created.

However, the conventional cutting plotter described above cannot, of course, cut an image with a cutter and create an image with various drawing pens in the same setting, so that the cutting plotter is mounted on a cutter head. It is necessary to exchange the cutter to be used and the drawing pen as needed to cut out the image and create the image. For this reason, for example, when an image is created with a drawing pen and then the contour of the image to be created is cut, it is necessary to exchange the drawing pen and cutter attached to the cutter head. It was pointed out that the task was complicated.

[0005] On the other hand, a so-called ink jet printer is known as a printer for creating an image such as a character, a figure or a symbol on a sheet without contact.

However, if the contour of the created image is cut out after the image is created with such an ink jet printer, a cutting plotter must be prepared separately from the ink jet printer, which increases the cost. It has been pointed out that a large installation space is required.

Therefore, in recent years, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 5-7674.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 3 (1999) -1995, an image forming and printing apparatus in which a printer head controlled by an output signal from a data processing unit and a cutting head controlled independently of the printer head are integrated into an apparatus. A cutting device has been proposed.

[0008] The image forming and cutting apparatus disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 5-76743 discloses an ink-jet system on a guide rail 104 provided along a platen 102 as shown in FIGS. A printer head (inkjet head) 106 is movably installed, and a guide rail 104 is provided.
A cutting head 116 provided with a cutter 114 is movably installed on a guide rail 112 provided in parallel with a predetermined interval.

In the above configuration, the ink jet head 106 is moved while the sheet 108 placed on the platen 102 is moved in the left-right direction in FIG.
0, the input unit 1 is moved up and down.
An image based on the image data input to 10 is created by the inkjet head 106.

The cutter 114 of the cutting head 116 is mounted so as to be substantially perpendicular to the peripheral surface of the platen 102. When the cutter 114 is in contact with the sheet 108, the sheet 108 is viewed. 1
While moving in the left and right direction at 0,
By moving the head 112 up and down in FIG. 10, the sheet 108 can be cut out based on the image data input to the input unit 110.

Accordingly, after an image is formed on the sheet 108 by the ink jet head 106, the contour of the formed image is cut out by the cutter 114 of the cutting head 116, so that a sign sheet or the like can be easily formed. Can be.

[0012]

However, in the above-described conventional image forming and cutting apparatus, the ink jet head and the cutting head are movably arranged on two parallel guide rails. These inkjet heads and cutting
Since the head and the head are moved by different driving devices, there is a problem that the structure becomes complicated and the cost increases.

Further, since the ink jet head and the cutting head are arranged in parallel and separated from each other,
There is a problem that a short sheet such as an end portion of a wound sheet cannot be used, and the sheet is wasted.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned various problems of the prior art. It is an object of the present invention to simplify the structure to reduce the cost and to reduce the cost of the seat. An object of the present invention is to provide an image creating and clipping device that is not wasted.

[0015]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming and clipping method for forming a desired image and clipping an image based on image data. In the apparatus, a moving means for moving the sheet in the X direction, and a Y direction along a guide rail extending in the Y direction perpendicular to the X direction which is the traveling direction of the sheet moved by the moving means. And a cutting head having a cutter for cutting out the sheet based on a desired image, and a cutting head supported movably in the Y direction along the guide rail, in the Y direction of the cutting head. An ink jet head which is arranged side by side to form a desired image on the sheet, the cutting head and the ink jet head. A control means for controlling the movement of the cutting head along the guide rail in the Y direction based on the image data; and a control means provided on the inkjet head side of the cutting head in the Y direction, and A first connecting means for detachably connecting the head to the ink jet head, and a first connecting means disposed on the cutting head side in the Y direction of the ink jet head, the first connecting means being connectable to the first connecting means; Second connecting means for detachably connecting the ink jet head to the cutting head; and a second connecting means disposed on a side of the ink jet head opposite to the cutting head side in the Y direction. Engage and disengage with the fixed system part of the image creation and cropping device When an image is created based on the image data, the inkjet head is detached from the fixed system part of the image creating and cutting device by the engaging means, The first connecting means and the second
Connecting the cutting head and the ink jet head by connecting the ink jet head and the cutting head integrally by the control means based on the image data. Moving the ink jet head along the rail in the Y direction to form a desired image on the sheet and cutting out the image based on the image data, While engaging with the fixing system part of the making and cutting device, the first connecting means and the second connecting means are separated to separate the ink jet head and the cutting head, and the control means And moving only the cutting head in the Y direction along the guide rail based on the image data. The moved by is obtained as crop based on the sheet to the desired image.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the first connecting means and the second connecting means are each constituted by a magnet. It was made.

[0017]

[0018]

[0019]

According to the present invention, the ink jet head and the cutting head are supported side by side on the guide rail, and the movement is controlled along the guide rail by the control means. Cost reduction becomes possible.

Further, since the ink jet head and the cutting head are supported side by side on the guide rail, a short sheet such as the end portion of the wound sheet can be used, and the sheet is wasted. Disappears.

[0021]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image forming and clipping apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an image forming and cutting apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front view showing a connected state of an ink jet head and a cutting head in FIG. FIG. 3 shows FIG.
Inkjet head and cutting
FIG. 3 is a front view showing a separated state of a head.

The image creating and clipping device 10 mainly includes a main unit 12 to which a signal of image data is input from a host computer (not shown), and controls the entire operation and instructs various processes. An operation panel 14, an inkjet head 16 and a cutting head 18 as output units, and a grid roller 21 for feeding a sheet 20 such as a single sheet or a long wound sheet in the X direction.
And a stepping mechanism for rotating the grid roller 21.
It is composed of a motor (not shown) and the like.

The ink jet head 16 and the cutting head 18 are provided in the image forming and cutting apparatus 1.
The seat 20 is supported by both side frames 11, 11 which are fixed system members, and is movably mounted in the Y direction along guide rails 22 arranged at right angles to the traveling direction of the seat 20.

The operation panel 14 has a display section 14a for displaying an operation state, cursor keys 14b for designating the positions of the ink jet head 16 and the cutting head 18, and an image forming or image forming apparatus based on image data signals. A start area setting key 14c for designating an area of a predetermined portion where the clipping is to be started, an operation start key 14d for starting creation or clipping of an image from the set start area, and the like are provided.

The sheet 20 is pressed by a pinch roller 24 installed above the base 23, and
4 and the grid roller 21 so as to be fed in the X direction by the rotation of a stepping motor.

The ink jet head 16 is mounted on a carriage 26, and the upper and lower sides of the carriage 26 are slidably mounted on guide rails 22 via guide rollers 28, 28. The cutting head 18 is mounted on a carriage 30, and the upper and lower sides of the carriage 30 are slidably mounted on guide rails 22 via guide rollers 32,32.

That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the ink jet heads 16 are arranged side by side on the guide rails 22 on the side of the cutting head 18 (the right side in FIG. 2 in the embodiment). A magnet 34 fixed to the left side wall of the carriage 26 on which the inkjet head 16 is installed;
The magnet 36 is fixed to the right side wall of the carriage 30 on which the carriage 8 is mounted so that the two can be connected or disconnected as appropriate. The magnet 34 and the magnet 36 form a connecting portion.

A hook 38 is fixed to the right side wall on the opposite side of the carriage 26 to which the magnet 34 is fixed.
0 engaging hook 40 fixed to the side frame 11 side
Are engaged and disengaged. In addition, hook 3
The engagement and disengagement operations between the engagement hook 8 and the engagement hook 40 are performed by operation keys provided on the operation panel 14.
As shown in FIG. 3, the holding force in the locked state where the hook 38 and the engaging hook 40 are engaged is stronger than the attraction force between the magnet 34 and the magnet 36 that connect the inkjet head 16 and the cutting head 18. It is set to be. The hook 38 and the engagement hook 40 form a locking portion.

Here, the ink jet head 16 installed on the carriage 26 will be described. First, the ink jet head 16 has a plurality of ink jet nozzles 42a to 42n.
Ink is filled. Then, the inkjet nozzles 42 a to 42 n are selected based on the signal of the image data, so that a desired color image can be created on the surface of the sheet 20.

FIG. 4 shows the ink jet nozzles 42a to 42a.
FIG. 42 is an explanatory diagram showing the principle of 42n. In each of the ink jet nozzles 42a to 42n, an ultrasonic vibrator built-in tank 46 that vibrates by ultrasonic waves from an ultrasonic generator 44 is installed. And the tank 4 with built-in ultrasonic vibrator
6, various color inks 50 filled in tanks 48 are respectively injected through a filter 52 and a pump 54, and the selected ink jet nozzles 42a to 42n are selected based on a signal of image data. Color ink is ejected from a nozzle to create a color image.

When the image is formed in a single color, the number of the ink jet nozzles provided on the ink jet head 16 can be reduced to one.

Next, the cutting head 18 installed on the carriage 30 will be described in detail with reference to the front view, side view and plan view shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, respectively. Vertically extending guide rods 58a, 58b are provided in parallel on both left and right sides, and a cutter holder 60 is attached to both guide rods 58a, 58b so as to be vertically movable.

The cutter holder 60 includes a guide rod 58.
a, a pen grip portion 64 having two holding claws is projected from one end side of the rear portion 62 attached to the rear portion 62a and 58b, and an engagement piece 66 projected from the one end side rear portion is provided.
The carriage base 56 is pulled up by a coil spring 70 bridged over an engagement piece 68 projecting from the rear upper end of one end of the carriage base 56.

Reference numeral 72 denotes a carriage base 56.
Is an actuator having an upper moving portion 72a connected to a rear portion 62 of the cutter holder 60, which operates to contract the coil spring 70 and move the cutter holder 60 upward. In addition, the coil spring 70 can be extended to move the cutter holder 60 downward.

Further, reference numeral 74 denotes a cutter holder 60.
And a cutter blade 74a is exchangeably mounted at the tip of the cutter. Reference numeral 76 denotes a height detector, and the cutter holder 6
From the state where 0 is at the stop position, the actuator 72
, The cutter 74 can be moved downward, and the cutter blade 74a can be brought into contact with the surface of the sheet 20. Here, the cutter blade 74a is of a swivel knife type, a rotary type, or the like, and an ordinary cutter, an ultrasonic cutter, a heat cutter by heat, or the like can be used.

In the cutting head 18 installed on the carriage 30, the cutter holder 60 is changed to a pen holder, and an ink pen, a sign pen, a ball pen, a pencil, etc. , And an image can be created based on the signal of the image data.

The order and combination of the operations performed by the image creating and clipping device 10 are not limited to the embodiment described in this specification, and can be appropriately selected according to the situation. The moving speed of the carriage 30 corresponding to each of the outputs 10 can be selected and set.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a method for controlling an image creation and clipping operation in the image creation and clipping device 10 according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the block diagram shown in FIG.

The rotation of the grid roller 21 of the image forming and cutting apparatus 10 is controlled by an X motor 80, and the sheet 20 sandwiched between the pinch roller 24 and the grid roller 21 is moved in the X direction along the upper surface of the base 23. At the same time, the carriage 30 on which the cutting head 18 is installed is moved by the Y motor 82 in the Y direction along the guide rail 22. The carriage 30 is provided with an actuator 72 for moving the carriage 30 up and down in the Z direction.

First, the entire operation of the image forming and clipping apparatus 10 is configured to be controlled by a signal of image data output from the microcomputer 86 in response to a data signal from the host computer 84. .

Accordingly, when a desired image is formed on the sheet 20, the magnet 34 and the magnet 36 are attracted to each other, and the carriage 26 on which the inkjet head 16 is installed is connected to the carriage 30 on which the cutting head 18 is installed. The carriage 26 on which the ink jet head 16 is installed is controlled to move integrally with the carriage 30 on which the cutting head 18 is installed.

On the other hand, when cutting out the outline of the image created by the cutting head 18, the magnet 34 and the magnet 36 are separated from each other,
The carriage 26 on which the inkjet head 16 is installed is separated from the carriage 30 on which the head 18 is installed, and the carriage 2 on which the inkjet head 16 is installed is separated.
The hook 38 of No. 6 is engaged with an engaging hook 40 fixed to the side frame 11 side of the image forming and cutting apparatus 10, so that only the carriage 30 on which the cutting head 18 is installed can be controlled to move.

The microcomputer 86 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 88a and a read-only memory (ROM) 8 storing a program to be executed by the CPU 88a.
8b and a random access memory (RAM) 88c as a working area in which a buffer memory for temporarily storing a data signal from the host computer 84 and various registers necessary for executing a program by the CPU 88a are set. It is configured.

The CPU 88a is connected to the CPU 88a via a bus.
X motor 80, Y motor 82 and actuator 72
Drivers 90a and 90 respectively performing on / off control of
b, 90c, a driver 90e for controlling the inkjet head 16, and an operation panel 14 on which switches for turning on / off the power and various operation keys are arranged.

In the embodiment of the above control method,
The case where a stepping motor is used for the X motor 80 and the Y motor 82 has been described.
It is also possible to use a motor. In this case, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the X motor 80 and the Y motor 82
The encoders 92a and 92b are connected to each other so that the states of the X motor 80 and the Y motor 82 can be always detected,
The position of the carriage 26 with respect to the sheet 20 is always readably stored in the RAM 88c via the CPU 88a. These encoders 92a, 92
b can always detect the states of the X motor 80 and the Y motor 82 irrespective of ON / OFF of the X motor 80 and the Y motor 82.

In the above configuration, the magnet 34 and the magnet 36 are attracted to each other to
When a desired image is formed on the sheet 20 in a state where the carriage 26 on which the inkjet head 16 is installed is connected to the carriage 30 on which the inkjet head 8 is installed, the signal of the image data output from the host computer 84 is transferred to the RAM 88c. Read and store in the buffer memory of

Then, the CPU 88a sequentially reads the image data from the RAM 88c, controls the drivers 90a, 90b, 90c and 90e according to the read image data to control the X motor 80, the Y motor 82 and the actuator 72.
Is driven, and the inkjet nozzles 42a to 42n installed in the inkjet head 16 are selected, and the selected inkjet nozzle 42a is
To 42n, a desired image is created on the surface of the sheet 20.

When cutting out an outline or the like of an image created by the cutting head 18, the hook 38 of the carriage 26 of the ink jet head 16 is cut out.
Is engaged with the engaging hook 40 of the side frame 11 of the image forming and cutting apparatus 10 to move the carriage 26 of the inkjet head 16 to the side frame 11.
Fixed to. Thereafter, the carriage 30 on which the cutting head 18 is installed is moved leftward in FIG.
By separating the magnet 34 and the magnet 36, the carriage 26 on which the inkjet head 16 is installed is separated from the carriage 30 on which the cutting head 18 is installed. Then, the CPU 88a sequentially reads out the cutting data in the RAM 88c, controls the drivers 90a, 90b, 90c according to the read out cutting data to drive the X motor 80, the Y motor 82 and the actuator 72, and to control the cutting head 1
The sheet 20 can be cut by the cutter 74 gripped at 8.

As described above, according to the present invention, one guide rail 22 of the image forming and cropping device 10 is used.
Attach an inkjet head 16 for creating an image and a cutting head 18 for cutting out an image outline, etc.
Inkjet head 16 and cutting head 1
8 are controlled to be moved by the same driving device.

When a desired image is created based on image data from the host computer 84,
Cutting head 18 and inkjet head 1
6 and the cutting head 18 is moved, whereby the ink jet head 16 can be moved integrally to form an image. When performing an image cutting operation based on image data, the inkjet head 16 is separated from the cutting head 18 and fixed to the side frame 11 at the end of the guide rail 22, and only the cutting head 18 is connected. By driving, the contour of the image can be cut out.

[0052]

[0053]

[0054]

[0055]

According to the present invention, the ink jet
The movement of the head and cutting head is controlled by a single driving device, so that the image and cutting caused by errors in the moving distance accuracy of each system, errors in the repetition accuracy due to backlash, and parallelism of the guide in the feed direction, etc.・ Effects such as line deviation are eliminated, and unnecessary adjustment management becomes unnecessary.

[0057]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects.

Inkjet head and cutting
Since the head is supported side by side on the guide rail and is controlled to move along the guide rail by the control means, the structure is simplified and the cost can be significantly reduced.

Further, since the ink jet head and the cutting head are supported side by side on the guide rail, a short sheet such as the end portion of the wound sheet can be used, and the sheet is wasted. Can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an image creating and clipping apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a connected state of an ink jet head and a cutting head in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a separated state of an ink jet head and a cutting head in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the principle of an ink jet nozzle according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing an embodiment of a cutting head installed on a carriage according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing an embodiment of a cutting head mounted on a carriage according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a cutting head installed on a carriage according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory block diagram illustrating a control method of the image creation and clipping device according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating another control method of the image creating and clipping apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a conventional image creation and clipping device.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a main part of the image creating and cutting apparatus shown in FIG. 10;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image creation and cropping apparatus 16 Inkjet head 18 Cutting head 22 Guide rail 26 Carriage 30 Carriage 34 Magnet 36 Magnet 38 Hook 40 Engagement hook

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 11/66 B26D 5/00 B41J 2/01 B65H 35/04 B65H 37/04

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image creating and cutting apparatus for creating a desired image and cutting out an image based on image data, comprising: a moving means for moving a sheet in an X direction; and a moving direction of the sheet moved by the moving means. A cutting head provided with a cutter movably supported in the Y direction along a guide rail extending in the Y direction perpendicular to the X direction and cutting out the sheet based on a desired image; An inkjet head movably supported in the Y direction along the guide rail, and arranged side by side so as to be located on a side of the cutting head in the Y direction to form a desired image on the sheet; Moving the cutting head and the ink jet head in the Y direction along the guide rail, Control means for controlling based on data, first connection means disposed on the ink jet head side in the Y direction of the cutting head and connecting the cutting head to the ink jet head in a separable manner; A second connection disposed on the cutting head side in the Y direction of the ink jet head and connectable to the first connection means, and connecting the ink jet head to the cutting head in a separable manner; Means, disposed on a side of the ink jet head opposite to the cutting head side in the Y direction, for engaging and disengaging the ink jet head with a fixed system portion of the image forming and cutting apparatus. Having an engaging means, when creating an image based on the image data, The locking means detaches the ink jet head from a fixed system part of the image forming and cutting device, and connects the first connecting means and the second connecting means to form the cutting head and the cutting head. Connected to an inkjet head, by the control means,
The ink jet head and the cutting head are integrally moved along the guide rail in the Y direction based on the image data to create a desired image on the sheet, and based on the image data. In the case where an image is cut out by using the locking means, the ink jet head is engaged with a fixed system portion of the image forming and cutting apparatus by the locking means, and the first connecting means and the second connecting means are used. And the inkjet head and the cutting head are separated from each other, and the control means moves only the cutting head in the Y direction along the guide rail based on the image data. An image creation and clipping apparatus, wherein the sheet is clipped based on a desired image. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said first connecting means and said second connecting means is constituted by a magnet.
An image creation and clipping device according to Claim 1.