JP3646745B2 - Recording device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus that includes a tractor, a cut sheet automatic sheet feeder, and a manual sheet feeder and that can print on various recording media.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The recording device includes a tractor for printing form data on continuous paper, an automatic sheet paper feeder for printing standard documents, thick recording media such as envelopes and postcards, and temporary paper. In addition, a manual paper feed port for enabling printing is provided.
[0003]
Also, in order to improve operability, when a recording medium is loaded from the manual feed port and detected by the medium detector, the paper feed motor is automatically operated to transport the recording medium to a printable area. An auto loading mechanism is provided.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Since various types of paper are loaded from the manual feed slot in this way, the loading condition differs depending on the strength of the paper. Especially for thick recording media, compared to plain paper such as copy paper. The position and orientation are relatively difficult to adjust, and the time required for loading differs depending on the level of skill. There is an inconvenience.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and the object of the present invention is to correspond to the degree of skill and preference of the user from the loading time of the recording medium to the manual feed slot until the start of loading. It is an object of the present invention to provide a new recording apparatus that can be changed.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In the present invention, as a device for solving such a problem, a platen gap adjusting lever for adjusting a gap between the platen and the recording head corresponding to the thickness of the recording medium, and the recording medium are loaded in a paper feed port. A recording apparatus comprising: a recording medium detection unit that outputs a recording medium detection signal when the recording medium is detected; and a paper feeding unit that conveys the recording medium to a printing area based on the recording medium detection signal. A medium feed control means for detecting the detection means and outputting a signal for operating the paper feed means after a lapse of a predetermined time; and the medium feed control means comprises a lever position detecting means for the platen gap adjustment lever, and the lever based on the detection result of the position detecting means and apparatus for selecting the predetermined time, also as a method, a recording medium feeding control method for printing (A) a step of adjusting the gap between the platen and the recording head by a platen gap adjustment lever corresponding to the thickness of the recording medium; and (b) a lever position detection step of detecting the platen gap adjustment lever position; (C) detecting a recording medium loaded from a paper feed port and outputting a detection signal of the recording medium; (d) after a predetermined time has elapsed after outputting the detection signal of the recording medium, And a step of selecting the predetermined time based on a detection result of the lever position detection step. ing.
[0007]
【Example】
Therefore, details of the present invention will be described below based on the illustrated embodiment.
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a platen that also serves as a paper feed mechanism. A carriage 4 is arranged so as to be movable in parallel to the axial direction of the platen. In addition, a recording head 5 such as an ink jet recording head or a wire impact recording head is mounted.
[0008]
Reference numeral 3 denotes a platen gap adjusting lever that adjusts the gap length between the recording head 5 and the platen 1 in accordance with the thickness of the recording medium so that the lever position detector 16 can detect the size of the set platen gap. It has become.
[0009]
A first tractor 6 that feeds continuous paper and a first paper feed port 7 into which single-sheet paper can be manually loaded are arranged at the lower front part of the platen 1. A second tractor 8 for feeding paper is provided with a single-sheet automatic paper feeders 9 and 10 serving as a first bin and a second bin at the top, and a second manual feed port 11 at the top. Is provided.
[0010]
A first medium detector 13 that detects the recording medium that has entered the first tractor 6 and the first recording medium transport path 12 into which the recording medium from the first paper feed port 4 enters, The second tractor 8, the first and second single-sheet automatic paper feeders 9 and 10, and the second recording medium conveyance path 14 through which the recording medium enters from the second manual paper feed port 11 enter. A second medium detector 15 is arranged.
[0011]
FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 20 denotes a paper feed for loading a recording medium into a printing area based on signals from the first and second medium detectors 13 and 15. The control means adjusts the time T until the start of the operation of the paper feed motor 27 based on the data of the delay time storage means 21 described later by the signal from the lever position detector 16 for detecting the position of the platen gap adjusting lever 3. It is configured.
[0012]
Reference numeral 21 denotes the above-described delay time storage means, which is the time T from when the medium detection signal is output from the first and second medium detectors 13 and 15 to when the recording medium is moved to the printing area. The setting panel 30 is set to a time T1 that is relatively easy to set and a time T2 that is longer than the time T1 by a time ΔT for a recording medium that is difficult to set due to a thick envelope or cardboard. In addition, it can be set by the DIP switch 32 or the like.
[0013]
In the figure, reference numeral 33 denotes a switch for blocking the input of the signal from the lever position detector 16 to the medium feed control means 20.
[0014]
Next, of the operations of the recording apparatus configured as described above, the printing operation on the recording medium loaded manually will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
[0015]
In order to perform printing on plain paper such as copy paper, the platen gap adjustment lever 3 is switched to the plain paper side, that is, the platen gap is narrower (step A), and either of the first and second paper feed ports 7 and 11 is switched. When the plain paper is loaded, the first or second medium detector 13, 15 detects the leading edge of the recording paper and outputs a signal (step B).
[0016]
Based on the signal from the lever position detector 16, the medium feed control means 20 determines that the loaded recording medium is plain paper, and when the time T1 has elapsed since the signals were output from the medium detectors 13 and 15. (Step C) The paper feed motor 27 is operated to transport the plain paper to the printing area, and thereafter the normal printing operation is performed (Step D).
[0017]
On the other hand, when printing on a thick recording medium such as an envelope, the platen gap adjustment lever 3 is switched to the thick paper side, that is, the platen gap is larger (Step A), and the first and second paper feed ports 7, When an envelope is loaded into any of the 11, the first or second medium detector 13, 15 detects the tip of the envelope and outputs a signal (step E).
[0018]
The medium feed control means 20 detects that a thick recording medium is loaded by a signal from the lever position detector 16 and selects the delay time T2, and after the signals are output from the medium detectors 13 and 15, When T2 elapses, that is, at a time ΔT later than that for plain paper (step F), the paper feed motor is operated to convey the envelope to the printing area, and thereafter normal printing operation is performed ( Step D).
[0019]
As described above, for a thick recording medium whose position and orientation are difficult to adjust as compared with plain paper, the time from loading to automatic loading by the paper feed motor 27 is automatically performed by ΔT. Therefore, even a user unfamiliar with the operation can accurately set a recording medium that is difficult to handle.
[0020]
In the above-described embodiment, the delay time T can be automatically changed by switching the platen gap adjustment lever 3, but this is suitable for users who can handle thick recording media in the same way as plain paper. Thus, by blocking the input of the signal from the lever position detector 16 to the medium feed control means 20 by the switch 33, the recording medium is always loaded with a constant delay time regardless of the type of the recording medium. be able to.
[0021]
In this case, it is desirable to reset the delay time T by the panel 30 or the DIP switch 32 to an appropriate time T3 at which both plain paper and a thick recording medium can be set correctly.
[0022]
In the above-described embodiment, a serial printer has been described as an example. However, it is apparent that the same effect can be obtained even when applied to manual printing of a page printer having a selection lever for a cardboard printing mode.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the apparatus.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Platen 3 Platen gap adjustment lever 4 Carriage 5 Recording head 6 1st tractor 7 1st manual feed port 8 2nd tractor 9 1st bin cut sheet automatic paper feeder 10 2nd bin cut sheet Automatic paper feeder 11 Second manual paper feed port 12 First recording medium conveyance path 14 Second recording medium conveyance path 13 First medium detector 15 Second medium detector 16 Platen gap adjustment lever position detector

Claims (2)

A platen gap adjusting lever that adjusts the gap between the platen and the recording head in accordance with the thickness of the recording medium ;
A recording medium detection means for outputting a recording medium detection signal when the recording medium is loaded in a paper feed slot ;
A recording apparatus comprising a paper feeding means for conveying the recording medium to a printing area by the recording medium detection signal ,
Medium feeding control means for detecting the recording medium by the recording medium detecting means and outputting a signal for operating the paper feeding means after a predetermined time has elapsed;
The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the medium feed control means includes lever position detection means for the platen gap adjustment lever, and selects the predetermined time based on a detection result of the lever position detection means . A recording medium feed control method for printing, comprising:
(A) a step of adjusting a gap between the platen and the recording head with a platen gap adjustment lever corresponding to the thickness of the recording medium;
(B) a lever position detection step of detecting the platen gap adjustment lever position;
(C) detecting a recording medium loaded from a paper feed port and outputting a recording medium detection signal;
(D) a step of conveying the recording medium to a printing area after a predetermined time has elapsed after outputting the detection signal of the recording medium, and the predetermined time is selected based on a detection result of the lever position detection step And a process of
A recording medium feed control method characterized by comprising:

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