JP4529324B2

JP4529324B2 - Continuous paper printer

Info

Publication number: JP4529324B2
Application number: JP2001219841A
Authority: JP
Inventors: 清徳小林
Original assignee: リコープリンティングシステムズ株式会社
Priority date: 2001-07-19
Filing date: 2001-07-19
Publication date: 2010-08-25
Anticipated expiration: 2021-07-19
Also published as: JP2003025700A

Description

【０００１】
【発明の属する技術分野】
本発明は、印刷用紙として連続紙を使用する印刷装置に関する。
【０００２】
【従来の技術】
印刷機構部と印刷用紙終端を検出する用紙センサが離れている連続紙用印刷装置では、用紙センサが用紙終端を検出した後、用紙センサ位置と印刷機構部の距離または頁長設定値を基に、印刷の度毎に印刷可能用紙残量を算出し、その結果により印刷を停止させている。
【０００３】
【発明が解決しようとする課題】
図３及び図４を参照して、本発明が解決しようとする課題を詳述する。
図３において、４１は印刷機構部、４２は印刷用紙、４３は用紙終端を検出する用紙センサである。印刷用紙４２は印刷・紙送りと共に図の上方向へ移動する。図３の状態から印刷を行い、用紙終端が用紙センサ４３を通過した後は、予め用紙切れ検出設定手段でユーザにより設定された用紙切れ検出方法により動作が異なる。
用紙切れ検出に頁長設定値を反映させない方法（以下「用紙終端」とする）の場合には、用紙終端が用紙センサ４３を通過後用紙残量の初期値をＡとし、印刷・紙送りを行う毎に減算を行い、用紙残量が０となった時点で、用紙切れとして印刷を停止する。用紙切れ検出に頁長設定値を反映させる方法（以下「頁先頭」とする）の場合には、用紙終端が用紙センサ４３を通過後用紙残量の初期値をＡとし、印刷・紙送りを行う毎に減算を行い、印刷機構部が頁の先頭に到達する度に用紙残量と頁長Ｂとを比較し、用紙残量がＢより小さくなった時点で、用紙切れとして印刷を停止する。この場合、頁長設定値と実際の頁長が等しく、かつ頁先頭位置も設定と実際が等しい場合には、印刷用紙の終端で印刷を停止することができる。
【０００４】
しかし、用紙切れ検出が「頁先頭」の場合には、正確な位置で印刷を停止させることができるものの、用紙切れ検出が「用紙終端」の場合には、用紙センサ４３の作動誤差または取り付け誤差により実際の印刷停止位置が不正確であるという問題があった。
【０００５】
図４において、５１は上位装置からのデータを受信するデータ受信手段、５２は上位装置からの頁長設定コマンドまたは操作パネルからの設定値に基き頁長を設定する頁長設定手段、５３は紙切れを検出する方法を設定する用紙切れ検出設定手段、５４は印刷を制御する印刷制御部、５５は印刷を実行する印刷機構部、５６は操作パネルからの情報を設定するパネル情報設定手段である。図４に示す様に、従来の印刷装置における用紙切れ検出設定手段５３は、ユーザからのパネル情報設定手段５６によってのみ変更可能であり、頁長設定手段５２の情報は反映されていなかった。
【０００６】
本発明の目的は、ユーザの用紙切れ検出方法設定が「用紙終端」であっても、上位装置から頁長設定コマンドを受信した場合には、用紙切れ検出方法を「頁先頭」に変更することにより、紙切れによる印刷停止位置の精度向上を行うことにある。
【０００７】
【課題を解決するための手段】
上記問題を解決するため、本発明では、従来の装置に、頁長設定手段の情報を用紙切れ検出設定手段に伝達する機能を付加して、前記上位装置から前記頁長設定コマンドを受信することにより、前記用紙終端が前記用紙センサを通過後用紙残量の初期値から印刷・紙送りを行う毎に減算を行い、前記印刷機構部が前記頁長設定手段で設定された頁長の先頭に到達する度に前記用紙残量と前記頁長とを比較し、前記用紙残量が前記頁長より小さくなった時点で、用紙切れとして印刷を停止する用紙切れ検出設定に、前記用紙切れ検出設定手段が変更するようにした連続紙用印刷装置を構成する。そして、本発明の連続紙用印刷装置は、用紙切れ検出設定手段で使用する用紙切れ検出方法設定プログラムを記録した媒体を備える。
【０００８】
【発明の実施の形態】
以下、実施例図面を参照して本発明を詳述する。図１に本発明の一実施例のフローチャートを示す。
図１において、処理１で上位装置から頁長設定コマンドを受信したか否かの判断を行い、同コマンドを受信した場合、処理２で用紙切れ検出設定が「頁先頭」か否かの判断を行う。「頁先頭」に設定されていなかった場合のみ、処理３で用紙切れ検出設定を「頁先頭」に変更する。
【０００９】
図２は本発明の一実施例のブロック図である。
図２において、２１は上位装置からのデータを受信するデータ受信手段、２２は上位装置からの頁長設定コマンドまたは操作パネルからの設定値に基き頁長を設定する頁長設定手段、２３は紙切れを検出する方法を設定する用紙切れ検出設定手段、２４は印刷を制御する印刷制御部、２５は印刷を実行する印刷機構部、２６は操作パネルからの情報を設定するパネル情報設定手段である。パネル情報設定手段２６により用紙切れ検出が「頁先頭」に設定されている場合には、頁先頭位置で印刷を停止させることができる。パネル情報設定手段２６により用紙切れ検出が「用紙終端」に設定されている場合には、上位装置から頁長設定コマンドを受信すると頁長設定手段２２及び用紙切れ検出設定手段２３により、用紙切れ検出が「頁先頭」に設定される。
【００１０】
図５、図６は用紙切れ検出設定手段の一実施例である。図５は操作パネル、図６は設定方法である。
ユーザは図６で示す方法により、図５で示す操作パネルを用いて、用紙切れ検出設定を「頁先頭」「用紙終端」から選択する。
【００１１】
【発明の効果】
以上、詳述した様に、本発明によれば、ユーザの用紙切れ検出方法設定が「用紙終端」であっても、上位装置から頁長設定コマンドを受信した場合には、用紙切れ検出方法に頁長設定値を反映させる「頁先頭」に変更することにより、紙切れによる印刷停止位置の精度向上を行うことができる。
【図面の簡単な説明】
【図１】本発明の一実施例のフローチャートである。
【図２】本発明の一実施例のブロック図である。
【図３】印刷機構部、印刷用紙、用紙センサの構成図である
【図４】従来の印刷装置の例である。
【図５】操作パネルの一例である。
【図６】用紙切れ検出設定手段の一例である。
【符号の説明】
１は上位装置から頁長設定コマンドを受信したか否かの判断処理部、２は用紙切れ検出設定が「頁先頭」か否かの判断処理部、３は用紙切れ検出設定を「頁先頭」に変更する処理部、２１は上位装置からのデータを受信するデータ受信手段、２２は上位装置からの頁長設定コマンドまたは操作パネルからの設定値に基き頁長を設定する頁長設定手段、２３は紙切れを検出する方法を設定する用紙切れ検出設定手段、２４は印刷を制御する印刷制御部、２５は印刷を実行する印刷機構部、２６は操作パネルからの情報を設定するパネル情報設定手段、４１は印刷を実行する印刷機構部、４２は印刷用紙、４３は用紙終端を検出する用紙センサ、５１は上位装置からのデータを受信するデータ受信手段、５２は上位装置からの頁長設定コマンドまたは操作パネルからの設定値に基き頁長を設定する頁長設定手段、５３は紙切れを検出する方法を設定する用紙切れ検出設定手段、５４は印刷を制御する印刷制御部、５５は印刷を実行する印刷機構部、５６は操作パネルからの情報を設定するパネル情報設定手段である。[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus that uses continuous paper as printing paper.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a continuous paper printing device in which the print mechanism and the paper sensor that detects the end of the print paper are separated, after the paper sensor detects the end of the paper, based on the distance between the paper sensor position and the print mechanism or the page length setting value The remaining amount of printable paper is calculated for each printing, and printing is stopped according to the result.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The problem to be solved by the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
In FIG. 3, 41 is a printing mechanism unit, 42 is a printing sheet, and 43 is a sheet sensor for detecting the end of the sheet. The printing paper 42 moves upward in the figure along with printing / paper feeding. After printing from the state shown in FIG. 3 and the end of the paper passes the paper sensor 43, the operation differs depending on the paper out detection method set in advance by the user in the paper out detection setting means.
In the case of a method that does not reflect the page length setting value in the detection of out of paper (hereinafter referred to as “paper end”), the initial value of the remaining amount of paper after the paper end passes the paper sensor 43 is set to A, and printing / paper feeding is performed. Subtraction is performed each time, and when the remaining amount of paper becomes 0, printing is stopped as out of paper. In the method of reflecting the page length setting value in the detection of out of paper (hereinafter referred to as “page head”), the initial value of the remaining amount of paper after the end of the paper passes through the paper sensor 43 is set to A, and printing / paper feeding is performed. Subtraction is performed every time the printing mechanism section reaches the top of the page, and the remaining amount of paper is compared with the page length B. When the remaining amount of paper becomes smaller than B, printing is stopped as out of paper. . In this case, if the page length setting value is equal to the actual page length, and the page head position is also equal to the actual setting, printing can be stopped at the end of the printing paper.
[0004]
However, when the out-of-paper detection is “top of page”, printing can be stopped at an accurate position, but when the out-of-paper detection is “end of paper”, an operation error or attachment error of the paper sensor 43 is detected. As a result, the actual print stop position is inaccurate.
[0005]
In FIG. 4, 51 is a data receiving means for receiving data from the host apparatus, 52 is a page length setting means for setting the page length based on a page length setting command from the host apparatus or a setting value from the operation panel, and 53 is a paper out. , A print control unit for controlling printing, 55 a printing mechanism unit for executing printing, and a panel information setting unit for setting information from the operation panel. As shown in FIG. 4, the paper out detection setting means 53 in the conventional printing apparatus can be changed only by the panel information setting means 56 from the user, and the information of the page length setting means 52 is not reflected.
[0006]
An object of the present invention is to change the paper out detection method to “top of page” when a page length setting command is received from a higher-level device even when the user sets the paper out detection method to “paper end”. Thus, the accuracy of the print stop position due to the running out of paper is improved.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problem, in the present invention, a function for transmitting information of the page length setting means to the out-of-paper detection setting means is added to the conventional apparatus, and the page length setting command is received from the upper apparatus. Thus, every time printing or paper feeding is performed from the initial value of the remaining amount of paper after the end of the paper passes the paper sensor, the printing mechanism unit is set to the head of the page length set by the page length setting means. Each time it reaches, the remaining paper amount is compared with the page length, and when the remaining paper amount becomes smaller than the page length, the out-of-paper detection setting is set to the out-of-paper detection setting for stopping printing as out-of-paper. The continuous paper printing apparatus is configured to change the means . The continuous paper printing apparatus of the present invention includes a medium on which is recorded a paper out detection method setting program used by the paper out detection setting means.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a flowchart of an embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, it is determined whether or not a page length setting command has been received from the host device in process 1, and if the command is received, it is determined in process 2 whether or not the paper out detection setting is “page head”. Do. Only when it is not set to “top of page”, the paper out detection setting is changed to “top of page” in process 3.
[0009]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 2, 21 is a data receiving means for receiving data from the host apparatus, 22 is a page length setting means for setting the page length based on a page length setting command from the host apparatus or a setting value from the operation panel, and 23 is a paper out. Is a paper out detection setting means for setting a method for detecting the print, 24 is a print control section for controlling printing, 25 is a printing mechanism section for executing printing, and 26 is a panel information setting means for setting information from the operation panel. When the paper out detection is set to “page head” by the panel information setting unit 26, printing can be stopped at the page head position. When the paper out detection is set to “paper end” by the panel information setting unit 26, when the page length setting command is received from the host device, the page length setting unit 22 and the paper out detection setting unit 23 detect the paper out detection. Is set to “top of page”.
[0010]
5 and 6 show an embodiment of the paper out detection setting means. FIG. 5 shows an operation panel, and FIG. 6 shows a setting method.
The user uses the operation panel shown in FIG. 5 by the method shown in FIG. 6 to select out-of-paper detection setting from “top of page” and “end of paper”.
[0011]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the present invention, even when the user's paper out detection method setting is “paper end”, when the page length setting command is received from the host device, the paper out detection method is used. By changing to the “page head” that reflects the page length setting value, it is possible to improve the accuracy of the print stop position due to running out of paper.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a flowchart of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a printing mechanism unit, printing paper, and a paper sensor. FIG. 4 is an example of a conventional printing apparatus.
FIG. 5 is an example of an operation panel.
FIG. 6 is an example of an out-of-paper detection setting unit.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 is a processing unit for determining whether or not a page length setting command has been received from the host device, 2 is a processing unit for determining whether or not the out-of-paper detection setting is “top of page”, and 3 is “out-of-page” detection setting. 21 is a data receiving means for receiving data from the host apparatus, 22 is a page length setting means for setting the page length based on a page length setting command from the host apparatus or a setting value from the operation panel, 23 Is a paper out detection setting unit for setting a method for detecting a paper out, 24 is a print control unit for controlling printing, 25 is a printing mechanism unit for executing printing, 26 is a panel information setting unit for setting information from the operation panel, 41 is a printing mechanism unit for executing printing, 42 is printing paper, 43 is a paper sensor for detecting the end of the paper, 51 is data receiving means for receiving data from the host device, and 52 is a page length setting command from the host device. Is a page length setting means for setting the page length based on the setting value from the operation panel, 53 is a paper out detection setting means for setting a method for detecting a paper out condition, 54 is a print control unit for controlling printing, and 55 is for executing printing A printing mechanism unit 56 is panel information setting means for setting information from the operation panel.

Claims

Data receiving means for receiving data from the host device, page length setting means for setting the page length based on a page length setting command from the host device or a setting value from the operation panel, and paper for setting a method for detecting a paper break It is composed of a cut detection setting unit, a print control unit that controls printing, a printing mechanism unit that executes printing, and a panel information setting unit that sets information from the operation panel , and includes a paper sensor that detects the end of the paper, a said printing mechanism and said paper sensor the printing apparatus for the continuous paper that away, by receiving the page length setting command from the host device, wherein the paper end is passed after the remaining sheets of the sheet sensor performs subtraction from the initial value each time performing printing-paper feeding, the print mechanism is the relative remaining sheets and the said page length every time it reaches the beginning of the page length set by the page length setting means When the said residual paper is smaller than the page length, the paper-out detection setting to stop printing as paper out, the continuous paper, wherein the paper switching Re detection setting means has to be changed Printing device.

A continuous paper printing apparatus comprising a medium on which is recorded a paper out detection method setting program used by the paper out detection setting means according to claim 1.