JP4590316B2 - Sorting device of image recording apparatus and sorting method in the sorting device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a sorting apparatus for an image recording apparatus that records image data by sorting recorded image data transmitted from a plurality of computers for each image recording command.

  In general, a plurality of computers connected to a network constructed by a LAN (Local Area Network) or the like share one or a plurality of image recording apparatuses and transmit image data to each to perform image recording. . As an image recording apparatus, for example, an ink jet printer, which has been widely used in recent years, is equipped with a recording head in which a plurality of nozzles serving as ink ejection openings are arranged in a direction (main scanning direction) perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the recording medium. ing. This recording head records characters, images, and the like on a recording medium moving in front of the nozzles at a timing generated based on the image data, respectively. Examples of the recording medium used in such an image recording apparatus include recording paper (copy paper), OHP paper, cardboard, cloth, and the like, and the materials and thicknesses thereof are different.

  In an image recording apparatus that transports these recording media by a transport belt, the optimum distance for image formation differs depending on the type of the recording medium. For example, when a distance between a conveyance belt suitable for a thin recording medium such as recording paper and the recording head is set, if an attempt is made to convey a thick recording medium such as cardboard as it is, the cardboard paper is This causes contact with the ink and causes stains due to the adhesion of ink, or causes jamming and the like. On the other hand, if an image is recorded on a thin recording medium with a distance suitable for a thick recording medium, the distance between the recording head and the recording medium becomes long, and the image quality deteriorates due to the landing position deviation of ink droplets, etc. Become.

  As a solution to such a problem, for example, in Patent Document 1, the thickness of a recording medium to be conveyed is automatically detected, and the distance between the recording head and the conveyance mechanism is adjusted, thereby conveying a medium such as a conveyance jam. An image recording apparatus that avoids the above troubles and degradation of recording image quality is disclosed.

  On the other hand, when a network system is constructed so that a plurality of computers share one image recording apparatus, recorded image data is transmitted simultaneously or continuously from the respective computers to the image recording apparatus. That is, a situation occurs in which image recording jobs are continuously transmitted. At this time, even if the priority is given to each job and image recording is performed in order, the recording medium on which the image is recorded is stored in the storage mechanism in a continuous state without being distinguished for each image recording job. .

  For this reason, each user has a recording medium on which an image is recorded by an instructed image recording job mixed in a recording medium on which an image has been recorded by another image recording job. Become. In order to save the labor of sorting, a complicated and relatively large dedicated sorting device such as a collator device for inserting a partition sheet for each image recording job must be mounted on the image recording device. For this reason, there is a problem that not only the entire image recording apparatus is enlarged and the installation space is increased, but also the cost for image formation is significantly increased.

As a countermeasure, for example, Patent Document 2 discloses an image recording apparatus that facilitates sorting using a sorting medium. In this image forming apparatus, for each image recording command, a sorting medium is fed from a separately installed sorting medium feeding device, and is sandwiched at every separation of the recording medium on which the image has been recorded. The user can take out the recording medium using the sorting medium as a mark. By using such a sorting medium, a complicated and relatively large sorting device such as a collator device is not required.
JP-A-5-147313 JP-A-5-270722

  The image recording apparatus described in Patent Document 1 described above automatically detects the thickness of the recording medium by moving the recording head forward and backward with respect to the recording medium each time the recording medium is conveyed to the recording head and the conveyance mechanism. And the distance of the transport mechanism is adjusted. For this reason, the time required for image recording becomes long, and this is not suitable in the case where image recording is continuously performed on recording media having the same thickness.

  Further, in the image recording apparatus described in Patent Document 2 described above, the sorting medium fed from the sorting paper feeding device is different from the transport path facing the recording head like the recording medium used for image recording. Therefore, both the recording medium feeding device and the sorting medium feeding device are required. For this reason, the recording medium feeding device and the sorting medium feeding device are configured to feed the recording medium and the sorting medium arbitrarily selected from the devices having the same transport path or the plurality of different types of feeding devices. On the other hand, it cannot be applied.

  Therefore, the present invention appropriately sets the distance between the image recording unit and the transport mechanism facing the image recording unit when various recording media and sorting media having different thicknesses are arbitrarily fed from at least one paper feeding device. By adjusting, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a conveyance jam when conveying the recording medium and the sorting medium, and when the adjustment is not necessary, the sorting apparatus of the image recording apparatus that performs the medium conveyance without performing the adjusting operation. And a sorting method in the sorting apparatus.

In order to solve the above-described problem, the image recording apparatus sorting apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention is configured such that the recording medium is provided by the image recording unit provided at a predetermined head gap above the recording medium conveyance path. An image recording apparatus sorting apparatus for performing image recording in a process of being transported along a transport path, and provided at an upstream side in the transport path, wherein the recording medium is fed to the image recording unit. A feeding unit, a conveyance mechanism that is provided opposite to the image recording unit, and that carries the recording medium on the downstream side in the conveyance path, and the conveyance mechanism can be moved toward and away from the image recording unit. a lift mechanism for supporting, said information on recording medium, and at least the sorting device setting information input unit for selecting the information to the operator about, the selection information of at least the setting information input unit Zui by a medium distance adjustment determination section for determining the necessity of adjusting the distance between at least the image recording unit and the conveying mechanism placed on said recording medium, based on information from at least the medium distance adjustment determination section Te, characterized in that it comprises a control unit for controlling the driving of the elevating mechanism.

  Furthermore, the sorting method in the sorting apparatus of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention is an image recording apparatus in which image recording is performed in the process in which the recording medium is transported along the transport path by the image recording unit provided above the transport path of the recording medium. In this sorting apparatus, at least information for each recording medium having a different thickness is stored in advance, a desired one is selected from the information for each recording medium, and based on the information of the selected recording medium When it is determined that the distance adjustment with the recording medium conveyed under the image recording unit is necessary and the determination result of the distance adjustment is necessary, the distance between the image recording unit and the recording medium is adjusted, and the distance is adjusted. When it is determined that the adjustment determination result is NO, the recording medium for sorting is transported through the transport path without being adjusted for distance, and is sorted and stored in the discharge unit.

  The present invention appropriately adjusts the distance between the image recording unit and the transport mechanism facing the image recording unit when various recording media and sorting media having different thicknesses are arbitrarily fed from at least one paper feeding device. Therefore, when conveying the recording medium and the sorting medium, the jamming of the image recording apparatus that prevents the occurrence of a conveyance jam and performs the medium conveyance without performing the adjustment operation when adjustment is not necessary, And a sorting method in the sorting apparatus.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description of each embodiment, the conveyance direction of the recording medium is the X-axis direction or the sub-scanning direction, and the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction is the Y-axis direction or the main scanning direction, or the width direction of the recording medium. Further, a direction perpendicular to the XY plane is defined as a Z-axis direction or a vertical direction.
An embodiment of a sorting apparatus (sorting processing unit) mounted on an image recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual block diagram of a sorting apparatus of an image recording apparatus in the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the sorting device 31 installed in the image recording device 30 includes a control unit 1 that serves as both the overall control of the image recording device 30 and the control of the sorting device 31, and a plurality of types of recording media. A feeding unit 6 having a feeding mechanism 7 for taking out the designated recording medium and feeding it to the downstream side of the conveying path, and a recording head 15 on the downstream side of the feeding unit 6 are loaded separately. There is a transport mechanism 8 having a transport information generation unit 9 that is provided oppositely to place and transport the recording medium, and a sensor 11 that detects the current position of the lift position (distance from the origin). An elevating mechanism 10 that adjusts the distance (head gap) to the recording head 15, a setting information input unit 2 that inputs information about image recording including at least information about a recording medium placed on the feeding unit 6, On recording media Based on the input information of the medium information storage unit 4 for storing information to be set and the setting information input unit 2, the thickness of the recording medium transported first and the thickness of the recording medium transported next are compared, and the medium distance The medium determination unit 3 includes a medium distance adjustment determination unit 5 that determines whether or not adjustment is necessary and outputs an adjustment distance when it is determined to be necessary. Here, the thickness of the recording medium is a part of information regarding the recording medium.

  The control unit 1 includes a computer having a CPU, a RAM, and a ROM, and controls the entire image recording apparatus 30 including the sorting apparatus 31. The setting information input unit 2 supplies, as information about the recording medium, for example, various recording medium setting information and the recording medium input by the operator for the recording medium material, size (standard / indeterminate size), thickness, and the like. Information for selecting the feeding unit 6 to be sent is notified to the control unit 1 and may be provided in an operator operation panel (not shown) of the image recording apparatus 30 or may be provided in a dedicated operator operation panel. .

  When an image recording job is continuously processed, after one image recording job is completed, it is sorted out from various recording media loaded in the feeding unit 6 by a sorting process set in the setting information input unit 2 in advance. A recording medium used as a medium is taken out and placed on the recording medium on which an image is recorded at the end of the image recording job. Subsequently, the process proceeds to the next image recording job and is placed on the sorting medium so that the recording media on which the images are recorded overlap. By interposing one sort medium between the image recording jobs as the sort medium, it is possible to easily distinguish and take out the record medium designated by the user. As a feature of the present embodiment, a normally used recording medium is transported and used as a sorting medium without separately providing a sorting medium different from the recording medium and a different transport mechanism.

  The medium information storage unit 4 in the medium determination unit 3 stores information related to various recording media input by the setting information input unit 2, for example, the thickness of the recording medium. The medium distance adjustment determination unit 5 of the medium determination unit 3 compares the thickness of the previously conveyed recording medium with the thickness of the next conveyed recording medium, and outputs the result to the control unit 1. The feeding mechanism 7 of the feeding unit 6 is constituted by, for example, a pickup roller or a feeding roller.

Lifting mechanism 10, for example an arm that supports the feeding mechanism 8 moves up and down driven by a stepping motor or the like, the current position based on the result output from the sensor 11 and the medium distance adjustment determination unit 5 for detecting the (Distance from the original point) The transport mechanism 8 is moved up and down. The image recording device 30 having the sorting device 31 includes an image data memory 12 that stores image data to be recorded in advance, and a recording head drive that performs an image recording operation based on the image data stored in the image data memory 12. The image recording unit 13 having the unit 14 and the recording head 15, and the discharge unit 28 having the feeding mechanism 27 for discharging the recording medium and storing the discharged recording medium.

  Next, an arrangement example of each component excluding the control system in the sorting apparatus 31 mounted on the image recording apparatus 30 and the operation of the image recording apparatus 30 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, when an image recording operation is started by the control unit 1, the elevating mechanism 10 is based on a sensor 11 that detects the elevating position and a result output from the medium distance adjustment determining unit 5. 8 is moved up and down to adjust the distance between the recording head 15 and the transport mechanism 8 (so-called head gap) to a distance suitable for the recording medium 21-n (n is a natural number) (head gap adjustment).

  Next, the transport mechanism 8 is driven, and the recording medium 21-n is picked up one by one by the feeding roller 7 provided above the feeding unit 6 that stores a plurality of recording media 21-n. It is transported downstream in the transport path. The conveyed recording medium 21-n is brought into contact with a registration roller pair 22 provided substantially parallel to the main scanning direction, and then fed by the feeding roller 7 while being in contact with the registration roller pair 22 for a predetermined time. Thus, the correction is made substantially parallel to the sub-scanning direction.

  The registration roller pair 22 sandwiches the corrected recording medium 21-n and conveys it to the end sensor 23 side. When the edge sensor 23 detects, for example, the leading edge of the recording medium 21-n in the sub-scanning direction of the recording medium 21-n, the control unit 1 causes the conveyance information generation unit 9 of the conveyance mechanism 8 to generate conveyance information. Trigger information is notified. The transport mechanism 8 is provided opposite to the ink discharge port of the recording head 15 and rotates an endless transport belt 25 around a driving roller 24a and driven rollers 24b and 24c that are spaced apart by a predetermined distance in the sub-scanning direction. In addition to being movably installed, a suction fan (not shown) provided inside the transport mechanism 8 is provided so that the recording medium 21-n is sucked and placed on the transport belt 25.

  The drive roller 24a rotates the conveyor belt 25 by, for example, a motor drive (not shown), and the driven rollers 24b and 24c are rotated by the rotation of the conveyor belt 25. The generated pulse signal is notified to the control unit 1. The encoder pulse signal in the conveyance information generation unit 9 generated using the detection information of the end sensor 23 as trigger information is recorded on the recording medium 21-n adsorbed on the conveyance belt 25 of the conveyance mechanism 8 by the recording head 15. The control unit 1 stores the number of pulses at the start of the image recording operation with respect to the recording medium 21-n of the recording head 15, and the pulse storing the encoder pulse in the conveyance information generating unit 9 When they match, the image recording operation of the recording head 15 is started.

  The control unit 1 outputs image information for each line to the image recording unit 13 when recording an image based on the image recording information stored in advance in the image data memory 12 of the image recording device 30. The recording head drive unit 14 controls the recording head 15 to record the image information for each line output from the control unit 1. The recording medium 21-n after the image is recorded in this manner is sandwiched between the discharge rollers 27 of the discharge unit 28 provided on the downstream side of the transport mechanism 8 and is stored in the discharge unit 28. As shown in FIG. 2, in one embodiment, the recording head is shown as four recording heads 15. However, the recording head is not limited to this. For example, black (K) in a single color ink, a plurality of recording heads, and the like are used. A plurality of recording heads corresponding to black (K), cyan (C), light cyan (LC), magenta (M), light magenta (LM), yellow (Y), and the like in the color ink may be provided.

Next, the sorting operation of the sorting apparatus 31 will be described using the flowchart shown in FIG.
First, by the setting information input unit 2 of the sorting device 31, before the image recording device 30 starts the image recording operation, for example, various materials having different materials such as the material, size (standard / indeterminate size), and thickness are different. It is confirmed whether the setting information j is set from the setting information (1, 2,..., J-1, j) of the recording medium 21-n (step S1).

If the setting information j is set in this confirmation, it is determined whether the recording medium 21-n to be conveyed is an image recording medium or a sorting medium (step S2). If it is determined that the medium for image recording (NO), the medium information which is associated from the storage unit 4 to the setting information of the recording medium 21-n of the j pickled, thickness information based on the medium distance adjustment determines the medium The unit 5 determines whether or not to adjust the distance between the image recording unit 13 and the transport mechanism 8, that is, the so-called head gap (step S6). Here, when the media distance adjustment determining unit 5 determines that require adjustment of the head gap notifying (YES), the travel distance d of the original point or these lift mechanism 10 to the control unit 1. Elevating mechanism 10, pulse number of the stepping motor min corresponding to the travel distance d, to drive the stepping motor, the lifting arm is operated, thereby lifting the transport mechanism 8 in the correct position (step S7).

  It is determined whether or not the adjustment of the head gap has been completed (step S8). If the adjustment has been completed, the recording medium 21-n is conveyed from the paper feed unit 6 to the conveyance path (step S9). The transport method is as described above. Thereafter, it is confirmed whether all the image recording commands are completed (step S10), and if all the commands are completed, the image recording process is terminated. If the image recording command still remains, the process returns to step S1 and the same operation is performed.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S2 that the medium is a sorting medium (YES), it is determined whether the medium feeding unit 6 used for sorting is the same as the image recording medium feeding unit 6 (step S3). If it is determined that they are the same (YES), the process proceeds to step S6, and it is determined that adjustment of the head gap is not necessary because the transported sorting medium has the same medium thickness as the recording medium on which the image was recorded immediately before. Then (step S6: NO), the conveyance of the sorting medium is executed following the conveyance of the image recording medium (step S9).

  If it is determined in step S3 that the medium feeding unit 6 is different from the image recording medium feeding unit 6 (NO), the thickness of the sorting medium is larger than the thickness of the image recording medium. It is compared whether the thickness is thicker (step S4). If it is determined in this comparison that the image recording medium is thicker or the same (NO), the process proceeds to step S6, where it is determined that no adjustment of the head gap is necessary (NO). In step S9, Subsequent to the conveyance of the image recording medium, conveyance of the sorting medium is executed.

  Further, if it is determined in the comparison in step S4 that the sorting medium is thicker than the image recording medium (YES), the process waits until the image recording medium is completely discharged (step S5). In step S6, it is determined that adjustment of the head gap is necessary (YES), and adjustment of the head gap is started in step S7. Thereafter, after confirming that the adjustment of the head gap has been completed in step S8, the sorting medium is conveyed in step S9. Next, after transporting the sorting medium, it is confirmed whether all the image recording commands have been completed (step S10). If there is still an image recording command, the process returns to step S1 again.

  As described above, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the thickness of the image recording medium and the sorting medium is compared to determine whether or not the head gap adjustment is necessary when transporting the sorting medium. If the image recording medium is determined to be unnecessary, the sorting medium is transported after the image recording medium, so that the time to wait until the image recording medium is discharged and the time required for head gap adjustment can be omitted. The time until the end of recording can be shortened.

  According to an embodiment of the present invention, the thickness of the image recording medium and the sorting medium is compared to determine whether or not the head gap adjustment is necessary when transporting the sorting medium. If the image recording medium is discharged, the head gap is adjusted after the image recording medium is ejected, and then the sorting medium is transported to prevent the sorting medium and the recording head from contacting each other, thereby preventing conveyance jams and the like. Can do.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to one embodiment, and can be embodied by modifying constituent elements without departing from the necessity in the implementation stage. For example, the sorting apparatus 31 in one embodiment transports the sorting medium after transporting the image recording medium. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the sorting apparatus 31 can also be applied to transporting a cover medium. For example, when the image recording medium is transported in the order of m, m−1,..., 2 and 1 and then the cover medium is transported, it can be realized by the same method as the sorting medium described above. Further, when the image recording medium is transported in the order of 1, 2,..., M−1, m pages after transporting the cover medium, the thickness of the cover medium and the thickness of the medium transported before the cover medium are transported. By comparing the above, it is determined whether or not the head gap adjustment is necessary, and when it is determined that the head gap adjustment is unnecessary, the time required for the head gap adjustment can be saved by the same method.

  In addition, the present invention can form various inventions by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in one embodiment. For example, some constituent elements may be deleted from the overall configuration shown in one embodiment, or constituent elements over different embodiments may be appropriately combined.

1 is a conceptual block diagram in an embodiment of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention. It is a figure which shows the example of arrangement | positioning of each component except the control system which concerns on one Embodiment. 3 is a flowchart in an embodiment of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

1: control unit, 2: setting information input unit, 3: medium determination unit, 4: medium information storage unit, 5: medium distance adjustment determination unit, 6: feeding unit, 7: feeding mechanism, 8: transporting mechanism, 9 : Transport information generation unit, 10: lifting mechanism, 11: sensor , 12: image data memory, 13: image recording unit, 14: recording head drive unit, 15: recording head, 21-1 to n: recording medium, 22: Registration roller pair, 23: end sensor, 24a: drive roller, 24b: driven roller, 24c: driven roller, 25: transport belt, 27: discharge roller, 28: discharge unit.

Claims (4)

A sorting apparatus for an image recording apparatus, in which image recording is performed in a process in which the recording medium is conveyed along the conveyance path by an image recording unit provided at a predetermined head gap above the conveyance path of the recording medium. ,
At least one feeding unit that is provided on the upstream side in the conveyance path and feeds the recording medium to the image recording unit;
A transport mechanism that is provided facing the image recording unit and that mounts and transports the recording medium downstream in the transport path;
An elevating mechanism that supports the transport mechanism so as to be able to contact and separate from the image recording unit;
A setting information input unit that allows an operator to select information about the recording medium and at least information about the sorting device;
Based on the selection information of at least the setting information input unit, at least the image recording unit and the medium distance adjustment determination section for determining the necessity of adjustment of the distance between the placed the recording medium to the conveying mechanism,
At least on the basis of the information from the medium distance adjustment determination unit, a control unit for controlling the driving of the elevating mechanism,
An apparatus for sorting image recording apparatuses, comprising:   When the image recording job is completed, the control unit takes out the recording medium used for the image recording job or the designated recording medium from the recording media loaded for each type in the feeding unit. The image recording apparatus sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image recording apparatus is transported as a sorting medium and placed on the last recorded recording medium in the image recording job. The elevating mechanism has an elevating position detector that detects the position of the transport mechanism,
Thickness information among the position of the transport mechanism detected by the lift position detection unit by the medium distance adjustment determination unit, and information regarding the recording medium selected by the image recording job or the recording medium selected as the sorting medium 2. The raising / lowering control is performed by the control unit so as to obtain the predetermined head gap based on the determination result of determining whether or not the head gap needs to be adjusted based on the above. The image recording apparatus sorting apparatus according to claim. A sorting method in a sorting device of an image recording apparatus in which image recording is performed in a process in which the recording medium is transported along the transport path by an image recording unit provided above the transport path of the recording medium,
Pre-store at least information for each recording medium of different thickness,
Select a desired one from the information for each recording medium,
Based on the information on the selected recording medium, it is determined whether or not it is necessary to adjust the distance from the recording medium conveyed below the image recording unit,
When the distance adjustment determination result is determined to be necessary, the distance adjustment between the image recording unit and the recording medium is performed, and when the distance adjustment determination result is determined to be NO, the distance adjustment is not performed. A sorting method in a sorting apparatus of an image recording apparatus, wherein the sorting recording medium is transported along the transport path and sorted and stored in a discharge unit.

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