JP4930682B2 - Printer and its paper core - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a printer and a paper core used in the printer, and more particularly to a sublimation printer that prevents print deterioration due to a setting error in print control and an improvement in the paper core for the printer.

  Examples of printers that use roll paper wound around a paper core having a roll core and flanges attached to both the left and right sides of the roll core to be used as printing paper include those disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2.

This conventional printer will be briefly described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 4 is a partially cut perspective view for explaining the basic operation of the conventional printer.
As shown in FIG. 4, in the conventional thermal printer 100, when a paper out of paper or a paper having a different paper quality is replaced, the thermal roll paper is wound around a paper core 110 having flanges attached on both sides. It is set to 100.

  Next, a sublimation printer using roll paper as in this conventional printer and a paper core used in this sublimation printer will be described with reference to FIG.

Sublimation printers are used as output printers for digital cameras because they can provide high image quality at a low cost.
In addition, roll paper is more advantageous than cut paper in terms of cost, and roll paper (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “paper”) is wound around a paper core and used, for example, as photographic print paper. .

A sublimation printer sets a paper core on which roll paper is wound, and when a print command is given, in the case of color printing, yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) are superimposed to express the print color. In addition, the overcoat layer is generally printed last to prevent fading.
At this time, the sheet is conveyed for compensation to the sublimation printer by a drive system (not shown).

  Since the roll paper reciprocates four times within the print area, the paper core used in the sublimation printer has flanges attached to both sides of the roll core, which is the core of the roll paper, as in the printer shown in FIG.

  Note that the paper is supplied to the user with a flange attached, and the flange is attached as an accessory of the printer, and the user may set the roll paper when using the printer.

JP 07-267506 A JP 07-267507 A

By the way, as a paper of a sublimation printer, there is a photo-like paper used for a photograph or a sticker paper used as a sticker.
There are also types of photo-like paper such as glossy paper.
Therefore, it is necessary to switch print control such as the color and density to be printed depending on the type of paper.

Therefore, every time the paper type is changed, it is necessary to change the print control setting by distinguishing the type of paper set in the printer. However, in the conventional sublimation printer, the type of paper set in the printer is different. The determination is performed as follows.
(1) The user manually changes the printer paper settings.
(2) A mark is placed on the back side of the paper and detected by a sensor in the printer.
(3) Paper and an ink ribbon are supplied in pairs as consumables, and the paper type is determined using the mark on the ink ribbon as a substitute for the paper.

However, the conventional sublimation printer has the following problems in the above-described determination method corresponding to the paper type.
First, in the method in which the user manually changes the paper setting of the printer, since the setting is changed manually, the work load increases. Further, a failure such as deterioration of print quality occurs due to a user's setting mistake.

Next, in the method of marking the back side of the paper and detecting it with a sensor in the printer, a step of printing the mark on the back side is added in the paper manufacturing process, leading to an increase in the cost of the paper itself.
Further, in the method of supplying paper and ink ribbon as a consumable as a pair and discriminating the paper type by using the ink ribbon mark as a substitute for the paper, a failure such as deterioration of print quality occurs due to a user's set mistake or the like.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a printer and its paper core that solve the above problems (problems) and prevent deterioration of print quality due to an erroneous input or erroneous operation of a user's print control without increasing paper costs. Objective.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided the printer according to the first aspect, wherein the left and right sides of the printer are used as a print paper by winding roll paper around a paper core having a roll core and flanges attached to the left and right sides of the roll core. Marks provided on the side surfaces of the flanges on both sides, sensors disposed on both the left and right sides to detect the marks provided on the side surfaces of the left and right side flanges, and the rotation angle of each mark provided on the flanges on both sides A discriminating function for discriminating the type of paper from the difference, automatically discriminating the type of paper set in the printer, and using a pulse motor as a motor for transporting the roll paper, the number of steps of the pulse motor The paper type is determined .

  The printer according to claim 2 of the present invention is configured such that the roll core has notches for notches for positioning the rotational positions of flanges attached to both sides of the roll core.

The printer according to claim 3 of the present invention has a configuration in which an encoder that detects the transport amount of the roll paper is attached to any part of the drive system that transports the roll paper.

A paper core according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is a paper core that is used in the printer according to any one of the first to third aspects, and includes a roll core and flanges attached to the left and right sides of the roll core. In addition, a mark is provided on the side surfaces of the left and right flanges, and the roll core has a notch cut for positioning the mark provided on the side surface of the flange attached to both sides of the roll core. .

In the paper core according to claim 5 of the present invention, the paper core is made of resin, and the roll core of the paper core can be easily cut into notches for notches at several positions in advance. It was set as the structure formed.

Since the printer of the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following excellent effects.
(1) With the configuration described in claim 1, since the type of paper set in the printer can be automatically determined with a simple configuration, it is possible to perform printing in an appropriate print mode, and manufacture of the paper. Without increasing the cost, it is possible to prevent the print quality from being deteriorated due to an erroneous input or erroneous operation by the user.
Further, even when the difference between the outer diameter and the inner diameter of the roll paper is large and there are many types of paper, the paper type can be automatically and accurately identified.

(2) With the configuration as described in claim 2, it is easy to set the rotational position of the flange, and the type of paper set in the printer is automatically changed by changing the rotational position of the notch on both the left and right sides. Since it can be determined, it is possible to prevent deterioration of print quality.

( 3 ) With the configuration described in claim 3 , the accuracy of automatically identifying the paper type is improved.

Since the paper core of the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following excellent effects.
( 4 ) According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a paper core for a printer that prevents deterioration of print quality due to an erroneous input of a user's print control or an erroneous operation can be provided without increasing the manufacturing cost of the paper. it can.

( 5 ) When configured as described in claim 5 , it is possible to cope with a plurality of types of paper with one type of paper core.

An embodiment of a printer and a paper core according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is a front view showing the basic configuration of the paper core of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view showing the basic configuration of the paper core of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a partially cut front view showing the basic configuration of the paper core of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the main configuration of the paper core 10 of the present invention is a roll core 30 serving as a roll paper core and flanges 20 attached to the left and right sides of the roll core 30.
Although not shown, the left flange 20 is provided with a gear for driving the paper.
In the description of the invention, illustration of roll paper (paper) is omitted.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, marks 50 are provided on the side surfaces of the left and right flanges 20.
Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the roll core 30 is provided with notches 40 for positioning the rotational positions of the marks 50 provided on the side surfaces of the flange 20 on both sides of the roll core 30.
Here, the mark 50 specifically includes a reflection mark or a detection protrusion.
The paper needs to be sequentially rotated along with printing, and the flange 20 and the paper are connected by a notch 40.
Although illustration is omitted, the roll core 30 is formed with a cut for the notch 40.

  By the way, the printer of the present invention is a conventional sublimation printer in which sensors for detecting the marks 50 provided on the side surfaces of the left and right flanges 20 of the paper core 10 are attached. Since they are the same, the following description will be focused on the paper core 10 of the present invention.

Next, the basic operation of the paper core 10 according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
First, as described above, in order to determine the type of paper set in the sublimation printer of the present invention, a mark 50 such as a reflection mark or a protrusion that can be detected by a sensor is provided on the side surface of the flange 20.
Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the positional relationship between the position of the notch 40 and the mark 50 is determined.
This process is also performed for the opposite flange 20 not shown in FIG.

At this time, the rotation position of the notch 40 for positioning the mark 50 on the flange 20 is shifted left and right, for example, by 90 ° corresponding to the type of paper, and the rotation position of the mark 50 on the flange 20 is detected by a sensor in the printer. In addition, by detecting the angle difference and providing a discrimination function for discriminating the type of paper from this angle difference, the type of paper set in the printer can be automatically discriminated.
At this time, it is assumed that the discrimination function stores the correspondence between the angular difference of the rotation position of the mark 50 and the paper type at that time.

Therefore, with this configuration, it is possible to automatically determine the type of paper set in the printer with a simple configuration, so it is possible to print in an appropriate print mode, without increasing the manufacturing cost of the paper, It is possible to prevent the print quality from being deteriorated due to an erroneous input or erroneous operation by the user.
In addition, the setting of the rotational position of the flange 20 is facilitated by using the notch 40, and the setting of the rotational position of the flange 20 can be easily changed by changing the cutting position for the notch 40.

  The above is the principle of automatically discriminating the type of paper set in the sublimation printer of the present invention using the paper core 10 according to the present invention. Specific explanation will be given below by giving two examples. Do.

  First, when the difference between the minimum diameter and the maximum diameter of the paper is small and the number of types of paper set in the printer is small, sensors arranged on both the left and right sides detect the marks 50 provided on the flanges 20 on both sides. The type of paper is automatically identified based on whether or not the time difference until it is within a predetermined time.

  In this case, since the number of types of paper is small, the step width of the angular difference between the rotational positions of the marks 50 can be increased, and the difference between the minimum diameter and the maximum diameter of the paper is small, so that the rotational speed of the flange 20 is reduced. A change with time is small, paper can be automatically identified by time management, and the configuration of the automatic identification system is simplified.

At this time, the detection timing of the mark 50 provided on the side surface of the flange 20 is detected in a transport mode by a field roller (not shown) that transports the paper by loading performed when the paper is set in the printer.
This field roller is a roller in which protrusions and the like are formed on the surface and the distance for conveying the paper becomes constant.
In other words, since the paper transport distance is stabilized, it is possible to identify by time management.

  Next, when the difference between the minimum diameter and the maximum diameter of the paper is large and there are many types of paper set in the printer, a pulse motor is used as the motor for transporting the roll paper, and the number of steps of the pulse motor is The angle difference between the rotational positions of the marks 50 provided on the flanges 20 on both sides is calculated, and the type of paper is determined from this angle difference.

In this case, the roll paper is rotated at least once during paper conveyance.
Similarly, when a field roller is used as a roller for transporting paper, the type of paper can be determined by the number of motor steps, and the outer diameter of the paper can also be determined because the transport amount per rotation can be known. It becomes like this.

  Further, in order to discriminate the sheet by the number of steps of the motor, the identification accuracy of the angular difference between the rotational positions of the flanges 20 on both sides is improved, and the notch step angle for the notch 40 for positioning the rotational position of the flange 20 is determined. For example, since it can be as small as 30 °, two or more types of paper can be automatically identified.

The printer and paper core of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made.
In the above embodiment, the sublimation printer is used as the printer. However, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to other printers using a paper core having flanges on both sides.
If an encoder for detecting the amount of roll paper transport is attached to any part of the drive system that transports the roll paper, the automatic paper identification accuracy can be improved.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the paper core material was not mentioned, but when the paper core is made of resin, it is put in advance at several positions so that notches for notches can be easily cut, It is also possible to support a plurality of types of paper with one type of paper core.
On the other hand, in the case of using a paper core made of paper, this can be dealt with by changing the cut-in portion corresponding to the type of paper.

It is a front view which shows the basic composition of the paper core of this invention. It is a side view which shows the basic composition of the paper core of this invention. It is a partially cut front view showing the basic configuration of the paper core of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a partially cut perspective view for explaining a basic operation of a conventional printer.

Explanation of symbols

10: Paper core 20: Flange 30: Roll core 40: Notch 50: Mark

Claims (5)

In a printer used as a print paper by winding a roll paper around a paper core having a roll core and flanges attached to both right and left sides of the roll core,
Marks provided on the side surfaces of the left and right flanges;
Sensors arranged on the left and right sides to detect marks provided on the side surfaces of these left and right flanges,
And a discrimination function of discriminating the type of paper from the angle difference between the rotational position of each mark formed on the opposite sides of the flange, with automatically identifies the type of paper that has been loaded into the printer, the roll paper A printer characterized in that a pulse motor is used as a conveying motor, and the type of paper is determined by the number of steps of the pulse motor . The printer according to claim 1, wherein the roll core is formed with a notch cut for positioning a rotational position of a flange attached to both sides of the roll core. The printer according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that fitted with an encoder for detecting the transport amount of the paper roll to any point of the drive system for transporting the roll paper. A paper core used in the printer according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , comprising a roll core and flanges attached to left and right sides of the roll core,
Marks are provided on the sides of the left and right flanges,
The paper core, wherein the roll core is formed with notches for positioning marks provided on side surfaces of flanges attached to both sides of the roll core. The paper core material is made of a resin, wherein the roll core of the paper core, the number of positions in advance, the cut of the notch is formed readily Kiritoreru as in claim 4, wherein Paper core as described.

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