JP6797517B2 - Printing device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a printing apparatus having a sheet winding function for winding a sheet-shaped printing medium (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a sheet) in the form of a roll sheet.

Conventionally, a printing device capable of winding a printed sheet in the form of a roll sheet while continuing a printing operation has been known. Patent Document 1 discloses a printing apparatus having a plurality of roll sheet holding portions, and one holding portion can be used for both the supply of a sheet to the printing unit and the winding of a sheet from the printing unit. doing.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-116561

However, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, when the holding portion is used for winding, the user holds the sheet in order to give tension to the sheet when fixing the tip of the sheet to the roll member for winding the sheet. There may be a load such as needing to hold down with. Also, when the sheet has been wound up, the user may need to hold the rear edge of the sheet by hand in order to prevent unwinding.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus having a sheet winding function in which a user load at the time of sheet winding is reduced.

In the printing apparatus of the present invention for solving the above problems, a mounting portion on which a roll sheet in which a continuous sheet is rolled into a roll is placed and a drive for rotating the roll sheet mounted on the above-mentioned resting portion. A portion, a pressing member that presses the surface of the roll sheet placed on the previously described placement portion, a printing portion that prints on the roll sheet supplied from the previously described placement portion, and the roll sheet are previously described. is fed toward the printing unit from the parts Rutoki is the pressing member comprises a control unit for pressing the surface of the roll sheet in a first pressing force, the control unit, the roll sheet by the printing unit When printing is performed, the pressing member is separated from the surface of the roll sheet, and the pressing member is brought into contact with the surface of the roll sheet before stopping the driving of the driving unit .

According to the above configuration, when the tip of the sheet is fixed to the roll member for winding the sheet, the pressing force can be applied to the sheet by the pressing portion, and the tension is applied to the sheet without the intervention of the user. be able to. Further, when the sheet is wound up to the rear end, a pressing force can be applied to the sheet by the pressing portion, and unwinding can be prevented. Therefore, a printing device having a sheet winding function with a reduced user load is realized.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the printing apparatus of the 1st use embodiment which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure which shows the movable structure of the sheet discharge part of the printing apparatus which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure which shows the spool member of the 1st use form and its attachment part. It is a figure which shows the sheet supply assisting mechanism / winding assisting mechanism which concerns on embodiment. It is a flow which shows the operation sequence at the time of sheet supply which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a flow which shows the operation sequence at the time of printing of the 1st usage form. It is a flow which shows the operation sequence at the time of sheet rewinding. It is a perspective view which saw the printing apparatus from the sheet ejection part side. It is a figure which shows the structure of the printing apparatus of the 2nd use form. It is a figure which shows the spool member of the 2nd use form. It is a front view of the spool member of the 1st use form and the 2nd use form. It is a figure which shows the structure of the printing apparatus of the 2nd use form. It is a flow which shows the operation sequence at the time of attaching a paper tube of the 2nd use form. It is a flow which shows the operation sequence at the time of printing of the 2nd use form. This is an operation sequence flow at the time of termination processing of the second form. It is a block diagram which shows an example of a control system. This is an operation sequence flow at the time of supply of the first usage embodiment according to the second embodiment. This is the rewinding operation sequence flow of the first usage pattern. This is an operation sequence flow when the paper tube is attached in the second usage pattern. This is an operation sequence flow at the time of printing of the second usage pattern. This is an operation sequence flow at the time of termination processing of the second usage pattern. It is a figure which shows the structure of the printing apparatus of the 2nd use embodiment which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. This is an operation sequence flow at the time of printing of the second usage embodiment according to the fourth embodiment. This is an operation sequence flow when the drive motor of the second usage embodiment according to the fifth embodiment is turned off.

[First Embodiment]
The present invention can be applied to various types of image forming devices such as printing devices, copiers, and facsimiles. An embodiment of the present invention will be described using an inkjet printing device (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a printing device) as an image forming apparatus to which the present invention can be applied, with reference to the drawings.

(Printing device)
The printing device shown in FIG. 1 has two transport units 70 arranged in two upper and lower stages, a sheet transport unit 300, a print unit 400, and a sheet discharge unit 500. Sheet 1 is used as the print medium, and a long continuous sheet is attached to the transport unit 70 in the form of being rolled into a roll. Hereinafter, in the present specification, the form in which the continuous sheet is rolled into a roll shape is also referred to as a roll sheet 1.

The transport unit 70 functions as a supply unit that pulls out the sheet 1 from the roll-shaped portion of the attached roll sheet 1 and supplies the sheet 1, and as a winding unit that winds the sheet 1 printed by the printing unit 400 into a roll shape. It has the function of and can be switched.

Hereinafter, in the present specification, a usage mode in which both the upper and lower transport units 70 are used as supply units will be referred to as a first usage mode. Further, of the upper and lower transport units 70, a usage mode in which one is used as a supply unit and the other is used as a winding unit is referred to as a second usage mode.

(First usage pattern)
First, a usage mode (first usage mode) in which both the upper and lower transport units 70 are used as supply units will be described.

In FIG. 1, the spool member (roll member) 2 is inserted into the paper tube of the roll sheet 1 and pivotally supported by the holding portion of the transport unit 70. The spool member 2 pivotally supported by the holding portion of the transport unit 70 is subjected to a rotational force by a roll drive motor (driving portion) and can rotate in both forward and reverse directions. A plurality of auxiliary mechanisms 200 are provided in the sheet width direction, and have rollers 6 and 7 arranged in the sheet supply direction, respectively, and function as a sheet supply auxiliary mechanism when the transport unit 70 is used as a supply unit. .. The transport guide 8 guides the sheet 1 supplied from the transport unit 70 to the printed portion 400 while guiding the front and back surfaces thereof.

The transfer roller 10 can be rotated in both forward and reverse directions by the transfer roller drive motor. The transfer pinch roller 11 can be driven to rotate with respect to the rotation of the transfer roller 10, and a transfer pinch roller separation motor (not shown) can be used to switch between a state of being separated from the transfer roller 10 and a state of contact with the transfer roller 10. It is possible to change the nip pressure (pushing pressure) in the contact state.

The sheet tip detection sensors 12 and 301 detect the tip of the sheet 1 supplied from the transport unit 70. The detection of the tip of the sheet 1 triggers the rotation control of the roll drive motor, the transfer roller drive motor, and the transfer pinch roller separation motor described above, and is used for detecting a paper jam. The platen 13 attracts the back surface of the sheet 1 by the negative pressure generated by the suction fan 14 so that the print head 15 can print accurately.

At the end of printing, the sheet discharging unit 500 cuts the sheet 1 with the cutter 16 and stores the cut printed sheet 1 in the basket 62.

The paper ejection guide 61 supports and guides the back surface side of the sheet 1 after printing. The paper ejection guide 61 is rotatable about the rotation center 61a. When the roll sheet 1 is attached to the upper transport unit 70, the paper ejection guide 61 is rotated in the clockwise rotation direction around the rotation center 61a from the state shown in FIG. 1 in FIG. 1, and is the front surface of the printing apparatus. A space is opened in the space, from which the roll sheet 1 can be attached.

The guide member 68 is a movable guide member that extends downward in the vertical direction from the tip of the paper ejection guide 61 and is rotatably attached to the paper ejection guide 61 about a fulcrum 68a. The movable guide member 68 can be stored in the paper ejection guide 61 by rotating counterclockwise around the fulcrum 68a from the state shown in FIG. 1 in FIG. A position detection sensor 69 that detects that the movable guide member 68 is housed in the paper ejection guide 61 is provided in the paper ejection guide 61.

The basket unit 62 is composed of rods 63a to 63d as a structure (framework) and a bag-shaped cloth 64 for storing the discharged sheet 1. Further, the basket unit 62 can rotate about the rotation center 65. When attaching the roll sheet 1 to the lower transport unit 70, the basket unit 62 is rotated in the counterclockwise rotation direction around the rotation center 65 from the state shown in FIG. 1 in FIG. 1, and is placed on the front surface of the printing device. A space is opened, from which the roll sheet 1 can be attached.

The position detection sensor 67 of the basket unit 62 turns ON when the basket unit 62 is in the set state shown in FIG. 1 and rotates when it is not in the state shown in FIG. 1, for example, FIG. 2 (b) and FIG. The state shown in 2 (c) is detected as OFF.

In the operation panel 20, the user inputs the type of the roll sheet 1 and the like.

(Configuration for setting roll sheets)
The configuration and procedure for setting the roll sheet 1 in the printing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3A is a front view of the spool member 2 in the disassembled state, and FIG. 3B is a front view of the spool member 2 in the assembled state. Further, FIG. 3C is a schematic cross-sectional view of a mounting portion of the roll sheet 1 on the printing device main body side.

In FIG. 3A, the spool member 2 is composed of a spool shaft 21, a friction member 22, a reference side spool flange 23, a non-reference side spool flange 24, a spool gear 25, and a supply flange attachment 26.

The supply flange attachment 26 is detachably attached to the reference side spool flange 23 and the non-reference side spool flange 24 by a hook having a spring property or the like. In the first usage mode in which the transfer unit 70 is continuously used as the supply unit, it is not necessary to remove the supply flange attachment 26 from the reference side spool flange 23 and the non-reference side spool flange 24, and these can be handled integrally. .. As will be described later, when the transport unit 70 is used as a take-up unit in the second usage mode, it is necessary to remove the supply flange attachment 26.

The non-reference side spool flange 24 fitted in the spool shaft 21 and the supply flange attachment 26 are integrally removed, and the spool shaft 21 is inserted into the paper tube of the roll sheet 1. At this time, since there is a sufficient gap between the inner diameter of the paper tube of the roll sheet 1 and the outer diameter of the spool shaft 21, the user can fit the roll sheet 1 with a slight force. When the end of the roll sheet 1 comes into contact with the supply flange attachment 26 on the reference side spool flange 23 side, the friction member 22 provided on the inner side surface side in the usage posture of the reference side spool flange 23 is the paper tube of the roll sheet 1. Contact the inner surface of.

The removed non-reference side spool flange 24 and the supply flange attachment 26 are integrally passed through the spool shaft 21, and the friction member 22 provided on the inner side surface side in the usage posture of the non-reference side spool flange 24 is passed through the roll sheet 1. Contact the inner surface of the paper tube. As a result, the lock is applied to prevent the roll sheet 1 from moving relative to the spool member of the paper tube. As a result, the state shown in FIG. 3B is obtained, and the spool member 2 on which the roll sheet 1 is mounted is set in the printing apparatus main body. The reflection type sensor 28 is provided in the main body of the printing apparatus, and determines whether the supply flange attachment 26 is attached or not attached.

In FIG. 3C, the spool holder 31 is provided on the reference side and the non-reference side of the printing apparatus main body, and has a U-shaped cross-sectional shape. The spool member 2 can be fitted and taken out from the U-shaped opening side of the spool holder 31, and the U-shaped curved portion has a diameter for fitting with the spool shaft 21. The spool drive unit 30 on the printing device main body side is connected to the spool gear 25 provided for rotating the spool member 2, and the drive is transmitted. The rotation operation of the spool member 2 enables the supply operation or the winding operation of the roll sheet 1. The presence / absence detection sensor 32 of the spool allows the printing device to detect the presence / absence of the spool member 2.

(Auxiliary mechanism)
The detailed configuration of the auxiliary mechanism 200 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the schematic diagram shown in FIG. FIG. 4A shows a cross section of the auxiliary mechanism 200 taken along the sheet supply direction of the printing apparatus, and FIG. 4B shows a side surface of the auxiliary mechanism 200 seen from the downstream side in the sheet supply direction.

The rotary shaft 3 is rotatably engaged with the main body of the printing device and is a rotary shaft of the entire auxiliary mechanism 200. The auxiliary mechanism 200 rotates about the rotation shaft 3. The rotating shaft 3 is rotatably engaged with the portion 4a of the arm portion 4, and both ends of the rotating shaft 3 are constrained in the thrust direction by a ring member (not shown). The arm portion 4 is slidably engaged with the shaft member 41 in the portion 4b, and the rotary cam 42 is urged and positioned by the weight of the entire auxiliary mechanism 200. The rotary cam 42 rotatably engages with the shaft member 43, comes into contact with the surface of the arm member 4, and rotates by being driven by a drive mechanism (pressurized drive motor) to change the position of the arm member 4.

The swing member 5 is rotatably engaged with the shaft member 41 at the engaging portion 5a, and both ends of the shaft member 41 are restrained in the thrust direction by a ring member (not shown). A driven rotating roller 6 and a seat holding roller 7 are located above the rocking member 5. The rollers 6 and 7 are pressed against the roll sheet 1. The roll outer diameter detection sensor 5c is arranged at the central portion between the driven rotating roller 6 and the seat holding roller 7 on the rocking member 5, and detects the distance from the roll sheet 1. The driven rotating roller 6 and the seat pressing roller 7 are rotatably engaged with the shaft member 47, and both ends are constrained in the thrust direction by a ring member (not shown).

The shaft member 47 is fitted in the upper hole portion of the swing member 5 and has a protrusion 47a. The compression spring 46 is fitted and restrained by the protrusion 47a of the shaft member 47 and the protrusion 5b of the swing member 5, and urges the rotary shaft 47 upward. The two rollers 6 and 7 are arranged at equal distances from the center position of the rocking member 5, and swing and rotate around the shaft member 41 to equalize the pressing force on the roll sheet 1. By providing a plurality of rollers in the outer peripheral direction of the roll sheet 1, it is possible to effectively push the swelling of the diameter of the roll-shaped portion of the roll sheet 1 and the loosening of the winding (unwinding). By rotating the roll sheet 1 via the spool member 2 with the rollers 6 and 7 pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the roll sheet 1, the sheet 1 is conveyed by the frictional force of the roll sheet 1 itself. The auxiliary mechanism 200 pressurizes the sheet from below the horizontal plane passing through the center of the roll sheet 1, that is, from below the roll sheet 1 in the vertical direction.

According to the configuration of the auxiliary mechanism 200 described above, it is possible to correct the bending of the roll sheet 1 supported at both ends by the spool member 2 and obtain higher transfer accuracy at the time of sheet supply.

The operating region of the auxiliary mechanism 200, which serves as a pressurizing mechanism for the roll sheet 1, is downward in the vertical direction with respect to the roll sheet 1. Therefore, a space for setting the sheet when setting the heavy roll sheet can be secured, and the auxiliary mechanism 200 does not interfere with the setting operation.

Further, while the transport path of the sheet transport unit 300 has a U-turn shape from below, the transport unit 70 adopts a method of pressurizing the roll sheet 1 from below to resist the curl of the roll sheet 1. Sheet 1 can be supplied without. As a result, the transfer resistance at the time of supply can be minimized, and scratches on the sheet surface can be prevented.

(Sheet discharge part)
A detailed configuration of the sheet ejection unit 500 will be described with reference to a schematic cross-sectional view of the printing apparatus shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C and a perspective view of the printing apparatus shown in FIG.

2A and 8 show a state in which the basket unit 62 is usably set in the sheet discharging unit 500. FIG. 2B shows a state in which the movable guide member 68 is housed in the paper ejection guide 61 and the basket portion of the basket unit 62 is closed. FIG. 2C shows a state in which the basket unit 62 is housed in the lower part of the lower transport unit 70.

In this example, the paper ejection guide 61 is a molded part in which guides are formed in the entire sheet width direction. The movable guide member 68 is formed by forming and bending a wire, and has two positions: a position in which the wire hangs down in the vertical direction due to its own weight, and a position in which the movable guide member 68 is housed in the paper ejection guide 61. Further, the paper ejection guide 61 is provided with a position detection sensor 69 that detects that the movable guide member 68 is housed. The position detection sensor 69 is turned off when the movable guide member 68 is in a state of hanging under its own weight as shown in FIG. 2A, and is housed as shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C. When it is in the above state, it is detected as ON.

The basket unit 62 is composed of rods 63a to 63d as a structure (framework) and a bag-shaped cloth 64 for storing the discharged sheets.

The thrust directions (axial directions) of the rods 63a and 63b are arranged to be the same as the seat width direction. One ends of the two rods 63c are arranged at both ends of the rod 63a. Further, one ends of the two rods 63d are arranged at both ends of the rods 63b. The other end of the rod 63d is connected to the rod 63c. The other end of the rod 63c is rotatably attached with respect to the center of rotation 65 provided on the stand, and the rod 63c can rotate to a substantially horizontal position as shown in FIG. 2 (b). Further, the rod 63c is movable in the thrust direction from that state, and can be housed in the lower part of the lower transfer unit 70 as shown in FIG. 2C.

The position detection sensor 67 that detects the state of the basket unit 62 is ON when the basket unit 62 is set as shown in FIG. 2 (a), and is shown in FIGS. 2 (b) and 2 (c). When it is not set as shown, it is detected as OFF.

In the set state shown in FIG. 2A, the bag-shaped cloth 64 has a portion 64a on the front side of the printing apparatus, a portion 64b on the floor surface side, and a portion 64c on the back surface side of the discharged sheet. Including. The discharged sheet is mainly received by the portion 64a and the portion 64b to prevent the printed surface from touching the floor and becoming dirty. The portion 64c has a function of guiding the back surface side of the sheet being printed or ejected, and the ejected sheet is conveyed by continuously guiding the sheet from the paper ejection guide 61 and the movable guide member 68. It is prevented from entering the unit 70 side. If the discharged sheet gets into the transport unit 70 side, a jam (paper jam) may occur. Therefore, if any of the position detection sensor 67 that detects the state of the basket unit 62 and the position detection sensor 69 that detects the state of the movable guide member 68 is in the retracted state, the operation panel 20 warns the user. To urge. This is the case of the first usage mode in which the transport unit 70 is used as a supply unit and the sheet is discharged to the basket. The case of the second usage mode in which the transport unit 70 is used as the take-up unit will be described later.

(Control system)
The control system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control system according to the present embodiment. The CPU 201 controls the transfer unit 70 and the printing unit 400 according to the control program stored in the ROM 204. The CPU 201 is input from the operation panel 20 via the input interface 202 with application selection information as to whether the transfer unit 70 is for supply or winding. The input application selection information is written in the RAM 203 and read from the RAM 203.

The CPU 201 receives the detection results of the spool presence / absence detection sensor 32 and the seat tip detection sensors 12 and 301, and the ON / OFF signals from the position detection sensors 67 and 69 of the basket unit 62 and the movable guide member 68. Further, the CPU 201 receives a trigger signal or the like accompanied by a user operation from the operation panel 20. Based on the received detection result and signal, the CPU 201 executes processing related to each operation sequence described later according to a predetermined control program stored in the ROM 204.

Specifically, the CPU 201 sends a rotation control signal to the pressurizing drive motor 33 of the upper and lower transport units 70 to drive the pressurizing drive motor 33. The auxiliary mechanism 200 rotates with the operation of the pressurizing drive motor 33. Upon receiving the signal from the roll outer diameter detection sensor 5c, the drive and stop of the pressurizing drive motor 33 are controlled.

The CPU 201 further outputs a rotation control signal to the roll drive motor 34 and the transfer roller drive motor 35 of the upper and lower transfer units 70. The CPU 201 receives signals from the drive amount detection encoders 36 and 37 of each motor in accordance with the operation of the roll drive motor 34 and the transfer roller drive motor 35, and executes rotation control of the motors 34 and 35. Regarding the control of each motor arranged in the upper and lower transfer units 70, the control program differs depending on whether the motor is used for supply or winding, which will be described later. Therefore, the control is stored in RAM 203. Either control is performed by sequentially referring to the selection information.

(Operation sequence when supplying sheets)
With reference to FIG. 5, the flow of the operation sequence at the time of sheet supply according to the first embodiment will be described. In the following description, the symbols in parentheses are the numbers of each step of the flow shown in the figure. Hereinafter, rotation in the sheet supply direction will be defined as forward rotation, and rotation in the direction opposite to forward rotation will be defined as reverse rotation.

The spool member 2 is inserted into the paper tube of the roll sheet 1 and set in the transport unit 70 (S1). The spool presence / absence detection sensor 32 installed in the spool holder 31 detects the presence of the spool member 2 (S2). When the presence of the spool member 2 is detected, an announcement to that effect is made on the operation panel. When the user inserts the tip 9 of the sheet 1 into the transport guide 8, the sheet tip detection sensor 301 detects the tip 9 of the sheet 1 (S3). Next, the auxiliary mechanism 200 is rotated by the pressurizing drive motor 33 to press the roll sheet 1 (S4).

Here, when the pressurizing drive motor 33 is driven in the forward direction, the auxiliary mechanism 200 operates in a direction approaching the roll sheet 1, and when the pressurizing drive motor 33 is driven in the reverse direction, the auxiliary mechanism 200 moves away from the roll sheet 1. Works on. The roll outer diameter detection sensor 5c detects the distance between the surface of the roll sheet 1 and the auxiliary mechanism 200 as a pressurizing mechanism, and the pressurizing drive motor 33 stops at an appropriate pressing position. By controlling the driving direction and amount of the pressurizing drive motor 33, the pressing force of the auxiliary mechanism 200 with respect to the roll sheet 1 can be changed. That is, the auxiliary mechanism 200 can be brought into contact with or separated from the tall sheet 1, and the pressing force during the contact can be set to various sizes. The state of these pressings can be arbitrarily changed in the middle of the sequence depending on the scene.

After that, the printing device performs a sheet transfer operation. Specifically, the roll drive motor 34 and the transfer roller drive motor 35 are started to be driven in the forward rotation direction to start sheet transfer (S5). The sheet tip detection sensor 12 detects the tip 9 of the sheet 1 pulled out from the roll-shaped portion of the roll sheet 1 (S6). A predetermined amount of the sheet 1 is fed from the sheet 1 and passed to the tip of the transport roller 10 (S7). Next, the auxiliary mechanism 200 is separated from the roll sheet 1, and at the same time, the nip pressure of the transfer pinch roller 11 on the transfer roller 10 is set to a weak nip pressure weaker than the normal nip pressure which is the nip pressure used at the time of printing (S8). .. After that, the skew of the sheet 1 is corrected by repeating the back feed and the feed of the sheet 1 (S9).

In the present specification, the feed refers to the feed in the sheet transport direction (corresponding to the supply direction) during printing on the sheet, and the back feed refers to the sheet transport direction during print on the sheet. It means the transportation in the opposite direction (corresponding to the rewinding direction).

Next, while backfeeding the sheet 1, the position of the tip 9 of the sheet 1 is read by a sensor (not shown) to detect the amount of skew (S10) so that the tip 9 of the sheet 1 comes to the standby position before the start of printing. The sheet 1 is stopped (S11). Next, the nip pressure of the transfer pinch roller 11 with respect to the transfer roller 10 is returned to the normal nip pressure (S12), and the supply operation is terminated (S13).

(Operation sequence at the time of printing in the first usage pattern)
Next, with reference to FIG. 6, the flow of the operation sequence at the time of printing in the first usage embodiment according to the first embodiment will be described. In the following description, the symbols in parentheses are the numbers of each step of the flow shown in the figure. Since the sequence is started from the operation end state (S13 in FIG. 5) at the time of sheet supply described above, the auxiliary mechanism 200 is in a state of being separated from the roll sheet 1, and the nip pressure of the transfer pinch roller 11 with respect to the transfer roller 10. Is usually the nip pressure.

When the print data from a personal computer or the like is received (S14), the transfer roller drive motor 35 is driven in the forward rotation direction to start sheet transfer (S15). The tip 9 of the sheet in the standby position is fed to just below the print head 15 (S16). After that, the print head 15 ejects ink while scanning in the width direction of the sheet, and printing is performed (S17).

Specifically, after the print head 15 scans in the forward direction to print one line, the transport roller 10 feeds a predetermined amount of the sheet 1, and then the print head 15 scans in the reverse direction to print one line. Print minutes. By repeating the reciprocating operation of the print head 15 and the feed operation of the transfer roller 10 in this way, printing is performed while conveying the sheet 1 to the downstream side. At this time, along with the feed operation by the transfer roller 10, the roll drive motor 34 (driving unit) is controlled to be driven in the reverse rotation direction. In the control of the roll drive motor 34, the sheet 1 is pulled by the transfer roller 10 with a force equal to or greater than the driving force in order to suppress the driving force with a current limitation. This kind of control is performed in order to exert an appropriate back tension on the roll sheet 1 and to realize stable transportation without slack.

When printing is completed (S18), the transport roller 10 feeds the sheet 1 until the rear end of the printed portion reaches the cutting position of the cutter 16 (S19), and a cutter drive motor (not shown) operates the cutter 16. Cutting is performed (S20). The cut printed matter is stored in the basket unit 62. The sheet 1 left on the printing apparatus side is back-fed by a predetermined amount by the transport roller 10 (S21), and the tip 9 of the new sheet 1 generated by the cut is returned to the print start standby position and enters the standby state ( S22).

(Operation sequence when rewinding the sheet)
An example of the flow of the operation sequence for rewinding the sheet 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 7. In the following description, the symbols in parentheses are the numbers of each step of the flow shown in the figure. In the present specification, rewinding means that the tip 9 of the sheet 1 is from a state in which the tip 9 of the sheet 1 is near the transport roller 10 (for example, a standby state described in S13 of FIG. 5 and S22 of FIG. 6). It is defined as an operation of backfeeding until it comes near the supply port of the transport unit 70.

First, the auxiliary mechanism 200 is pressed against the roll sheet 1 (S23). This is to prevent the roll sheet 1 from being unwound in the transport unit 70 as the supply unit. In that state, the roll drive motor 34 and the transfer roller drive motor 35 are simultaneously driven in the reverse rotation direction (S24) to backfeed the seat 1. After a while, the tip 9 of the seat 1 passes the detection position of the seat tip detection sensor 12 (S25), so that the drive of the transfer roller drive motor 35 is stopped (S26). When the roll drive motor 34 continues to drive as it is and further backfeeds the sheet 1, the tip 9 of the sheet 1 passes the detection position of the sheet detection sensor 301 (S27). After that, the roll drive motor 34 is stopped to end the rewinding operation (S28).

When the sheet 1 is wound to the end for the purpose of replacing the roll sheet, the roll drive motor is continuously operated for a while even after passing through the detection position of the sheet detection sensor 301, and the tip 9 of the sheet 1 is the transfer guide 8. Backfeed the sheet 1 until it comes out of.

On the other hand, when the roll sheet to be printed is switched between the upper and lower layers, the sheet 1 does not have to be wound to the end. For example, immediately after the tip 9 of the seat 1 passes the detection position of the seat detection sensor 301, the roll drive motor 34 is stopped to make the tip 9 of the seat 1 stand by in the vicinity of the seat detection sensor 301. In that case, the auxiliary mechanism 200 maintains a pressed state against the roll sheet 1 to prevent the sheet 1 from falling out of the transport guide 8 due to its own weight.

The pressing force of the auxiliary mechanism 200 at the time of supplying the sheet may be the same or different, in order to prevent the roll sheet 1 from being unwound, to prevent the sheet 1 from coming off from the transport guide 8. For example, by setting the pressing force for preventing unwinding and falling off to be larger than the pressing force at the time of supplying the sheet, the pressing force at the time of supplying the sheet is not affected and the damage to the roll sheet surface is not affected. The prevention effect can be enhanced.

The above has been described in the case of the first usage mode in which both the upper and lower transport units 70 are used as supply units. Subsequently, the case of the second usage mode in which any one of the transport units 70 is used as the take-up unit will be described.

(Second usage pattern)
A case where the upper transfer unit 70 is used as a supply unit and the lower transfer unit 70 is used as a take-up unit (second usage mode) will be described with reference to the drawings. The description of the same configuration and operation as the above-described first usage mode will be omitted.

In FIG. 9, when the lower transport unit 70 is used as the take-up unit, a paper tube 17 for taking up the sheet is attached to the spool member 2, and the tip 9 of the sheet 1 is fixed to the paper tube 17 with tape or the like. Then, the conveyed sheet 1 is wound up. Therefore, if the movable guide member 68 and the basket unit 62 are in the state shown in FIG. 2A, they will be in the way, so that each of them is used in the stored position. That is, in the second usage mode, the position detection sensor 69 of the movable guide member 68 is ON, and the position detection sensor 67 of the basket unit 62 is OFF.

Here, when the transport unit 70 is used as the supply unit, the auxiliary mechanism 200 functions as a sheet supply auxiliary mechanism that assists the supply of sheets. On the other hand, when the transport unit 70 is used as a winding unit, the sheet is pressed or separated from the surface of the sheet 1 to be wound when the sheet is set on the paper tube, printed, or terminated. It functions as a sheet winding assist mechanism that assists winding. In the present specification, the auxiliary mechanism 200 is also referred to as a supply auxiliary mechanism 200 or a winding auxiliary mechanism 200 according to the use of the transport unit 70, that is, depending on the usage pattern.

(Configuration for setting paper tubes)
A configuration in which the paper tube 17 for winding the sheet is set in the printing apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11.

FIG. 10A is a front view of the spool member 2 in the disassembled state, and FIG. 10B is a front view of the spool member 2 in the assembled state. The difference from the configuration of the spool member 2 at the time of supply described with reference to FIG. 3 is that the configuration of the spool member 2 for winding does not have the flange attachment 26 for supply. That is, as described above, since the supply flange attachment 26 is removable from the reference side spool flange 23 and the non-reference side spool flange 24, it is removed for winding purposes.

11 (a) and 11 (b) compare the spool members 2 at the time of supply and at the time of winding side by side.

As shown in FIG. 11A, a supply flange attachment 26 is attached to the flange at the time of supply. The end surface of the supply flange attachment 26 is a flat surface, and the end portion of the roll sheet 1 to be set is abutted to determine the position in the width direction. The non-reference side spool flange 24 side does not necessarily have to be a flat surface, and the supply flange attachment 26 may be removed for use.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 11B, the flanges at the time of winding, that is, the end faces of the reference side spool flange 23 and the non-reference side spool flange 24 are arranged at intervals wider than the width of the sheet 1. And has a tapered shape. Therefore, the skewing of the sheet 1 wound around the paper tube 17 can be tolerated to some extent. The configuration other than this point is the same as the configuration at the time of supply described with reference to FIG.

(Operation flow when setting the paper tube)
An operation for attaching the tip 9 of the sheet 1 to the paper tube 17 for winding the sheet will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13. FIG. 12 is a schematic view of the printing apparatus of the second usage mode, and FIG. 13 is a flow of an operation sequence when a paper tube for winding a sheet is set in the printing apparatus. In the following description, the symbols in parentheses are the numbers of each step of the flow shown in the figure. The description starts from the standby state in which the sheet 1 is supplied from the upper supply unit 70 along the steps S1 to S13 of the flow described with reference to FIG.

The spool member 2 is inserted into the paper tube 17 and set in the lower transfer unit 70 (R1). The spool presence / absence detection sensor 32 installed in the spool holder 31 detects the spool member 2 (R2). The pressurizing drive motor 33 is driven in the opposite direction to separate the winding assist mechanism 200 from the spool member 2 (R3). After that, the printing device performs a transfer operation of the sheet 1 supplied from the roll sheet 1 of the upper transfer unit 70. The transfer roller drive motor 35 is driven in the forward rotation direction (R4), and the sheet 1 is fed by the transfer roller 10 by a predetermined amount and reaches the vicinity of the paper tube 17 attached to the lower transfer unit 70 (R5). Then, with a user operation, the tip 9 of the sheet 1 is inserted between the paper tube 17 and the winding assist mechanism 200 separated from the paper tube 17 (R6).

After that, when a trigger is generated by the operation of the operation panel 20 by the user, the pressurizing drive motor 33 of the lower transfer unit 70 is driven in the forward direction, and the winding assist mechanism 200 moves the tip 9 of the sheet 1 to the paper tube 17. Press (R7). In this state, the transfer roller drive motor 35 is driven in the reverse rotation direction, and at the same time, the roll drive motor 34 of the lower transfer unit 70 is driven in the forward rotation direction (R8).

That is, at this time, the two motors, the transfer roller drive motor 35 and the roll drive motor 34 of the lower transfer unit 70, rotate in opposite directions. Since the frictional force generated between the transfer roller 10 and the sheet 1 is set to be sufficiently higher than the frictional force generated between the paper tube 17 and the sheet 1, it accompanies the reverse rotation of the transfer roller 10. The sheet 1 is back-fed by a predetermined amount (R9).

The reason why the lower roll drive motor 34 is driven in the forward rotation direction is to give tension to the sheet 1 by feeding and rotating the paper tube 17 in response to the back feed operation by the transport roller 10. By backfeeding the sheet 1 in a tensioned state, the sheet 1 to be wound around the paper tube 17 is eliminated from bending and skew is corrected.

Then, in this state, the tip 9 of the sheet 1 is fixed to the paper tube 17 with tape or the like (R10).

Here, the conventional winding device does not have something like the winding assist mechanism 200 of the present embodiment. Therefore, when the user fixes the tip 9 of the sheet 1 to the paper tube 17, it is necessary to give tension to the sheet by the user's own hand so that the sheet is straightened depending on the senses. That is, in the present embodiment, it can be said that the winding assist mechanism 200 helps to improve the inconvenience of the conventional operation flow and reduce the user load.

With the above, the operation (paper tube set operation) for attaching the tip 9 of the sheet 1 to the paper tube 17 for winding the sheet is completed, and the standby state is set (R11).

(Operation sequence at the time of printing in the second usage pattern)
With reference to FIG. 14, the flow of the operation sequence at the time of printing in the second usage embodiment according to the first embodiment, that is, at the time of winding while printing is described. In the following description, the symbols in parentheses are the numbers of each step of the flow shown in the figure.

When the print data from a personal computer or the like is received (R12), both the transfer roller drive motor 35 and the roll drive motor 34 of the lower transfer unit 70 are driven in the forward rotation direction (R13) to transfer the sheet 1. To start. The print start position of the sheet 1 in the standby position is fed to just below the print head 15 (R14). After that, the pressurizing drive motor 33 of the lower transfer unit 70 is driven in the opposite direction to separate the winding assist mechanism 200 (R15). Then, the print head 15 ejects ink while scanning in the width direction of the sheet, and printing is performed (R16).

Regarding printing, the operation of the print head 15, the operation of the transfer roller 10, and the operation of applying the back tension of the roll drive motor 34 of the upper transfer unit 70 that supplies the sheet 1 are as described in step S17 of FIG. ..

Regarding winding, the roll drive motor 34 of the lower transfer unit 70 that winds the sheet 1 via the printed portion operates together with the transfer roller 10. When the tip of the printed sheet 1 is conveyed to the position of the lower transfer unit 70, the user stops the operation of the lower roll drive motor 34 with a pause button (not shown) or the like. At that time, the printing operation continues without being stopped. With the winding operation stopped, the user fixes the tip of the sheet 1 to the paper tube with tape or the like (R17), and after the paper tube setting operation is completed, the user performs the winding operation of the lower roll drive motor 34. Press the pause button again to resume. At this time, the roll drive motor 34 is controlled so as not to pull the seat 1 with a predetermined torque (tension) or more by limiting the current. This is because if more tension than necessary is generated, the transfer accuracy will be affected. By this control, stable transportation is realized.

When the printing is completed, if the winding is to be used after that, the standby state is maintained as it is (R18).

(Operation sequence of sheet termination processing)
With reference to FIG. 15, the flow of the operation sequence of the sheet termination processing at the time of winding according to the first embodiment will be described. In the following description, the symbols in parentheses are the numbers of each step of the flow shown in the figure.

When a trigger for termination processing occurs with the operation of the operation panel 20 by the user, the transfer roller drive motor 35 and the roll drive motor 34 of the lower transfer unit 70 are driven in the forward rotation direction (R19). A quantitative feed is performed (R20). After that, the pressurizing drive motor 33 of the lower transfer unit 70 is driven in the forward direction to press the winding assist mechanism 200 against the surface of the sheet (roll sheet) 1 wound in a roll shape (R21).

At this time, if the rollers 6 and 7 of the winding assist mechanism 200 come into contact with the printed portion, there is a risk of ink transfer or the like. Therefore, in the feed operation performed in step R20, it is desirable to wind and transport the sheet 1 until the printed portion comes to the downstream side where it does not come into contact with the rollers 6 and 7. Alternatively, if the printed portion is in contact with the rollers 6 and 7, there is also a means of pressing after a sufficient drying time, or applying a means for preventing transfer such as a fluorine coating to the surface of the rollers. ..

In any case, with the winding assist mechanism 200 pressed against the surface of the sheet (roll sheet) 1 wound in a roll shape, the cutter 16 is operated by a cutter drive motor (not shown) to cut the sheet 1. (R22). At the time of cutting, the user holds the rear end of the sheet (roll sheet) 1 on the side wound by the transport unit 70 as the winding unit by hand, and after cutting, the sheet is pressed from the roll-shaped portion of the roll sheet. It is normal to prevent the rear end from falling.

After that, the rear end portion of the sheet 1 on the take-up unit side is taken up with the operation of the operation panel 20 and the buttons by the user (R23). The rear end of the sheet 1 is fixed to the roll-shaped portion of the wound roll sheet 1 with tape or the like, and the termination process is completed (R24).

As described above, in the first embodiment, after step R21, the winding assist mechanism 200 presses the surface of the roll sheet 1. Therefore, during the operation of steps R22 to R24, even if there is a slack between the rear end portion of the sheet 1 held by the user and the pressing portion by the winding assist mechanism 200, the winding is performed. There is no need to worry about the roll sheet 1 being unwound.

The conventional take-up unit does not have a take-up assist mechanism 200. Therefore, if the roll sheet 1 wound up after cutting is not held carefully so as not to loosen, the rolled roll sheet 1 may be unwound. If the roll sheet 1 is unwound, the printed surface may be rubbed and scratches may occur when the roll sheet 1 is subsequently rolled up. That is, in the first embodiment, it can be said that the winding assist mechanism 200 improves the inconvenience of operation in the conventional operation sequence, and at the same time, helps to improve the print quality.

According to the configuration described above, it is possible to provide a printing apparatus having a sheet winding function with a reduced user load.

[Second Embodiment]
In the first embodiment described above, the supply assist mechanism 200 and the winding assist mechanism 200 automatically perform the separating and contacting operations. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, the supply assist mechanism 200 and the take-up assist mechanism 200 do not perform the separation operation, and maintain the contact state with respect to the outer circumference of the roll sheet 1 (or the paper tube 17). The flow of the operation sequence of the second embodiment will be described below. The same configuration and operation as those of the first embodiment described above will be omitted.

(First usage pattern)
First, a case where both the upper and lower transport units 70 are used as supply units in the second embodiment (first usage mode according to the second embodiment) will be described.

(Operation sequence at the time of sheet supply according to the second embodiment)
FIG. 17 shows an example of the flow of the operation sequence at the time of sheet supply according to the second embodiment. The difference from the flow of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 5 will be described. The steps indicated by the same symbols in both figures have the same contents, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The series of steps (S1 to S3) of the sheet set by the user in the second embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment described with reference to FIG.

In the first embodiment, the auxiliary mechanism 200 was subsequently rotated by the pressurizing drive motor 33 to press the roll sheet 1 (S4). On the other hand, the second embodiment does not include the step corresponding to step S4. Specifically, when the roll sheet 1 is set in the transport unit 70 in step S1, the supply assist mechanism 200 and the roll sheet 1 come into contact with each other. In the second embodiment, in the steps after step S1, this contact occurs. Maintain the state.

The essence of the present embodiment is that the supply assist mechanism 200 and the roll sheet 1 are not separated in a series of steps. This can prevent the roll from unwinding and reduce the user load. Therefore, in the second embodiment, changing the pressing force on the roll sheet by rotating the auxiliary mechanism 200 by the pressurizing drive motor 33 while maintaining the contact state is arbitrary depending on the situation. It can be carried out.

In the second embodiment, a series of steps from the start of sheet transfer (S5) by the roll drive motor 34 and the transfer roller drive motor 35 to the detection of the tip of the sheet (S6) and the paper passing of the sheet (S7) are shown in FIG. It is the same as the first embodiment described in the section.

In the first embodiment, after the sheet is passed (S7), the pressure of the roll sheet 1 by the supply assist mechanism 200 is released by separation, and then the nip pressure of the transfer pinch roller 11 with respect to the transfer roller 10 is used at the time of printing. The nip pressure was weaker than the nip pressure (S8). On the other hand, in the second embodiment, the nip pressure is set to a weak nip pressure without releasing the pressure due to the separation of the supply assist mechanism 200 from the seat 1 (S35). That is, as described above, in the second embodiment, the contact state between the supply assist mechanism 200 and the roll sheet 1 is maintained.

From the subsequent skew correction (S9) in the second embodiment, skew amount detection (S10), stop at the standby position (S11), change of nip pressure to normal nip pressure (S12), and end of supply operation. The series of steps up to (S13) is the same as that of the first embodiment described with reference to FIG.

(Operation sequence at the time of printing in the first usage embodiment according to the second embodiment)
The flow of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 6 can be applied as it is to the flow of the operation sequence at the time of printing of the first usage embodiment according to the second embodiment. In the second embodiment as well, as in the first embodiment, the operation sequence at the time of printing is started from the state of the end of the operation at the time of supply (step S13) described above, and therefore, at the start of the operation, the transport pinch roller 11 The nip pressure for the transport roller 10 is a normal nip pressure. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the printing operation is performed in the pressed state because the step of releasing the pressing of the roll sheet 1 by the supply assist mechanism 200 is not included.

(Operation sequence at the time of sheet rewinding according to the second embodiment)
FIG. 18 shows a flow of an operation sequence for rewinding the tip 9 of the sheet 1 according to the second embodiment. The difference from the flow of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 7 will be described. The steps indicated by the same symbols in both figures have the same contents, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the auxiliary mechanism 200 is first pressed against the roll sheet 1 in starting the rewinding operation (S23). This is to prevent the roll sheet 1 from being unwound in the transport unit 70 as the supply unit.

On the other hand, the flow of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 18 does not include the step corresponding to step S23. As described above, in the second embodiment, the printing operation is performed in the state where the roll sheet 1 is pressed by the supply assist mechanism 200 and is not accompanied by the releasing operation, so that the pressed state is maintained at the start of rewinding. This is because it is leaning. Therefore, also in the second embodiment, unwinding of the roll sheet 1 in the transport unit 70 as the supply unit is prevented in the rewinding operation.

Subsequent steps (S24 to S28) in the second embodiment are similar to those in the first embodiment described with reference to FIG.

The above has described the case of the first usage embodiment of the second embodiment in which both the upper and lower transport units 70 are used as supply units. Subsequently, the case of the second usage mode in which any one of the transport units 70 is used as the take-up unit will be described.

(Second usage pattern)
Subsequently, a case where the upper transport unit 70 is used as a supply unit and the lower transport unit 70 is used as a take-up unit in the second embodiment (second usage mode according to the second embodiment) will be described. The same configuration and operation as those of the first embodiment and the first usage embodiment of the second embodiment will not be described.

(Operation flow at the time of setting the paper tube in the second usage embodiment according to the second embodiment)
12 and 19 are views for explaining an operation when the tip 9 of the sheet 1 is attached to the paper tube 17 for winding the sheet in the second usage embodiment according to the second embodiment. FIG. 12 is a schematic view of the printing apparatus of the second usage mode, and FIG. 19 is an operation flow when setting a paper tube for winding a sheet in the printing apparatus. The operation flow at the time of setting the paper tube is started from the standby state in which the sheet 1 is supplied from the upper supply unit 70 along steps S1 to S13 of the operation sequence at the time of sheet supply shown in FIG.

The difference between the flow of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 19 and the flow of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 13 will be described. The steps indicated by the same symbols in both figures have the same contents, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The series of steps from the paper tube set (R1) to the spool detection (R2) in the second embodiment is the same as in the first embodiment described with reference to FIG.

After detecting the presence of the spool (R2), in the first embodiment, the winding assist mechanism 200 is separated from the paper tube 17 (R3). On the other hand, the second embodiment does not include the separation step corresponding to step R3, and therefore, in the second embodiment, the contact state of the winding assist mechanism 200 with respect to the paper tube 17 is maintained.

In the second embodiment, a series of subsequent transfer rollers are driven (R4), a predetermined amount of the sheet is fed (R5), and the tip of the sheet is inserted between the paper tube and the winding assist mechanism (R6). The steps are similar to the first embodiment described with reference to FIG.

Next, in the first embodiment, the winding assist mechanism 200 is pressed against the paper tube 17 (and thus the sheet 1) (R7). On the other hand, the second embodiment does not include the separation step corresponding to step R7. This is because in the second embodiment, since the winding assist mechanism 200 is maintained in contact with the paper tube 17, it is not necessary to press it again.

In the second embodiment, the drive motors 34 and 25 are driven (R8), the sheet 1 is back-fed by a predetermined amount (R9), the tip of the sheet is fixed to the paper tube 17 (R10), and the mounting operation is completed. The series of steps following the standby state (R11) are the same as in the first embodiment.

(Operation sequence at the time of printing in the second usage embodiment according to the second embodiment)
FIG. 20 shows an example of a flow of an operation sequence at the time of printing in the second usage embodiment according to the second embodiment, that is, when printing is performed while winding. The difference from the flow of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 14 will be described. The steps indicated by the same symbols in both figures have the same contents, and the description thereof will be omitted.

A series of steps from receiving print data (R12) to driving drive motors 35 and 34 (R13) and feeding a predetermined amount of sheet 1 (R14) in the second embodiment is described with reference to FIG. It is the same as the embodiment of 1.

After feeding a predetermined amount of the sheet (R14), in the first embodiment, the winding assist mechanism 200 is separated from the paper tube 17 (and thus the sheet 1) (R15). On the other hand, in the second embodiment, the separation step corresponding to step R3 is not included, and therefore, in the second embodiment, the contact state of the winding assist mechanism 200 with respect to the paper tube 17 (sheet 1) is Be maintained.

In the second embodiment, a series of subsequent steps from printing (R16), fixing the tip of the sheet to the paper tube (R17), and finishing printing and entering the standby state (R17) are shown in FIG. It is the same as the first embodiment described in the section.

(Operation sequence of sheet termination processing in the second usage embodiment according to the second embodiment)
FIG. 21 shows an example of the flow of the operation sequence of the sheet termination processing according to the second embodiment. The difference from the flow of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 15 will be described. The steps indicated by the same symbols in both figures have the same contents, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The difference between the first embodiment and the second embodiment is that the winding assist mechanism 200 is rolled on the roll sheet 1 before the step (R22) in which the cutter 16 is operated by the cutter drive motor to perform cutting of the sheet 1. It is a point whether or not the step (R21) of pressing against is included. The first embodiment shown in FIG. 15 includes a pressing step (R21), whereas the second embodiment shown in FIG. 21 does not include such a step (R21). This is because, in the second embodiment, the winding assist mechanism 200 is in a state of being in contact with and pressed against the roll sheet 1 consistently from the time of setting the paper tube 17, so that the step of pressing (R21). ) Is not necessary to be performed again.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the supply assist mechanism 200 and the take-up assist mechanism 200 maintain the contact state without being separated from the roll sheet 1 (or the outer circumference of the paper tube 17), but even in this state. Each operation can be performed without any problem.

According to the configuration described above, it is possible to provide a printing apparatus having a sheet winding function with a reduced user load.

[Third Embodiment]
In the first embodiment described above, the supply assist mechanism 200 and the winding assist mechanism 200 automatically perform the separating and contacting operations. Further, in the second embodiment described above, the supply assist mechanism 200 and the take-up assist mechanism 200 are not separated from the roll sheet 1 or the paper tube 17 and maintain the contact state. On the other hand, in the third embodiment, the supply assist mechanism 200 and the winding assist mechanism 200 do not automatically perform the separation and contact operations, but are manually operated by the user to separate and contact. The explanation will be given below. The same configurations and operations as those described in the first and second embodiments described above will be omitted.

(Second usage embodiment according to the third embodiment)
FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a configuration of a printing apparatus according to a second embodiment according to a third embodiment. In FIG. 23, the lever 71 manually separates or abuts (separates) the supply assist mechanism 200 and the take-up assist mechanism 200 from the outer peripheral side of the roll sheet 1 or the paper tube 17 for winding the sheet. It is a lever that can be brought into contact with the state. Although not shown, it has a sensor that can detect the state of detachment (for example, pressing force), so that if the power of the printing device main body is turned on, the state of each auxiliary mechanism 200 can be known. It has become.

When the user is asked to perform an operation (change of pressing force) to change the detached state of the auxiliary mechanism 200, the operation of the printing device main body is suspended, and a message prompting the operation is displayed on the operation panel 20. When the user sees the display and changes the state of the lever 71, a sensor (not shown) detects the state change, and the printing device main body moves to the next operation.

The configuration of the present embodiment also makes it possible to provide a printing apparatus having a sheet winding function with a reduced user load.

As described above, in the first embodiment, each operation sequence when the supply assist mechanism 200 and the winding assist mechanism 200 automatically perform the separation and contact operations has been described. In the second embodiment, each operation sequence in which the supply assist mechanism 200 and the take-up assist mechanism 200 maintain the contact state without performing the separation operation has been described. In the present invention, the supply assist mechanism 200 and the winding assist mechanism 200 have no functional problem even if they remain in contact with each other. In addition, when supplying, printing, rewinding, setting the roll sheet or take-up paper tube, terminating, etc., the operation to change the disconnection state is performed by using automatic or manual as necessary. It may be, and is not limited.

In the present invention, the pressing force of the auxiliary mechanism 200 against the roll sheet 1 (the state of separation and contact, and the magnitude of the pressing force in the contact state) can be arbitrarily set according to the situation.

For example, after the tip of the sheet pulled out from the roll sheet is passed through the nip of the transport roller in front of the printed portion, a pressing force weaker than the pressing force for pulling out the tip of the sheet is used in the supply unit to tilt the sheet. The line can be suitably corrected.

Further, by using a relatively weak pressing force in the supply and winding unit during printing, stable transfer can be realized without causing unnecessary tension on the sheet, and the roll sheet can be transported. Damage can be reduced. Further, by separating the auxiliary mechanism at this time, ink transfer or the like from the wound sheet to the auxiliary mechanism can be prevented.

Further, by using a relatively strong pressing force when cutting the sheet, it is possible to prevent the sheet from bending and the roll sheet from unwinding due to the release of tension due to the cutting. Further, by using a relatively weak pressing force at the time of back feed for fixing the tip of the sheet to the paper tube for winding in the winding unit, the skewing of the sheet can be suitably corrected.

The pressing force may be set in two stages of strength and weakness, but may be set in three or more stages in order to obtain a suitable effect according to the situation. Further, the pressing force of the supply assisting mechanism and the winding assisting mechanism can be set independently of each other, and these pressing forces may be the same or different.

In the present embodiment, the printing apparatus includes two transport units, but the present invention can also be applied to a printing apparatus including three or more transport units. Further, the present invention is not limited to the printing device, and can be applied to all winding devices for winding sheet-shaped articles.

[Fourth Embodiment]
In the first embodiment described above, the supply assist mechanism 200 and the winding assist mechanism 200 automatically perform the separating and contacting operations. In the second embodiment described above, the supply assist mechanism 200 and the take-up assist mechanism 200 are not separated from the roll sheet 1 or the paper tube 17 and maintain the contact state. In the third embodiment described above, the supply assist mechanism 200 and the winding assist mechanism 200 do not automatically perform the separation and contact operations, but the user manually operates the separation and contact operations.

In the operation sequence at the time of printing in the fourth usage pattern, the attachment / detachment of the auxiliary mechanism 200 is automatically or manually switched according to at least one of the sheet type (paper type) and the winding direction. The explanation will be given below.

For example, in the case of an inwardly wound roll sheet that has high rigidity and is wound so that the printed surface is on the inside, it is normally wound because it has high rigidity and is wound in the direction opposite to the winding habit of the roll. In winding, there is a problem that unwinding occurs and scratches occur. In order to solve this, it is necessary to wind up with the winding tension significantly increased, but if the sheet 1 is pulled above a predetermined tension during winding, the transport accuracy will be affected. , Stable transport is not realized. On the other hand, it is possible to reduce the rotational load by making the pressing portion a rotating body such as a roller while preventing the unwinding by bringing the auxiliary mechanism 200 into contact with the winding. From the above, it is possible to wind up without loosening without increasing the winding tension. With this configuration, the transfer accuracy is not affected, and normal winding is possible while suppressing the cost increase of the motor.

In addition, the low-rigidity sheet has a small curl habit, so that it does not loosen. In addition, when the auxiliary mechanism 200 is brought into contact with the auxiliary mechanism 200, indentation marks may be generated due to pressure welding of the rollers. In this case, the auxiliary mechanism 200 is used separately.

On the other hand, in the case of an outer winding roll sheet wound so that the printed surface is on the outside, since the curl direction of the sheet and the winding direction of the roll are the same, the roll sheet is wound without abutting the auxiliary mechanism 200. Looseness tends not to occur. Further, a sheet having poor print drying performance because the printed surface is on the outside may have an adverse effect such as transfer to a roller by abutting the auxiliary mechanism 200. Also in this case, the auxiliary mechanism 200 is separated and wound up.

From the above, it is possible to handle more sheets while maintaining the transfer accuracy by automatically or manually switching the contact and detachment of the auxiliary mechanism 200 according to the conditions such as the sheet type (paper type) and winding direction. Is.

The contact / detachment setting of the auxiliary mechanism 200 is set to a predetermined value in advance for each sheet due to the curl property of the sheet, the transferability of the print, etc., but if the setting is different from the user's intention, set it manually. It is configured so that it can be fixed.

FIG. 23 shows the flow of the operation sequence at the time of printing according to the fourth embodiment, that is, when printing is performed while winding (second usage mode). In the following description, the symbols in parentheses are the numbers of each step of the flow shown in the figure.

When the print data from a personal computer or the like is received (R12), both the transfer roller drive motor 35 and the roll drive motor 34 of the lower transfer unit 70 are driven in the forward rotation direction (R13) to transfer the sheet 1. To start. The tip 9 of the sheet 1 in the standby position is fed to just below the print head 15 (R14). After that, the pressurizing drive motor 33 of the lower transfer unit 70 is driven in the direction set by at least one of the sheet type (paper type) and the winding direction to move the winding assist mechanism 200 to the roll sheet 1. And keep them apart or in contact (R46). Then, the print head 15 ejects ink while scanning in the width direction of the sheet, and printing is performed (R16).

Here, FIG. 14, FIG. 20 and FIG. 23 are compared. In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 14, the operation (R15) of separating the auxiliary mechanism 200 is performed between the step R14 and the step R16. Further, in the second embodiment shown in FIG. 20, the operation of separating the auxiliary mechanism 200 between the step R14 and the step R16 is not performed, and the contact state is maintained. On the other hand, in the fourth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 23, the contact / detachment state of the auxiliary mechanism 200 is set or manually switched (R46). This enables more suitable printing and sheet winding according to the conditions.

[Fifth Embodiment]
In the first embodiment described above, the supply assist mechanism 200 and the winding assist mechanism 200 automatically perform the separating and contacting operations. In the second embodiment described above, the supply assist mechanism 200 and the take-up assist mechanism 200 are not separated from the roll sheet 1 or the paper tube 17 and maintain the contact state. In the third embodiment described above, the supply assist mechanism 200 and the winding assist mechanism 200 do not automatically perform the separation and contact operations, but the user manually operates the separation and contact operations. In the fourth embodiment described above, in the operation sequence at the time of printing, the attachment / detachment of the auxiliary mechanism 200 is automatically or manually switched according to at least one of the sheet type (paper type) and the winding direction. .. In the fifth embodiment, when the drive of the roll drive motor 34 at the time of winding is stopped, the attachment / detachment of the auxiliary mechanism 200 to the roll sheet 1 is automatically switched. The explanation will be given below.

For example, in a winding device that winds a roll sheet by driving a roll drive motor 34 as in the present case, the spool shaft 2 is in a free rotation state unless the drive motor 34 is excited, and the roll sheet Unwinding will occur and scratches will occur. Therefore, in order to prevent the roll sheet from being unwound, it is necessary to keep the roll drive motor 34 constantly excited even during the print standby after the power of the main body is turned on. However, if the roll drive motor 34 is constantly excited, the power consumption of the motor increases and the temperature of the motor rises. Therefore, it is customary to turn off the excitation of the roll drive motor 34. Further, even when the power of the apparatus main body is turned off, the excitation of the roll drive motor 34 is cut off, so that unwinding occurs. Therefore, in such a winding device, it is necessary to prevent the roll sheet from being unwound even during printing standby or when the power of the device body is turned off after the power of the device body is turned on. Therefore, in the fifth embodiment, the winding assist mechanism 200 is automatically brought into contact with the roll sheet to prevent unwinding before the excitation of the roll drive motor 34 is cut off, that is, before the roll drive motor 34 is not driven. Therefore, it is possible to minimize the deterioration of winding quality.

FIG. 24 shows the flow of the operation sequence at the time of printing according to the fifth embodiment, that is, when printing is performed while winding (second usage mode). In the following description, the symbols in parentheses are the numbers of each step of the flow shown in the figure.

When the print data from a personal computer or the like is received (R12), both the transfer roller drive motor 35 and the roll drive motor 34 of the lower transfer unit 70 are driven in the forward rotation direction (R13) to transfer the sheet 1. To start. The tip 9 of the sheet 1 in the standby position is fed to just below the print head 15 (R14). After that, the print head 15 ejects ink while scanning in the width direction of the sheet, and printing is performed (R16). When the sheet 1 reaches the paper tube 17, the tip 9 of the sheet 1 is fixed to the paper tube 17 (R17). After the printing is completed (R53), the pressurizing drive motor 33 of the lower transport unit 70 keeps the winding assist mechanism 200 in contact with the wound sheet 1 (R54). Then, the drive of the roll drive motor 34 is stopped (R54) (as non-drive), and the printer enters the standby state (R55).

1 Print media (sheet, roll sheet)
2 Spool shaft 10 Transport roller 12, 301 Sheet tip detection sensor 15 Printhead 70 Transport unit 200 Auxiliary mechanism (supply auxiliary mechanism, winding auxiliary mechanism)
300 Sheet transport unit 400 Print unit 500 Sheet discharge unit

Claims (12)

A mounting part on which a roll sheet in which a continuous sheet is rolled into a roll is placed,
A drive unit that rotates the roll sheet placed on the above-mentioned storage unit, and
A pressing member that presses the surface of the roll sheet placed on the above-mentioned placing portion, and
A printing unit that prints on the roll sheet supplied from the above-mentioned storage unit, and
When the roll sheet is supplied from the previously described placing portion toward the printed portion, a control unit for pressing the pressing member against the surface of the roll sheet with a first pressing force is provided.
When printing on the roll sheet by the printing unit, the control unit separates the pressing member from the surface of the roll sheet and presses the pressing member on the roll sheet before stopping the driving of the driving unit. A printing device characterized by being brought into contact with a surface. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit operates in an operation mode in which the roll sheet is rewound from the printing unit to the previously described storage unit. When the printing unit prints on the roll sheet, the control unit can press the pressing member with a second pressing force smaller than the first pressing force, and the surface of the roll sheet can be pressed. The pressing member of the pressing member presses the surface of the roll sheet with a third pressing force equal to or higher than the second pressing force when is rewound from the printed portion to the previously described placing portion. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the pressing force is controlled. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressing member is configured to apply a pressing force in the vertical direction from the lower side of the roll sheet. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressing member is configured to be separable from the surface of the roll sheet when the pressing force of the pressing member is zero. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a basket unit that receives a sheet ejected from the printing unit. A mounting part on which a roll sheet in which a continuous sheet is rolled into a roll is placed,
A drive unit that rotates the roll sheet placed on the above-mentioned storage unit, and
A pressing member that presses the surface of the roll sheet placed on the above-mentioned placing portion, and
A printing unit that prints on the roll sheet supplied from the above-mentioned storage unit, and
Pressing the surface of the roll sheet the pressing member at a first pressing force when the roll sheet is fed toward the printing unit from the mounting section, performs printing on the roll sheet by the printing unit A printing device including a control unit that presses the pressing member on the surface of the roll sheet with a second pressing force smaller than the first pressing force.
Further provided with a cutter means for cutting the roll sheet printed by the printing portion.
Wherein, prior to cutting of the continuous sheet is Ru performed by the cutter unit, a wound surface of the continuous sheet winding section so as to press the second pressing member, the second pressing A printing device characterized by controlling a member. A mounting part on which a roll sheet in which a continuous sheet is rolled into a roll is placed,
A drive unit that rotates the roll sheet placed on the above-mentioned storage unit, and
A pressing member that presses the surface of the roll sheet placed on the above-mentioned placing portion, and
A printing unit that prints on the roll sheet supplied from the above-mentioned storage unit, and
Pressing the surface of the roll sheet the pressing member at a first pressing force when the roll sheet is fed toward the printing unit from the mounting section, performs printing on the roll sheet by the printing unit A printing device including a control unit that presses the pressing member on the surface of the roll sheet with a second pressing force smaller than the first pressing force.
The winding part that winds the continuous sheet on the winding part in a roll shape,
A second drive unit that rotates the take-up unit and
A second pressing member for pressing the surface of the continuous sheet wound around the winding portion is further provided.
The control unit is a printing device characterized in that it controls the pressing force of the second pressing member. The control unit determines at least one of the sheet type of the continuous sheet and whether or not the continuous sheet unwound from the printed unit is wound so that the printed surface of the continuous sheet is wound outward. The printing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the pressing force of the second pressing member is controlled accordingly. The printing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the winding portion and the previously described placing portion are arranged above and below each other below the printing portion. The take-up section is further configured so that the continuous sheet wound around the take-up section can be unwound to the print section for printing.
The control unit includes (a) an operation mode in which the roll sheet is fed from the previously described placing unit to the printing unit for printing, and (b) the continuous sheet is described from the winding unit for printing. The printing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the operation mode is fed to the printing unit and the operation mode is used. A basket unit configured to receive the sheet ejected from the printed portion is further provided.
The control unit has (a) an operation mode in which the print sheet discharged from the print unit is housed in the basket unit, and (b) the print sheet discharged from the print unit is wound around the winding unit. The printing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the printing apparatus is operated by the operation mode to be performed.

Images