JP7234016B2 - printer with cutting head - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to printers with cutting heads.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a printer with a cutting head that prints an image on a medium such as recording paper or a resin sheet, and then cuts the periphery of the image printed on the medium. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses such a printer with a cutting head.

Japanese Patent No. 4855510

By the way, in a printer with a cutting head as described above, a plurality of modes can be set. This mode includes, for example, a print mode, a cut mode, a print cut mode, and the like. In print mode, media is printed but not cut. In cut mode, the media is cut but not printed. In the print cut mode, the printed medium is cut after the medium is printed. In this specification, control of media such as printing and cutting is referred to as “processing”.

By the way, depending on the mode of the printer, different controls may be performed even for the same process. For example, in the case of a printer equipped with a heater that heats a support table that supports a medium, the heater is preferably turned off when the medium is cut in the cut mode. On the other hand, when cutting the medium in the print cut mode, the heater is preferably in an ON state in order to accelerate the drying of the ink that has already been ejected onto the medium. Such setting of the state of the heater was previously set by the user based on empirical rules before the printer started processing. Therefore, some users may not be able to set the state of the heater appropriately because they do not know when to turn on the heater and when to turn off the heater. was there.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cutting head capable of appropriately controlling the heater without the need for the user to set the heater before starting processing on a medium. to provide a printer with

A printer with a cutting head according to the present invention includes a support base, a heater, an ink head, a cutting head, a first moving mechanism, a second moving mechanism, a mode setting device, and a control device. . The support table supports a medium. The heater is arranged below the support table. The ink head ejects ink onto the medium supported by the support base. The cutting head cuts the medium supported by the support base. The first moving mechanism moves the ink head in the main scanning direction during printing, and moves the cutting head in the main scanning direction during cutting. The second moving mechanism relatively moves the medium supported by the support table in the sub-scanning direction with respect to the ink head and the cutting head. The mode setting device uses the ink head to perform printing on the medium supported by the support base as a printing process, and cuts the medium supported on the support base by the cutting head. is set to cut processing, a setting mode having at least a cut mode in which the cut processing is performed and the print processing is not performed, and a print cut mode in which the cut processing is performed after the print processing, the user to set one mode. The control device includes a mode acquisition section, a cutting control section, a first cut heater control section, and a second cut heater control section. The mode acquisition unit acquires the setting mode set by the mode setting device. The cutting control section performs the cutting process by controlling the cutting head, the first moving mechanism, and the second moving mechanism. The first cut heater control unit prevents the heater from heating when the setting mode acquired by the mode acquisition unit is the cut mode and the cutting process is being performed by the cutting control unit. to control. The second cut heater control unit heats the heater when the setting mode acquired by the mode acquisition unit is the print cut mode and the cutting control unit is performing the cutting process. to control.

According to the printer with a cutting head according to the present invention, whether or not the heater is heated when the cutting process is performed is controlled according to the setting mode acquired by the mode acquisition section. When the setting mode is the cut mode and the cutting process is being performed, the heater is automatically controlled so that it does not heat up. On the other hand, when the setting mode is the print cut mode and the cutting process is being performed, the heater is automatically controlled so that it heats. Therefore, even with the same cutting process, different control can be automatically performed on the heater according to the setting mode. Therefore, the heater can be appropriately controlled according to the setting mode without the need for the user to set the heater before the printer starts processing the medium.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a printer with a cutting head capable of appropriately controlling the heater without the need for the user to set the heater before starting processing on the medium.

1 is a front view of a printer according to an embodiment; FIG. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the printer along the II-II section of FIG. 1; It is a front view of an inkjet head and a cutting head. It is a front view of an inkjet head and a cutting head. It is a schematic diagram which shows an operation panel. 1 is a block diagram of a printer; FIG. FIG. 4 is a plan view of media supported by a platen; FIG. 4 is a plan view of media supported by a platen; 4 is a time chart showing the relationship between processing in a print mode and heating states of heaters; 5 is a time chart showing the relationship between the processing in the cut mode and the heating state of the heater; 5 is a time chart showing the relationship between the processing in print cut mode and the heating state of the heater; 5 is a time chart showing the relationship between the processing in cut print mode and the heating state of the heater; It is a figure which shows the setting mode screen which concerns on a modification.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments described herein are, of course, not intended to specifically limit the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a printer 100 with a cutting head according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the printer 100 with a cutting head along section II-II of FIG. Hereinafter, the printer 100 with a cutting head is simply referred to as the printer 100. FIG. In the following description, reference numerals F, Rr, L, R, U, and D in the drawings refer to the front when the printer 100 is viewed from the front (here, when viewed from the side where the medium 5 is conveyed during printing). , back, left, right, up and down respectively. Symbol Y in the drawing indicates the main scanning direction. In this embodiment, the main scanning direction Y is the horizontal direction. Symbol X in the drawing indicates the sub-scanning direction. In this embodiment, the sub-scanning direction X is the front-rear direction, and is orthogonal to the main scanning direction Y in plan view. Reference X1 indicates a going direction X1 from upstream to downstream in the sub-scanning direction X, and reference X2 indicates a returning direction X2 from downstream to upstream in the sub-scanning direction X. In this embodiment, the forward direction X1 is the direction from rear to front, and the return direction X2 is the direction from front to rear. However, the above directions are merely directions determined for convenience, and should not be construed as limited.

As shown in FIG. 1, printer 100 is a printer with a cutting head. The printer 100 has a cutting function and can print and cut the medium 5 . The medium 5 is wound in a roll shape behind a platen 16, which will be described later. A rolled medium 5 is pulled out, and printing and cutting are performed on the pulled out portion of the medium 5 . For example, although illustration is omitted, the medium 5 is a sealing material composed of a backing paper and a release paper laminated on the backing paper and coated with an adhesive. However, the medium 5 is not particularly limited as long as it can be printed and cut.

In this specification, the terms "cutting" and "cutting" refer to cutting the entire medium 5 in the thickness direction (for example, cutting both the mount and the release paper of the sealant) and cutting the medium 5 in the thickness direction. (for example, cutting only the release paper without cutting the mounting paper of the sealing material).

As shown in FIG. 2, the printer 100 has a main body 10 and legs 11 . As shown in FIG. 1, the main body 10 has a casing extending in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2 , the legs 11 support the main body 10 and are provided on the lower surface of the main body 10 .

The printer 100 has a platen 16 and guide rails 17 . The platen 16 is an example of a support base. The platen 16 supports the medium 5 while printing and cutting the medium 5 . Printing and cutting of medium 5 is performed on platen 16 . The platen 16 extends in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. The guide rail 17 is arranged above the platen 16 and extends in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG.

In this embodiment, the platen 16 has a main platen 16a, an upstream platen 16b, and a downstream platen 16c. The medium 5 is printed and cut on the main platen 16a. The main platen 16a is arranged below an ink head 22 (see FIG. 2), which will be described later, in a side view. The main platen 16a is arranged at a position partially overlapping the ink head 22 and the cutting head 30 in plan view. The main platen 16a is arranged below the guide rails 17, and is arranged at a position overlapping the guide rails 17 in plan view. The upper surface of the main platen 16a is a flat surface.

The upstream platen 16b is arranged upstream of the main platen 16a in the sub-scanning direction X, and positioned behind the main platen 16a. The upstream platen 16b is formed, for example, with an arcuate cross section. The upstream platen 16b is curved downward with increasing distance from the main platen 16a. The downstream side platen 16c is arranged downstream of the main platen 16a in the sub-scanning direction X and positioned in front of the main platen 16a. The downstream platen 16 c guides the medium 5 to a winding device 70 that winds the medium 5 supported by the platen 16 , for example. The downstream platen 16c is formed, for example, with an arcuate cross section. The downstream platen 16c is curved downward with increasing distance from the main platen 16a.

The printer 100 has a heater 19 . The heater 19 heats the platen 16 and is arranged below the platen 16 . Note that the number and mounting positions of the heaters 19 are not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the heater 19 has a main heater 19a and a sub-heater 19b, and is composed of two heaters.

The main heater 19a is arranged below the main platen 16a, here on the back surface of the main platen 16a. The main heater 19a is arranged at a position overlapping the main platen 16a in plan view. The main platen 16a is heated by the main heater 19a generating heat. This facilitates drying of the ink ejected onto the portion of the medium 5 supported by the main platen 16a. The sub-heater 19b is arranged below the downstream side platen 16c, here on the back surface of the downstream side platen 16c. The sub-heater 19b is arranged at a position overlapping the downstream platen 16c in plan view. The sub-heater 19b is arranged downstream in the sub-scanning direction X from the main heater 19a. The sub-heater 19b generates heat to heat the downstream platen 16c. This facilitates drying of the ink ejected onto the portion of the medium 5 that has moved onto the downstream platen 16c.

3A and 3B are front views of the inkjet head 20 and the cutting head 30. FIG. As shown in FIG. 3A, printer 100 includes inkjet head 20 and cutting head 30 . The inkjet head 20 prints on the medium 5 supported by the platen 16 . The inkjet head 20 is configured to be movable in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. The inkjet head 20 includes a carriage 21 and a plurality of ink heads 22 having a plurality of nozzles (not shown) for ejecting ink. The carriage 21 is supported by guide rails 17 . The carriage 21 is engaged with the guide rail 17 so as to be movable in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. The ink head 22 ejects ink onto the medium 5 supported by the main platen 16 a of the platen 16 . Here, five ink heads 22 are supported by the carriage 21 . The five ink heads 22 are arranged side by side in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. The five ink heads 22 eject ink with different color tones. For example, each ink head 22 ejects one of process color inks such as cyan ink, magenta ink, yellow ink and black ink, and special color inks such as clear ink and white ink. The number of ink heads 22 is not particularly limited. Also, the color of the ink ejected by the ink head 22 is not limited at all.

A cutting head 30 cuts the media 5 supported by the platen 16 . The cutting head 30 is configured to be movable in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. The cutting head 30 has a carriage 31 , a solenoid 32 and a cutter 33 . A cutter 33 is attached to the carriage 31 via a solenoid 32 . When the solenoid 32 is turned on/off, the cutter 33 moves up and down to contact or separate from the medium 5 . The carriage 31 is supported by the guide rails 17 . The carriage 31 is engaged with the guide rail 17 so as to be movable in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 100 has a head moving mechanism 40. As shown in FIG. The head moving mechanism 40 is an example of the first moving mechanism of the invention. The head moving mechanism 40 is a mechanism for moving the ink head 22 (see FIG. 3A) and the cutting head 30 in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. The head moving mechanism 40 is configured to move the carriage 21 of the inkjet head 20 and the carriage 31 of the cutting head 30 in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. Note that the configuration of the head moving mechanism 40 is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the head moving mechanism 40 includes a pulley 41, a pulley 42, a belt 43, and a carriage motor 44, as shown in FIG. The pulley 41 is provided on the left end side of the guide rail 17 . The pulley 42 is provided on the right end side of the guide rail 17 . The belt 43 is endless and is wound around the pulleys 41 and 42 . The belt 43 is fixed to the upper back surface of the carriage 31 . A carriage motor 44 is connected to the right pulley 42 . When the carriage motor 44 is driven to rotate the pulley 42 , the belt 43 runs between the pulleys 41 and 42 . This causes the carriage 31 to move in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3A, a connecting member 24 made of a magnet is provided on the left side of the carriage 21 . A connecting member 34 made of a magnet is provided on the right side of the carriage 31 . The connecting member 24 is detachably connected to the connecting member 34 . In this embodiment, the connecting member 24 and the connecting member 34 utilize magnetic force. However, the connecting member 24 and the connecting member 34 are not limited to those utilizing magnetic force, and may be provided with other configurations such as engaging members. An L-shaped receiving metal fitting 25 is provided on the right side of the carriage 21 .

A left side frame 12L and a right side frame 12R are arranged on the left and right sides of the platen 16, respectively. The guide rail 17 is supported by the left side frame 12L and the right side frame 12R. The right side frame 12R is provided with a locking device 35 for locking the inkjet head 20 at the standby position. The locking device 35 includes a receiving metal fitting 36 hooked on the receiving metal fitting 25, and a locking solenoid 37 (see FIG. 5) for moving the receiving metal fitting 36 between a locking position (see FIG. 3B) and an unlocking position (see FIG. 3A). ) and

When printing with the inkjet head 20, the receiving metal fitting 36 is set to the unlocked position as shown in FIG. 3A. When the carriage 31 of the cutting head 30 moves to the right and the connecting member 34 and the connecting member 24 come into contact with each other, the carriage 31 and the carriage 21 are connected. As a result, the inkjet head 20 can move in the main scanning direction Y together with the cutting head 30 . On the other hand, when the cutting head 30 cuts the medium 5, as shown in FIG. 3B, the inkjet head 20 is positioned at the standby position and the receiving metal fitting 36 of the locking device 35 is set at the locking position. Movement of the inkjet head 20 is restricted by this. When the carriage 31 moves to the left, the connecting member 34 and the connecting member 24 separate, and the connection between the carriage 31 and the carriage 21 is released. As a result, the cutting head 30 can move in the main scanning direction Y while the inkjet head 20 is waiting at the waiting position.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 100 has a medium moving mechanism 50. As shown in FIG. The medium moving mechanism 50 is an example of a second moving mechanism. The medium moving mechanism 50 moves the medium 5 supported by the platen 16 in the sub-scanning direction X (specifically, the forward direction X1 and the return direction X2). Note that the configuration of the medium moving mechanism 50 is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the medium moving mechanism 50 has a grit roller 51, a pinch roller 52, and a feed motor 53 (see FIG. 2). As shown in FIG. 2, the grit roller 51 is provided on the main platen 16a. Here, the grit roller 51 is embedded in the main platen 16a so that at least part of the grit roller 51 is exposed from the main platen 16a. The pinch roller 52 presses the medium 5 from above and is arranged above the grit roller 51 . The pinch roller 52 pinches the medium 5 together with the grit roller 51 . The pinch roller 52 faces the grit roller 51 . The pinch roller 52 is configured to be vertically movable. The installation position and the number of the grit rollers 51 and the pinch rollers 52 are not particularly limited. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, seven grit rollers 51 and seven pinch rollers 52 are provided. The plurality of grit rollers 51 are arranged side by side in the main scanning direction Y, and the plurality of pinch rollers 52 are arranged side by side in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, feed motor 53 is connected to grit roller 51 . When the feed motor 53 is driven to rotate the grit roller 51 while the medium 5 is sandwiched between the grit roller 51 and the pinch roller 52, the medium 5 moves in the forward direction X1 or the return direction X2 of the sub-scanning direction X. be transported.

The printer 100 comprises a feeding device 60 having a feeding roller 61 . The supply device 60 is a device that supplies the medium 5 to the platen 16 . The supply roller 61 is arranged behind the platen 16 and below the platen 16 . The supply roller 61 is formed in a cylindrical shape or columnar shape extending in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. A band-shaped medium 5 before printing and cutting is wound around the peripheral surface of the supply roller 61 in a roll shape. As shown in FIG. 1, the left end of the supply roller 61 is rotatably supported by the left guide plate 62L, and the right end of the supply roller 61 is rotatably supported by the right guide plate 62R. As the medium moving mechanism 50 conveys the medium 5 in the feed direction X<b>1 of the sub-scanning direction X, the medium 5 is fed from the supply roller 61 toward the platen 16 . Although the printer 100 does not have a motor for rotating the supply roller 61 in this embodiment, it may have such a motor.

The printer 100 includes a winding device 70 that winds the medium 5 supported by the platen 16 into a roll. The winding device 70 includes a winding roller 71 and a winding motor 75 (see FIG. 1).

The take-up roller 71 takes up the medium 5 . The take-up roller 71 is formed in a cylindrical shape or columnar shape extending in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2 , the take-up roller 71 is arranged below and in front of the platen 16 and below the supply roller 61 . The printer 100 includes a left side wall 76L and a right side wall 76R that rotatably support the take-up roller 71, as shown in FIG. The take-up roller 71 includes a support portion 71a supported by the left side wall 76L and the right side wall 76R, and a tubular portion 71b having a larger diameter than the support portion 71a. The medium 5 is wound around the peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 71b. The left end of the take-up roller 71 is rotatably supported by the left wall 76L. A right end portion of the take-up roller 71 is rotatably supported by the right side wall 76R. Printer 100 includes rails 74 that support left side wall 76L and right side wall 76R. The rail 74 extends in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 100 has an operation panel 80. As shown in FIG. The operation panel 80 is used by the user to perform operations related to printing and cutting. For example, the operation panel 80 can perform various settings related to printing such as resolution and ink density, various settings related to cutting, and can display various settings for printing and cutting. The installation position of the operation panel 80 is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the operation panel 80 is arranged on the right front surface of the main body 10 . Also, the configuration of the operation panel 80 is not particularly limited.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the operation panel 80. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4 , the operation panel 80 has a display screen 81 and an operation section 82 . The display screen 81 is a screen that displays information about printing and cutting. The configuration of the display screen 81 is not particularly limited. For example, the display screen 81 may display only characters, or may display images in addition to characters. The display screen 81 is, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display).

The operation unit 82 is for the user to input various parameters and the like when making settings related to printing and cutting, and is operated by the user. The configuration of the operation unit 82 is not particularly limited. Here, the operation unit 82 has a plurality of buttons. Specifically, the operation unit 82 has a power button 83 , a function button 84 , a menu button 85 , an enter button 86 , a cursor button 87 , a pause button 88 and a mode button 89 .

The power button 83 is a button for setting the standby state of the printer 100 to ON or OFF. The function button 84 is a button for displaying a function menu screen on the display screen 81 . Here, the function menu screen is a screen on which settings of items such as printing, cutting, and cleaning are displayed. The menu button 85 is a button for displaying a main menu screen on the display screen 81 . Here, the main menu screen is a screen that displays, for example, the model number of the printer 100, the firmware version, network-related information, various parameter settings, and the like. The enter button 86 is a button for determining an item or the like that the user wants to set from among a plurality of items displayed on the display screen 81 .

The cursor button 87 is a button for selecting an item that the user wants to set from a plurality of items displayed on the display screen 81 . For example, the cursor button 87 has an up button 87U, a down button 87D, a left button 87L, and a right button 87R. The user can select items displayed on the display screen 81 by appropriately operating the up button 87U, the down button 87D, the left button 87L, and the right button 87R. A pause button 88 is a button for temporarily stopping printing or cutting during printing or cutting. A detailed description of the mode button 89 will be given later.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 100 has a control device 90 . The control device 90 is a device that controls printing on the medium 5 and cutting of the medium 5 . The configuration of the control device 90 is not particularly limited. The control device 90 is, for example, a microcomputer. Although the hardware configuration of the microcomputer is not particularly limited, it includes, for example, an I/F, a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and a storage device. The control device 90 is provided inside the main body 10 . However, the control device 90 may not be provided inside the main body 10 . For example, the control device 90 may be a computer or the like installed outside the main body 10 . In this case, the control device 90 is communicably connected to the main body 10 via wire or wireless.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the printer 100. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, the control device 90 includes the heater 19 (specifically, the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b), the operation panel 80, the carriage motor 44, the feed motor 53, the ink head 22, the solenoid 32 of the cutting head 30, the lock It is communicably connected to the winding solenoid 37 and the winding motor 75 . The control device 90 controls whether or not the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b are heated. The control device 90 controls the rotation of the pulley 42 and the running of the belt 43 (see FIG. 1) by controlling the driving of the carriage motor 44 . Thereby, the control device 90 controls the movement in the main scanning direction Y of the inkjet head 20 and the cutting head 30 . The control device 90 controls the rotation of the grit roller 51 by controlling the driving of the feed motor 53 . Thereby, the movement in the sub-scanning direction X of the medium 5 supported by the platen 16 is controlled. The control device 90 controls the timing at which the ink head 22 ejects ink, the amount of ink ejected, and the like. The control device 90 controls the vertical movement of the cutter 33 and the pressure of the cutter 33 by controlling the solenoid 32 of the cutting head 30 . The control device 90 also controls the rotation of the winding roller 71 by controlling the driving of the winding motor 75 . As a result, the medium 5 supported by the platen 16 is taken up by the take-up roller 71 .

In this embodiment, the control device 90 includes a storage unit 91, a mode acquisition unit 92, a print control unit 93, a cutting control unit 94, a print heater control unit 95, a first cut heater control unit 96a, a first A second cut heater control section 96b, a third cut heater control section 96c, a transport control section 97, and a standby control section 98 are provided. Each unit of the control device 90 may be configured by software or may be configured by hardware. Also, each part of the control device 90 may be realized by a processor or by a circuit. Moreover, when each part of the control device 90 is realized by a processor, it may be realized by one processor or by a plurality of processors. A detailed description of the function of each unit of the control device 90 will be given later.

By the way, the printer 100 according to this embodiment is a printer with a cutting head as described above, and can print and cut the medium 5 . In the following description, the process of printing on the medium 5 supported by the platen 16 by the ink head 22 is referred to as print process P1 (see FIG. 7). The print process P1 is a process of printing an image 5a (see FIG. 6A) by ejecting ink from the ink head 22 onto the medium 5 based on print data to be printed. In this embodiment, the print process P1 is executed by the print control unit 93. FIG. When printing, the print control unit 93 drives the carriage motor 44 to move the ink head 22 in the main scanning direction Y, and ejects ink from the ink head 22 at a position based on the print data. Thus, printing of the image 5a in one scanning line is performed. When the movement of the ink head 22 in the main scanning direction Y is completed, the print control unit 93 drives the feed motor 53 to transport the medium 5 in the forward direction X1 of the sub-scanning direction X to the position of the next scanning line. . After the medium 5 has been conveyed in the forward direction X1, the print control unit 93 drives the carriage motor 44 and the ink head 22 again to print the image 5a of the next scanning line. By repeating the same operation until the end of the image 5a, the printing process P1 for the medium 5 is completed.

In this embodiment, the process of cutting the medium 5 supported by the platen 16 by the cutting head 30 is referred to as cutting process P2 (see FIG. 8). The cutting process P2 is a process of cutting the medium 5 by bringing the cutter 33 of the cutting head 30 into contact with the medium 5 based on the cut data. In this embodiment, the cutting process P2 is executed by the cutting control section 94. FIG. When cutting the medium 5 , the cutting control unit 94 cuts the medium 5 along the cut lines preset in the cut data. The cutting control unit 94 drives the carriage motor 44 and the feed motor 53 to two-dimensionally move the cutting head 30 relative to the medium 5 . When the cutting control unit 94 turns on the solenoid 32 , the cutter 33 can be pressed against the medium 5 . By moving the cutting head 30 relative to the medium 5 while the cutter 33 is pressed against the medium 5, the medium 5 can be cut along the cutting line.

A plurality of setting modes M1 (see FIGS. 7 to 10) are preset in the printer 100 according to the present embodiment, and the user can set one mode from the plurality of setting modes M1. . Then, processing is performed based on the setting mode M1 set by the user. In this embodiment, the setting mode M1 includes a print mode M11 (see FIG. 7), a cut mode M12 (see FIG. 8), a print cut mode M13 (see FIG. 9), and a cut print mode M14 (see FIG. 10). and However, the setting mode M1 may have other modes as described above. The print mode M11 is a mode in which the print process P1 is performed and the cut process P2 is not performed. The cut mode M12 is a mode in which the cut process P2 is performed and the print process P1 is not performed. The print cut mode M13 is a mode in which the cut process P2 is performed after the print process P1. The cut print mode M14 is a mode in which the print process P1 is performed after the cut process P2.

In this embodiment, one mode is set by the user from the setting mode M1 by operating the mode button 89 (see FIG. 4) of the operation section 82 of the operation panel 80 by the user. Mode button 89 is an example of the mode setting device of the present invention. For example, each time the mode button 89 is pressed, the setting mode M1 selected by the user is switched. For example, every time the mode button 89 is pressed, the setting mode M1 is switched in the order of print mode M11, cut mode M12, print cut mode M13, and cut print mode M14. For example, the setting mode M1 selected by pressing the mode button 89 may be displayed on the display screen 81 . The setting mode M1 displayed on the display screen 81 becomes the currently set setting mode M1. For example, when the print cut mode M13 is displayed on the display screen 81, the print cut mode M13 is selected as the setting mode M1. However, the setting mode M1 set by the user may be displayed by lighting an LED (not shown) provided on the operation panel 80 . For example, different colors of LEDs are set for each of the modes M11 to M14, and each time the mode button 89 is pressed, the LED may be lit in a color corresponding to the set setting mode M1. Note that the currently selected setting mode M1 is stored in the storage unit 91 .

Note that this mode button 89 may be omitted. In this case, for example, an item for selecting the setting mode M1 may be displayed on the function menu screen. In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, the function menu screen is displayed on the display screen 81 when the user presses the function button 84 . The user appropriately operates the cursor button 87 and the enter button 86 to select an item for setting the setting mode M1. Then, the user appropriately operates the cursor button 87 and the enter button 86 to select one mode from the setting modes M1. In this case, the mode setting device of the present invention consists of function button 84, cursor button 87 and enter button 86. FIG.

By the way, even for the same process, different control may be performed depending on the type of setting mode M1 set by the user. For example, ink is ejected onto the medium 5 in the printing process P1. In order to promote drying of the ink ejected onto the medium 5, the heater 19 (specifically, the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b) is preferably heated. Here, for example, by switching ON and OFF of the heater 19, the medium 5 may be warmed or cooled, and the medium 5 may expand and contract. This expansion and contraction of the medium 5 may cause misalignment in printing and cutting, resulting in deterioration in quality. Therefore, when a plurality of processes are continuously performed as in the print cut mode M13 and the cut print mode M14, it is preferable that the ON or OFF state of the heater 19 is always the same. Therefore, in the print cut mode M13 and the cut print mode M14, the heater 19 is controlled to heat when the print process P1 is being performed. is preferably heated.

On the other hand, in the cut mode M12, no ink is ejected onto the medium 5 because the printing process P1 is not performed. Even if the image 5a is printed on the medium 5, the ink on the medium 5 is dry, so the heater 19 need not be controlled to heat. Therefore, in the cut mode M12, the heater 19 is controlled so as not to heat while the cut processing P2 is being performed. As described above, even with the same cutting process P2, whether or not the heater 19 is heated differs depending on the type of the setting mode M1.

Conventionally, the ON or OFF setting of the heater 19 was manually set by the user using the operation panel 80 before printing or cutting. Therefore, the ON or OFF timing of the heater 19 was based on the empirical rule of the user. As a result, there is a possibility that the heater 19 is heated at unnecessary timing, or the heater 19 is not heated at the desired timing to dry the medium 5 . In other words, the heater 19 may not be properly controlled.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the type of setting mode M1 and the presence or absence of heating of the heater 19 are linked, and the control of the heater 19 is automatically controlled for each type of setting mode M1. As a result, the heater 19 can be appropriately controlled.

Further, in this embodiment, in the print cut mode M13, the cut process P2 is performed after the print process P1. When performing the cutting process P2, the ink ejected onto the medium 5 in the printing process P1 is preferably dry. Therefore, in the print cut mode M13, as shown in FIG. 9, it is preferable that the drying process P3 is performed after the printing process P1 and before the cutting process P2.

6A and 6B are plan views of media 5 supported by platen 16. FIG. FIG. 6A is a diagram showing the state immediately after the printing process P1 ends, and FIG. 6B is a diagram showing the state in which the drying process P3 is being performed. Hereinafter, the area printed on the medium 5 will be referred to as a print area AR1. The print area AR1 is a rectangular area. An image 5a printed by the printing process P1 is arranged in the printing area AR1. As shown in FIG. 6A, immediately after the printing process P1, the downstream end (in other words, rear end) AR1a of the printing area AR1 of the medium 5 is arranged at a position not overlapping the main heater 19a in plan view. It is possible that the ink ejected onto the printing area AR1 is not yet dried.

In the drying process P3, first, as shown in FIG. 6B, the medium 5 is transported in the forward direction X1 so that the medium 5 is positioned at the standby position PT1. The standby position PT1 is a position where the downstream end AR1a of the printing area AR1 overlaps the sub-heater 19b in plan view. In the drying process P3, the medium 5 is made to wait for a predetermined time while the sub-heater 19b is heated and the medium 5 is positioned at the waiting position PT1. This makes it possible to dry the ink in the print area AR1 of the medium 5 more reliably. In the print cut mode M13, the cut process P2 is performed after the drying process P3.

Note that in the print mode M11 and the cut print mode M14, other processes such as the cut process P2 are not continuously performed after the print process P1. Therefore, the time for drying the ink ejected onto the medium 5 can be secured without using the heater 19 . Therefore, the drying process P3 does not have to be performed after the print process P1 in the print mode M11 and the cut print mode M14. As described above, even with the same printing process P1, depending on the type of setting mode M1, the drying process P3 may or may not be performed after the printing process P1.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the type of the setting mode M1 is associated with the presence or absence of the drying process P3, and the drying process P3 is appropriately automatically performed for each type of the setting mode M1. This allows the drying process P3 to be properly executed.

Next, the operation of the printer 100 in each setting mode M1 will be described. 7, 8, 9, and 10 are time charts showing the relationship between the processing and the heating state of the heater 19 in print mode M11, cut mode M12, print cut mode M13, and cut print mode M14, respectively. In FIGS. 7 to 10, arrows indicate ranges in which processes P1, P2, and P3 are performed. 7 to 10, the heater 19 includes both the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b. ON indicates that the heater 19 is heated, and OFF indicates that the heater 19 is not heated. state.

First, the operation of the printer 100 in the print mode M11 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, in the print mode M11, the print process P1 is performed and the cut process P2 is not performed. Further, the drying process P3 is not performed in the print mode M11. In the print mode M11, the print control unit 93 executes the print process P1. Here, a portion of the medium 5 is supported by the main platen 16 a while the medium 5 extends from the supply roller 61 (see FIG. 2) toward the platen 16 . In such a state of the medium 5 , the print control section 93 controls the ink head 22 , the head moving mechanism 40 and the medium moving mechanism 50 in order to perform the printing process P<b>1 on the medium 5 supported by the platen 16 .

In the print mode M11, when the print control unit 93 is performing the print process P1, the print heater control unit 95 controls the heater 19 to heat. In this embodiment, when the print process P1 is being performed, the print heater control unit 95 controls the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b to heat. For example, the print heater control unit 95 controls the main heater 19a so that the temperature of the main heater 19a becomes a first temperature, and the sub-heater 19b so that the temperature of the sub-heater 19b becomes a second temperature higher than the first temperature. 19b. In other words, the print heater control unit 95 controls the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b so that the temperature of the sub-heater 19b is higher than the temperature of the main heater 19a. Numerical values of the first temperature and the second temperature are not particularly limited. For example, the first temperature is 40°C and the second temperature is 45°C. In the print mode M11, when the print process P1 ends, the heating of the heater 19 (more specifically, the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b) is stopped.

Next, the operation of the printer 100 in cut mode M12 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 8, in the cut mode M12, the cut process P2 is performed and the print process P1 is not performed. Moreover, the drying process P3 is not performed in the cut mode M12. In the cut mode M12, the cutting control section 94 executes the cutting process P2. Here, a portion of the medium 5 extending from the supply roller 61 toward the platen 16 is supported by the main platen 16a. In such a state of the medium 5 , the cutting control section 94 controls the cutting head 30 , the head moving mechanism 40 and the medium moving mechanism 50 to perform the cutting process P<b>2 on the medium 5 supported by the platen 16 .

In the cut mode M12, when the cutting control unit 94 is performing the cutting process P2, the first cut heater control unit 96a controls the heater 19 not to heat. Here, the first cut heater control section 96a controls the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b so as not to heat them while the cut process P2 is being performed. That is, in the cut process P2 in the cut mode M12, both the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b are in the OFF state. In the cutting process P2 in the cutting mode M12, the medium 5 supported by the platen 16 is cut by the cutting head 30 without being heated.

Next, the operation of the printer 100 in print cut mode M13 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 9, in the print cut mode M13, the cut process P2 is performed after the print process P1. In the print cut mode M13, the drying process P3 is performed between the print process P1 and the cut process P2.

In the print cut mode M13, the print control unit 93 first performs the print process P1 by controlling the ink head 22, the head moving mechanism 40, and the medium moving mechanism 50. FIG. In the print cut mode M13, when the print control unit 93 is performing the print process P1, the print heater control unit 95 controls the heaters 19, that is, the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b. Here, the print heater control unit 95 controls the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b so that the temperature of the sub-heater 19b is higher than the temperature of the main heater 19a. The temperature of the main heater 19a during the print process P1 in the print cut mode M13 is the same first temperature as the temperature of the main heater 19a during the print process P1 in the print mode M11. The temperature of the sub-heater 19b during the print process P1 in the print cut mode M13 is the same second temperature as the temperature of the sub-heater 19b during the print process P1 in the print mode M11. In the print cut mode M13, the heating of the heaters 19 (specifically, the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b) is not stopped when the printing process P1 ends.

In the print cut mode M13, the drying process P3 is performed after the printing process P1 is finished. In the drying process P3, first, as shown in FIG. 6B, the transport control unit 97 moves the downstream end AR1a of the printing area AR1 of the medium 5 in the sub-scanning direction X to a position (here, the standby position PT1 ) in the forward direction X1. Then, the standby control unit 98 waits for a predetermined time while the medium 5 is positioned at the standby position PT1. This predetermined time is a time set in advance and a time stored in the storage unit 91 . Note that the specific time of the predetermined time is not particularly limited, and is appropriately set depending on the components of the ink, the type of the medium 5, and the like. For example, the predetermined time is 1 minute. In the drying process P3, the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b are in a heated state, and the heating state of the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b in the printing process P1 is maintained. That is, in the drying process P3, the temperature of the main heater 19a is the first temperature and the temperature of the sub-heater 19b is the second temperature higher than the first temperature.

As shown in FIG. 9, in the print cut mode M13, the cut process P2 is performed after the print process P1 and the drying process P3 are completed. In this embodiment, the cutting control unit 94 conveys the medium 5 in the return direction X2 of the sub-scanning direction X so that the medium 5 is positioned at a predetermined cutting start position. After that, the cutting control unit 94 performs the cutting process P2 on the medium 5 supported by the platen 16 by controlling the cutting head 30, the head moving mechanism 40, and the medium moving mechanism 50. FIG.

In this embodiment, when the cutting control unit 94 is performing the cutting process P2 in the print cut mode M13, the second cut heater control unit 96b controls the heater 19 to heat it. Here, the second cut heater control section 96b controls the main heater 19a and the sub heater 19b to heat while the cut process P2 is being performed. The second cut heater control unit 96b controls the main heater 19a so that the temperature of the main heater 19a becomes the first temperature, and the temperature of the sub-heater 19b becomes the second temperature higher than the first temperature. It controls the sub-heater 19b. In other words, the second cut heater control section 96b controls the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b so that the temperature of the sub-heater 19b is higher than the temperature of the main heater 19a. In the print cut mode M13, the second cut heater control section 96b controls the heater 19 so as to maintain the heating states of the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b during the printing process P1 and the drying process P3. In the print cut mode M13, when the cut process P2 ends, the heating of the heater 19 (specifically, the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b) is stopped.

Next, the operation of the printer 100 in cut print mode M14 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 10, in the cut print mode M14, the print process P1 is performed after the cut process P2. In the cut print mode M14, the drying process P3 is not performed between the cut process P2 and the print process P1. The drying process P3 is not performed in the cut print mode M14. In the cut printing mode M14, the cutting control unit 94 first performs the cutting process P2 on the medium 5 supported by the platen 16 by controlling the cutting head 30, the head moving mechanism 40, and the medium moving mechanism 50. FIG.

In the cut printing mode M14, when the cutting control unit 94 is performing the cutting process P2, the third cut heater control unit 96c controls the heater 19 in the same manner as the control of the second cut heater control unit 96b. Control. Here, the third cut heater control section 96c controls the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b to heat while the cut process P2 is being performed. The third cut heater control unit 96c controls the main heater 19a so that the temperature of the main heater 19a becomes the first temperature, and the temperature of the sub-heater 19b becomes the second temperature higher than the first temperature. It controls the sub-heater 19b. In other words, the third cut heater control section 96c controls the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b so that the temperature of the sub-heater 19b is higher than the temperature of the main heater 19a.

In the cut printing mode M14, after the cutting control unit 94 performs the cutting process P2, the printing process P1 is performed without performing the drying process P3. In the print process P1 of the cut print mode M14, the print control unit 93 conveys the medium 5 in the return direction X2 of the sub-scanning direction X so that the medium 5 is positioned at a predetermined print start position. After that, the print control unit 93 performs print processing P1 by controlling the ink head 22, the head moving mechanism 40, and the medium moving mechanism 50. FIG.

In the cut print mode M14, when the print control unit 93 is performing the print process P1, the print heater control unit 95 controls the heaters 19, that is, the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b. Here, the print heater control unit 95 controls the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b so that the temperature of the sub-heater 19b is higher than the temperature of the main heater 19a. The temperature of the main heater 19a during the print process P1 in the cut print mode M14 is the first temperature. The temperature of the sub-heater 19b during the print process P1 in the cut print mode M14 is the second temperature. In the cut print mode M14, the print heater control unit 95 controls the heater 19 so as to maintain the heating state of the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b during the cut process P2.

As described above, in the present embodiment, whether or not the heater 19 is heated when the cutting process P2 is performed is controlled according to the type of the setting mode M1 acquired by the mode acquisition unit 92 . As shown in FIG. 8, when the setting mode M1 is the cut mode M12 and the cut process P2 is being performed, the heater 19 is automatically controlled by the first cut heater control unit 96a so that the heater 19 is not heated. . On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9, when the setting mode M1 is the print cut mode M13 and the cut process P2 is being performed, the heater 19 is automatically controlled by the second cut heater control section 96b so that the heater 19 is heated. ing. Therefore, even with the same cutting process P2, different controls can be automatically performed on the heater 19 according to the type of the setting mode M1. Therefore, the heater 19 can be appropriately controlled according to the type of setting mode M1 without the user setting the heater 19 before the printer 100 starts processing the medium 5. FIG.

In this embodiment, the setting mode M1 has a cut print mode M14 in which the print process P1 is performed after the cut process P2. As shown in FIG. 10, the third cut heater control unit 96c determines that the setting mode M1 acquired by the mode acquisition unit 92 is the cut printing mode M14, and the cutting control unit 94 is performing the cutting process P2. At this time, the heater 19 is controlled so as to heat the heater 19 . When the processes are continuously performed as in the cut print mode M14, the heating state of the heater 19 must be the same in each process in order to prevent the medium 5 from expanding and contracting during the print process P1. preferable. Since the heater 19 is preferably heated in the print process P1, the heater 19 is preferably heated in the cut process P2 of the cut print mode M14. In the present embodiment, the heater 19 is automatically controlled to heat by the third cut heater control section 96c during the cut process P2 of the cut print mode M14. Therefore, even if the user sets the cut printing mode M14, the user does not need to set the heater 19 before the printer 100 starts processing, and the heater 19 is appropriately automatically turned on during the cutting process P2. can be controlled by

In this embodiment, the setting mode M1 has a print mode M11 in which the print process P1 is performed and the cut process P2 is not performed. In the printing process P1, an image 5a is printed by ejecting ink onto the medium 5. FIG. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, in the printing process P1, the heater 19 may be controlled to heat in order to facilitate the drying of the ink ejected onto the medium 5. FIG. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the print heater controller 95 automatically heats the heater 19 when the print controller 93 is performing the print process P1 regardless of the setting mode M1. Control. Therefore, the user does not need to set the heater 19 before the printer 100 starts processing, and the heater 19 can be automatically controlled to heat during the printing process P1.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the heater 19 has a main heater 19a and a sub-heater 19b. The main heater 19a is arranged below the main platen 16a and at a position overlapping the main platen 16a in plan view. The sub-heater 19b is arranged below the downstream platen 16c and at a position overlapping the downstream platen 16c in plan view. The second cut-heater control unit 96b and the third cut-heater control unit 96c control the temperature of the main heater 19a to be the first temperature and the temperature of the sub-heater 19b to be the second temperature higher than the first temperature. It controls the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b. The sub-heater 19b serves to more reliably dry the ink ejected onto the medium 5, which cannot be dried by the main heater 19a. Therefore, by making the temperature of the sub-heater 19b higher than the temperature of the main heater 19a, the ink ejected onto the medium 5 that could not be dried by the main heater 19a can be dried more reliably.

As shown in FIG. 9, when the cut process P2 is performed after the print process P1 as in the print cut mode M13, the medium 5 is cut after the ink is ejected onto the medium 5. As shown in FIG. Therefore, when the cutting process P2 is started, it is preferable that the ink ejected onto the medium 5 is dried more reliably. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the setting mode M1 acquired by the mode acquisition unit 92 is the print cut mode M13, and after the printing process P1 is performed by the print control unit 93, the drying process P3 is performed. In the drying process P3, first, as shown in FIG. 6B, the transport control unit 97 moves to the standby position where the downstream end AR1a of the printed print area AR1 of the medium 5 in the sub-scanning direction X overlaps the sub-heater 19b in plan view. The medium 5 is transported in the forward direction X1 up to PT1. After the medium 5 is transported by the transport control unit 97, the standby control unit 98 causes the medium 5 supported by the platen 16 to wait at the standby position PT1 for a predetermined time. By performing such a drying process P3, the ink ejected onto the medium 5 in the printing process P1 is accelerated to dry by the sub-heater 19b at the standby position PT1. Therefore, in the cut process P2 of the print cut mode M13, the medium 5 dried by the sub-heater 19b can be cut.

In the above embodiment, the temperature of the main heater 19a is the same first temperature, and the temperature of the sub-heater 19b is the same in any one of the print mode M11, the print cut mode M13, and the cut print mode M14. It was the same second temperature. However, the temperature of the main heater 19a and the temperature of the sub-heater 19b may be different in the print mode M11, the print cut mode M13 and the cut print mode M14. For example, assume that the temperature of the main heater 19a in the print mode M11 is the first one temperature, and the temperature of the sub-heater 19b is the second one temperature. Assume that the temperature of the main heater 19a in the print cut mode M13 is the first two temperatures, and the temperature of the sub-heater 19b is the second two temperatures. It is also assumed that the temperatures of the main heater 19a are the first three temperatures and the temperatures of the sub-heater 19b are the second three temperatures in the cut printing mode M14. At this time, the first two temperatures may be higher or lower than the first one temperature. The second two temperatures may be higher or lower than the second one temperature. Also, the first three temperatures may be higher or lower than the first one temperature. The first three temperatures may be higher or lower than the first two temperatures. Also, the second three temperatures may be higher or lower than the second one temperature. The second three temperatures may be higher or lower than the second two temperatures.

In the above embodiment, in the print cut mode M13, the temperature of the main heater 19a and the temperature of the sub-heater 19b were the same during the printing process P1, the cutting process P2, and the drying process P3. In the cut printing mode M14, the temperature of the main heater 19a and the temperature of the sub-heater 19b were the same during the printing process P1 and the cutting process P2. However, the temperature of the main heater 19a and the temperature of the sub-heater 19b may differ between the processes in the same setting mode M1. For example, in the print cut mode M13, the temperatures of the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b in the print process P1 are the first five temperatures and the second five temperatures, respectively, and the temperatures of the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b in the cut process P2 are The first 6 temperatures and the second 6 temperatures are set, and the temperatures of the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b in the drying process P3 are the first 7 temperatures and the second 7 temperatures, respectively. At this time, the first 5 temperatures may be higher or lower than the first 6 temperatures. Each of the first 5 temperatures and the first 6 temperatures may be higher or lower than the first 7 temperatures. Similarly, the second 5 temperatures may be higher or lower than the second 6 temperatures. The second 5 temperatures and the second 6 temperatures may each be higher or lower than the second 7 temperatures.

For example, in the cut printing mode M14, the temperatures of the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b in the printing process P1 are the first eight temperatures and the second eight temperatures, respectively, and the temperatures of the main heater 19a and the sub-heater 19b in the cutting process P2 are Let the first 9 temperatures and the second 9 temperatures be used. At this time, the first eight temperatures may be higher or lower than the first nine temperatures. Also, the second eight temperatures may be higher or lower than the second nine temperatures.

In the above-described embodiment, the mode setting device is the mode button 89 of the operation section 82 of the operation panel 80, and when the user presses the mode button 89, the type of setting mode M1 is switched. For example, if part of the control device 90 is configured by software executed on a personal computer, the mode setting device may be executed by the software. In this case, the display screen of the personal computer, for example, displays the setting mode screen SC1 as shown in FIG. 11, which is implemented by the above software. For example, a pull-down menu 189 and an enter button 190 are arranged on this setting mode screen SC1. As items of this pull-down menu 189, print mode M11, cut mode M12, print cut mode M13, and cut print mode M14 are set. The user selects one setting mode M1 from among print mode M11, cut mode M12, print cut mode M13, and cut print mode M14 from pull-down menu 189 using an operation unit such as a mouse. By pressing the enter button 190, the type of setting mode M1 of the printer 100 is determined. Information on the setting mode M1 determined by pressing the enter button 190 is transmitted to the printer 100 and stored in the storage unit 91 .

A pull-down menu 189 is arranged on the setting mode screen SC1, and the setting mode M1 can be selected by the pull-down menu 189. However, in order to select the setting mode M1, the pull-down menu 189 Others may be used. For example, instead of the pull-down menu 189, radio buttons in which print mode M11, cut mode M12, print cut mode M13, and cut print mode M14 are set may be used.

In the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3A, the inkjet head 20 and the cutting head 30 are connected by the connecting members 24, 34 made of magnets. For example, at the time of cutting, only the cutting head 30 moves in the main scanning direction Y in a state in which the connection between the inkjet head 20 and the cutting head 30 by the connecting members 24 and 34 is released. For example, during printing, the inkjet head 20 moves in the main scanning direction Y together with the cutting head 30 while the inkjet head 20 and the cutting head 30 are connected. However, the configuration for moving the inkjet head 20 and the cutting head 30 in the main scanning direction Y is not particularly limited. For example, a connecting carriage that engages the guide rails 17 may be provided between the inkjet head 20 and the cutting head 30 . The connecting carriage is configured to be movable in the main scanning direction Y along the guide rail 17 and to selectively connect the inkjet head 20 and the cutting head 30 . In this case, for example, when cutting, the cutting head 30 moves in the main scanning direction Y together with the connecting carriage while the cutting head 30 is connected to the connecting carriage. For example, during printing, the inkjet head 20 moves in the main scanning direction Y together with the connecting carriage while the inkjet head 20 is connected to the connecting carriage.

5 medium 16 platen (support base)
19 heater 22 ink head 30 cutting head 40 head moving mechanism (first moving mechanism)
50 medium moving mechanism (second moving mechanism)
89 Mode button (mode setting device)
90 control device 92 mode acquisition unit 93 print control unit 94 cutting control unit 95 print heater control unit 96a first cut heater control unit 96b second cut heater control unit 96c third cut heater control unit 97 conveyance control unit 98 standby control unit 100 Printer (printer with cutting head)

Claims (8)

a support for supporting the medium;
a heater disposed below the support;
an ink head that ejects ink onto the medium supported by the support base;
a cutting head that cuts the medium supported by the support;
a first moving mechanism for moving the ink head in the main scanning direction during printing and for moving the cutting head in the main scanning direction during cutting;
a second movement mechanism for moving the medium supported by the support base relative to the ink head and the cutting head in a sub-scanning direction;
A process of printing with the ink head on the medium supported by the support base is defined as a print process, and a process of cutting the medium supported by the support base with the cutting head is defined as a cut process. , the user sets one mode from setting modes having at least a cut mode in which the cutting process is performed and the printing process is not performed, and a print cut mode in which the cutting process is performed after the printing process. a mode setting device for
a controller;
with
The control device is
a mode acquisition unit that acquires the setting mode set by the mode setting device;
a cutting control unit that performs the cutting process by controlling the cutting head, the first moving mechanism, and the second moving mechanism;
When the setting mode acquired by the mode acquisition unit is the cut mode and the cutting process is being performed by the cutting control unit, a first cut heater control unit controls the heater so as not to heat. and,
second cut heater control for controlling to heat the heater when the set mode acquired by the mode acquisition unit is the print cut mode and the cutting process is being performed by the cutting control unit; Department and
A printer with a cutting head. The setting mode has a cut print mode in which the print process is performed after the cut process,
The control device controls to heat the heater when the setting mode acquired by the mode acquisition unit is the cut print mode and the cutting process is being performed by the cutting control unit. A printer with a cutting head according to claim 1, comprising a third cut heater control. The control device is
a printing control unit that performs the printing process by controlling the ink head, the first moving mechanism, and the second moving mechanism;
a print heater control unit configured to control the heater to heat the heater when the print control unit is performing the printing process;
A printer with a cutting head according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a 4. A printer with a cutting head according to claim 3, wherein said setting mode has a print mode in which said printing process is performed and said cutting process is not performed. The support base is
a main platen disposed so as to partially overlap the ink head and the cutting head in plan view;
a downstream platen disposed downstream of the main platen in the sub-scanning direction;
has
The heater is
a main heater disposed at a position below the main platen and overlapping the main platen in plan view;
a sub-heater disposed at a position below the downstream platen and overlapping the downstream platen in plan view;
A printer with a cutting head according to any one of claims 1 to 4, having The second cut-heater control section controls the main heater and the sub-heater so that the temperature of the main heater is a first temperature and the temperature of the sub-heater is a second temperature higher than the first temperature. 6. A printer with a cutting head as claimed in claim 5, which controls. The control device controls the ink head and the first moving mechanism, and controls the second moving mechanism so as to transport the medium supported by the support stand to the downstream side in the sub-scanning direction. a print control unit that performs the print process;
The set mode acquired by the mode acquisition unit is the print cut mode, and after the print processing is performed by the print control unit, downstream of the print area printed on the medium in the sub-scanning direction a transport control unit that transports the medium downstream in the sub-scanning direction to a standby position where an end overlaps the sub-heater in plan view;
a standby control unit that causes the medium supported by the support base to wait at the standby position for a predetermined time after the medium supported by the support base is transported by the transport control unit;
A printer with a cutting head according to claim 5 or 6, comprising a After the setting mode acquired by the mode acquisition unit is the print cut mode, and the medium supported by the support base is on standby at the standby position by the standby control unit, 8. A printer with a cutting head according to claim 7, wherein said cutting process is performed.

Images