JPH01154780A - Paper thickness control in printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To adjust a printing part to an optimum printing position corresponding to a directed paper thickness to conduct a high-speed printing, by a method wherein a mode other than an automatic paper thickness adjusting mode is assigned, as necessary, with the direction of a paper thickness, whereby a printing part is adjusted to an optimum printing position to conduct printing; and to prevent the reduction of a printing speed, by particularly adjusting a paper thickness by every line or by every character. CONSTITUTION:When an automatic paper thickness adjusting mode is assigned, by a paper thickness adjusting part 2 a printing part is set to a position corresponding to a paper thickness detected by a paper thickness detection part 8. On the other hand, if the automatic paper thickness adjusting mode is not assigned, a printing part is set to a position (e.g., a position spaced a distance li from a retracted position) corresponding to paper thickness information previously indicated by a setting control part 1 (e.g., information of the number of sheets), and a printing is carried out. Therefore, by assigning a mode other than the automatic paper thickness adjusting mode, as necessary, with the direction of the paper thickness setting information (e.g., the number of sheets), a printing part is adjusted to an optimum printing position corresponding to the directed paper thickness setting information, and a high-speed printing is performed.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] Regarding a paper thickness control method in a printer that controls the printing position to be set according to the paper thickness, an automatic paper thickness adjustment mode and a non-automatic paper thickness adjustment mode are provided, and these modes can be used properly. For the purpose of high-speed printing, when automatic paper thickness adjustment mode is specified, the thickness of the paper set on the platen is determined, and the print head is automatically set to a position according to the determined paper thickness. The configuration is such that when the paper thickness adjustment mode is not specified, the print head is set at a print position corresponding to the paper thickness setting information specified in advance, and printing is performed.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a paper thickness control method in a printer that controls printing positions to be set in accordance with the paper thickness.

[Prior art and problems to be solved by the invention] Conventionally, as shown in FIG. There are printers that control settings to provide an optimal distance between the platen and the printing section.

In this way, in a printer that automatically adjusts the distance between the printing section and the platen according to the paper thickness to be printed,
If the paper thickness changes during printing, for example in the case of a line printer, the paper thickness may be detected at multiple points, or the paper thickness may be re-detected each time a line feed occurs, and the printing position may be adjusted to the optimum position each time. However, there was a problem in that the printing speed became slow.

An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic paper thickness adjustment mode and an automatic paper thickness adjustment mode, and to use these modes to perform high-speed printing.

A brief explanation of the sixth drawing will be given below.

In FIG. 6, the paper thickness adjustment section 22 adjusts the distance between the printing section and the platen to the optimum value for printing based on the paper thickness detected by the paper thickness detection section 28. .

The reception buffer 23 temporarily stores received print data and the like.

The interface unit 24 is for exchanging printing information and the like with the host.

The line feed control unit 25 rotates the platen by a predetermined amount in order to convey paper in response to a line feed.

The space control section 26 moves the print head (carriage) in the printing direction.

The print control section 27 controls printing.

The paper thickness detection section 28 detects the paper thickness on which printing is to be performed.

[Means for solving problems]

Means for solving the problem will be explained with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 1, the setting control unit l determines whether the automatic paper thickness adjustment mode is in effect or not, and if not, adjusts the distance between the printing unit and the platen according to the specified paper thickness setting information. The distance is set to the optimum value.

Paper thickness setting table 1-1 contains specified paper thickness setting information (
For example, the distance jli! for optimal printing according to the number of sheets of paper). (for example, the distance from the retreat position to the optimum printing position).

The paper thickness adjustment section 2 adjusts the printing section to an optimal printing position based on the paper thickness detected by the paper thickness detection section 8.

The paper thickness detection section 8 detects the paper thickness of paper on which printing is to be performed.

[Effect]

As shown in FIG. 1, in the present invention, when the automatic paper thickness adjustment mode is specified, paper [1! The adjustment section 2 sets the printing section, and if the automatic paper thickness adjustment mode is not specified, the setting control section 1 sets the printing section at a position (for example, evacuation) corresponding to the paper thickness information (for example, the number of sheets of paper) specified in advance. The printing section is set at a distance of 1 from the position) and printing is performed.

Therefore, if necessary, specify a mode other than the automatic paper thickness adjustment mode, and also set the setting information (for example, the number of sheets of paper).
By specifying , it is possible to perform printing at high speed by adjusting to the optimum printing position corresponding to the specified paper thickness setting information. In particular, even if the paper thickness changes during printing, it is possible to print at high speed without having to perform automatic paper thickness adjustment each time.

〔Example〕

Next, the configuration and operation of one embodiment of the present invention will be explained in detail using FIGS. 1 to 4.

In FIG. 1, a reception buffer 3 temporarily stores received print information and the like.

The interface unit 4 is used to exchange print data with the host.

The line feed control unit 5 rotates the platen 4 in response to a line feed to feed the paper.

The space control unit 6 is for moving the carriage.

The print control section 7 controls printing.

The main control section 9 performs various controls.

Next, the operation of the configuration shown in FIG. 1 will be explained in detail using FIG. 2.

In FIG. 2, the symbol (■) in the figure indicates that the mode and number of sheets are specified. This means that the printer user specifies whether the mode is automatic paper thickness adjustment mode or not, and if the mode is not automatic paper thickness adjustment mode, the number of sheets (paper thickness setting information) is specified. There is.

In the figure, ■ indicates that it is determined whether or not the mode is automatic paper thickness adjustment mode. If YES (in the case of automatic paper thickness adjustment mode), the paper thickness is detected at ■ in the figure, and the distance between the printing section and the platen is adjusted at ■ in the figure.

This will be explained later using FIGS. 3 and 4,
This means adjusting the printing position so that the printing position is a predetermined distance away from the position where the pressure-sensitive switch is activated by pressing the printing unit against the paper wound around the platen. N
In the case of O (not in automatic paper thickness adjustment mode), execute ■ and ■ in the figure.

In the figure, ■ indicates that the setting value T1 is read out from the setting control section 1. This is the setting value Tt corresponding to the number of sheets (paper thickness setting information) specified by ■ in the figure from the paper thickness setting table 1-1 that constitutes the setting control section 1 in FIG. This means reading out the corresponding setting value T2.

In the figure, ■ indicates that the distance between the printing section and the platen is increased by setting value T8. This means moving the printing unit to the position corresponding to the setting value T read out at ■ in the figure and adjusting it to a predetermined printing position (for example, adjusting it to a position moved by a distance of 1. from the retracted position). It means.

As described above, when the automatic paper thickness adjustment mode is specified, the printing position is adjusted to a position that is a predetermined distance away from the thickness position of the paper wound around the platen, but on the other hand, when the automatic paper thickness adjustment mode is not specified. In this case, the printing position is adjusted to a pre-stored print position corresponding to the specified number of sheets, and printing is performed.

Next, the mechanism and operation of automatic paper thickness adjustment will be explained in detail using FIGS. 3 and 4.

In FIG. 3, the gear constituting the paper thickness adjustment device 13 is rotated to rotate the guide 14 that holds the printing unit 12 connected thereto in a movable state, and the eccentricity of the axis of the guide 14 allows printing to be performed. The unit 12 is gradually moved toward the paper 11 sucked onto the platen 10 (gradually moved from the retreat position P in FIG. 4 toward the detection position P2).
At this time, a pressure-sensitive switch (not shown) provided next to the printing section 12 comes into contact with the paper 11 with appropriate pressure, so that
It is in the closed state at the detection position Pg in FIG. 4, and the paper thickness is detected. Next, it is moved from the detection position P2 in FIG. 4 corresponding to this paper thickness to the printing position P, which is evacuated by a predetermined amount ΔL in the direction of the retraction position. Printing is performed at this printing position P3.

As described above, after moving the paper 11 sucked into the platen 10 to the detection position Mpw corresponding to the paper thickness, the predetermined amount Δ
By adjusting the print position P to the optimum print position P, which is retracted by L, the print position P according to the thickness of the paper 11 is always automatically adjusted.

Next, with reference to FIG. 5, the mode and designation of the number of sheets will be explained as shown in (2) in FIG.

In Fig. 5, by setting the mode/number of sheets designation switch 15 to the display "AUTO", the automatic paper thickness adjustment mode is determined in Fig. The print position P is automatically adjusted.

Display mode/number of sheets switch 15 @MANUAL”
For example, by setting it to "2 sheets", it will be determined that the mode is not automatic paper thickness adjustment mode in ■ in Figure 2, and in the figure ■, ■
Through the processing, the printing portion WPs is adjusted to the optimum printing area corresponding to the specified number of sheets "2 sheets". At this time, in order to adjust to this optimal printing position P3, paper thickness setting table 1-2 in the figure is used.
As shown in FIG.
A correspondence table with II11 is stored.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, a configuration is adopted in which a mode other than the automatic paper thickness adjustment mode is specified as necessary, and the paper thickness is specified and printing is performed by adjusting the optimum printing position. Therefore, it is possible to print at high speed by adjusting the printing position to the optimum position corresponding to the specified paper thickness. In particular, it is now possible to print at a normal printing speed, instead of the printing speed that has been slowed down by adjusting the paper thickness for each line or character.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram of one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a flowchart explaining the operation of the present invention, Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the automatic paper thickness adjustment mechanism, Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the automatic paper thickness adjustment operation, FIG. 5 shows an example of specifying the mode/number of sheets, and FIG. 6 shows an explanatory diagram of the prior art. In the figure, 1 represents a setting control section, 1-1.1-2 a paper thickness setting table, 2 a paper thickness adjustment section, and 8 a paper thickness detection section. O L'l [January's 19 one hand E hand ψ 1 bokun ten thousand zo diagram destruction 1 figure the action dragon of the present invention 2 Ming) B-Nayat bird 2 figure t-de/sheet l! Designated, 9α1 bird 51 figure city also rice relief ministry 1's moe sun moon figure 6 figure

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a paper thickness control method in a printer that controls the printing position of the print head to be set in accordance with the paper thickness, the paper thickness set on the platen when automatic paper thickness adjustment mode is specified. is determined, and the print head is automatically set to a position corresponding to the calculated paper thickness.On the other hand, if automatic paper thickness adjustment mode is not specified, the print head is set to a print position corresponding to the paper thickness setting information specified in advance. , a paper thickness control method for a printer, characterized in that the printer is configured to print.