JPH02110064A - Automatic setting system for roll paper - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect a state of roll paper without fail by repeating the rewinding and winding of the roll paper at a time when a tip of the roll paper is not detected in a paper feed port till the specified time has elapsed. CONSTITUTION:A specified time by a time-counting means 20 is counted in advance since the winding of roll paper 4 loaded in a hopper 1 has started, and a tip of the roll paper 4 is detected with a feed detector 7 in a paper feed port 8 till the specified time has elapsed, and when this detection fails to be done, the rewinding and winding of the roll paper are repeated by a drive mechanism part 50 through a command out of a control part 6A. When a detection signal is outputted out of a residual quantity detector 15 while another detection signal out of the feed detector 7 is outputted, a residual winding quantity of the roll paper 4 is regarded as being completed. Thus, state detection of the roll paper in the hopper becomes secured, and thereby each case that paper feeding is not performed in a state of the roll paper in the hopper being set, and that supply of the roll paper is required for the hopper by no residual quantity is knowable with certainty.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] The present invention aims to simplify the mechanism of a roll paper end detector and to reliably detect the state of the roll paper in the hopper. A hopper that drives the drive mechanism to rotate the loaded paper roll and unwind it through the paper feed port, a remaining amount detector that issues a detection signal when the remaining amount of rolled paper reaches a predetermined amount, and a timer. A supply detector is provided for the paper feed mechanism comprising means for detecting roll paper fed from the paper feed port, and notifies the control unit of a detection signal when there is roll paper passing through the paper feed port. From the time when the roll paper loaded in the hopper starts unwinding, the timer measures a predetermined period of time, and by the time the predetermined time elapses, the leading end of the roll paper is fed into the paper feed port and the detector is activated. If no detection is performed, the drive mechanism repeats winding and unwinding of the roll paper according to commands from the control unit, and the remaining amount detector is activated while the detection signal from the supply detector is being output. When a detection signal is output from
Assume that the remaining amount of roll paper has been exhausted.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to automatic setting of roll paper set in a hopper, and particularly to automatic setting of roll paper that controls a retry when autoloading of the set roll paper fails and detection of the end of the roll paper.

Slip issuing machine, POS (point of 5a)
(les) In terminal devices, facsimile machines, and the like, roll paper is often used for printing and recording because of its ease of use, cost, and storage capacity.

Such roll paper is a long sheet of predetermined width rolled up, and is set in a hopper and unwound in small quantities and supplied to a printing section where printing is performed. When the amount of rolled paper reaches a certain amount, it is assumed that the rolled paper is finished, and new rolled paper is supplied.

At this time, if the paper reaches the end while the device is moving, the device is naturally stopped and the roll paper is replenished.

[Conventional technology]

A conventional paper feeding mechanism will be explained using FIG. 3. Figure 3 (a
) is a partially cutaway diagram illustrating the relationship between a conventional paper feeding mechanism and a control section, and FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3(a), the roll paper 4 is placed on a tray 2 in the Hong type 1, and a paper feed port 8 is opened at one end of the tray 2.
A separator 3 is disposed on the roller 9A.

The belt 5 stretched between 9B and 9B is
By driving in the direction of arrow C, the roll paper 4 is unwound, and the leading end 4A of the roll paper 4 is fed to the printing unit 10 from the paper feed port 8 as shown by the arrow B under the guidance of the separator 3. Further, the saucer 2 is provided with a near-end detector 14 and a 1-end detector 16, and each detector is equipped with an optical sensor. In these two detectors, as shown in FIG. 1B, the tip end 19A of a bar 19 rotatably supported by a support 18 is pressed against the side surface of the roll paper 4 by a spring or the like, and the roll paper 4 is used, the rod diameter D0
decreases, and when it reaches the rod diameter indicated by the dotted line, the bar 19 of the near-end detector 14 rotates, and when it reaches the rod diameter D2, the bar 19 of the end detector 16 rotates, respectively. The sensors 15 and 17 are shielded from light by the rotation of the bar, and a near-end signal El and an end signal E2 are output.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, with such an end detector that detects the remaining amount of the roll paper 4, it is impossible to output a detection signal when the remaining amount of the roll paper 4 is used up to "0". The disadvantage was that a large amount of paper was wasted because some parts were unusable.

Further, even if the roll paper 4 is sent out through the paper feed port 8 by driving the belt 5, there is insufficient friction with the belt 5 due to the weight of the roll paper 4, and the roll paper 4 tends to stick tightly when winding up. The roll paper 4 may not be fed through the paper feed port 8 due to failure of the paper to be peeled off due to such reasons, or due to occurrence of a jam in the vicinity of the paper feed port 8.

In such a case, if the printing unit 10 is equipped with a function to detect the stop position of the roll paper 4, the stop position sensor will not detect a feeding failure or jam of the roll paper 4 even after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. When the abnormality is detected, the printing process is stopped immediately before the printing process, and the jam of the roll paper 4 is removed and reset is performed. Furthermore, if a stop position detection function is not provided, there is a problem that printing may not be performed due to so-called blank printing.

Therefore, the present invention solves such problems and also
The purpose is to feed and finish roll paper using sensor signals provided at the paper feed port.

[Means to solve the problem]

FIG. 1 is a diagram explaining the principle of the present invention. In the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the drive mechanism section (50) is driven by a command from the control section (6A) to rotate the loaded roll paper (4) through the paper feed port (8). A paper feed mechanism includes a hopper (1) for unwinding paper, a remaining amount detector (15) that issues a detection signal when the remaining amount of rolled paper (4) reaches a predetermined amount, and a timer (20). In contrast, a supply detector (7) is provided to detect the roll paper (4) fed from the paper feed port (8), and detects when there is roll paper (4) passing through the paper feed port (8). It is configured to notify the control unit (6A) of the signal.

[Function] From the time when unwinding of the roll paper (4) loaded in the hopper (1) is started, a predetermined time is measured by the timer (20), and the paper feed port (8) is clocked by the timer (20). The leading end of the roll paper (4) is detected using the supply detector (7), and if no detection is performed, the winding back and unwinding of the roll paper (4) are performed according to commands from the control unit (6A). It is repeated by the drive mechanism part (50) and the supply detector (7
) When a detection signal is output from the remaining amount detector (15) while the detection signal is being output from the remaining amount detector (15), it is assumed that the remaining amount of the roll paper (4) has ended.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to FIG.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a partially cutaway view of the mechanism and control, and (b) is an explanatory view of the operation. The same reference numerals indicate the same objects throughout the figures.

As shown in FIG. 2(a), a sensor 7 consisting of a light emitting element 7A and a light receiving element 7B is disposed at the paper feed port 8 of the tray 2 of the hopper 1, and the light receiving element 7B causes the belt 5 to move in the direction of arrow C. The passage of the leading end 4A of the roll paper 4 unrolled by the drive is detected.

Further, the detection signal S detected by the light receiving element 7B is sent to the control section 6A, and the drive of the motor 6B is controlled.

Therefore, the control unit 6A drives the belt 5 when the roll paper 4 is set on the tray 2, and drives the roll paper 4 from the paper feed port 8.
It is confirmed by the detection signal S that the is transmitted.

On the other hand, the control unit 6A receives a near-end signal E1 from the near-end detector 14 to indicate that the remaining amount of the roll paper 4 has reached a predetermined amount.
You will know by. In this case, near-end signal E
If the belt 5 is driven and the detection signal S is not output even after a predetermined time has elapsed when the detection signal S is not output, this is because a feeding failure or a jam has occurred, and the near-end signal E1 is not output. When the belt 5 is driven and the detection signal S is not output even after a predetermined time elapses, the roll paper 4
This is because the paper has not been set or has been completed, and it is possible to know that there is a feeding failure or a jam has occurred, and that the roll paper 4 is finished.

If we consider in detail the case where the detection signal S cannot be detected even after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, we will see that the leading edge 4A of the roll paper 4 is curled up in the paper feed port 8, as shown in (b). Either the roll paper 4 is stuck in a jammed state, or the roll paper 4 has a strong tendency to wind up and is not separated by the separator 3 and escapes upward, resulting in a feeding failure. and,
In the former case, the motor 6B is rotated in the opposite direction to drive the belt 5 in the direction of arrow C2, and the tip 4A is wound up once.
The belt 5 is driven again in the direction of the arrow C1 to feed the roll paper 4. By performing this operation, even if the leading end 4A is curled up in the paper feed port 8 and cannot be fed, it can be handled without any problem.

Next, the roll paper 4 that has been normally sent to the printing unit 10 through the paper feed port 8 is fed until a stop sensor (not shown) provided in the printing unit 10 detects the roll paper and is set at a predetermined position, and then the control unit 6A The printing section 10 performs printing processing in response to a printing command from.

In the above description, a belt is used as the drive mechanism and a light emitting element is used as the sensor, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various elements may be used without departing from the spirit of the present invention. and mechanisms can be used.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, a sensor is provided at the paper feed port, and by combining the end detection signal of the roll paper in the hopper and the passage detection signal from the paper feed port, It is now possible to reliably detect the state of roll paper in the hopper, and it is possible to know with certainty when the roll paper is set in the hopper but paper is not being fed, and when the hopper needs to be replenished with roll paper due to no remaining paper. .

Furthermore, it is no longer necessary to install two types of conventional mechanically complicated end detectors in a narrow space, and the mechanism can be simplified.

5 is a belt, 7 is a supply detector; 15 is a remaining amount detector; 50 is a drive mechanism section; 4A is the tip of the roll paper, are shown respectively.

6 is a drive control unit; 8 is the paper feed port, 20 is a timing means; 6A is the control unit,

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the principle of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 1(a) is a diagram of the relationship between the mechanism and control, Fig. 2(b) is an explanatory diagram of the operation, and Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an embodiment of the invention. 3(a) is a related diagram of a conventional mechanism and control, and FIG. 3(b) is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 3(a). In the figure, 1 is the hopper, 2 is the saucer, 3 is the separator, 4 is the roll paper,

Claims (1)

[Claims] The drive mechanism unit (50) is driven by a command from the control unit (6A), rotates the loaded roll paper (4), and opens the paper feed port (
8), a hopper (1) that unwinds the roll paper (4), a remaining amount detector (15) that emits a detection signal when the remaining amount of the roll paper (4) reaches a predetermined amount, and a timer. (20), and a feed detector (7) for detecting roll paper (4) fed from the paper feed port (8), and loaded into the hopper (1). The leading edge of the roll paper (4) is detected at the paper feed port (8) using the supply detector (7) from the time when unwinding of the roll paper (4) is started until a predetermined time period according to the timer (20) has elapsed. If the detection is not performed, the drive mechanism unit (5
0), and when a detection signal is output from the remaining amount detector (15) while the detection signal from the supply detector (7) is being output, the remaining amount of the roll paper (4) is finished. Automatic loading method for roll paper.