JPH03251469A - Control system of electrostatic recording printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable waste of printing paper to be avoided by a method wherein two memories for drawing are provided, an image data of an image to be printed next is developed in one side memory for drawing while an image data from the other memory for drawing is being printed, and when printing is ended, the image data of said one side memory for drawing is immediately printed. CONSTITUTION:In an electrostatic recording printer, two memories for drawing M1, M2 which develope an image data are provided. By developing an image data of an image to be printed next in the # 2 memory for drawing M2, for instance, while an image data from the # 1 memory for drawing M1 is being printed with the electrostatic recording printer, when printing of the image data from the # 1 memory for drawing M1 is ended, the image data to be printed next has been preliminarily developed on the # 2 memory for drawing M2. Therefore, the image data of this other side memory for drawing is immediately transmitted to a printing mechanism PM to perform printing. Then, when printing of a certain page is ended, printing is continued by switching from one side output of the memory for drawing to the other side output of the memory for drawing, continuous printing can be obtained without leaving any space between pages.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Required] Concerning a control system that is advantageous for electrostatic recording printers, especially printers for large drawings, when printing continuously, there is no margin between pages. The purpose of this technology is to provide two drawing memories for developing image data in an electrostatic recording printer, and while image data from one drawing memory is being printed, the image data from the other drawing memory is being printed. The image data of the next image to be printed is developed in the memory, and when the printing is completed, the image data of the other drawing memory is immediately printed.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a control method that is advantageous for electrostatic recording printers, especially printers for large drawings.

[Conventional technology]

Figure 2 is for explaining the principle of printing by an electrostatic recording printer that uses roll paper as printing paper. In Figure 2 (a), electrostatic recording is performed on roll paper P by the recording head R. From this electrostatic recording, development at the developing section and fixing at the fixing section F are performed sequentially over time. The distance d cannot be made very small due to its functional and structural problems.

The time from electrostatic recording on the roll paper in the recording head section R to the development processing at the development section, and the time from the development processing to the fixing processing at the fixing section F, maintains a constant density over the entire print surface. It needs to be constant for all parts of the print to keep it consistent.

Therefore, as shown in the figure, the last edge E of the first page
Even when the electrostatic recording of the second page is completed, the sheet must pass through the developing section and the fixing section F while maintaining the predetermined feeding speed, even though the second page has not been electrostatically recorded. Therefore, between the trailing edge of the first page and the beginning of the second page, there is at least a recording position A of the recording head R and a fixing end position B of the fixing unit F, as shown in the figure (b). A margin corresponding to the interval d will be formed.

Note that when printing is performed continuously, image data corresponding to the next page is developed on the drawing memory for printing during the period when this margin is being sent.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to enable an electrostatic recording printer to print continuously between pages so that there is no margin when printing continuously.

[Means to solve the problem]

As shown in the principle diagram in Figure 1, in an electrostatic recording printer, two drawing notes 'JM' are used to develop image data.
, , M2 is provided, and while the image data from one drawing memory is being printed, the image data of the next image to be printed is developed in the other drawing memory, and when the printing is finished, the image data of the other drawing memory is expanded. Image data can now be printed immediately.

[For production]

By developing the image data of the next image to be printed in the #2 drawing memo 'JM2 while printing the image data from one of the drawing memories, for example, the #1 drawing memory M1, using an electrostatic recording type link. , when the printing of the image data from the #1 drawing memory M1 is completed, the image data to be printed next has already been developed on the #2 drawing memory IJM2, so the image in this other drawing memory is The data can be immediately transferred to the printing mechanism PM and printed.

In FIG. 1, #1 drawing memory M for these image data is shown.
Although the input/output path of image data to the I and #2 drawing memo'JM2 is shown as changeover switches S, , S2, it goes without saying that electronic switches or other input/output control means may be used.

Therefore, if printing is continued by switching from the output of one drawing memory to the output of the other drawing memory when printing of a certain page is completed, continuous printing can be obtained without leaving any blank spaces between pages.

〔Example〕

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electrostatic recording printer according to the present invention, from the host 1 to the communication buffer 2.
The command analysis unit 3 analyzes the data received via the
If the image data is to be printed, the drawing memory that is not being output to the electrostatic recording printing mechanism 7, for example 4. Then, this image data is developed into two-dimensional image data by a data development section 5. It should be noted that if neither of the drawing memories 41.4° is being output, it is obvious that the image data may be developed in the selected drawing memory according to an appropriate algorithm.

When the image data corresponding to one page has been developed on the drawing memory 41 in this way, the print operation control section 6 is notified that the development has been completed, and the print operation control section 6 then starts the electrostatic recording method. Start the printing mechanism 7 and print this drawing memo lJ4. The image data developed above is printed by the printing mechanism 7.
to be printed.

At this time, if the image data corresponding to the next page is sent from the host 1, this image data is developed on the other drawing memory 42 via the data development section 5 in the same way as described above. When the development is completed, the data development section 5 notifies the print operation control section 7 of the completion of development of the image data.

When the print operation control section 6 receives this notice of completion of development from the data development section 5, the print operation control section 6 switches the print mechanism 7 to a mode that does not perform idle feeding, and prints the image data from the drawing memory 4□. Immediately after printing is completed, image data is sent from the drawing memory 42 to the printing mechanism 7 to start printing. by this,
Prints with no extra blank space between pages are obtained.

Note that when the printing of the previous page is completed, if the image data to be printed next has not been sent from the host or if the development of the image data has not been completed, the print operation control unit 6 performs the above development. Since the notification of completion has not been received from the data development unit 5, the above mode switching signal is not supplied to the print mechanism 7, and therefore the print mechanism 7 remains in the idle feed mode, so there is no space between pages. A blank space will be created as in the conventional case.

〔Effect of the invention〕

In the present invention, if the development of the image data for the next page is completed when the printing of the previous page is completed, printing can be performed continuously without creating unnecessary blank spaces between pages.
A particular effect is achieved in that waste of printing paper is avoided.

Needless to say, this effect is particularly noticeable in printers that print large drawings.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram of the principle of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of an electrostatic recording printer and an explanatory diagram of print output, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (1)

[Claims] An electrostatic recording printer is provided with two drawing memories for developing image data, and while image data from one drawing memory is being printed, the image data for the next image to be printed is being developed in the other drawing memory. . A control method for an electrostatic recording printer, characterized in that when the printing is completed, the image data in the other drawing memory is immediately printed.