JPH0558387U - Plotter image determination device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] In a plotter that uses roll paper as the drawing paper, can all the drawing data sent to the plotter be drawn on the remaining roll paper by detecting the remaining amount of the roll paper? Determine if impossible. [Structure] The remaining amount of roll paper is detected by a roll paper remaining amount detection sensor 12 including a plurality of reflective optical sensors installed on the side surface of the roll paper 11. The remaining amount detection circuit 14 creates remaining amount data from the detection signal here. This remaining amount data is sent to and held in the comparison / determination circuit 15. The drawing data is sent from the drawing control unit 13 to the comparison / determination circuit 15 and compared with the remaining amount data. The comparison / determination circuit 15 determines whether or not the drawing for the drawing data can be drawn on the remaining roll paper. This prevents the paper from running out during printing.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial application]

 The present invention relates to a plotter that uses roll paper as drawing paper.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 Conventionally, in a plotter that uses roll paper as the drawing paper, one sensor is installed as a detector near the roll paper, the presence / absence of the paper is detected, and a detection signal is sent to the drawing control unit. When there is a signal, it has a mechanism to stop drawing.

[0003]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 When printing with a lot of paper still remaining, there is no problem in detecting the presence or absence of paper with a single sensor as in the conventional technology, but when printing with a small amount of paper, The roll paper may run out before the drawing is completed and the printing stops. Even if there is a lot of paper left, the paper may run out while the drawing data is drawing a huge amount of drawings.

[0004]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to solve the conventional problem, in the present invention, a plurality of sensors are installed as a detector for detecting the remaining amount of roll paper on the side of the roll part of the roll paper, and the remaining amount data is generated based on this detection signal. An amount detection unit and a comparison determination unit that compares the drawing length data from the drawing control unit with the remaining amount data are provided.

[0005]

[Action]

 With the plotter configured as described above, when the drawing data is sent, the detector provided on the side of the roll section of the roll paper, and the operation of the roll paper remaining amount detection circuit and comparison / judgment circuit Determine whether the drawing data drawing will fit on the remaining roll paper.

[0006]

【Example】

 Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the present invention. In this drawing, 11 is a roll unit, and 12 is a roll paper remaining amount detection sensor for detecting the remaining amount of the roll unit 11. As shown in FIG. 2, the roll paper remaining amount detection sensor 12 is composed of a plurality of reflection type optical sensors. In the example shown in FIG. 2, since it is composed of five reflection type optical sensors, the remaining amount detection sensor shows the remaining amount in five stages. The reflective optical sensor emits light toward the side of the roll paper roll. If the roll paper remains, the emitted light is reflected by the side surface of the roll portion of the roll paper and is received by the optical sensor. If there is no roll paper facing the reflective optical sensor, the emitted light will not be reflected and cannot be received. Whether the light is received or not can be determined by an electric signal from the reflection type photosensor. In other words, it is possible to determine whether or not there is a paper at the position where each reflection type photosensor faces each other by the electric signal from this reflection type photosensor.

FIG. 3 is a side view in which the roll paper is 100% wound. The reflection type optical sensors 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d and 12e emit light toward the side surface of the roll portion of the roll paper and receive light reflected by the side surface of the roll portion of the roll paper. FIG. 4 is a side view in a state where the roll paper is wound by 60%. Even if the reflective optical sensors 12a and 12b emit light toward the side of the roll portion of the roll paper, they do not receive light because they do not reflect. The reflection type optical sensors 12c, 12d and 12e emit light toward the side of the roll portion of the roll paper and receive the light reflected by the side of the roll portion of the roll paper.

Returning to FIG. 1 again, 13 is a drawing control unit for controlling the drawing data, 14 is a remaining amount detecting circuit for deriving the remaining amount of roll paper by an electric signal from the remaining amount detecting sensor 12, Reference numeral 15 is a roll remaining after comparing the drawing length data sent from the drawing control unit 13 indicating the length of paper to be drawn with the remaining amount data of the roll paper sent from the remaining amount detection circuit 14. It is judged whether all the drawing data can be drawn on the paper. In the comparison / judgment circuit 15, 16 is an image drawing section for actually drawing, and 17 is a display for displaying the remaining amount of paper and the judgment result in the comparison / judgment circuit 15. It is a department.

An electric signal from the roll paper remaining amount detection sensor 12 is processed by a remaining amount detection circuit 14 to recognize the remaining amount of the roll paper. The comparison / determination circuit 15 holds the roll paper remaining amount data. The comparison / determination circuit 15 compares the roll paper remaining amount data with the drawing length data from the drawing control unit 13 to determine whether all of the drawing data can be printed on the remaining roll paper or not. The determination result is sent to the display unit 17, and the display unit 17 displays that the image can be drawn and the image cannot be drawn in addition to the remaining amount of paper. At the same time, the judgment result is sent to the drawing control unit 13, and when it is judged that the drawing is possible, the drawing control unit 13 starts the drawing by the drawing command to the drawing unit 16, and when it is judged that the drawing cannot be made, the drawing control unit 13 is started. A drawing command is not sent from the drawing unit to the drawing unit 16, and the drawing is not started.

Although the reflection type optical sensor is used as the roll paper remaining amount detection sensor in the above-described embodiment, even if a mechanical sensor such as a micro switch is used on the side surface, the action and effect are not improved. There is no difference from the example. Further, in the above-described embodiment, five reflection type optical sensors as the remaining amount detection sensor of the roll paper are used and the remaining amount is detected in five stages. However, the remaining amount detection is performed by increasing the number of reflection type optical sensors. Accuracy is improved, and the action and effect are also improved.

[0011]

[Effect of the device]

 As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of sensors are provided as the remaining amount detection sensor of the roll paper and the remaining amount is detected, so that it is possible to know how much roll paper is currently remaining. In addition, the remaining amount of roll paper is compared with the drawing data, and it is judged whether the drawing for the drawing data can fit on the remaining roll paper.If it is judged that it fits, the printing is started and it is judged that it does not fit. If you do, you will not be drawn, so there is an effect that the paper will not run out during drawing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a roll paper remaining amount detection sensor.

FIG. 3 is a side view in a state where the remaining amount of roll paper is 100% wound.

FIG. 4 is a side view in a state where the remaining amount of roll paper is wound by 60%.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11, 36, 46 Roll unit 12 Remaining amount detection sensor 13 Drawing control unit 14 Remaining amount detection circuit 15 Comparison judgment circuit 16 Drawing unit 17 Display unit 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e Reflective optical sensor

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A plotter that uses roll paper as drawing paper, comprising: (1) a remaining amount detector provided on the side of the roll portion of the roll paper for detecting the remaining amount of the roll paper; and (2) the remaining amount. A remaining amount detecting unit that generates remaining amount data from a detection signal from the amount detector, (3) a drawing control unit that generates drawing length data based on the drawing data, and (4) remaining amount data from the remaining amount detecting unit. And a comparison / determination unit for comparing the drawing length data from the drawing control unit, and (5) a display unit for displaying operation information, and a drawing corresponding to the drawing data can be drawn from the comparison / determination unit into the remaining roll unit. A plotting determination device for a plotter, which sends a plotting determination signal indicating whether the plotting is impossible or not to the plotting control unit and the display unit to control plotting.