JPH0616333A - Printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the means, with which a printing device can judge the weighing to change the process thereof, without setting of the command of the stacker-full number of paper sheets corresponding to the weighing in a printing device by an operator. CONSTITUTION:This printing device is provided with a paper quantity sensor 21 for detecting the paper quantity of the printing paper, which exists in a paper supply unit 20, a printed number counting unit 8 for counting the printed page, a table 23, in which the number of paper and the paper quantity and the weighing of the printing paper are corresponding to each other, and a weighing judging unit 22 for judging the weighing of the printing paper on the basis of the paper quantity detected by the paper quantity sensor 21 and the number of printed paper, which is counted by the number of printed paper counting unit 8.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to printing devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in printers, post-processing of printed sheets has been required. For example, in a continuous paper printer in which printing paper is connected, it is necessary to perform processing to cut each output unit of a user job to facilitate handling, and a post-processing machine that performs such processing has been developed. There is.

Further, in a printing apparatus which prints on a single sheet such as A4 / A3 / B4, similarly, in order to prevent the output sheets from being disjointed, and to make the same job output as a unit, a stapler or a sheet is provided. There is a post-processing machine for binding. Most of these post-processing machines operate with the same basis weight of paper due to their structure. Here, the basis weight expresses the thickness of the paper,
It is expressed in weight for a given area and is expressed in units of (gram / square meter).

However, in recent years, the types of paper used have increased with the diversification of the use of computer systems, and a device capable of printing and post-processing for various paper basis weights is required. ing.

In a conventional continuous output printer device (with a post-processing device), printing paper is a standard basis weight paper (64 g / g).
It was only operated in square meters. In order to print on this standard paper and, for example, when there is an output volume of 300 or more, it is divided into 300 sheets, the printer driver of the host (software that causes printing)
Since the same job as the command to cut the paper is issued for the first sheet, an intermediate separator is output to prevent separation. The intermediate separator is a page similar to the page displaying a job called a job separator (normal job number, requester ID, etc. are printed in flower letters), and a serial number is displayed to show that it is the same job. This is the page for performing. The operation of conventional post-processing will be described below.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a conventional printing apparatus with a post-processing machine. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a host, which gives a printing instruction to a printing apparatus. A printer driver 2 is a program that operates in the host 1 to perform printing work. A printer 3 prints according to a command from the host 1, and is connected to the post-processor 11. A control unit 4 controls the printer 3 and the post-processor 11. A data buffer 5 stores print data sent from the host 1. A hopper 6 is a place for storing printing paper. A printing unit 7 prints the print data stored in the data buffer 5 on a printing paper.
A print number counting unit 8 counts the number of sheets printed by the printing unit 7. A transport unit 9 transports print paper from the hopper 6 to the print unit 7 and from the print unit 7 to the stacker 10 in the post-processing machine 11. 10
Is a stacker, and is a place for temporarily storing the printing paper, which has been printed, for the post-processing device 11 to process. Reference numeral 11 denotes a post-processing machine, which carries out post-processing of printing paper after printing. 12 is a post-processing control unit, which is a control unit 4
The cutter unit 13 is controlled in accordance with the command. Thirteen
Is a cutter unit, which cuts the printed printing paper at a designated place.

The host 1 sends print data page by page to the printer 3, and the printer 3 prints while storing the sent print data in the data buffer 5. Printer 3
In the control unit 4 of the above, the number of printed pages is counted by the number-of-printed-sheet counting unit 8 from the start of printing, and at the time of printing 300 sheets, the stacker 10 that stores the printed sheets for the host 1 outputs a near stacker full signal which is a notice Send out. This signal causes the host 1 side to send a command to cancel the unprinted data stored in the data buffer 5 inside the printer, immediately after that to send the intermediate separator for printing, and to execute the paper cut command. To send. Control unit 4 of printer 3 which received the paper cut command
Issues a command to cut the paper to the post-processing control unit 12 to cut the print paper at a position after the page on which the intermediate separator is printed.

As described above, the processing for one printing unit is performed with a constant number of printed sheets, and the printing operation is performed by this continuous operation.

[0009]

However, in the conventional printing apparatus, since the operation is performed on the standard basis weight printing paper, when printing is performed on the different basis weight printing paper, Each time, the operator had to set the instruction of the stacker full sheet number for the basis weight. Further, it is difficult to distinguish the basis weight by an operator or the like, and it is necessary to refer to a manual or the like, which causes a problem that an operation mistake is likely to occur.

In view of the above point, the present invention provides a means by which the printing apparatus can determine the grammage and change the processing without the operator setting the stacker full sheet number for the grammage. The purpose is to

[0011]

The above-mentioned problems can be solved by a printing apparatus configured as described below. FIG. 1 is a principle diagram of the present invention.

The paper amount sensor 21 for detecting the paper amount of the printing paper in the paper supply unit 20, the printed number counting unit 8 for counting the number of printed pages, the number of sheets, the amount of paper and the basis weight of the printing paper are associated with each other. And a table 23, and a basis weight determination unit 22 that determines the basis weight of the printing paper from the amount of paper detected by the paper amount sensor 21 and the number of printed printing papers counted by the printing number counting unit 8. To configure.

[0013]

Since the basis weight of the printing paper expresses the thickness of the printing paper, it is determined by giving the stacking height of the printed printing paper and the number thereof.

Therefore, a paper amount sensor 21 for detecting the amount of printing paper in the paper supply unit 20 is used to detect the paper supply unit 20.
The amount of printing paper reduced by using is expressed in height and measured.

Further, the number of printed sheets in the printing unit 7 is counted by the printed number counting unit 8. The grammage determination unit 22 can determine the grammage of the paper by searching the table 23 in which the grammage of the paper is associated with the number of sheets and the reduced amount of printing paper.

Therefore, by knowing the basis weight of the paper,
The processing form of the post-processing can be controlled.

[0017]

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a printing apparatus with a post-processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 21 is a paper sensor for detecting the amount of printing paper in the hopper 6. Details will be described with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 23 is a table in which the number of print sheets, the sheet amount, and the basis weight of the print sheets are associated with each other. Reference numeral 22 denotes a grammage determination unit, which is a table based on the amount of sheets detected by the sheet amount sensor 21 and the number of printed sheets counted by the number-of-printed-sheet counting unit 8.
23 is searched to determine the basis weight of the printing paper in the hopper 6. Reference numeral 25 is a turntable, which is a turntable on which the printed output after the post-processing is rotated by 90 degrees and stacked. The transport unit 9a transports the printed paper from the printing unit 7 to the turntable 25. In addition, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 4 are the same.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the construction of the paper amount sensor of the embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 14 denotes a light emitting diode (hereinafter abbreviated as LED), which emits light by applying an electric current. 15 is an optical sensor,
It is provided corresponding to the plurality of LEDs 14 and detects the light emission of the corresponding LED 14. 16 is a printing paper,
It is the object of detection.

A plurality of LEDs 14 and a plurality of photosensors 15 corresponding thereto are provided on both sides of the hopper 6, and a printing paper 16 is placed between them. LED is printed when printing is started and paper runs out
The light emitted from 14 reaches the optical sensor 15.

The height of the printing paper 16 can be known by the change from the state where the optical sensor 15 is turned off to the state where it is turned on. If the interval between the pair of the LED 14 and the optical sensor 15 is set at 1 cm, the amount of paper is reduced by 1 cm from when one optical sensor 15 is turned on until the next optical sensor 15 is turned on. become.

The operation of the printing apparatus shown in FIG. 2 will be described. In the figure, the printer indicates the paper amount of the hopper 6 by the paper amount sensor 21.
The value of the print number counting unit 8 is also stored at the start of printing. When the print job is started and the next optical sensor 15 is turned on, the basis weight determination unit 22 is operated.

The basis weight determination unit 22 looks at the value of the number-of-printed-sheet counting unit 8 and obtains the difference from the value of the previously-printed-sheet number counting unit 8 to obtain the number of printed sheets, which is divided by 1 cm to obtain 1 sheet. The thickness of the hit sheet is obtained and the table 23 is searched to determine the basis weight of the corresponding sheet.

In a printer device equipped with a post-processor,
When a large amount of printing is performed in the same job, it is necessary to divide the output amount into a plurality of numbers for the convenience of the post-processor. Therefore, it is necessary to recognize the division unit according to the basis weight.

The output unit of the job changes depending on the basis weight,
300 for basis weight paper of 65 (gram / square meter)
The number of sheets is set to 150, but when printing is performed using a sheet having a double basis weight (130 (gram / square meter)), the number of sheets is set to 150. Therefore, the table 23 is searched to find the basis weight of the corresponding sheet, and when it is determined that the sheet has a basis weight of 65 (gram / square meter), the value of the number-of-printed-sheet counting unit 8 at the start of printing is increased by 300 sheets. Sometimes, a near stacker full signal is sent out.

In response to this signal, the host 1 side sends a command to cancel the unprinted data stored in the data buffer 5 inside the printer, immediately after that, the intermediate separator is sent and printing is performed. Send a paper cut command.

Upon receiving the paper cut command, the control unit 4 of the printer 3 issues a paper cutting command to the post-processing control unit 12 to cut the printing paper at a position after the page on which the intermediate separator is printed. The printing paper cut into output units is rotated 90 degrees by the turntable 25 from the stacker 10 to be stacked and discharged. The requester of the print job looks at the job separator printed on the surface of the printing paper, selects the print output requested by him, and takes it home.

If it is determined that the paper has a basis weight of 130 (grams / square meter), a near stacker full signal is sent when the value of the print number counting unit 8 at the start of printing is increased by 150 sheets. To do.

Since there are many thicknesses of paper, if the relation between the basis weight and the number of prints for sending the near stacker full signal is made into a correspondence table and held in the printer apparatus, it is not necessary for the operator to set. , It's convenient because you don't have to make setting mistakes or forget settings.

Further, in the case of a printer device which performs single-cut printing, usually, a plurality of hoppers are equipped. Since it is used as a cover, use colored paper or thick paper even if it is the same size. Set different papers in each hopper and select the hopper by command when necessary. The printer device takes out the printing paper from the selected hopper, prints it in the printing unit 7, and stores it in the same stacker.

In such a printer having a plurality of single-cut hoppers, if the above-mentioned sheet amount sensor and the counting unit for the number of printed sheets are separately provided for each hopper, the unit of post-processing can be changed for each sheet. You can

When performing double-sided printing, the number of printed pages is divided by two.

[0032]

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention has a remarkable industrial effect that the printing apparatus can determine the basis weight and change the processing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a printing device with a post-processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a sheet amount sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a conventional printing apparatus with a post-processing machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 host 2 printer driver 3 printer 4 control unit 5 data buffer 6 hopper 7 printing unit 8 printing number counting unit 9 transport unit 10 stacker 11 post-processing machine 12 post-processing control unit 13 cutter unit 14 LED 15 optical sensor 16 printing paper 20 paper Replenishment unit 21 Paper amount sensor 22 Basis weight determination unit 23 Table 25 Turntable

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A paper amount sensor (21) for detecting the amount of printing paper in a paper supply unit (20), a print number counting unit (8) for counting the number of print pages, and a number, paper amount, and print. Table that corresponds to basis weight of paper
(23) and a basis weight determination unit (22) that determines the basis weight of the printing paper based on the amount of paper detected by the paper amount sensor (21) and the number of printed printing papers counted by the printing number counting unit (8). ) And a printing device. 2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of paper supply units, each of which has a paper amount sensor for detecting a paper amount of printing paper. 3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the table has a near stacker full value which is a notice that the maximum storage amount of the stacker is reached in correspondence with the basis weight of the printing paper.