JPH07328987A - Medium transfer type plotter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To surely cut a lightweight medium by pressing the medium to be cut on the opposite side to the driving source of a medium transfer means near the cutting line to cut it. CONSTITUTION:When depiction on a medium 1 is completed, a cutting command for a depicted section 11 is outputted to a CPU, driving rollers 33 are driven, and the boundary line between the depicted section 11 and an undepicted section 12 is set to the cut position on a platen roller 23. A recording pen is replaced with a cutter pen 24. One end side of the medium 1 is cut from a point (a) slightly offset to one end side from the center of the boundary line to one end (b). The other end side is also cut from a point (c) to a point (d). The point (a) and point (c) are connected by an uncut region dy. The cutter pen 24 is pressed to the center (e) of the uncut region dy, and the depicted section 11 side is pressed for cutting. The drive rollers 33 and pinch rollers 32 are driven while the medium 1 is pressed, and the uncut region dy is cut off.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention conveys a long recording medium such as roll paper or a sheet in the front-rear direction, and moves a recording pen or a cutter pen in the width direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction. The present invention relates to a so-called medium transfer type plotter that performs drawing or cutting processing on the above-mentioned medium by interaction, and particularly to one having a medium cutting means for separating the recording medium after drawing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a medium transfer type plotter having a medium cutting means, there is, for example, a device (hereinafter referred to as a prior application device) filed by the applicant as Japanese Patent Application No. 4-89813. This prior application device is a so-called cutting plotter that uses a cutter pen as a recording pen to cut and process a medium into a desired shape. When the drawing (cutting process) within one screen is completed, the cutting pen is used to perform drawing. It was to disconnect the finished medium. Specifically, as shown in FIG.
A boundary line 13 between the drawing end portion 11 and the undrawn portion 12 of the medium 1
In the above, cutting is performed in the order of AB, CD, and EF. Here, the section AE and the section CF are the above-mentioned drawing end unit 1
1 and the undrawn portion 12 are small areas that are not separated from each other. After transferring the medium 1 to the front side by a predetermined amount from this state, the operation of returning the medium 1 to the rear side at high speed is performed. As a result, tension based on the inertia of the drawing end portion 11 acts on the minute areas AE and EF, and the drawing end portion 11 is cut.

[0003]

Since this prior application device utilizes the inertial force of the drawing end portion, it is effective when the drawing end portion has a certain weight, but the length of the drawing end portion is long. There is a problem that normal cutting cannot be performed when the length is short or when a lightweight medium is used. The present invention has been made to solve this problem, and provides a medium transfer type plotter having a medium cutting means capable of cutting the medium even when the drawing end portion is lightweight and cannot use inertial force. The purpose is to provide.

[0004]

Therefore, in the apparatus of claim 1 according to the present invention, a medium transfer type in which an image is drawn (drawing or cutting) on the medium and the imaged portion of the medium is separated by the medium cutting means. In the plotter, the medium cutting means cuts the medium cutting portion leaving a minute section so that the drawn portion and the undrawn portion of the medium are supported by a slight force, and the cutter at a predetermined position near the cutting portion. And a means for transferring the medium. According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus according to the first aspect, the cutter is a replaceable cutter pen, and when the medium is cut, the cutter pen is held by a carriage and then the carriage is operated, thereby It is configured to perform the disconnection operation of. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus of the second aspect, the recording medium transporting means is composed of a driving roller and a pinch roller, and the medium cutting means is provided from the central portion to one end side of the medium and from the central portion to the other end side. It is composed of a means for cutting by leaving a predetermined minute section in the central portion by cutting sequentially, a means for bringing the cutter into contact with the minute section, and a means for transferring the medium by the recording medium transferring means. According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in the apparatus of the second aspect, a protrusion amount detecting means for detecting the protrusion amount of the cutting edge of the cutter pen is provided.

[0005]

In the apparatus according to the first aspect, the medium is separated by pressing the medium by the pressing member, so that reliable cutting can be performed even with a light weight medium. In the apparatus of claim 2, the cutter for cutting the medium is configured as a cutter pen, and when the medium is cut, the cutter pen is held on the carriage instead of the recording pen, and the carriage controls the cutter pen. The mechanism and the mechanism for cutting the medium can be used in common, and the device can be configured simply. In the apparatus according to the third aspect, the medium is cut from the central portion toward the end portion side, so that the medium is not flipped up at the time of cutting the end portion, and proper cutting can be performed. Further, since the medium is transported by using the driving roller and the pinch roller as the medium transporting means, the apparatus can be simply configured without the need for a dedicated transporting means. Further, since a minute section is formed at the center of the boundary line between the drawing end section and the unprinted section, and the cutter abuts on this minute section, the impression mark on the medium is inconspicuous. In the apparatus according to the fourth aspect, since the means for detecting the protruding amount of the blade tip of the cutter pen is provided, it is possible to prevent the platen roller from being damaged due to the blade tip protruding too much.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing the operation of the device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the state of the operation, FIGS. 3 and 4 are explanatory views showing the configuration of the device of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is the contact position of the cutting portion and the cutter. FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing the operation of the cutter pen blade protrusion amount detecting means.

First, the structure of the apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. The medium 1 is held in a state in which the end portion 14 of the medium 1 is wound, is transported in the front-rear direction by the medium transport unit 3, and is drawn by the drawing means 2. The medium transfer unit 3 has a pinch roller 32 and a drive roller 33, and these rollers hold the medium 1 therebetween. The pinch roller 32 includes a support arm 321 and a spring 322.
It is attached to the main body rail 31 via. Further, at least one pair of the pinch rollers 32 are provided and attached so as to be movable in the width direction of the medium 1. As a result, both widthwise ends of the medium 1 are held down.
On the other hand, a motor 331 controlled by the CPU 4 is attached to the drive roller 33, and moves the medium 1 in the front-rear direction based on the X data from the CPU 4. The drive roller 33 is connected to the platen roller 23 by a belt (not shown). Therefore, the drive roller 33
The platen roller 23 and the platen roller 23 rotate in synchronization with each other by a motor 331. The guide plate 34 acts as a guide when the medium 1 is transferred. This guide plate 3
An adjusting plate 341 for adjusting a blade protrusion amount of the cutter pen 24, which will be described later, is arranged at an end of the blade 4.

The image forming means 2 has a cutter pen 24 that is replaceable with a recording pen, and selectively holds the cutter pen 24 or the recording pen and moves the held pen in the vertical direction, which is the direction of approaching and separating from the medium 1. A moving carriage 22; a Y bar 21 for movably supporting the carriage 22 in the width direction of the medium;
And a platen roller 23 disposed so as to face the cutter pen 24 held by the. A normal recording pen is held on the carriage 22, and the medium 1 is held by the recording pen.
Is drawn. The cutter pen 24 is usually stored in a pen storage unit (not shown), and when the drawing by the recording pen is completed, the cutter pen 24 is held by the carriage 22 instead of the recording pen and cuts the drawing completion unit. In the cutting plotter, the cutting pen 24 is held and the medium 1 is cut even during drawing. The carriage 22 is supported by a moving coil 221 arranged therein, and an upper frame 22 holding a cutter pen 24 or a recording pen.
2, the lower coil 2 in which the moving coil 221 and the magnet 224 are arranged and which engages with the Y bar 21.
23 and 23. The upper frame 222 is moved up and down by the moving coil 221 to move the held cutter pen 24 or recording pen vertically. The upper frame 222 is provided with a magnetic detection element 225 corresponding to the magnet 224. When the upper frame 222 and the lower frame 223 move up and down, the relative distance between the magnet 224 and the magnetic detection element 225. Changes, and based on the output from the magnetic detection element 225 based on this relative distance, the vertical position of the upper frame 222,
That is, the height position of the pen held on the carriage 22 is detected. On the other hand, the lower frame 223 has the Y
It is joined to the drive belt 211 inside the bar. The drive belt 211 is operated by a pulley 212 arranged at its end and a motor 213 connected to the CPU 4, and the carriage 22 is driven according to Y data from the CPU 4.
Is moved along the Y bar 21.

Next, the operation of the device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. When the drawing on the medium 1 is completed, a cut command for the drawing ending unit 11 is given to the CPU 4. (S1) In response to the cut command of S1, the CPU 4 operates the drive roller 33, and the drawing end portion 11 and the non-drawing portion 1 of the medium 1
The boundary line with 2 is positioned at the cutting position on the platen roller 23. (S2) From the state of S2, the recording pen currently held by the carriage is replaced with the cutter pen 24. Usually, this pen replacement work is performed in parallel with the operation of S2. Note that the cutting plotter does not need to replace the pen, so it stands by in the pen-up state. (S3) One end side of the medium 1 is cut from the state of S3. A point a slightly offset from the center point of the boundary line to one end side and a one end point b on the boundary line are cut off. [State of FIG. 2 (a), (S4)] Then, similarly, the other end side is cut. The point c slightly offset from the center point of the boundary line to the other end side and the other end point d on the boundary line are cut off. As a result, an uncut area dy is formed in the center of the medium, and the drawing end portion 11 and the unprinted area 12 are connected by this uncut area dy. [Fig. 2
State of (b), (S5)] From the state of S5, the blade tip of the cutter pen 24 is brought into contact with the substantially central position e of the uncut region dy. The pressing force of the cutter pen 24 at the time of this contact is set to about 1/3 to half that at the time of cutting to protect the surface of the platen roller 23. (S6) From the state of S6, the drive roller is operated to pull back the undrawn portion 12 in the backward direction, that is, toward the medium 1 supply side. As a result, the uncut region dy is torn and the drawing end portion 11 is cut from the unprinted portion 12. [State of FIG. 2 (c), (S
7)] When cutting with a cutter pen whose cutting direction is regulated, an operation of rotating the cutter pen (or the cutter blade) is entered between S3 and S4 and between S4 and S5.

Referring to FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a pattern in a cut state. FIG. 5A shows the above-described method (FIG.
It is the figure which showed the medium 1 cut | disconnected by (refer 2). That is, when cutting the drawing end portion 11 and the undrawn portion 12, the boundary line 13 is positioned immediately below the cutter pen 24 (see FIG. 2), and the medium 1 is cut in the order of the section ab and the section cd. Next, the cutting edge of the cutter pen 24 is brought into contact with the center point e on the formed uncut area dy with a predetermined pressure, and the undrawn portion 12 is moved backward to separate the drawn portion 11 from the undrawn portion 12. . FIG. 5B is a diagram illustrating another cutting method. In this apparatus, a second driving roller 33 'and a second pinch roller 32' for moving the image forming end portion 11 in the forward direction, that is, the medium discharging direction.
Is provided in front of the platen roller 23 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). In this apparatus, first, a region of about 1/3 of the center of the medium is cut from the point a to the point b on the boundary line 13, and the point c to the point d offset from the point b by a predetermined amount. Around 1/3 of the area on one end side is cut toward. Next, the other end side from the point e to the point f offset by a predetermined amount from the point a to the other end side is cut. As a result, the drawing end portion 11 is supported by the undrawn portion 12 by the two uncut areas dy1 and dy2. Next, the blade tip of the cutter pen 24 is brought into contact with the point g which is the central portion in the width direction of the medium 1 and the position near the boundary line 13 of the undrawn portion 12. Then, the second drive roller 33 ′ is driven to move the image forming end portion 11 forward (in the direction of the arrow), so that the image forming end portion 1
Separate 1 In this cutting operation, the cutting direction of the section ab and the section cd is opposite to the cutting direction of the section ef. Therefore, when the cutting direction of the cutter pen 24 is specified, the operation of rotating the cutter pen 24 (blade tip) is entered.

Next, the operation of detecting the amount of protrusion of the cutting edge of the cutter pen will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6A is a diagram showing the structure of the cutter pen, and FIGS. 6B and 6C are diagrams showing the manner of operation. Reference is made to FIG. Recording pen 2
4 is composed of a housing 245 which is a hollow cylindrical member, and an internal body 242 which is inserted into the housing 245 and has a cutter blade 241 attached to its lower end and a cylindrical head 244 attached to its upper end. ing. Threads 246 are formed on the inner wall of the housing 245.
The groove 246 is engaged with the thread 243 formed on the side surface of the inner barrel 242, and by rotating the inner barrel 242, the inner barrel 242 is moved to the housing 245.
It is configured to move back and forth against. Therefore, in the cutter pen 24, the cutter blade 241 moves forward and backward with respect to the housing 245 by rotating the head 244. Reference is made to FIG. FIG. 6B is a diagram for explaining the operation of detecting the pen-down height when the amount of protrusion of the blade tip 241 of the cutter pen 24 is minimum. In this case, the cutter blade 241 is embedded in the tip portion 247 of the housing 245. Here, first, the output from the magnetic detection element 225 in the pen-up state (shown by the dotted line in the figure) is acquired. The output from the magnetic detection element 225 is digitized by the A / D converter 226 and the CPU 4
(See FIG. 4). Next, a current is applied to the moving coil 221 from this state to bring it into a pen-down state (shown by a solid line in the figure). This allows the tip 247 to
Contacts the surface of the platen roller 23. And CPU4
Acquires the output of the magnetic detection element 225 in the pen-down state, and calculates the difference between the output in the pen-up state and the output in the pen-down state obtained earlier to obtain the pen-down height dz1 when the blade is buried. To do. This pen-down height dz1 is stored in a storage means such as a memory. Then, the cutter blade 241 is appropriately extended, and the pen-down height in this state is detected [see FIG. 6 (c)]. Since this operation is the same as the operation when the blade is buried, the pen down height when the tip of the cutter blade 241 is in contact with the surface of the platen roller 23 by this operation, that is, the pen down height dz2 when the blade tip is projected. Is obtained. Then, the CPU 4 calculates the blade tip protrusion amount based on the difference between the pen-down height dz2 when the blade tip is projected and the pen-down height dz1 when the blade is buried, and determines whether this blade tip protrusion amount is within a predetermined range. Here, if the amount of protrusion of the cutting edge is within the predetermined range, the detection operation is terminated and the operation is shifted to another operation, and if it is outside the predetermined range, an error signal is generated to inform the operator of that fact and readjustment is performed. Encourage.

The above is the description of the protrusion amount detecting operation when the cutter blade 241 is extended by the operator, but this detecting operation can also be performed without the operator performing the extending operation. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the operation. Figure 7 (a)
Refer to. In this case, first, the tip portion 247 of the cutter pen 24 is brought into contact with the adjusting plate 341 as the first pen-down operation. That is, the cutter blade 241 is inserted into the groove provided in the adjustment plate 341, and the bottom edge of the tip portion 247 is brought into contact with the surface of the adjustment plate 341 (state on the right side in the drawing). Based on the output from the magnetic detection element 225 in the pen-down state and the output from the magnetic detection element 225 in the pen-up state, the pen-down height dz when the blade is buried.
1 is acquired and this value is stored. Then the recording pen 2
4 is once pen-up, then is moved to one end side (left side in the figure) and then pen-downed, so that the cutter blade 24
The tip of No. 1 is brought into contact with the surface of the blade edge adjusting plate 341 (state on the left side in the drawing). Then, the pen down height dz2 when the blade is extended is acquired and stored in the same procedure as above. The operation of obtaining the blade protrusion amount from the obtained pen down heights dz1 and dz2 is as described above.
The description is omitted.

Next, refer to FIG. 7 (b). in this case,
First, as the first pen-down operation, the edge portion of the tip end portion 247 of the cutter pen 24 is brought into contact with the end portion on one end side of the platen roller 23 (state on the left side in the drawing). Then, based on the output from the magnetic detection element 225 in this pen-down state, the pen-down height dz1 when the blade is buried is obtained. The cutter blade 241 and the contact surface 234 provided at one end of the platen roller 23 are positioned so as to face each other, and the cutter blade 241 is moved down by pen-down from this state.
Is brought into contact with the contact surface 233 (state on the right side in the drawing), and the pen-down height dz2 when the blade is projected is acquired. The contact surface 233 is formed as a metal surface such as aluminum or stainless steel, and the cutter blade 241.
It is designed not to get caught.

The above-described blade edge protrusion amount detecting operation is performed, for example, at the time of initializing the apparatus or immediately before the medium cutting operation. In this case, it is needless to say that any of the above-mentioned operations may be used, but for example, a method that requires a blade feeding operation by an operator at the time of initializing the device, and an automated method immediately before the cutting operation are used. You may use it in combination. Also, only when you replace the cutter pen with a new one, the former method,
In other cases, the latter method may be used.

[0015]

As described above, according to the medium transfer plotter of the present invention, it is possible to cut the medium even when the drawing end portion is light and the inertial force cannot be used.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a device configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a device configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a medium cutting unit.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a blade tip protrusion amount detection operation of a cutter pen.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a blade tip protrusion amount detection operation of a cutter pen.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 medium 11 drawing end part 2 drawing means 24 cutter pen 3 medium transfer part 4 CPU

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Yoshiaki Iwata 503-10 Shinanomachi, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture Graphtec Co., Ltd.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A medium transport means having a drive source for transporting a long medium in a first direction, a recording means, a movable means on the medium, and a predetermined image formed on the medium. And a medium cutting unit that is configured to be movable in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and has a cutter that cuts the medium. In a medium transfer type plotter configured to separate the imaged portion by the medium cutting means after performing the drawing, the medium cutting means has a predetermined line along a cutting line extending in the second direction of the medium. A cutting means for cutting the medium leaving an uncut area, a pressing means for pressing the medium opposite to the drive source of the medium transferring means at a predetermined pressure in the vicinity of the cutting line of the medium, Along the cutting line A medium transfer type plotter configured to operate the medium transfer means in a state of pressing the medium with the pressing means to cut off the imaged portion after cutting while leaving the uncut area. 2. The medium cutting means comprises a cutter configured as a cutter pen that is replaceable with a recording pen, and a recording pen or a cutter that selectively holds the recording pen or the cutter and holds the recording pen or the cutter. 2. The medium transfer plotter according to claim 1, further comprising a carriage that moves in a third direction perpendicular to each of the two directions, and is configured to separate the medium by operating a carriage that holds the cutter. . 3. A medium transfer means for sandwiching an elongated medium by a driving roller and a pinch roller and transporting the sandwiched medium in the front-rear direction, a recording pen, and a recording pen for retaining the recording pen. Drawing means having a carriage that moves in the width direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction and in the up-and-down direction that is the approaching and separating direction with respect to the medium; a cutter configured as a cutter pen replaceable with the recording pen; Medium cutting including a recording pen or an exchange unit for selectively holding the cutter, and a control unit for operating the carriage to cut the medium in a predetermined shape in the width direction by the cutter held by the carriage. Means for performing a predetermined drawing on the medium by the drawing means, and thereafter, drawing the drawn portion of the medium on the medium. In a medium transfer type plotter configured to be cut off from an undrawn portion by a cutting means, the cutting control means is a means for cutting the medium from its central portion to one end side, and a width at which the medium portion can be cut with a slight force. Means for cutting the medium from the central part to the other end side so as to form an uncut area, means for bringing the cutter into contact with the uncut area, and operating the drive roller from the contact state of the cutter Thus, the medium transfer type plotter comprising the step of transferring the medium on the non-image side in the backward direction and separating the medium on the image end side. 4. A step of storing a pen-down height when the amount of protrusion of the blade tip is minimum, a step of detecting a pen-down height when the blade tip is protruded by an appropriate amount, and a difference between both pen-down heights is calculated. 3. The medium transfer type plotter according to claim 2, further comprising blade edge protrusion amount detection means configured to determine that the protrusion amount is appropriate when the value is within a predetermined range.