JPH0958072A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer capable of processing data rapidly. SOLUTION: Data printing is completed at a spot on the printable extreme right end part of a medium 31 with a printable largest width, when the medium 31 is sucked from a left inserter unit 1b. After this step, a printing head 29 requires some speed reduction distance in order to suspend its movement. In this case, a medium detection sensor 17a is required on the inserter unit 1a side from a spot on the printable extreme right end part of the medium 31b by a distance obtained by adding the distance from the center of the printing head to the right end part of a hard protector, to the speed reduction distance and further, an extra specified distance for a margin, when stopping the printing head 29. In addition, a medium detection sensor 1b is installed at a specified position on the inserter unit 1b side from a spot on the printable extreme left end part of the medium 31a by calculating the distance in the same manner as for the medium detection sensor 17a, when providing it. Besides, a control part is provided which parks the medium 31 to be printed after the medium 31 to printed first, while the printing is performed on the medium 31 to be printed first, only when the media 31a, 31b are detected by both medium detection sensors 17a, 17b.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a horizontal 2 inserter type printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a horizontal 2-inserter type printer, two insertion / ejection ports are provided side by side, and a conveyance path along which a medium is conveyed following the two insertion / ejection ports. Are formed for each inserter unit.
A printing unit is formed at the rear of this conveyance path, and one print head having a hard protector at its tip end is slid across the two conveyance paths in a direction orthogonal to the medium conveyance direction. It is provided freely.

Each of the left and right inserter units is provided with a stepping motor, respectively, so that the medium sucking / conveying / discharging operation is independently performed. However, since there is only one print head with two inserter units, it has been impossible to print the media sucked into the left and right inserter units at the same time. Also, since the media sucked from the left and right inserter units have different thicknesses, the thicknesses of the media are different from each other in order to prevent the hard protector from contacting the media and to perform good printing. According to the above, the print head was moved up and down before printing.

Therefore, assuming that the medium on the left inserter unit side is thin and the medium on the right inserter unit side is thick, when printing on these media, for example, first, the left inserter is first used. -Print on the medium on the printer unit side, stop it temporarily, and raise the print head. Next, printing is performed on the medium of the right inserter, and the printing is temporarily stopped. When printing the next line, the print head again slides to the left inserter unit side, and the print head is lowered. Then, printing is performed on the medium on the left inserter unit side, the printing is temporarily stopped, and the print head is raised. Then, the operation of printing on the medium on the right inserter unit side is repeated, and thereby the medium sucked into the left and right inserter units is printed. The printing order can be changed by control.

Further, after the printing is completed, the print head is temporarily stopped, which requires a certain deceleration distance.

[0006]

In the conventional printer described above, a thick and wide medium is set on the right inserter unit side, while a thin and wide medium is set on the left inserter unit side. If printing is performed at the rightmost printable point on the left inserter unit side with the printer set, deceleration is performed for a certain distance after the printing is completed, and the print head stops temporarily. To do. At that time,
Since the hard protector has not risen yet, it comes into contact with the medium on the right inserter unit side, and the medium is hardened.
There was a problem that it was damaged by the deprotector.

In order to solve this, regardless of the width of the medium, the medium on the inserter unit side (for example, the right side) on which printing is not performed is temporarily retracted from the printing unit and the inserter unit side on which printing is performed. When printing is completed on the medium (for example, on the left side), it is conveyed to the printing section again for printing,
When the printing of one line is completed, the operation of once retracting from the printing unit is repeated. As a result, there is a problem that the processing speed is slow.

In order to prevent the hard protector from coming into contact with the medium, the width between the left and right inserter units may be widened, but if so, the width of the device is widened, and as a result, There is a problem that the device becomes large.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a solution means provided by the present invention is to convey different media to a printing section along a plurality of conveyance paths formed in parallel, and to print heads. In a printer that prints on a plurality of media, it is provided in each transport path before the printing unit,
A medium detection sensor for detecting a medium having a certain width or more on the adjacent side, and when both the medium detection sensors detect the medium, the medium to be printed later, during printing on the medium to be printed first, A control unit for temporarily retracting from the printing unit is provided.

[0010]

When both medium detection sensors detect the medium, the control unit determines that the medium has a certain width on the adjacent side, and temporarily retracts the medium to be printed later from the printing unit. Let Then, printing is performed on the medium positioned in the printing unit. Therefore, even if the print head moves greatly to the adjacent medium side due to deceleration for stop after printing, the medium to be printed later is retracted from the printing unit, so that the medium to be printed later is Even if the thickness is thicker than the previously printed medium, the medium does not come into contact with the print head.

If all the medium detection sensors do not detect the medium, the control unit determines that the print head does not come in contact with the medium, and the medium is not retracted. Then, printing is performed on the medium conveyed in parallel as it is.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The elements common to the drawings are designated by the same reference numerals. FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing the structure of a printer of an embodiment according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic front view showing a printing section of the embodiment. In FIG. 1, a printer 1 is a horizontal two-inserter printer, and a right inserter unit 1
a and a left inserter unit 1b.
Right inserter unit 1a and left inserter unit 1b
And are symmetrical. Therefore, in the following, the right insert
The left-side inserter unit 1b is provided with the same reference numeral as the right-side inserter unit 1a ("b" in the left-side inserter unit 1b) except for the side frame 3. The existing member is the same member as the right inserter unit 1a.

The right inserter unit 1a has a medium 31
A stage 2a is formed which is to be placed when setting a (a medium having a maximum printable width and a medium having a minimum printable width) on the right inserter unit 1a. The right inserter unit 1a is composed of side frames 3a and 3a '. When the medium is sucked into the right inserter unit 1a, the side frame 3a abuts the side frame 3a. A reference surface 4a for performing the above is formed. The stage 2a and the reference surface 4a form an insertion / exhaust port (not shown). A transport path 6a for transporting the medium 31a is formed from the insertion / ejection port toward the rear of the right inserter unit 1a. In this transport path 6a,
From the insertion / ejection port toward the rear of the right inserter unit 1a, in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the medium 31a,
First roller shaft 7a and second roller shaft 8a
Are sequentially provided.

The first roller shaft 7a is provided with a plurality of first rollers 9a. The second roller shaft 8a is also provided with a plurality of second rollers 10a. These first roller 9a and second roller 10a
And a pressure roller (not shown) are provided so as to face each other. When the medium is sucked into the printer 1, the first roller 9a and the second roller 9a are driven by a spring (not shown). The pressure roller is pressed against the la 10a. A gear 11a is fixed to the first roller shaft 7a, and a gear 12a is fixed to the second roller shaft 8a. The gear 11a and the gear 12a mesh with the gear 13a. The gear 13a is attached to the shaft of the stepping motor 14a, and transmits the drive of the stepping motor 14a to the gear 11a and the gear 12a.

A medium detecting sensor 15a for detecting that the medium 31a is set is provided along the conveying path 6a behind the first roller shaft 7a. Also, the second
A medium detection sensor 17a for detecting a medium 31a having a certain width or more on the adjacent side is provided on the side frame 3a 'side along the conveyance path 6a behind the roller shaft 8a. Behind the medium detecting sensor 17a, along the conveying path 6a, on the side frame 3a side, the medium 31
A print position sensor 16a for detecting the presence or absence of a is provided.

Although the above-mentioned members are symmetrically provided on the right inserter unit 1a and the left inserter unit 1b, the members described below are the right inserter unit.
It is provided over both the center unit 1a and the left inserter unit 1b. That is, it is a member commonly used by the right inserter unit 1a and the left inserter unit 1b.

A printing section 18 is provided on the conveying path 6 behind the right inserter unit 1a and the left inserter unit 1b. The printing unit 18 is covered with a frame 19, and a platen 20 is attached to the frame 19 in a direction orthogonal to the medium transport direction. A motor bracket 21 is also attached to the frame 19.
A space motor 22 is fixed to the motor bracket 21. The motor shaft of the space motor 22 has a motor
The tape pulley 23 is fixed, and the space motor 22 is driven to rotate the motor pulley 23.
On the frame 19 on the side opposite to the motor bracket 21,
The bracket 2 is provided at a position facing the motor bracket 21.
4 is attached.

The bracket 24 has an idle pulley 25.
The belt 26 is stretched around the motor pulley 23 and the idle pulley 25. The belt 26 is rotated by driving the space motor 22. A belt clamp 27 is attached to the belt 26, and a carriage 28 is fixed to the belt clamp 27. The platen 2 is attached to the carriage 28.
A print head 29 is attached so as to face 0.
The print head 29 performs a spacing operation in the direction of arrow AB by the carriage 28 moving together with the belt clamp 27 by the rotation of the belt 26.

Next, the print head 29 and the media 31a, 31b
The relationship between the media detection sensor 17 and the medium detection sensor 17 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 2, a medium 31a is a thick medium that has been sucked from the right inserter unit 1a and conveyed to the printing unit 18, and a medium 31b has been sucked from the left inserter unit 1b and the printing unit 18 has been drawn. It shows a thin medium that has been transported to. In addition, point P1
Indicates the printable position at the rightmost end of the widest printable medium 31b.

A hard protector 30 for guarding the print head 29 is attached to the print head 29 on the platen 20 side. The print head 29 is a left inserter.
When printing on the medium 31b on the side of the printer unit 1b, the spacing operation is performed in the direction of arrow AB in the lowered state. On the other hand, when printing is performed on the medium 31a on the right inserter unit 1a side, the printing is temporarily stopped, then raised, and the spacing operation is performed in the directions of arrows AB.

That is, the print head 29 has the right inserter.
Left inserter unit 1
Even on the side b, when printing on either side of the inserter unit is completed, the printing is temporarily stopped to prevent the hard protector 30 from contacting the medium 31a or the medium 31b. If you need to
The print head 29 is moved up and down with respect to the platen 20 by a mechanism (not shown). The printing unit 18 is composed of members necessary for the printing operation.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the medium detection sensor 17
At the position where a is attached, when the widest printable medium 31b is sucked from the left inserter unit 1b, the printing is completed at the printable rightmost point P1 of the medium 31b, Thereafter, the deceleration distance L1 required for the print head 29 to stop once and the distance L2 from the center of the print head 29 to the right end portion of the hard protector 30 when the print head 29 stops are further added to the mark. It is provided on the right inserter unit 1a side from the point P1 by a distance obtained by adding a predetermined distance L3 for the gin. By providing the medium detection sensor 17, the medium 31 can be retracted only when the medium 31 may be damaged by the hard protector 30.

In FIG. 2, only the installation position of the medium detecting sensor 17a on the right inserter unit 31a side is described, but the right inserter unit 1a is also installed on the left inserter unit 31b side. Distance L as on the side
1 plus distance L2 plus distance L3
It may be installed at a distance from the point P1 on the mobile unit 1a side. That is, when the widest printable medium 31a is sucked from the right inserter unit 1a, the medium detection sensor 17a finishes printing at the printable leftmost point P1 of the medium 31a, and thereafter. , Deceleration distance L required for the print head 29 to stop temporarily
1 and when stopped, the distance to the left end of the hard protector 30 from the center of the print head 29 plus the distance L3 for the margin is added to the right inserter. It is provided on the left inserter unit 1b side from the point P1 on the unit 1a side.

Next, the control system of the printer 1 having the above configuration will be described. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the control system of the printer of the embodiment. In FIG. 3, the control unit 32
Is connected to an I / O port driver 33, and signals are transmitted to the control unit 32 via the I / O port driver 33, and signals from the control unit 32 are transmitted. To each member. Then, by this control unit 32,
The following members are controlled. The I / O port driver 33 includes medium detection sensors 15a and 15b, print position sensors 16a and 16b, medium detection sensor 17a,
17b is connected, and the detection results of these sensors are transmitted to the control unit 32 via the I / O port driver 33. The I / O port driver 33 also has
Stepping motors 14a and 14b are connected,
The control unit 32 drives the stepping motors 14a and 14b according to the detection result of each sensor. The space motor 22 is further connected to the I / O port driver 33, and is driven by the control unit 32 according to the print contents.

Next, the printing operation of the printer having the above configuration will be described. The medium 31a sucked from the right inserter unit 1a is a thick medium and the left inserter unit 1a is a left inserter.
The medium 31b sucked from the mobile unit 1b is a thin medium.

In FIG. 1, the operator places the medium 31 on the stage 2a of the right inserter unit 1a and abuts it on the reference surface 4a to position the side surface. On the other hand, the same operation is performed for the left inserter unit 1b.
While the operator keeps the mediums 31a and 31b in contact with the reference surfaces 4a and 4b, the direction of arrow C, that is, the printer 1
The media 31a and 31b are inserted toward the rear of the. Then, the medium detection sensors 15a and 15b cause the medium 31a,
31b is detected. As a result, the control unit 32 drives a mechanism (not shown) to move the pressure roller to the first roller 9.
a, 9b and the second rollers 10a, 10b are raised to a position where they come into contact with the first rollers 9a, 9b and the second roller 1.
0a and 10b are always in pressure contact.

The controller 32 also controls the stepping motor 1
4a and 14b are driven. Then, the drive of the stepping motors 14a, 14b is transmitted to the gears 11a, 11b and 12a, 12b via the gears 13a, 13b. Thereby, the first rollers 9a, 9b and the second rollers 10
a and 10b start to rotate, and the media 31a and 31b are in the first position.
Rollers 9a and 9b and a pressure roller (not shown), which is conveyed in the direction of arrow C, and then a second roller.
It is clamped by the rollers 10a, 10b and a pressure roller (not shown) and is further conveyed in the direction of arrow C. When the print position sensors 16a and 16b detect the leading ends of the media 31a and 31b, the controller 32 causes the stepping motor 14a and
14b is driven for a certain period of time, and then stopped, and the medium 31a, 3
1b is conveyed to a position where the print head 29 and the platen 20 face each other, and the media 31a and 31b are set at the print start position. The above operation is similarly performed in the right inserter unit 1a and the left inserter unit 1b.

At this time, the medium detecting sensors 17a, 1a
7b does not detect the mediums 31a and 31b, or only one of the medium detection sensors 17a and 17b detects either of the media 31a and 31b.

When the medium 31a sucked from the right inserter unit 1a and the medium 31b sucked into the left inserter unit 1b are set at the print start position of the printing unit 18, the space motor is set. 22 is driven by the controller 32, and the belt 26 rotates. As a result, the print head 29 together with the carriage 28 performs a spacing operation in the directions of arrows AB. As for the printing order, first, printing is performed on the medium 31b sucked from the left inserter unit 1b,
When the printing is completed, the printing is temporarily stopped and the print head 29 is raised. Then, next, printing is performed on the medium 31a sucked from the right inserter unit 1a. When printing the next line, the print head 29 returns to the left inserter unit 1b side (direction of arrow A) again, temporarily stops, and the print head 29 descends. After printing on the medium 31b, the print head 29 is raised to print on the medium 31a as described above. As described above, the printing is on the left
Medium 31b sucked from the control unit 1b and the right inserter
And the medium 31a sucked from the station unit 1a are alternately performed. At this time, both of the medium detection sensors 17a and 17b do not detect the mediums 31a and 31b, so that the media 31a and 31b from the printing unit 18 are temporarily detected by the print position sensors 16a and 16b. The operation of retracting to a position where detection is stopped (retracting operation) is not performed.

When the printing is completed, the controller 32 drives the stepping motors 14a and 14b. Then, the first
Rollers 9a, 9b and the second rollers 10a, 10b reversely rotate to convey the media 31a, 31b in the direction of arrow D,
Transport it to the insertion / ejection port. Then, the paper is ejected from the insertion / ejection port to the outside of the printer 1.

Next, in FIGS. 1 and 2, the media 31a, 31b sucked into the right inserter unit side 1a and the left inserter unit 1b side are wide media, and the media detecting sensors 17a, 17b. Both are media 31a, 31b
The printing operation when the detection is made will be described. Medium 31
The above-described printing operation is the same until a and 31b are detected by the print position setting sensors 16a and 16b, and the description thereof will be omitted.

Even if the medium detecting sensor 17b detects the medium 31b, when the print position detecting sensors 16a, 16b next detect the leading ends of the mediums 31a, 31b, the controller 32 keeps the stepping motors 14a, 14b for a certain period of time. To drive.
Then, after that, the mediums 31a and 31b are stopped and conveyed to a position where the print head 29 and the platen 20 face each other, and the mediums 31a and 31b are set to the print start position. The above operation is similarly performed in the right inserter unit 1a and the left inserter unit 1b.

When the medium 31a sucked from the right inserter unit 1a and the medium 31b sucked into the left inserter unit 1b are set at the print start position of the printing section 18, the right inserter unit 1a. The medium 31a sucked from 1a starts the retracting operation. That is, the controller 32 drives the stepping motor 14a. As a result, the first roller 9a and the second roller 10a rotate in the reverse direction and convey the medium 31a in the direction of arrow D. When the print position sensor 16a conveys the medium 31a to a position where it does not detect the medium 31a, the controller 32 causes the stepping motor 14 to operate.
The drive of a is stopped and the evacuation operation is completed. At this point, only the medium 31b is positioned at the position where the print head 29 and the platen 20 face each other.

When the retracting operation is completed, the controller 32 drives the space motor 22 to rotate the belt 26. As a result, the print head 29 together with the carriage 28 performs a spacing operation in the direction of arrow B. In this case, medium 31b
Only print on. When printing on the medium 31b is completed,
The controller 32 drives the stepping motor 14b.
Thereby, the first roller 9b and the second roller 10b
Rotates in the reverse direction and conveys the medium 31b in the direction of the arrow D. If printing is not completed yet, the print position sensor 16b conveys the medium 31b to a position where it cannot detect the medium 31b, and temporarily stops. Let

On the other hand, in the right inserter unit 1a, when the controller 32 detects that the printing on the medium 31b is completed, the stepping motor 14a is driven to drive the medium 31a.
Is conveyed in the direction of arrow C. Then, based on the detection result of the print position sensor 16a, the medium 31a is conveyed to the position where the print head 29 and the platen 20 face each other, and the medium 31a is set at the print start position. At this time, the print head 29 is already raised, and the medium 31a and the hard protector 30 do not come into contact with each other.

Then, the control unit 32 controls the space motor 2
2 is driven to rotate the belt 26. This causes the print head 29 together with the carriage 28 to move in the direction of arrow B.
A singing operation is performed to print on the medium 31a. When the printing is completed, the controller 32 drives the stepping motor 14a. As a result, the first roller 9a and the second roller 10a rotate in the reverse direction, and conveys the medium 31a in the direction of arrow D. Here, if the printing is not completed yet, the printing position The delivery sensor 16a conveys the medium 31a to a position where the medium 31a is no longer detected, and temporarily stops. And the left insert
The medium 31b in the retracted state on the side of the printer unit 1b is conveyed again to the printing unit 18 and printing is performed. The evacuation / print start position setting operation is repeated until the printing of all lines is completed.

When printing of all lines is completed, the media 31a and 31b are conveyed to the insertion / ejection port, and ejected from the printer 1 through the insertion / ejection port.

As described above, in the present embodiment, since only the media 31a and 31b detected by the media detection sensors 17a and 17b are retracted from the printing section 18, either the inserter unit 1a or the inserter unit 1b is used. If the medium 31 sucked from one of them is a narrow medium,
Does not save. As a result, the evacuation operation is not necessarily performed on all the media 31 and can be selected, so that the processing speed can be reduced for the media 31 on which the evacuation operation is not performed.

Further, in the present embodiment, only the case of printing in one direction has been described. However, even when printing is performed in the direction of arrow B and then returning in the direction of arrow A, the medium can be printed. If both the detection sensors 17a and 17b detect the mediums 31a and 31b, when printing the same line, the medium 31 to be printed later is being printed on the medium 31 to be printed first. The operation of temporarily retracting from the printing unit 18 is performed.

Further, when the thickness of the medium 31 to be printed later is thicker than the thickness of the medium 31 to be previously printed by a certain amount or more, the medium 31 to be printed later is printed when the same line is printed. It is also possible to perform the operation of temporarily retracting from the printing unit 18 during printing on the medium 31 to be printed first. By doing so, the number of times of performing the retracting / printing start position setting operation is further reduced.

[0041]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects. A medium detection sensor that is provided on each conveyance path before the printing unit and that detects a medium having a certain width or more on the adjacent side, and a medium that performs printing later when both the medium detection sensors detect the medium. By providing a control unit that temporarily retracts from the printing unit during printing on the medium to be printed first, it is possible to determine whether to perform the retracting operation according to the detection result of the medium detection sensor. Is possible. As a result, the evacuation operation is performed only when it is necessary to perform the evacuation operation, so that the processing speed can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing the structure of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic front view showing a printing unit according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control system of a printer according to an embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 printer 6 conveyance path 17 medium detection sensor 18 printing unit 29 print head 31 medium 32 control unit

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Office reference number FI technical display location B65H 9/14 B65H 9/14

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A printer in which different media are respectively transported to a printing unit along a plurality of transport paths formed in parallel, and a print head prints on the plurality of media, each of which is located in front of the printing unit. When the medium detection sensor provided on the conveyance path detects a medium having a certain width or more on the adjacent side and both the medium detection sensors detect the medium, the medium to be printed later is the medium to be printed first. While printing on
A printer provided with a control unit for temporarily retracting from a printing unit. 2. When the printing on the medium positioned in the printing unit is completed, the control unit retracts the medium, conveys the medium in the retracted state to the printing unit again, and prints on the medium. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the printer is used.