JPS63162255A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To permit no printing in other than recording paper by providing a means to invalidate designation of a printing format when printing information exceeds the size of a record carrier. CONSTITUTION:It is checked with the help of a cassette sensor whether a paper feed cassette 2 is attached and recording paper is loaded in a paper feed cassette 5. When recording paper is present, a printing format is entered through an operating panel 7. Printing data of a single page of a page buffer 3 is converted from the entered printing data, and then the size of the converted printing data is compared to the size of the recording paper in the paper feed cassette 5. If the size of paper is smaller than an actual printing size, an error processing for invalidation of an entered printing format is performed. If the size of recording paper is not smaller than a printing size, a printing format designated by the operating panel 7 is validated, and printing data of the page converted according to a printing format is stored in a printing memory as printing data. After this, a paper feed motor of a printing part 4 is driven to transfer recording paper to a printing position When paper feed is completed, the printing part 4 is driven to proceed to print processing in which normal printing is performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a printer that can specify print formats such as rotation and enlargement of image data, for example.

[Prior art] Conventionally, this type of device is usually equipped with a sensor that detects the size of the recording paper, but the size of the data printed is not limited in accordance with the size of the recording paper. For example, if a request is made to print a wider area than the recording paper, the platen, printing mechanism, etc. may be contaminated with printing ink that extends beyond the recording paper.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional example, and by making it impossible to specify a print format in which print data exceeds the size of the recording paper, it is possible to print data outside the recording paper. An object of the present invention is to provide a printer that refuses printing to.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the printer of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, a storage means for inputting and storing print information, a specifying means for specifying a print format of the print information, a detection means for detecting the size of a record carrier, and a storage means for inputting and storing print information, a detecting means for detecting the size of a record carrier, and a storage means for inputting and storing print information. and means for invalidating the designation of the printing format when the size of the carrier is exceeded.

[Operation] In the above configuration, when the print format of the print information stored in the storage device is specified by the designation device, the specification of the print format determines whether the print information exceeds the size of the record carrier detected by the detection device. If the size exceeds the size of the record carrier, the print format specification is invalidated.

[Embodiment 1] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[Description of Printer Configuration (FIG. 1)] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the printer of this embodiment.

In the figure, 1 is a CPU such as a microprocessor or a second
ROM, part of which is shown in the figure, stores control programs, data, etc. %R used as a work area for the CPU
This is a control unit that controls the entire device and is equipped with an AM and the like.

Reference numeral 2 denotes a human resources section, which inputs image data to be printed and various instruction data by receiving data from an external device. The page buffer 3 is a buffer that stores at least one page of manually generated image data, and stores image data for printing, such as dot images and character codes.

4 is the carriage drive system that drives the print head and the carriage that carries the head, and the paper feed drive that drives the platen, paper feed system motor, etc. This is a print unit that is equipped with an IJ system and performs printing operations on paper. 5 is a paper feed cassette that stores paper for printing; 6 is a cassette sensor that installs the paper feed cassette 5 or detects the recording paper size;
The control unit 1 determines the size of the recording paper in the paper feed cassette 5 using this sensor. 7 is an operation panel such as a keyboard,
Performs manual input of various print formats such as rotation and enlargement of image data, and inputs various instructions such as print instructions.

[Explanation of Paper Feeding Operation (Figures 2 and 3)] Figure 2 is a flowchart of the print format input process in the pre-print operation stage of this embodiment. It is started by inputting an instruction.

When the print format is input, first, in step s1, it is checked by the cassette sensor 6 whether the paper feed cassette 2 is installed and there is recording paper in the paper feed cassette 5.

If there is recording paper, the process advances to step S2, and the print format is input from the operation panel 7.

In step S3, one page of print data in the page buffer 3 is converted based on this manually input print format, and the size of the converted print data and the recording paper size in the paper feed cassette 5 are compared.

If the paper size is smaller than the actual print size in step S3, the process advances to step S4, and error processing is performed to invalidate the manually entered print format in step S2.

This will be explained based on FIGS. 3(A) to 3(C).

31 indicates one page worth of print data stored in the page buffer 3, and 32 indicates, for example, A6 size recording paper. FIG. 3(A) shows a state in which the print data 31 can be printed on the recording paper 32 of F6 size. Figure 3 (B
) shows the case where the print data 31 is rotated 90 degrees and an enlarged figure is printed on the A6 size paper 32. In both Figures (A) and (B), the size of the recording paper in the paper cassette 5 is the same as that of the print data. This shows a case where the print format is smaller than the size, that is, a case where the print format specification is valid.

On the other hand, in FIG. 3(C), the print data 31 is
It shows a figure 34 rotated and enlarged to A5 size, and for example, when the print format shown in FIG. Error handling is performed using

Returning to FIG. 2 again, if the recording paper size is not smaller than the print size in step S3, the process advances to step S5.
For example, when instructed from the operation panel 7,
The print format shown in C) is enabled, the print data in the page buffer 3 converted according to the print format is stored in the print memory as print data, and the paper feed motor of the print section 4 is driven in step S6 to record the data. Transfer the paper to the printing position. When the paper feeding is completed, step S
The process then proceeds to a print process in which the print unit 4 is driven to perform normal printing.

Note that the comparison between the paper size and the size of the print data in step S3 may be performed by converting the print data in the page buffer 3 according to the print format instructed by the operation panel 7, or by converting the print data in the page buffer 3 according to the print format instructed by the operation panel 7.
The calculation may be performed by enlarging or rotating the vertical and horizontal sizes based on the print format manually input from the operation panel 7 based on the vertical and horizontal sizes of the print data. In this case, it is necessary to convert the print data in the page buffer 3 in accordance with the print format in step S5.

Although this embodiment has been described with reference to the case where the paper is cut paper, the same effect can be obtained even when the paper is roll paper or the like by determining whether the width of the print data is equal to or greater than the width of the roll paper.

As explained above, according to this embodiment, by limiting the selection of print formats based on the size of the paper supplied to the printer, printing that protrudes from the recording paper is prevented, and, for example, printing on the platen with ink, etc. is prevented. It has the effect of preventing dirt.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, by prohibiting the specification of a print format in which the print data exceeds the size of the recording paper, it is possible to prevent the printer from being contaminated with ink, etc. effective.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the printer of the embodiment, Fig. 2 is a flowchart of manual processing of the print format of this embodiment, and Figs. 3 (A) to (C) are examples of the print format of the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of printing on recording paper. In the figure, 1...control unit, 2...input unit, 3...page buffer, 4...print unit, 5...paper feed cassette, 6...cassette sensor, 7... Operation panel, 3
1... Image data, 32... Recording paper. Patent applicant Canon Co., Ltd. J-Me= Agent Patent attorney Yasunori Otsuka

Claims (1)

[Claims] a storage means for inputting and storing print information; a designation means for specifying a print format of the print information; a detection means for detecting the size of the record carrier; A printer comprising: means for invalidating the specification of the print format when the size exceeds the specified size.