JPS6354268A - Paper detector for printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To effectively avoid an erroneous judgement such as regarding a skew paper feeding condition as a blind feeding condition, by a system wherein a paper-detecting means detects the presence or absence of a paper over the entire range in the paper width direction while being moved together with a carriage. CONSTITUTION:A paper-detecting means 2 is provided for optically detecting the presence or absence of a printing paper 7 between a platen 8 and a guide member 10 prior to a printing operation by a printing head 6. The paper- detecting means 2 is constituted of a photo-interrupter fitted to a carriage 1 (on which the head 6 is mounted) on the base end side of the head 6 with respect to a paper-feeding direction. A controlling part discriminates the presence or absence of the paper 7 based on a detection signal outputted from the means 2. When the absence of the paper 7 is detected over the entire range in the paper width direction, the controlling part discriminates the condition to be a blind paper feeding condition, and stops the printing operation of the head 6 after a predetermined lapse of time, thereby preventing the head to perform a blind printing operation. The controlling part is constituted of a microprocessor or the like.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] This invention is directed to a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a personal computer).
It relates to a printer that is connected to a word processor (hereinafter referred to as a word processor) and is used to print characters, etc. on print paper, and in particular relates to a paper detection device for a printer that can detect the presence or absence of print paper. be.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Various types of printers have been developed that are connected to word processors, personal computers, etc. in order to collectively print out the results of data input into the word processors, personal computers, etc. on print paper.

By the way, this printer is equipped with 2 normal paper out detection devices, 1 for example, to prevent the print head from being damaged by performing a printing operation (hereinafter referred to as a blank line) when there is no printing paper, Alternatively, it is possible to easily manage pages when using cut paper such as cut paper.

[Problem to be solved]

By the way, conventional paper cutting devices are usually fixed at a specific position in the width direction of the print paper set in the printer; .

For example, depending on the state in which the paper is inserted into the printer side, such as when the paper is set diagonally, there is a possibility that the paper may be detected as out of paper even though there is paper. For this reason, in a paper out device with such a configuration, when a paper out message is displayed, it is difficult to determine whether the paper is being sent diagonally or if the paper is out of paper. This has resulted in a time-consuming problem for subsequent processing work.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, it is an object of the present invention to provide a paper detection device for a printer that can accurately detect the state of paper out.

[Means for solving problems]

That is, the paper detection device for a printer according to the present invention is as follows.

This printer is connected to a personal computer, word processor, etc. and is used in a printer that prints characters, etc. on print paper. A paper detecting means is attached to the end side, the color of the surface of a platen that supports the print paper from the rear side etc. is configured to be different from the color of the print paper, and a detection signal is output from the paper detecting means. A control section for stopping the printing operation of the print head is provided.

[Effect]

The paper detecting device for a printer according to the present invention has a paper detecting means integrally attached to the carriage.

In other words, the paper detection means moves as the carriage moves, and since the paper detection means does not move across the entire paper width direction to detect the presence or absence of paper, it is possible to detect the paper out state. It is possible to completely distinguish this from the state of paper skew feeding and to detect it accurately.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figures 1 to 3 show a paper detecting device for a printer according to Poko's invention, in which a paper detecting means 2 is attached to a carriage 1, and a control section (circuit) is provided. It has a well-structured structure. In addition, code 3 in Figure 9 is a carriage motor.

4 is a timing belt rotated by the carriage motor 3; 5 is a guide rail that guides the carriage 1 which runs and moves along with the rotation of the timing belt 4; 6 is a print head; 7 is white printing paper; 8 is the printing paper. A platen 9 is colored in a color clearly different from 7, for example, black, and 9 is a line feed motor that rotates the platen 8.

10 is a guide member.

The paper detection means 2 is for optically detecting whether or not there is a print paper 8 between the platen 7 and the guide member 10 prior to the printing operation by the print head 6,
It consists of a photo interrupter attached to the base end side of the print head 6 with respect to the paper conveyance direction of the carriage 1 to which the print head 6 is attached. and,
A through hole is provided on the side of the guide member 10 facing the carriage 1 to which the paper detecting means 2 is attached, in order to ensure an optical path for the light from the photointerrupter to reflect on the surface of the print paper 8 and return. 10a is bored.

The control unit determines the presence or absence of the print paper 7 based on the detection signal output from the paper detection means 2, and when the print paper 7 is not detected at all in the entire width direction, the control unit determines that the paper is in a non-feeding state and waits for a predetermined period of time. This is to stop the printing operation of the print head 6 after the printing operation to prevent the print head from performing a blank printing operation, and is composed of a microprocessor or the like.

Therefore, according to the paper detecting device of the printer according to this embodiment, when the print head 6 prints on the print paper 7, the photo ink printer 2 does not move in the width direction of the print paper, and then prints. Since the presence or absence of paper 7 is detected, the presence or absence of paper can be detected reliably even if the print paper 7 is narrow.1 For example, when printing is performed by actively feeding the print paper 7 diagonally. It is possible to perform the printing operation reliably even in the case of

〔effect〕

As described above, according to the paper detecting device for a printer according to the present invention, the paper detecting means can detect the presence or absence of paper across the paper width direction without moving together with the carriage. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent malfunctions such as, for example, mistaking a diagonal feeding state of paper as a non-feeding state.

Further, according to the paper detecting device of the printer according to the present invention, since the previous paper detecting means is provided in the carriage on the front end side of the print head in the paper conveyance direction, the paper is detected before the printing operation of the print head. The presence or absence of the print head can be determined, thereby reliably preventing blank printing of the print head.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a printer equipped with a paper detection device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view of the printer shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a rear view of the printer shown in FIG. 1...Print head. 2...Paper detection means. 7...Print paper. 8...Platen. Applicant: NEC Home Electronics Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In a printer that is connected to a personal computer, word processor, etc. and prints characters, etc. on print paper, the print head for printing characters, etc. is arranged with respect to the paper conveyance direction of a carriage on which the print head is attached. A paper detecting means is attached to the base end side, and the surface of a platen that supports the print paper from the rear side is configured to have a color different from the color of the print paper, and the paper detecting means 1. A paper detection device for a printer, comprising: a control unit that stops printing operation of the print head based on a detection symbol output from the printer.