JP2791691B2 - Recording device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a recording apparatus, and more particularly to a recording apparatus such as a pen plotter for recording an intermittent visual image on a recording sheet automatically fed according to a command from a host computer. Things.

(Prior Art) In a conventional recording apparatus having an automatic paper feed mechanism described in, for example, US Pat. No. 4,598,298, drawing is completed by inputting a paper feed command in a predetermined format from a host computer. When the recording paper is ejected and a new recording paper is fed, and the application software functioning on the host computer does not include the paper feeding command, the operator of the apparatus prepares the paper on the operation panel. The paper feed is performed by operating the supplied paper feed command switch. Therefore, when the conventional recording apparatus is used together with such application software, the operator confirms the completion of plotting each time one plotting is completed, and operates the paper feed command switch to feed new recording paper. I do.

FIG. 3 shows a conventional recording apparatus, 1 is a main body of the recording apparatus, 2 is an operation panel provided with a group of switches to which various functions are assigned and for manually controlling the recording apparatus,
Reference numeral 3 denotes a recording surface on which the recording paper is supported, 4 denotes a paper feed cassette for collectively storing the recording paper cut into a predetermined size, and 5 denotes a recording paper cut into a predetermined size.

Normally, the paper feed cassette 4 is mounted on the main body 1 of the recording apparatus in a state where the recording apparatus is used, and the recording paper 5 is guided onto the recording surface 3 in a predetermined order to perform desired recording. When this recording is completed, the recording paper 5 on the recording surface 3 is discharged to the front or rear of the main body 1 of the recording apparatus, a new recording paper 5 is fed onto the recording surface 3, and the next recording starts. Is done.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view for explaining a paper feeding process, in which 6 is a driving roller for moving the recording paper 5 guided on the recording surface 3, and 7 is a pinch for holding the recording paper 5 together with the driving roller 6. Rollers, 8 are recording paper conveying rollers 1, 9 for conveying the recording paper 5 onto the recording surface 3, and 9 are recording paper conveying rollers 2, 10 for nipping the recording paper 5 together with the recording paper conveying roller 8, and 10 are recording paper 5 on the recording surface 3. A recording paper transport guide 11 for guiding upward is a rubber recording paper pull-out roller for pulling out only one recording paper 5 stored in a batch from the upper surface.

One of the upper surfaces of the recording paper 5 is pulled out by the frictional force due to the rotation of the recording paper pull-out roller 11 and a corner claw (not shown), and advances along the recording paper transport guide 10. Further, the recording paper 5 is guided onto the recording surface 3 by the pinching rotation of the recording paper conveying rollers 1 (8) and 2 (9), and is nipped and rotated by the driving roller 6 and the pinch roller 7 to rotate the recording surface 3. It is pulled up to a state where it can be moved.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a control circuit of a recording apparatus having such an automatic sheet feeding mechanism.
Denotes an input buffer memory, 14 denotes a recording control circuit, 17 denotes a recording pen driving mechanism, 18 denotes an automatic paper feed mechanism, and 19 denotes a control circuit. A continuous recording command input from the host computer 12 through an interface (not shown) is stored in the input buffer memory 13, and is sequentially taken out by the recording control circuit 14, and after the content of the recording command is subjected to the analysis operation processing, Output to the recording pen drive mechanism 17. The recording pen driving mechanism 17 receives this output signal and draws a predetermined trajectory on recording paper to form a visual image.

Generally, the speed at which the recording pen drive mechanism 17 processes a recording command is lower than the speed at which the host computer 12 sends the recording command to the main body 1 of the recording apparatus. Is done. When the transmission of the recording instruction from the host computer 12 is completed, the recording instruction remaining in the input buffer memory 13 is sequentially taken out and processed by the recording control circuit 14, and finally the recording instruction is lost in the input buffer memory 13 and becomes empty. State.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In a field where a recording device such as a plotter is used in recent years, simplicity in operation of the device is required in order to improve the use efficiency. In spite of the fact that a recording apparatus such as a conventional example has an automatic paper feeding function as described above, depending on the application software used, an operator manually inputs a paper feeding command every time one drawing is completed. This is very inconvenient in terms of the operability of the device.

An object of the present invention is to improve the operability of a recording apparatus having such an automatic sheet feeding mechanism.

(Means for Solving the Problems) A recording apparatus of the present invention moves a recording sheet fed on a recording surface by a sheet feeding means in a first axial direction, and moves the recording means to a second axis.
In a recording apparatus which moves in the axial direction to form a visual image on recording paper by intermittent on / off operations of recording means, an input buffer memory for temporarily storing a recording command from a host computer, and an input buffer memory for the input buffer memory. Monitoring means for monitoring whether a recording instruction is stored, and a control circuit for taking out the recording instruction from the input buffer memory and processing the input instruction, wherein the monitoring means keeps the input buffer memory free for a predetermined time. The recording paper is automatically ejected and fed at a time.

(Operation) In the recording apparatus of the present invention, when the input of the recording command from the host computer is completed and no new recording command is input for a predetermined time, the current recording sheet is automatically discharged, and New recording paper is fed, and the next printing is enabled.

Further, by making the monitoring function of the monitoring means unusable by causing the selection means to function, automatic operation is performed even after the predetermined time has elapsed so that another visual image can be formed on the same recording paper. Paper feeding will not be performed.

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

In the recording apparatus of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, a buffer memory monitoring means 15 for monitoring the amount of recording commands from the host computer 12 remaining stored in the input buffer memory 13, Paper feed command generating means 16 for generating a paper feed command using a signal output of the buffer memory monitoring means 15 when a print command is left empty for a predetermined time; When the input is completed and no new recording command is input for a predetermined time, the current recording sheet is automatically discharged, a new recording sheet is fed, and the next printing is enabled. To

Since the recording apparatus of the present invention has the above-described configuration, the buffer memory monitoring means 15 sends a signal to the recording control circuit 14 when the empty state of the input buffer memory 13 continues for a predetermined time (about one minute in this embodiment). The recording control circuit 14 which has received this signal outputs a signal to the paper feed command generating means 16. When the paper feed command generating means 16 outputs a paper feed command signal to the automatic paper feed mechanism 18 based on this signal, the above-described paper feed operation is performed.

In another embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to select whether to enable or disable the buffer memory monitoring means 15 in order to enable overwriting to form another visual image on the same recording paper after drawing. Monitoring function selecting means 29 is provided. The monitoring function selecting means 29 is provided on the operation panel 2 shown in FIG. 2 so that an operator of the recording apparatus 1 can easily access the setting means, or a setting means (not shown) for setting an initial value of the apparatus at the time of power-on. To be provided.

According to this embodiment, when the operator of the recording apparatus 1 selects the above-mentioned state monitoring function of the input buffer memory 13 to be in the disabled state by the monitoring function selecting means 29, the recording control circuit 14 determines that the input buffer memory 13 is empty. In the state, the signal generated from the buffer memory monitoring means 15 is ignored and the paper is not fed. That is, automatic feeding can be prevented from being performed even after the predetermined time has elapsed so that another visual image can be formed on the same recording paper.

FIG. 2 shows still another example of the recording apparatus of the present invention using roll paper instead of cut paper as recording paper, where 30 is roll paper, 20 is a recording pen, 21 is a pen carriage, 22 is a carriage motor, and 23 is a carriage motor. Is a paper feed motor, 24 is an arm, 25 is a timing belt, 26 is a pen up / down lever, 7a and 7b are pinch rollers, 6a and 6b are drive rollers, 27 is a lever, and 28 is a carriage shaft.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, when a recording apparatus is used together with application software that does not include a paper feeding command, the operator of the recording apparatus manually issues a paper feeding command each time one drawing is completed. Paper feeding can be automatically performed without the need for inputting, and it is not necessary for the operator to confirm the completion of drawing one by one, which is advantageous in improving the use efficiency of the recording apparatus.

Furthermore, overwriting for forming another visual image on the same recording sheet after drawing can be easily performed by the operator's selection, and a recording apparatus with good operability can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a control circuit of the recording apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a recording apparatus showing another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a conventional recording apparatus, and FIG. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the paper feeding mechanism, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a control circuit of a conventional recording apparatus. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Recording device main body, 2 ... Operation panel, 3 ... Recording surface, 4 ... Paper cassette, 5 ... Recording paper, 6 ... Driving roller, 6a, 6b ... Driving roller, 7 ... Pinch roller, 7a,
7b: pinch roller, 8: recording paper transport roller 1, 9 ...
... Recording paper transport rollers 2, 10 ... Recording paper transport guide, 11 ...
… Recorder drawer roller, 12 …… Host computer,
13: Input buffer memory, 14: Recording control circuit, 15: Buffer memory monitoring means, 16: Feeding command generation means, 17: Recording pen drive mechanism, 18: Automatic paper feeding mechanism, 19 ... Control circuit, 20: Recording pen, 21: Pen carriage, 22: Carriage motor, 23: Paper feed motor, 24: Arm, 25: Timing belt, 26: Pen up / down lever, 27: Lever , 28 ... Carriage shaft, 29 ... Monitoring function selection means, 30 ... Roll paper.

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B41J 13/00 B41J 5/30 G06F 3/12

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] An intermittent on / off operation of a recording means by moving a recording paper fed on a recording surface by a paper feeding means in a first axis direction and moving the recording means in a second axis direction. A recording device that forms a visual image on recording paper by using the input buffer memory that temporarily stores a recording command from a host computer; a monitoring unit that monitors whether the recording command is stored in the input buffer memory; A control circuit for taking out the recording instruction from the buffer memory and processing the recording instruction, wherein the monitoring means automatically discharges and feeds the recording paper when the input buffer memory is idle for a predetermined time. A recording device, comprising: 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a selection unit for selecting whether to enable or disable the monitoring unit, and to determine whether or not to execute automatic paper feeding after the predetermined time has elapsed. 2. The recording device according to claim 1, wherein the recording device can be selected by a selection unit.