JP4950387B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that transports a recording medium, which is a continuous sheet such as a mount and a label or tag sheet, and performs recording.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, in a label printer that transports a recording medium, which is a continuous sheet such as a base sheet and a label or tag sheet, and performs recording, in order to use a blank label staying in the transport system in a recording end state without waste, There is a function of transporting the recording medium in the direction opposite to that during recording.
[0003]
Conventionally, this reverse conveyance control is automatically executed at the start of recording. Alternatively, there is a function capable of selecting either the start of recording or the end of recording as the reverse conveyance execution timing.
[0004]
Also, as a final process at the time of sheet replacement, there is a function that enables the correct sheet setting by pressing the feed button on the operation panel (hereinafter referred to as set feed). With a printer that cannot mechanically detect sheet replacement, The set feed may be regarded as a sheet exchange and controlled. Conventionally, at the start of recording after set feed, it is determined that there is no blank label remaining in the printer body due to sheet replacement, and the reverse conveyance process is omitted.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above conventional example, since reverse conveyance is started at the start of recording, there is a problem that an important function for evaluating the quality of the label printer such as first print time and throughput is deteriorated. As a countermeasure for this problem, there is a case where reverse conveyance is executed after the recording is finished, but there is a problem that the user cannot obtain the label because the discharged recorded label returns to the printer main body.
[0006]
Also, in the sheet exchange process, in the above conventional example, the sheet exchange is recognized by whether or not the set feed is executed. Therefore, when the user exchanges the sheet correctly without executing the set feed, the sheet exchange cannot be recognized. There is a problem that reverse conveyance similar to that at the start of recording is executed.
[0007]
In addition, if the sheet stays in the printer main body for a long time, there is a problem that the rubber member used in the transport unit and the coating material included in the sheet chemically react to cause the sheet to turn yellow.
[0008]
SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image forming apparatus capable of reducing the first print time, improving the throughput, improving the sheet setting property, and reducing the deterioration of the sheet.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, a typical configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a roll unit that accommodates a recording medium that is a continuous sheet, and a feeding unit that feeds the recording medium accommodated in the roll unit. a feeding portion, conveyance of auxiliary transport and conveying unit having a conveying unit that conveys the recording medium fed by the said feed unit, the recording medium fed by the said feed unit to the conveying unit and parts, based on the recording start command, recording means for recording an image in said pair and Symbol recording position on a recording medium conveyed by the conveyance section of the transport unit, at the time of image recording by the recording means, the conveying unit of the causes of the recording medium by driving the transport unit is transported in a predetermined direction, after completion of image recording by the recording means, the recording position by driving the conveying unit and the feeding unit of the transport unit A first waiting position of the flow side, the so beginning of the unrecorded portion of the not and recorded in a state where the transport unit is in contact recording medium transport unit is located, the recording in the predetermined direction and the opposite direction A control unit that transports the medium, the control unit counts an elapsed time after the end of recording, and the start of the unrecorded portion of the recording medium is generated at the recording position without generating the recording start command. When a preset first time for returning to the first standby position on the upstream side of the medium has elapsed, the conveyance unit and the feeding unit of the conveyance unit are driven to move the recording medium to the predetermined position. The head of the unrecorded portion is returned to the first standby position by being transported in the opposite direction to the first standby position, the recording start command is waited, and the recording start command is not generated, Start with the first wait Preset for further returning to and the feeding second standby position capable of a position where the transport unit is not in contact in the predetermined direction by the auxiliary conveying unit of the transport unit on the upstream side of a position When the second time has elapsed, the transport unit is driven to further transport the recording medium in the direction opposite to the predetermined direction, and the head of the unrecorded portion is returned to the second standby position, and the recording is performed. A start command waiting state is set.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Here, an example in which reverse conveyance processing is executed when a sheet after recording is cut is described as a first reference example, and the execution timing of reverse conveyance is recorded as a second reference example. An example in which management is performed based on the result of comparing the recording medium to be recorded with this time will be described. Next, an embodiment of the present case in which the reverse feed timing is performed in two stages will be described .
[0011]
[First Reference Example ]
A first reference example of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus according to this reference example , FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the image forming apparatus, FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control unit of the image forming apparatus, FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the image forming apparatus, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a recording end state in which the final sheet is cut by the auto cutter, FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a recording start command waiting state, and FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a recording end state in which the final sheet is not cut.
[0012]
As shown in FIG. 1, a color label printer 200 that is an image forming apparatus that conveys a sheet and records an image is connected to an external processing apparatus 102 such as a host computer via a cable 101, and image information is transmitted via the cable 101. And the recording medium 216 built in the roll unit 103 can be fed to the color label printer 200.
[0013]
The recording medium is a roll sheet 216, which is a continuous sheet wound in a roll shape as shown in FIG. 2, and a mount and a label or tag sheet 401 (see FIG. 5) are formed on the recording medium 216. The color label printer 200 continuously records each tag sheet 401 of the continuous sheet. The recording medium is not limited to the roll sheet, but may be a continuous sheet such as a fanfold sheet folded in a Z shape.
[0014]
The external processing apparatus 102 such as a host computer or the printer main body 200, which is a reverse conveyance execution timing management means, manages whether or not the roll sheet is reversely conveyed in the reverse direction to that during recording, and the execution timing of the reverse conveyance.
[0015]
As shown in FIG. 2, the reverse conveyance structure includes a conveyance unit 214 that is a main conveyance structure, an auxiliary conveyance structure 218 that is formed of a member different from the conveyance unit 214, and a roll unit 213.
[0016]
The external processing apparatus 102 such as a host computer or the printer main body 200 manages the execution timing based on whether or not the recording medium 216 is cut by the cutter unit 215 (whether or not an auto cutter is used).
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 2, the color label printer 200 has six ink jet line recording heads of black 201, cyan 202, light cyan 203, magenta 204, light magenta 205, and yellow 206 as recording means. Ink is supplied from the cartridges 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212 corresponding to each head, and the roll recording medium 216 is supplied to the printer main body 200 by driving the roll unit 213 and the transport unit 214. Then, recording is performed on the recording medium 216 by the recording heads 201 to 206 of the respective colors using the recording medium detection of the recording medium detection sensor 217 as a trigger.
[0018]
The recording heads 201 to 206 are full line recording heads having a recording width corresponding to the width of the recording medium 216.
[0019]
Further, the recorded recording medium can be cut by the cutter unit 215. The roll unit 213 and the transport unit 214 can also transport the recording medium 216 in the direction opposite to the time of recording by driving in the direction opposite to the time of recording.
[0020]
Here, a schematic configuration of the control unit of the image forming apparatus will be briefly described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 501 includes a processing unit CPU, and the processing unit CPU executes a program stored in a memory described later, executes a control procedure described later, and configures each peripheral device. Control. The control unit 501 also includes a memory ROM that stores a control program and the like according to a control procedure described later executed by the processing unit CPU. Furthermore, the control unit 501 includes a memory RAM used as a work area for various data processing and a temporary storage unit for image information. The control unit 501 is configured to drive and control the recording heads 201 to 206, the transport motor 214A of the transport unit 214, the roll motor 213A of the roll unit 213, and the like. In particular, the roll motor 213A corresponds to the remaining amount of roll paper calculated from the detection signals from the roll sensor 213B and roll end sensor 213C constituting the sag detection means and the detection signal from the paper width sensor 213D as the width detection means. The brake time is controlled.
[0021]
This image forming apparatus basically performs various operations according to image data and commands transmitted from the host computer, but corrects the cleaning operation for keeping the recording head in an optimum state for printing and the printing position deviation of each color head. Basic operations such as printing of a registration adjustment pattern for this purpose can also be performed by an operation from the information processing apparatus.
[0022]
As shown in FIG. 4, after the end of recording, the processing unit CPU of the control unit 501 determines whether or not the portion printed by the cutter 215A in step 301, that is, whether the last sheet portion of the sheet has been cut. Here, as shown in FIG. 5, if the final sheet has been cut, the conveyance motor and the roll motor are reversed in step S302, an immediate reverse conveyance process is executed, and in step S303, the reverse conveyance end is waited. As shown in FIG. 6, the next recording start is prepared. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, when the final sheet is not cut, the reverse conveyance processing at this time is not executed, and is executed at the start of the next recording as usual.
[0023]
As described above, when the auto cutter is used, the reverse conveyance process (blank blank return) is immediately executed as described above after the end of recording. As a result, the recording medium is cut and the discharged recorded label attached to the mount is not returned to the printer main body, and the user can reliably obtain the label attached to the mount sheet. Thus, the first print time can be shortened and the throughput can be improved without impairing the user's purpose of use.
[0024]
[Second Reference Example ]
Next, a second reference example of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 9 is a reverse conveyance execution flowchart of the image forming apparatus according to this reference example . The same parts as those in the first reference example are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.
[0025]
The color label printer 200 in the present reference example manages the execution timing of the reverse conveyance of the color label printer 200 in the first reference example based on the result of comparing the recording medium recorded last time with the recording medium recorded this time. It is what.
[0026]
As shown in FIG. 8, the external processing apparatus 102 such as a host computer has a recording medium type storage unit 104 as a function, and a recording medium type comparison for comparing the recording medium recorded last time with the recording medium recorded this time. Means 105, reverse transport execution determination means 106 that determines whether or not reverse transport is performed according to the comparison result, and reverse transport execution timing determination means 107 that determines the timing for executing reverse transport.
[0027]
As a hardware block diagram, a control program for executing the control procedure of FIG. 9 is stored in the memory ROM of FIG.
[0028]
The recording medium type comparison unit 105 compares the recording medium recorded last time with the recording medium to be recorded this time based on the sheet width, the sheet length, the sheet type, and the mark width.
[0029]
As shown in FIG. 9, when the printing process is started, the processing unit CPU first compares the sheet length recorded last time at the start of recording in step S501 with the sheet length recorded this time. In step S507, recording is started on the label without performing reverse conveyance.
[0030]
Similarly, in step S502, the CPU compares sheet widths, and in step S503, compares sheet types such as tag sheets, label sheets, and unmarked sheets. Next, the mark widths are compared in step S504. If it is not determined in step S504 that the previously recorded sheet and the sheet to be recorded this time are the same, the process proceeds to step S507, where it is determined that the sheet has been replaced, and reverse conveyance is performed. Start recording on the label without executing.
[0031]
On the other hand, in the comparison of the sheet length (S501), the comparison of the sheet width (S502), the comparison of the sheet type (S503), and the comparison of the mark width (S504), it is determined that the previously recorded sheet is the same as the currently recorded sheet. If YES in step S505, reverse conveyance is executed in step S505. In step S506, the completion of reverse conveyance is waited and recording is started.
[0032]
As described above, by comparing the previously recorded sheet with the currently recorded sheet, it is not necessary to set feed, which is a user process at the time of sheet replacement, so that the user forgets to set. Execution of useless reverse conveyance that has occurred can be prevented, and sheet setability can be improved.
[0033]
[ First embodiment]
Next, a first embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 10 is a reverse conveyance execution flowchart of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment, and FIG. The same parts as those in the first reference example are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.
[0034]
The color label printer 200 according to the present embodiment executes the reverse conveyance of the color label printer 200 according to the first reference example when a time during which the yellowing of the sheet is concerned has elapsed. A program for executing the control procedure shown in FIG. 10 is stored in the memory ROM shown in FIG. 3, and the procedure is executed by the processing unit CPU.
[0035]
As shown in FIG. 10, after the recording (printing) is completed, the sheet type recorded in step S601 is confirmed. In the case of a sheet type in which there is no concern about yellowing of the sheet, the process proceeds to step S611, the yellowing countermeasure is completed, and recording is started immediately.
[0036]
In the case of a sheet type in which yellowing of the sheet such as a tag sheet is a concern, the elapsed time from the end of recording is started in step S601.
[0037]
When this state has elapsed in step S604 for a predetermined time (a time when there is a concern that the sheet may turn yellow), the reverse conveyance first stage is executed as shown in FIG. 6 in step S605, and the reverse conveyance first stage completion is awaited in step S606. do.
[0038]
The state shown in FIG. 6 is a state where the front end of the sheet is in contact with the conveyance unit 214 and is incomplete as a measure against yellowing, but the distance between the front end of the sheet and the recording heads 201 to 206 is short. Printing performance is not degraded.
[0039]
Furthermore, it waits until there is a recording start command in step S607. When the recording start instruction is Tsu Oh, the sequence proceeds to step S611, yellowing measures are completed, to start immediate recording.
[0040]
If there is no recording start command and it is determined in step S608 that the specified time has passed (the limit time for the sheet to turn yellow), the second reverse conveyance stage is executed in step S609 as shown in FIG. 11, and step S610 is performed. In step S611, the process waits for the end of the reverse conveyance second stage, and then the yellowing countermeasure is completed and recording is started.
[0041]
The recording start operation from the state shown in FIG. 11 drives the auxiliary transport unit 208.
[0042]
As described above, when a sheet type in which yellowing of the sheet is a concern, the continuation time of the recording end state is counted, and when the specified time has elapsed, reverse conveyance (blank blank return) is executed. This prevents the sheet from staying in the printer body for a long time, prevents the rubber member used in the transport unit from chemically reacting with the coating material contained in the sheet, and prevents yellowing of the sheet. Can be prevented. At the same time, the first print time in the next recording process can be shortened.
[0043]
In the present embodiment, the sheet is limited to a sheet having a concern about yellowing. However, the present embodiment can be applied to all sheets, and the same effect as the first reference example can be obtained. Further, it is more effective if the time-out time until the reverse conveyance is started is set as a user setting.
[0044]
In the example described above, the control subject is on the image forming apparatus side. However, it may be configured such that a program is executed and a command is sent to the image forming apparatus without an information processing apparatus.
[0045]
Further, although the present invention has been described by the program processing, it can be easily considered to replace it with a hardware circuit.
[0046]
【Effect of the invention】
As described above, according to the present invention, in the image forming apparatus, the first print time, which is one of the important functions for the image forming apparatus, is shortened by preventing unnecessary reverse conveyance execution and optimizing the reverse conveyance start timing. In addition, the throughput can be improved, and the deterioration of the sheet due to the state where the sheet is in contact with the conveyance unit for a long time can be reduced .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus according to a first reference example .
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus.
FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of the image forming apparatus.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the image forming apparatus.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a recording end state in which a final sheet is cut by an auto cutter.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a recording start command waiting state.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a recording end state in which a final sheet is not cut.
FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of reverse conveyance execution timing management means.
FIG. 9 is a reverse conveyance execution flowchart of an image forming apparatus according to a second reference example ;
FIG. 10 is a reverse conveyance execution flowchart of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 11 shows a recording start command waiting state diagram.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 ... Cable 102 ... External processing apparatus, such as a host computer 103 ... Roll unit 104 ... Recording medium type memory | storage means 105 ... Recording medium type comparison means 106 ... Reverse conveyance execution determination means 107 ... Reverse conveyance execution timing determination means 200 ... Color label Printers 201 to 206: Recording head 201 ... Black 202 ... Cyan 203 ... Light cyan 204 ... Magenta 205 ... Light magenta 206 ... Yellow magenta 207-212 ... Cartridge 213 ... Roll unit 214 ... Conveyance unit 215 ... Cutter unit 216 ... Recording medium 217 ... Recording medium detection sensor 218 ... Auxiliary conveying means 401 ... Tag sheet

Claims (1)

A roll unit that accommodates a recording medium that is a continuous sheet;
A feeding section for feeding a recording medium accommodated in the roll unit ;
A transport unit including a transport unit that transports the recording medium fed by the feeding unit;
An auxiliary transport unit capable of transporting the recording medium fed by the feed unit to the transport unit;
Based on the recording start command, recording means for recording an image in said pair and Symbol recording position on a recording medium conveyed by the conveyance section of the transport unit,
At the time of image recording by the recording means, the transport unit of the transport unit is driven to transport the recording medium in a predetermined direction, and after the image recording by the recording means is completed, the transport unit and the feeding unit of the transport unit to the driven first waiting position upstream of the recording position, the as the beginning of the unrecorded portion of the not and recorded in a state where the transport unit is in contact a recording medium conveying unit is positioned, the A controller that transports the recording medium in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction,
The control unit counts the elapsed time after the end of recording, and the first standby position upstream of the recording position is set at the head of the unrecorded portion of the recording medium without generating the recording start command. When a first preset time for returning to the medium has elapsed, the conveyance unit and the feeding unit of the conveyance unit are driven to convey the recording medium in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction. The head of the unrecorded part is returned to the standby position, and the recording start command wait state is entered.
Further, the auxiliary transfer unit is located at a position where the leading end of the unrecorded portion is further upstream than the first standby position and the transfer unit of the transfer unit is not in contact without generation of the recording start command. When the second preset time for returning to the second standby position where the feeding in the predetermined direction can be performed by elapses, the transport unit is driven to move the recording medium in the direction opposite to the predetermined direction. The image forming apparatus is further conveyed to the second standby position to return the head of the unrecorded portion to the recording start command waiting state.

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