JP2003146508A - Printer corresponding to rolled paper and method for detecting paper deeding error in the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer provided with an automatic paper feeding mechanism for rolled paper capable of preventing the inconvenience that it is regarded that a paper feeding error occurs irrespective of its essential normal operation. SOLUTION: This printer is provided with a first conveyance means for conveying printing paper stored in a storage means and forming a slack condition of the printing paper at a conveyance path position, a second conveyance means for conveying the printing paper in a slack condition, a slack monitoring means for monitoring a slack condition of printing paper at a predetermined time interval after conveyance by the second conveyance means, and a control means for driving conveyance by the first conveyance means when the slack monitoring means detects a propping condition of the printing paper to count elapse time of the propping condition of the printing paper detected by the first conveyance means and perform error processing when the counted elapse time exceeds a fixed value.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a roll paper printer and a method for detecting a paper feed error in such a printer.

[0002]

Printers such as ink jet printers are
Sub-scanning direction (vertical direction or paper length direction)
A print head in which a plurality of recording elements (nozzles) are arranged, and the print paper is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction while the print head reciprocates in the main scanning direction (horizontal direction or paper width direction). I am printing at.

Unlike a page printer, such a printer has a high degree of freedom with respect to the paper length, so that not only so-called single-cut paper but also a series of printing paper such as roll paper can be printed. There is also a type. In this type of printer, the rotational power of the roll paper motor is transmitted to the roll paper, and the roll paper is sent to the slack forming mechanism to temporarily form slack, and then the roll paper is further sent to the print head side by the paper feed roller. Equipped with automatic paper feeding mechanism. In the slack forming mechanism, the slack sensor monitors the slack state of the roll paper at a fixed timing,
When the roll paper is fed to the print head by the paper feed roller and the tension of the roll paper is detected, the roll paper motor is driven in response to this detection to form slack again, so that the roll paper is not overloaded. It protects the paper. On the other hand, when the tensioned state continues for a predetermined period at the monitoring timing, it is determined that there is a roll paper feed error, and error processing is performed.

[0004]

In the conventional printer as described above, the roll paper feeding operation frequently occurs during recording by the print head.
The roll paper is sent out intermittently, and the slack sensor detects on (tension) and off (slack) according to the operation.

However, in such a printer,
An interrupt is generated at a fixed timing, and the slack sensor monitors the slack state of the roll paper at that timing, so even if the slack sensor normally detects it, only the tensioned state is continuously detected depending on the monitoring timing. However, there is a problem that this is determined to be a paper feed error. On the other hand, in order to prevent such false detection,
If the cycle of the monitoring timing is shortened, another problem that the processing performance deteriorates occurs.

Therefore, the present invention aims to prevent a trouble in a printer having an automatic paper feed mechanism for roll paper, which is judged as a paper feed error even though it normally operates normally. It is an issue.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a recording means for recording on a printing sheet, a storing means for storing the printing sheet, a printing sheet stored in the storing means, and the printing sheet. And a second conveying means for forming the slack state of the printing paper at the conveying path position, and a second conveying means for forming the slack state of the printing paper formed at the conveying path position of the printing paper.
And a sagging monitoring means for monitoring whether the printing paper is in a slack state or a squeezing state at predetermined time intervals from a time position corresponding to the transportation by the second transport means. A control unit that drives the conveyance by the first conveying unit when the urging state of the printing paper is detected by the monitoring unit, and a count that counts the elapsed time of the urging state of the printing paper detected by the slack monitoring unit. Means, and when the elapsed time counted by the counting means exceeds a certain value,
A printer comprising: an error processing unit that performs error processing.

Here, the sag monitoring means is the second
Monitoring at a predetermined time interval after the transfer by the second transfer means, or at a predetermined time interval after a predetermined number of times after the second transfer means has transferred a predetermined number of times. It has a feature.

The invention of the apparatus can be understood as a method invention. Specifically, it is a method for detecting a paper feed error of a printer that carries out printing while conveying a print sheet stored in a storage means to a recording means, wherein the print sheet stored in the storage means is conveyed, A first conveying step for forming the slack state of the printing paper at the conveying path position of the second, and a second conveying step for conveying the slack printing paper formed at the conveying path position of the printing paper to the recording means.
And a sag monitoring step for monitoring whether the printing paper is in a slack state or a tension state at a predetermined time interval from a time position corresponding to the conveyance by the second conveying means, and the slack. A control step of driving the conveyance by the first conveying means when the urging state of the printing paper is detected by the monitoring means, and the elapsed time of the urging state of the printing paper detected by the slack monitoring step is A paper feed error detection method for a printer, which counts and performs error processing when the counted elapsed time exceeds a certain value.

Further, the present invention is also realized as an invention of a program for causing a printer to realize a predetermined function or a recording medium recording the program. Specifically, the present invention is a control program that realizes a predetermined function in a printer that performs printing while conveying a print sheet stored in a storage unit to a recording unit, wherein the control program is A first transport function for transporting the print paper stored in the storage means so that the print paper forms a slack state at the transport path position, and printing in the slack state formed at the print paper transport path position. A second transport function for transporting a sheet, and monitoring for monitoring whether the printing sheet is in a slack state or a stretched state at predetermined time intervals from a time position corresponding to the transport by the second transport unit. A function, a counting function for counting the elapsed time of the printing sheet in the stretched state detected by the monitoring function, and an error when the counted elapsed time exceeds a certain value. And error processing function for performing over processing, which is a control program, characterized in that to realize the printer.

In this specification, the term "means" does not simply mean physical means, but also includes the case where the functions of the means are realized by software. Further, the function of one means may be realized by two or more physical means, or the functions of two or more means may be realized by one physical means.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a schematic side sectional view of a printer 1 according to the present embodiment. Printer 1
A printing mechanism unit 11 having a mechanism for performing a printing process and a cutting process for a roll paper P as a printing paper, and a cassette 1 for setting the roll paper P to be supplied to the printing mechanism unit 11.
2 is provided. The cassette 12 is attachable to and detachable from the printing mechanism unit 11, and the roll paper P is replenished and replaced by removing the cassette 12. Cassette 12
Is composed of a storage section 121 and a lid section 122, and the lid section 122 is configured to be openable and closable in order to replenish the roll paper P.

The roll paper P is rotatably set in a state of being inserted into the shaft portion 123, and a pair of front and rear driven rollers 124 and the drive roller 1 arranged at the bottom of the storage portion 121.
It is accommodated while being supported on 25. A roll paper motor 126 that drives the drive roller 125 is disposed on the rear side of the bottom of the storage unit 121. When the roll paper motor 126 is driven in the normal direction, the rotational force is transmitted from the drive roller 125 to the roll paper P, and the roll paper P rotates in the direction of being fed to the printing mechanism unit 11 side. On the other hand, the roll paper motor 12
When 6 is driven in the reverse direction, the rotational force is transmitted from the drive roller 125 to the roll paper P, and the roll paper P rotates in the winding direction.

At the front end of the storage unit 121, the paper feed mechanism unit 13 is provided at a position corresponding to the transport path of the roll paper P sent out.
Is provided. The paper feed mechanism unit 13 includes a paper feed driven roller 132 and a paper feed drive roller 133 that are supported by the tip of a support arm 131 that extends forward from the storage unit 121. The roll paper P is supplied to the printing mechanism section 11 side while being nipped by the rollers 132 and 133. The printing mechanism unit 11 includes rollers 132 and 133 of the paper feeding mechanism unit 13.
Along the transport path sent from the transport roller 11
1. A paper discharge roller 112 is arranged. Each of these rollers 111 and 112 is composed of a driving roller located on the lower side and a driven roller located on the upper side, and nips the roll paper P. Transport roller 1 in the paper feed direction
A platen 113 is arranged between the paper feed roller 11 and the paper discharge roller 112.

The printing mechanism 11 includes a carriage shaft 114, and a carriage 115 is slidably supported on the carriage shaft 114. Then, by driving a carriage motor (not shown), the carriage 115 reciprocates along the carriage shaft 114 in the axial direction (main scanning direction). On the lower surface of the carriage 115, the print head 1
16 is attached. Ink droplets are ejected from the recording elements (nozzles) of the print head 116, and the roll paper P
Will be recorded. The print head 116 is supplied with ink from an ink cartridge (not shown).

A slack forming device 14 is provided slightly below the conveyance path of the roll paper P between the roll paper P and the paper feed mechanism section 11. The slack forming device 14
Rotating arm 1 having guide roller 141 at its tip
42 is provided. The rotating arm 142 is biased by the torsion coil spring 143 in the direction in which the guide roller 141 lifts the roll paper P from the lower surface. Rotating arm 1
At the lower part of 42, a detected part 144 is provided so as to project downward, and a slack sensor 145 is arranged at a position where the detected part 144 can be detected. This slack sensor 145
Is an U-shaped optical sensor having a detection recess.

The slack sensor 145 is turned on when the roll paper P is stretched and the detected portion 144 is recessed in the slack sensor 145 to block the detection light. On the other hand, the slack sensor 145 is turned off when the roll paper P is slackened by a necessary amount and the detected portion 144 comes out of the concave portion of the slack sensor 31 and does not block the detection light. Roll paper motor 12
6 is based on the detection signal of the slack sensor 145,
It is designed to be driven and controlled.

A rotating plate 128 having a guide roller 127 at its tip is provided at the bottom of the storage section 121 with a spring (not shown) in which the guide roller 127 is brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the roll paper P. ) Is provided in a state of being biased by. The rotating plate 128 is provided with an end detecting sensor 129 composed of a reflection type optical sensor, and detects an end mark written on the end of the roll paper P. The end detection sensor 129 detects the end mark to notify the roll paper replenishment time immediately before the roll paper P runs out.

A cutter device 15 is provided at a position corresponding to a conveyance path through which the roll paper P recorded by the print head 116 is further sent out. The cutter device 15 cuts the roll paper P, which has been recorded and sent out, at a predetermined position of the roll paper P so that the roll paper P has a predetermined size. The cutting device 15
The roll paper P is cut by moving in the width direction (sub-scanning direction) of the roll paper P with the movable blade 151a engaged with the fixed blade 151b in a cutable manner. The roll paper P cut by the cutter device 15 is discharged to the outside of the printing mechanism unit 11 by the auxiliary drive roller 153 of the cutter device 15. A paper detection sensor 117 is disposed between the cutter device 15 and the print head 116, and the presence or absence of the roll paper P on the downstream side of the print head 116 is determined based on the detection signal output from the paper detection sensor 117. To be done.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining a schematic functional configuration inside the printer 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in the figure, if the printer 1 is functionally described, it can be divided into a control device 21 that controls the overall operation of the printer 1 and a printing mechanism unit 12 that is mainly composed of the above-mentioned mechanical members.

The control device 21 controls the printing mechanism section 12 in order to execute the printing process on the roll paper P based on the print job data transmitted from the external host computer. The interface 22 provides a function for communicating with a host computer connected via a cable. The printer 1 receives print job data from the host computer via the interface 22. The connection with the host computer may be network connection, serial or parallel connection, and can be selectively used as appropriate.

The system section 23 includes processors 231, R
It is composed of an OM 232, a RAM 233 and the like. The processor 231 is a RAM 23 that functions as a main storage device.
3, various control programs stored in the ROM 232 are executed to control the printer 1 as a whole. In other words, the various control programs are executed by the processor 231.
Is executed, the printer 1 realizes a predetermined function in cooperation with other hardware. In this embodiment, at least a job interpretation function, a print control function, etc. are realized by the system unit 23. The job interpretation function is a function of interpreting print job data received via the interface 22 and generating image data. The generated image data is written in the image buffer memory configured as a part of the RAM 233. The print control function is a function of controlling the drive circuit unit 15 based on the image data written in the image buffer memory, and includes a roll paper P conveyance control function and a paper feed error detection function.

As described above, the printing mechanism section 12 is mainly composed of mechanical members that operate during the printing process. In the figure, among the constituent members of the printing mechanism unit 12, representative ones relating to the present embodiment are shown. The drive circuit section 24 is for controlling the drive of each of the mechanical members of the printing mechanism section 12.
It is configured according to the configuration of 2.

FIG. 3 is a timing chart for explaining the error detection at the time of paper feeding, and specifically,
FIG. 7A is a timing chart for explaining the error detection at the time of paper feeding of the printer 1 according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 9B is for explaining the error detection at the time of paper feeding of a conventional printer. FIG. 6 is a timing chart diagram for doing so.

First, as shown in FIG. 1B, in the printer, the roll paper is frequently sent out by the paper feed mechanism while the print head is recording (a in the figure). ~ Point c). As a result, the roll paper changes from the slack state to the stretched state. At this time, the printer
An interrupt is applied every time a predetermined clock time elapses, and the tension state of the roll paper is monitored, and the time during which the tension state continues is counted. In the figure, a certain time t
The numbers 1 to 10 are given at each timing when an interrupt occurs. The printer detects a paper feed error when the count value in the stretched state reaches, for example, 5 clocks, but when the roll paper is in the stretched state, the slack sensor detects this, and as a result, the roll paper motor is driven and the roll paper is sent out. As a result, the sheet returns to the slack state again, and normally, a paper feed error does not occur.

However, for example, in the case where the feeding state at the point b in the figure results in the tensed state, the tensed state is once canceled at the time of t + 8, but the feeding operation at the point c causes the tensing state again, and at the time of t + 9. Then, because it is monitoring at a predetermined clock time interval,
It is regarded as a continuation of the bracing state. As a result, the count value becomes 5 clocks, and the paper feed error is detected even though the paper feed error is not originally caused.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG.
The printer 1 according to the present embodiment does not monitor the tension state of the roll paper by interrupting each time a predetermined clock time elapses, but uses a predetermined clock immediately after the roll paper feeding operation by the paper feed mechanism unit 13 as a reference. An interrupt is applied each time the time elapses, and the time during which the bracing state continues is counted. This is because even if the slack sensor detects the stretched state, the slack sensor detects the slack state after a predetermined time because the feeding operation of the roll paper by the sheet feeding mechanism unit 13 has already been completed. . Therefore, when the slack state is not detected even after the lapse of a predetermined time, the printer 1 issues a paper feed error on the assumption that an abnormality of the slack sensor or an abnormality of the slack of the roll paper is detected.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the paper feed error detection unit of the printer 1 according to this embodiment. The paper feed mechanism-side paper conveyance control unit 41 sends a drive signal to a paper feed motor that drives the paper feed drive roller 133 in order to send the roll paper P to the print head 116 side based on the image data developed in the image buffer memory. Is output for a fixed time. When the slack sensor 145 detects the stretched state of the roll paper P under the control of the paper feed mechanism unit side paper feed control unit 41, this is detected by the cassette side paper feed control unit 42.
Upon receipt of this notification, the cassette side sheet transport control unit 42 outputs a drive signal to the roll paper motor 126 that drives the roll paper drive roller 125. As a result, the roll paper is sent to the paper feed mechanism 13 side, and the slack forming device 14 forms the slack state again.

The paper feed control section 41 on the paper feed mechanism side also counts the counter 4 when the output of the drive signal for a certain period of time is completed.
Start 3. The timing to activate the counter 43 is
It may be immediately after outputting the drive signal once, or may be after a certain period of time after the output. Alternatively, it may be the time when the output of the drive signal a predetermined number of times is completed. Counter 43 started
Receives a clock signal of a predetermined frequency from the clock timer 44 and starts counting up the clock pulse. As described above, the slack sensor 145 notifies the cassette-side sheet conveyance control unit 42 when it detects the tension state of the roll paper P, and also notifies the counting counter 43. Upon receiving the notification from the slack sensor 145, the counter 43 stops counting up. On the other hand, when the counter 43 counts up to a predetermined value (for example, 5 counts) without receiving the notification from the slack sensor 145, the counter 43 notifies the error processing unit 45 to that effect. When the error issuing unit 45 receives the notification that the count has increased to the predetermined value, the error issuing unit 45 determines that a paper feed error has occurred and performs error processing. The error processing includes, for example, temporarily stopping the recording operation by the print head 116, displaying an error on the operation panel provided in the housing of the printer 1, or if bidirectional communication with the host computer is possible, the host Notify the computer of a paper feed error.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the duration of the thrusting state is counted at predetermined clock time intervals with reference to after the end of the drive signal for driving the paper feeding motor on the paper feeding mechanism side. is doing. On the other hand, even if the slack sensor detects the stretched state, the feeding operation of the roll paper by the paper feed mechanism unit 13 has already been completed,
After a lapse of a predetermined time, the slack sensor can reliably detect the slack state. Therefore, the printer 1
Only when the slack state is not detected even after the lapse of a predetermined time, it is considered as a paper feed error. Therefore, it is possible to avoid a situation where a paper feed error is detected even though the paper feed error was not originally caused. .

The above embodiment is an example for explaining the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention only to this embodiment. The present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the gist thereof. For example, the operation of the function realizing means has been described in a sequential manner, but the operation is not particularly limited to this. Therefore, as long as there is no contradiction in the operation, the order of processing may be changed or the operations may be performed in parallel.

[0033]

According to the present invention, in a printer equipped with an automatic paper feed mechanism for roll paper, it is judged as a paper feed error without deteriorating the processing performance even though the printer is normally operating normally. It becomes possible to avoid the situation of being lost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side sectional view of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining a schematic functional configuration inside a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a timing chart diagram for explaining error detection during paper feeding.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a paper feed error detection unit of the printer according to the embodiment of the invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Printer 11 ... Printing mechanism 12 ... cassette 13 ... Paper feed mechanism section 14 ... Slack forming device 15 ... Cutter device 21 ... Control device

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A recording unit for recording on a print sheet, a storage unit for storing the print sheet, a print sheet stored in the storage unit, and the print sheet at a transfer path position of the print sheet. It corresponds to the first transporting means for forming the slackened state, the second transporting means for transporting the slackened printing paper formed at the transporting path position of the printing paper, and the transport by the second transporting means. At a predetermined time interval from the time position, a slack monitoring unit that monitors whether the printing paper is in a slack state or a slack state, and when the slack monitoring unit detects the slack state of the printing sheet, Control means for driving the conveyance by the first conveying means; counting means for counting the elapsed time of the tension state of the printing paper detected by the slack monitoring means; A printer comprising: error processing means for performing error processing when the elapsed time counted by the input means exceeds a certain value. 2. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the slack monitoring unit monitors at a predetermined time interval from a predetermined time position after the conveyance by the second conveying unit. 3. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the slack monitoring unit monitors at a predetermined time interval from a predetermined time position after a predetermined number of times of conveyance by the second conveyance unit. . 4. A method for detecting a paper feed error of a printer, wherein printing is performed while conveying a print sheet stored in a storage means to a recording means, wherein the print sheet stored in the storage means is conveyed, A first conveying step for forming the slackened state of the printing paper at the conveying path position, and a second conveying step for conveying the slackened printing paper formed at the conveying path position of the printing sheet to the recording means. A slack monitoring step for monitoring whether the printing paper is in a slack state or in a tensioned state at a predetermined time interval from a time position corresponding to the transport by the second transport means; A control step of driving the conveyance by the first conveying means when the tension state of the printing paper is detected, and the slack monitoring step detects Counts the elapsed time bracing state of serial printing paper, when the counted elapsed time exceeds a certain value, the sheet feeding error detecting method of a printer and performs error processing. 5. A control program for realizing a predetermined function in a printer that prints while transporting a print sheet stored in a storage means to a recording means, wherein the control program is at a transport path position of the print sheet. A first transport function for transporting the print sheet stored in the storage unit so that the print sheet forms a slack state, and transports the slack print sheet formed at the transport path position of the print sheet. A second conveyance function; a monitoring function for monitoring whether the printing paper is in a slack state or a tension state at predetermined time intervals from a time position corresponding to the conveyance by the second conveyance means, A counting function that counts the elapsed time of the stuck state of the printing paper detected by the monitoring function, and an error process when the counted elapsed time exceeds a certain value. A control program for causing implemented error handling and, to the printer for.