JP7533039B2 - Garment Printer - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a garment printer.

Cited document 1 discloses a configuration in which an inkjet recording device that forms an image on a garment includes a platen that supports a head and the garment and can move up and down and horizontally, a detection unit that detects the presence or absence of a thickness on the platen, and a control unit that controls the detection operation and stops printing if an interfering object is detected at a predetermined height, and at least a part outside the printing range is excluded from the detection operation.

In the garment printer described in Patent Document 1, it is possible to prevent unnecessary printing errors using a sensor, but it does not solve the problem of the user setting the print medium in the wrong position on the platen or giving the wrong print instructions. This can lead to cases where the print image cannot be printed on the print medium.

The present invention aims to make it possible to accurately determine whether or not a print image can be printed on a print medium.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a garment printer according to one aspect of the present invention is a garment printer that prints on a garment as a print medium, and includes a platen unit having a mounting surface on which the print medium is placed, the platen unit being formed of a plurality of block bodies, each of which is displaceable in a direction in which it is recessed relative to the mounting surface, and the print medium can be sandwiched between two adjacent block bodies with one of the two block bodies recessed, and the platen unit is capable of fixing the print medium to the mounting surface by recessing parts of the plurality of block bodies along the outer periphery of a portion to be printed on the print medium. the garment printer comprises: a print medium detection unit that detects recessed block bodies among the plurality of block bodies and detects print medium position information indicating the range of the printing target portion of the print medium; a printable range display unit that uses the print medium position information to display a printable range on a print operation screen of a print application and is capable of changing the printable range displayed on the print operation screen in response to a user's operation on the print operation screen ; a print image information acquisition unit that accepts print image information including the shape and position of a print image; and a determination unit that compares the print medium position information with the printable range to determine whether the print image can be printed on the print medium.

It is possible to accurately determine whether or not a print image can be printed on a print medium.

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a garment printer according to an embodiment of the present invention; Example of print application display screen Perspective view of a garment printer Garment printer top view Garment printer front view Platen unit top view Front view of the platen unit Schematic diagram showing the configuration of the platen unit FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between a platen unit and a print medium. Enlarged top view of the block of the platen unit Enlarged side view of the block body of the platen unit Diagram showing how to place the print media on the platen unit FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a printable range when a print medium is set FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another example of the printable range when the print medium is set; Garment printer functional block diagram Control device hardware configuration diagram FIG. 1 is a sequence diagram showing a first example of print control of a garment printer. An example of the printable area displayed in a printing application Example of layout where print image is input within the printable area FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing a second example of print control of a garment printer. Example of a layout where a print image is input outside the printable area FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing a third example of print control of a garment printer. Example of changing the printable area

The following describes the embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. To facilitate understanding of the description, the same components in each drawing are denoted by the same reference numerals as much as possible, and duplicate descriptions are omitted.

In the following description, the x, y, and z directions are perpendicular to each other. The x and y directions are typically horizontal, and the z direction is typically vertical. The x direction is the movement direction of the slider 15 (sub-scanning direction). The y direction is the movement direction of the carriage 5 (main scanning direction). For ease of explanation, the positive z direction may be referred to as the upper side and the negative z direction as the lower side.

Figure 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a garment printer 1 according to an embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, a terminal device such as a PC (personal computer) 2 and the garment printer 1 are connected via USB or NW (a network such as the Internet or an intranet) and are capable of data communication. The PC 2 is equipped with a print application 3, which is application software that can send instructions such as printing from the PC 2 to the garment printer 1 and obtain information such as the settings and status information of the garment printer 1.

Note that in FIG. 1, the control device exemplified as PC 2 and the print application 3 included in this control device are shown as separate entities from the garment printer 1, but this is not limited to the above. The control device 2 and print application 3 may be built into the garment printer 1. In this embodiment, the garment printer 1, PC 2 (control device), and print application 3 may be collectively referred to as the "garment printer."

Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of a print operation screen 36 of the print application 3. As shown in Figure 2, in the print application 3, an image editing screen 37 in the print operation screen 36 is used to display and edit the image to be printed (print image P), and a print instruction is given to the printer 1 and print image data is sent. The image editing screen 37 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape corresponding to the installation surface of the platen unit 12 described later. The image editing screen 37 is divided into a mesh shape such that each side in the vertical and horizontal directions in Figure 2 is divided at substantially equal intervals. Each block 38 that divides the image editing screen 37 into a mesh shape is formed in a substantially rectangular shape corresponding to the multiple block bodies 21 of the platen unit 12 described later.

Next, the configuration of the garment printer 1 will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 5. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the garment printer 1. Figure 4 is a top view of the garment printer 1. Figure 5 is a front view of the garment printer 1. The device shown in Figures 3 to 5 is an example of the general configuration of a conventional serial inkjet garment (cloth) printer, a so-called T-shirt printer, on which the embodiment is based. The configuration of the main part (platen unit 12) of the garment printer 1 according to this embodiment will be described later. The garment printer 1 is a printing device that can directly print images such as characters and pictures on clothing (garments), which is a print medium G. The printing principle of the garment printer 1 is the same as that of conventional inkjet printers.

The garment printer 1 is equipped with a controller board 4 for processing and controlling the operation (output) of motors, solenoids, etc., and input signals from sensors, etc., and the garment printer 1 is controlled based on software installed on the controller board 4. This also performs printing control of print data sent from the PC 2, and print control processing by reading print data recorded in a USB memory or on the controller board 4.

The carriage 5, which is equipped with a head 10 that ejects ink, moves left and right along the main and sub guide rods 7 and 8 by driving a timing belt 6 with a main scanning motor 9. In order to detect the position, an encoder sheet 13 on which slits are periodically formed or printed is read by a sensor on the carriage 5, and an image is formed by ejecting ink droplets under the control of the controller board 4 at the appropriate timing at the ejection position. Four heads 10 are mounted on the carriage 5, and each head 10 has two rows of nozzles aligned in the sub-scanning direction. A head tank is provided directly above the head 10 in the carriage 5 to temporarily store the ink used for ejection. The head tank is connected to the ink cartridge 11 via an ink supply tube and an ink supply pump, and ink is replenished from the ink cartridge 11 by operating the ink supply pump as necessary.

The print medium G (e.g., a T-shirt) is set on the platen 12A. The platen 12A is mounted on a platen lifting mechanism 14, and its position can be adjusted in the vertical direction (z-axis direction). The platen lifting mechanism 14 is mounted on a sub-scanning slider 15, and the sub-scanning slider 15 is controlled by the sub-scanning timing belt 17, the sub-scanning drive mechanism, and the controller board 4 and can move in the sub-scanning direction along a sub-scanning guide rail 16.

When printing on print medium G, the operation procedure is as follows. First, the print medium G is set on the platen 12A. Then, by operating the operation unit 18, the slider 15, i.e., the platen 12A, is completely retracted to the rear of the machine (negative x direction). During this retraction, the height detection sensor 19 detects whether the print medium G on the platen 12A will collide with the head 10, and if it does collide with the head 10, it is deemed NG and the retraction of the platen 12 is stopped on the spot, or the platen 12A is returned to the position at the front of the machine (positive x direction) where the print medium G was set.

When the platen 12A has been successfully retracted to the rear of the machine, the machine enters a print data standby state. At this point, the print operation can be started by sending print data from the PC 2 to the garment printer 1, or by selecting print data that has already been stored on the controller board 4 with the operation unit 18 if there is such data.

When printing starts, first the slider 15 (i.e. the platen 12A) is moved to the printing start position. After that, an image is created by ejecting ink by moving the carriage 5 to the right or left once (one scan), and the printing medium G is moved to the next printing position by timing the completion of this movement and moving the slider 15 (i.e. the platen 12A) an appropriate amount toward the front of the machine (line feed processing). After waiting for the slider 15 to complete its movement, the carriage 5 prints another scan. This one scan of the carriage 5 and the subsequent movement of the slider 15 are repeated to create (print) an image of the desired area, and when printing is complete the platen 12 is ejected to the front of the machine and printing is completed.

The garment printer 1 according to this embodiment includes a platen unit 12 in place of the flat platen 12A shown in Figures 3 to 5, in addition to the basic configuration shown in Figures 3 to 5. The platen unit 12 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 6 to 14.

Figure 6 is a top view of the platen unit 12. Figure 7 is a front view of the platen unit 12. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the platen unit 12 in this embodiment has a platen base 20 installed on a platen lifting mechanism 14 installed on a slider 15, and a plurality of block bodies 21 provided on the platen base 20.

The print medium G is placed on the mounting surface on the top surface of the platen, which is made up of multiple block bodies 21, and the Z-direction height is raised and lowered using the Z stage (platen lifting mechanism 14) to adjust it so that it is the appropriate distance from the nozzles of the ejection head 10.

The multiple block bodies 21 are aligned in the main scanning direction (X direction), which is the scanning direction of the carriage 5, and in the sub-scanning direction (Y direction), which is the scanning direction of the sub-scanning carriage (slider 15), and are arranged to cover the entire printing range.

Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the platen unit 12. Figure 9 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the platen unit 12 and the print medium G. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the multiple block bodies 21 are displaceable in the height direction, and are configured to be freely displaced between a first position where the top surface 26 of the block body 21 is a low position in the Z direction, and a second position where it is a high position in the Z direction.

The printing surface of the print medium G set on the top surface 26 of the block body in the second position is at an appropriate distance from the nozzle portion of the ejection head 10.

For example, the block body 21 is pressurized upward by a push spring 22, and when the user presses the block body 21 downward, the height position of the upper surface 26 can be alternately switched between a first position and a second position, forming a push switch configuration.

For example, as shown in FIG. 9, when the print medium G is placed on the platen unit 12, the height position of each block body 21 is adjusted so that the block body 21 where the printing surface of the print medium G is placed has its upper surface 26 positioned at the second position, and the block body 21 where the outer edge of the print medium G is placed has its upper surface 26 positioned at the first position. In other words, the upper surface 26 of the block body 21 when positioned at the "second position" shown in FIG. 8, FIG. 9, etc. functions as a "mounting surface" on which the print medium G is placed.

Figure 10 is an enlarged top view of the block body 21 of the platen unit 12. Figure 11 is an enlarged side view of the block body 21 of the platen unit 12. Figure 12 is a diagram showing how to install the print medium G on the platen unit 12.

As shown in Figures 10 to 12, each block body 21 of the platen unit 12 is provided with pressing portions 23, 24 that protrude from each side of a substantially rectangular top surface 26 towards the adjacent block body 21. As shown in Figure 10, pressing portion 23 is provided on one of the opposing sides of the top surface 26, and pressing portion 24 is provided on the other. That is, in two adjacent block bodies 21, one side of each top surface 26 faces each other, and pressing portion 23 is disposed on one of the pair of sides, and pressing portion 24 is disposed on the other. The installation positions of pressing portion 23 and pressing portion 24 on each side are shifted, so that their respective tips overlap, as shown in Figure 11.

As described with reference to FIG. 9, when the print medium G is placed on the platen unit 12, the upper surface 26 of the block body 21 at the position of the end of the print medium G set on the upper surface 26 of the block body 21 at the second position is displaced to the first position. At this time, for example, as shown in FIG. 12, the height positions of the pressing parts 23 and 24 of each block body 21 are different in the gap between the block body 21 at the first position and the block body 21 at the second position. In this state, the end of the print medium G is sandwiched between the pressing parts 23 and 24 of each block body 21 in the gap between the block body 21 at the first position and the block body 21 at the second position, so that the print medium G can be set on the platen 12.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 12, the platen unit 12 is provided with a detection sensor that detects whether the block body 21 is in the first position or the second position.

For example, as shown in FIG. 12, the platen base 20 has a block body detection sensor 25. The block body detection sensor 25 may be, for example, a push switch type sensor that detects when pressed by the block body 21. Also, for example, if the block body 21 is a conductive member such as metal, the block body detection sensor 25 may be an electrical detection sensor. For example, when the block body 21 is in the second position, the block body detection sensor 25 is not in contact with the block body 21 and is in the block detection OFF state, and when the block body 21 is in the first position, the block body detection sensor 25 is in contact with the block body 21 and is in the block detection ON state. The block body detection sensor 25 outputs these block detection signals to the controller board 4 and the PC 2.

In this way, the platen unit 12 has a plane with the z positive side as a mounting surface on which the print medium G is placed. The mounting surface of the platen unit 12 is formed by the end faces (upper surfaces 26) of the polygonal shapes (rectangular shapes in the example of FIG. 6 and the like) of the multiple block bodies 21. Each of the multiple block bodies 21 can be displaced in a direction (z axis direction) in which the end face (upper surface 26) is recessed relative to the mounting surface, and the print medium G can be sandwiched between the two block bodies with one of the adjacent two block bodies 21 recessed in the z negative direction. The platen unit 12 can fix the print medium G to the mounting surface by recessing a part of the multiple block bodies 21 along the outer peripheral shape of the print target portion of the print medium G and sandwiching the outer edge of the print medium G between the block bodies 21. Here, the "print target portion of the print medium G" is the area surrounded by the contour line of the print medium G placed on the mounting surface of the platen unit 12, for example, as shown in FIG. 13.

The platen unit 12 of this embodiment can also be expressed as follows. The platen unit 12 has a print medium setting section having a surface on which the print medium G is placed (the above-mentioned "installation surface"), and a platen base section 20 on which the print medium setting section is mounted. The print medium setting section is composed of a plurality of block bodies 21, and the block bodies 21 can be made uneven to match the uneven parts of the print medium G. The platen unit 12 further has a detection sensor (the above-mentioned "block body detection sensor 25") that detects the height of the printing surface of the print medium G or the upper surface of the platen unit 12 (the above-mentioned "upper surface 26 of the block body 21"), and can obtain set position information (print medium position information) of the print medium G on the platen unit 12 based on the output of the detection sensor. The garment printer 1 has a print application 3 that can issue print instructions corresponding to the set position information of the print medium G obtained from the platen unit 12.

Figure 13 is a diagram showing an example of the printable range 39 when the print medium G is set. Figure 14 is a diagram showing another example of the printable range 39 when the print medium G is set. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 13, regardless of the size or shape of the platen unit 12, the edges of the print medium G in the platen 12 can be held down in various places in accordance with the shape of the print medium G and the printing range of the print medium G.

Here, when the block body detection sensor 25 detects that the block body 21 around the edge of the print medium G is in the first position, the area of the block body 21 in the second position (sensor detection OFF area) inside the area surrounded by the block body 21 in the first position (sensor detection ON area) can be defined as the maximum printable range (printable range 39).

Figure 13 shows an example of the shape of the printable area 39 when the print medium G is socks. In the example shown in Figure 13, the printable area 39 is also detected as a shape that follows the outer shape of the socks. Figure 14 shows an example of the shape of the printable area 39 when multiple rectangular print media are set. In the example shown in Figure 14, multiple printable areas 39 corresponding to the multiple print media are detected.

Figure 15 is a functional block diagram of the garment printer 1. As shown in Figure 15, the control device (PC) 2 that controls the operation of the garment printer 1 is configured to be able to execute a print application 3, is communicatively connected to the controller board 4 of the garment printer 1, and controls the operation of each part of the garment printer 1 via the controller board 4. The control device 2 has, for the functions described above and below, a print medium detection unit 31, a printable range display unit 32, a print image information acquisition unit 33, a judgment unit 34, and an alarm unit 35.

The print medium detection unit 31 detects which of the multiple block bodies 21 are recessed, and detects print medium position information indicating the range of the printing target portion of the print medium G. In other words, the print medium detection unit 31 detects print medium position information indicating the range on the installation surface of the print medium G installed on the platen unit 12, depending on which of the multiple block bodies 21 is recessed. The print medium detection unit 31 outputs, for example, information that combines all the block detection signals of the block body detection sensors 25 provided on each block body 21 as print medium position information.

The printable range display unit 32 displays the printable range 39 based on the print medium position information. In other words, the printable range display unit 32 displays the printable range 39 on the print operation screen 36 of the print application 3 using the print medium position information.

The print image information acquisition unit 33 accepts print image information including the shape and position of the print image P specified on the print operation screen 36 on which the printable range 39 is displayed.

The determination unit 34 compares the print medium position information with the print instruction content (printable range 39) in the print application to determine whether the print image can be printed on the print medium G, and outputs the comparison result.

The determination unit 34 determines whether the printable range 39 specified in the print application 3 matches the actual set position of the print medium G on the platen based on the print medium position information. If the printable range 39 matches the actual set position, it determines that the print image P can be printed on the print medium G, and if they do not match, it determines that printing is not possible.

When the determination unit 34 determines that the print image cannot be printed on the print medium G, the notification unit 35 notifies the user to change the position of the print medium G on the installation surface to match the printable range 39 before executing the print process. The notification unit 35 also notifies the user to reposition the print image within the printable range 39.

In addition, some or all of the print medium detection unit 31, printable range display unit 32, print image information acquisition unit 33, judgment unit 34, and notification unit 35 may be provided in a control device such as the controller board 4 of the garment printer 1.

Figure 16 is a hardware configuration diagram of the control device (PC) 2. As shown in Figure 16, the control device 2 can be physically configured as a computer system including a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 102 and a ROM (Read Only Memory) 103 that are main storage devices, an input device 104 such as a keyboard and a mouse that are input devices, an output device 105 such as a display, a communication module 106 that is a data transmission/reception device such as a network card, an auxiliary storage device 107, and the like.

The functions of the control device 2 shown in FIG. 15 are realized by loading specific computer software onto hardware such as the CPU 101 and RAM 102, operating the communication module 106, input device 104, and output device 105 under the control of the CPU 101, and reading and writing data from and to the RAM 102 and auxiliary storage device 107.

The controller board 4 of the garment printer 1 also has a hardware configuration similar to that shown in FIG. 16.

Next, print control of the garment printer 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 17 to 23. In the print control of this embodiment, print medium set information of the garment printer 1 and print information of the print application 3 are used in combination.

In this embodiment, the platen unit 12 provided in the garment printer 1 is capable of setting and printing on various print media G. Here, we will explain an example in which printing is performed on a sock-shaped print media G, as shown in Figure 13.

First, FIG. 17 shows the basic sequence of setting the print medium G, issuing a print command, and outputting an image by the print application 3 and the garment printer 1. FIG. 17 is a sequence diagram showing a first example of print control of the garment printer 1.

The sequence diagram in Figure 17 shows the steps when a print image P within the printable range 39 is input by the print application 3 and printed normally by the garment printer 1.

First, if no print medium G is placed on the platen unit 12, the print medium detection unit 31 of the print application 3 inquires of the garment printer 1 as to whether or not print medium G is set on the platen unit 12 (1). It is confirmed that print medium G is not set in the garment printer 1 (not set) (1.1), and the garment printer 1 returns the information "not set" as print medium information to the print medium detection unit 31 of the print application 3 (1.2).

Next, the print medium G (socks) is set on the platen unit 12 (2), and when the print medium G is placed on the platen unit 12, the print medium detection unit 31 of the print application 3 inquires of the garment printer whether the print medium G is set on the platen unit 12 (3), and it is confirmed that the print medium G is set in the garment printer 1 (set) (3.1), and the garment printer 1 returns the print medium information "set" and information on the printable range (print medium position information) to the print medium detection unit 31 of the print application 3 (3.2).

The print medium position information received by the print medium detection unit 31 of the print application 3 is sent to the printable range display unit 32, which updates the image editing screen 37 based on the print medium position information and displays the printable range 39 (4). At this time, the printable range display unit 32 of the garment printer 1 can detect the printable range 39 based on the sensor detection ON areas on each block 21 of the platen unit 12 and the sensor detection OFF areas therein, which are included in the print medium position information.

The above-mentioned FIG. 13 shows an example of the detection of the print range on the block-type platen 12 of the garment printer 1 according to this embodiment. FIG. 18 is an example of the printable range 39 displayed on the print application 3 for the socks print medium G shown in FIG. 13. As shown in FIG. 18, the area (sensor detection OFF area in FIG. 13) inside the recessed portion of the block body 21 along the contour of the socks (sensor detection ON area in FIG. 13) is drawn as the printable range 39.

Returning to FIG. 17, the user edits the print image P on the image editing screen 37 (5) to adjust the layout and size of the print image P. In response, the print image information acquisition unit 33 of the print application 3 accepts print image information including the shape and position of the print image P specified on the print operation screen 36, and transmits it to the determination unit 34. The determination unit 34 of the print application 3 performs a printability determination indicating whether the specified print image P is printable or not based on the print image information. FIG. 19 shows an example of a layout in which the print image P is input within the printable range 39. Here, since the print image P is input within the printable range 39 as shown in FIG. 19, the determination unit 34 determines that it is printable (5.1), and a print instruction and information on the print image P are transmitted from the print application 3 to the garment printer 1 (6).

When the garment printer 1 receives a print instruction, it compares the print medium set position with the printable range 39 to determine whether they match. In this case, the print medium set position and the printable range 39 match, so it is determined to be OK (6.1) and printing is performed normally (6.2). Note that the determination in step 6.1 may be made by the determination unit 34 of the print application 3.

In this way, as in step 6.1 of FIG. 17, by comparing the print medium position information with the print instruction contents (printable range 39) in the print application 3 and outputting a comparison result including whether or not the print image P can be printed on the print medium G, this comparison result can be used to reliably determine whether the printable range 39 matches the actual set position of the print medium G on the platen 12, so that it is possible to accurately determine whether or not the print image can be printed on the print medium G. Also, as in step 5.1 of FIG. 17, by comparing the print image information with the printable range 39 and outputting a comparison result including whether or not the print image P can be printed on the print medium G, this comparison result can be used to reliably determine whether or not the print image P is included in the printable range 39, so that it is possible to more accurately determine whether or not the print image can be printed on the print medium G.

Figure 20 is a sequence diagram showing a second example of print control of the garment printer 1. The sequence diagram in Figure 20 shows the procedure when the print application 3 notifies an error when an input outside the printable range 39 is received, and the garment printer 1 prints normally after the image is re-input.

In Figure 20, steps up to step 4 are the same as in the first example in Figure 17, so the explanation will be omitted.

The user edits the print image P on the image editing screen 37 (5) to adjust the layout and size of the print image P. In response, the print image information acquisition unit 33 of the print application 3 accepts print image information including the print image and print position specified on the print operation screen 36, and sends it to the judgment unit 34. The judgment unit 34 of the print application 3 judges whether or not it is possible to print. FIG. 21 shows an example of a layout in which the print image P is input outside the printable range 39. In this case, since the print image P is input so that it protrudes outside the printable range 39 as shown in FIG. 21, the judgment unit 34 judges that it is not possible to print (5.1). In this case, the notification unit 35 of the print application 3 notifies the user of an error and prompts the user to re-edit the print image P.

The user re-edits the print image P on the image editing screen 37 (6) to adjust the position and size of the print image P. As a result, when the print image P is input within the printable range 39 as shown in FIG. 19, the determination unit 34 determines that it is printable (6.1), and a print instruction and information about the print image P are sent from the print application 3 to the garment printer 1 (7).

When the garment printer 1 receives a print instruction, it compares the print medium set position with the printable range 39 to determine whether they match. In this case, the print medium set position and the printable range 39 match, so it is determined to be OK (7.1) and printing is performed normally (7.2). Note that the determination in step 7.1 may be made by the determination unit 34 of the print application 3.

In this way, as in steps 5 to 5.1 of FIG. 20, if the print image P exceeds the printable range 39, it is determined that the print image P cannot be printed on the print medium G, and the user is prompted to re-edit the size and position of the print image P so as to reposition the print image P within the printable range 39 before printing is performed, thereby preventing printing failures.

Figure 22 is a sequence diagram showing a third example of print control of the garment printer 1. The sequence diagram in Figure 22 shows the procedure when the print application 3 notifies an error that an input outside the printable range 39 has been made, but forced printing is instructed, and printing is performed normally after the print medium is reloaded in the garment printer 1.

In Figure 22, steps up to step 5.1 are the same as in the second example in Figure 20, so the explanation is omitted.

In step 5.1, the print image P is input outside the printable range 39, and the determination unit 34 determines that it is not printable, and the user is prompted to re-edit the print image P, but the user can refuse the re-editing and execute forced printing (5.2). In this case, the user changes the printable range 39 on the image editing screen 37 and executes printing. FIG. 23 is a diagram showing an example of the operation of changing the printable range 39. As shown in FIG. 23, the user operates to enlarge the printable range 39 so that the entire print image P is included in the enlarged printable range 39A. In this way, the determination unit 34 of the print application 3 can forcibly issue a print command by enlarging the printable range 39 to match the oversized print image P. As a result, a print command and information on the print image P are sent from the print application 3 to the garment printer 1 (6).

When the garment printer 1 receives a print instruction, it compares the print medium set position with the printable range 39 to determine whether they match. In the example of FIG. 22 and FIG. 23, the garment printer 1 receives a print instruction including information on changing the print range, and determines that the print medium set position is NG because the printable range 39 and the print medium set position are different (6.1), and prompts the user to reset the print medium G. For example, the garment printer 1 may notify the user of the print medium set position and other printing-related information by a display unit such as an LED provided on each block body 21 of the platen unit 12. The display unit such as an LED is provided on the end face (top surface 26) of the multiple block bodies 21 on the installation surface side. In this case, when notifying the change of the installation position of the print medium G, the notification unit 35 can teach the changed position by the display unit. This makes it possible to reliably notify the user of the correct set position and prevent printing errors.

Then, when the user instructs the print application 3 to reposition the print medium G in accordance with the printable range 39 (7), the print medium position is compared again with the printable range 39 to determine whether they match. In this case, the print medium position matches the printable range 39, so it is determined that it is OK (8) and printing is performed normally (9). The determinations in steps 6.1 and 8 may be made by the determination unit 34 of the print application 3.

In this way, as in steps 6.1 to 7 of FIG. 22, when the specified print range and the print medium setting position differ, printing errors can be prevented by prompting the user to reset the print medium G by changing its position on the installation surface to match the changed printable range 39A before executing forced printing. Furthermore, when it is necessary to reset the print medium, the display unit of block 21 can inform the user of the correct setting position, thereby preventing printing errors.

The present embodiment has been described above with reference to specific examples. However, the present disclosure is not limited to these specific examples. Design modifications to these specific examples made by a person skilled in the art are also included within the scope of the present disclosure as long as they have the features of the present disclosure. The elements of each of the above-mentioned specific examples, as well as their arrangement, conditions, shape, etc., are not limited to those exemplified and can be modified as appropriate. The elements of each of the above-mentioned specific examples can be combined in different ways as appropriate, as long as no technical contradictions arise.

1 Garment printer 2 PC (control device)
3 Print application 12 Platen unit 21 Block body 31 Print medium detection unit 32 Printable range display unit 33 Print image information acquisition unit 34 Determination unit 35 Notification unit 36 Print operation screen 39 Printable range G Print medium P Print image

JP 2019-171642 A

Claims (6)

A garment printer that prints on a garment as a print medium, comprising:
a platen unit having a mounting surface on which the print medium is placed,
The platen unit is formed of a plurality of block bodies,
Each of the plurality of block bodies is displaceable in a direction recessed relative to the installation surface,
The print medium can be sandwiched between two adjacent block bodies with one of the block bodies recessed,
the platen unit is capable of fixing the printing medium to the installation surface by recessing parts of the plurality of block bodies in accordance with an outer circumferential shape of a printing target portion of the printing medium,
The garment printer is
a print medium detection unit that detects recessed block bodies among the plurality of block bodies and detects print medium position information that indicates the range of the print target portion of the print medium;
a printable range display unit that displays a printable range on a print operation screen of a print application using the print medium position information and is capable of changing the printable range displayed on the print operation screen in response to an operation on the print operation screen by a user ;
a print image information acquisition unit that receives print image information including a shape and a position of the print image;
a determination unit that compares the print medium position information with the printable range to determine whether the print image can be printed on the print medium;
A garment printer comprising: the determination unit determines whether the printable range coincides with an actual set position of the print medium based on the print medium position information, and determines that the print image can be printed on the print medium when the printable range coincides with the actual set position, and determines that the print image cannot be printed when they do not coincide.
The garment printer according to claim 1 . a notification unit that notifies a user to change the position of the print medium on the installation surface in accordance with the printable range before executing a print process when the determination unit determines that the print image cannot be printed on the print medium,
The garment printer according to claim 2 . The plurality of block bodies have a display unit on an end surface on the installation surface side,
the notification unit, when notifying the change of the installation position of the print medium, indicates the changed position by the display unit.
The garment printer according to claim 3. the determination unit compares the print image information with the printable range, and determines that the print image is printable on the print medium when the print image is included within the printable range, and determines that the print image is not printable when the print image is outside the printable range.
The garment printer according to any one of claims 1 to 4. a notification unit that notifies a user to rearrange the print image within the printable range before execution of a print process when the determination unit determines that the print image cannot be printed on the print medium,
The garment printer according to claim 5.

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