JP2007112577A - Printer device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate a user's judgment as to whether or not a current print sheet can be conveyed using a U-shaped reversal path even when various print sheets are used in an ink jet printer apparatus.
By sending information on the paper thickness in addition to the paper type as information on the paper to be printed from the host computer, the currently designated printing is performed based on the paper thickness information received by the printer device. It is determined whether or not the paper can be transported using the U-shaped reversal path. If it is determined that the paper cannot be transported, the fact that it cannot be transported is displayed on the display panel, and the printing process To stop.
In addition, when the printing process is stopped, the printing paper is automatically routed to enable the paper feeding operation from the manual paper feeding port by setting the printing paper into the manual paper feeding port. change.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a paper feed port selection method of an ink jet printer apparatus having both a U-shaped reversing path for transporting paper and a manual sheet feeding apparatus capable of feeding paper without passing through the transport path. When a paper that cannot be fed using a path is specified, a warning is given to the user and the printing process can be canceled or changed to feeding from the manual paper feeder. The present invention relates to a paper method switching means.

  Conventional printer devices having a U-shaped reversing path for transporting printing paper are mainly laser beam printers (LBPs). However, in LBP, since plain paper is mainly used as printing paper, printing paper depends on the type of paper. It was not necessary to determine whether or not the transfer was possible.

  However, since various types of printing paper can be used in the ink jet printer apparatus, it is necessary for the user to determine whether the current printing paper can be conveyed using the U-shaped reversal path.

As another conventional example, Patent Document 1 can be cited.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-292313

  In an inkjet printer apparatus having a U-shaped reversing path for transporting paper, the user needs to determine whether the printing paper to be printed is suitable for the U-shaped reversing path. For example, there is a possibility that print processing may be performed on printing paper that cannot be conveyed by the U-shaped reversing path. There was a possibility.

  In the present invention, information on the thickness of the sheet in addition to the type of the sheet is transmitted from the host computer as the information on the sheet to be printed, so that it is currently designated based on the information on the sheet thickness received by the printer device. It is determined whether the print paper can be transported using the U-shaped reversal path. If it is determined that the paper cannot be transported, the display panel indicates that the paper cannot be transported and printing. By stopping the processing, it is possible to prevent the conveyance of a sheet that is not suitable for the U-shaped inversion path.

  In addition, by setting the print paper in the manual paper feed slot from the state where the printing process is stopped, the paper feed path is automatically set to enable the paper feed operation from the manual paper feed slot. By changing, it becomes possible to execute the printing process on the designated printing paper without going through the U-shaped inversion path.

  As described above, in the ink jet printer apparatus having a U-shaped reversing path for transporting paper, information on the thickness of the paper to be printed is transmitted from the host computer, so that the currently designated paper is changed to the U-shaped reversing path. It is possible to determine whether or not the paper can be transported, and when it is determined that the paper cannot be transported, the display panel displays that the paper cannot be transported and stops the printing process. By doing so, it is possible to provide a printer device that can feed paper that is not suitable for the U-shaped reversing path and avoid problems such as paper jams.

  In addition, the printing paper conveyance path can be changed so that the paper feeding operation is automatically performed from the manual paper feeding port by setting the printing paper in the manual paper feeding port in a state where the printing process is stopped. By doing so, it is possible to provide a printer device capable of executing print processing on designated print paper without going through the U-shaped inversion path.

  Next, details of the present invention will be described in accordance with the description of the embodiments.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a paper transport unit of a printer apparatus embodying the present invention.

  In the figure, 1 is the main body of the paper transport section, and 2. A paper stacking cassette (hereinafter referred to as a cassette) is inserted below the main body. 2. The cassette is loaded with 3. printing paper.

  In the figure, reference numeral 7 denotes a feeding roller.

  7. Feed roller 4. Moves up and down around the support shaft 6. Loaded by spring 3. It is in close contact with the printing paper.

  In the figure, 8 is a U-shaped reversing path, and the fed 3. printing paper is fed along the curved surface of the 8. U-shaped reversing path.

  In the figure, reference numeral 9 denotes a manual paper feed port, which can be fed into the printer apparatus by manually inserting the print paper according to the guide of this portion.

  In the figure, reference numeral 10 denotes a pair of conveying rollers. 10. The transport roller pair rotates and bites the printing paper fed from the right direction in the figure and conveys it to the left in the figure. The printing paper can be transported in the same way whether it is fed from 8. U-shaped reversal path or 9. Manual feed slot.

  In the figure, 11 is a pair of upper and lower paper discharge rollers. 10. Print paper transported from the transport roller pair is discharged to a paper discharge tray (hereinafter referred to as paper discharge tray) for stocking printed paper.

  FIG. 2 shows an operation when the feeding process is performed via the 8.U-shaped inversion path in FIG.

  2. Loaded in cassette 3. Printed paper 6. With spring 7. Feed roller is pressed and in that state 7. Stacked by rotating feed roller 3. Printing One sheet at the top of the sheet is separated and fed. One sheet of printing paper fed is represented by P in the figure. The fed P. printing paper is extruded by the feeding roller, 8. enters the U-shaped reversing path, and is fed as it is along the curved surface of the 8. U-shaped reversing path. 8. The P. printing paper fed through the U-shaped reversing path is rotated at the end of it 10. It is caught by the pair of transport rollers and transported to the destination. The transported P. print paper is rotated at the end. 11. The paper is caught by the paper discharge roller and is discharged to the paper discharge tray.

  In this feeding sequence, the rotating printing paper pushed by the feeding roller is bent and fed along the curved surface of the 8.U-shaped reverse path. Here, if the thickness of the printing paper to be fed is thicker than usual, it will be caught without bending along the curved surface of the U-shaped reversing path. 8. Paper jam will occur in the U-shaped reversing path. There is a possibility.

  Therefore, when the printing paper is thick, it is necessary to feed paper without passing through the 8.U-shaped reversing path. 9. Use the manual feed slot.

  FIG. 3 shows an operation in the case where the feeding process is performed via the 9. manual feed port in FIG.

  9. P. print paper inserted manually from the manual feed slot proceeds according to the guide for the 9. manual feed slot and hits the pair of transport rollers. 10. Since the transport roller pair is rotating, P. printing paper is bitten by the transport roller pair and transported to the destination.

  At that time, 7. Do not rotate the feeding roller. The transported P. printing paper is caught by the paper discharge roller that rotates at the end of the paper, and is discharged to the paper discharge tray.

  In this manual paper feed sequence, the printing paper does not pass through the 8.U-shaped reversal path, and is therefore hardly bent and is conveyed to the paper discharge tray. For this reason, even when the thickness of the printing paper is thicker than usual, it can be fed without any problem.

  Therefore, in the present invention, when print data is transmitted from the host computer to the printer device, information on the thickness of the designated print paper is transmitted at the same time, so that the information on the paper thickness received in the printer device is restored. In addition, it is determined whether or not the currently designated paper can be transported using the U-shaped reversal path. If it is determined that the paper cannot be transported, the manual paper feed port is automatically selected. By changing the paper feed sequence to change the paper feed path and changing the print paper transport path, print processing is performed on the specified print paper without causing paper jams in the U-shaped reversal path. It becomes possible to do.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the printer apparatus embodying the present invention.

  In the figure, reference numeral 100 denotes an operation panel, on which operation keys and a display panel are arranged.

  101. The operation panel control unit 100 monitors the state of the keys on the operation panel, and issues an appropriate control command to the control circuit of the printer apparatus including the CPU by the pressed key. In addition, a character string to be displayed on the display panel is created and the display panel is controlled.

  Also, it is possible for the user to input keys using the keys arranged on the display panel, and the operation of the printer device is specified such as the start of recovery processing from the error occurrence state by using the operation keys. Can be entered.

  104. The interface is connected to the printer device and 105. Host computer, and has the function to receive data from the 105. Host computer and send status, 105. Operates as a communication port for data transmission / reception with the host computer To do.

Reference numeral 106 denotes a control circuit bus, which has a function of connecting a CPU and other devices.
102. A non-volatile memory is a recording device that stores and records various types of information, and can keep the recorded information even when power supply is cut off. In the present invention, 100. used as means for storing the type of printing paper inputted from the operation panel. 107. The motor driver includes a carriage motor (which operates the print head) for performing printing operations of the printer device, a paper feed motor (moves the printing paper, feeds and discharges paper), and a recovery motor (recovers the print head). This is a control circuit for controlling the motors.

  108. The print head has a function of printing an image on printing paper. In the case of a replaceable head, each head has a unique head ID, and whether or not the head has been replaced can be determined by comparing this ID. In addition, each head has individual differences such as head rank (amount of heat generated by the internal members of the head) and temperature sensor correction value (a correction value for variations in the sensor indicating the temperature inside the head). These are the initialization operations of the printer device. It is checked at the time of.

  109. A RAM (Random Access Memory) is a recording device that can hold information only while power is supplied, and the stored information disappears when power supply is cut off.

110. A ROM (Read Only Memory) is a recording device that can only read data, and stores a control program for the printer device.
The circuit operation status will be described below.

  104. The CPU reads the control program from the 110. ROM and executes control of each control device according to the program. 104. Interface receives print data from 105. Host computer, 109. Writes to RAM, 104. Based on the written data 104. CPU controls 107. Motor driver, 108. Controls print head, Print the print data on.

  111. The paper type determination unit 105 refers to the thickness information of the printing paper received from the host computer, and determines whether or not the designated printing paper can be fed via the U-shaped inversion path.

  112. The feeding roller control unit controls the feeding roller that feeds the printing paper. 111. When the paper type determination unit determines that the print paper specified by the host computer is capable of being fed via the U-shaped reverse path, the print paper loaded in the cassette by rotating the feed roller Execute more feeding. If it is determined that the printing paper cannot be fed through the U-shaped reversal path, control is performed so that the feeding roller is not rotated.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the entire printing system including the host computer and the printer apparatus.

  In the figure, 105 is a host computer and 201 is 105. An application program running on the host computer.

  201. The print data created by the application is 202. The data is sent to the printer driver and converted into a print job that can be used by the printer. At this time, information regarding the thickness of the designated printing paper is added to the print job.

  202. The print job created by the printer driver is 203. Sent to the host computer interface. 203. The interface is 204. By interface cable 104. Connected to the interface of the printer, 204. 200. Print jobs via interface cable. Send to the printer.

  104. From the interface 200. The print job imported into the printer apparatus is 205. The data is sent to the data analysis unit and the contents are analyzed.

  205. After reading the information about the print job in the data analysis unit, the actual print data part is 206. Sent to the print controller, 206. In the print control unit, 107. Motor driver, 108. The print head is controlled to print image data on the printing paper.

  207. The overall control unit controls the entire module related to the printing operation of the printer device, such as 104. interface, 206. print control unit, 101. operation panel control unit.

  111. In the paper type determination unit, 205. The data analysis unit 105 reads out the thickness information of the print paper received from the host computer, and determines whether the print paper designated in the print job can be fed through the U-shaped inversion path. If it is determined that the paper feed process is possible, 112. A paper feed execution command is transmitted to the feed roller control unit, and 112. Controls the motor driver to rotate the feed roller and perform paper feed processing.

  Further, 111. Information indicating that printing is possible is sent from the paper type determination unit to 206. The print control unit, and 206. The print control unit executes print processing on the print paper designated by the print job.

  111. If the paper type determination unit determines that the printing paper designated in the print job cannot be fed via the U-shaped reversal path, the information that the paper cannot be fed is 207. Notify the overall control unit.

  In response to the information that the paper cannot be fed 207, the general control unit 101 performs an operation to warn that the currently designated printing paper is not suitable for paper feeding from a normal cassette. Notify the panel controller to display a message on the operation panel.

  Upon receiving the notification, 101. The operation panel control unit 100 displays a message prompting the user to set the printing paper in the manual feed slot on the operation panel.

  If the user sets printing paper in the manual feed slot, 112. The feed roller controller does not move the feed roller and executes the printing process for the print paper inserted from the manual feed slot. To do.

  Also, it is possible to cancel the print job itself by a user operation in a state where a message prompting the user to set the print paper in the manual feed port is displayed on the operation panel. 100. Keys placed on the operation panel can be used by the user, and a function to specify the cancellation of a print job is assigned to this operation key. When the print job cancel key is pressed, the contents of the key input are determined. 101. The operation panel control unit notifies the general control unit that the print job cancel has been selected. Upon receiving the notification, 207. The overall control unit transmits an execution command for the print interruption process to 206. print control unit.

  With such a configuration, it is determined whether or not the printing paper designated in the print job can be fed via the U-shaped inversion path. It is possible to execute the printing process normally.

  Further, when it is determined that the feeding process is impossible, the print job itself can be canceled by a user operation.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the contents of the duplex printing process.

  First, in step 310, a print job is received at 104. interface. The received print job is sent to the data analysis unit 205.

  In step 311, the data analysis unit 205 analyzes the contents of the print job.

  Subsequently, in step 312, 205. The thickness information of the printing paper received from the host computer 105 read by the data analysis unit 111 is analyzed by the paper type determination unit 111.

  Subsequently, in step 313, it is determined whether the printing paper designated in the print job can be fed through the U-shaped inversion path. If it is determined that paper feed processing is possible, the process proceeds to step 314. If it is determined that the paper feed process is impossible, the process proceeds to step 316.

  In step 314, paper feed processing is executed from the cassette.

  Subsequently, in step 315, the printing process is executed for the printing that has been fed from the cassette, and the process proceeds to the next print job.

  If it is determined that the paper feed process is impossible, the process proceeds to step 316, and a message prompting to set the print paper in the manual paper feed slot is displayed on the operation panel.

  In step 317, the user is allowed to select whether to continue the printing process.

  100. With the message prompting you to set the print paper in the manual feed slot on the operation panel, use the keys provided on the operation panel to continue the printing process or print job. It is possible to select whether to cancel. If the user selects to continue processing, the process proceeds to step 318. If print job cancellation is selected, the process proceeds to step 320.

  In step 318, paper feed processing is executed for the paper inserted from the manual paper feed slot.

  Subsequently, in step 319, the printing process is executed for the printing that has been executed from the manual feed port, and the process proceeds to the next print job.

  If the user selects cancel the print job, the process proceeds to step 320 to execute a print job deletion process.

  In step 320, the printing process is terminated, and the process proceeds to the next print job.

  As described above, it is possible to determine whether or not the currently designated sheet can be conveyed using the U-shaped inversion path by transmitting the thickness information of the sheet to be printed from the host computer. With this configuration, it is possible to change the paper feed source so that the paper feed operation is automatically performed from the manual paper feed port, or to cancel the print job and interrupt the print processing itself.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation state at the time of executing the process according to the present invention.

Schematic diagram showing the configuration of a paper transport unit of a printer apparatus embodying the present invention Schematic diagram when paper feed processing is performed from the cassette in FIG. Schematic diagram when paper feed processing is performed from the manual paper feed port in FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printer apparatus that implements the present invention. Schematic diagram of the entire printing system The flowchart showing the operation state at the time of processing execution which implemented this invention

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Paper conveyance part main body 2 Paper loading cassette 3 Printing paper 7 Feeding roller 5 Support arm 4 Support shaft 6 Spring 8 U-shaped reversal path 9 Manual feed port 10 Conveying roller pair 11 Discharge roller pair 12 Paper discharge Tray P Printing paper being conveyed 100 Operation panel 101 Operation panel control unit 102 Non-volatile memory 103 CPU
104 Interface 105 Host computer 106 Control bus 107 Motor driver 108 Print head 109 RAM
110 ROM
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 111 Paper type determination sensor 112 Duplex printing unit sensor 113 Duplex printing unit 200 Printer apparatus 201 Host application / program 202 Printer driver 203 Host side interface 204 Interface cable 205 In firmware / data analysis unit 206 In firmware / print control unit 207 Firmware Internal / overall control unit

Claims (4)

  A paper conveying means having a U-shaped reversing path for feeding the stacked printing paper, a paper inserting means capable of manually inserting the printing paper without passing through the paper conveying means, and designated A paper type determination unit that determines whether a print sheet is suitable for the sheet conveyance unit, and a switching unit that automatically switches between the sheet conveyance unit and the sheet insertion unit, and the designated print sheet is the sheet conveyance unit A printer apparatus characterized by being able to automatically switch to a paper insertion means when it is determined that it is not suitable.   2. The printer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the paper type determination means transmits print sheet thickness information for determining a print sheet from a host computer, and is designated based on the print sheet thickness information received by the printer apparatus. And determining whether the printed sheet is suitable for the sheet conveying means.   2. The printer device according to claim 1, wherein when it is determined that the printing paper designated by the paper type determination unit is not suitable for the paper conveyance unit, the fact that the paper conveyance is impossible is displayed. A printer apparatus comprising a display unit and capable of notifying a user that the sheet insertion unit is to be used.   The printer apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cancel unit that cancels a print process when it is determined that the print sheet designated by the sheet type determination unit is not suitable for the sheet transport unit, A printer apparatus, wherein a user can select whether to cancel printing processing and continue printing using the paper insertion means.

Images