JP2000016656A - Paper feed control method in printer device, method of measuring slack amount, and printer device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) Abstract: The present invention relates to a paper feed control method and a slack amount of a printer device including a paper feed mechanism using a tractor, a discharge roller for discharging paper from a printer, and a paper control unit for controlling paper feed. It is an object of the present invention to improve the line feed accuracy by performing optimum correction according to the ratio of the amount of slack that can be removed by paper feeding (saturation value of slack). A control unit is configured to correspond to a slack amount to be eliminated at each correction position provided for each fixed paper feed amount based on a characteristic of a slack amount of the paper generated in advance corresponding to the paper feed amount. There is provided a table storing correction values. During the operation according to the paper feed command, whether the paper feed amount is the correction position of the table is identified, and a paper feed instruction is output based on the correction value of the paper feed corresponding to the correction position.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a paper feed control method for a printer device, a method for measuring a slack amount, and a printer device.

2. Description of the Related Art In the technology of a printer or the like, paper is generally fed between a print head and a platen for performing printing (printing) by pulling out paper from a tractor, and a paper feed for line feed is performed every time each line is printed. However, the line spacing often differs from the set value or is not constant due to the slack in the paper, and various measures have been taken to eliminate the slack. However, it is difficult to perform line breaks with high accuracy, and this has been improved. Is desired.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art As a paper feed control method for a printer device,
A method has been proposed in which a total correction amount is automatically obtained in order to perform cumulative line feed correction (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-244296). The proposed method will be described as a conventional example. FIG. 12 is an external view of a printer provided with a paper feed mechanism of a push-in tractor system, and FIG. 13 is a principle diagram of the proposed method. In the figure, reference numeral 80 denotes a tractor mechanism for pushing a sheet, 81 denotes a platen, 82 denotes a head, 82a denotes a print head, 83 denotes a discharge roller inlet, 84 denotes a discharge roller,
85 is a sheet, 86 is a printer control device, 87 is a sheet leading edge detection sensor provided in the head section 82 for detecting that the leading end of the sheet has reached the head section, and 88 is presence or absence of a sheet provided in the tractor mechanism section 80 This is a paper sensor for detecting.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 12, printing is performed as follows. That is, when the paper 85 is set on the tractor mechanism 80, the tractor mechanism 80 automatically loads the paper 85 and printing is started. Paper 8 with printing
5 is sent, the leading end of the paper 85 reaches the discharge roller inlet 83, and when the paper 85 is further fed, the paper 85 enters the discharge roller 84 and the discharge action by the roller works.

In this configuration, a line feed occurs in the process of eliminating the slack of the sheet generated during the auto-loading of the sheet, the play in the mechanism of the apparatus, the shift of the printing position due to the running load of the sheet, and the slack of the sheet by the platen overfeed. In order to solve the problem of occurrence of a shift, a method shown in FIG. 13 has been proposed. In the principle diagram shown in FIG. 13, when the leading edge of the sheet reaches the discharge roller inlet 83 during printing, the running load of the sheet increases and a line feed shift occurs. Therefore, the line feed amount is counted during printing to detect the leading edge position of the sheet. Then, from the time when the leading edge of the sheet reaches the discharge roller inlet 83 to the time when the leading edge of the sheet reaches the discharge roller 84, the line feed is performed with a corrected line feed amount larger than the normal line feed amount by a predetermined correction amount α.

[0006] This makes it possible to correct a line feed deviation due to the running load of the sheet. Also, when paper is sucked into the printer device, if there is any slack in the paper, a line feed shift occurs during the process of over-feeding the paper. After the reverse line feed amount R1 is counted, the sheet is returned to the original position after the line feed, and printing is started. At this time, the reverse line feed amount R1 is compared with a preset reverse line feed amount R until the paper slack is eliminated, and when R1 is smaller than R, the required correction length determined by the difference is changed during the line feed. Line feed is performed with a corrected line feed amount smaller than the normal line feed amount by a predetermined correction amount β. The correction amount β is a value C1 that counts the amount of line feed from the position of FIG. 13 to the position, and a logical paper feed amount C when the paper is sent from the paper sensor 88 to the paper leading edge detection sensor 87.
, And a correction amount β at the time of a line feed is calculated based on the difference.

Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-84793 discloses that
As a method of controlling the paper feed of the printer, in order to eliminate line feed accuracy failure and printing position deviation due to paper feed of the printer using continuous printing paper with sprocket holes, the printer paper must be fed within a fixed feed amount immediately after the continuous printing paper is loaded. A method is disclosed in which the feed amount is changed in multiple stages so that a line feed command from the outside matches the amount that the printer actually feeds continuous printing paper.

[0008]

As a method for automatically obtaining the total correction amount for performing the cumulative line feed correction, FIG.
Although there is a method shown in FIG. 3, the amount of slack that can be removed by paper feeding is not constant, whereas in the method of FIG. 13, the correction amount applied at one time is constant at any position regardless of the distance from the top edge of the paper. , The relationship between the correction position (the distance from the top edge of the sheet) and the correction amount is not considered.

A paper feed control method for a printer using the above continuous printing paper (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-84793).
In this document, only the paper feed control immediately after loading of the paper feed of the continuous printing paper is performed, and there is no description about eliminating slack in the case of general paper (not continuous paper).

On the other hand, the amount of slack that can be removed by paper feeding is called "saturation value of slack." As described above, the amount of slack that can be removed by paper feeding (saturation value of slack) changes. In some cases, the correction cannot be made properly due to the failure.

According to the present invention, there is provided a paper feed control method and a slack amount (slack amount) for a printer apparatus capable of improving the line feed accuracy by performing an optimum correction in accordance with a ratio of a slack amount (saturation value of the slack) obtained by the paper feed. And a printer device.

[0012]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle configuration of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing characteristics of correction of slack of a sheet according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a paper feed control unit, 10 is a paper feed correction position identification unit, 11 is a position corresponding paper feed amount determining unit, 12 is a driving unit, 13 is a slack saturation value measuring unit,
Reference numeral 2 denotes a paper feed mechanism, and reference numeral 3 denotes a storage unit in which a slack correction amount corresponding to a correction position is set.

In the present invention, it is assumed that the saturation value (slack amount) of the slack of the paper of the printer is changed in advance as shown in FIG. The vertical axis in FIG. 2 represents the slack amount, and the horizontal axis represents the paper feed amount. In the present invention, the correction value of the slack amount with respect to the paper feed amount is measured in advance for each fixed amount (x in the example of FIG. 2) of the paper feed so that the paper becomes larger at the leading end position and gradually becomes smaller. And control based on the set value. Therefore, according to the characteristics (obtained by measurement) shown in FIG. 2, a correction position is provided for each fixed amount (area) of each paper feed in the storage unit 3, and a slack correction amount is set corresponding to each position. That is, the correction amount is a at the correction position A (the area from the leading edge of the sheet to the end of A), the correction amount is b at the correction position B, the correction amount is c at the correction position C, and the correction amount is d at the correction position D. is there.

To perform such control, the paper feed control unit 1 inputs a signal indicating the paper position when the paper is fed, and when the signal is received by the paper feed correction position identification means 10, the signal is set in the storage unit 3. It is determined whether the position corresponds to the corrected position. If the position corresponds to the corrected position, the position-dependent paper feed amount determining means 11 takes out the correction amount set in the storage unit 3 corresponding to the corrected position and supplies it to the driving means 12. I do. The drive unit 12 generates a paper feed control signal including the supplied correction amount and outputs the signal to the paper feed mechanism 2.

Further, in order to obtain the value of the correction amount corresponding to the correction position set in the storage unit 3, a characteristic as shown in FIG. 2 may be measured. Therefore, the sag saturation value measuring means 1
3 are provided. This sag saturation value measuring means 13
In this case, a mark may be printed on a sheet in advance at a predetermined correction position, and the mark may be read while the sheet is fed by a sheet feed mechanism of a target printer (for details, an embodiment described later). 4).

[0016]

FIG. 3 shows a paper feed mechanism of a printer embodying the present invention and a structure for control.
Is a tractor mechanism for pushing paper, 21 is a platen, 2
2 is a head unit, 23 is a discharge roller inlet, 24 is a discharge roller, 25 is a sheet, 26 is a printer control unit, and 27 is a sheet sensor for detecting a sheet provided on the discharge roller 24. , 260 is CP
U and 261 are memories for storing data and programs.

The paper 25 is pushed by the tractor mechanism 20 toward the platen 21 of the printer, and printing is performed on the paper 25 located between the platen 21 and the head unit 22, and the paper is further moved by the operation of the platen 21. When the sheet reaches the position of the discharge roller 24, the paper is fed by the discharge roller 24. The paper is fed by a tractor mechanism 20, a platen 21, and a discharge roller 24, and each is controlled by a printer controller 26.

The control by the printer control unit 26 is performed by a program. FIG. 4 is a processing flow of the first embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a specific example of the sag saturation value for each fixed section. In the first embodiment, the paper feed amount is corrected based on the principle shown in FIG. 1. The correction position (same as the correction point position) provided for each fixed amount (x in FIG. 2) of the paper feed amount is shown in FIG. 5 of
As shown in (1), it is provided every 5 inches and the paper feed amount is 5 inches.
Performs correction every inch. In this example, four correction point positions are provided as shown in FIG. 5 (2), and when the correction points are represented by N [n], each correction point of n = 0, 1, 2, 3 is provided. . At the first correction point (N [0]), 40% of the total slack amount (slack saturation amount) is corrected, at the next correction point (N [1]), 30%, and at each subsequent correction point (N [2], N [3]) is set to perform each correction of 20% and 10%.

FIG. 5C is a diagram for explaining the amount of slack to be eliminated at each correction point. When the processing of FIG. 4 is performed, a table in which data as shown in FIG. 5 (2) is set is stored in the memory 261 in advance. Further, when the paper is sucked, n = 0 and the correction flag are set to ON, the slack amount (overall correction amount) is x, the correction amount to be applied at one time is y, and the variable indicating the correction ratio is z. , The number of times of execution of correction is indicated by n (indicating the order of the array in which the correction data is stored), and L is designated as the specified line feed amount.

In FIG. 4, when a line feed command (not a paper suction command or a print command, but is given from the control device during printing) is given first (at S
1) It is determined whether the correction flag is on (S2 in FIG. 4). If it is off, a line feed is performed with the specified line feed amount (L) (S4). If it is on, the point to be corrected is determined. (S3). Whether it is the point to be corrected or not is determined by determining whether the logical drive amount to the paper feed mechanism matches any of the correction positions in FIG. 5 (2). Next, it is determined whether n representing the correction position has not reached 4 (S5), and if it is 4 or more, the correction flag is set to OFF (S6), and the line feed of S4 is performed. In S5,
If n is 3 or less, the n-th data is read from the memory and assigned to the variable z (S7). Next, the correction amount to be applied once is obtained, and the arithmetic expression is y = x × (z / 100) (S8 in FIG. 4). Then, n = n + 1 (S in FIG. 4)
9) A line feed corresponding to Ly is performed (S10). Note that L-
In the line feed for y, the paper is fed by an amount smaller than the designated line feed amount.

FIG. 6 is a processing flow of the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the correction of the slack amount is controlled according to the attribute of the paper. In particular, the control is performed in consideration of the width and thickness of the paper which affects the slack amount. In the second embodiment, a table as shown in FIG. 7 is used.

FIG. 7 shows an example of the structure of a table corresponding to the sheet thickness and the sheet width. In FIG.
Paper width tables b1 to bn corresponding to each paper thickness
Is stored. In the sheet width tables b1 to bn corresponding to the respective sheet thicknesses, addresses of correction data c11 to c1m,... Cn1 to cnm corresponding to the sheet widths are stored, and the correction data c11 to c1m,.
· Four correction positions (n =
0 to 3) are stored. When the process of FIG. 6 is performed, as in FIG. 4 (the process flow of the first embodiment), n = 0 and the correction flag are set to ON when the sheet is sucked, and the signs of x, y, and z are also set. The values are the same as those in FIG. Further, during the processing in FIG. 6, A indicates the sheet thickness (detected when the sheet is sucked), and W indicates the sheet width (detected when the sheet is sucked).

In FIG. 6, when a line feed command is supplied (S1 in FIG. 6), it is determined whether the correction flag is on (S1).
2). When the line is off, a line feed is performed with the designated line feed amount (L) (S3 in FIG. 6). When the line is on, it is determined whether or not the point (position) to be corrected (S4), and it is not the point to be corrected. In this case, the line feed processing in S3 is performed. If the point is to be corrected, it is determined whether n representing the correction position does not reach 4 (S5), and if it is 4 or more, the correction flag is set to OFF ( S6), the line feed processing of S3 is performed. If n is equal to or less than 3 in S5, it is determined whether there is paper thickness data matching A (paper thickness used in this printer) (S7 in FIG. 6). And moves to the next S9.

If there is paper thickness data matching A in S7, the address of the corresponding paper width data is obtained (S9 in FIG. 6), and it is determined whether there is paper width data matching the paper width (W). (S10). If not, the closest sheet width data is searched (S11 in FIG. 6), and the process proceeds to the next step S12. If there is paper width data that matches the paper width in S10, the address of the corresponding correction data is obtained (S12 in FIG. 6), and the n-th data is read from the memory and assigned to the variable z (S13 in FIG. 6). ). Then 1
The correction amount to be applied to each time is obtained by the calculation of y = x × (z / 100) (S14). Subsequently, n = n + 1 is performed (S15 in FIG. 6), and a line feed for Ly is performed (S1 in FIG. 6).
6).

Next, a method for measuring the "saturation value of the slack" used for performing the paper feed control for eliminating the above-described slack will be described below. FIG. 8 shows a configuration example of a sheet used for measuring the slack amount. In this example, we use paper on which a black rectangle with a height of 1 inch is printed every 5 inches.
This is set on the printer. At least the printer
It has a discharge roller for discharging the paper, a sensor for detecting that the upper end of the paper has been discharged from the discharge roller, and a control means for controlling the paper feed. The set paper is fed, and the upper end of the paper is detected by the sensor. The number of steps from (sensor on) to detection of the first black rectangle (sensor off) is counted. Since the number of steps k required to feed the 5-inch paper is a fixed value, if a black rectangle is detected before the required number of steps k of paper is fed, the difference is determined by the amount of slack eliminated by the paper feed. Become. That is, the amount of slack that has been eliminated (saturation value of the slack) = the number of steps k for 5 inches−the number of line feed steps n until the sensor is turned off.
And the slack amount eliminated by the first 5-inch paper feed is obtained. Similarly, after the sensor has sent the first black rectangle, the number of steps from when the sensor detects the white portion of the paper (sensor on) to when the sensor detects the second black rectangle (sensor off) is counted. By repeating a series of operations of feeding the 5-inch paper and calculating the amount of slack that has been eliminated, the change in the “saturation value of the slack” can be measured.

FIG. 9 shows a first processing flow of the sag saturation value measurement, which is executed using the sheet shown in FIG. The codes used in this flow will be described.
Is an array that stores the measured value of the sag, and m is an array H
, N represents a paper feed amount (motor drive amount) until the sensor is turned off, k represents a logical motor drive amount for feeding x inch paper, and s represents a saturation value of the slack.

First, when a sag saturation value measurement command is given (S1 in FIG. 9), m = 0 and the measurement mode = ON are set (S2). Next, it is determined whether the measurement mode is on (S3 in FIG. 9). If the measurement mode is on, the paper is fed (S4), and then the sensor is turned on (whether the upper end of the paper is detected).
(S5), and returns to S4 if it is not on, but if it is on (the upper edge of the sheet is detected), n =
It is set to 0 (S6), and the sheet is fed while counting the sheet feed amount to n (S7). Thereafter, it is determined whether the sensor is off (the black rectangular portion in FIG. 8 is detected) (S8 in FIG. 9). If the sensor is not off, the process returns to S7.
To determine the sag saturation value s when the sensor is turned off,
The calculation of s = kn is performed (S9).

Subsequently, s is substituted into the saturation value array H [m] (S10 in FIG. 9), and then m = m + 1 is executed (S1 in FIG. 9).
1), it is determined whether or not the measurement range (predetermined number of m) has been exceeded (S12). If not, the flow returns to S3 to perform further measurement, and the slack for m = 1, 2, 3 is obtained. Is measured. If m = 4 is a value outside the measurement range, if m = 4, it is determined that it has exceeded in step S12, and the measurement mode is set to off (S13 in FIG. 9).
Returning to S3, the measurement mode is determined to be off, and the measurement ends. By such a measurement, the characteristic of the sag saturation value as shown in FIG. 5A can be obtained.

In the first processing flow shown in FIG. 9, the attributes (thickness and width) of the paper are not considered, but in the next FIG. 10, the saturation value of the slack corresponding to the thickness and width of the paper is calculated. Measure.

FIG. 10 shows a second processing flow of the sag saturation value measurement, which is executed using the sheet shown in FIG. 8 as in the case of FIG. Codes H, m, n, k, and s used in this flow are the same as the same codes in FIG.

A slack saturation value measurement command is supplied (FIG. 1).
0, S1) and the subsequent steps up to S5 are the same as S1 to S5 in FIG. If the sensor is ON in S5 (the upper end of the sheet is detected), it is determined whether m = 0 (S6 in FIG. 10). If m = 0, the sheet thickness is detected and the sheet thickness is stored (S6). In step S7, the sheet width is detected and the sheet width is stored (step S8). If m = 0 and S
Following S7 and S8, n = 0 is set (S9), and the sheet is fed while counting the sheet feed amount to n (S1).
0) Then, it is determined whether or not the sensor is off (the black rectangular portion in FIG. 8 is detected) (S11). If the sensor is not off, the process returns to S10. S = kn to calculate (S12).

Subsequently, s is substituted into the saturation value array H [m], and m = m + 1 is executed (S13 in FIG. 10), and whether or not the value exceeds the measurement range (predetermined number of m) in FIG. It is determined (S14), and if it does not exceed, the process returns to S3, and the measurement is further performed. When the value of m exceeds the preset measurement range as in S12 of FIG. It is set to off (S15 in FIG. 10), and returns to S3.
It is determined that the measurement mode is not on, and the measurement ends.

FIG. 11 shows an example of the configuration of a table created by the second processing flow of the saturation value measurement.
n is the type of paper (corresponds to a combination of paper thickness and paper width)
Represents the paper number corresponding to, and the saturation value of the slack at each position for each number.

By such a measurement, it is possible to obtain the characteristics of the sag saturation value corresponding to the sheet thickness and the sheet width as shown in FIG.

[0035]

According to the present invention, an optimum correction can be performed by changing the correction amount according to the ratio of the "saturation value of the slack", and printing can be performed without lowering the line feed accuracy.

Further, by measuring the saturation value of the slack of the paper, it becomes possible to register the correction data of the paper,
It is also possible to obtain an appropriate correction amount for special paper and the like, and to control the paper feed without slack.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing characteristics of paper slack correction according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a paper feed mechanism and a configuration for control of a printer in which the present invention is implemented.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a sag saturation value for each fixed section;

FIG. 6 is a processing flow according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a table corresponding to a sheet thickness and a sheet width.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a sheet used to measure a saturation value of slack;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a first processing flow of slack saturation value measurement.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a second processing flow of measuring a sag saturation value.

FIG. 11 is a configuration example of a table obtained by a second processing flow.

FIG. 12 is an external view of a printer provided with a paper feed mechanism of a push-in tractor system.

FIG. 13 is a principle diagram of the proposed method.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 paper feed control unit 10 paper feed correction position identification means 11 position corresponding paper feed amount determination means 12 drive means 13 slack saturation value measurement means 2 paper feed mechanism 3 storage unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2C058 AB15 AB16 AB22 AB23 AE01 AF25 AF26 GA02 GB03 GB20 GB36 GB48 3F105 AA02 AB04 BA16 BA18 BA41 CA18 CB01 CC02 DA25 DB11

Claims (5)

[Claims] In a paper feed control method for a printer device comprising a paper feed mechanism using a tractor, a discharge roller for discharging paper, and a paper control unit for controlling paper feed, the control unit controls the paper feed amount in advance. A table storing correction values corresponding to the slack amount to be eliminated at each correction position provided for each constant paper feed amount based on the characteristic of the corresponding paper slack amount is provided. A paper feed control method comprising: identifying whether a paper feed amount is a correction position of the table during an operation, and outputting a paper feed instruction by a paper feed correction value corresponding to the correction position. 2. A table according to claim 1, further comprising a separate table corresponding to the thickness and width of the paper, wherein the table corresponding to the thickness and width of the paper to be used during the operation according to the paper feed command. A table that approximates the thickness and width values of the paper is detected, and whether the paper feed amount is at the correction position of the table is identified, and in the case of the correction position, the correction value of the corresponding paper feed of the detected table is used. A paper feed control method, comprising outputting a paper feed instruction. 3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the table is used as a basis for measuring a slack amount for each constant paper feed amount. The distributed paper is sent out from the paper feeding mechanism, and the difference between the logical motor driving amount for feeding the paper over the predetermined distance and the motor driving amount until the actual sensor detects the mark is obtained. A method for measuring the amount of slack for paper feed control, characterized in that the values are sequentially registered in a table as the saturation value of the slack in a section, and the saturation values of a predetermined number of slacks are obtained. 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein a table corresponding to the thickness and width detected in advance by detecting the thickness and width of the sheet is provided, and the sag saturation value in each section is sequentially registered in the table. Characteristic method of measuring slack for paper feed control. 5. A tractor mechanism for feeding paper, a head for printing on paper sent from the tractor mechanism, a discharge roller for discharging printed paper, and a printer control device for controlling paper feed. Wherein the correction is performed at each correction position provided for each predetermined paper feed amount based on a characteristic of the amount of paper slack generated in advance in the printer control device in accordance with the paper feed amount. A table storing correction values corresponding to the slack amount, and controlling the paper feed based on the correction values stored in the table when the paper feed amount reaches the correction position of the table during operation according to the paper feed command. A printer device using the paper feed control method according to claim 1.