JP5362481B2 - Recording paper width detection method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of detecting a recording paper width with less wrong detection which enables reduction of a wrong detection rate. <P>SOLUTION: In the method, (a) a predetermined output level larger than a secondary reference value is set as a primary reference value, (b) output voltage data is read out in a direction from its one end to the other end to checked whether there is one that exceeds the primary reference value among them, (c) if there is the exceeding one, the output voltage data is read out from the primary reference value in a reverse direction to the reading direction to check whether there is one that matches with the secondary reference value among them, (d) main scanning position data of an encoder when there is the matching one is decided as one end position, (e) the output voltage data is read out in the direction from the other end to the one end to check whether there is one that exceeds the primary reference value among them, (f) the data is read out from the primary reference value in the reverse direction to the reading direction when there is the exceeding one to check whether there is one that matches with the secondary reference value among them, and (g) It is decided as the other end position when there is the matching one. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a recording paper width detection method, particularly based on an output voltage corresponding to the amount of light reflected from the recording paper conveyance path or platen of a photosensor provided on the carriage during main scanning of the carriage in an ink jet printer. The present invention relates to a method for detecting a width (right end and left end).

An ink jet printer is also called recording paper (recording medium, recording sheet, or recording material).
) Along the predetermined conveying path line by line (sub-scanning), and moving the carriage in the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction (main scanning), from the print head attached to the carriage toward the recording paper In order to record accurately on a predetermined area of the recording paper, the right end position and the left end position in the main scanning direction of the recording paper are set. It is necessary to detect the width of the recording paper included.

  A conventional method for detecting the width of a recording sheet in an ink jet printer is based on the output voltage of a reflection type photosensor provided on the carriage during main scanning of the carriage. Are disclosed in Patent Literatures 1 and 2. These methods utilize the difference in the output voltage of the optical sensor due to the difference in the amount of reflected light of the reflective optical sensor when the recording paper is in the recording paper conveyance path (hereinafter simply referred to as the conveyance path) and when there is no recording paper. The presence / absence of the recording paper and the paper edge position are detected.

  More specifically, the recording paper width detection method described as the prior art in Patent Document 1 uses a reflection-type optical sensor composed of a photocoupler including a light emitting unit (photodiode) and a light receiving unit (phototransistor). The collector of the phototransistor is connected to a 5 V power source via a resistor, and the light emitted from the light emitting unit is reflected from the platen or recording paper and is incident on the light receiving unit. Since the light reflectance is different between the surface of the platen and the surface of the recording paper, the output voltage of the light receiving unit (collector voltage of the phototransistor) is different. The analog output voltage is input to the A / D conversion circuit, quantized, and digital output voltage data is input to the CPU. The CPU performs paper edge detection processing of the recording paper, and the paper edge position and width of the recording paper. Is detected.

  The paper edge detection process is as follows. That is, first, the carriage located at the left end is moved to a position where the platen is detected, and the platen detection level (output voltage of the light receiving unit) at that time is read by the optical sensor, and the platen detection level at that time is a certain value or more. An appropriate platen detection level La after having been confirmed to be present is read, a level smaller by a constant value X is calculated from the value La, and this is stored as a threshold value Lt. After that, after moving the carriage to the right end, the recording paper is conveyed, and further, the carriage is moved from the right end to the left while reading the output value Lb of the optical sensor, and the region where the output value Lb is smaller than the threshold value Lt is recorded. If it is recognized that the width of the paper is present and there is no area having a value smaller than the threshold value Lt even though the carriage has moved to the left end, error handling is performed assuming that the recording paper conveyance has failed.

  In Patent Document 1, it is pointed out that the above-described conventional method has a possibility of erroneous detection based on a decrease in the amount of reflected light of the platen due to contamination such as ink components on the platen. The change in the amount of reflected light on the recording paper is detected to determine whether the amount of change is within a limit value (set value) that does not cause a false detection. If it is not within the set value, the output of the light receiving unit read this time A value obtained by subtracting the constant value X from the voltage data (reflection level) is recorded as a threshold value Lt ′, the optical sensor (carriage) is rescanned, and the output voltage data (reflection level) Lb ′ at that time is compared with the threshold value Lt ′. In addition, it is described that a paper edge of the recording paper is recognized when the value becomes lower than the threshold value.

In the recording paper width detection method described in Patent Document 2, an encoder including a slit plate and a transmissive photosensor is provided in the carriage moving unit, and the position of the carriage in the main scanning direction is detected based on the output signal of the encoder. A paper sensor composed of a reflective photosensor is provided on the carriage, the carriage is temporarily returned to the home position, and the movement to the recording area side is started with the home position as a reference, and the position is detected based on the output of the encoder. This detection signal is checked, and the presence or absence of paper is detected by utilizing the difference in the amount of reflected light resulting from the difference in the reflectance of light between the paper and the conveyor belt.
However, Patent Document 2 does not describe anything regarding erroneous detection due to dust or the like.

As another conventional recording paper width detection method, an output voltage (emitter voltage of a phototransistor) of a light receiving portion of an optical sensor is quantized by an A / D conversion circuit, and output voltage data is input to a CPU together with scanning position data from an encoder. This is stored in a memory such as a RAM, and the CPU performs paper edge detection processing of the recording paper. In the paper edge detection processing, the output voltage data of the light receiving unit stored in the memory is used in one of the main scanning directions. As shown in FIG. 10, a predetermined value (for example, 50%) of the maximum output voltage data LmAx of the light receiving unit recorded in advance when there is recording paper is used as a reference value. Lt is used to check whether there is any output voltage data that exceeds the reference value in the current output voltage data, and the encoder scanning position data when there is output voltage data that exceeds the reference value. To be positioned, there is one that determines that the right end Re and left Le of the recording paper is present. In FIG. 10, the output voltage data of the light receiving unit is divided into 51 layers, and the output voltage data of the light receiving unit is displayed in an analog manner. The output voltage data is checked rightward in the order of the main scanning direction, and the position where the reference value Lt is reached is the right edge Re of the recording paper.
The output voltage data is checked in the left direction in the order of the main scanning direction, and it is determined that the position where the reference value Lt is reached is the left end Le of the recording paper.

  Incidentally, the light reflectance from the recording paper and the recording paper transport guide surface (hereinafter simply referred to as the transport guide surface) or the platen varies depending on the type of recording paper and the status of the transport guide surface. For example, dust with high light reflectivity (such as a piece of recording paper) is present on the conveyance guide surface, or the conveyance guide surface is connected to the front and back of the conveyance guide member in a skewed manner below the main scanning position of the optical sensor. Since the pieces are shifted in the main scanning direction and meshed with each other, for example, portions where the light reflectivity is close to the light reflectivity of the recording paper are scattered, and the recording paper is pre-printed In some cases, the output level of the light receiving unit exceeds 50% not only when the paper edge of the recording paper is detected.

FIG. 11 shows a waveform image at the time of recording sheet detection when the reference value L is set to 50% when the standard output voltage of the photosensor (collector voltage of the phototransistor) is 3.0V.
N is an output due to light reflection or noise from the conveyance guide surface. When the reference value L is set to 50%, erroneous detection is likely to occur due to light reflection or noise from the conveyance guide surface. Therefore, conventionally, in consideration of the influence of the conveyance path and noise, when the output level of the optical sensor is less than 1.5 V (50%), it is considered as an error.

FIG. 12 shows a waveform image when recording paper is detected when the reference value L is set to 50% when the standard output voltage of the photosensor (collector voltage of the phototransistor) is 5.0V.
As shown in this figure, when the standard output voltage of the optical sensor is increased, a stable output level is obtained without being affected by light reflection from the conveyance guide surface and noise, and no erroneous detection is performed.
Therefore, conventionally, the cause of false detection is that the ability of the optical sensor (standard output ability) is low, and the optical sensor has the standard output ability to avoid false detection due to light reflection from the conveyance guide surface and noise. In many cases, the battery is replaced with one having a large voltage, for example, 5V or more.

JP-A-8-112952 Paragraphs 0004, 0008, 0009.0023, 0026 JP 2004-351837 A paragraphs 0028, 0029, 0039, 0046

  However, in an inkjet printer, it is inevitable that dust having a high light reflectance is used for the conveyance guide surface and the platen component, and that dust such as a piece of recording paper having a high light reflectance enters. Although the amount of reflected light from objects other than recording paper may increase momentarily, conventionally, 50% of the optical sensor capability (standard output capability) is set as a reference value, and the output of the light receiving unit read by the CPU The voltage data is checked in only one direction from the right end to the left direction and from the left end to the right direction along the main scanning direction, and when the data exceeding the reference value is detected, it is immediately judged as the right end or left end of the recording paper. Therefore, even if the optical sensor is replaced with one having a high standard output capability, it has not been possible to completely prevent erroneous detection due to dust having high light reflectance.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a recording paper width detection method capable of reducing a false detection rate in view of the above points, and thus reducing a replacement rate of an optical sensor for preventing false detection.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention performs main scanning from a home position on a carriage equipped with a reflective optical sensor immediately after the start of feeding recording paper, and A / D converts the output voltage of the light receiving portion of the optical sensor. The output voltage data is quantized and recorded in the memory together with the main scanning position data from the home position output from the encoder, and the recorded output voltage data of the photosensor is read from one end to the other end, In this case, it is checked whether there is an output exceeding the reference value corresponding to a predetermined percentage of the maximum output of the light receiving unit, and the position indicated by the main scanning position data of the encoder recorded together with the output voltage data exceeding the reference value It is determined that the position is at one end, and the recorded output voltage data is read in the one end direction from the other end to check whether any of the output voltage data exceeds the reference value. The recording sheet width detection method determines that the position indicated by the main scanning position data of the recorded encoder which is the other end position of the recording sheet along with the output voltage data exceeds,
(A) The reference value is set as a secondary reference value, a predetermined output level larger than the secondary reference value is set as a primary reference value, and (b) the output voltage data recorded in the memory is changed from one end to the other. Read in the end direction and check whether any of them exceeds the primary reference value. (C) When there is an excess, the output voltage data recorded in the memory is calculated from the primary reference value. Reading in the direction opposite to the reading direction is performed, and it is checked whether or not there is a match with the secondary reference value, and (d) the position indicated by the main scanning position data of the encoder when there is a match. (E) Read the recorded output voltage data from the other end in one direction, and check whether any of the recording paper exceeds the primary reference value; (F) What exceeds The recorded output voltage data is read from the primary reference value in the direction opposite to the readout direction, and it is checked whether any of the output voltage data matches the secondary reference value; The position indicated by the main scanning position data of the encoder when there is a match is determined as the other end position of the recording paper.

  It is desirable that the primary reference value is set to 80% of the maximum output voltage of the light receiving unit when the recording paper is present on the conveyance guide surface, and the secondary reference value is similarly set to 50% to 60%. .

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, a predetermined output voltage level larger than the secondary reference value of the optical sensor is set as the primary reference value, and the output voltage data of the optical sensor recorded in the memory is directed from one end to the other end. And if there is any data exceeding the primary reference value, the output voltage data is read out from the primary reference value in the direction opposite to the readout direction. It is checked whether there is a match with the reference value. If there is a match, it is determined that the position indicated by the main scanning position data of the encoder is the one end position of the recording paper, and the output voltage data is other than Read from one end to the other end and check if any of them exceeds the primary reference value. If there is, the output voltage data is read from the primary reference value in the direction opposite to the readout direction. Then, it is checked whether or not there is a match with the secondary reference value, and if there is a match, the position indicated by the main scanning position data of the encoder is determined as the other end position of the recording paper. Therefore, even if the output voltage data of the light receiving unit is momentarily large due to dust or other light reflectance other than recording paper or noise, those whose output voltage level is less than the primary reference value will be ignored. When the output voltage data of the light receiving unit is larger than the secondary reference value, it is inevitably detected when the output voltage data is read from the primary reference value in the direction opposite to the reading direction. Detection probability is high. Further, the influence of noise or the like whose output voltage level is smaller than the secondary reference value is completely eliminated. Therefore, it is possible to provide a recording paper width detection method with a low error detection rate.

  When the primary reference value is set to 100% of the maximum output voltage of the light receiving unit when the recording paper is present on the conveyance guide surface, there is a possibility that the primary reference value may be affected by a decrease in the amount of reflected light when preprinted on the recording paper. However, according to the invention of claim 2, since it is set to 80%, there is no such influence. Therefore, erroneous detection when pre-printing is performed can be prevented. Although the light reflectance varies somewhat depending on the type of recording paper and the status of the recording paper conveyance guide surface, according to the second aspect of the invention, the secondary reference value of the light receiving unit when the recording paper is present on the conveyance guide surface is obtained. Since it is set to 50% to 60% of the maximum output voltage, it is possible to reduce erroneous detection due to the fluctuation of the light reflectance.

It is the top view which abbreviate | omitted a part of inkjet printer. It is a conceptual diagram which shows a structure until it memorize | stores in the memory the output voltage data of the optical sensor which carries out main scanning, and the scanning position data of an encoder. It is a circuit diagram which shows an example of a structure of an optical sensor. It is a conceptual diagram explaining the memory content of a memory | storage device. It is a block diagram which mainly shows the function implementation means of CPU. It is a flowchart explaining control of the apparatus which implements the recording paper width detection method concerning this invention. 7 is a flowchart illustrating details of a paper end detection process in FIG. 6. 7 is a flowchart following the end of FIG. 6. It is a figure explaining the effect | action of the paper edge detection process which concerns on this invention. It is a conceptual diagram explaining the principle of recording paper width detection using the conventional optical sensor. It is a figure explaining the problem of the conventional method. It is a figure explaining one method of solving the problem of the conventional method.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In FIG. 1, 1 is a conveyance guide surface, 2 is a conveyance roller that is rotationally driven by a conveyance motor (not shown), and the recording paper 3 is sandwiched between an upper pressure roller (not shown). It is transported along a predetermined transport path. Although not shown, the recording paper to be conveyed is brought to the conveyance reference surface on one end side in the width direction (right end side in the example of FIG. 1), and is conveyed while maintaining an accurate position.

A carriage 4 is supported by a guide rod 5 so as to be movable in a direction (main scanning direction) perpendicular to the recording paper conveyance direction (sub-scanning direction), and is coupled to a timing belt 6.
When the timing belt 6 is rotationally driven by the scanning motor 7, the carriage 4 moves from a predetermined position (home position) outside one (right side) of the conveyance path in the main scanning direction to the outside of the other (left side). It is configured to be moved between predetermined positions.

  A known print head (not shown) is attached to the carriage 4, and a known reflective optical sensor (hereinafter simply referred to as an optical sensor) 8 is transported when the carriage 4 is at the home position. It is attached at a position slightly outside the right edge of the recording paper on the guide surface. As shown in FIG. 2, the optical sensor 8 corresponds to the amount of light irradiated from the light emitting portion 8a reflected on the conveyance guide surface 1 in the direction of the light receiving portion 8b by the recording paper 3 existing on the conveyance guide surface. The voltage is output. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the light emitting portion 8a of the optical sensor 8 is constituted by a photodiode, and the light receiving portion 8b is constituted by a phototransistor. The emitter voltage is output as the output voltage of the light receiving unit 8b.

  The optical sensor 8 is connected to an A / D conversion circuit 9, and the output voltage of the light receiving unit 8b is converted into a digital signal (output voltage data) and then input to the CPU 10.

  A slit disk 11a in which a large number of slits are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction is fixed to the rotating shaft of the scanning motor 7, and the transmission type optical sensor 11b surrounds a part of the slit disk. Are attached to constitute the encoder 11. The encoder 11 is for detecting the scanning position of the optical sensor when the optical sensor 8 outputs an output voltage, more precisely when the output voltage data is input to the CPU 10. When the transmission sensor 11b detects and outputs light transmitted through each slit of the slit disk 11a of the encoder 11 that is rotated simultaneously with the carriage 4 starting main scanning from the home position, a counter connected to the transmission sensor 11b. (Not shown) counts, and the counted value is input to the CPU 10 as scanning position data.

  Thus, the scanning position data from the encoder 11 and the output voltage data from the optical sensor 8 are input to the CPU 10 in synchronization with the movement of the carriage 4 from the home position, and the CPU 10 stores these data in the RAM 12 b of the storage device 12. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the recording is performed in the order of the main scanning direction. In FIG. 4, Da is scanning position data, and Db is output voltage data.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the CPU 10 includes a carriage control unit 101, a paper feed control unit 102, a scanning position data acquisition unit 103, an output voltage data acquisition unit 104, a data recording control unit 105, a width detection processing unit 106, and a print control unit. 107.

  The carriage control unit 101 controls the movement of the carriage 4 in the main scanning direction by the carriage driving unit 13 including a scanning motor. The paper feed control unit 102 controls the conveyance of the recording paper by the recording paper conveyance unit 14. The scanning position data acquisition unit 103 controls the capture of the scanning position data Da from the encoder, and the output voltage data acquisition unit 104 controls the capture of the output voltage data Db from the optical sensor 8. Yes, the data recording control means 105 controls the recording of the acquired scanning position data Da and output voltage data Db in the RAM, and the width detection processing unit 106 stores the reference value stored in the ROM 12A and the RAM 12b. The output voltage data Db is used to detect the width of the recording paper, and the print control means 1 7, based on the image data input from host apparatus 16, in response to the sensed width of the recording paper and controls the printing unit drive means 15 to perform printing in the appropriate region.

The reference values stored in the ROM 12A include a first reference value Lt1 and a second reference value Lt2, as will be described later. The first reference value Lt1 is set to an output level equivalent to 80% of the standard output voltage of the light receiving unit 8b of the optical sensor 8, and the second reference value Lt2 is set to an output level equivalent to 60%.

Next, the drive control action by the CPU based on the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS.
When the ink jet printer is activated, first, the carriage control means 101 performs initialization processing, sends a control signal to the scanning motor 7 of the carriage drive means 13, and moves the carriage 4 to the home position (step 11 in FIG. 6). Hereinafter, the step is represented by S). Subsequently, the paper feed control means 102 sends a pulse signal to drive the transport motor of the recording paper transport means 14, and starts the paper feed operation (paper suction) (S12). When the number of pulses sent to the transport motor reaches a predetermined value (when the leading edge of the recording paper exceeds the scanning line of the optical sensor 8), a control signal is sent again to the scanning motor 7 of the carriage driving means 13. Then, the carriage 4 is moved in the direction away from the home position (leftward in FIG. 1), and the scanning position data Da is acquired from the encoder 11 by the scanning position data acquisition means 103 (S13). With the input of scanning position data from the encoder 11 as a trigger, the output voltage data acquisition means 104 acquires the output voltage data Db from the A / D conversion circuit 9 (S13), and the data recording control means 105 inputs the scanning position. Data and output voltage data (both of them are sometimes referred to as scan data) are stored in a predetermined storage address of the RAM 12b (S14). Thus, every time one scanning position data is input from the encoder 11, the scanning position data and the output voltage data are sequentially stored in a predetermined storage address of the RAM 12b. FIG. 4 shows an example of the scanning position data Da and output voltage data Db stored in the RAM 12b by one scan of the carriage 4 (the optical sensor 8) from the home position in FIG. 1 to the opposite end of the recording paper conveyance path. Show.

  Subsequent to the end of the recording of the scan data associated with one scan of the optical sensor 8, the width detection processing unit 106 first detects the presence or absence of the paper edge (paper edge detection process) using the recorded scan data. The right end position data is recorded in the first recording location of the RAM 12b (S16). Further, the width detection processing unit 106 continuously performs the process of detecting the presence or absence of the paper edge (paper edge detection process) on the left side of the recording paper by using the same data (S17). Is recorded in the second recording location of the RAM 12b (S18).

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the paper edge detection process is performed in substantially the same manner for the right edge detection (S15) and the left edge detection (S17) of the recording paper. The right end detection in FIG. 7 will be described. The scan data recorded in the RAM 12b is read in the order recorded in the RAM one by one (in the right direction in FIG. 9) (S21), and the output voltage data Db of the read scan data is read. Is not equal to the first reference value Lt1 (S22). If it is not equal to the first reference value, the next scan data is read out, and similarly the output voltage data of the scan data is equal to the first reference value. Whether or not (S22). When the output voltage data of the read scanning data is equal to the first reference value, reading of the scanning data is stopped (S23), reading is performed in reverse order from the scanning position data of the scanning data at that time (S24). It is checked whether the output voltage data Db of the scan data is equal to the second reference value Lt2 (S25). When the output voltage data of the read scan data is equal to the second reference value, it is determined that the position indicated by the scan position data Da of the scan data at that time is the right end position of the recording paper, and the scan position data is Record (S26).

  After the right edge detection process from S21 to S26 is completed, the left edge detection process from S27 to S212 in FIG. 8 is performed. The left edge detection process is the same as the right edge detection process except that the scanning data reading order is different from that in the right edge detection process and that the final position is determined to be the left edge position of the recording paper. is there.

  The recorded right end position and left end position (both encoder count values) are used for setting a predetermined recording area in the print control performed after width detection by itself. The size (width dimension) of the recording paper can also be calculated.

FIG. 9 shows a waveform image at the time of paper width detection when the standard output voltage of the optical sensor 8 is 3.0V. That is, when the first reference value is set to 2.4V that is 80% of 3.0V, and the second reference value is set to 1.5V that is 50% of 3.0V, the RAM in S14 of FIG. 9 conceptually shows the paper edge detection process for the output voltage data recorded in FIG. The output waveform of the optical sensor 8 is read in the right direction, and the waveform due to noise less than the first reference value Lt1 is ignored, and when the point equal to the first reference value in the output waveform is reached, the output is When the waveform is read in the left direction and a point equal to the second reference value Lt2 is reached, the position (scanning position) of that point is determined as the starting edge position of the recording paper. Since the method of detecting the reference value Lt1 first and then detecting the second reference value Lt2 which is a lower voltage (detecting from the inside to the outside of the recording paper) is adopted, the second reference value Lt2 is 50%. Even when set to the following, stable start edge detection is possible without being affected by noise N or the like.

  As shown in FIG. 10, conventionally, since the leading edge is detected from the outside of the recording paper, there is a risk of being affected by noise or the like, so that an output level of 50% (1.5 V) or less was an error. As described above.

  The recording paper width detection method according to the present invention can be applied not only to an ink jet printer but also to a dot matrix printer and other printers that detect recording paper width.

Claims (2)

Immediately after the recording paper feed is started, the carriage mounted with the reflection type photosensor is main-scanned from the home position, the output voltage of the light receiving portion of the photosensor is A / D converted, quantized, and output voltage data is output from the encoder Is recorded in the memory together with the main scanning position data from the home position, and the recorded output voltage data of the photosensor is read from one end to the other end, which corresponds to a predetermined percentage of the maximum output of the light receiving unit. The position indicated by the main scanning position data of the encoder recorded together with the output voltage data exceeding the reference value is determined to be the one end position of the recording paper, and the recording Read the output voltage data from one end to the other, check whether any of the output voltage data exceeds the reference value, and record it together with the output voltage data exceeding the reference value. In the by main scanning position data indicates the position of the encoder recording paper width detection method determines that the other end position of the recording paper,
(A) The reference value is set as a secondary reference value, and a predetermined output level larger than the secondary reference value is set as a primary reference value.
(B) The output voltage data recorded in the memory is read from one end to the other end, and it is checked whether any of the output voltage data exceeds the primary reference value.
(C) When there is an excess, the output voltage data recorded in the memory is read from the primary reference value in the direction opposite to the readout direction, and some of them match the secondary reference value. Whether or not
(D) determining that the position indicated by the main scanning position data of the encoder when there is a match is the one end position of the recording paper;
(E) Reading the recorded output voltage data in the direction from the other end to one end, and checking whether any of the recorded output voltage data exceeds the primary reference value.
(F) When there is an excess, the recorded output voltage data is read from the primary reference value in the direction opposite to the readout direction, and whether any of them matches the secondary reference value. Check
(G) A recording paper width detection method, wherein the position indicated by the main scanning position data of the encoder when there is a match is determined as the other end position of the recording paper.   2. The primary reference value is set to 80% of the maximum output voltage of the light receiving unit when recording paper is present on the conveyance guide surface, and the secondary reference value is also set to 50% to 60%. 2. A recording paper width detection method according to 1.

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