Patent Grant
9579910
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates recording apparatuses and inspection methods.
2. Related Art
As an example of recording apparatuses, ink jet printers that eject liquid such as ink from a recording section and print an image or the like on a medium, for example, continuous paper transported on a support section by a transport section are known. Some of such printers have a winding device that winds a transported medium, which is fed from a feeding section, and on which an image or the like is formed by a recording section, on the side opposite the feeding section (for example, see JP-A-2011-161783).
The user checks the medium, on which the image or the like has been formed by the recording section, to check whether the image or the like has been appropriately printed, that is, the user performs inspection of the medium. When the user performs inspection, the user attaches an end, which is a free end portion, of the transported medium onto a winding shaft of an inspection device dedicated to inspection, and while the transported medium is being wound around the winding shaft, the user visually checks the image printed on the transported medium.
The inspection of the transported medium requires the inspection device in addition to the printer, and the user has to set the transported medium to the inspection device. This operation before starting the inspection is troublesome.
An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to provide a recording apparatus and an inspection method for readily starting the inspection of a transported medium.
Hereinafter, the apparatus and the method, and their operational advantages will be described. A recording apparatus according to an aspect includes a feeding section that feeds a long medium into an apparatus body, a recording section disposed in the apparatus body, the recording section performing recording onto the medium fed from the feeding section in the apparatus body, a first transport path along which the medium is transported during the recording performed on the medium by the recording section, and a second transport path along which the medium is transported to be rewound onto the feeding section. The second transport path is different from the first transport path.
While recording is being performed on the transported medium, the medium is transported via the first transport path that passes through the inside of the apparatus body, and thus, it is difficult for the user to visually check the medium. On the other hand, while the medium is being rewound to the feeding section, the medium is rewound via the second transport path that is different from the first transport path. On the second transport path, the transported medium is rewound through the outside of the apparatus body to the feeding section. This enables the user to visually check the portion on which the recording has been performed from the outside of the apparatus body. Accordingly, the user can inspect the transported medium while the medium is being rewound via the second transport path to the feeding section. This eliminates the operation of setting the transported medium to an inspection device different from the recording apparatus, and the user can readily start the inspection of the medium.
In the above-described recording apparatus, it is preferable that the medium be transported along the second transport path on a front surface side, which is the outside of the apparatus body, of the apparatus body to be rewound onto the feeding section.
With this structure, the transported medium passes through the front surface side of the apparatus body, and the user can readily see the portion on which the recording has been made in the transported medium. This enables the user to readily inspect the transported medium.
Preferably, the recording apparatus further includes a winding section that winds the medium discharged from a discharge opening formed in the apparatus body. The medium wound by the winding section is rewound onto the feeding section via the second transport path.
With this structure, the transported medium is wound by the winding section, and this suppresses or prevents the possibility of the transported medium on which the recording has been performed by the recording section being put, for example, on the floor. This reduces the possibility of the transported medium being smudged.
Preferably, the recording apparatus further includes an urging section provided in the middle of the second transport path, the urging section urging the medium from a surface opposite to the surface on which the recording has been performed by the recording section.
With this structure, the urging section urges the transported medium, and this reduces the slack in the medium. Accordingly, during the inspection, the user can readily see the portion on which the recording has been performed in the transported medium. This enables the user to readily inspect the transported medium.
Preferably, the recording apparatus further includes an operation section that performs operation associated with transport of the medium and based on the operation of the operation section, a transport speed of the medium on the second transport path can be changed.
With this structure, the transport speed of the transported medium can be changed depending on the position of the medium in the direction in which the medium is rewound to the feeding section. For example, the user can effectively inspect the transported medium by increasing the transport speed of the transported medium for a portion on which the inspection can be readily performed, for example, a portion printed with a solid color on the medium.
Preferably, the recording apparatus further includes an operation section that performs operation associated with transport of the medium, and motors provided at both sides of the medium in a direction intersecting a transport direction in which the medium is transported, the motors being driven to rewind the medium to the feeding section. Rotation speeds of the respective motors are separately controlled based on the operation of the operation section.
With this structure, for example, when the transported medium is rewound onto the feeding section in a state in which the medium is inclined, that is, when so-called skew occurs, the inclination of the transported medium can be reduced by controlling the rotation speed of each of the motors.
A method according to an aspect is a method of inspecting the medium on which the recording has been performed by the recording section in the above-described recording apparatus. The method includes transporting the medium on which the recording has been performed by the recording section to a downstream side of the recording section in the first transport path, attaching the free end portion of the medium at an upstream side to the feeding section via the second transport path, and rewinding the medium by the feeding section via the second transport path after the attaching of the medium.
With this method, the user can inspect the transported medium while the medium is being rewound onto the feeding section in the rewinding. This eliminates the operation of setting the transported medium to an inspection device different from the recording apparatus, and the user can readily start the inspection of the medium.
The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers reference like elements.
Hereinafter, an embodiment of a recording apparatus will be described with reference to the attached drawings. The recording apparatus according to the embodiment is, for example, an ink jet printer that performs recording (printing) by ejecting ink, which is an example of liquid, onto a transported medium. The printer is a so-called serial-type printer that moves a recording section in a width direction which is a direction intersecting a transport direction of the medium.
As illustrated in
The feeding section 14 includes a flip-up opening/closing cover 15. In the feeding section 14, in a state the opening/closing cover 15 is open, a roll body RB is loaded. The roll body RB is formed by rolling up long continuous paper P which is an example of the medium to be transported. The roll body RB is supported by a pair of roll body supporting sections 16 provided at positions corresponding to both ends of the roll body RB in a longitudinal direction in the feeding section 14. The roll body supporting sections 16 are connected to, with a speed reducer (not shown) interposed therebetween, and driven by a feeding motor 17 (see
An operation section 18 that is used by users to operate the recording apparatus 11 is provided at the right front side of the apparatus body 13. The operation section 18 includes a display section 19, which is a liquid crystal panel for displaying operation contents, and an operation button 20 for changing or selecting the operation content.
As illustrated in
On the leg stand 12, a winding section 26 that winds the continuous paper P discharged from a discharge opening 13A in the front surface of the apparatus body 13 is provided. The winding section 26 includes a winding shaft 27 extending in the width direction X. The winding shaft 27 is connected, with a speed reducer (not shown) interposed therebetween, to a winding motor 28 that drives and rotates the winding shaft 27 to take up the continuous paper P.
The recording apparatus 11 includes a control device 30 that controls the feeding motor 17, the recording section 22, the transport motor 25, the cutting section 24, and the winding motor 28. Print data and commands that are instructions for executing various kinds of processing are sent from a host computer 100 to the control device 30 by wireless or wired communication. The control device 30 controls the feeding motor 17, the recording section 22, the transport motor 25, the cutting section 24, and the winding motor 28 in accordance with the data and commands sent from the host computer 100.
The control device 30 has control modes, that is, a print mode for performing printing on the continuous paper P, and an inspection mode for a user to perform inspection of the continuous paper P. The print mode and the inspection mode are switched, for example, in accordance with an operation of the operation section 18 (see
In the print mode, the control device 30 controls the feeding motor 17, the transport motor 25, and the winding motor 28 to rotate in the forward direction to transport the continuous paper P to a recording area, and controls the recording section 22 to eject ink onto the continuous paper P so that the paper transport and the ink ejection are alternately performed to form an image or the like, the data of which is received from the host computer 100, onto the continuous paper P. The continuous paper P discharged from the discharge opening 13A of the apparatus body 13 is wound onto the winding shaft 27.
In the inspection mode, the control device 30 controls the winding motor 28 and the feeding motor 17 to rotate in the reverse direction in a state in which the continuous paper P wound onto the winding shaft 27 is attached to the feeding section 14 so that the continuous paper P wound on the winding shaft 27 is wound by the feeding section 14. In the inspection mode, the transport motor 25 is stopped.
With reference to
In the winding process, after the completion of the recording by the recording section 22 onto the continuous paper P in accordance with a print command, the cutting section 24 cuts the continuous paper P in the width direction X. All the cut continuous paper P is wound onto the winding shaft 27 by the winding motor 28. Alternatively, all the continuous paper P, which has been completely fed and an upstream side end portion of the continuous paper P is detached from the feeding section 14, is wound onto the winding shaft 27.
Then, in the continuous paper attaching process, the opening/closing cover 15 of the feeding section 14 is opened, and the roll body RB (in a case where all of the continuous paper P of the roll body RB is fed, the paper tube) supported by the roll body supporting sections 16 of the feeding section 14 is removed. In place of the removed roll body RB, a new paper tube PT (see
As described above, the first transport path RT1 that is the transport path of the continuous paper P used in printing, and the second transport path RT2 that is the transport path of the continuous paper P used in inspection are different from each other. In this structure, after the completion of the printing, the winding shaft 27 is not removed from the recording device 11, and the end of the continuous paper P is fed from the winding shaft 27, and thus, the surface of the continuous paper P on which the image has been printed is the front surface side. The continuous paper P transported via the second transport path RT2 passes along the front surface 13B and the upper surface 13C of the apparatus body 13, that is, the continuous paper P passes on the path at the position higher than the discharge opening 13A. Further, the continuous paper P does not move in the width direction X, and therefore does not cover the operation section 18. In addition, as illustrated by the chain double-dashed line in
In the rewinding process, when the print mode is changed to the inspection mode by an operation of the operation section 18, the winding motor 28 and the feeding motor 17 reversely rotate to wind, onto the paper tube PT, the continuous paper P wound onto the winding shaft 27. During the inspection, the user stands in front of the recording apparatus 11, and visually checks the image or the like on the continuous paper P being rewound.
As illustrated in
On the display section 19, among five round signs 19A to 19E, the center round sign 19C indicates a state in which the transport of the continuous paper P is stopped. In the round signs 19A and 19B displayed at the upper side of the round sign 19C, the round sign 19B indicates a normal speed of the transport speed, and the round sign 19A indicates a maximum speed. In the round signs 19D and 19E displayed at the lower side of the round sign 19C, the round sign 19D indicates a normal speed in transporting the continuous paper P in the direction opposite to the direction of the round sign 19B, and the round sign 19E indicates a maximum speed. The indication of the round sign 19C is changed, for example, to black when the transport of the continuous paper P is stopped. When the button 20A is pressed once, the indication of the round sign 19C is returned to the original color, and the indication of the round sign 19B is changed. When the button 20B is pressed once in a state in which the transport of the continuous paper P is stopped, the indication of the round sign 19C is returned to the original indication, and the indication of the round sign 19D is changed. Alternatively, a stop button may be pressed to change the indication of the round sign 19C and stop the transport of the continuous paper P.
In a case where the display section 19 is a touch panel, in order to change the transport speed of the continuous paper P, one of the two triangular signs 19F and 19G of the display section 19 may be pressed in addition to pressing the operation button 20. The triangular sign 19F is arranged at the upper side of the round signs 19A to 19E, and used to increase the transport speed of the continuous paper P. The triangular sign 19G is arranged at the lower side of the round signs 19A to 19E, and used to decrease the transport speed of the continuous paper P. Alternatively, an operation by a user in an upward direction on the touch panel may increase the transport speed of the continuous paper P, and an operation by a user in a downward direction may decrease the transport speed of the continuous paper P. Alternatively, a transport speed of the continuous paper P may be determined in accordance with an amount of flick (slide) operation or an accumulated amount of operation amounts.
The recording apparatus 11 according to the embodiment achieves the following operational advantages.
The first transport path RT1 is not used to rewind the continuous paper P to the paper tube PT, and this prevents the continuous paper P from being pinched by the transport roller pair 23. Accordingly, possibilities of damaging the image or the like on the continuous paper P by the transport roller pair 23 can be reduced.
The embodiment can be modified to modifications described below. In
In the recording apparatus 11 illustrated in
In the above-described embodiment, as illustrated in
In the recording apparatus 11 illustrated in
In the above-described embodiment, as long as the second transport path RT2 is different from the first transport path RT1, the second transport path RT2 may be a path that passes inside the apparatus body 13 through which the continuous paper P is transported. For example, as illustrated in
In the above-described embodiment, the winding section 26 can be omitted from the recording apparatus 11. That is, the recording apparatus 11 may be designed such that, after the continuous paper P is fed from the feeding section 14 and recording is performed by the recording section 22, the continuous paper P cut by the cutting section 24 is temporarily put, for example, on a floor, and then, the end of the continuous paper P may be attached to the paper tube PT of the feeding section 14 at the time of inspection.
In the above-described embodiment, the winding section 26 may include two winding shafts 27 that are aligned in the width direction X to wind the both ends of the continuous paper P in the width direction X, and winding motors 28 that are provided to the winding shafts 27 to be drive sources for winding both ends of the continuous paper P in the width direction X respectively. In such a case, each of the winding motors 28 may be controlled separately in accordance with an operation of the operating unit 18. With this structure, for example, when the continuous paper P wound onto the winding shaft 27 is rewound onto the paper tube PT in a state in which the continuous paper P is inclined with respect to the width direction X, that is, when so-called skew occurs, the inclination of the continuous paper P with respect to the width direction X can be reduced by controlling the rotation speed of each of the winding motors 28.
The feeding section 14 may have a structure similar to that of the winding section 26, that is, the feeding motor 17 may be provided to each of the roll body supporting sections 16 to wind each end of the continuous paper P. In such a case, the paper tube PT is attached to each of the roll body supporting sections 16 so that the both ends of the continuous paper P in the width direction X are wound. The size of the paper tube PT in the width direction X is less than or equal to half the size of the paper tube PT according to the above embodiment in the width direction X.
In the above-described embodiment, in the inspection mode, the transport speed of the continuous paper P can be adjusted in the five levels with the five round signs 19A to 19E on the display section 19. Alternatively, the transport speed of the continuous paper P may be adjusted in two to four levels, or in six or more levels. Alternatively, the transport speed of the continuous paper P may be continuously varied.
In the above-described embodiment, the tension of the continuous paper P may be adjusted by adjusting the rotation speeds of the winding motor 28 and the feeding motor 17. The feeding section 14 may further include a tension adjustment device (not shown) that adjusts the tension of the continuous paper P. In such a case, when the continuous paper P wound onto the winding shaft 27 is wound onto the paper tube PT, the continuous paper P is attached to pass through the tension adjustment device. With this structure, when the continuous paper P wound onto the winding shaft 27 is rewound onto the paper tube PT, the tension adjustment device can reduce the slack in the continuous paper P. Accordingly, the user can readily see the continuous paper P.
In the above-described embodiment, the recording apparatus 11 may be a dot impact printer or a laser printer as long as the printer can perform printing onto a transported medium. The recording apparatus 11 is not limited to the apparatus having only the print function, and the recording apparatus 11 may be a multifunction peripheral. Further, the recording apparatus 11 is not limited to the serial printer, and the recording apparatus 11 may be a line printer or a page printer.
The medium to be transported is not limited to the continuous paper P, and the medium may be single sheets of paper, a resin film, metallic foil, a metallic film, a composite film (laminate film) of resin and metal, fabric, nonwoven fabric, or a ceramic sheet.
The state of the fine droplets of the liquid ejected from the recording section 22 may be granular, teardrop shape, or stringy. The liquid may be any material that can be ejected from the recording section 22. For example, any material in a liquid phase may be used, including liquids having high or low viscosity, and fluid materials such as sol, gel, other inorganic solvents, organic solvents, solutions, and liquid resin. Further, the liquid is not limited to liquid as one state of a material but includes a liquid in which particles of a solid material such as a pigment are dissolved, dispersed, or mixed in a solvent. In a case where the liquid is ink, the ink includes general water-based ink, oil-based ink, as well as various liquid compositions such as gel ink, hot melt ink and the like.
The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2015-013587, filed Jan. 27, 2015 is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-013587 | Jan 2015 | JP | national |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20110211008 | Teshigawara | Sep 2011 | A1 |
| 20140307020 | Toriihara | Oct 2014 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2006-205358 | Aug 2006 | JP |
| 2011-161783 | Aug 2011 | JP |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20160214404 A1 | Jul 2016 | US |
