Patent Application
20090028038
This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-196462 filed Jul. 27, 2007.
The present invention relates to a recording member cutting device and a recording member cutting processing apparatus using the recording member cutting device.
Conventionally, as a method for cutting a continuous sheet (an example of a continuous recording material) with images formed thereon along the width direction thereof intersecting with the conveying direction thereof, cutting the continuous sheet using a rolling type cutter or a guillotine type cutter, or a method for cutting the continuous sheet using a laser are known.
On the other hand, as a method for cutting the continuous sheet along the conveying direction thereof, a method in which continuous prepregs are heated using a laser and is softened linearly along the conveying direction thereof and, after then, a cutter is inserted into the softened portions of the prepregs to thereby cut the prepregs.
According to an aspect of the invention, a recording member cutting device for cutting a continuous recording material along a side of a plurality of cutting areas defined in the continuous recording material includes a nick cutting mechanism, and an area cutting mechanism. The nick cutting mechanism includes a first cutting unit configured to move in a direction intersecting with a conveying direction of the continuous recording material and configured to form a nick for each cutting area. Each nick is located (i) outside the plurality of the cutting areas, (ii) on a downstream side of the corresponding cutting area in the conveying direction and (iii) on a line extending along one side of the corresponding cutting area. The one side is along the conveying direction. The area cutting mechanism includes a second cutting unit configured to move in a direction intersecting with the conveying direction and configured to insert into the nick. The second cutting unit cuts the continuous recording material along the one side of cutting area. And the second cutting unit cuts, when the nick has been formed, the continuous recording material along the one side from a position of the nick.
Exemplary embodiment(s) of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein:
Firstly, description will be given below of the outline of an enforcing model to which the invention is applied.
In
Here, the numbers of the nick cutting mechanism 1 and area cutting mechanism 2 are not limited to any specific ones, but there may also be provided two or more respectively. Also, the nick C may be formed at any position extending to the downstream side from the cutting area RC. The nick C is on the line extending along the side of the cutting area RC. For example, the nick C may be formed to be in contact with the side of the cutting area RC or may be formed spaced from the side of the cutting area RC. And, when the nick C includes a portion existing along the conveying direction of the continuous recording material S, the downstream side of the nick C may not exist on the extended line of such side, but the nick C is only required to have a length which allows the cutting portion of the area cutting mechanism 2 to be inserted into a portion formed on the extended line. Further, cutting information may be transmitted to at least the recording member cutting device. The cutting information indicates the forming position of the range of the nick to be formed by the nick cutting mechanism 1 and the forming position of the range of the cut portion to be formed on a straight line along the above side (which is called the cut linear portion L for short) by the area cutting mechanism 2. For example, the cutting information may be obtained in such a manner that a mark corresponding to an image G is formed on the continuous recording material S and the mark is detected by the recording member cutting device; or, the cutting information may be transmitted from other devices directly to the recording member cutting device. Also, the area cutting mechanism 2 may only be structured such that it can start its cutting operation at a position where the nick C has been formed by the nick cutting mechanism 1, and the area cutting mechanism 2 may also be applied to a portion where the nick C is not formed.
Still further, after the nick C and cut linear portion L are formed, the method of carrying out the cutting operation, in which the cutting area RC is cut from the continuous recording material S in the direction intersecting with the recording member conveying direction, is not limited to any specific method, but the cutting area RC may be cut properly using a cutting blade or the like. By the way, the term “the cutting area RC” means an area that is to be cut from the continuous recording material S for each size. Although there is no direct relationship between the cutting area RC and image G, the cutting area RC may be identical with the area of the image G, or may be considerably larger in size than the area of the image G, or, reversely, may be smaller than the area of the image G.
Also, referring to the description that the cutting portion of the nick cutting mechanism 1 “is movable in the direction intersecting with the recording material conveying direction”, the nick cutting mechanism 1 itself may be formed to be movable; or, for example, as the cutting portion of the nick cutting mechanism 1, there may be used a laser, and the laser may be moved to thereby be able to form the nicks C at the different positions of the continuous recording material S in the direction intersecting with the recording material conveying direction. However, from the viewpoint of simplifying the structure of the device, the nick cutting mechanism 1 itself may be formed movable.
As the nick cutting mechanism 1, there are available a laser method and a water jet method which are capable of easily forming the nicks C in the continuous recording material S. However, in order to simplify the structure of the device, the cutting portion of the nick cutting mechanism 1 may be structured such that it cuts and forms the nicks C using a laser disposed spaced from the continuous recording material S being conveyed.
And, in order to facilitate the cutting of the cutting area RC of the continuous recording material S, a cutting locus formed by the range of the nick and a cutting locus formed by the range of the cut linear portion L, may be alternately connected to each other to thereby provide a continuous cutting locus toward the recording member conveying direction. Such continuous cutting locus makes it possible to cut and divide the continuous recording material S in the width direction, thereby being able to facilitate the cutting operation to be executed after then, that is, the operation to cut the cutting area RC along the side thereof intersecting with the recording member conveying direction. By the way, use of such cutting locus can cut and divide the continuous recording material S into two or more. In this case, however, the cutting locus itself may not always extend continuously up to the terminal end of the continuous recording material S but, for example, the cutting locus may also extend, in the vicinity of the terminal end of the continuous recording material S, toward the side edge of the continuous recording material S in the direction intersecting with the conveying direction thereof.
Also, as an exemplary embodiment of the cutting portion of the area cutting mechanism 2, there is available an embodiment using a blade such as a cutting blade or a round blade. In order to eliminate not only the need to increase the length of a nick along the recording member conveying direction unnecessarily but also the need for rotational driving, the cutting portion of the area cutting mechanism 2 may be a cutting blade which moves back and forth between a retreat position spaced from the continuous recording material S being conveyed and an advance position for cutting the continuous recording material S while straddling it. Here, the cutting blade means an ordinary knife-like blade.
Further, in order to keep the continuous recording material S in a proper attitude when it is cut by the area cutting mechanism 2, there may be provided an opposed member which not only touches the continuous recording material S on the surface thereof different from the side of the cutting blade retreated relative to the continuous recording material S but also is disposed along a direction intersecting with the recording member conveying direction. Further, in the vicinity of the continuous recording material S being conveyed, there may be provided a stop member which can prevent the continuous recording material S from floating up due to the advancing and retreating movement of the cutting blade.
Moreover, in an exemplary embodiment in which such sides of plural cutting areas RC lined up in the conveying direction of the continuous recording materials S are continuously lined up on a straight line, in order to cut the cutting areas RC continuously on a straight line, the area cutting mechanism 2 may be structured such that it may continuously cut such sides of the plural cutting areas RC as lined up on a straight line along the recording member conveying direction with no intervention of the nicks C formed by the nick cutting mechanism 1.
And, as a recording member cutting processing apparatus, which cuts the continuous recording material S into recording members S of sizes respectively corresponding to the cutting areas RC using the above-structured recording member cutting device, there may be employed a recording member cutting processing apparatus which has the following structure.
That is, as shown in
And, in order that, while the continuous recording material S cut by the first recording member cutting device 3 remains as it is, the second recording member cutting device is able to easily cut the cutting area RC to thereby provide a cut recording member, the first recording member cutting device 3 may be structured such that the cutting locus of the range of the nick cut by the nick cutting mechanism 1 and the cutting locus of the side of the cutting area RC on a straight line cut by the area cutting mechanism 2 are continuously connected together alternately in the recording member conveying direction to provide a continuous locus; and, the second recording member cutting device 4 may include plural intersecting cutting mechanisms 4a which are provided in the individual cut recording members cut and divided in a direction intersecting with the conveying direction of the continuous recording materials S according to the continuous locus, and the respective intersecting cutting mechanisms also are capable of cutting such sides of the individual cut recording members as intersecting with the divisionally cutting direction of the individual cut recording members. Here, the number of cutting loci continuously connected in the conveying direction of the continuous recording material provided by the first recording member cutting device 3 is not limited to a specific number, but, normally, there is provided a single locus and the continuous recording material S is cut and divided to two with respect to the width direction thereof.
Also, as the second recording member cutting device 4, there can be used any type of cutting device, provided that it is able to cut such side of the cutting area as intersecting with the conveying direction of the continuous recording material. For example, there are available a guillotine type cutter and a rotary type cutter.
And, in order to allow the second recording member cutting device 4 to carry out its cutting operation stably, the second recording member cutting device 4 may include a temporary stop mechanism for temporarily stopping the continuous recording material S being conveyed, and may cut the continuous recording material S along such side thereof as intersecting with the conveying direction under the condition that the continuous recording material S is stopped by the temporary stop mechanism.
Here, the cutting operations to be executed by the first and second recording member cutting devices 3 and 4 in the recording member cutting processing apparatus may be carried out, for example, by applying a mark corresponding to an image to the continuous recording material S and detecting the mark, or by using a control signal to be issued from outside the apparatus (e.g., a control signal based on an image signal). However, in order to operate the recording member cutting processing apparatus alone, in an embodiment for cutting the continuous recording material S with a mark applied according to the cutting area RC, there may be further provided a mark detector for detecting the mark of the continuous recording material S, and the first and second recording member cutting devices 3 and 4 may execute their respective cutting operations based on the mark detect information of the continuous recording material S provided by the mark detector.
Also, in order to be able to carry out such cutting operation as can finish properly the entire periphery of finally cut each individual recording member S (cut recording member), the first recording member cutting device 3 may include plural nick cutting mechanisms 1 and area cutting mechanisms 2 respectively existing in a direction intersecting with the conveying direction of the continuous recording material S; the cutting locus of the range of the nick cut by a nick cutting mechanism 1 disposed near to the intersecting direction side edge of the continuous recording material S being conveyed and the cutting locus of the range of the area cut on a straight line by an area cutting mechanism 2 respectively may provide discontinuous loci which are divided halfway toward the recording member conveying direction; and, the cutting locus of the range of a nick cut and formed by the nick cutting mechanism 1 disposed in other portion than the intersecting direction side edge neighboring portion and the cutting locus of the range of the area cut on a straight line by the area cutting mechanism 2 may be continuously connected to each other alternately toward the recording member conveying direction to thereby provide a continuous cutting locus.
Further, when such sides of plural cutting areas RC lined up in the conveying direction of the continuous recording materials S as existing along the recording member conveying direction are arranged to line up on a straight line toward the conveying direction of the continuous recording material S, in order to continuously cut the cutting areas RC along such sides, the area cutting mechanism 2 may be able to cut continuously such sides of the plural cutting areas RC lined up on a straight line along recording member conveying direction with no intervention of the nicks C cut by the nick cutting mechanism 1.
And, when, such sides of plural cutting areas RC lined up in the conveying direction of the continuous recording materials S as existing along the recording member conveying direction are arranged to line up on a straight line from the conveying direction of the continuous recording material most upstream side of the continuous recording materials S to the most downstream side thereof, the area cutting mechanism 2 may be able to cut continuously such sides of the plural cutting areas RC as lined up on a straight line along the recording member conveying direction. By the way, for example, the nick C may also be formed on the most upstream side and the sides of the cutting areas RC may be cut continuously at and from the position of the nick C using the area cutting mechanism 2. Here, the most upstream side of the conveying direction includes the start point of one continuous recording material cutting job, and the most downstream side of the continuous recording material includes the end point of the continuous recording material cutting job.
Alternatively, the recording member cutting processing apparatus may also include an image forming portion for forming an image on the continuous recording material S. In this case, the image forming portion may be structured such that it may form an image on the continuous recording material S on the more upstream side than the first recording member cutting device 3 in the conveying direction of the continuous recording material S. Also, when forming an image in order to provide a well finished cut portion, the image forming portion may be structured such that, excepting image non-forming areas respectively extending over the entire area of the continuous recording material S in the width direction thereof intersecting with the conveying direction thereof, the areas of the continuous recording material S respectively intervening between the mutually adjoining ones of the image non-forming areas in the recording member conveying direction may be used as image forming areas. Here, the expression “over the width direction intersecting at right angles to the recording member conveying direction” contains not only the width direction of the continuous recording material S but also a direction intersecting with the recording member conveying direction so as to be able to apply even to a case where the cutting area RC is formed in a parallelogram. In other words, the image non-forming area may extend over the entire width of the continuous recording material S.
Now, description will be given below in detail of the invention with reference to exemplary embodiments respectively shown in the accompanying drawings.
The continuous recording material S (which may also be hereinafter referred to as a recording member S according to cases) according to the first exemplary embodiment is a roll-shaped recording member 10 wound in a roll-like manner. On the recording member S, there have been previously formed images respectively having different sizes and marks provided in the width direction end portions of the recording member 10 in correspondence to the images. And the continuous recording material S can be conveyed through an idler 11 to the first recording member cutting device 20.
The first recording member cutting device 20 includes plural convey rollers 21 to 23 capable of conveying the continuous recording material S, a laser radiating device 30 functioning as a nick cutting mechanism for forming a nick in the continuous recording material S, a cutting blade device 40 disposed on a downstream side of the laser radiating device 30 and functioning as an area cutting mechanism, and a mark detector 24 disposed on an upstream side of the laser radiating device 30 and facing a recording member convey passage for detecting the mark formed on the continuous recording material S. According to the exemplary embodiment, there are shown the three convey rollers 21 to 23 which are respectively disposed at three portions, however, this is not limitative. In addition, there can also be employed a structure which does not use any convey roller, provided that it is capable of conveying the continuous recording material S. For example, there can also be employed a perforation type structure which conveys a continuous recording material S with a hole opened up in the side edge portion thereof using a tractor or the like.
Here, the laser radiating device 30 has an optical system. And, the optical system includes a laser oscillator 31, an electronic type optical shutter 32 that turns on/off a laser beam emitted from the laser oscillator 31, a reflecting mirror 33 that reflects the laser beam after it has passed through the optical shutter 32, a condensing lens 34 that collects the reflected laser beam, and the like. Also, the laser radiating device 30 further includes: an air nozzle 35 and a suction table 36. The air nozzle 35 is disposed facing a recording member convey passage.
The air nozzle 35 blows off gas components generated by the instantaneous vaporization of the recording member S due to high temperatures when forming a nick in the continuous recording material S, thereby preventing the recording member S and condensing lens 34 against contamination. The suction table 36 is disposed on the opposite side of the recording member convey passage in such a manner that it is opposed to the air nozzle 35 and extends over the entire area of the recording member in the width direction thereof to suck gas components generated in the nick forming operation. That is, using a pump (not shown) or the like, clean air is supplied from the air nozzle 35 to thereby clean the laser radiating device 30 in the recording member cutting operation. The whole of the laser radiating device 30, except for the suction table 36, can be moved in a direction substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction by a motor (not shown) or the like. Also, according to the first exemplary embodiment, since the continuous recording material S is held in a tense state by the convey rollers 22, 23, the focus of the laser beam in the laser radiating device 30 can be set at such height that allows proper formation of a nick in the recording member S.
Also, the cutting blade device 40 includes a cutting blade 41 that has an edge shape in which an edge is provided so as to extend obliquely downward toward downstream with respect to the recording member convey passage, a moving device 42 such as a solenoid that moves the cutting blade 41 in the vertical direction, a cutting table 43 that is disposed on the opposite side of the recording member convey passage and supports the recording member S in contact therewith in the cutting operation, and the like.
Now,
Accordingly, in the first recording member cutting device 20, since the mark of the continuous recording material S is detected by the mark detector 24, according to the thus obtained mark detect information, not only the laser radiating device 30 can form a nick but also the cutting blade device 40 can cut along such side of the continuous recording material S that is in the conveying direction. According to the first exemplary embodiment, there is shown a structure in which the mark detector 24 is disposed upwardly of the recording member convey passage. The reason for employment of this structure is that the mark is formed on the surface side of the roll-shaped recording member 10 wound in a roll manner. For example, suppose that the mark detector 24 is disposed in the vertical direction at a position where it straddles the recording member convey passage, even when a resist mark (which will be discussed later) or the like is formed on the back surface of the recording member, not only the mark detector 24 is able to cope with the resist mark easily but also the freedom of the mark forming surface can be enhanced.
Here, description will be given of the mark. The mark according to the first exemplary embodiment, as shown in
As the mark, besides the above-mentioned cutting information mark, for example, there may be formed at the head position of the continuous recording material S an ID mark which corresponds to the content of a mark to be formed; and, the ID mark may be composed of alphanumeric information and may be read using an OCR. However, normally, there is used the bar code. And, by detecting the bar code using the mark detector 24, cutting information corresponding to an image may be obtained. Also, as the need arises, as a reference for matching the cutting positions, a resist mark may also be formed in combination with the cutting information mark or ID mark, or the cutting information mark or ID mark may also be used in combination with the resist mark.
Alternatively, the detect information obtained by the mark detector 24 may also be processed externally of the recording member cutting processing apparatus. In this case, for example, after the detect information is sent to a print server or an information terminal connected to the recording member cutting processing apparatus, there may be obtained the cutting information from the print server or information terminal and the continuous recording material S may be cut according to the image that is specified by the cutting information.
On the other hand, in the second recording member cutting device 60, as shown in
Here, reference numeral 65 (65a, 65b) designates a temporary stop member which is used to temporarily stop the recording member S when the recording member S is cut by the cross cutters 70. The temporary stop member 65 can be moved in the vertical direction by a solenoid (not shown) or the like. According to the detect information provided from the mark detector 63, the temporary stop member 65 stops temporarily the movement of the recording member S in this position at a given timing, thereby allowing the cutting operation by the cross cutters 70 to be executed properly in the recording member width direction.
In other words, the temporary stop member 65 according to the first exemplary embodiment, as shown in
Also,
Also, reference numeral 67 (67a, 67b) shown in
And, in
Now, description will be given below of the above control system of the recording member cutting processing apparatus with reference to a control block shown in
Firstly, referring to the operation of the recording member cutting processing apparatus, the driving of the convey rollers 21, 22, 23, 61, 62 is controlled.
Also, in the first recording member cutting device 20, not only the driving of the optical shutter 32 that turns on/off a laser beam in the laser radiating device 30 (including the on/off of the laser oscillator 31) but also the width direction movement 102 of the laser radiating device 30 to the nick position are controlled. On the other hand, in the cutting blade device 40, the selection 103 of the cutting blade 41 existing near to the cutting position, the width direction movement of the cutting blade 41 to the cutting position by a support member 44, the vertical motion of the cutting blade 41 by the moving device 42 and the like, are controlled.
Further, in the second recording member cutting device 60, the driving of the two temporary stop members 65a, 65b, the driving of the cross cutters 70a, 70b, the opening and closing of the shutters 67a, 67b and the like, are controlled.
Next, description will be given below of specific flows in the above control system with reference to
When the conveying of the continuous recording material S is started and the mark is detected by the mark detector 24, based on this detect information, the conveying direction and width direction cutting positions for the laser and blade are calculated respectively (Steps S02 to S04).
Next, based on the thus calculated cutting positions, the laser radiating device 30 carries out the following operations. That is, in order to correspond to the calculated cutting positions, the laser radiating device 30 moves to the width direction cutting position where a nick cutting operation is started, and the laser turns on and starts to cut a nick in the recording member S (Steps S11 to S13). In this case, while the time necessary for the output of the laser oscillator 31 to be stabilized is taken into consideration, the laser oscillator 31 is previously turned on.
Since the recording member S, in which a nick cutting operation has been started by the laser, is conveyed as it is, in the recording member S, a nick on a straight line along the conveying direction is formed. Next, it is checked whether the movement of the laser in the width direction is necessary or not. If found necessary, the laser is moved; and, if not, the current position of the laser is kept on (Steps S14, S15). At the then time, when the laser is moved in the width direction, in the recording member S being conveyed, a nick in a direction intersecting with the conveying direction is formed. And, it is checked whether the nick cutting operation reaches a terminating position or not. If it is found that the cutting operation has reached the end position, the laser is turned off; and, if not, the processing goes back to Step S14 (Steps S16, S17).
And, it is checked whether the recording member S to be processed is completed or not. If completed, the processing is ended; and, if not, the processing goes back to Step S11 (Step S18).
On the other hand, based on the cutting position calculated in Step S04, the cutting blade device 40 carries out the following operations. That is, a blade existing near to the cutting position is selected, and a cutting blade 41 selected is moved to the cutting position according to the movement of the support member 44 (Step S21). And, after the cutting blade 41 arrives at the cutting position, it is checked whether it is a cutting start position or not (Step S22). If it is found that it is a cutting start position, the edge of the cutting blade 41 is inserted into the upstream side portion of the nick formed by the laser. That is, when the cutting blade 41 existing at its retreat position is moved downward to its advance position by the moving device 42, the cutting operation by the edge of the cutting blade 41 is started (Step S23). And, this cutting state is kept on up to a cutting end position and, if the cutting operation is completed, the cutting blade 41 is pulled back to its retreat position (Steps S24, S25). Therefore, in the recording member S being conveyed, a cutting locus which exists on a straight line is formed. And, it is checked whether the recording member S to be processed is completed or not. If the recording member S is finished, the cutting operation is ended. And, if not, the processing goes back to Step S21 (Step S26).
Also,
Firstly, in the second recording member cutting device 60, when, with the conveying of the continuous recording material S, the mark is detected by the mark detector 63, the cutting position of the continuous recording material S in the width direction thereof is calculated according to such detect information (Steps S31 to S33). And, it is checked whether the recording member S has arrived at the cutting position or not. If it is found that the recording member S has arrived at the cutting portion, not only the recording member S is caused to stop temporarily but also the cross cutters 70 are turned on to thereby cut the recording member S in the width direction thereof (Steps S34, S35). And, it is checked whether the recording member S to be processed is completed or not. If the recording member S is finished, the cutting operation is ended; and, if not completed, the processing goes back to Step S32 (Step S36).
Next, description will be given below of a specific recording member S cutting operation to be executed in the above-mentioned recording member cutting processing apparatus with reference to typical views of the cutting states of the recording member S respectively shown in
Now, as shown in
The nick C1 existing in the head position of the recording member S is formed by the laser substantially in the middle portion (the position along the width direction) between the two images G1 and G2 along the conveying direction. Such formation of the nick C1 in the head position of the recording member S using the laser provides the following advantage: that is, a well-finished nick C can be formed easily without applying an extra load to the recording member S or without causing inconveniences such as damage in the recording member S due to mechanical impact applied thereto. However, when the nick C is formed using the laser in this manner, the width dimension of the nick C increases by an amount equivalent to the cut loss of the recording member S, thereby causing a so called cutting margin.
Next, the cutting blade (edge) 41 is inserted into the recording member S while matching it to the upstream side of this nick C1 and, as the recording member S is conveyed, the cutting blade 41 is allowed to cut the recording member S on a straight line. In this cutting portion, a cut linear portion L1 which extends parallel to the conveying direction is formed. This cut linear portion L1 does not need a cutting margin, because it is cut simply by the sharp edge of the cutting blade 41 differently from the case using the laser. Also, in the case using the laser, since the recording member S is burnt by the laser, in the cut portion, carbides are produced and thus the cut portion is easy to change in color. However, in the cut linear portion L, such phenomenon never occurs and a well-finished cut surface can be obtained. Further, the cutting edge of the cutting blade 41 can be easily inserted into a nick C having a large width. So, in the cutting starting time, no extra load can be applied to the recording member S.
And, since, in the position where the cut linear portion L1 is completed, there has been previously formed a nick C2 by the laser, the cutting loci of the cut linear portion L1 and nick C2 are alternately connected to each other to thereby provide a continuous locus, which makes it possible to cut and divide the recording member S.
In the nick C2, the laser moves in the width direction after it has started its cutting operation. So, an obliquely extending nick portion is formed in the recording member S. And, when the width direction movement of the laser is caused to stop, the final shape of the nick C2 provides a curved shape. After then, similarly, the cut linear portion L2, nick C3, cut linear portion L3, nick C4 and cut linear portion L4 provide a continuous locus. And the recording member S can be cut and divided with respect to the width direction thereof according to the image G.
Next, as shown in
According to the first exemplary embodiment, there is shown a method of forming an obliquely extending nick using the laser radiating device 30. However, for example, even when the images G formed on the continuous recording material S are lined up, the recording member can be cut using the present recording member cutting processing apparatus. In this case, a nick C to be formed using the laser may have a shape which exists on a straight line along the conveying direction. And, the cutting of the recording member S using the cutting edge may be started at and from the position of this nick C. Also, according to the first exemplary embodiment, a structure for simply moving the cutting blade 41 between the retreat and advance positions is shown. However, it is also possible to employ, for example, a structure in which the cutting blade 41 at the advance position, that is, the cutting blade 41 held in its cutting state can also be further vibrated slightly in the vertical direction. In this case, a load to be applied to the recording member S while it is being cut can also be reduced.
Further, according to the first exemplary embodiment, the mark detector 24 of the first recording member cutting device 20 and the mark detector 63 of the second recording member cutting device 60 may also be disposed downwardly of the recording member convey passage. In this case, the mark forming surface of the roll-shaped recording member 10 wound in a roll-like manner may be matched to these mark detectors. Also, the two mark detectors may also be disposed above and below the recording member convey passage respectively.
According to the first exemplary embodiment, as shown in
Now,
The slitter 80 according to the first exemplary embodiment has a paired structure which is composed of a lower blade 80a to be disposed on the lower side of the paired structure and an upper blade 80b disposed to be disposed on the upper side of the paired structure. These two blades mesh with each other in the cutting area while they are overlapped in part with each other. And, the edge surfaces of these two blades face each other. Thus, the overlapping portion can be used to cut (slit) the recording member S. That is, since the side edge portions of the recording member S, where the marks M are formed, can be cut and separated from the recording member S, the recording members S, which have been cut to individual recording members, can be finished in an excellent cut state with the marks M removed therefrom. Here, the cut trash, which is produced when the recording member S is cut using the slitter 80, can be collected on an upstream of the cross cutters 70 by a collecting mechanism (not shown).
According to the first exemplary embodiment, there is shown a structure in which the slitter 80 is provided in a portion of the second recording member cutting device 60. This structure is employed in order to operate the second recording member cutting device 60 based on the mark M detect information provided by the mark detector 63. For example, when the cutting information to be used in the second recording member cutting device 60 can be obtained from the mark detector 24 (see
Next, description will be given below of a modification of the cutting table 43. The cutting table 43 according to the first exemplary embodiment is structured such that, as shown in
In this manner, according to the first exemplary embodiment, over the entire width direction portion of the recording member S, there exists an area which extends by a length w in the conveying direction and is incapable of supporting the recording member S from the lower surface thereof. This can raise a problem that the recording member S can be deformed downward unnecessarily when it is cut by the cutting blade 41.
In order to solve this problem, as shown in
And, in using such cutting table 43, in the vicinity of the upper surface of the recording member S, a stop member 45 is further provided. The stop member can stop the movement of the recording member S in its floating-up direction caused by the advancing and retreating movements of the cutting blade 41, the cut finishing of the recording member S by the cutting blade 41 can be improved further better.
Next, description will be given below of a modification of a cutting method to be enforced by the cutting blade 41. According to the first exemplary embodiment, there is shown a structure in which, as shown in
In view of the above, the edge of the cutting blade 41 once inserted into the nick C may be moved further. This can wipe away the contamination that has stuck to the edge of the cutting blade 41 in the nick C and thus can eliminate the need to worry about the fear of the contamination sticking to the next cut linear portion L.
Also, as another modification, there can be provided a method shown in
As described above, by controlling the vertical movement of the cutting blade 41 more finely, a further better finished cut surface can be realized.
Now,
Each of the laser radiating devices 30 according to the second exemplary embodiment 2 includes a center laser radiating device 301 movable in a wide range except for the two width direction side edge portions of the continuous recording material S, and two side laser radiating devices 302, 303 respectively disposed in the two width direction side edge portions of the continuous recording material S and movable in the width direction in the vicinity of the side edge portions. And, in order to prevent these laser radiating devices 30 (specifically, 301 to 303) from interfering with each other, for example, from colliding with each other even when they are respectively moved in the width direction, for example, they are disposed shifted from each other in the conveying direction of the recording member S.
Each of cutting blade devices 40, similarly to the laser radiating devices 30, includes a center cutting blade device 401, and two side cutting blade devices 402, 403 respectively disposed in the above-mentioned side edge portions. And, in order to prevent these cutting blade devices 401˜403 from interfering with each other, for example, from colliding with each other even when they are respectively moved in the width direction, for example, they are disposed shifted from each other in the conveying direction of the recording member S.
The thus structured first recording member cutting device 20 may be operated substantially similarly to the first exemplary embodiment. However, since the nicks C and cut linear portions L respectively cut formed by the laser radiating devices 302, 303 and cutting blade devices 402, 403 respectively disposed in the two side edge portions are not required to provide a continuous locus in which they are connected to each other alternately, the nicks C formed by the laser radiating devices 302, 303 in the two side edge portions may be those which are formed on a straight line. That is, when the laser radiating devices 302 and 303 are moved in the width direction, their laser radiating functions may be off.
Here, cut loci, which are formed by the laser radiating device 301 and cutting blade device 401 respectively disposed in the central portion of the recording member S, are connected to each other alternately, while they range in the order of a nick C11, a cut linear portion L11, a nick C12, a cut linear portion L12, a nick C13, a cut linear portion L13, a nick C14, and a cut linear portion L14.
On the other hand, as regards cut loci which are formed by the laser radiating device 302 and cutting blade device 402 respectively disposed in one side edge portion of the recording member S, a cut linear portion L21 extending from a nick C21 on a straight line, a cut linear portion L22 extending from a nick C22, and a cut linear portion L23 extending from a nick C23 are formed in such a manner that they are cut and divided from each other. Also, as regards cut loci which are formed by the laser radiating device 303 and cutting blade device 403 respectively disposed in the other side edge portion of the recording member S, a cut linear portion L31 extending from a nick C31 on a straight line, a cut linear portion L32 extending from a nick C32, and a cut linear portion L33 extending from a nick C33 are formed in such a manner that they are cut and divided from each other. Here, the cut loci respectively formed in these side edge portions are formed inwardly of the marks M.
Thus, after having passed through the first recording member cutting device 20, the recording member S has only been cut and divided into two and the cut loci of the side edge portions thereof have been divided properly. That is, in this stage, the recording member S has not been cut into separate recording members. When such recording member S is cut using the second recording member cutting device 60 (see
In
The image forming unit 200 includes a sensitive member 201 for forming a toner image and holding the same, a transfer device 202 for transferring the toner image formed and held on the sensitive member 201 onto the recording member S, a so called flush fixing device 203 for fixing the toner image transferred onto the recording member S using a lamp light source or the like, convey roller members 204 which are respectively used not only to convey the recording member within the image forming unit 200 but also to convey the fixed recording member S to a device disposed on the downstream side, and the like.
Also, the recording member cutting unit 400 is structured substantially similarly to the recording member cutting processing apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment (see
The processing process to be carried out by the thus structured recording member cutting processing apparatus is as follows.
For example, when print information is input from an input processing device (not shown) into the image forming unit 200, an image forming processing to be executed in the image forming unit 200 is started. At the then time, as an image to be formed on the recording member S, an image having cutting areas respectively different in cutting sizes is formed and, at the same time, a mark containing cutting information corresponding to the image is formed. And, when such image is formed on the sensitive member 201, an image, which has been fixed after it was transferred onto the recording member S, provides, for example, such an image as shown in
And, the recording member S, the conveying speed of which has been controlled by the buffer unit 300, is conveyed to the recording member cutting unit 400, where it is cut and divided to two and is then cut in the width direction thereof; and, recording members S, which respectively have given sheet sizes corresponding to the cutting areas to be cut, are stored into the recording member storage portions 403.
Also, in the image forming unit 200 of the above-structured recording member cutting processing apparatus, in the recording member S, excepting image non-forming areas which respectively extend over the entire areas of the recording member S in the width direction thereof perpendicular to the conveying direction thereof, the areas of the recording member S intervening between the mutually adjoining image non-forming areas along the conveying direction may be used as image forming areas. Owing to this, for example, as shown in
According to the third exemplary embodiment, as the image forming system, there is shown an electro photographic system. However, this is not limitative but, for example, there may also be used an ink jet system.
The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with the various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-196462 | Jul 2007 | JP | national |
