JPH05293794A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] Automatically cuts the appropriate print margins that are incompatible with standard print paper to save the trouble of cutting work after printing. In addition, roll paper is used to cut each printed page to eliminate waste of paper. A print area length on the standard print paper or roll paper and its print area based on the print data of the fixed print paper set in the image forming apparatus and one page of image data or image data printed on the roll paper. A printer controller 3 that calculates an unnecessary area length or a roll paper cutting length based on the total value of the front and rear margins of the length and outputs a paper cutting position signal, and a paper cutter based on the paper cutting position signal. It has a paper cutter position control unit 81 for controlling the position of 10 and a paper cutter for cutting the standard size printing paper or roll paper.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer or a facsimile, and more particularly to cutting of printing paper suitable for a printing area length.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a laser printer prints one page of image data on a standard print sheet, but the size (for example, B5, A4, etc.) of the standard print sheet set in the main body of the laser printer is 1 above. The length does not always match the image data print area length for pages, and if the paper size is erroneously specified, a considerable margin is left if there is a mismatch.

In a facsimile, one page is printed on roll paper and cut by a paper cutter in units of a predetermined length, but it does not always match the print area length of image data. After all, a margin may be left.

[0004]

In the case of the above-mentioned printer, if there is a blank after printing on the standard size printing paper, the user cuts the sheets one by one as necessary, or the printing is bad, but they are used as they are. Further, cutting the above-mentioned paper is troublesome, and reprinting on another standard-sized printing paper of a size suitable for appearance is wasteful of time and paper and is not very economical.

On the other hand, even in the case of a facsimile, there is a problem similar to the above, because the facsimile is cut to a predetermined length regardless of the print area length, and a margin is left in some cases.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention uses a standard printing paper in a printer, and when there is a significant blank portion that is incompatible, cutting is performed by leaving the necessary blank space and cutting after printing. The purpose is to save the trouble of. Another object of the present invention is to eliminate waste of paper by cutting each printed page unit by using roll paper.

[0007]

The first means of the present invention is to:
Standard print paper length data set in the image forming device and 1
Printer control that calculates an unnecessary area length from the image data of pages and the total value of the print area length on the regular print paper and the front and rear margins of the print area length and outputs a paper cutting position signal And a paper cutter position control unit that controls the position of the paper cutter according to the paper cutting position signal, and a paper cutter that cuts the standard print paper.

The second means of the present invention is to roll the image data printed on the roll paper set in the image forming apparatus according to the total value of the print area length and the front and rear margin lengths of the print area length. A printer control unit that calculates a paper cutting length and outputs a paper cutting position signal, a paper cutter position control unit that controls the position of the paper cutter based on the paper cutting position signal, and a paper cutter that cuts the roll paper. Characterize.

[0009]

According to the first means of the present invention, since the front and rear end margin lengths of the standard printing paper are left and the unnecessary area at the rear end is automatically cut, the cutting work after printing is performed. It saves time and the appearance is good, and there is no need for two printing operations.

According to the second means of the present invention,
Since the front and rear margins of the print area are left and the rear end is automatically cut, it is possible to eliminate waste of paper.

[0011]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a control unit of a laser printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS.
2A and 2B are explanatory views of the principle of cutting the standard print paper and the roll paper, respectively, and are the processing contents in the printer control unit of FIG.

The external device (host computer) 1 shown in FIG. 1 sends character code data to the controller 2. The controller 2 converts the character code data transferred from the external device 1 into image data for one page of a fixed size printing paper (hereinafter referred to as recording paper) by the selected character font and sends it to the printer control unit 3. ..

The printer control unit 3 is composed of a microcomputer (CPU), an I / O interface, a memory, etc., and controls the overall operation of the laser printer.
The printer control unit receives commands such as the size of recording paper and single-sided / double-sided printing from the operation panel 4,
The set information of the recording paper P and the roll paper RP is input from the paper feeding device 5. Further, a ROM 6 having a printer operation program built therein and a RAM 7 for carrying out work processing for printing.
Connected with etc. The printer control unit controls the drive control device 8 such as a motor and the image control circuit 9, and the drive control device 8 such as the former motor turns on / off the laser diode of the optical system unit based on the instruction from the CPU 3. The image control circuit 9 of the latter controls CP except for the control.
On / off control of the laser diode is performed according to the written image data based on the instruction from U3.

Although the above is the conventional function, the present invention uses the CP
The drive control device 8 such as the motor is provided with a paper cutter position control unit 81 for controlling the position of the paper cutter 10 based on the paper cutting position signal processed in U3.

FIG. 2 shows the principle of operation of the present invention for cutting the recording paper (P) 14, wherein L is the paper length of the recording paper (P) 14, L ₁ is the print area length, and Y ₁ is Front end margin length, Y ₂ is rear end margin length, Y ₃ is unnecessary area length, Z is paper cutting line, and D
Indicates the width of the recording paper.

The printer controller 3 shown in FIG. 1 receives the data of the paper length L of the recording paper (P) 14 built in the memory according to the paper type command from the operation panel 4 and the recording paper (P) 14 from the paper feeding device 5. On the other hand, the print area length L ₁ is calculated from the image data for one page input from the controller 2 while the setting status of 1 is input. Therefore, C of the printer control unit 3
PU is a front end margin length Y ₁ and a rear end margin from the print area PP in the predetermined traveling direction (arrow A) of the recording paper (P) 14 based on the above paper length L and print area length L _1. Based on the length Y ₂ , the unnecessary area length Y ₃ is calculated by the following formula 1,
A paper cutting position signal for obtaining the paper cutting line Z is output to the paper cutter position control unit 81.

[0017]

[Number 1] _{Y 3 = L- (L 1 +} Y 1 + Y 2) The paper cutter position control unit 81 with respect to the position along the direction of travel of the recording paper of the paper cutter 10 based on the paper cutting position signal, forward or The position is set while the vehicle moves backward or remains fixed, and the paper is cut along the paper cutting line Z.

FIG. 3 shows the principle of operation of the present invention for cutting the roll paper (RP) 26. In the figure, L ₀ is the cut length of the roll paper, D ₀ is the width of the roll paper, and L ₁ , Y ₁ and Y ₂ are the same as those in FIG. 2, but Y ₁ indicates the front end roll paper cutting line Z ₁ and Y ₂ indicates the rear end roll paper cutting line Z ₂ .

The printer control unit 3 of FIG. 1 receives the fact that it is the roll paper (RP) 26 according to the paper type command from the operation panel 4 and the setting status of the roll paper (RP) from the paper feeding device 5, while it is the controller. The print area length L ₁ is calculated from the image data for one page input from 2. Therefore, the CPU of the printer control unit 3 causes the print area length L ₁
Based on the predetermined direction of roll paper (A arrow)
Based on the front end margin length Y ₁ and the rear end margin length Y ₂ from the print area RPP, the paper position cutting signal for obtaining the roll paper cutting lines Z ₁ and Z ₂ is calculated by the following formula (2). Output to the cutter position control unit 81.

[0020]

[Formula 2] L ₀ = L ₁ + Y ₁ + Y ₂ Then, the paper cutter position control unit 81 moves the position of the paper cutter 10 to the forward or backward direction or the fixed direction with respect to the moving direction of the roll paper on the basis of the paper position cutting signal. Set the position as it is, and cut along the paper cutting line Z ₂ . It is obvious that the paper cutting line Z ₂ at this time becomes the paper cutting line Z ₁ formed by the front end margin length Y ₁ for the next printing area.

Next, FIG. 4 shows a concrete example of the configuration of the laser printer based on the operation principle of FIG. In FIG.
11 is a laser printer main body, 12 and 13 are upper and lower paper cassettes on which recording paper (P) 14 is set, 15 and 16 are paper feed rollers A and B, 17 is a conveyance roller A, 18 is a registration roller, Reference numeral 19 denotes a photoconductor, around which a transfer device 20, a cleaning device 21, a charging device 22, and a developing device 23 are arranged.
Reference numeral 24 is a fixing device, and 25 is an optical unit having a laser diode.

In this configuration, in addition to the above, the paper cutter 10 shown in FIG. 1 is arranged between the conveying roller A17 and the registration roller 18, and the recording paper (P) 14 is moved in the traveling direction (arrow a) and its reverse direction. It is possible to move to (b arrow).

Next, the operation will be described. The recording paper (P) 14 is conveyed from the paper feed cassette 12 or 13 by the paper feed roller A15 or B16 and the conveyance roller A17, passes through the conveyance roller A17, and is recorded on the registration roller 18. When the leading edge of the paper (P) 14 reaches, the conveyance is temporarily stopped by the drive control device 8 such as a motor as in the conventional case.

Here, the CPU of the printer control unit 3 calculates the unnecessary area length Y ₃ from the paper type of the recording paper (P) 14 according to the equation (1), and outputs the paper cutting position signal to the paper cutter position control unit. The data is output to 81, the position of the paper cutter 10 is moved or fixed in the direction of arrow a or b, and the distance is adjusted, and then the recording paper (P) 14 is cut along the paper cutting line Z.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, the recording paper (P) 14 has a print area (PP) having proper margin lengths Y ₁ and Y ₂ at the front and rear edges and no unnecessary area length Y _3. Printing is performed on the upper surface by an electrophotographic process means such as the photoconductor 19.

If the unnecessary area length Y _{3 of} the recording paper is small and the paper cutter 10 cannot move to the paper cutting line Z even if it moves in the direction of the arrow a between the conveying roller A17 and the registration roller 18, The registration roller 18 is the recording paper (P) 14
The paper cutter 10 cuts the paper cutting line Z
After being positioned at, the conveyance by the drive control device 8 such as a motor may be stopped and cut.

Next, examples of specific configurations of the laser printer based on the operation principle of FIG. 3 are shown in FIGS.
The same parts as those in FIG. 4 are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 5 shows a case where a roll paper (RP) 26 is used in place of the recording paper (P) 14 shown in FIG.
The position of 10 is arranged between the transport roller A17 and the registration roller 18 as in FIG. 4, and the roll paper (RP) 26 is moved in the traveling direction (a).
It is possible to move in the arrow) and the opposite direction (b arrow).

Next, the operation will be described. The roll paper (RP) 26 is transported by the transport roller A17, passes through the transport roller A17, and when the leading end of the roll paper (RP) 26 reaches the registration roller 18, the motor or the like is driven. The control device 8 temporarily stops the conveyance.

Here, the CPU of the printer control unit 3 calculates the roll paper cutting length L ₀ by the equation 2 and outputs a paper cutting position signal to the paper cutter position control unit 81.
Move the position of the paper cutter 10 in the direction of arrow a or b or keep it fixed to adjust the distance, then roll paper.
(RP) 26 is cut along the trailing edge roll paper cutting line Z ₂ .

As a result, as shown in FIG. 3, the electrophotographic image of the photoconductor 19 or the like is formed on the roll paper (RP) 26 having the print areas (RPP) having the proper margin lengths Y ₁ and Y ₂ at the front and rear ends. It is printed by the process means. As compared with the standard print paper such as the recording paper (P) 14 of FIG. 4, the paper utilization rate is good because there is no unnecessary area Y ₃ . And it is suitable for printing a long sentence (draft) of A3 size or more.

FIG. 6 shows a case where a plurality of roll papers (RP) shown in FIG. 5 are used. In the illustrated example, two roll papers 26-1 and 26-2 are shown. This is performed by the transport roller B27 and the transport roller C28 individually via the transport roller A17 and the registration roller 18 respectively.
Be transported to. Here, the paper cutter 10 is used to cut two roll papers, and the arrangement and operation thereof are the same as those in FIG. 5, but since a plurality of roll papers are used, one of the roll papers is cut once by the paper cutter. When the roll paper is cut at 10, the roll paper is rewound, and the drive control device 8 such as a motor is controlled by the CPU of the printer control unit 3 so that the end surface of the cut roll paper is returned to the transport roller B27 or C28 side rather than the transport roller A17. Controlled by.

FIG. 7 shows a case where the roll papers (RP) 26-1 and 26-2 of FIG. 6 are individually provided with the paper cutters 10-1 and 10-2, respectively. Instead of such a transport roller A17, a transport roller B27 and a transport roller C28 are used, and rewinding after cutting the roll paper as shown in FIG. 6 is unnecessary.

Next, another concrete configuration example of the laser printer based on the operation principle of FIG. 3 different from that shown in FIG. 5 to FIG. 7 is shown in FIG. 8 to FIG. Although the same reference numerals are given and the description thereof is omitted, the point basically different from the specific example is that the roll paper 26 is cut at a fixed position without moving the paper cutter 10.

FIG. 8 shows a case where a plurality of roll papers (RP) are used, and in the illustrated example, two roll papers 26-1 and 26-2 are shown. This is because when using a plurality of roll papers, the paper cutter 10 is fixed at a position where each roll paper projects into the conveying path so that the paper cutter 10 does not move and cut to other roll papers.

For this reason, when the roll paper is cut into short pieces, the leading edge of the roll paper may not reach the registration roller 18-1. Therefore, another front registration roller 18-2 is provided downstream of the paper cutter 10. It is arranged so that it can be cut short.

In this case, compared with the linear velocity around the photosensitive member, the photosensitive member 19, the fixing device 24, and the registration roller 18-1, the registration roller 18-2 before the paper feeding and conveyance, the conveyance roller B27, and the conveyance roller C28. When the linear velocity is increased, the roll paper is bent between the registration roller 18-1 and the front registration roller 18-2.

Due to the occurrence of this deflection, it is not necessary to stop the conveyance around the photoconductor even if the conveyance of the paper feed portion is temporarily stopped to cut the roll paper. Continuous printing with almost no paper gap is possible at the surrounding linear speed.

FIG. 9 shows a case where the paper cutter 10-3 performs continuous printing in which both blades can be cut in both the upper and lower directions. The roller A29 is provided on the upper and downstream sides of the paper cutter 10-3.
A roller B30 and a roller C31 are arranged.

In the case of continuous printing, the roll paper 26-1 (or 26-2) is not cut by the paper cutter 10-3 and the photoconductor 19 is cut.
The fixing device 24 prints by electrophotographic process means such as
The paper is fixed by, and conveyed to the paper cutter 10-3 by the rollers A29 and B30, and then sequentially cut along the paper cutting line Z ₂ .
In this case, since continuous printing is performed without stopping the conveyance of the roll paper, it is possible to considerably shorten the time when a large amount of continuous printing is performed.

In the paper cutter 10-3, when cutting, it is necessary to stop the conveyance of the roll paper. At this time, the drive control device 8 such as a motor stops and cuts the rollers B30 and C31. The other transport roller B27 (or C28) and roller A29 continue to operate. Therefore, the slack of the roll paper occurs between the roller A29 and the roller B30 due to the difference in the conveyance, but the slack allows the continuous printing roll paper to be cut up to the fixing without any trouble at the same time.

FIG. 10 shows a case where the roll paper is cut using a laser cutter 32 instead of the above-mentioned paper cutter 10, which is the case where the laser printer shown in FIG. 8 is used.

A laser beam is applied across the roll paper,
The roll paper can be cut almost instantaneously by changing the angle of the laser light source with respect to the roll paper so that the roll paper can be cut almost instantaneously and printing can be performed quickly without leaving a space between the paper. In the above case, the laser cutter 32 is not moved directly from end to end with respect to the roll paper, but rather the roll paper is moving during conveyance, so that the cut surface is strictly inclined. Therefore, as described above, the path of the laser beam is slanted according to the transport speed of the roll paper, and as a result, the cut surface of the roll paper is a straight line.

[0044]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, since the front and rear end margin lengths of the standard printing paper are left and the unnecessary area at the rear end is automatically cut off, after printing No need to cut twice, and the appearance is good, so there is no need for two printing operations.

Further, according to the second aspect of the invention, since the front and rear margins of the print area length are left and the rear end is automatically cut, waste of paper can be eliminated.

Further, by changing the linear velocity around the photosensitive member and the linear velocity of the paper feeding / conveying portion, it is possible to continuously convey the paper around the photosensitive member and to enable continuous printing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a control unit of a laser printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation principle diagram of the present invention for cutting a standard print sheet.

FIG. 3 is an operation principle diagram of the present invention for cutting a roll paper.

FIG. 4 is a specific configuration diagram of a laser printer based on the operation principle of FIG.

5 is a specific configuration diagram of a laser printer of a first example based on the operation principle of FIG.

6 is a specific configuration diagram of a laser printer of a second example based on the operation principle of FIG.

7 is a specific configuration diagram of a laser printer of a third example based on the operation principle of FIG.

8 is a specific configuration diagram of a laser printer of a fourth example based on the operation principle of FIG.

9 is a specific configuration diagram of a laser printer of a fifth example based on the operation principle of FIG.

10 is a specific configuration diagram of a laser printer of a sixth example based on the operation principle of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... External device (host computer), 2 ... Controller, 3 ... Printer control unit (CPU), 4 ... Operation panel, 5 ... Paper feeding device, 6 ... ROM, 7 ... RA
M, 8 ... Drive control device for motor, 81 ... Paper cutter position control unit, 9 ... Image control circuit, 10, 10-1,
10-2, 10-3 ... Paper cutter, 11 ... Laser printer main body, 12, 13 ... Upper and lower paper feeding cassettes, 14 ... Standard printing paper, 15, 16 ... Paper feeding rollers A, B, 17 ... Conveying rollers A, 18 ... Registration roller, 18-1 ... Front registration roller, 19 ... Photoconductor, 20 ... Transfer device, 21 Cleaning device, 22 ... Charging device, 23 ... Developing device, 24 ... Fixing device, 25 ... Optical unit, 26 , 26-1, 26-2 ... Roll paper,
27, 28 ... Conveying rollers B, C, 29, 30, 31 ... Rollers A, B, C, 32 ... Laser cutter.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A standard print paper length data set in an image forming apparatus and image data for one page are used to determine a print area length on the standard print paper and front and rear margin lengths of the print area length. A printer control unit that calculates the unnecessary area length based on the total value and outputs a paper cutting position signal, a paper cutter position control unit that controls the position of the paper cutter by the paper cutting position signal, and a paper that cuts the standard print paper. An image forming apparatus having a cutter. 2. A roll paper cutting length is calculated from the image data printed on the roll paper set in the image forming apparatus by the sum of the print area length and the front and rear margin widths of the print area length. An image forming apparatus comprising: a printer control unit that outputs a cutting position signal; a paper cutter position control unit that controls the position of a paper cutter based on the paper cutting position signal; and a paper cutter that cuts the roll paper.