JPH061017A - Ink jet recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To miniaturize the device small and reduce the cost thereof by reducing a inslallation space for a cutter and simplifying the constitution of the cutter itself. CONSTITUTION:A rolled recording paper 11 is cut by fixing a disk cutter unit 30 integrally with an ink jet print head 20 on a movable scanning stand 21 for main scanning, operating the cutter unit 30 every time completing one page printing onto the rolled recording paper 11 and moving the movable scanning stand 21 for the purpose of main scanning.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus using a roll recording sheet as a recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A recording apparatus using a roll-shaped recording paper as a recording medium has conventionally been constructed as follows. FIG. 8 shows an apparatus shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,270 as an example. In the figure, the roll-shaped recording paper 12 pulled out from the recording paper roll 120.
1 is guided by a guide roller 122 to be guided to a recording portion including an electrostatic recording head 123 and a platen roller 124, where an electrostatic latent image is first formed. The roll-shaped recording paper 121 on which the electrostatic latent image is formed is color-developed by one of the developing head groups 125 to 128, and then conveyed by the conveying roller 129 and the pinch roller 130. Winding device 14
It is temporarily wound to 0. When the image formation of the first color is completed, the roll-shaped recording paper 121 is pulled back to the start position, and subsequently the same operation as the image formation operation of the first color is repeated to form the second and subsequent images. Be done. Then, when the image formation of the final color is completed, the roll-shaped recording paper 121 is guided by the guide 152 and guided to the auto cutter 150. Auto cutter 150
Is a rotary cutter 1 that combines a fixed blade and a rotary blade.
51, and a disk cutter 153 composed of a disk-shaped blade that rotates at a high speed. The roll-shaped recording paper 121 is cut by the cutters 151 and 153 in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction, respectively.

[0003]

As described above, in the conventional recording apparatus using the roll-shaped recording paper, the auto cutter 150 is generally provided on the downstream side of the image forming section for performing development, independently of the image forming section. And the roll-shaped recording paper 121 on which the image formation is completed is cut by the auto cutter 150. For this reason, it is necessary to provide a portion for installing the auto cutter 150 separately from the image forming unit in the apparatus, resulting in an increase in size and cost of the apparatus.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to reduce the installation space of the cutter and simplify the structure of the cutter itself, thereby making the device compact and low in cost. It is an object of the present invention to provide an inkjet recording apparatus that can achieve

[0005]

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a sheet conveying means for conveying a recording sheet rewound from a recording sheet roll to a printing position by an inkjet print head, an inkjet print head, and the above. In a recording apparatus including a recording sheet and a main scanning unit that relatively moves the recording sheet in the width direction of the recording sheet, a sheet cutting blade is provided so as to be movable in the width direction of the recording sheet by the main scanning unit. When the recording sheet is cut, the sheet cutting blade is moved relative to the recording sheet by driving and controlling the main scanning means to cut the recording sheet.

That is, the present invention is a recording apparatus that employs an inkjet printing system as an image forming system, and is already provided for moving a sheet cutting blade in the main scanning direction relative to the recording sheet. The main scanning means is provided.

[0007]

As a result, according to the present invention, since the sheet cutting blade is provided in the existing main scanning means, the cutter is substantially accommodated in the image forming section. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a space for installing the cutter in the apparatus separately from the image forming unit, and the apparatus can be downsized. Further, since the mechanism for moving the sheet cutting blade in the width direction of the recording sheet can be eliminated, the cutter can be simplified and downsized, and the number of parts can be reduced, thereby simplifying and downsizing the device. Can achieve lower prices.

[0008]

【Example】

 (First embodiment)

FIG. 1 shows the construction of an ink jet recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and 10 is a recording paper roll. The roll-shaped recording paper 11 pulled out from the recording paper roll 10 is guided to the conveying roller 14 and the pinch roller 15 via the guide roller 12,
These rollers 14 and 15 sandwich and convey them. The transport roller 14 is driven by a sub-scanning motor 16 which is a step motor.

A suction device 13 is provided between the guide roller 12 and the conveying roller 14 at a position on the back side of the roll-shaped recording paper 11. The suction device 13 has a hollow box body 13a having a flat front surface that contacts the back surface of the roll-shaped recording paper 11, and a plurality of suction holes 13b are discretely provided on the front surface side of the box body 13a. Has been. Further, an opening 13c is provided on the back side of the box body 13a, and a fan 13d is installed at the rear position thereof. The fan 13d has a box body 13a through the opening 13c.
The air inside is exhausted, and the air is further sucked through the plurality of suction holes 13b to cause a suction action on the front surface portion of the box body 13a, thereby attracting the roll-shaped recording paper 11 to the front surface side of the box body 13a. It is a thing.

An ink jet print head 20 is arranged at a position facing the printing surface of the roll-shaped recording paper 11. The inkjet print head 20 is mounted and fixed on a movable scanning table 21, and the movable scanning table 21 is axially mounted on a pair of guide rails 22 via a slide bearing 23 so as to be slidable. A wire 26 is fixed to the movable scanning table 21 using a wire hook 24. The wire 26 is stretched between a pulley 25 mounted on the drive shaft of the main scanning motor 27 and a pulley (not shown) paired with the pulley 25 to rotate the main scanning motor 27. To the moving scanning table 21 to move the inkjet print head 20 in the main scanning direction. A step motor is used as the main scanning motor 27, for example. The inkjet print head 20 is composed of, for example, an on-demand type multi-nozzle inkjet print head, and instantly vaporizes the ink solvent by the heat generated by the deformation of the piezo-vibrator by the image signal pulse or the energization of the heating element. To eject ink.

By the way, the main scanning movable scanning table 21 is used.
The disk cutter unit 30 is integrally fixed to the disk cutter unit 30. That is, a support column 31 is provided on the lower surface of the movable scanning table 21, and an arm 32 is pivotally attached to the lower end of the support column 31 by using a step screw 33. This arm 32 has a V shape as shown in FIG.
A cutter table 35 is attached to the tip portion thereof. A disc cutter 36 is attached to the upper end of the shaft of the cutter base 35, and a pulley 3 is attached to the lower end of the shaft via a bearing 34.
7 is pivoted. On the other hand, a cutter motor 40 is fixed to the base end portion of the V-shaped arm 32, and a pulley 38 is attached to the rotary shaft of the cutter motor 40. A belt 39 is stretched between the pulley 38 on the cutter motor 40 side and the pulley 37 on the cutter 36 side, and the rotational force of the cutter motor 40 is transmitted to the disc cutter 36 via the belt 39. . A solenoid 41 is fixed to the lower surface of the movable scanning table 21, and an actuator 42 is attached to the solenoid 41. The tip of this actuator 42 is
It is connected to a pin 43 provided upright on the base end of the arm 32. The actuator 42 is a solenoid 41
The arm 32 is rotated by a certain angle as shown in FIG. That is, the arm 32 and the mechanism including the solenoid 41, the actuator 42, and the pin 43 constitute a mechanism for advancing and retracting the disc cutter 36 with respect to the roll-shaped recording paper 1l.

Further, the ink jet recording apparatus of this embodiment includes a central control circuit 50 as a control and drive circuit system,
Print image signal circuit 51 and print head driver 5
2, a main scanning motor driver 53, a sub scanning motor driver 54, a cutter motor driver 55, and a solenoid driver 56.

The print image signal circuit 51 has an image memory for printing. For example, image data input from a personal computer or a word processor, coordinates of an effective print area input and designated by a coordinate designating circuit (not shown), and a print head. Based on the main-scannable range of 20 and the sub-scannable range of the roll-shaped recording paper 11, the images are developed and rearranged on the image memory and converted into image signals for printing. Then, the image signal for printing is sequentially read out for each nozzle of the inkjet print head 20 and supplied to the print head driver 52. The print head driver 52 converts the image signal for printing supplied from the print image signal circuit 51 into a signal having a waveform suitable for driving the head and supplies the signal to the inkjet print head 20, whereby the inkjet print head 20 is attached. Energize.

The main scan motor driver 53 drives the main scan motor 27 to move the ink jet print head 20 in the main scan. The sub-scanning motor driver 54 drives the sub-scanning motor 16 in synchronism with the driving of the main scanning motor 27, thereby rotating the transport roller 14 and transporting the roll-shaped recording paper 11. The cutter motor driver 55 drives the cutter motor 40 to rotate the disc cutter 36 when the rolled recording paper 11 is cut. The solenoid driver 56 urges the solenoid 41 to rotate the arm 32 when the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is cut, thereby bringing the disc cutter 36 into contact with the roll-shaped recording paper 11.

The central control circuit 50 is composed of, for example, a microcomputer, and supplies a control signal to each of the above drivers, so that the main scanning of the print head 20 and the roll-shaped recording paper 11 are performed in accordance with the content of the image signal for printing. A series of operations relating to the sub-scanning and the cutting of the roll-shaped recording paper 11 are comprehensively controlled.

Next, the operation of the apparatus configured as described above will be described. When image data is transferred from a host device (not shown) such as a personal computer or a word processor, this image data is input to the print image signal circuit 51, where it is developed into a print image signal and rearranged. Then, when the rearrangement of the print image signals is completed,
In accordance with an instruction from the central control circuit 50, the print image signals are sequentially read from the print image signal circuit 51, for example, for every several lines and input to the print head driver 52. Then, the print image signal is converted into a drive pulse by the print head driver 52 and supplied to each nozzle of the inkjet print head 20, whereby ink ejection is started from each nozzle.

At this time, in conjunction with the reading operation of the print image signal, the central control circuit 50 supplies drive instructions to the main scanning motor driver 53 and the sub scanning motor driver 54, respectively. Therefore, the main scanning motor 27 and the sub-scanning motor 16 operate, respectively, whereby the main scanning of the inkjet print head 20 and the sub-scanning of the roll-shaped recording paper 11 are started.
In this way, an ink image corresponding to the printing image signal is formed in the effective print area of the roll-shaped recording paper 11.

When the printing operation for one page is completed, the central control circuit 50 causes the roll-shaped recording paper 1
The disconnection control of 1 is executed. That is, when the main scanning of the last line is completed, the movable scanning table 21 returns to the initial position, and the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is sent to the cutting position by the sub-scanning motor 16, the cutter is first fed at timing tc1 as shown in FIG. A drive instruction is output to the motor driver 55 to operate the cutter motor 40. As a result, the disc cutter 36 starts rotating at a high speed. In addition, a drive instruction is output to the solenoid driver 56 to cause the solenoid 4
Energize 1. Therefore, the actuator 42 operates and the arm 32 moves from the position shown in "a" in FIG. 2 to "b".
Is rotated as indicated by the arrow to the position shown by the two-dot chain line, whereby the disc cutter 36 is moved to a position where the rolled recording paper 11 can be cut.

Next, the central control circuit 50 determines the timing tc.
In step 2, a drive instruction is given to the main scanning motor driver 53, whereby the main scanning motor 27 is rotated and the movable scanning base 21 is moved in the main scanning direction. Here, the disc cutter unit 30 is integrally fixed to the movable scanning table 21 as described above. Therefore, the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is cut by the disk cutter 36 by the main scanning movement of the movable scanning table 21. At this time, the roll-shaped recording paper 11 tries to escape toward the back side by coming into contact with the disc cutter 36. However, since the guide 17 is disposed on the back side of the recording paper cutting position,
The escape of the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is suppressed by this guide 17, and as a result, the recording paper is stably cut.

When the disconnection is completed, timing t
At c3, the central control circuit 50 gives a drive stop instruction to the cutter motor driver 56 and the solenoid driver 56. Therefore, the rotation of the disc cutter 36 is stopped, the urging of the solenoid 41 is released, and the arm 32 returns from the position "b" to the position "a" in FIG.
As a result, the disc cutter 36 is retracted to a position where it does not contact the rolled recording paper 11. Finally, a return instruction is given from the central control circuit 50 to the main scanning motor driver 53, whereby the movable scanning table 21 returns to the initial position.

As described above, in this embodiment, the disk cutter unit 30 is integrally fixed to the moving scanning table 21 for main scanning together with the ink jet print head 20, and one page of the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is fixed. Each time the printing is completed, the cutter unit 30 is operated and the movable scanning table 21 is moved in the main scanning direction to cut the roll-shaped recording paper 11. For this reason,
The moving mechanism of the cutter is shared with the moving scanning table 21 for the main scanning, which makes it possible to reduce the size, weight and cost of the cutter. Further, since the disc cutter unit 30 is housed in the dead space of the inkjet printing unit, it is not necessary to separately provide a space for housing the cutter. Therefore, the size of the device can be reduced in combination with the size reduction of the cutter itself. (Second Embodiment) In this embodiment, the moving speed of the moving scanning base 21 when cutting the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is set to be slower than the main scanning speed at the time of printing.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a driving method of each motor for realizing this embodiment. When the main scanning of the last line is completed, the movable scanning table 21 returns to the initial position, and the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is sent to the cutting position by the sub-scanning motor 16, the central control circuit 50 causes the cutter motor driver 55 and the solenoid driver. A drive instruction is supplied to each 56. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the cutter motor 40 operates to start the rotation of the disc cutter 36, and the solenoid driver 56 energizes the solenoid 41 to allow the disc cutter 36 to cut the roll-shaped recording paper 11. Move to position. Then, the central control circuit 50 gives the main scanning motor driver 53 a drive instruction for moving the movable scanning base 21 at a speed lower than the main scanning speed. Therefore, the main scanning motor driver 53 causes the main scanning motor 27 to rotate at a low speed as shown in FIG. 4, whereby the moving scanning table 21 moves in the main scanning direction at a speed lower than the main scanning speed at the time of printing.

As a result, according to this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. That is, in a recording apparatus using, for example, an on-demand multi-nozzle type head as an inkjet print head, high-speed printing is generally possible, and the main scanning speed at the time of printing is several tens to several hundred cm / se.
It also becomes c. In order to cut the roll-shaped recording paper 11 with high quality while moving the movable scanning table 21 at this speed, it is necessary to rotate the disc cutter 36 at an extremely high speed, which makes the cutter motor 40 large and Cutter unit 3
This leads to the increase in the strength of the structure of No. 0, which is a major obstacle in realizing the reduction in size and weight of the device and the reduction in price.

On the other hand, like the apparatus of this embodiment, when the moving speed of the moving scanning base 21 when cutting the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is set to be slower than the main scanning speed at the time of printing, The cutting of the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is performed over time, which causes the disc cutter 36 to cut.
The rotation speed of the cutter motor 40 can be reduced.
Further, it is easy to reduce the size and weight of the cutter unit 30, and further to reduce the size and weight of the device. (Third embodiment)

In the present embodiment, a movable scanning base on which the ink jet print head is mounted and fixed and a movable base on which the cutter unit is fixed are prepared, and these movable scanning base and movable base are respectively moved to a common guide rail. Support as much as possible. Then, during printing, only the moving scanning table is moved, and during cutting, the moving table is connected to the moving scanning table to move the cutter unit, thereby cutting the recording paper.

FIG. 5 shows the structure of the main part of the recording apparatus according to this embodiment. The same parts as those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals. On the guide rail 22 of the movable scanning base 21 on which the inkjet print head 20 is mounted and fixed, the movable base 70 for the cutter unit is slide bearing 71.
It is slidably supported by. The moving scanning table 21 and the moving table 70 are provided with a coupler 73 that is detachably attached to each other. The coupler 73 is provided with a hook and a hook receiver that are detached from each other by, for example, a solenoid, and the detachment operation is performed by a signal supplied from a coupler driver (not shown).

A crank-shaped support arm 72 is fixed to the lower surface of the movable table 70, and the rotary blade 61 of the cutter unit 60 is attached to the tip of the support arm 72.
Has been attached. The cutter unit 60 includes a rotary blade portion 61 and a fixed blade 64 fixed to a device casing (not shown).
Composed of and. The rotary blade portion 61 has a bearing receiver 6
It has a shaft which is rotatably supported by 2, and a rotary blade 63 and a pulley 66 are mounted on the shaft by means of step screws 67. The guide rail 22 is attached to the pulley 66.
One end of the wire 65 stretched along the wire 6 is wound around the wire 65.
The pulley 66 is rotated by 5, so that the rotary blade 63 is rotated.

With such a structure, the movable table 70 is separated from the movable scanning table 21 at the time of printing and is arranged at a position where it does not contact the roll-shaped recording paper 11. Then, when the printing operation for one page is completed and the cutting position of the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is sent to the position of the fixed blade 64 by the transport roller 14, the coupler 73 operates according to the instruction of the central control circuit. As a result, the movable table 70 is connected to the movable scanning table 21. That is, the movable table 70 is in a state of being movable integrally with the movable scanning table 21. In this state, when the main scanning motor 27 operates in accordance with the driving instruction of the central control circuit, the moving table 70 moves together with the moving table 21 on the guide rail 22, whereby the rotary blade portion 61 of the cutter unit 60 rolls the recording paper roll. The movement starts in the width direction of 11. Further, when the moving table 70 moves, the wire 65
The pulley 66 rotates by being pulled by, and the rotary blade 63 rotates accordingly. Therefore, the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is cut by the fixed blade 64 and the rotating blade 63 that rotates. At this time, since the diameter of the pulley 66 is set smaller than the diameter of the rotary blade 63, even if the moving speed of the moving table 70 is not so high, the orbital speed of the tip portion of the rotary blade 63 is high, Thus, the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is surely cut.

As described above, in this embodiment, the cutter unit 60 moves only when cutting. Therefore, the weight load of the main scanning motor 27 at the time of printing is reduced, so that even a low torque motor can perform stable main scanning movement at high speed. Further, since the rotary blade 63 rotates according to the movement of the movable table 70,
The cutter motor can be dispensed with, which allows the cutter unit to be simple and inexpensive. (Fourth embodiment)

In this embodiment, in addition to the structure described in the first embodiment, a buffer mechanism 80 for the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is provided between the recording paper roll 10 and the ink jet printing section.
Is provided.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the configuration of an ink jet recording apparatus having the buffer mechanism 80. In the figure, the same parts as those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted. Buffer mechanism 80
Has an arm 81 pivotally attached to a shaft 82, and the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is provided at the tip of this arm 81.
A loop roller 85 for hanging is attached rotatably. In addition, a spring 8 is provided in the middle of the arm 81.
One end of 3 is locked, and the arm 81 is always biased in the direction of arrow A in the figure by the pulling action of this spring 83. A sensor 84 is arranged at the rotation position of the arm 81. The sensor 84 detects that the arm 81 has been pulled by the spring 83 and rotated by a predetermined amount, and supplies the detection signal to the central control circuit 50. Further, the drive shaft of the roll paper feed motor 86 is connected to the shaft that supports the paper core of the recording paper roll 10. The roll paper feed motor 86 is driven by the roll paper feed motor driver 57. In addition, 87,
Reference numeral 88 denotes a guide roller and a pinch roller, which are driven to rotate as the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is conveyed.

Next, the operation of the apparatus configured as described above will be described. First, when initially setting the roll-shaped recording paper 11, the roll-shaped recording paper 11 pulled out from the recording paper roll 10 is hooked on the loop roller 85 as shown in the figure, and then passed between the guide roller 87 and the pinch roller 88. After that, the ink is passed through the inkjet printing section and guided to the conveying roller 14 and the pinch roller 15. Then, the leading end of the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is made to bite between the transport roller 14 and the pinch roller 15.

When the printing operation is started in this initial set state, the movable scanning table 21 reciprocates under the control of the central control circuit 50 'to perform the main scanning, and the main scanning turn-back pause period. Central control circuit 5 for each
According to the control of 0 ', the transport roller 14 is rotated stepwise, whereby the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is sub-scanned.

During this printing operation, the recording paper buffer mechanism 80 operates as follows. That is, when a drive instruction is supplied from the central control circuit 50 to the roll paper feed motor driver 57, the roll paper feed motor 86 is driven to rotate the recording paper roll 10 in the forward direction, whereby the rolled recording paper 11 is generated. Sent out. Then, the arm 81 rotates in the direction of arrow A according to the amount of the roll-shaped recording paper 11 delivered, and when the amount of rotation reaches a predetermined amount, the sensor 84 outputs a detection signal. Therefore, the central control circuit 50 'outputs a stop instruction to the roll paper feed motor driver 57, whereby the delivery of the roll-shaped recording paper 11 from the recording paper roll 10 is stopped. When the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is fed by a predetermined amount by the sub-scanning, the arm 81 is rotated and separated from the sensor 84, and as a result, the detection signal is cut off. Therefore, the central control circuit 50 '
The drive instruction is supplied again from the roll paper feed motor driver 57, whereby the roll recording paper 11 is fed out by the roll paper feed motor 86. Similarly thereafter, depending on whether or not the detection signal is output by the sensor 84,
The roll-shaped recording paper 11 is intermittently fed.

As described above, in the apparatus according to the present embodiment, the buffer mechanism 80 always stores the buffer loop of the roll-shaped recording paper 11 of a constant length during the printing operation. Therefore, the load applied to the sub-scanning motor 16 when the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is conveyed in the sub-scanning is the contact resistance to the loop roller 85, the guide roller 87, and the pinch roller 88, and the resistance due to the suction force of the suction device 13. As a result, the sub-scanning conveyance operation of the roll-shaped recording paper 11 by the sub-scanning motor 16 is stably performed with a low load.

By the way, in the apparatus which does not have the buffer mechanism 80, the sub-scanning motor 16 has the recording paper roll 1
The load when pulling out the roll-shaped recording paper 11 from 0 is added as it is. Here, in general, the recording paper roll 10
Is very heavy, a very large inertial load is applied to the sub-scanning motor 16, which makes stable sub-scanning conveyance difficult. Further, in order to overcome this inertial load, a step motor or a servo motor having a large torque must be prepared. This is very undesirable because it causes the size of the device to increase and the cost to increase. (Fifth embodiment)

This embodiment is provided with means for setting the buffer loop amount of the recording paper to zero by the buffer mechanism in order to ensure the initial setting of the recording paper before printing.
When the recording sheet is initially set, the buffer loop amount of the recording sheet is once set to zero by this means, and the buffer mechanism is made to function after the initial setting is completed.

That is, the central control circuit 50 ', as shown in FIG. 7, in the initial setting period X1, first, with the roll paper feed motor 86 stopped, the sub-scanning motor 1
6 is continuously operated for a certain period of time T, whereby the slack of the roll-shaped recording paper 11 on the recording paper conveyance path is removed. Then, the rolled recording paper 11 is transported until the transport roller 14 slips. As a result, the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is pulled out from the recording paper roll 10 in the right angle direction on the recording paper conveyance path. Next, the central control circuit 50 'stops the rotational drive of the sub-scanning motor 16,
Instead, the roll paper feed motor 86 is rotated to form a buffer loop of the roll-shaped recording paper 11 by the buffer mechanism 80. Then, the loop gradually becomes larger, and when the detection signal is output from the sensor 84, the operation of the roll paper feed motor 86 is stopped. Thus, the operation for initially setting the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is completed.

Next, during X2 during the printing operation,
The central control circuit 50 'causes the sub-scanning motor 16 to rotate stepwise in synchronization with each of the timings t1 to t7 at which each main scanning ends, so that the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is fed in the sub-scanning direction. If the arm position detection sensor 84 has a hysteresis characteristic, the sensor 84 is turned off after several sub-scan feeds, and therefore the roll paper feed motor 86 is rotated in response to the detection signal. When the buffer loop amount of the roll-shaped recording paper 11 reaches a predetermined length, the sensor 84 is turned on again, and the central control circuit 50 'which receives the detection signal thereof.
Stops the rotation of the roll paper feed motor 86. As described above, the buffer loop amount of the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is maintained at a predetermined length during the printing period, although there is a variation within the range of the hysteresis characteristic of the sensor 84. As a result, the sub-scanning motor 16 and the recording paper roll 10 are mechanically separated from each other, so that the conveying force of the sub-scanning motor 16 is not transmitted to the recording paper roll 10.

According to this structure, the posture of the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is corrected by the forced pulling operation of the roll-shaped recording paper 11 during the initial setting period of the recording paper, that is, the print preparation period X1. As a result, skew of the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is prevented. Therefore, stable recording paper feeding can always be carried out, and high-quality printing can be realized.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, the positions where the cutter unit and the transport roller are arranged are such that the cutting position of the cutter with respect to the recording paper is
It may be relatively set so as to be on the upstream side of the holding position of the recording paper by the conveying roller and the pinch roller. According to this structure, the recording paper is fixedly held by the conveyance roller and the pinch roller, and is cut by the cutter. For this reason, the problem that the cutting position is displaced during cutting is reduced, and thereby more stable and high-quality cutting is possible.

When the moving load of the movable scanning table at the time of cutting is large, an auxiliary motor may be provided separately from the main scanning motor to move the movable scanning table. By shifting the gear ratio during cutting, the moving scanning table may be moved with low torque during cutting. Further, the cutting operation of the roll-shaped recording paper 11 may be performed in parallel with the image printing operation of the next page.

In the fifth embodiment, the case where the initial setting operation of the roll-shaped recording paper 11 is performed in the preparation period immediately before the start of printing has been described. However, the initial setting operation is performed when the recording paper roll 10 is replaced. Alternatively, when the power of the apparatus is turned on, it may be executed each time the printing operation for a preset number of pages is completed. Furthermore, in the above initial setting operation,
The operation for temporarily setting the buffer loop amount of the roll-shaped recording paper 11 to zero may be performed by stopping the transport roller 14 and reversing the roll paper feed motor 86. In this case, the leading end of the roll-shaped recording paper 11 may be detected because the leading end of the roll-shaped recording paper 11 may come out of the nip between the transport roller 14 and the pinch roller 15 due to the reverse rotation of the roll-paper feed motor 86. A sensor for doing so may be provided on the downstream side of the transport roller 14, and the reverse rotation of the roll paper feed motor 86 may be controlled in accordance with the detection signal of this sensor.

Other than the above, the type and structure of the print head, the structure of the recording sheet conveying means, the structure of the main scanning means, the mounting position of the cutter unit with respect to the main scanning means, the structure of the cutter unit itself, etc. depart from the scope of the present invention. Various modifications can be implemented within the range not to do.

[0046]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the sheet conveying means for conveying the recording sheet rewound from the recording sheet roll to the printing position by the ink jet print head, the ink jet print head and the recording sheet are provided. In a recording apparatus having a main scanning means for relatively performing main scanning movement in the width direction of the recording sheet, a sheet cutting blade is provided so as to be movable in the width direction of the recording sheet by the main scanning means to cut the recording sheet. At this time, the main scanning means is drive-controlled to move the sheet cutting blade relative to the recording sheet to cut the recording sheet.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the installation space of the cutter and simplify the structure of the cutter itself, thereby providing an ink jet recording apparatus capable of downsizing and cost reduction of the apparatus. You can

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the arm of the disc cutter unit in the device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a timing diagram for explaining the operation of the device shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a timing chart for explaining the operation of the inkjet recording apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. .

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of essential parts of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ink jet recording apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a timing chart used for explaining the operation of the inkjet recording apparatus according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a configuration of a recording apparatus using a conventional roll-shaped recording paper.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Recording paper roll 11 ... Roll recording paper 12, 87 ... Guide roller 13 ... Suction device 14 ... Conveying roller 15, 88 ... Pinch roller 16 ... Sub-scanning motor 20 ... Inkjet print head 21 ... Moving scanning table 22 ... Guide rail 23, 71 ... Slide bearing 24 ... Wire hook 25, 37, 38, 66 ... Pulley 26, 65 ... Wire 27 ... Main scanning motor 30 ... Disc cutter unit 31 ... Support column 32 ... Arm 33 ... Step screw 34 ... Bearing 35 ... Cutter stand 36 ... Disc cutter 39 ... Belt 40 ... Cutter motor 41 ... Solenoid 42 ... Actuator 43 ... Pins 50, 50 '... Central control circuit 51 ... Print image signal circuit 52 ... Print head driver 53 ... Main scanning motor driver 54 ... Sub Scan motor driver 55 ... Cutter Data driver 56 ... Solenoid triber 57 ... Roll paper feed motor driver 60 ... Cutter unit 61 ... Rotating blade portion 62 ... Bearing receiving 63 ... Rotating blade 64 ... Fixed blade 70 ... Moving base 72 ... Support arm 73 ... Coupler 80 ... Buffer mechanism 81 ... Arm 82 ... Shaft 83 ... Spring 84 ... Sensor 85 ... Loop roller 86 ... Roll paper feed motor

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an inkjet recording apparatus using a roll-shaped recording sheet as a recording medium, a recording sheet conveying means for conveying a recording sheet rewound from a recording sheet roll, and the recording sheet conveying means conveys the recording sheet. An ink jet print head arranged opposite to the recording surface of the recording sheet; a main scanning means for relatively moving the ink jet print head and the recording sheet in the width direction of the recording sheet; A sheet cutting blade movably provided in the width direction of the recording sheet by means, and the main scanning means for cutting the recording sheet by moving the sheet cutting blade relative to the recording sheet when cutting the recording sheet. An inkjet recording apparatus comprising: a disconnection control unit that drives and controls the recording medium.