JPH07246747A - Printer carriage reset method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Object] The present invention relates to a carriage reset method for a printer, and an object thereof is to perform carriage reset in a short time. The reset processing unit 2 moves the carriage 9 in a predetermined direction in order to reset the position of the carriage 9 that holds the print head 10, and then detects the presence or absence of a reset error. The reset processing unit 2 has a predetermined force that causes the carriage 9 to move in the previous movement direction when the movement speed of the carriage 9 moving in the predetermined direction for resetting changes greatly. After applying the first force having the magnitude of, a second force having the same direction as the first force but larger than the first force is applied, and the second force is applied, whereby the position of the carriage 9 is changed. In that case, a reset error will occur.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer carriage reset system, and more particularly to a printer carriage reset system capable of resetting the position of a carriage having a print head mounted thereon in a short time.

When the power of the printer is turned on, it is unknown where the carriage carrying the print head is located.
It is necessary to reset the position before starting printing. At the time of reset, the carriage is normally moved to the left and reset by being brought into contact with the inner wall of the left frame of the printer.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a conventional technique and shows a conventional reset error detection method for a carriage.

When the movement of the carriage to the left side in the frame direction is started for resetting the carriage, it is monitored in a constant cycle whether or not the fluctuation (deceleration) of the movement speed of the carriage is large (S101).

If the fluctuation is large, it is determined that the carriage has reached the frame and decelerated (stopped), and a constant force in the same direction as the moving direction is applied to the carriage and pressed against the frame (S102). As a result, the amount of movement of the carriage slightly to the right from the frame due to the recoil of the collision with the frame is corrected, and the carriage is brought into contact with the frame.

Next, the position of the carriage is reset by resetting the contents of the position counter indicating the position (coordinates) of the carriage (S103). This completes the reset of the carriage, that is, the reset of the physical position of the carriage itself (S102) and the reset of the position signal indicating the logical position of the carriage in the printer as an electric signal (S103).

Next, the presence or absence of an error in the above reset processing is checked. This is for the following reason. That is, in S101, the carriage may be greatly decelerated and stopped due to a paper jam (paper jam). In this case, the stop position of the carriage itself is not the position in contact with the frame. That is, it is not actually reset. On the other hand, the contents of the position counter have been reset.
For this reason, the actual position of the carriage (print head) and the position signal in the printer deviate, and the subsequent printing deviates from the desired printing position.

Therefore, in order to detect the above reset error, the carriage is moved to the opposite (right) end of the frame (S104). That is, the carriage is moved from the left end to the right end (full width) of the frame, in other words, the entire movable range (full span) of the carriage at one time.

Next, it is checked whether or not the carriage has stopped abnormally (S105). When the carriage is stopped due to a paper jam in S101, if the carriage is moved by the full width of the frame in S104, the carriage always collides with the right end of the frame during the movement and stops without moving for the entire range. That is, the position counter is stopped before the content of the position counter reaches a predetermined value, which is an abnormal stop. Therefore, in the case of abnormal stop, a reset error is detected. On the other hand, when the carriage comes into contact with the left end of the frame and stops at S102, the carriage moves over the entire width of the frame and stops at S104. Therefore, since it stops normally, no reset error is detected.

[0010]

According to the above-mentioned prior art, in order to detect a reset error, it is necessary to move the entire movable range (the entire width of the frame) of the carriage after resetting the carriage.

For this reason, since it is necessary to move the carriage over the entire width of the frame, it takes a long time to detect a reset error, and thus it takes a long time to reset the carriage.

Further, since the carriage collides with the frame at a relatively high speed in S104, the frame may be deformed to some extent. Note that S1
The collision between the carriage and the frame at 01 is premised on the collision, and therefore the moving speed of the carriage is not so high. Therefore, it is not necessary to consider the deformation of the frame due to the collision. On the other hand, the movement speed of the carriage is set relatively high on the assumption that the collision between the carriage and the frame in S104 is not supposed to occur and because it is necessary to shorten the reset error detection time. Therefore, the deformation of the frame due to the collision becomes a problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a carriage reset system for a printer which can reset the position of the carriage in a short time. Further, the present invention is
It is an object of the present invention to provide a carriage reset method for a printer that can detect a carriage position reset error in a short time.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a carriage reset method for a printer which eliminates the deformation of the frame due to the collision with the carriage.

[0015]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the principle of the present invention, showing a printer according to the present invention. This printer carries out a reset process by moving the carriage 9 holding a print head 10 and a carriage 9 in a predetermined direction in order to reset the position of the carriage 9, and then performs a reset error detection process for detecting the presence or absence of a reset error. And a reset processing unit 2 for performing.

In the first reset error detection processing, the reset processing unit 2 detects the movement of the carriage 9 moving in the predetermined direction for resetting in the predetermined moving direction when the movement speed of the carriage 9 is large. To the first force of a predetermined magnitude, and then a second force in the same direction as the first force but larger than the first force is applied, and the second force is applied. If the position of the carriage 9 changes due to the addition, a reset error occurs.

In addition to the carriage 9 and the reset processing unit 2, this printer also includes a table 3 for storing a moving speed change model of the carriage 9 at the time of reset. In the second reset error detection process, the reset processing unit 2 stores the change in the moving speed of the carriage 9 moving in the predetermined direction for resetting, and when the change in the moving speed of the carriage 9 is large. , The large change and the moving speed change model stored in Table 3 are compared, and if they are substantially different, a reset error is determined.

[0018]

According to the present invention, in the first reset error detection process after the reset process, when the carriage 9 is stopped by the paper jam, the carriage 9 is driven again with a larger force. As a result, the carriage 9 moves.
Therefore, it is possible to detect that the carriage 9 has not reached the frame due to the movement of the carriage 9, that is, the occurrence of the reset error.

At this time, the moving distance of the carriage 9 for detecting the reset error is "0" when there is no reset error. Therefore, the error detection process ends immediately. On the other hand, according to the conventional technique, when there is no reset error, the carriage 9 moves over the entire width of the frame,
It takes a few seconds. If there is a reset error, it can be immediately known that the reset error has occurred if the carriage 9 moves even a little. Therefore, the error detection processing time is short. On the other hand, according to the conventional technique, it takes time for the carriage 9 to move over the entire width of the frame. From the above, the time for detecting the reset error can be extremely shortened.

Further, according to the present invention, the carriage 9 does not collide with the frame while moving at high speed. Therefore,
Deformation of the frame due to collision does not pose a problem. On the other hand, in the second reset error detection process after the reset process, when the carriage 9 stops due to a paper jam, the change in the moving speed changes when the carriage 9 comes into contact with the left end of the frame and stops normally. Is very different from. Therefore, the change in the moving speed when stopped normally (without reset error) is shown in Table 3 as a moving speed change model.
Stored in advance. When the carriage 9 is stopped, the reset error can be detected by comparing the change in the moving speed at that time with the model in the table 3.

At this time, the time required for the error detection processing is extremely short. On the other hand, according to the conventional technique, as described above, it takes time for the carriage 9 to move the entire width of the frame. Therefore, the time for detecting the reset error can be extremely shortened. In this case, the carriage 9
Does not collide with the frame.

[0022]

FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are schematic diagrams of an embodiment. FIG. 2 shows a device configuration in the vicinity of the carriage 9 of the printer of this embodiment. FIG. 3 shows the hardware configuration of the printer of this embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the embodiment and shows a moving speed change model of the carriage 9 and the like. Embodiments will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

First, the reset and reset error of the carriage 9 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the print head 10 is mounted on the carriage 9. Carriage 9
Attached to its belt 20. By driving the belt 20 in the left-right direction (perpendicular to the paper feeding direction) in the figure by the carriage driving means 8, the carriage 9 is moved in that direction.

The frame 19 is a frame body of the printer and is made of, for example, plastic. As shown in the figure, a part of the frame 19 is opened in a rectangular shape. The range of movement of the carriage 9 is limited by the left end 19A of the opening of the frame 19 on the left and by the right end 19B of the opening of the frame 19 on the right.

When a new printing process is started, the position of the carriage 9 cannot be specified differently each time because the position of the carriage 9 is, for example, the position where the printing was completed in the immediately preceding printing process. Therefore, the position of the carriage 9 is reset to a predetermined position.

The reset position of the carriage 9 is the frame 1
9A is the left end 19A. That is, when the printing process is newly started, the carriage 9 is brought into contact with the left end 19A of the frame 19. As a result, the position of the carriage 9 is uniquely determined. Since the reset position is the left end 19A of the frame 19, the carriage 9 is always moved to the left in the drawing during the reset process.

On the other hand, at the time of this reset processing, the paper is already supplied under the print head 10 by the paper advance processing. Therefore, for the reset process, the carriage 9
While the paper is moving to the left in the figure, the paper may be caught on the print head 10 for some reason and a paper jam may occur. In this case, the carriage 9 decelerates and stops before reaching the left end 19A of the frame 19 which is the reset position, resulting in a reset error. The cause of the reset error is not limited to this.

Next, the configuration of the printer of this embodiment will be described mainly with reference to FIGS. Processor 1
Is composed of a CPU (central processing unit) 12, a RAM (random access memory) 13 and a ROM (read only memory) 14. The RAM 13 and the ROM 14 form a memory that constitutes the processing device 1. The processing device 1 includes a reset processing unit 2 and a table 3.

The reset processing section 2 is composed of a CPU, which is a program existing in the ROM 14 for performing reset processing and reset error detection processing. The reset processing unit 2 performs a reset process of moving the carriage 9 in a predetermined direction (the left end 19A direction of the frame 19) in order to reset the position of the carriage 9, and a reset error detection process of subsequently detecting the presence or absence of a reset error. Run. The reset error detection process in the present embodiment includes a first or second reset error detection process described later, and either one of the processes is selectively executed.

The table 3 is provided in the RAM 13,
A moving speed change model of the carriage 9 during the reset process is stored. Table 3 is used in the second reset error detection process. Therefore, when only the first reset error detection process is executed, the table 3 is omitted. The moving speed change model is a model describing a change in moving speed when the carriage 9 is normally reset.

The reset processing section 2 drives the carriage driving means 8 via the control circuit 4 and the driving circuit 7 in order to execute the reset processing and the error detection processing. As a result, the carriage 9 carrying the print head 10 is driven via the belt 20.

The carriage driving means 8 comprises a motor (CR motor). This motor is, for example, a pulse motor in order to accurately control the position of the print head 10 in minute units. As a result, the positions of the carriage 9 and the print head 10 can be accurately controlled by the number of pulses applied to the pulse motor. Note that, in FIG. 2, for convenience, the motor and the carriage 9 are integrated (motor &
It is shown as a carriage 18).

The drive circuit 7 is composed of a motor driver 16, forms a pulse signal to be applied to the pulse motor which is the carriage drive means 8, and applies this to the pulse motor. This pulse signal is based on a control signal supplied from the reset processing unit 2 via the control circuit 4 to the drive circuit 7
Form.

On the other hand, speed detecting means 11 is attached to the pulse motor which is the carriage driving means 8. The speed detecting means 11 comprises an encoder 17. The encoder 17 which is the speed detecting means 11 is provided to obtain a signal (pulse signal) for knowing the actual rotation amount of the pulse motor which is the carriage driving means 8. The encoder 17 sends one pulse in response to the rotation of the pulse motor by a certain angle. That is, the number of pulses corresponding to the rotation amount of the pulse motor is sent to the control circuit 4. Therefore, the rotation amount of the pulse motor, that is, the movement amount of the carriage 9 can be obtained from the number of this pulse, and the rotation speed of the pulse motor, that is, the movement velocity of the carriage 9 can be obtained from the interval of the sending time of this pulse.

The control circuit 4 is, for example, a control LSI 15
The control signal from the reset processing unit 2 is sent to the drive circuit 7, and the moving amount, that is, the position (coordinates) and the moving speed of the carriage 9 is obtained based on the pulse from the speed detecting unit 11. For this purpose, the control circuit 4 comprises a position storage means 5 and a cycle storage means 6.

The position storing means 5 sequentially stores the logical position of the carriage 9 according to its movement, and is composed of, for example, a counter (hereinafter referred to as a position counter). The position counter, which is the position storing means 5, is an up / down counter and counts the number of pulses from the encoder 17. When the carriage 9 moves to the left in the figure, it counts down, and when it moves to the right, it counts up. For example, a predetermined number of pulses corresponds to one dot of the print head 10.

When the pulse motor is rotated to drive the carriage 9, a number of pulses corresponding to the amount of rotation of the pulse motor is transmitted, and the pulses are sequentially counted by the position counter.
Therefore, the position counter always represents the latest position of the carriage 9. The signal indicating this position is a logical signal for treating the position of the carriage 9 as a signal in the printer.

The cycle storing means 6 stores the moving speed of the carriage 9 successively, and for example, a counter (hereinafter,
Cycle counter). The period counter counts the time interval between each pulse from the encoder 17. For this purpose, the cycle storing means 6 is provided with a pulse generating circuit for periodically generating pulses with a time interval sufficiently shorter than the pulse from the encoder 17.

The cycle counter takes in both the pulse from the encoder 17 and the pulse from the pulse generating circuit. The cycle counter is reset by the pulse from the encoder 17, and at the same time, starts counting the pulse from the pulse generating circuit. Then, the cycle counter is reset by the next pulse from the encoder 17 and outputs the contents of the counter at this time.

Therefore, the cycle counter is the encoder 17
Represents the time interval from the immediately preceding pulse.
A large count value means that the time interval is long and the moving speed is slow, and a small count value means that the time interval is short and the moving speed is fast.

The output of the cycle counter is the reset processing unit 2
And is stored in a register, for example. The contents of the register are used to determine whether or not the fluctuation of the moving speed of the carriage 9 is large. Therefore, the size of the register (the number of stages) is set to a size large enough to judge the magnitude of the fluctuation of the moving speed (for example, a size capable of holding the outputs of several cycle counters) and managed by the FIFO method. , Holds the latest multiple cycle counter outputs.

When a print processing instruction is input from an input device (not shown), the reset processing section 2 executes the reset processing as follows prior to the print processing. First, a control signal is sent to the drive circuit 7 to drive the pulse motor that is the carriage drive means 8. As a result, the carriage 9 moves to the left in FIG. 2 (toward the left end 19A of the frame 19). The moving speed at this time is such that even if the carriage 9 collides with the frame 19, there is not much impact. Further, a pulse corresponding to the driving amount of the carriage driving means 8 is output from the encoder 17 which is the speed detecting means 11. The position storage means 5 sequentially updates (counts down) the logical position of the carriage 9 in response to the pulse from the encoder 17, and the cycle storage means 6 outputs the sequential movement speed.

In this state, the moving speed of the carriage 9 is monitored. Specifically, the contents of the register (hereinafter, FIFO register) managed by the above-mentioned FIFO method that takes in the output of the cycle counter of the cycle storing means 6 is monitored.

Then, for example, when the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value (or the difference between the oldest value and the newest value) in the FIFO register becomes larger than a predetermined value, a change in the moving speed is made. Is judged to be large. In addition, FIF
When the latest input value to the O register (latest output of the cycle counter) is “0”, it may be determined that the change in the moving speed is large. Therefore, in this specification, the case where the change of the moving speed is large means that the moving speed changes to a predetermined value or more within a predetermined period, or the moving speed (FIFO).
The latest input to the register) is "0".

When the change in the moving speed is large, the physical position and the logical position of the carriage 9 are reset. First,
A force that causes the carriage 9 to move in the same direction as the moving direction up to that point and has a predetermined magnitude (hereinafter referred to as a first force). This is performed by supplying a control signal to the drive circuit 7 to drive the carriage drive means 8. The magnitude of the driving force depends on the carriage driving means 8
Is determined by the magnitude of the current applied to the pulse motor. The driving force in this case is, for example, approximately the same as the force when the carriage 9 is moved toward the left end 19A of the frame 19 in the reset process.

As a result, even if the carriage 9 comes into contact with the left end 19A of the frame 19 and moves a little to the right in FIG. 2 due to the repulsion, the carriage 9 is gently pressed against the left end 19A of the frame 19 again. Therefore, the carriage 9 is surely brought into contact with the left end 19A of the frame 19,
Its physical position is reset.

On the other hand, the content of the position counter of the position storing means 5 which indicates the logical position of the carriage 9 is reset to a predetermined value. As a result, the logical position of the carriage 9 is reset.

The value after the reset may be "0", but in this embodiment, it is a predetermined value (a positive integer). This is to prevent the content of the position counter from becoming "0" or negative when the carriage 9 further moves to the left in FIG. 2 due to a reset error in the reset error detection processing described later.

Now, with reference to FIG. 4, a change in the moving speed of the carriage 9 during the reset process will be described.
FIG. 4A shows a case where the carriage 9 is normally reset, and FIG. 4B shows a case where the carriage 9 is stopped due to a paper jam. Note that FIG. 4C shows a case where the carriage 9 is normally traveling.

In FIG. 4 (A), the carriage 9 is accelerated to a moving speed v _R at reset with a certain constant acceleration (inclination θ) and moves at a constant speed. Then, when reaching the reset position (the left end 19A of the frame 19), the speed becomes "0" almost instantaneously (the inclination is vertical).

In FIG. 4B, when a paper jam occurs while the carriage 9 is moving at a constant speed v _R , the carriage 9 spends a sufficiently long time t and is gradually and irregularly decelerated.
Finally, the speed becomes "0". In this case, the carriage 9
Has not reached the reset position.

In FIG. 4C, the carriage 9 is accelerated to a predetermined moving speed v at a certain constant acceleration (tilt θ), runs at a constant speed v, and has the same negative acceleration (tilt θ) as during acceleration. ) Decelerates and stops.

As can be seen from the above, the change in the moving speed of the carriage 9 is normally reset (see FIG. 4).
(A)) and when stopped due to paper jam (Fig. 4 (B))
But it's big enough (it changes from v _R to “0”),
Can be easily detected.

After the reset processing, the reset processing unit 2 subsequently executes the first or second reset error detection processing. Therefore, the reset processing unit 2 has a function of executing either the first or the second reset error detection processing. It is also possible to provide a function of executing both the first and second reset error detection processes, and to select and execute either one of the processes by an operator's input from the outside.

The reset processing unit 2 executes the first reset error detection processing as follows. As described above, in the reset process, the first force is applied to the carriage 9 to reset the physical position of the carriage 9, and thereafter, the content of the position counter of the position storage means 5 is reset to cause the carriage 9 to move. The logical position has been reset.

If the carriage 9 is normally reset, the carriage 9 is in contact with the left end 19A of the frame 19. Further, the content of the position counter of the position storage means 5 is set to a predetermined value by the reset regardless of whether the carriage 9 is normally reset.

Therefore, as reset error detection processing,
First, the contents of the position counter of the position storing means 5 after reset are taken out and stored as the reset position. This reset position is used as a reference value in determination for reset error detection.

Then, a force in the same direction as the first force (in the left end 19A direction of the frame 19) but larger than the first force (hereinafter, second force) is applied to the carriage 9. At the time of resetting, if the carriage 9 is stopped due to a paper jam, the carriage 9 can be driven by a force (second force) in the same direction that is sufficiently larger than the force (first force) at the time of stop. 9 moves again. On the other hand, if the carriage 9 is normally reset and stopped, the second
Even if the carriage 9 is driven by the force of
The carriage 9 does not move due to the presence of. Therefore, a reset error can be detected by checking whether or not the carriage 9 has moved again.

Since the magnitude of the second force is determined by the magnitude of the current applied to the pulse motor which is the carriage driving means 8, a larger current than that when the first force is applied is applied to the pulse motor. The magnitude of the second force can be obtained empirically because it is a force that causes the carriage 9 stopped by the paper jam to move again.

Since it suffices to detect whether or not the carriage 9 is re-moved, it is sufficient that the distance for moving the carriage 9 is short. Therefore, the time during which the drive signal is supplied to the pulse motor that is the carriage driving means 8 in order to apply the second force to the carriage 9 is set to a predetermined short time. As a result, the carriage 9
It is possible to prevent the carriage 9 from colliding with the left end 19A of the frame 19 at a high speed even if the carriage moves again.

As described above, the content of the position counter of the position storing means 5 changes sequentially as the carriage 9 moves. Therefore, whether or not the carriage 9 is re-moved can be easily known by examining the contents of the position counter of the position storage means 5. Therefore, the contents of the position counter of the position storing means 5 after applying the second force are taken out and stored as the position for reset error detection.

Next, in order to check whether or not the carriage 9 is re-moved, the reset position, which is the reference value, is compared with the reset error detecting position after the second force is applied. As a result of the comparison, if the two are different, a reset error is generated. That is, since the carriage 9 is moved again by applying the second force, the carriage 9 moves to the frame 19
It was not abutting against the paper, but was stopped due to a paper jam. Therefore, since the position of the carriage 9 is not at the reset position, a reset error is displayed.

As a result of the comparison, if they are the same, it is determined that there is no reset error, and the reset process is normally terminated. That is, since the carriage 9 does not move even when the second force is applied, the carriage 9 is not
It was in contact with 9. Therefore, since the position of the carriage 9 is at the reset position, the process ends normally.

Separately from the above, the reset processing unit 2 executes the second reset error detection processing as follows. As described above, in the reset process, the physical position of the carriage 9 is reset by applying the first force to the carriage 9. On the other hand, at this point, the position storage means 5
The position counter content of is an arbitrary value and has not been reset.

For the second reset error detection processing,
Table 3 described above is used. The table 3 stores a moving speed change model of the carriage 9. The moving speed change model has a waveform (pattern) of the moving speed change as shown in FIG. Therefore, the moving speed change model is a waveform of the moving speed change when the carriage 9 is normally reset in the reset process.

Here, referring again to FIG. 4, the change in movement speed when the carriage 9 is normally reset in the reset process (FIG. 4A) is the movement when the carriage 9 is stopped due to a paper jam. Change in speed (Fig. 4
(B)) and the change in the moving speed in the case of the stop after the normal movement (FIG. 4C) are clearly different and can be easily identified. That is, in the case of FIG. 4 (A), the moving speed becomes “0” almost instantaneously, whereas in the case of FIG. 4 (B), the moving speed is slowly and irregularly decelerated by spending a sufficiently long time t. In the case of FIG. 4C, it is decelerated at a certain acceleration (inclination θ) and then stopped.

Therefore, the movement speed changes when the carriage 9 is normally reset in the reset process (see FIG. 4).
(A)) is stored in Table 3 as a moving speed change model. This moving speed change model is used as a reference waveform (pattern) in determination for reset error detection. By comparing the moving speed change model and the waveform (pattern) of the change in the actual moving speed when the moving speed change of the carriage 9 is large, it can be known whether or not the carriage 9 is normally reset.

As the reset error detection process, first, the change in the moving speed of the carriage 9 moving in a predetermined direction (left direction in FIG. 2) is stored. Actually, the change in the moving speed of the carriage 9 is obtained as the output of the cycle counter of the cycle storing means 6 in the reset processing,
Since it is stored in the O register, it is used as it is. When the change in the moving speed is large, the above-mentioned F
The contents of the IFO register are taken out and stored as a waveform (hereinafter, detection pattern) of the change in the moving speed when the change in the moving speed is large.

Next, the detection pattern and the moving speed change model stored in Table 3 are compared. At the time of reset, if the carriage 9 is stopped due to a paper jam, the detection pattern when stopped is as shown in FIG. 4B, which is different from the moving speed change model. On the other hand, if the carriage 9 is normally reset and stopped, the detection pattern when stopped is as shown in FIG. 4A, which is the same as the moving speed change model. Therefore, a reset error can be detected.

In this comparison, when the difference between the detection pattern and the moving speed change model is not so large, they are substantially equal. That is, FIG. 4 (A)
4 (B) and the slope of the change in the moving speed at
4 (C) and is significantly different (the degree of change is significantly different). Therefore, even if the detection pattern has a certain degree of inclination (for example, several degrees in the case shown in FIG. 4), it does not matter even if it is substantially equal to the moving speed change model. The range allowed to be substantially equal to the moving speed change model is set in advance to a predetermined range.

Further, what is necessary for this comparison is FIG.
Of these, it is a shaded region, that is, a value (change pattern) of the moving speed for a certain period of time before and after the moving speed rapidly changes to “0”. Therefore, the table 3 actually stores only the shaded area in FIG. 4A as the moving speed change model. The contents of the FIFO register described above
It is made to correspond to the moving speed change model, and the value of the moving speed for a certain period of time before and after the rapid change of the moving speed is stored.

As a result of the comparison, if they are different from each other, a reset error is generated. That is, since the detection pattern of the carriage 9 is different from the moving speed change model, the carriage 9 is not in contact with the frame 19 but is stopped by the paper jam. Therefore, since the position of the carriage 9 is not at the reset position,
Display a reset error.

Further, as a result of the comparison, when both are substantially equal, it is assumed that there is no reset error, and the contents of the position counter of the position storing means 5 which has not been executed first (the logical position of the carriage 9). Reset. As a result, the value of the position counter is set to a predetermined value.

Since the reset of the logical position is also completed, the reset process is normally completed. That is, since the detection pattern for the carriage 9 is substantially equal to the moving speed change model,
Was in contact with. Therefore, since the position of the carriage 9 is at the reset position, the process ends normally.

In the second reset error detection process described above, the contents of the position counter of the position storage means 5 (logical position of the carriage 9) are used for error detection as in the first reset error detection process. Performs reset error detection without resetting the logical location, as it is not required. Therefore, when a reset error has occurred, the time until the reset error is detected can be shortened by the amount that the resetting of the logical position of the carriage 9 is omitted.

Further, in the second reset error detection processing, it is necessary that the physical position of the carriage 9 is reset by the application of the first force for error detection as in the first reset error detection processing. Absent. So, further,
In the second reset error detection process, the reset error may be detected without resetting the physical position by the first force. As a result, when a reset error has occurred, the resetting of the physical position of the carriage 9 is omitted, and the time until the reset error is detected can be further shortened.

FIG. 5 shows a reset processing flow including the first reset error processing. When the print processing instruction is input, the reset processing unit 2 executes the following processing prior to the print processing.

First, for resetting, the movement of the carriage 9 in a predetermined direction at a predetermined speed, that is, in the left end side 19A direction of the frame 19 is started (S1). Then, it is periodically monitored whether or not the change in the moving speed of the carriage 9 is larger than a predetermined value (S2).

When the change in the moving speed of the moving carriage 9 is larger than a predetermined value, the first moving speed is set for the carriage 9.
Is applied, and the carriage 9 is pressed with a constant force in the moving direction up to then (in the left end 19A direction of the frame 19) (S3). Accordingly, when the carriage 9 reaches the left end 19A of the frame 19 and stops, the physical position of the carriage 9 itself is correctly reset.

Next, after applying the first force, the contents of the position storing means 5 (in the position register) are reset, and the contents after reset are taken out as the reset position (S).
4). Thereby, when the carriage 9 reaches the left end 19A of the frame 19 and stops, the logical position of the carriage 9 is correctly reset.

Next, a second force is applied to the carriage 9, and the contents of the position storing means 5 after applying the second force are taken out as a reset error detecting position (S5). Then, the reset position and the reset error detection position are compared (S6).

As a result of this comparison, if both are the same, the process ends normally (S7), and if they are different, a reset error occurs (S8). FIG. 6 shows a reset processing flow including the second reset error processing.

First, as in the case of FIG. 5, S1 to S3
To execute. This causes the carriage 9 to move to the frame 19
When the carriage reaches the left end 19A of the
The physical position of itself is correctly reset.

Next, when the change in the moving speed is large, the large change (detection pattern) is compared with the moving speed change model stored in the table 3 (S9). When both are substantially equal, the contents of the position storage means 5 are reset (S10), and the process ends normally (S11). This allows
When the carriage 9 reaches the left end 19A of the frame 19 and stops, the logical position of the carriage 9 is correctly reset.

If the two are substantially different, a reset error is determined (S12).

[0086]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When resetting the carriage of the printer, when the carriage that was moving for resetting stops, pressing the carriage again with a larger force causes the carriage to move in the case of a reset error due to a paper jam, etc. In addition, it is possible to detect in an extremely short time, and it is possible to prevent the carriage from colliding with the frame at high speed during the detection of the reset error and causing the deformation of the frame.

Further, according to the present invention, in the carriage reset of the printer, by comparing the change of the moving speed when the carriage moved for reset is stopped with the moving speed change model at the time of normal reset. The reset error can be detected reliably and in an extremely short time, and it is possible to prevent the carriage from colliding with the frame at high speed during the detection of the reset error and causing deformation of the frame.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an example.

FIG. 5 is a reset processing flow.

FIG. 6 is a reset processing flow.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a conventional technique.

[Description of Reference Signs] 1 processing device (CPU / memory) 2 reset processing unit 3 table 4 control circuit 5 position storage means 6 cycle storage means 7 drive circuit 8 carriage drive means 9 carriage 10 print head 11 speed detection means 12 CPU 13 RAM 14 ROM 15 LSI 16 Motor Driver 17 Encoder 18 Motor & Carriage 19 Frame 20 Belt

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A carriage (9) for holding a print head (10), and the carriage (9) is moved in a predetermined direction to reset the position of the carriage (9). A reset processing unit (2) for detecting, wherein the reset processing unit (2) changes the moving speed of the carriage (9) moving in a predetermined direction for resetting, if the carriage ( 9) a second force, which is a force for moving it in the moving direction and is applied in the same direction as the first force, after applying a first force having a predetermined magnitude. Carriage reset system for a printer, wherein a reset error is generated when the position of the carriage (9) is changed by applying the second force. 2. A position storage means (5) for sequentially storing the logical position of the carriage (9) according to its movement, wherein the reset processing section (2) moves in a predetermined direction for resetting. When the change in the moving speed of the carriage (9) being operated is large, the first force is applied to the carriage (9), and after the first force is applied, the position storing means (5) While resetting the contents, the contents after resetting are taken out as the reset position, the second force is applied to the carriage (9), and the position storing means (5) after the second force is applied. The content is taken out as a reset error detection position, the reset position and the reset error detection position are compared, and if they are different, a reset error is determined. Carriage reset method for on-board printers. 3. A carriage (9) for holding a print head (10), a table (3) for storing a moving speed change model of the carriage (9) at reset, and a position of the carriage (9) are reset. The carriage (9) is moved in a predetermined direction in order to perform the resetting, and a reset processing unit (2) that detects the presence or absence of a reset error after that is provided, and the reset processing unit (2) moves in the predetermined direction for resetting. The change in the moving speed of the moving carriage (9) is stored, and when the change in the moving speed of the carriage (9) is large, the large change and the moving speed stored in the table (3) are stored. A carriage reset method for a printer, which compares a change model and causes a reset error when the two are substantially different. 4. A position storage means (5) for sequentially storing the logical position of the carriage (9) according to its movement, wherein the reset processing unit (2) is configured to move the carriage (9) at a moving speed. When the change in the carriage (9) is large, a force having a predetermined magnitude is applied to the carriage (9) to further move the carriage (9) in the moving direction, and the change in the moving speed of the carriage (9) is large. In that case, the large change is compared with the moving speed change model stored in the table (3), and when the two are substantially different, a reset error is generated, and when the two are substantially equal, the position is stored. 4. The carriage reset method for a printer according to claim 3, wherein the contents of the means (5) are reset.