JP3431132B2 - Printing system - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing system capable of performing a printing process by supplying a sheet by a carrier that accommodates a printing sheet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a printer device that prints only a plurality of types of cut sheets, different types of cut sheets are set in advance in each of a plurality of stacked paper cassettes so that a large amount of the same cut sheet can be printed or printed. You can print multiple types of vouchers without operator intervention, that is, without exchanging vouchers, but in a printer that prints continuous vouchers, the operator intervenes to change vouchers. Had to go frequently.

In other words, when a large number of consecutive continuous forms are printed, each time one box of paper is printed,
The operator was changing the continuous form. Also,
Even when different continuous forms are printed, the continuous forms are also reprinted. For the operator to change the continuous form, it is necessary to remove the currently set continuous form, secure a place to put the target continuous form, and then carry the target continuous form to the printer device and set it. Was a burden to me.

In view of this, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 57-110475, a box containing print sheets is moved to a fixed position of the printer using a sheet feeding belt conveyor, and the sheets are sucked by rollers to perform the printing process. I proposed a printing system to do.

However, in this printing system, the belt conveyor is used. Therefore, there has been a problem that the equipment in the vicinity of the printer becomes large in size, the work space for the printer operator is narrowed, and the workability is deteriorated. Further, when the belt conveyor is provided, the operator cannot easily straddle the belt conveyor, which also deteriorates workability.

The present invention has been made to solve such conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a printing system capable of automatically changing continuous paper without making equipment large. .

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is a printing system for performing a printing process on a printing sheet, the printing system containing the printing sheet , An instruction for providing a print sheet of a certain specification, which comprises a transporter group having a plurality of transportable bodies, each of which is separately movable, and a main body side device that is supplied with print paper and performs a printing process. When a message is transmitted, the transporting body containing the printing paper of this specification moves so that the printing paper contained therein can be supplied to the main body side device .
Each of the transport members transfers the printing paper to be stored.
With a transfer mechanism for sending and supplying to the main device side
In addition, the main body side device drives the transfer mechanism.
A transport mechanism for the carrier,
Move to a position where it can be driven by the drive mechanism on the device side
Is configured, furthermore, the body-side device, braking the drive mechanism
The position of the printing paper at the start of printing to the desired position.
Adjustment means for adjusting is provided, and the adjustment means transmits light.
Light source side sensor and the light sent from this light source side sensor
On the light-receiving side that receives light through the path where the printing paper is transported.
The printing paper is transported by a pair of light-transmitting and light-receiving sensors consisting of a sensor.
Two sets arranged at two points on the front side and the rear side along the direction
Of the pair of the light transmitting / receiving sensor and the two pairs of the light transmitting / receiving sensor
When the light receiving side sensor of both the light emitting and receiving sensor pair receives light
In this case, the drive mechanism is controlled to control the leading edge position of the printing paper.
While adjusting so that the light is sent to the other side,
Of the sensor pairs, the sensor on the light receiving side of both the sensor pair
If the light is not received, the drive mechanism is controlled to print.
Adjustment execution of adjusting to send-edge position of the sheet on the rear side
Means, and characterized in that
And as that.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the main body side device transmits an instruction for requesting a print sheet of a certain specification, the transport body containing the print sheet of this specification causes the print sheet to be accommodated by the carrier. Is moved so that it can be supplied to the apparatus on the main body side, the printing processing is performed by the conveyance of the sheet by the conveyance body. Therefore, the printing paper can be automatically replaced without making the equipment near the apparatus on the main body side large. Moreover, since the carrier can be moved to a desired place when it is not necessary to replace it, workability does not deteriorate. In addition, the transfer mechanism for the carrier is
Since it is moved to a position where it can be driven by the drive mechanism on the installation side,
The drive mechanism drives the transfer mechanism to transfer the printing paper immediately.
Then, the printing paper is supplied to the main unit side, and the main unit side
The print processing can be performed by receiving this supply. In addition, adjusting hands
The stage controls the drive mechanism to control the printing paper at the start of printing.
Since the position is adjusted to the desired position, the initial position of the printing paper
Adjustment can be done automatically.

[0007]

[0008]

[0009] The invention according to claim 2, in the printing system according to claim 1, in alignment the main device by using the alignment mark provided on each carrier, the transfer mechanism Is configured to move to a position where it can be driven by the drive mechanism.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the transfer of the transfer mechanism to the position where it can be driven by the drive mechanism is performed by the main body side device by using the alignment mark provided on each carrier. Since this is done, it becomes possible to perform the alignment with a simple configuration.

[0011]

[0012]

[0013] The invention according to claim 3, claim 1 Contact
In the printing system according to any one of 1 and 2, the main body side device includes a paper-out processing unit that performs a predetermined processing by grasping that the printing paper stored in the transport body is exhausted. Is characterized by.

In the invention according to the third aspect , the processing means recognizes that the printing paper accommodated in the transport body is exhausted and performs a predetermined processing, so that an appropriate processing for paper shortage is automatically performed. Done.

Further, in the invention according to claim 4 , in the printing system according to claim 3 , the predetermined processing is performed by moving a carrier for accommodating a printing sheet having the same specifications as the lost printing sheet to perform printing. It is characterized in that it is a process for supplying a sheet.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the printing paper runs out, the printing paper is supplied by moving the transporting body that accommodates the printing paper having the same specifications as the lost printing paper. Continuous printing can be performed.

The invention according to claim 5 relates to claim 1,
In the printing system according to any one of 2, 3, and 4 , each of the transport bodies is configured to be movable by rotation of wheels, and is moved by rotating the carriage along a track. It is characterized by being done.

According to the fifth aspect of the invention, since the wheels of each carrier move by rotating along the track, the track regulates the movement of the wheel in the unnecessary direction and facilitates proper alignment. It becomes easy to move the carrier to the position.

The parts other than the mechanism in the above invention can be realized by causing the CPU to execute a control program recorded in a recording medium such as a ROM. Examples of such a recording medium include a semiconductor recording medium such as an IC card, a magnetic recording medium such as an FD, and an optical recording medium such as a CDROM.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of the printing system 1, and FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a cross-sectional structure of the printing system 1.

The printing system 1 includes a main body side device 100,
It has a plurality of movable paper trays 15 that can be stored inside. As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus 100 on the main body side has a control unit 3 that receives a print command signal from the higher-level device 2 and controls each unit in the apparatus. The form switching control unit 4, the wireless control unit 16, the printing mechanism unit 10, the mechanism control unit 8 and the like are comprehensively controlled by the control unit 3.

The form switching control unit 4 is provided with a format storage unit 5 for pre-storing the information of the forms accommodated in the movable paper tray 15, and a display unit 7 for displaying various information.
The necessary information is registered and updated by the operation panel 6 for inputting and operating information, and it is determined whether or not the form switching is necessary for the print command from the higher-level device 2.

The mechanism control unit 8 includes a printing unit 1 for performing printing processing.
1, a form suction / discharge unit 13 for automatically sucking / discharging a form, and a cutter unit 12 for cutting the form, and a plurality of movable paper stands on which the form is set in advance and waiting Positioning of 15 is performed.

The printing mechanism section 10 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. The paper feed drive gear 21 rotatably driven by a motor 42 (see FIG. 3) not shown in FIG.
It meshes with the paper feed gear 22 of the movable paper tray 15, which will be described later, and supplies the form paper 70 to the main body apparatus side 100. The supplied form paper 70 is guided by the paper roller 25 and other rollers 40 and is stored in a state of being folded on the stacker base 41. The printing unit 11 uses the form paper 7
Printing processing is performed on 0, and the cutter unit 12 cuts the form paper. In addition, a sensor 26a, which will be described later,
26b, 26c and 26d are provided.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG.
A large number of 5 are arranged on the rail 30, and as shown in FIG. 4, a moving mechanism 61 (four front, rear, left, and right wheels 24) for moving, and a drive unit 51 for driving this moving mechanism 61.
And an information processing section 50 that gives a control instruction to the drive section 51 based on wireless information from the main body side apparatus 100. Further, it is provided with an accommodating section 60 for accommodating form papers, and a transfer mechanism including a track feeder 23 and a paper feed gear 22.

The transport mechanism is a track feeder 23 for transporting the form paper 70 in the upper direction while locking the ones formed by feeding holes (not shown) provided at both ends of the form paper 70 to feed pins (not shown). , And a paper feed gear 22 for transporting and driving the same. When the paper feed gear 22 meshes with the paper feed drive gear 21 of the apparatus 100 on the main body side, the paper feed gear 22 is rotated by the rotation operation of the paper feed drive gear 21, and the track feeder 23 is housed in the housing portion 60. Form paper 70
Is supplied to the apparatus 100 on the main body side in a printable manner.

As described above, since the transfer mechanism of the movable paper tray 15 is moved to a position where it can be driven by the motor 42 of the main body side device 100, the rotation of the paper feed drive gear 21 by the drive of the motor 42 causes the main body side. The printing paper is supplied to the apparatus 100 side, and the main body apparatus 100 receives this supply and can perform printing processing.

Further, the sensor 31 arranged at the lower center of the main body side device 100 detects the information described in the mark 32 attached to the side surface of the movable paper base 15, and serves as a light transmitting unit. It consists of a light receiving part. Mark 32
As shown in FIG. 8, the trolley identification data section 32a in which the identification code of the mobile paper tray is described, and the mobile paper tray 1
5 includes a registration mark portion 32b in which a registration mark 32c for registration is described. As the movable paper table 15 moves, the light from the light-transmitting section of the sensor 15 is applied to the mark 32, and the reflected light is received by the light-receiving section, and the information is read as indicated by symbol A.

The control section 3 specifies the identification information from the reflected light pattern from the truck identification data section 32a.
Then, when the alignment mark 32c of the alignment mark portion 32b is scanned, the light reception level sharply decreases (the mark 32c is a black portion), and at that time, the wireless controller 16
To transmit a movement stop control signal. The information processing unit 50 of each movable paper tray 15 that has received this is the drive unit 51 thereof.
Stop the movement by instructing to stop driving.

In this way, moving the transfer mechanism to a position where it can be driven by the drive mechanism is performed by the main body side device 100.
Is an alignment mark 3 provided on each movable paper tray 15.
Since the position adjustment is performed using 2c, the position adjustment can be performed with a simple configuration.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the form suction / discharge portion 13 is provided with two sets of sensors (26a to 26d). When the sensor 26a transmits light, this light is transmitted to the sensor 26b.
Similarly, when the sensor 26c transmits light, the sensor 26d receives this light. When the sensors 26b and 26d do not receive light, the control unit 3 determines that the form paper 70 exists between the sensors.

As shown in FIG. 6B, the lower sensors (26c, 26d) and the upper sensors (26a, 26).
If the state in which the form paper 70 exists between b) is the normal position at the start of printing, in the state shown in FIG. 6A, since the sensors 26b and 26d receive light, the form paper 70 is on the lower side. The controller unit 3 determines that it exists below the sensors (26c, 26d) of the sheet, and the form suction / discharge unit 1
The paper feed drive gear 21 of 3 is rotationally driven to control the mechanism control unit 8 so that the leading end position of the form paper 70 is sent to the upper side.

On the other hand, in the state shown in FIG. 6C, since the sensors 26b and 26d are not receiving light, the form sheet 70
Is present above the upper side sensors (26a, 26b), the controller unit 3 determines that the sheet feed drive gear 21 of the form suction / discharge unit 13 is rotationally driven, and the leading end position of the form sheet 70 is located on the lower side. The mechanism control unit 8 is controlled so as to send to. In this way, the controller unit 3 adjusts the position of the form sheet 70 at the start of printing to a desired position, so that the initial position of the form sheet 70 can be automatically adjusted.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, for example, the sensors 26a to 26d keep the form paper 70 for a predetermined period after the start of printing.
If it is not possible to detect the passing of the sheet, the controller unit 3 determines that the sheet is out and performs a predetermined process. In this way, the controller unit 3 recognizes that the printing paper accommodated in the movable paper tray 15 has run out and performs a predetermined process, so that an appropriate process for paper shortage is automatically performed.

Next, the operation will be described. The movable paper tray 15 is assumed to be provided with two linear rails 30 in parallel. Further, it is assumed that the form type and the trolley ID (trolley identifier) stored in each mobile trolley 15 are previously stored in the format storage unit 5 by operating the operation panel 6, as shown in FIG. 12, for example. . Further, it is assumed that the form paper 70 is accommodated in the accommodating portion 60 of each movable paper base 15, and the leading end of the form paper 70 is set in the track feeder 23.

When the control unit 3 receives the print command from the higher-level device 2, the form switching control unit 4 determines whether or not it is necessary to replace the specified form paper by storing information in the form storage unit 5 (currently in the printer device). Check the form that is being worn) to make a judgment.
When it is determined that the form change is necessary, the form change command is transmitted from the control unit 3 to the mechanism control unit 8,
After cutting the form sheet 70 currently mounted on the main body side device 100 by the cutter unit 12, the sheet feed roller 25 of the form suction and discharge unit 13 is rotated in the discharge direction by the motor 42, and is joined to the movable sheet tray 15 Paper feed gear 2
2 and the tractor feeder 23 move the leading edge of the form paper 70 to the leading position of the tractor feeder 23.

First, the wireless controller 16 sends a replacement instruction to each movable paper tray 15 (step S9 in FIG. 9).
00). In response to this, the information processing unit 50 of each mobile paper tray 15 moves the mobile paper tray 15 in a predetermined direction, for example, as shown in FIG.
The drive unit 51 is controlled so as to move in the direction A (or the direction B). The movable paper tray 15 moves toward the main body side device 100 side one after another, but the identification information is grasped by scanning the seal 32 with the sensor 31, and whether or not the movable paper tray 15 is the desired one. Is determined (step S902).

If the desired movable paper tray 15 is used, the alignment mark 32 is formed as described above.
Positioning is performed using c, and the paper feed gear 22 and the paper feed drive gear 21 are set to mesh with each other (step S904). Next, when printing is started, the leading position of the form paper 70 is adjusted and printing is started as described above (steps S905 and S906).

When the replacement instruction is transmitted from the host device 2 (Yes in step S908), the cutter unit 12 cuts the form paper 70 (step S91).
0), and returns to step S900. In addition, step S91
In 2, it is determined whether the paper is out or not as described above, and if it is not out, the process returns to step S906. On the other hand, if the paper is out, paper out processing is performed (step S914).

The controller unit 3 is used for paper out processing.
Notifies the high-level device 2 of the information about paper shortage, checks the stored contents of the form storage unit 5, and if there is a movable paper tray 15 that accommodates the form paper 70 of the same specification, gives a replacement instruction, It is conceivable to supply the form paper 70 from the movable paper tray 15 in the same procedure. Therefore, when the form sheet is used up, the movable form tray 15 that accommodates the form sheet 70 having the same specifications as the lost form sheet 70 is moved to supply the form sheet 70, so that continuous printing can be automatically performed. .

As described above, according to this embodiment, the form paper 70 can be automatically replaced without making the equipment near the apparatus 100 on the main body side large, and when the replacement is unnecessary, the movable paper stand Since 15 can be moved to a desired place, workability will not be reduced. Also, every time a different form is printed, the need to remove the printed form and carry in a new form is reduced, and the wasted man-hours of returning to the original form can be reduced. Selection, installation, replacement, inhalation,
Unattended operation is possible because printing is automatically performed in a series of steps.

Further, since the wheels 24 of each movable paper tray 15 move by rotating along the rails 30,
It becomes easy to move each movable paper tray 15 to a position where the rail regulates the movement of the wheel 24 in the unnecessary direction and facilitates proper alignment. Also, as shown in FIG. 10, an installation space is required to keep the movable paper tray 15 on standby more. It is also possible to lay out the rails 30 in a grid pattern so that many movable paper trays 15 can stand by in a limited installation space. Even in this case, when the replacement request for the mobile paper tray 15 is transmitted, each mobile paper tray 15 moves along the rail 30 in a predetermined pattern and sequentially passes through the main body side apparatus 100. Just move it.

In the above-described embodiment, the rail 3 is used.
Although it has been described that the movable paper tray 15 that moves by using 0 is adopted, the system can be constructed without using the rail 30. In this case, an absolute position measuring sensor such as GPS may be mounted on the movable paper tray 15, and when a replacement request is received, it may be moved to a preset absolute position of the apparatus 100 on the main body side. . In this case, the rail 30 is unnecessary and the system scale can be further reduced. However, in this case, the movable paper tray 15 is attached to the main unit 1
Device 100 on the main body side in order to surely guide the sheet to the inside of 00 to stop it at a fixed position, and to mesh the sheet feed drive gear 21 of the document suction / ejection section 13 with the sheet feed gear 22 of the movable sheet tray 15.
11 has a wide entrance as shown in FIG. 11 (a schematic explanatory view seen from above), and there is no play in the fixed position portion of the movable paper tray 15 of the printing system 1. If a narrow rail 30 is laid, the guidance will be smooth.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, various modifications and changes can be made to the above embodiments without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, various modifications such as guiding the mobile paper tray 15 not by radio but by electric wires wired under the floor, and combining the mobile paper tray 15 with a three-dimensional warehouse system for loading and unloading the mobile paper tray 15 into a three-dimensional warehouse, etc. Can be considered.

As described above, according to the present invention, when the main body side device transmits an instruction requesting a printing paper of a certain specification, the carrier containing the printing paper of this specification is Since the printing paper contained therein is moved so that it can be supplied to the apparatus on the main body side, the printing process is performed by carrying the paper by the carrier. Therefore, the printing paper can be automatically replaced without making the equipment in the vicinity of the apparatus on the main body side large, and the carrier can be moved to a desired place when the replacement is not necessary, which lowers the workability. It is possible to obtain the effect of disappearing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a printing system.

FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a cross-sectional structure of a printing system.

FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a movable paper tray 15.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a movable paper tray 15.

FIG. 5 is an external view of a transfer mechanism.

FIG. 6 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a positioning process of a form sheet by a sensor.

FIG. 7 is a schematic explanatory diagram of detection of a form sheet out by a sensor.

FIG. 8 is a schematic explanatory view of a label attached to the movable paper tray 15.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining the operation.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of another embodiment.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a rail shape.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of contents stored in a format storage unit 5.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 printing system 2 Upper device 3 control section 4 Form switching control unit 5 Form storage 6 control panel 7 Display 8 Mechanism control unit 10 Print control unit 11 Printing section 12 Cutter part 13 Form inhalation and discharge section 15 Mobile paper stand 16 Wireless controller 22 Paper feed gear 23 Truck feeder 26a, 26b, 26c, 26d sensor 30 rails 50 Information Processing Department 51 Drive 60 accommodation 61 Moving mechanism 70 Form Paper

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A printing system for performing printing processing on printing paper.
The stem, Hold the printing paper, Each separatelyMovable transport
A carrier group having a plurality of bodies, The main unit that is supplied with printing paper and performs printing processing.
Prepare, The main body side device gives an instruction to request a printing paper of a certain specification.
When sent, the carrier containing the printing paper of this specification
However, the printing paper contained in it can be supplied to the main body side device.
Configured to move to, Each of the transport bodies transfers the printing paper to be housed therein to the main body device.
The main body with a transfer mechanism for supplying to the side
The side device includes a drive mechanism that drives the transfer mechanism.
The transfer mechanism for the carrier is a drive unit on the main unit side.
It is configured to move to a position where it can be driven Further, the main body side device, The drive mechanism is controlled to control the position of the printing paper at the start of printing.
Equipped with adjusting means for adjusting the position to a desired position, The adjusting means, The light source side sensor that sends light and the light source side sensor
Receives the emitted light through the path where the printing paper is transported.
For printing,
The paper is placed at two locations, the front side and the rear side, along the paper transport direction.
2 sets of light emitting and receiving sensor pairs placed, Both of the two light-transmitting and receiving sensor pairs of the two light-transmitting and receiving sensor pairs
If the pair of sensors on the light receiving side receive light, use the drive mechanism described above.
Control so that the leading edge of the printing paper is fed to the other side.
On the other hand, while adjusting the
If the sensor on the light receiving side of the sensor pair does not receive light,
By controlling the drive mechanism, the leading edge position of the printing paper is moved to the rear side.
And an adjustment execution means for adjusting so as to send to
A printing system characterized by the characteristics. 2. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the main body side device is provided on each of the transport bodies, and the alignment is performed.
Use the mark to align the transfer mechanism
A printing system configured to move to a position that can be driven by a moving mechanism . 3. The claimAny one of 1 and 2To
In the printing system described, Main body side deviceIs Knowing that there is no more printing paper in the carrier
A paper out processing means for performing a predetermined processing. That
Characteristic printing system. 4. The claimThreeIn the printing system described in
hand, The aboveThe predetermined processing is Transporting the printing paper that has the same specifications as the printing paper that has run out
This is the process of moving the feeder and supplying printing paper. Ruko
And a printing system characterized by 5. The printing system according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3 and 4, wherein each of the transport bodies is configured to be movable by rotation of wheels.
As it is made, this wheel rotates along the track
Printing system according to claim Rukoto moved by.