An integrated printer with automatic cutting function

Abstract

The application discloses an integrated printer with automatic cutting function, and relates to the field of printing equipment.The printer comprises a casing, a scanning platform (7) is arranged on the top of the casing, and an operation panel (10) is arranged on the front side of the casing; a paper roll bin (1) is arranged on one side of the inside of the casing and used for accommodating a roll paper; a common paper box (8) is arranged at the bottom of the casing and used for storing single papers; six-color printing nozzles (3), a first cutter (4), a second cutter (5) and a paper outlet (6) are sequentially arranged along a paper feeding direction; and a control system comprising a main control MCU, a power module, a sensor group, a motor drive, a printing engine and a scanning / copying control module is arranged.The printer can automatically feed the roll paper, the first cutter is used to cut the photo from the roll paper after printing, the second cutter is used to cut the white edges or cut a plurality of small-size photos (such as 1-inch ID photos), and the no-white-edge finished product is obtained; meanwhile, the printer supports common paper document printing (A3 / A4), flatbed scanning and copying and long-width panoramic photo printing.The printer adopts a three-dimensional layered layout, is compact in structure, is internally provided with a large-capacity ink tank (greater than or equal to 70ml for each color), and is low in use cost; the printer is provided with a safe cutter module and a paper jam cleaning cover plate, and has the breakpoint resume printing function.The printer realizes the combination of high-quality photo printing and full-automatic cutting, is simple and easy to operate, safe and reliable, and is suitable for family and small office use.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of printing equipment technology, specifically to an all-in-one printer with automatic cropping function, which is particularly suitable for high-quality photo printing, batch production of ID photos, and daily document printing in homes and small studios. Background Technology

[0002] Existing home printers mainly suffer from the following shortcomings: Low efficiency of single-sheet paper feeding: Most home printers use single-sheet paper feeding. When printing photos in batches, users need to frequently change the photo paper manually, which is cumbersome and inefficient. Poor image quality when printing on roll paper: Some printers that support roll paper (such as engineering plotters) are usually only equipped with 4 or 5 colors of ink. When printing on glossy photo paper, the color transition is poor and the graininess is obvious, which cannot meet the requirements for high-quality photo output. 3. Lack of automatic cropping: High-quality 6-color photo printers (such as the Epson L8188) offer excellent image quality, but they do not support automatic roll paper feeding or automatic cropping. Users must manually crop photos after printing, making it difficult to obtain neat, white-border-free finished products, and the cropping is prone to being crooked. 4. Limited functionality: Existing products lack an all-in-one printer that simultaneously offers "6-color photo printing + automatic roll paper feeding + automatic cutting + plain paper document printing + scanning and copying," failing to meet the diverse usage scenarios of users.

[0003] 5. Size and cost issues: Some commercial roll paper printers are bulky and unsuitable for home desktops; at the same time, ink cartridges need to be replaced frequently and the operating cost is high, making it difficult to meet the needs of home users with high printing volumes. Therefore, developing a printer that can balance image quality, automated operation, compact structure, low operating cost, and multifunctionality is of great practical significance. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides an all-in-one printer with automatic cutting function. Purpose of the invention The present invention aims to provide an all-in-one printer with automatic cutting function, which can realize the integration of 6-color high-quality photo printing, automatic roll paper feeding, two-step automatic cutting (roll paper cutting + trimming / slitting), plain paper document printing and scanning and copying functions. At the same time, it has the characteristics of compact structure, small space occupation, large ink volume and low operating cost, so as to solve many shortcomings of existing products. Technical solution The all-in-one printer of the present invention includes: The machine casing adopts a three-dimensional layered layout: the top has a scanning platform (7) for placing original documents for scanning or copying; the front of the casing has an operation panel (10), preferably a touch screen, for users to select working modes (photo mode / document mode) and set the size of finished photos (such as 1 inch, 2 inches, 6 inches, etc.); the middle rear side has a roll paper tray (1); the middle front side has a paper output tray (6); and the bottom has a regular paper tray (8). The overall width of the machine does not exceed 60 cm and the depth does not exceed 40 cm, making it suitable for desktop placement. The roll paper compartment (1) is located inside the machine housing on one side and is used to hold rolls of glossy photo paper. It supports a maximum size of A3 (width 297mm). The roll paper compartment is equipped with a damping bracket to prevent the paper from being fed by inertia. A regular paper box (8) is located at the bottom of the machine housing and is used to hold single sheets of regular paper in A3 / A4 / B5 / A5 / A6 / A7 sizes. The front end of the paper box is equipped with a paper pickup wheel. The paper feed roller assembly (2) can selectively feed paper from the roll paper bin or ordinary paper box. The paper feed roller is driven by a stepper motor to ensure paper feeding accuracy. (5) A six-color printhead (3) is located downstream of the paper feed roller assembly and is used to print images on paper. It supports dye inks and outputs high-quality photos. The printhead is connected to a high-capacity ink tank system. The ink tank is built into the front or side of the machine housing. Each ink tank has a capacity of not less than 70 ml (not less than 140 ml for black). The ink tank is made of transparent material, so users can directly observe the remaining ink level. When adding ink, there is no need to replace the ink cartridge; ink can be added directly. A single ink refill can print thousands of 6-inch photos. (6) The first cutter (4) is located downstream of the print head and is a carriage-type circular rotating blade used to cut the printed image from the roll of paper. The second cutter (5), located downstream of the first cutter, is a rotating circular blade (similar to a pizza cutter), encapsulated in a closed safety housing, and equipped with a pressure plate and a safety interlock switch. The second cutter is used to trim the white edges around the photos, or to cut multiple small-sized photos (such as 1-inch ID photos) into individual finished products. Its specific structure is as follows: the blade diameter is 2-3 cm, made of wear-resistant tungsten steel, and installed on a horizontally sliding carriage. The carriage is driven by a stepper motor through a synchronous belt, moving left and right along a guide rail (guide groove) spanning the width of the paper. Before cutting, the pressure plate presses down to fix the paper, and after cutting, the cutter automatically returns to its original position.

[0005] The paper outlet (6) is located on the side of the machine housing and is equipped with an auxiliary paper output wheel (or brush) and a downward-sloping paper output guide plate to prevent small-sized photos from getting stuck and to guide the finished product to slide down to the paper receiving tray. (9) A control system, including a main control MCU, a power supply module, a sensor group, a motor drive, a printing engine, and a scanning / copying control module. The main control MCU is electrically connected to the operation panel, the sensor group, the motor drive, the printing engine, and the scanning / copying control module. The sensor group includes a paper position sensor, a cutter return sensor, a paper out sensor, and multiple sensors for paper jam detection. (10) Paper jam clearing mechanism: The side of the machine casing is equipped with a tool-free paper jam clearing cover. The cover is equipped with a safety interlock switch, which automatically cuts off the power to all motors when opened. The inside of the cover is equipped with a manual cutter return lever and a soft brush for easy paper jam clearance. Beneficial effects By combining automatic roll paper feeding with 6-color printing, the frequency of paper changes is greatly reduced, making it suitable for batch photo printing. The two-stage cutting design (first cutting the roll of paper, second trimming / slitting) can automatically produce finished photos without white edges, and the size can be customized (such as 1 inch, 2 inches, 6 inches, etc.), eliminating the need for manual cutting. The built-in safety cutter module automatically retracts, working in conjunction with the auxiliary paper output mechanism and paper jam removal cover to prevent paper jams and facilitate quick cleaning by the user, making it safe and time-saving to use. Multi-functional: It uses roll paper for photo mode and regular paper for document mode, and also has scanning and copying functions to meet the needs of home and small office. Compact structure and small footprint: It adopts a three-dimensional layered layout with a built-in roll paper compartment. The overall size of the machine is comparable to that of a regular A3 all-in-one printer, making it suitable for desktop placement. 6. Large-capacity ink tank with low operating costs: Each color ink volume is ≥70ml, with original continuous ink supply. A single ink refill can print thousands of photos, significantly reducing replacement frequency and consumable costs. Attached Figure Description

[0006] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the all-in-one printer of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a flowchart of the two-stage cutting process of the present invention. Figure 3 This is a system control block diagram of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0007] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, but the implementation of the present invention is not limited thereto. Example 1: Batch printing of 6-inch / 8-inch photos (standard trimming) ① The user loads an A3-width glossy photo paper roll into the roll compartment (1), selects "Photo Mode" on the touchscreen of the operation panel (10), and sets the finished size to 6 inches / 8 inches (without white borders). Send multiple photos via Wi-Fi. ②The main control MCU controls the paper feed motor to drive the paper feed roller group (2) to feed the photo paper from the roll paper bin; the printing engine drives the six-color printing nozzles (3) to print each photo in sequence. After each photo is printed, the first cutter (4) slides horizontally to cut the photo off the roll paper, and the cutter automatically returns to the original position after cutting. ③The paper then continues to move forward to the second cutter (5) position. The paper positioning sensor detects the paper edge, and the main control MCU calculates the required white edge width based on the preset 6-inch size. The pressure plate of the second cutter first presses down to fix the paper, and then rotates the blade to move laterally, precisely cutting off the white edge around the photo. ④ After cutting, the pressure plate is lifted, the cutter returns to its original position, and the paper feed roller continues to rotate, pushing the finished photo towards the paper output port (6). The auxiliary paper output roller and paper output guide plate ensure that the photo slides out smoothly. Repeat the above process until all photos are printed. Example 2: Batch production of 1-inch / 2-inch ID photos (slicing) ① The user arranges multiple 1-inch photos onto a 6-inch canvas (e.g., 2 rows and 4 columns) on their mobile phone and sends it for printing. In the operation panel, select "Photo Mode", set the finished product size to 1 inch, and enable the "Slice Function". ② After the printer prints out the entire 8-inch / 6-inch layout photo, the first cutter (4) cuts it off the roll of paper. The paper then continues to move forward to below the second cutter (5). The second cutter (5) is mounted on the horizontal guide rail and driven by a stepper motor. During slicing, horizontal cutting is performed first: the cutter moves along the guide rail and separates the two rows of photos in sequence; after each row is cut, the paper feed roller steps forward by one row distance. Then vertical cutting is performed: the cutter moves along the guide rail and cuts the white edges between columns in sequence; after each column is cut, the paper feed roller steps forward by one column width. After each cut, the cutter automatically returns to its original position to ensure that the paper passes through smoothly. Finally, the entire photo is cut into individual 1-inch photos. Example 3: Printing A3 / A4 / B5 / A5 / A6 / A7 documents The user places A3 / A4 / B5 / A5 / A6 / A7 plain paper into the plain paper tray (8) and selects "Document Mode" on the operation panel. The main control MCU controls the paper feed motor to pick up the paper from the plain paper tray, and sends it to the bottom of the print head (3) via the paper feed roller group (2) to complete the document printing. No cutter is started, and the paper is output directly from the paper outlet (6). Example 4: Small-sized photo push and anti-paper jam When the finished photo is small (e.g., a 1-inch ID photo with a side length of about 2.5 cm), the paper feed roller (2) continues to rotate to push the small photo forward. At the same time, the auxiliary paper output roller at the paper output port (6) actively clamps and pushes out the photo, and the paper output guide plate guides the photo to slide down by gravity. There is a paper sensor behind the second cutter (5) and in front of the paper output port (6). If the sensor does not detect paper passing through within a predetermined time, the main control MCU determines that it is a paper jam fault, immediately stops all motors and displays an alarm message. Example 5: Paper jam clearance and resume printing When a paper jam occurs, the control panel (10) displays a diagram showing the location of the paper jam. The user opens the paper jam clearing cover, and the safety interlock switch automatically cuts off the power to all motors. The user holds the paper on both sides with both hands and pulls the paper out smoothly in the forward direction; if the paper is stuck in the cutter area, the cutter carriage can be pushed back to its original position with fingers or the provided plastic tweezers to remove the paper. After clearing, close the cover and press the "Reset" button. The printer will automatically reset the cutter and paper feed rollers and continue printing the remaining tasks from the progress before the paper jam occurred, without having to start over.

[0008] Example 6: Scanning and Copying Functions This invention integrates a flatbed scanning platform (7), which supports scanning and copying operations, as detailed below: (a) Copying function: The user places the original (such as ID card, photo, document) face down on the glass plate of the scanning platform (7) and closes the cover. On the touch screen of the operation panel (10), the user selects the "copy" mode and can set the number of copies, scaling ratio (such as original size, A3→A4 reduction, etc.) and whether to enable photo optimization. The main control MCU controls the movement of the scanning head, reads the image data of the original, and then drives the print head (3) to output the copy according to the currently selected paper source (roll paper in photo mode, ordinary paper tray in document mode). During the copying process, if roll paper is used and automatic cutting is enabled, the copy is cut twice according to the user's preset finished size (such as A3) to obtain a copy without white edges; if ordinary paper is used, the copy is output directly without starting the cutter. (ii) Scanning to File: The user places the original document on the scanning platform (7), selects the "Scan" mode on the operation panel, and can choose the scanning resolution (300dpi, 600dpi, etc.), color mode (color, grayscale, black and white), and file format (JPEG, PDF). After scanning, the image data can be transferred to a connected computer or mobile phone via Wi-Fi or USB, or directly saved to a USB flash drive inserted into the printer (if equipped with a USB interface). The scanning process supports single scanning of A3-sized original documents. Example 7: Printing long paintings (panoramic photos / long banners) ① The user loads a roll of wide-format glossy photo paper into the roll compartment (1), and selects “Photo Mode” → “Long Format Printing” on the operation panel (10). Send a picture with a large aspect ratio (such as a panoramic photo, a long scroll of traditional Chinese painting, or a banner) via mobile phone or computer, and set the final length (e.g., 1 meter, 2 meters). ②The main control MCU controls the paper feeding roller group (2) to feed the photo paper from the roll paper bin, and the six-color print head (3) prints the long image in segments and line by line. The paper feeding roller feeds the paper intermittently until the complete image is printed. During the printing process, the first cutter (4) does not move to keep the roll paper continuous. ③ After printing, users can select "manual trimming" or "automatic trimming" on the operation panel: A. Manual Cutting: The printer stops, and the user cuts the long painting along the preset cutting line using the manual cutter or scissors on the cover.

[0009] B. Automatic cutting: The main control MCU controls the first cutter (4) to slide horizontally and cut the long painting from the roll of paper. If the user needs to trim the white edges, the second cutter (5) can perform a one-time left and right white edge trimming (without splitting) according to the preset border width. ④ The cut long print is output from the paper outlet (6). The auxiliary paper output roller ensures that the long paper is smoothly exported and avoids wrinkles. For printing tasks with a length of more than 50 cm, the main control MCU will automatically reduce the paper feed speed and start the built-in paper flattening heater (optional) to prevent the paper roll from warping or smudging. IX. Control System Logic 1. As attached Figure 3 As shown, the AC power input is converted to DC power by the power module to provide DC power to the main control MCU and other modules. The user sets the mode and size via the touchscreen, and the main control MCU receives the command and then... A. In photo mode: The control motor drives the paper feed motor to rotate and feed paper from the roll paper tray; after printing, the control motor drives the first cutter to cut the paper; based on sensor feedback, the control motor controls the second cutter to perform trimming or slitting; finally, the control motor feeds the finished product out. If a paper jam occurs, the system automatically saves the current progress and issues an alarm.

[0010] B. In document mode: the control motor drives the paper to feed from the ordinary paper tray, and after printing, no trimming is performed; the paper is output directly. 2. The sensor array monitors the paper position, cutter return status, paper exhaustion status, and paper jam status in real time. In case of any abnormality, the main control MCU stops the machine and displays the corresponding alarm information. 10. Safety and Anti-paper Jam Design 1. Second cutter safety: The cutter is enclosed in a sealed housing. When cutting, the pressure plate presses down on the paper first, and the blade automatically returns to its original position after cutting. A safety baffle is provided on the edge of the blade so that the blade is not exposed during normal use.

[0011] 2. Paper jam clearing cover: The cover adopts a tool-free opening design and is equipped with a safety interlock switch that automatically cuts off the motor power when opened; the inside of the cover is equipped with a manual cutter return lever, which is convenient for users to manually reset after power failure.

[0012] 3. Assisted paper output: An auxiliary paper output roller and guide plate are provided at the paper output port to prevent small-sized photos from getting stuck.

[0013] 4. Resume printing from a breakpoint: Built-in non-volatile memory saves the printing progress when paper jams, and can be restored with one click after clearing. XI. Overall Structure The machine features a three-dimensional, layered layout with a built-in roll paper compartment, eliminating the need for an external paper holder. A large-capacity ink tank system is integrated into the front of the casing, with a transparent window for easy monitoring of ink levels. Each color has a capacity of ≥70ml, supports original factory continuous ink supply, and can be used for extended periods with a single ink refill, resulting in extremely low ink replacement frequency. XII. Industrial Applicability This invention features a compact structure and a high degree of automation, making it particularly suitable for home users, small photo studios, and print shops that require frequent photo printing and quick finished products (such as ID photos). Through a large-capacity ink tank and automatic roll paper feeding, it significantly reduces operating costs and paper changing frequency; and through double cutting and a sophisticated paper jam handling mechanism, it enhances the ease of use and reliability of the equipment.

Claims

1. Claim 1: This invention is an all-in-one printer with automatic cutting function, characterized in that, include: 1) The casing has a scanning platform (7) on the top and an operation panel (10) on the front. 2) Paper roll compartment (1), located inside the machine casing on one side, is used to hold rolls of photographic paper; 3) Ordinary paper box (8), located at the bottom of the machine casing, is used to hold a single sheet of ordinary paper; 4) Paper feed roller assembly (2) for feeding paper from the roll bin or ordinary paper box; 5) Six-color printhead (3), located downstream of the paper feed roller assembly, for printing images on paper; 6) The first cutter (4) is located downstream of the print head and is used to cut the printed image off the roll of paper; 7) The second cutter (5) is located downstream of the first cutter and is used to cut off the white edges around the photo or to cut multiple small photos. 8) Paper outlet (6), located on the side of the machine casing; 9) and the control system, including a main control MCU, a power module, a sensor group, a motor drive, a printing engine and a scanning / copying control module, wherein the main control MCU is electrically connected to the operation panel, the sensor group, the motor drive, the printing engine and the scanning / copying control module respectively.

2. Claim 2: The all-in-one printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The roll of photographic paper is glossy and has a width of A3 size (297mm) or wider.

3. Claim 3: The all-in-one printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second cutter is a rotary circular blade or a slide-type blade, and is enclosed in a safety housing, equipped with a pressure plate and a safety interlock switch.

4. Claim 4: The all-in-one printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control system is configured to: in photo mode, sequentially perform roll paper feeding, printing, first trimming, and second trimming; in document mode, feed paper from a regular paper tray and print, without performing trimming.

5. Claim 5: The all-in-one printer according to claim 4, characterized in that, The second cropping includes: automatically cropping the white borders around the photo according to the finished photo size (1 inch, 2 inches, 6 inches, etc.) preset by the user through the operation panel; if the printed image is multiple small photos after layout, multi-directional cutting is performed to divide the large photo into multiple small finished products.

6. Claim 6: The all-in-one printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The paper output port is equipped with auxiliary paper output rollers or guide plates to prevent small-sized photos from getting stuck.

7. Claim 7: The all-in-one printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sensor group includes a paper position sensor, a cutter return sensor, and a paper exhaust sensor.

8. Claim 8: The all-in-one printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The power module includes an AC input interface and an AC-DC conversion circuit, which is used to provide DC power to the whole machine.

9. Claim 9: The all-in-one printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The operation panel is a touch screen, used to select photo / document mode, set cropping size, and start printing.

10. Claim 10: The all-in-one printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first and second cutters are each driven by an independent stepper motor, and the main control MCU controls the motor to perform precise cutting based on sensor feedback.

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