Printing device, control method and program

Abstract

To suppress a medium to be printed fragmented by cutting a tape-like medium to be printed from remaining on a conveyance path.SOLUTION: A printing device (1) is provided with: a cutting part (800) that cuts a medium to be printed (13) on a conveyance path; discharging parts (1000 and 1010) that feed a medium to be printed fragmented by cutting of the medium to be printed by the cutting part toward a downstream side of the conveyance path; and detecting part (1030 and 1040) that detect whether the medium to be printed exists at a position on the conveyance path through which the fragmented medium to be printed can be fed by the discharging parts.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, a control method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Some printing devices that print on a print medium are equipped with a discharge roller for discharging the print medium that has been printed based on print data to the outside of the device (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Such a discharge roller may be provided in a printing device that includes, for example, a printing unit that prints on a tape-like print medium and a cutter that cuts the print medium. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2004-196536 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above-mentioned printing device, when the printing medium is cut by the cutter, the individual pieces of the printing medium cannot be sent downstream of the transport path by the discharge roller, and the individual pieces of the printing medium may remain on the transport path.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to prevent pieces of print medium cut from remaining on a transport path. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A printing device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a cutting unit that cuts the printed medium on a transport path, a discharge unit that cuts the printed medium by the cutting unit and sends the individual pieces of printed medium downstream of the transport path, and a detection unit that detects whether the printed medium is present at a position on the transport path where the individual pieces of printed medium can be sent out by the discharge unit. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the above aspect, it is possible to prevent pieces of the print medium cut from remaining on the transport path. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing an example of the external configuration of a printing device according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is a partial plan view of the printing device of FIG. 1 with the cover open. [Diagram 3] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a transport path of a print medium in the printing device according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4] 5A to 5C are diagrams illustrating an example of a method for detecting a print medium in the printing device according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating examples of sensors used to detect a print medium. [Figure 6] 2 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the configuration of a cutting mechanism and a discharge mechanism in the printing device according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 7] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating initial positions of a cutting mechanism and a discharge mechanism. [Figure 8] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating an example of the state of the cutting mechanism and the discharge mechanism when a print medium is detected. [Figure 9] 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating an example of the state of the cutting mechanism and the discharge mechanism when a full cut is completed. [Figure 10] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating an example of the configuration of a discharge roller and an auxiliary roller. [Figure 11]FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a printing device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 12] 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a cutting control process performed by the printing device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 13] 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating an example of a transport path of a print medium in a printing device according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, as an example of a printing device according to the present invention, a printing device called a label printer or the like that can perform thermal printing on a tape-shaped print medium and cut the print medium with a cutter will be given. Detailed descriptions of the known configurations, functions, operations, etc. of the illustrated printing device and similar printing devices will be omitted.

[0010] The X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis in some of the reference drawings are shown for the purpose of defining planes and directions in the illustrated cutting mechanism, discharge mechanism, etc. The X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are mutually perpendicular and form a right-handed system. For convenience, in the reference drawings, the positive direction of the X-axis is the forward feed direction of the print medium, the direction of the Y-axis is the width direction of the print medium, and the direction of the Z-axis is the thickness direction of the print medium. The forward feed direction is the direction in which the print medium on the transport path is transported downstream of the transport path.

[0011] The shapes, aspect ratios, and size relationships between components in the referenced drawings are merely schematic and do not necessarily correspond to those in the printing device that is actually manufactured. For the sake of convenience, some shapes may be simplified or omitted, and the size relationships between components may be exaggerated.

[0012] In this specification, descriptions such as "not shown," "not shown," and "not shown" are intended to indicate which part in the figure the component to which the description is attached is, without using a specific reference symbol and a lead line. For example, "component A not shown" is intended to indicate both that a part (e.g., a figure, a line, etc.) representing component A is not shown in the figure, and that there is no reference symbol and lead line that clearly indicates the part corresponding to component A in the figure. Also, an underlined reference symbol in a figure indicates the entire component including multiple parts that are distinguished by multiple reference symbols.

[0013] Fig. 1 is a plan view showing an example of the external configuration of a printing device according to the present invention Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of the printing device of Fig. 1 with the cover open.

[0014] The printing device 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 has a device housing 2 and a lid 4 attached to the device housing 2. The device housing 2 is provided with a concave adapter mounting portion 201 to which the tape adapter 11 can be freely mounted. The tape adapter 11 is a container that houses a tape roll 12 formed by winding up a tape-like print medium 13 and supplies the print medium 13 to the printing device 1. The underlined number "9" in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 indicates that the width of the print medium 13 in the tape roll 12 housed in the tape adapter 11 is 9 mm. The width of the print medium 13 is not limited to 9 mm. The printing device 1 is configured to be capable of printing and cutting on each of a plurality of types of print media 13 having different widths. The tape adapter 11 may be a container in which the user can freely replace the tape roll 12, or may be a disposable container that is sometimes called a tape cartridge or the like.

[0015] The adapter mounting section 201 of the device housing 2 communicates with an outlet 202 provided on a side surface of the device housing 2. The printing device 1 can transport the print medium 13 pulled out from the tape adapter 11 mounted on the adapter mounting section 201 along a transport path provided in the device housing 2 and discharge the print medium 13 from the outlet 202. The device housing 2 is provided with a platen roller (transport roller) 6 for transporting the print medium 13 pulled out from the tape adapter 11, a printing unit 7 for printing on the print medium 13, and a cutting unit 8 for cutting the print medium 13. The device housing 2 in the printing device 1 of the present invention is further provided with an outlet unit 10 for discharging the print medium 13 cut and divided by the cutting unit 8 from the outlet 202, which will be described later with reference to FIG. 3, FIG. 13, etc.

[0016] The lid 4 is attached to the device housing 2 so that the adapter mounting portion 201 in the device housing 2 can be opened and closed (in other words, the lid 4 can be moved between a closed position that covers the adapter mounting portion 201 and an open position that opens the adapter mounting portion 201 to enable the attachment and detachment of the tape adapter 11).

[0017] 1 and 2, a keyboard 3 is provided in an area of ​​the device housing 2 that does not interfere with the lid 4 in the closed position, and a display 5 is provided on the surface of the lid 4. The keyboard 3 is an input device having a number of keys for inputting and selecting various pieces of information related to the operation of the printing device 1. The display 5 is a display device that displays various pieces of information input or selected using the keyboard 3.

[0018] It should be noted that the printing device to which the present invention can be applied is not limited to the one with the external configuration exemplified in Figures 1 and 2. The printing device 1 may be one in which the keyboard 3 is omitted, for example.

[0019] [First embodiment] Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a transport path of the print medium in the printing device according to the first embodiment. Fig. 3 shows a schematic linear transport path of the print medium 13 in the printing device 1 illustrated in Fig. 2.

[0020] The print medium 13 unwound from the tape roll 12 and supplied to the printing device 1 includes, for example, an adhesive tape having a heat-sensitive material layer that develops or changes color when heated, and a release paper that protects the adhesive layer of the adhesive tape. The print medium 13 passes between the platen roller 6 and the thermal head 701 of the printing unit 7 (see FIG. 2) with the print surface 1300 facing (contacting) the thermal head 701, and is transported along a transport path leading to the discharge port 202 of the device housing 2 (see FIG. 2). For example, the print medium 13 is sandwiched between the peripheral surface of the platen roller 6 and the thermal head 701 when the lid 4 moves to the closed position, and is transported along the transport path by the rotation of the platen roller 6. The platen roller 6 of the printing device 1 can be rotated by the power of a motor (not shown) in a first rotation direction in which the print medium 13 is sent out toward the discharge port 202, and in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction. In the following description, rotation of the platen roller 6 in the first rotation direction is referred to as forward rotation, and rotating the platen roller 6 in the forward direction to transport the print medium 13 in the direction from upstream to downstream is referred to as forward feed. In the following description, rotation of the platen roller 6 in the second rotation direction is referred to as reverse rotation, and rotating the platen roller 6 in the reverse direction to transport the print medium 13 in the direction from downstream to upstream is referred to as reverse feed.

[0021] The printer 1 applies heat from the thermal head 701 to the print medium 13 that is fed sequentially, thereby printing on the print medium 13. In the following description, the position on the transport path where the print medium 13 and the thermal head 701 come into contact with each other is referred to as the printing position.

[0022] A full cut position and a half cut position are provided between the printing position and the discharge position (a position corresponding to the discharge port 202 of the device housing 2) on the transport path. The full cut position is provided downstream from the printing position by a distance L1, and is a position where the print medium 13 is cut by a first cutter 800 included in the cutting unit 8. The half cut position is provided downstream from the full cut position by a distance L2, and is a position where the print medium 13 is cut by a second cutter 810 included in the cutting unit 8.

[0023] The term "full cut" in this specification refers to cutting the entire print medium 13. More specifically, the term "full cut" refers to separating (dividing) a portion of the print medium 13 on the transport path that is located downstream of the full cut execution position from a portion that is located upstream of the full cut execution position to separate the print medium 13. The first cutter 800 that cuts (full cuts) the print medium 13 at the full cut execution position may be a scissors-like cutter having a first blade 801 and a second blade 802.

[0024] The term "half cut" in this specification refers to partially cutting the print medium 13. A half cut can be, for example, cutting only one of the adhesive tape and the release paper in the print medium 13, which is a laminate including the adhesive tape and the release paper described above. A half cut can be, for example, a cut that creates a perforation in the print medium 13. The second cutter 810 that cuts the print medium 13 at the half cut position (half cut) has a cutting blade 811 for partially cutting the print medium 13, and a blade receiving member 812 that receives the cutting blade 811.

[0025] In the printing device 1 of this embodiment, a discharge roller position is further provided between the half-cut implementation position and the discharge position on the transport path. The discharge roller position is a position where the print medium 13, which has been divided into individual pieces by full cutting, is sent downstream of the transport path by the discharge unit 10. More specifically, the discharge roller position can be a position where the print medium 13 on the transport path is sandwiched by the discharge roller 1000 and the auxiliary roller 1010 in the discharge unit 10. The discharge roller 1000 is disposed at a position facing (contacting) the print surface 1300 of the print medium 13, and rotates in a direction (clockwise in FIG. 3) that sends the print medium 13 downstream of the transport path by a motor not shown. The auxiliary roller 1010 can be a driven roller that brings the print medium 13 and the discharge roller 1000 into close contact with each other.

[0026] 3, a sensor 1030 and a lever 1040 for detecting whether or not the print medium 13 is present at the discharge roller position are attached to a support 1020 that rotatably supports an auxiliary roller 1010. An example of a method for detecting the print medium 13 using the sensor 1030 and the lever 1040 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0027] Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of a method for detecting a print medium in the printing device according to the first embodiment, and Fig. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of a sensor used for detecting a print medium.

[0028] In the discharge unit 10 according to the present embodiment, when not in operation, the discharge roller 1000 and the auxiliary roller 1010 are separated from the print medium 13, as illustrated in FIG. 4A. The lever 1040 has a medium detection portion 1041 that protrudes to a position (-Z direction) closer to the axis of the discharge roller 1000 than the auxiliary roller 1010 when not in contact with the print medium 13, and is supported by the support 1020 so as to be rotatable in a direction in which the protrusion amount from the auxiliary roller 1010 decreases when the support 1020 moves in a direction (-Z direction) approaching the discharge roller 1000 and the medium detection portion 1041 comes into contact with the print medium 13. The discharge roller 1000 has a groove 1001 into which the medium detection portion 1041 can enter so that the lever 1040 does not rotate if the print medium 13 is not present between the discharge roller 1000 and the auxiliary roller 1010 when the support 1020 moves in a direction (-Z direction) approaching the discharge roller 1000.

[0029] Furthermore, the lever 1040 has a sensor output switching section 1042 that can switch the output of the sensor 1030 depending on whether the medium detection section 1041 is not in contact with the print medium 13 or is in contact with it.

[0030] The sensor 1030 may be, for example, a transmissive optical sensor in which a light-emitting unit 1031 and a light-receiving unit 1032 are arranged facing each other, as shown in Fig. 5. The sensor output switching unit 1042 of the lever 1040 is provided so as to block the light emitted by the light-emitting unit 1031 when the medium detection unit 1041 is not in contact with the print medium 13, and to allow the light-receiving unit 1032 to receive the light emitted by the light-emitting unit 1031 when the medium detection unit 1041 comes in contact with the print medium 13. In other words, the lever 1040 can be rotatably moved between a first position (position shown in FIGS. 4A and 4C) where the medium detection unit 1041 is not in contact with the print medium 13 and the sensor output switching unit 1042 blocks the optical path from the light emitting unit 1031 to the light receiving unit 1032, and a second position (position shown in FIG. 4B) where the print medium 13 is clamped between the discharge roller 1000 and the auxiliary roller 1010, the medium detection unit 1041 is in contact with the print medium 13, and the sensor output switching unit 1042 opens the optical path from the light emitting unit 1031 to the light receiving unit 1032. The lever 1040 is biased in a direction from the second position toward the first position by a spring (not shown). The force of the spring biasing the lever 1040 is adjusted so that when the medium detection unit 1041 comes into contact with the print medium 13, it deforms the print medium 13 and the sensor output switching unit 1042 does not block the optical path from the light emitting unit 1031 to the light receiving unit 1032.

[0031] 4 and 5, the light receiving state of the light receiving section 1032 (i.e., the output of the sensor 1030) differs between when the print medium 13 is being clamped between the discharge roller 1000 and the auxiliary roller 1010 and when it is not being clamped. Therefore, based on the output of the sensor 1030, it is possible to determine whether or not the print medium 13 is present at the discharge roller position (see FIG. 3). Therefore, in the printing device 1 of this embodiment, for example, the operation can be controlled so that the first cutter 800 performs a full cut of the print medium 13 only when it is detected that the print medium 13 is present at the discharge roller position.

[0032] The mounting form of the discharge unit 10 in the printing device 1 of the present embodiment is not limited to a specific form. The discharge unit 10 may be a unit separate from the cutting unit 8, or may be a unit that operates in conjunction with the cutting unit 8. The discharge unit 10 may be incorporated into the cutting unit 8 as a part of the cutting unit 8, for example.

[0033] FIG. 6 is a perspective view for explaining an example of the configuration of the cutting mechanism and the discharge mechanism in the printing device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the initial positions of the cutting mechanism and the discharge mechanism. FIG. 8 is a diagram for illustrating the state of the cutting mechanism and the discharge mechanism when the print medium is detected. FIG. 9 is a diagram for illustrating the state of the cutting mechanism and the discharge mechanism when the full cut is completed. FIGS. 6 to 9 show an example of the cutting mechanism of the cutting unit 8 and the discharge mechanism of the discharge unit 10 when the discharge unit 10 is interlocked with the cutting unit 8. The dotted lines and dashed lines in each of FIGS. 7 to 9 are used to clearly indicate the relationship between two members that engage during operation, and the parts indicated by the dotted lines and the parts indicated by the dashed lines are not necessarily provided on separate members. For example, the dashed line figure indicated by reference numeral 1501 may be a part of the cam 15 indicated by the dotted line, and engages with the dashed line part indicated by reference numeral 803.

[0034] The cutting mechanism of the cutting unit 8 includes a first cutter 800 having a first blade 801 and a second blade 802, and a second cutter 810 having a cutting blade 811 and a blade receiving member 812. In the first cutter 800, for example, the position of the second blade 802 on the conveying path is fixed, and the first blade 801 is rotatably connected to the second blade 802. In the second cutter 810, for example, the position of the blade receiving member 812 on the conveying path is fixed, and the cutting blade 811 is rotatably connected to the blade receiving member 812. The rotational position of the first blade 801 relative to the second blade 802 and the rotational position of the cutting blade 811 relative to the blade receiving member 812 are controlled by a cam 15.

[0035] The first blade 801 of the first cutter 800 is biased by a spring (not shown) in a direction in which the first blade 801 and the second blade 802 move from a first rotation position in which they are closed to a second rotation position in which they are open. The cam 15 has a protruding pressing portion 1501 that applies a pressing load to the first blade 801 so that the first blade 801 rotates in a direction in which the first blade 801 and the second blade 802 of the first cutter 800 close when the cam 15 is rotated in a first direction (counterclockwise in Figs. 7 to 9) from the initial position. The first blade 801 has a load receiving portion 803 that receives the pressing load from the pressing portion 1501 of the cam 15 when the cam 15 rotates in the first direction from the initial position. The load receiving portion 803 engages with the pressing portion 1501 so that the first blade 801 moves from the second rotation position to the first rotation position due to the pressure load from the pressing portion 1501 of the cam 15 rotating in the first direction. The pressing portion 1501 of the cam 15 and the load receiving portion 803 of the first blade 801 are configured to engage when the cam 15 is further rotated in the first direction after the discharge roller 1000 and the auxiliary roller 1010 of the discharge unit 10 are in a state in which they can clamp the print medium 13, as illustrated in Figures 7 to 9. When the cam 15 rotated in the first direction is rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction to return to the initial position, the first blade 801 returns to the second rotation position due to the biasing force of a spring (not shown) (see Figure 7). The cam 15 is coupled to a first motor 1701 via a first gear 1601 , a second gear 1602 , a third gear 1603 , and a fourth gear 1604 , and is rotated by the power of the first motor 1701 .

[0036] The cutting blade 811 of the second cutter 810 is biased by a spring (not shown) in a direction in which the cutting edge of the cutting blade 811 moves from a first rotation position (a position where half-cutting of the print medium 13 is completed) where the cutting edge of the cutting blade 811 is closest to the blade receiving surface of the blade receiving member 812 to a second rotation position away from the first rotation position. The cam 15 has an engagement portion (not shown) that engages with the cutting blade 811 so that the cutting blade 811 of the second cutter 810 moves from the second rotation position to the first rotation position when the cam 15 is rotated in the second direction from the initial position. When the cam 15 rotated in the second direction is rotated in the first direction opposite to the second direction to return to the initial position, the cutting blade 811 returns to the second rotation position by the biasing force of the spring (not shown).

[0037] The support 1020 of the discharge unit 10 is attached to a support plate 1050 supporting the discharge roller 1000 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis whose axis is in the conveyance direction. The support 1020 is biased by a spring (not shown) in a direction in which the auxiliary roller 1010 moves from a first rotation position (position where the print medium 13 is clamped) where the auxiliary roller 1010 is closest to the discharge roller 1000 to a second rotation position separated therefrom. As illustrated in Figs. 7 to 9, the support 1020 has a load receiving portion 1021 that receives a pressure load from a protruding pressing portion 1605 provided on the fourth gear 1604 when the fourth gear 1604 coupled with the cam 15 rotates in the first direction from the initial position. The load receiving portion 1021 engages with the pressing portion 1605 so that the support 1020 moves from the second rotation position to the first rotation position due to the pressing load from the pressing portion 1605 of the fourth gear 1604 rotating in the first direction.

[0038] The pressing portion 1605 of the fourth gear 1604 and the load receiving portion 1021 of the support 1020 are configured so that the support 1020 reaches the first rotation position before the fourth gear 1604 and the cam 15 rotate in the first direction and the first blade 801 of the first cutter 800 starts to move from the open position (second rotation position) to the closed position (first rotation position), as shown in Fig. 8. When the support 1020 reaches the first rotation position, it can be determined whether the print medium 13 is being clamped by the discharge roller 1000 and the auxiliary roller 1010, as described above with reference to Fig. 4. When the print medium 13 is being clamped, by further rotating the fourth gear 1604 and the cam 15 in the first direction, as illustrated in Fig. 9, the first blade 801 of the first cutter 800 moves from the second rotation position to the first rotation position, and the print medium 13 can be cut (full cut). When the print medium 13 is not being clamped, by rotating the fourth gear 1604 and the cam 15 in the second direction, the operation of cutting the print medium 13 (full cut) can be stopped and the support 1020 can be returned to the second rotation position.

[0039] The rotational position of the cam 15, which is associated with the timing of the rotational movement of the first blade 801 of the first cutter 800, the rotational movement of the cutting blade 811 of the second cutter 810, and the rotational movement of the support 1020 of the discharge unit 10, is detected using a first position sensor 1801 and a second position sensor 1802. As illustrated in Figs. 7 to 9, the side of the cam 15 has a first section having a first distance from the center of rotation and a second section having a second distance. The first position sensor 1801 and the second position sensor 1802 may switch outputs depending on the distance to the side of the cam 15. The first position sensor 1801 and the second position sensor 1802 are positioned so that the output patterns are different when the cam 15 is in the initial position, when the support 1020 reaches the first rotation position, when the first blade 801 reaches the first rotation position, and when the cutting blade 811 reaches the first rotation position.

[0040] For example, when the cam 15 illustrated in FIG. 7 is in the initial position, the output of the first position sensor 1801 is an output corresponding to the distance to the section (e.g., the first section) of the first and second sections on the side of the cam 15 that is longer from the center of rotation, and the output of the second position sensor 1802 is an output corresponding to the distance to the section (e.g., the second section) of the first and second sections on the side of the cam 15 that is shorter from the center of rotation.

[0041] When the fourth gear 1604 and the cam 15 rotate in the first direction and the first blade 801 of the first cutter 800 reaches the first rotation position as illustrated in FIG. 8, the output of the second position sensor 1802 switches to an output according to the distance from the center of rotation to the section (for example, the first section) of the first and second sections of the side surface of the cam 15 that is longer than the section. At this time, the output of the first position sensor 1801 is the same as the output when the cam 15 is in the initial position. Therefore, the timing of determining whether or not the print medium 13 is present and the timing of completion of cutting (full cutting) of the print medium 13 by the first cutter 800 can be identified by a combination of the output of the first position sensor 1801 and the output of the second position sensor 1802 when the fourth gear 1604 and the cam 15 are rotated in the first direction from the initial position.

[0042] On the other hand, although not shown in the figure, when the cam 15 is rotated from the initial position in the second direction to perform a cut (half cut) of the printing medium 13 by the second cutter 810, the output of the second position sensor 1802 switches to an output corresponding to the distance to the section (e.g., the first section) of the first and second sections on the side of the cam 15 that is longer from the center of rotation.

[0043] The discharge roller 1000 of the discharge unit 10 is coupled to the second motor 1702 via a first gear 1901 , a second gear 1902 , a third gear 1903 , and a fourth gear 1904 , and is rotated by the power of the second motor 1702 .

[0044] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the discharge rollers and the auxiliary rollers.

[0045] The printing device 1 of this embodiment can determine whether or not the print medium 13 is present between the discharge roller 1000 and the auxiliary roller 1010, depending on whether or not the lever 1040 rotates when the support 1020 of the discharge unit 10 is moved to the first rotation position (see FIG. 8). As described above with reference to FIG. 4, the lever 1040 rotates when the medium detection unit 1041 comes into contact with the print medium 13 sandwiched between the discharge roller 1000 and the auxiliary roller 1010. In other words, if the print medium 13 is not present between the discharge roller 1000 and the auxiliary roller 1010 when the support 1020 is moved to the first rotation position, the lever 1040 is prevented from rotating. 10B, a groove 1001 is formed on the side surface (circumferential surface) of the discharge roller 1000, receding in the axial direction from the side surface so that the medium detection unit 1041 of the lever 1040 does not come into contact with the discharge roller 1000 when the discharge roller 1000 and auxiliary roller 1010 come into contact. Also, a groove 1011 is formed on the auxiliary roller 1010, receding in the axial direction from the side surface so that the medium detection unit 1041 does not come into contact with the print medium 13 and thus inhibit the rotational movement of the lever 1040.

[0046] In the printing device 1 of this embodiment, the discharge roller 1000 and the auxiliary roller 1010 are arranged adjacent to each other in the thickness direction (Z direction) of the print medium 13 on the transport path. Therefore, the print surface 1300 of the print medium 13 comes into contact with the discharge roller 1000 (or the auxiliary roller 1010). For example, from the viewpoint of preventing the print surface 1300 of the print medium 13 from being scratched due to contact between the print surface 1300 and the discharge roller 1000, it is preferable to reduce the contact area between the print surface 1300 and the discharge roller 1000. However, the discharge roller 1000 and the auxiliary roller 1010 may be arranged in the device housing 2 of the printing device 1 with the axial direction (Y direction) being oriented to be the up-down direction when printing on the print medium 13. When arranged in such a direction, if the contact area between the printed surface 1300 and the discharge roller 1000 is reduced, for example, gravity may cause the widthwise position of the printed medium 13 to shift downward, resulting in a phenomenon known as meandering in the transport of the printed medium 13.

[0047] In order to prevent the print medium 13 from meandering, for example, as shown in FIG. 10A, the contact area between the auxiliary roller 1010 and the print medium 13 may be increased below the widthwise center CY of the print medium 13 on the transport path.

[0048] In addition, when the auxiliary roller 1010 is supported by the support 1020, it is preferable to support the auxiliary roller 1010 so that the axis of the auxiliary roller 1010 can be changed in the thickness direction (Z direction) of the print medium 13. For example, the support portion of the support 1020 that supports the rotation shaft 1012 of the auxiliary roller 1010 is an elongated hole that is long in the thickness direction of the print medium 13 (see FIG. 4), and the rotation shaft of the auxiliary roller 1010 is biased in a direction approaching the print medium 13 by the biasing members 1022 and 1023. The biasing member 1023 is, for example, a compression coil spring, and the biasing member 1022 is a member that is in slidable contact with the rotation shaft 1012 to allow the rotation of the auxiliary roller 1010 and transmits the restoring force of the compression coil spring to the auxiliary roller 1010. In this way, when the support 1020 is moved to the first rotation position, it is possible to correctly detect whether the print medium 13 is being clamped, regardless of the thickness of the print medium 13.

[0049] FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a printing device according to the first embodiment.

[0050] The printing device 1 illustrated in FIG. 11 includes a control unit 100, a storage unit 110, an input unit 120, a display unit 130, an adapter detection unit 140, a transport unit 150, a printing unit 160, a cutting unit 170, and a discharge unit 180.

[0051] The control unit 100 controls the operation of the printing device 1. The control unit 100 controls the operation of a transport unit 150 that transports the print medium 13, the operation of a printing unit 160 that prints on the print medium 13, the operation of a cutting unit 170 that cuts the print medium 13, and the operation of a discharge unit 180 that discharges the individual pieces of the print medium 13. The functions of the control unit 100 are provided by a processor that executes an OS (Operation System) program and various programs related to control of the operations of the transport unit 150, the printing unit 160, the cutting unit 170, and the discharge unit 180. The processor may be, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit).

[0052] The storage unit 110 stores programs to be executed by the processor, data to be referenced during execution of the programs, data generated during execution of the programs, etc. The functions of the storage unit 110 are provided by, for example, a Read Only Memory (ROM) and a Random Access Memory (RAM).

[0053] The input unit 120 is an input device for inputting various information to the printing device 1, and includes, for example, the keyboard 3 described above with reference to Fig. 1. The display unit 130 is a display device for displaying various information to a user of the printing device 1, and includes, for example, the display 5 described above with reference to Fig. 1. The adapter detection unit 140 detects, for example, whether the tape adapter 11 described above with reference to Fig. 1 is attached to the adapter attachment unit 201 of the device housing 2, and the width of the print medium 13 supplied from the attached tape adapter 11, etc.

[0054] The transport section 150 transports the print medium 13 under the control of the control section 100. The transport section 150 includes, for example, a platen roller 6 (see FIG. 3), a motor connected to the platen roller 6, a drive circuit that drives the motor, and an encoder that detects the number of rotations (rotation angle) of the platen roller 6. The printing section 160 performs a printing operation on the print medium 13 under the control of the control section 100. The printing section 160 corresponds to the above-mentioned printing unit 7 (see FIG. 2), and includes, for example, a thermal head 701, a drive circuit that drives the heat generating elements of the thermal head 701, and a thermistor that detects the temperature of the thermal head 701.

[0055] The cutting section 170 performs a cutting operation to cut the print medium 13 under the control of the control section 100. The cutting section 170 corresponds to the above-mentioned cutting unit 8 (see FIG. 3), and includes, for example, a cutter 171 including a first cutter 800 and a second cutter 810, a motor 172 connected to the cutter 171, a drive circuit (not shown) that drives the motor 172, and a position sensor 173 that detects the rotational position of the above-mentioned cam 15. The position sensor 173 may be the two position sensors 1801 and 1802 described above, or may be another sensor that provides an equivalent function.

[0056] The discharge section 180 performs a discharge operation to discharge the print medium 13 cut and divided by the cutting section 170 under the control of the control section 100. The discharge section 180 corresponds to the above-mentioned discharge unit 10 (see FIG. 3), and includes a discharge roller 181, a motor 182 connected to the discharge roller 181, a drive circuit (not shown) that drives the motor 182, an auxiliary roller 183, and a medium sensor 184 that detects the presence or absence of the print medium 13. The discharge section 180 can be linked to the cutting section 170, as described above with reference to FIGS. 6 to 9.

[0057] Fig. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a cutting control process performed by the printing device according to the first embodiment. The cutting control process illustrated in Fig. 12 is performed by the control unit 100 of the printing device 1 alone or in cooperation with other functional blocks. The cutting control process illustrated in Fig. 12 may be performed in parallel with other processes, such as a process of printing on the print medium 13, or may be performed separately from the other processes.

[0058] The disconnection control process is performed as a loop process including the processes of steps S100 to S108. This loop process is performed each time one or more disconnection processes are performed within a single disconnection control process.

[0059] When the time to cut the print medium 13 arrives (step S100; YES), the printing device 1 determines whether to perform a full cut or a half cut (step S101). For example, when the cut position on the print medium 13 reaches a full cut execution position or a half cut execution position on the conveying path, the printing device 1 determines that the time to perform the cut has arrived. When a half cut is to be performed (step S101; half cut), the printing device 1 operates the half cutter (second cutter 810) to half cut the print medium 13 (step S107). In step S107, the printing device 1 rotates the cam 15 in the second direction to half cut the print medium 13 as described above. After step S107, the printing device 1 rotates the cam 15 in the first direction to return it to the initial position (step S108).

[0060] When it is determined in step S101 that a full cut is to be performed (step S101; full cut), the printing device 1 operates the auxiliary roller 1010 to sandwich the print medium 13 between the discharge roller 1000 and the auxiliary roller 1010 of the discharge unit 10 (step S102). In step S102, as described above, the printing device 1 rotates the cam 15 in the first direction to move the support 1020 supporting the auxiliary roller 1010 from the second rotation position to the first rotation position. Thereafter, the printing device 1 determines whether or not the print medium 13 is present at the discharge roller position (see FIG. 3) (step S103). In step S103, the printing device 1 determines whether or not the print medium 13 is present based on the output of the medium sensor 184, which may be the sensor 1030 of the discharge unit 10.

[0061] If the print medium 13 is present (step S103; YES), the printing device 1 operates the full cutter (first cutter 800) to fully cut the print medium 13 (step S104), and then operates the discharge roller 1000 to discharge the individual pieces of the print medium 13 (step S105). In step S104, as described above, the printing device 1 further rotates the cam 15 in the first direction to fully cut the print medium 13. The print medium 13 that has been individually cut by the full cut (i.e., the print medium 13 downstream of the full cut implementation position) is sandwiched between the discharge roller 1000 and the auxiliary roller 1010. Therefore, the individual pieces of the print medium 13 are reliably sent downstream in the conveying direction in step S105 and discharged from the discharge port 202. After step S105, the printing device 1 rotates the cam 15 in the second direction to return it to its initial position (step S108).

[0062] If the print medium 13 is not present (step S103; NO), the printing device 1 notifies the user of information indicating that the print medium 13 is not present at the discharge roller position (medium not detected) (step S106). In step S106, the printing device 1 notifies the user that the medium is not detected, for example, by sounding an alarm. After step S106, the printing device 1 rotates the cam 15 in the second direction to return it to the initial position (step S108). In other words, if the print medium 13 is not present at the discharge roller position, the printing device 1 does not perform a full cut.

[0063] In this way, the printing device 1 of the present embodiment includes a medium sensor 184, which may be a combination of a sensor 1030 and a lever 1040, that functions as a detection unit that detects whether the printing medium 13 is sandwiched between the discharge roller 1000 and the auxiliary roller 1010 that send the printing medium 13, which has been cut into pieces by full cutting, downstream in the transport direction. Therefore, in the printing device 1 of the present embodiment, before performing a full cut, it is determined whether the printing medium 13 is present at the discharge roller position of the transport path, and the full cut can be performed only if the printing medium 13 is present. In other words, when it is determined that the printing medium 13, which has been cut into pieces by the full cut to be performed, cannot be sent downstream in the transport path by the discharge roller 1000 and the auxiliary roller 1010, the printing device 1 of the present embodiment can not perform the full cut to be performed. Therefore, in the printing device 1 of the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent the printing medium 13, which has been cut into pieces by full cutting, from being discharged and remaining on the transport path. If the individual pieces of the print medium 13 remain on the transport path, for example, when the print medium 13 is subsequently half-cut, the second cutter 810 performs the half-cutting in a state where the print medium 13 to be half-cut overlaps with the remaining print medium 13, and the half-cutting may not be performed properly. In the printing device 1 of this embodiment, which can prevent the individual pieces of the print medium 13 from remaining, the remaining individual pieces of the print medium 13 to be half-cut may prevent the print medium 13 to be half-cut from being half-cut properly. In addition, it is time-consuming to remove the individual pieces of the print medium 13 remaining around the full-cutting position or the half-cutting position on the transport path. In the printing device 1 of this embodiment, the time-consuming work of such work can be avoided.

[0064] 6 to 9, the configurations of the cutting mechanism and the discharge mechanism can be simplified by coordinating the operation of the support 1020 of the discharge unit 10 with the operation of the cutting unit 8. This makes it possible to suppress an increase in size of the printing device 1 due to an increase in the size of the mechanism, an increase in manufacturing costs due to an increase in the number of parts, and the like.

[0065] Furthermore, by arranging the sensor 1030 of the discharge unit 10 on a surface of the support 1020 facing upstream in the conveying direction (i.e., upstream of the discharge roller position), as illustrated in Figure 4, etc., it is possible to prevent erroneous detection by the sensor 1030 due to external light that enters the conveying path inside the device housing 2 from the discharge outlet 202 when the sensor 1030 is an optical sensor.

[0066] The configuration of the discharge unit 10 in the printing device 1 according to the first embodiment is not limited to the above-mentioned configuration. For example, the configuration for detecting whether or not the print medium 13 is present between the discharge roller 1000 and the auxiliary roller 1010 is not limited to the combination of the sensor 1030 and the lever 1040 described above with reference to Figs. 4 and 5. The sensor 1030 may be, for example, a reflective optical sensor or another non-contact sensor. The shape of the lever 1040, the method of support by the support 1020, etc. can be changed depending on the type of the sensor 1030.

[0067] [Second embodiment] 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a transport path of a print medium in a printing device according to a second embodiment. The basic configuration of the printing device according to the second embodiment may be the same as that of the printing device 1 described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0068] In the printing device according to the second embodiment, instead of the combination of the sensor 1030 and lever 1040 described in the first embodiment, a sensor 20 is arranged between the discharge roller position and the discharge position on the transport path as shown in Fig. 13 to detect whether or not the print medium 13 is present at the discharge roller position. The sensor 20 may be, for example, a reflective optical sensor.

[0069] The discharge roller 1000 and the auxiliary roller 1010 in the printing device according to the second embodiment can be provided by a discharge unit obtained by omitting the sensor 1030 and the lever 1040 from the discharge unit 10 described in the first embodiment. In the printing device according to the second embodiment, the sensor 20 may be included in the discharge unit, or may be separate from the discharge unit.

[0070] The functional configuration of the printing device according to the second embodiment may be the same as or similar to the functional configuration of the printing device 1 according to the first embodiment described above with reference to Fig. 11. The printing device according to the second embodiment can perform the cutting control process described above with reference to Fig. 12, and can prevent the print medium 13 that has been cut into individual pieces by full cutting from remaining on the transport path. Therefore, the printing device according to the second embodiment can prevent, for example, the print medium 13 that is the target of half cutting from not being properly half-cut. In addition, for example, the effort required for removing the remaining individual pieces of the print medium 13 can be avoided.

[0071] Furthermore, the printing device according to the second embodiment can detect whether or not the printing medium 13 is present without using the mechanism for moving the lever 1040 described in the first embodiment, thereby simplifying the configuration of the discharge mechanism.

[0072] The above-described embodiment is a specific example shown to facilitate understanding of the invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. The printing device, the control method, and the program can be modified and changed in various ways without departing from the scope of the claims.

[0073] For example, the printing device 1 may be a device in which some of the above-mentioned configurations and functions are omitted, or may be a device including other configurations and functions not illustrated. The printing device 1 may have a communication unit capable of communicating with an external device such as a smartphone or a tablet computer, and may receive print data created by the external device and perform printing on the print medium 13. This type of printing device 1 may be a device in which the keyboard 3 and display 5 of the printing device 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 are omitted. The printing device 1 may be configured to omit, for example, the second cutter 810 for half-cutting the print medium 13. The printing device 1 is not limited to a thermal printing method for the print medium 13, and may be a thermal transfer printing method, an inkjet printing method, or the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 1 Printing device 2. Equipment case 3. Keyboard 4 Lid 5. Display 6 Platen roller 7 Printing unit 8 Cutting Unit 10. Discharge unit 11 Tape Adapter 13 Printing media 15 Cam 1601~1604, 1901~1904 Gear 1701, 1702 Motor 1801, 1802 Position Sensor 20 Sensors 100 Control section 110 Storage section 120 Input section 130 Display section 140 Adapter detector 150 Conveyor 160 Printing Department 170 Cutting section 180 Discharge section 701 Thermal head 800, 810 Cutter 1000 Discharge Roller 1010 Auxiliary roller 1020 Support 1030 Sensor 1040 Lever

Claims

1. a cutting unit that cuts the print medium on the transport path; a discharge section that sends out the individual pieces of the print medium cut by the cutting section to a downstream side of the transport path; a detection unit that detects whether or not the print medium is present at a position on the transport path to which the individualized print medium can be sent out by the discharge unit; A printing device comprising:

2. the discharge section includes a discharge roller that faces the printing surface of the print medium, and an auxiliary roller that is disposed in a position facing the discharge roller with the print medium sandwiched therebetween, and is configured to sandwich the print medium between the discharge roller and the auxiliary roller when the print medium is cut by the cutting section; The detection unit includes a sensor disposed between a discharge roller position on the transport path where the print medium is sandwiched between the discharge roller and the auxiliary roller, and a cutting execution position where the print medium is cut by the cutting unit on an upstream side of the transport path from the discharge roller position. The printing device of claim 1 .

3. The detection unit further includes an output switching member that operates to switch an output of the sensor depending on whether the print medium is being pinched between the discharge roller and the auxiliary roller at the discharge roller position or not. The printing device according to claim 2 .

4. the sensor is an optical sensor; the output switching member is supported by a support member of the discharge section so as to move to a position where it blocks the optical path of the optical sensor when the print medium is being clamped or not being clamped, and to a position where it opens the optical path of the optical sensor when the print medium is being clamped or not being clamped. The printing device according to claim 3 .

5. the auxiliary roller is connected to a cutting mechanism including a cutter that cuts the print medium in the cutting section, and to the discharge roller so as to clamp the print medium together with the cutting mechanism before cutting of the print medium by the cutter is started. The printing device according to claim 2 .

6. a control unit that, when the detection unit detects the presence of the print medium, executes cutting of the print medium by the cutting unit, and, when the detection unit detects the absence of the print medium, controls the operation of the cutting unit so that the cutting unit does not cut the print medium by the cutting unit; The printing device of claim 1 further comprising:

7. the cutting unit includes a first cutter that cuts the entire print medium into individual pieces at a first position on the transport path, and a second cutter that cuts the print medium at a second position on the transport path so as not to individualize the print medium; The control unit obtains a detection result by the detection unit before the first cutter cuts the print medium. The printing device according to claim 6.

8. A printing device including a cutting unit that cuts a print medium on a transport path, and a discharge unit that cuts the print medium by the cutting unit and sends the individual pieces of the print medium downstream of the transport path, A detection unit detects whether or not the print medium is present at a position on the transport path where the print medium separated by the discharge unit can be sent out. A control method for performing a process.

9. A printing device including a cutting unit that cuts a print medium on a transport path, and a discharge unit that cuts the print medium by the cutting unit and sends the individual pieces of the print medium downstream of the transport path, A detection unit detects whether or not the print medium is present at a position on the transport path where the print medium separated by the discharge unit can be sent out. A program that executes a process.

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