Image formation device

Abstract

To control in-machine lighting so as not to adversary affecting detection.SOLUTION: An image formation device turns off in-machine lighting at timing of detecting a width of a recording medium.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Image forming apparatuses that are equipped with an interior lighting unit that illuminates the inside of the apparatus are known.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses that the status of the device is indicated by changing the color of the internal lighting or blinking when the printing status, the maintenance status during head cleaning, or an abnormality such as a jam occurs. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-215522 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when a detection means for detecting the width of the recording medium is provided, there is a risk that the color or blinking of the interior lighting may affect the detection when the detection means is detecting the width of the recording medium.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and has an object to control interior lighting so as not to affect detection. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention is an image forming device comprising a recording head that forms an image on a recording medium, an in-machine lighting unit that illuminates the inside of the image forming device, an in-machine lighting control unit that controls the in-machine lighting unit, and an edge detection means that detects the edge of the recording medium, wherein the in-machine lighting control unit controls the in-machine lighting unit to be turned off at the timing when the edge detection means detects the edge of the recording medium. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the interior lighting from affecting detection. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is an external perspective view of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic diagram of the inside of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the position of an interior lighting unit in the present embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 5] 10 is a schematic diagram showing a case where edge detection of a recording medium is performed in the present embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a case where edge detection of a recording medium is not performed in the present embodiment. [Figure 7] 4 is a flowchart showing a control according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] <First embodiment> Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the appearance of an image forming apparatus in this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, a top cover 101 of the image forming apparatus 100 is provided with a window 102 for checking the inside of the image forming apparatus so that the status inside the apparatus can be grasped. In addition, the image forming apparatus is provided with an operation display unit 103 as a user interface, and settings of the image forming apparatus can be performed on the operation display unit 103.

[0011] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the internal state with the cover removed of the image forming apparatus 100 shown in Fig. 1. The image forming apparatus 100 includes a transport roller 208 for transporting the recording medium 200 in the direction of the arrow B (sub-scanning direction), and a carriage unit 201 guided so as to be reciprocable in the width direction of the recording medium 200 (direction of the arrow A, main scanning direction).

[0012] The image forming apparatus 100 further includes a carriage motor (not shown) for reciprocating the carriage unit 201 in the direction of the arrow A, a carriage belt 202, and a recording head 203 attached to the carriage unit 201.

[0013] The carriage unit 201 is supported by a main shaft 204 extending in the scanning direction of the carriage unit 201. The position of the carriage unit 201 can be detected by reading a linear scale 206 with an encoder sensor 205 mounted on the carriage unit 201.

[0014] When recording is performed on the recording medium 200 with the above configuration, the recording medium 200 is conveyed by the conveying rollers 208 to a predetermined recording start position on the platen 209 .

[0015] Thereafter, the carriage unit 201 scans the print head 203 in the main scanning direction, and the transport roller 208 transports the print medium 200 in the sub-scanning direction, and the transport roller 208 transports the print medium 200 in the sub-scanning direction.

[0016] The carriage unit 201 is electrically connected to a main board 211 by a flexible flat cable (hereinafter, FFC) 210 , and the FFC 210 is used to supply power to the printhead 203 , control the printhead 203 , and perform detection by an encoder sensor 205 .

[0017] Further, the carriage unit 201 is equipped with an edge detection sensor 212. The edge detection sensor 212 is used to detect the edge of the recording medium 200 by detecting the density of the recording medium 200 and the platen 209.

[0018] After printing on the roll-shaped recording medium 200 is completed, the recording medium 200 is cut by a cutter 213 .

[0019] The user can select whether or not to cut the recording medium 200 via the operation display unit 103 of the image forming apparatus 100 or a host device such as a personal computer connected to the printer.

[0020] The image forming apparatus 100 is provided with a cleaning mechanism 214 for filling the recording head 203 with ink and for removing clogging of the nozzles of the recording head 203 .

[0021] Furthermore, when the carriage unit 201 is in a standby state other than during scanning, it retreats to the position of the cleaning mechanism 214. This retreat location is referred to as the home position, and the opposite side is referred to as the away position.

[0022] 3 is a perspective view of image forming apparatus 100 with top cover 101 open, showing the position of in-machine lighting unit 301 that emits light to illuminate the interior of image forming apparatus 100. In this embodiment, in-machine lighting unit 301 is disposed on top cover 101, but the position is not limited to top cover 101 as long as the position allows for in-machine lighting. In-machine lighting unit 301 in this embodiment illuminates recording medium 200 recorded by recording head 203.

[0023] 4 is a block diagram for explaining the control configuration of the image forming apparatus 100. The image forming apparatus 100 is composed of a load side system 400 and a power supply unit 401, and the load side system 400 and the power supply unit 401 are electrically connected to each other using a connector, a cable, or the like (not shown).

[0024] The power supply unit 401 has an AC / DC conversion circuit 402 and is connected to a commercial power supply, and outputs a predetermined voltage from the commercial power supply input via the AC / DC conversion circuit 402 to supply power to the load side system 400 .

[0025] In addition, the DC / DC conversion circuit 403 has a function of converting the DC output voltage output by the AC / DC conversion circuit 402 into a predetermined DC voltage required by each block of the load side system 400, outputting it, and distributing it, and is composed of a switching regulator and its peripheral circuits.

[0026] The controller 404 is a main control unit, and includes, for example, a CPU 405 in the form of a microcomputer, a ROM 406 in which programs, required tables and other fixed data are stored, and a RAM 407 in which an area for developing image data, a working area, and the like are provided.

[0027] The host device 408 is a print data supply source connected to an external device, and may take the form of a computer that creates and processes print data, or a reader unit for reading images.

[0028] Image data, other commands, status signals, etc. are transmitted and received between the controller 404 via an interface (I / F) 409 .

[0029] The operation display unit 103 includes a group of switches that accepts instruction input by an operator and an LCD 412 that provides the operator with internal information about the printer, and the group of switches includes a power switch 411 and the like.

[0030] The sensor group 413 is a detection group for detecting the state of the device, and is mounted on the carriage unit 201. It includes an encoder sensor 205 for detecting the position of the carriage unit 201, an edge detection sensor 212 for detecting the edge between the print head 203 and the print medium 200, a photointerrupter 414 for detecting the home position, and the like.

[0031] The head driver 417 is a driver that drives a nozzle heater 418 in the recording head 203 in accordance with print data and the like, and by driving the nozzle heater 418, it becomes possible to eject ink.

[0032] The motor driver A 419 is a driver for driving a carriage motor 420 , and the motor driver B 421 is a driver for driving a transport motor 422 used to transport the recording medium 200 .

[0033] The interior lighting control unit 451 controls the on / off of the interior lighting unit 301 in response to a control signal from the controller 404 .

[0034] The interior lighting unit 301 is capable of emitting light from an LED lamp or a cold cathode fluorescent lamp such as a CCFL.

[0035] Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a case where edge detection of the recording medium 200 of this embodiment is performed. Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a case where edge detection of the recording medium 200 of this embodiment is not performed, that is, when the carriage unit 201 is moving or when a printing operation is performed on the recording medium 200 by the recording head 203 mounted on the carriage unit 201.

[0036] 5, when edge detection sensor 212 detects the edge of recording medium 200 on the home position side or away position side, controller 404 sends a signal to in-machine lighting control unit 451 to turn off in-machine lighting unit 301. Upon receiving this signal, in-machine lighting control unit 451 turns off in-machine lighting unit 301.

[0037] 6, when a printing operation is being performed on recording medium 200 by recording head 203 mounted on carriage unit 201, or when a printing operation is not being performed and carriage unit 201 is only moving, controller 404 sends a signal to in-machine lighting control unit 451 to turn on in-machine lighting unit 301. Upon receiving this signal, in-machine lighting control unit 451 turns on in-machine lighting unit 301.

[0038] 7 is a flowchart showing the control of this embodiment. This control is executed by CPU 405 according to a control program stored in ROM 406. In step S701, controller 404 receives a print operation instruction from host device 408 via interface (I / F) 409 and instructs in-machine lighting control unit 451 to turn on in-machine lighting unit 301 to indicate that image forming apparatus 100 is about to start a print operation, thereby turning on in-machine lighting unit 301.

[0039] Next, in order to detect the edge of the recording medium 200 on the home position side, the carriage unit 201 is moved to the home position side by the operation of the carriage motor 420, and when the edge detection sensor 212 starts the edge detection operation of the recording medium 200 (YES in step S702), the in-machine lighting unit 301 is turned off (step S703). When the end detection operation on the home position side is completed (YES in step S704), the carriage unit 201 is moved to the away position side and the interior lighting unit 301 is turned on in order to next perform end detection on the away position side (step S705). At the timing when the edge detection operation by the edge detection sensor 212 on the away position side of the recording medium 200 is started (YES in step S706), the in-machine lighting unit 301 is turned off (step S707). When the end detection operation on the away position side is completed (YES in step S708), the interior lighting unit 301 is turned on (step S709). Thereafter, the printing operation is performed according to the width of the recording medium 200 detected by the edge detection sensor 212 (step S710), and when the printing operation is completed (YES in step S711), the in-machine lighting unit 301 is turned off (step S712), and the printing operation is completed.

[0040] <Other embodiments> In the first embodiment, the edge of the recording medium 200 is detected at the start of the printing operation, but if the edge of the recording medium 200 needs to be detected during the printing operation (such as when there is a problem with the transportation of the recording medium 200 or when the print data needs to be corrected when there is a missing portion in the width direction of the recording medium 200), this can be handled by incorporating the operations from step S701 to step S709 into the printing operation.

[0041] In addition, in the first embodiment, the on-board lighting unit 301 is turned off during the period when edge detection of the recording medium 200 is being performed, but it is also possible to turn on the on-board lighting unit 301 at a brightness that does not affect the edge detection sensor 212 when performing edge detection.

[0042] Furthermore, it is also possible to configure the interior lighting unit 301 with a light source of a color that does not affect the edge detection sensor 212 when performing edge detection. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] 100 Image forming device 101 Top cover 102 Window for checking inside of image forming device 103 Operation display section 200 Recording media 201 Carriage unit 203 Recording head 212 End detection sensor 301 Cabin lighting section

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, A recording head for forming an image on a recording medium; an interior lighting unit that illuminates the inside of the image forming apparatus; an interior lighting control unit that controls the interior lighting unit; an edge detection means for detecting an edge of the recording medium; having The image forming apparatus according to the present invention, characterized in that the interior lighting control unit performs control so that the interior lighting unit is turned off at the timing when the edge detection means detects the edge of the recording medium.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the in-machine lighting control unit turns on the in-machine lighting unit when the image forming apparatus receives an instruction for a printing operation, and then turns off the in-machine lighting unit when the edge detection means detects the edge of the recording medium.

3. The image forming apparatus of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the in-machine lighting control unit controls the in-machine lighting unit to be turned off when the end of the recording medium on the home position side is detected, to be turned on when the detection of the end on the home position side is completed, and then to be turned on when the end of the recording medium on the away position side is detected, and to be turned off when the detection of the end on the away position side is completed.

4. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a printing operation is performed to record an image on the recording medium by the recording head after the end detection on the away position side is completed and the interior lighting unit is turned on.

5. An image forming apparatus, A recording head for forming an image on a recording medium; an interior lighting unit that illuminates the inside of the image forming apparatus; an interior lighting control unit that controls the interior lighting unit; an edge detection means for detecting an edge of the recording medium; having The image forming apparatus is characterized in that the in-machine lighting control unit controls the lighting of the in-machine lighting unit to be turned on to a level that does not affect the edge detection means' detection of the edge at the timing when the edge detection means detects the edge of the recording medium.

6. The image forming apparatus of claim 5, wherein the in-machine lighting control unit controls the in-machine lighting unit so as to turn on a light source of a color that enables the edge detection means to detect the width of the recording medium at the timing when the edge detection means detects the edge of the recording medium.

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