Recording apparatus

Abstract

To suppress degradation in the image quality even when inspecting images in a case where recording is performed on a continuous sheet.SOLUTION: A recording apparatus includes: recording means for recording an image on a continuous recording medium; conveyance means for conveying the recording medium in a first direction; fixing means for fixing the image on the recording medium by heating the image; and inspection means for inspecting the image fixed on the recording medium by the fixing means. The conveyance means stops conveyance of the recording medium on the basis of a result of inspection result of the image performed by the inspection means, and, after a temperature of the fixing unit is lowered to a temperature equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature, rewinds the recording medium in a second direction opposite to the first direction so that the image reaches a predetermined position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a recording apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] A recording apparatus that records an image by applying a recording agent to a recording medium is known. When the recording medium is continuous paper, it is common to supply the continuous paper from a paper feeding unit to a recording unit and wind up the continuous paper at a paper discharging unit. In an inspection during printing in such a recording apparatus, an inspection may be performed to determine whether the image recorded on the recording medium is as intended by the user. Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which, when an image formed is determined to be an inspection image, the stop position of the image is changed to a confirmable position.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, in order to stop the conveyance of the inspection image between the fixing unit that fixes the image and the winding unit, when an image is recorded on the recording medium subsequent to the inspection image, the subsequent image will stop being conveyed while remaining in the fixing unit. In such a case, during the inspection of the inspection image, the subsequent image will remain in the fixing unit, and there is a possibility that the image will deteriorate due to continuous heating by the fixing unit and become unusable as a product.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to suppress a decrease in image quality even when performing an image inspection when recording on continuous paper.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The recording apparatus according to the present invention includes a recording unit that records an image on a continuous recording medium, a conveying unit that conveys the recording medium in a first direction, a fixing unit that fixes the image on the recording medium by heating the image, and an inspection unit that inspects the image fixed on the recording medium by the fixing unit. The conveying unit stops the conveyance of the recording medium based on the inspection result of the image by the inspection unit, and rewinds the recording medium in a second direction opposite to the first direction so that the image reaches a predetermined position after the temperature of the fixing unit is lowered to a temperature equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature.

Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, when recording on continuous paper, even when inspecting an image, it is possible to suppress a decrease in image quality.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

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Figure 8

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] FIG. 1 shows an example of the device configuration of a recording device. The recording device 100 is a device capable of continuously printing on a continuous recording medium 111. The continuous recording medium is a recording medium in a form that continuously records a plurality of images, such as a roll-shaped recording medium or fanfold paper. The recording device 100 includes a paper feeding unit 104 that feeds the recording medium 111, a first recording unit 116, a second recording unit 115, and a paper discharging unit 105.

[0011] The paper feeding unit 104 includes a pay-out roll unit 117 and an skew correction unit 110. The recording medium 111 is unwound from the roll by the rotation of the pay-out roll unit 117 and fed to the first recording unit 116. When the fed recording medium 111 is skewed, the skew correction unit 110 adjusts the feeding direction and conveys it to the first recording unit 116.

[0012] The first recording unit 116 is provided with a recording head 103, a heating device 112, and cooling devices 113 and 114. The recording head 103 discharges special inks such as white and fluorescent colors onto the recording medium 111. The image recorded by the recording head 103 is heated by the heating device 112 as the first fixing unit to be dried and fixed, and then cooled by the cooling devices 113 and 114 and conveyed to the second recording unit 115.

[0013] The second recording unit 115 includes a recording head 102, a heating device 106, cooling devices 108 and 109, and a connected scanner device 107. The second recording unit 115 is arranged downstream of the first recording unit 116 in the conveyance direction of the recording medium. The recording head 102 ejects inks of basic colors such as CMYK onto the recording medium 111 to record an image. The image recorded by the recording head 102 is heated by the heating device 106 as a second fixing unit for drying and fixing, then cooled by the cooling devices 108 and 109, and conveyed to the paper discharge unit 105. The paper discharge unit 105 includes a winding roll unit 118 and winds up the recording medium 111 on which recording in the first recording unit 116 and the second recording unit 115 is completed. The connected scanner device 107 is a device that checks whether there are defects in the image by reading the image recorded on the recording medium 111 with a scanner. When a defect is detected by the connected scanner device 107, the conveyance of the recording medium 111 is stopped. Note that not only the method of reading the image with a scanner but also a method of inspecting by photographing the image with a camera or a method of monitoring the ejection state from the nozzles may be adopted.

[0014] When it is necessary to visually check the image recorded on the recording medium 111, it is necessary to stop the target image at the image confirmation position 120 in the paper discharge unit 105. It is desirable that the vicinity of the image confirmation position 120 is exposed to the outside so that the recording medium 111 can be visually observed from outside the paper discharge unit 105, or is covered with a housing made of a transparent material.

[0015] Each of the paper supply unit 104, the first recording unit 116, the second recording unit 115, and the paper discharge unit 105 further includes a plurality of conveyance rollers for conveying the recording medium 111 in addition to the above-described configuration.

[0016] The printing operation in this embodiment will be described. After setting the recording medium 111 in the paper feeding unit 104, the user feeds the recording medium 111 so as to pass through the internal components of the paper feeding unit 104, the first recording unit 116, the second recording unit 115, and the paper discharging unit 105, and winds it around the winding roll unit 118. The feeding of the recording medium 111 may be performed automatically instead of manually. In this state, when the user inputs a print job to the recording apparatus 100 via the control PC 119 connected to the recording apparatus 100 and presses the print start button displayed on the UI operation panel 101 provided in the control PC 119, printing by the recording apparatus 100 starts.

[0017] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of the recording apparatus 100. The recording apparatus 100 includes a paper conveyance unit 201, an image forming unit 202, a communication unit 203, a control unit 204, a storage unit 205, an operation display unit 206, an inspection unit 207, a paper feeding control unit 208, and a winding control unit 209. The paper conveyance unit 201 is a conveyance mechanism for the recording medium 111, and controls the driving of the aforementioned conveyance rollers. The paper feeding control unit 208 controls the rotational driving of the unwinding roll unit 117, and the winding control unit 209 controls the rotational driving of the winding roll unit 118. The image forming control unit 202 controls the driving of the recording heads 102 and 103 based on the print data received the output instruction, and forms an image on the recording medium 111.

[0018] The communication unit 203 is composed of a communication control card such as a LAN (Local Area Network) card. Also, it performs transmission and reception of various data with a control PC 119 connected to a communication network such as LAN or WAN (Wide Area Network). The control unit 204 is composed of, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The CPU of the control unit 204 reads out various programs such as a system program and a processing program stored in the storage unit 25, expands them in the RAM, and executes various processes according to the expanded programs. For example, the control unit 204 can perform an image forming process for executing an image forming job (hereinafter referred to as a job) according to a user's instruction. Also, the control unit 204 gives instructions to each functional block and controls the functional block.

[0019] The storage unit 205 is composed of, for example, a non-volatile semiconductor memory (so-called flash memory), an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), etc. The storage unit 205 stores various programs including a system program and a processing program executed by the control unit 204, and various data necessary for the execution of these programs.

[0020] The operation display unit 206 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) with a touch panel (not shown), and includes a display unit 206a and an operation unit 206b. The display unit 206a displays various information regarding the recording apparatus 100 on the display screen according to the display control signal input from the control unit 24. The operation unit 206b includes various operation keys such as numeric keys and a start key, accepts various input operations by the user, and outputs an operation signal to the control unit 204. The operation display unit 206 is used, for example, when setting job information when executing a printing job. The user can arbitrarily set various conditions such as the type of the recording medium 111, information on the printing speed, the number of printed sheets, the number of printed copies, the printing length, the printing weight, and the printing diameter. It is also possible to display the amount of ink stored in an ink tank (not shown) that stores the ink supplied to the recording heads 102 and 103, and to perform error notification within the recording apparatus 100.

[0021] When performing image forming processing on the roll paper 111 in the recording apparatus 100, first, the user creates job data, and sets the printing settings and the number of delivery rolls of the job on a control PC, and transmits this information to the communication unit 203 via a communication network. The control unit 204 receives, via the communication unit 203, job data and a job ticket including job printing setting information, the number of delivery rolls information, etc. The inspection unit 207 inspects the image scanned by the connected scanner device 107.

[0022] Figure 3 is an example of an image recorded on the recording medium 111. 301 indicates a label area, and an image is recorded in this label area 301. In Figure 3, an example of arranging two images in the width direction of the paper is shown, and the area for every two images indicated by the dotted line in the figure is regarded as each page, but this is not the limit, and for example, it may be regarded as one page in units of four sheets. The image 302 is an example of an image correctly recorded according to a printing job, and the images 303 to 305 are examples of images that are not correctly recorded and are determined to be recording defects.

[0023] Image 303 is an example of an image that is determined to be a recording defect because dirt has adhered to the label area. Examples of the causes of the dirt include dirt caused by ink adhesion, dirt caused by dust or paper powder adhering, and damage to the recording medium 111 due to conveyance. Image 304 is an example in which ink ejection failure has occurred due to factors such as a part of the nozzles of the recording head 102 or 103 being clogged, and a part of the image is missing. Image 305 shows an example in which displacement has occurred when ink is ejected from the recording head 102 or 103 to the recording medium 111, and the position of the image is displaced with respect to the label area 301. Causes of the image position displacement include errors in the conveyance amount of the recording medium 111, displacement of the ink ejection position or ejection timing, and the like. The NG described here is an example, and it is not limited to this. For example, when printing a barcode or a QR code (registered trademark), if the code cannot be read, it may be regarded as a recording defect. Also, color measurement of the image may be performed by a colorimeter, and if the measured value is not a predetermined value, it may be regarded as a recording defect.

[0024] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of the recording process on the recording medium 111. In S401, the control unit 204 receives the print settings of the job from the control PC 119. In S402, the control unit 204 instructs the paper feed control unit 208 to feed the paper for the length required for the number of printed sheets, and the paper feed device 104 starts feeding the recording medium 111 for the required length. At this time, in step S403, the paper feed device 104 starts counting the number of pages of the job from the length of the paper fed. In step S404, the CPU of the control unit 204 performs image processing for printing by the image forming unit 202, and based on the result of the image processing, in S404, the image forming unit 202 drives the recording head 102 and the recording head 103 to perform recording on the recording medium 111.

[0025] In S405, the inspection unit 207 inspects the images for which recording has ended, page by page, based on the data from the connection scanner device 107. In S406, the control unit 204 determines whether to stop the conveyance based on the inspection result of S405. The details of this stop determination will be described with reference to FIG. 5. The processes from S403 to S406 are repeated until the number of pages N of the print job reaches the end in step S408. When the recording for N pages is completed, in step S409, the take-up roll unit 118 controlled by the take-up control unit 209 sequentially takes up the recording medium 111. In step S408, the control unit 204 determines whether rewinding is necessary. The details will be described with reference to FIG. 6. When step S408 ends, the process proceeds to step S409. If the rewinding process is performed in step S408, the image forming unit 202 drives the recording heads 102 and 103 to reprint the pages determined to be recording defective in S406. Note that in step S411, it may be possible to set not to reprint (re-record) the pages determined to be non-problematic as a result of visual inspection by the user from the pages determined to be recording defective in step S406. Also, as described later, when the conveyance is stopped in step S407, since the temperature of the heating device 106 is lowered, when reprinting, after performing control to raise the temperature of the heating device 106 again, the flow starts from step S401 in FIG. 4.

[0026] FIG. 5 shows the detailed flow of the stop determination (S407) in FIG. 4. When step S407 starts in FIG. 4, the process proceeds to step S501, and the control unit 204 determines whether the inspection result performed in step S406 in FIG. 4 is a recording defect. If it is not a recording defect (S501: NO), the process proceeds to S502. In S502, the conveyance of the recording medium 111 is not stopped and recording continues.

[0027] If it is determined in step S501 that there is a recording defect (S501: YES), the process proceeds to S503. In step S503, the control unit 204 determines whether there are pages that have been recorded after the page with the recording defect. As a method of determination, the control unit 204 determines based on whether a print instruction has been issued to the image forming unit 202. If there are pages that have been recorded after the page with the recording defect (S503: YES), the process proceeds to step S504. In step S504, the control unit 204 continues the recording without stopping the recording within the job. The reason for continuing the recording is to avoid the conveyance of the recording medium 111 stopping while the subsequent recorded pages remain in the heating devices 106 and 112. If there are recorded pages remaining in the heating device, there is a possibility that the images remaining in the heating devices 106 and 112 will continue to be heated and deteriorate. By avoiding this, it is possible to prevent the image quality from changing and the product from becoming uncollectible. If it is determined in step S503 that there are no subsequent printed pages (S503: NO), the process proceeds to step S505. In step S505, the control unit 204 instructs the image forming unit 202 to cancel the printing of the subsequent unprinted pages and stops the conveyance of the recording medium 111. This is because if there are no pages that have already been recorded after the page with the recording defect, no undried images will remain in the heating devices 106 and 112 even if the conveyance of the recording medium 111 is stopped.

[0028] Note that in the case of YES in step S503, although it is assumed that the printing is continued, the printing may be cancelled midway without continuing. Also, the user may be able to set this switching as an item on the operation unit 206b.

[0029] FIG. 6 shows a detailed flow of the rewinding process (S410) of FIG. 4. In step S601, the control unit 204 determines whether there is a page with a recording defect among the recorded pages. If there is no page with a recording defect (S601: NG), the rewinding process is not performed and the recording process ends. On the other hand, if there is a page with a recording defect (S601: YES), the process proceeds to S602.

[0030] In step S602, the control unit 204 performs control to decrease the heating temperatures of the heating devices 106 and 112. At this time, the temperatures of the heating devices 106 and 112 are decreased until they become equal to or lower than the temperature at which the recorded image does not deteriorate even if the recorded image enters the heating device again due to the rewinding of the recording medium 111. The heating devices 106 and 112 are each provided with a temperature sensor (not shown) to periodically monitor the temperature inside the heating device. During the recording of an image on the recording medium 111, the temperatures of the heating devices 106 and 112 are set to about 90°C, and in step S602, the temperature is decreased to about 50°C. Note that the temperatures of the heating devices 106 and 112 during image recording and the temperature to be decreased in step S602 may be appropriately set according to the type of the recording medium 111.

[0031] When the temperatures of the heating devices 106 and 112 decrease to a predetermined temperature in step S602, the process proceeds to step S603, where the recording medium 111 is rewound in a direction opposite to the conveyance direction until the defective recording page reaches the image confirmation position 120, and visual confirmation is performed by the user. After the visual confirmation in S603 is completed, the process proceeds to step S411 in FIG. 4.

[0032] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the positions of the pages existing in the recording apparatus 100 when there is an image determined to be a defective recording in S501 in FIG. 5. Here, let the total number of pages from job 1-P1 to job 1-N be N. FIG. 7 shows an example in which job 1-P4 is determined to be a defective recording. At this time, from job 1-P5, which is the subsequent page of job 1-P4, to job 1-PN-1, which is further subsequent, the recording has been completed, and job 1-PN is in the state before recording. In the present embodiment, since job 1-P5, which is subsequent to job 1-P4, has been recorded, the recording of job 1-PN is continued.

[0033] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram when performing a process of rewinding the recording medium 111 in S603 of FIG. 6. FIG. 8(a) shows a state where printing up to job 1-PN is completed, inspection by the connected scanner device 107 is completed, and conveyance is stopped. At this time, all images from job 1-P1 to job 1-PN are stopped in a state of having passed through the heating device 106. Then, as shown in FIG. 8(b), the temperatures of the heating devices 106 and 112 are decreased, and the recording medium 111 is rewound until job 1-P4 determined to have a recording defect reaches the image confirmation position 120.

[0034] With the above configuration, it is possible to detect whether there is an image with a recording defect while performing recording on continuous paper, and when it is determined that there is an image with a recording defect, it is possible to prevent subsequent images from remaining in the heating device. Thereby, it is possible to prevent images other than the image with the recording defect from being excessively heated and the image from being deteriorated and unable to be recovered as a product. Therefore, while taking measures to reprint the page with the recording defect, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the quality of the pages without the recording defect.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0035] 100 Recording device 111 Recording medium 112, 113 Heating devices 115 Second recording unit 116 First recording unit 120 Image confirmation position

Claims

1. recording means for recording an image on a continuous recording medium; transport means for transporting the recording medium in a first direction; fixing means for fixing the image on the recording medium by heating the image; inspection means for inspecting the image fixed on the recording medium by the fixing means, and having: The transport means stops the transport of the recording medium based on the inspection result of the image by the inspection means, and after reducing the temperature of the fixing unit to a temperature below a predetermined temperature, the image reaches a predetermined position. A recording apparatus characterized by rewinding in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

2. When it is determined by the inspection means that a defect has occurred in the image, the transport means rewinds in the second direction so that the image reaches a predetermined position. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that

3. The recording means records the image on the recording medium based on a job including information about the image received by the recording apparatus. When a defect is determined to have occurred in the image by the inspection means when the job includes information about a plurality of images including the image, and a second image that is recorded on the recording medium after the image is included in the job. When the recording of the second image has been performed, after the recording of the second image is completed, the transport of the recording medium by the transport means is stopped, and after the temperature of the fixing unit is reduced to a temperature below a predetermined temperature, the image reaches a predetermined position. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the recording medium is rewound in a second direction opposite to the first direction by the transport means.

4. When the recording of the second image, which is an image included in the job and is recorded on the recording medium after the image, has been completed, after the recording of all the images included in the job is completed, the transport of the recording medium by the transport means is stopped, and after the temperature of the fixing unit is reduced to a temperature below a predetermined temperature, the image reaches a predetermined position. The recording apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the recording medium is rewound in a second direction opposite to the first direction by the transport means.

5. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined position is a position where the user can visually observe the image.

6. ​ The recording apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the predetermined temperature is a temperature at which the second image does not deteriorate when the rewinding by the conveying means is stopped with the second image inside the heating means.

7. The recording apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein when it is determined by the inspection means that a defect has occurred in the image, the recording medium is rewound in a second direction opposite to the first direction by the conveying means, and then the image is re-recorded on the recording medium.

8. The predetermined position is a position where the user can visually observe the image. The recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein when it is determined by the inspection means that a defect has occurred in the image, the recording medium is rewound in a second direction opposite to the first direction by the conveying means for visual confirmation by the user, and when the user inputs a setting not to perform the re-recording to the recording apparatus, the re-recording is not performed.

9. The recording means includes a first recording unit and a second recording unit disposed downstream of the first recording unit in the first direction. The fixing means according to claim 1, comprising a first fixing unit that heats an image recorded by the first recording unit and a second fixing unit that heats an image recorded by the second recording unit.

Images