Recording control device, control method for recording control device, program, and storage medium

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of performing recording while suppressing degradation in user convenience.SOLUTION: A recording control device includes: a movable portion whose mechanical position is movable to a plurality of positions including a first position in which a space to stack discharged recording media has a predetermined size, and a second position in which the space is expanded to a size greater than the predetermined size in the direction of stacking of the recording media; and control means which performs control to make a first notification regarding movement of the movable portion to the second position during execution of recording in which printed recording media are discharged to the space in a case where the movable portion is in the first position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a recording control device, a control method for the recording control device, a program, and a storage medium.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for detecting that a paper discharge tray is full when the number of recorded recording media reaches the upper limit number of sheets that can be stacked in the paper discharge tray. Thus, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is not necessary to provide a sensor or the like having a physical mechanism for detecting that the paper discharge tray has become full due to the loaded recording media, and it is considered that the manufacturing cost can be suppressed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, in a recording device such as a multifunction peripheral having a plurality of functions such as a scan function in addition to a recording function, in order to save space, a movable part such as a scan part is located above a paper discharge part where a recording medium is discharged, It is conceivable that a movable part is provided so as to be movable. However, Patent Document 1 does not consider such a recording device. For this reason, when the technique of Patent Document 1 is applied to the above recording device, depending on the position of the movable part, before detecting that the tray is full, the discharge of the recording medium to the paper discharge part may be hindered by the movable part, or the recording medium may be discharged from the paper discharge part. There is a risk that it will be difficult to take out the user, and the convenience for the user will be reduced.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a technique capable of performing recording while suppressing a decrease in user convenience.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, an embodiment of a recording control device according to the present invention includes a first position where a space for loading a discharged recording medium has a predetermined width, and a second position where the space extends wider than the predetermined width in a direction in which the recording medium is loaded. A movable part capable of moving its mechanical position to a plurality of positions including the above, and when the movable part is in the first position, during the execution of recording in which the recorded recording medium is discharged into the space, control means for controlling to give a first notification regarding the movement of the movable part to the second position. It is characterized by having.

Advantages of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it becomes possible to execute recording while suppressing a decrease in user convenience.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of a recording control device, a control method of the recording control device, a program, and a storage medium will be described with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the present invention, and not all combinations of the features described in this embodiment are essential for the solution means of the present invention. Also, the positions, shapes, etc. of the components described in the embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention is not intended to be limited thereto.

[0010] (Configuration of the recording device) FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a recording device, where (a) is a perspective view of the state where the scan unit is in the closed position, and (b) is a perspective view of the state where the scan unit is in the open position. In this specification, when facing the side where the recording medium is discharged after recording, the direction from the left side to the right side of the recording device is defined as the X direction, the direction from the back side (rear side, back side) to the front side (front side, front side) is defined as the Y direction, and the direction from the lower side to the upper side is defined as the Z direction for explanation. Thus, the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction are directions from one side to the other side and are orthogonal to each other. In this specification, when each direction is from one side to the other side, it is represented with a "+ (plus)", and when it is from the other side to one side, it is represented with a "- (minus)".

[0011] The recording device (also referred to as the "recording control device" in this specification) 100 includes a recording unit 102 that records on a recording medium, a scan unit 104 that can scan a document, and an operation unit 106 that can be operated by a user. Recording on the recording medium is, for example, printing on printing paper (the medium to be printed). The recording device 100 also includes a discharge unit 108 where the recording medium after recording in the recording unit 102 is discharged, and an open / close sensor 110 that can detect whether the scan unit 104 is in the closed position (described later).

[0012] The scanning unit 104 is rotatably provided via a joint portion 280 (see FIG. 2) at the rear end portion (or its vicinity) of the upper surface 102a of the recording unit 102. The joint portion 280 may be, for example, a hinge, and may have any configuration as long as it can rotatably connect the scanning unit 104 to the upper portion of the recording unit 102. Thereby, the scanning unit 104 can be positioned at a closed position (see FIG. 1(a)) that covers the upper surface 102a of the recording unit 102 and an open position (see FIG. 1(b)) that opens the upper surface 102a above the recording unit 102. The scanning unit 104 is configured to be displaceable manually by the user between a closed position (also referred to as the "first position" in this specification) and an open position (also referred to as the "second position" in this specification). More specifically, the scanning unit 104 is configured to be mechanically movable to a plurality of positions including the open position and the closed position. For example, the scanning unit 104 may be configured to move between the closed position and the open position in a stepped or stepless manner and be fixable, or may be configured to be fixable only at the open position and the closed position. That is, the scanning unit 104 does not rotate by its own weight and move to the closed position even if the user releases the hand, at least in the open position, and its position is maintained. Thus, in the recording apparatus 100, the scanning unit 104 is a movable part that can rotate with respect to the recording unit 102.

[0013] In the present embodiment, the scanning unit 104 includes an ADF 112, and is configured to be able to scan a document automatically conveyed by the ADF 112 and a document placed on a document table (not shown). Note that since various known techniques can be used for the detailed configuration of the scanning mechanism in the scanning unit 104, a detailed description thereof is omitted. When the scanning unit 104 is in the open position, the document placement portion 114 of the ADF 112 is inclined with respect to the XY plane, so that it is difficult to place a recording medium, and there is a risk that the recording medium may fall from the document placement portion 114. On the other hand, when the scanning unit 104 is in the closed position, the document placement portion 114 is substantially parallel to the XY plane, so that a recording medium can be stably placed.

[0014] The discharge unit 108 forms a space on the upper surface 102a of the recording unit 102 where the recording medium discharged from the discharge port 116 is loaded and accommodated. The discharge unit 108 is formed in a concave shape on the upper surface 102a (see FIG. 1(b)). When the scan unit 104 is in the closed position, the upper side thereof is covered by the scan unit 104 leaving a part of the area (see FIG. 1(a)). The discharge unit 108 is provided with a discharge port 116 through which the recording medium is discharged at the upper rear side. The loading surface 108a on which the recording medium discharged from the discharge port 116 is loaded is formed to incline upward from the rear side toward the front side (see FIG. 1(b)). In the recording apparatus 100, the recording medium is discharged from the discharge port 116 in the +Y direction, and is configured such that it is easy to take out the recording medium from the front (front side). In this way, the position relationship is such that the recording medium can be taken out from the front side, which is not any of the back, left side, and right side of the recording apparatus 100, from the discharge unit 108. By doing so, the recording apparatus 100 can be installed in a position relationship where no space for taking out the recording medium is provided on any of the back, left side, and right side of the recording apparatus 100. That is, as long as there is space even on the front side of the recording apparatus 100, it is possible to install other devices and furniture on the back, left side, and right side of the recording apparatus 100, and the recording apparatus 100 can be installed even in a narrow store or office.

[0015] The operation unit 106 is located above the recording unit 102 and on the front side of the scanning unit 104. The operation unit 106 is provided with a display unit 118 capable of displaying various kinds of information, together with operation buttons (not shown) that can be input by the user. Note that the display unit 118 may be, for example, a touch panel that enables the user to select a displayed button or the like by touching the display screen. The opening / closing sensor 110 employs a photointerrupter, and detects the presence or absence of an object by detecting that the light emitted from the light emitting unit is blocked by the object with the light receiving unit, that is, detects whether the scanning unit 104 is in the closed position. Specifically, if the light is blocked by the object, it is detected that the scanning unit 104 is in the closed position, and if the light is not blocked by the object, it is detected that the scanning unit 104 is not in the closed position. The installation position of the opening / closing sensor 110 is not particularly limited, and it may be anywhere as long as it can detect that the scanning unit 104 is in the closed position. Also, the detection method of the opening / closing sensor 110 is not limited to the photointerrupter, and various known detection methods may be used. Furthermore, the opening / closing sensor 110 may be configured to detect whether the scanning unit 104 is in the open position instead of detecting whether the scanning unit 104 is in the closed position. Alternatively, the opening / closing sensor 110 may be configured to detect in which of the open position and the closed position the scanning unit 104 is located. Furthermore, the opening / closing sensor 110 may be configured to detect the movement of the scanning unit 104 from the closed position to the open position.

[0016] (Configuration of the recording unit) Next, the configuration of the recording unit will be described. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the recording unit. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which the cassette is pulled out during feeding of the recording medium. Note that in FIGS. 2 and 3, the operation unit 106 is omitted for easy understanding.

[0017] The recording unit 102 includes a cassette 250 that houses a recording medium M, a feeding unit 252 that feeds the recording medium M housed in the cassette 250, and a conveying unit 254 that conveys the recording medium fed by the feeding unit 252. Further, the recording unit 102 includes a recording head 256 that records on the recording medium M conveyed by the conveying unit 254, and a discharge roller 258 for discharging the recorded recording medium from the discharge port 116 to the discharge unit 108.

[0018] A plurality of cassettes 250 are provided, and one or more recording media are stacked and housed. In the present embodiment, four cassettes 250a, 250b, 250c, and 250d are provided, and different types of recording media are housed in each cassette, for example. The cassette 250 is provided so as to be movable in the Y direction. Specifically, the cassette 250 is configured to be movable between a storage position (the position shown in FIG. 2) where the housed recording medium can be fed by the feeding unit 252 and a pull-out position where the cassette is pulled out in the +Y direction from the storage position and can house the recording medium.

[0019] The feeding unit 252 picks up the uppermost recording medium M of the recording media M stacked and housed in each cassette 250, and feeds the picked-up recording medium to the conveying unit 254 via a feeding path provided on the front side of the cassette 250. For this reason, in the recording unit 102, when the recording medium M is fed by the feeding unit 252 (that is, during recording), the cassette 250 needs to be in the storage position. For example, if a cassette 250 located on the downstream side (the upper side in FIG. 2) of the feeding path rather than the cassette 250 that houses the recording medium M to be fed is in the pull-out position or is pulled out from the storage position, a jam will occur (see FIG. 3). For this reason, in the recording unit 102, for example, during recording (during feeding of the recording medium M), it is desirable to position the cassette 250 in the storage position and not pull it out from the storage position.

[0020] The conveying unit 254 is provided with a plurality of conveying rollers 260 for conveying the recording medium M fed from the feeding unit 252 in the conveying path 262. The conveying path 262 includes a first conveying path 262a for conveying the recording medium M recorded by the recording head 256, and a second conveying path 262b for inverting the surface of the recorded recording medium M that faces the recording head 256 in the first conveying path 262a. That is, the recording unit 102 is configured to be able to perform single-sided recording in which recording is performed on one surface of the recording medium M and double-sided recording in which recording is performed on both one surface and the other surface of the recording medium M.

[0021] In the first conveying path 262a, the recording medium M is conveyed in the direction of arrow A by the conveying roller 260. A connection path 264 connected to the second conveying path 262b is provided on the downstream side of the recording head 256 in the direction of arrow A in the first conveying path 262a, and the recorded recording medium M is conveyed to the second conveying path 262b via the connection path 264. Note that the first conveying path 262a is connected to the discharge port 116, and the recorded recording medium M that does not go to the second conveying path 262b is conveyed by the conveying roller 260 and then discharged from the discharge port 116 by the discharge roller 258.

[0022] Also, in the second conveying path 262b, the recording medium M is conveyed in the direction of arrow B by the conveying roller 260. A confluence point 266 where the second conveying path 262b merges is formed in the feeding path. As a result, the recording medium M conveyed in the second conveying path 262b is conveyed from the confluence point 266 to the feeding path and then conveyed to the first conveying path 262a.

[0023] The recording unit 102 is provided with an insertion section 268 into which a recording medium M can be inserted manually into the conveyance unit 254. The recording medium M inserted from the insertion section 268 enters the first conveyance path 262a from the upstream side of the recording head 256 and is conveyed. Therefore, since the recording medium M inserted from the insertion section 268 does not pass through the feeding path located on the front side of the cassette 250, jams do not occur even if the cassette 250 is pulled out during recording. For this reason, while recording is being performed on the recording medium M inserted from the insertion section 268, the recording medium M can be replenished to the cassette 250.

[0024] When recording is started by selecting the cassette 250a with the recording medium M stored in each cassette 250, the pickup roller 272 corresponding to the cassette 250a picks up the topmost sheet of the recording medium M loaded and stored in the cassette 250a. The picked-up recording medium M is fed to the first conveyance path 262a while being transferred upward through the feeding path, and then, while being conveyed in the -Y direction in the first conveyance path 262a, a recording operation based on recording data is performed by the recording head 256. The recorded recording medium M is conveyed through the first conveyance path 262a and is discharged from the discharge roller 258 to the discharge unit 108 in the +Y direction. At this time, the recording surface of the recording medium M is discharged in a state facing downward (face down). In this way, the recording unit 102 is configured such that the recorded recording medium M is discharged in the +Y direction and face down in the discharge unit 108.

[0025] (Configuration of the control system of the recording apparatus) Next, the control configuration of the recording apparatus 100 will be described. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of the recording apparatus 100.

[0026] The control configuration mainly includes a print engine unit 200 that oversees the recording unit 102, a scanner engine unit 300 that oversees the scanning unit 104, and a controller unit 400 that oversees the entire recording apparatus 100. The print controller 202 controls various mechanisms of the print engine unit 200 according to the instructions of the main controller 401 of the controller unit 400. The various mechanisms of the scanner engine unit 300 are controlled by the main controller 401 of the controller unit 400. The details of the control configuration will be described below.

[0027] In the controller unit 400, the main controller 401 composed of a CPU controls the entire recording apparatus 100 while using the RAM 406 as a work area according to the programs and various parameters stored in the ROM 407. For example, when a recording job is input, the image processing unit 408 performs predetermined image processing on the received image data according to the instructions of the main controller 401. The recording job can be input from a host PC (not shown) via the host I / F 402 or the wireless I / F 403, or from a server (not shown) via the server I / F 410. Then, the main controller 401 transmits the image data subjected to image processing to the print engine unit 200 via the print engine I / F 405.

[0028] The operation unit 106 is a mechanism for the user to perform input and output operations on the recording apparatus 100. The user can instruct operations such as copying and scanning, set the recording mode, and recognize information of the recording apparatus 100 via the operation unit 106. Also, the open / close sensor 110 is a mechanism that detects that the scanning unit 104 is in the closed position. The main controller 401 detects whether the scanning unit 104 is in the closed position based on the detection result of the open / close sensor 110.

[0029] In the print engine unit 200, a print controller 202 composed of a CPU controls various mechanisms provided in the recording unit 102 while using the RAM 204 as a work area according to programs and various parameters stored in the ROM 203. When various commands and image data are received via the controller I / F 201, the print controller 202 temporarily stores them in the RAM 204. Then, so that the recording head 256 can be used for the recording operation, the print controller 202 causes the image processing controller 205 to convert the stored image data into recording data. When the recording data is generated, the print controller 202 causes the recording head 256 to execute a recording operation based on the recording data via the head I / F 206. At this time, the print controller 202 drives various rollers of the feeding unit 252 and the conveying unit 254 via the conveyance control unit 207 to convey the recording medium M. In accordance with the instructions of the print controller 202, a recording operation by the recording head 256 is executed in conjunction with the conveyance operation of the recording medium M, and recording on the recording medium is performed. Also, when executing a recording operation based on the recording data, the print controller 202 starts counting the number of discharged recording media at the timing of the start of the recording operation. Specifically, as the number of discharged recording media, for example, counting the number of recording media being recorded is started. This count value is monitored by the main controller 401 during the recording process described later, and the main controller 401 detects the thickness of the recording media stacked in the discharge unit 108, that is, the stacking amount of the recording media in the discharge unit 108, based on this count value.

[0030] As various parameters stored in the ROM 203, for example, Nin1 (N is a natural number), double-sided recording or single-sided recording, color or monochrome printing, photo or document printing, etc. can be set. When applying user-specific parameter settings from the default settings, the print controller 202 receives the setting values input by the operation unit 106 via the print engine I / F 405 and can reflect them in the recording settings.

[0031] In the scanner engine unit 300, the main controller 401 controls the hardware of the scanner controller 302 while using the RAM 406 as a work area according to the programs and various parameters stored in the ROM 407. Thereby, various mechanisms included in the scan unit 104 are controlled. For example, the main controller 401 controls the hardware in the scanner controller 302 via the controller I / F 301. Thereby, the document placed on the document placement unit 114 of the ADF 112 by the user is conveyed via the conveyance control unit 304 and read by the reading sensor 305. Then, the scanner controller 302 stores the read image data in the RAM 303. Note that the print controller 202 can cause the recording head 256 to execute a recording operation based on the image data read by the scanner controller 302 by converting the image data acquired as described above into recording data.

[0032] (Concerns that may arise depending on the configuration of the recording apparatus) As described above, in the recording apparatus 100, the recorded recording medium M is discharged from the discharge port 116 in the +Y direction. Then, the discharged recording medium M is stacked on the stacking surface 108a that slopes upward in the +Y direction. Further, when the scan unit 104 is in the closed position, the upper side of the discharge unit 108 except for a part thereof is covered by the scan unit 104.

[0033] For this reason, when the scan unit 104 is in the closed position covering most of the upper part of the discharge unit 108, the thickness of the recording media stacked on the stacking surface 108a reaches the bottom surface 104a of the scan unit 104 on the front side before reaching the height of the discharge port 116 on the rear side. Therefore, when the scan unit 104 is in the closed position, the number of sheets corresponding to the thickness at which the recording media stacked on the stacking surface 108a reach the bottom surface 104a of the scan unit 104 on the front side becomes the limit value of the number of recording media stacked on the stacking surface 108a. If the recording media are discharged from the discharge port 116 exceeding this, there is a high possibility of paper jamming occurring in the discharge unit 108 due to the discharged recording media.

[0034] On the other hand, when the scanning unit 104 is in the open position, since the upper part of the discharging unit 108 is open, before reaching the height of the discharge port 116 on the rear side, it does not reach the bottom surface 104a of the scanning unit 104 on the front side. Therefore, when the scanning unit 104 is in the open position, the number of sheets of the recording medium stacked on the stacking surface 108a corresponding to the thickness at which the recording medium reaches the discharge port 116 on the rear side becomes the limit value of the number of sheets of the recording medium stacked on the stacking surface 108a. For this reason, when the scanning unit 104 is in the open position, the number of sheets of the recording medium that can be stacked on the stacking surface 108a is larger than when the scanning unit 104 is in the closed position.

[0035] Furthermore, when taking out the recording medium stacked on the discharging unit 108, if the scanning unit 104 is in the closed position, the recording medium M may come into contact with the scanning unit 104 covering the upper part of the discharging unit 108, and there is a high possibility that the recording medium M will be folded or bent. Also, when the scanning unit 104 is in the closed position, the discharge of the recording medium from the discharge port 116 located on the rear side of the discharging unit 108 cannot be visually confirmed. For this reason, when taking out the recording medium from the discharging unit 108, there is a high possibility that the hand or the recording medium to be taken out will come into contact with the recording medium being discharged, and when taking out the recording medium from the discharging unit 108, there is a high possibility that a jam will occur. Thus, in the recording apparatus 100, it is possible to take out the discharged recording medium from the front of the recording apparatus 100, but when the scanning unit 104 is in the closed position, the ease of taking out the recording medium from the discharging unit 108 is reduced compared to when it is in the open position. Furthermore, jams are likely to occur in the discharging unit 108.

[0036] (Recording process) Therefore, in the present embodiment, when performing recording based on a recording job, a recording process for controlling the recording apparatus 100 is executed so as to suppress a decrease in the ease of taking out the recording medium M from the discharging unit 108 and the occurrence of jams in the discharging unit 108. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the detailed processing contents of the recording process for performing recording based on a recording job. A series of processes shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5 are performed by the main controller 401 expanding and executing the program code stored in the ROM 407 in the RAM 406. Alternatively, some or all of the functions of the steps in FIG. 5 may be executed by hardware such as an ASIC or an electric circuit. In this specification, the symbol S in the description of each process in the flowchart means a step in that flowchart.

[0037] When the recording apparatus 100 receives a recording job and is instructed to start recording, the recording process is started. The recording job serving as an instruction to start recording is transmitted from the host PC and received by the recording apparatus 100 at the host I / F 402 or the wireless I / F 403. Alternatively, the user may input various settings for recording using the image data acquired by the scanner controller 302 stored in the RAM 303 via the operation unit 106 to generate a recording job and instruct the start of recording.

[0038] When the recording process is started, first, in S502, the main controller 401 acquires the type information and the thickness information of the recording medium as information regarding the recording medium used in the recording in the recording job serving as an instruction to start recording. The type information of the recording medium (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "type information") is information obtained from the recording settings included in the recording job or information obtained from the recording settings set based on the input of the user via the operation unit 106. The thickness information of the recording medium (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "thickness information") is information indicating the thickness per sheet of the recording medium, and is information stored in advance in a storage area of the recording apparatus 100 such as the ROM 407 for each type of recording medium.

[0039] For example, type information and information indicating the thickness per sheet of the recording medium, such as A4 plain paper: 0.009 mm, A3 plain paper: 0.22 mm, are associated with each other and stored in a storage area such as ROM 407. Therefore, in S502, together with the type information, thickness information corresponding to the type of the recording medium based on the type information is acquired. Specifically, for example, if the type information is "A4 plain paper", "0.009 mm" is acquired as the thickness information. Note that although the thickness information is assumed to be stored in a storage area in the recording apparatus 100 such as ROM 407, it is not limited thereto. For example, it may be acquired from an external device (for example, a server on the Internet) capable of communicating with the recording apparatus 100.

[0040] Next, in S504, the main controller 401 causes the print controller 202 to execute recording based on a recording job that is an instruction to start recording. As a result, in the recording apparatus 100, the print controller 202 starts recording based on the recording settings in the recording job in response to an instruction from the main controller 401. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the document placed on the document placement unit 114 is read and recorded. Specifically, for example, it is assumed that 1000 sheets of recording are performed for 100 copies of a 10-page document with single-sided recording.

[0041] Thereafter, in S506, the main controller 401 determines whether or not the thickness of the recording medium stacked in the discharge unit 108, that is, the stacking amount of the recording medium in the discharge unit 108, exceeds a first threshold value. When the recording process is started, the main controller 401 monitors the count value of the number of discharged recording media from the start of the recording operation executed in the print controller 202. Therefore, in S506, it is determined whether or not the value obtained by multiplying this count value by the thickness per sheet of the recording medium (based on the thickness information acquired in S502) exceeds the first threshold value. Thus, in the present embodiment, the type of the recording medium is taken into consideration for the thickness (stacking amount) of the recording medium. Note that this count value is initialized at a predetermined timing such as when the recording process is started or ended.

[0042] Regarding the first threshold value, for example, it is set to a value slightly smaller by a certain amount than the vertical distance L1 (see Fig. 1(a)) between the front end of the bottom surface 104a of the scanning unit 104 in the closed position facing the loading surface 108a and the loading surface 108a. Note that the first threshold value is set to be smaller than the second threshold value described later. In S506, when it is determined that the thickness of the recording medium loaded on the discharge unit 108 exceeds the first threshold value, the process proceeds to S510 described later. When it is determined that the thickness does not exceed the first threshold value, the process proceeds to S508 described later.

[0043] In this embodiment, the thickness of the recording medium loaded on the discharge unit 108 is detected based on the count value which is the number of discharged recording media after the start of the recording operation counted by the print controller 202. However, it is not limited to this. For example, a detection sensor for detecting the recording medium M may be provided near the discharge port 116 of the first conveyance path 262a, and based on the detection result of this detection sensor, the number of discharged recording media from the discharge port 116 to the discharge unit 108 may be counted.

[0044] Alternatively, a configuration may be provided to directly detect the thickness (loading amount) of the recording medium loaded on the discharge unit 108. Specifically, in the discharge unit 108, a loading amount sensor capable of detecting the loading amount of the loaded recording medium may be provided, and in S506, it may be determined whether the detection result of the loading amount sensor exceeds the first threshold value. As such a loading amount sensor, for example, various known sensors such as an optical sensor capable of detecting the thickness of the recording medium loaded on the loading surface 108a, a mechanical switch capable of detecting that the thickness has reached the threshold value, and a weight sensor can be used.

[0045] In S508, the main controller 401 determines whether or not the recording based on the recording job has been completed. That is, in S506, when it is determined that the thickness of the recording medium loaded on the discharge unit 108 does not exceed the first threshold value, in S508, it is determined whether or not the recording based on the recording job by the print controller 202 has been completed. If it is determined in S508 that the recording by the print controller 202 has not been completed, the process returns to S506. Also, if it is determined in S508 that the recording based on the recording job by the print controller 202 has been completed, this recording process is terminated.

[0046] Also, in S506, when it is determined that the thickness of the recording medium loaded on the discharge unit 108 exceeds the first threshold value, in S510, the main controller 401 issues a notification prompting the scan unit 104 to move to the open position. In the present embodiment, since the original document placed on the original document placement unit 114 is read and 100 recordings are made for single-sided recording, the scan unit 104 should be in the closed position during the process of S510. For this reason, when it is determined that the thickness of the recording medium loaded on the discharge unit 108 exceeds the first threshold value, this thickness will soon reach a value at which the recording medium loaded on the discharge unit 108 cannot be taken out, or a jam will occur in the discharge unit 108 due to the discharge of the subsequent recording medium. Therefore, in the present embodiment, in order to suppress the difficulty of taking out the recording medium and the occurrence of jams, a notification prompting the scan unit 104 to move to the open position is issued at this timing. Thus, in the present embodiment, the main controller 401 functions as a control unit that controls to issue a notification regarding the movement of the scan unit 104 to the open position (also referred to as "first notification" in this specification).

[0047] In S510, for example, a notification screen 602 that notifies a message prompting to move the scan unit 104 to the open position is displayed on the display unit 118 of the operation unit 106 (see FIG. 6). FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the notification screen 602 that notifies a message prompting to move the scan unit 104 to the open position. On the notification screen 602, as a notification message 604, the statement "The discharge unit is about to be full. Please raise the scan unit and take out the recording medium." is displayed. Also, on the notification screen 602, an OK button 606 is displayed. Note that as the notification message 604, any message that prompts to position the scan unit 104 at the open position may be used, so the statement "The discharge unit is about to be full. Please raise the scan unit." may also be used.

[0048] By visually recognizing the notification message 604 on the notification screen 602, the user can recognize that if the scan unit 104 is not moved to the open position, the discharge unit 108 is likely to be full due to the discharged recording medium. That is, since the scan unit 104 is in the closed position, it can be recognized that the space of the discharge unit 108, which is narrow in the height direction, is full of the discharged and loaded recording media and is close to a state where no more can be loaded. Note that when it becomes full, there is a high possibility that a jam will occur in the discharge unit 108 due to the recording medium discharged from the discharge port 116.

[0049] In addition, by visually recognizing the notification message 604 on the notification screen 602, the user can recognize that by raising the scanning unit 104 and moving it to the open position, the above-described full state can be avoided. Therefore, by notifying the notification message 604 on the notification screen 602, the user can recognize that if the scanning unit 104 is raised and moved to the open position, the space of the discharging unit 108 expands in the height direction (Z direction), and the amount of recording media that can be loaded in the discharging unit 108 increases. Also, when the user sets the scanning unit 104 to the open position, the recording media loaded in the discharging unit 108 can be easily taken out. When the user receives the notification message 604 and moves the scanning unit 104 to the open position, the above-described full state is avoided, and the possibility of a jam occurring in the discharging unit 108 is reduced.

[0050] Note that, as the notification regarding the movement of the scanning unit 104 to the open position in S510, a notification message 604 prompting the movement of the scanning unit 104 to the open position is notified via the notification screen 602, but it is not limited to this. As the notification regarding the movement of the scanning unit 104 to the open position, any notification may be used as long as it can notify the user that the scanning unit 104 is moved to the open position.

[0051] Specifically, for example, an icon, a pictogram, an animation, or a video indicating that the scanning unit 104 is moved to the open position may be displayed on the display unit 118. Also, for example, an audio message prompting the movement of the scanning unit 104 to the open position may be played via a speaker (not shown). Further, for example, a character string or a symbol such as "scanning unit" may be highlighted or blinked on the display unit 118. Furthermore, for example, a light emitting unit may be provided in the scanning unit 104, and the light emitting unit may be made to emit light in a specific light emitting mode (for example, blinking in a color indicating an error state).

[0052] After the user moves the scanning unit 104 to the open position and the OK button 606 is selected (pressed), the main controller 401 determines that the scanning unit 104 has been moved to the open position by the user, and stops displaying the notification screen 602 on the display unit 118.

[0053] Return to FIG. 5. In the subsequent S512, the main controller 401 determines whether the scanning unit 104 has been moved to the open position. In this embodiment, the open / close sensor 110 can determine whether the scanning unit 104 is in the closed position. Therefore, in S512, if it is determined based on the detection result of the open / close sensor 110 that the scanning unit 104 is not in the closed position, it is determined that the scanning unit 104 has been moved to the open position by the user. Also, if it is determined that the scanning unit 104 is in the closed position, it is determined that the scanning unit 104 has not been moved to the open position by the user. Thus, in this embodiment, the open / close sensor 110 functions as a detection unit capable of detecting the position of the scanning unit 104.

[0054] In S512, if it is determined that the scanning unit 104 has been moved to the open position, the process proceeds to S520 described later. If it is determined that the scanning unit 104 has not been moved to the open position, the process proceeds to S514 described later. Note that the method for determining in S512 that the scanning unit 104 has been moved to the open position is not limited to the determination based on the detection result of the open / close sensor 110. For example, when it is determined based on the detection result of the open / close sensor 110 that the scanning unit 104 is not in the closed position and the OK button 606 is selected, it may be determined that the scanning unit 104 has been moved to the open position.

[0055] In S514, the main controller 401 determines whether the thickness of the recording medium loaded in the discharge unit 108, that is, whether the loading amount of the recording medium in the discharge unit 108 exceeds a second threshold value. In S514, it is determined whether a value obtained by multiplying the count value representing the number of discharged recording media counted by the print controller 202 by the thickness per recording medium exceeds the second threshold value. Note that the second threshold value is set to the lower limit value of the amount at which the recording medium cannot be appropriately loaded in the discharge unit 108 or a value slightly smaller than the lower limit value when the scan unit 104 is in the closed position. Note that "when the scan unit 104 is in the closed position and the recording medium cannot be appropriately loaded in the discharge unit 108" includes, for example, the occurrence of a jam in the discharge unit 108. Specifically, the second threshold value is, for example, a value that coincides with the distance L1 (see FIG. 1(a)) in the vertical direction between the front end of the bottom surface 104a facing the loading surface 108a of the scan unit 104 in the closed position and the loading surface 108a, or a value slightly smaller than the distance L1. Note that the second threshold value is larger than the first threshold value. In S514, if it is determined that the thickness of the recording medium loaded in the discharge unit 108 exceeds the second threshold value, the process proceeds to S518 described later. If it is determined that the thickness does not exceed the second threshold value, the process proceeds to S516 described later.

[0056] In S516, the main controller 401 determines whether the recording based on the recording job by the print controller 202 has ended. In S516, if it is determined that the recording based on the recording job by the print controller 202 has not ended, the process returns to S512. Also, in S516, if it is determined that the recording based on the recording job by the print controller 202 has ended, this recording process ends.

[0057] In S518, the main controller 401 stops the recording based on the recording job and ends this recording process. That is, in S514, when it is determined that the thickness of the recording medium loaded in the discharge unit 108 exceeds the second threshold value, in S518, the main controller 401 causes the print controller 202 to stop the recording based on the recording job being executed. Thereby, the discharge of the recording medium to the discharge unit 108 is stopped, and the possibility of a jam occurring in the discharge unit 108 can be reduced. Thus, in the present embodiment, the main controller 401 functions as a control unit that controls to stop the ongoing recording according to the loading amount of the recording medium in the discharge unit 108.

[0058] Also, in S512, when it is determined that the scanning unit 104 has moved to the open position, in S520, the main controller 401 issues a notification (also referred to as the "second notification" in this specification) prompting to take out (remove) the recording medium loaded in the discharge unit 108. At the time of the process of S520, the recording medium is loaded in the discharge unit 108 to a thickness equal to or greater than the first threshold value. Therefore, at this stage, by prompting the user to take out the recording medium from the discharge unit 108, the occurrence of a jam in the discharge unit 108 due to the subsequently discharged recording medium and the dropping of the loaded recording medium from the discharge unit 108 can be reduced.

[0059] In S520, for example, a notification screen 702 that notifies a message prompting to take out the recording medium loaded in the discharge unit 108 from the discharge unit 108 is displayed on the display unit 118 of the operation unit 106 (see FIG. 7). FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the notification screen 702 that notifies a message prompting to take out the recording medium loaded in the discharge unit 108 from the discharge unit 108. On the notification screen 702, as the notification message 704, the words "Please take out the recording medium. Please press OK after taking it out." are displayed. Also, an OK button 706 is displayed on the notification screen 702.

[0060] By visually recognizing the notification message 704 on the notification screen 702, the user can recognize that it is necessary to take out the loaded recording medium from the discharging unit 108. By notifying the notification message 704, it is possible to avoid a situation where, if the user takes out the recording medium loaded in the discharging unit 108, the recording medium is loaded up to an amount that cannot be properly loaded in the discharging unit 108. The amount at which proper loading in the discharging unit 108 becomes impossible is, for example, an amount at which the loaded recording medium falls or protrudes from the discharging unit 108, an amount at which a jam occurs in the discharging unit 108, or an amount at which the possibility thereof becomes high.

[0061] Note that the notification prompting the user to take out the recording medium loaded in the discharging unit 108 is not limited to the form of notifying the user via the notification screen 702 as the notification message 704. For example, an icon, a pictogram, an animation, or a video indicating that the loaded recording medium is to be taken out may be displayed on the display unit 118 from the discharging unit 108. Further, for example, an audio message prompting the user to take out the recording medium loaded in the discharging unit 108 may be played via a speaker (not shown). Furthermore, a light emitting unit may be provided in the discharging unit 108, and the light emitting unit may be caused to emit light in a specific light emitting mode (for example, blinking in a color indicating an error state).

[0062] When the OK button 706 is selected (pressed) by the user, the main controller 401 determines that the recording medium loaded in the discharging unit 108 has been taken out by the user, and stops displaying the notification screen 702 on the display unit 118.

[0063] Return to FIG. 5. In the subsequent S522, the main controller 401 determines whether the thickness of the recording medium loaded in the discharging unit 108, that is, the loading amount of the recording medium in the discharging unit 108, exceeds a third threshold value that is larger than the second threshold value. That is, in the present embodiment, after the notification prompting the movement of the scanning unit is performed in S510, when it is determined in S512 that the scanning unit is located at the open position, the recording is continued even if the loading amount of the recording medium in the discharging unit 108 exceeds the second threshold value.

[0064] In S522, it is determined whether a value obtained by multiplying a count value representing the number of sheets of the recording medium counted by the print controller 202 by the thickness per sheet of the recording medium exceeds a third threshold value. Note that the third threshold value is set to a lower limit value of an amount at which the recording medium is not appropriately stacked in the discharge unit 108 or a value smaller than the lower limit value by a predetermined amount when the scan unit 104 is in the open position. Note that "when the scan unit 104 is in the open position and the recording medium is not appropriately stacked in the discharge unit 108" includes, for example, the recording medium falling out of or protruding from the discharge unit 108, and a jam occurring in the discharge unit 108. Specifically, the third threshold value is set to a value that coincides with, for example, a distance L2 (see FIG. 1(b)) between the rear end of the stacking surface 108a and the discharge port 116 in the vertical direction, or a value smaller than the distance L2 by a predetermined amount. Note that the third threshold value is larger than the first threshold value and the second threshold value. That is, the magnitudes of the respective threshold values used in this recording process are such that "first threshold value < second threshold value < third threshold value".

[0065] In S522, when it is determined that the thickness of the recording medium stacked in the discharge unit 108 exceeds the third threshold value, the process proceeds to S518 and the recording based on the recording job being executed is stopped. As a result, the discharge of the recording medium to the discharge unit 108 is stopped, and the recording medium is not stacked to an amount at which it cannot be appropriately stacked in the discharge unit 108. That is, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the stacked recording medium falls out of or protrudes from the discharge unit 108 or a jam occurs in the discharge unit 108.

[0066] In S522, when it is determined that the thickness of the recording medium loaded in the discharge unit 108 does not exceed the third threshold value, the process proceeds to S524. In S524, the main controller 401 determines whether the loaded recording medium has been removed from the discharge unit 108. In S524, it is determined whether the OK button 706 has been selected. That is, in S524, if it is determined that the OK button 706 has been selected, it is determined that the loaded recording medium has been removed from the discharge unit 108, and if it is determined that the OK button has not been selected, it is determined that the loaded recording medium has not been removed from the discharge unit 108. In S524, when it is determined that the loaded recording medium has been removed from the discharge unit 108, the process proceeds to S526 described later, and when it is determined that it has not been removed, the process proceeds to S528 described later.

[0067] In S526, the main controller 401 initializes the count value representing the number of discharged recording media counted in the print controller 202 and proceeds to S528. In S528, the main controller 401 determines whether the recording based on the print job by the print controller 202 has ended. In S528, when it is determined that the recording based on the print job by the print controller 202 has not ended, the process returns to S522. Also, in S528, when it is determined that the recording based on the print job by the print controller 202 has ended, this recording process ends.

[0068] (Function and effect) As described above, in the recording apparatus 100, when the loading amount of the recording medium in the discharging unit exceeds the first threshold value while the scanning unit is in the closed position, a notification is given to prompt the movement of the scanning unit to the open position. As a result, the user can be made aware of moving the scanning unit 104 to the open position. Then, when the user moves the scanning unit 104 to the open position, the recording medium can be loaded without causing a jam in the discharging unit 108. Also, when taking out the recording medium from the discharging unit 108, the scanning unit 104 will not get in the way, and the recording medium can be taken out smoothly. Furthermore, the possibility of the hand or the recording medium to be taken out coming into contact with the recording medium being discharged can be reduced, and the possibility of a jam occurring when taking out the loaded recording medium from the discharging unit 108 can be reduced. And due to these operational effects, in the recording apparatus 100, recording can be performed smoothly, the decrease in user convenience can be suppressed, and the increase in the time required for recording can be suppressed.

[0069] (Other Embodiments) Note that the above-described embodiment may be modified as shown in the following (1) to (7).

[0070] (1) Although not particularly described in the above embodiments, the various controls described as being performed by the main controller 401 in the recording process may be performed by one piece of hardware, or may be executed by a plurality of pieces of hardware (for example, a plurality of processors or circuits) sharing the processing. Further, in the above embodiments, the present invention has been described in detail based on its preferred embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various forms within the scope not departing from the gist of the present invention are also included in the present invention. Furthermore, the above embodiments merely show one embodiment of the present invention. Still further, in the above embodiments, the case where the present invention is applied to a recording apparatus as a multifunction machine equipped with a reading device has been described as an example, but the application of the present invention is not limited to such a recording apparatus. For example, the present invention can be applied to a processing apparatus provided with a movable part that covers at least a part of the upper side of the discharge part where the processed object after processing is discharged and loaded.

[0071] (2) In the above embodiment, in the recording apparatus 100, the scanning unit 104 has been described as an example of the movable part that covers the discharge part 108, but the movable part in the recording apparatus to which the present invention is applicable is not limited to the scanning unit. Any member may be used as long as it is a movable member that covers at least a part of the discharge part.

[0072] (3) In the above embodiment, when it is determined in S514 that the thickness of the recording medium loaded on the discharge part 108 exceeds the second threshold value, the recording is stopped in S518 and the recording process is terminated, but it is not limited to this. After the recording is stopped in S518, when the recording medium is taken out from the discharge part 108 and the resumption of recording is instructed by the user's operation, the count value in the print controller 202 may be initialized and the recording may be resumed. In this case, after the recording is stopped in S518, on the display unit 118, for example, the content of the process that the user should execute to resume the recording and the button for resuming the recording are displayed. Note that the process that the user should execute as described above includes, for example, at least one of the movement of the scanning unit to the open position and the removal of the recording medium loaded on the discharge part 108.

[0073] (4) In the above-described embodiment, the main controller 401 provided in the recording apparatus 100 notifies the notification screens 602 and 702 according to the position of the scanning unit and the presence or absence of taking out the recording medium at the discharging unit. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the main controller 401 provided in the recording apparatus 100 stops the recording according to the loading amount of the recording medium at the discharging unit. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Regarding the notification of the notification screens 602 and 702 according to the position of the scanning unit and the presence or absence of taking out the recording medium at the discharging unit, and the stop of the recording according to the loading amount of the recording medium, the execution may be controlled by an external device provided separately from the recording apparatus 100. In this case, the notification screens 602 and 702 may also be displayed on the display unit of the external device.

[0074] (5) Although not particularly described in the above-described embodiment, in the recording process, after starting the recording in S504, it may be determined whether the scanning unit 104 is in the open position (that is, not in the closed position). In this case, in this determination, if it is determined that the scanning unit 104 is not in the open position, the process proceeds to S506, and if it is determined that the scanning unit 104 is in the open position, the process proceeds to S520.

[0075] (6) The present invention is also executed by performing the following process. That is, software (program) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment is supplied to a system or apparatus via a network or a storage medium, and a computer (or CPU, MPU, etc.) of the system or apparatus reads and executes the program code. In this case, the program and the storage medium that stores (stores) the program constitute the present invention.

[0076] (7) The above-described embodiment and the various forms shown in the above (1) to (6) may be combined as appropriate.

[0077] The disclosure of the above-described embodiment includes the following configurations and methods. (Configuration 1) A movable part capable of mechanically moving to a plurality of positions including a first position where the space for loading the discharged recording medium has a predetermined width and a second position where the space extends wider than the predetermined width in the direction in which the recording medium is loaded, and control means for controlling to give a first notification regarding the movement of the movable part to the second position during the execution of recording in which the recorded recording medium is discharged into the space when the movable part is in the first position. A recording control apparatus characterized by having the above. (Configuration 2) further comprising detection means capable of detecting the position of the movable part, wherein the control means controls to give the first notification based on the detection result of the detection means. The recording control apparatus according to Configuration 1, characterized by the above. (Configuration 3) The first notification is a notification prompting the user to move the movable part to the second position. The recording control apparatus according to Configuration 1 or 2, characterized by the above. (Configuration 4) The control means controls to give the first notification when the loading amount of the recording medium discharged into the space exceeds a first threshold during the execution of the recording when the movable part is in the first position. The recording control apparatus according to any one of Configurations 1 to 3, characterized by the above. (Configuration 5) After giving the first notification, when the loading amount exceeds a second threshold greater than the first threshold while the movable part remains unmoved to the second position, the control means controls to stop the recording. The recording control apparatus according to Configuration 4, characterized by the above. (Configuration 6) After giving the first notification, when the movable part is moved to the second position, the control means controls to continue the recording even if the loading amount exceeds the second threshold. The recording control apparatus according to Configuration 5, characterized by the above. (Configuration 7) After the first notification is made, when the movable part is moved to the second position and the loading amount exceeds a third threshold value that is larger than the second threshold value, the control means controls to stop the recording, which is the recording control device according to Configuration 6. (Configuration 8) After the first notification is made, when the movable part is moved to the second position, the control means controls to issue a second notification prompting to take out the recording medium loaded in the space from the space, which is the recording control device according to any one of Configurations 1 to 7. (Configuration 9) When a predetermined operation is performed, the control means initializes the loading amount, which is the recording control device according to any one of Configurations 4 to 7. (Configuration 10) The loading amount is obtained based on the number of discharged recording media, which is the recording control device according to any one of Configurations 4 to 7. (Configuration 11) The loading amount is further obtained based on the type of the recording medium, which is the recording control device according to Configuration 10. (Configuration 12) The recording control device further has a detection means capable of detecting the position of the movable part. When starting the recording, if it is detected by the detection means that the movable part is in the second position, the control means does not issue the first notification even if the loading amount exceeds the first threshold value, which is the recording control device according to any one of Configurations 4 to 7. (Configuration 13) When starting the recording, if it is detected by the detection means that the movable part is in the second position, the control means controls to execute a second notification prompting to take out the loaded recording medium from the space, which is the recording control device according to Configuration 2. (Configuration 14) The movable part is a scanning part capable of reading a manuscript, which is the recording control device according to any one of Configurations 1 to 13. (Configuration 15) The recording control device according to any one of Configurations 1 to 14, wherein the recording is printing on the recording medium. (Configuration 16) A control method for a recording control device including a movable part capable of mechanically moving to a plurality of positions including a first position where the space for loading the discharged recording medium has a predetermined width and a second position where the space extends wider than the predetermined width in the direction in which the recording medium is loaded, wherein when the movable part is in the first position, control is performed to execute a first notification regarding the movement of the movable part to the second position during the execution of recording in which the recorded recording medium is discharged into the space. A control method for a recording control device. (Configuration 17) A program for causing a computer to function as each means of the recording control device according to any one of Configurations 1 to 15. (Configuration 18) A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as each means of the recording control device according to any one of Configurations 1 to 15.

Explanation of Signs

[0078] 100 Recording device 104 Scan unit 401 Main controller

Claims

1. A movable part capable of mechanically moving to a plurality of positions including a first position where the space for loading the discharged recording medium has a predetermined width and a second position where the space extends wider than the predetermined width in the direction in which the recording medium is loaded, and control means for controlling to give a first notification regarding the movement of the movable part to the second position during the execution of recording in which the recorded recording medium is discharged into the space when the movable part is in the first position. A recording control apparatus characterized by having.

2. further comprising detection means capable of detecting the position of the movable part, The recording control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls to give the first notification based on the detection result of the detection means.

3. The recording control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first notification is a notification prompting the user to move the movable part to the second position.

4. The recording control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls to give the first notification when the loading amount of the recording medium discharged into the space exceeds a first threshold during the execution of the recording when the movable part is in the first position.

5. The recording control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the control means controls to stop the recording when the loading amount exceeds a second threshold greater than the first threshold while the movable part remains unmoved to the second position after giving the first notification.

6. The recording control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control means controls to continue the recording even if the loading amount exceeds the second threshold when the movable part is moved to the second position after giving the first notification.

7. The recording control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control means controls to stop the recording when the loading amount exceeds a third threshold greater than the second threshold after the movable part is moved to the second position after giving the first notification.

8. The recording control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls to give a second notification prompting to take out the recording medium loaded in the space from the space when the movable part is moved to the second position after giving the first notification.

9. The control means initializes the loading amount when a predetermined operation is performed, and the recording control device according to claim 4 is characterized in that.

10. The recording control device according to claim 4, wherein the loading amount is obtained based on the number of ejected recording media.

11. The recording control device according to claim 10, wherein the loading amount is further obtained based on the type of the recording medium.

12. The recording control device further includes a detection means capable of detecting the position of the movable part. When it is detected by the detection means that the movable part is in the second position when starting the recording, the control means does not perform the first notification even if the loading amount exceeds the first threshold value, and the recording control device according to claim 4 is characterized in that.

13. When it is detected by the detection means that the movable part is in the second position when starting the recording, the control means controls to execute a second notification for prompting to take out the loaded recording media from the space, and the recording control device according to claim 2 is characterized in that.

14. The recording control device according to claim 1, wherein the movable part is a scan part capable of reading a document.

15. The recording control device according to claim 1, wherein the recording is printing on the recording medium.

16. A control method for a recording control device including a movable part capable of moving a mechanical position to a plurality of positions including a first position where the space for loading the ejected recording media has a predetermined width and a second position where the space extends wider than the predetermined width in the direction in which the recording media are loaded. When the movable part is in the first position, during the execution of the recording in which the recorded recording media are ejected into the space, it is characterized in that control is performed to execute a first notification regarding the movement of the movable part to the second position.

17. A program for causing a computer to function as each means of the recording control device according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

18. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as each means of the recording control device according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

Images