Printing apparatus and printing system

Abstract

This invention provides a technology that allows users of a printing apparatus with multiple operating modes to understand the differences in substrate usage or savings depending on the operating mode. [Solution] This printing apparatus 2 includes a transport mechanism 20 for transporting a substrate 9, a printing unit 30 for recording a printed image on the substrate 9, and a control unit 60 for controlling each part of the printing apparatus 2. The control unit 60 includes a printing control unit 61 and a calculation processing unit 62. The printing control unit 61 controls the transport mechanism 20 and the printing unit 30, and can switch between a first mode and a second mode, which are different printing modes for the substrate 9 of the printing unit 30. The calculation processing unit 62 estimates or measures, for one job, a first non-printed amount D1, which is the length of the non-printed area of ​​the substrate 9 in the first mode, and a second non-printed amount D2, which is the length of the non-printed area of ​​the substrate 9 in the second mode. This makes it possible to determine the amount of substrate 9 saved in the second mode.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a printing system for recording a printed image on a long strip-shaped substrate.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in a printing apparatus that performs printing on a long strip-shaped substrate, an unprinted area of the substrate may occur. For example, when driving from a state where the substrate is stopped being conveyed, usually, since printing is started after accelerating to a predetermined set conveyance speed, the substrate conveyed until the conveyance speed of the substrate reaches the set conveyance speed becomes an unprinted area. Further, when executing the next job after checking the printing state for a predetermined job, it is necessary to convey the area of the substrate on which printing based on the job to be checked has been performed to a confirmation position much further downstream than the printing position. In that case, since printing cannot be executed on the area of the substrate located in the conveyance path from the printing position to the confirmation position, this area of the substrate becomes an unprinted area.

[0003] As described above, in order to suppress the occurrence of an unprinted area on the substrate and waste on the substrate, conventionally, a printing apparatus having a mode capable of saving the substrate has been developed. For example, a printing apparatus having a function of starting printing during acceleration from a state where the conveyance of the substrate is stopped to a stable conveyance speed is known. Further, for example, in the printing apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the unprinted area can be shortened by conveying the substrate in the direction opposite to the conveyance direction.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Thus, if there is an operating mode that allows for saving substrate, the amount of unprinted area will be less in that mode compared to the normal mode. Conventionally, the user was not aware of this difference in the amount of unprinted area resulting from the difference in operating modes.

[0006] However, generally speaking, in substrate-saving mode, the reduced amount of unprinted area results in a decrease in print quality in certain areas. In other words, there is a trade-off between the amount of substrate saved and print quality. Therefore, it is highly beneficial for users to understand the length of unprinted area saved by substrate-saving mode and the corresponding cost of substrate.

[0007] This invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and aims to provide a technology that allows a user to understand the differences in substrate usage or savings depending on the operating mode in a printing apparatus having multiple operating modes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the first invention of the present application is a printing apparatus for printing on a long, strip-shaped substrate that is transported in a transport direction, comprising: a transport mechanism for transporting the substrate; a printing unit for adhering a recording agent to the substrate and recording a printed image; and a control unit for controlling each part of the printing apparatus, wherein the control unit controls the transport mechanism and the printing unit and is capable of switching between a first mode and a second mode in which the transport manner of the substrate by the printing mechanism on the substrate by the printing unit is different; and a calculation processing unit for estimating or measuring a first non-printed amount, which is the length of the non-printed area of ​​the substrate in the first mode, and a second non-printed amount, which is the length of the non-printed area of ​​the substrate in the second mode, for one job.

[0009] The second invention of the present application is a printing apparatus of the first invention, further comprising a display unit capable of displaying information of the printing apparatus, wherein the control unit further comprises a display control unit that displays on the display unit substrate usage information including at least one of the first non-printing amount and the second non-printing amount output by the calculation processing unit, and the difference between the first non-printing amount and the second non-printing amount, wherein the calculation processing unit estimates the first non-printing amount and the second non-printing amount before starting the execution of the job, and the display control unit displays the substrate usage information on the display unit.

[0010] The third invention of the present application is a printing apparatus according to the first invention, further comprising a display unit capable of displaying information of the printing apparatus, wherein the control unit further comprises a display control unit that displays on the display unit substrate usage information including at least one of the first non-printed amount and the second non-printed amount output by the calculation processing unit, and the difference between the first non-printed amount and the second non-printed amount, wherein the calculation processing unit estimates the first non-printed amount and calculates the second non-printed amount based on the actual measurement results during the printing process, and the display control unit displays the substrate usage information on the display unit after the execution of the job is completed.

[0011] The fourth invention of this application is a printing apparatus according to the first to third inventions, wherein in the first mode, when the execution of the job is started, the printing control unit starts printing by the printing unit after the transport mechanism has started transporting the substrate, acceleration is complete and a predetermined stable transport speed has been reached, and in the second mode, when the execution of the job is started, the printing control unit starts printing by the printing unit after the transport mechanism has started transporting the substrate, but during acceleration and before the stable transport speed has been reached, and the first non-printed amount is calculated based on the amount of substrate transported from the substrate transport start position to the printing start position after the transport speed of the substrate has reached the stable transport speed in the first mode, and the second non-printed amount is calculated based on the amount of substrate transported from the substrate transport start position to the printing start position during acceleration of the substrate in the second mode.

[0012] The fifth invention of this application is a printing apparatus of the fourth invention, wherein the acceleration of the substrate when the execution of the job in the second mode is started is smaller than the acceleration of the substrate when the execution of the job in the first mode is started.

[0013] The sixth invention of this application is a printing apparatus according to the first to third inventions, wherein in the first mode, when the execution of the job is started, the printing control unit starts printing by the printing unit after the transport mechanism starts transporting the substrate without changing the position of the substrate, and in the second mode, before the execution of the job, the printing control unit causes the transport mechanism to transport the substrate in the reverse direction, and then starts printing by the printing unit after the transport mechanism starts transporting the substrate in the forward direction, and the first non-printed amount is calculated based on the amount of the substrate transported from the substrate transport start position to the substrate printing start position in the first mode, and the second non-printed amount is calculated in the second mode based on the amount of the substrate transported from the substrate transport start position to the substrate printing start position after the reverse transport, minus the amount of the substrate transported during the reverse transport.

[0014] The seventh invention of this application is a printing system comprising: one or more printing devices that print on a long, strip-shaped substrate that is transported in a transport direction; a server computer having a server display unit and capable of communicating with the printing device via a network, wherein each printing device comprises: a transport mechanism for transporting the substrate; a printing unit for depositing a recording agent onto the substrate and recording a printed image; and a control unit for controlling each part of the printing device, wherein the control unit controls the transport mechanism and the printing unit and can switch between a first mode and a second mode, which are different printing modes on the substrate by the printing unit; and estimates a first non-printed amount, which is the length of the non-printed area of ​​the substrate in the first mode, for a job completed in the second mode. The system also includes a calculation processing unit that calculates a second non-printed amount, which is the length of the non-printed area of ​​the substrate in the second mode, based on actual measurement results during the printing process, and a communication unit that transmits substrate usage information to the server computer, which includes at least one of the first non-printed amount and the second non-printed amount output by the calculation processing unit, and the difference between the first non-printed amount and the second non-printed amount. The server computer has a server communication unit that receives the substrate usage information from the printing device via the network, and a server storage unit that stores the substrate usage information received by the server communication unit. The server communication unit can transmit the substrate usage information stored in the server storage unit to an external user computer via the network. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the first to seventh inventions of this application, in a printing apparatus having multiple operating modes, the user can understand the difference in the amount of substrate used or saved depending on the operating mode. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This diagram conceptually illustrates the configuration of a printing system according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printing apparatus according to one embodiment. [Figure 3]It is a perspective view showing the configuration of the meandering correction unit of the printing apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] It is a block diagram showing the control system of the printing system according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing the time-series change of the conveyance speed of the base material in the standard mode and the printing mode during acceleration of the printing apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing each position before the execution start of a new job for the printing apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing the setting of the non-printing area in the reverse conveyance mode for the printing apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] It is a diagram showing an example of the display mode on the user computer in the printing system according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a diagram showing the time-series change of the conveyance speed of the base material in the standard mode and the printing mode during acceleration of the printing apparatus according to a modified example.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following, the direction in which the base material 9 is conveyed is referred to as the "conveyance direction", and the horizontal direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction is referred to as the "width direction", respectively. Also, the upstream side in the conveyance direction is simply referred to as the "upstream side", and the downstream side in the conveyance direction is simply referred to as the "downstream side".

[0018] [[ID=

[30] ]<1. Configuration of the Printing System> FIG. 1 is a diagram conceptually showing the configuration of a printing system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram conceptually showing the configuration of a printing apparatus 2 included in the printing system 1. This printing system 1 is a system for managing one or more printing apparatuses 2. Further, the printing apparatus 2 is an apparatus that performs printing processing on the long strip-shaped base material 9 while conveying it.

[0019] The printing system 1 includes one or more printing devices 2, a server computer 7, and a user computer 8. The multiple printing devices 2, the server computer 7, and the user computer 8 are connected via a network N such as the Internet. As shown in Figure 1, the printing system 1 of this embodiment includes three printing devices 2.

[0020] The printer 2 and user computer 8 are devices owned by the user. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the server computer 7 is a device owned by a service provider that provides services to multiple users. The server computer 7 manages information about the printer 2 owned by the user. The user can then view the information about their own printer 2, which is managed by the server computer 7, via the user computer 8. The server computer 7 may also be connected via a network to the printer 2 and user computer 8 owned by multiple users, and may manage information about each user's printer 2.

[0021] The printing apparatus 2 includes a transport mechanism 20, a printing unit 30, a UV irradiation unit 40, an operation unit 50, and a control unit 60. A printing control unit 61 of the control unit 60, which will be described later, controls the operation of the transport mechanism 20, the printing unit 30, and the UV irradiation unit 40.

[0022] The conveying mechanism 20 includes an unwinding section 21, a winding section 22, a plurality of conveying rollers 23, and a plurality of motors 26. The unwinding section 21, the winding section 22, and the plurality of conveying rollers 23 are all rotatable about a horizontal axis.

[0023] A motor 26, which serves as a power source, is connected to the unwinding section 21, the winding section 22, and some of the multiple conveying rollers 23. Specifically, the multiple motors 26 include an unwinding motor 26a connected to the unwinding section 21, a winding motor 26b connected to the winding section 22, and conveying motors 26c and 26d connected to two of the conveying rollers 23, respectively. That is, some of the multiple conveying rollers 23 are drive rollers connected to the conveying motors 26c and 26d, while the others are driven rollers that are not connected to motors and rotate according to the movement of the base material 9. However, all of the conveying rollers 23 may be driven rollers.

[0024] Multiple transport rollers 23 form a transport path for the base material 9 between the unwinding section 21 and the winding section 22. Each transport roller 23 rotates about a horizontal axis, guiding the base material 9 downstream along the transport path. That is, after being unwound from the unwinding section 21, the base material 9 is recovered to the winding section 22 along the transport path formed by the multiple transport rollers 23, etc.

[0025] When the printing control unit 61 drives each motor 26 in the forward direction, the unwinding unit 21, the winding unit 22, and the transport roller 23 each rotate in the forward direction. As a result, the base material 9, which is held in a roll shape in the unwinding unit 21, is unwound from the unwinding unit 21, the base material 9 is transported in the forward direction along the transport path, and is wound in a roll shape around the winding unit 22.

[0026] When the printing control unit 61 drives each motor 26 in the opposite direction, the unwinding unit 21, the winding unit 22, and the transport roller 23 rotate in opposite directions. In this case, the base material 9 wound around the winding unit 22 is unwound, the base material 9 is transported in the reverse direction along the transport path, and wound around the unwinding unit 21 in a roll shape.

[0027] The transport mechanism 20 includes a meandering correction unit 24 and an encoder 25 on the transport path.

[0028] The meandering correction unit 24 is a mechanism for correcting the position of the substrate 9 in the width direction. In this embodiment, the meandering correction unit 24 is located upstream of the printing unit 30 in the transport path.

[0029] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the meandering correction unit 24. As shown in Figure 3, the meandering correction unit 24 of this embodiment has a pair of fixed rollers 241 and a pair of guide rollers 242. The pair of fixed rollers 241 and the pair of guide rollers 242 each rotate while in contact with the base material 9, thereby guiding the base material 9 downstream. A moving mechanism, not shown, is also connected to the pair of guide rollers 242. When the moving mechanism is operated, one pair of guide rollers 242 rotates around a point called a pivot 243, causing it to swing in the width direction. This allows the base material 9 to be displaced in the width direction.

[0030] However, the meandering correction unit 24 of the present invention is not limited to the above structure. The meandering correction unit 24 may, for example, displace the base material 9 in the width direction by tilting the guide roller 242.

[0031] The encoder 25 is a mechanism for measuring the amount of substrate 9 being transported. In this embodiment, the encoder 25 is located upstream of the printing unit 30 in the transport path.

[0032] When printing is performed in the printing apparatus 2, the substrate 9 is unwound from the unwinding section 21, processed sequentially in the printing section 30 and the UV irradiation section 40, and then recovered to the winding section 22.

[0033] The printing unit 30 records an image on the upper surface of the substrate 9. The printing unit 30 ejects ink droplets onto the substrate 9, which is transported by the transport mechanism 20. In this way, the printing unit 30 adheres the ink, which is the recording agent, to the substrate 9 and records a printed image. The printing unit 30 has at least one recording head. In this embodiment, the printing unit 30 has four recording heads that sequentially eject cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) ink droplets onto the upper surface of the substrate 9. In this embodiment, the ink used in the printing unit 30 is an ultraviolet-curable ink that hardens when exposed to ultraviolet light.

[0034] The printing apparatus 2 of this embodiment is a so-called one-pass inkjet printer that records a desired print image on the substrate 9 by ejecting ink droplets from a recording head having a recording width greater than or equal to the paper width of the substrate 9 while the substrate 9 passes under each recording head only once.

[0035] The UV irradiation unit 40 irradiates the surface of the substrate 9 with ultraviolet light. As a result, the ink droplets ejected onto the surface of the substrate 9 by the printing unit 30 harden and are fixed onto the substrate 9.

[0036] The operation unit 50 is a part that inputs information such as operation commands to the control unit 60 and can display information transmitted from the control unit 60. In other words, the operation unit 50 serves as both an input unit for inputting information to the control unit 60 and a display unit for displaying information from the control unit 60 to the user. For example, a touch panel can be used for the operation unit 50. The operation unit 50 may also be divided into an input unit such as a keyboard or mouse and a display unit such as a liquid crystal display. Furthermore, the operation unit 50 may have an input unit and a display unit in addition to a touch panel.

[0037] The control unit 60 is a control means for controlling the operation of each part within the printing device 2. As conceptually shown in Figure 2, the control unit 60 in this embodiment is composed of a computer having an arithmetic processing unit 601 such as a CPU, a memory 602 such as RAM, and a storage unit 603 such as a hard disk drive.

[0038] The control unit 60 of this embodiment is configured by installing the operation control program Pi for the printing device 2 on a computer. The storage unit 603 of the control unit 60 stores a computer program P, which includes the operation control program Pi, and data D.

[0039] The control unit 60 temporarily reads the computer program P and data D stored in the storage unit 603 into the memory 602, and the arithmetic processing unit 601 performs calculations based on the computer program P and data D, thereby controlling the operation of each part of the printing device 2. As a result, the transport process of the substrate 9 by the transport mechanism 20 and the printing process in the printing unit 30 proceed.

[0040] Figure 4 is a control block diagram of the printing system 1. As shown in Figure 4, the control unit 60 has a printing control unit 61, a calculation processing unit 62, a display control unit 63, and a communication unit 64 as processing units implemented in software.

[0041] The printing control unit 61 controls the transport mechanism 20, the printing unit 30, and the UV irradiation unit 40. The printing control unit 61 controls the transport process in the transport mechanism 20, the printing process in the printing unit 30, and the ink curing process by the UV irradiation unit 40.

[0042] The print control unit 61 can switch between a first mode and a second mode as the print mode. The first mode and the second mode differ in the printing manner of the printing unit 30 on the substrate 9 after the transport mechanism 20 has started transporting the substrate 9. Specifically, the printing start position of the printing unit 30 on the substrate 9 is different. In this embodiment, the first mode is the conventional standard mode, and the second mode is an eco mode that reduces the non-printing area of ​​the substrate 9 more than the first mode. The non-printing area is the area on the substrate 9 where printing is not performed by the printing unit 30, and is usually the area sandwiched between the printing area performed based on the preceding job and the printing area performed based on the subsequent job.

[0043] The calculation processing unit 62 estimates or measures the first non-printed amount D1 and the second non-printed amount D2 for a single print job. The first non-printed amount D1 is the length of the non-printed area of ​​the substrate 9 in the first mode. The second non-printed amount D2 is the length of the non-printed area of ​​the substrate 9 in the second mode. The calculation processing unit 62 also calculates the substrate saving amount ΔD, which is the difference between the first non-printed amount D1 and the second non-printed amount D2.

[0044] The display control unit 63 displays the first non-printing amount D1 and the second non-printing amount D2, the substrate saving amount ΔD, or both the first non-printing amount D1 and the second non-printing amount D2 and the substrate saving amount ΔD, output by the calculation processing unit 62, on the operation unit 50. Hereinafter, information including at least one of the first non-printing amount D1 and the second non-printing amount D2, and the substrate saving amount ΔD, will be referred to as "substrate usage information Di".

[0045] The communication unit 64 transmits the substrate usage information Di output by the calculation processing unit 62 to the server computer 7 via the network N.

[0046] The server computer 7 is a computer for managing information about multiple printing devices 2. In this embodiment, the server computer 7 is not managed by the users of the multiple printing devices 2, but by the administrator of the printing system 1. However, it is also possible that the user manages all of the multiple printing devices 2, the server computer 7, and the user computer 8.

[0047] The server computer 7 includes a server communication unit 71 and a server storage unit 72. The server communication unit 71 receives substrate usage information Di from the printing device 2 via the network N. The server communication unit 71 can also transmit the substrate usage information Di stored in the server storage unit 72 to an external user computer 8 via the network N. The server storage unit 72 stores the substrate usage information Di received by the server communication unit 71.

[0048] In addition to the substrate usage information Di, various other printing process-related information is transmitted to the server computer 7 from the printing device 2. The transmitted information includes, for each job for each printing device 2, the date and time the printing process was performed, the type of substrate 9, the amount of substrate 9 and ink consumed, and the costs and CO2 emissions associated with the consumption of substrate 9 and ink.

[0049] User computer 8 is a computer used by the user. User computer 8 may be a general-purpose personal computer. Users of printing device 2 can access information about the printing process of printing device 2 stored in server computer 7 via user computer 8.

[0050] As shown in Figure 1, the user computer 8 includes, for example, a user computer main unit 80, a user display unit 81 such as a display, and a user input unit 82 such as a keyboard or mouse. The user computer main unit 80 has a user communication unit 83 and a user display control unit 84 as processing units implemented in software. The user communication unit 83 receives information related to the printing process in the printing device 2 it uses, including substrate usage information Di, from the server computer 7 via the network N, in accordance with commands input from the user input unit 82. The user display control unit 84 then displays this information, such as substrate usage information Di, on the user display unit 81 in accordance with commands input from the user input unit 82.

[0051] In such a printing system 1, the user can have the calculation processing unit 62 estimate the first non-print amount D1 in the first mode and the second non-print amount D2 in the second mode of the new job before starting the execution of the new job. Specifically, the calculation processing unit 62 estimates the first non-print amount D1 and the second non-print amount D2 using the estimation method described later before starting the execution of the new job. At this time, the calculation processing unit 62 may also calculate the substrate saving amount ΔD. Then, the display control unit 63 causes the operation unit 50 to display substrate usage information Di, i.e., the first non-print amount D1 and the second non-print amount D2, and / or the substrate saving amount ΔD. In this way, when the user selects a mode before starting the execution of a new job, they can check the difference in non-print amounts between modes on the operation unit 50.

[0052] Furthermore, the calculation processing unit 62 estimates the first non-printed amount D1 in the first mode for printed jobs that have been printed in the second mode, and calculates the second non-printed amount D2 in the second mode for printed jobs based on the measured results during the printing process of the printed jobs. At this time, the calculation processing unit 62 calculates the second non-printed amount D2 based on the amount of substrate 9 transported measured by the encoder 25. At this time, the calculation processing unit 62 may also calculate the substrate saving amount ΔD.

[0053] Then, after the printing of a printed job is completed, the display control unit 63 causes the operation unit 50 to display substrate usage information Di, namely the first non-printed amount D1 and the second non-printed amount D2, and / or the substrate saving amount ΔD. In this way, the user can confirm the actual amount of substrate saved after the printing process.

[0054] Furthermore, the user can use the user computer 8 to obtain various information, including substrate usage information Di, for printed jobs processed in second mode from the server computer 7 via the network N.

[0055] <2. Method for estimating non-printed volume for each mode> Next, the method for calculating the non-printed amount for each job in each mode of the printing apparatus 2 will be explained. In this embodiment, the first mode is the conventional standard mode, and the second mode is an eco mode that reduces the non-printed area of ​​the substrate 9 compared to the first mode. In this embodiment, there are two types of second modes: the accelerated printing start mode and the reverse transport mode.

[0056] <2-1. Non-printed amount in standard mode (first mode)> First, we will explain how to calculate the first non-printable area, which is the length of the non-printable area in the first mode, the standard mode. In the following, the next job to be printed will be referred to as the new job, and the previous job will be referred to as the previous job.

[0057] In standard mode, if the substrate 9 is stopped before the execution of a new job, the print control unit 61 starts transporting the substrate 9 by the transport mechanism 20 at the same time as starting the execution of the new job, and starts printing by the print unit 30 after the acceleration of the substrate 9 is complete and a predetermined stable transport speed is reached.

[0058] Figure 5 shows the time-series change in the transport speed V [m / sec] of the substrate 9 in standard mode and accelerated printing start mode. In Figure 5, the horizontal axis represents the elapsed time T [seconds] after the start of transport, and the vertical axis represents the transport speed [m / sec]. The upper part of Figure 5 shows the case when the stable transport speed is 2 [m / sec], and the lower part of Figure 5 shows the case when the stable transport speed is 3 [m / sec]. Also, in Figure 5, the standard mode is shown in black, and the accelerated printing start mode is shown in gray.

[0059] As shown in Figure 5, in the standard mode of this embodiment, the transport mechanism 20 starts transporting the substrate 9 before printing begins, and the transport speed V is increased at a constant acceleration. In the example in Figure 5, the acceleration of the transport speed V is 0.3 m / s². 2 ]. Then, when the transport speed V reaches a stable transport speed Vs, the printing process by the printing unit 30 begins.

[0060] Therefore, in standard mode, if the stable transport speed is Vs [m / sec] and the elapsed time after the start of transport to start printing (hereinafter referred to as "print start time") is Ts [seconds], the length Ls1 of the substrate 9 transported between the start of transport and the start of printing is given by the following formula.

number

[0061] Therefore, as shown in the upper part of Figure 5, when the stable transport speed Vs is 2 [m / sec] and the printing start time Ts is 6.7 [sec], Ls1 = 6.7 [m]. Also, as shown in the lower part of Figure 5, when the stable transport speed Vs is 3 [m / sec] and the printing start time Ts is 10 [sec], Ls1 = 15 [m].

[0062] Figure 6 shows the positions Bp, Bn1, Bn2 on the substrate 9 and Pp, Pn1, Pn2, Ps on the transport path before the execution of a new job begins. Specifically, position Bp is the rear end position of the printing area based on the previous job on the substrate 9, position Pp is the rear end position of the printing area based on the previous job on the transport path, position Ps is the printing start position by the printing unit 30 on the transport path, position Bn1 is the printing start position based on the new job in standard mode on the substrate 9, position Bn2 is the printing start position based on the new job in accelerated printing mode on the substrate 9, and positions Pn1, Pn2 are the positions on the transport path where positions Bn1 and Bn2 on the substrate 9 are located before the execution of a new job begins.

[0063] Furthermore, Figure 6 shows, for reference, the ranges of the regions where the substrate lengths Ls1, Ls2, Lp and the first non-printed amount D1 and second non-printed amount D2 occur in the standard mode and accelerated printing mode. However, the lengths indicated by these double arrows do not correspond to the lengths of the substrate 9 included in these regions. This is because the transport path of the substrate 9 is curved, so the positions Pn1 and Pn2 were placed in easily identifiable locations.

[0064] Typically, after the completion of a previous job and before the start of a new job, the rear end position Bp of the printing area on the substrate 9 based on the previous job is positioned downstream of the printing unit 30 and the UV irradiation unit 40. At this time, the position on the transport path where position Bp on the substrate 9 is located is Pp. In the example in Figure 6, the rear end positions Bp and Pp of the printing area on the substrate 9 based on the previous job are positioned outside the housing 200 so that the user can see the rear end of the previous job.

[0065] The printing start position Ps by the printing unit 30 is the position printed by the upstream end of the head located furthest upstream among the multiple heads of the printing unit 30.

[0066] The printing start positions Bn1 and Bn2 on the substrate 9 based on a new job are located at positions Pn1 and Pn2, which are upstream of the printing start position Ps. In standard mode, Ls1 is the length of the substrate 9 transported from the stopped state until the substrate 9 reaches a stable transport speed Vs and printing by the printing unit 30 begins. Position Pn1 on the transport path is located Ls1 upstream of the printing start position Ps, and position Bn1 is the position on the substrate 9 that is located at position Pn1 before printing begins based on a new job.

[0067] When the print control unit 61 starts the execution of a new job, the transport mechanism 20 starts transporting the substrate 9. As a result, position Bn1 on the substrate 9 is transported downstream, and when position Bn1 advances a length Ls1 and reaches the printing start position Ps on the transport path, the substrate 9 reaches a stable transport speed Vs, and the printing process by the printing unit 30 begins. The printing unit 30 then uses position Bn1 on the substrate 9 as the printing start position and performs the printing process on the substrate 9 based on the new job.

[0068] Therefore, when transport of the substrate 9 is started from the state shown in Figure 6, the portion of the substrate 9 located between position Pp and position Pn at this point becomes a non-printing area. That is, the area on the substrate 9 from position Bp to position Bn1 becomes a non-printing area. At this time, the first non-printing amount D1, which is the length of the non-printing area in the first mode, is the sum of the length Ls of the substrate from position Pn to position Ps and the length Lp of the substrate from position Ps to position Pp.

number

[0069] Thus, the first non-printed amount D1 is calculated based on the amount Ls1 transported by the substrate 9 from the transport start position of the substrate 9 in the first mode, which is the standard mode, to the printing start position after the transport speed of the substrate 9 has reached a stable transport speed.

[0070] <2-2. Non-printed amount in accelerated printing mode (second mode)> Next, we will explain how to calculate the second non-print amount, which is the length of the non-print area in the accelerated printing mode, which is an example of the second mode.

[0071] In accelerated printing mode, if the substrate 9 is stopped before the start of execution of a new job, the print control unit 61 starts transporting the substrate 9 by the transport mechanism 20, and then starts printing by the print unit 30 while it is still accelerating and before it reaches a stable transport speed.

[0072] As shown in Figure 5, in the accelerated printing mode of this embodiment, the transport mechanism 20 starts transporting the substrate 9 before printing begins, and the transport speed V is increased at a constant acceleration. In the example in Figure 5, the acceleration of the substrate 9 at the start of printing of a new job in accelerated printing mode is smaller than the acceleration of the substrate 9 in standard mode. Specifically, the acceleration of the transport speed V in standard mode is 0.3 [m / sec]. 2 In contrast, the acceleration of the transport speed V in the accelerated printing mode is approximately 0.16 [m / s]. 2 ]

[0073] The timing at which the printing unit 30 starts printing may be when the transport speed of the substrate 9 reaches a predetermined speed lower than the stable transport speed, or when a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of transport of the substrate 9. In the example in Figure 5, printing based on a new job starts when the transport speed V of the substrate 9 reaches 0.25 [m / sec], that is, when the elapsed time T after the start of transport is 1.6 [seconds].

[0074] In accelerated printing mode, printing is performed by the printing unit 30 while accelerating the transport speed V of the substrate 9 for a short period after transport of the substrate 9 begins. Therefore, during acceleration, it is necessary to eject ink at a different ejection timing than in the printing process at the stable transport speed Vs. To address this, the acceleration of the substrate 9 is made smaller than in the standard mode, making it easier to adjust the ejection timing. As a result, a decrease in print quality can be suppressed in the parts where printing is performed during acceleration. Then, when the transport speed V reaches the stable transport speed Vs, the printing unit 30 can perform printing at the same ejection timing as in the normal mode.

[0075] In accelerated printing mode, if the printing start speed is Vs' [m / sec] and the printing start time is Ts' [sec], the length Ls2 of the substrate 9 transported between the start of substrate transport and the start of printing is given by the following formula.

number

[0076] Therefore, as shown in the upper and lower panels of Figure 5, when the printing start speed Vs' is 0.25 [m / sec] and the printing start time Ts' is 1.6 [sec], Ls2 = 0.2 [m].

[0077] In the accelerated printing mode, the length Ls2 of the substrate 9 transported between the start of transport and the start of printing is smaller than the length Ls1 of the substrate 9 transported between the start of transport and the start of printing in the standard mode. Therefore, as shown in Figure 6, the new job printing start position Bn2 on the substrate 9 in the accelerated printing mode is located downstream of the new job printing start position Bn1 on the substrate 9 in the standard mode. That is, position Pn2 on the transport path is located downstream of position Pn1. Thus, the printing start position of the printing unit 30 relative to the substrate 9 is position Bn1 in the standard mode and position Bn2 in the accelerated printing mode. These positions Bn1 and Bn2 are different positions. Therefore, the printing manner of the printing unit 30 relative to the substrate 9 differs between the standard mode and the accelerated printing mode, and the printing control unit 61 can switch between these modes.

[0078] When the transport mechanism 20 starts transporting, position Bn2 on the substrate 9 is transported downstream. When position Bn2 has advanced a length Ls2 and reached the printing start position Ps on the transport path, the substrate 9 reaches the printing start speed Vs', and the printing process by the printing unit 30 begins. As a result, the printing unit 30 uses position Bn2 on the substrate 9 as the printing start position and performs printing on the substrate 9 based on the new job.

[0079] When transport of the substrate 9 is started from the state shown in Figure 6, the area of ​​the substrate 9 located between position Pp and position Pn2 at the start of transport becomes a non-printed area. That is, the area on the substrate 9 from position Bp to position Bn2 becomes a non-printed area. At this time, the second non-printed amount D2, which is the length of the non-printed area in the second mode, is the sum of the length Ls2 of the substrate 9 from position Pn2 to position Ps and the length Lp of the substrate from position Ps to position Pp.

number

[0080] Thus, in the second mode, the accelerated printing mode, the second non-printing amount D2 is calculated based on the amount Ls2 transported by the substrate 9 from the transport start position of the substrate 9 to the printing start position during the acceleration of the substrate 9 in the accelerated printing mode.

[0081] As a result, when the trailing edge position Pp of the print area based on the previous job is the same, the substrate saving amount ΔD, which is the difference between the first non-printed amount D1 in standard mode and the second non-printed amount D2 in accelerated printing mode, is given by the following formula.

number

[0082] <2-3. Non-printed amount in reverse transport mode (second mode)> Next, we will explain how to calculate the second non-printed area D2, which is the length of the non-printed area in the reverse transport mode, which is an example of the second mode.

[0083] In reverse transport mode, before starting printing based on a new job, the print control unit 61 has the transport mechanism 20 perform reverse transport, and then, after the transport mechanism 20 starts transporting the substrate 9 in the forward direction, it starts the printing process by the print unit 30. Reverse transport means transporting the substrate 9 in the opposite direction to the normal forward transport by the transport mechanism 20. The transport speed of the substrate 9 after reverse transport and the printing start timing are the same as in standard mode.

[0084] After reverse transport, the length of the substrate 9 transported from the start of transport to the start of printing is the same as the length Ls1 of the substrate 9 transported between the start of transport and the start of printing in standard mode. Therefore, when the print control unit 61 determines the reverse transport amount, it calculates the reverse transport amount from the estimated length Ls1.

[0085] In the example shown in Figure 6, the print control unit 61 may consider the position of the trailing edge position Bp of the printing area on the substrate 9 based on the previous job, and set the reverse transport amount to the first non-printing amount D1 = Ls1 + Lp in standard mode. In this way, the reverse transport of the substrate 9 places the trailing edge position Bp of the printing area on the substrate 9 based on the previous job at position Pn1 on the transport path.

[0086] When the transport mechanism 20 starts transporting the substrate 9 from that state, at the point when the substrate 9 reaches a stable transport speed Vs and the printing unit 30 starts printing, position Bp on the substrate 9 is positioned at the printing start position Ps on the transport path, and the printing process by the printing unit 30 begins. As a result, the trailing end position Bp of the printing area based on the previous job on the substrate 9 is used as the printing start position, and printing based on the new job can be performed on the substrate 9. In other words, printing can be performed continuously on the substrate 9 without creating a non-printing area between the previous job and the new job on the substrate 9. In this case, the second non-printing amount D2 becomes 0 [m].

[0087] When reverse transport is performed, the print control unit 61 turns off the meandering correction by the meandering correction unit 24 and drives the motors 26 provided on the unwinding unit 21, the winding unit 22, and the transport rollers 23 of the transport mechanism 20 in the reverse direction.

[0088] Regarding the reverse transport mode, the case in which the second non-printed area D2 is smallest was described above. However, in actual printing processes, there are cases where a non-printed area is intentionally created. In such cases, it is necessary to correct the second non-printed area D2.

[0089] For example, when reverse transport, if it is difficult to precisely adjust the transport amount of the substrate 9, there is a risk that printing based on the new job may start slightly downstream from the trailing end position Bp of the printing area based on the previous job. Also, if a non-printing area is provided on the substrate 9 between the printing area based on the previous job and the printing area based on the new job, the boundary of the printing area based on each job becomes easier to visually grasp. For this reason, a non-printing area may be intentionally provided between the trailing end position Bp of the printing area based on the previous job and the printing start position of the printing area based on the new job.

[0090] Figure 7 shows an example of setting up the non-printing area in reverse transport mode. Figure 7 shows an example of the arrangement of the last two sheets Xn-1 and Xn from the previous job and the first six sheets Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4, Y5, and Y6 from the new job on the substrate 9.

[0091] As shown in Figure 7, the upstream end of the final sheet Xn based on the previous job is the trailing end position Bp of the printing area on the substrate 9 based on the previous job. A non-printing area Z1 with a set value of Lz1[m] is inserted between the final sheet Xn based on the previous job and the first sheet Y1 based on the new job.

[0092] Furthermore, in the example in Figure 7, the region R with length D1 upstream of position Bp is the region where reverse transport is performed. As mentioned above, this length D1 is D1 = Ls1 + Lp [m]. A load may be applied to the substrate 9 that is transported in reverse along the transport mechanism 20 inside the housing 200. For this reason, the print quality in region R may be inferior to the print quality in normal printing processes. Therefore, as in the example in Figure 7, a non-printed region Z2 equivalent to one sheet may be inserted between the sheets Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4 printed on region R and the sheets Y5, Y6 printed upstream of region R, so that the non-quality guaranteed sheets Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4 corresponding to region R are visually clear.

[0093] In such a case, the second non-printed amount D2 in reverse transport mode is given by the following formula, using the length Lz1 of the non-printed area Z1 and the length Lz2 of the non-printed area Z2.

number

[0094] Therefore, the substrate saving amount ΔD, which is the difference between the first non-printing amount D1 in standard mode and the second non-printing amount D2 in reverse transport mode, is expressed by the following formula.

number

[0095] When reverse transport mode (second mode) is executed, the amount of non-printed material can take one of the following three values: [1] to [3].

[0096] [1] In cases where the upstream end of the print area based on the previous job coincides with the downstream end of the print area based on the new job, the non-printed amount is zero (printing based on the new job starts from position Bp on the substrate 9).

[0097] [2] In the case where a non-printing area Z1 is inserted between the upstream end of the printing area based on the previous job and the downstream end of the printing area based on the new job, the length Lz1 of the non-printing area Z1 becomes the non-printing amount (printing based on the new job starts from a position shifted upstream by a length Lz1 from position Bp on the substrate 9).

[0098] [3] In the case where a non-printing area Z1 is inserted between the upstream end of the printing area based on the previous job and the downstream end of the printing area based on the new job, and a non-printing area Z2 is inserted in the middle of the printing area based on the new job, the sum of the length Lz1 of the non-printing area Z1 and the length Lz2 of the non-printing area Z2 becomes the non-printing amount (printing based on the new job starts from a position shifted upstream by a length Lz1 from position Bp on the substrate 9, and printing by the printing unit 30 on the non-printing area Z2 is interrupted).

[0099] One of these three non-printing volume values ​​is estimated by the calculation processing unit 62 as the non-printing volume for the new job.

[0100] The transport method of the substrate 9 by the transport mechanism 20 differs when executing the standard mode (first mode) and when executing the reverse transport mode (second mode). Specifically, the difference lies in whether or not the substrate 9 is transported in reverse after the completion of the previous job and before the start of the execution of the new job. In addition, the printing method of the substrate 9 by the printing unit 30 differs. Specifically, the difference lies in whether or not printing based on the new job starts from the upstream end of the printing area based on the previous job, or from a position separated upstream from that end, or whether or not a non-printing area is inserted in the middle of the printing area based on the new job.

[0101] <3. Display Methods on User Computers> The following describes how various information about printed jobs read from the server computer 7 is displayed on the user computer 8, with reference to Figure 8. Figure 8 shows an example of how various information about printed jobs is displayed on the user computer 8.

[0102] In the example shown in Figure 8, the screen displayed on the user display unit 81 of the user computer 8 consists of an equipment selection unit S1, a period selection unit S2, a job selection unit S3, a display switching unit S4, and an information display unit S5. By selecting or inputting each item for each of these units S1 to S5 via the user input unit 82, the amount of base material 9 used and the amount of base material 9 saved under the selected or entered conditions can be confirmed.

[0103] In the device selection unit S1, the user can select which of the multiple printing devices 2 used by the user the information for is to be displayed. In the period selection unit S2, the user can select the period to be checked. In the job selection unit S3, jobs for the printing device 2 selected in the device selection unit S1 for the period selected in the period selection unit S2 are displayed, and the user can select the job to be checked from the displayed jobs. In the display switching unit S4, the user can select the items to be displayed in the information display unit S5 for the job selected in the job selection unit S3. The information display unit S5 displays information for the job selected in the job selection unit S3 regarding the items selected in the display switching unit S4.

[0104] In the example shown in Figure 8, since "Substrate Usage [m]" is selected in the display switching unit S4, the number of jobs using each type of substrate 9, the total substrate usage [m], and the amount of substrate 9 saved by using the second mode [m] are displayed for each type of substrate 9 selected in the job selection unit S3. This display allows the user to visually understand the amount of substrate 9 used. In addition, in the example shown in Figure 8, the substrate usage can also be checked in [feet] units.

[0105] In addition, in the example shown in Figure 8, it is also possible to check the cost of the base material [yen] instead of the amount of base material used. In this case, it is necessary to input the price per unit length of each type of base material 9 into the server computer 7 or user computer 8 in advance, and to create a memory table in advance for each type of base material 9 that associates the unit length of the base material 9 with its price. When displaying the base material cost, the amount of base material used and the amount of base material saved are applied to the memory table, and the amount of base material used and the amount of base material saved are displayed as prices. This makes it easy to check the cost savings achieved by using the second mode.

[0106] In addition, in the example shown in Figure 8, it is also possible to check the CO2 emissions [kg] instead of the amount of substrate used. In this case, it is necessary to input the weight per unit length of the substrate 9 and the emission intensity of the substrate 9 (the amount of CO2 emissions per unit length of the substrate 9) for each type of substrate 9 into the server computer 7 or user computer 8 in advance, and to create a memory table in advance for each type of substrate 9 that associates the unit length of the substrate 9 with the CO2 emissions. When displaying the CO2 emissions, the amount of substrate used and the amount of substrate saved are applied to the memory table, and the amount of substrate used and the amount of substrate saved are displayed in terms of CO2 emissions. This makes it easy to check the amount of CO2 emission reduction achieved by using the second mode.

[0107] <4. Variation> Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment.

[0108] In the printing system of the above embodiment, the acceleration of the substrate 9 was constant from the start of transport until the transport speed of the substrate 9 reached a stable transport speed Vs. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The acceleration of the substrate 9 at the start of transport may be a so-called S-shaped acceleration, where the time-series velocity gradually increases at first and then gradually decreases at the end. In this case, the time-series change in the transport speed of the substrate 9 shows the shape shown in Figure 9.

[0109] Figure 9 shows the time-series change of the transport speed V [m / sec] of the substrate 9 during S-shaped acceleration. In such S-shaped acceleration, the transport speed V is expressed, for example, by the following equation. In equation (8), a is a constant. For example, a = 1.

number

[0110] Using the time-series change of the transport speed V [m / sec], the length Ls1 of the substrate 9 transported from the start of transport to the start of printing in the standard mode (first mode), and the length Ls2 of the substrate 9 transported from the start of transport to the start of printing in the accelerated printing mode (second mode) can also be calculated. That is, integrating equation (8) above with respect to time Ts, which is the time from the start of transport of the substrate 9 until it reaches a stable speed Vs, yields the length Ls1. Also, let time To be the time when printing starts during acceleration. Integrating equation (8) above with respect to time To yields the length Ls2. The difference between length Ls1 and length Ls2 is the saved distance.

[0111] Furthermore, the printing system of the above embodiment processed printing paper, which is a long, strip-shaped substrate. However, the printing system of the present invention may also process sheet-like substrates other than ordinary paper (for example, resin films, etc.).

[0112] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the printing unit 30 dispensed ultraviolet-curable ink. However, the printing system of the present invention may also use an ink that is fixed to the substrate 9 by heating (for example, an aqueous ink).

[0113] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an inkjet printing device was used as the printing device. However, the printing device of the present invention may be another type of plateless printing device, such as an electrophotographic device. In the case of an electrophotographic printing device, toner as a recording agent is attached to the substrate to record the printed image.

[0114] Furthermore, the acceleration rate of the substrate 9 differed between the standard mode and the accelerated printing start mode, as explained using Figure 5. However, the substrate 9 may be accelerated at the same acceleration rate in both the standard mode and the accelerated printing start mode.

[0115] Furthermore, the elements that appear in the above embodiments and modifications may be combined as appropriate, to the extent that no contradictions arise. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0116] 1. Printing System 2 Printing device 7 Server Computers 8. User Computers 9 Base material 20 Conveying mechanism 30 Printing Department 60 Control Unit 61 Printing Control Unit 62 Computation Processing Unit 63 Display Control Unit 64 Communications Department 71 Server Communication Section 72 Server Storage 603 Storage section D1 1st non-print amount D2 2nd non-print amount Di base material usage information ΔD Base material savings Ls1 transport volume Ls2 transport volume N Network Pp rear end position Ps Print start position V Conveying speed Vs Stable transport speed Vs' Print start speed

Claims

1. A printing apparatus that prints on a long, strip-shaped substrate that is conveyed in the conveying direction, A conveying mechanism for conveying the substrate, A printing unit that applies a recording agent to the substrate to record a printed image, A control unit that controls each part of the printing apparatus, It has, The control unit, A printing control unit controls the transport mechanism and the printing unit, and can switch between a first mode and a second mode, which have different printing patterns on the substrate by the printing unit. A calculation processing unit that estimates or measures, for one job, a first non-printed amount which is the length of the non-printed area of ​​the substrate in the first mode, and a second non-printed amount which is the length of the non-printed area of ​​the substrate in the second mode, Printing equipment, including

2. A printing apparatus according to claim 1, Display unit capable of displaying information of the printing device It further possesses, The control unit, A display control unit displays substrate usage information on the display unit, which includes at least one of the first non-printed amount and the second non-printed amount output by the calculation processing unit, and the difference between the first non-printed amount and the second non-printed amount. It further possesses, The calculation processing unit estimates the first non-print amount and the second non-print amount before the start of execution of the job. The display control unit is a printing device that displays the substrate usage information on the display unit.

3. A printing apparatus according to claim 1, Display unit capable of displaying information of the printing device It further possesses, The control unit, A display control unit displays substrate usage information on the display unit, which includes at least one of the first non-printed amount and the second non-printed amount output by the calculation processing unit, and the difference between the first non-printed amount and the second non-printed amount. It further possesses, The calculation processing unit, after completing the execution of the job in the second mode, estimates the first non-print amount and calculates the second non-print amount based on the measured results during the printing process. The display control unit displays the substrate usage information on the display unit after the execution of the job is completed.

4. A printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, In the first mode, when the execution of the job is started, the printing control unit starts printing by the printing unit after the transport mechanism has started transporting the substrate, acceleration is complete and a predetermined stable transport speed has been reached. In the second mode, when the execution of the job is started, the printing control unit starts printing by the printing unit after the transport mechanism has started transporting the substrate, but before it reaches the stable transport speed, while it is still accelerating. The first non-printed amount is calculated based on the amount of substrate transported from the substrate transport start position in the first mode to the printing start position after the substrate transport speed reaches the stable transport speed. A printing apparatus in which the second non-printing amount is calculated based on the amount of substrate transported from the substrate transport start position to the printing start position during the acceleration of the substrate in the second mode.

5. A printing apparatus according to claim 4, A printing apparatus in which the acceleration of the substrate at the start of execution of the job in the second mode is less than the acceleration of the substrate at the start of execution of the job in the first mode.

6. A printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, In the first mode, when the print control unit starts executing the job, it starts printing by the printing unit after the transport mechanism starts transporting the substrate without changing the position of the substrate. In the second mode, before starting the execution of the job, the print control unit causes the transport mechanism to perform reverse transport of the substrate in the reverse direction, and after the transport mechanism starts transporting the substrate in the forward direction, the print unit starts printing. The first non-printed amount is calculated based on the amount of substrate transported from the substrate transport start position to the substrate printing start position in the first mode. The printing apparatus wherein the second non-printing amount is calculated in the second mode based on the amount of substrate transported from the substrate transport start position after reverse transport to the substrate printing start position, minus the amount of substrate transported during the reverse transport.

7. One or more printing devices that print on a long, strip-shaped substrate being transported in the transport direction, A server computer having a server display unit and capable of communicating with the printing device via a network, Equipped with, The aforementioned printing devices are, A conveying mechanism for conveying the substrate, A printing unit that applies a recording agent to the substrate to record a printed image, A control unit that controls each part of the printing apparatus, It has, The control unit, A printing control unit controls the transport mechanism and the printing unit, and can switch between a first mode and a second mode, which have different printing patterns on the substrate by the printing unit. A calculation processing unit that estimates a first non-printed amount, which is the length of the non-printed area of ​​the substrate in the first mode, for a job completed in the second mode, and calculates a second non-printed amount, which is the length of the non-printed area of ​​the substrate in the second mode, based on the measurement results during the printing process, A communication unit transmits to the server computer substrate usage information including at least one of the first non-printed amount and the second non-printed amount output by the calculation processing unit, and the difference between the first non-printed amount and the second non-printed amount. Includes, The aforementioned server computer A server communication unit that receives substrate usage information from the printing device via the network, A server storage unit that stores the substrate usage information received by the server communication unit, It has, The server communication unit is capable of transmitting the substrate usage information stored in the server storage unit to an external user computer via the network in a printing system.

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