Laminating machine

Abstract

To provide a laminating device that can correct the skew of the material in response to cutting and continue the overlapping process. [Solution] The control device 90 of the laminating apparatus 1 controls the first and second cutting sections 61 and 62 to perform a cutting process (S9, S19) to cut the first and second members 101 and 102, and a skew correction process (S11, S12, S21, S22) to correct the skew of the first and second members 101 and 102. The control device 90 performs the skew correction process after the cutting process is completed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a laminating device for laminating a plurality of members.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a laminating device for laminating a first member and a second member has been known. For example, the laminating device described in Patent Document 1 pulls out a recording medium wound around a roll for a recording medium, and records a printed image on the pulled-out recording medium by a printing unit. The laminating device cuts the recording medium on which the printed image is recorded to a predetermined length at a first cutting unit and conveys it to a laminating processing unit. Further, the laminating device pulls out a laminating member from a roll for a laminating member, and overlaps the pulled-out laminating member and the recording medium by a pair of guide rolls in the laminating processing unit. Thereafter, the recording medium and the laminating member are heated and pressure-bonded by a pair of pressure heating rolls.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0004] In the process of performing recording and laminating while conveying two members as described above, the longer the length of the recording medium to be continuously recorded, the more likely it is that a deviation occurs in the position where the medium is conveyed, and there is a risk of skewing. When skewing occurs, the recorded printed image deviates from the desired recording range. Alternatively, a deviation occurs between the two members after lamination due to a deviation in the positions of the recording medium and the laminating member during conveyance.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a laminating device that can correct the skew of a member according to cutting and continue lamination.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] (1) The laminating apparatus of the present disclosure comprises an overlapping roller for overlapping a first member and a second member, a cutting unit for cutting at least one of the first member and the second member, and a control device, wherein the control device is configured to control the cutting unit and perform a cutting process for cutting at least one of the first member and the second member with the cutting unit, and a skew correction process for correcting the skew of at least one of the first member and the second member, and the skew correction process is performed after the cutting process is performed.

[0007] According to this, a skew correction process is performed in conjunction with the execution of a cutting process that cuts at least one of the first and second members. Therefore, the skew of the first and second members can be corrected at the timing when at least one of the first and second members is cut and recording within a predetermined recording range is completed. By correcting the skew of the members in accordance with the cutting, the amount of misalignment in the overlapping position of the first and second members can be reduced while continuing to overlap them.

[0008] (2) The cutting section may also be configured to have a first cutting section that cuts the first member upstream of the overlapping roller in the conveying direction of the first member.

[0009] According to this, the skew correction can be performed after cutting the first member upstream of the overlapping roller.

[0010] (3) The first member may also be further provided with a recording unit for recording an image, and the first cutting unit may be configured to cut the first member downstream of the recording unit in the transport direction of the first member.

[0011] According to this, the first member can be cut at a position upstream of the overlapping roller and downstream of the recording unit, that is, at a position close to the overlapping roller, and then the skew correction can be performed.

[0012] (4) The cutting section may also have a second cutting section that cuts both the first and second members downstream of the overlapping roller in the conveying direction of the first member.

[0013] According to this, skew correction can be performed after cutting the first and second members downstream of the overlapping roller.

[0014] (5) The control device may also be configured to perform the skew correction process on the first member after the cutting process has been performed.

[0015] According to this method, the skewing of the first member can be corrected in accordance with the cutting process.

[0016] (6) Alternatively, the first member and the second member may be wound around a roll, and the control device may be configured to correct the skewness in the skew correction process by alternately performing a process of pulling out at least one of the first member and the second member from the roll and a process of winding it back onto the roll.

[0017] According to this method, the skew can be corrected by alternately performing an unwinding process and a rewinding process on at least one of the first and second members. The skew of the target member can be corrected by controlling the rotational movement of the roll.

[0018] (7) The control device may also further include a recording unit for recording an image on the first member, and the control device may perform a recording process in which, based on a received job, the recording unit records an image on the first member, and superimposes the second member onto the first member on which the image has been recorded, and when a job is received, it may determine the timing for performing the cutting process and the skew correction process based on the received job.

[0019] According to this, by performing skew correction on the first member, the amount of deviation of the image recorded on the first member with respect to the desired recording range can be reduced. Also, by performing skew correction on the second member, the amount of deviation of the position where the second member is superimposed on the first member can be reduced. Further, based on the received job, by determining the execution timing of the cutting process and the skew correction process, skew can be corrected according to the length of the member recorded by the job, before and after the execution of the job, and the like.

[0020] (8) Further, the control device may be configured to execute the cutting process and the skew correction process at the timing when the received job has disappeared.

[0021] According to this, all received jobs can be executed, and skew correction can be executed in a state where there are no more jobs to be executed. It is possible to suppress the delay in the execution of jobs due to the cutting process or the skew correction process.

[0022] (9) Further, the control device may be configured to execute the cutting process and the skew correction process at the timing when the execution of one of the jobs is completed.

[0023] According to this, skew correction can be executed every time a job is executed, that is, in job units. Skew can be corrected before starting the next job.

[0024] (10) Further, the control device may be configured to execute the cutting process and the skew correction process at the timing when the recording of the recording ranges included in one or more of the received jobs is completed by a predetermined number of recording ranges.

[0025] According to this, when executing the recording of a plurality of recording ranges based on one or more jobs, skew correction can be executed at the timing when the recording is completed by a predetermined number of recording ranges. When continuously executing recordings with a large number of recording ranges, skew can be corrected at the timing when the recording is completed by a predetermined number of recording ranges, and it is possible to suppress an increase in the amount of deviation of the recorded images and the like.

[0026] (11) Further, the control device may be configured to execute the cutting process and the skew correction process at a timing when the total length of the first member conveyed by the recording process in the conveyance direction is equal to or greater than a predetermined length.

[0027] According to this, skew correction can be executed at a timing when the conveyance length of the first member conveyed along with the recording process becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined length. When the length of the continuously recorded member becomes long, skew can be corrected, and it is possible to suppress an increase in the deviation amount of the recorded image or the like.

[0028] (12) Further, the control device may be configured to execute the cutting process and the skew correction process before executing the recording process for a recording range in which the recording range length, which is the length of the recording range for recording an image along the conveyance direction for conveying the first member, is equal to or greater than a predetermined length.

[0029] According to this, when the recording range length of the recording range to be recorded is equal to or greater than a predetermined length, skew correction can be executed before executing the recording process for that recording range. In a recording with a long recording range length, it is possible to suppress an increase in the deviation amount of the recorded image or the like.

[0030] (13) Further, the control device executes the cutting process and the skew correction process at a timing when the length of the first member conveyed by the recording process in the conveyance direction is equal to or greater than the predetermined length, and when the length of the first member conveyed by the recording process in the conveyance direction is less than the predetermined length and the recording range length of the recording range for executing the next recording process is equal to or greater than the predetermined length, the control device executes the cutting process and the skew correction process before executing the recording process for the recording range for executing the next recording process. This configuration may also be used.

[0031] According to this, skew correction can be performed when the transport length of the first component during the recording process exceeds a predetermined length. Furthermore, even if the total transport length does not exceed a predetermined length, if the recording range length of the recording range to be recorded exceeds a predetermined length, skew correction can be performed before executing the recording process for that recording range.

[0032] (14) The control device may also be configured to set the predetermined length based on at least one of the type of the first member and the transport speed of the first member.

[0033] According to this, when using materials that are prone to skew, such as slippery materials, the predetermined length can be shortened and the frequency of correcting the skew can be increased. Also, when the transport speed increases and conditions become more prone to skew, the predetermined length can be shortened and the frequency of correcting the skew can be increased. [Effects of the Invention]

[0034] According to this disclosure, the skewness of the members can be corrected in response to cutting, and the overlapping can be continued. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0035] [Figure 1] This is an external perspective view of the laminating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a laminated finished product 100 produced by the laminating device 1. [Figure 3] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the laminating device 1. [Figure 4] This is a block diagram of laminating device 1. [Figure 5] This diagram shows the cutting position of the first member 101. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart of the lamination process performed by the control device 90 of the laminating device 1. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart of the lamination process performed by the control device 90 of the laminating device 1. [Figure 8] This diagram shows the first component 101 being transported. [Figure 9] This diagram shows the first component 101 being transported. [Figure 10] This diagram shows the first component 101 being transported. [Figure 11] This diagram shows the first component 101 being transported. [Figure 12] This figure shows the state in which the skewness of the first and second members 101 and 102 is corrected. [Figure 13] This figure shows the state in which the skewness of the first and second members 101 and 102 is corrected. [Figure 14] This figure shows the cutting position of the first member 101 when the total recording length L becomes longer than the continuous recording allowance length Lth during the recording of one job JOB1. [Figure 15] This figure shows the cutting position of the first member 101 when the total recording length L becomes longer than the continuous recording allowance length Lth during the recording of two consecutive jobs, JOB1 and JOB2. [Figure 16] This figure shows the cutting position of the first member 101 when the recording range length of one recording range is longer than the continuous recording permission length Lth. [Figure 17] This figure shows a tension generating unit 70 and a slack sensor 73 according to another embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0036] The following describes a laminating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that the embodiments described below are merely examples of the present invention, and it goes without saying that embodiments of the present invention can be appropriately modified without changing the gist of the present invention. In the following description, the movement from the starting point to the ending point of an arrow is expressed as direction, and the movement along the line connecting the starting point and the ending point of an arrow is expressed as direction. Furthermore, the vertical direction 7 is defined based on the state in which the laminating apparatus 1 is installed for use (the state in Figure 1), the front-to-back direction 8 is defined with the side on which the operation unit 12 and display unit 13 are provided as the front, and the left-to-right direction 9 is defined based on the direction in which the laminating apparatus 1 is viewed from the front. The vertical direction 7, the front-to-back direction 8, and the left-to-right direction 9 are orthogonal to each other.

[0037] [Overview of Laminating Machine 1] As shown in Figure 1, the laminating apparatus 1 according to this embodiment comprises a rectangular parallelepiped housing 11, an operating unit 12, and a display unit 13. The operating unit 12 and the display unit 13 are mounted on the front of the housing 11. On the front of the housing 11, an outlet 14 is provided below the operating unit 12 and the display unit 13. The laminating apparatus 1 laminates two types of materials together to create the laminated finished product 100 shown in Figure 2.

[0038] The laminating device 1 is supplied with a tape-shaped first member 101 and a second member 102. As shown in Figure 3, the first member 101 is wound around a cylindrical core material 113 to form a first roll 111. The second member 102 is wound around a cylindrical core material 114 to form a second roll 112. The first roll 111 is mounted in the first holder 21 of the laminating device 1, and the second roll 112 is mounted in the second holder 22. Core materials 113 and 114 are examples of rolls.

[0039] The first member 101 is, for example, a transparent film. As shown in Figure 2, the second member 102 is a member having an adhesive layer on at least one side. The second member 102 is, for example, a backing sheet having a first adhesive layer 103 on one side of the tape layer 104 (the side facing the first member 101 in the laminated finished product 100) and a second adhesive layer 105 on the other side of the tape layer 104. A release sheet 106 is provided on the opposite side of the tape layer 104, with the second adhesive layer 105 in between.

[0040] Furthermore, the materials of the first and second members in this specification are arbitrary. For example, the second member 102 may be a resin member such as PET or PVC (polyvinyl chloride), synthetic paper such as Yupo paper (registered trademark), or a metal member. Also, the second member 102 may be transparent or opaque. The first and second members 101 and 102 may have an adhesive layer on one side, on the other side, on both sides, or neither side may have an adhesive layer. If a material without an adhesive layer is used, the first and second members 101 and 102 may be bonded together after an adhesive is applied, or they may be bonded together by heat welding or pressure bonding.

[0041] The recording surface 107 shown in Figure 3 is the surface on which the image is recorded, out of the two surfaces of the first member 101. The back surface 108 is the surface of the first member 101 opposite to the recording surface 107. The bonding surface 109 is the surface of the second member 102 that has the first adhesive layer 103.

[0042] The laminating device 1 adheres the first member 101 and the second member 102 by bringing the recording surface 107 of the first member 101 into close contact with the bonding surface 109 of the second member 102. The laminating device 1 cuts the bonded members to a predetermined size. This creates the laminated finished product 100 shown in Figure 2. The created laminated finished product 100 is discharged from the discharge port 14.

[0043] As shown in Figure 3, the laminating device 1 includes a first holder 21, a second holder 22, a recording unit 30, first to third transport rollers 41-43, an intermediate roller 44, a bonding roller 50, a first cutting unit 61, a second cutting unit 62, and material sensors 65 and 66 inside the housing 11. In addition, the laminating device 1 includes a control device 90 and various motors inside the housing 11 (see Figure 4). Guide members (not shown) that support the first material 101 are provided at necessary positions inside the housing 11. This forms a transport path 15 from the first holder 21, through the recording unit 30, the first cutting unit 61, and the bonding roller 50, to the second cutting unit 62.

[0044] [First holder 21 and second holder 22] The first and second holders 21 and 22 are rotatable members about an axis extending in the left-right direction 9. The diameter of the first holder 21 is equivalent to the inner diameter of the core material 113 of the first roll 111. The diameter of the second holder 22 is equivalent to the inner diameter of the core material 114 of the second roll 112. The first and second holders 21 and 22 are fixed to the housing 11, or to a member fixed to the housing 11.

[0045] The first and second holders 21 and 22 are positioned at a distance from each other within the housing 11. In the configuration shown in Figure 3, the first holder 21 is located near the center of the housing 11 in the vertical direction 7, and towards the rear of the housing 11 in the front-to-back direction 8. The second holder 22 is located above the housing 11 in the vertical direction 7, and in front of the center of the housing 11 in the front-to-back direction 8. Note that the positions of the first and second holders 21 and 22 shown in Figure 3 are just examples.

[0046] Before the laminating device 1 operates, the first roll 111 is mounted in the first holder 21 and the second roll 112 is mounted in the second holder 22. The first holder 21 rotatably supports the first roll 111. The second holder 22 rotatably supports the second roll 112. The first member 101 is pulled out from the first roll 111 supported by the first holder 21. The second member 102 is pulled out from the second roll 112 supported by the second holder 22.

[0047] The first holder 21 is subjected to a force from the first roll motor 81 (see Figure 4) that acts in the direction of winding up the first member 101. The second holder 22 is subjected to a force from the second roll motor 82 (see Figure 4) that acts in the direction of winding up the second member 102.

[0048] [Record Section 30] The recording unit 30 is located downstream of the first roll 111 in the transport path 15. The recording unit 30 is located above the transport path 15 in the vertical direction 7, and between the first roll 111 and the first cutting unit 61 in the front-rear direction 8. The recording unit 30 has a carriage 31 and a recording head 32. Inside the housing 11, there are two guide rails (not shown) that extend in the left-right direction 9 and have both ends fixed to the housing 11 or a member fixed to the housing 11. The carriage 31 is placed on the two guide rails. The carriage 31 receives driving force from the CR motor 85 (see Figure 4) and moves in the left-right direction 9.

[0049] The recording head 32 is mounted on the carriage 31. Multiple nozzles 33 are formed on the underside of the recording head 32. As the carriage 31 moves, the recording head 32 moves in the left-right direction 9. Below the range of movement of the carriage 31 is the platen 34. As the recording head 32 moves in the left-right direction 9, it ejects ink downward from the nozzles 33 based on image data supplied from the control device 90. As a result, an image based on the image data is recorded on the recording surface 107 of the first member 101 that is transported on the platen 34.

[0050] [First to third conveyor rollers 41-43 and intermediate roller 44] The first to third conveyor rollers 41 to 43 and the intermediate roller 44 are located between the first roll 111 and the bonding roller 50. The intermediate roller 44 and the first conveyor roller 41 are located between the first roll 111 and the recording unit 30 in the front-rear direction 8. The second conveyor roller 42 and the third conveyor roller 43 are located between the recording unit 30 and the bonding roller 50 in the front-rear direction 8. The first conveyor roller 41 is located downstream of the intermediate roller 44 in the conveyor path 15. The third conveyor roller 43 is located downstream of the second conveyor roller 42 in the conveyor path 15.

[0051] The first conveyor roller 41 has a first roller 411 and a second roller 412. The first roller 411 is positioned directly above the second roller 412. The first member 101 passes between the first roller 411 and the second roller 412. At this time, the first roller 411 contacts the recording surface 107 of the first member 101, and the second roller 412 contacts the back surface 108 of the first member 101. As a result, the first conveyor roller 41 grips the first member 101.

[0052] The second roller 412 receives a driving force from the transport motor 83 (see Figure 4) and rotates around an axis that extends in the left-right direction 9. Consequently, the first roller 411 also rotates around an axis that extends in the left-right direction 9. At this time, a force acts on the first member 101 in a direction that pulls it out from the first roll 111. Also, when the second roller 412 receives a driving force in the opposite direction from the transport motor 83, it rotates in the opposite direction, and consequently, the first roller 411 also rotates in the opposite direction. At this time, a force acts on the first member 101 in a direction that brings it closer to the first roll 111.

[0053] The second conveyor roller 42 has a third roller 421 and a fourth roller 422. The third conveyor roller 43 has a fifth roller 431 and a sixth roller 432. The intermediate roller 44 has a seventh roller 441 and an eighth roller 442. The configuration and function of the second conveyor roller 42, the third conveyor roller 43, and the intermediate roller 44 are the same as those of the first conveyor roller 41, so their explanation is omitted here.

[0054] In this embodiment, the laminating device 1 is configured such that the lower of the two rollers on each of the first to third conveyor rollers 41 to 43 and the intermediate roller 44 receives driving force from the conveyor motor 83. Alternatively, the upper roller may receive driving force from the conveyor motor 83, or both the upper and lower rollers may receive driving force from the conveyor motor 83. Furthermore, it is not necessary for all of the first to third conveyor rollers 41 to 43 and the intermediate roller 44 to receive driving force from the conveyor motor 83. In addition, the first to third conveyor rollers 41 to 43 and the intermediate roller 44 may be configured to receive driving force from multiple motors.

[0055] [Laminating Roller 50] The bonding roller 50 is located downstream of the recording unit 30 in the transport path 15. In the front-rear direction 8, the bonding roller 50 is located between the first cutting section 61 and the second cutting section 62. The bonding roller 50 has a first bonding roller 51 and a second bonding roller 52. The first bonding roller 51 is located directly above the second bonding roller 52. The first bonding roller 51 and the second bonding roller 52 grip the first and second members 101 and 102 with a predetermined force. As a result, the first and second members 101 and 102 are bonded together to form a laminated finished product 100.

[0056] The second member 102, pulled out from the second roll 112, enters the space between the first bonding roller 51 and the second bonding roller 52. At this time, the bonding surface 109 of the second member 102 is facing downwards. The first member 101, having passed through the recording section 30 and the first cutting section 61, enters the space between the first bonding roller 51 and the second bonding roller 52, below the second member 102. At this time, the recording surface 107 of the first member 101 is facing upwards.

[0057] The second bonding roller 52 receives driving force from the bonding motor 84 (see Figure 4) and rotates around an axis that extends in the left-right direction 9. Consequently, the first bonding roller 51 also rotates around an axis that extends in the left-right direction 9. The first bonding roller 51 and the second bonding roller 52 bond the first member 101 and the second member 102 together by bringing the recording surface 107 of the first member 101 into close contact with the bonding surface 109 of the second member 102. Note that the first bonding roller 51 may receive driving force from the bonding motor 84, or both the first bonding roller 51 and the second bonding roller 52 may receive driving force from the bonding motor 84.

[0058] The bonding roller 50 is an example of an overlapping roller. However, the bonding roller 50 does not necessarily have to be configured to bond the first member 101 and the second member 102 together. For example, in a configuration where a bonding device that performs heat welding or pressure bonding is located downstream of the bonding roller 50, the bonding roller 50 may be located before the bonding device and be a pair of rollers that overlap the first member 101 and the second member 102. Therefore, the overlapping roller described herein may be a roller that simply overlaps the two members without bonding them together. Furthermore, the bonding device described above may be a separate device from the laminating device 1. That is, the laminating device 1 may not have a bonding device.

[0059] [First cutting section 61 and second cutting section 62] The first cutting section 61 is located downstream of the recording section 30 in the transport path 15. The first cutting section 61 is located above the transport path 15 in the vertical direction 7 and between the second transport roller 42 and the third transport roller 43 in the front-rear direction 8. The first cutting section 61 cuts the first member 101 between the second transport roller 42 and the third transport roller 43. The second cutting section 62 is located downstream of the bonding roller 50 in the transport path 15. The second cutting section 62 is located above the transport path 15 in the vertical direction 7 and in front of the bonding roller 50 in the front-rear direction 8. The second cutting section 62 simultaneously cuts the first and second members 101 and 102 that have been bonded together by the bonding roller 50.

[0060] The first cutting section 61 has any configuration capable of cutting the first member 101. The second cutting section 62 has any configuration capable of cutting the first and second members 101 and 102. The first cutting section 61 and the second cutting section 62 may have, for example, a cutter carriage that moves in the left-right direction 9 by receiving a driving force from a cutting motor 86 (see Figure 4) and a cutter mounted on the cutter carriage, or a configuration that has a movable blade that moves in the up-down direction 7 by receiving a driving force from the cutting motor 86 and a fixed blade facing the movable blade.

[0061] [Component sensors 65, 66] The component sensors 65 and 66 detect the leading edge of the first component 101 being transported along the transport path 15. Component sensor 65 is located above the transport path 15 in the vertical direction 7, and between the intermediate roller 44 and the first transport roller 41 in the front-rear direction 8. Component sensor 66 is located above the transport path 15 in the vertical direction 7, and between the third transport roller 43 and the bonding roller 50 in the front-rear direction 8.

[0062] The component sensor 65 has a light-emitting element (not shown) that emits light toward the recording surface 107 of the first component 101 being transported along the transport path 15, and a light-receiving element (not shown) that receives light reflected from the recording surface 107 of the first component 101. When the first component 101 is below the component sensor 65, the light-receiving element of the component sensor 65 receives light reflected from the recording surface 107 of the first component 101, and the amount of light detected by the light-receiving element is greater than a threshold. On the other hand, when the first component 101 is not below the component sensor 65, the light-receiving element of the component sensor 65 does not receive light reflected from the recording surface 107 of the first component 101, and the amount of light detected by the light-receiving element is less than a threshold. The component sensor 66 has the same configuration and function as the component sensor 65.

[0063] In this embodiment, the component sensors 65 and 66, which include a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, are configured to be located above the transport path 15. However, the component sensors 65 and 66 may also be located below the transport path 15. Furthermore, the component sensors 65 and 66 may be contact sensors located to the left or right of the transport path 15, which contact the left or right end of the first component 101 to detect the end of the first component 101. Additionally, the component sensor 65 may be a so-called media sensor mounted on the carriage 31.

[0064] [Control device 90 and its surrounding parts] As shown in Figure 4, the control device 90 includes a CPU 91, ROM 92, RAM 93, EEPROM 94, and ASIC 95. ROM 92 stores programs for controlling various operations of the laminating device 1. For example, ROM 92 stores the laminating process program shown in Figures 6 and 7, which will be described later. EEPROM 94 stores various data used when executing the above program. For example, EEPROM 94 stores the continuous recording permission length Lth data used in the laminating process, which will be described later. RAM 93 is used as a storage area for temporarily recording various data used by the CPU 91 when executing the above program, and as an area for expanding data and programs. When the power to the laminating device 1 is turned on, the program stored in ROM 92 is copied and transferred to RAM 93. The CPU 91 executes the program stored in RAM 93. This allows the control device 90 to perform various controls. In the following description, the control device 90 that executes the program on the CPU 91 may be simply referred to as "control device 90". For example, the statement "The control device 90 identifies the pressed operation key based on the output signal of the operation unit 12" means "The control device 90 executes a program using the CPU 91 and identifies the pressed operation key based on the output signal of the operation unit 12."

[0065] The ASIC95 is connected to an operation unit 12 and a display unit 13. The operation unit 12 detects when an operation key is pressed and outputs a signal corresponding to the pressed operation key. The control device 90 identifies the pressed operation key based on the output signal from the operation unit 12. The display unit 13 displays information regarding the operation of the laminating device 1 on the screen based on instructions from the control device 90. The user interface configuration of the laminating device 1 is not limited to the above configuration; for example, it may also include other types of input / output devices such as a touch panel.

[0066] A recording head 32 is connected to the ASIC 95. The control device 90 outputs a signal corresponding to the image data to the recording head 32 via the ASIC 95. The recording head 32 ejects ink from a plurality of nozzles 33 provided on the recording head 32 in accordance with the signal output from the control device 90. In this specification, the method of recording characters, etc., on a component is not limited to the method of ejecting ink. For example, the first component 101 may have thermal paper, and the recording unit 30 may be configured to record characters, etc., by applying heat to the thermal paper.

[0067] The ASIC95 is connected to material sensors 65 and 66. The material sensors 65 and 66 output signals corresponding to the amount of light detected by the photodetector. Based on the output signals from the photodetector, the control device 90 detects the leading edge of the first material 101 being transported along the transport path 15.

[0068] [Various motors] The ASIC95 is connected to a first roll motor 81, a second roll motor 82, a transport motor 83, a bonding motor 84, a CR motor 85, and a cutting motor 86. The ASIC95 incorporates drive circuits to control these motors. The control device 90 outputs drive signals to the drive circuits corresponding to each motor to rotate each motor. The drive circuits output drive currents to the corresponding motors according to the drive signals output from the control device 90. This causes the corresponding motors to rotate. Note that some of the above motors may be composed of the same motor.

[0069] The first roll motor 81 generates power to rotate the first roll 111, which is supported by the first holder 21. The second roll motor 82 generates power to rotate the second roll 112, which is supported by the second holder 22. The CR motor 85 generates a force to move the carriage 31 in the left-right direction 9. The cutting motor 86 generates a force to operate the first cutting section 61 and the second cutting section 62.

[0070] The conveying motor 83 generates power to rotate the first to third conveying rollers 41 to 43 and the intermediate roller 44. The power generated by the conveying motor 83 is supplied to the second roller 412, the fourth roller 422, the sixth roller 432, and the eighth roller 442. The second roller 412, the fourth roller 422, the sixth roller 432, and the eighth roller 442 receive power from the conveying motor 83 and rotate around the left-right direction 9 as their central axis. Consequently, the first roller 411, the third roller 421, the fifth roller 431, and the seventh roller 441 also rotate around the left-right direction 9 as their central axis.

[0071] A rotary encoder 87 is mounted on the rotation axis of the second roller 412. The rotary encoder 87 outputs a signal corresponding to the rotational position of the second roller 412. Based on the output signal of the rotary encoder 87, the control device 90 can obtain the amount of rotation, rotational direction, rotational speed, etc., of the first conveyor roller 41. The rotary encoder 87 may also be mounted on the rotation axis of a roller other than the second roller 412, for example, the first roller 411.

[0072] A rotary encoder 88 is mounted on the rotation axis of the eighth roller 442. The rotary encoder 88 outputs a signal corresponding to the rotation position of the eighth roller 442. The control device 90 can acquire the amount of rotation of the intermediate roller 44 based on the output signal of the rotary encoder 88. The rotary encoder 88 may also be mounted on the rotation axis of a roller other than the eighth roller 442, for example, the seventh roller 441.

[0073] The bonding motor 84 is, for example, a stepping motor. The bonding motor 84 generates power to rotate the bonding roller 50. The power generated by the bonding motor 84 is supplied to the second bonding roller 52. A torque limiter 89 is interposed between the bonding motor 84 and the bonding roller 50. The torque limiter 89 is, for example, mounted on the rotation axis of the second bonding roller 52. The torque limiter 89 limits the power of the bonding motor 84 and transmits it to the rotation axis of the second bonding roller 52. The amount of rotation of the bonding roller 50 can be controlled by the stepping motor. Note that it is not necessary to mount the torque limiter 89 on the second bonding roller 52.

[0074] The control device 90 drives the transport motor 83 to rotate the first to third transport rollers 41 to 43 and the intermediate roller 44, and drives the bonding motor 84 to rotate the bonding roller 50. The control device 90 drives the first roll motor 81 to apply force to the first roll 111, and drives the second roll motor 82 to apply force to the second roll 112. The control device 90 drives the CR motor 85 to move the carriage 31, and drives the cutting motor 86 to operate the first cutting section 61 and the second cutting section 62.

[0075] The first to third transport rollers 41 to 43 and the intermediate roller 44 transport the first member 101 in the transport direction (front-to-back direction 8). The recording unit 30 records an image on the first member 101 that has been transported by the first to third transport rollers 41 to 43 and the intermediate roller 44. The bonding roller 50 bonds the first member 101, on which the image has been recorded by the recording unit 30, with the second member 102.

[0076] [Cutting position of the first member 101] Next, the cutting position of the first member 101 will be described. Figure 5 shows, as an example, the cutting position of the first member 101 when multiple laminated finished products 100 are produced in succession. In Figure 5, the vertical direction of the drawing is the transport direction of the first member 101, and when an image is recorded on the first member 101, the first member 101 is transported from bottom to top in the drawing. The transport direction of the first member 101 coincides with the front-to-back direction 8. In the following description, the area of ​​the first member 101 corresponding to one laminated finished product 100 will be referred to as the "recording range," and the leading edge (downstream end) of the first member 101 will be referred to as the "leading edge P."

[0077] When the control device 90 receives data (hereinafter referred to as a "job") instructing the creation of a laminated product 100, it creates the laminated product 100 based on the information set in the job. The method of receiving jobs is not particularly limited. For example, the laminating device 1 may receive jobs from an external device via a communication interface. A USB interface or a LAN interface can be used as the communication interface. The communication performed by the communication interface may be wired communication or wireless communication. The external device may be a PC, tablet terminal, smartphone, etc. The laminating device 1 may also receive jobs via the operation unit 12.

[0078] Figure 5 illustrates two jobs, JOB1 and JOB2, as an example. Each job has data indicating the content (characters, numbers, etc.) to be recorded on the first component 101, data indicating the position where the characters, etc., will be recorded within the recording range of the first component 101, data indicating the number of laminated finished products 100 (recording range) to be created, data indicating the number of copies, and data indicating the length of the recording range.

[0079] For example, Job 1 shown in Figure 5 is set to continuously produce a total of three laminated finished products 100, each with recording ranges P11, P12, and P13. Note that the job may also be a job that instructs recording for one recording range, or a job that instructs recording for multiple copies of the same recording range. In the creation range for producing the laminated finished product 100 in Job 1, the first member 101 is cut at a total of four cutting positions: the front cutting position C0, two first rear cutting positions C1, and a second rear cutting position C2. The front cutting position C0 is the position that cuts the recording range furthest downstream in the transport direction in the creation range of Job 1 (the first recording range P11 in Figure 5) and the margin portion MG1 adjacent to the recording range P11 downstream in the transport direction. The margin portions MG1 and MG2 are generated when one or more jobs are completed or during the initialization process involving skew correction, which will be described later. The margin portions MG1 and MG2 are, for example, the portions left over from the creation (execution of the job) of the previous laminated product 100, and remain trapped in the lamination roller 50, being discarded without being recorded. The two first rear end cutting positions C1 are the positions where two adjacent recording ranges in the transport direction are cut (for job JOB1 shown in Figure 5, recording ranges P11, P12, or recording ranges P12, P13). The second rear end cutting position C2 is the position where the upstream recording range in the transport direction within the job creation range (for job JOB1, recording range P13) and the margin portion adjacent to that recording range upstream in the transport direction (margin portion MG2 for recording range P13) are cut. The tip of margin portion MG2 becomes the tip P of job JOB2, which will be executed after job JOB1.

[0080] The first cutting section 61 cuts the first member 101 at the front cutting position C0. The second cutting section 62 cuts the first and second members 101 and 102 at two first rear cutting positions C1 and a second rear cutting position C2. When the laminating device 1 performs a job for multiple sheets (multiple recording ranges, or multiple copies (number of the same recording range)), the number of front cutting positions C0 and the second rear cutting positions C2 is one each, and the number of first rear cutting positions C1 is (number of recording ranges - 1).

[0081] [Lamination process by control device 90] Next, the lamination process performed by the control device 90 will be described. Figures 6 and 7 show flowcharts of the lamination process. The control device 90 starts the process shown in Figures 6 and 7, for example, upon receiving a job. In the following description, we will explain the case where jobs JOB1 and JOB2 shown in Figure 5 are received as an example.

[0082] Furthermore, during the lamination process, the control device 90 acquires the amount of rotation of the intermediate roller 44, the amount of rotation of the first transport roller 41, and the position of the tip P of the first member 101 on the transport path 15 based on the output signals of the rotary encoders 87 and 88 (see Figure 4). Based on the acquired position of tip P, the control device 90 determines the positions on the transport path 15 of the first member 101, such as the recording range, the tip cutting position C0, the first rear end cutting position C1, and the second rear end cutting position C2. Note that the timing of cutting at each cutting position described below is just an example. The timing of cutting at each cutting position is changed depending on the contents of jobs JOB1 and JOB2, the length of the margins MG1 and MG1, etc.

[0083] Before the lamination process is performed, the first member 101, pulled from the first roll 111, is held only by the intermediate roller 44, and the tip P of the first member 101 is positioned between the intermediate roller 44 and the first transport roller 41 in the transport direction (hereinafter referred to as the first initial position) (see Figure 8). The tip of the second member 102, pulled from the second roll 112, is held by the bonding roller 50 (hereinafter referred to as the second initial value). The bonding roller 50, for example, holds a portion of the first member 101 generated in the previous lamination process. Figures 8 to 11 show the state of the first member 101 being transported during the lamination process. In Figures 8 to 11, the hatched rollers indicate rollers that control the first member 101 to stop at a desired position. Figures 8 to 11 omit the illustration of the second member 102.

[0084] When the control device 90 starts the process shown in Figure 6, it first feeds the first member 101 in step 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as S). The control device 90 drives the intermediate roller 44 to transport the first member 101 downstream until its leading edge P reaches the first transport roller 41 (S1, see Figure 9). Next, the control device 90 drives the first transport roller 41 to transport the first member 101 to the position where recording will be performed (S1). For example, in S1, the control device 90 transports the first member 101 until the first recording area of ​​the first member 101 reaches the area where recording will be performed by the recording unit 30. The first recording area, in this example, is the area where the first image is recorded within the area where the image of the recording range P11 of job JOB1 is recorded on the first member 101. The area where recording is performed by the recording unit 30 is the position below the recording unit 30 in the transport path 15, and is the area where recording can be performed by the nozzle 33 in a single recording operation.

[0085] Next, in S2, the control device 90 drives the recording unit 30 to record an image in a predetermined area of ​​the first member 101 (the first recording area of ​​the recording area P11). In S2, the control device 90 ejects ink from the recording head 32 onto the recording surface 107 of the first member 101. As a result, an image is recorded on the portion of the first member 101 facing the recording head 32. Hereinafter, the recording area to which recording is performed in S2 will be referred to as the recording target recording area. For job JOB1 shown in Figure 5, the control device 90 sets the recording target recording area in the order of recording area P11, recording area P12, and recording area P13, and performs the recording in S2.

[0086] Next, the control device 90 determines whether the first member 101 has reached the bonding position (S3). The bonding position is the position at which the control device 90 starts driving the bonding roller 50 when the leading edge P of the first member 101 reaches that position. If the control device 90 determines that the first member 101 has not reached the bonding position (S3:NO), it performs transport of the first member 101 (S5). The control device 90 drives the first transport roller 41 and the second transport roller 42 to transport the first member 101 to the next recording area. In S5, the control device 90 transports the first member 101 until the next recording area of ​​the first member 101 (the area where an image will be recorded in the next step) reaches the area where recording is performed by the recording unit 30. After executing S5, the control device 90 executes S7.

[0087] On the other hand, when the control device 90 determines that the first member 101 has reached the bonding position (S3: YES), it bonds the bonding surface 109 of the second member 102 to the recording surface 107 of the first member 101 (S6, see Figure 10). For example, the first member 101 is held across the intermediate roller 44 to the bonding roller 50. The control device 90 drives the first transport roller 41 and the bonding roller 50 to transport the first member 101 and bonds the second member 102 to the first member 101 (S6). As a result, the second member 102 is attached to the portion of the first member 101 corresponding to the recording range P11 and to the portion where recording by the recording unit 30 has been completed. In S6, the control device 90, similar to S5, transports the first member 101 until the next recording area of ​​the first member 101 reaches the area where recording is performed by the recording unit 30, while transporting the bonded first and second members 101 and 102 downstream in the transport direction. After executing S6, the control device 90 executes S7.

[0088] Furthermore, in S6, the control device 90 may apply a driving force to the bonding roller 50 such that the first member 101 is transported at a speed faster than the transport speed at which the first transport roller 41 transports the first member 101. As a result, the first member 101 maintains tension between the two rollers due to the speed difference between the first transport roller 41 and the bonding roller 50, while its transport position is controlled by the first transport roller 41.

[0089] In S7, the control device 90 determines whether or not the recording of the image for the recording target recording range has been completed. The control device 90 determines whether or not the recording of the recording target recording range, i.e., the recording range P11, has been completed, and if it has not been completed (S7: NO), it executes the process from S2. Therefore, the control device 90 continues to transport the first member 101 while performing recording on the first member 101 (S2) until the recording of the first recording range P11 is completed and until the first member 101 reaches the bonding position (S5). Furthermore, the control device 90 continues to transport the first member 101 and perform bonding of the second member 102 while performing recording on the first member 101 (S2) until the recording of the first recording range P11 is completed and after the first member 101 has reached the bonding position (S6).

[0090] Furthermore, after starting the process shown in Figure 6, the control device 90 appropriately executes the process of cutting the tip cutting position C0 with the second cutting unit 62. Specifically, the first member 101, which is held by the laminating roller 50 when the process shown in Figure 6 starts, that is, a part of the first member 101 generated in the previous lamination process, is conveyed by executing S2 to S7, or S9 and S19 described later, and when the tip cutting position C0 reaches the second cutting unit 62, the control device 90 cuts the tip cutting position C0 with the second cutting unit 62. The control device 90 stops the conveyance of the first and second members 102 and drives the second cutting unit 62 to cut the stopped first and second members 102 at the tip cutting position C0.

[0091] Furthermore, if the control device 90 determines in S7 that recording for the target recording range is complete (S7:YES), it executes S8. In S8, the control device 90 determines whether or not the next recording range exists, that is, whether or not the next target recording range exists. In the job JOB1 shown in Figure 5, recording range P12 is set after recording range P11. In this case, the control device 90 determines that the next recording range exists (S8:NO), and therefore executes S15 in Figure 7.

[0092] Furthermore, even if the recording range set for job JOB1 is only one recording range and only job JOB1 is accepted, if the control device 90 accepts the next job JOB2 while job JOB1 is being executed in S2 to S7, it will make a negative decision in S8 (S8: NO) and execute S15 in Figure 7. Therefore, as long as there are recording ranges in accepted jobs that have not yet been recorded, the control device 90 will make a negative decision in S8.

[0093] On the other hand, for example, if the recording range set for the target to be recorded in job JOB1 is one recording range, and there are no other jobs received when S8 is executed, the control device 90 makes an affirmative judgment (S8: YES) and executes S9. In S9, the control device 90 executes the cutting at the front cutting position C0 and the first rear cutting position C1 for the next job. For example, the control device 90 transports the first member 101 until the position that will become the front cutting position C0 when the next job is executed (in Figure 5, the front cutting position C0 of the margin portion MG2 of job JOB2) reaches the cutting position of the first cutting unit 61. When the front cutting position C0 reaches the cutting position of the first cutting unit 61, the control device 90 stops transporting the first member 101 and drives the first cutting unit 61 to cut the stopped first member 101 at the front cutting position C0 (see Figure 11).

[0094] Next, the control device 90 transports the first and second members 101 and 102 until the first rear end cutting position C1 of the recording range in which recording has been completed (for example, recording range P11) reaches the cutting position of the second cutting unit 62. Note that if the recording range to be recorded set in job JOB1 is one recording range and there are no other jobs received at the time S8 is executed, the first rear end cutting position C1 becomes the second rear end cutting position C2. The control device 90 drives the bonding roller 50 to transport the first member 101 downstream from the tip cutting position C0 cut by the first cutting unit 61. When the first rear end cutting position C1 reaches the cutting position of the second cutting unit 62, the control device 90 stops transporting the first and second members 101 and 102 and drives the second cutting unit 62 to cut the stopped first and second members 101 and 102 at the first rear end cutting position C1. The control device 90 discharges the completed laminated product 100 from the discharge port 14. The control device 90 may also perform the cutting at the first rear end cutting position C1 before the front end cutting position C0.

[0095] Next, the control device 90 performs the process of unwinding the first member 101 (S10). The control device 90, for example, drives the first transport roller 41 in the reverse direction and unwinds the portion of the first member 101 upstream of the tip cutting position C0, which was cut by the first cutting section 61 in S9, toward the first roll 111. The control device 90 unwinds the first member 101 until, for example, the tip P of the first member 101 to be unwound, that is, the end that was cut at the tip cutting position C0, reaches the unwinding position. The unwinding position is the position in which the first member 101 is unwound until the tip P reaches this position, and is, for example, the first initial position described above. Therefore, the unwinding position is the position of the tip P of the first member 101 at the start of the process in Figure 6. Furthermore, the control device 90 may execute in parallel the process of transporting the first member 101 downstream from the tip cutting position C0 in S9 to the cutting position of the second cutting section 62 and the process of unwinding the first member 101 upstream in S10.

[0096] Next, the control device 90 performs initialization of the first member 101 (S11). During the initialization process, the control device 90 performs skew correction of the first member 101. For example, the control device 90 corrects the skew of the first member 101 by driving the first roll motor 81 and the transport motor 83 and alternately performing the process of pulling the first member 101 out of the first roll 111 (see Figure 12) and the process of rewinding the first member 101 onto the first roll 111 (see Figure 13) one or more times. For example, during the pulling process, the control device 90 applies a desired tension to the first member 101 by the difference between the transport speed of the first member 101 by the first holder 21 and the transport speed of the first member 101 by the intermediate roller 44, and pulls out the tip P of the first member 101 to a position close to the first transport roller 41, thereby stopping the transport of the first member 101. Next, the control device 90, similar to the withdrawal process, applies the desired tension to the first member 101 based on the difference in transport speed, and pulls back the tip P of the first member 101 to a position close to the intermediate roller 44, thereby stopping the transport of the first member 101. This corrects the skew by applying uniform tension to the first member 101 while inserting and removing it from the first roll 111. Once the skew correction is complete, the control device 90 stops the tip P of the first member 101 at the first initial position and ends the initialization.

[0097] Next, the control device 90 performs initialization of the second member 102 (S12). In S12, the control device 90 performs skew correction of the second member 102, similar to S11. For example, the control device 90 drives the second roll motor 82 and the bonding motor 84 and corrects the skew of the second member 102 by alternately performing the process of pulling the second member 102 out of the second roll 112 (see Figure 12) and the process of rewinding the second member 102 onto the second roll 112 (see Figure 13) one or more times. When the skew correction is completed, the control device 90 stops the second member 102 at the second initial value and ends the initialization. The control device 90 may also perform the skew correction of the first member 101 in S11 and the skew correction of the second member 102 in S12 in parallel. The control device 90 then completes the processes shown in Figures 6 and 7. When the control device 90 receives a new job, it starts processing the received job as shown in Figures 6 and 7.

[0098] Furthermore, in S15 of Figure 7, the control device 90 determines whether the total recording length L of the recording ranges for which recording has been performed is longer than the continuous recording permission length Lth. The total recording length L is the sum of the lengths of the recording ranges for which recording has been completed up to the time of executing S15 (hereinafter referred to as the recording range length). The recording range length is the length of one recording range along the transport direction. Therefore, the recording range length varies depending on the recording range lengths set in jobs JOB1 and JOB2, that is, the recording range length of the laminated finished product 100 to be created. The control device 90 obtains the total recording length L based on the information set in jobs JOB1 and JOB2, for example. Alternatively, the control device 90 may obtain the total recording length L based on the output signals of the rotary encoders 87 and 88.

[0099] The continuous recording permission length Lth is the length over which continuous recording is permitted. In recording processes using a roll-shaped member such as the first roll 111, continuous recording can cause the leading edge P of the member to tilt relative to the transport direction, potentially causing the member to shift to one side in the left-right direction. If the angle of tilt increases, the image to be recorded may fall outside the desired recording range, or a misalignment may occur between the first and second members 101 and 102. Therefore, the control device 90 of this embodiment uses the continuous recording permission length Lth to determine the timing for performing tilt correction. In other words, the continuous recording permission length Lth is a length that serves as a criterion for determining the timing of tilt correction, and it sets the length over which continuous recording is permitted without performing tilt correction. The continuous recording permission length Lth may be the same length as the maximum recording range length (maximum recording length) of the laminated finished product 100 that the laminating device 1 can record, or it may be slightly shorter than the maximum recording range length.

[0100] If the total recording length L is less than or equal to the continuous recording permission length Lth (S15: NO), the control device 90 determines whether the recording range length of the next recording range is longer than the continuous recording permission length Lth (S16). For example, based on the information set in job JOB1, the control device 90 obtains the recording range length of the next recording range, for example, recording range P12, and determines whether the recording range length of recording range P12 is longer than the continuous recording permission length Lth.

[0101] If the recording range length of the next recording range is less than or equal to the continuous recording permission length Lth (S16: NO), the control device 90 performs the cueing of the next recording range (S17). For example, the control device 90 controls the first transport roller 41 to transport the first member 101 until the recording area in which the first image is recorded, among the areas for recording the image of the recording range P12, reaches the area where recording is performed by the recording unit 30 (S17). This completes the cueing of the next recording range P12, and the system is ready to start recording the recording range P12.

[0102] After executing S17, the control device 90 sets the recording range P12 as the recording range to be recorded and executes the processes from S2 onwards in Figure 6. The first member 101 is recorded in the recording range P12 by the recording unit 30 (S2 to S7). While recording in the recording range P12, when the first rear end cutting position C1 of the recording range P11 reaches the cutting position of the second cutting unit 62, the control device 90 cuts the first and second members 101 and 102 at the first rear end cutting position C1 and discharges the laminated finished product 100 of the recording range P11.

[0103] For example, as shown in Figure 5, the total recording length L of the recording ranges P11, P12, and P13 of job JOB1 is less than or equal to the continuous recording permission length Lth, and the next job JOB2 is not accepted when recording of the entire recording range (recording ranges P11 to P13) of job JOB1 is completed. In this case, while recording of recording ranges P11 and P12, the control device 90 makes a negative judgment in S8, S15, and S16 (S8: NO, S15: NO, S16: NO) and executes the recording process. When recording of recording range P13 is completed (S7: YES), the control device 90 makes an affirmative judgment in S8 (S8: YES). At the second rear end cutting position C2, shown by the dashed line in Figure 5, that is, when recording of job JOB1 is completed, the control device 90 executes S9 to S12 and performs cutting at the front end cutting position C0, cutting at the second rear end cutting position C2, and skew correction. In other words, the skew correction is performed when the execution of one job, JOB1, is completed.

[0104] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, when the total recording length L becomes longer than the continuous recording permission length Lth (S15: YES), the control device 90 executes the processes from S19 onwards. Processes S19, S20, S21, and S22 are the same as processes S9, S10, S11, and S12 shown in Figure 6. For this reason, a detailed explanation of processes S19 to S22 is omitted. Note that if the control device 90 makes an affirmative judgment in S15 (S15: YES), it resets the total recording length L measured up to that point and restarts the measurement of the total recording length L from zero. This allows skew correction to be performed each time the total recording length L becomes longer than the continuous recording permission length Lth. Also, when the control device 90 executes processes S19 to S22 in the middle of a job that is currently running, it creates a blank area MG2 in the middle of multiple recording ranges included in one job. In other words, if the processes S19 to S22 are not performed, the position that would be the first rear end cutting position C1 may become the second rear end cutting position C2.

[0105] The control device 90 performs cutting at each cutting position, ejection of the laminated finished product 100 (S19), and unwinding the first member 101 (S20). In S21, the control device 90 performs skew correction of the first member 101, positioning the leading edge P of the first member 101 at the first initial position. In S22, the control device 90 performs skew correction of the second member 102, positioning the leading edge of the second member 102 at the second initial position. After executing S22, the control device 90 executes S1 in Figure 6. The control device 90 performs the process of feeding the first member 101, which is positioned at the first initial position, to the recording unit 30 (S1), and then executes the processes from S2 onward, with the next recording range as the recording target.

[0106] Figure 14 shows an example where the total recording length L exceeds the continuous recording allowance length Lth during the recording of one job, JOB1. In the example shown in Figure 14, the number of recording ranges in JOB1 is four, and the total recording length L for the four recording ranges exceeds the continuous recording allowance length Lth. In this case, the control device 90 does not perform skew correction until the printing of the fourth recording range P14 of JOB1 is completed. Once the recording of recording range P14 is completed (S7:YES) and the next job, JOB2, has been accepted (S8:NO), the total recording length L has become longer than the continuous recording allowance length Lth (S15:YES), so the control device 90 executes S19 onwards. The first member 101 is cut with the rear end position of the recording range P14 as the second rear end cutting position C2. The first and second members 101 and 102 are subjected to skew correction and placed in the first and second initial positions.

[0107] Furthermore, Figure 15 shows an example where the total recording length L becomes longer than the continuous recording allowance length Lth during the recording of two consecutive jobs, JOB1 and JOB2. In the example shown in Figure 15, the total recording length L becomes longer than the continuous recording allowance length Lth when recording is completed up to the second recording range P22 of the second job, JOB2. In this case, the control device 90 does not perform skew correction while the first job, JOB1, is being executed. When the recording of the recording range P22 of the second job, JOB2, is completed (S7:YES), the control device 90 executes S19 onwards because, although there is a next recording range P23 in the running job, JOB2 (S8:NO), the total recording length L has become longer than the continuous recording allowance length Lth (S15:YES). The first member 101 is cut at the rear end position of the recording range P22, which is the second rear end cutting position C2. The first and second members 101 and 102 are subjected to skew correction and placed at the first and second initial positions. The control device 90 executes S1 and subsequent steps, and resumes recording from the first and second initial positions to the recording range P23 and beyond.

[0108] Figure 16 also shows an example where the recording range length of one recording range is longer than the continuous recording permission length Lth. In the example shown in Figure 16, the recording range length of the first recording range P21 of the second job JOB2 is longer than the continuous recording permission length Lth. In this case, the control device 90 does not perform skew correction while the first job JOB1 is being executed. When the recording of the first job JOB1 is completed (S7:YES), the control device 90 accepts the next job JOB2 (S8:NO), but since the total recording length L is less than or equal to the continuous recording permission length Lth (S15:NO), it executes S16. The control device 90 determines whether the recording range length of the next recording range, i.e., the recording range length of the first recording range P21 of job JOB2, is longer than the continuous recording permission length Lth. The control device 90 determines that the recording range length of recording range P21 is longer than the continuous recording permission length Lth (S16:YES), and therefore executes S19 and subsequent steps. The control device 90 performs skew correction before starting recording of the recording range P21. The first member 101 is cut with the leading edge position of the recording range P21 as the second rear end cutting position C2. The first and second members 101 and 102 are subjected to skew correction and positioned at the first and second initial positions. The control device 90 executes steps S1 onward and resumes recording of the recording range P21 and beyond from the first and second initial positions.

[0109] Furthermore, let's consider the case where, for example, the first job to be executed in Figure 6, JOB1, has only one recording range P11 set, and the recording range length of that recording range P11 is longer than the continuous recording permission length Lth. In this case, if the control device 90 has not received the next job JOB2 when recording of job JOB1 is completed (S7:YES, S8:YES), it executes S9 onwards to perform skew correction. If, however, the next job JOB2 has been received, the control device 90 makes a negative judgment in S8 (S8:NO) and executes S15. Since the recording range length of the completed recording range P11 is longer than the continuous recording permission length Lth, the control device 90 makes a positive judgment in S15 (S15:YES) and executes S19 onwards to perform skew correction. Therefore, skew correction is performed not only when the recording range length is longer than the continuous recording permission length Lth in the second and subsequent jobs of a series of jobs as shown in Figure 16, but also when the first job of a series of jobs includes a recording range that is longer than the continuous recording permission length Lth.

[0110] [Type of media, transport speed] Furthermore, the control device 90 sets the continuous recording permission length Lth according to the first and second members 101 and 102. For example, the control device 90 sets the continuous recording permission length Lth based on at least one of the type of the first member 101 and the transport speed of the first member 101. If the first member 101 is made of a slippery material, skew is more likely to occur. For this reason, the control device 90 determines the type of the first member 101 before starting the process shown in Figure 6, and if the first member 101 is of a slippery type, it shortens the continuous recording permission length Lth. This makes it possible to increase the frequency of skew correction when using a slippery first member 101, thereby suppressing situations where characters or other elements to be recorded extend beyond the recording range.

[0111] Furthermore, the faster the transport speed, the more likely skew is to occur. For this reason, the control device 90 shortens the continuous recording allowance length Lth as the transport speed of the first member 101 when recording is performed in the recording unit 30 increases. This allows for a higher frequency of skew correction when the transport speed is set to a high speed, thereby suppressing situations where characters or other elements being recorded extend beyond the recording range. Note that the transport speed used to set the total recording length L is not limited to the transport speed during recording, but may also be the transport speed when the first member 101 is transported at other times.

[0112] Furthermore, the method for acquiring the type of the first member 101 and the transport speed is not particularly limited. For example, if the control device 90 selects the type of the first member 101 based on an operation on the operation unit 12, it may set the continuous recording permission length Lth according to the selected type. Also, if the transport speed of the first member 101 is set based on an operation on the operation unit 12, the control device 90 may set the continuous recording permission length Lth according to the set transport speed. Alternatively, the laminating device 1 may be equipped with a sensor for detecting the type of the first member 101. The control device 90 may then detect the type of the first member 101 based on the information from the sensor and set the continuous recording permission length Lth. The control device 90 may also detect the transport speed based on the information from the rotary encoders 87 and 88. Furthermore, the control device 90 may store data in the EEPROM 94 that associates the type of the first member 101, the transport speed, and the continuous recording permission length Lth, and determine the continuous recording permission length Lth from that data.

[0113] The above-described process for setting the continuous recording permission length Lth according to the type of component and transport speed is merely an example. For example, the control device 90 may set the continuous recording permission length Lth based on either the type of the first component 101 or the transport speed of the first component 101. Alternatively, the control device 90 may set the continuous recording permission length Lth based on at least one of the type of the second component 102 and the transport speed of the second component 102. Furthermore, the control device 90 may set the continuous recording permission length Lth based on the types and transport speeds of both the first and second components 101 and 102. The control device 90 may also use a fixed value for the continuous recording permission length Lth, and the control device 90 may configure it so that the continuous recording permission length Lth cannot be changed. Additionally, the control device 90 may set the continuous recording permission length Lth based on a type of component other than the slipperiness of the component. For example, the tape width may be used as the type of component, and the control device 90 may shorten the continuous recording permission length Lth as the tape width increases. Alternatively, the control device 90 may shorten the continuous recording allowance length Lth when the acceleration of transport increases, rather than when the transport speed increases. Furthermore, the control device 90 may calculate (correct) the continuous recording allowance length Lth using a calculation formula, without using the associated data.

[0114] [Another way to determine the timing] In the above embodiment, the control device 90 determines the timing of cutting and skew correction based on the completion of the execution of jobs JOB1 and JOB2, the total recording length L, the recording range length, and the continuous recording permission length Lth, but is not limited to this. For example, the control device 90 may determine the timing of cutting and skew correction based on the number of recording ranges to be recorded or the number of recording ranges that have been recorded. The control device 90 may also execute the processes S9 to S12 when the recording of a predetermined number of recording ranges included in one or more accepted jobs has been completed. This allows skew correction to be performed each time a predetermined number of recording ranges are recorded.

[0115] [Diagonal correction while suppressing sagging] Furthermore, the laminating apparatus 1 may be equipped with a device to suppress sagging of the first and second members 101 and 102, and skew correction may be performed while sagging is suppressed. Figure 17 shows a configuration when a device for controlling the sagging of the first member 101 is provided. As shown in Figure 17, the laminating apparatus 1 may be equipped with a tension generating unit 70 and a sagging sensor 73 as a device for controlling the sagging of the first member 101.

[0116] The tension generating unit 70 is located below the transport path 15 in the vertical direction 7, and between the intermediate roller 44 and the first transport roller 41 in the front-rear direction 8. The tension generating unit 70 includes a contact member 71 and a spring 72 that expands and contracts in the vertical direction 7. The lower end of the spring 72 is fixed inside the housing 11, and the upper end of the spring 72 is connected to the lower end of the contact member 71. The upper end of the contact member 71 can contact the back surface 108 of the first member 101 between the intermediate roller 44 and the first transport roller 41. The first member 101 that is in contact with the contact member 71 is subjected to tension corresponding to the restoring force of the spring 72. The tension generating unit 70 generates a predetermined tension in the first member 101. The contact member 71 is positioned relatively downward against the restoring force of the spring 72 when the tension of the first member 101 between the intermediate roller 44 and the first conveyor roller 41 is large and the sag of the first member 101 is small. Conversely, the contact member 71 is positioned relatively upward due to the restoring force of the spring 72 when the tension of the first member 101 is small and the sag of the first member 101 is large. The sag sensor 73 is, for example, an optical sensor and has the same configuration as the member sensors 65 and 66, and outputs an output signal to the control device 90 according to the position of the contact member 71 in the vertical direction 7. As a result, the control device 90 can detect the amount of sag of the first member 101 according to the output signal of the sensor 73.

[0117] For example, as shown in Figure 17, the control device 90 stops the first member 101 while it is straddling the intermediate roller 44 and the first conveyor roller 41. The tip P of the first member 101 is located between the first conveyor roller 41 and the first bonding roller 51. The control device 90 performs the following process to control the slack of the first member 101. The control device 90 stops the first conveyor roller 41 and rotates the intermediate roller 44 in the reverse direction. The first member 101 is conveyed in a direction away from the first conveyor roller 41. At this time, the slack of the first member 101 that was riding on the tension generating unit 70 is eliminated, pushing down the contact member 71 of the tension generating unit 70 and compressing the spring 72. As a result, the contact member 71 pushes up the first member 101 and tension is applied to the first member 101. Based on the output signal from the slack sensor 73, the control device 90 stops the reverse rotation of the intermediate roller 44 when the slack of the first member 101 reaches a predetermined amount. As a result, the slack of the first member 101 between the intermediate roller 44 and the first conveyor roller 41 becomes a predetermined amount.

[0118] Furthermore, after executing the control to eliminate the slack described above, or in parallel with the execution of that control, the control device 90 repeatedly pulls out and rewinds the first member 101. The control device 90 performs diagonal correction by performing rewinding and pulling out using the intermediate roller 44. This allows diagonal correction to be performed after applying a predetermined tension to the first member 101. Diagonal correction can be performed with greater precision.

[0119] Incidentally, the correspondence between the terms used in this embodiment and the terms used in the claims is explained below. Core materials 113 and 114 are examples of rolls. Laminating roller 50 is an example of an overlapping roller. First cutting section 61 and second cutting section 62 are examples of cutting sections. Total recording length L is an example of the length in the transport direction of the first member transported by the recording process. Continuous recording allowance length Lth is an example of a predetermined length. S2, S5, and S6 are examples of recording processes. S9 and S19 are examples of cutting processes. S11, S12, S21, and S22 are examples of skew correction processes.

[0120] [Effects of the Embodiment] (1) As described above, the control device 90 of the laminating apparatus 1 according to this embodiment performs a process to correct the skewness of the first and second members 101 and 102 (S11, S12, S21, S22) after performing a process to cut the first and second members 101 and 102 (S9, S19).

[0121] According to this, the first and second members 101 and 102 can be cut, and the skew of the first and second members 101 and 102 can be corrected at the timing when recording within a predetermined recording range is completed. By correcting the skew of the members in accordance with the cutting, the overlapping of the first member 101 and the second member 102 can be continued while reducing the amount of misalignment in their overlapping positions.

[0122] (2) Furthermore, the first cutting section 61 cuts the first member 101 upstream of the bonding roller 50 in the transport direction of the first member 101. This allows for diagonal correction to be performed after cutting the first member 101 upstream of the bonding roller 50.

[0123] (3) Furthermore, the first cutting section 61 cuts the first member 101 downstream of the recording section 30 in the transport direction of the first member 101. This allows the first member 101 to be cut upstream of the bonding roller 50 and downstream of the recording section 30, that is, at a position close to the bonding roller 50, and then diagonal correction can be performed.

[0124] (4) The second cutting section 62 cuts both the first and second members 101 and 102 downstream of the bonding roller 50 in the transport direction of the first member 101. This allows for diagonal correction to be performed after cutting the first and second members 101 and 102 downstream of the bonding roller 50.

[0125] (5) Alternatively, the control device 90 may be configured to perform skew correction only on the first member 101 after the cutting process is performed in S9 or S19. This allows the skew of the first member 101 to be corrected in accordance with the cutting process.

[0126] (6) The first and second members 101 and 102 are wound around the core material 113 and 114, respectively. In the skew correction, the control device 90 corrects the skew by alternately performing the processes of pulling out the first and second members 101 and 102 from the first and second rolls 111 and 112 and winding them back onto the first and second rolls 111 and 112. In this way, the skew of the first and second members 101 and 102 can be corrected by controlling the rotational movement of the first and second rolls 111 and 112.

[0127] (7) The control device 90 also records an image on the first member 101 using the recording unit 30 based on the received jobs JOB1 and JOB2, and then superimposes the second member 102 onto the first member 101 on which the image has been recorded. When the control device 90 receives jobs JOB1 and JOB2, it determines the timing for performing cutting and skew correction based on the received jobs JOB1 and JOB2.

[0128] According to this, by performing skew correction on the first member 101, the amount of misalignment of the image recorded on the first member 101 relative to the desired recording range can be reduced. Also, by performing skew correction on the second member 102, the amount of misalignment of the position in which the second member 102 is superimposed on the first member 101 can be reduced. Furthermore, by determining the timing of cutting and skew correction based on the received jobs JOB1 and JOB2, skew can be corrected according to the length of the members recorded by jobs JOB1 and JOB2, and before and after the execution of jobs JOB1 and JOB2.

[0129] (8) Furthermore, the control device 90 performs cutting and skew correction when there are no more accepted jobs JOB1 and JOB2 (S8:YES) (S9, S11, S12). This allows all accepted jobs JOB1 and JOB2 to be executed, and then skew correction to be performed when there are no more jobs JOB1 and JOB2 to be executed. This suppresses delays in the execution of jobs JOB1 and JOB2 due to cutting and skew correction.

[0130] (9) The control device 90 also performs cutting and skew correction when the execution of one job, JOB1, is completed (S8:YES) (S19, S21, S22). This allows skew correction to be performed each time a job, JOB1 or JOB2, is executed, i.e., on a job-by-job basis. Skew correction can be performed before starting the next job.

[0131] (10) The control device 90 may also be configured to perform cutting and skew correction when recording of a predetermined number of recording ranges included in one or more accepted jobs JOB1, JOB2 has been completed. With this configuration, when recording multiple recording ranges based on one or more jobs JOB1, JOB2, skew correction can be performed when recording of a predetermined number of recording ranges has been completed. When recording a large number of recording ranges is performed consecutively, skew correction can be performed when recording of a predetermined number of recording ranges has been completed, thereby suppressing an increase in the amount of displacement of the recorded image.

[0132] (11) The control device 90 also performs cutting and skew correction when the total length in the transport direction of the first member 101 transported by the recording process (total recording length L) becomes equal to or greater than the continuous recording permission length Lth (S15:YES). This allows skew correction to be performed when the transport length of the first member 101 transported in conjunction with the recording process becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined length. Skew correction can be performed when the length of the continuously recorded member becomes long, thereby suppressing an increase in the amount of displacement of the recorded image.

[0133] (12) Furthermore, the control device 90 performs cutting and skew correction (S19, S21, S22) before executing recording processing for a recording range where the recording range length, which is the length of the recording range for recording an image along the transport direction in which the first member 101 is transported, is greater than or equal to the continuous recording permission length Lth (S16:YES). According to this, if the recording range length of the recording range to be recorded is greater than or equal to a predetermined length, skew correction can be performed before executing recording processing for that recording range. This makes it possible to suppress large amounts of image displacement in recordings with long recording range lengths.

[0134] (13) Furthermore, if the length of the first member 101 transported by the recording process (total recording length L) is less than the continuous recording permission length Lth (S15: NO), and the recording range length of the recording range to be next recorded is greater than or equal to the continuous recording permission length Lth (S16: YES), the control device performs cutting and skew correction before performing the recording process for the recording range to be next recorded. According to this, even if the total transport length is not greater than or equal to the predetermined length, if the recording range length of the recording range to be recorded is greater than or equal to the predetermined length, skew correction can be performed before performing the recording process for that recording range.

[0135] (14) The control device 90 sets the continuous recording permission length Lth based on at least one of the type of first member 101 and the transport speed of the first member 101. According to this, when using a type of member that is prone to skew, for example, a slippery member, the continuous recording permission length Lth can be shortened and the frequency of correcting the skew can be increased. Also, when the transport speed becomes fast and conditions are prone to skew, the continuous recording permission length Lth can be shortened and the frequency of correcting the skew can be increased.

[0136] [Differentiation] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible without departing from its spirit. For example, the content and order of processing in the flowcharts shown in Figures 6 and 7 are just examples. For example, the control device 90 may execute only one of S11 or S12. Alternatively, the control device 90 may execute only one of S21 or S22. In other words, the skew correction may be performed on only one of the first member 101 or the second member 102. Furthermore, if the control device 90 makes a negative determination in S8 (S8: NO), it may execute only S17 and proceed with processing from S2. In other words, it does not need to perform a determination of the timing for executing skew correction using the continuous recording permission length Lth. In this case, skew correction can be performed each time the execution of one or more accepted jobs is completed (when there are no more jobs). Alternatively, step S8 in Figure 6 may be omitted, and the control device 90 may execute S9 after making a positive decision in S7 (S7: YES). The control device 90 may also execute the process with step S8 omitted in Figure 6 for each accepted job. That is, the process in Figure 6 may be executed once for each job. In this case, skew correction can be performed for each job execution (on a job-by-job basis). Furthermore, the processes S9 to S12 in Figure 6 may be omitted. In other words, it is not necessary to perform skew correction when the job execution is completed. Alternatively, the process in S15 may be omitted, and the control device 90 may execute S16 after making a negative determination in S8 (S8: NO). Alternatively, the process in S16 may be omitted, and the control device 90 may execute S17 after making a negative determination in S15 (S15: NO).

[0137] Furthermore, the control device 90 performed skew correction after the total recording length L became longer than the continuous recording permission length Lth (S15:YES). However, the control device 90 may, based on the information of jobs JOB1 and JOB2, perform skew correction before starting recording of the next recording range if it is expected that the total recording length L will become longer than the continuous recording permission length Lth after recording of the next recording range. For example, the control device 90 may pre-calculate the total recording length L based on the information of the recording range length set for the job and perform skew correction just before the total recording length L becomes longer than the continuous recording permission length Lth. Furthermore, the control device 90 calculates the total recording length L as the sum of the recording range lengths of the recording ranges, but is not limited to this. The margin portions MG1 and MG2 may be included in the total recording length L. Therefore, the "length in the transport direction of the first member transported by the recording process" in this specification may be the length obtained by adding the margin portions MG1 and MG1 to the recording range length in which recording was performed, that is, the total length of the first member 101 pulled out from the first roll 111. The method for detecting the total recording length L including the margin portions MG1 and MG2 may be a method of detection from the information of jobs JOB1 and JOB2, or a method of detection from the output signals of rotary encoders 87 and 88. The control device 90 may also determine the timing of the skew correction based on the number and total length of the created margin portions MG1 and MG2. Furthermore, the control device 90 may determine the timing of the diagonal correction based on the length over which the second member 102 has been transported. Therefore, the total recording length L may be the sum of the lengths used for the recording portion of the second member 102, or the total length including the margin portions MG1 and MG2.

[0138] Furthermore, if the recording range length of the next recording range is longer than the continuous recording permission length Lth (S15: YES), the control device 90 performed skew correction before executing the recording process for the next recording range. However, if the recording range length of the next recording range is longer than the continuous recording permission length Lth, the control device 90 may perform skew correction after the recording of the recording range with a recording range length longer than the continuous recording permission length Lth is completed. Alternatively, the control device 90 may perform skew correction both before and after recording of the recording range with a recording range length longer than the continuous recording permission length Lth. Furthermore, the continuous recording allowance length Lth used in S15 and the continuous recording allowance length Lth used in S16 may be different values.

[0139] Furthermore, the configuration of the cutting section shown in Figure 3 is just one example. For example, the laminating device 1 may have only the second cutting section 62 and not the first cutting section 61. Alternatively, the laminating device 1 may have the first cutting section 61 upstream of the recording section 30, cutting the first member 101 before recording is performed. Alternatively, the laminating device 1 may have a cutting section between the draw position of the second roll 112 and the bonding roller 50, cutting the second member 102 upstream of the bonding roller 50 (on the second roll 112 side). In this case, the laminating device 1 does not need to have the second cutting section 62.

[0140] Furthermore, in the laminating apparatus 1 of the above embodiment, the first transport roller 41 and the intermediate roller 44 were configured to have their rotation amount detectable by rotary encoders 87 and 88, respectively, and the laminating roller 50 was configured to have its rotation amount controllable by a laminating motor 84, which is a stepping motor. In contrast, the first transport roller 41, the intermediate roller 44, and the laminating roller 50 may be configured to have at least one of the following: their rotation amount can be detected by a rotary encoder, or their rotation amount can be controlled by a stepping motor. Furthermore, the control device 90 performed drive control to apply a rotational force to the bonding roller 50 that resulted in a faster conveying speed than the first conveying roller 41. However, the control device 90 may also perform drive control to apply a rotational force to the bonding roller 50 that results in the same conveying speed as the first conveying roller 41, or a slower conveying speed than the first conveying roller 41.

[0141] Next, we will describe the technical ideas derived from the above embodiment. (Note) The first member further comprises a tension generating unit that generates a predetermined tension, The first member and the second member are Each is wound on a roll, The control device is The laminating apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein in the skew correction process, a predetermined tension is generated in the first member by the tension generating unit, and the skew is corrected by alternately performing a process of pulling the first member from the roll and a process of rewinding it onto the roll.

[0142] According to this method, skew correction can be performed while the tension of the first member is set to the desired tension. This allows for more accurate skew correction. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0143] 1 Laminating device, 30 Recording unit, 50 Laminating roller (overlapping roller), 61 First cutting unit (cutting unit), 62 Second cutting unit (cutting unit), 90 Control device, 101 First component, 102 Second component, 113, 114 Core material (roll), JOB1, JOB2 Jobs, L Total recording length (length in the transport direction of the first component transported by the recording process), Lth Continuous recording permission length (default length).

Claims

1. An overlapping roller that overlaps the first and second members, A cutting portion for cutting at least one of the first member and the second member, Control device and Equipped with, The control device is A cutting process that controls the cutting section and cuts at least one of the first member and the second member with the cutting section, A skew correction process that corrects the skewness of at least one of the first member and the second member, It is configured to perform the following actions: A laminating apparatus that performs the skew correction process after the cutting process.

2. The aforementioned cut portion is The laminating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a first cutting section that cuts the first member upstream of the overlapping roller in the conveying direction of the first member.

3. The first member further comprises a recording unit for recording images, The first cutting portion is, The laminating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first member is cut downstream of the recording unit in the transport direction of the first member.

4. The aforementioned cut portion is The laminating apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising a second cutting section that cuts both the first member and the second member downstream of the overlapping roller in the conveying direction of the first member.

5. The control device is The laminating apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein after the cutting process is performed, the skew correction process is performed on the first member.

6. The first member and the second member are Each is wound on a roll, The control device is The laminating apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the skew correction process corrects the skew by alternately performing a process of pulling out the first member and the second member from the roll and a process of rewinding them onto the roll, with respect to at least one of the first member and the second member.

7. The first member further comprises a recording unit for recording images, The control device is Based on the received job, the recording unit records an image on the first member, and performs a recording process in which the second member is superimposed on the first member on which the image has been recorded. The laminating apparatus according to claim 1, which, when it receives the aforementioned job, determines the timing for executing the cutting process and the skew correction process based on the received job.

8. The control device is The laminating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the cutting process and the skew correction process are executed when there are no more accepted jobs.

9. The control device is The laminating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the cutting process and the skew correction process are executed at the time when the execution of one of the jobs is completed.

10. The control device is The laminating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the cutting process and the skew correction process are executed when the recording of a predetermined number of recording ranges included in one or more accepted jobs has been completed.

11. The control device is The laminating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the cutting process and the skew correction process are executed at a timing when the length in the transport direction of the first member transported by the recording process becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined length.

12. The control device is The laminating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the cutting process and the skew correction process are performed before performing the recording process for a recording range in which the recording range length, which is the length of the recording range for recording an image along the transport direction for transporting the first member, is greater than or equal to a predetermined length.

13. The control device is At the timing when the length of the first member transported by the recording process in the transport direction becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined length, the cutting process and the skew correction process are executed. The laminating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein if the length in the transport direction of the first member transported by the recording process is less than the predetermined length, and the length of the recording range in which the next recording process is to be performed is greater than or equal to the predetermined length, the cutting process and the skew correction process are performed before the recording process is to be performed in the next recording range.

14. The control device is The laminating apparatus according to claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the predetermined length is set based on at least one of the type of the first member and the transport speed of the first member.

Images