Image forming apparatus and transport control method therefor

Abstract

To provide an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a cloth transported, capable of controlling the transportation of cloth through feedback of an appropriate correction value, and a method for controlling the transportation.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus comprises an ink jet head 62 for printing on a cloth 7, a texture detection sensor 61 for detecting the expansion and contraction state of the cloth 7, a scanning unit for scanning the ink jet head 62 and the texture detection sensor 61 in the cloth width direction, a transportation unit for holding the cloth 7 immediately in front of and behind the texture detection sensor 61 and intermittently transporting the cloth 7, and a controller unit for controlling the transportation unit such that the tension of the cloth 7 is controlled to a specified value based on the expansion and contraction state of the cloth 7 detected by the texture detection sensor 61.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that transports a fabric to form an image, and a transport control method for the image forming apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] In an inkjet printer, there is a device and method for feeding a fabric with an appropriate tension, which reads the stretch and wrinkle state of the fabric with a non-contact detector such as a CCD (Charge Coupling Device) camera and corrects the feed amount.

[0003] □ Patent document 1 describes a fabric printing system, and paragraph 0029 of this document states that "Three or five area CCD arrays 134 can be arranged laterally across the web (sheet) of fabric 114 and used to monitor the spatial frequency change of the tissue pattern as a function of induced tensions Tx, Ty in both the X and Y directions." [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2004-277995 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the technology described in Patent Document 1 corrects the feed amount at the unwind roller that is the furthest from the actual printing area, so the contact load on the transport path and the influence of other correction mechanisms reduce the correction accuracy at the printing area. Therefore, the technology described in Patent Document 1 cannot sufficiently correct the deterioration of print quality.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus and a transport control method for an image forming apparatus, which controls transport of a cloth by feeding back an appropriate correction amount. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] That is, the above-mentioned object of the present invention is achieved by the following configuration.

[0008] (1) A printing unit for printing on the cloth; a cloth condition sensor for detecting the stretching state of the cloth at a plurality of points in the cloth width direction; a scanning unit that scans the printing unit and the cloth condition sensor in a cloth width direction; a conveying mechanism that grasps the cloth immediately before and immediately after the cloth state sensor and conveys the cloth intermittently; a controller unit that determines a feed amount of the cloth from data of a plurality of points of the cloth detected by the cloth condition sensor and controls the feed mechanism based on the determined feed amount; The printing unit and the cloth condition sensor are provided on the carriage. Image forming device. (2) A printing unit for printing on the cloth; a cloth condition sensor that detects the stretching state of the cloth and is disposed at a plurality of positions in the cloth width direction; a scanning unit that scans the printing unit and the cloth condition sensor in a cloth width direction; a conveying mechanism that grasps the cloth immediately before and immediately after the cloth state sensor and conveys the cloth intermittently; a controller unit that determines a feed amount of the cloth from data of a plurality of points of the cloth detected by the cloth condition sensor and controls the feed mechanism based on the determined feed amount; An image forming apparatus comprising: (3) A printing unit for printing on the cloth; a cloth condition sensor for detecting the stretching state of the cloth at a plurality of points in the cloth width direction; a scanning unit that scans the printing unit and the cloth condition sensor over the entire area in the cloth width direction; a conveying mechanism that grasps the cloth immediately before and immediately after the cloth state sensor and conveys the cloth; a controller unit that counts a change in the number of wefts based on the stretch state of the cloth at a plurality of points detected by the cloth state sensor and determines a conveyance amount of the cloth based on the count result; An image forming apparatus comprising: (4) A printing unit for printing on the cloth; A cloth condition sensor that captures an image of the surface of the cloth; Immediately before the fabric condition sensor an upstream transport roller disposed immediately behind the printing unit; and a downstream transport roller disposed immediately behind the printing unit. a conveying mechanism for gripping the cloth and conveying the cloth; a controller unit that counts the number of wefts of the cloth included in the captured image captured by the cloth condition sensor and controls the conveying mechanism so that the counted number of wefts becomes a predetermined value; An image forming apparatus comprising: (5) a scanning unit that scans the printing unit and the cloth condition sensor over an entire area in a cloth width direction, The conveying mechanism conveys the cloth intermittently. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4. (6) A printing unit for printing on the cloth; a cloth condition sensor for detecting the stretching state of the cloth at a plurality of points in the cloth width direction; a scanning unit that scans the printing unit and the cloth condition sensor in a cloth width direction; a conveying mechanism that grasps the cloth immediately before and immediately after the cloth state sensor and conveys the cloth intermittently; a controller unit that determines a feed amount of the cloth from data of a plurality of points of the cloth detected by the cloth condition sensor and controls the feed mechanism based on the determined feed amount. Image forming device. (7) A printing unit for printing on the cloth; a cloth condition sensor provided upstream of the printing unit and configured to detect a stretching state of the cloth; an upstream conveying roller disposed immediately before the cloth condition sensor; The printing unit a conveying mechanism for gripping the cloth with a downstream conveying roller disposed immediately behind the cloth and conveying the cloth intermittently; a controller unit that controls the downstream transport roller to transport the cloth by a printing width of the printing unit, and controls the upstream transport roller to set the tension of the cloth to a predetermined value based on the stretch state of the cloth detected by the cloth state sensor; An image forming apparatus comprising:

[0009] ( 8 ) The transport mechanism includes a pair of transport rollers disposed opposite to each other across the printing unit. Any of (1) to (6) above 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 .

[0010] ( 9 ) The conveying roller has a grip structure for gripping the cloth. ( 8 ) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 .

[0011] ( 10 ) A stepping motor capable of controlling the rotation amount of the conveying roller is provided. ( 8 ) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 .

[0012] before The cloth condition sensor detects the state of the cloth at a plurality of points in the cloth width direction, the controller unit determines the amount of fabric to be fed based on data of a plurality of points detected by the fabric condition sensor. It is preferred .

[0013] ( 11 ) The fabric condition sensor is provided upstream of the printing unit. Any of (1) to (6) above 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 .

[0014] It is preferable that the printing unit and the fabric condition sensor are provided on a carriage.

[0015] before A plurality of fabric state sensors are arranged in the width direction of the fabric. It is preferred .

[0016] (12) a printing unit that prints on a cloth, a cloth condition sensor that images a surface of the cloth, a transport mechanism that grips the cloth just before and just after the cloth condition sensor and transports the cloth, and a controller unit that counts the number of wefts of the cloth included in an image captured by the cloth condition sensor and controls the transport mechanism so that the counted number of wefts becomes a predetermined value, The cloth condition sensor detects the condition of the cloth between the upstream roller immediately adjacent to the printing unit and the printing unit. , painting Image forming device.

[0017] before The fabric state sensor is capable of counting the number of wefts of the fabric. It is preferred .

[0018] (1 3 ) The fabric condition sensor has a light source that illuminates the fabric. ( 1 )from( 3 ) The image forming apparatus according to any one of the above.

[0019] (1 4 ) The conveying mechanism includes a plurality of conveying rollers that grip and convey the cloth, the cloth state sensor detects a stretching state of the cloth between a pair of conveying rollers disposed at positions opposite to each other with the printing unit therebetween; the controller unit determines a next feed amount based on the stretch state of the cloth detected by the cloth state sensor. (1) Any of (6) 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 .

[0020] (1 5 ) the cloth condition sensor detects tension on an upstream side of the printing unit in a conveying direction of the cloth. (1 4 ) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 .

[0021] (1 6 ) A motor capable of controlling the rotation amount of the conveying roller is provided. (1 4 ) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 .

[0022] (1 7 ) A printing unit for printing on the cloth; At multiple locations across the fabric A cloth condition sensor for detecting the stretch state of the cloth; The printing unit and the cloth state sensor are Throughout the A scanning unit for scanning; a conveying mechanism that grasps the cloth immediately before and immediately after the cloth state sensor and conveys the cloth; A method for controlling conveyance of an image forming apparatus including a controller, comprising: The controller unit is configured to Detected multiple locations The stretch state of the fabric Count the change in the number of weft threads do count Steps and The above From the result of the counting step, determining a conveyance amount; 、 of A transport control method for an image forming apparatus to be executed. Effect of the Invention

[0023] According to the present invention, in the image forming apparatus and the transport control method for the image forming apparatus, it is possible to control the transport of the cloth by feeding back an appropriate correction amount. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of a cloth transport path. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is a top view showing the scanning of the carriage. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the image forming apparatus. [Diagram 5] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating a state of the cloth detected by a cloth grain detection sensor. [Figure 6] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating a state of the cloth detected by a cloth grain detection sensor. [Figure 7] 13 is a flowchart of a transport process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] In order to solve the problem that the tension of the stretchable fabric cannot be appropriately controlled in the roll-to-roll conveying method, the inventor has detected the stretch state of the fabric and corrected the conveyance amount of the fabric based on the detected state value. Hereinafter, the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0026] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. The image forming apparatus 1 is configured to include a correction controller 2, an interface 3, a transport unit 4, a scanning unit 5, and a carriage 6. These units are connected via a system bus, and various signals and data can be input and output between them. The image forming apparatus 1 is a scan-type printing device in which the carriage 6 moves in the cloth width direction to form (print) an image on the cloth, and transports the cloth intermittently.

[0027] The correction controller 2 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 21, a random access memory (RAM) 22, a read only memory (ROM) 23, and a storage unit 24.

[0028] The CPU 21 (an example of a calculation device) controls the operation of each part in the image forming apparatus 1 by executing a program read from the ROM 23 or the storage unit 24, and is also capable of performing predetermined processing based on signals, data, etc. obtained from each part. In this embodiment, the CPU 21 of the correction controller 2 controls the operations of the transport unit 4, the scanning unit 5, and the carriage 6.

[0029] The ROM 23 stores programs executed by the CPU 21, data used when the programs are executed, etc. The CPU 21 executes various processes related to the image forming apparatus 1 by reading and executing the programs stored in the ROM 23. In the RAM 22, variables and parameters generated during the arithmetic processing of the CPU 21 are temporarily written.

[0030] The storage unit 24 is a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk drive or a solid state drive (SSD), and is used as a storage unit for storing various data related to the present embodiment. In addition to an operating system (OS) and various parameters, a printing program 241 and a correction control program 242 are recorded in the storage unit 24. By the CPU 21 executing the printing program 241, the procedure for scanning the carriage 6 in the cloth width direction and the procedure for printing by the inkjet head 62, which will be described later, are executed. When the CPU 21 executes the correction control program 242, the controller unit 13 (see FIG. 4) is realized, which calculates a correction amount for the next conveyance amount in the intermittent conveyance from a plurality of data collected by the fabric grain detection sensor 61 described later.

[0031] The ROM 23 and the storage unit 24 are non-volatile memories that record programs, data, and the like required for the operation of the CPU 21. The ROM 23 and the storage unit 24 are used as an example of a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium that stores a program executed by the computer constituting the correction controller 2.

[0032] The interface 3 is composed of a NIC (Network Interface Card), a modem, etc. The interface 3 is a communication unit that establishes a connection with each device, such as a printer controller and a personal computer (not shown), via a LAN (Local Area Network), and allows the correction controller 2 to transmit and receive various data.

[0033] The conveying unit 4 includes an upstream conveying motor 411 and a downstream conveying motor 412. The conveying unit 4 is a mechanism for conveying the cloth, and is controlled by the correction controller 2 described above. The upstream conveying motor 411 drives the upstream conveying roller 45a shown in FIG. 2. The downstream conveying motor 412 drives the downstream conveying roller 46 shown in FIG. 2. The upstream conveying motor 411 and the downstream conveying motor 412 are, for example, stepping motors, and the amount of rotation can be accurately controlled.

[0034] The scanning unit 5 is a mechanism for scanning the carriage 6 in the cloth width direction, and is controlled by the correction controller 2 described above. The carriage 6 is a printing unit including an inkjet head 62 and configured with a fabric weave detection sensor 61 attached upstream, and is scanned in the fabric width direction by the scanning unit 5. The scanning unit 5 is a mechanical unit that can move the fabric weave detection sensor 61 back and forth in the same direction as the movement of the carriage 6. The fabric weave detection sensor 61 (fabric condition sensor) detects the condition of the fabric 7 at multiple points in the fabric width direction. The correction controller 2 then determines the transport amount of the fabric 7 from the data detected by the fabric weave detection sensor 61 at multiple points. The inkjet head 62 is a printing unit that forms an image by printing on the fabric. The fabric texture detection sensor 61 is an optical sensor that is a fabric condition sensor that detects the stretching state of the fabric between the inkjet head 62 and an upstream transport roller 45a (see FIG. 2) located immediately upstream of the inkjet head 62. The carriage 6 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, which will be described later.

[0035] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the transport path of the cloth 7 from the side. As shown in FIG. 2, upstream conveying rollers 45a are provided on the upstream side of the conveying path across a carriage 6 carrying an inkjet head 62, and downstream conveying rollers 46 are provided on the downstream side of the conveying path. The upstream conveying rollers 45a and downstream conveying rollers 46 are mechanisms that are rotated by independent drive sources (motors). On the conveying path, a guide plate 47 and a guide roller 44 are provided on the upstream side of the upstream conveying roller 45a. The guide roller 44 is a driven roller that guides the conveying of the cloth 7, and is made of, for example, metal. The guide plate 47 is a metal plate that guides the conveying of the cloth 7. The conveying unit 4 shown in FIG. 1 is a conveying mechanism that grips the cloth 7 immediately before and after the cloth grain detection sensor 61 and conveys the cloth 7 intermittently.

[0036] The upstream transport roller 45a has a pinch mechanism for gripping the cloth 7 so that the cloth 7 is transported accurately, and is made of a surface material with high friction resistance. The pinch roller 45b is a driven roller facing the upstream transport roller 45a, and nips the cloth 7 to reduce transport errors due to slipping. The upstream transport roller 45a is a roller provided on the downstream side immediately adjacent to the guide plate 47 and on the upstream side immediately adjacent to the carriage 6, and is driven by the upstream transport motor 411 in FIG. 1 to transport the cloth 7. The surface of the upstream transport roller 45a has a grip structure for gripping the cloth 7, and is made of, for example, a surface material with high friction resistance.

[0037] The downstream transport roller 46 is a roller provided immediately upstream of the carriage 6, and is driven by the downstream transport motor 412 in FIG. 1 to transport the cloth 7. The downstream transport roller 46 is made of a surface material with high friction resistance that grips the cloth so that the cloth is transported accurately. The downstream transport roller 46 rotates according to the transport amount required for printing. At the same time, the upstream transport roller 45a rotates by an amount obtained by correcting the transport amount required for printing with the correction amount received from the controller unit 13. The boundary between the previous printing area and the current printing area of ​​the cloth 7 is close to the downstream conveying roller 46 and far from the upstream conveying roller 45a. Therefore, by intermittently conveying the downstream conveying roller 46 by a predetermined amount, the previous printing area and the current printing area of ​​the cloth 7 can be made continuous with no gaps, regardless of the stretch state of the cloth 7.

[0038] In the image forming apparatus 1, a pair of upstream transport rollers 45a and downstream transport rollers 46 sandwiching the carriage 6 have individual drive sources and drive controls. This allows the image forming apparatus 1 to correct the stretching state of the fabric in the section sandwiched between the upstream transport rollers 45a and the downstream transport rollers 46.

[0039] The carriage 6 is scanned in the cloth width direction by the scanning unit 5 of FIG. 1, includes an inkjet head 62, and is configured such that a cloth grain detection sensor 61 is mounted upstream of the inkjet head 62. The inkjet head 62 is scanned in the cloth width direction (main scanning direction) to form an image on the cloth 7. The fabric grain detection sensor 61 captures an image of the cloth 7 between the inkjet head 62 and the upstream transport roller 45a, and is scanned in the cloth width direction by the scanning unit 5. The controller unit 13 detects the state of the cloth 7 at multiple points in the cloth width direction between the inkjet head 62 and the upstream transport roller 45a using the fabric grain detection sensor 61. Here, the state of the cloth 7 refers to the tension of the cloth, which the controller unit 13 detects by counting the number of weft threads of the cloth within a predetermined area from the image captured by the fabric grain detection sensor 61. The image forming device 1 is a scan-type printing device in which a printing unit moves in the cloth width direction to form an image, and the cloth 7 is conveyed intermittently.

[0040] FIG. 3 is a top view showing the scanning of the carriage 6. As shown in FIG. The scanning unit 5 scans by reciprocating a carriage 6 in the horizontal and cloth width directions in Fig. 3. A fabric grain detection sensor 61 is installed on the upstream side (lower side in the figure) of the carriage 6. As a result, while the inkjet head 62 prints on the cloth 7 by reciprocating in the horizontal and cloth width directions in Fig. 3, the fabric grain detection sensor 61 also moves back and forth in the horizontal and cloth width directions in Fig. 3. The fabric grain detection sensor 61 detects the fabric grain state in a number of detection regions 613 across the entire width of the cloth 7 just before the inkjet head 62. Note that the image forming apparatus 1 may have a plurality of fabric grain detection sensors disposed around the fabric width instead of scanning the fabric grain detection sensor.

[0041] 4 is a functional block diagram of the image forming apparatus 1. These functional blocks are realized by the CPU 21 executing the correction control program 242. The cloth condition detection unit 11 processes the image captured by the cloth grain detection sensor 61 to count the number of wefts, and detects the state of tension of the cloth 7.

[0042] The correction amount calculation unit 12 calculates a correction amount for the transport amount from the state of tension of the cloth detected by the cloth state detection unit 11. The controller unit 13 rotates the downstream transport motor 412 intermittently by a predetermined amount at a time, and also rotates the upstream transport motor 411 intermittently based on the correction amount of the transport amount calculated by the correction amount calculation unit 12.

[0043] 5 and 6 are diagrams showing the state of the cloth 7 detected by the cloth grain detection sensor 61. FIG. Specifically, for example, Fig. 5 is an image captured when the cloth 7 is in a static state (when there is zero stretch), with the horizontal direction of the figure being the cloth width direction and the upward direction of the figure being the conveying direction, and Fig. 6 is an image captured when the cloth 7 is in a stretched state, with the horizontal direction of the figure being the cloth width direction and the upward direction of the figure being the conveying direction.

[0044] A detection area 613 is located at the center of the images in FIGS. 5 and 6, where weft yarns 71 are stretched in the width direction and warp yarns 72 are stretched in the vertical direction (conveyance direction). When the yarns are counted in the detection area 613 in FIG. 5, the number of weft yarns 71 is three.

[0045] In contrast, Fig. 6 is an image captured when the cloth 7 is stretched. When the threads are counted in the detection area 613 in Fig. 6, the number of weft threads 71 ​​changes to two. By detecting this change, the CPU 21 in Fig. 1 quantifies the amount of stretch of the cloth 7. In this case, the amount of stretch of the cloth 7 is the amount of change from the standard number of weft threads divided by the standard number of weft threads, specifically 0.3333.... By performing this in multiple detection areas 613 across the cloth width, the CPU 21 collects sampling data across the entire width of the cloth 7.

[0046] The CPU 21 controls the conveyance by feeding back an appropriate correction amount based on the state of the cloth 7. In principle, the CPU 21 sets the conveyance amount of the downstream conveyance roller 46 to the printing width of the inkjet head 62, and sets the conveyance amount of the upstream conveyance roller 45a to the aforementioned printing width plus feedback of the stretch amount of the cloth 7 between the upstream conveyance roller 45a and the downstream conveyance roller 46. In the case of Fig. 6, the conveyance amount of the upstream conveyance roller 45 is calculated by subtracting the distance between the upstream conveyance roller 45a and the downstream conveyance roller 46 multiplied by the stretch amount of the cloth 7 and the feedback coefficient from the printing width of the inkjet head 62.

[0047] The portion of the cloth 7 that connects the previous print and the current print is in the vicinity of the downstream transport roller 46, so the transport amount of the downstream transport roller 46 is set to a predetermined value here. This makes it possible to connect the intermittent printed areas of the cloth 7 continuously.

[0048] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the transport process that is intermittently executed. In step S10, the cloth state detection unit 11 processes the image captured by the fabric texture detection sensor 61 to count the number of wefts and detects the tension fluctuation of the cloth 7, that is, the stretching state of the cloth 7.

[0049] In step S11, the correction amount calculation unit 12 calculates a correction amount for the transport amount from the tension fluctuation of the cloth detected in step S10. Here, the correction amount calculation unit 12 determines the transport amount so that the tension of the cloth becomes a predetermined value. In step S12, the controller unit 13 determines whether the tension of the fabric 7 detected by the fabric detection sensor 61 is less than the target tension. If the detected tension is less than the target tension (Yes), the CPU 21 proceeds to step S13, and if the detected tension is equal to or greater than the target tension (No), the controller unit 13 proceeds to step S14.

[0050] In step S13, when the controller unit 13 rotates the upstream transport roller 45a by reducing the rotation amount from a predetermined value, the process proceeds to step S15. At this time, the controller unit 13 rotates the upstream transport roller 45a by reducing the rotation amount from a predetermined value according to the difference between the detected tension and the target tension.

[0051] In step S14, the controller unit 13 sets the rotation amount of the upstream transport roller 45a to a predetermined value or increases the rotation amount from the predetermined value, and then proceeds to step S15. At this time, the controller unit 13 increases the rotation amount of the upstream transport roller 45a from the predetermined value according to the difference between the detected tension and the target tension. In step S15, the controller unit 13 rotates the downstream transport motor 412 by a predetermined value, and ends the current transport process. After that, the image forming apparatus 1 prints on the fabric 7, and then intermittently performs the above transport again.

[0052] The CPU 21 detects the state of the cloth 7, calculates and determines the amount of correction, and controls the upstream transport roller 45a and the downstream transport motor 412 based on the flowchart in Fig. 7. The image forming apparatus 1 controls the amount of rotation of the pair of upstream transport rollers 45a that sandwich the carriage 6 (printing unit) and the downstream transport motor 412. This allows the CPU 21 to feed back an appropriate amount of correction and control the transport of the cloth 7. This can be expected to have a direct correction effect on the print result, prevent a decrease in print quality, and maintain a stable transport state. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 1. Image forming device 11 Cloth condition detection unit 12 Correction amount calculation section 13 Controller section 2 Correction Controller 21 CPU 22 RAM 23 ROM 24 Memory section 241 Printing Program 242 Compensation Control Program 3. Interface 4. Conveyor section (conveyor mechanism) 411 Upstream conveying motor 412 Downstream conveying motor 44 Guide roller 45a Upstream conveying roller 45b Pinch roller 46 Downstream conveying roller 47 Guide Plate 5 Scanning section 6 Carriage (printing part) 61 Fabric detection sensor (Fabric condition sensor) 613 Detection Area 62 Inkjet head (printing section) 7 cloth 71 Weft 72 Warp threads

Claims

1. A printing unit for printing on the cloth; a cloth condition sensor for detecting the stretching state of the cloth at a plurality of points in the cloth width direction; a scanning unit that scans the printing unit and the cloth condition sensor over the entire area in the cloth width direction; a conveying mechanism that grasps the cloth immediately before and immediately after the cloth state sensor and conveys the cloth intermittently; a controller unit that determines a feed amount of the cloth from data of a plurality of points of the cloth detected by the cloth condition sensor and controls the feed mechanism based on the determined feed amount; The printing unit and the cloth condition sensor are provided on the carriage. Image forming device.

2. A printing unit for printing on the cloth; a cloth condition sensor that detects the stretching state of the cloth and is disposed at a plurality of positions in the cloth width direction; a scanning unit that scans the printing unit and the cloth condition sensor over the entire area in the cloth width direction; a conveying mechanism that grasps the cloth immediately before and immediately after the cloth state sensor and conveys the cloth intermittently; a controller unit that determines a feed amount of the cloth from data of a plurality of points of the cloth detected by the cloth condition sensor and controls the feed mechanism based on the determined feed amount; An image forming apparatus comprising:

3. A printing unit for printing on the cloth; a cloth condition sensor for detecting the stretching state of the cloth at a plurality of points in the cloth width direction; a scanning unit that scans the printing unit and the cloth condition sensor over the entire area in the cloth width direction; a conveying mechanism that grasps the cloth immediately before and immediately after the cloth state sensor and conveys the cloth; a controller unit that counts a change in the number of wefts based on the stretch state of the cloth at a plurality of points detected by the cloth state sensor and determines a conveyance amount of the cloth based on the count result; An image forming apparatus comprising:

4. A printing unit for printing on the cloth; A cloth condition sensor that captures an image of the surface of the cloth; a conveying mechanism for gripping the cloth between an upstream conveying roller disposed immediately before the cloth state sensor and a downstream conveying roller disposed immediately after the printing unit and conveying the cloth; a controller unit that counts the number of wefts of the cloth included in the captured image captured by the cloth condition sensor and controls the conveying mechanism so that the counted number of wefts becomes a predetermined value; An image forming apparatus comprising:

5. a scanning unit that scans the printing unit and the cloth condition sensor over an entire area in a cloth width direction, The conveying mechanism conveys the cloth intermittently. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 .

6. A printing unit for printing on the cloth; a cloth condition sensor for detecting the stretching state of the cloth at a plurality of points in the cloth width direction; a scanning unit that scans the printing unit and the cloth condition sensor over the entire area in the cloth width direction; a conveying mechanism that grasps the cloth immediately before and immediately after the cloth state sensor and conveys the cloth intermittently; a controller unit that determines a feed amount of the cloth from data of a plurality of points of the cloth detected by the cloth condition sensor and controls the feed mechanism based on the determined feed amount. Image forming device.

7. A printing unit for printing on the cloth; a cloth condition sensor provided upstream of the printing unit and configured to detect a stretching state of the cloth; a conveying mechanism for gripping the cloth between an upstream conveying roller disposed immediately before the cloth state sensor and a downstream conveying roller disposed immediately after the printing unit, and for intermittently conveying the cloth; a controller unit that controls the downstream transport roller to transport the cloth by a printing width of the printing unit, and controls the upstream transport roller to set the tension of the cloth to a predetermined value based on the stretch state of the cloth detected by the cloth state sensor; An image forming apparatus comprising:

8. The transport mechanism includes a pair of transport rollers disposed opposite to each other across the printing unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 .

9. The conveying roller has a grip structure for gripping the cloth. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8.

10. A stepping motor capable of controlling the rotation amount of the conveying roller is provided. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8.

11. The fabric condition sensor is provided upstream of the printing unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 .

12. A printing unit for printing on a cloth; A cloth condition sensor that captures an image of the surface of the cloth; a conveying mechanism that grasps the cloth immediately before and immediately after the cloth state sensor and conveys the cloth; a controller unit that counts the number of wefts of the cloth included in the captured image captured by the cloth condition sensor and controls the conveying mechanism so that the counted number of wefts becomes a predetermined value; Equipped with the cloth condition sensor detects the condition of the cloth between the upstream roller immediately adjacent to the printing unit and the printing unit; Image forming device.

13. The fabric condition sensor has a light source that irradiates the fabric. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 .

14. The conveying mechanism includes a plurality of conveying rollers that grip and convey the cloth, the cloth state sensor detects a stretching state of the cloth between a pair of conveying rollers disposed at positions opposite to each other with the printing unit therebetween; the controller unit determines a next feed amount based on the stretch state of the cloth detected by the cloth state sensor. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 .

15. the cloth condition sensor detects tension on an upstream side of the printing unit in a conveying direction of the cloth. The image forming apparatus according to claim 14.

16. A motor capable of controlling the rotation amount of the conveying roller is provided. The image forming apparatus according to claim 14.

17. A printing unit for printing on the cloth; a cloth condition sensor for detecting the stretching state of the cloth at a plurality of points in the cloth width direction; a scanning unit that scans the printing unit and the cloth condition sensor over the entire area in the cloth width direction; a conveying mechanism that grasps the cloth immediately before and immediately after the cloth state sensor and conveys the cloth; A method for controlling conveyance of an image forming apparatus including a controller, comprising: a counting step of counting a change in the number of wefts based on the stretch state of the cloth at a plurality of points detected by the cloth state sensor; determining a feed amount of the cloth from the result of the counting step; A transport control method for an image forming apparatus that executes the above.

Images