Recording device

Abstract

To provide a recording device that calculates a sheet residual amount according to each paper tube diameter in the recording device that can install roll paper of different paper tube diameters by attaching an adapter to a flange.SOLUTION: The recording device includes: a flange that is internally contacted with a roll on which a sheet is wound and supports an end portion of the roll in a longitudinal direction; and a residual amount acquisition unit that acquires a sheet residual amount of the roll supported by the flange. The flange further has an adapter engaging unit that is internally contacted with the roll and can engage with an adapter for supporting the roll. The recording device further includes an adapter detecting unit that detects the adapter being attached to the flange. The residual amount acquisition unit acquires the sheet residual amount based on detection information detected by the adapter detecting unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 15

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a recording apparatus that performs recording on a sheet that is drawn out from a roll around which a continuous sheet is wound. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, methods have been disclosed for detecting the remaining amount of sheets on a roll in which the sheet is wound around a cardboard core while the roll is attached to a recording device. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration that includes a detection guide that swings and displaces in a contact direction as the remaining amount of sheets decreases, and by setting a common reference point for grasping the swing position of the detection guide, it is possible to detect the remaining amount of sheets on any roll with a different cardboard core diameter. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-57435 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the method of Patent Document 1 requires the addition of many mechanical components, such as slidably displaceable detection guides, and also requires high assembly precision, which makes manufacturing difficult and increases product costs.Furthermore, in order to be able to attach rolls of different paper tube diameters, flange members corresponding to each paper tube diameter are required, which not only increases product costs but also reduces usability because the flange members cannot be easily replaced.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a recording device that can install roll paper of different paper tube diameters by attaching an adapter to the flange, and that calculates the remaining sheet amount according to each paper tube diameter. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, a recording device according to the present invention comprises: The roll on which the sheet is wound Lu's a flange for supporting an end portion in the longitudinal direction; an engaging portion provided on the flange and adapted to engage with an adapter for supporting the roll by being inscribed on the roll; an adapter detection unit that detects that the adapter is attached to the flange; a remaining amount acquiring unit that acquires the remaining amount of sheets on the roll supported by the flange; a recording device for recording an image on a sheet supplied from a roll, And, the adapter detection unit includes a conductor terminal that contacts a conductor terminal portion of the adapter provided on the flange, and a detection circuit that detects whether the conductor terminal is in contact with the conductor terminal portion; The remaining amount obtaining unit obtains the remaining amount of sheets based on detection information detected by the adapter detection unit. In order to solve the above problems, a recording apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a flange for supporting an end portion in the longitudinal direction of the roll on which the sheet is wound; an engaging portion provided on the flange and adapted to engage with an adapter for supporting the roll by being inscribed on the roll; an adapter detection unit that detects that the adapter is attached to the flange; a remaining amount acquiring unit that acquires the remaining amount of sheets on the roll supported by the flange; A recording apparatus for recording an image on a sheet supplied from a roll, comprising: the engaging portion is a hole penetrating in the longitudinal direction, and an engaged portion provided on the adapter is inserted therethrough; The adapter detection unit is a photoelectric sensor having a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit, The photoelectric sensor receives, at the light receiving unit, reflected light of light projected from the light projecting unit toward the hole, The remaining amount obtaining unit obtains the remaining amount of sheets based on detection information obtained by reflected light received by the photoelectric sensor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a recording device that can accommodate roll paper of different paper tube diameters by attaching an adapter to a flange, and that calculates the remaining amount of sheets according to each paper tube diameter. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a recording apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a sheet conveying path according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3]3 is a cross-sectional view showing how large-diameter roll paper is supported according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4] 3 is a cross-sectional view showing how small-diameter roll paper is supported according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a control system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of roll paper according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a flange and a spool according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a flange and peripheral members according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the adapter according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a roll paper support mechanism according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a paper tube diameter detection sensor according to the first embodiment. [Figure 12] 5A to 5C are diagrams illustrating a detection operation of an outer detection sensor according to the first embodiment. [Figure 13] 5A to 5C are diagrams illustrating a detection operation of the inner detection sensor according to the first embodiment. [Figure 14] 1 is a block diagram of a sheet remaining amount detection system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 15] 4 is a flowchart of the sheet remaining amount detection system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a plan view of an adapter according to a second embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating the installation of a roll paper support mechanism according to a second embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a sheet remaining amount detection system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 19] 10 is a flowchart of a sheet remaining amount detection system according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, a detailed description will be given of an embodiment of the present invention. Note that the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative positions of the components described in the embodiment may be changed as appropriate depending on the configuration of the device to which the invention is applied and various conditions. In other words, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment.

[0010] First Embodiment A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 15. In this embodiment, a serial inkjet recording apparatus will be described as an example, in which a recording head that ejects ink onto an intermittently transported recording medium is moved back and forth in a direction intersecting the recording medium transport direction to perform recording. However, the recording apparatus to which the present invention is applied is not limited to serial inkjet recording apparatuses, and the present invention can also be applied to line inkjet recording apparatuses that perform continuous printing using long printheads. In this specification, "ink" is used as a general term for liquids such as recording liquid.

[0011] 1 to 5 are diagrams illustrating the basic configuration of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment. The inkjet recording apparatus of this embodiment is composed of a sheet transport device that pulls out and transports a sheet as a recording medium from a roll on which the sheet is wound, and a recording head that records an image on the sheet. In the description of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the longitudinal direction of roll paper (roll) 400 is defined as the X-axis direction, the direction in which sheet 401 is discharged from recording apparatus 300 as the Y-axis direction, and the direction of gravity as the Z-axis direction.

[0012] The following describes FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a recording device 300, which is an inkjet recording device used in this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the recording device 300 can be loaded with roll paper 400, which is a long sheet wound in a roll, on both the top and bottom of the recording device 300 as a recording medium. Recording operations such as printing are performed on a sheet 401 selectively pulled out from the roll paper 400. The user can perform operations such as various print settings using the operation section of a user interface 320 (hereinafter referred to as UI).

[0013] 2. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the recording device 300. 3 shows the transport path of the sheet 401 from the roll paper 400 to the recording unit 360. The sheet 401 is pulled out from the roll paper 400 and transported to the recording unit 360 by the sheet transport mechanism 350. The recording unit 360 prints on the sheet 401 by ejecting ink from an inkjet recording head. The ejection means of the recording head may be a heating method using a heater or a piezoelectric method using a piezo element. Note that, in applying the present invention, the ejection from the recording head may be by means other than inkjet, and any form such as serial scan or full line may be used. In the case of serial scan, printing is performed by transporting the sheet 401 and scanning the recording head in a direction intersecting the transport direction. In the case of full line, a long recording head extending in a direction intersecting the transport direction of the sheet 401 is used, and printing is performed while the sheet 401 is continuously transported.

[0014] The roll paper 400 is attached to the roll paper support mechanism with the spool 530 inserted, and the spool 530 is driven forward (direction C1) or reverse (direction C2) by the roll paper drive motor. As the spool 530 rotates, the sheet 401 is pulled out from the roll paper 400 and transported by the sheet transport mechanism 350. The sheet transport mechanism 350 includes a drive unit 354, an arm unit 355, an arm rotation shaft 356, a sensor unit 307, a swinging member 357, a first driven rotor 358, a second driven rotor 359, a separation flapper 341, and a flapper rotation shaft 342.

[0015] The conveyance guide 351 guides both sides of the sheet 401 drawn from the sheet supply unit 370 and leads it to the recording unit 360. The conveyance roller 352 is provided upstream of the recording unit 360 in the conveyance direction of the sheet 401, and is rotated forward and backward in the direction D1 or D2 by a conveyance roller drive motor 305. The nip roller 353 is provided opposite the conveyance roller 352 so as to sandwich the sheet 401 between them, and is rotated in response to the rotation of the conveyance roller 352. The nip force adjustment motor 308 can adjust the nip force and move the nip roller 353 toward and away from the conveyance roller 352. The conveyance speed of the sheet 401 by the conveyance roller 352 is set higher than the pull-out speed of the sheet 401 due to the rotation of the roll paper 400, allowing the sheet 401 to be conveyed while maintaining tension. In addition, a sheet detection sensor 302 is provided upstream of the conveyance roller 352 in the conveyance direction to detect the passage of the sheet 401.

[0016] A platen 343 of the recording unit 360 regulates the position of the sheet 401, and a cutter 304 located downstream of the recording unit 360 in the transport direction cuts the printed sheet 401. A cover 344 located around the roll paper 400 prevents the printed sheet 401 from returning to the sheet supply unit 370. The platen 343 has an adsorption means that uses negative pressure or electrostatic force, and by adsorbing the sheet 401 onto the platen, it provides stable support during printing. The above operations in the recording device are controlled by the CPU.

[0017] 3(a) and 3(b) will be described. FIG. 3(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the sheet supply unit 370, and FIG. 3(b) is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the swinging member 357 and peripheral components provided in the sheet supply unit 370. FIG. 3(a) shows a state in which roll paper 400 with a relatively large outer diameter is attached. The conveyance guide 351 has an arm unit 355 attached so that it can rotate in the A1 direction or the A2 direction by an arm rotation shaft 356. A guide unit 355b is formed on the upper part of the arm unit 355 to guide the underside of the sheet 401 pulled out from the roll paper 400, and a torsion coil spring 354c is interposed between the arm unit 355 and the rotating cam 354a of the drive unit 354 to press the arm unit 355 in the A1 direction. The rotating cam 354a is rotated around a rotation shaft 354b by a pressing force adjustment motor, and the force with which the torsion coil spring 354c presses the arm portion 355 in the A1 direction changes depending on the rotation position. When the leading end of the sheet 401 is set into the sheet supply path through the gap between the arm portion 355 and the separation flapper 341, the pressing force of the torsion coil spring 354c on the arm portion 355 can be switched between three levels (weak nip, strong nip, and pressure release).

[0018] A swinging member 357 is swingably attached to the arm 355, and a first driven rotor 358 and a second driven rotor 359 are rotatably attached to the swinging member 357, positioned offset in the circumferential direction of the paper roll 400. The first driven rotor 358 and the second driven rotor 359 move according to the outer diameter of the paper roll 400, and the pressure applied to the arm 355 in the A1 direction presses the outer periphery of the paper roll 400 from below in the direction of gravity (Z direction). In other words, the first driven rotor 358 and the second driven rotor 359 press against the outer periphery of the paper roll 400 from below in the direction of gravity below the horizontal center axis of the paper roll 400. The pressure changes depending on the pressure pressing the arm 355 in the A direction.

[0019] In this embodiment, a plurality of arm portions 355 to which swinging members 357 are attached are installed at different positions in the X-axis direction. The swinging members 357 are provided with a bearing portion 357a and a shaft fastening portion 357b shown in Fig. 3(b), and the rotation shaft 355a of the arm portion 355 is received with a predetermined play.

[0020] Bearing 357a is located at the center of gravity of swinging member 357 and is supported by rotating shaft 355a so that swinging member 357 maintains a stable position in the X-, Y-, and Z-axis directions. Because rotating shaft 355a is received with some play, the pressing force in the A1 direction against arm 355 displaces swinging member 357 so that it follows the outer periphery of rolled paper 400 at any position in the X-axis direction. This configuration allows the first driven rotor 358 and second driven rotor 359 to change their pressing positions against rolled paper 400. This keeps the contact area between sheet 401 and first driven rotor 358 and second driven rotor 359 at a constant maximum, and equalizes the pressing force on sheet 401, thereby reducing variations in the conveying force of sheet 401. The first driven rotor 358 and the second driven rotor 359 press against the outer periphery of the roll paper 400, thereby preventing the sheet 401 from becoming loose and increasing the conveying force.

[0021] In the recording device 300, a separation flapper 341 is mounted above the arm 355 so that it can rotate in the B1 or B2 direction around a flapper rotation shaft 342. The separation flapper 341 is configured to abut against the outer surface of the roll paper 400 using its own weight and apply a strong pressure. To apply even stronger pressure to the roll paper 400, a spring or other biasing member may be used. A rotatable driven roller 341a is provided at the contact point of the separation flapper 341 with the roll paper 400 to prevent the roll paper 400 from being pressed excessively by the pressure. Additionally, a separation section 341b is formed at the tip of the separation flapper 341 facing the roll paper 400, positioned as close as possible to the surface of the roll paper 400 to make it easier to separate the leading edge of the sheet 401 from the roll paper 400. The roll paper 400 passes over the first driven rotor 358 and the second driven rotor 359, and the sheet 401 pulled out from the roll paper 400 is guided by the guide portion 355b of the arm portion 355. The sheet 401 is then supplied through the supply path formed between the underside 341c of the separation flapper 341 and the arm portion 355. In this way, the first driven rotor 358 and the second driven rotor 359 are pressed against the outer periphery of the roll paper 400 from below, and the underside of the sheet 401 pulled out over the first driven rotor 358 and the second driven rotor 359 is guided by the guide portion 355b. This allows the sheet 401 to be supplied smoothly using its own weight. Furthermore, the first driven rotor 358, the second driven rotor 359 and the guide portion 355b move in accordance with the outer diameter of the roll paper 400, so that the sheet 401 can be reliably pulled out and transported from the roll paper 400 even if the outer diameter of the roll paper 400 changes.

[0022] The recording device 300 has an automatic recording paper loading function. In automatic loading, when the user sets unused roll paper 400 in the device, the leading edge of the recording paper is detected while the roll paper 400 is rotated in the opposite direction to that used for sheet supply (direction C2 in FIG. 3(a), hereafter referred to as the reverse direction). Next, the leading edge of the recording paper is detected while the roll paper 400 is rotated in the opposite direction to that used for sheet supply (direction C1 in FIG. 3(a)). The roll paper 400 is rotated in the forward direction (hereafter referred to as the forward direction), and the leading edge of the sheet separated from the roll paper 400 is automatically fed out.

[0023] The sensor unit 307 is a unit that includes a leading edge detection sensor that detects when the leading edge of the sheet 401 peels off from the outer circumferential surface of the roll paper 400 (sheet separation). The leading edge of the sheet 401 detected by the sensor unit 307 is automatically inserted into the sheet supply path between the arm unit 355 and the separation flapper 341, and the sheet 401 is fed out.

[0024] Furthermore, the recording apparatus of this example is equipped with two sheet supply units 370, one above the other, and can switch from a state in which one sheet supply unit 370 supplies the sheet 401 to a state in which the other sheet supply unit 370 supplies the sheet 401. In this case, one sheet supply unit 370 rewinds the sheet 401 that it had been supplying onto the roll paper 400. The leading edge of the sheet 401 is retracted to a position where it can be detected by the sensor unit 307.

[0025] Now, let's consider Figure 4. Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the sheet supply unit 370, showing the state in which a paper roll 400 with a relatively small outer diameter is installed. Because the arm unit 355 is constantly pressed in the A1 direction by the torsion coil spring 354c, it rotates in the A1 direction as the outer diameter of the paper roll 400 decreases. Furthermore, by rotating the rotating cam 354a in response to changes in the outer diameter of the paper roll 400, the pressing force of the torsion coil spring 354c on the arm unit 355 can be maintained within a predetermined range, even if the outer diameter of the paper roll 400 changes. Furthermore, because the separation flapper 341 is constantly pressed in the B1 direction, it rotates in the B1 direction as the outer diameter of the paper roll 400 decreases. As a result, the separation flapper 341 forms a supply path between itself and the conveyance guide 351, even when the outer diameter of the paper roll 400 decreases, and its lower surface 341c guides the upper surface of the sheet 401. In this way, the arm portion 355 and the separation flapper 341 rotate in response to changes in the outer diameter of the roll paper 400, so that a supply path of approximately constant size is formed between them even if the outer diameter of the roll paper 400 changes.

[0026] This will be explained with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control system in the recording apparatus 300. A CPU 310 of the recording apparatus 300 controls each part of the recording apparatus, including a sheet supply unit 370, a sheet transport mechanism 350, and a recording unit 360, in accordance with a control program stored in a ROM 311.

[0027] The type, width, and other setting information of the sheet 401 are input to the CPU 310 by a UI (user interface) 320 via an input / output interface 313. The CPU 310 is also connected to various external devices 330, including host devices such as personal computers, via an external interface 314, and exchanges information such as print data with the external devices 330. The CPU 310 also writes and reads information related to the sheet 401 to and from a RAM 312.

[0028] The roll paper drive motor 309 is a motor for rotating the roll paper 400 forward and reverse via the spool 530, and constitutes a drive mechanism capable of rotating the roll paper 400. The pressing force adjustment motor 315 is a motor for rotating a rotating cam to adjust the pressing force on the arm portion 355, and the transport roller drive motor 305 is a motor for rotating the transport roller forward and reverse. The roll paper detection sensor 306 is a sensor that detects the roll paper 400 when it is set in the sheet supply unit 370. The roll paper rotation amount detection sensor 303 is a sensor for detecting the amount of rotation of the roll paper 400.

[0029] In the recording device 300, the UI 320 notifies the user of the status and accepts operations from the user. The UI 320 includes an input device 321 such as a display or LED, and a touch panel. and a display device 322 including controls and keys. In this embodiment, the user must set the sheet type of the loaded roll paper 400, and manually selects the appropriate sheet type from the list of sheet types displayed after switching to the setting screen on the UI 320.

[0030] The method for detecting the remaining amount of sheets, which is the subject of this embodiment, will now be described. First, the roll paper support mechanism and its components will be described.

[0031] The following will be explained with reference to Figure 6. Figure 6 is a perspective view of roll paper 400. As shown in Figure 6, roll paper 400 is configured in such a way that a sheet 401 is wound around a cylindrical paper tube 402.

[0032] Now, let's look at Figure 7. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing the support mechanism for the paper roll 400. The support mechanism is composed of a flange 500 and a spool 530. Both axial ends of the paper roll 400 are supported by the flange 500, and the spool 530 passes through the inside of the cardboard tube 402 in the axial direction of the flange 500, allowing the paper roll 400 to rotate freely. Note that a configuration in which the flange 500 has a rotating shaft without the spool 530 is also possible. The flange 500 also has a cardboard tube attachment part 501 that corresponds to the inner diameter of the cardboard tube 402 as an attachment part for supporting the paper roll 400. In order to attach the paper roll 400 directly to the cardboard tube attachment part 501, the inner diameter of the cardboard tube 402 must be within an applicable range; if the inner diameter of the cardboard tube 402 is too large or too small, the paper roll 400 cannot be attached to the cardboard tube attachment part 501.

[0033] 8(a) to 8(d) will be explained. Fig. 8(a) is a perspective view showing the flange 500 alone, and Fig. 8(b) is a perspective view showing the spool 530 attached to the flange 500. Fig. 8(c) is a perspective view showing the small adapter 510 attached to the flange 500, and Fig. 8(d) is a perspective view showing the large adapter 520 attached to the flange 500. If the inner diameter of the cardboard tube 402 is within the compatible range of the cardboard tube attachment part 501, the cardboard tube attachment parts 501 of the flange 500 provided at both ends of the axial direction of the roll paper 400 will be in contact with the cardboard tube 402 to support the roll paper 400. On the other hand, if the inner diameter of the cardboard tube 402 is outside the compatible range of the cardboard tube attachment part 501, attaching an adapter to the flange 500 to enable attachment of the roll paper 400 will make it possible to attach a roll paper 400 with a different cardboard tube diameter.

[0034] In this embodiment, the flange 500 can engage with two types of adapters, a small adapter 510 and a large adapter 520, and the recording device 300 can accommodate roughly three types of inner diameters of the cardboard tube 402. The small adapter 510 is a member that inscribes and supports a second roll having a larger inner diameter than the first roll that is inscribed by the cardboard tube attachment portion 501 of the flange 500. The large adapter 520 is a member that inscribes and supports a third roll having a larger inner diameter than the second roll. The flange 500 has, as engaging portions, an inner mounting hole (first engaging portion) 502 for attaching the small adapter 510 and an outer mounting hole (second engaging portion) 503 for attaching the large adapter 520. The small adapter 510 has a small adapter fixing portion 511 and the large adapter 520 has a large adapter fixing portion 521 as engaged portions that can be inserted into the engaging portions of the flange 500. When the small adapter 510 is attached to the flange 500, the small adapter fixing portion 511 is inserted into the inner mounting hole 502, and when the large adapter 520 is attached, the large adapter fixing portion 521 is inserted into the outer mounting hole 503.

[0035] 9(a) and (b) will be explained. Fig. 9(a) is an external view of the small adapter 510, and Fig. 9(b) is an external view of the large adapter 520. If the inner diameter of the cardboard tube 402 is outside the range of application of the cardboard tube attachment part 501, the roll paper 400 is attached to the flange 500 via the small adapter 510 or large adapter 520 that corresponds to the inner diameter of the cardboard tube 402. When attaching the adapter to the flange 500, the small adapter fixing part 511 of the small adapter 510 is inserted into the inner attachment hole 502, and the large adapter fixing part 521 of the large adapter 520 is moved to the outer attachment hole 503. The tip of the small adapter fixing part 511 of the small adapter 510 is bent, When the small adapter 510 is attached to the flange 500, the small adapter 510 is fixed at a position where the tip of the small adapter fixing part 511 has passed through the inner mounting hole 502. This engagement between the small adapter fixing part 511 and the inner mounting hole 502 prevents the small adapter 510 from unintentionally coming off the flange 500. The tip of the large adapter fixing part 521 of the large adapter 520 is similarly bent, preventing the large adapter 520 from coming off the flange 500.

[0036] Next, we will explain Figures 10(a) to 10(c). Figures 10(a) to 10(c) are schematic diagrams showing the roll paper 400 loaded into the roll paper support mechanism of the recording device 300, with the roll paper 400 shown semi-transparently. Figure 10(a) shows the roll paper 400 attached directly to the cardboard core attachment part 501 of the flange 500. Figure 10(b) shows the roll paper 400 attached directly to the cardboard core attachment part 501 of the flange 500 via a small adapter 510. Figure 10(c) shows the roll paper 400 attached directly to the cardboard core attachment part 501 of the flange 500 via a large adapter 520. The flange 500, onto which the roll paper 400 is attached, is supported by the roll paper support part 301. The roll paper support section 301 is equipped with an inner detection sensor 220 that detects the presence or absence of the small adapter fixing section 511 in the inner mounting hole 502, and an outer detection sensor 230 that detects the presence or absence of the large adapter fixing section 521 in the outer mounting hole 503. These sensors are used to detect whether an adapter is attached to the flange 500, and if so, whether the small adapter 510 or the large adapter 520 is attached.

[0037] An explanation will be given with reference to Figure 11. Figure 11 is a perspective view of the inner detection sensor 220 and outer detection sensor 230 mounted as the paper core detection sensor. The paper core detection sensor is a distance setting type photoelectric sensor equipped with a light projecting unit 222 and a light receiving unit 221. By receiving the reflected light of light projected by the light projecting unit 222 with the light receiving unit 221, it is possible to detect the distance between the light projecting unit 222 and the location where the light is reflected.

[0038] Next, we will explain in detail how the inner detection sensor 220 and outer detection sensor 230 detect the paper core diameter of the roll paper 400. In this embodiment, the paper core diameter of the roll paper 400 attached to the flange 500 is detected by detecting whether or not an adapter is attached to the flange 500, and if so, by detecting the type of adapter.

[0039] 12(a) to 12(c) will be described. Figures 12(a) to 12(c) are diagrams showing the cardboard tube diameter detection unit, with arrows indicating the state of light projected from and reflected by the outer detection sensor 230. Figure 12(a) shows the case where a large adapter 520 is attached to the flange 500, Figure 12(b) shows the case where a small adapter 510 is attached to the flange 500, and Figure 12(c) shows the case where no adapter is attached to the flange 500. The light-projecting unit 222 of the outer detection sensor 230 includes a light-projecting LED 223 and a light-projecting lens 224, and the light-receiving unit 221 includes a light-receiving element 225 and a light-receiving lens 226. A two-segment photodiode is used for the light-receiving element 225, and the reflected light forms an image at the boundary between N and F if the position at which it reflects the light of the light-projecting LED 223 is the same as a preset distance, on the N side if it is closer than the preset distance, and on the F side if it is farther than the preset distance. The light receiving element 225 determines the position where the light from the light projecting LED 223 is reflected by calculating the difference in the amount of light received on the N side and the F side. The outer detection sensor 230 has the tip of the large adapter fixing part 521 as a set distance, and when the large adapter 520 is attached to the flange 500 as shown in FIG. 12(a), the reflected light forms an image at the boundary between N and F of the light receiving element 225. On the other hand, when the small adapter 510 is attached to the flange 500 as shown in FIG. 12(b), or when no adapter is attached to the flange 500 as shown in FIG. 12(c), the light from the light projecting LED 223 passes through the outer mounting hole 503 and is reflected by the side of the roll paper 400. Therefore, the position where the light is reflected is farther away than the set distance, and the reflected light forms an image on the F side of the light receiving element 225. Note that the outer mounting hole 503 is not a set distance from the light projecting element 225. The hole is formed to be large enough so as not to block the reflected light of the LED 223 from reaching the light receiving element 225. Therefore, the difference in the amount of light received on the N side and the F side of the light receiving element 225 of the outer detection sensor 230 changes depending on whether or not the large adapter 520 is present, so the outer detection sensor 230 can detect the inner diameter of the cardboard tube 402.

[0040] 13(a) to 13(c) will be explained. Figures 13(a) to 13(c) are diagrams showing the cardboard tube diameter detection unit, and show how light emitted from the inner detection sensor 220 is reflected. Figure 13(a) shows the case when a large adapter 520 is attached to the flange 500, Figure 13(b) shows the case when a small adapter 510 is attached to the flange 500, and Figure 13(c) shows the case when no adapter is attached to the flange 500. The structure and operating principle of the inner detection sensor 220 are the same as those of the outer detection sensor 230. The inner detection sensor 220 sets the tip of the small adapter fixing part 511 as a set distance, and when the small adapter 510 is attached to the flange 500 as shown in Figure 13(b), the reflected light forms an image at the boundary between N and F of the light receiving element 225. On the other hand, when the large adapter 520 is attached to the flange 500 as shown in Figure 13(a) or when no adapter is attached to the flange 500 as shown in Figure 13(c), the light from the light-projecting LED 223 passes through the inner mounting hole 502 and is reflected by the side of the roll paper 400. Therefore, the position where the light is reflected is farther than the set distance, and the reflected light forms an image on the F side of the light-receiving element 225. Note that the inner mounting hole 502 is formed with a size large enough so as not to block the reflected light from the light-projecting LED 223 from reaching the light-receiving element 225. Therefore, the presence or absence of the small adapter 510 changes the difference in the amount of light received between the N side and the F side of the light-receiving element 225 of the inner detection sensor 220, so the inner detection sensor 220 can detect the inner diameter of the paper tube 402.

[0041] Next, we will explain in detail the internal configuration of the sheet remaining amount detection system 200, which is part of the control system in this embodiment shown in Figure 5. The sheet remaining amount detection system 200 calculates the remaining amount of sheets in the roll paper 400 from detection information about the paper tube diameter detected by the inner detection sensor 220 and outer detection sensor 230 described above.

[0042] Next, we will explain with reference to Figure 14. Figure 14 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a sheet remaining amount detection system 200 that functions as a remaining amount acquisition unit that acquires the remaining sheet amount of roll paper 400. The sheet remaining amount detection system 200 includes a paper tube diameter detection unit 210 that detects the paper tube diameter of the roll paper 400 as detection information, a transport amount table storage unit 202 that stores transport amount tables corresponding to the paper tube diameters, and a transport detection unit 204 that detects whether the sheet 401 is being transported. The sheet remaining amount detection system 200 further includes a transport amount calculation unit (transport amount acquisition unit) 203 that calculates the transport amount of the sheet 401, and a remaining amount calculation unit (remaining amount acquisition unit) 201 that calculates the remaining sheet amount from the calculation result of the transport amount calculation unit 203. The transport amount calculation unit 203 calculates the transport amount of the sheet 401 from the transport amount table read out from the transport amount table storage unit 202 and the detection result of the transport detection unit 204. The cardboard tube diameter detection unit 210 includes an inner detection sensor 220 that detects the presence or absence of a small adapter fixing portion and an outer detection sensor 230 that detects the presence or absence of a large adapter fixing portion.

[0043] In addition, assuming that a new roll of paper is used, then replaced with another roll of paper, and then replaced with the roll of paper that was in use, the serial number of the roll of paper can be entered from the UI and stored in memory to calculate the transport amount.

[0044] The following will be explained with reference to Fig. 15. Fig. 15 is a flowchart of the remaining sheet amount detection operation in this embodiment. As a premise, the CPU of the recording apparatus is normally activated, and the various actuators and sensors controlled by the CPU are in an operating state or in an operation standby state.

[0045] In the remaining sheet amount detection operation, first, the roll paper detection sensor 306 detects whether the roll paper 400 is set in the sheet supply unit 370, and if it detects that it is not set correctly (NO in S100), it waits until it transitions to a normal state. If this is detected (YES in S100), the roll paper drive motor 309 transports the roll paper 400 back and forth by one revolution (S101).

[0046] Thereafter, the inner detection sensor 220 and the outer detection sensor 230 check the status of the inner mounting hole 502 and the outer mounting hole 503, respectively. First, the outer detection sensor 230 detects whether the large adapter fixing portion 521 is attached to the outer mounting hole 503 [S104]. If the presence of the large adapter fixing portion 521 is detected [YES in S104], and if the inner detection sensor 220 detects the presence of the small adapter fixing portion 511 in the inner mounting hole 502 [YES in S105], a notification that there is an abnormality in the adapter detection sensor is sent via the UI [S120]. Furthermore, the UI notifies the user to contact product support [S122], and the process ends abnormally. On the other hand, if the inner detection sensor 220 detects the absence of the small adapter fixing portion 511 in the inner mounting hole 502 [NO in S105], the CPU 310 determines that the paper tube diameter is large [S106], and the target sheet type for the large paper tube diameter is displayed on the UI [S107].

[0047] If it is detected that the large adapter fixing portion 521 is not present [NO in S104], and if the inner mounting hole 502 detection sensor detects that the small adapter fixing portion 511 is present in the inner mounting hole 502 [YES in S108], the CPU 310 determines that the paper tube diameter is medium [S109]. The target sheet type for the medium paper tube diameter is then displayed on the UI [S110]. On the other hand, if it is detected that the small adapter fixing portion 511 is not present in the inner mounting hole 502 [NO in S108], the CPU 310 determines that the paper tube diameter is small [S111], and the target sheet type for the small paper tube diameter is displayed on the UI [S112]. In other words, if the adapter detection sensor detects that an adapter is not attached, the CPU 310 determines the paper tube diameter of the roll paper 400 according to mounting portion information such as the diameter of the paper tube mounting portion 501 of the flange 500.

[0048] When the user selects and inputs a sheet type from the selectable sheet types displayed on the UI according to each paper tube diameter [S113], the transport distance table corresponding to the selected sheet type is called from the transport distance table storage unit 202 [S114]. Then, the sheet transport mechanism 350 starts transporting the sheet 401 [S115]. If the transport detection unit 204 does not detect transport [NO in S117], it is determined that an abnormality exists in the transport detection unit 204, and a notification of the abnormality in transport is sent via the UI [S121]. Furthermore, the UI notifies the user to contact product support [S122], and the process ends abnormally. On the other hand, if the transport detection unit 204 detects transport [YES in S117], the transport distance calculation unit 203 calculates the transport distance [S118], the remaining amount calculation unit 201 calculates the remaining sheet amount [S119], and the process ends normally.

[0049] According to the above configuration, roll paper of different paper tube diameters can be attached to the flange simply by detaching or replacing the adapter, and by detecting the paper tube diameter via the adapter detection unit, it is possible to calculate the remaining sheet amount according to each paper tube diameter.

[0050] <Second embodiment> A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 16 to 19. Note that the basic configuration of the inkjet recording device, the outline of the roll paper, the roll paper support mechanism, the outline of the flange, etc. shown in Figures 1 to 8 are the same as those in the first embodiment described above, so the same reference numerals are used and their description will be omitted. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the method of detecting the adapter.

[0051] 16 and 17, we will first explain the specific configuration for detecting the paper tube diameter of the roll paper 400 in the second embodiment. In this embodiment, the flange 500 can be engaged with two types of adapters: a small adapter 540 and a large adapter 550, and the recording device can accommodate roughly three types of paper tube 402 inner diameters.

[0052] 16(a) and (b) will be described. Fig. 16(a) shows a small adapter according to this embodiment. 16(a) is an external view of the small adapter 540, and FIG. 16(b) is an external view of the large adapter 550. The small adapter 540 is a member that inscribes and supports the second roll, which has a larger inner diameter than the first roll that the cardboard tube attachment part 501 of the flange 500 inscribes. The large adapter 550 is a member that inscribes and supports the third roll, which has a larger inner diameter than the second roll. If the inner diameter of the cardboard tube 402 is outside the applicable range of the cardboard tube attachment part 501, the roll paper 400 is attached to the flange 500 via the small adapter 540 or large adapter 550 that corresponds to the inner diameter of the cardboard tube 402. The small adapter 540 has a small adapter fixing part 541, and the large adapter 550 has a large adapter fixing part 551, as engaged parts that can be inserted into the engaging part of the flange 500. When the small adapter 540 is attached to the flange 500, the small adapter fixing portion 541 is inserted into the inner mounting hole 502, and when the large adapter 550 is attached, the large adapter fixing portion 551 is inserted into the outer mounting hole 503.

[0053] The small adapter fixing portion 541 of the small adapter 540 has a bent tip, and when the small adapter 540 is attached to the flange 500, the small adapter 540 is fixed at a position where the tip of the small adapter fixing portion 541 has passed through the inner mounting hole 502. This engagement between the small adapter fixing portion 541 and the inner mounting hole 502 prevents the small adapter 540 from unintentionally detaching from the flange 500. The tip of the large adapter fixing portion 551 of the large adapter 550 is similarly bent, preventing the large adapter 550 from detaching from the flange 500. Furthermore, both the small adapter fixing portion 541 and the large adapter fixing portion 551 are conductors, and Figures 16(a) and (b) show the adapter fixing portions that function as conductor terminal portions with hatching.

[0054] 17(a) to 17(c) will now be explained. Figures 17(a) to 17(c) are schematic diagrams showing the roll paper 400 mounted on the roll paper support mechanism of the recording device of this embodiment, with the roll paper 400 shown semi-transparently. Figure 17(a) shows the roll paper 400 attached directly to the cardboard core attachment portion 501 of the flange 500. Figure 17(b) shows the roll paper 400 attached directly to the cardboard core attachment portion 501 of the flange 500 via a small adapter 540. Figure 17(c) shows the roll paper 400 attached directly to the cardboard core attachment portion 501 of the flange 500 via a large adapter 550. Four conductive terminals 630 are mounted on the roll paper support portion 301, and the conductive terminals 630 are connected to the cardboard core diameter detection unit 610 via the detection circuit 620. Two of the conductive terminals 630 are connected to the pull-up resistor of the detection circuit 620, and the other two are connected to ground. One point connected to the pull-up resistor and the other point connected to ground are positioned so that they come into contact with the small adapter fixing part 541 when the small adapter 540 is attached to the flange 500. The other point connected to the pull-up resistor and the other point connected to ground are positioned so that they come into contact with the large adapter fixing part 551 when the large adapter 550 is attached to the flange 500. Both pull-up resistors are connected to a power supply.

[0055] When neither the small adapter 540 nor the large adapter 550 is attached as shown in Figure 17(a), in the cardboard tube diameter detection unit 610, the line detecting the small adapter 540 and the line detecting the large adapter 550 are both in an open state and are detected as a HIGH level by the CPU 310. When the small adapter 540 is attached as shown in Figure 17(b), in the cardboard tube diameter detection unit 610, the small adapter fixing part 541 and the conductor terminal 630 come into contact, so the line detecting the small adapter 540 is in a ground short state and is detected as a LOW level by the CPU 310. In addition, the line detecting the large adapter 550 is in an open state and is detected as a HIGH level by the CPU 310. When the large adapter 550 is attached as shown in Figure 17(c), in the cardboard tube diameter detection unit 610, the line detecting the small adapter 540 is in an open state and is detected as a HIGH level by the CPU 310. Furthermore, since the large adapter fixing portion 551 and the conductive terminal 630 come into contact with each other, the line for detecting the large adapter 550 is detected by the CPU 310 as being at a LOW level in a ground short state.

[0056] Next, we will explain with reference to Figure 18. Figure 18 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a sheet remaining amount detection system 600. The sheet remaining amount detection system 600 comprises a paper tube diameter detection unit 610 that detects the paper tube diameter of the roll paper 400 as detection information, a transport amount table storage unit 202 that stores transport amount tables corresponding to paper tube diameters, and a transport detection unit 204 that detects whether the sheet 401 is being transported. The sheet remaining amount detection system 600 further comprises a transport amount calculation unit 203 that calculates the transport amount of the sheet 401, and a remaining amount calculation unit 201 that calculates the remaining amount of sheet wound around the paper tube 402 from the calculation result of the transport amount calculation unit 203. The paper tube diameter detection unit 610 incorporates a detection circuit 620 that detects the presence or absence of a small adapter fixing part 541 and a large adapter fixing part 551.

[0057] The following will be explained with reference to Fig. 19. Fig. 19 is a flowchart of the remaining sheet amount detection operation in this embodiment. As a premise, the CPU of the recording apparatus is normally activated, and the various actuators and sensors controlled by the CPU are in an operating state or in an operation standby state.

[0058] In the remaining sheet amount detection operation, the roll paper detection sensor 306 first detects whether the roll paper 400 is set in the sheet supply unit 370, and if it detects that it is not set correctly [NO in S700], it waits until it transitions to a normal state. If it detects that it is set correctly [YES in S700], the roll paper drive motor 309 transports the roll paper 400 back and forth one revolution [S701].

[0059] Thereafter, the paper tube diameter detection unit 610 checks the status of the inner mounting hole 502 and the outer mounting hole 503 via the detection circuit 620 and the conductive terminal 630. First, the level on the line detecting the large adapter 550 is detected [S704]. If a low level is detected on the line detecting the large adapter 550 [YES in S704], or if a low level is detected on the line detecting the small adapter 540 [YES in S705], a notification that there is an abnormality in the adapter detection sensor is sent via the UI [S720]. Furthermore, a notification to contact product support is sent via the UI [S722], and the process ends abnormally. On the other hand, if a low level is detected on the line detecting the small adapter 540 [NO in S705], the paper tube diameter is determined to be large [S706], and the target sheet type for the large paper tube diameter is displayed on the UI [S707].

[0060] If the paper tube diameter detection unit 610 does not detect a low level on the line detecting the large adapter 550 [NO in S704], but detects a low level on the line detecting the small adapter 540 [YES in S708], it determines that the paper tube diameter is medium [S709]. Then, the target sheet type for the medium paper tube diameter is displayed on the UI [S710]. If a low level is detected on the line detecting the small adapter 540 [NO in S708], it determines that the paper tube diameter is small [S711], and the target sheet type for the small paper tube diameter is displayed on the UI [S712]. In other words, if the adapter detection line detects that no adapter is attached, the CPU 310 determines the paper tube diameter of the roll paper 400 according to attachment information such as the diameter of the paper tube attachment portion 501 of the flange 500.

[0061] When the user selects and inputs a sheet type from the selectable sheet types displayed on the UI according to each paper tube diameter [S713], the transport distance table corresponding to the selected sheet type is called from the transport distance table storage unit 202 [S714]. Then, the sheet transport mechanism 350 starts transporting the sheet 401 [S715]. If the transport detection unit 204 does not detect transport [NO in S717], it is determined that an abnormality exists in the transport detection unit 204, and a notification of the abnormality in transport is sent via the UI [S721]. Furthermore, the UI notifies the user to contact product support [S722], and the process ends abnormally. On the other hand, if the transport detection unit 204 detects transport [YES in S717], the transport distance calculation unit 203 calculates the transport distance [S718], the remaining amount calculation unit 201 calculates the remaining sheet amount [S719], and the process ends normally.

[0062] According to the above configuration, roll paper of different paper tube diameters can be attached to the flange simply by detaching or replacing the adapter, and by detecting the paper tube diameter via the adapter detection unit, it is possible to calculate the remaining sheet amount according to each paper tube diameter.

[0063] In the above-described embodiment, the configuration allows two types of adapters to be attached, but the application of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention may be applied to a configuration where only one type of adapter can be attached, and the adapter detection unit detects whether only one type of adapter is attached, detects the paper tube diameter, and calculates the remaining sheet amount. Alternatively, the present invention may be configured to allow three or more types of adapters to be attached. Furthermore, the present invention is applicable to recording devices in which various adapters are attached, not just adapters for rolls with larger paper tube diameters.

[0064] In addition, while the above-described embodiments use distance-setting photoelectric sensors and conductive terminals as adapter detection sensors, other detection methods may be used as long as they are capable of detecting the small adapter fixing portion and the large adapter fixing portion. Furthermore, while the present embodiment enables the type of adapter to be detected by changing the detection position for each adapter, the application of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which three engaging portions, such as holes, are provided on the flange, and two engaging portions are engaged when engaging with one adapter, and three engaging portions are engaged when engaging with the other adapter. With this configuration, it is possible to detect the type of adapter based on the number of engaging portions that engage with the engaged portion. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 201... remaining amount calculation unit (remaining amount acquisition unit), 210... paper tube diameter detection unit (adapter detection unit), 300... recording device, 400... roll paper (roll), 401... sheet, 500... flange

Claims

1. a flange for supporting an end portion in the longitudinal direction of the roll on which the sheet is wound; an engaging portion provided on the flange and adapted to engage with an adapter for supporting the roll by being inscribed on the roll; an adapter detection unit that detects that the adapter is attached to the flange; a remaining amount acquiring unit that acquires the remaining amount of sheets on the roll supported by the flange; A recording apparatus for recording an image on a sheet supplied from a roll, comprising: the adapter detection unit includes a conductor terminal that contacts a conductor terminal portion of the adapter provided on the flange, and a detection circuit that detects whether the conductor terminal is in contact with the conductor terminal portion; The recording apparatus is characterized in that the remaining amount acquisition unit acquires the remaining amount of sheets based on detection information detected by the adapter detection unit.

2. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flange has a mounting portion to which the roll is attached, the mounting portion being in contact with the inside of the roll.

3. 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an inner diameter of the roll in which the attachment portion is inscribed differs from an inner diameter of the roll in which the adapter is inscribed.

4. 4. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the adapter detection unit does not detect that the adapter is attached, the remaining amount acquisition unit acquires the remaining amount of sheets based on information about the attachment unit.

5. the engaging portion includes a first engaging portion engageable with a small adapter that inscribes and supports a second roll having an inner diameter larger than that of the first roll that can be attached to the attachment portion, and a second engaging portion engageable with a large adapter that inscribes and supports a third roll having an inner diameter larger than that of the second roll, 5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the adapter detection unit detects the type of the adapter when the adapter is attached to the flange. The recording device described.

6. A flange for supporting an end portion in the longitudinal direction of a roll on which a sheet is wound; an engaging portion provided on the flange and adapted to engage with an adapter for supporting the roll by being inscribed on the roll; an adapter detection unit that detects that the adapter is attached to the flange; a remaining amount acquiring unit that acquires the remaining amount of sheets on the roll supported by the flange; A recording apparatus for recording an image on a sheet supplied from a roll, comprising: the engaging portion is a hole penetrating in the longitudinal direction, and an engaged portion provided on the adapter is inserted therethrough; The adapter detection unit is a photoelectric sensor having a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit, The photoelectric sensor receives, at the light receiving unit, reflected light of light projected from the light projecting unit toward the hole, The recording apparatus is characterized in that the remaining amount obtaining unit obtains the remaining amount of sheets based on detection information obtained by reflected light received by the photoelectric sensor.

7. A user interface that indicates to a user selectable seat types based on the adapter attached to the flange, 7. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user interface changes the sheet type presented to the user based on the detection information.

8. a conveyance amount acquisition unit that acquires a conveyance amount of the sheet based on a conveyance amount table corresponding to the sheet type selected by a user; 8. The recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the remaining amount obtaining unit calculates and obtains the remaining amount of the sheet based on the transport amount.

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