Printer and method for positioning medium
The printer system uses a non-contact sensor for initial positioning followed by contact detection to achieve fast and accurate vertical alignment of media, addressing the inefficiencies of existing methods.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- ROLAND DG CORP
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-22
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-02
Smart Images
Figure JP2025044794_02072026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Printer and media positioning method
[0001] The present invention relates to a printer and a method for positioning media in a printer.
[0002] Printers capable of handling media of various thicknesses have been known for some time. Among such printers are those that can adjust the distance between the media and the recording head to a suitable distance by moving the media-holding table vertically. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an inkjet printer comprising a table that supports media, a recording head positioned above the table, a movement mechanism that moves the table vertically and in the front-back direction, a plate-shaped detection member that extends horizontally and contacts the media, a fixing member that supports the detection member so that it can swing in the front-back direction, and a sensor that detects when the detection member is tilted. In the inkjet printer disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the detection member contacts the media while the table is moving in the front-back direction, the detection member rotates. The rotation of the detection member is detected by the sensor. This allows detection that the media is at a height above the lower end of the detection member.
[0003] In the printer described in Patent Document 1, the table is raised in small increments, and each time the table is raised, it is moved forward from the rearmost position to determine whether the media is in contact with the detection member. After the media has come into contact with the detection member, the table is lowered by an even shorter distance than when it was raised, and in this state, it is again determined whether the media is in contact with the detection member. In this way, the printer described in Patent Document 1 detects the vertical position of the media with high precision. The vertical position of the media determined in this way is registered in the printer.
[0004] Further, for example, Patent Document 2 discloses a printing apparatus including a support stage on which a printing target is placed, a gantry that supports a carriage movably in a main scanning direction and moves in a sub-scanning direction, a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit that are disposed opposite to each other with the support stage interposed therebetween, and a height detection sensor provided on the gantry. According to Patent Document 2, the height detection sensor can detect the presence or absence of a printing target across the support stage in the main scanning direction, and by moving in the sub-scanning direction together with the gantry, can detect the presence or absence of a printing target over the entire area of the support stage.
[0005] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-001004 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-006541
[0006] According to the printer described in Patent Document 1, the suitable vertical position of the medium can be determined with high accuracy. However, the positioning of the medium by the printer described in Patent Document 1 involves the up-and-down movement of the finely divided table as described above and requires a long time. On the other hand, according to the printer described in Patent Document 2, the vertical position of the medium can be detected in a short time using an optical and non-contact height detection sensor. However, it is difficult to detect the vertical position of the medium with high accuracy with an optical height detection sensor as described in Patent Document 2.
[0007] The present invention has been made in view of such points, and an object thereof is to provide a printer capable of positioning a medium in the vertical direction in a short time and with high accuracy. Another object is to provide a method for positioning a medium that can position the medium in the vertical direction in a short time and with high accuracy in a printer.
[0008] The printer disclosed herein comprises: a mounting table on which media is placed; a recording head provided above the mounting table and ejecting ink downward; a non-contact sensor for non-contactly detecting the vertical position of the media placed on the mounting table; a contact sensor having a contact portion that contacts the media and detecting the vertical position of the media by detecting contact of the media with the contact portion; a first moving device for moving the mounting table, the non-contact sensor, and the contact sensor in the vertical direction; and a control device. The control device comprises: a first position control unit that controls the first moving device based on the detection of the non-contact sensor and raises the mounting table relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor until the media reaches a downward control position set below the contact portion; and a second position control unit that controls the first moving device based on the detection of the contact sensor after the media has reached the downward control position under the control of the first position control unit, and raises the mounting table relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor until the media contacts the contact portion.
[0009] According to the above printer, the relative elevation of the mounting platform relative to the non-contact sensor and contact sensor is performed based on the detection by the non-contact sensor until the media reaches a downward control position below the contact point of the contact sensor. Since there is no risk of the media colliding with the contact point due to this elevation, this movement can be performed at a high speed. Therefore, the time required for the relative movement of the mounting platform can be reduced. Furthermore, in the above printer, after the relative movement of the mounting platform based on the detection by the non-contact sensor, the mounting platform is raised relative to the non-contact sensor and contact sensor until the media contacts the contact point of the contact sensor. With this control, the vertical position of the media can be determined with high precision. Therefore, according to the above printer, the vertical positioning of the media can be performed quickly and with high precision.
[0010] A media positioning method disclosed herein is a method for positioning the media at a predetermined vertical position in a printer comprising: a mounting table on which media is placed; a recording head provided above the mounting table and ejecting ink downward; and a moving device for moving the mounting table vertically, the method comprising: placing the media on the mounting table; driving the moving device to raise the mounting table based on the detection of a non-contact sensor that non-contactly detects the vertical position of the media placed on the mounting table, until the media reaches a downward control position below the predetermined position; and, after the media has reached the downward control position, driving the moving device to raise the mounting table until the media contacts a contact sensor provided at the predetermined position.
[0011] The same effects as those of the printer described above can be achieved by positioning the media as described above.
[0012] This is a perspective view showing a printer according to one embodiment. This is a front view showing the printer with the front cover open. This is a schematic front view of the height detection device. This is a schematic plan view of the height detection device. This is a block diagram of the printer. This is a flowchart relating to the positioning of the flatbed. This is a schematic front view of a height detection device according to another embodiment.
[0013] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Naturally, the embodiments described herein are not intended to limit the present invention. Furthermore, the same reference numerals are used for components and parts that perform the same function, and redundant explanations are omitted or simplified as appropriate.
[0014] [Configuration of the Inkjet Printer] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an inkjet printer (hereinafter referred to as "printer") 10 according to one embodiment. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, when viewing the printer 10 from the front, the direction away from the printer 10 is considered the front, and the direction towards the printer 10 is considered the rear. Left, right, up, and down refer to the left, right, up, and down directions when viewing the printer 10 from the front, respectively. Also, the symbols F, Rr, L, R, U, and D in the drawing refer to the front, back, left, right, up, and down, respectively. The symbol Y in the drawing indicates the main scanning direction. The main scanning direction Y is the left-right direction. The symbol X indicates the sub-scanning direction. The sub-scanning direction X is the front-back direction. The symbol Z indicates the up-down direction. The main scanning direction Y, the sub-scanning direction X, and the up-down direction Z are orthogonal to each other. However, the above directions are merely defined for the convenience of explanation and do not limit the installation configuration of the printer 10 in any way, nor do they limit the present invention in any way.
[0015] In this embodiment, the printer 10 is an inkjet printer. In this embodiment, "inkjet method" refers to various conventionally known inkjet methods, including various continuous methods such as binary deflection methods or continuous deflection methods, and various on-demand methods such as thermal methods or piezoelectric element methods.
[0016] As shown in Figure 1, the printer 10 is formed in a box shape. In this embodiment, the printer 10 comprises a case 11 and a front cover 12. Figure 2 is a front view showing the printer 10 with the front cover 12 open. As shown in Figure 2, an opening is formed in the front of the case 11. The front cover 12 is provided so as to be able to open and close the opening of the case 11. Here, the front cover 12 is supported by the case 11 so as to be able to rotate around its rear end as an axis. The front cover 12 is provided with a window portion 12a. The window portion 12a is formed, for example, from a transparent acrylic plate. The user can see the internal space of the case 11 through the window portion 12a.
[0017] As shown in Figure 2, the internal space of the printer 10 is equipped with a flatbed 20, a bed moving device 25, a carriage 30, a carriage moving device 35, a recording head 40, a light irradiation device 50, a height detection device 60, and a control device 100 (see Figure 1).
[0018] The flatbed 20 is a mounting platform on which the media 5 is placed. The flatbed 20 is located below the recording head 40. The printer 10 according to this embodiment is a so-called flatbed type printer. The flatbed 20 is positioned substantially horizontally. The flatbed 20 extends in the main scanning direction Y and the sub-scanning direction X. The flatbed 20 is oriented in the vertical direction Z. The upper surface of the flatbed 20 constitutes a support surface 20a that supports the media 5. The shape of the media 5 is not particularly limited and may have various three-dimensional shapes in addition to being flat. The material of the media 5 is also not particularly limited and may be, for example, wood, metal, glass, paper, cloth, etc. The flatbed 20 is located approximately in the center of the main scanning direction Y in the internal space of the case 11.
[0019] A bed moving device 25 is positioned below the flatbed 20. The bed moving device 25 is a device that moves the flatbed 20 in the sub-scanning direction X and the vertical direction Z. The flatbed 20 is supported from below by the bed moving device 25. The bed moving device 25 comprises a sub-scanning direction moving device 25X and a vertical direction moving device 25Z. In this embodiment, the vertical direction moving device 25Z supports the flatbed 20 and moves it in the vertical direction Z. However, the vertical direction moving device 25Z may move the recording head 40, or both the flatbed 20 and the recording head 40, in the vertical direction Z. The vertical direction moving device 25Z is supported from below by the sub-scanning direction moving device 25X. The vertical direction moving device 25Z is also an example of a first moving device that moves the flatbed 20 in the vertical direction Z relative to the non-contact sensor 70 and the contact sensor 80, which will be described later. In this embodiment, the positions of the non-contact sensor 70 and the contact sensor 80 in the vertical direction Z are fixed, and the flatbed 20 moves in the vertical direction Z.
[0020] The sub-scanning direction moving device 25X supports the vertical direction moving device 25Z and moves it in the sub-scanning direction X. The sub-scanning direction moving device 25X is an example of a second moving device that changes the position of the flatbed 20 relative to the recording head 40 in the sub-scanning direction X by moving at least one of the flatbed 20 and the recording head 40 in the sub-scanning direction X. Here, the sub-scanning direction moving device 25X moves the flatbed 20 in the sub-scanning direction X. However, the sub-scanning direction moving device 25X may move the recording head 40, or both the flatbed 20 and the recording head 40, in the sub-scanning direction X. Furthermore, the positional relationship between the sub-scanning direction moving device 25X and the vertical direction moving device 25Z is not limited to that described above. For example, the vertical positional relationship between the sub-scanning direction moving device 25X and the vertical direction moving device 25Z may be reversed.
[0021] The carriage 30 holds the recording head 40 and the light illuminator 50. The carriage 30 is located above the flatbed 20. The carriage 30 is moved in the main scanning direction Y by a carriage moving device 35. The carriage moving device 35 is an example of a third moving device that moves the carriage 30 in the main scanning direction Y. The carriage moving device 35 comprises a guide rail 36, a belt 37, left and right pulleys (not shown), and a carriage motor 38 (see Figure 5).
[0022] As shown in Figure 2, the guide rail 36 extends in the main scanning direction Y. The carriage 30 is slidably engaged with the guide rail 36. An endless belt 37 is fixed to the carriage 30. The belt 37 is wrapped around pulleys (not shown) provided on the right and left sides of the guide rail 36. A carriage motor 38 is attached to one of the pulleys. When the carriage motor 38 is driven, the pulley rotates and the belt 37 moves. As a result, the carriage 30 moves along the guide rail 36 in the main scanning direction Y.
[0023] As shown in Figure 2, the recording head 40 is located on the lower surface of the carriage 30. The recording head 40 is located above the flatbed 20. The recording head 40 ejects ink downwards. The recording head 40 is equipped with a plurality of ink heads 41 to 43. Although not shown in the figure, the plurality of ink heads 41 to 43 all extend in the sub-scanning direction X. Each of the plurality of ink heads 41 to 43 has a plurality of nozzles that eject ink toward the flatbed 20. In each of the ink heads 41 to 43, the plurality of nozzles are arranged in the sub-scanning direction X.
[0024] In this embodiment, the ink ejected from the nozzle of the recording head 40 is a photocurable ink. In this case, the photocurable ink is an ultraviolet-curable ink that hardens when irradiated with ultraviolet light. The components and properties of the photocurable ink are not particularly limited.
[0025] The light irradiation device 50 is located to the left of the recording head 40. The light irradiation device 50 irradiates the flatbed 20 with light that cures the photocurable ink. The light irradiation device 50 has a light source (not shown) consisting of, for example, multiple ultraviolet irradiation LEDs. The light irradiation device 50 is provided with an irradiation port (not shown) that opens downward and transmits the light generated by the light source.
[0026] As shown in Figure 2, the printer 10 according to this embodiment is equipped with a height detection device 60 that detects the vertical Z position of the media 5. When the vertical Z position of the flatbed 20 is adjusted so that the media 5 placed on the flatbed 20 is in a position suitable for printing (typically, a predetermined distance below the recording head 40), the vertical Z position of the flatbed 20 fluctuates according to the thickness of the media 5. Based on the vertical Z position of the upper end of the media 5 detected by the height detection device 60, the printer 10 determines and registers the vertical Z position of the flatbed 20 during printing. The printer 10 also restricts the operation of the vertical movement device 25Z so that the flatbed 20 can only be raised to the vertical Z position of the flatbed 20 during printing, or slightly above that position where the media 5 does not collide with the recording head 40.
[0027] Figure 3 is a schematic front view of the height detection device 60. Figure 4 is a schematic top view of the height detection device 60. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the height detection device 60 includes a non-contact sensor 70 and a contact sensor 80. The non-contact sensor 70 detects the vertical Z position of the media 5 placed on the flatbed 20 without contact. The contact sensor 80 detects the vertical Z position of the media 5 by making contact with it.
[0028] As shown in Figure 3, the non-contact sensor 70 comprises a light-emitting unit 71, a light-receiving unit 72 positioned opposite the light-emitting unit 71, and a signal-transmitting unit 73 (see Figure 5). In this case, the non-contact sensor 70 is an optical sensor comprising a light-emitting unit 71 that emits detection light and a light-receiving unit 72 that receives the light emitted by the light-emitting unit 71.
[0029] The light-emitting unit 71 is located to the side of the flatbed 20, at a predetermined position below the recording head 40 and the detection plate 81 (described later) of the contact sensor 80 in the vertical direction Z. Here, the light-emitting unit 71 is located to the left of the flatbed 20 (one side of the main scanning direction Y). The light-emitting unit 71 emits light approximately horizontally, in this case toward the right. Hereafter, the position in the vertical direction Z through which the light emitted by the light-emitting unit 71 passes will also be called the downward control position Pl. The downward control position Pl is the position in the vertical direction Z where the non-contact sensor 70 can detect the media 5. As will be described later, the non-contact sensor 70 detects the position in the vertical direction Z of the media 5 in a region below the contact sensor 80. The light-emitting unit 71 is located at the same vertical direction Z position as the downward control position Pl.
[0030] The light-receiving unit 72 is also positioned at the same downward control position Pl with respect to the vertical Z direction (which is also the same position as the light-emitting unit 71). The light-receiving unit 72 is located on the other side of the flatbed 20, in this case to the right, so as to face the light-emitting unit 71 across the flatbed 20. The light-receiving unit 72 is located on the line of light emitted by the light-emitting unit 71.
[0031] The non-contact sensor 70 detects that the media 5 is not on the optical axis of the light when the light receiving unit 72 receives light from the light emitting unit 71. The non-contact sensor 70 detects that the media 5 has reached the optical axis of the light when the light receiving unit 72 stops receiving light from the light emitting unit 71. The signal transmitting unit 73 is connected to the light receiving unit 72 and the control device 100 and transmits a signal to the control device 100 according to the detection result of the light receiving unit 72.
[0032] As shown in Figure 4, the light-emitting unit 71 and the light-receiving unit 72 are positioned in front of the flatbed 20 when it is in its rearmost position (shown by the solid line) and behind the flatbed 20 when it is in its frontmost position (shown by the dashed line). The flatbed 20 is configured to be movable from behind to in front of the light-emitting unit 71 and the light-receiving unit 72. Therefore, by moving the flatbed 20 in the sub-scanning direction X, all points on the flatbed 20 pass along the line of light from the light-emitting unit 71 in a plan view. That is, by moving the flatbed 20 in the sub-scanning direction X, the non-contact sensor 70 can detect whether or not all points on the media 5 placed on the flatbed 20 in a plan view are located below the downward control position Pl. The positions of the light-emitting unit 71 and the light-receiving unit 72 are not limited as long as height detection is possible for all points on the media 5 placed on the flatbed 20 in a plan view. The orientation of the light-emitting unit 71 and the light-receiving unit 72 is also not particularly limited. For example, the axis of the light emitted by the light-emitting unit 71 does not necessarily have to be tilted with respect to the main scanning direction Y.
[0033] As shown in Figure 3, the contact sensor 80 includes a detection plate 81 that contacts the media 5, a pivot axis 82 for the detection plate 81, a plate to be detected 83 that rotates together with the detection plate 81, a light-emitting unit 84 and a light-receiving unit 85 that detect the plate to be detected 83, a signal-transmitting unit 86 (see Figure 5) that transmits the detection result from the light-receiving unit 85 to the control device 100, and a spring (not shown).
[0034] As shown in Figure 3, the pivot shaft 82 is positioned above the support surface 20a of the flatbed 20 and extends substantially parallel to the support surface 20a. The pivot shaft 82 extends in the main scanning direction Y so as to be perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction X, which is the direction of movement of the flatbed 20. The pivot shaft 82 pivotably supports the upper end of the detection plate 81. The detection plate 81 is rotatable around the pivot shaft 82 in the sub-scanning direction X.
[0035] The detection plate 81 is a component that contacts the media 5 on the flatbed 20, and as shown in Figure 2, it is located below the recording head 40. The detection plate 81 is an example of a contact portion. The contact sensor 80 detects the vertical Z position of the media 5 by detecting contact of the media 5 with the detection plate 81. More specifically, the contact sensor 80 detects that the media 5 is located above the lower end of the detection plate 81 by detecting that the detection plate 81 has rotated due to being pushed by the media 5. As shown in Figure 3, the position of the lower end of the detection plate 81 will also be referred to as the upper control position Ph below. The upper control position Ph is the vertical Z position at which the contact sensor 80 can detect the media 5. The upper control position Ph is located a predetermined distance below the lower end of the recording head 40. As shown in Figure 3, the contact sensor 80 detects the vertical Z position of the media 5 in a region above the non-contact sensor 70.
[0036] The detection plate 81 is configured as a flat plate extending in the main scanning direction Y and the vertical direction Z. The detection plate 81 has a length in the axial direction of the pivot shaft 82 (main scanning direction Y) that is longer than the flatbed 20. The detection plate 81 is provided so as to extend across the entire flatbed 20 with respect to the main scanning direction Y.
[0037] As shown in Figure 4, the detection plate 81 is positioned in front of the flatbed 20 when it is in its rearmost position (shown by the solid line) and behind the flatbed 20 when it is in its frontmost position (shown by the dashed line). The flatbed 20 is configured to be movable from behind to in front of the detection plate 81. Therefore, by moving the flatbed 20 in the sub-scanning direction X, in a plan view, all points on the flatbed 20 pass under the detection plate 81. That is, by moving the flatbed 20 in the sub-scanning direction X, the contact sensor 80 can detect whether or not all points on the media 5 placed on the flatbed 20 are located below the upper control position Ph in a plan view. The spring (not shown) holds the detection plate 81 in its initial position (the position when it is not being pressed by the media 5, etc.) and prevents the detection plate 81 from swinging due to external disturbances such as vibration.
[0038] The detected plate 83 is fixed to the detection plate 81 and rotates together with the detection plate 81. The detected plate 83 is for detecting when the detection plate 81 has rotated. The light-emitting unit 84 and the light-receiving unit 85 detect whether the detected plate 83 is in its initial position (the position of the detected plate 83 when the detection plate 81 is in its initial position). Depending on whether the detected plate 83 is in its initial position, the light-emitting unit 84 and the light-receiving unit 85 detect whether the detection plate 81 has been pushed and tilted. The signal-transmitting unit 86 is connected to the light-receiving unit 85 and the control device 100 and transmits a signal to the control device 100 according to the detection result of the light-receiving unit 85. However, the configuration for detecting whether the detection plate 81 is in contact with the media 5 is not limited to this. For example, the contact sensor 80 may detect when the detection plate 81 has tilted by a contact-type switch.
[0039] Figure 5 is a block diagram of the printer 10. As shown in Figure 5, the control device 100 is electrically connected to the sub-scanning direction moving device 25X, the vertical direction moving device 25Z, the carriage motor 38, the multiple ink heads 41-43, and the light irradiation device 50, and controls their operation. The control device 100 is also electrically connected to the signal transmission unit 73 of the non-contact sensor 70 and the signal transmission unit 86 of the contact sensor 80, and receives the signals transmitted by them. The control device 100 may be, for example, a computer installed in or connected to the printer 10, and may include a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as CPU), ROM storing programs executed by the CPU, RAM, etc. Each part of the control device 100 may be composed of software or hardware. Each part may be a processor or a circuit. The configuration of the control device 100 is not particularly limited.
[0040] As shown in Figure 5, the control device 100 includes a first receiving unit 110, a second receiving unit 120, a first position control unit 130, a second position control unit 140, and a height registration unit 150 as processing units for determining the vertical Z position of the flatbed 20 according to the thickness of the media 5. The control device 100 may also include other processing units, such as a control unit for controlling the printing operation, but these are not described or illustrated here.
[0041] The first receiving unit 110 is configured to receive signals from the signal transmitting unit 73 of the non-contact sensor 70. By receiving signals from the signal transmitting unit 73, the first receiving unit 110 can determine whether the media 5 is located below or above the downward control position Pl. The second receiving unit 120 is configured to receive signals from the signal transmitting unit 86 of the contact sensor 80. By receiving signals from the signal transmitting unit 86, the second receiving unit 120 can determine whether the media 5 is located below or above the upward control position Ph.
[0042] The first position control unit 130 controls the vertical movement device 25Z based on the detection by the non-contact sensor 70, raising the flatbed 20 until the media 5 reaches the lower control position Pl. Hereinafter, this height control of the flatbed 20 by the first position control unit 130 will also be called the first position control. In the first position control, more specifically, the flatbed 20 is raised by controlling the vertical movement device 25Z to raise the flatbed 20, and the sub-scanning direction movement device 25X is moved in the sub-scanning direction X while detecting whether the media 5 has reached the lower control position Pl, and this process is repeated until the media 5 reaches the lower control position Pl.
[0043] In the following, in the first position control, the distance the flatbed 20 moves up in one step will be referred to as the first distance, the speed at which the flatbed 20 is raised will be referred to as the first upward speed, and the speed at which the flatbed 20 is moved in the sub-scanning direction X will be referred to as the first movement speed.
[0044] After the media 5 reaches the lower control position Pl under the control of the first position control unit 130, the second position control unit 140 controls the vertical movement device 25Z based on the detection of the contact sensor 80, and raises the flat bed 20 until the media 5 contacts the detection plate 81. As a result, the media 5 reaches the upper control position Ph. Hereinafter, the height control of the flat bed 20 by the second position control unit 140 is also referred to as the second position control. In the second position control, specifically, the vertical movement device 25Z is controlled to raise the flat bed 20, and the sub-scanning direction movement device 25X is controlled to move the flat bed 20 in the sub-scanning direction X while detecting whether the media 5 contacts the detection plate 81. This is repeated to raise the flat bed 20 until the media 5 contacts the detection plate 81 (that is, until it reaches the upper control position Ph). When the second position control unit 140 detects that the media 5 has contacted the detection plate 81, the flat bed 20 is intermittently lowered by a predetermined distance shorter than the one-time raising distance of the flat bed 20, so that the media 5 does not contact the detection plate 81. The position of the flat bed 20 in the vertical direction Z at this time is the position of the flat bed 20 during printing.
[0045] Hereinafter, in the second position control, the one-time raising distance of the flat bed 20 is also referred to as the second distance, the speed at which the flat bed 20 is raised is also referred to as the second raising speed, and the speed at which the flat bed 20 is moved in the sub-scanning direction X is also referred to as the second moving speed. In the present embodiment, the first raising speed is set faster than the second raising speed. The first distance is set longer than the second distance. Also, the first moving speed is set faster than the second moving speed.
[0046] The height registration unit 150 registers the position of the flat bed 20 in the vertical direction Z determined by the second position control as the position of the flat bed 20 during printing. Also, the height registration unit 150 registers this position as the upper limit position of the flat bed 20 where it is prohibited to raise the flat bed 20 further. However, the upper limit position of the flat bed 20 may be above the position of the flat bed 20 during printing as long as the media 5 is positioned below the lower end of the recording head 40.
[0047] [Flat Bed Vertical Positioning Process] Hereinafter, a process for determining the vertical position in the Z direction of the flat bed 20 according to the thickness of the medium 5 will be described.
[0048] FIG. 6 is a flowchart related to the positioning of the flat bed 20. As shown in FIG. 6, in step S10 of positioning the flat bed 20, the medium 5 is placed on the flat bed 20. At the time of step S10, the flat bed 20 is positioned at the most forward and downward position.
[0049] In step S20, based on the detection of the non-contact sensor 70 that non-contact detects the vertical position in the Z direction of the medium 5 placed on the flat bed 20, the vertical movement device 25Z is driven to raise the flat bed 20 until the medium 5 reaches the lower control position Pl below the printing position (upper control position Ph) (first position control). As shown in FIG. 6, step S20 includes a step S21 of raising the flat bed 20, a step S22 of moving the flat bed 20 in the sub-scanning direction X, and a step S23 of determining whether the medium 5 has reached the lower control position Pl. While the step S22 of moving the flat bed 20 in the sub-scanning direction X is being performed, the step S23 of determining whether the medium 5 has reached the lower control position Pl is also being performed simultaneously. In the case of a medium 5 whose upper surface is not flat, it may be determined that the medium 5 has reached the lower control position Pl during the movement of the flat bed 20 in the sub-scanning direction X. In step S22, the flat bed 20 is moved in the sub-scanning direction X so that the entire front end to the rear end of the flat bed 20 passes through the non-contact sensor 70. In step S22, the flat bed 20 may be moved from the front to the rear or from the rear to the front.
[0050] If the media 5 has not reached the downward control position Pl (the result of step S23 is NO), steps S21 to S23 are repeated. Each time step S21 is repeated, the vertical position Z of the flatbed 20 rises by a first distance. Each time steps S21 to S23 are repeated, the direction in which the flatbed 20 is moved in step S22 (forward or backward) is switched. The determination in step S23 is made whether the flatbed 20 moves forward or backward in step S22. However, the determination in step S23 is not limited to only being made when the flatbed 20 is moving forward or backward. If the media 5 reaches the downward control position Pl (the result of step S23 is YES), in step S30, the flatbed 20 is moved to the rearmost position. However, in step S30, the flatbed 20 may be moved to the frontmost position.
[0051] In step S21, the flatbed 20 is raised at a first raising speed that is faster than the second raising speed in the second position control. This reduces the time required for step S21. Furthermore, in step S21, the flatbed 20 is raised by a first distance that is longer than the second distance in the second position control. This reduces the number of repetitions of steps S21 to S23 in step S20. As a result, the time required for step S20 is reduced.
[0052] In step S22, the flatbed 20 is moved in the sub-scanning direction X at a first movement speed that is faster than the second movement speed in the second position control. This reduces the time required for step S22. In step S20, since the lower control position Pl is set lower than the upper control position Ph (the lower end position of the detection plate 81), there is no risk of the media 5 colliding with the recording head 40 and the detection plate 81. Therefore, the raising speed and movement speed of the flatbed 20 can be increased. To achieve this, the first distance (the distance the flatbed 20 is raised in one step) is set shorter than the vertical distance Z between the lower control position Pl and the upper control position Ph.
[0053] In step S40, the vertical movement device 25Z is driven to raise the flatbed 20 until the media 5 contacts the contact sensor 80 located at the upper control position Ph (second position control). Step S40 is performed after the media 5 has reached the lower control position Pl in step S20. As shown in Figure 6, step S40 includes step S41, which raises the flatbed 20; step S42, which moves the flatbed 20 in the sub-scanning direction X; and step S43, which determines whether the media 5 has contacted the detection plate 81. While step S42, which moves the flatbed 20 in the sub-scanning direction X, is being performed, step S43, which determines whether the media 5 has contacted the detection plate 81, is also being performed simultaneously. In step S42, the flatbed 20 is moved in the sub-scanning direction X so that the entire flatbed 20, from its front end to its rear end, passes the contact sensor 80. In step S42, the flatbed 20 may be moved from front to back or from back to front.
[0054] If the media 5 does not contact the detection plate 81 (the result of step S43 is NO), steps S41 to S43 are repeated. Each time step S41 is repeated, the vertical Z position of the flatbed 20 is raised by a second distance. Each time steps S41 to S43 are repeated, the direction in which the flatbed 20 is moved in step S42 (forward or backward) may be switched. That is, the determination in step S43 may be made both when the flatbed 20 moves forward and when it moves backward. If the media 5 contacts the detection plate 81 (the result of step S43 is YES), in step S50, the flatbed 20 is intermittently lowered by a predetermined distance shorter than the second distance until the media 5 no longer contacts the detection plate 81. In step S60, the vertical Z position of the flatbed 20 at the completion of step S50 is registered as the position of the flatbed 20 during printing. This completes the vertical Z positioning of the flatbed 20 according to the thickness of the media 5.
[0055] In step S41, the flatbed 20 is raised at a second upward speed that is slower than the first upward speed in the first position control. In step S42, the flatbed 20 is moved in the sub-scanning direction X at a second movement speed that is slower than the first movement speed in the first position control. These controls prevent damage to the media 5 or the detection plate 81 when the media 5 comes into contact with the detection plate 81.
[0056] Furthermore, in step S41, the flatbed 20 is raised by a second distance, which is shorter than the first distance in the first position control. This allows for high-precision alignment of the flatbed 20 in the vertical Z direction. The second distance corresponds to the resolution in the second position control.
[0057] [Effects of the Embodiment] The following describes the effects that the printer 10 according to this embodiment can provide.
[0058] The printer 10 according to this embodiment includes a flatbed 20 on which media 5 is placed, a recording head 40 provided above the flatbed 20 and ejecting ink downward, a vertical movement device 25Z that moves the flatbed 20 in the vertical direction Z, a non-contact sensor 70 that non-contactually detects the vertical position Z of the media 5 placed on the flatbed 20, a contact sensor 80 that has a detection plate 81 that contacts the media 5 and detects the vertical position Z of the media 5 by detecting contact of the media 5 with the detection plate 81, and a control device 100. The control device 100 includes a first position control unit 130 and a second position control unit 140. The first position control unit 130 controls the vertical movement device 25Z based on the detection of the non-contact sensor 70 and is configured to raise the flatbed 20 until the media 5 reaches a downward control position Pl set below the detection plate 81. The second position control unit 140 is configured to control the vertical movement device 25Z based on the detection of the contact sensor 80 after the media 5 has reached the downward control position Pl under the control of the first position control unit 130, and to raise the flatbed 20 until the media 5 comes into contact with the detection plate 81.
[0059] If the vertical Z position of the media 5 is detected using a contact-type sensor, the optimal vertical Z position of the media 5 can be determined with high precision. However, positioning the media 5 using a contact-type sensor involves the rapid raising of the flatbed 20 as described in step S40, and takes a long time. On the other hand, if a non-contact type sensor is used, the vertical Z position of the media 5 can be detected in a short time. However, it is difficult to detect the vertical Z position of the media 5 with high precision using a non-contact type sensor.
[0060] In view of these problems, the printer 10 according to this embodiment is configured to raise the flatbed 20 based on the detection of the non-contact sensor 70 until the media 5 reaches a downward control position Pl below the detection plate 81 of the contact sensor 80. This raising eliminates the risk of the media 5 colliding with the detection plate 81. Therefore, this movement can be performed at a high speed. This reduces the time required for aligning the flatbed 20.
[0061] Furthermore, in the printer 10 according to this embodiment, after the flatbed 20 is raised based on the detection by the non-contact sensor 70, the flatbed 20 is raised until the media 5 contacts the detection plate 81 of the contact sensor 80. With this control, the vertical position Z of the media 5 can be determined with high precision. It is difficult for the non-contact sensor 70 to detect the vertical position Z of the media 5 with high precision, but this is possible with the contact sensor 80.
[0062] As described above, the printer 10 according to this embodiment can position the media 5 in the vertical Z direction quickly and with high precision.
[0063] In this embodiment, the first position control unit 130 raises the flatbed 20 at a first upward speed, and the second position control unit 140 raises the flatbed 20 at a second upward speed. The first upward speed is faster than the second upward speed. With this control, in the first position control where there is no risk of collision between the media 5 and the detection plate 81, the time required to align the flatbed 20 can be shortened by raising the flatbed 20 at a relatively fast first upward speed. Furthermore, in the second position control where the media 5 and the detection plate 81 are brought into contact, damage to the media 5 or the detection plate 81 due to contact can be suppressed by raising the flatbed 20 at a relatively slow second upward speed.
[0064] The printer 10 according to this embodiment further includes a sub-scanning direction moving device 25X that moves the flatbed 20 in the sub-scanning direction X. The first position control unit 130 is configured to raise the flatbed 20 by repeatedly controlling the vertical moving device 25Z to raise the flatbed 20 by a first distance, and controlling the sub-scanning direction moving device 25X to move the flatbed 20 in the sub-scanning direction X at a first moving speed while detecting whether the media 5 has reached the lower control position Pl, until the media 5 reaches the lower control position Pl. The second position control unit 140 is configured to raise the flatbed 20 by repeatedly controlling the vertical moving device 25Z to raise the flatbed 20 by a second distance, and controlling the sub-scanning direction moving device 25X to move the flatbed 20 in the sub-scanning direction X at a second moving speed while detecting whether the media 5 has come into contact with the detection plate 81, until the media 5 comes into contact with the detection plate 81. The first distance is longer than the second distance.
[0065] With this configuration, by making the first distance longer than the second distance, the number of repetitions of raising the flatbed 20 and moving it in the sub-scanning direction X by the first position control unit 130 can be reduced. As a result, the time required for aligning the flatbed 20 can be shortened. Furthermore, by making the second distance shorter than the first distance, the accuracy of the alignment of the flatbed 20 by the second position control unit 140 can be made higher.
[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first moving speed is faster than the second moving speed. With this configuration, by making the first moving speed faster than the second moving speed, the time required to move the flatbed 20 in the sub-scanning direction X by the control of the first position control unit 130 can be shortened. As a result, the time required for aligning the flatbed 20 can be shortened. In addition, by making the second moving speed slower than the first moving speed, damage to the media 5 or the detection plate 81 due to contact between the media 5 and the detection plate 81 can be suppressed.
[0067] In this embodiment, the non-contact sensor 70 is an optical sensor comprising a light-emitting unit 71 that emits detection light and a light-receiving unit 72 that receives the light emitted by the light-emitting unit 71. The light-emitting unit 71 is positioned to the side of the flatbed 20 at the same position as the downward control position Pl in the vertical direction Z, and emits light substantially horizontally. The light-receiving unit 72 is positioned at the same position as the downward control position Pl in the vertical direction Z, and faces the light-emitting unit 71 across the flatbed 20. With this configuration, the non-contact sensor 70 can be realized with a simple configuration.
[0068] [Other Embodiments] A preferred embodiment has been described above. However, the printer of the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above.
[0069] For example, in the embodiment described above, the non-contact sensor 70 was an optical sensor comprising a light-emitting unit 71 that emits light substantially horizontally and a light-receiving unit 72 that receives the light emitted by the light-emitting unit 71. However, the configuration of the non-contact sensor 70 is not limited to this. Figure 7 is a schematic front view of a height detection device 60 according to another embodiment. In the following description of other embodiments, components that perform functions common to the embodiment described above will be given the same reference numerals as those used in the embodiment described above.
[0070] As shown in Figure 7, in this embodiment, the non-contact sensor 70 is a distance sensor that measures the distance in the vertical direction Z from the media 5 and is provided on the carriage 30. Known distance sensors such as laser displacement sensors and ultrasonic sensors can be used without particular limitation as the distance sensor. In this embodiment, the height of all points on the media 5 in a plan view can be measured by moving the carriage 30 in the main scanning direction Y and moving the flatbed 20 in the sub-scanning direction X. The non-contact sensor 70 may be provided on a carriage different from the carriage 30 that holds the recording head 40. The non-contact sensor 70 does not have to move along the guide rail 36 with which the carriage 30 is engaged. Also, the movement of the non-contact sensor 70 relative to the flatbed 20 may be achieved by the flatbed 20 moving in the main scanning direction Y. The printer 10 only needs to be equipped with some kind of moving device that moves at least one of the non-contact sensor 70 and the flatbed 20 and moves the non-contact sensor 70 relative to the flatbed 20 in the main scanning direction Y.
[0071] With this configuration, in the first position control, which raises the flatbed 20 until the media 5 reaches the downward control position Pl, it is not necessary to repeatedly raise the flatbed 20 intermittently. With this configuration, the height of the highest part (upper end) of the media 5 can be roughly determined by measurement with the non-contact sensor 70. Therefore, the flatbed 20 can be raised all at once to the position where the upper end of the media 5 is expected to reach the downward control position Pl. As a result, the time required for the first position control can be further reduced.
[0072] In the embodiment described above, the first lifting speed for raising the flatbed 20 in the first position control was faster than the second lifting speed for raising the flatbed 20 in the second position control. However, the first lifting speed does not have to be faster than the second lifting speed. For example, even if the first distance for raising the flatbed 20 in one step in the first position control is only longer than the second distance for raising the flatbed 20 in one step in the second position control, the time required for aligning the flatbed 20 can be shortened. For similar reasons, the first distance does not have to be longer than the second distance. The first moving speed does not have to be faster than the second moving speed.
[0073] In the second position control of the embodiment described above, the positional accuracy of the flatbed 20 was guaranteed during the process of raising the flatbed 20. However, the positional accuracy of the flatbed 20 may also be guaranteed during the process of lowering the flatbed 20 after the media 5 has come into contact with the contact sensor 80. The positional accuracy of the flatbed 20 depends on the detection accuracy of the contact sensor 80, and the process of guaranteeing accuracy may be either the process of raising or lowering the flatbed 20. For example, during the process of lowering the flatbed 20, the flatbed 20 may be lowered at a low speed until the media 5 no longer comes into contact with the contact sensor 80. Alternatively, for example, the flatbed 20 may be lowered by a distance shorter than the second distance, and the flatbed 20 may be moved in the sub-scanning direction X, and this process may be repeated until the media 5 no longer comes into contact with the contact sensor 80. In these cases, the flatbed 20 may be lowered by a predetermined distance further, based on the position where the upper end of the media 5 no longer comes into contact with the contact sensor 80. These methods allow the second distance (the distance the flatbed 20 rises in a single step in the second position control) to be increased, as long as there is no risk of the media 5 colliding with the recording head 40, and the number of intermittent rises of the flatbed 20 can be reduced.
[0074] In the embodiment described above, the contact sensor 80 was equipped with a oscillating detection plate 81 as a contact portion that contacts the media 5. However, the configuration of the contact sensor 80 is not limited to this. For example, the contact sensor 80 may be equipped with a wire as a contact portion that contacts the media 5, and the contact of the media 5 with the wire may be detected by detecting the vibration of the wire.
[0075] In the embodiments described above, in steps S22 and S42, which move the flatbed 20 in the sub-scanning direction X during the first and second position control, the flatbed 20 was moved in the sub-scanning direction X so that the entire length of the flatbed 20, from its front end to its rear end, passed through the non-contact sensor 70 and the contact sensor 80. However, the range in which the flatbed 20 is moved in the sub-scanning direction X during the first and second position control is not limited to this. For example, if the placement position of the media 5 on the flatbed 20 and the size of the media 5 are predetermined, the flatbed 20 may be moved in the sub-scanning direction X so that the entire length of the area on which the media 5 is placed, from its front end to its rear end, passes through the non-contact sensor 70 or the contact sensor 80. Furthermore, when detecting the vertical Z position of a specific position (point or surface) on the media 5, steps S22 and S42, which move the flatbed 20 in the sub-scanning direction X, may be omitted.
[0076] In the embodiments described above, the flatbed 20 was raised in the first and second position controls to determine the vertical position Z of the flatbed 20 relative to the non-contact sensor 70 and the contact sensor 80. However, the vertical position Z of the flatbed 20 relative to the non-contact sensor 70 and the contact sensor 80 may be determined by lowering the non-contact sensor 70 and the contact sensor 80. Alternatively, the flatbed 20 may be raised while the non-contact sensor 70 and the contact sensor 80 are lowered to determine the vertical position Z of the flatbed 20 relative to the non-contact sensor 70 and the contact sensor 80. In this case, the printer 10 may be equipped with a moving device that moves the non-contact sensor 70 and the contact sensor 80 in the vertical Z direction. The first position control unit 130 may control this moving device based on the detection of the non-contact sensor 70 and lower the non-contact sensor 70 and the contact sensor 80 until the media 5 reaches a downward control position Pl set below the detection plate 81. Furthermore, after the media 5 reaches the downward control position Pl under the control of the first position control unit 130, the second position control unit 140 may control the moving device based on the detection of the contact sensor 80 and lower the non-contact sensor 70 and the contact sensor 80 until the media 5 makes contact with the detection plate 81. Lowering the non-contact sensor 70 and the contact sensor 80 is equivalent to relatively raising the flatbed 20.
[0077] The moving device for moving the non-contact sensor 70 and the contact sensor 80 in the vertical Z direction may preferably also move the recording head 40 in the vertical Z direction along with the non-contact sensor 70 and the contact sensor 80. With this configuration, once the vertical Z position of the non-contact sensor 70 and the contact sensor 80 is determined, the vertical Z position of the recording head 40 is determined. However, the moving device for moving the non-contact sensor 70 and the contact sensor 80 in the vertical Z direction does not have to move the recording head 40 in the vertical Z direction. In that case, the printer 10 may be equipped with another moving device that moves the recording head 40 in the vertical Z direction. In this case, the vertical Z position of the recording head 40 is calculated based on the vertical Z position of the non-contact sensor 70 or the contact sensor 80.
[0078] In the embodiments described above, the flatbed 20 was moved in the sub-scanning direction X during the first and second position control, but the non-contact sensor 70 and the contact sensor 80 may also be moved in the sub-scanning direction X. In this case, the printer 10 may be equipped with a moving device that moves the non-contact sensor 70 and the contact sensor 80 in the sub-scanning direction X. The moving device may also move the recording head 40 in the sub-scanning direction X along with the non-contact sensor 70 and the contact sensor 80, or it may not be necessary to move the recording head 40 in the sub-scanning direction X.
[0079] The printer 10 does not have to be configured to automatically raise the flatbed 20 to a downward control position Pl or an upward control position Ph. The printer 10 may be configured so that, based on detection by a non-contact sensor 70, the user operates and drives a vertical movement device 25Z to raise the flatbed 20 until the media 5 reaches the downward control position Pl. The printer 10 may be configured so that the user operates and drives a vertical movement device 25Z to raise the flatbed 20 until the media 5 makes contact with a contact sensor 80 located at the upward control position Ph.
[0080] In the case of a printer in which the non-contact sensor 70 and the contact sensor 80 are moved in the vertical Z direction, the user's "raising operation of the flatbed 20" and "lowering operation of the flatbed 20" are replaced with "lowering operation of the non-contact sensor 70 and the contact sensor 80" and "raising operation of the non-contact sensor 70 and the contact sensor 80," respectively.
[0081] Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments do not limit the present invention.
[0082] 5 Media 10 Printer 20 Flatbed (mounting platform) 25X Sub-scanning direction movement device (second movement device) 25Z Vertical direction movement device (first movement device) 30 Carriage 35 Carriage movement device (third movement device) 40 Recording head 60 Height detection device 70 Non-contact sensor 71 Light emitter 72 Light receiver 80 Contact sensor 81 Detection plate (contact part) 100 Control device 130 First position control unit 140 Second position control unit Ph Upward control position Pl Downward control position X Sub-scanning direction (orthogonal direction) Y Main scanning direction (scanning direction) Z Vertical direction
Claims
1. A media is provided with: a mounting table on which media is placed; a recording head provided above the mounting table and ejecting ink downward; a non-contact sensor for detecting the vertical position of the media placed on the mounting table without contact; a contact sensor having a contact portion that contacts the media and detecting the vertical position of the media by detecting contact of the media with the contact portion; a first moving device for moving at least one of the mounting table, the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor in the vertical direction; and a control device, wherein the control device comprises: a first position control unit that controls the first moving device based on the detection of the non-contact sensor and raises the mounting table relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor until the media reaches a downward control position set below the contact portion; and a second position control unit that controls the first moving device based on the detection of the contact sensor after the media has reached the downward control position under the control of the first position control unit and raises the mounting table relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor until the media contacts the contact portion. Printer.
2. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the first moving device is configured to move the aforementioned stand in the vertical direction, the first position control unit controls the first moving device to raise the aforementioned stand until the media reaches the lower control position, and the second position control unit controls the first moving device to raise the aforementioned stand until the media contacts the contact portion.
3. The printer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first position control unit raises the aforementioned base at a first upward speed relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor, and the second position control unit raises the aforementioned base at a second upward speed relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor, and the first upward speed is faster than the second upward speed.
4. The system further comprises a second moving device that changes the position of the mounting base relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor in the orthogonal direction by moving at least one of the mounting base and the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor in an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, wherein the first position control unit is configured to repeatedly control the first moving device to raise the mounting base by a first distance relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor, and to control the second moving device to move the mounting base relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor in the orthogonal direction while detecting whether the media has reached the downward control position, thereby raising the mounting base relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor until the media reaches the downward control position. The second position control unit is configured to repeatedly control the first moving device to raise the aforementioned stand by a second distance relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor, and to control the second moving device to move the aforementioned stand relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor in the orthogonal direction while detecting whether the media has come into contact with the contact portion, thereby raising the aforementioned stand relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor until the media comes into contact with the contact portion, wherein the first distance is longer than the second distance, the printer according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
5. The system further comprises a second moving device that changes the position of the mounting base relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor in the orthogonal direction by moving at least one of the mounting base and the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor in an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, wherein the first position control unit is configured to repeatedly control the first moving device to raise the mounting base by a predetermined distance relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor, and to control the second moving device to move the mounting base relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor at a first moving speed in the orthogonal direction while detecting whether the media has reached the downward control position, thereby raising the mounting base relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor until the media reaches the downward control position. The second position control unit is configured to repeatedly control the first moving device to raise the aforementioned stand by a predetermined distance relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor, and to control the second moving device to move the aforementioned stand relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor in the orthogonal direction at a second moving speed while detecting whether the media has come into contact with the contact portion, thereby raising the aforementioned stand relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor until the media comes into contact with the contact portion, wherein the first moving speed is faster than the second moving speed, the printer according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
6. The printer according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the non-contact sensor is an optical sensor comprising a light-emitting unit that emits detection light and a light-receiving unit that receives the light emitted by the light-emitting unit, wherein the light-emitting unit is positioned to the side of the aforementioned stand and at the same position in the vertical direction as the downward control position and emits light substantially horizontally, and the light-receiving unit is positioned at the same position in the vertical direction as the downward control position and faces the light-emitting unit across the aforementioned stand.
7. The printer according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a third moving device that moves at least one of the non-contact sensor and the stand described above, and moves the non-contact sensor relative to the stand described above in a scanning direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, wherein the non-contact sensor is a distance sensor that measures the vertical distance to the media.
8. A printer comprising a mounting table on which media is placed, a recording head provided above the mounting table and ejecting ink downward, and a first moving device for moving the mounting table in the vertical direction, wherein a method for positioning the media at a predetermined vertical position by driving the first moving device, the method comprising: placing the media on the mounting table; driving the first moving device to raise the mounting table based on the detection of a non-contact sensor that non-contactly detects the vertical position of the media placed on the mounting table until the media reaches a downward control position below the predetermined position; and after the media has reached the downward control position, driving the first moving device to raise the mounting table until the media contacts a contact sensor provided at the predetermined position.
9. In the step of raising the base described above until the media reaches the downward control position, the base described above is raised at a first upward speed, and in the step of raising the base described above until the media contacts the contact sensor, the base described above is raised at a second upward speed, the first upward speed being faster than the second upward speed, the method for positioning a media according to claim 8.
10. The printer further comprises a second moving device that changes the position of the aforementioned base with respect to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor by moving at least one of the aforementioned base and the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor in an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, wherein in the step of raising the aforementioned base until the media reaches the downward control position, the first moving device is controlled to raise the aforementioned base by a first distance, and the second moving device is controlled to move the aforementioned base relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor in the orthogonal direction while detecting whether the media has reached the downward control position, and this is repeated until the media reaches the downward control position, the aforementioned base is raised relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor. The method for positioning a media according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the step of raising the stand described above until the media makes contact with the contact sensor involves repeatedly controlling the first moving device to raise the stand described above by a second distance, and controlling the second moving device to move the stand described above relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor in the orthogonal direction while detecting whether the media has made contact with the contact sensor, until the stand described above is raised relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor until the media makes contact with the contact sensor, and the first distance is longer than the second distance.
11. The printer further comprises a second moving device that changes the position of the aforementioned base with respect to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor by moving at least one of the aforementioned base and the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor in an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, wherein in the step of raising the aforementioned base until the media reaches the downward control position, the first moving device is controlled to raise the aforementioned base by a predetermined distance, and the second moving device is controlled to move the aforementioned base relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor at a first moving speed in the orthogonal direction while detecting whether the media has reached the downward control position, and this is repeated until the media reaches the downward control position, the aforementioned base is raised relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor. The method for positioning a media according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the step of raising the stand described above until the media makes contact with the contact sensor involves repeatedly controlling the first moving device to raise the stand described above by a predetermined distance, and controlling the second moving device to move the stand described above relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor at a second moving speed in the orthogonal direction, while detecting whether the media has made contact with the contact sensor, until the stand described above is raised relative to the non-contact sensor and the contact sensor until the media makes contact with the contact sensor, and the first moving speed is faster than the second moving speed.
12. The non-contact sensor is an optical sensor comprising a light-emitting unit that emits detection light and a light-receiving unit that receives the light emitted by the light-emitting unit, wherein the light-emitting unit is positioned to the side of the aforementioned base and at the same position in the vertical direction as the downward control position and emits light substantially horizontally, and the light-receiving unit is positioned at the same position in the vertical direction as the downward control position and faces the light-emitting unit across the aforementioned base, the method for positioning media according to any one of claims 8 to 11.
13. The printer further comprises a third moving device that moves at least one of the non-contact sensor and the stand described above, and moves the non-contact sensor relative to the stand described above in a scanning direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, wherein the non-contact sensor is a distance sensor that measures the vertical distance to the media, and in the step of raising the stand described above until the media reaches the lower control position, the non-contact sensor measures the vertical distance between the non-contact sensor and the media with the non-contact sensor while moving the non-contact sensor relative to the stand described above in the scanning direction with the third moving device.