Printed Matter Apparatus End Position Adjustment for Tape Rolls
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In repeated printing of identical contents on a tape wound into a roll shape, the arbitrary setting of print and tape lengths often results in incomplete prints at the tape end, marred by aesthetics issues due to non-integer multiples of unit lengths, leading to prints ending halfway and standing out on the outer circumference.
Innovation Solution
A printed matter producing apparatus that adjusts the end position of unit print data by either print data mode or total length data adjustments to ensure complete printing across the tape length, matching the end positions of the printed matter and data print areas, thereby improving the aesthetics of the tape end when wound into a roll.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the print length and total tape length are each arbitrarily individually set by the user, then the flexibility and adaptability of the printing system is improved, but the possibility that the tape length will not be an integer multiple of the print length increases, resulting in incomplete prints at the tape end
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit calculates the relationship between print length and tape length before printing begins, and determines in advance whether the tape length is an integer multiple of the print length. Based on this preliminary calculation, the system adjusts the print start position or adds spacing to ensure complete prints, preventing the problem of incomplete prints at the tape end before it occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the print parameters (such as print start position, print length, or spacing between prints) based on the calculated relationship between arbitrary print length and tape length. This dynamic adjustment ensures that even when users set arbitrary values, the system can adapt to maintain complete prints throughout the tape, including at the end position.
2Ease of operation
If the print length and total tape length are each arbitrarily individually set by the user, then the ease of operation is improved, but the aesthetics of the tape end positioned on the outer circumference deteriorates due to halfway formed print objects standing out
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs preliminary calculations to determine whether the tape length is an integer multiple of the print length before printing begins. Based on this advance determination, the system adjusts the print start position or adds spacing to ensure that prints are complete and aesthetically pleasing at the tape end, preventing half-formed prints from standing out when the tape is wound into a roll.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different handling strategies to different portions of the tape, particularly focusing on the end section where aesthetics are critical. When the tape length is not an integer multiple of print length, the system adds spacing or adjusts positioning specifically at the end region to ensure complete prints, while maintaining arbitrary setting flexibility for the overall print parameters.
3Productivity
If repeated printing is performed with arbitrary print length on tape of arbitrary length, then the productivity is improved by avoiding generation of extensive print data across entire tape length, but the reliability of complete print formation deteriorates when tape length is not an integer multiple of print length
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit calculates the relationship between print length and tape length before repeated printing begins, and determines in advance whether the tape length is an integer multiple of the print length. Based on this preliminary calculation, the system adjusts the print start position or adds spacing to ensure complete prints, preventing the problem of incomplete prints at the tape end before it occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the calculated relationship between print length and tape length to adjust printing parameters. The control unit determines whether the tape length is an integer multiple of print length, and based on this feedback, automatically adjusts the print start position or spacing to ensure complete prints are formed throughout the tape, maintaining reliability while preserving the efficiency of repeated printing.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The disclosure discloses a printed matter producing apparatus (1) comprising feeding means (12) configured to feed a print-receiving medium (150), printing means (11) configured to perform printing on the print-receiving medium (150) fed by the feeding means (12) based on print data and produce printed matter (150") where desired print based on the print data is formed on the print-receiving medium (150) along a transport direction of the feeding means (12), data acquisition means (S5, S10) configured to acquire unit print data for periodically performing print formation per data print area of the print-receiving medium (150) and total length data, the data print area comprising a predetermined unit length along the transport direction, the total length data indicating a total length of a printed matter print area of the printed matter (150") on which a unit image corresponding to the unit print data is periodically printed along the transport direction, and end adjusting means (S25, S30, S35) configured to make adjustments so as to match an end position of the printed matter print area along the transport direction and an end position of the data print area where the unit image is formed in the last sequence along the transport direction, by either print data mode adjustment that fixes the total length data and adjusts a print mode by the unit print data in the printed matter print area, or total length data adjustment that fixes the predetermined unit length and adjusts the total length data.