Printer Header Integrity with Short Print-Cut Gap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Printers face issues when the gap between the printing head and the cutting unit is shortened, leading to an inability to print headers in the margin, resulting in incorrect cutting of roll paper, especially when the gap is shorter than the header length.
Innovation Solution
The printer employs a compatibility mode that stores and prints excess information, allowing it to cut the roll paper before the header is completed, ensuring the header is not cut prematurely by maintaining a sufficient gap through strategic printing and cutting control units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the gap between the printing head and the cutting unit is shortened, then the margin part is shortened and productivity is improved, but the header information cannot be printed completely and manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit stores header information in advance before the printing process begins. When the margin is insufficient due to shortened gap, the system retrieves pre-stored header information to ensure complete header printing even when the physical margin space is reduced.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the printing process by detecting whether the margin is sufficient. When margin is insufficient, it switches to a different printing mode that uses pre-stored information, allowing the system to adapt to the shortened gap condition while maintaining header completeness.
2Ease of manufacture
If the gap between the printing head and the cutting unit is shortened, then device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the margin part is shortened causing loss of information
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit acts as an intermediary by storing header information in memory. This intermediary storage mechanism allows the system to overcome the physical limitation of shortened margin caused by reduced gap, ensuring header information is preserved and can be printed when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
Header information is stored in advance in the control unit's memory before the actual printing occurs. This preliminary storage ensures that even when the physical margin is insufficient due to shortened gap, the complete header information is available for printing.
3Productivity
If the gap between the printing head and the cutting unit is shortened, then the margin part is shortened, but cutting precision deteriorates when cutting through printed material
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit stores cutting position information in advance. By having pre-stored data about where cuts should occur, the system can accurately position the cutting unit even when the gap is shortened, maintaining cutting precision despite the reduced distance between printing and cutting operations.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, a printer and a method can print information printed as a header without a reduction even when a gap from a printing head to a cutting unit is short. The printer includes the printing head, the cutting unit, an input unit, a storage control unit, a first printing control unit, a cutting control unit, and a second printing control unit. The printing head performs printing on a roll paper. The cutting unit is disposed on a downstream side in a conveyance direction of the roll paper from the printing head, and cuts the roll paper. The input unit receives an input of printing information. The storage control unit stores the printing information. The first printing control unit prints the printing information if a length in the conveyance direction of the stored printing information is equal to or more than a setting value. When receiving a cut request, the cutting control unit performs cutting if the length in the conveyance direction of the printing information is the setting value. The second printing control unit prints the printing information if the roll paper is cut.