Printing Apparatus Information Placement Control for Unspecified Sheet Length
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Solution Overview
Problem
Printing apparatuses struggle to accurately add information to a printing target image when the length of the sheet in the sub-scanning direction is unknown, leading to improper placement of information, especially when using a manual feed tray with unspecified sheet size.
Innovation Solution
The printing apparatus includes a control unit that automatically adds information to the leading end side of the sheet conveyance direction, even if the user sets the trailing end side as the information addition area, ensuring proper placement regardless of the sheet's length in the sub-scanning direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the trailing end side area is set as the information addition area, then the information can be added at a suitable position when sheet length is known, but the information may be placed out of the printed sheet when sheet length is unknown
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by automatically selecting the leading end side area for information addition when sheet length is unknown, rather than allowing user selection of trailing end side area. This reversal ensures information is always placed within printable bounds while maintaining user convenience through automatic adaptation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the information addition area parameter based on whether sheet length is known or unknown. When sheet length detection is unavailable, the system automatically switches from trailing end side area to leading end side area, ensuring reliable information placement without requiring user intervention.
2Ease of operation
If free-size option is used for manual feed tray, then user operation is simplified, but the printing apparatus cannot determine suitable information addition position
Solution Approach 1:
The printing apparatus performs self-service by automatically detecting sheet length through guide positions and autonomously determining the appropriate information addition area. This eliminates the need for user input while maintaining accurate information placement, allowing free-size operation without losing critical positioning information.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from guide position detection to automatically adjust information addition positioning. By continuously monitoring guide positions and using this feedback to calculate sheet dimensions, the system maintains accurate information placement even when users select free-size option without specifying exact dimensions.
3Device complexity
If sheet length in sub-scanning direction is not detected, then device complexity is reduced, but information addition positioning accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The guide positions serve multiple functions: they define sheet size for printing operations and simultaneously provide reference points for calculating information addition positions. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain positioning accuracy without adding dedicated detection mechanisms, avoiding increased device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide positions act as an intermediary element that bridges sheet dimension information and information addition positioning. By using guide positions as a reference mediator, the system can derive sheet length information without direct measurement, maintaining positioning precision while keeping the device structure simple.
Data Source
AI summary
A printing apparatus capable of adding information to a printing target image includes an addition unit configured to add the information, a setting unit configured to set an area to which the information is added based on a user operation, a specification unit configured to specify a length of a sheet used for printing in a sheet conveyance direction, and a control unit configured to control, in a case where the length of the sheet in the sheet conveyance direction is not specified, the addition unit to add the information into a leading end side area in the sheet conveyance direction even if a trailing end side area is set by the setting unit as the area to which the information is added.