Printing Media Length Detection for Accurate In-Line Cutting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printing apparatuses struggle to accurately cut printing media into desired sizes due to variations in sheet dimensions and positional deviations during conveyance, leading to inconsistent lengths of cut papers.
Innovation Solution
A printing apparatus equipped with a holder, conveyor, printer, cutter, and a first detector to measure the length of the printing medium, allowing a controller to set a precise cutting position based on detected front and rear ends, ensuring the medium is divided into desired sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the distance between the detector and cutter is increased to ensure accurate length measurement and cutting position setting, then the cutting precision is improved, but the apparatus size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The detector measures the printing medium length before the cutting operation. The controller calculates the cutting position in advance based on the measured length and predetermined division number. This preliminary measurement and calculation enables accurate cutting without requiring a large distance between detector and cutter, thus resolving the contradiction between cutting precision and apparatus size.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller acts as an intermediary that receives the detection result, calculates the cutting position considering the actual medium length, and transmits the calculated position to the cutter. This intermediary processing enables accurate cutting position setting even with a compact detector-cutter arrangement, resolving the contradiction between cutting precision and apparatus size.
2Manufacturing precision
If the printing medium length is measured accurately to set the cutting position, then the cutting precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The detector provides feedback on the actual printing medium length to the controller. The controller uses this feedback information to calculate and adjust the cutting position, ensuring accurate cutting despite variations in medium length. This feedback mechanism achieves high cutting precision without requiring complex mechanical adjustment devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical positioning systems with an automated detection and calculation system. The detector optically or electronically measures the medium length, and the controller computationally determines the cutting position, substituting mechanical complexity with simpler sensing and processing components.
Data Source
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AI summary
A printing apparatus capable of cutting a printing medium into a desired size accurately such that the printing medium of desired size is available is provided. The printing apparatus (1) includes a feeding tray (21) configured to accommodate a paper (P), conveying rollers (60, 62, 64, 66), a printing unit (3) configured to perform printing on the paper (P), a cutting unit (10) configured to cut the paper (P), and a register sensor (120) configured to detect a front end and a rear end of the paper (P), and a controller. A distance (L) in a first conveying direction (D1) between the register sensor (120) and the cutting unit (10) is shorter than a length in the first conveying direction (D 1) of a part obtained by dividing the paper (P) in two equal parts. The controller is configured to: calculate a length in the first conveying direction (D1) of the paper (P) by using a result of the detecting of the front end and the rear end of the paper (P) by the register sensor (120), set a cutting position at which the paper (P) is divided into two equal parts, and cause the cutting unit (10) to cut the paper (P) at the set cutting position.