Printer and control method of a printer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10427425-B2
Application number	US-201815923757-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2018
Priority date	Mar 28, 2017
Publication date	Oct 1, 2019
Grant date	Oct 1, 2019

Abstract

Provided is a printer that can appropriately handle a paper (media) wound into a roll with one end of the paper affixed to a core, when the trailing end of the paper is detected, the trailing end of the paper being attached to the winding core in multiple ways. The printer has: a roll paper support that supports the core of a roll of paper; a roll driver that turns the core and delivers the paper; a conveyance device that conveys the delivered paper; a tension detection switch that outputs a first detection value when tension produced on the paper delivered from the roll is greater than or equal to a threshold; and a controller that drives the roll driver in the direction delivering the paper when the output of the tension detection switch changes to the first detection value in response to rotation of the core.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A printer comprising:
a roll paper support configured to support a core of a roll of paper, the paper being wound with an end thereof attached to the core;
a roll driver configured to rotate the core supported on the roll paper support and deliver the paper from a delivery point;
a conveyance device configured to convey the paper delivered from the delivery point;
a detection device configured to output a first detection value when tension produced on the paper delivered from the roll is greater than or equal to a threshold, and otherwise output a second detection value;
a controller configured to drive the roll driver in the direction delivering the paper from the core when the output of the detection device changes from the second detection value to the first detection value in response to rotation of the core by the roll driver, and
a printing mechanism configured to print on the paper conveyed by the conveyance device by a printhead, the printhead being disposed to the conveyance path through which the paper is conveyed;
the controller stopping printing by the printing mechanism after the output of the detection device changes from the second detection value to the first detection value.

2. The printer described in claim 1 , wherein:
the detection device starts outputting the first detection value when the core is turned an additional specific amount by the roll driver after an attachment point, which is the position where the end of the paper is affixed to the core, and the delivery point become same position as a result of rotation of the core by the roll driver, the attachment point being the position where the end of the paper is affixed to the core; and
then outputs the first detection value while the end of the paper is attached to the attachment point of the core, and outputs the second detection value after the end is released from the core.

3. The printer described in claim 1 ,
wherein the controller rotates the core by the roll driver a first amount after the output of the detection device changes from the second detection value to the first detection value.

4. The printer described in claim 3 , wherein:
the controller, when the output of the detection device changes from the second detection value to the first detection value, resumes printing by the printing mechanism if the output of the detection device changes from the first detection value to the second detection value before the core rotates the first amount.

5. The printer described in claim 3 , wherein:
the controller, when the output of the detection device changes from the second detection value to the first detection value, if the output of the detection device does not change by rotation of the first amount, reports a no-paper state.

6. The printer described in claim 3 , wherein:
the controller, when the output of the detection device changes from the second detection value to the first detection value, if the output of the detection device does not change by rotation of the first amount, retracts the printhead.

7. A control method of a printer having a roll paper support configured to support a core of a roll of paper, the paper being wound with an end thereof attached to the core; a roll driver configured to rotate the core supported on the roll paper support and deliver the paper from a delivery point; a conveyance device configured to convey the paper delivered from the delivery point; and a printing mechanism configured to print on the paper conveyed by the conveyance device by a printhead, the printhead being disposed to the conveyance path through which the paper is conveyed; the control method comprising:
driving the roll driver in the direction delivering the paper from the core when the output of a detection device configured to output a first detection value when tension produced on the paper delivered from the roll is greater than or equal to a threshold, and otherwise output a second detection value, changes from the second detection value to the first detection value in response to rotation of the core by the roll driver; and
stopping printing by the printing mechanism after the output of the detection device changes from the second detection value to the first detection value.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Kawajiri Masahiro

Classifications

• B41J3/4075

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