Printing apparatus and method of controlling printing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11052680-B2
Application number	US-202016745783-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2020
Priority date	Jan 21, 2019
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

A printing apparatus including: a printing apparatus main body, a main body of a cutter unit, an attachment position thereof with respect to the printing apparatus main body being changeable, a fixed blade, a movable blade configured to mesh with the fixed blade to cut a printing medium, and a pickup sensor configured to detect a printing medium, in which the movable blade and the pickup sensor are supported on the main body, and with a change of an attachment position of the cutter support, an amount of a remaining portion of the printing medium after being cut by the movable blade changes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A printing apparatus for cutting, by a first blade and a second blade, a printing medium drawn from a roll paper, the printing apparatus comprising:
a printing apparatus main body;
a detector configured to detect the printing medium;
a cutter support configured to support the first blade and the detector, and
wherein an attachment position of the cutter support to the printing apparatus main body is changeable, and
with a change of the attachment position of the cutter support, an amount of a remaining portion of the printing medium after being cut by the first blade, changes.

2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a transport unit configured to transport the printing medium, wherein
the detector is provided downstream, in a transport direction of the printing medium, of the first blade.

3. The printing apparatus according to claim 2 , comprising:
a drive mechanism configured to drive the first blade; and
a protective cover configured to cover at least a part of the detector, wherein
the movable blade, the drive mechanism, the detector, and the protective cover are provided inside the cutter support.

4. The printing apparatus according to claim 3 , comprising a control unit, wherein
the control unit is configured to:
perform control to drive the first blade by the drive mechanism to cut the printing medium;
perform control, after the cutting, to transport the printing medium by the transport unit; and
determine, after the transporting, an error when the detector fails to detect the printing medium.

5. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the printing apparatus main body comprises:
an accommodation unit configured to accommodate the roll paper; and
a lid configured to cover the accommodation unit, wherein
the second blade is provided at the lid.

6. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an operation of moving the first blade is not executed when breakage of a feeder line coupled to the detector is detected.

7. A method of controlling a printing apparatus including a printing apparatus main body and a cutter support attached to the printing apparatus main body, the method comprising:
transporting a printing medium in a direction of discharging the printing medium from the printing apparatus main body;
cutting the printing medium with a first blade and a second blade, wherein the first blade is supported on the cutter support and an attachment position of the cutter support to the printing apparatus main body is changeable;
detecting the printing medium by a detector supported on the cutter support; and
determining an error when the detector fails to detect the printing medium.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Tokuda Takeshi

Classifications

• B26D2007/005

  cutters, e.g. guillotines, used in a label maker or printer · CPC title

• B26D7/24

  arranged to disable the operating means for the cutting member · CPC title

• B26D1/085

  for thin material, e.g. for sheets, strips or the like · CPC title

• B41J29/38

  Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism · CPC title

• B26D5/00

  Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting · CPC title