Method for adjusting printing apparatus and printing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11241897-B2
Application number	US-202016830185-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2020
Priority date	Mar 27, 2019
Publication date	Feb 8, 2022
Grant date	Feb 8, 2022

Abstract

A method for adjusting a printing apparatus, which the printing apparatus includes: a platen for supporting the medium, an imaging unit, a winding shaft for winding the medium, a shaft adjusting mechanism configured to adjust the position of the winding shaft, and a notifying unit configured to perform notification, comprising: a jig installing step for attaching one end of a strip-shaped jig, on which graduations are formed, to the winding shaft, and locking the jig to the platen, along a transporting path at both ends in a width direction of the medium, an imaging step for imaging the graduations by the imaging unit at two locations different from each other, in a direction orthogonal to a transport direction of the medium on the platen, a notifying step for notifying a result based on an image imaged by the imaging unit, and an adjusting step for adjusting the shaft adjusting mechanism.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for adjusting a printing apparatus including a head configured to discharge a droplet to a medium; a medium supporting unit configured to support the medium facing the head; an imaging unit configured to capture, facing the medium support unit, an image; a winding shaft for winding the medium; a shaft adjusting mechanism configured to adjust a position of the winding shaft; and a notifying unit configured to perform notification about information of a device, the method comprising:
a jig installing step for attaching one end of a strip-shaped jig, at which a measurement pattern is formed, to the winding shaft to lock the jig to the medium supporting unit, along a transporting path at both ends in a width direction of the medium;
an imaging step for imaging the measurement pattern by the imaging unit at two locations different from each other in a direction orthogonal to a transport direction of the medium on the medium supporting unit,
a notifying step for performing notification, at the notifying unit, about a result based on an image captured by the imaging unit, and
an adjusting step for adjusting the shaft adjusting mechanism.

2. The method for adjusting the printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
in the notifying step, notification is performed about an image of the measurement pattern imaged by the imaging unit.

3. The method for adjusting the printing apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising:
a determining step for determining necessity of position adjustment of the winding shaft, wherein
in the notifying step, notification is performed about the determination result of the determining step.

4. The method for adjusting the printing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the imaging step is repeatedly executed, and
notification is performed in the notifying step, when it is determined that the position adjustment of the winding shaft is unnecessary in the determining step.

5. The method for adjusting the printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
in the imaging step, the imaging unit images the two locations by being moved in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction.

6. The method for adjusting the printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
in the jig installing step, a substance that applies tension to the jig is coupled to the other end of the jig.

7. A printing apparatus comprising:
a head configured to discharge a droplet to a medium;
a medium supporting unit configured to support the medium facing the head;
an imaging unit configured to capture, facing the medium support unit, an image;
a winding shaft for winding the medium;
a shaft adjusting mechanism configured to adjust the position of the winding shaft;
a notifying unit configured to perform notification about information of a device; and
a controller configured to
image, by the imaging unit, a measurement pattern of a jig locked to the medium supporting unit along a transporting path at both ends in a width direction of the medium with one end of the jig being attached to the winding shaft, the pattern being imaged at two locations different from each other in a direction orthogonal to the transporting direction of the medium on the medium supporting unit,
determine necessity of position adjustment of the winding shaft based on the image imaged by the imaging unit,
and perform notification, at the notifying unit, about the determination result.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Kitagishi Mikio

Classifications

• B65H18/028

  Both ends type · CPC title

• B65H2301/413526

  vertically moving supporting means · CPC title

• B65H2551/29

  Means displaying permanently a particular information, e.g. mark, ruler · CPC title

• B41J15/16 Primary

  Means for tensioning or winding the web · CPC title

• B41J15/046

  for the guidance of continuous copy material, e.g. for preventing skewed conveyance of the continuous copy material · CPC title