Printer configured to set operation mode to one of first mode and second mode for appropriately determining whether to allow subsequent print control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11370235-B2
Application number	US-202016816554-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2020
Priority date	Mar 14, 2019
Publication date	Jun 28, 2022
Grant date	Jun 28, 2022

Abstract

A printer includes: a printing head; a conveyor; a cutter for cutting the medium to provide a segmented medium; a discharge roller; a counter roller; a sensor for detecting whether the segmented medium remains between the discharge roller and the counter roller; and a controller configured to perform: setting an operation mode to one of a first mode and a second mode depending on a medium kind; controlling the printing head and the conveyor to perform a first print control on the medium; controlling the sensor to detect whether the segmented medium has been removed; and permitting a second print control to be performed. When the operation mode is the first mode, the second print control is permitted after the sensor detects whether the segmented medium has been removed. When the operation mode is the first mode, the second print control is permitted without controlling the sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A printer comprising:
a printing head configured to perform printing on a medium;
a conveyor configured to convey the medium in a conveying direction;
a cutter positioned downstream of the printing head and the conveyor in the conveying direction, the cutter being configured to cut the medium to provide a segmented medium;
a discharge roller positioned downstream of the cutter in the conveying direction;
a counter roller positioned to face the discharge roller and configured to nip the medium in cooperation with the discharge roller;
a sensor positioned downstream of the cutter in the conveying direction, the sensor being configured to detect whether the segmented medium remains at a portion between the discharge roller and the counter roller; and
a controller configured to perform:
(a) acquiring information indicative of kind of the medium, the kind of medium being classified into either one of a first kind and a second kind;
(b) setting, when the kind of the medium acquired in the (a) acquiring is the first kind, an operation mode to a first mode;
(c) setting, when the kind of the medium acquired in the (a) acquiring is the second kind, the operation mode to a second mode;
(d) controlling, when a first print instruction has been acquired, the printing head and the conveyor to perform a first print control on the medium, the first print control being first performed based on the acquired first print instruction to perform printing on the medium;
(e) controlling, after completion of the (d) controlling, the cutter to cut the medium;
(f) controlling the sensor to detect whether the segmented medium has been removed from the portion between the discharge roller and the counter roller; and
(g) permitting a second print control to be performed, the second print control being performed subsequent to the first print control based on a second print instruction acquired subsequent to the first print instruction to perform printing on the medium,

wherein, when the operation mode is set to the first mode in the (b) setting, the controller performs the (g) permitting after performing the (f) controlling, and
wherein, when the operation mode is set to the second mode in the (c) setting, the controller performs the (g) permitting without performing the (f) controlling.

2. The printer according to claim 1 , further comprising a driver configured to drivingly rotate the discharge roller in a discharging direction, rotation of the discharge roller in the discharging direction causing the segmented medium to be conveyed downstream in the conveying direction,
wherein, when the operation mode is set to the first mode in the (b) setting, the controller performs the (g) permitting when the sensor detects in the (f) controlling that the segmented medium has been removed from the portion between the discharge roller and the counter roller,
wherein, when the operation mode is set to the second mode in the (e) setting, the controller is configured to further perform:
(h) driving the driver to drivingly rotate the discharge roller in the discharging direction; and
the (g) permitting after performing the (h) driving.

3. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein, when the operation mode is set to the first mode in the (b) setting, the controller performs the (g) permitting when the sensor detects in the (f) controlling that the segmented medium has been removed from the portion between the discharge roller and the counter roller, and
wherein, when the operation mode is set to the second mode in the (c) setting, the controller performs the (g) permitting after an instruction inputted by a user has been acquired.

4. The printer according to claim 1 , further comprising a reading unit configured to read the information indicative of the kind of the medium from information storing unit provided at least one of the medium and a cassette including the medium,
wherein the (a) acquiring acquires the information indicative of the kind of the medium through the reading unit.

5. The printer according to claim 1 , further comprising a receiving unit configured to receive input of information indicative of the kind of the medium by the user,
wherein the (a) acquiring acquires the information indicative of the kind of the medium through the receiving unit.

6. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a transmissive photosensor, and
wherein the medium of the second kind has at least one of characteristics including:
a through-hole;
a width smaller than a prescribed width;
a rigidity smaller than a prescribed rigidity;
a light transmittance greater than a prescribed level; and
a refractive index smaller than a prescribed level.

7. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a reflective type photosensor, and
wherein the medium of the second kind has at least one of characteristics including:
a through-hole;
a width smaller than a prescribed width;
a rigidity smaller than a prescribed rigidity;
a light specular reflectance smaller than a prescribed level; and
a light diffuse reflectance greater than a prescribed level.

8. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a mechanical switch, and
wherein the medium of the second kind has at least one of characteristics including:
a through-hole;
a width smaller than a prescribed width; and
a rigidity smaller than a prescribed rigidity.

9. A printer comprising:
a printing head configured to perform printing on a medium;
a platen roller configured to nip the medium in cooperation with the printing head;
a cutter positioned downstream of the printing head and the platen roller in a conveying direction in which the medium is conveyed, the cutter being configured to cut the medium to provide a segmented medium;
a discharge roller positioned downstream of the cutter in the conveying direction;
a counter roller positioned to face the discharge roller and configured to nip the medium in cooperation with the discharge roller;
a sensor positioned downstream of the discharge roller and the counter roller in the conveying direction, the sensor being configured to detect whether the segmented medium remains at a portion between the discharge roller and the counter roller; and
a controller configured to perform:
(a) acquiring information indicative of kind of the medium, the kind of medium being classified into either one of a first kind and a second kind;
(b) setting, when the kind of the medium acquired in the (a) acquiring is the first kind, an operation mode to a first mode;
(c) setting, when the kind of the medium acquired in the (a) acquiring is the second kind, the operation mode to a second mode;
(d) controlling, when a first print instruction has been acquired, the printing head and the platen roller to perform printing on the medium based on the acquired first print instruction;
(e) controlling, after completion of the (d) controlling, the cutter to cut the medium;
(f) controlling the sensor to detect whether the segmented medium has been removed from the portion between the discharge roller and the counter roller;
(g) permitting, when the sensor detects in the (f) controlling that the segmented medium has been removed from the portion between the discharge roller and the counter roller, a second print instruction to be received, the second print instruction being acquired subsequent to the first print instruction to perform printing on the medium; and
(h) preventing, when the sensor detects in the (f) controlling that the segmented medium remains at the portion between the discharge roller and the counter roller, the second print instruction from being received, and

wherein, when the operat

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Mizutani Hiromitsu

Classifications

• B65H2701/1311

  leading edge · CPC title

• B65H43/02

  detecting, or responding to, absence of articles (B65H43/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65H2553/412

  in barrier arrangements, i.e. emitter facing a receptor element · CPC title

• B65H29/12

  by means of the nip between two, or between two sets of, moving tapes or bands {or rollers} · CPC title

• B65H2404/1441

  involving controlled actuator · CPC title