PRINTER AND CONTROL METHOD

Abstract

A printer which transports a sheet of paper from a paper tray inserted in the printer to perform printing includes: an insertion/removal sensing unit configured to sense insertion and removal of the paper tray; a transport failure sensing unit configured to sense a transport failure of the sheet of paper; and a print control unit configured to, if, when a transport failure is sensed by the transport failure sensing unit, the print control unit determines that transport of the sheet of paper is transport performed directly after the insertion/removal sensing unit sensed insertion of the paper tray, issue a notification for prompting a user to perform an operation relating to the paper tray.

Claims

1. A printer which transports a sheet of paper from a paper tray inserted in the printer to perform printing, the printer comprising: an insertion/removal sensing unit configured to sense insertion and removal of the paper tray; a transport failure sensing unit configured to sense a transport failure of the sheet of paper; and a print control unit configured to, when the transport failure sensing unit senses the transport failure during transport of the sheet of paper performed directly after the insertion/removal sensing unit sensed insertion of the paper tray, issue a notification for prompting a user to perform an operation relating to the paper tray.

2. The printer according to claim 1, further comprising: a transported sheet counter configured to count the number of sheets of paper transported after the insertion/removal sensing unit has sensed the insertion of the paper tray, wherein when a value of the transported sheet counter is zero, the print control unit determines that the transport of the sheet of paper is transport performed directly after the insertion of the paper tray was sensed.

3. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the transport failure is sensed by determining absence of the sheet of paper in a transport path of the sheet of paper by the transport failure sensing unit.

4. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the notification issued by the print control unit is a notification for prompting a user to perform at least a removal/insertion operation of the paper tray or an operation of returning the sheet of paper stored in the paper tray to a storage position.

5. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the print control unit issues, among notifications for prompting a user to perform operations relating to a plurality of positions where the transport failure possibly occurs, a notification for prompting the user to perform an operation relating to the paper tray in preference to the notifications for promoting the operations relating to the plurality of positions other than the paper tray.

6. A method for controlling a printer which transports a sheet of paper from a paper tray inserted in the printer to perform printing, the method comprising: issuing, when a transport failure is sensed during transport of the sheet of paper performed directly after insertion of the paper tray was sensed, a notification for prompting a user to perform an operation relating to the paper tray.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein when the number of sheets of paper transported after the insertion of the paper tray has been sensed is zero, it is determined that the transport of the sheet of paper is transport performed directly after the insertion of the paper tray was sensed.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the transport failure is sensed by determining absence of the sheet of paper in a transport path of the sheet of paper.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the notification is a notification for prompting a user to perform at least a removal/insertion operation of the paper tray or an operation of returning the sheet of paper stored in the paper tray to a storage position.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein among notifications for prompting a user to perform operations relating to a plurality of positions where the transport failure possibly occurs, a notification for prompting the user to perform an operation relating to the paper tray is issued in preference to the notifications for promoting the operations relating to the plurality of positions other than the paper tray.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers reference like elements.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating the configuration of a printer according to an embodiment to which the disclosure is applied.

[0022] FIG. 2 is a side view schematically illustrating a mechanism of the printer.

[0023] FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a state in which an error relating to a paper tray occurs.

[0024] FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a state in which an error relating to the paper tray occurs.

[0025] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of processes of a counter control unit.

[0026] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of processes performed by a print control unit.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0027] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, such embodiments do not restrict the technical scope of the disclosure. In the drawings, the same or similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals or symbols.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating the configuration of a printer according to an embodiment to which the disclosure is applied. A printer 2 shown in FIG. 1 is a printer to which the disclosure is applied. The printer 2 feeds a sheet of paper 4 stored in a paper tray 3 to perform printing. If at the time of the printing, a transport failure of the sheet of paper 4 occurs, and the printing is printing performed for the first time after the paper tray 3 was inserted, the printer 2 determines that the transport failure can be an error having a connection with the paper tray 3, and the printer 2 issues a notification for prompting a user to perform a removal/insertion operation of the paper tray 3 and/or an operation of setting the sheet of paper 4 stored in the paper tray 3 in a correct position. Such control enables accurate sensing of an error caused by the paper tray 3 in the printer 2 and correction of the error at an early stage.

[0029] As described above, the printer 2 is, for example, an ink jet printer which performs printing on the sheet of paper 4 which is a cut sheet of paper stored in the paper tray 3. The printer 2 is installed in, for example, the back room of a convenience store and can be used to print out instruction contents and various types of information transmitted via a network from a head office.

[0030] A host device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is, for example, a host computer for issuing a print request to the printer 2. The host device 1 is connected to the printer 2 via a network or a cable so as to be able to communicate with the printer 2. In response to a print request, the host device 1 transmits print data to the printer 2.

[0031] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the printer 2 includes a control unit 21, a mechanism unit 22, a display unit 23, a transported sheet counter 24, paper detection sensors 25A and 25B, a tray insertion and removal sensor 26, and other components.

[0032] The control unit 21 is a unit that controls each of the components of the printer 2. Although not shown in the figure, the control unit 21 includes a CPU, RAM, ROM, an ASIC, NVRAM, and the like as hardware structures. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the control unit 21 includes a counter control unit 211 and a print control unit 212 as functional structures.

[0033] The counter control unit 211 is a unit that controls the value of the transported sheet counter 24. The counter control unit 211 increments the value (by one) each time a sheet of paper 4 is transported from the paper tray 3. When the paper tray 3 is pulled out of a tray accommodation part 222a, the counter control unit 211 resets the value (to 0).

[0034] The print control unit 212 is a unit that controls the operation of the mechanism unit 22 upon reception of a print request from, for example, the host device 1 to cause the printer 2 to transport a sheet of paper 4 from the paper tray 3 and to perform printing on the sheet of paper 4. When a transport failure occurs, the print control unit 212 also performs a process of issuing an error notification to a user.

[0035] The counter control unit 211 and the print control unit 212 each include a program which records process contents, a CPU for performing processing according to the program, RAM, and other components.

[0036] The mechanism unit 22 includes a transport mechanism 222 configured to transport the sheet of paper 4 and a print mechanism 221 configured to perform printing on the sheet of paper 4 which was transported.

[0037] The display unit 23 is a unit that displays information to a user. The display unit 23 may be configured as, for example, a liquid crystal display unit. When an error is sensed, information regarding the error is displayed on the display unit 23. In this way, a notification is issued to a user.

[0038] The transported sheet counter 24 is a component that counts (stores) the number of sheets of paper 4 transported from the paper tray 3. Specifically, the transported sheet counter 24 is a counter that counts the number of sheets of paper transported after the tray insertion and removal sensor 26 has sensed insertion of the paper tray 3.

[0039] The paper detection sensor 25A (transport failure sensing unit) and the paper detection sensor 25B are sensors that detect whether or not the sheet of paper 4 is present on a transport path 222g. For example, existing optical sensors can be used as the sensors 25A and 25B. Note that attachment positions of the paper detection sensors 25A and 25B will be described later. Based on determination results of the paper detection sensors 25A and 25B, the transport failure of the sheet of paper 4 is sensed.

[0040] The tray insertion and removal sensor 26 (insertion/removal sensing unit) is a sensor that detects insertion/removal of the paper tray 3 into/from the tray accommodation part 222a. When the paper tray 3 is pulled out of a body (the tray accommodation part 222), the tray insertion and removal sensor 26 can sense two states, i.e., a state in which the paper tray 3 inserted in the tray accommodation part 222 is started to be pulled out (a state in which the paper tray 3 is moved even a small distance (by several millimeters) from an inserted position, hereinafter referred to as a pulled-out state) and a state in which the paper tray 3 is completely pulled out from the body (the tray accommodation part 222). Note that as the tray insertion and removal sensor 26, an existing mechanical sensor, an existing contact type sensor, or the like can be used.

[0041] FIG. 2 is a side view schematically illustrating a mechanism of the printer 2. FIG. 2 shows a state in which the paper tray 3 is inserted in the tray accommodation part 222a. The paper tray 3 is movable in directions indicated by an arrow X shown in FIG. 2. The paper tray 3 is moved in these directions, thereby being inserted into and removed from the tray accommodation part 222a. The movement of the paper tray 3 is sensed (detected) by the tray insertion and removal sensor 26 which is described above.

[0042] As illustrated in FIG. 2, sheets of paper 4 are loaded (stored) in the paper tray 3. When printing is performed, the sheets of paper 4 are fed to the transport path 222g by a pickup roller 222b one by one. Each sheet of paper 4 that is fed is moved by sheet transporting rollers 222c, and then, the sheet of paper 4 is transported to a print position by sheet feeding rollers 222d. As illustrated in FIG. 2, at the print position, a print head 221b and a platen 221c are disposed, and ink is ejected from a nozzle of the print head 221b to the sheet of paper 4 transported to the print position, thereby performing printing. Note that the print head 221b is mounted on a carriage 221a that moves in a sub-scan direction.

[0043] The sheet of paper 4, after the printing has been performed, is transported by sheet discharging rollers 222e to a discharge port 222f and is then discharged from the discharge port 222f.

[0044] Note that the tray accommodation part 222a, the pickup roller 222b, the sheet transporting rollers 222c, the sheet feeding rollers 222d, and the sheet discharging rollers 222e are included in the transport mechanism 222, and the carriage 221a, the print head 221b, and the platen 221c are included in the print mechanism 221.

[0045] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the paper detection sensor 25A is disposed so as to detect the sheet of paper 4 at a position in front of the sheet feeding rollers 222d in the transport path 222g (a position located slightly upstream of the sheet feeding rollers 222d), and the paper detection sensor 25B is disposed on the carriage 221a and is arranged to detect the sheet of paper 4 at a position in the vicinity of the print head 221b in the transport path 222g.

[0046] In FIG. 2, an area from a Y point to a Z point in the transport path 222g is referred to as an A area, and an area located downstream of the Z point is referred to as a B area.

[0047] When the sheet of paper 4 which is supposed to be detected by the paper detection sensor 25A is not detected, a failure such as a paper jam in the A area or a failure relating to the paper tray 3 is suspected. When the sheet of paper 4 is transported to the paper detection sensor 25A without failure, but the sheet of paper 4 which is supposed to be detected by the paper detection sensor 25B is not detected, a failure in the B area is suspected.

[0048] The printer 2 having a configuration as described above has features of error detection and an error notification during print processing. The error detection and the error notification will be specifically described below. In particular, the printer 2 has features of detecting an error regarding the paper tray 3 and providing notification of the error.

[0049] FIGS. 3 and 4 are each a view illustrating a state in which an error relating to the paper tray 3 occurs. In FIGS. 3 and 4, an arrow F indicates a transport direction of the sheet of paper 4. In a state shown in FIG. 3, the sheet of paper 4 lies beyond the paper tray 3 in the direction indicated by the arrow F (see XX in FIG. 3). In a state shown in FIG. 4, an end of the sheet of paper 4 in a direction indicated by the arrow F is pinched between the paper tray 3 and other sheets of paper 4 (see YY in FIG. 4). In the states shown in both of the figures, the sheet of paper 4 cannot be appropriately transported (cannot be delivered).

[0050] Next, a count process of the transported sheet counter 24 used in sensing (determining) an error relating to the paper tray 3 will be described.

[0051] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of processes of the counter control unit 211. The counter control unit 211 constantly checks whether or not pulling out of the paper tray 3 is sensed by the tray insertion and removal sensor 26 (step S1 of FIG. 5), and if the pulling out of the paper tray 3 is sensed (if Yes is determined in step S1 of FIG. 5), the counter control unit 211 resets the transported sheet counter 24 so that the value of the transported sheet counter 24 is set to 0 (step S2 of FIG. 5).

[0052] If the pulling out of the paper tray 3 is not sensed (if No is determined in step S1 of FIG. 5), the procedure proceeds to step S3.

[0053] In step S3, the counter control unit 211 checks whether or not the sheet of paper 4 is transported. Specifically, for example, when the determination result of the paper detection sensor 25A changes from presence of paper to absence of paper, the counter control unit 211 determines that one sheet of paper 4 is transported.

[0054] Then, if the sheet of paper 4 is transported (if Yes is determined in step S3 of FIG. 5), the counter control unit 211 increments the value (count value) of the transported sheet counter 24 (by one) (step S4 of FIG. 5). Then, the procedure returns to step S1.

[0055] If the sheet of paper 4 is not transported (if No is determined in step S3 of FIG. 5), the procedure returns to step S1.

[0056] In this way, the counter control unit 211 increments the value of the transported sheet counter 24 each time the sheet of paper 4 is transported, and when the paper tray 3 is pulled out, the counter control unit 211 resets the value of the transported sheet counter 24 to 0.

[0057] Next, processes in performing printing, in particular, error sensing and an error notification in performing the printing will be described. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of processes performed by the print control unit 212. Here, a process of one sheet of paper 4 will be described.

[0058] First, the print control unit 212 receives print data from, for example, the host device 1 (step S11 of FIG. 6).

[0059] Next, the print control unit 212 causes the printer 2 to perform a process of transporting the sheet of paper 4 stored in the paper tray 3 to a print position (step S12 of FIG. 6). Specifically, the print control unit 212 controls the transport mechanism 222 so as to pick up the sheet of paper 4 from the paper tray 3 and transport the sheet of paper 4 until a top edge of the sheet of paper 4 comes to a predetermined position (cueing position) downstream of the sheet feeding rollers 222d.

[0060] Then, the print control unit 212 checks during the transport, whether or not the paper detection sensor 25A senses (detects) the sheet of paper 4 which is supposed to be transported (step S13 of FIG. 6). As a result of the check, if the paper detection sensor 25A senses (detects) the sheet of paper 4 (if Yes is determined in step S13 of FIG. 6), the print control unit 212 determines that the sheet of paper 4 is appropriately transported and causes the printer 2 to perform a normal printing process (step S14 of FIG. 6). In the normal printing process, the print control unit 212 causes the printer 2 to transport the sheet of paper 4 to the print position as described above, to perform printing by the print head 221b, and then, to discharge the sheet of paper from the discharge port 222f. Note that during this process, if a failure (error) occurs in which the paper detection sensor 25B does not sense (detect) the sheet of paper 4, the print control unit 212 determines the occurrence of the failure in the B area and issues to a user a notification of the occurrence of the error and a method for correcting the error, and the like. Specifically, the print control unit 212 displays on the display unit 23, a notification that, for example, a paper jam has occurred in the B area and that a user should open the upper panel (the upper panel of the printer 2 which is installed) to remove the sheet of paper 4. When this process in step S14 is completed, the processing of the one sheet of paper 4 is terminated.

[0061] However, in step S13, as a result of the check, if the paper detection sensor 25A does not sense (detect) the sheet of paper 4 (if No is determined in step S13 of FIG. 6), the print control unit 212 determines that the sheet of paper 4 has not been transported appropriately (a transport failure), that is, that any error has occurred, and the print control unit 212 performs a process of locating a position (area) where the error has occurred. Specifically, the print control unit 212 checks whether or not the value of the transported sheet counter 24 is 0 (step S15 of FIG. 6).

[0062] As a result of the check, if the value of the transported sheet counter 24 is not 0 (if No is determined in step S15 of FIG. 6), the print control unit 212 determines that printing (transport of the sheet of paper 4) is not printing performed directly after the paper tray 3 was inserted, and the print control unit 212 determines that the error has occurred in the A area. This is because since the printing is not printing performed directly after the paper tray 3 was inserted, and several sheets of paper 4 have thus already been appropriately transported, the error is unlikely an error relating to the paper tray 3. Then, the print control unit 212 issues to a user a notification of an A area error (step S16 of FIG. 6). Specifically, for example, the print control unit 212 displays on the display unit 23, an announcement that an error such as a paper jam in the A area has occurred and that the rear panel (the rear panel of the printer 2 in an installed state, on the right side in FIG. 2) should be opened to remove the sheet of paper 4. The processing of the one sheet of paper 4 is terminated with the process in step S16.

[0063] However, as a result of the check, if the value of the transported sheet counter 24 is 0 (if Yes is determined in step S15 of FIG. 6), the print control unit 212 determines that printing (transport of the sheet of paper 4) is printing performed directly after the paper tray 3 was inserted (directly after the tray insertion and removal sensor 26 sensed the insertion of the paper tray 3), and the print control unit 212 determines that an error relating to the paper tray 3 (a set error of the paper tray 3) is suspected. Then, the print control unit 212 issues to a user a notification of the set error of the paper tray 3 (step S17 of FIG. 6).

[0064] Specifically, for example, the print control unit 212 issues a notification that the error has occurred around the paper tray 3, and the print control unit 212 displays an announcement on the display unit 23 to prompt a user to perform an operation relating to the paper tray 3. The operation relating to the paper tray 3 includes a removal/insertion operation of the paper tray 3, and/or an operation of returning the sheet of paper 4 stored in the paper tray 3 to a correct storage position. The processing of the one sheet of paper 4 is terminated with the process in step S17.

[0065] Note that even when the occurrence of an error is directly after the insertion of the paper tray 3, the error may have no connection with the paper tray 3 and may be the A area error. Therefore, if the error is not corrected by the above-described operation relating to the paper tray 3 performed after the notification of the set error of the paper tray 3, a notification of the A area error may be issued in the same manner as in step S16.

[0066] In the above-described example, the notification of the error is displayed on the display unit 23. However, the notification of the error may be provided by voice from a voice generation unit (not shown) included in the printer 2, transmission of notification information to the host device 1, or the like. Alternatively, the notification of the error may be performed by a combination of these methods.

[0067] Note that whether or not the set error of the paper tray 3 occurs largely depends on how a user handles the paper tray 3. Therefore, for a user whose handling of the paper tray 3 causes a relatively few set errors, the process relating to the set error of the paper tray 3 may be omitted. That is, in the process based on FIG. 6, if No is determined in step S13, the procedure proceeds to step S16 in all cases.

[0068] As described above, in the printer 2 according to the present embodiment, the transported sheet counter 24 is reset when the paper tray 3 is pulled out so as to determine, based on the value of the transported sheet counter 24, whether or not printing (transport of the sheet of paper 4) is printing performed directly after the paper tray 3 was inserted, and if, when the occurrence of a transport failure is determined based on the detection result of the paper detection sensor 25A, it is determined that the printing (transport of the sheet of paper 4) is printing performed directly after the paper tray 3 was inserted, the transport failure can be a set error of the paper tray 3, and thus, a notification of the set error is issued. Therefore, the set error of the paper tray 3, notification of which is not issued traditionally, can be accurately sensed. Moreover, since the notification of the set error of the paper tray 3 is issued, the error is highly possibly corrected at an early stage, which also eliminates a risk that the printer is repeatedly operated, and thus, for example, uneven wear of a roller occurs.

[0069] As described above, since the determination is made based on the value of the transported sheet counter 24, it is possible to accurately determine whether or not printing (transport of sheet of paper 4) is printing performed directly after the paper tray 3 was inserted.

[0070] Moreover, the transport failure is accurately determined based on the detection result of the paper detection sensor 25A.

[0071] Moreover, a notification of a set error of the paper tray 3 includes information for prompting a user to perform, for example, an operation relating to the paper tray 3, specifically, a removal/insertion operation of the paper tray 3 and/or an operation of returning the sheet of paper 4 stored in the paper tray 3 to a correct storage position, and therefore, the set error of the paper tray 3 can be corrected accurately and at an early stage.

[0072] Note that in the present embodiment, the printer 2 is an ink jet system printer, but the disclosure is applicable to printers in other print systems.

[0073] The extent of protection of the disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments but extends to the disclosure in the claims and equivalent thereof.