# US 10,118,417 B2 · Print data generating device, printing device, print data generating method, and program

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- Number: US 10,118,417 B2
- Document ID: US10118417B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/450,898
- Filed: 2017-03-06
- Published: 2017-06-22
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-03-24
- Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Inventors: Tsunenobu Endo; Taisuke Okawa; Kan Matsuda
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118417B2

## CPC

- B41J 11/70: cutting perpendicular to the direction of paper feed
- B26D 1/065: {for thin material, e.g. for sheets, strips or the like}
- B41J 3/4075: {Tape printers; Label printers}
- B41J 11/008: {Controlling printhead for accurately positioning print image on printing material, e.g. with the intention to control the width of margins}
- B41J 11/703: {Cutting of tape}
- B41M 5/00: Duplicating or marking methods; Sheet materials for use therein (by using light-sensitive materials G03; electrography, magnetography G03G {; repeatedly usable boards or tablets for writing or drawing B43L1/00})
- G06K 15/022: {for printing on continuous media, e.g. tapes}
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B26D: CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING (for growing crops or plants A01D, A01G; for fodder or straw A01F; for bulk butter A01J; for dough A21C; slaughtering A22B; for tobacco, cigars or cigarettes A24; marking-out, perforating or making buttonholes A41H25/00; manufacturing footwear A43D; brushmaking A46D; surgery A61B; disintegrating, mincing or shredding in general B02C; cutting wire, making pins or nails B21F, B21G; of the kind used formetal B23; cutting by abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; hand-held cutting tools B26B; perforating, cutting-out, stamping-out or punching, or severing by means other than cutting B26F; for wood B27; for stone B28D; working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29; making boxes, cartons, envelopes or bags, of paper or similarly worked materials, e.g. metal foil, B31B; article or web delivery apparatus incorporating cutting or line-perforating devices B65H35/00; for leather or upholstery B68, C14B; for glass C03B; making matches C06F; for peat C10F; for sugar C13B45/00; for textile materials D06H; civil engineering, building, mining, see Section E; for light guides G02B6/25; cutting processed photographic material G03D15/04)
- B41M: PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING, (correction of typographical errors B41J; processes for applying transfer pictures or the like B44C1/16; fluid media for correction of typographical errors by coating C09D10/00; printing textiles D06P)
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS

## Abstract

A print data generating device generates print data printable by a printing device including a feeding unit which feeds continuous forms paper in a scanning direction, a line head which performs print processing on the continuous forms paper fed in the scanning direction, a cutting unit downstream of the line head in the scanning direction that cuts the continuous forms paper, and a direction change execution which executes direction change processing of changing the direction in which the print image is printed by 180 degrees. The print direction of a print image is changed in such a way that an image arrangement area on the print image of the print data, and a print area where the print processing is carried out by the print head in a paper feed acceleration/deceleration zone at the time of cutting the print tape, do not overlap with each other.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A print data generating device which generates print data printable by a printing device, the printing device comprising:
a feeding unit which feeds continuous forms paper in a scanning direction;
a line head which performs print processing on the continuous forms paper fed in the scanning direction; and
a cutting unit which is arranged downstream of the line head in the scanning direction and cuts the continuous forms paper,
a control unit configured to change a direction in which a print image is printed by 180 degrees, in such a way that an image arrangement area on the print image of the print data, and a print area where the print processing by the line head is carried out in a paper feed acceleration/deceleration zone at the time of cutting the continuous forms paper, do not overlap with each other.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The print data generating device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises:
a direction change decision unit which decides whether or not to carry out direction change processing of changing the direction in which the print image is printed; and
a direction change execution unit which executes the direction change processing if the direction change decision unit decides that the direction change processing is to be carried out,
wherein the direction change decision unit decides whether or not to carry out the direction change processing in such a way that the image arrangement area and the print area in the acceleration/deceleration zone do not overlap with each other.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The print data generating device according to claim 2, wherein the direction change decision unit analyzes the print data to determine the image arrangement area on the print image, and decides whether or not to carry out the direction change processing, using the determined image arrangement area.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The print data generating device according to claim 1, wherein the image arrangement area is an area where an image in a color of intermediate gradation is arranged.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A printing device comprising:
the print data generating device according to claim 1.

### Claim 6

A print data generating method for generating print data printable by a printing device, the printing device including a feeding unit which feeds continuous forms paper in a scanning direction, a line head which performs print processing on the continuous forms paper fed in the scanning direction, and a cutting unit which is arranged downstream of the line head in the scanning direction and cuts the continuous forms paper, the method comprising:
changing a direction in which a print image is printed by 180 degrees, in such a way that an image arrangement area on the print image of the print data, and a print area where the print processing by the line head is carried out in a paper feed acceleration/deceleration zone at the time of cutting the continuous forms paper, do not overlap with each other.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing a program causing a computer to execute the print data generating method according to claim 6.