# US 2010/0166482 A1 · Image recording apparatus and control method of image recording apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0166482 A1 - Document ID: US20100166482A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/643,668 - Filed: 2009-12-21 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2008-12-26 - Assignees: Olympus Corporation - Inventors: Tomoko GOCHO - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100166482A1 ## CPC - B41J 11/663: {Controlling cutting, cutting resulting in special shapes of the cutting line, e.g. controlling cutting positions, e.g. for cutting in the immediate vicinity of a printed image} - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract An image recording apparatus having a carrying unit carrying a continuous recording medium; a recording medium connecting unit for replacing and connecting the continuous recording medium; a cutting unit having cutting means cutting the continuous recording medium and detection means detecting a cutting position of the cutting means; and an introducing unit and having a pair of introducing rotating bodies nipping the continuous recording medium to hold and introduce the continuous recording medium into the cutting unit, and comprising a control unit determining whether a connecting position of the continuous recording medium connected in the recording medium connecting unit corresponds to the cutting position of the cutting unit, and when the connecting position and the cutting position are determined as corresponding, controlling a cutting length of the continuous recording medium having the connecting position, to avoid cutting being conducted at the connecting position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image recording apparatus having a carrying unit carrying a continuous recording medium and having carriage information of the continuous recording medium; a recording medium connecting unit for replacing and connecting the continuous recording medium; a cutting unit having cutting means cutting the continuous recording medium and detection means detecting a cutting position of the cutting means; and an introducing unit disposed between the carrying unit and the cutting unit, and having a pair of introducing rotating bodies nipping the continuous recording medium to hold and introduce the continuous recording medium into the cutting unit, comprising a control unit determining whether a connecting position of the continuous recording medium connected in the recording medium connecting unit corresponds to the cutting position of the cutting unit, and when the connecting position and the cutting position are determined as corresponding, controlling a cutting length of the continuous recording medium having the connecting position, to avoid cutting being conducted at the connecting position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cutting means of the cutting unit has a cutting-side rotating body and a receiving-side rotating body disposed facing each other so as to be able to cut the continuous recording medium and rotating at a constant rotation number; the introducing unit has a pair of introducing rotating bodies nipping the continuous recording medium to hold and introduce the continuous recording medium into the cutting unit; and the control unit temporarily reduces an introducing amount of the continuous recording medium into the cutting unit by temporarily stopping the pair of introducing rotating bodies or reducing a speed of the pair of introducing rotating bodies, to introduce the continuous recording medium in a shorter cut length than a normal cut length, and after that, increases the introducing amount of the continuous recording medium into the cutting unit at a predetermined timing by activating the introducing rotating bodies or increasing the speed of the introducing rotating bodies, to introduce the continuous recording medium in a longer length than the normal cut length. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording medium connecting unit has a cutting slit disposed at a predetermined position for cutting the continuous recording medium, and in the determining of whether a connecting position of the continuous recording medium corresponds to the cutting position by the control unit, the position of the cutting slit is calculated as the connecting position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The image recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when a tape is used for connecting the continuous recording medium, in the determining of whether a connecting position of the continuous recording medium corresponds to the cutting position by the control unit, a range in which the tape exists anteriorly and posteriorly to the position of the cutting slit is taken as the connecting position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cutting unit has a cutting blade on an outer circumference of a rotating body, and assuming an outer-circumference moving length of the cutting blade from a stop position of the cutting blade to the cutting position as L2, a carrying length from the recording medium connecting position to the cutting position as L1, and a normal cutting length of the continuous recording medium as Lc, when a carrying path length (L1-L2) equals to an integral multiple of the Lc, the control unit determines that the recording medium connecting position and the cutting position are at a same position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The image recording medium according to claim 2, wherein assuming a cut length introduced and cut in a shorter cut length than the normal cut length as La, a cut length introduced and cut in a longer cut length than the normal cut length as Lb, and the normal cutting length as Lc, La+Lb=2Lc. ### Claim 7 A control method of an image recording apparatus having a carrying unit carrying a continuous recording medium and having carriage information of the continuous recording medium; a recording medium connecting unit for replacing and connecting the continuous recording medium; a cutting unit having cutting means cutting the continuous recording medium and detection means detecting a cutting position of the cutting means; and an introducing unit disposed between the carrying unit and the cutting unit, and having a pair of introducing rotating bodies nipping the continuous recording medium to hold and introduce the continuous recording medium into the cutting unit, the control method comprising determining whether a connecting position of the continuous recording medium connected in the recording medium connecting unit corresponds to the cutting position of the cutting unit, and when the connecting position and the cutting position are determined as corresponding, performing a control of a cutting length of the continuous recording medium having the connecting position, to avoid cutting being conducted at the connecting position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The control method of an image recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the cutting means of the cutting unit has a cutting-side rotating body and a receiving-side rotating body disposed facing each other so as to be able to cut the continuous recording medium and rotating at a constant rotation number; the introducing unit has a pair of introducing rotating bodies nipping the continuous recording medium to hold and introduce the continuous recording medium into the cutting unit; and the control to avoid cutting being performed at the connecting position temporarily reduces an introducing amount of the continuous recording medium into the cutting unit by temporarily stopping the pair of introducing rotating bodies or reducing a speed of the pair of introducing rotating bodies, to introduce the continuous recording medium in a shorter cut length than a normal cut length, and after that, increases the introducing amount of the continuous recording medium into the cutting unit at a predetermined timing by activating the introducing rotating bodies or increasing the speed of the introducing rotating bodies, to introduce the continuous recording medium in a longer length than the normal cut length. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The control method of an image recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein when a tape is used for connecting the continuous recording medium, in the determining of whether a connecting position of the continuous recording medium corresponds to the cutting position by the control unit, a range in which the tape exists is taken as the connecting position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The control method of an image recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the cutting unit has a cutting blade on an outer circumference of a rotating body, and assuming an outer-circumference moving length of the cutting blade from a stop position of the cutting blade to the cutting position as L2, a carrying length from the recording medium connecting position to the cutting position as L1 and a normal cutting length of the continuous recording medium as Lc, when a carrying path length (L1-L2) equals to an integral multiple of the Lc, the control unit determines that the recording medium connecting position and the cutting position are at a same position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The control method of an image recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a sum of a cut length introduced and cut in a shorter cut length than the normal cut length and a cut length introduced and cut in a longer cut length than the normal cut length is approximately twice the normal cutting length.