US 9,174,463 B2Granted

Control method of a serial printer, and serial printer

AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation

InventorsHiroki Shinagawa, Hiroyasu Fukazawa

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Abstract

A control method of a serial printer enables easily removing the printing paper when a paper jam occurs, and can prevent or suppress damage to the printhead when removing the printing paper. A serial printer 1 conveys printing paper P by a conveyance mechanism 22 including a second paper feed roller pair 31 located upstream from the print position A in the first conveyance direction M1. If a paper jam of the printing paper P is detected when the printhead 12 is at a position opposite the horizontal conveyance path portion 13c of the paper conveyance path 13, conveyance of the printing paper P first stops, and the printhead 12 is then moved on the vertical axis Z away from the horizontal conveyance path portion 13c. Next, the printhead 12 is moved on the transverse axis X to a away position 12AW outside the horizontal conveyance path portion 13c, and nipping of the printing paper P by the second paper feed roller pair 31 is then released.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A control method of a serial printer that conveys recording paper through a paper conveyance path past the print position of a printhead, and prints by moving the printhead at the print position transversely to the paper conveyance path and perpendicularly to the conveyance direction of the recording paper, comprising:

conveying the recording paper through the paper conveyance path by a conveyance mechanism including a paper feed roller pair disposed on the upstream side of the print position in the conveyance direction;
and
when a paper jam of the recording paper is detected when the printhead is positioned opposite the paper conveyance path, stopping conveyance of the recording paper,
moving the printhead away from the paper conveyance path in the direction of opposition between the printhead and the paper conveyance path,
then, after moving the printhead away from the paper conveyance path in the direction of opposition between the printhead and the paper conveyance path, moving the printhead in the transverse direction to a retracted position removed to the outside of the paper conveyance path, and
then, after moving the printhead in the transverse direction to a retracted position removed to the outside of the paper conveyance path, releasing nipping of the recording paper by the paper feed roller pair.

3 more elements

A serial printer, comprising:

a printhead;
a carriage that carries the printhead;
a paper conveyance path that carries the recording paper past the print position of the printhead;
a conveyance mechanism that has a paper feed roller pair, which includes a paper feed roller and a follower roller, disposed upstream in the conveyance direction from the print position, and conveys the recording paper through the paper conveyance path;
a first moving mechanism that moves the carriage transversely to the paper conveyance path and perpendicularly to the conveyance direction;
a second moving mechanism that moves the carriage in the direction away from the paper conveyance path in the direction of opposition between the printhead and the paper conveyance path;
a roller moving mechanism that moves at least one of the paper feed roller and the follower roller of the paper feed roller pair from a nipping position where the paper feed roller pair can nip the recording paper to a release position where there is a gap to the other roller;
a conveyance motor that is the drive source of the conveyance mechanism;
a head moving motor that is the drive source of the first moving mechanism;
a conveyance control unit that drives the conveyance motor and conveys the recording paper;
a first paper jam detector that monitors the load of the head moving motor, and based on change in the load of the head moving motor, detects a paper jam of the recording paper when the printhead is at a position opposite the paper conveyance path;
and
a first control unit that, when a paper jam of the recording paper is detected by the first paper jam detector, stops the conveyance motor,
drives the second moving mechanism and moves the printhead in the direction away from the paper conveyance path in the direction of opposition between the printhead and the paper conveyance path,
then, after the driving of the second moving mechanism is complete, drives the head moving motor, moves the printhead in the transverse direction to a retracted position separated to the outside from the paper conveyance path, and
then, after the driving of head moving motor is complete, drives the roller moving mechanism and moves at least one of the conveyance roller and the follower roller to the release position.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/521,772Filed 23 Oct 2014
Priority: JP 2013-23471313 Nov 2013
Published: US 2015/0130870 A114 May 2015
Granted: 3 Nov 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

B41J 11/006
Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in…:…
B41J 25/3088
With print gap adjustment mechanisms: with print gap adjustment means on the printer frame, e.g. for rotation of an eccentric carriage guide shaft
B41J 2/16511
Connected with the printer frame: constructions for cap positioning
B41J 2/1652
Cleaning of print head nozzles: by driving a fluid through the nozzles to the outside thereof, e.g. by applying pressure to the inside or vacuum…