(19) |
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EP 1 544 686 B1 |
(12) |
EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
(45) |
Mention of the grant of the patent: |
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04.07.2007 Bulletin 2007/27 |
(22) |
Date of filing: 10.12.2004 |
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(51) |
International Patent Classification (IPC):
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(54) |
A printer as well as a method for controlling such a printer
Drucker sowie Verfahren zur dessen Steuerung
Imprimante et méthode pour son contrôle
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Designated Contracting States: |
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AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU MC NL PL PT RO SE SI
SK TR |
(30) |
Priority: |
19.12.2003 EP 03079005
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(43) |
Date of publication of application: |
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22.06.2005 Bulletin 2005/25 |
(73) |
Proprietor: Océ-Technologies B.V. |
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5914 CC Venlo (NL) |
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Inventor: |
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- van Vliembergen, Eduardus J.W.
5924 AX, Venlo (NL)
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(74) |
Representative: Janssen, Paulus J. P. |
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Océ-Technologies B.V,
P.O. Box 101 5900 MA Venlo 5900 MA Venlo (NL) |
(56) |
References cited: :
US-A- 4 763 889
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US-A- 5 301 936
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- PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 0103, no. 15 (M-529), 25 October 1986 (1986-10-25)
& JP 61 124448 A (RICOH CO LTD), 12 June 1986 (1986-06-12)
- PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 0070, no. 10 (P-168), 14 January 1983 (1983-01-14)
& JP 57 167042 A (CANON KK), 14 October 1982 (1982-10-14)
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Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European
patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to
the European patent
granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall
not be deemed to
have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent
Convention).
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[0001] The invention relates to a printer comprising a printing unit for printing on a receiving
medium of a predetermined type, a plurality of feeders for holding receiving media,
establishing means for establishing the type of receiving medium held by each of the
said feeders.
[0002] The invention furthermore relates to a method for printing a receiving medium of
a predetermined type using a printer having a printing unit and a plurality of feeders
for holding receiving media, the method comprising establishing the type of receiving
medium held by each of the said feeders.
[0003] From
US 4,783,889 such a printer is known. This printer allows automatic changing of paper feed sources
when a first paper feed source runs empty. The next paper source is chosen in accordance
with the highest priority rank and the largest paper capacity. Thus, a paper feed
source with a lower capacity will not by chosen over another source, holding the same
paper, and having a higher capacity.
[0004] From
US-patent 4,885,613 another printer is known which comprises a plurality of feeders which can hold the
same receiving medium, in the form of a roll or sheets, whereby said feeder is selected
comprising the largest amount of recording medium remaining thereon.
[0005] In such a printer a disadvantage is that a nearly empty feeder will only be fully
emptied if also the other feeders holding the same type of receiving medium have been
emptied. In this manner the printer will almost never comprise an empty feeder in
which another type of receiving medium, for example receiving sheets having another
format, another colour or another thickness can be inserted. The feeders will be used
successively since after using one feeder, the amount of receiving sheets remaining
therein will become less than the amount of receiving sheets in another feeder so
that said other feeder with the larger amount will be selected by the control unit.
In case that there are, for example four feeders comprising same type of receiving
sheets, all four feeders will be used successively and become empty at almost the
same moment. At that moment the operator needs to replenish all feeders at the same
time. By using the feeders successively, many feeder changes, involving relatively
elaborate operator handling, will occur.
From
JP 61 124448 (Ricoh Co. ltd.) a printer Is known which selects a tray with the largest number
of remaining sheets of paper. Such a printer is also known from
JP 57 167042 (Canon Inc.), which printer preferentially uses the paper source having the largest
amount of paper remaining. These printers have the same disadvantages as mentioned
here-above.
From
US 5,301,936 a printer is known which selects a next paper source in accordance with a priority
criterion directed at a preferential feed direction. This selection is not optimised
for the number of paper source switchings.
[0006] It is an object of the invention to provide a printer whereby the feeders will be
used in a more optimised manner.
[0007] This object is being achieved by a printer according to claim 1 in that the printer
comprises means for determining, upon establishing that at least two feeders hold
the predetermined type of receiving material, the amount of receiving medium which
can be added to each of these at least two feeders up to a predetermined maximum amount,
and selecting means for selecting the feeder to which the largest amount receiving
medium can be added for feeding the receiving medium to the printing unit.
By feeding receiving sheets out of the feeder to which the largest amount of receiving
medium can be added, this feeder will be fully emptied before another feeder will
be selected. In this matter only a relatively small number of feeder changes will
occur. Since the feeder which is being selected will be fully emptied before another
feeder will be selected, said feeder will become available for another type of receiving
medium, if necessary. Furthermore, if an operator wants to replenish the feeders,
he can add a relatively large amount of receiving sheets to the feeder which is at
that moment being selected by the control unit as feeder for feeding receiving sheets
to the printing unit.
[0008] The printer according to the invention gives the operator relatively much freedom
to decide when he wants to replenish the feeders and which feeders he wants to replenish.
[0009] An embodiment of the printer according to the invention is characterized in that
the feeder closest to the printing unit is selected, for example by a control unit,
in case there are more feeders to which the same largest amount of receiving medium
can be added.
[0010] By selecting the feeder closest to the printing unit, the printer will be able to
print relatively fast on the receiving medium.
[0011] In case there are more feeders at the same distance to the printing unit, the lowest
feeder is preferably selected.
[0012] Another embodiment of the printer according to the invention is characterized in
that the feeder which has the smallest amount of receiving medium therein is selected,
for example by the control unit, in case there are more feeders having the same largest
amount of receiving medium which can be added.
[0013] By feeders having a different predetermined maximum amount, the feeder which has
the smallest amount of receiving medium left therein will be selected. This feeder
will be emptied relatively quickly so that it will become available for other types
of receiving medium.
[0014] Yet another embodiment of the printer according to the invention is characterized
in that the printer comprises level detector means for determining the amount of receiving
medium available in the feeders, and also comprises subtraction means for subtracting
the available amount from the predetermined maximum amount to obtain the amount of
receiving medium which can be added to each feeder.
[0015] In this manner the amount of receiving medium that can be added to each feeder can
be determined relatively easy.
[0016] A further embodiment of the printer according to the invention is characterized in
that the printer comprises means for measuring the distance between a first level
at which the feeder is filled with receiving medium up to the predetermined maximum
amount and a second level up to which said feeder is actually filled with receiving
medium.
[0017] By measuring said distance, the amount of receiving medium which can be added can
relatively easy be determined.
[0018] The amount of receiving medium which can be added to each feeder can be determined
relatively accurate or relatively rough in which latter case, there will be a kind
of threshold. For example, the amount of sheets can be determined by using increments
equal to 100. In the latter case for example, the amount of sheets that can be added
is determined as zero sheets, 100-200 sheets, 200-300 sheets etc.
[0019] The invention also relates to a method for printing a receiving medium of a predetermined
type using a printer having a printing unit and a plurality of feeders for holding
receiving media, the method comprising establishing the type of receiving medium held
by each of the said feeders, and, if the predetermined type of receiving material
is held by at least two feeders, determining the amount of receiving medium which
can be added to each of the said at least two feeders up to a predetermined maximum
amount, and selecting the feeder to which the largest amount of receiving medium can
be added for feeding the receiving sheet to the printing unit.
[0020] Due to this method a once chosen feeder will be fully emptied before another feeder
will be selected unless another empty feeder will be refilled with a very small amount
of paper, in case of which this feeder will be selected. In this manner feeders will
be emptied relatively fast and become available for other types of receiving media.
Furthermore an operator will have a relatively large freedom by replenishing the feeders.
[0021] The invention will further be explained with reference to the drawing in which
fig. 1 shows schematically a set of feeders of a printer according to the invention,
fig. 2 shows a printer according to the invention,
fig. 3 shows schematically a feeder comprising sensing means according to the invention.
[0022] Fig. 1 shows a part of a known printer comprising a printing unit (not shown), a
plurality of feeders 1, 2, 3 for feeding receiving sheets 4 to the printing unit and
a control unit (not shown) for controlling the printing processes. The printer may
comprise a large number of feeders of which only three feeders are being shown. In
said three feeders the same type of receiving sheets, for example sheets with an A4-format,
80 grams, white colour are available. In this embodiment, this is established automatically
by the printer by using art known sensing means for sensing the type of receiving
material. In another embodiment, the type of receiving material is programmed by the
operator and stored in a memory, for example a memory of a control unit of the printer.
In feeder 1 a predetermined maximum amount of receiving sheets 4 is MAX1, the predetermined
maximum amount of feeder 2 is MAX2 and the predetermined maximum amount of feeder
3 is MAX 3. The maximum amount for the feeders 1, 2 is the same so that MAX1 = MAX2,
whereby MAX1 is for example 1000 sheets. The predetermined maximum amount MAX3 of
feeder 3 is larger than the maximum amounts MAX1, MAX2 and is for example 3000 sheets.
[0023] Fig. 2 shows a printer 5 comprising the three feeders as shown in fig. 1, a printing
unit 6, a control unit 7 for controlling the printer 5 as well as a tray 8 in which
sheets on which information is printed by printing unit 6 can be stored. Although
depicted as one single unit 7, it is clear that the control unit may also consist
of several subunits distributed over the printer. Other parts of the printing unit
6 are the imaging belt 20, charging station 21, printhead 22 with control unit 23,
developing station 24, intermediate transfer belt 25 and transfer nip 26. Such a printer
is described in greater detail in European patent application
EP 0 599 374.
[0024] The printer 5 comprises sensing means (not shown) for each feeder 1, 2, 3 which sensing
means is provided with level detector means for determining the amount of receiving
sheets Δ1, Δ2, Δ3 available in each feeder 1, 2, 3. The sensing means furthermore
comprise subtracting means for subtracting the available amount Δ1, Δ2, Δ3 from the
predetermined maximum amount MAX1, MAX2, MAX3 to obtain the amount ADD1, ADD2, ADD3
of receiving sheets which can be added to each feeder 1, 2, 3.
[0025] By the feeders as shown in fig. 1, the feeder 1 comprises for example an amount Δ1
of 300 receiving sheets 4 so that ADD1 is 1000 - 300 = 700. In feeder 2 the available
amount Δ2 is 600 so that ADD2 is 1000 - 600 = 400. In feeder 3 the available amount
Δ3 is 1600 so that ADD3 is 3000 - 1600 = 1400. It is not absolutely necessary to determine
the exact amount of receiving sheets 4 but a rough estimation round up to hundreds
might work as well.
[0026] By the control unit it will now be determined to which feeder the largest amount
of receiving sheets can be added. By the example given above, the feeder 3 will be
selected since ADD3 (1400) is larger than ADD2 (400) and ADD1 (700). By selecting
feeder 3, several printing processes can be done by using this feeder 3 until feeder
3 is fully emptied. By the control unit it will then be decided to use feeder 1 since
ADD1 is 700 larger than ADD2 (400). An operator can be informed about the available
amount Δ1, Δ2, Δ3 and/or the amount ADD1, ADD2, ADD3 of receiving sheets which can
be added to each feeder, by means of a display (not shown) or by indicator means (not
shown) on each feeder 1, 2, 3 or by opening each feeder 1, 2, 3. The operator can
then replenish the feeder 3 with a relatively large amount of receiving sheets. After
replenishing the empty feeder 3, the control unit will continue with emptying feeder
1. After feeder 1 is being emptied, the control unit will select feeder 2 since after
emptying feeder 1 and replenishing feeder 3 up to the maximum amount MAX3, feeder
2 has the largest amount ADD2 of receiving sheets which can be added. The operator
can replenish feeder 1 before feeder 2 is fully emptied or can replenish both feeders
1 and 2 after the feeder 2 is also emptied. Preferably a feeder 1, 2, 3 is not replenished
whilst a feeder 1, 2, 3 is being used as feeder for feeding a receiving sheet to the
printing unit, to prevent disruption of the printing process. If a feeder is being
opened another feeder will be selected temporarily.
[0027] Instead of determining the amount Δ1, Δ2, Δ3 it is also possible to provide the printer
with sensing means having means for measuring between a first level LM1, LM2, LM3
at which the feeder 1, 2, 3 is filled with receiving sheets 4 up to the predetermined
maximum amount MAX1, MAX2, MAX3 and a second level L1, L2, L3 up to which said feeder
1, 2, 3 is actually filled with receiving sheet 4. Said distance D1, D2, D3 is a measure
for the amount of receiving sheets which can be added, whereby the largest distance,
in this example D3, corresponds with the largest amount of receiving sheets which
can be added.
[0028] Fig. 3 shows another kind of feeder 9 in which the stack of receiving sheets 4 is
located on a platform 10 which is movable under spring force in upward direction until
the upper sheet 4 is located against a transport roller 11. The level L4 of the platform
10 is being determined by means of the control unit 7 in which also a maximum level
LM4 of the platform 10 is being stored. The difference between the maximum level LM4
and L4 provides the control unit 7 with information about the actually amount of receiving
sheets in the feeder 9 whilst the level L4 is a direct measure for the amount of receiving
sheets which can be added to the feeder 9.
1. A printer (5) comprising a printing unit (6) for printing on a receiving medium (4)
of a predetermined type, a plurality of feeders (1, 2, 3) for holding receiving media
(4), establishing means for establishing the type of receiving medium (4) held by
each of the said feeders (1, 2, 3) chararacterized in that the printer (5) comprises means for determining, upon establishing that at least
two feeders (1, 2, 3) hold the predetermined type of receiving material (4), the amount
of receiving medium which can be added to each of these at least two feeders (1, 2,
3) up to a predetermined maximum amount, and selecting means for selecting the feeder
(1, 2, 3) to which the largest amount of receiving medium (4) can be added, for feeding
the receiving medium (4) to the printing unit (6).
2. A printer (5) according to claim 1, characterized in that the feeder (1, 2, 3) closest to the printing unit (6) is selected, in case there
are more feeders (1, 2, 3) to which the same largest amount of receiving medium (4)
can be added.
3. A printer (5) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the feeder (1, 2, 3) which has the smallest amount of receiving medium therein is
selected in case there are more feeders (1, 2, 3) having the same largest amount of
receiving medium (4) which can be added.
4. A printer (5) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the printer (5) comprises level detector means for determining the amount of receiving
medium (4) available in the feeders, and also comprises subtraction means for subtracting
the available amount from the predetermined maximum amount to obtain the amount of
receiving medium (4) which can be added to each feeder (1, 2, 3).
5. A printer (5) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the printer (5) comprises means for measuring the distance between a first level
at which the feeder is filled with receiving medium up to the predetermined maximum
amount and a second level up to which said feeder is actually filled with receiving
medium.
6. Method for printing a receiving medium (4) of a predetermined type using a printer
(5) having a printing unit (6) and a plurality of feeders (1, 2, 3) for holding receiving
media (4), the method comprising establishing the type of receiving medium held by
each of the said feeders (1, 2, 3), and, if the predetermined type of receiving material
(4) Is held by at least two feeders (1, 2, 3), determining the amount of receiving
medium which can be added to each of the said at least two feeders (1, 2, 3) up to
a predetermined maximum amount, and selecting the feeder (1, 2, 3) to which the largest
amount of receiving medium (4) can be added for feeding the receiving sheet to the
printing unit (6).
1. Ein Drucker (5) mit einer Druckereinheit (6) zum Drucken auf ein Empfangsmedium (4)
eines vorbestimmten Typs, mehreren Einzügen (1, 2, 3) zur Aufnahme von Empfangsmedien
(4), und einer Bestimmungseinrichtung zur Bestimmung des Typs der in jedem der Einzüge
(1, 2, 3) enthaltenen Empfangsmedien (4), dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Drucker (5) eine Einrichtung aufweist, die bei Feststellung, daß wenigstens zwei
Einzüge (1, 2, 3) den vorbestimmten Typ des Empfangsmaterials (4) enthalten, die Menge
an Empfangsmedien bestimmt, die zu jedem dieser wenigstens zwei Einzüge (1, 2, 3)
bis zu einer vorbestimmten Maximalmenge hinzugefügt werden kann, sowie eine Auswahleinrichtung
zur Auswahl des Einzugs (1, 2, 3), zu dem die größte Menge an Empfangsmedien (4) hinzugefügt
werden kann, für die Zufuhr des Empfangsmediums (4) zu der Druckereinheit (6).
2. Ein Drucker (5) nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß, sofern es mehrere Einzüge (1, 2, 3) gibt, zu denen die größte Menge an Empfangsmedien
(4) hinzugefügt werden kann, der Einzug (1, 2, 3) ausgewählt wird, der der Druckereinheit
(6) am nächsten liegt.
3. Ein Drucker (5) nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß, sofern es mehrere Einzüge (1, 2, 3) gibt, die die gleiche größte Menge an Empfangsmedien
(4) haben, die hinzugefügt werden kann, der Einzug (1, 2, 3) ausgewählt wird, der
die kleinste Menge an Empfangsmedien enthält.
4. Ein Drucker (5) nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Drucker (5) eine Niveaudetektionseinrichtung aufweist, zur Bestimmung der Menge
an Empfangsmedien (4), die in den Einzügen verfügbar ist, und auch eine Subtraktionseinrichtung
aufweist, zur Subtraktion der verfügbaren Menge von der vorbestimmten Maximalmenge,
um die Menge an Empfangsmedien (4) festzustellen, die zu jedem Einzug (1, 2, 3) hinzugefügt
werden kann.
5. Ein Drucker (5) nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Drucker (5) eine Einrichtung aufweist zur Messung des Abstands zwischen einem
ersten Niveau, an dem der Einzug bis zu der vorbestimmten Maximalmenge mit Empfangsmedien
gefüllt ist, und einem zweiten Niveau, bis zu dem dieser Einzug tatsächlich mit Empfangsmedien
gefüllt ist.
6. Verfahren zum Bedrucken eines Empfangsmediums (4) eines vorbestimmten Typs mit Hilfe
eines Druckers (5), der eine Druckereinheit (6) und mehrere Einzüge (1, 2, 3) zur
Aufnahme von Empfangsmedien (4) aufweist, welches Verfahren die Bestimmung des Typs
der in jedem der Einzüge (1, 2, 3) enthaltenen Empfangsmedien umfaßt und, wenn der
vorbestimmte Typ des Empfangsmaterials (4) in wenigstens zwei Einzügen (1, 2, 3) enthalten
ist, die Bestimmung der Menge an Empfangsmedien, die zu jedem dieser wenigstens zwei
Einzüge (1, 2, 3) bis zu einer vorbestimmten Maximalmenge hinzugefügt werden kann,
und die Auswahl des Einzugs (1, 2, 3), zu dem die größte Menge an Empfangsmedien (4)
hinzugefügt werden kann, für die Zufuhr des Empfangsbogens zu der Druckereinheit (6).
1. Imprimante (5) comprenant une unité d'impression (6) permettant d'imprimer sur un
support récepteur (4) d'un type prédéterminé, une pluralité de magasins d'alimentation
(1, 2, 3) permettant de contenir des supports récepteurs (4), des moyens d'établissement
permettant d'établir le type de support récepteur (4) contenu dans chacun desdits
magasins d'alimentation (1, 2, 3), caractérisée en ce que l'imprimante (5) comprend des moyens permettant de déterminer, après avoir établi
qu'au moins deux magasins d'alimentation (1, 2, 3) contiennent le type prédéterminé
de matériau récepteur (4), la quantité de support récepteur pouvant être ajoutée à
chacun de ces au moins deux magasins d'alimentation (1, 2, 3) jusqu'à une quantité
maximale prédéterminée, et des moyens de sélection permettant de sélectionner le magasin
d'alimentation (1, 2, 3) auquel on peut ajouter la plus grande quantité de support
récepteur (4) pour alimenter l'unité d'impression (6) en support récepteur (4).
2. Imprimante (5) selon la revendication 1, caractérisée en ce que le magasin d'alimentation (1, 2, 3) le plus proche de l'unité d'impression (6) est
sélectionné, au cas où il y ait plusieurs magasins d'alimentation (1, 2, 3) auxquels
on peut ajouter la plus grande quantité identique de support récepteur (4).
3. Imprimante (5) selon la revendication 1 ou 2, caractérisée en ce que l'on sélectionne le magasin d'alimentation (1, 2, 3) contenant la plus petite quantité
de support récepteur, au cas où il y ait plusieurs magasins d'alimentation (1, 2,
3) auxquels on puisse ajouter la plus grande quantité identique de support récepteur
(4).
4. Imprimante (5) selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisée en ce que l'imprimante (5) comprend des moyens de détection de niveau permettant de déterminer
la quantité de support récepteur (4) disponible dans les magasins d'alimentation et
comprend également des moyens de soustraction permettant de soustraire la quantité
disponible de la quantité maximale prédéterminée pour obtenir la quantité de support
récepteur (4) pouvant être ajoutée à chaque magasin d'alimentation (1, 2, 3).
5. Imprimante (5) selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisée en ce que l'imprimante (5) comprend des moyens permettant de mesurer la distance entre un premier
niveau de remplissage du magasin d'alimentation en support récepteur jusqu'à la quantité
maximale prédéterminée et un second niveau réel de remplissage dudit magasin d'alimentation
en support récepteur.
6. Procédé d'impression d'un support récepteur (4) d'un type prédéterminé utilisant une
imprimante (5) comprenant une unité d'impression (6) et une pluralité de magasins
d'alimentation (1, 2, 3) permettant de contenir des supports récepteurs (4), le procédé
consistant à établir le type de support récepteur contenu dans chacun desdits magasins
d'alimentation (1, 2, 3), et si le type prédéterminé de matériau récepteur (4) est
contenu dans au moins deux magasins d'alimentation (1, 2, 3), de déterminer la quantité
de support récepteur pouvant être ajoutée à chacun desdits au moins deux magasins
d'alimentation (1, 2, 3) jusqu'à une quantité maximale prédéterminée et de choisir
le magasin d'alimentation (1, 2, 3) auquel la plus grande quantité de support récepteur
(4) peut être ajoutée pour alimenter l'unité d'impression (6) en feuilles réceptrices.
REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only.
It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has
been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and
the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description