Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing – Plotter
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-23
2004-04-13
Moore, David (Department: 2624)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
Plotter
C083S863000, C083S864000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06721060
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a recording medium cutter for cutting a recording medium, which is being moved, in the moving direction thereof in an image forming device for forming an image on the recording medium, such as recording paper, and also relates to an image forming device using the recording medium cutter.
BACKGROUND ART
Among the output devices for computers and workstations, an ink jet image forming device that ejects ink drops and forms an image on a recording paper sheet moved in a predetermined moving direction and an electrophotographic image forming device that forms an image with toner are known. In those image forming devices, the area of a large-size paper sheet is sometimes divided into half or quarter segments to efficiently arrange smaller-size images in the divided areas to thereby make waste-free use of the large-size paper sheet. In such cases, normally, after images are formed, the paper sheet is cut into the segments of the areas.
In cutting a paper sheet, there are two methods with regard to the cutting direction thereof: one is a Y-cutting (also called transverse cutting) method to cut a paper sheet in a direction perpendicular to the sheet moving direction, and the other is an X-cutting (also called longitudinal cutting) method to cut a paper Sheet in the same direction as the sheet moving direction. The X-cutting method is useful for cutting out smaller-size segments from a wide-width paper sheet or cutting the paper sheet into two half segments.
Moreover, there are manual cutting and automatic cutting for cutting a paper sheet, the latter being performed automatically in the image forming device. In the automatic cutting, when the Y-cutting method is used, after images have been formed, a Y-cutting means (a blade or blades), which is placed in position, is made to traverse in a direction perpendicular to the sheet moving direction to perform a transverse cutting. On the other hand, when the X-cutting is used, before images are formed an X-cutting means (a blade or blades) is moved and set at a cutting position in advance, and then a longitudinal cutting of the paper sheet is performed by utilizing the power of moving the paper sheet in the image formation process.
An X-cutting unit for cutting a paper sheet in the moving direction of the paper sheet is generally equipped with two disc blades, which rotate in contact with the paper sheet to cut the same.
As an example of such X-cutting unit, a connect-disconnect type cutting unit is known which has two blades such that when no X-cutting is necessary the blades are set apart to opposite positions across a paper sheet, and when the paper sheet is to be cut they are moved vertically to the positions where they come into contact with the paper sheet to cut the same.
A shift type cutting unit is also known which has two disc blades, which are in contact with each other with their mutual positional relationship kept fixed, and which are placed in a standby position in the sheet width direction away from the sheet moving path, so as not to obstruct the moving of the paper sheet. When a paper sheet is to be cut, the cutting unit is shifted from the standby position to a cutting position to cut the paper sheet.
When two such opposing blades are used for cutting, if the gap between the blades is not adequate, the cutting unit is unable to exhibit a desired cutting performance. It is known that if the gap is too wide, no cutting is achieved or the cutting section becomes unclean.
Out of the above-mentioned conventional X-cutting units, in the connect-disconnect type X-cutting unit, when the two blades are moved up or down to a position where they contact a paper sheet for cutting the same, it is difficult to adjust the positions of the two blades that are separately configured. Because of this, there may be possibilities that the two blades are not positioned a desired distance apart, and the paper sheet cannot be cut at a correct cutting position, or cannot be cut straight.
On the other hand, in the above-mentioned shift type cutting unit, the gap between the two blades can be assured, but it takes time for the X-cutting unit to be shifted to the cutting position, with the result that a long time is required before cutting. The time for shifting the cutting unit to reach the cutting position is a greater problem for a larger-size paper sheet with a broader width.
Meanwhile, Japanese Patent Publication (KOKOKU) No. Hei4-55878 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 59-164192) discloses an X-cutting unit for cutting a paper sheet in the sheet moving direction, in which one rotary blade is supported at one end of an arm, and when a paper sheet is to be cut, the rotary blade is pivoted about the other end of the arm to bring the rotary blade into contact with the paper sheet. Because this X-cutting unit is a kind of the connect-disconnect type, although there is no problem of time for the shifting, there may be a problem that the use of one cutting blade does not necessarily bring about good cutting results of the paper sheet. In addition, to drive the rotary blade and the pivotable arm independently of each other, separate drive sources (motors) are used. This results in the complexity in its structure and a high cost of the device.
Also, if a space for movement of the X-cutting unit is provided across the sheet moving path, along which a recording medium is moved, in order to change the cutting position, and if the X-cutting unit is moved in that space in a direction perpendicular to the sheet moving direction, there may be a possibility that the recording medium being moved is caught at a border portion between the space and the main body of the image forming device.
Incidentally, the cutting position in the automatic cutting is normally decided according to information about a cutout size of a paper sheet.
In the X-cutting by which to cut a paper sheet in the same direction as the sheet moving direction, there has been a problem as follows in deciding the cutting position.
Even if the cutting means is located at a fixed position previously decided according to a standard size of paper sheet to be cut out, the actual edge positions of the cut-out paper sheet are not necessarily constant because of errors in edge positions (left and right edges) of a paper sheet that has been set to be cut. As a result, there are likely to be variations in the width of the paper sheets cut out by the X-cutting means which has been set at a fixed position in a direction (sheet width direction) perpendicular to the sheet moving direction.
Some users have been desired that it should be made possible to cut a roll paper sheet or a large-size cut-sheet in accordance with the size of an image formed on the paper sheet. A possible solution to this is to manually move the X-cutting means to an estimated longitudinal cutting position based on the size of a formed image. However, large errors could occur in estimating the sizes of individual images formed on the paper sheet and manually setting the longitudinal cutting positions. It sometimes happens that the margins around an image are too large or too small.
When one wishes to make better use of recording paper by forming a plurality of images (two for example) across the width of a roll paper sheet or a large cut-sheet, it is desirable to cut the paper sheet into equal widths of segments. In such a case, there has been a problem that because the X-cutting means is set at a previously decided fixed position, as mentioned above, errors could occur due to the tolerances in paper sheet position, resulting in a low accuracy of cutting.
In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium cutter which uses two blades for the X-cutting unit, reduces time for cutting, assures that the gap between the two blades is kept at a desired value, and can perform longitudinal cutting of a recording medium at an accurate position.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium cut
Fujimura Tatsuo
Izuma Kensuke
Kawamura Iwao
Kiyohara Naoki
Murakami Kazuhiro
Canon Finetech Inc.
Dellett & Walters
Moore David
Poon King T.
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