Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Tension control or brake – Supply controlled
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-06
2003-08-05
Rivera, William A. (Department: 3654)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Tension control or brake
Supply controlled
C242S548000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06601792
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a winding device suitable for winding media such as roll papers output by a large-scale printer. More specifically, the present invention relates to a winding device equipped with a looseness-detecting sensor for detecting the looseness of the output media.
b) Description of the Prior Art
Normally used as drawing media for large-scale full color printers (of ink jet or electrostatic recording types) are papers, films, or cloths which are wound around a pipe-like paper tube made of cardboard. In particular, the medium printed in high resolution is a high value added product, so extra careful handling is required for storing the medium after printing.
One of the means for storing the medium after printing is, as illustrated in
FIGS. 26 and 27
, a method for winding a printed medium
100
on a paper tube
102
using a winding device
101
to store the wound-up medium
100
in a roll. This method is suitable when a laminate treatment is provided in a following process because the roll medium
100
, rather than cut sheets, can be processed continuously.
In such a winding device
101
, the paper tube
102
as a winding core is held on both sides and secured by flanges
103
, and a front edge of the medium
100
printed by a printer
104
is attached to the paper tube
102
with scotch-type tape. Here, a cylindrical roller weight
106
is used to tension the medium
100
from a paper outlet
105
of the printer
104
to the flange
103
, and a medium guide
107
is provided to prevent interference between the medium
100
and the printer
104
.
If the medium
100
becomes loose by more than a predetermined amount as the printer
104
keeps printing out the medium
100
, the weight
106
is lowered so that the loose condition is optically detected by a looseness-detecting sensor
108
and the winding flange
103
is driven to wind the medium
100
. When the amount of looseness decreases to a predetermined level, the tensioned condition of the medium
100
is detected by the looseness-detecting sensor
108
and the flange
103
stops rotating. Thus, the continuous roll medium
100
is wound by intermittent rotations of the flange
103
.
However, since the above mentioned winding device
101
uses the optical looseness-detecting sensor
108
, when light-emitting and light-receiving portions of the sensor
108
are contaminated, when a scotch-type tape for attaching the medium
100
on the paper tube
102
is attached on the light-emitting portion or light-receiving portion of the sensor
108
due to careless handling by an operator, or when something is placed between the light-emitting portion and the light-receiving portion of the sensor
108
, the looseness of the medium
100
cannot be detected. Consequently the medium
3
cannot be wound.
It is also difficult to adjust the optical axis of the sensor
108
when the light-emitting portion and light-receiving portion of the looseness-detecting sensor
108
are used in the printer
104
; even after successful mounting of those elements in the printer, operators may hit the printer and the optical axis of the sensor
108
is shifted. Thus, the accurate positioning of the optical axis of the sensor
108
cannot be guaranteed. For this reason, the detection of the looseness of the medium is not reliable. Further, a wire
109
, which connects the light-emitting portion and light-receiving portion of the looseness-detecting sensor
108
and a driving motor of the flange
103
, extends over the entire width of the medium
100
. Wiring is a complicated operation.
When the printed medium
100
is cut in size of A0, A1, A2, etc., it is necessary to equip a sheet tray
110
for receiving the cut medium
100
. However, the medium guide
107
needs to be removed to use the sheet tray
110
. Every time the sheet tray
110
is attached/detached, the medium guide
107
also needs to be detached/attached, requiring frequent operations and complicated management of the components.
There is a winding device
101
that does not use the weight
106
and medium guide
107
for winding the medium
100
on the paper tube
102
. However, such a conventional winding device
101
is not designed to be used with the sheet tray
110
. If the sheet tray
110
is used with the winding device
101
attached, the medium
100
is jammed at the winding device
101
. Thus, each time the sheet tray
110
is used, the winding device
101
needs to be removed.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Then, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a winding device which does not need to be removed even when the sheet tray is used.
To achieve this object, in a winding device comprising a winding mechanism, which winds a thin medium such as paper, film, or cloth output by a printer on a winding core, and a looseness-detecting sensor, which detects looseness of the medium and actuates the winding mechanism upon the detection, the present invention is characterized by the fact that the looseness-detecting sensor is capable of receding from the moving area of the medium when a sheet tray is attached to the printer.
Thus, when the sheet tray is attached for stocking up the cut medium after printing, the looseness-detecting sensor can be caused to recede from the moving area of the medium. Consequently, the medium is prevented from intruding on the looseness-detecting sensor. Accordingly, there is no need to detach/attach a whole or part of the winding device when the sheet tray is attached/detached. This improves usability and eliminates the management of the components with the exception of the sheet tray.
The invention is further characterized by the fact that, in the winding device as discussed above, the looseness-detecting sensor is a mechanical contact-type sensor that performs detection as the medium comes into contact therewith and is integrated with the winding mechanism.
Since the sensor is of a contact-type, detection is kept accurate while it may be degraded in an optical sensor because the optical axis of the sensor is transgressed intercepted due to contamination or shifted after installation. Thus, reliability of detection can be improved. Because the looseness-detecting sensor is integrated with the winding mechanism, there is no need to wire the sensor with the winding mechanism, which is normally required when the optical sensor is used in the printer. This simplifies the operation of mounting the sensor in the printer. Since a contact-type sensor is generally less expensive than an optical sensor, the cost of components is reduced.
Further, the invention is characterized by the fact that, in the winding device set forth above, a contact lever of the looseness-detecting sensor, with which the medium makes contact, is capable of swinging with a very small force. Therefore, the contact lever is protected from bending or damage when the medium comes into contact therewith.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2345656 (1944-04-01), Calleson et al.
patent: 4893763 (1990-01-01), Wales et al.
patent: 4953808 (1990-09-01), Craycraft
patent: 5503702 (1996-04-01), Filicicchia et al.
patent: 5611272 (1997-03-01), Steuer
patent: 5632455 (1997-05-01), Stein
patent: 5911382 (1999-06-01), Wilson
Komatsu Fumito
Takasawa Kiyotsugu
Ueno Noboru
Reed Smith LLP
Rivera William A.
Sankyo Seiki Mfg. Co. Ltd.
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