Printing Device And Method For Controlling The Printing Device

• US 20170015120A1
• Filed: 02/24/2015
• Published: 01/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Custom S.P.A.
• Original Assignee: Custom S.P.A.
• Inventors: Campanini, Alberto
• Granted Patent: US 9,782,985 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/009 Detecting type of paper, e.g. by automatic reading of a code that is printed on a paper package or on a paper roll or by sensing the grade of translucency of the paper
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/46 by marks or formations on the paper being fed
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 15/048 Conveyor belts or like feeding devices B41J11/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/4075 Tape printers; Label printers

Abstract

A printing device is disclosed including a path for supplying thermal paper unwound from a roll to a thermal print head arranged for printing on a first side of paper, wherein a linear image sensor is arranged along the path, on a second side of paper opposite the first, transversely to an advancement direction of the paper, to detect the position of an alignment mark arranged on the paper.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A ticket printing device comprising:

a path for supplying printing paper towards an outlet of a printed document;

a print head arranged along said path for printing on at least a first side of the paper;

wherein it comprises at least one image sensor of linear type arranged transversely to a paper advancement direction along said path for reading a second side of paper opposite the first.

16. The printing device according to claim 15, wherein said at least one image sensor extends linearly for a width of said path that is suitable for reading an entire width of paper so that said image sensor detects a mark on the paper during the paper advancement whatever the position of the mark along the width of the paper.

17. The printing device according to claim 15, comprising a paper multi-supplying unit having two or more paper magazines supplied selectively to said print head.

18. The printing device according to claim 15, comprising a programmable electronic controller and programme instructions implementable on said controller for running the steps of:

receiving data relating to the desired position of at least one paper alignment mark arranged on the paper;

receiving from said at least one image sensor data relating to the actual position of a paper alignment mark;

comparing the data relating to the actual position of the alignment mark with the data relating to the desired position; and

emitting a signal on the basis of said comparing.

19. The printing device according to claim 15, comprising a programmable electronic controller and programme instructions implementable on said controller for running the steps of:

receiving setting data of printing to be performed;

reading pre-printed data on the second side of paper by said at least one image sensor;

verifying whether said data read by the sensor are compatible or not with the setting data; and

emitting a signal on the basis of said verifying.

20. The printing device according to claim 15, comprising a light source arranged opposite said at least one image sensor to illuminate the first side of paper in such a manner that said sensor is able to detect the transparency of the paper, in particular to detect a transparency difference, for example to coordinate printing of a series of labels in a continuous format.

21. The printing device according to claim 15, comprising at least one further image sensor arranged along said path to read the first side of paper downstream of said print head.

22. The printing device according to claim 15, wherein said image sensor is arranged upstream of said print head.

23. The printing device according to claim 15, wherein said image sensor comprises one CCD or CIS scanning sensor.

24. The printing device according to claim 15, wherein said print head is of thermal type and/or wherein said printing device is suitable for printing tickets.

25. The printing device according to claim 15, comprising an arrangement for interrupting printing if said sensor reads data on the paper that are not compatible with setting data of printing to be performed.

26. The printing device, in particular according to claim 15, comprising:

a path for supplying printing paper towards an outlet of a printed document;

a print head arranged along said path for printing on at least a first side of the paper;

at least one linear image sensor arranged along said path for reading a second side of paper opposite the first;

an arrangement for verifying whether data read by said sensor are compatible or not with setting data of printing to be performed and for interrupting printing in case of non-compatibility.

27. The printing device, in particular according to claim 15, comprising:

a path for supplying printing paper towards an outlet of a printed document;

a print head arranged along said path;

at least one linear image sensor arranged along said path upstream of said print head;

an arrangement for verifying whether data read by said sensor are compatible or not with setting data of printing to be performed and for interrupting printing in case of non-compatibility.

28. A method for controlling a printing device comprising the steps of:

supplying printing paper to a print head, said paper having a mark not printed by said print head;

reading said mark by a linear image sensor arranged for reading an entire width of paper;

interrupting printing if the mark read by said sensor is not compatible with setting data of printing.