Patent Publication Number: US-2017362045-A1

Title: Paper discharge apparatus, paper discharge method and printing apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-120728, filed Jun. 17, 2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD 
     An embodiment described herein relates generally to a paper discharge apparatus, a paper discharge method, and a printing apparatus. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In recent years, a self-service cash register system has become widespread in which accounting processing of merchandise purchase is performed by a customer himself/herself at a checkout machine in a retail store such as a supermarket. When accounting processing of merchandise purchase is performed, a receipt printer that issues a receipt on which information of the merchandise purchased by a customer is printed, is used. 
     As a receipt printer, a paper discharge apparatus that includes a buffer space portion into which paper is fed in a loop shape, is used. The paper discharge apparatus discharges the paper received in the space portion through a discharge port after printing and cutting of the paper. According to the above paper discharge apparatus, printing and cutting of paper can be performed without being interrupted by a user&#39;s operation, and then the printed and cut paper can be reliably discharged. 
     On the other hand, in a case where a customer does not take the discharged paper immediately because of, for example, the user is bagging merchandise in a shopping bag or the like, there is a problem that the discharged paper may fall on the floor. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a paper discharge apparatus, according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating the internal configuration of the paper discharge apparatus. 
         FIG. 3A  is a diagram depicting a state of a contact sensor and paper in a case where the paper is not pulled, and  FIG. 3B  is a diagram illustrating a state of a contact sensor and paper in a case where the paper is pulled. 
         FIG. 4  depicts a flowchart of control processing performed by the paper discharge apparatus. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram depicting a state where the downstream end of paper is exposed from a discharge port. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments provide a paper discharge apparatus and a paper discharge method capable of appropriately discharging paper according to a situation of a user who takes the paper from the paper discharge apparatus. 
     In general, according to one embodiment, a paper discharge apparatus includes: a discharge port through which paper is discharged, a transport unit that transports the paper to the discharge port, a sensor disposed adjacent to the discharge port, and a controller. The controller is configured to control the transport unit such that a downstream end of the paper is exposed through the discharge port, determine based on an output from the sensor whether or not the downstream end of the paper is being pulled, and control the transport unit so as to change a transport mode of the paper according to a determination of whether or not the downstream end of the paper is being pulled. 
     Hereinafter, a paper discharge apparatus and a paper discharge method according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, an example in which a receipt printer is a paper discharge apparatus will be explained. The receipt printer issues a receipt on which information of merchandise purchased by a customer (hereinafter, referred to as transaction information) or the like is printed. 
     First, the configuration of a paper discharge apparatus  1  will be explained with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The paper discharge apparatus  1  prints the transaction information on paper R pulled out from a paper roll PR, and cuts an upstream end of a portion to be separately discharged of the paper R to discharge the portion of the paper R as a receipt. In addition, the paper discharge apparatus  1  exposes a downstream end of the cut portion of the paper R from a discharge port  10 . The paper discharge apparatus  1  performs processing of changing a transport mode of the paper R, according to whether or not the downstream end of the exposed paper R is pulled by a user. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the paper discharge apparatus  1  includes a printer  11 , a cutter  12 , a roller pair  13  (more generally, a transport unit), a passage detection sensor  14 , a pulling detection sensor  15 , a storage unit  16 , and a controller  17 . 
     The printer  11  prints the transaction information on the paper R. The printer  11  is provided on a transport path of the paper R, and is configured with a printer including a thermal head  111  and a platen roller  112 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the thermal head  111  is provided downstream of a hopper H on which the paper roll PR is set, in the transport direction. The thermal head  111  prints the transaction information on the paper R by heating the paper R fed from the paper roll PR via a guide roller Gr. 
     The platen roller  112  is provided at a position opposite to the thermal head  111  across the transport path. The platen roller  112  rotates by driving a motor connected to a rotation shaft of the platen roller  112 . The platen roller  112  feeds the paper R from the paper roll PR to the thermal head  111 , and transports the paper R printed by the thermal head  111  to the downstream side in the transport direction. 
     The printed portion of the paper R passes through a first transport path which includes a paper receiving unit S or a second transport path which does not include the paper receiving unit S, under the control of the controller  17 . A flapper Fr at which the transport path branches into the first transport path and the second transport path is provided downstream of the platen roller  112  in the transport direction. The flapper Fr is opened and closed under the control of the controller  17  based on an amount of transaction information printed on the paper R (length of an area to be printed in the transport direction) or the like. The paper R transported to the paper receiving unit S is received in the paper receiving unit S in a state where the paper R is curved in a loop shape as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     The cutter  12  cuts the upstream side end of the portion of the paper R to be discharged. The cutter  12  cuts the paper R in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the paper R (longitudinal direction of the paper R). The cutter  12  is provided on the transport path of the paper R, and is configured with a cutter unit including a rotary blade cutter  121  and a fixed blade cutter  122 . 
     The rotary blade cutter  121  is a cutter drum including a rotary blade on the outer circumference thereof, and is provided downstream of the thermal head  111  in the transport direction. The rotary blade cutter  121  is provided so that the rotation shaft of the drum is orthogonal to the transport direction of the paper R. 
     The fixed blade cutter  122  includes a fixed blade, and is provided at a position opposite to the rotary blade cutter  121  across the transport path. The paper R sandwiched between the rotary blade cutter  121  and the fixed blade cutter  122  is cut by driving the rotary blade cutter  121 . 
     The roller pair  13  transports the paper R cut by the cutter  12 , to the discharge port  10 . The roller pair  13  is provided on the transport path of the paper R, and is configured with a driving roller  131  and a driven roller  132 . 
     The driving roller  131  is provided downstream of the rotary blade cutter  121  in the transport direction. The driving roller  131  rotates by driving a motor connected to a rotation shaft of the driving roller  131 . 
     The driven roller  132  is provided at a position opposite to the driving roller  131  across the transport path, and rotates in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the driving roller  131  according to the rotation of the driving roller  131 . The paper R sandwiched between the driving roller  131  and the driven roller  132  is fed toward the discharge port  10  by the rotation of the driving roller  131  and the driven roller  132 . 
     The passage detection sensor  14  is configured with a paper detection sensor such as an optical sensor or a camera sensor. The passage detection sensor  14  is provided, for example, downstream of the driven roller  132  in the transport direction. The passage detection sensor  14  detects the presence or absence of the paper R which passed through the driven roller  132 , and outputs the detection result to the controller  17 . 
     The pulling detection sensor  15  is configured with a contact sensor  151  such as a leaf switch. The contact sensor  151  is provided at a position of the discharge port  10  or upstream of the discharge port  10  in the transport direction. For example, the contact sensor  151  is provided between the discharge port  10  and the passage detection sensor  14 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the contact sensor  151  is provided at a position at which the contact sensor  151  does not contact with the paper R when the paper R is not pulled by the user and the contact sensor  151  is brought into contact with the paper R when the paper R is pulled by the user. The contact sensor  151  detects contact or non-contact of the paper R, and outputs the detection result to the controller  17 . 
     The storage unit  16  is configured with a read only memory (ROM), a flash memory, or the like. The storage unit  16  stores in advance a control program and various data which are used by the controller  17  for performing control processing to be described later. For example, the storage unit  16  stores a time (standby time) until discharge processing of the paper R is started after the downstream end of the paper R is exposed to the discharge port  10 , control data for discharging the paper R at a high speed or at a low speed, and the like. 
     The controller  17  includes a central processing unit (CPU), a random access memory (RAM) functioning as a main memory of the CPU, a timer, and the like. When the power of the paper discharge apparatus  1  is turned on, the controller  17  reads and executes the control program from the storage unit  16  to function as a transport control unit  17   a , a pulling determination unit  17   b , a paper discharge control unit  17   c , and a pulling in-paper-discharging determination unit  17   d , and performs the control processing to be described later. 
     Hereinafter, in the paper discharge apparatus  1  with the above-described configuration, the control processing performed by the paper discharge apparatus  1  will be described with reference to  FIG. 4 . 
     The paper discharge apparatus  1  issues the receipt by performing the following processing. 
     (1) The paper discharge apparatus  1  prints the transaction information on the paper R, and cuts the paper R (ACT  100 ). 
     (2) The paper discharge apparatus  1  executes exposure processing to expose the downstream side end of the cut paper R through the discharge port  10  (ACT  101 ). 
     (3) The paper discharge apparatus  1  executes paper discharge processing for discharging the paper Rat a high speed or at a low speed (ACT  102  to ACT  109 ). 
     First, when receiving information of merchandise purchased by a customer (transaction information per transaction) from a terminal such as a point of sales (POS) register, the transport control unit  17   a  controls the thermal head  111  so as to print the transaction information on the paper R. In addition, the transport control unit  17   a  controls the platen roller  112  so as to feed the paper R printed by the thermal head  111 . Accordingly, the transaction information is printed on the paper R pulled out from the paper roll PR, and the paper on which the transaction information is printed is transported to the downstream side in the transport direction. 
     After all of the transaction information per transaction is printed on the paper R, the transport control unit  17   a  controls the rotary blade cutter  121  so as to cut out a portion to be a receipt from the paper R. The rotary blade cutter  121  is driven under the control of the transport control unit  17   a . Accordingly, the upstream side end of the paper R to be discharged is cut as a receipt by the rotary blade cutter  121  and the fixed blade cutter  122  (ACT  100 ). 
     Subsequently, the transport control unit  17   a  controls the driving roller  131  so as to expose the downstream side end of the paper R from the discharge port  10 . For example, the transport control unit  17   a  determines whether or not the downstream side end of the paper R passed through the driven roller  132  based on the detection result of the passage detection sensor  14 . Specifically, in a case where the detection result of the passage detection sensor  14  is changed from a state in which the paper R is not detected to a state in which the paper R is detected, the transport control unit  17   a  determines that the downstream side end of the paper R passed through the driven roller  132 . 
     In a case where it is determined that the downstream side end of the paper R passed through the driven roller  132 , the transport control unit  17   a  controls the driving roller  131  so as to expose the downstream side end of the paper R from the discharge port  10 . Accordingly, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the downstream side end of the paper R is exposed from the discharge port  10  to such an extent that a user can pinch the paper R with fingertips (ACT  101 ). 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the contact sensor  151  detects contact or non-contact according to whether or not the paper R is pulled. The pulling determination unit  17   b  determines whether or not the downstream side end of the paper R is pulled according to the detection result of the contact sensor  151  (ACT  102 ). Specifically, in a case where non-contact is detected by the contact sensor  151 , the pulling determination unit  17   b  determines that the paper R is not pulled by the user, and in a case where contact is detected by the contact sensor  151 , the pulling determination unit  17   b  determines that the paper R is pulled by the user. 
     In addition, the pulling determination unit  17   b  determines whether or not a predetermined time stored in the storage unit  16  elapses (ACT  103 ). That is, until a predetermined time elapses after the downstream side end of the paper R is exposed to the discharge port  10 , the pulling determination unit  17   b  repeatedly performs processing of determining whether or not the paper R is pulled (NO in ACT  102  and NO in ACT  103 ). 
     In a case where the pulling determination unit  17   b  determines that the paper R is pulled by the user (YES in ACT  102 ), the paper discharge control unit  17   c  controls the driving roller  131  so as to discharge the paper R at a high speed (for example, 40 ips (inch per second)) based on the control data, which is stored in the storage unit  16 , for discharging the paper R at a high speed (ACT  104 ). Accordingly, the discharging operation of the paper R is started at a relatively high speed. In this case, since the user is already pinching the paper R with fingertips, even when the paper R is discharged at a high speed, the user can reliably receive the paper R. 
     Thereafter, the paper discharge control unit  17   c  determines whether or not the upstream side end of the paper R passed through the driven roller  132  based on the detection result of the passage detection sensor  14  (ACT  105 ). Specifically, in a case where the detection result of the passage detection sensor  14  is changed from a state in which the paper R is detected to a state in which the paper R is not detected, the paper discharge control unit  17   c  determines that the upstream side end of the paper R passed through the driven roller  132 . The paper discharge control unit  17   c  controls the driving roller  131  so as to discharge the paper R at a high speed until the upstream side end of the paper R passes through the driven roller  132  (NO in ACT  105  and ACT  104 ). 
     In a case where it is determined that the upstream side end of the paper R passed through the driven roller  132 , the paper discharge control unit  17   c  stops the driving roller  131  and ends the paper discharge processing (YES in ACT  105  and ACT  109 ). 
     Accordingly, the paper discharge processing of discharging the paper Rat a high speed is ended, and thereafter, the process returns to ACT  100 . 
     On the other hand, in a case where the pulling determination unit  17   b  determines in ACT  103  that a predetermined time elapses (YES in ACT  103 ), the paper discharge control unit  17   c  controls the driving roller  131  so as to discharge the paper R at a low speed (for example, 4 ips to 10 ips) based on the control data, which is stored in the storage unit  16 , for discharging the paper R at a low speed (ACT  106 ). For example, the discharge speed in ACT  106  is set to approximately ¼ to 1/10 of the discharge speed in ACT  104 . Accordingly, discharge of the paper R is started at a speed lower than that of discharge of the paper R in ACT  104 . In this case, since it takes time until the paper R is completely discharged, the user may not need to receive the paper R in a hurry. 
     In addition, when discharge of the paper R is performed at a low speed, the pulling in-paper-discharging determination unit  17   d  determines whether or not the paper R is pulled by the user according to the detection result of the contact sensor  151  (ACT  107 ). The pulling in-paper-discharging determination unit  17   d  repeatedly performs processing of determining whether or not the paper R is pulled by the user until the paper discharge control unit  17   c  determines that the upstream side end of the paper R passed through the driven roller  132  (NO in ACT  107  and NO in ACT  108 ). Further, during the repeated determining operation, the paper discharge control unit  17   c  controls the driving roller  131  so as to discharge the paper R at a low speed (ACT  106 ). 
     In a case where the pulling in-paper-discharging determination unit  17   d  determines that the paper R is pulled by the user (YES in ACT  107 ), the paper discharge control unit  17   c  proceeds to ACT  104  and controls the driving roller  131  so as to discharge the paper R at a high speed. 
     That is, in this case, a discharge speed of the paper R is switched from a low speed to a high speed. In this case, since the user is already pinching the paper R (receipt) with fingertips, even when the discharge speed of the paper R is switched from a low speed to a high speed, the user can reliably receive the paper R. 
     In addition, thereafter, the paper R is discharged at a high speed (NO in ACT  105  and ACT  104 ), and when the upstream side end of the paper R passes through the driven roller  132 , the driving roller  131  is stopped (YES in ACT  105  and ACT  109 ). 
     As described above, the paper discharge processing of discharging the paper R with a discharge speed switched from a low speed to a high speed is ended, and thereafter, the process returns to ACT  100 . 
     On the other hand, in a case where the paper discharge control unit  17   c  determines in ACT  108  that the upstream side end of the paper R passed through the driven roller  132 , the paper discharge control unit  17   c  stops the driving roller  131  and ends the paper discharge processing (YES in ACT  108  and ACT  109 ). That is, in this case, until discharging operation of the paper R is ended after the discharging operation is started, the paper discharge processing is performed at a low discharging speed. 
     Accordingly, paper discharge processing of discharging the paper Rat a low speed is ended, and thereafter, the process returns to ACT  100 . 
     As described above, a transport mode of the paper R is changed according to whether or not the downstream side end of the paper R that is exposed to the discharge port  10  is pulled, and the paper R is discharged at a high speed or a low speed. Therefore, the paper discharge apparatus  1  according to the present embodiment can appropriately discharge the paper R according to a situation of a user who receives the paper R. 
     In addition, in a case where the paper R is pulled by the user when the paper R is being discharged at a low speed, the paper discharge apparatus  1  can switch the discharge speed of the paper R from a low speed to a high speed, and thus appropriately change the discharge speed of the paper R according a user&#39;s operation. 
     When the position of the contact sensor  151  is changed, the pulling determination unit  17   b  may output a determination result opposite to that in the above-described embodiment, based on the detection result of the contact sensor  151 . That is, the contact sensor  151  may be provided at a position at which the contact sensor  151  is brought into contact with the paper R when the paper R is not pulled by the user and the contact sensor  151  does not contact with the paper R when the paper R is pulled by the user, and the pulling determination unit  17   b  may determine that the paper R is not pulled by the user when the contact sensor  151  detects contact and determine that the paper R is pulled by the user when the contact sensor  151  detects non-contact. 
     In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the contact sensor  151  is described as an example of the pulling detection sensor  15 . The pulling detection sensor  15  may be any device as long as the pulling detection sensor  15  can detect whether or not the paper R is pulled by the user, and an optical sensor, a camera sensor, a tension sensor, or the like may be used as the pulling detection sensor  15 . 
     For example, in a case where the optical sensor is used as the pulling detection sensor  15 , the pulling determination unit  17   b  may determine whether or not the paper R is pulled by the user based on a change in distance between the paper R and the optical sensor, which is detected by the optical sensor. In addition, in a case where the camera sensor is used as the pulling detection sensor  15 , the pulling determination unit  17   b  may determine whether or not the paper R is pulled by the user based on a change in pixel values of the paper R, which are captured by the camera sensor. Further, in a case where the tension sensor is used as the pulling detection sensor  15 , the pulling determination unit  17   b  may determine whether or not the paper R is pulled by the user based on a change in tension applied on the paper R, which is measured by the tension sensor. 
     In the above-described embodiment, in a case where the downstream side end of the paper R exposed to the discharge port  10  is not pulled until a predetermined time elapses (NO in ACT  103  illustrated in  FIG. 4 ), the paper discharge control unit  17   c  controls the roller pair  13  so as to discharge the paper R at a low speed. Instead of performing this control, the paper discharge control unit  17   c  may control the roller pair  13  so as not to discharge the paper R. Alternatively, in this case, the paper discharge control unit  17   c  may perform processing of collecting or cutting the paper R, instead of controlling so as not to discharge the paper R. 
     In a case where the processing of collecting the paper R is performed, the paper discharge apparatus  1  is provided with, for example, a collection unit for collecting the paper R. In a case where the pulling determination unit  17   b  determines that the downstream side end of the paper R is not pulled, the paper discharge control unit  17   c  controls the driving roller  131  (roller pair  13 ) so as to transport the paper R exposed from the discharge port  10  to the collection unit, and stores the paper R in the collection unit. 
     In addition, in a case where the processing of cutting the paper R is performed, the paper discharge apparatus  1  is provided with a cutting unit for cutting the paper R. In a case where the pulling determination unit  17   b  determines that the downstream side end of the paper R is not pulled by the user, the paper discharge control unit  17   c  controls the driving roller  131  (roller pair  13 ) so as to transport the paper R exposed from the discharge port  10  to the cutting unit, and causes the cutting unit to cut the paper R transported to the cutting unit. 
     According to the paper discharge apparatus  1  with such a configuration, even in a case where a user leaves without receiving the paper R, it is possible to appropriately process the paper R to be discharged. 
     In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the paper discharge apparatus  1  is a receipt printer is described. The paper discharge apparatus  1  can be realized by various types of printers other than the receipt printer. For example, the paper discharge apparatus  1  may be a label printer. 
     In addition, the paper discharge apparatus  1  is described as an apparatus having a function of printing and cutting. Alternatively, the paper discharge apparatus  1  may be configured with an apparatus physically separated from an apparatus which performs printing and cutting of paper, as long as the paper discharge apparatus  1  can discharge paper. 
     Further, the paper set in the paper discharge apparatus  1  may be not paper roll but various standard sized paper such as A-sized paper or B-sized paper. 
     While a certain embodiment has been described, the embodiment has been presented by way of example only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel embodiment described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiment described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions.