Patent Publication Number: US-2022234234-A1

Title: Cutting device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-009981, filed on Jan. 26, 2021, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates to a cutting device capable of cutting an object to be cut. 
     A cutting device is known that cuts a pattern from an object to be cut by moving the sheet-shaped object to be cut and a cutting blade relative to each other, in accordance with cutting data. This cutting device is provided with a storage device that individually stores various setting conditions corresponding to a type indicating a hardness, a thickness, and the like of the object to be cut. The cutting device reads out the setting conditions depending on the type of the object to be cut from the above-mentioned storage device, and cuts the object to be cut on the basis of the read out setting conditions. 
     SUMMARY 
     However, in the above-described cutting device, when the setting conditions set on the basis of the type stored in the storage device do not correspond to the actual object to be cut, the cutting device cannot appropriately cut the object to be cut. 
     An object of the present disclosure is to provide a cutting device capable of cutting an object to be cut using conditions suited to the object to be cut. 
     A cutting device according to the present disclosure includes a placement member, a mounting portion, a first movement mechanism, a second movement mechanism, a pressure applying mechanism, a processor, and a memory. An object to be cut is placeable on the placement member. A cutting blade is mountable to the mounting portion. The first movement mechanism is configured to relatively move the object to be cut placed on the placement member, and the mounting portion in a first direction and a second direction. The second direction is opposite to the first direction. The second movement mechanism is configured to move the mounting portion in a third direction causing the mounting portion to move closer to the placement member, and a fourth direction causing the mounting portion to move away from the placement member. The third direction and the fourth direction intersects the first direction and the second direction. The pressure applying mechanism is configured to apply pressure to the mounting portion in the third direction, in accordance with a movement of the mounting portion by the second movement mechanism. The processor is configured to control the first movement mechanism and the second movement mechanism. The memory is configured to store computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, instruct the processor to perform processes comprising moving the mounting portion, by controlling the first movement mechanism, to a facing position at which the cutting blade faces the object to be cut and the cutting blade is separated, in the fourth direction, from the object to be cut, and moving the mounting portion in the third direction from the facing position by controlling the second movement mechanism. The computer-readable instructions also instruct the processor to perform processes comprising detecting, in a course of the mounting portion moving in the third direction, a pressure correspondence value corresponding to the pressure in the third direction applied to the mounting portion by the pressure applying mechanism, and a movement amount of the mounting portion in the third direction, and deciding a cutting pressure correspondence value, on a basis of the pressure correspondence value and the movement amount after the cutting blade has come into contact with the object to be cut, of the detected pressure correspondence value and the detected movement amount, the cutting pressure correspondence value being the pressure correspondence value corresponding to a cutting pressure applied to the mounting portion by the pressure applying mechanism when cutting the object to be cut using the cutting blade. And the computer-readable instructions also instruct the processor to perform processes comprising acquiring cutting data for cutting a pattern from the object to be cut, controlling the first movement mechanism and the second movement mechanism in accordance with the acquired cutting data, applying the cutting pressure corresponding to the decided cutting pressure correspondence value to the mounting portion, using the pressure applying mechanism, and cutting the object to be cut, using the cutting blade mounted to the mounting portion. 
     According to the present disclosure, the cutting device decides the cutting pressure on the basis of the pressure applied to the mounting portion and the movement amount after the cutting blade has come into contact with the object to be cut. Thus, the cutting device can apply, to the mounting portion, the cutting pressure appropriate for the object to be cut, and as a result, the cutting device can appropriately cut the object to be cut, using the cutting blade mounted to the mounting portion. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments of the disclosure will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cutting device; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of a mounting portion and a second movement mechanism; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the mounting portion and the second movement mechanism cut along a line A-A shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram showing a configuration of a housing tip end of a cartridge; 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the cutting device; 
         FIG. 6A  and  FIG. 6B  are graphs showing a relationship between a pressure correspondence value, a movement amount, and a difference amount when an object to be cut has been moved downward; 
         FIG. 7  is explanatory diagrams describing positional relationships between the housing tip end of the cartridge  4 , and a platen  3  and the object to be cut; 
         FIG. 8  is a flowchart of main processing; 
         FIG. 9  is a flowchart of the main processing and is a continuation of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a flowchart of the main processing and is a continuation of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a flowchart of initialization processing; 
         FIG. 12  is explanatory diagrams illustrating a positional relationship between the housing tip end  41  of the cartridge  4  and the platen; 
         FIG. 13  is a graph showing a relationship between the pressure correspondence value and the movement amount during execution of the initialization processing; and 
         FIG. 14  is a flowchart of the main processing according to a modified example. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiments embodying a cutting device  1  according to the present disclosure will be described in order with reference to the drawings. The drawings to be referenced are used to illustrate the technical features that can be adopted in the present disclosure, and the described configurations and the like of the devices are not intended to be limited thereto, but are merely explanatory examples. The lower left side, the upper right side, the lower right side, the upper left side, the upper side, and the lower side in  FIG. 1  correspond to the front side, the rear side, the right side, the left side, the upper side, and the lower side, respectively, of the cutting device  1 . 
     Overview of Cutting Device  1   
     An overview of a cutting device  1  will be described with reference to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3 . The cutting device  1  is used in a state fitted with a cartridge  4  including a cutting blade Cs, and the cutting device  1  can cut an object to be cut  20  using the cutting blade Cs. In the embodiment, an adhesive sheet obtained by laminating a sheet material  20 A and a release paper  20 B (refer to  FIG. 7 ) is used as the object to be cut  20 . An adhesive is applied to one side of the sheet material  20 A. The release paper  20 B is adhered to the one side of the sheet material  20 A by the adhesive, and covers the entire region of the one side of the sheet material  20 A. The release paper  20 B is harder than the sheet material  20 A. For example, a user peels the sheet material  20 A of the object to be cut  20  that has been cut by the cutting device  1  from the release paper  20 B, adheres the sheet material  20 A to an adherend using the adhesive, and uses the adherend. Thus, in the cutting device  1 , when cutting the object to be cut  20 , it is desirable to cut only the sheet material  20 A (perform a half cut), without cutting the release paper  20 B. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the cutting device  1  is provided with a main body cover  9 , a platen  3 , a head  5 , a sheet feeding portion  7 , a roll holding portion  300 , a conveyance mechanism  8 A, a first movement mechanism  8 B, a second movement mechanism  33  (refer to  FIG. 2 ), a control portion  71  (refer to  FIG. 5 ), and the like. The main body cover  9  is provided with an opening  91 , a cover  92 , and an operating portion  50 . The opening  91  is an opening provided in a front surface portion of the main body cover  9 . The cover  92  is supported by the main body cover  9  so as to be able to rotate. In  FIG. 1 , the cover  92  is open such that the opening  91  is open. Hereinafter, various configurations will be explained based on the assumption that the cover  92  is in the open state. 
     The operating portion  50  is provided with a liquid crystal display (LCD)  51 , a plurality of operating switches  52 , and a touch panel  53 . An image including various items, such as commands, illustrations, setting values, and messages is displayed on the LCD  51 . The touch panel  53  is provided on the surface of the LCD  51 . A user performs a pressing operation (hereinafter, this operation is referred to as a “panel operation”) on the touch panel  53 , using either a finger or a stylus pen. In the cutting device  1 , which of the items has been selected is recognized in accordance with a pressed position detected by the touch panel  53 . The user can use the operating switches  52  and the touch panel  53  to select a pattern displayed on the LCD  51 , set various parameters, perform an input operation, and the like. 
     The sheet feeding portion  7  is provided with a main body portion  101 , a cutting portion  102 , and a fixing portion  103 . The main body portion  101  has a rectangular plate shape, and is disposed above the cover  92 . A guide  101 A is provided on the left end portion of the main body portion  101 . The guide  101 A protrudes upward from the upper surface of the main body portion  101 . The position of the object to be cut  20  is determined in the left-right direction by the object to be cut  20  coming into contact with the guide  101 A from the right side. The cutting portion  102  is detachably provided on the upper portion of the main body portion  101 . The cutting portion  102  includes a cutter plate  104  and a cutter  105 . The cutter plate  104  extends in a straight line in the left-right direction. The cutter  105  can slidingly move along the cutter plate  104 . The fixing portion  103  fixes the main body portion  101  above the cover  92 . 
     The roll holding portion  300  includes a main body portion  301  and a pair of sheet holding plates  302 . The main body portion  301  has a rectangular plate shape, and is fixed to the front end portion of the cover  92 . The pair of sheet holding plates  302  are provided on the upper surface and at the left and right end portions of the main body portion  301 . The pair of sheet holding plates  302  rotatably hold both end portions, in the left-right direction, of a roll  10  on which the object to be cut  20  is wound. The object to be cut  20  fed out from the roll  10  extends toward the sheet feeding portion  7  positioned to the rear, and passes below the cutter plate  104  of the cutting portion  102 . The user can cut the object to be cut  20  in a width direction, by moving the cutter  105  along the cutter plate  104  from the right end to the left end, for example. 
     The conveyance mechanism  8 A is provided with a driven roller  204  and a drive roller (not shown in the drawings). The driven roller  204  extends in the left-right direction and is rotatably supported inside the main body cover  9 . The drive roller faces the driven roller  204  from below, and rotates in accordance with the driving of a Y-axis motor  15  (refer to  FIG. 5 ). The conveyance mechanism  8 A clamps, between the driven roller  204  and the drive roller, the object to be cut  20  extending rearward from the roll holding portion  300  via the sheet feeding portion  7 . The conveyance mechanism  8 A can convey the object to be cut  20  in the front-rear direction (also referred to as a “Y direction” and a “sub-scanning direction”), as a result of the drive roller rotating in this state. 
     The platen  3  is provided inside the main body cover  9 , and further to the rear than the drive roller. The platen  3  is a plate-shaped member that extends in the left-right direction. The length of the platen  3  in the left-right direction is greater than the width of the object to be cut  20 . The object to be cut  20  that is conveyed to the rear by the conveyance mechanism  8 A is placed on a portion of the upper surface of the platen  3  excluding portions at both ends in the left-right direction. The release paper  20 B (refer to  FIG. 7 ) of the object to be cut  20  is disposed below the sheet material  20 A, and comes into contact, from above, with the upper surface of the platen  3  (refer to  FIG. 7 ). The left and right end portions of the platen  3  are exposed even when the object to be cut  20  is placed thereon. 
     The head  5  is provided with a carriage  19 , a mounting portion  32 , a detector  61  (refer to  FIG. 3 ), and the second movement mechanism  33  (refer to  FIG. 2 ). The mounting portion  32  is able to be fitted with the cartridge  4 . The cartridge  4  is fixed to the mounting portion  32  in a state in which the cutting blade Cs is arranged on the lower end of the cartridge  4 . The carriage  19  is provided on the rear end portion of the mounting portion  32 . 
     The head  5  can be moved in the left-right direction (also referred to as an “X direction” and a “main scanning direction”) by the first movement mechanism  8 B. The first movement mechanism  8 B is provided with a guide rail  21 , an X-axis motor  25  (refer to  FIG. 5 ), and the like. The guide rail  21  is fixed inside the main body cover  9 , and extends in the left-right direction. The carriage  19  can move in the X direction along the guide rail  21 , and is supported by the guide rail  21 . The rotational movement of the X-axis motor  25  is converted to a movement in the X direction, and is transmitted to the carriage  19 . When the X-axis motor  25  is driven forward or in reverse, the carriage  19  is moved in the leftward direction or the rightward direction. In other words, the first movement mechanism  8 B causes the cartridge  4  mounted on the mounting portion  32  of the head  5  to move in the left-right direction relative to the object to be cut  20  placed on the platen  3 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the second movement mechanism  33  moves the mounting portion  32  in a direction in which the mounting portion  32  moves toward the platen  3  (i.e. downward), and a direction in which the mounting portion  32  moves away from the platen  3  (i.e. upward). Using the above-described configuration, the second movement mechanism  33  moves the cartridge  4  mounted to the mounting portion  32  in the upward and downward directions. The second movement mechanism  33  is provided with a Z-axis motor  34  (refer to  FIG. 5 ), and a transmission member. The second movement mechanism  33  uses the transmission member coupled to an output shaft  40  of the Z-axis motor  34  to decelerate and convert a rotational movement of the Z-axis motor  34  into an up-down movement, transmits the up-down movement to the mounting portion  32 , and drives the mounting portion  32  and the cartridge  4  in the up-down direction (also referred to as a “Z direction”). 
     As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the second movement mechanism  33  includes, as transmission members, gears  35  and  36 , a shaft  37 , a plate portion  48 , a pinion  38 , and a rack  39 . The gear  35  is fixed to a front end of the output shaft  40  of the Z-axis motor  34 . The gear  35  meshes with the gear  36 . A diameter of the gear  35  is smaller than a diameter of the gear  36 . The gear  36  includes a cylindrical shaft portion  46  that extends in the front-rear direction. The shaft  37  is inserted through the shaft portion  46  of the gear  36 . The output shaft  40  of the Z-axis motor  34  and the shaft  37  extend in the front-rear direction. The plate portion  48  is a disc-shaped plate that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the gear  36 . A front end portion of the plate portion  48  is coupled to a rear end portion of the pinion  38 . The plate portion  48  is a member that is integrated with the pinion  38 . The plate portion  48  is a member that is separate from the gear  36 . The plate portion  48  and the pinion  38  can rotate independently of the rotation of the gear  36 . The shaft  37  is inserted through the pinion  38  and the plate portion  48 , to the front of the gear  36 . The pinion  38  and the plate portion  48  can rotate relative to the shaft  37 . The diameter of the pinion  38  is smaller than the diameters of the gears  35  and  36 . The rack  39  extends in the up-down direction, and gear teeth with which the pinion  38  meshes are provided on the right surface of the rack  39 . The rack  39  is fixed to the rear surface of the mounting portion  32 . 
     The second movement mechanism  33  is further provided with a pressure applying mechanism  31 . The pressure applying mechanism  31  is a torsion spring that is inserted through the shaft portion  46  of the gear  36 . The pressure applying mechanism  31  is a mechanism that can apply a downward pressure to the mounting portion  32 . One end of the pressure applying mechanism  31  is fixed to the shaft portion  46 , and the other end is fixed to the plate portion  48 . The pressure applying mechanism  31  transmits the rotation of the gear  36  to the plate portion  48 . The pressure applying mechanism  31  applies the downward pressure to the mounting portion  32 , by using an elastic force when the torsion spring is compressed in accordance with the rotation of the gear  36 . The downward pressure applied to the mounting portion  32  changes in accordance with a compression amount of the torsion spring changing. 
     The detector  61  is a position sensor that can output a position, in the up-down direction, of the mounting portion  32 . The detector  61  is disposed to the left and rear of the mounting portion  32 . The detector  61  can identify the position of the mounting portion  32  in the up-down direction, and can output a signal indicating the identified position. 
     Overview of Cartridge  4   
     An overview of the cartridge  4  will be explained with reference to  FIG. 4 . It is assumed that the upward direction, the downward direction, the leftward direction and the rightward direction in  FIG. 4  are, respectively, the upward direction, the downward direction, the leftward direction, and the rightward direction of the cartridge  4 . The cartridge  4  includes a cylindrical housing  60  (refer to  FIG. 1 ). A holder  42 , a spring  43 , the cutting blade Cs, and a bearing  44  are provided on the tip end of the housing  60  (hereinafter referred to as a housing tip end  41 ). 
     The holder  42  is cylindrically shaped, and extends in the up-down direction. The holder  42  is held so as to be able to move in the up-down direction with respect to the housing tip end  41 . The spring  43  is provided at the upper end portion of the holder  42 . The spring  43  urges the holder  42  downward. The lower end portion of the holder  42  protrudes downward from the housing tip end  41 . The cutting blade Cs includes a base portion C 1 , and a blade tip portion C 2  connected to the lower end of the base portion C 1 . The base portion C 1  has a round columnar shape, and is fixed to the housing tip end  41  via the bearing  44 . The bearing  44  rotatably supports the cutting blade Cs, with a rotational axis R extending in the up-down direction as a center of rotation. The cutting blade Cs rotates centered on the rotational axis R in accordance with the action of an external force. The blade tip portion C 2  has a plate shape, and a tip end thereof is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction. At least a part of the blade tip portion C 2  is contained inside the holder  42 . 
     When cutting the object to be cut  20  using the cartridge  4 , by pressing the cartridge  4  against the object to be cut  20  with the cartridge  4  oriented downward, the holder  42  moves upward in resistance to the urging force of the spring  43 . The tip end portion (hereinafter referred to as the “tip end of the cutting blade Cs”) of the blade tip portion C 2  of the cutting blade Cs is exposed from the holder  42  (refer to  FIG. 7 , to be described later). In this way, the cartridge  4  is able to cut the object to be cut  20  using the exposed tip end of the cutting blade Cs. 
     Electrical Configuration of Cutting Device  1   
     An electrical configuration of the cutting device  1  will be explained with reference to  FIG. 5 . The cutting device  1  is provided with the control portion  71 , a ROM  72 , a RAM  73 , and an input/output (I/O) interface  75 . The control portion  71  is electrically connected to the ROM  72 , the RAM  73 , and the I/O interface  75 . The control portion  71  is a CPU that performs overall control of the cutting device  1 , along with the ROM  72  and the RAM  73 . The ROM  72  stores various programs used to operate the cutting device  1 . The RAM  73  temporarily stores arithmetic calculation results and the like calculated by the control portion  71 . 
     Further, a flash memory  74 , the LCD  51 , the operating switches  52 , the touch panel  53 , the detector  61 , and drive circuits  77  to  79  are connected to the I/O interface  75 . The flash memory  74  is a non-volatile storage element that stores various parameters, cutting data, and the like. The cutting data represents control conditions of the conveyance mechanism  8 A, the first movement mechanism  8 B, and the second movement mechanism  33 , for cutting the object to be cut  20  using the cutting blade Cs (refer to  FIG. 1 ) and cutting out a desired pattern. The cutting data includes start coordinates and end coordinates for controlling the conveyance mechanism  8 A, the first movement mechanism  8 B, and the second movement mechanism  33 , for each of line segments included in the pattern. An origin point of a coordinate system is a point to the rear left of a region in which the cutting is possible. The left-right direction is set as the X direction, and the front-rear direction is set as the Y direction. The cutting data is stored in the flash memory  74  for each of patterns that are a target of the cutting. 
     The LCD  51  can perform notification of various commands. The detector  61  outputs the signal indicating the position, in the up-down direction, of the mounting portion  32 . Each of the Y-axis motor  15 , the X-axis motor  25 , and the Z-axis motor  34  is a pulse motor. The drive circuits  77  to  79  respectively output a pulse to the Y-axis motor  15 , the X-axis motor  25 , and the Z-axis motor  34 . The control portion  71  drives the Y-axis motor  15 , the X-axis motor  25 , and the Z-axis motor  34  via the drive circuits  77  to  79 , and thus controls the conveyance mechanism  8 A, the first movement mechanism  8 B, and the second movement mechanism  33 . In this way, the control portion  71  moves the mounting portion  32  and the object to be cut  20  placed on the platen  3  relative to each other. 
     Relationship Between Pressure Applied to Mounting Portion  32  (Pressure Correspondence Value) and Movement Amount 
     A relationship between the pressure applied to the mounting portion  32  by the pressure applying mechanism  31  in the course of the cutting device  1  cutting the object to be cut  20  using the cutting blade Cs and a movement amount of the mounting portion  32  will be explained. In the following explanation, it is assumed that the object to be cut  20  is placed on the platen  3 , and that the cartridge  4  is mounted to the mounting portion  32 . Hereinafter, the position of the mounting portion  32 , in the up-down direction, when the mounting portion  32  has been moved by the second movement mechanism  33  to a highest position, is referred to as an upper limit position. 
     The control portion  71  moves the mounting portion  32  downward from the upper limit position by rotating the Z-axis motor  34  of the second movement mechanism  33 . There is a correlation between a number of pulses output from the drive circuit  79  and input to the Z-axis motor  34 , and a downward pressure acting on the mounting portion  32  from the pressure applying mechanism  31  (refer to  FIG. 2 ). In the embodiment, a cumulative number of the pulses input to the Z-axis motor  34  is used as a pressure correspondence value corresponding to the pressure applied to the mounting portion  32  from the pressure applying mechanism  31 . In other words, the cumulative number of pulses input to the Z-axis motor  34  from a state in which the mounting portion  32  is disposed at the upper limit position is used as the pressure correspondence value. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the output shaft  40  and the gears  35  and  36  rotate in accordance with the pulse being input to the Z-axis motor  34 , and the pressure applying mechanism  31  transmits the rotation of the gear  36  to the plate portion  48 . The control portion  71  counts the number of pulses input to the Z-axis motor  34  when the mounting portion  32  moves downward, and detects the pressure correspondence value. At the same time, the control portion  71  identifies the position, in the up-down direction, of the mounting portion  32  on the basis of the signal output from the detector  61 , and detects the movement amount from the upper limit position. The control portion  71  periodically repeats the detection of the pressure correspondence value and the movement amount, and stores the detected pressure correspondence value and movement amount in association with each other in the RAM  73 . Hereinafter, this processing is referred to as “detection processing.” 
       FIG. 6  shows the relationship between the pressure correspondence value (vertical axis) and the movement amount (horizontal axis), which are detected by periodically repeating the detection processing. A case is assumed in which the mounting portion  32  has been moved downward from a state in which the cutting blade Cs is facing the object to be cut  20  from above. A unit of the movement amount is referred to as a unit, for convenience. The detection processing that is performed an i-th time (where i is an integer of 1 or more) is referred to as “i-th detection processing.” The pressure correspondence value detected by the i-th detection processing is denoted by “v(i).” The movement amount detected by the i-th detection processing is denoted by “m(i).” The pressure applied to the mounting portion  32  by the pressure applying mechanism  31  as a result of controlling the second movement mechanism  33  using the pressure correspondence value v(i) is denoted by “p(i).” 
     As shown in  FIG. 7( a ) , in a state in which the holder  42  of the cartridge  4  is not in contact with the object to be cut  20 , an upward pressure is not applied to the mounting portion  32  to which the cartridge  4  is mounted (refer to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 ). Thus, when the output shaft  40  of the Z-axis motor  34  (refer to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 ) has rotated, the pressure applying mechanism  31  (refer to  FIG. 2 ) transmits the rotation of the gear  36  (refer to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 ) to the plate portion  48  and the pinion  38  (refer to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 ). The plate portion  48  and the pinion  38  rotate by the same amount as the rotation of the gear  36 . As a result, the mounting portion  32  moves downward. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6A , in the course of the mounting portion  32  moving downward, during a period until the holder  42  comes into contact with the object to be cut  20  (refer to  FIG. 7( a ) ), as shown by a plot in a region T 11 , the movement amount becomes larger as the pressure correspondence value increases. In the course of the mounting portion  32  moving downward, when the holder  42  of the cartridge  4  has come into contact with the sheet material  20 A of the object to be cut  20  (refer to  FIG. 7( b ) ), the upward pressure acts on the mounting portion  32 . By pulses being continuously input to the Z-axis motor  34 , the output shaft  40  rotates further. The gear  36  rotates relative to the plate portion  48  and the pinion  38 , and the torsion of the pressure applying mechanism  31  increases. In accordance with the rotation of the gear  36  being transmitted to the plate portion  48 , the downward pressure acting on the mounting portion  32  by the pressure applying mechanism  31  gradually increases. However, the plate portion  48  and the pinion  38  do not rotate until the downward pressure acting on the mounting portion  32  exceeds the upward pressure applied to the mounting portion  32 . In this case, the mounting portion  32  does not move downward. Thus, as shown by a plot in a region T 12 , even if the pressure correspondence value increases, the movement amount transitions at a constant level (approximately 600 units). 
     When the pulses are continuously input to the Z-axis motor  34  and the output shaft  40  rotates further, the gear  36  rotates relative to the plate portion  48  and the pinion  38 , and the torsion of the pressure applying mechanism  31  increases further. The downward pressure from the pressure applying mechanism  31  acting on the mounting portion  32  via the plate portion  48  and the pinion  38  increases further. When the downward pressure from the pressure applying mechanism  31  acting on the mounting portion  32  exceeds the upward pressure applied to the mounting portion  32 , the pinion  38  rotates, and the downward movement of the mounting portion  32  re-starts (refer to  FIG. 7( b )  and  FIG. 7( c ) ). Since the holder  42  is in contact with the sheet material  20 A, the downward movement of the holder  42  is suppressed, and thus, the cutting blade Cs moves downward relative to the holder  42 , and the spring  43  is compressed. The downward pressure from the pressure applying mechanism  31  acting on the mounting portion  32  moves the mounting portion  32  downward in resistance to the upward pressure that accords with an elastic force of the spring  43 . Thus, as shown by a plot in a region T 13 , the movement amount becomes larger as the pressure correspondence value increases. 
     In the course of the mounting portion  32  moving further downward, when the cutting blade Cs of the cartridge  4  has come into contact with the sheet material  20 A of the object to be cut  20  (refer to  FIG. 7( c ) ), the upward pressure acts on the cutting blade Cs (the mounting portion  32 ). By pulses being continuously input to the Z-axis motor  34 , the output shaft  40  rotates further. The gear  36  rotates relative to the plate portion  48  and the pinion  38 , and the torsion of the pressure applying mechanism  31  increases. In this state, the mounting portion  32  continues to move downward, and the blade tip of the cutting blade Cs penetrates into the sheet material  20 A (refer to  FIG. 7( d ) ). Since the mounting portion  32  moves downward while receiving the upward pressure, a downward movement speed of the mounting portion  32  is slower compared to before the cutting blade Cs comes into contact with the sheet material  20 A (refer to  FIG. 7( b ) ). Thus, as shown by a plot in a region T 14 , a rate of increase (a gradient) of the movement amount is gentler than the rate of increase (the gradient) of the movement amount in the region T 13 . 
     The blade tip of the cutting blade Cs of the cartridge  4  passes through the sheet material  20 A and comes into contact with the release paper  20 B (refer to  FIG. 7( e ) ). The release paper  20 B is harder than the sheet material  20 A. As a result, in a similar manner to when the blade tip of the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the sheet material  20 A (refer to  FIG. 7( c ) ), the downward movement of the mounting portion  32  becomes more difficult, and the upward pressure acting on the mounting portion  32  increases. Thus, in the course of the cutting blade Cs passing through the release paper  20 B (refer to  FIG. 7( f ) ), as shown by a plot in a region T 15 , the rate of increase (the gradient) of the movement amount is even more gentle than the rate of increase (the gradient) of the movement amount in the region T 14 . 
     Main Processing 
     Main processing executed by the control portion  71  of the cutting device  1  will be explained with reference to  FIG. 8  to  FIG. 11 . In the main processing, first, the pressure to be applied to the mounting portion  32  is decided (hereinafter referred to as a “cutting pressure”) in order to cut only the sheet material  20 A without cutting the release paper  20 B of the object to be cut  20  (to perform the half cut). In other words, the pressure correspondence value in order to apply the cutting pressure to the mounting portion  32  by the pressure applying mechanism  31  is decided (hereinafter, this pressure correspondence value is referred to as a “cutting pressure correspondence value”) (step S 11  to step S 25  (refer to  FIG. 8 ), step S 41  to step S 61  (refer to  FIG. 9 ), step S 81  to step S 91  (refer to  FIG. 10 ), and step S 101  to step S 113  (refer to  FIG. 11 )). After that, the second movement mechanism  33  is controlled on the basis of the decided cutting pressure correspondence value, and the sheet material  20 A of the object to be cut  20  is cut by the cutting blade Cs (step S 63 , step S 65  (refer to  FIG. 9 )). 
     When a command for specifying a pattern and starting the cutting operation is input by a panel operation, the main processing is started by the control portion  71  reading out a program stored in the ROM  72  and executing the program. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the roll  10  is set on the roll holding portion  300  before the above-described panel operation is performed, and the object to be cut  20  is fed out from the roll  10 . The fed out object to be cut  20  passes below the cutter plate  104  of the sheet feeding portion  7 , and a tip end portion of the object to be cut  20  is placed on the platen  3 . Further, the cartridge  4  is mounted to the mounting portion  32 . The mounting portion  32  is disposed in the upper limit position. 
     When the main processing is started, first, the control portion  71  performs initialization processing (step S 1 ) (refer to  FIG. 11 ), in order to detect the position of the mounting portion  32  in the up-down direction, when the cutting blade Cs comes into contact with the platen  3  (hereinafter referred to as a “reference position”). 
     The initialization processing will be explained with reference to  FIG. 11 . The control portion  71  controls the first movement mechanism  8 B and moves the mounting portion  32  to a furthest right end, of a movable range of the mounting portion  32  in the left-right direction (step S 101 ). In this way, the mounting portion  32  is disposed above a portion that is the right end portion of the platen  3  and that is exposed as a result of the object to be cut  20  not being placed thereon. At this time, the cutting blade Cs does not face the object to be cut  20  in the up-down direction, and faces the platen  3 . Next, the control portion  71  controls the second movement mechanism  33  and starts to move the mounting portion  32  downward from the upper limit position (step S 103 ). At the same time, the control portion  71  starts the detection processing. As a result, the detection of the pressure correspondence value and the movement amount is periodically repeated, and the detected pressure correspondence value and movement amount are stored in the RAM  73 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 12( a )  and  FIG. 12( b ) , during a period from when the mounting portion  32  starts to move downward from the upper limit position to when the holder  42  of the cartridge  4  comes into contact with the platen  3 , the upward pressure is not applied to the mounting portion  32 . Thus, as shown by a plot in a region T 21  in  FIG. 13 , the movement amount becomes larger in line with an increase in the pressure correspondence value. As shown in  FIG. 12( b ) , when the holder  42  has come into contact with the platen  3 , the upward pressure acts on the mounting portion  32 , and the downward movement of the mounting portion  32  stops. As a result, as shown by a plot in a region T 22  in  FIG. 13 , even if the pressure correspondence value increases, the movement amount transitions at a constant level (approximately 685 units). When the relationship between the pressure correspondence value and the movement amount shown in the region T 22  has been detected, the control portion  71  determines that the holder  42  has come into contact with the platen  3 , as shown in  FIG. 11  (step S 105 ). The control portion  71  identifies, as a first pressure correspondence value (refer to  FIG. 13 ), the pressure correspondence value detected by the detection processing at the time point at which the holder  42  has come into contact with the platen  3 , and stores the identified first pressure correspondence value in the RAM  73  (step S 105 ). 
     When the downward pressure acting on the mounting portion  32  from the pressure applying mechanism  31  due to the continuous input of the pulses to the Z-axis motor  34  exceeds the upward pressure applied to the mounting portion  32 , as shown in  FIG. 12( b )  and  FIG. 12( c ) , the downward movement of the mounting portion  32  re-starts. In this case, as shown by a plot in a region T 23  in  FIG. 13 , the movement amount increases in line with the increase in the pressure correspondence value. 
     As shown in  FIG. 12( c ) , when the mounting portion  32  has moved further down and the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the platen  3 , the downward movement of the mounting portion  32  stops. Thus, as shown by a plot in a region T 24  in  FIG. 13 , even if the pressure correspondence value increases, the movement amount transitions at a constant level (approximately 845 units). When the relationship between the pressure correspondence value and the movement amount shown in the region T 24  has been detected, the control portion  71  determines that the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the platen  3 , as shown in  FIG. 11  (step S 107 ). The control portion  71  identifies, as a second pressure correspondence value (refer to  FIG. 13 ), the pressure correspondence value detected by the detection processing at the time point at which the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the platen  3 , and stores the identified second pressure correspondence value in the RAM  73  (step S 107 ). 
     The control portion  71  detects, as the position in the up-down direction of the mounting portion  32  at the time point at which the cutting blade Cs comes into contact with the platen  3  (referred to as the “reference position”), a position separated downward from the upper limit position by the movement amount detected by the detection processing at the time point at which the cutting blade Cs came into contact with the platen  3  (step S 109 ). The control portion  71  stores the detected reference position in the RAM  73 . 
     The control portion  71  reads out and acquires, from the RAM  73 , the first pressure correspondence value identified by the processing at step S 105  (refer to  FIG. 13 ), that is, the pressure correspondence value detected by the detection processing at the time point at which the holder  42  comes into contact with the platen  3 . The control portion  71  reads out and acquires, from the RAM  73 , the second pressure correspondence value identified by the processing at step S 107  (refer to  FIG. 13 ), that is the pressure correspondence value detected by the detection processing at the time point at which the cutting blade Cs comes into contact with the platen  3 . The control portion  71  calculates a value obtained by subtracting the first pressure correspondence value from the second pressure correspondence value (referred to as an “estimated correspondence value”, refer to  FIG. 13 ), as an estimated value of a change amount of the pressure correspondence value from when the holder  42  comes into contact with the sheet material  20 A (refer to  FIG. 7( b ) ) to when the cutting blade Cs comes into contact with the sheet material  20 A (refer to FIG. (c)). The control portion  71  stores the calculated estimated correspondence value in the RAM  73  (step S 111 ). 
     When the relationship between the pressure correspondence value and the movement amount shown in the region T 24  has been detected, the control portion  71  controls the second movement mechanism  33  and stops the downward movement of the mounting portion  32  started by the processing at step S 101 . The control portion  71  stops the detection processing. The control portion  71  controls the second movement mechanism  33  and moves the mounting portion  32  upward toward the upper limit position (step S 113 ). After the mounting portion  32  has moved up to the upper limit position, the control portion  71  controls the second movement mechanism  33  and stops the movement of the mounting portion  32 . The control portion  71  ends the initialization processing, and returns the processing to the main processing (refer to  FIG. 8 ). 
     After the initialization processing (step S 11 ) is ended, the control portion  71  controls the first movement mechanism  8 B, and moves the mounting portion  32  to the left. After the mounting portion  32  has moved to a position at which the cutting blade Cs faces, in the up-down direction, the object to be cut  20  placed on the platen  3 , the control portion  71  controls the first movement mechanism  8 B and stops the movement of the mounting portion  32  (step S 13 ). The state is maintained in which the mounting portion  32  is disposed at the upper limit position in the up-down direction. The cutting blade Cs mounted to the mounting portion  32  is separated upward from the object to be cut  20 . Hereinafter, the position of the mounting portion  32  after the processing at step S 13  is referred to as a “facing position.” 
     The control portion  71  controls the second movement mechanism  33 , and starts to move the mounting portion  32  downward from the facing position (step S 15 ). At the same time, the control portion  71  starts the detection processing. Then, the detection of the pressure correspondence value and the movement amount is periodically repeated, and the detected pressure correspondence value and movement amount are stored in the RAM  73  (step S 17 ). 
     The control portion  71  determines whether or not the holder  42  of the cartridge  4  has come into contact with the sheet material  20 A of the object to be cut  20 . During a period from when the mounting portion  32  starts moving downward from the facing position to when the holder  42  of the cartridge  4  comes into contact with the sheet material  20 A (refer to  FIG. 7( a ) ), the rate of increase (the gradient) of the movement amount in relation to the pressure correspondence value transitions at a constant value (refer to region T 11 ,  FIG. 6 ). On the other hand, after the holder  42  has come into contact with the sheet material  20 A (refer to  FIG. 7( b ) ), even if the pressure correspondence value increases, the movement amount transitions at a constant level (refer to region T 12 ,  FIG. 6 ). Thus, when the relationship between the pressure correspondence value and the movement amount shown in the regions T 11  and T 12  is detected, that is when it is detected that the increase in the movement amount is extremely small or is not present, even when the pressure correspondence value increases, the control portion  71  determines that the holder  42  has come into contact with the sheet material  20 A (step S 19 ). 
     The control portion  71  reads out and acquires, from the RAM  73 , the estimated correspondence value (refer to  FIG. 13 ) calculated by the processing at step S 111  (refer to  FIG. 11 ). The control portion  71  determines, for each of the pressure correspondence value and the movement amount detected by the detection processing, whether or not a change amount of the pressure correspondence value from the time point at which the holder  42  comes into contact with the sheet material  20 A matches the estimated correspondence value. When the change amount of the pressure correspondence value from the time point at which the holder  42  comes into contact with the sheet material  20 A matches the estimated correspondence value, the control portion  71  determines that cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the sheet material  20 A (step S 21 ). 
     The control portion  71  reads out and acquires, from the RAM  73 , the movement amount detected by the detection processing at the time point at which the cutting blade Cs is determined to have come into contact with the sheet material  20 A. The control portion  71  identifies a position that is separated downward from the upper limit position by an amount corresponding to the acquired movement amount, as the position in the up-down direction of the mounting portion  32  at the time point at which the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the sheet material  20 A (hereinafter, this position is referred to as a “control position,” refer to  FIG. 7( c ) ). The control portion  71  reads out and acquires, from the RAM  73 , the reference position detected by the processing at step S 109  (refer to  FIG. 11 ), that is, the position in the up-down direction of the mounting portion  32  at the time point at which the cutting blade Cs comes into contact with the platen  3  (refer to  FIG. 12( c ) ). The control portion  71  detects, as the thickness of the object to be cut  20 , a difference between the reference position and the control position (step S 23 ). 
     The control portion  71  decides a difference threshold value, in accordance with the thickness of the object to be cut  20  detected by the processing at step S 23  (step S 25 ). The difference threshold value is a threshold value used for detecting whether the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the release paper  20 B (step S 45 , refer to  FIG. 9 ), and will be described in more detail later. The difference threshold value is decided so as to become a larger value the greater the detected thickness of the object to be cut  20 . 
     The method for deciding the difference threshold value in accordance with the thickness of the object to be cut  20  is not particularly limited, and the difference threshold value may be decided using the following method, for example. The control portion  71  may store a correspondence table, in which a plurality of ranges of the thickness of the object to be cut  20  are associated with the difference threshold value that accords with each of the ranges, in the flash memory  74  in advance, for example. The control portion  71  may decide the difference threshold value that is associated with the range in which the thickness of the object to be cut  20  detected by the processing at step S 23  is included, on the basis of the correspondence table. Alternatively, the control portion  71  may store a calculation formula in the flash memory  74  in advance, for example, that can calculate the difference threshold value by substituting the thickness of the object to be cut  20 . The control portion  71  may decide the difference threshold value by substituting the thickness of the object to be cut  20  detected by the processing at step S 23  into the calculation formula. The control portion  71  stores the decided difference threshold value in the RAM  73 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , the control portion  71  performs prediction processing that is described below, and calculates a predicted movement amount (step S 41 ). In processing at step S 21  (refer to  FIG. 8 ), it is assumed that it is determined that the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the sheet material  20 A on the basis of a movement amount m(k) detected by k-th detection processing. In this case, as shown in  FIG. 6B , a pressure correspondence value v(k) and the movement amount m(k) detected by the k-th detection processing are, respectively, the pressure correspondence value and the movement amount detected at or after the time point at which the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the sheet material  20 A. On the other hand, a pressure correspondence value v(k−2) and a movement amount m(k−2) detected by k−2-th detection processing performed 2 cycles previous to the k-th detection processing, and a pressure correspondence value v(k−1) and a movement amount m(k−1) detected by k−1-th detection processing performed 1 cycle previous to the k-th detection processing are, respectively, the pressure correspondence values and the movement amounts detected before the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the sheet material  20 A. In the regions T 13  and T 14 , in the course of the mounting portion  32  moving downward, the pressure applied to the mounting portion  32  by the pressure applying mechanism  31  gradually increases. Thus, a pressure p(k−1) corresponding to the pressure correspondence value v(k−1) is greater than a pressure p(k−2) corresponding to the pressure correspondence value v(k−2). Further, a pressure p(k) corresponding to the pressure correspondence value v(k) is larger than the pressure p(k−1). 
     On the basis of a change amount of the pressure correspondence value from the pressure correspondence value v(k−2) to the pressure correspondence value v(k−1) and a change amount of the movement amount from the movement amount m(k−2) to the movement amount m(k−1), the control portion  71  calculates a predicted value (hereinafter referred to as a “predicted movement amount”) of the movement amount of the mounting portion  32  when the pressure p(k) corresponding to the pressure correspondence value v(k) is applied by the pressure applying mechanism  31  (step S 41 ). The processing to calculate the predicted movement amount is referred to as the “prediction processing.” After that, the control portion  71  performs the prediction processing each time the detection processing is performed for the k+1-th time onward (step S 41 ). The prediction processing performed in accordance with the pressure correspondence value v(i) and the movement amount m(i) being detected by the i-th detection processing is referred to as “i-th prediction processing.” The predicted movement amount calculated by the i-th prediction processing is denoted by “e(i).” 
     The method for calculating the predicted movement amount in the prediction processing will be explained using a specific example. For example, when the pressure correspondence value v(k) and the movement amount m(k) are detected by the k-th detection processing, the control portion  71  reads out and acquires, from the RAM  73 , the pressure correspondence value v(k−2) and the movement amount m(k−2) detected by the k−2-th detection processing, and the pressure correspondence value v(k−1) and the movement amount m(k−1) detected by the k−1-th detection processing. The control portion  71  applies the least squares method on the basis of two coordinate points in  FIG. 6B , ((v(k−2), m(k−2)) and (v(k−1), m(k−1)), and calculates a coordinate point (v(k), e(k)) corresponding to the pressure correspondence value v(k). The calculated value e(k) corresponds to the predicted movement amount calculated by the k-th prediction processing. The control portion  71  associates the pressure correspondence value v(k) and the calculated predicted movement amount e(k) with each other and stores the associated data in the RAM  73 . 
     Next, when a pressure correspondence value v(k+1) and a movement amount m(k+1) are detected by the k+1-th detection processing, the control portion  71  reads out and acquires, from the RAM  73 , the pressure correspondence value v(k−1) and the movement amount m(k−1) detected by the k−1-th detection processing, the pressure correspondence value v(k) detected by the k-th detection processing, and the predicted movement amount e(k) calculated by the k-th prediction processing. The control portion  71  applies the least squares method on the basis of two coordinate points in  FIG. 6B , ((v(k−1), m(k−1)) and (v(k), e(k)), and calculates a coordinate point (v(k+1), e(k+1)) corresponding to the pressure correspondence value v(k+1). The calculated value e(k+1) corresponds to the predicted movement amount calculated by the k+1-th prediction processing. The control portion  71  associates the pressure correspondence value v(k+1) and the calculated predicted movement amount e(k+1) with each other and stores the associated data in the RAM  73 . In other words, the control portion  71  calculates the predicted movement amount on the basis of the pressure correspondence value and the movement amount detected by the detection processing before the cutting blade Cs comes into contact with the sheet material  20 A. 
     In  FIG. 6B , a line segment L 1  (a solid line) is a line segment connecting the plots of the movement amount detected by the detection processing. A line segment L 2  (a single dotted line) is a line segment connecting plots of the predicted movement amount calculated by the prediction processing. As shown by the line segments L 1  and L 2 , the plots shown by the line segment L 1  (the movement amount detected by the detection processing) are lower values than the plots shown by the line segment L 2  (the predicted movement amount calculated by the prediction processing). This is because the predicted movement amount is calculated on the basis of the pressure correspondence value and the movement amount detected by the detection processing before the cutting blade Cs comes into contact with the sheet material  20 A. On the other hand, the movement amount detected by the detection processing after the cutting blade Cs comes into contact with the sheet material  20 A becomes smaller in accordance with the pressure received from the sheet material  20 A in the course of the cutting blade Cs moving downward, and becomes smaller than the predicted movement amount. 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , when the detection processing from the k-th detection processing onward is performed, the control portion  71  performs the prediction processing and calculates the predicted movement amount (step S 41 ). Hereinafter, the detection processing that is triggered by calculating the predicted movement amount by the prediction processing is referred to as “target detection processing.” For example, when the k-th prediction processing is performed, the k-th detection processing corresponds to the target detection processing, and when the k+1-th prediction processing is performed, the k+1-th detection processing corresponds to the target detection processing. The pressure correspondence value detected by the target detection processing is referred to as a “target pressure correspondence value.” The movement amount detected by the target detection processing is referred to as a “target movement amount.” 
     The control portion  71  reads out and acquires, from the RAM  73 , the target pressure correspondence value and the target movement amount detected by the target detection processing. The control portion  71  calculates a difference obtained by subtracting the predicted movement amount calculated by the processing at step S 41  from the acquired target movement amount (step S 43 ). The control portion  71  compares the calculated difference with the difference threshold value decided by the processing at step S 25  (refer to  FIG. 8 ) (step S 45 ). 
     In  FIG. 6B , a line segment L 3  (a double dotted line) is a line segment connecting plots of the difference calculated by the processing at step S 43  (refer to  FIG. 9 ). During a period until the cutting blade Cs comes into contact with the release paper  20 B (the region T 14 ), the difference transitions over a range smaller than −2 units, while after the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the release paper  20 B (the region T 15 ), the difference becomes larger than −2 units. In other words, an absolute value of the difference obtained by subtracting the predicted movement amount from the target movement amount is relatively small until the cutting blade Cs comes into contact with the release paper  20 B, and becomes relatively large after the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the release paper  20 B. 
     Thus, when the absolute value of the difference calculated by the processing at step S 43  (refer to  FIG. 9 ) is smaller than the difference threshold value (no at step S 45 ), the control portion  71  determines that the cutting blade Cs has not reached the release paper  20 B in the course of the downward movement of the mounting portion  32 . In this case, the control portion  71  identifies, as the position in the up-down direction of the mounting portion  32  at a current time point, the position that is separated downward from the facing position by an amount corresponding to the acquired target movement amount. The control portion  71  reads out and acquires, from the RAM  73 , the reference position detected by the processing at step S 109  (refer to  FIG. 11 ). On the basis of the position of the mounting portion  32  at the current time point and the reference position, the control portion  71  determines whether or not the cutting blade Cs has penetrated the release paper  20 B and come into contact with the platen  3  (step S 47 ). When it is determined that the cutting blade Cs has not come into contact with the platen  3  (no at step S 47 ), the control portion  71  returns the processing to step S 41 . When the next detection processing is performed, the control portion  71  calculates the predicted movement amount (step S 41 ), and repeats the processing at step S 43 , step S 45 , and step S 47 . 
     When the absolute value of the difference calculated by the processing at step S 43  is equal to or greater than the difference threshold value (yes at step S 45 ), the control portion  71  determines that the cutting blade Cs has reached the release paper  20 B in the course of the downward movement of the mounting portion  32 , and that the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the release paper  20 B. When the cutting blade Cs comes into contact with the release paper  20 B, a state is obtained in which the pressure corresponding to the target pressure correspondence value has been applied to the mounting portion  32  by the pressure applying mechanism  31 . The control portion  71  controls the second movement mechanism  33  and stops the downward movement of the mounting portion  32  started by the processing at step S 15  (refer to  FIG. 8 ). 
     The control portion  71  acquires the thickness of the object to be cut  20  detected by the processing at step S 23  (refer to  FIG. 8 ) (step S 51 ). The control portion  71  compares the thickness of the object to be cut  20  acquired by the processing at step S 51  with a threshold value of the thickness that is prescribed in advance (step S 53 ). When it is determined that the thickness of the object to be cut  20  is equal to or greater than the thickness threshold value (yes at step S 53 ), the control portion  71  decides a first pressure range (refer to  FIG. 6B ) that is prescribed in advance, as a predetermined range of the pressure correspondence value. The first pressure range prescribes a range that is a range of the pressure correspondence values when the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the release paper  20 B, when the thickness of the object to be cut  20  is equal to or greater than the thickness threshold value. The control portion  71  advances the processing to step S 55 . On the other hand, when it is determined that the thickness of the object to be cut  20  is smaller than the thickness threshold value (no at step S 53 ), the control portion  71  decides a second pressure range (refer to  FIG. 6B ) that is prescribed in advance and that is narrower than the first pressure range, as the predetermined range of the pressure correspondence value. The second pressure range prescribes a range that is a range of the pressure correspondence values when the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the release paper  20 B, when the thickness of the object to be cut  20  is smaller than the thickness threshold value. The control portion  71  advances the processing to step S 59 . In other words, the control portion  71  changes the pressure range in accordance with the thickness of the object to be cut  20 . 
     When the first pressure range is decided as the pressure range (yes at step S 53 ), the control portion  71  determines whether the target pressure correspondence value corresponding to the pressure correspondence value when the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the release paper  20 B is included in the first pressure range (step S 55 ). When it is determined that the target pressure correspondence value is included in the first pressure range (yes at step S 55 ), the control portion  71  decides the target pressure correspondence value as the cutting pressure correspondence value that accords with the pressure applied to the mounting portion  32  for cutting only the sheet material  20 A without cutting the release paper  20 B, of the object to be cut  20  (step S 57 ). The decided cutting pressure correspondence value corresponds to the pressure correspondence value when the absolute value obtained by subtracting the predicted movement amount from the target movement amount is equal to or greater than the difference threshold value. The control portion  71  advances the processing to step S 63 . 
     When it is determined that the target pressure correspondence value is not included in the first pressure range (no at step S 55 ), the control portion  71  advances the processing to step S 61 . When the target pressure correspondence value is smaller than a lower limit of the first pressure range, the control portion  71  decides the lower limit value of the first pressure range as the cutting pressure correspondence value (step S 61 ). On the other hand, when the target pressure correspondence value is greater than an upper limit of the first pressure range, the control portion  71  decides the upper limit value of the first pressure range as the cutting pressure correspondence value (step S 61 ). Thus, a value that is larger or smaller than an assumed range (the first pressure range) that accords with the thickness of the object to be cut  20  is suppressed from being decided as the cutting pressure correspondence value. The control portion  71  advances the processing to step S 63 . 
     On the other hand, when the second pressure range is decided as the pressure range (no at step S 53 ), the control portion  71  determines whether the target pressure correspondence value corresponding to the pressure correspondence value when the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the release paper  20 B is included in the second pressure range (step S 59 ). When it is decided that the target pressure correspondence value is included in the second pressure range (yes at step S 59 ), the control portion  71  decides the target pressure correspondence value as the cutting pressure correspondence value (step S 57 ). When it is decided that the target pressure correspondence value is not included in the second pressure range (no at step S 59 ), the control portion  71  advances the processing to step S 61 . When the target pressure correspondence value is smaller than a lower limit of the second pressure range, the control portion  71  decides the lower limit value of the second pressure range as the cutting pressure correspondence value (step S 61 ). On the other hand, when the target pressure correspondence value is greater than an upper limit of the second pressure range, the control portion  71  decides the upper limit value of the second pressure range as the cutting pressure correspondence value (step S 61 ). Thus, a value that is larger or smaller than the assumed range (the second pressure range) that accords with the thickness of the object to be cut  20  is suppressed from being decided as the cutting pressure correspondence value. The control portion  71  advances the processing to step S 63 . 
     When it is determined that the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the platen  3  (yes at step S 47 ) in a state in which the absolute value of the difference calculated by the processing at step S 43  is smaller than the difference threshold value (no at step S 45 ), the control portion  71  advances the processing to step S 81  (refer to  FIG. 10 ). In this case, since this means that the contact between the cutting blade Cs and the release paper  20 B that should be detected has not been detected, there is a possibility that the detection of the contact between the cutting blade Cs and the release paper  20 B has failed. 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , the control portion  71  stops the downward movement of the mounting portion  32  (step S 81 ) started by the processing at step S 15  (refer to  FIG. 8 ). In other words, the control portion  71  moves the mounting portion  32  downward until the cutting blade Cs reaches the reference position detected by the processing at step S 109  (refer to  FIG. 11 ), and then stops the mounting portion  32 . 
     The control portion  71  compares the thickness of the object to be cut  20  detected by the processing at step S 23  (refer to  FIG. 8 ) with a thickness threshold value (step S 83 ). When it is determined that the thickness of the object to be cut  20  is equal to or greater than the thickness threshold value (yes at step S 83 ), the control portion  71  decides the first pressure range as the predetermined range of the pressure correspondence value (step S 85 ). The control portion  71  decides, as the cutting pressure correspondence value, a central value between the upper limit value and the lower limit value of the first pressure range (step S 87 ). The control portion  71  advances the processing to step S 63  (refer to  FIG. 9 ). 
     When it is determined that the thickness of the object to be cut  20  detected by the processing at step S 23  (refer to  FIG. 8 ) is smaller than the thickness threshold value (no at step S 83 ), the control portion  71  decides the second pressure range as the predetermined range of the pressure correspondence value (step S 89 ). The control portion  71  decides, as the cutting pressure correspondence value, a central value between the upper limit value and the lower limit value of the second pressure range (step S 91 ). The control portion  71  advances the processing to step S 63  (refer to  FIG. 9 ). 
     The control portion  71  controls the second movement mechanism  33  and moves the mounting portion  32  upward until the mounting portion  32  is disposed at the upper limit position in the up-down direction. 
     The control portion  71  reads out and acquires, from the flash memory  74 , the cutting data for cutting the pattern specified by the panel operation from the object to be cut  20  (step S 63 ). The control portion  71  controls the conveyance mechanism  8 A, the first movement mechanism  8 B, and the second movement mechanism  33 , on the basis of the control conditions indicated by the acquired cutting data. Further, the control portion  71  controls the second movement mechanism  33  such that the cutting pressure corresponding to the decided cutting pressure correspondence value is applied to the mounting portion  32  by the pressure applying mechanism  31 . Then, the control portion  71  uses the cutting blade Cs of the cartridge  4  mounted to the mounting portion  32  to cut the sheet material  20 A of the specified pattern from the object to be cut  20  (step S 65 ). The control portion  71  ends the main processing. 
     Actions and Effects of Embodiment 
     According to the embodiment, the cutting device  1  decides the cutting pressure on the basis of the pressure correspondence value and the movement amount of the pressure applied to the mounting portion  32  after the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the release paper  20 B of the object to be cut  20 . Thus, the cutting device  1  can apply, to the mounting portion  32 , the cutting pressure appropriate for the sheet material  20 A and the release paper  20 B of the object to be cut  20 , and as a result, the cutting device  1  can appropriately cut only the sheet material  20 A, of the object to be cut  20 , using the cutting blade Cs of the cartridge  4  mounted to the mounting portion  32 . 
     As in the embodiment, there is a case in which the object to be cut  20  configured by the sheet material  20 A and the release paper  20 B covering the adhesive surface formed on the one surface of the sheet material  20 A is cut by the cutting blade Cs of the cutting device  1 . When the half cut is performed by the cutting device  1 , it is preferable that only the sheet material  20 A be cut, and that the release paper  20 B not be cut. However, the thickness of the sheet material  20 A differs depending on the type of the object to be cut  20 . Thus, in the cutting device  1 , it is preferable that the control be performed to cut only the sheet material  20 A and not cut the release paper  20 B. 
     In order to perform the above-described control, the cutting device  1  detects a boundary position between the sheet material  20 A and the release paper  20 B, on the basis of the pressure correspondence value and the movement amount corresponding to the pressure applied to the mounting portion  32 , and decides the cutting pressure for cutting only the sheet material  20 A. Thus, the cutting device  1  can cut only the sheet material  20 A, of the object to be cut  20 , and can appropriately perform the half cut. 
     The cutting device  1  calculates the predicted movement amount (step S 41 ) on the basis of the pressure correspondence value and the movement amount detected by the detection processing before the cutting blade Cs comes into contact with the sheet material  20 A. In this case, using the determination as to whether or not the absolute value of the difference between the predicted movement amount and the target movement amount is equal to or greater than the difference threshold value, the cutting device  1  can accurately detect whether the cutting blade Cs has penetrated the sheet material  20 A and reached the release paper  20 B. Thus, the cutting device  1  can accurately detect the cutting pressure with which it is possible to cut only the sheet material  20 A. 
     The plots shown by the line segment L 1  in  FIG. 6B  (the movement amount detected by the detection processing) are lower values than the plots shown by the line segment L 2  (the predicted movement amount calculated by the prediction processing). Thus, the cutting device  1  compares the absolute value of the difference calculated by subtracting the predicted movement amount from the target movement amount, with the difference threshold value. In this case, the cutting device  1  can identify that the cutting blade Cs has penetrated the sheet material  20 A and has reached the release paper  20 B that is harder than the sheet material  20 A, and can control the cutting pressure such that the cutting blade Cs can cut only the sheet material  20 A. 
     When the contact between the cutting blade Cs and the release paper  20 B that should be detected has not been detected (no at step S 47 ), the cutting device  1  stops the downward movement of the mounting portion  32 , after moving the mounting portion  32  downward to the position at which the cutting blade Cs reaches the reference position (step S 81 ). In this way, the cutting device  1  can rapidly stop the movement of the mounting portion  32  after the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the platen  3 , and thus, can suppress deterioration of the cutting blade Cs. Further, in this case, the cutting device  1  decides, as the pressure correspondence value corresponding to the cutting pressure, the central value of either the first pressure range or the second pressure range decided depending on the thickness of the object to be cut  20  (step S 83  to step S 91 ). In this way, the cutting device  1  can decide the cutting pressure even when the boundary between the sheet material  20 A and the release paper  20 B in the object to be cut  20  cannot be detected. 
     The cutting device  1  detects the thickness of the object to be cut  20  (step S 23 ), and decides the difference threshold value in accordance with the detected thickness of the object to be cut  20  (step S 25 ). Thus, the cutting device  1  can decide the appropriate difference threshold value depending on the thickness of the object to be cut  20 , and as a result, can accurately decide the pressure correspondence value corresponding to the cutting pressure with which it is possible for the cutting blade Cs to cut only the sheet material  20 A. Further, the cutting device  1  decides the difference threshold value such that the value of the difference threshold value is larger the greater the thickness of the object to be cut  20 . Thus, the cutting device  1  can accurately decide the pressure correspondence value, even when an error in the difference between the target movement amount and the predicted movement amount becomes larger as a result of the thickness of the object to be cut  20  being greater. 
     When the target pressure correspondence value is included in the first pressure range or the second pressure range (yes at step S 55 , yes at step S 59 ), the cutting device  1  decides the target pressure correspondence value as the cutting pressure correspondence value (step S 57 ). On the other hand, when the target pressure correspondence value is greater than the upper limit of the first pressure range or the second pressure range (no at step S 55 , no at step S 59 ), the control portion  71  decides the upper limit value of the first pressure range or the second pressure range as the cutting pressure correspondence value (step S 61 ). Further, when the target pressure correspondence value is smaller than the lower limit of the first pressure range or the second pressure range (no at step S 55 , no at step S 59 ), the control portion  71  decides the lower limit value of the first pressure range or the second pressure range as the cutting pressure correspondence value (step S 61 ). As a result, the cutting device  1  can suppress the ineffective pressure correspondence value from being decided as the cutting pressure correspondence value. Further, the cutting device  1  decides either the first pressure range or the second pressure range as the pressure range in accordance with the thickness of the object to be cut  20  (step S 53 ). Thus, since the cutting device  1  can decide the cutting pressure correspondence value using the appropriate pressure range depending on the thickness of the object to be cut  20 , the cutting device  1  can appropriately adjust the cutting pressure so as to cut only the sheet material  20 A and not cut the release paper  20 B. 
     Modified Example 
     A modified example of the main processing will be explained with reference to  FIG. 14 . The modified example differs from the above-described main processing (refer to  FIG. 8  to  FIG. 11 ) in that the contact of the cutting blade Cs with the release paper  20 B is detected on the basis of a displacement amount of the movement amount. For processing that is the same as that shown in  FIG. 8  to  FIG. 11 , the same reference signs will be assigned in  FIG. 14 , and an explanation thereof will be omitted. 
     As shown in  FIG. 14 , when it is determined by the processing at step S 19  that the holder  42  has come into contact with the sheet material  20 A, the control portion  71  starts displacement amount calculation processing (step S 20 ). In the displacement amount calculation processing, on the basis of the detection of the pressure correspondence value and the movement amount by the detection processing that is periodically performed, a displacement amount is calculated between the movement amount detected by the detection processing of the previous cycle and the movement amount detected by the detection processing of a current cycle. The control portion  71  stores the calculated displacement amount in the RAM  73 . 
     After determining, by the processing at step S 21 , that the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the sheet material  20 A, the control portion  71  advances the processing to step S 145 . In a similar manner to the above-described embodiment, in the processing at step S 21 , it is determined that the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the sheet material  20 A on the basis of the movement amount m(k) detected by the k-th detection processing. When the displacement amount calculation processing is performed in accordance with the performing of the detection processing from the k-th detection processing onward, the control portion  71  determines whether the displacement amount calculated by the displacement amount calculation processing of the current cycle has decreased with respect to the displacement amount calculated by the displacement amount calculation processing of the previous cycle (step S 145 ). 
     As shown in  FIG. 7( a )  to  FIG. 7( f ) , the rate of increase (the gradient) of the movement amount with respect to the pressure correspondence value after the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the release paper  20 B is smaller than the rate of increase (the gradient) of the movement amount with respect to the pressure correspondence value during a period from when the cutting blade Cs comes into contact with the sheet material  20 A to when the cutting blade Cs comes into contact with the release paper  20 B. In other words, in the period after the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the sheet material  20 A, the displacement amount after the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the release paper  20 B decreases with respect to the displacement amount before the cutting blade Cs comes into contact with the release paper  20 B. 
     As shown in  FIG. 14 , when the displacement amount has not decreased (no at step S 145 ), the control portion  71  determines that the cutting blade Cs has not reached the release paper  20 B in the course of the downward movement of the mounting portion  32 . In this case, the control portion  71  advances the processing to step S 47 . On the other hand, when the displacement amount has decreased (yes at step S 145 ), the control portion  71  determines that the cutting blade Cs has reached the release paper  20 B in the course of the downward movement of the mounting portion  32 , and that the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the release paper  20 B. In this case, the control portion  71  advances the processing to step S 51 . 
     When the first pressure range is decided as the pressure range, in accordance with the thickness of the object to be cut  20  detected by the processing at step S 51  (yes at step S 53 ), the control portion  71  determines whether the target pressure correspondence value corresponding to the pressure correspondence value when the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the release paper  20 B is included in the first pressure range (step S 55 ). When it is determined that the target pressure correspondence value is included in the first pressure range (yes at step S 55 ), the control portion  71  decides the target pressure correspondence value as the cutting pressure correspondence value (step S 157 ). Further, when the second pressure range is decided as the pressure range, in accordance with the thickness of the sheet material  20 A (no at step S 53 ), the control portion  71  determines whether the target pressure correspondence value is included in the second pressure range (step S 59 ). When it is determined that the target pressure correspondence value is included in the second pressure range (yes at step S 59 ), the control portion  71  decides the target pressure correspondence value as the cutting pressure correspondence value (step S 157 ). The decided cutting pressure correspondence value corresponds to the pressure correspondence value when the displacement amount has decreased. 
     The control portion  71  reads out the cutting data from the flash memory  74  (step S 63 ), and controls the conveyance mechanism  8 A, the first movement mechanism  8 B, and the second movement mechanism  33 . Further, the control portion  71  controls the second movement mechanism  33  such that the cutting pressure corresponding to the decided cutting pressure correspondence value is applied to the mounting portion  32  by the pressure applying mechanism  31 . Thus, the control portion  71  cuts the object to be cut  20  using the cutting blade Cs of the cartridge  4  mounted to the mounting portion  32  (step S 65 ). As a result, the cutting device  1  can cut only the sheet material  20 A without cutting the release paper  20 B, of the object to be cut  20  (can perform the half cut). 
     Other Modified Examples 
     The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment and various modifications are possible. The cartridge  4  need not necessarily be provided with the holder  42 , and the cutting blade Cs may be constantly exposed. The method for detecting that the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the sheet material  20 A of the object to be cut  20 , and the method for detecting that the cutting blade Cs has reached the release paper  20 B of the object to be cut  20  are not limited to the above-described methods. For example, the cutting device  1  may be provided with a contact sensor that can detect that the holder  42  or the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the sheet material  20 A. The cutting device  1  may determine whether the holder  42  or the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the sheet material  20 A on the basis of a detection result by the contact sensor. 
     The cutting device  1  may be used in a state in which a plate-shaped holding member is placed on the platen  3 . In this case, the object to be cut  20  may be cut by the cutting device  1  in a state in which the object to be cut  20  is held on the upper surface of the holding member. An object to be cut different from the object to be cut  20  in which the sheet material  20 A and the release paper  20 B are laminated may be used. For example, the adhesive need not necessarily be applied to the sheet material  20 A of the object to be cut  20 . The object to be cut  20  may be configured by the sheet material  20 A alone, and need not necessarily include the release paper  20 B. Further, the object to be cut  20  may include a surface that attracts the release paper  20 B, of the sheet material  20 A, and another layer (a protective layer or the like, for example) on the opposite side to that surface. 
     The cutting device  1  calculates the predicted movement amount e(k) corresponding to the pressure correspondence value v(k) detected after the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the sheet material  20 A, on the basis of the pressure correspondence values v(k−2), v(k−1) and the movement amounts m(k−2), m(k−1) detected before the cutting blade Cs comes into contact with the sheet material  20 A (step S 41 ). However, the cutting device  1  may calculate the predicted movement amount e(k+2) on the basis of the pressure correspondence values v(k), v(k+1) and the movement amounts m(k), m(k+1) detected by the detection processing after the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the sheet material  20 A. Further, the cutting device  1  may calculate the predicted movement amount e(k−1) on the basis of the pressure correspondence values v(k−3), v(k−2) and the movement amounts m(k−3), m(k−2) detected by the detection processing before the cutting blade Cs comes into contact with the sheet material  20 A. In these cases, the movement amount detected by the detection processing may be larger than the predicted movement amount calculated by the prediction processing. A sample number when calculating the predicted movement amount is not limited to two, as in the above-described embodiment, and may be three or more. The technique used when calculating the predicted movement amount e(k) is not limited to the two squares method, and the predicted movement amount may be calculated by applying another known approximating technique. 
     After determining that the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the platen  3  (no at step S 47 ), the cutting device  1  stops the downward movement of the mounting portion  32  (step S 81 ). However, the cutting device  1  may stop the downward movement of the mounting portion  32  before the cutting blade Cs comes into contact with the platen  3  (immediately before the cutting blade Cs comes into contact with the platen  3 , for example) (step S 81 ). More specifically, the cutting device  1  may stop the downward movement of the mounting portion  32  when the mounting portion  32  has moved downward to a position above the reference position by an amount corresponding to a predetermined distance. Further, the cutting device  1  need not necessarily decide the central value of either the first pressure range or the second pressure range as the cutting pressure correspondence value. For example, the cutting device  1  may decide a value of either the first pressure range or the second pressure range as the cutting pressure correspondence value. Further, instead of the above, the cutting device  1  may display, on the LCD  51 , a screen for notifying the user that the contact between the cutting blade Cs and the release paper  20 B that should have been detected has not been detected. 
     The cutting device  1  decides the difference threshold value in accordance with the detected thickness of the object to be cut  20  (step S 25 ). However, the cutting device  1  may decide the difference threshold value in accordance with the thickness of the sheet material  20 A. For example, the user may use the panel operation to input, to the cutting device  1 , the thickness of the sheet material  20 A. The cutting device  1  may decide the difference threshold value in accordance with the input thickness of the sheet material  20 A. The cutting device  1  may always use a constant difference threshold value, without changing the difference threshold value in accordance with the thickness of the object to be cut  20  or the sheet material  20 A. 
     When the target pressure correspondence value is greater than the upper limit of the first pressure range or the second pressure range (no at step S 55 , no at step S 59 ), the control portion  71  may decide, as the cutting pressure correspondence value, a value close to the upper limit value of the first pressure range or the second pressure range (step S 61 ). Further, when the target pressure correspondence value is smaller than the lower limit of the first pressure range or the second pressure range (no at step S 55 , no at step S 59 ), the control portion  71  may decide, as the cutting pressure correspondence value, a value close to the lower limit value of the first pressure range or the second pressure range (step S 61 ). The cutting device  1  may always use a constant pressure range, regardless of the thickness of the sheet material  20 A. 
     The control portion  71  may first perform the detection processing while moving the mounting portion  32  downward until the mounting portion  32  reaches the reference position, and may repeatedly store the pressure correspondence value and the movement amount in association with each other in the RAM  73 . After the mounting portion  32  has reached the reference position, the control portion  71  may perform step S 19  to step S 25  (refer to  FIG. 8 ) and step S 41  to step S 61  (refer to  FIG. 9 ) on the basis of the pressure correspondence value and the movement amount stored in the RAM  73 , and may decide the cutting pressure correspondence value. In other words, after moving the mounting portion  32  to the reference position, the control portion  71  may calculate the predicted movement amount and the difference (step S 41 , step S 43 ), and may decide the cutting pressure correspondence value on the basis of the difference. 
     For example, the control portion  71  may detect, as the thickness of the sheet material  20 A, a difference between the movement amount detected by the detection processing when it is determined, in the processing at step S 51 , that the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the sheet material  20 A (refer to  FIG. 7( c ) ) and the movement amount detected by the detection processing when it is determined, in the processing at step S 45 , that the cutting blade Cs has come into contact with the release paper  20 B (refer to  FIG. 7( e ) ). The control portion  71  may compare the detected thickness of the sheet material  20 A and the thickness threshold value prescribed in advance (step S 53 ), and may set the first pressure range or the second pressure range. 
     In the processing at step S 23 , the control portion  71  detects, as the thickness of the object to be cut  20 , the difference between the reference position and the control position. However, the control portion  71  may detect, as the thickness of the object to be cut  20 , the thickness of the object to be cut  20  input by the user by the panel operation, for example. Further, the cutting device  1  may associate information identifying the type of the object to be cut  20  with the thickness for each type of the object to be cut  20 , and may store the associated information in the flash memory  74 . The control portion  71  may acquire the information identifying the type of the object to be cut  20  input by the user by the panel operation. The control portion  71  may read out, from the flash memory  74 , the thickness associated with the acquired type of the object to be cut  20 , and may detect the read out thickness as the thickness of the object to be cut  20 .