Image printing apparatus

Abstract

An image printing apparatus that prints an image on a substrate includes: a supply unit that supplies a substrate loaded; a print unit that performs printing on the substrate supplied by the supply unit; a distinguishment unit that distinguishes a substrate category of the substrate supplied from the supply unit; a setting unit that sets a substrate category of a substrate used for printing; a detection unit provided between the print unit and the supply unit to detect a splice portion where substrates are connected; a determination unit that determines whether the substrate category distinguished by the distinguishment unit and the substrate category set by the setting unit match; and a reporting unit that reports an error in a case where the determination unit determines that the substrate categories do not match. The reporting unit does not report the error until the supply unit completes substrate supply preparation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An image printing apparatus that prints an image on a substrate, the image printing apparatus comprising:
 a supply unit that supplies a substrate loaded;   a print unit that performs printing on the substrate supplied by the supply unit;   a distinguishment unit that distinguishes a substrate category of the substrate supplied from the supply unit;   a setting unit that sets a substrate category of a substrate used for printing;   a detection unit provided between the print unit and the supply unit to detect a splice portion where substrates are connected;   a determination unit that determines whether the substrate category distinguished by the distinguishment unit and the substrate category set by the setting unit match; and   a reporting unit that reports an error in a case where the determination unit determines that the substrate categories do not match, wherein   the reporting unit does not report the error until the supply unit completes substrate supply preparation.   
     
     
         2 . The image printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the error is reported after the splice portion is conveyed to a position downstream of the print unit.   
     
     
         3 . The image printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the determination by the determination unit as to whether the substrate categories match is made after completion of the substrate supply preparation.   
     
     
         4 . The image printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising an information obtainment unit provided between the print unit and the supply unit to obtain information on the substrate, wherein
 the distinguishment unit distinguishes the substrate category based on the information obtained by the information obtainment unit.   
     
     
         5 . The image printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a replacement determination unit that determines that a substrate used for printing has been replaced, wherein
 in a case where the replacement determination unit determines that a substrate used for printing has been replaced, the determination unit determines whether the substrate category distinguished by the distinguishment unit and the substrate category set by the setting unit match.   
     
     
         6 . The image printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a storage unit that stores a distinguishment result obtained by the distinguishment unit, wherein
 the reporting unit reports the error in a case where it is determined based on the distinguishment result stored in the storage unit that the substrate categories do not match.   
     
     
         7 . The image printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the substrate category distinguished by the distinguishment unit is a substrate category into which the substrate is grouped.   
     
     
         8 . The image printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the distinguishment unit includes an information obtainment unit that obtains information on unevenness of a surface of the substrate, and   the distinguishment unit distinguishes the substrate category of the substrate using the information on unevenness of the surface of the substrate obtained by the information obtainment unit and linked with the substrate category.   
     
     
         9 . The image printing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein
 in a case where the information on unevenness of the surface of the substrate obtained by the information obtainment unit is not linked with the substrate category, the distinguishment unit links the information on unevenness of the surface of the substrate obtained by the information obtainment unit with the substrate category of the substrate and stores the information.   
     
     
         10 . The image printing apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein
 in an event where the information on unevenness of the surface of the substrate obtained by the information obtainment unit is linked with the substrate category of the substrate and saved, the information is not saved in a case where the substrate category set by the setting unit and the substrate category of the substrate distinguished by the distinguishment unit are different from each other.   
     
     
         11 . The image printing apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein
 detection of the splice portion of the substrate is performed after operation of a substrate holddown mechanism is detected, and   the replacement determination unit determines that a substrate has been replaced in a case where the splice portion of the substrate is detected.   
     
     
         12 . The image printing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the distinguishment unit starts distinguishment once a position of the splice portion detected while the substrate is conveyed is located downstream, in a conveyance direction of the substrate, of a position of the information obtainment unit that obtains information on unevenness of the surface of the substrate.   
     
     
         13 . The image printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of substrate feed buttons operated for conveyance of the substrate, wherein
 even in a case where one of the plurality of substrate feed buttons that corresponds to a feed speed higher than a conveyance speed for substrate distinguishment is pressed, the substrate distinguishment is performed after a substrate feed speed is decreased to a detection speed for distinguishment.   
     
     
         14 . The image printing apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein
 in a case where one of the plurality of substrate feed buttons that corresponds to a feed speed lower than the conveyance speed for substrate distinguishment is pressed, the substrate distinguishment is not performed, and   in a case where one of the plurality of substrate feed buttons that corresponds to a feed speed higher than the conveyance speed for substrate distinguishment is pressed, the substrate distinguishment is performed after the substrate feed speed is increased to a speed for substrate distinguishment.   
     
     
         15 . The image printing apparatus according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a high-speed substrate feed button for a high speed and a low-speed substrate feed button for a speed lower than the high speed which are operated to convey the substrate and   a speed change control unit that changes the substrate feed speed according to a state of a cover of the image printing apparatus, wherein   in a case where the cover is closed, the substrate feed speed is set to a speed higher than a speed used in a case where the cover is open, and   a speed corresponding to the low-speed substrate feed button in a case where the cover is closed and a speed corresponding to the high-speed substrate feed button in a case where the cover is open are set to be same as the conveyance speed for substrate distinguishment.   
     
     
         16 . The image printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 in printing, in a case where the distinguishment unit has not distinguished the substrate category yet, information is displayed on a display screen to ask whether to execute, before printing, obtainment of rest of data and the determination as to whether the substrate categories match.   
     
     
         17 . The image printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 in printing, in a case where the distinguishment unit has not distinguished the substrate category yet, obtainment of rest of data and the determination as to whether the substrate categories match are automatically executed before printing.