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XF
eXtendo®
Thermal Printer Family
The paper entrance sensor (2b) detects if paper is approached in the paper load area (2). As soon as
the paper reaches the paper sensor, the motor (7 starts driving the platen (4) under the printhead
and printing can begin.
While printing, the paper continues to advance and enters the paper cutter, where it passes
between the cutter blades and out the print chute and passes the chute sensor. Once printing is
completed, the paper is advanced and cut by the cutter. The paper then retracts to a park position
ready for the next print job.
When the printer runs out of paper, the paper entrance sensor detects the fact. As a standard
behavior, the printer stops printing and backs up the paper, so it protrudes from the back of the
printer. This is to allow the operator to remove the partially printed document before loading a new
roll of paper. There are settings available that allow the printer to continue printing until the last bit
of paper without retracting. Care must be taken in such a case because it would be possible for
short pieces of paper to remain in the paper path without the operator's knowledge. It is, however,
easy to remove such paper pieces when you open the print head.
The paper chute is a short mouthpiece at the front of the printer. The paper chute should be
present for printing applications where the ticket is presented through the panel or guided in a
chute, but it should be removed for applications where the printed document is expected to fall
freely into a bin or other pathway. In the latter cases, the chute may interfere with the free fall of the
printed document.
The paper sensor located at the paper exit monitors whether there is paper in the chute. A more
detailed description of this sensor can be found in chapter 3.5.4.
3.5 Operation of Sensors and Status Indicator
3.5.1 Paper Entrance / Black Mark Sensor
The basic function of the paper sensor in the paper entrance area (2c) has been described
above. But the same sensor is also used to detect Black Marks. Black Marks are preprinted
black fields placed at equal distances on the paper during the paper converting process.
They are used to advance the paper to a specific and reproducible position prior to cutting
a ticket. The most common reason for this is to always locate the printout relative to the
marks, for example, printing inside a preprinted box or close to a logo. Black marks must
be located on the back (opposite the thermal side) of the paper.
The eXtendo® XF series of printers is designed to allow for various paper entrance/Black
Mark sensor locations during manufacturing (the location of this sensor cannot be changed
once the printer is built). Also, two different sensor types can be used.
The most common is the reflex or reflective sensor, where the light source and detector are
located on a single chip. Basically, the light strikes the white paper surface and reflects into
the sensor. If enough light reflects to activate the sensor, the printer concludes that paper
is present. If there is not enough light reflected, the printer assumes that this area is black,
meaning the printer is on a black mark or the printer is out of paper. There are different
possible positions for this sensor. All these positions sense the non-coated (back) side of
the paper; for details see → chapter 10.2.
The eXtendo® XF can also use a through-beam sensor. Other than at the reflective type, this
sensor type has a light source and a detector. When the light that goes through the paper is
blocked, the printer concludes that paper is present. When the light goes "through" the
paper, the printer concludes that there is no paper present or a hole mark is located at the
sensor position.
Part No. D-684-399
Mod. No. 4 120322 Eli
page 11 of 35
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