JP2002301829A - Ink jet recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ink jet recorder enabling a user to distinguish an ink tank having a small amount of remaining ink or an empty ink tank easily without fail. SOLUTION: The ink jet recorder has a recording head for discharging ink from discharge openings to a medium to be recorded, ink tanks 2bk, 2c, 2m and 2y for storing ink to be supplied to the recording head, and a carriage 3 for loading the recording head and the ink tanks 2bk, 2c, 2m and 2y. Warning lamps 14 having hues equal to hues of ink colors are set on the carriage 3. The corresponding warning lamp 14 is turned on by a detecting means for detecting the amount of ink remaining in the ink tanks 2bk, 2c, 2m and 2y when no ink in the ink tank 2bk, 2c, 2m or 2y remains.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus which performs recording by discharging ink from a recording means onto a recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As one type of recording means used in an ink jet recording apparatus, a serial recording apparatus is employed. This recording type ink jet recording apparatus
For example, a printhead is mounted on a carriage and an ink tank for supplying ink to the printhead is mounted. The printhead is selectively heated while the carriage reciprocates in parallel with a platen roller. Is recorded on a recording medium, and when recording for one line is completed, the recording medium is conveyed by one line by a platen roller and a pinch roller, and recording is performed for the next and subsequent lines.

In such a conventional ink jet recording apparatus, as a means for warning that there is almost no remaining ink, there is a method such as a warning sound, lighting / flashing of a warning lamp on the upper part of the main body.

[0004]

However, since the conventional ink jet recording apparatus does not have a remaining amount detection display near the ink tank, there is a possibility that the ink tank to be replaced is erroneously recognized.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording apparatus which allows a user to easily and accurately identify an ink tank having a small amount of ink or an empty ink tank. Is to provide.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a recording head for discharging ink from a discharge port onto a recording medium, and an ink tank for storing ink to be supplied to the recording head. In the ink jet recording apparatus having a carriage on which the recording head and the ink tank are mounted, a warning lamp having the same hue as the ink color is provided on the carriage, and a detecting means for detecting the remaining amount of the ink in the ink tank is provided inside the ink tank. The warning lamp corresponding to a case where the ink runs out is turned on.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a printer unit of an ink jet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the recording head shown in FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a carriage of the printer unit shown in FIG. 1, showing a state where two fixing levers are closed (set). FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 and shows a state in which two fixing levers are opened. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the ink tank.

First, the overall structure of the ink jet recording apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a recording head. In the present embodiment, the recording head 1 integrally has four ink jet recording heads for mainly performing color printing. The recording head 1 is detachably mounted on a carriage 3 to be described later, and is replaced with a new one when the ink jet recording head reaches the end of its life or becomes defective for some reason.

The four ink tanks 2 are for supplying ink to the four ink jet recording heads of the recording head 1, respectively, and are detachably mounted on the carriage 3.

The carriage 3 on which the recording head 1 and the ink tank 2 are mounted is supported by two guide shafts 6 and 7 so as to be movable along the guide shafts 6 and 7, and its rotation is restricted. A timing belt 8 is fixed to the carriage 3 by a timing belt fixing member (not shown), and the carriage 3 is driven by a pulley via a transmission mechanism (not shown) in conjunction with forward and reverse rotations of a carriage motor (not shown). When the timing belt 8 rotates and moves the timing belt 8 in the directions indicated by arrows and counter-arrows, the timing belt 8 reciprocates in the directions of arrows a and b. In addition, the carriage 3 determines a predetermined position (for example, a home position) outside the recording area when recording is not performed by a carriage sensor (not shown).

Reference numeral 11 denotes a platen roller for transporting the recording medium 12 in the direction of arrow c, and the platen roller 11 is provided with a pinch roller (not shown).
Is pressed, and at the time of recording, the recording medium 12 is sandwiched between the pair of rollers and is intermittently fed in the direction of arrow c in the figure. The platen roller 11 is engaged with a transport motor (not shown) via a transmission mechanism of a transport roller gear (not shown) and a transport roller idler gear (not shown) to receive a driving force. The pinch roller (not shown) can be brought into contact with and separated from the platen roller 11 by operating a release lever (not shown). Flexible cable 10
Is for supplying an image signal and a drive signal to the recording head 1.

In the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present embodiment, a carriage 3 on which a recording head 1 and an ink tank 2 are mounted is connected to a part of a timing belt 8 for transmitting a driving force of a carriage motor (not shown). Are slidably mounted on two guide shafts 6, 7 arranged in parallel with each other. The recording head 1 is moved by the driving force of the carriage 3 so that the platen roller 11 is disposed to face the ejection port forming surface of the recording head 1.
The recording paper (recording medium) fed from a medium feeding device (not shown) reciprocates over the entire width to discharge ink onto the recording paper to perform printing.

Here, as shown in FIG.
In order to discharge recording liquid from a plurality of discharge ports 1A provided in a row, an electrothermal transducer 1B for generating thermal energy to which an applied voltage is supplied is provided for each liquid path. . Then, by applying a drive signal, thermal energy is generated in the electrothermal transducer 1B to cause film boiling, thereby forming bubbles in the ink liquid path. Then, an ink droplet is ejected from the ejection port 1A by the growth of the bubble.

The recording head 1 includes a substrate on which a plurality of electrothermal transducers 1B for generating thermal energy used for ejecting ink and a driving circuit for driving the electrothermal transducers 1B are provided. The discharge port 1A and the liquid path corresponding to each of the heat converters 1B, and a top plate for forming a common liquid chamber communicating with each liquid path are stacked. Then, the recording head 1 configured as described above is mounted on the apparatus such that the ejection port surface on which the ejection ports 1 </ b> A are arranged faces the recording medium 12.

The recording head 1 performs recording on the recording medium 12 by discharging ink from the discharge port 1A by supplying electricity to the electrothermal transducer 1B. As an energy applying means for ejecting ink, in addition to the electrothermal transducer 1B, for example, a method using an electromechanical transducer such as a piezo element, or irradiation of electromagnetic waves such as a laser to generate heat, Although there is a method of ejecting ink by the action, etc., an ink jet recording head using an electrothermal transducer as an energy generating means can be easily made compact, and, in addition, recent technological progress and improvement in reliability in the semiconductor field. It is advantageous because the advantages of IC technology and micro-machining technology, which are remarkable, can be fully utilized, high-density mounting is easy, and manufacturing cost is low.

In the present embodiment, the ink jet recording heads are arranged in the recording head 1 at an interval of a predetermined pitch (for example, 1 inch or 0.5 inch). Perform color printing on the recording medium.

Next, the structure of the carriage 3 constituting the gist of the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a recording head 1 composed of four ink jet recording heads capable of respectively discharging black, cyan, magenta and yellow inks is provided in a substantially box-shaped carriage 3. And four ink tanks 2bk, 2c, 2m, and 2y for supplying black, cyan, magenta, and yellow inks to each ink jet recording head.

The recording head fixing lever 4 is connected to the recording head 1.
Is positioned and fixed to the carriage 3.
The boss 3b of the carriage 3 and the hole 4a of the recording head fixing lever 4 are rotatably fitted together. Carriage 3
Is fixed. Release part 4 of recording head fixing lever 4
b, the hinge portion 4c bends, the pawl 4d comes off the stopper 3d of the carriage 3, and the recording head fixing lever 4 is urged by a spring (not shown) in the direction indicated by the arrow. 4, the recording head 1 can be removed from the carriage 3 because it is rotated and opened as shown in FIG. 3a is a guide hole through which the guide shaft 6 (see FIG. 1) passes.

The four ink tanks 2bk, 2c, 2m,
2y is detachably mounted on the carriage 3 and can be replaced with a new ink tank when the ink inside runs out.

As a method of warning the remaining amount of ink, the carriage 3 and / or the ink tank may be used when the remaining amount of ink is almost or completely lost based on information obtained by a known ink tank replacement timing detecting method. 2b
A method is adopted in which lamps provided at k, 2c, 2m, and 2y indicate the ink tank to be replaced.

In the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention, a known technique is used for a method of detecting the remaining amount of ink in the ink tanks 2bk, 2c, 2m, 2y.
Examples of the method include a method in which electrodes are provided at two locations in an ink tank and a remaining value of the ink is detected by detecting a resistance value between the two electrodes, and a method of measuring the weight of the ink (gravity sensor). Etc.) to detect the remaining amount of ink, a method of detecting from the number of dots of printed ink (dot counting method), a method of optically detecting the ink in the ink tank (photo interrupt sensor, etc.), and the like. Can be

The place where the ink warning lamp is provided in the present embodiment is selected on the carriage 3 or / and on the ink tanks 2bk, 2c, 2m, 2y so as to be easily recognized by the user. However, it must be installed in a place where there is no hindrance such as replacement of the ink tank and head.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the carriage 3 showing an example in which the ink remaining amount warning lamp 14 is provided on the recording head fixing lever 4. As described above, by blinking / lighting the warning lamp 14 on the ink tank having a small amount of ink, the ink tank to be replaced can be surely replaced.

Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show the ink remaining amount warning lamp 14.
3 and ink tanks 2bk, 2c, 2 showing an example in which is provided on ink tanks 2bk, 2c, 2m, 2y.
It is a perspective view of m, 2y. As described above, by blinking / lighting the warning lamp 14 on the ink tank having a small amount of ink, the ink tank to be replaced can be surely replaced.

According to the present invention, an excellent effect can be obtained particularly in an ink jet recording head and a recording apparatus in which a flying droplet is formed by utilizing thermal energy and recording is performed among ink jet recording methods.

The typical structure and principle are described in, for example, US Pat. Nos. 4,723,129 and 47407.
What is performed using the basic principle disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 96 is preferable. This method can be applied to both the so-called on-demand type and the continuous type. In particular, in the case of the on-demand type, it is arranged corresponding to a sheet or a liquid path holding a liquid (ink). By applying at least one drive signal for giving a rapid temperature rise exceeding nucleate boiling corresponding to the recording information to the electrothermal transducer, heat energy is generated in the electrothermal transducer, and the heat of the recording head is increased. This is effective because film boiling occurs on the working surface, and as a result, bubbles in the liquid (ink) corresponding to this drive signal on a one-to-one basis can be formed.

The liquid (ink) is ejected through the ejection opening by the growth and contraction of the bubble to form at least one droplet. When the drive signal is formed into a pulse shape, the growth and shrinkage of the bubble are performed immediately and appropriately, so that the ejection of the liquid (ink) having particularly excellent responsiveness can be achieved, which is more preferable.

As the pulse-shaped drive signal, those described in US Pat. Nos. 4,463,359 and 4,345,262 are suitable. still,
U.S. Pat. No. 431, relating to the rate of temperature rise of a heating surface
When the conditions described in the specification of Japanese Patent No. 3124 are adopted,
More excellent recording can be performed.

As the configuration of the recording head, in addition to the combination configuration of the discharge port, the liquid path, and the electrothermal converter (the linear liquid path or the right-angle liquid path) as disclosed in the above-mentioned respective specifications, A configuration using U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,333 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,600, which discloses a configuration in which a heat acting portion is arranged in a bending region, is also included in the present invention.

In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 59-123670 discloses a configuration in which a slit common to a plurality of electrothermal transducers is used as a discharge portion of the electrothermal transducer. The present invention is also effective as a configuration based on JP-A-59-138461, which discloses a configuration in which a hole corresponds to a discharge unit.

Further, as a full-line type recording head having a length corresponding to the width of the maximum recording medium that can be recorded by the recording apparatus, the length is determined by combining a plurality of recording heads as disclosed in the above-mentioned specification. The present invention can exhibit the above-mentioned effects more effectively, although it may be either a configuration that satisfies the above-mentioned requirements or a configuration as a single recording head formed integrally.

In addition, a replaceable chip-type recording head or a recording head itself, which can be electrically connected to the apparatus main body and supplied with ink from the apparatus main body by being attached to the apparatus main body. The present invention is also effective when a cartridge type recording head having an ink tank provided integrally is used.

It is preferable to add recovery means for the recording head provided as a configuration of the recording apparatus of the present invention, preliminary auxiliary means, and the like, since the effects of the present invention can be further stabilized. . If you list these specifically,
Capping means, cleaning means, pressurizing or sucking means, an electrothermal transducer or a separate heating element or a preheating means using a combination of these, and discharge other than printing to the printhead Performing the preliminary ejection mode is also effective for performing stable printing.

Further, the recording mode of the recording apparatus is not limited to the recording mode of only the mainstream color such as black. The recording head may be formed integrally or a plurality of recording heads may be combined. The present invention is also very effective for an apparatus provided with at least one of full colors by color mixture.

In the embodiment of the present invention described above,
Although the ink is described as a liquid, it is an ink that solidifies at room temperature or lower and softens at room temperature, or is a liquid, or in the inkjet method described above, the ink itself is in a range of 30 ° C. to 70 ° C. In general, the temperature of the ink is adjusted so as to control the temperature so that the viscosity of the ink is in the stable ejection range. Therefore, any liquid may be used as long as the ink is in a liquid state when the use recording signal is applied.

In addition, the temperature rise due to thermal energy is positively prevented by using it as energy for changing the state of the ink from the solid state to the liquid state, or the ink is solidified in a standing state to prevent evaporation of the ink. Either using ink, in any case, the ink is liquefied by application in accordance with the recording signal of thermal energy, such as one that is ejected as a liquid ink, one that already solidifies when it reaches the recording medium, and the like. The use of an ink that liquefies for the first time by thermal energy is also applicable to the present invention.
In such a case, the ink is charged in a state in which it is held as a liquid or solid substance in the concave portions or through holes of the porous sheet as described in JP-A-54-56847 and JP-A-60-71260. It is good also as a form which opposes a heat converter. In the present invention, the most effective one for each of the above-mentioned inks is to execute a film boiling method.

[0041]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, there is provided a recording head for discharging ink from a discharge port onto a recording medium, and an ink tank for storing ink to be supplied to the recording head. In the ink jet recording apparatus having a carriage on which the recording head and the ink tank are mounted, a warning lamp having the same hue as the ink color is provided on the carriage, and a detecting means for detecting the remaining amount of the ink in the ink tank is provided inside the ink tank. Since the warning lamp corresponding to the case of running out of the ink is turned on, the effect that the user can easily and surely determine the ink tank having a small amount of ink or an empty ink tank is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of a printer unit of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the recording head shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of a carriage of the printer unit illustrated in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a carriage of the printer unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an ink tank.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a carriage showing an example in which an ink remaining amount warning lamp is provided on a recording head fixing lever.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a carriage of an ink jet recording apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an ink tank of an inkjet recording apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Recording head 1A Discharge port 1B Electrothermal transducer 2bk, 2c, 2m, 2y Ink tank 3 Carriage 4 Recording head fixing lever 5 Ink tank fixing lever 12 Recording medium 14 Ink remaining amount warning lamp

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2C056 EA29 EB51 EB52 EC26 FA10 HA07 KC22 2C061 AQ05 BB12 BB13 CQ28 CQ40 CQ42 HV14 HV34

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An ink jet recording apparatus comprising: a recording head for discharging ink from a discharge port onto a recording medium; an ink tank for storing ink to be supplied to the recording head; and a carriage on which the recording head and the ink tank are mounted. In the apparatus, a warning lamp of the same hue as the ink color is provided on the carriage, and the warning lamp corresponding to a case where the ink in the ink tank is exhausted is turned on by a detecting means for detecting the remaining amount of ink in the ink tank. An ink jet recording apparatus characterized in that: 2. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said warning lamp is provided in an ink tank.