JP3685240B2 - Inkjet recording device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Technical field to which the invention belongs]
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus that performs printing on a recording medium while receiving ink supplied from a replaceable ink cartridge and discharging ink droplets from nozzle openings.
[0002]
[Prior art]
For example, an ink jet recording apparatus supplies a drive signal corresponding to print data to a piezoelectric vibrator, a heating means, etc., pressurizes ink with energy generated by the piezoelectric vibrator, a heating means, etc., and drops ink droplets from nozzle openings. A recording head to be ejected and an ink cartridge containing ink for supplying ink to the recording head are provided.
The print quality is determined not only by the resolution of the recording head, but also greatly depends on the viscosity of the ink, the degree of bleeding on the recording medium, and so on. Even for ink, the recording head drive method suitable for ink characteristics has been improved, and maintenance conditions such as idle discharge cycle to prevent clogging of nozzle openings and forced discharge in capping state have been improved. Improvements are being made.
[0003]
The results of such improvements can be reflected in a user-side recording apparatus by storing each data in a semiconductor storage means attached to the ink cartridge, as seen in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-193127.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in order to improve the printing quality of the recording device and respond to various needs, it is possible to change not only the type of recording device but also the same recording device to change the ink type and enable optimum printing. It is considered.
For this reason, there is an inconvenience that a mistake in the selection of the ink corresponding to the purpose is likely to occur, and a printed matter with the intended quality cannot be obtained.
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and is a record that can notify the user of the suitability of an ink cartridge mounted based on data stored in storage means attached to the ink cartridge. Is to provide a device.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve such a problem, in the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink jet recording which is provided with storage means for storing data for determining compatibility with a recording apparatus and receives ink from a removable ink cartridge. In an ink jet recording apparatus including a head and a control unit that determines the compatibility of ink based on data stored in the storage unit and executes a printing operation, the compatibility with the ink cartridge when the ink cartridge is mounted If it is not confirmed, a warning is issued and the subsequent operation is executed after the user inputs a continuation command.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage means for storing data for determining compatibility with the recording apparatus, and an ink jet recording head that receives ink from a detachable ink cartridge; and the storage means In the ink jet recording apparatus having a control unit that determines the suitability of the ink based on the data and executes the printing operation, when the suitability with the ink cartridge cannot be confirmed when the ink cartridge is mounted, A warning is issued, and either a continuation command input from the user or a cartridge replacement instruction is waited. If a continuation command is input from the user, a warning is issued again after a predetermined amount of printing. did.
[0006]
[Action]
If compatibility cannot be confirmed, wait for confirmation by the user and then perform subsequent operations such as ink filling of the printhead to prevent damage to the printhead and waste of printing paper due to improper ink filling. To do.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, details of the present invention will be described below based on the illustrated embodiments.
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention. A carriage 2 reciprocally driven by a drive motor 1 is provided with a recording head 3 on the opposite surface side of a recording sheet, and an upper surface. The ink cartridge 4 for supplying ink to the recording head 3 is detachably mounted.
[0008]
As shown in FIG. 2, the ink cartridge 4 is provided with a semiconductor memory means 7 connected to an electrode 6 that can be contacted with the external contact 5, and (1) ID data for identifying the ink cartridge. (2) Date of manufacture (3) Expiration date (4) Data specifying a suitable recording device (5) In addition to ink capacity, control data for driving the recording device under optimum conditions are stored. Yes.
[0009]
Returning to FIG. 1 again, the print control means 10 includes a reference data storage means 11 storing ink data suitable for the recording apparatus, and the data stored therein and the data read from the ink cartridge 4 are combined. In comparison, it is determined whether printing is possible. If it is suitable, the head driving means 12 is controlled according to a predetermined driving condition to execute a printing operation. If suitability cannot be confirmed, the panel 13 Or a warning on the host display.
[0010]
Next, the operation of the apparatus configured as described above will be described based on the flowchart shown in FIG.
When an ink cartridge replacement switch 14 on the panel 13 or an ink cartridge replacement command is issued from the host, the print control means 10 moves the carriage 4 to the ink cartridge replacement position.
[0011]
When the ink cartridge 4 is mounted in this state (step i), the printing control means 10 reads the control data from the semiconductor storage means 7 of the ink cartridge 4 via the data reading means 16 and conforms to the recording apparatus. Judge whether it is data or not (Step B). If it is suitable, the printing control means 10 starts a sequence for filling the recording head 3 with ink, fills the recording head 3 with ink (step C), and enters a printable state (step D). When a print command is input in this state (Step E), the printing operation is continued (Step F).
[0012]
On the other hand, when the compatibility with the recording apparatus cannot be confirmed (step B), the print control means 10 displays on the panel 13 or the host display for prompting replacement or reconfirmation of the ink cartridge (step B). The printer waits for a predetermined time (step No.) for an input of a print continuation command from the panel continuation command switch 15 (step No.) or an ink cartridge exchange command (step No.) by the ink cartridge exchange switch 14 (step No.). If no operation is performed within the predetermined time, the subsequent operation is stopped.
[0013]
On the other hand, when the user confirms based on the warning and a continuation command switch 15 on the panel 13 or a host continues printing command within a predetermined time (step H), the ink of the mounted ink cartridge 4 is transferred to the recording head. 3 is filled (step) and printing is possible (step o). When a print command is input (step W), printing is started (step K), an amount suitable for replacement of the ink cartridge 4, for example, when printing for one page is completed (step Y), step (TO ) To display on the panel 13 or the display of the host for prompting replacement or reconfirmation of the ink cartridge, thereby preventing as much as possible the inconvenience caused by printing with ink whose compatibility cannot be confirmed.
[0014]
In this way, by urging the replacement of the ink cartridge 4 every time a predetermined amount of printing is completed, waste of recording paper due to use of incompatible ink and fatal damage to the recording head 3 are reduced as much as possible. Thus, while preventing loss to the user, even when there is no cartridge suitable for the hand, a small amount of printing is possible, and the inconvenience due to the inability to print is eliminated.
[0015]
In the above-described embodiment, when a cartridge whose compatibility cannot be confirmed is mounted, confirmation of the cartridge is requested every time a predetermined amount of printing is completed in order to minimize damage. However, without providing the step (Y) in FIG. 3, the warning is given only once as shown in FIG. You can also.
[0016]
In the above-described embodiment, the description has been made by taking an example of a recording apparatus in which the ink cartridge is mounted on the carriage. However, the ink cartridge is housed in a box and ink is supplied to the recording head of the carriage by an ink supply tube. Obviously, the same effect can be obtained even when applied to the recording apparatus.
[0017]
【The invention's effect】
As described above , according to the first aspect of the present invention, in a state where the suitability of the ink cartridge cannot be confirmed, it is possible to execute subsequent operations such as filling the recording head with ink based on confirmation by the user, It is possible to prevent the recording head from being damaged due to improper ink filling and waste of printing paper, and even if compatibility cannot be confirmed due to inconvenience on the recording device side, it can be forcibly shifted to printing operation, User dissatisfaction due to inconvenience of the apparatus can be solved.
According to the invention of claim 4, in addition to the effect of the invention of claim 1, even when there is no cartridge that fits at hand, a slight amount of printing is possible, and inconvenience when printing is completely impossible is achieved. Can be resolved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of an ink cartridge.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the apparatus.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing another embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Carriage 3 Recording head 4 Ink cartridge 7 Semiconductor storage means 13 Panel 14 Ink cartridge replacement switch 15 Continuation command switch

Claims (4)

A storage unit storing data for determining compatibility with the recording apparatus is provided, and an ink jet recording head that receives ink supplied from a removable ink cartridge, and determining ink compatibility based on the data stored in the storage unit In the inkjet recording apparatus provided with the control means for executing the printing operation,
An ink jet recording apparatus that issues a warning and waits for an input of a continuation command from a user and executes subsequent operations when compatibility with the ink cartridge cannot be confirmed at the stage where the ink cartridge is mounted.   The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the warning is issued for each predetermined printing amount.   The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the carriage is moved to an ink cartridge replacement position when a cartridge replacement command is input after the compatibility is confirmed. A storage unit storing data for determining compatibility with the recording apparatus is provided, and an ink jet recording head that receives ink supplied from a removable ink cartridge, and determining ink compatibility based on the data stored in the storage unit In the inkjet recording apparatus provided with the control means for executing the printing operation,
If compatibility with the ink cartridge cannot be confirmed at the stage where the ink cartridge is installed, a warning is issued and either a continuation command input from the user or an instruction for cartridge replacement has been waited for, Ink jet recording apparatus that issues a warning again after a predetermined amount of printing when a continuation command is input.

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