EP1579997A1 - Aufzeichnungskopf und solch einen aufzeichnungskopf umfassende aufzeichnungsvorrichtung - Google Patents

Aufzeichnungskopf und solch einen aufzeichnungskopf umfassende aufzeichnungsvorrichtung Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1579997A1
EP1579997A1 EP03812334A EP03812334A EP1579997A1 EP 1579997 A1 EP1579997 A1 EP 1579997A1 EP 03812334 A EP03812334 A EP 03812334A EP 03812334 A EP03812334 A EP 03812334A EP 1579997 A1 EP1579997 A1 EP 1579997A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
constant current
recording head
mos transistor
recording
circuit
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP03812334A
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP1579997A4 (de
Inventor
Nobuyuki c/o Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Hirayama
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Canon Inc
Original Assignee
Canon Inc
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Canon Inc filed Critical Canon Inc
Publication of EP1579997A1 publication Critical patent/EP1579997A1/de
Publication of EP1579997A4 publication Critical patent/EP1579997A4/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/015—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
    • B41J2/04—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
    • B41J2/045—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
    • B41J2/04501—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/015—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
    • B41J2/04—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
    • B41J2/045—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
    • B41J2/04501—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits
    • B41J2/04541—Specific driving circuit
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/015—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
    • B41J2/04—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
    • B41J2/045—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
    • B41J2/04501—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits
    • B41J2/0455—Details of switching sections of circuit, e.g. transistors
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/015—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
    • B41J2/04—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
    • B41J2/045—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
    • B41J2/04501—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits
    • B41J2/04555—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits detecting current
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/015—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
    • B41J2/04—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
    • B41J2/045—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
    • B41J2/04501—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits
    • B41J2/0458—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits controlling heads based on heating elements forming bubbles

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a recording head having a plurality of recording elements and a recording apparatus having the recording head.
  • FIG. 11 shows an example of a heater driving circuit in the inkjet head.
  • heaters are desirably concurrently driven as many as possible to simultaneously discharge ink from many nozzles.
  • the power supply capacity of the power supply of a printer apparatus is limited, and a current value which can be supplied at once is limited by, e.g., a voltage drop caused by the resistance of a wiring line extending from the power supply to the heater.
  • time divisional driving of driving a plurality of heaters in time division to discharge ink is generally adopted.
  • time divisional driving for example, a plurality of heaters are divided into a plurality of blocks each formed from adjacent heaters, and driving is so time-divided as not to concurrently drive two or more heaters in each block. This can suppress a total current flowing through heaters and eliminate the need to supply large power at once.
  • the operation of the driving circuit which executes this heater driving will be explained with reference to Fig. 11.
  • NMOS transistors 1102 11 to 1102 mx corresponding to respective heaters 1101 11 to 1101 mx are divided into blocks 1 to m which contain the same number of (x) NMOS transistors, as shown in Fig. 11. More specifically, in block 1, a power supply line from a power supply pad 1104 is commonly connected to the heaters 1101 11 to 1101 1x , and the NMOS transistors 1102 11 to 1102 1x are series-connected to the corresponding heaters 1101 11 to 1101 1x between the power supply pad 1104 and ground 1104.
  • NMOS transistors 1102 11 to 1102 1x When a control signal is supplied from a control circuit 1105 to the gates of the NMOS transistors 1102 11 to 1102 1x , the NMOS transistors 1102 11 to 1102 1x are turned on to supply a current from the power supply line through corresponding heaters and heat the heaters 1101 11 to 1101 1x , respectively.
  • Fig. 12 is a timing chart showing a timing at which a current is sent to drive heaters in each block of the heater driving circuit shown in Fig. 11.
  • control signals VG1 to VGx are timing signals for driving the first to xth heaters 1101 11 to 1101 1x belonging to block 1. More specifically, VG1 to VGx represent the waveforms of signals input to the control terminals (gates) of the NMOS transistors 1102 11 to 1102 1x of block 1. A corresponding NMOS transistor 1102 is turned on for a high-level control signal, and a corresponding NMOS transistor is turned off for a low-level control signal. This also applies to the remaining blocks 2 to m. In Fig. 12, Ih1 to Ihx represent current values flowing through the heaters 1101 11 to 1101 1x .
  • heaters in each block are sequentially driven in time division by flowing a current.
  • the number of heaters driven in each block by flowing a current can always be controlled to one or less, and no large current need be supplied to a heater.
  • Fig. 13 depicts a view showing an example of the layout of a heater substrate (substrate which constitutes the printhead) on which the heater driving circuit in Fig. 11 is formed.
  • Fig. 13 shows the layout of power supply lines connected from the power supply pad 1104 to blocks 1 to m shown in Fig. 11.
  • Power supply lines 1301 1 to 1301 m are individually connected from the power supply pad 1104 to respective blocks 1 to m, and power supply lines 1302 1 to 1302 m are connected from the power supply pad 1104.
  • a current value flowing through a wiring line divided for each block can always be suppressed to be equal to or smaller than a current flowing through one heater.
  • voltage drop amounts on wiring lines on the heater substrate can be made uniform.
  • the amounts of energy applied to respective heaters can be made almost uniform.
  • printers require higher speeds and higher precision, and the printhead of the printer integrates a larger number of nozzles at a higher density.
  • heater driving of the printhead heaters are required to be simultaneously driven as many as possible at a high speed in terms of the printing speed.
  • a heater substrate is prepared by forming many heaters and their driving circuit on the same semiconductor substrate. Formation of the heater driving circuit uses a low-cost MOS semiconductor process capable of implementing a high-density, small-size device by a simple manufacturing step. The number of heater substrates formed from one wafer must be increased to reduce the cost, and downsizing of the heater substrate is also demanded.
  • the heater substrate requires wiring lines corresponding to the number of concurrently driven heaters.
  • the wiring region per wiring line decreases to increase the wiring resistance when the area of the heater substrate is limited.
  • each wiring width decreases, and variations in resistance between wiring lines on the heater substrate increase. This problem occurs also when the heater substrate is downsized, and the wiring resistance and variations in resistance increase. Since heaters and power supply lines are series-connected to the power supply on the heater substrate, as described above, increases in wiring resistance and resistance variations lead to a high regulation of a voltage applied to each heater.
  • the voltage drop on the common wiring line changes depending on the number of concurrently driven heaters.
  • energy applied to each heater is adjusted by the voltage application time.
  • the voltage drop becomes larger on the common wiring line. The voltage application time in heater driving becomes longer, making it difficult to drive a heater at a high speed.
  • Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-191531 proposes a method which solves such problems caused by variations in energy applied to a heater.
  • Fig. 14 shows a heater driving circuit disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-191531.
  • heaters (R1 to Rn) are driven by a constant current using constant current sources (Tr14 to Tr(n+13)) and switching elements (Q1 to Qn) which are arranged for the respective printing elements (R1 to Rn).
  • This arrangement can always drive heaters by a constant current regardless of variations in voltage drop outside the substrate caused by an increase in the number of driven heaters.
  • Constant current source circuits and switching elements which are required to be equal in number to heaters occupy most of the area of the heater substrate, and it is important for suppressing the cost of the heater substrate to reduce the area of this part.
  • a current flowing through a heater is as high as 50 mA to 200 mA, and in order to suppress a voltage drop caused by the parasitic resistance of the transistor, the transistor size cannot be reduced in some cases. Since the substrate area can be reduced by shortening the wiring line from the heater to the switching element or constant current circuit, constant current source circuits and switching elements are effectively arrayed at the same pitch as the heater array pitch.
  • this arrangement is formed by a semiconductor process using a bipolar transistor, and bipolar transistors cannot be arrayed at a recent heater array pitch of 600 dpi or more for higher density.
  • the wiring line to the heater becomes long, and the area of the heater substrate becomes much larger than that of a conventional driving type heater substrate.
  • the present invention has been made in consideration of the prior art, and has as its feature to provide a recording head which can stably record at a high speed even if the number of concurrently driven recording elements increases, and suppresses an increase in cost without greatly increasing the area of a heater substrate, and a recording apparatus having the recording head.
  • heater substrate means not only a base of a silicon semiconductor but also a substrate having elements, wiring lines, and the like.
  • On a heater substrate means not only “on a heater substrate”, but also “on the surface of an element substrate” and “inside an element substrate near the surface”.
  • Built-in according to the embodiments means not “to arrange separate elements on a base”, but “to integrally form or manufacture elements on a heater substrate by a semiconductor circuit manufacturing process or the like”.
  • Fig. 1 is a circuit diagram for explaining the arrangement of a heater driving circuit mounted on the heater substrate of an inkjet printhead according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
  • reference numerals 101 11 to 101 1x denote heaters (heater resistors) for printing. A current is sent to each heater to generate heat, and a corresponding nozzle discharges an ink droplet. In the printhead using the heater substrate, orifices (nozzles) for discharging ink are arranged in correspondence with the respective heaters.
  • the heaters 101 11 to 101 1x are divided into blocks 1 to m, and each block includes x heaters, and x NMOS transistors which are arranged in correspondence with the respective heaters.
  • Reference numerals 102 11 to 102 1x denote NMOS transistors for ON/OFF-controlling energization to corresponding heaters.
  • Reference numerals 103 11 to 103 1x denote constant current sources which are arranged in correspondence with the respective heaters.
  • the constant current sources 103 11 to 103 1x are respectively series-connected to the NMOS transistors 102 11 to 102 1x and the heaters 101 11 to 101 1x , and output constant currents to the connection terminals.
  • the magnitude of the constant current value is adjusted by a control signal from a reference current circuit 105.
  • Reference numeral 104 denotes a control circuit which controls ON/OFF operation of each NMOS transistor 102 in accordance with printing data to be printed.
  • the reference current circuit 105 outputs a control signal 110 to the constant current sources 103 11 to 103 1x to control constant current values generated by the respective constant current sources.
  • Reference numerals 106 and 107 denote power supply pads which are connected to an electric power supply (not shown) outside the substrate, and heater driving power is supplied via these electric power supply pads.
  • Reference numerals 108 and 109 denote power supply lines which supply heater driving power from the power supply pads 106 and 107 to blocks 1 to m.
  • Fig. 2 is a circuit diagram showing the equivalent circuit of a circuit containing one heater, one NMOS transistor, and one constant current source.
  • Fig. 3 is a timing chart for explaining the driving signal of the circuit and a current flowing through each heater.
  • a signal VG is a printing signal corresponding to an image signal supplied from the control circuit 104 of Fig. 1.
  • the arrangement of the control circuit 104 may be a circuit (shift register, latch, or the like) which controls an image signal.
  • a signal VC is a control signal supplied from the reference current circuit 105 to a constant current source 203, and corresponds to the control signal 110 of Fig. 1.
  • a current value generated by the constant current source 203 (corresponding to the constant current sources 103 11 to 103 1x in Fig. 1) is controlled in accordance with the control signal VC.
  • a power supply VH shows a driving voltage source for a heater 201.
  • an NMOS transistor 202 is assumed to ideally operate as a 2-terminal switch having the drain and source.
  • the NMOS transistor 202 is turned on (drain and source are short-circuited) when the signal level of the signal VG is high level, and off (drain and source are open-circuited) at low level.
  • the constant current source 203 is assumed to supply a constant current set by the control signal VC between the terminals (in Fig. 2 from top to down) when a given voltage is applied between them.
  • Fig. 3 is a timing chart showing the timing of the signal VG and the waveform of a current flowing through the heater 201 at that time.
  • the signal VG is at low level during the period up to time t1, the output of the constant current source 203 and the heater 201 are disconnected during this period, and no current flows through the heater 201.
  • the signal VG changes to high level, the source and drain of the NMOS transistor 202 are short-circuited, and a current output from the constant current source 203 flows through the heater 201.
  • the signal VG changes to low level, and no current flows through the heater 201.
  • the supply time of a current to the heater 201 is controlled by the pulse width of the signal VG, and the magnitude of the current Ih flowing through the heater 201 is controlled by the control signal VC to the constant current source 203.
  • a current flowing through the heater 201 is represented by current values I1 to I3 corresponding to the control signal VC.
  • the constant current value I (I1 to I3) determined by the control signal VC flows through the heater 201 during the period from time t1 to time t2 in correspondence with the pulse width of the signal VG.
  • Ink in a nozzle (passage) arranged in correspondence with the heater 201 is heated, bubbles, and as a result, is discharged from a nozzle corresponding to the heater to print a predetermined pixel (dot).
  • the reference current circuit 105 determines a constant current value to be supplied from the constant current source 203, and the determined current value flows through the heater 201 only while the NMOS transistor 202 driven by the printing signal VG is ON.
  • the source and drain are short-circuited when the NMOS transistor 202 is ON.
  • a resistance exists between the source and drain when the NMOS transistor 202 is ON.
  • Fig. 4 is a circuit diagram showing an example in which the constant current source 103 of Fig. 1 according to the first embodiment is formed from NMOS transistors 401 11 to 401 1x .
  • the same reference numerals as those in Fig. 1 denote the same parts, and a description thereof will be omitted.
  • the drains of the NMOS transistors 401 11 to 401 1x are respectively connected to the sources of switching NMOS transistors 102 11 to 102 1x .
  • the gates of the NMOS transistors 401 11 to 401 1x receive a control signal 110. from a reference current circuit 105. Current values flowing through the respective heaters are controlled by the gate voltages of the NMOS transistors 401 11 to 401 1x which are controlled by the control signal 110 from the reference current circuit 105.
  • Fig. 5 is a graph showing an example of the general static characteristic of an NMOS transistor used as the NMOS transistors 401 11 to 401 1x .
  • Fig. 6 shows the bias conditions.
  • Fig. 5 shows the characteristic of a drain current Id when a drain voltage Vds is changed using a gate voltage Vg as a parameter.
  • the gate voltage Vg and drain voltage Vds of the NMOS transistors 401 11 to 401 1x in Fig. 4 are set so that the NMOS transistors 401 11 to 401 1x operate in a region (saturation region or the like) where the drain current Id hardly changes upon a change in the drain voltage Vds in Fig. 5.
  • This setting can provide an output current which hardly depends on the drain voltage Vds of the NMOS transistors 401 11 to 401 1x .
  • a current value to be supplied to each heater can be controlled by the gate voltage Vg so as to be set to a desired current value.
  • the ON resistance characteristic as the current-to-voltage characteristic between the sources and drains of the NMOS transistors 401 11 to 401 1x can be controlled by the gate voltage Vg, i.e., the control signal 110. By controlling the ON resistance value, a desired constant current can be supplied to each heater.
  • Fig. 7 is a circuit diagram showing an example in which the sources of NMOS transistors 701 11 to 701 1x are connected to the drains of the NMOS transistors 401 11 to 401 1x shown in Fig. 4, and two corresponding NMOS transistors are cascade-connected in series to form a constant current source 203 (Fig. 2).
  • the same reference numerals as those in Figs. 1 and 4 denote the same parts, and a description thereof will be omitted.
  • the third embodiment will explain a structure of two transistors, but the present invention can also be applied to a structure of a larger number of transistors.
  • the gates of the NMOS transistors 701 11 to 701 1x are also connected to a reference current circuit 105.
  • the NMOS transistors 701 11 to 701 1x operate as grounded-gate transistors, and fix the drain voltages of the NMOS transistors 401 11 to 401 1x on the basis of the potentials between the gates and sources of the NMOSs 701 11 to 701 1x .
  • the reference current circuit 105 sets the gate voltages of the NMOS transistors 701 11 to 701 1x by a control signal 111 so that the NMOS transistors 401 11 to 401 1x operate in a region (saturation region or the like) where the drain current Id hardly changes upon a change in the drain voltage Vds.
  • Fig. 8A is a graph showing an example of the current output characteristic of one circuit among the NMOS transistors 701 11 to 701 1x and NMOS transistors 401 11 to 401 1x in Fig. 7.
  • Fig. 8B is a graph showing the bias conditions.
  • Fig. 8A shows an output current value when a constant voltage is applied to the gate of the NMOS transistor 701 and the drain voltage of the NMOS transistor 701 is changed using the gate voltage of the NMOS transistor 401 as a parameter in Fig. 8B.
  • the output current hardly varies upon a change in the drain voltage of the NMOS transistor 701.
  • Fig. 9 is a circuit diagram showing an example of the concrete arrangement of a reference current circuit 105 in addition to the circuit of Fig. 4.
  • the reference current circuit 105 forms a current mirror circuit which outputs currents from the drains of NMOS transistors 401 11 to 401 1x by using an NMOS transistor 901 as a reference.
  • the gate and drain of the NMOS transistor 901 are diode-connected, and a reference current source 902 is connected to the node.
  • the gate of the NMOS transistor 901 is commonly connected to the gates of the NMOS transistors 401 11 to 401 1x .
  • the gate voltages of the NMOS transistor 901 and NMOS transistors 401 11 to 401 1x become equal to each other, and currents equal to a reference current from the reference current source 902 are output from the drains of the NMOS transistors 401 11 to 401 1x .
  • the gate sizes of the NMOS transistor 901 and NMOS transistors 401 11 to 401 1x are different from each other, a constant output current which is proportional to the reference current in correspondence with the gate size ratio of the NMOS transistor 901 and NMOS transistors 401 11 to 401 1x is obtained.
  • Fig. 10 is a circuit diagram showing an example of the concrete arrangement of a reference current circuit 105 in addition to the circuit of Fig. 7.
  • the gates of NMOS transistors 701 11 to 701 1x are connected to the gate of an NMOS transistor 1001 of the reference current circuit 105.
  • the gate and drain of the NMOS transistor 1001 are diode-connected, and the NMOS transistor 1001 applies a constant voltage to the gates of the NMOS transistors 701 11 to 701 1x .
  • the voltages between the gates and sources of the NMOS transistor 1001 and NMOS transistors 701 11 to 701 1x become almost equal to each other, and thus the drain voltages of an NMOS transistor 901 and NMOS transistors 401 11 to 401 1x also become equal to each other. Since the gate voltages and drain voltages of the NMOS transistor 901 and NMOS transistors 401 11 to 401 1x become equal to each other, a reference current from a reference current source 902 is mirrored at high precision in currents output from the NMOS transistors 401 11 to 401 1x regardless of the drain voltages of the NMOS transistors 701 11 to 701 1x .
  • a constant current source circuit for supplying a constant current to a heater, and a switching circuit for controlling the current supply time can be formed using NMOS transistors.
  • the breakdown voltage of the MOS transistor of the switching circuit is desirably set higher than that of the MOS transistor of the constant current source circuit.
  • a constant current is supplied in heater driving, and the current value of the constant current can be adjusted and controlled. As a result, uniform energy can be applied to respective heaters.
  • the circuit arrangement of Fig. 1, 4, 7, 9, or 10 or the like according to the embodiments may be built in one element substrate.
  • the reference current circuit may be arranged outside the element substrate, but is desirably built in the same element substrate.
  • An inkjet head having a heater substrate of the above-described arrangement, and an inkjet printing apparatus integrating the inkjet head will be exemplified.
  • Fig. 15 depicts an outer perspective view showing the schematic arrangement of an inkjet printing apparatus 1 as a typical embodiment of the present invention.
  • a transmission mechanism 4 transmits a driving force generated by a carriage motor M1 to a carriage 2 which supports a recording head 3 for discharging ink to record by the inkjet method, and the carriage 2 reciprocates in a direction indicated by an arrow A.
  • a recording medium P such as a printing sheet is fed via a sheet feed mechanism 5, and conveyed to a recording position.
  • the recording head 3 discharges ink to the recording medium P to record.
  • the carriage 2 is moved to the position of a recovery device 10, and a discharge recovery process for the recording head 3 is executed intermittently.
  • the carriage 2 of the recording apparatus 1 supports not only the recording head 3, but also an ink cartridge 6 which stores ink to be supplied to the recording head 3.
  • the ink cartridge 6 is detachable from the carriage 2.
  • the recording apparatus 1 shown in Fig. 15 can record in color.
  • the carriage 2 supports four ink cartridges which respectively store magenta (M), cyan (C), yellow (Y), and black (K) inks.
  • M magenta
  • C cyan
  • Y yellow
  • K black
  • the four ink cartridges are independently detachable.
  • the carriage 2 and recording head 3 can achieve and maintain a predetermined electrical connection by properly bringing their contact surfaces into contact with each other.
  • the recording head 3 selectively discharges ink from a plurality of orifices and records by applying energy in accordance with the recording signal.
  • the recording head 3 according to the embodiment adopts an inkjet method of discharging ink by using thermal energy, and comprises an electrothermal transducer in order to generate thermal energy. Electric energy applied to the electrothermal transducer is converted into thermal energy, and ink is discharged from orifices by utilizing a pressure change caused by the growth and contraction of bubbles by film boiling generated by applying the thermal energy to ink.
  • the electrothermal transducer is arranged in correspondence with each orifice, and ink is discharged from a corresponding orifice by applying a pulse voltage to a corresponding electrothermal transducer in accordance with the recording signal.
  • the carriage 2 is coupled to part of a driving belt 7 of the transmission mechanism 4 which transmits the driving force of the carriage motor M1.
  • the carriage 2 is slidably guided and supported along a guide shaft 13 in the direction indicated by the arrow A.
  • the carriage 2 reciprocates along the guide shaft 13 by normal rotation and reverse rotation of the carriage motor M1.
  • a scale 8 which represents the absolute position of the carriage 2 is arranged along the moving direction (direction indicated by the arrow A) of the carriage 2.
  • the scale 8 is prepared by recording black bars on a transparent PET film at a necessary pitch.
  • One end of the scale 8 is fixed to a chassis 9, and the other end is supported by a leaf spring (not shown).
  • the recording apparatus 1 has a platen (not shown) in opposition to the orifice surface having the orifices (not shown) of the recording head 3. Simultaneously when the carriage 2 supporting the recording head 3 reciprocates by the driving force of the carriage motor M1, a recording signal is supplied to the recording head 3 to discharge ink and record on the entire width of the recording medium P conveyed onto the platen.
  • reference numeral 14 denotes a conveyance roller which is driven by a conveyance motor M2 in order to convey the recording medium P;
  • numeral 15 denotes a pinch roller which makes the recording medium P abut against the conveyance roller 14 by a spring (not shown);
  • numeral 16 denotes a pinch roller holder which rotatably supports the pinch roller 15;
  • numeral 17 denotes a conveyance roller gear which is fixed to one end of the conveyance roller 14.
  • the conveyance roller 14 is driven by rotation of the conveyance motor M2 that is transmitted to the conveyance roller gear 17 via an intermediate gear (not shown).
  • Reference numeral 20 denotes a discharge roller which discharges the recording medium (sheet) P bearing an image formed by the recording head 3 outside the recording apparatus.
  • the discharge roller 20 is driven by transmitting rotation of the conveyance motor M2.
  • the discharge roller 20 abuts against a spur roller (not shown) which presses the recording medium P by a spring (not shown).
  • Reference numeral 22 denotes a spur holder which rotatably supports the spur roller.
  • the recovery device 10 which recovers the recording head 3 from a discharge failure is arranged at a desired position (e.g., a position corresponding to the home position) outside the reciprocation range (recording region) for recording operation of the carriage 2 supporting the recording head 3.
  • the recovery device 10 comprises a capping mechanism 11 which caps the orifice surface of the recording head 3, and a wiping mechanism 12 which cleans the orifice surface of the recording head 3.
  • the recovery device 10 performs a discharge recovery process in which a suction means (suction pump or the like) within the recovery device forcibly discharges ink from orifices in synchronism with capping of the orifice surface by the capping mechanism 11, thereby removing ink with a high viscosity or bubbles in the ink passage of the recording head 3.
  • the orifice surface of the recording head 3 is capped by the capping mechanism 11 to protect the recording head 3 and prevent evaporation and drying of ink.
  • the wiping mechanism 12 is arranged near the capping mechanism 11, and wipes ink droplets attached to the orifice surface of the recording head 3.
  • the capping mechanism 11 and wiping mechanism 12 can maintain a normal ink discharge state of the recording head 3.
  • Fig. 16 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of the recording apparatus shown in Fig. 15.
  • a controller 600 comprises an MPU 601, a ROM 602 which stores a program corresponding to a control sequence (to be described later), a predetermined table, and other fixed data, an application specific IC (ASIC) 603 which generates control signals for controlling the carriage motor M1, conveyance motor M2, and recording head 3, a RAM 604 having an image data rasterizing area, a work area for executing a program, and the like, a system bus 605 which connects the MPU 601, ASIC 603, and RAM 604 to each other and exchanges data, and an A/D converter 606 which receives analog signals from a sensor group (to be described below), A/D-converts them, and supplies digital signals to the MPU 601.
  • ASIC application specific IC
  • reference numeral 610 denotes a host apparatus such as a computer (or an image reader, digital camera, or the like) serving as an image data supply source.
  • the host apparatus 610 and recording apparatus 1 transmit/receive image data, commands, status signals, and the like via an interface (I/F) 611.
  • I/F interface
  • Reference numeral 620 denotes a switch group which is formed from switches for receiving instruction inputs from the operator, such as a power switch 621, a print switch 622 for designating the start of printing, and a recovery switch 623 for designating the activation of a process (recovery process) of maintaining good ink discharge performance of the recording head 3.
  • Reference numeral 630 denotes a sensor group which detects the state of the apparatus and includes a position sensor 631 such as a photocoupler for detecting a home position h and a temperature sensor 632 arranged at a proper portion of the recording apparatus in order to detect the ambient temperature.
  • Reference numeral 640 denotes a carriage motor driver which drives the carriage motor M1 for reciprocating the carriage 2 in the direction indicated by the arrow A; and 642, a conveyance motor driver which drives the conveyance motor M2 for conveying the recording medium P.
  • the ASIC 603 transfers driving data (DATA) for a recording element (discharge heater) to the recording head while directly accessing the storage area of the ROM 602.
  • DATA driving data
  • a recording element discharge heater
  • Fig. 17 depicts a schematic perspective view showing the structure of a recording head cartridge including the recording head according to the embodiment.
  • a recording head cartridge 1200 in the embodiment comprises ink tanks 1300 which store ink, and the recording head 3 which discharges ink supplied from the ink tanks 1300 from nozzles in accordance with recording information.
  • the recording head 3 is a so-called cartridge type recording head which is detachably mounted on the carriage 2.
  • the recording head cartridge 1200 reciprocally scans along the carriage shaft, and a color image is recorded on the recording sheet along with this scanning.
  • the recording head cartridge 1200 shown in Fig. 17 is equipped with independent ink tanks for, e.g., black, light cyan (LC), light magenta (LM), cyan, magenta, and yellow, and each ink tank is freely detachable from the recording head 3.
  • the recording head cartridge 1200 is configured so that the ink tank 1300 is detachable from the recording head, but a head cartridge integrated with a recording head may be applied.
  • Fig. 17 the six color inks are used.
  • recording may be done with inks of four, black, cyan, magenta, and yellow colors, as shown in Fig. 15.
  • independent ink tanks for the four colors may be detachable from the recording head 3.
  • the present invention may be applied to a system including a plurality of devices (e.g., a host computer, interface device, reader, and printer) or an apparatus (e.g., a copying machine or facsimile apparatus) formed by a single device.
  • a plurality of devices e.g., a host computer, interface device, reader, and printer
  • an apparatus e.g., a copying machine or facsimile apparatus

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Particle Formation And Scattering Control In Inkjet Printers (AREA)
EP03812334A 2002-11-29 2003-11-28 Aufzeichnungskopf und solch einen aufzeichnungskopf umfassende aufzeichnungsvorrichtung Withdrawn EP1579997A4 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2002348724A JP2004181678A (ja) 2002-11-29 2002-11-29 記録ヘッド
JP2002348724 2002-11-29
PCT/JP2003/015225 WO2004050370A1 (ja) 2002-11-29 2003-11-28 記録ヘッド及び前記記録ヘッドを備える記録装置

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Publication Number Publication Date
EP1579997A1 true EP1579997A1 (de) 2005-09-28
EP1579997A4 EP1579997A4 (de) 2009-10-21

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EP03812334A Withdrawn EP1579997A4 (de) 2002-11-29 2003-11-28 Aufzeichnungskopf und solch einen aufzeichnungskopf umfassende aufzeichnungsvorrichtung

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1579997A4 (de)
JP (1) JP2004181678A (de)
KR (2) KR20050087811A (de)
CN (1) CN100415519C (de)
AU (1) AU2003302652A1 (de)
WO (1) WO2004050370A1 (de)

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JP3848358B1 (ja) 2006-02-15 2006-11-22 株式会社日出ハイテック マルチチャネル駆動回路
KR101432723B1 (ko) 2008-08-21 2014-08-22 삼성디스플레이 주식회사 백라이트 어셈블리 및 이를 갖는 표시장치
US8770694B2 (en) 2011-07-04 2014-07-08 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Printing element substrate and printhead
FR2979713B1 (fr) 2011-09-06 2013-09-20 Bnl Eurolens Element optique polarisant teinte et procede de fabrication d'un tel element
JP2017113967A (ja) * 2015-12-24 2017-06-29 セイコーエプソン株式会社 サーマルヘッドの制御装置、これを備えたテープ印刷装置およびサーマルヘッドの制御方法
JP2018176697A (ja) * 2017-04-21 2018-11-15 キヤノン株式会社 液体吐出ヘッドのヒューズ部の切断方法、液体吐出装置
JP6948167B2 (ja) * 2017-06-15 2021-10-13 キヤノン株式会社 半導体装置、液体吐出ヘッド及び液体吐出装置
JP7277179B2 (ja) * 2019-02-28 2023-05-18 キヤノン株式会社 ウルトラファインバブル生成装置
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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP1579997A4 (de) 2009-10-21
KR20050087811A (ko) 2005-08-31
KR20080081970A (ko) 2008-09-10
CN100415519C (zh) 2008-09-03
JP2004181678A (ja) 2004-07-02
WO2004050370A1 (ja) 2004-06-17
CN1717329A (zh) 2006-01-04
AU2003302652A1 (en) 2004-06-23

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