JP2000301735A - Ink jet type recording apparatus, and ink cartridge applied to the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To print without causing deterioration of a printing quality with an ink suction amount of a necessary minimum even when replaced for cartridges of different ink kinds. SOLUTION: The recording apparatus has ink jet type recording heads 9 and 10 mounted to a carriage, ink cartridges 4 and 5 to which a memory means in which information related to ink is readably stored is attached and, a control device 60 for controlling a printing operation based on the information of the memory means and executing an ink filling process to the recording heads 4 and 5 on the basis of information on the ink cartridges 4 and 5 when the ink cartridges 4 and 5 are replaced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a recording apparatus for supplying ink from an ink cartridge to a recording head which ejects ink droplets in response to a print signal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A recording head of an ink jet recording apparatus is connected to an ink cartridge via an ink supply passage and receives ink from the ink cartridge. Ink has been improved in order to improve the print quality, and as a means for reflecting the results, as shown in JP-A-3-67657, suitable for ink contained in an ink cartridge. It has been proposed to attach a storage means for storing data relating to driving conditions to a cartridge, and to control a recording apparatus based on this data.

[0003]

On the other hand, as is well known, an ink jet recording apparatus can cope with a variety of printings by using ink droplets ejected from nozzle openings. Therefore, it is necessary to replace an ink cartridge according to the purpose of printing. Has been done. Even in such a case, if the driving conditions suitable for the ink contained in each ink cartridge are stored in the storage means of the ink cartridge, it is possible to eject the ink droplets under conditions optimal for the characteristics of the ink. However, at the time of replacing the ink cartridge, there is a problem that the ink quality of the ink cartridge that has been previously mounted remains in the flow path and the recording head, so that the print quality at the beginning of the replacement deteriorates. The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to reduce the print quality with the minimum necessary amount of ink suction even when replacing a cartridge of a different ink type. An object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording apparatus capable of performing printing without any problem. Another object of the present invention is to provide an ink cartridge suitable for the recording apparatus.

[0004]

According to the present invention, there is provided an ink jet recording head mounted on a carriage, an ink cartridge provided with storage means, and information stored in the storage means. A control unit for controlling a printing operation based on the information, wherein the control unit executes a process of filling the recording head with ink based on information in the storage unit when the ink cartridge is replaced. I did it.

[0005]

When the ink cartridge is mounted, the ink filling process is executed with the optimum suction amount based on the data on the ink filling stored in the storage means of the ink cartridge.

[0006]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention with respect to a printing mechanism. A carriage 3 connected to a drive motor 2 via a timing belt 1 has a black surface described later on its upper surface. A holder 8 having storage chambers 6 and 7 for storing a black ink cartridge 4 containing ink and a color ink cartridge 5 containing color ink is formed, and a recording surface receiving ink from each ink cartridge is formed on the lower surface. Heads 9 and 10 are provided.

In the non-printing area, the recording heads 9 and 10 are sealed during non-printing to prevent clogging of the nozzle openings, and the recording head is filled with ink by receiving a negative pressure from the pump unit 11. Capping unit 12
Is arranged.

The cartridge holder 8 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), ink supply needles 13 and 14 for connecting the recording heads 9 and 10 to the ink cartridges are provided upright on the bottom surfaces of the storage chambers 6 and 7, and the ink cartridges 4 and 5 are provided on the side surfaces. Contact mechanisms 21 and 31 for forming contacts with the semiconductor storage means 20 and 30 are provided.

Each of the ink cartridges 4 and 5 has an ink supply port 4 communicating with the ink storage chambers 41 and 51 on one side surface of the containers 40 and 50 constituting the ink cartridges 4 and 5, in this embodiment.
2 and 52 are formed, and semiconductor storage means 20 and 30 are fixed on the surface facing the contact mechanisms 21 and 31.

The semiconductor memory means 20 and 30 have substantially the same structure. The semiconductor memory chips 23 and 33 are mounted on circuit boards 22 and 32, and the data terminals and control terminals of the semiconductor memory chips 23 and 33 are connected to the semiconductor memory means. The electrodes 24 and 34 that are connected and form a contact with the contact mechanism are formed.

The semiconductor storage chips 23 and 33 have optical densities of ink contained in ink cartridges 4 and 5 to which they are attached, or dye and pigment densities (hereinafter referred to as ink densities), and the ink cartridges. In this case, data such as a suction flow rate suitable for the air conditioner and a suction amount when the nozzle opening is clogged are stored.

The semiconductor memory chips 23 and 33 are accessed by the control unit 60 via the flexible cable 16 connecting the recording heads 9 and 10 and the control unit 60.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the control device according to the present invention. The read / write means 61 connected to the contact mechanisms 21 and 31 via the flexible cable 16 is provided with a semiconductor device for each of the ink cartridges 4 and 5. Storage means 20, 30
, And outputs data relating to the printing conditions of the ink in the ink cartridge to the head driving means 62, and performs operations to be performed in a non-printing state, such as an ink filling operation and an ejection recovery processing operation. The specified data is output to the pump driving means 63.

The pump driving means 63 includes a printing control means 64
When the ink filling command and the cleaning command are output from the printer, the density of the ink stored in the semiconductor storage units 20 and 30, the suction amount and the suction order at the time of filling the ink, and the ink type storage unit 65 described later. While adjusting the suction amount and the suction flow rate of each of the pumps 11a and 11b constituting the pump unit 11 based on the data of
The recording heads 9 and 10 are filled with ink or replaced with the ink No. 5.

The previous ink type storage means 65 is configured to store the ink type of the installed ink cartridges 4 and 5 when the ink cartridges 4 and 5 have been replaced and the ink filling has been completed. .

Next, the operation of the device thus constructed will be described with reference to FIG.
A description will be given based on the flowchart shown in FIG. When the ink cartridge is first loaded into the recording apparatus (step b), the ink supply needles 13 and 14 are moved to the ink supply ports 42 and
52, and the contact mechanisms 21, 31 resiliently contact the contacts 24, 34 of the semiconductor storage means 20, 30, so that the data stored in the semiconductor storage chips 23, 33 can be read.

The print control means 64 moves the carriage 3 to the capping position and seals the recording heads 9 and 10 with the caps 12a and 12b of the capping means 12. The current loading of the ink cartridges 4 and 5 is the first loading after shipment from the factory.
Commands the pump driving means 63 to perform an initial filling operation, sucks a larger amount of ink than in the normal case, and completely discharges bubbles in the flow path and the like (step c).

At the same time as or after the initial filling operation, the print control unit 64 stores the information of the ink concentration stored in the semiconductor storage units 20 and 30 of the ink cartridges 4 and 5 used for filling in the previous ink. It is stored in the seed storage means 65 (step d).

When the recording heads 9 and 10 are filled with ink and print data is input from the host, the print control unit 64 outputs the print data to the head drive unit 62. The head driving unit 62 adjusts optimal driving conditions, for example, a voltage applied to the pressure generating unit, an application time, and the like, based on the data on the ink type stored in the semiconductor storage units 20 and 30 of the ink cartridges 4 and 5. Then, a discharge pressure suitable for discharging the ink as droplets is generated.

When the ink in the ink cartridges 4 and 5 is consumed or when the ink cartridges 4 and 5 are detached in order to change the print mode, the print control means 64
The read / write means 63 reads out the information on the ink concentration stored in the semiconductor storage means 20 and 30 of the currently mounted ink cartridges 4 and 5 (step E). Compare the information on the type of ink used (step f).

The newly installed ink cartridge 4,
5 is lower than the ink concentrations of the ink cartridges 4 and 5 that were installed before the replacement,
The pump driving means 63 executes the filling by setting the suction amount to a first suction amount, for example, about 0.4 cc, which is a large value (step), and the printing control means 64 controls the ink cartridge used for the filling. 4, 5 semiconductor storage means 20,
The information of the ink density stored in 30 is stored in the previous ink type storage means 65 (step S1).

Thus, the ink flow path, the recording head 9,
The dark ink remaining in the ink cartridge 10 is completely replaced with the light color ink of the ink cartridges 4 and 5 to prevent turbidity of the light color ink in which the density change is relatively conspicuous. Can be printed. In addition,
The adjustment of the suction ink amount can be performed by adjusting the driving time of the pump unit 11 or the driving speed.

If the ink density of the newly installed ink cartridges 4 and 5 is higher than the ink density of the ink cartridges 4 and 5 installed before replacement, the second suction amount, for example, 0 Filling is performed with a small suction amount of about 2 cc (step nu), and the printing control means 6
4 causes the ink type storage means 65 to store information on the concentration of the ink stored in the semiconductor storage means 20 and 30 of the ink cartridges 4 and 5 used for filling (step S1).

As described above, the dark color ink is applied to the recording head 9,
Even if slightly mixed with the light-colored ink remaining in 10,
Since the ink is inconspicuous, it is possible to fill the recording heads 9 and 10 with ink with the minimum necessary ink consumption without lowering the print quality.

On the other hand, when the ink cartridges 4 and 5 containing the same type of ink are exchanged, the print quality is not deteriorated even with the minimum suction amount. In the case of (step), clogging is likely to occur in the nozzle opening. Therefore, the third suction amount, for example, a relatively large suction amount of about 0.2 cc (step o), and in the case of light color ink, Since clogging is unlikely to occur, ink is filled with a fourth suction amount, for example, a minimum suction amount of about 0.1 cc (Step W).

In the above embodiment, the case where one of the ink cartridges 4 and 5 is replaced has been described. However, the black ink cartridge and the color ink cartridge are replaced at the same time, and the ink density of one ink cartridge is also reduced. If it is replaced with a lower one, the filling is performed by the multiple suction using the first suction amount described above. Accordingly, the ink cartridge can be replaced without deteriorating the print quality of the light-color system in which the color change is conspicuous.

In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which the recording apparatus is of a type in which an ink cartridge is mounted on a carriage. It is clear that the same effect can be obtained by applying the present invention.

In the above-described embodiment, data is read out by wire through a semiconductor chip and a contact mechanism. However, an electromagnetic communication chip, an optical communication chip, or an ultrasonic communication chip is mounted on a circuit board. Thus, data can be read wirelessly.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the information regarding the ink density is stored. However, it is also possible to store the data defining the control amount changed in accordance with the ink density, such as the suction amount at the time of filling. It has a similar effect.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, the ink jet recording head mounted on the carriage, the ink cartridge provided with the storage means, and the control for controlling the printing operation based on the information of the storage means are provided. In the ink jet recording apparatus provided with means, when the ink cartridge is replaced, the control unit executes a process of filling the print head with the ink based on the information in the storage means. Is determined, and the optimal ink filling process for the exchange mode can be executed with the minimum required ink consumption.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram mainly showing a printing mechanism of an embodiment of an ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are cross-sectional views showing a structure near a recording head in a state where a black ink cartridge and a color ink cartridge are mounted, respectively.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating one embodiment of a black ink cartridge and a color ink cartridge, respectively.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation of the recording apparatus when the ink cartridge is replaced.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 3 Carriage 4, 5 Ink cartridge 8 Cartridge holder 9, 10 Recording head 11 Pump unit 12 Capping unit 16 Flexible cable 20, 30, Semiconductor storage means 21, 31, Contact mechanism 60 Control device

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. An ink jet recording apparatus comprising: an ink jet recording head mounted on a carriage; an ink cartridge having storage means attached thereto; and control means for controlling a printing operation based on information in the storage means. The control means, when replacing the ink cartridge,
An ink jet recording apparatus that executes a process of filling the recording head with ink based on information in the storage unit. 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the filling process is performed based on a density of ink contained in an ink cartridge. 3. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the filling process is performed based on a suction amount stored in the storage unit. 4. The suction amount is set by comparing information in storage means of the ink cartridge before and after replacement.
3. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1. 5. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising storage means for storing information on the mounted ink cartridge. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the filling process is performed with a larger suction amount when the ink cartridge is replaced with an ink cartridge with a low ink concentration than when the ink cartridge is replaced with an ink cartridge with a high ink concentration. The ink-jet recording apparatus as described in the above. 7. An ink-jet recording apparatus comprising: an ink-jet recording head mounted on a carriage; a plurality of ink cartridges each having storage means attached thereto; and control means for controlling a printing operation based on information in the storage means. In the ink jet recording apparatus, when the ink density of at least one of the ink cartridges is reduced when the plurality of ink cartridges are replaced, the control means may switch between the same density system and the high density system. An ink jet recording apparatus that executes a filling process with a larger suction amount than in the case of (1). 8. A suction amount is set by comparing information in storage means of an ink cartridge before and after replacement.
3. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1. 9. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising storage means for storing information on the mounted ink cartridge. 10. An ink cartridge for an ink-jet type recording apparatus configured to contain ink and to be attached to a flow path to a recording head, wherein a storage means for storing information for filling the recording head with the ink is provided. An attached ink cartridge. 11. The ink cartridge according to claim 10, wherein the information is a density of the ink or a suction amount of the ink at the time of filling.