JP2001191504A - Device for controlling printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely prevent the deterioration of image quality by preventing the lowering of image density and the generation of image blank without making the structure of an ink head complex when nozzle holes formed in the ink head are partially clogged with ink. SOLUTION: When the third nozzle hole 3-3 out of ten nozzle holes 3-1 to 3-10 which are formed in parallel in the sub-scanning direction of the paper- facing surface of the ink head 28 is clogged with ink (A), during the first carriage scanning in corrective printing treatment, the image of No.1-10 lines excluding No.3 line is formed on paper (B). After that, the paper is moved for two nozzle hole intervals, and the first nozzle hole 3-1 is made to face a part of the paper on which the image of No.3 line is to be printed (C). When the second carriage scanning is done, the image of No.3 line is formed by the nozzle hole 3-1, and the image of No.11-12 lines is formed by the nozzle holes 3-9, 3-10 (D). Moreover, the paper is moved for intervals of the ten nozzle holes. The above operation is repeated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a printer control device for controlling the operation of an ink jet printer for printing by discharging liquid ink from a nozzle hole onto a sheet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a printer for forming an image on a sheet, a liquid ink stored in an ink bottle is supplied to a pressurizing chamber formed in an ink head, and a driving voltage according to print data is applied. There is an ink jet printer in which ink in a pressurized chamber is pressurized through an electrostrictive element to be ejected onto a sheet from a nozzle hole. In some cases, a heating element for heating the ink in the pressurized chamber is provided instead of the electrostrictive element, and the ink is ejected from the nozzle holes by the pressure of the bubbles that grow by heating.

[0003] Ink is contained in a pressurized chamber and a nozzle hole of an ink head of such an ink-jet printer even when ink is not ejected.
The nozzle hole facing the paper is open to the outside.
Therefore, if the ink jet printer is not used for a predetermined period, the ink contained in the nozzle hole is dried and solidified, and the nozzle hole is clogged with ink. If the nozzle hole becomes clogged with ink, the next time an inkjet printer is used, the amount of ink discharged will be insufficient and the image density will decrease. In some cases, white spots may occur in an image, and a large amount of clogged ink may be ejected at a time to stain a sheet, resulting in a problem of degraded image quality.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-177843 discloses that one input path and two output paths are formed in an ink head, and one of the output paths is connected to a nozzle hole for discharging ink onto paper. A configuration is disclosed in which ink in an ink bottle is guided to an input path, returned to the input path via the other output path, and the flow path in the ink head is alternately switched according to a print signal. .

With this configuration, the ink is continuously supplied to the ink head, the ink is prevented from stagnating in the ink hole, and the ink is not clogged due to drying and solidification of the ink. It is said that quality deterioration can be prevented.

[0006]

However, the configuration disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-177784 has a problem that the configuration of the ink flow path in the ink head is complicated and the cost is increased. Further, in a conventional inkjet printer, various techniques for preventing ink clogging in a nozzle hole of an ink head have been proposed. However, when it is not possible to completely prevent ink clogging in a nozzle hole in a severe use environment. There is
Since there was no consideration regarding the technology for forming an image using an ink head in which some nozzle holes were clogged, once ink clogged in the nozzle holes, the image quality caused by this clogged There is a problem that it is not possible to reliably prevent the deterioration of the device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to change the driving state of an ink head based on print data in accordance with the state of ink clogging in a nozzle hole, so that ink is partially provided in the nozzle hole formed in the ink head. An object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet printer that can prevent a decrease in image density and a white spot in an image even when clogging occurs, and can surely prevent deterioration in image quality.

[0008]

The present invention has the following arrangement as means for solving the above-mentioned problems.

(1) For a printer in which nozzle holes are arranged in a plurality of positions in the sub-scanning direction on the sheet surface of the ink head in the sub-scanning direction, movement of the ink head in the main scanning direction with respect to the sheet, In a printer control device that controls ejection and the movement of a sheet in the sub-scanning direction with respect to an ink head, when any one of a plurality of nozzle holes becomes clogged with ink, information identifying the nozzle hole that caused the ink clogging is used. A control unit for executing correction printing processing for generating correction data for forming an image to be formed by the nozzle hole having the ink clogging by the nozzle hole having no ink clogging and supplying the correction data to the printer. It is characterized by the following.

In this configuration, when ink is clogged in any one of a plurality of nozzle holes arranged in the sub-scanning direction, an image to be formed by the clogged nozzle hole is formed by ink. It is formed by other non-clogged nozzle holes. Therefore, even when the image density is reduced or white spots occur in a part of the image due to the ink clogging in the nozzle hole, the image in that part is complemented by the ink ejected from the nozzle hole without the ink clogging. Therefore, the image quality does not deteriorate.

(2) The correction data is data for forming an image to be formed by one movement of the ink head in the main scanning direction by a plurality of movements of the ink head in the main scanning direction. And

In this configuration, an image to be formed while the ink head moves once in the main scanning direction is formed by a plurality of movements of the ink head in the main scanning direction. Therefore, the nozzle hole that has not been clogged during the second and subsequent movements of the ink head is opposed to the portion on the paper where the nozzle hole that has clogged the ink during the first movement of the ink head is opposed. The image of the portion where the density has been reduced or the white spot has occurred during the first movement of the ink head is complemented during the second or subsequent movement of the ink head.

(3) The correction data is used to scan the paper in the sub-scanning direction in accordance with the distance between the nozzle hole where the ink clogging occurs and the nozzle hole where the image data to be formed by the nozzle clogging is supplied. The data is characterized by including data to be moved to.

In this configuration, the amount of paper movement in the sub-scanning direction when an image to be formed while the ink head moves once in the main scanning direction is formed by a plurality of movements of the ink head in the main scanning direction. Is determined according to the distance between the nozzle hole where the ink clogging occurs and the nozzle hole to which the image data to be formed by the nozzle clogged with the ink is supplied. Therefore, the nozzle holes where the ink clogging has occurred during the first movement of the ink head are opposed to each other, and the nozzles where the ink clogging has not occurred during the second and subsequent movements of the ink head are located at the portions where the density of the image has been reduced or white spots have occurred. The holes are exactly opposite.

(4) The correction printing process includes a process for receiving an input of information for specifying a nozzle hole in which ink clogging has occurred.

In this configuration, information for specifying the nozzle hole in which the ink is clogged out of the plurality of nozzle holes formed in the ink head is input. Therefore, based on the input information, the image portion to be complemented by the nozzle holes without ink clogging and the amount of movement of the paper in the sub-scanning direction before the movement of the ink head for complementing the image can be accurately determined. It is determined.

(5) The correction printing process includes a test pattern printing process of printing a test pattern for specifying a nozzle hole in which ink clogging has occurred.

In this configuration, a test pattern is printed in order to identify the nozzle hole in which ink clogging has occurred. Therefore, the nozzle hole in which the ink is clogged is accurately specified based on the print state of the test pattern.

[0019]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printer control device according to an embodiment of the present invention and an ink jet printer controlled by the printer control device. Printer control device 1 according to this embodiment
Is a personal computer as an image data creating device for creating image data to be formed on paper in an ink jet printer (hereinafter simply referred to as a printer) 2, and a CPU 1 having a ROM 12 and a RAM 13.
1, an HDD 14, a display 15, a keyboard 1
6, input / output devices such as a mouse 17 and a recording medium driver 18 are connected together with the printer 2. CP
The U11 controls and controls each input / output device in accordance with a program written in the ROM 12 in advance, and temporarily stores data input / output during this time in a predetermined memory area of the RAM 13.

The HDD 14 stores an OS, driver software, and application software installed via a recording medium such as a CD-ROM. The driver software stored in the HDD 14 includes a printer driver for controlling the operation of the printer 2. CPU 11 is H
The operation of the printer 2 is controlled based on the contents of the printer driver stored in the DD 14. Therefore, the printer control device 1 of the present invention can be configured using a general-purpose personal computer by installing software including a processing procedure described later via a recording medium such as a CD-ROM.

The printer 2 includes an interface unit 21, a command processing unit 22, an image data processing unit 23, an ink head control unit 24, a feed motor control unit 25, a carriage motor control unit 26, and a memory 27. The interface unit 21 is connected to the printer control device 1 via a parallel port or a serial port such as a USB, and transmits and receives data to and from the printer control device 1. The transmission data transmitted from the printer control device 1 to the printer 2 includes command data and image data. The command processing unit 22 supplies command data to the feed motor control unit 25 and the carriage motor control unit 26, and supplies image data to the image data processing unit 23.

The feed motor control unit 25 controls the rotation of a feed motor that conveys paper in the sub-scanning direction with respect to the ink head. The carriage motor control unit 26 controls the rotation of the carriage motor that reciprocates the carriage on which the ink head is mounted with respect to the paper in the main scanning direction. The printer control device 1 transmits to the printer 2 command data for moving the carriage by one dot in the main scanning direction and command data including a moving amount when the paper is moved in the sub-scanning direction. Printer control device 1
Transmits image data subjected to predetermined image processing to the printer 2. The image data processing unit 23 temporarily stores the image data transmitted from the printer control device 1 in the memory 27 and then supplies the image data to the ink head control unit 24. The ink head control unit 24 controls the ejection state of ink from a plurality of nozzle holes formed in the ink head 28 based on the image data supplied from the image data processing unit 23.

That is, a plurality of nozzle holes are formed in the sub-scanning direction on the sheet facing surface of the ink head 28, and a pressurizing chamber communicating with each nozzle hole is formed.
Ink is supplied from the ink tank to the pressure chamber. Also,
The ink head 28 is provided with an electrostrictive element or a heating element that pressurizes the ink in the pressurized chamber, and the image data processing unit 23 outputs image data for a plurality of nozzle holes in synchronization with the movement of the carriage. Output to the control unit 24. The ink head control unit 24 drives an electrostrictive element or a heating element provided in a pressurized chamber to which a nozzle hole for discharging ink communicates based on image data.

FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are flowcharts showing the processing procedure when controlling the printer by the printer control device. FIG. 2 shows a processing procedure during normal printing processing in a state where ink clogging does not occur in any of the nozzle holes formed in the ink head. The printer control device 1 transmits image data corresponding to all the nozzle holes arranged in the sub-scanning direction to the printer 2 by one dot in the main scanning direction (s1);
The process of transmitting command data for moving the carriage by one dot in the main scanning direction (s2) is repeatedly executed until the carriage reaches the end of the moving range in the main scanning direction (s3 → s1).

When the carriage reaches the end of the moving range in the main scanning direction, the printer control device 1 sends the paper to the printer 2 by a moving amount corresponding to the number of nozzle holes arranged in the sub-scanning direction in the ink head. Command data indicating that the data should be conveyed is transmitted (s4). The printer control device 1 repeatedly executes the above processes s1 to s4 until there is no more image data (s5 → s1).

By the processes in s1 and s2, the printer 2 moves the carriage on which the ink head is mounted one dot at a time in the main scanning direction, and pressurizes the pressure chambers communicating with the nozzle holes arranged in parallel with the ink head. Are driven based on the image data. Further, by the process of s5, the printer 2 conveys the paper in the sub-scanning direction by an amount corresponding to the number of nozzle holes arranged in the sub-scanning direction in the ink head. That is, when n nozzle holes are arranged in the sub-scanning direction on the sheet facing surface of the ink head, the paper is conveyed by n dots in the sub-scanning direction in s2.

FIG. 3 shows a process executed when ink is clogged in any of the nozzle holes formed in the ink head, which is a correction printing process according to the present invention. When the ink is clogged in the i-th nozzle hole out of the total number n of the nozzle holes formed in the ink head, the printer control device 1 controls the printer 2 for the nozzle holes other than the i-th nozzle hole. Processing for transmitting corresponding image data (s1
1) and the process of transmitting command data for moving the carriage by one dot in the main scanning direction (s12) are repeatedly executed until the carriage reaches the end of the moving range in the main scanning direction (s13 → s11). This s11-s1
By the process of 3, the printer 2 prepares for the pressurized chamber communicating with the nozzle holes except for the i-th nozzle hole in which the ink is clogged while moving the carriage on which the ink head is mounted one dot at a time in the main scanning direction. The driven element is driven based on the image data.

When the carriage reaches the end of the moving range in the main scanning direction, the printer control device 1 conveys to the printer 2 a distance corresponding to ij dots when the nozzle hole for correction is j-th. After transmitting the command data instructing the conveyance of the sheet in the sub-scanning direction as the amount (s14), the image data corresponding to the j-th nozzle hole and the n-th to (ij) nozzle holes is transmitted ( s15) Further, command data for moving the carriage by one dot in the main scanning direction is transmitted (s16). In s15, the image data corresponding to the j-th nozzle hole is the image data corresponding to the i-th nozzle hole that has not been supplied to the printer 2 in the process in s11. The printer control device 1 controls s1 until the carriage reaches the end of the movement range in the main scanning direction.
5 and s16 are repeatedly executed (s17 → s1)
5). By the processes in s15 to s17, the printer 2 moves the carriage on which the ink head is mounted one dot at a time in the main scanning direction, and outputs the j-th nozzle hole and the (ij) nozzle holes from the n-th nozzle hole. Are driven based on image data.

When the carriage reaches the end of the moving range in the main scanning direction, command data indicating that the paper should be conveyed by a moving amount corresponding to the number of nozzle holes arranged in the sub-scanning direction in the ink head is transmitted (s18). ). The printer control device 1 repeatedly executes the processing of s11 to s18 until there is no more image data (s19 → s11).

By the processing shown in FIG. 3, an image is formed on the portion of the sheet where the nozzle holes except the i-th nozzle hole in which the ink is clogged by the first scan of the carriage in the processing of s11 to s13 are opposed. After the first carriage scan, the paper is conveyed until the portion on the paper facing the i-th nozzle hole faces the j-th nozzle hole, and the second carriage movement by the processing in s15 to s17 Scanning is performed. In the second carriage scan, ink is ejected from the j-th nozzle hole based on image data to be formed by the i-th nozzle hole in the first carriage scan. Therefore, an image that is not formed in the scanning of the carriage in the processing of s11 to s13 is complemented in the scanning of the carriage in the processing of s15 to s17, and when an ink head that does not cause ink clogging in any of the nozzle holes is used. An image to be formed by one carriage scan is formed by two carriage scans.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a print state of an image by the above-described correction printing process. As shown in FIG. 4A, ten nozzle holes 3-1 to 3-10 are juxtaposed in the sub-scanning direction on the sheet facing surface of the ink head 28. When the ink is clogged, at the time of the first carriage scan of the correction printing process (the processes of s11 to s13 in FIG. 3), as shown in FIG. An image other than the image in the third row of the eye images is formed. Thereafter, the paper is conveyed by the arrangement interval of the two nozzle holes (the processing of s14 in FIG. 3), and as shown in FIG.
The portion on the sheet on which the image on the line is to be printed faces the first nozzle hole 3-1. In this state, the second scanning of the carriage (s15 to s17) is performed, whereby FIG.
As shown in (D), the image of the third row is formed on the sheet by the nozzle holes 3-1 and the nozzle holes 3-9.
The images of the eleventh and twelfth rows are formed on the sheet by the steps 3 and 10. Thereafter, the paper is conveyed by the arrangement interval of the ten nozzle holes, and the printing operation of FIGS. 4A to 4D is repeated for the next 12 rows of image data.

In the processing of s15 to s17, s11
In the first scan of the carriage by the processing of steps s13 to s13, not only the j-th nozzle hole that complements the image to be formed by the i-th nozzle hole, but also the n-th (ij) nozzle holes are driven. Thus, in the range on the paper where the n nozzle holes face each other during the second carriage scan,
An image is also formed in a portion where the nozzle holes did not face during the first carriage scan. As a result, the number of carriage scans required to form an entire image is reduced.

When ink clogging occurs in the first nozzle hole, it is necessary to convey the paper in a direction opposite to the normal conveyance direction after the first carriage scan in the correction printing process is completed. is there. In this case, at the time of the second carriage scan, the nozzle holes do not face the portion of the paper where the nozzle holes did not face at the time of the first carriage scan, and an image other than the complemented image is displayed. It is not formed on paper.

Further, in a printer that drives the ink head both in the forward movement and in the backward movement in the main scanning direction, two scans of the correction printing process are performed during one reciprocation of the carriage, and ink clogging is performed. An image to be formed can be complemented by the nozzle hole that has caused the problem.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a test pattern image printed by the printer during the test pattern printing process in the printer control device. The printer control device 1 executes a test pattern printing process according to an instruction from an operator described later. This test pattern is used to identify the nozzle hole that has caused ink clogging among the nozzle holes formed in the ink head 28 of the printer 2. The correction printing process in the printer control device is as follows.
This is the same as the normal printing process shown in FIG.
In the process 3, the printer 2 transmits the image data that is successively arranged in each nozzle hole by a predetermined number of times and the image data in which serial numbers are arranged in a line below the nozzle data. Thus, for example, when ink is not clogged in any of the ten nozzle holes 3-1 to 3-10 formed in the ink head 28, as shown in FIG. Ten lines, each having a longitudinal direction, are formed in a stepwise manner in the sub-scanning direction. On the other hand, for example, FIG.
As shown in (3), when ink is clogged in the third nozzle hole 3-3, the third line corresponding to the third nozzle hole 3-3 is not formed. Thus, by visually recognizing the test pattern formed by the test pattern printing process, it is possible to accurately identify the nozzle hole that has caused the ink clogging.

The details such as the length of each line constituting the test pattern and whether or not a space is formed between the lines can be appropriately set.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display screen when receiving input of information for specifying the nozzle hole in which the ink is clogged in the printer control device. The printer control device 1 executes an input process of information for specifying a nozzle hole in which ink clogging has occurred, in accordance with an instruction of an operator. In this process, the printer control device 1
The input screen 4 shown in FIG. On the input screen 4, check boxes corresponding to the respective nozzle holes formed in the ink head 28 of the printer 2 connected to the printer control device 1 are displayed. For example, ten nozzle holes 3-1 to 3-
When 10 is formed, 10 is displayed on the input screen 4.
The check boxes 5-1 to 5-10 are displayed, and guidance 6 indicating that the check box corresponding to the nozzle hole in which the ink is clogged among the check boxes 5-1 to 5-10 should be checked. . A button 7 for instructing processing for printing the test pattern shown in FIG.
May be displayed.

Thus, when the operator recognizes the nozzle hole in which the ink clogging has occurred based on the print state of the test pattern or the like and inputs the recognized nozzle hole on the input screen 4, the printer control device 1 sets the input screen 4 The number of the nozzle hole corresponding to the check box checked in is stored as the i-number in the corrected printing process shown in FIG. 3, and in the subsequent printer control process, the corrected printing process shown in FIG. Execute.

When the printer 2 is provided with a detecting means for detecting a nozzle hole in the ink head 28 where the ink is clogged, the detection result of the printer 2 is controlled by the printer control device 1 in response to a request from the printer control device 1. By transmitting the test pattern to the apparatus 1, it is possible to eliminate the need for the operation of recognizing the presence or absence of ink clogging using the test pattern. In this case, for example, a unit that measures a change in the voltage applied to the electrostrictive element according to a change in the pressure in the pressurizing chamber due to the presence or absence of ink clogging in each nozzle hole can be used.

[0040]

According to the present invention, when any one of the plurality of nozzle holes arranged in the sub-scanning direction becomes clogged with ink, the nozzle should be formed by the clogged nozzle hole. By forming an image with other nozzle holes that are not clogged with ink, even if a drop in image density or white spots occurs in part of the image due to clogged ink in the nozzle holes, the image of that portion Can be complemented by ink ejected from nozzle holes that do not cause ink clogging, and image quality can be reliably prevented from deteriorating.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer control device according to an embodiment of the present invention and an inkjet printer controlled by the printer control device.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure at the time of controlling the printer by the printer control apparatus, and is a processing procedure at the time of normal printing processing in a state where ink is not clogged in any of the nozzle holes formed in the ink head. It is a flowchart which shows.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure at the time of controlling the printer by the printer control apparatus, wherein the correction printing processing of the present invention is executed when ink is clogged in any one of the nozzle holes formed in the ink head. It is a flowchart which shows the processing procedure at the time.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image formation state by the correction printing process.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a test pattern image printed by a printer during a test pattern printing process in the printer control device.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a display screen when accepting input of information for specifying a nozzle hole where ink clogging has occurred in the printer control device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1-Printer control device 2-Printer 3-1-3-10-Nozzle hole 4-Input screen

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A printer in which nozzle holes are arranged at a plurality of positions in a sub-scanning direction of a sheet facing surface of an ink head in a sub-scanning direction.
In a printer control device that controls the ejection of ink in each nozzle hole and the movement of a sheet in the sub-scanning direction with respect to an ink head, a nozzle that has caused ink clogging when any one of a plurality of nozzle holes has clogged ink Based on the information specifying the holes, a correction printing process is performed in which correction data for forming an image to be formed by the nozzle holes having ink clogging by the nozzle holes having no ink clogging and supplying the correction data to the printer is executed. A printer control device, comprising: 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the correction data is data for forming an image to be formed by one movement of the ink head in the main scanning direction by a plurality of movements of the ink head in the main scanning direction. Claim 1
3. The printer control device according to claim 1. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the correction data is used to move the paper in the sub-scanning direction in accordance with the distance between the nozzle hole where the ink clogging occurs and the nozzle hole where the image data to be formed by the nozzle clogging is supplied. 3. The printer control device according to claim 2, including data to be moved. 4. The printer control device according to claim 1, wherein said correction printing process includes a process of receiving an input of information for specifying a nozzle hole in which ink clogging has occurred. 5. The printer control device according to claim 4, wherein said correction printing process includes a test pattern printing process for printing a test pattern for specifying a nozzle hole in which ink clogging has occurred.