JP2002166632A - Recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a recording device capable of displaying character information in a simple configuration without providing a dedicated character information indicator. SOLUTION: This device comprises a carriage 20 with a recording head for recording on a recording sheet P mounted, to be moved reciprocally, an LED 307 disposed on the carriage 20, to be lit according to information, and an indicating window 13 disposed on an upper cover 12 for covering the moving route of the carriage 20, for detecting the state of the LED 307.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus for performing printing on a printing medium, and more particularly to a printing apparatus in which a carriage on which a printing head is mounted is moved to perform printing scanning, and information of characters and images is exclusively used during printing scanning. The present invention relates to a recording apparatus for displaying by utilizing the movement of a carriage without providing a display device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A recording apparatus having functions such as a printer, a copying machine, and a facsimile, or a recording apparatus used as an output device of a composite electronic device or a workstation including a computer, a word processor, etc., is based on image information. It is configured to record an image (including characters, symbols, and the like) on a recording medium such as a thin film or a plastic thin plate. The recording apparatus can be classified into an ink jet type, a wire dot type, a thermal type, a laser beam type and the like according to a recording method.

In a serial type recording apparatus that performs recording while performing main scanning in a direction intersecting with the transport direction (sub-scanning direction) of the recording medium, an image is recorded (recording head) that moves along the recording medium. The main scanning) is performed, and after the recording of one line is completed, a predetermined amount of paper feeding (pitch conveyance as sub-scanning) is performed, and then the image of the next line is recorded on the recording medium stopped again (main scanning). The recording operation is performed in a desired range of the recording medium by repeating the operation of (1).

Conventionally, in a recording apparatus, the operation switches, LED display, LCD display, etc. are reduced as much as possible, or in some cases, are not provided for the purpose of cost reduction and prevention of user's erroneous operation. It is composed. For this reason, for example, in an ink jet recording apparatus, information to be displayed on the recording apparatus such as a warning of the remaining amount of ink is determined by discriminating a plurality of types of information based on the number of times the LED indicator is lit, the number of blinks, the number of buzzers, and the like. Was. Alternatively, information is transmitted to a connected host computer through a bidirectional interface or the like, and a message is displayed on the screen of the host computer in characters, images, or the like.

[0005]

However, the conventional recording apparatus has the following problems. LE
When a plurality of types of information are determined based on the number of times the D display is lit, blinking, the number of buzzers, etc., the number of blinks of the LED display and the number of intermittent buzzers are counted, and the corresponding information is searched for manually. There is a problem that it is necessary and it is difficult to understand and it takes time. If a message is displayed on the screen of the host computer using characters or images, the information is checked by looking at the screen of the host computer to which the recording device is connected. It was necessary to return to the point and perform an operation such as error cancellation based on the information.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances,
An object of the present invention is to provide a recording device capable of displaying character information with a simple configuration without providing a dedicated character information display.

[0007]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording apparatus comprising: a carriage mounted with a recording head for recording on a recording medium; It is characterized by having a plurality of display means which are turned on in accordance with information, and a window means which is arranged on a casing which covers the movement path of the carriage and which can detect the state of the display means.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to provide a recording apparatus capable of displaying character information with a simple configuration without providing a dedicated character information display.

[0009]

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

<First Embodiment> A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an ink jet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an internal perspective view of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the embodiment.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a part of an upper case forming a housing, and 11 denotes a lower case forming a housing. 1
Reference numeral 2 denotes an upper cover constituting a housing, which rotates around a hinge (not shown) provided on the lower case 11. A cover open / close switch 311 is provided near the hinge, and the upper cover 12
Detect opening and closing.

Reference numeral 13 denotes a translucent display window provided on the upper cover 12. Since the display window 13 is translucent, it is possible to see the inside of the recording apparatus, and it is possible to detect a moving state of the carriage described later. 14 is a carriage 20
2 is a second display window provided corresponding to the standby position.
When the carriage 20 is at the standby position, LE (described later) is used.
It is at a position corresponding to D307. The second display window 14
It may be transparent or translucent, as long as the LED 307 can be visually recognized. In the vicinity of the second display window 14 of the upper cover 12, characters and the like corresponding to the respective LEDs 307 are printed and stamped as shown in FIG.

FIG. 2 shows the right side of the ink jet recording apparatus with the upper cover 12 opened. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 309 denotes a power switch for turning on / off the power of the printing apparatus, and reference numeral 310 denotes a resume switch for canceling an error or the like of the printing apparatus.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a carriage on which a recording head 306 is mounted and which reciprocates in the width direction of a recording sheet P as a recording medium for performing a recording operation. Recording head 30
The recording is performed by ejecting ink on the recording paper P from 6. Reference numeral 25 denotes an ink tank for supplying ink to the recording head 306. In this embodiment, the ink tank 25 has four colors of black, cyan, magenta, and yellow. The carriage 20 reciprocates when the drive of the carriage motor 317 is transmitted to a belt (not shown).

The carriage 20 is provided with an LED 307 which is a display means for displaying information inside the recording apparatus. Here, seven LEDs 307 are provided in the vertical direction. A carriage encoder 312 (not shown) is attached to the carriage 20 to control a recording head that performs recording on the recording paper P while reading a linear scale attached to the recording apparatus main body.
The lighting timing of D307 is controlled. LED 307
Is preferably a high-brightness type, and the character information is displayed as an afterimage by being turned on and off by the reciprocating movement of the carriage 20. FIG. 1 shows a state where “INKLOW” is displayed in English characters. Also, at the standby position of the carriage 20, the LED 307 is turned on and printing / printing on the upper cover 12 is performed.
Information can be displayed by associating with the engraved characters.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 301 denotes a CPU-P (printer-side central processing unit) for controlling the entire printing apparatus.
Various switches 30 provided on the paper insertion sensor 313 and the operation panel are controlled by a control program in the ROM-P 303.
9 to 311 via the complex control unit 305, various I / F controllers 320
Control of three motors (carriage motor 317, paper feed motor 318, and paper feed motor 319) via motor drivers 314 to 316 based on a print command read from the host computer and sent to I / F 321 The print data is output to the printhead (inkjet head) 306 via the composite control unit 305, and print control corresponding to the command is performed.

Reference numeral 302 denotes a RAM-P (RAM on the recording device side:
A temporary storage memory), a work buffer for storing necessary information such as a development buffer for recording, a reception buffer for temporarily storing data received from the host computer (recording command and recording data), a recording speed, and a CPU. P301
Is used as a work area. 303 is ROM-
P (recording device side ROM: read only memory), CP
The print data executed by the UP 301 is stored in the printhead 306.
And a print control program for controlling the carriage and paper feed, printer emulation, or a recording font. Reference numeral 304 denotes an RTC (real-time clock) for the RTC-P to know the time required for control. A control unit 305 includes a recording head 306, a power switch 3
09, an online switch 310, a cover open / close switch 311 detection, a carriage encoder 312, a paper insertion sensor 313 detection function, and the like. 314-316
Is a motor driver for driving and controlling the motor. 31
Reference numerals 7 to 319 denote motors connected to the motor driver, which are driven and controlled by the motor driver in accordance with an instruction from the CPU-P301. Reference numeral 320 denotes an I / F controller, which is a bidirectional centro interface connected to the host computer via the I / F 321 and exchanging command data and recording data from the host computer. Reference numeral 330 denotes a non-volatile random write memory for storing the number of prints, the number of ejection dots, the number of ink tank replacements, the number of print head replacements, the number of user command cleaning operations, and the like. Will be retained. The turning on / off / flashing operation of the LED 307 is performed by the multi-function control unit 305 by the LED driver 325.
When character information is displayed by an afterimage during a reciprocating operation, a waveform for drive timing is generated from a waveform output from the carriage encoder 312, and data corresponding to a character string and a pattern to be displayed are stored in the ROM-P303.
, The LED is turned on / off according to the position of the carriage 20.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing how the LEDs are turned on. In FIG. 4, black indicates lighting, and white indicates extinguishing. The numbers at the top of the figure schematically show the position of the carriage 20. In the position of 0, the LED of the position of bcdefg
Is turned on, and when the carriage moves to the position 1, ae
By repeatedly turning on the LED at the position, the character "ABCDE" can be seen as an afterimage by human eyes.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the correspondence between the LED 307 and the display on the upper cover 12 when the carriage 20 is at the stop standby position. In this case, as normally used, lighting (or extinguishing) of each LED indicates a meaning corresponding to a printed / engraved character or the like. For example, "POWE
If the LED next to the display "R ON" is lit,
The recording apparatus is in a power-on (power-on) state, and is in a power-off (power-off) state when turned off. FIG. 5 shows that the recording mode is set to the best (high resolution) in the power-on state.

<Second Embodiment> In the first embodiment, the characters and images are displayed by blinking the LED during the recording operation.
The information may be displayed by operating the carriage. According to the second embodiment, character information can be displayed even during a recording operation.

<Third Embodiment> In the first embodiment, characters and images are displayed by blinking the LED during the recording operation. However, the operation is stopped except during recording. A carriage operation may be started to display character information in response to an instruction from a host computer or an operation such as a user pressing a switch. Here, a command from the host computer or pressing of a switch by a user functions as a display start unit. For example, when some information to be displayed is generated on the recording apparatus side, at the standby position of the carriage, only the LED indicating "there is information to be transmitted" is lit on the display printed and stamped on the housing. When the user finds the display and presses the switch, the carriage starts to be driven and the character information is displayed accordingly. According to the third embodiment, it is possible to perform display only when necessary without continuously displaying character information when the user is not watching, and to perform appropriate display while preventing waste of energy consumption. it can.

<Fourth Embodiment> In the first embodiment, the information inside the recording apparatus is displayed. However, in the fourth embodiment, the information from the host computer connected via the I / F is transmitted. It is configured to display the received data. By this, during recording operation, the recording status (remaining recording time, recorded document name, occurrence of error / warning, etc.) is displayed, and when not recording, a message from the host is received and used as an advertisement or mark. Can also. The data received from the host computer may display not only information inside the host computer but also contents received from the outside by the host computer.
For example, the reception and presence information of the received e-mail, or the title of the received e-mail, or the contents of text news, advertisement for advertisement, etc. are transmitted to the recording device side, so that the information may be displayed on the recording device side. Good.

<Others> It should be noted that the present invention includes a means (for example, an electrothermal converter or a laser beam) for generating thermal energy as energy used for discharging ink, particularly in an ink jet recording system. An excellent effect is obtained in a recording head and a recording apparatus of a type in which the state of ink is changed by the thermal energy. This is because according to such a method, it is possible to achieve higher density and higher definition of recording.

The typical configuration and principle are described in, for example, US Pat. Nos. 4,723,129 and 4,740.
It is preferable to use the basic principle disclosed in the specification of Japanese Patent No. 796. This method is a so-called on-demand type,
Although it can be applied to any of the continuous type, particularly, in the case of the on-demand type, the electric heat disposed corresponding to the sheet or the liquid path holding the liquid (ink or processing liquid) is used. By applying to the transducer at least one drive signal corresponding to the recorded information and providing a rapid rise in temperature exceeding nucleate boiling, heat energy is generated in the electrothermal transducer and the heat acting surface of the recording head is generated. This is effective because film boiling is caused, and as a result, bubbles in the liquid (ink or processing liquid) corresponding to this drive signal one-to-one can be formed. By discharging the liquid (ink or processing liquid) through the discharge opening by the growth and contraction of the bubble, at least one droplet is formed. When the drive signal is formed into a pulse shape, the growth and shrinkage of the bubble are immediately and appropriately performed, and therefore, the ejection of a liquid (ink or processing liquid) having particularly excellent responsiveness can be achieved, which is more preferable. Examples of the drive signal in the form of a pulse include those described in U.S. Pat.
Suitable are those described in US Pat. No. 45,262. Further, if the conditions described in US Pat. No. 4,313,124 relating to the temperature rise rate of the heat acting surface are adopted, more excellent recording can be performed.

As the configuration of the recording head, in addition to the combination of a discharge port, a liquid path, and an electrothermal converter (a linear liquid flow path or a right-angled liquid flow path) as disclosed in the above-mentioned respective specifications, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,558,333 and 44,596 which disclose a configuration in which a heat acting portion is arranged in a bending region.
The configuration using the specification of No. 00 is also included in the present invention. In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Sho 59-123670 discloses a configuration in which a common slit is used as a discharge portion of an electrothermal converter for a plurality of electrothermal converters, and an opening for absorbing a pressure liquid of thermal energy is provided. The effect of the present invention is effective even if the configuration is based on JP-A-59-138461, which discloses a configuration corresponding to a discharge unit. That is, according to the present invention, recording can be reliably and efficiently performed regardless of the form of the recording head.

In addition, even in the case of the serial type as described above, the recording head fixed to the apparatus main body or the electric connection with the apparatus main body or the ink from the apparatus main body by being mounted on the apparatus main body. The present invention is also effective when a replaceable chip-type recording head that can be supplied or a cartridge-type recording head in which an ink tank is provided integrally with the recording head itself is used.

It is preferable to add a recording head ejection recovery unit, a preliminary auxiliary unit, and the like as the configuration of the recording apparatus of the present invention since the effects of the present invention can be further stabilized. To be specific, these are pre-heating by using a capping unit, a cleaning unit, a pressurizing or suctioning unit, an electrothermal transducer or another heating element or a combination thereof for the recording head. Means and preliminary ejection means for performing ejection other than recording.

The type and number of recording heads to be mounted are, for example, different from those provided with only one corresponding to a single color ink, and those corresponding to a plurality of inks having different recording colors and densities. A plurality may be provided. That is, for example, the printing mode of the printing apparatus is not limited to a printing mode of only a mainstream color such as black, but may be any of integrally forming a printing head or a combination of a plurality of printing heads. The present invention is also very effective for an apparatus provided with at least one of the recording modes of full color by color mixture.

In addition, in the embodiment of the present invention described above, the ink is described as a liquid.
An ink that solidifies at room temperature or lower and that softens or liquefies at room temperature may be used, or the ink jet method controls the temperature of the ink itself within a range of 30 ° C. to 70 ° C. to adjust the viscosity of the ink. Is generally controlled so as to be within the stable ejection range, so that the ink may be in a liquid state when the use recording signal is applied. In addition, in order to positively prevent temperature rise due to thermal energy by using it as energy for changing the state of the ink from a solid state to a liquid state, or to prevent evaporation of the ink, the ink is solidified in a standing state and heated. May be used. In any case, the application of heat energy causes the ink to be liquefied by the application of the heat energy according to the recording signal and the liquid ink to be ejected, or to start to solidify when reaching the recording medium. The present invention is also applicable to a case where an ink having a property of liquefying for the first time is used. In such a case, the ink is disclosed in JP-A-54-56847 or JP-A-60
As described in JP-A-71260, a configuration may be adopted in which a liquid or solid substance is held in a concave portion or through hole of a porous sheet and opposed to an electrothermal converter. In the present invention, the most effective one for each of the above-mentioned inks is to execute the above-mentioned film boiling method.

In addition, the form of the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention is not only used as an image output terminal of an information processing apparatus such as a computer, but also as a copying apparatus combined with a reader or the like, and a facsimile apparatus having a transmission / reception function. It may take a form.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention,
A carriage mounted with a recording head for performing recording on a recording medium and reciprocating; a plurality of display means disposed on the carriage and lit according to information; and a state of the display means disposed on a housing covering a movement path of the carriage. Since there is provided a window means capable of detection, it is possible to provide a recording apparatus capable of displaying character information with a simple configuration without providing a dedicated character information display.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an internal perspective view of the inkjet recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing a lighting state of an LED.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing correspondence between LEDs and indications on an upper cover.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Upper Case 11 Lower Case 12 Upper Cover 13 Display Window 14 Second Display Window 20 Carriage 25 Ink Tank 307 LED

Claims (10)

[Claims] A carriage mounted with a recording head for performing recording on a recording medium and reciprocating; a plurality of display means disposed on the carriage and lit according to information; and a housing covering a movement path of the carriage. And a window means provided to detect a state of the display means. 2. A recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second window means for detecting a state of said display means at a standby position of said carriage. 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of display units are LEDs. 4. The recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the LED is driven to blink at a predetermined speed when the carriage reciprocates. 5. The LED according to claim 5, wherein said window means is translucent and said LED means
5. The recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the afterimage is displayed on said window means. 6. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information is information inside the recording apparatus. 7. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information is information received from a host computer connected to the recording apparatus via an I / F. 8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a display starting means for starting to turn on the plurality of display means in accordance with the information, wherein the plurality of display means are turned on in response to the display start means. 8. The recording device according to any one of claims 7 to 7. 9. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording head is an inkjet recording head that records an image by discharging ink. 10. The recording apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the ink jet recording head records an image using ink droplets formed by thermal energy.