JP2003276177A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently continue recording when a recording section is damaged in an image recorder having a plurality of recording sections. <P>SOLUTION: First to sixth recording sections 14-19 are provided on a print stage 13. Before an image piece is recorded by each of the recording sections 14-19, a test pattern is recorded on a blank between the pieces. The test pattern is read by a defective head detecting section 20 and it is judged whether or not the head is damaged based on defective dots corresponding to respective nozzles. When there is the damaged head, the head is not used and the rest of the image is recorded by a speed-priority mode or a recording material- priority mode. In the speed-priority mode, the recording is performed in a condition that a non-recorded area by the damaged head is left so that the speed is prioritized. In the recording material-priority mode, the non-recorded area by the damaged head is recorded by the other substitutional head so that the non-recorded area is not left. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus for recording an image such as a photograph or a character symbol on a recording material by a plurality of ink jet recording units.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image recording apparatus such as an ink jet printer, an ink jet head is used to eject ink on a recording material such as paper or a plastic sheet based on digital image information such as photographic image information and character / symbol information. By doing so, the image is recorded. For example,
In a serial printer, an image is recorded on the entire recording material by combining an output operation in the main scanning direction by the recording head and a conveying operation in the sub-scanning direction for feeding the recording material in a direction intersecting the moving direction of the recording head. . Further, in the line printer, an image is recorded using a head in which a large number of nozzles are arranged in the width direction of the recording material in synchronization with the feeding of the recording material. Furthermore, in order to perform image recording at high speed, a plurality of recording heads are arranged in the feeding direction of the recording material,
A plurality of images are recorded at the same time (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-320923).

[0003]

In an image recording apparatus for recording a large amount of images at high speed by using such a plurality of recording units, if one recording unit is clogged with nozzles, for example, a large number of defective images will be generated. In addition to the waste of recording materials and ink, reprinting becomes necessary and the printing time becomes long.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an image recording apparatus capable of efficiently performing printing while reducing waste of recording materials and ink even when a failure such as nozzle clogging occurs. The purpose is to provide.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a plurality of recording portions arranged along a recording material conveying path and a conveying portion for conveying the recording material to the plurality of recording portions. An image recording device for driving the plurality of recording units to record an image on the recording material by each of the recording units, the plurality of recording units being disposed downstream of the plurality of recording units. An image is recorded using a normal recording section without using a defective recording section specifying unit that specifies a defective recording section based on an image recorded in the section and the defective recording section specified by the defective recording section specifying section. So as to control the recording unit.

A back surface recording section for recording on the back surface of the recording material is provided on the downstream side of the recording material in the feeding direction of the recording material, and the control means sets a recording area or an unrecorded area by the defective recording section. It is preferable that the identification information for identification is recorded on the back surface of the recording material using the back surface recording unit. Further, it is preferable that the control unit records a new image in a non-recorded area by the defective recording section by using a normal recording section. Further, it is preferable to sequentially use normal recording portions that record in the unrecorded areas. It is preferable that each of the plurality of recording units can change an interval in the transport direction according to a print size.

[0007]

1 is a schematic diagram of an image recording apparatus embodying the present invention. An image recording apparatus 10 includes a recording material loading section 11, a first loop forming section 12, and a print stage 1.
3, first to sixth recording units 14 to 19, defective head detection unit 2
0, back printer 21, second loop forming unit 22, cutter unit 2
3 and a sorter unit 24, and a transport path 25
These are provided along with.

The recording material loading section 11 is loaded with a long recording material 26 wound into a roll in a magazine 27. The recording material 26 drawn from the magazine 27 is sent to the print stage 13 after passing through the first loop forming unit 12.

The conveying path 25 is composed of feed roller pairs 31 to 36, a guide plate (not shown), guide rollers and the like, and the feed roller pairs 31 and 33 have tip guides 37 and 3 respectively.
8 are provided. Each tip guide 37, 38 guides the leading edge of the recording material 26 to the downstream feed roller pair 32, 34 when the leading edge of the recording material 26 passes, and the leading edge guide roller pair 32, 3 guides the leading edge.
After being nipped by 4, it becomes a retracted position and forms a loop space. The feed roller pair 31 is driven by the paper feed motor 40.
The feed roller pairs 32 and 33 and the platen roller 52 are driven to rotate by the feed motor 41, and the feed roller pairs 34 to 36 are driven to rotate by the paper discharge motor 42. These motors 40-42
Is controlled by the controller 43 via the drivers 40a, 41a, 42a. The feed roller pairs 31 to 3
The arrangement position and the number of 6 are not limited to those shown in the figure, and may be appropriately increased or decreased or the position may be changed. Further, the loop forming portions 12 and 22 are provided as needed, and may be omitted.

The first loop forming section 12 includes a feed roller pair 3
1 and 32 and the tip guide 37, the recording material 26 is stored in a loop by providing a speed difference between the two feed roller pairs 31 and 32. Tip guide 3
7 is displaced between a horizontal guide position and a vertically retracted position, and is set to a guide position when the leading edge of the recording material 26 passes, and the leading edge of the recording material 26 is fed by the feed roller pair 3
After passing 2, it is moved to the retracted position. The second loop forming portion 22 is also configured similarly to the first loop forming portion 12,
It is composed of a pair of feed rollers 33, 34 and a tip guide 38.

The print stage 13 is provided with first to sixth recording units 14 to 19 arranged side by side along a transport path 25. Each of the recording units 14 to 19 has an inkjet head 5
1 and a platen roller 52 are provided respectively. The inkjet head 51 is provided with a large number of nozzles arranged side by side in the width direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the recording material 26. Each nozzle row is provided with four colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (BK). Light magenta, light cyan, and
A nozzle row such as dark yellow may be provided. Then, in synchronism with the feeding of the recording material 26, ink jet droplets are sprayed onto the surface of the recording material 26 from the large number of nozzles according to the image data, and each recording unit 14 is ejected.
6 to 19 image frames are recorded simultaneously. After recording 6 image frames, the recording material 2 is faster than when recording.
6 is sent, and a new unrecorded area is added to each of the recording units 14-1.
Positioned at 9.

In this embodiment, the first to sixth recording units 14 to 1 are used.
Since 9 is provided, 6 images are recorded on the recording material 26 at one time by the recording units 14 to 19. An image data input unit 55 is connected to the controller 43, and image data to be printed is input. The image data input unit 55 is composed of, for example, a film scanner that reads an image of a photographic film, and image data to be printed is input for each order.

The input image data is the controller 43.
It is temporarily stored in the internal memory 56. Controller 4
An image processing unit 57 is provided in the unit 3, and is converted into print data of the inkjet head 51 by known image processing so as to obtain appropriate color and density. An operation panel 58 and a display 59 are connected to the controller 43. By operating the operation panel 58 while looking at the operation command displayed on the display 59, the print command, the mode setting, the image data and the print data are input.

In the memory 56, test pattern recording drive data for nozzle defect detection is stored for each color nozzle, and by using this data, as shown in FIG. Before recording 60, space 6 between each frame 60
Nozzle defect detection test pattern 62 is recorded in No. 1. This test pattern 62, as shown in (B),
Dot rows 62y, 62 formed in a line for each color
m, 62c, 62bk. In the example shown in (B), the third and fourth dots 63a and 63b of the M dot row 62m are missing.
It can be seen that the nozzle recording 3b is defective.

In the defective head detecting section 20, the image of the test pattern 62 is read by the line CCD,
When the dot 63 corresponding to each nozzle has reached a predetermined density, or whether the dot 63 has been recorded on the recording material 26 in a predetermined size, it is determined that the predetermined density or size has not been reached. First, it is determined that the nozzle is defective. In the example of FIG. 2B, the dots 63a and 63b by the third and fourth nozzles of the M nozzle row 62m are not recorded, and in this case, it is determined that the nozzle is defective. As shown in FIG. 1, this nozzle failure signal is sent to the controller 43. Alternatively, only the line CCD may be provided at a position where the test pattern 62 can be imaged, and the controller 43 may determine nozzle clogging or defective head based on the image data of the line CCD.

A monochrome back printer 21 is arranged on the opposite side of the defective head detection unit 20 with the conveyance path 25 interposed therebetween, and an order number, a frame number, and other image processing conditions are recorded. In addition, for the image frame recorded by the recording unit determined to be defective by the defective head detection unit 20, a mark indicating defective printing is recorded on the back surface by the back printer 21. This defective print mark is the cutter part 2.
3 and read by the branch guide 65, the waste tray 6
It is branched to 6. Further, in order to collect prints for each order, sort marks are recorded on the back surface of the final prints of each order using the back printer 21.

The cutter 23 has a cut mark sensor 7
0, sort mark sensor 71, defective mark sensor 72,
And a cutter 73 is arranged. Then, the cut mark sensor 70 reads the test pattern as a cut mark, and the cutter 73 is operated so as to cut off the margin 61 (see FIG. 2) including the test pattern 62 to separate each image frame 60. Each image frame 6
The recording material 26 separated for each 0 is used as a print 26a by the discharge roller pair 36 for each tray 7 for each order.
It is discharged to 5. The tray 75 is fixed to an endless chain or the like (not shown) so that it can be circulated.

When the sort mark is read by the sort mark sensor 71, the sorter unit 24 moves each tray 75 by the pitch of one tray, and a new empty tray 75 is set at the print drop position. further,
When the defective mark is detected by the defective mark sensor 72, the branch guide 65 is set to the discarding position indicated by the chain double-dashed line, and the print 26b having the defective mark recorded thereon is discharged to the discard tray 66.

The controller 43 controls each unit to control the first
In addition to executing the normal control sequence in which the image to be printed is recorded by the sixth recording units 14 to 19, separated by the cutter unit 23 for each frame, and discharged to the tray 75 for each order, FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, when the test pattern 62 is recorded in the blank space 61 between the frames 60 or when the defective head detecting unit 20 detects a defective recording unit, printing is continued using only the remaining normal recording unit. The head failure control sequence is executed.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the processing procedure in the image recording apparatus 10. First, as shown in FIG. 1, image data is input from the image data input unit 55 to the controller 43, and these image data are stored in the memory 56. Next, the controller 43 performs image processing on the image data for 6 frames and converts it into recording data. Further, in parallel with this, the recording material is fed by the image length of 6 frames, and the unrecorded areas are set in the recording sections 14 to 19. Then, first, the test pattern 62 is recorded in a line for each color. In the test pattern 62, each dot corresponds to each nozzle, and by detecting the density or size of each dot, it is detected whether or not each nozzle is normal. The total number of defective nozzles or the continuous number when the defective nozzles are adjacent to each other is obtained, and when these are a predetermined value, for example, "10" when the number is continuous and "3" when the number is continuous, the defective nozzle is defective. The head is determined. In this case, an alarm is issued to the operator by the alarm device and the display 57.

For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, when the nozzles of the ink jet head 51 of the fourth recording section 17 are clogged and the defective head detecting section 20 detects this based on the nth test pattern. Is the fourth recording unit 1
A defective mark is recorded by the back printer 21 on the back surface of the n-th defective image frame F1 of No. 7. And the next n + 1
When performing the second and subsequent prints, this fourth recording unit 1
Each image is recorded by using the first to third, fifth and sixth recording units 14 to 16, 18, and 19 without using 7.

[0022] In this embodiment, so the recording material priority mode as shown in FIG. 4, have become selectable and speed priority mode as shown in FIG. 5, the advance either mode is selected ing.

In the recording material priority mode as shown in FIG. 4, as shown in (A), for example, when it is determined that the fourth recording portion 17 is defective in the nth printing operation,
As shown in (B), after the recording material 26 is fed, in the next (n + 1) th printing operation, the first recording unit 1
For example, the image frame (reprinted image frame) F2 having the frame number of A027 is re-recorded by using only A4. Next, after the recording material 26 is conveyed by one frame, as shown in (C), in the (n + 2) th printing operation, the first to third, fifth and fifth parts excluding the fourth recording unit 17 are performed. 6 recording units 14-1
5 images (frame number A03
0, A031, A032, B002, B003 (Note that
The first alphabetic character of the frame number represents the order identification code. )) Is recorded. Next, after the recording material 26 is conveyed by three frames, as shown in FIG.
In the third printing operation, the image of frame number B001 is recorded using the first recording unit 14 in the unrecorded area A1 where the fourth recording unit 17 is located in the (n + 2) th printing operation. In this way, the image (frame number B001) scheduled to be recorded in the fourth recording unit 17 is skipped, and in the next printing operation, the unrecorded area A1 in which the fourth recording unit 17 is located.
On the other hand, by recording the image of the frame number B001 in the first recording unit 14, the print order is not disturbed.

As described above, the alternative printing operation (n + 1, n + 3, ...) Using, for example, the first recording unit 14 instead of the fourth recording unit 17 having a defective head, and the fourth recording unit 17 are performed. By repeating the printing operation of the five images (n + 2, n + 4, ...) By the first to third, fifth, and sixth normal recording units 14 to 16, 18, and 19 that have been removed alternately Although the alternative printing operation is increased, an image can be recorded without forming the unrecorded area A1 on the recording material 26, and the recording material 26 is not wasted.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the speed priority mode,
The recording material 26 is sent for 6 frames, and the recording units 14 to 19
After a new recording material 26 is set in, the defective image frame F1 (frame number A027) previously recorded by the defective head (fourth recording unit 17) in the (n + 1) th printing operation is set as shown in (B). In addition to recording the image of the first recording unit 14, the second, third, fifth and sixth recording units 15, 1
The next image (frame number A03
0, A031, A032, B001) are recorded. Next, as shown in (C), in the next (n + 2) th print operation, the next five images (frame number B00
2, B003, B004, B005, C001)
Recording is performed using the third, fifth and sixth recording units 14-16, 18, and 19. Thereafter, the subsequent images are recorded in the same manner.

As described above, in the speed priority mode, the unrecorded area A1 in which the defective head is positioned is left blank and is processed as it is, and the back printer 21 puts a defective mark on the back surface of the unrecorded area frame and discards it. The sheet is discharged to the tray 66.
Further, for the image to be recorded, the defective head is removed and the images are allocated to the normal heads in order, so that the reprinted image frame F2
The print order is not disturbed except for. In the speed priority mode, the recording material 26 is wasted by the amount of the unrecorded area A1 due to the defective head, but the printing time is shortened by the amount of additional printing to the unrecorded area A1 as in the recording material priority mode. be able to.

[0027] While the recording material priority mode and speed priority mode can be set to either advance manually, which may be switched in automatically. For example, when two or more defective heads occur, the recording material priority mode is set, and the other speeds are set to the speed priority mode. Further, this switching may be determined according to the remaining number of print orders. If the number of print backorders is large, the speed priority mode is set, and if it is small, the recording material priority mode is set. In addition,
The recording material priority mode may be set when the remaining number of print orders is large, and the speed priority mode may be set when the remaining number of print orders is small.

Further, in the recording material priority mode, the head of the first recording portion 14 is used as a substitute head for the defective head, but this may be replaced in order. For example,
In the (n + 1) th printing operation after the defective head is detected, the head of the first recording unit 14 is used and the next (n + 3) th printing operation is performed.
In the second printing operation, the head of the second recording unit 15
By sequentially lowering and circulating the recording units to be used, the load on each head can be made uniform. Also,
Instead of such replacement of the alternative head, the alternative head may have higher durability than other heads.

Although the arrangement pitch of each head is fixed in the above embodiment, the arrangement pitch of each head may be changed instead. In this case, the total length of the print stage is set as the maximum print size × the number of recording heads, and each recording unit is individually shifted by the shift mechanism.

Although the line printing method has been described in the above embodiment, a serial printing method may be used instead of the line printing method in which the recording head is moved by the carriage in the width direction of the recording paper to perform recording. Further, although the inkjet head is used as the recording head, a recording unit of another recording method such as a thermal method or a laser method may be used. Although ink clogging is detected in the above embodiment, ink depletion can be detected in addition to this, and the same printing operation can be performed in this case as well.

When an ink jet head is used, a drying section may be provided between the recording sections to speed up the drying of the ink.

In the above embodiment, in order to detect the defect of each recording head, the test pattern 62 is recorded in the blank space 61 between the frames 60 as shown in FIG. 2, but instead of performing this recording every time, the test pattern 62 is recorded. The test pattern 62 may be recorded every suitable number of prints to detect a defect in the recording head.

In the above embodiment, the margin 6 between the frames 60
The test pattern 62 was recorded in No. 1, but instead of this,
When the power is turned on or printing is restarted, each recording unit 14 to 1
It is also possible to record only the test pattern 62 in 9 and image this test pattern 62 by the defective head detection unit 20 to determine whether or not it is a defective head. In this case, the defective head can be detected before the image printing, and the recording material and the ink are not wasted. Also in this case, the print operation is performed on the defective head in the speed priority or material priority mode, as in the above embodiment.

In the above-described embodiment, when the defective nozzle is detected by the defective head detecting section 20, the defective nozzle may be recovered. The recovery measures include forced discharge of ink, forced discharge after nozzle heating by laser irradiation or other means, and wiping or adsorption of adhered ink or dust, and at least one or more of these measures are performed.

Further, instead of recording the test pattern 62 and detecting the defective head, each recorded image may be read by a scanner and compared with the original image data to determine whether or not the defective printing is performed. . For example, with respect to the original image data and the print read image data, a density histogram is created for each color, and when the density histogram is the same or within a certain range, it is determined to be normal, and the others are determined to be defective. Alternatively, for each color of yellow, magenta, and cyan, the contour of each color image is extracted from the portion where the density changes abruptly, and if the contour for each color is present, it is determined to be normal, and the others are determined to be defective.

In the above embodiment, each image frame is recorded on the continuous recording material and is cut off. However, in addition to this, a method of sending a cut sheet recording material to each recording unit for recording is also used. The invention may be implemented.

[0037]

According to the present invention, the defective recording portion is specified based on the recorded image, and at the time of recording the next new image,
Since the normal recording portion is used for recording without using the defective recording portion, the defective recording portion is not continuously recorded, so that the recording material and ink are not wasted. Further, it is not necessary to manually determine whether or not the image is a defective recording image. Moreover, when a recording section defect occurs, the speed priority mode or the recording material priority mode can be selected to perform the printing operation suitable for the situation.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an outline of an image recording apparatus embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a nozzle defect detection test pattern, in which (A) shows a recording position on a recording material,
(B) shows an enlarged test pattern.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the image recording apparatus.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an image recording procedure in a recording material priority mode.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an image recording procedure in a speed priority mode.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Image recording device 13 Print stage 14-19 1st-6th recording part 20 Bad head detector 21 Back printer 23 Cutter part 24 Sorter part 25 transport path 26 Recording materials 26a print 26b Bad print 51 inkjet head 60 image frames 61 margin 62 test patterns 62y, 62m, 62c, 62bk dot row 63 dots F1 bad image frame F2 Reprint image frame A1 unrecorded area

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of recording units arranged along a recording material conveying path and a conveying unit for conveying recording material to the plurality of recording units are used to drive the plurality of recording units. In an image recording apparatus for recording an image on the recording material by a recording unit, the defective recording is arranged on the downstream side of the plurality of recording units and identifies the defective recording unit based on the images recorded by the plurality of recording units. And a control unit that controls the recording unit so that an image is recorded using a normal recording unit without using the defective recording unit specified by the defective recording unit specifying unit. An image recording device characterized by the above. 2. A back surface recording section for recording on the back surface of the recording material is provided downstream of the recording section in the feeding direction of the recording material, and the control means sets a recording area or an unrecorded area by the defective recording section. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the identification information for identification is recorded on the back surface of the recording material by using the back surface recording section. 3. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit records a new image in a non-recorded area by the defective recording section by using a normal recording section. 4. The image recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein normal recording units that perform recording in the unrecorded area are used in order.