JP2005088290A - Recording apparatus, ink residual quantity detecting device, and ink residual quantity detection method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable detection of an ink residual quantity by a rise of an ink temperature in an ink cartridge by heating with a heater, and by a lowering state of the ink temperature after the heater is stopped, and to realize continuous measurement in a recording apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: The ink residual quantity is detected also at the time of ink temperature lowering, by a time interval before the ink temperature lowers by a predetermined temperature after heating of an ink tank by the heater is stopped. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an improved recording apparatus, an ink remaining amount detecting apparatus, and an ink remaining amount detecting method for detecting the remaining amount of ink in an ink tank in an ink jet recording apparatus or the like.

It is difficult to accurately measure the remaining amount of ink in an ink cartridge using a conventional ink cartridge that can be replaced. For example, a subtank with an ink level sensor is provided separately from the ink cartridge, and ink can be supplied to the subtank. Some devices detect the absence of ink by detecting the absence of ink.

On the other hand, there is also invented a method in which a heater is heated for a predetermined time with a heater of an ink cartridge without having a sub tank, and when there is a certain temperature or more, it is determined that there is no ink.
(For example, Patent Document 1)

JP 06-255120 (4 pages, Fig. 3)

  Although the remaining amount of ink should be measured continuously during the recording operation, according to the conventional example, once the remaining amount of ink is measured, the temperature of the ink rises depending on the remaining amount, and the initial conditions at the start of the next measurement Therefore, a sufficient waiting time is required for the second and subsequent measurements.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and sets a predetermined value for a relatively small temperature rise, and measures the heating time until the temperature rise set by the heater is reached. It is intended to detect the remaining amount of ink inside.

  Further, the time from when the heater is stopped until the ink temperature falls by a predetermined value is measured, and the remaining amount of ink is similarly detected.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to detect the remaining amount of ink based on the rise in the ink temperature in the ink cartridge due to the heating of the heater and the lowered state of the ink temperature after the heater is stopped, and the recording apparatus can realize continuous measurement. .

  Embodiments relating to the recording apparatus of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the overall configuration of an ink jet printer (recording apparatus) to which the present invention is applied.
The recording apparatus 101 includes an image forming unit 102 including recording heads 104 to 109, and a paper feeding device 103 that separates and feeds sheets one by one to the image forming unit 102.
In the direction (width direction) perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction indicated by the arrow, a recording head having a large number of inkjet nozzles is 104: black (K), 105: cyan (C), 106: magenta (M ), 107: yellow (Y) 108: light cyan (LC), and 109: light magenta (LM), respectively, and are fed from the sheet feeder 103 and conveyed by the conveyor belt 110. In synchronization with the transport operation, ink is selectively ejected from the nozzles to perform color recording.

The sheet feeding device 103 includes a sheet feeding roller that picks up the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking tray 117 one by one, a separation roller that separates the picked-up sheets one by one.
The recording-completed paper is discharged onto a paper discharge tray 123 provided on the side wall surface of the apparatus main body.

During standby of the recording apparatus, the nozzle surfaces of the recording heads 104 to 109 are individually capped by the recovery mechanism 124.
When the recording operation starts, the recovery mechanism 124 can operate in the horizontal direction (left and right direction in the figure), and the recording heads 104 to 109 can operate in the vertical direction (up and down direction in the figure), respectively. Quiesce.
When wiping (wiping) the nozzle surfaces of the recording heads 104 to 109 with the elastic wiper blade 125, the recording heads 104 to 109 are lifted slightly from the capping position, and then the recovery mechanism 124 is moved to the right in the figure. Moving. In this embodiment, two sets of wiper blades are provided, and each of the three color recording heads is shared and wiped.
Ink cartridges 131 to 136 are provided independently for each ink color in order to supply ink of a color corresponding to each recording head, and each has a heater and a heater temperature sensor for detecting the remaining amount of ink described later. Yes.

  FIG. 2 shows an electrical block diagram of a recording apparatus embodying the present invention. After creating the recording data, the host computer 200 transfers the recording data to the interface unit 201 of the recording apparatus 101 and instructs to start recording. In addition, a command for instructing the number of recordings, the type and size of the recording medium, and the like can be transferred to the interface unit 201 and instructed.

  The CPU 202 is an arithmetic processing unit that controls the entire recording apparatus, such as recording data reception, recording operation, and recording medium handling, and reads a program that is stored in a memory (ROM) described later and that corresponds to a flow described later. Control is performed based on such a program.

  After analyzing the received command, the CPU 202 instructs the memory controller 206 to develop the image data of each color component of the recording data in a VRAM (Video RAM) 207 by developing it into a bitmap.

  As an operation process before recording, the CPU 202 includes an input / output port (I / O) 212, a capping motor 215 that drives the recovery mechanism 124 via the motor driving unit 213, and a head U / D that moves the recording head up and down. The motors 214 are driven to move the recording heads 104 to 109 from the capping position to the recording position. The paper feeding motor 217 for feeding paper and the transport motor 216 are activated almost simultaneously, and the paper is transported one by one in the direction of the recording unit 102. In order to determine the recording timing of the sheet conveyed at a constant speed, the sheet leading edge detection sensor 208 detects the leading edge (and trailing edge) position of the sheet. In synchronization with the conveyance of the paper, the CPU 202 sequentially reads the corresponding color image data from the VRAM 207 and transfers the data to the recording heads 104 to 109 that discharge the corresponding color ink via the recording head control circuit 220. Record.

  During the recovery operation for recovering the sound recording performance of the recording heads 104 to 109, the recording heads 104 to 109 are moved to the capping position, pressurizing the ink inside the recording head and forcibly discharging the ink from each nozzle. The pressure motor 218 is driven.

  Operation SW and LED211 are used for power ON / OFF, reset, etc., warning display for no ink, etc.

  The operation of the CPU 202 is executed based on the processing program stored in the program ROM 203 and the Δt⇒ink remaining amount conversion table. A work RAM 204 is used as a working memory. The EEPROM 205 is a non-volatile memory that stores parameters unique to the apparatus such as a minute recording position adjustment value between recording heads. The ROM 203 stores conversion tables shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 in addition to the above-described program.

  In order to detect the remaining amount of ink according to the present invention, each of the ink cartridges 131 to 136 is provided with an individual heater 231 to 236, and can be driven independently via the output port 212 to the heater driving unit. The CPU 202 reads the output of the temperature sensor 209 via the AD converter (ADC) 210 and sets an appropriate value in the DA converter (DAC) 248 according to the converted internal temperature, and instructs the heater driving voltage by the heater driving unit 230. . As shown in Fig. 9, the heater drive voltage indication value table for the machine temperature is set to +24 [V] at the lowest machine temperature (for example, 0 [° C]), and the heater drive voltage increases as the measured value of the machine temperature increases. Is corrected to a smaller value.

  Returning to FIG. 2, heater temperature sensors 240 to 245 for measuring the temperatures before and after heating are joined to the heaters 231 to 236 so that the CPU 202 can read out the sensor output for each color from the AD converter (ADC) 247. In addition, a selection circuit 246 is provided between each of the heater temperature sensors 240 to 245 and the AD converter 247.

  Next, an outline of the ink supply system of the recording apparatus embodying the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  When a detachable ink cartridge 500 for storing ink 501 is mounted on the recording apparatus 101 main body, two needles (ink supply needles) 505 and 506 penetrate and supply the elastic member provided in the ink supply port of the ink cartridge 500. A path is formed. During the recording operation, ink is supplied from two paths of the lower needle 505 to the pressurizing pump 509 to the recording head 515 in the drawing and the upper needle 506 to the recovery valve 514 to the recording head 515 in the drawing.

  Here, the pressure chamber (recovery) for the purpose of forcibly discharging the liquid chamber inside the recording head 515, bubbles in the vicinity of the nozzle, and attached impurities will be described.

  The recovery valve 514 is closed by a power transmission system (not shown) by the pressure motor 218, and the pressure pump 509 is driven through the gear 218 to a gear (not shown), and the ink 501 is supplied from the ink cartridge 500 to the pressure pump 509. When the pressure is fed to the recording head 515, the recovery valve 514 on the other path is closed, so the inside of the recording head 515 is instantaneously pressurized, and a relatively large amount of ink is forcibly discharged from each nozzle 517. The Each nozzle of the recording head 515 is restored to a healthy state by pressurizing and forcibly discharging the ink.

  The ink discharged to the cap 518 of the nozzle-recovery mechanism 124 may be collected in the pump 521 to the waste liquid tank 510, or may be reused by an ink recycle mechanism (not shown) provided with a filter.

Now, a description will be given regarding detection of the remaining amount of the internal ink 501 stored in the ink cartridge 500 according to the present invention.
Near the needles 505 and 506 at the lower part of the ink cartridge, a heater member 504 provided with a heater 502 for heating the internal ink 501 and a heater temperature sensor 503 are attached in close contact with the heater 502.

  Details of this portion will be described with reference to FIG.

The heating member 504 is made of resin, for example, and a film heater 502 is bonded to the upper surface, and a heater temperature sensor 503 is bonded to a part of the film heater surface. Reference numerals 507 and 508 denote heaters and independent electrodes necessary for the heater 502 and the temperature sensor 503, respectively.
In the case of the present embodiment, since the heating member 504 is preferably made of a material having poor thermal conductivity, a resin or the like is used.

  As the film heater 502 to be bonded to the heating member 504, for example, a film obtained by patterning a heater 702 on a polyimide film 701 as shown in FIG. 7 is used.

  The operation of the configuration of the embodiment described above will be described with reference to FIG. 4 regarding the operation flow of the CPU 202 regarding the remaining ink amount detection of the present invention on the premise of the physical arrangement of the heater and the heater temperature detection element.

  When receiving a print start command from the host PC 200 (S401), the CPU 202 of the recording apparatus 101 first detects the temperature in the apparatus: t3 from the output of the temperature sensor 209 (S402), and the in-machine temperature of FIG. The heater driving voltage is set based on the voltage setting table (S403).

Next, the ink temperature in the cartridge before heating: t1 is detected (S404). At this time, since the ink cartridges of a plurality of colors are provided, in this embodiment, for example, black may be designated, but the operation may be performed in parallel for all colors.
Subsequently, heating of the heater is started, and at the same time, a timer set in the CPU for measuring the time for the ink temperature rise value to reach the predetermined value Δt is also started (S405).

  When the ink temperature in the ink cartridge rises by Δt (for example, Δt: 5 ° C.) and exceeds t2 (S406-Yes), the heater heating pulse is turned off (S407), and the heater heating time at this time: Ta is set. Read (S408). The heater heating time Ta is obtained by reading the value of the timer started first.

  If Ta is less than a predetermined time TA (for example, TA: 5 [sec]) (S409-No), it is determined that the ink in the cartridge is empty, and an alarm indicating no ink is output (S417). The alarm is output to the host PC 200 via the operation panel 211 or the interface controller 201, and the warning is displayed on the display unit of the host PC 200.

  On the other hand, if the heater heating time Ta takes 5 [sec] or longer (S409-Yes), it can be determined that the remaining ink is suppressing the temperature rise of the heater itself, so the heater heating time Ta to the ink remaining amount conversion table (FIG. 8), and the converted ink remaining amount value is read and displayed on the display of the display unit on the operation panel 211 or via the printer driver of the host PC 200 (S410).

  That is, according to this embodiment based on FIG. 8, for example, if it takes 10 [sec] to reach a predetermined temperature rise value Δt: 5 ° C., the remaining ink amount is 1 [CC], and if it takes 20 [sec], 2 [CC ] If it takes 100 [sec], it is converted to 10 [CC]. The heater heating time Ta to ink remaining amount conversion table in FIG.

  Here, FIG. 3 shows a conceptual diagram in which the heating time for heating the heater and the heater temperature rise to raise the temperature by a predetermined temperature. The horizontal axis is the passage of time.

  First, when the ink is sufficiently left as when it is full, in order for the heater itself to increase by a predetermined temperature (for example, 5 ° C.) after starting heating, it is necessary to increase the temperature of the entire ink by a predetermined temperature. Accordingly, the heating time T3 is a large value.

  On the other hand, in a state where there is almost no remaining ink and it is almost empty, the temperature of the heater itself rapidly increases from the start of heating, so the heating time T1 until it rises to a predetermined temperature (for example, 5 ° C.) is instantaneous.

  Returning to the flow of FIG. 4, once the ink remaining amount detection and display processing is completed (S410), the timer used for the heating time measurement is reset to restarted (S411), and this time the ink temperature fall time is measured. Move.

  In this case as well, first, the in-machine temperature: t3 ′ is detected (S411), and if the current temperature of the heater is lowered by a predetermined temperature (Δt2: 3 ° C., for example, 3 ° C.) from the current temperature t2, it is determined whether the in-machine temperature: t3 ′ If not (S411-No), the remaining amount measurement due to the temperature drop is stopped, and the process proceeds to S418, and if the printing is not yet finished (S418-No), the process returns to S402 again and the remaining ink amount due to the heater heating. Repeat the measurement process.

  When the current temperature of the heater is lowered from the current t2 by a predetermined temperature (Δt2: 3 ° C., for example) If the temperature inside the machine is higher than t3 ′ (S412-Yes), the temperature after the descent (t2−Δt2) and the machine temperature (t3) ') Difference: One is selected from a plurality of temperature fall time to ink remaining amount conversion tables prepared in advance according to the value of tD (S413). In the example of the plural temperature fall time to ink remaining amount conversion table, as shown in FIG. 10, the difference tD is divided into, for example, every 5 [° C.] and is provided as an independent conversion table.

  A plurality of temperature fall time to ink remaining amount conversion tables are stored in advance in the table area of the ROM 203.

  Thereafter, the timer is restarted (S414), waits for the ink temperature (heater temperature) to decrease by Δt2 (S414-Yes), and the time required for the decrease: Tb is read from the timer (S415).

  Time required for descent: If Tb is smaller than the predetermined value: TB (S416-No), it is determined that the ink is almost empty, and an alarm indicating no ink is output (S417).

  The predetermined value: TB varies depending on the conversion table selected as shown in FIG.

  This is because the temperature drop curve of the ink changes depending on the in-machine temperature of the recording apparatus 101.

  If the temperature fall time Tb is longer than the predetermined time (S416-Yes), the remaining ink amount is read from Tb based on the conversion table of FIG. 10 and displayed (S417).

If printing has not been completed, the process returns to S402 again, and the process for measuring the remaining amount of ink by heating the heater is repeated.
When printing is completed (S418-Yes), the final remaining amount measurement value is held and the process ends.

  The present invention can be used in a recording apparatus that can easily detect the remaining amount of ink in an ink cartridge without having a sub tank or a complicated ink supply system.

  In particular, the remaining amount can be measured without immersing an electrode for measuring the remaining amount in the ink tank, so that the measurement voltage is not applied to the ink and ion decomposition to chemical change can be suppressed.

  Furthermore, the present invention can be used for a recording apparatus capable of continuously detecting the remaining amount of ink during a recording operation.

1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a recording apparatus embodying the present invention. 1 is an electrical block diagram of a recording apparatus embodying the present invention. It is a figure which shows the heater heating pulse by this invention, and a heater temperature rise waveform. 3 is an operation flow relating to ink remaining amount detection according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an ink supply system of a recording apparatus according to the present invention. It is a figure which shows the detail of the ink residual amount detection part by this invention. It is a figure which shows the outline of the film heater used by this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of a heater heating time-ink remaining amount conversion table by this invention. It is a figure which shows the table which correct | amends a heater drive voltage according to in-machine temperature. It is a figure which shows the several temperature fall time-ink remaining amount conversion table according to internal temperature.

Explanation of symbols

101 Recording device
104 Recording head (black)
105 Recording head (cyan)
106 Recording head (magenta)
107 Recording head (yellow)
108 Recording head (light cyan)
109 Recording head (Light magenta)
124 Capping mechanism
125 wiper blade
131 Ink cartridge (black)
132 Ink cartridge (cyan)
133 Ink cartridge (magenta)
134 Ink cartridge (yellow)
135 Ink cartridge (light cyan)
136 Ink cartridge (light magenta)

200 Host computer (host PC)
201 Interface controller
202 CPU
203 ROM
209 Temperature sensor
210 AD Converter
230 Heater drive
231 Heater (K)
232 Heater (C)
233 Heater (M)
234 Heater (Y)
235 Heater (LC)
236 Heater (LM)
240 Heater temperature sensor (K)
241 Heater temperature sensor (C)
242 Heater temperature sensor (M)
243 Heater temperature sensor (Y)
244 Heater temperature sensor (LC)
245 Heater temperature sensor (LM)
246 Multiplexer (selection circuit)
247 AD converter (ADC)
248 DA converter (DAC)

300 Heater heating signal

500 ink cartridge
502 Heater heating element
503 Heater temperature detection element
505 needle (ink supply needle)
506 Needle (ink supply needle)
507 Spring
508 Spring

702 film heater

801 Heater heating member
802 Heater temperature detector
803 electrodes
804 electrodes

1001 Heater heating element
1002 Heater temperature detector
1003 electrode
1004 electrode

Claims (15)

A recording head for recording an image by discharging ink;
In a recording apparatus having an ink tank for supplying ink to the recording head,
A heater for heating the ink tank, a heater driving means for driving the heater, and a heater temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the heater;
First ink remaining amount determination means for determining the remaining amount of ink in the ink tank based on the heater driving time from when the heater is driven until the ink temperature rises by a first predetermined value;
And a second ink remaining amount determining unit configured to determine the remaining amount of ink in the ink tank based on a decrease time from when the heating by the heater is stopped until the ink temperature decreases by a second predetermined value. Recording device.   2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heater is disposed in close contact with the ink tank.   2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heater is disposed in close contact with the ink in the ink tank.   4. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heater temperature detecting means is in close contact with the heater.   5. The recording according to claim 1, wherein when the heater driving time is within a predetermined time, the first ink remaining amount determining unit determines that the ink in the ink tank is empty. apparatus. Having an in-machine temperature detection means for detecting the in-machine temperature of the recording device, based on the detection result by the in-machine temperature detection means,
6. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising driving voltage instruction means for instructing a driving voltage of the heater driving means.   7. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the ink tank determines that the ink in the ink tank is empty when the falling time until the ink temperature decreases by a second predetermined value is within a predetermined time. Recording device.   A determination unit configured to determine whether or not the ink temperature can be decreased by the second predetermined value; if the determination result by the determination unit determines that the ink temperature cannot be decreased, the heater is heated and the first ink remaining amount is determined. 7. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the remaining amount of ink is determined by the determination.   9. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second predetermined values are different values, and the second predetermined value is smaller.   10. The ink remaining amount correcting means for correcting the remaining ink amount detected by the second ink remaining amount detecting means based on the detection result of the in-machine temperature. Recording device.   11. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ink remaining amount detection by the first and second ink remaining amount detecting means is performed during a recording operation.   12. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit configured to display a detection result of the ink remaining amount by the first and second ink remaining amount detecting units.   8. The detection result of the remaining amount of ink by the first and second ink remaining amount detecting means, and when there is no ink, the ink remaining alarm output means for outputting an alarm is provided. Recording device. In an ink remaining amount detection device of a recording apparatus having an ink tank for supplying ink to a recording head,
A heater temperature detecting means for detecting a temperature of the heater by a heater driving means for driving a heater for heating the ink tank;
First ink remaining amount determining means for determining the ink remaining amount in the ink tank based on the heater driving time from when the heater is driven until the ink temperature rises by a first predetermined value;
And a second ink remaining amount determining unit that determines the remaining amount of ink in the ink tank based on a time period from when the heating by the heater is stopped until the ink temperature decreases by a second predetermined value. Ink remaining amount detection device. In a method for detecting the remaining amount of ink in a recording apparatus having an ink tank for supplying ink to a recording head,
A heater driving step for driving a heater for heating the ink tank; a heater temperature detecting step for detecting the temperature of the heater;
A first ink remaining amount determination step of determining the remaining amount of ink in the ink tank based on the heater driving time from when the heater is driven until the ink temperature rises by a first predetermined value;
And a second ink remaining amount determining step for determining the remaining amount of ink in the ink tank based on a decrease time from when the heating by the heater is stopped until the ink temperature decreases by a second predetermined value. To detect the remaining ink level.