JP2006159610A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer which can promptly and spontaneously carry out suction recovery not only before printing is started, but when a suction recovery condition is satisfied, and which has a short waiting time before printing is started while a printing quality is maintained. <P>SOLUTION: A final time when a suction execution device carries out suction is stored, and a lapse time from the stored last suction time is calculated. A maximum time interval to suck a printing head is set. A suction judging device is set which judges whether or not a predetermined condition is satisfied. When it is judged that the predetermined condition is satisfied, a suction command is generated to the suction execution device, a time interval to generate a judgment command to be sent to the suction judging device is set and the printer generates the judgment command to be sent to the suction judging device for every set interval of the judgment command. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

The present invention relates to an inkjet printing apparatus, and more particularly to optimization of suction recovery timing.

  A conventional serial scan type ink jet printing apparatus has a carriage on which a print head is mounted and a transport apparatus for transporting a recording medium, and a plurality of ink discharge ports (nozzles) are arranged in the transport direction of the recording medium (secondary) using the carriage. The recording heads arranged in the scanning direction) are serially scanned in the direction (main scanning direction) perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction, and after recording for one line, the recording medium is conveyed by one pitch. Thereafter, the operation of recording the next row image again on the stopped recording medium is repeated to record the entire recording medium.

  In the conventional inkjet printing apparatus, when printing is not performed for a long time, the water in the ink staying inside the nozzles is evaporated and the ink is finally fixed. In order to prevent this sticking, the conventional example is configured to perform suction recovery immediately before the start of printing when the elapsed time since the last suction recovery exceeds a predetermined time.

  As a recovery method to improve the quality improvement of the print quality by a series of recovery process consisting of suction recovery, wiping and preliminary ejection for inkjet head, after wiping the head surface by wiping means, after waiting time, A configuration for performing preliminary discharge is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a conventional printing apparatus 300.

  A conventional printing apparatus 300 includes a host computer 1 that generates a print command, a print control apparatus 2 that controls a printing procedure, a print execution apparatus 3 that performs a printing operation, a timing apparatus 4 that measures the current time, and a suction unit. A final suction time storage device 5 for storing the final time at which recovery is performed, an elapsed time calculation device 6 for calculating an elapsed time from the final suction time, and a suction interval setting for setting a maximum time interval at which the print head should be recovered by suction The apparatus 7 includes a suction determination device 8 that issues a suction recovery command to the suction recovery execution device 9, and a suction recovery execution device 9 that executes suction recovery.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the conventional printing apparatus 300.

  When a print command is generated in the host computer 1 (S1), a determination command is issued from the print control device 2 to the suction determination device 8, and a recovery operation by suction is performed according to the measured time (S2). The suction recovery operation executed in accordance with the measured time is hereinafter referred to as “timer suction procedure”. When the timer suction recovery procedure is completed, an execution command is issued from the print control device 2 to the print execution device 3, and a printing operation is performed (S3). When the printing operation for one page is completed, the print command is finished.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart specifically showing the timer suction recovery operation (S2) shown in FIG.

The elapsed time calculation device 6 calculates the elapsed time (S11), and the suction determination device 8 determines the elapsed time (S12). If the elapsed time is equal to or greater than the suction interval, an execution command is issued to the suction recovery execution device 9 (S13), and after the suction recovery is completed, the current time is stored in the final suction time storage device 5 (S14).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-128989

  In the above conventional example, the suction recovery is surely executed before the start of printing, so that the print quality can be maintained with the minimum ink consumption.

  However, in the above conventional example, in the first printing after satisfying the suction recovery condition, the characteristic of the ink jet printer that “the first print is fast” is lost. In particular, when used for public printing, printing is rarely performed, but a short printing waiting time is an essential condition, but there is a problem that this printing waiting time is not short.

The present invention is not limited to before printing starts, and can provide a printing apparatus that can quickly and spontaneously recover suction if the suction recovery conditions are satisfied, and that has a short waiting time before starting printing while maintaining print quality. The purpose is to do.

The present invention relates to an ink jet type print head that discharges ink, a suction unit that sucks ink from the print head, a timing device, and a storage unit that stores a final time when suction from the print head is performed by the suction unit. And determining means for calculating an elapsed time from the last time stored in the storage means, setting means for setting a maximum time interval to be sucked from the print head, and whether or not a predetermined condition is satisfied, An interval setting for setting a determination unit for generating a suction command for causing the suction unit to perform suction when it is determined that the predetermined condition is satisfied, and a time interval for generating a determination command to be sent to the determination unit And a command generation unit that generates a determination command to be sent to the determination unit for each time interval set by the interval setting unit, and the predetermined condition The every time the judging means receives the determination command, the calculated elapsed time, characterized in that it is a condition that is greater than or equal to the set suction intervals.

According to the present invention, suction recovery is not always performed before the start of printing, and the suction operation is performed under necessary conditions. Therefore, there is an effect that the waiting time until the start of printing can be shortened.

  The best mode for carrying out the invention is the following embodiment.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a printing apparatus 100 that is Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  The printing apparatus 100 includes a host computer 1, a print control apparatus 2, a print execution apparatus 3, a timing device 4, a final suction time storage device 5, an elapsed time calculation device 6, a suction interval setting device 7, and a suction It has a determination device 8, a suction recovery execution device 9, a suction recovery determination command generation device 10, and a determination command interval setting device 11.

  The host computer 1 generates a print command. The print control device 2 controls a printing procedure. The print execution device 3 includes an inkjet print head and performs a printing operation. The timing device 4 measures the current time.

  The last suction time storage device 5 stores the last time when the suction recovery execution device 9 recovered the suction. The elapsed time calculation device 6 calculates the elapsed time from the final suction time stored in the final suction time storage device 5. The suction interval setting device 7 sets a maximum time interval at which the print head is to be recovered by suction.

  The suction determination device 8 issues a suction recovery command to the suction recovery execution device 9, and every time the determination command is received, if the calculated elapsed time is equal to or longer than the set suction interval, the suction recovery execution device 9 Issue a suction recovery command. The suction recovery execution device 9 executes suction recovery by sucking ink from the print head.

  The suction recovery determination command generation device 10 generates a determination command to be sent to the suction determination device 8 at every set determination command interval. The determination command interval setting device 11 sets a time interval for generating a determination command for causing the suction determination device 8 to make a determination.

  Next, the operation of the printing apparatus 100 will be described.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the printing apparatus 100.

  First, even when printing is not being performed, the suction recovery determination command generation device 10 issues a determination command to the suction determination device 8 at each determination time interval set in the determination command interval setting device 11 (S22, S22). S23). If the suction recovery necessary conditions (for example, the instruction for starting the printing operation accompanied by the suction operation or the ambient temperature when starting the printing operation are listed as the necessary conditions) are satisfied, Since the suction determination device 8 issues an execution command to the suction recovery execution device 9, a suction recovery operation is performed.

Note that the operation when print data arrives from the upper apparatus to the printing apparatus 100 is the same as the operation described in the flowcharts of FIGS.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a printing apparatus 200 that is Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

  The printing apparatus 200 is an apparatus in which a suction recovery determination permission time zone setting device 12 is added to the printing apparatus 100.

  The suction recovery determination permission time zone setting device 12 is for controlling execution of the suction operation in a preset time zone.

  Further, the suction recovery determination permission time zone setting device 12 is connected to the suction recovery determination command generation device 10.

  Next, the operation of the printing apparatus 200 will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the printing apparatus 200.

  The operation of the printing apparatus 200 is almost the same as the operation of the printing apparatus 100. If the current time is within the suction recovery determination permission time zone, a timer suction procedure is executed (S32, S33). In addition, when the start time and the end time are the same, spontaneous suction recovery is not performed. There may be a plurality of time zone settings.

  If the suction recovery determination permission time zone is set by a command from the host computer, setting by the GUI is possible, which is preferable. Of course, if the printer body is provided with setting means such as a panel, the suction recovery determination permission time zone may be set on the printer body.

  In the printing apparatus 100, ink is quickly sucked when a predetermined suction condition is satisfied. Therefore, the printer may suddenly start operating at night. This may not be desirable in medical institutions.

  In addition, when used in a general store, it may be desirable to perform suction recovery outside business hours. On the other hand, it may be desirable to prohibit ink consumption due to a spontaneous suction recovery operation (for example, there is a recovery operation that is forcibly executed in accordance with user instructions).

  In order to meet such a variety of user requests, the second embodiment is an embodiment in which a user can set a time zone during which a spontaneous suction recovery operation is permitted. Alternatively, it may be set to completely prohibit the spontaneous suction recovery operation.

  According to the above embodiment, since the suction recovery is not performed before the start of printing, the waiting time until the start of printing can be shortened.

  Further, according to the above embodiment, if the time period for performing the spontaneous suction recovery operation is limited, the operation in the time period unintended by the user can be suppressed, and the ink consumption can be minimized. If desired, spontaneous suction recovery operation can be prohibited at all.

  In other words, the above embodiment stores an inkjet print head that discharges ink, a suction unit that sucks ink from the print head, a timing device, and a last time when suction from the print head is performed by the suction unit. Storing means, calculating means for calculating an elapsed time from the last time stored in the storage means, setting means for setting a maximum time interval to be sucked from the print head, and whether or not a predetermined condition is satisfied When determining that the predetermined condition is satisfied, a determination unit that generates a suction command for causing the suction unit to perform suction and a time interval for generating a determination command to be sent to the determination unit are set. An interval setting means, and a command generation means for generating a determination command to be sent to the determination means for each time interval set by the interval setting means, Serial predetermined condition, every time the judging means receives the determination command, the calculated elapsed time is an example of a printing device which is a condition that is greater than or equal to the set suction intervals.

In this case, it has time zone setting means for setting a start time and an end time for permitting the determination to perform the suction, and the command generation means has a start time and an end time set by the time zone setting means. It may be a means for issuing a determination command only within a time zone within the range.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a printing apparatus 100 that is Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the printing apparatus 100. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the printing apparatus 200 which is Example 2 of this invention. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the printing apparatus 200. FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a conventional printing apparatus 300. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a conventional printing apparatus 300. 7 is a flowchart specifically showing an operation (S2) of timer suction recovery shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

100, 200 ... printing device,
1 ... Host computer,
2 ... print control device,
3 ... Print execution device,
4 ... Timing device,
5 ... Final suction time storage device 6 ... Elapsed time calculation device,
7: Suction interval setting device,
8 ... suction determination device,
9 ... suction recovery execution device,
10: suction recovery determination command generation device,
11 ... Determination command interval setting device 12 ... Suction recovery determination permission time zone setting device

Claims (2)

An inkjet print head that ejects ink;
Suction means for sucking ink from the print head;
A timing device;
Storage means for storing the last time when suction was performed from the print head by the suction means;
Calculating means for calculating an elapsed time from the last time stored in the storage means;
Setting means for setting a maximum time interval to be sucked from the print head;
A determination means for determining whether or not a predetermined condition is satisfied, and a determination means for generating a suction command for causing the suction means to perform suction when it is determined that the predetermined condition is satisfied;
Interval setting means for setting a time interval for generating a determination command to be sent to the determination means;
Command generation means for generating a determination command to be sent to the determination means for each time interval set by the interval setting means;
And the predetermined condition is a condition that the calculated elapsed time is equal to or greater than a set suction interval each time the determination unit receives the determination command. In claim 1,
A time zone setting means for setting a start time and an end time for permitting the determination to perform the suction;
The printing apparatus, wherein the command generation unit issues a determination command only within a time zone within a range of a start time and an end time set by the time zone setting unit.

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