JP2009083435A - Recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the temperature difference between a temperature related to a group including black and a temperature related to another group, suppress variation of characteristics of each group based on the temperature difference, and realize high quality image recording in a recording apparatus that performs image recording using coloring agents of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. <P>SOLUTION: A plurality of recording elements are divided into a first group including recording elements using black and yellow ink, and a second group including recording elements using magenta and cyan ink. Temperatures related to each of the groups are detected, and when the difference between a temperature TL related to the first group and a temperature TR related to the second group is a prescribed value or higher, in place of the black ink, mixed black formed by mixing the colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan is used for image recording. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a recording apparatus that includes a plurality of recording elements for at least yellow, magenta, cyan, and black colorants and that records images on a recording medium from the plurality of recording elements.

  An ink jet type ejection head used in a recording apparatus includes a large number of recording elements for ejecting ink, and ejects ink while moving the recording element relative to the recording medium to record an image on the recording medium.

In recent years, recording apparatuses are required to have higher recording density and higher speed, and the number of recording elements has increased and the density has been increased. Along with this, circuit elements for individually driving a large number of recording elements have to be increased in size and density. However, when the circuit elements are increased in size and density, not only the cost of components increases, but the heat generation of the circuit elements increases, and the electrical characteristics of the circuit elements themselves change due to the influence of the heat, and the operating characteristics of the recording elements change. There is a problem that the quality of image recording deteriorates. For this reason, as in the ink jet recording apparatus described in Patent Document 1, a configuration in which two ejection heads are arranged, circuit elements are connected to each, and the burden on each circuit element is divided is conceivable.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-80683 (see paragraphs 0014, FIGS. 2, 9, 15, and 17)

  However, when the circuit elements are made to correspond to the respective ejection heads as described above, a temperature difference occurs between the circuit elements due to the uneven use frequency of the recording elements. For example, when the black ink is used frequently in text printing, the circuit element corresponding to the black ink discharge becomes hotter than the circuit elements corresponding to the other inks. The temperature difference between the circuit elements adversely affects the drive characteristics of the circuit elements, particularly the rise time / fall time (tr / tf). In addition, if the temperature of the circuit element is transmitted to the recording element or the recording element itself generates heat, it also affects the operating characteristics of the recording element and the characteristics of the colorant such as ink. Become.

  The present invention solves the above problem, and performs image recording using at least yellow, magenta, cyan, and black colorants, and includes a temperature related to a group including black and a temperature related to another group. The purpose of this is to realize a high quality image recording by reducing the temperature difference between the two groups and suppressing variations in characteristics of each group based on the temperature difference.

  In order to achieve the above object, the recording apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of recording elements for at least yellow, magenta, cyan, and black colorants, the plurality of recording elements and the recording medium, In the recording apparatus for recording an image on the recording medium by the recording element by relatively moving the recording element, the plurality of recording elements include a group including a recording element using at least a black colorant and a group including another recording element. And a temperature detection unit that directly or indirectly detects a temperature related to each group, and a temperature related to the group that includes the recording element using the black colorant detected by the temperature detection unit. Comparing the temperature related to the other group and the temperature related to the former group compared in the comparison unit. When the temperature is higher than a predetermined temperature by a predetermined value, the drive signal to each recording element is set so as to form a mixed color black by mixing the yellow, magenta, and cyan colorants in place of the image recording by the black colorant. And a control unit for controlling.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the recording apparatus according to the first aspect, a circuit element that converts a drive signal from the control unit into a voltage signal suitable for driving the drive element is provided for each group. A circuit element chip formed into a chip is provided, and the temperature detection unit detects the temperature of the circuit element chip.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the recording apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the recording element includes a nozzle that discharges a liquid and a drive unit that applies a discharge pressure to the liquid in the nozzle. The drive unit is driven by a signal from the circuit element chip to perform image recording with liquid on the recording medium.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the recording apparatus according to the third aspect, the nozzles are arranged apart from each other in the relative movement direction for each of the groups, and the driving unit is located at a position corresponding to the nozzle. A sheet-like wiring member that is arranged for each group and has a wiring pattern that connects the driving unit and the circuit element chip is provided independently for each group, and the wiring member is provided on each wiring member. A circuit element chip is mounted.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the recording apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the group includes a recording element using the black colorant and one color of yellow, magenta, and cyan. And a group including recording elements using the remaining two colorants of yellow, magenta, and cyan.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the recording apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the control unit includes the former group compared in the comparison unit in a state where the mixed color black is formed. When the temperature involved is higher than the temperature associated with the latter group by a predetermined value or more, each printing element is controlled to stop the printing operation.

  The invention according to claim 7 is the recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control unit is configured such that a temperature related to the former group compared in the comparison unit is a temperature related to the latter group. Each of the printing elements is controlled to stop the printing operation when the value is lower than a predetermined value.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the plurality of recording elements provided for each of the yellow, magenta, cyan, and black colorants include a group including at least a recording element that uses the black colorant, and other recording elements. It is divided into groups including. In an image recording using a plurality of recording elements, a recording element using a black colorant is frequently used for image recording of text data and the like, and therefore is involved in a group including a recording element using a black colorant. The temperature tends to be higher than the temperature related to the group including other recording elements.

  Therefore, the temperature related to the group including the recording element using the black colorant is compared with the temperature related to the group including the other recording element. When the former is higher than a predetermined value, image recording with the black colorant is performed. Instead, the drive signal to each recording element is controlled so as to form a mixed color black by mixing the yellow, magenta, and cyan colorants. Thus, when mixed color black is formed instead of image recording with a black colorant, use of a group including a recording element using a black colorant is suspended or the frequency of use is reduced, while other recording elements are used. Since the use of the containing group increases, the temperature difference between the two groups is alleviated, variation in characteristics between the groups can be suppressed, and high-quality image recording can be realized.

  According to the second aspect of the invention, the temperature of the circuit element chip provided for each group of recording elements is detected by the temperature detection unit. The characteristics of circuit elements are greatly influenced by temperature, and if the temperature difference between multiple circuit element chips is large, the quality of image recording will be affected, but by detecting and comparing the temperatures of multiple circuit element chips, circuit elements It becomes possible to control the drive signal so as to eliminate the temperature difference between the chips. As a result, variations in drive characteristics of circuit element chips corresponding to each group are suppressed, and high-quality image recording can be realized.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the recording element includes the nozzle that discharges the liquid and the driving unit, and performs the image recording on the recording medium with the liquid discharged from the nozzle. Variations can be suppressed and high-quality image recording can be realized.

  According to the invention of claim 4, the nozzles are arranged apart from each other in the relative movement direction for each group, the drive units are grouped for each group, and the groups are arranged apart from each other in the relative movement direction, A sheet-like wiring member having a wiring pattern for connecting the driving unit and the circuit element chip is provided independently for each group, and the circuit element chip is mounted on each wiring member. Therefore, the wiring members on which the circuit element chips are mounted can be arranged so as not to interfere with each other when connecting to the driving units of each group.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, when image recording with a black colorant is performed, a group including a recording element using a black colorant is driven out of the two groups. On the other hand, when recording an image with mixed color black, both groups are driven. Accordingly, when the temperatures of the two groups are compared by the comparison unit and the temperature of the former group is higher than the temperature of the latter group by a predetermined value or more, the image recording by black is replaced with the image recording by mixed color black. It changes from driving only one group to driving both groups. In other words, by starting driving of the two groups that have not been driven, the temperature difference between the two groups can be eliminated, the variation in characteristics between the groups can be suppressed, and high-quality image recording can be achieved. can do.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, when the temperature related to the former group is higher than the temperature related to the latter group in a state where the mixed color black is formed, the control unit attempts to eliminate the temperature difference. However, the temperature difference can be resolved by stopping the recording operation.

  According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, it is difficult for the control unit to eliminate the temperature difference when the temperature related to the former group compared in the comparison unit is lower than the temperature related to the latter group by a predetermined value or more. However, the temperature difference can be eliminated by stopping the recording operation.

  A basic embodiment of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a recording apparatus 1 embodying the present invention. The recording apparatus 1 has an ink jet recording element, and can be applied to a single printer apparatus or can be a printer function (recording function) of a multi-function apparatus having a plurality of functions such as a facsimile function and a copy function. Part).

  As shown in FIG. 1, the recording apparatus 1 includes a carriage 2, and an ejection head 3 is mounted on the carriage 2 with the nozzles 7 exposed on the lower surface of the carriage 2. The carriage 2 is supported by the first guide member 5 and the second guide member 6 so as to be movable in the main scanning direction (Y-axis direction), and is applied to a driving pulley 9 connected to the carriage motor 8 and a driven pulley 10. The passed timing belt 11 reciprocates along the Y-axis direction. A sheet as a recording medium is conveyed below the carriage 2 in the sub-scanning direction (X-axis direction) orthogonal to the main scanning direction (Y-axis direction). In this embodiment, the ejection head 3 having the nozzles 7 moves in the Y-axis direction with respect to the paper, so the Y-axis direction becomes the relative movement direction in the claims.

  In the apparatus main body 12, a replaceable ink cartridge 13 provided with ink as a colorant is stationary. Here, depending on the number of ink colors, black ink, cyan ink, magenta ink, Four ink cartridges 13 for yellow ink are provided. The ink of each ink cartridge 13 is independently supplied to an ink storage unit 22 (to be described later) of the carriage 2 via a flexible resin ink supply tube 15. In the description, the opening surface side of the nozzle is described as the front surface or the lower surface, and the opposite side is described as the back surface or the upper surface.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the carriage 2 includes a substantially box-shaped casing having an open upper surface, that is, a head holder 20, and a reinforcement frame 24 is interposed on the lower surface side of the bottom plate 21 of the head holder 20. The discharge head 3 is fixed.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the discharge head 3 has two actuators 32L and 32R arranged side by side in the Y-axis direction on the upper surface of one cavity portion 31 having a nozzle on the lower surface side and having an ink flow path inside. The sheet-like flexible wiring members 4L and 4R are respectively arranged on the upper surfaces of the actuators 32L and 32R. The two flexible wiring members 4L and 4R are provided with a wiring pattern for supplying a drive signal to the actuators 32L and 32R, and are separated from each other along the Y-axis direction so as not to interfere with each other from the connected actuators. Has been pulled out. A reinforcing frame 24 having a shape surrounding the two actuators 32 </ b> L and 32 </ b> R is laminated on the back surface of the cavity portion 31. As another example, the two actuators 32L and 32R may be integrated, and the two wiring members 4L and 4R may be drawn from the upper surface. Alternatively, a structure in which two ejection heads 3 each including a cavity portion, an actuator, and a flexible wiring material are stacked in the Y-axis direction and fixed to the head holder 20 may be employed.

  On the upper surface side of the bottom plate 21 of the head holder 20, an ink storage unit 22 that temporarily stores the ink supplied from the ink cartridge 13 and a circuit board 23 are mounted. The circuit board 23 receives a drive signal from a control unit 300 (see FIG. 6) stationary on the apparatus body 12 via a flexible wiring cable (not shown). The circuit board 23 is provided with connectors 23a at two locations. One connector 23a and the actuator 32L are connected by the flexible wiring material 4L, and the other connector 23a and the actuator 32R are connected by the flexible wiring material 4R. .

  An opening (not shown) is formed through the bottom plate 21 of the head holder 20, and the ink reservoir 22 and the inlet 31 a of the ejection head 3 are connected to the reinforcing frame 24 inside the opening. The ink is connected through the holes 24a, and the ink is independently supplied from the ink storage unit 22 to the ejection head 3 for each color. The bottom plate 21 is provided with two slit holes 25 through which the flexible wiring members 4L and 4R are inserted from the bottom to the top.

  One actuator 32L (32R), wiring member 4L (4R), and half of the cavity portion 31 that are vertically related in the ejection head 3 have the same internal configuration as that disclosed in JP-A-2005-322850. . As shown in FIG. 4, the cavity portion 31 is formed by laminating a plurality of thin plates, and the ink introduced from the ink storage portion 22 into the inlet 31 a of the cavity portion 31 is formed in the manifold. A series of ink flow paths are configured so as to be distributed to a number of pressure chambers 35 and supplied to the nozzles 7 opened to the lower surface via the chambers 34.

  The manifold chamber 34 is formed in parallel with the row of pressure chambers 35 and long in the X-axis direction in order to distribute ink to the plurality of pressure chambers 35 that are arranged in the X-axis direction. Here, a total of eight manifold chambers 34 are provided in parallel with each other for each color. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a total of eight introduction ports 31 a are opened at one end portion in the X-axis direction on the upper surface of the cavity portion 31, and communicate with one end in the longitudinal direction of each manifold chamber 34. .

  The actuator 32L (32R) includes a plurality of ceramic layers 36 having a flat shape having a size extending over a plurality (half of all pressure chambers) of the pressure chambers 35 and stacked in a direction perpendicular to the flat direction. And a plurality of electrodes arranged between the ceramic layers 36 (see FIG. 4). The electrodes include individual electrodes 37 formed for each pressure chamber 35 and common electrodes 38 formed across the plurality of pressure chambers 35, and are alternately arranged between the ceramic layers 36 in the stacking direction. The individual electrodes 37 in the stacking direction are connected to each other and filled in through holes or the like on individual surface electrodes (not shown) formed on the surface of the actuator 32 (surface facing the flexible wiring member 4). Conduction is made through a conductive material. The common electrodes 38 in the stacking direction are also connected to each other and are electrically connected to a common surface electrode (not shown) formed on the surface.

  In the actuator 32L (32R) provided with the electrodes as described above, the portion of the ceramic layer 36 sandwiched between the individual electrode 37 and the common electrode 38 is polarized and formed as a driving unit as is well known. Further, at the time of recording, a voltage is applied between the electrodes 37 and 38 from the individual surface electrode 37a and the common surface electrode 38a, so that the drive unit extends to apply pressure to the ink in the corresponding pressure chamber 35. In addition, ink can be discharged from the nozzle 7. In other words, the recording element of the claims includes a nozzle 7 and a drive unit that applies an ejection pressure to the ink ejected from the nozzle 7.

  Circuit element chips 50L and 50R formed as IC chips with a built-in drive circuit are mounted in the middle in the longitudinal direction of the flexible wiring members 4L and 4R. The circuit elements 50L and 50R are connected to the wiring patterns on the flexible wiring members 4L and 4R, and are connected to the drive units of the circuit board 23 and the actuator 32. The circuit element chips 50L and 50R convert the drive signal serially transmitted from the control unit 300 through the circuit board 23 into parallel signals corresponding to a large number of individual electrodes 37, and have a voltage suitable for driving the ceramic layer 36. A drive signal is output at a predetermined timing. The circuit element chip 50L (50R) generates heat by outputting a drive signal for ejecting ink from the nozzles during recording.

  In order to dissipate the heat of the circuit element chips 50L and 50R, as shown in FIG. 2, a metal heat dissipating body 52 (aluminum or the like) having high thermal conductivity is disposed inside the head holder 20. The flexible wiring members 4L and 4R are routed toward the upper circuit board 23 by bringing the circuit element chips 50L and 50R into contact with the heat dissipating body 52 in the midway portions. The circuit element chips 50 </ b> L and 50 </ b> R are in close contact with the heat dissipating body 52 by the elastic force of the rubber-like elastic member 53 so as to conduct heat.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the nozzles 7 are arranged in a row extending in the X-axis direction on the lower surface of the cavity portion 31, and a total of eight nozzle rows are arranged in the Y-axis direction. In the nozzle rows arranged in 8 rows, the first group 81 and the second group 82 are arranged in the Y-axis direction, with four adjacent rows as one group. The nozzle row of the first group 81 is arranged at a position overlapping the actuator 32L, and ink is ejected when a drive signal through the circuit element chip 50L of the flexible wiring member 4L is input to the actuator 32L. The nozzle row of the second group 82 is disposed at a position overlapping the actuator 32R, and ink is ejected when a drive signal through the circuit element chip 50R of the flexible wiring member 4R is input to the actuator 32R. The first group 81 and the second group 82 are not a group of nozzle rows alone, but a recording element including a driving unit for ejecting ink from the nozzles 7 divided into two groups. .

  Eight nozzle rows eject ink of the same color every two rows. Here, in order from the left in FIG. 5, nozzle rows 7b1 and 7b2 for black ink, nozzle rows 7y1 and 7y2 for yellow ink, nozzle rows 7c1 and 7c2 for cyan ink, and nozzle rows 7m1 and 7m2 for magenta ink They are in order. The first group 81 includes two nozzle rows 7b1 and 7b2 for black ink and two nozzle rows 7y1 and 7y2 for yellow ink, and the second group 82 includes two nozzle rows 7c1 and 7c2 for cyan ink. , Two nozzle rows 7m1 and 7m2 for magenta ink are included. The color ink combined with the first group 81, which is the same as the nozzle row for black ink, is not limited to yellow ink, and may be magenta ink or cyan ink. Alternatively, the first group 81 may be configured by a single black ink nozzle row.

  Since yellow ink, magenta ink, and cyan ink are the three primary colors, when they are ejected to the same position on the paper, a pseudo black color (hereinafter referred to as mixed color black) can be represented by the mixed color. Therefore, it is possible to form an image using mixed color black formed by discharging yellow ink, magenta ink, and cyan ink instead of forming an image using single color black that is formed by discharging black ink in a single color.

  That is, the control unit 300, which will be described later, controls the formation of monochrome black using only the black ink nozzle rows 7b1 and 7b2 for the data instructing the black pixel image recording, and the yellow ink nozzle row 7y1. , 7y2 and the cyan ink nozzle rows 7c1 and 7c2 and the magenta ink nozzle rows 7m1 and 7m2 are selectively executed to form mixed color black.

  Next, the control unit 300 of the recording apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The controller 300 controls the overall operation of the recording apparatus 1.

  The control unit 300 is mainly configured by a microcomputer 301 including a CPU, ROM, RAM, EEPROM, and the like, and an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) 302 that is a control circuit connected to the microcomputer 301.

  In the storage area (RAM) of the microcomputer 301, image data read and formed by an image scanner device connected to the recording device 1 and image data received from an external device such as a computer or a facsimile device are temporarily recorded. The data read from this storage area is output from the control circuit 302 to the two circuit element chips 50L and 50R. Then, drive signals based on the image data are output from the circuit element chips 50L and 50R to the actuators 32L and 32R via the wiring patterns of the flexible wiring members 4L and 4R, and the driving units are individually driven. The Thereby, ink is selectively ejected from the nozzle rows of the first group 81 and the second group 82.

  In this embodiment, in order to measure the temperature related to the first group 81 and the second group 82, the temperature detection unit 60 is provided in the vicinity of the circuit element chips 50L and 50R, and the temperature detection unit 60 includes the control unit 300. It is connected to the. As the temperature detector 60, a thermocouple or a thermistor is suitable, but a non-contact temperature sensor or the like may be used. In addition, the temperature detecting unit 60 measures the temperature in place of the circuit element chips 50L and 50R, and when the heat generator 52 generates heat, the actuators 32L and 32R, the cavity part, or the nozzle opening surface (that is, the cavity part). The lower surface of the first group 81 and the second group 82 can be arbitrarily set as long as the temperature can be determined.

  The control unit 300 is provided with a comparison unit 303 for comparing the temperatures of the two temperature detection units 60. The temperature related to the first group 81 including the nozzle rows for black ink and yellow ink is TL, and the second group 82 including the nozzle rows for magenta ink and cyan ink, in other words, the nozzle row for black ink is included. The temperature relating to a non-group will be described below as TR.

  The ejection operation with the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In this embodiment, 5 ° C. is set as a reference (predetermined value) for the temperature difference when comparing the temperature TL related to the first group 81 and the temperature TR related to the second group 82. It is not limited to values.

  Since the recording apparatus 1 is initially set to use monochrome black for black pixel image recording at the beginning of this flowchart (No in S09), if the temperature difference between the two groups is less than 5 ° C. (in S01). No, No at S08), image recording of black pixels is started using monochrome black (S11), and as long as data to be recorded exists in the control unit 300 (No at S07), the image recording is continued (S07). No, S01, No, S08, No, S09, S11). If there is no more data (Yes in S07), the process ends.

  During this time, the temperatures of the two temperature detectors 60 are read periodically or at a predetermined timing, and the comparison unit 303 compares them. As a result of the comparison, if the temperature TL related to the first group 81 is 5 ° C. or more higher than the temperature TR related to the second group (Yes in S01), is the first group 81 recording an image in monochrome black? It is confirmed whether or not (S02). If the first group 81 is recording a monochrome black image (Yes in S02), the first group 81 is changed to record a black pixel image in mixed color black (S03). As a result, both the first and second groups 81 and 82 are driven, and all the nozzle rows are used in the second group 82. Therefore, the temperature TR related to the second group rises, and the first group The temperature difference from the temperature TL related to 81 can be relaxed. It should be noted that the change from monochromatic black to mixed color black image recording is preferably performed from the next sheet after the completion of one line in the carriage scanning direction, or from the next sheet after image recording of one sheet is completed. .

  After the image recording is changed to the mixed color black and the image recording on one line or one sheet is completed, when the data to be recorded still remains in the control unit 300 (No in S07), the comparison unit At 303, the temperature TL and the temperature TR are compared again. However, if the temperature TL remains higher than the temperature TR by 5 ° C. or more, such as when the yellow ink is frequently used (Yes in S01), the image recording is stopped because the mixed color black is being recorded (No in S02). (S05). In other words, if the temperature difference between the two groups is not resolved even when image recording is performed with mixed color black, the image recording in both groups is suspended and the temperature of both is decreased (No in S05 and S07). Yes at S01, No at S02).

  When the temperature difference between the two groups is less than 5 ° C. (No in S01, No in S08), the setting of the image recording state in the mixed color black (Yes in S09) is returned to the monochrome black image recording and the image recording is performed. It resumes (S10).

  Further, when the temperature TR is 5 ° C. or more higher than the temperature TL (No in S01 and Yes in S08), that is, when one or both of magenta ink and cyan ink are used more than black ink and yellow ink. In step S05, image recording is immediately stopped (S05), and the temperature of both groups is lowered (No in S05, S07, No in S01, Yes in S02).

  Although only the temperature difference between the first and second groups has been described, when each temperature exceeds a predetermined value range and becomes a high temperature or a low temperature, as is well known, the image recording operation is hindered. The image recording operation is preferably paused or stopped.

  Further, in the image recording with the mixed color black, the black pixel data may not be formed with the mixed color black, but the monochrome black may be used for every one or a plurality of the pixels. Further, mixed color black has a tendency that the pixel diameter on the paper is larger than that of a single color because three color inks are overlapped, and in order to avoid this, when forming mixed color black, each of the three color inks. The ejection amount is set to be smaller than that in the case of forming pixels with each single color. By doing so, it is possible to reduce energy for ejecting ink at each drive unit of the actuator and to suppress heat generation.

  As described above, since the use frequency of the black ink is high, the temperature TL of the first group 81 including the black ink recording elements becomes higher than the temperature TR of the second group 82 including the other recording elements. easy. If the circuit element chip 50L of the first group 81 becomes a high temperature and the temperature difference with the circuit element chip 50R of the second group 82 becomes large due to the image recording with the monochrome black, the mixed color is used instead of the monochrome black. By causing the image to be recorded in black, the above-described temperature difference can be reduced. If the temperature difference cannot be reduced even if the image recording is changed from monochromatic black to mixed color black, the image recording is suspended and both groups are cooled to eliminate the temperature difference.

  Therefore, since it is no longer possible to discharge while the temperature difference between the first group 81 and the second group 82 is large, the discharge is performed with the characteristics of the circuit element chips, recording elements, inks, etc. of both groups varied. And high quality image recording can be realized.

  Conventionally, when the temperature of a circuit element becomes high, there has been a method of compensating for the temperature rise by lowering the power supply voltage. However, when a temperature difference occurs between a plurality of circuit elements, Therefore, it is necessary to provide a power supply circuit for each. However, if two circuit elements are used in a range where the temperature difference is small as in the above-described embodiment, one power supply circuit can be shared with respect to the two circuit elements, so that the component cost can be reduced.

  In the above-described embodiment, the recording element that discharges the liquid by the piezoelectric method has been described. However, the present invention may be applied to recording elements of other forms such as a recording element that discharges the liquid in a boiling manner and a thermal recording element. .

  In the above-described embodiment, the recording apparatus having four colors of black ink, yellow ink, magenta ink, and cyan ink has been described. However, as long as these four colors are included, five or more colors of ink may be provided. .

  Further, the recording element and the recording medium such as paper can be configured to move relatively.

  The present invention not only forms images such as characters and figures on paper, but also discharges a liquid other than ink, for example, a color liquid for coloring a color filter of a liquid crystal display device, or a conductive liquid. It can also be applied to an apparatus for forming an electric circuit pattern by coating.

1 is a schematic plan view of a recording apparatus of the present invention. It is sectional drawing which cut | disconnected the head holder along the Y-axis direction. It is a disassembled perspective view of a discharge head. It is sectional drawing which cut | disconnected the discharge head along the Y-axis direction. It is a bottom view of a discharge head. It is a block diagram explaining control of a recording device. 5 is a flowchart of the operation of the recording apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Recording device 2 Carriage 3 Discharge head 4L, 4R Flexible wiring material 7 Nozzle 20 Head holder 32L, 32R Actuator 50L, 50R Circuit element chip 60 Temperature detection part 81 1st group 82 2nd group

Claims (7)

A recording apparatus comprising a plurality of recording elements for at least each of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black colorants, and performing image recording on the recording medium by moving the plurality of recording elements and the recording medium relative to each other. In
The plurality of recording elements are divided into a group including a recording element using at least a black colorant and a group including another recording element,
A temperature detector that directly or indirectly detects the temperature associated with each group;
A comparison unit that compares the temperature related to the group including the recording element using the black colorant detected by the temperature detection unit and the temperature related to the other group;
When the temperature related to the former group compared in the comparison unit is higher than the temperature related to the latter group by a predetermined value or more, the mixed color black by the mixed color of yellow, magenta, and cyan is used instead of the image recording by the black colorant. And a control unit that controls a drive signal to each recording element so as to form a recording device. A circuit element chip in which circuit elements that convert drive signals from the control unit into voltage signals suitable for driving the drive elements is chipped for each group is provided,
The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the temperature detection unit detects a temperature of the circuit element chip. The recording element comprises a nozzle that discharges a liquid and a drive unit that applies a discharge pressure to the liquid in the nozzle.
The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving unit is driven by a signal from the circuit element chip to perform image recording with a liquid on the recording medium.   The nozzles are arranged apart from each other in the relative movement direction for each group, and the driving unit is arranged in a group for each group at a position corresponding to the nozzle, and the driving unit and the circuit element chip are arranged. The recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a sheet-like wiring member having a wiring pattern to be connected is provided independently for each group, and the circuit element chip is mounted on each wiring member.   The group includes a recording element that uses the black colorant and a recording element that uses one colorant of yellow, magenta, and cyan, and a recording that uses the remaining two colorants of yellow, magenta, and cyan. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a group including elements.   When the temperature related to the former group compared in the comparison unit is higher than the temperature related to the latter group by a predetermined value or more in the state where the mixed color black is formed, each of the control units stops the recording operation. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the element is controlled.   6. The control unit controls each recording element to stop a recording operation when a temperature related to the former group compared in the comparison unit is lower than a temperature related to the latter group by a predetermined value or more. A recording apparatus according to any one of the above.

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