JP2009107174A - Recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a CCD sensor from being fouled by an ink mist generated by printing or scattering of ink when a film reading function and a printer function are stored in the same casing, although there is no problem when they are stored in separate casings, when a film scanning function is provided in a printer. <P>SOLUTION: A CCD is arranged on a columnar platen, and the platen is rotated during printing to prevent the CCD from being fouled by the delivery of the ink. The CCD sensor is rotated at film-reading to be opposed to a film, and a scan is started. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a recording apparatus such as a printer for recording on a recording medium such as paper, and more particularly to a recording apparatus equipped with an image reading unit including an image reading apparatus such as a scanner for reading a film.

  As described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-156804, conventionally, a recording apparatus and a film scanner unit that reads image data from a film are provided in the same casing, and there is means for directly printing a film image. Such a film scanner unit generally has a plurality of light emitting elements and light receiving elements. Light emitted from the light emitting elements is irradiated onto the original via a light guide or the like, and reflected light or transmitted light from the original is received by the light receiving element via a light receiving lens or the like. The film scanner unit reads the document according to the intensity of the light received by the light receiving element, based on the so-called gray scale or the binary judgment of black and white that does not finely distinguish the light and shade expression.

  Therefore, in the film scanner unit, it is necessary to determine that the white part on the document is white and the black part is black according to the intensity of light received by the light receiving element. In some cases, variations in the intensity of received light may occur due to variations in characteristics such as light reception sensitivity in each light receiving element. Extremely speaking, if the intensity of received light varies, white may be determined to be black and black may be determined to be white, so that the read image has different contents from the image of the document.

  For this reason, the image reading unit reads a white reference having a known reflection density in advance, that is, a white reference, in order to always read an image even when there are variations in characteristics of the light emitting element and the light receiving element. In general, so-called white reference correction is performed, in which the intensity of light received by the light receiving element is used as a reference for subsequent image reading as the intensity of light in white.

  On the other hand, the recording method of the recording apparatus includes a thermal transfer method, an ink jet method, a wire dot method, and the like. In addition, since the recording of low noise is possible, the frequency of use has increased rapidly in recent years.

  Inkjet recording type recording devices perform recording by ejecting ink droplets from nozzles (ejection ports) of a recording head cartridge housed in a carriage, and in order to prevent drying of the nozzle portion of the recording head cartridge during non-recording, The cap, which will be described later, is in contact with the surface of the recording head cartridge. In a recording apparatus of an ink jet recording system, a recording head cartridge and a recording sheet as a recording medium are arranged with a certain distance, and ink droplets ejected from the nozzles of the recording head cartridge during recording have a certain distance. An image is formed on the recording sheet by flying in the air and reaching the recording sheet.

  In addition, in an ink jet recording type recording apparatus, when ejection is not performed for a certain period of time even during recording, the recording head cartridge is moved to a position where it abuts against the cap, and the cap An operation called preliminary ejection is performed to prevent drying of the nozzles of the print head cartridge by ejecting ink droplets into the interior. In this case, if the cap is brought into contact with the recording head cartridge, the position of the recording head cartridge is shifted, and the image may be disturbed when recording is performed next time. The preliminary discharge is performed toward the cap. Therefore, also in this preliminary ejection, ink droplets fly in the air of a certain distance as in the recording.

  In an ink jet recording apparatus, it is ideal that the ink droplets ejected from the recording head cartridge are one lump, but actually, when ejecting ink, an image is printed on the recording sheet. A large main droplet to be formed and a plurality of small ink droplets called mist that do not adhere to the recording sheet are ejected. This mist does not always coincide with the flight direction of the main droplet, and when it is very small, it floats in the recording apparatus and adheres to various places in the recording apparatus. In addition, the main droplet may jump up on the recording sheet or the cap and the splashed ink droplet may float as a mist.

  Therefore, when the image reading unit is integrally provided on the carriage as described above, there is a problem that the reading unit of the image reading unit becomes dirty due to the mist described above and accurate image reading cannot be performed.

In order to solve such a problem, according to the means described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-60858, the film scanner unit is integrally disposed on the carriage, and the film scanner unit is removable from the carriage. Even if the image reading unit is soiled by a mist of ink droplets, there is one in which the film scanner unit is removed and cleaned.
JP 2003-156804 A JP 2003-60858 A

  However, the conventional recording apparatus is troublesome because the user has to bother to remove and attach the film scanner unit. Further, when removing the film scanner unit for cleaning, it is necessary to wipe it off with a cloth or soft paper. At that time, there is a possibility that the lens of the light receiving part is finely scratched, and there is a possibility that an image of the scratch is also copied to the read image.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a recording apparatus capable of accurately reading an image by preventing the image reading unit from being soiled by mist of ink droplets and reducing the burden on the user.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an ink head that ejects ink, a carriage that can move in the main scanning direction with the ink head fixed, and an ink ejected from the head that protrudes from the paper. A cylindrical platen absorber for absorbing ink, a CCD image sensor embedded in a side surface of the cylindrical platen absorber, a light source, means for rotating the cylindrical platen absorber, paper, Means for transporting the film in the sub-scanning direction,
A recording apparatus with a film scan, comprising means for rotating the platen absorber during the ejection of the ink to retract the CCD image sensor to the side opposite to the ejection surface.

  According to the recording apparatus with a film scanning function of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the image reading portion from being soiled by ink droplet mist during printing, accurately read the image, and eliminate the need for maintenance work such as cleaning by the user. Has an effect.

  Next, details of the present invention will be described in accordance with the description of the embodiments.

  First, a recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the following description will be given assuming that the recording apparatus of the present embodiment is a recording apparatus (printer) using an inkjet recording method.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of a recording apparatus according to the present embodiment using an ink jet recording method, and FIG. 2 is a top view showing an internal structure of the recording apparatus according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the outer periphery of the recording apparatus of the present embodiment, that is, the printer main body 100, is an exterior member including a casing 106, a paper feed tray 102, a discharge tray 103, and these exterior members. A chassis unit 200 (see FIG. 2) housed in the interior. The chassis unit 200 is configured by a plate-shaped metal member having a predetermined rigidity, forms a skeleton of the recording apparatus of the present embodiment, and holds a mechanism for performing each recording operation described later.

  Further, one end of the discharge tray 103 is rotatably held by the housing 106, and is attached so that the above-described opening formed in the front surface portion of the housing 106 can be opened and closed by the rotation. For this reason, when performing the recording operation, the discharge tray 103 is rotated to the front side to open the opening, the recording sheet can be discharged from the opening, and the discharged recording sheet is discharged to the discharge tray. 103 are sequentially loaded. Also, the film can be discharged into the opening when reading the film.

  One end of the paper feed tray 102 is also fixed to the housing 106, and at the time of recording, the paper can be placed in advance to feed the recording paper. Further, when reading a film, it is possible to set the film to the left side of the paper feed tray. When starting the reading operation, the film is supplied to the paper discharge tray 103 through the housing 106. It has become so.

  A power key 104 and a resume key 105 are provided on the front surface of the housing 106 so as to be pressed. When the power key 104 is pressed, the user can know that the recording apparatus can record. When trouble such as paper jam or paper shortage occurs and the trouble is solved, the recording is resumed by pressing the resume key 105.

  Next, the printer unit of the recording apparatus of this embodiment that is housed and held in the apparatus main body 100 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The carriage unit 203 is a unit on which a recording head cartridge, which is a recording unit that records an image on a recording sheet, and an ink tank are mounted. The recording apparatus of the present embodiment employs an ink jet recording type recording head cartridge. As ink tanks, for example, black, light cyan, light magenta, cyan, magenta, and yellow independent ink tanks are prepared and are detachable from the recording head cartridge. The carriage unit 203 slides on the carriage shaft 204 by a bearing portion formed on a part of the carriage. By this sliding, the carriage unit 203 crosses the recording sheet conveyance direction (for example, orthogonal). It is guided in a certain arrow A direction.

  The transport roller 205 is driven by a transport motor (not shown) to transport the recording sheet and film. In the driving method, the power of the transport motor is transmitted to the transport roller shaft gear 207, and the transport roller shaft 206 rotates in the paper discharge direction. The conveyance roller 205 rotates with the conveyance roller shaft. The recording paper or film is printed by the recording head cartridge of the carriage unit through the platen 208 by the discharge roller.

  The recovery unit 202 is a recovery unit that performs a discharge recovery process of the printhead cartridge stored in the carriage unit 203, and can thereby always keep the printhead cartridge in a normal state.

  At a portion sandwiched between the platens 208, there is a platen absorber 209 that is cylindrical and rotatable. A CCD image sensor for scanning a film is embedded in the side surface of the cylindrical platen absorber 209. By rotation of the platen absorber 209, the side opposite to the ink landing surface from the head cartridge (to the bottom surface of the main body) is placed. It can be hidden. The platen absorber 209 has a sponge shape and can absorb ink protruding from the recording paper, for example, when borderless printing is performed on the recording paper. The platen absorber 209 is driven by a platen rotation motor (not shown). In the driving method, the power of the platen absorber rotating motor is transmitted to the platen absorber rotating shaft gear 212, and the platen rotating shaft 211 rotates. When the platen rotation shaft 211 rotates, the platen absorber also rotates. The platen rotation motor is a stepping motor, and the motor control block can grasp which direction the CCD image sensor is facing.

  The lamp 213 is attached to the side surface of the carriage unit 203 and moves together with the carriage unit 203. When the film is scanned, the lamp 213 moves above the CCD image sensor and serves as a light source for applying light to the film. The transmitted light that has passed through the film is exposed to the CCD image sensor.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the dotted line A of the platen absorber 209 shown in FIG. 2 and shows the state of the platen absorber during recording. Reference numeral 303 denotes a platen absorber made of the aforementioned sponge-like material. A CCD image sensor 301 is embedded in the platen absorber 303. The platen absorber rotating shaft 302 can be rotated by the power of the platen absorber rotating motor described above. The rotation angle may be 180 degrees (arrow B) that allows the CCD image sensor to rotate from the main body upper surface side to the main body bottom surface side. It is assumed that the carriage unit 304 is now moved to the upper surface of the dotted line A (FIG. 2) and ink is ejected onto the paper surface of the paper 305 for printing. When printing the leading edge or trailing edge of the paper 305 by borderless printing, the ink may protrude from the paper surface, but the platen absorber 303 absorbs the protruding ink. At that time, since the CCD image sensor is moved to the bottom surface of the main body, the CCD image sensor is not soiled by the protruding ink or mist of ink droplets floating during printing.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing recording control. When the user starts the recording operation, when the recording control is started (S500), first, it is determined whether the CCD image sensor of the platen absorber is currently facing the upper side of the main body or the bottom surface side of the main body (S501). If the CCD image sensor faces the bottom surface of the main body, ink ejected from the head cartridge and mist droplets of ink floating by ejection do not adhere to the CCD image sensor. Accordingly, a normal recording operation, that is, an operation for conveying paper and ejecting ink based on predetermined data is started (S503). On the other hand, when the CCD image sensor faces the scanning direction of the head cartridge, the recording control means rotates the columnar platen absorber and rotates 180 degrees so as to face the bottom surface of the main body (S502). By doing so, the ink ejected from the head cartridge and the mist droplets of the ink floating by the ejection are not attached to the CCD image sensor. Then, a normal recording operation is started (S503). The above is the flow of recording control.

  FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the platen absorber 209 shown in FIG. 2 along the dotted line A, and shows the state of the platen absorber during film reading. The CCD image sensor 301 embedded in the platen absorber 303 rotates from the main body bottom surface side to the main body upper surface side. The carriage unit moves close to the CCD image sensor, and stops when the lamp 306 attached to the carriage unit has just come over the CCD image sensor. When the lamp is turned on and the film is conveyed to just below the lamp, the CCD image sensor reads the light emitted from the film.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing film scan control. When the film scanning control is started (S600), it is first determined whether the CCD image sensor of the platen absorber is currently facing the upper side of the main body or the bottom surface side of the main body (S601). When the CCD image sensor is directed above the main body, that is, in the direction in which the head cartridge scans, the carriage is moved so that the lamp comes above the CCD (S603). On the other hand, when the CCD image sensor faces the bottom surface of the main body after a recording operation or the like, the film scan control means rotates the columnar platen absorber 180 degrees so that the carriage faces the top of the main body to be scanned. Rotate (S602). Then, the carriage is moved so that the lamp comes above the CCD (S603). Then, the lamp is turned on (S604), and the film scanning operation is started (S605). The above is the flow of film scan control.

  According to the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent the ink from adhering to the CCD image sensor during recording in which the ink scatters, so that the user does not need to clean the CCD image sensor.

The perspective view which shows the external appearance of the recording apparatus of this embodiment using an inkjet recording system The figure seen from the upper surface which shows the internal structure of the recording device of this embodiment Sectional drawing in dotted line A of the platen absorber shown in FIG. 2 (during printing) Sectional drawing in dotted line A of the platen absorber shown in FIG. 2 (during reading) Control flow in embodiment of recording control means Control flow in an embodiment of film scan control means

Claims (1)

An ink head for discharging ink;
A carriage capable of moving in the main scanning direction with the ink head fixed;
A cylindrical platen absorber for absorbing ink when the ink discharged from the head protrudes from the paper;
A CCD image sensor embedded in a side surface of the cylindrical platen absorber;
A light source;
Means for rotating the cylindrical platen absorber;
Means for transporting paper and film in the sub-scanning direction;
Have
A recording apparatus comprising: means for rotating the platen absorber during the ejection of the ink to retract the CCD image sensor to the side opposite to the ejection direction.

Images