JP2009202430A - Liquid injection apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve an accuracy for causing a liquid to be injected in a suitable position on a liquid injected medium. <P>SOLUTION: A plurality of cockring attributes corresponding to each of a plurality of kinds of the liquid injected medium is stored in storage medium provided on a liquid injection apparatus. An injection timing control means provided on the liquid injection apparatus controls a liquid injection timing in each position of an injection head from the cockring attribute corresponding to the kinds of the delivered liquid injected medium. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid ejecting apparatus that forcibly causes cockling.

An example of the liquid ejecting apparatus is an ink jet printer. As an inkjet printer that forcibly causes cockling, for example, an inkjet printer disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known. According to Patent Document 1, a reciprocal deviation correction value at each position is determined based on a result of test patch printing, and a cockling shape that is determined in advance based on the determined reciprocal deviation correction value at each position. Is deformed, and the landing position deviation is corrected based on the deformed cock ring shape.

JP 2007-144718 A

According to Patent Document 1, although a predetermined cockling shape is deformed based on the result of test patch printing, there is only one predetermined cockling shape. However, not all print media are necessarily in the same cockling shape. for that reason,
It is considered that there is a problem in the accuracy with which the target ink droplet can be landed at an appropriate position on the printing medium.

  Such a problem is a problem that may also occur in other types of liquid ejecting apparatuses.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to improve the accuracy with which a liquid can be ejected to an appropriate position on a liquid ejection medium.

  Other objects of the present invention will become clear from the following description.

According to a first aspect, a liquid ejecting apparatus includes: an ejecting head that ejects liquid; a scanning mechanism that scans the ejecting head; and a liquid ejection medium that is transported in a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction of the ejecting head. A medium support unit that supports and varies in height along the scanning direction of the ejection head, a forced cockling means that forcibly causes cockling of the liquid ejection medium to be transported, and a plurality of types of liquid ejection A liquid ejecting device at each position of the ejection head based on a storage unit that stores a plurality of cockling attribute information elements respectively corresponding to the medium and a cockling attribute information element corresponding to the type of the liquid ejection medium to be conveyed Injection timing control means for correcting the timing.

The term “cock ring” as used in the present invention does not mean a phenomenon in which the liquid ejection medium undulates on the transport path as a result of the liquid ejection, but is active in order to give the liquid ejection medium stiffness. Means that the liquid ejected medium is waved.

According to a second aspect, in the first aspect, the ejection timing control means is configured such that the type of the liquid ejected medium to be transported is other than each liquid ejected medium type corresponding to each cockling attribute information element. In this case, both the forced cockling means and the liquid ejection timing correction are not executed.

According to a third aspect, in the first or second aspect, at least one cockling attribute information element is defined based on a combination of a liquid ejection medium type and an ejection mode type. The ejection timing control means determines a liquid ejection timing at each position of the ejection head based on a cockling attribute information element corresponding to a combination of the type of the liquid ejection medium to be conveyed and the selected ejection mode type. Control.

According to a fourth aspect, in any one of the first to third aspects, the at least one cockling attribute information element includes a liquid ejection medium type and a range of a total amount of liquid to be ejected. Defined based on a combination. The ejection timing control unit is configured to perform the ejection based on a cockling attribute information element corresponding to a combination of a type of the liquid ejected medium to be transported and a total amount of liquid ejected to the transported liquid ejected medium. The liquid ejection timing at each position of the head is controlled.

According to a fifth aspect, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the at least one cockling attribute information element is based on a cockling shape forcibly applied to the liquid ejected medium. Includes the forced cockling control information defined in. The liquid ejecting apparatus is provided with forced cockling control means. The forced cockling control means controls the forced cockling means according to the forced cockling control information included in the cockling attribute information element corresponding to the type of the liquid ejected medium to be conveyed.

According to a sixth aspect, a liquid ejecting apparatus includes: an ejecting head that ejects liquid; a scanning mechanism that scans the ejecting head; and a liquid ejection medium that is transported in a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction of the ejecting head. A medium support unit that supports and has different heights along the scanning direction of the ejection head, a forced cockling means that forcibly causes cockling of the liquid ejection medium to be transported, and a first liquid ejection Storage means for storing cockling attribute information elements corresponding to the medium type and injection timing control means are provided. The ejection timing control means is based on a cockling attribute information element corresponding to the first liquid ejected medium type if the type of the liquid ejected medium to be conveyed is the first liquid ejected medium type. Then, the liquid ejection timing at each position of the ejection head is corrected, and if the type of the liquid ejection medium to be conveyed is the second liquid ejection medium type, the forced cockling means and the liquid ejection timing are corrected. Both are not executed.

According to a seventh aspect, in any one of the first to sixth aspects, one cockling attribute information element is replaced with a liquid ejection mode type and / or a liquid ejection medium type, and / or
This corresponds to the range of the total amount of liquid ejected onto one liquid ejection medium.

Hereinafter, an ink jet printer to which a liquid ejecting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied will be described. In the following description, it is assumed that a process whose subject is a computer program is actually performed by a CPU that executes the computer program.

  FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of an inkjet printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

An inkjet printer (hereinafter abbreviated as “printer”) 30 is, for example, a host device 1.
It has a function of performing printing in accordance with various commands received from 0 through the host interface circuit 20. The printer 30 may have a function as a so-called stand-alone printer instead of or in addition.

The printer 30 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 40, a memory 50, a print head 70 that ejects ink droplets, a carriage 60 that scans the print head 70, a corrugated support unit 50, and a corrugated support unit 50. And a compulsory cockling unit 90 that forcibly causes cockling in the print medium.

For example, a forced cockling control program 53 that controls the operation of the forced cockling unit 90 and an ejection timing control program 55 that controls the ejection timing of ink droplets are stored in the memory 50 as computer programs executed by the CPU 40. Is done. Of the forced cockling control program 53 and the injection timing control program 55, at least a part of the processing performed by the injection timing control program 55 can be realized by hardware. Further, the memory 50 stores a plurality of cockling profiles 47 respectively corresponding to a plurality of types of printing media. The plurality of cockling profiles 47 may be recorded in one electronic information resource (for example, a file or a table), or may be recorded in a plurality of electronic information resources.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the corrugated support portion 80 has a shape with different heights along the scanning direction of the print head 70. Specifically, the undulating support portion 80 includes a support portion main body 82 that forms a substantially flush surface, and a plurality of ribs 81 that are arranged on the support portion main body 82 along the scanning direction of the print head 70. . Each rib 81 has a length in the conveyance direction of the print medium. When the printing medium being conveyed is positioned on the undulation support unit 80 due to such a shape of the undulation support unit 80, a load is applied to the undulation support unit 80 side as illustrated in FIG. 2B. As described above, cockling (waving) occurs in the printing medium 50. In the present embodiment, the forced cockling unit 90 includes a suction hole 92 provided between the ribs 81 and a suction unit (for example, a fan) (not shown) that sucks the print medium through the suction hole 92. When the suction unit is driven, the print medium 50 is attracted to the undulation support unit 80 through each suction hole 92. Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 2B, cockling (specifically, Print head 7
A wave that undulates along the zero scan direction).

Each cockling profile 47 corresponding to various printing media includes the following information elements (1
) And (2),
(1) Cockling shape information element,
(2) Drive parameter value of the suction unit,
It is included. The cockling shape information element is represented by, for example, a plurality of coordinates (x, y). x represents the position on the printing medium when the scanning direction of the print head 70 is the x axis, and y is the height of the printing medium when a predetermined height (for example, the upper end of the rib 81) is used as a reference. Represents The driving parameter value of the suction unit is a value suitable for causing a cockling shape represented by the cockling profile 47 including the driving parameter value to be generated on a printing medium of a printing medium type corresponding to the cocking profile 47. is there. The cockling profile 47 may not include the drive parameter value of the suction unit. In this case, a predetermined drive parameter value may be adopted regardless of the type of printing medium.

  FIG. 3 shows the flow of processing performed by the printer 30 during printing.

The ejection timing control program 55 determines whether or not the type of print medium to be transported is a predetermined type (step S10).

If it is determined in S10 that the type of print medium to be conveyed is a predetermined type (S1)
If YES, the injection timing control program 55 performs normal printing processing (S11).
That is, the injection timing control program 55 does not execute forced cockling (S13) and injection timing correction processing (S14 and S15).

Here, a printer that has a function of forcibly causing cockling, such as the printer 30, can achieve higher-speed printing than a printer that does not have a function of forcibly causing cockling. It can be configured as follows. Specifically, for example, the print head 70 is lengthened in the transport direction (the nozzle row for ejecting ink droplets is lengthened in the transport direction) and / or the distance between the paper feed roller and the paper discharge roller is increased. Can be longer. This is because even in such a configuration, since the cockling occurs in the printing medium, the printing medium may bend in the transport direction at a position facing the print head 70 (that is, on the wavy support portion 80). This is because the property is lowered.

In consideration of this (for example, when the printer 3 includes the above-described configuration for realizing high-speed printing), the predetermined type of printing medium described above is a hard printing medium, for example, Photo-dedicated paper is conceivable (on the other hand, the print medium other than the predetermined type may be a print medium softer than the predetermined type of print medium, for example, plain paper). This is because if the printing medium to be transported is a solid printing medium, the printing medium is located at a position facing the print head 70 (that is, on the undulating support portion 80) without forcibly causing cockling. This is because the possibility of bending in the transport direction is low. In such a case, the print head 7
Since the printing medium is neither wavy in the scanning direction of 0 nor in the conveyance direction of the printing medium, and it is not necessary to correct the ejection timing, it is expected to perform high-quality printing.

When it is determined in S10 that the type of print medium to be transported is other than the predetermined type (NO in S10), the ejection timing control program 55 executes the processes of S12 to S16.

That is, the ejection timing control program 55 is configured to select the cockling profile corresponding to the type of the printing medium to be transported from the plurality of cockling profiles 47 stored in the memory 50. 47 (referred to as “cockling profile”) (S12).

Next, the injection timing control program 55 calls the forced cockling control program 53 and passes the drive parameter value included in the corresponding cockling profile 47 (
S13). As a result, the suction unit is controlled by the forced cockling control program 53 in accordance with the drive parameter value. Therefore, the cockling shape according to the cockling shape information element included in the corresponding cockling profile 47 (or the cocking shape) A cock ring having a shape close to the ring shape is generated on the printing medium on the wavy support portion 80. In addition,
This S <b> 13 is executed at a timing at which suction by the suction unit is performed before the front end of the printing medium enters the undulation support unit 80.

Next, the injection timing control program 55 corrects each coordinate constituting the cockling shape information element included in the corresponding cockling profile 47 based on the user-specified pattern number (S14). Here, the “user designated pattern number” is a number designated by the user among a plurality of numbers respectively corresponding to a plurality of patterns printed by test patch printing (for example, printing for bidi check). is there. If the printer is different, the height of the print medium in the printer (from the support body 82 to the print reference surface (for example, the rib 82)
In step S14, the cockling shape information element included in the corresponding cockling profile 47 is configured based on the height of the printing medium in the printer 30. Each coordinate is corrected to an appropriate coordinate in the printer 30.

The ejection timing control program 55 corrects the ink droplet ejection timing when the print head 70 is located at each position in each corrected coordinate based on each corrected coordinate (S15).
). As a calculation formula for correcting the ink droplet ejection timing, a known calculation formula can be adopted.

Each time the position of the print head 70 changes as the print head 70 scans, ink droplets are ejected from the print head 70 at the corrected ink droplet ejection timing corresponding to the position (S1).
6).

According to the above-described embodiment, the print head 70 is based on the cockling profile 47.
However, the cockling profile 47 is prepared for each type of printing medium. For this reason, since the ink droplet ejection timing correction is performed according to the type of the printing medium, an improvement in the accuracy with which the ink droplets are ejected to an appropriate position on the printing medium can be expected.

As mentioned above, although the Example of this invention was described, this Example is only the illustration for description of this invention, and is not the meaning which limits the scope of the present invention only to this Example. The present invention can be implemented in various other modes without departing from the gist thereof.

For example, in the description of the embodiments, an ink jet printer is taken as an example, but the present invention is not limited to an ink jet printer and can be applied to other types of liquid ejecting apparatuses. Examples of liquids include
In addition to ink, glue, nail polish, liquid electrode material, bioorganic liquid, and the like can be used.
Furthermore, the present invention can also be applied to an apparatus for manufacturing a color filter in a display body such as a liquid crystal.

Further, for example, the method of forcibly causing cockling is not limited to suction, and other types of methods can be employed.

As a first modification, as shown in FIG. 4A, the forced cockling portion 90 is a member extending from a position higher than the upper end of the rib 81 to a position lower than the upper end of the rib 81 (for example, the support main body 82 side). An elastic member (specifically, a leaf spring) that is biased toward the bottom may be included. In this case, cockling can be forcibly generated by pressing the range between the ribs 81 of the printing medium toward the support portion 80 side of the wave by each member 93. The forced cockling unit 90 may include a mechanism that adjusts the height of the member 93. In the case of the number, the parameter value for adjusting the height of the member 93 to the mechanism for adjusting the height of the member 93 can be adopted instead of the driving parameter value of the suction portion.

As a second modification, the forced cockling unit 90 includes a print head 7 as shown in FIG. 4B.
On the rotation axis of the conveyance roller that extends parallel to the scanning direction of 0, the large-diameter conveyance roller 94 that is arranged at a position corresponding to the position of the rib 81 and a position corresponding to the range between the ribs 81 is arranged. A conveying roller 95 having a diameter may be provided. Even with this configuration, it is possible to force cockling. Note that the forced cockling unit 90 may include a mechanism that adjusts the height of the transport roller rotation shaft. In this case, a parameter value for adjusting the height of the transport roller rotating shaft to a mechanism for adjusting the height of the transport roller rotating shaft can be employed instead of the driving parameter value of the suction unit.

In the embodiment, the cockling profile 47 is prepared for each printing medium type. However, instead of or in addition to each printing medium type, for each printing mode type (for example, image quality priority mode,
Printing speed priority mode, etc.) and / or for each range of the total amount of ink droplets ejected onto one printing medium. In this case, instead of or in addition to the type of the printing medium to be conveyed, the ejection timing control program 55 selects a printing mode selected from a plurality of printing modes (for example, designated by the user), and Refer to the cockling profile 47 corresponding to the total amount of ink droplets ejected onto the transported print medium (this can be calculated based on print image data, for example), and the cockling profile 47, the ink droplet ejection timing at each position of the print head 70 can be corrected.

FIG. 1 shows a configuration of an ink jet printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2A is an explanatory diagram of a wavy support portion and a forced cockling mechanism in one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2B shows a cross-sectional outline of a printing medium in which cockling is forced by suction from below the undulating support portion. FIG. 3 shows the flow of processing performed by the printer during printing. FIG. 4A is an explanatory diagram of a forced cockling mechanism in a first modification of one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4B is an explanatory diagram of a forced cockling mechanism according to a second modification of the embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Host apparatus 30 ... Liquid injection apparatus 40 ... CPU 47 ... Cockling profile 50 ... Memory 53 ... Forced cockling program 55 ... Injection timing control program 70 ... Print head 80 ... Rippling support part 90 ... Forced cockling part

Claims (6)

An ejection head for ejecting liquid;
A scanning mechanism for scanning the ejection head;
A liquid support medium that is transported in a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction of the ejection head, and a medium support section that has different heights along the scanning direction of the ejection head;
Compulsory cockling means for forcibly producing cockling in the liquid ejected medium to be conveyed;
Storage means for storing a plurality of cockling attribute information elements respectively corresponding to a plurality of types of liquid ejection media;
A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising: an ejection timing control unit that corrects a liquid ejection timing at each position of the ejection head based on a cockling attribute information element corresponding to a type of the liquid ejection medium to be conveyed. If the type of the liquid ejected medium to be transported is a type other than each liquid ejected medium type corresponding to each cockling attribute information element, the ejection timing control means may perform the forced cockling means and the liquid ejecting timing. Do not execute both corrections,
The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1. At least one cockling attribute information element is defined based on a combination of a liquid ejection medium type and an ejection mode type,
The ejection timing control means determines a liquid ejection timing at each position of the ejection head based on a cockling attribute information element corresponding to a combination of the type of the liquid ejection medium to be conveyed and the selected ejection mode type. Control,
The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 2. At least one cockling attribute information element is defined based on a combination of a liquid ejection medium type and a range of the total amount of liquid to be ejected,
The ejection timing control unit is configured to perform the ejection based on a cockling attribute information element corresponding to a combination of a type of the liquid ejected medium to be transported and a total amount of liquid ejected to the transported liquid ejected medium. Control the liquid ejection timing at each position of the head,
The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 2. At least one cockling attribute information element includes forced cockling control information defined based on a shape of cockling to be forced on the liquid ejected medium,
Forced cockling control means for controlling the forced cockling means in accordance with forced cockling control information included in the cockling attribute information element corresponding to the type of the liquid ejected medium to be conveyed;
The liquid ejecting apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4, further comprising: An ejection head for ejecting liquid;
A scanning mechanism for scanning the ejection head;
A liquid support medium that is transported in a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction of the ejection head, and a medium support section that has different heights along the scanning direction of the ejection head;
Compulsory cockling means for forcibly producing cockling in the liquid ejected medium to be conveyed;
Storage means for storing cockling attribute information elements corresponding to the first liquid ejection medium type;
If the type of the liquid ejected medium to be conveyed is the first liquid ejected medium type, each of the ejecting heads is based on the cockling attribute information element corresponding to the first liquid ejected medium type. If the liquid ejection timing at the position is corrected and the type of the liquid ejection medium to be transported is the second liquid ejection medium type, both the forced cockling means and the liquid ejection timing correction are not executed. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising: an ejection timing control unit that performs the liquid ejection timing control.

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