JP2010076190A - Droplet ejection device and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a droplet ejection device or the like which can restrain a droplet and a recording medium from being uselessly consumed until recording operation based on complemented image data is started when performing processing for complementing faulty recording caused by a faulty ejection nozzle during the recording operation of a recording head. <P>SOLUTION: The droplet ejection device includes: the recording head in which a plurality of nozzles to eject the droplet to the recording medium based on image data for recording are arrayed; a detection means which detects whether or not the faulty ejection nozzle is caused interlocked with the recording operation of the recording head; a complementing processing means which performs processing for complementing the faulty recording caused by the faulty ejection nozzle when the detection means detects that the faulty ejection nozzle is caused; and a control means which performs control to stop the recording operation being performed by switching the image data for recording to be transferred to the recording head to a null value when detecting that the faulty ejection nozzle is caused, and also to start the recording operation by the recording head to a new recording medium by sending the complemented image data after completing processing operation. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a droplet discharge device and a program.

  Conventionally, as an ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording by ejecting ink onto a recording medium such as paper, a detecting unit that detects a printing defect portion caused by a head defect such as ink clogging, and a printing defect detected by the detecting unit There is known one having correction printing means for performing printing (substitution printing, overwriting printing, etc.) so as to correct a position using a normal recording element such as a nozzle in the head (Patent Document 1).

  In addition, as an ink jet recording apparatus, a non-ejection detecting means for detecting non-ejection detection by reading dots for non-ejection detection printed on a recording medium by a print head, and a recording medium after the detection are recorded on the print head. And a reverse feed means for returning to the print position, and after the detection, the print medium is returned to the print position of the print head by the reverse feed means and printing for obtaining a final output image is performed by the print head. (Patent Document 2).

  Further, as an ink jet recording apparatus, a non-ejection nozzle is recorded by recording a non-ejection detection chart on a conveying means (conveying belt) by a recording head prior to recording on a recording medium, and reading and analyzing the chart by a reading unit. It is known that a non-ejection complement process of recording data is performed based on the detection information of the non-ejection nozzle, and when the non-ejection complement process is performed, a signal is sent to the recording head to perform recording on the recording medium. (Patent Document 3).

JP-A-8-187881 JP 2005-313625 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-18779

  The present invention detects when an ejection failure nozzle that causes the ejection state of a droplet to be defective occurs during a recording operation of a recording head in which a plurality of nozzles that eject droplets of ink or the like are arranged on a recording medium. When performing the process of complementing the recording failure due to the defective ejection nozzle, the unnecessary consumption of the droplets and the recording medium until the recording operation of the recording head based on the complemented image data is performed is reduced. The present invention provides a droplet discharge device and a program capable of performing the above.

The droplet discharge device of the invention (A1) includes a recording head in which a plurality of nozzles that discharge droplets on a recording medium based on recording image data are arranged,
Detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of ejection failure nozzles in conjunction with the recording operation of the recording head;
When the detection unit detects the occurrence of a defective discharge nozzle, a complementary processing unit that performs a process of complementing a recording defect due to the defective discharge nozzle;
When the detection unit detects the occurrence of an ejection failure nozzle, the recording image data to be sent to the recording head is switched to a null value to stop the recording operation being executed, and the processing operation of the complementary processing unit is And control means for sending the complemented image data after completion and performing control to start a recording operation by the recording head on a new recording medium.

  The droplet discharge device of the present invention (A2) further comprises a supply device that supplies a recording medium to a position where the recording operation of the recording head is performed in the discharge device of the above-described invention A1, and the control means includes the detection device When the means detects the occurrence of a defective ejection nozzle, it performs control to stop the new supply operation of the supply device.

  The droplet discharge device of this invention (A3) is the discharge device of the above invention A2, wherein the control means controls to resume the paper feed operation of the paper feed means after the processing operation of the complementary processing means is completed. Is what you do.

  The droplet discharge device of the present invention (A4) further comprises a supply device that supplies a recording medium to a position where the recording operation of the recording head is performed in the discharge device of the above-described invention A1, and the control means includes the detection device When the means detects the occurrence of an ejection failure nozzle, control is performed to continue the remaining supply operations in the series of supply operations required by the supply device.

  The droplet discharge device of this invention (A5) is the discharge device of the above-mentioned invention A4, wherein the ejection failure nozzles in the recording head until the control means starts the recording operation of the complemented image data of the recording head. In this case, the recording head performs control to execute a special liquid droplet ejection operation for suppressing the occurrence of the above.

  The droplet discharge device of this invention (A6) is the discharge device of the above-mentioned invention A5, wherein the control means performs control to execute an operation of recording a discharge failure detection pattern as the special droplet discharge operation. .

In the droplet discharge device of this invention (A7), in the discharge device of the above-mentioned invention A6, the detection means records a discharge failure detection pattern on the recording medium by the recording operation of the recording head, and the discharge failure nozzle is determined from the recording result. To detect the occurrence of
The detection means detects the occurrence of a discharge failure nozzle using a discharge failure detection pattern recorded as the special droplet discharge operation.

  Further, the droplet discharge device of the present invention (A8) has a selection means for selecting a use form in which the control means is operated and a use form in which the control means is not operated in the discharge apparatus according to any one of the inventions A1 to A7. Is.

  The droplet discharge apparatus according to the present invention (A9) is the discharge apparatus according to the above-described invention A9, wherein when the selection unit selects a usage mode in which the control unit is operated, the special droplet discharge operation is not performed. It has a selection pattern for selecting a usage mode for continuing the paper feeding operation of the paper feeding unit and a usage mode for continuing the paper feeding operation of the paper feeding unit while performing the special droplet discharge operation.

The program of the present invention (B1) records on a recording medium by a recording head in which a plurality of nozzles for discharging droplets according to recording image data are arranged, and is linked to the recording operation of the recording head. A first function for processing input data for recording used in a droplet discharge device having a function of detecting the presence or absence of defective discharge nozzles;
A second function for performing a process of complementing a recording failure due to the ejection failure nozzle when receiving information on a detection result of occurrence of the ejection failure nozzle in the recording head;
When receiving information on the detection result of the occurrence of a defective ejection nozzle in the recording head, the recording image data to be sent to the recording head is switched to a null value to stop the recording operation being performed, and its complement processing And a third function for performing a control process for starting the recording operation by the recording head on a new recording medium by sending the complemented image data after the operation of
The first function, the second function, and the third function are realized by computer processing.

  The program of the present invention (B2) has a fourth function of performing a control process for generating a selection operation for selecting a usage pattern for executing the third function and a usage pattern for not executing the third function in the program of the above-mentioned invention B1. Is.

  According to the droplet discharge device of the invention A1, when it is detected that a defective discharge nozzle has occurred during the recording operation of the recording head, a process for complementing the defective print by the defective discharge nozzle is performed. It is possible to reduce unnecessary consumption of the droplets and the recording medium until the recording operation of the recording head of the image data is performed.

  In the invention A2, the recording medium is not unnecessarily supplied after the recording operation of the recording head is stopped as compared with the case where the configuration of the invention is not provided.

  In the invention A3, as compared with the case without the configuration of the invention, the recording operation of the recording head of the complemented image data is performed on a new recording medium supplied from the paper feeding means, The complementary processing functions effectively while reducing unnecessary consumption of the recording medium.

  In the invention A4, as compared with the case where the configuration of the invention is not provided, an unused recording medium supplied by a paper feeding operation without performing a recording operation can be reused, and useless consumption of the recording medium is reduced. Is done.

  In the invention A5, as compared with the case where the configuration of the invention is not provided, drying of the nozzles (droplets) until the recording operation of the recording head of the complemented image data is performed is prevented, and the recording head The new generation of defective ejection nozzles is suppressed.

  In the invention A6, a special ink ejection operation can be easily performed as compared with the case of not having the configuration of the invention.

  In the invention A7, as compared with the case where the configuration of the invention is not provided, a new occurrence of a defective ejection nozzle in the recording head until the recording operation of the recording head of the complemented image data is performed is detected. be able to.

  In the above invention A8, if the user (apparatus user) can tolerate the recording result by the recording head after the occurrence of the defective ejection nozzle as compared with the case of not having the configuration of the present invention, the recording operation being executed is performed. Recording is not delayed until the completion of the complementary processing operation, and a delay in recording time can be avoided.

  In the invention A9, compared to the case without the configuration of the invention, unnecessary consumption of the droplets and the recording medium after detecting the occurrence of the ejection failure nozzle is reduced, and the ejection failure nozzle generated thereafter is reduced. It is possible to select and obtain any effect of avoiding the deterioration of the quality of the recorded result.

  Further, according to the program of the invention B1, the first function, the second mechanism, and the third function are realized by the processing of the computer, and in particular, when the third function is realized, the droplet ejection apparatus supplements the recording head. It is possible to reduce unnecessary consumption of the droplets and the recording medium until the recording operation of the processed image data is performed.

  In the above invention B2, as compared with the case where the configuration of the present invention is not provided, the user of the ink ejection recording apparatus does not execute the third function, and the recording being performed even when the occurrence of a defective ejection nozzle is detected. An opportunity to choose to continue without stopping the operation can be given.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 shows an outline of an ink discharge recording apparatus according to the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the ink discharge recording apparatus 1 includes a recording unit 2 that performs recording by discharging ink, and a paper feed storage unit 3 that stores and sends out a sheet 10 as a recording medium supplied to the recording unit 2. A paper feeding / conveying unit 4 that conveys the paper 10 delivered from the paper feeding accommodating unit 3 to the recording unit 2, and a post-recording conveying unit 5 that conveys the recorded paper 10 to the paper discharge accommodating unit 11 or the recording unit 2. And a reading unit 6 that reads the result (recorded content) recorded on the paper 10 in the recording unit 2 and a control unit 7 that controls the operation of the entire recording apparatus including the operations of these units. The alternate long and short dash line in the figure indicates the main path of the paper 10 when it is transported through the transport sections 4, 5 and the like.

  The paper feed storage unit 3 stores a plurality of sheets 10 of a required size and type in a stacked state, and a delivery device 32 that sends out the sheets 10 stored in the sheet storage 31 one by one. And is mainly composed. The feeding device 32 is configured by combining paper feeding means such as a roll that rotates by receiving power from a rotational drive source (not shown). In the paper feed storage unit 3, the sending device 32 is operated at the timing when the recording operation of the recording unit 2 is started, and thereby the paper 10 in the paper storage body 31 is sent out to the paper feed transport unit 4 one by one. .

  The sheet feeding / conveying unit 4 is disposed to face the recording unit 2 (nozzle surface of the recording head), and includes a recording / conveying unit 44 that conveys the supplied paper 10 while maintaining its flatness, and a sheet feeding accommodation unit. 3 is configured with a paper feed path 41 that conveys the paper 10 delivered from 3 to the recording conveyance unit 44 and delivers it.

  The paper feed path 41 is configured by a plurality of paper transport roll pairs 42 a to 42 c disposed between the feeding device 32 of the paper feed unit 3 and the belt transport unit 44, a transport path forming guide material (not shown), and the like. . Each pair of rolls 42 receives power from a rotational drive source (not shown) and rotates. The roll pair 42c disposed immediately before the belt conveyance unit 44 of the roll pair 42 is configured as a paper feed timing adjustment roll pair that adjusts the timing at which the paper 10 is finally supplied to the recording unit 2 (recording position thereof). Has been. The feed timing adjustment roll pair 42c is configured so that the leading end of the conveyed paper 10 is temporarily abutted against the roll pair that has stopped rotating, and then the roll pair is started to rotate at a required timing. It has become. In addition, the adjustment roll pair 42c corrects a state where the sheet 10 is conveyed obliquely with respect to the conveyance direction A of the sheet 10 when the leading end portion of the sheet 10 is brought into contact with the roll pair whose rotation is stopped. .

  The recording / conveying unit 44 includes a belt conveyance device 45 that conveys the paper 10, and an adsorption member 49 that attracts the paper 10 to the conveyance belt of the belt conveyance device 45 by electrostatic action.

  The belt conveyance device 45 is a plurality of endless conveyance belts 46 each having a belt width capable of holding the paper 10 having the maximum feed width to be supplied and held in a planar shape at least at a position facing the recording unit 2. The rolls 47a to 47c are attached by being wound around. The conveyor belt 46 is held in a flat shape between the rolls 47a and 47c, and indicated by an arrow when the roll 47a configured as a drive roll is rotated by receiving power from a rotational drive source (not shown). It rotates in the direction (counterclockwise direction in FIGS. 1 and 2). As shown in FIG. 2, between the roll 47a and the roll 47c, in order to hold the transport belt 46 in a flat shape, a support member 48 having a flat upper portion is disposed on the inner peripheral surface side of the belt. The adsorbing member 49 is a roll-shaped member that adsorbs the paper 10 by electrostatic action at a position supported by the driven roll 47 c of the transport belt 46. Further, a charging voltage is applied to the attracting member 49 to charge the outer peripheral surface of the transport belt 42 to a polarity capable of electrostatically attracting the paper 10.

  The post-recording transport unit 5 is a state in which the recording paper 10 after the recording operation in the recording unit 2 is completed is transported to the paper discharge accommodating unit 11 and the recording paper 10 is reversed on the front and back surfaces. And a reverse retransmission path unit 52 for retransmitting to the recording unit 2.

  For the discharge path 51, a plurality of paper transport rolls 53a to 53c, a paper guide 53d, and a transport roll pair 54a disposed between the recording section 2 (paper peeling section of the belt transport section 44) and the paper discharge storage section 11. To 54d, a conveyance path forming guide material (not shown), and the like. The reverse retransmission path section 52 also serves as a downstream section of the discharge path section 51 (arrangement range of the pair of transport rolls 54a to 54d), and a portion other than the combined section is located in the middle position of the discharge path section 51 ( A plurality of paper transport rolls disposed between the branch portion between the roll 53c and the roll pair 54a) and the joining portion at the middle position of the paper feed path portion 41 (between the roll pair 42a and the roll pair 42b). 55a-55e, the conveyance path formation guide material etc. which are not shown in figure. Each of the pair of transport rolls 53 and 55 also receives power from a rotation drive source (not shown) and rotates.

  The recording unit 2 includes a plurality of recording heads 21 provided in accordance with the number of ink colors to be used, and a maintenance unit 28 that performs maintenance work on the recording heads 21.

  The recording head 21 in this embodiment uses four colors of ink, yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (B), and four recordings corresponding to each of the four colors. The heads 21Y, 21M, 21C, and 21K are configured.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, each recording head 21 (Y, M, C, K) has a plurality of nozzles (ejection ports) 22 that eject ink on the side facing the sheet 10 as described later. The nozzle 22 arranged on the nozzle surface 21a is formed to a position corresponding to both ends in the width direction of the paper 10 having the maximum feed width W. This is a so-called line type recording head. The band-like nozzle surface 21 a is arranged in a state along the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction A of the paper 10, for example.

  The recording heads 21 (Y, M, C, K) are arranged at predetermined intervals in the order of 21Y, 21M, 21C, 21K from the upstream side in the transport direction A of the paper 10. Further, each recording head 21 is held at a predetermined position by a holding member (not shown), and is moved between a recording operation position and a maintenance position (for example, a position above the recording operation position) by a moving device (not shown). It is supposed to be.

  The plurality of nozzles 22 in each recording head 21 are arranged in a straight line along the longitudinal direction of the recording target area of the recording head 21 (a direction orthogonal to the paper transport direction A), a staggered pattern, or a matrix pattern. It arrange | positions so that it may become the row | line | column of the state located in a line. As a driving method for discharging ink from the nozzles 22 in each recording head 21, for example, a known driving method such as a piezo method or a thermal jet method is employed. Each recording head 21 is individually supplied with ink (liquid) of a corresponding color from an ink tank 25K, 25C, 25M, 25Y mounted in the recording apparatus 1 via an ink supply path (not shown).

  The maintenance unit 28 includes a cap structure that covers the nozzle surface 21a of the recording head 21 and blocks contact with outside air, a wiping member that wipes and cleans the nozzle surface 21a, an ink receiving member that captures ink that is ejected idle, It has a suction mechanism or the like that suctions the nozzle surface 21a and forcibly removes ink or the like present at the tip of the nozzle.

  The maintenance unit 28 in this embodiment is divided into two sets, a first unit 28A that performs maintenance work for the recording heads 21Y and 21M and a second unit 28B that performs maintenance work for the recording heads 21C and 21K. Each of the divided units 28A and 28B is arranged at a standby position retracted to the upstream side or the downstream side in the paper transport direction A of the recording heads 21Y and 21K during normal operation (when maintenance is not performed). Each unit 28A, 28B is moved by a moving device (not shown) to a work position facing the nozzle surface 21a of each recording head 21 moved to the maintenance position when maintenance work is performed.

  The reading unit 6 includes a reading sensor that reads a required recorded image recorded on the paper 10 in the recording unit 2.

  In this embodiment, as the reading sensor of the reading unit 6, as shown in FIG. 3, a line type sensor in which reading elements 61 are arranged in a row along a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction A of the paper 10 is used. is doing. The reading sensor of the reading unit 6 is positioned downstream of the recording unit 2 in the sheet conveying direction A and faces a portion of the conveying belt 46 of the conveying belt device 44 that is held in a flat state between the rolls 47a and 47c. Arranged in a state. In addition to the reading element (light receiving element) 61, the reading unit 6 includes a light emitting element that generates light that illuminates the reading target. The required recording image to be read is mainly a defective ejection nozzle detection pattern 65 to be described later, which is recorded in the blank portion that becomes the leading end portion 10a or the trailing end portion 10d in the transport direction A of the paper 10.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 7 includes a main body control unit 70 installed on the main body side of the ink ejection recording apparatus 1. A host computer 100 is connected to the main body control unit 70 via a communication control unit 71 employing a known communication method.

  The main body control unit 70 includes a system control unit 73 that controls each operation in the entire system of the recording apparatus 1 via a transmission path 72 such as a bus, and recording data (recorded image data) input from the host computer 100 or the like. ) Analyzing the presence or absence of a defective ejection nozzle with a defective ink ejection state on the recording head 21 of the recording unit 2 and the recording head 21 of the recording unit 2 and the occurrence position of the defective nozzle A defective nozzle analysis detection unit 75 to be detected is connected. The ink ejection state is defective (in other words, the case of a defective ejection nozzle) is not the case where the ink is not ejected from the nozzle, or the case where the ink ejection direction from the nozzle deviates from the normal direction ( An abnormal discharge direction), or a case where the amount of ink discharged from the nozzle is insufficient (insufficient discharge amount).

  The system control unit 73, the recorded image processing unit 74, and the defective nozzle analysis detection unit 75 are all an arithmetic processing unit 76 that performs required information processing, and a recording unit 77 that stores required control programs and various data. And is configured as a kind of computer. The arithmetic processing unit 76 is composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and the like. The recording unit 77 is configured by combining one or a plurality of types such as a memory (semiconductor element or the like) and a storage device (hard disk or the like). The control unit 73, the processing unit 74, and the analysis detection unit 75 are configured to transmit (exchange) necessary information and the like via the transmission path 72.

  For example, the system control unit 73 performs the sheet feeding operation (mainly the operation of the sending device 32) of the sheet feeding storage unit 3 and the sheet conveying operation (mainly the conveyance roll) of the sheet feeding conveyance unit 4 and the post-recording conveyance unit 5. The operation of the recording head 2 in the recording unit 2 and the operation of the head maintenance unit 28 of the recording unit 2 are controlled based on the control program and data stored in the storage unit 77 in advance. The system control unit 73 is connected to a display unit 12 that displays required information and an operation unit 13 that performs a required input operation. The system control unit 73 also controls each operation of the display unit 12 and the operation unit 13. The display unit 12 is configured by a liquid crystal display panel or the like. The operation unit 13 includes an operation panel on which buttons and switches are arranged.

  The host computer 100 includes a control unit 101 that controls the operation of the entire computer, a control program and data for each operation of the computer, a storage unit 102 that stores recording data to be recorded by the ink ejection recording apparatus 1, and necessary information. A display unit 103 for displaying the information, an operation unit 104 for performing necessary input operations, and the like. The host computer 100 is, for example, a so-called print server that collectively manages recording jobs (recording request processing) requested from a plurality of network terminals or the like and transfers the recording jobs to the recording apparatus 1 or for recording to be recorded by the recording apparatus 1. A personal computer or the like that creates data and requests the recording apparatus 1 to record the data.

  When the ink ejection recording apparatus 1 according to this embodiment performs recording, recording data (original data of a recorded image) accumulated in advance in the host computer 100 (the storage unit 102) is transmitted to the recording apparatus 1. After that, the transmitted and input recording data is subjected to necessary image processing in the recording image processing unit 74 of the recording apparatus 1 and converted to output image data. Connected to the recording image processing unit 74 is a head drive control unit 78 that controls the recording operation (ink ejection) of each recording head 21 (Y, M, C, K) in the recording unit 2. The head drive control unit 78 includes a print clock generation unit 79 and a storage unit 77 that generate a print clock serving as a reference for operation timing during a recording operation. Further, when the recording operation is performed, the head drive control unit 78 transmits and inputs the image data subjected to the image processing from the recording image processing unit 74, and the print clock generated from the print clock generation unit 79. Are transmitted to each recording head 21 (Y, M, C, K) and output, and the recording operation of each recording head 21 is executed according to the image data.

  Further, every time the recording head 21 performs recording on one sheet 10, the ink ejection recording apparatus 1 detects whether or not a defective ejection nozzle is generated in the recording head 21. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, when performing a recording operation, separately from normal image recording, a blank portion such as the leading end portion 10a or the trailing end portion 10b in the conveyance direction A of the paper 10 is used. Then, the defective ejection nozzle detection pattern 65 is recorded by the recording head 21, and after the recorded detection pattern 65 is read by the reading unit 6, the read data of the read pattern is analyzed by the defective nozzle analysis detection unit 75. As a result, the presence / absence of a defective ejection nozzle and the position (the position of the nozzle) at which it occurs are specified.

  Further, the ink ejection recording apparatus 1 performs a process of complementing the recording failure due to the ejection failure nozzle when the occurrence of the ejection failure nozzle is detected. As will be described later, this complementing process is performed as an operation of streak correction in the recorded image processing unit 74 (see FIG. 5).

  Then, when the occurrence of an ejection failure nozzle is detected, the ink ejection recording apparatus 1 causes the recording image processing unit 74 to stop the recording operation being performed by the recording head 21 by the system control unit 73 as described later. In addition to sending a control signal, control is performed to stop a new paper feed operation in the paper feed storage unit 3 (see FIG. 7). Further, when the operation of the complementing process in the recording image processing unit 74 is completed, the complemented image data is output from the recording image processing unit 74 to the head drive control unit 78, and the head drive control unit 78 performs the image processing. Based on the data, control is performed to start a recording operation by the recording head 21 for a new sheet 10 (see FIG. 7). In addition, the system control unit 73 performs control for restarting a new sheet feeding operation by the sheet feeding unit 3 or the like (see FIG. 7).

  Hereinafter, the operation of the ink ejection recording apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be described.

  When the ink discharge recording apparatus 1 performs a recording operation, a start command for the recording operation and recording data to be recorded are transmitted from the host computer 100 side to the recording apparatus 1 side.

  In the host computer 100, recording data to be recorded by the recording device 1 is stored in advance in a storage unit 102 (for example, a hard disk). A person (user) who performs recording by the recording apparatus 1 selects a recording job to be recorded from the recording job management screen displayed on the display unit 103 in the computer 100 by operating the operation unit 104 when performing the recording. To start recording. The recording job is information relating to a set of recording request processing created by the user (management information relating to a document, an image, etc. to be recorded). The recording job management screen is a screen on which, for example, recording files or folders are displayed as a list.

  When this recording start instruction is issued, the host computer 100 reads the recording data of the recording job selected from the storage unit 102 under the control of the control unit 101 and transmits it to the recording apparatus 1. The recording data at this time is transmitted to the recording device 1 through the communication control unit 71 and is stored and held in a storage area or storage device prepared as an image memory of the storage unit 77 in the recorded image processing unit 74.

  At this time, the recording data stored in the host computer 100 is, for example, the color of ink (Y, M, C) used in the recording head 21 when the image to be recorded (including characters) is a color image. , K) and stored as recording data RD (Y, M, C, K) for each color component. The recording data RD (Y, M, C, K) separated for each color component is stored in the storage unit 77 of the recording image processing unit 74 for each color component. Incidentally, the recording data is not necessarily limited to data separated for each color component in this way. That is, a configuration in which separation for each color component is performed on the recording apparatus 1 (recorded image processing unit 74) side may be employed.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the recording image processing unit 74 distributes the recording data RD (Y, M, C, K) for each color component to perform image processing, and finally the recording head 21 of the recording unit 2. The image data ID to be transmitted to is generated. The image processing shown in FIG. 5 is performed on recording data for one color, but is similarly performed on recording data for other color components.

  At this time, as shown in FIG. 5, the recorded image processing unit 74 stores the recording data RD transmitted and stored from the host computer 100 for each color component in units of pages (units of images recorded on one side of the paper 10). Are temporarily stored in the input page memory (1) in the storage unit 77, and the image data is read out in units of pages, and then common processing such as X-registration correction, γ correction, non-uniformity correction, halftone (processing), nozzle rearrangement, etc. After that, the image data ID is stored in the output page memory (1) and held. The input page memory and the output page memory are storage areas (or storage devices) prepared in the storage unit 77 of the recorded image processing unit 74.

  Here, the X registration correction is a process of shifting an image to be recorded in accordance with the arrangement direction of the nozzles 22 in the recording head 21, and the head 21 (Y, M, C, K) for each color component by this correction. The image shift at is adjusted by the recorded image and eliminated. The γ correction is a process for correcting the density of a recorded image. The Hearton process is a process of changing the number of bits of input image data to a predetermined number of bits. For example, 8-bit data is converted into 2-bit data. The nozzle rearrangement is a process of converting the arrangement of recorded image data in accordance with the two-dimensional nozzle arrangement of the recording head.

  The uneven stripe correction is a process for complementing image defects that are streaky irregularities generated in a recorded image due to defective ejection nozzles. Specifically, a process for correcting the ink discharge condition of a predetermined nozzle 22 is performed. This unevenness correction is performed based on correction parameters (data) of ink discharge conditions prepared in accordance with detection result information relating to the defective content and position of defective discharge nozzles transmitted from the defective nozzle analysis detection unit 75. . The correction parameter data is stored in advance in the storage unit 77 of the recorded image processing unit 74.

  Further, in the recording image processing unit 74, when a series of recording operations are image data having different contents depending on the page, as shown in FIG. 5, the image data for each different page is converted into two input page memories according to the recording order. 1 and 2, the image data of each different page is subjected to the common image processing described above, and then the image signal of each page after the processing is distributed to the two output page memories 1 and 2. Remember.

  Further, when starting the recording operation, the recording image processing unit 74 performs a process of adding and composing an ejection failure detection pattern to the image signal IS of each page output from the output page memory (1, 2). .

  The ejection failure detection pattern (reference numeral 65 in FIG. 3) indicates whether the ink ejection state of all the nozzles 22 in the recording head 21 (Y, M, C, K) is defective and the nozzle where the ejection failure has occurred. The pattern image can be detected, and a known pattern or the like is used. This detection pattern is formed in, for example, a blank portion at the front end portion in the conveyance direction A of the paper 10. In addition, this detection pattern is formed on a single sheet of paper 10 at a time as a pattern that can detect the occurrence of ejection failure of all nozzles of the four recording heads 21 (Y, M, C, K). The However, if it is not possible to form a single sheet at a time due to circumstances such as not being able to ensure a sufficient margin area of the sheet, it may be distributed and formed on a plurality of sheets. Such detection pattern data is stored in advance in the storage unit 77 of the recorded image processing unit 74.

  Subsequently, when the image data ID for one page is generated by the image processing of the recording image processing unit 74 and stored in the output page memory, the ink ejection recording apparatus 1 stores the system control unit 73 as shown in FIG. Under this control, the paper feed container 3 is operated to start the paper feeding operation of the paper 10, and the paper feeding transport unit 4 and the post-recording transport unit 5 are operated to carry the paper 10 to the recording unit 2. Start (step S10).

  As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the paper feed accommodating unit 3 feeds the paper 10 one by one to the paper feed transport unit 4 by operating the sending device 32. The fed paper 10 is transported through the paper feed path 41 of the paper feed transport unit 4 and is electrostatically attracted by the suction member 49 to the transport belt 46 in the recording transport unit 44 of the paper feed transport unit 4. The recording transport unit 44 transports the recording head 2 so as to pass directly under each recording head 21 (nozzle surface 21a thereof).

  Next, when the supplied paper 10 reaches the recording position of the recording unit 2 (directly below the nozzle surface 21a), the recording unit 2 is operated by the control of the system control unit 74 in accordance with the arrival timing, thereby the recording head. 21 starts the recording operation (step S11).

  In the recording unit 2, the head drive control unit 78 drives the recording head 21 based on the image data ID read out and transmitted from the recording image processing unit 74 in synchronization with the print clock signal. As a result, the recording head 21 ejects ink (droplet) of a predetermined color from the corresponding nozzle 22 corresponding to the image data ID onto the paper 10 conveyed by the recording conveyance unit 44 in the form of dots. Ink is ejected in the order of the recording heads 21M, 21C, and 21K that are sequentially arranged on the downstream side with the recording head 21Y arranged on the upstream side in the paper transport direction A.

  The recording operation at this time is started by recording the ejection failure detection pattern 65 on the blank portion at the leading end portion 10a of the paper 10 as shown in FIG. When recording the detection patterns of four colors (Y, M, C, K) on the leading edge 10a of one sheet at a time, all the recording heads 21 (Y, M, C, K) use the detection patterns. On the basis of the image data, the detection pattern for each color (Y, M, C, K) is recorded in the detection area for each color. Subsequently, a normal image is recorded on the user recording target area of the paper 10 by a required recording head 21 (Y, M, C, K) based on the recording image data ID.

  Next, when the recording operation in the recording unit 2 is completed, the defective nozzle analysis detection unit 75 is performed when the paper 10 on which the recording has been performed is conveyed by the conveyance belt 46 of the recording conveyance unit 44 and passes directly below the reading unit 6. Under this control, the reading sensor (including the light emission source) of the reading unit 6 is operated to read the ejection detection pattern 65 recorded on the leading end portion 10a of the sheet (step S12). The read data of the detection pattern 65 read by the reading unit 6 is taken into the defective nozzle analysis detecting unit 75 and analyzed as described later.

  If the sheet 10 that has passed through the reading unit 6 is a recording job that performs single-sided recording, the sheet 10 is conveyed by the discharge path unit 51 of the post-recording conveyance unit 5 that is operating and is conveyed to the paper discharge storage unit 11. Further, in the case of a recording job for performing double-sided recording, after the sheet 10 for which single-sided recording has been completed is transported by a predetermined distance by the discharge path section 51, the reverse retransmission path section from the rear end side in the transport direction. Then, the paper is conveyed to the recording unit 2 again by the paper feeding / conveying unit 4 with the front and back surfaces thereof being reversed. When the sheet 2 conveyed by the reverse retransmission path unit 52 passes through the recording unit 2 again, an image for the back surface is recorded on the back surface (second surface) of the sheet. The detection pattern 65 is also formed on the back surface of the paper 10 during the recording on the back surface.

  When the above operation is executed, recording on one sheet 10 by the recording apparatus 1 is completed. At this time, whether or not there is a recording on the next new sheet 10 in the recording job that has received the request for recording instruction. Is determined (step S13). At this time, if there is a next recording, the sheet 10 is fed for the designated number of sheets in the recording job, and the above-described recording operation on one sheet 10 is similarly repeated. On the other hand, if there is no next recording, the recording operation ends.

  Further, in this recording apparatus 1, as shown in FIG. 7, the defective nozzle analysis detection unit 75 detects and detects the occurrence of defective nozzles based on the read data of the detection pattern 65 read by the reading unit 6. (Step S20).

  At this time, if there is no ejection failure nozzle in the recording head 21, as shown in FIG. 8, the droplet ink ejected from all the nozzles 22 of the recording head 21 has a desired position and It adheres in a state that is almost common in the size of dots (dots).

  FIG. 8 shows a state of the adhered ink 15 ejected from each nozzle 22 of the recording head 21 and adhered to the paper 10. Here, as the recording head 21, for example, the nozzles 22 are arranged in a staggered manner in a direction orthogonal to the paper transport direction A and are arranged as an upstream nozzle group 22A and a downstream nozzle group 22B in the paper transport direction A arranged in two rows. In this case, the ink is ejected from each of the nozzle groups 22A and 22B when the ink is ejected twice from the upstream nozzle group 22A and the downstream nozzle group 22B. The states of the inks 15A and 15B are shown. In FIG. 8, one circle (◯) indicates the adhered ink formed by being ejected from one nozzle 22. When no ejection failure nozzle has occurred, as shown in FIG. 8, there are the same number of adhering inks 15A and 15B as the nozzle groups 22A and 22B (there is no omission of adhering ink). The same result is obtained with respect to the attachment position and size (amount).

  On the other hand, when a non-ejection defective nozzle is generated in the recording head 21, as shown in FIG. 9, a recording result is present in which a blank portion (dot missing) is missing without the attached ink 15 being formed. In FIG. 9, when a part of the nozzles 21Ax of the upstream nozzle group 21A and a part of the nozzles 21Bx of the downstream nozzle group 21B are in a non-ejection state (the corresponding nozzle is indicated by “●”), the ejection is performed. Since no ink is ejected from the defective nozzles 21Ax and 21Bx, the result that the adhered ink is not formed at the position corresponding to the nozzles 21Ax and 21Bx (the portion without “◯” indicating the adhered ink 15: in parentheses in the drawing) (Blank portion indicated by the tip of an arrow with reference numerals 15Ax and 15Bx). As a result, the result (recorded image) recorded by the recording head 21 in which the non-ejection defective nozzle is present has a streak as a whole because the missing dots are continuously present in the paper transport direction A. Recording defects that appear like this, so-called streaks occur.

  In the defective nozzle analysis detection unit 75, whether or not there is a discharge failure such as non-discharge, discharge direction abnormality, or insufficient discharge amount from the read data of the detection pattern 65, or the nozzle of the discharge failure is detected. Analyze position to detect.

  Analysis and detection at this time can be performed using a known analysis method such as an image analysis technique. For example, the read data is compared with the reference read data of the detection pattern 65 stored in advance in the storage unit 77 of the analysis detection unit 75. For example, the detection at this time is processed at such a speed that the result becomes clear before normal image recording on the paper 10 on which the detection pattern 65 used for the detection is formed ends. In addition, when the detection pattern is distributed (divided) and recorded on a plurality of sheets 10, the analysis and detection are performed sequentially every time reading data of the division detection pattern recorded on each sheet is obtained. Or all the reading data of the detection patterns by the four recording heads 21 are obtained at a time when they are obtained. The detection at this time is processed at such a speed that, for example, the result is revealed before normal image recording is completed on the paper on which the last pattern of the detection patterns formed in a divided manner is formed. The

  When the defective nozzle analysis detection unit 75 detects the occurrence of a defective discharge nozzle, the detection result is transmitted to the system control unit 73 and the recorded image processing unit 74.

  In the recording apparatus 1, as shown in FIG. 7, when the system control unit 73 receives information on the result of detecting the occurrence of defective nozzles (step S <b> 21), the arithmetic processing unit 76 in the control unit 73 stores the information. Based on the control program stored in the unit 77, a control signal is sent to the head drive control unit 78 of the recording unit 2 to execute control for stopping the recording operation being executed by the recording head 21 (step S22). Control is performed to stop the paper feeding operation of the new paper for the paper feed accommodating unit 3 (step S23). Such stop control is executed as an interrupt process for the control relating to the recording operation (FIG. 6).

  The stop of the recording operation being executed at this time immediately stops the ink ejection (driving) in the recording head 21 in which the recording operation corresponding to the instruction to start the recording is performed even during the recording. It is something to be made. The control for canceling the recording operation is performed by the head drive control unit 78 using the image data ID transmitted to the head drive control unit 78 for driving the recording head 21 for which the recording operation is stopped. This is executed by switching to the data (so-called “NULL data”). That is, the head drive control unit 78 does not send the image data ID held in the storage unit 76 (the output page memory shown in FIG. 5) of the recording image processing unit 74 to the recording head 21, and displays a normal image. Data in the empty state that does not include data components related to normal image data for recording for recording (however, in this case, when performing “special ink ejection operation” to be described later, the data at that time is excluded) is the recording head. Will be sent to 21.

  By canceling the recording operation being executed, ink is not ejected in the recording head 21 in which the occurrence of a defective ejection nozzle is detected, and ink is not consumed unnecessarily. Further, the subsequent recording operation for the new sheet 10 is not performed, and the sheet is not consumed unnecessarily.

  Also, the cancellation of the new paper feeding operation is to stop the new operation of the sending device 32 in the paper feed accommodating unit 3. At this time, the paper feeding / conveying section 4 (paper feeding path section 41, recording / conveying section 44) and post-recording conveying section 5 (discharge path section 51, reverse retransmission path section 52) can transport the paper 10 at any time. Kept in a state.

  By canceling the new paper feeding operation, the new paper 10 is not transported for recording by the recording head 21 immediately after the occurrence of the defective nozzle is found, and the paper is correspondingly removed. It is not consumed unnecessarily.

  Further, by keeping the paper feeding / conveying unit 4 and the post-recording conveying unit 5 in a state where paper feeding is possible when the paper feeding operation for a new paper is stopped, paper feeding is performed when the paper feeding operation is stopped. If there is a sheet 10 being conveyed by the conveyance unit 4 and the post-recording conveyance unit 5, the sheet 10 can be discharged to the paper discharge storage unit 11 or the like. In addition, when the paper 10 being transported is described by the recording head 21 before the occurrence of a defective ejection nozzle, the discharged paper can be handled as a normal recorded matter. Further, when the paper 10 being transported is a paper that has not been recorded (unrecorded) by the recording head 21 in which an ejection failure nozzle has occurred, the paper 10 that has been ejected is recorded by the recording device 1. It can be used again, and it is not wasted.

  In the recording apparatus 1, as shown in FIG. 7, when the recording image processing unit 74 receives information on the result of detecting the occurrence of a defective ejection nozzle, the arithmetic processing unit 76 in the processing unit 74 is stored in the storage unit 77. Based on the stored control program, the processing operation for complementing the above-described recording failure due to the ejection failure nozzle is started (step S24).

A known complementing method for adjusting and correcting ink ejection conditions of normal nozzles other than defective ejection nozzles is applied to the complementing process at this time. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 10, for example, normal nozzles adjacent to the defective ejection nozzle from the viewpoint of complementing the portion (dot missing) that is not recorded by the defective ejection nozzle (nozzles 21Ax and 21Bx illustrated in FIG. 9). This is performed as one of the image processes (straight unevenness correction in FIG. 5) for adjusting and correcting the ink discharge conditions (21A ₁ , 21A ₂ , 21B ₁ , 21B ₂ ).

  In the complementing process shown in FIG. 10, the condition of the ink protrusion amount of the normal nozzle adjacent to the defective nozzle is corrected to a value increased from the normal set value. Such a complementary process is prepared by preparing different levels of “small”, “medium”, and “large” in advance as conditions for the discharge amount of the nozzle 22, for example. While the discharge amount condition of “or medium level” is used, the “large level” discharge amount is mixedly used when the complementary process is performed. The recording results when the recording operation of the complemented image data is performed will be described later.

  Image processing (straightness correction) as a complementary process is a correction parameter for discharge conditions (preliminary discharge conditions) that is set in accordance with the information about discharge failure (non-discharge, discharge direction deviation, discharge amount shortage, etc.) and the position of the defective nozzle. FIG. 5). When the occurrence of the ejection failure nozzle is detected and the supplement processing is required, the recording image processing unit 74 changes the correction parameter data for the uneven stripe correction to the parameter data adapted to the detection information regarding the content of the ejection failure, etc. The recording data RD stored in the input page memory (FIG. 5) of the storage unit 77 is read, and the above-described image processing (X registration correction, γ correction, and non-uniformity correction shown in FIG. 5) is performed on the read recording data RD. , Halftone (processing) and nozzle rearrangement) are performed in the same manner. The recording data RD that is read and image-processed at this time is the same as the recording data RD of the image data ID used for the previous canceled recording operation, and the recording subsequent to the canceled recording operation. In some cases, the recording data RD is to be used for the recording. If it is the same as the recording data used for the canceled recording operation, for example, the recording operation for the last page specified in the recording job is canceled, and the original data used for recovering the image data of the last page is used. This is also included in the case of recording data.

  By this processing operation of the recording image processing unit 74, a new image data ID that has been complemented by the unevenness correction is generated, and the new image data ID after the complementing processing is stored in the output page memory (FIG. 5) of the storage unit 77. Stored. In this way, the operation of the complement processing is completed, and the information data subjected to the complement processing is transmitted from the recording image processing unit 74 to the system control unit 73 and the head control unit 78.

  Further, in the recording apparatus 1, as shown in FIG. 7, the system control unit 73 manages whether or not the processing operation is completed (completed) after the complementary processing operation in the recording image processing unit 74 is started. (Step S25).

  When the above complementary processing operation is completed, the system control unit 73 enters a state of permitting (enabling) a new paper feeding operation by the paper feeding storage unit 3 (step S26), and head control. The unit 78 is allowed to start the recording operation of the complemented image data by the recording unit 2 (step S27).

  At this time, if there is a remaining (unrecorded) recording operation in the previously canceled recording operation, the remaining recording operation is immediately started under the control of the system control unit 73 and the head control unit 78. The In other words, in this case, a new sheet 10 is fed by the sheet feeding storage unit 3 and conveyed to the recording unit 2 through the sheet feeding / conveying unit 4, while the recording unit 2 The recording operation of the recording head 21 based on the complemented image data is performed. At this time, the head controller 78 switches the empty data which has been switched to the empty value and sent to the recording head 21 when the previous recording operation is stopped to the complemented image data for recording.

  In this recording operation, the ejection failure nozzles still exist in the recording head 21 itself, but they occurred due to the ejection failure nozzles by performing the recording operation of the complemented image data. Recording defects (such as the occurrence of uneven stripes) are eliminated or reduced. Incidentally, the image (data) recorded during the recording operation of the complemented image data is generally the same as the image when the recording operation is stopped, and the image (data) different from the image when the recording operation is stopped ( For example, there is a case where the image is scheduled to be recorded next to the canceled image.

  FIG. 10 shows an example of the recording result (the state of the attached ink 15) of the recording head 21 to which the ink discharge condition (correction of the discharge amount level) by the above-described complementary processing is added.

The recording result shown in FIG. 10 indicates that the discharge amount level of the normal nozzles (21A ₁ , 21A ₂ , 21B ₁ , 21B ₂ ) adjacent to the discharge failure nozzles (21Ax, 21Bx) that are non-discharge is from “medium” in normal times. This is a result when the recording operation is performed by performing the complement processing changed to the “large” level. Circles (15A ₁ , 15A ₂ , 15B ₁ , 15B ₂ ) indicated by dotted lines in the figure indicate the state of the adhered ink by the normal nozzle. At this time, the condition of the protrusion amount of the other normal nozzles 22 remains at a normal level (“medium level”). As shown in FIG. 10, the adhering ink (dotted circle) by the adjacent normal nozzles is larger than the normal ink discharge amount, and other inks installed on the paper 10 at the normal discharge amount are used. It becomes a large ink with a larger area than the ink deposited by the normal nozzle (shown by a solid circle). As a result, by performing the recording by the complement processing, a part of the portion (dot blank area shown in FIG. 9) that is not recorded by the ejection failure nozzles (nozzles 21Ax, 21Bx) is larger adhered ink by the adjacent normal nozzles. It will be in a state of being compensated by, and will be less visible.

  In this way, after completion of the complementary processing operation, by restarting and starting a new paper feeding operation and recording operation, the occurrence of defective ejection nozzles is detected as described above until the complementary processing operation is completed. At that time, the recording operation and the new paper feeding operation are stopped. For this reason, ink is not ejected by the recording head 21 in which the ejection failure nozzle is generated until the complementary processing operation is completed, so that the ink is not consumed unnecessarily. Further, since the recording operation by the recording head 21 is not performed on the newly supplied paper 10, the paper is not consumed unnecessarily.

  Such an effect is such that when the time required for the operation of the complementing process becomes long, the recording operation or the like starts from the point when the occurrence of the defective ejection nozzle is detected until the completion of the complementing process operation where the processing time becomes long. It is particularly effective because it is not canceled and performed. When the required time becomes longer, for example, the recording width of the recording head 21 (the length in the direction perpendicular to the paper transport direction A) increases, or the total number of nozzles increases, so that the image data to be processed becomes larger. This is the case when it becomes enormous, or when a processing method with a long processing time is adopted as a complementary method.

  Even after the recording operation of the recording head 21 based on the complemented image data is started, the detection pattern 65 is recorded by the recording head 21, the pattern is read by the reading unit 6, and defective nozzle analysis is performed. The detection of the occurrence of defective nozzles based on the detection pattern read data by the detection unit 75 is performed in the same manner. In this case, since the ink for the detection pattern is not ejected from the ejection failure nozzle generated in the recording head 21 or is not normally performed, the defective nozzle analysis detection unit 75 excludes the ejection failure nozzle already detected. In this nozzle, it is analyzed and detected whether or not a new ejection defect has occurred. In addition, after performing the maintenance process of the recording head 21 described later, since the ejection failure nozzles detected earlier may return to normal (recover), ejection failures occur for all the nozzles of the recording head 21. The detection of whether or not is performed again.

  In addition, in the recording apparatus 1, maintenance processing (discharge failure recovery processing) of the recording head 21 by the maintenance unit 28 is executed. The normal (automatic setting) maintenance process is performed when the recording apparatus 1 is turned on, at the start of the recording operation, or during the recording operation (for example, every time recording is completed on page 1000), the nozzle surface 21a of the recording head 21. Wiping off, empty ink discharge (dummy discharge), and the like are performed. However, in this embodiment, when the occurrence of a defective ejection nozzle is found, priority is given to performing the recording operation by canceling the recording operation and performing the complementary process, and the time required to stop the recording operation is usually longer than the former. The maintenance process is not performed. Further, when it is determined that a defective ejection nozzle is generated in the recording head 21, the user of the apparatus is stopped from performing the recording operation as described above, and the supplementary processing is performed, and maintenance processing such as suction of the recording head is performed. It is possible to have the user select one of the usage patterns, and operate the selected usage pattern. As the maintenance process at this time, for example, the suction operation of the recording head 21, the wiping operation of the nozzle surface 21a, and the dummy discharge operation can be combined.

  In addition, the recording device 1 has, for example, initial setting contents in the display unit 12 and the operation unit 13 (FIG. 4) in the device 1 or the display unit 103 and the operation unit 104 (FIG. 4) in the host computer 100. As a part, it has a function capable of selecting a control form.

  As a control form that can be selected, for example, when the information on the detection result of the occurrence of defective nozzles is received from the defective nozzle analysis detection unit 75, the recording operation and the paper feeding operation are stopped and the complementary processing operation is completed. There are prepared a “first control mode” for executing a control for starting (resuming) a recording operation or the like and a “second control mode” for executing another control without performing the control in the first control mode. In the second control mode, for example, when the information on the detection result of the occurrence of a defective discharge nozzle is received from the defective nozzle analysis detection unit 75, the recording operation by the recording head 21 in which the defective discharge nozzle remains (designated). This is a control mode in which control is continued until the number of recorded sheets is completed. In the case of the second control mode, the complementary processing operation is performed during the continuous recording operation. For example, when the continuous recording is finished and the next new recording operation is performed, the completed complementary processing image data is processed. The next recording operation based on this will be performed.

  In the selection operation of this control form, when the apparatus user performs a required operation of the operation unit 13 (or 105), the operation screen for selection is displayed on the display unit 12 (or 103) under the control of the system control unit 73, This is performed by operating an input button (part of the operation unit) displayed on the operation screen. The operation screen is used to select one of the first control mode and the second control mode, or to select whether to use the first control mode or not. In the case of the latter screen configuration, if “not used” is selected, the second control mode is set. The result of this selection operation is held in the recording unit 77 until the next selection operation is performed. When the operation unit 105 of the host computer 100 is operated, the operation result is transmitted to the system control unit 73 on the recording apparatus 1 side, and then the system control unit 73 displays an operation screen on the computer 100 side on the display unit 103. It is comprised so that the instruction | command of the content which performs the control action to display may be transmitted.

  If there is a function for selecting such a control mode, an apparatus user who can tolerate a recording result by the recording head 21 after the occurrence of a defective ejection nozzle, that is, a slight unevenness occurs. By selecting the second control mode instead of the first control mode, the recording operation being executed is not interrupted until the completion of the complementary processing operation (control of cancellation), and the recording operation is forcibly stopped. It is possible to avoid a delay (lengthening) of the recording time due to the occurrence of a period of time (standby period).

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 11 shows an outline of an ink discharge recording apparatus according to the second embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the ink ejection recording apparatus 1B has substantially the same configuration as the ink ejection recording apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment except that the configuration relating to the conveyance unit of the paper 10 as a recording medium is the most different. It is. For this reason, in the following description and drawings, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those of the recording apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment, and the descriptions of the common components are omitted unless necessary.

  The ink discharge recording apparatus 1B includes a paper feed conveyance unit 40 that conveys the paper 10 accommodated in the paper supply accommodation unit 3 toward the recording unit 2, and a recording that conveys the recorded paper 10 to a paper discharge accommodation unit or the like. The rear conveyance unit 50 is mainly configured by a rotating drum arranged continuously. Further, a processing liquid application unit 80 is disposed in the paper feed conveyance unit 40, and an ink drying unit 85 and an image fixing unit 90 are disposed in the post-recording conveyance unit 50. A one-dot chain line in the drawing indicates a part of the path of the sheet 10 when the conveyance units 40 and 50 are conveyed.

  The paper feeding / conveying unit 40 is composed of a plurality of paper conveying roll pairs 42a to 42c and a plurality of conveying drums 45A, 45B, 45C. Each of the transport drums 45 </ b> A to 45 </ b> C is provided with a holding member 43 that holds the leading end portion of the sheet 10 in the axial direction of the peripheral surface thereof. Between the transport drums 45, the paper 10 is delivered and held by the holding member 43. According to the sheet feeding / conveying unit 40, the sheets 10 fed one by one from the sheet feeding / accommodating unit 3 are conveyed by the plurality of sheet conveying roll pairs 42 and then transferred to the plurality of conveying drums 45 and conveyed. It is conveyed to the recording unit 2.

  In addition, a processing liquid application unit 80 that applies a processing liquid to the recording surface of the paper 10 is disposed on the first conveyance drum 45 </ b> A in the paper feed conveyance unit. The processing liquid coating unit 80 is configured by providing a processing liquid coating device 81 and a processing liquid drying device 82 along the circumferential direction of the transport drum 45 </ b> A, and the processing liquid coating device 81 processes the recording surface of the paper 10. The liquid is applied, and the processing liquid applied by the processing liquid drying device 82 is dried. The treatment liquid coating apparatus 81 is configured by a roll coater that applies the treatment liquid to a plurality of rolls. The treatment liquid drying device 82 includes a hot air nozzle 83 that blows hot air and an infrared heater 84.

  As the treatment liquid, one that promotes an effect of separating the color material (pigment) and the solvent constituting the ink by reacting with the ink is applied. In the processing liquid, the solvent such as water in the processing liquid is evaporated by the drying action of the processing liquid drying device 82 and adheres to the recording surface of the sheet as a solid or thin film processing machine layer. By thinning the treatment liquid in the drying step, the dots of ink ejected by the recording unit 2 come into contact with the surface of the paper to obtain the required dot diameter, and the reaction with the thinned treatment liquid Then, the color material aggregates and is easily fixed on the paper surface.

  Line-type recording heads 21Y, 21M, 21C, and 21K are arranged along the drum circumferential direction on the upper peripheral surface of the third transport drum 45C. Each recording head 21 is installed in a state where the nozzle surface 21a is opposed to the peripheral surface of the transport drum 45C with a predetermined interval. Thereby, the recording unit 2 is configured. In the recording unit 2, ink of each color (Y, M, C, K) is ejected onto the processing liquid layer on the recording surface of the paper 10 held on the conveyance drum 45C, and an image of each color is recorded.

  The recording head 21 in the recording unit 2 performs droplet ejection in synchronization with a detection signal of an encoder (not shown) that detects the rotational speed arranged on the rotation shaft 45s of the transport drum 45C. In addition to being able to determine the landing position of the ink ejected from the nozzle with high accuracy, it is possible to reduce droplet ejection unevenness without depending on the shake of the transport drum 45C, the accuracy of the rotating shaft 45s, the surface speed of the drum 45C, and the like. It becomes possible. In the recording unit 2, a maintenance unit (28) of a recording head (not shown) is installed at a position near the recording head 21.

  The post-recording conveyance unit 50 includes a plurality of conveyance drums 45D, 45E, 45F, and 45G. According to the post-recording conveyance unit 50, the paper 10 on which recording has been performed by the recording unit 2 is transferred to and conveyed by a plurality of conveyance drums 45D to 45G, and then is delivered to a paper discharge storage unit (not shown). Be transported.

  An ink drying unit 85 that dries the ink of the image formed on the recording surface of the paper 10 is disposed on the upper peripheral surface of the fifth transport drum 45E in the post-recording transport unit 50. The ink drying unit 85 includes hot air nozzles 86 and infrared heaters 87 that are alternately arranged close to the surface of the transport drum 45E. By passing through the ink drying unit 85, the solvent from which the ink on the recording surface of the paper 10 has been separated by the color material aggregation operation of the processing liquid layer is dried, and a thin image layer is formed on the recording surface. .

  An image fixing unit 90 for fixing the ink of the image formed on the recording surface of the paper 10 on the paper is disposed on the upper peripheral surface of the seventh transport drum 45G in the post-recording transport unit 50. The image fixing unit 90 includes a heating roll 91 disposed close to the surface of the transport drum 45G and a fixing roll 92 disposed in pressure contact with the drum surface. The heating roll 91 has a halogen lamp incorporated in a metal pipe such as aluminum having good thermal conductivity, and is given thermal energy equal to or higher than the glass transition point (Tg) of the latex contained in the ink. At least one of the fixing roll 92 or the transport drum 45G has a configuration in which an elastic layer is formed on the surface thereof.

  By passing through the image fixing unit 90, the paper 10 on which the ink has been dried after the ink image has been recorded is heated and pressurized, and as a result, the latex particles contained in the ink of the image are melted. In addition to being pressed into the unevenness on the paper and being fixed, the unevenness of the surface of the image is smoothed to obtain glossiness. The image fixing unit 90 need only be able to dry and fix the ink image formed on the recording surface of the paper by the ink drying unit 85, and thus the image fixing unit 90 may be omitted.

  In the recording apparatus 1B, the reading unit 6 is disposed on the peripheral surface of the final-stage transport drum 45G where the image fixing unit 90 is installed. In addition to this, the reading unit 6 may be arranged, for example, on the peripheral surface of the third transport drum 45C.

  The recording apparatus 1B has the same control unit 7 (FIGS. 4 and 5) as the recording apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment except for the following differences.

  As a difference, first, one of the control targets of the system controller 73 (instead of the paper feed transport unit 4 and the post-recording transport unit 5) is a paper feed transport unit 40 and a post-recording transport unit 50 that use the transport drum 45. It is a point that has been changed to. In addition, a processing liquid application unit 80, an ink drying unit 85, and an image fixing unit 90 newly installed in each of the transport units 40 and 50 are added as new control targets. Further, a part of a program (see FIG. 11) relating to a control operation after detecting the occurrence of a defective nozzle in the control program stored in the storage unit 77 of the system control unit 73 is described in the first embodiment. It is a point which is changed with respect to the program (refer FIG. 7) in a form.

  The operation of the recording apparatus 1B is common to the operation of the recording apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment except that there are a few different parts described below.

  As for the recording operation, when the recording start command and the image data to be recorded are transmitted from the host computer 100 side to the recording device 1B side, the recording operation is almost the same as the recording operation by the recording device 1 according to the first embodiment. Executed.

  In this case, when the paper 10 fed out from the paper feed storage unit 3 one by one is transported to the recording unit 2 by the transport drums 45A to 45C of the paper feed transport unit 40, the recording operation by the recording head 21 of the recording unit 2 starts. Is done. The recording operation at this time is such that the ejection defect detection pattern 65 is first recorded (see FIG. 3) on the recording surface of the paper 10 on which the treatment liquid has been applied by the treatment liquid application unit 80. The image is recorded. The paper 10 that has been recorded in the recording unit 2 is conveyed to a paper discharge storage unit or the like by conveyance drums 45D to 45G in the conveyance unit 50 after recording. In the transport process by the post-recording transport unit 50, drying by the ink drying unit 85, fixing by the image fixing unit 90, and reading of the detection pattern by the reading unit 6 are performed. By executing the above operation, recording on one sheet 10 by the recording apparatus 1B is completed, but this recording operation is similarly repeated for the designated number of recording sheets (see FIG. 6).

  Also in the recording apparatus 1 </ b> B, when the detection unit 65 reads the detection pattern 65, the read data is transmitted to the defective nozzle analysis detection unit 75. As a result, as shown in FIG. 11, the failure nozzle analysis detection unit 75 analyzes and detects the presence or absence of ejection failure nozzles based on the read data in the same manner as in the first embodiment ( Step S30), it is managed whether or not an ejection failure nozzle has occurred (step S31).

  When the defective nozzle analysis detection unit 75 detects the occurrence of a defective discharge nozzle and transmits the detection result to the system control unit 73 and the recording image processing unit 74, the calculation processing unit 76 records in the system control unit 73. Based on the control program stored in the unit 77, the recording unit 2 is controlled to stop the recording operation being executed by the recording head 21 (step S32). By canceling the recording operation during this execution, ink and paper are not consumed unnecessarily as in the case of the first embodiment.

  On the other hand, in the recording apparatus 1B, when the recording operation being executed is stopped, the control for stopping the new paper feeding operation as in the first embodiment (step S23 in FIG. 7) is not performed. For this reason, even when the recording operation being executed is stopped, the paper feed conveyance unit 40 and the post-recording conveyance unit 50 are kept in a state of conveying the paper 10.

Thus, by maintaining the sheet conveyance state in a possible state, when there is a remaining recording operation in the recording job in which the recording operation is stopped, the sheet 10 used for the remaining recording operation is the recording unit 2. Are conveyed by the recording paper feed conveyance unit 40 and the post-recording conveyance unit 50, and are discharged to the discharge storage unit in a blank state where nothing is recorded. In this case, processing liquid application unit 80, an ink drying section 85 and the image fixing section 90 also does not operate, the application of the treatment liquid to the sheet being its conveyance, drying, and does not perform the process of fixing. As a result, since the discharged paper 10 is in a blank state, it is reused by being housed in the paper feed housing unit 3. Thereby, although the paper 10 in the paper feed storage unit 3 is once transported to the discharge storage unit, the transported paper is not unnecessarily consumed.

  On the other hand, if there is a sheet 10 that has been recorded by the recording operation before the canceled recording operation and is in the middle of conveyance by the post-recording conveyance unit 50, the sheet 10 after the recording is recorded. Without being left in the middle of the rear conveying section 50, the sheet is reliably conveyed to the discharge accommodating section and discharged.

  Such control for enabling the printing operation to be continued without stopping the paper feeding operation even when the printing operation is stopped can be applied to, for example, the following ink discharge recording apparatus. In other words, in the case of a recording apparatus having a paper transporting unit such as a paper feed storage unit or a paper feed transport unit that is difficult to stop abruptly in response to the stop of the recording operation, or once the paper feed operation is stopped This is the case with a recording apparatus having a sheet transport unit that takes time until the next sheet feeding operation is started when the sheet feeding operation is resumed. Incidentally, the recording apparatus 1B according to this embodiment corresponds to the former case.

  Further, in the recording apparatus 1B, when the recording image processing unit 74 receives information on the result of detecting the occurrence of a defective ejection nozzle, the arithmetic processing unit 76 in the processing unit 74 is stored in the control program stored in the storage unit 77. Based on this, as shown in FIG. 12, a processing operation for complementing the recording failure due to the above-mentioned ejection failure nozzle is started (step S33), and when the processing operation is started, the system control unit 73 performs the processing operation. It is managed whether or not the processing has ended (step S34).

  When the complementary processing operation ends, the system control unit 73 enters a state in which it is permitted to start a recording operation based on the image data subjected to the complementary processing by the recording unit 2 (step S35).

  At this time, if there is a remaining recording operation in the recording job related to the previously canceled recording operation, the remaining recording operation is started immediately. In this recording operation, new paper 10 is fed from the paper feed storage unit 3, transported to the recording unit 2 through the paper feed transport unit 40, and complemented with respect to the supplied paper 10. The recording operation (recording of the detection pattern 65 and recording of a normal image) is performed. Since the recording apparatus 1B is in a state in which the paper feeding operation can be continued when the recording operation is stopped as described above, a new sheet 10 is loaded at the time of the recording operation started after the completion of the complementary processing operation. The recording unit 2 can be supplied immediately.

  In this recording apparatus 1B, when the occurrence of a defective ejection nozzle is detected, the paper feeding operation can be continued even if the current recording operation is stopped, as shown in FIG. In addition, a special ink ejection operation can be performed by the recording unit 2 on the paper 10 that is supplied and transported from the start to the end of the complementary processing operation (step S40). .

  The special ink ejection operation is an ink ejection operation different from the ink ejection operation for recording a normal image, and can be performed at a standby time until the complementary processing operation is completed and the recording operation is resumed. Any operation is acceptable. Specifically, for example, an operation (empty ejection) in which ink is formally ejected by a certain amount from all nozzles 22 (may include detected ejection failure nozzles) of all the recording heads 21 of the recording unit 2; In this operation, ink is ejected to record a special image such as the ejection failure detection pattern 65. This special ink ejection operation is performed on the blank area at the front end or rear end in the transport direction A of the paper 10.

  By performing such a special ink ejection operation, the nozzles 22 of the recording head 21 are exposed to the outside air during a standby period from when the recording operation being executed is stopped until the complementary processing operation is completed and the recording operation is resumed. It is possible to suppress the occurrence of a new ejection failure nozzle due to clogging by continuing to touch for a long time and drying the ink. Further, if a special ink discharge operation is formed only in a narrow area such as a margin area at the front end or rear end of the paper 10, unnecessary consumption of ink can be suppressed.

  When recording the ejection failure detection pattern 65 as a special ink ejection operation, the recorded detection pattern 65 is read by the reading unit 6, and the above-described ejection failure nozzle is detected by the defective nozzle analysis detection unit 75 based on the read data. It can be configured to perform analysis and detection relating to the presence or absence of occurrence of the above. This configuration is effective when the standby time is long due to the reason that the time required for the complementary processing operation is long. With this configuration, if a new ejection failure nozzle is generated in the recording head 21 of the recording unit 2 during the standby period, the occurrence can be detected.

  In addition, when the occurrence of a new ejection failure nozzle is detected during this waiting period, the newly detected ejection is performed at the timing when the previous complementary processing operation is completed but the subsequent recording operation is not resumed. A new complementary processing operation for the defective nozzle detection information is started, and the recording operation can be stopped until the processing operation is completed. As a result, it is possible to immediately start complementing processing for newly generated defective nozzles during the standby period, and the recording operation is stopped until the processing operation is completed, so that ink and paper are not consumed unnecessarily.

  In addition, as in the case of the recording apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment, the recording apparatus 1B includes the display unit 12 and the operation unit 13 (FIG. 4) in the apparatus 1 or the display unit 103 in the host computer 100. In the operation unit 104 (FIG. 4), for example, a function capable of selecting a control form may be added as a part of initial setting content.

  As a control form that can be selected, for example, when the information of the detection result of occurrence of defective nozzles is received from the defective nozzle analysis detection unit 75, the recording operation is stopped and the recording operation is started after completion of the complementary processing operation. A “first control mode” for executing the control (resumption) and a “second control mode” for executing another control without performing the control in the first control mode are prepared. The second control mode has the same control content as the second control mode in the first embodiment. In this embodiment, for the first control mode, “first control mode A (alias: blank paper discharge mode)” is executed in which control is performed such that a special ink ejection operation is not performed during a standby period in which the recording operation being executed is stopped. The first control mode B (also known as head dry prevention mode) in which control is performed to perform a special ink ejection operation during the standby period can be selected.

  If there is an apparatus user who can tolerate the recording result by the recording head 21 after the occurrence of the defective ejection nozzle by selecting such a control mode, the second control mode is selected instead of the first control mode. As in the case where the “second control mode” is selected in the first embodiment, the recording operation being executed is not stopped until the completion of the complementary processing operation, and the recording operation is forcibly performed. Thus, it is possible to avoid a delay in recording time due to occurrence of a time (standby time) when the recording is stopped.

  Further, even when the first control mode is selected, any one of “first control mode A (blank paper discharge mode)” and “first control mode B (head dry prevention mode)” is arbitrarily set as necessary. It becomes possible to select. When the “first control mode A” is selected, a special ink ejection operation is not performed on the paper 10 that is transported after the recording operation in progress is stopped, and ink is ejected onto the paper. Therefore, the discharged paper is discharged in a completely blank state, so that the discharged paper can be easily reused, and ink and paper are not consumed unnecessarily. On the other hand, when the “first control mode B” is selected, a special ink discharge operation is executed in the standby period after the recording operation being stopped is stopped. Therefore, as described above, a new discharge is performed at the standby time. The occurrence of defective nozzles can be suppressed.

[Other Embodiments]
In the first and second embodiments, the case where a sheet cut to a predetermined standard size from the beginning is used as the sheet 10 has been described. However, as a recording medium to be recorded by ejecting ink, a recording apparatus may be used. Any recording medium can be used as long as it can be conveyed in 1 and 1B and can be recorded by ejecting ink in the recording unit 2. For example, a recording medium such as roll paper or a resin film can also be used. In the case of using roll paper, for example, it is configured such that the roll paper is loaded and sent out from the paper feed storage unit 3, and the roll paper after recording is wound up.

  In the first and second embodiments, a function (first function) for performing image processing of recording input data (recording data RD) used for recording by the recording head 21 of the recording unit 2 and a defective ejection nozzle. Is stored in the storage unit 77 of the recorded image processing unit 74 of the control unit 7 to realize a function (second function) for performing processing for complementing the recording failure caused by the recording unit 7 (which performs the control shown in FIGS. 5 and 7). did. In addition, when receiving information on a detection result of occurrence of a defective ejection nozzle from the defective nozzle analysis detection unit 75, the recording image data to be sent to the recording head in the recording unit 2 is switched to an empty value and the recording operation being executed. Is implemented, and after completion of the complementary processing operation, a function (third function) for performing control processing for sending the supplemented image data and performing recording operation by the recording head 21 on the new paper 10 is realized. The control program (which performs the control shown in FIG. 7 or FIG. 11, except for step S20 in FIG. 7 and step S30 in FIG. 11) was stored in the storage unit 77 of the system control unit 73 of the control unit 7. .

  However, these control programs can be used by being stored in the storage unit 102 (FIG. 4) of the host computer 100 used in connection with the recording apparatus, not on the recording apparatus 1 or 1B side. Each control program includes data necessary for the control. When used in this way, it is configured such that information on the detection result of a defective nozzle generated from the defective nozzle analysis detection unit 75 of the printing apparatus is transmitted to the control unit 101 of the host computer 100. In addition, the control program used in such a configuration is stored in, for example, a required storage medium and is read and stored in the storage unit of the host computer to be used, or a regular site on the Internet ( Web server, etc.), downloaded from the site, installed in the storage unit of the host computer and stored.

  When the control program is stored and used in the host computer 100 as described above, when the information that the occurrence of the ejection failure nozzle is detected on the computer 100 side is received, the recording operation being executed is stopped and complemented. After the processing operation is completed, the control contents for starting the recording operation and the like of the complemented image data are transmitted from the computer 100 to the recording apparatuses 1 and 1B. In this case, the operation of the complementing process is executed by the control unit 101 of the host computer 100, and generally the processing time is often longer than when the processing operation is performed on the recording apparatus 1 side. In such a situation, stopping the recording operation that is in progress and restarting after completing the complementary processing operation can suppress unnecessary consumption of ink and paper.

  In the above control program, a function that can be used by displaying, for example, a selection screen for selecting a control form on the display unit 103 and the operation unit 104 (FIG. 4) of the host computer 100 as part of the initial setting content. May be added. The control modes that can be selected in this case are, for example, the control modes of “first control mode” and “second control mode” as described in the first and second embodiments, and “ Examples of control modes include “first control mode A” and “first control mode B”.

  Further, in the first and second embodiments, the ink discharge recording apparatuses 1 and 1B to which the line-type recording head 21 is applied as the recording unit 2 have been described. However, the recording unit 2 is as illustrated in FIG. The recording unit 2 may use a so-called serial type (scan type) recording head 25 that performs recording by reciprocating in a direction B substantially perpendicular to the conveyance direction A of the paper 10.

  The recording head 25 is installed in such a manner that a part of the support member 26 that supports the head 25 is fixed in a direction substantially orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction A of the sheet feeding / conveying units (recording / conveying units) 4 and 40. A rod-like linear guide member 27 is movably attached. Further, the recording head 25 is part of an endless moving belt that is wound around a driving roll and a follower roll (not shown) in a state substantially parallel to the linear guide member 27 and rotates in both directions according to the moving direction of the recording head 25. It is connected. As a result, the recording head 25 reciprocates in movement directions B1 and B2 that are substantially orthogonal to the conveyance direction A of the paper 10.

  The recording head 25 is composed of ink heads 25 (Y, M, C, K) that discharge the inks of the four colors (Y, M, C, K). A nozzle surface (25a) in which a plurality of nozzles (22) are arranged is formed at a portion facing the. A plurality of nozzles of each head are arranged in a predetermined region extending in the paper transport direction A. Reference numeral 6 in FIG. 13 denotes a reading unit that reads the ejection failure nozzle detection pattern (65) recorded by the recording head 25. The reading unit 6 is disposed (in a state) at a position where a result of recording (particularly a detection pattern) by the nozzle (22) row of the recording head 25 can be read. Further, the recording head 25 moves to a home position installed at one end portion of the linear guide member 27 and stops during a non-recording operation in which no recording operation is performed. A maintenance unit (not shown) is installed at the home position.

  The recording operation in the recording unit 2 to which such a serial type recording head 25 is applied is performed when the recording head 25 moves in one direction of the movement direction A1, and when the recording head 25 moves in the movement directions A1, A2. It may be done when moving to both. Further, the paper 10 is intermittently conveyed by the paper feeding / conveying section 4 (40) in conjunction with the timing of the movement directions B1 and B2 of the recording head 25.

  In the recording operation by the ink ejection of the recording head 25, the detection pattern (65) is recorded when the recording head 25 moves to one of the left and right margin areas in the conveyance direction A of the paper 10. The detection pattern may be configured to be recorded in a blank area at the front end portion or the rear end portion in the conveyance direction A of the paper 10. Further, when the recording head 25 is moving in the recording target area of the paper 10, a normal image is recorded.

  Then, the detection pattern is read at the timing when the reading unit 6 passes over the detection pattern as the recording head 25 moves. This read data is transmitted to the defective nozzle analysis detection unit (75), and the defective nozzle analysis detection unit detects whether or not there is a defective discharge nozzle. In this case, when the ejection failure nozzle is detected, the recording operation being executed by the recording head 25 is stopped by the control of the system control unit 73 and the complementary processing operation is started in the recording image processing unit 74. . The paper 10 that was being recorded is conveyed as it is even when the recording operation is in progress, and is normally discharged. When the recording operation being executed is stopped, the recording head 25 temporarily moves to the home position described above.

  Thereafter, when the complementary processing operation is completed, the recording operation of the complemented image data is started. The new supply operation of the paper 10 may be stopped in conjunction with the stop of the recording operation and restarted after the complementary processing operation is completed.

  In each of the above-described embodiments and the like, the configuration example of the ink ejection recording apparatus that ejects the colored ink whose color can be identified with the naked eye as the droplet from the recording head has been described, but ejection from the recording head according to the image data for recording As the liquid to be used, instead of colored ink, for example, a liquid that is transparent in visible light and is visible when absorbing ultraviolet rays or infrared rays (for example, watermark recording liquid), or a thin film in an organic thin film transistor (organic TFT), etc. It is also possible to configure as a droplet discharge device that discharges liquid other than colored ink, such as liquid for forming. In addition, as a recording medium which is a target for recording by discharging droplets of ink or the like by the recording head, any form can be used as long as it can record (form) desired contents by discharging the droplets. The structure and the like are not particularly limited, and can be applied to items other than paper.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the ink discharge recording device which concerns on 1st Embodiment. FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view illustrating a recording unit, a recording conveyance unit, and the like in the recording apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a partially transparent top view illustrating a recording unit and a reading unit in the recording apparatus of FIG. 1. It is a functional block diagram which shows the structure of a control part. It is explanatory drawing which shows the flow of the image process in a recording image process part. It is a flowchart which shows the basic flow of recording operation | movement. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of control operation when generation | occurrence | production of a discharge failure nozzle is detected. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram schematically illustrating a recording head in which no ejection failure nozzle is generated and a recording result by the recording head. It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the recording result by the recording head which the discharge failure nozzle generate | occur | produced, and the recording head. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a recording result when a recording head in which a defective ejection nozzle has occurred and recording is performed by adding a complementary processing condition to the recording head. It is explanatory drawing which shows the principal part of the ink discharge recording device which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. 12 is a flowchart showing a flow of control operation when the occurrence of a defective ejection nozzle is detected in the recording apparatus of FIG. It is a top view illustrating a configuration example of a recording unit that uses a serial type recording head.

Explanation of symbols

1, 1B ... Ink discharge recording device (droplet discharge device)
3 ... Paper storage unit (paper supply means)
6: Reading unit (part of detection means)
10 ... paper (recording medium)
12, 103 ... display part (a part of selection means)
13, 104 ... operation unit (part of selection means)
21, 25, recording head 22, nozzles 22 Ax, 22 Bx, ejection failure nozzle 32, delivery device (part of paper feeding means)
65: Discharge failure detection pattern (part of detection means)
73 ... System control unit (control means)
74... Recorded image processing unit (straightness correction: complementary processing means)
75: Defective nozzle analysis detection unit (part of detection means)

Claims (11)

A recording head in which a plurality of nozzles for discharging droplets on a recording medium according to recording image data are arranged;
Detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of ejection failure nozzles in conjunction with the recording operation of the recording head;
When the detection unit detects the occurrence of a defective discharge nozzle, a complementary processing unit that performs a process of complementing a recording defect due to the defective discharge nozzle;
When the detection unit detects the occurrence of an ejection failure nozzle, the recording image data to be sent to the recording head is switched to a null value to stop the recording operation being executed, and the processing operation of the complementary processing unit is A droplet discharge apparatus comprising: a control unit configured to send the complemented image data after completion and control to start a recording operation by the recording head on a new recording medium. A supply device for supplying a recording medium to a position where a recording operation of the recording head is performed;
2. The droplet discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs control to stop a new supply operation of the supply unit when the detection unit detects the occurrence of a defective discharge nozzle.   The liquid droplet ejection apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit performs control to resume the paper feeding operation of the paper feeding unit after the processing operation of the complementary processing unit is completed. A supply device for supplying a recording medium to a position where a recording operation of the recording head is performed;
2. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein when the detection unit detects the occurrence of a defective discharge nozzle, the control unit performs control to continue the remaining supply operation of a series of supply operations requested by the supply device. Droplet discharge device.   The control unit executes a special droplet discharge operation for suppressing occurrence of defective nozzles in the recording head until the recording head starts the recording operation of the complemented image data of the recording head. The liquid droplet ejection apparatus according to claim 4, wherein control is performed.   The droplet discharge device according to claim 5, wherein the control unit performs control to execute an operation of recording a discharge failure detection pattern as the special droplet discharge operation. The detecting means records a discharge failure detection pattern on a recording medium by a recording operation of the recording head, and detects the occurrence of a discharge failure nozzle from the recording result.
The droplet discharge device according to claim 6, wherein the detection unit detects the occurrence of a discharge failure nozzle using a discharge failure detection pattern recorded as the special droplet discharge operation.   The liquid droplet ejection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a selection unit that selects a usage pattern in which the control unit is operated and a usage pattern in which the control unit is not operated.   When the selection unit selects the usage mode for operating the control unit, the selection mode continues the paper feeding operation of the paper feeding unit without performing the special liquid droplet ejection operation, and the special liquid droplet ejection. The liquid droplet ejection apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a selection pattern for selecting a usage mode in which a paper feeding operation of the paper feeding unit is continued while performing an operation. Recording is performed by a recording head in which a plurality of nozzles that discharge droplets according to image data for recording is arranged on the recording medium, and the presence or absence of defective ejection nozzles is detected in conjunction with the recording operation of the recording head. A first function for processing input data for recording used in a droplet discharge device having a function;
A second function for performing a process of complementing a recording failure due to the ejection failure nozzle when receiving information on a detection result of occurrence of the ejection failure nozzle in the recording head;
When receiving information on the detection result of the occurrence of a defective ejection nozzle in the recording head, the recording image data to be sent to the recording head is switched to a null value to stop the recording operation being performed, and its complement processing And a third function for performing a control process for starting the recording operation by the recording head on a new recording medium by sending the complemented image data after the operation of
A program characterized in that the first function, the second function, and the third function are realized by computer processing.   The program according to claim 10, further comprising a fourth function for performing a control process for generating a selection operation for selecting a usage pattern for executing the third function and a usage pattern for not executing the third function.

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