JP2010143015A - Inkjet recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inkjet recording apparatus which can be inexpensively configured so that user's burden is reduced by reducing the user's sorting work of a recording medium after output, as much as possible, in the case the user records a plurality of copies. <P>SOLUTION: Disclosed is the recording apparatus including a plurality of paper feed means, and configured to automatically sort the recorded recording mediums for each of the paper feeding means and output the sorted recording mediums to different areas, at user's option. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus that records an image on a recording medium by ejecting ink droplets from a plurality of ejection openings provided in a recording head based on recording data. More particularly, the present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus that automatically collects and collects recording media so that the recording medium is ejected after recording by the recording apparatus, and the subsequent collection of the recording media is not a cumbersome operation for the user. .

  A general ink jet recording apparatus discharges a recording medium after recording an image on the recording medium, and stores the output recording medium in one place. For this reason, when the user performs recording of a plurality of copies, the recording medium after the recording is accumulated in one place, and thus the work of distributing the recording medium becomes necessary.

  Therefore, Patent Document 1 proposes a processing apparatus that includes a plurality of discharge ports, and includes a means that allows a user to easily recognize which discharge tray has output a recording medium. . Furthermore, a technique has been proposed in which a display unit for displaying each piece of information corresponding to a recording medium stored in each storage unit is provided.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 07-281561

  However, due to the recent trend surrounding ink jet recording apparatuses, there has been a need to obtain a configuration that improves user convenience and further reduces the burden on the user as much as possible at low cost. In the method of Patent Document 1, more component parts of the ink jet recording apparatus are required to divide which paper output tray the recording medium after recording is output to, and costs corresponding to that are required. In addition, a configuration including a display unit for displaying each piece of information corresponding to the recording medium stored in each storage unit also costs correspondingly.

  Therefore, the present invention provides an ink jet recording apparatus that can reduce a user's load at a low cost by reducing a recording medium distribution operation after output as much as possible when a user performs recording of a plurality of copies. For the purpose.

  Therefore, the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention is an ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording on a recording medium fed from a plurality of paper feed units, and includes a plurality of output areas at different positions corresponding to each of the plurality of paper feed units. And the recording medium can be arbitrarily distributed to the plurality of output areas and output by the operator when the operator records a plurality of copies.

  The ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention includes a plurality of output areas at different positions corresponding to each of a plurality of paper feeding units. When the operator records a plurality of copies, the operator can arbitrarily record the recording medium. Are output to a plurality of output areas. As a result, when the user performs recording of a plurality of copies, it is possible to realize an ink jet recording apparatus that can reduce the load on the user at a low cost by reducing the distribution work of the output recording medium as much as possible. it can.

  A recording medium distribution method in the ink jet recording apparatus of this embodiment will be described. First, an ink jet recording apparatus (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a recording apparatus) of the present embodiment includes two types of paper feeding units for supplying a recording medium into the recording apparatus, one of which is an ASF (auto sheet). Feeder) Paper feed, the other is cassette paper feed. By adopting a configuration in which the discharge positions after output of the recording media fed from these two types of paper feeding units are alternated, the recording media fed from both paper feeding units are accumulated at the same location. It is set as the structure which is not carried out. As a result, when a plurality of recording commands are input from the user (operator), the recording medium is distributed to different areas by using two paper feeding units instead of using only one paper feeding unit. However, it is not necessary to sort the recording medium stored in one place by one's own hand.

  Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, a so-called ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording by ejecting ink from a recording head provided in the recording apparatus to a recording medium will be described as an example.

  In this specification, “record” means not only the formation of significant information such as characters and figures, but also whether or not it is manifested so that humans can perceive it visually. Rather, it widely represents an image, a pattern, a pattern, or the like formed on a recording medium, or media processing.

  “Recording medium” refers not only to paper used in general recording apparatuses but also widely to cloth, plastic film, metal plate, glass, ceramics, wood, leather, and the like that can accept ink. Shall.

  Further, “ink” (also referred to as “liquid”) should be interpreted broadly as well as the definition of “record”. In other words, “ink” is applied onto a recording medium, thereby forming an image, pattern, pattern, or the like, processing of the recording medium, or ink processing (for example, coagulation of colorant in ink applied to the recording medium It shall represent a liquid that can be subjected to insolubilization.

  Furthermore, the “nozzle” collectively refers to an ejection port or a liquid path communicating with the ejection port and an element that generates energy used for ink ejection unless otherwise specified.

(Basic configuration of inkjet recording apparatus)
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the inside of an ink jet recording apparatus 1 to which the present invention can be applied. The recording apparatus 1 transmits the driving force generated by the carriage motor M1 to the carriage 2 on which the recording head 3 for ejecting ink is mounted by the transmission mechanism 4, and reciprocates the carriage 2 in the direction of arrow A. Then, while moving the carriage 2, for example, a recording medium P such as recording paper is fed through the paper feeding mechanism 5 and conveyed to the recording position 1, and ink is applied from the recording head 3 to the recording medium P at the recording position. Recording is performed by discharging.

  Further, the recording apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment intermittently performs the ejection recovery process of the recording head 3 by moving the carriage 2 to the position of the recovery device 10 in order to maintain the ejection state of the recording head 3 satisfactorily. Not only the recording head 3 is mounted on the carriage 2 of the recording apparatus 1 but also an ink cartridge 6 for storing ink to be supplied to the recording head 3, and the ink cartridge 6 is detachable from the carriage 2. ing.

  The recording apparatus 1 is capable of color recording, and the carriage 2 has four ink cartridges 6 containing magenta (M), cyan (C), yellow (Y), and black (K) inks, respectively. . These four ink cartridges 6 can be attached and detached independently. The carriage 2 and the recording head 3 can achieve and maintain a required electrical connection by properly contacting the joint surfaces of both members. The recording head 3 performs recording by selectively ejecting ink from a plurality of ejection ports when energy is applied according to a recording signal. In particular, the recording head 3 of the present embodiment is an ink jet system that ejects ink using thermal energy, and includes an electrothermal transducer to generate thermal energy. Electric energy applied to the electrothermal converter is converted to thermal energy, and by giving the thermal energy to the ink, bubbles are generated from film boiling that occurs in the ink, and the pressure change caused by subsequent growth and contraction is utilized. Then, ink is ejected from the ejection port. This electrothermal transducer is provided corresponding to each of the ejection ports, and ink is ejected from the ejection port by applying a pulse voltage to the corresponding electrothermal transducer in accordance with a recording signal.

  The carriage 2 is connected to the drive belt 7 of the transmission mechanism 4 that transmits the drive force of the carriage motor M1, and is slidably guided and supported along the guide shaft 13 in the direction of arrow A. Accordingly, the carriage 2 reciprocates along the guide shaft 13 by forward and reverse rotations of the carriage motor M1. Further, the recording apparatus 1 is provided with a scale 8 for indicating the absolute position of the carriage 2 along the moving direction (arrow A direction) of the carriage 2. In this embodiment, the scale 8 uses a transparent PET film with black bars printed at a necessary pitch, one of which is fixed to the chassis 9 and the other is supported by a leaf spring (not shown). Yes.

  Further, the recording apparatus 1 is provided with a platen (not shown) facing the discharge port surface where the discharge port (not shown) of the recording head 3 is formed, and the recording head 3 is driven by the driving force of the carriage motor M1. Is reciprocated. Simultaneously with the reciprocating movement of the carriage 2, recording is performed over the entire width of the recording medium P conveyed on the platen by giving a recording signal to the recording head 3 and discharging ink. Further, the transport roller 14 is driven by a transport motor M2 to transport the recording medium P. The pinch roller 15 abuts the recording medium P on the conveyance roller 14 by a spring (not shown) and is rotatably supported by the pinch roller holder 16. The conveyance roller gear 17 is fixed to one end of the conveyance roller 14, and the conveyance roller 14 is driven by the rotation of the conveyance motor M <b> 2 transmitted to the conveyance roller gear 17 via an intermediate gear (not shown).

  Further, the discharge roller 20 is driven by the rotation of the conveyance motor M <b> 2, and discharges the recording medium P on which an image is formed by the recording head 3 to the outside of the recording apparatus 1. The discharge roller 20 abuts on a spur roller (not shown) that presses the recording medium P by a spring (not shown). The spur holder 22 rotatably supports the spur roller.

  Further, in the recording apparatus 1, the recording head 3 is discharged to a desired position (for example, a position corresponding to the home position) outside the range of reciprocal movement for recording operation of the carriage 2 on which the recording head 3 is mounted (outside the recording area). A recovery device 10 for recovering the defect is provided. The recovery device 10 includes a capping mechanism 11 for capping the ejection port surface of the recording head 3 and a wiping mechanism 12 for cleaning the ejection port surface of the recording head 3. When the capping mechanism 11 capping the ejection port surface, the suction means (suction pump or the like) in the recovery device forcibly discharges the ink in the ejection port in conjunction with the capping mechanism 11. Then, by discharging the ink, a discharge recovery process such as removal of ink or bubbles with increased viscosity in the ink flow path of the recording head 3 is performed.

  Further, when the recording head 3 is not in operation or the like, the ejection port surface of the recording head 3 is capped by the capping mechanism 11 to protect the recording head 3 and to prevent ink evaporation and drying.

  On the other hand, the wiping mechanism 12 is disposed in the vicinity of the capping mechanism 11 and wipes ink droplets adhering to the ejection port surface of the recording head 3.

  The capping mechanism 11 and the wiping mechanism 12 can keep the ink ejection state of the recording head 3 normal.

(Control structure of inkjet recording apparatus)
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the recording apparatus 1 shown in FIG. The controller 600 includes a ROM 602 that stores an MPU 601, a program corresponding to a control sequence to be described later, a required table, and other fixed data. The controller 600 further includes a special application integrated circuit (ASIC) 603 that generates signals for controlling the carriage motor M1, the conveyance motor M2, and the recording head 3, an image data development area, a work area for executing a program, and the like. A provided RAM 604 is provided. Further, the controller 600 connects the MPU 601, the ASIC 603, and the RAM 604 to each other to send and receive data. And the like.

  The host device 610 is a computer that is a supply source of image data, or a reader or digital camera for reading images. Image data, commands, status signals, and the like are transmitted and received between the host apparatus 610 and the recording apparatus 1 via an interface (I / F) 611. Further, the switch group 620 includes a command input by an operator such as a power switch 621, a print switch 622 for instructing start of recording, and a recovery switch 623 for starting a recovery process for maintaining the ink ejection performance of the recording head 3 in a good state. It consists of a switch for receiving.

  The sensor group 630 has a device state constituted by a position sensor 631 such as a photocoupler for detecting the home position h, a temperature sensor 632 provided at an appropriate location of the recording apparatus 1 for detecting the environmental temperature, and the like. It is a sensor group for detecting. Further, the carriage motor driver 640 drives a carriage motor M1 for reciprocating scanning of the carriage 2 in the direction of arrow A (see FIG. 1), and the carry motor driver 642 drives a carry motor M2 for carrying the recording medium P. .

  With the above configuration, the recording apparatus 1 analyzes the command of the recording data transferred via the interface 611 and develops image data used for recording in the RAM 602. The development area of the image data is a two-dimensional rectangular area. The developed area has a horizontal size corresponding to the number of pixels Hp of the recordable area in the carriage movement direction, and a vertical size is 16 × which is the number of pixels in the conveyance direction of the recording medium recorded by one recording scan of the recording head. It is composed of one-fourth of 16 (64 pixels).

  A storage area (print buffer) on the RAM 602 that is referred to for transferring print data to the print head 3 in print scanning is also a two-dimensional rectangular area. The horizontal development area corresponds to the number of pixels Vp corresponding to the recordable area in the main scanning direction, and the vertical size is the number of pixels in the sub-scanning direction recorded by one recording scan of the recording head. It corresponds to a certain 16 × 16.

  The ASIC 603 transfers drive data of the recording element (heater) to the recording head while directly accessing the storage area of the RAM 602 during recording scanning by the recording head 3.

(Configuration of inkjet recording apparatus)
FIG. 3 is an external perspective view showing a state in which an exterior cover is attached to the recording apparatus 1 of FIG.
An ASF paper feeding unit 2 is provided at the rear of the main body of the recording apparatus 1, and feeding from here is referred to as center paper feeding, and the paper is passed through the central part of the ink jet recording apparatus 1 for recording. Is done. Therefore, even when the paper is discharged after being recorded and stored in the paper discharge tray 46, it is stored in the middle of the paper discharge tray 46.

  On the other hand, a cassette paper feeding unit 99 is provided at the lower front end of the main body in FIG. 3, and is a paper feeding unit having the same function as the ASF paper feeding unit 2 described above. However, the recording medium fed from the cassette paper feeding unit 99 is not in the middle of the ink jet recording apparatus 1, but is configured to pass rightward, and is discharged after being recorded and accumulated in the discharge tray. Also, the recording medium is accumulated on the right side of the paper discharge tray 46.

(Recording medium distribution method)
Next, an outline of a recording medium distribution method in the inkjet recording apparatus 1 of the present embodiment will be described. The ink jet recording apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is characterized in that the output recording medium can be distributed to different areas corresponding to the respective paper feeding units.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an outline of a recording medium distribution method during recording. Hereinafter, this flowchart will be described along the steps. First, in step S11, the user selects a recording signal and the number of copies to be recorded, selection of a paper feeding unit, presence / absence of automatic sorting, and the number of copies to be sorted by automatic sorting. In step S12, it is determined whether the number of copies to be recorded by the recording apparatus 1 is one or a plurality of copies. In the case of one copy, since there is no need to sort the output recording medium, paper is fed from the paper feed unit set as it is in step S13 and recording is performed. For example, if the number of recording copies is 1 and feeding from the ASF (auto sheet feeder) feeding unit 2 is designated, feeding from the ASF feeding unit 2 is performed, and recording is performed on one recording medium. The recording ends.

  Subsequently, when a plurality of copies are designated, the process proceeds according to the flowchart as follows. For example, when the number of copies to be recorded is selected as 20 copies, automatic sorting (automatic sorting) “Yes” is selected in step S14 as sorting of the output recording medium, and the number of automatic sorting copies in step S15 is selected as 10 copies. Consider the case. In this case, recording is performed by feeding paper from a first paper feeding unit (for example, ASF paper feeding unit 2) set for the first to tenth copies, and the 11th to 20th copies are set. Recording is performed by feeding paper from a paper feeding unit (for example, cassette paper feeding unit 99) that has not been used. If “None” is set in the selection of the automatic sorting, the process proceeds from step S14 to step S13, and only 1 from the paper feeding unit (for example, ASF paper feeding unit 2) set as before is set. Paper is fed from the second copy to the 20th copy, and the recording is completed.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating different output positions in the paper discharge unit of the recording apparatus 1 of the present embodiment. As a specific example, when “Yes” for automatic sorting is selected and the ASF paper feeding unit 2 is designated as the paper feeding unit, ASF paper feeding is performed for the first to tenth copies. Recording is performed by feeding paper from the unit 2 and outputting to the ASF output position 52 of the ink jet recording apparatus 1 of FIG. From the 11th copy to the 20th copy, the paper is fed from the cassette paper feed 99 which is not designated as a paper feed unit, and recording is performed.

  Further, if “None” is selected for automatic sorting, if the ASF paper feeding unit 2 is designated as the paper feeding unit, all the records are recorded on the recording medium fed from the ASF paper feeding unit 2. And output to the ASF output position 52.

  Such a configuration does not particularly require the use of a display unit or the like, and does not require more complicated parts, so that it can be configured at low cost.

  In this way, a recording apparatus having a plurality of paper feeding means is used, which can automatically record the recording medium after recording by the user for each paper feeding unit and output it to different areas. . As a result, it was possible to realize an ink jet recording apparatus that can reduce the load of the user as much as possible and reduce the load on the user at low cost.

  In the present embodiment, an example in which there are two types (ASF paper feeding unit 2 and cassette paper feeding unit 99) as different paper feeding units has been described. However, even when three or more types of paper feeding units are used. It is possible to sort recording media in the same way.

  In this embodiment, the recording medium is output by changing the position (output area) on the same paper discharge tray. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of paper discharge trays are provided. The recording medium may be output to different paper discharge trays corresponding to each paper feed unit.

(Second Embodiment)
Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Since the basic configuration of the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, only the characteristic configuration will be described below.

  A recording medium distribution method in the ink jet recording apparatus of this embodiment will be described. The ink jet recording apparatus according to the present embodiment includes two types of cassette sheet feeding units (a first cassette sheet feeding unit and a second cassette sheet feeding unit) as sheet feeding units for recording media. The parts are arranged at different positions. By adopting a configuration in which the discharge positions after the output of the recording media fed from the two types of cassette feeding units are alternated, the recording media fed from both cassette feeding units are recorded, The cassette is configured to be accumulated in a different place for each cassette sheet feeding unit. As a result, when a plurality of recording commands are input from the user, recording is performed using two cassette paper feeding units to distribute the recording media, and the user distributes the recording media accumulated in one place. No work is necessary.

(Configuration of Second Embodiment of Inkjet Recording Apparatus)
FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing the ink jet recording apparatus 60 of the present embodiment, and FIGS. 7 and 8 are views showing a cassette paper feeding unit. The recording apparatus 60 of the present embodiment is provided with a paper feeding unit 90 at the lower end of the main body, and the inside is a two-stage upper and lower type. FIG. 7 shows the cassette paper supply unit 90 -A in the upper stage, and the recording medium 91 is placed on the left side with respect to the ink jet recording apparatus 60.

  The recording medium fed from the cassette paper feeding unit 90-A is passed through the recording device 60 so as to pass to the left, and recording is performed. Therefore, even when the paper is discharged after being recorded and stored in the paper discharge tray 46, it is stored on the left side of the paper discharge tray 46.

  On the other hand, another cassette sheet feeding unit 90-B shown in FIG. 8 is provided in the lower stage of the two-stage type in the sheet feeding unit 90, and has the same function as the cassette sheet feeding unit 90-A described above. Have. However, the recording medium 92 is placed not on the left side but on the right side with respect to the ink jet recording apparatus 60. The recording medium 92 fed from the cassette feeding unit 90-B is configured to pass to the right side of the ink jet recording apparatus 60. Even when the paper is discharged after being recorded and accumulated in the paper discharge tray, Accumulated on the right side of the paper discharge tray 46.

(Recording medium distribution method of this embodiment)
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an outline of a recording medium distribution method during recording by the recording apparatus 60 of the present embodiment. The recording medium distribution method of this embodiment is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment, and the ASF paper supply port and the cassette paper supply port in step 15 of FIG. 4 are replaced with the cassette paper supply unit 90 in step S25 of FIG. It is only changed to -A and the cassette paper feeding unit 90-B. Therefore, since the processing content is the same, the individual description in each step is omitted.

  In this way, a recording apparatus having a plurality of paper feeding means is used, which can automatically record the recording medium after recording by the user for each paper feeding unit and output it to different areas. . As a result, it was possible to realize an ink jet recording apparatus that can reduce the load of the user as much as possible and reduce the load on the user at low cost.

(Third embodiment)
Hereinafter, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Since the basic configuration of the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, only the characteristic configuration will be described below.

  In the first embodiment, one of the two paper feed ports is ASF paper feed, and the other is the cassette paper feed port. In the second embodiment, one of the two paper feed ports is the cassette paper feed port 90-. A, the cassette feeding port 90-B provided at another position has been described.

  FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing the inside of the inkjet recording apparatus 100 of the present embodiment so as to be understood. As shown in the figure, the printing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment has two ASF paper feed ports C (first auto sheet feeder paper feed unit) and ASF paper feed port D (second auto sheet feeder paper feed unit). An ASF paper feed port is provided. By using these two ASF paper feed ports and automatically assigning the recording medium after the recording as desired by the user as in the above-described embodiments, the assignment work of the recording medium after the output is reduced as much as possible. Can be reduced.

  In this way, a recording apparatus having a plurality of paper feeding means is used, which can automatically record the recording medium after recording by the user for each paper feeding unit and output it to different areas. . As a result, it was possible to realize an ink jet recording apparatus that can reduce the load of the user as much as possible and reduce the load on the user at low cost.

1 is a schematic perspective view showing the inside of an ink jet recording apparatus to which the present invention can be applied. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration of the recording apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing a state in which an exterior cover is attached to the recording apparatus of FIG. 1. It is the flowchart which showed the outline of the distribution method of the recording medium at the time of recording. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating different output positions in a paper discharge unit of the recording apparatus according to the first embodiment. It is the schematic perspective view which showed the inkjet recording device of 2nd Embodiment. It is the figure which showed the cassette paper feeding part. It is the figure which showed the cassette paper feeding part. 6 is a flowchart showing an outline of a recording medium distribution method during recording by the recording apparatus of the second embodiment. It is the schematic perspective view shown so that the inside of the inkjet recording device of 3rd Embodiment could be understood.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Recording apparatus 2 ASF paper feed part 3 Recording head 46 Paper discharge tray 60 Recording apparatus 90 Paper feed part 99 Cassette paper feed part 100 Recording apparatus 600 Controller 601 MPU
602 ROM
610 Host device 611 Interface P Recording medium M1 Carriage motor M2 Conveyance motor

Claims (5)

In an inkjet recording apparatus for recording on a recording medium fed from a plurality of paper feeding units,
A plurality of output areas corresponding to each of the plurality of paper feed units, and having different positions;
An ink jet recording apparatus, wherein when an operator performs recording of a plurality of copies, the operator can arbitrarily output the recording medium to the plurality of output areas.   The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of output areas are provided on the same paper discharge tray.   The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of sheet feeding units are an auto sheet feeder sheet feeding unit and a cassette sheet feeding unit.   The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of paper feeding units are a first cassette paper feeding unit and a second cassette paper feeding unit.   The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of sheet feeding units are a first auto sheet feeder sheet feeding unit and a second auto sheet feeder sheet feeding unit.

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