JP2010158817A - Recording apparatus and recording head - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a positional shift of recording caused by time-sharing driving between recording heads when a plurality of recording elements of each of a plurality of the recording heads are time-shared driven. <P>SOLUTION: A head drive signal generating circuit 1207 drives all of the recording elements by time-sharing by a plurality of the number of times via a time-sharing selecting circuit 1211. An ejection timing adjusting circuit 1204 sets an effective use range of a recording element array in accordance with positional shift information (registration adjustment value 1202) that shows a mutual positional shift amount of a plurality of the recording heads. Time-sharing sequence setting data latch circuits 909-912 and the time-sharing selecting circuit 1211 adjust as a time-sharing driving timing adjustment means a time-sharing driving timing of each recording element of each recording head in accordance with the positional shift information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a recording apparatus that records an image by arranging a plurality of recording heads having a recording element array including a plurality of recording elements in parallel, and a recording head for the same.

  In a recording apparatus equipped with such a plurality of recording heads, each recording head has a different physical position with respect to the paper. Therefore, when one image is divided and recorded by a plurality of recording heads, an image portion recorded by another recording head is shifted from a predetermined position with respect to an image portion recorded by a certain recording head. Can happen. This is because the image recording positions of a plurality of recording heads usually have a mechanical error (positional deviation) with respect to the ideal design position. Such a shift is known as a registration shift.

  In an ink jet recording type recording apparatus having a nozzle array as a recording element array, a registration deviation is corrected by electrical adjustment of a small amount of ink ejection position called registration adjustment.

  For example, in a recording apparatus that records an image with a line-type recording head stationary on a recording medium that is continuously conveyed, such as a line printer, adjustment in the X direction (recording width direction or nozzle row direction) , Registration adjustment in the Y direction (conveyance direction of the recording medium) is performed. Specifically, a test pattern for registration adjustment is recorded, and the user visually determines the amount of image misregistration from the recorded test pattern, and the result is input to the host computer for ink ejection. Correct the position.

  A recording head mounted on a conventional line printer has a recordable size wider than the actual print width, for example, about 32 dots at both ends of a nozzle row in consideration of positional deviation in the X direction. A nozzle means a port for ejecting ink, and ink corresponding to one pixel of print data is ejected from the nozzle. When the recording head is mounted at a reference position with no positional deviation, the spare nozzle is not used. On the other hand, this recording nozzle is used for a recording head mounted with a deviation from the reference position. As a result, when transferring the image data in the X direction to the recording head, the invalid data “Null data” for the spare nozzle is also transferred. Therefore, when the spare nozzle is used, the displacement has been corrected by changing the size of “Null data” at both ends (thereby changing the position of the print data with respect to the nozzle row). (See Patent Document 1)

JP-A-8-132688

  However, the conventional positional deviation correction method has the following problems to be improved.

  First, since the print head mounted on the line printer is usually a wide print head in which the length of the nozzle array extends over the entire width of the print medium, a large amount of current is required to eject ink from all the nozzles simultaneously. The structure which can supply is required. For this reason, conventionally, time-division driving is performed in which ejection is performed from all nozzles in a plurality of times. This time-division driving is a specification in which ink is ejected from a specific nozzle in synchronization with a control signal input from the outside of the recording head. Which control signal each nozzle synchronizes with is determined at the time of design of the recording head.

  When recording by this time-division drive is performed in the line printer, even with the nozzles of the same recording head, the ejection timing differs depending on the nozzles by time-division drive. On the other hand, since the recording medium on which the ink ejected from the nozzles land is transported continuously, landing deviation occurs at each ejection timing with different time division in the transport direction (Y direction).

  When there is no positional deviation in the X direction of the recording head, the nozzles at the same position of the respective recording heads adjacent in the Y direction receive the same time-division signal, so that landing deviation due to time-division driving does not occur. However, when there is a positional shift in the X direction, the size of the “Null data” of the spare nozzles provided as spares at both ends is changed. As a result, the entire print data is shifted in the nozzle row direction (that is, the effective use range of the printing element row is moved), and the positional deviation is corrected.

  However, even if such print data shift is performed, the time-division drive remains as it is, and therefore the time-division drive of each recording head for the nozzles in the same row in the Y direction (the state after the shift) has different timing. In such a case, landing deviation from the original landing position in the Y direction occurs for these nozzles.

  This landing deviation is remarkably generated in a high-speed recording apparatus, in particular, in a high-speed single-color recording apparatus in which a plurality of single-color ink line recording heads are mounted and recording is performed in raster units.

  The present invention has been made in such a background, and an object thereof is to drive a plurality of recording elements of each recording head in a time-sharing manner in a recording apparatus that records an image on a recording medium using a plurality of recording heads. Also in this case, there is to prevent the positional deviation of the recording due to the time-division driving between the recording heads.

  A recording apparatus according to the present invention is a recording apparatus that records an image using a plurality of recording heads on a recording medium that moves relative to a plurality of recording heads each having a recording element array. A time-division drive means for driving the recording elements in a time-division manner a plurality of times, and a positional deviation information indicating a positional deviation amount between the recording heads in a direction along the recording element series. A positional deviation adjusting means for setting an effective use range and a time-division driving timing adjusting means for adjusting a time-division driving timing of each recording element of each recording head according to the positional deviation information. .

  As the misalignment adjusting means adjusts the effective use range of the recording element array in accordance with the misalignment amounts between the plurality of recording heads in the direction along the recording element array, the time-division drive timing adjusting means includes each recording head. The time-division drive timing of each recording element is adjusted. This prevents a recording misalignment in a direction orthogonal to the direction along the recording element array, which is caused by a combination of misalignment adjustment and time-division driving.

  More specifically, the time-division drive timing adjusting means has timing setting means for setting time-division order setting data for arbitrarily determining the timing for performing time-division driving for each of all the recording elements. Thereby, a desired division drive timing can be set for each printing element.

  The timing adjusting means includes a data setting circuit for setting arbitrary data of the same number of bits with respect to a multi-bit time-division drive signal for designating a timing for performing time-division driving of each recording element, and the time for each bit unit. A configuration may be adopted in which each recording element has a coincidence detection circuit that detects a coincidence between the divided drive signal and the arbitrary data. As a result, the time-division driving of a predetermined recording element is validated for each recording element by the output of the coincidence detection circuit.

  The set value in the data setting circuit has the same adjustment width as the number of time divisions in the time division drive means of each recording head.

  The plurality of recording heads are, for example, a plurality of line-type recording heads for recording an image of the same color, and the plurality of recording heads sequentially form an image for each raster.

  The recording head according to the present invention includes a recording element array for recording an image on a recording medium, time-division driving means for driving all the recording elements by time-sharing a plurality of times, and in accordance with positional deviation information given from the outside. Position deviation adjusting means for setting the effective use range of the recording element array, and time division driving timing adjusting means for adjusting the time division driving timing of each recording element of each recording head according to the position deviation information. It is characterized by that.

  According to the present invention, in a recording apparatus that performs a combination of adjusting the effective use range of a recording element array in accordance with the positional deviation between a plurality of recording heads in the direction along the recording element array and time-division driving. It is possible to prevent the positional deviation of the recording in the direction perpendicular to the direction along the recording element array, which is caused by the combination. As a result, it is possible not only to further improve the image shift due to the mechanical mounting error between the plurality of recording heads, but also to prevent the adverse effects at the time-division driving of the recording element array.

  In particular, in the case of a recording apparatus that can perform a recording operation at a high speed such as a line printer, the image quality is dramatically improved.

  The recording apparatus of the present invention can achieve high image quality by using it in a line printer such as a high-speed and high-quality label printer or a large color printer.

It is a perspective view which shows the concept of the recording device recording part in this Embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an electrical block diagram of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention together with a host PC. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state in which rasters each handled by a plurality of recording heads are sequentially recorded to form one image. It is an explanatory diagram about the configuration of a conventional recording head. It is explanatory drawing of the circuit structure of one Cell. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an image when ink is ejected from all nozzles of a line type recording head. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of landing position deviation when ink is ejected from all nozzles of a line type recording head. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating landing deviation that occurs in recording in a plurality of recording heads. It is a figure shown about the time division order setting data in embodiment of this invention. It is a timing chart which shows the setting method of the time division order setting data in embodiment of this invention. It is a timing chart showing the relationship of the time division signal in this invention. 2 is an electrical circuit configuration diagram of a control circuit for a recording head in the present invention. FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a shift between recording heads in a full-color recording apparatus.

  Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific relative arrangement, numerical values, and the like of the components described in this embodiment are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only to those unless otherwise specified.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a recording unit of the recording apparatus according to the present embodiment. Here, a recording apparatus of an ink jet recording method that is an ink discharge method using thermal energy will be described.

  The recording apparatus of the present embodiment is a recording apparatus that records an image using a plurality of recording heads on a recording medium that moves relative to the plurality of recording heads each having a recording element array. The recording unit 100 of this recording apparatus includes four recording heads 101 to 104 that eject ink of the same color (for example, black). During the recording operation, these recording heads record an image while still in the position shown in the figure.

  In the illustrated example, the sheet as the recording medium is a plurality of labels 106 temporarily attached to a mount of roll paper 105 wound in a roll shape. The roll paper 105 is fed out in the direction of the recording head, and then is conveyed at a constant speed by a conveyance motor 108 and a feed roller 109. Further, when the roll paper 105 passes under the recording heads 101 to 104, recording is performed by the recording head. After the passage, the recorded label 107 is continuously discharged. When the leading edge of the conveyed label 106 is detected by the sheet leading edge detection sensor 111, each recording head 101 to 104 is synchronized with the output of the rotary encoder 110 coupled to the motor shaft of the conveying motor 108. Record the assigned raster. The paper leading edge detection sensor 112 is disposed downstream of the recording head in the paper conveyance path, and is used for paper jam detection and the like.

  FIG. 2 shows an electrical block diagram of the recording apparatus according to the present embodiment together with the host PC 200. The recording data on the paper is created by the host PC 200 and transferred to the interface controller 201 of the recording apparatus.

  The recording data received by the interface controller 201 may be the same as the conventional recording data. The memory controller 206 temporarily writes the received data in the image buffer 207 at a high speed according to an instruction from the CPU 202.

  After receiving a predetermined amount of recording data, the CPU 202 enters preparation for recording operation of the recording unit 100.

  First, the head U / D motor 211 and the cap motor 212 are operated with each other via the drive unit 210, and the recording heads 101 to 104 that have been capped during standby by a cap mechanism (not shown) are moved to the recording position. At this time, the recording heads 101 to 104 move up and down, and a cap mechanism (not shown) moves forward and backward in a direction parallel to the paper transport direction.

  Subsequently, the roll paper 105 is fed out by a roll paper supply motor (not shown), and the transport motor 108 is also activated via the drive unit 217. The start of the transport motor 108 is triggered by the speed instruction value of the transport motor 108 serving as a servo motor being written from the CPU 202 to the servo logic circuit 216.

  Thereafter, the output of the rotary encoder 110 is fed back to the servo logic circuit 216, and constant speed control is performed by the feedback loop of the drive unit 217, the conveyance motor 108, the rotary encoder 110, and the servo logic circuit 216.

  The servo logic circuit 216 converts the output of the rotary encoder 110 into a transport position pulse and outputs it. This transport position pulse is used as a cut-out signal for each recording head 101 to 104 to perform raster recording.

  When the leading edge detection sensor 111 on the upstream side in the transport direction detects the head of the label 106, the transport position pulse is counted. When the conveyance position pulses corresponding to the distances of the respective recording heads 101 to 104 are counted from the leading edge detection sensor 111, the memory controller 206 starts reading the image buffer 207 and transfers it to the recording head control circuit 208. Inside the recording head control circuit 208, the recording heads 101 to 104 try to generate recording data for all rasters having different cut-out timings. On the other hand, the transfer data to the recording heads 101 to 104 masks recording data for rasters (3 rasters out of 4 rasters) that each recording head is not in charge of.

  As shown in FIG. 2 as recording heads (spares 1 and 2), the mounting portions of the recording heads 101 to 104 may have a spare mounting space.

  The processing of the CPU 202 is realized based on a control program written in the flash ROM 203. At that time, the RAM 204 is also used as a working memory. The EEPROM 205 is a minute recording position (registration) in the X direction (recording width direction or nozzle row direction) and Y direction (the recording medium conveyance direction or direction perpendicular to the nozzle row) with respect to a reference recording head, for example, the recording head Bk1 (101). This is a non-volatile memory that stores numerical values unique to the apparatus, such as adjustment values of the control. The recording apparatus is provided with an operation panel 219 including a display device such as an LCD and a temporary stop / restart / emergency stop key for the recording operation. Display data can be written and the ON / OFF state of the key can be read via the input / output port 209.

  The output analog values of the sheet leading edge detection sensors 111 and 112 and the internal temperature sensor 220 of the recording apparatus can be read out almost in real time via an AD converter (A / DC) 218.

  The pump motor 213 recovers sound recording performance by supplying ink from an ink tank (not shown) to the recording heads 101 to 104 or pressurizing the inside of the recording head and forcibly discharging ink from the ejection nozzle as a recording element. In doing so, a pump (not shown) to be used is driven.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 3, a description will be given of a state in which rasters each handled by a plurality of recording heads 101 to 104 are sequentially recorded to form one image.

  In the example of FIG. 3, when an image is formed on the label of the first page, the image is divided into four rasters, and each divided image is sequentially formed by four recording heads 101 to 104. FIG. 3A shows an image portion formed on the label after the label has passed the recording head 101 on the most upstream side in the transport direction. FIG. 3B shows a state in which the image portion after passing through the next recording head 102 is added to this image portion. FIG. 3C shows a state in which an image portion after passing through the recording head 103 is subsequently added. FIG. 3D shows a completed image after passing through the recording head 104 on the most downstream side in the transport direction.

  More specifically, only the print raster: 4n (n = 0, 1, 2,...) Is recorded by the recording head 101 on the most upstream side, and the masked image 301 is stored for each of the other three rasters. It is formed.

  When the label passes the next recording head 102, the print raster: 4n + 1 portion is complemented, and an image 302 is formed in which the other two rasters are not yet recorded.

  Subsequently, when passing through the recording head 103, the print raster: 4n + 2 portion is complemented, and an image 303 is formed in which the remaining one raster is not recorded yet.

  After passing through the recording head 104 on the most downstream side in the transport direction, the print raster: 4n + 3 portion is complemented, and an image 304 matching the recording data is completed.

  Next, the configuration of a conventional recording head will be described with reference to FIG.

  In the case of the recording apparatus according to the present embodiment, each recording head is equipped with a heater board composed of four cells (CELL). There are 640 bit nozzles per CELL. Further, since the same number of heat generating elements are held, a driving circuit for driving the heat generating elements of a total of 2560 nozzles is provided.

Next, the circuit configuration of one CELL will be described with reference to FIG. VH is a driving power source for driving the heating element (nozzle heater) 501, and HGND is a GND for the heating element driving power source. A 640-bit MOS OUTPUT ARRAY 511 is a driving transistor array for the heating element 501. ODD 508 is a signal for instructing the odd-numbered heat generating elements 501 to be energized, and EVEN 509 is a signal for instructing the even-numbered heat generating elements 501 to be energized. The decoder 512 is a 3-input-8-output decoder. In this embodiment, 640 heating elements 501 are divided into 8 blocks of 80 nozzles per block. Therefore, the decoder 512 has eight output lines, and outputs a high level signal to only one of them according to the block selection signal 507, so that a block of the heating element 501 for driving the heat generation at a time can be obtained. select. For example, the nozzle numbers corresponding to each block are as follows (n = 0 to 9).
Block 0: (1 + 64n), (2 + 64n), (3 + 64n), (4 + 64n), ..., (8 + 64n)
Block 1: (9 + 64n), (10 + 64n), (11 + 64n), (12 + 64n), ..., (16 + 64n)
Block 2: (17 + 64n), (18 + 64n), (19 + 64n), (20 + 64n), ..., (24 + 64n)
Block 3: (25 + 64n), (26 + 64n), (27 + 64n), (28 + 64n), ..., (32 + 64n)
Block 4: (33 + 64n), (34 + 64n), (35 + 64n), (36 + 64n), ..., (40 + 64n)
Block 5: (41 + 64n), (42 + 64n), (43 + 64n), (44 + 64n), ..., (48 + 64n)
Block 6: (49 + 64n), (50 + 64n), (51 + 64n), (52 + 64n), ..., (56 + 64n)
Block 7: (57 + 64n), (58 + 64n), (59 + 64n), (60 + 64n), ..., (64 + 64n)

  The above ODD 508, EVEN 509, and block selection signal 507 are called time division signals. This time division signal affects the discharge of adjacent nozzles by the pressure energy transmitted to the liquid chamber common to each nozzle in order to suppress the voltage drop in the drive power supply path and when the ink is discharged by driving the heating element 501. In order to suppress the crosstalk phenomenon exerted, the conventional recording head is driven by time division of 16 times in total by multiplying 2 divisions by ODD508 and EVEN509 and 8 divisions by block selection (BENB: block enable) signal 507. .

  The recording head is controlled by a control unit of the recording apparatus main body, and print data read from a print memory in the main body is serially transferred. Transfer of print data to the recording head is performed as follows. That is, the print data is put on the print data signal IDATA 903 in synchronization with the print clock signal DCLK 504, stored from the 640th bit of the data shift register circuit 502, and the data is shifted. Therefore, the print data transferred first in synchronization with the print clock signal DCLK 504 is stored in the first bit (heating element 1seg), and the last transferred print data is stored in the 640th bit (heating element 640seg). Is done. When the transfer of print data for one line including invalid data (Null data) in the blank portion is completed, the print data is held in the data latch circuit 506 by activating the latch clock signal DLTN505.

  Next, ink is ejected by energizing the heating element 501 in synchronization with the heat pulse signal HENBN 510 to nozzles for which the print data stored in the data latch circuit 506 is valid. At this time, only the nozzle heaters selected based on the time division drive signals ODD508, EVEN509, and BENB0-2 (507) simultaneously drive. For example, when a signal that BENB (2.0) is “0”, EVEN is “0”, and ODD is “1” is input to the recording head, 1, 3, 5, 7, 65, 67,... Seg are selected. When the heat pulse signal HENBN 510 is input to each heating element 501 for which the print data held in the latch circuit 906 is valid at this time, each nozzle heater is energized and ink is ejected from the nozzle.

  In this way, in the line type recording head that performs in 1 PASS, all the nozzle rows are driven in 16 time divisions. As described above, since the sheet is always conveyed even during this division driving, an error in ejection timing occurs in the recorded image, and the landing position in the Y direction is shifted. The deviation of the landing position will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 6 shows an image when ink is ejected from all the nozzles of the line type recording head. In the figure, the mark ● indicates an image that is recorded when all the nozzles eject each time. Since the present embodiment has a high-speed recording apparatus configuration including four recording heads 101 to 104 that eject ink of the same color, there is a limit to increasing the data transfer speed and the head driving time. Accordingly, it is sufficient that one recording head can perform recording every four rasters, and it is not always necessary to complete ejection from all nozzles, that is, 16 divided drive ejections within an ejection area within one raster. Therefore, if the image quality is within the allowable range, the ejection from all the nozzles may be completed within 4 rasters.

  In order to easily understand the deviation of the ink landing position on the drawing, the ejection dots are shown in the X direction by simplifying the time division-nozzle correspondence table of FIG. 5 to 1/2, and in the Y direction which is the transport direction. Exaggerated to show landing deviation. First, the ODD nozzle (601) in block 0 is first ejected, then the EVEN nozzle (602) is ejected, and then the block 1 (603), block 2,..., Block 7 (604) are ejected in total 16 times. It is. Since the paper is always conveyed in the printing direction shown in the figure even during the division driving, it can be seen that landing deviation occurs in synchronization with the time division driving. The second discharge of each nozzle is indicated by a circle mark.

  7A, in the same manner as described with reference to FIG. 3, when the same color ink is sequentially ejected for each raster using the four recording heads 101 to 104, the X-direction between the recording heads is shown. The deviation is illustrated.

  With reference to the first recording head 101Bk1, the second recording head 102Bk2 has no displacement in the X direction, the third recording head 103Bk3 has a displacement of 1 dot in the X direction, and the fourth recording head 104Bk4 has 6 in the X direction. Assume that each recording head is mounted with a dot displacement. In this case, in order to perform printing in a common printable area by registration adjustment, the third recording head 103Bk3 has a one-dot margin at the left end, and the fourth recording head 104Bk4 has a six-dot margin data at the left end. It will be added.

  When all the recording heads discharge in the printable area in the same order of time-division driving in a situation where such positional deviation occurs and registration adjustment is performed, the image shown in FIG. 7B is obtained. . Although no landing deviation occurs between the ejection image 801 of the first recording head 101Bk1 and the ejection image 802 of the second recording head 102Bk2, the ejection images 803 and 4 of the third recording head 103Bk3 in which positional deviation has occurred. In the discharge image 804 of the first recording head 104Bk4, a small landing deviation 807, 808 occurs as a whole, and further, the discharge of the third recording head 103Bk3 is greatly shifted at the position 805, and at the position 806, The ejection of the fourth recording head 104Bk4 causes a significant landing deviation. In the vicinity of the landing deviations 807 and 808, the discharge of the first recording head 101Bk1 and the discharge of the second recording head 102Bk2 which are the reference are discharging the block 7, whereas the third recording heads 103Bk3 and 4 are discharged. This is because the main recording head 104Bk4 ejects ink in block 0, and the output image of the recording apparatus changes depending on the amount of positional deviation when each recording head is mounted.

  Next, the configuration of the CELL of the recording head unit according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. Here, the time division order setting data latch circuits 909 to 912 of bits 0 to 3 as the “timing setting means” of the present invention respectively select selection data indicating which time division driving timing each nozzle performs ejection. This circuit saves 640 bits. Since each recording head is configured to drive in 16 divisions, the time division order setting data latch circuits 909 to 912 of bits 0 to 3 have 4 bits of data for each nozzle. The bit 3 time division order setting data latch circuit 912, the bit 2 time division order setting data latch circuit 911, the bit 1 time division order setting data latch circuit 910, and the bit 0 time division order setting data latch circuit 909 are stored. The bit data for each nozzle is compared with four BENB (3..0) signals 907 which are time-division drive signals, and when they match, the logic circuit 917 outputs an ON signal.

  In the present embodiment, the ODD and EVEN signals described above are captured as one bit (BENB0) of the BENB signal. In this case, each of the logic circuits 917 includes four exclusive OR gates (XNOR) 918 that constitute a coincidence detection circuit and an AND gate 919 that receives these four outputs. That is, when the 4-bit time division order setting data for each nozzle and the 4-bit data of the four BENB (3..0) signals 907 that are time division drive signals completely match, A high level signal is output to the product gate 920. Print data and heater driving HENBN signal 908 are also input to the AND gate 920. Therefore, when the print data and the heater driving HENBN signal 908 are activated in addition to the high level signal of the AND gate 919, the heating element (nozzle heater) 901 is driven by the AND gate 920.

  Note that latch signals SDLTN0 (913), SDLTN1 (914), SDLTN2 (915), and SDLTN3 (916) are signals for latching data stored in the data shift register circuit 902.

  Next, the correspondence between the time division order setting data (3..0) and the BENB (3..0) signal 907 which is a time division signal will be described with reference to FIG. As described above, the nozzle for which the time division drive is effective is the same when both data are completely matched, that is, the value of the BENB3 signal and the time division order setting data 3 is the same, and the BENB2 signal and the time division order setting. This is a case where the value of data 2 is the same, the value of BENB1 signal and time division order setting data 1 are the same, and the value of BENB0 signal and time division order setting data 0 are the same. Therefore, when paying attention to a certain nozzle, the timing at which the nozzle is dividedly driven can be determined by which 4-bit data is set as the time division order setting data for the nozzle. In the present embodiment, for example, when a certain nozzle is to be driven at timing # 3 among the 16 divided time-division driving timings # 0 to # 15 corresponding to the 4-bit value 0 to 15 (decimal number) of the BENB signal, that nozzle “0010” (binary number) may be set in the time division order setting data. When driving at time division drive timing # 15, “1111” (binary number) may be set in the time division order setting data of the nozzle.

  The amount of positional deviation in the X direction between a plurality of recording heads changes when a mechanical recording head is attached or detached, and usually does not change. Therefore, it is sufficient to set the time division order setting data for the recording head only when the recording apparatus is turned on or when the registration adjustment is reset. Accordingly, since there is no parallel processing with the printing operation, in the configuration of the present embodiment for the purpose of reducing the circuit scale, the time division order setting data is configured to be performed using the normal print data transfer line IDATA 530.

  Next, a method for setting time division order setting data will be described with reference to FIG. First, the time division order setting data 0 of each nozzle is synchronized with the DCLK signal and transferred serially on the IDATA line. Since the mechanical recording head displacement is the same for each CELL in each recording head, the same value may be set for each of the plurality of CELLs. When the transfer of the time division order setting data 0 for all nozzles is completed, the data is stored in the time division order setting data 0 latch circuit 909 by enabling the SDLTN0 signal which is a latch signal. Subsequently, the time division order setting data 1, 2, and 3 are sequentially performed in the same manner, whereby all the time division order setting data is stored in the latch circuit.

  Next, a method of generating a time-division drive signal in this embodiment will be described using the timing chart of FIG. As described above, which nozzle performs ejection at which time-division drive timing can be arbitrarily set by setting the time-division order setting data. Therefore, the time division selection signal BENB (3..0) 907 only needs to be sequentially incremented in synchronization with the heat timing (division drive timing # 0 to # 15) as shown in the figure. For example, when the nozzle number corresponding to each time division selection signal is the same as the conventional configuration described above, when the value of the time division selection signal BENB0-3 is “0” (h), (1 + 64n), (2+ 64n), (3 + 64n), (4 + 64n), ..., (8 + 64n) The value of the time division order setting data (3..0) of the nozzle is also set to "0" (h: hexadecimal) By doing so, the same nozzle as the conventional one can be driven simultaneously. However, (1 + 64n), (2 + 64n), (3 + 64n), (4 + 64n), ..., (8 + 64n) time division order setting data (3 .. By setting the value of “0” to “0” (h), the nozzle is driven in a divided manner at a timing different from the conventional one.

  When the value of the time division selection signal BENB0-3 is “5” (h), (41 + 64n), (42 + 64n), (43 + 64n), (44 + 64n),... (48 + 64n) ) By setting the value of the time division order setting data (3..0) of the nozzle to “5” (h) in the same manner, the same nozzle as the conventional one is driven at the same time. However, the time-division order setting data for the nozzle group different from the (41 + 64n), (42 + 64n), (43 + 64n), (44 + 64n),..., (48 + 64n) nozzles (3. .0) is set to “5” (h), the nozzle is driven in a divided manner at a timing different from the conventional one.

  Next, the configuration of the control circuit of the recording head in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  The head control circuit 1201 is a circuit that controls the entire print head control circuit 208. Mainly, instructions for generation of time division order setting data, generation of print data, and generation of print head drive signals are given. The initial time division selection data 1202 stores the original data of the time division order setting data corresponding to each nozzle, and has a size of the number of nozzles × 4 bits corresponding to the actual print area excluding the spare nozzles. However, when the order of nozzles to be ejected is regular, for example, if the same ejection order is made every 64 Nozzle as described with reference to FIG. 6, the initial time division selection data 1202 corresponds to the number of nozzles corresponding to the actual print area. The large-capacity data prepared is not required, and the size of 64 Nozzle x 4 bits is acceptable. The registration adjustment value storage circuit 1203 is a circuit that stores registration adjustment values, and is written when the recording apparatus is turned on or when the registration adjustment values are reset. The ejection timing adjustment circuit 1204 generates time division order setting data based on the registration adjustment value of the registration adjustment value storage circuit 1203 and the data stored in the initial time division selection data 1202. In the present embodiment, since 32 dots of spare nozzles are provided at both ends of the nozzle row, for example, if the registration adjustment value is 33 dots, the time division order setting data generated by the ejection timing adjustment circuit 1204 is First, Null data for 33 dots obtained by adding 1 to the first spare nozzle data, then initial time division selection data 1202, and then 31 dots of Null data obtained by subtracting -1 for the spare nozzle at the rear end. Become. Similarly, the print data generation circuit 1206 generates the print data transferred from the memory controller 206 by adding the registration adjustment value data from the registration adjustment value storage circuit 1203 and sequentially transfers the data to the data selection circuit 1205. Circuit. However, since the recording data width transferred from the memory controller 206 includes data equal to or less than the number of nozzles corresponding to the actual printing area like the initial time division selection data 1202, the data generated by the recording data generation circuit 1206 is Data for the head and rear margins set by the head control circuit 1201 is further added. “Position misalignment adjusting means” in the present exemplary embodiment includes the ejection timing adjustment circuit 1204 and the print data generation circuit 1206.

  In the data selection circuit 1205, according to the instruction of the head control circuit 1201, the data of the recording data generation circuit 1206 is transmitted to the recording head 101 when the recording operation is being performed, and the data of the ejection timing adjustment circuit 1204 is transmitted to the recording head 101 when the time division order data is transferred. The transfer is performed in the order described in FIG.

  Further, the head drive signal generation circuit 1207 generates a time division signal and a heater drive pulse signal and transfers them to the recording head 101 in the order described with reference to FIG.

  The data shift register circuit 902, the data latch circuit 906, and the time division order setting data latch circuits 909 to 912 of the bits 0 to 3 in the recording head 101 are as described above with reference to FIG. The time division selection circuit 1211 constitutes “time division driving means” that drives all the recording elements in a time division manner a plurality of times, and includes a set of the logic circuit 917 and the exclusive OR gate 918 shown in FIG. It corresponds. The nozzle row 1210 corresponds to all the nozzles of the four CELLs described above. In the present embodiment, the time division selection circuit 1211 also constitutes a “time division drive timing adjustment unit” together with the time division order setting data latch circuit.

  In the above description, a high-speed recording apparatus that forms an image by sequentially sharing an image of the same color for each raster by a plurality of recording heads is taken as an example. However, the present invention is also effective in a full-color recording apparatus that ejects different inks to each recording head. This point will be briefly described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 13A shows an ejection image on the paper when cyan is ejected from the recording head by one dot each from four nozzles (Nozzle 1 to Nozzle 4). Similar to the above-described embodiment, each ejected dot has a landing deviation caused by time-division driving. FIG. 13B shows an ejection image on the sheet when magenta is ejected from the four nozzles (Nozzle 2 to Nozzle 5) by the recording head. This is an ejection image when the recording head for recording magenta includes a positional deviation of 1 dot in the horizontal direction (X direction) with respect to the recording head for discharging cyan shown in FIG. As described above, the lateral displacement of the magenta recording head is such that the image data is shifted by one dot by registration adjustment and ejected to the same coordinates as the cyan recording head. FIG. 13C is an image in which the cyan and magenta ejection dots are superimposed. When there is no registration misalignment, it becomes a complete blue ejection dot, but it can be seen that landing misalignment due to the influence of time-division driving has occurred. Therefore, the present invention can be derived and embodied in a recording apparatus that performs recording in full color, and landing deviation in time-division driving can be eliminated.

  Further, in order to further reduce the absolute value of the deviation, the resolution of the rotary encoder provided in the recording medium conveyance system may be made higher than the recording resolution so that the raster recording start timing can be independently selected for each recording head.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but various modifications and changes other than those mentioned above can be made. For example, an ink jet recording type recording apparatus has been described as an example, but the present invention can be applied to any recording apparatus as long as the recording element array is dividedly driven. Although the configuration in which the recording medium moves with respect to the plurality of recording heads is shown, the plurality of recording heads may move with respect to the recording medium.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Recording part 101-104 ... Recording head 111,112 ... Paper front end detection sensor 207 ... Image buffer 208 ... Recording head control circuit 501 ... Heating element (nozzle heater)
502 ... Data shift register circuit 506 ... Data latch circuit 507 ... Block selection signal 512 ... Decoder 901 ... Heat-generating element (nozzle heater)
902 ... Data shift register circuit 906 ... Data latch circuit 907 ... Time division selection signal 908 ... Heater drive signal (HENBN signal)
909 to 912 ... time division order setting data latch circuit 917 for bits 0 to 3 ... logic circuit 918 ... exclusive OR gates 919 and 920 ... AND gate 1201 ... head control circuit 1202 ... initial time division selection data output circuit 1203 ... Registration adjustment value storage circuit 1204 ... discharge timing adjustment circuit 1205 ... data selection circuit 1206 ... print data generation circuit 1207 ... head drive signal generation circuit 1210 ... nozzle row 1211 ... time division selection circuit

Claims (9)

In a recording apparatus for recording an image using a plurality of recording heads on a recording medium that moves relative to a plurality of recording heads each having a recording element array,
Time-division driving means for driving all the recording elements of each recording head in a time-division manner multiple times;
A misregistration adjusting means for setting an effective use range of the recording element array in accordance with misregistration information indicating a misregistration amount between the plurality of recording heads in a direction along the recording element array;
And a time-division drive timing adjusting means for adjusting a time-division drive timing of each recording element of each recording head in accordance with the positional deviation information.   The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the time-division driving timing adjustment unit includes timing setting unit that sets time-division order setting data for arbitrarily determining timing for performing time-division driving for each of the recording elements.   The timing adjusting means includes a data setting circuit for setting arbitrary data of the same number of bits with respect to a multi-bit time-division drive signal for designating a timing for performing time-division driving of each recording element, and the time for each bit unit. Each recording element has a coincidence detection circuit for detecting the coincidence between the divided drive signal and the arbitrary data, and the time division drive of a predetermined recording element is validated by the output of the coincidence detection circuit for each recording element. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:   4. The recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the setting value in the data setting circuit has the same adjustment width as the number of time divisions in the time division driving means of each recording head.   The plurality of recording heads are a plurality of line-type recording heads for recording an image of the same color, and the plurality of recording heads form an image by sequentially sharing each raster. 5. The recording device according to any one of 4. A recording element array for recording an image on a relatively moving recording medium;
Time-division driving means for driving all the recording elements by time-sharing a plurality of times;
A misalignment adjusting means for setting an effective use range of the printing element array in accordance with misalignment information given from the outside;
A recording head comprising: time-division driving timing adjusting means for adjusting time-division driving timing of each recording element of each recording head in accordance with the positional deviation information.   The recording head according to claim 6, wherein the time-division driving timing adjustment unit includes timing setting unit that sets time-division order setting data for arbitrarily determining timing for performing time-division driving for each of the recording elements.   The timing adjusting means includes a data setting circuit for setting arbitrary data of the same number of bits with respect to a multi-bit time-division drive signal for designating a timing for performing time-division driving of each recording element, and the time for each bit unit. Each recording element has a coincidence detection circuit for detecting the coincidence between the divided drive signal and the arbitrary data, and the time division drive of a predetermined recording element is validated by the output of the coincidence detection circuit for each recording element. The recording head according to claim 7, wherein:   9. The recording head according to claim 8, wherein the setting value in the data setting circuit has the same adjustment width as the number of time divisions in the time division driving means of each recording head.