JP2011131520A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that there is a possibility that a control for stopping or continuing printing can not be properly done in a printer in which a cover is opened and closed when changing an ink cartridge when controlling to stop or continue the printing by detecting the removal of the ink cartridge. <P>SOLUTION: The printer has a printing data obtaining section 31 for obtaining printing data, a printing section 20 for printing based on the obtained printing data, an opening/closing detecting section 33 for detecting the opening/closing state of an exclusive cover opening/closing when changing the ink cartridge, an area obtaining section 32 for obtaining a printing continuing possible area showing the area which can be continuously printed when the exclusive cover is opened set by a printing condition, and a control section 34 executing a control for filling a printing head 21 with cleaning liquid while quickly stopping printing action in the case of printing an area other than the printing continuing possible area when the open state of the exclusive cover is detected. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus that prints an image by ejecting ink.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ink jet printing apparatus that prints an image by ejecting ink includes a removable ink cartridge that contains ink. When the ink cartridge is replaced, it is necessary to stop the printing operation as efficiently as possible to suppress wasteful output of the printed matter. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-260260, whether or not an ink cartridge is attached / detached is detected, and when an ink cartridge is removed, printing of an output image is stopped or printing of a page being printed is stopped. Means. As a result, the printing apparatus is kept in a state where output can be avoided as much as possible without stopping the printing apparatus, and wasteful output of printed matter and loss of output data are prevented.

JP-A-2005-41025

  However, in a printing apparatus as described in Patent Document 1, it is controlled whether printing is stopped or continued by detecting removal of an ink cartridge. For this reason, in the case of a printing apparatus that opens and closes a cover when replacing an ink cartridge, there is a possibility that printing stop or continuation control cannot be performed properly at the detection timing of ink cartridge removal.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to solve at least a part of the problems described above, and the invention can be implemented as the following forms or application examples.

  Application Example 1 A printing apparatus includes a print data acquisition unit that acquires print data, a print unit that performs printing based on the acquired print data, and an ink cartridge replacement dedicated cover that opens and closes when the ink cartridge is replaced. An open / close detection unit that detects an open / closed state, and a print continuation possible region that is set based on a printing condition and indicates a region that can be continuously printed when the ink cartridge replacement dedicated cover is open is acquired. When the printing unit is printing outside the print continuation possible region when the area acquisition unit and the open / close detection unit detect the open state of the ink cartridge replacement cover, the printing unit performs a printing operation. And a control unit that executes control for immediately filling the print head of the printing unit with a cleaning liquid.

According to the printing apparatus described above, the area acquisition unit acquires a print continuation possible area that can be continuously printed when the ink cartridge replacement dedicated cover is open. The open / close detection unit detects the open / closed state of the ink cartridge replacement dedicated cover. When the open state of the ink cartridge replacement cover is detected, if the printing is outside the print continuation possible area, the control unit immediately stops the printing operation and fills the print head with the cleaning liquid. To control.
When the open state of the ink cartridge replacement cover is detected, if printing is outside the area where printing can be continued, the printing operation is stopped and the cleaning liquid is filled, so the cover is opened and closed when replacing the ink cartridge. In the printing apparatus, it is possible to appropriately stop printing and fill the cleaning liquid. Thereby, waste of printed matter can be suppressed and output can be performed efficiently, and running cost can be reduced.

  Application Example 2 When the open / close detection unit detects an open state of the ink cartridge replacement dedicated cover, the control unit is configured to print the inside of the print continuation area. The above-described printing apparatus, wherein the printing unit continues the printing operation as it is.

  According to the above-described printing apparatus, when the open state of the ink cartridge replacement dedicated cover is detected, if the inside of the print continuation area is being printed, the printing operation is continued as it is. Printing can be properly continued in the printing apparatus that opens and closes the cover. Thereby, waste of printed matter can be suppressed and output can be performed efficiently, and running cost can be reduced.

  Application Example 3 The printing apparatus, wherein the print continuation possible area is an area determined from an ink amount necessary for printing up to a print stop possible area.

  According to the printing apparatus described above, it is possible to appropriately determine the print continuation possible area from the ink amount necessary for printing up to the print stop possible area.

  Application Example 4 When the predetermined time has elapsed since the open state of the ink cartridge replacement cover is detected, the control unit stops the printing operation of the printing unit in a print stoppable area. The printing apparatus.

  According to the above-described printing apparatus, when a predetermined time elapses after the open state of the ink cartridge replacement dedicated cover is detected, the printing operation is stopped in the print stoppable area. As a result, when printing is being performed within the print continuation possible area, the printing operation can be stopped at an appropriate position after all the printing within the print continuation possible area is completed.

  Application Example 5 The print stoppable area is a position between print areas when a plurality of print areas are continuously printed, and is a print end position when printing one print area. The printing apparatus.

  According to the printing apparatus described above, the print stoppable area can be set outside the print area.

  Application Example 6 The printing apparatus described above, wherein when the printing operation is continued in the printing unit, the identification is printed on a margin of a print medium to be printed.

  According to the above-described printing apparatus, when the open state of the ink cartridge replacement cover is detected based on the identification printed on the margin of the print medium, it is possible to confirm the place where the printing operation is continued as it is.

  Application Example 7 The printing condition is a condition according to at least one of the amount of ink filled from the ink cartridge into the flow path of the print head, the average amount of ink used, and the image content to be printed. The printing apparatus as described above.

  According to the above-described printing apparatus, the printing continuation possible region is obtained by setting at least one of the ink amount filled in the flow path of the print head, the average ink usage amount, and the image content to be printed as a printing condition. Can be set appropriately.

  Application Example 8 In the printing apparatus described above, the region start position in the main scanning direction of the print continuation possible region also covers a position other than the end of the printing region in the main scanning direction.

  According to the printing apparatus described above, positions other than the edges in the main scanning direction of the print area are also targeted for the area start position of the print continuable area, so that the print continuable area can be set finely. Further, the running cost can be reduced.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a printer. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printer and a host computer. The figure which shows the example of the print continuation possible area | region of the image printed on the paper. 6 is a flowchart showing operations of a printer and a host computer. The figure which shows the example which set the position other than an edge part as a starting position of a print continuation possible area. The figure which shows the example which prints identification in the margin of paper.

  Hereinafter, a printing apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a printer 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the printer 1 is connected to the host computer 7 by a USB cable or the like. The host computer 7 supplies print data to the printer 1 and functions as a print control device that controls the printing operation in the printer 1.

  The printer 1 is an ink jet color printer that prints an image by ejecting ink to form ink dots on a print medium. In the present embodiment, paper S is used as the print medium. In addition, on the front surface of the printer 1, ink cartridge replacement dedicated covers (hereinafter abbreviated as dedicated covers) 40 are provided on the left and right sides so as to be opened and closed. In the dedicated cover 40, an ink cartridge containing ink of each color is mounted. When the user replaces the ink cartridge, the user opens the dedicated cover 40 and takes out the ink cartridge. When the ink cartridge replacement operation is completed, the user closes the dedicated cover 40 again.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating configurations of the printer 1 and the host computer 7. As shown in the figure, the host computer 7 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 71, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 72, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 73, a display unit 74, an operation unit 75, an application 76, and a printer driver 77. The communication interface 78 is provided.

  The CPU 71 is a control center in the host computer 7 and controls each part and each mechanism in the host computer 7. The ROM 72 stores a control program and control data for the CPU 71 to execute various processes. The RAM 73 is used as a work area when the CPU 71 executes various processes. The display unit 74 is configured with a CRT, a liquid crystal display, or the like, and displays information to the user. The operation unit 75 is configured with a keyboard, a mouse, and the like, and receives input from the user.

  The application 76 outputs image data to be printed to the printer driver 77 and issues a print instruction. The printer driver 77 generates image data to be printed received from the application 76 as print data that can be processed by the printer 1. Further, when the dedicated cover 40 of the printer 1 is opened during the printing operation, the printer driver 77 determines whether or not the current printing position is in an area where the printing operation can be continued as it is. Set. Then, the setting data of the print continuation possible area is added to the print data. Details of the print continuation possible area will be described later. The communication interface 78 transmits print data to the printer 1 connected by wire or wireless.

  The printer 1 includes a CPU 11, ROM 12, RAM 13, timing unit 14, communication interface 15, operation panel 16, printing unit 20, print data acquisition unit 31, area acquisition unit 32, open / close detection unit 33, control unit 34, and the like. . Further, as described above, the printer 1 is mounted with the ink cartridges 41a to 41j that store the inks of the respective colors. For each ink cartridge 41a, 41b, 41c, 41d, 41e, 41f, 41g, 41h, 41i, 41j, cyan (C), magenta (M), white (W), clear ink (CL), orange (OR), respectively. ), Green (GR), black (K), yellow (Y), light cyan (LC), and light magenta (LM), a total of 10 inks are accommodated.

  The CPU 11 is a control center in the printer 1 and controls each unit and each mechanism in the printer 1. The ROM 12 stores a control program and control data for the CPU 11 to execute various processes. The RAM 13 is used as a work area when the CPU 11 executes various processes. The timer 14 is an RTC (Real Time Clock) built in the printer 1 and counts the date and time. The communication interface 15 receives print data transmitted from the host computer 7. The operation panel 16 includes, for example, a liquid crystal display, buttons, and a touch panel, and displays information to the user and accepts input from the user.

  The printing unit 20 includes a print head 21, a head driving unit 22, a carriage mechanism 23, a paper feed mechanism 24, and the like. The print head 21 includes a plurality of nozzle rows provided corresponding to each ink type, and forms an image on the paper S by ejecting ink contained in the ink cartridges 41 a to 41 j as ink droplets from the nozzle rows. . The head drive unit 22 generates and outputs a voltage pattern applied to the piezo elements built in each nozzle row of the print head 21, and causes the print head 21 to eject ink droplets for each ink type. The carriage mechanism 23 is a drive mechanism that reciprocates a carriage (not shown) on which the print head 21 is mounted along a guide rail (not shown) included in the printer 1. The paper feed mechanism 24 transports the paper S at a predetermined speed in a paper transport direction (sub-scanning direction) that is one direction substantially orthogonal to the carriage reciprocating direction (main scanning direction) by a paper transport roller (not shown). .

  The print data acquisition unit 31 acquires the print data transmitted from the host computer 7 via the communication interface 15. The area acquisition unit 32 acquires setting data of a print continuation possible area added to the print data acquired by the print data acquisition unit 31. The open / close detection unit 33 detects whether the dedicated cover 40 is in an open state or a closed state by a position sensor (not shown) provided in the dedicated cover 40. The control unit 34 controls each unit and each mechanism described above. In addition, the control unit 34 opens the dedicated cover 40 based on the open / closed state of the dedicated cover 40 detected by the open / close detection unit 33 and the setting data of the print continuation possible area acquired by the area acquisition unit 32. Control whether to stop the printing operation sometimes.

  Next, the print continuation possible area set in the printer driver 77 of the host computer 7 will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a print continuation possible region of an image printed on the paper S. In the figure, an example in which an image G1 and an image G2 are printed on the paper S is shown. The paper S is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction, and the images G1 and G2 are sequentially printed on the paper S in the order of the image G1 to the image G2, that is, from the top to the bottom in the drawing. The entire area of the image G1 shown in FIG. 3 is the print area T1, and the vicinity of the last printed area in the print area T1 is the print continuation possible area T2. Further, a region between the image G1 and the image G2 is a print stoppable region T3.

  The print continuation possible area T2 is an area for determining whether or not the current printing position can continue the printing operation as it is when the dedicated cover 40 of the printer 1 is opened while printing the image G1. . If the current print position is within the print continuation possible region T2 when the dedicated cover 40 is opened, the control unit 34 determines that the print operation can be continued as it is. On the other hand, when the current print position is outside the print continuation possible region T2, the control unit 34 determines that the print operation cannot be continued.

  The print stoppable area T3 is an area that is not to be printed on the sheet S, and is an area where the printing operation can be stopped when the dedicated cover 40 is opened, that is, an area where the conveyance operation of the sheet S can be stopped. . The print stoppable area T3 is a position between the print areas T1 when a plurality of print areas T1 are continuously printed, and is a print end position when one print area T1 is printed.

  Here, the print continuation possible area T2 in the print area T1 is an average based on the amount of ink filled from the ink cartridges 41a to 41j of the printer 1 into the flow path of the print head 21 and the past print status. Settings are made according to the amount of ink used, the content of the image to be printed, and the like. Specifically, in a printer with a large amount of ink filled in the flow path of the print head 21, a printer with a small average ink use amount, and an image with low ink consumption, the region of the print continuation possible region T2 becomes large. . On the other hand, in a printer with a small amount of ink filled in the flow path of the print head 21, a printer with a large average ink usage amount, and an image with a large amount of ink consumption, the print continuation possible region T2 is small. The method for obtaining the ink consumption for an image to be printed is, for example, a method for analyzing the image data to be printed and calculating the ink consumption for each color (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 10-166622 and 2005-2005). No. 35103) is used.

Next, operations of the printer 1 and the host computer 7 according to the present embodiment will be described.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing operations of the printer 1 and the host computer 7 according to the present embodiment. The flowchart shown in the figure starts operation when printing is instructed from the application 76 of the host computer 7. Here, an example in which the printer 1 prints the image G1 and the image G2 illustrated in FIG. 3 will be described.

  First, the host computer 7 acquires the image data output from the application 76 by the printer driver 77 (step S10). Then, the host computer 7 sequentially performs resolution conversion processing, color conversion processing, and halftone processing on the image data acquired in step S10 by the printer driver 77 (step S20). The image data that has been subjected to the resolution conversion process, the color conversion process, and the halftone process represents a print image composed of dots.

  Next, the host computer 7 uses the printer driver 77 to set the print continuation possible region T2 based on the image data after the halftone process in step S20 (step S30). Then, the host computer 7 adds the command data to the image data after the halftone processing in step S20 and the setting data of the print continuable area T2 set in step S30 by the printer driver 77, and print data. Generate. Then, the generated print data is transmitted to the printer 1 via the communication interface 78 (step S40).

  Next, the printer 1 acquires the print data transmitted from the host computer 7 by the print data acquisition unit 31 via the communication interface 15 (step S50). The print data acquired here includes setting data for the print continuation possible area T2. Then, the printer 1 starts printing by the printing unit 20 based on the print data acquired in step S50 (step S60). At this time, the dedicated cover 40 of the printer 1 is in a closed state.

  Next, the printer 1 detects the open / close state of the dedicated cover 40 by the open / close detection unit 33, and determines whether or not the dedicated cover 40 is open (step S70). If the dedicated cover 40 is open (step S70: Yes), the process proceeds to the next step S80. On the other hand, if the dedicated cover 40 is not open, that is, closed (step S70: No), the printing operation is continued as it is. That is, when the dedicated cover 40 is opened by the user during the printing operation, the process proceeds to step S80, and otherwise, the printing operation is continued as it is.

  In step S80, the printer 1 starts measuring time by using the time measuring unit 14 (step S80). Thereby, the elapsed time after the dedicated cover 40 is opened is counted. Then, the printer 1 determines whether or not the current position during printing is printing in the print continuation possible region T2 on the paper S (step S90). If printing is in the print continuation possible area T2 (step S90: Yes), printing is continued as it is and the process proceeds to step S110. On the other hand, when printing is not being performed within the print continuation possible region T2 (step S90: No), the printing operation is immediately stopped and the nozzles of the print head 21 are filled with the cleaning liquid (step S100). Here, the clear ink stored in the ink cartridge 41d is used as the cleaning liquid.

  In step S110, the printer 1 refers to the elapsed time measured by the timer unit 14 and determines whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the dedicated cover 40 was opened (step S110). The predetermined time is set in advance based on the amount of ink filled in the flow path of the print head 21 from each of the ink cartridges 41 a to 41 j of the printer 1. If the predetermined time has elapsed (step S110: Yes), the printing operation is continued until the print stoppable area T3 is reached, and the print operation is stopped in the print stoppable area T3 (step S120). On the other hand, if the predetermined time has not elapsed (step S110: No), the printing operation is continued as it is until the predetermined time has elapsed.

  In the above flowchart, the printing operation ends when all the image data to be printed is printed. When the printing operation is stopped, the printing operation is resumed when a printing resumption instruction is received from the host computer 7.

  In the above-described embodiment, when the dedicated cover 40 of the printer 1 is opened, it is determined whether printing is being performed in the print continuation possible area. If printing is not being performed in the area where printing can be continued, that is, if printing is being performed in an area where ink cannot be continuously supplied, the printing operation is immediately stopped. As a result, it is possible to prevent an improper image having insufficient ink color components from being printed because no ink is supplied.

  Further, when printing is performed in the print continuable area, the printing operation is continued as it is, and when a predetermined time has elapsed after the dedicated cover 40 is opened, the printing operation is stopped in the print suspendable area. As a result, printing can be completed up to the end of the printing area in the vicinity of the last printing area in the printing area and the ink can be supplied, and the printer 1 can be used efficiently. User convenience is improved.

(Modification 1)
In the above-described embodiment, as shown in the print continuation possible region T2 in FIG. 3, the region start position in the main scanning direction is the end position in the main scanning direction of the printing region T1. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a position other than the end of the print area T1 may be set as the area start position. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a position other than the edge is set as the start position of the print continuable area. In the figure, the start position of the print continuation possible region T2 is set to a position C1 that is not an end. Thus, according to the amount of ink filled in the flow path of the print head 21, the average amount of ink used, the content of the image to be printed, etc., it is possible to finely set the print continuation possible area, and the printer 1 can be further It can be used efficiently.

(Modification 2)
In the embodiment described above, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4, when the dedicated cover 40 is open (step S70: Yes) and printing is in the print continuable area T2 (step S90: Yes), printing is performed as it is. Has continued. Here, the identification may be printed on the margin of the paper S when it is determined in step S90 that the print continuation possible region T2 is being printed. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of printing the identification in the margin of the paper S. In the drawing, the identification cover M1 is printed on the margin of the paper S when the inside of the print continuable area T2 is printed with the dedicated cover 40 opened. The contents of identification and the position on the margin can be set as appropriate. The user can check and verify the position where the dedicated cover 40 is opened and the printing operation is continued as it is based on the identification M1 printed in the margin of the paper S.

(Modification 3)
In the above-described embodiment, the printer driver 77 of the host computer 7 sets a print continuation possible area and adds setting data to the print data. However, the setting of the print continuable area may be set in the printer 1 instead of being set in the printer driver 77.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Printer, 7 ... Host computer, 11 ... Printer CPU, 12 ... Printer ROM, 13 ... Printer RAM, 14 ... Timekeeping unit, 15 ... Printer communication interface, 16 ... Operation panel, 20 ... Printing unit, 21 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ... Print head, 22 ... Head drive part, 23 ... Carriage mechanism, 24 ... Paper feed mechanism, 31 ... Print data acquisition part, 32 ... Area acquisition part, 33 ... Opening / closing detection part, 34 ... Control part, 40 ... Dedicated cover, 41a to 41j ... ink cartridge, 71 ... host computer CPU, 72 ... host computer ROM, 73 ... host computer RAM, 74 ... display unit, 75 ... operation unit, 76 ... application, 77 ... printer driver, 78 ... host Computer communication interface, G1, G2 ... Image S ... paper, T1 ... print area, T2 ... continue printing area, T3 ... stop printing area.

Claims (8)

A printing device,
A print data acquisition unit for acquiring print data;
A printing unit that performs printing based on the acquired print data;
An open / close detection unit for detecting the open / closed state of the ink cartridge replacement dedicated cover that opens and closes when the ink cartridge is replaced;
An area acquisition unit configured to acquire a print continuation possible area indicating an area that can be continuously printed when the ink cartridge replacement dedicated cover is in an open state set based on a print condition;
When the open / close detection unit detects the open state of the ink cartridge replacement dedicated cover and the printing unit is printing outside the print continuation possible area, the printing unit immediately stops the printing operation. And a control unit that executes control for filling the print head of the printing unit with a cleaning liquid.   When the open / close detecting unit detects the open state of the ink cartridge replacement dedicated cover, the control unit performs a printing operation on the printing unit when the printing unit is printing within the print continuation possible area. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the process is continued as it is.   The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the print continuation possible area is an area determined from an ink amount necessary for printing up to a print stop possible area.   The control unit stops the printing operation of the printing unit in a print stoppable area when a predetermined time has elapsed since the open state of the ink cartridge replacement dedicated cover is detected. Or the printing apparatus of 3.   The print stoppable area is a position between each print area when printing a plurality of print areas continuously, and a print end position when printing one print area. 5. The printing apparatus according to 4.   The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein when the printing unit continues the printing operation as it is, the identification is printed on a margin of a printing medium to be printed.   The printing condition is a condition according to at least one of an ink amount filled from an ink cartridge into a flow path of the print head, an average ink usage amount, and an image content to be printed. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6.   8. The printing according to claim 1, wherein the area start position in the main scanning direction of the print continuable area is also a position other than an end of the printing area in the main scanning direction. apparatus.

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