JP2012218357A - Recording apparatus and recording method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce recording grade deterioration such as ruled line deviation by utilizing a plurality of recording element rows capable of recording the same color in a recording apparatus even if the recording element row inclines from an original position.SOLUTION: When a thin straight line 80 with a threshold value or less is recorded, it is recorded by selecting a nozzle row with a smaller inclination among a plurality of nozzle rows to record the same color. The recording grade deterioration due to the ruled line deviation can be improved even when the thin straight line 80 with an outstanding ruled line deviation is recorded.

Description

  The present invention relates to a recording apparatus and a recording method, and more specifically, recording due to the influence of the inclination corresponding to the inclination of an array of recording elements such as nozzles in the recording head caused by a manufacturing error or mounting state of the recording head. The present invention relates to a configuration for preventing deterioration in quality.

  A recording head is manufactured with a recording element array in which a plurality of recording elements such as nozzles for ejecting ink are arranged due to a manufacturing error, or a recording element array is tilted due to a mounting error of the mounting portion. The recording head may be mounted in an inclined state. When recording is performed by scanning a recording medium using a recording head in a state where the recording element array is inclined from the original position, for example, when recording a ruled line parallel to the arrangement direction of the recording elements, The deviation of the ruled line is conspicuous at the boundary, and the recording quality may be lowered.

  Conventionally, various techniques have been proposed to prevent a decrease in recording quality due to the inclination of the recording element array. In Patent Document 1, data corresponding to one nozzle row of a recording head is divided into predetermined units so as to correct the inclination of the nozzle row, and each of the divided data and data irrelevant to printing are disclosed. Are combined to generate data for correcting the inclination. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-228561 describes that a recording head abutting portion used for positioning when a recording head is attached to a carriage is provided on a plate that is a support substrate that supports a recording element substrate of the recording head. .

  As described above, according to the conventional technique, the recording data is corrected so that the recording result is not inclined, or the recording head is mounted so that the recording element array is in the correct position with respect to the recording head mounting portion. The structure which makes it is provided. As a result, even if the recording element array of the recording head is tilted from the original position, it is possible to reduce deterioration in recording quality such as deviation of ruled lines.

JP 2010-143026 A JP 2010-046853 A

  However, the above-described configuration that copes with the inclination of the recording element requires data processing such as correction of recording data, and there is a problem that the configuration for that complicates the data processing configuration in the apparatus. In addition, it is necessary to provide a separate configuration for mounting the recording head so that the recording element array is at an original position with no inclination with respect to the mounting portion of the recording head, and the configuration of the apparatus is complicated accordingly.

  On the other hand, in a widely used inkjet recording apparatus, a recording head having a plurality of nozzle rows or a plurality of recording heads each provided with a nozzle row for the same color ink is used to eject the same color ink. What to use is provided.

  The object of the present invention is to use a plurality of recording element arrays capable of performing recording of the same color, thereby reducing recording quality such as ruled line deviation even if the recording element array is inclined from the original position. It is to provide a recording apparatus and a recording method capable of reducing the above.

  Therefore, in the present invention, a recording apparatus that performs recording on a recording medium using a plurality of recording element arrays that can perform recording of the same color, wherein each of the plurality of recording element arrays is recorded by the recording element array. An acquisition means for acquiring inclination information from a predetermined direction of the linear image when a linear image along the arrangement direction of the recording element arrays is recorded on the medium, and a predetermined thickness in the image to be recorded The determination means for determining whether or not there is a linear image below, and when there is a linear image equal to or smaller than the predetermined thickness, the recording element array having a smaller inclination indicated by the inclination information is used and the predetermined thickness or smaller. And a control means for controlling to record the straight line image.

  According to the above configuration, by using a plurality of recording element arrays that can perform recording of the same color, even if the recording element array is tilted from the original position, a decrease in recording quality such as a ruled line shift is reduced. It becomes possible to do.

1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an ink jet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of a head chip corresponding to one color ink in the recording head illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of a recording apparatus having the configuration shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration for performing image data processing in an image processing system including a recording control unit and a host PC of the recording apparatus illustrated in FIG. 3. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the data processing according to object in FIG. (A) And (b) is a figure which shows the surface provided with the nozzle row | line | column of the recording head which can be used with the inkjet recording device of embodiment of this invention. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a printing operation according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and in particular, a process of selectively using nozzle rows according to the thickness of a line image. It is a figure explaining the use of the said nozzle row in recording of an actual ruled line. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a recording operation according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and particularly illustrating processing for selectively using a nozzle row at an edge and other portions. (A)-(c) is a figure explaining the dot formation process of the thin wire | line edge part which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an ink jet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the carriage 2 has a recording head 1 and an ink tank (not shown) detachably mounted thereon. The carriage 2 is slidably supported by a main guide rail 3 and a sub guide rail 4 provided in parallel with a direction intersecting the conveyance direction of the recording medium 15. The timing belt 6 is stretched around a motor pulley 8 connected to the motor 7 and a driven pulley 9 disposed at a position facing the motor 7. The timing belt 6 is fixed to the carriage 2, and the power of the motor 7 is transmitted to the carriage 2 via the timing belt 6, whereby the carriage 2 moves along the guide rails 3 and 4. Can do. By this movement of the carriage, the recording scan of the recording head 1 with respect to the recording medium 15 becomes possible. The conveyance roller 10 is driven by a conveyance motor (not shown), and can thereby convey a recording medium. The discharge roller 11 discharges the recorded recording medium to the outside of the apparatus.

  As will be described later with reference to FIGS. 6A and 6B, the recording head 1 includes cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), pigment black (Bk1), and dye black (Bk2). Each head chip is configured to eject the ink.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a head chip corresponding to one color ink in the recording head 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the head chip 30 is provided with a plurality of discharge ports (nozzles) 300 as recording elements arranged at a predetermined pitch. Each discharge port 300 is formed as one open end of the liquid path 302, and the liquid path 302 is provided with an electrothermal conversion element 303 for generating thermal energy used for discharge. Each liquid path communicates with the common liquid chamber 301, whereby ink is supplied from the common liquid chamber to the liquid path as it is ejected. The above-described electrothermal conversion element, temperature sensor (not shown), and sub-heater (not shown) are provided on the silicon substrate by the same process as the semiconductor manufacturing process. A silicon substrate 308 on which these elements are formed is bonded to an aluminum base plate 307 for heat dissipation. Further, the circuit connection portion 311 on the silicon substrate and the printed board 309 are connected by the ultrafine wire 310, and a signal from the recording apparatus main body can be received through the signal circuit 312. The liquid path 302 and the common liquid chamber 301 are formed of a plastic cover 306 made by injection molding. The common liquid chamber 301 is connected to the corresponding ink tank via the joint pipe 304 and the ink filter 305, whereby ink is supplied from the ink tank to the common liquid chamber 301.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration of the recording apparatus having the configuration illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. In the figure, reference numeral 400 denotes an interface for inputting a recording signal, and 401 denotes an MPU. Reference numeral 402 denotes a program ROM for storing a control program executed by the MPU 401, and reference numeral 403 denotes a dynamic RAM (DRAM) for storing various data (the recording signal, recording data supplied to the recording head 1, etc.). Show. The DRAM 403 can store the number of recording dots, the number of ink head replacements, and the like. The gate array 404 performs supply control of print data to the print head 1 and data transfer control between the interface 400, MPU 401, and DRAM 403. Reference numeral 405 denotes a carriage motor (CR motor) for conveying the recording head 1, and reference numeral 406 denotes a conveyance motor (LF motor) for conveying the recording paper. Reference numerals 407 and 408 denote motor drivers for driving the transport motor 405 and the carriage motor 406, respectively. Reference numeral 409 denotes a head driver that drives the recording head 410. The recording head 1 is electrically coupled to a circuit board (control circuit) on the apparatus main body via a substrate (carriage substrate) (not shown) mounted on the carriage 2.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration for performing image data processing in an image processing system including the recording control unit of the recording apparatus illustrated in FIG. 3 and a host PC. In FIG. 4, the recording control unit 500 of the ink jet recording apparatus performs data processing transferred from the host PC 1200 in which the printer driver is installed via the interface 400.

  The host PC 1200 receives input image data 1000 from the application. The input image data 1000 includes information related to information (image attribute information) regarding the type of image component. First, rendering processing 1001 is performed on the received input image data 1000 at a resolution of 1200 dpi. Thereby, multi-value RGB data for recording 1002 is generated. In the present embodiment, the recording multi-value RGB data 1002 is 256-value data. On the other hand, based on the input image data 1000, a character, line drawing, and pure black (R, G, B = 0, 0, 0) object discrimination process 1003, which is a plurality of types of image components included in an image to be recorded, is performed. Do. Rendering processes 1008, 1009, and 1022 are performed on the character data 1004, line drawing data 1005, and pure black data 1006 determined in the object determination process 1003, respectively. As a result, binary character object data 1010 having a resolution of 1200 dpi, binary line drawing object data 1011 and binary pure black object data 1023 are generated. The recording multi-value RGB data 1002 and the binary object data 1010, 1011, and 1023 generated as described above are transferred to the recording control unit 500.

  The recording control unit 500 performs color conversion processing 1012 to convert the recording multi-value RGB data 1002 into multi-value (256 values) BkCMY data 1013. Next, the multi-value (256 values) BkCMY data 1013 is quantized (binarized) by quantization processing 1014 (for example, error diffusion processing). As a result, binary BkCMY data 1015 having a resolution of 1200 dpi is generated. On the other hand, for binary character object data 1010, binary line drawing object data 1011 and binary pure black object data 1023 transferred to the recording control unit 500, non-edge portion detection processing 1016, 1017, respectively. 1025 is performed. Thus, binary character non-edge portion data 1018, binary character edge portion data 1019, binary line drawing non-edge portion data 1020, binary line drawing edge portion data 1021, binary pure black non-edge portion data. 1026, binary pure black edge data 1027 is generated.

  Finally, binary Bk data 1015, binary character non-edge portion data 1018, binary character edge portion data 1019, binary line drawing non-edge portion data 1020, binary line drawing edge portion data 1021, 2 Object-specific data processing 1024 described later is performed on the pure black non-edge portion data 1026 and the binary pure black edge portion data 1027.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the object-specific data processing 1024 in FIG.

  4 and 5, binary character non-edge portion data 1018, binary character edge portion data 1019, binary line drawing non-edge portion data 1020, binary line drawing edge portion data 1021, 2 In response to the input of the value Bk data 1015, the binary pure black non-edge portion data 1026, and the binary pure black edge portion data 1027, the Bk object-by-object data processing is started.

  First, it is determined whether or not the edge data is the pixel of interest (S101). It is determined whether the image data determined not to be edge data is non-edge data (S102). Further, a thinning mask for thinning out data is applied to an image determined to be a non-edge portion to generate thinning data for the non-edge portion (S103).

  On the other hand, the set of pixels determined to be the edge portion in step S101 is synthesized as Bk character / line drawing / pure black edge portion data (S118). Further, the non-edge data of the character, line drawing, and pure black data to which the thinning mask is applied is combined with the Bk no-attribute data determined in S102. Thus, Bk composite data (Bk recording data) is generated (S104), and the Bk object-by-object data processing ends. Thereafter, each color recording data is transferred to the recording heads 201 to 204 through the head driver 405, and recording is performed by each recording head.

  Note that the extraction of edge data from image data and the non-edge data generation method are well-known facts by the business operators, and thus the description thereof is omitted here. In the present embodiment, the RGB multi-value input data has been described. However, it is apparent from the above description that the same effect can be obtained even when CMYBk multi-value data and CMYBk binary data are input.

  FIGS. 6A and 6B are views showing a surface provided with an ejection port array of the recording head 1 that can be used in the ink jet recording apparatus of the present embodiment described above. As described above, the recording head is detachably attached to the carriage, and the recording apparatus has the same specifications by replacement, but another recording head can be used. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the recording head 1 of this embodiment includes cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), pigment black (Bk1), and dye black (Bk2). Each head chip 30C, 30M, 30Y, 30Bk1, and 30Bk2 ejects five types of ink. 6A and 6B, illustration of the arrangement of the plurality of ejection openings in each head chip is omitted, but the arrangement direction is the same as the vertical straight line that divides each head chip in the figure. Direction.

  The recording head shown in FIG. 6A is manufactured in a state where the nozzle array (recording element array) of each head chip is not inclined. In contrast, in FIG. 6B, in the manufacturing process, the nozzle row of the head chip 30Bk1 is inclined by an angle H, and the nozzle row of the head chip Bk2 related to the same black ink is substantially free of inclination. It shows that there is. Such an inclination of the nozzle row is caused by an error such as an error in adhering the head chip to the substrate in the manufacturing process of the recording head. Such a head chip attaching error can be adjusted and attached with a tool, and is smaller than a manufacturing dimension such as resin molding, but is approximately several tens of microns. For this reason, for example, when a ruled line is recorded by one scan (pass) of the recording head, the inclination of the nozzle row appears as a ruled line shift as it is. Another cause of the inclination of the nozzle row can be a mounting error with respect to the carriage. That is, for example, in a configuration in which the nozzle row for each type of ink is used as an individual recording head, the recording head may be mounted tilted when mounted on the carriage. In such a case as well, the nozzle row is used in a state tilted from the normal predetermined direction.

  Since the recording apparatus of the present embodiment may be in a state where the nozzle row is inclined from the normal direction as described above, first, when it is detected that the recording head is newly installed, the new recording head is detected. Processing for detecting the inclination of the nozzle row is performed. For example, the dot of ink ejected from the uppermost nozzle and the lowermost nozzle in the nozzle row is detected by a sensor, and a linear function passing through the two dots is obtained by using the least square method for the two dot positions. Determine the slope of the linear function. For reading the ink dots, an external detection device such as a scanner may be used. The inclination of the straight line of dots recorded by each nozzle row obtained as described above is stored in the memory.

  By using a plurality of nozzle rows that discharge ink of the same color based on the nozzle row inclination information obtained as described above, even when the nozzle row is inclined, reduction in recording quality such as ruled line deviation is reduced. An embodiment of the recording operation will be described below.

(First embodiment)
The first embodiment of the present invention relates to a mode in which nozzle rows are selectively used according to the level of fineness of line images such as ruled lines.

  In general, a user who records a CAD image or the like often finds speed, and often selects a low-pass mode such as one-pass. At this time, a ruled line extending in the sub-scanning direction (conveying direction) is formed by connecting ink dots ejected from individual nozzles in the nozzle row. For this reason, the inclination of the nozzle row directly appears as a ruled line shift in the connection between passes. When the thickness of the ruled line is large, the ruled line deviation caused by the nozzle tilt of about several tens of microns is not so noticeable. However, in the case of the thickness of a line consisting of one to several dots, the ruled line shift due to the inclination is noticeable.

  Accordingly, when the nozzle row (head chip 30Bk1) of the ink Bk1 has an inclination as shown in FIG. 6B, the nozzle row and the ink without the inclination are set according to the level of the line to be recorded. A nozzle row of Bk2 (head chip 30Bk) is selectively used.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a recording operation according to the present embodiment, and particularly shows a process for selectively using the nozzle row (30Bk1) and the nozzle row (30Bk2) according to the thickness of the line image. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the proper use of the nozzle rows in actual ruled line recording.

  In FIG. 7, first, when recording data is input from the host in step S1, image data is developed in step S2. The expanded data includes the line drawing data 1005 shown in FIG.

  Next, in step S201, it is determined whether or not there is a thin linear image having a predetermined threshold value or less. This threshold value can be determined according to, for example, the number of passes for image formation (the number of scans), the maximum line width that can be realized by ejecting ink from the recording head, and the like. Further, as described above, the threshold value can be determined according to whether or not ruled line deviation is conspicuous. In the recording head, the discharge state varies due to manufacturing variations, and the maximum line width varies. This determination is made only for the linear image of the ink color having a plurality of nozzle rows for the same color ink, as described in FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b). In the example shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the ink color is black.

  When it is determined in step S201 that there is a thin linear image that is equal to or smaller than the threshold value, in step S3, the above-described inclination information stored in the memory is acquired from the plurality of nozzle rows. Based on this tilt information, a nozzle row with a smaller tilt is selected, a thin linear image below the threshold is recorded with the nozzle row, and a recording is performed so as not to record the thin linear image with a nozzle row with a larger tilt. Set the data. When the recording head shown in FIG. 6B is used, in step S3, the nozzle row (Bk2) is used as a nozzle row for recording the thin linear image, and is not recorded in the nozzle row (Bk1). Record data is set. As a result, in FIG. 8, the thin line 80 is recorded only by the nozzle row (Bk2).

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the linear image determined to be a fine line thicker than the threshold value in step S201 is shared by the nozzle array (Bk1) and the nozzle array (Bk2), and the linear image is recorded. This setting is also performed in step S4. As a method of sharing, for example, every other column of pixels constituting a linear image is recorded by one nozzle row, and the remaining columns are recorded by the other nozzle row. As a result, in FIG. 8, a straight line 81 is recorded by being divided by two nozzle rows (Bk1, Bk2).

  After setting the above recording data, the drive parameter of the carriage 2 is set in step S4, and the carriage 2 is driven in step S5 to scan the recording head to perform the recording operation.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, a fine line in which ruled line deviation is conspicuous is recorded by a nozzle line having a smaller inclination of two nozzle lines that record the same color. Decrease can be improved.

(Second Embodiment)
The second embodiment of the present invention relates to a form for recording a fine line or a fine line with a clear outline of a character while reducing ruled line deviation.

  The clearer the outline of the edge, the higher the line quality. In addition to ink droplets called main droplets, small ink droplets called satellites may be discharged from a recording head that discharges while scanning a recording medium. The dot by satellite is formed at a place delayed in time from the position of the main droplet. Therefore, when a satellite is formed outside the line, the clarity of the line is impaired. In the present embodiment, the influence of the satellite is eliminated, recording with a clear outline of the edge is performed, and the ruled line deviation described above is reduced.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a recording operation according to the present embodiment, and particularly shows processing for selectively using the nozzle rows at the edge and other portions. FIGS. 10A to 10C are diagrams for explaining the dot forming process of the thin line edge portion of the present embodiment.

  FIG. 10A shows the result of recording an ideal straight line image with a plurality of nozzle rows having no inclination. The edge of the thin line shown in this figure shows a state in which dots are regularly arranged and there is no variation in dots formed between a plurality of nozzle rows (for convenience, the dots are all represented by white circles). , Each is ejected from a different head.) On the other hand, FIG. 10B shows a printing result in a state where all the nozzle arrays have the same inclination. In this case, as described above, the straight line has a ruled line shift.

  FIG. 10C is a diagram for explaining the printing result according to the present embodiment, and shows that the edge of the thin line is printed using a nozzle row with a smaller inclination (for example, nozzle row (30Bk2)). . Here, the “edge portion” is composed of a predetermined number of dot rows (two rows in the example shown in FIG. 10C) in both ends of the fine line image in the direction orthogonal to the fine lines. It is an area. In FIG. 10C, the dots formed by the nozzle row having a smaller inclination are represented by black circles. Other than this edge portion, recording is performed with nozzle rows other than the nozzle row or all nozzle rows that record the same color. The dots formed by these nozzle rows are represented by white circles. As a result, the ruled line shift of the thin line is reduced.

  In the recording operation shown in FIG. 9, in the present embodiment, in particular, in step S301, the edge portion and the non-edge portion are discriminated. This is based on the non-edge portion detection processing 1016 and 1017 described with reference to FIG. In step 302, the nozzle row used for the edge is selected. Specifically, when the recording head shown in FIG. 6B is used, the edge portion is recorded by the nozzle row (30Bk2) having a smaller inclination, and the portion other than the edge portion is recorded by the nozzle row (30Bk1).

  Next, when each driving method of the carriage 2 is determined in step 4, bi-directional recording in which recording is performed in both reciprocating scans or unidirectional recording in which recording is performed only during forward scanning or only during backward scanning is selected. I can do it. In order to effectively implement the above invention, recording control is performed so that satellites are formed inside the thin line during bidirectional recording.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, by properly using the edge of the fine line and the nozzle row used elsewhere, it is possible to propose a ruled line shift and to further clarify the outline of the edge of the fine line.

(Other embodiments)
In this example, the quality of the black diagram is improved, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention can also be applied to recording characters or characters having a predetermined color, line drawings, figures, and the like. In this case, for the colors such as cyan, magenta, and yellow constituting the color, the inclination of the nozzle row of those colors is detected and processing based on the detected color is performed in the same manner as described above.

  Further, the application of the present invention is not limited to an ink jet recording apparatus, and the present invention can be applied to any recording apparatus that performs recording using a recording head having a recording element array. it can.

1 Recording head 30Bk1, 30Bk2 Head chip (nozzle array)
300 Discharge port (nozzle)
500 Recording control unit

Claims (4)

A recording apparatus for recording on a recording medium using a plurality of recording element arrays capable of performing recording of the same color,
Inclination information from a predetermined direction of the linear image when the linear image along the arrangement direction of the recording element array is recorded on the recording medium by the recording element array of each of the plurality of recording element arrays is acquired. Acquisition means;
Determining means for determining whether or not there is a linear image having a predetermined thickness or less in the image to be recorded;
When there is a linear image having a predetermined thickness or less, control means for controlling to record the linear image having the predetermined thickness or less using a recording element array having a smaller inclination indicated by the inclination information;
A recording apparatus characterized by comprising: A recording apparatus for recording on a recording medium using a plurality of recording element arrays capable of performing recording of the same color,
Inclination information from a predetermined direction of the linear image when the linear image along the arrangement direction of the recording element array is recorded on the recording medium by the recording element array of each of the plurality of recording element arrays is acquired. Acquisition means;
Control means for controlling the edge of the straight line image in the direction orthogonal to the straight line to record using a recording element array having a smaller inclination indicated by the inclination information;
A recording apparatus characterized by comprising: A recording method for recording on a recording medium using a plurality of recording element arrays capable of recording the same color,
Inclination information from a predetermined direction of the linear image when the linear image along the arrangement direction of the recording element array is recorded on the recording medium by the recording element array of each of the plurality of recording element arrays is acquired. Acquisition process,
A determination step of determining whether or not there is a linear image having a predetermined thickness or less in the image to be recorded;
When there is a linear image having the predetermined thickness or less, a control step of controlling to record the linear image having the predetermined thickness or less using a recording element array having a smaller inclination indicated by the inclination information;
A recording method characterized by comprising: A recording method for recording on a recording medium using a plurality of recording element arrays capable of recording the same color,
Inclination information from a predetermined direction of the linear image when the linear image along the arrangement direction of the recording element array is recorded on the recording medium by the recording element array of each of the plurality of recording element arrays is acquired. Acquisition process;
A control step for controlling to record an edge portion of the linear image in a direction orthogonal to the straight line using a recording element array having a smaller inclination indicated by the inclination information;
A recording method characterized by comprising:

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