JP2019188704A - Recording device and recording method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a recording device which can highly accurately manage a life even if using recording-head life elongation means such as an image shift when managing a use number with a plurality of nozzles as one region.SOLUTION: A recording device comprises: a recording head which can discharges inks from a plurality of aligned nozzles; a main management region for dividing the plurality of nozzles into a plurality of classes, and managing a use number of the nozzles with the plurality of classes as one management region; a sub-management region for managing the nozzles to be managed in the main management region in the same management region at each prescribed number of the nozzles in the nozzle alignment; and management means for accumulating recording data of the nozzles corresponding to the main management region in the sub-management region corresponding to the nozzles in the main management region, being means for accumulating the recording data in each nozzle in the sub-management region.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, and more particularly to a technique for managing the number of printing pixels by dividing each nozzle of a printing head into a plurality of sets and using each set as one management area.

  As this type of technology, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-228667 describes a recording apparatus in which there is a management area for managing each nozzle of the recording head, and none of the nozzles belong to the same management area. Specifically, the nozzles of the recording head are divided by a predetermined number of nozzles, and the nozzles in the divided one section are managed for each different management area. Here, in the recording apparatus, when the same image data is recorded on a plurality of recording media, the number of times the nozzle is calculated is calculated for each nozzle by shifting the image and shifting the used nozzle managed for each management area. There is a way that is averaged. When recording a relatively narrow image using the above management method, each nozzle is not in the same management area, and the calculated number of times the nozzle is used is averaged. Management is possible.

JP 2011-131505 A

  However, in the recording apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, when a relatively narrow image is recorded, the nozzles used for the image shift have different management areas, so the number of times the nozzles are used is calculated for the entire nozzle range. End up. For this reason, the number of times of use of nozzles that are not being used is also calculated, and accuracy of life management is lacking.

  The present invention has been made in view of the problems existing in the prior art, and uses a print head life extension means such as an image shift when managing the number of times of use with a plurality of nozzles as one area. However, an object of the present invention is to provide a recording apparatus that can perform life management with high accuracy.

  To achieve the above object, according to the present invention, according to the present invention, a recording head capable of ejecting ink from a plurality of arranged nozzles, a plurality of nozzles are divided into a plurality of groups, A main management area that manages the number of times the nozzle is used as one management area, a nozzle that is managed in each of the main management areas, a sub-management area that is managed in the same management area for each predetermined number of nozzles in the nozzle array, and a nozzle Means for accumulating recording data in the sub management area, and accumulating recording data of the nozzle corresponding to the main management area in the sub management area corresponding to the nozzle in the main management area. Features.

  According to the present invention, when managing the number of times of use with a plurality of nozzles as one region, it is possible to perform life management with high accuracy even if recording head life extending means such as image shift is used.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a control system of the recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing of the continuous label paper which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. (a) is explanatory drawing of the relationship between a recording head and a recording image, (b) is explanatory drawing regarding the nozzle which the nozzle management area | region of the recording head of (a) manages. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram regarding nozzles managed by the nozzle management area of the recording head of FIG. (A) is explanatory drawing of the standard recording image which can be recorded with a recording device, (b), (c), (d), and (f) are respectively in the standard recording image of FIG. 6 (a). FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of dot count information of a recorded image portion using black, cyan, magenta, yellow, and magenta ink. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an influence on a head life of a sub life management area of the recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. (A) is the figure which showed the position of the nozzle which discharges the image data at the time of recording the image densely packed by the part by the head lifetime management system of this embodiment, and (b), It is explanatory drawing explaining in detail the relationship between a lifetime management area | region and the lifetime dot count of the image data of Fig.8 (a). 4 is a flowchart for explaining a recording process of the recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing regarding the nozzle which the nozzle management area | region of the recording head which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention manages.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a recording apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment.

  The recording apparatus 100 and a host computer 101 as an information processing apparatus are connected by a cable 102. The host computer 101 uses image data and dot count information for each nozzle management area of a standard recording image as a control command. The data is output to the recording apparatus 100 via 102. Further, the host computer 101 notifies the user of the status of the recording apparatus 100 by receiving the status information (such as error information) of the recording apparatus 100 as a control command.

  The recording apparatus 100 can record an image on the continuous label paper 110. Reference numeral 105 denotes a roll unit, which is loaded with a continuous label sheet 110 with a label piece temporarily attached to the mount, and supplies the continuous label sheet 110 to the transport unit. The conveyance unit includes the conveyance motor 211 illustrated in FIG. 2, the conveyance belt 107, the paper leading edge detection sensor 22, and the paper trailing edge detection sensor 23, and the continuous label sheet 110 in the conveyance direction A during recording. Transport. In the present embodiment, the roll unit 105 side on the conveyance path of the continuous label paper 110 is a conveyance inlet, and the opposite side is a conveyance outlet.

  The recording apparatus 100 is a full line type ink jet recording head 103 as recording means, and has a nozzle row having a length corresponding to the width of a label piece temporarily attached on a continuous label sheet 110. Full-color recording is performed by ejecting K, C, M, and Y inks from these recording heads 103, respectively. Therefore, the recording head 103K for discharging black (K) ink, the recording head 103C for discharging cyan (C) ink, the recording head 103M for discharging magenta (M) ink, and the recording head 103Y for discharging yellow (Y) ink. Is installed. Further, the ink ejected from the recording heads 103K, 103C, 103M, and 103Y is supplied from the corresponding ink cartridge 104 by a pump (not shown). 104K is an ink cartridge that contains black (K) ink, 104C is an ink cartridge that contains cyan (C) ink, 104M is an ink cartridge that contains magenta (M) ink, and 104Y is an ink that contains yellow (Y) ink. It is a cartridge. Note that the number of colors, that is, the number of recording heads, is arbitrarily determined. In the case where it is not particularly necessary to distinguish between the recording heads, hereinafter, they may be referred to simply as “recording head 103”.

  The roll unit 105 drives the roll drive shaft 108 on which the continuous label paper 110 is mounted, the roll sensor lever 109 whose position changes due to the slack of the continuous label paper 110, and the paper feed shown in FIG. The motor 205 is included. The continuous label paper 110 is stably fed by driving and stopping the roll motor according to the position of the roll sensor lever 109.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a control system of the recording apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment.

  The host computer 101 transfers the recording image data, the dot count information of the image, and the like to the recording apparatus 100 as control commands, and instructs the start of the recording process. Further, the host computer 101 can transmit to the recording apparatus 100 a sheet setting command for instructing the number of label pieces to be recorded by the recording apparatus 100, the type and size of the continuous label sheet 110, and the like.

  The recording apparatus 100 receives commands (data command, paper setting command, dot count command, etc.) from the host computer 101 by controlling communication with the communication driver 203. The recording apparatus 100 renders the received image data as image data of each color component by developing a bitmap on each of the RAMs 210K, 210C, 210M, and 210Y. In the RAMs 210K, 210C, 210M, and 210Y, image data of color components corresponding to black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) inks are bitmap-developed. Also, a paper setting command such as a dot count command of the recording head, the number of label pieces, the size, and the number of recordings for each predetermined nozzle management area is stored in the RAM 210R. Then, after the data command and the paper setting command are developed in each of the RAMs (210K to 210R), the recording head 103 is moved to the recordable position by the recording head drive mechanism control motor 207.

  At the time of recording, in synchronization with the conveyance of the continuous label paper 110, the main controller 201 sequentially reads out the corresponding color image data from each of the RAMs 210K to 210Y. These data are output via the head driving circuit 204 to the recording heads 103K to 103Y that discharge the corresponding color ink. Each of the recording heads 103 records a multi-color image by ejecting ink of a corresponding color according to the input image data.

  When the recording based on the image data is finished, the value of the head life management data is stored in the nonvolatile RAM 202 and the EEPROMs 206K to 206Y corresponding to the recording heads 103K to 103Y, as will be described later. Then, the value of the dot count information for each nozzle management area of the image data that has been recorded is added to the value of the head life management data for each nozzle management area, and is stored again. When the value of the head life management data after addition exceeds a predetermined specified value, a command indicating that the recording head 103 has reached the end of life is notified to the host computer 101 via the communication driver 203. Such control is performed by the main controller 201 executing a control program stored in the ROM 208.

  Further, the host computer 101 as the information processing apparatus may be responsible for some of the functions of the recording apparatus in FIG. For example, the head life management data may be managed by the host computer 101.

  FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the continuous label sheet 110 recorded by the recording apparatus according to the present embodiment.

  The long continuous label paper 110 has a form wound around a cylindrical core having a hollow portion in a roll shape, and FIG. 3 shows a part of the continuous label paper 110. A label paper 302 that can be recorded on the surface is temporarily attached to the mount 301 at regular intervals. The recording apparatus 100 can record a different image for each label sheet. In the present embodiment, description will be given by taking as an example image data composed of a frame line 303 in which the same nozzle is used frequently, and a character string 304 and bar code 305 as variable information of each page.

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the nozzle position configuration of the life management region for calculating the dot count value as the dot count information from the image data by the recording apparatus of the present embodiment.

  In this embodiment, the host computer 101 calculates the dot count value of the image data of each page, and ejects ink from the recording head based on the dot count value. For example, the recording head 401 has 1200 nozzles for ejecting ink, and has a life management area for managing each nozzle. The life management area includes a main life management area and a sub life management area. The main life management area is divided into 10 areas as a whole, and each of the main life management areas has 5 sub life management areas. In this embodiment, the main life management area is described as being divided into 10 areas and the sub life management area is divided into five areas. In practice, however, the number of nozzles of the print head, the number of main life management areas, and the number of sub life management areas are as follows. It can be changed as appropriate according to the specifications of the apparatus and the contents of the image to be recorded. In the present embodiment, since the number of nozzles of the print head 401 is 1200, the number of nozzles managed by one main life management area of each of the 10 areas of the main life management area is 120. Further, out of the five areas of the sub life management area, each sub life management area manages 24 nozzles.

  FIG. 4A shows the image data 400 and the nozzle positions of the recording head 401. In this figure, the main life management area 402 described above includes 120 nozzles that are the units of the main life management area for the image data 400 and the recording head 401 so that the nozzle management area can be easily understood in relation to the nozzle arrangement. A conceptual diagram separated by. In the figure, the first main life management area is 402A, the second main life management area is 402B, the third main life management area is 402C, and so on up to the 10th main life management area 402J. They are lined up continuously.

  FIG. 4B is an enlarged view of a part of the main life management area 402A and 402B of FIG. 4A, and shows the management nozzle in the main life management area in detail. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the relationship of the nozzles that manage the main life management area and the sub life management area in the life management area. The sub life management area is associated with every fifth nozzle managed by one sub life management area. Specifically, each of the different sub life management areas includes a nozzle managed by the sub life management area 403A-1, a nozzle managed by the sub life management area 403A-2, and a sub life management area 403A-3. The nozzles to be managed, the nozzles to be managed by the sub life management area 403A-4, the nozzles to be managed by the sub life management area 403A-5, and the nozzles to be managed by the sub life management area 403A-1 again are arranged. . As shown in FIG. 4B, the nozzles managed by the sub life management area 403A-1 are associated with every fifth nozzle. In the present embodiment, since the number of nozzles managed by the main life management area 402A is 120 nozzles corresponding to each sub life management area, the sub life management area 403A-1 to the sub life management area 403A-5 are used. It is repeated 24 times. In these sub life management areas 403A-1 to 403A-5, the nozzles are arranged so that the nozzles managed by the respective sub life management areas are not adjacent to each other. The sub life management areas 403A-1 to 403A-5 are managed by the main life management area 402A.

  FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of processing for calculating the dot count value as the dot count information from the standard recording image data by the recording apparatus according to the present embodiment. In this embodiment, one page of a plurality of recording data is set as a standard recording image, and the host computer 101 calculates a dot count value of the standard image data.

  Since the standard image data 600 in FIG. 6A is recorded using the recording head 103, as shown in FIGS. 6B to 6E, it is divided into images 601K to 601Y of the respective color components. The image 601K is a recorded image using black (K) ink, the image 601C is a recorded image using cyan (C) ink, the image 601M is a recorded image using magenta (M) ink, and the image 601Y is recorded using yellow (Y) ink. It is an image. Further, FIG. 6F is a diagram showing a dot count value for each life management by dividing a recording image of each color component into predetermined life management areas.

  In the present embodiment, since there is a ruled line in the image 601K, the life management area having a higher dot count value is concentrated in the sub life management number 1 602 of the main life management number 1 than in the other nozzle management areas. Is present.

  Processing for adding dot count information of image data transmitted from the host computer 101 to the value of the sub life management area of the life management area stored in the EEPROM 206 of the recording head 103 will be described with reference to FIG. In the present embodiment, the head life when using the function of preventing the arrival of the local print head life by shifting the image data one nozzle at a time from the right to the left in the figure by the head life management method. Assume management.

  FIG. 7A shows an example in which image data 701 for the first page, image data 702 for the second page, and image data 703 for the third page are continuously recorded using the recording head 401. It is the figure which showed image data and the position of the nozzle to discharge. FIG. 7B is an explanatory diagram for explaining the relationship between the life management area and the life dot count of each page of FIG. 7A in detail. The image data from the first page to the third page are the same, and the maximum dot count value of each page is the same, but each of the recording heads calculated by the host computer 101 by shifting the image for each page. The dot count value in the sub life management area changes.

  Specifically, the image data includes data that becomes a vertical ruled line at a position where the nozzle 710 ejects. Therefore, in the image data 701 of the first page, the dot count value of the sub life management area number 1 managing the nozzle 710 is 2500 dots and the maximum life dot count value. Since the second page of image data 702 is recorded by shifting from the first page of image data 601 by one nozzle from the right to the left in the figure, data that forms a vertical ruled line at the position where the nozzle 711 discharges. Existing. Therefore, the dot count value of the sub life management area number 2 managing the nozzle 711 is 2500 dots accordingly. Similarly, the image data 703 for the third page is recorded while being shifted from the image data 701 for the first page by two nozzles from right to left in the figure. Therefore, there is data that becomes a vertical ruled line at the position where the nozzle 712 discharges, and the dot count value of the sub life management area number 3 managing the nozzle 712 is 2500 dots. The fourth and fifth pages are also recorded by shifting from the image data 701 of the first page by three nozzles and four nozzles from right to left in the figure. Then, the dot count value of the sub life management area number 4 and the sub life management area number 5 managing each becomes 2500 dots. If the sub-life management area number 5 is exceeded, the process returns to the sub-life management area number 1 and the above-described recording operation is repeated. In this way, adjacent nozzles belong to different sub-life management areas, and even when a vertical ruled line image is used with the image data shift function, the maximum recording nozzles are dispersed and added to the sub-life management area of the head life. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the head life from deviating due to the image shift.

  FIG. 8A is a diagram showing the image data and the positions of the nozzles for discharging when recording a partially dense image by the head life management method of the recording apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 8B is an explanatory diagram for explaining in detail the relationship between the life management area and the life dot count of the image data in FIG. For example, the image data includes not only the above-described vertical ruled lines but also a partly dense image. Therefore, a partly dense image is recorded using the head life management method of the present embodiment described in FIG. Specifically, there is 20-dot square object data 802. This object data 802 exists in the main life management area 402A and is recorded using the nozzles 403A-1 to 403A-5 belonging to the main life management area 402A. The dot count value of sub life management area number 1 managing nozzle 403A-1 is 100 dots, the dot count value of sub life management area number 2 managing nozzle 403A-2 is 100 dots, nozzle 403A-3 The dot count value of the sub life management area number 3 that manages the number of dots is calculated as 100 dots. Then, the dot count value of the sub life management area number 4 managing the nozzle 403A-4 is calculated as 80 dots, and the dot count value of the sub life management area number 5 managing the nozzle 403A-5 is calculated as 80 dots. Is added to the lifetime dot count value of each region. Then, when the head life management method as described with reference to FIG. 8 is used, recording is performed by shifting from the object data of the first page by one nozzle from the right to the left in the drawing from the second page.

  As described above, even in the image data such as the object data 802, the life of only the main life management area 402A used for recording increases, and the life of other main life management areas does not increase. The head life can be expressed accurately.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing recording processing in the recording apparatus according to the present embodiment. From the host computer 101 to the recording apparatus 100, a recording operation setting command such as the printing speed of the recording apparatus and image shift, a sheet setting command such as the number of labels to be recorded and the size, a dot count command for a standard image, and recording Image data is transmitted as variable information or copy information. Image data is stored in the RAMs 210K to 210Y, and electronic information such as dot count information is stored in the RAM 210R (S901). The image data and the electronic information are respectively added with the additional information indicating the attribute of the information, and after the reception of the image data is finished, the conveyance of the continuous label paper 110 is started (S902). Based on the image shift setting received from the host computer 101, the image shift amount during the recording operation is calculated (S903). Then, the management number of the sub life management area to which the dot count is added is calculated from the image shift amount calculated in step S903. A dot count value is added to the calculated management number of the sub life management area (S905). Thereafter, recording is started on the conveyed continuous label sheet 110 (S906), and when the recording is performed, the label sheet 110 is discharged (S907). Then, after the end of recording, the head life management area of the recording head 103 is referred to and it is determined whether the recording head 103 has reached the end of life (S908). If the recording head 103 has not reached the head life, the process is terminated (NO in S908). On the other hand, when the recording head 103 has reached the head life, a recording head life error is notified to the host computer (S909), the conveyance of the label paper is stopped (S910), and the processing is terminated.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the nozzle management area that manages a plurality of nozzles of the recording head and the recording apparatus that manages the life of the recording head as a management area that manages the plurality of nozzle management areas, image shift is performed. Even if the recording head life extending means such as the above is used, it is possible to realize a highly accurate recording head life management.
(Second Embodiment)
Since the basic configuration of the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, only the characteristic configuration of the present embodiment will be described below. In the first embodiment, the nozzles managed by the sub life management area are arranged so as not to be adjacent to each other. However, when the image shift amount is 2 dots or more, the management nozzle unit for sub life management is not 1 dot but an image. Effects can also be obtained by adjusting to the shift amount.

  For example, when the minimum unit of image shift is 4 nozzles, as shown in FIG. 10, the nozzles with numbers “1, 2, 3, 4” are the management nozzles of the sub life management area No. 1, “5, 6”. , 7, 8 ”may be arranged like the nozzle number 1002 managed by the sub life management area 1001 like the management nozzle of the sub life management area 2.

  The above is an example of the embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above and shown in the drawings, and can be appropriately modified and implemented within the scope not changing the gist thereof.

  For example, the head life in units of blocks may be calculated by a method of calculating on the recording apparatus side.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Recording apparatus 101 Host computer 103 Recording head 110 Continuous label paper (recording medium)

Claims (5)

A recording head capable of ejecting ink from a plurality of arranged nozzles;
A plurality of main management areas that divide the plurality of nozzles into a plurality of sets and manage the number of times the nozzles are used with each of the plurality of sets as one management area;
Nozzles managed in each of the main management areas, a sub management area that manages in the same management area for each of a predetermined number of nozzles in the nozzle arrangement,
Means for accumulating recording data for each nozzle in the sub management area, and accumulating recording data for the nozzle corresponding to the main management area in the sub management area corresponding to the nozzle in the main management area And a recording apparatus.   The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the management unit manages, by accumulating non-continuous nozzles in the sub management area in the nozzle arrangement.   The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording data is recorded by shifting the recording data by a predetermined number of pixels in the nozzle arrangement direction based on the recording data.   The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the management unit cumulatively manages the number of recording pixels of the nozzle that maximizes the number of times the nozzle is used as the number of recording pixels in the sub management area. A recording head capable of ejecting ink from a plurality of arranged nozzles;
A plurality of main management areas that divide the plurality of nozzles into a plurality of sets and manage the number of times the nozzles are used with each of the plurality of sets as one management area;
Nozzles managed in each of the main management areas, a sub management area that manages in the same management area for each of a predetermined number of nozzles in the nozzle arrangement,
A management step of accumulating recording data for each nozzle in the sub management area, wherein the recording data of the nozzle corresponding to the main management area is accumulated in the sub management area corresponding to the nozzle in the main management area. And a recording method comprising:

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