JP2529259B2 - Recording device - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording apparatus using a recording method such as an ink jet method, for example, a manual scanning type recording apparatus having a pen type structure, and particularly to an ink ejecting section. The present invention relates to a manual scanning type recording apparatus having a cap for preventing and coagulating ink.

[Conventional technology and its problems]

Conventionally, for example, in an ink jet type printing apparatus, ink is likely to dry and coagulate in an ink ejection portion when not in use to cause an ink ejection failure. Therefore, blanking is performed several times before use or communication with the ink ejection portion is performed. There was a need for a manual operation such as pressing the rubber portion at the rear with a pin to eject the ink a little from the ink ejection portion and then starting printing. Therefore, there is a problem that it takes time and labor, and wastes electric power and time, and there is a risk of damaging the device when pushing the rear part with a pin. Further, there is a possibility that ink may be erroneously ejected in the absence of paper because the detection of the recording medium, the paper, and the print start switch are not linked.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to perform print recording without causing ink ejection failure due to ink coagulation without spending extra time and time, and erroneously printing ink without a paper. It is an object of the present invention to provide a recording apparatus that has no possibility of ejecting ink.

[Means for solving problems]

The object of the present invention is to provide a cap for covering an ejection port for ejecting ink to perform recording on a recording medium, and a detection for detecting that the recording medium and the ejection port approach a predetermined distance. And a recording start unit for opening the cap in response to the detection by the detection unit to start the recording.

Since the manual scanning type recording apparatus as in the present invention is a handy type, a cap for protecting the print head and for preventing ink coagulation is indispensable, but in the case of the present invention, such a cap works in conjunction with the print start switch. By opening and closing the print head, the print head is always protected except during printing, and the troublesome work for preventing defective ink ejection before the start of printing can be saved. If a print start switch that also has a function of detecting the presence or absence of an object within a predetermined distance in front of the ink ejection unit is used, the ink will be erroneously ejected in the state where nothing is in front of the ink ejection unit. You can also prevent it from being discharged.

The present invention will be described below with reference to examples in which an inkjet recording method is used.

[Embodiment 1] FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a manual scanning ink jet recording apparatus, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a front cross-sectional view when the head portion is a front surface, and FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of a plane for schematically explaining the internal mechanism. In the figure, 1
Is a print head, 2 is a print start switch which also serves as a means for detecting the presence or absence of an object located close to the print head 1 at a predetermined distance, 3 is a running detection roller, 4 is an auxiliary roller, 5 is a printing unit main body. A storage lid for the stored cartridge 6, 6 is an inkjet cartridge, 7 is a main body case, 8 is a head cap, 9 is a wire, 10 is a spring, and 11 is a paper position. The paper position 11, that is, the distance between the paper and the print head 1 is mainly defined by the protrusion heights of the traveling detection roller 3 and the auxiliary roller 4, and the height of the protrusion of the print start switch 2 is the same as the paper position 11. The distance between the heads 1 is slightly larger than the distance required for printing. It is preferable that the head cap 8 is made of an elastic material so as to be in close contact with the print head.

In such a structure, the manual scanning type ink jet recording apparatus is placed on the paper surface, and the recording apparatus is pressed so that the paper reaches the position shown by the broken line 11 in FIG. The head cap 8 connected to the start switch 2 through a wire 9 moves in the direction of the arrow as shown in FIG. 2 to open the ink ejection port of the print head and enable printing.

Further, by stopping the running printing and moving the recording device away from the paper surface, the spring 10 returns the head cap 8 to the original position, thereby protecting the print head and preventing ink coagulation.

In this way, the head cap has a structure that works in conjunction with the print switch and the switch that also detects the proximity of an object to the front of the print head 1. This saves troublesome work before use and keeps the head always open except when printing. It is possible to protect and prevent erroneous operation when there is no paper or the like in front of the print head 1.

[Embodiment 2] FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view similar to FIG. 3 showing an internal schematic structural view of the second embodiment. 1, 6, 7, and 8 are shown in FIG.
The same thing as FIG. 3 is shown, 12 is a reflective photosensor, 13 is a solenoid, and 14 is a sheet.

In the first embodiment, the head cap is mechanically opened and closed by interlocking with the print start switch, but in this embodiment, the head cap is opened and closed electrically using a solenoid.

In the structure as shown in FIG. 4, the recording device is placed on the printing sheet 14, and when the distance between the recording device and the sheet becomes a printable distance, the reflection type sensor 12 confirms it and outputs a print switch signal. A print switch signal is transmitted to the solenoid 13 and a printing mechanism (not shown), and the head cap 8 connected to the solenoid is opened to enable printing, and at the same time, printing is started by the operation of the printing mechanism.

A block diagram of the configuration of the present invention as in the above embodiment is shown in FIG. In this figure, a CPU 16 is a central processing unit and controls each component. Reference numeral 15 is a TRG (trigger pulse generator) that supplies a trigger pulse to the CPU, and is obtained from a photosensor or the like connected to the encoder.

 The control procedure of the present invention is shown in FIG.

First, a print start switch (SW) 2 which also serves as a means for detecting the presence or absence of an object located close to the print head 1 at a predetermined position at the print position by placing a recording device on the paper surface
At the same time, the head cap 8 is opened and it is confirmed that the SW is turned on to the CPU 16 in step F1. At this stage, the SW and the head are mechanically interlocked with each other, but they can be electrically operated by the control of the CPU 16 as shown by the dotted lines in FIGS. 5 and 6, and in this case, step F2 is added.

Next, in step F3, the traveling detection roller 3
A TRG pulse is detected by TRG15, and the print head is energized and ink is ejected in step F4. Next, in step F5, it is judged whether it is the final data, and if not, step
Return to F1 and exit this control when finished.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, in the recording apparatus of the present invention, the print start switch is interlocked with the opening / closing of the head cap, so that the troublesome labor before use is omitted and the operation is simple, and the head is protected when not in use. If the prevention of ink coagulation when not in use is perfect, and if the print start switch also functions as a means for detecting the presence or absence of an object that is located close to the print head by a specified distance, there is no paper, etc. The erroneous printing of can be further prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a manual scanning type recording apparatus of the present invention when an inkjet recording system is used, FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a portion of FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic plan sectional view, FIG. 4 is an internal schematic sectional view showing a second embodiment, FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a constitution of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a printing process according to the present invention. It is a flowchart explaining. 1: Print head 2: Print start switch 3: Travel detection roller 4: Auxiliary roller 5: Cartridge replacement lid 6: Inkjet cartridge 7: Body case 8: Head cap 9: Wire 10: Spring 11: Paper position 12: Reflective photo Sensor 13: Solenoid 14: Sheet 15: TRG (Trigger pulse generator) 16: CPU (Central processing unit)

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A cap for covering an ejection port for ejecting ink to perform recording on a recording medium, and a detection means for detecting that the recording medium and the ejection port approach a predetermined distance. A recording starter for opening the cap in response to the detection by the detector to start the recording. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording start means also serves as the detection means. 3. The recording start means has a protruding piece protruding from a surface on which the discharge port is arranged, and the protruding piece performs the detection by being pressed by the recording medium as the detecting means. The recording apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. 4. The recording start means has a photosensor provided on a surface on which the ejection port is arranged, and the photosensor optically performs the detection as the detection means. The recording device according to item 2 or item 2.