JP3091271U - Printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To change the control method and perform the capping operation again only when the print head has not reached the capping position during the first capping operation. In a capping operation of a print head, first, a capping position is designated as a target stop position of the print head (step S21), and the capping operation is started (step S22). At the time of this first capping operation, it is determined whether or not the print head has moved to the capping position based on the position detection by the encoder (step S23), and the print head stops or slightly returns before reaching the capping position. If it is determined that the print head has been stopped (No in step S23), the DC motor is driven so that the print head moves at a predetermined capping speed to the capping position at a constant speed, and then decelerates. Under the control, the capping operation is performed again (step S24).

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Technical field to which the device belongs]

  The present invention uses a DC motor to move the carriage from the print area to the maintenance area. By moving to the capping position, the maintenance area after passing through the print area Drive the maintenance mechanism by linking with the carriage in front of the capping position in the area. This maintenance mechanism allows the print head to be capped by moving The present invention relates to an inkjet type printing apparatus that operates.

[0002]

[Prior art]

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an ink jet type printing device, an ink jet printer mounted on a carriage is used. Mark the printhead nozzles of the cartridge to prevent them from becoming dry and clogged. When capping the character head, turn on the power of the printer or start printing. And periodically during the printing operation, clean the nozzles of the print head in the maintenance area. It is designed to perform maintenance operations that

[0003]   This maintenance operation, after wiping the print head with the wiper, It is designed to perform a spit that pre-injects ink from the nozzle of the print head. , Such wiping and spit as necessary according to the execution conditions It is designed to be repeated once.

[0004]   7 and 8 show an example of a conventional maintenance operation.   In FIG. 7A, the carriage 12 in which the ink cartridge 11 is mounted shows the print area. It shows the initial state of being located at the home position position H outside the range. This state In the state, the nozzle 1 of the print head 13 provided integrally with the ink cartridge 11 3a is attached to the cap portion 23 provided on the movable frame body 22 of the maintenance mechanism portion 21. Therefore, it is capped.

[0005]   FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the movable frame body 22 portion of the maintenance mechanism section 21. Yes The moving frame 22 is provided with the cap portion 23 and the wiper 24 at a predetermined interval. A spit is made between the cap portion 23 and the wiper 24. The opening 25 for opening is opened. Then, in the lower part of the opening 25, ink receiving The cage 26 is arranged. In addition, the movable frame 22 has a lock release The lever 27 is linked with the urging force of the spring 29, and the movable frame body At the rear end of 22 (the right end in FIG. 7 (a)), a vertically standing capping tray is provided. A bar 28 is provided.

[0006]   In such a structure, the carriage 12 is located at the home position H. From the state shown in FIG. 7 (a), the carriage 12 moves in the direction of the arrow X1 in the drawing (hereinafter left Direction), the movable frame 2 linked to the carriage 12 is moved. The whole 2 moves diagonally downward to the left (direction of arrow a1 in the figure) while slightly descending. As a result, the cap portion 23 also slightly descends and comes off from the nozzle 13a of the print head 13, As shown in FIG. 7 (b), the nozzles 13 a of the print head 13 are adjacent to each other Wiped by 24. In this wiping position, the carriage 12 can be connected. The linkage with the moving frame body 22 is released.

[0007]   After wiping, if the carriage 12 further moves in the left direction X1 by a certain distance, As shown in FIG. 7C, the lock release lever 27 that is linked to the movable frame body 22. Engages with the protruding piece 12a provided on the carriage 12, and as shown in FIG. As described above, the lock release lever 27 is released (rotates in the arrow Y1 direction in the figure) . When the lock release lever 27 is released, the entire movable frame body 22 is lifted. To the left diagonally downward (arrow a2 direction in the figure) while slightly descending. The iper 24 and the cap portion 23 also descend slightly downward. Carriage 12 is about this Stop once in place. The black circle in FIG. 8A indicates that the carriage 12 is once stopped at that position. It indicates to stop. This also applies to the subsequent FIGS. 8B and 8C. In addition, this stop position is the position where the linkage between the maintenance mechanism section 21 and the carriage 12 is the maximum. The release position R is finally released.

[0008]   After this, move the carriage 12 in the direction of arrow X2 in the figure (hereinafter referred to as the right direction). The nozzle 13a of the print head 13 of the ink cartridge 11 is descending. Carriage when it reaches the spit position between the wiper 24 and the cap 23 12 is stopped, and as shown in FIG. 8 (b), a predetermined number of times (for example, Spit 200 times).

[0009]   When the spit is finished in this way, the carriage 12 is moved to the right direction X2 again. To move. Then, one end (right end) of the carriage 12 has a capping lever 2 8 and then further pushing the capping lever 28 in the right direction X2 , The whole movable frame 22 that has descended is slightly upward to the right (arrow b1 direction in the figure). Ascending, it moves, and as a result, as shown in FIG. The cap portion 23 also rises slightly upward, and the cap portion 23 causes the nozzle 13 of the print head 13 to move. Cap a. Incidentally, the state shown in FIG. 8 (c) is the maximum shown in FIG. 7 (a). It is the same as the first state.

[0010]   In addition to such maintenance operation, the print head 13 that has finished printing However, the capping position from the print area to the maintenance area (home position position The capping operation when moving to (H) and capping is performed as shown in FIG. The state shown in FIG. 8 (a) is changed to the state shown in FIG. 8 (c) through the state shown in FIG. 8 (b). Is the same as the operation. However, in this case, it temporarily stops at the position shown in FIG. Without moving, therefore without spiting, continuously moving to the capping position Will be done. That is, during the capping operation and the maintenance operation, the cap is The linking operation between the ridge 12 and the maintenance mechanism section 21 is the same. Also, The movement speed of the print bend 13 during the wrapping operation is, for example, the print head during the print operation. When the moving speed of the drive 13 is 30 to 40 ips, it is about 10 ips.

[0011]   The conventional printing device performs the maintenance operation in this way, When completed, the cap that moves from the print area to the capping position in the maintenance area is moved. Perform a ping operation. 7 to 9, the movable frame 22 and the lock release Although the structure for linking with the slever 27 is not shown in detail, only the linking structure will be described. For example, Japanese Patent Application No. 10-0095554 (actual application filed by the applicant) U.S. Patent Registration No. 3059581) and the like. However, the utility model registration In Japanese Patent No. 3059581, the maintenance mechanism portion 21 of the present invention is a lock mechanism. Is described as.

[0012]   In this way, by the linkage operation of the carriage 12 and the maintenance mechanism section 21, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-58755 discloses capping of the print head 13. There is an inkjet printer described in the report.

[0013]   By the way, such a linking operation between the carriage 12 and the maintenance mechanism 21 is performed. With the structure in which the print head 13 is capped by the During operation, after passing the print area, before the capping position of the maintenance area, The ridge 12 is linked to the maintenance mechanism section 21, and thereafter the carriage 12 is mounted. The print head 13 and the cap portion 23 are pushed in so that the maintenance mechanism portion 21 is pushed in. So that they move in opposite directions and finally cap at the capping position. Has become.

[0014]   In FIGS. 10A to 10D, the carriage 12 and the maintenance mechanism portion 21 are linked. FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the state before and after being partially enlarged and shown in more detail. 8 shows the state when moving from (b) to (c) of 8 in more detail.

[0015]   That is, after the print head 13 has passed the spit position (the state shown in FIG. 10A) , The carriage 12 is in front of the capping position (position Z1 in FIG. 10B). It is linked to the capping lever 28 of the tenancy mechanism 21. And this partnership In this state, the maintenance mechanism 21 moves together with the carriage 12 in the arrow X2 direction. (The state shown in FIG. 10C), and finally the capping lever 28 moves to the side flap. Move to the capping position (home position H) where it abuts the ram 31 To stop (state shown in FIG. 10D).

[0016]   As described above, in the conventional capping operation, the carriage 12 is operated by the maintenance machine. After connecting with the capping lever 28 of the framing part 21 (from the state shown in FIG. 10B) Lowering), the maintenance mechanism 21 is slightly lifted, and the nozzle 13a of the print head 13 is Until the cap is completely capped (until the state shown in FIG. 10D), A load that impedes the movement of the carriage 12 in the X2 direction is applied to the carriage 12. Instead, a large load is applied to the DC motor that is the driving means.

[0017]   FIG. 11 shows an area where a larger load is applied to the carriage 12 (hereinafter referred to as a load area). A) and the change of the carriage load.

[0018]   In this case, if the driving means is not a DC motor but a stepping motor, Ensures that the print head 13 can reach the capping position even when a heavy load is applied. It is enough to perform step control so that you can move really, and make sure to cap. Is possible. However, if the drive means is a DC motor, the DC motor A problem peculiar to the computer occurs.

[0019]   That is, the DC motor generally does not perform feedback control by PID. The carriage speed is trapezoidal such as acceleration range, constant speed range and deceleration range as shown in FIG. Carriage 1 while adjusting the level of the input voltage so that it follows a uniform speed pattern. 2 is drive-controlled.

[0020]   Then, by the DC motor, the carriage 12 and the maintenance mechanism unit 2 are When driving control of 1 and 1, normally, the capping position H is set to the target of the print head 13. As the stop position, the carriage 12 is driven and controlled along the trapezoidal speed pattern. It is like this. That is, as shown by the solid line at the bottom of FIG. Z2 before the target stop position is moved at a uniform speed up to Z2 before the target stop position. The print head is decelerated from 2 and the DC motor is controlled to stop at the target stop position. I am controlling. That is, when the carriage 12 is decelerated, It will rush.

[0021]   When trying to obtain high torque with a DC motor, the level of the voltage input to the motor It is necessary to raise the rotation speed of the motor to raise the Rotation of the motor during the period in which the motor is in the deceleration range The number of rotations of the motor cannot be increased because the number of rotations is controlled to be always decreased.

[0022]   Therefore, when the load on the maintenance mechanism 21 is high, the maintenance mechanism 21 The drive of the carriage 12 is hindered by the load of the portion 21, and as shown in FIG. The carriage 12 stops before the capping position H (see (a) in the figure), and Due to the structure of the linkage, the carriage 1 is driven by the force of the maintenance mechanism 21 to return. There is a problem that 2 is slightly returned and stopped (see FIG. 7B).

[0023]   Then, in order to solve such a problem, the above-mentioned JP-A No. 11-58755. In the inkjet printer described in, the movement target position is within the capping operation area. Is higher, the drive torque of the carriage motor is increased. If the movement is a can and the movement target position is outside the capping operation area, the carriage If the current position of is within the capping operation range, the motor torque high sequence is set, If it is outside the capping operation area, control the carriage motor with normal drive torque Control is performed such that the motor torque is in the normal sequence. 1).

[0024]   That is, according to the related art 1, capping in which a load is applied to the carriage is used. Since the motor torque high sequence is always used in the operating area, The print head can be moved to the capping position even if some load is applied. It is possible.

[0025]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

  However, in the above-mentioned prior art 1, the print head is sure to reach the capping position. I'm not going to check to see if it's fully capped , I had a problem that I didn't know if it was really capped.

[0026]   In addition, the load on the carriage is the same as that of the ink cart mounted on the carriage. It depends on the remaining amount of ink on the ridge, etc., and a constant load is not always applied. . For example, if the ink cartridge contains a large amount of ink, a larger load will be applied. Therefore, if the remaining amount of ink is small, a smaller load will suffice.

[0027]   However, in the above-mentioned conventional technique 1, such a change in load is not considered at all, When the target movement position is within the capping operation area, the motor torque high Therefore, if the ink level is low and the load is light, There is a possibility that the momentum will be too strong and it will stop by colliding with the side frame. It may cause a mechanical failure of the nonce mechanism 21 or the carriage 12. There was also a problem.

[0028]   The present invention was devised to solve such problems, and its purpose is to Check the position of the print head with the encoder during the Change the control method and capping again only when the tapping position is not reached. Reliable capping according to the load on the carriage It is to provide a printing device that can operate.

[0029]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

  The printer of the present invention is a means for driving a carriage equipped with a print head. A DC motor is provided, and the DC motor drives the carriage to a printing area. From the maintenance area to the capping position in the maintenance area After passing, it is linked to the carriage just before the capping position in the maintenance area. Is provided so as to move the maintenance mechanism section, and the maintenance mechanism section is When the carriage moves from the print area toward the maintenance area, The print head moves to the capping position in coordination with the carriage movement and the print head When moving from the printing position to the print area, Move from the capping position to the wiping position, and after wiping Provided to move to the release position, which releases the linkage before entering the print area And a encoder for detecting the position of the print head, A control hand that controls the DC motor to control the maintenance operation of the print head. And the control means is initially capped during the capping operation of the print head. Use the ping position as the target stop position of the print head, and set a predetermined distance before the target stop position. Moves at the same capping speed and decelerates the print head from before the target stop position. The DC motor is drive-controlled to stop at the target stop position, and The print head moved to the capping position based on the position detection by the encoder. The print head is driven by the load of the maintenance mechanism that is If it is determined that the vehicle stopped before reaching the wrapping position or was returned slightly and stopped. In this case, after returning the carriage to the release position once, the print head is It will move to the capping position at a constant capping speed, and then decelerate. As described above, the DC motor is drive-controlled to perform the capping operation again. is doing.

[0030]   According to the present invention having such characteristics, during the capping operation of the print head, Initially, the capping position is set as the target stop position of the print head, and the target stop position Moves at a constant capping speed up to this side, printing from the front of the target stop position The DC motor is driven and controlled so that the head is decelerated and stopped at the target stop position. sand That is, the control at this time is the carriage control shown by the solid line in the lower diagram of FIG. So Then, based on the position detection by the encoder during this first capping operation, Determine if the print head has moved to the capping position. As a result, The print head reaches the capping position due to the load on the maintenance mechanism If it is determined that the vehicle has stopped before reaching the end of the Once return the carriage to.

[0031]   Now return the carriage to the release position and The reason for temporarily canceling the linkage with the structure will be described.   For example, as shown in FIG. 7 (b), the stop position of the carriage is set to the wiping hand. If it was in the previous position (close to home position H), the The wiper 24 does not get in the way even when the wrapping operation is performed. However , The carriage stop position is, for example, as shown in FIG. If the capping operation is performed from this state, the wiper 24 It may come into contact with the nozzle 13a of the print head 13, and this may become a new load. . Therefore, release the carriage to prevent such new load. To the position (that is, the wiper 24 and the cap 23 are slightly lowered). The height position where the nozzle 13a of the print head 13 and the wiper 24 do not come in contact with each other. I try to be).

[0032]   After this, the same capping operation (carriage control shown by the solid line in the lower diagram of FIG. 13 is performed again). The print head is capped due to the load on the maintenance mechanism. Since it is likely that the printer will stop again before it reaches the printing position, this time the print head It will move to the capping position at a constant capping speed, and then decelerate. As described above, the DC motor is drive-controlled to perform the capping operation again.

[0033]   In this way, the print head reaches the capping position at a predetermined capping speed, etc. Controlling to move at high speed means that the DC motor has a uniform speed pattern. It means controlling. In other words, in this case, High torque can be obtained by increasing the rotation speed of the Can be reliably moved to the capping position. The print head The position is detected by the encoder to make sure that the capping has been completed. It is possible to Thus, according to the present invention, the first capping operation Sometimes the encoder checks the print head position and the print head caps Make sure the printhead reaches the capping position only if the position is not reached Change the control contents so that capping operation is performed again, so the carriage An optimum and reliable capping operation can be performed according to the load condition.

[0034]   Further, the printing apparatus of the present invention is a means for driving a carriage equipped with a print head. Is equipped with a DC motor, and the carriage is printed by this DC motor. Print by moving from the area to the capping position of the maintenance area After passing through the area, connect it to the carriage at a position before entering the maintenance area. By driving the maintenance mechanism section with In a printing device that performs capping operation of the print head, the position of the print head Of the print head by controlling the drive of the encoder and the DC motor. And a control means for controlling the capping operation, and during the capping operation of the print head, The control means initially sets the capping position as the target stop position of the print head, Moves at a constant capping speed to reach the target stop position before the target stop position. The DC motor so as to decelerate the print head from just before and stop at the target stop position. In addition to drive control, the print head moves based on the position detected by the encoder. A maintenance mechanism that works together by judging whether or not it has moved to the capping position Depending on the load on the part, the print head may stop or slightly before it reaches the capping position. If it is determined that the print head has returned and stopped, this time the print head reaches the capping position. The DC motor is driven and controlled so as to move at a predetermined speed at a constant speed and then stop. Then, the capping operation is performed again.

[0035]   According to the present invention having such characteristics, during the capping operation of the print head, Initially, the capping position is set as the target stop position of the print head, and the target stop position Moves at a constant capping speed up to this side, printing from the front of the target stop position The DC motor is driven and controlled so that the head is decelerated and stopped at the target stop position. sand That is, the control at this time is the carriage control shown by the solid line in the lower diagram of FIG. So Then, based on the position detection by the encoder during this first capping operation, Determine if the print head has moved to the capping position. As a result, The print head reaches the capping position due to the load on the maintenance mechanism If it is determined that the vehicle has stopped before reaching the position Perform the same capping operation again (carriage control shown by the solid line in the lower diagram of FIG. 13). However, the load on the maintenance mechanism causes the print head to reach the capping position. It is very likely that the print head will stop again before the DC motor so that it moves at a constant capping speed at a constant speed up to Is controlled and the capping operation is performed again.

[0036]   In this way, the print head reaches the capping position at a predetermined capping speed, etc. Controlling to move at high speed means that the DC motor has a uniform speed pattern. It means controlling. In other words, in this case, High torque can be obtained by increasing the rotation speed of the Can be reliably moved to the capping position. The print head The position is detected by the encoder to make sure that the capping has been completed. It is possible to Thus, according to the present invention, the first capping operation Sometimes the encoder checks the print head position and the print head caps Make sure the printhead reaches the capping position only if the position is not reached Change the control contents so that capping operation is performed again, so the carriage An optimum and reliable capping operation can be performed according to the load condition.

[0037]   Further, the printing apparatus of the present invention is a means for driving a carriage equipped with a print head. Is equipped with a DC motor, and the carriage is printed by this DC motor. Print by moving from the area to the capping position of the maintenance area After passing through the area, connect it to the carriage at a position before entering the maintenance area. By driving the maintenance mechanism section with In a printing device that performs capping operation of the print head, the position of the print head Of the print head by controlling the drive of the encoder and the DC motor. And a control means for controlling the capping operation, and during the capping operation of the print head, The control means first sets the capping position as the target stop position of the print head. Based on the position detection by the encoder while controlling the drive of the DC motor Determine whether the print head has moved to the capping position, and Before the print head reaches the capping position due to the load on the maintenance mechanism, When it is judged that the motor has stopped or returned slightly, it is judged by the encoder. The distance from the position where the character head is currently stopped to the capping position is the gap distance. It is detected as a separation, and this time the position where the gap distance has been exceeded from the capping position. By setting the position as the target stop position of the print head and controlling the drive of the DC motor, The feature is that the capping operation is performed again.

[0038]   According to the present invention having such characteristics, during the capping operation of the print head, Initially, the capping position is set as the target stop position of the print head, and the target stop position Moves at a constant capping speed up to this side, printing from the front of the target stop position The DC motor is driven and controlled so that the head is decelerated and stopped at the target stop position. sand That is, the control at this time is the carriage control shown by the solid line in the lower diagram of FIG. So Then, based on the position detection by the encoder during this first capping operation, Determine if the print head has moved to the capping position. As a result, The print head reaches the capping position due to the load on the maintenance mechanism If it is determined that the vehicle has stopped before reaching the position Perform the same capping operation again (carriage control shown by the solid line in the lower diagram of FIG. 13). However, the load on the maintenance mechanism causes the print head to reach the capping position. There is a high possibility that it will stop again before this.

[0039]   Therefore, this time, first check whether the position where the print head is currently stopped by the encoder. The gap distance is detected as the gap distance from the The target position of the print head is set at a position that is over the gap distance from the print head. You That is, the position overshooting by the gap distance from the previous target stop position The capping operation is performed again with the target stop position set to. This allows the print head Moves at a constant capping speed to the vicinity of the capping position and then decreases. The DC motor is drive-controlled so as to increase the speed.

[0040]   In this way, the print head moves to the vicinity of the capping position at the specified capping speed. Controlling to move at a constant speed in degrees means that the DC motor has a speed pattern in the constant speed range. It means that it is controlled by the robot. In other words, in this case, even if the load is large It is possible to obtain high torque by increasing the number of rotations of the motor. The character head can be reliably moved to the vicinity of the capping position. Also, After that, even if deceleration control is entered, the target stop position is closer to the gap distance than the capping position. Even if the load is large, the position is overshooted by the distance, It is possible to move the print head sufficiently to the capping position. In addition, The encoder detects the position to see if the print head is capped securely. Can be confirmed by. Thus, according to the present invention, the first cap Check the position of the print head with the encoder during the Only when the capping position has not been reached does the print head securely cap Change the control contents to reach the position and perform capping operation again. Optimal and reliable capping operation can be performed according to the load condition of the carriage. it can.

[0041]   Further, the printing apparatus of the present invention is a means for driving a carriage equipped with a print head. Is equipped with a DC motor, and the carriage is printed by this DC motor. Print by moving from the area to the capping position of the maintenance area After passing through the area, connect to the carriage before the capping position of the maintenance area. The maintenance mechanism is provided so as to move the maintenance mechanism section. When the carriage moves from the print area to the maintenance area, Moves to the capping position in coordination with the movement of the carriage, and the print head moves When moving from the capping position toward the print area, Move from the capping position to the wiping position in coordination with Move to the release position to release the linkage before entering the printing area from the printing position. And a encoder for detecting the position of the print head, , Drive control of the DC motor to control maintenance operation of the print head When the print head capping operation, the control means is provided with Set the capping position as the target stop position of the print head, and reach before the target stop position. Moves at a constant capping speed and moves the print head from before the target stop position. While controlling the drive of the DC motor so as to decelerate and stop at the target stop position, The print head moves to the capping position based on the position detected by the encoder. It is determined whether or not the print head has moved, and the print head is Is judged to have stopped before reaching the capping position or slightly returned and stopped. If it does, the encoder will start the print head from the position where it is currently stopped. The distance to the tapping position is detected as the gap distance and the release position is reached. After returning the carriage once, move the gap distance from the capping position this time. By controlling the drive of the DC motor with the excessive position as the target stop position, The feature is that the capping operation is performed again.

[0042]   According to the present invention having such characteristics, during the capping operation of the print head, Initially, the capping position is set as the target stop position of the print head, and the target stop position Moves at a constant capping speed up to this side, printing from the front of the target stop position The DC motor is driven and controlled so that the head is decelerated and stopped at the target stop position. sand That is, the control at this time is the carriage control shown by the solid line in the lower diagram of FIG. So Then, based on the position detection by the encoder during this first capping operation, Determine if the print head has moved to the capping position. As a result, The print head reaches the capping position due to the load on the maintenance mechanism If it is determined that the vehicle has stopped before reaching the end of the Once return the carriage to. The reason for returning the carriage to the release position is already As explained.

[0043]   At this time, the encoder moves from the position where the print head is currently stopped to the cap The distance to the ringing position is detected as the gap distance, and in the next capping operation, At the position where the print head is over the gap distance from the capping position, the print head is stopped Stop position. That is, the gap distance exceeds the previous target stop position. The capping operation is performed again with the shot position as the target stop position. to this Allows the print head to move at a constant capping speed to the vicinity of the capping position. The DC motor is driven and controlled so as to move and then decelerate.   In this way, the print head moves to the vicinity of the capping position at the specified capping speed. Controlling to move at a constant speed in degrees means that the DC motor has a speed pattern in the constant speed range. It means that it is controlled by the robot. In other words, in this case, even if the load is large It is possible to obtain high torque by increasing the number of rotations of the motor. The character head can be reliably moved to the vicinity of the capping position. Also, After that, even if deceleration control is entered, the target stop position is closer to the gap distance than the capping position. Even if the load is large, the position is overshooted by the distance, It is possible to move the print head sufficiently to the capping position. In addition, The encoder detects the position to see if the print head is capped securely. Can be confirmed by. Thus, according to the present invention, the first cap Check the position of the print head with the encoder during the Only when the capping position has not been reached does the print head securely cap Change the control contents to reach the position and perform capping operation again. Optimal and reliable capping operation can be performed according to the load condition of the carriage. it can.

[0044]

[Embodiment of device]

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.   FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a printing apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention. In addition, Structure and maintenance of the maintenance mechanism section 21 of the printing apparatus of the present embodiment The interlocking operation between the mechanism portion 21 and the carriage 12 and the like are the same as those shown in FIGS. Since it is the same as the operation of the maintenance mechanism 21, For the carriage and print head, etc., use the symbols given in the figure. To do.

[0045]   This printer is based on the print data supplied from the personal computer 2, for example. The linter 1 is a system that performs a printing operation. Therefore, the computer 2 and pre The computer 1 is connected via a communication cable 3 capable of bidirectional communication.

[0046]   The printer 1 is an ASIC 101 which is a logic circuit IC configured exclusively for the printer. And a CPU 102 for controlling this. The CPU 102 prints ROM 103 in which a program for executing a maintenance operation is stored, and A RAM 1 that stores various data and acts as a work area during printing 04 are respectively connected.

[0047]   The ASIC 101 has a key for detecting key operations such as a power key and a maintenance key. -The output of the sensor 105 is guided and the mark mounted on the carriage 12 The output of the encoder 106 for detecting the speed and position of the character head is introduced. . Further, the ASIC 101 includes a feed motor 10 that feeds a sheet to a print position. 7. Make the carriage 12 with the print head 13 orthogonal to the paper feeding direction. Carriage motor 108 for reciprocating in the direction (X1, X2 direction) Connected to the print head 13 that prints data by ejecting ink onto the printed paper. Has been. The ASIC 101 controls these feeds under the control of the CPU 102. To control the motor 107, the carriage motor 108, and the print head 13. Has become. Here, in this embodiment, at least the carriage motor 108 is used. Therefore, a DC motor is used. In the following, the carriage motor will be referred to as a DC motor. And explain.

[0048]   FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing the structure of the printing mechanism portion of the printing apparatus of this embodiment. is there.   A guide shaft 32 is provided parallel to the chassis 31 and in a horizontal direction. The ink cartridge 11 is guided by the guide shaft 32. A carriage 12 on which is mounted is provided so as to be capable of reciprocating in the horizontal direction. Carry In the case 12, the carriage motor (DC motor) 108 rotates forward or backward. As a result, it can be reciprocated through a gear belt (not shown). The reciprocating movement path of the carriage 12 is printed on a sheet of paper on a platen (not shown). Print area 33 for carrying out printing, and withdrawal for retracting the carriage 12 after printing is completed. It is divided into a maintenance area 34 which is also an escape area. The maintenance mechanism 21 is provided at 34.

[0049]   Further, the chassis 31 is provided with an encoder slit 35, and On the back side of the encoder 12, the encoder 10 is opposed to the encoder slit 35. 6 (not shown) is provided.

[0050]   Next, in the printing apparatus having the above configuration, the print head 13 prints at the end of the printing operation. A cap that moves from the area 33 to the capping position of the maintenance area 34. Various embodiments of the ringing operation will be described.

[0051]   [Example 1]   The capping operation of the first embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. It Regarding the positional relationship between the carriage 12 and the maintenance mechanism section 21, Refer to FIG. 7 to FIG. 14 as needed.

[0052]   During the capping operation of the print head 13, the capping position H is initially set to the print position. Specify the target stop position of the head 13 (step S1) and start the capping operation Yes (step S2). As a result, the carriage 12 moves to the front of the target stop position. Then, the print head moves at a constant speed at a predetermined capping speed, and the print head starts from before the target stop position. The DC motor 108 is drive-controlled so as to decelerate 13 and stop at the target stop position. It That is, the control at this time is the same as the carriage control shown by the solid line in the lower diagram of FIG. Become.

[0053]   Then, at the time of this first capping operation, position detection by the encoder 106 is performed. It is determined whether the print head 13 has moved to the capping position H based on (Step S3).

[0054]   As a result, due to the load of the maintenance mechanism section 21 which is associated with the print head 13, Stops before reaching the capping position H, or is slightly returned and then stops. If it is determined (No in step S3), the carriage 12 is reset. The carriage 1 is temporarily returned to the lease position R (see FIG. 8A) (step S4), and the carriage 1 The link between 2 and the maintenance mechanism 21 is temporarily released. For the reason to cancel As already explained.

[0055]   After this, the same capping operation (carriage control shown by the solid line in the lower diagram of FIG. 13 is performed again). Control), the print head 13 is not covered by the load of the maintenance mechanism section. Since there is a high possibility of stopping again before reaching the ping position H, this time, When the head 13 reaches the capping position H at a predetermined capping speed (10 ips), etc. The DC motor 108 is drive-controlled so that the motor moves at a high speed and then decelerates, and then the carriage is again moved. A hopping operation is performed (step S5). FIG. 15 shows the carriage 12 at the time of retry. Shows the relationship between the position of and the carriage speed. In the figure, the solid line indicates the carriage at the time of retry. Ridge speed change, dashed line indicates carriage speed change during the first capping operation Shows.

[0056]   In this way, the print head 13 reaches the capping position H at a predetermined capping speed. Controlling to move at a constant speed at 10 degrees (10 ips) means that the DC motor 10 8 is controlled by a velocity pattern in the constant velocity range. In this case, the load is large. It is possible to obtain high torque by increasing the number of rotations of the motor It This ensures that the print head 13 is moved to the capping position H. You can

[0057]   After that, the print head 13 is capped based on the position detection by the encoder 106. It is again determined whether or not it has moved to the ping position H (step S3).   As a result, this time, the print head 13 surely reaches the capping position H. , The determination in step S3 is Yes, and the nozzle 13a of the print head 13 is Complete the topping.

[0058]   Even if the capping operation in step S5 is performed twice, for example, If No in S3, the capping operation is terminated at that point and the The capping error may be displayed or warned to the user by sound or the like.

[0059]   According to the first embodiment, by the encoder 106 during the first capping operation, Check the position of the print head 13, and check that the print head 13 reaches the capping position H. Only when the print head 13 reaches the capping position H. The control contents are changed to and the capping operation is performed again. An optimum and reliable capping operation can be performed according to the load situation.

[0060]   [Example 2]   The capping operation of the second embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. It Regarding the positional relationship between the carriage 12 and the maintenance mechanism section 21, Refer to FIG. 7 to FIG. 14 as needed.

[0061]   During the capping operation of the print head 13, the capping position H is initially set to the print position. Specify the target stop position of the head 13 (step S11) and open the capping operation. Start (step S12). This causes the carriage 12 to move to the target stop position. It moves at a constant capping speed up to the front, moving from the position before the target stop position to the print position. The DC motor 108 is driven and controlled so that the head 13 is decelerated and stopped at the target stop position. Control. That is, the control at this time is performed by the carriage control shown by the solid line in the lower diagram of FIG. I will

[0062]   Then, at the time of this first capping operation, position detection by the encoder 106 is performed. It is determined whether the print head 13 has moved to the capping position H based on (Step S13).

[0063]   As a result, due to the load of the maintenance mechanism section 21 which is associated with the print head 13, Stops before reaching the capping position H, or is slightly returned and then stops. If it is determined (No in step S13), the carriage 12 is Return to the release position R (see Fig. 8 (a)) once (step S14), and The connection between the jipper 12 and the maintenance mechanism section 21 is temporarily released. About the reason to cancel Is as already explained.

[0064]   At this time, the encoder 106 determines whether the print head is currently stopped. Measure the distance from the capping position H to the gap distance L1 (see Fig. 16) Yes (step S15).

[0065]   Then, in the next capping operation, the gap distance L from the capping position H A position that has passed by one minute is designated as the target stop position of the print head (step S1). 6). That is, the overshoot is performed by the gap distance L1 from the previous target stop position. The capping operation is performed again with the raised position as the target stop position (step S 17). This causes the print head 13 to move to the capping position as shown in FIG. Move at a constant capping speed to near H and then decelerate. The C motor is driven and controlled.

[0066]   In this way, the print head moves to the vicinity of the capping position at the specified capping speed. Controlling to move at a constant speed in degrees means that the DC motor has a speed pattern in the constant speed range. It means that it is controlled by the robot. In other words, in this case, even if the load is large It is possible to obtain high torque by increasing the number of rotations of the motor. The character head can be reliably moved to the vicinity of the capping position. Also, After that, even if the mode is changed to the deceleration control, the target stop position has a gap from the capping position H. When the load is large because the position is overshooting by the distance L1 However, it is possible to move the print head 13 to the capping position H sufficiently. is there.

[0067]   After that, the print head 13 is capped based on the position detection by the encoder 106. It is again determined whether or not it has moved to the ping position H (step S13).   As a result, this time, the print head 13 surely reaches the capping position H. The determination in step S13 is Yes, and the nozzle 13a of the print head 13 is Complete the tapping.

[0068]   Even if the capping operation in step S16 is performed twice, the step If No in S13, the capping operation is terminated at that point, A capping error may be displayed to the user or a sound may be issued to warn the user. Yes.

[0069]   According to the second embodiment, by the encoder 106 during the first capping operation, Check the position of the print head 13, and check that the print head 13 reaches the capping position H. Only when the print head 13 reaches the capping position H. The control contents are changed to and the capping operation is performed again. An optimum and reliable capping operation can be performed according to the load situation.

[0070]   In the above-described first and second embodiments, the print head 1 is not used during the first capping operation. When 3 has not reached the capping position H, the carriage 12 is released. Although the process of returning once to the position R is performed, the carriage 12 and the maintenance mechanism section are Depending on the linkage structure with 21, the carriage 12 is not always returned to the release position R. Alternatively, the carriage operation with new control content may be performed from the stop position. In some cases. Examples 3 and 4 below are examples in this case.

[0071]   [Example 3]   The capping operation of the third embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. It Regarding the positional relationship between the carriage 12 and the maintenance mechanism section 21, Refer to FIG. 7 to FIG. 14 as needed.

[0072]   During the capping operation of the print head 13, the capping position H is initially set to the print position. Specify the target stop position of the head 13 (step S21) and open the capping operation. Start (step S22). This causes the carriage 12 to move to the target stop position. It moves at a constant capping speed up to the front, moving from the position before the target stop position to the print position. The DC motor 108 is driven and controlled so that the head 13 is decelerated and stopped at the target stop position. Control. That is, the control at this time is performed by the carriage control shown by the solid line in the lower diagram of FIG. I will

[0073]   Then, at the time of this first capping operation, position detection by the encoder 106 is performed. It is determined whether the print head 13 has moved to the capping position H based on (Step S23).

[0074]   As a result, due to the load of the maintenance mechanism section 21 which is associated with the print head 13, Stops before reaching the capping position H, or is slightly returned and then stops. If so (if No in step S23), this time the print head The drive 13 moves at a constant speed to the capping position H at a predetermined capping speed (10 ips). The DC motor 108 is drive-controlled so that it moves and then decelerates, and the A ping operation is performed (step S24). That is, the control at this time is as shown in FIG. The control is similar to the carriage control shown by the solid line in the figure below.

[0075]   In this way, the print head 13 reaches the capping position H at a predetermined capping speed. Controlling to move at a constant speed at 10 degrees (10 ips) means that the DC motor 10 8 is controlled by a velocity pattern in the constant velocity range. In this case, the load is large. It is possible to obtain high torque by increasing the number of rotations of the motor It This ensures that the print head 13 is moved to the capping position H. You can

[0076]   After that, the print head 13 is capped based on the position detection by the encoder 106. It is again determined whether or not it has moved to the ping position H (step S23).   As a result, this time, the print head 13 surely reaches the capping position H. The determination in step S23 is Yes, and the nozzle 13a of the print head 13 is Complete the tapping.

[0077]   Even if the capping operation in step S24 is performed twice, the step If No in S3, the capping operation is terminated at that point and the The user may be warned of the capping error by displaying or sounding. .

[0078]   According to the third embodiment, by the encoder 106 at the time of the first capping operation, Check the position of the print head 13, and check that the print head 13 reaches the capping position H. Only when the print head 13 reaches the capping position H. The control contents are changed to and the capping operation is performed again. An optimum and reliable capping operation can be performed according to the load situation.

[0079]   [Example 4]   The capping operation of the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. It Regarding the positional relationship between the carriage 12 and the maintenance mechanism section 21, Refer to FIG. 7 to FIG. 14 as needed.

[0080]   During the capping operation of the print head 13, the capping position H is initially set to the print position. Designate the target stop position of the head 13 (step S31) and open the capping operation. Start (step S32). This causes the carriage 12 to move to the target stop position. It moves at a constant capping speed up to the front, moving from the position before the target stop position to the print position. The DC motor 108 is driven and controlled so that the head 13 is decelerated and stopped at the target stop position. Control. That is, the control at this time is performed by the carriage control shown by the solid line in the lower diagram of FIG. I will

[0081]   Then, at the time of this first capping operation, position detection by the encoder 106 is performed. It is determined whether the print head 13 has moved to the capping position H based on (Step S33).

[0082]   As a result, due to the load of the maintenance mechanism section 21 which is associated with the print head 13, Stops before reaching the capping position H, or is slightly returned and then stops. If it is determined (No in step S33), the encoder 106 The distance from the position where the print head is currently stopped to the capping position H The gap distance L1 (see FIG. 17) is measured (step S34).

[0083]   Then, in the next capping operation, the gap distance L from the capping position H A position that has passed by one minute is designated as the target stop position of the print head (step S3). 5). That is, overshoot by the gap distance from the previous target stop position The capping operation is performed again with the determined position as the target stop position (step S36). ). This allows the print head 13 to reach a predetermined cap until the capping position H is reached. It is possible to drive and control the DC motor so that it moves at a constant speed at the ping speed and then decelerates. Becomes That is, the control at this time is performed by the carriage shown by the solid line in the lower diagram of FIG. The control is the same as the control.

[0084]   In this way, the print head moves to the vicinity of the capping position at the specified capping speed. Controlling to move at a constant speed in degrees means that the DC motor has a speed pattern in the constant speed range. It means that it is controlled by the robot. In other words, in this case, even if the load is large It is possible to obtain high torque by increasing the number of rotations of the motor. The character head can be reliably moved to the vicinity of the capping position. Also, After that, even if the mode is changed to the deceleration control, the target stop position is closer to the gap than the capping position H. When the load is large because the position is overshooting by the distance L1 However, it is possible to move the print head 13 to the capping position H sufficiently. is there.

[0085]   After that, the print head 13 is capped based on the position detection by the encoder 106. It is again determined whether or not it has moved to the ping position H (step S33).   As a result, this time, the print head 13 surely reaches the capping position H. , The determination in step S33 becomes Yes, and the nozzle 13a of the print head 13 is Complete the tapping.

[0086]   Even if the capping operation in step S36 is performed twice, the step If No in S33, the capping operation is terminated at that point, A capping error may be displayed to the user or a sound may be issued to warn the user. Yes.

[0087]   According to the fourth embodiment, by the encoder 106 during the first capping operation, Check the position of the print head 13, and check that the print head 13 reaches the capping position H. Only when the print head 13 reaches the capping position H. The control contents are changed to and the capping operation is performed again. An optimum and reliable capping operation can be performed according to the load situation.

[0088]

[Effect of device]

  According to the printing device of the present invention, the encoder is used during the first capping operation. Check the print head position and the print head has not reached the capping position H. Only when changing the control content to ensure that the print head reaches the capping position. In addition, capping operation is performed again, so depending on the load status of the carriage, the maximum A proper and reliable capping operation can be performed. Also, the nozzle of the print head Cannot be capped and the nozzles have dried, and the next printing operation It is possible to prevent the occurrence of problems such as normal print results sometimes not being obtained. It

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a printing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing the structure of a printing and paper feeding mechanism section.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a first embodiment of a capping operation by the printing device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a second embodiment of the capping operation by the printing device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a third embodiment of the capping operation by the printing device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a fourth embodiment of the capping operation by the printing device of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an operation sequence diagram showing a linking operation between the carriage and the maintenance mechanism section during the maintenance operation in the conventional printing apparatus.

FIG. 8 is an operation sequence diagram showing a linking operation between the carriage and the maintenance mechanism section during the maintenance operation in the conventional printing apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a movable frame portion of the maintenance mechanism section.

FIG. 10 is an operation sequence diagram when the maintenance mechanism unit performs capping.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a region in which a load that impedes the movement of the carriage is applied.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing a speed pattern of a carriage.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing changes in the speed of the carriage during a normal capping operation.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a state where the driving of the carriage is hindered by the load of the maintenance mechanism section.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory view showing an example of a carriage speed change during a capping operation according to the present invention.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing a measurement example of a gap distance.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a carriage speed change during a capping operation according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 printer 2 PC 3 communication cable 11 ink cartridges 12 carriage 13 print head 13a nozzle 21 Maintenance mechanism section 22 Movable frame 23 Cap 24 wiper 25 openings 26 Ink receiver 27 Lock release lever 28 Capping lever 29 spring 101 ASIC 102 CPU 103 ROM 104 RAM 105 key sensor 106 encoder 107 feed motor 108 Carriage motor

Claims (4)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A DC motor is provided as a means for driving a carriage carrying a print head, and the DC motor moves the carriage from a print area to a capping position in a maintenance area to perform maintenance after passing through the print area. The maintenance mechanism section is provided so as to move in association with the carriage before the capping position of the area, and the maintenance mechanism section is linked to the movement of the carriage when the carriage moves from the print area toward the maintenance area. Then, when the print head moves from the capping position toward the print area, the print head moves from the capping position to the wiping position in coordination with the movement of the carriage, and after wiping, the front of the print area enters the print area. Communicating In a printing apparatus provided to move to a release position for releasing the engagement, an encoder for detecting the position of the print head, and a control means for driving and controlling the DC motor to control a maintenance operation of the print head. During the capping operation of the print head, the control means initially sets the capping position as the target stop position of the print head, moves at a constant capping speed before the target stop position, and from the front of the target stop position. The DC motor is driven and controlled so as to decelerate the print head and stop at the target stop position, and based on the position detection by the encoder, it is determined whether or not the print head has moved to the capping position, and the associated maintenance is performed. The print head stops or slightly before reaching the capping position due to the load on the mechanism. If it is determined to have been stopped is is,
After the carriage is once returned to the release position, the print head is moved to the capping position at a constant capping speed at a constant speed, and then the DC motor is drive-controlled so as to be decelerated to perform the capping operation again. Characteristic printing device. 2. A DC motor is provided as a means for driving a carriage on which a print head is mounted, and the DC motor moves the carriage from a print area to a capping position in a maintenance area to perform maintenance after passing through the print area. In a printing apparatus that performs a capping operation of a print head by the maintenance mechanism unit by driving the maintenance mechanism unit in association with the carriage at a position before entering the area, an encoder that detects the position of the print head, A control means for driving and controlling the DC motor to control the capping operation of the print head, and at the time of the capping operation of the print head, the control means initially sets the capping position as a target stop position of the print head and makes a target stop. Predetermine key up to the position The DC motor is driven and controlled so as to move at a constant speed at the capping speed, decelerate the print head from before the target stop position, and stop at the target stop position, and the print head reaches the capping position based on position detection by the encoder. If it is determined that the print head has stopped or slightly returned before the print head reaches the capping position due to the load of the maintenance mechanism section that is linked,
The printing apparatus is characterized in that the print head moves to the capping position at a constant speed at a constant speed, and then the DC motor is drive-controlled so as to stop, and the capping operation is performed again. 3. A DC motor is provided as a means for driving a carriage carrying a print head, and the DC motor moves the carriage from a print area to a capping position in a maintenance area to perform maintenance after passing through the print area. In a printing apparatus that performs a capping operation of a print head by the maintenance mechanism unit by driving the maintenance mechanism unit in association with the carriage at a position before entering the area, an encoder that detects the position of the print head, A control means for driving and controlling the DC motor to control the capping operation of the print head, wherein during the capping operation of the print head, the control means initially sets the capping position as a target stop position of the print head. Drive control In addition, it is determined whether the print head has moved to the capping position based on the position detection by the encoder, and the print head is stopped or slightly returned before it reaches the capping position due to the load of the maintenance mechanism section that is linked. If it is determined that the print head has stopped due to the gap, the encoder detects the distance from the position where the print head is currently stopped to the capping position as the gap distance, and this time, the print head is moved to a position that is over the gap distance from the capping position. The printing apparatus is characterized in that the capping operation is performed again by controlling the drive of the DC motor as the target stop position. 4. A DC motor is provided as a means for driving a carriage carrying a print head, and the DC motor moves the carriage from a print area to a capping position in a maintenance area to perform maintenance after passing through the print area. The maintenance mechanism section is provided so as to move in association with the carriage before the capping position of the area, and the maintenance mechanism section is linked to the movement of the carriage when the carriage moves from the print area toward the maintenance area. Then, when the print head moves from the capping position toward the print area, the print head moves from the capping position to the wiping position in coordination with the movement of the carriage, and after wiping, the front of the print area enters the print area. Communicating In a printing apparatus provided to move to a release position for releasing the engagement, an encoder for detecting the position of the print head, and a control means for driving and controlling the DC motor to control a maintenance operation of the print head. During the capping operation of the print head, the control means initially sets the capping position as the target stop position of the print head, moves at a constant capping speed before the target stop position, and from the front of the target stop position. The DC motor is driven and controlled so as to decelerate the print head and stop at the target stop position, and based on the position detection by the encoder, it is determined whether or not the print head has moved to the capping position, and the associated maintenance is performed. The print head stops or slightly before reaching the capping position due to the load on the mechanism. If it is determined to have been stopped is is,
The encoder detects the distance from the position where the print head is currently stopped to the capping position as the gap distance, and after returning the carriage to the release position once, this time the target is a position that has passed the gap distance from the capping position. A printing apparatus, wherein the capping operation is performed again by driving and controlling the DC motor as a stop position.