JP3117789B2 - Recording device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording apparatus and an ink jet recording apparatus.

[0002]

[Prior art]

Conventional Example 1 A recording device receives and interprets a control signal sent from a data transfer device as a host, and performs recording. At present, there are a large number of recording apparatuses, and there are sets of control signals corresponding to each of the recording apparatuses. However, it is difficult for the host device on the data transfer side to prepare a set of control signals corresponding to all recording devices, and the recording device has an emulation function for interpreting and operating control signals for other recording devices. Required.

[0003]

[0004]

However, the above conventional example 1
Some recording devices adopt the wire dot method, thermal transfer method, ink jet method, etc., and the control signal is a signal that makes use of each characteristic.For example, if emulation of the wire dot method is performed by the ink jet method, There are problems such as low print density.

[0005]

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a recording apparatus which solves the above-mentioned problems and enables emulation.

[0007]

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, in a recording apparatus which interprets a control signal sent from a connected host apparatus and performs recording using a recording head, a model other than the recording apparatus is operated. Emulating means for interpreting a control signal to emulate a model other than the recording apparatus, and controlling density recorded by the recording head according to the model other than the recording apparatus emulated by the emulation means. And control means for performing the control.

[0009]

[0010]

According to the present invention, when emulating an operation other than that of the recording apparatus, appropriate drive control can be performed.

[0011]

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 shows Embodiment 1 of the present invention. This is an example of a color ink jet recording apparatus having an electrothermal converter as a discharge energy generating means.

In FIG. 3, a recording medium 1 such as a sheet of paper or a plastic sheet has a recording medium 1 arranged above and below a storage area.
It is supported by a pair of conveying rollers 2 and 3 and is conveyed in the direction of arrow A by a conveying roller 2 driven by a sheet feed motor 4. A guide shaft 5 is provided in front of the transport rollers 2 and 3 in parallel with the transport rollers. The carriage 6 reciprocates along the guide shaft 5 in the direction of arrow B via the wire 8 by the output of the carriage motor 7.

An ink jet recording head (hereinafter, referred to as a recording head) 90 is mounted on the carriage 6 as head moving means. The recording head 90 is for a color image, is disposed in the operation direction of the carriage, and is provided corresponding to each color ink of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (Bk). It comprises four recording heads 9, namely a black head 9A, a cyan head 9B, a magenta head 9C, and a yellow head 9D. On the front surface of each recording head 9, that is, the surface facing the recording surface of the recording medium 1 at a predetermined interval (for example, 0.8 mm), a plurality (for example, 8 or 64) is provided.
Are arranged in a row in a direction intersecting the ink ejection ports of the carriage with the operation direction of the carriage, that is, in a vertical direction.

FIG. 2 shows a recording head 9 (recording heads 9A to 9A).
D is the same for any of D). FIG.

In FIG. 2, a plurality of ink ejection ports 10 are formed at a predetermined pitch in the vertical direction on a surface facing the recording medium 1, and are provided corresponding to each of the ink ejection ports 10 based on recording information. The electrothermal transducer (heating resistance, etc.) 11 is driven (electrically heated) to cause a film boiling phenomenon in the ink to generate a bubble (bubble) 11A.
Ink is ejected to form flying ink droplets 12, and ink droplets are adhered on the recording medium 1 in a predetermined pattern to perform recording by a dot pattern.

Each recording head 9 is provided with a heat driver 13 for turning on / off the energization of the electrothermal transducer, and a driving circuit (driver) 29 for performing the above-described driving.
Is provided on the carriage 6. 10A is a liquid path, and 10B is a common liquid chamber.

An engine control circuit (CPU) of the printing apparatus and a control unit including a ROM, a RAM and the like attached thereto receive a command signal and a data signal (recording information) from a controller of the host machine 14 and, based on the command signal and the data signal (recording information). Drive circuit 29, heat driver 13 together with drive sources such as various motors, etc.
, A drive power source (heat power source) for the electrothermal transducer 11 is applied to each of the recording heads 9A to 9D to supply electricity.

An operation panel 160 attached to an outer case of a recording apparatus (not shown) includes a key setting section such as an online / offline switching key 16A, a line feed key 16B, a form feed key 16C, and a recording mode switching key 16D. A display unit including a warning lamp such as an alarm lamp 16E and a power lamp 16F is provided.

FIG. 1 shows a control system of the color ink jet recording apparatus shown in FIG.

In FIG. 1, a CPU 21 in the form of a microprocessor is connected to a host machine 14 via an interface 22, and a command signal (command) and a recording information signal read from a controller of the host machine 14 to a data memory 23. The printing operation is controlled based on a program or print command data stored in a program memory 24 in the form of a ROM or a working memory 25 in the form of a RAM.

The CPU 21 controls the carriage motor 7 and the sheet feed motor 4 via an output port 26 and a motor driver 27, and performs recording via a head drive circuit 29 based on recording information stored in a data memory 23. The head 9 is controlled to perform recording.

The output from each of the operation keys 16A to 16D on the operation panel 160 shown in FIG. 3 is transmitted to the CPU 21 through the input port 32, and is output to the warning lamp 16 such as the alarm lamp 16E and the power lamp 16F. Is supplied with a control signal via an output port 36.

Reference numeral 33 denotes a DIP switch 33 provided on a bottom portion or the like of the exterior of the apparatus.
4 to the CPU 21.

The attachment / detachment of the ink cartridge 15 is detected by the cartridge sensor 42, the remaining amount of ink in the ink cartridge 15 is detected by the ink sensor 41, and transmitted to the CPU 21 via the input ports 20 and 43, respectively.

The power supply circuit 28 supplies a logic drive voltage VCC (eg, 5) for operating the control logic circuit.
V), various motor drive voltages VM (for example, 30 V), a reset voltage RESET, and a backup voltage VDDH for protecting the recording head 9 are output. Backup voltage V
DDH is applied to the head drive circuit 29 and the recording head.

The drive voltage setting register 51 and the DA converter 52 supply the electrothermal converter 11 with a pulse signal V _H (head drive voltage) × T _H (heat and time) as shown in FIG. The energy is converted to heat energy to generate bubbles 11A, and the ink droplets 12 are ejected to perform recording on the recording medium.

FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the DA converter 52 shown in FIG.

The voltage value V _H ′ for obtaining the optimum dot diameter for the currently selected emulation is set in the drive voltage setting register 51 by the CPU 21. DA
The (digital-analog) converter 52 performs internal switch control in accordance with the value set in the drive voltage setting register 51, and changes the output voltage to the head drive voltage _VH '. When the head driving voltage V _H ′ is higher than the reference head driving voltage V _H , the electric energy represented by the product of the head driving voltage and the head driving time increases, and as a result, the amount of ink ejected increases and the recording dot diameter decreases. growing. Conversely, when the head drive voltage V _H ′ is V
_When it is smaller than _H , the electric energy is small, and the recording dot diameter is small.

Although the DA converter used in this embodiment has the most basic configuration, the DA converter of another conversion method is used.
The same operation and effect can be obtained by using the -A converter.

Embodiment 2 FIG. 6 shows Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

In FIG. 6, the same parts as those in FIG. 629 is a head drive circuit,
The width of the heat pulse supplied to the head 9 is changed as shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 shows the configuration of the head drive circuit 629 shown in FIG.

The CPU 21 sets an appropriate heat pulse width (see FIG. 8) in the heat pulse width setting register 53 by emulation of the printing apparatus. The heat pulse width monitoring timer 54 is normally stopped by a timer clear signal. When the recording operation is started, the CPU 21 releases the timer clear signal, sends a timer start signal at an appropriate heat timing, and the heat pulse width monitoring timer 54 starts operating.

When the heat pulse width monitoring timer 54 starts operating, the output of the comparator 55 turns on the heater 11 of the head, and the count of the heat pulse width monitoring timer 54 exceeds the set value of the heat pulse width setting register 53. Then, the heater (electrothermal transducer) 11 of the head is turned off.
F. By changing the value set in the heat pulse width setting register 53, the head driving time is changed, and the electric energy applied to the heater 11 is controlled.
Change the recording dot diameter.

If the head driving time T _H ′ is shorter than the head reference driving time T, the electric energy becomes smaller and the dot diameter becomes smaller. If the head driving time T _H ′ is longer than T, the electric energy increases and the dot diameter increases.

It is needless to say that the dot diameter can be changed by controlling the electric energy by combining the methods of the first and second embodiments.

[0039]

[0040]

[0041]

[0042]

[0043]

[0044]

[0045]

[0046]

(Others) It should be noted that the present invention has a means (for example, an electrothermal converter or a laser beam) for generating thermal energy as energy used for ink ejection, particularly in an ink jet recording system. An excellent effect is obtained in a recording head and a recording apparatus of a type in which the state of ink is changed by the thermal energy. This is because according to such a method, it is possible to achieve higher density and higher definition of recording.

The typical configuration and principle are described in, for example, US Pat. Nos. 4,723,129 and 4,740.
It is preferable to use the basic principle disclosed in the specification of Japanese Patent No. 796. This method is a so-called on-demand type,
Although it can be applied to any type of continuous type, in particular, in the case of the on-demand type, it can be applied to a sheet holding liquid (ink) or an electrothermal converter arranged corresponding to the liquid path. By applying at least one drive signal corresponding to the recorded information and giving a rapid temperature rise exceeding the nucleate boiling, heat energy is generated in the electrothermal transducer, and film boiling occurs on the heat acting surface of the recording head. Liquid (ink) corresponding to this drive signal on a one-to-one basis.
This is effective because air bubbles inside can be formed. The liquid (ink) is ejected through the ejection opening by the growth and contraction of the bubble to form at least one droplet. When the drive signal is formed into a pulse shape, the growth and shrinkage of the bubble are performed immediately and appropriately, so that the ejection of a liquid (ink) having particularly excellent responsiveness can be achieved, which is more preferable. As the pulse-shaped drive signal, those described in US Pat. Nos. 4,463,359 and 4,345,262 are suitable. Further, if the conditions described in US Pat. No. 4,313,124 relating to the temperature rise rate of the heat acting surface are adopted, more excellent recording can be performed.

As the configuration of the recording head, in addition to the combination of the discharge port, the liquid path, and the electrothermal converter (linear liquid flow path or right-angled liquid flow path) as disclosed in the above-mentioned respective specifications, U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,333 and U.S. Pat.
A configuration using the specification of Japanese Patent No. 59600 is also included in the present invention. In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 59-123670 discloses a configuration in which a common slit is used as a discharge portion of an electrothermal converter for a plurality of electrothermal converters, and an aperture for absorbing a pressure wave of thermal energy is provided. The effect of the present invention is effective even if the configuration is based on JP-A-59-138461, which discloses a configuration corresponding to a discharge unit. That is, according to the present invention, recording can be reliably and efficiently performed regardless of the form of the recording head.

Further, the present invention can be effectively applied to a full-line type recording head having a length corresponding to the maximum width of a recording medium on which a recording apparatus can record. Such a recording head may have a configuration that satisfies the length by a combination of a plurality of recording heads, or a configuration as one integrally formed recording head.

In addition, even in the case of the serial type as described above, a recording head fixed to the apparatus main body or an electric connection with the apparatus main body or ink from the apparatus main body by being attached to the apparatus main body. The present invention is also effective when a replaceable chip-type recording head that can be supplied or a cartridge-type recording head in which an ink tank is provided integrally with the recording head itself is used.

It is preferable to add a recording head ejection recovery unit, a preliminary auxiliary unit, and the like as the configuration of the recording apparatus of the present invention since the effects of the present invention can be further stabilized. If these are specifically mentioned, the recording head is heated using capping means, cleaning means, pressurizing or suction means, an electrothermal transducer, another heating element or a combination thereof. Pre-heating means for performing the pre-heating and pre-discharging means for performing the discharging other than the recording can be used.

The type and number of recording heads to be mounted are, for example, not only those provided for one color ink but also a plurality of inks having different recording colors and densities. A plurality may be provided. That is, for example, the printing mode of the printing apparatus is not limited to a printing mode of only a mainstream color such as black, but may be any of integrally forming a printing head or a combination of a plurality of printing heads. The present invention is also very effective for an apparatus provided with at least one of the recording modes of full color by color mixture.

In addition, in the embodiment of the present invention described above, the ink is described as a liquid. However, an ink which solidifies at room temperature or lower and which softens or liquefies at room temperature may be used. In general, the ink jet method generally controls the temperature of the ink itself within a range of 30 ° C. or more and 70 ° C. or less to control the temperature so that the viscosity of the ink is in a stable ejection range. Sometimes, the ink may be in a liquid state. In addition, in order to positively prevent temperature rise due to thermal energy by using it as energy for changing the state of the ink from a solid state to a liquid state, or to prevent evaporation of the ink, the ink is solidified in a standing state and heated. May be used. In any case, the application of heat energy causes the ink to be liquefied by the application of the heat energy according to the recording signal and the liquid ink to be ejected, or to start solidifying when it reaches the recording medium. The present invention is also applicable to a case where an ink having a property of liquefying for the first time is used. In such a case, the ink
JP-A-54-56847 or JP-A-60-7
As described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 1260, it is also possible to adopt a form in which the sheet is opposed to the electrothermal converter in a state where it is held as a liquid or solid substance in the concave portion or through hole of the porous sheet. In the present invention, the most effective one for each of the above-mentioned inks is to execute the above-mentioned film boiling method.

Further, the form of the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the one used as an image output terminal of an information processing apparatus such as a computer, a copying apparatus combined with a reader or the like, and a facsimile apparatus having a transmission / reception function. It may take a form.

[0056]

As described above, according to the present invention,
With the configuration described above, it is possible to perform appropriate drive control when emulating an operation other than that of the recording apparatus, for example, to obtain an appropriate dot diameter.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the structure of the recording head 9 shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a structure of a color inkjet recording apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a change in electric energy by the head driving method according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a DA converter 52 shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a head drive circuit 629 shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a change in electric energy by a head driving method according to a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 9 recording head 14 host machine 21 CPU 24 program memory 28 power supply circuit 29 head drive circuit 51 drive voltage setting register 52 DA converter

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Shinichi Asa 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc. (56) References JP-A-63-216125 (JP, A) JP-A-3 −65344 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 2/01 B41J 29/38

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A printing apparatus that interprets a control signal sent from a connected host apparatus and performs printing using a printing head, interprets a control signal that operates a model other than the printing apparatus, and interprets the control signal. Emulating means for emulating a model other than the printing apparatus; andcontrol means for controlling the density recorded by the printing head according to the model other than the printing apparatus emulated by the emulating means. Characteristic recording device. 2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit changes the dot diameter by changing the energy applied to the recording head in accordance with a model other than the recording device emulated by the emulation unit. Characteristic recording device. 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit changes a dot diameter by changing a driving voltage or a driving pulse width applied to the recording head. 4. The recording head according to claim 1, wherein the recording head has, as an element for generating energy for discharging the ink, an electrothermal converter for applying thermal energy for causing film boiling of the ink. A recording device characterized by the above-mentioned.