JP3183795B2 - Ink jet apparatus and ink jet method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention is an ink-jet apparatus Hoyo
It relates fine inkjet method, and more particularly ink jet apparatus and b using an ink-jet head comprising a plurality of ejection heaters in an ink path corresponding to each ink discharge port
It relates to the ink jet method .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Most of ink jet devices are known as printing devices in printers, copiers, and the like. In particular, thermal energy is used as energy used for ink ejection, and ink is ejected by bubbles generated thereby. 2. Description of the Related Art Ink-jet printing apparatuses of the type have recently become widespread. Further, as another application of the ink jet printing apparatus of this type, an ink jet textile printing apparatus for printing a fixed pattern, a picture, a composite image, or the like on cloth has recently been known.

An ink-jet head used in the above-described ink-jet printing apparatus uses an electro-thermal conversion element (hereinafter, also referred to as a heater) for generating thermal energy, but often corresponds to one discharge port. Thus, a configuration having one heater is adopted. On the other hand, an apparatus having a plurality of heaters corresponding to one discharge port has been conventionally known from the following viewpoints.

In other words, first, a plurality of heaters are driven alternately or one by one in order to extend the life of an ink jet head. Secondly, a plurality of heaters are used for the purpose of increasing the range in which the ink ejection amount is changed. Here, the ejection amount is changed by selecting the heaters to be driven and the number thereof.

In the latter case, a more specific configuration is as follows:
By arranging a plurality of heaters in the ink ejection direction in an ink path communicating with the ejection openings of the inkjet head, and selecting the heaters to be driven (that is, the heaters that generate heat) or the number of heaters to be driven, the ejection openings and the heaters that are driven Is known in which the distance between the image forming apparatus and the image forming apparatus is changed, thereby changing the ejection amount.

Further, as another configuration, there is known a configuration in which a plurality of heaters having different surface areas are arranged in an ink path, and the amount of ink discharged is variable by changing the number of heaters or the number of heaters driven in the same manner. I have.

[0007]

However, when printing is performed using an ink jet head having a plurality of heaters corresponding to one discharge port as described above, the so-called preliminary discharge performed as part of the discharge recovery processing is performed. May cause problems.

[0008] That is, the preliminary ejection generally means the ejection of ink which is not involved in recording from the ink jet head in a predetermined case of the apparatus, thereby removing the thickened ink and the like in the ink jet head and changing the ink ejection state. Can be kept good. Such preliminary ejection is usually performed at regular time intervals immediately after the power of the apparatus is turned on or during printing. However, when ink can be ejected at various ejection amounts by a plurality of heaters as described above, printing may be performed in which the ejection amount setting is a small ejection amount. If the preliminary ejection is performed with the small ejection amount set during such printing, the effect of the preliminary ejection is in accordance with the ejection amount. For example, the amount of thickened ink and bubbles discharged to the outside of the ink jet head is reduced accordingly. In addition, it can be said that the ejection itself during printing has a small amount and speed, and thus the ink viscosity easily occurs. For this reason, it becomes necessary to shorten the interval between the preliminary ejections, and the printing throughput also decreases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object thereof is to perform appropriate preliminary discharge for each discharge amount mode set by a heater used among a plurality of heaters. Inkjet devices and
And an inkjet method .

[0010]

According to the present invention, there is provided:
In an inkjet apparatus that performs printing by ejecting ink to a medium using energy generated by the energy generating element using an inkjet head having a plurality of energy generating elements corresponding to one ejection port, Setting means for selectively setting one discharge amount mode as a printing mode from a plurality of discharge amount modes having different discharge amounts determined by a combination of energy generating elements used among the energy generating elements; Printing means for performing printing in the set discharge amount mode until the setting of the discharge amount mode set by the means is changed,
In a case where the ink jet head performs an ink discharge which is not involved in printing during the printing period in the discharge amount mode by the printing means, the discharge having a discharge amount larger than the discharge amount in the discharge amount mode set as the printing mode. And a preliminary discharge means for discharging the ink by switching to the amount mode.

In addition, an ink jet head having a plurality of energy generating elements corresponding to one discharge port is used,
An ink jet method for performing printing by discharging ink onto a medium using energy generated by the energy generating element, wherein the plurality of energy generating elements have different discharge amounts determined by a combination of energy generating elements used. A setting step of selectively setting one ejection amount mode as a printing mode from a plurality of ejection amount modes; and the set ejection amount until the setting of the ejection amount mode set in the setting step is changed. A printing step in which printing is performed in a mode, and in a case where ink jetting not related to printing is performed from the inkjet head during a printing period in any of the ejection amount modes in the printing step, the ejection set as the printing mode. By switching to the ejection amount mode having an ejection amount larger than the ejection amount in the amount mode, the ink ejection is performed. Characterized in that comprising a preliminary discharge step.

According to another aspect, an ink jet apparatus that uses an ink jet head capable of discharging ink at a plurality of stages of ink discharge amount and discharges ink from the ink jet head to a medium to perform printing is used as an ink discharge that is not involved in printing. Preliminary ejection means for performing preliminary ejection with a large amount of ink ejection and preliminary ejection with a relatively small amount of ink ejection;
Setting means for setting an interval for performing the preliminary ejection with a small amount of ink ejection relatively shorter than an interval for performing the preliminary ejection with a large amount of ink ejection. Further, in an ink jet method in which an ink jet head capable of discharging with a plurality of stages of ink discharge amounts is used and ink is discharged from the ink jet head to a medium to perform printing, an ink discharge that is not involved in printing is used as a backup having a large ink discharge amount. The method includes a preliminary ejection step of performing ejection and a preliminary ejection of a relatively small amount of ink ejection. The interval of performing the preliminary ejection of a small amount of ink ejection is relatively shorter than the interval of performing the preliminary ejection of a large amount of ink ejection. Is set to be short.

[0013]

According to the above arrangement, in an apparatus which performs printing in an ejection amount mode in which the ejection amount is different, when an ejection which is not involved in printing is performed during a printing period, the ejection amount is reduced from the printing mode set in recording. In order to switch to the large ejection amount mode, more effective preliminary ejection can be performed even in a device capable of ejecting while changing the ejection amount.

[0014]

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

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a printer as an ink jet printing apparatus according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 101 denotes a printer;
Reference numeral 102 denotes an operation panel unit provided at the front of the upper surface of the housing of the printer 101; 103, a paper feed cassette which is mounted through an opening on the front surface of the housing;
Reference numeral 105 denotes paper (recording medium) supplied from the paper feed cassette 3, and reference numeral 105 denotes a paper discharge tray for holding paper discharged through a paper conveyance path in the printer 101. Reference numeral 106 denotes a body cover having an L-shaped cross section. The main body cover 106 has an opening 10 formed in the front right portion of the housing.
7 and the hinge 108 opens the opening 10
7 is rotatably attached to the inner end. Also,
A carriage 110 supported by a guide or the like (not shown) is provided inside the housing. Carriage 11
Numeral 0 is provided so as to be able to reciprocate along the width direction of the paper passing through the paper transport path (hereinafter, also referred to as the main scanning direction).

The carriage 110 in the present embodiment includes a stage 110a which is held horizontally by a guide or the like;
An opening (not shown) for mounting an ink jet head behind the stage 110a, and a housing for accommodating the ink jet heads 3Y, 3M, 3C and 3Bk detachably mounted on the stage 110a in front of the opening. It is schematically constituted by a cartridge garage 110b and a cartridge holder 110c which is opened and closed with respect to the garage 110b to prevent the cartridge accommodated in the garage 110b from being detached.

The stage 110a is slidably supported at its rear end by a guide, and the lower side of its front end is slidably engaged with a guide plate (not shown). The guide plate may function as a paper holding member for preventing the paper conveyed on the above-described paper conveyance path from rising, and the stage may be cantilevered relative to the guide according to the thickness of the paper. It may have a function of lifting the object.

An ink jet head (not shown) is mounted on the opening of the stage 110a with its ink discharge port directed downward.

The cartridge garage 110b has front and rear through-holes for accommodating four ink cartridges 3Y, 3M, 3C and 3Bk at the same time, and engaging claws of the cartridge holder 110c are formed on both outer sides. A mating engagement recess is formed.

A hinge 11 is provided at the front end of the stage 110a.
6, the cartridge holder 10c is rotatably mounted. The dimensions from the front end of the garage 110b to the hinge 116 are the same as those of the cartridges 3Y and 3Y.
When M, 3C, and 3Bk are accommodated in the garage 110b, they are determined in consideration of the size of the garage 110b that protrudes from the front end. The cartridge holder 110c has a substantially rectangular plate shape. The cartridge holder 110c has a pair of upper and lower sides separated from the lower part fixed by the hinges 116, which project in a direction perpendicular to the plate surface, and which, when the holder 110c is closed, engage with the engaging recesses 110d of the garage 110b. A pair of engaging claws 110e to be engaged are provided. The holder 110c is formed with a fitting hole 120 for fitting the handle portion of each of the cartridges 3Y, 3M, 3C, 3Bk to its plate portion. These fitting holes 120 have a position, a shape, and a size corresponding to the handle.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a control system in the ink jet printing apparatus.

Reference numeral 200 denotes a controller constituting a main control unit, which executes, for example, a microcomputer-type CPU 201 for executing various modes described later, a program and a table corresponding to the procedure, a voltage value of a heat pulse, a pulse width, and other information. It has a ROM 203 storing fixed data, and a RAM 205 provided with an area for developing image data and a work area. Reference numeral 210 denotes a host device (which may be a reader unit for image reading) serving as a source of image data, and image data and other commands and status signals are transmitted to and received from the controller via an interface (I / F) 212. .

The operation panel 102 has a mode selection switch 22 for selecting various modes as described later.
0, a power switch 222, a print switch 224 for instructing the start of printing, and a large recovery switch 226 for instructing activation of the ejection recovery process. 230 is a carriage 110 such as a home position and a start position.
A sensor group for detecting the state of the apparatus, such as a sensor 232 for detecting the position (see FIG. 1) and a sensor 234 for detecting a pump position including a leaf switch.

Reference numeral 240 denotes a head driver for driving the electrothermal transducer of the ink jet head according to print data and the like. A part of the head driver is also used to drive the temperature heaters 30A and 30B. Further, temperature detection values from the temperature sensors 20A and 20B are input to the controller 200. Reference numeral 250 denotes a main scanning motor for moving the carriage 110 in the main scanning direction, and reference numeral 252 denotes its driver. Reference numeral 260 denotes a sub-scanning motor, which is used to convey the paper 104 (see FIG. 1) as a recording medium.

The above-described ink jet printing apparatus has four
Ink cartridges 2C and 2 for each color ink, cyan, magenta, yellow and black
M, 2Y, 2Bk.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the ink tank cartridge 3 and the ink-jet head 2 used in the above-described ink-jet printing apparatus in a connected state.

The ink tank cartridge 3 used in the present embodiment has a negative pressure generating member accommodating section 53 filled with an ink absorber 52 and an ink accommodating section 56 filled with nothing.
In the initial state, ink is stored in each of these two chambers. The ink is first consumed from the ink stored in the ink storage unit 56 in accordance with the ink ejection or the like in the inkjet head 3.

The ink jet head 2 has a heater (not shown in FIG. 3) for generating thermal energy used for ejection.
To ink paths 2 respectively corresponding to a plurality of ink ejection ports.
A, discharges ink supplied from the ink tank cartridge 3 through the connection pipe 4.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view showing the structure of an ink jet head 2 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4, two heaters SH1 and SH2 are arranged in the longitudinal direction of each ink path 2A. These two heaters have different surface areas from each other. The heaters can be driven independently and independently, and electrode wiring and the like (not shown) are provided so that the two heaters can be driven simultaneously. Is provided. In addition,
The heater SH1 and the heater SH2 have the same length in the longitudinal direction of the ink path 2A, and have different surface areas by making the widths different from each other. Ink path 2
A discharge port 2N is open at the tip of A.

The structure of each ink path unit including the heater, the discharge port, the ink path, and the like described above is arranged in the ink jet head 2 at a predetermined density of 360 DPI. The opening area of the discharge port and the heater area in the unit are the same between the ink path units.

In the present embodiment, when two heaters are used, three stages of discharge amount settings (hereinafter, referred to as a basic discharge amount mode) are basically set for each discharge port according to the combination of the heaters to be driven. It is possible. Hereinafter, the basic ejection amount mode of the present embodiment will be described.

That is, basically, by switching the heater to be driven, there are three discharge amount modes of small, medium and large. In the small discharge amount mode, only the heater SH1 is driven.
A droplet having a volume of 15 pl is discharged, only the heater SH2 is driven in the medium discharge amount mode, and a droplet of 25 pl is discharged. In the large discharge amount mode, the heaters SH1 and SH2 are simultaneously driven, and a liquid of 40 pl (= 15 + 25 pl) is discharged. Discharge droplets.

Next, a printing mode using the above three basic ejection amount modes will be described below.

(360 DPI mode: normal print mode)
In this mode, printing at 360 DPI is performed in the large discharge amount mode.

The preliminary ejection in this mode performs the preliminary ejection in the large ejection amount mode. That is, both the large heater SH2 and the small heater SH1 are driven to perform the preliminary ejection.

(720 DPI mode) Basically, in the small discharge amount mode, the inkjet head is shifted by half a pixel relative to the recording medium by 720 × 720 DPI.
Is printed. Also in this mode, the ejection amount mode can be switched between medium and large according to the type of the recording medium. Thereby, the concentration can be made appropriate.

When only printing in the small discharge amount mode is performed as described above, since the discharge amount and the discharge speed are small, if the discharge operation is not performed for a while, the viscosity of the ink due to the evaporation of the ink at the discharge port may be increased. Since the time interval until stable ejection cannot be performed due to the incorporation of bubbles becomes short, preliminary ejection is performed in the large ejection amount mode regardless of the ejection amount mode.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a printing sequence according to this embodiment. In the present embodiment, as described above, printing is performed in one of the large, medium, and small ejection amount modes according to each printing mode and the like.

In FIG. 5, when the apparatus is powered on,
Immediately thereafter, preliminary discharge in the large discharge amount mode is performed (step S1), and then suction recovery processing is performed (step S1).
2). This is because the degree of ink thickening and air bubble mixing occurring during the non-use period of the apparatus is considered to be relatively large.

Next, in step S3, a preliminary ejection in the medium ejection amount mode is performed, and in step S4, the process waits for a print start command. During the standby, the standby time is counted (step S5), and when the standby time is equal to or longer than the predetermined time (step S6), the preliminary ejection in the medium ejection amount mode is performed.

When there is a print start command (step S4),
It is determined what the currently set print mode is (step S9). For example, if the 360 DPI mode is set, it is determined that the mode is the large discharge amount mode.
In accordance with this determination, printing is performed for a predetermined amount, for example, several lines in the small, medium, or large discharge amount mode (steps S10, S12, and S14).

After the printing of the predetermined amount, if the small ejection amount mode is set, preliminary ejection is performed in the ejection amount mode (step S11), and if the medium ejection amount mode is set, Performs the preliminary ejection in the large ejection amount mode (step S13), and if the large ejection amount mode is set, performs the preliminary ejection in the large ejection amount mode (step S15).

As described above, by performing the preliminary ejection during printing in the ejection amount mode larger than the ejection amount mode used for printing, the preliminary ejection interval in each printing mode can be lengthened.

(Embodiment 2) FIGS. 6A and 6B are cross-sectional views showing two examples of an ink jet head which can be used in the second embodiment of the present invention.

The ink jet head used in this embodiment has two heaters SH1 and SH2 of the same size arranged in the direction in which the ink path 2A is arranged or in a direction perpendicular thereto.

With this heater configuration, the following two discharge amount modes are set in this embodiment. In other words, there are a large discharge amount mode in which the discharge amount is increased by simultaneously driving the two heaters, and a small discharge amount mode in which the discharge amount is reduced by driving one of the two heaters.

The print mode is also the same as in the first embodiment.
A mode similar to that described above is set.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a printing sequence according to this embodiment.

In this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, after the power is turned on, the preliminary ejection in the large ejection amount mode is performed (step S101). If the ejection amount mode is switched from the large ejection amount mode to the small ejection amount mode during printing (step S105), preliminary ejection in the large ejection amount mode is performed at that time (step S106), and the small ejection amount is set. The timer 1 for the amount mode printing is reset (step S10).
7).

Further, in the present embodiment, the interval of the preliminary discharge is managed by the timer for each mode, instead of performing the preliminary discharge every predetermined amount of printing. Here, the preliminary ejection interval (timer 1) for the small ejection amount mode printing is set shorter than that for the large ejection amount mode printing (timer 2). However, since the preliminary ejection is performed in the large ejection amount mode, it is small. The time can be set longer than the time allowed when performing the preliminary ejection in the ejection amount mode.

The timer 1 in step S107 is used.
Instead of the reset process, the remaining time (timer 2) in the large discharge amount mode printing may be converted into the remaining time (timer 1) in the small discharge amount mode printing.

(Embodiment 3) In this embodiment, the structure of the ink jet head is the same as that of the above-mentioned embodiment 2, but the heater S
By increasing the sizes of H1 and SH2, it is possible to secure an ejection amount capable of printing at 360 DPI by driving one heater.

That is, only one of the two heaters is driven, and the drive heater is switched and used as appropriate.
Thus, the life of the heater and the like can be extended.

Even in such a configuration, the preliminary ejection is performed for two times.
This is performed using one heater.

(Embodiment 4) FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing the structure of an ink jet head according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

The ink jet head of this embodiment has three heaters SH1, SH2 and SH3 in the ink path 2A.
And three discharge amount modes can be set depending on the number of heaters to be driven.

In the large discharge amount mode, three heaters are driven. However, since the discharge amount is very large, the driving frequency is set to the other two.
Control is performed so as to be lower than the two ejection amount modes. Therefore, the printing speed is slightly reduced.

Further, in the small discharge amount mode, only one heater is driven, but for preliminary discharge during printing, two heaters are driven. Here, three heaters are not driven.
This is because, when one is used, the ejection power is increased, but the driving frequency cannot be increased, so that a relatively long time is required for the preliminary ejection and the substantial printing speed is reduced.

In the description of each of the above embodiments, the present invention is applied to a method of ejecting ink by the action of bubbles generated by thermal energy using a heater. However, the present invention is not limited to such a method and the present invention is applicable. It is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to an ink jet or the like having a structure including a plurality of piezoelectric elements.

(Others) It should be noted that the present invention includes a means (for example, an electrothermal converter or a laser beam) for generating thermal energy as energy used for discharging ink, 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 each of the above-mentioned specifications, U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,333 and U.S. Pat. No. 44,558 which disclose a configuration in which a heat acting portion is arranged in a bending region.
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. 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, the recording head fixed to the apparatus main body or the electric connection with the apparatus main body or the 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.

Further, it is preferable to add ejection recovery means for the recording head, preliminary auxiliary means, 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 one provided for single 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 embodiments 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.

In addition, the form of the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention is not limited to those used as image output terminals of information processing equipment such as computers, copying apparatuses combined with readers and the like, and facsimile apparatuses having a transmission / reception function. It may take a form.

[0071]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, in an apparatus for printing in an ejection amount mode in which the ejection amount is different, when an ejection which is not involved in printing is performed during a printing period, recording is performed. In order to switch to the ejection amount mode in which the ejection amount is larger than the print mode set in the above, more effective preliminary ejection can be performed even in a device capable of ejecting by changing the ejection amount.

As a result, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the printing throughput due to the preliminary ejection.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an inkjet printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram mainly showing a control configuration of the printing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an ink jet head and an ink tank cartridge used in the apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the structure of the inkjet head according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a printing sequence of the first embodiment.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are cross-sectional views showing two examples of the structure of an ink jet head that can be used in the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a printing sequence according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing a structure of an ink jet head according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2, 2Y, 2M, 2C, 2Bk Inkjet head 2A Ink path 2N Discharge port 200 Controller SH1, SH2, SH3 Heater

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Shigetasu Nagoshi 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Masao Kato 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Fumihiro Goto 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (56) References JP-A-3-256749 (JP, A) JP-A-61-146556 (JP, A) JP 62-46358 (JP, B2) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 2/175 B41J 2/205

Claims (13)

(57) [Claims] 1. An ink jet apparatus which uses an ink jet head having a plurality of energy generating elements corresponding to one discharge port, and performs printing by discharging ink onto a medium using energy generated by the energy generating elements. A setting for selectively setting one ejection amount mode as a printing mode from among a plurality of ejection amount modes having different ejection amounts determined by a combination of energy generation elements used among the plurality of energy generation elements. Means, printing means for performing printing in the set discharge amount mode until the setting of the discharge amount mode set by the setting means is changed, and wherein the inkjet is performed during a printing period in the discharge amount mode by the printing means. When the head performs ink ejection that is not involved in printing, the ejection set as the printing mode is performed. An ink jet apparatus comprising: a preliminary ejection unit that performs the ink ejection by switching to an ejection amount mode having an ejection amount larger than the ejection amount in the amount mode. 2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit is capable of setting a discharge amount mode of a large discharge amount and a discharge amount mode of a small discharge amount. Has a timer that measures the time for each mode, and when the printing mode is changed from the large discharge amount discharge amount mode to the small discharge amount discharge amount mode during the printing period, the large discharge amount mode is set. 2. The ink-jet apparatus according to claim 1, wherein ink ejection not involved in printing is performed as it is, and a timer corresponding to the ejection amount mode of the small ejection amount is reset. 3. The ink jet apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of energy generating elements have different magnitudes of the generated energy. 4. The ink-jet apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of energy generating elements have the same magnitude of generated energy, and the ejection amount mode is varied depending on the number of the energy generating elements used. . 5. In printing in an ejection amount mode that does not use all of the plurality of energy generating elements, the preliminary ejection means uses one more energy generating element than the number of energy generating elements used in the printing. The ink-jet apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the ink is ejected by using an ink jet printer. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the energy generating element generates thermal energy, generates bubbles in the ink by the action of the thermal energy, and discharges the ink by generating the bubbles. 5. The ink-jet apparatus according to any one of 5. 7. The ink jet apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the preliminary ejection unit is a unit that performs preliminary ejection every several lines during the printing period. 8. An ink jet method in which an ink jet head having a plurality of energy generating elements corresponding to one ejection port is used to perform printing by discharging ink onto a medium using energy generated by the energy generating elements. A setting for selectively setting one ejection amount mode as a printing mode from among a plurality of ejection amount modes having different ejection amounts determined by a combination of energy generation elements used among the plurality of energy generation elements. A printing step of performing printing in the set discharge amount mode until the setting of the discharge amount mode set in the setting step is changed; and during a printing period in any of the discharge amount modes in the printing step. When the ink jet which does not participate in printing is performed from the inkjet head, the printing mode is set. A preliminary ejection step of performing the ink ejection by switching to an ejection amount mode having an ejection amount larger than the ejection amount of the selected ejection amount mode. 9. A discharge amount mode of a large discharge amount and a discharge amount mode of a small discharge amount can be set in the setting step, and the printing time when these discharge amount modes are selected is set in each mode. Having a step of timing each time, and when the printing mode is changed from the large ejection amount ejection amount mode to the small ejection amount ejection amount mode during the printing period, printing is performed in the large ejection amount mode. 9. The ink-jet method according to claim 8, wherein ink ejection is performed without involvement, and a timer corresponding to the ejection amount mode of the small ejection amount is reset. 10. An ink jet apparatus which uses an ink jet head capable of discharging ink at a plurality of stages of ink discharge amount and discharges ink from the ink jet head to a medium to perform printing. A preliminary discharge means for performing a preliminary discharge with a large amount of ink and a preliminary discharge with a relatively small amount of ink discharge; and an interval for performing the preliminary discharge with a small amount of ink discharge compared to the interval between the preliminary discharges with a large amount of ink discharge. An ink jet apparatus, comprising: setting means for setting a setting to be as short as possible. 11. An ink-jet method for performing printing by using an ink-jet head capable of discharging ink at a plurality of stages of ink discharge and discharging ink from the ink-jet head onto a medium, wherein the ink discharge which is not involved in printing is A preliminary discharge step of performing a preliminary discharge with a large amount of ink and a preliminary discharge with a relatively small amount of ink discharge, and an interval of performing the preliminary discharge with a small amount of ink discharge compared to the interval of performing the preliminary discharge with a large amount of ink discharge Is set relatively short. 12. The ink-jet apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the ink-jet head has an energy generating element for discharging ink by applying thermal energy as a means for discharging ink to generate bubbles in the ink. . 13. The ink-jet method according to claim 11, wherein the ink-jet head is a head that discharges the ink by generating bubbles in the ink by applying thermal energy as a means for discharging the ink.