JP3213431B2 - Ink jet recording apparatus and ink remaining amount detecting method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus having an ink jet recording head for ejecting ink to form flying droplets and attaching the droplets to a recording medium such as paper for recording. It relates to a method for detecting the remaining amount.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Ink-jet recording apparatuses have been widely used in recent years because of their good print quality, quick recording, and quiet operation. Among them,
An electrothermal conversion element is provided in the ink liquid flow path in the vicinity of the ink discharge port, and the heat energy generated by the electrothermal conversion element causes film boiling in the ink, which is accompanied by the growth of bubbles due to the film boiling. Ink-jet recording devices that eject ink by using a thin-film process for the basic parts of nozzles such as electrothermal transducers and electrodes make it easy to achieve high-density nozzles and full-multiple nozzles. It is becoming mainstream.

[0003] In an ink jet recording apparatus, if the amount of remaining ink is very small, recorded characters may be blurred or recording may not be possible. Among them, an electrothermal conversion element is provided in a liquid flow path of the ink in the vicinity of the above-described ink ejection port, and the thermal energy generated by the electrothermal conversion element causes film boiling in the ink, and the sudden generated at that time In an ink jet recording apparatus that ejects ink by using a pressure change, when a driving voltage is applied in a state where an appropriate amount of ink does not exist on the electrothermal conversion element, the electrothermal conversion element uses the appropriate amount of ink. The temperature is significantly higher than when it is present, and the possibility of breakage is high.

[0004] The recording head is provided with a storage container for the ink to be supplied to the recording head outside the recording head main body. When the ink has been used, the recording head is not replaced in principle and the storage container is refilled with ink. Or a type in which printing can be resumed by replacing each storage container (hereinafter referred to as a permanent type) and an ink storage container provided integrally with the print head main body. There is a replaceable type (hereinafter, referred to as a disposable type). However, the above-described problem that occurs when the amount of remaining ink is low is extremely avoided in a permanent type printhead because the life of the printhead is extremely reduced. This is a problem that must be solved, and even in the case of a disposable type print head, It is a very important issue in order to avoid.

Therefore, conventionally, a method of providing a pressure sensor in an ink storage container to detect a small amount of ink remaining from the amount of ink pressure drop, and a method of detecting the electric conductivity in the ink storage container There has been proposed a method for detecting that the remaining amount of ink has become very small from the change in the amount of ink.

[0006]

However, detecting the remaining amount of ink by these methods has the following problems. That is, first, in the case of a recording head employed in a serial recording type recording apparatus, since the head is moving, the ink surface also fluctuates, and it is easy to cause a malfunction of detecting the remaining amount of ink. The above-mentioned method is difficult to make inside the print head and is limited to the ink storage container at the ink remaining amount detection point, so it is difficult to detect immediately before the ink is completely exhausted, and it is difficult to detect the ink until it is full. The ink cannot be used and the ink is easily wasted.

Therefore, there has been a demand for an ink jet recording head and a recording apparatus having a function of reliably detecting the time immediately before the ink is completely exhausted so that the ink can be used up to the full use limit.

[0008]

The present invention SUMMARY OF] includes a plurality of discharge ports for discharging ink, an energy generating element for generating energy used for ejecting ink, before
The above-mentioned multiple outlets are provided by liquid paths corresponding to the respective outlets.
Communicates with the number of discharge ports, using an inkjet head having a common liquid chamber for storing ink to be supplied to the discharge port, an ink jet recording apparatus for recording by discharging ink from the ink jet head, the ink
A jet head is provided at a position corresponding to the common liquid chamber.
Generates a sound wave in the common liquid chamber by being driven
A sound wave generator for the of the ink-jet head
Provided at a position corresponding to the common liquid chamber,
Detectable sound wave detecting means is provided, and the sound wave generating means is driven.
A sound wave detected by the sound wave detecting means when moving
The presence or absence of ink in the common liquid chamber is determined based on the intensity of the ink.

The present invention also provides the sound wave generating means and the sound wave generating means.
Sound wave detection means integrates sound wave generation and sound wave detection functions.
An electro-acoustic transducer provided in the electro-acoustic transducer,
The reflected wave in the common liquid chamber more generated sonic
The detection is performed by an electroacoustic transducer, and the presence or absence of ink in the common liquid chamber is determined .

[0010]

[0011]

[Action] Sound wave generating means provided at a position corresponding to the common liquid chamber
The intensity of the acoustic waves detected by the sound <br/> wave detecting means, when driven is provided at a position corresponding to the common liquid chamber varies greatly depending on the presence or absence of the ink in the common liquid chamber.

Namely, when the ink is present in the common liquid chamber, waves generated from the sound wave generating unit has a small attenuation for propagating primarily in the liquid (ink), sufficiently strong acoustics by the acoustic wave detection means If the ink is not present in the liquid chamber while being detected as a signal, the sound wave mainly propagates in the air, so the attenuation is large,
The detected acoustic signal is significantly smaller than when ink is present. Thus, after the sound wave generated by the sound wave generator, through the common liquid chamber, by the strength of the sound waves detected by the acoustic wave detection means, the presence or absence of ink in the common liquid chamber
You can judge.

Further, the sound wave generating means may be a common liquid chamber.
When the thermal energy is injected into the liquid chamber to generate air bubbles by using the electrothermal conversion element provided in the liquid chamber and the sound wave is generated by the generation and disappearance of the air bubbles at this time, when the ink is present in the liquid chamber Is that sound waves can be detected with sufficient intensity by the sound wave detecting means, whereas if ink does not exist in the liquid chamber, bubbles will not be generated even if thermal energy is injected into the liquid chamber, so that the sound wave is detected. Disappears. Thus, thermal energy is introduced into the liquid chamber from the common liquid chamber of the electro-thermal converter, the detection result of the acoustic wave detection means
The presence or absence of ink in the common liquid chamber can be determined.

[0014] Thus, according to the present invention, when driving the sound wave generator, according to the intensity of the acoustic waves detected by the acoustic wave detection means it can reliably determine the presence or absence of ink in the common liquid chamber. With such a configuration , the time immediately before the ink is completely exhausted is reliably detected, and the ink is filled to the maximum without damaging the electrothermal transducer and without suddenly stopping printing during the printing operation. It can be used without waste.

[0015]

【Example】

Embodiment 1 The present embodiment is an example of application to an ink jet recording apparatus of a disposable type as described above and using an electrothermal transducer as an ejection energy generating element. This is a serial recording system in which a recording head is scanned in a predetermined direction.

First, the schematic configuration of the entire recording apparatus used in the present invention will be briefly described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 13, reference numeral 1A denotes a recording head (inkjet head) for discharging yellow color ink;
B is a recording head that discharges magenta color ink, 1C is a recording head that discharges cyan color ink, 1D is a recording head that discharges black color ink, and these recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D are It is installed on the carriage 2. In addition, these recording heads 1A, 1
B, 1C, and 1D are of a disposable type in which an ink storage unit as a supply source of each ink is integrated. The carriage 2 moves left and right along the guide shaft 3, and the movement position is detected by the encoder 4. The recording paper (recording medium) 5 is fed while being guided by a plurality of feed rollers 6 installed vertically,
At positions facing the ink ejection forming surfaces (hereinafter, simply referred to as ejection surfaces) of the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D, the recording heads are kept so as to face in parallel with the ejection surfaces.

Next, the configuration of the recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D will be described with reference to FIGS. In these figures, one of the recording heads is denoted by reference numeral 1.
Are shown as representatives.

The recording head 1 has a configuration in which a head chip 11 and an ink containing section 12 are integrated. The head chip 11 has a bonding structure of a substrate 13 made of Si and a top plate 14 made of glass, and a plurality of discharge ports 15 arranged in the up-down direction are formed on the discharge surface side of the bonded portion. The discharge ports 15 are connected to one common liquid chamber 17 by a plurality of liquid paths 16 communicating with each other. The wall between the plurality of liquid paths 16 is formed of, for example, an ultraviolet curable resin. The common liquid chamber 17
The tube 18 communicates with the inside of the ink container 12.

On the upper surface of the substrate 13, a plurality of electrothermal conversion elements (discharge heaters) 19 as discharge energy generating elements located one by one in each liquid passage 16, and these electrothermal conversion elements 19 are individually provided. Wiring such as aluminum for supplying electric power is formed by a film forming technique.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a heating element, which is a common liquid chamber 1 on the substrate 13.
7 is provided at a position from the liquid passage 16. Heating element 2
Numeral 0 has the same film configuration as the electrothermal conversion element 19, and the wiring is also formed of aluminum or the like by a film forming technique as in the case of the electrothermal conversion element 19. The heating element 20 has the same electric power (2
３3 W) is appropriately supplied for a period of 5 to 7 μs, whereby bubbles are generated in the ink in the common liquid chamber 17 and sound waves are generated.

Reference numeral 40 denotes a piezoelectric electroacoustic transducer made of a piezoelectric polymer such as PZT, quartz, Rochelle salt, polyvinylidene fluoride, etc., which is attached to the lower surface of the substrate 13 with an adhesive or the like. Sound waves generated from the bubbles generated by 20 are detected via the substrate 13.

Since the attenuation of a sound wave when propagating through a solid is extremely small, when the sound wave is detected through the solid as in the present embodiment, the intensity of the detected acoustic signal can be made very large. Detection becomes extremely easy.

FIG. 4 is a control block diagram of this embodiment.
Is an amplifier, which is connected to the electroacoustic transducer 40 and amplifies the output from the electroacoustic transducer 40.

The frequency band of the sound wave generated along with the generation and extinction of bubbles is in the range of about several hundred Hz to several MHz, but the frequency component of the energy is mainly several hundred kHz. Therefore, if the sensitivity of the electroacoustic transducer 40 and the frequency band of the amplifier 41 are in the range of the order of several hundred Hz, the detection can be performed with sufficient intensity.

Reference numeral 42 denotes a comparator which is connected to the amplifier 41 and its output is normally at the ground potential, but outputs a constant voltage when the output from the amplifier 41 exceeds a predetermined reference voltage. A control device 43 is connected to the recording head driving circuit 44 and controls the driving of the recording head as appropriate according to the image signal, the signal from the comparator 42, and the like.

The electrothermal conversion elements 19 in each liquid passage 16
Generates heat individually when electric power is selectively supplied in accordance with recording data or the like, and the heat energy causes the liquid path 1 to generate heat.
Film boiling occurs in the ink in 6, and the ink is discharged from the discharge port 15 with the growth of bubbles due to the film boiling. Then, by moving the carriage 2 while selectively ejecting ink from the plurality of ejection ports 15 in this manner, ink droplets are deposited on the recording medium 5 to record various information. . In the case of the present embodiment, the multicolor color is applied by depositing the yellow, magenta, cyan, and black ink droplets from the four recording heads 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D on the recording medium 5 in this order. An image can be formed.

Hereinafter, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

When power is supplied to the heating element 20, heat energy is generated from the heating element. At this time, when ink is present on the heating element 20, that is, when ink is supplied to the common liquid chamber 17, In the case, bubbles are generated in the ink in the common liquid chamber 17 by the heat energy generated by the heating element, and a sound wave is generated with the generation and disappearance of the bubbles at this time.

The generated sound wave propagates through the substrate 13 and is detected by the electroacoustic transducer 40. Electroacoustic transducer 4
When 0 detects a sound wave, it outputs a voltage that changes according to a change in the intensity of the sound wave. The voltage output from the electroacoustic transducer 40 is amplified by the amplifier 41 and then output to the comparator 42.

In the comparator 42, the aforementioned reference voltage is:
It is set lower than the input voltage at this time.
The comparator 42 outputs a constant voltage, for example, the voltage V ₀ to the control device 43. When the voltage output from the comparator is V ₀ , the controller 43 determines that ink is being supplied to the common liquid chamber 17, and outputs a print head drive continuation signal to the print head drive circuit 44. Then, the recording operation is continued.

On the other hand, when the power is supplied to the heating element 20 and no ink is present on the heating element 20, that is, when the ink is exhausted in the common liquid chamber 17, the heating element 20 is heated. Even if energy is generated, no bubbles are generated in the common liquid chamber 17 and, therefore, no sound waves are generated. Therefore, no sound wave is detected by the electro-acoustic transducer 40. As a result, the output from the electro-acoustic transducer 40 does not exceed the reference potential set in the comparator 42 even after passing through the amplifier 41. Output does not change with the ground potential. After supplying electric power to the heating element 20, the control device 44 determines that there is no ink in the common liquid chamber 17 if the output voltage V ₀ is not obtained from the comparator 42 after a certain period of time, and records the data in the recording head drive circuit 44. A head drive stop signal is output, and the recording operation is stopped. At this time, no ink remains in the common liquid chamber 17, but a small amount of ink remains in the liquid passage 16. Therefore, the electrothermal conversion element 19 is not empty, The recording operation is stopped in a state where is almost exhausted.

As described above, according to the present invention, the ink in the common liquid chamber 17 is completely used up, and it is possible to reliably detect the remaining amount of the ink while the ink is slightly remaining in the liquid path 16. Therefore, without damaging the electrothermal transducer,
It is possible to make maximum use of the ink up to the limit.

The position where the electroacoustic transducer 40 is mounted may be mounted on the lower surface of the top plate 14 with an adhesive or the like as shown in FIG. However, the sound wave is more attenuated in the liquid than in the solid, and in this case, the detected acoustic signal is smaller than in the configuration of FIG.

Further, the material of the substrate 13 may be a metal such as aluminum, glass, ceramics or the like. Especially substrate 1
When the entire substrate 3 is made of piezoelectric ceramics, the entire substrate 13 becomes an electroacoustic transducer, so that the detection sensitivity of sound waves can be extremely increased, and the number of components can be reduced, so that the cost can be reduced.

Embodiment 2 FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a control block diagram of the present embodiment.

In this embodiment, the sound wave generating means is not a heating element but an electroacoustic transducer. In FIG. 5, 45
Is an electroacoustic transducer as the sound wave generating means.
Is attached to the lower surface of the substrate 13 with an adhesive or the like, and the sound wave detecting means is formed on the substrate 13 with the piezoelectric film 46 provided with electrodes so that a voltage output can be obtained. Electroacoustic transducer 4
5, and the piezoelectric film 46 is made of PZT, quartz, a Rochelle salt, a piezoelectric polymer such as polyvinylidene fluoride, or the like. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 60 denotes a drive circuit for driving the electroacoustic transducer 45.

Now, according to a command from the control device 43,
When the drive circuit 60 starts driving the electro-acoustic transducer 45, a sound wave is generated from the electro-acoustic transducer 45, and the sound wave starts to propagate in the common liquid chamber 17. Since the attenuation becomes extremely large when propagating in the air, the intensity of the sound wave reaching the piezoelectric film 46 is lower when the ink is not present in the common liquid chamber 17 than when the ink is present in the common liquid chamber 17. , Significantly smaller. Therefore, the acoustic signal output from the piezoelectric film 46 is large when ink is present in the common liquid chamber 17 and is small when ink is not present in the common liquid chamber 17.

Therefore, the reference voltage of the comparator 42 is
The voltage is set to a value between the output voltages from the amplifiers 41 in each of the above-described cases. When the output voltage from the piezoelectric film 46 exceeds the reference voltage, the voltage value V ₀ is output. If the output from 42 is set to be kept at the ground potential, the control device 43 causes ink to be present in the common liquid chamber when the output voltage from the comparator 42 is V ₀ , and this is obtained. If there is no ink, it can be determined that there is no ink in the common liquid chamber 17.

In the present embodiment, in the case of the first embodiment, the sound wave generating means may be damaged when the common liquid chamber 17 runs out of ink.
Regardless of the presence or absence of the ink inside, there is an advantage that the sound wave generating means is not damaged and the reliability is improved.

Embodiment 3 FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a control block diagram of the present embodiment.

In this embodiment, the sound wave generating means and the sound wave detecting means are provided in the ink container 12. 4
Reference numeral 7 denotes an electroacoustic transducer as the sound wave generating means, and reference numeral 48 denotes an electroacoustic transducer as the sound wave detecting means. Both are made of PZT, quartz, a Rochelle salt, a piezoelectric polymer such as polyvinylidene fluoride, or the like.
Is attached to the inner surface with an adhesive or the like.

Now, according to a command from the control device 43,
When the drive circuit 60 starts driving the electro-acoustic transducer 47, a sound wave is generated from the electro-acoustic transducer 47, and the sound wave starts to propagate into the ink container 12, but the intensity of the sound wave reaching the electro-acoustic transducer 48 When no ink is present in the ink storage unit 12, the ink storage unit 12
Is significantly smaller than the case where the ink is present inside.
Therefore, the acoustic signal output from the electroacoustic transducer 48 is large when the ink is present in the ink container 12, and is small when the ink is no longer present in the ink container 12. This makes it possible to detect the presence or absence of ink in the ink storage unit 12, as in the above-described example.

According to the present embodiment, when the ink in the ink storage section 12 is exhausted and the remaining ink amount is only the ink existing in the common liquid chamber 17 and the liquid path 16, the remaining ink amount becomes very small. Thus, the user can select whether to use the same printhead or to use a new printhead with a margin according to the image to be printed.

A sound wave generating means and a sound wave detecting means may be provided in the common liquid chamber 17 in addition to the inside of the ink container 12. Then, when it is detected that the ink has run out in the ink storage section 12, this time, the electro-acoustic transducer, which is a sound wave generator in the common liquid chamber, is driven to generate a sound wave. The presence / absence of ink in the common liquid chamber 17 can be detected in the same manner as the presence / absence of ink in the ink storage section 12 based on the difference in the intensity of the sound waves detected at that time. it can. In this way, after giving a notice of a small amount of ink, the ink in the common liquid chamber 17 is further used up, and the presence or absence of the remaining amount of ink can be reliably detected in a state where the ink is slightly left in the liquid path 16. That is, it is possible to use the ink to the maximum extent without damaging the electrothermal conversion element.

Fourth Embodiment FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a control block diagram of the fourth embodiment.

In the present embodiment, the sound wave generating means and the sound wave detecting means are integrated, and both functions of a single electroacoustic transducer are used. In FIG. 9, reference numeral 49 denotes an electroacoustic transducer having both functions as the sound wave generating means and the sound wave detecting means, and is made of PZT, quartz, a Rochelle salt, a piezoelectric polymer such as polyvinylidene fluoride, or the like. It is attached to the lower surface of the top plate 14 with an agent or the like.

First, according to a command from the control device 43,
When the drive circuit 60 starts driving the electroacoustic transducer 49, the electroacoustic transducer 49 generates a sound wave. The generated sound wave travels through the common liquid chamber 17 and then reaches the substrate 13 where it is reflected and propagates in the direction of the top plate 11 again. At this time,
The electroacoustic transducer 49 operates as the sound wave detecting means,
Although the transmitted sound wave is detected, the intensity of the sound wave reaching the electroacoustic transducer 49 differs depending on the presence or absence of ink in the common liquid chamber as described above, and is strong when ink is present,
Weak when no ink is present. Accordingly, when ink is present in the common liquid chamber 17, the acoustic signal detected by the electroacoustic transducer 49 is strong, and when there is no ink in the presence or absence of ink in the common liquid chamber 17, the sound signal is weak. 1
7, the presence or absence of ink can be detected.

The present embodiment has an advantage over the third embodiment in that the number of components required for generation and detection of sound waves can be reduced, thereby reducing costs.

Also, as in the above-described example, the ink storage unit 1
2, an electroacoustic transducer having both functions of a sound wave generating means and a sound wave detecting means is attached, and the presence or absence of ink in the ink container 12 is detected based on a difference in reflected intensity of the generated sound wave. The presence or absence of ink in the common liquid chamber 17 may be detected. In this case, it is possible to give a notice of a small amount of remaining ink with a small number of components.

Fifth Embodiment FIG. 11A is a sectional view of a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
(B) is an exploded perspective view thereof, and FIG. 12 is a control block diagram of the present embodiment.

The recording head used in this embodiment uses a piezoelectric element such as PZT as an energy generating element for discharging ink.

Reference numeral 56 denotes a flow path block made of photosensitive glass, and the common liquid chamber 52 and the pressure chamber 5 are formed by etching or the like.
2a and 52b and diaphragms 51a and 51b are formed. Reference numeral 55 denotes a support substrate which is adhered to the flow path block 56. Reference numeral 54 denotes a piezoelectric element supporting substrate, which is a piezoelectric element 53a, 5
3b and the support column 57 are mounted with an adhesive or the like.
The piezoelectric elements 53a and 53b and the support column 57 are provided on the flow path block 5 on the opposite side to the surface bonded to the piezoelectric element support substrate 54.
6 is adhered.

When a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric elements 53a and 53b by the piezoelectric element driving circuit 61, the piezoelectric element 53
a and 53b are deformed, and accordingly, the diaphragms 51a and 51b on which they are mounted are deformed, and the pressure chambers 52a and 52b are deformed.
As a result, a pressure change occurs in the nozzle b, and ink is ejected from the ejection ports 50a and 50b.

In this embodiment, in the above-described recording head, a piezoelectric element, which is an energy generating element for discharging ink, is used as the sound wave generating means, and a piezoelectric element mounted in a different pressure chamber is used as the sound wave generating means. It is used as a detecting means.

Now, according to a command from the control device 43,
The switch sa to which the piezoelectric element 53a is connected is connected to the terminal 61T1 from the piezoelectric element driving circuit 61, and an AC voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element 53a such that ink is not ejected from the piezoelectric element driving circuit 61.

Then, a sound wave is generated from the piezoelectric element 53a. At this time, if ink exists in the pressure chamber 52a and the common liquid chamber 52, the generated sound wave propagates therethrough and reaches the piezoelectric element 53b.

In the piezoelectric element 53b, the control device 43
Switch sb connected to the piezoelectric element 53b by
Is connected to the terminal 41T2 of the amplifier 41, and the transmitted sound wave is detected.

At this time, in the piezoelectric element 53b, in addition to the sound wave propagating through the piezoelectric element support substrate 54 and the flow path block 56, the sound wave propagating in the ink is detected. If there is no ink in the pressure chamber 52a or the common liquid chamber 52, the sound wave is greatly attenuated in the air, so that the piezoelectric element 53b almost propagates through the piezoelectric element support substrate 54 and the flow path block 56. Only sound waves are detected, and the detected acoustic signal becomes smaller. Therefore, as in the above-described example, the presence or absence of ink in the pressure chamber or the common liquid chamber can be detected based on the difference in the intensity of the detected acoustic signal.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the apparatus can be realized by using the components of the conventional recording head as they are, without newly providing a device that operates as a sound wave generating means and a sound wave detecting means. The presence or absence of ink can be reliably detected.

The switches sa and sb are appropriately switched by a time-series signal or the like. When the piezoelectric element 53b is used as sound wave generating means and the piezoelectric element 53a is used as sound wave detecting means, the switch sa is connected to the terminal 41T1.
Switch sb is connected to terminal 61T2.

Further, the piezoelectric element used as the sound wave generator may be used as the sound wave detector as it is. In this case, it is possible to detect the presence or absence of the ink only in the pressure chamber.

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, it is possible to reliably detect whether or not ink is remaining when the ink in the common liquid chamber has been used up and the ink is slightly remaining in the liquid path. In addition, it is possible to avoid sudden stop of recording during the recording operation.

[0064]

As described above, according to the present invention, according to the present invention, a plurality of discharge ports for discharging ink, an energy generating element for generating energy used for discharging ink, and the plurality of Liquid corresponding to each discharge port
An ink jet recording apparatus that communicates with the plurality of ejection ports by a path and includes an ink jet head having a common liquid chamber for storing ink supplied to the ejection ports, and ejects ink from the ink jet head to perform recording. Corresponding to the common liquid chamber of the inkjet head
The common liquid is provided at a position where
A sound wave generator for generating sound waves in a room, the inkjet
Provided at a position corresponding to the common liquid chamber of the
The intensity variation of the sound wave and a detectable acoustic wave detection means, before
When the sound wave generating means is driven, the sound wave detecting means
By judging the presence or absence of ink in the common liquid chamber based on the strength of the sound wave detected from the above, the ink in the common liquid chamber is used up, and the amount of ink remaining Since the presence or absence of the ink can be reliably detected, it is possible to use the ink to the maximum extent without damaging the electrothermal conversion element and without abruptly stopping printing during the printing operation.

The sound wave generating means and the sound wave detecting means
The stage has an integrated function of sound wave generation and sound wave detection.
An aeroacoustic transducer, generated by said electroacoustic transducer.
The electro-acoustic variable reflected wave at the common liquid chamber of the sound wave
Detected by exchanger, determine the presence or absence of ink in said common liquid chamber
By disconnecting the ink , the ink in the common liquid chamber is completely used up, and in a state where the ink is slightly remaining in the liquid path, the presence or absence of the remaining amount of ink can be reliably detected with a small number of components, so that the cost can be reduced and the electric power can be reduced. It is possible to use the ink to the maximum extent without damaging the thermal conversion element and without abruptly stopping printing during the printing operation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an external view of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a modification of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a control block diagram of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a control block diagram of a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a control block diagram of a third embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a control block diagram of a fourth embodiment.

11A and 11B are a sectional view and an exploded perspective view of a fifth embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a control block diagram of a fifth embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a schematic external view of a recording apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Recording head 2 Carriage 5 Recording medium 11 Head chip 12 Ink accommodating part 15 Discharge port 16 Liquid path 17 Common liquid chamber 19 Electrothermal conversion element 20 Heating element 40, 45, 47, 48, 49 Electroacoustic transducer 46 Piezoelectric film 50a, 50b Discharge port 51a, 51b Vibration plate 52 Common liquid chamber 52a, 52b Pressure chamber 53a, 53b Piezoelectric element 54 Piezoelectric element support substrate 55 Support substrate 56 Flow path block

Claims (7)

(57) [Claims] A plurality of discharge ports for discharging ink; an energy generating element for generating energy used for discharging ink; and a plurality of discharge ports for each of the plurality of discharge ports.
Are communicated with the plurality of discharge ports by a liquid path corresponding to
Using an inkjet head having a common liquid chamber for storing ink to be supplied to the discharge port, an ink jet recording apparatus for recording by discharging ink from the ink jet head, corresponding to the common liquid chamber of the ink jet head To do
Provided in the common liquid chamber by being driven.
A sound wave generator for generating sound waves, position corresponding to the common liquid chamber of the ink jet head
And a sound wave detecting means that can detect a change in the intensity of the sound wave, the sound wave detecting means when the sound wave generating means is driven.
An ink jet recording apparatus for judging the presence or absence of ink in the common liquid chamber based on the intensity of the sound wave detected by the method. 2. The sound wave generating means is provided in the common liquid chamber.
A vignetting heating elements, the ink is present in the common liquid chamber
By the heating element is driven when, to generate bubbles by heating the ink in the common liquid chamber, the bubble
2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a sound wave is generated in accordance with the generation and disappearance of the image . 3. The sound wave generating means and the sound wave detecting means.
Are provided in the common liquid chamber so as to face each other.
The ink according to claim 1 or 2, wherein
Jet recording device. 4. The sound wave generating means and the sound wave detecting means.
Is an electric device with integrated sound wave generation and sound wave detection functions.
An acoustic transducer , wherein the common liquid of sound waves generated by the electroacoustic transducer
The reflected wave in the room is detected by the electroacoustic transducer, and
Determining whether ink is present in the common liquid chamber.
The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1. 5. The thermal energy generating device according to claim 1, wherein
Is an electrothermal conversion element that generates heat,
The film boiling in the ink is caused by the energy and the film boiling
To eject ink as bubbles grow
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein
Inkjet recording device. 6. A plurality of discharge ports for discharging ink.
Generates energy used for ink ejection
Energy generating element, and each of the plurality of discharge ports
Are communicated with the plurality of discharge ports by a liquid path corresponding to
A common liquid chamber for storing the ink supplied to the discharge port;
Using an inkjet head provided with the inkjet
Inkjet that performs recording by discharging ink from the head
A method for detecting the amount of remaining ink in a recording apparatus, the method comprising:
And a sound wave generator for generating a sound wave in the common liquid chamber.
Driving the generating means, and the position corresponding to the common liquid chamber of the ink jet head.
Of the sound wave detected by the sound wave detecting means provided in the device.
The presence or absence of ink in the common liquid chamber based on the degree
A method for detecting the remaining amount of ink. 7. The sound wave generating means is provided in the common liquid chamber.
Heating element with ink in the common liquid chamber
When the heating element is driven,
Generate air bubbles by heating inside, and generate and disappear the air bubbles
7. A sound wave is generated in accordance with
The ink remaining amount detection method described in the above.