JP3278218B2 - INK JET RECORDING APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCING INK JET RECORDINGS - 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 and an ink jet recording apparatus for forming an image from a large number of dots obtained by ejecting ink from a recording head to deposit ink on a recording medium such as a fabric. It concerns the manufacturing method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a typical conventional printing apparatus, there is a screen printing method in which a silk screen plate is used to directly print on a cloth or the like. The screen printing method is a method in which a screen plate is prepared for an original image to be printed for each color used in the original image, and the ink is directly transferred to a fabric through a silk screen to perform dyeing.

However, in such a screen printing method, a large number of man-hours and days are required for producing a screen plate, and a space for storing the screen plate is also required.

On the other hand, an ink jet recording apparatus is practically used as a recording apparatus having functions such as a printer, a copying machine, and a facsimile, or a recording apparatus used as a main device of a composite electronic device or a workstation including a computer or a word processor. The present inventor has studied using such an ink jet type recording apparatus for textile printing, and performing recording by directly discharging ink onto a fabric.

An ink jet type recording apparatus performs recording by ejecting ink from a recording means (recording head) to a recording material. It is easy to make the recording means compact, and a high-definition image can be formed at high speed. It has the advantages that recording can be performed, running costs are low, and noise is reduced because of the non-impact method, and it is easy to record a color image using multicolor inks.

[0006] In particular, an ink jet type recording means (recording head) for discharging ink by using thermal energy,
Electrothermal converters, electrodes, and films formed on a substrate through semiconductor manufacturing processes such as etching, evaporation, and sputtering
By forming the liquid path wall, the top plate, and the like, it is possible to easily manufacture a device having a high-density liquid path arrangement (discharge port arrangement), and to further reduce the size.

[0007] Among the ink jet recording apparatuses, in a serial type recording apparatus that employs a serial scan system in which a main scan is performed in a direction intersecting a conveying direction (sub-scanning direction) of a recording material, the main scanning direction is along the recording material. The image is recorded by recording means mounted on a carriage that moves to
Repeating the operation of feeding a predetermined amount of paper (pitch conveyance) in the sub-scanning direction after printing of one line is completed, and then printing the image of the next line on the stopped recording material again Thus, recording of the entire recording material is performed. On the other hand, in a line type recording apparatus that performs recording only in the sub-scanning direction of the recording material, the recording material is set at a predetermined recording position, and recording is performed for one line at a time. By performing the paper feed (pitch feed) and repeating the operation of collectively recording the next line, the recording of the entire recording material is performed. In this way, the ink jet recording apparatus using the line type recording means in which a large number of ejection ports are arranged in the paper width direction can further increase the recording speed.

When such an ink jet recording apparatus is used for printing, a screen plate used for screen printing is not required, and the process and the number of days required for printing on a fabric can be greatly reduced, and the apparatus can be downsized. it can.

[0009]

However, since the amount and direction of ink ejected from each nozzle of such an ink jet recording head vary, the variation may appear as streaks.
For this reason, there is a problem that periodic uneven streaks occur on the recorded image due to the width of the recording head, thereby deteriorating the image quality. In addition, there has been a problem that the unevenness changes over time during long-time recording.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and an ink jet recording apparatus capable of eliminating recording unevenness of a recording head and always performing recording in an optimal ink discharge state, and recording by the apparatus. The purpose is to provide recorded material.

[0011]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention has a conveying means for conveying a cloth,
An ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording by using a recording head having a plurality of discharge ports for discharging ink and discharging ink to the cloth from the discharge ports of the recording head, wherein the recording medium is transported by the transport unit. A monitor provided outside the area of the fabric to be read and provided with a recording sheet and reading means for reading an image formed on the recording sheet; and a predetermined test image on the recording sheet using the recording head. Test image forming means for forming
A density of an image recorded by the recording head corresponding to the recording paper based on a result of reading the test image formed on the recording paper by the test image forming unit by the reading unit of the monitor unit. Correction means for creating correction data for paper comprising correction values corresponding to each of the plurality of ejection ports for correcting unevenness of the paper, and correcting the paper correction data created by the correction means with the correction value Correction data conversion means for converting the correction data corresponding to the cloth in accordance with a function for reducing the absolute value of the correction data, and control means for controlling the driving of the recording head based on the correction data converted by the correction data conversion means And the following.

According to the invention of the present application, in an ink jet recording apparatus which performs recording on a fabric in which density unevenness is less conspicuous than ordinary recording paper and it is difficult to accurately grasp the ejection state of a print head, correction of density unevenness is performed. A test image is formed on the recording paper provided for this purpose, correction data is created based on the result of reading the test image, and the correction data is formed on the image formed on the recording paper and the cloth. Inconsistency in the density unevenness of the image is different, that is, the conversion is performed according to a function determined according to the difference in visibility, and the converted correction data is used to correct the density unevenness. By doing so, a high-quality recorded image with less density unevenness can be formed on the fabric.

Further, according to the method for producing an ink jet recorded matter according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an ink jet recorded matter on which a high quality recorded image with less density unevenness is formed.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a recording apparatus according to the present invention. 1 is a recording apparatus main body, 2 is a long roll as a recording material, 4 is a cutter for cutting the recording material to a predetermined length, ,
Reference numeral 5 denotes a pair of transport rollers for transporting the recording material in the transport direction, and reference numeral 6 denotes a sub-scanning roller for accurately transporting and positioning the recording material by an amount corresponding to a recording print width of a recording head described later. With the above configuration, the transport path of the recording material supplied from the roll 2 is formed.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a carriage for supporting a recording head to be described later, which is supported by a pair of main scanning rails 9a so as to be movable in a direction perpendicular to the drawing (in a horizontal direction in an actual recording apparatus). Reference numeral 10 denotes a platen which is located at a position opposed to the carriage 9 with the recording material interposed therebetween. Further, the platen 10 prevents floating of the recording material during recording and printing, keeps the recording material flat, and also prevents the recording material from contacting the recording head. For this purpose, for example, there is provided suction means such as suction by air or an electrostatic suction plate.

Next, the periphery of the recording head will be described with reference to FIG. Carriage 9 is cyan, magenta, yellow,
Recording heads 9C, 9M, 9Y, 9B corresponding to black
k. Reference numeral 11 denotes the recording heads 9C, 9M, 9Y, 9
An ink supply system that supplies ink to Bk, and includes ink cartridges 11C, 11M, 11Y, and 11Bk corresponding to cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. Tubes 12C, 12M, 12Y, 1
The recording heads 9C, 9M, 9Y, 9Bk via 2Bk
To supply ink. A motor 13 scans and drives the carriage 9 in the main scanning direction (left and right directions in the figure). The motor 13 drives the carriage 9 via a pulley 14, a pulley 15, and a belt 16 fixed to the motor 13. A motor 17 scans and drives the ink supply system 11 in the main scanning direction (left and right directions in the drawing) in synchronization with the carriage 9.
The ink supply system 11 is driven via a driving pulley 18, a pulley 19, and a belt 20 fixed to 7.

Reference numeral 22 denotes the above-mentioned first recording material in the form of a roll.
The sheet is conveyed by a conveying roller 5 and a sub-scanning roller 6 in an upward direction in the drawing. Reference numeral 23 denotes a cap member at a position for performing a process for removing a factor that deteriorates image quality (hereinafter, referred to as an “ejection recovery process”). Recording head 9C,
The nozzle surfaces 9M, 9Y, and 9Bk are covered with the cap member 23, and in this state, ink is discharged from the print head nozzles by driving the print head or discharged by pressurization. Further, in the cap member 23, a high-speed airflow is introduced into the recording head nozzle surface, and the nozzle surface is cleaned by blowing off the residual ink, dust, fluff, and the like accompanying the above-described ink ejection from the nozzle surface. Eliminates discharge failure and unevenness.

The calibration sequence such as non-discharge and non-uniformity detection and discharge recovery processing is executed under the control of a control unit (not shown) for controlling the entire printing apparatus. This control unit includes a CP such as a microprocessor.
U, RO that stores control programs and various data
M, a RAM used as a work area of the CPU, etc., and a determining means for determining the printing state of the printhead according to the present invention, a correction for correcting the determination result of the determining means corresponding to the first recording medium Means for controlling the driving of the recording head based on the correction result obtained by the correction means.

A series of ordinary recording and printing sequences will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 1, when the recording material conveyed from the roll 2 is detected by a recording material detection sensor (not shown) located immediately before the conveyance roller 5, the conveyance roller 5 and the sub-scanning roller 6 on the conveyance path are moved by a predetermined amount. That is, the leading end of the recording material is driven until it reaches the sub-scanning roller 6.

In FIG. 2, when the leading end of the recording material 22 is conveyed to the sub-scanning roller 6, the carriage 9 and the ink supply system 11 are driven in the scanning direction (right side in the figure) by motors 13 and 17, respectively. . At the same time, the recording heads 9C, 9M, 9Y, and 9Bk perform recording at a print width indicated by 1 in FIG.

After the line recording and printing, the carriage 9 and the ink supply system 11 are driven to return to a predetermined position on the left side in the figure, and the recording material 22 is conveyed accurately by the motor 21 corresponding to the printing width 1. You.

After the above-described sequence of recording and printing and conveyance of the recording material is performed for a predetermined cycle, the recording material 22 is discharged out of the apparatus.

Reference numeral 31 denotes a monitor for ascertaining the recording state of the recording head, and is a test image which is a test image recorded and printed at predetermined intervals on a second recording material 41 dedicated to the monitor provided at one end of the platen 10. A test pattern (uniform density pattern) 32 is monitored.

The above-mentioned recording material 41 dedicated to the monitor is supplied onto the platen 10 by the supply roll 42 in synchronization with the printing of the predetermined pattern 32, and after recording and printing, is taken up by the take-up roll 43 via the monitor 31. Can be

The interval (recording interval) of the predetermined pattern 32 is, for example, in the case of printing of textile printing, in many cases, recording is performed by repeating a unit symbol. Therefore, when printing of one unit symbol is completed, By performing the recording when the length of the sub-scanning direction (conveying direction of the recording medium) corresponding to one unit of the pattern is completed, the occurrence rate of defective printed products due to discharge failure or the like can be reduced. The recording of the predetermined pattern 32 may be performed every time the recording of the predetermined number of lines is completed. In this case, the predetermined number of lines is appropriately determined according to the likelihood of non-ejection of the recording head and the surface condition of the cloth. Further, if the above-described calibration is performed every line, abnormality detection can be performed in real time. On the other hand, if the calibration is performed every predetermined line, recording can be performed without lowering the recording speed.

It should be noted that the interval of the predetermined pattern 32 may be increased or decreased as necessary, since there is a difference in the possibility of ink non-discharge depending on the type of printing ink. The predetermined pattern 32 is, for example, a solid pattern in which the recording frequency is set to 50% of the normal frequency.

Next, the monitor 31 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. In the figure, reference numeral 32 denotes a calibration pattern recorded at predetermined intervals on a recording material 41 dedicated to a monitor, and is recorded and printed in a single color of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black at a uniform density for one scan. A pair of illumination lamps 33 illuminates the calibration pattern 32, a projection lens 34 projects the calibration pattern 32 illuminated by the illumination lamp 33, and a calibration lens 32 projected by the projection lens 34 It is a sensor such as a CCD for conversion. This number of elements is desirably equal to or more than the number of recording elements of the recording head.

The test image recorded on the second recording medium is read by a scanner as a reading unit for grasping the state of the recording head, and photoelectrically converted by a CCD sensor in the scanner. Since the photoelectric conversion is a luminance signal, the photoelectric conversion is converted into a density signal by a conversion formula according to the characteristics of the read sensor of the scanner and output. This output signal value corresponds to each nozzle of the print head, and it is possible to measure the density generated by ejection from each nozzle.

FIG. 4 is a typical example of a sensor output diagram of a scanner, and FIG. 5 is an output diagram in which the sensor output value in FIG. 4 is converted into a density signal by a conversion formula. In FIG. 5, when there is any output smaller than the average value a of each pixel output by a predetermined amount smaller than b, it is determined that no discharge occurs. If there is an output exceeding a value c larger than the average value a by a predetermined amount or smaller than a value d smaller than the predetermined amount, it is determined that the density unevenness is large. The determination of the density unevenness is not limited to this. For example, another method may be used, such as determining the standard deviation of the output value of the density signal of each pixel, and determining based on the magnitude. As the value corresponding to each nozzle of the recording head used for correcting the density unevenness, the output value of the density signal of each pixel as described above may be used as it is, but in order to reduce the influence of noise, reading error, and the like. An adjacent pixel of each pixel output, for example, an average value of three pixels before and after may be used as the pixel output.

In the present embodiment, a cloth is used for the first recording medium, and a recording paper dedicated to ink jet is used for the second recording medium for the test image. FIG. 6 is a typical example of an output diagram of the density signal values of the cloth and the recording paper dedicated to the ink jet. Since the fabric itself has a structure knitted with vertical and horizontal yarns made of a bundle of thin yarns, the printed ink is more likely to sink in the yarns than paper, which is often used as a recording medium. After printing, large ink bleeding may occur in various steps of fixing the ink to the fabric. Further, it is difficult to obtain the density of the entire image. On the other hand, as a recording paper dedicated to ink jet, for example, there is a paper obtained by mixing silica powder or alumina particles with an aqueous solution of polyvinyl alcohol and applying and drying the surface of the paper. Recording paper that has been subjected to such processing has less ink bleeding than ordinary recording paper that has not been subjected to such processing.

For these reasons and the like, by using a recording sheet dedicated to ink jet as the second recording medium and analyzing it as a test image, the ejection state of the recording head can be accurately grasped.

The correction of the density unevenness using the recording paper dedicated to the ink jet is performed by calculating the difference between the average value e of each pixel output in FIG. 6 and the output value of each nozzle, and matching each output value with the average value e. The drive signal of each nozzle is corrected by the determined correction value (hereinafter referred to as a paper correction value). FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a calibration sequence of the density unevenness correction. However, as described above, as can be seen from FIG. 6, the recording state of the density unevenness differs between the cloth and the recording paper dedicated to the ink jet (hereinafter, referred to as paper) because the density is different. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first
The non-uniform density correction of the cloth is performed by correcting the drive signal of each nozzle using the correction value of the paper using the cloth as the recording medium and the paper as the second recording medium.

Here, a function f (x) is determined, and this function f (x) is determined.
In (x), a calculation is performed on the paper unevenness correction value, and the drive signal of each nozzle is corrected as the cloth unevenness correction value. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a calibration sequence for correcting density unevenness according to the present embodiment. The fabric is hardly provided with a concentration and unevenness is hardly noticeable. Therefore, this function f (x) is set to f (x) = 0.5x so that the absolute value of the unevenness correction value of the cloth becomes small.
And so on. Further, the correction value may be made smaller by 5 than the absolute value of the paper correction value.

FIG. 9 is an output diagram of a density signal value of an image printed on a fabric using the above-described ink jet recording apparatus using the correction value of paper as it is. FIG. 10 shows an output diagram of density signal values of an image printed by calculating a correction value using the function f (x) determined in this manner. As can be seen from these figures, an image using the correction value according to the present embodiment has a high quality with less unevenness as compared with an image using the paper unevenness correction value as it is.

Next, a second embodiment will be described. Here, the first recording medium type determining means determines the material i of the first recording medium, determines a specific function fi (x) according to the material i of the first recording medium, and determines the function fi (x). ) Is used to correct the driving signal of each nozzle as a paper unevenness correction value. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a calibration sequence for correcting density unevenness according to the present embodiment. When fabric is used as the first recording medium,

[0037]

[Outside 1] Etc. may be used. As described above, the image printed using the correction value calculated by the determined function fi (x) according to the material of the medium becomes smooth with little unevenness in any recording medium.

Next, a third embodiment will be described. Here, the material of the first recording medium is determined by the first recording medium type determining means, and a function g specific to the material of the first recording medium is determined.
(X) is determined, the function g (x) is used to calculate the paper correction value, and the second function h (x) is determined according to the structure and type of the material of the medium, and the function g (x) is determined. The function h (x) is further operated on the correction value calculated in step (1), and the driving signal of each nozzle is corrected as the unevenness correction value of the first recording medium.
FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating the calibration of the density unevenness correction according to the present exemplary embodiment. In the case of a cloth or the like, the function g (x) is g (x) = g (x) = g (x) used in the first embodiment.
0.5x may be used. In addition, h (x) represents h for silk or the like in which dots of the printed ink are easily oozed.
(X) = 0.9x or the like is used. 13 uses the function g (x), and FIG. 14 uses the two functions g (x) h (x) to calculate the image printed on the fabric by the above-described inkjet recording apparatus using the calculated correction values. FIG. 7 is an output diagram of a density signal value. The image printed with the correction values obtained by the two functions g (x) h (x) has less streaks.

Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. Here, for the first recording medium, not only its material, type and structure, but also various functions are determined, and the correction values calculated in the second and third embodiments are determined by the functions. A non-uniformity correction value is obtained by performing an operation, and printing is performed on the first recording medium using the above-described ink jet recording apparatus. FIG.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a sequence of calibration for correcting density unevenness in the present embodiment. In the case of a cloth or the like, after printing using the above-described ink jet recording apparatus, a function k (x) or the like is determined according to a process and conditions for fixing the ink printed on the cloth, and the second and third implementations are performed. The correction value calculated in the example may be further operated by the function k (x) to obtain the unevenness correction value of the first recording medium. In the image obtained in this way, high quality of the image is observed. In this embodiment, the number of functions determined by various conditions is not limited to one, and may be more.

The present invention provides an excellent effect particularly in an ink jet recording head and a recording apparatus in which a flying droplet is formed by utilizing thermal energy in the ink jet recording method and recording is performed.

The typical structure 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 can be applied to both the so-called on-demand type and continuous type. In particular, in the case of the on-demand type, liquid (ink)
By applying at least one drive signal corresponding to the recorded information and providing a rapid temperature rise exceeding the nucleate boiling to an electrothermal transducer arranged corresponding to the sheet or the liquid path holding the This is effective because it generates thermal energy in the electrothermal transducer, causing film boiling on the heat-acting surface of the recording head, and as a result, it is possible to form bubbles in the liquid (ink) corresponding to this drive signal on a one-to-one basis. It is. By discharging the liquid (ink) through the discharge opening by the growth and contraction of the bubble, at least one droplet is formed. With this drive signal pulse shape, the growth and shrinkage of the bubbles are performed immediately and appropriately, so that the ejection of 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-angle liquid flow path) as disclosed in the above-mentioned respective specifications, The present invention also includes a configuration using U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,333 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,600, which disclose a configuration in which a heat acting portion is arranged in a bending region.

In addition, JP-A-59-123670, which discloses a configuration in which a common slit is used as a discharge portion of an electrothermal converter for a plurality of electrothermal converters, or absorbs pressure waves of thermal energy. The present invention is also effective as a configuration based on JP-A-59-138461, which discloses a configuration in which an opening corresponds to a discharge unit.

Further, as a full-line type recording head having a length corresponding to the width of the maximum recording medium that can be recorded by the recording apparatus, the length is determined by a combination of a plurality of recording heads as disclosed in the above specification. The present invention can exhibit the above-mentioned effects more effectively, although it may be either a configuration that satisfies the above-mentioned requirements or a configuration as a single recording head formed integrally.

In addition, the print head is exchangeable with a print head of a chip type, which is electrically connected to the main body of the apparatus and can be supplied with ink from the main body of the apparatus, or is integrated with the print head itself. The present invention is also effective when a cartridge type recording head provided with an ink tank is used.

It is preferable to add recovery means for the recording head, preliminary auxiliary means, and the like provided as a 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, capping means for the recording head, cleaning means, pressurizing or suction means, preheating means using an electrothermal transducer or another heating element or a combination thereof, and printing Performing a preliminary ejection mode for performing another ejection is also effective for performing stable printing.

Further, the recording mode of the recording apparatus is not limited to the recording mode of only the mainstream color such as black, and the recording head may be formed integrally or by combining a plurality of recording heads. The present invention is also very effective for an apparatus provided with at least one of full colors by color mixture.

As the ink, in addition to the liquid, an ink which solidifies at room temperature or lower and which softens at room temperature or is a liquid, or in the case of the above-mentioned ink-jet method, the ink itself is heated to 30 ° C. or more. In general, the temperature is controlled within a range of not more than ℃ to control the temperature so that the viscosity of the ink is in a stable ejection range. Therefore, it is also possible to use a liquid in which the ink is in a liquid state when a use recording signal is applied. .

In addition, the temperature rise due to thermal energy is positively prevented by using it as energy for changing the state of the ink from the solid state to the liquid state, or the ink is solidified in a standing state to prevent evaporation of the ink. Either ink may be used, or in any case, the ink may be liquefied by application of heat energy according to the recording signal and ejected as a liquid ink, or may already start to solidify when reaching the recording medium. The use of an ink having a property of being liquefied for the first time by thermal energy is also applicable to the present invention. In such a case, the ink is disclosed in JP-A-54-5684.
No. 7 or Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-71260, in which the porous sheet is opposed to the electrothermal converter while being held in a liquid or solid state in the concave portions or through holes of the porous sheet. It may be. 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 to the above, the recording apparatus according to the present invention may be provided as an image output terminal of an information processing apparatus such as a word processor or a computer as an integrated or separate apparatus, a copying apparatus combined with a reader, and the like. May take the form of a facsimile machine having a transmission / reception function.

Next, as a fabric for ink-jet printing, (1) the ink can be colored to a sufficient concentration;
(2) high ink dyeing rate; (3) quick drying of the ink on the fabric; (4) less occurrence of irregular ink bleeding on the fabric; And high performance such as excellent transportability. In order to satisfy these required performances, in the present invention, the cloth can be pretreated as required. For example, JP-A-62-53492 discloses fabrics having an ink receiving layer.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-46589 proposes a fabric containing a reduction inhibitor and an alkaline substance.
As an example of such a pretreatment, there can be mentioned a treatment in which a cloth contains a substance selected from an alkaline substance, a water-soluble polymer, a synthetic polymer, a water-soluble metal salt, urea and thiourea.

Examples of the alkaline substance include alkali metal hydroxides such as sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide;
Examples thereof include amines such as mono, di, and triethanolamine, and alkali metal salts of carbonic acid or bicarbonate such as sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, and sodium bicarbonate. Further, there are organic acid metal salts such as calcium acetate and barium acetate, ammonia and ammonia compounds. Further, sodium trichloroacetate which becomes an alkaline substance under steaming and dry heat may be used. Particularly preferred alkaline substances include sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate used for dyeing reactive dyes.

Examples of the water-soluble polymer include starch substances such as corn and wheat; cellulosic substances such as carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose and hydroxyethylcellulose; sodium alginate;
Locust bean gum, tragacanth gum, guar gum,
Examples include polysaccharides such as tamarind seeds, protein substances such as gelatin and casein, and natural water-soluble polymers such as tannin-based substances and lignin-based substances.

Examples of the synthetic polymer include a polyvinyl alcohol-based compound, a polyethylene oxide-based compound, an acrylic acid-based water-soluble polymer, and a maleic anhydride-based water-soluble polymer. Among them, polysaccharide polymers and cellulose polymers are preferable.

Examples of the water-soluble metal salt include compounds which form typical ionic crystals and have a pH of 4 to 10, such as halides of alkali metals and alkaline earth metals. Representative examples of such compounds include, for example, NaCl, Na ₂ S
O ₄ , KCl and CH ₃ COONa;
Examples of the alkaline earth metal include CaCl ₂ and MgCl ₂ . Among them, salts of Na, K and Ca are preferred.

The method for incorporating the above substances and the like into the fabric in the pretreatment is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a commonly used dipping method, a bad method, a coating method, and a spray method.

Further, the printing ink applied to the fabric for ink-jet printing simply adheres to the fabric when applied to the fabric, so that a process of fixing and dyeing the dye on the fiber (dyeing process) is performed continuously. Is preferred. Such a reaction fixing step may be performed by a conventionally known method, for example, a steaming method, an HT steaming method, a thermofix method, or an alkaline pad steam method or an alkaline blotch steam method when a cloth which has been previously alkali-treated is not used. , Alkali shock method, alkali coldfick method and the like.

Further, the removal of unreacted dye and the substance used in the pretreatment can be carried out by washing after the above-mentioned reaction fixing step according to a conventionally known method. In addition, it is preferable to use a conventional fixing process in combination with this cleaning.

[0060]

As described above, according to the present invention, recording is performed on a recording medium in which the density unevenness is easily noticeable due to the stripes of the fibers of the cloth itself, such as a cloth, on a normal recording sheet. In an ink jet recording apparatus, a test image is recorded on recording paper dedicated to a monitor, the test image is read, and correction data for density unevenness correction corresponding to the recording paper is created. Since the conversion is performed according to a function determined by the difference in the unevenness occurrence state, it is possible to accurately grasp the occurrence state of the unevenness in the density, and to perform a correct unevenness correction to record a good image with less unevenness in the density. Can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing one embodiment relating to a recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a periphery of a recording head illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the monitor of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an output of a sensor.

FIG. 5 is an output diagram in which the sensor output value in FIG. 4 is converted into a density signal by a conversion formula.

FIG. 6 is an output diagram of a density signal value of an image printed by using an ink jet recording apparatus on cloth and recording paper dedicated to ink jet.

7 is a flowchart illustrating a calibration sequence of density unevenness correction based on a correction value calculated from a density signal value on a recording sheet dedicated to inkjet in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a calibration sequence of density unevenness correction based on a correction value calculated by a function f (x).

FIG. 9 is an output diagram of a density signal value of an image printed on a cloth using a correction value calculated from a density signal value on recording paper dedicated to inkjet.

FIG. 10 is an output diagram of a density signal value of an image printed on a cloth using a correction value calculated by a function f (x).

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a calibration sequence of density unevenness correction based on a correction value calculated by a function fi (x).

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a calibration sequence of density unevenness correction based on a correction value calculated by a function g (x) h (x).

FIG. 13 is an output diagram of a density signal value of an image printed on a cloth using a correction value calculated by a function g (x).

FIG. 14 is an output diagram of a density signal value of an image printed on a cloth using a correction value calculated by a function h (x).

FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a density unevenness calibration sequence based on a correction value calculated by a function determined by various conditions in the first recording medium.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Whole recording apparatus 2 Roll 9 Carriage 10 Platen 22 Recording material 31 Monitor 32 Calibration pattern 41 Recording material for calibration pattern

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-4-173150 (JP, A) JP-A-4-208468 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 2/01

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A printing head having a transporting means for transporting a cloth, having a plurality of discharge ports for discharging ink, and discharging ink to the cloth from the discharge ports of the recording head. An ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording, a monitor unit provided outside a region of the fabric conveyed by the conveying unit, the recording unit including: a recording sheet; and a reading unit that reads an image formed on the recording sheet. A test image forming unit for forming a predetermined test image on the recording sheet using the recording head; and a reading unit of the monitor unit for reading the test image formed on the recording sheet by the test image forming unit. Before correcting unevenness in density of an image recorded by the recording head, corresponding to the recording paper, based on a result read by the recording head. A correction unit for creating correction data for paper comprised of correction values corresponding to the plurality of discharge ports, the correction data for the paper created by the correcting means, according to a function to reduce the absolute value of the correction value Said
Correction data conversion means for converting the correction data into correction data corresponding to the cloth; and control means for controlling driving of the recording head based on the correction data converted by the correction data conversion means. Ink jet recording device. 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the driving of the recording head by correcting a driving signal corresponding to a plurality of ejection ports of the recording head. apparatus. 3. The recording head according to claim 1, wherein the recording head has a thermal energy generating means for causing a state change of the ink by heat and discharging the ink from the discharge port based on the state change. 3. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1. 4. A printhead having a transport means for transporting a fabric, having a plurality of discharge ports for discharging ink, and discharging ink from the discharge ports of the printhead to the cloth. A method for producing an ink jet recorded matter in an ink jet recording apparatus for performing recording, wherein a predetermined test image is formed using a recording head on a recording sheet provided outside an area of a fabric conveyed by the conveying means. A plurality of test image forming steps, based on a result of reading a test image formed on the recording paper, for correcting unevenness in density of an image recorded by the recording head corresponding to the recording paper. small a step of creating correction data for paper comprised of ejection openings correction value corresponding to the respective correction data for the paper, the absolute value of the correction value of Camphor
The process and correction data converting step of converting the correction data corresponding to the fabric according to the function, based on the converted the correction data by the correction data converting means performs recording by controlling the driving of the recording head that, A method for producing an ink jet recorded matter, comprising: 5. The ink-jet recorded matter according to claim 4, wherein a drive signal corresponding to a plurality of ejection openings of the recording head is corrected based on the correction data converted in the correction data conversion step. Recipe.