JP3380708B2 - Inkjet image forming method - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer for forming an image by ejecting fine ink droplets on a recording medium such as paper.
The present invention relates to an inkjet image forming apparatus such as a copying machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In describing this type of conventional technology, an explanation will be given based on the case of an ink jet printer in which ink is ejected from a hole having a minute aperture due to pressure change and the like, and an image is formed by the minute ink droplet. To do.

In this type of ink jet printer, conventionally, an ink jet recording head having a mechanism for ejecting ink (hereinafter, simply referred to as "head").
A so-called "disposable type" printer in which an ink cartridge containing ink and ink is integrated, and a head and an ink cartridge are separately provided, and ink is supplied to the head by using another means such as a pump. There are permanent type printers.

In this permanent type printer, an ink tank is interposed between the head and the ink cartridge without directly supplying the ink from the ink cartridge to the head by using other means such as a pump. It is generally practiced to first supply the ink to the ink tank and then supply the ink from the ink tank to the head.

In the ink tank, in order to prevent bubbles and the like from entering the ink flow path with the head, it is constantly detected that a certain amount of ink is present and that the amount of remaining ink is small. The remaining amount detecting means is provided. Then, the ink is supplied from the ink cartridge to the ink tank according to the detection result of the remaining amount detecting means.

[0006]

However, in the conventional example as described above, the ink tank does not always have a sufficient amount of ink, and there is a little ink from the detection area of the remaining amount detecting means. In such a case, in order to stabilize the ink consumption of the image forming operation or the ink discharge state of the head, in such a case, head cleaning is performed to supply the ink to the head by using other means such as a pump. In some cases, due to ink consumption, etc., a "no ink" signal is generated by the remaining amount detecting means during each of the above operations.

In this case, in order to avoid an image defect due to lack of ink, it is necessary to temporarily suspend the above-mentioned image forming operation, supply ink from the ink cartridge to the ink tank, and then return to the original operation. Not
As a result, there is a problem that it takes extra time.

The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and an object thereof is to provide means for solving the above problems.

[0009]

Means for Solving the Problems] was to achieve the object
Therefore, in the present invention , the inkjet image forming method is
It is configured as in (1) to (3). (1) Ink jet recording head for image formation and
Ink storage means for storing ink, and the ink storage
First ink supply means for filling the means with ink;
From the ink storage means to the inkjet recording head
A second ink supply means for supplying ink to
Inkjet image forming method using image forming apparatus
Te, i) an image data mapping start step, ii) the subsequent to step i), the first ink supply means
To start the ink supply to the ink storage means by
Ink supply start step, and iii) following step ii), the ink storage means
Supply step of supplying ink, iv) a step of determining the end of the image data development, and v) the end of the ink when the end is determined in step iv).
Ink supply end step of ending ink supply to the storage means
If, vi) said subsequent to step v), said second ink supply means
From the ink storage means to the inkjet recording
A process that ejects the ink supplied to the head to form an image.
An inkjet image forming method comprising: (2) After the step vi) is completed, the first ink is supplied.
An ink supply unit supplies ink to the ink storage unit.
Ink supply step vii), and before the time for supplying the ink
The above step ii) to step v) which changes depending on the time
The inkjet image forming method according to (1). (3) Each time the image data is expanded, the first ink supply is performed.
Before supplying ink to the ink storage means by the supply means
The inkjet image forming method according to item (1).

[0010]

[0011]

[0012]

[0013]

[0014]

In the present invention configured as [action] above, in images data development of the image forming apparatus, image formation at the end, etc., the waiting time for the user performs ink supply appropriate, also in the ink supply By enabling the interruption of other operations, the ink in the ink tank is constantly filled until the ink in the ink cartridge becomes "absent", and the operation is interrupted during image formation or head cleaning. It becomes possible to move without.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
A detailed description will be given with reference to the drawings based on a plurality of embodiments.

[0016]

【Example】

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 shows a simplified flow path diagram of an ink jet printer according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numeral 1 is a (ink jet recording) head, 2 is an ink recovery tub, 3 is an ink cartridge, 4 is an atmosphere communication port, 5 is an exhaust ink storage chamber, 12 is a main tank, and 15
Is a sub tank, 16 is an ink remaining amount detecting means, and 17 is a sub tank opening / closing lever.

In this printer, in order to apply external pressure to the ink and move the ink, three pumps 40,
50 and 60 are provided. The operations involving these pumps are roughly classified into the following three types: 1) ink supply, 2) pressurization, suction, and circulation of ink, 3) discharge ink suction.

Each of these operations will be described below with reference to FIG. 1: 1) <Ink supply> Operation for transferring the ink contained in the ink cartridge 3 to the main tank 12 in the printer: First, the opening / closing lever 17 moves in the direction of arrow A to seal the sub tank 15. Then, the pump I40 rotates in the direction of the arrow a to depressurize the buffer 113. Then, the ink 6 in the cartridge 3 is stored in the needle 8 and the tube 4.
1, passing through the one-way valve 10 and guided to the buffer 113.

Then, the ink is filled in the sub-tank 15 through the tube 42, and when the ink is filled up to a certain predetermined level, it passes through the needle 7 through the tube 45 and returns to the inside of the cartridge 3, and when the operation is completed, it is opened and closed. Lever 1
7 moves in the direction of arrow B to open the sub tank 15 to the atmosphere.

2) <Pressure, Suction, and Circulation> Operation for sending the ink in the main tank 12 to the head 1: The pump I40 rotates in the direction of arrow b, and the ink in the sub tank 15 passes through the tube 42 to the buffer 113. And through the one-way valve 11 to pressurize the ink to the head 1 via the tubes 43 and 44. Ink does not return to the cartridge 3 because of the presence of the one-way valve 10.

The pump II 50 rotates in the C direction to suck ink from the head 1 through the tubes 53 and 52 and the buffer 214 and return the ink to the sub tank 15. At this time, since the pump I40 and the pump II50 have a difference in performance and a difference in rotation time, the ink 20 discharged from the head 1 is generated.

3) <Suction of discharged ink> The ink 20 discharged from the head 1 by pressure, suction, circulation, etc. is discharged into the recovery trough 2: the discharged ink 20 is pump III.
The tube 61 is rotated by the rotation of 60 in the direction of arrow d.
Via the needle 9 and into the discharged ink storage chamber 5 in the cartridge 3.

In a normal image forming operation, ink ejected from the head 1 adheres to a recording medium such as paper to form an image. The ink is connected to the sub-tank 15 through the tube and the buffer, but the ink used in the head 1 is sequentially supplied from the sub-tank 15 by the capillary phenomenon.

Conventionally, when the liquid level of the sub-tank 15 is lowered due to pressurization, suction or image formation of the ink, and the liquid level of the ink is lowered to the ink remaining amount detecting face 18, the ink remaining amount detecting means 16 causes the "ink""None" is detected, and the operation of <ink supply> is entered as an interrupt operation at the next operation. Therefore, the image forming operation is interrupted and it takes extra time. In the embodiment of the present invention, the ink is supplied during the standby time of the printer during the development of the image forming data or after the completion of printing.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of the ink supply operation sequence of the embodiment of the present invention.

When the image forming opening / image data is input in step S1 while the printer is in the standby state, ink supply is started (step S3) while the image data is being developed (step S2). Ink is being supplied (step S
4) If the expansion of the image data is not completed, step S4
When the process returns to step S11 and ends, the ink supply also ends (step S
6).

Next, image formation is started (step S
7) and ends in step S8. Next, the ink supply is started (step S9), and the supply is continued (step S9).
10), the ink supply is completed (step S11), and the printer enters the standby state.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, during the development of image data, until the completion of the development, and after the image formation,
The image forming apparatus is characterized in that ink is supplied only for a fixed time.

(Embodiment 2) In Embodiment 1, as shown in FIG. 2, in step S2, during the development of the image data, the development is completed in step S5, and after the image formation, the ink is printed for a predetermined time. Although the ink was supplied, in the second embodiment, as shown in the ink supply operation sequence flowchart of FIG. 3, the ink supply during the image data expansion (step S22) does not depend on the completion of the image data expansion (step S26). Instead, ink is supplied for the total predetermined time t ₁ from step S23 to step S25, and the supply time t ₁ and the image formation are completed (step S2).
8) The time T = t ₁ + t _{2 obtained} by adding the total ink supply time t ₂ from the subsequent steps S29 to S31 is
The value is set to a value that is equal to or longer than the time when the sub tank 15 can be sufficiently filled with ink.

T = t ₁ {ink supply start (step S2
3) + ink supply (step S24) + ink supply end (step S25)} + t ₂ {ink supply start (step S29) + ink supply (step S30) + ink supply end (step S31)} That is, the present embodiment 2 Is the same as the ink supply operation shown in FIG.
The image forming apparatus is configured as shown in the sequence flowchart of FIG.

(Third Embodiment) In the second embodiment (FIG. 3), the ink supply time t performed during the development of image data.
_The ink supply time T obtained by adding ₁ and the ink supply time t ₂ performed after the image formation is set to a certain set value. However, in the third embodiment, the ink supply operation sequence flowchart of FIG. As shown in, the ink supply time from the image data development (step S42) to the end (step S45) is an unspecified time t ₁ to the sub tank 1
5 is T, an ink supply time capable of sufficiently filling the ink with ink is the ink supply time t performed after image formation.
₂ ~ is determined by the following formula.

T ₂ ′ = T (ink supply time for the sub tank to be sufficiently filled with ink) + t ₁ ′ {ink supply start (step S43) + ink supply (step S44) +
Image data development (step S45) + ink supply end (step S46)} That is, in the third embodiment, the ink supply operation is performed as shown in FIG.
The image forming apparatus is configured as shown in the sequence flowchart of FIG.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, the user can interrupt the work by performing the ink supply operation during the image forming data development of the inkjet image forming apparatus or after the image forming is completed. In addition, it is possible to supply ink, and it is possible for the user to save unnecessary time.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a simplified flow chart of an inkjet printer according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an ink supply operation sequence flowchart of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an ink supply operation sequence flowchart of the second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of an ink supply operation sequence according to a third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Inkjet recording head 2 Recovery tub 3 Ink cartridge 4 Ink cartridge Atmosphere communication port 5 Discharged ink storage chamber 6 Ink cartridge ink 7, 8, 9 Needle 10, 11 One-way valve 12 Main tank 13 Buffer 1 14 Buffer 2 15 Sub tank 16 Ink Remaining amount detecting means 17 Sub tank opening / closing lever 18 Ink remaining amount detecting liquid level 20 Discharged ink 40 Pump I 50 Pump II 60 Pump III 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 51, 52, 53, 6
1 tube

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A an ink jet recording head for image formation, the ink storing means for storing the i ink, the first ink supply to meet the ink to the Lee <br/> ink storage means
Means, and the ink storage means from the ink storage means.
Inkjet image forming method using image forming apparatus having second ink supplying means for supplying ink to recording head
Method , i) image data development start step, and ii) subsequent to the step i), the first ink supply means
To start the ink supply to the ink storage means by
Ink supply start step, and iii) following step ii), the ink storage means
Supply step of supplying ink, iv) a step of determining the end of the image data development, and v) the end of the ink when the end is determined in step iv).
Ink supply end step of ending ink supply to the storage means
If, vi) said subsequent to step v), said second ink supply means
From the ink storage means to the inkjet recording
A process that ejects the ink supplied to the head to form an image.
Inkjet image formation characterized by having
Way . 2. After completion of step vi), the first step
The ink is supplied to the ink storage means by the ink supply means.
Ink supply step vii) for supplying and supplying the ink
The time varies depending on the time from step ii) to step v).
Inkjet image forming method according to claim 1, characterized in that that. 3. Each time the image data is expanded, the first
The ink is supplied to the ink storage means by the ink supply means.
The inkjet image forming method according to claim 1, wherein the ink is supplied .