JP3535821B2 - Recording device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording apparatus, and more particularly, to a recording apparatus that records using an ink jet recording head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a recording apparatus for recording using an ink jet recording head and a facsimile apparatus using the apparatus as a recording section, ink residual amount detection has been conventionally performed using a photo interrupter type sensor. By this detection, it is determined whether there is ink remaining in the device, and if it is determined that there is no ink remaining, a message is displayed, for example, to interrupt the recording operation and prompt replacement of the ink tank or ink cartridge. Processing such as displaying, blinking a warning lamp, or sounding an alarm has been performed.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, since the presence or absence of ink is determined by the result of the detection of the amount of ink remaining once, it may be determined that there is no ink remaining in the apparatus. On the contrary, it was often determined that there was no ink, even though there was residual ink. this is,
It was one of the biggest complaints for users.

Further, if the storage operation is continued with an extremely small amount of remaining ink, the quality of the recorded image is deteriorated, the received facsimile image cannot be read, the recording paper is wasted, and the apparatus normally records. There is also a problem that it is impossible to recover the received image data by erasing the received image data from the image memory, considering that the operation is completed.

Further, when different types of ink tanks, recording heads, or ink cartridges in which the recording head and the ink tank are integrated can be mounted in a recording apparatus or a facsimile apparatus, for example, the number of ink ejection nozzles is increased for high-speed recording. The recording head and the ink tank that stores the ink with a low density for giving priority to the quality of the recorded image have different ink remaining amount detection conditions. There was also the problem that it could not be detected.

Further, in the color recording apparatus and the color facsimile apparatus, the ink remaining amount detection conditions such as the ink ejection amount, ejection frequency, and ejection speed in detecting the ink remaining amount of each color of ink are different for each color. There is also a problem that the remaining ink amount cannot be accurately detected unless the difference is accurately considered.

The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional example, and provides a recording apparatus capable of performing stable ink remaining amount detection under various conditions and performing recording control based on the remaining ink amount. It is an object.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the recording apparatus of the present invention has the following constitution.

That is, a recording apparatus for recording by ejecting ink supplied from an ink tank for storing ink from a recording head onto a recording medium, the light emitting means and a light receiving means for receiving light emitted by the light emitting means. A detection unit including a detection unit, and a detection control unit configured to cause the recording head to eject ink on an optical axis between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit and to obtain an output value of the light receiving unit. A storage unit that stores the output value of the light receiving unit obtained by the detection control unit including past detection results; an output value of the light receiving unit obtained by the detection control unit; and a storage unit stored in the storage unit. Based on the result of comparing the output value history of the light receiving unit including the past detection result, a determination unit that determines the presence or absence of the remaining ink amount in the ink tank, and a determination result by the determination unit , A recording apparatus characterized by comprising a recording control means for controlling recording by said recording head.

Here, when the output value of the light receiving unit obtained in the latest detection is substantially the same as the output value of the light receiving unit obtained in the past detection, the determining unit determines that ink remains. If it is determined that the output value of the light receiving unit obtained in the latest detection is significantly different from the output value of the light receiving unit obtained in the past detection, it may be determined that the ink is exhausted.

[0011]

The detecting means is a light emitting means such as an infrared LED which emits light to a position where ink ejected from the ink ejection port of the recording head passes, and a phototransistor which receives the light. It is desirable to include a different light receiving means.

[0013]

Further, the recording head can be selectively mounted from a plurality of recording heads having different characteristics, and the storage means can obtain the light receiving means obtained by the detection control means for each of the plurality of mountable recording heads. It is better to store the output value of.

Further, when the recording head is a color recording head for performing color recording by ejecting ink of a plurality of colors, the storage means stores the output value of the light receiving means obtained by the detection control means. It is preferable to store the inks of the plurality of colors.

[0016]

[0017]

[0018]

According to the present invention having the above-described structure, the output value from the light receiving means is stored in the storage means including the past output result, and the output value from the light receiving means obtained in the latest detection and the storage means are stored. Based on the result of comparison with the output value from the light receiving means obtained in the past detection stored, it is judged whether there is ink remaining in the ink tank, and the recording by the recording head is controlled according to the judgment result. To work.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing the construction of a facsimile apparatus having a recording section for recording with a recording head according to the ink jet system which is a typical embodiment of the present invention.

With reference to FIG. 1, a schematic structure of the facsimile apparatus will be described. In FIG. 1, A is a reading unit that optically reads a document, B is a recording unit that performs recording according to an inkjet method, and C is a recording medium such as recording paper P stacked in a paper feed cassette, which is separated and recorded one by one. This is a paper feeding unit that supplies the paper to the unit B.

First, the flow of the recording paper P will be described.
The conveyance path of the recording paper P is as shown by an arrow G. That is,
The recording paper P stacked in the paper feed cassette 1 of the paper feed unit C is picked up by the paper feed roller 2 and the retard roller 3 and sent to the recording unit B by the paper feed roller 2.
In the recording unit B, the recording head 5 ejects ink onto the recording paper P to perform recording, and the recording paper P is conveyed in accordance with the recording. When the recording is completed, the recording paper P is discharged and stacked on the discharge stacker 7 by the discharge roller 6.

Next, the specific structure of the paper feed section C will be described.

In FIG. 1, a paper feed cassette 1 for accommodating a plurality of recording papers P is provided with an intermediate plate 4 for accommodating the recording papers P. The middle plate 4 is urged upward from the back surface by a middle plate spring 10 arranged to face the feeding roller 2. Further, the middle plate 4 is structured so that it can be easily replenished when the recording paper P is reduced or lost due to being pressed downward by a cam or the like during the paper feed standby.

On the other hand, when the recording signal is detected and the paper feeding operation is started, the downward pressing of the intermediate plate 4 by the cam or the like is released,
The recording paper P is picked up by the paper feed roller 2.
The retard roller 3 is at a position facing the paper feed roller 2 and changes the position of the recording paper P in conjunction with the intermediate plate 4. When the paper feeding operation is performed, the recording sheet P, which is urged by the middle plate 4 and picked up by the paper feeding roller 2, is separated and fed by the J section in cooperation with the paper feeding roller 2. To send. The recording paper P that has been separated and fed is conveyed to the recording unit B while being pinched so as to be sufficiently wrapped around the feeding roller 2.

Further, the discharging mechanism of the recording paper P recorded in the recording section B will be described.

The recording paper P ejected by the paper ejection roller 6 is ejected and stacked on the paper ejection stacker 7. The paper ejection stacker 7 is provided with a paper ejection auxiliary tray 9 having a hinge K as a center of rotation, and is rotated when the recording paper P to be used is long so that the paper ejection stacker is ejected in the recording paper ejection direction. It can be made longer. Further, the paper discharge stacker 7 has a structure that also serves as a cover of the paper feed cassette 1. A plurality of ribs (not shown) are provided on the paper discharge stacker 7 and the paper discharge auxiliary tray 9, and the recording paper P on which recording is performed slides on the plurality of ribs and is sequentially stacked.

Further, the flow of the image original S will be described.

The document transport path is as shown by arrow F in FIG. In FIG. 1, the image document S is stacked on the document stacking tray 41 with its image side facing down. Document stacking tray 4
The image document S stacked on the sheet 1 is positioned by the slider 42 movable in the width direction. When the image original S is stacked on the original stacking tray 41, the original is pressed by the preliminary conveying pressing piece 43 from above by the preliminary conveying spring 44, and is separated and preliminarily conveyed in cooperation with the separation roller 46.

Next, the pre-conveyed image original S is separated and conveyed one by one from the lower side by the cooperative action of the separating piece 45 and the separating roller 46 pressed by the ADF spring 47 from above. Further, the separation roller 46 also serves to convey the separated image original S to the reading position.
The image drawn on the image original S separated and conveyed to the reading position by the separation roller 46 in this manner is read by the photoelectric conversion sensor 48. The CS roller 49 is urged from above by the CS pressing spring 50 along the reading line of the photoelectric conversion sensor 48, and the separated and conveyed image original S is brought into close contact with the reading line. Further, the CS roller 49 not only determines the reading speed of the image original S in the sub-scanning direction (conveyance direction of the image original) but also serves to discharge the image original S that has been read. Finally, the discharged image original S is stored in the original discharge tray 5
1 is discharged and stacked. The document discharge tray 51 has a structure that can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body.

FIG. 2 is a three-dimensional perspective view showing the detailed structure of the recording section B. As shown in FIG. 2, the recording head 5 is a cartridge type recording head which has an ink tank built therein and can be replaced with a new one when the ink is exhausted.

In FIG. 2, the carriage 15 holds the recording head 5 with high precision, and in the direction (main scanning direction, arrow H direction) orthogonal to the conveying direction of the recording paper P (sub scanning direction, arrow G direction). Move back and forth. The carriage 15 is slidably held by the guide rod 16 and the abutting portion 15a. The reciprocating movement of the carriage 15 is carried out by a pulley 17 and a timing belt 18 driven by a carriage motor 30 (not shown). At this time, a recording signal and electric power supplied to the recording head 5 are supplied to the main body of the apparatus by a flexible cable 19. Supplied from the circuit. The recording head 5 and the flexible cable 19 are connected by press-contacting each other.

A cap 20 is provided at the home position of the carriage 15 of the recording section B and functions as an ink receiver. The cap 20 moves up and down as needed, and when it rises, it comes into close contact with the recording head 5 to cover its nozzle portion and prevent evaporation of ink and adhesion of dust.

Now, in this apparatus, in order to position the recording head 5 and the cap 20 so as to be relatively opposed to each other, a carriage home sensor 21 provided in the apparatus main body and a light shielding provided in the carriage 15 are provided. Board 15b
Is used. A transmission type photo interrupter is used for the carriage home sensor 21, and when the carriage 15 moves to the standby position, the light emitted from a part of the carriage home sensor 21 is blocked by the light shielding plate 15b. Using the recording head 5
And the cap 20 are relatively opposed to each other.

The recording paper P is fed upward from the lower side in the drawing,
The sheet is bent in the horizontal direction by the feeding roller 2 and the paper guide 22 and is conveyed in the arrow G direction (sub-scanning direction). The feed roller 2 and the paper discharge roller 6 are driven by a recording motor (not shown), and the carriage 15 is driven as necessary.
The recording paper P is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction with high accuracy in conjunction with the reciprocating movement of the recording paper P. Further, in the sub-scanning direction, there is provided a spur 23 which is made of a material having high water repellency and which comes into contact with the recording paper P only at its blade-shaped circumferential portion. The spurs 23 are arranged at a plurality of positions facing the paper discharge roller 6 and are separated by a predetermined length in the main scanning direction by the bearing member 23a. The recording paper P is guided and conveyed without affecting the above.

As shown in FIG. 3, the photo sensor 8 is arranged between the cap 20 and the edge of the recording paper P so as to face the nozzle row 5c of the recording head 5, and is ejected from the nozzles of the recording head 5. It is a transmissive photointerrupter that directly optically detects the formed ink droplets, and can determine the ink-free state of the recording head 5 from its output.

The photosensor 8 used here uses an infrared LED as a light emitting element, and a lens is integrally formed on the LED light emitting surface so that light can be projected approximately parallel to the light receiving element. A phototransistor is used for the light receiving element, and the light receiving surface of the light receiving element is 0.7 mm x
A 0.7 mm hole is formed on the optical axis, and the detection range is 0.7 m in the height direction in the entire area between the light receiving element and the light emitting element.
m in the width direction and 0.7 mm in the width direction. Further, the optical axis connecting the light emitting element and the light receiving element is arranged in parallel with the nozzle row 5c of the recording head 5, and the distance between the light receiving element and the light receiving element is wider than that of the nozzle row 5c of the recording head 5, and the optical axis and the recording head. When the positions of the nozzle rows 5c of No. 5 match, the recording head 5
All the ink droplets ejected from the respective nozzles are configured to be able to pass through the detection range between the light emitting element and the light receiving element.
When the ink droplet passes through the detection range, the ink droplet blocks light from the light emitting side, reduces the amount of light to the light receiving side, and changes in the output of the phototransistor, which is a light receiving element, can be obtained.

The nozzle array of the recording head 5 and the photo sensor 8
Similarly to the positioning with the cap 20, the carriage home sensor 21 provided in the main body of the apparatus is used to position the and so as to be relatively opposed to each other.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the nozzle row 5 of the recording head 5 at the home position (HP) is used.
The distance (L) moving from the position c to the optical axis of the photosensor 8 is converted into the number of steps of the motor that drives the carriage 15, and is set as a constant in the control program that executes the recording operation in advance. In this way, by moving the carriage by a fixed amount after detecting the home position, it is possible to accurately position the ink column of the recording head 5 and the optical axis of the photo sensor 8 relatively opposite to each other. Then, the recording head 5 is moved to the vicinity of the photo sensor 8 before or after the recording operation of one page is started, and the ink ejection operation is performed so as to cross the optical axis from the infrared LED 81 which is a light emitting element as shown in FIG. Then, the remaining amount of ink is detected. Here, if the ejected ink crosses the optical axis and blocks the light reaching the phototransistor 82 which is the light receiving element of the photosensor 8, it is determined that the ink is ejected normally.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of the facsimile apparatus shown in FIG. In FIG. 5, 101 is an MPU for controlling the operation of the entire facsimile apparatus,
Reference numeral 102 denotes a ROM that stores a control program for controlling the operation of the facsimile apparatus, table data, and the like. Reference numeral 103 denotes, for example, system data registered in the facsimile apparatus for transmitting / receiving the facsimile, transmitted image data, unrecorded received image data, and This is a RAM for storing the output value of the remaining ink amount detection and the like. In addition, even if the power supply is cut off, the system data and the output value of the ink remaining amount detection etc.
SRAM with backup power supply to store information
It is desirable to store in

In such an SRAM, the value converted from the light reception attenuation amount of the photo interrupter due to the detection of the remaining ink amount or the characteristics of each recording head when the recording heads having different characteristics can be mounted. It is also used as a recording area for recording. Furthermore, when a color recording head is mounted and color recording is performed with a plurality of color inks, image data for each color component is stored in the RAM.

Further, 104 is a communication unit including an NCU, a modem for image communication (including a DTMF receiver, a tone signal transmitter, a tone signal receiver), a call signal (CI) detector, etc., and 107 is a ten-key pad, a one-touch key. A keyboard operation unit such as a printer mode key and a display unit such as an LCD or an LED; a speaker unit 108 for making operation sounds, warning sounds, alarm sounds, and pseudo-call sounds; and 109 for storing transmission image data in the RAM. The encoding / decoding unit is composed of an encoding unit for encoding the received image data and a decoding unit for decoding the received image data when recording the received image data. Is.

Reference numeral 111 denotes a CPU bus which connects various components to each other.

The facsimile apparatus having the above construction is
Not only the transmission / reception of a facsimile image and the recording of a received image, but also a copy operation of recording an image original read by the reading unit A in the recording unit B, a report output of outputting facsimile transmission / reception information from the recording unit B, and the like can be executed. it can.

The details of the reading section A, the recording section B, and the photosensor 8 have already been described, and the description thereof is omitted here.

Next, the recording operation and the ink remaining amount detection operation is executed in the facsimile apparatus of the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, in step S201, necessary recording paper size, recording margin, recording density, and other parameters are initialized to perform recording based on image data. Next, in step S202, the recording paper is moved to the recording start position.

Further, in step S203, it is confirmed whether or not the recording paper is fed or the recording paper jam has occurred. Here, if it is determined that a feed error or a recording paper jam has occurred, the process proceeds to step S209 to hold the image data stored in a predetermined area of the RAM 103 for recording, and
Further, in step S210, a message indicating that recording is impossible is displayed on the LCD, the LED blinks, and a warning sound is emitted. Then, the process is step S2.
Proceed to 12.

On the other hand, if it is determined that no feed error or recording paper jam has occurred, the process proceeds to step S204, and recording is performed using image data corresponding to one page of recording paper. Next, in step S205, it is confirmed whether the recording of the image data for one page is completed. Here, if it is determined that the recording has not ended, the process returns to step S204 to continue the recording operation, and if it is determined that the recording has ended, the process proceeds to step S206.
Then, the recording paper is discharged.

Next, in step S207, the processing is as follows.
Detect the remaining amount of ink.

In this operation, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the ink is ejected from the recording head 5 and the light emitting element 8 of the photo sensor 8 is used.
1 (LED) to light receiving element 82 (phototransistor)
The discharge is performed so as to block the light emitted to the light source, and the decrease change of the photocurrent detected from the light receiving element 82 is captured. At the same time, the sensor output value of the phototransistor 82 is stored in the storage area of the RAM 103. It is desirable to secure this storage area as large as the size allows. Further, in this embodiment, the sensor output values are sequentially stored, and when the storage area becomes full, the latest sensor output values are always included by overwriting the latest information in the most past history. The history of a certain past period is retained.

Then, in step S208, the remaining ink amount is judged based on the past history. That is, when the latest sensor output value is substantially the same as the past sensor output value, it is determined that the remaining ink amount is sufficient. On the other hand, when the latest sensor output value is significantly different from the past sensor output value, it is determined that the state of the ink remaining amount has changed, that is, the ink has run out. Further, when the latest sensor output value shows only a slight change compared to the past sensor output value, it is determined that the sign of the state of the remaining ink amount is changing, that is, the ink is about to run out.

In this way, when it is determined in step S208 that there is no ink remaining, the process proceeds to step S209. On the other hand, step S20
If it is determined that there is ink in step 8, the process proceeds to step S
Proceed to 211.

If it is determined that the ink is about to run out, the process may proceed to step S209 to perform a warning process, or, although not shown in the flowchart, a residual ink warning is issued. While step S
You may proceed to 211.

In step S211, it is confirmed whether or not there is image data for recording on the next recording sheet. If it is determined that there is the next image data, the process proceeds to step S.
Returning to 202, the above operation is repeated. On the other hand, if it is determined that there is no next image data, the process proceeds to step S212, waits until the recording paper is completely ejected, performs recording end processing, and ends the processing.

Therefore, according to the embodiment described above, the presence or absence of the remaining ink amount is determined by comparing and referring to the detected remaining ink amount detection result and the past history. Since it is possible to reduce the influence of the error included in the one-time remaining ink amount detection caused by the accuracy, the detection accuracy in the detection is improved. This makes it possible to perform stable ink level detection.

Incidentally, the recording in the above description means recording of a facsimile received image, a copy image and a report image. In the case of a facsimile machine with a printer function, it also means recording of image data transferred from a computer connected to the facsimile machine. In the case of such an apparatus, when the ink remaining amount detection instruction command from the computer is received, the above-described ink remaining amount detection is controlled so that the remaining ink amount is not detected after the recording of each page of the recording paper is completed. It is also possible to suppress the ink consumption by not performing the condition.

In the embodiment described above, the remaining ink amount is detected after the recording of one page of the recording paper is completed, but in addition to this, a menu for detecting the remaining amount of ink when the apparatus is powered on, when the ink cartridge is replaced, and the like. May be performed when the recording paper is fed or the facsimile data is received.

Further, although the characteristics of the ink tank and the ink cartridge are not particularly mentioned in the above-described embodiments, the ink tank and the ink cartridge are selectively mounted from a plurality of ink tanks and ink cartridges having different characteristics. If it can be used for each ink tank and ink cartridge, it is possible to obtain the remaining ink level detection result suitable for each ink tank or ink cartridge by storing multiple history information for each ink tank or ink cartridge that can be mounted. You can

Furthermore, although the characteristics of the recording head are not particularly mentioned in the embodiments described above, if the recording head can be selectively mounted from a plurality of recording heads having different characteristics, the recording head can be mounted. By storing a plurality of characteristic information corresponding to each individual print head, it is possible to obtain an ink remaining amount detection result suitable for each print head.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments, neither the recording unit capable of color recording nor the recording unit dedicated to monochrome recording was specified, but when the recording unit is capable of color recording. It is also possible to secure a storage area for storing the history of the remaining ink amount according to the color of each ink used, and use this to detect the remaining ink amount of each color.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the control is performed such that the presence or absence of the ink remaining amount is estimated with reference to the past history and the recording operation is stopped, but the present invention is limited by this. is not. For example, the recording operation may be continued while the remaining ink amount warning is issued.

Furthermore, the ink tank,
When the ink cartridge or recording head is replaced, the device may be equipped with a sensor to detect the attachment / detachment, and the past history of the ink remaining amount detection result may be automatically deleted.
The user may be notified of whether or not to erase the information, and the information may be erased according to an instruction from the user.

Furthermore, when an individual ID is provided so that the ink tanks, ink cartridges, or recording heads can be individually distinguished, the same ID tank and ink cartridge are detected again by detecting the individual ID. Alternatively, when the recording head is mounted, the past history of the ink remaining amount detection result may not be erased or may be selectively erased.

Furthermore, the history information regarding the ink remaining amount detection result is stored for each individual ID of the ink tank, the ink cartridge, or the recording head, so that the ink tank, the ink cartridge, or the recording head is replaced by the user. In that case, the individual ID is detected,
If the history of the ink remaining amount detection result that matches the detected individual ID is still stored and held, the past history of the ink remaining amount detection result may be referred to again.

In the above-described embodiment, particularly in the ink jet recording system, a means (for example, an electrothermal converter or a laser beam) for generating thermal energy as energy used for ejecting ink is provided. High density and high definition recording can be achieved by using a method of causing a change in ink state by energy.

Regarding its typical structure and principle, see, for example, US Pat. Nos. 4,723,129 and 4740.
What is done using the basic principles disclosed in 796 is preferred. This method can be applied to both the so-called on-demand type and continuous type, but especially in the case of the on-demand type, liquid (ink)
By applying at least one drive signal to the electrothermal transducer arranged corresponding to the sheet or liquid path in which is stored, which corresponds to the recorded information and gives a rapid temperature rise exceeding nucleate boiling. Since the electrothermal converter is caused to generate heat energy to cause film boiling on the heat-acting surface of the recording head, as a result, bubbles in the liquid (ink) corresponding to the drive signal in a one-to-one relationship can be formed. It is valid. The liquid (ink) is ejected through the ejection openings by the growth and contraction of the bubbles to form at least one droplet. It is more preferable to make this drive signal in a pulse shape, because bubbles can be grown and contracted immediately and appropriately, and thus a liquid (ink) with excellent responsiveness can be achieved.

As the pulse-shaped drive signal, those described in US Pat. Nos. 4,463,359 and 4,345,262 are suitable. If the conditions described in US Pat. No. 4,313,124 of the invention relating to the rate of temperature rise on the heat acting surface are adopted, more excellent recording can be performed.

As the constitution of the recording head, in addition to the combination constitution of the discharge port, the liquid passage, and the electrothermal converter (the linear liquid passage or the right-angled liquid passage) as disclosed in the above-mentioned specifications, The present invention also includes configurations using US Pat. No. 4,558,333 and US Pat. No. 4,459,600, which disclose configurations in which the heat-acting surface is arranged in a bending region. In addition, for multiple electrothermal converters,
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 59-123670, which discloses a structure in which a common slot is used as a discharge portion of an electrothermal converter, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-63, which discloses a structure in which an opening for absorbing a pressure wave of thermal energy is associated with the discharge portion A configuration based on Japanese Patent No. 138461 may be used.

Further, 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 is a combination of a plurality of recording heads as disclosed in the above specification. Either of the structure satisfying the requirement or the structure as one recording head integrally formed may be used.

In addition to the cartridge type recording head in which the ink tank is integrally provided in the recording head itself described in the above embodiment, the recording head is electrically connected to the apparatus main body by being attached to the apparatus main body. A replaceable chip-type recording head that enables various connections and supply of ink from the apparatus main body may be used.

Further, it is preferable to add recovery means for the recording head, preliminary means, etc. to the structure of the recording apparatus described above because the recording operation can be made more stable. Specific examples thereof include capping means, cleaning means, pressurizing or suctioning means for the recording head,
There is an electrothermal converter, a heating element other than this, or a preheating means by a combination thereof. Further, provision of a preliminary ejection mode for performing ejection different from recording is also effective for stable recording.

In the above-described embodiments, the explanation is made on the premise that the ink is a liquid, but even if the ink solidifies at room temperature or lower, one that softens or liquefies at room temperature is used. Or, in the inkjet method, it is general that the temperature of the ink itself is adjusted within a range of 30 ° C. or higher and 70 ° C. or lower to control the temperature of the ink so that the viscosity of the ink is in a stable ejection range.
It suffices that the ink is in a liquid state when the use recording signal is applied.

In addition, in order to positively prevent the temperature rise due to thermal energy from being used as energy for changing the state of the ink from the solid state to the liquid state,
Alternatively, in order to prevent the ink from evaporating, an ink that solidifies in a standing state and liquefies by heating may be used. In any case, by applying heat energy, such as ink that is liquefied by applying heat energy according to the recording signal and liquid ink is ejected, or that begins to solidify when it reaches the recording medium. The present invention can be applied to the case where an ink having a property of being liquefied for the first time is used. In such a case, the ink is retained as a liquid or solid in the recesses or through holes of the porous sheet as described in JP-A-54-56847 or JP-A-60-71260. It may be configured to face the electrothermal converter. In the present invention, the most effective one for each of the above-mentioned inks is to execute the above-mentioned film boiling method.

In addition, the form of the recording apparatus according to the present invention may be provided integrally or separately as an image output terminal of an information processing device such as a computer, or may be in the form of a copying apparatus combined with a reader or the like. It may be one.

Even when the present invention is applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices (for example, host computer, interface device, reader, printer, etc.), a device composed of one device (for example, a copying machine, a facsimile). Device).

Further, an object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium having a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus, and to supply a computer (or CPU) of the system or apparatus.
It is needless to say that it can be achieved by reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD
-R, magnetic tape, non-volatile memory card, ROM, etc. can be used.

Moreover, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by executing the program code read by the computer, but also the OS (operating system) running on the computer based on the instructions of the program code. It is needless to say that this also includes a case where the above) performs a part or all of the actual processing and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written in the memory provided in the function expansion board inserted into the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instruction of the program code, It goes without saying that a case where the CPU or the like included in the function expansion board or the function expansion unit performs some or all of the actual processing and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is also included.

[0083]

As described above, according to the present invention, even if the condition for detecting the remaining ink amount varies, the past history is also taken into consideration and not the single remaining ink amount detection. By determining the presence or absence of the remaining ink amount, it is possible to more stably detect the remaining ink amount and perform the recording control based on the remaining ink amount.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a configuration of a facsimile apparatus including a recording unit that performs recording by a recording head according to an inkjet system that is a typical embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a three-dimensional perspective view showing a detailed configuration of a recording unit B of the apparatus shown in FIG.

3 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration around a photo sensor 8 of a recording unit B. FIG.

FIG. 4 is an infrared LED which is a light emitting element of a photo sensor 8.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state in which ink blocks the optical axis of 81.

5 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the facsimile apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining a recording operation of the facsimile device.

[Explanation of symbols]

A reading section B recording section C paper feeder 1 paper feed cassette 5 recording head 8 photo sensors 15 carriage 20 cap 21 Carriage home sensor 81 Light emitting element (infrared LED) 82 Light receiving element (phototransistor) 101 MPU 102 ROM 103 RAM 104 Communication unit 107 Operation and display 108 speaker 109 encoding / decoding unit 111 CPU bus

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (56) Reference JP 2000-263810 (JP, A) JP 2000-246922 (JP, A) JP 11-20184 (JP, A) JP 8-11129 ( JP, A) JP 7-323645 (JP, A) JP 7-309018 (JP, A) JP 9-156118 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 2/175 B41J 2/01 H04N 1/23 101

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A supply from an ink tank for storing ink
A recording device for ejecting the generated ink from a recording head onto a recording medium to perform recording, and a light emitting means and a light receiving means for receiving the light emitted by the light emitting means.
A detecting means including; and the optical axis between the light emitting means and the light receiving means.
Ink is ejected from the recording head, and
Detection control means for controlling so as to obtain an output value, storage means for storing the output value of the light receiving means obtained by the detection control means including the detection result of the past, and detection means for the detection control means. And the output value of the light receiving means,
The received light including the past output value stored in the storage means
Based on the result of comparing the output value history of the means,
A recording apparatus, comprising: a determination unit that determines whether or not there is ink remaining in the ink tank, and a recording control unit that controls recording by the recording head according to a determination result of the determination unit. 2. The judging means is advantageous in the latest detection .
The output value of the received light obtained is obtained in the past detection .
If it is almost the same as the output value of the light receiving means, it is determined that the ink remains, and it is obtained in the latest detection .
Before the output value of the light receiving means is obtained in the past detection
The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the output value of the light receiving unit is significantly different, it is determined that the ink is exhausted. 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the light emitting means includes an infrared LED. Wherein said light receiving means, a recording apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a photo-transistor for generating an electrical signal based on the received light. 5. optionally with recording heads each characteristics from different recording heads to be mounted, the storage means, wearable said plurality of recording heads each
With respect to the light receiving means obtained by the detection control means
The recording device according to claim 1, wherein the output value is stored . Wherein said recording head is a color recording head der to perform color recording by discharging a plurality of color inks is, the storage unit, the photodetection obtained by the detection control means
The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output value of the means is stored for each of the plurality of color inks.