JP4270545B2 - Image forming apparatus, program, and computer-readable storage medium - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for controlling an operation state by the temperature of an ink jet printer, to program and a computer-readable storage medium.
[0002]
[Prior art]
An ink jet printer is an image forming apparatus that forms an image by ejecting ink. Since ink is in an unstable state of liquid, its characteristics greatly change depending on temperature. That is, as the temperature decreases, the viscosity of the ink increases and may eventually freeze. If the printer is operated in such a state, the image cannot be drawn normally, and the ink head may be destroyed. Even in a high temperature range, the viscosity decreases, the meniscus cannot be maintained, and ink drips from the ink head on the paper surface, so that normal drawing cannot be performed. In addition, in the case of a device that does not assume ink dripping, there is a possibility that the device may fail.
[0003]
Therefore, prior art relating to an ink jet printer that stops operation outside the operable range and prevents the destruction of the machine in advance, and that can be used in a wide temperature range by expanding the operating range as much as possible has been proposed ( For example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2).
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-10-305564 [Patent Document 2]
Patent No. 2714353 [0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, Patent Document 1 has the following problems.
In the vicinity of the boundary of the operable temperature range, the operable / inoperable vibration will vibrate. When such a printer is used in the vicinity of the boundary temperature, the operation can be started immediately due to the temperature change, but the temperature range may be immediately disabled again. That is, little by little vibration of stop and operation either in the printer will be going on. As a user, it becomes a device with poor operability in which a temperature change request is immediately made from the printer even if it becomes operable.
If the printer itself is also operated once near the operating environment boundary, it will be operated outside the guaranteed operating range for a longer time, placing more burden on the printer. This is undesirable for the device.
[0006]
Patent Document 2 has the following problems.
Here, the threshold is divided into the communicable temperature and the operable temperature. Therefore, actually printed can range, it would be constrained as a communication state. That is, the user cannot print unless the temperature is lower than that in the high temperature range.
[0007]
The present invention provides an image forming apparatus such as an ink jet printer that can be used in a wide temperature range by stopping the operation so as to prevent destruction of the apparatus outside the operable range and expanding the operating temperature range as much as possible. The purpose is to do.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the own apparatus in the image forming apparatus in which the operable temperature range is set according to the mode of the own apparatus, and the own apparatus. And a change means for changing the operable temperature range, and the temperature detection means in a start-up mode that is a power-on mode or an operating mode that is a mode for performing an image forming operation. When the detected temperature is outside the operable temperature range set according to the startup mode or the operating mode, the changing means changes the startup mode or the operating mode to the operation of the device itself. Is changed to a standby mode, which is a mode in which operation is stopped, and an upper limit value in the operable temperature range is an operable temperature range corresponding to the start-up mode or the operating mode According to the standby mode, which is set to be smaller than the upper limit value and the lower limit value in the operable temperature range is set to be larger than the lower limit value of the operable temperature range according to the start-up mode or the operating mode. The operating temperature range is changed .
[0009]
In addition, the program according to the present invention includes a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of the own apparatus, and sets the image forming apparatus in which the operable temperature range is set according to the mode of the own apparatus, The temperature detecting unit is operated as a changing unit that changes the operable temperature range, and the changing unit detects a temperature detected by the temperature detecting unit in a start-up mode that is a power-on mode or an operating mode that is a mode for performing an image forming operation. When the device is outside the operable temperature range set according to the startup mode or the operating mode, the standby mode is a mode in which the operation of the device is stopped when the startup mode or the operating mode is set. The upper limit value in the operable temperature range is smaller than the upper limit value of the operable temperature range corresponding to the start-up mode or the operating mode. And the lower limit value in the operable temperature range is set larger than the lower limit value of the operable temperature range according to the start-up mode or the operating mode, and the operable temperature range according to the standby mode It is characterized by operating as means for performing the process of changing to
[0010]
A computer-readable storage medium according to the present invention stores the above program .
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
In this embodiment, the operable temperature range can be made wider than that of the prior art. Due to the nature of the device, there is a property that the temperature rises when operated. For this reason, it is considered reasonable to set a low threshold value for the temperature rise. If the device is in operation, its temperature rises to a certain temperature, but then reaches equilibrium. In this state, printing may be possible. When the temperature of the prior art is set lower than this equilibrium state, the use range is narrowed. The purpose of setting the temperature at which printing can be started assumes that the temperature of the machine during printing rises. However, the elevated temperature depends on the operating state of the machine. Setting the operable temperature low when starting printing uniquely in this way narrows the operating temperature range of the printer.
The present embodiment focuses on these.
[0012]
6 and 7 are a front view and a plan view showing the configuration of the ink jet printer as the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment.
In this ink jet printer, a carriage 3 is slidably held in a main scanning direction by a guide rod 1 and a stay 2, which are horizontally mounted on left and right side plates (not shown), and a timing belt 5 is interposed by a main scanning motor 4. The moving scanning is performed in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 7 (main scanning direction).
The carriage 3 includes four inkjet heads 7 that eject ink droplets of yellow (Y), cyan (C), magenta (M), and black (Bk), and a plurality of ink ejection ports in the main scanning direction. They are arranged in the crossing direction and mounted with the ink droplet ejection direction facing downward.
[0013]
As a head constituting the ink-jet head 7, a piezoelectric actuator such as a piezoelectric element, a thermal actuator that uses a phase change caused by film boiling of a liquid using an electrothermal transducer such as a heating resistor, and a metal phase change caused by a temperature change are used. A shape memory alloy actuator, an electrostatic actuator using an electrostatic force, or the like provided as an energy generating means for discharging ink can be used.
[0014]
The carriage 3 is also equipped with sub-tanks 8 for each color for supplying ink of each color to the recording head 7. Ink is supplied to the sub tank 8 from a main tank (ink cartridge) via an ink supply tube (not shown). In addition, a temperature sensor 80 is mounted on the carriage 3. The temperature sensor is composed of a thermistor resistor. In addition to the thermistor resistor, the temperature sensor may be a thermal diode or a crystal oscillator.
[0015]
On the other hand, as a paper feeding unit for feeding the paper 12 stacked on the paper stacking unit (pressure plate) 11 such as the paper feeding cassette 10, a half-moon roller (separately feeding the paper 12 one by one from the paper stacking unit 11) The sheet feeding roller 13 and the sheet feeding roller 13 are opposed to each other, and a separation pad 14 made of a material having a large friction coefficient is provided. The separation pad 14 is urged toward the sheet feeding roller 1 side.
[0016]
As a transport unit for transporting the paper 12 fed from the paper feed unit on the lower side of the inkjet head 7, a transport belt 21 for electrostatically attracting and transporting the paper 12, and a paper feed unit A counter roller 22 for transporting the paper 12 fed through the guide 15 between the transport belt 21 and the paper 12 fed substantially vertically upward is turned approximately 90 ° and copied onto the transport belt 21. A conveying guide 23 for adjusting the pressure and a tip pressing roller 25 urged toward the conveying belt 21 by a pressing member 24. In addition, a charging roller 26 as a charging unit for charging the surface of the transport belt 21 is provided.
[0017]
Here, the conveyance belt 21 is an endless belt, is stretched between the conveyance roller 27 and the tension roller 28, and the conveyance roller 27 rotates from the sub-scanning motor 31 via the timing belt 32 and the timing roller 33. By doing so, it is configured to go around in the arrow direction (belt conveyance direction) in FIG. The conveyor belt 21 is a surface layer that is a sheet adsorbing surface formed of a resin material having a pure thickness of about 40 μm that is not subjected to resistance control, such as ETFE pure material, and resistance control by carbon is performed using the same material as the surface layer. It has a back layer (medium resistance layer, ground layer).
[0018]
The conveyor belt 21 is arranged to rotate following a pure thickness of about 40 μm without resistance control, and 2.5 N is applied to both ends of the shaft as a pressing force. Further, the transport roller 27 also serves as an earth roller, and is placed in contact with the middle resistance layer (back layer) of the transport belt 21 and is grounded.
[0019]
Further, a guide member 36 is disposed on the back side of the conveyance belt 21 so as to correspond to a printing area by the recording head 4. The upper surface of the guide member 36 protrudes closer to the inkjet head 7 than the tangent line of the two rollers (the conveyance roller 27 and the tension roller 28) that support the conveyance belt 21. As a result, the conveying belt 21 is pushed up and guided by the upper surface of the guide member 36 in the printing region.
[0020]
Further, as a paper discharge unit for discharging the paper 12 recorded by the ink jet head 7, a transport belt 21 and a paper discharge roller 43 and a paper discharge tray 44 for stocking the paper 12 to be discharged are provided. .
A double-sided paper feeding unit 51 is detachably attached to the back. The double-sided paper feeding unit 51 takes in the paper 12 returned by the reverse rotation of the transport belt 21, reverses it, and feeds it again between the counter roller 22 and the transport belt 21.
[0021]
In the ink jet printer configured as described above, the paper 12 is separated and fed one by one from the paper feed unit, and the paper 12 fed substantially vertically upward is guided by the guide 15, and the conveyance belt 21 and the counter roller 22. The tip is pressed against the conveyor belt 21 by the tip pressure roller 25 guided by the conveyor guide 23, and the conveyance direction is changed by approximately 90 degrees.
[0022]
At this time, a positive output and a negative output are alternately repeated from the high voltage power source to the charging roller 26 by a control circuit (not shown), that is, an alternating voltage is applied, and a charging pattern in which the conveying belt 21 alternates, In the sub-scanning direction, which is the direction, plus, minus, and a predetermined width are alternately charged in a band shape. When the paper 12 is fed onto the conveying belt 21 that is alternately charged with plus and minus, it polarizes to the opposite charge to the charging pattern in the paper 12, so that a capacitor connected in parallel is formed. The paper 12 is attracted to the transport belt 21, and the paper 12 is transported in the sub-scanning direction by the circular movement of the transport belt 21.
[0023]
Therefore, by driving the inkjet head 7 according to the image signal while moving the carriage 3, the ink droplets are ejected onto the stopped paper 12 to record one line, and after the paper 12 is conveyed by a predetermined amount, Make a record of the row of Kashiwagi. Upon receiving a recording end signal or a signal that the trailing edge of the paper 12 has reached the recording area, the recording operation is finished and the paper 12 is discharged onto the paper discharge tray 44.
[0024]
In the case of double-sided printing, when recording on the front surface (surface to be printed first) is completed, the recording belt 12 is fed into the double-sided paper feeding unit 51 by rotating the conveyor belt 21 in the reverse direction. The paper 12 is turned upside down (with the back surface turned into a printing surface), fed again between the counter roller 22 and the transport belt 21, controlled in timing, and transported onto the transport belt 21 as described above. After recording on the back surface, the paper is discharged onto the paper discharge tray 44.
[0025]
Next, the control unit of the ink jet printer will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 2, the control unit includes a printer controller 70, a motor driver 81 for driving the main scanning motor 4 and the sub-scanning motor 31, and a head driver (head driving circuit, driver IC for driving the inkjet head 7). 82).
[0026]
The printer controller 70 receives print data or the like from the host side via an I / F (interface) 72 via a cable or a network. Examples of the host include an information processing device such as a PC, an image reading device such as an image scanner, and an imaging device such as a digital camera. The printer controller 70 includes a main control unit 73 that includes a CPU and the like and performs operation state control and print control described later.
[0027]
The printer controller 70 is connected to a display / operation unit 83 connected to an operation unit such as an operation panel, a RAM 74 that stores various data, a ROM 75 that stores programs for various data processing, an oscillation circuit 76, and the inkjet head 7. A drive signal generating circuit 77 for generating a drive waveform of I, an I / F 78 for transmitting print data and drive waveform developed in dot pattern data (bitmap data) to the head driver 82, and motor drive data to the motor driver 81. I / F 79 is provided.
The RAM 74 is used as various buffers and work memories, and stores print control parameters and the like. The ROM 75 stores various control routines executed by the main control unit 73, font data, graphic functions, various procedures, and the like.
[0028]
The main control unit 73 reads the print data in the reception buffer included in the I / F 72, converts it into an intermediate code, stores this intermediate code data in an intermediate buffer in a predetermined area of the RAM 74, and stores the read intermediate code data in the ROM 75. Is developed into dot pattern data by using the font data stored in, and stored in different areas of the RAM 74. Note that when the printer driver print data on the host side is expanded into bitmap data and transferred to the ink jet printer, the received bitmap print data is simply stored in the RAM 74.
[0029]
When the main control unit 73 obtains dot pattern data corresponding to one row of the inkjet head 7, the main control unit 73 synchronizes the dot pattern data for one row with the clock signal CLK from the oscillation circuit 76. Serial data is sent to the head driver 82 via F78, and a latch signal is sent to the head driver 82 at a predetermined timing.
[0030]
The drive signal generation circuit 77 includes a ROM (may be ROM 75) that stores drive waveform (drive signal) pattern data, and a D / A converter that D / A converts drive waveform data read from the ROM. It is composed of a telephone generation circuit and an amplifier.
[0031]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram conceptually showing an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.
In FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus 102 according to the present invention includes an image forming apparatus operation state control means (hereinafter, control means) 110 including a printer controller 70 and the like, and serves as a temperature sensor 80 connected to the control means 110. A temperature detection unit 130, a temperature threshold selection unit (hereinafter, selection unit) 120, an operation state display unit 150 as a notification unit, and a storage unit 140 connected to the selection unit 120 are further provided. The storage unit 140 stores first to third temperature thresholds described later. The selection unit 120 and the storage unit 140 constitute a temperature threshold changing unit 160.
[0032]
The printer driver 103 connected to the image forming apparatus 102 is also provided with an operation state display unit 150. The printer driver 103 is installed in the host through a storage medium or download.
[0033]
The following describes the image forming apparatus according to the present invention constructed as described above. The image forming apparatus 103 is controlled in three operating states: a startup mode when the power is turned on, an operating mode in which a normal image forming operation such as printing is performed, and a standby mode. In each mode, the temperature detected by the temperature detecting means 130 is compared with the temperature threshold value, and predetermined control is performed based on the comparison result.
[0034]
In the present invention, different temperature thresholds are used according to the above modes. FIG. 3 shows an example of the operable temperature range determined by the temperature threshold used in each mode.
In FIG. 3, the startup mode has a temperature range of approximately 2.5 to 45 ° C., the operating mode has a temperature range of approximately 0 to 50 ° C., and the standby mode has a temperature range of approximately 5 to 40 ° C. have.
Here, the standby mode is a standby state in which the operation is stopped when the temperature detected by the temperature detection means 130 is out of the temperature range of the startup mode or the temperature range of the operating mode (out of the temperature range). It is a mode to become.
[0035]
For example, when the power is turned on, the startup mode is entered. At this time, if the detected temperature is lower than the startup temperature range of 2.5 ° C. in FIG. 3, the standby mode is entered and the heater is heated.
When the detected temperature exceeds 5 ° C. in the standby mode temperature range, the temperature becomes operable, and the apparatus shifts to the operating mode. When the temperature rises during operation and exceeds the operable temperature range of 50 ° C. in the operation mode, the standby mode is entered again. When the detected temperature falls to 40 ° C. in this standby state, the operation mode is again entered and the image forming operation is performed.
[0036]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation in the startup mode.
When the power is turned on, the operation flag is set to “0”, and the standby state flag is set to “0” (steps S1 and S2). The first temperature threshold is selected by this flag, and the operable temperature range is determined. Next, it is determined whether or not the detected temperature is out of the operable temperature range (step S3). If it is within the temperature range, the operation flag is set to “1” (step S4), and the operation is started (step S5). When the detected temperature is out of the temperature range, the standby state flag is set to “1” and the standby mode is entered (steps S6 and S7). During standby, the third temperature threshold is used to determine whether the detected temperature is within the operable temperature range (step S8). When the detected temperature is within the temperature range , the standby state flag is set to “0” (step S9), and the operation is performed. The flag is set to “1” (step S4), and the operation is started (step S5).
[0037]
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation in the operating mode.
During operation (step S11), the second temperature threshold is used to determine whether the detected temperature is out of the operable temperature range (step S12). When the temperature is out of the temperature range, the standby state flag is set to “1”, the operation flag is set to “0” (step S9), and the standby mode is set (step S14). Then, the third temperature threshold value is used, and it is determined whether the detected temperature is in the operable temperature range (step S15). When entering the temperature range , the standby flag is set to “0”, the operation flag is set to “1” (step S16), and the operation is started (step S11).
[0038]
According to the present embodiment, the temperature portion outside the operable temperature range is controlled separately using different temperature threshold values for each mode, so that the apparatus does not repeat operation / stop in small increments. Can always get stable operation.
Further, by changing the temperature threshold value for each mode, it is possible to operate in a wide range of temperatures without waste.
[0039]
The storage medium 4, the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5, pro gram for the CPU of the printer controller 70 executes constitutes a pro gram according to the present invention, stores the pro gram is present A computer-readable storage medium according to the invention is configured. As this storage medium, a semiconductor storage device, an optical / magnetic storage device, or the like can be used. Such pro gram and a storage medium, used in the system or the like having a structure different from that of the embodiment described above, by executing the pro gram therein a CPU, to afford a present substantially the same effect be able to.
[0040]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, since the temperature threshold value is changed according to the operation state, the apparatus does not vibrate between operation and stop, and the apparatus can be prevented from being destroyed. Can always get stable operation. Moreover, the user can use it in a wide temperature range.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a conceptual configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an ink jet printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing a specific example of numerical values of an operable temperature range for each mode.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation in a startup mode.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation in an in- operation mode.
FIG. 6 is a front view showing the configuration of the ink jet printer according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the configuration of the ink jet printer according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
3 Carriage 7 Inkjet head 12 Paper 70 Printer controller 73 Main controller 74 RAM
75 ROM
Reference Signs List 80 temperature sensor 83 display / operation unit 102 image forming apparatus 103 printer driver 110 control means 120 selection means 130 temperature detection means 140 storage means 150 display means 160 change means

Claims (8)

  In the image forming apparatus in which the operable temperature range is set according to the mode of the own apparatus,
  Temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the device itself;
  Changing means for changing the mode and the operable temperature range set in the own device,
  Operation is possible in which the temperature detected by the temperature detecting means is set in accordance with the startup mode or the operating mode in a startup mode that is a power-on mode or an operating mode that is an image forming operation mode If the temperature is out of range,
  The changing unit changes the startup mode or the operating mode to a standby mode that is a mode in which the operation of the own device is stopped,
  The upper limit value in the operable temperature range is set to be smaller than the upper limit value of the operable temperature range corresponding to the startup mode or the operating mode, and the lower limit value in the operable temperature range is the startup mode or The image forming apparatus, wherein the temperature is changed to an operable temperature range corresponding to the standby mode, which is set larger than a lower limit value of the operable temperature range corresponding to the operating mode.   A first threshold that is an upper limit of the operable temperature range according to the standby mode, a second threshold that is an upper limit of the operable temperature range according to the start-up mode, and the operating mode In the third threshold value that is the upper limit value of the operable temperature range, there is a relationship of the first threshold value <the second threshold value <the third threshold value,
  A fourth threshold value that is a lower limit value of the operable temperature range according to the standby mode, a fifth threshold value that is a lower limit value of the operable temperature range according to the start-up mode, and the operating mode The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein there is a relationship of fourth threshold value> fifth threshold value> sixth threshold value in the sixth threshold value that is the lower limit value of the operable temperature range.   In the standby mode, when the temperature detected by the temperature detection means falls within the operable temperature range according to the standby mode,
  The changing means changes the standby mode to the operating mode,
  The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an operable temperature range corresponding to the standby mode is changed to an operable temperature range corresponding to the operating mode.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a notification unit that notifies the mode.   The image forming apparatus is an inkjet printer,
  The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the temperature detection unit detects a temperature of the ink jet head.   An image forming apparatus having a temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the own apparatus and in which an operable temperature range is set according to the mode of the own apparatus.
  Function as a change means to change the mode and the operable temperature range set by the device itself,
  The changing means is
  Operation is possible in which the temperature detected by the temperature detecting means is set in accordance with the startup mode or the operating mode in a startup mode that is a power-on mode or an operating mode that is an image forming operation mode If the temperature is out of range,
  While changing the startup mode or the operating mode to a standby mode that is a mode in which the operation of the device is stopped,
  The upper limit value in the operable temperature range is set to be smaller than the upper limit value of the operable temperature range corresponding to the startup mode or the operating mode, and the lower limit value in the operable temperature range is the startup mode or From the lower limit of the operable temperature range according to the operating mode A program which functions as means for performing a process of changing to an operable temperature range corresponding to the standby mode, which is set to be larger than the standby mode.   The changing means,
  In the standby mode, when the temperature detected by the temperature detection means falls within the operable temperature range according to the standby mode,
  Changing the standby mode to the operating mode;
  7. The program according to claim 6, wherein the program functions as means for performing a process of changing an operable temperature range corresponding to the standby mode to an operable temperature range corresponding to the operating mode.   A computer-readable storage medium storing the program according to claim 6 or 7.

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