JP4697800B2 - Registration adjustment value determination method and recording system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a recording system for recording on the same recording medium by a plurality of recording units having a plurality of line-type recording heads, and more particularly to a registration adjustment value determining method thereof.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a recording system that performs recording using a recording head that employs an inkjet recording method, a plurality of recording heads are used in order to support color recording. Registration adjustment (also referred to as registration adjustment) is performed in which a predetermined test pattern is recorded by the plurality of recording heads to detect and adjust the positional deviation amount between the recording heads (refer to Patent Document 1).

An ink jet recording apparatus using a so-called line type recording head extending over the entire width direction of the recording medium is also known (see Patent Document 2).
JP-A-7-323582 JP 2004-106359 A

  By the way, a recording apparatus that records an image having a width wider than the recording width of each recording unit on the same recording medium by a plurality of recording units incorporating a plurality of line type heads is known.

  In such a recording apparatus, since the registration between the recording units must be adjusted in addition to the registration between the recording heads in each recording unit, the operation is complicated.

  Also, depending on the adjustment method, adjusting the registration between the recording units may narrow the adjustment range between the recording heads in the recording unit, which may make adjustment impossible.

  The present invention has been made in such a background, and its object is to relatively easily perform registration adjustment in a recording apparatus that records an image on the same recording medium by a plurality of recording units each including a plurality of line-type heads. Another object of the present invention is to provide a registration adjustment value determination method and a recording system that can be realized quickly.

  The registration adjustment value determination method according to the present invention is a recording apparatus in which a plurality of recording units each including a plurality of line-type recording heads are arranged, and the divided recording images are recorded on the same recording medium by the plurality of recording units. A registration adjustment value determination method for determining a registration adjustment value, the step of recording a predetermined registration adjustment pattern in the plurality of recording units, and based on the recorded registration adjustment pattern, Performing inter-unit adjustment, which is mutual registration adjustment among a plurality of recording units, and performing intra-unit adjustment, which is mutual registration adjustment between the plurality of recording heads in each recording unit. It is characterized by having.

  Among the plurality of recording units, adjacent recording units have overlapping recording areas in which recording areas overlap each other at the end of the recording head, and the inter-unit adjustment portion of the registration adjustment pattern is the plurality of recording units. Are the pattern portions recorded by the reference head of one recording unit and the corresponding reference head of the other recording unit in the overlapping recording area of adjacent recording units, and in the inter-unit adjustment, two adjacent recordings When correcting the recording position of the recording unit to be compared with the reference recording unit among the units, the same adjustment value is linked to all of the other recording units on the side of the recording unit to be compared. Apply addition.

  Preferably, as a result of the inter-unit adjustment, an average value is obtained from the maximum value and the minimum value among the adjustment values of all the recording units, and the adjustment value is corrected in common for all the recording units by the average value. The method further includes a step of resetting.

  The recording system according to the present invention is a recording system in which a plurality of recording units each including a plurality of line-type recording heads are arranged, and the divided recording images are recorded on the same recording medium by the plurality of recording units. An adjustment pattern recording unit that records a predetermined registration adjustment pattern by a plurality of recording units; and an adjustment value setting unit that sets an adjustment value based on the recorded registration adjustment pattern. Means for adjusting the inter-unit adjustment obtained for the reference recording head in each recording unit as a mutual registration adjustment among the plurality of recording units, and the reference recording head in each recording unit; And the adjustment value of the adjustment within the unit of the other recording head obtained for the recording head is set. .

  The predetermined registration adjustment pattern includes an inter-unit adjustment portion formed on one recording medium, an in-unit vertical registration adjustment portion, and an in-unit horizontal registration adjustment portion.

  According to another aspect of the recording system of the present invention, a plurality of recording units each including a plurality of line type recording heads are arranged, and the divided recording images are recorded on the same recording medium by the plurality of recording units. An adjustment pattern recording unit that records a predetermined registration adjustment pattern by the plurality of recording units, and an adjustment value setting unit that sets an adjustment value based on the recorded registration adjustment pattern. The adjustment value setting means sets a value obtained by correcting the adjustment value determined by the registration adjustment pattern by software.

  Other configurations and operations according to the present invention will be described in detail in the following embodiments.

  According to the present invention, an adjustment value determined on the basis of a registration adjustment pattern recorded on one recording medium is used to adjust the adjustment value for all recording units within a short time with a relatively small amount of work. Registration adjustment can be performed without failure. As a result, registration adjustment can be easily performed and high-quality recording can be performed.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a recording system according to the present embodiment. The recording system includes a recording apparatus 100 and a host computer 101 that instructs the recording apparatus 100 to record an image.

  The recording apparatus 100 is a recording apparatus that performs recording on the recording paper 103, and includes a paper feeding unit 104, a transport unit 105, a recording unit 106, and a stacking unit 107. The recording paper 103 may be any recording medium such as cardboard or film.

  The recording unit 106 can perform recording on a recording sheet 103 having a width wider than the recording width of a single recording unit using a combination of a plurality of recording units 108A to 108F. In this example, six recording units are used, but the number is not limited to six, and may be more or less. Hereinafter, when referring to one recording unit without distinguishing the plurality of recording units 108 </ b> A to 108 </ b> F, they are simply referred to as the recording unit 108.

  The recording unit 108 is connected by a cable 102 as an example of a communication interface to a host computer 101 which is an external device that outputs image data and its recording instruction. In the present embodiment, the host computer 101 outputs information such as recording data as a control command to each recording unit 108 in the recording apparatus 100 via the cable 102. The communication interface is any interface that can connect the recording apparatus 100 to an information processing apparatus, such as USB (Universal Serial Bus), IEEE 1394, Ethernet (registered trademark) (10/100 / 1000BaseT). In the present embodiment, a wired type communication interface is used, but the same effect can be obtained with a wireless type communication interface such as a wireless LAN. Further, in the case of a network, USB, etc., the same effect can be obtained by connecting the information processing apparatus and each recording unit 108 via the HUB.

  The paper feed unit 104 has a paper feed roller 109 that separates the recording paper 103 one at a time and feeds the recording paper. The paper feed roller 109 is driven by a paper feed motor (not shown).

  The transport unit 105 includes a transport roller (not shown) for transporting the recording paper 103 fed from the paper feed unit 104 to the recording unit 106. This transport roller is driven by a transport motor (not shown). The transport roller is provided with an encoder (described later in FIG. 4B) that detects rotation for each unit amount. A sheet detection sensor 110 that detects the presence or absence of the recording sheet 103 is provided on the conveyance path of the recording sheet 103. The outputs of these encoders and paper detection sensor 110 are input to each recording unit 108 of the recording unit 106. Thereby, each recording unit 108 can recognize the conveyance state of the recording paper 103.

  Each recording unit 108 of the recording unit 106 cooperates with the recording sheet 103 conveyed to record an image on the recording sheet 103 by an ink jet recording method based on image data received from the host computer 101. The recorded recording paper 103 is discharged to the stacking unit 107 and sequentially stacked.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the mutual arrangement relationship of the six recording units 108A to 108F constituting the recording unit 106 of the recording apparatus shown in FIG. Each of the recording units 108 </ b> A to 108 </ b> F includes four recording heads 200. Each recording head 200 is a so-called line head in which nozzle rows extending in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the recording paper 103 are arranged. The four recording heads 200 are arranged in parallel to each other, and can perform full color recording by ejecting black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) ink, respectively.

  The recording units 108 </ b> A to 108 </ b> F are arranged at positions shifted in the paper width direction so as to be in charge of recording of the divided portions having different paper width directions over the entire width of the recording paper 103. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the recording units 108A to 108F are arranged in a staggered manner. Thereby, the end portions of the nozzle rows of the recording heads 200 of the adjacent recording units 108 overlap each other.

  Corresponding to such an arrangement relationship of the recording units 108 </ b> A to 108 </ b> F, the host computer 101 divides the recording image to be recorded on the recording paper 103 by the width that can be recorded by each recording unit 108. Sent. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the divided recording images 201A to 201F are transmitted to the recording units 108A to 108F, respectively. Each recording unit 108 measures the timing to start recording on the recording paper 103 in accordance with the output signals of the paper detection sensor 110 and the encoder of the transport unit 105, and the divided recording images received from the host computer 101 are recorded on the recording paper 103. Record above.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of one recording unit 108 mounted on the recording apparatus according to the present embodiment. The recording unit 108 includes recording heads 200K to 200Y that are four line heads, and a recovery unit 300 that cleans each of these recording heads. The four recording heads 200K to 200Y are fixed to each other as a recording head unit 301, and are moved up and down by a head unit control motor (described later in FIG. 4B). The recovery unit 300 having the recording head protection unit 302 disposed in pairs with each recording head 200 is moved in the lateral direction by a recovery unit control motor (described later in FIG. 4B).

  When recording a recorded image, the recording head unit 301 and the recovery unit 300 are moved to a recordable state as shown in FIG. 3A, and in a standby state as shown in FIG. Moved to state.

  FIG. 4A shows an internal configuration example of the host computer 101 shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the host computer 101 executes an application (program) for generating image data, a recording control program (printer driver), and the like under the control of the operating system. In this example, “Windows (registered trademark)” is used as the operating system. Specifically, the host computer 101 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 1012 that constitutes a control unit that performs various controls, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) that provides a work area and a temporary storage area for the CPU 1012. ) 1013 and a ROM (Read Only Memory) 1014 which is a non-volatile memory storing a boot program or the like initially executed by the CPU 1012 are connected to each other via a system bus 1019. A display 1010 that is a display device is connected to a system bus 1019 via a video interface 1018. A keyboard 1112 as an operation unit is connected to the system bus 1019 via a keyboard interface 1016. A mouse 1111 which is a kind of pointing device is connected to the system bus 1019 via a mouse interface 1015. A hard disk device 1113, which is a large-capacity external storage device storing an operating system and various programs, is connected to the system bus 1019 via a hard disk interface 1017. A system bus 1019 is connected to the recording apparatus 100 via the printer interface 1101. This printer interface 1101 corresponds to the cable 102 shown in FIG.

  When the host computer 101 controls the recording device, a program stored in the hard disk device 1113 is loaded into the RAM 1013 and executed by the CPU 1012.

  FIG. 4B is a block diagram illustrating a schematic hardware configuration for controlling the recording unit 106 of the recording apparatus.

  The host computer 101 transfers the recording image data divided corresponding to the recording units 108A to 108F to each recording unit 108, and instructs the start of the recording process. Further, a sheet setting command for instructing the number, type, size, and the like of the recording sheets 103 to be recorded can be transferred to each recording unit 108 and instructed.

  Each recording unit 108 has a main controller 401, and the main controller 401 executes the following control by executing a control program stored in the ROM 408. The ROM 408 may have a nonvolatile storage area in which data such as various parameters can be rewritten. Correction values and adjustment values described later can be stored in such a storage unit.

  The main controller 401 receives output signals from sensors 402 including various sensors.

  The recording unit 108 controls communication by the communication driver 403 and receives a command from the host computer 101.

  The recording unit 108 renders the received image data as image data of each color component by developing a bitmap on each of the RAMs 410K to 410Y. Also, setting commands for various parameters such as the number of recording sheets and paper types are stored in the RAM 410R. When the development of the recording data to the RAMs 410K to 410R is completed, the recording heads 409K to 409Y are moved to the recordable position by the head unit control motor 406 and the recovery unit control motor 407.

  Each recording unit 108 measures the recording start timing based on the signal of the paper detection sensor 411 that detects the recording paper input from the transport unit 105 and the signal of the encoder 412 that is also input from the transport unit 105. After the start, the main controller 401 sequentially reads the corresponding color image data from each of the RAMs 410K to 410Y in synchronization with the signal of the encoder 412 and supplies the corresponding color ink via the head drive circuit 404. Recording is performed by outputting to the ejection recording heads 409K to 409Y.

  In this manner, each of the recording heads 409K to 409Y discharges a color image by discharging ink in accordance with the input image data of the divided recording image.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a recording control flow for recording paper in the recording apparatus according to the present embodiment.

  The image information (recording data) to be recorded transmitted from the host computer 101 is received by each recording unit 108 together with various parameters such as the number of sheets to be recorded and paper size, and a command for instructing recording (S501).

  After receiving the recording data, the recording head 200 is moved to a recordable position (S502). Thereafter, when one sheet of recording paper 103 is fed from the paper feeding unit 104 and conveyed by the conveyance unit 105, the recording sheet is detected by the paper detection sensor 110 installed on the conveyance path (S503). . After the recording paper is detected, the process waits until the output of the encoder 412 of the transport unit 105 is counted by the specified number of pulses (S504). This means that the recording sheet has been conveyed by the distance from the sheet detection sensor 110 to the position of each recording head 200. After that, each recording head 200 ejects ink in accordance with the recording image information while synchronizing with the output pulse of the encoder, whereby recording processing is performed (S505).

  Such processing is repeated until the set number of recordings is reached for all received information. When the number of recordings reaches the set value and there is no unrecorded information (S506), the recording head 200 is shifted to a standby state (S507).

  Next, the flow of registration adjustment in the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Prior to the description of this processing, a registration adjustment pattern (test pattern) used in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 7 shows an overall image of the registration adjustment pattern 700, and FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a part thereof. The image data of the registration adjustment pattern 700 may be recorded by the control program stored in the pattern portion that each recording unit is responsible for, or stored in the host computer 101 and stored in each recording unit. May instruct pattern recording.

  The registration adjustment pattern 700 includes an inter-unit adjustment portion 800, an in-unit vertical registration adjustment portion 801, and an in-unit horizontal registration adjustment portion 802 for each recording unit. In this specification, “vertical” is a direction along the paper conveyance direction, and “horizontal” is a direction orthogonal to the paper conveyance direction. The inter-unit adjustment portion 800 is a pattern portion for detecting a shift in the positional relationship of other recording units with respect to a recording unit serving as a reference for a plurality of recording units. The in-unit vertical registration adjustment portion 801 is a pattern portion for detecting a deviation in the vertical positional relationship of other recording heads with respect to a reference recording head among a plurality of recording heads in each recording unit. The in-unit lateral registration adjustment portion 802 is a pattern portion for detecting a positional deviation in the lateral direction of other recording heads with respect to a reference recording head among a plurality of recording heads in each recording unit.

  Basically, the registration adjustment pattern 700 includes a bar (referred to as a comparison bar) recorded by being slightly shifted by a recording head for adjustment (referred to as a reference bar) recorded by a reference recording head. Multiple sets are recorded.

  The inter-unit adjustment portion 800 is shared by the overlapped end region of one of the adjacent recording units (one of the right side in FIG. 2 in this example) is the reference head and the other black head is the comparison head. And record. In this example, 17 sets of vertical and horizontal bars serving as a reference are shifted by a reference head at a constant interval and recorded, and a unit amount is set in both the vertical and horizontal positive / negative directions by a comparison head with respect to the reference bar. A comparative vertical bar and a comparative horizontal bar are recorded at positions sequentially shifted by 1 to 8. If the comparison head is registered with respect to the reference head, the vertical bar or horizontal bar matches at the position of the numerical value “0”. Otherwise, the bars match at a numerical position corresponding to the amount of deviation.

  The in-unit vertical registration adjusting portion 801 records four sets of 17 horizontal bar groups 801a parallel to each other at a predetermined interval by the reference head (K), sequentially shifted by a certain amount in the horizontal direction. Further, the horizontal bars corresponding to the horizontal bars of the horizontal bar group 801a are recorded in the three gaps between the horizontal bar groups 801a by the comparison heads (C, M, Y). When recording the horizontal bar of the comparison head, recording is performed by shifting the unit adjustment amount from 1 to 8 in both positive and negative directions. If the comparison head is registered in the vertical direction with respect to the reference head, the horizontal bars match at the position of the numerical value “0”. If the registration in the vertical direction does not match, the horizontal bars match at the position of the numerical value corresponding to the shift amount.

  Similarly, the in-unit horizontal registration adjusting portion 802 records four sets of 17 vertical bar groups 802a parallel to each other at a predetermined interval with the reference head (K) by sequentially shifting a certain amount in the vertical direction. Further, the vertical bars corresponding to the vertical bars of the vertical bar group 802a are recorded in the three gaps between the vertical bar groups 802a by the comparison heads (C, M, Y), respectively. When recording the vertical bar of the comparison head, recording is performed by shifting the unit adjustment amount from 1 to 8 in both positive and negative directions. If the comparison head is registered in the horizontal direction with respect to the reference head, the vertical bars match at the position of the numerical value “0”. If the registration in the horizontal direction does not match, the vertical bars match at the position of the numerical value corresponding to the shift amount.

  Therefore, when the user visually inspects the recorded registration adjustment pattern 700, the position of the comparison bar that matches the reference bar can be confirmed. The numerical value given to the matching comparison bar is deviated from the position where the recording head (comparison head) recording the comparison bar should be originally positioned relative to the recording head (reference head) recording the reference bar. Indicates the amount. If the value of the comparison bar corresponding to the reference bar is “0”, it means that the comparison head is in the correct position with respect to the reference head.

  The registration adjustment pattern 700 can be recorded by the recording unit 106 by transmitting a command for instructing registration adjustment pattern recording from the host computer.

  In the present embodiment, the processing of the flowchart in FIG. 6 is realized by the CPU 1012 (FIG. 4A) reading and executing the control program stored in the ROM 1014 or the hard disk 1113 in the host computer 101.

  First, the registration adjustment pattern 700 is recorded by the recording apparatus 100 (S601). Therefore, the recording apparatus 100 obtains the assistance of the user and first performs registration adjustment between the recording units, and then performs registration adjustment between the recording heads in each recording unit.

  In registration adjustment between recording units, the user refers to the inter-unit adjustment portion 800 and receives the numerical value of the overlapping portion of the line (bar) from the input unit of the host computer 101 (S602). In the example of FIG. 8, it can be read as the conveyance direction +3 (803) and the horizontal direction -1 (804). The adjustment value is set from the host computer 101 in order with respect to adjacent recording units, with a predetermined unit among the plurality of recording units, for example, the recording unit 108F as a reference unit. At this time, a first automatic adjustment process and a second automatic adjustment process are performed (S603, S604). The first automatic adjustment process is a linked reflection process that will be described in detail later. The second automatic adjustment process is a registration averaging process between recording units. The registration of the reference head of each recording unit is updated with the adjustment value obtained by the second automatic adjustment process.

  Here, prior to the description of the first automatic adjustment processing, a general head width direction (lateral direction) registration (hereinafter referred to as lateral registration) adjustment in the line head type recording unit will be described with reference to FIGS. And explain briefly.

  In general, the line-type recording head 200 is provided with adjustment nozzles 902 having a predetermined number of dots on the left and right sides in addition to nozzles 901 corresponding to the recording area width. The total number of nozzles including the adjustment nozzle 902 is larger by a predetermined number than the number of nozzles corresponding to the actually required recording area width. Therefore, the recording head is physically moved by selectively setting which nozzle to which nozzle of the entire nozzle row of the recording head 200 including the left and right adjustment nozzles 902 is an effective recording area. It is possible to adjust the recording position in the horizontal direction without causing the change. For example, when four recording heads 200A, C, M, and Y of black, cyan, magenta, and yellow are mounted, if the displacements as shown in FIG. As described above, by changing the recording nozzles of the cyan head 200C and the yellow head 200Y, the lateral registration can be adjusted so that the effective recording areas in the lateral direction of the respective recording heads coincide with each other. This function can absorb physical attachment errors of each recording unit.

  Adjustment between recording units is performed by adjusting the horizontal registration of the black head, which is the reference recording head of each recording unit. That is, registration adjustment among a plurality of recording units is performed by adjusting the lateral registration of the black head of another recording unit with respect to the black head of the reference recording unit. However, when the black head recording area is changed by adjusting the horizontal registration of the black head, it is necessary to perform the same amount of horizontal adjustment in conjunction with the other color heads using the black head as a reference.

  The final registration adjustment value obtained as described above is sent from the host computer 101 to the recording apparatus and stored in the storage unit in each recording unit. The stored registration adjustment value is referred to during recording processing, and registration adjustment is performed.

  The first automatic adjustment process will be described with reference to FIG. When adjusting between a plurality of recording units, if the adjustment between the recording unit 108F and the recording unit 108E is originally performed, the adjustment value is reflected, and then the adjustment pattern is recorded again. In addition, adjustment between the recording unit 108E and the recording unit 108D is very troublesome because the adjustment pattern must be re-recorded each time adjustment is performed.

  In the present invention, in order to perform adjustment with the recording unit 108E with reference to the recording unit 108F as shown in FIG. 11B, the initial state of all the recording units as shown in FIG. When the adjustment value of the black head of the recording unit 108E is input (1101), the same adjustment value is simultaneously reflected (1102) in the recording units 108D to 108A in conjunction with this. Thereby, the mutual positional relationship between the recording units 108A to 108E is preserved as it is.

  In FIG. 11, as the positional adjustment between the recording units, for convenience of explanation, the recording units are shown shifted in the horizontal direction. However, as described above, the effective range (effective recording area) of the nozzle row is actually shifted. It does not shift the physical position of the recording unit.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 11C, when an adjustment value 1104 is input to adjust the recording unit 108C with reference to the recording unit 108D (1103), the same adjustment value as the adjustment value is input to the recording unit 108C. As well as all subsequent recording units 108B-108A. Next, as shown in FIG. 11D, when an adjustment value 1106 is input to adjust the recording unit 108B with reference to the recording unit 108C (1105), the same adjustment value as the adjustment value is input to the recording unit 108B. As well as the subsequent recording unit 108A.

  Therefore, the user sets the value read from the registration adjustment pattern as it is for the recording unit to be compared with the reference recording unit, and also performs the same adjustment for the recording unit subsequent to the recording unit to be compared. Adjustments can be made simply by applying values in conjunction. In addition, since only one registration adjustment pattern is required, adjustment work can be saved.

  After the registration adjustment value between the recording units is set as described above, the second automatic adjustment process is subsequently performed. As described above, after the adjustment between the recording units is performed by adjusting the horizontal registration of the black head which is the reference head of each recording unit, the horizontal registration adjustment is performed on the color heads in each recording unit with reference to the black head. For this reason, if the adjustment value of the reference black head is greatly deviated, the adjustment range of the color head is also deviated in either direction, and in some cases, the adjustment may be impossible. For example, consider a case where the black head lateral registration adjustment results (1200A to 1200F) are as shown in FIG. In the figure, the numerical values shown in the brackets indicate the inter-unit registration adjustment values confirmed for each recording unit. Since the rightmost recording unit 108F is a reference recording unit, its adjustment value is zero.

  The same applies to other recording units. Along with the lateral registration adjustment of the black head, which is the reference head of each recording unit, the effective recording area of the color head in each recording unit is adjusted by the same amount as that of the black head, for example, as shown as a portion 1201 in the recording unit 108B. . However, since the effective recording area moves in the same manner for all the recording heads in the recording unit, the shift amount of each color head with respect to the black head does not change.

  In the example of FIG. 12, the bias of the horizontal registration adjustment result of the black head of the recording unit 108B is large, and this is directly reflected in the color head of the recording unit. It will be. That is, in the next stage of registration adjustment adjustment in the unit, if any of the color heads of the recording unit 108B needs to be lateral registration adjustment in the right direction in the drawing with respect to the black head, the adjustment amount that can be moved. Is extremely small. As a result, there may occur a case where necessary lateral registration adjustment cannot be performed.

  Therefore, in the second automatic adjustment process, in order to prevent the deviation of the adjustment range, an average value is obtained from the maximum value and the minimum value among the adjustment values of each recording unit, and the average value is shared by all the recording units. The adjustment value is corrected and reset. However, since the average value is close to 0, the actual shift direction is opposite to the sign of the average value. In the example of FIG. 12, the adjustment results of the recording unit 108B and the recording unit 108E are the maximum value and the minimum value. For example, if the adjustment value of the recording unit 108B is -14 and the adjustment value of the recording unit 108E is +2, the average value is -6, so the adjustment values of all the recording units are shifted in the + direction by six. The result is shown in FIG. As described above, the possible range of the lateral registration adjustment of the color head of the recording unit 108B is extremely small, but it can be seen that the improvement is achieved by shifting the correction value of 1300 minutes for all the recording heads of all the recording units.

  Returning to FIG. 6, when the second automatic adjustment is completed, the registration adjustment pattern is recorded again (S605). If the above-mentioned adjustment is performed correctly, the reference line and the comparison line should overlap each other in the inter-unit adjustment portion 800 where the scale is “0”. From this viewpoint, it is confirmed that the adjustment between the recording units is correctly performed (S606). This confirmation is made visually by the user, and the system receives the result of whether the visual result is “OK” or not.

  If the adjustment is correct, the registration adjustment between recording heads in each recording unit is subsequently performed. As shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, the input of numerical values (adjustment values) where the straight line recorded by the black head as the reference head and the line (bar) by another recording head (color head) coincide with each other is accepted. Then, the registration adjustment value of each color head is updated (S607).

In the stage of FIG. 13, the shift amount of each color head with respect to the black head of each recording unit is stored as it is in the case of FIG. That is, in the adjustment pattern recorded in the step S605 in FIG. 6, it is assumed that all the deviations between the recording units are zero, but the deviation amounts of the respective color heads with respect to the black heads in the recording unit. Is the same as the adjustment pattern recorded in step S601. From this, it can be seen that the recording of the adjustment pattern in step S605 is only for confirmation that the inter-unit adjustment has been successful, and that step S605 is not essential. It is sufficient that the adjustment value in the recording unit input in step S607 can be confirmed by the adjustment pattern recorded in step S601 (it may be confirmed by the adjustment pattern recorded in step S606, but both are the same value). ).

  Finally, a registration adjustment pattern is recorded again (S608), and it is confirmed that the registration between the heads in the recording unit is correctly adjusted (S609). This confirmation is made visually by the user, and the system receives the result of whether the visual result is “OK” or not. If the adjustment is correct, all registration adjustment operations are completed. The confirmation operation in step S609 is also optional and is not necessarily performed.

  As can be seen from the above description, the adjustment values in steps S602 and S607 can be input at a time based on the single adjustment pattern recorded in step S601. The final color head adjustment value of each recording unit was determined by adding the black head adjustment value of the recording unit obtained by interlocked addition of the adjustment values between the recording units and the correction value for averaging. It can be obtained by simply calculating the color head adjustment value.

  The adjustment value correction described above may be performed by the host computer or by one of the recording units.

  Although only the registration in the horizontal direction has been described above, in the vertical direction, that is, in the paper conveyance direction, instead of selecting the use area of the nozzle array of the recording head, the overall recording timing of each recording head with respect to the conveyed paper is By correcting, the registration adjustment in the vertical direction can be performed. However, in the case of the vertical direction, there is no limitation on the adjustment value as in the horizontal direction, so the above-described registration averaging process is not necessary.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, in a recording apparatus in which a plurality of recording units are arranged, the divided recording images are recorded on the same recording paper by the plurality of recording units, and one recording image is formed. Registration between units and between heads in a recording unit can be easily adjusted, and a recording system for forming a high-quality image can be provided.

  In the embodiment described above, the user himself / herself checks the registration adjustment pattern recorded at the time of registration adjustment and determines the adjustment value. However, an image reading device such as a scanner is used as a discharge portion of the recording device. It is also possible to use a system that automatically reads a recorded registration adjustment pattern by an image reading apparatus and determines an adjustment value. With such a system, the user can adjust the registration of the recording apparatus without troublesome adjustment work.

  In any case, the “adjustment value setting means” in the present invention is a process for receiving a numerical value input by a user or a reading device based on the recorded registration adjustment pattern, and a final adjustment value based on the input numerical value. It is an arbitrary means for performing a determining process and a process for setting in each recording unit.

  In the above embodiment, each recording unit has four recording heads mounted thereon, but the number of recording heads in the recording unit is not limited to four. For example, registration can be adjusted by the same method even if a light-color recording head is added in order to improve the gradation of the recorded image. Furthermore, although the reference head in the recording unit is a black head, other color heads may be used. A configuration using a plurality of black heads in the recording unit may also be used. The number of recording units is not limited to six.

  In addition, the inkjet recording method recording apparatus has been described, but the recording method is not limited to inkjet as long as the recording unit has a plurality of line heads for each of a plurality of recording units. The recording paper is not limited to sheet-like recording paper, but is effective for long label paper and tag paper.

It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the recording system in embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a mutual arrangement relationship of six recording units constituting a recording unit of the recording apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of one recording unit mounted on the recording apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration example of a host computer illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic hardware configuration for controlling a recording unit of the recording apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a recording control flow for recording paper in the recording apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. It is a flowchart showing the flow of registration adjustment in the embodiment of the present invention. It is the figure which showed the whole image of the pattern for a registration adjustment used in embodiment of this invention. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a part of the registration adjustment pattern in FIG. 7. It is an explanatory diagram about registration adjustment in a general head width direction (lateral direction) in the line type recording unit. It is explanatory drawing following FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the 1st automatic adjustment process of the registration adjustment value correction process in this Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of the subject of the 1st automatic adjustment process of FIG. It is a figure which shows the solution result of the subject demonstrated in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Recording apparatus 101 ... Host computer 102 ... Cable 108, 108A, 108B, 108C, 108D, 108E, 108F ... Recording unit 200, 200A, 200C, 200M, 200Y ... Recording head 301 ... Recording head unit 302 ... Recording head protection part 401 ... Main controller 402 ... Sensors 403 ... Communication driver 404 ... Head drive circuit 411 ... Paper detection sensor 412 ... Encoder 700 ... Registration adjustment pattern 800 ... Inter-unit adjustment portion 801 ... In-unit vertical registration adjustment portion 801a ... Horizontal bar Group 802: Horizontal registration adjusting portion 802a in unit: Vertical bar group 901 ... Nozzle 902 ... Nozzle for adjustment

Claims (10)

Each plurality of arranging a plurality of recording units containing line-type recording head, the recording image divided plurality of recording units, determines a shift adjustment value of the recording position that put in a recording apparatus for recording on the same recording medium A registration adjustment value determination method,
And recording the deviation adjustment pattern recording positions of a plurality of recording heads each other in the recording unit, and a deviation adjustment pattern recording position of mutual between the plurality of recording units,
A receiving step for receiving an input of an offset adjustment value of a recording position between a plurality of recording heads in the recording unit and an adjustment value of an offset of a recording position between the plurality of recording units related to the pattern for adjusting the offset of the recording position ; ,
Storage step of storing the reception received in step, the deviation adjustment value of the recording positions of a plurality of recording heads each other in the recording unit, and a deviation adjustment value of the recording position of mutual between the plurality of recording units as a set value It equipped with a door,
The recording position deviation adjustment pattern between the recording units uses a recording head as a reference for each of the recording units, and records without using other recording heads in the recording unit ,
The pattern for adjusting the misalignment between the recording heads of the plurality of recording heads in the recording unit is recorded using the reference recording head in the recording unit and another recording head in the recording unit.
A method for determining a registration adjustment value. Wherein a deviation adjustment pattern printing position of the print head cross in the recording unit, deviation adjustment pattern recording position of mutual between the plurality of recording units, characterized by being formed on one recording medium The registration adjustment value determination method according to claim 1. And recording the deviation adjustment pattern recording position deviation adjustment value is reflected in the recording position of mutual between the plurality of recording units stored in said storage step, the recording position of mutual between the plurality of recording units the deviation adjustment pattern recording position shift adjustment value is reflected, registration according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises the step of performing a shift adjustment of the recording position of the recording head each other in the recording unit Adjustment value determination method. Among the plurality of recording units, the recording units adjacent in the recording width direction have overlapping recording areas overlapping each other,
The registration adjustment according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the pattern for adjusting the recording position deviation between the recording units is recorded by the reference heads of both recording units in the overlapping recording area. Value determination method. The deviation adjustment value of the recording positions between the recording heads in the recording unit and the deviation adjustment value of the recording positions between the plurality of recording units are longitudinal values for detecting a positional deviation in the vertical direction along the transport direction. 5. The registration adjustment value according to claim 1, further comprising: a registration adjustment value; and a lateral registration adjustment value for detecting a positional deviation in a horizontal direction along the recording width direction. Decision method. Deviation adjustment value of the recording position of mutual between the recording unit, the deviation adjustment value of the recording position of mutual between the recording unit for recording units shift adjustment of the recording position of mutual recording unit is not made, the value including the adjustment direction The registration adjustment value determination method according to claim 5, wherein:   7. The registration adjustment according to claim 5, wherein initial values of the vertical registration adjustment value and the horizontal registration adjustment value of the reference recording head in the reference recording unit are both zero and can be changed. Value determination method. 8. The recording position shift adjustment value is determined by reading a recorded adjustment pattern by an image reading apparatus, and accepts an input from the image reading apparatus. Registration adjustment value determination method. Each recording unit containing the plurality of line-type recording head and plural positioned by the recording image divided plurality of recording units, the registration adjustment for adjusting the deviation of the recording positions definitive in a recording apparatus for recording on the same recording medium A method,
And recording the deviation adjustment pattern printing position of the print head cross in the recording unit, and a deviation adjustment pattern recording position of mutual between the plurality of recording units,
A receiving step for receiving an input of a recording position shift adjustment value between the recording heads in the recording unit and a recording position shift adjustment value between the plurality of recording units related to the recording position shift adjustment pattern;
A storage step of storing, as a set value, a deviation adjustment value of a recording position between the recording heads in the recording unit, and a deviation adjustment value of a recording position between the plurality of recording units, received in the reception step;
Based on the recorded recording position deviation adjustment pattern, performing an inter-unit adjustment that is a mutual recording position deviation adjustment between the plurality of recording units;
Performing in-unit adjustment, which is adjustment of displacement of the recording positions between the plurality of recording heads in each recording unit, and
The recording position deviation adjustment pattern between the recording units uses a recording head as a reference for each of the recording units, and records without using other recording heads in the recording unit ,
The pattern for adjusting the misalignment between the recording heads of the plurality of recording heads in the recording unit is recorded using the reference recording head in the recording unit and another recording head in the recording unit.
A registration adjustment method characterized by the above. A recording system in which a plurality of recording units each including a plurality of line-type recording heads are arranged, and the divided recording images are recorded on the same recording medium by the plurality of recording units,
Recording means for recording a recording position deviation adjustment pattern between the recording heads in the recording unit and a recording position deviation adjustment pattern between the plurality of recording units;
Receiving means for receiving, in relation to the recording position deviation adjustment pattern, an input of a recording position deviation adjustment value between recording heads in the recording unit and a recording position deviation adjustment value between the plurality of recording units. When,
Storage means for storing, as set values, a deviation adjustment value of the recording positions between the recording heads in the recording unit and a deviation adjustment value of the recording positions between the plurality of recording units received by the receiving means. Prepared ,
The recording position deviation adjustment pattern between the recording units uses a recording head as a reference for each of the recording units, and records without using other recording heads in the recording unit ,
The pattern for adjusting the misalignment between the recording heads of the plurality of recording heads in the recording unit is recorded using the reference recording head in the recording unit and another recording head in the recording unit.
A recording system characterized by that.