JP6935827B2 - Inkjet recording device and inkjet recording method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus and an inkjet recording method for recording an image on a highly rigid recording medium such as a CD or DVD.

Conventionally, an image recording device that ejects ink based on an input signal and records an image on a recording medium has been known. Such an image recording device is generally referred to as an "inkjet printer". Image recording in an inkjet printer is realized by selectively ejecting ink from a plurality of nozzles provided in a recording head.

As a recording medium on which an image is recorded in an inkjet printer, a recording medium having high rigidity such as a CD or a DVD has been proposed in addition to a recording paper or the like. Generally, CDs and DVDs
When recording an image on a recording medium having high rigidity such as, the recording medium is set in a dedicated tray. The tray is often inserted through an insertion slot provided in the inkjet printer and conveyed in the inkjet printer. Further, depending on the inkjet printer, the recording medium itself having high rigidity may be inserted through the insertion slot and conveyed in the inkjet printer. The tray and the recording medium are conveyed in a predetermined amount in the first direction in the transfer direction, and then are conveyed in the second direction opposite to the first direction in the transfer direction, and the ink from the nozzle is directly under the recording head. By ejection, the image is recorded on the recording medium. The tray on which the image is recorded on the recording medium and the recording medium on which the image is recorded are discharged from the insertion slot.

As an example of an inkjet printer capable of recording an image on a highly rigid recording medium, Patent Document 1 states that a transfer driven roller is released from a transfer drive roller and is inserted from a tray insertion port in the first direction in the transfer direction. An inkjet recording apparatus is disclosed in which a transport path for a tray in which a CD, a DVD, or the like is set is formed. Further, in Patent Document 2 (4th Example, FIGS. 64 and 66), a CD inserted from the tray insertion slot in the first direction in the transport direction is inserted.
An inkjet recording device is disclosed in which the tip of a tray in which a DVD or a DVD is set is conveyed in a first direction with respect to a paper feeding device behind the device.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-144931 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-422392

The recording medium having high rigidity and the tray in which the recording medium is set cannot be bent as much as the sheet-shaped recording medium. Therefore, when a highly rigid recording medium or a tray in which the recording medium is set is transported to the downstream side in the first direction in the transport direction from the recording head, it is downstream in the first direction in the transport direction from the recording head. The tray protrudes to the side. Therefore, as described above, in the inkjet recording apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the transport driven rollers arranged on the downstream side in the first direction in the transport direction from the recording head are released from the transport drive rollers. In this case, it is necessary to add a release mechanism that releases the transfer driven roller from the transfer drive roller. However, the addition of this mechanism increases the cost or size of the device.

Further, in the inkjet recording apparatus described in Patent Document 2 (4th Example, FIGS. 64 and 66), the tip of the protruding tray may collide with the apparatus housing. In order to prevent the collision, it is necessary to provide an opening in the device or enlarge the device. If the tray protrudes from the opening, the device must be installed away from the wall of the room in which the device is installed by the amount of the protrusion of the tray.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to direct the recording medium having high rigidity or the tray on which the recording medium is mounted in the first direction in the transport direction from the nozzle to the recording medium. An object of the present invention is to provide an inkjet recording apparatus and an inkjet recording method capable of reducing the amount of transport to the downstream side and recording an image in the entire area of the recording medium.

(1) In the inkjet recording apparatus of the present invention, the recording medium or the subject to which the first distance L1 is from the first position which is the tip in the first direction in the transport direction to the second position which is the rear end where the image is recorded. A first transport unit that transports the first tray on which the recording medium is mounted, and a third transport unit that is provided on the downstream side of the first transport unit in the first direction in the transport direction and is located on the most downstream side in the first direction in the transport direction. A plurality of nozzles are formed over a second distance L2 from a position to a fourth position on the most upstream side, and a recording unit that ejects ink droplets from the nozzles to record an image on a recording medium and a recording unit from the third position. In the first direction of transport,
A third distance that is smaller than the first distance L1 and whose sum with the second distance L2 is larger than the first distance L1.
A member provided at a position separated by a distance L3 (L3 <L1 <L2 + L3) is provided.
The fourth distance L4, which is the distance between the image recording position on the most downstream side in the first direction in the transport direction and the second position in the image recording range with respect to the recording medium, is the first distance L1 minus the third distance L3. 5 distance L
When it is less than 5, the fifth direction is from the third position to the second direction opposite to the first direction in the transport direction.
A control unit that controls the recording unit so as to record an image on a recording medium using a nozzle separated by a sixth distance L6 (L6 = L5-L4) or more, which is a distance obtained by subtracting a fourth distance from the distance, is provided. do

If the third distance L3 is larger than the first distance L1 (L3> L1), the recorded medium or the first tray does not come into contact with the member even if the image is recorded on the recorded medium by an arbitrary nozzle. If the first distance L1 is larger than the sum of the third distance L3 and the second distance L2 (L1> L2 + L3), the recording medium and the first tray are the members regardless of which nozzle records the image on the recording medium. Contact cannot be prevented. In the present invention, since the first distance L1 is larger than the third distance L3 and smaller than the sum of the second distance L2 and the third distance L3 (L3 <L1 <L2 + L3), an image is transferred to the recording medium by a specific nozzle. By recording, it is possible to prevent contact between the recording medium and the first tray and the member.

When an image is recorded near the rear end of the recording medium in the first direction in the transport direction with a nozzle near the most downstream side in the first direction in the transport direction, the third position is the third position in the transport direction of the recordable medium or the first tray. The distance to the tip in one direction becomes large, and the recording medium or the first tray collides with the member. However, in the present invention, the vicinity of the rear end of the recording medium in the first direction in the transport direction (the position within the fifth distance L5 in the first direction in the transport direction from the second position) is the most in the first direction in the transport direction. Since printing is performed with a nozzle that is not near the downstream side (a nozzle that is 6 or more distances L6 or more in the second direction opposite to the first direction in the transport direction from the third position), the first in the transport direction of the recording medium or the first tray. The tip for one direction is the third
It is not separated from the position by a third distance L3 or more and to the downstream side in the first direction in the transport direction.

(2) A second transport unit is provided on the downstream side of the recording unit in the first direction in the transport direction. The second transport unit is the member. The second transport unit includes a first roller that is driven and transmitted from a drive source to rotate, and a second roller that is arranged so as to be in contact with the first roller.
The third distance L3 is from the third position to the pinching position by the first roller and the second roller in the first direction in the transport direction.

As described above, in the present invention, the tip of the recording medium or the first tray in the first direction in the transport direction may be separated from the third position by a third distance L3 or more and toward the downstream side in the first direction in the transport direction. No. Therefore, in the above configuration, it is possible to prevent the recording medium and the first tray from colliding with the second transport unit.

(3) The control unit controls the recording unit so as to use an arbitrary nozzle for the sheet-shaped recording medium transported in the second direction in the transport direction by the second transport unit.

Unlike the thick recording medium, the sheet-shaped recording medium is sandwiched even if it comes into contact with the second transport unit, and is therefore conveyed by the second transport unit in the second direction in the transport direction. Therefore, in image recording on a sheet-shaped recording medium, there is no problem even if an arbitrary nozzle is used.
By using an arbitrary nozzle, it is possible to record an image with high image quality.

(4) The member is a portion of the housing of the device that intersects the recording medium or the region where the first tray is extended in the first direction in the transport direction.

As described above, in the present invention, the recording medium and the tip of the first tray in the first direction in the transport direction are separated from the third position by a third distance L3 or more and toward the downstream side in the first direction in the transport direction. No. Therefore, in the above configuration, it is possible to prevent the recording medium and the first tray from colliding with the housing of the inkjet recording apparatus. Further, it is possible to prevent the recording medium and the first tray from protruding from the housing of the inkjet recording device to the downstream side in the first direction in the transport direction.

(5) The member is the most protruding portion of the housing of the device toward the downstream side in the first direction in the transport direction, and the third distance L3 is the first direction of the protruding portion from the third position. The distance to the tip of.

(6) Further, the protruding portion is a second tray capable of holding a sheet-shaped recording medium.

The inkjet recording device is installed so that the most protruding portion on the back surface does not come into contact with the wall or the like of the room in which the device is installed. The most protruding portion is, for example, the second tray. Further, as described above, in the present invention, the tip of the recording medium and the first tray in the first direction in the transport direction is separated from the third position by a third distance L3 or more and toward the downstream side in the first direction in the transport direction. Never. In the above configuration, the recording medium and the first tray do not protrude further than the most protruding portion on the back surface of the apparatus. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the recording medium and the first tray from colliding with the wall of the room in which the inkjet recording device is installed.

(7) The above-mentioned member is mounted on the device, and a plurality of movable parts capable of changing the posture from the device to a first posture having a small protrusion to the downstream side in the first direction in the transport direction and a second posture having a large protrusion. Of these, the movable portion most protrudes from the device to the downstream side in the first direction in the transport direction in the second posture. The third distance is the distance from the third position to the most protruding portion of the movable portion in the second posture from the device to the downstream side in the first direction in the transport direction.

(8) Further, a second transport unit provided on the downstream side in the first direction in the transport direction from the recording unit is provided, and the movable portion is rotatably supported by the device and is in the second posture. It is a cover member that sometimes exposes the second transport portion.

(9) Further, the movable portion can change its posture into a first posture that stands up along the housing of the device and a second posture that tilts from the device to the downstream side in the first direction in the transport direction. It is a tray.

(10) Further, the movable portion is an image reading unit that is rotatably supported by the device, covers the document in the first posture, and reads an image recorded on the document.

Inkjet recording devices may be equipped with movable parts that can change their posture. In that case, the inkjet recording device is installed so as not to come into contact with the wall or the like of the room in which the device is installed, regardless of the posture of the possible portion. The movable portion is, for example, a cover member, a third tray, and an image reading portion. Further, as described above, in the present invention, the tip of the recording medium and the first tray in the first direction in the transport direction is separated from the third position by a third distance L3 or more and toward the downstream side in the first direction in the transport direction. Never. In the above configuration, the recording medium and the first tray do not protrude further than the tip of the movable portion that most protrudes from the back surface of the apparatus to the downstream side in the first direction in the transport direction. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the recording medium and the first tray from colliding with the wall of the room in which the inkjet recording device is installed.

(11) The inkjet recording apparatus of the present invention is further provided with a detection unit that is provided on the downstream side of the first direction in the transport direction from the third position and detects the recording medium. The detection unit detects a recording medium within a third distance L3 in the second direction in the transport direction from the first position.

When the detection unit detects the vicinity of the rear end in the first direction of the recording medium in the transport direction, the distance from the third position to the tip in the first direction in the transport direction of the recording medium and the first tray increases. ..
As a result, the recording medium and the first tray collide with the member. However, in the present invention, only the vicinity of the tip in the first direction in the transport direction of the recording medium (within the third distance L3 in the second direction in the transport direction from the first position) is detected by the detection unit. Therefore, when the recording medium is detected by the detection unit, the collision between the recording medium and the first tray and the member can be prevented.

(12) In the present invention, a recorded medium or a recorded medium having a first distance L1 from the first position, which is the tip in the first direction in the transport direction, to the second position, which is the rear end where an image is recorded, is mounted. The first transport section for transporting the first tray and the downstream side of the first transport section in the first direction in the transport direction are provided.
A plurality of nozzles are formed over a second distance L2 from the third position on the most downstream side in the first direction in the transport direction to the fourth position on the most upstream side, and ink droplets are ejected from the nozzles to record the medium. The third distance L3 (L1-L2), which is smaller than the first distance and larger than the first distance in the first direction from the third position in the transport direction, and the recording unit that records the image. It is an inkjet recording method applied to an inkjet recording device including a member provided at a position separated by <L3 <L1), and is a detection result by a detection unit that detects a recording medium, or an operation of the device. Based on the instruction executed to the operation unit for giving the instruction, the first step of determining whether or not the recording medium is in the form of a sheet, and the first step, the recording medium must be in the form of a sheet. On condition that the judgment is made, the fifth distance (L5 = L1-L3), which is the distance obtained by subtracting the third distance from the first distance in the second direction opposite to the first direction in the transport direction from the third position. )
It is regarded as an inkjet recording method including a second step of recording an image on a recording medium using only nozzles separated by a sixth distance L6 (L6 = L5-L4) or more, which is a distance obtained by subtracting a fourth distance from. You can also do it.

In the present invention, the vicinity of the rear end of the recording medium in the first direction in the transport direction (the position within the fifth distance L5 in the first direction in the transport direction from the second position) is the most downstream side in the first direction in the transport direction. Since printing is performed with a nozzle that is not in the vicinity (a nozzle that is separated from the third position in the second direction opposite to the first direction in the transport direction by a sixth distance L6 or more), the first direction in the transport direction of the recording medium and the first tray. The tip of the head is not separated from the third position by a third distance L3 or more and to the downstream side in the first direction in the transport direction. That is, the thick recording medium and the first tray are not unnecessarily separated from the nozzle to the downstream side in the first direction in the transport direction of the recording medium.

Further, in the present invention, the vicinity of the rear end in the first direction in the transport direction of the recording medium is image-recorded by a specific nozzle, and the image is recorded by an arbitrary nozzle except the vicinity of the rear end. Therefore, it is possible to record an image in the entire area of the recording medium.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of the multifunction device 1 which is an example of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view schematically showing the internal structure of the printer unit 2. FIG. 3 is a partial plan view showing the internal structure of the printer unit 2. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the mechanism of the image recording unit 24. FIG. 5 is a partial plan view of the printer unit 2 schematically showing the positional relationship between the image recording unit 24, the media tray 71, and the transport roller pair 54. FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the printer unit 2 schematically showing the positional relationship between the image recording unit 24, the media tray 71, and the transport roller pair 54. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control unit 130. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure of the recording process performed by the control unit 130. FIG. 9 is a plan view schematically showing the relative positions of the nozzle 301 and the recording medium in each pass during the recording process, and FIG. 9A shows a case where the amount of the recording medium conveyed is constant. , (B) show the case where the amount of the recording medium conveyed is two types. FIG. 10 is a table showing the fourth distance L4, the sixth distance L6, the usable nozzle 301, and the nozzle 301 actually used in the first pass for each image recording position. FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the multifunction device 1 schematically showing the positional relationship between the image recording unit 24, the media tray 71, and the member. FIG. A case is shown, (B) shows a case where the member is an outer guide surface 29, and (C) shows a case where the member is a manual feed tray 56 fixed to the wall surface 53. ing. FIG. 12 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the multifunction device 1 schematically showing the positional relationship between the image recording unit 24, the media tray 71, and the member, and FIG. 12A shows the case where the member is the scanner housing 8. In (B), the case where the member is a rotatable manual feed tray 56 is shown. FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the multifunction device 1 schematically showing the positional relationship between the image recording unit 24, the media tray 71, and the member when the member is the scanner unit 3.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings as appropriate. It goes without saying that the embodiments described below are merely examples of the present invention, and the embodiments of the present invention can be appropriately changed without changing the gist of the present invention.

[Multifunction Device 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the multifunction device 1 as an example of the inkjet recording device according to the embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the direction indicated by the arrow 13 is the width direction (left-right direction) of the multifunction device 1, and the direction indicated by the arrow 14 is the height direction of the multifunction device 1 (the direction indicated by the arrow 14).
The vertical direction), and the direction indicated by the arrow 12 is the depth direction (front-back direction) of the multifunction device 1.

The multifunction device 1 integrally includes a printer unit 2 arranged at the lower part, a scanner unit 3 arranged at the upper part of the printer unit 2 (corresponding to an image reading unit which is an example of the movable part of the present invention), and the like. It is a multi-function device (MFD) equipped with it. The scanner unit 3 is provided with a document cover 7 as a top plate of the multifunction device 1 above the scanner unit 3. The multifunction device 1 has a printer function, a scanner function, a copy function, a facsimile function, and the like. In order to realize the present invention, the scanner function, the facsimile function, and the like are arbitrary functions. For example, the image recording device according to the present invention may be implemented as a printer having only a printer function.

An operation panel 9 (an example of the operation unit of the present invention) for operating the printer unit 2 and the scanner unit 3 is provided on the front side of the upper surface of the multifunction device 1 and on the upper surface on the front side of the scanner unit 3. ing. The operation panel 9 is composed of various operation buttons and a liquid crystal display unit 11.
It is operated by the control unit 130 (an example of the control unit of the present invention, see FIG. 7) that controls the operation of the multifunction device 1 based on the input from the operation panel 9.

The scanner unit 3 is configured as a so-called flatbed scanner. A document cover 7 is provided on the upper part of the scanner unit 3 so as to be openable and closable. On the lower side of the document cover 7, a scanner housing 8 (see FIGS. 12 and 13) having a platen glass 6 (see FIG. 13) on the upper surface and an image sensor (not shown) under the platen glass 6 is provided. It is provided. The original is placed on the platen glass 6, and the image of the original is read by the image sensor with the original cover 7 covering the platen glass 6.

[Printer Unit 2] Hereinafter, the configuration of the printer unit 2 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. As shown in FIG. 1, the printer unit 2 has a casing 5 (an example of the housing of the present invention) having an opening 4 formed in the front surface thereof. Each component of the printer unit 2 is arranged in the casing 5.

Through the opening 4, the paper feed tray 20 and the paper output tray 21 (see FIG. 2) are mounted on the multifunction device 1. In FIG. 1, the paper feed tray 20 and the paper output tray 21 are omitted. The paper feed tray 20 accommodates recording paper of a desired size such as A4 size or B5 size. As shown in FIG. 2, when the paper feed tray 20 is mounted on the multifunction device 1, the recording paper accommodated in the paper feed tray 20 has a longitudinal direction of the recording paper and a depth direction 12 of the multifunction device 1. It is set to be. Further, the output tray 21 is supported by the paper feed tray 20, and the paper feed tray 2 is supported.
It is placed above 0. The paper feed tray 20 and the paper output tray 21 are mounted on the multifunction device 1 in two upper and lower stages.

Further, the multifunction device 1 has a function of recording an image on the board surface of a recording medium (an example of a recording medium of the present invention) such as a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM in addition to the recording paper. This function will be described later.

A separation inclined plate 22 is arranged on the back side of the paper feed tray 20 mounted on the multifunction device 1.
The separation inclined plate 22 separates the recording paper fed from the paper feed tray 20 and guides it upward.

A transport path 23 is formed above the separation inclined plate 22. The transport path 23 bends upward from the upper side of the separation inclined plate 22 and toward the front side of the multifunction device 1, extends from the back side (rear side) to the front side (front side) of the multifunction device 1, and further, the drive roller 47 ( A transport roller pair 54 (second of the present invention) composed of a pinch roller 48 (an example of the second roller of the present invention) and a pinch roller 48 (an example of the first roller of the present invention).
The pinching position by the transport unit), the lower side of the image recording unit 24 (an example of the recording unit of the present invention), and the discharge roller pair 55 (the first transport unit of the present invention) composed of the drive roller 49 and the spur roller 50. It passes through the pinching position by (one example)) and leads to the output tray 21. The recording paper fed out from the paper feed tray 20 is guided by the transport path 23 so as to make a U-turn from the bottom to the top, and reaches the image recording unit 24. The recording paper is discharged to the paper ejection tray 21 after the image recording is performed by the image recording unit 24. The transport path 23 is formed by an outer guide surface 29 and an inner guide surface 28 facing each other at predetermined intervals, except for a portion where an image recording unit 24 or the like is arranged.

Hereinafter, the direction in which the recording medium such as recording paper is conveyed from the pinching position by the transport roller pair 54 to the paper ejection tray 21 through the lower side of the image recording unit 24 and the pinching position by the discharge roller pair 55 is the transport direction. (Direction in which the recording medium moves by driving the first transport unit) Second direction 16
(Corresponding to the second orientation of the present invention) will be described. On the other hand, the second direction and the opposite direction will be described as the first direction 15 of the transport direction (corresponding to the first direction of the present invention). That is, the image recording unit 24 is provided on the downstream side of the discharge roller pair 55 in the first direction 15, and the transport roller pair 54 is provided on the downstream side of the image recording unit 24 in the first direction 15. In the present embodiment, the transport direction is a direction parallel to the direction indicated by the arrow 12 (front-back direction).

A paper feed roller 25 is provided on the upper side of the paper feed tray 20. The paper feed roller 25 is pivotally supported by an end of a paper feed arm 26 that moves up and down so as to be in contact with and detach from the paper feed tray 20. The paper feed roller 25 rotates by transmitting the driving force of the paper feed motor 76 (see FIG. 7) by a drive transmission mechanism 27 in which a plurality of gears are meshed with each other. The paper feed roller 25 separates the recording paper loaded on the paper feed tray 20 one by one and supplies it to the transport path 23. Specifically, the paper feed roller 25 is pressed against the recording paper on the paper feed tray 20, and in that state, the paper feed roller 25 rotates, so that the roller surface of the paper feed roller 25 and the recording paper are separated from each other. The recording paper at the highest position is sent out to the separation inclined plate 22 by the frictional force. The front end of the recording paper comes into contact with the separation inclined plate 22, is guided upward, and is fed into the transport path 23.

[Image Recording Unit 24] The image recording unit 24 includes a carriage 31 on which a recording head 30 is mounted and reciprocates in the main scanning direction (direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 2). The recording head 30 is exposed on the lower side of the carriage 31, and is cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black from the ink tank 32 (see FIG. 3) through the ink tube 33 (see FIG. 3). Each color ink of (Bk) is supplied.

As shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of nozzles 301 (an example of the nozzles of the present invention) are formed on the lower surface of the recording head 30. The nozzles 301 corresponding to each color ink are arranged in a row along the transport direction, and each row of nozzles 301 corresponding to each color ink is a carriage 31.
Are arranged in the reciprocating direction (horizontal direction 13). The number of nozzles 301 of each color and the pitch in the transport direction are appropriately set according to the resolution of the recorded image and the like. Further, the number of rows of nozzles 301 can be increased or decreased according to the number of types of color ink. Hereinafter, the position on the most downstream side of the first direction 15 in which the nozzles 301 of each color are formed is defined as the third position P3 (corresponding to the third position of the present invention), and the first position is defined as the third position.
The position on the most upstream side of the orientation 15 will be described as the fourth position P4 (corresponding to the fourth position of the present invention).
Further, the distance from the third position to the fourth position will be described as the second distance L2 (corresponding to the second distance of the present invention).

The recording head 30 ejects each ink as minute ink droplets from a nozzle 301 provided on the lower surface thereof. The recording head 3 is reciprocated by the carriage 31 in the main scanning direction.
0 is scanned against the recording paper and the image is recorded on the recording paper conveyed on the platen 34.

From the above, the image recording unit 24 is provided on the downstream side of the first direction 15 from the discharge roller pair 55, and is the third position P3 on the most downstream side of the first direction 15 to the fourth position P4 on the most upstream side. 2 distance L
A plurality of nozzles 301 are formed over the number 2, and ink droplets are ejected from the nozzles 301 to record an image on a recording medium such as recording paper.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, above the transport path 23 in which the image recording unit 24 is arranged,
A pair of guide rails 35 and 36 are arranged. The guide rails 35 and 36 extend in the width direction (horizontal direction 13) of the transport path 23 so as to be separated from each other in the transport direction of the recording paper. The carriage 31 is provided so as to straddle the guide rails 35 and 36 so as to be slidable on the guide rails 35 and 36 in the left-right direction 13.

The guide rail 35 arranged on the upstream side in the direction in which the recording paper is conveyed (second direction 16) is a flat plate having a length 13 in the left-right direction longer than the scanning width of the carriage 31. The upper surface of the guide rail 35 slidably supports the upstream end of the carriage 31 in the second direction 16.

The guide rail 36 arranged on the downstream side of the second direction 16 is a flat plate having a length of 13 in the left-right direction substantially the same as that of the guide rail 35. The upper surface of the guide rail 36 slidably supports the downstream end of the carriage 31 in the second direction 16. The second of the guide rail 36
The upstream end 37 of the orientation 16 is bent upward at a substantially right angle. Carriage 3
No. 1 is provided with an engaging member (not shown) that engages with the end portion 37 so as to sandwich the end portion 37 of the guide rail 36. As a result, the carriage 31 is slidably supported on the guide rails 35 and 36, and can reciprocate in the left-right direction 13 with reference to the end portion 37 of the guide rail 36.

A belt drive mechanism 38 is arranged on the upper surface of the guide rail 36. In the belt drive mechanism 38, an endless annular timing belt 41 having teeth on the inside is stretched between the drive pulley 39 and the driven pulley 40, which are provided near both ends of the transport path 23 in the width direction 13. It is made up of. Carriage (CR) drive motor 311 (FIG. 7) is mounted on the shaft of the drive pulley 39.
(See) are connected, and the driving force is input from the CR drive motor 311. Drive pulley 3
The rotation of 9 causes the timing belt 41 to make a circumferential motion. The timing belt 41 may be an endless annular belt or a timing belt 41 in which both ends of the end belt are fixed to the carriage 31.

The carriage 31 is fixed to the timing belt 41. Due to the circumferential movement of the timing belt 41, the carriage 31 reciprocates on the guide rails 35 and 36 with reference to the end portion 37. A recording head 30 is mounted on the carriage 31. Therefore, the recording head 30 can reciprocate together with the carriage 31 with the width direction 13 of the transport path 23 as the main scanning direction. The guide rail 36 is provided with an encoder strip 42 of a linear encoder along an end portion 37. The linear encoder detects the encoder strip 42 by a photo interrupter (not shown). The reciprocating movement of the carriage 31 is controlled based on the detection signal of the linear encoder.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, a platen 34 is arranged below the transport path 23 so as to face the recording head 30. The platen 34 is included in the reciprocating range of the carriage 31.
It is arranged over the central portion through which the recording paper passes. The width of the platen 34 is sufficiently larger than the maximum width of the recordable paper that can be conveyed, and both ends of the platen always pass over the platen 34.

As shown in FIG. 3, it is out of the image recording range by the recording head 30, that is, the platen 34.
A purge mechanism 43 and a waste ink tray 44 are arranged in a range where the recording papers on both sides of the above do not pass. The purge mechanism 43 sucks and removes air bubbles and foreign substances together with ink from the nozzles and the like of the recording head 30. The purge mechanism 43 includes a cap 45 that covers the nozzle surface of the recording head 30. When sucking and removing air bubbles or the like from the recording head 30, the carriage 31 is moved so that the recording head 30 is located on the cap 45. In that state, cap 45
Moves upward and comes into close contact with the nozzle 301 on the lower surface of the recording head 30 so as to seal the nozzle 301. Then, ink is sucked from the nozzle 301 of the recording head 30 by a pump (not shown) connected to the cap 45.

The waste ink tray 44 is arranged outside the image recording range of the carriage 31 and on the opposite side of the purge mechanism 43. The waste ink tray 44 receives empty ink from the recording head 30. This empty discharge is called flushing.

As shown in FIG. 3, the ink tank 32 is housed in the ink tank housing section 46 provided on the front right side inside the casing 5 of the printer section 2. This ink tank 32
Specifically, it is provided with four ink tanks 32C, 32M, 32Y, and 32K for storing each color ink of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (Bk). Ink is supplied from the ink tank 32 to the carriage 31 through an ink tube 33 provided for each color.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a transport roller pair 54 is provided on the upstream side of the second direction 16 from the image recording unit 24. The transport roller pair 54 is a unitized unit of a drive roller 47 and a pinch roller 48 provided below the drive roller 47 so as to be in contact with the drive roller 47. When the drive roller 47 is driven in the forward direction, the recording paper fed from the paper feed tray 20 is held by the drive roller 47 and the pinch roller 48 and conveyed onto the platen 34 on the downstream side of the second direction 16. Will be done.

On the downstream side of the second direction 16 of the image recording unit 24, a pair of discharge rollers 55 having a drive roller 49 and a spur roller 50 provided above the drive roller 49 is provided. The recorded recording paper is narrowly held by the drive roller 49 and the spur roller 50, and is conveyed in the direction of ejection to the output tray 21 (second orientation 16) by driving the drive roller 49 in the forward rotation. Further, the media tray 7 described later is driven by the reverse drive of the drive roller 49.
1 (an example of the first tray of the present invention) is conveyed to the first direction 15. Since the spur roller 50 is in pressure contact with the recorded recording paper, the roller surface is formed in a spur shape so as not to deteriorate the image recorded on the recording paper.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the drive roller 47 is rotationally driven by transmitting a drive force from a transfer motor 59 (an example of a drive source of the present invention) connected to one end of the drive roller 47 in the axial direction. Will be done. The drive roller 49 is driven and transmitted from the drive roller 47 via the intermediate gear 57 and the belt 58, and is rotationally driven. Further, the drive roller 47 and the drive roller 49 are provided on the control board 5.
By being controlled by the drive circuit incorporated in the ASIC 135 (see FIG. 7) mounted in 2 (see FIG. 3), the rotation direction is switched to either forward rotation or reverse rotation. Such switching in the rotation direction is performed by switching control for the transfer motor 59, or by switching a gear or the like that transmits the rotational force of the transfer motor 59 to the rotation shaft of each roller.

From the above, the transfer roller pair 54 includes a drive roller 47 that is driven and transmitted from the transfer motor 59 to rotate, and a spur roller 50 that is arranged so as to be in contact with the drive roller 47.
The discharge roller pair 55 includes a drive roller 49 that is driven and transmitted from the transport motor 59 to rotate, and a spur roller 50 that is arranged so as to be in contact with the drive roller 49.

Further, the drive roller 47 and the drive roller 49 are intermittently driven with a predetermined line feed width by the drive control of the transfer motor 59. The rotations of the drive roller 47 and the drive roller 49 are synchronized. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a rotary encoder (not shown) detects the encoder disk 51 provided on the drive roller 47 with the photo interrupter 60.
The drive of the drive roller 47 and the drive roller 49 is controlled based on the detection signal of the rotary encoder.

As shown in FIG. 2, the recording paper is conveyed by the drive roller 47 and the drive roller 49 in the second direction 16 intermittently on the platen 34 with a predetermined line feed width. The recording head 30 is scanned for each line feed, and image recording is performed from the front end side of the recording paper. After the image is recorded in a predetermined area of the recording paper by the recording head 30, the drive roller 49 is continuously rotationally driven. As a result, the recording paper held by the drive roller 49 and the spur roller 50 is ejected to the output tray 21.

[Media Tray 71] As described above, the multifunction device 1 includes a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM.
It has a function of recording an image on the board of a recording medium such as. In the present embodiment, when an image is recorded on the board surface of the recording medium, the recording medium is placed on the media tray 71, and the media tray 71 is inserted from the opening 4 of the multifunction device 1 into the first orientation 15. .. note that,
The multifunction device 1 may be configured so that the recording medium itself is inserted through the opening 4 of the multifunction device 1 without being placed on the media tray 71.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the media tray 71 is made of a highly rigid substance such as resin, and has a thickness of several millimeters (for example, 2 mm to 3 mm) in the vertical direction 14. again,
The length of the media tray 71 in the transport direction (depth direction 12) and the width direction 13 is longer than the thickness (height direction 14), and the length in the transport direction (depth direction 12) is longer than the length in the width direction 13. long. That is, the media tray 71 is a thin rectangular parallelepiped. On the upper surface of the media tray 71, a media mounting portion 78 having a circular recess on which the recording medium is mounted is provided.

In the following description, the tip of the media tray 71 in the first direction 15 is referred to as the first position P1 (corresponding to the first position of the present invention). The recording medium is oriented 15 in the media tray 71.
If it is placed so as to protrude, the tip of the first direction 15 of the recording medium is placed at the first position P1.
And. Further, the rear end of the first direction 15 of the image recording range in which the image is recorded on the recording medium placed on the media tray 71 is set as the second position P2 (corresponding to the second position of the present invention).
Further, the distance between the first position P1 and the second position P2 is the first distance L1 (corresponding to the first distance of the present invention).
And. When an image is recorded with a margin left at the rear end of the first orientation 15 of the recording medium, the rear end of the first orientation 15 of the image recording range excluding the margin is the second position P2.

As shown in FIG. 2, the media tray 71 on which the recording medium is placed on the media mounting portion 78 opens in the direction 77 (first direction 15) of the arrow in FIG. 2, that is, the opening on the front side of the multifunction device 1. 4
When the media tray 71 is inserted toward the straight line portion 231 of the transport path 23, the insertion of the media tray 71 is detected by a sensor (not shown), and the drive roller 49 is reversely driven. As a result, the media tray 71 is conveyed to the predetermined position in the first direction 15.

The predetermined position is a position where the tip of the first orientation 15 of the media tray 71 does not come into contact with the member (corresponding to the member of the present invention) described below (for example, the second from the position where the tip comes into contact with the member).
Nozzles 3 formed in the recording head 30 at the rear end of the first orientation 15 of the image recording range of the recording medium placed on the media tray 71 at a position of a distance preset in the orientation 16).
It is a position facing any of 01.

Among the various components arranged in the multifunction device 1, the member is the third position P3 to the first direction 15
In addition, the third distance is smaller than the first distance L1 and the total with the second distance L2 is larger than the first distance.
It is provided at a position separated by a distance L3 (corresponding to the third distance of the present invention). Here, the third distance L3 is defined as a distance along the transport direction of the media tray 71. That is, the first
The relationship between the distance L1, the second distance L2, and the third distance L3 is L3 <L1 <L2 + L3. In this embodiment, the member is a transport roller pair 54. That is, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the third distance L3 is from the third position P3 to the pinching position by the drive roller 47 and the pinch roller 48.

When the media tray 71 is conveyed to a predetermined position, the drive of the drive roller 49 is temporarily stopped and then switched to the forward rotation drive. As a result, the media tray 71 is conveyed in the second direction 16, and the recording media placed on the media tray 71 passes over the platen 34 while being conveyed in the second direction 16. As will be described later, ink droplets are ejected from a predetermined nozzle of the recording head 30 to the recording medium conveyed on the platen 34 according to the position where the image is recorded on the recording medium. As a result, the image is recorded on the board surface of the recording medium, and the media tray 71 is finally ejected from the paper ejection tray 21.

[Media Sensor 110] As shown in FIG. 2, a media sensor 11 for detecting a recording medium inserted through the opening 4 of the multifunction device 1 and conveyed in the first direction 15 through the transfer path 23.
0 (an example of the detection unit of the present invention) is provided in the multifunction device 1. The media sensor 110 is provided near the most downstream side of the first direction 15 on the lower surface side of the carriage 34. The media sensor 110 includes a light emitting unit (not shown) made of a light emitting diode or the like and a light receiving unit (not shown) made of an optical sensor or the like. The light emitting portion of the media sensor 110 irradiates light downward, and the reflected light reflected by the media tray 71, the recording medium, or the platen 34 is received by the light receiving portion.

The detection of the position of the recording medium (circular CD or DVD) by the media sensor 110 will be described below.

The media sensor 110 slides together with the carriage 31. When the carriage 31 is slid while the recording medium is supported on the platen 34, the media sensor 110 is moved from the upper surface of the platen 34, the upper surface of the media tray 71, or the upper surface of the recording medium in the process of the slide. Receives reflected light.

By setting the upper surfaces of the platen 34 and the media tray 71 to a color having low reflectance such as black, the detected value of the light receiving part by the reflected light from the recording medium and the light receiving part by the reflected light from the platen 34 or the media tray 71 The value is different from the detected value of. The detected value in the light receiving unit is sent to the control unit 130. As a result, the control unit 130 obtains data about the positions of both ends of the recording medium.

Next, after the media tray 71 is slightly conveyed in the first direction 15, the same process as described above is executed, and the control unit 130 obtains data about the positions of both ends of the recording medium. As a result, the control unit 130 has obtained data at four ends of the recording medium. The center and diameter of the circle can be calculated if at least three points on the circumference are known. Therefore, the control unit 1
Reference numeral 30 can determine the current center position of the circular recording medium based on the data of the four end portions.

When the media sensor 110 detects the recording medium, the media sensor 110 is directed from the first position P1 to the second direction 1.
6 detects an area within the third distance L3. For example, the media sensor 110 has a first orientation of 1.
The tip or the vicinity of the tip of the recording medium conveyed to No. 5 is detected, or when the position of the media tray 71 is determined as described below, the tip or the vicinity of the tip of the media tray 71 is detected.

By making the platen 34 and the media tray 71 different colors, the platen 3
The detected value of the light receiving portion by the reflected light from 4 and the detected value of the light receiving portion by the reflected light from the media tray 71 are different values. As a result, the control unit 130 can obtain data about the position of the media tray 71.

[Control Unit 130] Hereinafter, a schematic configuration of the control unit 130 will be described with reference to FIG. 7. The present invention is realized when the control unit 130 performs recording control according to a flowchart described later.

The control unit 130 controls the overall operation of the multifunction device 1. The control unit 130 is a CPU
It is configured as a microcomputer mainly composed of 131, ROM 132, RAM 133, EEPROM 134, and ASIC 135. These are connected by an internal bus 137.

The ROM 132 stores a program or the like for the CPU 131 to control various operations of the multifunction device 10. The RAM 133 is used as a storage area for temporarily recording data, signals, etc. used by the CPU 131 when executing the program, or as a work area for data processing. The EEPROM 134 stores settings, flags, and the like that should be retained even after the power is turned off.

The ASIC 135 includes a media sensor 110, a paper feed motor 76, and a CR drive motor 311.
And the transfer motor 59 and the like are connected. The ASIC 135 incorporates a drive circuit for controlling the motor for each motor. When a drive signal for rotating each motor is input from the CPU 131 to a drive circuit corresponding to a predetermined motor, a drive current corresponding to the drive signal is output from the drive circuit to the corresponding motor, whereby the corresponding motor Rotates or reverses at a predetermined rotation speed.

The media sensor 110 outputs an analog electric signal (voltage signal or current signal) according to the intensity of light received by the light receiving unit. The output signal is input to the control unit 130, and the control unit 130 determines whether or not the electrical level (voltage value or current value) is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold value. For example, when the input signal is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value, it is determined as a HIGH level signal (signal due to reflected light from the recording medium), and when it is less than the predetermined threshold value, LO is determined.
It is determined to be a W level signal (a signal due to reflected light from the platen 34 or the media tray 71).

[Recording Process] In the printer unit 2 configured as described above, the fourth position of the distance between the image recording position on the most downstream side of the first direction 15 and the second position P2 in the image recording range with respect to the recording medium.
When the distance L4 (corresponding to the fourth distance of the present invention) is less than the fifth distance L5 (corresponding to the fifth distance of the present invention) obtained by subtracting the third distance L3 from the first distance L1, from the third position P3. Second direction 16
In addition, a recording unit is used to record an image on a recording medium using a nozzle 301 separated by a distance of 6th distance L6 (corresponding to the 6th distance of the present invention) obtained by subtracting the 4th distance L4 from the 5th distance L5. 24
The recording process (an example of the inkjet recording method of the present invention) for controlling the above is performed by the control unit 130. Hereinafter, the processing procedure of the recording process will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.

When the image recording instruction is input to the multifunction device 1, it is determined whether the image recording instruction is for the recording medium or the recording paper (S10, an example of the first step of the present invention). For example, the media tray 71 on which the recording medium is placed is oriented from the opening 4 to the first direction 15.
When an image recording instruction is input by operating the operation panel 9 after being inserted into the image recording instruction, it is determined that the image recording instruction is image recording on a recording medium. Alternatively, even if the operation panel 9 specifies that the image is recorded on the recording medium instead of the recording paper, it is determined that the image recording instruction is the image recording on the recording medium. When the inserted recording medium or media tray 71 is detected by the media sensor 110, it may be determined that the image recording instruction is image recording on the recording medium.

In step S10, when it is determined that the image recording instruction is not for the recording medium but for the recording paper (S10: No), the first image recording process for image recording using an arbitrary nozzle is executed. Is done (S20). In step S20, the paper feed roller 25 is rotated, the recording paper on the paper feed tray 20 is fed toward the transport path 23, and is fed to the lower side of the recording unit 24 via the transport roller pair 54. That is, the recording paper is oriented 16 in the second direction.
Will be transported to. Then, the recording unit 24 records the image on the recording paper. On this occasion,
Regardless of the image recording position of the recording paper, an image can be recorded on the recording paper by any of the plurality of nozzles 301 provided. That is, the control unit 130
For recording paper, which is an example of a sheet-shaped recording medium that is conveyed in the second direction 16 by a transfer roller pair 54, there are no particular restrictions on the nozzles used, and the balance between image quality and printing speed is the best. The recording unit 24 is controlled so that printing is performed using a combination of the nozzle used and the transfer amount. An example of image recording on recording paper will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 9A.

In the description of FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B described later, the unit of one scanning in which the carriage 31 records an image while ejecting ink droplets from the nozzle 301 is referred to as a pass (P). For example, in FIG. 9, the first pass is referred to as 1P, and the second pass is referred to as 2P.

Further, a recording paper and a recording medium are written on the right side of each of FIGS. 9A and 9B. At the time of image recording, the recording paper and the recording medium are conveyed in the second direction 16, that is, from the upper side to the lower side of the paper surface of FIG. Line numbers 1 to 40 are attached to the right side of the recording paper and the recording medium. For convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the length of the recording paper in the transport direction is a length corresponding to 40 lines. Each line of the recording paper has a pass number. This indicates that the line is image-recorded in the path of the number assigned to the line.

Further, for convenience of explanation, in FIG. 9, only one color is recorded on the recording paper and the recording medium, and the number of nozzles 301 provided in the recording unit 24 is nine. Each nozzle is described as N1 to N9. The position of the nozzle N1 on the most downstream side of the second direction 16 is the fourth position P4, and the position of the nozzle N9 on the most upstream side of the second direction 16 is the third position P3. FIG. 9 (A),
On the left side of each of (B), the relative position of the nozzle 301 with respect to the recording paper in each pass is written. For example, in FIG. 9A, in the first pass, the nozzle N7 is located above the first row of the recording paper, the nozzle N8 is located above the fifth row of the recording paper, and the nozzle N9 is the recording paper. It is located above the 9th line of. It is assumed that the pitch of each nozzle is a length corresponding to four rows. That is, by recording an image on the recording paper and the recording medium by the recording unit 24, an image having a resolution of 1/4 in pitch units is generated.

At the start of image recording, the position of the nozzle 301 with respect to the recording paper is the position of the first pass (1P) in FIG. 9A. In this state, the CR drive motor 311 is driven, and ink droplets are selectively ejected from the nozzle 301 based on the print data. In the first pass, the ink droplets are ejected from the nozzles N7 to N9 on the first, fifth, and ninth rows of the recording paper.

When the image recording of the first pass is completed, the CR drive motor 311 is stopped, the transfer motor 59 is driven, and the drive roller 47 is rotated by a predetermined amount. As a result, the recording paper is oriented 16 in the second direction.
Only the amount of transport corresponding to 9 rows is transported to, and then stopped. Whether or not the rotation amount of the drive roller 47 has reached the transfer amount is determined based on the pulse signal of the rotary encoder.

When the recording paper is stopped, the CR drive motor 311 is driven again, and ink droplets are selectively ejected from the nozzle 301 based on the print data. In the second pass, the ink droplets are ejected from the nozzles N5 to N9 on the second, sixth, tenth, 14th, and 18th lines of the recording paper. The same applies to the third and subsequent passes. In this way, the ink droplets are ejected from the nozzle 301 and the recording paper is conveyed to the second direction 16 by the drive roller 47 alternately, so that the recording paper is directed from the front end to the rear end of the second direction 16. Images are recorded sequentially.

If it is determined in step S10 that the image recording instruction is for the recording medium (S10: Yes), if the recording medium is inserted in step S10, the process proceeds to step S30 as it is, and only some nozzles are pressed. A second image recording process for recording an image using the image is executed (an example of the second step of the present invention). If the recording medium is not inserted in step S10, the media tray 71 on which the recording medium is placed is inserted through the opening 4, and the recording medium is conveyed to the lower side of the recording unit 24 via the paper ejection roller pair 55. After that, the process proceeds to step S30.

In step S30, the recording unit 24 records an image on the recording medium. At this time, depending on the image recording position on the recording medium, the image is recorded only by a part of the nozzles 301 out of the nine nozzles 301. That is, the control unit 130 uses a part of the nozzles for the recording media placed on the media tray 71, which is conveyed in the second direction 16 by the transfer roller pair 54, depending on the image recording position. 24 is controlled. An example of image recording on a recording medium will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 9B.

In the description of FIG. 9B, the first distance L1, the second distance L2, and the third distance L3 are represented by the number of lines of the recording medium, the first distance L1 is 85, and the second distance L2. Is 40, the third
It is assumed that the distance L3 is 55.

The media tray 71 is inserted through the opening 4 and faces the lower side of the recording unit 24 in the first direction 1
It is detected by the media sensor 110 in the process of being conveyed to 5. The current image recording position for the recording media placed on the media tray 71 is, for example, the time from when the tip of the media tray 71 (first position P1) is detected by the media sensor 110 until the media tray 71 is stopped. , And calculated based on the transport speed of the media tray 71 by the ejection roller pair 55. That is, the first image recording position with respect to the recording medium placed on the media tray 71 is calculated based on the detection result by the media sensor 110.

Specifically, it is recognized that the position of the nozzle 301 with respect to the recording medium is the position of the first pass (1P) in FIG. 9B. Further, in the first pass (1P), it is recognized that the image recording range for the recording medium is from the first line to the 33rd line of the recording medium. Then, the first image recording position is 1, 5, 9, 13, 17, of the recording medium.
It is calculated to be the 21st, 25th, 29th, and 33rd lines. Each of these calculated image recording positions corresponds to the image recording position on the most downstream side of the first direction 15 in the image recording range with respect to the recording medium.

Next, the CR drive motor 311 is driven, and ink droplets are selectively ejected from the nozzle 301 based on the print data. At this time, an image is recorded on the recording medium using only the nozzle 301 which is separated from the third position P3 in the second direction 16 by the sixth distance L6 or more. The sixth distance L6 is a distance obtained by subtracting the fourth distance L4 from the fifth distance L5 (30). That is, the sixth distance L6 is 30 when the first image recording position is the first line, and 26 when the first image recording position is the fourth line. The sixth distance for the other image recording positions is shown in FIG.

From the above, in the first pass in this example, as shown in FIG. 10, when the first image recording position is the first line, the usable nozzle 301 starts from the third position (40th line). It is any of N1, N2, and N3, which are nozzles 301 separated from the second direction 16 by a sixth distance (30) or more. In this example, when the image recording position is the first line, the nozzle N1 is used. The nozzle 301 that can be used for image recording to other image recording positions and the nozzle 301 that is actually used are as shown in FIG.

The usable nozzles 301 described above selectively eject ink droplets to each image recording position. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9B, in the first pass,
The ink droplets are from the nozzle N1 to the first line of the recording medium, from the nozzle N2 to the fifth line of the recording medium, from the nozzle N3 to the ninth line of the recording medium, from the nozzle N4 to the thirteenth line of the recording medium, and from the nozzle N5 to the recording medium. 17th line, 21st line of recording media from nozzle N6, 25th line of recording media from nozzle N7, 29th line of recording media from nozzle N8, nozzle N9
Is ejected from the 33rd line of the recording medium.

When the image recording of the first pass is completed, the CR drive motor 311 is stopped and the conveyor motor 59
Is driven and the drive roller 47 is rotated by a predetermined amount. As a result, the recording medium is transported by a transport amount corresponding to one line in the second direction 16, and then stopped. Whether or not the rotation amount of the drive roller 47 has reached the transfer amount is determined based on the pulse signal of the rotary encoder.

When the recording medium is stopped, the CR drive motor 311 is driven again, and ink droplets are selectively ejected from the nozzle 301 based on the print data. As shown in FIG. 9 (B), 2
In the pass, the ink droplets are the second line of the recording medium from the nozzle N1, the sixth line of the recording medium from the nozzle N2, the tenth line of the recording medium from the nozzle N3, the 14th line of the recording medium from the nozzle N4, and the nozzle. Discharge from N5 to the 18th line of the recording media, nozzle N6 to the 22nd line of the recording media, nozzle N7 to the 26th line of the recording media, nozzle N8 to the 30th line of the recording media, and nozzle N9 to the 34th line of the recording media. Will be done. The same process is executed in the 3rd pass and the 4th pass. However, at the time of transition from the 4th pass to the 5th pass, the recording medium is conveyed in the second direction 16 by an amount corresponding to 33 rows. That is, FIG. 9 (
In B), the transfer of the recording medium is alternately repeated three times, which corresponds to one line, and one time, which corresponds to 33 lines. In this way, the ejection of ink droplets from the nozzle 301 and the transfer of the recording medium to the second direction 16 by the drive roller 47 are alternately performed, so that images are sequentially recorded from the front end to the rear end of the recording medium. Will be done.

[Effect of the Embodiment] If the third distance L3 is larger than the first distance L1 (L3> L1), the media tray 71 does not come into contact with the transport roller pair 54 even if an image is recorded on the recording medium by an arbitrary nozzle 301. .. If the first distance L1 is larger than the sum of the third distance L3 and the second distance L2 (L1> L2 + L3), the media tray 71 contacts the transport roller pair 54 regardless of which nozzle 301 records the image on the recording medium. Cannot be prevented. In the present invention, since the first distance L1 is larger than the third distance L3 and smaller than the sum of the second distance L2 and the third distance L3 (L3 <L1 <L2 + L3), an image is displayed on the recording medium by the specific nozzle 301. By recording, contact between the media tray 71 and the transfer roller pair 54 can be prevented.

A nozzle 30 near the rear end of the first orientation 15 of the recording medium and near the most downstream side of the first orientation 15.
When the image is recorded at 1, the distance from the third position P3 to the tip of the media tray 71 in the first direction 15 becomes large, and the media tray 71 collides with the transport roller pair 54.

For example, in the flowchart of FIG. 8 described above, when the image recording in steps S50 to S70 is performed based on FIG. 9A instead of FIG. 9B, the media tray 71 collides with the transport roller pair 54. It ends up. It will be described in detail below. In FIG. 9A, in the first pass (1P), the distance between the second position P2 (the position of the first row) and the third position P3 (the position of the nozzle N9) is nine rows. Here, in the flowchart of FIG. 8, the first distance is 85. Therefore, the length of the media tray 71 protruding from the third position in the first direction 15 is a value obtained by subtracting the above-mentioned nine lines from the first distance (85), that is, 76. Here, in the flowchart of FIG. 8, the third
The distance is 55. The length (76) at which the above-mentioned media tray 71 protrudes is the third distance (55).
), The media tray 71 collides with the transport roller pair 54.

However, in the present embodiment, the nozzle near the rear end of the first orientation 15 of the recording medium (the position within the fifth distance L5 from the second position P2 to the first orientation 15) is not near the most downstream side of the first orientation 15. Since printing is performed with 301 (a nozzle separated from the third position P3 in the second direction 16 by a sixth distance L6 or more), the tip of the first direction 15 of the media tray 71 is a third distance L3 or more from the third position P3.
It does not separate to the downstream side of the first direction 15.

For example, as described in the flowchart of FIG. 8 described above, steps S50 to
When the image recording in S70 is performed based on FIG. 9B, the media tray 71 does not collide with the transport roller pair 54. It will be described in detail below. In FIG. 9B, in the first pass (1P),
The distance between the second position P2 (the position of the first row) and the third position P3 (the position of the nozzle N9) is 33 rows. Here, in the flowchart of FIG. 8, the first distance is 85. Therefore, the length of the media tray 71 protruding from the third position in the first direction 15 is a value obtained by subtracting the above-mentioned 33 lines from the first distance (85), that is, 52. Here, in the flowchart of FIG. 8, the third distance is 55. The length (52) at which the above-mentioned media tray 71 protrudes is the third distance (55).
Because it is smaller, the media tray 71 does not collide with the transport roller pair 54.

Further, in the present embodiment, a specific nozzle 301 is located near the rear end of the first orientation 15 of the recording medium.
The image is recorded by any nozzle 301 except near the rear end. Therefore, image recording is possible for the entire area of the recording medium.

Further, in the present embodiment, unlike the thick recording medium, the recording paper is sandwiched even if it comes into contact with the transport roller pair 54 or the discharge roller pair 55, so that the transport roller pair 54 or the discharge roller pair 55 secondly holds the recording paper. It is transported in the direction 16. Therefore, in image recording on recording paper, there is no problem even if an arbitrary nozzle 301 is used. By using an arbitrary nozzle 301, it is possible to record an image with high image quality.

Further, when the vicinity of the rear end of the first direction 15 of the recording medium is detected by the media sensor 110, the distance from the third position P3 to the tip of the first direction 15 of the media tray 71 becomes large. As a result, the media tray 71 collides with the transport roller pair 54. However,
In the present embodiment, the vicinity of the tip of the first orientation 15 of the recording medium (from the first position P1 to the second orientation 1).
Only within the third distance L3) is detected by the media sensor 110. Therefore, when the recording medium is detected by the media sensor 110, the collision between the media tray 71 and the transport roller pair 54 can be prevented.

[Modification 1 of the Example] In the above-described embodiment, the case where the member is a transfer roller pair 54 has been described, but the member may be the housing of the multifunction device 1. For example, as shown in FIG. 11A, even if the member intersects the region of the casing 5 of the multifunction device 1 in which the recording medium or the media tray 71 is extended in the first direction 15 in the transport direction. good. for example,
The portion is a wall surface 53 constituting the back surface of the multifunction device 1. In this case, the third distance L3 is the distance from the third position P3 to the wall surface 53.

As described above, in the present invention, the tip of the first direction 15 of the media tray 71 does not separate from the third position P3 to the downstream side of the first direction 15 by a third distance L3 or more. therefore,
In the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 11A, it is possible to prevent the media tray 71 from colliding with the wall surface 53 of the multifunction device 1. Further, the media tray 71 is the multifunction device 1.
It is possible to prevent the wall surface 53 of the multifunction device 1 from protruding to the downstream side of the first direction 15 and projecting to the outside of the multifunction device 1.

[Modification 2 of the Example] When the multifunction device 1 is provided with a protrusion (corresponding to the protrusion of the present invention) protruding from the back surface of the multifunction device 1 to the downstream side of the first direction 15, the third distance L3 Is the third position P3
It may be the distance from the multifunction device 1 to the tip of the protruding portion protruding downstream of the first direction 15 in the casing 5 of the multifunction device 1. For example, as shown in FIG. 11B, the outer guide surface 29 constitutes a part of the wall surface 53 on the back surface of the casing 5 of the multifunction device 1, and the outer guide surface 29 is located behind the wall surface 53. In this case, the outer guide surface 29 becomes the protruding portion.
In this case, the member may be the outer guide surface 29, and the third distance L3 is the distance from the third position P3 to the rearmost protruding portion of the outer guide surface 29.

In FIG. 11B, the tip of the media tray 71 in the first direction 15 can reach the vicinity of the most rearwardly protruding portion of the outer guide surface 29. In this case, the portion near the tip of the first direction 15 of the media tray 71 reaches the rear side of the wall surface 53 on the back surface of the multifunction device 1. Therefore, in FIG. 11B, an opening 562 for penetrating the media tray 71 is formed.

[Modified Example 3 of the Example] The protruding portion described in the modified example 2 may be a manual feed tray 56 (an example of the second tray of the present invention) capable of holding recording paper. For example, as shown in FIG. 11C, the manual feed tray 56 is tilted backward and diagonally upward from the wall surface 53. A second transport path 233 is formed from the tip of the bypass tray 56 (the end on the front side) to the confluence point 232 with the portion where the transport path 23 is curved in order to transport the recording paper in a U-turn. There is. The recording paper is inserted by the user of the multifunction device 1 toward the confluence point 232 existing in front of the opening 561 formed in the wall surface 53 on the back surface of the multifunction device 1 while being supported on the bypass tray 56.
The recording paper is conveyed to the lower side of the recording unit 24 by a transfer roller pair 54 or the like via the second transfer path 233. In the case of the above configuration, the third distance L3 is the distance from the third position P3 to the most rearwardly protruding portion of the manual feed tray 56.

In FIG. 11C, the tip of the media tray 71 in the first direction 15 can reach the vicinity of the most rearwardly protruding portion of the manual feed tray 56. In this case, the portion near the tip of the first direction 15 of the media tray 71 reaches the rear side of the wall surface 53 on the back surface of the multifunction device 1. Therefore, in FIG. 11C, the opening 56 is formed in the wall surface 53.
It is an opening different from 1 and has an opening 562 for penetrating the media tray 71.

The multifunction device 1 is installed so that the most protruding portion on the back surface of the multifunction device 1 does not come into contact with the wall or the like of the room in which the multifunction device 1 is installed. The most protruding portion is, for example, the outer guide surface 29 described in the modified example 2 and the manual feed tray 56 described in the modified example 3. Outer guide surface 29
When both the manual feed tray 56 and the manual feed tray 56 are provided in the multifunction device 1, the most protruding portion is the manual feed tray 56 in the cases of FIGS. 11B and 11C. Further, as described above, in the present embodiment, the tip of the media tray 71 in the first direction 15 is the third distance L from the third position P3.
It does not separate from the downstream side of the first direction 15 by 3 or more. Therefore, the media tray 71 does not protrude further than the most protruding portion on the back surface of the multifunction device 1. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the media tray 71 from colliding with the wall or the like of the room in which the multifunction device 1 is installed.

[Modification 4 of the Example] The member is mounted on the multifunction device 1 and has a first posture (corresponding to the first posture of the present invention) in which the protrusion from the multifunction device 1 to the downstream side of the first direction 15 is small, that is, to the rear side. ) And a plurality of movable parts (corresponding to the movable part of the present invention) whose postures can be changed to the second posture (corresponding to the second posture of the present invention) having a large protrusion. It may be the movable portion most protruding to the downstream side of the first direction 15. In this case, the third distance L3 is the distance from the third position P3 to the most protruding portion of the movable portion in the second posture from the multifunction device 1 to the downstream side of the first direction 15.

For example, the movable portion may be the scanner housing 8 of the scanner portion 3 (an example of the cover member of the present invention). As shown in FIG. 12A, the scanner housing 8 is rotatably supported by a support mechanism such as a hinge 81 on the rear side of the multifunction device 1 so as to be openable and closable with respect to the upper surface of the casing 5. There is. As a result, the scanner housing 8 has a closed posture that covers the upper surface of the casing 5 (an example of the first posture of the present invention, a posture shown in FIG. 1) and an open posture that opens upward from the upper surface of the casing 5 (the present invention). An example of the second posture (the posture shown in FIG. 12A) can be rotated. In the fourth modification, the upper surface of the casing 5 is open. Therefore, when the scanner housing 8 is opened upward as shown in FIG. 12A to expose the upper surface of the casing 5, the user accesses the inside of the transport roller pair 54 or the like from the upper surface of the casing 5. It becomes possible. Then, the user can perform maintenance and jam processing of the components in the printer unit 2. In the modified example 4, as in the modified example 3, the wall surface 53 is provided with an opening 562 for penetrating the media tray 71. In the case of the above configuration, the third distance L3 is the distance from the third position P3 to the most rearwardly protruding portion of the scanner housing 8.

[Modified Example 5 of the Example] As another example of the movable portion described in the modified example 4, the movable portion is the modified example 3.
The manual feed tray 56 may be rotatably arranged (an example of the third tray of the present invention). For example, as shown in FIG. 12B, a support mechanism such as a hinge 563 is used on the rear side of the multifunction device 1 and at the lower end of the manual feed tray 56 so that the multifunction device 1 can be opened and closed with respect to the wall surface 53 on the back surface. It is rotatably supported. As a result, the manual feed tray 56 is changed into a second posture shown by a solid line (an example of the second posture of the present invention) and a first posture shown by a broken line (an example of the first posture of the present invention). .. The bypass tray 56 stands up along the wall surface 53 when it is in the first posture. Further, when the manual feed tray 56 is in the second posture, the wall surface 5
It is tilted diagonally upward from 3 to the rear side. Recording paper of various sizes can be placed on the bypass tray 56 in the second posture. In the modified example 5, similarly to the modified example 3, when the second transport path 233 and the opening 561 (not shown in FIG. 12B) are formed and the manual feed tray 56 is in the second posture. The recording paper is inserted by the user of the multifunction device 1. Further, as in the modified example 3, an opening 562 for penetrating the media tray 71 is formed. In the case of the above configuration, the third distance L3 is the distance from the third position P3 to the most rearwardly protruding portion of the manual feed tray 56 in the second posture.

[Modified Example 6 of the Example] As another example of the movable portion described in the modified example 4, the movable portion may be the scanner unit 3. As shown in FIG. 13, the document cover 7 can be rotated by a support mechanism such as a hinge 82 at the rear back of the multifunction device 1 so as to open and close the platen glass 6 provided on the upper surface of the scanner housing 8. Is supported by. As a result, the document cover 7 has a closed posture (an example of the first posture of the present invention, a posture shown in FIG. 1) covering the platen glass 6 and the document placed on the platen glass 6, and upward from the scanner housing 8. The posture can be changed from the open posture (the second posture of the present invention, the posture shown in FIG. 13). From the above, the scanner unit 3 is rotatably supported by the multifunction device 1 and covers the document placed on the platen glass in the closed posture.
Read the image recorded on the manuscript. Also in the modified example 6, the wall surface 53 is similar to the modified example 3.
There may be an opening for passing the media tray 71 through the media tray 71. In the case of the above configuration, the third distance L3 is the distance from the third position P3 to the most rearwardly protruding portion of the scanner unit 3 in the second posture. The document cover 7 may be integrated with an ADF unit for continuously reading a plurality of documents.

The multifunction device 1 may be equipped with a movable portion whose posture can be changed. In that case, the multifunction device 1 is installed so as not to come into contact with the wall or the like of the room in which the multifunction device 1 is installed, regardless of the posture of the possible portion. The movable portion includes, for example, the scanner housing 8 described in the modified example 4.
The rotatable third tray 56 described in the modified example 5 and the scanner unit 3 described in the modified example 6. A plurality of these movable parts may be mounted on the multifunction device 1. Also, as mentioned above
In the present invention, the tip of the media tray 71 in the first direction 15 is the third distance L from the third position P3.
It does not separate from the downstream side of the first direction 15 by 3 or more. Therefore, modification 4 to modification 6
In the configuration described above, the media tray 71 does not protrude further than the tip of the movable portion that most protrudes from the back surface of the multifunction device 1 to the downstream side of the first direction 15. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the media tray 71 from colliding with the wall or the like of the room in which the multifunction device 1 is installed.

1 ... Multifunction device 2 ... Printer unit 3 ... Scanner unit 5 ... Casing 24 ... Image recording unit 47 ... Drive roller 48 ... Pinch roller 54 ... Conveying roller pair 55・ ・
・ Discharge roller vs. 56 ・ ・ ・ Manual feed tray 71 ・ ・ ・ Media tray 110 ・ ・ ・ Media sensor 130 ・ ・ ・ Control unit

Claims (16)

A pair of first rollers for transporting the media tray holding the recording medium in the first transport direction and the second transport direction opposite to the first transport direction.
A plurality of nozzles including the first nozzle located on the most downstream side in the first transport direction and the second nozzle located on the most upstream side in the first transport direction are formed side by side in the first transport direction. A head located downstream of the first roller pair in the first transport direction,
A carriage on which the head is mounted and moves in a scanning direction orthogonal to the first transport direction,
With a control unit
The control unit
Before ejecting ink from the plurality of nozzles toward the recording medium held in the media tray, the most upstream end of the recording medium held in the media tray in the first transport direction is described. The media tray is positioned at a predetermined position by the first roller pair so as to be located between the first nozzle and the second nozzle in the first transport direction, and then the media tray is positioned at a predetermined position.
A transport operation for transporting a predetermined amount of the media tray in the second transport direction, and moving the carriage in the scanning direction from at least a part of the plurality of nozzles toward the recording medium held in the media tray. Repeat the ejection operation to eject ink,
Of the recording medium held in the media tray, the upstream region where the media tray is positioned upstream than the first nozzle in the first conveying direction when positioned at the predetermined position, the transport An inkjet recording apparatus that ejects ink from a part of the plurality of nozzles toward the upstream region in the plurality of ejection operations while performing the operation and the ejection operation a plurality of times. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second nozzle is not included in some of the nozzles. The media tray has a circular recess for holding the recording medium.
The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when the media tray is positioned at the predetermined position, the center of the recess is located downstream of the first nozzle in the first transport direction. The invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the media tray holds the recording medium without rotating while the ink is ejected from the head toward the recording medium held in the media tray. Inkjet recording device. A second roller pair provided on the downstream side of the head in the first transport direction is further provided.
The distance between the first nozzle and the nip point of the second roller pair in the first transport direction is smaller than the distance between the second nozzle and the nip point of the first roller pair in the first transport direction. The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The first roller pair includes a drive roller and a spur roller.
The inkjet recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the drive roller and the spur roller sandwich the media tray when the media tray is conveyed. Further provided with a guide rail extending in the scanning direction and guiding the carriage.
The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the length of the guide rail in the scanning direction is longer than the length of the media tray in the scanning direction when the media tray is conveyed to the first roller pair. .. The control unit
While the media tray is conveyed from the predetermined position in the second conveying direction until the most upstream end of the recording medium held in the media tray passes through the second nozzle, the media tray is conveyed. The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the number of the nozzles for ejecting ink toward the recording medium held in the image is increased. While the media tray is conveyed from the predetermined position in the second conveying direction until the most upstream end of the recording medium held in the media tray passes through the second nozzle, the plurality of media trays are conveyed. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the number of nozzles facing the recording medium held in the media tray increases. The plurality of nozzles are composed of a plurality of nozzles adjacent to each other in the first transport direction, and have a nozzle group including the second nozzle.
The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein some of the nozzles are nozzles located downstream of the nozzle group in the first transport direction. The control unit
When the media tray is located at the predetermined position, a part of the above is directed toward the downstream region of the recording medium held by the media tray located on the downstream side of the first nozzle in the first transport direction. The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein ink is selectively ejected from the plurality of nozzles without being limited to the nozzles. A second roller pair provided on the downstream side of the head in the first transport direction is further provided.
The control unit
A sheet different from the recording medium is conveyed to the second roller pair, and based on the print data, the sheet is conveyed toward the sheet conveyed by the second roller pair without being limited to some of the nozzles. The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein ink is selectively ejected from a plurality of nozzles. Further provided with a housing in which the first roller pair, the head and the carriage are arranged internally.
The housing has a paper ejection port and has a paper ejection port.
The distance between the paper ejection port and the nip point of the first roller pair in the first conveying direction is smaller than the distance between the paper ejection port and the head in the first conveying direction, according to claims 1 to 12. The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one. The first roller pair, the head and the housing in which the carriage is arranged, and
With a paper output tray,
The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the housing has an opening into which the media tray and the paper output tray are inserted. A pair of first rollers for transporting the media tray holding the recording medium in the first transport direction and the second transport direction opposite to the first transport direction.
A plurality of nozzles including the first nozzle located on the most downstream side in the first transport direction and the second nozzle located on the most upstream side in the first transport direction are formed side by side in the first transport direction. A head located downstream of the first roller pair in the first transport direction,
A carriage on which the head is mounted and moves in a scanning direction orthogonal to the first transport direction,
It is a recording method of recording an image on a recording medium by an inkjet recording apparatus equipped with.
Before ejecting ink from the plurality of nozzles toward the recording medium held in the media tray, the most upstream end of the recording medium held in the media tray in the first transport direction is The media tray is positioned at a predetermined position by the first roller pair so as to be located between the first nozzle and the second nozzle in the first transport direction, and then.
A transport operation for transporting a predetermined amount of the media tray in the second transport direction, and moving the carriage in the scanning direction from at least a part of the plurality of nozzles toward the recording medium held in the media tray. Repeat the ejection operation to eject ink,
Of the recording medium held in the media tray, the upstream region where the media tray is positioned upstream than the first nozzle in the first conveying direction when positioned at the predetermined position, the transport A recording method in which ink is ejected from a part of the plurality of nozzles toward the upstream region in the plurality of ejection operations while performing the operation and the ejection operation a plurality of times. A first roller pair that transports a media tray having a mounting portion on which a recording medium is mounted in a first transport direction and a second transport direction opposite to the first transport direction.
A plurality of nozzles including the first nozzle located on the most downstream side in the first transport direction and the second nozzle located on the most upstream side in the first transport direction are formed side by side in the first transport direction. A head located downstream of the first roller pair in the first transport direction,
A carriage on which the head is mounted and moves in a scanning direction orthogonal to the first transport direction,
With a control unit
The control unit
Before ejecting ink from the plurality of nozzles toward the above-mentioned mounting portion of the media tray, the end of the above-mentioned mounting portion of the media tray on the most upstream side in the first transport direction is in the first transport direction. The media tray is positioned at a predetermined position by the first roller pair so as to be located between the first nozzle and the second nozzle.
A transport operation for transporting a predetermined amount of the media tray in the second transport direction, and ink is applied from at least a part of the plurality of nozzles toward the above-described portion of the media tray while moving the carriage in the scanning direction. Repeat the discharge operation to discharge,
Among the above-mentioned placement portions of the media tray, when the media tray is located at the predetermined position, the transfer operation and the transfer operation and the transfer operation to the upstream region located upstream of the first nozzle in the first transfer direction are performed. An inkjet recording device that ejects ink from a part of the plurality of nozzles toward the upstream region in the plurality of ejection operations while performing the ejection operation a plurality of times.

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