JP7447325B2 - Inkjet recording device and method of controlling the inkjet recording device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an inkjet recording device and a method of controlling the inkjet recording device.

2. Description of the Related Art There is an inkjet recording apparatus that employs an ink circulation system that circulates ink in a pressure chamber that communicates with an ejection port that ejects ink. Patent Document 1 describes a technique in which, in a recording apparatus that employs such an ink circulation system, ink circulation is started immediately before image formation is started, and ink circulation is stopped when image formation is completed. has been done.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-121784

In an inkjet recording device that circulates ink while a recording operation is being performed and stops the circulation when the recording operation is completed, as in the technology of Patent Document 1, the circulation time changes depending on the content of the job. . For this reason, for example, if a job whose recording operation is completed in a short time is repeatedly input, the short-time circulation operation will be repeated. If short-time circulation operations are repeated, circulation may not be sufficient in one circulation operation, and the thickened ink generated around the ejection ports may not be completely flushed away. Therefore, if short-time circulation operations are repeated, the thickened ink generated around the ejection ports will gradually accumulate, and ejection may not be performed normally.

An object of the present invention is to suppress the accumulation of thickened ink that occurs around the ejection ports.

An inkjet recording device according to one aspect of the present invention includes an ejection port that ejects ink supplied from a tank containing ink, and an ejection port that is provided corresponding to the ejection port and that generates energy used for ejecting liquid. an energy generating element for generating energy, and a pressure chamber located opposite to the energy generating element, communicating with the ejection port and filled with the ink to be ejected from the ejection port, and discharging the ink from the ejection port. A recording head that performs a recording operation by discharging ink, a circulation means that circulates ink in a circulation path including the pressure chamber, and a control means that controls the circulation means , and the control means is configured to perform a recording operation. If the circulation is performed, the circulation means causes the ink to circulate in the circulation path, and the control means controls, when the elapsed time of circulation from the start of circulation performed in response to the recording operation is less than a specified value, After the recording operation is completed, the circulation means continues to circulate the ink in the circulation path for a predetermined time, and then stops the circulation, and the predetermined time is 3 seconds or more.

According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent thickened ink from accumulating around the ejection ports.

FIG. 3 is a diagram when the recording device is in a standby state. It is a control block diagram of a recording device. FIG. 3 is a diagram when the recording device is in a recording state. FIG. 3 is a diagram when the recording device is in a maintenance state. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a flow path configuration of an ink circulation system. It is a figure explaining a discharge port and a pressure chamber. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating how thickened ink is produced. 3 is a flowchart when a recording operation is performed. It is a figure which shows table information. It is a figure explaining an additional circulation sequence. It is a figure which shows table information. 3 is a flowchart when a recording operation is performed.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the present invention, and not all combinations of features described in the present embodiments are essential to the solution of the present invention. Note that the same components will be described with the same reference numerals. Furthermore, the relative arrangement, shape, etc. of the components described in the embodiments are merely examples, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

<<Embodiment 1>>
FIG. 1 is an internal configuration diagram of an inkjet printing apparatus 1 (hereinafter referred to as printing apparatus 1) used in this embodiment. In the figure, the x direction is a horizontal direction, the y direction (perpendicular to the paper surface) is a direction in which ejection ports are arranged in a recording head 8, which will be described later, and the z direction is a vertical direction.

The recording device 1 is a multifunctional device that includes a print section 2 and a scanner section 3, and the print section 2 and the scanner section 3 can perform various processes related to recording operations and reading operations individually or in conjunction with each other. The scanner section 3 is equipped with an ADF (auto document feeder) and an FBS (flatbed scanner), and is capable of reading originals automatically fed by the ADF and reading (scanning) originals placed on the original table of the FBS by the user. )It can be performed. Note that although this embodiment is a multifunctional device that has both a print section 2 and a scanner section 3, it may be a multifunction device that does not include the scanner section 3. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the recording apparatus 1 is in a standby state in which neither recording nor reading operations are performed.

In the print section 2, a first cassette 5A and a second cassette 5B for accommodating a recording medium (cut sheet) S are removably installed at the bottom of the housing 4 in the vertical direction. The first cassette 5A stores relatively small recording media up to A4 size, and the second cassette 5B stores relatively large recording media up to A3 size in a flat stack. A first feeding unit 6A is provided near the first cassette 5A to separate and feed the stored recording media one by one. Similarly, a second feeding unit 6B is provided near the second cassette 5B. When a recording operation is performed, the recording medium S is selectively fed from one of the cassettes.

The conveyance roller 7, the discharge roller 12, the pinch roller 7a, the spur 7b, the guide 18, the inner guide 19, and the flapper 11 are a conveyance mechanism for guiding the recording medium S in a predetermined direction. The conveyance roller 7 is a drive roller that is disposed upstream and downstream of the recording head 8 and driven by a conveyance motor (not shown). The pinch roller 7a is a driven roller that rotates together with the conveyance roller 7 while nipping the recording medium S. The discharge roller 12 is a drive roller arranged downstream of the conveyance roller 7 and driven by a conveyance motor (not shown). The spur 7b, together with the conveyance roller 7 and discharge roller 12 arranged downstream of the recording head 8, nip and convey the recording medium S.

The guide 18 is provided on the conveyance path of the recording medium S, and guides the recording medium S in a predetermined direction. The inner guide 19 is a member extending in the y direction and has a curved side surface, and guides the recording medium S along the side surface. The flapper 11 is a member for switching the direction in which the recording medium S is conveyed during a double-sided recording operation. The discharge tray 13 is a tray for stacking and holding the recording medium S discharged by the discharge roller 12 after the recording operation is completed.

The print head 8 of this embodiment is a full-line type color inkjet print head, and has a plurality of ejection ports corresponding to the width of the print medium S along the y direction in FIG. 1 for ejecting ink according to print data. Arranged. That is, the recording head 8 is configured to be able to eject ink of multiple colors. When the recording head 8 is in the standby position, the ejection port surface 8a of the recording head 8 faces vertically downward as shown in FIG. 1 and is capped by the cap unit 10. When performing a recording operation, a print controller 202 (described later) changes the orientation of the recording head 8 so that the ejection port surface 8a faces the platen 9. The platen 9 is constituted by a flat plate extending in the y direction, and supports the recording medium S on which recording operation is performed by the recording head 8 from the back side. The movement of the recording head 8 from the standby position to the recording position will be explained in detail later.

The ink tank unit 14 stores four colors of ink to be supplied to the recording head 8. The ink supply unit 15 is provided in the middle of a flow path connecting the ink tank unit 14 and the recording head 8, and adjusts the pressure and flow rate of ink within the recording head 8 to an appropriate range. In this embodiment, a circulating ink supply system is employed, and the ink supply unit 15 adjusts the pressure of ink supplied to the recording head 8 and the flow rate of ink recovered from the recording head 8 within an appropriate range.

The maintenance unit 16 includes a cap unit 10 and a wiping unit 17, and operates these at predetermined timing to perform maintenance operations on the recording head 8.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control configuration in the recording apparatus 1. As shown in FIG. The control configuration mainly includes a print engine unit 200 that controls the print section 2, a scanner engine unit 300 that controls the scanner section 3, and a controller unit 100 that controls the entire recording apparatus 1. The print controller 202 controls various mechanisms of the print engine unit 200 according to instructions from the main controller 101 of the controller unit 100. Various mechanisms of the scanner engine unit 300 are controlled by a main controller 101 of the controller unit 100. The details of the control configuration will be explained below.

In the controller unit 100, a main controller 101 composed of a CPU controls the entire recording apparatus 1, using the RAM 106 as a work area, according to programs and various parameters stored in the ROM 107. For example, when a print job is input from the host device 400 via the host I/F 102 or the wireless I/F 103, the image processing unit 108 performs predetermined image processing on the received image data according to instructions from the main controller 101. give Then, the main controller 101 transmits the image data subjected to image processing to the print engine unit 200 via the print engine I/F 105.

Note that the recording device 1 may acquire image data from the host device 400 via wireless communication or wired communication, or may acquire image data from an external storage device (such as a USB memory) connected to the recording device 1. Also good. The communication method used for wireless communication or wired communication is not limited. For example, Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) (registered trademark) and Bluetooth (registered trademark) are applicable as communication methods used for wireless communication. Further, as a communication method used for wired communication, USB (Universal Serial Bus) or the like can be applied. Further, when a read command is input from the host device 400, for example, the main controller 101 transmits this command to the scanner unit 3 via the scanner engine I/F 109.

The operation panel 104 is a mechanism by which the user performs input/output to the recording apparatus 1 . The user can instruct operations such as copying and scanning, set a print mode, and recognize information on the recording device 1 via the operation panel 104.

In the print engine unit 200, a print controller 202 including a CPU controls various mechanisms included in the print unit 2, using the RAM 204 as a work area, according to programs and various parameters stored in the ROM 203. When various commands and image data are received via the controller I/F 201, the print controller 202 temporarily stores them in the RAM 204. The print controller 202 causes the image processing controller 205 to convert the saved image data into print data so that the print head 8 can be used for printing operations. When the print data is generated, the print controller 202 causes the print head 8 to perform a print operation based on the print data via the head I/F 206. At this time, the print controller 202 drives the feeding units 6A, 6B, the conveyance roller 7, the discharge roller 12, and the flapper 11 shown in FIG. 1 via the conveyance control unit 207 to convey the recording medium S. According to instructions from the print controller 202, a recording operation by the recording head 8 is executed in conjunction with the conveyance operation of the recording medium S, and printing processing is performed.

The head carriage control unit 208 changes the orientation and position of the recording head 8 depending on the operating state of the recording apparatus 1 such as the maintenance state and the recording state. The ink supply control section 209 controls the ink supply unit 15 so that the pressure of ink supplied to the recording head 8 falls within an appropriate range. The maintenance control section 210 controls the operations of the cap unit 10 and the wiping unit 17 in the maintenance unit 16 when performing maintenance operations on the recording head 8 .

In the scanner engine unit 300, the main controller 101 controls the hardware resources of the scanner controller 302, using the RAM 106 as a work area, according to programs and various parameters stored in the ROM 107. Thereby, various mechanisms included in the scanner section 3 are controlled. For example, the main controller 101 controls the hardware resources in the scanner controller 302 via the controller I/F 301, so that the document loaded on the ADF by the user is transported via the transport control unit 304 and read by the sensor 305. . Then, the scanner controller 302 stores the read image data in the RAM 303. Note that the print controller 202 can cause the print head 8 to perform a printing operation based on the image data read by the scanner controller 302 by converting the image data acquired as described above into print data. .

FIG. 3 shows the recording device 1 in a recording state. Compared to the standby state shown in FIG. 1, the cap unit 10 is separated from the ejection port surface 8a of the recording head 8, and the ejection port surface 8a faces the platen 9. In this embodiment, the plane of the platen 9 is inclined at approximately 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal direction, and the ejection port surface 8a of the recording head 8 at the recording position is also aligned in the horizontal direction so that the distance from the platen 9 is maintained constant. It is tilted at approximately 45 degrees.

When moving the recording head 8 from the standby position shown in FIG. 1 to the recording position shown in FIG. 3, the print controller 202 lowers the cap unit 10 to the retracted position shown in FIG. 3 using the maintenance control section 210. As a result, the ejection port surface 8a of the recording head 8 is separated from the cap member 10a. Thereafter, the print controller 202 rotates the print head 8 by 45 degrees while adjusting the vertical height of the print head 8 using the head carriage control unit 208, so that the ejection port surface 8a faces the platen 9. When the recording operation is completed and the recording head 8 moves from the recording position to the standby position, the print controller 202 performs the reverse process to the above.

FIG. 4 is a diagram when the recording device 1 is in a maintenance state. When moving the recording head 8 from the standby position shown in FIG. 1 to the maintenance position shown in FIG. 4, the print controller 202 moves the recording head 8 vertically upward and also moves the cap unit 10 vertically downward. Then, the print controller 202 moves the wiping unit 17 from the retracted position to the right in FIG. 4 . Thereafter, the print controller 202 moves the recording head 8 vertically downward to a maintenance position where maintenance operations can be performed.

On the other hand, when moving the recording head 8 from the recording position shown in FIG. 3 to the maintenance position shown in FIG. 4, the print controller 202 moves the recording head 8 vertically upward while rotating it by 45 degrees. Then, the print controller 202 moves the wiping unit 17 from the retracted position to the right. Thereafter, the print controller 202 moves the recording head 8 vertically downward to a maintenance position where the maintenance unit 16 can perform maintenance operations.

<Ink supply unit (circulation system)>
FIG. 5 is a diagram including the ink supply unit 15 employed in the inkjet recording apparatus 1 of this embodiment. The flow path configuration of the ink circulation system of this embodiment will be explained using FIG. 6. The ink supply unit 15 supplies the ink supplied from the ink tank unit 14 to the recording head 8 (head unit). Although FIG. 6 shows a configuration for one color of ink, in reality, such a configuration is prepared for each ink color. The ink supply unit 15 is basically controlled by the ink supply control section 209 shown in FIG. Each configuration of the ink supply unit 15 will be described below.

Ink mainly circulates between the sub tank 151 and the recording head 8. The recording head 8 performs an ink ejecting operation based on the image data, and the ink that is not ejected is collected into the sub tank 151 again.

The sub-tank 151 containing a predetermined amount of ink is connected to a supply channel C2 for supplying ink to the recording head 8 and a recovery channel C4 for recovering ink from the recording head 8. That is, the sub-tank 151, the supply channel C2, the recording head 8, and the recovery channel C4 constitute a circulation channel (circulation path) in which ink circulates. Further, the sub-tank 151 is connected to a flow path C0 through which air flows.

The sub-tank 151 is provided with a liquid level detection means 151a composed of a plurality of electrode pins. The ink supply control unit 209 can grasp the height of the ink liquid level, that is, the remaining amount of ink in the sub-tank 151 by detecting the presence or absence of conduction current between the plurality of pins. The pressure reduction pump P0 (tank pressure reduction pump) is a negative pressure generation source for reducing the pressure inside the sub tank 151. The atmosphere release valve V0 is a valve for switching whether or not the inside of the sub-tank 151 is communicated with the atmosphere.

The main tank 141 is a tank that stores ink to be supplied to the sub tank 151. The main tank 141 is made of a flexible member, and the sub-tank 151 is filled with ink by changing the volume of the flexible member. The main tank 141 is configured to be detachable from the main body of the recording apparatus. A tank supply valve V1 for switching the connection between the sub tank 151 and the main tank 141 is arranged in the middle of the tank connection channel C1 that connects the sub tank 151 and the main tank 141.

When the ink supply control unit 209 detects that the ink in the sub-tank 151 has become less than a predetermined amount by the liquid level detection means 151a, it closes the atmosphere release valve V0, the supply valve V2, the collection valve V4, and the head exchange valve V5. . The ink supply control unit 209 also opens the tank supply valve V1. In this state, the ink supply control unit 209 operates the pressure reducing pump P0. Then, the inside of the sub-tank 151 becomes negative pressure, and ink is supplied from the main tank 141 to the sub-tank 151. When the liquid level detection means 151a detects that the ink in the sub-tank 151 exceeds a predetermined amount, the ink supply control unit 209 closes the tank supply valve V1 and stops the pressure reducing pump P0.

The supply channel C2 is a channel for supplying ink from the sub-tank 151 to the recording head 8, and a supply pump P1 and a supply valve V2 are disposed in the middle thereof. During the recording operation, by driving the supply pump P1 with the supply valve V2 open, ink can be supplied to the recording head 8 and circulated in the circulation path. The amount of ink ejected per unit time by the recording head 8 varies depending on the image data. The flow rate of the supply pump P1 is determined so as to be able to cope with the case where the recording head 8 performs an ejection operation that consumes the maximum amount of ink per unit time.

The relief flow path C3 is a flow path that is upstream of the supply valve V2 and connects the upstream side and the downstream side of the supply pump P1. A relief valve V3, which is a differential pressure valve, is disposed in the middle of the relief flow path C3. The relief valve is not opened or closed by a drive mechanism, but is spring biased and is configured to open when a predetermined pressure is reached. For example, when the amount of ink supplied per unit time from the supply pump P1 is greater than the sum of the ejection amount per unit time of the recording head 8 and the flow rate (amount of ink drawn) per unit time of the recovery pump P2. The relief valve V3 is opened in response to the pressure acting on itself. Thereby, a circulating flow path is formed that includes a part of the supply flow path C2 and the relief flow path C3. By providing the configuration of the relief channel C3, the amount of ink supplied to the recording head 8 is adjusted according to the amount of ink consumed by the recording head 8, and the pressure within the circulation path can be stabilized regardless of image data. .

The recovery channel C4 is a channel for recovering ink from the recording head 8 to the sub-tank 151, and a recovery pump P2 and a recovery valve V4 are disposed in the middle thereof. The recovery pump P2 serves as a negative pressure generation source and sucks ink from the recording head 8 when circulating the ink within the circulation path. By driving the recovery pump P2, an appropriate pressure difference is generated between the IN flow path 80b and the OUT flow path 80c in the recording head 8, and the ink can be circulated between the IN flow path 80b and the OUT flow path 80c. .

The recovery valve V4 is also a valve for preventing backflow when a recording operation is not being performed, that is, when ink is not being circulated in the circulation path. In the circulation path of this embodiment, the sub-tank 151 is arranged above the recording head 8 in the vertical direction (see FIG. 1). Therefore, when the supply pump P1 and the recovery pump P2 are not being driven, there is a risk that ink may flow back from the sub-tank 151 to the print head 8 due to the water head difference between the sub-tank 151 and the print head 8. In order to prevent such backflow, in this embodiment, a recovery valve V4 is provided in the recovery channel C4.

Note that the supply valve V2 also functions as a valve for preventing ink from being supplied from the sub-tank 151 to the recording head 8 when a recording operation is not being performed, that is, when ink is not being circulated in the circulation path. .

The head replacement flow path C5 is a flow path that connects the supply flow path C2 and the air chamber (space where no ink is stored) of the sub-tank 151, and a head replacement valve V5 is disposed in the middle thereof. One end of the head exchange channel C5 is connected upstream of the recording head 8 in the supply channel C2 and downstream of the supply valve V2. The other end of the head exchange channel C5 is connected above the sub-tank 151 and communicates with an air chamber inside the sub-tank 151. The head exchange channel C5 is used when extracting ink from the recording head 8 in use, such as when exchanging the recording head 8 or transporting the recording apparatus 1. The head exchange valve V5 is controlled by the ink supply control unit 209 to be closed except when filling the recording head 8 with ink and when collecting ink from the recording head 8.

Next, the flow path configuration within the recording head 8 will be explained. The ink supplied to the recording head 8 from the supply channel C2 passes through the filter 83, and then is supplied to the first negative pressure control unit 81 and the second negative pressure control unit 82. The control pressure of the first negative pressure control unit 81 is set to a weak negative pressure (negative pressure with a small pressure difference from atmospheric pressure). The control pressure of the second negative pressure control unit 82 is set to a strong negative pressure (negative pressure with a large pressure difference from atmospheric pressure). The pressures in the first negative pressure control unit 81 and the second negative pressure control unit 82 are generated within an appropriate range by driving the recovery pump P2.

In the ink ejection section 80, a plurality of recording element substrates 80a each having a plurality of ejection ports arranged thereon are arranged, forming a long ejection port array. A common supply channel 80b (IN channel) for guiding ink supplied from the first negative pressure control unit 81 and a common recovery channel for guiding ink supplied from the second negative pressure control unit 82 80c (OUT channel) also extends in the arrangement direction of the recording element substrate 80a. Further, each recording element substrate 80a is formed with an individual supply channel connected to the common supply channel 80b and an individual recovery channel connected to the common recovery channel 80c. Therefore, in each recording element substrate 80a, ink flows such that it flows into the common supply channel 80b where the negative pressure is relatively weak and flows out into the common recovery channel 80c where the negative pressure is relatively strong. generated. A pressure chamber that communicates with each ejection port and is filled with ink is provided in the path between the individual supply flow path and the individual recovery flow path, and the flow of ink is maintained even in the ejection ports and pressure chambers that are not recording. occurs. When a discharge operation is performed on the recording element substrate 80a, a part of the ink that moves from the common supply channel 80b to the common recovery channel 80c is consumed by being discharged from the discharge ports, but the ink that was not discharged is It moves to the recovery channel C4 via the common recovery channel 80c.

6(a) is a schematic plan view enlarging a part of the recording element substrate 80a, and FIG. 6(b) is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line VIb-VIb in FIG. 6(a). The recording element substrate 80a is provided with a pressure chamber 1005 filled with ink and an ejection port 1006 for ejecting the ink. In the pressure chamber 1005, a recording element 1004 is provided at a position facing the ejection port 1006. Further, in the recording element substrate 80a, a plurality of individual supply channels 1008 connected to the common supply channel 80b and a plurality of individual recovery channels 1009 connected to the common recovery channel 80c are formed for each ejection port 1006.

With the above-described configuration, in the recording element substrate 80a, the common supply channel 80b has a relatively weak negative pressure (the absolute value of the pressure is high), and the common supply channel 80b has a relatively strong negative pressure (the absolute value of the pressure is low). A flow of ink is generated that flows out to the common recovery channel 80c. More specifically, ink flows in the order of common supply channel 80b→individual supply channel 1008→pressure chamber 1005→individual recovery channel 1009→common recovery channel 80c. When ink is ejected by the printing element 1004, a portion of the ink that moves from the common supply channel 80b to the common recovery channel 80c is ejected from the ejection port 1006, thereby being discharged to the outside of the print head 8. On the other hand, ink that has not been ejected from the ejection port 1006 is recovered to the recovery channel C4 via the common recovery channel 80c.

With the above configuration, when performing a recording operation, the ink supply control unit 209 closes the tank supply valve V1 and the head exchange valve V5, opens the atmosphere release valve V0, the supply valve V2, and the recovery valve V4, and supplies the ink. Drive pump P1 and recovery pump P2. As a result, a circulation path of sub-tank 151→supply channel C2→recording head 8→recovery channel C4→sub-tank 151 is established. If the amount of ink supplied per unit time from the supply pump P1 is greater than the total value of the ejection amount per unit time of the recording head 8 and the flow rate per unit time of the recovery pump P2, the relief flow path is changed from the supply flow path C2 to the relief flow path. Ink flows into C3. Thereby, the flow rate of ink flowing into the recording head 8 from the supply channel C2 is adjusted.

When a recording operation is not being performed, the ink supply control unit 209 stops the supply pump P1 and the recovery pump P2, and closes the atmospheric release valve V0, the supply valve V2, and the recovery valve V4. As a result, the flow of ink within the recording head 8 is stopped, and backflow due to the water head difference between the sub tank 151 and the recording head 8 is also suppressed. Further, by closing the atmosphere release valve V0, ink leakage from the sub-tank 151 and ink evaporation are suppressed.

<Explanation of thickened ink>
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating how thickened ink is produced. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a cross section around the discharge port 1006, similar to FIG. 6(b). Note that the top and bottom are reversed from FIG. 6(b). FIG. 7A is a diagram illustrating a case where short-time circulation is repeated as a comparative example. FIG. 7(b) is a diagram illustrating an overview of the processing in this embodiment. In FIG. 7, it is assumed that the time axis changes from left to right in the figure.

First, explanation will be given using a comparative example shown in FIG. 7(a). As described above, in this embodiment, ink circulation starts when a printing operation is performed. Then, when the recording operation is completed, the circulation of the ink is stopped. A state 700 indicates a normal state in which the ink does not thicken. A state 701 indicates a standby state in which no printing operation is performed, that is, ink circulation is stopped. In state 701, the ink within the ejection port 1006 gradually thickens from the portion that comes into contact with air. This is because volatile components in the ink inside the ejection port 1006 evaporate into the air, thereby changing the characteristics of the ink near the ejection port 1006.

Thereafter, when a recording operation is performed, ink circulation begins. When the ink is circulated, a flow of ink also occurs near the pressure chamber 1005 and the ejection port 1006. Due to this flow of ink, the ink that has started to thicken near the ejection port 1006 is diffused into the flow path, so it is possible to prevent the thickened ink from accumulating near the ejection port 1006.

Here, when the recording operation is completed in a short time, the ink circulation operation is also completed in a short time according to the recording time. A state 702 is a state near the discharge port 1006 when a short-time circulation operation is performed. As shown in state 702, when a short circulation operation is performed, the thickening of the ink near the ejection port 1006 cannot be sufficiently resolved.

A state 710 shows the state near the discharge port 1006 after such a short-time circulation operation is repeatedly performed. The thickened ink accumulates near the ejection port 1006, and then the thickened ink sticks to the ejection port 1006. State 711 indicates that even if an attempt is made to eject ink during a recording operation in a state where the ink is stuck in this way, the ink cannot be ejected normally.

FIG. 7B shows the state around the ejection port 1006 when the process according to this embodiment is performed. Similarly to state 700, state 750 indicates a normal state in which ink viscosity has not increased. Similar to state 701, state 751 indicates a standby state in which ink circulation is stopped. In state 751, as in state 701, the ink within the ejection port 1006 has begun to thicken.

State 752, like state 702, indicates a case where the recording operation ends in a short time. However, in this embodiment, when the recording operation ends in a short time, a process is performed in which the circulation operation is continued for a predetermined time in addition to the original circulation time (time for circulation corresponding to the recording operation). Therefore, as shown in state 752, the thickened ink near the ejection port 1006 diffuses into the flow path, and the thickening of the ink near the ejection port 1006 is eliminated.

A state 760 indicates a state near the discharge port 1006 after a short-time circulation operation followed by a predetermined time-long circulation operation is repeatedly performed. In state 761, no thickened ink is accumulated near the ejection port 1006. Therefore, when performing a printing operation in state 761, ink is normally ejected from the ejection ports 1006. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the circulation operation continues for a predetermined period of time for each color of ink.

<Flowchart>
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a flowchart when a recording operation is performed in this embodiment. The series of processes shown in the flowchart of FIG. 8 is performed by the print controller 202 loading the program code stored in the ROM 203 into the RAM 204 and executing it. Alternatively, some or all of the functions of the steps in FIG. 8 may be implemented in hardware such as an ASIC or an electronic circuit. Note that the symbol "S" in the description of each process means a step in the flowchart.

FIG. 8(a) is a flowchart showing the overall processing. In S810, the print controller 202 obtains a recording instruction. For example, the print controller 202 obtains a recording instruction by receiving a recording instruction corresponding to a print job from the main controller 101.

In S820, the print controller 202 controls the ink supply control unit 209 to start ink circulation. The print controller 202 also stores the ink circulation start time Ts in the RAM 204.

In S830, the print controller 202 controls the image processing controller 205, transport control unit 207, and head carriage control unit 208 to perform a printing operation. For example, if the print job includes instructions for recording on 10 recording media, the recording operation on 10 recording media is performed in S830. If the print job includes an instruction to record on five recording media, a recording operation on five recording media is performed in S830. If the recording operation is completed, the process advances to S840.

In S840, the print controller 202 performs an additional circulation sequence. The additional circulation sequence is a process of performing additional circulation when the circulation time is short. As described above, while the recording operation in S830 is being performed, the ink circulation operation continues. The ink circulation time can vary depending on the time of the recording operation. Furthermore, the time for the recording operation can vary depending on the print job input by the user. In other words, the printing apparatus 1 cannot uniformly determine the circulation time corresponding to the printing operation. For this reason, in this embodiment, as will be described later, processing is performed to additionally continue the circulation depending on the circulation time.

FIG. 8(b) is a flowchart illustrating details of the additional circulation sequence in S840. In S841, the print controller 202 obtains the elapsed time Tc from the circulation start time Ts in S820. The elapsed time Tc indicates the elapsed time of circulation performed in one recording operation (recording operation performed in response to one print job). In other words, the elapsed time Tc corresponds to the time of the recording operation in S830. The print controller 202 determines whether the elapsed time Tc from the circulation start time Ts is less than the specified value Tmin. If it is less than the specified value Tmin, the process advances to S842. If it is equal to or greater than the specified value Tmin, S842 is skipped and the process proceeds to S843.

In S842, the print controller 202 continues the circulation for a time Tadd. The values of the specified value Tmin and the time for continuing circulation (also referred to as additional circulation time) Tadd can be set as appropriate. As an example, the specified value Tmin can be set to 5 seconds, and the additional circulation time Tadd can be set to 4 seconds. By the process of S842, if the recording operation is for a short time less than the specified value Tmin, the circulation is continued for the time Tadd. Therefore, thickening of the ink near the ejection port 1006 can be eliminated, as shown in state 752 in FIG. 7(b). Thereafter, the process advances to S843.

In S843, the print controller 202 stops ink circulation. Then, the process ends. If the elapsed time Tc from the circulation start time Ts is equal to or greater than the specified value Tmin, it is assumed that the thickening of the ink near the ejection port 1006 has been sufficiently resolved, and therefore no additional circulation continuation operation is performed. .

As described above, in this embodiment, if the time for one circulation during a recording operation is less than the predetermined time, the circulation time is continued. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the accumulation of thickened ink and prevent the ink from sticking and being unable to be ejected normally.

<Modified example>
In the first embodiment, an example has been described in which the additional circulation sequence shown in FIG. 8 is performed for each color of ink, but the present invention is not limited to this. Additional circulation sequence processing may be performed only on specific inks. For example, it is known that ink containing a large amount of pigment tends to thicken. For example, black ink is used as the ink containing a large amount of pigment. In this case, only black ink may be subjected to the additional circulation sequence in S840.

As an example, assume that the printing apparatus 1 is provided with a mode in which only black ink is circulated and a mode in which all colors including black ink are circulated. The mode in which only black ink is circulated is selected when the recording instruction acquired in S810 of FIG. 8A is an instruction based on a monochrome printing job. The mode in which all colors including black ink are circulated is selected when the recording instruction acquired in S810 is an instruction based on a color printing job. When the print controller 202 is operating in a mode in which only black ink is circulated, it is sufficient to continue the circulation time for the time Tadd in S842 of FIG. 8(b). If the print controller 202 is operating in a mode in which all colors including black ink are circulated, in S842, it is sufficient to switch to a mode in which only black ink is circulated and continue the circulation time for the time Tadd.

Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which the circulation is controlled individually for each color. In such an embodiment, when ink of a color including at least black ink is being circulated, the circulation time of only the black ink may be continued in S842.

Incidentally, as an example of continuing the circulation time only for a specific ink, ink that tends to thicken has been cited as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the circulation time of ink ejected may be continued using an ejection port whose characteristics such as shape of the ejection port allow it to thicken more easily than other ink ejection ports.

Note that it is also assumed that the next recording instruction will be acquired while the circulation time continues. In such a case, the additional circulation sequence of S840 can be ended and the process can be performed again from the process of S810. In this case, in S820, it is sufficient to continue using the previous circulation start time Ts without clearing it.

<<Embodiment 2>>
In the first embodiment, an example has been described in which the specified value Tmin and the additional circulation time Tadd are predetermined fixed values. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the specified value Tmin and the additional circulation time Tadd are variable values depending on the installation environment of the recording apparatus 1.

The recording device 1 in this embodiment is configured to be able to acquire at least one of the temperature and humidity in the environment in which the recording device 1 is set. For example, the recording device 1 includes a thermometer and a hygrometer, and the print controller 202 acquires the temperature and humidity detected by the thermometer and hygrometer. Alternatively, the recording device 1 may be configured to be able to acquire temperature and humidity information from other devices. Moreover, the temperature and humidity do not need to be measured values, but may be values estimated by a predetermined method.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of table information referenced by the print controller 202 in this embodiment. FIG. 9(a) is table information regarding the specified value Tmin, and FIG. 9(b) is table information regarding the additional circulation time Tadd. The print controller 202 acquires at least one of temperature and humidity, and sets the prescribed value Tmin and additional circulation time Tadd to the value prescribed in the item corresponding to the acquired temperature and humidity. For example, when the temperature is 20° C. and the humidity is 65%, the specified value Tmin is set to 3 seconds and the additional circulation time is set to 3 seconds. When the temperature is 36 degrees and the humidity is 25%, the specified value Tmin is set to 7 seconds and the additional circulation time is set to 5 seconds. Note that the prescribed value Tmin and the additional circulation time Tadd can be set to values depending on the temperature and humidity at a predetermined timing as appropriate. For example, the print controller 202 may change the set value each time it starts the additional circulation sequence of S840 in FIG. May be set.

Note that the higher the temperature or the lower the humidity, the more likely the ink thickens. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, it is preferable to set both the specified value Tmin and the additional circulation time Tadd to be longer as the temperature is higher or the humidity is lower.

In this way, by setting the specified value Tmin and the additional circulation time Tadd to variable values using information about the installation environment of the recording apparatus 1, thickening of the ink can be more appropriately suppressed. In addition, power consumption can be suppressed by not circulating more than necessary.

<<Embodiment 3>>
In Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2, when the circulation time per cycle is less than a predetermined time, the circulation time is continued. That is, in the case where short-time circulations in which the circulation time per cycle is less than a predetermined time are repeated, a mode has been described in which the circulation time is continued each time in each circulation. In this embodiment, a mode will be described in which the number of times that short-time circulation is repeated is counted, and when the count value reaches a predetermined value, the circulation time is continued. Note that in this embodiment, since it is predicted that the ink will thicken to some extent, it is preferable that the additional circulation time be set to a longer time than the time described in the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating the additional circulation sequence in this embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing detailed processing in S840 of FIG. 8(a).

In S1001, the print controller 202 acquires the elapsed time Tc from the circulation start time Ts. As in the first embodiment, the elapsed time Tc indicates the duration of circulation performed in one recording operation (recording operation performed in response to one print job). The print controller 202 determines whether the elapsed time Tc from the circulation start time Ts is less than the specified value Tmin2. If it is less than the specified value Tmin2, the process advances to S1002. If it is equal to or greater than the specified value Tmin2, S1002 is skipped and the process proceeds to S1003. The specified value Tmin2 is, for example, 5 seconds.

In S1002, the print controller 202 adds 1 to a count value N indicating the number of short-time recordings. The process then advances to S1003. That is, in this embodiment, even if the elapsed time Tc from the circulation start time Ts is less than the specified value Tmin2, the circulation is not immediately continued.

In S1003, the print controller 202 determines whether the count value N is greater than or equal to a predetermined value Nth. The predetermined value Nth is, for example, 10 times. If the count value N is equal to or greater than the predetermined value Nth, the process advances to S1004. If the count value N is not equal to or greater than the predetermined value Nth, S1004 is skipped and the process proceeds to S1005.

In S1004, the print controller 202 continues the circulation for a time Tadd2 minutes. The additional circulation time Tadd2 is, for example, 25 seconds. After that, the process advances to S1005.

In S1005, the print controller 202 stops the circulation of ink. According to the process explained above, even if short-time circulation is repeatedly performed in which the circulation time per cycle is less than a predetermined time, additional circulation is performed when the number of short-time circulations reaches a predetermined number. Circulation continues for a time Tadd2 minutes. Therefore, thickening of the ink can be suppressed.

Note that, as described above, the circulation time associated with the recording operation can change depending on the recording instruction, and the circulation is not necessarily repeated for a short time. For example, a long circulation operation may be performed after several short circulation cycles. In such a case, the thickening of the ink is eliminated by the long circulation operation. Therefore, for example, the print controller 202 may perform control to update or reset the count value to a value smaller than the current value when the circulation operation is performed for a second time or more. The second time may be, for example, the specified value Tmin2+additional circulation time Tadd2.

Furthermore, if a cleaning operation (for example, preliminary ejection) that is more effective in eliminating ink thickening near the ejection ports 1006 than the circulation operation is performed, the print controller 202 performs control to reset the count value. You may go.

<Modified example>
In the flowchart of FIG. 10, an example has been described in which the value added to the count value N in the process of S1002 is a fixed value "1", but the present invention is not limited to this. The value for updating the count value N may be a negative value, or may be a variable value instead of a fixed value. The count value N may be updated by adding or subtracting a value weighted according to the elapsed time Tc from the circulation start time Ts (that is, the circulation time accompanying the recording operation). For example, the shorter the elapsed time Tc (circulation time), the larger the count value N may be added, and the longer the elapsed time Tc (circulation time), the larger the count value N may be subtracted.

Further, as described in the second embodiment, the value added or subtracted from the count value may be changed depending on the temperature and humidity. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of table information used in this embodiment. FIG. 11 shows an example of addition and subtraction values depending on elapsed time Tc (circulation time) and temperature. As shown in FIG. 11, when the elapsed time Tc is long, the added value is smaller or the subtracted value is larger than when the elapsed time Tc is short. In a modified example, the print controller 202 may replace the process of S1002 with a process of updating the count value N using the value obtained by referring to the table information in FIG. 11. Note that if the count value becomes negative, it may be treated as "0" and essentially reset. Although FIG. 11 is an example of addition and subtraction values according to the elapsed time Tc (circulation time) and temperature, the addition and subtraction values according to the elapsed time Tc (circulation time), temperature, and humidity are held as table information. It may also be used.

<<Embodiment 4>>
In this embodiment, a mode will be described in which the operation of capping the recording head 8 by the cap unit 10 after the recording operation is completed requires a predetermined time or more. As described above, when the recording apparatus 1 is on standby, the cap unit 10 is in contact with the ejection opening surface 8a of the recording head 8, and the cap unit 10 protects the ejection opening surface 8a. Then, when recording is started, the cap unit 10 is separated from the ejection port surface 8a (referred to as cap open), and ink is ejected from the ejection port surface 8a. When recording is completed, the cap unit 10 comes into contact with the ejection port surface 8a to cap the ejection port surface 8a (referred to as cap closing).

In this embodiment, it is assumed that this cap closing operation takes, for example, 5 seconds. In other words, it is assumed that the cap closing operation requires time equivalent to the additional circulation time Tadd as described in the first embodiment. Further, in the present embodiment, once the cap closing operation is started, the cap is closed without being interrupted midway. In such a case, once the cap closing operation starts, the recording operation cannot be started (that is, the cap cannot be opened) for a predetermined period of time until the cap closing operation is completed. Therefore, by continuing the circulation time in accordance with the predetermined time required for the cap closing operation, thickening of the ink can be suppressed without generating additional time due to continued circulation.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a flowchart of this embodiment. In S1210, the print controller 202 obtains a recording instruction. In S1220, the print controller 202 performs a cap open operation. Further, in S1230, the print controller 202 starts ink circulation. S1220 and S1230 are processed in parallel.

In S1240, the print controller 202 starts adjusting the temperature of the recording head 8. The printing element substrate 80a of this embodiment is provided with a sub-heater (not shown) in addition to the printing element 1004. Then, the temperature of the ink in the print head 8 is adjusted by heating the print head 8 or the ink in the print head 8 by a sub-heater so that the ink is stably ejected from the ejection ports 1006 during printing. Processing takes place.

In S1250, the print controller 202 performs a recording operation. When the printing operation is completed, the print controller 202 stops adjusting the temperature of the printing head 8 in S1260. Note that if the temperature of the print head 8 is adjusted while the circulation is stopped, the evaporation of water from the ejection ports 1006 will be accelerated, and the thickening of the ink will be accelerated. Therefore, in the case where the temperature of the print head 8 is adjusted, the temperature adjustment of the print head 8 is stopped before the subsequent additional circulation sequence.

Following the process in S1260, the print controller 202 performs a cap close operation in S1270. Further, following the process in S1260, and in parallel with S1270, the print controller 202 performs an additional circulation sequence.

In the additional circulation sequence of S1270, for example, the same process as that described in FIG. 8(b) is performed. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the specified value Tmin is set to a very large value, for example, 9999 seconds, and the additional circulation time Tadd is set to 5 seconds. In other words, the configuration is such that as a result of the determination in S841, the process proceeds to S842. The additional circulation time Tadd corresponds to the time required for the cap closing operation. Alternatively, the additional circulation time Tadd may be shorter than the time required for the cap closing operation.

According to such processing and settings, the circulation time is continued corresponding to the time of the cap closing operation. Therefore, thickening of the ink can be suppressed without generating additional time due to continued circulation. It is also possible to suppress the accumulation of slight thickening that occurs during the cap closing operation.

In this embodiment, the specified value Tmin is set to a very large value, so even if the additional circulation sequence is performed without performing the judgment process of the specified value Tmin in S841, that is, regardless of the circulation time. good. Such a configuration is particularly effective when using ink that is likely to be ejected incorrectly during circulation stop, or when it takes time to close the cap.

Although this embodiment has been described as an example in which both the cap open operation and the cap close operation and the temperature adjustment of the recording head 8 are performed, a mode in which either one of the processes is performed is not adopted. It's okay.

<<Other embodiments>>
A combination of each of the embodiments described above and other embodiments or modified examples may be adopted. For example, the process in the flowchart of FIG. 10 described in the third embodiment may be performed only on a specific ink. Further, the process described in Embodiment 1 may be performed for a specific ink, and the process described in Embodiment 3 may be performed for other inks, or the configuration may be the opposite. Further, the additional circulation sequence described in Embodiment 4 may be performed only for a specific ink, and the processes described in Embodiments 1 to 3 may be performed for other inks.

8 Recording head 202 Print controller 1006 Ejection port 1005 Pressure chamber

Claims (20)

an ejection port for ejecting ink supplied from a tank containing the ink; an energy generating element provided corresponding to the ejection port for generating energy used to eject the liquid; and an energy generating element for generating energy used to eject the liquid. a recording head that is located at a position facing the element and includes a pressure chamber that communicates with the ejection port and is filled with the ink to be ejected from the ejection port, and performs a printing operation by ejecting ink from the ejection port;
a circulation means for circulating ink in a circulation path including the pressure chamber;
comprising a control means for controlling the circulation means ,
The control means causes the circulation means to circulate the ink in the circulation path when the recording operation is performed,
The control means is configured to control the circulation means for a predetermined period of time after the recording operation is completed, when the elapsed time of circulation from the start of the circulation performed in response to the recording operation is less than a specified value. Allow the ink to continue circulating, then stop the circulation,
An inkjet recording apparatus, wherein the predetermined time is 3 seconds or more. a recording head that includes an ejection port that ejects ink supplied from a tank containing ink, and performs a printing operation by ejecting ink from the ejection port;
a first channel through which the ink flows during the process in which the ink discharged from the tank is supplied to the recording head;
a second channel through which liquid flows, which is supplied to the recording head via the first channel and exits from the recording head from an ink outlet different from the ejection opening of the recording head;
a circulation means for circulating ink in a circulation path including the first flow path and the second flow path;
comprising a control means for controlling the circulation means,
The control means causes the circulation means to circulate the ink in the circulation path when the recording operation is performed,
The control means is configured to control the circulation means for a predetermined period of time after the recording operation is completed, when the elapsed time of circulation from the start of the circulation performed in response to the recording operation is less than a specified value. Allow the ink to continue circulating, then stop the circulation,
An inkjet recording apparatus, wherein the predetermined time is 3 seconds or more. an ejection port for ejecting ink supplied from a tank containing the ink; an energy generating element provided corresponding to the ejection port for generating energy used to eject the liquid; and an energy generating element for generating energy used to eject the liquid. a recording head that is located at a position facing the element and includes a pressure chamber that communicates with the ejection port and is filled with the ink to be ejected from the ejection port, and performs a printing operation by ejecting ink from the ejection port;
a circulation means for circulating ink in a circulation path including the pressure chamber;
After the recording operation is completed, the circulation means is caused to circulate for a predetermined period of time, and then the circulation is stopped.
a control means for controlling;
comprising an adjusting means for adjusting the temperature of the recording head,
The control means starts adjusting the temperature when the recording operation is performed, and performs the control after stopping adjusting the temperature when the recording operation ends,
An inkjet recording apparatus, wherein the predetermined time is 3 seconds or more. a recording head that includes an ejection port that ejects ink supplied from a tank containing ink, and performs a printing operation by ejecting ink from the ejection port;
a first channel through which the ink flows during the process in which the ink discharged from the tank is supplied to the recording head;
a second flow path through which liquid is supplied to the recording head via the first flow path and exits from the recording head from an ink outlet different from the ejection opening of the recording head;
a circulation means for circulating ink in a circulation path including the first flow path and the second flow path;
After the recording operation is completed, a control means controls the circulation means to perform circulation for a predetermined period of time and then stop the circulation;
comprising an adjusting means for adjusting the temperature of the recording head,
The control means starts adjusting the temperature when the recording operation is performed, and performs the control after stopping adjusting the temperature when the recording operation ends,
An inkjet recording apparatus, wherein the predetermined time is 3 seconds or more. 5. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control means causes the circulation means to circulate the ink in the circulation path when the recording operation is performed. 6. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein after the recording operation is completed, the ink is continuously circulated in the circulation path for the predetermined time. The control means is characterized in that, when the elapsed time of circulation from the start of circulation performed in response to the recording operation is less than a specified value, the control means causes the circulation means to continue circulation for the predetermined period of time. 6. The inkjet recording device according to 6 . The inkjet recording according to any one of claims 1, 2, and 7, wherein the specified value and the predetermined time are set according to an environment in which the inkjet recording apparatus is installed. Device. The control means includes:
configured to be able to obtain at least one of the temperature and humidity of the environment in which the inkjet recording device is installed,
The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 2, and 8, wherein the specified value and the predetermined time are set based on at least one of the temperature and humidity. The control means is configured such that at least one of the specified value and the predetermined time is longer at a second temperature higher than the first temperature than at the first temperature; Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that at least one of the specified value and the predetermined time is set to be longer when the second humidity is lower than the first humidity, and 9. The inkjet recording device according to any one of 9 . The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the predetermined time is 25 seconds or less. further comprising a cap unit that protects the ejection port by coming into contact with the recording head,
The control means is configured to separate the cap unit from the recording head when the recording operation is performed, and bring the cap unit into contact with the recording head when the recording operation is completed. The inkjet recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 11 . further comprising a cap unit that protects the ejection port by coming into contact with the recording head,
The control means is configured to separate the cap unit from the recording head when the recording operation is performed, and bring the cap unit into contact with the recording head when the recording operation is completed,
11. The control means performs the control using, as the specified value, a value corresponding to a time during which the cap unit moves. The inkjet recording device described in . further comprising adjusting means for adjusting the temperature of the recording head,
2. The control means starts adjusting the temperature when the recording operation is performed, and performs the control after stopping adjusting the temperature when the recording operation ends. or 2. The inkjet recording device according to 2 . The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 14 , wherein the control means performs the control when circulating a specific ink. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the specific ink is black ink. an ejection port for ejecting ink supplied from a tank containing the ink; an energy generating element provided corresponding to the ejection port for generating energy used to eject the liquid; and an energy generating element for generating energy used to eject the liquid. a recording head that is located at a position facing the element and includes a pressure chamber that communicates with the ejection port and is filled with the ink to be ejected from the ejection port, and performs a printing operation by ejecting ink from the ejection port;
a circulation means for circulating ink in a circulation path including the pressure chamber;
A method for controlling an inkjet recording apparatus comprising:
causing the circulation means to circulate ink in the circulation path when the recording operation is performed;
If the elapsed time of circulation from the start of the circulation performed in response to the recording operation is less than a specified value, after the recording operation is completed, the circulation means continues to circulate the ink in the circulation path for a predetermined time. and then stopping the circulation,
A method for controlling an inkjet recording apparatus, wherein the predetermined time is 3 seconds or more. a recording head that includes an ejection port that ejects ink supplied from a tank containing ink, and performs a printing operation by ejecting ink from the ejection port;
a first channel through which the ink flows during the process in which the ink discharged from the tank is supplied to the recording head;
a second flow path through which liquid flows, which is supplied to the recording head via the first flow path and exits the recording head from an ink outlet different from the ejection opening of the recording head;
a circulation means for circulating ink in a circulation path including the first flow path and the second flow path;
A method of controlling an inkjet recording device comprising:
causing the circulation means to circulate ink in the circulation path when the recording operation is performed;
If the elapsed time of circulation from the start of the circulation performed in response to the recording operation is less than a specified value, after the recording operation is completed, the circulation means continues to circulate the ink in the circulation path for a predetermined time. and then stopping the circulation,
A method for controlling an inkjet recording apparatus, wherein the predetermined time is 3 seconds or more. an ejection port for ejecting ink supplied from a tank containing the ink; an energy generating element provided corresponding to the ejection port for generating energy used to eject the liquid; and an energy generating element for generating energy used to eject the liquid. a recording head that is located at a position facing the element and includes a pressure chamber that communicates with the ejection port and is filled with the ink to be ejected from the ejection port, and performs a printing operation by ejecting ink from the ejection port;
a circulation means for circulating ink in a circulation path including the pressure chamber;
adjusting means for adjusting the temperature of the recording head;
A method of controlling an inkjet recording device comprising:
After the recording operation is completed, controlling the circulation means to circulate for a predetermined period of time and then stop the circulation;
When the recording operation is performed, the temperature adjustment is started, and when the recording operation is finished, the temperature adjustment is stopped and then the control is performed,
A method for controlling an inkjet recording apparatus, wherein the predetermined time is 3 seconds or more. a recording head that includes an ejection port that ejects ink supplied from a tank containing ink, and performs a printing operation by ejecting ink from the ejection port;
a first channel through which the ink flows during the process in which the ink discharged from the tank is supplied to the recording head;
a second flow path through which liquid flows, which is supplied to the recording head via the first flow path and exits the recording head from an ink outlet different from the ejection opening of the recording head;
a circulation means for circulating ink in a circulation path including the first flow path and the second flow path;
adjusting means for adjusting the temperature of the recording head;
A method for controlling an inkjet recording device comprising:
After the recording operation is completed, controlling the circulation means to circulate for a predetermined period of time and then stop the circulation;
When the recording operation is performed, the temperature adjustment is started, and when the recording operation is finished, the temperature adjustment is stopped and then the control is performed,
A method for controlling an inkjet recording apparatus, wherein the predetermined time is 3 seconds or more.

Images