JPH0459262A - Recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent decline of throughput in operation under high-speed recording mode with processing load for a processor reduced by a method wherein a thinning-out control circuit is provided 46 that the recording head is made effective therewith alternately for dots on odd-number lines and dots on even- number lines whenever pulses that drive driving elements are outputted. CONSTITUTION:In high-speed recording mode, HP1-HP4 are outputted in series with a signal HT outputted. As PH1 is at 'L', MP1 and MP3 are not outputted. On the other hand, as PH2 is at 'H', MP2 and MP4 are outputted. In the high-speed recording mode, thinning-out of data to be recorded with a recording head 3 can be made by making transistors driving the recording head 3 driven alternately for odd-number lines and even-number lines, namely by making outputting of heat pulses effective alternately. Load to a power source 9 is lightened by making the driving of the recording head 3 made with its dots divided up to four parts. When the number of dots of the recording head 3 increases, it may be possible to divide it into more parts. In the case where there is no need for the division because the capacity of the power source 9 is sufficient, a thinning-out control circuit 11 and a head driving circuit 2 may be used.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a recording apparatus equipped with a recording head for dot recording.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a recording apparatus equipped with a print dot data thinning processing function.

[Prior Art] An inkjet recording device is known as one of this type of recording device. This inkjet recording device is
It is configured to record characters, etc. by ejecting ink from a recording head and fixing it as dots on a recording medium (recording material). If this recording head has 2n (for example, 32) ink ejection orifices in one vertical column, the characters will be composed of a matrix of 2n dots vertically by 2n dots horizontally.

Since the recording speed of this type of recording device depends on the driving frequency of the recording head, for example, in a recording head having a matrix of 2n x 2n dots, the dots in the odd rows are thinned out in the odd columns, and the dots in the even rows are thinned out in the even columns. If you thin out the
The quality of the recorded characters will deteriorate, but the period between each dot will be thinned out (double the previous one), so the scanning speed and drive frequency of the recording head will be doubled to record characters at twice the speed. (This becomes a so-called high-speed recording mode).

FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a conventionally known recording apparatus. Here, an MPU (microprocessor unit) 101 analyzes command signals and recording information transferred from the host computer via the interface circuit 4, and stores them in the image area of the RAM 103 as recording data. When executing the above-mentioned high-speed recording mode, recording information is stored in the MPU
When 0I analyzes it, it performs a delay process and stores it in RAM103.
Store the required data in the image area. therefore,
The image area of the RAM 103 stores data in which, for example, dots in odd rows are thinned out in odd columns and dots in even rows are thinned out in even columns.

[Problem to be solved by the invention] However, in the above conventional example, the MPU (micro-
Since the processor unit (processor unit) 101 processes the recorded data and thins it out, there is a drawback that the processing of the MPU10I increases accordingly.

In particular, in inkjet printing devices, it is easy to increase the number of dots in the printhead to increase the resolution, but on the other hand, the amount of data processed by the MPUlOI also increases in proportion to the number of dots. Therefore,
When the driving frequency of the recording head is high (the recording speed is high), there is a drawback that the throughput decreases when executing the high-speed recording mode.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, in view of the above-mentioned points, an object of the present invention is to provide a recording apparatus configured to reduce the processing load on a processor built in the recording apparatus main body and to prevent a drop in throughput when executing a high-speed recording mode. be.

Means for Solving Problem E] The present invention provides a printing apparatus equipped with a print head for dot printing, including a plurality of drive elements that individually drive each dot of the print head, and a plurality of drive elements that individually drive each dot of the print head. a thinning control circuit that intermittently activates a predetermined set of drive elements among the elements, and the thinning control circuit controls even-numbered rows in the recording head every time a pulse for driving the drive elements is output. The dots in the rows and the dots in the odd rows are enabled alternately.

Further, the present invention provides a recording apparatus equipped with a recording head for dot recording, including a plurality of driving elements that individually drive each dot of the recording head, and an output port for printing dot data and the driving element. A thinning control circuit is provided for intermittently validating a predetermined set of print dot data among the print dot data inserted between the print dots and output from the output port.

Furthermore, the present invention provides a recording apparatus equipped with a recording head for performing dot recording, which includes a data source for generating print dot data, a data bus for transferring the dot data to an output port on the recording head side, and a data bus for transmitting the dot data to an output port on the recording head side. The data bus control circuit is inserted in the middle of the data bus and intermittently enables a data bus for transmitting a predetermined set of print dot data.

[Function] According to the present invention having the above configuration, printed dot data can be thinned out (by providing a separate circuit, the processing burden on the processor itself can be reduced).

[Example] Examples of the present invention will be described in detail below.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a recording apparatus to which the present invention is applied. In FIG. 1, the control unit 1 is an MPU
(microprocessor unit) 101, and a second
A ROM (read only memory) 102 that stores control procedures as shown in the figure, a RAM (random access memory) 103 that temporarily stores recorded data,
CGROM that stores character dot matrix data
(character generator ROM) 104 and an input/output port 105.

The operation of this apparatus will be explained below according to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, when the power is turned on in step SL, step S
In step 2, initial operations necessary for recording (for example, transporting the recording medium) are performed.

Next, when the online setting is made using the operation panel 5 in step S3, the MPU10I analyzes data inputted from a host computer (not shown) via the interface circuit 4 in step S4 in step S5. For example, if the input data is character code data, the dot matrix data of the character corresponding to the character code is read from the CGROM 104, and
3 as recorded data. When one row of data is stored in the RAM 103 (step S7), a recording mode is selected in step S8.

FIG. 3 shows a thinning control circuit and a head drive circuit 2. 3 is a detailed circuit diagram showing the recording head 3. FIG.

In the normal recording mode, the process advances to step S9, and the output signal A of the input/output port 105 shown in FIG. 3 is set to "L".
(low level). In the case of high-speed recording mode, the process advances to step S10, where the output signal B of the input/output port 105 is set to "L" once, and then "H" (high level).
Keep it. Furthermore, the output signal A is set to "H" (step 511).

Subsequently, in step S12, the CR (carriage return) motor 7 is driven to start scanning the recording head 3. However, in the high-speed recording mode, scanning is performed at twice the speed of the normal recording mode.

Next, in step S13, the recording data for one vertical column (32 bits in this case) to be recorded when the recording head 3 reaches the recording position is read from the RAM 103 and output to the HDI-HD 32 of the input/output port 105. Then, when the recording head 3 reaches the recording position (step S14)
, outputs the signal HT from the input/output port 105 (step S15), and drives the recording head 3.

Next, drive control of the recording head will be explained with reference to timing charts shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

In the normal recording mode, as shown in FIG. 5, when the signal HT is output in step S15, heat pulses HPI to HP4 are sequentially output from the heat pulse generation circuit IO. At this time, since the signal A is "L" in step S9, MPI-HF4 is sequentially outputted as HPI-HP4 are outputted.

As a result, the transistor Tr 1 (C1 to 32) is
When HDi (i=1 to 32) is "H", the corresponding pulse of MPI-HF4 is ON only during the "H" period, and the Dot of the corresponding recording head 3 is turned on.
Ink is ejected from 1 (i=1 to 32), respectively. Furthermore, among HDi (C1 to 32), the one that is “L” is connected to the corresponding transistor Tri (i=1 to 32).
is not turned on, so the Dot of the corresponding recording head 3
No ink is ejected from 1 (i=1 to 32).

When the signal HT is output in step S15, step S1
In step S6, it is determined whether recording for one line has been completed, and if recording for one line has not been completed, the process returns to step S13 and continues recording. Also, when recording for one line is finished, CR
Momo-7 is stopped (step S17), and in step S1g it is determined whether or not to start a line feed. If it is a line break, LP (
The line feed) motor 8 is driven to convey the recording medium (step S19), and the process returns to step S3.

In the case of high-speed recording mode, the signal HT is set in step S15.
When is output, HPI to HP4 are output in sequence as shown in FIG. However, since the signal A is "H" in step Sll, the flip-flop Fl
The outputs of MPI to MP4 change depending on the output Q of (see FIG. 4). Here, since the signal B is output in step SIO, the flip-flop F1 is initially
The output Q of is "L". Therefore, the first signal HT
HPI to HP4 are output sequentially in response to the output of
Since H1 is "L", MPI and HF3 are not output. On the other hand, since PH2 is "H", HF2 and HF4 are output, and the corresponding transistors Tr
2m (I11=1~16), respectively HD2m (m
=1 to 16) is "H", it is ON, and ink is ejected from Dot2Ii (I11 = 1 to 16) of the corresponding recording head 3. From the function of the flip-flop Fl shown in FIG. 4, when HF2 falls, the output Q
is reversed.

Next, if it is determined in step S16 that recording for one line has not been completed, the process returns to step S13, and the next recorded data is read from the RAM 103 and output from the input/output ports 105 HDI to HD32. When the recording head 3 reaches the next recording position (step 514), the signal HT is output from the input/output port 105 (step S
15). Then, from the heat pulse generation circuit lO to HP
I-HF2 is output sequentially, but since the output Q of the flip-flop Fl was "H" at the previous fall of HF2, this time PH1 becomes "H" and PH2 becomes "L", and P
HI and PH3 are output, but PH2 and PH4 are not output. Therefore, only the transistors Tr2m-1 (IIl = 1 to 16) corresponding to PHI and PH3 are ON if HD2m-1 (m = 1 to 16) is "H"'.
Dot 2m-1 (of the corresponding recording head 3)
Ink is ejected from m=1 to 16). And HF2
At the falling edge of , the output Q of the flip-flop F1 is inverted.

When one line of recording is completed in this way, step S
1g, it is determined whether a line break is to be made, and if a line break is to be made, the process proceeds to step S19, the LF momo--8 is driven to convey the recording medium, and the process returns to step S3.

In other words, in high-speed recording mode, the data recorded by the recording head 3 is controlled by driving the transistors that drive the recording head 3 separately for odd rows and even rows, that is, by enabling them alternately each time a heat pulse is output. are being thinned out.

In this embodiment, the load on the power supply 9 is lightened by dividing the dots of the recording head 3 into four parts, but if the number of dots on the recording head 3 increases, the number of divisions may be increased. On the other hand, if the capacity of the power supply 9 is sufficient and there is no need to divide it, a thinning control circuit 11 and a head drive circuit 2 as shown in FIG. 7 may be used.

In the first embodiment described above, the high-speed recording mode was enabled by controlling the head drive circuit 2, but in this embodiment, the configuration is such that the recording data sent to the head drive circuit 2 is controlled. It is.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention;
8 is a detailed circuit diagram of the thinning control circuit 12 shown in FIG. FIG. 1O is a timing chart showing the operation of the thinning control circuit 12 in the high-speed recording mode.

In this embodiment, since the signal B is "H", the output Q of the flip-flop Fl is inverted every time the signal HT falls. Accordingly, signals PH1 and PH2 are each inverted.

In FIG. 9, HDI to HD3 of input/output port 105
The recording data that is pressured from 2 is valid when PH1 is "H", and the recording data on even rows is valid when PH2 is "H", so the recording data on odd rows is valid for each column recording. The data and the recorded data of even-numbered rows are enabled alternately.

Therefore, among the dots of the recording head 3, the dots in odd-numbered rows and the dots in even-numbered rows are alternately effective during recording, making high-speed recording possible.

This embodiment is suitable for cases where the transistors in odd rows and the transistors in even rows are not independently controlled in response to the heat pulse output from the heat pulse generation circuit 10, as in the head drive circuit 2 shown in FIG. 9, for example. ,It is valid.

FIG. 11 shows a block diagram of the third embodiment. In this embodiment, a thinning control circuit 13 is inserted into a data bus for transferring recording data to an input/output port 105 in the control section 1. In other words, in the high-speed recording mode, the thinning control circuit 13 enables the odd-numbered data buses and the even-numbered data buses alternately each time recording data is transferred to the input/output port 105 (for each column of recording). It is said that Therefore, the recording data written to the upper input/output capo 105 is alternately thinned out into odd-numbered rows and even-numbered rows.

Therefore, among the dots of the recording head 3, the dots in odd-numbered rows and the dots in even-numbered rows are alternately effective during recording, making high-speed recording possible.

It should be noted that the present invention provides excellent effects particularly in bubble jet recording heads and recording apparatuses among ink jet recording systems.

This is because such a system can achieve higher recording density and higher definition.

As for typical configurations and principles thereof, it is preferable to use the basic principles disclosed in, for example, US Pat. No. 4,723,129 and US Pat. No. 4,740,796. This method can be applied to both the so-called on-demand type and continuous type, but especially in the case of the on-demand type, it is necessary to arrange the liquid (ink) in accordance with the sheet and liquid path that hold it. The electrothermal converter that is
Generating thermal energy in the electrothermal transducer and producing film boiling on the thermally active surface of the recording head by applying at least one drive signal that corresponds to recorded information and provides a rapid temperature rise above nucleate boiling. This is effective because, as a result, bubbles in the liquid (ink) can be formed in pairs corresponding to the drive signals. The growth and contraction of the bubble causes liquid (ink) to be ejected through the ejection opening to form at least one droplet. If this drive signal is in the form of a pulse, bubble growth and contraction will occur immediately and appropriately.
Particularly responsive liquid (ink) ejection can be achieved,
More preferred. This pulse-shaped drive signal is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,463,359 and 4,345,262.
Those described in the specification are suitable. Furthermore, if the conditions described in US Pat. No. 4,313,124 concerning the invention regarding the temperature increase rate of the heat acting surface are adopted, even more excellent recording can be performed.

The configuration of the recording head includes, in addition to the combination configuration of ejection ports, liquid paths, and electrothermal converters (straight liquid flow path or right-angled liquid flow path) as disclosed in the above-mentioned specifications, a heat acting section. The present invention also includes configurations using US Pat. No. 4,558,333 and US Pat. No. 4,459,600, which disclose configurations in which the wafer is placed in a bending region. In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1989-5 discloses a configuration in which a common slit is used as a discharge part of a plurality of electrothermal converters.
No. 9-123670 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59/1989 which discloses a configuration in which a discharge portion is made to correspond to an opening that absorbs pressure waves of thermal energy.
The effects of the present invention are also effective even if the structure is based on the publication No.-138461. That is, regardless of the form of the recording head, according to the present invention, recording can be performed reliably and efficiently.

Furthermore, the present invention can be effectively applied to a full-line type recording head having a length corresponding to the maximum width of a recording medium that can be recorded by a recording apparatus.

Such a recording head may have either a configuration in which the length is satisfied by a combination of a plurality of recording heads, or a configuration in which a single recording head is formed in one direction.

Further, it is preferable to add recovery means for the recording head, preliminary auxiliary means, etc., which are provided as a configuration of the recording apparatus, to the present invention, because the effects of the present invention can be further stabilized. Specifically, these include capping means for the recording head, cleaning means, pressure or suction means, preheating means using an electrothermal transducer or another heating element, or a combination thereof; It is also effective to perform a preliminary ejection mode in which ejection is performed separately from printing in order to perform stable printing.

In addition, regarding the type and number of recording heads installed, for example, in addition to one type that corresponds to single-color ink, there is also a plurality of recording heads that correspond to multiple inks with different recording colors and densities. It may be something that can be done. That is, for example, the recording mode of the recording apparatus is not limited to a recording mode for only a mainstream color such as black, but may also be a recording mode in which the recording head is configured integrally or in a combination of multiple colors, The present invention is also extremely effective for devices equipped with a few full colors (or one full color) by color mixing.

Additionally, in the embodiments of the present invention described above,
Although ink is described as a liquid, it is an ink that solidifies at room temperature or below, but softens or liquefies at room temperature, or in an inkjet method, the ink itself is
Generally, the temperature is adjusted within the range of 0°C or more and 70°C or less so that the viscosity of the ink is within the stable ejection range, so even if the ink is in a liquid state when the recording signal is applied. Bye. In addition, the temperature increase caused by thermal energy can be actively prevented by using the energy to change the state of the ink from a solid state to a liquid state, or ink that solidifies when left standing is used to prevent ink evaporation. In any case, the ink is liquefied by applying thermal energy in accordance with the recording signal, and the liquid ink is ejected, or the ink has already begun to solidify by the time it reaches the recording medium. The present invention is also applicable when using ink that is liquefied only by energy. The ink used in this case is
Publication No. 4-56847 or JP-A-60-71260
As described in the above publication, the porous sheet may be held in a liquid or solid state in the recesses or through-holes of the porous sheet, facing the electrothermal converter. In the present invention, the most effective method for each of the above-mentioned inks is to implement the above-mentioned film boiling method.

In addition, the recording device of the present invention may take the form of a copying device combined with a league, etc., or a facsimile device having a sending/receiving function, in addition to being used as an image output terminal of information processing equipment such as a computer. It may also be something.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, there is no need for the processor built in the recording device itself to thin out recorded data, so the burden on the processor can be reduced during high-speed recording mode. As a result, it becomes possible to prevent a decrease in throughput.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the first embodiment, and FIG. 3 shows a thinning control circuit and a head drive circuit in the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the function of the flip-flop on J-. FIGS. 5 and 6 are timing diagrams showing the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram without split heating. 8 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a decimation control circuit and a head drive circuit in the second embodiment. 10 is a timing diagram showing the operation of the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing an example of the conventional technology. It is. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Control part, 2...Head drive circuit, 3...Recording head, 4...Interface circuit, 5...Operation panel, 6...Sensor 7...CR momo--8 ...LF momo-- 9...Power supply section, lO...Heat pulse generation circuit, 11, 11', 12.13... Thinning control circuit,
101...MPU. ...ROM, ...RAM, ...CGROM. ...Input/output port. Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) In a recording apparatus equipped with a recording head for performing dot recording, a plurality of drive elements individually drive each dot of the recording head, and a predetermined number of drive elements among the plurality of drive elements. and a thinning control circuit that intermittently enables a set of drive elements, and the thinning control circuit is configured to separate dots in even-numbered rows and dots in odd-numbered rows in the recording head each time a pulse for driving the drive elements is output. A recording device characterized in that dots of 1 and 2 are alternately enabled. 2) In a recording apparatus equipped with a recording head for recording dots, a plurality of drive elements that individually drive each dot of the recording head, and a plurality of drive elements inserted between an output port for print dot data and the drive elements. and a thinning control circuit that intermittently makes valid a predetermined set of print dot data among the print dot data output from the output port. 3) In claim 2, the thinning control circuit divides the print dot data supplied to the even-numbered row dots and the print dot data supplied to the odd-numbered row dots of the recording head so that the dots for one vertical column are A recording device characterized in that it is enabled alternately each time it is driven. 4) In a recording device equipped with a recording head for performing dot recording, a data source that generates print dot data, a data bus that transfers the dot data to an output port on the recording head side, and a part of the data bus that is connected to the data bus. What is claimed is: 1. A recording device comprising: a data bus control circuit that is inserted and intermittently enables a data bus that transmits a predetermined set of print dot data. 5) In claim 4, the data bus control circuit drives a data bus corresponding to even-numbered row dots and a data bus corresponding to odd-numbered row dots of the recording head so that dots for one vertical column are driven. A recording device characterized in that it is enabled alternately every time.