JPH0631909A - Recording method and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To correctly and easily adjust the recording position of a plurality of recording heads by calculating the amount of the positional shift of a first and a second recording heads based on the read data, and changing the reading position of image data from a memory corresponding to the shifting amount. CONSTITUTION:When an inkjet head 7 above an inkjet head 3 is shifted one pixel upward, recording dots 61, 62 do not overlap and are recorded as indicated by 64, 65. If the inkjet head 7 is shifted one pixel downward, the data at this time is obtained. When a pattern of each color is read based on the lower heads 3-6 in the above manner and if the recording position of upper heads 7-10 is shifted upward, the starting position of reading from a memory at the reading time by the upper heads is set at +1. If the recording position is shifted downward, the starting position of reading is set at -1. The registering amount of the recording position of inkjet heads in the longitudinal direction is obtained as above, and the reading position from the memory is changed based on the registering amount, whereby the recording position can be finely adjusted by one pixel without much trouble.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording method and apparatus having a plurality of recording heads and scanning these recording heads to record an image on a recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known an ink jet printer having a plurality of multi-nozzle heads and recording an image on a recording medium by these ink jet heads.
In order to align (register) the recording positions of a plurality of heads in such a printer, an image of a predetermined pattern such as a lattice pattern is printed on the recording paper by using these plurality of inkjet heads, and the print result is visible to human eyes. The displacement amount of each inkjet head is obtained by viewing or by reading the printed image using a reading means such as a scanner and calculating the displacement amount of the recorded pattern. The recording position is adjusted according to the mounting position of the inkjet head by changing the read timing from each memory that stores the image data to be recorded by each inkjet head, based on the deviation amount thus obtained. ing.

[0003]

However, the conventional registration method described above is an adjustment method when a plurality of ink jet heads are arranged laterally with respect to the scanning direction of the carriage. Vertical direction,
That is, when the carriage is arranged in a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction, the only method is to mechanically adjust the positional deviation.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional example, and an object of the present invention is to provide a recording method and apparatus capable of accurately and easily adjusting recording positions recorded by a plurality of recording heads.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the recording apparatus of the present invention has the following constitution. That is,
A recording apparatus having a plurality of recording heads, which scans the recording heads to perform recording on a recording medium based on image data stored in a memory, wherein a first recording head records a predetermined pattern. First recording means for recording, and the recording target recorded by the first recording means at a second recording head position located in the arrangement direction of recording elements of the recording head with respect to the first recording head. Moving means for moving the image portion of the medium, second recording means for recording the predetermined pattern by the second recording head after movement by the moving means, and recording by the first and second recording means A reading unit that reads the formed image in the arrangement direction of the recording elements of the recording head, and a positional deviation amount between the first and second recording heads is calculated based on the data read by the reading unit. It includes means exits, and means for changing the reading position of the image data from the memory in response to the positional displacement amount.

In order to achieve the above object, the recording method of the present invention comprises the following steps. That is, it is a recording method having a plurality of recording heads and scanning these recording heads to perform recording on a recording medium based on image data stored in a memory. And a second recording medium positioned in the arrangement direction of recording elements of the first recording head with respect to the first recording head.
The step of moving the image portion recorded by the first recording head to the recording head position, and after the movement, the second portion
Recording the predetermined pattern by the recording head, reading the images recorded by the first and second recording heads in the arrangement direction of the recording elements of the recording head, and based on the read data read. Calculating the positional deviation amount of the first and second recording heads, changing the read position of the image data from the memory according to the positional deviation amount, and recording.

[0007]

In the above structure, a predetermined pattern is recorded by the first recording head, and the second recording head is positioned with respect to the first recording head in the arrangement direction of the recording elements of these recording heads. The recording medium is conveyed so that the image portion recorded by the first recording head moves. After that, a predetermined pattern is recorded by the second recording head, and the images recorded by the first and second recording heads are read in the arrangement direction of the recording elements of these recording heads. Then, the amount of positional deviation between the first and second recording heads is calculated based on the read data, and the read position of the image data from the memory is changed and recorded according to the amount of positional deviation.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of the ink jet printer of this embodiment.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a main control unit which controls the entire ink jet printer. The main control unit 1 includes, for example, a CPU 111 such as a microprocessor,
A ROM 112 which stores a control program of the CPU 111 and various data, and a RAM 113 which is used as a work area of the CPU 111 and temporarily stores various data.
Etc. are included. A motor control unit 2 rotationally drives a carriage motor 11, which will be described later, and motors 15 and 16 for moving a sensor according to an instruction from the main control unit 1.

Each of the ink jet heads 3 to 10 is a multi-nozzle ink jet head (hereinafter simply referred to as an ink jet head) for ejecting ink of each color, and the ink jet heads 3 to 6 convey a recording medium 14 (recording paper, cloth, etc.). 7-10 are arrange | positioned at the upstream side of the direction, respectively. 3 is an inkjet head for cyan, 4 is an inkjet head for magenta, 5 is an inkjet head for yellow, and 6 is an inkjet head for black. Reference numeral 7 is a cyan inkjet head, 8 is a magenta inkjet head, 9 is a yellow inkjet head, and 10 is a black inkjet head.

Reference numeral 11 is a carriage motor for scanning the carriage having the above-mentioned ink jet head, 12 is a motor for moving the sensor 15, and 13 is a motor.
Is a motor for moving the sensor 16. Reference numeral 15 denotes a sensor for moving and reading an image recorded on the recording medium 14 in parallel with the moving direction of the inkjet head,
Reference numeral 16 denotes a sensor for reading the recorded image in parallel with the nozzle arrangement direction of the inkjet head (moving direction of the recording medium 14). An A / D converter 17 inputs signals from the sensors 15 and 16, converts the signals into digital signals, and outputs the digital signals to the main controller 1.

2 and 3 are block diagrams showing the configuration of the main control unit of the ink jet printer of this embodiment.

In FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, reference numeral 21 is an arithmetic unit,
The set amount for register adjustment is calculated based on the values read by the sensors 15 and 16 described later. Reference numeral 22 is a frame memory that stores image data, 23 is a palette conversion unit for separating the image data into each color, 24 is a γ conversion unit that performs recording correction, and 25 is a head that performs correction for each multi-nozzle. A shading unit 26 is a binarization unit 27 for converting multivalued data into binary data for recording.
Is an SMS unit for separating print data for upper and lower inkjet heads, 28 is a memory for storing binary data to be printed, 29 is a unit for supplying the print data to each inkjet head, and controlling the printing by the heads. It is a head controller.

The image data output from the frame memory 22 is separated into each color by the palette converter 23, and γ conversion and head shading are performed for each color. Further, the SMS unit 2 is binarized by the binarization unit 26.
It is separately supplied by 7 according to each head and stored in the memory 28. The print data stored in the memory 28 is read from the memory 28 by the head controller 29 and supplied to each inkjet head for printing.
The recording data stored in the memory 28 is stored for a plurality of recording bands.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the state of the recording data stored in the memory 28. In FIG.
n represents the number of nozzles of each inkjet head, and N ₀ represents the recording line width per band. Again 36
Reference numerals 39 to 39 denote memory areas storing each band data.

With this configuration, when the recording data is read from the memory 28, the registration of the ink jet heads in the vertical direction is performed by designating from which position the recording data should be read based on the arrangement of the memory 28 shown in FIG. Can be done. For example, in FIG. 4, the reading start is (n-1, 0)
Then, the data recorded next becomes the image data of the second band. Here, assuming that the position of the inkjet head is shifted by one pixel in the vertical direction, by setting the read position to (n, 0), it is possible to record an image without misalignment in the vertical direction.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a memory reading circuit included in the head controller 29.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 31 is a nozzle number counter, which counts the number corresponding to the number of nozzles of each ink jet head. Reference numeral 32 is an upper address counter, 33 is a lower address counter, and these upper and lower address counters 32 and 33 access each band memory of the memory 28. Reference numeral 34 is a read start position setting register. The address set in the register 34 is set in the lower address counter 33 to determine the lower read address. Reference numeral 35 denotes a memory selection signal generating circuit, which outputs a signal for instructing which of the band memories 36 to 39 described later is to be read. 36-39
Is each band area of the memory 28 described above, and 36 is the first
A memory area for storing band image data, 37
Is a memory area storing image data of the second band, 38 is a memory area storing image data of the third band, and 39 is a memory area storing image data of the fourth band. .

With the above configuration, first, the read start position is set in the register 34. The value set in the register 34 is a value corresponding to the amount of displacement due to the positional displacement of the upper and lower inkjet heads, which is obtained by the method described later. The start signal is a timing signal for instructing the start of reading of each band, and the content of the register 34 is set in the lower address counter 33 by this start signal.
The reading of the recording data from each memory is started from the lower address. Now, assuming that the number of nozzles of each inkjet head is "256", the lower 8 bits of the lower address counter 33 are output as the lower address.

On the other hand, the upper address counter 32 is incremented by 1 every time the nozzle counter 31 counts "256",
The output of the upper address counter 32 is an address in the x-axis direction in the memory map shown in FIG.
The lower address output from the lower address counter 33 indicates the read address in the Y-axis direction (vertical direction) of FIG. 4, and the number of nozzles of the inkjet head (n =
256) minutes, the memory selection signal circuit 35
Operates and the memory area of the next band is selected.

As described above, by changing the value set in the register 34, the registration in the vertical direction can be performed.

Next, a method of automatically determining an adjustment value for registration in the vertical direction will be described.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are views showing an example of recording a pattern for registration in the vertical direction.

In FIG. 6, 3 is a lower cyan head, and 7 is an upper cyan head. Incidentally, here, the case of recording by the inkjet heads 3 and 7 for cyan will be described, but it goes without saying that the same can be realized in the case of inkjet heads of other colors.

In FIG. 6A, a recording width of one head is provided between the ink jet heads 3 and 7 (for n nozzles).
6B shows the case where the upper and lower inkjet heads 3 and 7 have a distance half that of the inkjet head. Figure 6
In (A), first, recording is performed only by the first nozzle (uppermost nozzle) of the lower inkjet head 3, and 51
Record the line indicated by. Next, a predetermined amount of the recording medium 14 is conveyed, and recording is performed by using only the first nozzle (uppermost nozzle) of the upper inkjet head 7 to record the line 52.

In the case of FIG. 6 (B), recording is first performed only by the first nozzle of the lower ink jet head 3, and the line 53 is formed.
To record. Next, the recording medium 14 is conveyed by a predetermined amount, and the line 54 is recorded by performing recording only with the central nozzle of the upper inkjet head. This nozzle is the n / 2-th nozzle, where n is the number of nozzles in each inkjet head. By thus recording the lines using the upper and lower inkjet heads 3 and 7, if the positions of the inkjet heads 3 and 7 are aligned correctly, the lines recorded by these inkjet heads overlap each other. Is recorded as.

The image thus recorded on the recording medium 14 is read by the sensor 16 (FIG. 1), and the data thus read is an analog signal from the sensor 16 and indicates the luminance component of the image. This analog signal is converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 17, and the value of each signal corresponding to RGB is 8 bits (0H to FFH:
H is a hexadecimal number).

For example, when the above-mentioned line is recorded in cyan, the spectral characteristic for a single color is (R, G, B) = (0, F
F, FF), as shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, if the dot 61 recorded by the inkjet head 3 and the dot 62 recorded by the inkjet head 7 are aligned, the dot is 63. As shown in. In this case, data from the sensor 16 as shown in FIGS. 8 to 10 can be obtained. Here, m indicates the recorded position. Fig. 8 shows R component, Fig. 9 shows G component, and Fig. 10 shows B component.
The ingredients are shown.

Further, as shown in FIG. 11, the position of the ink jet head 7 above the ink jet head 3 is 1
If there is a deviation on the pixel, these two recorded dots 61 and 62 do not overlap and are recorded as indicated by 64 and 65. Then, the data from the sensor 16 which has read these dots 64 and 65 is as shown in FIGS. Here, since the sensor 16 reads in the direction in which the nozzles are arranged as described above, if the dot position shifts as shown in FIG. 11, the shift appears as two peaks in FIGS. 13 and 14. .

Similarly, as shown in FIG. 15, when the inkjet head 7 is displaced by one pixel below the inkjet head 3, the data shown in FIGS. 16 to 18 are obtained. In the graphs of FIGS. 8 to 18, the spectral characteristic is (FF, 0, FF) when the color of the recorded line is magenta, and (F, 0, FF) when yellow.
F, FF, 0), it means that in the case of magenta, the G signal is regarded as the same as the cyan R signal, and the R signal is replaced with the cyan G signal.
The signal is synonymous with the cyan R signal, and the R signal is synonymous with the cyan B signal. Further, in the case of black, the same output as the G signal and the B signal appears for the cyan R signal.

From the above results, the pattern of each color is read with reference to the lower ink jet heads 3 to 6, and when the recording position of the upper ink jet heads 7 to 10 is deviated upward, recording by the upper ink jet head is performed. Sometimes, the read start position of the memory 28 is incremented by +1 and when it is shifted downward, the read start position is incremented by -1.

As described above, the alignment amount of the recording position by the ink jet head in the vertical direction is obtained, and the read position from the memory is changed based on the obtained amount, so that the pixel position can be read in one pixel unit without manpower. The recording position can be finely adjusted.

As for the recording position alignment of each ink jet head in the carriage movement direction, as described in the conventional example, for example, a grid pattern is recorded on the recording medium, and the recorded image is read by the sensor 15. Thus, the recording position can be easily adjusted by obtaining the deviation amount and changing the read position from the memory 28 according to the deviation, as in the case of the present embodiment.

FIG. 19 is a flow chart showing a process for obtaining the above-described misregistration amount for registration adjustment. The control program for executing this process is stored in the ROM 112 of the main control section 1.

First, in step S1, scanning of the lower ink jet head is started, and in step S2, print data for printing with a specific nozzle of the ink jet head 3 for cyan, for example, is output, for example, as shown in FIG.
A line such as the line 51 in (A) is printed for one line. Next, in step S4, in the case of FIG.
The recording medium 14 is conveyed by a length twice the recording width of the inkjet head, and the line 52 is recorded by the upper inkjet head (head 7 in this case) this time in steps S5 to S7.

Next, the recorded recording medium is conveyed to the reading position by the sensor 16 (step S8), and the lines 51 and 52 are read by the sensor 16 at that position.
Next, in step S9, the amount of misalignment between the upper inkjet head and the lower inkjet head is obtained based on the reading result of the sensor 16. Here, for example, when the reading result as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 is obtained, it is determined that there is no positional deviation between the upper inkjet head and the lower inkjet head.
3 and when there is a deviation as shown in FIG. 14, in the case of recording by the upper inkjet heads 7 to 10, a set value is obtained so as to increment the reading start position by +1. Further, in the case as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, in the case of recording by the upper ink jet heads 7 to 10, a set value that decrements the read start position by -1 is obtained (step S10). The present invention particularly forms flying droplets by utilizing thermal energy among inkjet recording methods,
The present invention provides an excellent effect in an inkjet type recording head and a recording device that perform recording.

Regarding the typical structure and principle thereof, see, for example, US Pat. Nos. 4,723,129 and 4740.
What is done using the basic principles disclosed in 796 is preferred. 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, liquid (ink)
By applying at least one drive signal to the electrothermal transducer arranged corresponding to the sheet or liquid path in which is stored, which corresponds to the recorded information and gives a rapid temperature rise exceeding nucleate boiling. Since the electrothermal converter is caused to generate heat energy to cause film boiling on the heat-acting surface of the recording head, as a result, bubbles in the liquid (ink) corresponding to the drive signal in a one-to-one relationship can be formed. It is valid. The liquid (ink) is ejected through the ejection openings by the growth and contraction of the bubbles to form at least one droplet. It is more preferable to make this drive signal in a pulse shape, because bubbles can be grown and contracted immediately and appropriately, and thus a liquid (ink) with excellent responsiveness can be achieved.

As the pulse-shaped drive signal, those described in US Pat. Nos. 4,463,359 and 4,345,262 are suitable. If the conditions described in US Pat. No. 4,313,124 of the invention relating to the rate of temperature rise on the heat acting surface are adopted, excellent recording can be performed.

As the constitution of the recording head, in addition to the combination constitution of the ejection port, the liquid passage, and the electrothermal converter (the straight liquid passage or the right-angled liquid passage) as disclosed in the above-mentioned respective specifications. A configuration using US Pat. No. 4,558,333 or US Pat. No. 4,459,600, which discloses a configuration in which a heat acting surface is arranged in a bending region, may be used. In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Sho 5-5 discloses a configuration in which a common slit is used as a discharge portion of the electrothermal converter for a plurality of electrothermal converters.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-123670 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 5 (1993) -58
A configuration based on Japanese Patent Publication No. 9-138461 may also be used.

Further, as a full line type recording head having a length corresponding to the width of the maximum recording medium that can be recorded by the recording apparatus, the length can be increased by combining a plurality of recording heads as disclosed in the above-mentioned specification. Either of the structure satisfying the requirement or the structure as one recording head integrally formed may be used.

In addition, by being mounted on the apparatus main body, it can be electrically connected to the apparatus main body and can be supplied with ink from the apparatus main body by a replaceable chip type recording head or the recording head itself. Alternatively, a cartridge type recording head provided with an ink tank may be used.

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 of the present invention, because the effect of the present invention can be further stabilized. . Specific examples thereof include capping means, cleaning means, pressurizing or suctioning means for the recording head, preheating means using an electrothermal converter or another heating element or a combination thereof, and recording. It is also effective to perform a stable recording by performing a preliminary discharge mode in which another discharge is performed.

Further, the recording mode of the recording apparatus is not limited to the recording mode of only the mainstream color such as black, but the recording head may be integrally formed or a plurality of combinations may be used. Alternatively, the device may be provided with at least one of full-color mixed colors.

In the embodiments of the present invention described above, the ink is described as a liquid, but it is an ink that solidifies at room temperature or lower and that softens at room temperature, or is a liquid, or the above-mentioned. In the inkjet method, it is common to control the temperature of the ink itself within a range of 30 ° C to 70 ° C to control the temperature of the ink so that the viscosity of the ink is within a stable ejection range. It is sufficient that the ink is liquid.

In addition, the temperature rise due to thermal energy is positively prevented by being used as energy for changing the state of the ink from the solid state to the liquid state, or the ink is solidified in a standing state for the purpose of preventing evaporation of the ink. In some cases, such as ink that is liquefied by applying heat energy according to a recording signal and ejected as a liquid ink, or one that has already started to solidify when it reaches a recording medium. The use of an ink having a property of being liquefied only by heat energy is also applicable to the present invention. In such a case, the ink is disclosed in JP-A-54-5684.
No. 7 or JP-A-60-71260, a mode in which the porous sheet is opposed to the electrothermal converter in the state of being held as a liquid or solid in the recess or through hole of the porous sheet. May be In the present invention, the most effective one for each of the above-mentioned inks is to execute the above-mentioned film boiling method.

In addition, as a form of the recording apparatus according to the present invention, the recording apparatus according to the present invention is integrally or separately provided as an image output terminal of the information processing equipment such as the word processor or the computer, and is combined with a reader or the like. It may be in the form of a copying machine or a facsimile machine having a transmission / reception function.

In the above-described first embodiment, when the registration adjustment in the vertical direction is performed between the upper and lower ink jet heads for each color, the lower ink jet head for each color is used as a reference. The adjustment value of the vertical registration can be calculated based on any one of them.

For example, a case where cyan is used as a reference will be described. Calculation of the adjustment value of the inkjet head 7 on the upper side of cyan is in accordance with the above embodiment. Consider the adjustment value of the magenta head 8 of the upper inkjet head.

In FIG. 6, the line 51 or line 53 is recorded by the cyan ink jet head 3, and the line 52 or line 54 is recorded by the magenta ink jet head 8.
The spectral characteristic of cyan is (R, G, B) = (0, FF, F
F), and the spectral characteristic of magenta is (R, G, B) =
(FF, 0, FF). Here, if there is no deviation between these heads and they match, the signals detected by the sensor 16 are as shown in FIGS. That is, the spectral characteristics of the dots that are overlaid are (R, G, B)
= (80,80, FF).

Now, when the dots recorded by the upper magenta ink jet head 8 are shifted upward by one pixel, the spectral characteristics of the result of reading the recorded image by the sensor 16 are as shown in FIGS. Become.

Similarly, when the positions of the upper yellow ink-jet head 9 and the lower yellow ink-jet head 6 are aligned, the positions are as shown in FIGS. 26 to 28, and the upper yellow ink-jet head is obtained. When the recording position is deviated to the upper side due to 9, the situation is as shown in FIGS.

When the positions of the black ink jet head 10 on the upper side and the ink jet head 6 on the lower side are the same, the results are as shown in FIGS. 42 to 44, and the black ink jet head 10 is displaced upward. In this case, the results shown in FIGS. In this way, the positional deviation amount of each upper inkjet head can be determined based on the cyan cyan inkjet head 3 on the lower side by the spectral characteristic of each color component. As a result, it is possible to perform the registration adjustment in the vertical direction of the heads arranged above and below according to the determined value.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the adjustment amount of the position of the upper ink jet head with respect to the lower ink jet head is determined in the ink jet heads arranged in the upper and lower two stages. The adjustment amount of the vertical registration can be calculated and adjusted for each of the lower inkjet heads.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the description has been made of the case of the recording section which is composed of the four color heads of cyan, magenta, yellow and black, but the present invention is not limited to this, and still another example. Even if color inks are used, the vertical registration can be adjusted in the same manner.

Further, instead of the sensors 15 and 16, for example, a general scanner can be used to measure the deviation amount.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the sensors 15, 1
The signal read by 6 is processed by the arithmetic unit 21 to obtain the setting according to the shift amount. However, this is processed by the arithmetic unit provided separately from the recording unit, and vertically processed by various communication means or the like. A configuration in which the registration adjustment amount is transmitted to the calculation unit of the recording unit may be used.

An example of this structure is shown in FIG.

In the figure, 14 is a recording medium for recording a recording image, 102 is a recording medium for recording a dedicated pattern for calculating a registration adjustment value, and 103 is a recording medium 102. It is a scanner for reading the pattern. A second calculation unit 104 receives the read output of the pattern recorded on the recording medium 102, which is output from the scanner 103, and calculates the adjustment amount of the vertical registration. Reference numeral 105 is a first for controlling the entire recording unit.
It is a main control unit including a calculation unit 21 (see FIG. 2). 106
Is a carriage motor 1 for scanning the print head
This is a motor control unit that controls 07. A carriage motor 107 scans and drives the recording head. Each of 3 to 6 is an inkjet head corresponding to each color provided on the lower side, and each of 7 to 10 is an inkjet head corresponding to each color provided on the upper side, which are the same as those in FIG. 1 described above. Is.

A pattern for calculating the adjustment amount of the vertical registration is recorded on the recording medium 102 using the inkjet heads 3 to 10. Then, this pattern is read by the scanner 10
3 is read, and the second calculation unit 104 performs calculation to calculate the adjustment amount of the vertical registration. The adjustment amount calculated in this way is calculated by the communication cable connecting the main control unit 105 and the second calculation unit 104 to the first calculation unit 2 of the main control unit 105.
1 is transmitted. By performing the vertical registration adjustment by the main control unit 105 based on the transmitted vertical registration adjustment amount, the vertical registrations of the upper and lower inkjet heads match each other.
Image recording can be performed.

Depending on the recording medium, for example, with cloth or the like, the feed amount may be changed depending on the material, the type of image to be recorded, and the like. In this case, the changed feed amount is transmitted by means of transmitting to the main control unit of the recording unit (such as input from the operation unit or input by communication from the cloth feed unit), and the main control unit changes the changed feed amount. It is also possible to control the read position so that the vertical registration is adjusted according to the feed amount. As a result, even when recording is performed with a variable feed amount, it is possible to perform recording without forming overlapping or gaps in the recorded images.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or a unit composed of a single device. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to a case where it is achieved by supplying a program for implementing the present invention to a system or a part.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the adjustment amount is calculated by recording the pattern for detecting the displacement of the vertical registration and electrically reading the pattern for calculation.
By changing the read position of the recording data stored in the memory according to the calculated adjustment amount, it is possible to automatically perform the vertical registration. As a result, it is possible to print a high-quality image by eliminating color misregistration or the like due to displacement of the mounting position of each inkjet head.

[0064]

As described above, according to the present invention, there is an effect that the recording positions recorded by a plurality of recording heads can be adjusted accurately and easily.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a main part of an inkjet printer according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a main control unit of the inkjet printer according to the present exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a main control unit of the inkjet printer according to the present exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a memory map of a frame memory that stores recording data according to each band.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a circuit configuration for controlling a read start position of recording data from a frame memory.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a printing example of a vertical registration adjustment pattern in the inkjet printer of the present embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example in which print dot positions of the upper head and the lower head match.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an output example (R component) from a sensor when print dot positions of upper and lower cyan heads match.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an output example (G component) from the sensor when the print dot positions of the upper and lower cyan heads match.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an output example (B component) from the sensor when the print dot positions of the upper and lower cyan heads match.

FIG. 11 shows that the print dot position by the upper cyan head is 1.
It is a figure which shows the example of dot recording when it has shifted up by a pixel.

12 is a diagram showing an output example (R component) from the sensor in the state shown in FIG.

13 is a diagram showing an output example (G component) from the sensor in the state shown in FIG.

14 is a diagram showing an output example (B component) from the sensor in the state shown in FIG.

FIG. 15 shows that the print dot position by the upper cyan head is 1.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of dot recording when the pixel is shifted downward by a pixel amount.

16 is a diagram showing an output example (R component) from the sensor in the state shown in FIG.

17 is a diagram showing an output example (G component) from the sensor in the state shown in FIG.

18 is a diagram showing an output example (B component) from the sensor in the state shown in FIG.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing pattern recording for registration adjustment and reading processing in the inkjet printer of the present embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a read result (R component) of a recorded image when the patterns printed by the lower cyan head and the upper magenta head match.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a read result (G component) of a recorded image when the patterns printed by the lower cyan head and the upper magenta head match.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a read result (B component) of a recorded image when the patterns printed by the lower cyan head and the upper magenta head match.

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing a reading result (R component) when a dot recorded by a magenta head is shifted by one pixel in a pattern recorded by a lower cyan head and an upper magenta head. is there.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing a reading result (G component) when the dots recorded by the magenta head are deviated by one pixel in the pattern recorded by the lower cyan head and the upper magenta head. is there.

FIG. 25 is a diagram showing a reading result (B component) when a dot recorded by a magenta head is shifted by one pixel in a pattern recorded by a lower cyan head and an upper magenta head. is there.

FIG. 26 is a diagram showing a reading result (R component) when these dots match in a pattern recorded by a lower cyan head and an upper yellow head.

FIG. 27 is a diagram showing a reading result (G component) when these dots match in a pattern recorded by a lower cyan head and an upper yellow head.

FIG. 28 is a diagram showing a reading result (B component) when these dots match in a pattern printed by a lower cyan head and an upper yellow head.

FIG. 29 is a diagram showing a reading result (R component) when a recording dot formed by a yellow head is displaced by one pixel in a pattern recorded by a lower cyan head and an upper yellow head. .

FIG. 30 is a diagram showing a reading result (G component) in the case where the recording dots of the yellow head are displaced by one pixel in the pattern recorded by the lower cyan head and the upper yellow head. .

FIG. 31 is a diagram showing a reading result (B component) in the case where the dots recorded by the yellow head are displaced by one pixel in the pattern recorded by the lower cyan head and the upper yellow head. .

FIG. 32 is a diagram showing a read result (R component) when these dots match in a pattern recorded by a lower cyan head and an upper black head.

FIG. 33 is a diagram showing a reading result (G component) when these dots match in a pattern printed by a lower cyan head and an upper black head.

FIG. 34 is a diagram showing a reading result (B component) when these dots match in a pattern printed by a lower cyan head and an upper black head.

FIG. 35 is a diagram showing a reading result (R component) in the case where the recording dots by the black head are displaced by one pixel in the pattern recorded by the lower cyan head and the upper black head. .

FIG. 36 is a diagram showing a reading result (G component) in the case where the recording dots by the black head are displaced by one pixel in the pattern recorded by the lower cyan head and the upper black head. .

FIG. 37 is a diagram showing a reading result (B component) in the case where the recording dots by the black head are displaced by one pixel in the pattern recorded by the lower cyan head and the upper black head. .

FIG. 38 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an ink jet printer of another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Main Control Unit 2 Motor Control Unit 3,7 Cyan Inkjet Head 4,8 Magenta Inkjet Head 5,9 Yellow Inkjet Head 6,10 Black (Black) Inkjet Head 11 Carriage Motor 12,13 Sensor Movement Motor 14 Recording medium (paper, cloth, etc.) 15 Horizontal registration adjustment sensor 16 Vertical registration adjustment sensor 17 A / D converter 21 Arithmetic unit 22 Frame memory 28 Memory 29 Head control unit 34 Register 111 CPU 112 ROM 113 RAM

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Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A recording apparatus comprising a plurality of recording heads, the recording heads scanning the recording heads to perform recording on a recording medium based on image data stored in a memory. First to record a predetermined pattern
Recording means, and the recording target recorded by the first recording means at a second recording head position located in the arrangement direction of recording elements of the first recording head with respect to the first recording head. Moving means for moving the image portion of the medium, second recording means for recording the predetermined pattern by the second recording head after movement by the moving means, and recording by the first and second recording means A reading unit that reads the formed image in the array direction of the recording elements of the first recording head, and a calculation that calculates the positional deviation amount of the first and second recording heads based on the data read by the reading unit. A recording apparatus comprising: a unit; and a unit that changes a read position of the image data from the memory according to the position shift amount. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording head is an inkjet recording head that performs recording by ejecting ink. 3. The recording head is a recording head which ejects ink by utilizing thermal energy, and is provided with a thermal energy converter for generating thermal energy applied to the ink. Item 2. The recording device according to item 2. 4. A recording method comprising a plurality of recording heads, wherein the recording heads are scanned to perform recording on a recording medium based on image data stored in a memory. Recording a predetermined pattern, and recording an image portion recorded by the first recording head at a second recording head position located in the arrangement direction of recording elements of the recording head with respect to the first recording head. A step of moving, a step of recording the predetermined pattern by the second recording head after the movement, an image recorded by the first and second recording heads, and a recording element of the first recording head Reading in the array direction, and calculating the positional deviation amount of the first and second recording heads based on the read data, and reading the image data from the memory according to the positional deviation amount. Recording method characterized by comprising the step of recording by changing the position.