JPH0632009A - Recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a recording apparatus, in which the accuracy of a quantity of blank space in a recording medium can be raised without particularly increasing a cost. CONSTITUTION:The relative position of a recording medium to a recording apparatus body is detected within the 'H' level range of curves (a), (b) and (c) of the output of a photosensor moving together with a print-head carriage. According to the detected position, the home position of the print-head carriage is moved like a-HP, b-HP and c-Hp and a printing operation is conducted when a print head moves from any of these home positions and exists in any printing range so that a desired quantity of blank space can be obtained accurately.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording device which scans a recording head for recording.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a printing apparatus, which is a type of this type of recording apparatus, the accuracy of the relative position of the recording medium and the image area, that is, the amount of left and right margins, in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the recording medium (recording material) Therefore, the following method can be considered.

As a first method, when the relative position between the apparatus main body and the recording medium is determined by a mechanical mechanism as in the case of cassette feeding, the mechanical precision is increased.

As a second method, the relative position of the recording medium with respect to the apparatus main body is detected by some means,
According to this, the output timing of the image data is adjusted, and thereby the accuracy of the left and right margins of the recording medium is increased.

[0005]

However, the above-mentioned first method is difficult to carry out because it requires parts accuracy and assembly accuracy, and also leads to cost increase.

In the second method, in order to adjust the output timing of the image data, a circuit capable of varying the delay amount, such as a delay amount counter capable of writing an arbitrary value according to the output of the detecting means as the delay amount. Will be required and the cost will increase. Further, when the run-up distance for starting and falling during the movement of the print head carriage is short, if the output timing of the image data is changed, printing is performed in the run-up distance section and the image is deteriorated. There is a problem.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and does not cause a particular increase in cost.
An object of the present invention is to provide a recording apparatus capable of increasing the precision of the amount of blank space in a recording medium.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention controls the movement start position (home position) of the recording head according to the relative position of the recording medium with respect to the recording apparatus main body. . More specifically, the present invention configures the recording device as described in (1) to (4) below.

(1) A recording apparatus using a recording head for scanning and recording on a recording medium, wherein moving means for moving the recording head in the scanning direction and relative to the main body of the recording apparatus in the scanning direction of the recording medium. A recording apparatus comprising: a detection unit that detects a target position; and a control unit that controls a movement start position of the movement unit based on an output from the detection unit.

(2) The detecting means detects the relative deviation amount of the recording medium from the proper position with respect to the main body of the recording device, and the control means determines the relative deviation amount detected by the detecting means. The recording apparatus according to (1), wherein the moving start position of the moving unit is changed, and the output timing of the print data from the recording head with respect to the moving start position is the same regardless of the change of the moving start position.

(3) The recording apparatus according to (1) above, wherein the recording head is an ink jet recording head for recording by ejecting ink.

(4) The recording head causes the ink to change its state by the thermal energy applied by the thermal energy converter, and ejects the ink from the ejection port based on this state change. The recording device described.

[0013]

With the configurations (1) to (4), the relative position of the recording medium with respect to the recording apparatus main body is detected by the detecting means, and the movement start position of the recording head is controlled based on the detected output. In the configuration (2), the output timing of the print data from the recording head is the same regardless of the change of the movement start position. In the configuration (3), the recording head ejects ink to perform recording. In the configuration of (4), the recording head ejects ink by changing the state of the ink due to thermal energy.

[0014]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the construction of the main part of the "printing device" of the embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the print head carriage. In FIG. 1, 101 is shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 102 denotes an optical reflection type sensor (hereinafter referred to as an optical sensor) provided in the central portion of the print head carriage, and 102 indicates a recording medium (paper in this embodiment) conveyance direction based on the output of the optical sensor 101. It is a detection circuit for detecting the length (width of the recording medium) in the direction perpendicular to and the relative position of the recording medium with respect to the printer main body. 103
Reference numeral 104 denotes a carriage drive circuit for driving the print head carriage in a direction perpendicular to the recording medium conveyance direction. Reference numeral 104 denotes a displacement amount of the recording medium with respect to the printer main body based on the output of the detection circuit 102. And a CPU (central processing unit) that controls the carriage drive circuit 103 based on the calculation result. In FIG.
A print head carriage 201 is provided with a print head 204 facing a recording medium and moves in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the recording medium. That is, the print head carriage 201 is connected to the belt 203, and when the belt 202 is driven by a motor (not shown), the print head carriage 201 reciprocates in the arrow direction along the carriage guide 202. Reference numeral 204 denotes a type of ink jet system, which is a print head of a system that heats the ink and ejects the ink by a change in the state of the ink, that is, the force of bubbles generated at that time. Further, the optical sensor 101 is the print head 20.
4 is arranged in the illustrated position in the vicinity of 4 and in the moving direction (direction of arrow) at the time of printing.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the operation of the optical sensor 101. The light output from the light source 301 is reflected and the light receiving unit 30 is reflected.
It is incident on 2. At this time, the light receiving portion 3 is caused by the reflectance of the reflecting surface.
The so-called amount of light incident on 02 changes, and the output of the optical sensor 101 also changes accordingly.

FIG. 4I shows the printer head carriage 201 after the recording medium is fed by using the feeding mechanism (not shown).
It is a figure which shows the output of the optical sensor 101 when moving from a home position to the arrow direction. Normally, the recording medium is white and has a high reflectance, whereas the platen is black and has a low reflectance. Therefore, as shown in the figure, the output is high only in a certain area of the recording medium, that is, "H". Further, II in FIG. 4 indicates a print range. The curve (a) of I in FIG. 4 is the output when the recording medium is in the normal position, while in reality,
Curves such as (b) and (c) are also obtained, and the recording medium may be fed at such a shifted position.

The operation of the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the detection circuit 102, and FIG. 6 is its timing chart.

The analog output of the optical sensor 101 as shown by I in FIG. 4 is input to the detection circuit 102, first converted to 8-bit digital data by the A / D converter 401 and input to the comparator 402. In the comparator 402, it is compared with a preset threshold value, and when the threshold value is exceeded (in the case of the recording medium area)
Only "H" is output. The counter 403 and the counter 404 are counters that detect the width of the recording medium and the positional deviation of the recording medium, and count only when the enable terminal is "H". The comparator 4 is connected to the enable terminal of the recording medium width detection counter 403.
The output of 02 is input as it is. Further, the latch 4 is connected to the enable terminal of the recording medium position deviation detection counter 404.
The output signal of 05 is input. The latch 405 receives the output of the comparator 402 and a motor start signal indicating that the print head carriage transport motor (not shown) has started. With this configuration, as shown in FIG. 6, the counter 403 counts only the “H” period of the output of the comparator 402, and the counter 404 indicates that the comparator 402 is “H” from the motor start position (a-HP in I of FIG. 4). Only the period until reaching "H" is counted, and each count value is read by the CPU 104.

In the CPU 104, the paper size of the recording medium is judged from the count value of the recording medium width detection counter 403. If the paper size is different from the preset paper size, the judged paper size is given priority. Then change the paper size setting. Further, the CPU 104 calculates how much the position of the fed recording medium deviates from the regular position from the count value of the recording medium position deviation detection counter 404.

Next, the operation of the print head carriage will be described. First, in order to detect the width of the recording medium and the relative position of the recording medium with respect to the printer main body,
The CPU 104 controls the carriage drive circuit 103 so as to move the print head carriage 201 from its home position a-HP in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the recording medium, and the optical sensor 101 detects the detection circuit 102.
The calculation is performed based on the count value obtained through the above, and how much the recording medium is relative to the printer main body is obtained.

As a result, if the recording medium is at the normal position as shown in FIG. 4A, the CPU 104 moves the print head carriage 201 in the opposite direction to the normal carriage home position a-HP. The carriage drive circuit 103 is controlled so as to move up to.

If the recording medium is displaced toward the home position side from the normal position as shown in FIG. 4B, the CPU 104 causes the print head carriage 201 to be in the normal carriage home position a-HP. The carriage drive circuit 103 is controlled so as to move the carriage home position further to the left by the shift amount B, that is, to the b-HP. Further, if the recording medium is displaced from the normal position to the side opposite to the home position side as shown in FIG. 4C, the CPU 104 sets the print head carriage 201 to the normal carriage home position a−. The carriage drive circuit 103 is controlled so as to move the carriage home position to the right by a shift amount C from HP, that is, to move the carriage home position to c-HP.

Thereafter, the CPU 104 causes the recording head 204 to move the home positions a-HP, b-HP,
The left and right margins of the recording medium are set to the set values by performing the printing operation only while moving from the c-HP for the required range (see II in FIG. 4, the output timing of the print data for each home position is the same). be able to.

Further, as described above, the output timing of the print data for each home position does not change regardless of the relative position of the recording medium with respect to the main body of the printing apparatus. Therefore, printing is performed in the run-up distance section to deteriorate the image. There is no inconvenience.

Although the printing method is the ink jet method in the above-mentioned embodiments, the present invention is not limited to this, and the printing method such as the heat sensitive method or the thermal transfer method can be used.

Regarding the recording head mounted,
A monochrome head having only one color, for example, one black color may be used, or a plurality of colors, for example, a head having a plurality of recording colors and a plurality of densities may be used.

Further, the present invention is not limited to the recording apparatus that moves the recording head in one direction, but can be implemented in a recording apparatus that moves in the XY axis directions, for example.

(Technology of "inkjet recording using change of ink state due to heat energy" which can be used in the practice of the present invention) The present invention is particularly suitable for jetting droplets by utilizing heat energy among the ink jet recording methods. The present invention has excellent effects in an ink jet type recording head and recording device for forming and 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 the continuous type, but especially in the case of the on-demand type, liquid (ink)
By applying at least one drive signal to the electrothermal converter arranged corresponding to the sheet or liquid path in which is stored, which corresponds to the recorded information and causes a rapid temperature rise exceeding nucleate boiling. , It is effective because it generates heat energy in the electrothermal converter, causes film boiling on the heat-acting surface of the recording head, and as a result, can form bubbles in the liquid (ink) that correspond one-to-one to this drive signal. Is. Liquid (ink) flows through the ejection openings due to the growth and contraction of these bubbles.
To form at least one drop. If this drive signal is in the form of a pulse, the bubble will grow immediately and properly.
Since contraction is performed, ejection of liquid (ink) with excellent responsiveness can be achieved, which is more preferable.

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 of the heat acting surface are adopted, more excellent recording can be performed.

As the structure of the recording head, in addition to the combination structure of the discharge port, the liquid passage, and the electrothermal converter (the linear 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 the heat acting portion is arranged in the bending region, may be used.

In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-123670 discloses a structure in which a common slit is used as a discharge portion of an electrothermal converter for a plurality of electrothermal converters, and a pressure wave of thermal energy is absorbed. It is also possible to adopt a configuration based on Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-138461, which discloses a configuration in which the opening corresponds to the ejection portion.

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

In addition, by being attached to 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 the constitution of the recording apparatus of the present invention, because the effects of the present invention can be further stabilized. If you list these specifically,
Capping means, cleaning means, pressurizing or sucking means for the recording head, preheating means using an electrothermal converter or another heating element or a combination thereof, and a preliminary ejection mode for performing ejection other than recording It is also effective to perform stable recording.

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 colors by color mixing.

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 softens at room temperature, or is a liquid, or the above-mentioned. In the inkjet method, the temperature of the ink itself is generally adjusted within a range of 30 ° C. or higher and 70 ° C. or lower to control the temperature of the ink so that the viscosity of the ink is within a stable ejection range. It may be in a liquid form.

In addition, the temperature rise due to thermal energy is positively used as the energy for changing the state of the ink from the solid state to the liquid state to prevent solidification, or to leave the ink in a standing state for the purpose of preventing evaporation of the ink. Either by using solidifying ink, ink that is liquefied by being applied according to the recording signal of thermal energy and ejected as liquid ink, or that that already begins to solidify when it reaches the recording medium, etc. The use of the ink having the 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-54-56847.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-71260 or Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 60-71260, it is held in the recess or through hole of the porous sheet as a liquid or a solid material and faces the electrothermal converter. Good. 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 the form of the recording apparatus according to the present invention, in addition to the one provided integrally or separately as an image output terminal of information processing equipment such as a word processor or a computer, a copying apparatus combined with a reader or the like, May take the form of a facsimile machine having a transmission / reception function.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to increase the accuracy of the margin amount of the recording medium without increasing the cost such as changing the output timing of the image data with respect to the operation of the print head carriage or increasing the mechanical accuracy.

Further, no printing is performed within the run-up distance section of the carriage, and the image quality is not deteriorated due to the printing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a main part of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a printhead carriage.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an optical sensor.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the output of the optical sensor, the home position, and the print range.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a detection circuit

FIG. 6 is a timing chart of the detection circuit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 Optical Sensor 104 CPU 201 Print Head Carriage 204 Print Head

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Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A recording apparatus using a recording head for scanning and recording a recording medium, comprising: moving means for moving the recording head in the scanning direction, and relative to the recording apparatus main body in the scanning direction of the recording medium. A recording apparatus comprising: a detection unit that detects a position and a control unit that controls a movement start position of the movement unit based on an output from the detection unit. 2. The detecting means detects an amount of relative deviation of the recording medium from a regular position with respect to the recording apparatus main body, and the control means moves in accordance with the amount of relative deviation detected by the detecting means. 2. The recording according to claim 1, wherein the movement start position of the means is changed, and the output timing of the print data from the recording head with respect to the movement start position is the same regardless of the change of the movement start position. apparatus. 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording head is an inkjet recording head that ejects ink to perform recording. 4. The recording head according to claim 3, wherein the ink causes a state change in the ink due to the thermal energy urged by the thermal energy converter, and the ink is ejected from the ejection port based on the state change. Recording device.