JPH06344641A - Recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable an operator to easily conduct an error canceling processing in a recorder to improve a convenience for use by a method wherein at occurrence of an error, a canceling processing in accordance with the state of the error is executed prior to a selection by a user or the like. CONSTITUTION:In a recorder, recording data transmitted from a host device is received by a data reception part 104 and stored in a RAM 102, and the data is read out at an issuance of a recording factor, such as a recording instruction. A CPU 101 controls an operation of a recording action sequence stored in a ROM 103 in conducting recording. In the recording action, if an error detection part 113 detects, for example, an ink exhaustion, the color of the exhausted ink used in the recorder is judged for conducting an error canceling processing corresponding to the ink of the color judged to have an ink exhaustion error. In addition, the effect that the ink is exhausted is displayed, and a delivery recovering processing is conducted after the ink is replenished.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording device, and more particularly, to a process for canceling various errors that occur in the recording device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when an error occurs during a recording operation in a recording apparatus or during operation of the apparatus, an error canceling process is performed through a predetermined series of procedures regardless of the error state. The device is known.

When an error occurs in such a recording device, first, the cause of the error is detected by a predetermined error detecting device. The recording device is provided with an error detection mechanism corresponding to each error factor, and the state of the error detected by these detection mechanisms is displayed by the display device according to the error mode. Then, the user of the recording device can judge the display content of the display device and recognize the error situation occurring in the recording device.

As a display device used in a recording device and an error display method thereof, an LED is used, and each of a plurality of LEDs represents an independent error state.
It is known that an error state is represented by a combination of the above or a message is displayed such as characters on an LCD or CRT.

By the way, the error occurring in the recording apparatus is a self-recoverable error in which the error state is released and the original function is recovered with the passage of time, and a self-unrecoverable error in which the error is released and recovered by an auxiliary operation of the user. Can be roughly divided into When a non-self-recoverable error occurs, the user can use the error canceling means (all means for canceling the error state and returning to the original function, corresponding to the error indicated by the display device as described above. Same) will be selected. For example, in the error canceling processing in the conventional recording apparatus, at least one kind of canceling means is selected from various error canceling means that can be executed in the apparatus by key input on the operation panel, and the selected canceling means is selected. It is activated by similar key input.

[0006]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional apparatus, when the user selects an appropriate means from among various error canceling means prepared in the apparatus, the display is made on the display device during the selection. It is necessary to remember or often confirm the error conditions that have occurred. Further, the selection needs to select the desired error canceling means while sequentially changing the individual canceling means displayed on the display unit by pressing a key or the like.In such a case, it is originally necessary for the user. It causes an unnecessary operation unrelated to the selection of the releasing means of.

Further, the display content of the error is not always displayed to the user until the time when the error canceling means is selected and activated. In such a case, the user needs to memorize the error state until the above-mentioned activation.

As described above, in the conventional apparatus, the operation time may be wasted in selecting the error canceling means, and the user may be required to store the error state and the error canceling operation procedure. Therefore, there is a problem that the usability of the recording device is impaired.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a recording apparatus which is easy to use so that a user can easily perform error cancellation processing in the recording apparatus. Will be provided.

[0010]

Therefore, according to the present invention,
In a recording apparatus for recording on a recording medium, it is possible to perform an error detecting unit capable of detecting a plurality of types of errors in the recording apparatus and a plurality of canceling processes relating to the error detected by the error detecting unit. Release processing means, selection means for sequentially selecting a plurality of release processings that can be performed by the release processing means, and handling an error detected by the error detection means when an error occurs in the recording device And a process setting unit that sets the canceling process prior to the selection by the selecting unit.

[0011]

According to the above construction, when an error occurs, the releasing process according to the error state is set and executed prior to the selection by the user or the like.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, a central processing unit (CPU) 1
01 transmits / receives signals to / from the following units via a bus 112 including an address bus, a data bus, and a control bus. That is, the bus 112 is the ROM 103, R
AM 102, data receiving unit 104, operation panel control unit 1
05, timer unit 106, recording head movement drive unit 107,
The paper feed drive unit 108, the recording head ejection drive unit 109, the home position sensor 110, and the paper width sensor 111 are connected.

The CPU 101 is built in the ROM 103 and executes the control of the apparatus of this example according to the processing procedure shown in FIG. The recording data transmitted from the predetermined host device is
The data is received by the data receiving unit 104 on the apparatus side in this example. The data receiving unit 104 receives data according to the set procedure and delivers information such as the presence / absence of recording paper to the host such as information on the recording apparatus side in this example. The received recording data is stored in the RAM 102, and when a recording factor such as a recording command occurs, the above data is read and recording based on this data is started. CPU 101 is a ROM
The operation of each mechanical unit of the printing apparatus is controlled according to the printing operation sequence stored in 103, and printing is performed by this. That is, the CPU 101 confirms the position of the recording head with the home position sensor and controls the recording head movement drive unit 107 with this position as a reference to move the recording head. When the print head reaches a predetermined position, the CPU 101 causes the print head ejection drive unit 10 to
9 is operated and ink is ejected from the recording head onto the recording paper to perform recording. When the recording of one line by the movement of the recording head is completed, the CPU 101 causes the paper feed drive unit 108.
Is operated to convey the recording paper by a length corresponding to the width of one line. The above series of operations is continued until the predetermined amount of recording data is exhausted.

The error detection unit 113 is composed of, for example, an ink remaining amount sensor or the like and detects the absence of ink in the ink tank and outputs this as error information. It outputs error information corresponding to the error of each unit of the apparatus. You can

FIG. 2 shows the operation panel control unit 10 shown in FIG.
5 is a schematic plan view of a display unit provided in part of FIG.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 201 denotes an online switch for controlling communication between the device of this example and the host device. By pressing this switch, it is possible to set an online state or an offline state between the recording device and the host device. When the recording apparatus is in the online state, the online lamp 204 shown in FIG. 2 lights up. When an error occurs in the recording device in the online state and this is detected, the recording device automatically shifts to the offline state. At this time, the error lamp 205 for notifying the user of the error state of the recording apparatus is turned on and the LCD
In 206, an error content such as “inkless magenta” is displayed. The switch 202 is a selection switch for selecting an error canceling unit, and the switch 203 is an execution switch for activating the operation (error canceling process) of the error canceling unit selected by the switch 202.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of the error canceling process according to the operation of the switch shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a series of processing procedures relating to an ink-out error of the color ink jet recording apparatus of this embodiment.

The processing procedure of this example is started when an ink-out error occurs and when it is not related to the occurrence of this error. In the case where it is not related to the error, the recording head of each color ink The ejection recovery process is performed. Therefore, as shown below, in the “release processing” of each color ink, the processing for automatically performing the display as shown in FIG. 2 and the operation of each recording head activated by pressing the switch 203 (see FIG. 2) are performed. A discharge recovery process is included. Note that this processing is based on a known suction processing. Therefore, when entering the error recovery routine, it is first determined in step S301 whether this recovery sequence is an operation in an error occurrence state or an operation not in an error state. Here, if it is determined that the error has not occurred, the black release process relating to the black ink set by default (step S3).
Move to 05).

If it is determined in step S301 that an error has occurred, the process proceeds to step S302. In step S302, it is determined whether or not the ink color without ink, which is detected by the error detection unit 113 and stored in a predetermined register or the like, is yellow. If there is no yellow ink, the process proceeds to step S306 and the yellow ink is released. That is, in this process, "inkless yellow" is displayed, and the ejection recovery process of the recording head accompanying the mounting of a new ink cartridge is performed. The recovery process is started by pressing the execution switch 203 shown in FIG. Then, when the ejection recovery process ends, the process procedure of the present example ends (shift shown by the broken line in the figure). On the other hand, when the yellow ink is not absent, it is similarly determined in step S303 whether or not the ink is a magenta ink. When there is no magenta ink, in step S307, the same release process as in step S306 is performed.

Similar processing is performed in steps S304 and S308 and steps S309 and S305, respectively.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the canceling process for the part in which an error actually occurs is preferentially selected, whereby the conventional method when the user selects the error canceling process is selected. Such complicated operations can be omitted.

The case where it is determined in step S301 that the error has not occurred is the case where the user desires to perform the ejection recovery process as necessary, and in this case, the user performs the step S305. A desired ink color canceling process is selected while sequentially shifting from the black ink canceling process by pressing the switch 202, and a recording head ejection recovery process for the ink is performed.

(Embodiment 2) In this embodiment, an example of processing when a paper out error occurs in a recording apparatus having a plurality of paper feeding apparatuses will be described. FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a recording device having two paper feeding devices.

In the figure, reference numeral 401 is a first paper feeding device, and reference numeral 402 is a second paper feeding device. When the recording sheet is fed from the second sheet feeding device 402 and an error of running out of sheets occurs during recording, the apparatus of the present example uses a sheet set in another sheet feeding device as a cancellation process. There are two processes, the process of selecting and the process of supplying paper to a paper supply device that has run out of paper and supplying paper again from the same paper supply device.
One release process is possible. Further, the user can select which of these error cancellation processes is selected. That is, the user performs any one of the above processes at the time of initial setting of the recording device, so that when a paper out error condition occurs, one of the selected release processes is displayed on the display device and the user is informed. It is possible to provide an easy and simple operating environment.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of processing for canceling a paper out error.

When the absence of paper is detected, this processing procedure is started, and in step S501, the information about the absence of paper of the first paper feeding device (first bin) is judged. If the first paper feeding device is out of paper, the process proceeds to the block of step S506. If the first paper feeding device is not out of paper, the process proceeds to step S502, and here it is determined whether there is no paper in the second paper feeding device (second bin). If there is no paper in the second paper feeding device in step S502, step S506
If there is no paper in the second sheet feeding device, the process proceeds to step S503 and another error process is performed.

When there is no paper in the first or second paper feeding device, the operation for error cancellation and the display control shift to the processing of step S506. In the process of step S506, the selection display target corresponding to the error canceling process selected in advance as described above is selected. In this example, each block has two blocks so that the paper out error canceling process can be selected for each paper out error. Such initial selection can be made according to the number of sheets used and the quality.

When a paper out error has occurred in the first or second paper feeding device, there are two ways to cancel it. The first process is a process for supplying the recording paper from the other one, that is, the first paper feeding device, and the second process is for replenishing the paper to the second paper feeding device and again feeding the paper from the second paper feeding device. Is the process of supplying. In the example shown in the drawing, no matter which paper feeding device has a paper out error, paper feeding is selected from the first paper feeding device, and a display to that effect is also given priority. That is, when the canceling process is determined in step S506, the selected canceling process is performed in step S505. This process includes a display indicating that the paper is to be fed from the first paper feeding device and the actual feeding in response to the pressing of the execution switch.

Also in this example, the user can select the releasing process by shifting the releasing process of step S504 or S505 by operating the switch for selecting the releasing process.

(Embodiment 3) This embodiment relates to the processing when the black ink runs out during printing in a printing apparatus using four color inks of yellow, magenta, cyan and black.

The following two processes can be considered as the releasing process when the black ink is exhausted. The first process is a process in which black ink is replenished by cartridge conversion or the like and recording can be performed again using black ink, and the other process uses three colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan to generate black by mixing colors. Processing. As in the second embodiment, the user can initially select which of these two cancellation processes to select, and when the black ink is exhausted, one of the processes is preferentially displayed and the process is performed. It is ready to run.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing an example of a display device used in the canceling process.

FIG. 6A shows a display example using an LCD, and the LCD 601 has a two-line configuration, and the content of the selected release process is displayed. The currently selected item is the item indicated by the symbol "→" in the figure, and this arrow symbol can be displayed in the first part of the upper row and the first part of the lower row. Whether the arrow is displayed in the upper row or the lower row depends on the above selection made by the user.

FIG. 6B is a schematic view showing a display example using LEDs.

Either the state 1 or the state 2 is displayed according to the user's selection, and the display state can be determined by a switch which can be determined as either one. State 1 means that black ink is replenished and used again, and state 2 is that black is yellow,
It means that mixed color is generated by magenta and cyan.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of means for switching and determining the above states. FIG. 7A shows a mechanical switch such as a tact switch that can be operated by a user with his / her finger. Further, FIG. 7B is an EEPROM for electrically storing the operation sequence of FIG. 7A. EEP
It is also possible to store the operation procedure in a storage device such as a ROM and preferentially display and operate according to the stored contents.

(Others) The present invention is provided with a means (for example, an electrothermal converter or a laser beam) for generating heat energy as energy used for ejecting ink, particularly in the ink jet recording system. The present invention brings about excellent effects in a recording head and a recording apparatus of the type in which the state of ink is changed by the heat energy. This is because such a system can achieve high density recording and high definition recording.

Regarding the typical structure and principle thereof, see, for example, US Pat. No. 4,723,129 and US Pat. No. 4,740.
What is done using the basic principles disclosed in 796 is preferred. This method is a so-called on-demand type,
Although it can be applied to any of the continuous type, in particular, in the case of the on-demand type, it can be applied to the sheet holding the liquid (ink) or the electrothermal converter arranged corresponding to the liquid path. By applying at least one drive signal corresponding to the recording information and giving a rapid temperature rise exceeding nucleate boiling, heat energy is generated in the electrothermal converter, and film boiling is caused on the heat acting surface of the recording head. Liquid (ink) corresponding to this drive signal in a one-to-one correspondence
It is effective because bubbles can be formed inside. Due to the growth and contraction of the bubbles, the liquid (ink) is ejected through the ejection opening to form at least one droplet. It is more preferable to make this drive signal into a pulse shape because bubbles can be immediately and appropriately grown and contracted, so that liquid (ink) ejection 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, further 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 linear liquid passage or the right-angled liquid passage) as disclosed in the above-mentioned respective specifications. US Pat. No. 4,558,333, US Pat. No. 4,558,333, which discloses a configuration in which a heat acting portion is arranged in a bending region.
The structure using the specification of No. 59600 is also included in the present invention. In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 59-123670 discloses a configuration in which a common slit is used as a discharge portion of the electrothermal converter for a plurality of electrothermal converters, and an opening for absorbing a pressure wave of thermal energy is provided. The effect of the present invention is effective even if the configuration corresponding to the ejection portion is disclosed in JP-A-59-138461. That is, according to the present invention, recording can be surely and efficiently performed regardless of the form of the recording head.

Further, 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 which can be recorded by the recording apparatus. Such a recording head may have a configuration that satisfies the length by a combination of a plurality of recording heads or a configuration as one recording head integrally formed.

In addition, even in the case of the serial type as in the above example, the recording head fixed to the main body of the apparatus, or the electrical connection to the main body of the apparatus or the ink from the main body of the apparatus by being attached to the main body of the apparatus. The present invention is also effective when a replaceable chip-type recording head that can be supplied or a cartridge-type recording head in which an ink tank is integrally provided in the recording head itself is used.

Further, as the constitution of the recording apparatus of the present invention, it is preferable to add ejection recovery means of the recording head, preliminary auxiliary means and the like because the effects of the present invention can be further stabilized. Specifically, heating is performed by using a capping unit, a cleaning unit, a pressure or suction unit for the recording head, an electrothermal converter or a heating element other than this, or a combination thereof. Examples thereof include a preliminary heating unit for performing the discharge and a preliminary discharge unit for performing discharge different from the recording.

Regarding the type and number of recording heads to be mounted, for example, only one is provided corresponding to a single color ink, or a plurality of inks having different recording colors and densities are supported. A plurality of pieces may be provided. That is, for example, the recording mode of the recording apparatus is not limited to the recording mode of only the mainstream color such as black, but it may be either the recording head is integrally formed or a plurality of combinations may be used. The present invention is also extremely effective for an apparatus provided with at least one of full-color recording modes by color mixing.

In addition, in the above-described embodiments of the present invention, the ink is described as a liquid, but an ink that solidifies at room temperature or lower and that softens or liquefies at room temperature may be used. Or, in the inkjet system, it is common to control the temperature of the ink itself within the range of 30 ° C. or higher and 70 ° C. or lower to control the temperature so that the viscosity of the ink is within the stable ejection range. Sometimes, a liquid ink may be used. In addition, the temperature rise due to thermal energy is positively prevented by using it as the energy of the state change from the solid state of the ink to the liquid state, or in order to prevent the evaporation of the ink, it is solidified and heated in the standing state. You may use the ink liquefied by. In any case, by applying heat energy such as ink that is liquefied by applying heat energy according to the recording signal and liquid ink is ejected or that begins to solidify when it reaches the recording medium. The present invention can be applied to the case where an ink having a property of being liquefied for the first time is used. In this case, the ink is
JP-A-54-56847 or JP-A-60-7
As described in Japanese Patent No. 1260, it may be configured to face the electrothermal converter in a state of being held as a liquid or a solid in the concave portion or the through hole of the porous sheet. 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 ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention, other than the one used as an image output terminal of information processing equipment such as a computer, a copying apparatus combined with a reader or the like, and a facsimile apparatus having a transmitting / receiving function are provided. It may be a form or the like.

[0049]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When an error occurs, the releasing process according to the error state is set and executed prior to the selection by the user or the like.

As a result, the number of man-hours required for the user to select the error canceling process can be reduced, and the user can be provided with an easy error canceling environment.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an inkjet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an operating unit of the inkjet recording apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an error canceling process in the above embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a recording apparatus having a two-bin configuration according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a paper supply error canceling process in another embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a display example in error cancellation processing according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of error canceling process selection determining means in the still another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 Main CPU 102 RAM 103 ROM 104 Data Reception Unit 105 Operation Panel Control Unit 106 Timer Unit 107 Recording Head Movement Control Unit 108 Paper Feed Drive Unit 109 Recording Head Discharge Drive Unit 110 Home Position Sensor 111 Paper Width Sensor 112 Bus 201 Online Switch 202 Selection switch 203 Execution switch 204 Online lamp 205 Error lamp 206 LCD 601 LCD 602 LED 701 Selection switch 702 Execution switch 703 EEPROM

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. In a recording apparatus for recording on a recording medium, an error detecting unit capable of detecting a plurality of types of errors in the recording apparatus, and a plurality of releasing processes relating to the error detected by the error detecting unit. And a selection unit for sequentially selecting a plurality of release processes that can be performed by the release processing unit, and when an error occurs in the recording device, the error detection unit A recording apparatus comprising: a process setting unit that sets a release process corresponding to an error to be detected in preference to the selection by the selection unit. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the releasing process performed by the releasing unit includes a process of displaying the set releasing process. 3. The recording device performs recording by using a recording head that generates bubbles in the ink by utilizing thermal energy and ejects the ink as the bubbles are generated. The recording device according to 1 or 2.