JPH0647985A - Ink jet recording apparatus and judging method for mounting state of ink jet head - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To always obtain an image free from non-emission while holding the interchangeability of a head without increasing cost by using a carriage position detecting HP sensor as a means detecting the mounting of the head to a recording apparatus and providing a mechanism issuing a head detecting member capable of being detected by the HP sensor only when the head is attached to a carriage. CONSTITUTION:The ink emitted from a recording head H reaches a recording medium 209 whose recording surface is prescribed by a platen 210 so as to provide a fine interval from the recording head H to form an image. A head detecting member 306 is pushed out by an ink jet head 305 when the head 305 is mounted and the leading end part thereof protrudes to the detection position of an HP sensor 300 and, therefore, the mounting of the head 305 is detected by the HP sensor and a CPU 101. Next, the head detecting member 306 is pulled in on the side opposite to the sensor 300 by a spring 307 when the head 305 is not mounted to be stored in a carriage 308 and, therefore, the leading end part thereof does not protrude to the detection position of the sensor 300 and the non-mounting of the head 305 is detected.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording apparatus for recording by driving an ink jet head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a recording apparatus having a replaceable ink jet head, it is necessary to perform a recovery operation when a new head is attached. The reason for performing this recovery operation is that ink may adhere to the surface of the inkjet head or bubbles may occur in the nozzle when the inkjet head is not mounted on the recording device. This is because discharge may occur.

Conventionally, as a recovery operation for recovering such a state to a normal ejectable state, a wiping operation for removing the ink adhered to the head surface and an idle ejection for removing bubbles in the nozzles. Recovery operation such as operation is being performed.

The recovery operation is performed by the user himself using a switch provided in the recording apparatus, or a head detecting member for detecting attachment / detachment of the inkjet head is provided in the inkjet head, and the recording apparatus is also provided. A dedicated detection circuit is provided on the side to automatically perform the recovery operation when it is detected that the inkjet head is attached.

[0005]

However, among the above-described conventional examples, in the case where the user himself / herself performs the recovery operation by the switch provided in the recording apparatus, the switch is used when the inkjet head is replaced in the recording apparatus manual or the recording apparatus main body. Even if it is specified that the recovery operation is performed by pressing, there is a problem that the user may forget the recovery operation performed by the switch and may cause ejection failure. Further, when a head detecting member is provided in the inkjet head and a dedicated circuit for detecting the attachment / detachment of the inkjet head is provided in the recording apparatus, there is a problem that the cost is increased and the compatibility of the head is lost.

The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the above-described conventional techniques, and it is possible to obtain an image that does not cause ejection failure and that maintains compatibility without increasing the cost. To provide a device.

[0007]

The ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention is an ink jet recording apparatus for recording by means of a replaceable ink jet head. When the ink jet head is mounted on a carriage to which the ink jet head is mounted, the ink jet recording apparatus projects. A head detecting member is provided, and an HP sensor for detecting the position of the carriage is used as a mechanism for detecting the mounting state of the inkjet head based on the protruding state of the head detecting member.

In this case, a protrusion similar to the head detecting member in the protruding state may be provided on the carriage adjacent to the head detecting member.

Further, the ink jet head may be formed integrally with the ink tank. The inkjet head may include an electrothermal converter for generating thermal energy for ejecting ink.

Further, the ink jet head may be one which ejects the ink from the ejection port by utilizing the film boiling generated in the ink by the thermal energy applied by the electrothermal converter.

As a method for detecting an ink jet head in a case where a protrusion similar to the head detecting member in the protruding state is provided adjacent to the head detecting member on the carriage, the length of the detection period of the HP sensor is used. According to the above, it is possible to judge the mounting state of the inkjet head.

[0012]

According to the present invention, in a recording apparatus having a replaceable ink jet head, an HP sensor for detecting a carriage position is used as a means for detecting that the head is attached to the recording apparatus, and the carriage is used as a carriage. By providing a mechanism for providing a head detection member that can be detected by the HP sensor only when the head is attached, it is possible to always obtain an image without ejection failure without increasing cost and maintaining compatibility of the inkjet heads. It is possible to provide a recording device that can do this.

[0013]

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

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the basic construction of an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 is an attachment / detachment detecting means for detecting the presence / absence of a cartridge, 101 is a CPU for controlling the operation of a recording apparatus described later, 102 is a storage means for storing the attachment / detachment of a cartridge, and 103 is a recovery operation. It is an operation control means to perform.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a structural example of an ink jet recording apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 205 denotes a cartridge, in which the recording head H and an ink tank as an ink supply source are integrated. This head cartridge 205
Are fixed on the carriage 206 by a pressing member 202, and these can reciprocate in the longitudinal direction along a shaft 211. The ink ejected from the recording head reaches the recording medium 209, the recording surface of which is regulated by the platen 210, at a minute distance from the recording head H and forms an image.

An ejection signal according to image data is supplied to the recording head H from an appropriate data supply source via a cable 207 and a terminal connected to the cable 207. Cartridge 20
The number 5 may be one or more (two in the illustrated example) depending on the ink color to be used. Reference numeral 208 is a pulse motor for scanning the carriage 206 along the shaft 211, and 203 is a wire for transmitting the driving force of the motor 208 to the carriage 206. Also, 20
Reference numeral 1 is a feed motor that is coupled to the platen roller 210 to convey the recording medium 209, and 204 is a HP by a photo interrupter that detects the position of the carriage 206.
(Position) sensor.

FIG. 3 shows a cartridge attachment / detachment detecting means using an HP sensor.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 300 denotes an HP sensor which also functions as attachment / detachment detecting means, 301 denotes a pull-up resistor, and 302
And 304 are resistors for overcurrent protection. CPU 101 for detecting the detection state by the HP sensor via the resistor 302
Controls the operation of the recording apparatus according to the detection state of the HP sensor 300.

Reference numeral 306 denotes a movable head detecting member, which is connected to the carriage 308 via a spring 307 so that the tip of the ink jet head 305 moves in and out of the detection position of the HP sensor 300 in accordance with the mounted state. . The head detection member 306 is the inkjet head 3.
Inkjet head 3 when 05 is attached
05, the tip portion projects to the detection position of the HP sensor 300, whereby the inkjet head 305
HP sensor and CPU 101
Detected by. When the inkjet head 305 is not attached, the head detecting member 306 is retracted by the spring 307 toward the side opposite to the HP sensor 300 and is stored inside the carriage 308. Therefore, the tip portion thereof protrudes to the detection position of the HP sensor 300. It is detected that the inkjet head 305 has not been mounted.

That is, the potential at the point A becomes the ground potential because the photo interrupter forming the HP sensor is turned on when the ink jet head 305 is not attached, but when the ink jet head 305 is attached, the photo interrupter constituting the HP sensor is turned on. Since the photo interrupter is turned off to reach the Vcc level, it is possible to detect the attachment / detachment state of the cartridge by detecting the difference between these levels.

The control procedure of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the control operation of the recording apparatus of this embodiment by the CPU 101, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the ink jet head and the HP sensor.

When the power of the recording apparatus main body is turned on (step S400), a P (position) pulse indicating the current position is written to a pulse counter PC (not shown) provided in the recording apparatus (step S401). The P pulse at this time may be an amount that passes through the HP sensor from the home position (see FIG. 5). After that, the CPU 101 moves the carriage 308 in the forward direction by one pulse of the pulse motor 208 (see FIG. 2) (step S402), and HP
The port level of the CPU connected to the sensor is detected (step S403).

As a result of the above detection, if the port level is H, that is, it indicates that the cartridge is mounted,
The carriage 308 is moved in the negative direction by the amount of the PC pulse (step S409), and the recovery operation is performed (step S41).
0). If the port level is L, that is, it indicates that the cartridge is not mounted, the pulse counter PC
1 is subtracted from the P pulse written in (step S40
4) It is confirmed whether the value of the pulse counter PC is 0 (step S405). If the value of the pulse counter PC is not 0, the operation from step S402 is repeated. If the value of the pulse counter PC is 0 (step S
405), the carriage 308 is moved in the negative direction by the amount of the PC pulse, and the ERROR display is displayed on the display unit (not shown) (step S407), and the process ends (step S408).

By performing the above control, it can be detected that the cartridge is mounted by using the HP sensor, and as a result, the recovery operation can be performed.

In this embodiment, the recovery operation is performed by detecting that the head is mounted. However, when an operation other than the recovery operation is performed, for example, a printing operation or a paper feeding operation may be performed.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In the above-described embodiment, since the HP sensor cannot detect the head detecting member when the head is not mounted, it is not possible to determine whether the head is a carriage jam or not.

In the present embodiment, the position of the carriage can be detected even if the head is not mounted, and the mounting / dismounting state of the head can be detected.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the structure of the main part of this embodiment.

In the figure, reference numeral 600 denotes a head detecting member,
Similar to that shown in FIG. 3, when the head is mounted, it projects from the carriage so that the HP sensor can detect it, and when the head is not mounted, it is stored in the carriage and the HP sensor cannot detect it. . 60
Reference numeral 1 denotes a carriage that fixes the head 602, and the head moves when the carriage 601 moves during printing. A head detection member is provided on the carriage 601 in addition to 600, and is fixed so that the HP sensor can detect it regardless of the presence or absence of the head. Since the other structure is the same as that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the description thereof will be omitted.

The circuit configuration of this embodiment is similar to that of the previous embodiment, but the first point is that the detection state is judged according to the detection time.
Is different from the embodiment described above. The width of the head detection member of the carriage 601 is C pulses in terms of the number of pulses applied to the pulse motor for driving the carriage 601, whereas the width of the head detection member 600 is added when the head is mounted. It is the width of the pulse. Therefore, the presence or absence of the head can be determined by the number of pulses required for the carriage to reach the HP sensor and pass therethrough.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the control operation of the CPU 101 in this embodiment.

When the power of the recording apparatus main body is turned on (step S700), 0 is written as an initial value to a pulse counter FC (not shown) that counts the number of pulses required for the head detecting member to pass through the HP sensor. (Step S701). Further, P is written in the pulse counter PC (not shown) that counts the number of pulses applied to the pulse motor (step S702). At this time, the P pulse is the first
As in the case of the above embodiment, the amount may be such that the HP sensor passes from the home position.

The CPU 101 then proceeds to the carriage 601.
Is moved in the positive direction by one pulse of the pulse motor 208 (see FIG. 1) (step S703), and 1 is subtracted from the value stored in the pulse counter PC (step S703).
704). At this time, the value stored in the pulse counter PC is confirmed (step S705). If the value stored in the pulse counter PC is 0, it is determined that there is a carriage jam (step S706), and the operation is performed. Ends (step S716). If the value stored in the pulse counter PC is not 0, the port level is checked (step S707). If the port level is H, that is, it indicates that the cartridge is not mounted, the process returns to step S703 and the same operation as above is repeated. If the port level is L, that is, it indicates that the cartridge is not mounted, the process proceeds to the next step.

Since the head detecting member reaches the HP sensor up to the previous stage, the operation for measuring the width of the head detecting member is started from here. When the CPU 101 confirms in step S707 that the cartridge is not mounted, it moves the carriage 601 in the positive direction to the pulse motor 208 (see FIG. 1).
Move by one pulse (step S708), counter F
C is incremented (step S709), the counter PC is decremented (step S710), and the port level is confirmed (step S711). At this time, if the port level is H, that is, if the head detecting member is passing the HP sensor, the process returns to step S708 and the same operation as above is repeated. When the port level is L, that is, when the head detecting member has passed the HP sensor, the carriage 601 is moved in the negative direction (PP).
C) The pulse is moved (step S712).

Next, it is confirmed whether or not the value of the counter FC is larger than the C pulse (step S713). If the value of the counter FC is larger than the C pulse, that is, if it indicates that the head is mounted on the carriage, the recovery operation is performed (step S714), and the process ends (step S716). If the value of the counter FC is less than or equal to C pulse and indicates that the head is not mounted on the carriage, the ERROR display is displayed (step S715) and the process ends (step S716). By performing the above control, it is possible to detect that the head is mounted, and as a result, it is possible to perform the recovery operation.

In this embodiment, the recovery operation is performed by making it possible to detect that the carriage jam and the head are mounted. However, the same operation can be performed even if an operation other than the recovery operation is performed.

The present invention brings excellent effects particularly in a recording head and a recording apparatus of the type which ejects ink by utilizing thermal energy, which is proposed by Canon Inc. among ink jet recording systems.

With regard to its typical structure and principle, it is preferable to use the basic principle disclosed in, for example, US Pat. Nos. 4,723,129 and 4,740,796. This method is applicable to both so-called on-demand type and continuous type, but in particular,
In the case of the on-demand type, the electrothermal converter arranged corresponding to the sheet or liquid path where the liquid (ink) is held corresponds to the recorded information and the temperature rises rapidly beyond the nucleate boiling. By applying at least one drive signal that gives a heat energy to the electrothermal converter, the film is boiled on the heat-acting surface of the recording head, and as a result, the liquid (ink It is effective because bubbles can be formed inside. 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 the driving signal into a pulse shape because bubbles can be grown and contracted immediately and appropriately, and thus a liquid (ink) with excellent responsiveness can be ejected. As the pulse-shaped drive signal, those described in US Pat. Nos. 4,463,359 and 4,345,262 are suitable. In addition,
US Pat. No. 4, of the invention relating to the rate of temperature rise of the heat acting surface,
If the conditions described in the specification of 313,124 are adopted,
Further excellent recording can be performed.

As the constitution of the recording head, in addition to the combination constitution 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. U.S. Pat.No. 4,558,333, U.S. Pat.
The structure using the specification of No. 9,600 is also included in the present invention. In addition, for a plurality of electrothermal converters, JP-A-123670 discloses a configuration in which a common slit serves as a discharge portion of the electrothermal converters and an opening for absorbing a pressure wave of thermal energy. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho-Ai discloses a structure corresponding to a discharge unit
The present invention is also effective as a configuration based on the '138461 publication.

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 device, a combination of a plurality of recording heads as disclosed in the above-mentioned specification is used. The present invention can exert the above-mentioned effects more effectively, although it may have a configuration satisfying the length or a configuration as one recording head integrally formed.

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. The present invention is also effective when a cartridge-type recording head that is specially provided is used.

Further, it is preferable to add recovery means for the recording head, preliminary auxiliary means, etc., which are provided as a constitution of the recording apparatus of the present invention, because the effects of the present invention can be further stabilized. . Specific examples thereof include capping means, cleaning means, pressurization or suction means, an electrothermal converter or a heating element other than this, a preheating means for the recording head, and a recording head for the recording head. It is also effective to perform a preliminary ejection mode in which another ejection is performed for 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. The present invention is also extremely effective for an apparatus provided with at least one of full color 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 below, and is softened or liquid at room temperature, or the ink itself is 30 in the above ink jet. It is common to adjust the temperature within a range of ℃ to 70 ℃ to control the temperature of the ink so that the viscosity of the ink is within the stable ejection range. Good. In addition, it is possible to prevent the temperature rise due to thermal energy from being positively used as energy for changing the state of the ink from a solid state to a liquid state, or
Whether or not ink that solidifies in a standing state is used for the purpose of preventing evaporation of the ink, and in any case, the ink liquefies by being applied according to the recording signal of thermal energy and is ejected as an ink liquid or reaches a recording medium. The use of inks that have the property of only liquefying by thermal energy, such as those that have already begun to solidify at this point, is also applicable to the present invention. In such a case, the ink, as described in JP-A-54-56847 or JP-A-60-71260, in a state of being held as a liquid or a solid in the recesses or through holes of the porous sheet, It may be configured to face the electrothermal converter. In the present invention, the most effective one for each of the above-mentioned inks is to execute the above-mentioned film boiling method.

[0049]

According to the present invention, in a recording apparatus having a replaceable ink jet head, an HP sensor for detecting a carriage position is used as a means for detecting that the head is mounted in the recording apparatus, and By providing a mechanism for issuing a head detection member that can be detected by the HP sensor only when the head is attached to the carriage, there is no cost increase, and the compatibility of the inkjet heads is maintained, and images are always discharged without failure. It is possible to provide a recording device that can obtain the above.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of an ink jet recording apparatus according to the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of attachment / detachment detection means according to the embodiment shown in FIG.

4 is a flowchart showing a control operation in the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a positional relationship between an inkjet head and an HP sensor.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a main part of a second embodiment of the present invention.

7 is a flowchart showing a control operation in the embodiment shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 100 Attachment / Detachment Detection Unit 101 CPU 102 Attachment / Detachment Storage Unit 103 Operation Control Unit 201 Feed Motor 202 Holding Member 203 Wire 204 Position Sensor 205 Cartridge 206, 308, 601 Carriage 207 Recording Head 208 Pulse Motor 209 Recording Medium 210 Platen 211 Shaft 300 HP Sensor 301 Pull-up resistance 302, 304 Resistance 305, 602 Inkjet head 306, 600 Head detection member 307 Spring S400 to S410, S700 to S716 Step

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. In an inkjet recording apparatus for recording by a replaceable inkjet head, a carriage to which the inkjet head is attached,
A head detecting member that protrudes when the inkjet head is mounted is provided, and an HP sensor that detects the position of the carriage is used as a mechanism that detects the mounting state of the inkjet head based on the protruding state of the head detecting member. An ink jet recording apparatus characterized by being provided. 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the carriage is provided with a protrusion similar to a head detecting member in a protruding state adjacent to the head detecting member. Recording device. 3. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inkjet head is formed integrally with an ink tank. 4. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inkjet head includes an electrothermal converter for generating thermal energy for ejecting ink. Inkjet recording device. 5. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the ink jet head ejects the ink from the ejection port by utilizing the film boiling generated in the ink by the thermal energy applied by the electrothermal converter. Characteristic inkjet recording device. 6. A method for determining the mounting state of an inkjet head, which is performed by the inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the mounting state of the inkjet head is determined according to the length of the detection period of the HP sensor. A method for determining a mounting state of an inkjet head, comprising: