JPH07276664A - Ink jet device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the probability of generation of non-conformity which might occur after the residual ink quantity is scarce to a maximum allowable extent by providing a control means which switches from a recording mode to an ink saving mode, if the residual ink quantity is below a specified level. CONSTITUTION:A control part 20 compares a residual ink quantity value stored in non-volatile memory 21 to the comparative residual ink quantity stored previously in the control part 20 to determine whether the residual ink quantity of an ink cartridge 10 is scarce. If it is determined that the residual ink quantity is scarce, the control part 20 checks whether a present selected recording mode is a routine mode or an ink saving mode, and, if it is the routine mode, selects the ink saving mode. On the other hand, the control part 20 changes a drive voltage to about 15V so that an optimal ink injection quantity is further reduced, if it is the ink saving mode.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink ejecting apparatus for ejecting ink droplets from a recording head orifice onto a recording sheet, and more specifically, detecting the remaining amount of ink in an ink storage unit and determining the remaining amount. The present invention relates to an ink ejecting apparatus including a remaining amount detecting unit that determines that the amount is less than or equal to a predetermined amount.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ink ejecting apparatus is provided with a remaining amount detecting means for detecting the remaining amount of ink in an ink storage unit and discriminating that the remaining amount is scarce. There is a device that warns the user by a buzzer or a display means when it becomes necessary.
The user who receives such a warning replenishes the ink by replacing the ink cartridge, etc., but if there is no ink or cartridge for replenishment nearby, purchase it at a store, I had to record again after replenishing.

[0003]

However, in the above-described conventional ink ejecting apparatus, since the warning that the remaining amount of ink is scarce is due to the buzzer or the display means, when the user is not near the apparatus. Could not recognize the above warning. Alternatively, even if the user recognizes the above warning, if there is no ink or cartridge for replenishment nearby, the recording operation is continued without replenishing the ink until it is purchased at the store. There was something to do.

As a result, the ink may be exhausted during recording and output as a blank sheet, or air may enter the recording head and cause a failure of the recording head.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and when the user cannot recognize the warning that the remaining amount of ink is scarce, or when the user ignores the warning. However, it is an object of the present invention to provide an ink ejecting apparatus that can reduce the probability of the occurrence of defects that may occur thereafter.

[0006]

In order to achieve this object, the ink ejecting apparatus of the present invention has a normal recording mode and the total amount of ink droplets ejected on a recording paper is smaller than that of the normal recording mode. A selection unit capable of selecting the ink saving mode, a remaining amount detection unit for detecting the remaining amount of ink in the ink storage unit and determining that the remaining amount is a predetermined amount or less, and a normal recording mode by the selection unit. When the remaining amount detecting means determines that the remaining ink amount is less than or equal to a predetermined amount, the signal output means outputs a control signal, and the recording mode based on the control signal. And a control means for switching to the ink saving mode.

[0007]

In the ink ejecting apparatus of the present invention having the above structure, when the normal recording mode is selected by the selecting means, the remaining amount detecting means detects the remaining amount of the ink in the ink storing section and When it is determined that the amount is less than or equal to the predetermined amount, the control unit switches the recording mode to the ink saving mode based on the determination result of the remaining amount detection unit, and the recording operation is continued.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in a word processor having an ink jet head will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the word processor 1 of this embodiment. This word processor 1
It comprises a keyboard 2 for inputting data such as documents, a display section 3 for displaying the input data, and a recording section 5 for recording the input data on a recording sheet 4. The keyboard 2 is provided with a mode selection key 2a capable of selecting a normal recording mode and an ink saving mode in which the total amount of ink droplets ejected on the recording paper is smaller than that of the normal recording mode. . As a result, the user can reduce the ink consumption amount compared to the normal state by selecting the ink saving mode when performing the trial printing.

Next, the structure of the recording unit 5 will be described with reference to FIG. A platen 6 that holds the recording sheet 4 at a predetermined recording position is rotatable by a motor 7, and an inkjet head 8 is provided at a position facing the platen 6.
A head (hereinafter, simply referred to as “head”) is mounted on the carriage 9. A replaceable ink cartridge 10 is connected to the head 8. The driving force of the carriage motor 12 is transmitted to the carriage 9 via the driving belt 11. The carriage 9 reciprocates along the platen 6 during recording and performs maintenance at a predetermined timing. By being transferred to the position 13, the wiper 14 cleans the orifice surface (not shown) of the head 8 and the suction means 15 sucks the ink in the head 8.
The ink ejection method of the head 8 is, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 53-
Kaiser type disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 12138, thermal jet type disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-59914, shear mode type using piezoelectric ceramics disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-150355, and the like. Method is adopted.

Next, the configuration and operation of the control system of the word processor 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG.

The control unit 20 controls the entire word processor 1, and for example, a CP such as a microprocessor.
U, a ROM that stores control programs and data for the CPU, and a RAM as a work area. The control unit 20 calculates the total ink usage amount from the ink ejection amount obtained by counting the drive signals applied to the head 8 and the ink amount obtained by counting the suction operation by the suction unit 15, It is configured to convert the remaining amount value. Then, the ink remaining amount value obtained by the control unit 20 is stored in the non-volatile memory 21 as storage information and updated at any time.

A keyboard 2 is connected to the control unit 20, and from the keyboard 2, data such as a document, a recording start command, mode information indicating a normal recording mode or an ink saving mode, and the like are stored. Transferred to. Data such as a document is stored in the storage memory 22 while being transferred to the display unit 3 and displayed. When the recording start command information is transferred, the control unit 20 stores it in the storage memory 22 in each drive element (not shown) corresponding to the plurality of orifices (not shown) provided in the head 8. Based on the stored data, the control unit 2 outputs a drive signal related to the current recording mode.
The data is read out from the 0 ROM and output, and ink is ejected from the orifice to perform recording on the recording paper 4.

Here, the waveform of the drive signal in the normal recording mode in this embodiment has a drive voltage of 30 V and a conduction width L / a.
Is a single drive pulse (rectangular wave). The above L
/ A is the time required for the pressure wave in the ink pressure chamber (not shown) in the head 8 to propagate one way in the longitudinal direction of the ink pressure chamber. It is determined by the sound velocity a inside. In addition, the waveform of the drive signal in the ink-saving mode is the drive voltage of the above-mentioned normal time is 2
Since the one reduced to 0 V is used, the ink drop amount is reduced to about 2/3 of that in the normal state.

A cartridge detector 23 is connected to the control unit 20, and the cartridge detector 23 is connected to the controller 20.
Detects the mounting of the ink cartridge 10 on the carriage 9. And the ink cartridge 1
When the mounting of 0 is detected by the cartridge detector 23, the control unit 20 clears the remaining ink amount value stored in the nonvolatile memory 21. After that, when the ink in the ink cartridge 10 is consumed by the recording operation or the suction operation, the control unit 20 calculates the remaining ink amount value as described above and sequentially updates the value of the non-volatile memory 21. here,
Since the remaining ink amount value is stored in the nonvolatile memory 21, the remaining ink amount value does not disappear even when the power of the word processor 1 is turned off.

When the remaining ink amount becomes less than a predetermined value, the control unit 20 uses the message display area of the display unit 3 to warn that the remaining ink amount in the ink cartridge 10 is scarce.

Here, it is conceivable that the user is away from the word processor 1 when the above-mentioned warning that the remaining amount of ink is scarce is issued. Alternatively, the user may ignore the warning and continue to use the ink cartridge 10 without replacing it. Therefore, there is a possibility that the ink is exhausted during recording and a blank sheet of paper is output, or that air enters the head 8 and causes a failure of the head 8. Therefore, the word processor 1 of this embodiment has a function of reducing the amount of ink droplets ejected until the ink cartridge 10 is replaced after the warning.

The control operation relating to the above functions will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Step S in FIG.
1 (hereinafter simply referred to as S1 and S2), the control unit 2
0 compares the ink remaining amount value stored in the non-volatile memory 21 with the comparison value of the ink remaining amount stored in advance in the control unit 20, and determines whether the ink remaining amount of the ink cartridge 10 is scarce. To judge. Here, when the remaining amount is not scarce, in S2, the recording process based on the selected recording mode is performed, and the maintenance process by the wiper 14 and the suction unit 15 is performed as necessary.
In S2, the control unit 20 determines the total ink usage amount from the ink ejection amount obtained by counting the drive signals applied to the head 8 and the ink amount obtained by counting the suction operation by the suction unit 15. The calculated value is converted into the ink remaining amount value, and the ink remaining amount value stored in the nonvolatile memory 21 is updated.

When it is determined in S1 that the remaining amount of ink is scarce, the control unit 20 uses the message display area of the display unit 3 in S3 to determine that the remaining amount of ink in the ink cartridge 10 is scarce. Warn that there is. Next, in S4, the control unit 20 checks whether the currently selected recording mode is the normal mode or the ink saving mode, and if it is the normal recording mode, selects the ink saving mode in S5 and selects the ink saving mode. If there is, the drive voltage is changed to 15V in S6 in order to further reduce the ejected ink droplet amount. The amount of ejected ink droplets at this time is about half that of the normal recording mode.

As a modification of reducing the total amount of ink droplets ejected on the recording paper 4, the following can be mentioned. By slightly shifting the energization width with respect to the value of L / a, the timing for applying pressure to the ink pressure chamber and the timing for propagating the pressure wave to the orifice side are slightly shifted, and the ejection efficiency is slightly deteriorated. To reduce drops. To reduce the injection energy by slowing the rising or falling of the rectangular-wave drive pulse. The number of ink droplets is reduced by forming the drive signal waveform during normal recording with a plurality of pulses and configuring the drive signal with a smaller number of pulses than the above-mentioned plurality of pulses when the remaining amount is scarce. To reduce the total amount of ink droplets ejected on the recording paper by thinning out the recording pattern itself by a well-known method. Alternatively, it is possible to reduce the total amount of ink droplets by a combination thereof.

Next, in S7, the control unit 20 determines based on the detection result of the cartridge detector 23 whether or not the ink cartridge 10 has been replaced. If not, in S8 the above-described changed recording mode or The recording process is continued at the drive voltage, and S is replaced if it is replaced.
In step 9, the recording mode or drive voltage is returned to the original state, the remaining ink amount value stored in the non-volatile memory 21 is initialized, and then the process returns to step S2. If there is no more data to be recorded during the recording process of S2 and S8, the control unit 20
Ends the process.

As described above in detail, in the word processor of the present embodiment, the amount of ejected ink droplets is reduced until the ink cartridge 10 is replaced after detecting that the remaining amount of ink is scarce. The function, that is, in the normal recording mode, the ink drop amount is reduced to 2/3 by selecting the ink saving mode, and in the ink saving mode, the driving voltage is further reduced to reduce the ink drop amount to 1 Since it has a function of reducing the amount to / 2, even if the ink cartridge 10 is continuously used without being replaced, it is possible to reduce the probability of occurrence of a defect that may occur thereafter. Also, when the user overlooks the warning that the remaining ink level is scarce, the image of the recording result will change from that before due to the fact that the ejected ink droplet amount is reduced, It also makes the user recognize that the remaining amount of ink is scarce.

By the way, in the above embodiment, the control unit 20 immediately changes the recording mode or the driving voltage to reduce the ejected ink drop amount after detecting that the remaining ink amount is scarce. However, with such a specification, the image was completely changed in the middle of the recording page although the recording could be performed in the recording mode selected by the user, and the ink cartridge 10 was eventually replaced. There may be a problem that recording must be restarted from that page later.

Therefore, two modified examples for solving such a problem will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
The flowchart of FIG. 5 is a modification of the flowchart of FIG. 4, and only the modified part is shown.

In the first modified example, after the control section 20 detects that the remaining amount of ink is scarce, the amount of ink drops is reduced from the beginning of the next page for recording. After the warning of S3 in FIG. 4 is given and before proceeding to S4, three steps in FIG. 5 are added. That is, in S11, the control unit 20 determines whether or not a page break signal is received after detecting that the remaining amount of ink is scarce, and if not received, the control unit 20 determines that the cartridge detector 23 of the cartridge detector 23 in S12. Based on the detection result, it is determined whether the ink cartridge 10 has been replaced. If not, the recording process is continued in the recording mode selected by the user in S13, and if it is replaced, the process proceeds to S2 in FIG. Return.
When a page break signal is received in S11,
After confirmation of the recording mode in S4, recording is performed with a reduced ink droplet amount after S5 or S6 in FIG. By doing so, it is possible to solve the problem that the image changes completely in the middle of the recording page.

The second modification is S1 in FIG.
By changing the judgment of 1 to whether or not the next recording start command is received instead of the page break, the recording operation is continued in the recording mode selected by the user during the series of recording operations, and The recording is performed by reducing the ink droplet amount from the recording. By doing so, it is possible to solve the problem that the image is completely changed during the series of recording operations.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned function, that is, the mode in which the control means 20 automatically performs the function of reducing the amount of ink droplets ejected after detecting that the remaining amount of ink is scarce, and the mode in which it is not performed May be provided so that it can be designated by another selection key (not shown) on the keyboard 2, and the selection can be made according to the preference of the user.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the method of reducing the driving voltage is adopted both when the normal mode is changed to the ink saving mode and when the ink drops are further reduced in the ink saving mode. For example, in the normal mode to the ink-saving mode, a method of thinning out a dot pattern is used, and in the ink-saving mode, when the ink droplets are further reduced, a method of slightly different energization time is used. It is also possible to combine them.

Further, in the above embodiment, the detection of the remaining ink amount is performed by calculating the total ink usage amount from the count of the drive signal and the count of the suction operation. The remaining ink amount detection sensor may be provided. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the head 8 is fixed on the carriage 9 and the ink cartridge 10 is replaceable with respect to the head 8. However, the head and the ink cartridge are integrally formed, and Exchangeable for
It can also be applied to what is called a disposable type. Alternatively, it is also applicable to a type in which a tank-shaped ink storage section is provided on the apparatus side and only the ink is replenished to the tank.

Further, in the above embodiment, the replacement of the ink cartridge 10 is monitored by the cartridge detector 23. However, instead of providing the detector 23, an exchange key (not shown) is provided on the keyboard so that the cartridge is exchanged. The specification may be such that the user presses the exchange key, and the control unit 20 may monitor the key input.

Further, in the above embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to a word processor has been described, but it is also applicable to a printer or a facsimile for recording data from a host computer.

[0032]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the ink ejecting apparatus of the present invention, the user cannot recognize the warning that the remaining amount of ink is scarce, or the user can give the warning. Even if it is ignored, since it has a function to reduce the amount of ink droplets ejected after detecting that the remaining amount of ink is scarce, it is possible to reduce the probability of the occurrence of problems that may occur thereafter. Have. Also, when the user overlooks the warning that the remaining ink level is scarce, the image of the recording result will change from that before due to the fact that the ejected ink droplet amount is reduced, There is also an additional effect that the user can recognize that the remaining amount of ink is scarce.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of a word processor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a recording unit of the word processor of the above embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control system of the word processor of the above embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control operation of the word processor of the above embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a control operation in a modification of the above embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Word Processor 2 Keyboard 2a Mode Selection Key 4 Recording Paper 5 Recording Section 8 Inkjet Head 10 Ink Cartridge 20 Control Section 21 Nonvolatile Memory 22 Storage Memory 23 Cartridge Detector

Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Office reference number FI technical display location B41J 3/12 M

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. In an ink ejecting apparatus for ejecting ink droplets from a recording head orifice onto a recording sheet, a normal recording mode and a total amount of ink droplets ejected on the recording sheet are set smaller than those in the normal recording mode. Selecting means for selecting the ink saving mode to be used, a remaining amount detecting means for detecting the remaining amount of ink in the ink storage unit and determining whether the remaining amount is less than or equal to a predetermined amount, and the normal recording by the selecting device. When the mode is selected, the remaining amount detecting means determines that the remaining amount of ink is less than or equal to a predetermined amount, and a signal output means for outputting a control signal, and recording based on the control signal An ink ejecting apparatus comprising: a control unit that switches the mode to an ink saving mode. 2. The ink jetting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means, when receiving the control signal, switches the recording mode to the ink saving mode due to a signal indicating a next page break. apparatus. 3. The ink according to claim 1, wherein the control means, when receiving the control signal, switches the recording mode to the ink saving mode due to a signal instructing the start of the next recording. Injection device. 4. The signal output means is based on the fact that the remaining ink amount detection means determines that the remaining ink amount is less than or equal to a predetermined amount when the ink saving mode is selected by the selection means. Outputs a second control signal,
The control unit controls the drive signal applied to the recording head based on the second control signal so that the ink consumption amount is further smaller than that in the ink saving mode. Ink jet device. 5. In the ink saving mode, a driving signal different from that in the normal recording mode is applied to the recording head, so that the amount of ink ejected per dot is smaller than that in the normal recording mode. The ink ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ink ejecting apparatus comprises: 6. The ink is ejected in the ink saving mode by making the voltage value of the drive signal in the ink saving mode smaller than the voltage value of the normal recording mode.
The ink ejecting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the amount of ink per dot is reduced. 7. The ink is ejected in the ink saving mode by making the application time of the drive signal in the ink saving mode different from the application time of the normal recording mode.
The ink ejecting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the amount of ink per dot is reduced. 8. The amount of ink per dot ejected in the ink saving mode is reduced by making the rising or falling of the drive signal in the ink saving mode different from that in the normal recording mode. The ink ejecting apparatus according to claim 5, which is characterized in that. 9. The drive signal is composed of a pulse group composed of a plurality of pulses in the normal recording mode, and is composed of a pulse number smaller than the pulse group in the ink saving mode. The ink ejecting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the amount of ink ejected per dot in the ink saving mode is reduced. 10. The ink-saving mode is characterized in that the total amount of ink droplets ejected onto the recording paper is made smaller than in the normal recording mode by thinning out a recording pattern to be recorded. Ink jet device. 11. The ink ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the remaining amount detecting unit has a sensor provided in the ink storage unit. 12. The remaining amount detecting means calculates the amount of ink consumed by counting drive signals applied to the recording head, and determines the remaining amount of ink based on the value. The ink ejecting apparatus according to claim 1. 13. The ink ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second selecting unit capable of selecting a first mode in which the operation of the control unit is permitted and a second mode in which the operation is prohibited. .