JPH08118673A - Recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a recorder having no hardware complexity, which continue recording with other ink instead of ink of no residue by software data processing. CONSTITUTION: Yellow, magenta, cyan and black inks are discharged from Y, M, C and Bk heads 30 to 33 based on record data to record a color image, and when the residue of one ink is eliminated, record data is so formed as to discharge the other ink instead of the ink of no residue, and recording is continued with the substitute ink.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording device for recording by ejecting a plurality of colors of ink from a recording head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a recording apparatus of this type, an ink jet head as a recording head is provided with yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), black (B).
It is known that the ink ejection nozzle group of k) is formed. On the other hand, in such a recording apparatus, a unit for detecting that the remaining amount of ink is exhausted is provided, and when any one of the four color inks is exhausted, an error or an ink-less display is performed to perform a recording operation. There were also things that interrupted.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional apparatus, the recording operation cannot be continued unless the ink which has run out of the remaining amount is replenished.

A method of recording with another ink instead of the ink with no remaining amount, for example, a method of recording with magenta ink when the cyan ink is used up may be considered. However, in the case where a switch means for switching the input system of the print data to the print head is provided by hardware (logic of the electric circuit) in order to perform printing by using other ink in this way,
There are problems that the cost of the recording apparatus itself increases and the electric circuit becomes complicated.

The object of the present invention is to enable recording to be continued with another ink in place of the ink which has run out of the remaining amount, and further to realize such an operation by data processing by software, and to use hardware. It is an object of the present invention to provide a recording device capable of avoiding complication of the above.

[0006]

A recording apparatus according to the present invention is a recording apparatus for recording on a recording medium with a plurality of colors of ink ejected from a recording head, and a detection unit for detecting the remaining amount of each color ink. And a control unit that creates print data corresponding to each color ink according to the detection result of the detection unit.

[0007]

The recording apparatus of the present invention creates recording data corresponding to each ink of each color in accordance with the detection result of the remaining amount of each color of ink, thereby replacing other inks in place of the inks of which the remaining inks are exhausted. Print data is created and other inks can be used as a substitute for printing. Further, such an operation is realized by processing recorded data by software.

[0008]

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

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a first embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numeral 40 denotes a control unit, which includes, for example, a CPU 401 such as a microcomputer, a ROM 402 for storing control programs and various data of the CPU 401, a RAM 403 used as a work area of the CPU 401, and the like. C
The PU 401 processes image data described later according to the control program. Reference numeral 80 denotes a motor control means, which controls a motor for recording operation.

Reference numeral 50 is a head drive circuit. This is Y
(Yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), Bk
For (black) ink recording heads 30 to 33,
The image data described later is sent out as an electric signal. Reference numeral 60 denotes a detection unit for detecting the remaining amount of ink of each color corresponding to each head 30 to 33. The detection means 60 may be, for example, one that optically detects the remaining amount of ink in the ink tank that stores the ink corresponding to each of the heads 30 to 33.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart for explaining the recording operation according to the remaining amount of ink of each color.

First, in step S1, the remaining amount of ink of each color of Y, M, C and Bk is checked (hereinafter referred to as "remaining inspection"). There is all ink left, or 2
When there is no remaining ink amount equal to or more than the color, the process proceeds to step S6, and the display is performed for the color having no ink. If there is only one color ink remaining in step S1,
In step S2, the color of the remaining ink is checked. If there is no Y ink, go to step S3,
The print data is created so as to perform the substitute print with the M ink and the C ink, and the substitute drawing is performed based on the print data. Then, in step S6, it is displayed that there is no remaining Y ink.

Similarly, when there is only the remaining amount of M ink in step S2, Y ink and C are found in step S4.
The print data is created so as to perform the substitute printing with the ink, and the substitute drawing is performed based on the print data. If there is only the remaining amount of C ink, then in step S5, print data is created to perform substitute printing with Y ink and M ink, and then substitute drawing is performed based on the print data.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a recording result using two color inks of C (cyan) and Bk (black), and FIG.
It is explanatory drawing of the operation for making the recording. In this example, the heads 30 to 33 are mounted on a carriage that scans in the left and right directions in FIG. 4, and the Y, M, and C heads 30, 31, and 32 have nozzles for ejecting ink. Each 24 nozzles are formed along the vertical direction in FIG. 4, and 64 nozzles for ejecting ink are formed on the Bk head 33 along the vertical direction in FIG. Each head 30-33
Prints by ejecting ink when the carriage scans from left to right.
24 nozzles from bottom to top, that is, 24 nozzles
Paper is fed dot by dot.

In FIG. 3, the recording results of the C and Bk inks on the recording paper are shown in a simplified manner by five quadrangles, and the position in the main scanning direction is X and the position in the sub scanning direction is Y. Interval of X1, X2 ..., and Y
The interval of 1, Y2 ... Is 32 dots each. In order to obtain such five recording results, the carriage is shown in FIG.
As shown in, the first to fourth scan operations are performed.

That is, only C ink is ejected in the first scan, and C and Bk inks are ejected in the second to fourth scans. In FIG. 4, the data displayed beside the print head means that the corresponding print data is supplied and ink is ejected.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of print data in the buffer when the print operation of FIG. 4 is performed. FIG. 5A shows print data corresponding to C ink, and FIG. 5B shows print data corresponding to Bk ink. A band-shaped buffer for storing these is 24 dots vertically and 2880 dots horizontally. It is the size of. Therefore, for example, to obtain the recording result 1 of FIG. 3, the first scan data and the second scan data of FIG. 5A, that is, the print data in the range of Y1 to Y2 is used. Further, for example, in order to obtain the recording result 2 of FIG. 3, the second scan data and the third scan data of FIG. 5B, that is, the print data in the range of Y3 to Y4 is used. The recording data in the buffer in FIG. 5 is provided for drawing in order from the left end in FIG.

FIG. 6 shows the result of recording by ejecting Y and M inks instead of C ink because the remaining amount of C ink is exhausted when the above-described recording of FIG. 3 should be performed. Show. The recorded contents are the same as in FIG. 3, but only the tint is different.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a recording operation for obtaining the recording result of FIG. Here, 5 scan operations are performed.
M, Bk ink is ejected in the first scan, Y, M, Bk ink is ejected in the second and third scans, Y, M ink is ejected in the fourth scan, and Y in the fifth scan.
Only eject ink.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of recording data in the buffer when the recording operation of FIG. 7 is performed. FIG. 8A shows print data corresponding to Y ink, and FIG. 8B shows print data corresponding to M ink, and the band-shaped buffer for storing these is the same as the buffer of FIG. 5 described above. The size is 24 dots vertically and 2880 dots horizontally. Therefore, for example, in order to obtain the print result 1 of FIG. 6, the first scan data and the second scan data of FIG. 8A, that is, the print data in the range of Y1 to Y2, and the first scan of FIG. The data and the second scan data, that is, the print data in the range of Y1 to Y2 are used.

In this way, the print data corresponding to the C ink is stored in the buffer as the print data corresponding to the Y and M inks, and the Y and M inks are ejected as a substitute for the C ink to perform the printing. Here, when two inks Y and M are used as a substitute for the C ink, Y. The recording density with M ink is set to 50% each. That is, the discharge amount of C ink is evenly distributed to the Y and M inks.

FIG. 10 is an external perspective view showing the main structure of the recording section of the ink jet recording apparatus of this embodiment.

In FIG. 10, reference numeral 1 denotes a carriage. The carriage 1 is equipped with an ink jet head (recording head) 2, a cartridge guide 3, ink cartridges 10 and 11, and the like, and is indicated by arrows F along guide shafts 4 and 5. Move back and forth in the direction. Reference numeral 6 denotes a recording paper, which is fed into the main body device in the arrow G direction by the paper feed roller 7 and is sandwiched by the paper feed roller 8, the pinch roller 12, and the paper pressing plate 9 from the arrow H direction to the front surface of the recording head 2. Will be sent to and recorded.

The ink cartridge 10 is a color cartridge containing three color inks of yellow (Y), magenta (M) and cyan (C), and the ink cartridge 11 contains only black (Bk) ink. The black cartridges 11 are accommodated, and are individually inserted into the cartridge guides 3. Heads 30 to 33 for yellow, magenta, cyan, and black are provided on the front surface of the recording head 2, and their nozzle groups are arranged in a straight line. The number of nozzles in each nozzle group is N (24 in this example) for yellow, magenta, and cyan, respectively.
M nozzles (64 nozzles in this example), which are larger than the nozzle groups for yellow, magenta, and cyan for black, are formed. The interval between the nozzle groups for each color is equal to or greater than the nozzle pitch (see FIG. 12).

FIG. 11 is a view of the recording head unit viewed from the back side with respect to the nozzle ejection port, and FIG. 12 is a view of the recording head unit viewed from the ink ejection port side.

An ink liquid passage for supplying ink from the cartridges 10 and 11 to the corresponding nozzle is connected to each of the nozzles forming the ink discharge port of the recording head 2. Ink cartridge 10 for supplying ink to the rear of the portion where
11 are provided. In an ink liquid path corresponding to each of these nozzles, an electrothermal converter that generates thermal energy for ejecting ink droplets from these nozzles, an electrode wiring for supplying electric power to these electrothermal converters, and the like are provided. It is provided. Then, ink is supplied into the ink liquid passage, and electricity is supplied to the electrothermal converter according to the image data, so that heat is generated in the ink liquid passage corresponding to the electrothermal converter. The heat causes the corresponding ink to expand, ejecting ink droplets onto the recording paper 6 such as paper or cloth through each nozzle, and an image corresponding to the image data is formed on the recording paper 6 as a recording medium. Will be recorded.

In FIGS. 11 and 12, 101 is a silicon substrate having a driver circuit for driving the electrothermal converter, and 202 is a latch circuit or register for inputting and latching image data (recording data). Both of them are fixed to the aluminum plate 103 by the provided printed circuit board. The cartridge guide 3 containing the ink cartridges 10 and 11 is inserted substantially parallel to the aluminum plate 103, and is connected to pipes 104 to 107 that also project in parallel to the aluminum plate 103. Each of these pipes 104 to 107 protrudes from a plastic member 108 called a distributor that spreads in a direction substantially perpendicular to the silicon substrate 101, and is further connected to an ink flow path provided inside the distributor 108 so that the flow of these flows. The passage is connected to the common liquid chamber.

Here, 104 is a yellow pipe, 105 is a magenta pipe, 106 is a cyan pipe, and 107 is a black pipe. In addition, there are four flow paths in the distributor 108 for yellow, magenta, cyan, and black, and each common liquid chamber is connected to each pipe described above.

(Second Embodiment) In the above-described first embodiment, when the remaining amount of ink of one color runs out, for example,
In terms of recording duty, recording is performed with 50% yellow and 50% magenta instead of 100% cyan print density.

When a plurality of color inks are used as a substitute for one color ink, the ratio of the recording densities of the plurality of substitute color inks may be changed according to the setting by the user or the remaining amount of each ink. Good.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the ratio of the recording densities of the two inks for substitute drawing is switched to 2: 1 or 1: 2.

That is, first, in step S11, Y, M,
Check the residual inspection of C and Bk inks. If there is only one color of ink, then in step S12 the remaining ink is checked.

If there is no M ink, for example, the process proceeds to step S16. If the remaining amount of C ink is larger than that of Y ink, then in step S18, Y
Substitute drawing is performed so that the print duty is 40% for the ink and 60% for the C ink. On the other hand, when the remaining amount of C ink is larger than that of Y ink, in step S17,
Substitute drawing is performed so that the print duty of the Y ink is 60% and the print duty of the C ink is 40%.

As described above, the ratio of the recording densities is changed in accordance with the remaining ink amount for the substitute drawing, that is, the remaining ink is discharged according to the difference in the remaining ink amount for the substitute drawing. Distributing the amount equivalent to the amount is excellent in that the remaining ink is effectively used.

[0036]

As described above, since the recording apparatus of the present invention is configured to generate the recording data corresponding to each ink of each color according to the detection result of the remaining ink of each color, By creating print data of another ink in place of the ink that has run out, it is possible to continue printing using other ink in place of the ink that has run out. Further, such an operation can be realized by processing the recorded data by software, and the complexity of hardware can be avoided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an inkjet printer as a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining buffer processing in the printer shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a recording result using cyan ink and black ink in the printer shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a recording operation for obtaining the recording result shown in FIG.

5 is an explanatory diagram of print data buffers for cyan ink and black ink when performing the print operation of FIG.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of recording results when yellow ink and magenta ink are used instead of the cyan ink in FIG.

7 is an explanatory diagram of a recording operation for obtaining the recording result shown in FIG.

8 is an explanatory diagram of a recording data buffer for yellow ink and magenta ink when performing the recording operation of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart for explaining buffer processing in the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an ink jet printer as a first embodiment of the present invention.

11 is a perspective view of the back side of the inkjet head shown in FIG.

12 is a perspective view of the front side of the inkjet head shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Carriage 2 Inkjet Head 3 Cartridge Guide 10 Color Ink Cartridge 11 Black Ink Cartridge 30 Y Head 31 M Head 32 C Head 33 Bk Head 40 Control Unit 50 Head Drive Circuit 60 Ink Residual Inspecting Means

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A recording apparatus for recording on a recording medium with a plurality of colors of ink ejected from a recording head, a detection unit detecting the remaining amount of each color ink, and a detection result of the detection unit, A recording apparatus comprising: a control unit that creates recording data corresponding to each color ink. 2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit creates print data corresponding to the ink whose remaining amount is exhausted as print data of another ink. 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit creates recording data corresponding to the ink whose remaining amount is exhausted, as recording data of inks of other plural colors. 4. The control means creates the remaining amount for the plurality of color inks when creating the recording data corresponding to the remaining ink for the plurality of color inks. The recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a portion corresponding to the ejected amount of the ink is evenly distributed. 5. The control means, when creating print data corresponding to inks that have run out of remaining amount as print data for other inks of a plurality of colors, sets the inks of the plurality of colors to the inks of the plurality of colors. 4. The recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a portion corresponding to the ejection amount of the ink that has run out of the remaining amount is distributed according to the difference in the remaining amount of. 6. The recording head has an electrothermal conversion element for generating heat energy that causes film boiling in the ink as energy used for ejecting the ink. The recording device according to any one of 1.