JPH08118760A - Printer and printing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To perform accurate printing free from printing shift by relatively moving a head mounted in order to correct the shift of a printing position in a line direction or selecting the use range of the head corresponding to the shift quantity of the printing position and a shifted position. CONSTITUTION: Printing is performed twice by a color head 6A and, in the case of the replacement of the color head 6A with a monochromatic head 6B, the color head 6A is replaced with the monochromatic head 6B at the 192-dot position of the lower end of the head 6A. Since the upper end of the monochromatic head 6B reaches a 64-dot position, printing is performed twice from 64 dots to 128 dots and no accurate printing result is obtained. In order to avoid this, feed in a forward direction is performed from the position of the monochromatic head 6B after head replacement to the position shown by an arrow. By this constitution, the upper end of the monochromatic head 6B becomes a 128-dot position and, even if printing is continued as it is, it is avoided that a printing position overlaps with the printing of the previous time.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a printing method, and more particularly to a monochrome printing in a printing apparatus (also referred to as a printer or a recording apparatus) in which a color head and a monochrome head can be exchanged and mounted.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, in some color printers, a color head and a monochrome head can be replaced with each other, and a monochrome head is used for monochrome printing and a color head is used for color printing. In this case, it takes time for the operator to replace the head.

On the other hand, in the color head, in addition to the three colors of cyan, magenta and yellow, a black head portion is provided so that the color can be printed more vividly and monochrome printing can be performed with the same head. There is something. In the case of a printer that automatically recognizes the type of the head, when monochrome printing is designated, it is possible to use the monochrome portion for the color head and the entire head for the monochrome head. . In this case, it is possible to save the trouble of exchanging the monochrome head.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned latter conventional example, the color head has a black head portion so that the operator does not need to change the monochrome head for printing in monochrome printing. Although it was possible, if you continue printing by exchanging with a different head due to running out of ink, etc., the shape and position of the color head and monochrome head may be different, so the continuation of the interrupted print part may not be printed correctly. Was.

That is, in the monochrome head, it is advantageous for the printing time to obtain the black head as large as possible. On the other hand, in the color head, if the black portion is the same as that of the monochrome head, the entire head becomes large, which is disadvantageous in terms of downsizing and cost, and it is necessary to make the size appropriate. For this reason, if the black head portions of the color head and the monochrome head are completely the same in size and at the same position, the above-described new problem that does not occur occurs.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to correctly perform print position alignment even when the size and position of the black head portion are different between the color head and the monochrome head. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus and a printing method by which an operator can perform correct printing without printing deviation even if the operator replaces the head without being aware of the type of the head.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the printing apparatus of the present invention is capable of performing both color printing and monochrome printing when the color head is mounted and monochrome printing when the monochrome head is mounted. In a printing device in which a monochrome head can be replaced and mounted, a head replacement recognition means for recognizing that the head has been replaced during printing, and whether or not the head type has been changed by the head replacement according to the recognition And a derivation means for deriving the deviation amount and deviation position of the print position deviation between the color head and the monochrome head according to the judgment that the type of the head has changed, and the deviation amount of the derived printing position deviation and Depending on the shift position, the head mounted to correct the print position shift is relatively moved in the row direction, or the head is moved. Characterized by comprising a position correcting means for selecting an operating range.

In order to achieve the above object, the printing method of the present invention is capable of performing both color printing and monochrome printing when the color head is mounted and monochrome printing when the monochrome head is mounted. In the printing method of the printing device that can be replaced,
A head replacement recognition step of recognizing that the head has been replaced during printing, a determination step of determining whether or not the head type has changed due to the head replacement according to the recognition, and a determination of the head type having changed. Deriving step for deriving the shift amount and shift position of the print position shift between the color head and the monochrome head according to the above, and correcting the print position shift according to the shift amount and shift position of the print position shift thus derived. And a position correction step of relatively moving the mounted head in the row direction or selecting a use range of the head.

Further, the present invention is preferably characterized in that the discriminating means includes a head discriminating means for discriminating the type of the head before and after the replacement, that is, a head type of a color head or a monochrome head. You can

Further, in the present invention, preferably, the deriving means is based on the size of the color head, the size of the monochrome head, the print restart position, and the type of the head being mounted.
It is possible to derive the shift amount and the shift position of the print position shift.

Further, the present invention is preferably characterized in that the head is an inkjet head.

[0012]

In the present invention, there is provided a means for recognizing the head replacement and the type of the head, and a means for detecting the positional deviation between different heads. When the positional deviation between the different heads is detected, the head position correcting means replaces the head. The head is aligned to the specified head position. As a result, even if the black head portion of the color head is different from that of the monochrome head, the alignment is correctly performed. Therefore, the operator can perform correct printing even if the head is replaced without being aware of the type of the head.

[0013]

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

FIG. 1 shows a circuit configuration of a control system of a printing apparatus to which the present invention is applied. An example of the printing device is an inkjet printer. Since the mechanism (mechanical structure) may be a general structure of a known serial inkjet printer, the description of this point will be omitted.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a CP for controlling a printer.
U (Central Processing Unit), 3 is a ROM (Read Only Memory) equipped with a printer control program, a printer emulation program and print fonts as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, and 2 is color or monochrome data for printing. Or a RAM (random access memory) for storing received data from the host and a flag for printer control. Further, 4 is a data controller (control device) that receives and manages data and commands from a host (host computer or the like: not shown), and 5 gives print data to the print head 6 and controls the print head 6. A head controller 7 is a motor controller for controlling a motor 8 such as a motor for moving a carriage (not shown), a motor for feeding paper, and a motor for feeding paper, and 9 is a key for switching between online / offline and feeding / feeding. A key controller for controlling the key 10 such as a paper key, 11 is an LED for notifying online / offline
(Light emitting diode) L indicating whether or not there is a lamp or data
The LED controller controls the ED lamp 12 and the like. Each of the above components is connected via a bus (BUS) 13.

FIG. 2 shows the front shape of the print head 6 used in the embodiment of the present invention. (1) shows the color head 6A, and (2) shows the monochrome head 6B. The color head 6A of (1) is composed of a color head portion of three colors and a black head portion, and from the top, yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C) and black (B).
They are arranged in the order of k), three colors are 24 dots and black are 64 dots, and an interval of 8 dots is provided between the respective colors in order to prevent color interference. Color head 6
If A is an inkjet head, one nozzle is arranged for each dot, and in this case, one dot has a resolution of 1/360 DPI (dots / inch).
Color data is printed by ejecting inks of the respective colors from the four-color heads, and by overlapping the respective colors, it is possible to print colors that are not in the heads. The black head part is also used for monochrome printing.

The monochrome head 6B of (2) is a head dedicated to monochrome printing and is composed of only a black head. The head 6B is composed of 128 dots, and it is possible to use all of 128 dots in one printing.

Since the respective heads 6A and 6B are formed so that the lower ends of the heads are located at the same position, the positions of the lower ends of the heads match even if the heads are replaced. In the case of monochrome printing, the color head 6A uses a black head portion of 64 dots from its lower end, and the monochrome head 6B prints using 128 dots from the lower end.

FIG. 3 shows the positions of the color head and monochrome head and the vertical range of printing in the case of monochrome printing according to an embodiment of the present invention. (1) is color head 6A, (2)
Shows the case of the monochrome head 6B. The color head 6A prints with a 64-dot black head, and the monochrome head 6B prints with 128 dots. In FIG. 3, the head is shown shifted to the right for easier viewing.

In the case of the color head 6A, 64 dots are printed, and then 64 dots are fed (moved) downward to perform printing, and printing and feeding are repeated. Printing up to 512 dots requires printing 8 times and feeding 7 times.

In the case of the monochrome head 6B, 128 dots are printed, then 128 dots are fed downward to perform printing, and printing and feeding are repeated. Printing up to 512 dots requires printing four times and feeding three times. It is needless to say that the head is relatively moved downward by actually feeding the sheet upward.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which, when monochrome printing is performed, the color head 6A is mounted to start printing, and the head position is changed when the monochrome head 6B is replaced. The relationship and the print position are shown. When the color head 6A performs printing twice and feeds twice, the color head is replaced with the monochrome head, and the boundary is shown by a broken line. In this case, the color head 6A is replaced with the monochrome head 6B at the position where the lower end of the head is 192 dots.

When the monochrome head 6B is attached to the printer and printing is continued by the monochrome head as it is, the upper end of the monochrome head reaches the position of 64 dots, so 64 dots to 128 dots are printed twice. The print result is different from that printed by the color head all the time, and the correct print result cannot be obtained.

In order to avoid this, in this embodiment, after the head is replaced from the position of the monochrome head after the head replacement to the position shown by the arrow in FIG. 4, the forward feed is first performed.
As a result, the upper end of the monochrome head is at the position of 128 dots, and even if the printing is continued as it is, the printing position can be prevented from overlapping the previous printing. After that, printing can be performed by the normal printing method of the monochrome head.

FIG. 5 shows the relationship between the head position and the print position when the monochrome head 6B is mounted to start printing and the color head 6A is replaced during the monochrome printing in this embodiment. . When printing is performed twice with the monochrome head and feeding is performed twice, the monochrome head is replaced with the color head, and the boundary is shown by a broken line. In this case, the monochrome head 6B has a head lower end of 38
The color head 6A is replaced at a position of 4 dots.

When the color head 6A is mounted and printing is continued with the color head as it is, the lower end of the color head reaches 384 dots and the upper end of the black head portion reaches only 320 dots. Since dots up to 320 dots are not printed, the print result is different from that printed by the monochrome head all the time, and the correct print result cannot be obtained.

In order to avoid this, in the present embodiment, after the head is replaced from the position of the color head after the head replacement to the position shown by the arrow in FIG. 5, first, feeding in the reverse direction is performed. As a result, the upper end of the black portion of the color head is positioned at 256 dots, and it is possible to avoid stray printing even if printing continues. After that, printing can be performed by the normal printing method of the color head.

The operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the flow charts of FIGS.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing details of the head replacement process. The head replacement program is instructed by an operator (also referred to as a user) from the key 10 or the like, or the printer detects ink exhaustion or ink clogging and automatically informs the operator of the necessity of head replacement. In case of no, it is called by interruption. First, head replacement start processing is performed (step S1). In the head replacement start processing, the head 6 is moved to a predetermined replacement position so that the head can be easily replaced, and the operator is informed of the completion of replacement by the LED lamp 12 or the like.
Next, in step S2, the head replacement is performed by the operator.

Next, in step S3, head replacement end processing is performed. In this head replacement end process, a preparatory process for printing such as a suction operation (so that the ink is properly discharged by sucking the ink from the head) is performed so that the replaced head can correctly print.

Next, in step S4, the head alignment process according to the present invention is executed. This head alignment process is a process for correcting the positional deviation of the head when the heads are different, and will be described in detail with reference to FIG. Then, the procedure returns to the main program (not shown) for the printing operation.

The head replacement process can be performed by executing the above procedure.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the details of the head positioning process in step S4 of FIG. First,
It is checked whether or not the head is different before and after the head replacement (step S20). This check is performed by receiving the identification information indicating the type of the mounted head before replacement via the head controller 5 in FIG. 1 and receiving the identification information of the head from the head controller 5 after the head replacement. The identification information is added to the head as a code and is obtained by reading this code with a sensor. The types of heads are compared based on the head identification information of both. If the type of head is not different, NO (negative judgment),
Do nothing and return to the main program.

YES if the type of head is different
(Affirmative determination), the process proceeds to step S21, and it is checked whether or not there is a black head position difference due to the head difference. This check is performed by sequentially storing the black position of the head depending on whether the current head is color or monochrome when printing is performed. If there is no displacement, the result is NO, and nothing is done, and the process returns.

If the positional displacement has occurred, the determination result is YES, and the process proceeds to step S22 to calculate the positional displacement amount. The amount of misalignment is calculated from the head position before replacement, based on the size of the black portion of the head, the type of head before replacement, and the type of head after replacement.

Next, the process proceeds to step S23, and the misregistration correction process is performed. This misregistration correction process is performed in step S
As described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the head position is fed in the forward direction or is fed (relatively moved) in the reverse direction based on the position shift amount calculated in step 22.
That is, in the case of a color head to a monochrome head, FIG.
In the case of the monochrome head to the color head, the feed is performed as shown in FIG. The head alignment process can be performed by executing the above procedure.

By the above-described processing by the CPU 1, even when the color head is changed to the monochrome head or vice versa when the monochrome printing is performed, the printing is duplicated or a gap is left. If not, printing is performed correctly.

(Second Embodiment) In the above-described first embodiment of the present invention, the heads are aligned by forward feed or reverse feed, but as shown in FIG.
Depending on the size of the head, a similar effect can be obtained by performing printing immediately after the head replacement by using a part of the head. After that, printing is continued using the entire head. In this case, it is not necessary to feed the head for alignment.

FIG. 8 shows the operation of the second embodiment of the present invention.
The case of replacement similar to FIG. 4 is shown. In the case of monochrome printing, the relationship between the head positions and the printing position when the color head 6A is mounted and printing is started and the monochrome head 6B is replaced during printing are shown. When the color head performs printing twice and feeds twice, the color head is replaced with a monochrome head, and the boundary is shown by a broken line. In this case, the color head has a lower end of 19
The monochrome head is replaced at the 2-dot position.

When the monochrome head is attached to the printer,
If you continue printing with the monochrome head as it is, the upper edge of the monochrome head has reached the position of 64 dots.
Since 64 dots to 128 dots are printed twice, the print result is different from that printed by the color head all the time, and the correct print result cannot be obtained.

In order to avoid this, in this embodiment, after head replacement, feeding is not performed, and the first printing is performed using the lower half of the monochrome head. Next feed the whole head. As a result, the upper end of the monochrome head comes to the position of 192 dots, and after that, printing can be performed by the normal printing method of the monochrome head.

Also in the present embodiment, when the monochrome head is replaced with the color head during the monochrome printing, it is performed as shown in FIG. 5 as in the first embodiment. Further, the operation procedure of the second embodiment of the present invention is different only in that step S23 of FIG. 7 performs the positional deviation correction processing having the contents shown in FIGS. Since it is similar to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 7, its description is omitted.

(Other Embodiments) As long as the arrangement, order, and size of the color heads of the color head, the lower end position of the black head, and the color configuration satisfy the function of the color head, the above-described embodiments are exemplified. The present invention can be applied without limitation.

In the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the head including the black head portion is used as the color head, but the three colors of cyan (C), magenta (M) and yellow (Y) are black. Since it is also possible to develop color, in this case, the color in which the three colors overlap is black. As described above, the present invention can be applied to a color head having no black head, except for the black coloring method.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention,
In the case of monochrome printing, even if the color head is changed to the monochrome head during printing or vice versa, the printing will be duplicated,
There is an effect that correct printing can be performed and a correct printed matter can be obtained without forming a gap.

Further, as a result, even if the operator mounts a wrong head when replacing the head, it is possible to prevent the printing from going wrong, and the operator does not have to pay special attention to the head. Also, the effect that the load on the operator can be reduced can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of a control system of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing the configurations of a color head and a monochrome head according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a state diagram showing a relationship between head positions for printing with a color head and printing with a monochrome head and operations of a used head according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a state diagram showing a head position and an operating state of a used head when a color head is replaced with a monochrome head during printing in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a state diagram showing a head position and an operating state of a used head when a monochrome head is replaced with a color head during printing in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a head replacement process in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing details of the head position alignment process of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a state diagram showing a head position and an operating state of a used head when a color head is replaced with a monochrome head during printing in another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 CPU 2 RAM 3 ROM 4 Data Controller 5 Head Controller 6 Head (Printing Head) 6A Color Head 6B Monochrome Head 7 Motor Controller 8 Motor Group 9 Key Controller 10 Key Group 11 LED Controller 12 LED Lamp Group

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Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A printing apparatus capable of performing both color printing and monochrome printing when a color head is mounted, and monochrome printing when a monochrome head is mounted, in which a color head and a monochrome head can be interchangeably mounted. Head replacement recognition means for recognizing that the head has been replaced, a determination means for determining whether the head type has changed due to the head replacement according to the recognition, and a color head according to the determination that the head type has changed. Derivation means for deriving a displacement amount and displacement position of the print position displacement between the print head and the monochrome head, and a device for correcting the print position displacement according to the derived displacement amount and displacement position of the print position displacement. And a position correction means for relatively moving the head in the row direction or selecting a use range of the head. That printer. 2. A printing method of a printing device capable of replacing and mounting a color head and a monochrome head, wherein both color printing and monochrome printing can be performed when the color head is mounted, and monochrome printing can be performed when the monochrome head is mounted. Depending on the head replacement recognition step of recognizing that the head has been replaced on the way, the determination step of determining whether the head type has changed due to the head replacement according to the recognition, and the determination of the head type having changed. And a derivation step of deriving a displacement amount and displacement position of the printing position displacement between the color head and the monochrome head, and mounting to correct the printing position displacement according to the derived displacement amount and displacement position of the printing position displacement. The head to be moved relative to the row direction, or the position correction step to select the use range of the head. Printing method characterized by comprising and. 3. The print according to claim 1, wherein the discriminating means includes a head discriminating means for discriminating the type of head, that is, the head before and after the replacement, that is, a color head or a monochrome head. apparatus. 4. The derivation means derives the deviation amount and the deviation position of the printing position deviation based on the size of the color head, the size of the monochrome head, the print restart position, and the type of the mounted head. The printing device according to claim 1, wherein the printing device is a printing device. 5. The printing apparatus or the printing method according to claim 1, wherein the head is an inkjet head.