JPH08332736A - Ink emission detector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To obtain an ink emission detector capable of detecting the abnormality of the emission amt. of ink from an emitting head or the insufficiency of ink without utilizing recording paper. CONSTITUTION: An ink emission detector has a reflecting plate 201 having high water repellency to ink and a sensor 202 detecting the reflection quantity of the light from the reflecting plate 201 and ink is emitted to the reflecting plate 201 from an ink emitting orifice and the reflecting quantity of the light from the reflecting plate 201 is detected by the sensor 202 to detect an emitted ink state and the reflecting plate 201 is inclined by a rotatable pedestal 203 to allow bonded ink to fall from the reflecting plate 201.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink ejection detecting device for detecting ink non-ejection or ink shortage in a printer for ejecting ink for printing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional method for detecting non-ejection or lack of ink in a printer or the like that ejects ink, all black printing is performed on a part of a recording sheet currently being printed, Ink ejection failure or ink shortage was checked depending on whether or not the black pattern was properly printed.

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned conventional method has a drawback that it is necessary to print an all-black pattern, which is not present in the original, on the recording paper.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an ink ejection detecting device capable of detecting an abnormality in an ink ejection amount from an ejection head or an ink shortage without using a recording paper. The purpose is to provide.

[0005]

For this reason, the ink discharge detection device according to the present invention comprises a reflector having high water repellency for ink and also having light reflectivity, and a sensor for detecting the amount of light reflected from the reflector. The reflection plate is provided at a position where the ink ejected from the ink ejection port can be received on the surface, and the reflection plate is inclined so that the ejected ink adhered falls from the reflection plate due to water. The characteristic configuration is intended to achieve the above object.

In addition to the above structure, a light source for irradiating the reflecting plate and a reflected light detecting means for detecting the amount of reflected light are provided, or in addition to the above structure, The reflection light detection means detects an amount of light reflected from the reflection plate to detect an abnormality in ink ejection from an ink ejection port, and a reflection plate rotation means for rotating the reflection plate. The plate is provided at a position where the ink discharged from the ink discharge port can be received on the surface, and when the amount of reflected light is detected, the reflecting plate is inclined so that the discharged ink attached by the reflecting plate rotating means is dropped from the reflecting plate by water repellency. Alternatively, the reflected light detection means stores a Schmitt trigger type waveform shaper connected to the photodetection element, and stores the output from the waveform shaper. A structure having a lip flop and outputting reflected light amount information to the ink detecting means, and the reflecting plate is provided in a movable portion outside a recording execution range of an ink ejection head included in an inkjet recording device. The above-described object is also achieved by a configuration characterized by detecting non-ejection or insufficient ink from the ink ejection head by detecting the amount of light reflected from the reflection plate.

[0007]

With the above structure, by ejecting the ink toward the reflecting plate, it is possible to detect the ink ejection failure or the ink shortage from the ink ejection head without performing extra printing on the recording paper. After that, since the ink on the reflection plate falls due to the water repellency of the reflection plate, it is possible to detect the ink ejection failure or the ink shortage again.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention provided in an ink jet recording apparatus for ejecting ink to record on recording paper will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an essential part of an ink jet recording apparatus having an embodiment, FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a side view showing a state of the embodiment after ink ejection is detected. FIG. 4 is a side view showing the ink on the reflection plate of the embodiment,
FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of the detecting means included in the embodiment. The same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals in each drawing.

Reference numeral 101 denotes an ink cartridge, which has a function of holding ink and a function of ejecting ink. A holder 102 holds the ink cartridge 101 and has a part of a carriage function. A platen roller 103 conveys a recording sheet. 104 is a recording sheet.

Reference numeral 201 is a reflector having high water repellency. 20
Reference numeral 2 denotes a reflective photosensor built in the holder 102, which detects the presence or absence of ink by the amount of light reflected from the reflection plate 201. 203 is a pedestal for rotating the reflection plate 201. Reference numeral 204 denotes a gear with a crank that rotates the base 203. 205 is a gear with a crank 2
A gear for rotating 04 is directly or indirectly connected to a drive source. Reference numeral 206 denotes a micro switch that is a sensor that detects that the corner of the pedestal 203 is horizontal. Reference numeral 207 is ink ejected onto the reflection plate 201.

Next, the operation will be described step by step.

(Operation I) First, the ink cartridge 10
1 and the holder 102 of the ink cartridge are moved above the reflection plate 201 to eject ink onto the reflection plate 201.

Next, the ink cartridge 101 and the ink cartridge holder 102 are moved to a position where the reflective photosensor 202 can read the surface of the reflection plate 201, the amount of reflected light is read, and the presence or absence of ink or an appropriate amount is determined by the amount of reflected light. To do.

When it is determined that the amount of ink is less than the proper amount, error processing is performed.

(Operation II) When it is determined that the ink has been ejected normally, the printing operation is started.

(Operation III) While the printing is being executed, the reflection plate 201 and the pedestal 2 having the positional relationship shown in FIG.
03 is rotated by rotating the gear 204 with the gear 205, and the ink on the reflection plate 201 is dropped.

Since the surface of the reflection plate 201 has a high water repellency, almost all the ink drops. After that, the gears 205 and 204 are rotated until the micro switch 206 detects that the base 203 is horizontal.

When one page, all pages, or predetermined printing is completed, the above (Operation 1) is executed again to check the ink ejection status. After that, (Operation III) is executed to remove the ink on the reflection plate 201.

With the above configuration and operation, it is possible to confirm whether or not printing is possible before printing and whether or not printing is normally completed after printing.

If printing cannot be performed normally, error processing may be performed such that the information to be printed is retained in the memory and printing is resumed before printing. It is possible.

As a simple method, it is possible to omit the ink discharge check before printing or the ink discharge check after printing.

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a detection circuit for detecting the presence or absence of ink on the reflection plate 201.

401, 404, 405, 406, 40
7,408,410,412,414,415,41
6, 417, 419, 420, 425, 428 are resistors, and 402 is a photodiode of the font sensor, which illuminates the reflection plate. A phototransistor 403 of the photosensor detects the amount of light reflected from the reflector.

Reference numerals 409 and 418 are operational amplifiers, 421 is a flip-flop, 424 is a transistor, 426 is a reset signal line for initializing the circuit, 427 is a signal line for the microprocessor to read the presence or absence of ink, 427 and 43.
Reference numerals 0 and 431 indicate the positions of the signal lines.

The operation of the above circuit will be described step by step.

The flip-flop 421 is initialized by setting the signal line 426 to "H". At this time, ink is not ejected onto the reflection plate 201, and the light emitted from the photodiode 402 is reflected by the reflection plate 201,
The phototransistor 403 is “ON”. At this time, the signal 429 is “L”, the signal 430 is “H”, the signal 4
31 is "L".

When ink is ejected to the reflection plate 201 and the reflected light decreases, the signal 429 changes from "L" to "H" and the signal 430 changes from "H" to "L".
When the signal 430 exceeds a predetermined level, the signal 431 changes from "L" to "H". At this time, the flip-flop 421 turns "ON" and the signal 427 becomes "H". By reading this signal 427, the microprocessor can know the state of the ink on the reflection plate.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention, by ejecting the ink toward the reflecting plate, the ink is not ejected from the ink ejection head or the ink is ejected without extra printing on the recording paper. Can detect shortages,
After the detection, the ink on the reflection plate falls due to the water repellency of the reflection plate, so that it is possible to detect again the ink ejection failure or the ink shortage.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main part of an inkjet recording apparatus including an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a state of the embodiment after detection of ink ejection.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing the ink on the reflection plate of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of detection means included in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 Ink Cartridge 102 Holder 103 Platen Roller 104 Recording Paper 201 Reflector 202 Reflective Photosensor 203 Rotatable Base 206 Horizontal Detection Sensor 207 Ink on Reflector

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A reflective plate having high water repellency with respect to ink and also having light reflectivity, and a sensor for detecting an amount of light reflected from the reflective plate, wherein the reflective plate has a surface on which ink ejected from an ink ejection port is exposed. An ink ejection detecting device, characterized in that the reflecting plate is provided in a slanted position so that the ejected ink that has adhered to it falls from the reflecting plate due to water repellency. 2. A reflection plate having high water repellency with respect to ink and also having light reflectivity, a light source for irradiating the reflection plate, a reflection light detection unit for detecting the amount of reflection light from the reflection plate, and the reflection light detection. An ink detection unit that detects an abnormality in the ink ejection from the ink ejection port by detecting the amount of light reflected from the reflection plate by the means, and the reflection plate is located at a position where the ink ejected from the ink ejection port can be received on the surface. The ink ejection detection device is characterized in that the reflection plate is provided so as to be inclined so that the ejected ink that has adhered falls from the reflection plate due to water repellency. 3. A reflection plate having high water repellency against ink and also having light reflectivity, a light source for irradiating the reflection plate, a reflection light detection unit for detecting the amount of reflection light from the reflection plate, and the reflection light detection. Means for detecting an abnormality in ink ejection from an ink ejection port by detecting the amount of light reflected from the reflection plate by means, and reflection plate rotation means for rotating the reflection plate. The ink ejected from the ejection port is provided at a position where it can be received on the surface, and when the amount of reflected light is detected, the reflector is tilted or rotated so that the ejected ink adhered by the reflector rotating means is dropped from the reflector by water repellency. An ink discharge detection device characterized by the above. 4. The reflected light detecting means includes a Schmitt trigger type waveform shaper connected to a light detecting element, and a flip-flop for storing the output from the waveform shaper, and the ink detecting means has a quantity of reflected light. The ink ejection detection device according to claim 1, wherein the ink ejection detection device outputs information. 5. The reflection plate is provided in a movable portion outside a recording execution range of an ink ejection head included in an ink jet recording apparatus, and the amount of light reflected from the reflection plate is detected to cause no ink ejection or insufficient ink from the ink ejection head. The ink ejection detecting device according to claim 1, wherein