JPH0911572A - Recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To detect the positional shift of a carriage to correct the same by providing a false position counter and a counter comparison means comparing the position count position of a position counter means with a false count value. CONSTITUTION: A recording apparatus is equipped with a CR motor driver 20 for driving a CR motor 6, a CPU 2 generating an exciting phase to the CP motor driver 20 and a sensor means 23 optically reading the code pattern of a film to which the code pattern is added in parallel to the main scanning direction of a carriage. Further, a counter UP/DOWN position counter means 22 renewing a position counter means 22 renewing a position counter by a definite value at each time when a motor is driven by one pulse in non- synchronous relation to CPU processing using the output from the sensor means 23 and a memory means 27 storing a counter value are provided.

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 on a recording material from recording means.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A recording device having functions such as a printer, a copying machine and a facsimile, or a recording device used as an output device of a multifunction machine or a workstation including a computer, a word processor, etc., is a sheet or a plastic thin plate based on image information. An image (including characters and symbols) is recorded on a recording material such as an (OHP sheet), and the main scanning is performed in a direction intersecting the conveyance direction (sub-scanning direction) of the recording material. In a serial type recording device that uses a recording method, it moves along the recording material (main scanning)
An image (including characters and symbols) is recorded by a recording unit (recording head) mounted on the carriage, and a predetermined amount of paper is fed (sub-scanning) after one line of recording is completed, and then the next By repeating the operation of recording (sub-scanning) the image of the row, the image is recorded in the desired range of the recording material.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a recording apparatus. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a host computer (hereinafter referred to as a host), and 2 is a central control of the printing apparatus C
PU, 3 are ROMs in which a control program, CG, etc. are written, 4 is a GA (gate array), CPU
Complement the place that cannot be achieved with the function of in the form of a custom device by logic design. 5 is used in the print buffer for storing data (including print data, control code, and symbols) from the host 1 and the print buffer for reading data from the receive buffer and storing the expanded bit data and GA4. It is a RAM that is a memory used for a control register.

Reference numeral 6 is a CR motor for driving a carriage carrying a recording head in the main scanning direction so that the recording head is mainly operated along the recording material. Reference numeral 7 is a recording material conveying direction (sub-scanning direction). A line feed (LF) motor 8 for feeding paper to the motor is a motor used for sucking ink from the ejection nozzles of the head and feeding and discharging paper in order to maintain the print quality of the recording head. (Hereinafter P-
ASF motor). Reference numeral 9 is a motor drive circuit that is a motor driver and its peripheral circuits necessary for driving each of the motors 6 to 8.

Reference numeral 10 is a recording head mounted on a carriage for recording by ejecting ink along a recording material. The head control circuit 11 controls the type of recording head and each ejection of the recording head. It is configured so that it is possible to perform appropriate recording by detecting variations in resistance for heating the heater in the nozzle, the temperature of the recording head, and the like.

Reference numeral 12 indicates that the user turns the power on (ON), power OFF (OFF), ONLINE (online), line feed (LF), MENU (paper feeding method,
Used I / F, used cartridge, other Functio
An operation panel for actually operating (setting of n (function)) 13 is a circuit for controlling the operation panel.

A conventional carriage out-of-step detection method will be described with reference to FIGS. Various motors such as pulse motors, DC motors, and ultrasonic motors are used as motors today. Here, carriage driving using pulse motors will be described.

As a control for the main operation of the recording head along the recording material, it is general to generate an excitation phase in the carriage driving driver and generate an interrupt process for driving the motor by one pulse at a constant cycle. is there.

When a carriage interrupt occurs (S
1), CPU2 produces | generates an excitation phase with respect to the driver for CR motor drive of the motor drive circuit 9 (S2). According to the excitation phase, the driver for driving the CR motor drives the CR motor 6
Is driven (S3), and the carriage is mainly operated along the recording material (S4). The CPU 2 manages the position of the carriage 14, and therefore, every time the CR motor 6 is driven by one pulse,
Count the number of pulses (S5), exit interrupt processing,
Then, the process proceeds to other CPU2 processing (S6).

When the interrupt of the carriage described above continues at a constant cycle, the recording head is mainly operated along the recording material, and a member provided as the home position 18 is provided at the lower part of the carriage 14 as a home position sensor. The home position 18 is detected optically by the (HP sensor) 17 (S7). CPU2
Check the pulse count value counted in (S5) (S5
8) Compare with the pulse count value of the motor at the home position 18 on the program (S9). If they match, the home position is taken. If K does not match (S10), and if they do not match, step out detection is performed (S11), and an error occurs (S12).

[0011]

Since the home position sensor detects a step-out by taking a home position, it is impossible to detect the step-out during printing.

[0012]

A recording apparatus according to the present invention comprises a CR motor driving driver for driving a carriage motor that moves (main scanning) along a recording material, and a CR motor driving driver.
CPU that generates excitation phase for motor driver
And a sensor means for reading the code pattern of the film to which the code pattern is added in parallel to the main scanning direction of the carriage, and the output from the sensor means is used to drive the motor to 1
Position counter means for counter UP / DOWN so as to update the position count value by a constant value each time pulse driving is performed,
A memory means for storing the count value of the position counter means and a pseudo position for pseudo updating the pseudo position count value by a constant value each time the CPU generates an excitation phase for driving the carriage motor for one pulse. A counter, counter comparing means for comparing the position count value of the position counter means with the pseudo position count value of the pseudo position counter,
It is characterized by having.

[0013]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described.

(First Embodiment) A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 shows the configuration of the present invention. A CR motor driving driver 20 for driving the CR motor 6, a CPU 2 that generates an excitation phase for the CR motor driving driver 20, a code pattern of a film to which a code pattern is added in parallel with the main scanning direction of the carriage. A sensor means 23 for optically reading and a count UP / DOWN (up / down) such that the position counter is updated by a constant value every time the motor is driven by one pulse asynchronously with the CPU processing, using the output from the sensor means. It is composed of a position counter means 22 and a memory means 27 for storing the counter value.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of the sensor means 23 used in this embodiment. Film with a code pattern added in parallel with the main scanning direction of the carriage (code film)
The code pattern 15 is optically read along the code film 15 in such a manner as to be sandwiched by the sensor portion of the encoder sensor 19 installed in the lower portion of the carriage.

Code film 1 used in this embodiment
Reference numeral 5 is a slit with 120 DPI intervals, and the encoder sensor 19 transmits the LED light through the lens to the code film 15 and outputs digital signals of two channels having different phases according to the code pattern. Regarding the main scanning of the carriage 14, the output waveform as shown in FIG. The phase shift of the output waveforms of CH1 and CH2 of the encoder sensor 19 occurs in the forward and backward passes because the transmitted light detection diodes for CH1 and CH2 inside the encoder sensor 19 are parallel to the moving direction of the encoder sensor 19. It is because it is installed in.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of the position counter means 22. The output of the encoder sensor 19 is input to the position counter means 22 in the GA 4 on the control board by a flexible cable that transmits the control signal of the recording head 10 mounted on the carriage 14 to the control board. The output waveform of the encoder sensor 19 is sampled by the logic filter 24 which is a noise filter. In the round trip path CLK creating circuit 25, CLK (clock pulse) that counts up every 120 DPI on the forward path from the waveform sampled by the logic filter 24 and counts down on the backward path.
Create

The relationship between the CR pulse and the position counter CLK will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the CR motor 6
12 dots are printed with 360 DPI while driving 1 pulse. Here, the code film 15 is 120DP
Since it is I, as the counter CLK to the UP / DOWN counter 26, 4 CLKs of a-1 to a-4 are generated within one pulse.

The UP / DOWN counter 26 counts up on the forward path of the carriage and counts down on the backward path of the carriage.
It is a circuit that is used to output data to the data bus by READ of the CPU.

A description will be given according to the flowchart of FIG.
When a carriage interrupt occurs (S1), the CPU2
Generates an excitation phase for the CR motor drive driver of the motor drive circuit 9 (S2). According to the excitation phase, the CR
The motor drive driver drives the CR motor 6 (S
3) The main operation of the carriage along the recording material (S
4). Encoder sensor 1 along with the main scan of the carriage
9 detects the code pattern of the code film 15 of 120 DPI and outputs it to the position counter means 22 in the GA 4 on the control board. As explained above, C
While the R motor 6 is driving one pulse, the position counter
It is updated by ± 4 in consideration of the forward and backward paths (S13). C
PU2 outputs an address for position counter READ (read: read) to GA4 and READs the position counter value (S14). The CPU 2 assumes the position counter value when the carriage scans normally, and CR
Each time the motor is excited by one pulse, the pseudo counter value at the previous one-pulse drive is fetched from the memory means and updated by ± 4 (reciprocating path) (S15). The updated pseudo counter value is compared with the position counter value actually read from the position counter means 22 (S16), and it is determined whether or not ± 1 or more (S17). ), And an error occurs (S12).

As an example, the counter UP (outward path) will be described with reference to FIG. The previous counter value is 0,
Normally, during one pulse drive, 4 CLKs are generated like a-1 to a-4, the +4 counter is updated, and the position counter value of the position counter means 22 becomes 4.
Due to some cause, 1 during 1 pulse drive of CR motor
If the carriage is main-scanned by an extra 20 DPI, the position counter value becomes 5, and the difference becomes +1 when compared with the pseudo counter value that is up by ± 4 counts each time the CPU drives one pulse, and a step out error occurs. .

In cases other than the above error, the updated pseudo position counter value is stored in the memory means 27 (S18), and the process returns to the other CPU processing (S6). The memory means may be an external RAM or a CPU internal RAM.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 9 shows a block diagram of the first embodiment. A CR motor driving driver 20 for driving the CR motor 21, a CPU 2 that generates an excitation phase for the CR motor driving driver 20, a code pattern of a film to which a code pattern is added in parallel with the main scanning direction of the carriage. A sensor means 23 for optically reading, and a position counter means 2 for performing a counter UP / DOWN such that the position counter updates a constant value every time the motor is driven by one pulse asynchronously with the CPU processing by using the output from the sensor means 23.
2. A memory means 27 for storing the counter value and a home position sensor means 28 for optically detecting the home position 18.

A description will be given according to the flowchart of FIG. When a carriage interrupt occurs (S1), the CPU
2 generates an excitation phase for the CR motor drive driver of the motor drive circuit 9 (S2). According to the excitation phase, the C
The R motor driving driver drives the CR motor 6 (S
3) The main operation of the carriage along the recording material (S
4). Encoder sensor 1 along with the main scan of the carriage
9 detects the code pattern of the code film 15 of 120 DPI and outputs it to the position counter means 22 in the GA 4 on the control board. Carriage motor is 1
During pulse driving, the position counter is updated by ± 4 considering the forward and backward passes (S13). CPU2 is GA4
, The address for position counter READ is output and the position counter value is read (S14). CPU
Assuming a position counter value when the carriage scans normally, 2 is ± 4 each time the CR motor is excited by one pulse and the pseudo counter value at the previous one-pulse drive is fetched from the memory means 27. (Round way) Updating (S15). The updated pseudo counter value is compared with the actual position counter value read from the position counter means 22 (S16), and it is determined whether ± 4 or more (S17).
If it is 1 or more, if it is ± 4 or more, a step out detection is made (S11), and an error is made (S12). The value in (S17) is set in consideration of image quality and throughput,
Here, it is temporarily set to ± 4. When the updated pseudo counter value is actually compared with the position counter value read from the position counter means 22 and is ± 1 or more and ± 3 or less, a position deviation is flagged (S20), and then the updated pseudo position is set. The counter value is stored in the memory means 27 (S18), and the process returns to the other CPU processing (S6).

Line feed processing for feeding the paper in the conveying direction of the recording material (sub-scanning direction) occurs (S21),
After the line feed process is completed (S22), it is checked whether or not the position shift flag is set (S23).
If the misalignment flag is not set, the other CPU
The process returns to step S6. If the position deviation flag is set, the carriage 14 is scanned in the main direction (S24), the home position sensor 17 installed below the carriage 14 detects the home position 18 (S7), and the CPU
2 is a position counter means 22 for correcting the position shift.
The position counter is reset (S25), the pseudo position counter value stored in the memory means 27 is cleared to 0 (S26), and the position shift flag is also initialized (S2).
7). After that, the process returns to the other CPU processing (S6).

[0026]

As described above, according to the present configuration, the carriage position is at least 120.
It is possible to detect a DPI shift. Also,
If the code pattern pitch of the code film is made finer, even a smaller displacement of the carriage can be detected.

Effect of the Invention of Embodiment 2 In the actual main scanning control of the carriage, when a minute positional deviation occurs due to variations in the speed of the carriage, variations in mechanical tolerances, variations in motor driver characteristics, etc. There is.
When such a positional deviation occurs, according to the present configuration, printing can be continued by correcting the positional deviation without discarding the data input from the host as a step out error.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a recording device.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a recording device.

FIG. 3 is a step-out detection flowchart of a conventional example.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an encoder sensor.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a position counter means 22.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a CR pulse and a position counter.

FIG. 8 is a control flowchart of the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of a second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a control flowchart of the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Host 2 CPU 3 ROM 4 GA 5 RAM 6 CR Motor 7 LF Motor 8 ASF Motor 9 Motor Drive Circuit 10 Recording Head 11 Head Control Circuit 12 Operation Panel 13 Panel Control Circuit 14 Carriage 15 Code Film 17 Home Position Sensor 18 Home Position 19 Encoder sensor 20 CR motor driving driver 22 Position counter means 23 Code film pattern detecting means 24 Logic filter 25 Round-trip path CLK creating circuit 26 UP / DOWN counter (position counter) 27 Memory means 28 Home position sensor means

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A CR motor driving driver for driving a carriage motor that moves (main scanning) along a recording material, a CPU that generates an excitation phase for the CR motor driving driver, and a carriage. The sensor means for reading the code pattern of the film to which the code pattern is added in parallel with the main scanning direction of (1) and the output from the sensor means are used to update the position count value by a constant value every time the motor is driven by one pulse. Position counter means for counter UP / DOWN, a memory means for storing the count value of the position counter means, and a pseudo for each generation of the excitation phase for driving the carriage motor by the CPU for one pulse. A pseudo position counter for updating the pseudo position count value by a constant value; a position count value of the position counter means; And a counter comparing means for comparing pseudo position count values, wherein the counter comparing means compares the count values of both counters to detect a step out during printing. 2. A CR motor driving driver for driving a carriage motor that moves (main scanning) along a recording material, a CPU that generates an excitation phase for the CR motor driving driver, and a carriage. The sensor means for reading the code pattern of the film to which the code pattern is added in parallel with the main scanning direction of (1) and the output from the sensor means are used to update the position count value by a constant value every time the motor is driven by one pulse. Position counter means for UP / DOWN counter, memory means for storing the count value, home position sensor means for detecting the home position of the carriage, and an excitation phase for the CPU to drive the carriage motor for one pulse. A pseudo position counter for updating the pseudo position count value by a constant value each time / DOWN, and a comparison means for comparing the position count value of the position counter means with the pseudo position count value of the pseudo position counter, and during printing, the counter comparison means compares the count values of both counters. When the step-out detection is performed and the carriage position deviation is less than the predetermined value, the home position is detected after the printing of one line in the main scanning direction is completed, and the position count value of the position counter means and the pseudo position of the pseudo position counter are detected. A recording device characterized by correcting misalignment and continuing printing by resetting the count value.