JPH09191364A - Ink jet recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow the recorder to read an original of a uniform density without uneven density by making an image medium carried by a carrying means in contact with an image read means mounted on a carrier. SOLUTION: A 1st carrier means 2 is so configured that a tangential direction at a connecting point between a carrier roller 2a and a pinch roller 2b is directed onto a support member 4, that is, the pinch roller 2b is turned around the carrier roller 2a. A rotary shaft of the pinch roller 2b and a press contact spring 2d energizing the pinch roller 2b to the carrier roller 2a are supported to a holder 9 supported to both the shaft of the carrier roller 2a to which no recording medium passes in a rocking enable way. Thus, when the holder 9 is set to a position shown in figure, an original medium Q inserted from an insertion port 1 is inserted between the carrier roller 2a and the pinch roller 2b and carried while being pressed to a read head of an image read cartridge.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention belongs to the technical field of an inkjet recording apparatus for ejecting ink toward a recording medium to form an image for recording, and particularly to the technical field of an inkjet recording apparatus capable of mounting an image reading means. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In various devices such as computers, word processors, facsimile machines, copying machines and printers,
As a means for performing recording on a recording medium such as paper, an inkjet recording device is being widely used because high-speed recording is possible without generating noise.

In this type of ink jet recording apparatus, a carrier on which a recording head is mounted is reciprocally movable in a straight line, and a recording medium is conveyed in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the carrier. The main scanning by the carrier and the sub-scanning by the medium conveyance are combined to perform printing. In recent years, it has been proposed that an image reading sensor is provided on a carrier of such a recording apparatus, or a recording cartridge and an image reading cartridge are exchanged to use the recording apparatus as an image reading apparatus.

In a recording apparatus using the ink jet recording system, it is important to maintain a predetermined distance between the ink ejection surface of the recording head and the recording surface of the recording medium.

For example, if the distance between the recording head and the recording medium is too small, the recording medium having irregularities due to recording may rub against the recording head to stain the recording medium or cause a sheet jam. . On the other hand, if the distance between the recording head and the recording medium is too wide, the direction of the ink ejected from each nozzle of the recording head has some variation, and thus the recording quality may deteriorate.

Therefore, conventionally, it has been necessary to keep the ink ejection surface of the recording head and the recording surface of the recording medium at an appropriate distance within a certain range.

Similarly in the image reading apparatus, it is important to maintain a predetermined distance between the reading section of the image reading head and the reading surface of the original medium.

The image reading device illuminates an original and reads the reflected light through the lens by the image reading element. Therefore, when the distance between the image reading device and the document medium becomes wider, the reflected light returns and becomes darker, and even a document of the same density is recognized as a darker image by the image reading device. Conversely, when the space becomes narrower, the reflected light returns. The light that comes in becomes brighter, and it is recognized as a brighter image. That is, even if a document having a uniform density is read, the read data has uneven density.

[0009]

In the ink jet recording apparatus, it suffices that the distance between the recording head and the recording medium be within a proper value range having a certain width during use of the apparatus, but in an image reading apparatus, it is appropriate. Even if the value is within the range, there is a problem that uneven density occurs when the distance between the reading head and the document medium changes within one reading operation.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems of the prior art, and is an ink jet recording apparatus in which the ink jet recording apparatus can be used as an image reading apparatus by exchanging the recording head and the image reading head.
An object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording apparatus that can be equipped with an image reading head so that a document having a uniform density can be read without uneven density.

[0011]

Therefore, the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention achieves the above object by the following constitution.

(1) A carrier in which ink jet recording means for ejecting ink toward a recording medium and image reading means for reading an image on an image medium are exchangeably mounted, and recording is performed in a direction substantially orthogonal to the scanning direction of the carrier. An ink jet recording apparatus having a medium and a conveying means for conveying an image medium, wherein the image medium conveyed and read by the conveying means comes into contact with the image reading means mounted on the carrier.

(2) The image medium carried by the carrying means is brought into contact with the image reading means mounted on the carrier by changing the paper path of the carrying means. The inkjet recording device described.

(3) To change the paper path of the conveying means, the conveying means has a pinch roller for conveying the image medium by bringing the image medium into pressure contact with the conveying roller, and changing the position where the pinch roller makes pressure contact. The ink jet recording apparatus according to (2), wherein the paper path is changed.

(4) The ink jet recording means is provided with an electrothermal converter that generates thermal energy for ejecting ink to be recorded.
The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of (1) to (3).

(5) The ink jet recording means is characterized in that the ink is ejected from the ejection port toward the recording medium by utilizing the film boiling generated in the ink by the thermal energy applied from the electrothermal converter. (4)
The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims.

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION To achieve the above object, an ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention comprises an ink jet recording means for recording on a recording medium based on data, and a reciprocating straight line on a carrier on which the ink jet recording means can be mounted. A main scanning unit for moving, a sub-scanning unit for conveying a recording medium in a direction substantially orthogonal to the scanning direction of the carrier by the main scanning unit, and an image reading device provided on the carrier so as to be replaceable with the recording unit, An inkjet recording apparatus, comprising: the image reading apparatus and a document medium in contact with each other.

In such a recording apparatus, the ink jet recording means is replaceable.

Further, the ink jet recording means is provided with an electrothermal converter for generating thermal energy for ejecting ink, and further, the heat applied by the electrothermal converter is further applied to the ink jet recording means. It is characterized in that the ink is ejected from the ejection port by utilizing the film boiling generated in the ink by the energy.

When the ink jet recording apparatus having the above-mentioned structure is used as an image reading apparatus, the reading portion of the image reading apparatus is brought into contact with the original.

As a result, the distance between the reading portion of the image reading device and the document is kept constant, so that accurate reading can be performed.

The detailed structure and form will be described by way of examples.

[0023]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an embodiment of an ink jet recording apparatus having an image reading function of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the ink jet recording apparatus according to this embodiment includes a carrier 5, and a head cartridge 3 in which an ink tank 32 is housed in a recording head 31 which constitutes an ink jet recording means is provided in the carrier 5. It is installed. The carrier 5 is slidably supported in the axial direction by a guide shaft 51 and a guide rail 8. The carrier 5 is driven by a carrier motor 53. Details are as described below.

Recording is performed on the recording paper P by driving the recording head 31 in synchronization with the reciprocating movement (main scanning) of the carrier 5 by the main scanning means and ejecting ink in accordance with the recording signal. is there. That is, the recording head 31 generates a fine liquid discharge port (orifice), a liquid passage and an energy acting portion provided in a part of the liquid passage, and a droplet forming energy that acts on the liquid in the acting portion. Equipped with generating means. Specifically, the generating means has a heating element, vaporizes ink by heat energy generated by the heating element to generate a bubble, and expands the bubble to eject an ink droplet. Such a recording head is called a bubble jet recording head.

The carrier 5 is characterized in that an image reading cartridge can be replaced and mounted, and the details will be described later.

When one line is printed by the main scanning of the carrier 5, the recording paper P is conveyed (sub-scanning) to perform the next line recording. The sub-scanning means for conveying the recording paper P is It is performed by a first rotating body pair including a transport roller 11 that is a first rotating body and a pinch roller 12 that abuts on the conveying roller 11, and a second rotating body pair including a discharge roller 13 and a spur 14 that abuts on the discharging roller 13. Be seen. The drive of these transport rollers is performed by the transport motor 15.

The characteristic structure of the embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

[First Embodiment] Next, a first embodiment of the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 2 to 4 are sectional views of a main part of the recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a state in which a recording head cartridge is mounted and plain paper is conveyed as a recording medium, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a state in which an image reading cartridge is mounted and plain paper is conveyed as a document medium, and FIG. 4 is a state in which a recording head cartridge is mounted and an envelope is conveyed as a recording medium. 5 and 6 are schematic perspective views of the head cartridge of this embodiment. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the second conveying means.

{Schematic Structure of Recording Device} The structure of the main part of the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. Recording medium P (P
1 is plain paper, P2 is an envelope) or original medium Q is the insertion slot 1
And the recording medium is conveyed by the first conveying means 2 onto the supporting member 4 facing the recording head cartridge 3. The recording head cartridge 3 or the carrier 5 on which the image reading cartridge 100 is mounted is scanned in the main scanning direction (direction perpendicular to the recording medium conveyance direction) with respect to the recording medium P, and according to the image signal, Ink is ejected from 3 to perform recording. Then, the recorded recording medium P is ejected to the outside of the apparatus by the second conveying means 6.

When the recording device is used as an image reading device, the image reading cartridge 100 has an outer shape compatible with the recording head cartridge 3 and is mounted on the carrier 5 instead of the recording head cartridge 3.
Is used, the image of the original medium Q conveyed instead of the recording medium P is read by using main scanning and sub-scanning for recording. Electrical signals are exchanged between the recording apparatus main body and the image reading cartridge 100 using electrical contacts for transmitting print signals between the recording head cartridge 3 and the carrier 5.

The structure of each of the above parts will be described below.

(First Conveying Means) The first conveying means 2 according to the present embodiment is arranged according to the thickness of the recording medium so that the tangential direction at the contact points of the roller pairs 2a and 2b faces the support member 4, and the image. It is configured so that it can be switched according to the use of the reading device. That is, the pinch roller 2b is configured to rotate about the transport roller 2a. A holder 9 pivotally supported on both ends of the transport roller 2a through which the recording medium does not pass holds a rotary shaft 2b1 of the pinch roller 2b and a pressure contact spring 2d for biasing the pinch roller 2b to the transport roller 2a. doing. Further, the circumferentially fixed position of the holder 9 is established by fitting a protrusion provided on the bottom of the holder into a recess of the holder spring 10. Generally, the conveyance direction of the recording medium P nipped by the conveyance roller pair is the tangential direction at the contact point of the roller pair.

Therefore, the user can change the holder 9 depending on the situation.
Can be moved to switch the conveying direction of the recording medium with respect to the conveying roller 2a.

As a result, when the holder 9 is set to the position shown in FIG. 3, the original medium Q inserted from the insertion opening 1 is nipped by the pair of rollers 2a and 2b as described above and pressed against the reading head portion of the image reading cartridge. While being transported. Therefore, when the image reading cartridge is mounted instead of the recording head cartridge, the original medium Q can be brought into close contact with the reading portion, and when the thick paper such as the envelope is conveyed, the conveying direction is changed as shown in FIG. The gap between the recording head 3 and the recording medium P2 can be maintained downward.

(Recording Means) FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the recording head cartridge 3, which is a recording head cartridge 31.
And an ink tank 32 that is detachably held by the ink tank 32. The recording head cartridge 3 is provided with an ejection port surface 33 having a nozzle portion for ejecting ink for recording on the lower side portion. The head terminal portion 34 is electrically connected to the terminal portion of the carrier 5 when the recording head cartridge 3 is mounted on the carrier 5, and receives an electric signal for performing ejection. The positioning holes 35 and 36 are fitted with head positioning pins (not shown) provided on the carrier 5 to ensure positioning with respect to the carrier 5.

Ink is stored inside the ink tank 32 while being held by the ink absorber 37. The ink tank 32 is detachably fixed while transmitting ink to the recording head cartridge by an ink conducting tube (not shown).

The recording head cartridge 3 records an ink image on the recording medium P conveyed by the first conveying means 2 in accordance with image information. As a recording unit in this apparatus, an ink jet recording system for discharging ink from a recording head for recording is used. That is, the recording head includes a fine liquid discharge port (orifice), a liquid passage, and an energy acting portion provided in a part of the liquid passage,
It is provided with an energy generating means for generating a droplet forming energy which acts on the liquid in the action portion.

As an energy generating means for generating such energy, a recording method using an electromechanical transducer such as a piezo element, electromagnetic waves such as a laser are radiated to generate heat, and droplets are ejected by the action of the heat generation. There are a recording method using an energy generating means, a recording method using an energy generating means for heating a liquid by an electrothermal converter such as a heating element having a heating resistor, and discharging the liquid.

Among them, the recording head used in the ink jet recording method of ejecting by thermal energy is
Since liquid ejection ports (orifices) for ejecting recording liquid droplets to form a recording can be arranged at a high density, high-resolution recording can be performed. Therefore, the recording head using the electrothermal converter as the energy generating means can easily be made compact, and has the advantages of the IC technology and the microfabrication technology, which have been remarkably improved in technology and reliability in the recent semiconductor field. This is advantageous because it can be used for a short time, high-density mounting is easy, and the manufacturing cost is low.

(Image Reading Unit) The image reading unit has an outer shape compatible with the recording head cartridge 3, and is mounted on the carrier 5 instead of the recording head cartridge 3 so that the recording medium P is conveyed instead of the recording medium P. The image of the document medium Q to be read is read.

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the image reading cartridge 100 of this embodiment. The image reading cartridge 100 includes a recording head cartridge 3 and an ink tank 32 shown in FIG. It has a compatible external shape.

Inside the image reading head cartridge 100, an LED 106 for illuminating the document surface 105 and a sensor 102 for detecting light are provided. LED10
The LED light emitted from 6 illuminates the document surface 105 through the LED opening. The image light on the document surface 105 passes through the field lens 104 provided in the sensor opening, the optical path is bent at a right angle by the mirror 103, and the imaging lens 10 is formed.
1, and an image is formed on the sensor 102.

(Carrier) As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the carrier 5 has the recording head cartridge 3 removably mounted therein and is arranged in a direction (main scanning direction) orthogonal to the conveying direction of the recording medium P. It is for reciprocating movement. The carrier 5 has a bearing portion 5a on one end side pivotally supported by a cylindrical lead screw 7 installed in the main scanning direction, and a guide member 5b on the other end side slidably supported on a guide rail 8 on the apparatus main body side. Has been done.

The lead screw 7 is provided with a spiral groove (not shown), and a pin (not shown) in the bearing portion 5a.
Is engaged with. As a result, the lead screw 7 rotates in the forward and reverse directions by the transmission of the driving force from the driving source (not shown),
The carrier 5 carrying the recording head cartridge 3 reciprocates in the main scanning direction with high accuracy and stability.

(Second Conveying Means) The second conveying means 6 includes a discharging roller 6a which is rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 2 by a driving means (not shown), and a spur 6b which is driven to rotate in pressure contact with the discharging roller 6a. have. The spur 6b is the recording medium P
It contacts the recording surface side of, and its axial position is fixed. The discharge roller 6a contacts the non-recording surface side of the recording medium P, and the spur 6a
The contact portion, which is a portion facing b, can be deformed.

That is, the discharge roller 6a is formed of an elastic member such as rubber as a thin conical roller as shown in FIG. The discharge roller 6a is fixed in axial position by a shaft 6c, but the outer peripheral portion facing the spur 6b is elastically deformed according to the thickness of the recording medium P held.
The pressure contact force between the discharge rollers 6a and 6b is
It is obtained by elastic deformation of a.

As a result, the recording medium P on which recording has been performed is sandwiched between the discharge rollers 6a and 6b, and the discharge roller 6a is conveyed while being elastically deformed according to the thickness of the recording medium P.

In the embodiment, the conveying roller is arranged on the recording surface side and the driven roller (pinch roller) is arranged on the non-recording surface side. However, conversely, the conveying roller is driven on the non-recording surface side. The roller may be arranged on the recording surface side.

(Other Embodiments) The present invention is an ink jet type recording head for recording by forming flying droplets by utilizing thermal energy among the ink jet recording systems, and is excellent in a recording apparatus. It has an effect.

The typical configuration and principle are described in, for example, US Pat. Nos. 4,723,129 and 4,740.
It is preferable to use the basic principle disclosed in the specification of Japanese Patent No. 796. This method can be applied to both the so-called on-demand type and continuous type. In particular, in the case of the on-demand type, liquid (ink)
By applying at least one drive signal to the electrothermal converter arranged corresponding to the sheet or liquid path in which the liquid crystal is held, which corresponds to the recorded information and causes a rapid temperature rise exceeding nucleate boiling. , It is effective because it generates heat energy in the electrothermal converter, causes film boiling on the heat acting surface of the recording head, and effectively forms bubbles in the liquid (ink) corresponding to this drive signal on a one-to-one basis. is there. By the growth and contraction of the liquid, the liquid (ink) is ejected through the ejection opening to form at least one droplet. When the drive signal is formed into a pulse shape, the growth and shrinkage of the bubble are performed immediately and appropriately, so that the ejection of a liquid (ink) having particularly excellent responsiveness can be achieved, which is more preferable.

As the pulse-shaped drive signal, those described in US Pat. Nos. 4,463,359 and 4,345,262 are suitable. If the conditions described in US Pat. No. 4,313,124 of the invention relating to the rate of temperature rise on the heat acting surface are adopted, more excellent recording can be performed.

As the constitution of the recording head, in addition to the combination constitution of the ejection port, the liquid passage, and the electrothermal converter (the straight liquid passage or the right-angled liquid passage) as disclosed in the above-mentioned respective specifications, U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,333 and U.S. Pat. No. 44, which disclose a configuration in which a heat acting portion is arranged in a bending region.
A configuration using the specification of Japanese Patent No. 59600 is also included in the present invention.

In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-123670 discloses a structure in which a common slit is used as a discharge portion of an electrothermal converter for a plurality of electrothermal converters, and a pressure wave of thermal energy is absorbed. The effect of the present invention is effective even if the structure is based on Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-138461, which discloses a structure in which the opening corresponds to the ejection portion.

Further, the present invention can be applied to a full line type recording head having a length corresponding to the maximum width of a recording medium which can be recorded by the recording apparatus. As such a recording head, a combination of a plurality of recording heads can be used to satisfy the length, or the recording head can be formed integrally.
Any of the configurations as individual recording heads may be used.

Regarding the type and number of recording heads to be mounted, for example, only one is provided corresponding to a single color ink, or a plurality of inks having different recording colors and densities are supported. A plurality of pieces may be provided.

In addition, as the form of the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention, in addition to the one used as an image output terminal of an information processing apparatus such as a computer, a copying apparatus combined with a reader or the like, and a facsimile apparatus having a transmitting / receiving function. May take the form of.

[0059]

As described above, the present invention has an optical carrier which can mount an image reading cartridge and a recording head interchangeably, and which can sequentially read an image on a recording medium as the carrier moves. An ink jet recording apparatus capable of being converted into an image reading apparatus, in which a pinch roller of a conveying unit is moved to bring a conveyed document medium into close contact with a reading head, so that the distance between the image reading apparatus and the document medium is kept constant, Highly accurate reading can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a form of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is equipped with the recording head cartridge of the embodiment,
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a state where plain paper is being conveyed as a recording medium.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a state in which the image reading cartridge of the embodiment is mounted and plain paper is conveyed as a document medium.

FIG. 4 is equipped with the recording head cartridge of the embodiment,
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a state where an envelope is being conveyed as a recording medium.

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the image reading cartridge of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the recording head cartridge of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of a discharge roller and a spur of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Insertion Port 2 First Conveying Means 2a Conveying Rollers 2b Pinch Roller 3 Recording Head Cartridge 4 Supporting Member 5 Carrier 6 Second Conveying Means 9 Holder 100 Image Reading Cartridge P Recording Medium Q Original Medium

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A carrier in which an ink jet recording unit for ejecting ink toward a recording medium and an image reading unit for reading an image on an image medium are exchangeably mounted, and a recording medium in a direction substantially orthogonal to a scanning direction of the carrier. An inkjet recording apparatus comprising: and a conveying unit configured to convey an image medium, wherein the image reading unit mounted on the carrier is in contact with an image medium that is conveyed and read by the conveying unit. 2. The contact of the image medium carried by the carrying means with the image reading means mounted on the carrier,
The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the contact is made by changing a paper path of the conveying unit. 3. The paper path of the carrying means is changed by the carrying means having a pinch roller for carrying the image medium by bringing the image medium into press contact with the carrying roller, and changing the position where the pinch roller comes into press contact. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the path is changed. 4. The ink jet recording device according to claim 1, wherein the ink jet recording means includes an electrothermal converter that generates heat energy for ejecting ink to be recorded. apparatus. 5. The ink jet recording means ejects the ink toward a recording medium from an ejection port by utilizing film boiling generated in the ink by thermal energy applied from the electrothermal converter. The inkjet recording device according to claim 4.