JPH11105309A - Recording head and ink recording device using same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate the adjusting of a plurality of recording heads each ejecting different ink. SOLUTION: A plurality of recording heads 1a-1d in a color head block for forming an image by ejecting inks each having different color from nozzles C1-C64, K1-K64, M1-M64, Y1-Y64 are mounted on a carriage 3 which is scanned. The corresponding nozzles C1-C64, K1-K64, M1-M64, Y1-Y64 on the respective recording heads are arranged roughly straight on a line.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording head for an ink jet recording apparatus, a copying machine, a facsimile or the like, and an ink recording apparatus using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium such as paper using ink has been used as an output device such as a facsimile or a computer. Particularly in recent years, there has been an increasing demand for high-speed image forming apparatuses.

[0003] An ink recording apparatus is provided with a carriage on which a recording head and an ink tank for supplying ink to the recording head are mounted. Ink is ejected from the recording head by scanning of the carriage, and the ink is ejected onto paper. Pictures and characters are formed.

As shown in FIG. 7, the carriage 3 has a black recording head 1a having 64 nozzle holes K1 to K64 in the paper feeding direction, and 64 nozzle holes C1.
To C64, magenta recording heads 1c and 6 having 64 nozzle holes M1 to M64.
The color head block 22 includes a yellow recording head 1d having four nozzle holes Y1 to Y64. The intervals between the recording heads 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d are maintained at three-dot intervals to prevent mutual color bleeding.
Further, adjacent to the color head block 22, a black head block 23 including a black exclusive recording head 1e having 192 nozzle holes K65 to K256 is arranged.

After the parallelism between the carriage guide shaft 4 and the color head block 22 is adjusted by the adjustment lever 24a, the carriage is fixed to the side wall surface of the carriage 3.

Here, each color recording head 1a, 1b, 1
A method of adjusting the position between c, 1d, and 1e will be described.

First, the color recording heads 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d on the color head block are simultaneously printed on the paper 11, the distance between the reference nozzle holes of each color recording head is measured, and the deviation amount is adjusted as described above. Correction is made by 24a.

The perpendicularity of the recording head 1e on the black head block 23 with respect to the carriage guide shaft 4 is measured after printing on the paper 11 by the recording head 1e, and the deviation is corrected by the adjustment lever 24c.

Further, the recording head 1e on the black head block 23 and the recording head 1a on the color head block 22 are simultaneously printed on the paper 11, the interval between the recording head reference nozzle holes is measured, and the amount of displacement is adjusted by the adjustment lever 24b. The correction is completed by moving the black head block 23 in parallel with the color head block 22.

In FIG. 8, in addition to the recording heads 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d, the color head block 30 includes a small-diameter cyan recording head 1f having 64 nozzle holes SC1 to SC64, and 64 nozzles. Hole SM1 to SM
And a small-diameter magenta recording head 1g having 64 heads. Also in FIG. 8, the recording head adjustment for each color is performed in the same procedure as the adjustment of the color head block 22 described above.

[0011]

In the arrangement of the recording heads in such a conventional color head block, the distance between the reference nozzles must be measured for each recording head of each color. Takes time.

In addition, since print heads of the same color but having different nozzle diameters exist as different print heads and are arranged at a distance from each other, there is a problem that the amount of displacement increases when the heads are tilted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a technique capable of easily adjusting a plurality of recording heads for ejecting inks of different colors.

[0014]

In order to solve this problem, a recording head according to the present invention is mounted on a carriage, and by scanning the carriage, inks of mutually different colors are discharged from nozzle holes to a recording medium. A plurality of recording heads in a color head block for forming an image, in which nozzle holes corresponding to each other are arranged substantially in a straight line.

Thus, by correcting the inclination of the recording head between the two colors, the inclination of the recording heads of all colors can be corrected, and adjustment between a plurality of recording heads can be easily performed. .

The recording head of the present invention is mounted on a carriage, and a plurality of recording heads in a color head block for forming an image on a recording medium by ejecting inks of mutually different colors from nozzle holes by scanning the carriage. This is a head in which nozzle holes corresponding to each other are arranged substantially in a straight line, and nozzle holes having different diameters for ejecting ink of the same color are provided in the same print head.

Thus, it is possible to reduce the amount of deviation between nozzle holes having different diameters for discharging ink of the same color.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is a color printer which is mounted on a carriage and which forms images on a recording medium by ejecting inks of mutually different colors from nozzle holes by scanning the carriage. A plurality of recording heads in the head block, wherein the mutually corresponding nozzle holes of the respective recording heads are arranged substantially in a straight line,
Performing the inclination correction of the recording head between the two colors makes it possible to perform the inclination correction of the recording heads of all the colors, and has an effect that adjustment between a plurality of recording heads can be easily performed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a color head block which is mounted on a carriage and which forms an image on a recording medium by ejecting inks of mutually different colors from nozzle holes by scanning the carriage. A plurality of recording heads, in which nozzle holes corresponding to each other are arranged substantially in a straight line, and nozzle holes having different diameters for ejecting ink of the same color are provided in the same recording head. This has the effect of reducing the amount of displacement between nozzle holes having different diameters for discharging ink of the same color.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a color head block which is mounted on a carriage and ejects inks of mutually different colors from nozzle holes by scanning of the carriage to form an image on a recording medium. A plurality of recording heads, and the nozzle holes corresponding to each other of the recording heads are arranged substantially on a straight line except for the nozzle holes for discharging light-colored ink, so that the size of the carriage can be reduced. Has the effect of being able to

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink recording apparatus using the recording head according to the first, second, or third aspect, wherein adjustment between recording heads can be easily performed without increasing costs. It has the effect that it can be performed.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. In these drawings, the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicate description is omitted.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an ink recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an ink holding container in the ink recording apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a head block attached to a carriage of the apparatus, FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a head block provided with nozzles having different diameters attached to the carriage of the ink recording apparatus of FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a modified head block attached to the carriage of the ink recording apparatus. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an adjustment lever used in the head block shown in FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 1, a carriage 3 on which a recording head 1 and an ink tank 2 for supplying ink to the recording head 1 are mounted is arranged in parallel with a printing surface of a sheet 11 as a recording medium. A pulley 7 and a drive pulley 8 supported by the carriage guide shaft 4 and the carriage guide 5 and rotatably supported by the side plate 6.
And is engaged with the timing belt 9 stretched between them. The timing belt 9 is driven by a drive motor 10 via a drive pulley 8, and is rotationally driven in conjunction with forward and reverse rotation of the drive motor 10. Thereby, the carriage 3 is moved in the left and right direction (arrow A) by the timing belt 9.
Is reciprocated.

The paper 11 is moved by the pickup roller 12 in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the carriage 3 (direction of arrow B).
And is fixed by being pressed in the direction of arrow B by the feed roller 13.

The photocoupler 1 is located near the drive motor 10.
4 are installed. The photocoupler 14 is a home position detecting unit of the carriage 3. The carriage 3 is detected at an arbitrary position near the photocoupler 14, and the rotation direction of the drive motor 10 is switched. The image recording signal is sent to the recording head 1 in a timely manner with respect to the movement of the carriage 3 on which the recording head 1 is mounted, and ink droplets are ejected at predetermined positions on the paper 11 to record on the paper 11. Done. Further, at the time of recording the next line, the paper 11 is fed by the feed roller 13 by a predetermined amount of arrow B.
It is performed appropriately after being sent in the direction.

A cap member 15 is disposed at one moving end of the recording head 1 mounted on the carriage 3.
The cap member 15 performs suction recovery of the recording head 1 through an opening formed in the cap, and the recording head 1
To prevent clogging of the ink discharge unit with the dried ink, and supplies the ink in the ink tank 2 to the ink discharge unit. A cleaning blade 16 is arranged near the cap member 15. This cleaning blade 1
Numeral 6 is adapted to move to and away from the recording head 1 when the recording head 1 is sucked by the cap member 15 or when extra ink adheres to the surface of the recording head 1 after printing. , This excess ink is removed.

A cam (not shown) for transmitting a driving force to the cap member 15 and the cleaning blade 16 is provided for performing the suction recovery, the cleaning operation, and the like at a predetermined position. It is rotated in conjunction with the rotation of a cleaning motor (not shown) supported by the main body support plate. The timing of suction recovery, blade operation, and the like is controlled by detecting the home position detection signal by the photocoupler 14 when the carriage 3 comes to the home position side area, and controlling the rotation operation of the motor at a predetermined timing by desired processing. It is configured to be performed.

Next, an example of an ink holding structure composed of the recording head 1, the ink tank 2, and the like and its operation will be described with reference to FIG.

The ink holding container 17 includes a recording head 1 for printing on the paper 11, an ink absorber 18 impregnated with ink, a filter 19 for filtering ink traveling from the ink absorber 18 to the recording head 1, An air communication port 20 opened to introduce air into the ink holding container 17 containing the ink absorber 18 and an ink supply port 21 formed between the ink holding container 17 and the recording head 1 are formed. Be composed.

The ink absorber 18 absorbs and retains the ink by capillary force, and is formed by foaming a mixture of polyether polyol, toluene diisocyanate, silicon, tertiary amine and the like. And communicating ether-based urethane foams. The ink absorber 18 is compressed by an arbitrary volume and inserted and held in the ink holding container 17 with almost no gap. The recording head 1 selectively discharges ink onto the paper 11 in accordance with the print signal, and forms a picture or a character formed of a matrix of dots on the paper 11.

Here, as a method of discharging ink, bubbles of a desired size are formed in the ink by heating a heater disposed in the flow path of the ink, and the ink droplets are discharged to the paper by the pressure. A well-known method is to use a piezo element or the like to eject ink by a volume change due to a change in the piezo element.

The filter 19 is disposed immediately above the ink supply port 21 which is a connecting portion between the ink holding container 17 and the recording head 1, and is attached to the ink supply port 21 by ultrasonic welding or the like. The ink absorber 18 is locally compressed in the vicinity of the filter 19 to create a state in which the capillary force is stronger than in other parts, and the retained ink is filtered by the filter 19.
It is configured to be collected in the vicinity. Filter 19
When the ink held in the ink absorber 18 is supplied to the recording head 1, dust in the ink,
Air bubbles remaining at the time of filling the ink inside, and dust and the like that have entered through the gap between the ink holding container 17 and the ink absorber 18 are filtered to prevent clogging of the recording head 1 caused by these.

The atmosphere communication port 20 is provided on the upper part of the ink holding container 17 for communicating the inside of the ink holding container 17 with the atmosphere. If ink continues to be ejected from the recording head 1 to the paper 11, the pressure in the ink holding container 17 decreases by the reduced amount of the ink volume. Is introduced, a rapid pressure change in the ink holding container 17 is prevented.

Next, the structure of the head block composed of the recording heads of each color and the position adjustment between these recording heads will be described with reference to FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, the carriage 3 has a black recording head 1a having 64 nozzle holes K1 to K64 in the paper feeding direction, and a cyan recording head 1b also having 64 nozzle holes C1 to C64. A magenta recording head 1c also having 64 nozzle holes M1 to M64, and a color head block 22 having a yellow recording head 1d also having 64 nozzle holes Y1 to Y64. Then, each recording head 1a, 1b,
The intervals between 1c and 1d are kept at three dot intervals to prevent mutual color bleeding.

The recording heads 1a, 1b, 1c,
1d mutually corresponding nozzle holes K1 to K64, C1 to C
64, M1 to M64, and Y1 to Y64 are arranged substantially on a straight line. That is, the nozzle hole K1 of the black recording head 1a, the nozzle hole C1 of the cyan recording head 1b, the nozzle hole M1 of the magenta recording head 1c, and the nozzle hole Y1 of the yellow recording head 1d are arranged substantially on a straight line. Hole K64, nozzle hole C64, nozzle hole M6
4, up to the nozzle hole Y64 are arranged substantially in a straight line.

Further, adjacent to the color head block 22, there is arranged a black head block 23 having a black exclusive recording head 1e having 192 nozzle holes K65 to K256.

As shown in FIG. 6, the adjusting levers 24a, 24b and 24c for adjusting the positions of the color head block 22 and the black head block 23 are formed on a lever main body 24f and one end of the lever main body 24f. The fulcrum projection 24d, which is formed as a rotation fulcrum,
Eccentric cam 24 formed between d and lever body 24f
e, and a fixing projection 24g formed on the other end of the lever main body 24f to perform a fixing action.

Such recording heads 1a, 1b, 1c,
The position adjustment in 1d and 1e is performed as follows.

First, 1 cm printing is performed by the nozzle hole K1 of the black recording head 1a on the color head block 22. Next, the paper 11 is transported in the B direction by the feed roller 13. Then, printing is performed on the paper 11 using the nozzle hole M1 of the magenta recording head 1c, the interval between the printing colors with the nozzle K1 is measured, and the amount of deviation between the nozzle hole K1 of the black recording head 1a and the nozzle hole M1 of the magenta recording head 1c is measured. Is corrected by the adjustment lever 24a. At this time,
The color head block 22 is rotated about the carriage fulcrum 26 by the contact point between the eccentric cam 24e and the color head block action point 25, and the adjustment is completed.

The verticality of the recording head 1e on the black head block 23 with respect to the carriage guide shaft 4 is measured after printing on the paper 11 by the recording head 1e, and the deviation is corrected by the adjustment lever 24c. At this time, the carriage fulcrum 27 of the black head block 23
Is adjusted by the contact point between the eccentric cam 24e and the black head block action point 29, and the adjustment is completed.

Further, the recording head 1e on the black head block 23 and the recording head 1a on the color head block 22 are simultaneously printed on the paper 11, the distance between the recording head reference nozzle holes is measured, and the amount of displacement is adjusted by the adjustment lever 24b. The correction is completed by moving the black head block 23 in parallel with the color head block 22.

Here, the color head block 30 shown in FIG. 4 has 64 small-diameter nozzle holes SC1 to SC64 and 64 large-diameter nozzle holes C1 to C64 instead of the recording heads 1b and 1c. Cyan recording heads 1h and 6
A magenta recording head 1i having four small-diameter nozzle holes SM1 to SM64 and 64 large-diameter nozzle holes M1 to M64 is provided. In FIG. 4, the recording head adjustment of each color is performed in the same procedure as the adjustment of the color head block 22 described above.

In this case, the small-diameter nozzle holes SC1 to SC6
4, SM1 to SM64 and large-diameter nozzle holes C1 to C64,
M1 to M64 are the same recording head 1h, 1i, respectively.
Since it is arranged on the upper side, the small-diameter nozzle holes SC1 to SC
64 and large diameter nozzle holes C1 to C64, small diameter nozzle hole S
The interval between M1 to SM64 and the large-diameter nozzle holes M1 to M64 is shortened, and the small-diameter nozzle holes SC1 to SC64 and the large-diameter nozzle holes C1 to C1 due to the inclination of the color head block 30 are reduced.
Amount of deviation from C64 and small-diameter nozzle holes SM1 to SM
64 and the large-diameter nozzle holes M1 to M64 are reduced.

Also, in FIG. 5, unlike the case shown in FIG. 3, a yellow recording head 1d having 64 nozzle holes Y1 to Y64 is arranged at a position deviated from a substantially straight nozzle row. . This is because the light color of yellow is inconspicuous in color superposition, and is therefore removed from the nozzle arrangement substantially in a straight line. Thus, the width of the color head block 30 can be reduced, and the size of the carriage 3 can be reduced.

As described above, according to the ink recording apparatus of the present embodiment, the nozzle holes K1 to K64, C1 to C64, and M of the recording heads 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d correspond to each other.
Since 1 to M64 and Y1 to Y64 are arranged substantially on a straight line, the inclination of the recording heads 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d between the two colors is corrected so that the recording heads 1a for all colors in the color head block 22 are corrected. , 1b, 1c, and 1d.

In the color head block 30 having different nozzle hole diameters, the small diameter nozzle holes SC1 to SC1 are used.
SC64, SM1 to SM64 and large-diameter nozzle holes C1 to C
64, M1 to M64, each having the same color printing head 1
h, 1i, the color head block 3
Nozzle holes SC1 to SC64, SM with small diameter due to inclination of 0
1 to SM64 and large-diameter nozzle holes C1 to C64, M1 to M
64 can be reduced.

Further, by arranging the recording head 1d for ejecting a light color ink of yellow out of a substantially linear nozzle row, the width of the color head block 30 is reduced, and the size of the carriage 3 is reduced. Can be

[0050]

As described above, according to the recording head in which the nozzle holes corresponding to each other of the recording heads are arranged substantially in a straight line, by correcting the inclination of the recording head between the two colors, all colors can be corrected. Since the inclination correction of the recording head can be performed, an effective effect that adjustment between a plurality of recording heads can be easily performed can be obtained.

In addition, according to the recording head, the nozzle holes of the respective recording heads corresponding to each other are arranged substantially in a straight line, and the nozzle holes of different diameters for ejecting ink of the same color are provided in the same recording head. If this is the case, an effective effect of reducing the amount of displacement between nozzle holes having different diameters for ejecting the same color ink can be obtained.

Further, according to the recording heads in which the nozzle holes corresponding to each other are arranged substantially in a straight line except for the nozzle holes for discharging light-colored ink, the size of the carriage is reduced. An effective effect is obtained.

According to the ink recording apparatus using such a recording head, an effective effect that adjustment between recording heads can be easily performed without increasing the cost is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an ink recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an ink holding container in the ink recording apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a head block attached to a carriage of the ink recording apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a head block in which nozzles having different diameters are mounted on a carriage of the ink recording apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a modified head block attached to a carriage of the ink recording apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an adjustment lever used in the head block shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6;

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a conventional head block.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a conventional head block in which nozzles having different diameters are arranged.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a to 1i Recording head 3 Carriage 11 Paper (recording medium) C1 to C64 Nozzle hole K1 to K64 Nozzle hole M1 to M64 Nozzle hole SC1 to SC64 Nozzle hole SM1 to SM64 Nozzle hole Y1 to Y64 Nozzle hole

Claims (4)

[Claims] A plurality of recording heads in a color head block mounted on a carriage and ejecting inks of mutually different colors from nozzle holes by scanning of the carriage to form an image on a recording medium; The recording head according to claim 1, wherein said nozzle holes corresponding to each other of said recording head are arranged substantially on a straight line. 2. A plurality of recording heads in a color head block mounted on a carriage and ejecting inks of mutually different colors from nozzle holes by scanning of the carriage to form an image on a recording medium. Wherein the nozzle holes corresponding to each other of the recording heads are arranged substantially on a straight line, and the nozzle holes having different diameters for ejecting ink of the same color are provided in the same recording head. . 3. A plurality of recording heads in a color head block mounted on a carriage and configured to form an image on a recording medium by ejecting inks of mutually different colors from nozzle holes by scanning the carriage. The recording head according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle holes corresponding to each other of the recording head are arranged substantially in a straight line except for the nozzle holes that eject light-colored ink. 4. An ink recording apparatus using the recording head according to claim 1, 2 or 3.