JPS61266250A - Ink jet recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the inferiority of discharge or the like at the initial imaging time just after application of power source, by providing the ink discharge measures carrying out recording on the material to be recorded and the discharge optimization measures optimizing the discharge conditions according to the ambient conditions when electrically driven. CONSTITUTION:A system controller 1 has ROM in which procedure is stored, CPU executing the procedure, etc., and a head unit 3 has the liquid chamber feeding ink to the head 3A discharging ink or the like. The head driver 5 drives a head 3A according to the imaging signal from the controller 1. The pumping apparatus 7 having the pump sucking ink from the head 3A or the like, is established at a position of the carriage facing the head 3A to cap the nozzle of head 3A. The temperature detector 9 detecting the ambient temperature has the temperature sensor 9A installed near the head 3A and the comparator 9B supplying a detection signal ST to the controller 1 by comparing its temperature with a fixed value. a console 11 has an operation measures like the key of operator or the like, supervisory display measures of the state of apparatus, ambient conditions, etc.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention applies ejection energy to liquid (ink) to form ejected droplets, which are attached to a recording material such as paper for recording. The present invention relates to an inkjet recording device.

[Summary of the Disclosure] When an inkjet recording apparatus is started up, ink ejection conditions are optimized according to environmental conditions.

This makes it possible to prevent ejection failure during initial printing immediately after power is turned on due to environmental conditions.

Note that this summary is provided solely for the purpose of quickly accessing the technical content of the present invention, and does not have any influence on the technical scope of the present invention or the interpretation of rights.

[Prior Art] The inkjet recording method applies ejection energy to a recording liquid (ink) to form ejected droplets, which are ejected from a nozzle part of a head and attached to a recording material such as paper, thereby recording. This is a recording method that performs

Conventionally, inkjet recording devices employing this inkjet recording method are classified according to the ejected droplet formation method: those using charge control, those using piezo method,
There are many different forms, such as those that utilize heat.

On the other hand, the recording properties of the recording liquid used when recording with an inkjet recording device are as follows.

Water-based recording liquids are mainly used for safety reasons.

This aqueous recording liquid is generally formed from a recording agent component such as a pigment or dye, and a solvent component mainly consisting of water or water and a water-soluble organic solvent for dissolving or dispersing the recording agent component.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The viscosity of such ink changes depending on environmental conditions; for example, the viscosity of the ink increases at low temperatures, and as a result, the viscosity exceeds the range suitable for ejecting the recording liquid. Therefore, during the initial printing immediately after the power is turned on, droplets are not ejected even though the ejection signal is applied, which tends to cause droplet ejection failure, resulting in printing defects. was there.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention eliminates such problems and provides an inkjet recording device that can prevent ejection failures and the like during initial printing immediately after power is turned on due to environmental conditions. In order to achieve this object, the present invention is characterized by comprising an ejection optimization means that ejects ink in accordance with the supply of ejection energy to optimize ejection conditions by the ink ejection means.

[Function] In other words, even if the ink that has accumulated near the ejection opening of the ink ejection means is in an inappropriate state for ejection depending on environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity, the ejection conditions can be optimized prior to printing. Therefore, ejection failure during initial printing can be prevented.

[Example] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of the main parts of the inkjet recording apparatus of the present invention. This example includes a carriage movable in a predetermined direction of the recording surface of the recording paper, one or more liquid jet recording units are mounted on the carriage to perform recording, and a predetermined position not facing the recording surface, For example, a suction mechanism is disposed at the home position to optimize ejection by sucking ink from the nozzle part during initial printing, etc., and the system controller controls the following parts:
For example, it may be a microprocessor having a ROM that stores the processing procedure shown in the second figure and a CPU that executes the processing procedure. A head unit 3 includes a head 3A for ejecting ink, a liquid chamber for supplying ink to the head 3A, and is mounted on a carriage (not shown). A head driver 5 drives the head 3A in response to a printing signal from the system controller l.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a pumping device as a suction means having a suction mechanism such as a pump for sucking ink from the head 3A, and is provided at a position facing the head 3A at the home position of the carriage. can be capped.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a temperature detector for detecting temperature as an environmental condition, including a temperature sensor 8A provided near the head 3A, and a comparator for comparing the temperature with a predetermined value and supplying a detection signal ST to the system controller l. It has 8B. Here, if the temperature sensor 8A is configured using a thermocouple or a semiconductor, highly accurate temperature detection can be easily realized. Note that this temperature sensor 9A is not only provided near the head as in this example, but may also be provided at any desired location such as an ink supply pipe, an ink storage means, etc., as long as the temperature conditions can be appropriately detected. I can do it. Further, the comparator 9B may generate the detection signal ST when the detected temperature is within a temperature range where ejection failures tend to occur, for example, 10'O or less. Note that this temperature range can be set to any desired value according to the viscosity characteristics of the ink using a console having means or the like. Also, in the old version, there was a head feed motor that drove the carriage in a predetermined direction, and M2 was a paper feed motor that transported the recording paper towards the recording position facing the head 3A and removed it.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a recording processing procedure by the inkjet recording apparatus according to this embodiment. When the power is turned on, first, in step 5TPI, it is determined based on the detection signal ST whether the ink is within a temperature range suitable for ejection. If the temperature is above the set temperature, the process immediately proceeds to step 5TP5, and if it is determined that the temperature is below the set temperature, that is, a low temperature inappropriate for ejection, the process proceeds to step 5TP3, where the head 3A and the bombing device are bonded. In step 5TP5, for example, console 1
It is determined whether or not there is a print start command from scratch, and if there is a print start command, the input data D is determined in step 5TP7.
Perform printing processing for the 1st prize. After this printing process, or if there is no command to start printing, it is determined in step 5TP9 whether or not there is a pumping command, and if the determination is positive, the process goes to step 5TP3, and if the determination is negative, the process goes to step 5TP5. Return. This pumping command can be provided, for example, in the console 11 with a pumping command key, and can be given in response to the operation of the pumping command key, that is, can be given manually, or can be given in response to the detection signal ST. Alternatively, both may be used together.

In this embodiment, an inkjet recording apparatus was described in which processing was performed using temperature conditions as environmental conditions; however, it is of course possible to perform processing in accordance with environmental conditions such as humidity and pressure. be.

Further, in the embodiment, an inkjet recording apparatus in which a head unit is mounted on a carriage has been described, but the present invention can easily be applied to a so-called full multi-type inkjet recording apparatus that is equipped with a plurality of units in the width direction of recording paper. Of course, it can be applied to

Furthermore, when optimizing ejection, in the above embodiment, the ejection conditions were optimized by suctioning the ink that had accumulated near the nozzle. It is also possible to use one that extrudes the ink, or one that performs preliminary ejection or heating.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, processing is performed to optimize ink ejection from the head according to environmental conditions when the apparatus is started, so that the power supply due to environmental conditions is This has the effect of preventing ejection failure during initial printing immediately after loading.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the main parts of the inkjet recording apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a recording processing procedure by the apparatus of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... System controller, 3... Head unit, 5... Head driver, 7... Bumping device, 9... Temperature detector, 11... Console.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) Ink ejection means for recording on a recording material by ejecting ink according to the supply of ejection energy, and ejection by the ink ejection means according to the environmental conditions when power is turned on. An inkjet recording device characterized by comprising an ejection optimization means for optimizing conditions. 2) In the inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, the ejection optimization means includes a refresh means for optimizing ejection conditions by refreshing ink that has stayed near the ink ejection opening of the ink ejection means. An inkjet recording device characterized by: 3) In the inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, the refresh means includes:
An inkjet recording apparatus characterized in that a suction mechanism is provided that can be joined to the ink ejection port and that sucks ink in the joined state.