JPS6277941A - Operation method of ink jet recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To avoid contamination by making the keeping of always stable ink discharge in operation possible, by a method wherein ink is idly discharged into a cap for a fixed time in recording operation and further the ink in the cap is sucked out to be exhausted each fixed setting time. CONSTITUTION:Recording heads 5A-5D together with a carriage 4 are transferred to a position HB facing the cap 7 of an ink recovery measures 6 each fixed time or each fixed length L of feed paper in recording (printing) operation. The recording heads are capped by advancing the cap 7 and at the same time ink is idly discharged into the cap by operating each ink discharge port. Further, the ink in the cap 7 is exhausted by operating a suction pump 8 each specific operation such as the exhaust operation of recording medium or the like or each fixed setting time longer than a specific time. Then, the ink discharge in recording operation can be kept stable by a simple structure and the overflow of ink can be prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field] The present invention relates to a method of operating an inkjet recording apparatus, and more particularly to a method of operating an ejection failure prevention means of an ink ejection port of a recording head.

[Prior art]

An inkjet recording device supplies ink into a recording head, and drives elements (electrothermal energy converters such as heating elements or electrical machines such as piezo elements) that correspond to a plurality of ink ejection ports formed on the front surface of the recording head. An energy converter) is driven based on a data signal, and recording is performed while forming flying ink droplets from an ink ejection port toward a recording medium (such as paper).

This type of inkjet recording device prevents ink ejection ports from clogging due to ink thickening due to evaporation of ink solvent, adhesion of dust, air bubbles, etc., and stabilizes print quality. , a camping operation in which the ink ejection port is sealed with a cap, and an ink recovery operation in which ink is ejected idly may be performed.

However, it is difficult to determine whether an ink recovery operation is necessary or not, and generally, the user visually checks the print quality and then performs the ink recovery operation based on his/her judgment.

However, there is a problem in that it is difficult to maintain stable ink ejection at all times during the recording operation using only such an ink recovery operation.

Additionally, there was a problem in that the ink accumulated in the cap due to empty discharge overflowed and easily contaminated the device.

〔the purpose〕

An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the conventional technology, to maintain stable ink ejection at all times during the recording (printing) operation, and to have a simple configuration that does not cause contamination of the device. An object of the present invention is to provide a method for operating an inkjet recording device.

(Summary) The present invention moves the recording head to a position facing an ink recovery means to camp at a fixed time period or every fixed paper feed length during a recording operation, and ejects ink into the camp. The above object is achieved by suctioning and discharging the ink in the cap at specific operations such as discharging a medium (such as paper) or at predetermined time intervals longer than the predetermined time period.

〔Example〕

The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of essential parts of an inkjet recording apparatus suitable for carrying out the method of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, a guide shaft 3 is installed in front of a recording medium 2 such as paper or plastic sheet bank-amplified on a platen 1, and a plurality of carriages (not shown) are mounted on a carriage 4 that moves in the direction of the arrow along the guide shaft. In the example of 4
) recording heads 5A, 5B, and 5C15D are mounted.

On the front surface of each of the recording heads 5A to 5D, there are a plurality of ink ejection ports (rows of dots) 9 that form dots as shown in FIG.
A to 9D are provided, and printing is performed on the printing medium 2 by driving each ink ejection port based on a data signal.

Generally, the plurality of recording heads 5A to 5D each ink color (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) for color printing.
Alternatively, it is provided for recording using dark and light inks of the same hue.

The recording medium 2 is moved by a paper feed roller (in the illustrated example, the platen l with the roller facing down also serves as the paper feed roller).

)1, the paper is fed in the direction of arrow B.

A pump suction type ink recovery means 6 is provided at the home position HP of the carriage 4.

This ink recovery means includes a cap 7 that is driven forward and backward in the direction of arrow C with respect to the recording heads 58 to 5D and closes the ink discharge ports when the recording heads 58 to 5D move forward, and a suction pump (negative pressure limit) that sucks negative pressure inside the cap. 8.

However, during the recording (printing) operation, the above-mentioned recording device prints the following data every fixed time T1 or fixed paper feed length.
The recording heads 58 to 5D are moved together with the carriage 4 to a position facing the cap 7 of the ink recovery means 6 (home position HP in the illustrated example), and the cap 7 is advanced to cap and drive each ink discharge port. The cap operates to empty ink into the cap.

Furthermore, this recording apparatus drives the suction pump 8 to remove the cap 7 during a specific operation such as an ejection operation of the recording medium, or every predetermined set time T2 longer than the predetermined time TI.
It operates to suction and discharge the ink inside.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control system that controls the above operations.

In FIG. 3, a CPU (control circuit) 10 of the recording device
is connected to the first driver (drive circuit) 1) and the second driver 12 on the carriage 4, and the first driver 1)
The carriage motor 13, the paper feed motor 14, the motor 15 for operating the ink recovery means 6, etc. are driven via the second driver 12, and the ink ejection ports 9A to 9D of the recording heads 5A to 5D are driven via the second driver 12. Ru.

The motor 15 for operating the ink recovery means is commonly used to drive the cap 7 forward and backward and to drive the suction pump 8, but depending on the case, these may be driven by separate motors.

Note that the control program for the control system shown in FIG.
It is stored in the ROM attached to 0.

Furthermore, the CPU10 has a blank discharge timing sensor 16 for detecting the elapse of the predetermined time T1 or the predetermined paper feed length during the recording operation, and specific operations such as ejecting the recording medium. or the certain period of time T
A suction timing sensor 17 is connected for detecting the passage of a fixed set time T2, which is longer than 1, and the operating method according to the invention is carried out on the basis of detection signals from these sensors 16, 17.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operating procedure of the control system shown in FIG.

In FIG. 4, when the power of the recording device is turned on, the operation starts at step 100, and the presence or absence of a print signal is determined by the steering knob 101°.If there is no print signal, step 1
The process advances to 02 and enters a print standby state.

If there is a print signal in step 101, step 103
It is determined whether a certain time T1 has elapsed (based on a timer) or whether a certain paper feed length has been reached (or whether printing has been performed over a certain length).
If NO, return to step 7 step 101 repeatedly, but if YES
If so, proceed to step 104, move the carriage 4 to a position facing the ink recovery means 6 (normal home position HP), and perform printing on the recording heads 5A to 5D. Next, in step 105, each ink discharge port 9A to 9D is moved. is driven to eject ink into the cap 7.

Subsequently, in step 106, it is determined whether a specific operation such as ejecting the recording medium 2 has occurred or whether a certain time period T2 set longer than the above-mentioned idle ejection period Tl has elapsed.

If the determination result in this step 106 is NO, the process returns to step 101 and the above operations are repeated. However, if the determination result is YES, the process proceeds to step 107 and the suction pump 8 is driven. Negative pressure suction (empty suction) of ink is performed.

Next, in step 108, it is determined whether or not there is a print signal. If there is, the process returns to step 101 and the above operations are repeated; if not, the process proceeds to step 109, and enters a print standby state.

According to the operating method of the inkjet recording device described above, in a multi-head recording device (equipped with multiple recording heads), during recording (printing) operation, a specific recording head or a specific dot (ink ejection) of each recording head is ejected. Even if some of the ink outlets (parts of the ink outlets) are not used (driven) for a long time, idle ejection is performed every fixed time T1 or fixed paper feed length L, so that the ink at each dot, that is, the ink ejection ports 9A to 9D, does not dry or dry. Thickening of viscosity was prevented, stable ink ejection was always obtained, and printing quality was able to be maintained favorably.

In addition, since the ink inside the cap 7 is automatically sucked under negative pressure after a specific operation such as ejecting the recording medium or every fixed period of time T2, the amount of ink in the camp can be kept below a certain level, and it is possible to prevent the ink from overflowing. It was possible to prevent lη staining.

Furthermore, since the idle ejection of the ink and the negative pressure suction inside the cap 7 are performed using the existing ink recovery device 6,
It can be implemented by changing only the control circuit without requiring any special equipment, and the configuration is extremely simple.

In the illustrated embodiment, 41) 1il recording head 5A is used.
5D, but the present invention can be implemented in the same manner regardless of the number of recording heads, including the case of one recording head.
-Thread 7-A- [Effects] As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, with a simple configuration, ink discharge can be maintained stably during recording operation, and ink overflow can be prevented. A method of operating an inkjet recording apparatus that can be used is obtained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of essential parts of an inkjet recording apparatus suitable for implementing the method of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the recording head in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a control system suitable for this purpose. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operating procedure of the control system of FIG. 5A to 5 D---111-Recording head, 6--Ink recovery means, 7--Cap, 8--1 Suction pump, 9A to 9 D--111-- Ink ejection opening (row of dots), A-1111-carriage (recording head)
Arrow in moving direction, B--11~-Arrow in paper feeding direction, C
−・−Movement arrow for capping.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) During the recording operation, the recording head is moved to a position facing the ink recovery means and capped at regular intervals or at regular paper feeding lengths, and ink is ejected into the cap, ejecting the recording medium. An operating method for an inkjet recording apparatus, characterized in that the ink in the cap is suctioned and discharged every specific operation such as or every predetermined set time longer than the predetermined time.