JPS6311344A - Recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To certainly confirm the presence of ink residual quantity free of the effect of the erroneous operation of an ink residual quantity detector due to the driving of an ink supply pump or the turning of a carriage, by detecting the ink residual quantity in timing such that the erroneous operation of the residual quantity detector is finished. CONSTITUTION:When a pump is driven at the time of printing inferiority, a driving signal is delayed from pump driving timing by a delay circuit 21 to be outputted to a residual quantity detection means 6 and a holding circuit 24 through an OR circuit 23. A delay time is set so as to be matched with the time elapsing before the driving of the pump is finished. The residual quantity detection means 6 performs erroneous operation by the driving of the pump to output a signal 'H' to the holding circuit 24 but returns to a normal state when the driving of the pump is finished to output a residual quantity detection signal 'L' and, therefore, when a delayed pump signal is inputted to the holding circuit 24, the holding circuit 24 outputs the residual quantity detection signal 'L' and the output thereof is held and an alarm device 25 judges that ink residual quantity is sufficient.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a liquid jet recording apparatus, and more particularly to a liquid jet recording apparatus having a remaining ink amount detecting means operated by pressure changes.

[Prior Art] In recent years, ink shell printers that record images, characters, etc. on a recording medium by ejecting ink from fine nozzles have become popular. This type of printer does not use an ink ribbon, but uses the ejection mechanism of the print head, which is connected to the ink tank through a tube, to eject liquid ink stored in an ink tank onto a recording medium such as paper as fine droplets. Recording is done by flying it. Therefore, unlike ink ribbon printers, ink sheet printers are equipped with a mechanism to detect the amount of ink remaining in the ink tank in order to prevent printing defects due to running out of ink. When the ink tank ran out, a warning sound was emitted to prompt the user to refill the ink or replace the cartridge-type ink tank.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the configuration of the main parts of a liquid jet recording apparatus having a remaining amount detecting means.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 1 denotes a recording head that ejects droplets to a recording medium whose recording surface is regulated by a platen 8, and 2 a guide G that carries the recording head 1 and extends in the axial direction of the platen 8. 4 is a spare ink tank mounted on the carriage 2, and 3 is a supply pipe for supplying ink in the spare ink tank 4 to the recording head. 5 is a flexible communication tube that includes a supply pipe 5A for supplying ink into the preliminary ink tank 4, and a suction tube 5B that is connected to the pump 9 and is used to maintain the liquid level in the preliminary ink tank 4. It is a member. The pump 9 is connected to the capping 10, and is used in case of printing failure or ink tank 7.
Ink is sucked from the tip of the recording head 1 when replacing it.

In addition, 7 (J) is an ink tank as an ink supply source, and the figure shows a bag-shaped ink tank made of plastic, aluminum, etc. and made of a flat and flexible material.Furthermore, 6
is an ink remaining amount detecting device disposed in the middle of the supply pipe 5A and communicating with the ink tank 7.

In this configuration, the ink stored in the ink tank 7 is guided to the reserve ink tank 4 mounted on the carriage 2 via the remaining ink amount detection device 6 and the supply pipe 5A. Furthermore, the ink is led from the reserve ink tank 4 to the recording head 1 mounted on the carriage 2 via the supply pipe 3.
Recording is performed by ejecting the recording head 1 onto a recording medium on a platen 8.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the remaining ink amount detection device 6. As shown in FIG. Here, 6-1 and 6-2 are a main body and a cover, respectively, and they can be connected by adhesive, welding, screws, or the like. Here, 6-1 has an ink inlet and an ink outlet. 6-3 is the main body 6
-1 and the cover 6-2, and the space on the main body 6-1 side that is partitioned by this membrane 6-3 is completely sealed from the outside air. The connecting portion between the main body 6-1 and the cover 6-2 is supported as shown in FIG.

The flexible membrane 6-3 is also supported by a lower plate 6-4 integral with a port 6-13 having a threaded upper end and an upper plate 6-5 made of a conductive member.

The threaded part of the port 6-13 has a female thread with the same pitch and diameter as the male thread of the port 6-13.
-12 is attached, and a plate spring 6-10 and a plate spring retainer 6-11 are also provided between the nut 6-12 and the cover 6-2 to apply upward force to the flexible membrane 6-3. . Therefore, by adjusting the nuts 6-12, the flexible membrane 6
The force applied to -3, that is, the operation setting of the remaining amount detection means can be adjusted. Further, 6-6 and 6-7 are electrodes connected to the cover 6-2, and take out terminals 6-8 and 6-7, respectively.
9 is connected.

In the configuration of the ink remaining amount device 6, when the amount of ink in the closed ink tank 7, which is at least partially made of a flexible member, becomes small, the negative pressure in the ink supply path increases. When the flexible membrane 6-3 in the remaining ink amount detection means 6 reaches a predetermined negative pressure value set by the nut 6-12, it descends against the force of the leaf spring and the conductive plate 6 -5 is separated from electrodes 6-6 and 6-7. As a result, the resistance between the terminals 6-8 and 6-9 changes, so that it is detected that the amount of ink has become small due to the change in resistance, that is, the state where the switch is turned off.

However, in such a remaining ink amount detection means that operates based on pressure changes in the ink supply system, the predetermined negative pressure amount, that is, the operating pressure of the remaining amount detection means is a very small pressure. There is a problem in that malfunctions may occur if pressure changes occur within the ink supply system other than the negative pressure that occurs when the ink is turned off.

In the liquid jet recording apparatus having the configuration shown in FIG. 4, the negative pressure generated when the pump 9 is used to absorb ink from the tip of the recording head 1, and the movement of ink as the carriage 2 moves during printing. Due to the pressure change that occurs,
It has been confirmed that the remaining ink level detection means malfunctions.

Here, the pressure change in the ink system due to the movement of the carriage 2 occurs particularly during a carriage turn when the moving direction of the carriage 2 changes with a large speed change.In the mechanism shown in FIG. 5, the remaining amount detection means is located at the right end (right carriage turn). Negative pressure is generated inside, and positive pressure is generated at the left end (left carriage turn). Therefore, even though there is a sufficient amount of ink remaining when the pump is used or when the carriage turns to the right, the remaining amount detection means outputs a low ink level, and when the carriage turns to the left, the ink level is too low. Even if the remaining amount of ink is exceeded, a malfunction may occur in which the remaining amount of ink is outputted by the remaining amount of ink.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned conventional problems and provide a recording apparatus that can detect the remaining amount of ink with high reliability.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve such an object, the present invention provides a recording apparatus that includes means for recording with ink on a recording medium and a supply system for supplying ink, and a recording device that has a means for recording with ink on a recording medium and a supply system for supplying ink. a remaining ink amount detection means for detecting the remaining amount of ink; a holding means for holding the remaining amount detection signal from the remaining ink amount detection means; a holding means for detecting a malfunction of the remaining ink amount detection means; The present invention is characterized by comprising malfunction detection means for instructing the means to hold the remaining amount detection signal, and alarm means for issuing an alarm in response to the remaining amount detection signal.

[Function] According to the present invention, when the remaining amount detection means malfunctions, the malfunction detection means does not instruct the holding means to hold the output of the remaining amount detection signal, and at this time, the holding means does not output a normal alarm signal. Since the output is maintained, the alarm device can operate normally.

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

FIG. 1 shows the circuit configuration of the remaining amount detecting means 6 in the embodiment of the invention.

In FIG. 1, 21 is a delay circuit that inputs a bomb drive start signal that drives the pump 9 and delays the output timing of the signal, and 22 is a carriage turn signal that instructs the carriage 2 to print a line feed to the right and a line feed to the left. This is a delay circuit that receives an input signal and delays the output timing of the signal.

Reference numeral 23 denotes an OR circuit which inputs a power-on signal of the liquid ejecting device, a pump drive start signal, and a carriage turn signal, and outputs the signal when any one of the signals is input. The output of the OR circuit 23 is sent to the terminals 6-8 of the remaining ink amount means 6 and the gate input terminal of the holding circuit 24.

24 holds the remaining amount detection signal outputted from the terminals 6-9 of the remaining ink amount detection means 6 when the remaining amount detection instruction signal outputted from the OR circuit 23 is input, and uses this remaining amount detection signal as an alarm. An example of holding the output to device 25 is a holding circuit such as a latch circuit.

Reference numeral 25 denotes an alarm device which inputs the remaining amount detection signal held and outputted from the holding circuit 24 and emits a warning sound when the remaining amount of ink becomes "low" according to the content of the signal.

FIG. 2 shows the human output timing of signals from each device in the embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 2, when the power of the liquid jet recording apparatus is turned on, a power-on signal A-1 is outputted to the remaining amount detecting means 6 and the holding circuit 24 via the OR circuit 23. When the remaining amount of ink in the ink tank 7 is approximately 10,000, the terminals 6-8 and 6-9 of the ink remaining amount detecting means are electrically connected, and the ink remaining amount detecting means 6 is activated. OR circuit 23
The input signal is output to the holding circuit 24. In addition, the second
In the figure, there is no conduction between terminals 6-8 and 6-9 of the remaining amount detecting means (signal "L"),
The drawing shows that a pulse is generated (signal "H") when continuity is interrupted.

Therefore, since the holding circuit 24 outputs the remaining amount detection instruction signal A-5 or the OR circuit 23, the remaining amount detection signal "L"
" is outputted to the alarm device 25, and the signal "L" is held. The remaining amount detection signal "L" is input to the alarm device 25, and it is determined that the ink is sufficient".

After the power is turned on, recording starts, and when the pump 9 is driven at the time of printing failure, the drive signal B of the pump 9 is sent.
-2 is delayed from the pump drive timing by the delay circuit 21 and outputted to the remaining amount detection means 6 and the holding circuit 24 via the OR circuit 23.

Note that this delay time is set to be the time until the driving of the pump ends. As described above, the remaining amount detecting means 6 malfunctions due to the drive of the pump 9 and outputs a signal "H" like waveform B-4 to the holding circuit 24, or when the pump driving ends, the remaining amount detecting means 6 has returned to normal and is outputting the remaining amount detection signal ``L°'', so when the delayed pump signal is input to the holding circuit 24, the holding circuit 24 outputs the remaining amount detection signal ``L''. However, the output is held and the alarm device 25 determines that the remaining amount of ink is ``sufficient''. In this way, it is possible to prevent a false detection signal generated by the remaining amount detection means 6 from being transmitted to the alarm device 25. In addition, even if the remaining amount detecting means 6 malfunctions for some other reason, the false detection signal will not be sent to the alarm device unless the false detection signal is input to the holding circuit 24 at the same time as the detection instruction signal. It will not be communicated to 25.

Next, when the right carriage turn signal C-3 is input to the delay circuit 21, similarly to the input of the pump signal, the malfunction time of the remaining amount detecting means 6 is shifted, and the holding circuit 24 receives the signal from the remaining amount detecting means 6. Since the instruction is given to hold and output the remaining amount detection signal, the remaining amount detection signal under normal conditions will be input to the alarm device 25.

When the left carriage turn signal D-3 is input to the delay circuit 22, the remaining amount detecting means 6 is performing normal detection as described above, so the alarm device 25 detects the normal detection signal of the remaining amount detecting means 6. The receiver will take it.

Next, the detection of the remaining amount in the ink supply tank 7 when the amount remaining in the ink supply tank 7 becomes "low" will be described.

When recording is performed and the amount of ink decreases, a pressure change occurs in the ink supply system as described above, and the terminals 6-8 and 6-9 of the remaining amount detecting means 6 are cut off.

In this state, for example, if the drive signal F-2 of the pump 9 is input to the remaining amount detecting means 6, the remaining amount detecting means 6 detects °゛H'.
' continues outputting signal F-4. Further, the holding circuit 24 receives the output instruction signal F-5 from the OR circuit 23, and receives the output instruction signal F-5.
Since the remaining amount detection signal F-5 of ' is outputted to the alarm device 25 and held, the alarm device 25 emits a warning sound indicating that the ink remaining amount is low.

If the carriage 2 performs a left carriage turn when the ink level is low, the remaining level detection means 6 malfunctions as described above, and the remaining level detection signal of 'L°' is output.
G4/ is output, but when this carriage turn is completed, the remaining amount detecting means 6 returns to normal and outputs a detection output "H". The holding circuit 24 receives this remaining amount detection signal by the delayed left carriage signal, that is, the remaining amount detection instruction signal G5.
By outputting "H", the false detection signal from the remaining amount detecting means 6 will not be transmitted to the alarm device 26.

As explained above, according to the present invention, while recording is being performed, the remaining amount of ink can be detected every time the pump is driven or the carriage is turned according to instructions from the OR circuit 23, and the remaining amount of ink can be detected at every pump drive or carriage turn. The alarm device 25 detects an erroneous detection signal from the remaining amount detection means 6 caused by the carriage turn.
This can prevent output to .

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of a second embodiment of the present invention.

Note that the same parts as in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In FIG. 3, 26 is a power source that supplies current to the remaining amount detection means 6 as a remaining amount detection signal.

In the second embodiment, when a power-on signal, a carriage turn signal, and a pump drive signal are input to the OR circuit 23, the output of the remaining amount detection signal input to the holding circuit 24 is outputted from the OR circuit 23 or the holding circuit. 24 is the same as the first embodiment, and instead of inputting the output of the OR circuit 23 to the remaining amount detecting means 6, a power source 26 is provided, and the remaining amount is sent to the remaining amount detecting means 6. It is configured to stably supply a detection signal.

In the embodiment of the present invention, if a power-on signal is input as the ink remaining amount detection instruction timing or if the carriage 2 is a liquid ejecting device that moves to the home position,
It may also be used as a home position drive signal.

Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, an example in which the recording head 1 moves along the moving guide G is shown, but a serial recording type liquid ejecting apparatus having a plurality of recording heads in a line without having the moving guide G is There is no possibility of false detection by the ink remaining amount detection device 6 in the above-mentioned carriage turn, so there is no need to input the carriage turn signal. However, if it is desired to increase the frequency of signal detection, it is sufficient to input the carriage turn signal.

Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present invention, it goes without saying that the remaining amount detection timing may be determined in accordance with the drive start signal for the pump 9, or a drive signal for driving the pump 9 may be used.

Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present invention, the output timing of the pump signal and the carriage turn signal is delayed by the delay circuits 21 and 22, or the pump signal and the carriage turn signal are inputted instead of the delay circuits 21 and 22, and then the signal output timing is delayed. An arithmetic processing device may be used that instructs the holding circuit 24 to hold the output of the detection signal after a period of time has elapsed.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, the remaining amount of ink can be detected at the timing when the malfunction of the remaining amount detection means ends, so the remaining amount of ink can be detected by driving the ink supply pump or turning the carriage. This provides the advantage of being able to reliably detect the presence or absence of remaining ink without being affected by malfunctions of the detection device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a circuit configuration in an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a timing diagram showing an example of signal generation timing in an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a signal generation timing in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration; FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of the main structure of a conventional liquid jet recording device; FIG. 5 is a side view showing one structure of the remaining ink level detection device 6 shown in FIG. .

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) A recording device having means for recording with ink on a recording medium and a supply system for supplying the ink, comprising: a remaining ink amount detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of the ink; a holding means for holding a remaining amount detection signal from the amount detecting means; a holding means for detecting a malfunction of the remaining ink amount detecting means; and when a malfunction is detected, holding the remaining amount detection signal in the holding means after the malfunction is completed; A recording device comprising: malfunction detection means for instructing; and alarm means for issuing an alarm in response to the remaining amount detection signal. 2) The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the remaining ink amount detection means is driven by a malfunction detection signal from the malfunction detection means. 3) In the recording apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, the malfunction detection means is configured to detect the recording operation by inputting a signal related to the recording operation. recording device. 4) The recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the malfunction detection means is supplied with a signal associated with a printing operation of the recording device. 5) The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the malfunction detection means is supplied with a signal associated with the operation of the ink suction means. 6) The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the malfunction detection means is supplied with a signal associated with a power-on operation of the recording apparatus.