KR100396549B1 - Apparatus for sensing ink in ink-jet printer - Google Patents

Apparatus for sensing ink in ink-jet printer Download PDF

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Publication number
KR100396549B1
KR100396549B1 KR10-2001-0003581A KR20010003581A KR100396549B1 KR 100396549 B1 KR100396549 B1 KR 100396549B1 KR 20010003581 A KR20010003581 A KR 20010003581A KR 100396549 B1 KR100396549 B1 KR 100396549B1
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KR
South Korea
Prior art keywords
contact
ink
ink cartridge
detecting
sensing
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KR10-2001-0003581A
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Korean (ko)
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KR20020062506A (en
Inventor
우원회
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삼성전자주식회사
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Priority to KR10-2001-0003581A priority Critical patent/KR100396549B1/en
Publication of KR20020062506A publication Critical patent/KR20020062506A/en
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
    • B41J2/175—Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
    • B41J2/17503—Ink cartridges
    • B41J2/17543—Cartridge presence detection or type identification
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/015—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
    • B41J2/04—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
    • B41J2/045—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
    • B41J2/04501—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits
    • B41J2/04541—Specific driving circuit
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/165—Prevention or detection of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles
    • B41J2/16579—Detection means therefor, e.g. for nozzle clogging
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
    • B41J2/175—Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
    • B41J2/17503—Ink cartridges
    • B41J2/17513—Inner structure
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
    • B41J2/175—Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
    • B41J2/17503—Ink cartridges
    • B41J2/1752—Mounting within the printer
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
    • B41J2/175—Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
    • B41J2/17503—Ink cartridges
    • B41J2/17526—Electrical contacts to the cartridge

Landscapes

  • Ink Jet (AREA)

Abstract

저 비용으로 잉크젯 프린터의 잉크 소모를 감지하는 잉크 소모 감지 장치가 개시되어 있다. 본 발명은 잉크 카트리지내에서 특정 온도에 따라 접점 및 비접점이 이루어지는 접점/비접점수단을 구비하고, 상기 접점/비접점 수단에 전류를 공급하여 잉크의 유무에 따라 상기 접점/비접점 수단이 접점 또는 비접점되는 것을 특징으로 한다.An ink consumption detecting device for detecting ink consumption of an inkjet printer at a low cost is disclosed. The present invention has a contact / non-contact means for making contact and non-contact points according to a specific temperature in an ink cartridge, and supplying a current to the contact / non-contact means so that the contact / non-contact means is contact or Characterized in that it is non-contact.

Description

잉크젯 프린터의 잉크 감지 장치{Apparatus for sensing ink in ink-jet printer}Ink detecting device for inkjet printers {Apparatus for sensing ink in ink-jet printer}

본 발명은 잉크 카트리지에 의해 인쇄를 실행하는 잉크젯 프린터에 관한 것이며, 특히 저 비용으로 잉크젯 프린터의 잉크 소모를 감지하는 잉크 소모 감지 장치에 관한 것이다.The present invention relates to an inkjet printer for performing printing by an ink cartridge, and more particularly, to an ink consumption detecting device for detecting ink consumption of an inkjet printer at low cost.

일반적으로 잉크젯 프린터에는 잉크 카트리지가 장착되어 이것에 의해 인쇄를 실행하도록하고 있다.In general, an inkjet printer is provided with an ink cartridge to thereby perform printing.

그러므로 상기 잉크 카트리지에 있는 잉크는 소모되는 것이며, 이러한 잉크카트리지에 있는 잉크 소모에 따른 유무 판단은 카운트방식에 의하고 있다. 즉, 카운트방식은 현재 사용되는 잉크 카트리지의 잉크 분사를 카운트하여 일정한 카운트가 넘머서면 잉크 소모를 판단한다.Therefore, the ink in the ink cartridge is consumed, and the determination according to the ink consumption in the ink cartridge is based on the counting method. That is, the counting method counts the ink ejection of the ink cartridge currently used and determines the ink consumption when a certain count is exceeded.

그러나 종래의 카운트방식은 정확한 카운트가 가능하나 잉크 증발에 의한 량을 고려하기가 어려우며, 특히 잉크 카트리지를 오래 방치하는 경우 잉크의 소모 시점을 알 수 없는 문제점이 있다.However, in the conventional counting method, accurate counting is possible, but it is difficult to consider the amount due to evaporation of the ink, and in particular, when the ink cartridge is left for a long time, there is a problem in that the consumption time of the ink cannot be known.

본 발명이 이루고자하는 기술적과제는 잉크 카트리지내에 접점/비접점 수단을 구비하여 외부에서 그 단락 상태를 감지함으로써 정확한 잉크 소모를 감지하는 잉크 소모 감지 장치를 제공하는 데 있다.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in an effort to provide an ink consumption detecting apparatus for detecting accurate ink consumption by providing a contact / non-contact means in an ink cartridge to detect a short circuit condition from the outside.

상기의 기술적 과제를 해결하기 위하여, 본 발명은 잉크카트리지에 의해 인쇄를 실행하는 잉크젯 프린터에 있어서,In order to solve the above technical problem, the present invention is an inkjet printer for performing printing by an ink cartridge,

잉크 카트리지내에서 특정 온도에 따라 접점 및 비접점이 이루어지는 접점/비접점수단을 구비하고, 상기 접점/비접점 수단에 전류를 공급하여 잉크의 유무에 따라 상기 접점/비접점 수단이 접점 또는 비접점으로 되는 것에 의해 잉크의 유무를 감지하는 것을 특징으로 하는 잉크 감지 장치이다.A contact / non-contact means for making contact and non-contact points according to a specific temperature in the ink cartridge, and supplying a current to the contact / non-contact means to turn the contact / non-contact means into contact or non-contact point according to the presence or absence of ink. It is an ink detection device characterized by detecting the presence or absence of ink.

도 1은 본 발명에 따른 잉크젯 프린터의 잉크 감지 장치를 보이는 회로도이다.1 is a circuit diagram showing an ink sensing device of an ink jet printer according to the present invention.

도 2는 도 1의 잉크 감지 장치의 동작 타이밍도이다.2 is an operation timing diagram of the ink detection apparatus of FIG. 1.

이하 첨부된 도면을 참조로하여 본 발명의 바람직한 실시예를 설명하기로 한다.Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

도 1은 본 발명에 따른 잉크젯 프린터의 잉크 감지 장치를 보이는 회로도이다.1 is a circuit diagram showing an ink sensing device of an ink jet printer according to the present invention.

도 1의 장치는 특정 온도에 따른 접점/비접점이 이루어지는 접점/비접점수단(112), 상기 접점/비접점수단(112) 내장한 잉크카트리지(110), 콜렉터단이 저항(R1)을 통해 상기 잉크카트리지(110)가 연결되고 에미터단이 접지된 트랜지스터(TR), 상기 트랜지스터(TR)의 베이스단과 콜렉터단에 각각 저항(R2, R3)를 통해 연결된 마이콤(120)으로 구성된다. 더 상세하게 접점/비접점수단(112)은 바이메탈(bimetal), 퓨즈(fuse), 프린트 회로 기판(Printed Circuit Board)) 패턴중의 어느하나로 사용할 수있으며, 본 발명의 실시예로서 바이메탈을 적용한다.1 is a contact / non-contact means 112 made of a contact / non-contact according to a specific temperature, the ink cartridge 110 with the contact / non-contact means 112, the collector end through the resistor (R1) The ink cartridge 110 includes a transistor TR having an emitter terminal connected to the ground, and a microcomputer 120 connected to the base terminal and the collector terminal of the transistor TR through resistors R2 and R3, respectively. More specifically, the contact / non-contact means 112 may be used as any one of a bimetal, a fuse, and a printed circuit board pattern, and the bimetal is applied as an embodiment of the present invention. .

도 2는 도 1의 장치의 동작 타이밍도이다.2 is an operation timing diagram of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

도 2의 구간(a)은 마이콤(120)에서 바이메탈(112)에 전류를 인가하여 열을 발생시키는 시간이다.Section (a) of FIG. 2 is a time for generating heat by applying a current to the bimetal 112 in the microcomputer 120.

도 2의 구간(b)은 잉크가 남아 있을 경우 바이메탈(112)의 접점에 의해 마이콤(120)의 입력포트(B)에 가해지는 하이 레벨이다.Section (b) of FIG. 2 is a high level applied to the input port B of the microcomputer 120 by the contact of the bimetal 112 when ink remains.

도 2의 구간(c)은 잉크가 소모될 경우 바이메탈(112)의 이격에 의해 마이콤(120)의 입력포트(B)에 가해지는 로우 레벨이다.Section (c) of Figure 2 is a low level applied to the input port (B) of the microcomputer 120 by the separation of the bimetal 112 when the ink is consumed.

도 2의 타이밍도를 참조하여 도 1의 잉크 감지 장치를 설명한다.The ink detection apparatus of FIG. 1 will be described with reference to the timing diagram of FIG. 2.

먼저, 마이콤(120)은 페이지 단위 혹은 전체적 프린팅 시간에 영향을 주지 않을 정도의 일정 주기로 출력포트(A)를 통해 하이(High) 레벨 신호를 발생한다. 이때 마이콤(120)은 잉크 카트리지내의 바이메탈(112)에 열이 발생할 수 있는 시간동안 하이 레벨 신호를 유지한 후 로우 레벨 신호로 출력한다(도 2의 (a)). 그리고 트랜지스터(TR)는 마이콤(120)으로부터 저항(R3)을 통해 일정 시간 동안 하이 레벨을 인가받으면, 그 일정시간 동안 턴-온(Turn-On)하여 바이메탈(112)에 전류를 공급한 후 마이콤(120)으로부터 인가되는 로우레벨에 의해 턴-오프(Turn-Off)된다.이때 바이메탈(112)은 저항(R1)을 통해 흐르는 전류에 의해 열이 발생된다.First, the microcomputer 120 generates a high level signal through the output port A at a predetermined period that does not affect the page unit or the overall printing time. At this time, the microcomputer 120 maintains the high level signal for a time that heat can be generated in the bimetal 112 in the ink cartridge and outputs the low level signal (FIG. 2A). When the transistor TR receives a high level from the microcomputer 120 through the resistor R3 for a predetermined time, the transistor TR is turned on for a predetermined time to supply a current to the bimetal 112 and then the microcomputer It is turned off by the low level applied from 120. At this time, the bimetal 112 generates heat by the current flowing through the resistor R1.

이때 트랜지스터가 턴-오프(Turn-Off)한 상태에서 잉크 카트리지내에 잉크가 남아 있을 경우 바이메탈(112)은 잉크로 인해 열이 더 이상 증가하지 못하여 접점된다. 그와 동시에 바이메탈(112)에 가해진 하이 레벨의 전압(+V)이 저항(R1 및 R2)을 통해 마이콤(120)의 입력포트(B)로 인가된다(도 2의 (b)). 따라서 마이콤(120)은 입력포트(B)로 인가된 하이 레벨로 잉크 카트리지(110)내에 잉크가 남아 있음을 감지한다.At this time, when ink remains in the ink cartridge while the transistor is turned off, the bimetal 112 is contacted because the heat no longer increases due to the ink. At the same time, a high level voltage (+ V) applied to the bimetal 112 is applied to the input port B of the microcomputer 120 through the resistors R1 and R2 (FIG. 2B). Therefore, the microcomputer 120 detects that ink remains in the ink cartridge 110 at the high level applied to the input port B. FIG.

또한 트랜지스터가 턴-오프(Turn-Off)한 상태에서 잉크 카트리지내에 잉크가 남아 있지 않을 경우 바이메탈(112)은 열이 흡수되지 못하므로 이격된다. 따라서 마이콤(120)은 입력포트(B)로 저항(R4)를 통해 접지에 해당하는 로우 레벨을 인가받아(도 2의 (c)) 잉크가 남아 있지 않음을 감지한다.In addition, when no ink remains in the ink cartridge while the transistor is turned off, the bimetals 112 are spaced apart because heat is not absorbed. Accordingly, the microcomputer 120 receives a low level corresponding to the ground through the resistor R4 through the input port B (FIG. 2C) and senses that no ink remains.

본 발명은 상술한 실시예에 한정되지 않으며, 본 발명의 사상내에서 당업자에 의한 변형이 가능함은 물론이다. 즉, 본 발명의 바이메탈 대신 퓨즈 혹은 PCB 패턴으로 대체하여 구현 가능하다.The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and of course, modifications may be made by those skilled in the art within the spirit of the present invention. That is, it can be implemented by replacing the fuse or PCB pattern instead of the bimetal of the present invention.

상술한 바와 같이 본 발명에 의하면, 잉크 카트리지내에 접점/비접점 수단을 구비하여 외부에서 그 단락 상태를 감지함으로써 저비용으로 정확한 잉크의 소모를 감지할 수있다.As described above, according to the present invention, by providing contact / non-contact means in the ink cartridge, it is possible to detect accurate consumption of ink at low cost by sensing the short circuit condition from the outside.

Claims (6)

잉크젯 프린터의 잉크 카트리지내에서 잉크를 감지하는 장치에 있어서,An apparatus for detecting ink in an ink cartridge of an inkjet printer, the apparatus comprising: 주기적으로 공급되는 하이 및 로우 레벨에 따라 전류를 공급하고 차단하는 트랜지스터 수단;Transistor means for supplying and blocking current according to the high and low levels periodically supplied; 잉크 카트리지내 잉크 유무를 감지하는 부분에서 상기 트랜지스터 수단과 연결되어, 상기 트랜지스터 수단에서 전류가 공급되면 잉크의 유무에 따라 열에 의한 접점 및 비접점이 이루어지는 접점/비접점 수단;Contact / non-contact means connected to the transistor means at a portion for detecting the presence or absence of ink in the ink cartridge, wherein a contact and a non-contact by heat are made when the current is supplied from the transistor means; 상기 트랜지스터 수단에 주기적으로 하이 및 로우 레벨 신호를 공급하고, 상기 접점/비접점 수단에서 접점 또는 비접점에 따라 발생되는 신호의 감지에 의해 잉크의 유무를 감지하는 마이콤을 포함하는 잉크 감지 장치.And a microcomputer for periodically supplying high and low level signals to the transistor means, and detecting the presence or absence of ink by sensing a signal generated according to a contact or a non-contact in the contact / non-contact means. 상기 제1항에 있어서, 상기 접점/비접점 수단은 바이메탈임을 특징으로 하는 잉크 감지 장치.An ink sensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said contact / non-contact means is bimetal. 상기 제1항에 있어서, 상기 접점/비접점 수단은 퓨즈임을 특징으로 하는 잉크 감지 장치.An ink sensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said contact / non-contact means is a fuse. 상기 제1항에 있어서, 상기 접점/비접점 수단은 PCB 패턴임을 특징으로 하는 잉크 감지 장치.An ink sensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said contact / non-contact means is a PCB pattern. 삭제delete 삭제delete
KR10-2001-0003581A 2001-01-22 2001-01-22 Apparatus for sensing ink in ink-jet printer KR100396549B1 (en)

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