The application's application number that to be on June 30th, 2008 propose to China national Patent Office is 200810125279.0, denomination of invention is divided an application for " liquid ejection apparatus and liquid ejection method " this application.
The specific embodiment
According to the record of this specification and accompanying drawing, can understand following item at least.
The present invention relates to a kind of liquid ejection apparatus, spray liquid from nozzle, it is characterized in that, comprising according to data:
Do not carry out based on said data from the holding state of the ejection of the liquid of said nozzle the time, form ground, space at the leading section of said nozzle at least and carry out the controller of said liquid to the action of drawing in the emission direction opposition side.
According to this liquid ejection apparatus, can be under the situation of not using the cap member, the viscosity that suppresses the liquid of the leading section of nozzle under the said holding state increases.It the reasons are as follows said.Under holding state because liquid is pulled to an opposite side with emission direction, so, the liquid level of the liquid in the nozzle from the space in the outside of nozzle away from, be difficult to touch the wind that in the space in this outside, produces.As a result, can suppress evaporation, thereby the viscosity that suppresses liquid increases from the moisture of liquid level.In addition, draw in action and formed the space at the leading section of nozzle through said, this space is enclosed by the internal perisporium bread of nozzle, becomes air and moves few so-called stagnation point.Therefore, because the delay of the air of this stagnation point can realize also preserving moisture in the space of this stagnation point, the result can suppress the evaporation of the liquid level of the liquid in the nozzle, thereby can suppress the viscosity increase of liquid.
This liquid ejection apparatus according to the mode that only forms the space at the leading section of said nozzle, is carried out the action that said liquid is gone into to an opposite layback with emission direction by said controller when said holding state.
According to such liquid ejection apparatus, owing to only draw in said liquid at the leading section of said nozzle with forming the space, so, can be used to return to the operation of the state that can spray liquid at short notice.
For this liquid ejection apparatus, said liquid is supplied with to said nozzle through stream from the container of storing this liquid, and in said stream, is provided with pump;
Said controller has timer;
Said drawing in after the action, after through the stipulated time by said timer counting, the whole liquid that exist in said nozzle and the said stream are received in the said container by said blowback.
According to such liquid ejection apparatus, when holding state is long, the whole liquids recovery that exist in said nozzle and the said stream are arrived in the said container.Therefore, it is long more reliably to suppress holding state, and the viscosity of the liquid that causes more easily increases.
For this liquid ejection apparatus, be after having received the power supply open command during said holding state.
According to such liquid ejection apparatus, can be under the state that does not use the cap member, the viscosity that suppresses the liquid of the leading section of nozzle under the power-off state increases.It the reasons are as follows.Under power-off state because liquid is pulled to an opposite side with emission direction, so, the liquid level of the liquid in the nozzle from the space in the outside of nozzle away from, be difficult to touch wind in the generation of the space in this outside.As a result, can suppress evaporation, thereby the viscosity that can suppress liquid increases from the moisture of liquid level.In addition, draw in action through above-mentioned, formed the space at the leading section of nozzle, this space is enclosed by the internal perisporium bread of nozzle, becomes air and moves few so-called stagnation point.Therefore, because the delay of the air of this stagnation point can realize also preserving moisture in the space of this stagnation point, the result can suppress the evaporation of the liquid level of the liquid in the nozzle, can suppress the viscosity increase of liquid.
For this liquid ejection apparatus, said liquid is supplied with to said nozzle through stream from the container of storing this liquid, and in said stream, is provided with pump;
After having received said power supply open command, the whole liquid that exist in said nozzle and the said stream are received in the said container through said blowback.
According to such liquid ejection apparatus, under power-off state, the whole liquids recovery that exist in said nozzle and the said stream are arrived in the said container.Therefore, can effectively suppress the viscosity increase of liquid under the power-off state.
This liquid ejection apparatus has: the head that is disposed with a plurality of said nozzles at the conveying mechanism of throughput direction pumped (conveying) medium with along the direction of intersecting with said throughput direction;
Utilizing said conveying mechanism to carry in the process of said medium, spraying liquid to said medium from said the said nozzle that moves halted state.
According to such liquid ejection apparatus, can be under the situation of not using the cap member, the performance action effect that can suppress effectively to the viscosity increase of the liquid of the leading section of nozzle under the holding state.That is, said head is employed wardrobe in the so-called wardrobe printer, when being these wardrobe; For with cap member covering nozzles, need long cap member, it is formed in and is difficult on the manufacturing technology realize; But here owing to can in these wardrobe, omitting the cap member, so can avoid the problem on the manufacturing technology.
For this liquid ejection apparatus, said liquid is ink.Here, ink comprises water-base ink, oily ink.
In addition, the invention still further relates to a kind of liquid ejection method, it is characterized in that, comprising: according to data, from the step of nozzle ejection liquid; With
Do not carry out based on said data from the holding state of the ejection of the liquid of said nozzle the time, according to the mode that forms the space at least at the leading section of said nozzle, the step that said liquid is gone into to an opposite layback with emission direction.
According to such liquid ejection method, can be under the situation of not using the cap member, the viscosity of liquid of leading section that suppresses the nozzle of said holding state increases.
The structure of===print system 100===
With reference to accompanying drawing, an embodiment of the print system 100 of the liquid ejection apparatus that has used this embodiment is described.
Fig. 1 is the key diagram of the surface structure of expression print system 100.This print system 100 has: as printer 1, computer 110, display unit 120, input unit 130, the record regenerator 140 of liquid ejection apparatus.Printer 1 is to media such as paper or cloth ejection ink droplet, the ink-jet printer of print image.Computer 110 can be connected with printer 1 communicatedly, in order to make printer 1 print image, the printer 1 output print data corresponding with images printed.
In computer 110, printed driver is installed.Printed driver is the program that the view data from application program output is transformed to print data.
Fig. 2 is the key diagram of the various processing carried out of printed driver.Printed driver is obtained view data from application program, is transformed to the print data of the form that printer 1 can explain, and with print data to printer 1 output.In the view data when being transformed to print data of self-application program in future, printed driver carries out resolution conversion processing shown in Figure 2, look conversion process, halftoning (half-tone) to be handled.
In resolution conversion is handled in (S110), will be transformed to print resolution when paper is printed (1600dpi * 1600dpi) for example from the view data (text data or view data etc.) of application program output.Wherein, each pixel data of the view data after resolution conversion is handled is the RGB data by many gray scales (for example 256 gray scales) of RGB color space performance.
In look conversion process (S120), reference colored conversion look-up table is transformed to the cmyk data by the performance of CMYK color space with said RGB data.Wherein, the pixel data after the look conversion process is the cmyk data by 256 gray scales of CMYK color space performance.
In halftone process (S130), the data of high grey are transformed to the data of few grey that printer 1 can form.View data after the halftone process, be that print data has and above-mentioned print resolution (the equal resolution ratio of 1600dpi * 1600dpi) for example.In the view data after halftone process (print data), for example, pixel data is set up corresponding relation by pixel that should images printed, pixel data becomes the data of the formation situation (having or not or size etc. of point) of the point in each pixel of expression.
The print data that generates through above resolution conversion processing, look conversion process, halftone process is sent to printer 1 by printed driver.
The formation of===printer 1===
" formation of ink-jet printer 1 "
Fig. 3 is the block diagram of all structures of printer 1.Fig. 4 is the profilograph of printer 1.
As shown in Figure 3, printer 1 has: supply unit 20, head unit 40, ink viscosity increase anti-stop element 70, detector sets 50, guidance panel 66 and controller 60.
From receive the printer 1 of print data as the computer 110 of external device (ED), through controller 60 control each unit (supply unit 20, head unit 40 etc.).That is, controller 60 is controlled each unit, print image on paper according to the print data of receiving from computer 110.Situation in the printer 1 is kept watch on by detector sets 50, and detector sets 50 is exported testing result to controller 60.Controller 60 is controlled each unit according to the testing result from detector sets 50 outputs.
<supply unit 20 >
Supply unit 20 (being equivalent to conveying mechanism) is used for carrying paper along throughput direction, and is as shown in Figure 4, from the downstream of swimming over to of throughput direction, has paper feed roller 21, conveying roller 23A, platen 25, exit roller 27A in order.
Paper feed roller 21 is the rollers that are used for paper supply in the principal direction printer 1 of sheet feed stacker 22, and paper feeding motor (not shown) rotation that is made up of the DC motor drives.
Conveying roller 23A will transmit from the platen 25 in the principal direction throughput direction downstream that paper feed roller 21 receives.Conveying motor (not shown) rotation that this conveying roller 23A is made up of the DC motor drives.
Platen 25 is for the paper from supported underneath is printed, and is configured in the supporting member between conveying roller 23A and the exit roller 27A, with the nozzle opposite disposed of the following 41a of printhead 41.
Exit roller 27A further carries the paper of on platen 25, being printed to the downstream of throughput direction, be discharged to the roller in the outside of printer 1.This exit roller 27A is connected with said conveying motor through suitable gear row, is carried the motor rotation to drive by this.
< head unit 40 >
Head unit 40 is used for paper ejection ink droplet.Head unit 40 has printhead 41, and 41a below this printhead 41 (with platen 25 opposed faces) is provided with a plurality of nozzles that are used to spray ink droplet.And, through from nozzle to the ejection of the paper carrying ink droplet, on paper, form point (dot), thus, can be on paper print image.Will be described later the structure of printhead 41.
< ink viscosity increases anti-stop element 70 >
Near the viscosity that ink viscosity increases the ink surface in the nozzle that anti-stop element 70 is used to suppress printhead 41 increases, and has the pipe pump 72 that is used for the ink in the nozzle is gone into to an opposite layback with emission direction etc.To be described in the back.
< detector sets 50 >
Comprise in the detector sets 50 rotary encoder (not shown), with (with reference to Fig. 4) such as the first paper detection sensor 53a, the second paper detection sensor 53b.Rotary encoder detects the rotation amount of conveying roller 23A or exit roller 27A.According to the testing result of rotary encoder, can detect the conveying capacity of paper delivery.The first paper detection sensor 53a is used for detecting the position of front end of the paper of paper supply, and is as shown in Figure 4, is set between paper feed roller 21 and the conveying roller 23A.The second paper detection sensor 53b is used for detecting the position of tail end of the paper of conveying, is set between printhead 41 and the exit roller 27A.
< guidance panel 66 >
In guidance panel 66, be provided with various action buttons such as power knob.Power knob is the ON/OFF switch that is used to connect/remove the power supply of printer 1.And; Power knob connects into and can communicate through holding wire with the controller 60 that the back is described, and when pressing power knob, the power turn-on signal sends to controller 60; When pressing power knob once again; The power supply open command sends to controller 60, and after receiving this power supply open command, controller 60 is removed the power supply of printer 1.
< controller 60 >
Controller 60 is the control modules that are used to the control of the machine that prints 1, has: interface portion 61, CPU62, memory 63, unit controls circuit 64, timer 65.Interface portion 61 prints the transmitting-receiving of data such as data between as the computer 110 of external device (ED) and printer 1.CPU62 is the arithmetic processing apparatus that is used to all control of the machine that prints 1.Memory 63 is used to guarantee zone that the program of CPU62 is stored or operating area etc., has memory elements such as RAM, EEPROM.CPU62 is according to program stored in the memory 63, through unit controls circuit 64 each unit of control.65 pairs of time countings of timer.
< printhead 41 >
Fig. 5 is the Pareto diagram of the nozzle that 41a is provided with below printhead 41.41a below printhead 41 by black (K), bluish-green (C), fuchsin (M), yellow (Y) each color, is spaced from each other at interval and disposes abreast the nozzle rows 411 that is made up of a plurality of nozzle #1~#n respectively at throughput direction.
Each nozzle #1~#n of each nozzle rows 411 along with the straight line of the paper width of the throughput direction quadrature of paper on, with the nozzle P configuration at interval of regulation.This nozzle interval P decides according to the maximum of the print resolution of said paper width, and for example when maximum was 1600dpi, nozzle P at interval was 1/1600 (inch).In addition, the total length L of the paper width of each nozzle rows 411 is longer than the Breadth Maximum Wc of the paper width of paper, and thus, this printhead 41 is as so-called wardrobe (line head) performance function.That is, printhead 41 is fixed under the state of assigned position in print processing, and just the paper ejection ink droplet through transporting towards the upper reaches from throughput direction prints.
In each nozzle #1~#n, as being used for ink is become the driving element that drips shape and spray, be provided with piezoelectric element (not shown).If piezoelectric element is being arranged at the voltage that applies the stipulated time between the electrode at its two ends, then can uphold according to the action time of voltage, make the sidewall distortion of the stream of ink.Thus, the volume of the stream of ink shrinks according to the flexible of piezoelectric element, and the ink that is equivalent to this amount of contraction becomes ink droplet, is sprayed from nozzle #1 of all kinds~#n.Can carry out the driving of each piezoelectric element according to each pixel data of print data.
To the providing ink of printhead 41, undertaken by the ink tank 43 that is configured in the printer 1.That is, shown in the sketch map of Fig. 6, head unit 40 has the ink tank 43 by the ink reservoir of all kinds of CMYK, and respectively through supply pipe 45 (being equivalent to stream), each nozzle in printhead 41 is supplied with the ink of corresponding color from each ink tank 43.Particularly, in printhead 41, form the stream of the ink that is communicated with each nozzle by each ink look, and connect said supply pipe 45 respectively at the end of ink tank 43 sides of each stream, thus, ink tank 43 interior inks can be to printhead 41 supplies.
By the way, in order to carry out the supply of ink reliably, the pressurized supply of ink in the ink tank 43.That is, in each ink tank 43, corresponding ink is taken in the form of the sealing bag 43a that accommodates this ink, and the air pressure of the surrounding space of the said sealing bag 43a in the said ink tank 43, pressurized pump 47 pressurizations.Therefore, through this air pressure conquassation sealing bag 43a gently, thus, to the form that said supply pipe 45 extrudes, ink is supplied with to printhead 41 with the ink in the sealing bag 43a.Wherein, the pump 72 shown in Fig. 6 and valve 78 are to increase the relevant equipment of anti-stop element 70 with ink viscosity, will be described in the back.
===print processing===
Fig. 7 is the flow chart of print processing.Wherein, according to program stored in the memory 63, control each unit, carry out these actions through controller 60.This program has the code that is used to carry out each action.
If controller 60 is received the print command that sends from computer 110, then carry out print processing.For example the head (head) of the print data of sending, comprise this print command from computer 110.Then, controller 60 is analyzed the content of the various command that comprises in the print data that receives, and uses each unit, carries out following paper supply action, carries action, ink to spray action, the action of row's paper etc.
At first, controller 60 carries out paper supply action (S202).Paper supply action is the action that the front end of the paper that print is transported to the printing initiating position of the regulation in the printer 1.That is, controller 60 drives paper feeding motors, makes paper feed roller 21 rotations of Fig. 4, and the paper of sheet feed stacker 22 is transported to conveying roller 23A; Then, drive and carry motor, make conveying roller 23A rotation; To carry from the principal direction downstream that paper feed roller 21 is sent here,, then stop if its front end arrives said printing initiating position.This printing initiating position for example is between printhead 41 and the conveying roller 23A, and with any nozzle of printhead 41 opposed position not.Wherein, can detect the arrival of this printing initiating position according to the said first paper detection sensor 53a.
Then, controller 60 begins to carry action (S204).Carrying action is to drive to carry motor, the action of paper being carried to the downstream of throughput direction with the transporting velocity of regulation through conveying roller 23A.And, can carry in the action at this, carry out from the ink ejection action (S206) of printhead 41 ejection ink droplets.
In this ink ejection action, according to print data, spray ink droplet intermittently from the nozzle of each nozzle rows 411, the result arranges along throughput direction on paper and forms a plurality of points, and at the paper width, with the nozzle of each nozzle rows 411 at interval P form point.Wherein, if there are not other data of printing on should the paper in printing, then finish this ink ejection action.
Then,, then finish to carry action (S208), arrange paper action (S210) if the tail end of paper arrives than printhead 41 row's paper starting position in downstream more.The action of row's paper is through being transferred motor-driven exit roller 27A, and with the action of the speed downstream transport paper higher than the transporting velocity of said conveying action, thus, paper is discharged outside printer 1 at a high speed.Wherein, the tail end of paper arrives said row's paper starting position and is detected by the said second paper detection sensor 53b.
Afterwards, controller 60 judges whether to proceed print processing (S212).Then,, then turn back to said step S202, begin the paper supply action (S202) of ensuing paper,, then finish print processing if ensuing paper is not printed if ensuing paper is printed.Wherein, for example can the data that should print be arranged, carry out above-mentioned judgement according to whether residual in said print data.
===prevent to handle to the ink viscosity increase===
< the ink viscosity increase prevents to handle >
Fig. 8 A is the key diagram that near the viscosity of the ink that the leading section of the nozzle of printhead 41, can produce increases, and is near the amplification profilograph of the part nozzle.
Under the printing holding state of not carrying out above-mentioned print processing or power-off state, be filled with ink in the general stream printhead 41 in, become the meniscus Is of the end of its ink that sprays side, arrived nozzle edge foremost, be nozzle opening Ne.Therefore, the ink surface Is of this meniscus always is in the state that is exposed to atmosphere, thereby; Solvent in the ink, be that moisture evaporates from ink surface Is easily; As a result, be accompanied by the process of time, near nozzle opening Ne; Solids ratios such as solute ratio such as the dyestuff in the ink or pigment improve relatively, make that near the ink viscosity the said nozzle opening Ne might increase.And this viscosity increase not only brings harmful effect to the spray volume or the drippage position of ink droplet, and if excessively, then will cause spray nozzle clogging.
For this reason; In this printer 1, increase in order to prevent such viscosity, under said printing holding state or power-off state; According at least the mode that the leading section of nozzle forms space S P2 said ink is pulled to the emission direction opposition side (below; Be also referred to as and regurgitate outgoing direction or regurgitate out side), thus, prevented that the viscosity of ink of the leading section of nozzle from increasing (with reference to Fig. 8 B).
Wherein, if form space S P2 at the leading section of nozzle so at least, the reasons are as follows of can suppressing then that the viscosity of ink increases is said.Shown in Fig. 8 A, when not drawing in ink, ink surface Is is positioned at nozzle opening Ne.That is, ink surface Is is in its outer peripheral edges Ise and is positioned at nozzle opening Ne, and the central side of ink surface Is than said nozzle opening Ne to regurgitating out the caved in state of meniscus part of side.Therefore, this ink surface Is touches the wind of blowing among the space S P1 below printhead 41 easily, the result, and near the ink the ink surface Is is evaporated through this wind fairly simplely.
Relative with it, shown in Fig. 8 B,, to regurgitating out the space S P2 that side forms ormal weight, then can make ink surface Is away from said wind from nozzle opening Ne if regurgitate out side through ink is pulled to, make said wind be difficult to touch ink surface Is.Thus, can suppress to suppress the increase of the viscosity of ink from the water evaporates of ink surface Is.And, drawing in based on said, the space S P2 in the nozzle that relies on the formation of ejection side than ink surface Is is enclosed by the internal perisporium bread in this nozzle, becomes air and moves few so-called stagnation point.Therefore, based on the delay of the air of this stagnation point, make the space S P1 of the comparable printhead of space S P2 41 belows of this stagnation point keep higher humidity, the result has effectively suppressed the evaporation of the ink surface Is in the nozzle, and the viscosity that can effectively suppress ink increases.
Here, forming space S P2 at the leading section of nozzle, is beyond the recess S P3 of the meniscus of ink, forms space S P2 in addition.Therefore, when forming this space S P2, the outer peripheral edges Ise of ink surface Is is positioned at more to rely on than nozzle opening Ne and regurgitates out side, and in other words, ink surface Is spreads all over its whole, is positioned at than nozzle opening Ne to rely on the position of regurgitating out side.
Prevent the kind handled as the ink viscosity increase of this conception of species, can enumerate out " ink is kept out of the way processing " and " ink recovery processing " these 2 kinds.
The former ink is kept out of the way processing shown in Fig. 9 A, be to make ink surface Is be positioned at nozzle, and meanwhile with ink to regurgitating out the processing that layback is gone into.Here, nozzle is meant along the normal direction of the opening surface of nozzle opening Ne, forms the part that does not have bend and identical shaped straight tube-like stream continuously from this nozzle opening Ne, refers to than said piezoelectric element more by the part (with reference to Fig. 9 A) of ejection side.And, keep out of the way processing according to this ink, because the position of the ink surface Is after drawing in is received in the nozzle,, that is, can nozzle be returned at once the state of printable processing so can make ink surface Is get back to the position of nozzle opening Ne at once.Therefore, this ink is kept out of the way to handle and is suitable for the short time and does not carry out the situation of print processing, in this printer 1, and can be in the relatively printing holding state execution down of short-term.
On the other hand; The latter's ink recovery is handled shown in Fig. 9 B; Be with in the stream of printhead 41 with supply pipe 45 in exist almost all ink recovery in ink tank 43, thus, make almost to become empty processing in the stream of printhead 41 with in the supply pipe 45.And, handle according to this ink recovery, can prevent the evaporation of ink more chronically through the sealing bag 43a in the ink tank 43, the result can keep out of the way processing than above-mentioned ink and prevent that more chronically the viscosity of ink from increasing.
; Because when having carried out this ink recovery processing, need before print processing, the ink in the ink tank 43 be recharged (with reference to Fig. 6) to printhead 41, so; Instantaneity viewpoint from the ability instantaneous recovery to the state that can print processing, it is excellent that above-mentioned ink is kept out of the way processing.Therefore, this ink recovery is handled the situation that is suitable for not carrying out for a long time print processing, in printer 1, can under the printing holding state of power-off state or longer-term, carry out.
< ink viscosity increases anti-stop element 70 >
Increase anti-stop element 70 by controller 60 control ink viscosities, carry out such ink viscosity increase and prevent to handle.Ink viscosity increases anti-stop element 70 shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 9 B, has the by-passing valve 78 of the stream of the pipe pump 72, the bypass pipe 77 that is used for circuitous this pipe pump 72 and this bypass pipe 77 of switch that in the said supply pipe 45 that printhead 41 is supplied with, are provided with at the ink with ink tank 43.Wherein, this ink viscosity increases anti-stop element 70 press each ink look of CMYK and is provided with, that is, and and with respect to each supply pipe 45 setting of the ink of CMYK.
Figure 10 A and Figure 10 B are the key diagrams of pipe pump 72, have represented its part with analysing and observe.Pipe pump 72 is smoothed out with the fingers the established part A of (ご く) supply pipe 45, the direction ink delivery of smoothing out with the fingers repeatedly.Particularly; This pipe pump 72 is shown in Figure 10 A; Have shell 73, be contained in shell 73 and can be around the rotating circular disk 74 of center of circle C74 rotation, outstanding and can rotate freely the ground a pair of pressure roller 75 that is provided with of point symmetry and the not shown drive motors of rotation driven in rotation disk 74 each other to foreign side from the lateral surface of rotating circular disk 74; And said supply pipe 45 is configured between the outer peripheral face 74a of internal face 73a and rotating circular disk 74 of shell 73.Therefore, if make rotating circular disk 74 rotations, then can be smoothed out with the fingers by the internal face 73a of pressure roller 75 and shell 73 in the supply pipe 45 and the part of pressure roller 75 butts through said drive motors; Thus, make ink move in this direction of smoothing out with the fingers, and after smoothing out with the fingers; This quilt smooth out with the fingers and the part of being out of shape through flexible own recuperability based on supply pipe 45; The original state of heaving can be got back to, at this moment, the ink that rises in the opposition side existence of the direction of smoothing out with the fingers can be drawn.Therefore, rotate to a direction, can the ink in the supply pipe 45 be carried to the direction along direction of rotation through making rotating circular disk 74.During certainly through pipe pump 72 ink deliveries, by-passing valve 78 yes closed condition.
Increase anti-stop element 70 according to such ink viscosity, can carry out said ink by following that kind and keep out of the way processing and ink recovery processing.
Keep out of the way in the processing at ink; Shown in Fig. 9 A; Owing to be received in the degree in the nozzle according to position, ink gone into to regurgitating out layback on a small quantity, so shown in Figure 10 B with ink surface Is; Rotating circular disk 74 rotates and said a small amount of corresponding anglec of rotation (for example 10 °) to regurgitating outgoing direction, and under this state, stops.
So, smooth out with the fingers supply pipe 45 according to the girth amount corresponding, thus with this anglec of rotation; Can be to regurgitating the outgoing direction ink delivery, then, because the part that the quilt of supply pipe 45 is smoothed out with the fingers is through the flexible own recuperability based on self; Can from the distortion state to the original recovering state of heaving, so supply pipe 45 in the generation regurgitate outgoing direction attraction, thus; The ink of the leading section of nozzle is drawn into, and the position that reaches ink surface Is is received into the degree in the nozzle.And, do not rotate, keep this halted state through not making afterwards rotating circular disk 74, thereby keep the position of drawing in of said ink surface Is.
In addition, when print processing, shown in Fig. 8 A, need make the position of ink surface Is turn back to nozzle opening Ne (front-end edge of nozzle), can be through the by-passing valve 78 of opening Figure 10 B, carry out this and return processing (below, be called ink reset and handle).That is, if open by-passing valve 78, then the ink of ink tank 43 will be carried to nozzle side and pass through bypass pipe 77 not through pipe pump 72, and thus, ink surface Is resets to the position of nozzle opening Ne.Then, in print processing, this by-passing valve 78 is being kept open mode, and thus, ink can be provided for printhead 41 through bypass pipe 77.
And in ink recovery is handled; Of Fig. 9 B; Since with in the stream of printhead 41 with supply pipe 45 in exist whole ink transport, be recovered to ink tank 43, so the rotating circular disk 74 of Figure 10 A is with the rotating speed corresponding with the amount of said whole inks that should reclaim; Rotate continuously along regurgitating outgoing direction, stop then.So; During this continuous rotation, smooth out with the fingers the prescribed limit A of supply pipe 45 successively repeatedly through a pair of pressure roller 75, and repeating when being smoothed out with the fingers, all to make distortion turn back to the action of heaving through own restoring force; Thus, finally make and almost become empty in the stream of printhead 41 with in the supply pipe 45.
In addition; After this ink recovery is handled, print when handling, also need make the position of ink surface Is turn back to nozzle opening Ne, can be through making rotating circular disk 74 to rotating with above-mentioned opposite direction; Realize this processing of returning (below, be called ink and recover handle).That is, if make rotating circular disk 74 to emission direction rotation, then basis and above-mentioned same pump principle, the inks in the ink tank 43 are supplied to pipe 45 and attract; In the stream of printhead 41, guide, final, in the supply pipe 45 and in the stream of printhead 41; Till the nozzle opening Ne of the end that sprays side, be full of by ink, then; Become the state that a spot of ink drips from nozzle opening Ne,, rotating circular disk 74 is stopped if becoming like this.
; Do not form the meniscus of concave shape at nozzle opening Ne at this moment; Usually become the meniscus Is of the convex form shown in Figure 11 A, if but be not the meniscus Is of the concave shape shown in Figure 11 B, then in print processing, can't carry out normal ink ejection action. hereTherefore, as the final work that this ink recovery is handled, can carry out wiping and handle.That is, through Wiping member shown in Figure 7 80, the formation face of the nozzle of the following 41a of wiping printhead 41 thus, makes the meniscus of nozzle opening Ne become the concave shape shown in Figure 11 B.Wiping member 80 is that carpet veneer and rubber layer stick on elastic plate together.And this Wiping member 80 is configured in the below of printhead 41 shown in Fig. 6 B, also is provided with by not shown guide rail to move for coming and going in the guiding of paper width, and is used to make Wiping member 80 to come and go the driving mechanism (not shown) that moves.Therefore; If Wiping member 80 moves from direction the opposing party's of the position of readiness set at the two ends of paper width position of readiness; Then in moving process, the nozzle of the last ora terminalis of Wiping member 80 and the following 41a of printhead 41 forms the face butt, and this nozzle of wiping forms the nozzle of face; Thus, can make the meniscus of nozzle opening Ne become concave shape.
< ink is kept out of the way the enforcement timing of processing and ink recovery processing >
Figure 12 and Figure 13 are that ink is kept out of the way the key diagram of handling an enforcement example regularly of handling with ink recovery, are the flow charts from the power connection of printer 1 to a series of processing of power supply releasing.When Figure 12 is power connection and the flow chart of processing afterwards, Figure 13 is the flow chart of the processing of power supply when removing.Wherein, the CPU62 through controller 60 reads the program corresponding with these handling processes from memory 63, according to said each unit of this programme-control etc., carries out these handling processes.
If the user presses power knob, printer 1 energized then.Then, follow in this, if controller 60 receives the power turn-on signal that sends from guidance panel 66, then controller 60 just begins the handling process of Figure 12, according to this handling process, controls each unit.In addition, continue to carry out the handling process of this Figure 12, up to handling process based on power supply open command Interrupt Process Figure 13.
Shown in figure 12, if receive the power turn-on signal, then controller 60 at first carries out " ink recovers to handle " (S302) as ink ejection preparation, and thus, the ink of ink tank 43 is filled into the nozzle opening Ne (with reference to Fig. 6) of printhead 41.Wherein, regularly carry out reason that ink recover to handle at this and be, when breaking off, carry out said " ink recovery processings ", thus, can make in the stream of printhead 41 and become the dummy status (with reference to Fig. 9 B) that ink withdraws from the supply pipe 45 like the said power supply in back.
Then, controller 60 increases for the viscosity of the ink that the printing holding state that prevents because of short-term causes, and transfers to step S304; Carry out " ink is kept out of the way processing "; Thus, be converged in the scope in the nozzle, ink is gone into to regurgitating out layback in the position of ink surface Is.Then, transfer to step S306, after timer 65 is resetted, the counting of the device 65 that picks up counting.
This timer 65 is to print under the long situation of holding state, keeps out of the way processing to stopping also to prevent that the ink recovery that viscosity increases from handling the timer 65 that switches for a long time even be used for from the ink of current state.Therefore; In following step S308, controller 60 will be by the count value T of the current time of timer 65 counting and set binding hours Tth relatively, above binding hours the time; Transferring to the ink recovery of step S316 handles; When being no more than, transfer to step S310, judge and whether receive the print command relevant with unenforced print processing.
Then,, repeat the comparison of said counting value T, on the other hand, when being the judgement of having received said print command, transfer to following step S312 when the judgement of step S310 is when not receiving the judgement of said print command, to turn back to said step S308.Then, in this step S312, carry out " ink reset processing ", thus, return to nozzle opening Ne, become the state (with reference to Fig. 8 A) that can spray ink droplet being pulled to the ink surface Is that regurgitates out side.
Then, transfer to step S314, carry out rinsed (flushing).Rinsed is to move drive pressure electric device likewise with the ejection of the ink of common print processing, and from the processing of nozzle ejection ink droplet, thus, the ink surface Is in the nozzle is cleaned the state for there not being viscosity to increase.The ink droplet that sprays based on rinsed is received, is kept by the ink absorption material that is provided with among the recess 25a above the platen shown in Figure 4 25 26.In addition, when this rinsed, yes carries out the driving of piezoelectric element according to set signal, rather than carries out according to print data.
Then, carry out " print processing " (S322) according to the print data corresponding with said print command.Owing in Fig. 8, describe, omit explanation here to this print processing.Then, if this print processing finishes, then for corresponding with the printing holding state; Turn back to above-mentioned step S304, carry out " ink is kept out of the way processing ", then; Through beginning etc. of the timer 65 of above-mentioned step S306; Standby in step S310, up to receiving the print command relevant with unenforced print processing, perhaps count value T surpasses binding hours Tth in step S308.
In addition, when printing at this among step S308 of holding state, when the count value T of timer 65 had surpassed said binding hours Tth, controller 60 made processing shift to step S316, carries out " ink recovery processing ".Then, in the stream of this printhead 41 with supply pipe 45 in whole inks be recycled to (with reference to Fig. 9 B) standby under the state in the ink tank 43, up to receiving the print command relevant with unenforced print processing; If received this print command (S318), then carry out " ink recovers to handle " of step S320, thus; Become the state (with reference to Fig. 6) that is filled ink in the stream of printhead 41 etc.; Afterwards, transfer to step S322, carry out " print processing ".Then,, then, turn back to above-mentioned step S304, carry out " ink is kept out of the way processing ", repeat the later processing of above-mentioned step S306 for the viscosity of handling the ink that causes because of the printing holding state increases if print processing finishes.
And when removing the power supply of printer 1, the user is the power knob of push panel 66 once again, follows in this, sends the power supply open command from guidance panel 66.Then, if receive this power supply open command, then controller 60 begins the handling process of Figure 13.
That is, controller 60 at first judges whether be in print processing (S402), standby when being the judgement in the print processing finishes up to print processing.Then,, then the handling process of Figure 12 is carried out Interrupt Process, that is, shift, carry out " ink recovery processing " to the step S404 of Figure 13 if print processing finishes.Thus, be recycled to ink tank 43 (with reference to Fig. 9 B) with supply pipe 45 interior whole inks in the stream of printhead 41, do not print processing for a long time, also can prevent the state of the viscosity increase of ink even become.Then, controller 60 is removed the power supply (S406) of printer 1.
===other embodiment===
In above-mentioned embodiment, mainly put down in writing print system 100, but wherein comprised the description of liquid ejection apparatus and liquid ejection method etc. certainly.And above-mentioned embodiment is used to make understanding of the present invention to become easily not limited interpretation the present invention.The present invention can change, improve under the prerequisite that does not break away from its aim, and the present invention comprises its equivalent.Even the embodiment of following description is also contained among the present invention.
In above-mentioned embodiment; As liquid ejection apparatus; Enumerated ink-jet printer 1, sprayed or the liquid ejection apparatus of other liquid beyond the ejection ink (being dispersed with the such fluid of aqueous body or the gel of particle of functional material etc.) but also can be embodied as.For example, can be ejection comprises the aqueous body of material such as employed electrode material or color material in the manufacturing etc. of LCD, EL (electroluminescent) display and face active display with the form that disperses or dissolves liquid ejection apparatus; The ejection biochip is made the organic liquid ejection apparatus of employed organism; With the liquid ejection apparatus that uses, sprays the liquid that becomes test portion as accurate pipette.And then, also can be in precision optical machineries such as wrist-watch or camera accurately the liquid ejection apparatus of ejection lubricating oil, in order to form that the small packaged lens of using in the optical communication device etc. (optical lens) waits and on substrate transparent resin liquid such as ejection ultraviolet hardening resin liquid ejection apparatus, for etch substrate etc. and the liquid ejection apparatus of etching solutions such as ejection acid or alkali and spray the fluid blowout unit of gel.And, can the present invention be applied in any one blowoff wherein.
In above-mentioned embodiment, enumerated the wardrobe printer as printer 1, but be not limited thereto, for example also can be serial printer.Promptly; Can be to have had along the first direction alignment arrangements of stipulating the printhead of a plurality of nozzles; Through carry out repeatedly this printhead in the second direction of intersecting with said first direction moves from said nozzle to media such as paper ejection ink and form the ink ejection action of point and the conveying action of carrying said medium, the printer of print image on said medium thus at said first direction.
In above-mentioned embodiment, shown in figure 12, when printing holding state; Carried out " ink is kept out of the way processing " (S304) after; Behind binding hours Tth, (S316) shift to " ink recovery processing ", but be not limited thereto; The ink that also can not carry out S304 is kept out of the way processing, and horse back carries out S316 " ink recovery processing ".That is, can omit step from S304 to S314.And, can be according to the mode of position between nozzle and ink tank 43 of ink surface (meniscus) Is, that is, ink surface Is is positioned at the stream or supply pipe 45 ground of printhead 41 and goes into ink to regurgitating out layback.
In above-mentioned embodiment, shown in figure 13, when receiving the power supply open command, carry out " ink recovery processing ", but also can replace it to carry out " ink is kept out of the way processing ".And, can be according to the mode of the stream of position between nozzle and ink tank 43 of ink surface (meniscus) Is, that is, ink surface Is be positioned at the printhead 41 beyond the nozzle stream or supply pipe 45 go into ink to regurgitating out layback.
In above-mentioned embodiment; As the pump that ink viscosity is increased anti-stop element 70 usefulness; Enumerated pipe pump 72; But, for example also can use gear pump (using the gear meshing of rotating to carry the pump of liquid) if, then be not limited thereto at the ejection side of supply pipe 45 and the pump of the two directions ability ink delivery of regurgitating out side.
In above-mentioned embodiment; As the for example clear piezoelectric effect mode of the ejection mode of liquid based on piezoelectric element; But being not limited to this, for example also can be to utilize the bubble that produces in this liquid to make the thermojet mode of liquid from the nozzle ejection through heating liquid.
In above-mentioned embodiment, through force (forcing) pump 47 forced feeds the ink of ink tank 43, but according to situation, also can omit force (forcing) pump 47.For example,, ink tank 43 is configured in more eminence, then owing to can supply with ink from ink tank 43 to printhead 41, so can omit force (forcing) pump 47 according to this liquid level difference if compare with printhead 41.
In above-mentioned embodiment, the starting of undeclared force (forcing) pump 47 regularly with stop regularly, but natural, force (forcing) pump 47 can be stopped by controller 60 according to the power supply ON-and OFF-command according to the power turn-on signal by controller 60 startings.
In the above-described embodiment, do not describe ink in detail, but this ink is the aqueous body that in The suitable solvent such as water, contains solid constituents such as solutes such as dyestuff or pigment etc.,, can enumerate dye ink or paint ink etc. that is.