JP3102271B2 - Ink jet recording device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet printer having a recording head for forming an image by discharging ink, and an ink holding means for holding the ink to be supplied to the recording head and detachably attached to a supporting means of a main body. It relates to a recording device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a control system of an ink jet recording apparatus provided with an ink remaining amount detector for detecting the remaining amount of ink in a replaceable ink cartridge has been configured as shown in FIGS. . 3 and 4 show a first conventional example, and FIG. 5 shows a second conventional example.

In FIG. 3, a control unit 30 controls the entire ink jet recording apparatus. The control unit 30
Is connected to the control unit 30. The interface unit 31 transmits print data and print command information transferred from a host such as a computer (not shown) to the control unit 30.

When print data and print command information are transferred from the host via the interface unit 31, the control unit 30 outputs a print command and print data to a recording unit 32 for printing an image by an ink jet system. Then, a head (not shown) of the recording unit 32 is driven to eject ink from nozzles (not shown) to perform printing.

As shown in FIG. 4, the ink cartridge 33 is provided with a detection electrode 34 that is immersed in the ink 35 when the ink 35 is present in a predetermined amount or more.

An ink remaining amount detector 36 detects whether the detection electrode 34 is immersed in the ink 35 or not.

When the ink cartridge 33 is mounted on the ink jet recording apparatus, the ink cartridge 33
The recording unit 32 communicates with a head (not shown) of the recording unit 32 through a channel (not shown).

When the ink is consumed, the detection electrode 3
When the ink cartridge 4 is not immersed in the ink 35, the remaining ink detector 36 issues a signal indicating that the remaining ink in the ink cartridge 33 is low. When the control unit 30 receives this signal indicating that the remaining amount of ink is scarce, the control unit 30 informs the user of the ink cartridge 33 by displaying the remaining ink amount indicator 37.
Warning that the remaining amount of ink is scarce. The warning is a warning sound by lighting, blinking or buzzer of a lamp such as an LED.

Next, a second conventional example will be described. In FIG.
The control unit 40 controls the entire inkjet recording apparatus.

An interface 41 is connected to the control unit 40, and the interface 41
Transmits print data and print command information transferred from a host such as a computer (not shown) to the control unit 40.

When print data and print command information are transferred from the host via the interface unit 41, the control unit 40 outputs a print command and print data to a recording unit 42 for printing an image by an ink jet system. Then, a head (not shown) of the recording unit 42 is driven to eject ink from nozzles (not shown) to perform printing.

Further, a cartridge detector 43 is connected to the controller 40, and the cartridge detector 43 is connected to the controller 43.
Is for detecting whether or not the ink cartridge 44 filled with ink is attached to the ink jet recording apparatus. When the ink cartridge 44 is mounted on the ink jet recording apparatus, the ink cartridge 44 is connected to a head (not shown) of the recording unit 42 by a flow path (not shown).

When the mounting of the ink cartridge 44 is detected by the cartridge detector 43, the control unit 4
0 clears the ink consumption in the non-volatile memory 45. Thereafter, when printing is executed by the recording unit 42 upon receiving print data and print command information from the host, the control unit 40
Is counted by counting the number of dots ejected by the head, and multiplying the counted value by the amount of ink per dot to count the amount of ink consumed for printing. To memorize. When a recovery unit (not shown) for recovering clogging of the nozzles of the head is driven, the ink remaining amount counter 46 counts the number of times the recovery unit is driven. The recovery unit includes a suction unit that sucks ink from the nozzles of the head, and a discharge unit that applies positive pressure to the inside of the head to discharge ink from the nozzles of the head. Then, the count value of the number of times of driving is multiplied by the amount of ink sucked or discharged from the nozzle of the head per unit recovery operation, and the amount of ink consumed for recovery is counted, and the amount of ink consumed for printing is calculated. The sum of the ink consumption used for the recovery and the total ink consumption is stored in the nonvolatile memory 45.

Since the ink consumption value is stored in the nonvolatile memory 45, the ink consumption value does not disappear even when the power of the printing apparatus is turned off.

When the ink consumption value becomes larger than a predetermined value, the control unit 40 warns the user with the ink remaining amount indicator 47 that the ink remaining amount of the ink cartridge 44 is low. As a warning, L
This is a warning sound by lighting, blinking or buzzer of a lamp such as an ED.

[0016]

However, in the above-described first conventional ink jet recording apparatus,
When the amount of the ink 35 in the ink cartridge 33 decreases below a predetermined amount, the ink 35 cannot immerse the detection electrode 34, and the remaining ink detector 36 issues a signal indicating that the remaining amount of the ink is scarce. For this reason, when the ink level falls below the detection electrode 34, the control unit 40 issues a warning that the remaining amount of ink is scarce, even though there is still ink in the ink cartridge 33.

In the second conventional ink jet recording apparatus, the number of dots ejected by the head is counted, and the count is multiplied by the amount of ink per dot to count the amount of ink consumed for printing. Further, the number of times of driving of the recovery means is counted, and the count value of the number of times of driving is multiplied by the amount of ink sucked or discharged from the nozzles of the head per unit recovery operation to count the amount of ink consumed for recovery. The sum of the ink consumption used for printing and the ink consumption used for recovery is counted, and the total ink consumption is counted to detect the remaining amount of ink in the ink cartridge 44.
In such an ink remaining amount detection method, the amount of ink dots ejected from the nozzles of the head changes due to changes in surface tension and viscosity, which are characteristics of the ink, and errors tend to occur. For this reason, a warning that the amount of remaining ink is low is issued even though the ink cartridge 44 has sufficient ink. Alternatively, there has been a problem in that even if the ink in the ink cartridge 44 runs out, a warning of the ink scarcity is not issued.

In the second conventional example, when the ink cartridge detecting means 43 detects that the ink cartridge 44 has been mounted, the control unit 40 sets the nonvolatile memory 45.
Since the ink consumption in the non-volatile memory 45 is cleared even when the ink cartridge 44 once removed is mounted again or another ink cartridge 44 in use is mounted, the ink consumption stored in the nonvolatile memory 45 is reduced. There is a disadvantage that the ink is cleared and the remaining amount of ink is detected as if a new ink cartridge 44 is mounted, and the detection of the remaining amount of ink malfunctions. In particular, in a printing apparatus that prints monochrome and color, when the monochrome printing is switched from the color printing or the color printing to the monochrome printing, the ink cartridge is replaced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional method, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording apparatus capable of accurately detecting the remaining amount of ink. .

[0020]

In this onset bright in order to achieve the Means for Solving the Problems] This object, a recording head for forming an image by ejecting ink, holding the ink to be supplied to the recording head, the body of the support means An ink jet recording apparatus having a detachable ink holding means, a detecting means for detecting a predetermined liquid level of the ink in the ink holding means, and an arithmetic means for counting an amount of ink ejected from the recording head, The detecting means detects that the ink in the ink holding means
After detecting that the liquid level is constant, the arithmetic means counts.
A non-volatile memory for storing the consumed ink amount;
Holding means is attached to the holding means and the detecting means
Is higher than the predetermined liquid level in the ink holding means.
Is detected in the non-volatile memory
Beyond a control unit to clear the ink consumption are, ink consumption the operation means has counted after the detection that the ink in said detecting means ink holding means is a predetermined liquid level a predetermined value An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising: a judgment unit for judging when the amount of ink in the ink holding unit is equal to or less than a predetermined remaining amount .

[0021]

In the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention having a [action] having the above structure, by the recording head in which the computing means after detecting that the ink before Symbol detection means in the ink holding means is a predetermined liquid level has counted when the ink consumption amount exceeds a predetermined value, the ink in the ink holding means is predetermined
It is determined that the remaining amount is equal to or less than the remaining amount. Also hand holding ink
When the step is installed, the ink in the ink holding
If the level is higher than the liquid level, the
Clear the amount of consumption.

[0022]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an ink jet recording apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The control section 1 controls the entire ink jet recording apparatus.
A PU, a ROM for storing control programs and data of the CPU shown in FIG. 2, a RAM as a work area, and the like are provided.

An interface unit 2 is connected to the control unit 1, and the interface unit 2 transmits print data and print command information transferred from a host such as a computer (not shown) to the control unit 1. .

When print data and print command information are transferred from the host via the interface unit 2, the control unit 1 outputs a print command and print data to the recording unit 3, and Ink is ejected from a nozzle (not shown) of a head not to be printed on a recording medium. The head is arranged on a carriage (not shown) (not shown) as a support means, and the head ejects ink along with the movement of the carriage to print on a recording medium conveyed on a platen (not shown). I do. The ink jetting method of the head includes a Kaiser type disclosed in JP-B-53-12138 and JP-B-61-599.
A thermal jet type disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 14 and a shear mode type using piezoelectric ceramics disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-150355.

A cartridge detector 4 is connected to the control unit 1. The cartridge detector 4 is used to mount an ink cartridge 5 serving as an ink holding means filled with ink into an ink jet recording apparatus. For example, it is configured by a contact switch, an electromagnetic switch, an optical switch, or the like.

The ink cartridge 5 is detachable from the carriage, and when the ink cartridge 5 is mounted on the carriage, the ink cartridge 5 is communicated with the head of the recording unit 3 by a flow path (not shown).

The detection electrode 9 serving as a detection means is provided so as to be immersed in the ink when the ink is present in the ink cartridge 5 in a predetermined amount or more, as in the first conventional example.

The ink remaining amount detector 10 determines whether the detection electrode 9 is immersed in the ink by an electric signal.
To tell.

Further, the control unit 1 clears the ink consumption stored in the non-volatile memory 7 which is a storage means capable of storing the ink consumption when the ink cartridge 5 is mounted by the cartridge detector 4. I do.

When the remaining amount of ink in the ink cartridge 5 is equal to or less than a predetermined amount, that is, when the detection electrode 9 is not immersed in the ink,
The remaining ink detector 10 transmits a signal to the controller, and the controller 1 causes the remaining ink counter 8 constituting a part of the controller 1 to count the amount of ink consumption. The counting of the amount of ink consumption by the ink remaining amount counter 8 is performed in the same manner as in the second conventional example, by calculating the amount of printing ink consumed for printing and the amount of recovered ink consumed for recovery. The total ink consumption is counted. The total ink consumption value is
Since the data is stored in the non-volatile memory 7, the ink consumption value does not disappear even when the power of the ink jet recording apparatus is turned off.

When the ink consumption value becomes equal to or more than a predetermined value, the control unit 1 makes the remaining ink indicator 6 warn that the remaining ink amount in the ink cartridge 5 is scarce. The warning is a warning sound by lighting, blinking or buzzer of a lamp such as an LED. Here, the predetermined value is a value based on the amount of ink when the detection electrode 9 provided in the ink cartridge 5 is no longer immersed in ink.

As described above, the control unit 1 also has a function as a calculating means and a determining means.

Next, with reference to FIG. 2, the ink remaining amount detection processing by the control unit 1 of the ink jet recording apparatus of the present embodiment.

In step S1, the power of the ink jet recording apparatus is turned on.

In step S2, the cartridge detector 4 checks whether the ink cartridge 5 is mounted on the carriage of the ink jet recording apparatus. If the ink cartridge 5 is not mounted, the process proceeds to step S3 until the ink cartridge 5 is mounted, issues an ink cartridge non-mounting alarm, and enters a standby state in which the process returns to the input of step S3. When the ink cartridge 5 is mounted, the process proceeds to step S4.

In step S4, the ink cartridge 5
The remaining ink detector 1 determines whether the detection electrode 9 provided inside is immersed in the ink in the ink cartridge 5.
The control unit 1 makes a determination based on the signal of 0.

If it is determined in step S4 that the detection electrode 9 is immersed in the ink, the process proceeds to step S5.

In step S5, the value of the ink consumption stored in the nonvolatile memory 7 is cleared, that is, set to 0.
Proceed to step S6.

In step S6, print data and print command information are received from the host, and a printing process is executed by the recording unit 3, and a head recovery process of the recording unit 3 is performed by the recovery unit.

In step S7, the remaining ink counter 8
Is the amount of printing ink consumed for the printing process,
The total ink consumption amount obtained by summing the consumption amount of the recovery ink consumed for the recovery processing is counted and added to the value stored in the nonvolatile memory 7.

If it is determined in step S4 that the detection electrode 9 is not immersed in the ink, the process proceeds to step S8.

In step S8, the ink consumption stored in the nonvolatile memory 7 is reduced to a predetermined value, that is, the detection electrode 9
Is compared with the remaining amount of ink in the ink cartridge 5 that does not become immersed in ink.

In step S8, (predetermined value of remaining ink amount)>
If it is determined to be (stored ink consumption), the process proceeds to step S6.

When it is determined that (predetermined value of remaining ink amount) ≦ (stored ink consumption amount), the process proceeds to step S9.

In step S9, the ink cartridge 5
The user is notified by a remaining ink indicator 6 that the remaining amount of ink in the printer has become scarce. Then, the process proceeds to step S6.

As is apparent from the above description, according to the ink jet recording apparatus of this embodiment, the ink cartridge 5 is mounted on the carriage by the detection electrode 9 and the ink remaining amount detector 10 provided inside the ink cartridge 5. The fact that the remaining amount of ink in the ink cartridge 5 is the predetermined amount of remaining ink can be accurately detected without being affected by a change in the ejection amount from the head due to a change in the characteristics of the ink, for example, surface tension or viscosity. The remaining amount of ink is detected by the ink remaining amount counter 8 counting the amount of ink consumed by the printing and recovery operations, so that the remaining amount of ink in the ink cartridge 5 can be accurately detected without increasing the cost. can do.

Further, even if the ink cartridge 5 once removed from the carriage is remounted or another ink cartridge 5 being used is mounted, it is not erroneously detected as a new ink cartridge 5 as in the related art. For this reason, the remaining amount of ink in the ink cartridge 5 can be detected more accurately than in the conventional example.

In this embodiment, the head and the ink cartridge 5 are provided separately. However, an ink cartridge having a head may be used.

In this embodiment, the ink cartridge 5 is mounted on the carriage. However, the ink cartridge 5 may be mounted on another part in the main body of the ink jet recording apparatus.

In this embodiment, the detection electrode 9 detects that the ink in the ink cartridge 5 has a predetermined remaining amount of ink (liquid level at a predetermined position). It may be formed of a translucent member, and by irradiating the translucent member with light, it may be detected that the ink in the ink cartridge has a predetermined remaining amount of ink.

[0053]

As apparent from the above description, according to the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention, the detecting means detects the liquid level of the ink in the ink holding means, and the detecting means detects the ink level in the ink holding means. When the amount of ink consumed by the recording head counted by the calculating means after detecting that the ink in the ink is at a predetermined liquid level exceeds a predetermined value, the ink remaining in the ink holding means has a predetermined remaining amount. Since it is determined that the following conditions are satisfied, the remaining amount of ink in the ink holding means can be accurately detected. Also ink holding
When the means is installed, the ink in the ink holding means
If the liquid level is equal to or higher than the fixed liquid level,
Clear link consumption. If reseating once removed ink holding means, it is possible to detect the conventionally accurate amount of remaining ink.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control system of an inkjet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of the ink jet recording apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control system of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a first conventional example.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the inside of an ink cartridge of an ink jet recording apparatus according to a first conventional example.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control system of an ink jet recording apparatus according to a second conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Control part 3 Recording part 5 Ink cartridge 6 Ink remaining amount display 7 Non-volatile memory 8 Ink remaining amount counter 9 Detection electrode 10 Ink remaining amount detector

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An ink jet recording apparatus comprising: a recording head that forms an image by discharging ink; and an ink retaining unit that retains ink to be supplied to the recording head and is detachable from a supporting unit of a main body. a detecting means for detecting a predetermined liquid level of the ink in the holding means, and calculating means for counting the ink consumption jetted from the recording head, the ink is the predetermined liquid in the detection means the ink holding means
A) calculated by the arithmetic means after detecting that the
A non-volatile memory for storing ink consumption, the ink holding means being mounted on the holding means, and
The detecting means detects that the ink in the ink holding means is at or below the predetermined liquid level
When it is detected that the
A control unit for clearing the stored ink consumption, and wherein the detection unit detects that the ink in the ink holding unit is the predetermined liquid.
Determination means for determining that the amount of ink in the ink holding means is less than or equal to a predetermined remaining amount when the amount of ink consumption counted by the calculation means after detecting that the surface is a surface has exceeded a predetermined value; An ink jet recording apparatus comprising: