JP7289704B2 - Inkjet recording device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an inkjet printing apparatus that ejects ink to print an image.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-200001 describes an ink jet type in which black ink, which is frequently printed, is supplied from an ink bag to a recording head through a tube, and color ink, which is printed less frequently, is supplied to the recording head from a recording unit detachably mounted on a carriage. A recording device is disclosed. The recording apparatus can perform a recording operation regardless of the presence or absence of a recording unit for color printing, and has a configuration capable of changing the control of a carriage driving motor according to the presence or absence of an ink cartridge.

JP-A-9-76537

However, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, if the recording operation continues without the recording unit for color printing attached, ink mist may adhere to the contact portion for electrical connection provided on the carriage. . In addition, the adhesion of ink mist may cause poor contact at the contact portion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an inkjet recording apparatus capable of suppressing poor contact between a carriage and an ink cartridge.

In order to solve the above-described problems, an inkjet recording apparatus according to the present invention includes a first recording head that performs a recording operation by ejecting ink; an ink tank that stores ink supplied to the first recording head; a tube connecting the recording head and the ink tank; a carriage having a first mounting portion to which the first recording head is mounted and reciprocating; recovery means provided outside a printing area to perform a recovery operation for maintaining the ejection performance of the first printhead and the second printhead, wherein the carriage is different from the first mounting portion. A second recording head is detachably mounted on a second mounting portion, and has a contact portion electrically connected to the second recording head. a protection member for protecting the contact portion is detachably attached to the second attachment portion so as to be replaceable with the second recording head; and when the protection member is attached to the carriage, the The wiper and the protective member are characterized in that they do not come into contact with each other .

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an inkjet recording apparatus capable of suppressing poor contact between the carriage and the ink cartridge.

1 is an external perspective view of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the internal configuration of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a tank unit according to a first embodiment; FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic top perspective view related to ink supply of the inkjet recording apparatus according to the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing details of the tube holder according to the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing details of the tube slider according to the first embodiment; 2 is a top perspective view showing a recording unit according to the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is a top perspective view showing details of a recording unit and a supply tube according to the first embodiment; FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the recording unit 3 positioned at the home position of the inkjet recording apparatus according to the first embodiment; FIG. FIG. 4 is a front view of the recording unit according to the first embodiment positioned at the home position; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration related to replacement of the black recording head according to the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration related to replacement of the color print head according to the first embodiment; 4A and 4B are diagrams for explaining a recording unit according to the first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment; FIG. It is a figure explaining the detail of the contact protector which concerns on 1st Embodiment. 4 is a flowchart showing operations after power-on in the inkjet recording apparatus according to the first embodiment; 4 is a diagram showing a storage section for contact protectors in the inkjet recording apparatus according to the first embodiment; FIG. 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating a contact protector and a color recording head according to the first embodiment; FIG. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the internal configuration of an inkjet recording apparatus according to another embodiment;

[First embodiment]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the following embodiments do not limit the present invention, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential for the solution of the present invention. In addition, the relative arrangement, shape, etc. of the constituent elements described in the embodiment are merely examples, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only to them.

<Device configuration>
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing an inkjet recording apparatus (hereinafter referred to as recording apparatus) 1 according to this embodiment. 2 is a perspective view showing the internal configuration of the recording apparatus 1. As shown in FIG. The recording apparatus 1 includes a housing 5 , a recording unit 3 that performs a recording operation on a recording medium, and an ink tank 11 as an ink container that stores ink supplied to the recording unit 3 . In this embodiment, the ink tank 11 is arranged on the front surface of the housing 5 and fixed to the main body of the apparatus. Similarly, on the front surface of the housing 5, an operation unit 4 is provided with which the user can perform operations such as inputting commands to the recording apparatus 1. FIG. The operation unit 4 of the present embodiment also includes a display panel capable of displaying errors of the recording apparatus 1 and the like.

A paper feed cassette 6 that can be inserted into and removed from the housing 5 by the user is provided on the front surface of the housing 5 . The paper feed cassette 6 is provided with a window portion 6a so that the user can visually recognize the recording media loaded inside. The window portion 6a is desirably made of a transparent member such as glass or plastic.

A scanner unit 2 for reading a document is provided on the top of the housing 5 so as to be openable and closable with respect to the housing 5 . FIG. 2 shows the recording apparatus 1 with the scanner unit 2 and part of the housing 5 removed. When the scanner unit 2 is opened, the tank cover 12 capable of covering the upper surface of the ink tank 11 is exposed. In FIG. 2, the tank cover 12 is in a closed state. Details of the tank cover 12 will be described later. It should be noted that the main body cover on which the scanner unit 2 is not mounted may be configured to be openable and closable with respect to the housing 5 .

The recording apparatus 1 feeds recording media stacked in a paper feed cassette 6 provided on the front surface of the housing 5 or a paper feed tray 7 provided on the rear surface by a feed roller (feeding means) 41 . A recording medium fed by a feeding roller 41 is transported onto a platen 42 arranged at a position facing the recording unit 3 by a transport roller (transporting means) 40 . The platen 42 is a member for guiding and supporting the recording medium recorded by the recording unit 3 . A recording medium on which recording by the recording unit 3 has been completed is discharged onto a paper discharge tray (discharge section) 43 by discharge rollers. The paper discharge tray 43 is arranged above the paper feed cassette 6 .

The direction in which the recording medium is conveyed by the conveying roller 40 (the Y direction shown in FIG. 2) is called the conveying direction. That is, the upstream side in the transport direction corresponds to the rear side of the housing 5 , and the downstream side in the transport direction corresponds to the front side of the housing 5 .

The recording unit 3 is mounted on a carriage 31 that reciprocates along a guide rail or the like in the main scanning direction (the X direction shown in FIG. 2) that intersects the transport direction. In this embodiment, the transport direction and the main scanning direction are orthogonal. The recording unit 3 ejects ink droplets while moving in the main scanning direction together with the carriage 31 to record an image for one band on the recording medium (recording operation). After one band of image is recorded, the recording medium is conveyed in the conveying direction by a predetermined amount by the conveying roller 40 (intermittent conveying operation). By repeating the recording operation for one band and the intermittent conveying operation, an image is recorded on the entire recording medium based on the recording data.

The recording apparatus 1 is provided with recovery means within the movement area of the carriage 31 and outside the recording area where the recording operation is performed by the recording unit 3 . The recovery means performs a recovery operation for maintaining the ejection performance of the recording unit 3, and is arranged at a position capable of facing the ejection port surface on which the ink ejection ports are arranged. The recovery means includes a cap 21 capable of sealing the discharge port surface and a wiper 22 capable of wiping the discharge port surface. A detailed configuration of the recovery means will be described later.

The ink tank 11 is provided on the left side of the paper feed cassette 6 and the paper discharge tray 43 when the recording apparatus 1 is viewed from the front. The ink tank 11 of this embodiment contains black ink. The ink tank 11 is connected to the recording unit 3 by a flexible supply tube 8 forming an ink supply path for supplying ink to the recording unit 3 . In this embodiment, the ink tank 11 and the recovery means are arranged apart in the main scanning direction.

<Ink injection operation>
3A to 3D are external perspective views of the tank unit 10 including the ink tank 11 and its peripheral structure. FIG. 3(a) shows a state in which the tank cover 12 is closed, and FIG. 3(b) shows a state in which the tank cover 12 is open. The user can access the tank cap 13 by opening the tank cover 12 in the S1 direction.

An injection part 14 for injecting ink is provided on the upper surface of the ink tank 11 , and the injection part 14 can be sealed with a tank cap 13 . The tank cap 13 includes a cap portion 13a for sealing the injection portion 14 and a lever portion 13b that supports the cap portion 13a and can be operated by the user. is rotatably supported by the The user can inject ink by removing the cap portion 13a from the injection portion 14 while rotating the lever portion 13b in the direction S2 shown in FIG. 3B (see FIG. 3C). Note that the lever portion 13b may be configured to be rotatably supported with respect to the ink tank 11 or the tank cover 12 .

FIG. 3D shows a state in which the tank cap 13 is removed and the ink bottle 15, which is an ink replenishment container, is inserted into the injection portion 14 and ink is injected. In this embodiment, the ink in the ink bottle 15 is injected into the ink tank 11 by gas-liquid exchange with the air in the ink tank 11 .

<Ink supply configuration>
FIG. 4(a) shows a schematic top perspective view of the ink supply unit, and FIG. 4(b) shows a schematic front view of the ink supply unit. A tube guide plate 81 , a tube guide sheet 82 , a plurality of tube holder sliders 83 and a plurality of tube holders 84 are attached to the supply tube 8 . The supply tube 8 extends from the left side, where the ink tank 11 is provided, to the right side in the X direction, where the recovery means is provided, and then bends upward in the vertical direction (Z direction). 3. The supply tube 8 extends beyond the recording area of the recording unit 3 in the X direction. The supply tube 8 has a portion that moves with the movement of the recording unit 3 and a portion that does not move with the movement of the recording unit 3 .

The tube guide plate 81 fixes the portion of the supply tube 8 that does not move with the movement of the recording unit 3 and supports and guides the portion of the supply tube 8 that moves with the movement of the recording unit 3 . The tube guide plate 81 prevents the user from easily touching the supply tube 8 by fixing the supply tube 8 to the lower portion of the recording apparatus 1 . As a result, it is possible to prevent the user from pulling the supply tube 8 to disconnect it from the recording unit 3 and causing the ink in the supply tube 8 to scatter.

A tube guide sheet 82 is disposed on a portion of the supply tube 8 that can come into contact with the housing 5 and the tube guide plate 81 by moving with the movement of the carriage 31 , thereby reducing abrasion of the supply tube 8 . One end of the tube guide sheet 82 is fixed to the tube guide plate 81 and the other end is fixed by the recording unit 3 , so that the tube guide sheet 82 can move together with the supply tube 8 as the recording unit 3 reciprocates. It's becoming

Furthermore, the supply tube 8 is sandwiched by tube holders 84 at a plurality of locations. FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing details of the tube holder 84. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5(a), the tube holder 84 sandwiches the supply tube 8 from below and has an opening 84 on the upper side. The tube holder 84 reduces wear of the supply tube 8 by suppressing contact between the supply tube 8 and the tube guide sheet 82 . The orientation of the opening 84a is not limited to the upward direction, and may be configured to open sideways as shown in FIGS. 5(b) and 5(c).

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view showing details of the tube holder slider 83. As shown in FIG. The tube holder slider 83 has a fixing portion 83a for fixing the supply tube 8 and an opening portion 83b into which the tube guide sheet 82 can be inserted, and is provided at a plurality of locations. By holding the supply tube 8 between the fixing portions 83a and inserting the tube guide sheet 82 into the opening 83b, separation of the supply tube 8 and the tube guide sheet 82 due to the reciprocating movement of the recording unit 3 is suppressed. By configuring the fixed portion 83a to open sideways as shown in FIG. 6, it is possible to restrict the movement of the supply tube 8 in the direction away from the tube guide sheet 82 (upward in FIG. 6). The fixing portion 83a of the tube holder slider 83 can obtain the same effect even if it is configured to open on the right side in FIG.

Next, the detailed configuration of the recording unit 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7(a) to 7(c). The recording unit 3 has a black recording head 100 capable of ejecting black ink and a color recording head 101 capable of ejecting color ink. The black recording head 100 is mounted on the first mounting portion 31 b of the carriage 31 , and the color recording head 101 is mounted on the second mounting portion 31 c of the carriage 31 . The carriage 31 has a first head set cover 32 for covering the black recording head 100 and fixing it to the carriage 31 , and a second head set cover 32 for covering the color recording head 101 and fixing it to the carriage 31 . A set cover 33 is rotatably provided.

FIG. 7(a) shows how the first headset cover 32 and the second headset cover 33 are positioned at the covering position, and FIG. 7(b) shows the first headset cover 32 and the second headset cover 33 respectively. It shows how the head is located at the exposure position.

FIG. 7C is a top perspective view of the recording unit 3 with the first headset cover 32 omitted. The black recording head 100 is connected to the supply tube 8 via the joint 34 , and the black ink contained in the ink tank 11 is supplied through the supply tube 8 . The joint 34 is integrally formed with the first headset cover 32 , and joint connection is achieved by the user's manipulation of the first headset cover 32 .

Specifically, the black recording head 100 is positioned with respect to the carriage 31 by the user rotating the first headset cover 32 from the exposed position to the covering position. When the user presses the pressing portion 32c of the first headset cover 32, the joint connection between the recording head 100 for black and the supply tube 8 at the joint 34 is completed. As a result, ink can be supplied from the ink tank 11 to the recording head 100 for black. Note that the black recording head 100 may be configured integrally with an ink tank capable of containing ink supplied from the supply tube 8 .

On the other hand, the color recording head 101 is an ink cartridge in which a recording head and an ink tank are integrated, and is detachable from the carriage 31 as an option in the recording apparatus 1 .

FIG. 8 shows detailed configurations of the recording unit 3 and the supply tube 8 . 8A is a top perspective view of the first headset cover 32 with the top surface omitted, and FIG. 8B is an enlarged top view of the first headset cover 32. FIG. The supply tube 8 is held between a first fixing portion 32 a and a second fixing portion 32 b provided on the first headset cover 32 and fixed to the recording unit 3 .

The first fixing portion 32a sandwiches the supply tube 8 arranged along the X direction by the tube guide sheet 82 or the like shown in FIG. 4 and fixes it in the Y direction. The second fixing portion 32b clamps the supply tube 8 fixed by the first fixing portion 32a in a state in which the direction in which the supply tube 8 extends is changed from the X direction to the Y direction, thereby fixing the supply tube 8 in the X direction. The supply tube 8 fixed by the second fixing portion 32b is connected to the joint 34 along the Y direction as shown in FIG. 7(c).

By sandwiching and fixing the supply tube 8 in two different directions by the first fixing part 32a and the second fixing part 32b, even if the user pulls the supply tube 8 in the X direction, the Y direction connected to the joint 34 is fixed. It is difficult to apply force in a direction. Therefore, removal of the supply tube 8 from the joint 34 can be suppressed. In this way, by fixing the supply tube 8 in a direction different from the connection direction with the joint 34 and then connecting it to the joint 34 , the removal of the supply tube 8 from the joint 34 is prevented.

9A is an external perspective view of the recording apparatus 1 with the scanner unit 2 opened, and FIG. 9B is a top view thereof. In FIG. 9, the scanner unit 2 is omitted. When the scanner unit 2 is opened, the frame 50 attached to the housing 5 is exposed. The frame 50 has an opening 50a that is wide enough for the user to attach and detach the recording head, and a notch 50b that is part of the opening 50a.

FIG. 9 shows a state in which the recording unit 3 is located at the recovery position (home position) facing the cap 21 shown in FIG. When the recording unit 3 is located at the home position, most of the recording unit 3 is covered by the frame 50 and the user cannot easily touch the recording unit 3 . In this way, the frame 50 has a role of protecting the internal units so that the user does not touch the recording unit 3 and the carriage 31 other than through the opening 50a and the notch 50b.

Furthermore, as described with reference to FIG. 4, the supply tube 8 is bent from bottom to top on the right side (that is, the side where the recovery means is arranged in the X direction) when viewed from the front of the recording apparatus 1. . As a result, when the recording unit 3 is positioned at the home position facing the cap 21 (recovery means), the bent portion 8a of the supply tube 8 is also covered by the frame 50 . Therefore, it is possible to prevent the user from pulling the supply tube 8 or the like. The supply tube 8 exposed from the opening 50a is fixed to the lower portion of the recording apparatus 1 regardless of the position of the recording unit 3. As shown in FIG.

FIG. 10 shows a front view when the recording unit 3 is positioned at the home position. The tube guide plate 81 has a sloped portion 81a that slopes downwards towards the recovery means. The supply tube 8 is also guided and supported downward by the inclined portion 81a. As a result, even in a configuration in which the recovery means is provided near the side surface of the housing 5 and the bent portion 8a of the supply tube 8 is provided in a position close to the recovery means in the X direction, the curvature of the bent portion 8a Radius can be increased. That is, compared to the case where the tube guide plate 81 is flat without the inclined portion 81a, the bending of the supply tube 8 can be made looser, and the deformation of the supply tube 8 can be reduced.

Normally, the recording unit 3 uses the home position as the standby position when not performing a recording operation. Therefore, even if the recording unit 3 waits at the home position for a long time, the creep deformation of the supply tube 8 can be reduced by providing the tube guide plate 81 with the inclined portion 81 .

<Replacing the recording head>
A configuration related to replacement of the recording head 100 for black will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 11(a) is an external perspective view showing a replacement position of the recording unit 3 when replacing the black recording head 100, and FIG. 11(b) is a top view thereof. The position of the recording unit 3 in the recording apparatus 1 at this time is called a first replacement position.

At the first replacement position, both the first headset cover 32 and the second headset cover 33 are exposed through the opening 50a of the frame 50, and thus can be operated by the user. When the user rotates the first headset cover 32 to the open state when the recording unit 3 is at the first replacement position, the supply tube 8 connected to the first headset cover 32 also moves. At this time, since the cutout portion 50b is provided in the frame 50, the supply tube 8 moving along with the first headset cover 32 does not contact the frame 50, as shown in FIG. 11(c). This allows the user to smoothly replace the recording head 100 for black.

FIG. 12 illustrates a configuration related to replacement of the color recording head 101. As shown in FIG. FIG. 12(a) is an external perspective view showing a replacement position of the recording unit 3 when replacing the color recording head 101, and FIG. 12(b) is a top view thereof. The position of the recording unit 3 in the recording apparatus 1 at this time is called a second replacement position.

The second replacement position of the recording unit 3 is closer to the recovery means than the first replacement position in the X direction. At the second replacement position, the entire second headset cover 33 for replacing the color recording head 101 is exposed through the opening 50a of the frame 50, and can be operated by the user. On the other hand, the first headset cover 32 for exchanging the recording head 100 for black is partially covered by the opening 50a and the notch 50b, so that it cannot be operated by the user.

Thus, the first headset cover 32 is covered with the frame 50 so that the black recording head 100 cannot be replaced at the second replacement position. This can prevent the user from accidentally operating the first headset cover 32 . Furthermore, the connecting portion between the supply tube 8 and the first headset cover 32 is also covered by the frame 50 when the recording unit 3 is in the second replacement position. Therefore, access to the supply tube 8 by the user can be suppressed.

As in this embodiment, the first recording head to which ink is supplied from the ink tank 11 through the supply tube 8 is arranged in the recording unit 3 on the side closer to the recovery means. On the other hand, the second recording head, which is integrated with the ink tank and has a higher replacement frequency than the first recording head, is arranged on the far side of the recording unit 3 from the recovery means. Further, the supply tube 8 has a bent portion 8a that bends upward on the side where the recovery means is provided in the X direction, and the recording unit 3 (first headset cover) is bent above the tube guide plate 81. connected with Furthermore, the tube guide plate 81 that guides the supply tube 8 has a sloped portion 81a that slopes downward toward the side in the X direction where the recovery means is provided.

With the above configuration, it is possible to prevent the user from touching the supply tube 8 carelessly, and to reduce deformation of the supply tube.

<Contact protector>
So far, the recording apparatus 1 in which the color recording head 101 is mounted has been described. However, as shown in FIG. 13, the carriage 31 of the present embodiment can be equipped with a contact protector 72 as a protective member so as to be replaceable with the color recording head 101 . That is, the contact protector 72 can be attached to the second attachment portion 31c to which the color recording head 101 is attached. In FIG. 13, the carriage 31 carries the black recording head 100 and the contact protector 72 . That is, although the recording apparatus 1 can normally be used as a monochrome printer that records only with black ink, color printing can be executed by the user replacing the contact protector 72 with the color recording head 101 . becomes. Details are described below.

FIG. 14 shows a block diagram of the recording apparatus 1. As shown in FIG. The MPU 201 as control means controls the operation of each unit, data processing, and the like. The ROM 202 stores programs and data executed by the MPU 201 . A RAM 203 as a storage unit temporarily stores processing data executed by the MPU 201 and data received from the host computer 214 . The recording unit 3 is controlled by a recording unit driver 207 .

A carriage motor 204 that drives the carriage 31 is controlled by a carriage motor driver 208 . The feeding roller 41 and the conveying roller 40 are driven by a feeding/conveying motor 205 . The feed/conveyance motor 205 is controlled by a feed/conveyance motor driver 209 . A discharge roller (not shown) is synchronously driven with the conveying roller 40 by the feeding/conveying motor 205 .

The host computer 214 is provided with a printer driver 2141 for collecting print information such as a print image and print image quality and communicating with the printing apparatus 1 when a print operation execution command is issued by the user. The MPU 201 exchanges recorded images and the like with the host computer 214 via the I/F unit 213 . The sensor controller 215 is a controller for controlling operations of various sensors 216 . The sensor 216 is, for example, detection means capable of detecting electrical connection between the carriage 31 and the print head.

Next, returning to FIG. 2, the detailed configuration of the recovery means of the recording apparatus 1 will be described. The recovery means cap 21 includes a color cap 21 a capable of sealing the ejection port surface of the color recording head 101 and a black cap 21 b capable of sealing the ejection port surface of the black recording head 100 . The cap 21 is movable between a capping position for sealing (capping) the ejection port surface and a separation position for separating from the ejection port surface. The cap 21 seals the ejection port surface when the recording unit 3 does not perform a printing operation, thereby protecting the ejection port and suppressing evaporation of ink in the ejection port.

The wipers 22 provided adjacent to the cap 21 include a color wiper 22a capable of wiping the ejection port surface of the color recording head 101 and a black wiper 22b capable of wiping the ejection port surface of the black recording head 100. ,including. The wiper 22 performs a wiping operation of wiping ink adhering to the ejection port surface of the print head by moving along the Y direction while being in contact with the ejection port surface of the print head. The wiper 22a for color and the wiper 22b for black are moved together in the Y direction by the same drive source.

FIG. 15 shows the detailed configuration of the contact protector 72. As shown in FIG. FIG. 15(a) shows a side view when the recording unit 3 is located at the home position and the cap 21 is located at the capping position.

The contact protector 72 has a substrate 72a that can come into contact with the connector (contact portion) 31a of the carriage 31. As shown in FIG. When the contact protector 72 is attached to the carriage 31, the connector 31a and the substrate 72a are brought into contact with each other to establish an electrical connection, and the substrate 72a shields the connector 31a. As a result, even when ink mist scatters due to the recording operation of the black recording head 100, it is possible to prevent the ink from adhering to the connector 31a and causing a connection failure.

Further, the contact protector 72 has a cap shielding portion 72b capable of shielding the collar cap 21a. FIG. 15(b) is a front view corresponding to FIG. 15(a), omitting the color wiper 22a. As shown in FIG. 15(b), the cap shielding part 72b shields the collar cap 21a at the capping position in the X direction, thereby suppressing adhesion of foreign matter to the collar cap 21a. That is, the cap shielding portion 72b has a projecting portion projecting downward so as to overlap the collar cap 21a at the capping position in the Z direction. As a result, even when the recording unit 3 is on standby for a long time, the color cap 21a is not left in an exposed state, and foreign matter can be prevented from adhering to the color cap 21a.

FIG. 15(c) is a front view corresponding to FIG. 15(a), omitting the collar cap 21a. The cap shielding portion 72b has a downward concave shape that retreats from the movement locus when the color wiper 22a performs a wiping operation that moves in the Y direction. As a result, when the wiping operation is performed for the black recording head 100, it is possible to prevent the color wiper 22a moving in the Y direction together with the black wiper 22b from coming into contact with the contact protector 72. can. As a result, wear of the collar wiper 22a is also reduced.

FIG. 16 is a flow chart showing the operation of the recording apparatus 1 after the power is turned on. When the recording apparatus 1 is powered on, the MPU 201 detects the electrical connection state of the connector 31a in S161. That is, it is determined whether either the contact protector 72 or the color recording head 101 is attached to the carriage 31 .

When the non-mounting is detected, the MPU 201 notifies the user of "cartridge non-mounting error" in S162 and disables the recording operation by the recording unit 3. FIG. The “cartridge not installed error” is notified by being displayed on the display panel of the operation unit 4 or by being displayed on the screen of the host computer 214 via the printer driver 2141, for example. In addition, notification means for notifying by voice or the like may be used.

On the other hand, if it is detected at S161 that it is attached, the MPU 201 confirms whether the contact protector 72 or the color recording head 101 is attached at S163. If the contact protector 72 is attached, the MPU 201 determines in S164 whether or not there is a color print command.

If there is a color print command, in S165 the MPU 201 notifies a "color cartridge unmounted error". The error notification in this case is also displayed on the display panel of the operation unit 4, the screen of the host computer 214, or the like, or notified by voice. That is, it is possible to prompt the user to change to a monochrome print command or install a color cartridge.

Alternatively, in S166, the MPU 201 may perform monochrome conversion of the image data as conversion means, and black recording head 100 may perform monochrome printing. This eliminates the need for the user to input the print command again, improving usability.

On the other hand, if the attachment of the color recording head 101 is confirmed in S163, it is confirmed in S167 whether or not there is a color print command, and if there is a color print command, color printing is performed in S168. On the other hand, in the case of a monochrome print command in S167, the process proceeds to S169 to perform monochrome printing.

As described above, when it is confirmed in S162 that neither the color recording head 101 nor the contact protector 72 is attached, the recording apparatus 1 cannot perform the recording operation. As a result, it is possible to prevent the recording operation from being performed while the connector 31a of the carriage 31 is exposed, thereby reducing electrical contact failure due to adhesion of ink. Note that, after the error is notified in S162, the user selects to cancel the error so that the recording operation can be executed in a state in which neither the color recording head 101 nor the contact protector 72 is mounted. good too.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged perspective view explaining storage of the contact protector 72 in the recording apparatus 1. FIG. The recording apparatus 1 includes a storage unit 120 in which the contact protector 72 can be placed and stored at a position adjacent to the right side of the paper feed cassette 6 on the front side of the apparatus. The storage section 120 is exposed by opening the scanner unit 2 .

17(a) shows a state in which the contact protector 72 is not placed in the storage section 120, and FIG. 17(b) shows a state in which the contact protector 72 is placed in the storage section 120. FIG. As shown in FIG. 17( a ), an illustration 720 of the contact protector 72 is drawn on the bottom surface of the storage section 120 to guide the user to store the contact protector 72 in the storage section 120 .

As described with reference to FIG. 16, the recording apparatus 1 cannot perform the recording operation unless the contact protector 72 or the color recording head 101 is mounted on the carriage 31 . Therefore, when the user mounts the color recording head 101 on the carriage 31 in exchange for the contact protector 72, the unused contact protector 72 may be lost. In this embodiment, by providing the storage unit 120 in the recording apparatus 1, the risk of the user losing the contact protector 72 can be reduced. It should be noted that the storage unit 120 can also hold the recording head 101 for color.

Next, the shapes of the contact protector 72 and the color recording head 101 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the contact protector 72 and the color recording head 101 have substantially the same shape. As a result, the feeling of use when the user mounts the carriage 31 can be unified, and the usability can be improved.

18(a) shows a front view of the contact protector 72, and FIG. 18(b) shows a side view of the contact protector 72. FIG. 18C shows a front view of the color recording head 101, and FIG. 18D shows a side view of the color recording head 101. FIG. 18, the substrate 72a of the contact protector 72 and the substrate of the color recording head 101 are omitted.

The contact protector 72 has a plurality of positioning portions for positioning with respect to the carriage 31 . Specifically, the first positioning portion 72c provided on the upper surface, the second positioning portion 72d and the third positioning portion 72e provided on the lower portion, the fourth positioning portion 72f provided on the side surface, and the It has a fifth positioning portion 72g.

The first positioning portion 72 c is provided so as to be able to contact the second headset cover 33 and receives the biasing force of the biasing member of the second headset cover 33 . The first positioning portion 72 c is urged in a direction to position the contact protector 72 with respect to the carriage 31 . The second positioning portion 72d is responsible for positioning the contact protector 72 with respect to the carriage 31 in the X direction.

Further, the third positioning portion 72e and the fourth positioning portion 72f are responsible for positioning the contact protector 72 with respect to the carriage 31 in the Y direction. The fifth positioning portion 72g positions the contact protector 72 with respect to the carriage 31 in the Z direction.

Like the contact protector 72 , the color recording head 101 also has a plurality of positioning portions for positioning with respect to the carriage 31 . Specifically, the sixth positioning portion 101c provided on the upper surface, the seventh positioning portion 101d and the eighth positioning portion 101e provided on the lower portion, the ninth positioning portion 101f provided on the side surface, and the It has a tenth positioning portion 101g.

The sixth positioning portion 101c corresponds to the first positioning portion 72c of the contact protector 72, and the seventh positioning portion 101d and the eighth positioning portion 101e correspond to the second positioning portion 72d and the third positioning portion 72e. Similarly, the ninth positioning portion 101f corresponds to the fourth positioning portion 72f, and the tenth positioning portion 101g corresponds to the fifth positioning portion 72g.

In this way, the positioning of the contact protector 72 and the color recording head 101 with respect to the carriage 31 is made common, so that the operation when the user attaches them to the carriage 31 becomes common, and the usability is improved.

The weight of the contact protector 72 is calculated from the weight of the color recording head 101 when the ink tanks of the color recording head 101 are full of ink, and the weight of the color recording head 101 when the ink tanks have no ink. is within the range of As a result, the weight of the carriage 31 can be kept within a certain range regardless of whether the contact protector 72 or the color recording head 101 is mounted on the carriage 31, so there is no need to change the drive control of the carriage 31. FIG.

In the above-described embodiment, the combination of one tube supply print head and one ink cartridge type print head has been described as an example. However, the present invention can also be applied to a combination of two or more tube supply printheads or ink cartridge type printheads, and similar effects can be obtained.

[Other embodiments]
Another embodiment is shown in FIG. In the first embodiment, the recovery means and the ink tank 11 are arranged apart in the main scanning direction. However, as shown in FIG. 19, the present invention can also be applied to a form in which the ink tank 11 is arranged on the same side as the recovery means (cap 21) in the main scanning direction.

That is, the supply tube 8 connected to the ink tank 11 is arranged in a direction away from the recovery means in the main scanning direction (upstream in the X direction), then folded back and directed in the opposite direction (downstream in the X direction). are placed. As in the first embodiment, the supply tube 8 is bent upward in the Z direction and connected to the recording unit 3 on the side where the recovery means is arranged in the main scanning direction. Thus, the present invention does not limit the position of the ink tank 11 .

Furthermore, although the configuration in which the ink tank 11 is provided with the injection part 14 for injecting ink is shown, the ink tank 11 is not limited to this, and can be applied to a cartridge that is detachable from the recording apparatus 1 . is.

1 Inkjet recording device (recording device)
3 recording unit 8 supply tube 11 ink tank 31 carriage 31a contact portion 72 contact protector (protective member)
100 Recording head for black 101 Recording head for color

Claims (15)

a first recording head that ejects ink to perform a recording operation;
an ink tank containing ink to be supplied to the first recording head;
a tube connecting the first recording head and the ink tank;
a reciprocating carriage having a first mounting portion on which the first recording head is mounted;
Recovery means provided within the moving area of the carriage and outside the printing area where the printing operation is performed by the printing heads, and performs a recovery operation for maintaining the ejection performance of the first printing head and the second printing head. and
the carriage has a second recording head detachably mounted on a second mounting section different from the first mounting section, and has a contact section electrically connected to the second recording head;
The recovery means has a wiper for wiping the ejection port surface of the recording head,
the second mounting portion is detachably mounted with a protective member that protects the contact portion so as to be replaceable with the second recording head;
An inkjet recording apparatus , wherein the wiper and the protective member do not abut when the protective member is attached to the carriage . further comprising detecting means for detecting electrical connection between the contact portion and the second recording head or the protective member;
2. The recording head according to claim 1, wherein when the detecting means detects that neither the second recording head nor the protection member is mounted on the carriage, the recording operation by the recording head is not executed. Inkjet recording device. 3. An inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising notification means for notifying an error when it is detected that neither said second recording head nor said protective member is mounted on said carriage. the recovery means includes a cap that seals the ejection port surface of the recording head;
4. The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the protective member has a shielding portion capable of shielding the cap when mounted on the carriage. 5. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second recording head and the protection member are positioned with respect to the carriage using a common positioning portion of the carriage. 6. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second recording head is an ink cartridge in which an ink tank containing ink and a recording head are integrated. The weight of the protective member is the first weight of the second recording head when the ink tank of the second recording head is full of ink, and the second weight when the ink tank of the second recording head is empty. 7. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the second weight of the recording head and the second weight of the recording head. 4. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said notification means notifies an error when receiving a color print command in a state in which said detection means has detected that said protection member is attached. . 9. The inkjet recording method according to claim 1, wherein the first recording head ejects black ink supplied from the ink tank, and the second recording head ejects color ink. Device. further comprising detecting means for detecting electrical connection between the contact portion and the second recording head or the protective member;
10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising conversion means for converting recording data into monochrome data when a color print command is received while the protective member is detected by the detection means. Inkjet recording device. 11. The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10 , further comprising a storage section capable of storing said protective member or said second recording head. further comprising a cover that can be opened and closed with respect to the device,
12. An inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said storage section is provided at a position exposed when said cover is opened. 13. The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12 , wherein the ink tank has an injection portion into which ink is injected from an ink bottle. the carriage has a first cover that covers the first recording head mounted on the first mounting portion;
the tube is provided to connect to the first cover;
a frame having an opening for a user to attach and detach the first recording head, and a notch in a part of the opening;
At the first replacement position of the carriage when replacing the first recording head, the first cover covering the first recording head is exposed from the opening. 14. The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the tube moves through the notch as the cover opens. a first recording head that ejects ink to perform a recording operation;
an ink tank containing ink to be supplied to the first recording head;
a tube connecting the first recording head and the ink tank;
a first mounting portion on which the first recording head is mounted; a carriage that reciprocates and has a first cover that covers the first recording head mounted on the first mounting portion;
an opening for a user to attach and detach the first recording head; and a frame having a notch in a part of the opening,
the carriage has a second recording head detachably mounted on a second mounting section different from the first mounting section, and has a contact section electrically connected to the second recording head;
the second mounting portion is detachably mounted with a protective member that protects the contact portion so as to be replaceable with the second recording head;
At the first replacement position of the carriage when replacing the first recording head, the first cover covering the first recording head is exposed from the opening. An inkjet recording apparatus, wherein the tube moves through the notch as the cover opens.

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