JPH04348951A - Image recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an image recording device capable of maintaining good printing quality for data on received signals without performing periodic maintenance by an operator. CONSTITUTION:An image recording device is provided with: a timer means 8 for counting the time; a memory unit 9 for storing the recording finish time at the time of receiving the preceding signal; a means 11 for comparing the time of receiving the present signal with the recording finish time of the preceding signal and for calculating time intervals of recording operation; a recording head 4 adapted to perform ink jet recording to a recording medium; a recording control unit 5 for controlling the operation of the recording head 4; a head cleaner 6 for cleaning the recording head 4; and a controlling means 13 for allowing the head cleaner 6 to perform cleaning operation prior to recording operation on the basis of the result calculated by the time interval calculating means.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a technique for cleaning an ink ejection nozzle of an image recording apparatus, particularly an image recording apparatus using an inkjet recording method.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of apparatus forcibly sucks the ink ejecting nozzle in the recording head in order to prevent or restore printing defects caused by ink clogging in the ink ejecting nozzle of the recording head. Or, a cleaning operation has been performed to eject. This operation has normally been performed manually by pressing a dedicated switch on the operation panel or the like at the operator's discretion.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in image recording using such a conventional inkjet recording method, the ink is a liquid, and if left for a long time, environmental conditions may cause the ink to dry out from the nozzle part of the recording head. Therefore, when this image recording device is installed in a facsimile machine, etc., the printing status is checked and the recording head is cleaned as necessary, even in automatic reception mode that does not require an operator. There is a need. In such a case, there is no way to know in advance whether the nozzles of the recording head are dry, and it cannot be known until actual recording is performed, so periodic maintenance by an operator is absolutely necessary. If received data is recorded without maintenance by an operator, there is a problem in that recording quality deteriorates.

[0004] Furthermore, there is an invention disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2-74352 that aims to improve the inkjet recording method. A dust removal device is installed, and the dust removal device is activated after ink is ejected and a recording operation is performed, and after a certain period of time has passed after the recording operation, the ink ejection port dries and becomes clogged with ink. Problems such as this occur.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an image recording device that can maintain good print quality of received data without the need for regular maintenance by an operator. purpose.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention includes a clock circuit for measuring the date and time, a memory section for storing the recording end time of the previous reception, and a clock circuit for measuring the date and time. It has a program that calculates the interval between recording operations by comparing the time with the previous end time stored in the memory section, and based on the data, automatically performs a cleaning operation of the recording head before recording when receiving the data. is configured to do so.

[0007]

According to the present invention, with the above-described configuration, the interval between recording operations can be determined, and the degree of dryness of the recording head can be estimated based on this information, so that the need for cleaning can be automatically determined without the operator's judgment.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an embodiment in which the image recording apparatus of the present invention is applied to a facsimile machine, in which reference numeral 1 indicates an operation panel through which an operator performs image recording operations;
2 is an operation panel control unit for interpreting operation commands input by the operator and displaying necessary device status on the operation panel; 3 is an ink tank for storing ink; 4 is an ink tank 3; A recording head prints on recording paper using stored ink; 5 is a recording control unit for sending data to be printed on the recording head 4; 6 is a unit for forcibly sucking ink ejection nozzles in the recording head 4; A head cleaner, 7 is a motor for discharging the air from the head cleaner 6 to the outside and generating suction force, 8 is a clock circuit for measuring date and time, 9 is for storing received image information and the date and time measured by the clock circuit 8. A memory section 10 stores a program for controlling the entire facsimile machine, and a memory section 11 operates according to the program stored in the memory section 10 to calculate recording time intervals and control the operation of the entire facsimile machine. 12 is a line control unit that controls the line connected to this apparatus and communicates with other facsimile apparatuses; 13 is a line control unit that controls the head cleaner before the recording operation based on the time interval calculation result of the CPU 11; 6 is a motor control section as a control means for causing cleaning operation.

The operation of the image recording apparatus configured as described above will be explained below. FIG. 2 is a flowchart explaining the operation of the embodiment. When receiving a facsimile, the CPU 11 checks whether or not an incoming signal (Ri signal) from the line side has arrived in a processing step (hereinafter simply referred to as step) ST1.
When the signal comes, in the automatic reception mode, the CML relay connecting the line and image recording is closed and the reception mode is entered (step ST2). At this time, the current date and time is read from the clock circuit (step ST3), and compared with the end time of the previous reception stored in the data memory section to check whether or not more than X days have passed since the previous reception (step ST3). ST4). If the difference is X days or more, timer T1 that determines the cleaning operation time is set to 10 seconds (step ST5), and if it is less than X days, it is determined whether Y days or more and less than X days have passed since the previous reception. is checked (step ST6). If it is more than Y days and less than X days, set the timer T1 that determines the cleaning operation time to 7 seconds (step ST7), and if it is less than Y days, check whether the elapsed time since the previous reception is less than Z days. Check (step ST
8). Then, a timer T1 that determines the cleaning operation time is set to 0 seconds so that the cleaning operation does not need to be performed if the number of days is less than Z days (step ST9),
If it is Z days or more and less than Y days, set the timer T1 that determines the cleaning operation time to 4 seconds (step ST1
0).

[0010] After this, a nozzle cleaning program that can be executed separately is activated (step ST11) to clean the nozzle. After that, a CED (called terminal identification signal) is sent (step ST12), and then an NSF (non-standard function identification signal), CSI (called terminal identification signal), D
IS (digital identification signal) is transmitted (step ST
13), further TSI (transmitting terminal identification signal), NSS (
A non-standard function setting signal) and a TCF (training check signal) are received (steps ST14, 15), and then a CFR (reception preparation confirmation signal) is sent (step S
T16). Then, when the image signal is received (step S
T17), it is checked whether the nozzle cleaning program has been completed (step ST18), and if it has been completed, recording is started (step ST19), and it is checked whether reception of the image signal has been completed (step ST18).
20). After the image signal ends, an EOP (procedure end signal) is received (step ST21), and in response, an MCF (message confirmation signal) is sent (step ST22), and the DC
When N (cutting command signal) is received (step ST23
) save the end date and time (step ST24), and then
Open the ML relay and end the communication (step ST25)
).

On the other hand, when executing the cleaning program, it is first checked whether or not 0 seconds is set in the timer T1 (step ST31). If it is set to 0, there is no need for cleaning, so the program is started immediately. end. On the other hand, the step ST3
1 and if the timer T1 is not set to 0, the rotation of the motor 7 is started (step ST32), and while the motor 7 is rotating, the timer T1 is counted down. Then, it is checked again at regular time intervals whether or not the value of the timer T1 has become 0 (step ST33), and if it has become 0, the rotation of the motor 7 is stopped (step ST34).
).

0012

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention,
The period interval between the previous recording and the current recording is calculated, and based on the result, ink is ejected and cleaned immediately before starting the current recording operation, so that cleaning of the recording head can be automated, and Various effects such as being able to start the recording operation of the recording head in the best condition can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment in which an image recording device according to the present invention is applied to a facsimile device.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart explaining the cleaning time setting and image reception operations in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart explaining the operation of executing the cleaning program in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Operation panel 2 Operation panel control section 3 Ink tank 4 Recording head 5 Recording control section 6 Head cleaner 7 Motor 8 Clock circuit 9 Memory section 11 CPU 13 Motor control section (control means)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Clock means for measuring date and time, a memory section for storing the recording end time of the previous reception, and means for comparing the current reception time and the previous recording end time to calculate the time interval of the recording operation. a recording head that performs inkjet recording on a recording medium; a recording control section that controls the operation of the recording head; a head cleaner that cleans the recording head; and a control means for causing a head cleaner to perform a cleaning operation.