JP2004106432A - Inkjet recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a platen that can maintain a distance between a recording head section and a recording medium at a constant level as much as possible by preventing the tip portion of the recording medium from being caught by an opening section for throwing off ink when the recording medium passes through a portion above the platen where the opening section is formed, and to provide a recorder having the platen. <P>SOLUTION: In the opening section provided on the platen, three or more small opening sections having roughly the same width in a conveyance direction of the recording medium are alternately arranged in the conveyance direction and are coupled with each other to be in a line in the scanning direction. The recorder has a control means that controls the recording head such that ejection of the ink is performed by the recording head corresponding to regions of ink absorption bodies provided in the small openings. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
[Field of the Invention]
The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus having a platen provided with an opening for discarding ink for performing borderless printing.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The conventional structure of an ink jet recording apparatus includes a recording head having a plurality of nozzle arrays for discharging ink toward a recording medium on a surface facing a recording surface of a printing paper as a recording medium, and a recording medium from below. A platen that supports and keeps a distance between the recording head and the recording medium, and a unit that controls the recording head, more specifically, a unit that controls scanning of the recording head and a unit that controls ejection of ink. Become. In recording on the recording medium, ink is ejected from the nozzle row while the recording medium is supported on the flat surface of the platen.
[0003]
Here, as shown in FIG. 6, an opening may be formed on the surface of the platen as a structure for performing printing without margins on a recording medium, that is, so-called borderless printing. If printing is performed on the recording medium without blanking without forming such an opening, the ink that has come off from the edge of the recording medium and is discarded adheres to the surface of the platen, and the ink is deposited on the recording medium. This is because the recording medium is stained again. Therefore, the opening is formed in the surface of the platen, the ink is discarded inside the opening, and the absorber that absorbs the ink is provided inside the opening, so that the surface of the platen and the recording medium are contaminated with the ink. Is prevented. (For example, see Patent Document 1)
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2000-289275 (paragraphs [0022]-[0027], FIG. 4)
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the conventional inkjet recording apparatus has the following problems.
[0006]
When the leading end of the recording medium passes through the opening, ink is ejected from the downstream end in the conveying direction to a portion protruding above the opening, thereby increasing the rigidity of the leading end of the recording medium. As a result, a phenomenon occurs in which the leading end of the recording medium drops downward. When the leading end of the recording medium falls downward in this manner, the leading end of the recording medium enters into the opening, causing a so-called jam, and also firmly supports the position of the recording medium at a position facing the nozzle row. Since the distance (PG) between the recording head and the recording medium is not fixed, the printing quality may be deteriorated. Furthermore, when the recording medium is a roll paper as a continuous paper, these problems tend to occur more remarkably due to the curl.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems in the related art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium that passes through a platen having an opening for discarding ink. It is an object of the present invention to provide a platen capable of maintaining the distance between a recording head and a recording medium as constant as possible without causing the front end to be caught in an opening, and a recording apparatus including the platen.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
An ink jet recording apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention, which is provided to solve the above-described problem, scans in a direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of a recording medium and discharges ink onto a recording surface of the recording medium. And an ink jet recording apparatus having a platen having an opening in which an ink absorber for ink discarding is buried on a surface facing the recording head, and control means for controlling ejection of ink from the recording head. In the opening, three or more small openings having substantially the same width in the transport direction of the recording medium are alternately arranged in the transport direction of the recording medium, and are connected so as to form a line in the scanning direction. The control means is means for controlling the recording head to discharge ink in accordance with an area of the embedded ink absorber.
[0009]
With such a configuration, the end face of the opening on the downstream side in the recording medium transport direction is not substantially flush but has an uneven shape. Therefore, when the recording medium passes over the platen, the downstream side in the transport direction of the recording medium. The distance between the recording head and the recording medium can be kept as constant as possible without the front end on the side being caught in the opening.
[0010]
An ink jet recording apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention, which is provided to solve the above-described problem, scans in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of a recording medium, and discharges ink on a recording surface of the recording medium. And an ink jet recording apparatus having a platen having an opening in which an ink absorber for ink discarding is buried on a surface facing the recording head, and control means for controlling ejection of ink from the recording head. The opening includes a first row of small openings in which two or more first small openings are provided at predetermined intervals in the scanning direction of the recording head, and the first row of small openings. , The first small openings adjacent to each other in the first small opening row are connected to each other, and the width of the recording head in the scanning direction is larger than the predetermined interval. Second with opening It consists of a small opening sequence, and performs control for causing the discharge of ink to the recording head in accordance with the area of the control means embedded in said ink absorber.
[0011]
With such a configuration, the end face of the opening on the downstream side in the recording medium transport direction is made uneven instead of being substantially flush, so that when the recording medium passes over the platen, the downstream side in the transport direction of the recording medium. The distance between the recording head and the recording medium can be kept as constant as possible without the front end on the side being caught in the opening.
[0012]
An ink jet recording apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention, which is provided to solve the above problem, is characterized in that, in the ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, the first small opening and the second small opening are connected. Wherein the ink absorbers are installed such that the sides of the respective ink absorbers embedded in the recording head in the scanning direction of the recording head are located on substantially the same straight line in the transport direction of the recording medium. I do.
[0013]
With this configuration, the target of the ink ejected from the nozzle row of the recording head can be specified as the ink absorber, so that it is possible to perform fine printing without printing unevenness on the recording surface of the recording medium. .
[0014]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink jet recording apparatus provided to solve the above-mentioned problem, wherein the ink absorbers are connected to each other in the ink jet recording apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects. And
[0015]
With such a configuration, the range in which the ink absorber is installed is widened, so that the discarded ink can be efficiently absorbed.
[0016]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[0017]
Here, in the embodiment of the inkjet recording apparatus according to the present invention, the direction in which the recording medium is transported is described as the downstream direction (side), and the direction in which the recording medium is transported is described as the upstream direction (side). I do.
[0018]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of an opening formed on a surface of a platen according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0019]
As shown in FIG. 1, the openings 21 are formed on the platen 2 by two or more first small openings 21a formed at predetermined intervals in a scanning direction of a recording head (not shown). Are formed in the scanning direction by a first small opening row 22a formed of the first small opening row 22a and a second small opening section 21b connecting the adjacent first small opening sections 21a constituting the first small opening row 22a. And a second small opening row 22b formed so as to form
[0020]
Further, the ink absorber 23 buried in each of the adjacent first small opening 21a and second small opening 21b has substantially the same straight line on the side of the recording head 3 in the scanning direction (in the drawing). (Line BB). In other words, according to the installation positions of the first small opening 21a and the second small opening 21b, the opening having the conventional configuration takes a shape that is alternately divided in the transport direction of the recording medium 50. .
[0021]
Next, an ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0022]
FIG. 2A is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is a block diagram showing a relationship among the sensors, a control unit, and a recording head. For convenience of explanation, FIG. 2A shows a recording head and a transport unit. FIG. 3 is a top view showing the positional relationship between the recording medium conveyed on the platen and the opening.
[0023]
As shown in FIG. 2A, the ink jet recording apparatus 1 of the present invention includes a conveying unit 4 for conveying a recording medium 50 and a recording medium 50 parallel to a recording surface of the recording medium 50. A recording head 3 having a nozzle array that scans in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction and discharges ink onto the recording surface of the recording medium 50, and an opening 21 for discarding ink is provided on the surface facing the recording head 3. And a platen 2 for defining the position of the recording medium 50.
[0024]
Here, it is assumed that the nozzle row installed in the recording head 3 is divided into two stages in the conveying direction of the recording medium 50, and is separately controlled. In addition, the divided areas are divided into an ink absorber 23 provided in the first small opening row 22a and an ink absorber provided in the second small opening row 22b. 23 is set so that ink can be ejected.
[0025]
Further, the inkjet recording apparatus 1 of the present invention is provided with a print start sensor 5 for starting borderless printing of the recording medium 50. Specifically, the print start sensor 5 is installed at a position where the print medium 50 can be detected immediately before reaching the opening 21, and the detection result of the print start sensor 5 controls the scanning of the print head 3. The printing on the recording surface of the recording medium 50 is started by being transmitted to a control unit (not shown) including a scanning control unit and an ink ejection control unit for controlling ink ejection.
[0026]
Further, a conveying means 4 for conveying the recording medium 50 is provided on the surface of the platen 2, and an end (tip) of the recording medium 50 in the conveying direction covers the first small opening row 22 a. , A second borderless printing start sensor 7 for detecting that the recording medium 50 has reached the second small opening row 22b, and a recording medium 50. The edgeless printing end sensor 8 for detecting that the end (tip) on the side in the transport direction has covered the second small opening row 21b is installed at a position where the ink ejection from the nozzles is not hindered. Have been.
[0027]
Here, when the first small opening row 22a and the second small opening row 22b are not spaced in the transport direction of the recording medium, the first edgeless printing end sensor 6 and the second The two borderless print start sensors 7 may be used as one sensor as a print area conversion sensor.
In addition, an ink absorber 23 that absorbs ink discarded from the recording head 3 is provided on the bottom surface of each small opening 21a. Here, in the case where the openings 21 do not have a shape without a lid and a bottom, the absorber 24 may form the bottom of each opening 21.
[0028]
Further, as shown in FIG. 2B, the control means includes a scanning control means for controlling the scanning of the recording head 3 and an ink ejection control means, and the printing start sensor 5 and the first marginless printing. The recording head 3 and the nozzle array are controlled based on detection results from the end sensor 6, the second borderless printing start sensor 7 (or print area conversion sensor), and the borderless printing end sensor 8.
[0029]
Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the width of the opening 21 formed of the first small opening row 22 a and the second small opening row 22 b formed on the surface of the platen 2 in the recording medium transport direction is at least The width is set to be larger than the width of the recording head 3 provided in the head unit that scans above the platen 2.
[0030]
Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[0031]
FIG. 4 is a top view showing the operation in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a top view showing the result of printing on a recording medium by the operation shown in FIG. 4, and FIG. 5A shows the result between FIGS. 4A and 4B. 5 (b) shows the results between FIGS. 4 (b) and 4 (c), and FIG. 5 (c) shows the results between FIGS. 4 (c) and 4 (d).
[0032]
First, as shown in FIG. 4A, when the recording medium 50 is conveyed from the upstream side to the platen 2 and the print start sensor 5 detects the recording medium 50, the recording medium 50 corresponding to the first small opening row 22a The nozzle array of the recording head 3 starts discharging ink onto the recording surface of the recording medium 50.
[0033]
At this time, the nozzle row corresponding to the first small opening row 22a is filled with the ink embedded in the first small opening row 22a, as in the "first borderless printing area" shown in the drawing. Control is performed so that ink is ejected only to the absorber 23.
[0034]
As shown in FIG. 4B, the printing by the first edgeless printing end sensor 6 is performed by the nozzle row corresponding to the first small opening row 22a of the recording head 3 as described above. 5A, and the result (first borderless print result) printed on the recording medium 50 is shown in FIG. 5A.
[0035]
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4C, when the conveyed recording medium 50 is detected by the second marginless printing start sensor 7, the recording medium 50 corresponding to the first small opening row 22a is detected. The nozzle array of the recording head 3 stops ejecting ink onto the recording surface of the recording medium 50, and the nozzle array of the recording head 3 corresponding to the second small opening array 22b is positioned on the recording surface of the recording medium 50. Ink ejection is started.
[0036]
At this time, the nozzle row corresponding to the second small opening row 22b is filled with the ink embedded in the second small opening row 22b, as in the "second borderless printing area" shown in the drawing. Control is performed so that ink is ejected only to the absorber 23.
[0037]
Here, as described above, when the first edgeless printing end sensor 6 and the second edgeless printing start sensor 7 are one sensor, the conveyed recording medium 50 is detected. At this time, the nozzle row of the recording head 3 corresponding to the first small opening row 22a stops discharging ink to the recording surface of the recording medium 50, and the recording corresponding to the second small opening row 22b. The nozzle array of the head 3 starts discharging ink on the recording surface of the recording medium 50.
[0038]
In the printing by the nozzle row corresponding to the second small opening row 21b of the recording head 3 as described above, the borderless printing end sensor 8 detects the recording medium 50 as shown in FIG. The printing (second borderless printing result (during printing)) as shown in FIG. 5B is performed on the recording medium 50.
[0039]
As described above, borderless printing is performed from the time when the recording medium 50 is detected by the print start sensor 5 to the time when it is detected by the borderless print end sensor 8, as shown in FIG. ("First borderless printing result" and "Second borderless printing result (printing completed)") are performed on the recording medium 50.
[0040]
After that, normal printing is performed irrespective of the divided nozzle rows. The nozzle control for borderless printing at the end (front end) on the downstream side in the direction is performed in reverse, and the process ends.
[0041]
As described above, according to the inkjet recording apparatus of the present embodiment, since the end face of the opening on the downstream side in the recording medium transport direction is not substantially flush but uneven, the recording medium passes over the platen. At this time, the distance between the recording head unit and the recording medium can be kept as constant as possible without the distal end of the recording medium on the downstream side in the transport direction being caught in the opening.
[0042]
Further, according to the inkjet recording apparatus of the present embodiment, the first borderless printing end sensor 6, the second borderless printing start sensor, (or a print area conversion sensor), Since the borderless printing end sensor is provided, appropriate borderless printing can be performed, and the recording medium can be prevented from being stained.
[0043]
Further, as another embodiment of the present invention, the ink absorbers 23 may be connected to each other.
[0044]
By doing so, the range in which the ink absorber is installed is widened, so that the discarded ink can be efficiently absorbed.
[0045]
Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the description so far discloses an example of the embodiment of the present invention, and can be appropriately modified or changed within a predetermined range. This form is illustrative and not limiting.
[0046]
For example, a first small opening constituting the first small opening row and a second small opening constituting the second small opening row are expanded in a predetermined range in the scanning direction of the recording head. Configuration of the opening. That is, the opening formed on the platen is divided into a plurality of small openings, and by securing an area between the small openings, the shape of the downstream end surface of the opening is substantially flush. This is not the basic configuration of the present invention.
[0047]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the inkjet recording apparatus of the present invention, since the end face of the opening on the downstream side in the recording medium transport direction is not substantially flush but uneven, the recording medium passes over the platen. At this time, the distance between the recording head unit and the recording medium can be kept as constant as possible without the distal end of the recording medium on the downstream side in the transport direction being caught in the opening.
[0048]
According to the inkjet recording apparatus of the present invention, the first borderless printing end sensor 6, the second borderless printing start sensor, (or a print area conversion sensor) and the Since the borderless printing end sensor is provided, appropriate borderless printing can be performed, and the recording medium can be prevented from being stained.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a structure of a surface of a platen in an embodiment of an ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of an inkjet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a top view illustrating a configuration of an ink jet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a top view showing an operation of the embodiment of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a top view showing a printing state of a recording medium in the embodiment of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a structure of a surface of a platen of a conventional inkjet recording apparatus.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ink jet recording device 2 Platen 3 Recording head 4 Conveying means 5 Printing start sensor 6 First edgeless printing end sensor 7 Second edgeless printing start sensor 8 Edgeless printing end sensor 21 Opening 21a First small opening Part 21b First small opening 22a First small opening row 22b Second small opening row 23 Ink absorber 50 Recording medium

Claims (4)

A recording head that scans in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the recording medium and ejects ink onto the recording surface of the recording medium, and an ink absorber for ink ejection is embedded in the surface facing the recording head. In an ink jet recording apparatus having a platen having an opening and control means for controlling ejection of ink from the recording head, the opening has three or more widths that are substantially the same in the transport direction of the recording medium. The small openings are staggered in the transport direction of the recording medium and connected so as to form a line in the scanning direction, and the control means controls the ink in accordance with the area of the embedded ink absorber. An ink jet recording apparatus, which controls the recording head to cause the recording head to discharge. A recording head that scans in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the recording medium and ejects ink onto the recording surface of the recording medium, and an ink absorber for ink ejection is embedded in the surface facing the recording head. In an ink jet recording apparatus having a platen having an opening and control means for controlling ejection of ink from the recording head, the opening has a predetermined interval in a scanning direction of the recording head in a first direction. A first small opening row in which two or more small opening sections are provided, and a first small opening row arranged adjacent to the first small opening row, and a first small opening row adjacent to the first small opening row. And a second row of small openings having a second small opening in which the width of the recording head in the scanning direction is larger than the predetermined interval, wherein the control means is embedded. According to the area of the ink absorber Ink jet recording apparatus and performs control for causing the discharge of ink to the recording head. The side of the ink absorber embedded in each of the connected first small opening and the second small opening on the side of the recording head in the scanning direction is substantially co-linear with the conveyance direction of the recording medium. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ink absorber is provided so as to be located. 4. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said ink absorbers are connected to each other.

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