JP2019038135A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a handy mobile type image recorder capable of correctly detecting a moving distance of a device body by smoothing unevenness of the surface of a recording material and improving image performance.SOLUTION: A handy mobile type image recorder records an image on a recording material by performing manual scanning in a printing moving direction. The handy mobile type image recorder includes: recording means which records the image on the recording material; moving distance detection means which detects a moving distance of a device body from the surface of the recording material; control means which controls the recording means according to the detected moving distance; and a plurality of rolling elements which guide the device body in parallel to the printing moving direction. At least one of the plurality of rolling elements is arranged at a position overlapped with the moving distance detection means in the printing moving direction, thereby detecting the surface of the recording material by the moving distance detection means after the rolling elements smooth unevenness on the recording material. Therefore, erroneous detection by the moving distance detection means caused by the unevenness on the recording material can be avoided, and image performance of the image recorder can be improved.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus.

  With the spread of notebook computers and smartphones, portable recording devices are being demanded. 2. Description of the Related Art As a portable recording apparatus, a recording apparatus that records an image while scanning a recording material such as paper with a human hand is well known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Such a recording apparatus is called a handheld recording apparatus, a handy printer, or a handy mobile printer. Hereinafter, these are collectively referred to as a handy mobile printer.

  Handy mobile printers can achieve both mobile convenience and paper compatibility by enabling freehand printing and recording on paper.

  In recent years, improvements for the purpose of improving image performance have been continued. For example, Patent Document 2 discloses a configuration in which ink is not ejected from an inkjet head when the moving speed of the printer body exceeds the recordable speed of the inkjet head.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a handy mobile type image recording apparatus that can detect the moving distance of the apparatus body correctly by smoothing the irregularities on the surface of the recording material and improve the image performance.

  This problem is a handy mobile type image recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording material by manually scanning in the printing movement direction, and a recording means for recording an image on the recording material, and an apparatus from the surface of the recording material A moving distance detecting means for detecting a moving distance of the main body; a control means for controlling the recording means in accordance with the detected moving distance; and a plurality of rolling elements for guiding the apparatus main body in parallel with the print moving direction; The image recording apparatus is characterized in that at least one of the plurality of rolling elements is disposed at a position overlapping the moving distance detecting means in the printing movement direction.

  Since the plurality of rolling elements of the apparatus main body are arranged at positions that overlap with the movement distance detection means in the printing movement direction, the movement distance detection means moves the surface of the recording material after the unevenness on the recording material is smoothed by the rolling elements. To detect. Accordingly, it is possible to avoid erroneous detection of the moving distance detection means due to unevenness on the recording material, and to improve the image performance of the image recording apparatus.

1 is an external perspective view of a handy mobile inkjet printer (HMP) according to an embodiment of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention. It is the external appearance perspective view of HMP seen from the lower side of FIG. It is the external appearance perspective view of HMP seen from the opposite side of FIG. It is a top view which shows arrangement | positioning of the guide roller and paper surface sensor based on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram explaining the effect | action and effect of the guide roller which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example (a)-(c) of the printing deviation by the misdetection of a paper surface sensor.

  Hereinafter, before describing the embodiment, a preliminary matter for facilitating understanding of the embodiment will be described.

  A conventional handy mobile printer (for example, an ink jet printer) uses a configuration in which a paper surface sensor detects the movement distance of the apparatus main body on the paper and ejects ink from the ink jet according to the movement distance to print on the paper. It has been.

  However, if the surface of the paper to be printed is uneven, the paper surface sensor cannot correctly detect the movement distance of the apparatus main body. For this reason, there has been a problem that the recorded image is cut or stretched (so-called printing misalignment).

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating examples (a) to (c) of print deviation due to erroneous detection of the paper surface sensor. If the paper surface sensor misdetects the movement distance of the apparatus main body for a long time, the image (character “A”) is cut off halfway (see FIG. 6A). In addition, when the paper surface sensor cannot detect the movement distance, when ink is ejected from the ink jet, the image extends horizontally (see FIG. 6B). On the other hand, if ink is not ejected from the ink jet, a blank is generated in the middle of the image (see FIG. 6C).

  As described above, since the image performance of the handy mobile printer greatly deteriorates due to erroneous detection of the paper surface sensor, it has been desired to improve the paper detection accuracy of the paper surface sensor.

  In the following embodiments, a handy mobile type image recording apparatus that can detect the movement distance of the apparatus main body by smoothing the irregularities on the surface of the recording material and improve the image performance will be described.

(Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a handy mobile inkjet printer (hereinafter abbreviated as HMP) according to an embodiment of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the HMP as viewed from the lower side of FIG.

  The HMP 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes an upper unit 2 and a lower unit 3. A control board, which is a control means, is mounted inside the upper unit 2 and is connected to an operation unit button 5 and a USB connection port 6 provided on the surface of the upper unit 2.

  As shown in FIG. 2, an ink jet head 9 that is a liquid discharge head, a paper surface sensor 8 that is a moving distance detection unit, and the like are provided on the lower surface (surface that is installed on the paper) of the lower unit 3. In addition, a plurality of guide rollers 4 are provided for straightness of operation in the left-right direction of the main body device (short direction of the main body). These guide rollers 4 are an example of a rolling element that guides the main body device in parallel with the printing movement direction.

  The paper surface sensor 8 is a sensor that detects the moving distance of the HMP 1 from the surface of the paper, and is similar to, for example, a sensor included in a mouse (pointing device) of a personal computer. The mechanism for detecting the movement distance is as follows. The paper surface sensor 8 irradiates the place (paper) where the paper is placed, and reads the state of the portion as a “pattern”. Then, the movement amount is calculated by continuously capturing how the “pattern” moves with respect to the movement of the paper surface sensor 8 (so-called optical sensor).

  As the paper surface sensor 8, a mechanical type (ball type) can be used, but a non-contact optical sensor is used in this embodiment.

  The ink jet head 9, that is, a so-called liquid discharge head that performs recording by discharging a liquid / droplet such as ink from the head is well known, and the description thereof is omitted here. Further, as long as it can be mounted on the HMP 1, a liquid discharge head having an appropriate configuration can be employed. In the HMP 1 of the present embodiment, the liquid discharge head corresponds to a recording unit.

  The paper surface sensor 8 and the inkjet head 9 are electrically connected to the control board inside the upper unit 2 described above. The control board drives the inkjet head 9 according to the detection value (movement distance) of the paper surface sensor 8 to discharge ink.

  FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of the HMP viewed from the opposite side of FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, a guide member 7 is provided on one side surface of the lower unit 3. The guide member 7 has a movable structure and is used when a line feed operation is performed.

  The HMP 1 configured as described above can record an image on a sheet by manually scanning the sheet. Specifically, when the user moves the paper with the HMP 1 in hand, the paper surface sensor 8 detects the moving distance of the HMP 1. Then, the control board controls the ink jet head 9 according to the moving distance, and ejects ink onto the paper. As a result, images / characters are recorded on the paper.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the horizontal direction (short direction) of the main body of the HMP 1 is defined as the X direction (printing movement direction), and the main body longitudinal direction perpendicular thereto is defined as the Y direction. As an example of a recording operation using the HMP1, the HMP1 is moved in the X direction when a character or a picture is recorded linearly, and the HMP1 is moved in the Y direction when a line feed is made.

  However, the recording operation using the HMP 1 is not limited to the above. It is also possible to record by moving the HMP1 in an oblique direction other than the X direction or in a curved line, such as when arranging characters or designs in a design manner, or by moving the HMP1 in a direction other than the Y direction to make a line feed It is also possible to do.

  Subsequently, characteristic portions of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the guide rollers and the paper surface sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, two axles 10a and 10b are provided perpendicular to the X direction in order to maintain straightness in the X direction (printing movement direction), and two guide rollers can rotate on each axle. Installed on. Here, guide rollers 4a1, 4a2 are attached to the axle 10a, and guide rollers 4b1, 4b2 are attached to the axle 10b.

These guide rollers 4 are arranged at positions that satisfy the following two conditions.
(Condition 1) The guide roller 4 and the paper surface sensor 8 overlap in the printing movement direction (X direction).
(Condition 2) The guide roller 4 and the nozzle surface (liquid discharge port array) of the inkjet head 9 do not overlap in the print movement direction (X direction).

  Condition 1 can also be rephrased that the guide roller 4 and the paper surface sensor 8 are positioned on the alternate long and short dash line c1 parallel to the printing movement direction (X direction). According to this condition 1, the paper surface sensor 8 detects the surface after the unevenness of the paper is smoothed by the guide roller 4. Therefore, it is possible to avoid erroneous detection of the paper surface sensor 8 due to the unevenness of the paper. Note that either one of the guide rollers 4a2 and 4b2 may satisfy the condition 1.

  Condition 2 can be rephrased that the guide roller 4 is not disposed within the region indicated by the arrow c2. According to the condition 2, it is possible to avoid the possibility that the guide roller 4 comes into contact with the paper surface to which the ink has adhered, and the ink is transferred to the guide roller 4 to stain the paper.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation and effect of the guide roller according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5A, the paper P is placed on the base 11, and a convex portion 13 is provided on a part of the surface of the paper P. Printing is performed on the paper P by the HMP 1 of the present embodiment. Here, for the sake of simplification, only the paper surface sensor 8 and the guide roller 4 positioned ahead in the printing movement direction are shown.

  When the HMP 1 is moved in this state and printing is continued, the guide roller 4 reaches the convex portion 13 of the paper P (see FIG. 5B). Further, the guide roller 4 crushes the convex portion 13 and flattens (smooths) it (see FIG. 5C). Then, since the paper surface sensor 8 detects the flat surface of the paper P, the movement distance of the HMP 1 can be detected accurately, so that the ink jet head 9 performs accurate printing.

  Thus, in the image recording apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, the guide roller 4 for the linearity of the operation is disposed at a position overlapping the print movement direction (X direction) of the paper surface sensor 8. Even if the surface of the paper is uneven, the paper surface sensor 8 can correctly detect the surface of the paper. Therefore, image performance can be improved. Further, since the guide roller 4 is disposed at a position that does not overlap the printing direction of the nozzles of the inkjet head 9, it is possible to prevent the ink from being transferred to the guide roller 4 and soiling the paper.

  In the above, the present invention has been described by taking an ink-jet handy mobile printer as an example. However, the configuration of the present invention can be applied to apparatuses using other image forming methods. For example, the present invention can be applied to a recording apparatus of an appropriate system such as a thermal system or a thermal transfer system.

  Moreover, although the guide roller is shown as an example of a rolling element, it is not limited to this. A spherical body may be used as long as the rolling surface can smooth the irregularities on the surface of the recording material and avoid erroneous detection by the moving distance detecting means. Further, the number is not limited. The above embodiment is merely an example, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

(Supplement)
Clear definitions are provided for terms used in this application.

  A “liquid ejection head” is a functional device that ejects and ejects liquid from a nozzle. As an energy generation source for discharging liquid, a piezoelectric actuator (laminated piezoelectric element or thin film piezoelectric element), a thermal actuator using an electrothermal transducer such as a heating resistor, an electrostatic actuator composed of a diaphragm and a counter electrode, etc. are used. It is done.

  In this specification, “paper” does not limit the material to paper, but includes OHP, cloth, glass, a substrate, and the like, and means that ink droplets, other liquids, and the like can adhere to the recording medium. , Recording media, recording materials, recording papers, and the like. In addition, image formation, recording, printing, printing, and printing are all synonymous.

  “Ink” is a generic term for all liquids capable of image formation, such as recording liquids, fixing processing liquids, liquids, and the like, unless otherwise specified. For example, DNA samples, resists, pattern materials, resins and the like are also included.

1 Handy mobile inkjet printer (HMP)
2 Upper unit 3 Lower unit 4, 4a1, 4a2, 4b1, 4b2 Guide roller 5 Operation unit button 6 USB connection port 7 Guide member 8 Paper surface sensor 9 Inkjet head 10a, 10b Axle 11 Base P Paper 13 Paper P

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-112700 JP 2001-225512 A

Claims (5)

A handy mobile type image recording apparatus that records an image on a recording material by manually scanning in a printing movement direction,
Recording means for recording an image on the recording material;
A moving distance detecting means for detecting a moving distance of the apparatus main body from the surface of the recording material;
Control means for controlling the recording means according to the detected moving distance;
A plurality of rolling elements for guiding the apparatus main body in parallel with the printing movement direction;
An image recording apparatus, wherein at least one of the plurality of rolling elements is arranged at a position overlapping the moving distance detecting means in the printing movement direction.   The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of rolling elements are arranged at positions that do not overlap the recording unit in the printing movement direction. Comprising two axles in a direction perpendicular to the printing movement direction,
The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of rolling elements are rotatably attached to each of the axles. The recording means is a liquid ejection head;
The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of rolling elements is a guide roller.   The image recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of guide rollers are disposed at positions that do not overlap with a liquid discharge port array of the liquid discharge head in the print movement direction.