JP2781242B2 - Recording head driving device and recording device using the driving device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a recording head driving apparatus for performing recording by converting electric energy into thermal energy, such as a bubble jet recording head and a thermal transfer recording head, and the driving apparatus. The present invention relates to a recording apparatus using the same.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in a recording apparatus that performs recording using a recording head, when controlling a common potential related to driving of the recording head, data for the control is arranged on a different byte from the recording data, or is used for control. Are configured as a single bit unit signal.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the above conventional example, since print data and control data for controlling a common potential related to print head drive exist on another byte or as a single bit signal for control, the print head output In this case, it is necessary to first output control data and then output recording data, or output recording data and then output control data. Further, when the output is turned off, the same operation must be performed, and as a result, there is a disadvantage that it takes time to output. In particular, a high-speed printhead such as a bubble jet printhead has been a major obstacle to speeding up.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a recording head driving device which solves the above-mentioned problems and a recording device using the driving device.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a printhead driving apparatus for driving a printhead, a printhead having a plurality of print elements, individually receiving print data of the print elements, and responding to the print data. Print head driving means for driving the plurality of print elements, a potential control means for controlling a common potential for driving the print head drive means corresponding to the plurality of print elements, and the plurality of print elements Each print data and control data for controlling the potential control means are on the same byte, and the print head drive means is controlled by individually outputting each print data directly to the print head drive means, Control means for controlling the potential by directly outputting the control data to the potential control means.

[Operation] According to the present invention, print data for each of a plurality of print elements and control data for controlling a common potential related to print head drive are present on the same byte, and printing corresponding to the plurality of print elements is performed. Control means for controlling the recording head driving means by outputting data individually and directly to the recording head driving means, and controlling the potential by outputting the control data directly to the potential control means. According to such a configuration, the recording head can be controlled at a high speed with a simple configuration, without the need for labor twice as in the conventional example.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic desk calculator with a bubble jet printer according to the present invention (hereinafter referred to as a calculator).
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a CPU for controlling each unit while performing arithmetic processing in a computer and transmitting / receiving signals to / from a keyboard 3, a printer 4, a display 2, and the like. ROM1a to store
It has a RAM 1b used as a work area in processing. 8 is a power supply unit, 4a is a stepping motor, 4b is a recording head, 7 is a stepping motor drive I
C and 6 are printhead drive ICs, and 5 is a printhead control circuit described in detail in FIG.

FIG. 2 shows a recording head control circuit. Elements having the same numbers as those in FIG. 1 are the same elements. In FIG. 2, the CPU 1 provides eight ports PA0 to PA7 for controlling the recording head, and the recording head 4b has recording elements r0 to r6 for converting electric energy into heat energy. The other end of the recording element r0~r6 are connected in common to a power source V _H recording head. The resistors R5 to R11 are described in detail in FIG.
The pull-up resistor that supplies current to the other end is connected to the other end, and the differentiation circuit consisting of the transistor Tr1, the resistors R1 to R4, the capacitors C1 and C2, and the diodes D1 and D2 is the main configuration of the printhead control circuit. It is connected.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the connection and operation of the CPU 1, the driving IC 6, and the recording head 4b in detail. Inverter IN in CPU1
, The output recording data “High” is input. Then open the drain of the transistor Tr0 ports PA0 is turned off, through the resistor R5, the current I _B from the power source V _R1 supplied input to the base of the input I0 clogging transistor Tr0 of the recording head drive IC6 from the recording head potential control circuit , Tr0 turns on,
From the recording head driving power supply _VH to the recording element r0 of the recording head 4b
Through, the current I _H flows into the output o ₀ of the driving IC 6, the current recording element r0 generates heat that has passed, and that the recording head is driven.

FIG. 4A shows recording data stored in the ROM 1a in the CPU1. D7 of data allocated from the address INJID in the RAM 1a is a printhead control bit, and D6 to D0 are print data bits. Incidentally, in this embodiment, the printhead control bit D7 is "Low", and the print data bits D6 to D0 are "High" and active. FIG. 4B is a flowchart of a program stored in the ROM 1a in the CPU 1 at the time of recording head output. Step S1
Then, the recording data in the ROM 1a specified by the value of the index register x is input to the accumulator A, and in S2,
A outputs to the port PA, and in S3, data # 80H for turning off the control bit data bits is input to the accumulator A, and is output from A to PA in S4, and the output of one set of recording data is completed. I do.

FIG. 5 shows the output waveform of each part of the recording head output circuit and the potential control circuit in the operation described with reference to FIGS. (A) shows a normal waveform, and (b) shows an abnormal waveform when the CPU 1 runs away due to static electricity or power supply noise. In FIG. 5A, when the normal recording head is off, PA0 is set to "Low" and PA7 is set to "High". When INJID data “00000001” in the ROM 1a is output to the PA as in S1 and S2 in FIG. 4B, PA0 becomes “High”.
PA7 changes to "Low". Then, the potential at the point A in FIG. 2 gradually charges the capacitors C1 and C2, and gradually becomes “High”.
It becomes. When the potential of the point A in the Tr1 of ON potential V _TH,
Tr1 turns on, current flows from _Vcc, and the potential V _{R1 at} point B becomes “Hig
h ", and power is supplied to the pull-up resistors R5 to R11.
The input signal of the recording head driving IC at the point turns on. When the data # 80H to be turned off is output to the PA as in S3 and S4 in FIG. 4, PA0 to PA7 are turned off, the potential at the point C is turned to "Low", and the output ends. When the above-mentioned abnormality occurs in FIG. 5 (b) and the program stops at S2 in FIG. 4 (b), that is, when PA0 keeps "High" and PA7 keeps "Low", respectively. the C1, after C2 is charged T _{on (max),} turned off beyond the oN potential V _TH of Tr1, the potential of the C rolling also becomes off, it is possible to prevent damage due to excessive power supply to the recording head 4b.

FIG. 7 shows an example of the configuration of a liquid jet recording apparatus (inkjet recording apparatus) using the recording head driving device described in detail, and FIG. 8 shows an example of the configuration of the recording head.

First, in FIG. 7, reference numeral 114 denotes a head cartridge, which integrally integrates a recording head constituted by using a heater board described later with reference to FIG. 8 and an ink tank as an ink supply source. This head cartridge 114
Are fixed on the carriage 115 by a pressing member 141, and these can reciprocate in the longitudinal direction along the shaft 121. The ink discharged from the recording head reaches the recording medium 118 whose recording surface is regulated by the platen 119 at a minute interval from the recording head, and forms an image on the recording medium 118.

An ejection signal corresponding to image data is supplied to the printhead from an appropriate data supply source via a cable 116 and a terminal connected thereto. One or more head cartridges (two in the figure), depending on the ink color used, etc.
Can be provided.

In FIG. 8, reference numeral 117 denotes a carriage motor for scanning the carriage 115 along the shaft 121;
Is a wire for transmitting the driving force of the motor 117 to the carriage 115. Reference numeral 120 denotes a feed motor which is coupled to the platen roller 119 to convey the recording medium 118.

FIG. 8 shows a configuration example of a recording head according to this embodiment. Here, reference numeral 101 denotes a heater board, which has an electrothermal converter (discharge heater) 105 on a silicon substrate and an A for supplying power to the heater.
The wiring 106 such as l is formed by a film forming technique. Then, a liquid ejecting recording head is formed by adhering a top plate 130 provided with a partition for limiting the liquid path (nozzle) 125 of the recording liquid to the heater board 101.

The recording liquid (ink) is supplied to the supply port 1
The liquid is supplied from 24 to the common liquid chamber 123, and is guided into each nozzle 125 from here. Then, when the heater 105 generates heat by energization, foaming occurs in the ink filled in the nozzle 129,
That is, ink droplets are ejected from the ejection port 126.

[Other embodiments]

As described above, the present invention has been described as an embodiment in which the common power supply of the pull-up resistor of the output port of the CPU is controlled as described above. However, as shown in FIG. _H may be controlled. In short, any print head drive circuit having print data and control data for controlling a common potential related to print head drive may be used, and various other applications are also possible.

(Others) The present invention brings about an excellent effect particularly in a recording head and a recording apparatus of a valve jet system among ink jet recording systems. This is because according to such a method, it is possible to achieve higher density and higher definition of recording.

As for the representative configuration and principle, it is preferable to use the basic principle disclosed in, for example, US Pat. Nos. 4,723,129 and 4,740,796. This method can be applied to both the so-called on-demand type and the continuous type. In particular, in the case of the on-demand type, it is arranged corresponding to a sheet or a liquid path holding a liquid (ink). Applying at least one drive signal corresponding to the recording information and providing a rapid temperature rise exceeding the nucleate boiling to the electrothermal transducer to generate heat energy in the electrothermal exchanger, thereby causing the recording head to emit heat energy. This is effective because a film in the liquid (ink) corresponding to the driving signal can be formed one by one by causing film boiling on the heat acting surface. The liquid (ink) is ejected through the ejection opening by the growth and contraction of the bubble to form at least one droplet. When the drive signal is formed into a pulse shape, the growth and shrinkage of the bubble are performed immediately and appropriately, so that the ejection of a liquid (ink) having particularly excellent responsiveness can be achieved, which is more preferable. U.S. Pat. No. 44
Those described in JP-A-63359 and JP-A-4345262 are suitable. Further, when the conditions described in US Pat. No. 4,313,124 relating to the temperature rise rate of the heat acting surface are adopted, more excellent recording can be performed.

As a configuration of the recording head, in addition to a combination configuration (a linear liquid flow path or a right-angle liquid flow path) of a discharge port, a liquid path, and an electric heat exchanger as disclosed in the above-mentioned specifications, A configuration using U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,333 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,600, which disclose a configuration in which is disposed in a bending region, is also included in the present invention. In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 59-123670 discloses a configuration in which a common slit is used as a discharge portion of an electrothermal converter for a plurality of electrothermal converters, and an opening for absorbing a pressure wave of thermal energy is provided. The effect of the present invention is effective even if the configuration is based on JP-A-59-138461, which discloses a configuration corresponding to a discharge unit. That is, recording can be performed reliably and efficiently regardless of the form of the recording head.

Further, the present invention can be effectively applied to a full-line type recording head having a length corresponding to the maximum width of a recording medium on which a recording apparatus can record. Such a recording head may have a configuration that satisfies the length by a combination of a plurality of recording heads, or a configuration as one integrally formed recording head. In addition, a replaceable chip-type recording head that can be electrically connected to the device main body or supplied with ink from the device main body by being attached to the device main body even in the serial type as described above. The present invention is also effective when a cartridge type recording head provided integrally with the recording head itself is used.

Further, it is preferable to add recovery means for the print head, preliminary auxiliary means, and the like provided as a configuration of the printing apparatus in the present invention since the effects of the present invention can be further stabilized. If these are specifically mentioned, capping means for the recording head, cleaning means, pressurizing or suction means, preheating means using an electrothermal transducer or another heating element or a combination thereof, Performing a preliminary ejection mode in which ejection is performed separately from printing is also effective for performing stable printing.

Regarding the type or number of print heads to be mounted, for example, in addition to one provided for single color ink, a plurality of print heads are provided corresponding to a plurality of inks having different print colors and densities. May be used.

In addition, the form of the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention may be used as an image output terminal of an information processing apparatus such as a computer, a copying apparatus combined with a reader or the like, or a facsimile apparatus having a transmission / reception function. It may be something.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, print data for each of a plurality of print elements and control data for controlling a common potential related to drive of a print head are present on the same byte to support a plurality of print elements. The print data is output directly to the print head drive means to control the print head drive means, and the control data is directly output to the potential control means to control the potential. According to such a configuration, the output of each data does not have to be performed twice, the time can be shortened, and the high-speed control of the recording head having the common potential control for driving the recording head can be performed with a simple configuration. The effect is as follows.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an electronic desk calculator with a printer according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a recording head control circuit diagram of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a more detailed recording head. FIG. 4 (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a part of a ROM of print data and control data, FIG. 4 (b) is a flowchart of a program at the time of print head output, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an output waveform of each part of the head output circuit, FIG. 6 is a block diagram of another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 7 is a structural diagram of a liquid jet recording apparatus to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a structural diagram of the recording head.

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI B41J 3/12 G

Claims (12)

(57) [Claims] 1. A printhead driving apparatus for driving a printhead, comprising: a printhead having a plurality of print elements; and individually receiving print data of each of the print elements, and printing the plurality of prints in accordance with the print data. Recording head driving means for driving the elements; potential control means for controlling a common potential for driving the recording head driving means corresponding to the plurality of recording elements; and recording data for each of the plurality of recording elements. The control data for controlling the potential control means is provided on the same byte, and the print data is output directly to the print head drive means to control the print head drive means. A control unit for controlling the potential by directly outputting the potential to the potential control unit. 2. The printhead driving device according to claim 1, wherein said control data is one bit. 3. The printhead driving device according to claim 1, wherein said output means outputs print data and control data at the same timing. 4. The printhead driving device according to claim 1, wherein said printhead is a thermal printhead. 5. The printhead driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said output means has a level at which said print data and said control data are mutually contradictory at the time of output. 6. The printhead driving device according to claim 1, wherein said printhead is an ink jet printhead which performs printing by discharging ink droplets. 7. The recording head according to claim 1, wherein said recording head is a bubble jet recording head which performs recording by discharging ink droplets by growing and contracting bubbles. Drive. 8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said potential control means has a differentiating circuit, and converts said control data signal into a differentiated waveform to control a common potential of said recording head driving means. 3. The recording head driving device according to item 1. 9. A recording apparatus for performing recording on a recording medium, comprising: a recording head having a plurality of recording elements; and individually receiving the recording data of each of the recording elements, and controlling the plurality of recording elements in accordance with the recording data. Recording head driving means for driving; potential control means for controlling a common potential for driving the recording head driving means corresponding to the plurality of recording elements; recording data for each of the plurality of recording elements and the potential Control data for controlling the control means on the same byte, and individually outputting the print data individually to the print head drive means to control the print head drive means, and controlling the control data to the potential control A recording apparatus comprising: a control unit that controls the potential by directly outputting the potential to a unit; and a transport unit that transports a recording medium. 10. The recording apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said recording head is an ink jet recording head which performs recording by discharging ink droplets. 11. A recording apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said recording head is a bubble jet recording head which performs recording by discharging ink droplets by growth and contraction of bubbles. 12. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said potential control means has a differentiating circuit, and converts said control data signal into a differentiated waveform to control a common potential of said recording head driving means. The recording device according to claim 1.