JPH07242036A - Ink jet recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable recording at the time of bidirectional scanning by freely combining recording heads emitting inks same or different in color or gradation to mount them on a carriage. CONSTITUTION:Two recording heads 1, 2 having a large number of ink emitting orifices symmetrically arranged with respect to the direction crossing a scanning direction at a right angle at the position opposed to a material 3 to be recorded are mounted on a carriage 2 in a freely changeable manner and individually driven to perform recording.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus, and more particularly to an inkjet recording apparatus for recording on a recording material based on recording data input from a host device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the spread of personal computers, computer graphics, and CAD (Comput
er Aided Design) and the like have made it easier to handle recorded information such as images and prints, and there is an increasing demand for a recording device that is easy to output. There are various recording methods for recording devices, such as laser beam electrophotography,
Electrostatic photography methods, lithography recording methods, thermal transfer recording methods, wire dot recording methods, inkjet recording methods and the like are known. Each has its own characteristics, but it is particularly small, affordable, and capable of high-definition recording.
One is the inkjet recording method.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the structure of a recording apparatus of the ink jet recording system. Here, 11 is an ink jet recording head that ejects ink for recording or an ink tank is an exchangeable cartridge type ink jet recording head that is configured integrally with the recording head, and 12 is equipped with such recording head 11. , Guide shafts 13A, 13B
A reference numeral 14 is a carriage that moves along the carriage, 14 is a timing belt having both ends connected to the carriage 12, and moves the carriage 12, and 15 is a belt drive motor. Also, 1
Reference numeral 6 denotes a platen for holding a recording material (not shown) (hereinafter referred to as a recording sheet) at a position facing the ink ejection surface of the recording head 11, 17 for a recording sheet feeding device, and 18 for a feeding device 1.
A feeding roller that feeds the recording sheets one by one from 7, and a sheet feeding device 19 that drives the shaft of the feeding roller 18 and prints one scan of the recording head 11 by the carriage 12 ( A motor for driving (not shown), and 20 is a drive transmission mechanism for the motor 19.

In the case of color recording, the carriage 1
2 is equipped with a plurality of recording heads for color recording, and ink of each color such as cyan, magenta, yellow, and black is ejected toward the recording sheet from each recording head, and color recording is formed on the recording sheet. To be done. In addition, in any printing, in a normal printing operation, in each scan of the print head 11 performed by the carriage 12, a direction corresponding to the entire width of the ink ejection port array arranged in the print head 11 is orthogonal to the scan. Sheet feeding is done.

[0005]

However, in such a conventional ink jet recording apparatus, when an attempt is made to perform the recording operation by both the reciprocating movement of the carriage 12, when ink droplets are ejected from the ink ejection port, Due to various factors such as the supply of ink from the ink tank to the ink liquid path, it is not always performed under the same conditions depending on the moving direction of the carriage 12, and the ejection characteristics differ between forward and backward movements, and recording is performed in both directions. The results cannot be matched exactly. Therefore, there is no problem in the case of recording independent characters for each line, but in the case of continuous image data recording, recording is performed only in one direction even if the recording speed is sacrificed. There was a problem that I could not do it.

Further, when the recording material is ordinary recording paper or other recording paper such as Japanese paper or cloth, it is possible to express a subtle color tone by devising the kind of ink, dot diameter or recording order, Applications such as recording using combinations of different colors are possible. However, in ordinary image recording devices, the degree of freedom is low, such as frequently changing special ink colors and using ink jet recording heads with different dot diameters. There were many restrictions when trying to record by freely combining ink colors and heads to obtain results.

The object of the present invention is to make it possible to mount recording heads for outputting inks of the same kind or different kinds of ink colors on a carriage, and to carry out recording during bidirectional scanning. An object of the present invention is to provide an inkjet recording device that can easily embody expressions.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is to mount a recording head on a carriage for scanning, and drive the recording head during the scanning to dispose the recording head on the recording head. In an ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording by ejecting ink from a plurality of ink ejection ports toward a recording material, the plurality of ink ejection ports are arranged at positions facing the recording material in a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction. Two recording heads symmetrically arranged with respect to each other are mounted on the carriage in an exchangeable manner, and the two recording heads are individually driven to perform recording.

[0009]

According to the present invention, since two recording heads having symmetrically arranged ink ejection openings can be mounted on the carriage in an exchangeable manner, it is possible to eject inks of different colors or inks of different gradations. It is possible to perform recording by freely combining recording heads and the like, and since it is possible to land at the same point on the recording material from the ink ejection ports symmetrically arranged on both recording heads, The two recording heads can be freely exchanged when combined.

Further, in both the forward and backward scanning operations,
It is possible to drive the two recording heads separately according to the same condition and perform recording without causing a difference in ejection characteristics.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail and specifically below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention. In this example, two ink jet recording heads for ejecting different kinds of inks, for example, different color inks are mounted on one carriage. Here, 1 is a cartridge type ink jet recording head integrated with a tank containing black ink, for example. ,
Reference numeral 2 denotes a cartridge type recording head integrated with a tank containing red ink, for example. In the case of this example, the recording heads 1 and 2 are the ink ejection port surfaces 1A and 2 respectively.
A and A are arranged symmetrically on the carriage 3 so as to be adjacent to each other,
It also has the same ink ejection function. Further, the individual recording heads 1 and 2 can be freely exchanged and can be driven in exactly the same manner. During the reciprocating movement of the carriage 12, for example, the recording head 1 can be used for the forward movement and the recording head 2 can be used for the backward movement. Ink can be ejected toward the recording sheet 3 to perform recording.

FIG. 2 shows, for example, the recording head 2 as viewed from the ink ejection surface 2A side. In this example, the ink ejection surfaces 1A and 2A form an angle θ with respect to the scanning direction indicated by arrows A and B. 64 ink outlets (N1
To N64) are arranged. FIG. 3 shows such two ink jet recording heads 1 and 2 as viewed from the respective ejection surface sides. Note that, in FIG. 3, arrows C and D show the driving sequence along with the direction when ejecting ink from the ink ejection ports (N1 to N64) provided in the recording heads 1 and 2.

The recording operation of the ink jet recording apparatus thus constructed will be described with reference to FIGS. Now, for example, when performing recording by ejecting red ink from each of the ink ejection ports (N1 to N64) provided on the ink ejection surface 2A of the recording head 2 during scanning by the carriage 12 in the direction of arrow B, the movement process thereof With recording sheet 3
The position at which the ink is first ejected toward and the position at which the ink is ejected last are displaced according to the movement of the carriage 12. Therefore, in this example, the ink ejection port N6
4, the ink is sequentially ejected in the direction of the arrow D (see FIG. 3), and when the carriage 12 is moved by LC _OS θ when the length of the ink ejection port array is L, the ink is ejected from the ink ejection port N1. By controlling the timing so that the ink is ejected, the dots ejected from the ink ejection ports N64 to N1 and recorded on the recording sheet 3 can be formed on the same line that is perpendicular to the scanning direction. .

The above description is also applied to the case of recording with the black ink by the recording head 1 during the scanning in the direction of the arrow A by the carriage 12. That is, in this case, in the recording head 1, the ink ejection is started from the ink ejection port N1, and the last ink is ejected from the ink ejection port N64 in accordance with the movement of the carriage 12 at the above-described timing. Can be recorded. Thus, with respect to the scanning directions indicated by A and B, the recording head 1
When the two recording heads 1 and 2 are moved forward by performing the ink ejection from the ink ejection ports N1 to N64 on the one side and the ink ejection ports N1 to N64 on the recording head 2 in consideration of the above timing. It becomes possible to perform recording by driving alternately during the backward movement. Since there is a predetermined interval between the ink ejection port array of the recording head 1 and the ink ejection port array of the recording head 2, it is necessary to shift the timing corresponding to the interval between the forward movement and the backward movement. It goes without saying that there are

In this way, the ink droplets ejected from the ink ejection ports symmetrically arranged on the two recording heads 1 and 2, for example, both the ink ejection port N1 of the recording head 1 and the ink ejection port N64 of the recording head 2 are recorded on the recording sheet. Can be landed at the same point on 3.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the two recording heads 1 and 2 are used to eject two colors of black and red, but the combination of such colors may be freely set, and further, each recording head may be used. It is also possible to carry out color recording by dividing the ink ejection port array disposed in each group into a plurality of groups and ejecting different inks from the ink ejection ports of each group. Ink having different gradations may be ejected from the two recording heads.

According to the first embodiment configured as described above, when ejecting ink from the ink ejection ports symmetrically arranged on the ink ejection surfaces of the two recording heads, respective ink ejection energy generating elements, For example, it is possible to perform recording with different inks by appropriately controlling the driving order for driving the electrothermal conversion elements, or it is possible to perform recording with ink jet diameters changed by exchanging the recording heads. .

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In the first embodiment, two recording heads 1 and 2 are used.
Different types of ink were supplied to the printer to perform recording.
In this embodiment, the same kind of ink is used, for example, ink is selectively ejected from the ink ejection ports N1 to N64 of the recording head 1 according to this order during the forward movement to perform recording, and the ink of the recording head 2 during the backward movement. Ink is selectively ejected from the ejection ports N1 to N64 in this order to perform recording. In this case, the ink ejection openings are arranged in the recording heads 1 and 2 at symmetrical positions and in the ejection order opposite to each other, as shown in FIG.
The conditions under which ink is ejected can be made the same for the print heads 1 and 2, and printing can be performed by both reciprocal scanning.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, for example, the number of ink ejection ports is doubled at the same pitch and symmetrically arranged, and the recording heads 1 and 2 are made to share the recording for one line. It is also possible to perform recording so that one line is twice as long as before, or the recording head 1
It is also possible to carry out recording by means of the recording head 2 and immediately thereafter to carry out recording by means of the recording head 2 during sheet feeding.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, it is possible to carry out printing without fear that the ejection characteristics differ depending on the moving direction of the print head, and regardless of the type of print information. Bidirectional recording is possible.

(Others) The present invention is particularly provided with means for generating thermal energy as energy used for ejecting ink (for example, an electrothermal converter or a laser beam) even in the ink jet recording system. The present invention brings about excellent effects in a recording head and a recording apparatus of the type in which the state of ink is changed by the heat energy. This is because such a system can achieve high density recording and high definition recording.

Regarding the typical structure and principle thereof, see, for example, US Pat. No. 4,723,129 and US Pat. No. 4,740.
What is done using the basic principles disclosed in 796 is preferred. This method is a so-called on-demand type,
It can be applied to any of the continuous type, but especially in the case of the on-demand type, it can be applied to the sheet holding the liquid (ink) or the electrothermal converter arranged corresponding to the liquid path. By applying at least one drive signal corresponding to the recording information and giving a rapid temperature rise exceeding nucleate boiling, heat energy is generated in the electrothermal converter, and film boiling is caused on the heat acting surface of the recording head. Liquid (ink) corresponding to this drive signal in a one-to-one correspondence
It is effective because bubbles can be formed inside. Due to the growth and contraction of the bubbles, the liquid (ink) is ejected through the ejection opening to form at least one droplet. It is more preferable to make this drive signal into a pulse shape because bubbles can be immediately and appropriately grown and contracted, so that liquid (ink) ejection with excellent responsiveness can be achieved. As the pulse-shaped drive signal, those described in US Pat. Nos. 4,463,359 and 4,345,262 are suitable. If the conditions described in US Pat. No. 4,313,124 of the invention relating to the rate of temperature rise on the heat acting surface are adopted, more excellent recording can be performed.

As the structure of the recording head, in addition to the combination structure of the ejection port, the liquid passage, and the electrothermal converter (the straight liquid passage or the right-angled liquid passage) as disclosed in the above-mentioned specifications, US Pat. No. 4,558,333, US Pat. No. 4,558,333, which discloses a configuration in which a heat acting portion is arranged in a bending region.
The structure using the specification of No. 59600 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 the 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 corresponding to the ejection portion is disclosed in JP-A-59-138461. That is, according to the present invention, recording can be surely and efficiently performed regardless of the form of the recording head.

In addition, even in the case of the serial type as in the above example, the recording head fixed to the main body of the apparatus or the electrical connection with the main body of the apparatus and the ink from the main body of the apparatus by being attached to the main body of the apparatus. The present invention is also effective when a replaceable chip-type recording head that can be supplied or a cartridge-type recording head in which an ink tank is integrally provided in the recording head itself is used.

Further, as the constitution of the recording apparatus of the present invention, it is preferable to add an ejection recovery means of the recording head, a preliminary auxiliary means and the like because the effect of the present invention can be further stabilized. Specifically, heating is performed by using a capping unit, a cleaning unit, a pressure or suction unit for the recording head, an electrothermal converter or a heating element other than this, or a combination thereof. Examples thereof include a preliminary heating unit for performing the discharge and a preliminary discharge unit for performing discharge different from the recording.

Regarding the type and number of recording heads to be mounted, for example, only one is provided corresponding to a single color ink, or a plurality of inks having different recording colors and densities are supported. A plurality of pieces may be provided. That is, for example, the recording mode of the recording apparatus is not limited to the recording mode of only the mainstream color such as black, but it may be either the recording head is integrally formed or a plurality of combinations may be used. The present invention is also extremely effective for an apparatus provided with at least one of full-color recording modes by color mixing.

In addition, in the above-described embodiments of the present invention, the ink is described as a liquid, but an ink that solidifies at room temperature or lower and that softens or liquefies at room temperature may be used. Or, in the inkjet system, it is common to control the temperature of the ink itself within the range of 30 ° C. or higher and 70 ° C. or lower to control the temperature so that the viscosity of the ink is within the stable ejection range. Sometimes, a liquid ink may be used. In addition, the temperature rise due to thermal energy is positively prevented by using it as the energy of the state change of the ink from the solid state to the liquid state, or in order to prevent the evaporation of the ink, it is solidified and heated in the standing state. You may use the ink liquefied by. In any case, the application of heat energy such as the one in which the ink is liquefied by applying heat energy according to the recording signal and the liquid ink is ejected, or the one which has already started to solidify when it reaches the recording material. The present invention is also applicable to the case of using an ink that has a property of being liquefied for the first time. In this case, the ink is
JP-A-54-56847 or JP-A-60-7
As described in Japanese Patent No. 1260, it may be configured to face the electrothermal converter in a state of being held as a liquid or a solid in the concave portion or the through hole of the porous sheet. In the present invention, the most effective one for each of the above-mentioned inks is to execute the above-mentioned film boiling method.

In addition, as the form of the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention, besides the one 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, and a facsimile apparatus having a transmission / reception function It may be a form or the like.

In the above-described embodiments, the recording heads 1 and 2 are described as a cartridge type integrated with an ink tank, but the application of the present invention is not limited to this.
It goes without saying that the recording head and the ink tank may be separately arranged.

Also, the rows of ink ejection ports are not limited to one row as long as they are symmetrically arranged in the two recording heads, but may be a plurality of rows.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention, two recording heads in which a plurality of ink ejection ports are arranged symmetrically with respect to the recording material in a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction are provided. Is mounted on the carriage in an exchangeable manner, and the two recording heads are individually driven to perform recording. Therefore, each recording head is recorded by a recording type, for example, an image requiring gradation, or a color recording image, It can be freely exchanged according to printing or the like, and a capping mechanism used when the recording heads are not used can be collectively configured on the ink ejection surfaces of both recording heads. The ink ejection order when the two print heads are individually driven is set according to the arrangement order of the ink ejection ports, and one of the print heads and the other of the print heads have the above-mentioned arrangement order according to the scanning direction. Since the ink ejection order is reversed, printing can be performed during reciprocal scanning, which contributes to the speedup of the entire printing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a top view schematically showing a mounted state of an inkjet recording head according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an ink ejection port arrangement on an ink ejection surface of a recording head according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the mounted state of the recording head according to the present invention as viewed from the recording material side.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of an inkjet recording apparatus to which the present invention can be applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 2 Recording heads 1A, 2A Ink ejection surface 3 Recording material (recording sheet) 12 Carriage N1 to N64 Ink ejection ports

Front page continued (72) Inventor Tomoki Masaki 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Takashi Kasahara 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. Within

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A recording head is mounted on a carriage for scanning, and the recording head is driven during the scanning to eject ink from a plurality of ink ejection ports provided in the recording head toward a recording material. In an inkjet recording apparatus for recording, two recording heads in which the plurality of ink ejection ports are arranged symmetrically with respect to the recording material in a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction are exchangeable with the carriage. An ink jet recording apparatus which is mounted and is configured to drive the two recording heads individually to perform recording. 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of ink ejection ports are arranged on a line having a predetermined inclination with respect to a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction. 3. The carriage according to claim 1, wherein the two recording heads are mounted on the carriage so that ejection port surfaces on which the plurality of ink ejection ports are arranged are close to each other. Inkjet recording device. 4. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the two recording heads eject different kinds of ink. 5. The ink ejection order when the two print heads are driven individually is set according to the arrangement order of the ink ejection ports, and one print head and the other print are set according to the scanning direction. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ink ejection order is opposite to that of the head. 6. The inkjet according to claim 1, wherein each of the two recording heads has an electrothermal conversion element that generates thermal energy used as ejection energy. Recording device.