JPH10323991A - Ink jet recorder and method for exchanging ink cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for exchanging an ink cartridge and an ink jet recorder using the method capable of preventing staining of a platen by scattered ink at the exchanging of the cartridge. SOLUTION: When a cartridge exchanging mode is instructed (S10), one sheet of recording paper in a paper supply cassette is fed to be disposed to a predetermined portion between a recording head and a platen (S20). When it is judged that it is set to the predetermined position (S30: YES) and a cartridge is on an exchanging position (S40: YES), a user takes off the cartridge and replaces it with a new one (S60). When it is confirmed that the new cartridge is set (S70), a carriage having the cartridge mounted thereon is returned to a home position (S80) and the recording paper disposed between the recording head and platen is discharged (S90).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus and a method for replacing an ink cartridge mounted on a carriage of the ink jet recording apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, an ink jet printer is known as an ink jet recording apparatus for performing recording such as printing by ejecting ink onto a recording medium such as paper. In this ink jet printer, an ink cartridge containing ink (hereinafter, simply referred to as a “cartridge”)
Are exchangeably mounted on a carriage on which the printhead is mounted, and ink is supplied to the printhead from the replaced cartridge.

[0003]

However, when the cartridge is removed from the carriage at the time of replacing the cartridge, there is a problem that the residual ink is scattered from the recording head and stains the platen or the like depending on the force of the removal. Was.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a cartridge replacement method in which the periphery of a recording head such as a platen is not stained by ink scattered at the time of replacement of a cartridge, and an ink jet recording apparatus using the replacement method.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention In view of the above problems, an ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention has a recording head that performs recording by ejecting ink on recording paper, Ink jet recording comprising: a cartridge removably mounted on a carriage on which the recording head is mounted; and a platen disposed opposite to the recording head and transporting the recording paper between the recording head and the recording head. An instructing means for instructing the cartridge exchange mode, and an ink responsive to the instructing means for preventing the residual ink of the cartridge from scattering and adhering to the periphery of the recording head such as a platen when exchanging the cartridge. Arranging means for arranging the adhesion preventing member between the recording head and the platen.

[0006] By interposing some kind of ink adhesion preventing member between the recording head and the platen as described above, even if the residual ink at the leading end of the cartridge is scattered due to the recoil of the removal of the cartridge, the ink adhesion preventing member can be used. Receives the residual ink, so that the platen and the like are not stained.

Further, the ink jet recording apparatus has a detecting means for detecting the completion of the replacement of the cartridge, and when the completion of the replacement of the cartridge is detected by the detecting means, the positioning means. May remove the ink adhesion preventing member from between the recording head and the platen.

As described above, by removing the ink adhesion preventing member at the end of the cartridge exchange mode, it is possible to smoothly shift to the original image recording mode. More specifically, as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a paper feed unit for feeding the recording paper, and paper feed means for feeding a recording paper from the paper feed unit to the recording head side, The adhesion preventing member is a recording sheet in the sheet feeding unit, and the arranging unit feeds the recording sheet in the sheet feeding unit to a predetermined position between the recording head and the platen when instructed by the instruction unit. And controlling the paper feeding means so as to discharge the recording paper from between the recording head and the platen when the detection means detects that the replacement of the cartridge has been completed. It may be a control means.

As described above, if the recording paper is used as the ink adhesion preventing member, a more simplified system can be constructed. In other words, this is because only the paper feeding process for replacing the cartridge is added to the conventional process. If the fed recording paper is used as a test print, there is no waste.

[0010] The cartridge replacement method of the present invention includes:
As described in claim 4, a recording head that performs recording by ejecting ink onto recording paper, a cartridge that is detachably mounted on a carriage on which the recording head is mounted, and that is disposed to face the recording head, A cartridge exchange method for an ink jet recording apparatus comprising a platen for conveying and holding the recording paper between the recording head and the recording head. By disposing an ink adhesion preventing member between the head and the platen, it is possible to prevent the remaining ink of the cartridge from scattering and adhering around the recording head such as the platen.

In this case, the cartridge replacement method may include removing the ink adhesion preventing member from between the recording head and the platen after detecting completion of replacement of the cartridge. Good. More specifically, in the cartridge replacement method, as described in claim 6, the ink adhesion preventing member is a recording paper in a paper feeding unit, and when a cartridge replacement mode is instructed,
The recording paper in the paper supply unit is fed to a predetermined position between the recording head and the platen, and when the completion of the replacement of the cartridge is detected, the recording paper is discharged from between the recording head and the platen. May be done.

By adopting such a method, even if the residual ink is scattered from the cartridge, the recording paper receives the scattered residual ink, so that the apparatus in the apparatus such as a platen is not stained. .

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings in order to further clarify the embodiments of the present invention. The embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the following examples at all, and it goes without saying that the embodiments can be implemented in various modes as long as they belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a lid of the ink jet printer is opened, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing an internal structure of the ink jet printer, FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a recording head unit, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an electrical schematic configuration, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a cartridge replacement process.

As shown in FIG. 1, the ink jet printer 1 includes an apparatus casing 3, and an upper opening 4 of the apparatus can be opened and closed by hinges 6, 6 by a lid 2. A paper feed unit, that is, a paper feed cassette (not shown) is provided at the rear, and recording paper P (see FIG. 2) fed from the paper feed cassette is discharged from a lower discharge unit 7. It is like.

A part of the upper opening 4 serves as a cartridge replacement opening, as will be described later. The position of the carriage 8 indicated by a two-dot chain line in the figure is a cartridge replacement position. The position of the carriage 8 indicated by a solid line in the figure is the home position of the carriage 8.

Next, the internal configuration of the ink jet printer 1 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the carriage 8 is slidably supported by a parallel guide rod 11 and a guide member 12 at a front portion and a rear portion thereof, and is fixed to a belt 13. It is configured as a CM. The driving pulley 14 is driven by a CR motor 16 which is a carriage driving motor, and the carriage 8 reciprocates as the belt 13 runs.

The carriage 8 has a recording head unit 1 having a recording head 18 for performing recording such as printing.
7 is attached. This recording head unit 17
Is an ink jet type in which four colors of ink (cyan c, magenta m, yellow y, black b) are ejected onto recording paper P as a recording medium by ejecting ink droplets to perform a recording operation. FIG. 3 shows the recording head 18 provided.
As shown in FIG. 5, four ejection nozzles 21y, 21m, 21c, 21b (collectively 21) are provided for ejecting inks of respective colors. Also, the recording head unit 1
7 (left side in FIG. 3), four cartridges 22 y and 22 for supplying ink of each color to each ejection nozzle 21.
m, 22c and 22b (collectively referred to as 22) are detachably mounted. In addition, a large number (for example, 64) of injection holes 24 are opened in the nozzle surface 23 of each injection nozzle 21.

Returning to FIG. 2, a paper feed means, that is, a transport mechanism LF for transporting the recording paper P is provided at a position facing the recording head 18, and the transport mechanism LF is provided with an LF motor 30 (FIG. 4). The recording paper P is transported by the rotation of the platen roller 25 rotated by the driving of the recording paper P.

Further, on the side of the transport mechanism LF, a maintenance / recovery for maintaining / recovering the ink ejection operation of the recording head 18 is performed.
A recovery mechanism RM is provided. This maintenance and recovery mechanism R
M indicates a jetting failure that occurs during use of the recording head 18 due to drying of the ink, generation of bubbles inside the recording head 18, or adhesion of ink droplets to the nozzle surface 23 of the jetting nozzle 21. , A storage cap 27 that covers the nozzle surface 23 to prevent drying of the ink when the ink jet printer 1 is not used, and a wiper member 28 that wipes the nozzle surface 23.

Next, the electrical configuration of the ink jet printer 1 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the control device 5 of the inkjet printer 1
0 is a well-known CPU 50a, ROM 50b, RAM 50
c, a microcomputer provided with an input / output unit 50d.

The input / output unit 50d includes a cartridge 2
Cartridge exchange command button 5 for instructing exchange operation 2
Switches 1 and the like, a cartridge detector 52 provided on the carriage 8 for detecting whether or not the cartridge 22 is mounted, a CR position sensor 53 for detecting the position of the carriage 8, and the like are connected.

Further, a CR motor 16 for moving the carriage 8, an LF motor 30 for driving the transport mechanism LF, indicators 54 for displaying a cartridge replacement mode, and the like are connected. Next, a control process when the cartridge 22 of the inkjet printer 1 according to the present embodiment is replaced will be described with reference to a flowchart of FIG.

When the user determines from the image density or the like recorded on the recording paper that it is time to replace the cartridge, the user sets the cartridge replacement mode while the power of the ink jet printer 1 is turned on, as shown in FIG. Instruct (S
10). The exchange mode instructing means functions by performing an input operation from a cartridge exchange command button 51 provided on the inkjet printer 1.

When the control device 50 as the control means receives the above instruction, the LF motor 30 is driven and one sheet of recording paper P in the sheet cassette is fed as an ink adhesion preventing member. (S20). Then, it is determined whether or not the recording paper P has been set at a predetermined position (S30). After it is determined that the recording paper P has been set at the predetermined position (S30: YES), the cartridge is mounted based on a signal from the CR position sensor 53. It is determined whether the moved carriage is at the cartridge replacement position (S40). If it is determined that the cartridge is at the replacement position (S40: YES), the user removes the cartridge 22 at this replacement position and replaces it with a new cartridge (S60). If it is determined that the cartridge is not at the replacement position (S40: NO), the CR motor 16 is driven to move the carriage to the cartridge replacement position (S50). Thereafter, the cartridge 22 is removed by the user and a new cartridge is removed. (S60).

When it is confirmed that a new cartridge has been set by the cartridge detector 52 which is a detecting means for detecting the completion of the replacement of the cartridge (S70), the carriage is returned to the home position (S80), and the LF motor 30 is turned on again. The recording paper is driven and discharged between the recording head and the platen (S90).

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the recording paper is interposed between the recording head and the platen, so that even when the residual ink at the leading end of the cartridge is scattered due to the reaction of the removal of the cartridge, the recording paper can be used. Receives the residual ink, so that the platen and the like are not stained. Further, at the end of the cartridge replacement mode, the recording paper that has received the residual ink is removed, so that it is possible to smoothly shift to the original image recording mode.

In this embodiment, the cartridge replacement mode is instructed manually by inputting from the cartridge replacement command button 51 provided on the ink jet printer 1, but the cartridge is replaced in the apparatus. It is a matter of course that a control method of sending a signal from the sensor or the like may be adopted by installing a sensor or the like for detecting a state to be performed.

Further, a configuration may be adopted in which the indicator 54 indicates that the cartridge exchange mode is set, or when there is no recording paper in the recording paper cassette, the cartridge exchange mode is prohibited and a message to that effect is displayed. You may take it. Further, a configuration may be adopted in which a test print is performed on the recording paper fed when the cartridge is replaced.

In this embodiment, the recording paper is used as the ink adhesion preventing member when the cartridge is replaced. However, a special paper such as a used paper or a material other than the paper is used. You may comprise so that those ink adhesion prevention members may be supplied from the accommodation part exclusively provided for the ink adhesion prevention member provided separately.

In the above embodiment, the ink jet printer has been described. However, the present invention can be applied to various recording apparatuses such as a facsimile.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a lid of an inkjet printer according to an embodiment of the present invention is opened.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an internal structure of the inkjet printer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a recording head unit according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical schematic configuration of the inkjet printer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a cartridge replacement process according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... inkjet printer, 7 ... discharge unit,
8 Carriage 11 Guide rod 12
... Guide member, 13 ... Belt, 14 ... Driving pulley, 16 ... CR motor, 17 ... Recording head unit, 18 ... Recording head, 21 ...
Injection nozzle, 21y ... Injection nozzle, 22 ... Cartridge, 22y ... Cartridge, 23 ...
Nozzle surface, 24: injection hole, 25: platen roller, 26: suction means

Claims (6)

[Claims] A recording head that ejects ink onto recording paper to perform recording; an ink cartridge that is detachably mounted to a carriage on which the recording head is mounted; A platen that conveys the recording paper while holding the recording paper between the head and the head; and instructing means for instructing an exchange mode of the ink cartridge. And an arranging means for arranging an ink adhesion preventing member between the recording head and the platen for preventing the residual ink of the ink cartridge from scattering and adhering around the recording head such as a platen at the time of replacement. Inkjet recording apparatus. 2. An ink cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising a detecting unit configured to detect completion of replacement of the ink cartridge, wherein the arranging unit removes the ink adhesion preventing member from between the recording head and the platen in response to the detection by the detecting unit. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein 3. A paper feeding unit for feeding the recording paper, and paper feeding means for feeding the recording paper from the paper feeding unit to the recording head, wherein the ink adhesion preventing member is provided in the paper feeding unit. A recording sheet, wherein the arranging unit controls the sheet feeding unit so as to feed the recording sheet in the sheet feeding unit to a predetermined position between a recording head and a platen in response to an instruction of the instruction unit. Along with
3. The ink jet printer according to claim 2, wherein the control unit controls the paper feeding unit to discharge the recording paper from between the recording head and a platen in response to the detection by the detection unit. Recording device. 4. A recording head for performing recording by ejecting ink to recording paper, an ink cartridge detachably mounted on a carriage on which the recording head is mounted, and a recording head arranged to face the recording head, A platen that conveys the recording paper while holding the recording paper between the ink cartridge and a head, wherein an ink cartridge exchange method of the ink jet recording apparatus comprising: When the instruction is given, an ink adhesion preventing member is arranged between the recording head and the platen to prevent the remaining ink of the ink cartridge from scattering and adhering around the recording head such as the platen. A method for replacing an ink cartridge, comprising: 5. The ink cartridge replacement method according to claim 4, wherein when the completion of replacement of the ink cartridge is detected, the ink adhesion preventing member is removed from between the recording head and a platen. 6. The ink-adhesion preventing member is a recording sheet in a sheet feeding unit, and when an ink cartridge exchange mode is instructed, supplies the recording sheet in the sheet feeding unit to a predetermined position between a recording head and a platen. 6. The ink cartridge replacement method according to claim 5, wherein when the completion of replacement of the ink cartridge is detected, the recording paper is discharged from between the recording head and a platen.