Liquid discharge apparatus and control method

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a liquid discharge apparatus including: a carriage on which a discharge head configured to discharge liquid is mounted, the carriage configured to move in a predetermined direction; and an operation unit configured to be placed in the vicinity of a movement area of the carriage and configured to be operated by a user. When a predetermined condition is satisfied, the carriage moves to a retracted position on the movement area, and then moves to a predetermined position on the movement area. The retracted position is a position on an opposite side of the predetermined position from the operation unit in the predetermined direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid discharge device and a control method. Background Art

[0002] Some liquid discharge devices are provided with an operating unit that can be operated by a user. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2020-168842 discloses a printing device that includes a valve inside that opens and closes a tube between a print head and an ink tank. The user can manually operate the valve. The carriage moves while being loaded with the print head. When replacing the print head, the user operates the valve.

[0003] When the user operates the valve, the sudden movement of the carriage used to replace the print head can sometimes startle the user. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present invention provides a technique for safely moving a carriage.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, a liquid discharge device is provided, which includes: a slide, a discharge head configured to discharge liquid is installed on the slide, and the slide is configured to move in a predetermined direction; and an operating unit, the operating unit is configured to be placed near a moving area of ​​the slide and configured to be operated by a user, wherein when a predetermined condition is met, the slide moves to a retract position on the moving area, and then moves to a predetermined position on the moving area, and the retract position is a position on the opposite side of the predetermined position relative to the operating unit in the predetermined direction.

[0006] According to another aspect of the present invention, a control method for a liquid discharge device is provided, the liquid discharge device comprising: a slide, a discharge head configured to discharge liquid is mounted on the slide, the slide being configured to move in a predetermined direction; and an operating unit, the operating unit being configured to be placed near a moving area of ​​the slide and configured to be operated by a user, the method comprising moving the slide to a retracted position on the moving area when a predetermined condition is met, and then moving the slide to a predetermined position on the moving area, wherein the retracted position is a position on the opposite side of the predetermined position relative to the operating unit in the predetermined direction.

[0007] Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a liquid discharge apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0009] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of the liquid discharge device in FIG. 1 with the cover member opened;

[0010] Figure 3 It is a perspective view of the internal structure of the device body;

[0011] Figure 4 is a view for explaining an ink supply system between an ink tank and a print head;

[0012] FIG. 5A to FIG. 5D is a view used to illustrate the valve;

[0013] Fig. 6A and Figure 6B is a view used to illustrate the recovery unit;

[0014] Figure 7 is a view for explaining a suction pump;

[0015] Figure 8 is a view for explaining the positional relationship between the moving area of ​​the carriage and other arrangements;

[0016] Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the back surface side of the carriage;

[0017] Fig.10 is a perspective view of the back surface side of the rear cover;

[0018] Fig.11A is a perspective view of a fixed structure from which a shock absorber, etc., is removed;

[0019] Fig. 11B is a perspective view of the fixed structure after assembly;

[0020] Fig. 12A is the plan view of the supporting part;

[0021] Fig. 12B is a plan view of a support portion with a shock absorber attached;

[0022] Fig. 12C is a plan view of the support section after assembly;

[0023] Fig.13 is a view for explaining the fixing structure of the endless belt;

[0024] Fig.14 yes Figure 1 A block diagram of a control circuit of a liquid discharge device in;

[0025] Fig.15 It shows Figure 1 A flowchart of an example of control of a liquid discharge device in FIG. 1 ; and

[0026] Fig.16 It shows Figure 1 Flowchart of an example of control of a liquid discharge device in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Below, the embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the invention claimed. A plurality of features are described in the embodiments, but are not limited to the invention requiring all of these features, and a plurality of these features may be appropriately combined. In addition, in the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are given to the same or similar configurations, and redundant descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0028] <Overview of Liquid Discharge Device>

[0029] Figure 1 and Figure 2 is an external view of a liquid discharge apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 1 is a perspective view of the internal structure of the liquid discharge device 1. With reference to each view, arrows X, Y, and Z indicate directions intersecting each other. In the present embodiment, arrows X and Y are orthogonal horizontal directions and indicate the width direction and depth direction of the liquid discharge device 1, respectively, and arrow Z indicates the vertical direction (height direction).

[0030] The liquid discharge device 1 according to the present embodiment is an inkjet printing device that prints an image on a print medium by discharging ink as a liquid onto the print medium. However, the present invention can be applied to other forms of liquid discharge devices. In addition, "printing" is not limited to forming meaningful information such as text or graphics, and in a broad sense includes forming an image, design, pattern, etc. on a print medium or processing the medium, regardless of whether the information is meaningful or meaningless, or whether the information is visualized to allow the user to visually perceive it. In addition, in the present embodiment, it is assumed that the "print medium" is a sheet of paper, but it can also be cloth, plastic film, etc.

[0031] The liquid discharge apparatus 1 includes an apparatus body 2 and a cover member 3 covering an upper portion of the apparatus body 2. The cover member 3 is displaceable between an open position and a closed position. Figure 1 The state in which the cover member 3 is located at the closed position is shown. Figure 2 The state in which the cover member 3 is located in the open position is shown. The cover member 3 is supported to be pivotable about the axis in the X direction at a depth position of the device body 2 in the Y direction. The user can manually open and close the cover member 3. When the liquid discharge device 1 is used, the cover member 3 is basically located in the closed position. When maintenance or the like is performed in the device body 2, the cover member 3 is operated to the open position.

[0032] The apparatus body 2 includes a transport unit 11 that transports the printing medium P, a print head (discharge head) 14 that discharges liquid ink onto the printing medium P, a carriage 13 that moves while being loaded with the print head 14 , and a moving mechanism 12 that moves the carriage 13 .

[0033] The transport unit 11 includes a transport roller extending in the X direction and a pinch roller in pressure contact with the transport roller, and transports the print medium P in the Y direction (sub scanning direction) by rotating with the print medium P held between the transport roller and the pinch roller.

[0034] The print head 14 discharges the ink supplied from the ink tank 17 as a reservoir for holding ink through the pipe 15. The print head 14 is placed facing the platen 22, and prints by discharging the ink onto the print medium P on the platen 22. A plurality of ink tanks 17 are provided. In the present embodiment, four ink tanks 17 are provided. The ink tanks 17 contain different types of inks, respectively. The four ink tanks 17 contain, for example, black ink, yellow ink, magenta ink, and cyan ink, respectively. An inlet 176 is provided at the upper portion of the ink tank 17. The user can replenish ink in the ink tank 17 by injecting ink from a replenishing bottle into the inlet 176. The inlet 176 can be covered by a cap 177 attached to a tank cover 179. The tank cover 179 is configured to open / close the cap 177 by pivoting movement. When the tank cover 179 is closed, the inlet 176 is covered by the cap 177. Note that the cap 177 can be constructed independently of the tank cover 179.

[0035] The print head 14 has a discharge surface 14a on which a plurality of nozzles for discharging ink are formed (see Figure 4 ). Each nozzle is provided with, for example, an electro-thermal conversion element (heater). The electro-thermal conversion element is energized to be heated to foam the ink, thereby discharging the ink using the foaming energy. The apparatus body 2 is provided with a recovery unit 21 that maintains and recovers the ink discharge performance of the print head 14.

[0036] The carriage 13 reciprocates in the X direction (main scanning direction) while being loaded with the print head 14. During the movement of the carriage 13, an image is printed on the print medium P by discharging ink from the print head 14 onto the print medium P. This operation is sometimes referred to as a print scan. The liquid discharge apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is a serial inkjet printing apparatus that mounts the print head 14 on the reciprocating carriage 13. The printing operation is performed by alternately repeating a conveying operation of intermittently conveying the print medium P by the conveying unit 11 and a print scan.

[0037] The print head 14 is detachably provided on the carriage 13. The user can remove the print head 14 from the carriage 13 by operating the attaching / detaching operation unit 13a. The attaching / detaching operation unit 13a is a pivot lever type operation unit.

[0038] The moving mechanism 12 is a belt transmission mechanism using a carriage motor 121 as a driving source. The moving mechanism 12 includes a driving pulley 122 and a driven roller 123 rotated by the carriage motor 121. These pulleys are separated from each other in the X direction. An endless belt 124 is wound between the driving pulley 122 and the driven roller 123. The moving mechanism 12 also includes a guide member 125 extending in the X direction and defining a moving area R of the carriage 13. The carriage 13 can move in the X direction by being guided by the guide member 125. A portion of the endless belt 124 is fixed to the carriage 13. When the endless belt 124 travels, the carriage 13 moves.

[0039] The pipe 15 (four in total in this embodiment) is a flexible pipe that is provided for the corresponding type of ink and connects between the ink tank 17 and the print head 14. A valve 16 is provided at a midway portion of the pipe 15. The valve 16 is a valve that switches between supply and interruption of ink relative to the print head 14. The valve 16 is a manual valve having an opening / closing operation unit 161 that can be operated by a user. The user can switch between supply and interruption of ink by operating the valve 16.

[0040] That is, when the valve 16 is in an open state, ink can be supplied from the ink tank 17 to the print head 14. Therefore, the liquid discharge device 1 can print on the print medium P. In contrast, when the valve 16 is in a closed state, no ink is supplied from the ink tank 17 to the print head 14, and the user can perform a replacement operation of the print head 14.

[0041] The valve 16 is placed at a position near the moving region R of the carriage 13. In other words, the valve 16 is placed at a position along the moving region R of the carriage 13. In the present embodiment, the valve 16 is placed in front of the moving region R in the Y direction on the right side (the side where the ink tank 17 and the carriage motor 121 or the recovery unit 21 are provided) within the width of the moving region R in the X direction. In addition, the valve 16 is placed in the passing region of the printing medium P in the X direction, and is placed above the printing medium P in the Z direction.

[0042] The duct 15 is arranged to avoid a position above the valve 16 (particularly, the opening / closing operation unit 161 ), and is arranged not to interfere with a user when he / she operates the opening / closing operation unit 161 .

[0043] The device body 2 includes a housing 2a surrounding the above arrangement. An opening portion 2b is formed in the upper middle portion of the housing 2a. Figure 2 As shown, when the cover member 3 is opened, the carriage 13 (print head 14 ), the valve 16 , etc. are exposed from the opening portion 2 b.

[0044] The device body 2 is provided with a cover sensor 18 that can detect the open / closed state of the cover member 3. The cover member 3 is provided with a detection piece 3a inside. When the detection piece 3a contacts the cover sensor 18, it is detected that the cover member 3 is in a closed state. When the detection piece 3a does not contact the cover sensor 18, it is detected that the cover member 3 is in an open state.

[0045] <Ink Supply System>

[0046] Reference Figure 4 The supply of ink from the ink tank 17 to the print head 14 is described. The ink supply path 155 is formed by the pipe 15. The pipe 15 is connected to the connecting portion 181 of the ink tank 17 and the connecting portion 182 of the print head 14. The valve 16 is provided in the pipe 15 between the connecting portion 181 and the connecting portion 182.

[0047] The ink tank 17 has an ink containing chamber 171 and a buffer chamber 172. The air / liquid exchange portion 175 is provided at a position lower than the discharge surface 14a of the print head 14 in the Z direction by a height H. That is, a negative pressure generated by a head difference corresponding to the height H is applied to the discharge surface 14a. The air / liquid exchange portion 175 is a portion into which an amount of air equal to the ink discharged from the print head 14 is introduced. In this portion, the ink is usually kept at a constant pressure due to the meniscus of the ink. Figure 4 . The buffer chamber 172 can accommodate ink that is pushed out as the meniscus of the ink in the air / liquid exchange portion 175 is destroyed when the air in the ink containing chamber 171 expands due to atmospheric pressure changes, temperature changes, etc. The buffer chamber 172 is communicated with an atmospheric communication path that communicates with the atmosphere. Note that the arrangement of the ink tank 17 is not limited to this, and the buffer chamber 172 may be provided above the ink containing chamber 171.

[0048] The coupling portion 182 is provided for the attachment / detachment operation unit 13a. When the user operates the attachment / detachment operation unit 13a in the opening direction to remove the print head 14 from the carriage 13, the coupling portion 182 is disengaged from the print head 14. This cuts off the connection between the duct 15 and the print head 14. In addition, when attaching the print head 14 to the carriage 13, the user closes the attachment / detachment operation unit 13a and realizes the engagement connection with the coupling portion 182 by pressing a pressing portion (not shown). With the engagement connection with the coupling portion 182, the duct 15 is communicated with the flow channel of the print head 14, thereby allowing ink to be supplied to the print head 14.

[0049] The process until the printing operation can be performed in this embodiment will be described. When injecting ink into the ink tank 17, the user removes the cap 177 while opening the tank cover 179 and injects ink from an ink bottle or the like into the ink tank 17 through the inlet 176. After the injection of ink is completed, the user closes the tank cover 179 and hermetically seals the inlet 176 with the cap 177.

[0050] After the injection of ink is completed, the recovery unit 21 sucks ink from the discharge surface 14a of the print head 14. With this suction operation, the duct 15 and the print head 14 are filled with ink. Note that when the cap sensor 18 detects that the cap member 3 is closed, the completion of the injection of ink is detected. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the completion of the injection of ink can be detected by detecting that a predetermined amount or more of ink has been injected using a remaining amount detection sensor that detects the remaining amount of ink in the ink tank 17.

[0051] When ink is discharged from the discharge surface 14a of the print head 14 filled with ink accompanying the printing operation, the negative pressure in the print head 14 increases due to the reduction of ink, and ink is supplied from the ink tank 17 to the print head 14. This allows ink to be continuously supplied from the ink tank 17 to the print head 14 until the amount of ink in the ink tank 17 becomes less than a predetermined amount.

[0052] <Valve>

[0053] Next, the arrangement of the valve 16 according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 5A to FIG. 5D It is a view for explaining the valve 16 . Figure 5A and Figure 5B The situation in which the valve 16 is in the open state is shown. Figure 5C and Figure 5D The situation in which the valve 16 is in the closed state is shown.

[0054] The valve 16 includes an opening / closing operation unit 161 that can be operated by a user, a holding portion 162, a receiving member 163, a shifting member 164, and a cam 165. The holding portion 162 holds a portion of the pipe 15. The portion of the pipe 15 bends along with the movement of the print head 14. The holding portion 162 holds a portion of the pipe 15 that does not move regardless of the movement of the print head 14.

[0055] The displacement member 164 is a member that can be displaced in a direction interfering with the pipe 15. In other words, the displacement member 164 is arranged to be able to advance / retreat relative to the pipe 15. In addition, the receiving member 163 is a member for receiving the displacement member 164. The receiving member 163 is arranged on the side of the pipe 15 opposite to the side on which the displacement member 164 is arranged. The displacement member 164 presses the pipe 15 against the receiving member 163 and flattens the pipe 15, thereby blocking the pipe 15 (ink supply path 155). As described above, the valve 16 according to the present embodiment is configured to interrupt the ink supply to the print head 14 by flattening the pipe 15.

[0056] The cam 165 displaces the displacement member 164. In the present embodiment, the cam 165 is provided integrally with the opening / closing operation unit 161. The cam 165 contacts the displacement member 164 at the cam surface 165a. When the user operates the opening / closing operation unit 161, the cam 165 rotates accompanying the operation, and the displacement member 164 pushed by the cam surface 165a is displaced. This allows the user to open and close the valve 16 via the opening / closing operation unit 161, that is, to block and release the pipe 15 (ink supply path 155).

[0057] The valve 16 is provided with a valve sensor 168 that detects the operation of the opening / closing operation unit 161 of the valve 16. In the present embodiment, the valve sensor 168 is a mechanically operated switch. The detection result indicates the opening / closing state of the valve 16. When the user operates the opening / closing operation unit 161, the actuating member 161a provided on the opening / closing operation unit 161 causes the movable part 168a of the valve sensor 168 to pivot. The valve sensor 168 includes an optical sensor that detects the pivoting movement of the movable part 168a. This enables the valve sensor 168 to detect the opening / closing state of the valve 16. Note that the arrangement of the valve sensor 168 is an example, and other known arrangements may be adopted.

[0058] The following is a description of the operation of the valve 16 that blocks the pipe 15 according to the present embodiment. Figure 5A and Figure 5B The state (open state) in which the displacement member 164 does not flatten the pipe 15 and the ink supply path 155 is communicated with the pipe 15 is shown. In this state, the ink in the pipe 15 can be supplied from the ink tank 17 to the print head 14 through the ink supply path 155. When the user rotates the opening / closing operation unit 161 to the opposite side, the cam surface 165a of the cam 165 provided integrally with the valve 16 also rotates, and the cam surface 165a displaces the displacement member 164 in a direction interfering with the pipe 15.

[0059] Figure 5C and Figure 5DThe state (blocked state) in which the displacement member 164 flattens the pipe 15 and the ink supply path 155 is blocked is shown. The pipe 15 is flattened between the displacement member 164 and the receiving member 163, and the ink supply path 155 is blocked. This results in a state in which the ink in the ink tank 17 cannot be supplied to the print head 14. If there is no ink in the ink tank 17, the atmosphere is not communicated with the print head 14.

[0060] In the present embodiment, the opening / closing operation unit 161 is placed at a position where it is covered by the cover member 3 (see Figures 1 to 3 ). That is, the opening / closing operation unit 161 is arranged to be exposed when the cover member 3 is opened. The liquid discharge device 1 is controlled not to perform the printing operation using the print head 14 when the open state of the cover member 3 is detected by the cover sensor 18. The opening / closing operation unit 161 is arranged inside the cover member 3 so that the user can be prevented from erroneously operating the opening / closing operation unit 161 during the printing operation of the liquid discharge device 1. In addition, since the present embodiment is provided with the cover sensor 18, the liquid discharge device 1 can detect whether the user is ready to operate the opening / closing operation unit 161 using the cover sensor 18.

[0061] Note that the present embodiment uses a single valve 16 for four pipes 15. However, a valve 16 may be provided for each pipe 15. Alternatively, valves 16 (two in total) may be provided for the pipe 15 for black ink and the pipe 15 for color ink, respectively.

[0062] <Restoration Unit>

[0063] Reference Fig. 6A and Figure 6B The recovery unit 21 is described. Fig. 6A and Figure 6B 2 is a view for explaining the recovery unit 21. Specifically, Fig. 6A is a perspective view of the recovery unit 21, and Figure 6B is a schematic diagram of the recovery unit 21.

[0064] The recovery unit 21 is provided in the housing 2a. The recovery unit 21 includes a suction cap 211 that caps the print head 14, a suction mechanism 212 that sucks ink in the suction cap 211, and a wiper 210 for wiping the discharge surface 14a. The suction mechanism 212 has a suction tube 213 connected to the suction cap 211 and a suction pump 214 that sucks ink in the suction cap 211 through the suction tube 213.

[0065] The suction tube 213 is a suction path forming member that forms an ink suction path for sucking ink in the suction cap 211. In addition, in the present embodiment, the suction tube 213 is formed of a member having flexibility (for example, an elastic body) like the pipe 15.

[0066] The suction cap 211 is placed inside the moving area R of the projection optical system 6 and outside the passing area of ​​the print medium P in the X direction. When the print head 14 is restored, the carriage 13 moves to a position where the discharge surface 14a of the print head 14 faces the suction cap 211. The suction cap 211 is provided to be able to advance / retreat relative to the discharge surface 14a of the print head 14, and can cap the discharge surface 14a provided with the nozzles from below.

[0067] The following is a description of the operation of the suction mechanism 212 that sucks ink in the suction cap 211. Figure 7 2 is a view for explaining the suction pump 214, and is a cross-sectional view showing the outline of the suction pump 214. In the present embodiment, the suction mechanism 212 includes two suction pipes 213 for black ink and color ink.

[0068] The suction pump 214 includes a roller 215, a rotating member 219, and a roller driving member 218 provided to protrude outward in a radial direction from the rotating member 219. The rotating member 219 is rotated by a motor (not shown).

[0069] The roller 215 is provided so as to be able to rotate around the rotation axis of the rotating member 219. When the rotating member 219 rotates (rotates on its own), the roller driving member 218 rotates around the axis of the rotating member 219. When the roller driving member 218 rotates around the axis of the rotating member 219 in contact with the roller 215, the roller 215 rotates around the axis of the rotating member 219.

[0070] The suction mechanism 212 generates negative pressure in the suction cap 211 by causing the roller 215 to revolve around the rotating member 219 and press the suction tube 213 when the discharge surface 14 a is capped by the suction cap 211 , thereby sucking ink.

[0071] In the present embodiment, the two suction tubes 213 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction to sandwich the rotating member 219. In addition, the present embodiment is provided with three rollers 215, and is configured to perform suction simultaneously with the two suction tubes 213 by rotating the three rollers to sequentially press the two suction tubes 213. In addition, one end of the suction tube 213 is connected to a waste liquid tank (not shown), and the ink sucked by the suction pump 214 is discharged into the waste liquid tank through the suction tube 213.

[0072] In the present embodiment, the suction pump 214 can block the suction tube 213 by stopping the drive of the pump drive unit 216 while the roller 215 flattens the suction tube 213. That is, in the present embodiment, the suction pump 214 also serves as a blocking valve for the suction tube 213. This makes it possible to reduce the number of components of the liquid discharge device 1. Note that an arrangement may be adopted in which a blocking valve for the suction tube 213 is included separately from the suction pump 214. In this case, one of the valves having various arrangements may be adopted, including a valve that can be manually operated such as the valve 16, and a valve that can be automatically opened / closed using a driving source such as a motor.

[0073] In this embodiment, if Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the recovery unit 21 is placed on one end portion of the device body 2 in the X direction. Figure 8 As shown, in a case where one end portion of the moving region R of the carriage 13 is defined as home and the other end portion is defined as away, the recovery unit 21 is placed on the home side relative to the center line CL of the moving region R. In addition, the ink tank 17 and the valve 16 are also placed on the home side relative to the center line CL.

[0074] <Fixed structure of endless belt>

[0075] Reference Fig. 9 The fixing structure between the carriage 13 and the endless belt 124 will be described. Fig. 9 1 is a perspective view of the back surface side of the carriage 13. The carriage 13 includes a main body 130 that supports the print head 14 and a rear cover 131 that forms the back (rear portion) of the carriage 13. The rear cover 131 is provided with a fixing structure of the endless belt 124. The fixing structure includes a supporting portion 132 integrally formed on the rear cover 131, a shock absorber 133 attached to the supporting portion 132, a holding member 136 that holds the endless belt 124, and a holder 134.

[0076] Fig.10131. The support portion 132 is a shaft-shaped member that protrudes backward from the middle and lower part of the back surface of the back cover 131 in the Y direction, and supports each component of the fixed structure. When viewed from the side of the back cover 131, the support portion 132 has a wide portion 132a, a middle portion 132b, a narrow portion 132c, and a distal portion 132d. The wide portion 132a, the middle portion 132b, and the narrow portion 132c all have a rectangular XZ cross section. The wide portion 132a is wider than the narrow portion 132c in the X direction. The middle portion 132b is between the wide portion 132a and the narrow portion 132c. The width of the middle portion 132b in the X direction gradually decreases from the wide portion 132a to the narrow portion 132c, and smoothly connects the wide portion 132a to the narrow portion 132c. The distal end portion 132 d has a portion protruding downward in the Z direction, and has a T-shape when the support portion 132 is viewed from the Y direction.

[0077] Fig.11A The mode in which the holding member 136 is attached to the rear cover 131 is shown. The holding member 136 has a slit 136a for holding the annular band 124 by vertically clamping the annular band. In addition, a wedge-shaped engagement portion 136b that engages with the retainer 134 is formed in each end portion of the holding member 136 in the X direction. The movement of the holding member 136 in the Y direction is restricted by the distal end portion 132d of the support portion 132.

[0078] Fig. 11B 13 is a perspective view of the fixing structure after assembly. The shock absorber 133 is an elastic member (particularly a viscoelastic member) (for example, synthetic rubber) having a vibration-proof effect, and has a tubular shape into which the support portion 132 is inserted. The shock absorber 133 has a flange portion 133a at its end portion. The flange portion 133a is sandwiched between the distal end portion 132d and the retaining member 136.

[0079] The retainer 134 is an inverted U-shaped member and has an engagement portion 134a having an opening into which an engagement portion 136b of the retaining member 136 is inserted. The retainer 134 is attached to the retaining member 136 from above the supporting portion 132. The retainer 134 presses the damper 133 against the supporting portion 132 from above and restricts movement of the retaining member 136 relative to the supporting portion 132 in the Z direction.

[0080] The rear cover 131 is provided with two rotation limiting portions 137. The rotation limiting portions 137 are portions that protrude rearward from the rear cover 131, and limit the inclination of the holding member 136 relative to the traveling direction (X direction) of the endless belt 124. In other words, the rotation limiting portions 137 serve as rotation stoppers for preventing the rotation of the holding member 136 around the Y axis.

[0081] Reference FIG. 12A to FIG. 13 The dimensional relationship between the support portion 132 and the damper 133 and the function of the rotation restricting portion 137 are described. Fig. 12A 1 is a plan view of the support portion 132, and shows the change in width of the support portion 132 in the X direction. As described above, the wide portion 132a is wider than the narrow portion 132c in the X direction. The width of the middle portion 132b in the X direction gradually changes.

[0082] Fig. 12B 1 is a plan view showing a mode in which the shock absorber 133 is attached to the support portion 132. The shock absorber 133 has a flange portion 133a, a main body portion 133b and a root portion 133c. The main body portion 133b is narrower than the flange portion 133a and the root portion 133c in the X direction. On the other hand, the through hole of the shock absorber 133 into which the support portion 132 is inserted has such a cross-sectional shape and size that the wide portion 132a of the support portion 132 is perfectly matched with the through hole (or assembled in the through hole). The same applies to the flange portion 133a, the main body portion 133b and the root portion 133c. The width of the support portion 132 in the X direction gradually increases from the distal end portion 132d side toward the narrow portion 132c, the middle portion 132b and the wide portion 132a. This makes it easy to attach the shock absorber 133 to the support portion 132.

[0083] Fig. 12C Shows that Fig. 12B The holding member 136 and the retainer 134 of the illustrated state are attached to the support portion 132. The retainer 134 is provided so as to straddle the main body portion 133b of the shock absorber 133.

[0084] Fig.13 1 is a rear view of the fixing structure viewed in the Y direction. As described above, the through hole of the shock absorber 133 into which the support portion 132 is inserted has a cross-sectional shape and size that allows the wide portion 132a of the support portion 132 to fit perfectly in the through hole. This limits the position of the shock absorber 133 relative to the support portion 132 in the X direction and the Z direction. On the other hand, since the narrow portion 132c of the support portion 132 is narrower than the through hole of the shock absorber 133 in the X direction, a gap B is formed between the narrow portion 132c and the through hole of the shock absorber 133 in the X direction.

[0085] When the carriage 13 moves, the vibration generated due to the characteristics of the carriage motor 121 and the like is transmitted to the holding member 136, the shock absorber 133, the support portion 132, the rear cover 131, and the carriage 13 in sequence through the endless belt 124. When the holding member 136 attempts to rotate in the A direction due to such vibration, the rotation limiting portion 137 limits the rotation. In addition, due to the gap B, the shock absorber 133 has a degree of freedom in the X direction with respect to the vibration, and can effectively absorb such vibration. In addition, the vibration absorption based on the elastic deformation of the shock absorber 133 makes it possible to effectively attenuate the vibration transmitted to the carriage 13. Attenuating the vibration of the carriage 13 allows the print head 14 to stably discharge ink, thereby providing accurate printing.

[0086] As a structure related to the reduction of vibration due to the characteristics of the carriage motor 121 and the like, various structures other than the above-mentioned examples may be adopted. For example, the support portion 132 may have a round bar shape or an elliptical shape instead of a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the shape of the shock absorber 133 may be selected according to the shape of the support portion 132. In addition, the main body 130 of the carriage 13 may be provided with the support portion 132 without providing the rear cover 131. In addition, an arrangement without the shock absorber 133 may be adopted. This arrangement has the same Fig.11A Even in the case where there is no arrangement of the shock absorber 133 , the vibration can be absorbed and the vibration propagated to the carriage 13 can be reduced by the rigidity adjustment of the support portion 132 and the elastic deformation of the support portion 132 .

[0087] <Control circuit>

[0088] Fig.14 2 is a block diagram of a control circuit of the liquid discharge device 1. The CPU 201 is a processor that comprehensively controls the liquid discharge device 1. The ROM 202 and the RAM 203 are examples of storage devices. The ROM 202 stores a control program of the CPU 201, various data, and the like. The RAM 203 temporarily stores various data. For example, the CPU 201 loads a program stored in the ROM 202 into the RAM 203 and executes the program to perform operation control and data processing for the control system 100.

[0089] The print head driving unit 205 performs discharge control of discharging ink onto the print medium P using the print head 14 according to a control signal sent from the CPU 201. The carriage driving unit 207 controls the movement of the carriage 13 by driving the carriage motor 121. The pump driving unit 216 drives a motor for the suction pump 214. The cap driving unit 217 drives a motor for moving the suction cap 211 back and forth. The conveying unit driving unit 206 drives a motor for the conveying unit 11. The external I / F 208 is connected to a PC or the like to receive print data or the like and to send a status signal or the like.

[0090] The display unit 209 displays various types of user interface screens, such as a device information screen, a setting screen, and a job information screen. For example, the display unit 209 is a liquid crystal display. For example, the display unit 209 can be set at a position on the device body 2 that is convenient for the user to visually view. The input unit 204 receives input from the user. For example, the input unit 204 can be a touch pad or a physical key. The detection results obtained by the cover sensor 18 and the valve sensor 168 are sent to the CPU 201.

[0091] <Control Example>

[0092] Fig.15 2 is a flowchart showing an example of processing performed by the CPU 201 when the print head 14 is replaced. The processing is implemented by causing the CPU 201 to load the program stored in the ROM 202 into the RAM 203 and execute the processing. The processing is performed when a predetermined condition related to the replacement of the print head 14 is satisfied. The predetermined condition includes, for example, whether any abnormality is detected in the print head 14, whether the degree of use of the print head 14 has reached a specified value, and whether the user has given a replacement instruction. The abnormality includes a case where it is determined that an ink discharge failure has occurred. The degree of use is specified by, for example, a time period, a number of days, or a discharge count.

[0093] When the print head 14 is to be replaced, the carriage 13 needs to be moved. In step S1, the user is notified that opening of the cover member 3 is prohibited. This notification can be performed by, for example, displaying a message indicating "keep closed" on the display unit 209 or outputting a sound from a speaker (not shown). The same applies to the related notifications in the following description. Moving the carriage 13 while the cover member 3 is in the closed position can prevent the carriage 13 from interfering with external foreign matter.

[0094] Subsequently, in step S2 , the CPU 201 moves the carriage 13 to the retracted position. Figure 8 The state where the carriage 13 is located at the retracted position is shown. In the present embodiment, the retracted position is an end portion of the movement region R on the away side in the X direction.

[0095] In step S3, the CPU 201 prompts the user to open the cover member 3. In step S4, the CPU 201 obtains the detection result obtained by the cover sensor 18, and checks whether the cover member 3 is open based on the obtained detection result. If the cover 3 is open, the CPU 201 causes the processing to proceed to step S5. If the cover member 3 is closed, the CPU 201 repeats the processing in step S4, and does not move the carriage 13 to the replacement position (described later). Note that the present embodiment is configured to determine the opening / closing of the cover member 3 based on the detection result obtained by the cover sensor 18. However, the opening / closing of the cover member 3 may be determined based on whether the input unit 204 has received an input indicating that the user has opened the cover member 3.

[0096] In step S5, the CPU 201 prompts the user to close the valve 16. This can prevent ink leakage when replacing the print head 14. Figure 8 As shown, the carriage 13 is located in the retracted position. The pipe 15 located above the valve 16 is covered by the housing 2a. This prevents the user from accidentally touching the pipe 15 and damaging it when operating the valve 16. Note that if the user opens the cover member 3 in a state where the valve 16 does not need to be operated, the carriage 13 is controlled to stay at the end portion on the starting side of the movement area R in the X direction.

[0097] In step S6, the CPU 201 determines whether the valve 16 is in a closed state. For example, the CPU 201 obtains a detection result obtained by the valve sensor 168, and determines whether the valve 16 is closed based on the obtained detection result. When it is determined that the valve 16 is in a closed state, the CPU 201 causes the process to proceed to step S7. If the valve 16 is not in a closed state, the CPU 201 repeats the process in step S6, and does not move the carriage 13 to the replacement position described later.

[0098] In step S7, the CPU 201 prompts the user to take his / her hand off the opening / closing operation unit 161 and input information indicating the completion of the operation on the input unit 204, such as pressing the OK button. When it is detected that the OK button is pressed in step S8, the CPU 201 notifies the user in step S9 that the carriage 13 will move to a position (replacement position) for performing a replacement operation on the print head 14. If the pressing of the OK button is not detected, the CPU 201 repeats steps S7 and S8, and does not move the carriage 13 to the replacement position.

[0099] In step S10 subsequent to step S9, the CPU 201 moves the carriage 13 to the replacement position. Figure 3The state where the carriage 13 is located at the replacement position is shown. In this embodiment, the replacement position is the position of the middle part of the moving area R in the X direction. The replacement position is set at the middle part of the device body 2 to allow the user to perform the replacement operation and facilitate the replacement operation.

[0100] In step S11, the display unit 209 displays guidance for the replacement operation for the print head 14. The user views the guidance and performs the replacement operation for the print head 14. The process then terminates.

[0101] In the present embodiment, the replacement operation of the print head 14 is performed according to the following procedure: move the carriage 13 to the retracted position→close the valve 16→move the carriage 13 to the replacement position. Fig.15 An example of the processing in is a processing that requires an operation of the opening / closing operation unit 161 of the valve 16 as a start condition. It is assumed that after the closing operation of the valve 16, the user's hand remains near the valve 16. In this case, since the valve 16 is placed near the moving area R of the carriage 13, the user may be startled by the sudden appearance of the carriage 13. In addition, the suddenly moving carriage 13 may come into contact with the user's hand or the like.

[0102] In the present embodiment, the retreat position is located on the opposite side of the opening / closing operation unit 161 with respect to the replacement position in the X direction. Unlike the case where the carriage 13 moves from the position on the starting side to the replacement position, the carriage 13 does not pass near the valve 16. Before reaching the valve 16 in the X direction, the carriage 13 stops at the replacement position. This makes it possible to prevent the movement of the carriage 13 from startling the user, and to achieve safer movement of the carriage.

[0103] After the closed state of the valve 16 is detected (step S6), the cover member 3 is temporarily moved to the closed position. Control that moves the carriage 13 to the replacement position while the cover member 3 is in the closed position may be used. However, in this case, the user needs to move the cover member 3 to the open position again to replace the print head 14, resulting in an increase in the number of work steps. As in the present embodiment, since this problem is dealt with by designing how to set the retreat position, the increase in the number of work steps can be prevented, and usability can also be improved.

[0104] When the operation of operating the valve 16 to the closed state is completed, the user is required to operate the OK button (step S7). In addition, when the carriage 13 moves from the retreat position to the replacement position, the corresponding information is notified to the user (step S9). This makes it possible to reliably prevent the user from being startled.

[0105] Next, another example of the processing of the CPU 201 will be described. Fig.162 is a flowchart showing an example of processing performed by the CPU 201 in the transport mode. When the liquid discharge device 1 is transported from the user to a support center for repair or maintenance of the liquid discharge device 1, some measures to prevent ink leakage are sometimes required. In addition, when the liquid discharge device 1 is stored for a long time without being used, the valve 16 is preferably closed.

[0106] Therefore, when the control mode has changed to the shipping mode, the liquid discharge apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment executes a series of processes to prompt the user to close the valve 16. For example, the flowchart is implemented by causing the CPU 201 to load a program stored in the ROM 202 into the RAM 203 and execute the program.

[0107] In the operation of opening the cover member 3 in the transport mode or in the normal state, it is not necessary to move the carriage 13 to the replacement position. Therefore, in step S11, the carriage 13 has been retracted to the position of the end portion of the starting side of the movement area R in the X direction (will be referred to as the starting position). At the starting position, the print head 14 faces the suction cap 211. In step S12, the capping operation is performed to hermetically seal the discharge surface 14a with the suction cap 211.

[0108] In step S13, the CPU 201 prompts the user to open the cover member 3. In step S14, the CPU 201 obtains the detection result obtained by the cover sensor 18, and checks whether the cover member 3 is open based on the obtained detection result. If the cover member 3 is open, the CPU 201 causes the process to proceed to step S15. If the cover member 3 is closed, the CPU 201 repeats the process in step S14. Although the present embodiment is configured to determine the opening / closing of the cover member 3 based on the detection result obtained by the cover sensor 18, the opening / closing of the cover member 3 may be determined based on whether the input unit 204 has received an input instructing the user to open the cover member 3.

[0109] In step S15, the CPU 201 prompts the user to close the valve 16. In step S16, the CPU 201 determines whether the valve 16 is in a closed state. For example, the CPU 201 obtains the detection result obtained by the valve sensor 168, and determines whether the valve 16 is closed based on the obtained detection result. When it is determined that the valve 16 is in a closed state, the CPU 201 causes the process to proceed to step S17. Otherwise, the CPU 201 repeats the process in step S16.

[0110] In step S17, the CPU 201 prompts the user to close the cover member 3. In step S18, the CPU 201 obtains the detection result obtained by the cover sensor 18, and checks whether the cover member 3 is closed based on the obtained detection result. If the cover member 3 is closed, the CPU 201 causes the process to proceed to step S19. If the cover member 3 is not closed, the CPU 201 repeats the process in step S17. Although the present embodiment is configured to determine the opening / closing of the cover member 3 based on the detection result obtained by the cover sensor 18, the opening / closing of the cover member 3 may be determined based on whether the input unit 204 has received an input indicating that the user has opened the cover member 3.

[0111] In step S19, an OFF operation (power-off operation performed by software) is performed. Then, the processing in the transport mode is completed. In the present embodiment, in the transport mode, the CPU 201 performs a power-off operation when confirming that the valve 16 is closed. Therefore, when the power of the liquid discharge device 1 is turned off when the transport mode is selected, the valve 16 is always closed. This prevents the user from forgetting to perform the measures to prevent ink leakage when transporting the liquid discharge device 1.

[0112] <Other embodiments>

[0113] The above-described embodiment has exemplified a process in which the open / close operation unit 161 of the valve 16 needs to be operated in the process of moving the carriage 13 to the middle portion (replacement position) after the carriage 13 is moved to the retreat position. However, the present invention is not limited to the user's operation object and the destination to which the carriage 13 reaches from the retreat position. The user's operation object may be, for example, an operation on the operation unit for resolving a paper jam. The destination of the carriage 13 may be a position offset from the middle portion of the moving region R, rather than the middle portion of the moving region R. In addition to the replacement operation of the print head 14, the operation purpose may also include various types of maintenance (sensor replacement operation) on the carriage 13.

[0114] The present invention can also be implemented by the following process: a program for implementing one or more functions of the above-mentioned embodiments is provided to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or device read out and execute the program. It can also be implemented using a circuit (such as an ASIC) for implementing one or more functions.

[0115] Other embodiments

[0116] Embodiments of the present invention may also be implemented using a computer of a system or device that reads and executes computer-executable instructions (e.g., one or more programs) recorded on a storage medium (which may also be more completely referred to as a "non-transitory computer-readable storage medium") to perform the functions of one or more of the above-mentioned embodiments and / or includes one or more circuits (e.g., an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) for performing the functions of one or more of the above-mentioned embodiments, and a method performed by a computer of the system or device, for example, by reading and executing computer-executable instructions from a storage medium to perform the functions of one or more of the above-mentioned embodiments and / or controlling the one or more circuits to perform the functions of the one or more of the above-mentioned embodiments. The computer may include one or more processors (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessing unit (MPU)), and may include a network of separate computers or separate processors to read and execute computer-executable instructions. Computer-executable instructions may be provided to the computer, for example, from a network or a storage medium. The storage medium may include, for example, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a memory of a distributed computing system, an optical disk (e.g., a compact disk (CD), a digital versatile disk (DVD), or a Blu-ray disk (BD)) TM ), one or more of flash memory devices, memory cards, etc.

[0117] Other embodiments

[0118] The embodiments of the present invention may also be implemented by providing software (program) for executing the functions of the above-mentioned embodiments to a system or device via a network or various storage media, and a computer or a central processing unit (CPU) or a microprocessing unit (MPU) of the system or device reads and executes the program.

[0119] While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments.The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

Claims

1. A liquid discharge device, comprising: a carriage on which a discharge head configured to discharge liquid is mounted, and the carriage is configured to move in a predetermined direction; and an operating unit configured to be placed near a moving area of ​​the carriage and configured to be operated by a user, wherein, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the carriage moves to a retreat position on the movement area, and then moves to a predetermined position on the movement area, and The retracted position is a position on the opposite side of the predetermined position with respect to the operation unit in the predetermined direction.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The predetermined condition is a start condition for processing, and the start condition requires the operation unit to be operated.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The predetermined position is a position where a user can perform an operation on the carriage.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The predetermined position is a middle portion of the moving area.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein: The operation is a replacement operation of the discharge head.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The operation unit is a valve configured to switch between supply and interruption of liquid with respect to the discharge head.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein: The valve is disposed on a conduit between the discharge head and a reservoir configured to hold the liquid.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein: The valve interrupts the supply of liquid by collapsing the tube.

9. The device according to claim 7, wherein: The duct is arranged to avoid a position above the operating unit.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The retracted position is a position of the movement area at one end portion in the predetermined direction, and The other end portion of the movement region is provided with a recovery device configured to recover the discharge performance of the discharge head.

11. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a detection device configured to detect an operation on the operation unit, in, When the detection device does not detect an operation after the carriage moves to the retreat position, the carriage is not moved to the predetermined position. 12 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a notification device configured to prompt the user to release a hand from the operation unit after the carriage moves to the retreat position.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein: When the user does not respond to the notification from the notification device, the carriage is not moved to the predetermined position.

14. The device according to claim 1, further comprising: a cover member configured to open and close between a closed position covering the carriage and the operation unit and an open position exposing the carriage and the operation unit; a detection device configured to detect an open / closed state of the cover member; as well as a notification device configured to prompt the user to shift the cover member to the open position after the carriage moves to the retracted position, and to prompt the user to operate the operation unit when the detection device detects that the cover member is shifted to the open position.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a belt drive mechanism configured to move the carriage along the predetermined direction. in, The carriage includes a support portion and a holding member attached to the support portion by an elastic member and configured to hold an endless belt of the belt transmission mechanism, and The supporting portion includes a wide portion in close contact with the elastic member and a narrow portion having a gap with the elastic member.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein: The supporting portion has a middle portion that is located between the wide portion and the narrow portion and has a width that gradually decreases from the wide portion toward the narrow portion.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein: The carriage has a restriction portion configured to restrict an inclination of the holding member with respect to a traveling direction of the endless belt.

18. A control method for a liquid discharge device, the liquid discharge device comprising: a carriage on which a discharge head configured to discharge liquid is mounted, and the carriage is configured to move in a predetermined direction; and an operating unit configured to be placed near a moving area of ​​the carriage and configured to be operated by a user, the method comprising: When a predetermined condition is satisfied, the carriage is moved to a retracted position on the movement area, and then the carriage is moved to a predetermined position on the movement area, Here, the retreat position is a position located on the opposite side of the predetermined position with respect to the operating unit in the predetermined direction.

Images