Liquid supply apparatus, control method thereof, storage medium, and computer program product

Abstract

The invention relates to a liquid supply apparatus, a control method thereof, a storage medium, and a computer program product. The liquid supply apparatus includes: a holding mechanism configured to hold a plurality of containers each containing a liquid in a removable state; a stirring mechanism configured to stir the liquid; and a notification device configured to perform a notification related to an order in which the plurality of containers are to be set in the holding mechanism.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a liquid supply device with a liquid stirring function. Background Technology

[0002] Liquids containing precipitates sometimes need to be stirred before use to disperse the precipitates.

[0003] For example, in recording devices that record by spraying liquid ink onto a recording medium, an initial filling is required before using the device to fill the ink supply channels and the recording head with liquid. In recording devices using inks such as pigment inks or metallic inks, if the coloring components have settled before the initial filling, a liquid with a low concentration will be supplied to the recording head. To prevent this, the liquid needs to be stirred to disperse the sediment. However, there is a problem that performing the initial filling after stirring prolongs the time required for the entire initial filling process.

[0004] Japanese Patent 6567186 discloses a structure for an inkjet printer that has both precipitated ink and non-precipitated ink, wherein a mechanism for stirring the ink is provided only for precipitated ink.

[0005] However, Japanese Patent 6567186 provides neither details related to the initial filling nor discloses a method for shortening the time required for the initial filling. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the fact that the aforementioned problems have been addressed, this disclosure enables a reduction in the initial filling time required in recording devices using liquids containing precipitates.

[0007] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a liquid supply device is provided, comprising: a holding mechanism configured to hold a plurality of containers, each containing liquid, in a removable state; a stirring mechanism configured to stir the liquid; and a notification device configured to provide notification relating to the order in which the plurality of containers are to be placed in the holding mechanism.

[0008] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a control method for a liquid supply device is provided, the liquid supply device comprising: a holding mechanism configured to hold a plurality of containers, each containing liquid, in a removable state; and a stirring mechanism configured to stir the liquid, the control method comprising: providing notification relating to the order in which the plurality of containers are to be placed in the holding mechanism.

[0009] The features of this disclosure will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description of the embodiments is given by way of example. Attached Figure Description

[0010] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the specification, serve to explain the principles of the embodiments.

[0011] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A front view of the system in the image.

[0013] Figure 3 This is an illustrative diagram illustrating the internal structure of a liquid ejection device.

[0014] Figure 4 This is a front view of the storage unit.

[0015] Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating the configuration of containers in a liquid storage device.

[0016] Figure 6 This is a view of the back of a liquid storage device.

[0017] Figure 7 This is a partially exploded 3D view of a liquid storage device.

[0018] Figure 8 It is a 3D view of the container and support unit.

[0019] Figure 9A and Figure 9B This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of the handle and locking mechanism.

[0020] Figures 10A to 10C This is an illustrative diagram illustrating the operation of the locking mechanism.

[0021] Figure 11 This is a diagram illustrating the mounting orientation and insertion / removal status of the support unit relative to the storage unit.

[0022] Figure 12 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the action of the pressing unit.

[0023] Figure 13 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the action of the pressing unit.

[0024] Figure 14A and Figure 14B This is an illustrative diagram illustrating a cam.

[0025] Figure 15 It is a three-dimensional view of the shell and support unit with stirring function in a separated state.

[0026] Figure 16 It is a three-dimensional view of the housing and support unit with stirring function in the installation state.

[0027] Figures 17A to 17C This is an illustrative diagram illustrating the stirring operation.

[0028] Figure 18 This is a three-dimensional view of a liquid storage device in a separated state.

[0029] Figure 19 It is a 3D diagram of a liquid mixing device.

[0030] Figure 20 It is a 3D diagram of a liquid mixing device.

[0031] Figure 21 This is a front view of the storage space.

[0032] Figure 22 This is a diagram illustrating the state of the container support unit.

[0033] Figure 23 This is a front view of a liquid mixing device.

[0034] Figure 24 This is a three-dimensional view of the rear of a liquid mixing device.

[0035] Figure 25 This is a diagram illustrating an example of a stirring operation.

[0036] Figure 26 This is an explanatory diagram of the pivot constraint element.

[0037] Figure 27 This is a diagram illustrating the pivot constraint state.

[0038] Figure 28 This is a diagram illustrating the pivot constraint state.

[0039] Figure 29 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating a position detection operation.

[0040] Figure 30 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the flow path forming components and valve unit.

[0041] Figure 31 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the change in orientation of the flow path forming member during pivoting.

[0042] Figure 32 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the configuration of the tube fixing members on the movable and fixed sides.

[0043] Figure 33 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the retaining component.

[0044] Figure 34 This is a diagram illustrating an example of changes in the form of tubes, etc., during pivoting.

[0045] Figure 35 This is an example Figure 1 The block diagram of the control circuit of the illustrated system.

[0046] Figure 36 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of control.

[0047] Figure 37 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of control.

[0048] Figure 38 This is a flowchart illustrating the initial filling sequence.

[0049] Figure 39 This is a flowchart illustrating the initial setup sequence.

[0050] Figure 40 This is a flowchart illustrating the MTC setup sequence.

[0051] Figure 41A This is a flowchart illustrating an ink stirring sequence.

[0052] Figure 41B This is a flowchart illustrating an ink stirring sequence.

[0053] Figure 41C This is a flowchart illustrating an ink stirring sequence.

[0054] Figure 42A and Figure 42B This is an example diagram illustrating the display on the operation panel.

[0055] Figure 43 This is a flowchart illustrating an ink filling sequence.

[0056] Figure 44 This is a schematic diagram illustrating ink filling.

[0057] Figure 45 This is a diagram illustrating the ink setting time and stirring time.

[0058] Figure 46A and Figure 46B This is a timing diagram illustrating ink stirring in the first embodiment.

[0059] Figure 47 This is a flowchart illustrating the initial padding sequence in the second embodiment.

[0060] Figure 48A This is a flowchart illustrating a color ink stirring sequence.

[0061] Figure 48B This is a flowchart illustrating a color ink stirring sequence.

[0062] Figure 48C This is a flowchart illustrating a color ink stirring sequence.

[0063] Figure 49 This is a flowchart illustrating the sequence of white ink settings.

[0064] Figure 50 This is a flowchart illustrating a white ink stirring sequence.

[0065] Figure 51 This is a flowchart illustrating the process of determining when the mixing of colored ink has ended.

[0066] Figure 52 This is a timing diagram illustrating ink stirring in the second embodiment.

[0067] Figure 53 This is a flowchart illustrating the initial padding sequence in the third embodiment.

[0068] Figure 54 This is a timing diagram illustrating ink stirring in the third embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0069] In the following, embodiments 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 claims. Several features are described in the embodiments, but not all such features are required, and several such features can be appropriately combined. Furthermore, in the drawings, the same reference numerals are given the same or similar configuration, and redundant descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0070] First Embodiment

[0071] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of system A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 2 This is a front view of System A. In the accompanying drawing, arrows X, Y, and Z indicate directions that intersect each other, and in this embodiment, the directions are orthogonal. When System A is assembled on a horizontal plane, the left-right direction corresponds to the X direction, the front-back direction corresponds to the Y direction, and the up-down direction corresponds to the Z direction. The X and Y directions can also be referred to as the "horizontal directions".

[0072] System A according to this embodiment includes a liquid ejection device 1 and liquid storage devices (liquid supply devices) 20A and 20B, and is a recording system for recording images by ejecting ink onto a recording medium such as paper. In this embodiment, two liquid storage devices 20A and 20B are provided. The liquid ejection device 1 and the two liquid storage devices 20A and 20B are arranged side by side in the X direction. The liquid supplied to the liquid ejection device 1 by the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B is mainly ink, and the liquid ejection device 1 is a recording device for ejecting ink onto a recording medium. However, this disclosure is not limited to recording systems, but can be applied to various types of liquid ejection systems for ejecting liquid onto a medium.

[0073] Note that "recording" includes not only the formation of meaningful information such as text and graphics, but also broadly includes the formation of any image or pattern, whether meaningful or not, on a recording medium, or the processing of the medium, regardless of whether the content is presented in a way that can be visually perceived by humans. In this embodiment, a sheet of paper is assumed as the recording medium, but cloth or plastic film may be used instead.

[0074] Liquid ejection equipment

[0075] Besides reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 In addition, we will also refer to Figure 3 To describe the liquid ejection device 1. Figure 3 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the internal structure of a liquid ejection device 1. The liquid ejection device 1 includes a pair of left and right supports 2 and a main body 3 supported on the pair of supports 2. Each support 2 is equipped with casters 2a, which makes it relatively easy to move the liquid ejection device 1 on the floor (mounting surface). A feeding unit 4, a drying unit 14, and a winding unit 5 are arranged below the main body 3. In this embodiment, the recording medium M is a roll of paper, and the feeding unit 4 has a shaft on which the recording medium M is wound. The winding unit 5 has a shaft on which the recording medium M is wound. Although a roll of paper is given as an example of the recording medium M in this embodiment, the recording medium M can alternatively be cut paper.

[0076] A conveying unit 6 is provided in the main body 3. The conveying unit 6 includes a drive roller and a driven roller, and the recording medium M fed from the feeding unit 4 is clamped in the gap formed by these rollers. The recording medium M is conveyed onto the stage 7 by the rotation of the drive roller. An ejector head 8 is arranged opposite to the stage 7. The ejector head (recording head) 8 is a recording head that forms an image by ejecting ink. An image is recorded onto the recording medium M by ejecting ink from the ejector head 8 onto the recording medium M conveyed onto the stage 7.

[0077] The printhead 8 includes, for example, an ejection energy generating element such as an electrothermal conversion element (heater) or a piezoelectric element, and ejects ink from the ejection outlet. When an electrothermal conversion element is used, heat generated by the element can be used to form bubbles in the ink, and the energy of the bubbles can be used to eject the ink from the ejection outlet. The recording method used by the printhead 8 can be a serial scanning method or a full-width method. In the case of a serial scanning method, the printhead 8 is mounted on a carriage and moves back and forth in the X direction. The ejection of ink while the printhead 8 moves in the X direction will be referred to below as "recording scan". An image is recorded onto the recording medium M by alternating the operation for conveying the recording medium M and the recording scan of the printhead 8. This embodiment assumes the use of a serial scanning method. If a full-width method is used, an image is recorded while continuously conveying the recording medium M using a long printhead 8 extending in the X direction.

[0078] The recording medium M containing the image passes through the drying unit 14 and is then wound by the winding unit 5. The drying unit 14 reduces the liquid component in the ink applied to the recording medium M by the ejector head 8 to improve the adhesion between the recording medium M and the ink. The drying unit 14 has a heat source such as a heater and an air supply mechanism such as a fan, and dries the recording medium M by applying hot air to the recording medium M from at least the side on which ink has been applied. However, the system can be configured to apply hot air not only to the side on which ink has been applied but also to the side opposite to that side to improve drying efficiency. In addition to the method of applying hot air, a combination of methods such as irradiating the surface of the recording medium M with electromagnetic waves (ultraviolet or infrared rays, etc.) or using conductive heat transfer methods in contact with a heating element can be used as a drying method. The drying unit 14 may also lack a heat source and only blow air. The recording medium M containing the image is cut by the user using scissors or the like, or automatically cut by a cutter (not shown).

[0079] A recovery unit 9 is arranged in the main body 3. The recovery unit 9 is located outside the recording area of ​​the printhead 8 (outside the ejection area) and performs processes related to restoring and maintaining the ejection performance of the printhead 8. Examples of such processes include rinsing before and after recording operations by ejecting a predetermined amount of ink, and processes for drawing residual ink from the nozzle of the printhead 8. Figure 2 As illustrated, when recovery processing is required, the nozzle 8 is moved to the recovery unit 9.

[0080] An operation panel 10 is provided on the front surface of the main body 3. The operation panel 10 is, for example, a touch panel, and can accept input of various settings related to recording and display the status of the recording operation. The liquid dispensing device 1 is also provided with a waste liquid container 11. The waste liquid container 11 is arranged on the side opposite to the side of the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B in the X direction at the lower end of the main body 3.

[0081] Waste liquid (waste ink, etc.) drawn out by the recovery unit 9 flows into and is recycled into the waste liquid box 11. The waste liquid box 11 can be arranged near the recovery unit 9. However, in this embodiment, the waste liquid box 11 is arranged in the empty space below the end of the main body 3, which reduces the area required to assemble the liquid ejection device 1.

[0082] Liquid storage equipment

[0083] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 Liquid storage devices 20A and 20B are described below. Liquid storage devices 20A and 20B are devices for storing liquids such as ink ejected from the nozzle 8 and supplying such liquids to the liquid ejection device 1. Liquid storage devices 20A and 20B include a box-shaped body 22 forming a plurality of storage units 23A and a single storage unit 23B. Casters 22a are provided on the bottom surface of the body 22, allowing liquid storage devices 20A and 20B to be moved relatively easily on the floor (assembly surface).

[0084] Liquid storage devices 20A and 20B include a plurality of storage units 23A arranged in the Z direction. Each storage unit 23A has the form of a slot opening in the front wall portion 22b of the main body 22. A container support unit 24 is inserted into each storage unit 23A in a removable manner in the Y direction. The container support unit 24 replaceably supports the liquid container 200 (also simply referred to as "container 200"; described later).

[0085] The liquid storage device 20A includes a storage unit 23B. The storage unit 23B has a larger opening space in the front wall portion 22b of the main body 22 compared to the storage unit 23A, and is opened and closed by means of an opening / closing member 25 provided in the front wall portion 22b. Figure 4 This is a front view of storage unit 23B, where state ST41 indicates the closed state of the opening / closing member 25, and state ST42 indicates the open state of the opening / closing member 25.

[0086] The opening / closing member 25 is a door such that one end in the X direction is supported by a front wall portion 22b via multiple hinges 25a, and the other end in the X direction is provided with a handle 25b that can be gripped by a user. When the user pulls the handle 25b forward in state ST41, as indicated by state ST42, the opening / closing member 25 pivots about the hinges 25a as the pivot center to expose the interior of the storage unit 23B. Although the opening / closing member 25 is described as a pivoting member in this embodiment, the opening / closing member 25 can be a sliding type.

[0087] A sensor 26 is provided in the main body 22 to detect the open / closed state of the opening / closing member 25. The sensor 26 detects the detection piece 27 provided in the opening / closing member 25. For example, if an optical sensor is used as the sensor 26, the optical sensor is arranged to detect the detection piece 27 when the opening / closing member 25 is in the closed state, but not to detect the detection piece 27 when the opening / closing member 25 is in the open state.

[0088] A liquid stirring device 100 is built into the storage unit 23B. A plurality of container support units 24 are removably inserted into the liquid stirring device 100 in the Y direction. In this embodiment, two container support units 24 may be installed in the liquid stirring device 100. The liquid stirring device 100 has the function of stirring the liquid in the container 200 supported by the container support units 24. The liquid stirring device 100 will be described in detail later. Although the same container support units 24 are used for both storage units 23A and 23B in this embodiment, different container support units may be used instead.

[0089] Each storage unit 23A and 23B is provided with a tube connecting the container 200 and the liquid dispensing device 1. Each tube is connected to the liquid dispensing device 1 via a single flexible tube 21 that houses all the tubes. Ink in the container 200 is supplied to the nozzle 8 through the tube.

[0090] In this embodiment, two liquid storage devices 20A and 20B are provided, thus allowing system A to use more ink. As described above, providing multiple liquid storage devices 20A and 20B is advantageous when increasing the number of ink colors for the purpose of improving image quality, or increasing the amount of ink of the same color to improve productivity.

[0091] Liquid stirring

[0092] The characteristics of the liquids contained in the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B, and the stirring performance required to accommodate these characteristics, will be described here.

[0093] Titanium oxide, used as a highly water- and light-resistant pigment and as a pigment in white ink, is insoluble and dispersed in the ink. Therefore, when left to stand for a long time, titanium oxide may settle, accumulate, and clump at the bottom of container 200 due to gravity. Therefore, to obtain the desired color development, stirring is required to uniformly disperse the component in the liquid while maintaining the predetermined particle size. Thus, it is desirable to generate movement in the liquid exceeding the settling velocity of the particles and to break up particle clumping, and to stir the liquid and the component.

[0094] Incidentally, ink compositions have various specific gravities and are known to have different settling velocities. In other words, as the settling velocity increases, greater movement is required to agitate the liquid. Consequently, small amounts of movement will result in insufficient agitation, while excessive movement may lead to an increase in equipment size. Furthermore, with the development of multi-color and high-capacity devices, multi-stage ink containers have become a mandatory requirement.

[0095] Therefore, in this embodiment, ink with a slow settling speed is first stirred (which is a stirring operation that uses pressing to produce small movements), and ink with a fast settling speed is second stirred (which is a stirring operation that uses rotation to produce large movements).

[0096] More specifically, the liquid stirring device 100 built into the storage unit 23B is used only with inks that have a high settling velocity (such as white ink). The ink (ink in the liquid container) in the container 200 is stirred by a large movement that changes the orientation of the container 200 and inverts it, thereby suppressing settling at the bottom. On the other hand, for inks with a slower settling velocity than ordinary colors, settling is suppressed by a movement that is equivalent to deforming the container 200 and does not require a large amount of space. A mechanism for stirring by pressurizing the container 200 will be described later.

[0097] In this embodiment, providing multiple stirring mechanisms in this way enables optimal stirring performance to be achieved based on ink characteristics, and provides ink containers in multiple stages within a limited space.

[0098] The pigments contained in widely used common-colored inks (such as cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (hereinafter, C, M, Y, and Bk)) have a particle size of tens of nanometers and a low specific gravity, so they can be stirred without causing significant movement of the container 200. Therefore, a first stirring involving small movements as described above is performed. On the other hand, titanium dioxide used in white ink has a large particle size and specific gravity, so it tends to settle unless subjected to significant movement. Therefore, a second stirring involving significant movement is performed using a liquid stirring device 100 built into the storage unit 23B. The liquid subjected to the second stirring by the liquid stirring device 100 can be a metallic liquid containing metal powder, such as a gold or silver liquid. Silver ink containing silver can be given as an example.

[0099] Here, we consider the number of ink cartridges (number of containers 200) configured in multiple stages in the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B. For example, even with a conservative estimate, a total of eight stages of ink supply system are required for a combination of four common colors, three special colors, and a white that tends to settle easily. Additionally, there are printing methods that use reactive solutions to accelerate ink aggregation on the paper surface through chemical reactions, thereby improving image adhesion and moisture resistance. Furthermore, a cleaning fluid is provided to keep the recovery unit maintaining the ejection state of the record head clean, and in some cases, the cleaning fluid is supplied in the same manner as the ink. Moreover, for automatic overnight operation that consumes large amounts of ink unattended, and for uninterrupted printing to prevent ink depletion during printing, two cartridges of the same color of ink can be provided.

[0100] In this embodiment, two packets of each of the eight colors (including common and special colors), two packets of white ink arranged in the liquid mixing device 100, and one packet of cleaning fluid for the cleaning and recovery unit are provided, totaling 19 packets (containers 200). When these are arranged in two rows in the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B, six packets of the three common colors are placed in one tower (liquid storage device 20A), and ten packets of the five special colors are placed in the other tower (liquid storage device 20B). This allows for a better balance of the number of packets in each tower compared to when the common and special colors are arranged in a single row. Furthermore, for the common and special colors of ink, which tend to settle slowly, a first mixing control is used, thus allowing for an even distribution of the number of packets between the towers, enabling the sharing of the mechanical components used for the first mixing.

[0101] Furthermore, since one packet of the cleaning solution does not contain easily settling components such as pigments, no stirring control is required. Therefore, a single packet that does not require the driving force for stirring is installed in the upper section of the liquid storage device 20B. In addition, since white ink is easily settling and a second stirring control is used, the liquid stirring device 100 is built into the storage unit 23B of the liquid storage device 20A.

[0102] When the common color and special color are represented by A to H, white by W, their respective two packages are indicated by the numbers 1 and 2, and the cleaning solution is represented by a1, the above-mentioned container 200 is configured as follows: Figure 5 exemplified.

[0103] In this embodiment, it is assumed that Figure 5 The ink configurations at points A through H are illustrated below. In liquid storage device 20A, yellow (Y) ink is placed at point A, magenta (M) ink at point B, and cyan (C) ink at point C. In liquid storage device 20B, black (Bk) ink is placed at point D, gray (Gy) ink at point E, orange (Or) ink at point F, red (Red) ink at point G, and green (Gr) ink at point H.

[0104] This is because, as will be described later, by using a pressing unit 600 with the same drive source to agitate inks with similar viscosities, the agitation time for high-viscosity inks can be extended, while the agitation time for low-viscosity inks can be shortened. For high-viscosity inks, it is difficult to disperse the settled composition, thus requiring a long agitation time, while for low-viscosity inks, it is easy to disperse the settled composition, thus reducing the agitation time. Accordingly, optimal agitation operations can be performed on each ink. In this embodiment, low-viscosity ink is provided in liquid storage device 20B, and high-viscosity ink is provided in liquid storage device 20A. The ink with the highest viscosity (i.e., white ink) is provided in the upper section of liquid storage device 20A.

[0105] In the same liquid storage device, low-viscosity ink is provided in the lowest section, while higher-viscosity ink is provided in the higher sections. The high-viscosity ink has a higher pressure drop, thus placing the ink in the upper section with a lower head difference from the nozzle 8 allows for the suppression of the pump's required performance to move the ink.

[0106] Assuming the towers will be placed on the floor, each tower (each of the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B) is equipped with casters 22a, allowing the towers to be moved when the equipment is moved or the location is changed. Although the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B are connected and configured to be moved as a single unit, these devices can be constructed separately.

[0107] In this structure, such as Figure 5As illustrated, maintaining the pivot trajectory of the liquid mixing device 100 at the same height H as the five packages of the aforementioned container 200 ensures a height match between the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B, which is desirable from a space efficiency and design perspective.

[0108] Figure 6 This is a rear view of liquid storage devices 20A and 20B, which are equipped with a liquid delivery unit 480 for delivering ink from containers 200. Containers 200 for the same type of liquid share a single liquid delivery unit 480, and a switching valve (not shown) switches which container 200 supplies ink from. Furthermore, since each container 200 is placed below the nozzle 8, a head difference exists up to the nozzle 8, thus enabling the liquid delivery unit 480 to provide pressurized supply. A tube 21a connects to each liquid delivery unit 480, and the tube 21a is bundled and configured within a flexible hose 21 that bends freely on the rear side. Ink of various colors and reaction solution are supplied to the nozzle 8 through the tube in the flexible hose 21, and cleaning solution is supplied to the recovery unit.

[0109] exist Figure 2 In this embodiment, the height of the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B is set below the lower side of the main body 3 protruding from the +X side of the liquid ejection device 1. Therefore, as Figure 2 As illustrated, liquid storage devices 20A and 20B can be fitted under the main body 3. Liquid storage devices 20A and 20B can be moved in the X direction to a position where these devices contact the support 2.

[0110] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 To further describe the arrangement of liquid storage devices 20A and 20B in the space below the main body 3. Figure 6 In this configuration, a flexible hose 21, which is bundled with pipes 21a connected to liquid storage devices 20A and 20B, is connected to liquid dispensing device 1 on the rear side. Furthermore, since liquid storage devices 20A and 20B are equipped with casters 22a, they are configured to move close to liquid dispensing device 1.

[0111] exist Figure 2 In this configuration, liquid storage devices 20A and 20B are fitted into the space below the main body 3. Furthermore, since the control panel is mounted directly above the main body 3, actions such as changing container 200 can be performed while viewing information on the panel, providing excellent usability.

[0112] Additionally, the white ink container 200 for the second stirring is equipped with an opening / closing member 25 to prevent manipulation during the rotation used for stirring. Unlike containers 200 used for other colors, the white ink container 200 requires operation of the opening / closing member 25 and is therefore positioned in the upper section to ensure better usability. Furthermore, the longer the vertical flow path used for ink extending vertically, the easier it is for sediment to accumulate in the lower part of the tube due to gravity. Therefore, it is preferable that white ink, which settles more easily, is placed in the upper section where the vertical flow path from container 200 to body 3 is shortest. It is also generally known that white ink has a high viscosity. Therefore, considering flow path resistance, it is preferable to place the white ink container 200 in the upper section where the height difference (head difference) with the nozzle 8 is small. For example, if white ink is not to be used, the device can be easily removed from the upper section, which provides versatility.

[0113] Additionally, liquid storage devices 20A and 20B are connected to liquid dispensing device 1 via connecting components. This is to prevent damage to the tube 21a inside the hose 21 in the event of unintentional movement of the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B.

[0114] Although this embodiment describes liquid storage devices 20A and 20B as two towers, the liquid storage device can be a single tower including mechanisms for first and second agitation. Furthermore, only the mechanism for second agitation can be arranged below the recovery unit 9, and the mechanism for first agitation, which does not require thickness in the height direction, can be arranged below the roll paper. The positions of the waste liquid container 11 and the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B can also be reversed.

[0115] Next, the mechanisms used for the first stirring in the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B will be described. The mechanism for the second stirring is implemented by the liquid stirring device 100, and its structure will be described in detail later.

[0116] The first stirring mechanism

[0117] Liquid containers and support units

[0118] Reference Figures 7 to 10C To describe the mechanism used for the first stirring. Figure 7 This is an exploded perspective view of a portion of liquid storage devices 20A and 20B, illustrating the state in which a single container support unit 24 has been removed from the corresponding storage unit 23A. Additionally, Figure 7 Examples show liquid storage devices 20A and 20B with a portion of their sidewalls removed to expose the internal mechanisms. Figure 8 This is a perspective view of container 200 and container support unit 24. Figure 9A and Figure 9B This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of the handle 45 and the locking mechanism 46. Figures 10A to 10CThis is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of the locking mechanism 46, and corresponding to the operation along... Figure 9A The cross-sectional view of line AA in the diagram.

[0119] Container 200 has a bag 202 formed of a flexible material. Accordion pleats 202a are provided on both sides of the bag 202, folding inward to increase liquid holding capacity. The bag 202 is formed in a bag shape by fusing the individual sheets constituting the upper and lower sides with the sheets forming the accordion pleats 202a to form a flexible container for holding liquid. When a large amount of liquid remains inside, the accordion pleats 202a expand, and when the amount is low, the accordion pleats 202a fold inward, and the shape of the bag 202 changes according to the amount of liquid held inside. The material of the bag 202 is, for example, a material with a multilayer structure, such as PET. When there are concerns that the liquid inside may react with air and solidify, or that evaporation may cause changes in concentration or quantity, a layered material including an aluminum layer is advantageous as the material of the bag 202.

[0120] Container 200 has one end 200a and another end 200b in the longitudinal direction. When installed in liquid storage devices 20A and 20B, end 200a is positioned towards the rear of liquid storage devices 20A and 20B, and end 200b is positioned towards the front. An outlet member 201 is provided in end 200a. The outlet member 201 has a supply port 201a formed to communicate with an inlet 203 inside bag 202. Liquid contained in bag 202 flows out to the outside through inlet 203 and supply port 201a. A spring-loaded supply port on / off valve for opening and closing supply port 201a is provided inside outlet member 201. During normal operation (when no external force is applied), supply port 201a is kept closed by means of the supply port on / off valve.

[0121] Container 200 has a length of approximately 180 mm on the side where the outlet member 201 is located, and approximately 400 mm on the side (side surface) orthogonal to it. Container 200 can hold, for example, approximately 1.5 liters of liquid. Note that the side where the outlet member 201 is located can be the longer side instead of the shorter side. Additionally, bag 202, when viewed in a plan view, can be square instead of rectangular.

[0122] Each of the main units 53 of liquid storage devices 20A and 20B has a needle-shaped flow path forming member 56 inserted into a supply port 201a at the rear side of storage unit 23A. The flow path forming member 56 is provided for each storage unit 23A. When the flow path forming member 56 is inserted into the supply port 201a and connected, the supply port on / off valve is opened due to the insertion of the flow path forming member 56. The flow path forming member 56 is supported by a block-shaped support member 50 and is also connected to a pipe 51. The flow path forming member 56 forms a flow path for supplying the liquid contained in the bag 202 to the liquid dispensing device 1, which is the supply destination, and the liquid flowing out of the flow path forming member 56 is supplied to the liquid dispensing device 1 through the pipe 51. An electrically operated flow path valve 52 capable of opening and closing the flow path is provided along the middle of the pipe 51. The pipe 51 can be closed and opened by opening and closing the flow path valve 52. Note that the reflection sensor 23C is arranged in the storage unit 23A to detect whether the container 200 is installed in the storage unit 23A. Also note that the flow path valve 52 can be configured to switch between closing and opening the flow path according to the operation of the motor, or it can be a solenoid-based or clamp-type solenoid valve.

[0123] The container support unit 24 has a support portion 40 that supports the container 200, and as a whole, it is positioned such that the container 200 is horizontally oriented toward a tray placed on it. The container support unit 24 is displaceable in the substantially Y direction between a storage position in which the container 200 is stored in the main unit 53 and a removal position in which the container 200 is exposed outside the main unit 53. Figure 7 An example is shown where one container support unit 24 is in the removed position, and all other container support units 24 are in the stored position. When in the removed position, the container 200 can be replaced, and when in the stored position, the liquid held in the container 200 can be supplied to the liquid dispensing device 1. In this embodiment, the container support unit 24 is separated from the stored unit 23A in the removed position. However, the removed position can be a position where the end of the container support unit 24 remains within the stored unit 23A, and can be any position where the container 200 can be replaced relative to the container support unit 24.

[0124] The support portion 40 has a placement surface 41 on which the container 200 is placed, and the four sides of the placement surface 41 are defined by left and right side plates 44, a front end portion 42, and a rear end portion 43. A slot 44a is formed in each side plate 44. A recess 43a is formed in the rear end portion 43 on which an outlet member 201 is arranged. Each side plate 44 has a rib 44b extending in the Y direction.

[0125] A handle 45 is provided at the front end 42 in a manner that allows it to pivot about an axis 45a extending in the X direction, and a user can pivot the handle 45 in direction d1. The handle 45 also serves as an operating handle for the engagement portion 48. The handle 45 is provided with the engagement portion 48, and an engagement portion 231 is formed in the bottom of the housing 230 forming the storage unit 23A, engaging with the engagement portion 48. In this embodiment, the engagement portion 48 is a protrusion, and the engagement portion 231 is a recess into which the engagement portion 48 is inserted. By engaging the engagement portion 48 with the engagement portion 231, even if vibrations act on the container support unit 24 installed in the storage unit 23A and located at the storage position due to, for example, movement of the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B, the container support unit 24 can be prevented from detaching from the storage unit 23A. The handle 45 is always aligned with the engagement position where the engagement portion 48 and the engagement portion 231 engage with each other by the elastic member 421. Figure 9A The offset is indicated by the position shown in the diagram. The elastic member 421 is, for example, a coil spring. When the user grips the handle 45 and... Figure 9B When the handle 45 is pivoted in the direction indicated by the arrow, the joint 48 and the joint 231 disengage, and the container support unit 24 inserted into the storage unit 23A can be removed from the storage unit 23A.

[0126] To prevent the container support unit 24 installed in the storage unit 23A from being accidentally removed, a locking mechanism 46 is provided for each storage unit 23A to lock the container support unit 24 in the storage position (see [link]). Figure 7 The locking mechanism 46 includes a sliding member 461 built into the front end portion 42. An operating portion 461a, which is part of the sliding member 461, protrudes from the front end portion 42, allowing the sliding member 461 to be operated by a user. The sliding member 461 is movable in the direction of arrow d2 (X direction) between a locked position in which pivoting of the handle 45 is restricted in direction d1 and an unlocked position in which pivoting of the handle 45 is permitted.

[0127] Figure 9A and Figure 10A This example illustrates the state where the sliding member 461 is in the locked position. In other words, the locking mechanism 46 is in the locked state. The sliding member 461 has a contact portion 461b, and the contact portion 461b contacts the rib-shaped contact portion 451 on the handle 45. Figure 9A and Figure 10A In the illustrated state, the sliding member 461 blocks the handle 45, preventing the handle 45 from pivoting in the disengagement direction. Therefore, the container support unit 24 cannot be removed from the storage unit 23A.

[0128] Figure 10BThis example illustrates the state where the sliding member 461 is in the unlocked position. In other words, the locking mechanism 46 is in the unlocked state. In this state, the slot portion of the contact portion 461b and the contact portion 451 are facing each other. At this time, as... Figure 10C As illustrated, contact portion 451 can retract from the slot portion of contact portion 461b, therefore... Figure 9B As illustrated, the handle 45 can pivot in the disengagement direction. In this way, the container support unit 24 can be pulled out from the storage unit 23A by the user sliding the sliding member 461 to the unlocked position and then operating the handle 45.

[0129] A sensor 58 for detecting the position of the sliding member 461 is provided in the storage unit 23A (see [reference]). Figure 7 and Figure 8 Sensor 58 is, for example, an optical sensor (e.g., a light interruptor) capable of detecting the detection piece 461c of the sliding member 461. When the sliding member 461 is in the locked position, as... Figure 8 As illustrated, the detection piece 461c is located at the detection position of the sensor 58 and is detected by the sensor 58. When the sliding member 461 is in the unlocked position, the detection piece 461c is not located at the detection position of the sensor 58 and is therefore not detected by the sensor 58. In this way, based on the detection result of the sensor 58, the position of the sliding member 461 can be determined as either the locked or unlocked position; that is, the locking mechanism 46 can be determined as being in a locked or unlocked state.

[0130] The opening and closing of the flow path valve 52 can be correlated with the detection results of the sensor 58. For example, if the sensor 58 detects that the sliding member 461 is in the unlocked position when the flow path valve 52 is open, the flow path valve 52 is immediately closed in conjunction with this detection. This prevents the container support unit 24 from being pulled out of the storage unit 23A during the opening of the flow path valve 52. If the container support unit 24 is pulled out of the storage unit 23A during the opening of the flow path valve 52, air can enter the pipe 51 from the flow path forming member 56. This can lead to problems such as liquid solidification in the pipe 51 and ejection defects in the nozzle 8. When the position of the sliding member 461 is detected to be in the unlocked position, the flow path valve 52 is immediately closed by automatic control in conjunction with this detection, which prevents air from entering the pipe 51.

[0131] Tilting

[0132] Figure 11 This is a diagram illustrating the mounting orientation and insertion / removal state of the container support unit 24 relative to the storage unit 23A, which illustrates the portion below the storage unit 23B of the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B.

[0133] like Figure 11As illustrated, the storage units 23A disposed in each section of the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B are tilted, and tilt downwards (+Z) as they approach the rear (far side; -Y side). Therefore, the container support unit 24 remains tilted when in the installed state. Although its effect will be described later, the tilt angle is, for example, less than 45 degrees relative to the horizontal plane, and particularly less than 10 degrees. Figure 11 In this case, the tilt angle is assumed to be 3 degrees.

[0134] Liquid stirring mechanism

[0135] Container 200 can hold various types of liquids and can be used for recording images and maintaining the printhead 8. For example, water-based inks, latex inks, and solvent-based inks such as environmentally friendly solvent-based inks can be held in container 200. Depending on the type of ink, particles such as coloring materials and resin components in the ink can settle over time. The particle size of the coloring materials, as well as the type and amount of additives, can vary depending on the color of the ink, and the settling rate can also vary depending on the ink color. Container 200 can also hold the reaction liquid ejected from the printhead 8 and reacting with the ink to fix the ink onto the surface of the recording medium M. By using container 200, which holds liquids with component separation properties, uniformity can be improved by properly agitating the contained liquid. This, for example, helps to suppress the degradation of the recorded image quality.

[0136] Using the aforementioned first stirring mechanism, the bag 202 in container 200 is deformed by being physically pressed from the outside. This causes the liquid contained in the bag 202 to flow and stir within the bag 202.

[0137] Reference Figure 7 , Figure 12 and Figure 13 The structure of the pressing unit 600 that performs the stirring function is described below. Figure 12 and Figure 13 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of the pressing unit 600 as seen from the side of the main unit 53. The pressing unit 600 includes a plurality of pressing members 60 and a moving mechanism 63 shared by these plurality of pressing members 60. The pressing members 60 are provided for each storage unit 23A and are stirring operation units that perform liquid stirring operation on the corresponding container 200. The moving mechanism 63 is a drive unit that drives the pressing members 60. In this embodiment, the pressing members 60 are provided for each storage unit 23A. The moving mechanism 63 causes each pressing member 60 to pivot synchronously about a pivot axis 62, and as a result, the pressing part 61 provided on the pressing member 60 presses the container 200 from above and then releases the pressure. Figure 12 Example of a pressing part 61 (and pressing member 60) in the pressed-release position, and Figure 13Example of a pressing part 61 (and pressing member 60) in the pressing position.

[0138] The structure of the moving mechanism 63 will be described. The output of the motor 635, which serves as the drive source for the moving mechanism 63, is transmitted to the cam 633 via multiple gears 634. Note that the rotation axis of each of these components is parallel to the X-direction. Reference will be made here. Figure 14A and Figure 14B To describe the structure of cam 633. Figure 14A and Figure 14B It is an explanatory diagram of Cam 633, and Figure 14B Example: Cam 633 from Figure 14A The illustrated state has rotated 180 degrees.

[0139] The cam 633 is a disc-shaped component that can rotate freely about an axis 633b parallel to the X direction, and gear teeth 633a are formed in its outer peripheral surface. The gear teeth 633a mesh with gear 634, and the cam 633 rotates due to the rotation of gear 634. A groove 633c is formed in the side surface of the cam 633, and an outer cam surface 633d and an inner cam surface 633e are formed on the outer and inner side surfaces of the groove 633c, respectively. A cam follower 637 connected to the drive transmission rod 632 is arranged in the groove 633c. The inner cam surface 633e is inside the cam follower 637 in the radial direction of the cam 633, and when the cam 633 rotates, the inner cam surface 633e acts to contact the cam follower 637 and lift the cam follower 637. The outer cam surface 633d is located on the outside of the cam follower 637 in the radial direction of the cam 633, and when the cam 633 rotates, the outer cam surface 633d acts to contact the cam follower 637 and pull the cam follower 637 downward.

[0140] The description will be referenced again. Figure 7 , Figure 12 and Figure 13 When the cam follower 637 rises and falls due to the pivoting of the cam 633, the drive transmission rod 632 pivots about the pivot axis 632a. Since the drive transmission rod 632 is rotatably connected to the shaft 638 provided in the lifting / lowering member 631, the action of the drive transmission rod 632 is converted into the lifting / lowering action of the lifting / lowering member 631. When the cam 633 rotates once, the cam follower 637 reciprocates once in the Z direction, and the lifting / lowering member 631 similarly reciprocates once via the drive transmission rod 632.

[0141] A plate-shaped lifting / lowering member 631 is attached to allow it to rise and fall relative to the side plate 68 of the main unit 53 in the Z direction. Meanwhile, two front and rear columns 47, extending in the Z direction and having a U-shaped cross-section, are fixed to the side plate 68. These columns 47 are also attached to the side plate on the -X side, and a total of four columns 47 ensure the structural strength of the main unit 53. This allows it to support the weight of a large container 200.

[0142] The column 47 is robust but also thick, and its dimension in the X direction would increase if a moving mechanism 63 were further provided on the outer side of the column 47 in the X direction relative to the side plate 68. Therefore, in this embodiment, the drive mechanism, including the lifting / lowering member 631 and the cam 633, is distributed along the Y direction to the front and rear of one of the columns 47. The drive transmission rod 632 passes through a through hole 47a provided in this one column of the column 47.

[0143] This structure allows for the configuration of the moving mechanism 63 of the pressing unit 600 while ensuring strength and suppressing an increase in the size of the main unit 53 in the X direction. Furthermore, the drive transmission rod 632 is attached to the plate-shaped support member 639 that supports the moving mechanism 63. Removing fasteners such as screws allows the main structural component of the moving mechanism 63 to be removed as a single unit integrated with the support member 639 to the rear side of the main unit 53. This facilitates component replacement by maintenance personnel. It should be noted that fasteners such as screws can be easily tightened and loosened if tightened from the rear side of the main unit 53.

[0144] The biasing forces of two springs 64 and 65 act on each pressing member 60. One end of spring 64 is attached to the pressing member 60, and the other end is attached to the storage unit 23A (housing 230). One end of spring 65 is attached to the pressing member 60, and the other end is attached to the lifting / lowering member 631. The pressing member 60 is a movable member (and particularly a pivoting member), which is pivotally attached to the storage unit 23A (housing 230) with the pivot axis 62 serving as the pivot center. The pivot axis 62 is an axis extending in a direction intersecting the direction of movement (Z direction) of the pressing part 61. Both springs 64 and 65 cause the pressing member 60 to... Figure 12 and 13 The pressing member is offset by pivoting in the clockwise direction.

[0145] When the pressing component 60 is in the pressing release position ( Figure 12When the pressing / lowering member 631 contacts the pressing member 60 and lifts the pressing member 60 itself, the biasing force of the spring 65 acts between the lifting / lowering member 631 and the pressing member 60. Therefore, the biasing force of the spring 65 acts only between the lifting / lowering member 631 and the pressing member 60, and does not act as a load on the motor 635. In other words, the load on the moving mechanism 63 in the press-release position is only the biasing force of the spring 64 and the weight of the component itself.

[0146] When the pressing component 60 is in the pressing position ( Figure 13 When the press is released, the cam 633 is in a phase 180 degrees opposite to the press release position, and the pressing part 61 of the pressing member 60 contacts the container 200 and presses downward. The pressing distance of the pressing part 61 (i.e., the pivoting amount of the pressing member 60) varies depending on the amount of liquid remaining in the container 200. Figure 13 An example is shown below: the pressing members 60 in the upper three sections fully press the container 200, and the pressing members 60 in the lower three sections press the container 200, which is almost completely deflated with no liquid residue. The biasing forces of springs 64 and 65, as well as the weight of the components themselves, act on the container 200. Since springs 64 and 65 are arranged for each storage unit 23A, optimal compression force can be applied to each container 200 even if the amount of liquid remaining in the container 200 of the corresponding storage unit 23A is different.

[0147] At this time, the biasing force of spring 64 acts on container 200, but not on lifting / lowering member 631. The biasing force of spring 65 acts between container 200 and lifting / lowering member 631, which are in contact via pressing member 60. Cam 633 actuates to lower lifting / lowering member 631 downward from container 200. In this way, the load on moving mechanism 63 is reduced during operation by using two springs 64 and 65 in different installation positions and cam 633 capable of raising and lowering both.

[0148] Note that in the pressed position, for a container 200 with low remaining liquid and thus collapsed, the extension of springs 64 and 65 is small, and the compressive force acting on the container 200 is also small. When a large amount of liquid remains in the container 200, when the container 200 is pressed, it easily receives a reaction force from the container 200, and therefore requires a larger compressive force to press the container 200 deeply. On the other hand, when the remaining liquid is low, the reaction force from the container 200 is small, which makes it easy to deform the container 200 and move the liquid inside, even with a small compressive force. Therefore, springs 64 and 65 are arranged at a position that produces a lower compressive force when the container 200 collapses more. Using this configuration eliminates the need for a larger spring bias force required for comparison. In this embodiment, the load acting on the pressing part 61 is, for example, adjusted to about 500 gf when the container 200 is full, and about 300 gf when there is almost no liquid remaining.

[0149] Reference Figure 15 and Figure 16 To describe the structure of the pressing member 60. Figure 15 It is a three-dimensional view of the shell and support unit with stirring function in a separated state, and Figure 16 It is a three-dimensional view of the housing and support unit with stirring function in the installation state.

[0150] The pressing member 60 has a pair of side plates 60a located on each side of the housing 230 in the X direction, and a top plate 60b connected between the pair of side plates 60a in a manner that spans the housing 230 in the X direction. The pressing member 60 is pivotally supported by the housing 230 at each side plate 60a via a pivot axis 62, and a pressing portion 61 is formed at the front end of the top plate 60b.

[0151] Each side plate 60a has a locking portion 60c and a contact portion 60d. The locking portion 60c locks the end of the spring 64, and the contact portion 60d locks the end of the spring 65 and contacts the lifting / lowering member 631 when the member rises, causing the pressing member 60 to pivot. Both the locking portion 60c and the contact portion 60d are formed as protruding pieces protruding in the X direction.

[0152] A remaining volume detection sensor 230A is provided on the side of the housing 230. The remaining volume detection sensor 230A is, for example, an optical sensor. The remaining volume detection sensor 230A is a position detection sensor that detects the side plate 60a to detect the position of the pressing part 61, and it is a sensor that detects the amount of liquid remaining in the container 200 based on the position detection result. Specifically, the detection position of the remaining volume detection sensor 230A is set to detect the position of the side plate 60a when the container 200 is pressed due to the decrease in the remaining liquid volume. This operation utilizes the fact that the amount of pressure applied during pressing varies depending on the degree of collapse of the container 200. In this embodiment, the pressing part 61 is brought into contact with the container 200, so the position of the side plate 60a reflects the amount of liquid remaining in the container 200, which ensures accurate detection of the remaining volume. The detection position of the remaining volume detection sensor 230A is set such that, for example, when the container 200 has approximately 100 ml remaining, the side plate 60a is detected.

[0153] The pressing member 60 can be made of, for example, a metal plate (steel plate, etc.). Metal is thinner than resin, but has high strength, which allows the height of the storage unit 23A to be suppressed. The pivot axis 62 of the pressing member 60 is arranged along the X direction on the outside of the container 200, and is positioned such that the pivot axis 62 and the container 200 overlap along the X direction when the container 200 is full. By taking measures to reduce the size in the Z direction, multiple containers 200 can be accommodated in the limited space below the outer casing of system A, even though the pressing member 60 is assembled in each segment of the storage unit 23A to provide a stirring function.

[0154] Furthermore, the width of the pressing member 60 in the X direction is shorter at the pressing part 61 than near the pivot axis 62. This prevents parts other than the pressing part 61 from contacting the container 200 when the can is pressed by the pressing part 61, thereby preventing damage to the container 200.

[0155] Making the width of the pressing member 60 in the X direction shorter at the pressing portion 61 compared to near the pivot axis 62 also has the following advantages. As described above, the container 200 has accordion pleats 202a on its side surface. The accordion pleats 202a include welded portions where flexible members are fused together, and have higher rigidity compared to other parts. To ensure that the accordion pleats 202a fold inward and the container 200 collapses in response to a decrease in the amount of remaining liquid, a corresponding compressive force is required. When the amount of remaining liquid in the container 200 is high, the accordion pleats 202a unfold vertically, and the accordion pleats 202a can expand outward rather than inward. A corresponding compressive force is required to compress the accordion pleats 202a.

[0156] By arranging the pressing part 61 further in the X direction than the accordion pleats 202a, the container 200 can be efficiently pressed and deformed for stirring purposes. In other words, the pressing part 61 is arranged to press the container 200 closer to its center than the accordion pleats 202a, and to press the container 200 at its most bulging part. The height of the accordion pleats 202a is, for example, about 20 mm on both sides, and the pressing part 61 is located further inward than the accordion pleats 202a on both sides, which makes the pressing part 61 less susceptible to the reaction force of the accordion pleats 202a and enables efficient pressing of the container 200. The pressing efficiency is improved by designing the width of the pressing part 61 in the X direction to have a size that fits inward from the accordion pleats 202a by at least 10 mm. This is because the effect of the reaction force of the accordion pleats 202a is smaller when the pressing part 61 is away from the accordion pleats 202a in the X direction.

[0157] As a way to minimize the width of the pressing part 61 in the X direction, the pressing part 61 can, for example, be shaped to contact the container 200 at a certain point. However, when the container 200 is long in the Y direction, as in this embodiment, shaping the pressing part 61 to contact the container 200 at a point may reduce the flowability of the liquid inside the container 200. Specifically, if the width of the pressing part 61 in the X direction is too small, the flow of the liquid forced in when the container 200 is pressed will also be dispersed outward in the X direction, and the amount of liquid flowing in the Y direction will be reduced accordingly.

[0158] Therefore, for example, if the width of the pressing part 61 in the X direction is set to at least one-third of the width of the bag 202 of the container 200 in the X direction, the flowability of the liquid in the bag 202 in the Y direction during pressing can be improved. For example, when the width of the bag 202 in the X direction is 180 mm, setting the width of the pressing part 61 in the X direction to at least 60 mm improves the flowability of the liquid in the bag 202 in the Y direction during pressing.

[0159] In summary, when the bag 202 has a width of 180 mm in the X direction and the accordion pleat 202a has a height of 20 mm, the width of the pressing part 61 in the X direction is preferably between 60 mm and 120 mm, and in particular can be 90 mm.

[0160] Stirring operation

[0161] Reference Figures 17A to 17C This describes the stirring operation of the liquid in container 200 by pressing container 200 using pressing part 61. Figures 17A to 17C This is an illustrative diagram illustrating a stirring operation. (For example...) Figure 20 As illustrated, in this embodiment, the container support unit 24 is installed at an angle. Figures 17A to 17C In this context, the direction parallel to the tilt angle of the installation orientation is defined as the Y' direction. In the following description, the side of the outlet member 201 of the container 200 will be referred to as the -Y' direction, and the opposite side will be referred to as the +Y' direction. Note that... Figures 17A to 17C The arrows in the diagram indicate the direction of liquid flow generated inside bag 202 of container 200.

[0162] In this embodiment, the stirring operation includes a pressing operation and a pressing-release operation. The pressing part 61 is arranged opposite to the placement surface 41 of the container support unit 24. The pressing part 61 moves back and forth between a pressing-release position and a pressing position. This operation causes the bag 202 to deform, which causes the internal liquid to flow and stir the liquid.

[0163] Figure 17A The example shows the pressing part 61 (and pressing member 60) in the pressed-out position. In this embodiment, in the pressed-out position, the pressing part 61 is separated from the placement surface 41 and located at a height that does not contact the bag 202, so the bag 202 is not pressed. Therefore, the pressed-out position can also be referred to as the "pressed-out position".

[0164] exist Figure 17A Drive the moving mechanism 63 in such a state as Figure 17B The example illustrates a pressing operation. During the pressing operation, the pivoting of the pressing member 60 causes the pressing part 61 to move closer to the placement surface 41 than when it is in the pressed-out position, and presses the bag 202 towards the placement surface 41. As a result, the bag 202 deforms, which causes the internal liquid to flow and agitate.

[0165] In this embodiment, the container 200 is installed at an angle in the storage unit 23A, with the outlet member 201 located on the lower side in the Z direction. Therefore, in Figure 17A In the illustrated stage, the liquid within container 200 tends to distribute unevenly towards outlet member 201 under its own weight, and the outlet member 201 side of bag 202 expands more in the Y' direction compared to its central portion. The pressing part 61 is designed to press the end 43 side of container 200, where the outlet member 201 is located, in one of the ends 42 and 43. The pressing part 61 presses the expanded portion of bag 202 or a portion near that expanded portion, which promotes the flow of liquid within bag 202.

[0166] The outlet member 201 side of bag 202 is pressed by the pressing part 61, thus effectively stirring the liquid as it flows to the opposite side. When viewed from the pressing part 61 in the Y' direction of container 200, the pivot axis 62 of the pressing member 60 is located on the side opposite to the outlet member 201. During the pressing operation, the pivot direction of the pressing member 60 is... Figure 17BThe pivot direction is clockwise. Setting the pivot direction in this way generates a vector in the +Y' direction, which makes it easier for the liquid to flow in the +Y' direction. In other words, the liquid can flow more easily to the side of bag 202 opposite to the outlet member 201.

[0167] As previously described, in this embodiment, the pressing portion 61 at ends 42 and 43 is designed to press the container 200 from the end 43 side where the outlet member 201 is provided. In the bag 202, the vicinity of the inlet 203 of the container 200 is pressed, thus promoting agitation of the liquid, particularly in that area. During recording, the liquid in the container 200 flows into the tube 51 from the area near the inlet 203. Pressing and agitating the liquid near the inlet 203 allows for the feeding of a liquid with a more uniform concentration into the tube 51.

[0168] exist Figure 17B Drive the moving mechanism 63 in such a state as Figure 17C The illustrated press-release operation is as follows. During the press-release operation, the pressing member 60 pivots, and the pressing part 61 returns from the pressing position to the press-release position. When the press is released, the bag 202 attempts to return to its original shape while the liquid flows within it. The pressing operation can then be performed again.

[0169] Repeated pressing and releasing agitates the liquid in bag 202. In other words, when... Figure 17B As illustrated, when the pressing part 61 is in the pressing position, the portion of the container 200 near the pressing part 61 contracts, the liquid flows in the +Y' direction, and the side of the container 200 opposite to the outlet member 201 expands. Then, when... Figure 17C As illustrated, during the press and release operation, the ink that has already flowed under pressure flows along the -Y' direction under its own weight. Repeated pressing and releasing operations cause the liquid to move back and forth in the Y' direction within bag 202, thus agitating the liquid. The flow of liquid generated by the pressing and releasing operation utilizes the liquid's own weight. Using the liquid's own weight simplifies the structure of the mechanism required for agitating the liquid.

[0170] During repeated stirring operations, the stirring performance (stirring efficiency) of the liquid can be adjusted according to the repetition cycle. During the press-release operation, the liquid in bag 202 flows with a slight delay relative to the pivoting of the pressing member 60. The higher the fluidity of the liquid during the press-release operation, the higher the stirring efficiency. If the pressing operation is performed after the liquid has flowed sufficiently, the liquid holding capacity of bag 202 will increase near the pressing section 61 and bag 202 will expand, and pressing this area further increases the stirring efficiency. The cycle of the stirring operation is, for example, a cycle delayed by several Hz, and particularly a cycle delayed by 1 Hz. If the cycle of the stirring operation is delayed too much, the total time of the stirring operation may increase, and the electrical power consumed by motor 635 may increase. Therefore, the cycle of the stirring operation can be set in the range of 0.5 to 0.7 Hz, and particularly set to 0.6 Hz.

[0171] Furthermore, as the remaining liquid volume decreases and the container 200 collapses, the ink on the upper side (+Y' side) of the tilted container 200 flows to the -Y' side under its own weight, reducing the upper capacity. Conversely, the liquid accumulates on the lower side (-Y' side). In this state, the liquid flow distance in the +Y' direction is shortened during the pressing operation, and the liquid return time is also faster during the pressing and releasing operation. Therefore, the cycle of the stirring operation can be shortened based on the decrease in the remaining liquid volume in the container 200.

[0172] During the stirring operation, the pressing and releasing operations can be repeated with a time interval set between the pressing and releasing operation and the next pressing operation. The flow time of the liquid in bag 202 can be extended from the end of the pressing and releasing operation until the start of the next pressing operation, which further promotes the flow of the liquid under its own weight.

[0173] Several methods exist for adjusting the cycle of the stirring operation. One method uses a dwell angle within a range in which the cam follower 637, in contact with the inner cam surface 633e and the outer cam surface 633d, does not shift even when the cam 633 rotates. For example, the dwell angle of the cam follower 637 at its highest point is set to 40 degrees, and the dwell angle at its lowest point is also set to 40 degrees. The press-release position can be maintained specifically by ensuring a 40-degree dwell angle at the highest point.

[0174] The distribution angle for raising or lowering the cam follower 637 can also be set to a value as large as 140 degrees. This has the effect of reducing the load on the cam 633 when it rotates and allowing the pressing member 60 connected to it to slowly transition from the pressing state to the pressing release position, which ensures sufficient time for the ink to move to the vicinity of the pressing part 61. As a result, the ink moves sufficiently when the pressing is released, which improves the mixing efficiency.

[0175] As another method, the motor 635 is paused in the press-release position. If the motor stops for an effective period of the 40-degree dwell angle, the dwell angle can be made smaller, which allows for a larger distribution angle and further reduces the load on the cam rotation.

[0176] The timing of the stirring operation can be during operation for supplying liquid to the liquid ejection device 1, during the recovery operation for the nozzle 8 in the liquid ejection device 1, and during standby for recording operations, etc. The timing of the stirring operation is substantially unaffected by the operation of the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B and the liquid ejection device 1.

[0177] The duration of repeated stirring operations can be based on time or on the number of operations. For example, stirring operations can be repeated in cycles of tens of minutes, with only one cycle per day. Alternatively, for example, stirring operations can be repeated in cycles of tens of times, with only one cycle per day. The desired stirring duration and execution timing can be set by taking into account the settling velocity of the coloring material in the liquid.

[0178] As referenced above Figure 11 The container 200 and container support unit 24 are mounted to the storage unit 23A and are inclined relative to the horizontal plane. From the viewpoint of liquid stirring effect, the inclination angle is preferably less than 45 degrees, and more preferably not greater than 10 degrees. Figure 11 In the example, the tilt angle is assumed to be 3 degrees.

[0179] Although stirring by pressing can occur even when the tilt angle is close to 90 degrees, the weight of the ink itself acts in the direction that resists the flow of liquid generated by pressing. Therefore, a stronger compressive force is required to allow the liquid to flow sufficiently. If the tilt angle is set to less than 45 degrees, the weight of the liquid itself makes the vector of liquid flow in the -Y direction relatively small. Assuming the tilt angle is no greater than 10 degrees, a larger amount of expansion can be obtained with a lower compressive force in terms of the expansion of the -Y side portion of the bag 202 during the pressing operation. If the expansion of the bag 202 during pressing is large, a large amount of liquid is flowing internally. In other words, this leads to better stirring efficiency.

[0180] Figure 18 This is a perspective view illustrating liquid storage device 20A and liquid storage device 20B separately. (See diagram below.) Figure 18As illustrated, both liquid storage devices 20A and 20B are equipped with a pressing unit 600, which is a mechanism for the first stirring and has the same structure. However, liquid storage device 20B is provided with ten sections of a special color that require stirring and one section above it that is a cleaning liquid that does not require stirring. Therefore, although in Figure 12 and Figure 13 The pressing member 60 and spring 64 are designed for six stages, but in the liquid storage device 20B, the pressing member 60 and spring 64 are designed for ten stages. Apart from this, the structure of the pressing unit 600 is the same between the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B.

[0181] According to this structure, liquid storage devices 20A and 20B can independently perform ink stirring operations. The pressing unit 600 also has the same structure, which allows for the sharing of components and, consequently, reduces the cost of the equipment.

[0182] In this embodiment, the pressing part 61 is located at a height that does not contact the bag 202 when in the press-release position. However, the pressing part 61 can contact the bag 202, and the pressing part 61 can be located at a position where the bag 202 is pressed by a lower amount of pressure than when it is in the press position. In this way, if the pressing member 60 is in a low-pressure state when in the press-release position, the upper limit position of the pressing member 60 in the Z direction can remain low, which allows for a reduction in the Z-direction dimensions of the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B.

[0183] Furthermore, although the pressing member 60 is disposed in the housing 230 of the storage unit 23A in this embodiment, this structure allows the pressing member 60 to be disposed in the container support unit 24. In this case, a structure can be added that enables drive transmission between the moving mechanism 63 and the pressing member 60 when the container support unit 24 is installed in the storage unit 23A.

[0184] Furthermore, although this embodiment describes a structure in which the pressing part 61 presses the container 200, the container 200 can be deformed, for example, by repeatedly applying compressed air and then stopping the application of compressed air. Additionally, the space surrounding the container 200 can be pressurized and depressurized to deform the container 200.

[0185] The second stirring mechanism

[0186] Container 200 can hold various types of liquids and can be used for recording images and maintaining the printhead 8, etc. Depending on the type of ink, the coloring materials (such as pigments) in the ink can settle over time. For example, titanium dioxide used for highly water- and light-resistant pigments, and especially for white inks, is insoluble in water, and therefore settles, accumulates, and clumps at the bottom of the container due to gravity when left to stand for a long time. Therefore, to obtain the desired color development, it is necessary to uniformly disperse the components in the liquid while maintaining a predetermined particle size. In this embodiment, a liquid stirring device 100 for second stirring is provided, which allows such liquids to be stirred to disperse particles and improve their uniformity. In particular, automating the stirring of the liquid can reduce the burden on the user.

[0187] Equipment Overview

[0188] Figure 19 and Figure 20 This is a perspective view of a liquid mixing device 100. Specifically, Figure 19 This is a perspective view of the liquid mixing equipment 100 as seen from the front, and Figure 20 This is a perspective view of the liquid mixing equipment 100 as seen from the rear.

[0189] The liquid mixing device 100 includes a container unit 110 for containing liquid, a support unit 120 for pivotally supporting the container unit 110, and a drive unit 130 for pivoting the container unit 110 supported by the support unit 120. These structures are supported by the main body 22 of the liquid storage device 20A via a frame including frames 101 to 103.

[0190] In this embodiment, the liquid contained in the receiving unit 110 is stirred by pivoting the receiving unit 110 about a pivot center line CL, which is indicated as an imaginary line. Pivoting the receiving unit 110 allows for more efficient stirring of the liquid. The pivot center line CL is a line passing through the receiving unit 110, and in this embodiment, its direction is the Y direction.

[0191] In this embodiment, two container support units 24 are configured to be freely inserted into and removed from the receiving unit 110 from the front side of the receiving unit 110. This allows for simultaneous stirring of the liquids in both containers 200. The two container support units 24 are mounted in the receiving unit 110 with their upper and lower sections overlapping. Note that the number of container support units 24 that can be installed can be three or more, or it can be just one.

[0192] The drive unit 130 is arranged at the rear of the receiving unit 110, and a relatively large space is ensured at the front of the receiving unit 110. This improves the user's ability to insert and remove the container support unit 24 from the receiving unit 110. In addition, the liquid stirring device 100 has an integral structure extending in the Y direction, which makes it possible to reduce the size of the liquid stirring device 100 in the X direction.

[0193] containment unit

[0194] Reference Figure 19 and Figure 20 The receiving unit 110 is described below. The receiving unit 110 includes a receiving member 111 connected in the direction of the pivot center line CL, and a shaft fixing member 118.

[0195] The receiving member 111 is a hollow member that receives the container 200. The receiving member 111 includes a front end portion 111a, which is one end in the direction (Y direction) of the pivot center line CL, and a rear end portion 111b, which is the other end. Between the front end portion 111a and the rear end portion 111b, the outer wall portion 111c of the receiving member 111 is formed by a cylindrical portion 112 and a quadrangular cylindrical portion 113. The cylindrical portion 112 is formed closer to the front end portion 111a side than the rear end portion 111b, and the quadrangular cylindrical portion 113 is formed on both the front end portion 111a side and the rear end portion 111b side from the cylindrical portion 112. The cylindrical portion 112 forms a cylindrical outer peripheral surface. The quadrangular cylindrical portion 113 has a substantially square cylindrical shape. When the liquid stirring device 100 is viewed from the front, a fan-shaped cover member 111d covering the structure extending further from the front end portion 111a to the rear is attached to the front end portion 111a.

[0196] Besides reference Figure 19 and Figure 20 In addition, we will also refer to Figure 21 and Figure 22 Let's further describe the housing unit 110. Figure 21 This is a front view of the upper and lower receiving spaces 114 formed by the receiving member 111, illustrating the state in which the container support unit 24 has been removed from the receiving space 114. Figure 22 This is also a front view of the upper and lower receiving spaces 114, and the state (cross-sectional shape) of the container support unit 24 being received in the receiving space 114 is particularly illustrated. The receiving space 114 is formed integrally by the cross-shaped cylindrical portion 112 and the four corner cylindrical portions 113. Note that unless otherwise stated, the following description of orientation assumes that the receiving unit 110 is in its initial position.

[0197] The internal space of the receiving member 111 is divided into upper and lower sections by a partition wall 114b extending in the XY direction, and receiving spaces 114 parallel to the pivot center line CL are formed on the upper and lower sides of the partition wall 114b, respectively. The opening 114a, which serves as the entrance and exit to the receiving space 114, is open in the front end 111a of the receiving member 111.

[0198] The container support unit 24 is movable along the Y direction between a receiving position where the container 200 is housed in the receiving space 114 and a removal position where the container 200 is exposed outside the receiving unit 110. Since the container 200 can be replaced in the removal position, the task of refilling the liquid can be performed quickly, and the container support unit 24 can be reused. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since there are almost no structures near the opening 114a that would hinder the replacement task, the replacement of the container 200 is also highly convenient.

[0199] In this embodiment, the container support unit 24 is separated from the receiving space 114 in the removal position. However, the removal position can be a position where the end of the container support unit 24 remains within the receiving space 114, and can be any position where the container 200 can be replaced relative to the container support unit 24.

[0200] The distal side of the enclosed receiving space 114 (the end 111b side of the receiving member 111) is closed, and the needle member 110a protrudes in the Y direction at its wall portion. When the container support unit 24 is inserted into the receiving space 114, the needle member 110a is inserted into the supply port 201a of the container support unit 24. When the needle member 110a is inserted into the supply port 201a, a flow path is formed for the liquid contained in the bag 202 supported by the container support unit 24 to flow to the liquid ejection device 1, which is the supply destination.

[0201] The accommodating space 114 in this embodiment is a flat rectangular parallelepiped space, whose height in the Z direction is smaller than its width in the X direction and extends in the Y direction. Note that the accommodating space 114 can be a flat rectangular parallelepiped space, whose height in the Z direction is greater than its width in the X direction and extends in the Y direction.

[0202] The upper receiving space 114 is defined by a top wall 114c, left and right side walls 114d, and a partition wall 114b serving as a bottom wall, and the lower receiving space 114 is defined by a bottom wall 114e, left and right side walls 114f, and a partition wall 114b serving as a top wall. The partition wall 114b serving as the bottom wall of the upper receiving space 114 and the bottom wall 114e of the lower receiving space 114 may be provided with a joint, which corresponds to a reference... Figure 9A and Figure 9BThe described joint 231 holds the container support unit 24 in the receiving position.

[0203] A guide portion 114g is formed in each of the left and right sidewalls 114d of the upper receiving space 114. The guide portion 114g has a stepped or inclined shoulder-shaped cross-section and is configured to extend in the Y direction. When the container support unit 24 is inserted into and removed from the receiving space 114, the guide portion 114g acts as a guide rail on which the rib 44b of the container support unit 24 slides, and guides the displacement of the container support unit 24 in the insertion / removal direction. The guide portion 114g also contacts the rib 44b in a direction intersecting the direction of the pivot center line CL (in the initial position, the Z direction), and ensures that the container support unit 24 is displaced in this intersecting direction. This makes it possible to suppress the container support unit 24 from clicking within the receiving space 114 when the receiving unit 110 rotates.

[0204] Similarly, a guide portion 114h is formed in each of the left and right sidewalls 114f of the lower receiving space 114. The guide portion 114h has a convex shape protruding downward from the partition wall 114b and is configured to extend in the Y direction. When the container support unit 24 is inserted into and removed from the receiving space 114, the guide portion 114h acts as a guide rail for the ribs 44b of the container support unit 24 to slide on, and guides the displacement of the container support unit 24 in the insertion / removal direction. The guide portion 114h also contacts the ribs 44b in a direction intersecting the direction of the pivot center line CL (in the initial position, the Z direction), and ensures that the container support unit 24 displaces in this intersecting direction. This makes it possible to suppress the container support unit 24 from clicking within the receiving space 114 when the receiving unit 110 rotates.

[0205] The pivot center PC of the containing unit 110 is located on the partition wall 114b. The pivot center PC is any desired point on the pivot center line CL. According to the structure of this embodiment, the pivot center line CL passes between the two containing spaces 114, so the liquid in the two containers 200 can be more evenly stirred by the containing unit 110.

[0206] Pivot support structure

[0207] Reference Figure 19 , Figure 20 , Figure 23 and Figure 24 To describe the structure that supports the housing unit 110 in a pivotable manner. Figure 23 This is a front view of the liquid mixing device 100, mainly illustrating the pivot support structure of the housing unit 110. Figure 24This is a perspective view of the rear of the receiving unit 110 in the state where the drive unit 130 has been removed.

[0208] This section will describe the problems with the construction that supports the receiving unit 110 in a pivotable manner. If shafts are provided in the receiving unit 110 at both ends of the pivot center line CL, the presence of the shafts and their bearings may reduce design flexibility or user convenience. For example, in a construction where the container support unit 24 is inserted into or removed from the receiving unit 110 as described in this embodiment, the insertion / removal location and direction may be restricted. Furthermore, in constructions that contain and agitate large amounts of liquid, the rigidity of the shafts or bearings needs to be increased to cope with the weight of the liquid.

[0209] In this embodiment, such a problem can be solved by combining the support unit 120, which is a support structure without a shaft, with a support structure having a shaft (shaft member 117 and bearing member 103a (described later)).

[0210] The support unit 120 is a mechanism that pivotally supports the receiving unit 110 by contacting the outer wall portion 111c of the receiving unit 110. In this embodiment, the support unit 120 supports the receiving unit 110 in a pivotable manner about the pivot center line CL by having a plurality of contact portions 121 contact the cylindrical portion 112 of the receiving member 111. In this embodiment, the support unit 120 includes two contact portions 121, and the two contact portions 121 contact the cylindrical portion 112 at contact positions 112a spaced apart in the circumferential direction along the cylindrical portion 112.

[0211] In this embodiment, each contact portion 121 is a roller supported by a bearing 122 about an axis parallel to the pivot center line CL (Y direction). The bearing 122 is supported by the frame 101. The outer peripheral surface of the contact portion (roller) 121 contacts the cylindrical portion 112, and the receiving unit 110 is located between two contact portions (rollers) 121 to enable... Figure 23 It can rotate freely in the direction of arrow DR. Since the housing unit 110 is supported from below by two contact portions 121, structural stability can be achieved even if the housing unit 110 contains a large amount of liquid and the weight of the liquid increases, without the need for significant reinforcement in terms of stiffness.

[0212] The cylindrical portion 112 is formed closer to the front end portion 111a of the receiving member 111 than the rear end portion 111b, and the support unit 120 supports the receiving unit 110 in a position that allows it to pivot closer to the front end portion 111a than the rear end portion 111b. The receiving unit 110 is supported by the shaftless support unit 120 near the opening 114a where the container support unit 24 is inserted into and removed from the receiving space 114. The absence of a shaft or bearing at the front of the liquid mixing device 100 improves the ease of insertion and removal of the container support unit 24 by the user. On the other hand, when the container support unit 24 is inserted or removed, a load in the direction of gravity can easily act near the opening 114a. However, since the two contact portions 121 near the opening 114a support the receiving unit 110 from below, this load can be received stably.

[0213] The use of a housing member 111 with a cylindrical portion 112 and a quadrangular cylindrical portion 113 allows for a greater reduction in weight and pivoting moment of inertia compared to when the entire structure is formed as a cylindrical portion 112. The quadrangular cylindrical portion 113 has a long side portion 113a and a short side portion 113b forming its rectangular outline. In this embodiment, the relationship between the width WL of the long side portion 113a, the width WS of the short side portion 113b, and the radius R of the cylindrical portion 112 satisfies WL > WS and WS < 2 × R. Setting the width WS of the quadrangular cylindrical portion 113 to be smaller than the diameter (2 × R) of the cylindrical portion 112 allows for a reduction in weight and pivoting moment of inertia.

[0214] On the other hand, the relationship WL>2×R is satisfied, and the cylindrical portion 112 and the contact position 112a are located within an imaginary circle VC passing through the outermost part of the receiving unit 110 and centered on the pivot center PC. Therefore, the liquid stirring device 100 can be made smaller. The sidewall 22c of the storage unit 23B can be brought closer to the receiving unit 110, and thus the liquid stirring device 100 can be made smaller in the X direction.

[0215] A shaft member 117 is disposed at the rear of the receiving unit 110 (on its rear end portion 111b side). The shaft member 117 is fixed to the end of the shaft fixing member 118 and extends along the pivot center line CL. The shaft fixing member 118 is a hollow body having a flange portion 118a fixed to the rear end portion 111b of the receiving member 111 and a body portion 118b extending rearward from the flange portion 118a, and the shaft member 117 is fixed to the end of the body portion 118b. The frame 103 includes a plate-shaped bearing member 103a, and the shaft member 117 is supported by being inserted into the shaft hole 103b. The receiving unit 110 is supported pivotally not only by the support unit 120 but also by the shaft member 117 and the bearing member 103a, which prevents the pivot center PC of the receiving unit 110 from shifting, thereby enabling more stable pivoting. The shaft member 117 and the bearing member 103a are located on the side of the receiving unit 110 opposite to the opening 114a, so the convenience of inserting and removing the container support unit 24 will not be compromised for the user.

[0216] The liquid mixing apparatus 100 is further provided with a restraining unit 150, which restrains the displacement of the receiving member 111 in the direction intersecting the pivot center line CL. In this embodiment, the restraining unit 150 restrains the displacement of the receiving member 111 in the Z direction. When an upward force is applied to the front side of the receiving unit 110 during the insertion and removal of the container support unit 24, resulting in its tilting, a load in the bending direction acts on the shaft member 117. The restraining unit 150 is provided to prevent such a change in orientation.

[0217] The constraint unit 150 of this embodiment includes a plurality of contact portions 151 facing the cylindrical portion 112 in the Z direction at a position above the pivot center line CL. When the receiving member 111 attempts to move upward, the plurality of contact portions 151 contact the cylindrical portion 112 and physically prevent such movement. The plurality of contact portions 151 may be in constant contact with the cylindrical portion 112, or may generally be in a position slightly separated from it in the Z direction.

[0218] In this embodiment, the constraint unit 150 includes two contact portions 151, which are spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion 112. Each contact portion 151 in this embodiment is a roller supported by a bearing 152 about an axis parallel to the pivot center line CL (Y direction). The bearing 152 is supported by the frame 102.

[0219] The two contact portions 151 are positioned in the same direction as the two contact portions 121 of the support unit 120 in the X and Y directions. The same components can be used for both the assembly including the two contact portions 151 and the bearing 152, and the assembly including the two contact portions 121 and the bearing 122 of the support unit 120. Using the same components reduces the number of different types of components used.

[0220] drive unit

[0221] Reference Figure 19 and Figure 20 The structure of the drive unit 130 is described. The drive unit 130 is arranged on the outside (rear side) of the rear end 111b of the receiving member 111 in the direction of the pivot center line CL. Arranging the drive unit 130 on the side of the receiving unit 110 opposite to the opening 114a reduces the number of mechanisms around the opening 114a and improves the convenience of the user for inserting and removing the container support unit 24.

[0222] The drive unit 130 includes a motor 131 as a drive source. The motor 131 is fixed to a frame (not shown). A gear 132 is attached to the output shaft of the motor 131. In this embodiment, the motor 131 is a stepper motor. The amount of pivoting of the housing unit 110 can be controlled based on the amount of rotation of the motor 131. The motor 131 can be a DC motor, in which case a rotation sensor such as a rotary encoder can be provided to control its rotation.

[0223] The drive unit 130 includes gears 133, 134, and 135. Gears 133 and 134 are rotatably supported by a frame (not shown). Gears 133 and 134 are both two-stage gears, wherein the larger gears of gears 132 and 133 mesh together, and the smaller gear of gear 133 meshes with the larger gear of gear 134. The smaller gear of gear 134 meshes with gear 135. A torque limiter 133a is disposed between the smaller and larger gears of gear 133 and is capable of blocking the drive transmission between them. The torque limiter 133a prevents the motor 131 from being overloaded. In addition, if a user accidentally touches the receiving unit 110 while it is pivoting, the transmission of drive force is interrupted by the torque limiter 133a, which also suppresses the situation where a large load is applied to the user's hand.

[0224] Gear 135 is fixed to shaft member 117. When motor 131 is driven, its driving force is transmitted to shaft member 117, and housing unit 110 pivots. Bearing member 103a is located between gear 135 and shaft fixing member 118, and as a result, housing unit 110 is located in the direction of pivot centerline CL. Although a gear mechanism is used in this embodiment as the mechanism for transmitting driving force from motor 131 to shaft member 117, another type of transmission mechanism, such as a belt transmission mechanism, can be used instead.

[0225] Example of stirring operation

[0226] Figure 25 An example of a stirring operation (operation of the pivoting containment unit 110) implemented by the drive unit 130 is shown. State ST141 is the state in which the containment unit 110 is in its initial position. In the initial position, the long side portion 113a of the containment member 111 is horizontal. The support portion 40 of the container support unit 24 and the container 200 in the containment space 114 are also horizontal, and the accordion pleats 202a on both sides of the container 200 are at the same height.

[0227] State ST142 is an inclined state in which the containing unit 110 has been pivoted counterclockwise by an angle θ1 from its initial position. The position of the containing unit 110 in this state will be referred to as the "left-tilted position". The accordion pleats 202a on both sides of the container 200 are positioned such that the right accordion pleat 202a is higher than the left accordion pleat 202a in this figure. Liquid in the container 200 flows from the area of ​​the right accordion pleat 202a to the area of ​​the left accordion pleat 202a.

[0228] State ST143 is an inclined state in which the containing unit 110 has been pivoted clockwise by an angle θ2 from its initial position. The position of the containing unit 110 in this state will be referred to as the "right-tilted position". The accordion pleats 202a on both sides of the container 200 are positioned such that the accordion pleats 202a on the left side of the figure are higher than the accordion pleats 202a on the right side. Liquid in the container 200 flows from the area of ​​the accordion pleats 202a on the left side to the area of ​​the accordion pleats 202a on the right side.

[0229] For example, the liquid in the container 200 can be stirred by repeatedly changing the orientation of the containing unit 110 from state ST141 to state ST142, then back to state ST141, then back to state ST143, then back to state ST141, etc.

[0230] When the orientation of the housing unit 110 is changed from state ST142 to state ST143, the pivoting can be temporarily stopped in state ST141. Conversely, the orientation of the housing unit 110 can be continuously changed from state ST141 to state ST143 without stopping the pivoting in state ST141. The same applies to the case where the orientation of the housing unit 110 is changed from state ST143 to state ST142.

[0231] After the orientation of the receiving unit 110 is continuously changed between states ST142 and ST143 multiple times without stopping the pivoting at state ST141, the pivoting can be stopped at state ST141 for a predetermined time. This operation can be repeated. Stopping the pivoting at state ST141 for a predetermined time reduces the electrical power consumed by the motor 131, and continuing the pivoting before particles in the liquid begin to settle maintains the homogeneity of the liquid.

[0232] Angles θ1 and θ2 can be the same angle or different angles. Angles θ1 and θ2 can be the same angle when stirring is performed under certain conditions, and different angles when stirring is performed under different conditions. If angles θ1 and θ2 are different angles, the relationship between them can alternate between θ1>θ2 and θ1<θ2.

[0233] If angles θ1 and θ2 are too small, the stirring effect may be weakened, and if angles θ1 and θ2 are too large, the container 200 may become distorted. Therefore, angles θ1 and θ2 can be, for example, angles selected from a range of at least 20 degrees and less than 90 degrees, or angles selected from a range of at least 60 degrees and at most 80 degrees. 70 degrees can be given as a specific example of an angle.

[0234] Angles θ1 and θ2 can vary depending on the conditions under which the stirring operation begins. For example, a larger angle can be used when it is estimated that the particles have settled more extensively, and a smaller angle can be used when it is estimated that the particles have not settled extensively. In other words, the angle increases if settling is more extensive, and decreases if settling is less extensive, allowing for appropriate stirring depending on the situation. Here, in addition to the angle, the stirring effect also depends on the pivoting speed and the pattern of orientation changes, and factors other than the angle can be altered to achieve appropriate stirring.

[0235] The pivoting control of container 110 starts from a standstill, accelerates to a constant speed, and then decelerates to a stop. If the constant pivoting speed (the rotational speed of motor 131) is too high, container 200 may be overloaded, while if the pivoting speed is too slow, stirring will take longer. Therefore, the constant pivoting speed can be, for example, selected from a range of at least 20 degrees / second and at most 160 degrees / second, or from a range of at least 30 degrees / second and at most 140 degrees / second. The constant pivoting speed can be related to angles θ1 and θ2. For example, if angles θ1 and θ2 are θα, the pivoting speed can be V1, and if angles θ1 and θ2 are θβ, which is larger than θα, the pivoting speed can be V2, which is slower than V1. Controlling the stirring operation as described above allows for a reduction in the load on container 200 and ensures the fluidity of the liquid.

[0236] Pivot range constraint construction

[0237] The following problems exist: if the receiving unit 110 pivots too much, the drive system will malfunction, or the liquid discharge pipe will become twisted and obstruct the flow of liquid. Excessive pivoting may occur when, for example, a user accidentally pivots the receiving unit 110 by hand while inserting or removing the container support unit 24 from the receiving unit 110. The liquid stirring apparatus 100 of this embodiment is provided with a structure that physically restricts the pivoting range of the receiving unit 110.

[0238] Reference Figure 19 , Figure 20 , Figure 23 and Figures 26 to 28 Describe the construction of pivot range constraints. Figure 26 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the pivot constraint unit 140, and Figure 27 and Figure 28 This is a diagram illustrating the state of pivoting constrained by pivot constraint unit 140.

[0239] The liquid mixing apparatus 100 is provided with a pivot restraint unit 140 that restricts the pivoting range of the receiving unit 110. The pivot restraint unit 140 is provided with stops 141 and 142 that physically restrain the pivoting by contacting the receiving unit 110. By directly restraining the pivoting of the receiving unit 110 by contacting the receiving unit 110, the pivot restraint unit 140 can reliably suppress excessive pivoting of the receiving unit 110.

[0240] Stops 141 and 142 are block-shaped members fixed to the frame 101 and include inclined contact surfaces 141a and 142a. Stop 141 limits the pivoting of the receiving unit 110 in one direction (from) by contacting a contact portion 115 formed on the outer wall portion 111c of the contact receiving unit 110. Figure 25The upper limit of the range from state ST141 to state ST142. The stop 142 limits the pivoting of the receiving unit 110 in another direction (from state ST141 to state ST142) by means of the contact portion 116 formed on the outer wall portion 111c of the contact receiving unit 110. Figure 25 The upper limit of the range from state ST141 to state ST143. In this embodiment, the upper limit of the pivot range defined by stops 141 and 142 is the same angle.

[0241] Contact portions 115 and 116 are formed in the four-cornered cylindrical portion 113, and specifically, in the long side portion 113a rather than the short side portion 113b. If the contact portion protrudes from the short side portion 113b, the presence of this contact portion tends to increase... Figure 23 The diameter of the imaginary circle VC is illustrated. This may result in an increase in the size of the liquid mixing device 100 in both the X and Z directions. Forming the contacts 115 and 116 as part of the long side portion 113a allows for a reduction in the size of the liquid mixing device 100.

[0242] like Figure 12 As illustrated, the contact surfaces 141a and 142a of the stops 141 and 142 are located within the imaginary circle VC. In other words, the positions where the stops 141 and 142 contact the contacts 115 and 116 in the radial direction of the pivot of the receiving unit 110 (the radial direction of the imaginary circle VC) are located within the imaginary circle VC. The positions of the stops 141 and 142 in the X and Z directions can be kept within a narrow range, thus allowing the liquid stirring device 100 to be smaller in the X and Z directions.

[0243] like Figure 26 As illustrated, when viewed in the direction of the pivot center line CL, based on the contact position, contact portions 115 and 116 are spaced apart by a distance W1 in the X direction, and stops 141 and 142 are spaced apart by a distance W2 in the X direction, and these distances satisfy the relationship W1 > W2. Since the range of the stops 141 and 142 in the X direction is no greater than the width of the receiving member 111, the liquid stirring device 100 can be made smaller in the X direction.

[0244] Additionally, contacts 115 and 116 are formed at the X-direction end of the long side portion 113a (the boundary with the short side portion 113b). Since this position is relatively far from the pivot center PC, the pivoting of the receiving unit 110 can be more reliably restrained even if the stiffness of the stops 141 and 142 is relatively low.

[0245] Stops 141 and 142 are spaced apart in the direction of the pivot center line CL (Y direction). According to this configuration of stops 141 and 142, contacts 115 and 116 are also arranged to be spaced apart in the direction of the pivot center line CL (Y direction). Arranging stops 141 and 142 offset in the direction of the pivot center line CL allows for a shorter distance in the X direction between stops 141 and 142 even if the permissible housing unit 110 pivots over a wide range. This allows for a reduction in the size of the liquid mixing device 100 in the X direction.

[0246] Figure 27 This is a perspective view from two directions, illustrating the state in which the stop 141 contacts the contact portion 115 and restrains the pivoting of the receiving unit 110. The contact portion 115 contacts the contact surface 141a of the stop 141 and physically restrains further pivoting of the receiving unit 110. An interference avoidance portion 115' is formed in the receiving member 111 adjacent to the contact portion 115. In this embodiment, the interference avoidance portion 115' is a recess that allows interference between the stop 142 and the receiving member 111 to be avoided.

[0247] Figure 28 These are perspective views from two directions illustrating the state in which the stop 142 contacts the contact portion 116 and restrains the pivoting of the receiving unit 110. The contact portion 116 contacts the contact surface 142a of the stop 142 and physically restrains further pivoting of the receiving unit 110. An interference avoidance portion 116' is formed in the receiving member 111 adjacent to the contact portion 116. In this embodiment, the interference avoidance portion 116' is a recess that prevents interference between the stop 141 and the receiving member 111.

[0248] Although the pivot range of the receiving unit 110 is constrained in this embodiment by the contact of the receiving member 111 with the stops 141 and 142, other parts can be used to constrain the pivot range. For example, the pivot range of the receiving unit 110 can be constrained by contacting the stops with the gears 133, 134 or 135 of the drive unit 130 to constrain its rotation.

[0249] Pivot position detection

[0250] The container unit 110 may be touched by a user, and its position may shift when the liquid mixing device 100 is turned off. In this embodiment, the torque limiter 133a is located in the drive transmission path of the drive unit 130, so an error may occur between the amount of rotation of the motor 131 and the pivot position of the container unit 110. If the identification error of the pivot position of the container unit 110 is large, the pivot control of the container unit 110 may not be accurately performed during mixing operations. In this embodiment, the accuracy of the identification of the pivot position of the container unit 110 is improved by providing a sensor for detecting the position of the container unit 110.

[0251] Reference Figure 20 , Figure 27 , Figure 28 and Figure 29 Describes pivot position detection. Figure 29 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the position detection operation performed by the receiving unit 110.

[0252] The receiving unit 110 is provided with a detection piece 181 that pivots together with the receiving unit 110 about the pivot center line CL. In this embodiment, the detection piece 181 is integrally formed with the gear 135 and is fixed to the shaft member 117 by the gear 135. A sensor 180 that detects the detection piece 181 is fixed to the frame 103. The sensor 180 is, for example, an optical sensor, and detects whether the detection piece 181 is present at the detection position of the sensor 180. When the receiving unit 110 is viewed from the rear, if the pivot center PC is regarded as the center of the clock face, the detection position is the 3 o'clock position (see...). Figure 29 ).

[0253] The detection piece 181 includes a portion extending about the pivot center line CL, and the sensor 180 detects the detection piece 181 when the pivot position of the receiving unit 110 is within a certain pivot range. In this embodiment, the detection piece 181 has an arc (or fan) shape centered on the pivot center line CL, and in particular, in this embodiment, the detection piece 181 has a semi-circular arc shape.

[0254] In this embodiment, the position where the edge of the detection piece 181 intersects with the sensor 180 (e.g., the position where the detection result changes from never being detected to being detected) is considered the reference position. The reference position corresponds to the initial position of the receiving unit 110. Figure 25 (State ST141 in the middle). Figure 29 State ST182 illustrates the positional relationship between the detection piece 181 and the sensor 180 when the receiving unit 110 is in its initial position.

[0255] The detection piece 181 is configured such that when the receiving unit 110 moves from its initial position... Figure 25During the left tilt position indicated by state ST142, the detection piece 181 is detected by sensor 180. Figure 29 State ST183 in the middle is the pivoting of the housing unit 110 from its initial position to... Figure 25 The position in the middle of the left tilt position (state ST142).

[0256] The detection piece 181 is configured such that when the receiving unit 110 moves from its initial position... Figure 25 During the right tilt position indicated by state ST143, the detection piece 181 was not detected by the sensor 180. Figure 29 State ST181 is when the housing unit 110 pivots from its initial position to... Figure 25 The right-tilted position (state ST143) is the middle position.

[0257] Next, an example of processing using the detection results from sensor 180 will be described. This processing can be performed by control unit 32 (described later). First, refer to... Figure 29 An example of an initialization process that pivots the housing unit 110 to its initial position is described. For example, the initialization process can be performed when the liquid mixing device 100 is energized. For example, the initialization process can also be performed periodically after the liquid mixing device 100 is energized.

[0258] In the initialization process, the detection result is first obtained from sensor 180, and it is determined whether detection piece 181 has been detected. If so... Figure 29 If the detection piece 181 is not detected as indicated by state ST181, then the receiving unit 110 can be determined to be in a position further tilted to the right compared to its initial position (towards...). Figure 25 The state ST143) is pivoted. Therefore, the drive unit 130 is used to pivot the receiving unit 110 in the direction of arrow RL, and the pivoting of the receiving unit 110 stops when the detection result of the sensor 180 changes from never being detected to being detected. This operation causes the receiving unit 110 to be in the initial position.

[0259] If as Figure 29 If the detection piece 181 is detected as indicated by state ST183, then the receiving unit 110 can be determined to be in a position further tilted to the left compared to its initial position (towards...). Figure 25The receiving unit 110 is pivoted in the direction of arrow RR using the drive unit 130. After the detection result of the sensor 180 changes from detected to undetected, the pivoting direction of the receiving unit 110 is reversed, and the receiving unit 110 stops at the position where the detection result of the sensor 180 changes from undetected to detected. This operation causes the receiving unit 110 to be in its initial position.

[0260] In this way, in this embodiment, the shape of the detection piece 181 is set to correspond to the pivoting position of the receiving unit 110, so that the pivoting direction of the receiving unit 110 relative to the initial position can be determined based on the detection result of the sensor 180. As a result, the initialization process can be completed quickly.

[0261] Next, an example of pivoting error handling in containment unit 110 during stirring operation will be described. Figure 25 In the illustrated stirring operation, whenever the housing unit 110 passes the initial position (state ST141), the detection result of the sensor 180 switches from never detected to detected or from detected to not detected. If the detection result of the sensor 180 does not switch even when the rotation amount of the motor 131 reaches a predetermined amount, it can be determined that a foreign object has interfered with the drive unit 130 or the housing unit 110, and pivoting is impossible.

[0262] If the control unit 32 determines that pivoting is impossible, it can perform error handling actions such as stopping the drive of the motor 131 or notifying the user. For example, a message prompting the liquid dispensing device 1 or the liquid stirring device 100 to be shut down and reset can be displayed on the operation panel 10 or the host computer 300, or such a message can be issued via audio. Alternatively, an error code can be displayed on the operation panel 10 or the host computer 300, or such an error code can be communicated via audio, guiding the user to make a service call.

[0263] Although the detection piece 181 is integrally formed with the gear 135 in this embodiment, the position of the detection piece 181 is not limited to the gear 135. For example, the detection piece 181 may be disposed in the receiving member 111 or in the cylindrical portion 112.

[0264] Liquid discharge structure

[0265] Next, the construction for discharging liquid from container 200 through needle member 110a will be described. Between the rear end 111b of receiving member 111 and shaft fixing member 118, a flow path forming member 119 is provided in the rear end 111b. Figure 30The diagram illustrates the flow path forming member 119 of the rear end portion 111b of the receiving member 111 and the valve unit 170, and shows the state in which the shaft fixing member 118 has been removed from the rear end portion 111b. Figure 31 Examples are given of the flow path formed by the flow path forming member 119 and the orientation change of the flow path forming member 119 due to the pivoting of the receiving unit 110.

[0266] exist Figure 31 In the container 200, the flow path forming member 119 forms a liquid flow path 119b and two liquid flow paths 119a branching from the flow path 119b. An outlet hole 1903 is formed at the end of the flow path 119b. A connecting hole 1901 is formed at the end of each flow path 119a, communicating with each needle member 110a of the upper and lower receiving spaces 114. A check valve 1902 is formed at the middle of each flow path 119a. The liquid in the container 200 flows sequentially from the needle member 110a through the connecting hole 1901, the flow path 119a, the flow path 119b, and the outlet hole 1903 to the outside of the receiving unit 110.

[0267] In addition, Figure 31 In the diagram, state ST201 indicates the orientation of the flow path forming member 119 when the receiving unit 110 is in its initial position. State ST202 indicates the orientation of the flow path forming member 119 when the receiving unit 110 is in its left tilt position. Figure 25 The orientation of the flow path forming member 119 is indicated in state ST142. State ST203 indicates the orientation of the receiving unit 110 when it is in the right-tilted position. Figure 25 The orientation of the flow path forming component 119 when in state ST143).

[0268] If the liquid stirring device 100 remains inactive for an extended period while the containing unit 110 is in its initial position, particles contained in the liquid may settle around the branch points of flow path 119b and the two flow paths 119a. However, in this embodiment, when the containing unit 110 pivots due to stirring operation, the flow path forming member 119 also pivots and its orientation changes. This change in the inclination of flow paths 119a and 119b makes it easier for particles that have settled around the branch points to flow with the liquid, and prevents flow paths 119a and 119b from becoming clogged by particles.

[0269] Figure 30The illustrated valve unit 170 is an electric valve that switches the flow path 119a between open and closed at a position 171' near the branch point of the flow path 119b and the two flow paths 119a. The valve unit 170 includes two valve bodies 171 corresponding to the two positions 171', a motor 172 as a drive source, and a position sensor 173 for detecting the positions of the two valve bodies 171. The valve bodies 171 are driven by the motor 172 via a cam mechanism (not shown) built into the valve unit 170, thereby switching the flow path 119a between closed and open.

[0270] Valve unit 170 allows selection to close both flow paths 119a or open one of them. For example, when containers 200 containing the same type of liquid are held in both containment spaces 114, liquid is supplied from one container 200 and the supply of liquid from the other container 200 is stopped. When no liquid remains in one container 200, liquid is supplied from the other container 200 and the supply of liquid from that container 200 is stopped. The container 200 with no remaining liquid can then be replaced with a new container 200.

[0271] Conduit wiring structure

[0272] A flexible tube is connected to outlet port 1903, and liquid is supplied to liquid ejection device 1 through the tube. For example... Figure 31 As illustrated, the flow path forming member 119 also pivots as the receiving unit 110 pivots, and the position of the outlet orifice 1903 changes. It is necessary to prevent situations where this positional movement causes the tube to become distorted, or to behave unintended and come into contact with surrounding structures, resulting in damage. In this embodiment, such problems are solved by using a configuration that controls the behavior of the tube as it pivots in the receiving unit 110.

[0273] Reference Figure 20 , Figure 24 , Figure 27 , Figure 28 and Figures 32 to 34 Describe the pipe configuration structure. Figure 32 This is a rear view illustrating the rear of the housing unit 110, in which the drive unit 130, except for the gear 135, has been removed. Figure 33 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the retaining member 165. Figure 34 This is a diagram illustrating an example of a change in the form of tube 160, etc., when the housing unit 110 pivots.

[0274] The end 160a of the tube 160 is connected to the outlet port 1903, and the tube 160 extends from the receiving unit 110. The tube 160 forms a discharge path for liquid to be discharged from the receiving unit 110 (i.e., liquid in the container 200). A fixing member 161 is provided in the periphery of the body portion 118b of the shaft fixing member 118. The fixing member 161 is a clamp-type member that holds the middle portion of the tube 160 and fixes the middle portion of the tube 160 to the receiving unit 110. The fixing member 161 pivots together with the receiving unit 110 about the pivot center line CL.

[0275] The frame 103 is provided with a fixing member 162. The fixing member 162 is a clamp-type member that fixes the middle portion of the pipe 160 downstream of the fixing member 161 in the direction of liquid flow. The fixing member 162 is fixed to the frame 103 and is therefore a stationary member that does not pivot with the receiving unit 110. Figure 20 As illustrated, fixing members 161 and 162 are arranged on an imaginary plane VF orthogonal to the pivot center line CL. In this embodiment, fixing members 161 and 162 are arranged on the same imaginary plane, but the imaginary plane VF on which fixing member 161 is arranged and the imaginary plane VF on which fixing member 162 is arranged can be offset in the direction of the pivot center line CL. In this case, the tube 160 can be arranged in a spiral manner extending in the direction of the pivot center line CL.

[0276] like Figure 32 As illustrated, if the pivot center PC is considered the center of the clock face when the receiving unit 110 is in its initial position, then the fixing member 161 is at the 2 o'clock position and the fixing member 162 is at the 10 o'clock position. The tube 160 extends from the end 160a clockwise through the upper side of the body portion 118b to the fixing member 161, and further clockwise through the lower side of the body portion 118b to the fixing member 162. Then, the tube 160 extends further from the fixing member 162... Figure 24 ). Figure 32 and Figure 33 The tube 160 is illustrated only in the section from end 160a to fixing member 162. When viewed from the Y direction, fixing members 161 and 162 are arranged at least on the inside of the cylindrical portion 112. This allows for a reduction in the size of the area of ​​movement of the tube 160 in the X direction as it pivots together with the housing unit 110.

[0277] Fixing member 161 fixes the middle portion of tube 160 so that it is oriented more toward the tangential direction L1 than the radial direction L2 of the imaginary circle on the XZ plane centered at the pivot center PC, and in this embodiment, the middle portion is oriented along the tangential direction L1. Similarly, fixing member 162 fixes the middle portion of tube 160 so that it is oriented more toward the tangential direction L3 than the radial direction L4 of the imaginary circle on the XZ plane centered at the pivot center PC, and in this embodiment, the middle portion is oriented along the tangential direction L3. For this reason, in the tube section from end 160a of tube 160 to fixing member 161 and in the tube section from fixing member 161 to fixing member 162, tube 160 is routed around the pivot center line CL in an arc or spiral manner. Fixing members 161 and 162 are configured to fix tube 160 substantially parallel to the tangential directions L1 and L3, respectively. This allows the expansion direction of the tube 160, which pivots together with the housing unit 110, to be guided in the direction of gravity, and suppresses damage to the tube 160 by reducing the load on the tube 160. As a result, the expansion of the tube 160 in the X direction is also reduced, which allows the size of the space in which the tube 160 is disposed to be reduced in the X direction.

[0278] In this embodiment, the conduit 160 is routed together with the cable (e.g., a flexible flat cable) 163 and the flexible ribbon member 164 in the conduit section from the fixing member 161 to the fixing member 162.

[0279] Cable 163 includes, for example, wiring for electrical components housed in receiving unit 110, such as electrical wiring for motor 172 and sensor 173. Like conduit 160, the middle portion of cable 163 is secured by fixing member 161, and its downstream middle portion is secured by fixing member 162. In the cable section from fixing member 161 to fixing member 162, cable 163 is routed in an arc or spiral pattern around pivot centerline CL. In this embodiment, conduit 160, cable 163, fixing member 161, and fixing member 162 are arranged on the receiving member 111 further rearward than the front end 111a, and particularly further rearward than the rear end 111b. This structure does not obstruct the user's insertion and removal of container support unit 24 on the front end 111a side, thus improving user convenience.

[0280] The strap member 164 is, for example, a polyester film. The strap member 164 supports the tube 160 and the cable 163, and further stabilizes the behavior of the tube 160 and the cable 163 when the receiving unit 110 pivots. The strap member 164 extends from the fixing member 161 to the fixing member 162.

[0281] Multiple retaining members 165 are used to route the conduit 160 and cable 163 together with the strapping member 164. The multiple retaining members 165 are binding members configured in the section from the fixing member 161 to the fixing member 162 and binding the conduit 160 together with the cable 163 and the strapping member 164. Figure 33 This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the construction of a retaining member 165, which is configured such that the intermediate portions of the tube 160, cable 163, and belt member 164 are clamped together with a gap 165a. The retaining member 165 prevents the tube 160, cable 163, and belt member 164 from coming loose.

[0282] Reference Figure 34 Describes the behavior of the tube 160, cable 163, and belt member 164 (hereinafter referred to as "tube 160, etc.") when the receiving unit 110 pivots. State ST221 is the state in which the receiving unit 110 is in its initial position. The tube 160, etc., has moderate clearance or slack in the space from the fixing member 161 to the fixing member 162.

[0283] Status ST222 indicates that the housing unit 110 is in the left tilt position. Figure 25 In state ST142, tube 160 takes the form of [formation missing]. Compared to state ST221, in state ST222, the length of the section between fixed member 161 and fixed member 162 in the clockwise direction in this figure is shorter, and the two are very close together. In the section from fixed member 161 to fixed member 162, the clearance or slack in tube 160 increases, and the radius of the arc formed by this section increases.

[0284] Status ST223 indicates that when the receiving unit 110 is in the right tilt position ( Figure 25 In state ST143, the tube 160 is in the form of tube 160. Compared to state ST221, in state ST223, the length of the section between the fixing member 161 and the fixing member 162 in the clockwise direction in this figure is longer, and the two are spaced apart. In the section from the fixing member 161 to the fixing member 162, the clearance or slack in the tube 160 is reduced, and the radius of the arc formed by this section is reduced. Although the tube 160 and the like are near the outer peripheral surface of the body portion 118b, these components do not contact each other, and the tube 160 and the like do not contact the valve unit 170.

[0285] In this way, in this embodiment, the behavior of the tube accompanying the pivoting of the receiving unit 110 can be controlled by using a wiring pattern in which the radius of the arc formed by the tube 160, etc., varies according to the pivoting direction of the receiving unit 110. As a result, the occurrence of twisting and unintended behavior in the tube 160, etc., can be suppressed.

[0286] In addition, as with the mechanism used in the first stirring described above, an electrically operated flow valve is provided at the middle of the tube 160. The tube 160 can be closed and opened by opening and closing the flow valve.

[0287] control circuit

[0288] Reference Figure 35 Describe the structure of the control circuit of system A. Figure 35 This is a block diagram illustrating the control circuitry of system A. The main control unit 30 controls the entire system A in response to instructions from the host computer 300 or the operation panel 10, etc. Control unit 31 controls the liquid dispensing device 1 based on instructions from the main control unit 30. Control unit 32 controls the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B based on instructions from the main control unit 30. The main control unit 30, as well as control units 31 and 32, include, for example, at least one processor, at least one storage device, and at least one input / output interface. The storage device is, for example, a semiconductor memory such as RAM or ROM. The input / output interface inputs / outputs signals between the processor and external devices (sensors or motors, etc.).

[0289] The ejection control unit 35 controls the ejection head 8, and in particular, controls the ejection of liquid. The actuator assembly 34 includes a delivery motor as the drive source for the delivery unit 6, a carriage motor as the drive source for the carriage (not shown) movement mechanism, a winding motor as the drive source for the winding unit 5, and a recovery motor as the drive source for the recovery unit 9. The actuator assembly 34 also includes a cutter motor, etc., as the drive source for a cutter (not shown) that cuts the recording medium M after image recording. The sensor assembly 33 includes various sensors installed in the liquid ejection device 1.

[0290] Clock unit 38 is a counter that outputs the result of counting elapsed time to control unit 32. The counting result from clock unit 38 can be used when managing the stirring period of a liquid by time. The counting result from clock unit 38 can also be used to determine the stirring timing.

[0291] The actuator assembly 37 includes a motor 635 installed in the pressing unit 600 (which is the mechanism for the first stirring), motors 131 and 172 installed in the liquid stirring device 100 (which is the mechanism for the second stirring), and a flow path valve 52, etc. The sensor assembly 36 includes sensors 23C, 58, 230A (which will be described later), and sensors 26 and 180 installed in the liquid stirring device 100, etc.

[0292] Examples of processing using control circuits

[0293] Next, an example of a process performed by the control unit 32 for a stirring operation using the liquid stirring device 100 will be described. Here, a stirring operation using the pivot constraint unit 140 will be described. The pivot constraint unit 140 is constructed to physically constrain the pivot range of the receiving unit 110 as described above. On the other hand, by intentionally causing the contact portions 115 and 116 to collide with the stops 141 and 142, the receiving unit 110 can withstand impact, which improves the liquid stirring effect. However, noise may be generated when the contact portions 115 and 116 contact the stops 141 and 142. Therefore, operating conditions are preset, and any of the following pivoting operations with different pivot ranges of the receiving unit 110 are performed depending on whether the operating conditions are met.

[0294] Figure 36 An example of the pivoting operation of the receiving unit 110 during normal stirring is illustrated. State ST251 is the state where the receiving unit 110 is in its initial position. State ST252 is the state where the receiving unit 110 has pivoted to a left-tilted position. At this time, the pivoting direction of the receiving unit 110 is reversed before the contact portion 115 contacts the stop member 141. As an example, the rotation amount of the motor 131 is controlled such that the pivoting of the receiving unit 110 stops before the contact portion 115 contacts the stop member 141, and then the motor 131 rotates in the opposite direction. The contact portion 115 does not contact the stop member 141, which prevents noise from being generated.

[0295] State ST253 indicates that the receiving unit 110 has pivoted to the right tilt position. Similarly, the pivoting direction of the receiving unit 110 is reversed before the contact portion 116 contacts the stop 142. As an example, the rotation amount of the motor 131 is controlled such that the pivoting of the receiving unit 110 stops before the contact portion 116 contacts the stop 142, and then the motor 131 rotates in the opposite direction. The contact portion 116 does not contact the stop 142, which prevents noise from being generated.

[0296] Figure 37 Examples of pivoting operations of the housing unit 110 during high-intensity stirring are shown. These pivoting operations may occur, for example, when system A is powered on, when liquid stirring equipment 100 is powered on, when container 200 is changed, or when container 200 has been stored for an extended period of time.

[0297] State ST261 is the state where the receiving unit 110 is in its initial position. State ST262 is the state where the receiving unit 110 has pivoted to the left tilt position. At this time, after the contact portion 115 contacts the stop member 141, the pivoting direction of the receiving unit 110 switches to the opposite direction. As an example, the rotation amount of the motor 131 is controlled so that the pivoting of the receiving unit 110 continues until the contact portion 115 contacts the stop member 141, after which the motor 131 stops and then rotates in the opposite direction. Because the contact portion 115 contacts the stop member 141, the receiving unit 110 is subjected to impact, which improves the stirring performance of the liquid in the container 200. Even though the receiving unit 110 is subjected to impact, the torque limiter 133a prevents the impact from being transmitted to the motor 131, which makes it possible to suppress the effect on the drive system.

[0298] State ST263 indicates that the receiving unit 110 has pivoted to the right-tilted position. Similarly, after the contact portion 116 contacts the stop 142, the pivoting direction of the receiving unit 110 switches to the opposite direction. As an example, the rotation amount of the motor 131 is controlled so that the pivoting of the receiving unit 110 continues until the contact portion 116 contacts the stop 142, after which the motor 131 stops and rotates in the opposite direction. Because the contact portion 116 contacts the stop 142, the receiving unit 110 is subjected to impact, which improves the stirring performance of the liquid in the container 200.

[0299] Note that in Figure 37 In the illustrated pivoting operation, the impact can be controlled so that it occurs only at one of the tilt positions. Specifically, in the left tilt position, after the contact portion 115 contacts the stop 141, the pivoting direction of the receiving unit 110 switches to the opposite direction. However, in the right tilt position, the pivoting direction of the receiving unit 110 switches to the opposite direction before the contact portion 116 contacts the stop 142, so that the contact portion 116 does not contact the stop 142.

[0300] In the opposite mode, in the right-tilted position, after the contact portion 116 contacts the stop member 142, the pivoting direction of the receiving unit 110 switches to the opposite direction. However, in the left-tilted position, the pivoting direction of the receiving unit 110 switches to the opposite direction before the contact portion 115 contacts the stop member 141, so that the contact portion 115 does not contact the stop member 141.

[0301] In this way, if the impact is controlled to occur only at one of the tilt positions, the combination of the contact portion and the stop can be changed under predetermined conditions. For example, if a predetermined number of pivoting operations causing the contact portion 115 and the stop 141 to collide are performed, the combination of the contact portion and the stop that will cause the collision will be changed to the contact portion 116 and the stop 142. Then, if a predetermined number of pivoting operations causing the contact portion 116 and the stop 142 to collide are performed, the combination of the contact portion and the stop that will cause the collision will be changed back to the contact portion 115 and the stop 141. The conditions for changing the combination can be the number of pivoting operations and the time or period of the pivoting operations.

[0302] Liquid stirring control

[0303] The following describes the liquid stirring operation performed by the pressing unit 600 and the liquid stirring device 100 according to this embodiment.

[0304] As described above, due to variations in pigment specific gravity, the settling rates of color components differ, and the time required for stirring to achieve uniform ink concentration also varies depending on the pigment in the ink. Specifically, white ink containing titanium dioxide requires a longer stirring time compared to colored inks. Furthermore, similarly for colored inks, the required stirring time varies depending on differences in settling rates and viscosity due to variations in pigment composition.

[0305] When the liquid ejection device 1 is used for the first time, an initial filling operation is performed to fill the flow path from the ink container 200 to the ejector head 8 with ink. At this time, if the pigment in the ink in the container 200 has settled, the ejector head 8 will be filled with ink of low concentration. Therefore, a stirring operation is required before the filling operation to eliminate the settling state.

[0306] Therefore, during the initial filling of the inkjet head 8 for the first time, the ink mixing process may take a long time depending on the ink setting order, resulting in an extended ink filling time. For example, if the order results in white ink being set later than color ink, ink cannot be filled even after the mixing of other inks has finished, until the mixing of the white ink, which requires the longest mixing time, is completed, and the time required for ink filling is also extended.

[0307] Therefore, in this embodiment, the user is instructed to first place the ink, which requires a long stirring time, in the liquid (ink) storage devices 20A and 20B. This allows stirring to begin with ink that has a long stirring time, shortening the time until stirring ends and reducing the time required for initial ink filling. Although liquid containers 200, which do not require stirring, are also arranged in the liquid storage device 20B in this embodiment, these liquid containers can be placed at any time before or after the ink containers are placed.

[0308] Figure 38 This is a flowchart illustrating the overall liquid stirring operation performed by the liquid ejection device 1, the liquid storage device 20A, and the liquid storage device 20B. The operations in this flowchart are... Figure 35 The illustrated main control unit 30 executes the control program stored in its internal memory to achieve this. This also applies to the operations indicated in the other flowcharts described below. Note that "S" indicates a step number. This flowchart begins when the liquid ejection device 1 is powered on for the first time after leaving the factory.

[0309] First, in step S1, the main control unit 30 executes an initial setup sequence for initial setup of the liquid ejection device 1.

[0310] In step S2, the main control unit 30 executes an MTC setting sequence for setting a waste liquid box 11 (also called "MTC" or "maintenance box") used for maintaining waste liquid generated by suction-based recovery through the nozzle 8 in the liquid dispensing device 1.

[0311] In step S3, the main control unit 30 executes an ink stirring sequence to eliminate the sedimentation of ink pigments.

[0312] In step S4, the main control unit 30 executes an ink filling sequence for filling the print head 8 with ink.

[0313] When the ink filling is completed in step S4, the liquid ejection device 1 can perform the recording operation of ejecting ink onto the recording medium and recording the image.

[0314] The operations performed in each of steps S1 to S4 will be described in detail below.

[0315] Figure 39 This is an example in Figure 38 The flowchart shows the operations performed in the initial setup sequence in step S1.

[0316] When the initial setup sequence begins, in step S11, the main control unit 30 selects the language used for the display on the operation panel 10 of the liquid ejection device 1, etc., based on the user's operation.

[0317] In step S12, the main control unit 30 sets the elevation at the location where the liquid ejection device 1 is used based on user operation. Atmospheric pressure varies depending on the elevation, and in areas with low atmospheric pressure, the ejector head 8 will not fill with a sufficient amount of ink when the initial filling operation is performed under the assumption of standard atmospheric pressure. Therefore, the elevation is set here, and the control of the initial filling operation is changed. Note that the elevation setting can be performed by user input or detected by the liquid ejection device 1.

[0318] In step S13, the main control unit 30 determines whether to perform a firmware (FW) update based on the user's operation. If the user has indicated a firmware update, the main control unit 30 proceeds to step S14; otherwise, the operation of this flowchart ends.

[0319] In step S14, the main control unit 30 updates the firmware and ends the operation of the flowchart.

[0320] The initial setup of the liquid ejection device 1 was performed in this manner.

[0321] Figure 40 This is an example in Figure 38 The flowchart shows the operations performed in the MTC setup sequence in step S2.

[0322] When the MTC setup sequence begins, in step S21, the main control unit 30 displays a prompt on the operation panel 10 to guide the user to install the waste liquid box 11 into the liquid ejection device 1.

[0323] In step S22, the main control unit 30 uses a sensor (not shown) to determine whether the waste liquid box 11 has been installed in the liquid dispensing device 1. If the waste liquid box 11 is installed, the main control unit 30 terminates the process; otherwise, the process of step S22 is repeated.

[0324] Through the above operations, the liquid ejection device 1 is prepared to deal with the waste liquid that will inevitably be generated during the initial filling operation and maintenance.

[0325] Figures 41A to 41C This is an example in Figure 38 The flowchart shows the operation in the ink stirring sequence performed in step S3. In this ink stirring sequence, in order to shorten the stirring time, ink that takes longer to stir is first set in the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B, and the stirring of the ink that takes longer to stir is started in advance.

[0326] When the ink stirring sequence is started, in step S31, the main control unit 30 displays on the operation panel 10 a prompt to the user to set the container 200 containing white ink (which is the ink with the highest viscosity) in the liquid stirring device 100. Figure 42AThis example illustrates a screen displayed on the operation panel 10 that prompts the user to set the container 200 used for white ink. Note that this screen is merely an example, and as another example, the sequence of operations can be displayed by switching screens. For example, the screen can be switched in the following order: opening the on / off component 25 for white ink, pulling out the container support unit 24, placing the ink container 200 in the container support unit 24 and inserting the container support unit 24 into the liquid mixing device 100, and closing the on / off component 25 for white ink. The display is not limited to images, and prompts for setting the container 200 can be made using audio or by illuminating LEDs.

[0327] In step S32, the main control unit 30 uses a sensor (not shown) to determine whether the container 200 containing white ink has been placed in the upper and lower trays of the liquid mixing device 100. This sensor... Figure 7 The sensor 23C arranged in the illustrated storage unit 23A is the same. If a container 200 for holding white ink is provided, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S33; otherwise, the process of step S32 is repeated.

[0328] In step S33, the main control unit 30 uses sensor 26 to determine whether the opening / closing component 25 in the storage unit 23B of the liquid storage stirring device 100 is closed. If the opening / closing component 25 is closed, the main control unit 30 proceeds to step S34; otherwise, the process of step S33 is repeated.

[0329] In step S34, the main control unit 30 initiates a second stirring operation for the white ink using the liquid stirring device 100. Accordingly, the stirring of the white ink, which takes the longest time to stir, can be started before the stirring of other colored inks.

[0330] In step S35, the main control unit 30 displays a prompt on the operation panel 10 to prompt the user to place the container 200 containing the colored ink in the storage unit 23A of the liquid storage device 20A. Figure 42B An example of a screen displayed on the operation panel 10, prompting the user to set the container 200 for color ink in the storage unit 23A. Similarly, in this case, for example, in the same manner as with white ink, an image can be displayed to make the order of operations clear. The display is not limited to an image; prompts for setting the container 200 can also be provided using audio or by illuminating LEDs.

[0331] In step S36, the main control unit 30 uses the sensor 23C arranged in the storage unit 23A to determine whether the container 200 containing yellow ink has been set. Figure 5The liquid storage device 20A is indicated by A1 and A2 in the storage unit 23A. If a container 200 for containing yellow ink is provided, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S37; otherwise, the process of step S36 is repeated.

[0332] In step S37, the main control unit 30 uses the sensor 23C arranged in the storage unit 23A to determine whether the container 200 containing the red ink has been set. Figure 5 The liquid storage device 20A is indicated by B1 and B2 in the storage unit 23A. If a container 200 for containing magenta ink is provided, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S38; otherwise, the process of step S37 is repeated.

[0333] In step S38, the main control unit 30 uses the sensor 23C arranged in the storage unit 23A to determine whether the container 200 containing cyan ink has been set. Figure 5 The liquid storage device 20A is indicated by C1 and C2 in the storage unit 23A. If a container 200 for containing cyan ink is provided, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S39; otherwise, the process of step S38 is repeated.

[0334] In step S39, the main control unit 30 uses sensor 58 to determine whether the container support unit 24 of the storage unit 23A, which contains the container 200 for holding yellow ink, is locked. If the container support unit 24 is locked, the main control unit 30 proceeds to step S40; otherwise, the process of step S39 is repeated.

[0335] In step S40, the main control unit 30 uses sensor 58 to determine whether the container support unit 24 of the storage unit 23A, which contains the container 200 for holding magenta ink, is locked. If the container support unit 24 is locked, the main control unit 30 proceeds to step S41; otherwise, the process of step S40 is repeated.

[0336] In step S41, the main control unit 30 uses sensor 58 to determine whether the container support unit 24 of the storage unit 23A, which contains the container 200 for holding cyan ink, is locked. If the container support unit 24 is locked, the main control unit 30 proceeds to step S42; otherwise, the process of step S41 is repeated.

[0337] In step S42, the main control unit 30 initiates a first color ink stirring operation, which is a first stirring operation performed by the liquid storage device 20A. Accordingly, stirring of the common color ink, which takes a second longer stirring time, can begin before stirring of other color inks.

[0338] Although the foregoing described the scenario where the user is instructed to install the ink containers 200 in the order of yellow, magenta, and cyan, it is conceivable that the user may not follow this order. In this case, even if the ink is installed in a different order, the stirring operation begins when all ink containers 200 are installed in the liquid storage device 20A, which is equipped with a pressing unit 600 driven by the same motor 635 (same drive source). Accordingly, even if the ink containers 200 are not installed in the indicated order, stirring can begin without waiting for ink to be installed in stirring devices using different drive sources, as long as ink is present in the stirring device using the same drive source.

[0339] In step S43, the main control unit 30 displays a prompt on the operation panel 10 to prompt the user to place the container 200 containing the special color ink in the storage unit 23A of the liquid storage device 20B.

[0340] In step S44, the main control unit 30 uses the sensor 23C arranged in the storage unit 23A to determine whether the container 200 containing black ink has been set. Figure 5 The liquid storage device 20B is indicated by the storage unit 23A, which is indicated by D1 and D2. If a container 200 for holding black ink is provided, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S45; otherwise, the process of step S44 is repeated.

[0341] In step S45, the main control unit 30 uses the sensor 23C arranged in the storage unit 23A to determine whether the container 200 containing gray ink has been set. Figure 5 The liquid storage device 20B indicated by E1 and E2 is in the storage unit 23A. If a container 200 for containing gray ink is provided, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S46; otherwise, the process of step S45 is repeated.

[0342] In step S46, the main control unit 30 uses the sensor 23C arranged in the storage unit 23A to determine whether the container 200 containing orange ink has been set. Figure 5 The liquid storage device 20B indicated by F1 and F2 is in the storage unit 23A. If a container 200 for containing orange ink is provided, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S47; otherwise, the process of step S46 is repeated.

[0343] In step S47, the main control unit 30 uses the sensor 23C arranged in the storage unit 23A to determine whether the container 200 containing red ink has been set. Figure 5The liquid storage device 20B is indicated by G1 and G2 in the storage unit 23A. If a container 200 for holding red ink is provided, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S48; otherwise, the process of step S47 is repeated.

[0344] In step S48, the main control unit 30 uses the sensor 23C arranged in the storage unit 23A to determine whether the container 200 containing green ink has been set. Figure 5 The liquid storage device 20B indicated by H1 and H2 is in the storage unit 23A. If a container 200 for containing green ink is provided, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S49; otherwise, the processing of step S48 is repeated.

[0345] In step S49, the main control unit 30 uses sensor 58 to determine whether the container support unit 24 of the storage unit 23A, which contains the container 200 for holding black ink, is locked. If the container support unit 24 is locked, the main control unit 30 proceeds to step S50; otherwise, the process of step S49 is repeated.

[0346] In step S50, the main control unit 30 uses sensor 58 to determine whether the container support unit 24 of the storage unit 23A, which contains the container 200 for holding gray ink, is locked. If the container support unit 24 is locked, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S51; otherwise, the process of step S50 is repeated.

[0347] In step S51, the main control unit 30 uses sensor 58 to determine whether the container support unit 24 of the storage unit 23A, which contains the container 200 for holding orange ink, is locked. If the container support unit 24 is locked, the main control unit 30 proceeds to step S52; otherwise, the process of step S51 is repeated.

[0348] In step S52, the main control unit 30 uses sensor 58 to determine whether the container support unit 24 of the storage unit 23A, which contains the container 200 for holding red ink and is indicated by G1 and G2, is locked. If the container support unit 24 is locked, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S53; otherwise, the process of step S52 is repeated.

[0349] In step S53, the main control unit 30 uses sensor 58 to determine whether the container support unit 24 of the storage unit 23A, which contains the container 200 for holding green ink, is locked. If the container support unit 24 is locked, the main control unit 30 proceeds to step S54; otherwise, the process of step S53 is repeated.

[0350] In step S54, the main control unit 30 initiates a second color ink stirring operation, which is the first stirring operation performed by the liquid storage device 20B. As a result, an ink stirring operation that requires the least amount of time is initiated.

[0351] In step S55, the main control unit 30 determines whether the elapsed time since the start of the white ink stirring operation has exceeded time t1, which is the time required to make the white ink concentration uniform. If the stirring time exceeds time t1, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S56; otherwise, the processing of step S55 is repeated.

[0352] In step S56, the main control unit 30 determines whether the elapsed time since the start of the first color ink stirring operation has exceeded time t2, which is the time required to make the concentration of the first color ink uniform. If the stirring time exceeds time t2, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S57; otherwise, the processing of step S56 is repeated.

[0353] In step S57, the main control unit 30 determines whether the elapsed time since the start of the second color ink stirring operation has exceeded time t3, which is the time required for the concentration of the second color ink to become uniform. If the stirring time exceeds time t3, the main control unit 30 terminates the process; otherwise, step S57 is repeated.

[0354] Here, when the ink viscosity is high, the time required to homogenize the ink concentration is longer, and therefore the relationship between times t1, t2, and t3 is t1>t2>t3. More specifically, for example, t1 is 12 minutes, t2 is 9 minutes, t3 is 4 minutes, and so on. Therefore, the first color ink stirring operation and the second color ink stirring operation can be performed in parallel during the longest time t1 (which is the time for stirring the white ink), which makes it possible to shorten the time required to stir all the inks.

[0355] As described above, according to this embodiment, the time until all the ink is stirred can be shortened by first placing the ink, which takes a long time to stir, in the liquid storage device and starting the stirring of the ink in advance. This makes it possible to shorten the time required to fill the ink ejector head 8.

[0356] Figure 43 This is an example in Figure 38 The flowchart shows the ink filling sequence operation performed in step S4. Figure 44 This is a diagram illustrating the ink flow path from the ink container 200 to the print head 8. (Refer to...) Figure 43 and Figure 44 Describe the ink filling sequence.

[0357] When the ink filling sequence begins, in step S71, the main control unit 30 displays a prompt on the operation panel 10 to guide the user to install the nozzle 8 into the liquid dispensing device 1.

[0358] In step S72, the main control unit 30 determines whether the installation of the nozzle 8 in the liquid dispensing device 1 is complete. If the installation is complete, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S73; otherwise, the process of step S72 is repeated.

[0359] In step S73, the main control unit 30 uses a cap 502 to cap the inkjet surface 8a of the print head 8 and seal the inkjet surface 8a.

[0360] In step S74, the main control unit 30 closes the flow path valve 52 arranged in the flow path from the container 200 to the nozzle 8.

[0361] In step S75, the main control unit 30 starts the suction pump 506 connected to the cap 502 to draw air from inside the cap 502 and sets the ink flow path from the flow path valve 52 to the nozzle 8, including the tube 21a, to negative pressure.

[0362] In step S76, the main control unit 30 determines whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the suction pump 506 was started. If the predetermined time has elapsed, the main control unit 30 proceeds to step S77; otherwise, the process of step S76 is repeated. The predetermined time is set to the time during which the negative pressure becomes sufficient to fill the flow path with ink when the suction pump 506 is performing suction.

[0363] In step S77, the main control unit 30 stops the suction pump 506.

[0364] In step S78, the main control unit 30 opens the flow path valve 52. When the flow path valve 52 opens, the ink flow path and the nozzle 8, which are already under negative pressure, are immediately filled with ink.

[0365] In step S79, the main control unit 30 opens the atmospheric vent valve 510 provided in the cap 502. This allows the suction pump 506 to draw in ink that has overflowed from the nozzle and been absorbed by the ink absorber 504 during filling by opening the cap 502 to atmospheric pressure.

[0366] In step S80, the main control unit 30 restarts the suction pump 506. As a result, ink absorbed by the ink absorber 504 can be drawn from the cap 502.

[0367] In step S81, the main control unit 30 determines whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the suction pump 506 was started. If the predetermined time has elapsed, the main control unit 30 proceeds to step S82; otherwise, the process of step S81 is repeated. The predetermined time is set to the time during which the suction pump 506 can sufficiently draw the ink absorbed by the ink absorber 504.

[0368] In step S82, the main control unit 30 stops the suction pump 506 and ends the operation of the process.

[0369] The above operations are used to fill the print head 8 with ink.

[0370] Figure 45 This is a diagram illustrating how to set the time for each ink and the ink stirring time.

[0371] In this embodiment, as Figure 45 As illustrated, the time required for setting and mixing the ink is preset and stored, and based on... Figure 45 The specified time is used for setting and stirring the ink. Note that, through experiments, the stirring time was set to a suitable duration to eliminate pigment settling for white ink, high-viscosity color ink, and low-viscosity color ink. Figure 45 The times shown are merely examples, and the time required for stirring and setting up can vary depending on the equipment's structure and the surrounding environment.

[0372] Figure 46A and Figure 46B This is a timing diagram illustrating the timing of ink stirring and filling operations. Figure 46A and Figure 46B In the diagram, operations performed by the user are represented by solid lines, while operations performed by the liquid ejection device 1, the liquid storage device 20A, and the liquid storage device 20B are represented by dashed lines.

[0373] Figure 46AThis is a timing diagram showing the process of first setting up ink that requires a long stirring time, as in this embodiment, and then starting the stirring process first. Specifically, first, white ink with the highest viscosity is set up in liquid storage device 20A, and stirring begins. Next, colored ink with the second highest viscosity after white ink is set up in liquid storage device 20A, and stirring begins. Then, colored ink with the lowest viscosity is set up in liquid storage device 20B, and stirring begins. In this embodiment, liquid storage device 20A is equipped with a liquid stirring device 100 for white ink and a pressing unit 600 for colored ink, each with a different drive source, and liquid storage device 20B is equipped with a pressing unit 600 with a different drive source. Therefore, the white ink stirring operation, the colored ink stirring operation of liquid storage device 20A, and the colored ink stirring operation of liquid storage device 20B can be performed independently. Therefore, ink stirring can be performed in parallel in the above order.

[0374] Here, when Figure 45 The time indicated in the column of the first embodiment is applied to Figure 46A When the timing diagram is shown, the specific time required for setting up the ink container 200 and stirring is as follows.

[0375] First, regarding white ink, from Figure 46A The setup begins (hereinafter referred to as "task start timer") and takes one minute to place the container 200 of white ink into the liquid mixing device 100. Afterward, it takes 12 minutes to mix the white ink, thus the total time required for setting and mixing the white ink is 13 minutes from the start of the task start timer.

[0376] In the liquid storage device 20A, after setting the white ink (one minute after the task start timer), the ink containers 200 are set in the order of yellow, magenta, and cyan. Since it takes one minute to set each monochrome container 200, it takes three minutes to set the three color ink containers 200 in the liquid storage device 20A. Then the color inks are stirred. Since stirring the color inks in the liquid storage device 20A takes nine minutes, the total time required to set and stir the color inks is 13 minutes from the task start timer.

[0377] After setting the white ink and the color ink in liquid storage device 20A (4 minutes after the task start timer), ink containers 200 are placed in liquid storage device 20B in the order of black, gray, orange, red, and green. Since it takes 1 minute to set each monochrome container 200, it takes 5 minutes to place all five color ink containers 200 in liquid storage device 20B. Then the color ink is stirred. Since stirring the color ink in liquid storage device 20B takes 4 minutes, the total time required to set and stir the color ink is 13 minutes from the task start timer.

[0378] In this way, if the mixing is performed according to the sequence of this embodiment, the other colored inks are mixed while the white ink is being mixed, and the mixing of the colored inks is completed approximately at the same time as the mixing of the white ink. Therefore, all the inks can be mixed in about 13 minutes.

[0379] on the other hand, Figure 46B This is a timing diagram indicating the sequence of first setting the color ink in liquid storage device 20A, then setting the color ink in liquid storage device 20B, and finally setting the white ink in liquid storage device 20A. In this case, the time for simultaneously stirring the white ink and color ink, which takes the longest time, is shortened, resulting in excessive stirring time, thus requiring a longer time to stir and fill the ink.

[0380] When Figure 45 The time indicated in the column of the first embodiment is applied to Figure 46B When creating a timing diagram, the settings and timings are as follows.

[0381] First, ink containers 200 are placed in the liquid storage device 20A in the order of yellow, magenta, and cyan. Since it takes one minute to set each monochrome container 200, it takes three minutes to set the three color ink containers 200 in the liquid storage device 20A. Then, the color inks are stirred. Since it takes nine minutes to stir the color inks in the liquid storage device 20A, the total time required for setting and stirring the color inks is 12 minutes from the start of the task timer.

[0382] After setting the color inks in liquid storage device 20A (3 minutes after the task start timer), ink containers 200 are set in liquid storage device 20B in the order of black, gray, orange, red, and green. Since it takes 1 minute to set each monochrome container 200, it takes 5 minutes to set all five color ink containers 200 in liquid storage device 20B. Then the color inks are stirred. Since stirring the color inks in liquid storage device 20B takes 4 minutes, the total time required to set and stir the color inks is 12 minutes from the task start timer.

[0383] After setting the color ink in liquid storage device 20A and liquid storage device 20B (eight minutes after the task start timer), the white ink container 200 is placed in the liquid agitation device 100. It takes one minute to set the white ink container. Then, it takes 12 minutes to agitate the white ink; therefore, the total time required to set and agitate the white ink is 21 minutes from the start of the task timer.

[0384] In this way, when the white ink is finally set, even though the setting and stirring of the color ink containers of the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B are completed within 12 minutes, it is still necessary to wait 21 minutes until the stirring of the white ink is complete in order to fill the ink.

[0385] As described above, the method of this embodiment makes it possible to reduce unnecessary waiting time before starting to fill the ink, and to reduce the time required for stirring and filling the ink.

[0386] As described above, according to this embodiment, ink that requires a long stirring time is first placed in the liquid storage device, and the stirring of the ink is started in advance. Simultaneously, the ink placed initially is stirred along with the ink placed later. This allows for a reduction in the time required until all the ink has been stirred, and also reduces the time required to fill the ink ejector head.

[0387] Second Embodiment

[0388] The first embodiment describes the case where both white and colored inks are stirred mechanically. However, for white ink, the pigment (e.g., titanium oxide) settles rapidly, so stirring can be performed in a shorter time if the user stirs the ink manually. The second embodiment will describe a method in which the ink concentration is also rapidly homogenized by manually stirring the ink. Note that in this embodiment, having the user manually stir the white ink also results in a shorter mechanical stirring time for the white ink than for the other colored inks, and therefore, the white ink is set to be stirred later than the colored ink in this process.

[0389] Figure 47 This is a flowchart illustrating the overall liquid stirring operation performed by the liquid ejection device 1, the liquid storage device 20A, and the liquid storage device 20B. The operations in this flowchart are... Figure 35 The illustrated main control unit 30 executes the control program stored in its internal memory. This process begins when the liquid ejection device 1 is powered on for the first time after leaving the factory.

[0390] First, in step S101, the main control unit 30 executes the initial setting sequence for initial setting of the liquid ejection device 1.

[0391] In step S102, the main control unit 30 executes an MTC setting sequence for setting the waste liquid container 11 (also referred to as "MTC") used for maintaining the waste liquid generated by the pumping recovery through the nozzle 8 in the liquid dispensing device 1.

[0392] In step S103, the main control unit 30 executes a color ink stirring sequence to eliminate the sedimentation of color ink pigments.

[0393] In step S104, the main control unit 30 executes a white ink setting sequence for setting the container 200 containing white ink in the liquid stirring device 100.

[0394] In step S105, the main control unit 30 executes a white ink stirring sequence to eliminate the sedimentation of white ink pigment.

[0395] In step S106, the main control unit 30 performs a color ink stirring end determination to determine whether the stirring of the color ink has ended.

[0396] In step S107, the main control unit 30 executes an ink filling sequence for filling the inkjet head 8.

[0397] When the ink filling is completed in step S107, the liquid ejection device 1 can perform the recording operation of ejecting ink onto the recording medium and recording the image.

[0398] The operations performed in each of steps S101 to S107 will be described in detail below. Note that the initial setup sequence of step S101, the MTC setup sequence of step S102, and the ink filling sequence of step S107 are similar to those in the first embodiment. Figure 39 , Figure 40 and Figure 43 Those things that have been described will not be described again here.

[0399] Figures 48A to 48C This is an example in Figure 47 The flowchart shows the operation in the color ink stirring sequence performed in step S103. As in the first embodiment, in order to shorten the stirring time in this color ink stirring sequence, color ink that takes longer to stir is first set in the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B, and the stirring of the color ink that takes longer to stir is started in advance.

[0400] When the color ink stirring sequence begins, in step S121, the control unit 30 displays a prompt on the operation panel 10 to instruct the user to place the container 200 containing the color ink into the storage unit 23A of the liquid storage device 20A. This display is consistent with... Figure 41A The same display is performed in step S35.

[0401] In step S122, the main control unit 30 uses the sensor 23C arranged in the storage unit 23A to determine whether the container 200 containing yellow ink has been set. Figure 5 The liquid storage device 20A is indicated by A1 and A2 in the storage unit 23A. If a container 200 for containing yellow ink is provided, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S123; otherwise, the process of step S122 is repeated.

[0402] In step S123, the main control unit 30 uses the sensor 23C arranged in the storage unit 23A to determine whether the container 200 containing the red ink has been set. Figure 5 The liquid storage device 20A is indicated by B1 and B2 in the storage unit 23A. If a container 200 for containing magenta ink is provided, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S124; otherwise, the process of step S123 is repeated.

[0403] In step S124, the main control unit 30 uses the sensor 23C arranged in the storage unit 23A to determine whether the container 200 containing cyan ink has been set. Figure 5 The liquid storage device 20A is indicated by C1 and C2 in the storage unit 23A. If a container 200 for containing cyan ink is provided, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S125; otherwise, the process of step S124 is repeated.

[0404] In step S125, the main control unit 30 uses sensor 58 to determine whether the container support unit 24 of the storage unit 23A, which contains the container 200 for holding yellow ink, is locked. If the container support unit 24 is locked, the main control unit 30 proceeds to step S126; otherwise, the process of step S125 is repeated.

[0405] In step S126, the main control unit 30 uses sensor 58 to determine whether the container support unit 24 of the storage unit 23A, which contains the container 200 for holding magenta ink, is locked. If the container support unit 24 is locked, the main control unit 30 proceeds the sequence to step S127; otherwise, the process of step S126 is repeated.

[0406] In step S127, the main control unit 30 uses sensor 58 to determine whether the container support unit 24 of the storage unit 23A, which contains the container 200 for holding cyan ink, is locked. If the container support unit 24 is locked, the main control unit 30 proceeds to step S128; otherwise, the process of step S127 is repeated.

[0407] In step S128, the main control unit 30 initiates a first color ink stirring operation, which is a first stirring operation performed by the liquid storage device 20A. Accordingly, the stirring of ordinary color ink, which takes a long time to stir, can be started before other color inks.

[0408] Although the foregoing described the scenario where the user is instructed to install the ink containers 200 in the order of yellow, magenta, and cyan, it is conceivable that the user may not follow this order. In this case, even if the ink is installed in a different order, the stirring operation begins when all ink containers 200 are installed in the liquid storage device 20A, which is equipped with a pressing unit 600 driven by the same motor 635 (same drive source). Accordingly, even if the ink containers 200 are not installed in the indicated order, stirring can begin without waiting for ink to be installed in stirring devices using different drive sources, as long as ink is present in the stirring device using the same drive source.

[0409] In step S129, the main control unit 30 displays a prompt on the operation panel 10 to prompt the user to place the container 200 containing the special color ink in the storage unit 23A of the liquid storage device 20B.

[0410] In step S130, the main control unit 30 uses the sensor 23C arranged in the storage unit 23A to determine whether the container 200 containing black ink has been set. Figure 5 The liquid storage device 20B is indicated by the storage unit 23A, which is indicated by D1 and D2. If a container 200 for holding black ink is provided, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S131; otherwise, the process of step S130 is repeated.

[0411] In step S131, the main control unit 30 uses the sensor 23C arranged in the storage unit 23A to determine whether the container 200 containing gray ink has been set. Figure 5 The liquid storage device 20B indicated by E1 and E2 is in the storage unit 23A. If a container 200 for containing gray ink is provided, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S132; otherwise, the process of step S131 is repeated.

[0412] In step S132, the main control unit 30 uses the sensor 23C arranged in the storage unit 23A to determine whether the container 200 containing orange ink has been set. Figure 5 The liquid storage device 20B indicated by F1 and F2 is in the storage unit 23A. If a container 200 for containing orange ink is provided, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S133; otherwise, the process of step S132 is repeated.

[0413] In step S133, the main control unit 30 uses the sensor 23C arranged in the storage unit 23A to determine whether the container 200 containing red ink has been set. Figure 5The liquid storage device 20B is indicated by G1 and G2 in the storage unit 23A. If a container 200 for holding red ink is provided, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S134; otherwise, the process of step S133 is repeated.

[0414] In step S134, the main control unit 30 uses the sensor 23C arranged in the storage unit 23A to determine whether the container 200 containing green ink has been set. Figure 5 The liquid storage device 20B indicated by H1 and H2 is in the storage unit 23A. If a container 200 for containing green ink is provided, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S135; otherwise, the process of step S134 is repeated.

[0415] In step S135, the main control unit 30 uses sensor 58 to determine whether the container support unit 24 of the storage unit 23A, which contains the container 200 for holding black ink, is locked. If the container support unit 24 is locked, the main control unit 30 proceeds to step S136; otherwise, the process of step S135 is repeated.

[0416] In step S136, the main control unit 30 uses sensor 58 to determine whether the container support unit 24 of the storage unit 23A, which contains the container 200 for holding gray ink, is locked. If the container support unit 24 is locked, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S137; otherwise, the process of step S136 is repeated.

[0417] In step S137, the main control unit 30 uses sensor 58 to determine whether the container support unit 24 of the storage unit 23A, which contains the container 200 for holding orange ink, is locked. If the container support unit 24 is locked, the main control unit 30 proceeds to step S138; otherwise, the process of step S137 is repeated.

[0418] In step S138, the main control unit 30 uses sensor 58 to determine whether the container support unit 24 of the storage unit 23A, which contains the container 200 for holding red ink and is indicated by G1 and G2, is locked. If the container support unit 24 is locked, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S139; otherwise, the process of step S138 is repeated.

[0419] In step S139, the main control unit 30 uses sensor 58 to determine whether the container support unit 24 of the storage unit 23A, which contains the container 200 for holding green ink, is locked. If the container support unit 24 is locked, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S140; otherwise, the process of step S139 is repeated.

[0420] In step S140, the main control unit 30 initiates a second color ink stirring operation, which is the first stirring operation performed by the liquid storage device 20B. As a result, a color ink stirring operation that does not require a stirring time is initiated.

[0421] Then the color ink mixing sequence ends.

[0422] Figure 49 This is an example in Figure 47 The flowchart of the operations performed in the white ink setting sequence in step S104.

[0423] When the white ink setting sequence begins, in step S151, the main control unit 30 displays on the operation panel 10 a prompt to the user to set the container 200 containing the white ink (which is the ink with the highest viscosity) in the liquid stirring device 100 after first manually stirring the ink. As a display, for example, in... Figure 42A The example screen displays the text "Stir, then set the white ink cartridge." Alternatively, a screen instructing the user on how to stir the ink can also be displayed.

[0424] In step S152, the main control unit 30 uses a sensor (not shown) to determine whether the container 200 containing white ink has been placed in the upper and lower trays of the liquid mixing device 100. This sensor... Figure 7 The sensor 23C arranged in the illustrated storage unit 23A is the same. If a container 200 for holding white ink is provided, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S153; otherwise, the process of step S152 is repeated.

[0425] In step S153, the main control unit 30 uses sensor 26 to determine whether the opening / closing component 25 in the storage unit 23B of the liquid storage stirring device 100 is closed. If the opening / closing component 25 is closed, the main control unit 30 ends the process; otherwise, the process of step S153 is repeated.

[0426] This concludes the white ink setting sequence.

[0427] In this embodiment, the user manually stirs the white ink before placing the white ink container 200 in the liquid stirring device 100. Manual stirring provides a wider range of motion and is therefore more efficient than automatic stirring performed by a machine. Therefore, by using manual stirring beforehand, the time required for mechanical stirring after placing the white ink in the liquid stirring device 100 can be significantly reduced. In other words, it is unnecessary to place the white ink in the liquid storage device 20A before the colored ink, as this would only require time for mechanical stirring.

[0428] Figure 50 This is an example in Figure 47 The flowchart shows the operation in the white ink stirring sequence performed in step S105.

[0429] When the white ink stirring sequence begins, in step S161, the main control unit 30 uses the liquid stirring device 100 to start the second stirring operation of the white ink.

[0430] In step S162, the main control unit 30 determines whether the elapsed time since the start of the white ink stirring operation has exceeded time t1, which is the time required for the white ink to achieve a uniform concentration. If the stirring time exceeds time t1, the main control unit 30 terminates the process; otherwise, step S162 is repeated.

[0431] This concludes the white ink stirring sequence.

[0432] In this embodiment, the user has already Figure 49 In the white ink setting sequence, the white ink is manually stirred, and as previously mentioned, the time required for mechanical stirring is greatly reduced. Therefore, the time t1 set in step S162 is, for example, two minutes, which is about 1 / 6 of the 12 minutes of t1 described in the first embodiment. Note that t1 = two minutes in the second embodiment and t1 = 12 minutes in the first embodiment are merely examples. Although these times can vary depending on the equipment and environmental conditions, even if the time changes, the stirring time of the white ink by the liquid stirring device 100 according to the second embodiment is significantly shorter than the time required for mechanical stirring as in the first embodiment.

[0433] Figure 51 This is an example in Figure 47 The flowchart shows the operation performed in step S106, which involves determining the end of color ink mixing.

[0434] In step S171, the main control unit 30 determines whether the elapsed time since the start of the first color ink stirring operation has exceeded time t2, which is the time required to make the concentration of the first color ink uniform. If the stirring time exceeds time t2, the main control unit 30 causes the sequence to proceed to step S172; otherwise, the processing of step S171 is repeated.

[0435] In step S172, the main control unit 30 determines whether the elapsed time since the start of the second color ink stirring operation has exceeded time t3, which is the time required for the concentration of the second color ink to become uniform. If the stirring time exceeds time t3, the main control unit 30 terminates the process; otherwise, step S172 is repeated.

[0436] This concludes the operation used to determine the end of color ink mixing.

[0437] In this embodiment, the color ink stirring operation is the same as in the first embodiment, and the stirring times t2 and t3 are the same as in the first embodiment.

[0438] Figure 52 This is a timing diagram illustrating the timing of ink stirring and filling operations. Figure 52 In the diagram, operations performed by the user are represented by solid lines, while operations performed by the liquid ejection device 1, the liquid storage device 20A, and the liquid storage device 20B are represented by dashed lines.

[0439] In this embodiment, the user manually stirs the white ink, and mechanical stirring of the white ink requires the shortest time compared to the stirring time of other colored inks. Therefore, the white ink is selected last.

[0440] Here, when Figure 45 The time indicated in the column of the second embodiment is applied to Figure 52 When the timing diagram is shown, the specific time required for setting up the ink container 200 and stirring is as follows.

[0441] First, ink containers 200 are placed in the liquid storage device 20A in the order of yellow, magenta, and cyan. Since it takes one minute to set each monochrome container 200, it takes three minutes to set the three color ink containers 200 in the liquid storage device 20A. Then, the color inks are stirred. Since it takes nine minutes to stir the color inks in the liquid storage device 20A, the total time required for setting and stirring the color inks is 12 minutes from the start of the task timer.

[0442] After setting the color inks in liquid storage device 20A (3 minutes after the task start timer), ink containers 200 are set in liquid storage device 20B in the order of black, gray, orange, red, and green. Since it takes 1 minute to set each monochrome container 200, it takes 5 minutes to set all five color ink containers 200 in liquid storage device 20B. Then the color inks are stirred. Since stirring the color inks in liquid storage device 20B takes 4 minutes, the total time required to set and stir the color inks is 12 minutes from the task start timer.

[0443] For white ink, after the colored ink in liquid storage device 20A and liquid storage device 20B has been set (eight minutes after the task start timer), the user manually stirs the white ink and sets it in liquid stirring device 100. Since stirring the white ink container 200 takes two minutes and setting the white ink container 200 in liquid stirring device 100 takes one minute, setting the white ink takes three minutes. Afterwards, it takes two minutes to stir the white ink, so the total time required for setting and stirring the white ink from the task start timer is 13 minutes.

[0444] In this way, according to this embodiment, the stirring time of the white ink is shortened by manually stirring the white ink, and even if the white ink is set last, the time required for stirring and filling the ink can be shortened.

[0445] Third Embodiment

[0446] The second embodiment describes a method for quickly uniformizing the ink concentration of white ink by manually stirring the ink. This embodiment will describe a method of manually and completely stirring the white ink without mechanical stirring.

[0447] Figure 53 This is a flowchart illustrating the overall liquid stirring operation performed by the liquid ejection device 1, the liquid storage device 20A, and the liquid storage device 20B. The operations in this flowchart are... Figure 35 The illustrated main control unit 30 executes the control program stored in its internal memory. This process begins when the liquid ejection device 1 is first powered on.

[0448] First, in step S201, the main control unit 30 executes an initial setup sequence for initial setup of the liquid ejection device 1.

[0449] In step S202, the main control unit 30 executes an MTC setting sequence for setting the waste liquid container 11 (also referred to as "MTC") used for maintaining the waste liquid generated by the pumping recovery through the nozzle 8 in the liquid dispensing device 1.

[0450] In step S203, the main control unit 30 executes a color ink stirring sequence to eliminate the sedimentation of color ink pigments.

[0451] In step S204, the main control unit 30 executes a white ink setting sequence for setting the container 200 containing white ink in the liquid stirring device 100.

[0452] In step S205, the main control unit 30 performs a color ink stirring end determination to determine whether the stirring of the color ink has ended.

[0453] In step S206, the main control unit 30 executes an ink filling sequence for filling the inkjet head 8 with ink.

[0454] When the ink filling is completed in step S206, the liquid ejection device 1 can perform the recording operation of ejecting ink onto the recording medium and recording the image.

[0455] In this embodiment, the initial setup sequence in step S201 is... Figure 39 The same as illustrated. The MTC setup sequence in step S202 is the same as... Figure 40 The same as illustrated. The color ink stirring sequence in step S203 is the same as... Figures 48A to 48C The same as illustrated in the example. The white ink setting sequence in step S204 is the same as... Figure 49 The same as illustrated in the example. The determination of the end of color ink mixing in step S205 is the same as... Figure 51 The same as illustrated in the example. The ink filling sequence in step S206 is the same as... Figure 43 The same as that illustrated in the example. Therefore, it will not be described in detail. Figure 53 The steps in the process.

[0456] Figure 54 This is a timing diagram illustrating the timing of ink stirring and filling operations. Figure 54 In the diagram, operations performed by the user are represented by solid lines, while operations performed by the liquid ejection device 1, the liquid storage device 20A, and the liquid storage device 20B are represented by dashed lines.

[0457] In this embodiment, the user manually stirs the white ink, and mechanical stirring is not performed.

[0458] When Figure 45 The time indicated in the column of the third embodiment is applied to Figure 54 When the timing diagram is shown, the specific time required for setting up the ink container 200 and stirring is as follows.

[0459] First, ink containers 200 are placed in the liquid storage device 20A in the order of yellow, magenta, and cyan. Since it takes one minute to set each monochrome container 200, it takes three minutes to set the three color ink containers 200 in the liquid storage device 20A. Then, the color inks are stirred. Since it takes nine minutes to stir the color inks in the liquid storage device 20A, the total time required for setting and stirring the color inks is 12 minutes from the start of the task timer.

[0460] After setting the color inks in liquid storage device 20A (3 minutes after the task start timer), ink containers 200 are set in liquid storage device 20B in the order of black, gray, orange, red, and green. Since it takes 1 minute to set each monochrome container 200, it takes 5 minutes to set all five color ink containers 200 in liquid storage device 20B. Then the color inks are stirred. Since stirring the color inks in liquid storage device 20B takes 4 minutes, the total time required to set and stir the color inks is 12 minutes from the task start timer.

[0461] For white ink, after the colored ink in liquid storage device 20A and liquid storage device 20B has been set (eight minutes after the task start timer), the user manually stirs the white ink and places it in liquid stirring device 100. Since only the white ink is manually stirred in this embodiment, stirring the white ink container 200 takes three minutes, and placing the white ink container 200 in liquid stirring device 100 takes one minute. Afterward, the white ink is not stirred; therefore, the time required to set and stir the white ink is 12 minutes from the task start timer.

[0462] In this way, according to this embodiment, the stirring of white ink (which takes time when done mechanically) is done manually only, thus reducing the time required for stirring and filling the ink.

[0463] Fourth embodiment

[0464] In the first to third embodiments, during the initial filling of the liquid ejection device 1, ink that requires a long period of stirring is first placed in the liquid storage devices 20A and 20B. However, even in cases other than the initial filling, when multiple ink containers 200 are simultaneously emptied and refilled with inks of various colors, the same effect as in the first to third embodiments can be achieved by first placing ink that requires a long period of stirring in the liquid storage devices.

[0465] (Other embodiments)

[0466] In the first to fourth embodiments, the ink may contain particulate components other than pigments, such as resin particles. In this case, the precipitation of the particulate components may have a greater impact on recording than the pigments, which are the coloring material. Therefore, the determination of the order in which the ink is set (the order of stirring) can be based on which particulate component in the ink has a faster settling rate, rather than the coloring material.

[0467] The embodiments of the present invention can also be implemented by the following method: providing software (including computer program products of computer programs) that performs the functions of the above embodiments to a system or device via a network or various storage media, and the computer (central processing unit (CPU) or microprocessor unit (MPU) of the system or device) reads and executes the computer program.

[0468] While this disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the appended claims should be given the broadest interpretation to cover all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

Claims

1. A liquid supply device, comprising: A retaining mechanism configured to hold multiple containers, each containing liquid, in a removable state; A stirring mechanism configured to stir the liquid; as well as A notification device configured to provide notification relating to the order in which the plurality of containers are to be placed in the holding mechanism.

2. The liquid supply device according to claim 1, in, The stirring mechanism includes a first stirring component driven by a first driving source and a second stirring component driven by a second driving source different from the first driving source.

3. The liquid supply device according to claim 2, in, The first stirring member stirs the first container containing the first liquid among the plurality of containers, and the second stirring member stirs the second container containing a second liquid different from the first liquid among the plurality of containers.

4. The liquid supply device according to claim 3, in, The notification device provides notifications relating to the sequence of operations for placing the first container in the holding mechanism and operations for placing the second container in the holding mechanism.

5. The liquid supply device according to claim 3, in, The stirring time required by the second stirring component is longer than the stirring time required by the first stirring component.

6. The liquid supply device according to claim 5, in, The viscosity of the second liquid is higher than that of the first liquid.

7. The liquid supply device according to claim 4, in, The time required to eliminate the sedimentation of particles in the second liquid by stirring is longer than the time required to eliminate the sedimentation of particles in the first liquid by stirring.

8. The liquid supply device according to claim 3, in, The notification device notifies that the second container is positioned in the holding mechanism before the first container.

9. The liquid supply device according to claim 8, in, The stirring mechanism can start stirring operation using the second stirring member after the second container has been placed in the holding mechanism, without waiting for the first container to be placed in the holding mechanism.

10. The liquid supply device according to claim 3, in, The first liquid is a liquid containing particles, and the second liquid is a liquid containing particles with larger particle size or specific gravity compared to the first liquid.

11. The liquid supply device according to claim 3, in, The first liquid and the second liquid are inks containing pigments.

12. The liquid supply device according to claim 3, in, The second liquid is white ink.

13. The liquid supply device according to claim 12, in, The white ink contains titanium oxide.

14. The liquid supply device according to claim 3, in, The second liquid is a liquid containing metal powder.

15. The liquid supply device according to claim 1, in, When the container is first placed in the holding mechanism, the notification device provides a notification related to the order in which the container is to be placed.

16. The liquid supply device according to claim 1, further comprising: A supply mechanism is configured to supply the liquid to the recording device after the stirring by the stirring mechanism is completed.

17. A control method for a liquid supply device, the liquid supply device comprising: A retaining mechanism configured to hold multiple containers, each containing liquid, in a removable state; and a stirring mechanism configured to stir the liquid, the control method comprising: Notification shall be made regarding the order in which the plurality of containers shall be arranged in the holding mechanism.

18. A computer program product comprising a program for causing a computer to perform the control method according to claim 17.

19. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform the control method according to claim 17.

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