Recording device, control method for recording device, and program

Abstract

To suppress generation of image failure.SOLUTION: A recording device has: a carriage unit scanning a recording head having a nozzle discharging liquid; a first recovery unit which has a first cap capable of covering the nozzle of the recording head and is disposed at one end in a movable range of the carriage unit; and a second recovery unit which is capable of covering the nozzle of the recording head, has a second cap different in a humid condition from the first cap, and is disposed at the other end in the movable range of the carriage.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a recording apparatus that ejects liquid such as ink to form an image. [Background technology]

[0002] Ink used in recording devices thickens when moisture evaporates. When ink thickens inside the nozzle, it impedes the ejection of ink droplets, causing problems such as the position of the ink droplets landing on the recording medium being distorted. Therefore, in order to prevent ink thickening, it is necessary to keep the recording head moist, for example by capping the nozzle surface.

[0003] Patent document 1 discloses a technology in which a recovery unit equipped with both a cap unit and a wiper unit is placed on both sides of a platen, and when contact between the recording head and the recording medium is detected, the carriage is moved in a direction that allows it to be retracted, thereby keeping the recording head moist. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-074200 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the technology of Patent Document 1, the number of parts increases because the mechanism for maintaining the wet state is arranged in the recovery units on both sides of the platen. It is required to appropriately maintain the wet state while reducing the number of parts for maintaining the wet state.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above problems, and has an object to suppress the occurrence of image defects. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The recording device disclosed herein is characterized by comprising a carriage unit that scans a recording head having nozzles that eject liquid, a first recovery unit having a first cap capable of covering the nozzles of the recording head and positioned at one end of the range over which the carriage unit can move, and a second recovery unit having a second cap capable of covering the nozzles of the recording head and having a different wetness state than the first cap and positioned at the other end of the range over which the carriage unit can move. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the technique of the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of image defects. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a recording apparatus. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of a control system of the recording apparatus. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a print head and a buffer tank. [Diagram 5] Schematic diagram of a first recovery unit and a second recovery unit. [Figure 6] 11 is a flowchart showing a control flow for retracting the carriage. [Figure 7] A table that determines how to recover on return. [Figure 8] 11 is a flowchart showing a recovery flow upon return. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a print head and a buffer tank. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the nozzle and flow path configuration of a recording head. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the nozzle configuration of a recording head. [Figure 12] 11 is a flowchart showing a control flow for retracting the carriage and driving the circulation pump. [Figure 13]This table determines the recovery method when the circulation pump is restarted after it has been driven. [Figure 14] 11 is a flowchart showing a recovery flow at the time of recovery when a circulation pump is driven. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the present disclosure, and not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solutions of the present disclosure. Note that the same configurations will be described with the same reference numerals. Also, each process (step) in the flow chart will be indicated with a reference numeral beginning with "S".

[0011] In this specification, "recording" refers not only to the formation of meaningful information such as characters and figures, but also to the formation of meaningful or insignificant information. Furthermore, "recording" refers to the formation of an image, design, pattern, etc. on a recording medium, or the processing of the medium, regardless of whether it is manifested so that it can be visually perceived by humans. Furthermore, "recording medium" refers not only to paper used in general recording devices, but also to cloth, plastic film, metal plate, glass, ceramics, wood, leather, and other materials that can accept ink. Furthermore, "ink" (sometimes called "liquid") should be interpreted broadly in the same way as the definition of "recording" above. Therefore, it refers to a liquid that can be applied to a recording medium to form an image, design, pattern, etc., or to process the recording medium, or to process the ink (for example, to solidify or insolubilize the coloring material in the ink applied to the recording medium). Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, "nozzle" refers collectively to an ejection port, a liquid path communicating with it, and an element that generates energy used for ejecting ink.

[0012] [First embodiment] Hereinafter, an inkjet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0013] <Serial recording head> Fig. 1(a) is a schematic diagram of an inkjet recording apparatus 101 (hereinafter referred to as a "recording apparatus") according to a first embodiment. Fig. 1(b) is a cross-sectional view of the recording apparatus 101 according to the first embodiment in the XZ plane.

[0014] The recording device 101 is a so-called serial scan type printer, which records an image by scanning a recording head 110 in an X direction (scanning direction) perpendicular to a Y direction (transport direction) of a recording medium 103.

[0015] 1(a) and 1(b), a configuration of the recording device 101 and an outline of the operation during recording will be described. First, the recording medium 103 is conveyed in the Y direction from a spool 106 holding the recording medium 103 by a conveying roller driven by a conveying motor 215 via a gear.

[0016] Meanwhile, at a predetermined transport position, a carriage motor 216 causes a carriage unit 102 to perform reciprocating scanning (reciprocating movement) above the recording medium 103 along a guide shaft 108 extending in the X direction. A recording head 110, which will be described later, is mounted on the carriage unit 102.

[0017] During this scanning process, the nozzles of the print head 110 are caused to eject ink at a timing based on a position signal obtained by the encoder 107, and a certain bandwidth corresponding to the nozzle arrangement range is recorded. After that, the recording medium 103 is conveyed, and the next bandwidth is recorded.

[0018] The fed recording medium 103 is sandwiched between a feed roller and a pinch roller, and is guided to a recording position (scanning area of ​​the recording head) on a platen 104. Normally, in a resting state where recording is not being performed by the recording head 110, the recording head 110 is capped in a state where it is in close contact with the face of the recording head 110 by a cap 501 arranged in a first recovery unit 111 or a cap 508 arranged in a second recovery unit 112, which will be described later. When starting a recording operation, the cap 501 or the cap 508 is opened to make the carriage unit 102 equipped with the recording head 110 ready for scanning. After that, when data for one scan is accumulated in a buffer, the carriage unit 102 is caused to scan by the carriage motor 216, and recording is performed as described above.

[0019] A carriage belt (not shown) can be used to transmit the driving force from the carriage motor 216 to the carriage unit 102. Instead of the carriage belt, it is also possible to use another driving method, such as a mechanism including a lead screw that is rotationally driven by the carriage motor 216 and extends in the X direction, and an engagement portion that is provided on the carriage unit 102 and engages with a groove of the lead screw.

[0020] Ink is supplied to the print head 110 from an ink tank (not shown) mounted in the main body or an external ink tank unit 113 via a supply tube 105 and a carriage unit 102. Ink may be supplied from an ink tank to the print head 110 using a pressurizing unit. Alternatively, ink may be supplied by capping the nozzle surface of the print head 110 with a cap 501 of a first recovery unit 111 and applying negative pressure to the inside of the cap 501 with a suction pump to suck the ink.

[0021] Furthermore, the print head 110 may be mounted on the carriage 102 in the form of a plurality of print heads capable of ejecting ink of one color or a plurality of colors, or a single print head capable of ejecting ink of a plurality of colors may be mounted on the carriage.

[0022] <Recording Control> FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a recording control system in the recording apparatus 101 shown in FIG.

[0023] The recording device 101 includes a recording control unit 201. The recording control unit 201 includes a CPU 202, a memory 203, an image processing unit 204, and a data processing unit 205. The recording control unit 201 is further connected to motor drivers 211, 212, and 213, a head driver 214, and an interface 207.

[0024] Motor drivers 211, 212, and 213 are respectively connected to a transport motor 215, a carriage motor 216, and a recovery unit motor 217. A head driver 214 is connected to the print head 110. An interface 207 is connected to a data processing unit 205 and a host computer 206 (hereinafter referred to as a host PC).

[0025] The CPU 202 is a central processing unit that performs various controls of the recording device 101. The CPU 202 may be an ASIC.

[0026] The memory 203 stores input image data, intermediate multi-value gradation data, and a multi-pass mask.

[0027] An image processing unit 204 and a data processing unit 205 perform predetermined image processing and predetermined data processing on image data, control data, and the like received from a host PC 206 via an interface 207 .

[0028] Motor drivers 211, 212, and 213 are drivers that rotate and drive a transport motor 215, a carriage motor 216, and a recovery unit motor 217, respectively.

[0029] The head driver 214 is a driver that drives the printhead 110, and when multiple printheads are mounted, a plurality of head drivers are provided corresponding to the number of printheads.

[0030] The conveying motor 215 is a motor that rotates and drives a conveying roller for conveying the recording medium 103 .

[0031] The carriage motor 216 is a motor that drives the carriage unit 102 on which the print head 110 is mounted to reciprocate.

[0032] The recovery unit motor 217 is a motor mounted on the first recovery unit 111, and switches the units to be driven by a camshaft to operate the wiper 503 and the suction pump 502 (see FIG. 5).

[0033] <Recording head configuration> FIG. 3A is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the print head 110 and the nozzle array.

[0034] In this embodiment, the print head 110 is provided with independent buffer tanks 301C, 301M, 301Y, and 301BK for the four colors of ink: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. Note that, for the sake of explanation, the buffer tanks are shown in Fig. 3(a) so that they can be seen, but the buffer tanks are actually stored inside the print head.

[0035] Chips 303 are arranged on the underside of the print head 110, on which nozzle rows corresponding to the respective inks are formed. The chip 303 has two rows of 1024 nozzles 302 arranged at intervals of 1200 dpi per color, making it possible for one chip to eject two colors. By arranging two such chips, printing in four colors is possible. Note that the nozzle rows for one color do not need to be arranged on the same straight line, and may be arranged one by one in a staggered manner, resulting in a total of four rows of 512 nozzles arranged at intervals of 600 dpi.

[0036] FIG. 3(b) is a plan view showing the detailed configuration of the chip 303.

[0037] Temperature sensors S6, S7, S8, and S9 each made of a diode for detecting the temperature of the chip 303 are disposed at the ends of the chip 303 in the arrangement direction of the nozzles 302.

[0038] Temperature sensors S6, S7, S8, and S9 are located approximately 0.2 mm away from the outermost nozzle position of the nozzle row in the nozzle arrangement direction (Y direction), and are located midway between the two nozzle rows in the main scanning direction (X direction).

[0039] Temperature sensors S1, S2, S3, S4, and S5, which are diodes for detecting the temperature at the center of the nozzle array, are formed in the center of the nozzle array in the nozzle array direction, and are also located in the middle between the two nozzle arrays. Heaters 311 and 312 are formed to surround the nozzle array, and are located 1.2 mm outside the outermost nozzle array in the main scanning direction and 0.2 mm outside the temperature sensors S6, S7, S8, and S9 in the nozzle array direction. The horizontal and vertical dimensions of chip 303 are 9.55 mm x 39.0 mm.

[0040] In addition, the chip 303 is provided with a plurality of heating elements 313 capable of heating the chip 303. This suppresses changes in the viscosity of the ink in the print head 110, and performs temperature adjustment control to heat the ink to a constant temperature without being affected by the environmental temperature, thereby maintaining the viscosity of the ink constant.

[0041] The print head 110 is provided with a driver (driving unit) (not shown), which is connected to each of the heating elements 313 and is configured to be able to control the drive current of the heating elements 313 to be ON or OFF.

[0042] 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the print head 110 and the buffer tank 401. Here, a schematic diagram of a flow path for one color is shown, but as described above, it is assumed that buffer tanks and flow paths for four colors, cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, are configured in one print head 110.

[0043] The supply tube 105 is connected to a joint 404 of the print head 110 through the inside of the carriage unit 102, and is connected to a buffer tank 401. Ink supplied from the ink tank passes through a filter 405 and a flow path of the buffer tank 401, and reaches a first pressure chamber 406.

[0044] A valve 411 that opens when a predetermined negative pressure is reached is provided at the inlet of the first pressure chamber 406. The valve 411 is provided in the flow path between the filter 405 and the first pressure chamber 406.

[0045] In the chip 303, ink is supplied from a first pressure chamber 406 to a supply flow path of one or more nozzle rows arranged in the chip 303 via a joint 410 and a common supply flow path 409 formed in the print head 110. The supply flow path will be described in detail later.

[0046] <Recovery Unit> Next, a detailed description will be given of the configuration of the recovery unit in this embodiment that recovers the ejection state of the print head 110. In this disclosure, the recovery units are provided in two locations, and the wetness state in the cap mechanism of each recovery unit is different.

[0047] In this embodiment, two types of configurations will be described: a first recovery unit 111 having a wet cap, and a second recovery unit 112 having a dry cap.

[0048] FIG. 5(a) is a schematic diagram of the first recovery unit 111 according to this embodiment.

[0049] The first recovery unit 111 includes a cap 501 and a maintenance mechanism that maintains a wet state inside the cap 501. The maintenance mechanism includes a suction pump 502 (negative pressure generating means), a cleaning liquid tank (not shown) (supply means), and a cleaning means that cleans the nozzle surface of the recording head 110 using a wiper 503 (wiping member).

[0050] Here, the cap 501 is a member that covers the nozzle surface of the print head 110. With the cap 501 covering the nozzle surface, the suction pump 502 generates negative pressure within the print head 110, thereby sucking ink from the print head 110. The wiper 503 wipes the nozzle surface of the print head 110. The cleaning liquid tank supplies cleaning liquid into the cap 501. For example, water or a liquid that uses glycerin as a solvent is used as the cleaning liquid.

[0051] The first recovery unit 111 is disposed at a position facing the print head 110 when the carriage unit 102 stops at the home position. In this embodiment, the home position refers to one end position that is the right end in the main scanning direction of the carriage unit 102, as shown in Fig. 1(b). This is merely an example, and the home position may be the other end position that is the left end in the main scanning direction of the carriage unit 102.

[0052] The cap 501 is supported by a lifting mechanism (not shown) so that it can be raised and lowered, and moves between a raised position and a lowered position. At the raised position, the cap 501 abuts against the recording head 110 to cap the nozzle surface of the recording head 110.

[0053] The cap 501 covers the nozzle surface of the print head 110, thereby preventing the nozzles of the print head 110 from drying out and the ink from evaporating during non-printing operations. In addition, with the nozzle surface of the print head 110 capped by the cap 501, the suction pump 502, which will be described later, can be driven to suck ink from the print head 110.

[0054] Tubes 504 and 505 are connected to the cap 501, and the tube 504 is connected to a cleaning liquid tank (not shown) mounted in the main body or an external ink tank unit 113 for cleaning the cap 501 and the print head 110. The cleaning liquid is supplied into the cap 501 through the tube 504 by a pressurizing unit for the purpose of diluting the ink remaining in the cap 501 and preventing it from sticking. The cleaning liquid is mainly supplied after preliminary ejection of ink from the print head 110 for recovery purposes or after the suction operation of the nozzles by the suction pump 502, but the cleaning liquid may be supplied at regular intervals to maintain a moist state.

[0055] The tube 505 is connected to the waste liquid tank 114, and the ink and cleaning liquid held in the cap 501 (inside the cap to which cleaning liquid is supplied) can be discharged using the suction pump 502. In addition, since absorbers 506 and 507 are arranged in the cap 501, the cap 501 can hold a certain amount of ink discharged by the preliminary ejection and suction operations, as well as cleaning liquid supplied from the cleaning liquid tank.

[0056] During a printing operation, the cap 501 is located in a lowered position to avoid interference with the print head 110 that moves together with the carriage unit 102. With the cap 501 located in the lowered position, the print head 110 can perform preliminary ejection onto the cap 501 when the print head 110 moves to a position facing the cap 501.

[0057] The wiper 503 (wiper blade) is made of an elastic material such as rubber.

[0058] In this embodiment, the wiper 503 reciprocates in the direction of arrow Z between a wiping position and a retracted position by well-known means in order to remove foreign matter such as ink residue adhering to the nozzle surface.

[0059] When not wiping, the wiper 503 is located at the retracted position as shown in Fig. 5(a), while when wiping, it moves to the wiping position as shown in Fig. 5(b), and in that state, the carriage unit 102 moves in the direction of the arrow X, causing the wiper to come into contact and perform the wiping operation.

[0060] In this embodiment, the wiper 503 is made of an elastic material such as rubber, but it may be made of a porous material that absorbs ink. Also, the wiper 503 may have a vacuum wiper configuration that is capable of sucking the nozzle surface.

[0061] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the wiping operation is performed only when the wiper 503 moves in one direction, but the wiping operation may be performed when the wiper 503 moves in both directions.

[0062] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the wiping direction is a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the nozzles are arranged in the print head 110, but it may be configured to move in the direction in which the nozzle rows are arranged.

[0063] The suction pump 502 is driven with the cap 501 covering the nozzle surface of the print head 110 to make the inside a substantially sealed space, and generates negative pressure inside to perform a suction operation of sucking ink from the print head 110. That is, the suction pump 502 acts as a negative pressure generating means. This suction operation is performed when filling the print head 110 with ink from an ink tank (initial filling) and when sucking and removing dust, stuck matter, air bubbles, etc. from inside the nozzles 302 (suction recovery).

[0064] In this embodiment, a tube pump is used as the suction pump 502. The tube pump includes a holder formed with a curved surface along which (at least a part of) the tube 505 is held, a roller capable of pressing the held tube 505, and a roller support portion rotatably supporting the roller. The tube pump rotates the roller while squashing the tube 505 by rotating the roller support portion in a predetermined direction. This generates negative pressure inside the cap 501, and sucks ink from the print head 110. The sucked ink is discharged through the tube 505 into a waste ink absorber or a waste ink recovery bottle.

[0065] The suction operation is also performed when preliminary ejection is performed by the print head 110 onto the cap 501, and ink received in the cap 501 by the preliminary ejection is discharged. That is, when the ink that has been preliminary ejected and held in the cap 501 reaches a predetermined amount, the suction pump 502 is driven, and the ink held in the cap 501 can be discharged to the waste liquid tank 114 via the tube 505.

[0066] Furthermore, the suction operation is also performed when discharging the cleaning liquid supplied from the cleaning liquid tank via tube 504. When the cleaning liquid held in cap 501 reaches a predetermined amount, suction pump 502 is driven, whereby the cleaning liquid held in cap 501 can be discharged via tube 505 to waste liquid tank 114.

[0067] Next, the second recovery unit 112 will be described.

[0068] The second recovery unit 112 includes only a cap 508 that covers the nozzle surface of the print head 110. The second recovery unit 112 is disposed at a position facing the print head 110 when the carriage unit 102 stops at the away position. The away position in this embodiment means the other end position, which is the left end in the main scanning direction of the carriage unit 102, as shown in FIG. 1B. This is merely an example, and the away position may be the one end position, which is the right end in the main scanning direction of the carriage unit 102.

[0069] FIG. 5(c) is a schematic diagram of the second recovery unit 112 according to this embodiment.

[0070] The cap 508 is supported by an elevation mechanism (not shown) so that it can be raised and lowered, and moves between an elevated position and a lowered position. When in the elevated position, the cap 508 comes into contact with the print head 110 and covers (caps) the nozzle surface of the print head 110. By covering the nozzle surface of the print head 110, the cap 508 prevents the nozzles of the print head 110 from drying out and the ink from evaporating during non-printing operations. On the other hand, since the cap 508 does not have a suction pump or a cleaning liquid supply path, the preliminary ejection and suction operations of the print head 110 are not performed by the cap 508.

[0071] The cap 508 of the second recovery unit 112 is drier than the cap 501 of the first recovery unit 111 because no liquid can be held within the cap 508 of the second recovery unit 112 .

[0072] Furthermore, the locations of the first recovery unit 111 and the second recovery unit 112 are not limited to those described above. The first recovery unit 111 may be located in the away position, and the second recovery unit 112 may be located in the home position. It is preferable to locate the two units on either side of the transport path of the recording medium 103. Furthermore, three or more recovery units, i.e., caps, may be located.

[0073] <Ink composition> Next, the ink used in this embodiment will be described. In the following, "parts" and "%" are based on mass unless otherwise specified.

[0074] (Black ink) (1) Preparation of pigment dispersion First, an anionic polymer P-1 [styrene / butyl acrylate / acrylic acid copolymer (polymerization ratio (weight ratio) = 30 / 40 / 30), acid value 202, weight average molecular weight 6500] was prepared. This was neutralized with an aqueous potassium hydroxide solution and diluted with ion-exchanged water to prepare a homogeneous 10% by mass aqueous polymer solution.

[0075] 100 g of the polymer solution, 100 g of carbon black, and 300 g of ion-exchanged water are mixed and mechanically stirred for 0.5 hours. Next, the mixture is treated by passing through an interaction chamber five times under a liquid pressure of about 70 MPa using a microfluidizer. Furthermore, the dispersion obtained above is centrifuged (12,000 rpm, 20 minutes) to remove non-dispersed matter including coarse particles to obtain a black dispersion. The obtained black dispersion had a pigment concentration of 10% by mass and a dispersant concentration of 6% by mass.

[0076] (2) Preparation of resin particle dispersion First, under a nitrogen atmosphere, the mixture was heated to 70°C and stirred with a motor, and the following three additive liquids were added dropwise little by little to carry out polymerization for 5 hours. Each additive liquid was a mixture containing a hydrophobic monomer consisting of 28.5 parts of methyl methacrylate, a hydrophilic monomer consisting of 4.3 parts of sodium p-styrenesulfonate and 30 parts of water, and a polymerization initiator consisting of 0.05 parts of potassium persulfate and 30 parts of water.

[0077] (3) Ink preparation The ink is prepared by adding the above black dispersion and resin microparticle dispersion to the above ink, and then adjusting the concentration to the desired level by adding the following components, thoroughly mixing and stirring the components, and then filtering the mixture under pressure using a microfilter (manufactured by Fujifilm Corporation) with a pore size of 2.5 μm to prepare a pigment ink with a pigment concentration of 5% by mass and a dispersant concentration of 3% by mass. 50 parts of the above black dispersion 10 parts of the above resin particle dispersion 2-Methyl-1,3-propanediol 15 parts 2-Pyrrolidone 5 parts Acetylene glycol EO adduct 0.5 parts (Kawaken Fine Chemical Co., Ltd.) Ion-exchanged water (balance).

[0078] (Cyan ink) (1) Preparation of dispersion First, an AB type block polymer having an acid value of 250 and a number average molecular weight of 3000 was produced by a conventional method using benzyl acrylate and methacrylic acid as raw materials, and then neutralized with an aqueous potassium hydroxide solution and diluted with ion-exchanged water to produce a homogeneous 50% by mass aqueous polymer solution.

[0079] 180 g of the above polymer solution, 100 g of CI Pigment Blue 15:3, and 220 g of ion-exchanged water were mixed and mechanically stirred for 0.5 hours.

[0080] The mixture was then processed using a microfluidizer by passing it through the interaction chamber five times under a liquid pressure of about 70 MPa.

[0081] The dispersion obtained above was then centrifuged (12,000 rpm, 20 minutes) to remove non-dispersed matter including coarse particles, to obtain a cyan dispersion having a pigment concentration of 10% by mass and a dispersant concentration of 10% by mass.

[0082] (2) Preparation of resin particle dispersion A resin particle dispersion was prepared using the same raw materials and by the same preparation method as described for the cyan ink.

[0083] (3) Ink preparation The ink was prepared by adding the following components to the above cyan dispersion to a predetermined concentration: After thoroughly mixing and stirring these components, the mixture was filtered under pressure using a microfilter (manufactured by Fujifilm Corporation) with a pore size of 2.5 μm to prepare a pigment ink with a pigment concentration of 2% by mass and a dispersant concentration of 2% by mass. 20 parts of the above cyan dispersion 10 parts of the above resin particle dispersion 2-Methyl-1,3-propanediol 15 parts 2-Pyrrolidone 5 parts Acetylene glycol EO adduct 0.5 parts (Kawaken Fine Chemical Co., Ltd.) Ion-exchanged water (balance).

[0084] (Magenta ink) (1) Preparation of dispersion First, an AB type block polymer having an acid value of 300 and a number average molecular weight of 2500 was produced by a conventional method using benzyl acrylate and methacrylic acid as raw materials, and then the polymer was neutralized with an aqueous potassium hydroxide solution and diluted with ion-exchanged water to produce a homogeneous 50% by mass aqueous polymer solution.

[0085] 100 g of the above polymer solution, 100 g of CI Pigment Red 122, and 300 g of ion-exchanged water were mixed and mechanically stirred for 0.5 hours.

[0086] The mixture was then processed using a microfluidizer by passing it through the interaction chamber five times under a liquid pressure of about 70 MPa.

[0087] The dispersion obtained above was then centrifuged (12,000 rpm, 20 minutes) to remove non-dispersed matter including coarse particles to obtain a magenta dispersion. The resulting magenta dispersion had a pigment concentration of 10% by mass and a dispersant concentration of 5% by mass.

[0088] (2) Preparation of resin particle dispersion A resin particle dispersion was prepared using the same raw materials and by the same preparation method as described for the cyan ink.

[0089] (3) Ink preparation The ink was prepared by adding the following components to the above magenta dispersion to a predetermined concentration: After thoroughly mixing and stirring these components, the mixture was filtered under pressure using a microfilter (manufactured by Fujifilm Corporation) with a pore size of 2.5 μm to prepare a pigment ink with a pigment concentration of 4% by mass and a dispersant concentration of 2% by mass. 40 parts of the above magenta dispersion 10 parts of the above resin particle dispersion 2-Methyl-1,3-propanediol 15 parts 2-Pyrrolidone 5 parts Acetylene glycol EO adduct 0.5 parts (Kawaken Fine Chemical Co., Ltd.) Ion-exchanged water (balance).

[0090] (Yellow ink) (1) Preparation of dispersion First, the anionic polymer P-1 was neutralized with an aqueous potassium hydroxide solution and diluted with ion-exchanged water to prepare a homogeneous 10% by mass aqueous polymer solution.

[0091] 30 parts of the above polymer solution, 10 parts of CI Pigment Yellow 74, and 60 parts of ion-exchanged water were mixed and charged into a batch-type vertical sand mill (manufactured by Imex), 150 parts of zirconia beads having a diameter of 0.3 mm were added, and the mixture was subjected to a dispersion treatment for 12 hours while being cooled with water.

[0092] The dispersion obtained above was then centrifuged to remove non-dispersed matter including coarse particles to obtain a yellow dispersion, which had a solid content of about 12.5% ​​and a weight average particle size of 120 nm.

[0093] (2) Preparation of resin particle dispersion A resin particle dispersion was prepared using the same raw materials and by the same preparation method as described for the cyan ink.

[0094] (3) Ink preparation The following components were mixed and thoroughly stirred to dissolve and disperse, and then pressure filtered through a microfilter (manufactured by Fujifilm Corporation) with a pore size of 1.0 μm to prepare an ink. 40 parts of the above yellow dispersion 10 parts of the above resin particle dispersion 2-Methyl-1,3-propanediol 15 parts 2-Pyrrolidone 5 parts Acetylene glycol EO adduct 0.5 parts (Kawaken Fine Chemical Co., Ltd.) Ion-exchanged water (balance).

[0095] A feature of the ink used in this embodiment is that it contains "resin fine particles" to fix the ink on a non-permeable recording medium. "Resin fine particles" refers to fine particles made of resin and having a particle size that allows them to be dispersed in an aqueous medium. The resin fine particles melt when heated and form a film (film formation) on the surface of the recording medium, thereby fixing the pigment to the surface of the recording medium.

[0096] In the present invention, the glass transition point Tg of the resin constituting the resin microparticles is preferably more than 30° C. and less than 80° C. If the temperature is 30° C. or lower, the difference between the resin's Tg and room temperature is small, and the resin microparticles are in a state close to a molten state even in the ink, so the viscosity of the ink increases in the head, and the image quality (color development, sharpness, etc.) may decrease due to poor ink ejection. If the temperature is 80° C. or higher, a lot of heat is required in the heating and drying means to melt the resin microparticles, and the resin microparticles cannot be melted before the pigment aggregates due to the evaporation of water in the ink, and the image quality (color development, etc.) may decrease.

[0097] The resin constituting the resin microparticles is not particularly limited as long as the glass transition temperature Tg satisfies the above range. Specific examples include acrylic resin; styrene-acrylic resin; polyethylene resin, polypropylene resin, polyurethane resin, styrene-butadiene resin, and fluoroolefin resin. For example, acrylic resin can be synthesized by emulsion polymerization of monomers such as (meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester and (meth)acrylic acid alkyl amide. Styrene-acrylic resin can be synthesized by emulsion polymerization of monomers such as (meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester and (meth)acrylic acid alkyl amide and styrene. By emulsion polymerization, an emulsion can be obtained in which microparticles (resin microparticles) made of the resin are dispersed in a medium.

[0098] In the present disclosure, as the resin fine particles having sulfonic acid groups, resin fine particles that are insoluble in water and are made of any commonly used resin component can be used.

[0099] The resin component constituting the resin microparticles is not particularly limited as long as it is a resin containing a sulfonic acid group, and any resin component, such as any commonly used natural or synthetic polymer, or a polymer newly developed for the present invention, can be used without any restrictions. In particular, from the viewpoint of being commonly usable and being able to easily design the function of the resin microparticles, a polymer or copolymer of a monomer component having a radical polymerizable unsaturated bond, such as an acrylic resin or a styrene / acrylic resin, can be used.

[0100] Generally, surfactants are used as penetrants for the purpose of improving the permeability of ink to inkjet-specific recording media. In the case of non-permeable recording media, surfactants are used for the purpose of improving wettability. The more surfactants are added, the stronger the property of lowering the surface tension of the ink, and the wettability and permeability of the ink to the recording medium are improved. It is preferable to use surfactant acetylene glycol EO adducts, fluorine-based, or silicone-based surfactants. Since fluorine-based or silicone-based surfactants can lower the surface tension of the ink even with a small content, they can increase the wettability of the ink to the recording medium. This suppresses the phenomenon that the ink is repelled by the surface of the recording medium even when recording on a non-absorbent recording medium, and further improves the image quality. In this embodiment, all inks were adjusted to have a surface tension of 30 (dyn / cm) or less as a preferred surface tension. A fully automatic surface tensiometer CBVP-Z (manufactured by Kyowa Interface Science Co., Ltd.) was used to measure the surface tension. Note that the measuring device is not limited to the above-mentioned examples as long as it can measure the surface tension of the ink.

[0101] In addition, since all the inks in this embodiment use anionic coloring materials, the pH of the ink is stable on the alkaline side, and the value is 8.5 to 9.5. From the viewpoint of preventing impurities from eluting from members that come into contact with the ink, deterioration of materials constituting the members, and a decrease in the solubility of the pigment dispersion resin in the ink, it is generally preferable that the pH of the ink is 7.0 or more and 10.0 or less. The pH was measured using a pH METER model F-52 manufactured by Horiba Ltd. Note that the measuring device is not limited to the above-mentioned examples as long as it can measure the pH of the ink.

[0102] <Recovery flow> Next, a description will be given of a means for selecting a capping position for the carriage unit 102 when an abnormality occurs during movement of the carriage unit 102 and the carriage unit 102 stops abnormally, and for selecting a recovery operation (recovery method) based on the carriage position and elapsed time at the next recovery time.

[0103] FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing a flow of retracting the carriage unit 102 when an abnormality is detected.

[0104] In S601, after detecting an abnormality, the CPU 202 stores the abnormality detection time in the non-volatile memory. The abnormality detection time is referenced when calculating the elapsed time from the abnormality detection time upon recovery. After the CPU 202 stores the abnormality detection time in the non-volatile memory, the process proceeds to S602.

[0105] In S602, the CPU 202 determines whether the power of the recording device 101 is ON. If the power of the recording device 101 is ON, the process proceeds to S603. If the power of the recording device 101 is OFF, the flow shown in FIG. 6 ends.

[0106] In S603, the CPU 202 determines whether the carriage unit 102 can move to the cap 501 side, which is the wet cap. Specifically, after the CPU 202 confirms that the moving speed of the carriage unit 102 toward the cap 501 side is less than a predetermined value, the CPU 202 determines whether the carriage unit 102 can move to the cap 501 side. When the moving speed of the carriage unit 102 toward the cap 501 side is less than the predetermined value, this includes the case where the carriage unit 102 is stopped.

[0107] For example, if the carriage unit 102 comes into contact with paper while moving toward the cap 508 (drying cap), the bent paper may become a wall, preventing the carriage unit 102 from moving in the forward direction. In such a case, the CPU 202 determines that movement toward the cap 508 is not possible.

[0108] On the other hand, since there is no obstacle preventing the carriage unit 102 from moving in the opposite direction to the direction in which it was moving, it is possible to move the carriage unit 102 to the cap 501 (wet cap) side. In other words, if there is contact with a paper during movement from the cap 501 (wet cap) side to the cap 508 (dry cap) side, it is possible to move the carriage unit 102 to the cap 501 (wet cap) side. In such a case, the CPU 202 determines that movement to the cap 501 side is possible.

[0109] In S603, if the CPU 202 determines that it is possible to move the carriage unit 102 toward the cap 501, the process proceeds to S604. If the CPU 202 determines that it is not possible to move the carriage unit 102 toward the cap 501, the process proceeds to S605.

[0110] In S604, capping is performed with the cap 501 (wet cap) on the print head 110. When the capping is completed, the flow shown in FIG.

[0111] In S605, the CPU 202 determines whether the carriage unit 102 can move to the side of the dry cap, cap 508. For example, if the carriage unit 102 comes into contact with a paper while moving from the cap 508 (dry cap) side to the cap 501 (wet cap) side, the carriage unit 102 can move to the cap 508 (dry cap) side.

[0112] If the CPU 202 determines in S605 that it is possible to move the carriage unit 102 toward the cap 508, the process proceeds to S606. If the CPU 202 determines that it is not possible to move the carriage unit 102 toward the cap 508, the flow shown in FIG. 6 ends with the print head 110 not being capped.

[0113] In S606, capping is performed with a cap 508 (drying cap) on the print head 110. When the capping is completed, the flow shown in FIG.

[0114] Fig. 7 is a table showing the selection of a recovery method when recovering from an error such as an abnormal stop of the carriage unit 102. In Fig. 7, the recovery method for the print head 110 is selected based on the carriage position and the standing time.

[0115] The carriage position can be classified into three categories: dry cap position (print head 110 is positioned on cap 508), wet cap position (print head 110 is positioned on cap 501), or other.

[0116] The time allowed to stand can be divided into four categories: less than 3 hours, less than 24 hours, less than 72 hours, or 72 hours or more. The number of categories is not limited to these.

[0117] There are, for example, three types of cleaning methods, which can be classified into a first cleaning method, a second cleaning method, and a third cleaning method.

[0118] The first cleaning is a cleaning method in which thickened ink is discharged by preliminary ejection of ink from the print head 110 at a timing other than printing, for example.

[0119] The second cleaning is a cleaning method in which, after performing preliminary ejection, for example, ink inside the print head 110 (ink present inside the print head) is discharged by suction.

[0120] The third cleaning is a cleaning method in which, after performing preliminary ejection and suction, for example, a cleaning liquid is introduced into the print head 110 to dissolve the stuck-on material. There are two possible methods for dissolving the stuck-on material. The first method is to fill the cap 501 with cleaning liquid in the capping state and to immerse the nozzles in the cleaning liquid. The second method is to have the user replace the ink tank with a cleaning liquid tank and introduce the cleaning liquid from the head supply port by suction.

[0121] After the first cleaning, the second cleaning, or the third cleaning has been performed, the nozzle surface is wiped by a wiper 503.

[0122] The cleaning strength of the cleaning method increases in the order of the first cleaning, the second cleaning, and the third cleaning. The first, second, and third cleanings described above are examples of cleanings (recovery operations) with different strengths, and the recovery operation of the present invention is not limited to these cleanings.

[0123] When capped in the dry cap position, the evaporation rate is faster than when capped in the wet cap position, so a stronger recovery method must be selected from a shorter leave time than when left wet capped. On the other hand, when capped in the dry cap position, the evaporation rate is slower than when left uncapped, so a weaker recovery method may be selected than when not capped.

[0124] It is possible to have multiple recovery method selection tables associated with different ink colors, as shown in Fig. 7. Since the tendency for ink colors to adhere (strength of chemical bonds between molecules) differs depending on the color of ink used, it is possible to reduce the amount of waste ink by performing recovery using an appropriate cleaning method for each color of ink used.

[0125] It is also possible to provide a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor in the recording device 101 and have a plurality of recovery method selection tables shown in Fig. 7 according to the environmental temperature or humidity. The lower the environmental temperature and the higher the environmental humidity, the slower the ink drying progresses, so it is possible to select a cleaning method with a weaker cleaning strength even with the same carriage position and leaving time.

[0126] FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing a flow for selecting a recovery method upon recovery.

[0127] "Recovery" refers to the case where the user removes the cause of the abnormality after the occurrence of the abnormality, and sends a recovery command by operating the main unit. The recovery command may include a command that involves some main unit operation, such as turning on the power, a cleaning command, or sending a print job.

[0128] In S801, the CPU 202 acquires the carriage position of the carriage unit 102 at the time of recovery, and the process proceeds to S802.

[0129] In S802, the CPU 202 calculates the time that has elapsed since the abnormality was detected. Here, as described above, the CPU 202 calculates the elapsed time based on the abnormality detection time stored in step S801 and the current time. After the CPU 202 calculates the time that has elapsed since the abnormality was detected, the process proceeds to S803.

[0130] In S803, the CPU 202 selects a recovery process (cleaning method) from the recovery method selection table shown in FIG. 7, and the process proceeds to S804.

[0131] In S804, the carriage unit 102 is moved to the home position, that is, onto the cap (wet cap) 501. When the carriage unit 102 has moved to the home position, the process proceeds to S805.

[0132] In S805, the recovery process (cleaning method) selected in S803 is performed on the print head 110, and the flow shown in FIG. 8 ends.

[0133] By using the configuration of this embodiment, a drying cap can be used in one of the two recovery units, which makes it possible to reduce the number of parts in the recording device 101. In addition, since the recording head 110 is cleaned and recovered in an appropriate manner, the occurrence of image defects due to ink adhesion is also suppressed.

[0134] [Second embodiment] In the second embodiment, a description will be given of the selection of a capping position when an abnormality occurs while the carriage unit 102 is moving, and the selection of a recovery method depending on the carriage position, the elapsed time, and whether or not ink is circulating during recovery.

[0135] The ink circulation, which is a difference from the first embodiment, will be described below.

[0136] <Ink circulation> 9 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the print head 110 and the buffer tank 901. Here, a schematic diagram of a flow path for one color is shown, but as described above, it is assumed that buffer tanks and flow paths for four colors, cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, are configured in one print head.

[0137] The supply tube 105 is connected to a joint 904 of the print head 110 through the inside of the carriage unit 102, and is connected to a buffer tank 901. The supplied ink passes through a filter 905, passes through a flow path in the buffer tank 901, and reaches a first pressure chamber 906. The first pressure chamber 906 is connected to another second pressure chamber 907, and is also connected via another flow path via a circulation pump 908 (flow velocity generating means).

[0138] The inlet ports of the first pressure chamber 906 and the second pressure chamber 907 are provided with valves 911 and 912, respectively, which open when a predetermined negative pressure is reached. The valve 911 is provided in the flow path between the filter 905 and the first pressure chamber 906. The valve 912 is provided in the flow path between the first pressure chamber 906 and the second pressure chamber 907. Furthermore, the valve 912 of the second pressure chamber opens at a negative pressure stronger than the negative pressure at which the valve 911 of the first pressure chamber opens.

[0139] Ink is supplied to the chip 303 from the first pressure chamber 906 via a joint 913 and a common supply flow path 909 formed in the print head 110 to a supply flow path (described later) of one or more nozzle arrays arranged in the chip 303.

[0140] Then, the ink that has passed through the nozzle 302 passes through a recovery flow path (described later) in the chip 303 , a common recovery flow path 910 and a joint 914 formed in the print head 110 , and is returned to the second pressure chamber 907 .

[0141] 10 and 11 are diagrams showing the configuration of nozzles 302 and flow paths formed in a chip 303, and the flow of ink.

[0142] In FIG. 10, nozzles 302 are formed in an orifice plate 1020 on the surface of a chip 303, and behind that, on a substrate 1030, ejection energy generating elements 1023 that generate ejection energy for ejecting ink are provided.

[0143] An electrothermal conversion element (heater) or a piezoelectric element can be used as the ejection energy generating element 1023. When a heater is used, the ink in the nozzle is bubbled by the heat generated, and the ink can be ejected from the nozzle 302 by using the bubble generating energy.

[0144] When ink is supplied, the nozzle surface is kept at a negative pressure such that a meniscus is formed on the nozzle surface. Two flow paths, an inlet 1021 and an outlet 1022, are formed on both sides of the nozzle 302.

[0145] 11, in this embodiment, the inflow port 1021 and the outflow port 1022 are arranged so that one each is provided for every two nozzles. Note that the number of inflow ports 1021 and outflow ports 1022 may be one each for one nozzle, or one each for more than two nozzles.

[0146] The inlet 1021 and the outlet 1022 are respectively connected to a supply flow path 1031 and a recovery flow path 1032 formed along the nozzle row direction. The supply flow path 1031 and the recovery flow path 1032 are covered with a cover plate 1040, and are connected to a common supply flow path 909 and a common recovery flow path 910 of the print head via cover plate openings 1041 on the cover plate 1040. One or more cover plate openings 1041 are provided for each supply flow path 1031 and recovery flow path 1032. The number of cover plate openings 1041 may be the same as or different from the number of supply flow paths 1031 and recovery flow paths 1032.

[0147] Next, a method of supplying ink to the print head 110 and the buffer tank 901, and a method of circulating ink within the nozzles 302 in this embodiment will be described.

[0148] 9, ink is pressurized from an ink tank, reaches the inside of the print head 110 through a supply tube 105, passes through a filter 905, and then flows into a flow path in a buffer tank 901. When the inside of the print head 110 is filled with ink at an appropriate negative pressure so that a meniscus is maintained on the nozzle surface, a valve 911 at the inlet of a first pressure chamber 906 is closed, and ink does not flow into the first pressure chamber 906.

[0149] However, when negative pressure is applied to the nozzle 302 by the suction operation of the cap 501 of the first recovery unit 111, or when ink is ejected from the nozzle 302, and the negative pressure in the first pressure chamber 906 reaches a predetermined negative pressure, the inlet valve 911 opens. When the inlet valve 911 opens, ink flows into the first pressure chamber 906.

[0150] 9, the first pressure chamber 906 and the second pressure chamber 907 are connected to a circulation pump 908, and when the circulation pump 908 is driven, ink is transferred from the second pressure chamber 907 to the first pressure chamber 906 via the circulation pump 908. This increases the negative pressure in the second pressure chamber 907, and opens a valve 912 at the inlet of the second pressure chamber 907, causing ink to flow back from the first pressure chamber 906 to the second pressure chamber 907.

[0151] At this time, a pressure difference occurs between the first pressure chamber 906 and the second pressure chamber 907, so that ink passes through the flow path from the first pressure chamber 906 to the common supply flow path 909, the cover plate opening 1041, the supply flow path 1031 of each nozzle row, and the inlet 1021 in that order. Then, a portion of the ink flows into the nozzle 302.

[0152] Furthermore, the ink passes through the flow path from the nozzle 302 through the outlet 1022, recovery flow path 1032, cover plate opening 1041, and common recovery flow path 910 in that order, and returns to the second pressure chamber 907. That is, the ink in the chip 303 flows in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 10. The negative pressure and ink flow rate in the nozzle 302 are adjusted by the flow rate of the circulation pump 908, the pressure loss in the flow path between the first pressure chamber 906 and the second pressure chamber 907, and the opening and closing force of the inlet valve so that they are within a range in which a meniscus can be maintained.

[0153] As a result, when the circulation pump 908 is driven, a flow is generated that moves the ink near the nozzle 302, which suppresses an increase in ink viscosity due to drying inside the nozzle during printing operation and prevents the ink ejection characteristics from deteriorating.

[0154] <Recovery flow> The adhesion of ink inside the print head 110 is caused by the coagulation of solids due to the evaporation of water from the nozzles 302. Therefore, if the print head 110 is left in a state where the ink inside the print head 110 is circulating and a flow speed is generated, the solids are less likely to coagulate even if the water evaporates near the nozzles, and it takes longer for the ink to coagulate compared to when the print head is left without circulating. Therefore, even if the print head is left for a long time, it is possible to restore the print head 110 with a weaker restoration method (cleaning method) compared to when the ink is not circulated.

[0155] FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a flow of retracting the carriage unit 102 when an abnormality is detected.

[0156] In S1201, after detecting an abnormality, the CPU 202 stores the abnormality detection time in non-volatile memory. The abnormality detection time is referenced when calculating the elapsed time since the abnormality was detected when the recording device 101 is restored. After the CPU 202 stores the abnormality detection time in non-volatile memory, the process proceeds to S1202.

[0157] In S1202, the CPU 202 determines whether the power of the recording device 101 is ON. If the power of the recording device 101 is ON, the process proceeds to S1203. If the power of the recording device 101 is OFF, the flow shown in FIG. 12 ends.

[0158] In S1203, the CPU 202 determines whether or not the circulation pump 908 is operable. If the CPU 202 determines that the circulation pump 908 is operable, the process proceeds to S1204. If the CPU 202 determines that the circulation pump 908 is not operable, the process proceeds to S1205.

[0159] In S1204, the circulation pump 908 is driven, and the process proceeds to S1205.

[0160] In S1205, the CPU 202 determines whether or not the carriage unit 102 can move to the side of the cap 501, which is a wet cap. If the CPU 202 determines that the carriage unit 102 can move to the side of the cap 501, the process proceeds to S1206. If the CPU 202 determines that the carriage unit 102 cannot move to the side of the cap 501, the process proceeds to S1207.

[0161] In S1206, capping is performed with the cap 501 (wet cap) on the print head 110. When the capping is completed, the flow shown in FIG.

[0162] In S1207, the CPU 202 determines whether the carriage unit 102 can be moved to the side of the cap 508, which is the drying cap. If the CPU 202 determines that the carriage unit 102 can be moved to the side of the cap 508, the process proceeds to S1208. If the CPU 202 determines that the carriage unit 102 cannot be moved to the side of the cap 508, the flow shown in FIG. 12 ends with the print head 110 not being capped.

[0163] In S1208, capping is performed with a cap 508 (drying cap) on the print head 110. When the capping is completed, the flow shown in FIG.

[0164] Fig. 13 is a recovery method selection table for when the printer is restored after being left alone while the circulation pump 908 is driven. In Fig. 13, the recovery method is changed based on the carriage position and the time the printer has been left alone, as in the first embodiment. The categories of carriage position and the time the printer has been left alone are the same as in the first embodiment. The number of categories is not limited to this.

[0165] The type and strength of the recovery method (cleaning method) are also the same as those in the first embodiment. However, these are merely examples, and the type and strength of the recovery method (cleaning method) are not limited to these. The type and strength of the recovery method (cleaning method) different from those in the first embodiment may be selected.

[0166] When capped in the dry cap position, the ink evaporation rate is faster than when capped in the wet cap position, so a stronger recovery method must be selected from a shorter leaving time than when left wet capped. On the other hand, when capped in the dry cap position, the evaporation rate is slower than when left in a state where capping is not possible, so a weaker recovery method may be selected than when not capped.

[0167] Compared to a table assuming conditions where circulation is not performed, even for the same carriage position and the same unused time period, a weaker recovery method is selected as the recovery method after unused time when circulation is performed.

[0168] 13 may have multiple tables associated with the colors of ink used, similar to the first embodiment. Since the ease of adhesion (strength of chemical bonds between molecules) differs depending on the color, the amount of waste ink can be reduced by performing recovery using an appropriate cleaning method for each color.

[0169] It is also possible to provide a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor in the recording apparatus 101 and have a plurality of recovery method selection tables shown in Fig. 13 according to the environmental temperature or humidity. The lower the environmental temperature and the higher the environmental humidity, the slower the ink drying progresses, so it is possible to select a less intense cleaning method even with the same carriage position and leaving time.

[0170] FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing a flow for selecting a recovery method upon recovery.

[0171] In S1401, the CPU 202 acquires the carriage position of the carriage unit 102 at the time of recovery, and the process proceeds to S1402.

[0172] In S1402, the CPU 202 calculates the time that has elapsed since the abnormality was detected. Here, as described above, the CPU 202 calculates the elapsed time based on the abnormality detection time stored in step S1201 and the current time. After the CPU 202 calculates the time that has elapsed since the abnormality was detected, the process proceeds to S1203.

[0173] In S1403, the CPU 202 determines whether the circulation pump 908 is operating. If the CPU 202 determines that the circulation pump 908 is operating, the process proceeds to S1405. If the CPU 202 determines that the circulation pump 908 is not operating, the process proceeds to S1404.

[0174] In S1404, the CPU 202 selects a recovery process (cleaning method) from the recovery method selection table shown in FIG. 7, and the process proceeds to S1406.

[0175] In S1405, the CPU 202 selects a recovery process (cleaning method) from the recovery method selection table shown in FIG. 13, and the process proceeds to S1406.

[0176] In S1406, the carriage unit 102 is moved to the home position, that is, onto the cap (wet cap) 501. When the carriage unit 102 has moved to the home position, the process proceeds to S1407.

[0177] In S1407, the recovery process (cleaning method) selected in S1404 or S1405 is executed on the print head 110, and the flow shown in FIG. 14 ends.

[0178] By using the configuration of this embodiment, a drying cap can be used in one of the two recovery units, which makes it possible to reduce the number of parts in the recording apparatus 101. In addition, it becomes possible to recover the recording head 110 using a cleaning method with a weaker strength than the method selected in the first embodiment, which makes it possible to reduce the amount of waste ink.

[0179] [Other embodiments] The present disclosure can also be realized by a process in which a program for implementing one or more functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0180] The disclosure of the above-described embodiment includes the following configurations.

[0181] (Configuration 1) A recording device comprising: a carriage unit that scans a recording head having nozzles that eject liquid; a first recovery unit having a first cap capable of covering the nozzles of the recording head and positioned at one end of a range over which the carriage unit can move; and a second recovery unit having a second cap capable of covering the nozzles of the recording head and having a different wetness state than the first cap and positioned at the other end of a range over which the carriage unit can move.

[0182] (Configuration 2) The recording apparatus according to configuration 1, wherein the first recovery unit includes a supplying means for supplying liquid into the first cap.

[0183] (Configuration 3) The recording device according to configuration 2, wherein when the carriage unit abnormally stops during recording by the recording head, the recording head is capped with either the first cap or the second cap.

[0184] (Configuration 4) The recording device described in Configuration 3, characterized in that after the recording head is capped with the first cap or the second cap, a recovery operation is performed on the recording head when the recording head is capped with the first cap, which is different from a recovery operation when the recording head is capped with the second cap.

[0185] (Configuration 5) The recording device according to configuration 4, characterized in that when the recording head is capped with the first cap, a recovery operation is performed with a lower cleaning strength than when the recording head is capped with the second cap.

[0186] (Configuration 6) The recording device according to Configuration 3, further comprising a flow velocity generating means for generating a predetermined flow velocity in a flow path so as to supply liquid to the nozzles and recover liquid not ejected from the nozzles, wherein when the carriage unit abnormally stops during recording by the recording head, the flow velocity generating means is operated if it is drivable.

[0187] (Configuration 7) The recording device described in Configuration 4 or Configuration 5, characterized in that the recovery operation includes at least one of a preliminary ejection that ejects liquid from the nozzles at a timing other than recording, a suction that sucks inside the recording head using a negative pressure generating means while the recording head is capped with the first cap, and an immersion that immerses the nozzle surface of the recording head in liquid supplied to the first cap.

[0188] (Configuration 8) The recording apparatus according to configuration 7, wherein the first recovery unit has a wiper that wipes the nozzle surface of the recording head.

[0189] (Configuration 9) The recording device according to configuration 4 or 5, further comprising a temperature sensor for acquiring an environmental temperature, and performing different recovery operations depending on the environmental temperature acquired by the temperature sensor.

[0190] (Configuration 10) The recording device according to configuration 4 or 5, further comprising a humidity sensor for acquiring an environmental humidity, and performing different recovery operations depending on the environmental humidity acquired by the humidity sensor.

[0191] (Configuration 11) The recording apparatus according to configuration 4 or 5, wherein the recording head includes a plurality of nozzles corresponding to a plurality of colors of liquid, and executes a different recovery operation for each color of liquid.

[0192] (Configuration 12) A control method for a recording device comprising a carriage unit that scans a recording head having nozzles that eject liquid, a first recovery unit having a first cap capable of covering the nozzles of the recording head and positioned at one end of the range over which the carriage unit can move, and a second recovery unit having a second cap capable of covering the nozzles of the recording head and having a different wetness state than the first cap and positioned at the other end of the range over which the carriage unit can move, characterized in that the control method for a recording device further comprises a capping step of capping the recording head with either the first cap or the second cap when the carriage unit abnormally stops during recording by the recording head.

[0193] (Configuration 13) A method for controlling a recording device according to Configuration 12, further comprising a recovery step of performing, after the capping step, a recovery operation that is different when capping is performed with the first cap than when capping is performed with the second cap.

Claims

1. a carriage unit that scans a print head having nozzles that eject liquid; a first recovery unit having a first cap capable of covering the nozzles of the recording head and disposed at one end of a range in which the carriage unit can move; a second recovery unit having a second cap capable of covering the nozzles of the recording head and having a wetness state different from that of the first cap, the second recovery unit being disposed at the other end of the range in which the carriage unit can move; Equipped with A recording device characterized by:

2. The first recovery unit 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a supplying means for supplying a liquid into the first cap.

3. 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the carriage unit abnormally stops during recording by the recording head, the recording head is capped with either the first cap or the second cap.

4. A recording device as described in claim 3, characterized in that after the recording head is capped with the first cap or the second cap, a recovery operation is performed on the recording head when it is capped with the first cap, which is different from when it is capped with the second cap.

5. 5. The recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein when the recording head is capped with the first cap, a recovery operation is performed with a lower cleaning intensity than when the recording head is capped with the second cap.

6. a flow velocity generating means for supplying liquid to the nozzle and generating a predetermined flow velocity in the flow path so as to recover the liquid not ejected from the nozzle; Further provided with 4. The recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when the carriage unit abnormally stops during recording by the recording head, the flow velocity generating means is operated if the flow velocity generating means is drivable.

7. The recovery operation is Preliminary ejection of liquid from the nozzles at a timing other than recording; suctioning the inside of the recording head by a negative pressure generating means while the recording head is capped with the first cap; 6. The recording apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising at least one of: and immersion, in which the nozzle surface of the recording head is immersed in the liquid supplied to the first cap.

8. 8. The recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first recovery unit has a wiper for wiping the nozzle surface of the recording head.

9. a temperature sensor for acquiring the environmental temperature; Further provided with 6. The recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein different recovery operations are performed depending on the environmental temperature acquired by the temperature sensor.

10. a humidity sensor to obtain the environmental humidity; Further provided with 6. The recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein different recovery operations are performed depending on the environmental humidity obtained by the humidity sensor.

11. the recording head is provided with a plurality of nozzles corresponding to a plurality of color liquids; 6. The recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein different recovery operations are carried out for each color of liquid.

12. A recording device as described in Claim 1, characterized in that the second recovery unit does not have a maintenance mechanism for maintaining a moist state within the second cap.

13. a carriage unit that scans a print head having nozzles that eject liquid; a first recovery unit having a first cap capable of covering the nozzles of the recording head and disposed at one end of a range in which the carriage unit can move; a second recovery unit having a second cap capable of covering the nozzles of the recording head and having a wetness state different from that of the first cap, the second recovery unit being disposed at the other end of the range in which the carriage unit can move; A method for controlling a recording device comprising: a capping step of capping the recording head with either the first cap or the second cap when the carriage unit abnormally stops during recording by the recording head; Equipped with A method for controlling a recording apparatus.

14. 14. The control method for a recording apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a recovery step of executing a recovery operation different from that executed when capping is performed with the first cap after the capping step, compared to that executed when capping is performed with the second cap.

15. A program for causing a computer to execute the method according to claim 13 or 14.

Images