Liquid discharge device and control method

Abstract

To safely move a carriage.SOLUTION: A liquid discharge device comprises: a carriage which is mounted with a discharge head for discharging liquid and moves in a prescribed direction; and an operation part which is arranged in the vicinity of a movement area of the carriage and can be operated by a user. When prescribed conditions are satisfied, the carriage moves to a prescribed position on the movement area after moving to a retraction position on the movement area. The retraction position is the position on the opposite side of the operation part relative to the prescribed position in the prescribed direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid ejection apparatus and a control method. [Background technology]

[0002] Some liquid ejection devices are provided with an operating unit that can be operated by a user. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a recording device that has an internal valve that opens and closes a tube between a recording head and an ink tank. A user can manually operate the valve. A carriage carries the recording head and moves. When replacing the recording head, the valve is operated. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-168842 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When a user operates a valve, the user may be startled if the carriage suddenly moves to replace the print head.

[0005] The present invention provides a technique for safely moving a carriage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the present invention, a carriage that carries a discharge head that discharges liquid and moves in a predetermined direction; an operation unit that is disposed in the vicinity of a moving area of ​​the carriage and that is operable by a user; When a predetermined condition is satisfied, the carriage moves to a retreat position on the movement area, and then moves to a predetermined position on the movement area; The retracted position is a position on the opposite side of the operation unit with respect to the predetermined position in the predetermined direction. A liquid ejection device is provided. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, a technique for safely moving a carriage can be provided. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a liquid ejection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is a perspective view of the liquid ejection device of FIG. 1 with a cover member open. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an ink supply system between an ink tank and a print head. [Diagram 5] (A)~(D) are schematic diagrams of the valve. [Figure 6] (A) and (B) are explanatory diagrams of the recovery unit. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8] 5 is an explanatory diagram of the positional relationship between the carriage movement area and other components. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. [Figure 11] 1A is a perspective view of the fixing structure with the damper and other components removed, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the fixing structure after assembly. [Figure 12] (A) is a plan view of the support part, (B) is a plan view of the support part with the damper attached, and (C) is a plan view of the support part after assembly. [Figure 13] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a fixing structure of an endless belt. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control circuit of the liquid ejection device of FIG. [Figure 15] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of control of the liquid ejection device in FIG. [Figure 16] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of control of the liquid ejection device in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Although the embodiments describe a number of features, not all of these features are essential to the invention, and the features may be combined in any manner. Furthermore, in the attached drawings, the same reference numbers are used for the same or similar configurations, and duplicated descriptions are omitted.

[0010] <Outline of liquid ejection device> 1 and 2 are external views of a liquid ejection device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the internal structure of the liquid ejection device 1. In each drawing, arrows X, Y, and Z indicate directions that intersect with each other, and in this embodiment, arrows X and Y are horizontal directions that are perpendicular to each other and indicate the width direction and depth direction of the liquid ejection device 1, and arrow Z indicates the up-down direction (height direction).

[0011] The liquid ejection device 1 of this embodiment is an inkjet recording device that ejects ink as a liquid onto a recording medium to record an image on the recording medium, but the present invention is also applicable to other types of liquid ejection devices. In addition, "recording" includes not only forming meaningful information such as characters and figures, but also forming images, patterns, and the like on a recording medium, whether meaningful or unmeaning, or processing the medium, regardless of whether it is manifested in a way that can be visually perceived by humans. In addition, in this embodiment, a sheet of paper is assumed as the "recording medium," but it may also be cloth, plastic film, etc.

[0012] The liquid ejection device 1 comprises a device body 2 and a cover member 3 that covers an upper portion of the device body 2. The cover member 3 can be displaced between an open position and a closed position, with Fig. 1 showing the cover member 3 in the closed position and Fig. 2 showing the cover member 3 in the open position. The cover member 3 is supported at a position on the rear side of the device body 2 in the Y direction so as to be rotatable about an axis in the X direction, and a user can manually open and close the cover member 3. The cover member 3 is basically positioned in the closed position when the liquid ejection device 1 is in use, and is operated to the open position during maintenance or the like inside the device body 2.

[0013] The device main body 2 includes a transport unit 11 that transports the recording medium P, a recording head (ejection head) 14 that ejects liquid ink onto the recording medium P, a carriage 13 that carries the recording head 14 and moves, and a moving mechanism 12 that moves the carriage 13.

[0014] The transport unit 11 includes a transport roller extending in the X direction and a pinch roller that is pressed against the transport roller, and transports the recording medium P in the Y direction (sub-scanning direction) by rotating the transport roller with the recording medium P sandwiched between the transport roller and the pinch roller.

[0015] The recording head 14 ejects ink supplied from an ink tank 17, which is a storage unit that stores ink, via a pipe 15. The recording head 14 is disposed to face a platen 22, and the recording head 14 ejects ink onto a recording medium P on the platen 22 to perform recording. A plurality of ink tanks 17 are provided, and in this embodiment, four ink tanks 17 are provided. Each ink tank 17 contains a different type of ink. The four ink tanks 17 contain, for example, black ink, yellow ink, magenta ink, and cyan ink. An inlet 176 is provided at the top of the ink tank 17. A user can refill the ink tank 17 with ink by injecting ink from a refill bottle into the inlet 176. The inlet 176 can be capped with a cap 177 attached to a tank cover 179. The tank cover 179 is configured to be able to open and close the cap 177 by rotating. When the tank cover 179 is closed, the inlet 176 is capped with the cap 177. The cap 177 may be configured separately from the tank cover 179 .

[0016] The recording head 14 has an ejection surface 14a (see FIG. 4) on which a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink are formed. Each nozzle is provided with, for example, an electrothermal conversion element (heater), which is heated by passing electricity through it to foam the ink, and the ink is ejected by the foaming energy. The device body 2 is provided with a recovery unit 21 that maintains or recovers the ink ejection performance of the recording head 14.

[0017] The carriage 13 carries the recording head 14 and moves back and forth in the X direction (main scanning direction). During the movement of the carriage 13, an image is recorded by ejecting ink from the recording head 14 onto the recording medium P. This operation is sometimes called a recording scan. The liquid ejection device 1 of this embodiment is a serial type inkjet recording device in which the recording head 14 is mounted on the carriage 13 that moves back and forth. The recording operation is performed by alternately repeating a transport operation in which the transport unit 11 intermittently transports the recording medium P and a recording scan.

[0018] The recording head 14 is provided so as to be freely attached to and detached from the carriage 13. A user can remove the recording head 14 from the carriage 13 by operating an attachment / detachment operation unit 13a. The attachment / detachment operation unit 13a is a rotatable lever-type operation unit.

[0019] The moving mechanism 12 is a belt transmission mechanism using a carriage motor 121 as a driving source. The moving mechanism 12 includes a driving pulley 122 rotated by the carriage motor 121 and a driven pulley 123, which are spaced apart in the X direction. An endless belt 124 is wound between the driving pulley 122 and the driven pulley 123. The moving mechanism 12 also includes a guide member 125 extending in the X direction and defining a moving region R of the carriage 13. The carriage 13 is movable in the X direction by being guided by the guide member 125. A portion of the endless belt 124 is fixed to the carriage 13, and the carriage 13 moves as the endless belt 124 runs.

[0020] The pipes 15 are provided for each type of ink (four in total in this embodiment), and are flexible tubes that connect the ink tanks 17 and the recording head 14. A valve 16 is provided midway along the pipes 15. The valve 16 is a valve that switches between supplying and blocking ink to the recording head 14. The valve 16 is a manual valve that has an opening / closing operation unit 161 that can be operated by the user, and the user can switch between supplying and blocking ink by operating the opening / closing operation unit 161.

[0021] That is, when the valve 16 is open, ink can be supplied from the ink tank 17 to the recording head 14. Therefore, the liquid ejection device 1 can record on the recording medium P. On the other hand, when the valve 16 is closed, ink is not supplied from the ink tank 17 to the recording head 14, and the user can replace the recording head 14, for example.

[0022] The valve 16 is disposed in a position near the movement area R of the carriage 13. In other words, the valve 16 is disposed in a position along the movement area R of the carriage 13. In this embodiment, the valve 16 is disposed in front of the movement area R in the Y direction and on the right side within the width of the movement area R in the X direction (the side where the ink tank 17, the carriage motor 121, or the recovery unit 21 are provided). The valve 16 is also disposed within the passage area of ​​the recording medium P in the X direction, and above the recording medium P in the Z direction.

[0023] The piping 15 is routed so as to avoid being above the valve 16 (particularly the opening / closing operation part 161) so that the piping 15 does not get in the way when the user operates the opening / closing operation part 161.

[0024] The device body 2 includes a housing 2a that encloses the above-mentioned configuration, and an opening 2b is formed in the upper center of the housing 2a. When the cover member 3 is opened as shown in Fig. 2, the carriage 13 (recording head 14), valve 16, etc. are exposed from the opening 2b.

[0025] The device body 2 is provided with a cover sensor 18 capable of detecting the open / closed state of the cover member 3. A detection piece 3a is provided on the inside of the cover member 3. When the detection piece 3a abuts against the cover sensor 18, the cover member 3 is detected as being in the closed state, and when the detection piece 3a is not in contact with the cover sensor 18, the cover member 3 is detected as being in the open state.

[0026] <Ink supply system> The supply of ink from the ink tank 17 to the recording head 14 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. An ink supply path 155 is formed by the piping 15. The piping 15 is connected to a joint part 181 of the ink tank 17 and a joint part 182 of the recording head 14. The valve 16 is provided in the piping 15 between the joint part 181 and the joint part 182.

[0027] The ink tank 17 has an ink storage chamber 171 and a buffer chamber 172. The gas-liquid exchanger 175 is provided at a position lower than the ejection surface 14a of the recording head 14 by a height H in the Z direction. That is, the ejection surface 14a is configured to be subjected to a negative pressure due to a head difference of the height H. The gas-liquid exchanger 175 is a portion into which the same amount of air as the ink ejected from the recording head 14 is introduced, and the ink is usually held at the position shown in FIG. 4 by the ink meniscus. The buffer chamber 172 can store the ink pushed out by breaking the ink meniscus in the gas-liquid exchanger 175 when the air in the storage chamber 171 expands due to a change in air pressure or temperature. The buffer chamber 172 communicates with an air communication passage that communicates with the atmosphere. The configuration of the ink tank 17 is not limited to this, and the buffer chamber 172 may be provided above the ink storage chamber 171.

[0028] The joint portion 182 is provided on the attachment / detachment operation portion 13a. When the user operates the attachment / detachment operation portion 13a in a direction to open it in order to remove the recording head 14 from the carriage 13, the joint portion 182 is detached from the recording head 14. This disconnects the piping 15 and the recording head 14. When the user mounts the recording head 14 on the carriage 13, the user closes the attachment / detachment operation portion 13a and presses a pressing portion (not shown) to realize the joint connection of the joint portion 182. The joint connection of the joint portion 182 reconnects the flow paths of the piping 15 and the recording head 14, making it possible to supply ink to the recording head 14.

[0029] The flow until a recording operation is possible in this embodiment will be described. When injecting ink into the ink tank 17, the user opens the tank cover 179, removes the cap 177, and injects ink from an ink bottle or the like into the ink tank 17 through the ink inlet 176. After the user has completed the ink injection, he or she closes the tank cover 179 and seals the ink inlet 176 with the cap 177.

[0030] When the ink injection is completed, the recovery unit 21 performs a suction operation to suck ink from the ejection surface 14a of the recording head 14. This suction operation fills the inside of the pipes 15 and the recording head 14 with ink. Note that the completion of the ink injection is detected by the cover sensor 18 detecting that the cover member 3 is closed. However, this is not limited to this, and the completion of the ink injection may be detected by a remaining amount detection sensor that detects the remaining amount of ink in the ink tank 17 detecting that a predetermined amount or more of ink has been injected.

[0031] Then, when ink is discharged from the discharge surface 14a of the recording head 14 filled with ink in association with a recording operation, the negative pressure inside the recording head 14 increases by the amount of ink that has been removed, and ink is supplied from the ink tank 17 to the recording head 14. As a result, ink is continuously supplied from the ink tank 17 to the recording head 14 until the ink in the ink tank 17 falls below a predetermined amount.

[0032] <Valve> Next, the configuration of the valve 16 according to this embodiment will be described. Figures 5(A) to 5(D) are explanatory diagrams of the valve 16, with Figures 5(A) and 5(B) showing the valve 16 in an open state and Figures 5(C) and 5(D) showing the valve 16 in a closed state.

[0033] The valve 16 includes an opening / closing operation unit 161 that can be operated by the user, a holding unit 162, a receiving member 163, a displacement member 164, and a cam 165. The holding unit 162 holds a part of the piping 15. The part of the piping 15 bends in accordance with the movement of the recording head 14. The holding unit 162 holds a portion of the piping 15 that is not related to the movement of the recording head 14 and does not move.

[0034] The displacement member 164 is a member that can be displaced in a direction that interferes with the pipe 15. In other words, the displacement member 164 is provided so as to be able to advance and retreat toward the pipe 15. The receiving member 163 is a member for receiving the displacement member 164. The receiving member 163 is provided on the side of the pipe 15 opposite to the side on which the displacement member 164 is provided. The displacement member 164 presses the pipe 15 against the receiving member 163 and crushes the pipe 15, thereby blocking the pipe 15 (ink supply path 155). In this way, the valve 16 of this embodiment is configured to block the supply of ink to the recording head 14 by crushing the pipe 15.

[0035] The cam 165 displaces the displacement member 164. In this embodiment, the cam 165 is provided integrally with the opening / closing operation unit 161. The cam 165 abuts against the displacement member 164 at a cam surface 165a. When a user operates the opening / closing operation unit 161, the cam 165 rotates accordingly, and the displacement member 164 pressed by the cam surface 165a is displaced. This allows the user to open and close the valve 16 via the opening / closing operation unit 161, that is, to close and open the pipe 15 (ink supply path 155).

[0036] The valve 16 is provided with a valve sensor 168 that detects an operation on an opening / closing operation unit 161 of the valve 16. In this embodiment, the valve sensor 168 is a mechanically operated switch, and the detection result indicates the open / closed state of the valve 16. When a user operates the opening / closing operation unit 161, an actuating member 161a provided on the opening / closing operation unit 161 rotates a movable part 168a of the valve sensor 168. The valve sensor 168 includes an optical sensor that detects the rotation of the movable part 168a. This allows the valve sensor 168 to detect the open / closed state of the valve 16. Note that the configuration of the valve sensor 168 is just an example, and other well-known configurations can be adopted.

[0037] Next, the operation of the valve 16 according to this embodiment to close the pipe 15 will be described. Figures 5(A) and 5(B) show a state (open state) in which the displacement member 164 does not crush the pipe 15 and the ink supply path 155 is in communication. In this state, the ink in the pipe 15 can be supplied from the ink tank 17 to the recording head 14 via the ink supply path 155. When the user rotates the opening / closing operation part 161 in the opposite direction from this state, the cam surface 165a of the cam 165 provided integrally with the valve 16 also rotates, and the cam surface 165a displaces the displacement member 164 in a direction that interferes with the pipe 15.

[0038] 5(C) and 5(D) show a state in which the displacement member 164 crushes the piping 15 and the ink supply path 155 is blocked (blocked state). The piping 15 is crushed between the displacement member 164 and the receiving member 163, and the ink supply path 155 is blocked. This makes it impossible to supply ink from the ink tank 17 to the recording head 14. When there is no ink in the ink tank 17, the recording head 14 is not in communication with the atmosphere.

[0039] In this embodiment, the opening / closing operation unit 161 is disposed at a position covered by the cover member 3 (see Figs. 1 to 3). That is, the opening / closing operation unit 161 is provided so as to be exposed when the cover member 3 is opened. The liquid ejection device 1 is controlled so as not to perform a recording operation by the recording head 14 while the cover sensor 18 detects that the cover member 3 is open. By providing the opening / closing operation unit 161 inside the cover member 3, it is possible to prevent a user from operating the opening / closing operation unit 161 by mistake during a recording operation of the liquid ejection device 1, for example. In addition, in this embodiment, since the cover sensor 18 is provided, the liquid ejection device 1 can detect, by using the cover sensor 18, whether the user is in a state in which the opening / closing operation unit 161 can be operated.

[0040] In this embodiment, a single valve 16 is shared by the four pipes 15. However, a valve 16 may be provided for each pipe 15. Alternatively, a valve 16 may be provided separately for the pipe 15 for black ink and the pipe 15 for color inks (two in total).

[0041] <Recovery Unit> The recovery unit 21 will be described with reference to Figures 6(A) and 6(B). Figures 6(A) and 6(B) are explanatory views of the recovery unit 21, and in particular, Figure 6(A) is a perspective view of the recovery unit 21, and Figure 6(B) is a schematic view.

[0042] The recovery unit 21 is provided inside the housing 2a. The recovery unit 21 includes a suction cap 211 that caps the recording head 14, a suction mechanism 212 that sucks ink from within the suction cap 211, and a wiper 210 that wipes the ejection surface 14a. The suction mechanism 212 includes a suction tube 213 that is connected to the suction cap 211, and a suction pump 214 that sucks ink from within the suction cap 211 via the suction tube 213.

[0043] The suction tube 213 is a suction path forming member that forms an ink suction path for sucking ink inside the suction cap 211. In this embodiment, the suction tube 213 is made of a flexible material such as an elastomer, similar to the piping 15.

[0044] The suction cap 211 is disposed within the movement area R of the carriage 6 but outside the passing area of ​​the recording medium P in the X direction, and when performing a recovery operation or the like for the recording head 14, the carriage 6 moves to a position where the ejection surface 14a of the recording head 14 faces the suction cap 211. The suction cap 211 is provided so as to be able to advance and retreat relative to the ejection surface 14a of the recording head 14, and can cap the ejection surface 14a on which the ejection surface 14a is provided from below.

[0045] The suction operation of the suction mechanism 212 to suction ink in the suction cap 211 will now be described. Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the suction pump 214, and is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of the suction pump 214. In this embodiment, the suction mechanism 212 includes two suction tubes 213, one for black and one for color.

[0046] The suction pump 214 includes a roller 215, a rotating member 219, and a roller driving member 218 provided to protrude radially outward from the rotating member 219. The rotating member 219 is rotated by a motor (not shown).

[0047] Roller 215 is provided so as to be able to revolve around the rotation axis of rotating member 219. When rotating member 219 rotates (turns on its axis), roller driving member 218 revolves around the axis of rotating member 219. Then, roller driving member 218 revolves around the axis of rotating member 219 while in contact with roller 215, whereby roller 215 revolves around the axis of rotating member 219.

[0048] In the suction mechanism 212, with the ejection surface 14a covered by the suction cap 211, the roller 215 revolves around the rotating member 219 and rubs the suction tube 213, thereby generating negative pressure inside the suction cap 211. This causes the ink to be sucked.

[0049] In this embodiment, two suction tubes 213 are arranged vertically side by side with a rotating member 219 between them. In this embodiment, three rollers 215 are provided, and the three rollers rotate to sequentially grip the two suction tubes 213, thereby simultaneously performing suction through the two suction tubes 213. One end of the suction tubes 213 is connected to a waste liquid tank (not shown), and ink sucked by the suction pump 214 is discharged into the waste liquid tank via the suction tubes 213.

[0050] In this embodiment, the suction pump 214 can close the suction tube 213 by stopping the driving of the pump driving unit 216 when the rollers 215 crush the suction tube 213. That is, in this embodiment, the suction pump 214 also serves as a closing valve for the suction tube 213. This makes it possible to reduce the number of parts in the liquid discharger 1. It is also possible to adopt a configuration that includes a closing valve for the suction tube 213 in addition to the suction pump 214. In this case, it is possible to adopt valves of various configurations, such as a manually operable valve like the valve 16, or a valve that can be automatically opened and closed by a driving source such as a motor.

[0051] 1 and 2, in this embodiment, the recovery unit 21 is disposed at one end in the X direction of the apparatus main body 2. As shown in Fig. 8, when one end in the X direction of the movement area R of the carriage 13 is defined as the home end and the other end as the away end, the recovery unit 21 is disposed on the home side with respect to the center line CL of the movement area R. The ink tank 17 and the valve 16 are also disposed on the home side with respect to the center line CL.

[0052] <Endless belt fixing structure> The fixing structure between the carriage 13 and the endless belt 124 will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the rear side of the carriage 13. The carriage 13 includes a main body 130 that supports the recording head 14, and a rear cover 131 that forms the back (rear) of the carriage 13. The rear cover 131 is provided with a fixing structure for the endless belt 124. The fixing structure includes a support portion 132 that is integrally formed with the rear cover 131, a damper 133 attached to the support portion 132, a holding member 136 that holds the endless belt 124, and a holder 134.

[0053] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the rear side of the rear cover 131. The support portion 132 is a shaft-shaped member that protrudes rearward in the Y direction from the lower center of the rear surface of the rear cover 131, and supports each component of the fixed structure. The support portion 132 has a wide portion 132a, an intermediate portion 132b, a narrow portion 132c, and a tip portion 132d from the rear cover 131 side. The wide portion 132a, the intermediate portion 132b, and the narrow portion 132c have rectangular shapes in the XZ cross section. The wide portion 132a is wider in the X direction than the narrow portion 132c. The intermediate portion 132b is interposed between the wide portion 132a and the narrow portion 132c, and its width in the X direction gradually narrows from the wide portion 132a to the narrow portion 132c, smoothly connecting the wide portion 132a and the narrow portion 132c. The tip portion 132d has a portion that protrudes downward in the Z direction, and has a T-shape when the support portion 132 is viewed in the Y direction.

[0054] 11(A) shows a state in which the holding member 136 is attached to the rear cover 131. The holding member 136 has slits 136a that hold the endless belt 124 by sandwiching it from above and below, and each end in the X direction is formed with a wedge-shaped engagement portion 136b with which the holder 134 engages. The movement of the holding member 136 in the Y direction is restricted by the tip portion 132d of the support portion 132.

[0055] 11(B) is a perspective view of the fixed structure after assembly. Damper 133 is an elastic member (particularly a viscoelastic member) having a vibration-isolating effect such as synthetic rubber, and has a cylindrical shape into which support part 132 is inserted. Damper 133 has flange part 133a at its end, and flange part 133a is sandwiched between tip part 132d and holding member 136.

[0056] Holder 134 is an inverted U-shaped locking member, and has, at both ends in the X direction, engaging portions 134a with openings formed therein into which engaging portions 136b of holding member 136 are inserted. Holder 134 is attached to holding member 136 from above support portion 132, and presses damper 133 against support portion 132 from above, while restricting movement of holding member 136 relative to support portion 132 in the Z direction.

[0057] Two rotation restricting portions 137 are provided on the rear cover 131. The rotation restricting portions 137 are portions that protrude rearward from the rear cover 131, and restrict the inclination of the holding member 136 with respect to the running direction (X direction) of the endless belt 124. In other words, the rotation restricting portions 137 function as a rotation stopper for the holding member 136 around the Y axis.

[0058] The dimensional relationship between support portion 132 and damper 133 and the function of rotation restricting portion 137 will be described with reference to Figures 12(A) to 13. Figure 12(A) is a plan view of support portion 132, showing the change in width of support portion 132 in the X direction. As already described, wide portion 132a is wider in the X direction than narrow portion 132c. The width of intermediate portion 132b in the X direction gradually changes.

[0059] 12B is a plan view showing a state in which the damper 133 is attached to the support portion 132. The damper 133 has a flange portion 133a, a main body portion 133b, and a base portion 133c, and the width of the main body portion 133b in the X direction is narrower than that of the flange portion 133a and the base portion 133c. On the other hand, the through hole of the damper 133 into which the support portion 132 is inserted has a cross-sectional shape and size that the wide portion 132a of the support portion 132 fits snugly (or fits into), which is common to the flange portion 133a, the main body portion 133b, and the base portion 133c. The width of the support portion 132 in the X direction from the tip portion 132d side becomes wider from the narrow portion 132c to the intermediate portion 132b to the wide portion 132a, so that the damper 133 can be easily attached to the support portion 132.

[0060] 12(C) shows a state in which the holding member 136 and the holder 134 are attached to the support portion 132 from the state shown in FIG.

[0061] 13 is a rear view of the fixing structure as viewed in the Y direction. As already described, the through hole of the damper 133 into which the support part 132 is inserted has a cross-sectional shape and size that allows the wide part 132a of the support part 132 to fit snugly, thereby restricting the position of the damper 133 in the X direction and the Z direction relative to the support part 132. On the other hand, the narrow part 132c of the support part 132 has a narrower width in the X direction than the through hole of the damper 133, so a gap B in the X direction is formed between the narrow part 132c and the through hole of the damper 133.

[0062] When the carriage 13 moves, vibrations caused by the characteristics of the carriage motor 121 and the like are propagated through the endless belt 124, from the holding member 136, the damper 133, the support portion 132, the rear cover 131, and the carriage 13. When the holding member 136 tries to rotate in the A direction due to such vibrations, the rotation is restricted by the rotation restricting portion 137. Also, due to the gap B, the damper 133 has a degree of freedom in the X direction with respect to vibrations, and can effectively absorb such vibrations. In addition, the vibrations propagated to the carriage 13 can be effectively damped by the vibration absorption by the elastic deformation of the damper 133. By damping the vibrations of the carriage 13, it becomes possible to stably eject ink from the recording head 14, and high-precision recording can be provided.

[0063] Regarding the structure for reducing vibrations caused by the characteristics of the carriage motor 121, various structures other than the above example can be adopted. For example, the support part 132 is not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped cross-sectional shape, and may be a round bar shape or an elliptical shape, and the shape of the damper 133 can be selected according to the shape of the support part 132. Also, the rear cover 131 may not be provided, and the support part 132 may be provided on the main body 130 of the carriage 13. In addition, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which the damper 133 is omitted, in which case the structure is the same as the configuration shown in FIG. 11(A). Even if the damper 133 is omitted, it is possible to absorb vibrations by elastic deformation of the support part 132 by adjusting the rigidity of the support part 132, and to reduce vibrations propagating to the carriage 13.

[0064] <Control circuit> 14 is a block diagram of a control circuit of the liquid ejection device 1. The CPU 201 is a processor that performs overall control of the liquid ejection device 1. The ROM 202 and the RAM 203 are examples of storage devices. The ROM 202 stores the control program of the CPU 201, various data, etc. The RAM 203 temporarily stores various data. For example, the CPU 201 reads out a program stored in the ROM 202 into the RAM 203 and executes it to control the operation of the printer 100 and process data.

[0065] The printhead drive unit 205 controls the ejection of ink onto the print medium P by the printhead 14 in accordance with control signals transmitted from the CPU 201. The carriage drive unit 207 drives the carriage motor 121 to control the movement of the carriage 13. The pump drive unit 216 drives the motor of the suction pump 214. The cap drive unit 217 drives the motor that moves the suction cap 211 forward and backward. The transport unit drive unit 206 drives the motor of the transport unit 11. The external I / F 208 is connected to a PC or the like to receive print data and transmit status signals.

[0066] The display unit 209 displays various user interface screens such as device information, setting screens, and job information. One example of the display unit 209 is a liquid crystal display. For example, the display unit 209 may be provided at a position on the main body 2 that is easily visible to the user. The input unit 204 accepts input by the user. For example, the input unit 204 may be a touch panel or hard keys. Detection results of the cover sensor 18 and the valve sensor 168 are transmitted to the CPU 201.

[0067] <Control example> 15 is a flowchart showing an example of processing by the CPU 201 when replacing the print head 14. This processing is realized by the CPU 201 reading a program stored in the ROM 202 into the RAM 203 and executing it. This processing is executed when a predetermined condition related to the replacement of the print head 14 is met. The predetermined condition may be, for example, when an abnormality in the print head 14 is detected, when the usage of the print head 14 reaches a prescribed level, or when the user issues an instruction for replacement. An example of an abnormality may be when it is determined that an ink ejection failure has occurred. The usage may be specified, for example, by time, number of days, or number of ejections.

[0068] When replacing the recording head 14, it is necessary to move the carriage 13. In S1, the user is notified that the cover member 3 cannot be opened. The notification can be made, for example, by displaying the prohibition on the display unit 209 or by audio from a speaker (not shown). The same applies to the following notifications. By moving the carriage 13 with the cover member 3 in the closed position, it is possible to prevent the carriage 13 from interfering with foreign objects from outside.

[0069] After that, in S2, the CPU 201 moves the carriage 13 to the retracted position. Fig. 8 shows a state in which the carriage 13 is located at the retracted position. In this embodiment, the retracted position is the end of the movement region R on the away side in the X direction.

[0070] In S3, the CPU 201 notifies the user that the cover member 3 has been opened. In S4, the CPU 201 acquires the detection result of the cover sensor 18, and checks whether the cover member 3 has been opened based on the acquired detection result. If the cover member 3 is open, the CPU 201 proceeds to processing of S5. If the cover member 3 is closed, the CPU 201 repeats processing of S4 and does not move the carriage 13 to a replacement position, which will be described later. Note that, although in this embodiment, whether the cover member 3 has been opened or closed is determined based on the detection result of the cover sensor 18, whether the cover member 3 has been opened or closed may also be determined based on whether the user has input to the input unit 204 to the effect that the cover member 3 has been opened.

[0071] In S5, the CPU 201 notifies the user that the valve 16 has been closed. This can prevent ink leakage and the like when replacing the recording head 14. At this time, the carriage 13 is in the retracted position as shown in FIG. 8. The piping 15 located above the valve 16 is covered by the housing 2a. This can prevent the piping 15 from being accidentally touched and damaged when the valve 16 is operated. Note that if the cover member 3 is opened in a situation where operation of the valve 16 is not required, the carriage 13 is controlled to stay at the end of the movement region R on the home side in the X direction.

[0072] In S6, the CPU 201 determines whether the valve 16 is closed. For example, the CPU 201 obtains the detection result of the valve sensor 168, and determines whether the valve 16 is closed based on the obtained detection result. If the CPU 201 determines that the valve 16 is closed, the CPU 201 proceeds to processing of S7. If the valve 16 is not closed, the CPU 201 repeats the processing of S6 and does not move the carriage 13 to a replacement position described later.

[0073] In S7, the CPU 201 notifies the user to release the opening / closing operation unit 161 and input an indication that the operation is complete on the input unit 204, for example by pressing the OK button. If pressing of the OK button is detected in S8, then in S9 the CPU 201 notifies the user that the carriage 13 will move to a position (replacement position) for replacing the recording head 14. If pressing of the OK button is not detected, the processes of S7 and S8 are repeated and the carriage 13 is not moved to the replacement position.

[0074] After S9, in S10, the carriage 13 is moved to the replacement position. Fig. 3 shows the state in which the carriage 13 is located at the replacement position. In the case of this embodiment, the replacement position is a position at the center of the movement area R in the X direction. The replacement position is set at the center of the device body 2 so that the user can perform replacement work and so that the replacement work can be easily performed.

[0075] In S11, guidance for replacing the recording head 14 is displayed on the display unit 209. The user looks at the guidance and performs the work of replacing the recording head 14. This ends the process.

[0076] In this embodiment, when replacing the recording head 14, the procedure is as follows: move the carriage 13 to the retracted position → close the valve 16 → move the carriage 13 to the replacement position. The example of the process in FIG. 15 is a process that requires operation of the opening / closing operation unit 161 of the valve 16 as a start condition. If the user's hands remain near the valve 16 after the valve 16 is closed, the user may be surprised if the carriage 13 suddenly appears and disappears, because the valve 16 is arranged along the movement area R of the carriage 13. There is also a risk that the suddenly moving carriage 13 may come into contact with the user's hands, etc.

[0077] In this embodiment, the retracted position is a position on the opposite side of the opening / closing operation unit 161 with respect to the replacement position in the X direction. Compared to when the carriage 13 moves from a position on the home side to the replacement position, the carriage 13 does not pass near the valve 16. In other words, the carriage 13 stops at the replacement position before reaching the valve 16 in the X direction. This makes it possible to prevent the movement of the carriage 13 from startling the user, and makes it possible to achieve safer carriage movement.

[0078] It is also possible to adopt a control in which, after the closed state of the valve 16 is detected (S6), the cover member 3 is temporarily moved to the closed position, and the carriage 13 is moved to the replacement position while the cover member 3 is in the closed position. In this case, however, it becomes necessary to move the cover member 3 to the open position again to replace the recording head 14, which increases the amount of work required by the user. By dealing with this by changing the way the retracted position is set as in this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the amount of work required by the user from increasing, and at the same time, improve usability.

[0079] Furthermore, when the operation of the valve 16 to the closed state is completed, the user is requested to operate the OK button (S7), and when the carriage 13 is moved from the retracted position to the replacement position, a notification to that effect is given (S9), so that the user can be more reliably prevented from being surprised.

[0080] Next, another example of processing by the CPU 201 will be described. Fig. 16 is a flow chart showing an example of processing by the CPU 201 in the transport mode. When the liquid ejection device 1 is transported from the user to a support for repair or maintenance of the liquid ejection device 1, measures to prevent ink leakage during transportation may be required. Also, when the liquid ejection device 1 is stored without being used for a long period of time, it is desirable to close the valve 16.

[0081] Therefore, in the liquid ejection device 1 of this embodiment, when the control mode is set to the transport mode, a series of processes is performed to prompt the user to close the valve 16. For example, this flowchart is realized by the CPU 201 reading a program stored in the ROM 202 into the RAM 203 and executing it.

[0082] In the operation of opening the cover member 3 in the transport mode or in the normal state, it is not necessary to move the carriage 13 to the replacement position. Therefore, in S11, the carriage 13 is retreated to a position (called the home position) at the end of the movement region R on the home side in the X direction. In the home position, the recording head 14 faces the suction cap 211. In S12, a capping operation is performed to seal the ejection surface 14a with the suction cap 211.

[0083] In S13, the CPU 201 notifies the user that the cover member 3 has been opened. In S14, the CPU 201 acquires the detection result of the cover sensor 18, and checks whether the cover member 3 has been opened based on the acquired detection result. If the cover member 3 is open, the CPU 201 proceeds to processing of S15, and if the cover member 3 is closed, the CPU 201 repeats processing of S14. Note that, although in this embodiment, the CPU 201 determines whether the cover member 3 has been opened or closed based on the detection result of the cover sensor 18, the CPU 201 may also determine whether the cover member 3 has been opened or closed based on whether the user has input to the input unit 204 to the effect that the cover member 3 has been opened.

[0084] In S15, the CPU 201 notifies the user that the valve 16 is closed. In S16, the CPU 201 determines whether or not the valve 16 is closed. For example, the CPU 201 acquires a detection result of the valve sensor 168, and determines whether or not the valve 16 is closed based on the acquired detection result. If the CPU 201 determines that the valve 16 is closed, the CPU 201 proceeds to processing of S17, and if not, the CPU 201 repeats processing of S16.

[0085] In S17, the CPU 201 notifies the user that the cover member 3 is closed. In S18, the CPU 201 acquires the detection result of the cover sensor 18, and checks whether the cover member 3 is closed based on the acquired detection result. If the cover member 3 is closed, the CPU 201 proceeds to the process of S19, and if the cover member 3 is not closed, the CPU 201 repeats the process of S17. Note that, although in this embodiment, the CPU 201 determines whether the cover member 3 is open or closed based on the detection result of the cover sensor 18, the CPU 201 may also determine whether the cover member 3 is open or closed based on whether the user has input to the input unit 204 to the effect that the cover member 3 has been opened.

[0086] In S19, an OFF operation (power OFF operation by software) is executed. This completes the processing of the transport mode. In this embodiment, in the transport mode, the CPU 201 performs the power OFF operation after confirming that the valve 16 is closed. Therefore, when the power of the liquid ejection device 1 is turned OFF while the transport mode is selected, the valve 16 is always in a closed state. This prevents the user from forgetting to take measures to prevent ink leakage when the liquid ejection device 1 is being transported.

[0087] <Other embodiments> In the above embodiment, the process of moving the carriage 13 to the central part (replacement position) after moving it to the retracted position is exemplified as a process that requires operation of the opening / closing operation unit 161 of the valve 16. However, the target of the user's operation and the destination of the carriage 13 from the retracted position are not limited to this. The target of the user's operation may be, for example, an operation on the operation unit to clear a paper jam. The destination of the carriage 13 may not be the central part of the movement area R, but may be a position offset from the central part. The purpose of the work may be various maintenance of the carriage 13 (sensor replacement work, etc.) in addition to replacement of the recording head 14.

[0088] The present invention can also be realized by a process in which a program for realizing one or more functions of the above-mentioned 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. The present invention can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) for realizing one or more functions.

[0089] <Summary of the embodiment> The above embodiment discloses the following techniques.

[0090] Item 1. a carriage that carries a discharge head that discharges liquid and moves in a predetermined direction; an operation unit that is disposed in the vicinity of a moving area of ​​the carriage and that is operable by a user; When a predetermined condition is satisfied, the carriage moves to a retreat position on the movement area, and then moves to a predetermined position on the movement area; The retracted position is a position on the opposite side of the operation unit with respect to the predetermined position in the predetermined direction. A liquid ejection device comprising:

[0091] Item 2. The liquid ejection device according to item 1, The predetermined condition is a start condition of a process that requires an operation of the operation unit. A liquid ejection device comprising:

[0092] Item 3. The liquid ejection device according to item 1 or 2, the predetermined position is a position where a user can perform an operation on the carriage; A liquid ejection device comprising:

[0093] Item 4. A liquid ejection device according to any one of items 1 to 3, The predetermined position is the center of the moving area. A liquid ejection device comprising:

[0094] Item 5. Item 3. The liquid ejection device according to item 3, The operation is a replacement operation of the ejection head. A liquid ejection device comprising:

[0095] Item 6. Item 5. The liquid ejection device according to any one of items 1 to 5, the operation unit is a valve that switches between supplying and blocking liquid to the ejection head; A liquid ejection device comprising:

[0096] Item 7. Item 6. The liquid ejection device according to item 6, The valve is provided in a pipe between the ejection head and a storage unit that stores the liquid. A liquid ejection device comprising:

[0097] Item 8. Item 7. The liquid ejection device according to item 7, The valve cuts off the supply of the liquid by collapsing the pipe. A liquid ejection device comprising:

[0098] Item 9. Item 7. The liquid ejection device according to item 7, The piping is arranged to avoid an area above the operating unit. A liquid ejection device comprising:

[0099] Item 10. A liquid ejection device according to any one of items 1 to 9, the retreat position is a position at one end of the movement area in the predetermined direction, a recovery unit for recovering the ejection performance of the ejection head is provided at the other end of the moving area; A liquid ejection device comprising:

[0100] Item 11. A liquid ejection device according to any one of items 1 to 10, A detection unit is provided for detecting an operation on the operation unit, if no operation is detected by the detection means after the carriage is moved to the retracted position, the carriage is not moved to the predetermined position. A liquid ejection device comprising:

[0101] Item 12. A liquid ejection device according to any one of items 1 to 11, a notification unit that notifies a user to release the operation unit after the carriage is moved to the retracted position, A liquid ejection device comprising:

[0102] Item 13. Item 13. The liquid ejection device according to item 12, if there is no response from the user to the notification by the notification means, the carriage is not moved to the predetermined position. A liquid ejection device comprising:

[0103] Item 14. A liquid ejection device according to any one of items 1 to 13, a cover member that can be opened and closed between a closed position that covers the carriage and the operation unit and an open position that exposes the carriage and the operation unit; A detection means for detecting an open / closed state of the cover member; a notification means for notifying a user to move the cover member to an open position after the carriage is moved to the retracted position, and notifying the user to operate the operation unit when the detection means detects that the cover member has been moved to the open position, A liquid ejection device comprising:

[0104] Item 15. A liquid ejection device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, a belt transmission mechanism for moving the carriage in the predetermined direction; The carriage includes: A support portion; a holding member attached to the support portion via an elastic member and holding an endless belt of the belt transmission mechanism, The support portion is a wide portion to which the elastic member is in close contact; A narrow portion in which a gap is formed between the narrow portion and the elastic member. A liquid ejection device comprising:

[0105] Item 16. Item 16. The liquid ejection device according to item 15, The support portion has an intermediate portion between the wide portion and the narrow portion, the intermediate portion having a width gradually narrowing from the wide portion to the narrow portion. A liquid ejection device comprising:

[0106] Item 17. Item 17. The liquid ejection device according to item 15 or 16, the carriage has a regulating portion that regulates an inclination of the holding member with respect to a running direction of the endless belt; A liquid ejection device comprising:

[0107] Item 18. A method for controlling a liquid ejection device including a carriage that moves in a predetermined direction while carrying an ejection head that ejects liquid, and an operation unit that is disposed in the vicinity of a moving area of ​​the carriage and that can be operated by a user, comprising the steps of: a step of moving the carriage to a retracted position on the movement area and then to a predetermined position on the movement area when a predetermined condition is satisfied; The retracted position is a position on the opposite side of the operation unit with respect to the predetermined position in the predetermined direction. A control method comprising:

[0108] The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following claims are appended to apprise the public of the scope of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0109] 1 Liquid ejection device, 13 Carriage, 161 Operation unit

Claims

1. a carriage that carries a discharge head that discharges liquid and moves in a predetermined direction; an operation unit that is disposed near a moving area of ​​the carriage and that can be operated by a user; Equipped with When a predetermined condition is satisfied, the carriage moves to a retreat position on the movement area, and then moves to a predetermined position on the movement area; The retracted position is a position on the opposite side of the operation unit with respect to the predetermined position in the predetermined direction. A liquid ejection device comprising:

2. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1 , The predetermined condition is a start condition of a process that requires an operation of the operation unit. A liquid ejection device comprising:

3. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1 , the predetermined position is a position where a user can perform an operation on the carriage; A liquid ejection device comprising:

4. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1 , The predetermined position is the center of the moving area. A liquid ejection device comprising:

5. The liquid ejection device according to claim 3, The operation is a replacement operation of the ejection head. A liquid ejection device comprising:

6. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1 , the operation unit is a valve that switches between supplying and blocking liquid to the ejection head; A liquid ejection device comprising:

7. The liquid ejection device according to claim 6, The valve is provided in a pipe between the ejection head and a storage unit that stores the liquid. A liquid ejection device comprising:

8. The liquid ejection device according to claim 7, The valve cuts off the supply of the liquid by collapsing the pipe. A liquid ejection device comprising:

9. The liquid ejection device according to claim 7, The piping is arranged to avoid an area above the operating unit. A liquid ejection device comprising:

10. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1 , the retreat position is a position at one end of the movement area in the predetermined direction, a recovery unit for recovering the ejection performance of the ejection head is provided at the other end of the moving area; A liquid ejection device comprising:

11. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1 , A detection unit is provided for detecting an operation on the operation unit, if no operation is detected by the detection means after the carriage is moved to the retracted position, the carriage is not moved to the predetermined position. A liquid ejection device comprising:

12. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1 , a notification unit that notifies a user to release the operation unit after the carriage is moved to the retracted position, A liquid ejection device comprising:

13. The liquid ejection device according to claim 12, if there is no response from the user to the notification by the notification means, the carriage is not moved to the predetermined position. A liquid ejection device comprising:

14. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1 , a cover member that can be opened and closed between a closed position that covers the carriage and the operation unit and an open position that exposes the carriage and the operation unit; A detection means for detecting an open / closed state of the cover member; a notification means for notifying a user to move the cover member to an open position after the carriage is moved to the retracted position, and notifying the user to operate the operation unit when the detection means detects that the cover member has been moved to the open position, A liquid ejection device comprising:

15. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1 , a belt transmission mechanism for moving the carriage in the predetermined direction; The carriage includes: A support portion; a holding member attached to the support portion via an elastic member and holding an endless belt of the belt transmission mechanism, The support portion is a wide portion to which the elastic member is in close contact; A narrow portion in which a gap is formed between the narrow portion and the elastic member. A liquid ejection device comprising:

16. The liquid ejection device according to claim 15, The support portion has an intermediate portion between the wide portion and the narrow portion, the intermediate portion having a width gradually narrowing from the wide portion to the narrow portion. A liquid ejection device comprising:

17. The liquid ejection device according to claim 15, the carriage has a regulating portion that regulates an inclination of the holding member with respect to a running direction of the endless belt; A liquid ejection device comprising:

18. A method for controlling a liquid ejection device including a carriage that moves in a predetermined direction while carrying an ejection head that ejects liquid, and an operation unit that is disposed in the vicinity of a moving area of ​​the carriage and that can be operated by a user, comprising the steps of: a step of moving the carriage to a retracted position on the movement area and then to a predetermined position on the movement area when a predetermined condition is satisfied; The retracted position is a position on the opposite side of the operation unit with respect to the predetermined position in the predetermined direction. A control method comprising:

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