Inkjet recording apparatus

Abstract

In an inkjet printing apparatus that feeds roll paper, performs printing on the roll paper, and directly winds the roll paper in a roll state, a product after printing is wound around a roll, and thus the product cannot be confirmed.SOLUTION: The ink jet recorder having a camera capable of recording a moving image over the entire print region of a recording sheet does not record a moving image while a carriage is moving in the print region but records a moving image only when the carriage is located outside the print region.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] In recording devices that feed and print on roll paper and then wind it up in a roll, the printed output cannot be checked because it is wound up on the roll. Therefore, methods such as printing and reading an adjustment pattern as needed during printing to perform correction, or reading an image of the output and comparing it with a comparison image, have been adopted. Patent Document 1 also discloses a technology for a recording device that includes a recording head that records on the recording medium, a camera that photographs the recording medium, a carriage that carries the recording head and the camera, and a control unit that prints a first test pattern on the recording medium using the recording head, which is larger than the camera's imaging area, photographs the first test pattern with the camera, and detects printing defects based on the photographed image. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-176566 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the camera mounted on the recording head of Patent Document 1 cannot capture the entire image of the printed image.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to photograph the state of the entire recording medium. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the inkjet recording device of the present invention is configured such that a camera is positioned so that video recording of the carriage carrying the recording head can be performed from above, and video recording of the state of the entire recording medium is performed; video recording is not performed while the carriage is operating in the printing area, and video recording is performed only when the carriage is outside the recording area. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, video recording is not performed during printing operation and while the carriage is moving within the printing area, so when checking the recorded video, the image can be easily viewed without being obstructed by the movement of the carriage. By recording during printing operation, it is possible to confirm that there are no defects in the finished product, and this can be used as inspection proof for the customer not only for the rolled product but also for the cut product.

[0008] In addition, by simultaneously taking photographs of the recording paper before and after printing, if there is a problem with the finished product, it is possible to determine whether the problem is with the recording paper itself or with the printing process.

[0009] By recording only when the carriage is outside the printing area, memory capacity can be reduced by recording the recorded image.

[0010] By submitting the recorded video to the customer along with the printed roll product, it can be used as inspection data. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the appearance of a recording apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a recording apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of the recording apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4]3 is a diagram showing the relationship between a moving image area and a carriage in the recording apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a print job and recording process according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Figure 1 is a diagram showing the appearance of an inkjet recording apparatus (hereinafter referred to as the recording apparatus) of this embodiment. A roll sheet 2 is set as a recording medium in the recording apparatus 1, and the recording apparatus 1 is equipped with an operation panel 3. Various switches and the like installed on the operation panel 3 are used to specify the material, width, online / offline status, commands, etc. of the roll sheet 2. A winding device 4 for winding up the roll sheet 2 is installed on the front bottom of the recording apparatus 1.

[0013] 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the recording device 1. A roll sheet 2 is fed by a transport roller 201 and transported to a platen 202. The recording device 1 is provided with a linear encoder 203 extending in the X direction, and the position of a carriage 204 is controlled by a printer engine based on a signal from the linear encoder 203.

[0014] A recording head 205, which is an image forming means, is disposed in a carriage 204 positioned above and facing the platen 202. Ink is ejected from the recording head 205 based on image information onto a portion of the roll sheet 2 located in an image recording area (not shown), printing an image. Also disposed opposite the platen 202 is a camera 206 for recording the roll sheet 2 on the surface of the platen 202. This makes it possible to simultaneously record the areas of the roll sheet 2 before and after ink ejection. After printing, the roll sheet 2 is taken up by a spool 207.

[0015] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of the recording device 1. The recording device 1 and an external host 300 are connected via an interface 301 to receive a print job. Image data developed by a printer controller 302 is transferred to a printer engine 303 for printing. An operation panel 3 for setting various modes is connected to the printer controller 302. The printer engine 303 controls various sensors 304, various motors 305, and the recording head 204 to perform the printing operation. The camera controller 306 uses a position information comparison circuit 307 to compare carriage encoder position information with the print start setting value set in the ASIC and issue control signals for the camera 206 to start and end recording. A camera write control unit 308 writes the captured data from the camera 206 and associated information to memory 310 and storage 311 based on the control signal.

[0016] 4 is a schematic perspective view showing the relationship between the carriage position and the printing area. The printing area and the recording area for the platen 202, carriage 204, camera 206, recording head 205, and roll sheet 2 will be explained.

[0017] A camera 206 is disposed above a carriage 204 on a platen 202. The camera 206 is capable of capturing an image of the entire recording area 404, including a print area 403 where the recording head 205 can print in one pass and an area upstream where the unprinted roll sheet 2 can be seen. In this diagram, there is one camera, but if necessary, two or more cameras can be arranged side by side to match the width of the roll sheet 2.

[0018] The carriage 204 prints by reciprocating over the platen as indicated by the arrow 401. As the carriage 204 moves across the width of the recording device, repeatedly moving from 402(a) to 402(b) to 402(c) to 402(b) to 402(a), the camera 206 starts recording from the start of printing, but stops recording when the carriage 204 moves from 402(a) to 402(b), and starts recording again when it passes 402(b) and enters 402(c). The camera then stops recording when the carriage 204 reverses direction and moves from 402(c) to 402(b). By stopping recording only when the carriage 204 is in the 402(b) area during reciprocating printing, the state of the roll sheet before printing and the area that has just been printed can be recorded without the carriage 204 appearing in the recording.

[0019] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the process for recording printing operations in this embodiment. The recording operation begins in step S501. The recording device 1 receives a print job and performs print head maintenance. This triggers the camera to start recording in step S502. In step S503, the camera's control unit continuously acquires carriage position information from the recording device's internal information (specifically, the linear scale encoder) during the recording operation. In step S504, it determines whether the carriage is positioned inside or outside the recording area. If the carriage is positioned outside the recording area, it writes the captured data and associated information to memory in step S505. The associated information is information about the page number and scan number in the print job. If the carriage is positioned inside the recording area, it stops writing the captured data to memory in step S506. In step S507, it determines whether printing is still in progress. If printing is in progress, it returns to step S504 and determines the carriage position. If it determines in step S507 that the print job has ended, it ends the camera's recording operation in step S508.

[0020] (Second embodiment) Next, we will explain the second embodiment. In the first embodiment, video recording was performed when the carriage was outside the print area, but this differs from the first embodiment in that all video recording is performed, and after printing is completed, images in which the carriage is inside the print area are removed.

[0021] (Third embodiment) Next, we will explain the third embodiment. When the carriage is outside the print area, a record is saved in a first memory area, and when the carriage is inside the print area, a record is saved in a second memory area. This makes it possible to check the second memory area if there is an abnormality in the printed matter.

[0022] As explained above, in this embodiment, by recording when the carriage is outside the printing area, when checking the recorded video, the image can be easily viewed without being obstructed by the movement of the carriage. Also, although the above describes recording a video, still images can also be used. [Explanation of symbols]

[0023] 1. Recording device 2 roll sheets 4 Winding device 204 Carriage 240 Camera

Claims

1. In a serial scan type inkjet recording apparatus, The recording device has an image pickup element capable of photographing the printing state in the recording device and memory means for writing the photographed data, When the position information for ending the drawing operation matches the carriage position, the writing of the captured data to memory begins. An inkjet recording apparatus characterized in that when position information for starting a drawing operation and the position of the carriage coincide, writing of photographed data into a memory is completed.

2. 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the position of the carriage is detected using internal information.

3. When the carriage is positioned outside the recording range of each camera, recording stops, and video recording is only performed when the carriage is positioned outside the printing range. When the start position setting value set in the control IC matches the carriage position information, writing of the moving image data begins.

2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the writing of the moving image data is completed when an end position setting value set in the control IC matches the carriage position information.

4. 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein recording is always performed during printing, and data recording is performed only when the carriage is in a non-recording range.

5. 2. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the photographed data can be separately confirmed on a monitor in real time.

6. 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image capturing is stopped when the roll paper is being positioned at the beginning, when the rear end is being cut, and when the rear end is being rewound.

7. 2. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a record when the carriage is outside the printing area is stored in a first memory area, and a record when the carriage is within the printing area is stored in a second memory area.

8. 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein recording is performed every time the head length LF advances.

9. 2. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the camera capable of recording a moving image of the entire printing area is a camera in which a plurality of cameras are arranged in parallel in accordance with the size of the main body of the recording apparatus.

10. 2. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number of cameras to be operated is set according to the width of the recording medium.

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