Control device, image recording device, control method, and program

Abstract

It cannot adequately handle differences in discharge volume between regions. [Solution] The control device is an image recording device that records an image by ejecting droplets onto a recording medium, and includes a recording head having a plurality of recording means for ejecting droplets, a plurality of temperature control heating means provided for each region containing two or more recording means for adjusting the temperature, and a plurality of temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of each region. The control device determines a target temperature for each region based on the amount of droplet ejected, and controls the plurality of temperature control heating means for each region so that the temperature detected for each region becomes the target temperature.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device, an image recording device, a control method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] An image recording device including a recording head that records an image by ejecting a liquid such as ink as droplets is known. Such an image recording device includes a recording element having a heater for ejecting droplets, and a temperature control heating element having a heater for adjusting the temperature of the recording head to lower the viscosity of the ink. In such an image recording device, a difference may occur in the ejection amount of ink, resulting in a decrease in image quality.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for eliminating the difference in ejection amount caused by the temperature distribution inside the recording head in a full multi-head.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for reducing the temperature distribution inside the recording head by a temperature control heating element, which is a heater for temperature control separately from the heater for ejection, and a technique for reducing the difference in ejection amount due to the temperature distribution. <00,00016>

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The technique of Patent Document 1 does not consider the change in ejection amount that occurs even under the same conditions and the same settings, for example, the change in ejection amount due to aging deterioration, etc., so there is a problem that it cannot appropriately cope with the difference in ejection amount between regions.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention provides a technology that can appropriately address differences in discharge volume between regions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve this problem, for example, the control device of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, A control device for controlling an image recording apparatus that records an image by ejecting droplets onto a recording medium, comprising a recording head having a plurality of recording means for ejecting droplets, a plurality of temperature-controlled heating means provided for each region containing two or more recording means for adjusting the temperature, and a plurality of temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of each region, wherein the image recording apparatus records an image by ejecting droplets onto a recording medium, Based on the amount of liquid droplets discharged, a target temperature is determined for each region, and the plurality of temperature control heating means are controlled for each region so that the temperature detected for each region becomes the target temperature. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, differences in discharge volume between regions can be appropriately addressed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] A schematic perspective view of a liquid dispensing device having a recording head in an embodiment. [Figure 2] An exploded perspective view of the recording head in the embodiment. [Figure 3] A schematic diagram showing the electrical wiring of the recording head in the embodiment. [Figure 4] A schematic diagram of the flow path configuration of the recording head in the embodiment. [Figure 5] A schematic diagram showing the circulation path of the recording head in the embodiment. [Figure 6] A perspective view of the circulation pump in the embodiment. [Figure 7] Cross-sectional view of the circulation pump in the embodiment. [Figure 8] An exploded perspective view of the circulation pump in the embodiment. [Figure 9] A perspective view of the circulation pump in the embodiment. [Figure 10] Configuration diagram of the control system of the image recording apparatus in the embodiment. [Figure 11] Diagram showing a flowchart of the image recording process of the first embodiment. [Figure 12] Diagram for explaining the area of the recording head in the first embodiment. [Figure 13] Diagram showing an example of the dot count table in the first embodiment. [Figure 14] Graph showing the correlation between dot count and discharge amount. [Figure 15] Diagram showing an example of the discharge amount information table in the first embodiment. [Figure 16] Graph showing the relationship between temperature and discharge amount. [Figure 17] An example of the target temperature table in the first embodiment. [Figure 18] An example of the heating intensity table in the first embodiment. [Figure 19] Diagram showing a flowchart of the image recording process of the second embodiment. [Figure 20] An example of the recording mode table in the second embodiment.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Although a plurality of features are described in the embodiments, not all of these plurality of features are essential for the invention, and the plurality of features may be arbitrarily combined. Further, in the accompanying drawings, the same or similar configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations are omitted.

[0012] An example of this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the following description is not limited to the scope of this embodiment. As an example, in this embodiment, a thermal method is employed in which bubbles are generated by a recording element having a heater to eject liquid, but this embodiment can also be applied to recording heads employing a piezo method and other various liquid ejection methods.

[0013] Furthermore, the configuration is not limited to the one described, as it includes components such as pumps and pressure regulators, temperature sensors, recording elements, and temperature control heating elements that have equivalent functionality.

[0014] To briefly describe the features of the embodiments, we will first provide a detailed overview of the configuration of the image recording device and the recording head, which are common to all embodiments. Next, we will describe the processing flow, which is a characteristic of these embodiments, according to several embodiments.

[0015] (Explanation of liquid dispensing device) Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an example configuration of an image recording device 50 having a recording head 1. The image recording device 50 of this embodiment is a serial scan type inkjet recording device that records an image on a recording medium P by ejecting droplets of ink from the recording head 1 onto the recording medium P. The recording head 1, as an inkjet recording head, is mounted on a carriage 53. The carriage 53 moves along a guide axis 51 in the main scanning direction indicated by arrow X. The recording medium P is transported by transport rollers 55, 56, 57, and 58 in the sub-scanning direction indicated by arrow Y, which intersects (in this example, is perpendicular to) the main scanning direction. An ink circulation unit 54 is mounted on the recording head 1, and ink circulation by the ejection unit, which will be described later, is performed. An ink supply tube 59 connected to an ink tank, which is the source of the ink, is connected to the recording head 1. Ink from the ink tank is supplied to the recording head 1 via the ink supply tube 59.

[0016] (Explanation of recording head configuration) Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the recording head 1 of the embodiment. The recording head 1 includes an ink circulation unit 54 and an ejection unit 3 for receiving ink, which is the recording fluid, from the ink circulation unit 54 and ejecting the ink onto the recording medium P. The ejection unit 3 is also called a recording element unit. The recording head 1 is fixed and supported on the carriage 53 by positioning members and electrical contacts of the carriage 53 provided on the image recording device 50. The recording head 1 is fixed and supported on the carriage 53 and performs recording by ejecting ink while scanning in the scanning direction indicated by arrow X in Figure 1.

[0017] This embodiment is a recording head 1 capable of ejecting four types of ink. A liquid connector insertion port is provided corresponding to each ink supply tube 59, and individual supply paths are formed.

[0018] The ejection unit 3 comprises two ejection modules 60, a first support member 34, a second support member 37, an electrical wiring member 35 having electrical wiring tape, and an electrical contact substrate 36. The ejection modules 60 of the ejection unit 3 are made of a silicon substrate (hereinafter referred to as the silicon substrate). The ejection module 60 is provided on one side of the silicon substrate and includes two types of elements: a recording element having a heater that generates energy used to eject liquid, and a temperature control heating element that heats the recording head 1 with a heater to control the temperature in order to lower the viscosity of the ink. Thus, in this embodiment, multiple heaters are used as the recording element and the temperature control heating element. Electrical wiring that supplies power to each heater is formed on the silicon substrate by thin-film deposition technology. The heaters have electrical resistance and generate heat when current is passed through them, causing film boiling. Multiple ink flow paths corresponding to the heat-generating resistance elements and pressure chambers provided with multiple ejection ports for ejecting ink are formed on the silicon substrate by photolithography technology. Ink supply ports and ink recovery ports, which supply ink to multiple ink channels, are located on the back surface of the silicon substrate.

[0019] The ejection module 60 is fixed by adhesive to a first support member 34, which has an ink supply port and an ink recovery port. The first support member 34 is fixed by adhesive to a second support member 37, which has an opening. The electrical wiring member 35 is electrically connected to the substrate of the ejection module 60 of the ejection unit 3 and is held by the second support member 37. The electrical wiring member 35 applies an electrical signal to the ejection module 60 for ejecting ink.

[0020] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the electrical wiring of the ejection module 60 of the recording head 1. It is a schematic perspective view showing the ejection module 60 from the direction in which the ink is ejected. Figure 3(a) is a schematic diagram showing the electrical wiring of recording elements and other components used for droplet ejection. Figure 3(b) is a schematic diagram showing the electrical wiring of temperature-controlled heating elements and other components used for keeping the recording head warm. By forming a layered structure on the silicon substrate, wiring can be done at the same position in the two-dimensional XY plane.

[0021] The electrical wiring member 35 supplies electrical signals, voltage, and current to the ejection module 60 of the ejection unit 3 via the electrical pad 41. Multiple recording element arrays 42 are provided on the ejection module 60. The recording element array 42 has multiple arranged recording elements 47. The recording elements 47 are an example of recording means. The recording elements 47 eject inks of different tones (including color and density) in the main scanning Y direction, for example, white (Wh, W), cyan (Cy, C), magenta (Ma, M), and yellow (Ye, Y) inks. Note that the ink colors are not limited to the above and may include, for example, black (Bk). Each color is individually wired from the electrical pad 41 to the recording element array 42, and electrical signals and heater currents for ejection are transmitted.

[0022] In Figure 3(b), multiple temperature sensors 44, each consisting of a diode, are periodically installed along the direction of the recording element array 42, which is the direction of the recording element array 42. The temperature sensors 44 detect the temperature and output the detected temperature information. The temperature sensors 44 are an example of a temperature detection means. Multiple temperature-controlled heating elements 45 are periodically installed along the direction of the recording element array 47. The temperature-controlled heating elements 45 are an example of a temperature-controlled heating means. The temperature-controlled heating elements 45 are arranged so as to sandwich the recording elements 47 along the direction of the recording element array 47. The temperature sensors 44 and temperature-controlled heating elements 45 are provided in correspondence with the multiple recording elements 47. The temperature-controlled heating elements 45 may be, for example, a heat-retaining heater that heats the surroundings. Although omitted from the drawing for simplicity, each temperature sensor 44 and each temperature-controlled heating element 45 are electrically wired to an electrical pad 41. This allows the temperature-controlled heating elements 45 to receive signals. The temperature sensor 44 transmits an output value indicating the temperature. The material used for the temperature control heating element 45 is a material such as aluminum that generates heat when an electric current is passed through it.

[0023] In this embodiment, one electrical wiring 43 for heating the recording element 47 that ejects liquid droplets is provided for each ink color's recording element row 42. On the other hand, multiple temperature-controlled heating elements 45 are provided for each region of the recording element row 42 for each ink color. The signals and currents required to appropriately drive the recording element row 42 contain a large amount of information, and wiring multiple electrical wirings 43 to the recording element row 42 would lead to increased costs and larger device sizes, thus compromising user convenience. However, the temperature-controlled heating elements 45 can appropriately heat and maintain the temperature of any region 46 by feedback control based on information from the temperature sensor 44, and multiple wiring is relatively easy. This embodiment utilizes the provision of multiple temperature-controlled heating elements 45.

[0024] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the flow path configuration of the recording head 1. Each of the two ejection modules 60 is provided with an individual supply flow path 18 and an individual recovery flow path 19 so that ink circulates to the ejection port 13 located in the pressure chamber. The flow paths of the first support member 34 extend the individual supply flow path 18 and the individual recovery flow path 19 to the width of the ink circulation unit 54 and are connected to the ink circulation unit 54 for each color by a joint member 38. The electrical wiring member 35 is supported by the second support member 37 and is electrically connected to the ejection module 60. The joint member 38 has supply ports and recovery ports for each color and is connected to the ink circulation unit 54 for ink supply and recovery.

[0025] (Explanation of the internal circulation configuration within the recording head) Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the circulation path for one color inside the recording head 1. The arrows in the figure indicate the direction of ink flow. Ink supplied from the ink tank is pressurized by a pressure pump provided in the main body of the image recording device. The pressurized ink passes through the foreign matter collection filter 110 under positive pressure and is supplied to the first liquid chamber 180 provided in the first pressure adjustment unit 120, after being reduced to a predetermined ink pressure. The reduced-pressure ink in the first liquid chamber 180 is supplied to the discharge module 60 via the supply channel 130 and supplied to the pressure chamber 10, which is provided with a discharge port. A portion of the ink in the first liquid chamber 180 flows to the second liquid chamber 170 via the bypass channel 160. The ink that is not discharged is supplied to the second liquid chamber 170 via the recovery channel 140. The second liquid chamber 170 is a space that houses ink whose pressure has been adjusted by the second pressure adjustment unit 150 after passing through the bypass channel 160 or the recovery channel 140. A circulation pump 500 is provided downstream of the second liquid chamber 170 to return the liquid to the first liquid chamber 180. Since the first liquid chamber 180 can be made to have a relatively large volume, it is common to provide a foam buffer space on the upper side of the first liquid chamber 180, which is a space that accumulates foam and prevents it from flowing below the recording head 1. This allows for the creation of a circulation path that is completed within the recording head 1.

[0026] (Circulation pump) Figures 6(a) and 6(b) are perspective views of the circulation pump 500. Ink enters through the pump supply port 501, passes through the inside of the circulation pump 500, and is discharged through the pump discharge port 502. The pump supply port 501 is directly or indirectly connected to the recovery channel 140. The pump discharge port 502 is directly or indirectly connected to the supply channel 130.

[0027] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the circulation pump 500. The outer shell of the circulation pump 500 consists of a pump housing 505 and a cover 507 fixed to the pump housing 505. A valve 504 is provided between the pump supply port 501 and the pump chamber 503. One side of the valve 504 abuts against the pump supply port 501, and a space 512 is provided on the other side. When the pump chamber 503 is depressurized, the valve 504 can deform in the direction of the space 512, but when the pump chamber 503 is pressurized, it is pressed against the pump supply port 501, so the pump supply port 501 is closed. A valve 504 is also provided between the pump chamber 503 and the pump discharge port 502. Unlike the valve 504 at the pump supply port 501, the valve 504 opens when pressurized and closes the pump discharge port 502 when depressurized. The material of the valve 504 only needs to be deformable by the internal pressure of the pump chamber 503, and may be, but is not limited to, an elastic material such as EPDM and elastomer, or a film or thin sheet of polypropylene or the like.

[0028] The pump chamber 503 is formed by the joint between the pump housing 505 and the diaphragm 506. The pressure in the pump chamber 503 changes as the diaphragm 506 deforms. When the diaphragm 506 is displaced toward the housing and the volume of the pump chamber 503 decreases, the pressure inside the pump chamber 503 increases. This causes the valve 504 on the pump discharge port 502 side to open, and the ink in the pump chamber 503 is discharged. The valve 504 on the pump supply port 501 side is in contact with the pump supply port 501, so there is little backflow of ink from the pump chamber 503 to the pump supply port 501.

[0029] When the diaphragm 506 is displaced in a direction that expands the pump chamber 503, the pressure in the pump chamber 503 decreases. This causes the valve 504 on the pump supply port 501 side to open, and ink is supplied to the pump chamber 503. At this time, the valve 504 on the pump discharge port 502 side comes into contact with the pump discharge port 502, so there is little backflow of ink from the pump discharge port 502 to the pump chamber 503.

[0030] In this way, the circulation pump 500 changes the pressure inside the pump chamber 503 by deforming the diaphragm 506, thereby drawing in and discharging ink. This allows the circulation pump 500 to control the flow of ink through the circulation path. In this circulation control, the circulation pump 500 can change the flow rate by changing the number of times the diaphragm 506 is deformed per unit time. The number of times the diaphragm 506 is deformed per unit time will hereafter be referred to as the number of cycles of the circulation pump.

[0031] (Circulation pump electrical connection) Next, the drive unit that displaces the diaphragm 506 will be explained using Figures 7, 8, and 9. Figures 8(a) and 8(b) are exploded perspective views of the circulation pump. Figure 9 is a view of the electrical connection part of the piezoelectric ceramic 510 as seen from the drive circuit board 513 side, through the drive circuit board 513.

[0032] The circulation pump 500 may be a piezoelectric pump driven by applying voltage to a piezoelectric ceramic. As shown in Figure 7, the diaphragm 509 is bonded to the diaphragm 506 by adhesive 508. The piezoelectric ceramic 510 is fixed to the diaphragm 509 by adhesive. The diaphragm 506 is made of injection-molded materials such as modified PPE (Polyphenylene Eether) + PS (Polystyrene) and polypropylene, but is not limited to films and punched resin plates. The diaphragm 509 is made of brass, stainless steel, and iron-nickel alloy, but is not limited to these.

[0033] The drive circuit board 513 is provided on the surface facing the piezoelectric ceramic 510. The drive circuit board 513 has an engagement hole 515 that engages with an engagement portion 516 of a base 517 provided on the cover 507. The drive circuit board 513 is supplied with power from the main body of the image recording device 50 and drives the piezoelectric ceramic 510 and the diaphragm 509 by applying voltage. The drive circuit board 513, the piezoelectric ceramic 510 and the diaphragm 509 are electrically connected by an electrical connection cable 518. The electrical connection cable 518 and the drive circuit board 513 are fixed and electrically connected by solder 521. The electrical connection cable 518, the piezoelectric ceramic 510 and the diaphragm 509 are fixed and electrically connected by solder 520. The diaphragm 509 is connected to the GND wiring of the drive circuit board 513 via the electrical connection cable 518. The piezoelectric ceramic 510 is connected to the AC voltage output section of the drive circuit board by an electrical connection cable 518.

[0034] When the diaphragm 509 is connected to GND and an AC voltage is applied to the piezoelectric ceramic 510, the piezoelectric ceramic 510 expands and contracts, causing the diaphragm to deform. This changes the internal pressure of the pump chamber 503 of the circulation pump 500, causing the circulation pump 500 to suck in or discharge ink.

[0035] The drive circuit board 513 is electrically connected to the electrical contact board 36 by a cable. The electrical contact board 36 has electrical connection terminals for driving the pump.

[0036] When the circulation pump 500 is mounted on the carriage 53, an electrical signal from the electrical contact section on the carriage 53 is input to the pump drive connection terminal and then input to the drive circuit board 513 via the electrical contact board 36.

[0037] Since the electrical contact board 36 has connection terminals for driving the pump, the circulation pump 500 can be driven by applying a predetermined voltage to the electrical connection terminals of the electrical contact board 36, even when it is detached from the carriage 53.

[0038] (Control unit configuration of the recording device) Figure 10 shows an example of the control system configuration of the image recording device 50 in the embodiment. In Figure 10, PPI 101 is an abbreviation for Programmable Peripheral Interface. PPI 101 receives command signals and recording information signals including recording data sent from the host computer 100 and transfers them to the MPU 102. PPI 101 sends status information of the image recording device 50 to the host computer 100 as needed. In addition, PPI 101 performs input and output with a console 106 which has a setting input unit for the user to make various settings for the image recording device 50 and a display unit that displays messages to the user, and also receives signals from a sensor group 107 including a home position sensor that detects when the carriage 53 or recording head 1 is in the home position, and a capping sensor.

[0039] MPU102 is an abbreviation for Micro Processing Unit and is a type of processor. MPU102 is an example of a control device. MPU102 acquires temperature information detected from the temperature sensor 44 according to a control program stored in the control ROM 105, and controls the recording element 47 and temperature control heating element 45 of the image recording device 50. For example, MPU102 determines a target temperature for each region based on the amount of ink droplet ejection, and controls multiple temperature control heating elements 45 for each region so that the temperature detected in each region becomes the target temperature. The image recording device 50 may have other processors such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), NPU (Neural Processing Unit), and QPU (Quantum Processing Unit) in place of or in addition to the MPU102.

[0040] Some or all of the functions of the image recording device 50 are realized by one or more processors, including the MPU 102, reading a program stored in the control ROM 105, loading it into the RAM 103, and executing it. Alternatively, some or all of the functions of the image recording device 50 may be realized by one or more circuits, such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) and a PLD (Programmable Logic Device) including an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0041] RAM103 stands for Random Access Memory. RAM103 is a high-speed read and write memory. It stores received signals and other data, is used as a work area by the MPU102 when executing programs, and temporarily stores various data.

[0042] The print buffer 121 stores the recorded data that has been expanded into RAM 103, etc. The print buffer 121 has a storage capacity for multiple lines of data.

[0043] The ROM in control ROM 105 stands for Read Only Memory. In addition to the control program described above, control ROM 105 stores various data, such as fixed data corresponding to data used in the control process described later (for example, data for determining the combination of temperature sensors related to the main part of this embodiment).

[0044] The RAM 103, print buffer 121, and control ROM 105 are controlled by the MPU 102 via the address bus 117 and data bus 118.

[0045] A configuration including an MPU 102, RAM 103, print buffer 121, control ROM 105, address bus 117, and data bus 118 is an example of a computer, information processing device, and image processing device.

[0046] Motor drivers 114, 115, and 116 drive the capping motor 113, carriage motor 131, and paper feed motor 132, respectively, according to the control of the MPU 102.

[0047] The sheet sensor 109 detects the presence or absence of a recording medium, that is, whether or not the recording medium has been supplied to a position where it can be recorded by the recording head 1. The driver 111 drives the electrothermal conversion element of the recording head 1 in accordance with the recording information signal. The temperature and humidity sensor 122 detects the ambient temperature and ambient humidity in the installation environment of the image recording device 50. The power supply unit 124 supplies power to each of the above units. The power supply unit 124 has an AC adapter and a battery as a drive power supply device.

[0048] The recording head 1 has a plurality of temperature sensors 44, a plurality of recording elements 47, and a plurality of temperature-controlled heating elements 45. The plurality of temperature sensors 44 and the plurality of temperature-controlled heating elements 45 may be provided, for example, for each region containing two or more recording elements 47. The temperature sensors 44 detect the temperature for each region and output the temperature of the detected region to the MPU 102. The recording elements 47 and temperature-controlled heating elements 45 may be heaters that heat the recording head 1 based on instructions from the MPU 102. The recording elements 47 heat the nozzles and eject ink based on instructions from the MPU 102. The temperature-controlled heating elements 45 perform temperature control by heating each region to adjust the temperature based on instructions from the MPU 102, thereby lowering the viscosity of the ink.

[0049] In a recording system having an image recording device 50 and a host computer 100 that supplies recording information signals to the image recording device 50, when the host computer 100 transmits recording data via a parallel port, infrared port, or network, a required command is added to the beginning of the recording data. This command includes information such as the type of recording medium on which the recording is performed (types such as plain paper, OHP sheets, glossy paper, and even special recording media such as transfer film, cardboard, and banner paper), the size of the medium (A0, A1, A2, B0, B1, B2, etc.), the recording quality (draft, high quality, medium quality, emphasis on specific colors, monochrome / color type, etc.), and whether or not automatic object detection is performed. Furthermore, if a configuration is adopted to apply a processing liquid to improve the ink fixation on the recording medium, information determining whether or not to apply it may also be transmitted as a command.

[0050] In accordance with these commands, the MPU 102 of the image recording device 50 reads the data necessary for recording from the control ROM 105 and records an image based on the read data. The data includes, for example, information for determining the number of recording paths when performing the multi-pass recording described above, the amount of ink to be printed per unit area of ​​the recording medium, and the recording direction. The data may also include information such as the type of mask used for data decimation when performing multi-pass recording, driving conditions based on the temperature sensor detection value in the recording head 1 (for example, the shape and duration of the driving pulse applied to the heat-generating part), the size of the dots, the conditions for transporting the recording medium, the number of colors used, and the carriage speed.

[0051] An embodiment will be described using an image recording device 50 having the above configuration as an example. However, the device configuration described here is merely one example of a device configuration that realizes the embodiment. It goes without saying that this embodiment can be applied even if, for example, the number of recording inks and the number of control units are different.

[0052] Furthermore, in this specification, embodiments will be described using a so-called serial scan type image recording device 50, in which a recording head moves over a recording medium to perform image recording, as an example. However, the main focus of this embodiment is on achieving good image recording by performing suitable temperature control. This embodiment can also be applied to image recording devices 50 called full multi-head devices, in which the recording head is fixed and the recording medium is transported, which have been under development in response to the demand for high productivity in recent years. In addition, in the case of full multi-head devices, device configurations in which one recording head is assigned to one ink color are also under development, and it goes without saying that this embodiment can also be applied to such configurations.

[0053] Furthermore, this specification describes a configuration in which the recording head has a circulation pump and ink circulation is performed inside the recording head. However, in actual recording devices, although the challenge of the circulation system becoming larger remains, a configuration in which the pump is provided separately from the recording head and circulation is performed by that pump is also conceivable. Needless to say, this embodiment is applicable whether the circulation is performed only by the recording head or by having a circulation path that includes the main body.

[0054] In this embodiment, a pump having a diaphragm mechanism is described as the embodiment. However, other circulation pump mechanisms can be considered for liquid circulation pumps, such as tube pumps that physically squeeze the tube with rollers, in addition to diaphragms. It goes without saying that this embodiment is applicable to any type of circulation pump.

[0055] (First Embodiment) In this embodiment, a preferred embodiment will be described that assumes a sequence in which a user issues an image recording command to the image recording device 50, receives data for image recording, and starts image recording.

[0056] Figure 11 is a flowchart of the image recording process of the first embodiment. In the image recording process of this embodiment, the MPU 102 calculates and infers discharge amount information indicating the discharge amount inside the recording head 1 based on the dot count information. The MPU 102 determines the target temperature for temperature control based on the calculated discharge amount information. The MPU 102 executes the control of this embodiment by executing the program stored in the control ROM 105. The control process will be explained below by dividing it into steps (hereinafter abbreviated as S).

[0057] In S1101, the MPU 102 receives an image recording command from the host computer 100 or the like.

[0058] Next, in S1102, the MPU 102 acquires dot count information from the control ROM 105 or the like. The dot count information may be information indicating how many times (for example, the number of droplets or the number of times) the droplet ejection operation has been performed since the recording head 1 was mounted on the main unit. The dot count may be information associated with each area and each color, that is, information for each area.

[0059] Figure 12 is a diagram illustrating the region of the recording head 1 associated with the dot count. Figure 12(a) is a wiring diagram of the temperature control heating element inside the ejection module 60 of the recording head 1, equivalent to Figure 3(b), so its explanation is omitted. Figure 12(b) is a diagram equivalent to Figure 3(a), illustrating the region.

[0060] The region 46 shown in Figure 12(b) represents the region of the nozzle group associated with the dot count. A nozzle is a component in which a recording element 47 for ejecting liquid droplets and an ejection port are integrated, and will be referred to as such from now on. Region 46 includes multiple recording elements 47. Thus, the upper left region 46 will be called region 1, and from there, the next region of the recording element row 42 of the same ink color will be called region 2, and so on. Each region 46 has a temperature sensor 44 and a temperature control heating element 45. Therefore, each temperature sensor 44 detects the temperature of the region 46 in which it is installed and outputs temperature information. The temperature control heating element 45 heats the region 46 in which it is installed to control the temperature based on instructions from the MPU 102. In this embodiment, each ink has five regions 46, but the number of regions 46 may be changed as appropriate. The dot count table has dot counts associated with the four ink colors and five regions 46 ejected by one recording head 1. Therefore, the dot count table holds 20 dot counts for each recording head 1, which is the number of dots in area 46.

[0061] Figure 13 shows the dot count table that is actually stored. The horizontal axis (each column) represents the ink color. The vertical axis (each row) represents areas such as area 1 and area 2. Therefore, the dot count table contains dot count information linked to each area. Note that each color is in a different area, so "by color and by area" can also be said as "by area". In other words, area 1 for white (W) can be identified as one area, and area 1 for white (W) and area 1 for cyan (C) are different areas. The dot count is information on the number of droplets ejected per nozzle hole in area 46 (also called the number of operations). For example, the dot count may be either the average value or the sum of the number of ejections from multiple nozzles in area 46. The dot count table stores the dot count as 5e7, for example, the 5 x 10^7 indicated by the dot count in area 1 of the white ink (W) column. In this way, the usage status of each area 46 and each color of the recording head 1 is stored in the control ROM 105 or the like.

[0062] Next, in S1103, the MPU102 calculates and stores discharge volume information, which indicates the amount of ink dispensed per droplet from the nozzle, based on the dot count information acquired in S1002. This process is referred to as the discharge volume information acquisition process in this specification. In this specification, the discharge volume refers to the weight of ink per droplet dispensed from the nozzle under certain driving conditions. The MPU102 calculates or acquires discharge volume information based on the acquired dot count information.

[0063] Figure 14 is a graph showing the correlation between dot count and ejection volume information. The horizontal axis shows the dot count (number of dots) per nozzle hole. The vertical axis shows the ejection volume (ng). The image recording device 50 of this embodiment stores in advance aging degradation characteristic information showing the correlation between dot count and ejection volume as shown in Figure 14. The MPU 102 calculates the ejection volume information from the dot count based on the aging degradation characteristic information. In the stored dot count information shown in Figure 13, for example, if the dot count information for white ink area 1 is 5e7, the ejection volume information is calculated to be 6ng, as shown by the circle in Figure 14. The image recording device 50 stores in advance an ejection volume information table showing the calculated ejection volume information for each of the 46 areas.

[0064] Figure 15 is an ink discharge information table showing the discharge amount information associated with each color and area. The horizontal axis (each column) represents the ink color. The vertical axis (each row) represents the area. Each value is the discharge amount information, showing the discharge amount (ng) associated with each area. As shown in Figure 15, the ink discharge information table is linked to each area based on the dot count of each color and area.

[0065] Next, in S1104, the MPU 102 determines the target temperature for temperature control of each region 46. The target temperature for temperature control is the target temperature for keeping the recording head 1 warm before and during image recording. The target temperature is set to reduce differences in ink ejection volume between regions due to aging or other factors. Details on how to use the target temperature will be described later in S1107.

[0066] Figure 16 is a graph showing the relationship between temperature and discharge volume. The horizontal axis represents temperature (°C). Note that the unit of temperature may also be "degrees". The vertical axis represents discharge volume (ng: nanograms). By increasing the temperature of the recording head 1, the viscosity of the ink droplets around the nozzle outlet decreases. This increases the foaming volume when current is applied to the heater of the recording element 47. As a result, as shown in Figure 16, the amount of ink droplets discharged per shot from the nozzle outlet during a single recording operation varies depending on the temperature. Taking advantage of this characteristic, even if the discharge volume of the recording head 1 decreases due to aging, it is possible to correct the discharge volume by raising the target temperature for temperature control from the beginning. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the discharge volume increases by 1 ng for every 10 degrees Celsius increase in temperature.

[0067] Figure 17 is a target temperature table showing the target temperatures set for each region of the recording head 1. The horizontal axis (each column) represents the ink color. The vertical axis (each row) represents the region. Each value is the target temperature associated with each region. The target temperature table is a table showing the target temperatures for temperature control calculated and set for each region 46 based on the ejection amount information and temperature ejection amount characteristic information. In this embodiment, the MPU 102 sets the target temperature with image recording at a temperature control temperature of 30 degrees and an ejection amount of 8 ng as the standard state. In the target temperature table, the target temperature is set to compensate for the decrease in ejection amount from 8 ng, based on the relationship that the ejection amount increases by 1 ng when the temperature control temperature rises by 10 degrees. In this way, a common drive pulse is used for the recording element array 42, but a feature of this embodiment is that the target temperatures for temperature control for each region 46 are distributed based on the ejection amount information. As a result, even if the discharge volume changes due to aging and a difference in discharge volume occurs between regions 46, causing unevenness in the image, the MPU 102 can record a good image with less unevenness by distributing the target temperature.

[0068] Next, in S1105, the MPU 102 controls the temperature-controlled heating element 45 to start temperature-controlled heating of the recording head 1. Figure 18 is a heating intensity table showing the timing of current flowing to the temperature-controlled heating element 45 according to the heating intensity. In this embodiment, the MPU 102 sets the heating intensity in 21 steps from level 0 to level 20. A "1" in the current table indicates that current is flowing to the temperature-controlled heating element 45. On the other hand, a "0" in the current table indicates that no current is flowing to the temperature-controlled heating element 45.

[0069] In this embodiment, there is a timing of approximately 4 μs to switch whether or not to supply current to the temperature-controlled heating element 45, and the frequency of heating is changed according to the heating intensity as shown in the table. For example, when the heating intensity is level 20, the MPU 102 supplies current at all timings, that is, it continuously supplies current to the temperature-controlled heating element 45. On the other hand, when the heating intensity is level 10, the MPU 102 supplies current to the temperature-controlled heating element 45 for the first 10 times, and does not supply current to the temperature-controlled heating element 45 for the remaining 10 times. In this way, the MPU 102 heats the recording head 1 at the desired heating intensity by changing the ratio of the time during which current is supplied to the temperature-controlled heating element 45. In this embodiment, the timing is set to approximately every 4 μs, but the timing of this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the timing can be changed as appropriate, as a similar effect can be obtained by changing the amount of energy input per unit time. The heating intensity levels are not limited to 21 levels. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the MPU 102 adjusts the intensity by the ratio of the time during which current is supplied to the temperature-controlled heating element 45, but it may also be adjusted by the magnitude of the power applied to the temperature-controlled heating element 45. By selecting this heating intensity level based on the difference between the target temperature and the current temperature, suitable temperature control can be achieved.

[0070] Next, in S1106, MPU102 waits. The waiting time can be, for example, 100ms.

[0071] Next, in S1107, the MPU 102 determines for each region 46 whether the detected temperature detected by the temperature sensor 44 in each region 46 has reached the target temperature for temperature control. In this embodiment, the recording head is equipped with 20 temperature sensors 44, 5 for each of the 4 colors. That is, in this embodiment, a temperature sensor 44 is installed for each of the 20 regions 46. Here, the MPU 102 determines whether all 20 temperature sensors 44 have reached the target temperature. If the MPU 102 determines that the target temperature has not been reached in any region 46, it returns to S1106 and waits for 100ms. On the other hand, if the MPU 102 determines that all regions 46 have reached the target temperature, it proceeds to S1108.

[0072] Next, in S1108, the MPU102 starts the image recording operation.

[0073] Subsequently, in S1109, the MPU102 determines whether or not image recording has finished. The MPU102 repeats the processing from S1105 onward until it determines that image recording has finished. On the other hand, once the MPU102 determines that image recording has finished, it terminates the process.

[0074] Furthermore, in this embodiment, temperature control using a temperature-controlled heating element 45, which is a heat-retaining heater, has been described. In a configuration where heating cannot be performed while the recording head 1 is recording data desired by the user, the recording head 1 may be operated after stopping the heating. However, in this embodiment, if a heater is provided separately for each region 46, as in the temperature-controlled heating element 45, heating can be continued as long as it is possible, and heating can also be stopped. Needless to say, this embodiment is applicable to either configuration.

[0075] For the sake of clarity, in this specification the electrical wiring 43 is shown as being routed around the outer periphery of the electrical wiring member 35 of the discharge module 60, but the electrical wiring 43 is not limited to this. For example, the wiring may be arranged along the recording element array 42, and the layout of the wiring is not limited. This embodiment focuses on changing the target temperature according to the discharge amount, and it goes without saying that this embodiment can be applied to temperature control mechanisms other than those listed in this specification.

[0076] In this embodiment, preferred embodiments are described under the assumption that characteristics such as differences in discharge volume due to aging and differences in discharge volume due to temperature fluctuations are common to all inks. However, it is known that in reality, the trends differ depending on the viscosity of the ink and the types of pigments and solvents contained in the ink. In such cases, separate tables may be prepared in advance for each ink type.

[0077] Furthermore, although the frequency of updating the temperature control intensity is not specifically described in this embodiment, it can be arbitrarily determined according to the processing speed of the image recording device 50. Calculating the difference between the current temperature information and the target temperature and changing the heating intensity frequently leads to higher accuracy in temperature control.

[0078] In this embodiment, the target temperature for temperature control was determined primarily with the aim of returning the recording head 1 to an output volume close to its initial state. The initial state of the recording head 1 is when no image recording operation has been performed and no deterioration due to aging has occurred. However, if the control is performed to determine the target temperature in order to return to the initial state, as the deterioration of the recording head 1 progresses, the target temperature for temperature control of the entire recording head 1 will rise, which may have the drawback of increasing power consumption. Considering the color balance of all colors and CMY in the recording head 1, it is best to return to the initial state, but from the perspective of suppressing image unevenness, it is possible to achieve this at a lower temperature. Specifically, one approach is to match the output volume to the region with the largest output volume within the recording head 1 or within the ink color. In that case, for example, regarding the target temperature of the white (W) ink in Figure 17 of the first embodiment, the target temperature for temperature control of regions 1 and 2 may be set to 48 degrees, and the target temperature for temperature control of regions 3 to 5 may be set to 30 degrees. As a result, color unevenness caused by the discharge rate distribution within the nozzle row of white (W) ink is suppressed, and by further lowering the overall target temperature, it becomes possible to lower the consumption temperature.

[0079] This embodiment describes a device using a so-called serial recording format, in which the recording head 1 operates perpendicular to the direction of travel of the recording medium to perform recording operations. However, for example, in consideration of improving productivity, an image recording device equipped with a full multi-head has been devised that performs image recording using recording heads arranged perpendicular to the direction of travel of the recording medium. This embodiment is primarily focused on equalizing the ejection amount of the recording head by changing the target temperature for temperature control when the ejection amount of the recording head fluctuates due to aging or other reasons. Therefore, this embodiment may be applied to serial heads and full multi-heads.

[0080] In this embodiment, a target temperature for temperature control is set for each region 46, and the system is described in which the temperature is controlled to be the same both before and during image recording. However, depending on the device, it is also possible to set a temperature condition called an "image recording permission temperature" in addition to the temperature control temperature in order to advance the image recording start timing and improve productivity. In such cases, a suitable configuration can be realized by performing a process in the conditional branch of the embodiment to check whether the temperature has been reached before the start of image recording.

[0081] As described above, the first embodiment controls the temperature-controlled heating elements 45 provided for each region 46 based on the discharge volume, so that temperature control can be appropriately implemented for each region 46 in response to changes in the discharge volume due to aging or other factors. As a result, the first embodiment can appropriately respond to and mitigate differences in discharge volume between regions 46 caused by changes in discharge volume due to aging or other factors, thereby reducing color unevenness in images and improving image quality.

[0082] (Second Embodiment) In the first embodiment, a technique was disclosed for suppressing the distribution of discharge volume inside the recording head by calculating and inferring the discharge volume from the dot count for each region and adjusting the target temperature for temperature control according to the calculated discharge volume. In the second embodiment, a preferred configuration is described assuming an image recording device 50 that has a function to calculate the discharge volume from measured values.

[0083] Figure 19 is a flowchart showing the image recording process of the second embodiment. Note that the same processes described in the first embodiment are included in the image recording process of the second embodiment. For the sake of simplicity, if the processes are the same in the first and second embodiments, the explanation will be omitted or simplified.

[0084] In S1901, the MPU102 receives an image recording command and starts the image recording process.

[0085] Next, in S1902, the MPU 102 analyzes the user's recording command and obtains recording mode information. Figure 20 shows an example of a recording mode table. The recording mode table links the details of the device's control content, defined based on the paper type and recording quality selected by the user, to each recording mode A to D. The recording mode table includes, for example, the number of pass divisions and nozzle usage information. The nozzle usage information indicates the nozzle number used in the recording mode. In the first embodiment, the nozzle dot count was stored for the recording element array 42 in the form of regions 1 to 5, and the ejection amount was estimated. In the second embodiment, the nozzle number corresponds to region 46, and if the number of nozzles per color is 640 nozzles, then the nozzle numbers are assigned to each region 46, such that region 1 corresponds to nozzle numbers 0 to 127, region 2 to 128 to 255, and so on.

[0086] Thus, each recording mode has internal parameters set to perform detailed control when recording images. In recent image recording devices 50, in order to accommodate individual user preferences, various information such as image processing resolution, error diffusion type, and ink type to be used can be defined in various formats and used for image recording. Needless to say, this embodiment is not limited to the form of the recording mode presented here as an example. Any format is acceptable as long as other necessary parameters related to the print operation, such as carriage speed and temperature control mode, are described.

[0087] Next, in S1903, the MPU 102 determines whether the recording mode to be executed now matches the recording mode used during the previous image recording. If the recording modes match, the MPU 102 proceeds to S1908. On the other hand, if the recording mode is different from the previous one, the MPU 102 proceeds to S1904. In this embodiment, if the system has been using recording mode D and receives a command to record an image in recording mode A, the MPU 102 executes the process in S1904.

[0088] The reason for determining whether the recording mode matches the previous recording mode is that even if the nozzle usage history differs significantly depending on past usage, and the distribution of discharge volume for each region 46 differs, if the next recording mode used matches the previous recording mode, the image defects are less likely to be visible. Furthermore, the distribution of this dot count will be explained in detail.

[0089] Image recording devices 50 equipped with white ink are known for recording images on transparent recording media such as film. In such image recording devices 50, a recording mode is implemented in which, for example, white ink is ejected onto the film first, and then color ink is ejected on top of the white ink to record the image. This is called pre-shot / post-shot, and the appearance differs greatly depending on the order in which the dots land on the recording media. However, the recording heads are arranged side by side with respect to the recording media, and in order to achieve pre-shot / post-shot, the image recording device 50 controls the order in which the dots land by limiting the nozzles used depending on the color. As a result, the distribution of dot count history within the recording head increases, and as a result, unevenness tends to become more noticeable.

[0090] This embodiment aims to provide a highly convenient image recording device 50 while solving the aforementioned problems. It determines whether to perform maintenance operations, including ejection volume calculation (also known as ejection volume inspection), based on whether the current recording mode matches the previous recording mode. Performing maintenance operations consumes time and ink, and performing them frequently when unnecessary can impair user convenience. Therefore, by determining the necessity of acquiring dot count information and calculating the ejection volume based on information such as whether the recording mode has switched and whether there is a possibility of noticeable unevenness based on the dot count value, maintenance can be performed with the minimum necessary insertion frequency.

[0091] Next, in S1904, the MPU102 acquires dot count information. Note that the processing here is the same as in S1102 of the first embodiment, so a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0092] Next, in S1905, the MPU 102 determines whether or not it is necessary to calculate the discharge amount based on the dot count information obtained in S1904. For example, the MPU 102 calculates the difference in dot count values ​​for each region, and if the calculated difference is greater than or equal to a predetermined difference threshold, it determines that it is necessary to calculate the discharge amount; if the difference is less than the difference threshold, it determines that it is not necessary to calculate the discharge amount. Whether or not the calculated difference is greater than or equal to a predetermined difference threshold is just one example of a predetermined condition. This difference is called the dot count distribution for each region 46. The MPU 102 may calculate the difference from the maximum and minimum values ​​of the dot count values ​​for each region. For example, if the difference threshold is set to 3 x 10^7 shots, and the difference between region 1 and region 3 is calculated to be 4.97 x 10^7 shots, the MPU 102 determines that the difference is greater than or equal to the difference threshold, and proceeds to the discharge amount calculation in S1906 and S1907. If the calculated difference is less than the difference threshold, the MPU 102 proceeds to S1908.

[0093] Next, in S1906, the MPU102 measures the ink ejection speed, which is the first step in calculating the ejection volume. While various methods can be considered for calculating the ejection volume, a simple method involves using the droplet ejection speed as a substitute for the ejection volume. An example of the principle for calculating the ejection volume based on the ejection speed is explained below.

[0094] The image recording device 50 may be equipped with a laser-type ejection measuring instrument as a means of inferring the nozzle ejection state. The principle is that a droplet is ejected into the optical path between the laser emitter and the light receiving sensor, and ejection occurs when the laser is blocked by the droplet. A method has been devised to measure the ejection speed by using such a measuring device and measuring the ejection timing and the timing of the laser opening being blocked by the droplet.

[0095] Next, in S1907, the MPU102 performs the next step in calculating the discharge rate, which is the conversion process from discharge speed to discharge rate. It is known that discharge speed and discharge rate are proportional, and by storing the relationship between discharge speed and discharge rate in advance, the MPU102 can convert the discharge speed to discharge rate.

[0096] In addition to the methods described above, various other methods have been devised for measuring the amount of ink dispensed, such as measuring using electric charge, observing the droplet with a camera to measure the amount of ink dispensed, and measuring its weight. This embodiment may measure the amount of ink dispensed based on any of the ink dispensed amount calculation methods.

[0097] The following steps S1908 to S1913 are the same as steps S1104 to S1109 in the first embodiment, so a detailed explanation is omitted. If the discharge amount is not calculated, the MPU 102 may set the target temperature in S1908 as in the conventional method. For example, the MPU 102 may set a single target temperature for the entire recording head 1.

[0098] Thus, in the image recording device 50 that actually measures the discharge speed and calculates the discharge volume, by adding a flow that determines whether or not discharge volume calculation is necessary, it is possible to provide a device that is highly convenient for the user.

[0099] In this embodiment, the determination of whether or not to calculate the discharge amount is based on the dot count value. However, in the second embodiment, there is a recording mode in which the usage history of the recording head nozzle is biased, and a suitable embodiment is envisioned to address the problem that differences in the discharge amount of the recording head occur when image recording operations are performed in that recording mode. Here, in addition to the method of using the dot count of each recording mode, the MPU 102 may acquire information on at least one of the following: discharge speed, number of images recorded in each recording mode, number of images recorded, image recording area, image recording time, and dot count distribution for each region, and calculate the discharge amount based on this information and set the target temperature. Furthermore, the MPU 102 may calculate the discharge amount when the acquired information satisfies predetermined conditions. The main focus of this embodiment is to estimate the timing at which unevenness becomes apparent according to the usage history and to perform a maintenance operation to inspect the discharge amount at that timing, and it goes without saying that the effects of this embodiment can be obtained regardless of what information is used for management.

[0100] In the second embodiment, the discharge volume is calculated based on the measured discharge speed, allowing for a more accurate calculation of the discharge volume. As a result, the second embodiment can set a target temperature based on the discharge volume and respond appropriately to the difference in discharge volume, thereby further reducing image unevenness and improving image quality.

[0101] In the second embodiment, dot count information is acquired and the discharge amount is calculated when the recording mode is changed, thus reducing the processing of calculating the discharge amount when it is not necessary.

[0102] In the second embodiment, the discharge amount is calculated based on the difference in dot count values ​​between regions 46 and the difference threshold, thus reducing the processing of calculating the discharge amount when it is not necessary.

[0103] (Other examples) The embodiments described above may be modified as appropriate, and parts of the embodiments may be combined with other embodiments. For example, in the first embodiment, as in the second embodiment, it may be determined whether or not to acquire the dot count value of the dot count information based on whether or not the recording mode has been changed. In the first embodiment, as in the second embodiment, it may be determined whether or not to calculate the discharge amount based on the dot count value.

[0104] If the temperature is increased during image recording, the target temperature may be readjusted to minimize the difference in discharge volume between regions.

[0105] The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program. Furthermore, the present invention can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0106] The disclosures herein include the following control devices, image recording devices, control methods, and programs. (Item 1) A control device for controlling an image recording apparatus that records an image by ejecting droplets onto a recording medium, comprising a recording head having a plurality of recording means for ejecting droplets, a plurality of temperature-controlled heating means provided for each region containing two or more recording means for adjusting the temperature, and a plurality of temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of each region, wherein the image recording apparatus records an image by ejecting droplets onto a recording medium, Based on the amount of liquid droplets discharged, a target temperature is determined for each region, and the plurality of temperature-controlled heating means are controlled for each region so that the temperature detected for each region becomes the target temperature. A control device characterized by the following features. (Item 2) The system acquires at least one of the following pieces of information: a dot count value indicating the number of times the droplet ejection operation is performed in each region, the droplet ejection speed, the number of images to be recorded in each recording mode having settings related to image recording, the image recording area, the image recording time, and the dot count distribution for each region. Based on the above information, the discharge volume is calculated and the target temperature is determined. The control device according to item 1, characterized in that it is a control device. (Item 3) Record images by selecting one of several recording modes, each with different settings related to image recording. If the recording mode does not match the recording mode used when the previous image was recorded, the discharge amount is calculated and the target temperature is determined. A control device according to item 1 or item 2, characterized in that it is a control device according to item 1 or item 2. (Item 4) If the recording modes do not match, the system acquires at least one of the following pieces of information: a dot count value indicating the number of times the droplet ejection operation is performed in each region, the droplet ejection speed, the number of images recorded in each recording mode, the image recording area, the image recording time, and the dot count distribution for each region. If the information satisfies predetermined conditions, the system calculates the ejection amount. The control device according to item 3, characterized in that (Item 5) The target temperature is determined in such a way as to reduce the difference in discharge volume between the regions. A control device according to any one of items 1 to 4, characterized in that it is a control device. (Item 6) The aforementioned target temperature is determined to be close to the discharge rate in the initial state before image recording is performed. A control device according to any one of items 1 to 5, characterized in that it is a control device. (Item 7) A control device according to any one of items 1 to 6, characterized in that it calculates the discharge amount based on dot count information, which is information regarding the number of times the operation of discharging the liquid droplets is performed in each region, and determines the target temperature based on the discharge amount. (Item 8) The droplet discharge rate is measured, and the discharge rate is converted into the discharge volume to determine the target temperature. A control device according to any one of items 1 to 7, characterized in that it is a control device. (Item 9) Whether or not to calculate the discharge amount is determined based on the dot count value, which indicates the number of times the droplet discharge operation is performed in each region. A control device according to any one of items 1 to 8, characterized in that it is a control device. (Item 10) Whether or not to calculate the discharge amount is determined based on the difference between the dot count values ​​in the aforementioned regions and a predetermined difference threshold. The control device according to item 9, characterized in that (Item 11) The control device described in item 1, The plurality of recording means, The plurality of temperature control heating means, The plurality of temperature detection means, An image recording device characterized by comprising: (Item 12) A control method for controlling an image recording apparatus that records an image by ejecting droplets onto a recording medium, comprising a recording head having a plurality of recording means for ejecting droplets, a plurality of temperature-controlled heating means provided for each region containing two or more recording means for adjusting the temperature, and a plurality of temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of each region, wherein the image recording apparatus records an image by ejecting droplets onto a recording medium, Based on the amount of liquid droplets discharged, a target temperature is determined for each region, and the plurality of temperature-controlled heating means are controlled for each region so that the temperature detected for each region becomes the target temperature. A control method characterized by the following: (Item 13) A program to cause a computer to function as one of the control devices described in any one of items 1 through 10.

[0107] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, claims are attached to disclose the scope of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0108] 44...Temperature sensor, 45...Temperature control heating element, 46...Region, 47...Recording element, 50...Image recording device, 60...Ejection module, 102...MPU.

Claims

1. A control device for controlling an image recording apparatus that records an image by ejecting droplets onto a recording medium, comprising a recording head having a plurality of recording means for ejecting droplets, a plurality of temperature-controlled heating means provided for each region containing two or more recording means for adjusting the temperature, and a plurality of temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of each region, wherein the image recording apparatus records an image by ejecting droplets onto a recording medium, Based on the amount of liquid droplets discharged, a target temperature is determined for each region, and the plurality of temperature-controlled heating means are controlled for each region so that the temperature detected for each region becomes the target temperature. A control device characterized by the following features.

2. The system acquires at least one of the following pieces of information: a dot count value indicating the number of times the droplet ejection operation is performed in each region, the droplet ejection speed, the number of images to be recorded in each recording mode having settings related to image recording, the image recording area, the image recording time, and the dot count distribution for each region. Based on the above information, the discharge volume is calculated and the target temperature is determined. The control device according to feature 1.

3. Record images by selecting one of several recording modes, each with different settings related to image recording. If the recording mode does not match the recording mode used when the previous image was recorded, the discharge amount is calculated and the target temperature is determined. The control device according to feature 1.

4. If the recording modes do not match, the system acquires at least one of the following pieces of information: a dot count value indicating the number of times the droplet ejection operation is performed in each region, the droplet ejection speed, the number of images recorded in each recording mode, the image recording area, the image recording time, and the dot count distribution for each region. If the information satisfies predetermined conditions, the system calculates the ejection amount. The control device according to claim 3.

5. The target temperature is determined in such a way as to reduce the difference in discharge volume between the regions. The control device according to feature 1.

6. The aforementioned target temperature is determined to be close to the discharge rate in the initial state before image recording is performed. The control device according to feature 1.

7. The control device according to claim 1, characterized in that it calculates the discharge amount based on dot count information, which is information regarding the number of times the operation of discharging the liquid droplets is performed in each region, and determines the target temperature based on the discharge amount.

8. The droplet discharge rate is measured, and the discharge rate is converted into the discharge volume to determine the target temperature. The control device according to feature 1.

9. Whether or not to calculate the discharge amount is determined based on the dot count value, which indicates the number of times the droplet discharge operation is performed in each region. The control device according to feature 1.

10. Whether or not to calculate the discharge amount is determined based on the difference between the dot count values ​​in the aforementioned regions and a predetermined difference threshold. The control device according to feature 9.

11. The control device according to claim 1, The plurality of recording means, The plurality of temperature control heating means, The plurality of temperature detection means, An image recording device characterized by comprising:

12. A control method for controlling an image recording apparatus that records an image by ejecting droplets onto a recording medium, comprising a recording head having a plurality of recording means for ejecting droplets, a plurality of temperature-controlled heating means provided for each region containing two or more recording means for adjusting the temperature, and a plurality of temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of each region, wherein the image recording apparatus records an image by ejecting droplets onto a recording medium, Based on the amount of liquid droplets discharged, a target temperature is determined for each region, and the plurality of temperature-controlled heating means are controlled for each region so that the temperature detected for each region becomes the target temperature. A control method characterized by the following:

13. A program for causing a computer to function as one of the means of the control device described in any one of claims 1 to 10.

Images