Printing apparatus, adjustment method, and position adjustment device

Abstract

To facilitate and properly adjust printing devices equipped with inkjet heads. [Solution] The printing apparatus 10 comprises an inkjet head 14, a carriage 12, a station unit 20, a carriage position adjustment mechanism 24, a station position adjustment mechanism 26, a parameter storage unit 30, and a control unit 32. The carriage position adjustment mechanism 24 is a mechanism that adjusts the position of the carriage 12 to one of a plurality of preset positions. The station position adjustment mechanism 26 has a motor 112 and a position detection means 116. The control unit 32 causes the parameter used to adjust the position of the station unit 20 to be stored in the parameter storage unit 30 by executing a registration process. When the registration process is executed, the control unit 32 causes the parameter corresponding to the detected position to be stored in the parameter storage unit 30 based on the detected position of the station unit 20 detected by the position detection means 116.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, an adjustment method, and a position adjustment apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, inkjet printers, which are printing apparatuses that perform printing by an inkjet method, have been widely used. Further, regarding the configuration of an inkjet printer, conventionally, a configuration for preventing the nozzles from drying by covering the nozzle surface of an inkjet head with a cap member is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 also discloses a configuration for raising and lowering a cap member to enable sealing of the nozzle surface.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In inkjet printers, the carriage that holds the inkjet ink is raised and lowered to change the position of the carriage and the inkjet head in the height direction. In this case, for example, the position of the inkjet head in the height direction may be adjusted according to the thickness of the printing medium. In this case, it is usually necessary to change the position of a component that comes into contact with the inkjet head, such as a cap component, in accordance with the position of the inkjet head in the height direction. However, in this case, the configuration for making such position adjustments may increase the cost of the printing device or make the adjustment procedure more complex. Therefore, it is desirable to be able to adjust a printing device equipped with an inkjet head more easily and appropriately with a simpler configuration. Accordingly, the present invention aims to provide a printing device, an adjustment method, and a position adjustment device that can solve the above problems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The inventors of the present invention have diligently researched a method for adjusting the position of a cap member, etc., in accordance with the position of the carriage that holds the inkjet head, in relation to a printing apparatus that allows the position of the inkjet head to be changed in the height direction and uses a member that comes into contact with the inkjet head, such as a cap member. In this regard, for example, if the station section, which is the part having the cap member, etc., is made movable up and down, and potentiometers of the same resolution are attached to both the carriage and the station section, the positional relationship between the two can be detected with high accuracy. More specifically, in this case, for example, the current carriage height (amount of movement) can be appropriately detected by obtaining the potentiometer value on the carriage side. Furthermore, regarding the amount of drive (amount of motor movement) of the motor that generates the driving force to move the station section up and down, the amount of motor movement required to move the station section in accordance with the position of the carriage can be determined, for example, simply by converting the units of the potentiometer difference between the carriage and the station section.

[0006] However, depending on the configuration of the printing apparatus, it may be difficult to adjust the position of the station unit in this manner. For example, when using a configuration that performs stepped adjustment to align the carriage position to one of several pre-set positions, the potentiometer on the carriage side may be omitted to reduce costs. In such cases, it becomes difficult to adjust the position of the station unit using the method described above. In response to this, the inventors of the present invention have found that, when performing stepped adjustment for carriage position adjustment, by performing a process (teaching) to register the parameters used for adjusting the position of the station unit, it is possible to easily and appropriately adjust the position of the station unit to match the position of the carriage.

[0007] Furthermore, the inventors of this application, through further diligent research, have discovered the features necessary to obtain such effects, leading to the present invention. In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a printing apparatus for printing, comprising: an inkjet head for ejecting ink; a carriage for holding the inkjet head; a carriage position adjustment mechanism for changing the position of the carriage in a predetermined height direction; a station section having a contact member which is a member that contacts the inkjet head; a station position adjustment mechanism for changing the position of the station section in the height direction; a parameter storage section for storing parameters used to adjust the position of the station section; and a control unit for controlling the operation of the station position adjustment mechanism, wherein the carriage position adjustment mechanism is a mechanism for adjusting the position of the carriage to one of a plurality of preset positions; and the station position adjustment mechanism includes a position detection means for detecting the position of the station section in the height direction; and a motor that generates a driving force to move the station section in the height direction. The control unit has a parameter and a parameter, and the control unit executes a registration process to register the parameter, thereby storing the parameter in the parameter storage unit, and when the registration process is executed, with the position of the carriage aligned to at least one of the plurality of positions, the control unit stores the parameter corresponding to the detection position in the parameter storage unit based on the detection position, which is the position of the station unit detected by the position detection means, and when the station unit is moved to a position where the contact member in the station unit contacts the inkjet head after the registration process has been performed, the control unit controls the operation of the motor based on the position of the station unit detected by the position detection means and the parameter stored in the parameter storage unit, thereby changing the position of the station unit to match the position of the carriage in the height direction.

[0008] With this configuration, for example, the parameters used to adjust the position of the station can be appropriately obtained through a registration process. Furthermore, by using the parameters stored in the parameter storage unit during the registration process, the position of the station can be appropriately changed in accordance with the carriage's position in the height direction when moving to change the station's position. Moreover, in this case, by moving the carriage in a multi-stage configuration in which the carriage's position is selected from one of several pre-set positions, it becomes possible to simplify the configuration of the printing device and reduce its cost. In this case, it also becomes possible to adjust the position of the station with a simple procedure without requiring the user to do much. More specifically, in this case, for example, even when using a low-cost configuration such as a photosensor as a means of obtaining the carriage's position, the position of the station can be appropriately changed in accordance with the carriage's position. Furthermore, by determining the carriage's position through user specification, for example, the position of the station can be appropriately changed in accordance with the carriage's position even without using a means to detect the carriage's position. Moreover, with this configuration, it becomes possible to adjust the position of the station in a short time with simple operations without using tools or the like. More specifically, in this case, even users without special adjustment skills can easily and appropriately adjust the printing device. Therefore, with this configuration, for example, adjustments to a printing device equipped with an inkjet head can be easily and appropriately performed.

[0009] In this configuration, the printing device preferably further includes, for example, an operation reception unit that receives user input. In this case, the operation reception unit receives, for example, an operation from the user to move the station unit in the height direction. The operation reception unit can preferably be configured to have, for example, a jog key (JOG function) operated by the user. In this case, when the registration process is executed, the control unit moves the station unit to a position corresponding to the carriage position by controlling the operation of the motor based on the user input received by the operation reception unit. The control unit then stores, for example, a parameter corresponding to the detected position after the station unit has moved in a parameter storage unit. With this configuration, for example, the parameters used to adjust the position of the station unit can be appropriately obtained during the registration process.

[0010] Furthermore, during the registration process, the control unit moves the station unit to a position corresponding to the carriage's position based on user operations received by the operation reception unit, for example, at least the lowest point (the lowest position) and the highest point (the highest position) among multiple positions relative to the carriage. The control unit then stores the parameters corresponding to the detected position after the station unit's movement in the parameter storage unit, thereby storing the parameters corresponding to the lowest point and the parameters corresponding to the highest point in the parameter storage unit. With this configuration, for example, the parameters used to adjust the position of the station unit can be obtained more appropriately during the registration process. In this case, during the registration process, the control unit moves the station unit to a position corresponding to the carriage's position based on user operations, for example, only for the lowest point and the highest point among multiple positions relative to the carriage. With this configuration, for example, the effort and time required to execute the registration process can be reduced more appropriately. Also, in this case, the control unit calculates parameters corresponding to positions other than the lowest point and the highest point based on the parameters corresponding to the lowest point and the highest point. With this configuration, for example, even when the station unit is moved while the carriage is in a position other than the lowest and highest points, the station unit can be appropriately moved in accordance with the carriage's position. Furthermore, in the registration process, the control unit may move the station unit to a position corresponding to the carriage's position based on user operation, even for positions other than the lowest and highest points, and store the parameters corresponding to that position in the parameter storage unit. With this configuration, for example, parameters corresponding to positions other than the lowest and highest points can be acquired with higher accuracy.

[0011] Furthermore, during the execution of the registration process, it is preferable for the control unit to further store parameters corresponding to the movable range, which is the range of movement of the station unit in the height direction, in the parameter storage unit. In this case, when moving the station unit 20, the control unit moves the station unit within the range of movement, for example. With this configuration, the movement range of the station unit can be appropriately limited, for example, even if an unintended error occurs when moving the station unit. Also, in this configuration, the carriage position adjustment mechanism moves the carriage in the height direction according to the force applied by the user, for example. With this configuration, the carriage can be moved easily and appropriately with a simple configuration, for example. As such a carriage position adjustment mechanism, for example, a mechanism having a lever that the user moves on one end can be suitably used. Also, as a configuration of the present invention, for example, an adjustment method and a position adjustment device configuration having the same features as described above can be considered. In these cases as well, for example, the same effects as described above can be obtained. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, for example, adjustments to a printing apparatus equipped with an inkjet head can be easily and appropriately performed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This figure illustrates a printing apparatus 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1(a) shows an example of the configuration of the main parts of the printing apparatus 10. Figure 1(b) is a functional block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the station position adjustment mechanism 26. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of the range of motion of the carriage 12 and the station section 20. [Figure 3] This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the movement of the station unit 20. Figure 3(a) shows a simplified relationship between the teaching operation and subsequent operations. Figure 3(b) shows an example of the teaching operation. [Figure 4]This figure shows an example of the state in which the position of the station unit 20 is adjusted to match the position of the carriage 12 during the teaching operation. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a printing apparatus 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1(a) shows an example of the configuration of the main parts of the printing apparatus 10. Figure 1(b) is a functional block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the station position adjustment mechanism 26 in the printing apparatus 10. Except for the points described below, the printing apparatus 10 and each part of the printing apparatus 10 may have the same or similar characteristics as known printing apparatuses and each part thereof. In this example, the printing apparatus 10 is an inkjet printer that prints on a printing medium (media) 50 using an inkjet method, and comprises a carriage 12, a plurality of inkjet heads 14, a Y-bar section 16, a platen 18, a station section 20, a scanning drive section 22, a carriage position adjustment mechanism 24, a station position adjustment mechanism 26, an operation reception section 28, a parameter storage section 30, and a control section 32.

[0015] The carriage 12 is a holding member that holds a plurality of inkjet heads 14. In this example, the carriage 12 is attached to the Y-bar section 16 so as to be movable along the Y-bar section 16 in a predetermined main scanning direction, and holds a plurality of inkjet heads 14 so that the inkjet heads 14 face the medium 50 when printing is performed. The plurality of inkjet heads 14 are print heads that eject ink toward the medium 50. In this example, the inkjet heads 14 have a nozzle row in which a plurality of nozzles are arranged at different positions in the sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction, and ink is ejected from the nozzles in the nozzle row. In addition, the plurality of inkjet heads 14 eject, for example, ink of different colors from each other.

[0016] The Y-bar section 16 is a member that guides the movement of the carriage 12 in the main scanning direction while holding the carriage 12 in a position facing the medium 50. The Y-bar section 16 has, for example, a guide rail that guides the movement of the carriage 12, and moves the carriage 12 in the main scanning direction along the guide rail at a position facing the platen 18. In addition, the Y-bar section 16 moves the multiple inkjet heads 14 together with the carriage 12 in the main scanning direction. Furthermore, in this example, the Y-bar section 16 extends beyond the position facing the platen 18 to a position facing the station section 20, and moves the carriage 12 and the multiple inkjet heads 14 to a position facing the station section 20 as needed. The platen 18 is a table-shaped member that supports the medium 50 at a position facing the carriage 12 when printing is performed.

[0017] The station unit 20 is configured to perform maintenance on the inkjet head 14 at a position outside the main scanning direction relative to the platen 18. In this example, the station unit 20 has a capping unit 102 and a wiping unit 104. The capping unit 102 is a part having a cap member that covers the nozzle surface, which is the surface on which the nozzles are formed on the inkjet head 14. In this case, the cap member is an example of a contact member that comes into contact with the inkjet head 14. For example, when the printing device 10 is in standby mode and not performing printing, it comes into contact with the inkjet head 14 and covers the nozzle surface of the inkjet head 14, thereby suppressing the drying of the nozzles. The wiping unit 104 is a part having a wiper for wiping the nozzle surface of the inkjet head 14. For example, during maintenance of the inkjet head 14, the wiper is brought into contact with the inkjet head 14, and the wiper is moved relative to the inkjet head 14 to perform wiping. In this example, the wiper in the wiping unit 104 is also an example of a contact member.

[0018] The scanning drive unit 22 is a drive unit that causes multiple inkjet heads 14 to perform main scanning and sub-scanning operations. In this case, the main scanning operation can be considered as, for example, an operation in which ink is ejected while moving in the main scanning direction relative to the medium 50 (scanning operation). In this example, the scanning drive unit 22 moves the carriage 12 along the Y-bar section 16, thereby moving the multiple inkjet heads 14 together with the carriage 12 during the main scanning operation. The sub-scanning operation can be considered as, for example, an operation in which the medium 50 moves in the sub-scanning direction relative to the medium 50. The scanning drive unit 22 causes multiple inkjet heads 14 to perform sub-scanning operations in between main scanning operations, thereby changing the portion of the medium 50 that faces the multiple inkjet heads 14 in each main scanning operation. The sub-scanning operation can also be considered as, for example, a feeding operation (feed operation) that sends the medium 50 to the multiple inkjet heads 14. The scanning drive unit 22 causes multiple inkjet heads 14 to perform sub-scanning operations by transporting the medium 50 in a transport direction parallel to the sub-scanning direction, for example.

[0019] The carriage position adjustment mechanism 24 is configured to change the gap, which is the distance between the nozzle surface of the inkjet head 14 and the media 50, by changing the carriage height, which is the position of the carriage 12 in the height direction. In this case, the height direction can be considered to be, for example, a direction perpendicular to the surface of the media 50 held by the platen 18. In this case, the gap can be changed according to, for example, the thickness or type of media 50 used in the printing device 10. With this configuration, for example, various media 50 can be appropriately used in the printing device 10. Furthermore, in this example, the carriage position adjustment mechanism 24 changes the gap by manual operation by the user without using an electrical drive means such as a motor. In this case, the carriage position adjustment mechanism 24 can be considered to move the carriage 12 in the height direction according to, for example, the force applied by the user. With this configuration, for example, the carriage 12 can be moved easily and appropriately with a simple configuration. More specifically, as the carriage position adjustment mechanism 24, for example, a mechanism having a lever that the user moves on one end can be suitably used. Furthermore, in this example, the carriage position adjustment mechanism 24 is a mechanism that changes the position of the carriage 12 in steps, including a plurality of predetermined steps, and adjusts the position of the carriage 12 to one of a plurality of predetermined positions corresponding to these steps. In this case, it is preferable to have about 5 steps (for example, about 3 to 8 steps). With this configuration, for example, the position of the carriage 12 can be appropriately changed to suit various media 50. In addition, in this example, the carriage position adjustment mechanism 24 further includes a detection means for detecting the position of the carriage 12. As this detection means, for example, a plurality of photosensors installed at the plurality of positions corresponding to the plurality of steps can be suitably used. With this configuration, for example, the position of the carriage 12 can be appropriately detected with a low-cost configuration.

[0020] The station position adjustment mechanism 26 is configured to change the position of the station unit 20 in the height direction. In this example, the station position adjustment mechanism 26 is an example of a position adjustment device that executes a position adjustment method. The station position adjustment mechanism 26, for example, moves the station unit 20 in accordance with the position of the carriage 12 in the height direction so that contact members such as the cap member and the wiper in the station position adjustment mechanism 26 appropriately contact the inkjet head 14. In this case, regarding changing the position of the station unit 20 in the height direction, for example, it can also be considered to change the position in the height direction at least for the contact members in the station unit 20. Further, the station position adjustment mechanism 26 moves the station unit 20 by an electric mechanism, for example, according to the control of the control unit 32. More specifically, in this example, as shown in FIG. 1(b), the station position adjustment mechanism 26 has a motor 112, a power transmission mechanism 114, and a position detection means 116. The motor 112 is a drive source that generates a driving force for moving the station unit 20 in the height direction. As the motor 112, for example, a known stepping motor or the like can be preferably used. The power transmission mechanism 114 is a mechanism that converts the driving force in the rotational direction generated by the motor 112 into a force in the height direction and transmits it to the station unit 20. As the power transmission mechanism 114, for example, a known gear mechanism that converts rotational motion into linear motion can be preferably used. Further, the position detection means 116 is a sensor that detects the position of the station unit 20 in the height direction. As the position detection means 116, for example, a known potentiometer or the like can be preferably used. Operations such as moving the station unit 20 in accordance with the position of the carriage 12 will be described in more detail later.

[0021] The operation reception unit 28 is configured to receive user operations on the printing device 10. In this example, the operation reception unit 28 has an input means for receiving user operations, and receives user instructions based on the user's operations on this input means. For example, a jog key (JOG function) operated by the user can be suitably used as this input means. Furthermore, it is preferable that the operation reception unit 28 further includes a display unit for displaying information to the user. In this case, the operation reception unit 28 receives user instructions via the input means while, for example, displaying information on the display unit. With this configuration, for example, the operation reception unit 28 can receive user instructions more appropriately. Also in this example, the operation reception unit 28 receives instructions from the user to move the station unit 20 when performing teaching, for example, when setting the position adjustment of the station unit 20. The teaching operation will be explained in more detail later.

[0022] The parameter storage unit 30 is configured to store parameters used for controlling the operation of the printing apparatus 10. In this example, the parameter storage unit 30 stores at least parameters used for adjusting the position of the station unit 20. The parameters used for adjusting the position of the station unit 20 are obtained, for example, during the above-described teaching operation. The control unit 32 includes, for example, the CPU of the printing apparatus 10 and controls the operations of each part of the printing apparatus 10. Also, in relation to adjusting the position of the parameter storage unit 30 and the like, the control unit 32 controls the operation of the station position adjustment mechanism 26, for example. Further, in the above-described teaching operation, the control unit 32 causes the parameter storage unit 30 to store, for example, the parameters used for adjusting the position of the station unit 20. In this case, this teaching operation can be considered, for example, as an example of a registration process for registering the parameters used for adjusting the position of the station unit 20. According to this example, for example, in the printing apparatus 10, printing on the medium 50 can be appropriately performed. Also, as will be described in detail below, according to this example, for example, the adjustment of the position of the station unit 20 and the like can be easily and appropriately performed. Further, thereby, for example, the adjustment of the printing apparatus 10 provided with the inkjet head 14 can be easily and appropriately performed.

[0023] Next, we will explain in more detail the operation of moving the station unit 20 in accordance with the carriage height, and the operation of teaching the position of the station unit 20. Figure 2 shows an example of the range of motion of the carriage 12 and the station unit 20 (see Figure 1). As explained above, in this example, the carriage 12 changes its carriage height in steps in response to the user's operation of the carriage position adjustment mechanism 24 (see Figure 1). In this case, it can be thought that the carriage height of the carriage 12 changes in response to adjustments made by the user. More specifically, in the example shown in Figure 2, the carriage 12 changes its carriage height in 5 steps, thereby changing the carriage height between the minimum carriage height and the maximum carriage height shown in the figure. In this example, the minimum carriage height is the carriage height corresponding to the gap set for a medium with a thickness of 2 mm. The maximum carriage height is the carriage height corresponding to the gap set for a medium with a thickness of 6 mm. In this case, carriage heights other than the minimum and maximum carriage heights correspond to the gap for media that are thicker than 2 mm and thinner than 6 mm. With this configuration, for example, the gap can be easily and appropriately changed to suit media of various thicknesses. Also, as explained above, in this example, the carriage position adjustment mechanism 24 detects which of the five positions the carriage 12 is in using a detection means such as a photosensor. In this case, for example, by changing the carriage height in steps, it can be considered that the position of the carriage 12 can be appropriately detected with an inexpensive detection means.

[0024] Furthermore, in this example, the station unit 20 moves in the height direction within the range of the upper and lower mechanical units whose movement is restricted by the mechanical structure. In this case, the movable range of the station unit 20 can be considered, for example, as the movable range of the station unit 20 in the height direction. More specifically, in the example shown in Figure 2, the station unit 20 moves up and down between the position of the lower mechanical unit, indicated as the station movable range MIN in the figure, and the position of the upper mechanical unit, indicated as the station movable range MAX. Also, as explained above, in this example, the station unit 20 moves according to the driving force of the motor 112 (see Figure 1) in the station position adjustment mechanism 26. In this case, the control unit 32 (see Figure 1) controls the operation of the motor 112 based on the position of the station unit 20 detected by the position detection means 116 (see Figure 1) in the station position adjustment mechanism 26. Furthermore, this allows the station unit 20 to move to a position that matches the carriage height in accordance with the control of the control unit 32, so that the position of the station unit 20 is appropriate when, for example, capping is performed by covering the nozzle surface of the inkjet head 14 with the cap member in the station unit 20, or when wiping is performed by the wiper. In this case, the station unit 20 can also be considered to automatically follow the carriage 12 by moving, for example, by electric operation.

[0025] As explained above, in this example, the carriage position adjustment mechanism 24 detects the position of the carriage 12 using a detection means such as a photosensor. The station position adjustment mechanism 26 detects the position of the station unit 20 using a position detection means 116, such as a potentiometer. In this case, it can be considered that the carriage position adjustment mechanism 24 and the station position adjustment mechanism 26 use detection means with different principles for detecting position. In this case, in order to appropriately move the station unit 20 in accordance with the carriage height, it is necessary to appropriately perform coordinate transformation processing to associate the position of the carriage 12 (carriage height) detected by the carriage position adjustment mechanism 24 with the position of the station unit 20 detected by the station position adjustment mechanism 26. Therefore, in this example, as explained above, the control unit 32 performs teaching processing to set the position adjustment of the station unit 20, thereby storing the parameters used to adjust the position of the station unit 20 in the parameter storage unit 30 (see Figure 1). Furthermore, during teaching, the control unit 32 adjusts the carriage height to at least one of a plurality of stepped positions, and stores parameters corresponding to the detected position in the parameter storage unit 30 based on the detected position, which is the position of the station unit 20 detected by the position detection means 116 in the station position adjustment mechanism 26.

[0026] More specifically, during the execution of teaching in this example, the operation reception unit 28 (see Figure 1) receives instructions from the user to move the station unit 20, for example, through user operation on a jog key. The control unit 32 then moves the station unit 20 to a position corresponding to the carriage height by controlling the operation of the motor 112 in the station position adjustment mechanism 26 based on the user operation received by the operation reception unit 28. The control unit 32 then stores, for example, a parameter corresponding to the detected position after the station unit 20 has moved in the parameter storage unit 30. In this case, the position of the station unit 20 corresponding to the carriage height can be considered, for example, a position where contact members such as the cap member and wiper on the station unit 20 can make appropriate contact with the inkjet head 14 (see Figure 1) held in the carriage 12.

[0027] Furthermore, during teaching, the control unit 32 moves the station unit 20 to a position corresponding to the carriage height, based on user operations received by the operation reception unit 28, for example, at least the lowest point (the lowest position) and the highest point (the highest position) among multiple positions relative to the carriage 12. In this case, with the carriage height set to the lowest point, the control unit 32 moves the station unit 20 to the position set to the lowest point. Also, with the carriage height set to the highest point, the control unit 32 moves the station unit 20 to the position set to the highest point. The lowest point can be considered, for example, the position corresponding to the minimum carriage height in the figure. The highest point can be considered, for example, the position corresponding to the maximum carriage height in the figure. In this case, the control unit 32 stores the parameters corresponding to the detection position after the station unit 20 has moved in the parameter storage unit 30, thereby storing the parameters corresponding to the lowest point and the parameters corresponding to the highest point in the parameter storage unit 30. In this case, the parameter corresponding to the lowest point can be considered, for example, as the parameter corresponding to the position of the station unit 20 when the station unit 20 is aligned with the carriage 12 at the position corresponding to the minimum carriage height, as shown as coordinate a in the figure. The parameter corresponding to the highest point can be considered, for example, as the parameter corresponding to the position of the station unit 20 when the station unit 20 is aligned with the carriage 12 at the position corresponding to the maximum carriage height, as shown as coordinate b in the figure. With this configuration, for example, the parameters used to adjust the position of the station unit 20 in teaching operations can be appropriately acquired.

[0028] Furthermore, in this teaching operation, the control unit 32 moves the station unit 20 to a position corresponding to the carriage height based on user input, for example, only for the lowest and highest points among multiple positions relative to the carriage 12. With this configuration, for example, the effort and time required to perform teaching can be more appropriately reduced. Also, in this case, the control unit 32 calculates parameters corresponding to carriage heights other than the lowest and highest points based on parameters corresponding to the lowest and highest points. In this case, for example, the positional relationships of each position in multiple stages can be known in advance, and parameters corresponding to intermediate positions other than the lowest and highest points can be calculated based on the parameters corresponding to the lowest and highest points and these positional relationships. With this configuration, for example, even when moving the carriage 12 to a position other than the lowest and highest points, the station unit 20 can be appropriately moved in accordance with the carriage height. Furthermore, during the teaching operation, the control unit 32 may move the station unit 20 to a position corresponding to the carriage 12's position based on user input, even for positions other than the lowest and highest points, and store the parameters corresponding to that position in the parameter storage unit 30. With this configuration, for example, parameters corresponding to positions other than the lowest and highest points can be acquired with higher accuracy.

[0029] Next, we will explain in more detail the operation of changing the position of the station unit 20 in the printing device 10, including the timing of moving the station unit 20 to use the cap member and wiper in the station unit 20 after teaching. Figure 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of moving the station unit 20 in the printing device 10. Figure 3(a) shows a simplified relationship between the teaching operation and subsequent operations. Figure 3(b) shows an example of the teaching operation. Figure 4 shows an example of the state in which the position of the station unit 20 is adjusted to match the position of the carriage 12 during the teaching operation.

[0030] As explained above, in this example, the control unit 32 of the printing device 10 acquires parameters used to adjust the position of the station unit 20 through a teaching operation and stores them in the parameter storage unit 30 (S102). In this example, the operation in step S102 is an example of the operation in the registration stage. In the operation in step S102, the control unit 32 first registers the movable range of the station unit 20 by storing parameters corresponding to the movable range of the station unit 20 in the height direction in the parameter storage unit 30, as shown in Figure 3(b) (S112). In this case, as parameters corresponding to the movable range, for example, it is conceivable to use parameters corresponding to the position (coordinates) of the station unit 20 when it is moved to the maximum and minimum movable ranges of the station, as explained above. More specifically, as these parameters, for example, it is conceivable to use the output values ​​of the position detection means 116 (for example, the values ​​of the potentiometer) when the station unit 20 is moved to the maximum and minimum movable ranges of the station. Furthermore, in this case, when the station unit 20 is moved afterward, the control unit 32 moves the station unit 20 within the range of motion registered in step S112, for example. With this configuration, the range of movement of the station unit 20 can be appropriately limited, for example, if an unintended error occurs when the station unit 20 is moved.

[0031] Furthermore, following the operation in step S112, the control unit 32 adjusts the position of the station unit 20 to match the carriage height, with the carriage height aligned to at least some of the multiple multi-stage positions corresponding to the carriage 12, as shown in Figure 4, for example (S114). Also, in step S114 of this example, as explained above, the control unit 32 moves the station unit 20 to a position aligned with the carriage height based on user operation for both the lowest point and the minimum point. In this case, the printing device 10 receives an operation from the user to move the station unit 20 in the height direction, for example, via the operation reception unit 28. With this configuration, the position of the station unit 20 can be appropriately adjusted to the carriage height by the functions of the printing device 10 itself, without the use of tools or the like. Furthermore, in this case, by adjusting the position of the station unit 20 using a jog key in the operation reception unit 28, for example, the position of the station unit 20 can be easily and appropriately adjusted without requiring advanced adjustment techniques. In this case, with the position of the station unit 20 aligned with the carriage height, the control unit 32 acquires parameters used to adjust the position of the station unit 20 and stores them in the parameter storage unit 30. More specifically, in this case, for example, with the position of the station unit 20 aligned with the minimum carriage height and the position corresponding to the minimum carriage height, the control unit 32 acquires parameters corresponding to the coordinates of the station unit 20 and stores them in the parameter storage unit 30. As parameters corresponding to the coordinates of the station unit 20, for example, the output value of the position detection means 116 at that position (for example, the value of the potentiometer) can be used. With this configuration, for example, in teaching operations, the position of the station unit 20 can be appropriately adjusted to match the carriage height. Furthermore, by storing the parameters acquired in the above manner in the parameter storage unit 30, for example, the position of the station unit 20 aligned with the carriage height can be appropriately registered.

[0032] Furthermore, after the teaching operation, when the station unit 20 is moved, for example, when the position of the station unit 20 is changed due to a change in carriage height, the control unit 32 controls the position of the station unit 20 based on the parameters stored in the parameter storage unit 30. In this case, for example, as shown in Figure 3(a), the control unit 32 automatically moves the station unit 20 in accordance with the carriage height (S104). In this example, the operation in step S104 is an example of the operation in the movement stage where the position of the station unit 20 is changed after teaching. Regarding the automatic movement of the station unit 20, for example, it can be considered that, without receiving position specification from the user, the control unit 32 of the printing device 10 controls the station unit 20 to a position that matches the carriage height using the driving force of the motor 112. More specifically in this case, after teaching, the control unit 32 controls the operation of the station position adjustment mechanism 26 to move the station unit 20 to a position where contact members such as the cap member and wiper on the station unit 20 come into contact with the inkjet head 14. The position in which the contact member contacts the inkjet head 14 can be considered, for example, as a position that allows the contact member to properly contact the inkjet head 14 when in use. Furthermore, during this movement, the control unit 32 controls the operation of the motor 112 based on, for example, the position of the station unit 20 detected by the position detection means 116 in the station position adjustment mechanism 26 and the parameters stored in the parameter storage unit 30. With this configuration, for example, the position of the station unit 20 can be appropriately changed in accordance with the carriage height.

[0033] Next, supplementary explanations regarding each configuration described above, as well as explanations of modified versions, will be provided. As described above, according to this example, for example, parameters used to adjust the position of the station unit 20 can be appropriately acquired by the teaching operation. Then, when moving the station unit 20 after teaching, the position of the station unit 20 can be appropriately changed according to the carriage height, for example, by using the parameters stored in the parameter storage unit 30 during teaching. Furthermore, in this case, by moving the carriage 12 in a multi-stage configuration in which the position of the carriage 12 is selected from one of several pre-set positions, it becomes possible to simplify the configuration of the printing device 10, for example. Also, in this case, it becomes possible to perform teaching in a simple procedure without requiring the user to go through much trouble. More specifically, in this case, as explained above, a low-cost configuration such as a photosensor can be used as the detection means for acquiring the position of the carriage 12 in the carriage position adjustment mechanism 24. And even in such a case, for example, by performing the teaching operation as described above, the position of the station unit 20 can be appropriately changed according to the carriage height. Furthermore, in this case, during the teaching operation, it becomes possible to adjust the position of the station unit 20 in a short time with simple operations, for example, without using tools. Therefore, even users without special adjustment skills can easily and appropriately adjust the printing device 10. Thus, according to this example, adjustments to the printing device 10 can be easily and appropriately performed. Moreover, this teaching operation can be considered, for example, as an adjustment method that minimizes the number of sensors required in the printing device 10 and does not require tools or adjustment skills. Furthermore, this teaching operation can be considered, for example, as an adjustment operation that is easy to operate, less prone to adjustment errors by the operator, and can be completed in a short time.

[0034] As explained above, a potentiometer or the like can be suitably used as the position detection means 116 for detecting the position of the station unit 20 in the station position adjustment mechanism 26. In this case, by using a potentiometer, the position of the station unit 20 can be detected appropriately with high accuracy. It is preferable to use a potentiometer that has a resolution of approximately 0.1 mm for detecting the position. In contrast, in this example, the carriage height is adjusted in steps. In this case, the carriage height can be easily and appropriately detected without using a high-performance detection means such as a potentiometer. Therefore, as described above, in this example, a photosensor or the like is used to detect which of the multiple steps the carriage 12 is at. However, in this case, in order to appropriately move the station unit 20 in accordance with the carriage height, it is necessary to perform a teaching operation in advance, as described above. Therefore, the teaching operations performed in this example can be considered as operations necessary in response to, for example, setting the carriage height to a multi-stage adjustment and using high-performance detection means such as a potentiometer only on the station unit 20 side of the carriage 12 and station unit 20.

[0035] Furthermore, regarding the precision with which the station unit 20 is moved in accordance with the carriage height, it is generally considered that materials with a certain degree of elasticity are used as the capping member and wiper, which are contact members in the station unit 20. In this case, the appropriate position of the station unit 20 relative to the carriage height can be considered to be within a certain range. Therefore, in this respect as well, the above operation allows for easy and appropriate teaching. The teaching operation can be performed, for example, during adjustments during the manufacturing of the printing device 10 or during various adjustments after the printing device 10 has been shipped. In this case, for example, the teaching operation can be performed when replacing the station unit 20 during maintenance after the printing device 10 has been put into use. Also, as can be understood from the matters explained above, the teaching operation in this example can be considered to correspond to, for example, the operation of registering the coordinates of the station unit 20 with respect to the printing device 10.

[0036] Furthermore, as explained above, in the teaching operation of this example, the control unit 32 further acquires parameters corresponding to the movable range of the station unit 20 determined by the upper and lower mechanical units and stores them in the parameter storage unit 30. In this regard, if we only consider moving the station unit 20 in accordance with the carriage height, in principle, the station unit 20 can be moved appropriately without using parameters corresponding to the movable range. However, unintended errors may occur, for example, when moving the station unit 20. Also, user errors may occur, for example, when acquiring parameters corresponding to the position of the station unit 20 in accordance with the carriage height. In contrast, according to this example, even in these cases, for example, the movement range of the station unit 20 can be appropriately limited so that the amount of movement of the station unit 20 does not exceed the movable range.

[0037] Furthermore, in this example, the medium 50 could be, for example, a cloth medium. In this case, the carriage height could be changed according to, for example, the thickness of the cloth or the height of the nap. Alternatively, a medium other than cloth could be used as the medium 50. In this case, for example, a film or paper medium could be used. In these cases as well, the carriage height could be changed according to, for example, the thickness of the medium 50.

[0038] Furthermore, as described above, in the station position adjustment mechanism 26 of this example, the position of the station unit 20 is detected using a position detection means 116 such as a potentiometer. In this case, the configuration of the station position adjustment mechanism 26 can be considered as, for example, a configuration using a motor 112 and a separate position detection means 116. In this case, even if an inexpensive motor such as a known stepping motor is used as the motor 112, the position of the station unit 20 can be detected appropriately with high accuracy. In this case, the control driver of the motor 112 can be considered as being designed to stop at a position (amount of rotation) that is approximately close to the command value, rather than at an exact position. On the other hand, in a modified configuration of the station position adjustment mechanism 26, for example, a motor that can position with higher accuracy can be used as the motor 112. In this case, for example, a known servo motor with a built-in encoder can be used as the motor 112. In this case, for example, the position detection means 116 separate from the motor 112 can be omitted in the station position adjustment mechanism 26. In this case, the encoder in the motor 112 can be considered to function as, for example, a position detection means 116. Alternatively, the motor 112 can be considered to have a configuration that also serves as a position detection means 116. The output of the encoder can be considered to correspond to coordinates indicating the position of the station unit 20. Even with this configuration, the teaching operation can be performed appropriately in the same or similar manner as described above. Furthermore, this allows for appropriate adjustment of the position of the station unit 20, for example.

[0039] As explained above, the carriage position adjustment mechanism 24 has a photosensor or the like as a detection means for detecting the carriage height. In contrast, in a modified configuration of the printing device 10, it is conceivable to omit the detection means for detecting the carriage height. In this case, for example, the user could be asked to specify which position they have selected as the carriage height by inputting it to the operation reception unit 28. Even with this configuration, for example, the carriage height can be appropriately determined. Furthermore, by performing a teaching operation in the same or similar manner as described above, the position of the station unit 20 can be appropriately changed to follow the carriage height. [Industrial applicability]

[0040] The present invention can be suitably used, for example, in printing devices and the like. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0041] 10...Printing device, 102...Capping unit, 104...Wiping unit, 112...Motor, 114...Power transmission mechanism, 116...Position detection means, 12...Carriage, 14...Inkjet head, 16...Y-bar unit, 18...Platen, 20...Station unit, 22...Scanning drive unit, 24...Carriage position adjustment mechanism, 26...Station position adjustment mechanism, 28...Operation reception unit, 30...Parameter storage unit, 32...Control unit, 50...Medium

Claims

1. A printing apparatus that performs printing, An inkjet head that ejects ink, A carriage that holds the inkjet head, A carriage position adjustment mechanism that changes the position of the carriage in a predetermined height direction, A station section having a contact member which is a member that comes into contact with the inkjet head, A station position adjustment mechanism that changes the position of the station in the height direction, A parameter storage unit for storing parameters used to adjust the position of the station unit, A control unit that controls the operation of the station position adjustment mechanism and Equipped with, The carriage position adjustment mechanism is a mechanism that adjusts the position of the carriage to one of a plurality of preset positions. The station position adjustment mechanism is, A position detection means for detecting the position of the station in the height direction, A motor that generates a driving force to move the station in the aforementioned height direction It has, The control unit executes a registration process to register the parameters, thereby causing the parameter storage unit to store the parameters. During the execution of the registration process, with the carriage positioned to at least one of the plurality of positions, the control unit stores the parameter corresponding to the detected position in the parameter storage unit based on the detected position, which is the position of the station unit detected by the position detection means. A printing apparatus characterized in that, after performing the registration process, when moving the station unit to a position where the contact member in the station unit contacts the inkjet head, the control unit controls the operation of the motor based on the position of the station unit detected by the position detection means and the parameters stored in the parameter storage unit, thereby changing the position of the station unit in accordance with the position of the carriage in the height direction.

2. The system further includes an operation receiving unit that receives an operation from the user to move the station unit in the aforementioned height direction, The printing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, when the registration process is executed, the control unit controls the operation of the motor based on the user operation received by the operation reception unit to move the station unit to a position corresponding to the position of the carriage, and stores the parameter corresponding to the detection position after the station unit has been moved in the parameter storage unit.

3. During the execution of the registration process, the control unit moves the station unit to a position corresponding to the carriage position based on the user operation received by the operation reception unit, with respect to at least the lowest point, which is the lowest position among the plurality of positions relative to the carriage, and the highest point, which is the uppermost position, and stores the parameter corresponding to the detection position after the station unit has moved in the parameter storage unit, thereby storing the parameter corresponding to the lowest point and the parameter corresponding to the uppermost point in the parameter storage unit, as described in claim 2.

4. During the execution of the registration process, the control unit further stores the parameters corresponding to the movable range, which is the movable range of the station in the height direction, in the parameter storage unit. The printing apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, during the aforementioned movement, the control unit moves the station unit within the range of the movable range.

5. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the carriage position adjustment mechanism moves the carriage in the height direction in accordance with the force applied by the user.

6. An adjustment method for adjusting the position of a station section having a contact member that comes into contact with an inkjet head that ejects ink in a printing apparatus, A registration step in which the parameters are registered by storing them in a parameter storage unit that stores parameters used for adjusting the position of the station unit, After the registration step, there is a movement step in which the position of the station unit is changed. Equipped with, The aforementioned printing apparatus, The aforementioned inkjet head, A carriage that holds the inkjet head, A carriage position adjustment mechanism that changes the position of the carriage in a predetermined height direction, The aforementioned station section, A station position adjustment mechanism that changes the position of the station in the height direction, The parameter storage unit and Equipped with, The carriage position adjustment mechanism is a mechanism that adjusts the position of the carriage to one of a plurality of preset positions. The station position adjustment mechanism is, A position detection means for detecting the position of the station in the height direction, A motor that generates a driving force to move the station in the aforementioned height direction It has, In the registration step, with the carriage positioned to at least one of the plurality of positions, the parameters corresponding to the detected position are stored in the parameter storage unit based on the detected position, which is the position of the station unit detected by the position detection means. An adjustment method characterized in that, during the movement phase, the position of the station portion is changed in accordance with the position of the carriage in the height direction by controlling the operation of the motor based on the position of the station portion detected by the position detection means and the parameters stored in the parameter storage unit.

7. A position adjustment device for adjusting the position of a station section having a contact member that comes into contact with an inkjet head that ejects ink in a printing apparatus, A position detection means for detecting the position of the station unit in a predetermined height direction, A motor that generates a driving force to move the station in the aforementioned height direction Equipped with, Based on the parameters used to adjust the position of the station unit, the position of the station unit in the height direction is changed to match the position of the carriage holding the inkjet head in the height direction. The carriage changes its position in the height direction by a carriage position adjustment mechanism that adjusts the position of the carriage to one of a plurality of pre-set positions. The aforementioned parameters are stored in the parameter storage unit by executing a registration process for registering the aforementioned parameters. During the execution of the registration process, with the carriage positioned to at least one of the plurality of positions, the parameters corresponding to the detected position are stored in the parameter storage unit based on the detected position, which is the position of the station unit detected by the position detection means. A position adjustment device characterized in that, after performing the registration process, when moving the station unit to a position where the contact member in the station unit contacts the inkjet head, the operation of the motor is controlled based on the position of the station unit detected by the position detection means and the parameters stored in the parameter storage unit, thereby changing the position of the station unit to match the position of the carriage in the height direction.

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