Carriage movement system and printing device

Abstract

To provide a printing device having safety and convenience under a predetermined condition.SOLUTION: A printing device comprises: a carriage movement device that moves a carriage by driving a motor 34; a motor driver 36 that controls the motor 34; a power supply device 70 that selectively applies a first voltage or a second voltage higher than the first voltage to the motor driver 36; and a transmission device 80 that transmits a control signal relating to movement of the carriage when a predetermined control condition is satisfied. The first voltage enables the motor driver 36 to move the carriage at a first speed through the motor 34. The second voltage enables the motor driver 36 to move the carriage at a second speed higher than the first speed through the motor 34. The power supply device 70 applies the first voltage to the motor driver 36, with the transmission device 80 transmitting the control signal.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention provides Carriage movement system and Regarding printing devices. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, various devices have been equipped with an interlock function to safely stop the device. Printing devices also generally have an interlock function. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a printer that stops the carriage movement and then cuts off power to the motor that moves the carriage when the housing cover is opened during printing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-10829 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In a printing device such as that described in Patent Document 1, the carriage cannot be moved under certain conditions, such as when the housing cover is open. However, even under such conditions, there may be times when you want to move the carriage, for example, when you want to visually check the movement of the carriage with the cover open.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and its object is to provide a device that is both safe and convenient under a predetermined condition, for example, when the cover of the housing is open. carriage Mobile Systems and A printing device is provided. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] Disclose here Carriage Movement SystemThe present invention includes a movable carriage, a carriage movement device that includes a motor and moves the carriage by driving the motor, a motor driver that controls the motor, a power supply device that selectively applies a first voltage or a second voltage higher than the first voltage to the motor driver, and a transmitter that transmits a control signal related to the movement of the carriage when a predetermined control condition is satisfied. The first voltage is a voltage that allows the motor driver to move the carriage at a first speed via the motor. The second voltage is a voltage that allows the motor driver to move the carriage at a second speed faster than the first speed via the motor. The power supply device is configured to apply the first voltage to the motor driver when the transmitter is transmitting the control signal.

[0007] the above Carriage Movement System According to the above, even when the predetermined control condition is satisfied and the transmitter is transmitting a control signal, the first voltage is applied to the motor driver. Therefore, the carriage can be moved at the first speed. Since the first speed is relatively low, there is no safety problem even if the carriage is moved. Therefore, Carriage Movement System According to this, it is possible to satisfy both safety and convenience under the above-mentioned predetermined control conditions. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a printer according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of the printer with the cover open. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the cleaning device. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram relating to control of a carriage motor. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart illustrating carriage control in a high-speed mode. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart illustrating carriage control in a low-speed mode. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A printer according to one embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the embodiment described here is not intended to limit the present invention. Furthermore, components and parts that perform the same function are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions will be omitted or simplified as appropriate. In the following description, when viewing the printer from the front, the direction away from the printer is referred to as the front, and the direction toward the printer is referred to as the rear. Furthermore, the symbol Y in the drawings indicates the main scanning direction, and the symbol X indicates the sub-scanning direction X, which is perpendicular to the main scanning direction Y. Furthermore, the symbols F, Rr, L, R, U, and D in the drawings represent the front, rear, left, right, top, and bottom, respectively. However, these directions are merely provided for convenience of explanation and do not limit the installation mode of the printer, etc.

[0010] Printer Configuration 1 is a perspective view of a large-format printer 10 according to one embodiment. The printer 10 is an inkjet printer that prints an image on the recording medium 5 by sequentially moving a roll-shaped recording medium 5 forward and ejecting ink from multiple ink heads H (see FIG. 2) mounted on a carriage 35 (see FIG. 2) that moves in the main scanning direction Y.

[0011] The recording medium 5 is an object onto which an image is printed. There are no particular limitations on the recording medium 5. For example, the recording medium 5 may be paper such as plain paper or inkjet printing paper, a transparent sheet made of resin or glass, or a sheet made of metal or rubber. The recording medium 5 may also be fabric.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 includes a printer body 10a and legs 11 that support the printer body 10a. The printer body 10a extends in the main scanning direction Y. The printer body 10a includes a casing 12. The main components of the printer 10, including the carriage 35, are housed inside the casing 12. The casing 12 is provided with a first cover 21 and a second cover 22. The first cover 21 and the second cover 22 are provided for maintenance and other purposes inside the casing 12. The first cover 21 and the second cover 22 are attached to the front side of the printer 10 and are configured to be openable and closable in the vertical direction. However, the position, number, shape, configuration, etc. of the covers are not particularly limited.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a front view of the printer 10 with the first cover 21 and the second cover 22 open. As shown in FIG. 2, the casing 12 accommodates a carriage 35 and a carriage moving device 30. As shown in FIG. 3 in more detail, the casing 12 also accommodates a cleaning device 50 that cleans the ink head H. As shown in FIG. 2, the carriage moving device 30 includes a guide rail 31, a belt 32, a pair of pulleys 33a and 33b, and a carriage motor 34. The carriage moving device 30 drives the carriage motor 34 to move the carriage 35 in the main scanning direction Y. The guide rail 31 extends in the main scanning direction Y. The carriage 35 is configured to be movable in the main scanning direction Y along the guide rail 31. An endless belt 32 is fixed to the carriage 35. The belt 32 is wound around a pulley 33a provided on the right side of the guide rail 31 and a pulley 33b provided on the left side. A carriage motor 34 is attached to the left pulley 33b. When the carriage motor 34 is driven, the pulley 33b rotates and the belt 32 moves. This causes the carriage 35 to move along the guide rail 31 in the main scanning direction Y.

[0014] The carriage 35 holds multiple ink heads H. As the carriage 35 moves in the main scanning direction Y, the ink heads H also move in the main scanning direction Y. The multiple ink heads H are aligned in the main scanning direction Y on the carriage 35. Each of the multiple ink heads H has multiple nozzles (not shown) aligned in the sub-scanning direction X. The nozzles are aligned in the sub-scanning direction X to form a nozzle row. The number of nozzles per nozzle row is, for example, 300. However, the number of nozzles belonging to one nozzle row is not particularly limited. One ink head H may have multiple nozzle rows. The arrangement of the nozzles in the ink head H is not limited. An actuator (not shown) equipped with a piezoelectric element is provided inside the ink head H. When the actuator is driven, ink is ejected from each nozzle of the ink head H toward the recording medium 5. However, the actuator is not limited to being driven by a piezoelectric element.

[0015] Each of the ink heads H is connected to a plurality of ink cartridges (not shown) via ink supply paths (not shown). Each ink cartridge is connected to a nozzle row. The nozzles of each nozzle row eject ink from the ink cartridge connected to that nozzle row. Each ink cartridge stores, for example, CMYK and other process color inks, as well as special color inks. However, the color of ink ejected from the nozzles of each nozzle row is not limited. Furthermore, the ink material is also not limited, and various materials conventionally used as ink materials for inkjet printers can be used. The ink may be, for example, a solvent-based pigment ink or a water-based pigment ink, or may be a water-based dye ink, or a UV-curable pigment ink that hardens when exposed to ultraviolet light.

[0016] A platen 13 is disposed below the carriage 35. The platen 13 extends in the main scanning direction Y. A recording medium 5 is placed on the platen 13. A pinch roller 41 that presses down on the recording medium 5 from above is disposed above the platen 13. A grit roller 42 is disposed on the platen 13. The grit roller 42 is disposed below the pinch roller 41. The grit roller 42 is disposed in a position facing the pinch roller 41. The grit roller 42 is connected to a feed motor 43. The grit roller 42 is formed to be rotatable by receiving a driving force from the feed motor 43. When the grit roller 42 rotates with the recording medium 5 sandwiched between the pinch roller 41 and the grit roller 42, the recording medium 5 is transported in the sub-scanning direction X. The pinch roller 41, the grit roller 42, and the feed motor 43 constitute a transport device 40 that transports the recording medium 5 in the sub-scanning direction X.

[0017] FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of the cleaning device 50. The cleaning device 50 is configured to be able to clean the ink head H when the carriage 35 is moved to a predetermined cleaning position P1. As shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the cleaning position P1 is near the right end of the printer 10. However, the location of the cleaning position P1 is not particularly limited. As shown in FIG. 3, the cleaning device 50 includes a capping device 51 and a wiping device 55. The capping device 51 protects the ink head H and suctions ink from the nozzles of the ink head H. Ink suction is one method of cleaning the ink head H. As shown in FIG. 3, the capping device 51 includes a cap 52, a cap moving unit 53, and a suction pump 54. The cap 52 is configured to be attachable to the ink head H. The cap moving unit 53 moves the cap 52 up and down to attach to or detach from the ink head H. The suction pump 54 reduces the pressure inside the cap 52 while the cap 52 is attached to the ink head H, thereby sucking ink out of the nozzles.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 3 , the wiping device 55 includes a wiper 56 and a wiper moving unit 57. When not wiping, the wiper 56 is positioned behind the carriage 35. The wiper 56 is configured as a flat plate extending in the main scanning direction Y and the up-down direction. The wiper 56 is made of, for example, rubber. The wiper moving unit 57 moves the wiper 56 in the sub-scanning direction X and brings it into contact with the nozzle face of the ink head H. The nozzle face of the ink head H is wiped by the wiper 56 moving in the sub-scanning direction X. Wiping is one method of cleaning the ink head H. Note that the configuration of the wiping device 55 is not limited to the above. Wiping may be performed, for example, by moving the carriage 35, or may be performed by moving in the main scanning direction Y. Furthermore, cleaning of the ink head H is not limited to ink suction and wiping.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, a first switch 61 and a second switch 62 are provided inside the casing 12, detecting the open / closed states of the first cover 21 and the second cover 22, respectively. The first switch 61 detects the open / closed state of the first cover 21. The second switch 62 detects the open / closed state of the second cover 22. The first switch 61 is, for example, a mechanical limit switch. A mechanical contact 61a (see FIG. 4) is provided inside the first switch 61, and the contact 61a is connected when a movable portion of the first switch 61 is pressed. The movable portion of the first switch 61 is pressed by the first cover 21 when the first cover 21 is closed. Hereinafter, the state in which the contact 61a of the first switch 61 is closed will be referred to as "ON" as appropriate. Conversely, the state in which the contact 61a of the first switch 61 is open will be referred to as "OFF." The second switch 62 is also a similar mechanical switch here. Like the first switch 61, the second switch 62 is turned ON when the second cover 22 is closed. The first switch 61 and the second switch 62 may be configured to be turned ON when the first cover 21 and the second cover 22 are opened, respectively, and turned OFF when the first cover 21 and the second cover 22 are closed. The configurations of the first switch 61 and the second switch 62 are not limited as long as they can detect the open / closed states of the first cover 21 and the second cover 22, respectively. The first switch 61 and the second switch 62 may be, for example, optical switches.

[0020] Fig. 4 is a circuit diagram related to the control of the carriage motor 34. As shown in Fig. 4, the carriage motor 34 is connected to and controlled by a motor driver 36. The carriage motor 34 is controlled via the motor driver 36. As shown in Fig. 4, in addition to the motor driver 36, the circuit related to the control of the carriage motor 34 includes a power supply circuit 70 that supplies power to the motor driver 36, an interlock circuit 80 that controls the motor driver 36 via the power supply circuit 70, and a control device 100 that controls the operation of each part of the printer 10, including the carriage motor 34.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 2, the control device 100 is housed inside the casing 12. The control device 100 is electrically connected to the motor driver 36, the feed motor 43, the actuators of the ink head H, the cap moving unit 53 and suction pump 54 of the capping device 51, and the wiper moving unit 57 of the wiping device 55 (however, the illustration is omitted except for the connection with the motor driver 36), and is configured to be able to control them. As shown in Fig. 4, the control device 100 is also connected to the first switch 61 and the second switch 62 by a signal line 84.

[0022] The configuration of the control device 100 is not particularly limited. The control device 100 is, for example, a microcomputer. The hardware configuration of the control device 100 is not particularly limited, but may include, for example, an interface (I / F) that receives print data and the like from an external device such as a host computer, a central processing unit (CPU) that executes instructions from a control program, a read-only memory (ROM) that stores the program executed by the CPU, a random access memory (RAM) used as a working area for expanding the program, and a storage device such as a memory that stores the program and various data. Note that the control device 100 does not necessarily have to be provided inside the printer main body 10a. For example, the control device 100 may be a computer or the like that is installed outside the printer main body 10a and is communicably connected to the printer main body 10a via a wired or wireless connection.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 4, the control device 100 includes a movement control unit 101, a cleaning control unit 102, and a mode setting unit 103. The movement control unit 101 controls the driving of the carriage motor 34 via the motor driver 36. The movement control unit 101 also includes a braking control unit 101A that controls the motor driver 36 to decelerate the carriage 35 during a predetermined interlock. The interlock conditions and the operation of the carriage 35 at that time will be described later. The cleaning control unit 102 controls the cap moving unit 53 and the suction pump 54 of the capping device 51 to suck ink, and controls the wiper moving unit 57 of the wiping device 55 to wipe. The mode setting unit 103 can switch between various modes related to the operation of the printer 10. The mode setting unit 103 is configured to switch the printer 10 between multiple modes, including a print mode and a cleaning mode. The print mode is a mode in which the carriage motor 34, the feed motor 43, and the ink head H are controlled to print on the recording medium 5. The cleaning mode is a mode in which the cleaning device 50 is controlled (here, the cap moving unit 53, the suction pump 54, and the wiper moving unit 57 of the cleaning device 50 are controlled) to clean the ink head H. The control device 100 may also include other control units, but these will not be described or illustrated here.

[0024] Although detailed control will be described later, the carriage 35 moves at a high speed in the print mode and at a low speed in the cleaning mode. Hereinafter, a mode set so that the carriage 35 can move at a high speed will be referred to as the "high-speed mode," and a mode set so that the carriage 35 can only move at a low speed (in other words, so that the carriage 35 cannot move at a high speed) will be referred to as the "low-speed mode." The high-speed mode includes the print mode. The low-speed mode includes the cleaning mode. In addition to the cleaning mode, the low-speed mode may also include, for example, an operation of moving the carriage 35 to measure the width of the recording medium 5 in the main scanning direction Y before printing begins. In this case, the carriage 35 may be equipped with a camera or the like that can identify the edge of the recording medium 5. There are no particular limitations on the operations included in the low-speed mode and the high-speed mode. The mode setting unit 103 is configured to be able to switch between the high-speed mode and the low-speed mode.

[0025] The power supply circuit 70 is configured to switch the voltage applied to the motor driver 36. In this embodiment, the power supply circuit 70 applies two types of voltages to the motor driver 36: a first voltage for low speed and a second voltage for high speed. The power supply circuit 70 selectively applies the first voltage or a second voltage higher than the first voltage to the motor driver 36. However, the power supply circuit 70 is only required to apply at least the first and second voltages to the motor driver 36. For example, the power supply circuit 70 may also be capable of applying a third voltage to the motor driver 36. The first voltage is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 5 V to 15 V. The speed at which the carriage 35 can travel when the first voltage is applied to the motor driver 36 is hereinafter also referred to as the "first speed." The first voltage is a voltage at which the motor driver 36 can move the carriage 35 at a first speed via the carriage motor 34. The first speed is also not particularly limited, but is, for example, 0.1 m / s to 0.5 m / s.

[0026] Similarly, the speed at which the carriage 35 can travel when the second voltage is applied to the motor driver 36 is also referred to as the "second speed" below. The second voltage is a voltage that allows the motor driver 36 to move the carriage 35 at the second speed via the carriage motor 34. The second speed is also not particularly limited, but is, for example, 1 m / sec to 2 m / sec. The second voltage is also not particularly limited, but is, for example, 30 V to 50 V.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 4, the power supply circuit 70 includes a first power supply 71, a second power supply 72, and a relay 73 that selectively connects the first power supply 71 or the second power supply 72 to the motor driver 36. The first power supply 71 is configured to generate a first voltage. The second power supply 72 is configured to generate a second voltage. Here, the first power supply 71 and the second power supply 72 are switching power supplies that can convert commercial AC power into DC of a required voltage. However, the first power supply 71 and the second power supply 72 are not limited to switching power supplies.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 4, the relay 73 includes a coil 73a and a contact 73b. The relay 73 is configured to connect the second power source 72 and the motor driver 36 when the coil 73a is energized, and to connect the first power source 71 and the motor driver 36 when the coil 73a is not energized. In other words, when the coil 73a is energized, a second voltage for high speed is applied to the motor driver 36. At this time, the carriage 35 is moved at a first high speed. 2 When the coil 73a is not energized, the first voltage for low speed is applied to the motor driver 36. At this time, the moving speed of the carriage 35 is the first voltage for low speed. 1The speed is regulated to a maximum speed. When the coil 73a is energized and excited, the contact 73b moves to connect the second power supply 72 and the motor driver 36. As a result, the first power supply 71 and the motor driver 36 are essentially disconnected by a diode provided between the first power supply 71 and the motor driver 36. However, the configuration of the relay 73 is not limited to this. The relay 73 may be, for example, a two-contact relay whose contacts are connected to the first power supply 71 or the second power supply 72 depending on whether or not the coil is energized.

[0029] The interlock circuit 80 is configured to transmit a control signal related to the movement of the carriage 35 when a predetermined interlock condition is satisfied. More specifically, when the interlock condition is satisfied, the interlock circuit 80 cuts off current to the coil 73a, restricting the carriage 35 to a state in which movement at a low speed is restricted. In this embodiment, the control signal related to the movement of the carriage 35 transmitted by the interlock circuit 80 is a signal to stop current to the coil 73a. The "transmission of a control signal" related to the movement of the carriage 35 also includes the reverse operation of signal transmission, i.e., "stopping a signal." However, for example, if the power supply circuit 70 is configured to perform an operation opposite to that of this embodiment, the control signal related to the movement of the carriage 35 may be a signal to start current flowing to the coil 73a of the relay 73.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 4, the interlock circuit 80 includes a third power supply 81, a control circuit 82 interposed between the third power supply 81 and the coil 73a, and a delay circuit 83 provided in the control circuit 82. The third power supply 81 is a control power supply configured to excite the coil 73a. In this example, the third power supply 81 generates a control voltage of 24V DC. However, the voltage generated by the third power supply 81 is not particularly limited. The control circuit 82 connects the third power supply 81 and the coil 73a. As shown in FIG. 4, the control circuit 82 has a contact 61a of the first switch 61 and a contact 62a of the second switch 62 arranged in series.

[0031] The control circuit 82 is a circuit that is shut off when an interlock condition is satisfied. As shown in FIG. 4 , in this embodiment, the interlock condition is that at least one of the contacts 61 a of the first switch 61 and the contacts 62 a of the second switch 62 is open. In other words, the interlock condition is satisfied when one or more of the first cover 21 and the second cover 22 are open and one or more of the first switch 61 and the second switch 62 are turned OFF. The interlock circuit 80 includes the first switch 61 and the second switch 62 that detect the open / closed states of the first cover 21 and the second cover 22, respectively. When the first switch 61 and the second switch 62 detect that at least one of the first cover 21 and the second cover 22 is open, the interlock circuit 80 is shut off (transmits a control signal). This stops the supply of current to the coil 73 a, and the motor driver 36 and the first power source 71 are connected. The power supply circuit 70 is configured to apply a first voltage for low speed to the motor driver 36 at least when the interlock circuit 80 is interrupted (the interlock circuit 80 is transmitting a control signal). There are cases where the power supply circuit 70 applies the first voltage to the motor driver 36 even when the interlock condition is not satisfied, which will be described later.

[0032] In the description of this embodiment, the term "interlock condition" is used, but this means a control condition that restricts the movement speed of the carriage 35 to the first speed, and simply means a predetermined condition (here, at least one of the first switch 61 and the second switch 62 is turned OFF). The same applies to terms such as "interlock circuit" and "interlock operation."

[0033] 4, in this embodiment, the interlock circuit 80 includes a delay circuit 83 that transmits a control signal (here, stops power supply to the coil 73a) a predetermined delay time after the interlock condition is satisfied. Therefore, if the voltage applied to the motor driver 36 before the interlock condition is satisfied is the second voltage, the voltage applied to the motor driver 36 switches from the second voltage to the first voltage a predetermined delay time after the interlock condition is satisfied.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 4, the delay circuit 83 includes a capacitor 83a that is charged when the control circuit 82 is connected and discharges to the coil 73a when the control circuit 82 is disconnected. When both the first switch 61 and the second switch 62 are turned on and power is supplied from the third power source 81 to the coil 73a, a voltage generated by the third power source 81 is also applied to the capacitor 83a. Therefore, a charge corresponding to the capacitance of the capacitor 83a is charged. When at least one of the first switch 61 and the second switch 62 is turned off while the capacitor 83a is charged, the capacitor 83a begins to discharge. During this discharge, a current flows through the coil 73a due to the discharge of the capacitor 83a. As long as the voltage at that time is equal to or greater than the operating voltage of the relay 73, the relay 73 remains on. This delays the switching of the voltage applied to the motor driver 36. In this example, the capacitor 83a is a large-capacity capacitor with a capacitance of, for example, approximately 1000 μF.

[0035] When one or more of the first switch 61 and the second switch 62 are turned OFF, this is also communicated to the control device 100. As shown in FIG. 4, the circuit related to control of the carriage motor 34 is provided with a signal line 84 that transmits a signal to the control device 100 when at least one of the first switch 61 and the second switch 62 is turned OFF. When the interlock condition is satisfied while the second voltage is applied to the motor driver 36 and the carriage 35 is moving, the braking control unit 101A of the control device 100 controls the motor driver 36 to decelerate the carriage 35 until the delay time has elapsed. In this case, the braking control unit 101A controls the motor driver 36 to stop the carriage 35 until the delay time has elapsed.

[0036] The circuit for controlling the carriage motor 34 has a drive line 85 that the control device 100 uses to turn the relay 73 on and off. The drive line 85 connects the control device 100 to the coil 73a of the relay 73. The circuit for controlling the carriage motor 34 is configured so that when the drive line 85 is disconnected, power is not supplied to the relay 73 even if the control circuit 82 is connected. The control device 100 controls the operation of the relay 73 via the drive line 85, thereby controlling the voltage applied to the motor driver 36. Specifically, the control device 100 controls the operation of the relay 73 to connect the motor driver 36 to the first power source 71 during low-speed mode and when a control signal is being transmitted. Furthermore, the control device 100 controls the operation of the relay 73 to connect the motor driver 36 to the second power source 72 during high-speed mode (except when a control signal is being transmitted). As a result, the power supply circuit 70 applies a first voltage to the motor driver 36 in the low-speed mode and when the control signal is being transmitted, and applies a second voltage to the motor driver 36 in the high-speed mode and when the interlock signal is not being transmitted. In this embodiment, once the control signal is transmitted, the interlock state continues until the control device 100 completes a predetermined confirmation operation, even after the first cover 21 and the second cover 22 are closed. The control device 100 disconnects the drive line 85 while the interlock state continues. When the interlock state is released and the mode is the high-speed mode, the control device 100 reconnects the drive line 85.

[0037] 4 is merely an example and is not intended to be limiting. Interlock circuit 80 is preferably configured primarily with hardware, but may also be partially configured with software. The types of devices used are also not limited to mechanical switches, contact relays, etc.

[0038] [Control in high-speed mode] The operation of the printer 10 according to this embodiment will be described below. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the control of the carriage 35 in high-speed mode. FIG. 5 describes an example of the operation of the printer 10 in high-speed mode, more specifically in print mode. As shown in FIG. 5, in order to execute printing, the mode is first set to print mode in step S01. Note that other steps for starting printing will not be shown or described. In step S02, the second power supply 72 is connected to the motor driver 36, and a second voltage for high speed is applied. In the following step S03, printing begins, and the carriage 35 is moved in the main scanning direction Y by the drive of the carriage motor 34. At this time, the carriage 35 moves in the first scanning direction Y. 2 It is possible to move at high speed.

[0039] In step S04, it is confirmed whether the first cover 21 and the second cover 22 are closed (in reality, it is sufficient to respond when at least one of the first cover 21 and the second cover 22 is opened, but for convenience, FIG. 5 shows this as a confirmation step). If the first cover 21 and the second cover 22 are closed (if the result of step S04 is NO), the movement of the carriage 35 continues. If at least one of the first cover 21 and the second cover 22 is opened (if the result of step S04 is YES), in step S05, the control circuit 82 is shut off and this is communicated to the control device 100 via the signal line 84.

[0040] In step S06, capacitor 83a of delay circuit 83 begins discharging to relay 73. This starts the delay time. In the following step S07, brake control unit 101A of control device 100 issues a command to brake and stop carriage motor 34. At this time, due to the delay caused by delay circuit 83, the second voltage for high speed is still being applied to motor driver 36. This allows motor driver 36 to brake carriage motor 34 with a stronger braking force. Thereafter, in step S08, the delay time ends, and first power source 71 is connected to motor driver 36. This causes the first voltage to be applied to motor driver 36.

[0041] As described above, in this embodiment, if an interlock condition occurs while the carriage 35 is moving in high-speed mode, the carriage 35 is braked to a stop, and the voltage applied to the motor driver 36 is switched to the first voltage for low speed. This is because the low-speed mode is the basic mode in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the mode is set to low-speed mode except when it is necessary to move the carriage 35 at high speed, such as for printing. However, in order to brake and stop the carriage 35 in a shorter time, the voltage applied to the motor driver 36 is maintained at the second voltage for high speed during the delay time, and the carriage motor 34 is braked to a stop by the braking force of the second voltage.

[0042] [Control in low speed mode] Next, control of the carriage 35 in the low-speed mode will be described. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing control of the carriage 35 in the low-speed mode. FIG. 6 illustrates an example of the operation of the printer 10 in the low-speed mode, more specifically, in the cleaning mode. As shown in FIG. 6, in order to perform cleaning of the ink head H, first, in step S11, the mode is set to cleaning mode. In step S12, the first power supply 71 is connected to the motor driver 36, and a first voltage for low speed is applied. In the following step S13, cleaning is started, and the carriage motor 34 is driven to move the carriage 35 to the cleaning position P1 (see FIG. 2). At this time, the carriage 35 is 1It is possible to move at high speed.

[0043] Although detailed illustration is omitted, cleaning of the ink head H involves suction of ink by the capping device 51 and wiping by the wiping device 55. The carriage 35 needs to move in the main scanning direction Y between ink suction and wiping. After cleaning is complete, a cap 52 is attached to the ink head H for protection. At this time, the carriage 35 needs to be moved directly above the capping device 51.

[0044] In step S14, the open / closed states of the first cover 21 and the second cover 22 are confirmed. As shown in Fig. 6, in the low-speed mode, cleaning (movement of the carriage 35) continues in step S15 regardless of whether the first cover 21 and the second cover 22 are closed (whether the result of step S14 is YES or NO). In the low-speed mode, the open / closed state confirmation of the first cover 21 and the second cover 22 does not need to be performed in step S14.

[0045] [Effects of the embodiment] The effects of this embodiment are described below. The printer 10 according to this embodiment includes a power supply circuit 70 that selectively applies a first voltage for slow movement of the carriage 35 or a second voltage for fast movement to the motor driver 36, and an interlock circuit 80 that issues a control signal related to the movement of the carriage 35 when a predetermined interlock condition is satisfied. The power supply circuit 70 applies the first voltage for slow movement to the motor driver 36 when the interlock circuit 80 is issuing a control signal. With this configuration, the first voltage remains applied to the motor driver 36 even when the interlock condition is satisfied and the interlock circuit 80 is issuing a control signal. This allows the carriage 35 to move at the first slow speed.

[0046] In conventional printers, for example, the carriage cannot be moved when the casing cover is open for user safety reasons. However, even under such conditions, there may be times when it is desirable to move the carriage with the cover open. Such a situation may arise, for example, when it is desirable to visually check the carriage movement with the cover open. In such cases, the printer 10 according to this embodiment allows the carriage 35 to move in low-speed mode, as shown in FIG. 6 . Because the first speed, which is the speed of the carriage 35 in low-speed mode, is relatively low, moving the carriage 35 does not pose a safety problem. Therefore, the printer 10 can satisfy both safety and convenience under interlock conditions.

[0047] For example, in this embodiment, the power supply circuit 70 is configured to apply a first voltage to the motor driver 36 in the low-speed mode and when the interlock signal is being transmitted, and to apply a second voltage to the motor driver 36 in the high-speed mode and when the interlock signal is not being transmitted. The low-speed mode includes a cleaning mode, and the high-speed mode includes a print mode. This configuration allows cleaning to be performed even if the first cover 21 or the second cover 22 is unintentionally open, for example, when cleaning is performed when the printer 10 is not in use (e.g., overnight). It is also possible to open the first cover 21 or the second cover 22 and check the status of cleaning. The print mode is included in the high-speed mode, and printing can be performed while the carriage 35 is moving at the second speed.

[0048] In this embodiment, the power supply circuit 70 includes a first power source 71 that generates a first voltage, a second power source 72 that generates a second voltage, and a relay 73 that has a coil 73a and connects the second power source 72 to the motor driver 36 when the coil 73a is energized, and connects the first power source 71 to the motor driver 36 when the coil 73a is not energized. With this configuration, even if the power supply to the relay 73 is cut off due to a malfunction of the printer 10 or the like, the first power source 71 remains connected to the motor driver 36. Therefore, in that case, the moving speed of the carriage motor 34 is reduced to the first power source 71. 1 Therefore, the safety of the printer 10 can be further improved.

[0049] In this embodiment, the interlock circuit 80 includes a delay circuit 83 that transmits a control signal a predetermined delay time after the interlock condition is satisfied. If the interlock condition is satisfied while the second voltage is being applied to the motor driver 36 and the carriage 35 is moving, the braking control unit 101A of the control device 100 controls the motor driver 36 to decelerate the carriage 35 before the delay time has elapsed. With this configuration, the second voltage for high speed is being applied to the motor driver 36 during the delay time, so the carriage 35 can be decelerated with a stronger braking force. As a result, the carriage 35 can be stopped in a shorter time. This further improves safety during high-speed movement of the carriage 35.

[0050] The delay circuit 83 includes a capacitor 83a that is charged when the control circuit 82 is connected and discharges to the coil 73a of the relay 73 when the control circuit 82 is disconnected. By including such a capacitor 83a, the delay circuit 83 can easily and reliably delay the switching of the voltage applied to the motor driver 36.

[0051] In this embodiment, the interlock circuit 80 includes a first switch 61 and a second switch 62 that detect the open / closed states of the first cover 21 and the second cover 22, respectively, and is configured to transmit a control signal when it detects that at least one of the first cover 21 and the second cover 22 has been opened. With this configuration, when the first cover 21 or the second cover 22 is opened, the speed of at least the carriage 35 is reduced to the first speed. 1 (In some situations, the carriage 35 may stop.) This ensures the safety of the printer 10.

[0052] [Other embodiments] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above-described embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention can be embodied in various other forms.

[0053] For example, in the above embodiment, the condition for transmitting a control signal is that at least one of the first cover 21 and the second cover 22 is open, but other conditions may also be included. The condition for transmitting a control signal may include, for example, a user operation such as pressing an emergency stop button, or the detection of an abnormality anywhere in the printer 10.

[0054] In the above-described embodiment, the carriage 35 is configured to move in the main scanning direction Y and the recording medium 5 is configured to move in the sub-scanning direction X, but this is not limiting. The movement of the carriage 35 and the recording medium 5 is relative, and either one may move in the main scanning direction Y or the sub-scanning direction X. For example, the recording medium 5 may be immobile, and the carriage 35 may be configured to be movable in both the main scanning direction Y and the sub-scanning direction X. Furthermore, the printer 10 may be configured, for example, so that both the carriage 35 and the recording medium 5 are movable in both the main scanning direction Y and the sub-scanning direction X.

[0055] The ink ejection method of the printer according to the present invention is not limited to a specific method, and may be, for example, a piezoelectric method using a piezoelectric element, various continuous methods such as a binary deflection method or a continuous deflection method, or various on-demand methods such as a thermal method.

[0056] The technology disclosed herein can be applied to various types of printers. The technology disclosed herein can be applied to, for example, flatbed printers in addition to the so-called roll-to-roll type printers described in the above embodiments. The technology disclosed herein may also be applied to devices that combine a printer with other devices. For example, the technology disclosed herein may be applied to a printer with a cutting head or a printer with a sheet cutter. Furthermore, the technology disclosed herein may be applied to a three-dimensional printer or cutting device equipped with a carriage. In such cases, operations during high-speed mode may include cutting, sheet cutting, and ejection of hardening liquid. [Explanation of symbols]

[0057] 10 Printers 12 Casing 21 First Cover (Cover) 22 Second Cover (Cover) 30 Carriage moving device 34 Carriage motor (motor) 35 Carriage 36 Motor Driver 50 Cleaning Device 61 First switch (detector) 62 Second switch (detector) 70 Power supply circuit (power supply device) 71 1st power supply 72 2nd power supply 73 Relay 73a Coil (excitation part) 80 Interlock circuit (transmitting device) 81 Third power supply 82 Control circuit 83 Delay circuit (delay section) 83a capacitor 100 control device 101A Braking control unit (braking device) 103 Mode setting section H ink head

Claims

1. a carriage configured to be movable; a carriage moving device including a motor and configured to move the carriage by driving the motor; a motor driver for controlling the motor; a power supply device including a first power supply that generates a first voltage and a second power supply that generates a second voltage higher than the first voltage, and that selectively applies the first voltage or the second voltage to the motor driver; a transmitter that transmits a control signal related to the movement of the carriage when a predetermined control condition is satisfied; the first voltage is a voltage that enables the motor driver to move the carriage at a first speed via the motor; the second voltage is a voltage that allows the motor driver to move the carriage via the motor at a second speed that is faster than the first speed; The power supply device is configured to apply the first voltage to the motor driver when the transmitter device is transmitting the control signal, and when the control condition is satisfied while the second voltage is applied to the motor driver and the carriage is moving, the voltage applied to the motor driver is switched from the second voltage to the first voltage.

2. a carriage configured to be movable; a carriage moving device including a motor and configured to move the carriage by driving the motor; a motor driver for controlling the motor; a power supply device that selectively applies a first voltage or a second voltage higher than the first voltage to the motor driver; a transmitter that transmits a control signal related to the movement of the carriage when a predetermined control condition is satisfied; the first voltage is a voltage that enables the motor driver to move the carriage at a first speed via the motor; the second voltage is a voltage that allows the motor driver to move the carriage via the motor at a second speed that is faster than the first speed; the power supply device is configured to apply the first voltage to the motor driver while the transmitter is transmitting the control signal; a first power supply that generates the first voltage; a second power supply that generates the second voltage; a relay having an excitation unit, connecting the second power supply and the motor driver when the excitation unit is energized, and connecting the first power supply and the motor driver when the excitation unit is not energized; The transmitting device a third power source capable of exciting the excitation unit; a control circuit interposed between the third power source and the excitation unit, the control circuit being cut off when the control condition is satisfied.

3. a carriage configured to be movable; a carriage moving device including a motor and configured to move the carriage by driving the motor; a motor driver for controlling the motor; a power supply device that selectively applies a first voltage or a second voltage higher than the first voltage to the motor driver; a transmitter that transmits a control signal related to the movement of the carriage when a predetermined control condition is satisfied; the first voltage is a voltage that enables the motor driver to move the carriage at a first speed via the motor; the second voltage is a voltage that allows the motor driver to move the carriage via the motor at a second speed that is faster than the first speed; the power supply device is configured to apply the first voltage to the motor driver when the transmitting device is transmitting the control signal; The transmission device includes a delay unit that transmits the control signal after a predetermined delay time has elapsed since the control condition was satisfied.

4. the control device further includes a braking device that controls the motor driver to decelerate the carriage until the delay time has elapsed when the control condition is satisfied while the second voltage is applied to the motor driver and the carriage is moving.

4. The carriage movement system according to claim 3.

5. The power supply device is a first power supply that generates the first voltage; a second power supply that generates the second voltage; a relay having an excitation unit, connecting the second power supply and the motor driver when the excitation unit is energized, and connecting the first power supply and the motor driver when the excitation unit is not energized; The transmitting device a third power source capable of exciting the excitation unit; a control circuit interposed between the third power supply and the excitation unit, the control circuit being cut off when the control condition is satisfied; The delay unit includes a capacitor that is charged when the control circuit is connected and discharges to the excitation unit when the control circuit is disconnected.

5. A carriage movement system according to claim 3 or 4.

6. a housing that houses the carriage; a cover provided on the housing and configured to be openable and closable, The transmitting device includes a detector that detects whether the cover is open or closed, and transmits the control signal when the detector detects that the cover is open.

6. A carriage movement system according to claim 1.

7. an ink head held by the carriage; a cleaning device capable of cleaning the ink head when the carriage is moved to a predetermined cleaning position; a mode setting unit that switches between a low-speed mode including a cleaning mode in which the cleaning device cleans the ink head and a high-speed mode including a printing mode; a carriage movement system according to any one of claims 1 to 6; the power supply device is configured to apply the first voltage to the motor driver during the low-speed mode, and to apply the second voltage to the motor driver during the high-speed mode in a state in which the control signal is not transmitted. Printing device.

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