Inkjet recording device and inkjet recording method

Abstract

An inkjet recording device (10) comprises a determination unit (71) and an acquisition unit (72). The determination unit (71) determines, from among a plurality of ink storage parts (3) that each store ink of the same color, an ink storage part (3) as a supply source for supplying the ink to a corresponding recording head (51). The acquisition unit (72) acquires identification information of at least the ink storage part (3) as the supply source among the plurality of ink storage parts (3). The determination unit (71) determines the ink storage part (3) as the supply source on the basis of first identification information, which is identification information acquired by the acquisition unit (72), and second identification information, which is identification information acquired by the acquisition unit (72) before the first identification information is acquired and before the power is turned off.

Description

Inkjet recording apparatus, inkjet recording method

[0001] The present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus capable of forming an image using ink, and an inkjet recording method.

[0002] As a related art, an image forming apparatus capable of mounting a plurality of developing cartridges accommodating the same color toner is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this image forming apparatus, a developing cartridge determination method is selected based on the life information of the developing cartridge from among a plurality of developing cartridge determination methods for determining which of the plurality of mounted developing cartridges of the same color is to be used for image formation.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-164474

[0004] However, in the configuration of the related art, it is impossible to determine whether any of the developing cartridges (ink accommodating portions) has been replaced when the power of the image forming apparatus is turned off. For this reason, in the configuration of the related art, it may be difficult to efficiently use a plurality of developing cartridges, for example, to use up a developing cartridge that has already started to be used.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an inkjet recording apparatus and an inkjet recording method that are easy to efficiently use a plurality of ink accommodating portions that respectively accommodate the same color ink.

[0006] An inkjet recording apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a determination unit and an acquisition unit. The determination unit determines a supply source ink accommodating portion that supplies the ink to a corresponding recording head from among a plurality of ink accommodating portions that respectively accommodate the same color ink. The acquisition unit acquires identification information of at least the supply source ink accommodating portion among the plurality of ink accommodating portions. The determination unit determines the supply source ink accommodating portion based on first identification information that is the identification information acquired by the acquisition unit and second identification information that is the identification information acquired by the acquisition unit before acquiring the first identification information and before the power was turned off.

[0007] An inkjet recording method according to another aspect of the present invention includes a determination step and an acquisition step. In the determination step, an ink storage unit that supplies ink to a corresponding recording head is determined from among a plurality of ink storage units, each containing ink of the same color. In the acquisition step, identification information of at least the ink storage unit that supplies the ink is obtained from among the plurality of ink storage units. In the determination step, the ink storage unit that supplies the ink is determined based on a first identification information obtained in the acquisition step and a second identification information obtained in the acquisition step before the first identification information was obtained and before the power was turned off.

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an inkjet recording apparatus and an inkjet recording method that make it easy to efficiently use multiple ink storage units, each containing ink of the same color.

[0009] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an inkjet recording apparatus according to an embodiment. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an inkjet recording apparatus according to an embodiment. Figure 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the image forming unit in the inkjet recording apparatus according to an embodiment. Figure 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the ink supply unit in the inkjet recording apparatus according to an embodiment. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of operation of the inkjet recording apparatus according to an embodiment. Figure 6 is a diagram showing the first data used by the inkjet recording apparatus according to an embodiment. Figure 7 is a diagram showing the second data used by the inkjet recording apparatus according to an embodiment.

[0010] The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. The following embodiments are examples that embody the present invention and are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[0011] [1] Overall configuration of the inkjet recording device First, the inkjet recording device 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4.

[0012] In this embodiment, as an example, the inkjet recording device 10 is an inkjet recording device (printer) that has a recording head 51 that ejects ink onto the surface of a sheet Sh1, and is capable of performing print processing using an inkjet method to form an image on the sheet Sh1 with the recording head 51. Print processing is the process of forming an image on an image-forming object. Sheet Sh1 is an example of an image-forming object (recording medium) on which an image is formed by the inkjet recording device 10, and is a sheet-like medium such as paper or a resin film.

[0013] The inkjet recording device 10 only needs to have the function of forming an image using an inkjet method. For example, it may be a multifunction device that has multiple functions in addition to the printing function, such as a scanning function for reading image data from a document, a facsimile function, and a copying function. Alternatively, the inkjet recording device 10 may be a facsimile device or a copier, etc.

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, the inkjet recording device 10, together with the paper feeder 11, drying device 12, discharge device 13, and sheet transporter 8, constitutes the image forming system 100. In other words, the image forming system 100 according to this embodiment includes the inkjet recording device 10, the paper feeder 11, the drying device 12, the discharge device 13, and the sheet transporter 8, etc. Here, the inkjet recording device 10, the paper feeder 11, the drying device 12, the discharge device 13, and the sheet transporter 8 are connected in the order of paper feeder 11, inkjet recording device 10, sheet transporter 8, drying device 12, and discharge device 13 from the upstream side with respect to the transport direction of the sheet Sh1. As a result, the image forming system 100 can continuously perform a series of processes on the sheet Sh1 that are carried out by each of the paper feeder 11, the inkjet recording device 10, the drying device 12, and the discharge device 13. Furthermore, each device of the image forming system 100 is centrally managed by the control device 7 of the inkjet recording device 10. However, the configuration is not limited to this one; a separate control device for overall management of each device may be provided in addition to the control device 7.

[0015] The paper feeder 11 is capable of accommodating multiple sheets Sh1. The paper feeder 11 supplies sheets Sh1 one at a time to the inkjet recording device 10. The inkjet recording device 10 ejects ink from the recording head 51 onto the sheets Sh1 supplied from the paper feeder 11, forming an image (ink image) using the inkjet method. The inkjet recording device 10 then sends the sheets Sh1 with the formed image to the subsequent drying device 12.

[0016] The inkjet recording device 10 has a transport unit 4, and forms an image (ink image) on the sheet Sh1 by inkjet by ejecting ink from the recording head 51 onto the surface of the sheet Sh1 transported by the transport unit 4. The transport unit 4 transports the sheets Sh1 supplied from the paper feed device 11 one by one and discharges the sheets Sh1 with the image formed on them one by one.

[0017] The sheet transport device 8 is positioned between the inkjet recording device 10 and the drying device 12. The sheet transport device 8 transports the sheet Sh1 from the inkjet recording device 10 to the drying device 12. In other words, the sheet transport device 8 is located downstream of the inkjet recording device 10 in the transport direction of the sheet Sh1, receives the sheet Sh1 with the ink image formed on it as it is discharged from the inkjet recording device 10, and then passes the sheet Sh1 to the drying device 12 located further downstream.

[0018] The drying device 12 dries the ink image on the sheet Sh1. The drying device 12 has a drying chamber inside, and the drying chamber contains a heater or a heat pump type heating unit. The drying device 12 dries the ink image formed on the sheet Sh1 by heating the surface of the sheet Sh1 that is transported from the inkjet recording device 10 to the drying chamber via the sheet transport device 8. The drying device 12 has an exhaust fan that exhausts (discharges) moisture from the drying chamber. The drying device 12 sends the dried sheet Sh1 to the downstream discharge device 13. As a result, the sheet Sh1, on which the image was formed by the inkjet method in the inkjet recording device 10, is discharged to the discharge device 13.

[0019] The discharge device 13 stores the sheets Sh1 that are transported from the drying device 12. The discharge device 13 may also have post-processing functions such as a stapling function, a folding machine function, an inserter function, or a punching function. In other words, the discharge device 13 may be a post-processing device that performs post-processing on the sheets Sh1 transported from the drying device 12. In this case, the discharge device 13 can perform appropriate post-processing on the image-formed sheets Sh1. In single-sided printing, where an image is formed on only one side of the sheet Sh1, the sheets Sh1 that have been dried in the drying device 12 are sent to the discharge device 13. However, in double-sided printing, where an image is formed on both sides of the sheet Sh1, after being dried in the drying device 12, the sheets Sh1 are returned to the inkjet recording device 10. An image is then formed on the back side in the inkjet recording device 10, and after being dried in the drying device 12, the sheets are sent to the discharge device 13.

[0020] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the inkjet recording device 10 includes, in addition to the transport unit 4, an image forming unit 5, an ink supply unit 6, and a control device 7. The image forming unit 5 has multiple recording heads 51. These transport unit 4, image forming unit 5, ink supply unit 6, and control device 7 are housed in a housing 21 that forms the outer casing of the inkjet recording device 10.

[0021] The transport unit 4 transports the sheets Sh1 supplied from the paper feed device 11 one by one through the transport path 40. As a result, the sheets Sh1 taken into the housing 21 of the inkjet recording device 10 from the paper feed device 11 are transported through the transport path 40 towards the transport direction D1 below the image forming unit 5 and discharged to the drying device 12. The transport path 40 is a path for transporting the sheets Sh1 within the housing 21 and includes an upstream transport path 401 and a downstream transport path 402 relative to the image forming unit 5. The transport unit 4 transports the sheets Sh1 supplied from the paper feed device 11 to the image forming unit 5 through the upstream transport path 401 and discharges them from the image forming unit 5 to the drying device 12 through the downstream transport path 402.

[0022] The transport unit 4 includes a sheet feeding unit 41, one or more pairs of pre-transport rollers 42, a main transport unit 43, and a separation mechanism 44. The sheet feeding unit 41 feeds sheets Sh1 supplied from the paper feed device 11 one by one to the pre-transport path 401. Multiple pairs of pre-transport rollers 42 take over the transport of sheets Sh1 from the sheet feeding unit 41 and transport the sheets Sh1 toward the main transport unit 43.

[0023] The main transport unit 43 is located below the image forming unit 5. The preceding transport path 401 is a path from the paper feed device 11 to below the image forming unit 5 (above the main transport unit 43). The main transport unit 43 transports the sheet Sh1 while keeping the first surface (front) of the sheet Sh1 facing the image forming unit 5. The first surface of the sheet Sh1 is the surface on which the ink image is formed. The main transport unit 43 has a plurality of tension rollers 431 and a main transport belt 432, and rotates the main transport belt 432 while supporting it with the plurality of tension rollers 431. In this way, the main transport unit 43 places the sheet Sh1 on the main transport belt 432 and transports it toward the separation mechanism 44.

[0024] The separation mechanism 44 is located downstream of the main conveying unit 43 in the conveying direction and separates the sheet Sh1 that has been conveyed by the main conveying unit 43 from the main conveying belt 432 and sends it to the downstream conveying path 402. In this embodiment, the separation mechanism 44 is positioned above the downstream side of the main conveying belt 432 and separates the sheet Sh1 from the main conveying belt 432 by blowing air (airflow) onto the main conveying belt 432. In other words, the sheet Sh1 is separated from the main conveying belt 432 by air hitting the sheet Sh1 on the main conveying belt 432.

[0025] The main transport unit 43 discharges the sheet Sh1, on which the ink image has been formed, which has been separated from the main transport belt 432 by the separation mechanism 44, to the drying device 12 via the downstream transport path 402. The downstream transport path 402 is the path from below the image forming unit 5 (above the main transport unit 43) to the drying device 12.

[0026] The transport unit 4 may have, in addition to or instead of, the separation mechanism 44, a pair of discharge rollers, etc.

[0027] The image forming unit 5 is located above the main transport unit 43. The image forming unit 5 forms an ink image on the first surface of the sheet Sh1 by ejecting inks of multiple colors toward the sheet Sh1 which is transported by the main transport unit 43 of the transport unit 4.

[0028] The image forming unit 5 comprises a plurality of recording heads 51 and a head frame 52 that supports the plurality of recording heads 51. The plurality of recording heads 51 form an image on the sheet Sh1 by ejecting ink of multiple colors toward the sheet Sh1 which is being transported by the main transport unit 43.

[0029] In the example shown in Figure 1, the multiple recording heads 51 are divided into four line heads 50 corresponding to black, cyan, magenta, and yellow inks. The ink supply unit 6 supplies each color of ink (K, C, M, Y) to the recording heads 51 of the corresponding line heads 50. The four line heads 50 are arranged side by side in the sub-scanning direction D12 and are fixed in a predetermined positional relationship (see Figure 3). The number of line heads 50 provided by the image forming unit 5 is not limited to four; for example, it may be two, three, or five or more. The sub-scanning direction D12 is the same as the conveying direction D1 of the sheet Sh1 on the main conveyor belt 432.

[0030] In this embodiment, the ink supply unit 6 is equipped with multiple (two in this embodiment) ink storage units 3 (see Figure 4), each containing ink of the same color. Specifically, the ink supply unit 6 is equipped with two ink storage units 3 corresponding to black ink, two ink storage units 3 corresponding to cyan ink, two ink storage units 3 corresponding to magenta ink, and two ink storage units 3 corresponding to yellow ink. The ink storage units 3 will be described in detail in "[2] Details of Ink Storage Units" below.

[0031] Multiple recording heads 51 are positioned so that a gap of about 1 millimeter is formed between the ink ejection surface on the lower surface of each head and the upper surface of the sheet Sh1 on the main transport belt 432. As shown in Figure 3, each of the multiple recording heads 51 is positioned so that its longitudinal direction is aligned with the main scanning direction D11. In this embodiment, as an example, each color line head 50 includes three recording heads 51. Multiple ink nozzles 53 are formed on the ink ejection surface of each recording head 51, which eject ink onto the sheet Sh1 being transported along the transport path 40. Each recording head 51 is equipped with multiple piezoelectric elements corresponding to the multiple ink nozzles 53. Each piezoelectric element vibrates when a drive signal is supplied from the control device 7, thereby pressurizing the ink and causing it to eject (squirt) from each ink nozzle 53.

[0032] The control device 7 comprehensively controls the inkjet recording device 10. The control device 7 primarily consists of a computer system having one or more processors and one or more non-volatile memories. In the inkjet recording device 10, the functions of the control device 7 are realized by one or more processors executing a program. The program may be pre-recorded in memory (storage unit), provided via a telecommunication line such as the Internet, or provided on a non-temporary recording medium readable by a computer system, such as a memory card or optical disc. One or more processors consist of one or more electronic circuits including semiconductor integrated circuits. Furthermore, the computer system referred to here includes a microcontroller having one or more processors and one or more memories.

[0033] The control device 7 controls the transport unit 4, image forming unit 5, ink supply unit 6, etc., included in the inkjet recording device 10. In this embodiment, the control device 7 controls not only the inkjet recording device 10 but also the sheet transport device 8, etc. In other words, the control device 7 is electrically connected to each part of the inkjet recording device 10 and the sheet transport device 8, etc., and can, for example, control the image forming unit 5 to form a desired image on the sheet Sh1, or control the sheet transport device 8 to transport the sheet Sh1 from the inkjet recording device 10 to the drying device 12. In other words, the control device 7 implements an image forming method that controls each part of the image forming system 100 by executing an image forming program stored in memory.

[0034] In this embodiment, the control device 7 performs a decision process for each ink color to determine which ink storage unit 3 to supply ink to the corresponding recording head 51 from among a plurality of (in this case, two) ink storage units 3, each containing ink of the same color. In other words, for each of the black, cyan, magenta, and yellow ink colors, the control device 7 performs a decision process to determine which of the two ink storage units 3 to use. Details of the decision process by the control device 7 will be explained later in "[3] Details of the control device".

[0035] The inkjet recording device 10 also includes a head cooling device, a maintenance unit, a cap unit, and an operation display unit. The head cooling device cools the recording head 51. The maintenance unit performs a wiping operation to clean the ink ejection surface (the lower surface of the recording head 51) by wiping it. The cap unit covers the ink ejection surface of the recording head 51 to protect it from drying out. The operation display unit is the user interface of the inkjet recording device. The operation display unit has a display unit such as a liquid crystal display that displays various information in response to control instructions from the control device 7, and an operation unit such as a switch or touch panel that inputs various information to the control device in response to user operations.

[0036] [2] Details of the Ink Storage Section Next, the details of the ink storage section 3 will be explained using Figure 4. Note that Figure 4 shows two ink storage sections 3 corresponding to the cyan line head 50 of the ink supply section 6, and the illustration of the ink storage sections 3 corresponding to the other line heads 50 is omitted. Also, in Figure 4, the water level of the ink stored in the two ink storage sections 3 and the sub-ink tank 33 is indicated by a dashed line. In the following, when the two ink storage sections 3 are described separately, one ink storage section 3 may be referred to as ink storage section 3A and the other ink storage section 3 as ink storage section 3B.

[0037] As shown in Figure 4, the ink supply unit 6 comprises two ink storage units 3 (ink storage units 3A and 3B), second supply lines 31A and 31B, pumps 32A and 32B, a sub-ink tank 33, a sensor 34, and a first supply line 35.

[0038] The ink storage section 3A is detachably provided on the inkjet recording device 10 and stores the ink supplied to the line head 50. For example, the ink storage section 3A corresponding to the line head 50 shown in Figure 4 stores cyan ink. The second supply path 31A is an ink flow path from the ink storage section 3A to the sub-ink tank 33 and is made up of, for example, a resin tube. The pump 32A is provided on the second supply path 31A and pumps up the ink stored in the ink storage section 3A and supplies it to the sub-ink tank 33.

[0039] The ink storage unit 3B is detachably mounted on the inkjet recording device 10 and stores the ink supplied to the line head 50. That is, the inkjet recording device 10 can have both ink storage units 3A and 3B installed simultaneously. For example, the ink storage unit 3B corresponding to the line head 50 shown in Figure 4 stores cyan ink. The second supply path 31B is the ink flow path from the ink storage unit 3B to the sub-ink tank 33 and is composed of, for example, a resin tube. The pump 32B is provided on the second supply path 31B and pumps the ink stored in the ink storage unit 3B to supply it to the sub-ink tank 33. Hereinafter, when pumps 32A and 32B are not distinguished, they may be referred to as pump 32.

[0040] The sub-ink tank 33 stores the ink supplied from each ink storage section 3A and 3B. The sub-ink tank 33 is provided with a vent hole 33A at its top that communicates with the outside, so that the air pressure in the space above the water level of the stored ink is equal to atmospheric pressure. The sensor 34 can detect whether the water level of the ink stored in the sub-ink tank 33 has reached a predetermined reference position within the sub-ink tank 33. For example, the sensor 34 is a so-called liquid level sensor that can detect the water level by electrode type or capacitance type.

[0041] In this embodiment, ink is supplied alternately from the two ink storage units 3 to the sub-ink tank 33.

[0042] For example, the control device 7 uses a sensor 34 to control the supply of ink from the ink storage unit 3, which is designated as the source of ink to the sub-ink tank 33, to the sub-ink tank 33. Specifically, when the sensor 34 detects that the ink level has fallen below the reference position, the control device 7 drives the pump 32 corresponding to the source ink storage unit 3 to supply ink from the ink storage unit 3 to the sub-ink tank 33.

[0043] Further, the control device 7 uses the sensor 34 to detect ink depletion in the ink storage unit 3 of the supply source. Specifically, when the sensor 34 does not detect an increase in the water surface of the ink above the reference position until a predetermined allowable time has elapsed since the driving of the pump 32 corresponding to the ink storage unit 3 of the supply source was started, the control device 7 detects ink depletion in the ink storage unit 3 of the supply source.

[0044] Further, when the control device 7 detects ink depletion in the ink storage unit 3 of the supply source, it switches the supply source to another ink storage unit 3. Specifically, the control device 7 switches the pump 32 to be driven when supplying ink to the sub ink tank 33. In the sub ink tank 33, the ratio of the ink in the ink storage unit 3 after switching to the stored ink gradually increases from the time of switching the ink storage unit 3 of the supply source. Then, after a certain amount of time has elapsed, the ink stored in the sub ink tank 33 is completely switched from the ink in the ink storage unit 3 before switching to the ink in the ink storage unit 3 after switching.

[0045] Note that the control device 7 may control the supply of ink from the ink storage unit 3 of the supply source to the sub ink tank 33 based on the ink discharge amount in the recording head 51. Further, instead of the sensor 34, the control device 7 may use a sensor capable of detecting the remaining amount of ink stored in the ink storage unit 3 to detect ink depletion in the ink storage unit 3 of the supply source.

[0046] The first supply path 35 is an ink flow path from the sub ink tank 33 to the recording head 51, and is constituted by, for example, a resin tube. In the first supply path 35, the ink stored in the sub ink tank 33 flows toward the recording head 51 along the flow direction D3. The upstream end 35A in the flow direction D3 of the first supply path 35 is located in the sub ink tank 33, and the downstream end 35B in the flow direction D3 is connected to the recording head 51. Although only one downstream end 35B is shown in FIG. 4, the first supply path 35 has three downstream ends 35B, and the three downstream ends 35B are connected to the three recording heads 51.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 4, the recording head 51 includes a pressure chamber 51A and a communication passage 51B. The pressure chamber 51A is provided corresponding to each ink nozzle 53 and communicates with the corresponding ink nozzle 53. The communication passage 51B communicates with each of the pressure chambers 51A, and the ink supplied from the first supply path 35 flows into each of the pressure chambers 51A. The downstream end 35B of the first supply path 35 is connected to the communication passage 51B. Each of the pressure chambers 51A is provided with a piezoelectric element that pressurizes the ink in the pressure chamber 51A in response to the application of a predetermined drive voltage. When a drive voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element, the ink in the pressure chamber 51A is pressurized and ejected from the ink nozzle 53. Further, when the ink is ejected from the ink nozzle 53, the ink in the pressure chamber 51A is depressurized, and the ink stored in the sub ink tank 33 is sucked up to the recording head 51 through the first supply path 35.

[0048] [3] Details of the control device Next, details of the control device 7, particularly details of the configuration related to the determination process executed by the control device 7, will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the control device 7 includes a determination unit 71 and an acquisition unit 72. Specifically, one or more processors of the control device 7 execute a program stored in the memory. Thereby, the control device 7 functions as the determination unit 71 and the acquisition unit 72.

[0049] The determination unit 71 performs a determination process. That is, the determination unit 71 determines which ink storage unit 3 will supply ink to the corresponding recording head 51 from among a plurality (in this case, two) of ink storage units 3, each containing ink of the same color. The determination unit 71 is the entity that executes the determination step in the inkjet recording method. Specifically, the determination unit 71 determines the ink storage unit 3 to supply ink based on first identification information and second identification information. Here, the first identification information is the identification information acquired by the acquisition unit 72, more specifically, the identification information acquired after the power of the inkjet recording device 10 is switched from off to on. The second identification information is the identification information acquired by the acquisition unit 72 before the acquisition of the first identification information and before the power of the inkjet recording device 10 was turned off. In other words, the first identification information is the current identification information acquired when the power of the inkjet recording device 10 is turned on, and the second identification information is the previous identification information acquired when the power of the inkjet recording device 10 was turned on the previous time. The identification information will be explained in detail in the description of the acquisition unit 72 described later.

[0050] The acquisition unit 72 acquires identification information for at least one of the plurality of ink storage units 3, which is the source ink storage unit. In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 72 acquires identification information for each of the plurality of ink storage units 3. The acquisition unit 72 is the entity that executes the acquisition step in the inkjet recording method. Here, the identification information is, for example, the manufacturing number of the ink storage unit 3, and is information for identifying the ink storage unit 3. In this embodiment, the identification information is stored in an IC tag 30 (see Figure 4) attached to the housing of the ink storage unit 3. In other words, each of the plurality of ink storage units 3 has a wirelessly readable tag (IC tag 30) on which the identification information is stored. The acquisition unit 72 then acquires the identification information by wirelessly communicating with the tag.

[0051] Specifically, the acquisition unit 72 activates the RFID reader provided by the inkjet recording device 10, thereby enabling wireless communication with the IC tags 30 attached to each ink storage unit 3. This allows the acquisition unit 72 to acquire the identification information stored in the IC tags 30 of each ink storage unit 3, which has been read by the RFID reader.

[0052] With this configuration, identification information for each ink storage unit 3 can be easily obtained by simply adopting a relatively simple configuration in which the inkjet recording device 10 is equipped with a reader capable of reading tags.

[0053] For example, if the ink storage unit 3 is not a genuine ink storage unit, that is, if it is a non-genuine ink storage unit, the IC tag 30 is not attached to the ink storage unit 3, and therefore the acquisition unit 72 cannot acquire the identification information of the ink storage unit 3. In this case, the acquisition unit 72 will acquire identification information such as "identification unknown". Here, "genuine ink storage unit" refers to an ink storage unit sold by the manufacturer of the inkjet recording device 10, or an ink storage unit permitted by the manufacturer for use in the inkjet recording device 10.

[0054] In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 72 acquires identification information when the power of the inkjet recording device 10 switches from on to off. The identification information acquired by the acquisition unit 72 is stored in a non-volatile memory as second identification information. The acquisition unit 72 acquires the second identification information at the timing of executing a process to shut down the inkjet recording device 10 or a process to put the inkjet recording device 10 into sleep mode, for example, based on the user's operation of the power switch of the inkjet recording device 10.

[0055] Here, the acquisition unit 72 stores the acquired second identification information as backup information in non-volatile memory, linked to the connection part to which the ink storage unit 3 is attached and detached. In this embodiment, the inkjet recording device 10 uses four colors of ink: black, cyan, magenta, and yellow, and has two ink storage units 3 corresponding to each ink. In other words, the inkjet recording device 10 has a total of eight connection parts. Therefore, the acquisition unit 72 stores a total of eight pieces of second identification information corresponding to each of the eight connection parts in non-volatile memory.

[0056] In this embodiment, for each ink color, the ink storage unit 3 attached to one of the two connection parts is set to have a higher degree of determination to the source, or in other words, a higher priority, than the ink storage unit 3 attached to the other connection part. That is, the multiple (in this case, two) ink storage units 3 include a first ink storage unit with a higher priority for use and a second ink storage unit for others. Whether an ink storage unit 3 is a first ink storage unit or a second ink storage unit is determined by a determination process performed by the determination unit 71.

[0057] Furthermore, the acquisition unit 72 acquires identification information when the power of the inkjet recording device 10 is switched from off to on. The identification information acquired by the acquisition unit 72 is referenced as first identification information in the determination process by the determination unit 71. The acquisition unit 72 acquires the first identification information at the timing of executing a process to start the inkjet recording device 10 based on the user's operation of the power switch of the inkjet recording device 10, or a process to release the sleep mode of the inkjet recording device 10.

[0058] [4] Example of operation of an inkjet recording device Incidentally, as a related technology, an inkjet recording device (image forming apparatus) is known that can be fitted with multiple ink storage units (developing cartridges) that contain ink (toner) of the same color. In this image forming apparatus, a developing cartridge determination method is selected from among multiple developing cartridges of the same color that are fitted with the device, based on the lifespan information of the developing cartridges, to determine which developing cartridge to use for image formation.

[0059] However, with the configuration of the above-mentioned related technology, it is not possible to determine whether or not any of the ink reservoirs have been replaced when the inkjet recording device is powered off. For this reason, with the configuration of the above-mentioned related technology, it may be difficult to efficiently use multiple ink reservoirs, for example, by using up an ink reservoir that has already been put into use.

[0060] In contrast, in this embodiment, the decision process performed by the control device 7 of the inkjet recording device 10 described below makes it possible to realize an inkjet recording device and an inkjet recording method that can efficiently use multiple ink storage units, each containing ink of the same color.

[0061] Hereinafter, with reference to Figure 5, an example of the inkjet recording method of this embodiment will be described along with an example of the procedure for the decision processing performed by the control device 7 in the inkjet recording device 10. Here, steps S11, S12, ... represent the processing procedure (step) numbers performed by the control device 7. In the following description, it will be assumed that the power of the inkjet recording device 10 is turned on at the start of processing. Furthermore, the decision processing for cyan ink will be described below, but similar decision processing will be performed for other colored inks as well.

[0062] <Step S11> First, the acquisition unit 72 of the control device 7 determines whether or not the power to the inkjet recording device 10 has been switched off. If the power to the inkjet recording device 10 has been switched off (Step S11: Yes), the acquisition unit 72 executes Step S12. While the power to the inkjet recording device 10 has not been switched off (Step S11: No), the acquisition unit 72 waits without executing Step S12.

[0063] <Step S12> The acquisition unit 72 of the control device 7 acquires second identification information for each ink storage unit 3 when the power of the inkjet recording device 10 is switched from on to off. Here, the acquisition unit 72 acquires the second identification information for each ink storage unit 3 at the timing when it executes a process to shut down the inkjet recording device 10 or a process to put the inkjet recording device 10 into sleep mode based on the user's operation of the power switch of the inkjet recording device 10. The second identification information for each ink storage unit 3 acquired by the acquisition unit 72 is stored in a non-volatile memory.

[0064] <Step S13> The acquisition unit 72 of the control device 7 does not operate until the power of the inkjet recording device 10 is switched from off to on (Step S13: No). Then, when the power of the inkjet recording device 10 is switched from off to on (Step S13: Yes), the acquisition unit 72 executes Step S14.

[0065] <Step S14> The acquisition unit 72 of the control device 7 acquires first identification information for each ink storage unit 3 when the power of the inkjet recording device 10 is switched from off to on. Here, the acquisition unit 72 acquires the first identification information for each ink storage unit 3 at the timing when it executes a process to start the inkjet recording device 10 based on the user's operation of the power switch of the inkjet recording device 10, or a process to release the sleep mode of the inkjet recording device 10.

[0066] <Step S15> Next, the determination unit 71 of the control device 7 performs a determination process. Specifically, the determination unit 71 first refers to the usage information to determine the ink storage unit 3 that supplied the ink last time the inkjet recording device 10 was powered on. Here, the usage information is information indicating the ink storage unit 3 that supplied the ink at the time the second identification information was acquired, and is stored in a non-volatile memory together with the second identification information when the second identification information is acquired. In other words, in this embodiment, the determination unit 71 determines the ink storage unit 3 that supplied the ink based not only on the first and second identification information, but also on the usage information.

[0067] With this configuration, the source ink storage unit 3 can be determined based on the previous source ink storage unit 3. For example, by continuously using the previous source ink storage unit 3, the ink storage unit 3 can be used up, making it easier to use the ink storage unit 3 efficiently.

[0068] <Step S16> Next, the determination unit 71 of the control device 7 determines the ink storage unit 3 of the supply source based on the first identification information and the second identification information. Specifically, the determination unit 71 reads either the first data or the second data from the non-volatile memory according to the previous ink storage unit 3 of the supply source determined in step S15.

[0069] The first data is the data read when the previous ink source ink storage unit 3 is the first ink storage unit, and is, for example, the data shown in Figure 6. The second data is the data read when the previous ink source ink storage unit 3 is the second ink storage unit, and is, for example, the data shown in Figure 7.

[0070] In Figures 6 and 7, respectively, "1" indicates that the first ink storage unit is determined to be the ink storage unit 3 of the supply source, and "2" indicates that the second ink storage unit is determined to be the ink storage unit 3 of the supply source.

[0071] Furthermore, in Figures 6 and 7, "Genuine → Genuine (same)" indicates that the ink reservoir 3 is a genuine ink reservoir and was not replaced when the inkjet recording device 10 was turned off. This situation can occur when both the first identification information and the second identification information are the same and not "Unidentified".

[0072] Furthermore, in Figures 6 and 7, "Genuine → Genuine (Other)" indicates that the ink reservoir 3 is a genuine ink reservoir, but it was replaced when the inkjet recording device 10 was turned off. This situation can occur when neither the first identification information nor the second identification information is "unknown," but they are different from each other.

[0073] Furthermore, in Figures 6 and 7, "genuine → non-genuine" indicates that the genuine ink reservoir was replaced with a non-genuine ink reservoir when the inkjet recording device 10 was turned off. This situation can occur when the first identification information is "unknown" and the second identification information is not "unknown".

[0074] Furthermore, in Figures 6 and 7, "non-genuine → non-genuine" indicates that the non-genuine ink reservoir was replaced with a genuine ink reservoir when the inkjet recording device 10 was turned off. This situation can occur when the first identification information is not "unidentified" and the second identification information is "unidentified".

[0075] Furthermore, in Figures 6 and 7, "non-genuine → non-genuine" indicates that when the inkjet recording device 10 is turned off, the non-genuine ink reservoir was replaced with another non-genuine ink reservoir, or that ink reservoir 3 is a non-genuine ink reservoir and was not replaced when the inkjet recording device 10 is turned off. This situation can occur when both the first identification information and the second identification information are "unidentified".

[0076] (1) If the ink storage unit of the previous supplier was the first ink storage unit, the determination unit 71 determines the ink storage unit 3 of the supplier as follows, according to the data shown in Figure 6, for example, if the ink storage unit 3 of the previous supplier was the first ink storage unit. That is, if the first ink storage unit is a genuine ink storage unit and has not been replaced when the inkjet recording device 10 is turned off, the determination unit 71 determines the ink storage unit 3 of the supplier to be the first ink storage unit, regardless of the state of the second ink storage unit. In other words, if the determination unit 71 determines that the ink storage unit 3 indicated by the usage information has not been replaced, it determines that the ink storage unit 3 is the ink storage unit 3 of the supplier.

[0077] Furthermore, if the first ink storage unit is replaced when the inkjet recording device 10 is turned off, and the second ink storage unit is not replaced when the inkjet recording device 10 is turned off, the determination unit 71 determines the source ink storage unit 3 to be the second ink storage unit.

[0078] With these configurations, the ink storage unit 3 from the previous supplier can be used up completely by continuing to use it, making it easier to use the ink storage unit 3 efficiently.

[0079] Furthermore, if the first ink storage unit is "non-genuine → non-genuine," the determination unit 71 determines the ink storage unit 3 of the supplier to be the first ink storage unit, regardless of the state of the second ink storage unit. In other words, if the determination unit 71 cannot determine whether the ink storage unit 3 indicated by the usage information has been replaced, it determines that the ink storage unit 3 to be the ink storage unit 3 of the supplier.

[0080] With this configuration, by continuously using a non-genuine ink reservoir as the source ink reservoir 3, the non-genuine ink reservoir can be used up quickly, making it less likely that the situation in which the non-genuine ink reservoir is used will continue.

[0081] (2) If the ink storage unit of the previous supplier was the second ink storage unit, the determination unit 71 determines the ink storage unit 3 of the supplier as follows, according to the data shown in Figure 7, for example, if the ink storage unit 3 of the previous supplier was the second ink storage unit. That is, if the second ink storage unit is a genuine ink storage unit and has not been replaced when the inkjet recording device 10 is turned off, the determination unit 71 determines the ink storage unit 3 of the supplier to be the second ink storage unit, regardless of the state of the first ink storage unit. In other words, if the determination unit 71 determines that the ink storage unit 3 indicated by the usage information has not been replaced, it determines that the ink storage unit 3 is the ink storage unit 3 of the supplier.

[0082] With this configuration, the ink storage unit 3 from the previous supplier can be used up completely by continuing to use that ink storage unit 3, making it easier to use the ink storage unit 3 efficiently.

[0083] Furthermore, if the second ink storage unit is "non-genuine → non-genuine" and the first ink storage unit has not been replaced when the inkjet recording device 10 is turned off, the determination unit 71 determines the source ink storage unit 3 to be the second ink storage unit.

[0084] With this configuration, by continuously using a non-genuine ink reservoir as the source ink reservoir 3, the non-genuine ink reservoir can be used up quickly, making it less likely that the situation in which the non-genuine ink reservoir is used will continue.

[0085] Furthermore, if the second ink storage unit has been replaced while the inkjet recording device 10 is powered off, the determination unit 71 determines the first ink storage unit to be the ink storage unit 3 supplied by the supplier. In other words, if the ink storage unit 3 indicated by the usage information is the second ink storage unit, and the determination unit 71 determines that the second ink storage unit has been replaced, it determines the first ink storage unit to be the ink storage unit 3 supplied by the supplier.

[0086] With this configuration, by designating the first ink storage unit, which has a higher priority for use, as the ink storage unit 3 supplied by the ink supplier, it becomes easier to use the ink storage unit 3 efficiently.

[0087] <Step S17> The control device 7 then permits the use of the ink storage unit 3 of the supplier determined by the determination process performed by the determination unit 71. As a result, the control device 7 supplies ink from the ink storage unit 3 of the supplier to the corresponding recording head 51.

[0088] As described above, in the inkjet recording device 10 according to this embodiment, the source ink storage unit 3 is determined based on the first identification information and the second identification information. Therefore, in the inkjet recording device 10 according to this embodiment, it is possible to determine whether or not the ink storage unit 3 has been replaced when the power of the inkjet recording device 10 is turned off by referring to the first identification information and the second identification information. Accordingly, in the inkjet recording device 10 according to this embodiment, for example, if the ink storage unit 3 from the previous source has not been replaced, the user can continue to use that ink storage unit 3 until it is completely used up, making it easier for the user to time the replacement of the ink storage unit 3 and to efficiently use multiple ink storage units that each store ink of the same color.

[0089] Furthermore, in the inkjet recording device 10 according to this embodiment, by referring to the first identification information and the second identification information, it is possible to determine whether or not the ink storage unit 3 has been replaced when the inkjet recording device 10 is powered off, even in an inkjet recording device 10 that does not have a locking mechanism for the ink storage unit 3.

[0090] [5] Modified Example: In each ink color, the multiple ink storage units 3 do not necessarily have to be set as a first ink storage unit and a second ink storage unit. In this case, the determination unit 71 may determine the source ink storage unit 3 regardless of the priority of each ink storage unit 3.

[0091] The determination unit 71 may determine the source ink storage unit 3 by referring only to the first identification information and the second identification information, without referring to the usage information. In this case, the determination unit 71 may determine the source ink storage unit 3 to be, for example, the ink storage unit 3 for which both the first identification information and the second identification information are the same, that is, the ink storage unit 3 that has not been replaced when the inkjet recording device 10 is turned off.

[0092] The acquisition unit 72 may acquire only the identification information of the ink storage unit 3 of the supplier. In this case, the determination unit 71 may determine the ink storage unit 3 to be the supplier's ink storage unit 3 if, for example, the first identification information and the second identification information are the same, that is, if the previous ink storage unit 3 of the supplier has not been replaced. Alternatively, the determination unit 71 may determine a different ink storage unit 3 to be the supplier's ink storage unit 3 if, for example, the first identification information and the second identification information are different, that is, if the previous ink storage unit 3 of the supplier has been replaced.

[0093] Each ink storage unit 3 does not necessarily have to be fitted with an IC tag 30. For example, the acquisition unit 72 may acquire identification information by reading a two-dimensional code such as a QR code (registered trademark) attached to the ink storage unit 3 using an image sensor provided by the inkjet recording device 10.

[0094] The control device 7 may notify the determination result of the determination unit 71 regarding the source ink storage unit 3. For example, the control device 7 may display a message on the display unit indicating which ink storage unit 3 is the source, for each ink color. Also, for example, if the source ink storage unit 3 is changed, the control device 7 may display a message on the display unit indicating that fact.

[0095] Multiple components included in the inkjet recording device 10 may be distributed and provided in multiple housings. For example, the image forming unit 5 and the ink supply unit 6 may be provided in separate housings.

[0096] Conversely, in the embodiment, at least one of the components provided separately from the inkjet recording device 10 may be provided in the inkjet recording device 10 as a component of the inkjet recording device 10. For example, at least one of the paper feeder 11, drying device 12, and discharge device 13 may be provided inside the housing 21 and configured integrally with the inkjet recording device 10.

[0097] Furthermore, the image-forming object on which the image is formed by the inkjet recording device 10 is not limited to a sheet Sh1 such as paper or resin film, but may also be a roll of fabric such as nonwoven fabric or cloth. In this case, the inkjet recording device 10 is a textile printing machine (textile printer) that records an image on the fabric by ejecting ink onto the fabric and dyeing the fibers of the fabric with the ink.

[0098] [Addendum to the Invention] The following is an outline of the invention extracted from the above-described embodiments. Note that each configuration and processing function described in the following addendum can be selected and combined as desired.

[0099] <Note 1> An inkjet recording apparatus comprising: a determination unit that determines which of a plurality of ink storage units, each containing ink of the same color, is the source ink storage unit that supplies the ink to the corresponding recording head; and an acquisition unit that acquires identification information of at least the source ink storage unit among the plurality of ink storage units, wherein the determination unit determines the source ink storage unit based on first identification information which is the identification information acquired by the acquisition unit and second identification information which is the identification information acquired by the acquisition unit before the acquisition of the first identification information and before the power was turned off.

[0100] <Note 2> The inkjet recording apparatus according to Note 1, wherein the determination unit determines the ink storage unit of the supplier based on usage information indicating the ink storage unit of the supplier at the time of acquisition of the second identification information.

[0101] <Note 3> The inkjet recording apparatus as described in Note 2, wherein the determination unit determines that the ink storage unit indicated by the usage information has not been replaced, and determines that the ink storage unit is the ink storage unit of the supplier.

[0102] <Note 4> The inkjet recording apparatus according to Note 2 or 3, wherein the determination unit determines the ink storage unit to be the ink storage unit of the supplier if it cannot determine whether the ink storage unit indicated by the usage information has been replaced.

[0103] <Note 5> The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of Notes 2 to 4, wherein the plurality of ink storage units include a first ink storage unit which has a higher priority for use and a second ink storage unit which has not, and the determination unit determines the first ink storage unit to be the ink storage unit of the supplier when the ink storage unit indicated by the usage information is the second ink storage unit and the second ink storage unit has been replaced.

[0104] <Note 6> Each of the plurality of ink storage units has a tag that can be read wirelessly and stores the identification information, and the acquisition unit acquires the identification information by wirelessly communicating with the tag, as described in any of Notes 1 to 5.

[0105] <Note 7> An inkjet recording method comprising: a determination step of determining the source ink storage unit that supplies the ink to the corresponding recording head from among a plurality of ink storage units each containing ink of the same color; and an acquisition step of acquiring identification information of at least the source ink storage unit among the plurality of ink storage units, wherein the determination step determines the source ink storage unit based on first identification information which is the identification information acquired in the acquisition step and second identification information which is the identification information acquired in the acquisition step before the first identification information is acquired and before the power is turned off.

Claims

1. An inkjet recording apparatus comprising: a determination unit that determines which of a plurality of ink storage units, each containing ink of the same color, is the source ink storage unit that supplies the ink to the corresponding recording head; and an acquisition unit that acquires identification information of at least the source ink storage unit among the plurality of ink storage units, wherein the determination unit determines the source ink storage unit based on first identification information which is the identification information acquired by the acquisition unit, and second identification information which is the identification information acquired by the acquisition unit before the acquisition of the first identification information and before the power was turned off.

2. The determination unit determines the ink storage unit of the supplier based on usage information indicating the ink storage unit of the supplier at the time of acquisition of the second identification information, the inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the determination unit determines that the ink storage unit indicated by the usage information has not been replaced, and determines that the ink storage unit is the ink storage unit of the supplier.

4. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein if the determination unit cannot determine whether the ink storage unit indicated by the usage information has been replaced, it determines the ink storage unit to be the ink storage unit of the supplier.

5. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of ink storage units include a first ink storage unit which has a higher priority for use and a second ink storage unit which has not, and the determination unit determines the first ink storage unit to be the ink storage unit of the supplier when the ink storage unit indicated by the usage information is the second ink storage unit and the determination unit determines that the second ink storage unit has been replaced.

6. Each of the plurality of ink storage units has a wirelessly readable tag on which the identification information is stored, and the acquisition unit acquires the identification information by wirelessly communicating with the tag, the inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1.

7. An inkjet recording method comprising: a determination step of determining which of a plurality of ink storage units, each containing ink of the same color, is the source ink storage unit that supplies the ink to the corresponding recording head; and an acquisition step of acquiring identification information of at least the source ink storage unit among the plurality of ink storage units, wherein the determination step determines the source ink storage unit based on first identification information, which is the identification information acquired in the acquisition step, and second identification information, which is the identification information acquired in the acquisition step before the first identification information is acquired and before the power is turned off.

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