Image recording apparatus

An image recording apparatus wherein the controller is configured to adjust a distance between a first recording medium and a second recording medium fed subsequently to the first recording medium in a medium feeding direction on the basis of a length L1 of a trailing-end marginal area of the first recording medium, a length L2 of a leading-end marginal area of the second recording medium, and a length L0 of a feeding-path recording area on a medium feeding path in the medium feeding direction such that the first recording medium and the second recording medium are not overlapped with each other in the feeding-path recording area and such that respective image recorded areas of the first recording medium and the second recording medium are not disposed on the feeding-path recording area at the same time.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-227859, which was filed on Sep. 30, 2009, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus configured to record an image on a recording medium.

2. Description of the Related Art

There is conventionally known an image recording apparatus such as an ink-jet printer as an image recording apparatus configured to record an image on a recording sheet. In the image recording apparatus of this type, a recording unit is moved or reciprocated in a main scanning direction to record an image on an area of a recording sheet located under the recording unit while the recording sheet is fed in a sub-scanning direction by a predetermined distance in each reciprocation, whereby an entire image is recorded on the recording sheet.

Further, as the conventional image recording apparatus, there is known an image recording apparatus in which a subsequent sheet is overlapped with a marginal area of a preceding sheet in image recording on a plurality of recording sheets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Meanwhile, in the conventional apparatus in which the subsequent sheet is overlapped with the marginal area of the preceding sheet from an upper side of the preceding sheet, a distance between the recording unit and a surface of the recording sheet is changed by a thickness of the recording sheet in an area in which the subsequent sheet and the preceding sheet are overlapped with each other. Thus, a quality of the image recorded on the recording sheet deteriorates due to the change of the distance between the recording unit and the surface of the recording sheet.

For example, in the image recording apparatus such as an ink-jet printer configured to record the image on the recording sheet by ejecting ink droplets from the recording head while moving the recording head in the main scanning direction, the ink droplets are attached to or landed on the recording sheet by flying downward while moving in the main scanning direction due to inertia. Thus, where the distance between the recording head and the surface of the recording sheet has been changed, a distance of the movement of the ink droplets in the main scanning direction from the ejection of the ink droplets to the attachment of the ink droplets to the recording sheet has been changed, whereby a position of the attachment (i.e., a landing position) of each ink droplet deviates from an intended position. In particular, where the recording head is reciprocated and the ink droplets are ejected from the recording head in a forward path and a backward path of the reciprocation of the recording head, uneven image recording is unfortunately performed between passes of the image to be recorded on the recording sheet by the deviation of the landing positions between an ejecting operation of the ink droplets in the forward path and an ejecting operation of the ink droplets in the backward path.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an image recording apparatus configured to perform a medium feeding control of a subsequent medium which is preferable to that of a conventional apparatus.

The object indicated above may be achieved according to the present invention which provides an image recording apparatus comprising: an image recording unit configured to record an image on a recording medium located at a feeding-path recording area as a specific area on a medium feeding path through which the recording medium is fed; a medium-feed mechanism configured to feed the recording medium through the medium feeding path from an upstream side thereof to a downstream side thereof in a medium feeding direction such that the recording medium passes through the feeding-path recording area; a medium-supply mechanism configured to supply the recording medium to the medium-feed mechanism from a position located on an upstream side of the medium-feed mechanism in the medium feeding direction; and a controller configured to control the supply and the feed of the recording medium by controlling the medium-supply mechanism and the medium-feed mechanism, wherein the controller includes: a first specifying section configured to specify a length L1of a trailing-end marginal area of a first recording medium in the medium feeding direction, the first recording medium being a recording medium on which an image is recorded at the feeding-path recording area and the trailing-end marginal area being a marginal area on which the image is not recorded and which is an upstream-side portion of the first recording medium in the medium feeding direction; and a second specifying section configured to specify a length L2of a leading-end marginal area of a second recording medium in the medium feeding direction, the second recording medium being a recording medium fed to the feeding-path recording area subsequently to the first recording medium and the leading-end marginal area being a marginal area on which the image is not recorded and which is a downstream-side portion of the second recording medium in the medium feeding direction, and wherein the controller is configured to adjust a length between the first recording medium and the second recording medium in the medium feeding direction on the basis of the length L1specified by the first specifying section, the length L2specified by the second specifying section, and a length L0of the feeding-path recording area in the medium feeding direction such that the first recording medium and the second recording medium are not overlapped with each other in the feeding-path recording area and such that an image recorded area of the first recording medium on which the image is to be recorded and an image recorded area of the second recording medium on which the image is to be recorded are not disposed on the feeding-path recording area at the same time.

The object indicated above may be achieved according to the present invention which provides an image recording apparatus comprising: an image recording unit configured to record an image on a recording medium located at a feeding-path recording area as a specific area on a medium feeding path through which the recording medium is fed; a medium-feed mechanism configured to feed the recording medium through the medium feeding path from an upstream side thereof to a downstream side thereof in a medium feeding direction such that the recording medium passes through the feeding-path recording area; a medium-supply mechanism configured to supply the recording medium to the medium-feed mechanism from a position located on an upstream side of the medium-feed mechanism in the medium feeding direction; and a controller configured to control the supply and the feed of the recording medium by controlling the medium-supply mechanism and the medium-feed mechanism, wherein the controller includes: a first specifying section configured to specify a length L1of a trailing-end marginal area of a first recording medium in the medium feeding direction, the first recording medium being a recording medium on which an image is recorded at the feeding-path recording area and the trailing-end marginal area being a marginal area on which the image is not recorded and which is an upstream-side portion of the first recording medium in the medium feeding direction; and a second specifying section configured to specify a length L2of a leading-end marginal area of a second recording medium in the medium feeding direction, the second recording medium being a recording medium fed to the feeding-path recording area subsequently to the first recording medium and the leading-end marginal area being a marginal area on which the image is not recorded and which is a downstream-side portion of the second recording medium in the medium feeding direction, wherein the controller is configured to adjust a length between the first recording medium and the second recording medium in the medium feeding direction on the basis of the length L1specified by the first specifying section, the length L2specified by the second specifying section, and a length L0of the feeding-path recording area in the medium feeding direction such that the first recording medium and the second recording medium are not overlapped with each other in the feeding-path recording area and such that an image recorded area of the first recording medium on which the image is to be recorded and an image recorded area of the second recording medium on which the image is to be recorded are not disposed on the feeding-path recording area at the same time, and wherein the controller further includes: a judging section configured to judge whether a total length (L1+L2) which is a sum of the length L1specified by the first specifying section and the length L2specified by the second specifying section is equal to or longer than the length L0of the feeding-path recording area in the medium feeding direction or not; and an adjusting section configured to adjust the length between the first recording medium and the second recording medium in the medium feeding direction such that the length between the first recording medium and the second recording medium in the feeding-path recording area becomes equal to or shorter than the length L0where the judging section has judged that the total length (L1+L2) is equal to or longer than the length L0.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, there will be described first and second embodiments of the present invention by reference to the drawings. An image recording apparatus1of ink-jet type as the present first embodiment shown in the drawings such asFIG. 1is configured to record or form an image on a recording sheet as a recording medium on the basis of print data provided or transmitted from an external device such as a PC. This image recording apparatus1includes a main controller10configured to control overall operations of the image recording apparatus1, a recording controlling section30, a carriage movement controlling section50, a sheet feeding controlling section70, and a sheet supplying controlling section80. It is noted that functions performed by the respective controller and controlling sections10,30,50,70,80can be realized by processings by a software using hardware circuits or a microcomputer, or realized by combinations of these processings.

This image recording apparatus1includes, in addition to the controller and controlling sections10,30,50,70,80, a recording head31as an image recording portion configured to eject ink droplets downward, a drive circuit33configured to drive the recording head31, a carriage moving mechanism40(specifically shown inFIGS. 2A and 2B) having a carriage41as a moving portion on which the recording head31is mounted, a CR motor51configured to apply a drive force to the carriage41, a drive circuit53configured to drive the CR motor51, a linear encoder55for measuring a position and a moving speed of the carriage41, a sheet feeding mechanism60, an LF motor71configured to apply a drive force to a sheet-feed roller61as a part of an upstream-side sheet-feed unit and a sheet-discharge roller63included in the sheet feeding mechanism60, a drive circuit73configured to drive the LF motor71, a rotary encoder75for measuring a rotational amount of the LF motor71, a PF motor81configured to apply a drive force to a sheet-supply roller68as a part of a medium-supply mechanism included in the sheet feeding mechanism60, a drive circuit83configured to drive the PF motor81, a rotary encoder85for measuring a rotational amount of the PF motor81, and a register sensor90for detecting ends of the sheet. It is noted thatFIG. 2Ais a cross-sectional view showing general constructions of the carriage moving mechanism40and the sheet feeding mechanism60of the image recording apparatus1, andFIG. 2Bis a top view showing a general construction of the carriage moving mechanism40.

Specifically explained, the recording controlling section30controls the ejection of the ink droplets from the recording head31by inputting a control signal to the drive circuit33and records or forms the image on the sheet on the basis of the print data transmitted from the external device such as the PC. In the present embodiment, the main controller10is provided with an interface, not shown, such as a USB interface for carrying out a data communication with the external device such as the PC. The print data constituted by a plurality of image data respectively corresponding to pages of an object to be recorded is inputted to the image recording apparatus1from the external device such as the PC through the interface.

Further, the carriage movement controlling section50controls the CR motor51by inputting the control signal to the drive circuit53. The carriage movement controlling section50controls the movement of the carriage41by controlling the CP motor51, thereby reciprocating the carriage41at a constant speed in a main scanning direction (with reference toFIG. 2B). This carriage movement controlling section50measures the position and the moving speed of the carriage41on the basis of an encoder signal inputted from the linear encoder55and moves the carriage41at the constant speed in the main scanning direction to a turning point of the reciprocation by controlling the CR motor51on the basis of a result of this measurement.

It is noted that the carriage movement controlling section50stops the carriage41at the turning point by decelerating the carriage41immediately in front of the turning point. Further, while the carriage movement controlling section50controls the movement of the carriage41, the recording controlling section30controls the recording head31such that the recording head31ejects the ink droplets in a pattern corresponding to the print data. In this operation, a part of the image which corresponds to a predetermined line is recorded in the main scanning direction on the sheet under the carriage41each time when the carriage41is moved to the turning point in the main scanning direction. In view of the above, the recording head31and the carriage41constitute an image recording unit.

In the following explanation, the control of the carriage movement controlling section50for the movement of the carriage41to the turning point in the main scanning direction may be referred to as a “control of the movement of the carriage41corresponding to one pass”. Further, a sheet feeding path (i.e., a medium feeding path) through which the sheet is fed in a sheet feeding direction (i.e., a medium feeding direction) includes an area at which the image can be recorded on the sheet by “the control of the movement of the carriage41corresponding to one pass” with the ejection of the ink droplets from the recording head31. This area may be referred to as an “image recording area” or a “sheet-feeding-path recording area (feeding-path recording area)”.

There will be next explained the sheet feeding controlling section70. The sheet feeding controlling section70is configured to control the LF motor71by inputting the control signal to the drive circuit73. The drive force generated by the LF motor71is transmitted through a drive-force transmitting mechanism65to (a) the sheet-feed roller61(with reference toFIG. 2A) located on the sheet feeding path at a position on an upstream side of the image recording area in the sheet feeding direction and (b) the sheet-discharge roller63located on the sheet feeding path at a position on a downstream side of the image recording area in the sheet feeding direction.

The image recording apparatus1includes a driven roller62as a part of an upstream-side sheet-feed unit which is disposed so as to face the sheet-feed roller61and rotated by the rotation of the sheet-feed roller61. The rotations of the sheet-feed roller61and the driven roller62cause the sheet to be fed or pulled into a position between the sheet-feed roller61and the driven roller62on the sheet feeding path from an upstream side in the sheet feeding direction and fed to the image recording area.

Further, the image recording apparatus1includes a driven roller64(with reference toFIG. 2A) which is disposed so as to face the sheet-discharge roller63and rotated by the rotation of the sheet-discharge roller63. The rotations of the sheet-discharge roller63and the driven roller64cause the sheet to be fed to a position on the sheet feeding path which is located on a downstream side of the image recording area in the sheet feeding direction and then discharged.

That is, the sheet feeding controlling section70controls, by controlling the rotations of the sheet-feed roller61and the sheet-discharge roller63via the LF motor71, the sheet feeding mechanism60such that the sheet is fed along the sheet feeding path in a sub-scanning direction coinciding with the sheet feeding direction from an upstream position toward a downstream position respectively on an upstream side and a downstream side of the image recording area in the sheet feeding direction. Specifically, the sheet feeding controlling section70measures a sheet feeding amount on the basis of an encoder signal inputted from the rotary encoder75and controls the LF motor71on the basis of a result of this measurement such that the sheet is fed by an amount corresponding to a command from the main controller10. As a result, the sheet feeding mechanism60feeds the sheet in the sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction in which the carriage41is moved.

The sheet supplying controlling section80is configured to control the PF motor81by inputting the control signal to the drive circuit83. It is noted that the drive force generated by the PF motor81is transmitted to the sheet-supply roller68which is brought into contact with the sheet placed on a sheet-supply tray69.

That is, the sheet supplying controlling section80controls the PF motor81such that the sheet-supply roller68is rotated, whereby an uppermost one of the sheets placed on the sheet-supply tray69is fed toward the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction through the sheet feeding path and supplied to the position between the sheet-feed roller61and the driven roller62located on a downstream side of the sheet-supply tray69in the sheet feeding direction.

Specifically, the sheet supplying controlling section80measures the sheet feeding amount on the basis of an encoder signal inputted from the rotary encoder85and controls the PF motor81on the basis of a result of this measurement such that the sheet is fed by an amount corresponding to a command from the main controller10.

Further, the sheet feeding mechanism60includes the sheet-feed roller61, the sheet-discharge roller63, the driven rollers62,64, and the sheet-supply roller68and further includes the sheet-supply tray69on which the sheets to be supplied are placed in a state in which the sheets are stacked on each other, and a U-turn path67and a platen66each of which partly constitutes the sheet feeding path.

That is, the sheet feeding mechanism60is configured to separate, by the rotation of the sheet-supply roller68, the sheets placed on the sheet-supply tray69one by one from the sheet-supply tray69, then supply each sheet to the U-turn path67, and then feed the sheet through the U-turn path67to the position between the sheet-feed roller61and the driven roller62located on a downstream side of the sheet-supply tray69in the sheet feeding direction.

Further, this sheet feeding mechanism60is configured to feed, by the rotation of the sheet-feed roller61, the sheet having been fed to the position between the sheet-feed roller61and the driven roller62, through the sheet feeding path toward the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction. The sheet fed by the sheet-feed roller61is fed toward the downstream side through a position between the platen66and the recording head31while being supported at a lower face of the sheet by the platen66.

The sheet feeding mechanism60nips the sheet fed in a manner as described above, by the sheet-discharge roller63and the driven roller64disposed on the sheet feeding path on a downstream side of the platen66in the sheet feeding direction and discharges the sheet onto a sheet-discharge tray, not shown, by the rotation of the sheet-discharge roller63.

It is noted that, as described above, the register sensor90is provided at a position on the sheet feeding path which is located slightly on an upstream side of the sheet-feed roller61in the sheet feeding direction and is configured to sense a leading end and a trailing end of the sheet passing through the position and input a result of this sense to the main controller10and the controlling sections70,80which control the sheet feeding. The image recording apparatus1as the present embodiment accurately specifies a position of the sheet on the sheet feeding path on the basis of the result of the sense of the register sensor90and information about the sheet feeding amount obtained by the encoder signals.

Further, as shown inFIG. 2B, the carriage moving mechanism40as a moving portion includes the carriage41on which the recording head31is mounted, frames43,44which guide the carriage41in the main scanning direction, and a belt mechanism47. The carriage moving mechanism40is configured such that the carriage41is slidably mounted on the frames43,44extending in the main scanning direction and connected to an endless belt471partly constituting the belt mechanism47.

The belt mechanism47includes the endless belt471and a pair of pulleys473,474respectively disposed at opposite ends of the frame44in the main scanning direction. The endless belt471is wound around the pulleys473,474so as to be tensioned between the pulleys473,474.

The above-described CR motor51is connected to one of the pulleys473,474via gears, not shown, so as to rotate the one of the pulleys473,474. The one of the pulleys473,474is rotated by receiving the drive force generated by the CR motor51via the gears. The other of the pulleys473,474is driven or rotated via the endless belt471by the rotation of the one of the pulleys473,474which is rotated by receiving the drive force of the CR motor51.

The carriage moving mechanism40moves the carriage41whose movable direction is restricted to the main scanning direction by the frames43,44, in the main scanning direction via the endless belt471rotated by receiving the drive force of the CR motor51as thus described.

There will be next explained a recording controlling processing performed by the main controller10with reference toFIG. 3. When the print data has been inputted from the external device such as the PC, the main controller10performs the recording controlling processing shown inFIG. 3. In this processing, the inputted print data is processed, whereby images of respective pages based on the print data are respectively recorded on the sheets different from each other.

Specifically, the main controller10efficiently feeds a subsequent sheet (i.e., a trailing sheet), by performing the recording controlling processing shown inFIG. 3, such that a preceding sheet (i.e., a leading sheet) and the subsequent sheet do not overlap with each other in the image recording area and such that a non-marginal area of the preceding sheet and a non-marginal area of the subsequent sheet are not disposed in the image recording area at the same time. It is noted that a “marginal area” is an area in the sheet which is located on an inside of four edges of the rectangular sheet and in which the image is not recorded in an area (i.e., a four-edges area) near and along the four edges, while the “non-marginal area” is an area in the sheet other than the marginal area. In the present embodiment, the print data inputted from the external device to the image recording apparatus1stores margin setting information about image data which respectively correspond to the pages and which constitute the print data. As a result, the marginal area is set in the image data corresponding to each page.

As described above, the main controller10performs the sheet feeding such that the preceding sheet and the subsequent sheet do not overlap with each other in the image recording area. This is for preventing a deterioration of a quality of the image recorded on the sheet, the deterioration being caused by a change of an attachment manner or a landing manner of the ink droplets on the sheet due to a change of a distance from a sheet surface on which the image is to be recorded and a nozzle face31a(with reference toFIGS. 5A and 5B) of the recording head31by the overlap between the preceding sheet and the subsequent sheet.

Further, as described above, the main controller10performs the sheet feeding such that the non-marginal area of the preceding sheet and the non-marginal area of the subsequent sheet are not disposed in the image recording area at the same time. This is for avoiding a complicated control for the image recording. In the present embodiment, a series of the image recording on the sheet is performed by repeating the image recording control corresponding to one pass which is performed in accordance with the control of the movement of the carriage41which corresponds to one pass. However, where the non-marginal area of the preceding sheet and the non-marginal area of the subsequent sheet are disposed in the image recording area at the same time, the image recording on the preceding sheet and the image recording on the subsequent sheet need to be performed at the same time upon the image recording control corresponding to one pass, while considering a positional relationship between the preceding sheet and the subsequent sheet. Such an image recording control is very complicated. In the present embodiment, in order to avoid this complicated image recording control, the main controller10performs the sheet feeding such that the non-marginal area of the preceding sheet and the non-marginal area of the subsequent sheet are not disposed in the image recording area at the same time.

In the recording controlling processing, when the print data is inputted, the main controller10initially performs in S100a sheet-supply processing. That is, the main controller10controls the sheet supplying controlling section80such that the uppermost one of the sheets placed on the sheet-supply tray69is supplied to the position between the sheet-feed roller61and the driven roller62. Further, in this time, oblique feeding of the sheet is corrected, in other words, an oblique feeding correction is performed.

Specifically, in S100, the main controller10inputs a command to the sheet supplying controlling section80such that the sheet is fed by a sheet feeding amount (La+α) obtained by adding a redundant amount a required for the oblique feeding correction to a sheet feeding amount La required for the uppermost sheet to be moved to the position between the sheet-feed roller61and the driven roller62. The sheet supplying controlling section80having received this command controls the PF motor81such that the sheet feeding mechanism60feeds the uppermost sheet by the sheet feeding amount (La+α) toward the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction along the sheet feeding path.

It is noted that the sheet-feed roller61is being stopped during the sheet feeding in S100. Thus, where the sheet is fed by an amount (i.e., a distance) which is larger by the redundant amount a than the sheet feeding amount La required for the uppermost sheet to be moved to the position between the sheet-feed roller61and the driven roller62, the sheet is brought into strong contact with the position between the sheet-feed roller61and the driven roller62, thereby being subjected to the oblique feeding correction.

Where a sheet-supply operation including the oblique feeding correction is finished by the sheet feeding mechanism60on the basis of this sheet-supply processing, this recording controlling processing goes to S110in which the main controller10sets a processing subject page as a front page. Then, in S120, the main controller10performs an initial setting processing in which the sheet is fed to a recording-start-position at which a first line of the image is to be recorded.

Specifically, in S120, the main controller10specifies a length of a marginal area of a leading end portion (hereinafter may be referred to as a “leading-end-portion marginal area” or a “leading-end marginal area”) of the sheet on which an image of the processing subject page is to be recorded, on the basis of margin setting information about image data of the processing subject page which partly constitutes the print data. Then, the main controller10specifies, on the basis of this length of the leading-end-portion marginal area, a sheet feeding amount required for a front or leading end of the non-marginal area of the sheet to reach a front or leading end of the image recording area in the sheet feeding path. It is noted that the “leading-end-portion marginal area” is a part of the marginal area located along and near the four edges of the sheet, the part being located on the most downstream side in the sheet feeding direction in the marginal area. In other words, the “leading-end-portion marginal area” is a part of the marginal area which corresponds to a leading end portion of the sheet in the sheet feeding direction when the sheet is fed.

After this specification, the main controller10inputs a command to the sheet feeding controlling section70such that the sheet is fed by the sheet feeding amount. As a result of this input of the command, the sheet-feed roller61of the sheet feeding mechanism60is rotated, whereby the supplied sheet is fed toward the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction through the sheet feeding path, and the initial setting operation is performed.

Further, the initial setting operation of the sheet feeding mechanism60based on the initial setting processing is finished, the main controller10judges in S130whether there is image data corresponding to a page following the processing subject page (i.e., a subsequent page or a next page) or not on the basis of the print data. Then, where the main controller10has judged that there is the image data corresponding to the subsequent page (S130: Yes), the main controller10performs in S140a subsequent-sheet-supply controlling processing shown inFIG. 4, and this recording controlling processing goes to S150. On the other hand, where the main controller10has judged that there is no image data corresponding to the subsequent page (S130: No), this recording controlling processing skips S140and goes to S150.

Explained in detail later, in this subsequent-sheet-supply controlling processing, where predetermined conditions are satisfied, the main controller10controls the sheet feeding mechanism60by performing the sheet-supply processing such that the sheet-supply operation is started for the subsequent sheet. As a result, the subsequent sheet on which the image of the subsequent page is to be recorded is supplied to the sheet-feed roller61.

Further, in S150, the main controller10controls the carriage movement controlling section50such that the carriage movement controlling section50performs the control of the movement of the carriage41corresponding to one pass, and controls the recording controlling section30such that the recording controlling section30performs the image recording control corresponding to one pass. In this processing, a part of the image corresponding to one pass is recorded on an area of the sheet which is disposed in the image recording area. It is noted that a width of the part of the image in the sub-scanning direction corresponds to a length L0of the image recording area in the sub-scanning direction.

Further, where the control of the movement of the carriage41corresponding to one pass is finished, this recording controlling processing goes to S160in which the main controller10waits until the sheet-supply operation of the sheet feeding mechanism60is finished. Then, where the sheet-supply operation is finished, this recording controlling processing goes to S170. It is noted that the processing of S160is a processing for not rotating the sheet-feed roller61until the sheet-supply operation (including the oblique feeding correction) which is started in S140by the sheet feeding mechanism60is finished. Thus, where the sheet-supply operation has not been started in S140, the main controller10has judged that the sheet is not being supplied (S160: No), this recording controlling processing goes to S170without waiting.

Further, in S170, the main controller10judges whether the image recording for the processing subject page is completely finished to the last line or not. Where the main controller10has judged that the image recording for the processing subject page is not completely finished (S170: No), the main controller10performs a sheet feeding processing in S175. Specifically, the main controller10inputs a command to the sheet feeding controlling section70such that the sheet is fed or conveyed by an amount corresponding to the width (i.e., the length L0) of the part of the image corresponding to one pass. Then, the sheet feeding controlling section70drives the LF motor71such that the sheet feeding mechanism60feeds the sheet toward the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction through the sheet feeding path by the rotations of the sheet-feed roller61and the sheet-discharge roller63by the amount corresponding to the width (i.e., the length L0) of the part of the image corresponding to one pass.

Further, where this processing is finished, this recording controlling processing returns to S130and S150in which the main controller10controls a processing in which another part of the image corresponding to one pass is recorded on the fed sheet. By repeating these processings, the main controller10performs a control in which an entire image is recorded on the sheet. Then, where the image recording of the sheet on the basis of the image data corresponding to the processing subject page is completely finished (S170: Yes), this recording controlling processing goes to S180.

Further, in S180, the main controller10judges whether the image recording based on the image data corresponding to the last page has been finished or not. That is, the main controller10judges whether the image recording for the entire image is finished or not. Where the main controller10has judged that the image recording based on the image data corresponding to the last page has been finished (S180: Yes), the main controller10performs a sheet discharging processing in S185. That is, the main controller10controls the sheet feeding controlling section70such that the sheet feeding controlling section70drives the LF motor71to rotate the sheet-discharge roller63, whereby the sheet is fed through the sheet-discharge roller63and discharged to the sheet-discharge tray, not shown. Then, the recording controlling processing is finished.

On the other hand, the main controller10has judged that the image recording based on the image data corresponding to the last page has not been finished (S180: No), the main controller10judges in S190whether the subsequent sheet has been supplied to the sheet-feed roller61or not. Where the main controller10has judged that the subsequent sheet has not been supplied to the sheet-feed roller61(S190: No), the main controller10performs in S195the sheet discharging processing in the similar manner to the processing of S185, whereby the sheet is discharged to the sheet-discharge tray.

Where the sheet discharging operation in S195by the sheet feeding mechanism60has been finished, the main controller10performs in S200the sheet-supply processing in the similar manner to the processing of S100, whereby a sheet on which the image of the subsequent page is to be recorded is supplied to the sheet-feed roller61while being subjected to the oblique feeding correction. It is noted that the performance of the sheet-supply processing in S200is limited basically to the case where the marginal area is too large, and thus the image recording for the previous page is finished before conditions for performing the sheet-supply processing in S140have been satisfied.

Then, where the sheet-supply operation by the sheet feeding mechanism60has been finished, the main controller10changes in S210the processing subject page to the subsequent page, and this recording controlling processing goes to S120. Then, the main controller10performs the following processings for the processing subject page after the change.

However, in pages from a second page, the length of the leading-end-portion marginal area of the sheet on which the image of the processing subject page is to be recorded has been specified in the processing of S140which has been performed when the processing subject page is the previous page (this operation will be described in greater detail below). Thus, in S120, the initial setting processing is performed on the basis of this information. Further, in the case where the sheet-supply processing is performed in S140, the sheet has been already fed to a position on a downstream side of the sheet-feed roller61in S120in the operation for each of the pages from the second page. In this case, the initial setting operation of the sheet is performed by specifying the sheet feeding amount on the basis of a current position of the sheet.

There will be next explained the subsequent-sheet-supply controlling processing performed in S140by the main controller10with reference toFIG. 4. In this subsequent-sheet-supply controlling processing shown inFIG. 4, the main controller10initially judges in S310whether an output signal of the register sensor90is an off-signal or not. It is noted that the register sensor90outputs an on-signal where the sheet exists on an area of the sheet feeding path which faces the register sensor90, and the register sensor90outputs the off-signal where the sheet does not exist on the area.

Where the main controller10has judged that the output signal of the register sensor90is not the off-signal (S310: No), the main controller10does not perform processings from S320, and the subsequent-sheet-supply controlling processing is finished. That is, where the sheet exists at a position facing the register sensor90, the subsequent-sheet-supply controlling processing is finished without performing the sheet-supply processing.

On the other hand, where the main controller10has judged that the output signal of the register sensor90is the off-signal (S310: Yes), the main controller10specifies in S320a length L1of a trailing-end-portion marginal area (a trailing-end marginal area) of the sheet on which the image of the processing subject page is to be recorded, on the basis of margin setting information about image data of the processing subject page which partly constitutes the print data. It is noted that the “trailing-end-portion marginal area” is a part of the marginal area located along and near the four edges of the sheet, the part being located on the most upstream side in the sheet feeding direction in the marginal area. In other words, the “trailing-end-portion marginal area” is a part of the marginal area which corresponds to a trailing end portion of the sheet in the sheet feeding direction when the sheet is fed.

After the processing of S320, the main controller10specifies in S330a length L2of the leading-end-portion marginal area of the sheet on which the image of the subsequent page is to be recorded, on the basis of margin setting information about the image data corresponding to the subsequent page which is subsequent to the processing subject page. Then, in S340, the main controller10judges whether a total length or value (L1+L2) obtained by adding the length L1specified in S320to the length L2specified in S330is equal to or longer than the length L0of the image recording area in the sub-scanning direction or not.

It is noted that the main controller10obtains information about the length L0of the image recording area in the sub-scanning direction from a storage device, not shown, such as an EEPROM in the image recording apparatus1. However, the length L0of the image recording, area in the sub-scanning direction varies in accordance with an operational mode or setting of the recording head31such as a recording resolution. Thus, in S340, the main controller10obtains the information about the length L0corresponding to the operational mode of the recording head31which is currently set.

Where the main controller10has judged that the length (L1+L2) is shorter than the length L0(S340: No), the main controller10judges in S350whether the trailing end of the sheet for the processing subject page has come out of or passed through the image recording area or not. It is noted that the main controller10judges in S350whether the trailing end of the sheet has come out of the image recording area or not on the basis of a sheet feeding amount by the sheet-feed roller61from the sense of the trailing end (or the leading end) of the sheet for the processing subject page by the register sensor90, that is, on the basis of the rotational amount of the LF motor71which is detected by the rotary encoder75. Where the main controller10has judged in S350that the trailing end of the sheet has not come out of the image recording area (S350: No), the subsequent-sheet-supply controlling processing is finished.

On the other hand, where the main controller10has judged that the trailing end of the sheet has come out of the image recording area (S350: Yes), the main controller10performs in S370the sheet-supply processing in a similar manner to the processing in S100, such that the sheet feeding mechanism60starts the sheet-supply operation for the subsequent sheet. Then, the subsequent-sheet-supply controlling processing is finished. However, in this processing, the subsequent-sheet-supply controlling processing is finished at a time when the sheet-supply processing is performed, and goes to S150in the recording controlling processing, without waiting a completion of the sheet-supply operation by the sheet feeding mechanism60. As a result, the image recording on the preceding sheet is performed concurrently with the sheet-supply operation.

Where the main controller10has judged that the length (L1+L2) is equal to or longer than the length L0(S340: Yes), the main controller10judges in S360whether the trailing end of the sheet for the processing subject page has come out of or passed through the sheet-feed roller61toward the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction or not. It is noted that the main controller10judges in S360whether the trailing end of the sheet for the processing subject page has come out of the sheet-feed roller61toward the downstream side or not on the basis of a sheet feeding amount by the register sensor90from the sense of the trailing end (or the leading end) of the sheet for the processing subject page.

Where the main controller10has judged that the trailing end of the sheet has come out of the sheet-feed roller61toward the downstream side (S360: Yes), the main controller10performs the sheet-supply processing in S370. On the other hand, where the main controller10has judged that the trailing end of the sheet has not come out of the sheet-feed roller61toward the downstream side (S360: No), the subsequent-sheet-supply controlling processing is finished without performing the sheet-supply processing.

While the content of the subsequent-sheet-supply controlling processing has been explained,FIG. 5Ais a cross-sectional view of the sheet feeding path showing a positional relationship between the preceding sheet and the subsequent sheet where the total length (L1+L2) of the marginal areas is shorter than the length L0.FIG. 5Bis a cross-sectional view of the sheet feeding path showing a positional relationship between the preceding sheet and the subsequent sheet where the total length (L1+L2) of the marginal areas is equal to or longer than the length L0.

Further,FIG. 6Ashows a sheet feeding distance (length) Lp between the preceding sheet and the subsequent sheet where the total length (L1+L2) of the marginal areas is shorter than the length L0.FIG. 6Bshows a sheet feeding distance Lp between the preceding sheet and the subsequent sheet where the total length (L1+L2) of the marginal areas is equal to or longer than the length L0.

As shown inFIGS. 5A,5B,6A, and6B, in the case where the total length (L1+L2) of the marginal areas is shorter than the length L0, when the above-described subsequent-sheet-supply controlling processing in S140is performed, the subsequent sheet is supplied after the trailing end of the preceding sheet has come out of the leading end of the image recording area. Thus, the sheet feeding distance Lp between the preceding sheet and the subsequent sheet is longer than the length L0. Further, in the case where the total length (L1+L2) of the marginal areas is equal to or longer than the length L0, when the above-described subsequent-sheet-supply controlling processing in S140is performed, the subsequent sheet is supplied where the trailing end of the preceding sheet has come out of the sheet-feed roller61at the time when the preceding sheet fed by the distance corresponding to one pass has been stopped. Thus, the sheet feeding distance Lp between the preceding sheet and the subsequent sheet is basically shorter than the length L0.

Thus, as this subsequent-sheet-supply controlling processing, where the total length (L1+L2) of the marginal areas is shorter than the length L0, the sheet-supply operation is started at a second timing or a third timing at which the trailing end of the sheet has come out of the image recording area, while where the total length (L1+L2) of the marginal areas is equal to or longer than the length L0, the sheet-supply operation is started at a first timing or a fourth timing at which the trailing end of the sheet has come out of the sheet-feed roller61. Where the sheet-supply operation is thus started, the sheet feeding can be performed such that the preceding sheet and the subsequent sheet do not overlap with each other in the image recording area and such that the non-marginal area of the preceding sheet and the non-marginal area of the subsequent sheet are not disposed in the image recording area at a time. Further, the subsequent sheet can be fed by an appropriate sheet feeding distance Lp in accordance with a size of the marginal areas.

Further, this sheet feeding control can be performed by a simple control in which a timing of the start of the sheet-supply operation is changed, thereby improving a throughput for successive recording by the simple control and avoiding the deterioration of the image quality due to the overlapped sheets. Further, in this image recording apparatus1, it is possible to eliminate a need to provide a mechanism or the like for, e.g., lifting a trailing end of a preceding sheet and moving a leading end of a subsequent sheet to a position under the trailing end of the preceding sheet as a conventional technique in order to overlap the trailing end of the preceding sheet and the leading end of the subsequent sheet with each other.

Further, in this image recording apparatus1, the sheet-supply operation is performed during the stop of the sheet-feed roller61, and the oblique feeding correction of the sheet is performed, thereby suppressing the deterioration of the image quality caused by the oblique feeding of the sheet to the image recording area.

There will be next explained a second embodiment of the present invention with reference toFIGS. 7,8A,8B,9A, and9B. This second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the judgment of S350in the subsequent-sheet-supply controlling processing in the first embodiment. The same reference numerals as used in the first embodiment are used to designate the corresponding elements of the second embodiment, and an explanation of which is dispensed with.

As shown inFIG. 7, in the second embodiment, in S340in the subsequent-sheet-supply controlling processing, the main controller10judges whether the total length (L1+L2) as a sum of the length L1specified in S320and the length L2specified in S330is equal to or longer than the length L0of the image recording area in the sub-scanning direction or not. Where the main controller10has judged that the total length (L1+L2) is shorter than the length L0(S340: No), this subsequent-sheet-supply controlling processing goes to S450. In S450, the main controller10sets a length L3from the sheet-feed roller61to a specific position on the sheet feeding path which is located on a downstream side of the sheet-feed roller61in the sheet feeding direction. Here, the length L3is set as a length or a value such that a total length or value as a sum of the length L1, the length L2, and the length L3is longer than the length L0. That is, the length L3is set as the length satisfying an expression “L1+L2+L3>L0”. Then, in S455, the main controller10judges whether the trailing end of the sheet for the processing subject page has been fed and distant from the sheet-feed roller61toward the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction by a length equal to or longer than the length L3or not (with reference toFIG. 8A). Where the main controller10has judged that the trailing end of the sheet for the processing subject page has been fed and distant from the sheet-feed roller61toward the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction by the length equal to or longer than the length L3(S455: Yes), this subsequent-sheet-supply controlling processing goes to S370in which the sheet-supply processing is performed. In this case, as shown inFIG. 9A, since the sheet feeding distance Lp between the trailing end of the preceding sheet and the leading end of the subsequent sheet is equal to or longer than the length L3, and the expression “L1+L2+L3>L0” is satisfied, the non-marginal areas of the preceding sheet and the non-marginal area of the subsequent sheet are disposed in the image recording area at the same time. It is noted that the judgment as to whether or not the trailing end of the sheet for the processing subject page is distant from the sheet-feed roller61toward the downstream side by the length equal to or longer than the length L3is performed on the basis of the sheet feeding amount of the sheet-feed roller61and the sheet feeding amount of the sheet-discharge roller63from the sense of the trailing end of the sheet for the processing subject page by the register sensor90, that is, on the basis of the rotational amount of the LF motor71which is detected by the rotary encoder75. On the other hand, where the main controller10has judged that the trailing end of the sheet for the processing subject page is not distant from the sheet-feed roller61toward the downstream side by the length equal to or longer than the length L3(S455: No), the subsequent-sheet-supply controlling processing is finished without performing the sheet-supply processing.

Thus, in the second embodiment, even where the total length (L1+L2) is shorter than the length L0, the sheet feeding distance Lp between the preceding sheet and the subsequent sheet is set to a value smaller than that in the first embodiment, thereby improving the throughput for the successive recording.

In view of the above, the main controller10can be considered to include a first specifying section configured to specify the length L1of the trailing-end-portion marginal area of the preceding sheet in the sheet feeding direction. This first specifying section can be considered to perform the processing of S320. Further, the main controller10can be considered to include a second specifying section configured to specify the length L2of the leading-end-portion marginal area of the subsequent sheet in the sheet feeding direction. This second specifying section can be considered to perform the processing of S330. Further, the main controller10can be considered to include a judging section configured to judge whether the total length (L1+L2) is equal to or longer than the length L0in the sheet feeding direction or not. This judging section can be considered to perform the processing of S340. Further, the main controller10can be considered to include an adjusting section considered to perform the processings of S350, S360, S370, and S455.

While the embodiments of the present invention has been described above, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of the illustrated embodiments, but may be embodied with various changes and modifications, which may occur to those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the sheet feeding control for the preceding sheet and the subsequent sheet is not limited to the above-described configuration, and various configurations can be employed as the sheet feeding control. However, where the sheet feeding control is performed as described above, the object of the present invention can be achieved by a simple control.

It is noted that the sheet feeding control for the preceding sheet and the subsequent sheet may be performed in the following manner. That is, a feeding speed of the preceding sheet and a feeding speed of the subsequent sheet may be controlled such that the preceding sheet and the subsequent sheet do not overlap with each other in the image recording area and such that the non-marginal area of the preceding sheet and the non-marginal area of the subsequent sheet are not disposed in the image recording area at the same time, for example.

That is, the main controller10may set a timing of the supply of the subsequent sheet on the basis of a rotational speed of the sheet-feed roller61upon feeding the preceding sheet, a rotational speed of the sheet-supply roller68upon supplying the subsequent sheet, and a distance from the leading end of the subsequent sheet placed on the sheet-supply tray69to the trailing end of the preceding sheet such that the sheet feeding distance Lp between the preceding sheet and the subsequent sheet in the image recording area is shorter than the length L0where the total length (L1+L2) of the marginal areas is equal to or longer than the length L0.

Further, the sheet feeding control for the preceding sheet and the subsequent sheet may be performed such that the sheet-feed roller61and the sheet-discharge roller63are driven independently of each other, and the sheet-supply roller68is driven to supply the sheet always at the same timing. That is, the sheet feeding control may be performed in the following manner. When the trailing end of the preceding sheet has come out of the sheet-feed roller61, the subsequent sheet is supplied to the sheet-feed roller61. Then, the main controller10recognizes the sheet feeding amount of the preceding sheet on the basis of the rotational amount of the sheet-discharge roller63. Where the total length (L1+L2) of the marginal areas is equal to or longer than the length L0, the subsequent sheet is fed by the rotation of the sheet-feed roller61at a timing when the distance between the trailing end of the preceding sheet and the leading end of the subsequent sheet becomes smaller than the length L0in the image recording area. Where the total length (L1+L2) of the marginal areas is shorter than the length L0, the subsequent sheet is fed by the rotation of the sheet-feed roller61at a timing when the distance between the trailing end of the preceding sheet and the leading end of the subsequent sheet becomes larger than the length L0in the image recording area.

It is noted that, in the above-described embodiments, the main controller10judges whether the total length (L1+L2) is equal to or longer than the length L0or not and performs the sheet-supply processing in accordance with the result of this judgment. However, any configuration can be employed as the configuration of this image recording apparatus1as long as the sheet-supply processing is performed such that condition A in which the preceding sheet and the subsequent sheet do not overlap with each other in the image recording area and condition B in which the non-marginal area of the preceding sheet and the non-marginal area of the subsequent sheet are not disposed in the image recording area at the same time are satisfied. For example, this image recording apparatus1may be configured such that the main controller10does not perform the judgment as to whether the total length (L1+L2) is equal to or longer than the length L0or not, and performs the sheet-supply processing by setting the sheet feeding distance Lp between the preceding sheet and the subsequent sheet so as to satisfy the conditions A and B. In this case, the conditions A and B are satisfied by setting the sheet feeding distance Lp such that the sum of the length L1, the length L2, and the sheet feeding distance Lp is longer than the length L0.