Image communication apparatus

Abstract: An image communication apparatus includes a communication unit (3) for communicating a procedure signal associated with communication, and image data, a recording unit (6-a) for injecting a liquid droplet to a recording member (10) in accordance with image data received by the communication unit (3), a recovery unit for performing a predetermined recovery operation of the recording unit (6-a), and a control unit for determining according to a type of procedure signal transmitted from a calling side after reception of image data of one page whether or not the recovery operation by the recovery unit is executed.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an image communication apparatus for ejecting a liquid droplet onto a recording member to perform image recording. In general, a so-called ink-jet recording system for ejecting a droplet of a liquid such as an ink onto a record sheet according to recording information to perform image recording is known. The ink-jet recording system has the following drawbacks. (1) The ink-jet recording system often causes a printing error due to evaporation or drying of an ink or clogging of nozzles with dust, and in a non-recording state, a preservation operation of a head such as capping is necessary. (2) In order to suppress such a printing error, head recovery operations such as idle ejection of all the nozzles, an ink supply operation, and the like must be performed before printing, and a considerable time is required until recording is ready. (3) When a head has a large number of nozzles, in particular, in a line head, a probability of omission of printing dots is increased. Such drawbacks pose serious problems particularly when the ink-jet recording system is applied to an apparatus which has a relatively long standby time without recording, eg., an image communication apparatus such as a facsimile. Therefore, an ink-jet image communication apparatus comprising a recording head having a plurality of nozzles has not been realized yet. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention an image communication apparatus for recording an image according to received data on a recording material using a recording head provided with a plurality of recording elements each for ejecting an ink droplet, comprising: communication means for communicating a procedure signal related to a communication between communication parties and for communicating image data; first control means for controlling a communication operation of said communication means, said first control means providing such a control that after completion of a page of receiving, if said communication means receives a first procedure signal, it terminates the communication operation, and if said communication means receives a second procedure signal, it performs a receiving operation for the successive page; recovery means for performing a recovery processing to recover an ink ejection condition of said recording head; capping means for performing a capping processing for said recording head; and second control means for controlling operations of said recovery means and said capping means, is characterized in that said second control means provides such a control that after said communication means receives the first procedure signal, said capping means performs a capping operation for said recording head, and after said communication means receives the second procedure signal, said recovery means performs a recovery processing for an ink ejection condition of said recording head. How the invention may be carried out will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an electrical arrangement of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2-1 is a sectional view of an ink-jet recording apparatus of this embodiment; Fig. 2-2 is a sectional view showing a preservation position of a recording head; Fig. 3 is a view showing an ink-jet recording head used in this embodiment; Fig. 4 is a flow chart of a main controller of this embodiment; and Figs. 5 and 6 are flow charts of a record controller of this embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail hereinafter. A facsimile apparatus exemplified as an embodiment of the present invention has an ink-jet full-line type line head having a length corresponding to a width of a maximum record sheet which can be used in recording, a head preservation means which can prevent evaporation and clogging of an ink by, e.g., capping, a head recovery means for performing idle ejection of all the nozzles of the line head or ink supply to prevent a printing error, and means for shifting a head to one of a preservation position, a recovery position, and a print position for performing recording. When the facsimile apparatus receives an EOM (end of message signal) or an MPS (multi page signal) from a transmitting station after reception of one page, it immediately performs a head recovery operation, while when the apparatus receives an EOP (end of procedure signal), it starts a head preservation operation. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a facsimile apparatus to which the present invention is applied. In Fig. 1, a main controller 1 of the facsimile apparatus controls facsimile operations such as reading, recording, communication, and the like. A modem controller 2 is connected to a line through an NCU 3. A console/display unit 4 comprises LCDs or LEDs and key switches. A read controller 5 has CCDs or a contact sensor. A record controller 6 performs recording of an image read by the read controller 5 or an image received by the modem controller 2. The record controller 6 performs printing of data transferred to a head 6-a by energizing a head driver 6-b. A head shift motor 6-c shifts the head to one of the preservation, recovery, and print positions, and a head position detecting sensor 6-d detects the position of the head. An ink. supply circuit 6-e supplies an ink to the line head. The ink supply circuit 6-e performs an ink supply operation after an ink cartridge is exchanged or during a head recovery operation. A record sheet feed motor 6-f feeds a record sheet for each one-line printing operation. Fig. 2-1 is a cross-sectional view of an ink-jet recording apparatus mounted on the facsimile apparatus shown in Fig. 1. The recording apparatus shown in Fig. 2-1 includes a record sheet 10, a platen roller 20 for feeding the record sheet, an ink-jet head preservation cap 30, and an exhaust ink tray 40. The apparatus also includes a head print position sensor 6d-1, a recovery position sensor 6d-2, and a preservation position sensor 6d-3. Fig. 2-2 is a view showing a state wherein the head is located at the preservation position. In this state, the nozzle surface is capped by the preservation cap 30. Fig. 3 shows the full-multi ink-jet head used in this embodiment. In this head, nozzles of one line corresponding to the width of a maximum record size are aligned. In this case, head piping paths behind the nozzle array are not shown. The head shown in Fig. 3 has an ink supply pipe 6a-1. An ink is supplied from an ink tank by driving a gear pump. The ink-jet head of this embodiment is of a bubble-jet type. In this head, an electric-thermo conversion element such as a heater is driven according to recording information to generate bubbles, thereby ejecting an ink. Stop positions and operations of the head will be described below. When the sensor 6d-1 shown in Fig. 2-1 is turned on, the head is located at the print position, and the head driver 6-b is turned on to perform recording. When the sensor 6d-2 is turned on, the head is located at the recovery position, and causes the ink supply circuit 6-e to perform an ink supply operation to recover a printing error caused by clogging of nozzles or evaporation of an ink or causes the head driver 6-b to perform an idle ejection operation with all black image information. Thus, an ink is forcibly ejected from injection ports to remove an ink having increased viscosity in the nozzles. The removed ink is received by the exhaust ink tray 40. Furthermore, when the sensor 6d-3 is turned on, the head is located at the preservation position, and capping for preventing evaporation and clogging of an ink in a head non-use state is performed. A gear pump 6a-2 shown in Fig. 3 supplies an ink from an ink cartridge 6a-3 to the head. The ink supply circuit 6-e shown in Fig. 1 is operated to drive this pump, thereby supplying an ink. The recovery operation includes two kinds of operations, i.e., (1) a method of driving the pump to supply an ink, and (2) an idle ejection method of transferring all black data corresponding to one line of the head to the head, and turning on the head driver 6-b (Fig. 1) to perform a normal all black printing operation at the recovery position. Fig. 4 is a flow chart showing an operation of the main controller 1, Fig. 5 is a flow chart showing a recovery operation of the record controller 6, and Fig. 6 is a flow chart showing a preservation operation of the record controller 6. The overall operation of the facsimile apparatus of this embodiment will be described below with reference to the flow charts shown in Figs. 4 to 6. Fig. 4 is a flow chart of the main controller 1 upon completion of reception of one page. In step S1, it is checked if a Q received from a transmitting side is an EOM (end of message signal), an MPS (multi page signal) or an EOP (end of procedure signal). The EOM and MPS are signals indicating that transmission of one page is completed, and there is a next original. The EOM is output from the transmitting side when a mode is changed. If Q = EOM in step S1, a recovery command is sent to the record controller in step S2, and an MCF (message confirmation signal) is sent to the transmitting side in step S3. In step S4, training for reception of the next page is performed. In step S5, information indicating completion of a recovery operation from the record controller is waited before transmission of a CFR (check for reception ready signal) in step S6. After transmission of the CFR, the reception operation of the next page is started. If Q = MPS in step S1, the recovery command is sent in step S7. Thereafter, completion of the recovery operation is waited in step S8, and an MCF is transmitted to the transmitting station in step S9. Thereafter, the reception operation of the next page is started. If Q = EOP (indicating that there is no next original) in step S1, a head preservation command is sent to the record controller in step S10. In step S11, an MCF is sent to the transmitting side, and reception is then ended. Fig. 5 is a flow chart of the recovery operation of the record controller. Upon reception of a command (recovery command) from the main controller 1, the head is shifted from the print position to the recovery position in step S20. In step S21, the recovery operation such as ink supply or idle ejection is performed. In step S22, the head is returned from the recovery position to the print position again. In step S23, a flag indicating completion of the recovery operation is sent to the main controller 1. Fig. 6 is a flow chart of the preservation operation. Upon reception of a command (preservation command) from the main controller 1, the head is shifted from the print position to the preservation position in step S30. In step S31, a capping operation is performed. These operations are examples of the preservation operation. In some apparatuses, the capping operation is automatically performed upon shift of the head, or a cap is driven. In the above embodiment, communication control is performed by the main controller 1, and the head drive/ink supply control is performed by the record controller. However, all the control operations may be performed by the main controller. As described above, the standby or preservation operation of the ink-jet head is performed depending on the type of Q, so that standby operation for next reception or reception end operation can be efficiently performed. When the head is returned to the preservation position as soon as possible after completion of a reception operation, drying or evaporation of an ink or entrance of dust can be minimized. In this embodiment, a recording operation is performed by a bubble-jet system. Any other systems may be employed, as a matter of course. The recording head is not limited to a full-multi type recording head. For example, a head which serially scans a recording member to perform image recording may be employed.

Claims: An image communication apparatus for recording an image according to received data on a recording material using a recording head (6-a) provided with a plurality of recording elements each for ejecting an ink droplet, comprising: communication means (2,3) for communicating a procedure signal related to a communication between communication parties and for communicating image data; first control means (1) for controlling a communication operation of said communication means, said first control means providing such a control that after completion of a page of receiving, if said communication means (2,3) receives a first procedure signal (EOP), it terminates the communication operation, and if said communication means (2,3) receives a second procedure signal (EOM, MPS), it performs a receiving operation for the successive page; recovery means (6-e) for performing a recovery processing to recover an ink ejection condition of said recording head (6-a); capping means (30) for performing a capping processing for said recording head (6-a); and second control means (6) for controlling operations of said recovery means and said capping means, characterized in that said second control means (6) provides such a control that after said communication means receives the first procedure signal (EOP), said capping means (30) performs a capping operation for said recording head (6-a), and after said communication means receives the second procedure signal (EOM, MPS), said recovery means (6-e) performs a recovery processing for an ink ejection condition of said recording head (6-a). An image communication apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein when said communication means receives the first procedure signal (EOP), said first control means (1) outputs a first signal to said second control means (6), and upon receipt of the first signal said second control means (6) causes said capping means to perform a capping processing. An image communication apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein when said communication means receives the second procedure signal (EOM, MPS), said first control means (1) outputs a second signal to said second control means (6), and upon receipt of the second signal said second control means (6) causes said recovery means to perform a recovery processing. An image communication apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein if the received second procedure signal is a procedure signal (EOM) indicative of the presence of the successive original to be transmitted and a requirement of a mode change, said first control means (1) passes a procedure signal (CFR) indicative of that it is ready for receiving after termination of the recovery processing through said communication means to the communication party. An image communication apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein if the received second procedure signal is a procedure signal (MPS) indicative of the presence of the successive original to be transmitted and no requirement of a mode change, said first control means (1) passes through said communication means to the communication party a procedure signal (MCF) indicative of that an image signal is satisfactorily received after termination of the recovery processing and it is ready for receiving the successive original. An image communication apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 and 3-5, wherein said recovery means performs the recovery processing for an ink ejection condition of said recording head by means of filling up with an ink liquid. An image communication apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 and 3-5, wherein said recovery means performs the recovery processing for an ink ejection condition of said recording head by means of causing said recording head to perform an idle ejection operation for ink droplets which contribute to no recording. An image communication apparatus according to any of Claims 1-7, wherein said recording head is provided with a line of plurality of recording elements corresponding to a recording area of the recording material. An image communication apparatus according to any of Claims 1-8, wherein said recording head ejects ink droplets by means of inducing a status variation on the ink using thermal energy generated from said recording elements.

Inventors: ONO TAKESHI C O CANON K K, WATANABE FUMIHIKO C O CANON K, ONO, TAKESHI C/O CANON K.K., WATANABE, FUMIHIKO C/O CANON K.K.
Applicants: CANON KK, CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1990
Main classification: B41J2
IPC codes: B41J2, H04N1