Patent Publication Number: US-8974031-B2

Title: Inkjet printer

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-067335 filed on Mar. 27, 2013. The entire subject matter of the application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The following description relates to an inkjet printer capable of correcting deviated ink-landing positions for ink to land with respect to targeted positions on a sheet. 
     2. Related Art 
     An inkjet printer configured to record an image by discharging ink from a recording head, which is mounted on a carriage, at a recording sheet while the carriage moves along a main scanning direction, is known. The recording head in the inkjet printer may be configured to discharge the ink supplied through an ink tube at the sheet in accordance with discharging timings, which are obtained from a controller through a controller cable. Thus, the recording head being movable may be connected with other components by connecting members such as the ink tube and the controller cable. 
     The connecting members may be connected to the recording head at one ends thereof and may be movable along with the carriage. Therefore, in order for the connecting members to be elastically deformable to follow the moving carriage smoothly, the connecting members may be flexible and resilient. 
     SUMMARY 
     In such an inkjet printer, therefore, the resiliency of the deformed connecting member may influence the carriage, and an amount of a gap between the resiliency-influenced recording head and the recording sheet may fluctuate. Due to the fluctuation of the gap amount between the recording head and the recording sheet, landing positions for the ink to land on the recording sheet may deviate from targeted positions. As a result of the deviation of the landing positions with respect to the targeted positions, quality of recorded images may be deteriorated undesirably. In this regard, the carriage may be more likely to be influenced by the resiliency of the connecting members when the carriage is maintained motionless than when the carriage is in motion. 
     Aspects of the present invention are advantageous in that an inkjet printer, by which deterioration of image recording quality can be prevented, is provided. More specifically, the deterioration of the image recording quality can be prevented by correcting the landing positions, which may be deviated by the resiliency of the elastically deformable connecting members. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, an inkjet printer is provided. The inkjet printer includes a body; a carriage configured to move in an orientation from one end part toward the other end part; a recording head mounted on the carriage and configured to discharge ink toward a targeted position on a sheet; a connecting member connected to the body and the carriage, the connecting member being configured to be bendable in variable curvature along with the carriage being moved, the curvature being greater when the carriage is at the one end part than when the carriage is at the other end part; and a controller configured to execute a plurality of steps. The plurality of steps include a moving step, in which the carriage is moved in the orientation after a period where the carriage is halted at the one end part for a length; a measuring step, in which the period prior to the moving step is measured; and a discharging step, in which the recording head is manipulated to discharge the ink at the targeted position in the moving step. If the measured period is within a first length, in the discharging step, the recording head is manipulated to discharge the ink toward the targeted position at a first discharging timing. If the measured period is within a second length which is longer than the first length, in the discharging step, the recording head is manipulated to discharge the ink toward the targeted position at a second discharging timing, the second discharging timing being advanced to be earlier than the first discharging timing. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, a method to be executed by an inkjet printer is provided. The method includes a moving step, in which a carriage is moved from one end part toward the other end part after a period where the carriage is halted at the one end part for a length; a measuring step, in which the period prior to the moving step is measured; and a discharging step, in which a recording head mounted on the carriage is manipulated to discharge the ink at a targeted position on the sheet in the moving step. If the measured period is within a first length, in the discharging step, the recording head is manipulated to discharge the ink toward the targeted position at a first discharging timing. If the measured period is within a second length which is longer than the first length, in the discharging step, the recording head is manipulated to discharge the ink toward the targeted position at a second discharging timing, the second discharging timing being advanced to be earlier than the first discharging timing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an external perspective view of a multifunction device (MFD)  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of an internal structure of a printer part  11  in the MFD  10  according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a plane view of a printer part  11  with a carriage  23  located at a left-side end in the MFD  10  according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a plane view of the printer part  11  with the carriage  23  located at a right-side end in the MFD  10  according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram to illustrate configurations of a controller  130  and other related parts in the MFD  10  according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart to illustrate a flow of an image recording operation to be performed by the controller  130  in the MFD  10  according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram to illustrate relative positions among trajectories  110 ,  111 ,  112  of the carriage  23  and a sheet  14  in the MFD  10  according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a data structure in an EEPROM  134  in the MFD  10  according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a flowchart to illustrate a flow of a deviated amount setting operation to be performed by the controller  130  in the MFD  10  according to the embodiment of the present invention, 
         FIG. 10  is an example of an image pattern recorded according to the deviation values set in the deviated amount setting operation performed by the controller  130  in the MFD  10  according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is another example of the image pattern recorded according to the deviation values set in the deviated amount setting operation performed by the controller  130  in the MFD  10  according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, an embodiment according to aspects of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is noted that various connections are set forth between elements in the following description. These connections in general and, unless specified otherwise, may be direct or indirect and that this specification is not intended to be limiting in this respect. Aspects of the invention may be implemented in computer software as programs storable on computer readable media including but not limited to RAMs, ROMs, flash memories, EEPROMs, CD-media, DVD-media, temporary storage, hard disk drives, floppy drives, permanent storage, and the like. 
     In the following description, a vertical direction  7  is defined with reference to an up-to-down or down-to-up direction for the MFD  10  in an ordinarily usable posture (see.  FIG. 1 ). In other words, the up-to-down or down-to-up direction in  FIG. 1  coincides with the vertical direction  7 . Further, other directions concerning MFD  10  be referred to based on the ordinarily usable posture of the MFD  10 : a viewer&#39;s lower-left side in  FIG. 1 , on which an opening  13  is formed, is defined to be a front side of the MFD  10 , and a side opposite from the front side, i.e., a viewer&#39;s upper-right side, is defined as a rear side of the MFD  10 . A front-to-rear or rear-to-front direction is defined as a direction of depth and may be referred to as a front-rear direction  8 . An upper-left side in  FIG. 1 , which comes on the user&#39;s left-hand side with respect to the MFD  10  when the user faces the front side, is referred to as a left side or a left-hand side. A side opposite from the left, which is on the viewer&#39;s lower-right side, is referred to as a right side or a right-hand side. A right-to-left or left-to-right direction of the MFD  10  may also be referred to as a right-left direction  9  or a widthwise direction  9 . The directions shown in  FIGS. 2-5  and  8 - 9  correspond to those indicated by the arrows appearing in  FIG. 1 . 
     First Embodiment 
     Overall Configuration of the MFD  10   
     As depicted in  FIG. 1 , the MFD  10  has an overall shape of a six-sided rectangular box and contains a scanner part  12  and a printer part  11 . In the scanner part  12 , an original image appearing on an original sheet can be read, and image data representing the read image can be created. In the printer part  11 , an image can be recorded on a sheet  14  (see  FIG. 2 ) in an inkjet recording method. In the MFD  10  according to the present embodiment, the scanner part  12  is disposed in an upper position while the printer part  11  is disposed in a lower position. 
     [Scanner Part  12 ] 
     The scanner part  12  includes an image reader unit being a flatbed scanner (FBS) and an auto document feeder (ADF) arranged on top of the image reader unit, which are not shown. The image reader unit includes a piece of contact glass, on which the original sheet to be read is placed, and a contact image sensor (CIS) unit, which is movable to reciprocate underneath the contact glass. The CIS unit can read an image recorded on the original sheet placed on the contact glass and an image recorded on the original sheet being conveyed by the ADF. The ADF conveys the original sheet placed on an original tray to a readable position in the CIS unit and ejects the original sheet, of which recorded image has been read by the CIS unit, to an ejection tray. 
     [Printer Part  11 ] 
     As depicted in  FIG. 2 , the printer part  11  includes a feeder unit  15 , a feeder tray  20 , an ejection tray  21 , to conveyer roller unit  54 , a recording unit  24 , an ejection roller unit  55 , and a platen  42 . 
     The printer part  11  is formed to have an opening  13  on a front side thereof. Through the opening  13 , the feeder tray  20  to accommodate the recording sheets  14  may be detachably attached to the printer part  11 . The feeder tray  20  may accommodate a plurality of sizes of recording sheets  14  therein. The feeder unit  15  is configured to pick up the sheet  14  from the feeder tray  20  and feed the picked-up sheet  14  in a conveyer path  65 . The conveyer roller unit  54  conveys the sheet  14  fed by the feeder unit  15  in the conveyer path  65  further toward a downstream along a direction of conveying flow  16 . The recording unit  24  records an image on the sheet  14  conveyed by the conveyer roller unit  54 . The ejection roller unit  55  ejects the sheet  14  with the image recorded thereon by the recording unit  24  in the ejection tray  21 . An ejection tray  21  to catch ejected recording sheets  14  is arranged in an upper position with respect to the feeder tray  21 . The platen  42  supports the sheet  14  having been conveyed by the conveyer roller unit  54  from below at a position where the sheet  14  faces the recording unit  24 . 
     [Feeder Unit  15 ] 
     As depicted in  FIG. 2 , in an upper position with respect to the feeder tray  20  which is attached through the opening  13  in the printer part  11 , the feeder unit  15  is arranged. The feeder unit  15  includes a feed roller  25 , a feeder arm  26 , and a shaft  27 . The feed roller  25  is rotatably attached to one end of the feeder arm  26 , which is movable upward and downward to be closer to and farther from the feeder tray  20 . The feed roller  25  is rotatable by a driving force, which is generated by a conveyer motor  102  (see  FIG. 5 ). The feeder arm  26  is pivotably supported by the shaft  27 , which is supported by a frame (not shown) of the printer part  11 . The feeder arm  26  is urged downward by weight thereof and/or resilient force provided by, for example, a spring. When one or more recording sheets  14  are placed in the feeder tray  20 , and when the feed roller  25  relates, a topmost one of the recording sheets  14  placed in the feeder tray  20  is picked up and fed in the conveyer path  65 . Below is description of the conveyer path  65 . 
     [Conveyer Path  65 ] 
     As depicted in  FIG. 2 , the conveyer path  65  refers to an area partitioned by an outer guide member  18  and an inner guide member  19 , which are arranged in the printer part  11  to face each other with a predetermined clearance maintained in there-between. The conveyer path  65  rises from a rear end of the feeder tray  20  and curves upper-frontward in the printer part  11  to extend from the rear side along the recording unit  24  to the ejection tray  21 . More specifically, the conveyer path  65  extends through a nipped position in the conveyer roller unit  54 , an upper position with respect to the platen  42 , and a nipped position in the ejection roller unit  55  to the ejection tray  21 . The conveying flow  16  of the sheet  14  to be conveyed in the conveyer path  65  is indicated by a dash-and-dot line shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     [Conveyer Roller Unit  54 ] 
     As depicted in  FIG. 2 , the conveyer roller unit  54  is disposed in an upstream position in the conveyer path  65  with respect to the recording unit  24  along the direction of the conveying flow  16 . The conveyer roller unit  54  includes a conveyer roller  60  and a pinch roller  61 . The conveyer roller  60  is driven by a conveyer motor  102 . The pinch roller  61  is arranged in a position to face the conveyer roller  60  across the conveyer path  65  and is rotated along with rotation of the conveyer roller  60 . The conveyer roller  60  and the pinch roller  61  nip the sheet  14  in the en and convey the nipped sheet  14  along the conveying flow  16 . 
     [Ejection Roller Unit  55 ] 
     As depicted in  FIG. 2 , in the conveyer path  65 , the ejection roller unit  55  is disposed in a downstream position with respect to the recording unit  24 . The ejection roller unit  55  includes an ejection roller  62  and a spur  63 . The ejection roller  62  is driven by the conveyer motor  102 . The spur  63  is arranged in a position to face the ejection roller  62  across the conveyer path  65  and is rotated along with rotation of the ejection roller  62 . The ejection roller  62  and the spur  63  nip the sheet  14  in there-between and convey the nipped sheet  14  along the conveying flow  16 . Thus, the sheet  14  can be conveyed by the conveyer roller unit  54  and the ejection roller unit  55  along the direction of the conveying flow  16  in the conveyer path  65 . 
     [Platen  42 ] 
     As depicted in  FIG. 2 , the platen  42  is arranged in a position between the conveyer roller unit  54  and the ejection roller unit  55 , that is, in a downstream position with respect to the conveyer roller unit  54  and an upstream position with respect to the ejection roller unit  55  along the direction of the conveying flow  16 , and in a lower position with respect to the conveyer path  65 . The platen  42  is arranged to vertically face the recording unit  24  to support the sheet  14  being conveyed in the conveyer path  65  from below. 
     [Registration Sensor  160 ] 
     As depicted in  FIG. 2 , in an upstream position with respect to the conveyer roller  54  along the direction of the conveying flow  16  in the conveyer path  65 , a known registration sensor  160  is disposed. The registration sensor  160  is a sensor configured to detect presence (or absence) of the sheet  14  in a detectable position of the registration sensor  160 . When presence of the sheet  14  in the detectable position is detected, the registration sensor  160  outputs low-leveled signals, of which level is under a predetermined threshold, to a controller  130 . The controller  130  will be described later in detail. Meanwhile, when absence of the sheet  14  in the detectable position is detected, the registration sensor  160  outputs high-leveled signals, of which level is higher than or equal to the predetermined threshold, to the controller  130 . 
     [Rotary Encoder  170 ] 
     The printer part  11  includes a known rotary encoder  170  (see  FIG. 5 ), which generates pulse signals in accordance with rotation of the conveyer roller  60 . The rotary encoder  170  includes an encoder disk (unsigned) and an optical sensor (not shown). As the encoder disk rotates along with the rotation of the conveyer roller  60 , the optical sensor detects the rotation of the encoder disk. Thus, the optical sensor generates pulse signals according to the rotation and outputs the generated pulse signals to the controller  130 . 
     [Recording Unit  24 ] 
     As depicted in  FIG. 2 , the recording unit  24  is arranged in an upper position with respect to the conveyer path  65  in as position where the recording unit  24  faces the platen  42  vertically. The recording unit  24  includes a carriage  23 , a recording head  39 , a medium sensor  37 , and an encoder sensor  38 A. The carriage  23  is movable along the widthwise direction  9 , which is orthogonal to the direction of the conveying flow  16 . As depicted in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , ink tubes  32  and a flexible flat cable extend from the carriage  23 . 
     As depicted in  FIG. 2 , the recording head  39  is mounted on the carriage  23 . On a bottom plane of the recording head  39 , a plurality of nozzles  40  are formed. Ink to be discharged from the nozzles  40  of the recording head  39  is supplied from an ink cartridge (not shown) to the recording head  39 . Thus, while the ink is supplied to the recording head  39 , the recording head  39  discharges minute droplets of the ink through the nozzles  40 . As the carriage  23  with the recording head  39  mounted thereon is moved, the recording head  39  selectively discharges the ink droplets at the sheet  14 , which is supported by the platen  42 . Thus, an image is formed in the ink on the sheet  14 . 
     As depicted in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the carriage  23  is supported by guide rails  43 ,  44 , which are arranged on a rear side and a front side of the platen  42  respectively. Meanwhile, the guide rails  43 ,  44  are supported by the printer part  11 . The carriage  23  is attached to a known belt-driving mechanism, which is arranged on the guide rail  44 . The belt-driving mechanism includes a driving pulley  47 , which is arranged on one widthwise end of the guide rail  44  along the widthwise direction  9 , a driven pulley  48 , which is arranged on the other widthwise end of the guide rail  44  along the widthwise direction  9 , and an endless loop belt  49 , which is rolled around the driving pulley  47  and the driven pulley  48 . The driving pulley  48  is driven by a carriage motor  103  (see  FIG. 5 ). Meanwhile, the carriage  23  is attached to the belt  49  at a bottom part thereof. When the driving pulley  47  is rotated by the carriage motor  103 , and the belt  49  is rolled along with the rotation of the driving pulley  47 , the carriage  23  attached to the belt  49  reciprocates along the widthwise direction  9 . 
     In the first embodiment, a leftward movement of the carriage  23  from a right-side end toward a left-side end along the widthwise direction  9  will be referred to as a forward travel or a travel in a forward orientation FWD (see  FIG. 7 ). On the other hand, a rightward movement of the carriage  23  from the left-side end toward the right-side end along the widthwise direction  9  will be referred to as a reverse travel or a travel in a reverse orientation RVS (see  FIG. 7 ). In the NTH)  10  according to the first embodiment, the image is recorded on the sheet  14  when the recording head  39  discharges the ink through the nozzles  40  while the carriage  23  travels in the reverse orientation RVS. However, the image may be recorded on the sheet  14  when the recording head  39  discharges the ink through the nozzles  40  while, for example, but not limited to, the carriage  23  travels in the forward orientation FWD. 
     On the guide rail  44 , an encoder strip  38 B extending along the widthwise direction  9  is arranged. The encoder strip  38 B includes transparent portions and opaque portions, which are arranged alternately along a longitudinal direction thereof. Meanwhile, the encoder sensor  38 A is mounted on the bottom surface of the carriage  23  and in a downstream position with respect to the nozzles  40  along the direction of the conveying flow  16 . In this regard, the encoder sensor  38 A and the encoder strip  38 B are arranged in positions to face each other vertically along the vertical direction  7 . Therefore, while the carriage  23  is moved along the widthwise direction  9 , the encoder sensor  38 A detects the transparent portions and the opaque portions when passing them by and generates pulse signals according to the transparency of the encoder strip  38 B and outputs the generated pulse signals to the controller  130 . 
     [Medium Sensor  37 ] 
     The medium sensor  37  is, as depicted in  FIG. 2 , mounted on the bottom surface of the carriage  23  and in an upstream position with respect to the nozzles  40  along the direction of the conveying flow  16 . The medium sensor  37  is used to detect the sheet  14  being conveyed in the conveyer path  65 . The medium sensor  37  may also be used in a reading step (see  FIG. 9 ), which will be described later in detail. 
     The medium sensor  37  includes a light emitter (not shown), such as a light-emitting diode, and a light receiver (not shown), such as an optical sensor. The light emitter emits light toward the platen  42  (see  FIG. 2 ) as instructed by the controller  130 . The light emitted toward the platen  42  is reflected on the platen  42 , when no sheet  14  is on the platen  42 , or on the sheet  14  when the sheet  14  is on the platen  42 . The light reflected on either the platen  42  or the sheet  14  is received by the light emitter. The medium sensor  37  then outputs signals of specific intensity according to the amount of the reflected light received by the light receiver to the controller  130 . For example, but not limited to, the greater the amount of the received reflection is, the higher the level of the signals output by the medium sensor  37  may be. 
     [Cartridge Mount  30 ] 
     As depicted in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , on a rightward front side of the printer part  11 , a cartridge mount  30  is provided. Meanwhile, as depicted in  FIG. 1 , on the rightward front side of the printer part  11 , a cover  31  to cover an opening formed in the cartridge mount  30  is arranged. When the cover  31  is removed, the cartridge mount  30  is exposed. On the cartridge mount  30 , ink cartridges (not shown) can be mounted. In the present embodiment, four (4) ink cartridges for four (4) colored inks, which are cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, can be detachably attached to the MFD  10  through the cartridge mount  30 . 
     [Ink Tube  32 ] 
     The ink tube  32  connects the ink cartridges mounted on the cartridge mount  30  with the recording head  39  in the recording unit  24 . The ink tube  32  includes four (4) resin-made elongated tubes, each of which is connected to one of the four colored ink cartridges. In particular, the four ink tubes  32  are aligned side by side along a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction thereof and tied with one another at an intermediate position thereof. 
     As depicted in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , at one end of the ink tube  32  along the longitudinal direction, a terminal part  32 A of the ink tube  32  is fixed inside the carriage  23  and connected to the recording head  39 . On the other hand, an origin part  32 B on the other end of the ink tube  32  along the longitudinal direction is fixed to the cartridge mount  30  and connected to the ink cartridges through the cartridge mount  30 . Thereby, the ink in the ink cartridges mounted on the cartridge mount  30  can be supplied to the recording head  39  through the ink tube  32 . 
     The ink tube  32  includes an extending part  32 C in between the terminal part  32 A and the origin part  32 B, and the ink tube  32  extends outward from the carriage  23  at a part closer to the origin part  32 B with respect to the extending part  32 C. Thus, a part of the ink tube  32  closer to the terminal part  32 A with respect to the extending part  32 C is arranged inside the carriage  23  while a reminder of the ink tube  32  closer to the origin part  3213  with respect to the extending part  32 C is arranged outside the carriage  23 . The ink tube  32  is fixed to a widthwise center position along the widthwise direction  9  in the printer part  11  at a fixed part  32 D, which is in a position between the extending part  32 C and the origin part  32 B. In this regard, a length of the ink tube  32  between the terminal part  32 A and the extending part  320  is shorter than a length of the ink tube  32  between the extending part  32 C and the fixed part  32 D. In other words, the extending part  32 C is in a position closer to the terminal part  32 A with respect to the fixed part  32 L). 
     The ink tube  32  has a feature of flexural rigidity to some extent and is substantially flexible and rigid to maintain a posture thereof in a straight shape. Therefore, when an external force is applied to the ink tube  32 , the ink tube  32  can be bended due to the flexibility. When the ink tube  32  is released from the external force, the ink tube  32  tends to restore to the straight shape due to the resiliency. The ink tube  32  is thus resiliently deformable to follow the reciprocating carriage  23  smoothly. In particular, the ink tube  32  is resiliently deformable at least at the part between the terminal part  32 A and the fixed part  32 D. 
     More specifically, when the carriage  23  is at the left-side end along the widthwise direction  9 . As depicted in  FIG. 3 , the ink tube  32  is bended to place the extending part  32 C, the terminal part  32 A, the fixed part  32 D, and the origin part  3213  to be arranged, from left to right, in the order of being mentioned. In other words, the extending part  32 C is placed in the leftmost position, the terminal part  32 A and the fixed part  32 D are placed in the second and third leftmost positions respectively, and the origin part  32 B is placed in the rightmost position along the widthwise direction  9 . Meanwhile, when the carriage  23  is at the right-side end along the widthwise direction  9 , as depicted in  FIG. 4 , the ink tube  32  is beaded to place the fixed part  32 D, the extending part  32 C, the terminal part  32 A, and the origin part  32 B to be arranged, from left to right, in the order of being mentioned. In other words, the fixed part  32 D is placed in the leftmost position, the extending part  32 C and the terminal part  32 A are placed in the second and third leftmost positions respectively, and the origin part  32 B is placed in the rightmost position along the widthwise direction  9 . 
     A beaded part of the ink tube  32 , including the extending part  32 C, which is indicated by hatching in  FIG. 3 , is bended approximately in a shape of “C” or overturned “U” Meanwhile, a beaded part of the ink tube  32  including the extending part  32 C, which is indicated by hatching in  FIG. 4 , is rather extended in a linear shape compared to the beaded part shown in  FIG. 3 . In other words, curvature of the bended part in the ink tube  32  is greater when the carriage  23  is in the left-side end along the widthwise direction  9  than when the carriage  23  is in the right-side end along the widthwise direction  9 . Thus, a restoration force, by which the ink tube  32  tends to restore to the original straight shape, produced in the ink tube  32  when the ink tube  32  is in the “C” posture shown in  FIG. 3  is greater compared to the restoration force produced in the ink tube  32  when the ink tube  32  is in the linear posture shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     Due to the greater restoration force, the carriage  23  in the posture shown in  FIG. 3  is subjected to a force, which tends to lift the carriage  23  upward, i.e., a force to separate the carriage  23  apart from the sheet  14  held on the platen  42 , from the ink tube  32 , which tends to restore to the original shape. More specifically, the carriage.  23  is urged downward by a force from the ink tube  23  at a position of the extending part  32 C. In this regard, however, while the carriage  32  is supported by the guide rail  4 , the carriage  23  is prevented from being moved downward. In the meantime, the carriage  23  is urged rearward by a force from the ink tube  32  at a position of the first end  32 . Due to combination of the directions of the forces from the ink tube  32 , the carriage  23  is urged in a direction to be uplifted with the extending part  32 C being a base point. Meanwhile, the curvature of the beaded part in the ink tube  32  is decreased to be smaller as the carriage  23  is moved in the reverse orientation RVS. In other words, intensity of the urging force to be applied to the carriage  23  to uplift the carriage  23  is the greatest when the carriage  23  is at the left-side end and is decreased to be smaller as the carriage  23  moves rightward from the left-side end in the reverse orientation RVS. 
     [Flexible Flat Cable  33 ] 
     The flexible flat cable  33  is a belt-shaped signal cable and connects a controller board (not shown) fixed in the printer part  11  with a recording head board (not shown) mounted on the carriage  23  electrically. In the flexible flat cable  33 , a plurality of conductive wires to transmit electrical signals are aligned in line along a direction of breadth thereof and are covered with synthetic resin film such as polyester film. The flexible flat cable  33  is, as well as the ink tube  32 , flexible and resiliently deformable to follow the reciprocating carriage  23  smoothly. The flexible flat cable  33  can be bended similarly to the ink tube  32  according to the positions of the carriage  23 . Therefore, curvatures of the flexible flat cable  33 , which vary according to the positions of the carriage  23 , are substantially the same as those of the ink tube  32 . 
     [Purging Unit  50 A] 
     A purging unit  50 A (see  FIG. 3 ) is disposed in a rightward end position within a movable range of the carriage  23  along the widthwise direction  9 , which is on a right-hand side of a reciprocating range for the carriage  23 . In other words, while the carriage is movable to reciprocate within an image recordable range during an image recording operation, the purging unit  50 A is disposed further rightward in the position beyond the image recordable range. The purging unit  50 A provides a purging operation to the recording head  40 . By the purging operation, air bubbles and obstacles in the nozzles  40  of the recording head  39  are removed therefrom along with residual ink. In the purging operation, the recording head  39  is placed to the rightward end position to face the purging unit  50 A, and the nozzle surface of the recording head  39  is covered by a cap (not shown). Thereafter, a pump (not shown) is activated by the conveyer motor  102 , and negative pressure is generated in a sealed area enclosed by the nozzle surface and the cap. Therefore, by the negative pressure, the air bubbles and the obstacles are sucked along with the residual ink and removed from the nozzles  40 . The removed ink and the obstacles are conveyed to a waste ink tank (not shown). 
     [Waste Ink Tray  50 B] 
     A waste ink tray  50 B (see  FIG. 4 ) is disposed in a leftward end position within the movable range of the carriage along the widthwise direction  9 , which is on a left-hand side of the reciprocating range for the carriage  23 . In other words, the waste ink tray  50 B is disposed further leftward in the position beyond the image recordable range. The waste ink tray  50 B is formed to open at a top, and when the recording head  50 B is placed in the leftward end position to face the waste ink tray  50 B, ink discharged out of the recording head  39  during a flushing operation can be received in the waste ink tray  50 B. In the flushing operation, the recording head  39  discharges ink through the nozzles  40  toward the waste ink tray  50 B. Thereby, ink dried in the nozzles  40  and thickened can be removed out of the nozzles  40  and caught in the waste ink tray  50 B. 
     [Controller  130 ] 
     As depicted in  FIG. 5 , the controller  130  mounted on the controller board includes a CPU (central processing unit)  131 , a ROM (read-only memory)  132 , a RAM (random access memory)  133 , an ERPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory)  134 , and an ASIC (application specific integrated circuits)  135 , which are connected with one another by internal busses  137 . The ROM  132  stores programs to control behaviors of the CPU  131 . The RAM  133  is used as a memory area to temporarily store data and signals to be used in cooperation with the programs stored in the ROM  132  and as a work area to process the data. The EEPROM  134  stores data, such as configuration data and flags, which is to be saved even after power to the controller  130  is shut down. 
     The ASIC  135  is connected with the conveyer motor  102  and the carriage motor  103 . The ASIC  135  obtains driving signals to drive the conveyer motor  102  and the carriage motor  103  from the CPU  131  and outputs driving current to the conveyer motor  102  and the carriage motor  103  according to the driving signals. The conveyer motor  102  and the carriage motor  103  are driven in a normal or reverse rotation by the driving current. For example, the controller  130  may control the conveyer motor  102  to rotate the rollers. At the same time, the controller  130  may control the carriage motor  103  to reciprocate the carriage  23 . Further, the controller  130  may control the recording head  39  to discharge the ink through the nozzles  40 . 
     The ASIC  135  is electrically connected with the registration sensor  160 , the rotary encoder  170 , the medium sensor  37 , and the encoder sensor  38 A. Based on the detected signals output from the registration sensor  160  and the pulse signals output from the rotary encoder  170 , the controller  130  detects a position of the sheet  14  in the conveying path  65 . Further, based on the pulse signals obtained from the encoder sensor  38 A, the controller  130  detects a position of the carriage  23  along the widthwise direction  9 . Further, the controller  130  detects brightness on the sheet  14 , i.e., an image recorded on the sheet  14 , based on the signals obtained from the medium sensor  37 , 
     [Image Recording Operation (Discharging Timing Controlling Operation)] 
     With reference to  FIGS. 6-8 , a flow of an image recording operation executed by the MFD  10  will be described herein below, in the image recording operation, the image is recorded on the sheet  14  by discharging the ink from the recording head  39 . Timings to discharge the ink at the sheet  14  are controlled in consideration of deviated amounts, which will be described later in detail. The deviated amounts are stored in the EEPROM  134 . The image reading operation and other flows of operations described below may be executed by the CPU  131  reading the program from the ROM  132  or may be achieved by hardware circuits mounted on the controller  130 . 
     As the flow starts, in S 11 , based on an image recording instruction entered by a user, the controller  130  executes a cueing step. According to the image recording instruction, the controller  130  manipulates the rollers, the carriage  23 , and the recording head  39  to record an image on the sheet  14 . The image recording instruction may be obtained through, but not limited to, an operation panel  17  provided in the MFD  10 , for example. For another example, the instruction may be entered from an external device (not shown) through a communication network. 
     In the cueing step, the sheet  14  stored in the feeder tray  20  is conveyed to the position to face the recording head  39 . More specifically, the controller  130  feeds the sheet  14  from the feeder tray  20  to the conveyer path  65  by activating the conveyer motor  102  to rotate in one direction and thereby manipulating the feeder unit  15 . When a leading edge of the sheet  14  reaches the conveyer roller unit  54 , the controller  130  conveys the sheet  14  to a position, where the sheet  14  and the recording head  39  confront each other, by switching the conveyer motor  102  to rotate in an opposite direction and thereby manipulating the conveyer roller unit  54 . The controller  130  may determine that the sheet  14  reaches the conveyer roller unit  54  and the confronting position based on combination of the detected signals output from the registration sensor  160  and the pulse signals output from the rotary encoder  170 . 
     Following S 11 , in S 12 , the controller  130  moves the carriage  23  to a move-start position. In the first embodiment, the move-start position is the leftward end within the movable range of the carriage  23  and may be, for example, the position to face the waste ink tray  50 B. In particular, the controller  130  drives the carriage motor  103  and thereby moves the carriage  23  in the forward orientation FWD to the move-start position. If the carriage  23  is already in the move-start position, the flow skips S 12  and proceeds to S 13 . The controller  130  judges the position of the carriage  23  based on the pulse signals from the encoder sensor  38 A. 
     In S 13 , the controller  130  determines whether any “wait” process should be applied to the carriage  23  at the move-start position. The wait process includes processes and operations which should be applied to the carriage  23  while the carriage  23  is halted at the move-start position. For example, the flushing operation may be performed in S 13  as a part of the wait process. For another example, a dry-wait operation may be performed in S 13  as a part of the wait process. The dry-wait operation may be applied to the sheet  14  when an amount of the ink discharged to the image recordable range in a preceding image recording step (S 16 ) exceeds a predetermined threshold amount, and when the dry-wait operation is performed, a next image recording step (S 16 ) is suspended for a predetermined waiting period. For another example, when the cueing step (S 11 ) is to be applied to the carriage  23  pausing at the move-start position, the cueing may be included as a part of the wait process. For another example, during a double-face image recording operation, an operation to place a reverse side of the sheet  14  in the position to face the recording head  39 , after an image is completely recorded on an obverse side of the sheet  14 , may be included as a part of the wait process. 
     If the controller  130  determines that a wait process is to be applied to the carriage  23  while the carriage  23  is at the move-start position, in S 13 , further, the controller  130  estimates duration of time required for the wait process. In this regard, the duration is equivalent to a pausing period, in which the carriage  23  is maintained motionless at the move-start position. In other words, the controller  130  obtains the pausing period for the carriage  23  to be halted at the move-start position. The pausing period may be measured by a timer (not shown) installed in the controller  130  while the wait process is executed or may be obtained from the EEPROM  134 , which may store the pausing periods in association with each applicable wait process. The EEPROM  134  may not necessarily store the pausing periods but may store information, which can identify lengths of the pausing periods, and the controller  130  may specify the pausing period based on the information. If the controller  130  determines that the process should be applied to the carriage  23  at the move-start position (S 13 : YES), the flow proceeds to S 14 , and the controller  130  executes the necessary wait process while the carriage  23  is maintained at the move-start position. 
     Following S 14 , in S 15 , the controller  130  calculates discharging timings to discharge the ink in an image recording step (S 516 ), which will be described below, based on the pausing period obtained in S 13 . According to the calculation in S 15 , the discharging timings are advanced from original timings to be earlier as a longer pausing period is provided, and as a shorter distance between the move-start position and discharging positions is provided. In other words, the longer the carriage  23  pauses, and the shorter the distance between the move-start position and the discharging position for the carriage  23  is, the earlier the discharging timing is advanced from the original discharging timing. The discharging timing calculating step (S 15 ) will be described below with reference to  FIGS. 7 and 8 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates relative positions of trajectories  110 ,  111 ,  112  for the carriage  23  and the sheet  14 . The trajectory  110  indicates a moving path for the carriage  23 , which has experienced the pausing period of 10 milliseconds or shorter in S 13 . When the pausing period is as short as 10 milliseconds, or shorter, e.g., when the carriage  23  moved in the forward orientation FWD to the move-start position is immediately switched to move in the reverse orientation RVS, an amount of the gap between the recording head  39  and the sheet  14  is substantially constant along the widthwise direction  9  while the carriage  23  travels along the widthwise direction  9 . Therefore, discharging timings D0 to discharge the ink from the recording head  39  toward targeted positions L1, L2, L3, L4, which are spaced apart from one another along the widthwise direction  9 , are constant. 
     In this regard, the discharging timings D0 indicate that the ink targeted at the targeted positions should be discharged from the recording head  39  D0 second(s) before the carriage  23  reaches positions straight above the targeted positions. In other words, the discharging timings D0 indicate time periods, which are required for the ink droplets discharged at discharging positions E1, E2, E3, E4 respectively to travel through the gap between the recording head  39  and the sheet  14  until the ink droplets land on the targeted positions L1, L2, L3, L4 on the sheet  14  respectively. Further, in other words, the discharging timings D0 indicate time periods, which are required for the carriage  23  to move from the discharging positions E1, E2, E3, E4 to travel to the positions straight above the targeted positions L1, L2, L3, L4 respectively. In S 13 , when the controller  130  recognizes the wait process to be applied to the carriage  23 , but the pausing period obtained in S 13  is 10 milliseconds or shorter, the controller  130  considers that no wait process is performed (S 13 : NO) and skips S 14 -S 15 . The flow proceeds to S 16 , and the image recording step is performed. Therefore, the controller  130  manipulates the carriage  23  and the recording head  39  to discharge the ink toward the targeted positions L1, L2, L3, L4 when the carriage  23  is at the discharging positions E1, E2, E3, E4 respectively. 
     The trajectory  111  in  FIG. 7  indicates a moving path for the carriage  23 , which has experienced the pausing period of 1000 milliseconds in S 13 . As mentioned above, the carriage  23  pausing at the move-start position is urged by the resiliency of the ink tube  32  in the direction to be uplifted. Therefore, the amount of the gap between the recording head  39  and the sheet  14  is increased to be greater as the carriage  23  pauses for the longer period. In other words, the longer period the carriage  23  pauses at the move-start position, the greater the amount of the gap between the recording head  39  and the sheet  14  is increased. In this regard, the influence of the resiliency of the ink tube  32  is reduced to be smaller as the farther distance the carriage  23  is separated from the move-start position. In other words, the tarter the carriage  23  is carried away from the move-start position, the smaller the influence of the resiliency of the ink, tube  32  is reduced. Therefore, the amount of the gap between the recording head  39  and the sheet  14  in the trajectory  111  is increased to be greater as the distance between the move-start position and the carriage  23  is shortened. On the other hand, the amount of the gap between the recording head  39  and the sheet  14  in the trajectory  111  is decreased to be smaller as the distance between the move-start position and the carriage  23  is enlarged. In this regard, at rightward positions with respect to the discharging position E4, i.e., at downstream portions, along the reverse orientation RVS, the trajectories  110 ,  111 ,  112  coincides with one another. In other words, the influence of the resiliency of the ink tube  32  is negligibly small at the downstream portions of the trajectories  110 ,  111 ,  111  along the reverse orientation RVS. This is because that the curvature of the bended part of the ink tube  32  is reduced to be smaller as the carriage  23  is moved to the downstream along the reverse orientation RVS. In other words, the urging force to uplift the carriage  23  from the ink tube  32  is reduced to be smaller as the carriage  23  is separated farther away from the leftward end along the reverse orientation RVS. 
     In S 15 , therefore, the controller  130  calculates the discharging timing for the ink to be ejected to land on the landing positions L1-L4 with reference to the correspondence (see  FIG. 8 ) between the pausing periods and the deviated amounts of the landing positions with respect to the targeted positions. As mentioned above, the correspondence shown in  FIG. 8  may be stored, for example, in the EEPROM  134 . The deviated amounts shown in  FIG. 8  indicate distances between the landing position of the ink discharged at the seine discharging timings from the recording head  39  mounted on the carriage  23 , which starts moving after experiencing the pausing periods of 10 milliseconds, 50 milliseconds, 100 milliseconds, . . . , and 1000 milliseconds, and the targeted positions respectively. 
     Therefore, for example, the deviated amounts of the landing position of the ink discharged from the recording head  39  on the carriage  23 , which starts moving from the move-start position after being halted for the pausing period of 10 milliseconds, indicate all zero (0) millimeters (mm). For another example, the deviated amount α1 indicates that the ink discharged from the recording head  39  on the carriage  23 , which starts moving from the move-start position after being halted for the pausing period of 50 milliseconds, at the discharging position E1 lands on an α1 millimeters rightward landing position, i.e., α1 millimeters downward position along the reverse orientation RVS, with respect to the landing position of the ink discharged from the recording head  39  on the carriage.  23 , which starts moving after being halted for the pausing period of 10 milliseconds or shorter. The other deviated amounts α2, α3, β1, β2, β3 . . . are interpreted in the same manner in the present embodiment. 
     In this regard, the deviated amount α with respect to the targeted position L1 is increased to be greater as the longer pausing period is provided. (i.e., 0&lt;α1&lt;α2&lt;α3). In other words, the longer the carriage  23  pauses at the move-start position, the greater the deviated amount α becomes. The deviated amount β with respect to the targeted position L3 is increased to be greater in the same manner as the longer pausing period is provided (i.e., 0&lt;β1&lt;β2&lt;β3). Meanwhile, the deviated amount with respect to a specific length of pausing period (e.g., 50 milliseconds) is decreased to be smaller as the distance between the move-start position and the targeted position is enlarged to be greater. That is, if the same length of pausing period is provided, the greater the distance between the move-start position and the targeted position is, the smaller the deviated amount becomes (i.e., α1&gt;β1&gt;0). Thus, the deviated amount with respect to the targeted position L4 is zero (0). A method to obtain the deviated amounts will be described later in detail. 
     In S 15 , the controller  130  reads the deviated amounts associated with the pausing period obtained from the EEPROM  134  in S 14 . For example, if the obtained pausing period is 1000 milliseconds, the deviated amounts (α3, β3, 0) are obtained from the EEPROM  134 . Thereafter, the controller  130  divides the obtained deviated amounts by a moving velocity V of the carriage  23 , at which the carriage  23  is to be moved in the image recording step in S 16 , respectively. Thus, deviated lengths of periods (i.e., α3/V, β3/V, 0) deviated from the reference discharging timing are obtained. The moving velocity V of the carriage  23  is a speed of the carriage  23  to be constantly moved in the position to face the sheet  14 . The moving velocity V of the carriage  23  may be stored in the EEPROM  134 . Alternatively, the controller  130  may obtain a recent moving velocity V of the carriage  23  based on the pulse signals output from the encoder sensor  38 A. 
     Thus, the controller  130  calculates corrected discharging timings, which are advanced to be earlier for the deviated lengths of periods from the reference discharging timing D0 for the targeted positions L3, L3, L4. In other words, when the pausing period for the carriage  23  to be halted at the move-start position is 1000 milliseconds, a discharging timing for the recording head  39  to discharge the ink toward the targeted position L1 is (D0+α3/V), and discharging timings for the recording head  39  to discharge the ink toward the targeted positions L3, L4 are (D0+β3/V) and D0 respectively. 
     Meanwhile, according to  FIG. 8 , deviated amounts with regard to the targeted position. L2 are not stored in the EEPROM  134 . Therefore, the controller  130  calculates the deviated amount for the ink to be discharged toward the targeted position L2 by linearly interpolating in between the deviated amounts with respect to the targeted positions L1, L3, which adjoin the targeted position L2 along the widthwise direction  9 , among the deviated amounts for the targeted positions L1, L3, L4 stored in the EEPROM  134 . 
     In other words, the controller  130  linearly interpolates the deviated amount for the targeted position L2 between the deviated amount α3 for the targeted position L1, which is at an upstream adjoining position with respect to the targeted position L2 along the reverse orientation RVS, and the deviated amount β3 for the targeted position L3, which is at a downstream adjoining position with respect to the targeted position L2 along the reverse orientation RVS, in consideration of the relative position among the targeted positions L1, L2, L3. For example, if the targeted position L2 is in a midst position between the targeted position L1 and the targeted position L3 along the widthwise direction  9 , the deviated amount for the targeted position L2 (α3+β3)/2 is obtained by averaging. Thereby, a corrected discharging timing (D0+(α3+β3)/2V), at which the ink should be discharged toward the targeted position L2, is obtained. 
     Following S 15 , in S 16 , the controller  130  executes the image recording step, in which an image is recorded by discharging the ink onto the sheet  14  according to the corrected discharging timings obtained in the discharging timing obtaining step in S 15 . In particular, the controller  130  activates the carriage motor  103  to move the carriage  23  from the move-start position in the reverse orientation RVS along the widthwise direction  9 . While the carriage  23  is moved along the widthwise direction  9 , the controller  130  manipulates the recording head  39  to discharge the ink toward the targeted positions L1, L2, L3, L4 on the sheet  14  at the corrected discharging timings obtained in the discharging timing calculating, step (S 15 ). 
     For example, after being halted for 1000 milliseconds at the move-start position, the recording head  39  on the carriage  23  discharges the ink toward the targeted position L1 when the carriage  23  is in the discharging position E1′, i.e., at the corrected discharging timing D0+α3/V. Further, the recording head  39  discharges the ink toward the targeted position L2 when the carriage  23  is in the discharging position E2′, i.e., at the corrected discharging timing D0+(α3+β3)/2V. Thereafter, the recording head  39  discharges the ink toward the targeted position L3 when the carriage  23  is in the discharging position E3′, i.e., at the corrected discharging timing D0+β3/V. Thereafter, the recording head  39  discharges the ink toward the targeted position L4 when the carriage  23  is in the discharging position E4, i.e., at the discharging timing D0. 
     Following S 16 , in S 17 , the controller  130  judges whether an entire image for the image recording instruction is completely recorded on the sheet  14 . If image recording is not completed (S 17 : NO), in S 18 , the controller  130  manipulates the conveyer motor  102  to rotate for a predetermined amount so that at least one of the conveyer roller unit  54  and the ejection roller unit  55  is driven to convey the sheet  14  for a predetermined linefeed amount. Thus, steps S 12 -S 18  may be repeated for a plurality of times until the entire image for the image recording instruction is completely recorded. When the entire image is completely recorded on the sheet  14  (S 17 : YES), in S 19 , the controller  130  ejects the sheet  14  in the dejection tray  21 . In particular, the controller  130  manipulates the conveyer motor  102  to rotate for a predetermined amount. Thus, the sheet  14  is conveyed to the ejection tray  20  by the ejection roller unit  55  and ejected from the MFD  1 . 
     In the EEPROM  134 , it is noted that every deviated amount may not necessarily be stored in association with the pausing period. For example, in the present embodiment, a pausing period of 75 milliseconds is not in the table stored in the EEPROM  134 . If the pausing period obtained in S 14  indicates 75 milliseconds, the carriage  23  may be moved in the trajectory  112  indicated in  FIG. 7 , in this regard, the controller  130  linearly interpolates a deviated amount with regard to the pausing period of 75 milliseconds between the pausing periods of 50 milliseconds and 100 milliseconds, which temporally adjoin the pausing period of 75 milliseconds in the table shown in  FIG. 8 , among the pausing periods stored in association with the deviated amounts in the EEPROM  134 . Thus, the deviated amount (α2+α1)/2 to land on the targeted position L1, the deviated amount (β2+β1)/2 to land on the targeted position L3, the deviated amount 0 to land on the targeted position L4 are obtained. Further, according to the linear interpolation, the deviated amount (α2+α1+β2+β1)/4 to land on the targeted position L2 is obtained. 
     Accordingly, after being halted for 75 milliseconds at the move-start position, in S 16 , the recording head  39  discharges the ink toward the targeted position L1 when the carriage  23  is in the discharging position E1″, i.e., at the corrected discharging timing D0+(α2+α1)/2V. Thereafter, the recording head  39  discharges the ink toward the targeted position L2 when the carriage  23  is in the discharging position E2″, i.e., at the corrected discharging timing D0+(α2+α1+β2+β1)/4V. Further, the recording head  39  discharges the ink toward the targeted position L3 when the carriage  23  is in the discharging position E3″, i.e., at the corrected discharging timing D0+(β2+β1)/2V. Thereafter, the recording head  39  discharges the ink toward the targeted position L4 when the carriage  23  is in the discharging position E4 at the discharging timing D0. 
     [Usability of the First Embodiment] 
     According to the first embodiment described above, the discharging timings to discharge the ink from the recording head  39  are advanced from the discharging timing D0 in accordance with the length of the pausing period for the carriage  23  to pause at the move-start position. Therefore, the discharged ink can land on the targeted positions correctly. Thus, the undesirable deterioration of image recording quality due to the influence of the resiliency of the ink tube  32  can be reduced. In this regard, the deviated amount for the landing position with respect to the targeted position becomes greater as the longer pausing period is provided and as the longer distance the discharging position is distanced apart from the move-start position. Accordingly, with a plurality of applicable pausing periods and the deviated amount with respect to the targeted position stored in association with one another in the EEPROM  134 , the ink can be discharged at the sheet  14  to land on the targeted positions correctly. In other words, the landing position of the discharged ink coincides with the targeted position. 
     According to the first embodiment, the more quantity of deviated amounts are stored in the EEPROM  134 , the more accurately the discharging timings can be corrected. However, in order to store a larger quantity of the deviated amounts, a larger volume of EEPROM  134  is required. Therefore, in the first embodiment described above, only the deviated amounts corresponding to the temporally dispersed pausing periods and the dispersed targeted positions are stored in the EEPROM  134 , and the intervening deviated amounts in between the stored deviated amounts are omitted from the EEPROM  134 . However, the intervening deviated amounts may be achieved by the interpolation. Thus, the discharging timings can be accurately corrected while the volume of the EEPROM  134  may be prevented from being increased. 
     Meanwhile, the information to be stored in the EEPROM  134  may not necessarily be limited to the deviated amounts but may be, for example, the deviated lengths of time periods or the corrected discharging timings with respect to the discharging timing D0. Further, in the first embodiment described above, as examples of interpolation of the deviated amounts, interpolation of the intermediate targeted position L2 and the intermediate pausing period 75 milliseconds are explained. However, the parameters to be interpolated may not necessarily be the deviated amounts. For example, a deviated length of period with respect to the discharging timing D0 may be interpolated based on adjoining deviated lengths of periods. Furthermore, the intermediate deviated amount may not necessarily be linearly interpolated but may be interpolated by other interpolating functions such as an n-dimensional function (n being an integer greater than or equal to 2) and a logarithm function. The interpolating functions may be suitably adopted by a manufacturer or an engineer in consideration of various factors including the pausing periods for the carriage  23  and timely-changing amount of the gap between the recording head  39  and the sheet  14  while the carriage  23  is being moved. 
     According to the first embodiment described above, the discharging timing calculating step may be particularly beneficial when the cartridge, mount  30  and the carriage,  23  are connected by the ink tube  32  with intense rigidity. In this regard, however, while the carriage  23  may be urged to be uplifted not only by the ink tube  32  but also by the flexible flat cable  33 , the present embodiment may be similarly effectively applied to an inkjet recording apparatus, in which the ink cartridge is mounted on the carriage  23 , i.e., an inkjet recording apparatus, in which no ink tube  32  is required. 
     Second Embodiment 
     Next, with reference to FIGS.  7  and  9 - 10 , a flow of steps to be executed by the MFD  10  according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The configuration of the MFD  10  is, unless otherwise noted, the same as that of the MFD  10  described in the first embodiment. In the following description, a method to calculate and set the pausing periods and the deviated amounts corresponding to the targeted positions, which are stored in the EEPROM  13  as shown in  FIG. 8 , will be explained. 
     As the flow starts, in S 21 , based on a deviated amount setting instruction entered by the user, the controller  130  executes the cueing step, which is similar to S 11  in the image recording flow shown in  FIG. 6 . Description of the cueing step is herein omitted. Based on the deviated amount setting instruction, the controller  130  manipulates at least a part of the MFD  10  to obtain the deviated amounts of the landing positions of the ink, which are caused by the carriage  23  pausing at the move-start position, and store the obtained deviated amounts in the EEPROM  134 . The deviated amount setting instruction may be obtained through, but not limited to, the operation panel  17  provided in the MFD  10  or from an external device (not shown), similarly to the image recording instruction. Following S 21 , in S 22 , the controller  130  records a pattern image, which includes a first image  121  and second images  122 ,  12 . 3 ,  124  shown in  FIG. 10 , on the cued sheet  14 . The first image  121  and the second images  122 ,  123 ,  124  are line segments, which intersect with the widthwise direction  9 . In particular, in the example shown in  FIG. 10 , the line segments intersect with the widthwise direction  9  orthogonally. A first image  125 , a second image  126 , a third image  127 , and a fourth image  128 , which will be described later in detail, are also line segments intersecting with the widthwise direction  9  orthogonally. 
     In S 22 , more specifically, the controller  130  performs a first recording step to record first images  121 A,  121 B,  121 C on the cued sheet  14 . In this regard, the controller  130  moves the carriage  23 , which has paused at the move-start position for a pausing period of 10 milliseconds or shorter, in the reverse orientation RVS along the widthwise direction  9 . While the carriage  23  is moved in the reverse orientation RVS, the controller  130  manipulates the recording head  39  to discharge the ink at the discharging positions E1, E3, E4 (see  FIG. 7 ) at the discharging timing D0. Thereby, the first images  121 A,  121 B,  121 C are recorded at the targeted positions L1, L3, L4 respectively on the sheet  14  in positions separated apart from one another along the widthwise direction  9 . The discharging positions E1, E3, E4 are, but not necessarily limited to, evenly spaced apart from one another. 
     Following S 22 , in S 23 , the controller  130  moves the carriage  23  in the forward orientation FWD to return to the move-start position and maintains the carriage  23  to pause thereat for one of the predetermined pausing periods (e.g., 50 milliseconds). In S 24 , the controller  130  conveys the sheet  14  for the predetermined linefeed amount, similarly to S 18  in  FIG. 9 . The detailed behavior of linefeed conveyance is herein omitted. It is noted that S 23  and S 24  may not necessarily be performed in the order as shown in  FIG. 9  but may be performed in a reversed order (S 24 , S 23 ) or may be performed simultaneously. 
     Following S 24 , in S 25 , the controller performs a second recording step to record second images  122 A,  122 B,  122 C on the sheet  14  conveyed for the predetermined linefeed amount. The procedure to record the second images  122 A,  122 B,  122 C in the second recording step is similar to the procedure, in the first recording step. Therefore, the controller  130  moves the carriage  23 , which experienced the one of the pausing periods (e.g., 50 milliseconds) at the move-start position, in the reverse orientation RVS along the widthwise direction  9 . While the carriage  23  is moved in the reverse orientation RVS, the controller  130  manipulates the recording head  39  to discharge the ink at the discharging positions E1, E3, E4 (see  FIG. 7 ) at the discharging timing D0. Thereby, the second images  122 A,  122 B,  122 C are recorded on the sheet  14 . 
     Following S 25 , in S 26 , the controller  130  judges whether the carriage  23  experienced prior to the second recording step each one of the predetermined pausing periods. If the carriage  23  has not experienced each one of the predetermined pausing periods (S 26 : NO), the controller  130  sets a next one of the predetermined pausing periods and returns to S 23 . Thereafter, the controller  130  repeats S 23 -S 27  until the carriage  23  experiences each one of the predetermined pausing periods and the second recording step, in the example shown in  FIG. 8 , therefore, after experiencing the pausing period of 50 milliseconds, the carriage  23  experiences the pausing periods of 100 milliseconds and 1000 milliseconds sequentially. As a result, after experiencing the pausing period of 100 milliseconds, i.e., after the carriage  23  paused for the pausing period of 100 milliseconds at the move-start position, in S 25 , second images  123 A,  123 B,  123 C are recorded on the sheet  14 . Thereafter, after experiencing the pausing period of 1000 milliseconds, i.e., after the carriage  23  paused for the pausing period of 1000 milliseconds at the move-start position, in S 25 , second images  124 A,  124 B,  124 C are recorded on the sheet  14 . 
     The second images  122 ,  123 ,  124  are recorded on the sheet  14  in positions separated apart from one another along the widthwise direction  9 . Meanwhile, the first image  121  and the second images  122 ,  123 ,  124  are recorded in the ink discharged from the recording head  39  at the same discharging timings and at the same discharging positions E1, E3, E4 respectively. However, due to the longer pausing period in S 23  for the carriage  23  to pause at the move-start position prior to the second recording step (S 25 ), the second images  122 ,  123 ,  124  are recorded in downstream deviated positions along the reverse orientation RVS with respect to the first image  121  recorded in the first recording step (S 22 ), which experienced the shorter pausing period of at most 10 milliseconds. 
     Meanwhile, distances between the first image  121  and the second images  122 ,  123 ,  124  are smaller as the second images  122 ,  123 ,  124  are spaced apart farther from the move-start position. In other words, the farther the second images are separated apart from the move-start position along the widthwise direction  9 , the narrower the distances between the first image  121  and the second images  122 ,  123 ,  124  are. In this regard, the second images  122 C,  123 C,  124 C are recorded on the same widthwise position, i.e., at the targeted position L4, as the first image  121 C along the widthwise direction  9 . Meanwhile, the second images  122 ,  123 ,  124 , which are recorded in the ink discharged at the same widthwise positions along the widthwise direction  9 , are recorded in the positions separated farther apart from the first image  121  as the experienced pausing period is longer. In other words, the longer the experienced pausing period is, the farther the second images  122 ,  123 ,  124  are separated from the first image  121 . 
     In S 26 , if the second recording step has experienced each one of the predetermined pausing periods (S 26 : YES), in S 28 , the controller  130  performs a reading step. In the reading step, the controller  130  manipulates the scanner part  12  to read the sheet  14 , on which the first image  121  has been recorded in the first recording step and the second images  122 ,  123 ,  12  have been recorded in the second recording step. According to the read images, the scanner part  12  generates image data. Thereafter, in S 29 , the controller  130  measures deviated amounts of the second images  122 ,  123 ,  124  with respect to the first image  121  along the widthwise direction  9  based on the image data generated by the scanner part  12  and stores the measured deviated amounts in the EEPROM  134 . In this regard, the positions of the images in the image data may be measured by, for example, by scanning the images along the moving direction of the carriage  23  to obtain brightness of each pixel in the images and detecting edge positions, at which the brightness changes abruptly. 
     Thus, the controller  130  measures the deviated amount within each pair of the first image  121  and one of the second image  122 ,  123 ,  124 , which are recorded in the ink discharged at the same discharging position. That is, within a pair of the first image  121 A and the second image  122 A, a distance between the first image  121 A and the second image  122 A along the widthwise direction  9  indicates a deviated amount α1. Within a pair of the first image  121 B and the second image  122 B, a distance between the first image  121 B and the second image  122 B indicates a deviated amount β1. Within a pair of the first image  121 C and the second image  122 C, a distance between the first image  121 C and the second image  122 C indicates a deviated amount zero (0). Similarly, deviated amounts within pairs of the first image  121  and the second image  123  and of the first image  121  and the second image  124  are measured. Thus, the deviated amounts shown in  FIG. 8  are obtained and set in the EEPROM  134 . 
     [Usability of the Second Embodiment] 
     According to the second embodiment described above, without using an external apparatus, such as a scanning apparatus, the MFD  10  can solely perform the deviated amount setting operation. While the force from the ink tube to affect the carriage  23  may vary among individual MFDs  10  and/or depending on rigidity of the ink tube  23 , which may vary across ages, by performing the deviated amount setting operation in the MFD  10 , the discharging timings can be controlled properly based on the timely corrected discharging timings. 
     The reading step in S 28  may be performed, for example, by use of the medium sensor  37  in place of the scanner part  12 . In other words, the reader unit may be any kind of device as long as the device can optically recognize the first image  121  and the second images  122 ,  123 ,  124 . Even more, the reading step may not necessarily be performed in the MFD  10 . For example, an external device may read the first image  121  and the second images  122 ,  123 ,  124  and generate the image data concerning the read images, and the MFD  10  may obtain the image data from the external device. Thus, the MFD  10  can perform the deviated amount setting operation based on the externally obtained image data. 
     According to the embodiment described above, the farther the second images  122 ,  123 ,  124  are separated apart from the move-start position along the widthwise direction  9 , the smaller the deviated amount between the first image  121  and the second images  122 ,  123 ,  124  become. Meanwhile, the longer pausing period the carriage  23  experiences, the larger the deviated amounts between the first image  121  and second images  122 ,  123 ,  124  become. Therefore, by recording the first image  121  and the second images  122 ,  123 ,  124 , which are separated apart from one another along the widthwise direction  9  in the first recording step and the second recording step respectively, and by experiencing each one of the pausing periods prior to repeating the second recording step for a plurality of times, a plurality of patterns of deviated amounts are obtained. Thus, the discharging timings can be preferably controlled to absorb the deviated amounts. When the different lengths of pausing periods are experienced prior to repeating the second recording step, as shown in  FIG. 10 , it ma be effective, but not necessarily, that the shorter pausing periods are experienced earlier and the longer pausing periods are experienced later. Iii other words, the more the second recording step is repeated, the pausing period may be incremented to be longer. 
     According to the second embodiment described above, with the conveying step in S 24 , the first image  121  and the second images  122 ,  123 ,  124  are recorded in the positions displaced from one another along the front-rear direction  8 . Therefore, it may be prevented that the first image  121  and the second images  122 ,  123 ,  124  are erroneously confused with one another, and incorrect deviated amounts are set. Further, the user may visually recognize the deviated amounts. However, the first image  121  and the second images  122 ,  123 ,  124  may not necessarily be recorded in the mutually displaced positions along the front-rear direction  8 , but the conveying step may be omitted. For another example, the first recording step may not necessarily be performed once but may be repeated, each time after the conveying step is performed, as well as the second recording step. 
     The embodiments described above are based on a condition that the carriage  23  urged by the ink tube  32  should be shifted upward evenly without tilting. However, the carriage  23  may not actually be shifted evenly upward but may be, for example, tilted to have a right-hand side thereof being higher and a left-hand side thereof being lower. Therefore, in the first recording step and the second recording step, while the recording head  39  is formed to have, on the bottom surface thereof, a plurality of nozzle arrays, which extend along the front-rear direction and align along the widthwise direction  9 , it may be preferable that one of the nozzle arrays extending in a widthwise center is used to discharge the ink at the sheet  14 . Thus, by using the nozzle array at the widthwise center in the recording head  39 , which is less likely to be affected by the tilt of the carriage  23 , in the first recording step and the second recording step, the deviated amounts may be accurately obtained. 
     Further, unevenness in the deviated amounts for the nozzle arrays due to the tilt of the carriage  23  may be corrected by use of the deviated amount for the nozzle array at the widthwise center position. In this regard, it may be necessary to recognize the tendency of the tilted carriage  23  along the widthwise direction  9  through, for example, experiments and simulations. For another example, a deviated amount for a left-side end nozzle array, which is on the left-side end within the nozzle arrays along the widthwise direction  9 , and a deviated amount for a right-side end nozzle array, which is on the right-side end within the nozzle arrays, may be obtained, and the deviated amounts for all the other nozzle arrays may be calculated by use of the obtained deviated amounts for the nozzle arrays at the widthwise ends. 
     Moreover, the first and second images  121 - 124  recorded in the first recording step and the second recording step may not necessarily be the linear segments extending along the front-rear direction  8  but may be in a shape of, for example, square, circle, or dot, as long as the deviated amounts, which vary depending the lengths of the pausing periods, between the first image  121  and the second image  122 - 124  are recognizable by the shape. In this regard, it is preferable that the shape of the first and second images  121 - 124  is distinguishable with regard to the brightness so that the presence or absence of the first and second images  121 - 124  on the sheet  14  should be recognized based on the changes in the brightness in the reading step. For example, a shape having a linear segment, which intersects with the main scanning direction orthogonally, e.g., a rectangle, may be preferable. 
     Modified Example 
     Although examples of carrying out the invention have been described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the inkjet printer that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. It is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or act described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims. 
     Next, with reference to  FIGS. 9 and 11 , a modified example of the deviated amount setting operation will be described. In this regard, the steps similar to those in the deviated amount setting operation described in the second embodiment will be omitted, but difference from the second embodiment will be described in detail. That is, in the modified deviated amount setting operation, in the second recording step in S 25 , a third image  127  and a fourth image  128  are recorded in addition to the first image  121  and the second images  122 - 124 . On the other hand, the conveying step in S 24  is not performed in between S 23  and S 25 . Therefore, after the first recording step in S 22  and after being halted for the one of the predetermined pausing periods in S 23 , the second recording step is performed without conveying for the linefeed amount. Instead, the conveying step is performed after the second recording step, and the flow returns to S 22  to repeat S 22 -S 25  until the first through fourth images  125 - 128  are recorded. 
     More specifically, in the first recording step in S 22 , the controller  130  records first images  125 A,  12513 ,  125 C on the sheet  14 . The first recording step in S 22  is performed to S 22  in the second embodiment. Following the first recording step in S 22 , the controller  130  moves the carriage  23  in the forward orientation. FWD to return to the move-start position. The carriage  23  pauses thereat for a predetermined pausing period (S 2 . 3 ). Thereafter, in the second recording step in S 25 , the controller  130  manipulates the carriage  23  having been experienced the predetermined pausing period to record second images  126 A,  126 B,  126 C. Thereafter, the controller  130  conveys the sheet  14  for the predetermined linefeed amount. The flow returns to S 22  to record the first images  125 A,  12513 ,  125 C on the sheet  14 , and the controller  130  moves the carriage  23  in the forward orientation FWD to return to the move-start position. After the predetermined pausing period, the controller  130  manipulates the carriage  23  to record the third images  127 A,  127 B,  127 C. Thereafter, the controller  130  conveys the sheet  14  for the predetermined linefeed amount. The flow returns to S 22  again to record the first images  125 A,  125 B,  125 C on the sheet  14 , and the controller  130  moves the carriage  23  in the forward orientation FWD to return to the move-start position. After the predetermined pausing period, the controller  130  manipulates the carriage  23  to record the fourth images  128 A,  128 B,  128 C on the sheet  14 . 
     In this regard, the second images  126 A,  126 B,  126 C are recorded in the ink discharged from the recording head  39  in the same discharging timings at the discharging positions E1, E3, E4 toward the targeted positions L1, respectively. Meanwhile, the third images  127 A,  127 B,  127 C are recorded in the ink discharged from the recording head  39  at discharging positions (not shown), which are upstream positions along the reverse orientation RVS apart from the discharging positions E1, E3, E4 for a distance A. In other words, the deviated amount for the third image  127  with respect to the targeted positions L1, L3, L4 is A. The fourth images  128 A,  128 B,  128 C are recorded in the ink discharged from the recording head  39  at discharging positions (not shown), which are upstream positions along the reverse orientation RVS apart from the discharging positions E1, E3, E4 for a distance 2A. In other words, the deviated amount for the fourth image  128  with respect to the targeted positions L1, L3, L4 is 2A. 
     Therefore, as shown in  FIG. 11 , the ink for the third image  127  lands on the upstream position deviated from the second image  126  for the distance A along the reverse orientation RVS. Meanwhile, the ink for the fourth image  128  lands on the upstream position deviated from the second image  126  for the distance 2A along the reverse orientation RVS. In other words, the ink for the fourth image  128  lands on the upstream position deviated from the third image  127  for the distance A along the reverse orientation RVS. In this regard, one of the second image  126 , the third image  427 , and the fourth image  128  overlaps the first image  125  along the front-rear direction  8 . 
     In the example shown in  FIG. 11 , the second image  126 , the third image  127 , and the fourth image  128  are recorded in the positions evenly spaced apart from one another along the widthwise direction  9 . However, the distances among the second image  126 , the third image  127 , the fourth image  128  may not necessarily be even as long as the third image  127  is recorded in the upstream position with respect to the second image  126  along the reverse orientation RVS and the fourth image  128  is recorded in the upstream position with respect to the third image  127  along the reverse orientation RVS. For another example, the relative position among the second image  126 , the third image  127 , and the fourth image  128  along the front-rear direction  8  may not necessarily be limited to the relative position shown in FIG.  11 . For another example, the second image  126 , the third image  127 , and the fourth image  128  may not necessarily be drawn in the thicker lines, as shown in  FIG. 11  but may be drawn in a same thickness. Further, for another example, the first image  12 , the second image  126 , the third image  127 , and the fourth image  128  may not necessarily be recorded in a same color but may be recorded in different colors. 
     According to the steps described above, as shown in an upper part of  FIG. 11 , the second images  126 A,  126 B,  126 C, which are recorded by the carriage  23  pausing for the predetermined pausing period of 10 milliseconds or shorter at the move-start position, overlap the first images  125 A,  125 B,  125 C respectively on the sheet  14 . Meanwhile, the third images  127 A,  127 B,  1 . 2 . 8 C and the fourth images  128 A,  128 B,  128 C are recorded in the upstream positions with respect to the first images  125 A,  125 B,  125 C respectively along the reverse orientation RVS. 
     On the other hand, as shown in a lower part of  FIG. 11 , the second images  126 A,  126 B, which are recorded by the carriage  23  pausing for the predetermined pausing period of 1000 milliseconds at the move-start position, are recorded in downstream positions with respect to the first images  125 A,  125 B respectively along the reverse orientation RVS. Meanwhile, the second image  126 C overlaps the first image  125 C at the targeted position L4 on the sheet  14 . The third image  127 A is recorded in a downstream position with respect to the first image  125 A along the reverse orientation RVS, and the third image  12713  overlaps the first image  125 B at the targeted position L3 while the third image  127 C is recorded in an upstream position with respect to the first image  125 C along the reverse orientation RVS. Further, the fourth image  128 A overlaps the first image  125 A at the targeted position L1, while the fourth images  128 B,  128 C are recorded in upstream positions with respect to the first images  125 B,  125 C respectively along the reverse orientation RVS. 
     Thus, the second image  126 , the third image  127 , and the fourth image  128 , which are recorded by the recording head  39  experiencing the pausing period longer than 10 milliseconds, overlaps the first image  125 , which is recorded by the recording read  39  experiencing the pausing period of 10 milliseconds or shorter at the move-start position, differently along the widthwise direction  9 . Therefore, the controller  130  identifies one of the second image  126 , the third image  127 , and the fourth image  128 , which overlaps the first image  125  in the deviated amount setting step in S 29  and, based on the identification, the controller  13 C) obtains the deviated amount between the landing position and the targeted position. 
     More specifically, as shown in the lower part of  FIG. 11 , as to the deviated amount with respect to the targeted position L1, the fourth image  128 A overlaps the first image  125 A, and the deviated amount 2A is obtained. Meanwhile, as to the deviated amount at the targeted position L3, where the third image  127 B overlaps the first image  125 B, the deviated amount A is obtained. Further, as to the deviated amount at the targeted position L4, where the second image  126 C overlaps the first image  125 C, a deviated amount zero (0) is obtained. Although  FIG. 11  merely illustrates the patterns of the first-fourth images  125 - 128 , which are recorded after the carriage  23  experiences the pausing periods of 10 milliseconds and 1000 milliseconds, deviated amounts in other patterns corresponding to the other lengths of pausing periods may be similarly obtained. For example, deviated amounts in other patterns of the first-fourth images  125 - 128  recorded when the carriage  23  experiences the pausing periods of 50 milliseconds and 100 milliseconds may be similarly obtained. For another example, in  FIG. 11 , the pattern of the first-fourth images  125 - 128  recorded after the carriage  23  experiences pausing period of 10 milliseconds is shown for the ease of explanation; however, recording of this pattern when the carriage  23  experiences the pausing period of 10 milliseconds may be omitted when the deviated amount setting operation is actually conducted. 
     The deviated amounts obtained in the deviated amount setting operation in the modified example may be stored in the EEPROM  134 . In this regard, a method to identify the image overlapping the first image  125  in the deviated amount setting operation may not necessarily be limited. For example, the controller  130  may divide the image data generated from the read image into a plurality of areas, each of which contains the targeted position, a part of the first image  125 , and one of the second-fourth images  126 - 128 , and extend along the moving direction of the carriage  23  (e.g., areas defined by chain lines in  FIG. 11 ). Further, the controller  130  may calculate the brightness of the image(s) contained in each area and identify an area, in which the calculated brightness values is the smallest. Thus, by identifying the area having the smallest brightness value, the one of the second-fourth images  126 - 128  overlapping the first image  125  may be identified. As to the example shown in  FIG. 11 , it may be identified that the fourth image  128 A overlaps the first image  125 A.