Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US20010055041?dq=6078894
Timestamp: 2017-10-19 17:40:57
Document Index: 562567922

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 42', 'art 47', 'art 46', 'art 45', 'art 48', 'art 46', 'art 46', 'art 47', 'art 51', 'art 51', 'art 51', 'art 51', 'art 52', 'arts 51', 'arts 52', 'art 53', 'art 54', 'arts 51', 'arts 52', 'art 46', 'art 54', 'arts 51', 'arts 52', 'art 54', 'art 46', 'art 51', 'arts 52', 'art 46', 'art 47', 'arts 51', 'art 54', 'arts 51', 'arts 52', 'art 54', 'art 46', 'art 46', 'art 51', 'arts 52', 'art 46', 'art 47', 'art 46', 'art 47']

Patent US20010055041 - Liquid jetting apparatus - Google Patents
A liquid jetting apparatus of the invention uses a liquid container having a liquid chamber that contains liquid and a storing part that stores information about a time when the liquid container was manufactured. The liquid jetting apparatus includes a container-setting portion at which the liquid container...http://www.google.com/patents/US20010055041?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US20010055041 - Liquid jetting apparatus
Publication number US20010055041 A1
Application number US 09/828,998
Also published as DE60129871D1, DE60129871T2, DE60130038D1, DE60130038T2, EP1145857A2, EP1145857A3, EP1145857A9, EP1145857B1, EP1371492A1, EP1371492B1
Publication number 09828998, 828998, US 2001/0055041 A1, US 2001/055041 A1, US 20010055041 A1, US 20010055041A1, US 2001055041 A1, US 2001055041A1, US-A1-20010055041, US-A1-2001055041, US2001/0055041A1, US2001/055041A1, US20010055041 A1, US20010055041A1, US2001055041 A1, US2001055041A1
Original Assignee Shuji Yonekubo
US 20010055041 A1
a container-setting portion at which a liquid container is set, the liquid container having a liquid chamber that contains liquid and a storing part that stores information about a time when the liquid container was manufactured,
a information reader that can read out the information stored in the storing part of the liquid container set at the container-setting portion,
a liquid discharging controller that can control the liquid discharging unit based on the information about the time when the liquid container was manufactured read out by the information reader.
2. A liquid jetting apparatus according to
a clock component that knows a present time, wherein
a calculating part that can calculate a passed time until the present time based on the information about the time when the liquid container was manufactured, and
a main controlling part that can control the liquid discharging unit based on the passed time.
the main controlling part is adapted to control the liquid discharging unit when the liquid container is replaced with a new liquid container in such a manner that a volume of the liquid to be initially discharged is larger when the passed time calculated based on the information stored in the storing part of the new liquid container set at the container-setting portion is longer.
a liquid-end determining unit that can determine a liquid end based on the information about the time when the liquid container was manufactured read out by the information reader and the liquid consumption.
the liquid consumption is a sum of a volume of the liquid jetted from the nozzle and a volume of the liquid absorbed from the nozzle.
8. A liquid jetting apparatus comprising;
a container-setting portion at which a liquid container is set, the liquid container having a plurality of liquid chambers that contain a plurality of kinds of liquid respectively and a storing part that stores information about a time when the liquid container was manufactured,
a plurality of liquid ways each of which can communicate with each of the plurality of liquid chambers of the liquid container set at the container-setting portion and each of the plurality of nozzles,
a plurality of liquid discharging units each of which can cause each of the plurality of kinds of liquid to be discharged from the plurality of the nozzles, and
a liquid discharging controller that can control the plurality of liquid discharging units respectively based on the information about the time when the liquid container was manufactured read out by the information reader.
a main controlling part that can control the plurality of liquid discharging units respectively based on the passed time.
the main controlling part is adapted to control the plurality of liquid discharging units respectively when the liquid container is replaced with a new liquid container in such a manner that a volume of each of the plurality of kinds of liquid to be initially discharged is larger when the passed time calculated based on the information stored in the storing part of the new liquid container set at the container-setting portion is longer.
the storing part of the liquid container stores information about respective properties of the plurality of kinds of liquid contained in the plurality of liquid chambers of the liquid container.
the liquid discharging controller is adapted to control the plurality of liquid discharging units respectively based on the information about the respective properties of the plurality of kinds of liquid.
13. A liquid jetting apparatus comprising;
a plurality of liquid-consumption totaling units each of which can total each of liquid consumptions of the plurality of kinds of liquid from the plurality of the nozzles, and
a liquid-end determining unit that can determine respective liquid ends for the respective kinds of liquid based on the information about the time when the liquid container was manufactured read out by the information reader and the respective liquid consumptions.
a main determining part that can determine the respective liquid ends for the respective kinds of liquid based on the passed time.
the main determining part is adapted to determine each of the respective liquid ends for the respective kinds of liquid correspondingly to a smaller liquid consumption when the passed time is longer.
16. A liquid jetting apparatus according to
each of the liquid consumptions is a sum of a volume of the liquid jetted from the nozzle and a volume of the liquid absorbed from the nozzle.
17. A liquid jetting apparatus according to
18. A liquid jetting apparatus according to
the liquid-end determining unit is adapted to determine the respective liquid ends for the respective kinds of liquid based on the information about the respective properties of the plurality of kinds of liquid.
19. A liquid jetting apparatus according to
the information about the time when the liquid container was manufactured is a date when the liquid container was manufactured.
20. A liquid jetting apparatus comprising;
a container-setting portion at which a liquid container is set, the liquid container having a liquid chamber that contains liquid and a storing part that stores information about a sedimentation state of the liquid in the liquid chamber,
a liquid discharging controller that can control the liquid discharging unit based on the information about the sedimentation state of the liquid in the liquid chamber read out by the information reader.
21. A liquid jetting apparatus comprising;
a liquid-end determining unit that can determine a liquid end based on the information about the sedimentation state of the liquid in the liquid chamber read out by the information reader and the liquid consumption.
22. A liquid jetting apparatus comprising;
a container-setting portion at which a liquid container is set, the liquid container having a plurality of liquid chambers that contain a plurality of kinds of liquid respectively and a storing part that stores information about respective sedimentation states of the plurality of kinds of liquid in the plurality of liquid chambers,
a liquid discharging controller that can control the plurality of liquid discharging units respectively based on the information about the respective sedimentation states of the plurality of kinds of liquid in the plurality of liquid chambers read out by the information reader.
23. A liquid jetting apparatus comprising;
a liquid-end determining unit that can determine respective liquid ends for the respective kinds of liquid based on the information about the respective sedimentation states of the respective kinds of liquid in the plurality of liquid chambers read out by the information reader and the respective liquid consumptions.
24. A liquid jetting apparatus according to
the liquid discharging unit is a cleaning unit that can cause the liquid to be absorbed from the nozzle.
25. A liquid jetting apparatus according to
the liquid discharging unit is a flushing unit that can cause the liquid to be jetted from the nozzle.
26. A liquid jetting apparatus according to
the liquid contained in the liquid container is ink including pigment.
27. A liquid jetting apparatus according to
the liquid container contains the liquid by containing a foam material filled with the liquid.
28. A liquid jetting apparatus according to
In addition, preferably, the storing part of the liquid container also stores information about respective properties of the plurality of kinds of liquid contained in the plurality of liquid chambers of the liquid container. In the case, preferably the liquid-end determining unit is adapted to determine the respective liquid ends for the respective kinds of liquid based on the information about the respective properties of the plurality of kinds of liquid. Thus, respective suitable liquid ends can be determined for the respective kinds of liquid.
In addition, this invention is a liquid jetting apparatus comprising: a container-setting portion at which a liquid container is set, the liquid container having a liquid chamber that contains liquid and a storing part that stores information about a sedimentation state of the liquid in the liquid chamber; a head member having a nozzle; a liquid way that can communicate with the liquid chamber of the liquid container set at the container-setting portion and the nozzle; a information reader that can read out the information stored in the storing part of the liquid container set at the container-setting portion; a liquid discharging unit that can cause the liquid to be discharged from the nozzle; and a liquid discharging controller that can control the liquid discharging unit based on the information about the sedimentation state of the liquid in the liquid chamber read out by the information reader.
[0042]FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of an ink-jet recording apparatus according to the invention;
[0043]FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a printing mechanism in the ink-jet recording apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
[0044]FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of an example of black-ink cartridge;
[0045]FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of an example of three-color-ink cartridge;
[0046]FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of an example of holder at which the ink cartridges are set;
[0047]FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of a controlling system of the ink-jet recording apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
[0048]FIG. 7 is a view for explaining a change of density of ink in the ink cartridge;
[0049]FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram of a ink-end controller shown in FIG. 6;
[0050]FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of an ink-jet recording apparatus according to the invention;
[0051]FIG. 10 is a schematic block diagram of a controlling system of the ink-jet recording apparatus shown in FIG. 9;
[0052]FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view of a third embodiment of an ink-jet recording apparatus according to the invention;
[0053]FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram of a controlling system of the ink-jet recording apparatus shown in FIG. 11; and
[0054]FIG. 13 is a graph of OD values with respect to volumes of ink that is running short.
[0056]FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of an ink-jet recording apparatus according to the invention, which is an example of liquid jetting apparatus. FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a printing mechanism in the ink-jet recording apparatus. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ink-jet recording apparatus of the first embodiment comprises a housing 3 and a carriage 11 on which a black-ink cartridge 1 (liquid container) and a color-ink cartridge 2 (liquid container) are placed on.
A capping unit 19 (cleaning unit) is arranged at a portion where no recording operation is conducted by the recording heads 17 and 18 (a right-side portion in FIG. 2). The capping unit 19 has a cap 20 a for sealing the nozzles of the black-ink recording head 17 and caps 20 b-20 d for sealing the nozzles of the respective colors of the color-ink recording head 18.
In the case, the caps 20 a-20 d are mounted on the same slider 21, and are respectively connected to four pump units 23 a-23 d (cleaning unit) that are driven by motors or the like via respective tubes (not shown). Thus, the caps 20 a-20 d can be independently supplied negative pressure in order to respectively absorb ink from the nozzles of the respective colors of the corresponding recording heads 17 and 18, that is, in order to conduct respective cleaning operations (liquid-discharging operations).
[0063]FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the black-ink cartridge 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the black-ink cartridge 1 has an ink chamber 1 a that contains black ink. An ink supplying port 26, which can connect the ink chamber 1 a and an ink way 17 a of the black-ink recording head 17, is provided at a base portion 25 of the black-ink cartridge 1. In addition, a semiconductor storing means 27 (storing part), which is a memory capable of rewriting data electrically, is provided on the base portion 25. Furthermore, an electrical terminal 33 for accessing the semiconductor storing means 27 is also provided on the base portion 25.
In the case, the semiconductor storing means 27 stores information about a time when the black-ink cartridge 1 was manufactured, for example a date when the black-ink cartridge 1 was manufactured. In addition, the semiconductor storing means 27 stores information about characteristics of the black ink contained in the ink chamber 1 a. The ink chamber 1 a contains the black ink by containing a foam member filled with black pigment ink.
[0065]FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the color-ink cartridge 2. As shown in FIG. 4, the color-ink cartridge 2 has ink chambers 2 a, 2 b and 2 c that separately contain yellow ink, magenta ink and cyan ink, respectively. Ink supplying ports 29-31, which can connect the respective ink chambers 2 a, 2 b and 2 c and respective ink ways 18 a of the color-ink recording head 18, are provided at a base portion 28 of the color-ink cartridge 2. In addition, a semiconductor storing means 32 (storing part), which is a memory capable of rewriting data electrically, is provided on the base portion 28. Furthermore, an electrical terminal 34 for accessing the semiconductor storing means 32 is also provided on the base portion 28.
In the case, the semiconductor storing means 32 stores information about a time when the color-ink cartridge 2 was manufactured, for example a date when the color-ink cartridge 2 was manufactured. In addition, the semiconductor storing means 32 stores information about characteristics of the respective inks contained in the respective ink chambers 2 a-2 c. Each of the ink chambers 2 a-2 c contains the color ink by containing a foam member filled with color pigment ink.
[0067]FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a head holder 35 (container-setting portion) at which the ink cartridges 1 and 2 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 are set. As shown in FIG. 5, the head holder 35 is provided with electrical terminals 36 and 37, which can be electrically connected to the electrical terminals 33 and 34 of the ink cartridges 1 and 2. The electrical terminals 36 and 37 are connected to information readers 38 and 39 that can read out the information stored in the semiconductor storing means 27 and 32, respectively. The information readers 38 and 39 are connected to a controlling unit 41 (see FIG. 2) of a recording apparatus body via flexible cables.
[0070]FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of the controlling unit 41. As shown in FIG. 6, push switches 43 and 44 are provided on the carriage 11 in such a manner that the push switches 43 and 44 are respectively pushed by the ink cartridges 1 and 2 while the ink cartridges 1 and 2 are set. The push switches 43 and 44 are connected to an ink-cartridge-replacement judging part 42, which can judge whether the respective ink cartridges 1 and 2 have been replaced or not.
An absorbing controlling part 47 (a main controlling part of cleaning (liquid discharging) controller) is adapted to receive a control instruction from a main controlling part 46, cause the capping unit 19 to seal the nozzles of the recording heads 17 and 18 via the carriage-motor controlling part 45 and control respective absorbing powers and/or times of the respective absorbing pumps 23 a-23 d via a pump driving part 48.
Then, the calculating part 46 b is adapted to calculate a volume of the ink to be initially absorbed and an estimaÿted ink consumption, based on the passed time. A concrete way of the calculation is explained with reference to FIG. 7.
That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the respective inks contained in the respective ink chambers 2 a-2 c of the ink cartridge 2 just after manufactured have substantially the same density at upper portions thereof and at base portions thereof, respectively. However, if the ink cartridge has been stored at a predetermined attitude (wherein the ink supplying ports 29-31 are lowered) for a ling time since the ink cartridge was manufactured, pigment in the respective inks may sink because of gravity. Thus, densities of the inks at the base portions of the ink chambers 2 a-2 c become higher, and densities of the inks at the upper portions thereof become lower.
Thus, if a predetermined time or more has passed since the ink cartridge was manufactured, density of the ink A at each base portion of the ink chambers 2 a-2 c is so high that it is difficult to perform the recording operation at a high quality. Thus, in order to discharge the ink A by the cleaning operation, the volumes of the respective inks to be initially absorbed (discharged) are set more by a region A according to the passed time.
The main controlling part 46 and the absorbing controlling part 47 are adapted to control the absorbing pumps 23 b-23 d based on the volumes of the respective inks to be initially absorbed, in order to perform ink-filling operations for the respective inks when the new ink cartridge is set on.
On the other hand, if the predetermined time or more has passed since the ink cartridge was manufactured, density of the ink B at each upper portion of the ink chambers 2 a-2 c is so low that it is difficult to perform the recording operation at a high quality. Thus, in order to positively avoid using the ink B, the estimated ink consumptions are set less by a region B.
The ink-end controlling part 51 is explained with reference to FIG. 8, which is a schematic block diagram of the ink-end controlling part 51. As shown in FIG. 8, the ink-end controlling part 51 has: a black-ink-consumption totaling part 51 a that can total a black-ink consumption; an estimated-black-ink-consumption storing part 52 a; respective color-ink-consumption totaling parts 51 b-51 d that can respectively total respective color-ink consumptions; respective estimated-color-ink-consumption storing parts 52 b-52 d for the respective color inks; a remaining-black-ink comparing part 53; and a remaining-color-ink comparing part 54.
Each of the ink-consumption totaling parts 51 a-51 d is adapted to total the ink consumption by adding a volume of the ink jetted for the recording operation (a sum of the products of the number of jetting and jetted volume per jetting) and a volume of the ink absorbed in the cleaning operation.
Each of the estimated ink-consumption storing parts 52 a-52 d is adapted to store each value (estimated ink consumption) sent from the main controlling part 46.
The remaining-color-ink comparing part 54 (a main determining part of a liquid-end determining unit) is adapted to compare the respective color-ink consumptions totaled by the respective color-ink-consumption totaling parts 51 b-51 d with the respective estimated color-ink consumptions stored in the respective estimated-color-ink-consumption storing parts 52 b-52 d. Regarding at least one ink (color), if the former value (consumption) is more than the later value (consumption), the remaining-color-ink comparing part 54 is adapted to judge an ink-end for the ink and send a signal of the judgement to the color-ink ink-end display 10.
If a predetermined time or more has passed since the ink cartridge was manufactured, density of the ink A at each base portion of the ink chambers 2 a-2 c (see FIG. 7) is so high that it is difficult to perform the recording operation at a high quality. Thus, in order to discharge the ink A by the cleaning operation, the volumes of the respective inks to be initially absorbed (discharged) are set more by the region A according to the passed time.
On the contrary, if the predetermined time or more has passed since the ink cartridge was manufactured, density of the ink B at each upper portion of the ink chambers 2 a-2 c (see FIG. 7) is so low that it is difficult to perform the recording operation at a high quality. Thus, in order to positively avoid using the ink B, the estimated ink consumptions for the respective inks are set less by the region B. The main controlling part 46 sends the estimated ink consumptions to the ink-end controlling part 51, in order to cause the respective estimated-color-ink-consumption storing parts 52 b-52 d to store the estimated ink consumptions, respectively.
The main controlling part 46 and the absorbing controlling part 47 controls the absorbing pumps 23 b-23 d based on the set volumes of the respective inks to be initially absorbed, in order to perform ink-filling operations for the respective inks when the new ink cartridge is set on.
After that, while the recording apparatus is used, each of the ink-consumption totaling parts 51 b-51 d totals each color-ink consumption by adding a volume of each color-ink jetted from the nozzles for the recording operation (a sum of the products of the number of jetting and jetted volume per jetting) and a volume of each color-ink absorbed in the cleaning operation.
Then, the remaining-color-ink comparing part 54 compares the respective color-ink consumptions totaled by the color-ink-consumption totaling parts 51 b-51 d with the respective estimated color-ink consumptions stored in the estimated-color-ink-consumption storing parts 52 b-52 d. Regarding at least one ink (color), if the former value (consumption) is more than the later value (consumption), the remaining-color-ink comparing part 54 judges an ink-end for the ink and sends a signal of the judgement to the color-ink ink-end display 10.
As described above, according to the embodiment, the absorbing pumps 23 a-23 d may be controlled based on the information about the time when the ink cartridge 1 and/or 2 was manufactured. Thus, suitable ink-filling operations can be performed when the new ink cartridge 1 and/or 2 is set on.
In the embodiment, the calculating part 46 b can calculate the passed time from the date when the ink cartridge 1 or 2 was manufactured until the present time. In addition, the absorbing pumps 23 a-23 d can be controlled in such a manner that the volumes of the respective inks to be initially absorbed are more according to the passed time. Thus, if density of the ink initially introduced to the nozzles is higher than a predetermined level because the passed time from the time of manufacture is longer, the ink having such a higher density can be discharged by the cleaning (absorbing) operation.
Furthermore, regarding the color-ink cartridge 2, for the respective color inks contained in the respective ink chambers 2 a-2 c, the absorbing pumps 23 b-23 d may be independently controlled based on the information about the time when the ink cartridge 2 was manufactured. Thus, suitable ink-filling operations for the respective color inks can be performed when the new ink cartridge 2 is set on.
Furthermore, regarding the color-ink cartridge 2, for the respective color inks contained in the respective ink chambers 2 a-2 c, the ink ends may be independently determined based on the information about the time when the ink cartridge 2 was manufactured and the respective ink consumprtions. Thus, suitable ink ends for the respective color inks can be determined.
The main controlling part 46 sends the estimated ink consumptions to the ink-end controlling part 51, in order to cause the respective estimated-color-ink-consumption storing parts 52 b-52 d to store the estimated ink consumptions, respectively.
Especially, regarding the color-ink cartridge 2, in common for the respective color inks contained in the respective ink chambers 2 a-2 c, the absorbing pump 23 e may be controlled based on the information about the time when the ink cartridge 2 was manufactured. Thus, suitable and simple ink-filling operations for the respective color inks can be performed when the new ink cartridge 2 is set on.
[0156]FIG. 13 is a graph of measured OD values of jetted ink, which has been stored in an ink cartridge that has been set at a predetermined attitude for two years since the ink cartridge was manufactured. The OD value is an index substantially in proportion to density of the ink.
The main controlling part 46 and the absorbing controlling part 47 are adapted to control the absorbing pumps 23 b-23 d based on the set volumes of the respective color inks to be initially absorbed, in order to perform ink-filling operations for the respective inks when the new ink cartridge is set on.
The main controlling part 46 and the absorbing controlling part 47 controls the absorbing pumps 23 b-23 d based on the set volumes of the respective color inks to be initially absorbed, in order to perform ink-filling operations for the respective color inks when the new ink cartridge is set on.
In the above case, the absorbing pumps 23 a-23 d may be controlled based on the suitable information about respective sedimentation states of the respective inks in the ink cartridges 1 and 2. In the case too, suitable ink-filling operations can be performed when the new ink cartridge 1 and/or 2 is set on.
US8322807 * Jun 11, 2007 Dec 4, 2012 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Ink jet printing apparatus and ink jet printing method with stir mode for stir operation of ink tank
US20070291077 * Jun 11, 2007 Dec 20, 2007 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Ink jet printing apparatus and ink jet printing method
U.S. Classification 347/19, 347/87
International Classification B41J2/18, B41J2/185, B41J2/175
Cooperative Classification B41J2/1752, B41J2/17553, B41J2/17566, B41J2/17513, B41J2/17546
European Classification B41J2/175C3, B41J2/175C7E, B41J2/175C8, B41J2/175L, B41J2/175C2
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:YONEKUBO, SHUJI;REEL/FRAME:012015/0212