Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Controller
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-04
2004-09-21
Nguyen, Judy (Department: 2853)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Controller
Reexamination Certificate
active
06793305
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for detecting a consuming state of ink within an ink tank, and an ink jet recording apparatus and an ink tank to which the method of detecting and the apparatus for detecting are applied.
BACKGROUND ART
In general, an ink jet recording apparatus is configured so that the ink jet recording apparatus includes a carriage on which an ink jet type recording head equipped with pressure generation means for applying a pressure to a pressure generation is chamber and a nozzle opening from which an pressurized ink is discharged as an ink droplet is mounted, and an ink tank for containing the ink supplied to a recording head via a pass and continuously printable. In general, an ink tank is configured as a cartridge attachable to and detachable from the recording apparatus so that at the time when the ink is completely consumed, the ink tank is easily changeable by the user.
Conventionally, as a method of managing an ink consumption of an ink cartridge, a method of mathematically managing an ink consumption by adding up a count number of ink droplets discharged by a recording head, and a volume of ink absorbed in the maintenance step of a printing head using a software, a method of managing an ink consumption by detecting a point in time at which the predetermined volume is actually consumed by mounting two pieces of electrodes for directly detecting an ink level on an ink cartridge and the like have been known.
However, as for a method of mathematically managing an ink consumption by adding up the count of discharging ink droplets and a volume of the ink absorbed using a software, there has been a problem that the pressure within an ink cartridge and viscosity of the ink are changed by the circumstances used, for example, a high or low temperature and humidity within a room used for it, a lapsed time after opening a sealed ink cartridge, the difference of using frequency of the user side and the like, and the error not to be negligible is generated between an ink consuming volume mathematically added up and an actual volume of consumption. Moreover, in the case where the same cartridge is removed once and mounted again, there has been also a problem that an added up counting value is once reset, therefore, an actual ink residual volume becomes completely unknown.
On the other hand, as for a method of managing a point in time at which the ink is consumed using electrodes, since an actual volume of the ink at some point in time can be detected, an ink residual volume can be managed with a high degree of reliability. However, the ink must be electrically conductive for detecting an ink level, hence, kinds of inks for use are limited. Moreover, there is a problem that fluid-tight structure between electrodes and an ink cartridge becomes complex. Furthermore, since usually noble metal having a good conductivity and corrosion resistance is used as a material for an electrode, there has been also a problem that a manufacturing cost of an ink cartridge is increased. Moreover, since two pieces of electrodes are required to be mounted at different positions, respectively, there has been a problem that the number of steps for manufacturing it is increased, and as a result, the manufacturing cost is increased.
The present invention is achieved in consideration of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for detecting an ink consumption capable of precisely detecting a liquid consuming state.
The present invention provides a technology for detecting a liquid residual volume by especially utilizing an oscillation, and particularly is capable of precisely and finely detecting a change of a liquid volume.
Moreover, an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid container which is capable of precisely detecting a consuming state of a liquid and does not require a complex sealing structure.
Moreover, another object of the present invention is to provide an ink cartridge capable of precisely detecting a consuming state of the ink and not requiring a complex sealing structure.
It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to an ink cartridge, and the other liquid containers are also applicable.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
An aspect of the present invention is a method of detecting an ink consuming state of an ink tank used for an ink jet recording apparatus. The method employs an estimate consumption calculation processing in combination with an actual consumption detection processing. In the estimate consumption calculation processing, an estimate consuming state of the ink within an ink tank is required. Ink consumption is an ink consumption by printing (can be found based on an amount of printing), an ink consumption for maintenance of an ink head and the like. Actual volume of consumption detection processing is to detect an actual volume of consuming state by detecting an oscillating state corresponding to an ink consuming state using a piezoelectric device.
According to the present invention, an actual consuming state can be detected by employing a piezoelectric device. On the other hand, according to an estimate processing, although accompanying with somewhat errors, a consuming state can be found in detail. Therefore, an ink consuming state can be precisely found in detail by the combined use of both processings.
Preferably, the actual consumption detection processing detects an ink liquid level passing through the piezoelectric device as the actual consuming state. When an ink liquid level passes through the piezoelectric device, an output of the piezoelectric device is largely changed. Therefore, the ink liquid level is securely detected. At least one of ink consuming states prior to and after the passage of the liquid level portion is found in detail by the estimate consumption calculation processing. For example, making the passage of the ink liquid level as a starting point, subsequent volume of consumption is calculated. An ink consuming state is found precisely and in detail by performing these processings.
Preferably, when detected that an ink liquid level passes through the piezoelectric device, the detection of the actual consuming state is completed. Owing to this, an operation of the piezoelectric device is limited when it is necessary to be done so. Specifically, useless operations of the piezoelectric device and actual consumption detection processings accompanying with them are omitted.
In the estimate consumption calculation processing, the estimate consuming state may be found by adding up the number of ink droplets ejected from a recording head. Furthermore, in the estimate consumption calculation processing, the estimate consuming state may be found on the basis of a size of an ink droplet ejected from the recording head.
Preferably, in the estimate consumption calculation processing, consumption conversion information indicating the relationship between an amount of operation of an ink jet recording apparatus and a volume of ink consumption is corrected on the basis of the detection results of the actual consumption detection processing, and the estimate consuming state is found on the basis of the corrected consumption conversion information. The consumption conversion information may be information of a volume of ink consumed during the time of maintenance. The foregoing consumption conversion information may be also a volume of the ink corresponding to the ink droplet ejected from the recording head. A conversion parameter which indicates the relationship between the printing amount and the consuming state is different little by little due to ink jet recording apparatus and ink tanks and further combinations thereof. The error due to such differences of parameters can be reduced, therefore, a consuming state is more precisely found.
The corrected consumption conversion information may be also used to be limited to the ink tank which is an objective of the correction. Otherwise, the corrected consumption
Kanaya Munehide
Tsukada Kenji
Mouttet Blaise
Nguyen Judy
Seiko Epson Corporation
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
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