Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Ejector mechanism
Reexamination Certificate
1996-09-06
2001-06-19
Barlow, John (Department: 2853)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Ejector mechanism
C347S007000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247784
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to controlling replacement of an ink cartridge. More specifically, the invention relates to ink jet cartridge replacement control applicable to an ink jet recording apparatus and a facsimile apparatus using an jet recording apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
A facsimile apparatus with a known ink jet recording system is shown in FIG.
10
.
In a reading section an original
82
is loaded with its image side down on an original loading tray
81
, positioned in the width direction by a guide
83
. Reading of the original commences by a command from an operational panel
84
. The original
82
is fed by a preliminary feed roller
85
a
and a preliminary feed press part
85
b
, with each sheet being fed separately by the action of a separating roller
86
a
and a separating press part
86
b
. The original
82
is fed by feed rollers
87
a
and
87
b
to a read position. An image of the original
82
is read out by a photoelectric conversion sensor
88
. The original
82
after image reading is ejected by discharge rollers
89
a
and
89
b
. The original
82
is discharged onto a discharge section structured by a cover
90
and an original discharge tray
91
with a part
91
a
configured to fit into a gap
90
a
in the cover
90
. The discharge tray
91
is assembled by inserting the part
91
a
into the gap
90
a
prior to an original reading operation.
A recording section records on recording paper
93
loaded and accommodated within a cassette
92
installed on the lower part of an apparatus body. Individual recording paper sheets are fed sheet-by-sheet by a paper feed roller
94
contacting the top side of the upper sheet. The recording paper
93
is then fed by a feed roller
95
to a platen roller
96
that is temporarily stopped. The platen roller
96
aligns the paper to remove any canting in the feed direction by providing a nip between a roller pair, against which nip the paper's leading edge is brought to bear. The platen roller also determines the feeding speed of the recording paper
93
relative to recording means.
An ink jet cartridge
97
used as such recording means is an exchangeable-type cartridge integrally formed by a recording head and an ink tank. The ink jet cartridge
97
is mounted on a carriage
98
which scans bidirectionally in a main scanning direction transverse to the sub-scanning direction, defined by the recording paper feed direction. The ink jet cartridge
97
discharges ink to record on the recording paper
93
in accordance with image information, and the recording paper
93
is fed by the platen roller
96
. After image recording on one page is complete, the page is fed by a pair of feeding rollers
99
a
and
99
b
, and a pair of discharge rollers
100
a
and
100
b
, until it is discharged onto a recording paper discharge tray
101
.
In the case where the ink level of the ink jet cartridge
97
is insufficient for recording, or there is an ink discharge failure, or the recording paper
93
has jammed, and so on, the cartridge
97
may need to be replaced in a manner explained by referring FIG.
11
.
An operator detaches the original discharge tray
91
shown in
FIG. 10
from the cover
90
and then detaches the cover
90
by rotating it on a hinge
90
b
. Then, an upper part of the recording section is opened to form a space
102
. After the ink jet cartridge
97
is removed in the direction of the arrow shown in
FIG. 11
, a new ink jet cartridge is installed. After that, the cover
90
is closed by rotating it on the hinge
90
b
to the left in
FIG. 11
, the original discharge tray
91
is inserted into the gap
90
a
, and operation can be resumed.
In the prior art, the carriage
98
mounting the ink jet cartridge
97
is usually in a recording-waiting position called a home position during a non-recording period. In order to prevent the viscosity of the ink from increasing due to evaporation of the ink solvent or mixing of foreign materials in the ink, an ink discharge opening section of the ink jet cartridge
97
is sealed from ambient atmosphere by a cap comprised of elastic material. The recording-waiting position is at an end of the main scanning direction, so that even when the cover
90
is rotated to open the upper part of the recording section, it can be difficult to replace the ink jet cartridge
97
at the recording-waiting position. That is, in a construction in which the waiting position is covered in order to prevent a user from touching the ink jet cartridge
97
if its temperature is elevated through discharging large amounts of ink, it is difficult to replace the ink jet cartridge
97
even though the cover
90
is opened. If an operator changes the ink jet cartridge
97
while it is away from the waiting position, and then fails to return it to the waiting position, thereby leaving it exposed for an extended time after replacement of the ink jet cartridge
97
, the ink discharge opening section will remain exposed, and faulty ink discharge may occur because of increased ink viscosity or presence of foreign materials in the ink.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention is to provide ink jet recording apparatus in which an ink jet recording means such as an ink jet cartridge can be easily replaced.
It is another object of the invention to provide the ink jet recording apparatus in which a scanning carriage can easily and with certainty be returned to a predetermined waiting position after replacing an ink jet cartridge removably mounted on the carriage.
It is still another object of the invention to provide an image forming apparatus and a cartridge replacement control method which can prohibit transition to a replacement mode of a recording head cartridge at a time when a temperature of the recording head is high, even though a cover for providing access to the recording head cartridge is opened.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, an ink jet recording apparatus for performing recording by scanning a carriage having an ink jet recording cartridge, at least a part of which is removably mounted to the carriage, comprises scanning means for moving the carriage in a predetermined path having a waiting position wherein access to the ink jet recording cartridge is inhibited and a replacement position wherein access to at least the removably mounted part of the cartridge is facilitated, and control means for controlling the scanning means for movement of the carriage between the waiting position and the replacement position, wherein the control means moves the carriage to the waiting position from the replacement position in the presence of a recording start signal indicating that recording is to commence.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an ink jet recording apparatus for performing recording by scanning a carriage having an ink jet recording cartridge, at least a part of which is removably mounted to the carriage, comprises scanning means for moving the carriage in a predetermined path having a waiting position wherein access to the ink jet recording device is inhibited and a replacement position wherein access to at least the removably mounted part of the cartridge is facilitated, control means for controlling the scanning means for movement of the carriage to the replacement position in response to a cartridge replacement signal, a timer for counting the time elapsed from generation of the cartridge replacement signal, and return means for causing the scanning means to move the carriage to the waiting position from the replacement position when the elapsed time exceeds a predetermined time.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, an ink jet recording apparatus for performing recording by scanning a carriage having an ink jet recording cartridge, at least a part of which is removably mounted to the carriage, comprises scanning means for moving the carriage in a predetermined path having a waiting position wherein access to the ink jet recording device is inhibited and a r
Kohno Takeshi
Kohri Shinichiro
Momose Masanori
Morimoto Yasushi
Nakamura Fumihiko
Barlow John
Brooke M.
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
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