Ink supply control apparatus, ink jet printer and method of controlling ink supply

Abstract

An ink supply control apparatus includes: a driver, operable to drive a selector provided between a recording head and an ink tank to control an ink supply from the ink tank to the recording head; a detector, operable to detect that the selector is disposed in a predetermined position between two positions of at least two control positions; and a controller, operable to control the driver so as to stop the selector in one of the two positions in a predetermined time after the detector detects that the selector is disposed in the predetermined position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers reference like elements.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a structure of an ink jet printer according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing a structure of an ink supply mechanism of the ink jet printer in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system for driving an ink selector in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a correlation diagram showing a cylinder, a pair of push arms and a rotator in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a position correcting sequence at starting.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an ink setting control sequence.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a current position detecting step.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a drive processing till a photo range.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a drive processing till a photo end position.

Claims

1. An ink supply control apparatus comprising: a driver, operable to drive a selector provided between a recording head and an ink tank to control an ink supply from the ink tank to the recording head;a detector, operable to detect that the selector is disposed in a predetermined position between two positions of at least two control positions; anda controller, operable to control the driver so as to stop the selector in one of the two positions in a predetermined time after the detector detects that the selector is disposed in the predetermined position.

2. The ink supply control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least two control positions include a first control position in which the ink supply from the ink tank to the recording head is allowed and a second control position in which the ink supply from the ink tank to the recording head is stopped.

3. The ink supply control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ink supply includes a first ink supply for a first ink and a second ink supply for a second ink having different kind from the first ink, andthe at least two control positions include a first control position in which the first ink supply from the ink tank to the recording head is allowed and a second control position in which the second ink supply from the ink tank to the recording head is allowed.

4. The ink supply control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to drive the driver at a first torque after the detector detects that the selector is disposed in the predetermined position and to drive the driver at a second torque before the detector detects that the selector is disposed in the predetermined position, andthe first torque is greater than the second torque.

5. The ink supply control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a timer, operable to measure a control time of the driver through the controller,the controller is configure to control a torque for driving the driver in accordance with the control time measured by the timer.

6. The ink supply control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least two control positions include at least three control positions,the predetermined position includes a first predetermined position between adjacent two positions of the at least three control positions and a second predetermined position between another adjacent two positions of the at least three control positions, andthe controller is configured to drive the driver every section divided by the first and second predetermined positions before the detector detects the selector in one of the first and second predetermined positions which is followed by one of the at least three control positions which is a target.

7. The ink supply control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detector includes a lever member movable in accordance with the at least two positions and is configured to output, to the controller, a detection signal corresponding to a position of the lever member.

8. The ink supply control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the driver so as to stop the selector in the one of the two positions before a printing operation is started.

9. An ink jet printer incorporating the ink supply control apparatus according to claim 1, the ink jet printer comprising: a carriage, provided with the recording head and the selector;a tank unit to which the ink tank is removably attached, provided separately from the carriage; anda tube, connected to the ink tank and the recording head through the selector.

10. An method of controlling a ink supply comprising: driving a selector provided between a recording head and an ink tank and giving an instruction for starting a driving operation of a driver for controlling the ink supply from the ink tank to the recording head;detecting that the selector in a predetermined position between two positions of at least two control positions; andstopping the driving operation of the driver so as to stop the selector in one of the two positions in a predetermined time after detecting that the selector in the predetermined position.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the at least two control positions include a first control position in which the ink supply from the ink tank to the recording head is allowed and a second control position in which the ink supply from the ink tank to the recording head is stopped.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the ink supply includes a first ink supply for a first ink and a second ink supply for a second ink having different kind from the first ink, andthe at least two control positions include a first control position in which the first ink supply from the ink tank to the recording head is allowed and a second control position in which the second ink supply from the ink tank to the recording head is allowed.