Patent Application
20220250384
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-017898, filed on Feb. 8, 2021, the entire subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present disclosure is related to a liquid discharging apparatus capable of conducting a flushing process while a head is accelerating, a method for controlling the liquid discharging apparatus, and a computer-readable storage medium storing computer readable instructions for controlling the liquid discharging apparatus.
A head configured to discharge liquid through nozzles at a liquid receiver as the head accelerates, i.e., flushing including pre-print flushing and flushing while printing, is known. The action of flushing may clear thickened liquid in the nozzles and restrain incorrect liquid discharging while printing. Moreover, the flushing action while the head accelerates may shorten time for printing compared to a printing operation, in which the flushing action is conducted while the head pauses.
However, as the flushing action is conducted while the head is accelerating, negative pressure may be produced in the head due to dynamic pressure. Therefore, an amount of the liquid to be discharged for flushing may become insufficient, and thickening of the liquid may not be cleared effectively.
The present disclosure is advantageous in that a liquid discharging apparatus capable of conducting a flushing process while a head is accelerating, in which negative pressure in the head may be restrained, and which may discharge a sufficient amount of liquid, is provided, and, moreover, a method for controlling the liquid discharging apparatus and a computer readable storage medium storing computer readable instructions for controlling the liquid discharging apparatus are provided.
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a liquid discharging apparatus, including a head having a plurality of nozzles, a scanning assembly configured to move the head in a scanning direction, a conveyer configured to covey a recording medium with respect to the head in a conveying direction, the conveying direction intersecting with the scanning direction, and a controller, is provided. The controller is configured to, for recording an image on the recording medium, conduct actions to control the head to discharge liquid through the plurality of nozzles at the recording medium based on image data. The actions include a conveying action, in which the controller controls the conveyer to convey the recording medium by a predetermined amount in the conveying direction, a moving action, in which the controller controls the scanning assembly to move the head in the scanning direction, and a discharging action, in which the controller controls the head to discharge the liquid through the plurality of nozzles while the head is moved by the scanning assembly in the moving action. The controller is further configured to, for flushing the plurality of nozzles with the liquid, control the head to discharge the liquid through the plurality of nozzles at a flushing range based on flushing data, the flushing data being different from the image data, while the head being moved in the moving action is accelerating. The controller is further configured to determine whether the plurality of nozzles are to be flushed in the moving action which accompanies the discharging action, in a case where the controller determines that the plurality of nozzles are not to be flushed in the moving action, conduct the moving action to move the head at a first acceleration rate, in a case where the controller determines that the plurality of nozzles are to be flushed in the moving action, determine whether a distance between the flushing range and a discharging range, in which the liquid is to be discharged through the plurality of nozzles in the discharging action, is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance, and in a case where the controller determines that the distance is greater than or equal to the predetermined distance, conduct the moving action to move the head at a second acceleration rate being lower than the first acceleration rate and control the head to discharge the liquid for flushing the plurality of nozzles.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for controlling a liquid discharging apparatus is provided. The liquid discharging apparatus includes a head having a plurality of nozzles, a scanning assembly configured to move the head in a scanning direction, and a conveyer configured to covey a recording medium with respect to the head in a conveying direction, which intersects with the scanning direction. The method includes, for recording an image on the recording medium, conducting actions to control the head to discharge liquid through the plurality of nozzles at the recording medium based on image data. The actions include a conveying action, in which the conveyer is controlled to convey the recording medium by a predetermined amount in the conveying direction, a moving action, in which the scanning assembly is controlled to move the head in the scanning direction, and a discharging action, in which the head is controlled to discharge the liquid through the plurality of nozzles while the head is moved by the scanning assembly in the moving action. The method further includes flushing the plurality of nozzles with the liquid by controlling the head to discharge the liquid through the plurality of nozzles at a flushing range based on flushing data, which is different from the image data, while the head being moved in the moving action is accelerating. For controlling the liquid discharging apparatus, the method further includes determining whether the plurality of nozzles are to be flushed in the moving action which accompanies the discharging action, in a case where the plurality of nozzles are determined not to be flushed in the moving action, conducting the moving action to move the head at a first acceleration rate, in a case where the plurality of nozzles are determined to be flushed in the moving action, determining whether a distance between the flushing range and a discharging range, in which the liquid is to be discharged through the plurality of nozzles in the discharging action, is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance, and in a case where the distance is determined to be greater than or equal to the predetermined distance, conducting the moving action to move the head at a second acceleration rate being lower than the first acceleration rate and controlling the head to discharge the liquid for flushing the plurality of nozzles.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer readable instructions that are executable by a computer configured to control a liquid discharging apparatus is provided. The liquid discharging apparatus includes a head having a plurality of nozzles, a scanning assembly configured to move the head in a scanning direction, and a conveyer configured to covey a recording medium with respect to the head in a conveying direction, which intersects with the scanning direction. The computer readable instructions, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to, for recording an image on the recording medium, conduct actions to control the head to discharge liquid through the plurality of nozzles at the recording medium based on image data. The actions include a conveying action, in which the computer controls the conveyer to convey the recording medium by a predetermined amount in the conveying direction, a moving action, in which the computer controls the scanning assembly to move the head in the scanning direction, and a discharging action, in which the computer controls the head to discharge the liquid through the plurality of nozzles while the head is moved by the scanning assembly in the moving action. The computer readable instructions, when executed by the computer, further cause the computer to, for flushing the plurality of nozzles with the liquid, control the head to discharge the liquid through the plurality of nozzles at a flushing range based on flushing data, which is different from the image data, while the head being moved in the moving action is accelerating. The computer readable instructions, when executed by the computer, further cause the computer to determine whether the plurality of nozzles are to be flushed in the moving action which accompanies the discharging action, in a case where the computer determines that the plurality of nozzles are not to be flushed in the moving action, conduct the moving action to move the head at a first acceleration rate, in a case where the computer determines that the plurality of nozzles are to be flushed in the moving action, determine whether a distance between the flushing range and a discharging range, in which the liquid is to be discharged through the plurality of nozzles in the discharging action, is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance, and in a case where the computer determines that the distance is greater than or equal to the predetermined distance, conduct the moving action to move the head at a second acceleration rate being lower than the first acceleration rate and control the head to discharge the liquid for flushing the plurality of nozzles.
In the following paragraphs, with reference to the accompanying drawings, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described. It is noted that a printer described below is merely one embodiment of the present disclosure, and various connections may be 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.
First, with reference to
As shown in
The nozzles N form four (4) nozzle arrays Nc, Nm, Ny, Nk, which align side by side in the scanning direction. Each of the nozzle arrays Nc, Nm, Ny, Nk consists of a plurality of nozzles N, which align along the conveying direction. The nozzles N forming the nozzle array Nc may discharge cyan ink, the nozzles N forming the nozzle array Nm may discharge magenta ink, the nozzles N forming the nozzle array Ny may discharge yellow ink, and the nozzles N forming the nozzle array Nk may discharge black ink.
The scanning assembly 30 includes a pair of guides 31, 32, which support the carriage 20 and a belt 33 connected to the carriage 20. The guides 31, 32 and the belt 33 longitudinally extend in the scanning direction. When a carriage motor 30m (see
The platen 40 is located at a lower position with respect to the head 10. On an upper surface of the platen 40, the sheet 1 may be placed to be supported.
The conveyer 50 has two (2) roller pairs 51, 52. Between the roller pair 51 and the roller pair 52 in the conveying direction, the head 10 and the platen 40 are arranged. When, under the control of the controller 90, a conveyer motor 50m (see
The flushing receiver member 60 is arranged between the guides 31, 32 in the conveying direction and has a flushing range 60r on a surface thereof. The flushing range 60r is located outside a conveyable range, within which the sheet 1 may be conveyed by the conveyer 50, and adjoins the conveyable range in the scanning direction. In a flushing process, which will be described below, the liquid may be discharged at the flushing range 60r to flush the nozzles N.
The cap 70 is a box-shaped member, which is open on an upper side thereof. The cap 70 may move in the vertical direction by driving a cap lift motor 70m (see
The cap 70 is connected with a waste ink tank 77 through a tube (not shown) and a suction pump 70p. When the cap 70 is in the capping state, the suction pump 70p may be driven under the control of the controller 90, and the pressure in the sealed space between the cap 70 and the head 10 may be reduced, and the ink may be expelled from the nozzles N. The expelled ink may be received in the cap 70 and may flow to the waste ink tank 77.
The cartridge unit 80 includes four (4) cartridges 80c, 80m, 80y, 80k, which may store inks in different colors of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, respectively. Each of the cartridges 80c, 80m, 80y, 80k is connected through a tube to a common flow path 12a (see
The head 10 includes a flow path unit 12 and an actuator unit 13, as shown in
On a lower face of the flow path unit 12, the plurality of nozzles N (see
The actuator unit 13 includes a metal-made vibration board 13a, a piezoelectric layer 13b, and a plurality of individual electrodes 13c. The vibration board 13a is arranged on the upper side of the flow path unit 12 to cover the plurality of pressure chambers 12p. The piezoelectric layer 13b is arranged on an upper side of the vibration board 13a. The plurality of individual electrodes 13c are arranged on an upper side of the piezoelectric layer 13b. Each of the individual electrodes faces toward one of the plurality of pressure chambers 12p.
The vibration board 13a and the plurality of individual electrodes 13c are connected electrically with a driver IC 14. The driver IC 14 maintains potential of the vibration board 13a at the ground potential and changes potentials of the individual electrodes 13c between the ground potential and a driving potential. In particular, the driver IC 14 may generate driving signals based on controlling signals, e.g., waveform signal FIRE and selection signal SIN, from the controller 90 and supply the driving signals to the individual electrodes 13c through signal lines 14s. Thereby, the potentials of the individual electrodes 13c may change between the driving potential and the ground potential. Accordingly, an actuator 13x, which is a part of the vibration board 13a and the piezoelectric layer 13b, interposed between the individual electrode 13c and the pressure chamber 12p may deform, and a volume of the pressure chamber 12p may change. When the volume of the pressure chamber 12p increases, the ink may be drawn from the common flow path 12a to the individual flow path 12b, and the ink may be supplied from the cartridge 80c, 80m, 80y, or 80k to the common flow path 12a. When the volume of the pressure chamber 12p is reduced, pressure may be applied to the ink in the pressure chamber 12p, and the ink may be discharged through the nozzle N. The actuator 13x is provided to each of the individual electrodes 13c, in other words, to each of the nozzles N, and may deform independently according to the potential supplied to the respective individual electrode 13c.
The controller 90 includes, as shown in
The ROM 92 stores programs and data to be used by the CPU 91 and/or the ASIC 94 to control operations in the printer 100. The RAM 93 may temporarily store data, such as image data, to be used by the CPU 91 and/or the ASIC 94 to execute the programs. The controller 90 is connected to communicate with an external device 150, such as a personal computer, and the CPU 91 and ASIC 94 may conduct processes, such as a recording process, based on the data input from the external device 150 and/or an input device, e.g., switches and buttons arranged on an exterior of a housing of the printer 100.
In the recording process, the ASIC 94 may control the driver IC 14, the carriage motor 30m, and the conveyer motor 50m according to commands from the CPU 91 and based on a record command, which includes image data, received from, for example, the external device 150. In particular, a conveying action, in which the conveyer 50 conveys the sheet 1 in the conveying direction by a predetermined distance, a moving action, in which the scanning assembly 30 moves the head 10 in the scanning direction, and a discharging action, in which the head 10 discharges the ink through the nozzles N to form dots on the sheet 1 while being moved in the moving action, may be conducted. Thus, an image in dots may be recorded on the sheet 1.
The ASIC 94 includes, as shown in
The output circuit 94a may generate the waveform signal FIRE and the selection signal SIN and output the generated signals to the transfer circuit 94b at each recording cycle. The recording cycle is a time period required for the sheet 1 to move with respect to the head 10 by a unit distance corresponding to a resolution of the image to be formed on the sheet 1, which corresponds to one pixel.
The waveform signal FIRE is a serial signal, in which four units of waveform data are serially combined. Each unit of waveform data indicates a size of a droplet of the ink, which is one of “zero (no discharging),” “small,” “medium,” and “large” having different numbers of pulses, to be discharged from the nozzle N in the single recording cycle.
The selection signal SIN is a serial signal containing selection data for selecting one of the four units of waveform data. The selection signal SIN is generated for each of the actuators 13x and for each recording cycle based on the image data contained in the record command.
The transfer circuit 94b may transfer the waveform signal FIRE and the selection signal SIN received from the output circuit 94a to the driver IC 14. The transfer circuit 94b incorporates an LVDS (low voltage differential signaling) driver corresponding to the waveform signal FIRE and the selection signal SIN and may transfer the waveform signal FIRE and the selection signal SIN to the driver IC 14 as pulse-formed differential signals.
The ASIC 94 may, in the recording process, control the driver IC 14 to generate driving signals based on the waveform signal FIRE and the selection signal SIN for each pixel and supply the generated driving signals to the individual electrodes 13c through the signal lines 14s. Thereby, the ASIC 94 may cause the ink to be discharged from each of nozzles N in the size selected among the four droplet sizes, which are zero, small, medium, and large, at the sheet P.
The ASIC 94 is electrically connected to a cartridge sensor 81 and a temperature sensor 82, additionally to the driver IC 14, the carriage motor 30m, the conveyer motor 50m, the cap lift motor 70m, and the suction pump 70p. The cartridge sensor 81 is located in an attachment section 80A (see
Next, with reference to
When the program starts, the head 10 is located above the cap 70 (see
First, in S1, as shown in
If the record command is received (S1: YES), in S2, the CPU 91 drives the cap lift motor 70m to move the cap 70 downward, and the cap 70 is shifted from the capping state to the uncapping state (S2: uncapping process).
After S2, in S3, the CPU 91 assigns 1 to n (n=1). The sign n represents a number assigned to each one of moving actions, which accompanies a discharging action for forming dots, numbered in a chronological order.
After S3, in S4, the CPU 91 determines whether the flushing process is conducted in the n-th moving action. The flushing process is a process, in which the inks are discharged through the nozzles N at the flushing range 60r, without forming dots on the sheet 1, based on flushing data different from the image data. The flushing process may be conducted when the head 10 being moved in the moving action is accelerating.
The flushing range 60r is located on one side in the scanning direction, e.g., a left side in
The moving action includes a forward moving action, in which the head 10 is moved in one way from the one side toward the other side, e.g., rightward D1 in
In the present embodiment, when the n-th moving action is a forward moving action and when a predetermined condition, such as time elapsed from a previous flushing process, is satisfied, the CPU 91 may determine in S4 to conduct the flushing process (S4: YES).
The flushing process may be conducted while the head 10 is moving in the direction D1 without stopping the head 10. In particular, the CPU 91 may, while the head 10 is moving in the direction D1, drive the driver IC 14 based on the flushing data to deform the actuators 13x at the timing when each of the nozzle arrays Nc, Nm, Ny, Nk overlaps the flushing range 60r in the vertical direction to discharge the ink through the nozzles N that belong to the respective one of the nozzle arrays Nc, Nm, Ny, Nk. The discharged ink may be received in the flushing range 60r and flow to the waste ink tank 77 (see
If the CPU 91 determines that the flushing process is not to be conducted (S4: NO), in S5, the CPU 91 conducts the n-th moving action at a first acceleration rate A1. While the n-th moving action is being conducted, the CPU 91 may conduct the discharging action to form dots when a velocity of the head 10 is at an aimed velocity Vt.
As shown in
When the flushing process is determined to be conducted (S4: YES), in S6, the CPU 91 determines whether a recording mode indicated in the record command received in S1 is a high-quality mode. In the present embodiment, the recording mode includes the high-quality mode (first mode) and a regular-quality mode (second mode). Between the high-quality mode and the regular-quality mode, the aimed velocity Vt (see
If the recording mode is not the high-quality mode (S6: NO), in other words, if the recording mode is the regular-quality mode, in S5, the CPU 91 conducts the n-th moving action to move the head 10 at the first acceleration rate A1. While the n-th moving action is being conducted, in particular, while the velocity of the head 10 is at the aimed velocity Vt, the CPU 91 may conduct the discharging action to form dots on the sheet 1.
If the recording mode is the high-quality mode (S6: YES), in S7, the CPU 91 determines whether a distance X in the scanning direction between the flushing range 60r and the discharging range R, as shown in
If the distance X is greater than or equal to the predetermined distance Xt (S7: YES), in S8, the CPU 91 conducts the n-th moving action to move the head 10 at a second acceleration rate A2, as shown in
If the distance X is neither greater than nor equal to the predetermined distance Xt (S7: NO), in other words, if the distance X is smaller than the predetermined distance Xt, the CPU 91 conducts a first step, in which the CPU 91 conducts the moving action to move the head 10 at a third acceleration rate A3 and the flushing process, and thereafter, without stopping the head 10, a second step, in which the CPU 91 conducts the moving action at a fourth acceleration rate A4 in the same direction as the first step, as shown in
In the present embodiment, the fourth acceleration rate A4 is equal to the first acceleration rate A1 and is higher than the second acceleration rate A2. The third acceleration rate A3 is lower than the second acceleration rate A2 (see
After S5, S8, or S9, in S10 (see
If the recording process is not completed (S10: NO), in S11, the CPU 91 increments n by one (n=n+1). The CPU 91 returns to S4.
If the recording process is completed (S10: YES), in S12, the CPU 91 determines whether the flushing process is to be conducted in the next moving action, i.e., a forward moving action which does not accompany a discharging action for forming dots. If, by the time of S12, the head 10 is not located at the starting position of the forward moving action, i.e., not located at the position overlapping the flushing range 60r in the vertical direction, the CPU 91 may move the head 10 to the starting position prior to S13, S14, which will be described below.
If the CPU 91 determines not to conduct the flushing process in the forward moving action (S12: NO), in S13, the CPU 91 conducts the forward moving action to move the head 10 at a fifth acceleration rate A5.
If the CPU 91 determines to conduct the flushing process (S12: YES), in S14, the CPU 91 conducts the forward moving action to move the head 10 at a sixth acceleration rate A6. The sixth acceleration rate A6 is lower than the fifth acceleration rate A5 in S13.
After S13 or S14, in S15, when the head 10 is located at the ending position of the forward moving action, i.e., the position overlapping the cap 70 in the vertical direction, the CPU 91 drives the cap lift motor 70m to move the cap 70 upward and shift the cap 70 from the uncapping state to the capping state (S15: capping process).
After S15, the CPU 91 terminates the program.
As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the flushing process is determined to be conducted in the n-th moving action (S4: YES), the CPU 91 determines whether the distance X between the flushing range 60r and the discharging range R in the scanning direction is greater than or equal to the predetermined distance Xt (S7). If the distance X is greater than or equal to the predetermined distance Xt (S7: YES), the CPU 91 conducts the n-th moving action (S8) to move the head 10 at the second acceleration rate A2, which is lower than the first acceleration rate A1 in S5. In this arrangement, while the head 10 is accelerating, the flushing process may be conducted at the second acceleration rate A2, which is relatively low, so that the negative pressure in the head 10 may be restrained from increasing, and a sufficient amount of the ink may be discharged.
Moreover, when the flushing process is conducted, the distance X is greater than equal to the predetermined distance Xt; therefore, after the flushing process, the velocity of the head 10 may reach the aimed velocity Vt before starting the discharging action to form dots on the sheet 1. Accordingly, the discharging action may be conducted stably, and the imaging quality may be secured.
When the distance X is neither greater than nor equal to the predetermined distance Xt (S7: NO), the CPU 91 may conduct the first step, in which the moving action to move the head 10 at the third acceleration rate A3 being lower than the first acceleration rate A1 and the flushing process are conducted, and thereafter the second step, in which the moving action to move the head 10 at the fourth acceleration rate A4 being higher than the third acceleration rate A3 in the same direction as the first step (S9). In this arrangement, when the distance X is short, the flushing process may be conducted at the third acceleration rate A3, which is relatively low; thereby, the negative pressure in the head 10 may be restrained from increasing, and the inks sufficient for flushing may be discharged. Further, after the flushing process, the acceleration rate may be shifted to the fourth acceleration rate A4, which is relatively high, so that the velocity of the head 10 may reach the aimed velocity Vt rapidly. Accordingly, the discharging actions to form dots on the sheet 1 may be conducted stably, and the imaging quality may be secured.
In the forward moving action which does not accompany a discharging action for forming dots, the CPU 91 may determine whether the flushing process is to be conducted (S12). If the flushing process is not to be conducted in the forward moving action (S12: NO), the CPU 91 may conduct the forward moving action to move the head 10 at the fifth acceleration rate A5 (S13). If the flushing process is determined to be conducted in the forward moving action (S12: YES), the CPU 91 may conduct the forward moving action to move the head 10 at the sixth acceleration rate A6 being lower than the fifth acceleration rate A5 and the flushing process. In this arrangement, in the forward moving action, in which the discharging action for forming dots on the sheet 1 is not conducted, the flushing process may be conducted at the sixth acceleration rate, which is relatively low, so that the negative pressure in the head 10 may be restrained from increasing, and the ink in the sufficient amount for flushing may be discharged.
When the recording mode is the high-quality mode (S6: YES), the CPU 91 may conduct S7. On the other hand, when the recording mode is not the high-quality mode (S6: NO), in other words, the recording mode is the regular-quality mode, the CPU 91 may not conduct S7. In this arrangement, in the regular-printing mode, in which the recording speed may be more emphasized than the imaging quality, S7 is not conducted; therefore, without conducting the flushing process at the second acceleration rate A2 which is relatively low, images may be recorded faster in shorter time.
Next, with reference to
In the first embodiment described above, when the distance X is neither greater than nor equal to the predetermined distance Xt (S7: NO), the CPU 91 may conduct the first step, in which the moving action to move the head 10 at the third acceleration rate A3 being lower than the first acceleration rate A1 and the flushing process are conducted, and thereafter the second step, in which the moving action to move the head 10 at the fourth acceleration rate A4 being higher than the third acceleration rate A3 in the same direction as the first step (S9).
In S9 in the first embodiment, as shown in
Meanwhile, in the second embodiment, when the distance X is neither greater than nor equal to the predetermined distance Xt (S7: NO), the CPU 91 may conduct a first step (S21), in which the moving action to move the head 10 at the third acceleration rate A3 being lower than the first acceleration rate A1 and the flushing process are conducted, thereafter a second step (S22), in which the moving action to move the head 10 in the opposite direction, i.e., the direction D2, opposite to the moving direction in the first step is conducted, and a third step (S23), in which the moving action to move the head 19 at the fourth acceleration rate A4 being higher than the third acceleration rate A3 in the same direction as the moving direction in the first step, i.e., the direction D1, and the discharging action to form dots on the sheets 1 are conducted.
In S21-S23 in the second embodiment, as shown in
The starting position of the head 10 in the first step, the ending position of the head 10 in the second step, and the starting potion of the head 10 in the third step overlap the flushing range 60r in the vertical direction. The ending position of the head 10 in the first step and the starting position of the head 10 in the second step vertically overlap an area in proximity to an end of the discharging range R of the n-th moving action in the scanning direction, e.g., leftward end of the discharging range R in
According to the second embodiment, additionally to the benefits achievable by the first embodiment, benefit as described below may be achieved.
That is, even when the distance X is short, the flushing process may be conducted at the third acceleration rate A3, which is relatively low; thereby, the negative pressure in the head 10 may be restrained from increasing, and the inks in the sufficient amounts for flushing may be discharged. Further, after the flushing process, the head 10 may be moved to return to the starting position of the forward moving action, which is the position vertically overlaps the flushing range 60r, and thereafter, the head 10 may be moved to the head 10 at the fourth acceleration rate A4, which is relatively higher. Thus, the velocity of the head 10 may reach the aimed velocity Vt rapidly. Accordingly, the discharging actions may be conducted stably, and the imaging quality may be secured.
Next, with reference to
In the first embodiment described above, when the flushing process is determined to be conducted (S4: YES), the CPU 91 determines whether the recording mode is the high-quality mode (S6). If the recording mode is the high-quality mode (S6: YES), the CPU 91 may conduct S7, or if the recording mode is not the high-quality mode (S6: NO), in other words, if the recording mode is the regular-quality mode, the CPU 91 may not conduct S7.
In this regard, in the third embodiment, when the flushing process is determined to be conducted (S4: YES), the CPU 91 may determine whether a viscosity α of the ink is higher than a predetermined viscosity αt. If the viscosity α is higher than the predetermined viscosity αt (S31: YES), the CPU 91 may conduct S7. On the other hand, if the viscosity α is not higher than the predetermined viscosity αt (S31: NO), in other words, if the viscosity a is lower than the predetermined viscosity αt (S31: NO), the CPU 91 may not conduct S7.
The CPU 91 may determine the viscosity α in S31 based on the signal from the cartridge sensor 81 (see
According to the third embodiment, additionally to the benefits achievable by the first embodiment, benefits as described below may be achieved.
That is, when the viscosity α is higher (S31: YES), the CPU 91 may conduct S7, or when the viscosity α is not higher (S31: NO), the CPU 91 may not conduct S7. When the viscosity α is lower, it may be less likely that the amount of discharged ink is insufficient for flushing. Therefore, even if the flushing process is conducted while the head 10 is accelerated, a sufficient amount of ink for flushing may be discharged. In this regard, according to the third embodiment, in the case where the viscosity α is lower, in which the discharging amount is less likely to be insufficient, the CPU 91 may not conduct S7. Thus, by avoiding the flushing process at the second acceleration rate A2, which is relatively low, images may be recorded faster in shorter time.
The CPU 91 may determine that the viscosity α is higher than the predetermined viscosity αt when the cartridge unit 80 is not the predetermined type of tank; or when the cartridge unit 80 is the predetermined type of tank, the CPU 91 may determine that the viscosity α is not higher than the predetermined viscosity αt. This determination is based on an aspect that, when the cartridge unit 80 is not the predetermined type of tank, components of the ink in the cartridge unit 80 may be different from the components of the ink in the predetermined tank; therefore, moisture in the ink may evaporate more easily, and the viscosity α may tend to increase. In this regard, the determination in S31 may be made easily and effectively.
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 liquid discharging apparatus, the method for controlling the liquid discharging apparatus, and the computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions for discharging the liquid that fall within the spirit and the 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. In the meantime, the terms used to represent the components in the above embodiment may not necessarily agree identically with the terms recited in the appended claims, but the terms used in the above embodiments may merely be regarded as examples of the claimed subject matters.
For example, the options for the recording mode may not necessarily be limited to the high-quality mode and the regular-quality mode but may include, for example, a regular-paper mode and a glossy paper mode.
For another example, the third acceleration rate may not necessarily be limited, as long as the third acceleration rate is lower than the first acceleration rate. For example, the third acceleration rate may be equal to the second acceleration rate. Moreover, the fourth acceleration rate may not necessarily be limited, as long as the fourth acceleration rate is higher than the third acceleration rate. For example, the fourth acceleration rate may be equal to the second acceleration rate.
For another example, the fifth acceleration may not necessarily be limited but may be different from the first acceleration rate. Moreover, the sixth acceleration rate may not necessarily be limited, as long as the sixth acceleration rate is lower than the fifth acceleration rate. For example, the fifth acceleration rate may be equal to the second acceleration rate shown in
For another example, the determination in S12 may not necessarily be based on completion of the moving action in the recording process but may be based on, for example, an ongoing moving action in the recording process.
For another example, the controller may not necessarily determine in S12 whether the flushing process is to be conducted.
For another example, the determination in S31 in the third embodiment described above may not necessarily be limited to the manner such that, if the signal from the cartridge sensor 81 is the predetermined signal, the CPU 91 determines that the cartridge unit 80 attached to the attachment section 80A is the predetermined type of tank; or if the signal from the cartridge sensor 81 is not the predetermined signal, the CPU 91 may determine that the cartridge unit 80 attached to the attachment section 80A is not the predetermined type of tank. Rather, for example, the CPU 91 may determine that the cartridge unit 80 attached to the attachment section 80A is the predetermined type of tank if the signal from the cartridge sensor 81 is not the predetermined signal, and thereby may determine that the viscosity α is not higher than the predetermined viscosity αt. For another example, the CPU 91 may determine that the cartridge unit 80 attached to the attachment section 80A is not the predetermined type of tank if the signal from the cartridge sensor 81 is the predetermined signal, and thereby may determine that the viscosity α is higher than the predetermined viscosity αt (S31: YES).
For another example, the determination in S31 may be made based on a signal from the temperature sensor 82 (see
For another example, the determination in S31 may be made based on one or more of various factors including, for example, ambient humidity in the head 10, components contained in the liquid, elapsed time since a previous discharging action, elapsed time since a previous flushing process. For example, if the ambient humidity is higher than or equal to a predetermined humidity, the CPU 91 may determine that the viscosity α is not higher than the predetermined viscosity αt (S31: NO); or if the ambient humidity is lower than the predetermined humidity, the CPU 91 may determine that the viscosity α is higher than the predetermined viscosity αt (S31: YES). For another example, due to difference in the components included in the inks, there may be a case where the viscosity of the black ink is higher than the viscosities in the other color inks. In such a case, the CPU 91 may determine that the viscosity α is higher than the predetermined viscosity αt (S31: YES) when the discharging action in the n-th moving action is a discharging action with use of the black ink alone. For another example, the CPU 91 may determine that the viscosity α is higher than the predetermined viscosity αt (S31: YES) when the elapsed time since the previous discharging action or the elapsed time since the previous flushing process is longer than or equal to a predetermined length of time.
For another example, the head may not necessarily have the nozzles that may discharge different types of liquid, i.e., inks in different colors, but may have nozzles that may discharge a same type of liquid, e.g., ink in a same color.
For another example, the liquid to be discharged through the nozzles may not limited to the ink but may be liquid other than ink such as, for example, a processing solution that may coagulate or precipitate the components in the ink.
For another example, a material of the sheet may not necessarily be limited paper but may be, for example, fabric or resin.
For another example, the present disclosure may not necessarily be applicable to a printer as described above but may be applicable to a facsimile machine, a copier, and a multifunction peripheral machine. Moreover, the present disclosure may be applied to a liquid discharging apparatus usable in a purpose other than image recording, such as, for example, a liquid discharging apparatus to discharge conductive liquid to form conductive patterns on a substrate.
The programs related to the present disclosure may be distributed in a form of removable storage medium such as a flexible disk and/or an immobilized storage medium such as a hard disk, or through communication lines.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-017898 | Feb 2021 | JP | national |
