Patent Grant
12145377
The present invention relates to a liquid ejection apparatus universally applicable as, for example, an inkjet printing apparatus comprising a print head capable of ejecting ink under an inkjet system.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2019-025818 discloses a technique of including a member comprising a float in a storage chamber storing ink such that the member is pivotally movable and detecting the pivot motion of the member with a sensor, thereby detecting the remaining amount of ink in the storage chamber. According to the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2019-025818, a buoyancy exerted on a float by a stored ink is used to pivot the pivot member depending on the remaining amount of ink. In order to exert the buoyancy on the float, the specific gravity of the float is designed to be lower than the specific gravity of the stored ink.
Incidentally, in a printing apparatus which ejects multiple types of inks, the storage chamber disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2019-025818 is provided for each of the inks. The buoyancy exerted on the float differs according to the specific gravity of an ink. Thus, in the case of using multiple types of inks which have specific gravities greater than that of the float and different from one another, the buoyancy exerted on the float varies according to whether an ink has a high or low specific gravity. Hence, the amount of pivot motion of the pivot member corresponding to the remaining amount of ink differs according to the type of ink, which may inhibit correct detection of the remaining amount of ink.
The present invention has been accomplished in consideration of the above problem and provides a technique that enables correct detection of the remaining amount of liquid such as ink.
In the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a liquid ejection apparatus including:
According to the present invention, the remaining amount of ink can be correctly detected.
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
An example of a liquid ejection apparatus according to the present invention will be hereinafter described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments described below do not limit the present invention and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential for solving the problem to be solved by the present invention. Further, the relative positions, shapes, and the like of constituents described in the embodiments are merely shown as examples unless otherwise specified and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention to these examples.
A liquid ejection apparatus according to a present embodiment will be described with reference to
The printing apparatus 10 shown in
The reading portion 12 is located at the top of the printing apparatus 10 and the printing portion 14 is located at the bottom of the printing apparatus 10. The printing portion 14 comprises an accommodating tray 16 which accommodates a print medium M, a feeding roller 18 which feeds the print medium M accommodated in the accommodating tray 16, and a guide portion 20 which guides the fed print medium M to a position of printing by a print head 26 (described later). The printing portion 14 also comprises a conveying roller 22 which conveys the print medium M fed through the guide portion 20, a platen 24 which supports the print medium M conveyed by the conveying roller 22, and the print head 26 which ejects ink to the print medium M supported by the platen 24. The printing portion 14 further comprises a discharge roller 30 which discharges the printed print medium M to a discharge tray 28 and an ink storage portion 32 as a storage unit to store an ink to be supplied to the print head 26 through a tube (not shown).
The print head 26 may be configured to eject inks of a plurality of colors or eject only an ink of a single color. The print head 26 may also be configured to eject a processing liquid to give a predetermined effect to an image after printing. In a case where multiple types of inks (including a processing liquid) are ejected, a plurality of ink storage portions 32 are provided to store the different types of inks. The print head 26 is mounted on a carriage 34. The carriage 34 is configured to move reciprocally in an X direction. The print medium M accommodated in the accommodating tray 16 is conveyed in a-Y direction by the feeding roller 18, turned around by the guide portion 20, and conveyed in a +Y direction by the conveying roller 22.
In the printing apparatus 10, the print head 26 performs a print operation of ejecting ink to the print medium M supported by the platen 24 while moving in the X direction via the carriage 34 to make print corresponding to a single scan on the print medium M. Next, a conveyance operation is performed by conveying the print medium by a predetermined amount in the +Y direction to locate an area of the print medium M on which no print is made at a position facing the print head 26. After that, the print operation is performed again. In this manner, the printing apparatus 10 alternately repeats the print operation and the conveyance operation, thereby printing an image on the print medium M.
The ink storage portion 32 comprises an ink accommodating member 36 which accommodates ink and an ink storage chamber 38 which stores the ink accommodated in the ink accommodating member 36. The ink accommodating member 36 is attachable to and detachable from the ink storage chamber 38. In the printing apparatus 10, in a case where the remaining amount of ink in the ink storage chamber 38 reaches a certain amount, a user makes a replacement with a new ink accommodating member 36.
The ink storage portion 32 is provided for each type of ink ejected from the print head 26. Incidentally, the ink storage portions 32 have the same configuration irrespective of the type of ink except for part of the configuration of a pivot member 48 (described later). In the ink storage portion 32, ink stored in the ink storage chamber 38 is supplied to the print head 26 through the tube (not shown). In a case where the ink is supplied from the ink storage chamber 38 to the print head 26 and the amount of ink is reduced in the ink storage chamber 38, the ink storage chamber 38 is supplied with ink from the connected ink accommodating member 36.
The ink accommodating member 36 comprises a main body portion 40 and a lid portion 42. The main body portion 40 accommodates ink therein. The bottom of the main body portion 40 is provided with a supply portion 44 connected to a connecting member 47 (described later) in the ink storage chamber 38 and capable of supplying ink to the ink storage chamber 38. That is, in the present embodiment, the ink accommodating member 36 is attachable to and detachable from the ink storage chamber 38 via the supply portion 44. The supply portion 44 comprises an open/close mechanism such as a valve spring structure. In the lid portion 42 is formed an air communication port 46 which allows communication between the inside and outside of the ink accommodating member 36.
The ink storage chamber 38 comprises the connecting member 47 connected to the ink accommodating member 36 via the supply portion 44. The pivot member 48 is provided at a bottom 38a in the ink storage chamber 38. The pivot member 48 is pivotally supported by the support member 50 at the bottom 38a. Accordingly, in a case where the ink storage chamber 38 is supplied with ink, the pivot member 48 is immersed in the ink. In the ink storage chamber 38, a sensor 52 capable of detecting the pivot motion of the pivot member 48 is also provided above the pivot member 48. Incidentally, the sensor 52 is provided in the ink storage chamber 38 but is not limited to this and may be provided separately from the ink storage chamber 38 as long as the pivot motion of the pivot member 48 can be detected. In the ink storage chamber 38, an air communication port 54 which allows communication between the inside and outside of the ink storage chamber 38 is formed at a position not reached by a liquid surface of the stored ink.
The pivot member 48 comprises a float 56 which extends in the Y direction, an arm portion 58 which extends upward (substantially in a Z direction) from the float 56, and a detection target portion 60 located at the end of the arm portion 58. The float 56 is formed of a material lower in specific gravity than an ink stored in the ink accommodating member 36. The float 56 is pivotally supported by a shaft 62 extending in the X direction in the support member 50 at the bottom of one side in the extending direction (Y direction). The detection target portion 60 is located above the float 56 via the arm portion 58. Thus, the detection target portion 60 is movable according to the pivot motion of the float 56. The detection target portion 60 is formed of a material detectable by the sensor 52. Incidentally, as will be described later, since the sensor 52 of the present embodiment is an optical sensor comprising a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion, the detection target portion 60 is formed of a material which shields or attenuates light from the light emitting portion.
The sensor 52 is a detection unit which detects the pivot motion of the pivot member 48 and thereby optically detects that the height of the liquid surface of the ink stored in the ink storage chamber 38 becomes lower than a predetermined position. In a case where the height of the liquid surface of the ink becomes lower than the predetermined position, the printing apparatus 10 determines that the ink stored in the ink storage chamber 38 becomes equal to or less than a predetermined amount. More specifically, the sensor 52 comprises a light emitting portion (not shown) and a light receiving portion (not shown). In
More specifically, for example, in a case where light output from the light emitting portion cannot be received by the light receiving portion, that is, in a case where a received light intensity is less than a predetermined intensity, the sensor 52 outputs a low-level signal indicating a signal having a signal level lower than a threshold level. The output low-level signal is accepted by a control portion (not shown) mounted on a main board (not shown). On acceptance of the low-level signal, the control portion detects that the height of the liquid surface of the ink is equal to or higher than the predetermined position.
On the other hand, in a case where light output from the light emitting portion can be received by the light receiving portion, that is, in a case where a received light intensity is equal to or greater than a predetermined intensity, the sensor 52 outputs a high-level signal indicating a signal having a signal level equal to or higher than a threshold level. The output high-level signal is accepted by the control portion and the control portion detects that the height of the liquid surface of the ink is lower than the predetermined position.
In a case where the ink accommodating member 36 is connected to the connecting member 47 of the ink storage chamber 38 with no ink stored (see
In a case where ink further flows in and the height of the liquid surface of the ink thereby becomes equal to or higher than the predetermined position in the ink storage chamber 38, the detection target portion 60 moves in the arrow B direction to a position between the light emitting portion and light receiving portion of the sensor 52. The height of the liquid surface of the ink being equal to or higher than the predetermined position in the ink storage chamber 38 means that a predetermined amount or more of ink is stored in the ink storage chamber 38. Incidentally, while the height of the liquid surface of the ink is equal to or higher than the predetermined position, the detection target portion 60 remains in between the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion (see
Ink is supplied from the ink storage chamber 38 to the print head 26, whereby ink is reduced in the ink storage chamber 38 and the ink accommodating member 36 and the liquid surface of the ink is lowered in the ink storage chamber 38 (see
In a case where the print head 26 is further supplied with ink and the height of the liquid surface of the ink thereby becomes lower than the predetermined position in the ink storage chamber 38, the detection target portion 60 moves in the arrow D direction to a position away from between the light emitting portion and light receiving portion of the sensor 52. Incidentally, while the height of the liquid surface of the ink is lower than the predetermined position, the target portion 60 remains at the position away from between the light emitting portion and light receiving portion, that is, stays away from the sensor 52 (see
In the printing apparatus 10, at the time of detecting that the height of the liquid surface of the ink becomes lower than the predetermined position, for example, a display portion 17 (see
Incidentally, in recent years, types of inks for use in a printing apparatus have been used in multiple ways and a single printing apparatus has been configured to use multiple types of inks. Accordingly, in a case where the printing apparatus comprises a plurality of ink storage portions 32 completely identical in configuration for respective inks, some inks may be different in specific gravity, which may make a difference in buoyancy acting on the float. As a result, it may be impossible to correctly detect that the height of the liquid surface of ink becomes lower than the predetermined position.
It will be explained in detail with reference to
In the case of using the ink 400 having the reference specific gravity, if a liquid surface Ls of the ink 400 reaches a height hr in the ink storage chamber 38, the detection target portion 60 of the pivoting pivot member 48 gets away from the sensor 52 (see
In the case of using the ink 402 having the specific gravity lower than the reference specific gravity of the ink 400, if the liquid surface Ls of the ink 402 reaches a height h1 in the ink storage chamber 38, the detection target portion 60 of the pivoting pivot member 48 gets away from the sensor 52 (see
In the case of using an ink 404 having a specific gravity higher than the reference specific gravity of the ink 400, if the liquid surface Ls of the ink 404 reaches a height hh in the ink storage chamber 38, the detection target portion 60 of the pivoting pivot member 48 gets away from the sensor 52 (see
As explained above, in a case where the ink storage chambers 38 of the same configuration are used for the inks different in specific gravity, the liquid surface height at which it is detected that the liquid surface becomes lower than the predetermined position, that is, the liquid surface height at which the detection target portion 60 gets away from the sensor 52, differs according to the specific gravity of an ink. The printing apparatus 10 is configured to count the number of ink droplets ejected after making a notification to prompt replacement of the ink accommodating member 36 and, in a case where the count reaches a predetermined number, notify that the ink has run out. Accordingly, there is a possibility that the ink runs out before the timing of notifying that the ink has run out or a printable amount of ink still remains even at that timing.
Therefore, in the present embodiment, a pivot position of the pivot member 48 is changed according to the specific gravity of an ink. This will be described below in detail with reference to
In the ink storage chamber 38 storing the ink 402 low in specific gravity, in the +Y direction, a pivot position of the pivot member 48 is located downstream (see
In the ink storage chamber 38 storing the ink 400 having the reference specific gravity, as shown in
In this case, a first buoyancy is exerted on a side of the float 56 closer to the other end 56b than the position P to pivot the float 56 in an arrow E direction. On the other hand, on a side closer to the one end 56a than the position P, a second buoyancy is exerted to pivot the float 56 in an arrow F direction. A first pivot force of the float 56 by the first buoyancy, namely a force that pivots the float 56 in the arrow E direction, and a second pivot force of the float 56 by the second buoyancy, namely a force that pivots the float 56 in the arrow F direction, act to cancel each other. Since the first buoyancy is greater than the second buoyancy, the first pivot force is greater than the second pivot force. Accordingly, until the detection target portion 60 reaches a predetermined position (the position shown in
In contrast, in the ink storage chamber 38 storing the ink 402, as shown in
Since the ink 402 is lower in specific gravity than the ink 400, a buoyancy acting on an object in the ink 402 is less than that in the ink 400. However, in this case, the position PL, which is the pivot position of the pivot member 48, is located closer to the one end 56a than the position P. Accordingly, the first buoyancy exerted by the ink 402 on the side of the float 56 closer to the other end 56b than the position PL is greater than the first buoyancy exerted by the ink 402 on the side of the float 56 closer to the other end 56b than the position P. Further, the second buoyancy exerted by the ink 402 on the side closer to the one end 56a than the position PL is less than the second buoyancy exerted by the ink 402 on the side closer to the one end 56a than the position P.
On the conditions stated above, the position PL is adjusted to such a position as to appropriately detect that the liquid surface height of the ink 402 becomes lower than the predetermined position. Accordingly, the buoyancy exerted on the float 56 by the ink 400 in a case where the pivot position is the position P is equivalent to the buoyancy exerted on the float 56 by the ink 402 in a case where the pivot position is the position PL. More specifically, the buoyancy exerted on the float 56 by the ink 400 in a case where the pivot position is the position P and the liquid surface height is the height hr is equal to the buoyancy exerted on the float 56 by the ink 402 in a case where the pivot position is the position PL and the liquid surface height is the height hr. Incidentally, the equality between the two buoyancies is not limited to exact equality and includes a case where they are both within a predetermined range.
In the ink storage chamber 38 storing the ink 404 high in specific gravity, in the +Y direction, a pivot position of the pivot member 48 is located upstream (see
Since the ink 404 is higher in specific gravity than the ink 400, a buoyancy acting on an object in the ink 404 is greater than that in the ink 400. However, in this case, the position PH, which is the pivot position of the pivot member 48, is located closer to the other end 56b than the position P. Accordingly, the first buoyancy exerted by the ink 404 on the side of the float 56 closer to the other end 56b than the position PH is less than the first buoyancy exerted by the ink 404 on the side of the float 56 closer to the other end 56b than the position P. Further, the second buoyancy exerted by the ink 404 on the side closer to the one end 56a than the position PH is greater than the second buoyancy exerted by the ink 404 on the side closer to the one end 56a than the position P.
On the conditions stated above, the position PH is adjusted to such a position as to appropriately detect that the liquid surface height of the ink 404 becomes lower than the predetermined position. Accordingly, the buoyancy exerted on the float 56 by the ink 400 in a case where the pivot position is the position P is equivalent to the buoyancy exerted on the float 56 by the ink 404 in a case where the pivot position is the position PH. More specifically, the buoyancy exerted on the float 56 by the ink 400 in a case where the pivot position is the position P and the liquid surface height is the height hr is equal to the buoyancy exerted on the float 56 by the ink 404 in a case where the pivot position is the position PH and the liquid surface height is the height hr. Incidentally, the equality between the two buoyancies is not limited to exact equality and includes a case where they are both within a predetermined range.
As described above, in the printing apparatus 10, the pivot position of the pivot member 48 is changed according to the specific gravity of an ink stored in the ink storage chamber 38. More specifically, the pivot position of the pivot member 48 is adjusted to be closer to the one end 56a with a decrease in specific gravity. Incidentally, the pivot position of the pivot member 48 is located close to the one end 56a of the float 56. The one end 56a is an end of the float 56 where the detection target portion 60 is located in the Y direction, which is the extending direction of the float 56. Thus, it can be appropriately detected that the liquid surface height of an ink stored in the ink storage chamber 38 becomes lower than the predetermined position. As a result, depending on the type of ink, a notification that the ink has run out can be made at an appropriate timing after the issuance of a notification to prompt replacement of the ink accommodating member 36.
The embodiment described above may be modified as stated in (1) to (6) below.
(1) In the above embodiment, the pivot member 48 is provided in the ink storage chamber 38, but is not limited to this. That is, the pivot member 48 may be provided in the ink accommodating member 36. In this case, the sensor 52 is provided such that the pivot member 48 provided in the ink accommodating member 36 can be detected with the ink accommodating member 36 connected to the ink storage chamber 38.
(2) Although not particularly described in the above embodiment, the pivot member 48 may have a plurality of hole sections which are arranged in parallel and into which the shaft 62 can be pivotally inserted (see
The above will be described in detail.
(3) The above embodiment is not only applied to a printing apparatus which performs printing on a print medium by ejecting ink from a print head but also universally applicable to a liquid ejection apparatus which performs various types of processing by ejecting various liquids from an liquid ejection head. In addition, the printing apparatus 10 is a so-called serial scan type printing apparatus which ejects ink from a print head moving in the X direction to a print medium conveyed in the Y direction in the above embodiment, but is not limited to this. That is, it is also possible to use a so-called full line type print head using an elongate print head covering the entire width of a print area of a print medium.
(4) In the above embodiment, the pivot member 48 and the sensor 52 are used to determine whether the liquid surface height of the ink stored in the ink storage chamber 38 is lower than the predetermined position. However, the configuration to detect the amount of ink in the ink storage chamber 38 is not limited to this. That is, a sensor capable of detecting a pivot angle of the pivot member 48 from a reference position may be provided such that the remaining amount of ink stored in the ink storage chamber 38 is gradually or continuously detected based on the pivot angle of the pivot member 48. Further, although not particularly described in the above embodiment, a printing apparatus configured to eject only an ink of a single color uses an ink storage portion 32 with a pivot position of a pivot member 48 corresponding to the specific gravity of an ink to be ejected.
(5) In the above embodiment, the pivot member 48 is configured such that the detection target portion 60 is provided at the one end 56a of the float 56 via the arm portion 58, but is not limited to this. That is, the pivot member 48 may be configured such that the detection target portion 60 is provided at the other end 56b of the float 56 via the arm portion 58. Further, in the above embodiment, the pivot member 48 is configured such that the detection target portion 60 gets away from between the light receiving portion and light emitting portion of the sensor 52 in a case where the liquid surface height of the ink becomes lower than the predetermined position, but is not limited to this. That is, the pivot member 48 may be configured such that the detection target portion 60 is located between the light receiving portion and light emitting portion of the sensor 52 in a case where the liquid surface height of the ink becomes lower than the predetermined position.
(6) The above embodiment and various forms shown in (1) to (5) above may be combined as appropriate.
While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-176488, filed Oct. 28, 2021, which is hereby incorporated by reference wherein in its entirety.
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