Patent Application
20230241896
The present disclosure relates to a technique of managing a remaining amount of an expendable.
In recent years, printers that include liquid tanks into which inks of liquid bottles can be injected have appeared. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2019-59200 (hereinafter, referred to as Literature 1) proposes a method in which paired electrodes are arranged in an ink bottle and an ink remaining amount in the ink bottle is detected by using a resistance value between the paired electrodes.
There is a demand for a technique of preferably detecting the remaining amount of the ink without using a special mechanism like that in Literature 1.
A printing apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure is a printing apparatus that includes a tank configured to store an expendable injected from an expendable replenishment container and that prints an image by ejecting the expendable from the tank, the printing apparatus including: a first obtaining unit that obtains a usage amount of the expendable from a time point of detection of a situation where a remaining amount of the expendable in the expendable replenishment container is lower than a predetermined value; a second obtaining unit that obtains a remaining amount in the tank; a first determination unit that determines a state of the remaining amount of the expendable in the expendable replenishment container by comparing the usage amount obtained by the first obtaining unit and the remaining amount in the tank obtained by the second obtaining unit with thresholds set respectively for the usage amount and the remaining amount; and a detection unit that detects the situation where the remaining amount of the expendable in the expendable replenishment container is lower than the predetermined value, in a case where the state determined by the first determination unit is a remaining amount low state.
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
A preferrable embodiment of the present disclosure is described below in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiment does not limit the present disclosure according the scope of claims, and not all of combinations of features described in the present embodiment are necessarily essential for the means of solving the present disclosure. Moreover, an expendable is described as ink in the following embodiment.
The printer 100 includes a CPU 101, a ROM 102, a RAM 103, and an EEPROM 104. The printer 100 also includes a network connecting unit 105, a display unit 106, an operation unit 107, a scanner unit 108, and a printer unit 109.
The CPU 101 is a central processing unit for controlling various units in the printer 100. Various program codes are stored in the ROM 102. Image data and the like are temporarily stored and buffering is performed in the RAM 103 in execution of various services. Non-volatile information is stored in the EEPROM 104. The non-volatile information is shipping destination information of the printer 100, setting of a language to be displayed on the display unit 106, and the like. In the present embodiment, ink bottle information illustrated in
The network connecting unit 105 is connected to an external apparatus via USB or a network. Specifically, the network connecting unit 105 is connected to USB or a network to perform communication with an external apparatus. Image data and the like received by the network connecting unit 105 are also stored in the RAM 103.
The display unit 106 is formed of, for example, a liquid crystal display or the like, and can display characters, figures, indicators, and the like. The display unit 106 is not limited to a liquid crystal display, and may be formed by using an LED or other displays. Information displayed by the display unit 106 includes, for example, setting information for the printer 100, information on an ink housed in each of ink tanks, and the like. Moreover, the information on the ink includes, for example, information on a remaining amount of the ink housed in the ink tank, ink injecting instruction information, and the like. Note that the CPU 101 controls display contents of the display unit 106. The operation unit 107 is a switch, a hard key, or the like on which the user performs various input operations. Alternatively, a form in which the display unit 106 serves a function of the operation unit for performing the input operations as in a touch panel may be employed.
The scanner unit 108 implements a scanning function in the printer 100. The printer unit 109 implements a printing function. The inks are stored in ink tank unit 110. The ink tank unit 110 includes ink injection ports 302, and the inks can be injected into the ink tank unit 110 from ink bottles 303. The ink bottles are also referred to as expendable replenishment containers. The printer unit 109 includes an inkjet head, and the inks are supplied from the ink tank unit 110 to the inkjet head via tubes. Moreover, the printer unit 109 prints an image on a print medium such as a print sheet or the like by an inkjet method, based on image data received from the outside, image data read from the scanner unit 108, or the like. Moreover, the printer unit 109 manages the ink information of the ink tanks including the ink remaining amount information or sheet information including information on the number of stacked sheets. The scanner unit 108 optically scans an original set on an original plate 201 to convert the original to electronic data, further converts the electronic data to image data of a specified file format, and sends the image data to the external apparatus via the network or stores the image data in a storage area of an HDD or the like. A copy function is implemented as follows. The image data generated by scanning the original placed on the original plate 201 with the scanner unit 108 is transferred to the printer unit 109, and the printer unit 109 prints an image on the print medium based on the transferred image data.
The aforementioned units are connected to one another by a bus 111 and can exchange data with one another. Note that, although the printer 100 that is a multifunction peripheral is described as an example of an ink ejection apparatus, the ink ejection apparatus to which the present embodiment can be applied is not limited to a printer. A copying machine, a facsimile, or the like may be used as the ink ejection apparatus, or a printer that has no scanning function may be used.
In the present embodiment, the printer 100 forms a color printer that prints a color image on the print medium by ejecting multiple types of inks varying in color. Accordingly, the printer 100 is provided with four types of ink tanks for storing inks of four colors of yellow, cyan, magenta, and black. In the following description, alphabets are attached to indicate the four colors in a simplified manner such as C for cyan, M for magenta, Y for yellow, and Bk for black. Specifically, four types of ink tanks of an ink tank 110C, an ink tank 110M, an ink tank 110Y, and an ink tank 110Bk are housed in the ink tank unit 110 of
The printer 100 includes a print head 501, a carriage 502, a guide shaft 503, a carriage motor 504, a belt 505, a cap unit 506, and an ink tank 507. The printer 100 also includes a supply tube 511, a choke valve 512, a discharge tube 513, a waste ink absorber 514, and a suction pump 515.
The print head 501 is an inkjet print head. The carriage 502 drives the print head 501. The guide shaft 503 is a shaft for supporting the carriage 502. The carriage motor 504 is a motor that drives the carriage. Driving the carriage motor 504 rotates the belt 505, and the carriage 502 coupled to the belt 505 can move laterally from side to side. The cap unit 506 is brought into tight contact with an ejection surface of the print head 501 to prevent the ejection surface of the print head 501 from drying and avoid non-ejection. Moreover, the cap unit 506 also has a recovery function such as idle ejection or suction recovery for a nozzle row of the print head 501.
The ink tank 507 is one of the ink tanks of the ink colors included in the ink tank unit 110 of
The choke valve 512 is provided in the middle of the supply tube 511, and controls the inner pressure of the supply tube 511 in the suction recovery performed in the case where the ink 508 is supplied to the print head 501. This enables removal of unnecessary bubbles and foreign objects in the supply tube 511. The supply tube 511 is a tube for supplying the ink from the ink tank 507 to the print head 501. The discharge tube 513 is a tube for discharging the ink to the waste ink absorber 514.
The suction pump 515 can perform suction and discharge on the print head 501 and the supply tube 511 by bringing the ejection surface of the print head 501 into tight contact with the cap unit 506 and depressurizing the cap unit 506. Specifically, the suction pump 515 can supply the ink to the print head 501 and the supply tube 511. Moreover, the suction pump 515 can perform a suction recovery operation of discharging air bubbles in the print head 501 and the supply tube 511 together with the ink. The waste ink absorber 514 stores the ink sucked and discharged through the discharge tube 513.
The ink bottle size 702 holds information on the size of the used ink bottle 303. The bottle remaining amount low detection time and date 703 holds information on time and date at which the bottle remaining amount low is detected. A method of bottle remaining amount low detection determination is described later by using
For example, the CPU 101 illustrated in
Moreover, the bottle remaining amount low detection determination process of
In the case where the bottle remaining amount low detection determination is started, in S901, the printer 100 obtains the bottle remaining amount low detection time and date 703 for the corresponding ink bottle, from the non-volatile information saved in the EEPROM 104.
In S902, the printer 100 determines whether the bottle remaining amount low detection time and date 703 is obtained from the EEPROM 104. The bottle remaining amount low detection time and date 703 is essentially information set in S912 to be described later. In the process executed for the first time, the bottle remaining amount low detection time and date 703 is not saved in the EEPROM 104, and thus cannot be obtained. In such a case, the printer 100 proceeds to S907. In the case where the present process is the process executed for the second time or beyond and the bottle remaining amount low detection time and date 703 is saved in the EEPROM 104, the printer 100 obtains the bottle remaining amount low detection time and date 703, and proceeds to S903. Specifically, processes of S903 to 906 are processes in the second-time execution and beyond.
In S903, the printer 100 obtains the ink usage amount after bottle remaining amount low detection 704 from the non-volatile information saved in the EEPROM 104. The ink usage amount after bottle remaining amount low detection 704 is information saved in the EEPROM 104 in the previous bottle remaining amount low detection determination process. After the obtaining of the ink usage amount after bottle remaining amount low detection 704, in S904, the printer 100 obtains the ink usage amount threshold (detection) 705 from the non-volatile information saved in the EEPROM 104.
In S905, the printer 100 compares the ink usage amount after bottle remaining amount low detection 704 with the ink usage amount threshold (detection) 705. In S906, the printer 100 performs branching of the process depending on a result of the comparison in S905. Specifically, in the case where the ink usage amount after bottle remaining amount low detection 704 is the ink usage amount threshold (detection) 705 or higher, it can be assumed that the remaining amount of the ink in the ink bottle 303 is low. Accordingly, the printer 100 proceeds to S907 and proceeds to a step of checking the ink remaining amount in the ink tank 507. Meanwhile, in the case where the ink usage amount after bottle remaining amount low detection 704 is lower than the ink usage amount threshold (detection) 705, it can be assumed that the ink remaining amount in the ink bottle 303 is plenty. Accordingly, the printer 100 determines that the bottle remaining amount low is not detected, and terminates the present process.
In S907, the printer 100 obtains the ink remaining amount in the ink tank 507. In S908, after the obtaining of the ink remaining amount in the ink tank 507, the printer 100 obtains the in-tank ink remaining amount threshold 707 from the non-volatile information saved in the EEPROM 104. In S909, the printer 100 compares the ink remaining amount in the ink tank 507 with the in-tank ink remaining amount threshold 707. In S910, the printer 100 performs branching of the process depending on a result of the comparison in S909. Specifically, in the case where the ink remaining amount in the ink tank 507 is the in-tank ink remaining amount threshold 707 or lower, the printer 100 proceeds to S911. Meanwhile, in the case where the ink remaining amount in the ink tank 507 is higher than the in-tank ink remaining amount threshold 707, the printer 100 determines that the bottle remaining amount low is not detected, and terminates the determination.
In S911, the printer 100 detects the bottle remaining amount low. Moreover, the state of the ink bottle remaining amount is set to “bottle remaining amount low detected state”. In the case where the bottle remaining amount low is detected, in S912, the printer 100 updates the bottle remaining amount low detection time and date 703 in the non-volatile information saved in the EEPROM 104 to the current time and date. In S913, after the update of the bottle remaining amount low detection time and date 703, the printer 100 resets the ink usage amount after bottle remaining amount low detection 704 in the non-volatile information saved in the EEPROM 104. In S914, the printer 100 notifies the server 401 of the detection of the bottle remaining amount low. Then, the printer 100 terminates the present process.
As described above, executing the present flow allows the printer 100 to detect the ink remaining amount low of the ink bottle 303 and notify the server 401 of the ink remaining amount low without provision of a mechanism that measures the ink remaining amount in the ink bottle 303.
In the case where the bottle remaining amount low cancel determination is started, in S1001, the printer 100 obtains the bottle remaining amount low detection time and date 703 for the corresponding ink bottle, from the non-volatile information saved in the EEPROM 104. In S1002, the printer 100 determines whether the bottle remaining amount low detection time and date 703 is obtained from the EEPROM 104. In the case where the bottle remaining amount low detection time and date 703 is obtained, the printer 100 proceeds to S1003. In the case where the bottle remaining amount low detection time and date 703 is not obtained, the printer 100 terminates the present process.
In S1003, the printer 100 obtains the ink usage amount after bottle remaining amount low detection 704 from the non-volatile information saved in the EEPROM 104. Moreover, in S1004, the printer 100 obtains the ink usage amount threshold (cancel) 706 from the non-volatile information saved in the EEPROM 104.
In S1005, the printer 100 compares the ink usage amount after bottle remaining amount low detection 704 with the ink usage amount threshold (cancel) 706. In S1006, the printer 100 performs branching of the process depending on the comparison result of S1005. Specifically, in the case where the ink usage amount after bottle remaining amount low detection 704 is the ink usage amount threshold (cancel) 706 or higher, it can be assumed that the user has replenished the ink tank 507 with the ink from a new ink bottle, and the printer 100 thus proceeds to S1007. Meanwhile, in the case where the ink usage amount after bottle remaining amount low detection 704 is lower than the ink usage amount threshold (cancel) 706, the printer 100 terminates the present process.
In S1007, the printer 100 cancels the bottle remaining amount low. Moreover, in this case, the state of the ink bottle remaining amount transitions from the “bottle remaining amount low detected state” to the “bottle remaining amount low undetected state”. In S1008, the printer 100 notifies the server 401 of the cancelation of the bottle remaining amount low. Then, the printer 100 terminates the present process.
As described above, executing the present flow allows the printer 100 to cancel the “bottle remaining amount low detected state” of the ink bottle 303 at a certain timing and notify the server 401 of the cancelation without provision of a special mechanism that measures the ink remaining amount in the ink bottle 303.
In the case where the ink is used in the printer 100, in S1101, the printer 100 obtains the bottle remaining amount low detection time and date 703 for the corresponding ink bottle, from the non-volatile information saved in the EEPROM 104. In S1102, the printer 100 determines whether the bottle remaining amount low detection time and date 703 is obtained in S1101. In the case where the bottle remaining amount low detection time and date 703 is not saved and is not obtained, addition to the ink usage amount after bottle remaining amount low detection is unnecessary, and the printer 100 thus terminates the addition process to the ink usage amount after bottle remaining amount low detection. In the case where the bottle remaining amount low detection time and date 703 is saved, the printer 100 proceeds to S1103.
In S1003, the printer 100 adds an ink usage amount measured from a point where the previous ink usage amount addition is executed, to the ink usage amount after bottle remaining amount low detection 704 saved in the EEPROM 104. Moreover, the printer 100 updates the value of the ink usage amount after bottle remaining amount low detection 704 to a value calculated by the addition, and saves the updated ink usage amount after bottle remaining amount low detection 704 in the EEPROM 104. The ink usage amount used from the previous detection of the bottle remaining amount low is set as the latest ink usage amount by the present process. Then, the ink usage amount calculated in the present process is used in the bottle remaining amount low detection determination or the bottle remaining amount low cancel determination performed after this point. Accordingly, the present process needs to be executed before the bottle remaining amount low detection determination or the bottle remaining amount low cancel determination.
In S1104, the printer 100 checks which one of the “bottle remaining amount low detected state” and the “bottle remaining amount low undetected state” the bottle remaining amount state of the corresponding ink bottle 303 is. In S1105, the printer 100 performs branching of the process based on the state checked in S1004. Specifically, in the case where the bottle remaining amount state of the corresponding ink bottle 303 is the “bottle remaining amount low detected”, the printer 100 proceeds to S1106 and executes the bottle remaining amount low cancel determination illustrated in
As described above, executing the present flow allows the printer 100 to execute the bottle remaining amount low detection determination and the bottle remaining amount low cancel determination based on the ink usage amount after bottle remaining amount low detection, at a timing where the ink is used in the printer 100.
The state transition of the remaining amount in the ink bottle 303 illustrated in
Description starts from the point where the state of the remaining amount in the ink bottle 303 is the “bottle remaining amount low undetected state”. Assume that the information on the bottle remaining amount low detection time and date is present in S902 and the ink usage amount after bottle remaining amount low detection obtained in S903 is 90.0 ml. In this case, in S906, the ink usage amount is lower than 127.5 ml that is the ink usage amount threshold (detection) 705. Accordingly, the printer 100 terminates the process with the state of the remaining amount in the ink bottle 303 set to the bottle remaining amount low undetected. Then, in the case where the ink usage is repeated and the ink usage amount reaches or exceeds 127.5 ml, the printer 100 proceeds to S907. Even if the total ink usage amount reaches or exceeds 127.5 ml in the determination in S910, the printer 100 terminates the process with the state of the remaining amount in the ink bottle 303 set to the bottle remaining amount low undetected, until the remaining amount in the ink tank reaches or falls below 45.0 ml. For example, in the case where the remaining amount in the ink tank reaches or falls below 50.0 ml, a screen that prompts the user to inject the ink of the ink bottle 303 into the ink tank is displayed. This can prevent the case where the remaining amount in the ink tank reaches or falls below the threshold while the ink is left in the ink bottle 303. In other words, an order for a new ink bottle 303 in a state where the ink is left in the ink bottle 303 can be prevented.
In the case where the user injects all the ink in the ink bottle 303 into the ink tank and then the remaining amount in the ink tank reaches or falls below 45.0 ml, the printer 100 detects the bottle remaining amount low, and the state of the ink bottle remaining amount transitions to the “bottle remaining amount low detected state”. Thereafter, the printer 100 executes the subsequent processes.
As illustrated in the state transition diagram of
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the situation where the ink remaining amount in the ink bottle 303 has become low can be preferably detected. Specifically, the printer 100 can detect the ink remaining amount low in the ink bottle 303 from the ink usage amount in the printer 100 and the ink tank remaining amount, and notify the server 401 of the ink remaining amount low without provision of a mechanism that measures the ink remaining amount in the ink bottle 303. Moreover, the printer 100 can similarly execute the ink bottle remaining amount low cancel determination without provision of a mechanism that measures the ink remaining amount in the ink bottle 303.
Furthermore, as described above, in the process of bottle remaining amount determination in the present embodiment, the printer 100 performs the determination by using both of the ink usage amount and the ink tank remaining amount. The printer 100 can thereby preferably detect the situation where the remaining amount in the ink bottle has become low, even in the case where a measurement error of the ink usage amount occurs.
Embodiment(s) of the present invention can also be realized by a computer of a system or apparatus that reads out and executes computer executable instructions (e.g., one or more programs) recorded on a storage medium (which may also be referred to more fully as a ‘non-transitory computer-readable storage medium’) to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) and/or that includes one or more circuits (e.g., application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) for performing the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s), and by a method performed by the computer of the system or apparatus by, for example, reading out and executing the computer executable instructions from the storage medium to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) and/or controlling the one or more circuits to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s). The computer may comprise one or more processors (e.g., central processing unit (CPU), micro processing unit (MPU)) and may include a network of separate computers or separate processors to read out and execute the computer executable instructions. The computer executable instructions may be provided to the computer, for example, from a network or the storage medium. The storage medium may include, for example, one or more of a hard disk, a random-access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a storage of distributed computing systems, an optical disk (such as a compact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), or Blu-ray Disc (BD)™), a flash memory device, a memory card, and the like.
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. 2022-014889, filed Feb. 2, 2022, which is hereby incorporated by reference wherein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-014889 | Feb 2022 | JP | national |
