Ink jet recording apparatus utilizing solid semiconductor element

• US 20020008722A1
• Filed: 06/13/2001
• Published: 01/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Inoue, Ryoji, Yamaguchi, Takaaki, Kubota, Masahiko, Imanaka, Yoshiyuki, Saito, Ichiro, Ishinaga, Hiroyuki, Mochizuki, Muga
• Granted Patent: US 6,769,754 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/14
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 19/202 Drive control means for carriage movement
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17556 Means for regulating the pressure in the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17566 Ink level or ink residue control
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/195 for monitoring ink quality
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/17576 using a floater for ink level indication
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/17583 using vibration or ultra-sons for ink level indication
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/17 Readable information on the head
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/393 Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine ; Controlling or analysing mechanical parameters involving printing of test patterns

Abstract

To supply electromotive force to a solid semiconductor element in an ink tank in a non-contact and stable manner. An electromagnetic apparatus (a standstill electromotive force supply unit) is placed at a home position HP. When a carriage is at a standstill at this home position HP, if the electromagnetic apparatus is AC-driven, magnetic properties of both ends (magnetic poles) continue to change mutually and penetrate a solid semiconductor element in the ink tank on the carriage so that a constantly changing magnetic flux is generated. Electromotive force is generated by electromagnetic induction on a coil of the solid semiconductor element. In addition, if the carriage reciprocates during printing operation, the coil L of the solid semiconductor element crosses inside the magnetic flux due to a plurality of permanent magnets (a movement time electromotive force supply unit) arranged on a carrier path (range of movement), and so the electromotive force is generated on the coil by electromagnetic induction. Such electromotive force is converted into energy for activating and operating the solid semiconductor element.

Claims

1. An ink jet recording apparatus for producing records by scanning a carriage and discharging ink in predetermined timing, wherein a component with a solid semiconductor element placed is mounted on said carriage, and communication means or energy supply means fixedly placed in a scanning range of the carriage is provided.

2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said component is an ink jet recording head.

3. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said component is an ink tank.

7. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said solid semiconductor element receives, identifies and analyzes said electric wave so as to acquire a communication distance of said electric wave.

8. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said solid semiconductor element acquires the communication distance based on a phase deviation of said electric wave, acquires the position of said solid semiconductor element from the communication distance, and detects said discharge position of said recording means based on the position of the solid semiconductor element.

9. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said solid semiconductor elements are used.

10. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording means performs ink discharge operation based on a driving signal supplied from the recording apparatus body and said solid semiconductor element.

11. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least three of said fixed communication means transmit electric waves to said solid semiconductor element.

12. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said respective fixed communication means transmit electric waves of which frequency, amplitude or signal pattern is different respectively.

13. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said position detection is performed by a trilateration method.

4. An ink jet recording method in which an ink jet recording head is mounted on a carriage and the carriage produces records while moving by discharging ink from recording means of said ink jet recording head,

wherein an electric wave is transmitted from fixed communication means to the solid semiconductor element fixed on said ink jet recording head,

said solid semiconductor element receives said electric wave and detects a position of said recording means based thereon, and controls timing of ink discharge according to it.

5. The ink jet recording method according to claim 4, wherein said solid semiconductor element acquires the ink discharge position of said recording means, and corrects the timing of ink discharge in order to make up for a deviation of the detected ink discharge position from a desired discharge position.

6. The ink jet recording method according to claim 5, wherein said solid semiconductor element transmits to said recording means a discharge timing control signal for controlling the ink discharge so as to correct the timing of ink discharge.

14. An ink jet recording head having a recording means for producing records by discharging ink, and a solid semiconductor element for detecting a position of said recording means and controlling timing of ink discharge according to it.

15. The ink jet recording head according to claim 14, wherein said solid semiconductor element has a position detection portion for acquiring the ink discharge position of said recording means and a discharge timing control portion for correcting discharge timing in order to make up for a deviation of said discharge position detected by the position detection portion from a desired discharge position.

16. The ink jet recording head according to claim 15, wherein said discharge timing control portion transmits to said recording means a discharge timing control signal for controlling the ink discharge.

17. The ink jet recording head according to claim 15, wherein said solid semiconductor element has an electric wave receiving portion for receiving an electric wave from the outside and an electric wave analyzing portion for identifying and analyzing said electric wave to acquire a communication distance of the electric wave.

18. The ink jet recording head according to claim 17, wherein said electric wave analyzing portion and said position detection portion acquire the communication distance of the electric wave based on the phase deviation of the electric wave from the outside received by said electric wave receiving portion, and acquire the position of said solid semiconductor element from the communication distance, and detect the discharge position of said recording means based on the position of said solid semiconductor element.

19. The ink jet recording head according to claim 17, wherein said electric wave analyzing portion can identify at least either the frequency or the amplitude of the received electric wave.

20. The ink jet recording head according to claim 14, wherein said solid semiconductor element has a clock.

21. The ink jet recording head according to claim 20, wherein said clock can have its time adjusted by a signal from the outside.

22. The ink jet recording head according to claim 14, wherein said solid semiconductor element has a memory for storing data for position detection and discharge control.

23. The ink jet recording head according to claim 22, wherein said memory stores a desired discharge position and data for correcting said discharge timing based on a positional relation between the desired discharge position and said actual discharge position detected by said position detection means.

24. The ink jet recording head according to claim 14, wherein it has a plurality of said solid semiconductor elements.

25. An ink jet recording apparatus having the ink jet recording head according to one of claims 14 to 24, a moving carriage on which said ink jet recording head is mounted, and a recording apparatus body having fixed communication means for transmitting an electric wave to said solid semiconductor element.

26. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said recording apparatus body has driving signal supply means provided for supplying a driving signal to said recording means, and said recording means performs ink discharge operation based on said driving signal and said solid semiconductor element.

27. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said recording apparatus body has at least three of said fixed communication means placed for transmitting electric waves to said solid semiconductor element.

28. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the electric waves transmitted from said respective fixed communication means have different frequency, amplitude or signal pattern respectively.

29. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 25, wherein a recording area on a record medium for recording by said recording means is an area extending two-dimensionally.

30. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 25, wherein a recording area on a record medium for recording by said recording means is an area extending three-dimensionally.

31. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said recording area is an outer surface of a cube.

32. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said recording area is a spherical surface.

33. An ink jet recording apparatus having a recording head, an ink tank for accommodating ink to be supplied to the recording head, and a moving carriage on which said recording head and said ink tank are mounted,

wherein a solid semiconductor element having an inductor is accommodated in said ink tank, and

standstill electromotive force supply means for supplying electrical energy to said solid semiconductor element at a standstill in a non-contact manner is placed at a specific position in the movement range of said carriage.

34. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said specific position is a home position.

35. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said standstill electromotive force supply means include an electromagnetic apparatus.

40. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said solid semiconductor element at least partially contacts said ink accommodated in said ink tank.

41. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said solid semiconductor element is hollow-structured and floating in said ink accommodated in said ink tank so that said inductor constantly faces a fixed direction.

42. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said solid semiconductor element has power accumulating means mounted.

43. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 33, wherein there is communication means for sending a signal to said solid semiconductor element, and said solid semiconductor element has a function of transmitting whether or not there is sufficient electrical energy for driving said solid semiconductor element in response to a request from said communication means.

44. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 33, wherein there is communication means for sending a signal to said solid semiconductor element, and said solid semiconductor element has a function of detecting and transmitting at least one of the amount, type, ingredients and state of said ink in said ink tank in response to a request from said communication means.

45. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said solid semiconductor element has energy converting means for converting energy from the outside into a different type of energy and light-emitting means for emitting light with the energy converted by the energy converting means.

46. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 45, wherein said light-emitting means is configured to emit light including a wavelength in the range of 300 to 700 nm.

47. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 45, wherein said light-emitting means is configured to emit light having a wavelength of 500 nm.

48. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the external energy converted by said energy converting means is supplied in a non-contact manner.

49. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the energy converted by said energy converting means is power.

36. An ink jet recording apparatus having a recording head, an ink tank for accommodating ink to be supplied to the recording head, and a moving carriage on which said recording head and said ink tank are mounted,

wherein a solid semiconductor element having an inductor is accommodated in said ink tank, and

movement time electromotive force supply means for supplying electrical energy to said solid semiconductor element in movement in a non-contact manner is placed in the movement range of said carriage.

37. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the movement time electromotive force supply means for supplying electrical energy to said solid semiconductor element in movement in a non-contact manner is placed in the movement range of said carriage.

38. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said movement time electromotive force supply means includes a plurality of electromagnetic apparatuses.

39. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said movement time electromotive force supply means includes a plurality of permanent magnets.

50. A method of gathering information on ink of an ink jet recording apparatus,

wherein an ink jet recording apparatus having a recording head, an ink tank for accommodating ink to be supplied to the recording head, a moving carriage on which said recording head and said ink tank are mounted, and a solid semiconductor element having an inductor and accommodated in said ink tank is used, and electrical energy is supplied in a non-contact manner to said solid semiconductor element when said carriage is at a standstill at a specific position in the movement range, and

said solid semiconductor element is activated with said electrical energy so as to gather the information in said ink tank.

51. The method according to claim 50, wherein said specific position is a home position.

52. A method of gathering information on ink of an ink jet recording apparatus,

wherein an ink jet recording apparatus having a recording head, an ink tank for accommodating ink to be supplied to the recording head, a moving carriage on which said recording head and said ink tank are mounted, and a solid semiconductor element having an inductor and accommodated in said ink tank is used, and electrical energy is supplied in a non-contact manner to said solid semiconductor element when said carriage is moving, and

said solid semiconductor element is activated with said electrical energy so as to gather said information in said ink tank.

53. The method according to claim 52, wherein electrical energy is supplied in a non-contact manner to said solid semiconductor element even when said carriage is moving.

54. The method according to claim 52, wherein electrical energy is supplied to said solid semiconductor element by electromagnetic induction.

55. The method according to claim 52, wherein said solid semiconductor element at least partially contacts said ink accommodated in said ink tank.

56. The method according to claim 54, wherein said solid semiconductor element is hollow-structured and floating in said ink accommodated in said ink tank so that said inductor constantly faces a fixed direction.

57. The method according to claim 52, wherein the information on said ink to be gathered by said solid semiconductor element is whether or not there is sufficient electrical energy for driving said solid semiconductor element.

58. The method according to claim 52, wherein the information to be gathered by said solid semiconductor element is at least one of the amount, type, ingredients and state of said ink in said ink tank.