Ink jet recording apparatus and controlling method for recording apparatus

• US 20020171694A1
• Filed: 04/23/2002
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Takayanagi, Yoshiaki
• Granted Patent: US 6,749,278 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/5
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04518 reducing costs
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/0452 reducing demand in current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04548 Details of power line section of control circuit
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/0458 controlling heads based on heating elements forming bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04581 controlling heads based on piezoelectric elements

Abstract

An ink jet recording apparatus, which is provided with the control circuit that controls the recording operation using a recording head, and the driving circuit that drives the recording head, comprises the power supply portion of a serial interface to supply power to the control circuit with a first voltage value, and a second voltage output circuit for supplying power to the driving circuit with a second voltage value. With the structure thus arranged, it becomes possible to utilize the power supply from the interface for driving the control circuit of the recording apparatus, while the power supply of the recording apparatus is dedicated as the power source for driving the recording head, hence materializing a smaller power supply circuit, and cost down as well.

Claims

1. An ink jet recording apparatus provided with a control circuit for controlling the recording operation using a recording head, and a driving circuit for driving the driving source to drive the recording head, comprising:

the power supply portion of a serial interface to supply power to said control circuit with a first voltage value;

a second voltage output circuit for supplying power to said driving circuit with a second voltage value.

6. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a constant voltage regulator is connected between said control circuit and the power supply portion of said serial interface.

7. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein when said apparatus is in a designated status, said control circuit issues to said power supply unit an instruction signal for lowering said second voltage output to a designated voltage, and said power supply unit lowers said second voltage output to a designated voltage.

8. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said second voltage output circuit is provided with a stabilizing circuit for stabilizing said second voltage with feedback thereto.

9. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said power supply unit is provided with an output shut down circuit between said stabilizing circuit and the power supply portion of said serial interface, and when the voltage of said power supply portion does not reach a designated potential, said output shut down circuit issues signal to said stabilizing circuit, and said stabilizing circuit lowers said second voltage output to a designated voltage.

10. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said serial interface is an interface conforming to or being in accordance with the IEEE1394 regulation.

11. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said serial interface is an interface conforming to or being in accordance with the USB regulation.

12. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said recording head is provided with a plurality of recording elements containing electrothermal converting members to generate thermal energy as energy for discharging ink.

14. A method for controlling an ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said operation of control circuit executes a process to lower said second voltage output to a designated voltage when the step thereof presents a designated condition.

2. An ink jet recording apparatus provided with a control circuit for controlling the recording operation using a recording head, and a driving circuit for driving the driving source to drive the recording head, comprising:

the power supply portion of a serial interface to supply power to said control circuit with a first voltage value;

a power supply unit having a first voltage output circuit for supplying power to said control circuit with a first voltage value, and a second voltage output circuit for supplying power to said driving-circuit with a second voltage value, wherein

the power supply to said control circuit from said first output circuit and said power supply portion of said serial interface is executed in accordance with the status of the power supply portion of said serial interface.

3. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a diode for use of reverse current prevention is connected between said first voltage output circuit and the power supply portion of said serial interface.

4. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a constant voltage regulator is connected between said control circuit and said diode for use of reverse current prevention.

5. An ink jet recording apparatus according to either one of claim 2 to claim 4, wherein the maximum current value generated by said first voltage output circuit is the maximum value of current consumption of said control circuit in the standby mode of the ink jet recording apparatus.

13. A method for controlling an ink jet recording apparatus provided with a control circuit for controlling the recording operation using a recording head, and a driving circuit to drive the recording head, comprising the following steps of:

operating said control circuit in said recording operation with the power supply from the power supply portion of a serial interface with a first voltage value; and

operating said driving circuit by the power supply from said power supply unit with a second voltage value.