Ink jet printer and ink jet printing method

• US 6,523,948 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2001
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hosono, Yasuyuki, Kito, Eiichi, Inoue, Seiichi, Matsumoto, Nobuo, Kaneko, Kiyotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thinh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Ly T
• Application Number:
  US09/840,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20010052920A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 347/102, 347/16, 347/104, 347/197, 347/185, 347/186, 347/187
• US Class Current: 347/102
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/00212 Controlling the irradiation means, e.g. image-based controlling of the irradiation zone or control of the duration or intensity of the irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/00214 using UV radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/00216 using infrared [IR] radiation or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/00222 Controlling the convection means
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04586 controlling heads of a type not covered by groups B41J2/04575 - B41J2/04585, or of an undefined type

Abstract

An ink jet printer comprises at least one ink jet head, in which plural nozzles are arranged in an array in a main scan direction, and eject a droplet of ink to recording material respectively at an ejected amount according to information of an image. Feeder rollers feed the recording material relative to the ink jet head in a sub scan direction, to print the image to the recording material two-dimensionally. A thermal head includes plural heating elements arranged in an array in the main scan direction, for applying heat to the recording material respectively in a heating region. A system controller sets drying heat energy according to the ejected amount, and drives the thermal head to apply the drying heat energy to the heating region, to promote drying of the droplet in the heating region.

Claims

1. An ink jet printer, comprising:

at least one ink jet head, including plural nozzles arranged in a main scan direction, for ejecting a droplet of ink to recording material respectively at an ejected amount according to information of an image;

moving means for feeding one of said recording material and said inkjet head in a sub scan direction relative to a remaining one thereof, to print said image to said recording material two-dimensionally;

at least one heater, including plural heater sections arranged in said main scan direction, controllable in heat quantity individually, for applying heat to said recording material respectively in a heating region, wherein one heater section of said plural heater sections is provided for said plural nozzles and said heater and said inkjet head being positioned on a same side of the recording material and plural heaters being positioned upstream from respective plural nozzles in an alternative manner; and

a controller for driving said heater sections individually according to said ejected amount for said heating region, to promote drying of said droplet in said heating region by controlling said heat quantity for said heating region.

2. An ink jet printer as defined in claim 1, wherein said heater is operated before, during or after operation of said ink jet head.

3. An ink jet printer as defined in claim 2, wherein said controller determines said heat quantity high according to highness in said ejected amount.

4. An ink jet printer as defined in claim 3, wherein said moving means feeds said recording material in said sub scan direction.

5. An ink jet printer as defined in claim 4, wherein said heater is disposed upstream from said ink jet head with reference to feeding of said recording material, and before said ink jet head operates, preheats said heating region where said droplet is ready to deposit.

6. An ink jet printer as defined in claim 4, wherein said heater is disposed downstream from said ink jet head with reference to feeding of said recording material, and heats said droplet ejected by said ink jet head.

7. An ink jet printer as defined in claim 4, wherein said heater heats said droplet simultaneously with ejection by said ink jet head.

8. An ink jet printer as defined in claim 7, wherein said heater is disposed close to said ink jet head with an inclination.

9. An ink jet printer as defined in claim 4, further comprising a speed signal generator for generating a signal of a feeding speed at which said moving means feeds said recording material;

wherein said controller controls said heat quantity further in consideration of said feeding speed.

10. An ink jet printer as defined in claim 4, further comprising an information input unit for inputting information of a recording material width of said recording material in said main scan direction;

wherein said controller designates heater sections to be driven among said heater sections in consideration of said recording material width.

11. An ink jet printer as defined in claim 4, wherein said controller, if said ejected amount is equal to or lower than one reference amount, determines said heat quantity as zero, and if said ejected amount is higher than said reference amount, determines said heat quantity according to said ejected amount.

12. An ink jet printer as defined in claim 3, wherein said heater comprises a thermal head, said plural heater sections are constituted by plural heating elements for pressurizing and heating said recording material.

13. An ink jet printer as defined in claim 12, further comprising a head shifter for shifting said thermal head between a contact position and a non-contact position, wherein said thermal head, when in said contact position, contacts said recording material and is operated, and when in said non-contact position, is away from said recording material.

14. An ink jet printer as defined in claim 3, wherein said heater is disposed beside said ink jet head, and directed to a recording surface where said droplet is ready to deposit.

15. An ink jet printer as defined in claim 3, wherein said plural heater sections are constituted by plural infrared ray emitting elements for applying infrared rays to said heating region.

16. An ink jet printer as defined in claim 3, further comprising an information input unit for inputting at least one of environmental temperature information, type information of said recording material, and thickness information of said recording material;

wherein said controller controls said heat quantity further in consideration of at least one of said environmental temperature information, said type information and said thickness information.

17. An ink jet printer as defined in claim 1, wherein said plural heater sections and said plural nozzles are positioned on a same side of the recording material.

18. An ink jet printer as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

an image processor which receives image data;

a recording data convertor which obtains recording data according to the image data of the image processing;

a look up table (LUT) for storing a relationship between a total ejected amount and a preheating data; and

a heating pattern processor for determining the preheating data for said plural heater sections from said total ejected amount by referring to said LUT after determining said total ejected amount for said heating region according to the image data.

19. An ink jet printer as defined in claim 18, wherein the preheating data is sent to a head driver which drives the plural heater sections according to the preheating data in synchronism with feeding of the recording material in order to preheat the recording material before ejection of the droplet of ink.

20. An ink jet printer as defined in claim 18, wherein the heating pattern processor determines preheating data according to drive data from the head driver.

21. An ink jet printer as defined in claim 18, wherein the preheating data is determined according to an amount of a volatile component of the ejected amount.

22. An ink jet printer as defined in claim 18, wherein the preheating data is determined according to image data without obtaining an ejected amount of the droplet of ink based on a known relationship between the ejected amount and the image data.

23. An ink jet printer, comprising:

at least one ink jet head, including plural nozzles arranged in a main scan direction, for ejecting a droplet of ink to recording material respectively at an ejected amount according to information of an image, said ink jet head printing said image at a printing width of at least 80 mm in said main scan direction;

moving means for feeding one of said recording material and said inkjet head in a sub scan direction relative to a remaining one thereof to print said image to said recording material two-dimensionally said moving means fees said recording material at a feeding speed of at least 20 mm per second in said sub scan direction;

at least one heater, including plural heater sections arranged in said main scan direction, controllable in heat quantity individually, for applying heat to said recording material respectively in a heating region, wherein one heater section of said plural heater sections is provided for said plural nozzles and said heater and said ink jet head being positioned on a same side of the recording material, said heater being operated before, during or after operation of said inkjet head; and

a controller for driving said heater sections individually according to said ejected amount for said heating region, to promote drying of said droplet in said heating region by controlling said heat quantity for said heating region, said controller further deter said heat quantity high according to highness in said ejected amount.

24. All inkjet printer, comprising:

at leg one ink jet head, including plural nozzles arranged in a main scan direction, for ejecting a droplet of ink to recording material respectively at an ejected amount according to information of an image;

a head carriage for feeding said ink jet head in a sub scan direction relative to said recording material, to effect belt-shaped printing of said image;

a moving mechanism for moving one of said recording material and said head carriage relative to a remaining one thereof in said main scan direction by an amount of said belt-shaped printing, to print said image in a frame printing manner;

at least one heater, including plural heater sections arranged in said main scan direction, controllable in heat quantity individually, for applying heat to said recording material respectively in a heating region, one heater section of said plural heater sections being provided for said plural nozzles and said heater and said ink jet head being positioned on a same side of the recording material, and plural heaters are positioned upstream from respective plural nozzles in an alternative manner; and

a controller for driving said heater sections individually according to said ejected amount for said heating region, to promote drying of said droplet in said heating region by controlling said heat quantity for said heating region.

25. An ink jet printer as defined in claim 24, wherein said heater is secured to said head carriage beside said ink jet head.

26. An ink jet printer as defined in claim 25, wherein said heater is disposed downstream from said ink jet head with reference to feeding of said head carriage, and before said ink jet head operates, preheats said heating region where said droplet is ready to deposit.

27. An ink jet printing method comprising:

a step of ejecting a droplet of ink to recording material through plural nozzles respectively at an ejected amount according to information of an image, said plural nozzles being arranged in a main scan direction, for constituting an ink jet head;

a step of feeding one of said recording material and said ink jet head in a sub scan direction relative to a remaining one thereof, to print said image to said recording material two-dimensionally;

a step of determining drying heat energy according to said ejected amount for a heating region defined on said recording material and arranged in said main scan direction; and

a step of applying said drying heat energy to said heating region on a same side of the recording material as the ejected amount, to promote drying of said droplet in said heating region.

28. An ink jet printing method as defined in claim 27, wherein said energy determining step determines said drying heat energy high according to highness in said ejected amount.

29. An ink jet printing method as defined in claim 28, wherein before said ejecting step, said heat applying step preheats said heating region where said droplet is ready to deposit, on an upstream side from said ink jet head with reference to feeding of said recording material.

30. An ink jet printing method as defined in claim 28, wherein after said ejecting step, said heat applying step heats said droplet on a downstream side from said ink jet head with reference to feeding of said recording material.

31. An ink jet printing method as defined in claim 28, wherein said heat applying step includes using plural heating elements arranged in said main scan direction, for respectively pressurizing and heating said recording material.

32. An inkjet printer, comprising

at least one inkjet head, including plural nozzles arranged in a main scan direction, for ejecting a droplet of ink to recording material respectively at an ejected amount according to information of an image, said ink jet head printing said image at a printing width of at least 80 mm in said main scan direction;

moving means for feeding one of said recording material and said inkjet head in a sub scan direction relative to a remaining one thereof, to print said image to said recording material two-dimensionally;

at least one heater, including plural heater sections arranged in said main scan direction, controllable in heat quantity individually, for applying heat to said recording material respectively in a heating region, wherein one heater section of said plural heater sections is provided for said plural nozzles and said heater and said inkjet head being positioned on a same side of the recording material, said heater being operated before, during or after operation of said inkjet head; and

a controller for driving said heater sections individually according to said ejected amount for said heating region, to promote dying of said droplet in said heating region by controlling said heat quantity for said heating region, said controller further determining said beat quantity high according to highness in said ejected amount,

wherein the plural heaters are positioned upstream from respective plural nozzles in an alternative manner.