JP4936501B2 - Ink jet head and ink jet recording apparatus using the head - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink jet head for ejecting ink to perform recording on a recording medium, and an ink jet recording apparatus using the head.

  Inkjet recording apparatuses are excellent in quietness and responsiveness because they can be printed on demand by a non-impact method, and are widely used as business and household recording apparatuses. In recent years, ink droplets ejected onto a recording medium by an ink jet recording apparatus have become finer, and in combination with colorization, high image quality comparable to silver salt photography has been realized.

  In general, an ink jet recording apparatus includes a carriage on which a recording head, which is a recording unit, can be mounted, a transport unit that transports a recording medium, and a control unit that controls these. Then, while ejecting ink as, for example, droplets from a plurality of ejection openings formed in the recording head, the carriage is serially scanned in the main scanning direction, and the recording medium is set in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction. Images are sequentially formed on a recording medium by intermittently conveying them in an amount.

  FIG. 16 is a conceptual diagram showing the main part of a general ink jet head employed in the above-described serial scan type ink jet recording apparatus as described in Patent Document 1, for example, from the direction in which ink is ejected. . Here, a plurality (five in the figure) of ejection units 205 capable of ejecting inks of different color tones (including color and density) in the main scanning direction indicated by the arrows are juxtaposed on the inkjet head 203. In each discharge unit 205, a large number of discharge ports (nozzles) 207 are arranged at a predetermined pitch. In addition, an ink tank (not shown) filled with ink of different color tones is mounted on the inkjet head 203 corresponding to the ejection unit 205.

JP 2002-234162 A

  In recent inkjet recording apparatuses, in order to obtain a high-resolution image with high resolution at a high speed, as shown in FIG. 16, the inkjet recording apparatus has a discharge unit corresponding to a plurality of color ink types, and each discharge unit has a plurality of discharge units. The mainstream is to use an ink jet head that integrates the discharge ports at a high density. Therefore, for an ink jet head mounted with a recording element (for example, a heat generating element that generates thermal energy that causes film boiling in ink) that generates energy used to discharge ink corresponding to each discharge portion or discharge port. Stipulates the electrical connection terminals on the recording element substrate, that is, the power supply wiring terminal and the ground wiring terminal, the data input terminal for receiving data for driving the recording element in accordance with the recording data, and the driving time of the recording element The number of pulse signal input terminals to be increased increases according to the number of ink types.

  Particularly in recent years, not only the yellow, magenta and cyan inks, which are the three primary colors for printing, but also black ink, as well as the use of inks such as light cyan (light cyan) and light magenta (light magenta) with reduced density are used. There are also recording apparatuses or inkjet heads that reduce the graininess of dots formed by ink landing on a recording medium and improve gradation.

  In addition, as for the same color ink, so-called superposition type ink in which the color material aggregates on the surface of the recording medium (the ink of which the color material is pigment type has a strong tendency) and the adhering ink penetrates into the recording medium. In some cases, a penetrating ink (a dye-based ink has a strong tendency) is used. For example, an overlay ink and a penetrating ink may be prepared for black and used to optimize black recording according to the type of recording medium and recorded image. Here, the superposed black ink is used to increase the black density of plain paper, and the penetrating black ink is used for a recording medium such as coated paper having an ink receiving layer.

  Furthermore, for the purpose of sharpening the recorded image on the recording medium, fixing property or improving water resistance or fastness, not only the ink containing the color material but also before or after the application of the ink containing the color material, There is also a recording medium that is provided with a transparent functional liquid (including ink in a broad sense).

  As described above, as an ink jet head having a large number of ejection portions corresponding to various types of inks has been configured, the increase in electrical connection terminals becomes even more serious. This leads to an increase in the size of the recording element substrate. Further, there arises a problem of a decrease in connection reliability in an electrical connection terminal or the like, and an increase in size or an increase in cost due to an increase in the number of conductors of a wiring cable connecting the recording element substrate and the outside. The board size can be dealt with to some extent by devising the layout of the connection terminals, but it also has limitations, and it solves the problems of reduced reliability of electrical connections, increased dimensions of wiring cables, and increased costs. Can not.

  The present invention reduces the number of electrical connection terminals and the number of conductive wires by adopting a configuration of an appropriate recording head according to the usage form of the ink to be used in a situation where ink is diversified as described above, and recording. An object of the present invention is to suppress an increase in the size of each part such as an element substrate and a wiring member so that the reliability of electrical connection is not lowered and the problem of cost increase does not occur.

To this end, the present invention provides a first recording element array in which a plurality of recording elements for discharging a first color liquid containing a pigment are arranged, and a plurality of the first color recording liquids for discharging the first color liquid containing a dye. An ink jet recording apparatus including: a second recording element array in which a plurality of recording elements are arrayed; and a third recording element array in which a plurality of recording elements for discharging a liquid of a second color different from the first color is arrayed. Head,
A first drive block for driving the recording elements included in the first recording element array in a time-sharing manner;
A second drive block for driving the recording elements included in the second recording element array in a time-sharing manner;
A third drive block for driving the recording elements included in the third recording element array in a time-sharing manner;
A first data input unit for externally inputting selection data for selecting one of the first drive block and the second drive block, time-division control data, and data including image data;
A second data input unit for inputting time-division control data and image data from the outside;
A control signal input unit for inputting a signal for controlling energization of the recording element from the outside;
With
The first data input unit is connected in parallel to the first and second drive blocks, the second data input unit is connected to the third drive block, and the control signal input unit is the first, Connected in parallel to the second and third drive blocks;
The first and second drive blocks drive recording elements based on the time-division drive control data, the selection data, and the image data, and the third drive block includes the time-division drive control data and the The recording element is driven based on the image data.

  In addition, the present invention is an ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording using such an ink jet head, and includes a circuit that develops recording data into data corresponding to each drive block and transfers the data to the ink jet head. The head is driven.

  According to the present invention, the appropriate selection drive is performed while sharing the pads or the conductive wires with respect to the ejection portions where the exclusive drive relationship is established, so that the electrical connection of the substrate is reduced by reducing the number of pads. By improving reliability and reducing the number of conductors, the increase in the dimensions of each part such as the recording element substrate and the wiring member of the ink jet head, and the connecting part and the wiring member on the recording apparatus side is suppressed, thereby reducing the cost. .

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 shows the appearance of an ink jet recording apparatus (hereinafter also referred to as a printer) according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a so-called serial scan type printer 70, which forms an image by scanning (main scanning) an inkjet head in a direction (main scanning direction) orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the recording medium P.

  The configuration of the printer 70 and the outline of the recording operation will be described with reference to FIG. First, a recording medium (not shown) fed from an auto sheet feeder (ASF) 82 is conveyed toward a recording position by a paper feed roller (not shown) driven by a paper feed motor through a gear. (Sub-scanning). On the other hand, at a predetermined conveyance position, the timing belt 74 driven by the carriage motor 86 causes the carriage 71 to scan along a guide shaft 88 extending in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction. In the course of this scan, an ejection operation is performed from an ink ejection port (nozzle) of a recording head (described later) that is detachably mounted on the carriage 71 to record a certain bandwidth corresponding to the nozzle arrangement range. Thereafter, the recording medium is transported and recording is performed for the next bandwidth.

  A flexible cable 72 for supplying a signal for driving an inkjet head mounted on the carriage 71 is attached to the carriage 71. One end of the carriage 71 is connected to a substrate 73 with contact pins provided on the inkjet head mounting portion of the carriage 71. The other end of the flexible cable 72 is connected to a control circuit (not shown) that executes control of the printer. In addition, a recovery system unit 89 for performing recovery processing of the inkjet head is provided in a part of the movable range of the carriage 71, for example, at the home position of the inkjet head.

FIG. 2 is a configuration example of an inkjet head mounted on the carriage 71.
The ink jet head 1 shown in FIG. 2 generally holds a recording element unit 2 in which ejection units for ejecting ink are arranged and an ink tank (not shown) in a detachable manner, and an ink supply path from the ink tank to the recording element unit 2. The cartridge 5 is in the form of a cartridge that is detachably mounted on the carriage 71. In addition, the inkjet head 1 is connected to the substrate 3 with contact pads that contacts the substrate 73 with contact pins provided on the carriage 71 when mounted on the carriage 71, and the recording element substrate of the substrate 3 and the recording element unit 2. Flexible wiring board 4 is provided.

  In the present embodiment, similarly to the configuration shown in FIG. 16, the recording element unit 2 has ejection units corresponding to five different color tones arranged side by side in the main scanning direction. It is assumed that a plurality of (for example, 128) nozzles are arranged at a pitch. Further, as a recording element that generates energy used for ejecting ink from each nozzle, for example, a heating element (heater) that generates thermal energy that causes film boiling in the ink is provided on the recording element substrate.

  In the present embodiment, an overlay black ink (hereinafter referred to as Bk ink) including a black pigment component in the color material, a penetrating black ink (hereinafter referred to as Pk ink) including a black dye component in the color material, and a color material A penetrating cyan ink containing a cyan dye component (hereinafter referred to as C ink), a penetrating magenta ink containing a magenta dye component in a color material (hereinafter referred to as M ink), and a yellow dye component in a color material It is assumed that five types of penetrating yellow ink (hereinafter referred to as Y ink) are used.

  The inventor first considered the usage pattern of the ink used in such a configuration. Since Bk ink is an overlay ink containing a pigment component, it is generally not used for recording on a recording medium for high image quality having an ink receiving layer such as coated paper. On the other hand, since Pk ink is a penetrating ink, the outline of a character is not sharpened by feathering, and thus is not generally used for recording on a recording medium in the form of so-called plain paper.

  Therefore, these inks of the same color are used for the image to be recorded (whether it is a character whose edge is emphasized or a high-quality photograph), the type of recording medium (whether plain paper or coated paper, etc.), etc. Accordingly, an ink having an appropriate property is used. That is, it can be considered that either Bk ink or Pk ink is used exclusively and not used at the same time. Therefore, the present inventor adopts the configuration according to the usage pattern even in the case of an ink jet head using a plurality of types of inks, that is, according to this when there is an ink used exclusively. He came up with the idea that the intended purpose could be achieved by adopting the configuration.

Hereinafter, such a configuration will be described.
3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the arrangement of contact pads on the substrate 3 in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of electrical connection from the substrate 3 to the recording element substrate in the recording element unit 2. As shown in FIG.

  In these figures, 10 is a pad for power (VH) wiring, 11 is a pad for ground (GND) wiring, 12 is a signal (heat enable signal_HEN (negative logic)) that defines a drive waveform of a heater that is a printing element. ) Pad, 13 is a pad for a signal (latch signal_LAT (negative logic)) for latching heater drive data corresponding to the recording data in a latch circuit, which will be described later, and 14 is a clock signal serving as a reference for data transfer. 15 is a pad for power supply (VDD) supplied to a heater driving logic circuit disposed on the printing element substrate, and 17 is a pad for ground (VSS) wiring corresponding thereto.

  Reference numeral 16A denotes a pad that is also used for supplying a data signal for an ejection unit that ejects Bk ink and an ejection unit that ejects Pk ink, and wiring from there is on the substrate 3, the flexible wiring substrate 4, or the recording element It branches at an appropriate location on the substrate and is connected to a drive block (Bk block) for the Bk ink ejection unit and a drive block (Pk block) for the Pk ink ejection unit. That is, the data signal wirings for these blocks that are exclusively driven are short-circuited on the circuit from the pad 16A to each block. Reference numerals 16B, 16C, and 16D denote data signal pads for ejection units that eject C ink, M ink, and Y ink, respectively, and are connected to the C block, M block, and Y block, respectively.

  Of course, according to the arrangement of the contact pads on the ink jet head side, the substrate 73 with contact pins of the carriage 71, that is, the connecting portion on the recording apparatus side, adopts a corresponding configuration and arrangement.

  FIG. 5 shows a configuration example of a drive block corresponding to one ejection unit.

  Recently, due to the demand for high-speed recording and high definition, a large number of heaters are mounted on an inkjet head at a high density. When all the heaters mounted at the same time are driven simultaneously, a large current is generated. Will flow. Then, the voltage drop (fluctuation) in the current path becomes large, or a large power supply capacity is required. In addition, mutual fluid pressure interference between nozzles that eject ink increases, and uniform and stable ink ejection may be hindered.

  Therefore, in the case of a configuration having a large number of heaters, a system is adopted in which the heater group is divided into a plurality of blocks and each block is driven in a time-sharing manner. Also, heaters that are driven simultaneously are dispersed so that heaters that are adjacent in space in the inkjet head are not selected simultaneously or continuously, that is, heaters that are separated in space are combined to form one time-division drive unit. Time-sharing drive is adopted.

  This embodiment also employs a matrix circuit suitable for the time-division driving method, and FIG. 5 shows the maximum number of heaters that can be driven simultaneously according to print data, out of the 128 heaters corresponding to the 128 nozzles. In this example, the number of heaters included in one time-division drive unit is set to eight, and a configuration for performing 16 time-division drives is illustrated. The heaters are arranged in a predetermined direction in the inkjet head 1, and each of 16 heaters spatially adjacent in the arrangement is connected to the driver 38 to form eight groups. In addition, a heater corresponding in position between the groups, that is, a time-division drive unit in which a total of eight heaters are driven simultaneously is configured.

  FIG. 6 shows a data transfer format, and FIG. 7 shows a drive timing chart in one time-division drive unit.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the arrangement of data to be transferred is as follows. First, recording data signals DATA0 to DATA7 (first bit (first) to eighth bit) are selected, and then a selection signal for selecting each time-division drive unit. BE0 to BE3 (9th to 12th bits) are serial data of a total of 13 bits in which selection signals SEL (13th bit) for finally selecting a Bk block or a Pk block are sequentially arranged. This serial data is transferred in synchronization with both ends of the rising and falling edges of the data transfer clock signal CLK, and 13-bit serial data is transferred in seven cycles of the data transfer signal CLK. After the 13-bit transfer, that is, after the end of the 7-cycle data transfer signal CLK, the process is temporarily stopped and the process waits for the data transfer corresponding to the next time-division drive unit. On the other hand, by making the latch signal _LAT valid (low level), data is stored in the latch circuit, and thereafter, by making the heat signal _HEN valid (low level) as shown in FIG. Energization according to data is performed.

  The driving block shown in FIG. 5 includes a 5-bit shift register 30 and an 8-bit shift register 31 that shift the serial data while sequentially taking the serial data, a latch circuit 50 and a latch 51 that store data aligned with these registers, and a latch circuit, respectively. The decoder 40 outputs selection signals BLE0 to BLE15 for selecting one heater from each of the 16 time-division driving units based on the selection signals BE0 to BE3 latched at 50, and the recording latched by the latch circuit 51. The AND gate 60 takes the logical product of the data signals DATA0 to DATA7 and the heat signal HEN (positive logic).

  When a serial data signal DATA including a 6-bit recording data signal and a 7-bit address signal in this order is transferred in synchronization with the data transfer signal CLK, a 5-bit selection signal (BE0 to BE0) is transferred to the shift register 30 after the transfer is completed. BE3 and SEL), and 8-bit recording data signals DATA0 to DATA7 are aligned in the shift register 31. In response to the latch signal _LAT, these signals are latched and output by the latch circuits 50 and 51, respectively. The recording data is ANDed with the heat signal HEN (positive logic) by the AND gate 60 and output to the DATA line. On the other hand, the selection signals BE0 to BE3 are input to the decoder 40, and the selection signals BLE0 to BLE15 are generated. The latch circuit 50 outputs a selection signal SEL for selecting a Bk block or a Pk block.

  8, 9 and 10 are configuration examples of the heater drive circuit in the Bk block, the Pk block and other blocks (C block, M block, Y block), respectively. In any block, the drive element of each heater is an AND that takes the logical product of the switch element 61 in the form of a MOS transistor, the recording data signal DATA, and the selection signal BLE generated based on the selection signals BE0 to BE3. This is basically composed of a gate 63. Here, the correspondence between the input selection signals BE0 to BE3 and the selection signals BLE0 to BLE15 generated by the decoder 40 is as shown in FIG.

  Basically, the signal BLE and the recording data signal DATA (actually, the recording data signal whose driving waveform is determined by the logic gate logic 60 in FIG. 5) are AND-operated by the AND gate 63, and the output thereof is the switch element. 61 is input to control the heater on / off. However, the selection signal SEL is further input to the AND gates 63 of the Bk block (FIG. 8) and the Pk block (FIG. 9), and the state of the signal is also related to the on / off of the heater.

  The Bk block and the Pk block are driven exclusively and can be selected according to the state of the 1-bit selection signal SEL. In this example, exclusive drive is enabled by setting the input terminal of the selection signal SEL of the AND gate 63 of the Pk block as the inverting input terminal. On the other hand, the selection signal SEL is not connected to the AND gate 63 in the drive blocks corresponding to other color inks (FIG. 10). Therefore, when any of the Bk block and the Pk block is selected, the other C block, M block, and Y block can be driven simultaneously. That is, in the Bk block, the drive heater can be driven only when the selection signal SEL is in the H state, and in the Pk block, the drive heater can be driven only when the selection signal SEL is in the L state. For the C block, M block, and Y block, the selection signal SEL does not affect the driving of the nozzle heater.

  Therefore, in the inkjet head of the present embodiment, for example, when recording high-quality black characters using plain paper as a recording medium, a Bk block is used, and a high-quality recording medium having an ink receiving layer such as coated paper. In order to drive the Pk block, the Bk block and the Pk block are exclusively selected and driven by adding a selection signal bit whose state is appropriately set to H or L to the data signal so as to drive the Pk block. can do. Here, since the Bk ink is an overlay ink containing a pigment component, it is generally not used for recording on a high-quality recording medium having an ink receiving layer such as coated paper. On the other hand, since Pk ink is a penetrating ink, the outline of a character is not sharpened by feathering, and thus is not generally used for recording on a recording medium in the form of so-called plain paper. For this reason, even if the wiring configuration as in this embodiment is adopted or when printing of documents or photographs is performed, it is as high as when the data pads are individually provided in the Bk block and the Pk block. Quality printing is possible. In addition, the reduction in the number of pads improves the reliability of the electrical connection of the substrate, and the reduction in the number of conductive wires allows the recording element substrate and the wiring member, and hence the connection portion (contact pin on the recording device side). The cost is reduced by suppressing an increase in dimensions of each part such as the attached board 73) and the wiring member (flexible cable 72).

  Next, the configuration of the control system of the ink jet recording apparatus that can suitably use the ink jet head will be described.

  FIG. 12 shows a configuration example of the main part of the control system of the ink jet recording apparatus shown in FIG. In the figure, reference numeral 801 denotes a CPU that controls the entire system. A ROM 802 stores a system control program executed by the CPU 801 and other fixed data. Reference numeral 803 denotes a sub-scanning unit that conveys (sub-scans) the recording medium, and includes a motor that feeds, conveys, and ejects the recording medium, a required transmission mechanism, and the like. Reference numeral 804 denotes a discharge recovery unit that recovers the head, and includes a recovery unit 89 and the like. A main scanning unit 805 includes a carriage motor 86, a carriage 71, a required transmission mechanism, and the like.

  Reference numeral 807 denotes a circuit that controls data transfer to the inkjet head 2. Reference numeral 808 denotes a binarization circuit that converts an image to be recorded into ejection data, and performs a halftoning process and the like. Reference numeral 809 denotes an image processing unit that performs color separation in accordance with the ink color of the inkjet head 2 when an image to be recorded (for example, an image received from a host device (not shown) such as a computer) is a color image. The data transfer circuit 807 generates a signal having the format shown in FIG. 6 based on the image data supplied from the binarization circuit 808, and performs inkjet via the cable 72, the contact pad substrate 3, and the flexible wiring substrate 4. Transfer to each moving block of the head 2.

  FIG. 13 shows an example of the recording processing procedure of the present embodiment, which can be implemented using the control system shown in FIG.

  First, in step S1, image data is received from the host device. When Bk ink or Pk ink is used, a predetermined setting is set in step S3 (that is, the bit for the block selection signal SEL is set to H or depending on which is used). Setting for determining which of L to add). Here, the determination of whether Bk ink or Pk ink is used is activated when, for example, the user specifies the type of recording medium to be used, when the ink type is specified, or when the recording mode is specified. Can do. The designation may be performed using a console provided in the recording apparatus main body, or may be performed using a setting screen of a printer driver operating on a computer-type host device. Further, it may be determined based on the content of the image data.

  Next, image data is developed according to the configuration of the nozzle array of the inkjet head (step S5), and each part of the apparatus is driven based on the developed image data to perform a recording process (step S7).

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 14 shows a configuration example of an ink jet head according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
The inkjet head 100 shown in FIG. 14 is different from the previous embodiment in that it has a recording element unit 2A having a Bk ink discharge portion and discharge portions corresponding to each of Pk ink, C ink, M ink, and Y ink. The recording element unit 2B is included.

  FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing an example of electrical connection of the recording element substrates in the recording element units 2A and 2B. In this embodiment, the Bk block recording element substrate provided in the recording element unit 2A and the Pk, C, M, and Y driving block recording element substrates provided in the recording element unit 2B have characteristics such as heater resistance. Different drive waveforms are used, and different drive waveforms are input to the respective element substrates in order to enable simultaneous drive. Therefore, heat enable signal pads 12A and 12B for the respective element substrates are provided.

  The internal configuration of each drive block is the same as in FIG. 5, and the format and drive mode of serial data are also the same as in FIGS.

  In the present embodiment, the Pk block adopts the same configuration as that of FIG. 10 in the first embodiment, while the Bk block and other blocks (C block, M block, Y block) are the first embodiment. The same configuration as in FIG. 11 is adopted. Further, the correspondence between the input selection signals BLE0 to BE3 and the selection signals BLE0 to BLE15 generated by the decoder 40 is the same as in FIG.

  In this example, the heater can be selected only when the selection signal SEL is L in the Pk block. For the Bk block, C block, M block, and Y block, the selection signal SEL is used to drive the nozzle heater. Has no effect. The drive waveform of the Bk block is determined by the input waveform of the heat enable signal _HENA input from the pad 12A, and each heater is driven based on the data signal DATA. The drive waveform of the Pk block is determined by the input waveform of the heat enable signal_HENB input from the pad 12B, and each heater is driven based on the data signal DATA and the selection signal SEL. That is, regardless of the selection signal SEL, the Bk block is not driven if the heat enable signal _HENA is not input, whereas the Pk block is not driven unless the condition of the selection signal SEL is satisfied. Further, both the Bk block and the Pk block can be driven simultaneously with other blocks (C block, M block, Y block).

  Also in the present embodiment, the Bk block and the Pk block are exclusively selected and driven by appropriately determining and supplying the heat enable signal and the selection signal bit on the ink jet recording apparatus side, and on the data signal SELECT bit The same effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained. In particular, the present embodiment is characterized in that it can cope with a case where recording element substrates having different characteristics such as a heater resistance value are used.

  In this embodiment, a heat enable signal pad for each recording element substrate is provided to drive drive blocks on different recording element substrates, but instead of or together with this, a power supply (VH) Can be controlled corresponding to each recording element substrate, and a VH wiring and a pad for each recording element substrate may be provided. If no VH is input, no current flows through the heater. Therefore, even when a dedicated VH pad or input terminal is provided, control can be performed in the same manner as when the heat enable signal is used. That is, since the heater is driven according to energy determined by the drive voltage and the drive waveform (for example, drive voltage × pulse width), any of the conditions relating to this energy can be used.

  For example, the Bk block allows each heater to be driven based on one input voltage VHA and the data signal DATA, while the Pk block allows each heater to be driven based on another input voltage VHB, the data signal DATA, and the selection signal SEL. It can be driven. That is, regardless of the selection signal SEL, if the voltage VHA is not input, the Bk block is not driven. On the other hand, if the condition of the selection signal SEL is not satisfied, the Pk block is not driven. Further, both the Bk block and the Pk block can be driven simultaneously with other blocks (C block, M block, Y block).

(Other)
In each of the above embodiments, the exclusive drive is performed while the pads of the Bk block and the Pk block are shared. However, as long as the exclusive drive can be performed, the drive blocks for other color inks are used. Pads or conductors can be shared. For example, the relationship between the additive C, M, Y ink including a pigment component in the color material and the penetrating C, M, Y ink including a dye component in the color material is the same as described above. A configuration can be employed.

  In addition, the configuration in which exclusive driving is performed while using pads or conductors in common is applicable not only to the relationship between inks of the same color but also to other relationships. For example, in a head having an ejection part of Bk, C, M, Y, Pk, LC (light cyan), LM (thin magenta), and S (transparent functional liquid such as a water resistant agent) Bk, C, M, Y, and S are used for printing on paper, and Pk, LC, and LM for high gradation printing are not used, while C, M, and C are used for high-quality printing on a recording medium having an ink receiving layer. An exclusive drive relationship may be established, such as using Y, Pk, LC, and LM, and not using Bk and S for plain paper.

  In such a head, the drive block selection by the selection signal SEL given as in the above example, or the drive block selection by the combination of the selection signal SEL and a signal (heat enable signal and / or VH input) for determining the heater drive energy is performed. If a possible recording element substrate configuration is used, the pads or leads for the Bk block and the Pk block can be made common, and the pads for the S block and the LC (or LM) block can be made common. That is, even in such a head, the number of pads is reduced, so that the reliability of electrical connection of the substrate is improved, and the number of conductive wires is reduced, so that the recording element substrate and the wiring member of the inkjet head, and thus Costs can be reduced by suppressing an increase in the size of each part such as a connecting part and a wiring member on the recording apparatus side.

  In addition, the number and type of color tones such as the color and density of the ink to be used can be determined as appropriate, and the numerical values described in the above-described embodiments are only for illustrative purposes, and the present invention includes this. It goes without saying that it is not limited.

  In addition, although the case where the present invention is applied to a so-called serial type recording apparatus has been described in the above example, the present invention is a so-called full-line type ink jet recording head in which nozzles are arranged over a range corresponding to the entire width of the recording medium. This is also effective for printers using the.

  In addition, there are various ink ejection methods applied to the recording apparatus, and as described above, an electrothermal conversion element that generates thermal energy that causes film boiling in ink in response to energization is provided. A thing provided with an electromechanical energy conversion element such as a piezo element may be used.

1 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of an ink jet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, with a recording head removed. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration example of an ink jet head mounted on the recording apparatus of FIG. 1. It is a schematic diagram which shows the example of arrangement | positioning of the contact pad employ | adopted in 1st Embodiment. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of electrical connection from the contact pad of FIG. 3 to a recording element substrate in the recording element unit. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a drive block corresponding to one ejection unit of a recording head. It is explanatory drawing which shows the data transfer format in 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the timing chart of the drive in one time division drive unit of a discharge part. FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram illustrating a configuration example of a heater drive circuit in a Bk ink drive block according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram illustrating a configuration example of a heater drive circuit in a Pk ink drive block according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram illustrating a configuration example of a heater driving circuit in a C, M, Y ink driving block according to the first embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows a response | compatibility of the input signal and output signal for selecting each time division drive unit. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a main part of a control system of the ink jet recording apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a recording processing procedure according to the configuration of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the structural example of the inkjet head by the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example of electrical connection of a recording element substrate in a second embodiment. FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing a main part of a general ink jet head employed in an ink jet recording apparatus using a serial scan method, from the direction in which ink is ejected.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Inkjet head 2, 2A, 2B Recording element unit 3 Board | substrate with contact pad 4 Flexible wiring board 10 Power supply (VH) pad 11 Ground (GND) pad 12 Heat enable signal pad 13 Latch signal pad 14 Clock signal pad 15 VDD pad 16A to 16D Data pad 17 VSS pad 30, 31 Shift register circuit 40 Decoder circuit 50, 51 Latch circuit 60 Logic gate logic 61 Switch element 70 Inkjet printer 71 Carriage 72 Flexible cable 73 Carriage substrate 74 Carriage belt 82 Auto sheet feeder

Claims (4)

A first recording element array in which a plurality of recording elements for discharging a first color liquid containing a pigment is arranged, and a plurality of recording elements for discharging the first color liquid containing a dye are arranged. An inkjet head comprising: a second recording element array; and a third recording element array in which a plurality of recording elements for discharging a liquid of a second color different from the first color is arranged,
A first drive block for driving the recording elements included in the first recording element array in a time-sharing manner;
A second drive block for driving the recording elements included in the second recording element array in a time-sharing manner;
A third drive block for driving the recording elements included in the third recording element array in a time-sharing manner;
A first data input unit for externally inputting selection data for selecting one of the first drive block and the second drive block, time-division control data, and data including image data;
A second data input unit for inputting time-division control data and image data from the outside;
A control signal input unit for inputting a signal for controlling energization of the recording element from the outside;
With
The first data input unit is connected in parallel to the first and second drive blocks, the second data input unit is connected to the third drive block, and the control signal input unit is the first, Connected in parallel to the second and third drive blocks;
The first and second drive blocks drive recording elements based on the time-division drive control data, the selection data, and the image data, and the third drive block includes the time-division drive control data and the An ink-jet head that drives a recording element based on image data. If the selection data is 1-bit binary data and the selection data is one value of the binary data, the first drive block selects a printing element included in the first printing element array. When driving in time division and the selection data is the other value of the binary data, the second drive block drives the printing elements included in the second printing element array in time division. The ink jet head according to claim 1, wherein the ink jet head is an ink jet head. Said first color liquid Ri ink der of the probe rack, before Symbol second color liquid is at least one color ink sheet Anne, magenta and yellow, the third recording element array, the cyan, magenta and The inkjet head according to claim 1, wherein at least one ink jet is provided for ejecting at least one yellow ink. An inkjet recording apparatus for recording using an ink jet head according to claim 1, expand the recorded data in the data corresponding to the respective drive block includes a circuit for transferring to the ink jet head, said ink jet head An ink jet recording apparatus.

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