CA2108302C - Ink jet recording apparatus - Google Patents
Ink jet recording apparatus Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2108302C CA2108302C CA002108302A CA2108302A CA2108302C CA 2108302 C CA2108302 C CA 2108302C CA 002108302 A CA002108302 A CA 002108302A CA 2108302 A CA2108302 A CA 2108302A CA 2108302 C CA2108302 C CA 2108302C
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- Prior art keywords
- resistor element
- recording head
- ink
- resistance value
- resistor
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Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
- B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
- B41J2/01—Ink jet
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
- B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
- B41J2/01—Ink jet
- B41J2/015—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
- B41J2/04—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
- B41J2/045—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
- B41J2/04501—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits
- B41J2/04506—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits aiming at correcting manufacturing tolerances
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
- B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
- B41J2/01—Ink jet
- B41J2/015—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
- B41J2/04—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
- B41J2/045—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
- B41J2/04501—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits
- B41J2/04528—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits aiming at warming up the head
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
- B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
- B41J2/01—Ink jet
- B41J2/015—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
- B41J2/04—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
- B41J2/045—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
- B41J2/04501—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits
- B41J2/04565—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits detecting heater resistance
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
- B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
- B41J2/01—Ink jet
- B41J2/015—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
- B41J2/04—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
- B41J2/045—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
- B41J2/04501—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits
- B41J2/0458—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits controlling heads based on heating elements forming bubbles
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
- B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
- B41J2/01—Ink jet
- B41J2/015—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
- B41J2/04—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
- B41J2/045—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
- B41J2/04501—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits
- B41J2/0459—Height of the driving signal being adjusted
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
- B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
- B41J2/01—Ink jet
- B41J2/015—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process
- B41J2/04—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand
- B41J2/045—Ink jet characterised by the jet generation process generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers
- B41J2/04501—Control methods or devices therefor, e.g. driver circuits, control circuits
- B41J2/04591—Width of the driving signal being adjusted
Abstract
A driving voltage of a discharging heater in an ink jet recording head is set according to property of the individual recording head. More specifically, sub-heaters are formed on a board on which discharging heaters are formed, by a same process as that for the discharging heaters. Resistance values of the sub-heaters are read so that the driving voltage of the discharging heaters can be set on the basis of the read resistance values.
Description
~~os~a~
The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus, and more particularly to a construction of an ink jet recording head including a resistor element, tY~e resistor element generating thermal energy utilized for discharging ink.
In recent years, a replaceable recording head often has been used for an ink jet recording apparatus. The reason for 'this is that manufacturing cost of such replaceable recording head is relatively inexpensive and by the use of this low cost recording head, the ink jet recording apparatus may have a construction which enables a recording head unit of cartridge-type in which a recording head is integrated with an ink tank to be exchanged at a time when ink in the ink tank is completely consumed. ' Incidentally, there often are variations, even slightly, among individual ink discharging characteristics of the replaceable recording heads. In particular, with regard to heating resistor.elements for generating thermal energy utilized for discharging ink, variations produced in the manufacturing process thereof frequently result in variations among ink droplets discharged and the like.
Thus, in a conventional manufacturing process of recording head, generally, some processes as will be described in the following are included. ~
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' 21~8~~2 First, a process for measuring a threshold voltage Vth, that is, a lowest voltage of the heating resistor element at which ink discharge actually just occurs ancf a process for storing measured results as data into a memory circuit provided, for example, at a printed board of the recording head. Then, the stored data in this process are read out by means of a control portion of an ink jet recording apparatus on which the recording head is installed, and in response to the read out data the driving voltage of the heating resistor element can be set up.
Second, a process for stabilizing ink discharge of the recording head, more specifically, the process is that: before shipping of the recording head certain pulses of a driving voltage K times as much as the threshold driving voltage Vth measured in the measuring process described above is applied a plurality of times to each of the heating resistar elements so as to stabilize ink discharging characteristic of the recording head.
However, with regard to the above-mentioned conventional process for setting up the driving voltage and that for discharge stabilizing processing, there have been problems as will be described in the following.
1) In order to set up the driving voltage, it is needed to.newly provide the following two processes in the manufacturing process of the recording head, that is, a -z-process for measuring a threshold voltage Vth~ at which discharge of ink just occurs, while actually performing ink discharge and a process storing the measured data in the recording head. As a result, increases of both the number of manufacturing process and manufacturing cost associated therewith are brought about.
The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus, and more particularly to a construction of an ink jet recording head including a resistor element, tY~e resistor element generating thermal energy utilized for discharging ink.
In recent years, a replaceable recording head often has been used for an ink jet recording apparatus. The reason for 'this is that manufacturing cost of such replaceable recording head is relatively inexpensive and by the use of this low cost recording head, the ink jet recording apparatus may have a construction which enables a recording head unit of cartridge-type in which a recording head is integrated with an ink tank to be exchanged at a time when ink in the ink tank is completely consumed. ' Incidentally, there often are variations, even slightly, among individual ink discharging characteristics of the replaceable recording heads. In particular, with regard to heating resistor.elements for generating thermal energy utilized for discharging ink, variations produced in the manufacturing process thereof frequently result in variations among ink droplets discharged and the like.
Thus, in a conventional manufacturing process of recording head, generally, some processes as will be described in the following are included. ~
;: : ,:, ~ ~.; .; . . . . . . ., . : , > . ; , ;
. ;.
i". . .~...'.. .:.:. '. ';. .. " .'..,' ~..., . ': ... ' .:",;
. '., ..~~:. .. .,. . '.., ' ..', ' ..-...'~..~ ~ .. , 7 ': ~. . .. :~. ... ~ .'..',' ~. .. ~;.,' '~.' ._,'.. . .' ~ ~.~, '.:. .
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~
, , :,. ,. : ' .' . , ~ . ., '.. , ., ' : ...
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n.. '.: . . .' , t ,.'.. ~ : . , ~..:v .. ; ..- . .,.. '...,. , .
' 21~8~~2 First, a process for measuring a threshold voltage Vth, that is, a lowest voltage of the heating resistor element at which ink discharge actually just occurs ancf a process for storing measured results as data into a memory circuit provided, for example, at a printed board of the recording head. Then, the stored data in this process are read out by means of a control portion of an ink jet recording apparatus on which the recording head is installed, and in response to the read out data the driving voltage of the heating resistor element can be set up.
Second, a process for stabilizing ink discharge of the recording head, more specifically, the process is that: before shipping of the recording head certain pulses of a driving voltage K times as much as the threshold driving voltage Vth measured in the measuring process described above is applied a plurality of times to each of the heating resistar elements so as to stabilize ink discharging characteristic of the recording head.
However, with regard to the above-mentioned conventional process for setting up the driving voltage and that for discharge stabilizing processing, there have been problems as will be described in the following.
1) In order to set up the driving voltage, it is needed to.newly provide the following two processes in the manufacturing process of the recording head, that is, a -z-process for measuring a threshold voltage Vth~ at which discharge of ink just occurs, while actually performing ink discharge and a process storing the measured data in the recording head. As a result, increases of both the number of manufacturing process and manufacturing cost associated therewith are brought about.
2) It becomes necessary to provide a circuit such as a ROM for storing the threshold driving voltage at which ink discharge just occurs, or a configuration to hold information signals corresponding to the threshold driving voltage in the recording head. Accordingly, in case of providing the circuit such as the ROM cost of the product increases and in case of holding the information signals in the recording head, it is needed to provide a plurality of terminal pads and the like fox holding a plurality of signals therein so that problems relating to the increase of production cost and deterioration of reliability of contact portions are derived therefrom.
3) In case of measuring the minimum power at which discharge of ink just occurs, while varying applied voltage to measure the threshold voltage, it may be caused unstable ink discharge state due to, for example, dirt stuck to heating resistor elements so that the appropriate threshold electric power can be not always measured.
9) Since the discharge stabilizing processing is performed by applying the voltage K times as much as the 21.0~3~12 threshold voltage Vth measured to the respective heating resistor elements, in actual recording it may attain to a insufficiently stabilized discharge state even if certain pulses of an applied voltage less than K times as much as the threshold voltage are applied thereto. Tn such a case, deterioration of recording quality or the like may be caused.
On the other hand, a problem similar to that in the conventional process described above in the item 2) arises in a construction other than the construction in which a plurality of information signals are held in the recording head. For example, the problem arises in a case where heating resistor elements used for temperature control of the recording head are disposed thereto. This problem will be described below in detail with reference to Figs.
1 and 2.
Fig. 1 is a schematic view showing a construction on a substrate 1101. On the substrate 1101, a plurality of, for example, 32 heating resistor elements (hereafter, a heating resistor element is referred to as a discharging heater), which correspond to a plurality of discharging oxifices of the recording head, respectively, are arranged at near one end side thereof (portion near an upper end side in the figure) and a resistor element group 1107 is formed with those discharging heaters. Each of discharging heaters in the resistor element group 1107 is 4 _ ,.
driven by a driver 1109 in accordance with a respective heater driving signal via matrix arrayed wiring 1108, whereby heat is applied to ink and discharge of the ink' is performed. Resistor elements (hereafter, a resistor element is referred to as a sub-heater) 1103 and 1104 are disposed at near both side ends of the substrate 1101 (portions near each of left and right sides thereof in the figure), respectively, the resistor elements 1103 and 1104 being used for heating in the temperature control of the recording head.
A grounding terminal 1105, an input terminal 1106 for heater driving signal, and an electric power supply terminal 1110 are provided at near the other end side in the substrate 1101 (a portion near a lower end side thereof in the figure), and further are provided two terminals 1102a, 1102a for the sub-heater 1103 and two terminals 1102b, 1102b for the sub-heater 1104, respectively.
In the conventional recording head as described above, in a case that there are 20 leads between the substrate 1101 of the recording head and a printed wiring y board 1303, 4 leads among them are to be used fox the sub-heaters 1103 and 1104. Incidentally, in an ink bet recording apparatus as shown in Fig. 2, which includes the recording head having the construction described above, respective four contacting portions to be connected ~~08~~2 physically are connected in such a manner that: the contacting portion between the substrate 1101 and the printed wiring board 1303 is connected by bonding wires 1302; the contacting portion between the printed wiring board 1303 and a flexible plate (flexible cable) 1305 is connected by a pressure contacting portion 1304, and the flexible plate 1305 and a main electric component mounting plate 1307 of the recording apparatus is connected by pressure contacting using a connector 1306, respectively.
However, with regard to the conventional recording apparatus described above it becomes necessary to provide as many as four leads to detect respective resistance values of the sub-heater 1103 and 1104. Thus, there arise problems that as the number of leads to be drawn out from the substrate 1101 increases, cost for connecting portions of the recording apparatus having the construction as shown in Fig. 2 becomes more expensive and also the reliability of cone acts thereof deteriorates therewith.
An object of the present invention is to provide a recording head and an ink jet recording apparatus using the recording head, by which it enables to dissolve the problems related to the set up of the driving voltage of the discharging heater and the discharge stabilizing processing as described above and at the same time to dissolve the deterioration of the reliability or the like ~~~~3~2 which are derived from the dissolution of the above two problems.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording apparatus which enables to determine the driving electric power of a discharging resistor ~ w element on the basis of the resistance value of the other resistor element which is provided in the same process as the discharging resistor element as described above of a recording head installed on the ink jet recording apparatus.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a recording head and an ink jet recording apparatus, in which by connecting one terminal of respective resistor elements included in a recording head to a grounding terminal of the recording head or an electric power supply terminal, the number of leads drawn out from the resistor elements can be reduced, whereby the improvement of the reliability of contact portions and the lowering of manufacturing cost thereof can be realized.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a recording head and an ink jet recording apparatus in which the set up of the driving power of the discharging heater can be performed without actual d:~scharge of ink which may be affected by dust on the discharging heater or the like. 'v 2108~0~
In the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink jet recording apparatus for performing recording by using a recording head for discharging ink so as to discharge ink on to a record medium, comprising:
a first resistor element being formed in the recording head, and provided for generating thermal energy which is used for discharging ink;
a second resistor element being formed in the recording head by a same process as a process for the first resistor element;
a wiring for connecting one terminal of the second resistor element to a ground terminal of the recording head or to a power supply terminal of the recording head, and connecting the other terminal of the resistor element to a detecting terminal of the recording head;
a setting means for reading a resistance value of the second resistor element through the ground terminal or the power supply terminal and the detecting terminal in responding to installation of the recording head on the ink jet recording apparatus, and for setting a driving power of the first resistor element on the basis of the read resistance value: and a driving means for supplying the driving power set by the setting means to the first resistor element so as to drive the first resistor element.
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In the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink jet recording apparatus for performing recording by using a recording head for discharging ink so as to discharge ink on to a record medium, comprising:
a first resistor element being formed in the recording head, and provided for generating thermal energy which is used for discharging ink;
a second resistor element being formed in the recording head by a same process as a process for the first resistor element;
a setting means for reading a resistance value of the second resistor element in responding to installation of the recording head on the ink jet recording apparatus, and for setting a driving power of the first resistor element on the basis of the read resistance value; arid a driving means for supplying the driving power set by the setting means to the first resistor element so as to drive the first resistor element.
In the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recarding head for discharging ink, comprising:
a first resistor element for generating thermal energy which is used for discharging ink; and a second resistor element which is formed by a same process as a process for the first resistor element, one terminal of the second resistor element being connected to _ g _ 22~~~~~
a ground terminal or a power supply terminal of the recording head, the other terminal of the second resistor element being connected to a detecting terminal of the' recording head, a resistance value of the second resistor element is read through the ground terminal or the power supply terminal and the detecting terminal in responding to installation of the recording head on an ink jet recording apparatus, and the read resistance value being used for setting driving power of the first resistor element.
In the fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording head for discharging ink, comprising:
a first resistor element for generating thermal energy which is used for discharging ink; and a second resistor element which is formed by a same process as a process far the first resistor element, a resistance value of the second resistor element is read in responding to installation of the recording head on an ink jet recording apparatus, and the read resistance value being used for setting driving power of the first resistor element.
In the fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for stabilizing a discharge state of a recording head for discharging ink, comprising the steps of : ' , 21Q~3~2 manufacturing the recording head including a first resistor element for generating thermal energy which is used for discharging ink, and a second resistor element' being formed by a process as a process for the first resistor element;
reading a resistance value of the second resistor element;
setting driving power of the first resistor element on the basis of the read resistance value: and supplying lOt pluses each of which has power k times as much as the set driving power so as to discharge ink;
wherein, 1.0 < k < 1.8 and 4 5 t 5 8.
In the sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording head for discharging ink, comprising:
a first resistor element being formed in the recording head, and provided for generating thermal energy which is used for discharging ink;
a second resistor element being formed in the recording head distinctly from the first resistor element;
and a wiring for connecting one terminal of the second resistor element to a ground terminal or a power supply terminal of the recording head, and for connecting the other terminal to a detecting terminal of the retarding head.
2~~~~~~
In the seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink jet recording apparatus for performing recording by using recording head, the recording head comprising:
a first resistor element being formed in the recording head, and provided for generating thermal energy which is used for discharging ink;
a second resistor element being formed in the recording head distinctly from the first resistor element;
and a wiring for connecting one terminal of the second resistor element of a ground terminal or a power supply terminal of the recording head, and for connecting the other terminal to a detecting terminal of the recording head.
The above and other objects, effects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a substrate for explaining a conventional recording head;
Fig. 2 is a block diagram for explaining an electric connection arrangement of a recording head in a recording apparatus Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing a construction for driving heater according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 4 is a schematic plan view showing an electric circuit on the substrate 100 shown in Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing an electric connection of a recording head in an ink jet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 6 is a plan view of a substrate for explaining another embodiment of a recording head according to the present invention;
Fig. 7 is a block diagram of a circuit formed on the substrate shown in Fig. 6;
Fig. 8 is a plan view of a silicon substrate for explaining a modified example of the another embodiment described above;
Fig. 9 is a plan view of a silicon substrate for explaining another modified example of the another embodiment described above;
Fig. 10 is a partial cutaway perspective view for explaining a construction example of a discharging orifice portion of a recording head to which the embodiment of the present invention is applicable; and _ 13 _ Fig. il is a perspective view for explaining a construction example of a recording apparatus to which the embodiment of the present invention is applicable.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below.
(Embodiment 1) Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing a structure for driving a heating resistance element in an ink-jet recording apparatus of an embodiment according to the present invention.
As shown in Fig. 3, on a substrate 100 of a recording head, a plurality of heating resistance elements 101 (referred to below as a discharging heater) fox generating .
thermal energy are formed which correspond to a plurality of ink discharging orifices, respectively. Each of the plurality of heating resistance elements 101 is driven selectively by a driving circuit 109 on the basis of data on discharging.
On the substrate 100, two resistance elements 102 and 103 (referred to below as a detecting heater) are formed, which are formed by the same process as that for the discharging heater 101 and whose resistance values are measurable. As described later, these resistance values _ 19 _ 2~Q~3~2 Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing an electrical connection schematically when a recording head 1 is mounted on the ink-jet recording apparatus 200.
As shown in Fig. 5, the recording head 1 is connected to an electrical packaging substrate 307 via a flexible cable 305. The flexible cable 305 is connected to the electrical packaging substrate 307 through a connector 306, and the recording head 1 is connected to the flexible cable 305 through a connection under pressure. The electrical structure of the recording head 1 is composed of the substrate 100 and a printed circuit board 303 and the substrate 100 is connected to the printed circuit board 303 through wire bonding 302.
Setting of a heater driving voltage in the structure shown in Figs. 3 to 5 will be described below.
When the recording head 1 is mounted on the recording apparatus 200, the logic circuit 207 reads the resistance values of the detecting heaters 102 and 103 in sequence in accordance with changeover of the switch 204. The reason for reading both of these resistance values is as follows.
When the measurements of the substrate 100 are large, variation of the resistance value of the discharging heater 101 may become large. Thus, the variation is corrected to set an appropriate heater driving valtage.
The logic circuit 207 sets the heater driving voltage according to a predetermined relationship between the read ,, . y.; .: -;: . :::;
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;;.; , ;,. ; , ~ ': :'<~ , :.. ~ . ' '~. , :: '. ;, v-2~.0~~~2 resistance values and the heater driving voltage, and these setting enables an applying this set driving voltage to the heater 101.
The relationship stated above is determined as follows:
First, assuming that the read resistance values and areas of the detecting heaters 102 and 103 are Rsub and Ssub [~m2] respectively, the resistance value of wire 113 of the detecting heater is rsub [~l. the heater power for a unit area necessary for starting discharging ink by the discharging heater 101 is PH [J/Nxn2], width and length of the heater 101 are W[~,m] and 1[ym] respectively, a resistance value of the wire 111 connected to the heater 101 is rH[SZ], an applied threshold voltage necessary for starting discharging ink is Vth [V] and pulse width of a driving pulse at this time is PW [s], the threshold voltage Vtg [V] is given by the following formula:
Pg X W X 1 fRsub"rsul~~ X 1 X Pw Ssub W
Rsub-rsub X [ ~ Ssub ~ X W X 1 + rg]
Second, the driving voltage of the discharging heater 101 is set to a value 1.2 times as much as the threshald voltage V~h. The reason for setting these value is that durability against destruction caused by heating stress on ~,1~83~~
value Vth by 1.35, which is obtained by the above equation on the basis of resistance value Rsub of the detecting heaters 102 and 103. That is, the driving voltage in fee discharge stabilizing processing is given by equation VE =
1.35 ~ Vth, However, the driving voltage is not limited to the above value. Even though the driving voltage is set to a value 1 to 1.8 times as much as the threshold voltage Vth in the discharge stabilizing processing, the good discharge stabilizing processing can be obtained.
Additionally, the detecting heaters 102 and 103 may be provided so that the resistance value thereof is only read as described above, but may be a heater for heating the recording head or a resistance element for detecting temperatures used for controlling temperatures of the recording head. Furthermore, a resistance value of part of the discharging heater 101 may be read without separately providing the detecting heater for only reading the resistance value thereof as described above.
Moreover, in the above embodiment, depending on how to measure the resistance value, the resistance value of the detecting heater, which is read at when the recording head is mounted, may also include resistance values of a wire of the detecting heater and a driving TC. In this case, for example, a more correct driving voltage can be set by setting the threshold voltage V~h on the basis of a resistance value obtained by subtracting the resistance 21~~302 value of the driving IC from the read resistance value of the detecting heater.
Furthermore, in the above each embodiment, an appropriate heater driving voltage is set on the basis of the read resistance value. But, the setting of the heater driving voltage is not limited thereto, and instead, pulse width may be set. In this case, the pulse width, in turn, becomes the function of the resistor value of the detecting heater and is calculated through a modified equation of the above stated equation.
In the above embodiments, the driving voltage is set on the basis of the measured resistance value of the detecting heater, whereby:
(1) The process for measuring and staring the threshold voltage Vth can be removed from the manufacturing process.
(2) Since the retarding head need not have a signal concerning information on the threshold driving voltage, information on the driving voltage can be obtained with small number of connecting terminals at the substrate.
(3) Reliability of contact portions can be improved by reducing the number of connecting terminals.
(4) In spite of other various causes, an appropriate driving power can be set to the recording head to perform recording with stable high image quality.
(5) Since the appropriate number of pulses of appropriate driving power can be applied which is suited to a 210~3~~
different recording head on the basis of the resistance value of the detecting heater, a stable discharging state can be obtained.
(Embodiment 2) The following embodiment 2 relates to the structure in which the number of connecting terminals on the substrate is further reduced to increase the reliability of contact portions, when the detecting heater is disposed on the recording head as described in the above embodiment 1. In addition, embodiment 2 may be applied not only to a recording head with a detecting heater provided but also to a recording head with a heating sub-heater for controlling temperatures of a recording head or a resistance element for detecting temperatures provided.
Fig. 6 is an explanatory view for illustrating a schematic structure of layout on a silicon substrate 100 of a recording head of a second embodiment according to heaters 102 and 103 are connected to each other through the connecting portion 131, and the other end of the detecting heater 103 is connected to the ground terminal 105b.
Fig. 7 is a block diagram of a circuit formed on the substrate 100 shown in Fig. 6. The detecting heaters 102 and 103 are connected in series between the monitor terminal 132 and the ground terminal 105b. Therefore, the change in a composite resistance of the detecting heaters 102 and 103 can be monitored between the terminals 132 and 105b. Providing a single wire connected to the monitor terminal 132 is enough to monitor the above change.
Instead of the detecting heater, when two resistance elements as temperature sensors are disposed in either edge portion of the silicon substrate 100 and are connected in series, average temperatures of either portion of the substrate 100 can be detected in consideration of variation in temperatures on the substrate 100. Moreover, when being disposed as a heating element, an active resistance element heats the substrate 100 so as to control the temperature of the substrate 100 appropriately.
The effects of embodiment 2 are summarized as (allows:
(1) As compared with the canventional example shown in Fig. 2, the number of wires of wire bonding for connecting y 210~3~2 a silicon substrate 1101 to a printed circuit board 1303, can be reduced by three.
(2) In Fig. 2, the number of pressure contact pads betcaeen the printed circuit board 1303 and a flexible cable 1305 can be reduced by three.
(3) In Fig. 2, since the number of the flexible cables 1305 is reduced by three, the production cost can be reduced according to the number of the flexible cables 1305.
(4) In Fig. 2, the number of terminals in connectors 1306 between the flexible cables 1305 and an electrical mounting substrate 1307 can be reduced by three.
For these reasons of the above items (1) to (4'), besides the direct production cost of the recording apparatus can be reduced, the number of contact points can be reduced. As a result, reliability of connection portions can be improved.
Fig. 8 is a circuit block diagram for explaining a modification example of embodiment 2. In this example, detecting heaters 102 and 103 are connected in serial between the monitor terminal 132 and the power supply terminal 110b. Therefore, in this example, a composite resistance farmed by connecting the detecting heaters x.02 and 103 in serial between the terminals 132 and 110b, can be monitored.
~~o~~oz Fig. 9 is a circuit block diagram for explaining another modification example of embodiment 2. In this example, detecting heaters 102 and 103 are connected iri parallel between the monitor terminal 132 and the ground terminal 105b. Therefore, in this example, a composite resistance formed by connecting the detecting heaters 102 and 103 in parallel between the terminals 132 and 105b, can be monitored.
Fig. 10 is a partially cut away perspective view for showing a structure of a discharging portion of the ..
recording head to which the above each embodiment can be applied.
In Fig. 10, a recording head 510 has a structure in which a head chip and an ink storage portion are formed integrally. The head chip has a junction structure of a silicon substrate 100 and a glass or resinous top plate 504 and a plurality of discharging orifices 500 are formed in line on a discharging surface side in the junction portion. The plurality of discharging orifices 500 communicate with a common liquid chamber (liquid chamber) 504 via a plurality of liquid paths 505, respectively. A
partition 501 between the two liquid paths 505 is formed by ultraviolet setting resin etc., for example. The oommon liquid chamber 504 communicates with the ink storage portion via a tube 503.
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9) Since the discharge stabilizing processing is performed by applying the voltage K times as much as the 21.0~3~12 threshold voltage Vth measured to the respective heating resistor elements, in actual recording it may attain to a insufficiently stabilized discharge state even if certain pulses of an applied voltage less than K times as much as the threshold voltage are applied thereto. Tn such a case, deterioration of recording quality or the like may be caused.
On the other hand, a problem similar to that in the conventional process described above in the item 2) arises in a construction other than the construction in which a plurality of information signals are held in the recording head. For example, the problem arises in a case where heating resistor elements used for temperature control of the recording head are disposed thereto. This problem will be described below in detail with reference to Figs.
1 and 2.
Fig. 1 is a schematic view showing a construction on a substrate 1101. On the substrate 1101, a plurality of, for example, 32 heating resistor elements (hereafter, a heating resistor element is referred to as a discharging heater), which correspond to a plurality of discharging oxifices of the recording head, respectively, are arranged at near one end side thereof (portion near an upper end side in the figure) and a resistor element group 1107 is formed with those discharging heaters. Each of discharging heaters in the resistor element group 1107 is 4 _ ,.
driven by a driver 1109 in accordance with a respective heater driving signal via matrix arrayed wiring 1108, whereby heat is applied to ink and discharge of the ink' is performed. Resistor elements (hereafter, a resistor element is referred to as a sub-heater) 1103 and 1104 are disposed at near both side ends of the substrate 1101 (portions near each of left and right sides thereof in the figure), respectively, the resistor elements 1103 and 1104 being used for heating in the temperature control of the recording head.
A grounding terminal 1105, an input terminal 1106 for heater driving signal, and an electric power supply terminal 1110 are provided at near the other end side in the substrate 1101 (a portion near a lower end side thereof in the figure), and further are provided two terminals 1102a, 1102a for the sub-heater 1103 and two terminals 1102b, 1102b for the sub-heater 1104, respectively.
In the conventional recording head as described above, in a case that there are 20 leads between the substrate 1101 of the recording head and a printed wiring y board 1303, 4 leads among them are to be used fox the sub-heaters 1103 and 1104. Incidentally, in an ink bet recording apparatus as shown in Fig. 2, which includes the recording head having the construction described above, respective four contacting portions to be connected ~~08~~2 physically are connected in such a manner that: the contacting portion between the substrate 1101 and the printed wiring board 1303 is connected by bonding wires 1302; the contacting portion between the printed wiring board 1303 and a flexible plate (flexible cable) 1305 is connected by a pressure contacting portion 1304, and the flexible plate 1305 and a main electric component mounting plate 1307 of the recording apparatus is connected by pressure contacting using a connector 1306, respectively.
However, with regard to the conventional recording apparatus described above it becomes necessary to provide as many as four leads to detect respective resistance values of the sub-heater 1103 and 1104. Thus, there arise problems that as the number of leads to be drawn out from the substrate 1101 increases, cost for connecting portions of the recording apparatus having the construction as shown in Fig. 2 becomes more expensive and also the reliability of cone acts thereof deteriorates therewith.
An object of the present invention is to provide a recording head and an ink jet recording apparatus using the recording head, by which it enables to dissolve the problems related to the set up of the driving voltage of the discharging heater and the discharge stabilizing processing as described above and at the same time to dissolve the deterioration of the reliability or the like ~~~~3~2 which are derived from the dissolution of the above two problems.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording apparatus which enables to determine the driving electric power of a discharging resistor ~ w element on the basis of the resistance value of the other resistor element which is provided in the same process as the discharging resistor element as described above of a recording head installed on the ink jet recording apparatus.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a recording head and an ink jet recording apparatus, in which by connecting one terminal of respective resistor elements included in a recording head to a grounding terminal of the recording head or an electric power supply terminal, the number of leads drawn out from the resistor elements can be reduced, whereby the improvement of the reliability of contact portions and the lowering of manufacturing cost thereof can be realized.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a recording head and an ink jet recording apparatus in which the set up of the driving power of the discharging heater can be performed without actual d:~scharge of ink which may be affected by dust on the discharging heater or the like. 'v 2108~0~
In the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink jet recording apparatus for performing recording by using a recording head for discharging ink so as to discharge ink on to a record medium, comprising:
a first resistor element being formed in the recording head, and provided for generating thermal energy which is used for discharging ink;
a second resistor element being formed in the recording head by a same process as a process for the first resistor element;
a wiring for connecting one terminal of the second resistor element to a ground terminal of the recording head or to a power supply terminal of the recording head, and connecting the other terminal of the resistor element to a detecting terminal of the recording head;
a setting means for reading a resistance value of the second resistor element through the ground terminal or the power supply terminal and the detecting terminal in responding to installation of the recording head on the ink jet recording apparatus, and for setting a driving power of the first resistor element on the basis of the read resistance value: and a driving means for supplying the driving power set by the setting means to the first resistor element so as to drive the first resistor element.
_ g _ ~1~38~~~
In the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink jet recording apparatus for performing recording by using a recording head for discharging ink so as to discharge ink on to a record medium, comprising:
a first resistor element being formed in the recording head, and provided for generating thermal energy which is used for discharging ink;
a second resistor element being formed in the recording head by a same process as a process for the first resistor element;
a setting means for reading a resistance value of the second resistor element in responding to installation of the recording head on the ink jet recording apparatus, and for setting a driving power of the first resistor element on the basis of the read resistance value; arid a driving means for supplying the driving power set by the setting means to the first resistor element so as to drive the first resistor element.
In the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recarding head for discharging ink, comprising:
a first resistor element for generating thermal energy which is used for discharging ink; and a second resistor element which is formed by a same process as a process for the first resistor element, one terminal of the second resistor element being connected to _ g _ 22~~~~~
a ground terminal or a power supply terminal of the recording head, the other terminal of the second resistor element being connected to a detecting terminal of the' recording head, a resistance value of the second resistor element is read through the ground terminal or the power supply terminal and the detecting terminal in responding to installation of the recording head on an ink jet recording apparatus, and the read resistance value being used for setting driving power of the first resistor element.
In the fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording head for discharging ink, comprising:
a first resistor element for generating thermal energy which is used for discharging ink; and a second resistor element which is formed by a same process as a process far the first resistor element, a resistance value of the second resistor element is read in responding to installation of the recording head on an ink jet recording apparatus, and the read resistance value being used for setting driving power of the first resistor element.
In the fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for stabilizing a discharge state of a recording head for discharging ink, comprising the steps of : ' , 21Q~3~2 manufacturing the recording head including a first resistor element for generating thermal energy which is used for discharging ink, and a second resistor element' being formed by a process as a process for the first resistor element;
reading a resistance value of the second resistor element;
setting driving power of the first resistor element on the basis of the read resistance value: and supplying lOt pluses each of which has power k times as much as the set driving power so as to discharge ink;
wherein, 1.0 < k < 1.8 and 4 5 t 5 8.
In the sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording head for discharging ink, comprising:
a first resistor element being formed in the recording head, and provided for generating thermal energy which is used for discharging ink;
a second resistor element being formed in the recording head distinctly from the first resistor element;
and a wiring for connecting one terminal of the second resistor element to a ground terminal or a power supply terminal of the recording head, and for connecting the other terminal to a detecting terminal of the retarding head.
2~~~~~~
In the seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink jet recording apparatus for performing recording by using recording head, the recording head comprising:
a first resistor element being formed in the recording head, and provided for generating thermal energy which is used for discharging ink;
a second resistor element being formed in the recording head distinctly from the first resistor element;
and a wiring for connecting one terminal of the second resistor element of a ground terminal or a power supply terminal of the recording head, and for connecting the other terminal to a detecting terminal of the recording head.
The above and other objects, effects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a substrate for explaining a conventional recording head;
Fig. 2 is a block diagram for explaining an electric connection arrangement of a recording head in a recording apparatus Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing a construction for driving heater according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 4 is a schematic plan view showing an electric circuit on the substrate 100 shown in Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing an electric connection of a recording head in an ink jet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 6 is a plan view of a substrate for explaining another embodiment of a recording head according to the present invention;
Fig. 7 is a block diagram of a circuit formed on the substrate shown in Fig. 6;
Fig. 8 is a plan view of a silicon substrate for explaining a modified example of the another embodiment described above;
Fig. 9 is a plan view of a silicon substrate for explaining another modified example of the another embodiment described above;
Fig. 10 is a partial cutaway perspective view for explaining a construction example of a discharging orifice portion of a recording head to which the embodiment of the present invention is applicable; and _ 13 _ Fig. il is a perspective view for explaining a construction example of a recording apparatus to which the embodiment of the present invention is applicable.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below.
(Embodiment 1) Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing a structure for driving a heating resistance element in an ink-jet recording apparatus of an embodiment according to the present invention.
As shown in Fig. 3, on a substrate 100 of a recording head, a plurality of heating resistance elements 101 (referred to below as a discharging heater) fox generating .
thermal energy are formed which correspond to a plurality of ink discharging orifices, respectively. Each of the plurality of heating resistance elements 101 is driven selectively by a driving circuit 109 on the basis of data on discharging.
On the substrate 100, two resistance elements 102 and 103 (referred to below as a detecting heater) are formed, which are formed by the same process as that for the discharging heater 101 and whose resistance values are measurable. As described later, these resistance values _ 19 _ 2~Q~3~2 Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing an electrical connection schematically when a recording head 1 is mounted on the ink-jet recording apparatus 200.
As shown in Fig. 5, the recording head 1 is connected to an electrical packaging substrate 307 via a flexible cable 305. The flexible cable 305 is connected to the electrical packaging substrate 307 through a connector 306, and the recording head 1 is connected to the flexible cable 305 through a connection under pressure. The electrical structure of the recording head 1 is composed of the substrate 100 and a printed circuit board 303 and the substrate 100 is connected to the printed circuit board 303 through wire bonding 302.
Setting of a heater driving voltage in the structure shown in Figs. 3 to 5 will be described below.
When the recording head 1 is mounted on the recording apparatus 200, the logic circuit 207 reads the resistance values of the detecting heaters 102 and 103 in sequence in accordance with changeover of the switch 204. The reason for reading both of these resistance values is as follows.
When the measurements of the substrate 100 are large, variation of the resistance value of the discharging heater 101 may become large. Thus, the variation is corrected to set an appropriate heater driving valtage.
The logic circuit 207 sets the heater driving voltage according to a predetermined relationship between the read ,, . y.; .: -;: . :::;
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The relationship stated above is determined as follows:
First, assuming that the read resistance values and areas of the detecting heaters 102 and 103 are Rsub and Ssub [~m2] respectively, the resistance value of wire 113 of the detecting heater is rsub [~l. the heater power for a unit area necessary for starting discharging ink by the discharging heater 101 is PH [J/Nxn2], width and length of the heater 101 are W[~,m] and 1[ym] respectively, a resistance value of the wire 111 connected to the heater 101 is rH[SZ], an applied threshold voltage necessary for starting discharging ink is Vth [V] and pulse width of a driving pulse at this time is PW [s], the threshold voltage Vtg [V] is given by the following formula:
Pg X W X 1 fRsub"rsul~~ X 1 X Pw Ssub W
Rsub-rsub X [ ~ Ssub ~ X W X 1 + rg]
Second, the driving voltage of the discharging heater 101 is set to a value 1.2 times as much as the threshald voltage V~h. The reason for setting these value is that durability against destruction caused by heating stress on ~,1~83~~
value Vth by 1.35, which is obtained by the above equation on the basis of resistance value Rsub of the detecting heaters 102 and 103. That is, the driving voltage in fee discharge stabilizing processing is given by equation VE =
1.35 ~ Vth, However, the driving voltage is not limited to the above value. Even though the driving voltage is set to a value 1 to 1.8 times as much as the threshold voltage Vth in the discharge stabilizing processing, the good discharge stabilizing processing can be obtained.
Additionally, the detecting heaters 102 and 103 may be provided so that the resistance value thereof is only read as described above, but may be a heater for heating the recording head or a resistance element for detecting temperatures used for controlling temperatures of the recording head. Furthermore, a resistance value of part of the discharging heater 101 may be read without separately providing the detecting heater for only reading the resistance value thereof as described above.
Moreover, in the above embodiment, depending on how to measure the resistance value, the resistance value of the detecting heater, which is read at when the recording head is mounted, may also include resistance values of a wire of the detecting heater and a driving TC. In this case, for example, a more correct driving voltage can be set by setting the threshold voltage V~h on the basis of a resistance value obtained by subtracting the resistance 21~~302 value of the driving IC from the read resistance value of the detecting heater.
Furthermore, in the above each embodiment, an appropriate heater driving voltage is set on the basis of the read resistance value. But, the setting of the heater driving voltage is not limited thereto, and instead, pulse width may be set. In this case, the pulse width, in turn, becomes the function of the resistor value of the detecting heater and is calculated through a modified equation of the above stated equation.
In the above embodiments, the driving voltage is set on the basis of the measured resistance value of the detecting heater, whereby:
(1) The process for measuring and staring the threshold voltage Vth can be removed from the manufacturing process.
(2) Since the retarding head need not have a signal concerning information on the threshold driving voltage, information on the driving voltage can be obtained with small number of connecting terminals at the substrate.
(3) Reliability of contact portions can be improved by reducing the number of connecting terminals.
(4) In spite of other various causes, an appropriate driving power can be set to the recording head to perform recording with stable high image quality.
(5) Since the appropriate number of pulses of appropriate driving power can be applied which is suited to a 210~3~~
different recording head on the basis of the resistance value of the detecting heater, a stable discharging state can be obtained.
(Embodiment 2) The following embodiment 2 relates to the structure in which the number of connecting terminals on the substrate is further reduced to increase the reliability of contact portions, when the detecting heater is disposed on the recording head as described in the above embodiment 1. In addition, embodiment 2 may be applied not only to a recording head with a detecting heater provided but also to a recording head with a heating sub-heater for controlling temperatures of a recording head or a resistance element for detecting temperatures provided.
Fig. 6 is an explanatory view for illustrating a schematic structure of layout on a silicon substrate 100 of a recording head of a second embodiment according to heaters 102 and 103 are connected to each other through the connecting portion 131, and the other end of the detecting heater 103 is connected to the ground terminal 105b.
Fig. 7 is a block diagram of a circuit formed on the substrate 100 shown in Fig. 6. The detecting heaters 102 and 103 are connected in series between the monitor terminal 132 and the ground terminal 105b. Therefore, the change in a composite resistance of the detecting heaters 102 and 103 can be monitored between the terminals 132 and 105b. Providing a single wire connected to the monitor terminal 132 is enough to monitor the above change.
Instead of the detecting heater, when two resistance elements as temperature sensors are disposed in either edge portion of the silicon substrate 100 and are connected in series, average temperatures of either portion of the substrate 100 can be detected in consideration of variation in temperatures on the substrate 100. Moreover, when being disposed as a heating element, an active resistance element heats the substrate 100 so as to control the temperature of the substrate 100 appropriately.
The effects of embodiment 2 are summarized as (allows:
(1) As compared with the canventional example shown in Fig. 2, the number of wires of wire bonding for connecting y 210~3~2 a silicon substrate 1101 to a printed circuit board 1303, can be reduced by three.
(2) In Fig. 2, the number of pressure contact pads betcaeen the printed circuit board 1303 and a flexible cable 1305 can be reduced by three.
(3) In Fig. 2, since the number of the flexible cables 1305 is reduced by three, the production cost can be reduced according to the number of the flexible cables 1305.
(4) In Fig. 2, the number of terminals in connectors 1306 between the flexible cables 1305 and an electrical mounting substrate 1307 can be reduced by three.
For these reasons of the above items (1) to (4'), besides the direct production cost of the recording apparatus can be reduced, the number of contact points can be reduced. As a result, reliability of connection portions can be improved.
Fig. 8 is a circuit block diagram for explaining a modification example of embodiment 2. In this example, detecting heaters 102 and 103 are connected in serial between the monitor terminal 132 and the power supply terminal 110b. Therefore, in this example, a composite resistance farmed by connecting the detecting heaters x.02 and 103 in serial between the terminals 132 and 110b, can be monitored.
~~o~~oz Fig. 9 is a circuit block diagram for explaining another modification example of embodiment 2. In this example, detecting heaters 102 and 103 are connected iri parallel between the monitor terminal 132 and the ground terminal 105b. Therefore, in this example, a composite resistance formed by connecting the detecting heaters 102 and 103 in parallel between the terminals 132 and 105b, can be monitored.
Fig. 10 is a partially cut away perspective view for showing a structure of a discharging portion of the ..
recording head to which the above each embodiment can be applied.
In Fig. 10, a recording head 510 has a structure in which a head chip and an ink storage portion are formed integrally. The head chip has a junction structure of a silicon substrate 100 and a glass or resinous top plate 504 and a plurality of discharging orifices 500 are formed in line on a discharging surface side in the junction portion. The plurality of discharging orifices 500 communicate with a common liquid chamber (liquid chamber) 504 via a plurality of liquid paths 505, respectively. A
partition 501 between the two liquid paths 505 is formed by ultraviolet setting resin etc., for example. The oommon liquid chamber 504 communicates with the ink storage portion via a tube 503.
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On an upper surface of the substrate 100, a discharging heater 101 as a heat energy generating element which is disposed in each of the plurality of liquid paths 505 and a wire 111 made of aluminum etc. for supplying electric power to each discharging heater 101 are formed using the film-forming technique. The above described detecting heaters 102 and 103 are also disposed on the substrate 100.
Fig. 11 is a schematic view of an ink-jet recording apparatus IJRA with the above recording head 510 provided.
In ~'ig. 11, a lead screw 5005 turns in the forward or reverse direction with the forward or reverse turn of a driving motor 5013 via driving power transmission gears 5011 and 5009. A carriage HC having a pin (not shown) engaged with a spiral groove 5004 is reciprocated in the directions shown by arrows a and b. A recording head 510 is mounted on the carriage HC. Reference numeral 5002 denotes a sheet pressure plate which presses paper P
against a platen 5000 over the moving range of the carriage HC. Reference numerals 5007 and 5008 denote photo-couplers, or detecting means for detecting a home position, which confirm presence of a lever of the carriage HC so as to switch the rotational. direction of the motor 5013. Reference numeral 5016 denotes a member fox supporting a cap member 5022 which caps a front surface of the recording head 510. Reference numeral 5015 2~0~3~2 denotes suction means for sucking the inside of the cap member 5022, which performs suction recovery of the recording head 510 via an opening 5023 of the cap member 5022. Reference numerals 5017 and 5019 denote a cleaning blade and a member which enables the cleaning blade to move forward and backward, and they are supported by an apparatus supporting plate 5018. With the cleaning blade 5017, it is needless to say that a well known cleaning blade other than the above cleaning blade can be applied to this embodiment. Moreover, reference numeral 5012 denotes a lever, which moves with movement of a cam 5020 engaged with the carriage HC, and the driving force transmitted from the driving motor 5013 is moved arid controlled by well known transmission means such as clutch switchover means.
These capping, cleaning and suction recovery actions are constructed so that these actions can perform desired processing at the corresponding positions by an action of ~.
the lead screw 5005 when the carriage HC arrives at the home position area. When the desired operation is ' performed in well known timing, these capping, cleaning y and suction recovery actions are applicable to any one of the embodiments of the present invention. The above each structure is a superior invention from a viewpoint of a single structure and combined structures and shows a preferable structural embodiment.
2~~~~J
The present invention achieves distinct effect when applied to a recording head or a recording apparatus which has means fox generating thermal energy such as electrothermal transducers or laser light, and which causes changes in ink by the thermal energy so as to eject ink. This is because such a system can achieve a high density and high resolution recording.
A typical structure and operational principle thereof is disclosed in 'U. S. patent Nos. 4,723,129 and 4,740,796, and it is preferable to use this basic principle to implement such a system. Although this system can be applied either to on-demand type or continuous type ink jet recording systems, it is particularly suitable for the on-demand type apparatus. This is because the on-demand type apparatus has electrothermal transducers, each disposed on a sheet or liquid passage that retains liquid (ink), and operates as follows: first, one or more drive signals are applied to the electrothermal transducers to cause thermal energy corresponding to recording information second, the thermal energy induces sudden temperature rise that exceeds the nucleate boiling so as to cause the film boiling on heating portions of the recording head; and third, bubbles are grown in the liquid (ink) corresponding to the drive signals. By using the growth and collapse of the bubbles, the ink is expelled from at least one of the ink ejection orifices of the head _ 27 _ 210~3~1~
to form one or more ink drops. The drive signal in the form of a pulse is preferable because the growth and collapse of the bubbles can be achieved instantaneously and suitably by this form of drive signal. As a drive signal in the form of a pulse, those described in U.S.
patent Nos. 4,463,359 and 4,345,262 are preferable. In addition, it is preferable that the rate of temperature rise of the heating portions described in U.S. patent No.
4,313,124 be adopted to achieve better recording.
U.S. patent Nos. 4,558,333 and 4,459,600 disclose the following structure of a recording head, which is incorporated to the present invention: this structure includes heating portions disposed on bent portions in addition to a combination of the ejection orifices, liquid passages and the electrothermal transducers disclosed in the above patents. Moreover, the present invention can be applied to structures disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laying-open Nos. 123670/1984 and 138961/1984 in order to achieve similar effects. The former discloses a structure in which a slit common to all the electrothermal transducers as used as ejection orifices of the electrothermal transducers, and the latter discloses a structure in which openings for absorbing pressure waves caused by thermal energy are formed carresponding to the ejection orifices. Thus, irrespective of the type of the _ 2g _ > :; , . , ;.;;~ .,,.
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recording head, the present invention can achieve recording positively arid effectively.
The present invention can be also applied to a so-called full-line type recording head whose length equals the maximum length across a recording medium. Such a recording head may consists of a plurality of recording heads combined together, or one integrally arranged recording head.
In addition, the present invention can be applied to various serial type recording heads: a recording head fixed to the main assembly of a recording apparatus; a conveniently replaceable chip type recording head which, when loaded on the main assembly of a recording apparatus, is electrically connected to the main assembly, and is supplied with ink therefrom: and a cartridge type recording head integrally including an ink reservoir.
It is further preferable to add a recovery system, or a preliminary auxiliary system for a recording head as a constituent of the recording apparatus because they serve to make the effect of the present invention more reliable.
As examples of the recovery system, are a capping means and a cleaning means far the recording head, and a pressure or suction means for the recording head. As examples of the preliminary auxiliary system, are a preliminary heating means utilizing electrothermal transducers ar a combination of other heater elements and the electrothermal transducers, and a means for carrying out preliminary ejection of ink independently of the ejection for recording. These systems are effective for reliable recording.
The number and type of recording heads to be mounted on a recording apparatus can be also changed. For example, only one recording head corresponding to a single ;
color ink, or a plurality of recording heads corresponding to a plurality of inks different in color or concentration can be used. In other words, the present invention can be effectively applied to an apparatus having at least one of .
the monochromatic, multi-color and full-color modes.
Here, the monochromatic mode performs recording by using only one major color such as black. The multi-color mode carries out recording by using different color inks, and the full-color mode performs recording by color mixing.
Furthermore, although the above-described embodiments use liquid ink, inks that are liquid when the recording signal is applied can be used: for example, inks can be employed that solidify at a temperature lower than the room temperature and are softened or liquefied in the room temperature. This is because in the ink jet system, the ink is generally temperature adjusted in a range of 30'C -70'C sa that the viscosity of the ink is maintained at such a value that the ink can be ejected reliably.
21~8~~2 In addition, the present invention can be applied to such apparatus where the ink is liquefied just before the ejection by the thermal energy as follows so that the ink is expelled from the orifices in the liquid. state, and then begins to solidify on hitting the recording medium, thereby preventing the ink evaporation: the ink is transformed from solid to liquid state by positively utilizing the thermal energy which would otherwise cause the temperature rise; or the ink, which is dry when left in air, is liquefied in response to the thermal energy of the recording signal. In such cases, the ink may be retained in recesses or through holes formed in a porous sheet as liquid or solid substances so that the ink faces the electrothermal transducers as described in Japanese Patent Application Laying-open Nos. 56847/1979 or 71260/1985. The present invention is most effective when it uses the film boiling phenomenon to expel the ink.
Furthermore, the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention can be employed not only as an image output terminal of an information processing device such as a computer, but also as an output device of a copying machine including a reader, and as an output device of a facsimile apparatus having a transmission and receiving function.
The present invention has been described in detail with respect to various embodiments, and it will now be apparent from the foregoing to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, arid it is the intention, therefore, in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit of the invention.
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On an upper surface of the substrate 100, a discharging heater 101 as a heat energy generating element which is disposed in each of the plurality of liquid paths 505 and a wire 111 made of aluminum etc. for supplying electric power to each discharging heater 101 are formed using the film-forming technique. The above described detecting heaters 102 and 103 are also disposed on the substrate 100.
Fig. 11 is a schematic view of an ink-jet recording apparatus IJRA with the above recording head 510 provided.
In ~'ig. 11, a lead screw 5005 turns in the forward or reverse direction with the forward or reverse turn of a driving motor 5013 via driving power transmission gears 5011 and 5009. A carriage HC having a pin (not shown) engaged with a spiral groove 5004 is reciprocated in the directions shown by arrows a and b. A recording head 510 is mounted on the carriage HC. Reference numeral 5002 denotes a sheet pressure plate which presses paper P
against a platen 5000 over the moving range of the carriage HC. Reference numerals 5007 and 5008 denote photo-couplers, or detecting means for detecting a home position, which confirm presence of a lever of the carriage HC so as to switch the rotational. direction of the motor 5013. Reference numeral 5016 denotes a member fox supporting a cap member 5022 which caps a front surface of the recording head 510. Reference numeral 5015 2~0~3~2 denotes suction means for sucking the inside of the cap member 5022, which performs suction recovery of the recording head 510 via an opening 5023 of the cap member 5022. Reference numerals 5017 and 5019 denote a cleaning blade and a member which enables the cleaning blade to move forward and backward, and they are supported by an apparatus supporting plate 5018. With the cleaning blade 5017, it is needless to say that a well known cleaning blade other than the above cleaning blade can be applied to this embodiment. Moreover, reference numeral 5012 denotes a lever, which moves with movement of a cam 5020 engaged with the carriage HC, and the driving force transmitted from the driving motor 5013 is moved arid controlled by well known transmission means such as clutch switchover means.
These capping, cleaning and suction recovery actions are constructed so that these actions can perform desired processing at the corresponding positions by an action of ~.
the lead screw 5005 when the carriage HC arrives at the home position area. When the desired operation is ' performed in well known timing, these capping, cleaning y and suction recovery actions are applicable to any one of the embodiments of the present invention. The above each structure is a superior invention from a viewpoint of a single structure and combined structures and shows a preferable structural embodiment.
2~~~~J
The present invention achieves distinct effect when applied to a recording head or a recording apparatus which has means fox generating thermal energy such as electrothermal transducers or laser light, and which causes changes in ink by the thermal energy so as to eject ink. This is because such a system can achieve a high density and high resolution recording.
A typical structure and operational principle thereof is disclosed in 'U. S. patent Nos. 4,723,129 and 4,740,796, and it is preferable to use this basic principle to implement such a system. Although this system can be applied either to on-demand type or continuous type ink jet recording systems, it is particularly suitable for the on-demand type apparatus. This is because the on-demand type apparatus has electrothermal transducers, each disposed on a sheet or liquid passage that retains liquid (ink), and operates as follows: first, one or more drive signals are applied to the electrothermal transducers to cause thermal energy corresponding to recording information second, the thermal energy induces sudden temperature rise that exceeds the nucleate boiling so as to cause the film boiling on heating portions of the recording head; and third, bubbles are grown in the liquid (ink) corresponding to the drive signals. By using the growth and collapse of the bubbles, the ink is expelled from at least one of the ink ejection orifices of the head _ 27 _ 210~3~1~
to form one or more ink drops. The drive signal in the form of a pulse is preferable because the growth and collapse of the bubbles can be achieved instantaneously and suitably by this form of drive signal. As a drive signal in the form of a pulse, those described in U.S.
patent Nos. 4,463,359 and 4,345,262 are preferable. In addition, it is preferable that the rate of temperature rise of the heating portions described in U.S. patent No.
4,313,124 be adopted to achieve better recording.
U.S. patent Nos. 4,558,333 and 4,459,600 disclose the following structure of a recording head, which is incorporated to the present invention: this structure includes heating portions disposed on bent portions in addition to a combination of the ejection orifices, liquid passages and the electrothermal transducers disclosed in the above patents. Moreover, the present invention can be applied to structures disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laying-open Nos. 123670/1984 and 138961/1984 in order to achieve similar effects. The former discloses a structure in which a slit common to all the electrothermal transducers as used as ejection orifices of the electrothermal transducers, and the latter discloses a structure in which openings for absorbing pressure waves caused by thermal energy are formed carresponding to the ejection orifices. Thus, irrespective of the type of the _ 2g _ > :; , . , ;.;;~ .,,.
.
.:~ . . .. ~ . ,I' : . . . ; ;. ..;
.. .. ': . . . - ~ ' ,, : ~: .~ ' ' . ,. :.. : ,. . .
F~ .. :...
~ ,;;,, ~
'., .
21~~3~~
recording head, the present invention can achieve recording positively arid effectively.
The present invention can be also applied to a so-called full-line type recording head whose length equals the maximum length across a recording medium. Such a recording head may consists of a plurality of recording heads combined together, or one integrally arranged recording head.
In addition, the present invention can be applied to various serial type recording heads: a recording head fixed to the main assembly of a recording apparatus; a conveniently replaceable chip type recording head which, when loaded on the main assembly of a recording apparatus, is electrically connected to the main assembly, and is supplied with ink therefrom: and a cartridge type recording head integrally including an ink reservoir.
It is further preferable to add a recovery system, or a preliminary auxiliary system for a recording head as a constituent of the recording apparatus because they serve to make the effect of the present invention more reliable.
As examples of the recovery system, are a capping means and a cleaning means far the recording head, and a pressure or suction means for the recording head. As examples of the preliminary auxiliary system, are a preliminary heating means utilizing electrothermal transducers ar a combination of other heater elements and the electrothermal transducers, and a means for carrying out preliminary ejection of ink independently of the ejection for recording. These systems are effective for reliable recording.
The number and type of recording heads to be mounted on a recording apparatus can be also changed. For example, only one recording head corresponding to a single ;
color ink, or a plurality of recording heads corresponding to a plurality of inks different in color or concentration can be used. In other words, the present invention can be effectively applied to an apparatus having at least one of .
the monochromatic, multi-color and full-color modes.
Here, the monochromatic mode performs recording by using only one major color such as black. The multi-color mode carries out recording by using different color inks, and the full-color mode performs recording by color mixing.
Furthermore, although the above-described embodiments use liquid ink, inks that are liquid when the recording signal is applied can be used: for example, inks can be employed that solidify at a temperature lower than the room temperature and are softened or liquefied in the room temperature. This is because in the ink jet system, the ink is generally temperature adjusted in a range of 30'C -70'C sa that the viscosity of the ink is maintained at such a value that the ink can be ejected reliably.
21~8~~2 In addition, the present invention can be applied to such apparatus where the ink is liquefied just before the ejection by the thermal energy as follows so that the ink is expelled from the orifices in the liquid. state, and then begins to solidify on hitting the recording medium, thereby preventing the ink evaporation: the ink is transformed from solid to liquid state by positively utilizing the thermal energy which would otherwise cause the temperature rise; or the ink, which is dry when left in air, is liquefied in response to the thermal energy of the recording signal. In such cases, the ink may be retained in recesses or through holes formed in a porous sheet as liquid or solid substances so that the ink faces the electrothermal transducers as described in Japanese Patent Application Laying-open Nos. 56847/1979 or 71260/1985. The present invention is most effective when it uses the film boiling phenomenon to expel the ink.
Furthermore, the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention can be employed not only as an image output terminal of an information processing device such as a computer, but also as an output device of a copying machine including a reader, and as an output device of a facsimile apparatus having a transmission and receiving function.
The present invention has been described in detail with respect to various embodiments, and it will now be apparent from the foregoing to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, arid it is the intention, therefore, in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit of the invention.
Claims (8)
1. An ink jet recording apparatus for performing recording by using a recording head (100) for discharging ink to a record medium, comprising a first resistor element (101) being formed in said recording head, and provided for generating thermal energy which is used for discharging ink, a second resistor element (102, 103) being formed in said recording head by the same process as said first resistor element, a reading means (207) for reading a resistance value of said second resistor element in responding to an installation of said recording head on said ink jet recording apparatus, a setting means (207) for calculating a resistance value of said first resistor element based on said resistance value of said second resistor element read by said reading means and for setting a driving power of said first resistor element on the basis of said calculated resistance value of said first resistor element, and a driving means (109) for supplying the driving power set by said setting means to said first resistor element so as to drive said first resistor element.
2. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a wiring for connecting one terminal of said second resistor element to a ground terminal of said recording head or to a power supply terminal of said recording head, and connecting the other terminal of said resistor element to a detecting terminal of said recording head, wherein said setting means reads said resistance value of said second resistor element through said ground terminal or said power supply terminal and said detecting terminal.
3. An ink jet recording apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said setting of said driving power is performed by setting a voltage of a pulse which is supplied to said first resistor element.
4. An ink jet recording apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said setting of said driving power is performed by setting a width of a pulse which is supplied to said first resistor element.
5. An ink jet recording apparatus as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second resistor element is used for detecting a temperature of said recording head.
6. An ink jet recording apparatus as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second resistor element is used for heating said recording head.
7. A recording head for discharging ink, usable in an apparatus according to one of claims 2 - 6, comprising said first resistor elements being formed in said recording head and being provided for generating thermal energy which is used for discharging ink and second resistor elements, said second resistor elements being formed in said recording head distinctly from said first resistor elements and being formed by the same process as the process for the first resistor elements, wherein a plurality of said second resistor elements are connected to each other in serial between the detecting terminal and the power supply terminal or parallel between the detecting terminal and ground terminal.
8. A method for stabilizing a discharge state of a recording head for discharging ink, comprising the steps of manufacturing the recording head including a first resistor element for generating thermal energy which is used for discharging ink, and a second resistor element being formed by the same process as said first resistor element, reading a resistance value of said second resistor element in response to an installation of said recording head, calculating a resistance value of said first resistor element based on said resistance value of said second resistor element, setting driving power of said first resistor element on the basis of said calculated resistance value of said first resistor element, and supplying 10t pulses each of which has power k times as much as said set driving power so as to discharge ink, wherein, 1.0 ~ k ~ 1.8 and 4 ~ t ~ 8.
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP27716392A JP3160388B2 (en) | 1992-10-15 | 1992-10-15 | Ink jet recording apparatus and ink jet recording head used in the apparatus |
| JP277,163/1992 | 1992-10-15 | ||
| JP306,907/1992 | 1992-11-17 | ||
| JP4306907A JPH06155743A (en) | 1992-11-17 | 1992-11-17 | Recording head and apparatus |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2108302A1 CA2108302A1 (en) | 1994-04-16 |
| CA2108302C true CA2108302C (en) | 2000-12-19 |
Family
ID=26552282
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002108302A Expired - Fee Related CA2108302C (en) | 1992-10-15 | 1993-10-13 | Ink jet recording apparatus |
Country Status (8)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US5943069A (en) |
| EP (1) | EP0593041B1 (en) |
| KR (1) | KR0172194B1 (en) |
| CN (1) | CN1064005C (en) |
| AU (2) | AU4899693A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2108302C (en) |
| DE (1) | DE69328603T2 (en) |
| MX (1) | MX9306402A (en) |
Families Citing this family (15)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP3143549B2 (en) * | 1993-09-08 | 2001-03-07 | キヤノン株式会社 | Substrate for thermal recording head, inkjet recording head using the substrate, inkjet cartridge, inkjet recording apparatus, and method of driving recording head |
| JPH08118641A (en) | 1994-10-20 | 1996-05-14 | Canon Inc | Ink jet head, ink jet head cartridge, ink jet device and ink container for ink jet head cartridge into which ink is re-injected |
| JPH08197732A (en) | 1995-01-24 | 1996-08-06 | Canon Inc | Recording head and recording apparatus using the same |
| IT1293885B1 (en) * | 1997-04-16 | 1999-03-11 | Olivetti Canon Ind Spa | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CHECKING THE ENERGY SUPPLIED TO AN EMISSION RESISTOR OF AN INK-JET THERMAL PRINT HEAD AND |
| AUPP702498A0 (en) * | 1998-11-09 | 1998-12-03 | Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd | Image creation method and apparatus (ART77) |
| KR100341115B1 (en) * | 2000-03-30 | 2002-06-20 | 권문구 | Controlling method ptc characteristic of ptc composition using silane crosslinking method |
| EP1170126B1 (en) | 2000-06-30 | 2005-01-05 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Ink jet recording head, manufacturing method of same, ink jet recording apparatus and ink jet recording head driving method |
| US6869157B2 (en) * | 2001-03-26 | 2005-03-22 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Method of driving and controlling ink jet print head, ink jet print head, and ink jet printer |
| EP1254773B1 (en) * | 2001-04-27 | 2005-08-10 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Printing apparatus and printing control method |
| JP3652321B2 (en) * | 2001-05-08 | 2005-05-25 | キヤノン株式会社 | Inkjet recording head |
| US6976752B2 (en) * | 2003-10-28 | 2005-12-20 | Lexmark International, Inc. | Ink jet printer with resistance compensation circuit |
| US7168780B2 (en) * | 2004-02-02 | 2007-01-30 | Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha | Method of inspecting an inkjet head and the inspected inkjet head |
| US7871143B2 (en) * | 2004-06-30 | 2011-01-18 | Lexmark International, Inc. | Ground structure for temperature-sensing resistor noise reduction |
| JP4669278B2 (en) * | 2004-12-27 | 2011-04-13 | キヤノン株式会社 | Element substrate for recording head, recording head, and recording apparatus |
| US20060176326A1 (en) * | 2005-02-09 | 2006-08-10 | Benq Corporation | Fluid injector devices and methods for utilizing the same |
Family Cites Families (21)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPS53125586A (en) * | 1977-04-07 | 1978-11-01 | Sharp Corp | Temperature controller |
| CA1127227A (en) * | 1977-10-03 | 1982-07-06 | Ichiro Endo | Liquid jet recording process and apparatus therefor |
| US4330787A (en) * | 1978-10-31 | 1982-05-18 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Liquid jet recording device |
| US4345262A (en) * | 1979-02-19 | 1982-08-17 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Ink jet recording method |
| US4463359A (en) * | 1979-04-02 | 1984-07-31 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Droplet generating method and apparatus thereof |
| US4313124A (en) * | 1979-05-18 | 1982-01-26 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Liquid jet recording process and liquid jet recording head |
| JPS5656847A (en) * | 1979-10-16 | 1981-05-19 | Dainippon Printing Co Ltd | Manufacture of baggin box with extracting valve |
| US4558333A (en) * | 1981-07-09 | 1985-12-10 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Liquid jet recording head |
| JPS59123670A (en) * | 1982-12-28 | 1984-07-17 | Canon Inc | Ink jet head |
| JPS59138461A (en) * | 1983-01-28 | 1984-08-08 | Canon Inc | Liquid jet recording apparatus |
| JPS6071260A (en) * | 1983-09-28 | 1985-04-23 | Erumu:Kk | Recorder |
| US5235351A (en) * | 1984-03-31 | 1993-08-10 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Liquid ejection recording head including a symbol indicating information used for changing the operation of the head |
| US4872027A (en) * | 1987-11-03 | 1989-10-03 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Printer having identifiable interchangeable heads |
| EP0479784B1 (en) * | 1988-12-14 | 1993-07-28 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Arrangement for heating the ink in the write head of an ink-jet printer |
| EP0376314B1 (en) * | 1988-12-29 | 1994-10-12 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | A liquid jet recording apparatus |
| ES2071034T3 (en) * | 1989-09-18 | 1995-06-16 | Canon Kk | PRINTING BY INKS OF INK. |
| DK0419191T3 (en) * | 1989-09-18 | 1997-02-24 | Canon Kk | |
| US4980702A (en) * | 1989-12-28 | 1990-12-25 | Xerox Corporation | Temperature control for an ink jet printhead |
| DE4020885A1 (en) * | 1990-06-29 | 1992-01-09 | Siemens Ag | Setting pulse voltage level for heating resistance of ink jet printer - comparing measured resistance with stored value in electronic unit |
| JPH04214356A (en) * | 1990-12-12 | 1992-08-05 | Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd | Ink discharge device |
| US5144341A (en) * | 1991-04-26 | 1992-09-01 | Xerox Corporation | Thermal ink jet drivers device design/layout |
-
1993
- 1993-10-13 AU AU48996/93A patent/AU4899693A/en not_active Abandoned
- 1993-10-13 EP EP93116574A patent/EP0593041B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1993-10-13 KR KR1019930021159A patent/KR0172194B1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1993-10-13 CA CA002108302A patent/CA2108302C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1993-10-13 DE DE69328603T patent/DE69328603T2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1993-10-14 CN CN93118480A patent/CN1064005C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1993-10-14 MX MX9306402A patent/MX9306402A/en unknown
-
1996
- 1996-07-03 US US08/674,847 patent/US5943069A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1996-10-08 AU AU68077/96A patent/AU6807796A/en not_active Abandoned
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| KR940008886A (en) | 1994-05-16 |
| EP0593041A2 (en) | 1994-04-20 |
| EP0593041B1 (en) | 2000-05-10 |
| CA2108302A1 (en) | 1994-04-16 |
| DE69328603D1 (en) | 2000-06-15 |
| AU6807796A (en) | 1997-01-09 |
| DE69328603T2 (en) | 2001-01-11 |
| CN1085496A (en) | 1994-04-20 |
| US5943069A (en) | 1999-08-24 |
| EP0593041A3 (en) | 1995-08-30 |
| AU4899693A (en) | 1994-04-28 |
| MX9306402A (en) | 1994-04-29 |
| KR0172194B1 (en) | 1999-03-30 |
| CN1064005C (en) | 2001-04-04 |
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