Patent EP0626266A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0626266A2
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EP
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Recording apparatus controlled with head characteristics and recording method
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1994-05-26
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-05-26
Abstract
Abstract A recording apparatus wherein a recording head which has been mounted can be identified more precisely by measuring characteristics of the recording head to obtain information for defining a drive condition of the head and storing the characteristics as ID information of the recording head.
Inventors
- 👤 Shigeyasu C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Nagoshi
- 👤 Hiromitsu C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Hirabayashi
- 👤 Noribumi C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Koitabashi
- 👤 Hitoshi C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Sugimoto
- 👤 Miyuki C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Matsubara
- 👤 Hitoshi C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Nishikori
- 👤 Masaya C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Uetuki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 18:52
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/015; B41J2/04; B41J2/045; B41J2/04501; B41J2/0451; B41J2/04513; B41J2/04528; B41J2/04553; B41J2/04563; B41J2/04565; B41J2/0458; B41J2/04588; B41J2/04591; B41J2/04598; B41J25/00; B41J25/34; B41J2202/00; B41J2202/01; B41J2202/17
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 52
Claim 1
Independent Claim
67 words
A recording apparatus on which a recording head will be mounted to record images by using thermal energy, comprising: a means for measuring a characteristic of the recording head to obtain information for defining a drive condition of the recording head which has been mounted; and a means for storing characteristics of the recording head measured by said measuring means as ID information of the recording head.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus as set-forth in claim 1, wherein said measuring means measures a characteristic of heating elements for recording of said recording head.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said measuring means measures a resistance characteristic of the heating elements for recording of said recording head.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said measuring means measures a thermal characteristic of the heating elements for recording of said recording head.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said measuring means measures a characteristic of temperature sensors of said recording head.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said measuring means measures a temperature characteristic of temperature sensors of said recording head.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said measuring means measures a characteristic of heating elements for temperature adjustment of said recording head.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said measuring means measures a thermal characteristic of heating elements for temperature adjustment of said recording head.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said recording head ejects ink by using thermal energy.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
75 words
A recording apparatus on which a recording head will be mounted to record images by using thermal energy, comprising: a measuring means for measuring a plurality of characteristics of said recording head to obtain information for defining a drive condition of said recording head which has been mounted; and a storing means for storing a plurality of the characteristics of said recording head measured by said measuring means as ID information of the recording head.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein said measuring means measures at least two of the characteristics of the heating elements for recording, the thermal sensors, and the heating elements for temperature adjustment of said recording head.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
50 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein said measuring means measures at least two of the resistance and thermal characteristics of the heating elements for recording of said recording head, the temperature characteristic of the temperature sensors, and the thermal characteristic of the heating elements for temperature adjustment.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein said recording head ejects ink by using thermal energy.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
A recording head recognizing method, comprising the steps of: measuring and numerizing respective head characteristics of the recording head to be mounted; and storing the values as information for discriminating the recording head.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
64 words
A recording head recognizing method as set forth in claim 14, further comprising the steps of: giving the order of priority to respective head characteristics of said recording head; and determining whether the mounted head is identical with the previous one by comparing the characteristics of the mounted head with those of a stored head from characteristics of a head having the highest priority.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
A recording head recognizing method as set forth in claim 14, wherein, in said determining step, it is determined whether or not the mounted head is identical with the previous one, without measuring the characteristics of heads each having a priority lower than a certain level.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
47 words
A recording head recognizing method as set forth in claim 14, wherein, in said measuring step, the respective head characteristics of the recording head are defined as provisional or fixed ones, and said head characteristic measurement is repeated at a certain timing until they become fixed values.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
A recording head recognizing method as set forth in claim 17, wherein said measurement is performed when there is no temperature change substantially in the vicinity of the recording head.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
45 words
A recording head recognizing method as set forth in claim 14, wherein, if a difference between the previously stored value and the latest measured value is within a head characteristic allowable range in said determining step, the mounted head is considered as an identical head.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
41 words
A recording head recognizing method as set forth in claim 19, wherein said head characteristic allowable range for determination of an identical head depends on the status under head characteristic measurement at starting the recording apparatus or other head characteristic measurement.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
61 words
A recording head recognizing method of determining whether or not a recording head has been continued to be used or has just replaced old one by using at least a plurality of units of information obtained from the recording head, which is information used for determining drive conditions for driving heating elements for ink ejection of the ink jet recording head.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
43 words
A recording head recognizing method as set forth in claim 21, wherein said plural units of information include information about physical characteristics of ejection heaters of the recording head and about physical characteristics of elements used for detecting temperatures of the recording head.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
44 words
A recording head recognizing method as set forth in claim 21, wherein said plural units of information include temperature change information obtained by driving said heating elements of the recording head and by driving heat elements used for temperature adjustment of the recording head.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
71 words
A recording head recognizing method of determining whether or not a recording head has been continued to be used or has just replaced old one by using temperature change information obtained by driving the first heating elements of the recording head used for determining drive conditions for driving heating elements for ink ejection of the ink jet recording head and physical characteristics of the second heating elements of the recording head.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
48 words
A recording head recognizing method as set forth in claim 24, wherein said recording head includes a plurality of ink ejecting portions to eject a plurality of ink colors and said first and second elements include elements in other ink ejecting portions of the plural ink ejecting portions.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
56 words
An ink jet recording apparatus on which recording heads are mounted, comprising: a measuring means for measuring resistance characteristics of ejection heaters of said recording head as head characteristic information; and a drive condition setting means for setting a drive condition of said recording head according to the head characteristic information measured by said measuring means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
22 words
An ink jet recording apparatus as set forth in claim 26, wherein said measuring means measures thermal characteristics of said recording head.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
23 words
An ink jet recording apparatus as set forth in claim 26, wherein said drive condition is a basic waveform of a double pulse.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
33 words
An ink jet recording apparatus as set forth in claim 27, wherein said head characteristic information is a combination of a resistance of said ejection heaters and thermal characteristics of said recording head.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
40 words
An ink jet recording apparatus as set forth in claim 26, wherein said drive condition is a basic waveform of a double pulse, further comprising a driving means for preliminary ejection and printing on the basis of the basic waveform.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
38 words
An ink jet recording apparatus as set forth in claim 27, wherein said drive condition is a basic waveform of a double pulse and said measuring means measures thermal characteristics by using a pre-pulse in this basic waveform.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
38 words
An ink jet recording apparatus as set forth in claim 26, wherein said drive condition is a basic waveform of a double pulse, further comprising a drive means for temperature adjustment with a pre-pulse in this basic waveform.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
50 words
An ink jet recording apparatus as set forth in claim 26, wherein a provisional recording head drive condition is set according to a single head characteristic and a fixed recording head drive condition is set according to other head characteristic information measured based on the provisional recording head drive condition.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
33 words
An ink jet recording apparatus as set forth in claim 28, wherein are set the last transition of a basic waveform of a double pulse and the first transition of the main pulse.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
47 words
An ink jet recording apparatus as set forth in claim 33, wherein said provisional recording head drive condition is a basic waveform of a double pulse and said fixed recording head drive condition is a change of a fall time of a pre-pulse in said basic waveform.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
32 words
An ink jet recording apparatus as set forth in claim 33, wherein said fixed recording head drive condition is a change of a drive voltage for said provisional recording head drive condition.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
44 words
An ink jet recording apparatus as set forth in claim 33, wherein said provisional recording head drive condition is a basic waveform of a double pulse and said fixed recording head drive condition is a change of an interval time for said basic waveform.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
21 words
An ink jet recording apparatus as set forth in claim 26, wherein said recording head ejects ink by using thermal energy.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
82 words
An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising: an unejection detecting means for determining unejection of a recording head on the basis of a temperature change due to a temperature rise caused by ink ejection from the recording head, a temperature change due to a temperature fall after the ink ejection, or a relationship between both temperature changes; and a means for changing a drive condition for ejection to detect said unejection, according to characteristic information for a recording head or the recording apparatus.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
38 words
An ink jet recording apparatus as set forth in claim 39, further comprising: a means for changing the drive condition for the ejection to detect said unejection according to at least the head rank of the recording head.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
38 words
An ink jet recording apparatus as set forth in claim 40, wherein said changing means changes the drive condition for the ejection to detect said unejection according to a head rank and thermal characteristics of the recording head.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
80 words
An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising: an unejection detecting means for determining unejection of a recording head on the basis of a temperature change due to a temperature rise caused by ink ejection from the recording head, a temperature change due to a temperature fall after the ink ejection, or a relationship between both temperature changes; and a means for changing an unejection determining condition for said unejection detecting, according to at least a head rank of the recording head.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
39 words
An ink jet recording apparatus as set forth in claim 42, further comprising: a means for changing an unejection determining condition for said unejection detecting, according to at least a head rank and thermal characteristics of the recording head.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
37 words
An ink jet recording apparatus as set forth in claim 39, further comprising: a means for changing an unejection determining condition for said unejection detecting, according to characteristic information of the recording head or the recording apparatus.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
36 words
An ink jet recording apparatus as set forth in claim 40, further comprising: a means for changing an unejection determining condition for said unejection detecting, according to at least a head rank of the recording head.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
36 words
An ink jet recording apparatus as set forth in claim 45, wherein said changing means changes the unejection determining condition for said unejection detecting according to a head rank and thermal characteristics of the recording head.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
58 words
An ink jet recording apparatus as set forth in claim 45, further comprising: a means for measuring thermal characteristics of the recording head on the basis of a temperature change due to a temperature rise caused by driving heaters on the recording head, a temperature change due to a temperature fall, or a relationship between both temperature changes.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
24 words
An ink jet recording apparatus as set forth in claim 47, further comprising: a means for measuring a head rank of the recording head.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
48 words
An ink jet recording apparatus, wherein information about a power supply voltage for driving a recording head is previously stored in an information storing means of the main unit of the recording apparatus, and a drive condition for the recording head is changed on the basis of it.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
24 words
An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising: an unejection detecting means; and a means for driving heaters for temperature adjustment set on a recording head.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
39 words
An ink jet recording apparatus as set forth in claim 50, further comprising: a means for awaiting the unejection detecting for a fixed time after the termination of driving heaters for temperature adjustment to be performed before detecting unejection.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
21 words
An ink jet recording apparatus as set forth in claim 39, wherein said recording head ejects ink by using thermal energy.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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