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Apparatus and method for maintaining image quality when image recording is interrupted

Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1994-09-08
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Granted: 1996-11-19
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Expires: 2014-09-08
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Abstract

Abstract In an image recording apparatus having a recording head, recording may be interrupted (for example, to permit transfer of new image data after a predetermined amount of recording is performed). Recording quality is maintained by compensating for the change in head temperature which occurs during the interruption. This is done by detecting the temperature of the recording head and/or counting the interruption time, and driving the recording head in a stand-by mode or correcting the image signal in accordance with the temperature difference between interruption and resumption of recording.

Inventors

  • 👤 Akio Suzuki
  • 👤 Yasushi Miura
  • 👤 Masami Izumizaki

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-10 01:34
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/015; B41J2/04; B41J2/045; B41J2/04501; B41J2/04508; B41J2/04528; B41J2/04553; B41J2/04563; B41J2/0458; B41J2/04593; B41J2/04596; B41J2/135; B41J2/14; B41J2002/14379

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim 126 words
An image recording apparatus having a stand-by mode in which a recording operation is interrupted during recording for stand-by, comprising: a recording head for recording on a recording medium; head temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of said recording head; memory means for storing temperature information detected by said head temperature detecting means, so that a temperature of the recording head when recording is interrupted is stored; stand-by time counting means for counting an interruption time for the recording operation in said stand-by mode; and head driving controlling means for giving a driving signal to said recording head, in accordance with the temperature stored in said temperature memory means and an interruption time calculated by said stand-by time counting means on resuming the recording operation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 126 words
An image recording apparatus having a stand-by mode in which a recording operation is interrupted during recording for stand-by, comprising: a recording head for recording on a recording medium; head temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of said recording head; memory means for storing temperature information detected by said head temperature detecting means, so that a temperature of the recording head when recording is interrupted is stored; stand-by time counting means for counting an interruption time for the recording operation in said stand-by mode; and head driving controlling means for giving a driving signal to said recording head, in accordance with the temperature stored in said temperature memory means and an interruption time calculated by said stand-by time counting means on resuming the recording operation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 35 words
The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said head driving controlling means gives a driving signal adapted to an environmental temperature of said recording head in addition to said temperature and said interruption time.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 42 words
The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording head utilizes heat energy to cause film boiling in ink, and discharges ink with the growth of bubbles due to said film boiling to record on said recording medium in said ink.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 17 words
The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording head is of the serial scan type.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 35 words
The recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said head driving controlling means gives a driving signal irrespective of image recording to said recording head when said recording head takes shelter in a non-recording area.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 42 words
The recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said recording head utilizes heat energy to cause film boiling in ink, and discharges ink with the growth of bubbles due to said film boiling to record on said recording medium in said ink.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 21 words
The recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a driving signal irrespective of said image recording is a dry ejection signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 80 words
An image recording apparatus capable of appropriately interrupting and resuming recording when driving a recording head to record an image, comprising: temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of said recording head on interrupting recording; interruption time detecting means for detecting the record interruption time; and correcting means for correcting an image signal to be given to said recording head in accordance with the detection results of the temperature detecting means and the interruption time detecting means on resuming recording.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 80 words
An image recording apparatus capable of appropriately interrupting and resuming recording when driving a recording head to record an image, comprising: temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of said recording head on interrupting recording; interruption time detecting means for detecting the record interruption time; and correcting means for correcting an image signal to be given to said recording head in accordance with the detection results of the temperature detecting means and the interruption time detecting means on resuming recording.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 50 words
The image recording apparatus according to claim 8, having recorrecting means for recorrecting an amount of correction of an image signal on resuming the recording in accordance with a history of driving of said recording head after resuming the recording, and giving the recorrected image signal to said recording head.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 42 words
The image recording apparatus according to claim 8, having environmental temperature detecting means for detecting environmental temperature and environmental temperature correcting means for determining an amount of correction for an image signal on resuming the recording taking into consideration the environmental temperature.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 33 words
The image recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said recording head utilizes heat energy to discharge ink through the discharging orifice, and has an electricity-heat converter as means for generating heat energy.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 18 words
The image recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said recording head is of the serial scan type.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 39 words
The image recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said recording head is a full line type recording head equipped with a plurality of recording elements along the full width of the recording width of material to be recorded.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 95 words
An image recording apparatus for interrupting and resuming recording operation using a recording head in accordance with the input condition of an image signal, comprising: head temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of said recording head; and controlling means for detecting the temperature of said recording head on interrupting and resuming the recording operation by means of said head temperature detecting means, and when resuming the recording operation, for correcting the input image signal in accordance with a difference in temperature of said recording head between on interrupting and on resuming the recording operation.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 95 words
An image recording apparatus for interrupting and resuming recording operation using a recording head in accordance with the input condition of an image signal, comprising: head temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of said recording head; and controlling means for detecting the temperature of said recording head on interrupting and resuming the recording operation by means of said head temperature detecting means, and when resuming the recording operation, for correcting the input image signal in accordance with a difference in temperature of said recording head between on interrupting and on resuming the recording operation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 38 words
The image recording apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said controlling means recorrects the image signal, which has been corrected on resuming, in accordance with the state of use of the recording head during recording operation after resuming.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 37 words
The image recording apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said controlling means recorrects the image signal, which has been corrected on resuming, in accordance with the present temperature of the recording head during recording operation after resuming.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 18 words
The image recording apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said recording head is of the serial scan type.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 33 words
The image recording apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said recording head is of the full line type equipped with a plurality of recording elements along the full width of the recording area.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 28 words
The image recording apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said recording head utilizes heat energy to discharge ink, and has an electricity-heat converter for generating said heat energy.
Claim 23
Independent Claim 71 words
A method of recording an image using a recording head for recording by utilizing heat energy, comprising steps of: temporarily interrupting recording using said recording head; detecting a temperature of said recording head on interrupting; measuring a time for interruption; and transmitting a driving signal to said recording head in accordance with a temperature detected in said detecting step and a time measured in said measuring step on resuming after interrupted.
Claim 24
Independent Claim 71 words
A method of recording an image using a recording head for recording by utilizing heat energy, comprising steps of: temporarily interrupting recording using said recording head; detecting a temperature of said recording head on interrupting; measuring a time for interruption; and transmitting a driving signal to said recording head in accordance with a temperature detected in said detecting step and a time measured in said measuring step on resuming after interrupted.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 45 words
The method of recording an image according to claim 20, wherein said recording head utilizes heat energy to cause film boiling in ink, and discharges ink with the growth of bubbles due to said film boiling to record on said recording medium in said ink.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 36 words
The method of recording an image according to claim 21, wherein said transmitting step transmits a driving signal irrespective of image recording to said recording head when said recording head takes shelter in a non-recording area.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of recording an image according to claim 22, wherein a driving signal irrespective of said image recording is a dry ejection signal.
Claim 28
Independent Claim 77 words
A method of recording an image using a recording head for recording by utilizing heat energy, comprising steps of: temporarily interrupting recording using said recording head; detecting a temperature of said recording head on interrupting; measuring a time for interruption; and correcting an image signal in accordance with a temperature detected in said detecting step and a time measured in said measuring step on resuming after interrupted, and transmitting the corrected image signal to said recording head.
Claim 29
Independent Claim 77 words
A method of recording an image using a recording head for recording by utilizing heat energy, comprising steps of: temporarily interrupting recording using said recording head; detecting a temperature of said recording head on interrupting; measuring a time for interruption; and correcting an image signal in accordance with a temperature detected in said detecting step and a time measured in said measuring step on resuming after interrupted, and transmitting the corrected image signal to said recording head.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 35 words
The method of recording an image according to claim 24, wherein said recording head utilizes heat energy to discharge ink through the discharging orifice, and has an electricity-heat converter as means for generating heat energy.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method of recording an image according to claim 24, wherein said recording head is of the serial scan type.
Claim 32
Independent Claim 73 words
A method of recording an image using a recording head for recording by utilizing heat energy, comprising steps of: temporarily interrupting recording using said recording head; detecting a temperature of said recording head on interrupting; detecting a temperature of said recording head on resuming after interrupted; and correcting the image signal in accordance with the difference in temperature detected in said detecting step and transmitting the corrected image signal to said recording head.
Claim 33
Independent Claim 73 words
A method of recording an image using a recording head for recording by utilizing heat energy, comprising steps of: temporarily interrupting recording using said recording head; detecting a temperature of said recording head on interrupting; detecting a temperature of said recording head on resuming after interrupted; and correcting the image signal in accordance with the difference in temperature detected in said detecting step and transmitting the corrected image signal to said recording head.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method of recording an image according to claim 27, wherein said recording head is of the serial scan type.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim 30 words
The method of recording an image according to claim 27, wherein said recording head utilizes heat energy to discharge ink, and has an electricity-heat converter for generating said heat energy.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1999-11-19 2000-05-20 2000-11-19 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2003-11-19 2004-05-20 2004-11-19 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2007-11-19 2008-05-20 2008-11-19 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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