Liquid ejecting apparatus, liquid ejecting method and non-transitory storage medium storing instructions executable by the liquid ejecting apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12157309-B2
Application number	US-202218054241-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2022
Priority date	Nov 29, 2021
Publication date	Dec 3, 2024
Grant date	Dec 3, 2024

Abstract

A liquid ejecting apparatus includes an ejection head including a plurality of nozzles communicating with a pressure chamber and an actuator configured to apply pressure on liquid stored in the pressure chamber, a carriage, a storage storing information relating to a first timing when a non-ejecting flashing operation is started, and a controller. The actuator applies pressure on the liquid in the pressure chamber in the non-ejecting flashing operation so as to vibrate, without ejecting, the liquid in the plurality of nozzles of the ejection head, while the carriage is decreased in speed so as to be stopped. The controller is configured to select, based on status information, one of the first timing and a second timing, and start the non-ejecting-flashing operation at the selected timing while the carriage is decreased in speed so as to be stopped.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid ejecting apparatus, comprising:
an ejection head including a plurality of nozzles communicating with a pressure chamber and an actuator configured to apply pressure on liquid stored in the pressure chamber such that the liquid is ejected from the plurality of nozzles;
a carriage configured to reciprocate in a moving direction, the ejection head being mounted on the carriage;
a storage storing information relating to a first timing when a non-ejecting flashing operation is started, the actuator applying pressure on the liquid in the pressure chamber in the non-ejection flashing operation so as to vibrate, without ejecting, the liquid in the plurality of nozzles of the ejection head, while the carriage is decreased in speed so as to be stopped; and
a controller configured to:
select, based on status information, one of the first timing and a second timing different from the first timing each stored in the storage; and
start the non-ejecting-flashing operation at the selected timing while the carriage is decreased in speed so as to be stopped.

2. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the status information indicates numerical information,
wherein the first timing is a timing when the carriage reaches a position on a near side of a target-stopping-position by a first distance in the moving direction,
wherein the second timing is a timing when the carriage reaches a position on the near side of the target-stopping-position by a second distance calculated by adding a correction distance to the first distance in the moving direction,
wherein the controller is configured to:
start the non-ejecting-flashing operation at the first timing in a case where a numerical value indicated by the status information is less than a threshold; and
start the non-ejecting-flashing operation at the second timing in a case where the numerical value indicated by the status information is equal to or greater than the threshold.

3. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the controller is configured to correct the correction distance based on the numerical value of the status information.

4. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the status information indicates a number of printed medium, and images are formed on the printed medium by liquid ejections from the plurality of nozzles.

5. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the status information indicates a number of times the carriage is driven.

6. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the storage stores a difference, as histories, between the target-stopping-position and an actual-stopping-position of the carriage when the carriage moves, and
wherein the status information is the difference between the target-stopping-position and the actual-stopping-position of the carriage in the histories stored in the storage.

7. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor configured to detect environmental temperature,
wherein the status information indicates a result detected by the temperature sensor.

8. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the carriage includes a first cartridge supplying liquid to the pressure chamber, and
wherein the status information indicates a remaining amount of the liquid in the first cartridge.

9. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the carriage further includes a mount portion and a detector configured to detect whether the first cartridge mounted on the mount portion is a first-volume ink cartridge or a second-volume ink cartridge, the first cartridge storing liquid to be supplied to the pressure chamber being mounted on the mount portion, an ink volume the second-volume ink being smaller than that of the first-volume ink cartridge, and
wherein the status information indicates a result detected by the detector.

10. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the moving direction includes a first moving direction and a second moving direction,
wherein the liquid ejecting apparatus further includes:
a second cartridge disposed apart from the first cartridge and storing liquid to be supplied to the pressure chamber; and
a tube connecting the second cartridge and the ejection head, the tube having a curved portion having a first degree of bending in a case where the carriage moves in the first moving direction and a second degree of bending in a case where the carriage moved in the second moving direction, the second degree of bending being larger than the first degree of bending, and

wherein the status information indicates the first moving direction or the second moving direction of the carriage moves in the moving direction.

11. A liquid ejecting method for a liquid ejecting apparatus, the liquid ejecting apparatus comprising:
an ejection head including a plurality of nozzles communicating with a pressure chamber and an actuator configured to apply pressure on liquid stored in the pressure chamber such that the liquid is ejected from the plurality of nozzles; and
a carriage configured to reciprocate in a moving direction, the ejection head being mounted on the carriage,
wherein the liquid ejecting method comprises:
selecting, based on status information, one of a first timing and a second timing different from the first timing each stored in the storage, each of the first timing and the second timing being a timing when a non-ejecting flashing operation is started, the actuator applying pressure on the liquid in the pressure chamber in the non-ejecting flashing operation so as to vibrate, without ejecting the liquid in the plurality of nozzles of the ejection head, while the carriage is decreased in speed so as to be stopped; and
starting the non-ejecting-flashing operation at the selected timing while the carriage is decreased in speed so as to be stopped.

12. A non-transitory storage medium storing a plurality of instructions executable by a computer of a liquid ejecting apparatus, the liquid ejecting apparatus comprising:
an ejection head including a plurality of nozzles communicating with a pressure chamber and an actuator configured to apply pressure on liquid stored in the pressure chamber such that the liquid is ejected from the plurality of nozzles; and
a carriage configured to reciprocate in a moving direction, the ejection head being mounted on the carriage,
wherein, when executed by the computer, the plurality of instruction cause the liquid ejecting apparatus to:
select, based on status information, one of a first timing and a second timing different from the first timing each stored in the storage, each of the first timing and the second timing being a timing when a non-ejecting flashing operation is started, the actuator applying pressure on the liquid in the pressure chamber in the non-ejecting flashing operation so as to vibrate, without ejecting the liquid in the plurality of nozzles of the ejection head, while the carriage is decreased in speed so as to be stopped; and
start the non-ejecting-flashing operation at the selected timing while the carriage is decreased in speed so as to be stopped.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Arakane Satoru

Classifications

• B41J2002/16573

  Cleaning process logic, e.g. for determining type or order of cleaning processes · CPC title

• B41J2/16526

  by applying pressure only · CPC title

• B41J2/04581

  controlling heads based on piezoelectric elements · CPC title

• B41J2/04573 Primary

  Timing; Delays · CPC title

• B41J2/165 Primary

  Prevention {or detection} of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles · CPC title