Recording device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12454138-B2
Application number	US-202318325273-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2023
Priority date	May 30, 2022
Publication date	Oct 28, 2025
Grant date	Oct 28, 2025

Abstract

A recording device includes a head including a plurality of nozzles that are arranged at predetermined intervals in a first direction, the plurality of nozzles being configured to eject liquid, and a controller. The controller is configured to, in a case where the number of the abnormal nozzles among the plurality of nozzles is equal to or greater than the predetermined number and the number of the abnormal nozzles, among a part of the plurality of nozzles in which an interval in the first direction is a preset interval longer than the predetermined interval, is less than the predetermined number, cause the head to eject liquid from the part of nozzles to record an image with a resolution in which a resolution in the first direction is lower than a resolution corresponding to the predetermined interval.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A recording device comprising:
a head including a plurality of nozzles that are arranged at predetermined intervals in a first direction, the plurality of nozzles being configured to eject liquid;
a relative movement unit configured to relatively move the head, with respect to a recording medium, in a second direction intersecting the first direction;
a storage unit configured to store abnormal nozzle information related to whether a number of abnormal nozzles among the plurality of nozzles is equal to or greater than a predetermined number, the abnormal nozzles having an abnormality in liquid ejection; and
a controller,
wherein, in response to receiving a recording instruction signal instructing to perform recording on the recording medium, the controller is configured to:
in a case where the abnormal nozzle information indicates that the number of the abnormal nozzles among the plurality of nozzles is less than the predetermined number, perform a first recording processing of causing the head to eject liquid from the plurality of nozzles while causing the relative movement unit to move the head, with respect to the recording medium, in the second direction to record an image on the recording medium with a resolution in which a resolution in the first direction corresponds to the predetermined interval; and
in a case where the abnormal nozzle information indicates that the number of the abnormal nozzles among the plurality of nozzles is equal to or greater than the predetermined number and indicates that the number of the abnormal nozzles, among a part of the plurality of nozzles in which an interval in the first direction is a preset interval longer than the predetermined interval, is less than the predetermined number, perform a second recording processing of causing the head to eject liquid from the part of nozzles while causing the relative movement unit to move the head, with respect to the recording medium, in the second direction to record an image on the recording medium with a resolution in which a resolution in the first direction is lower than a resolution corresponding to the predetermined interval.

2. The recording device according to claim 1 ,
wherein, in the second recording processing, the controller is further configured to:
record an image having, in the first direction or the second direction, a lower resolution than a resolution of an image recorded in the first recording processing; and
cause the head to eject a larger amount of liquid from the nozzles to form one dot than an amount of liquid ejected from the nozzles to form one dot in the first recording processing.

3. A recording device comprising:
a head including:
a plurality of first nozzles that are arranged in a first direction, the plurality of first nozzles being configured to eject liquid supplied from a first flow path connected to a liquid storage portion configured to store the liquid; and
a plurality of second nozzles that are arranged in the first direction, the plurality of second nozzles being configured to eject liquid supplied from a second flow path connected to the liquid storage portion, the second flow path being different from the first flow path;

a relative movement unit configured to relatively move the head, with respect to a recording medium, in a second direction intersecting the first direction;
a storage unit configured to store abnormal nozzle information related to whether a number of abnormal nozzles among the plurality of first nozzles is equal to or greater than a first predetermined number, the abnormal nozzles having an abnormality in liquid ejection, and whether the number of the abnormal nozzles among the plurality of second nozzles is equal to or greater than a second predetermined number, and
a controller,
wherein, in response to receiving a recording instruction signal instructing to perform recording on the recording medium, the controller is configured to:
in a case where the abnormal nozzle information indicates that the number of the abnormal nozzles among the plurality of first nozzles is less than the first predetermined number and the number of the abnormal nozzles among the plurality of second nozzles is less than the second predetermined number, perform a first recording processing of causing the head to eject liquid from the plurality of first nozzles and to eject liquid from the plurality of second nozzles to perform recording on the recording medium, while causing the relative movement unit to relatively move the head, with respect to the recording medium, in the second direction; and
in a case where the abnormal nozzle information indicates that the number of the abnormal nozzles among the plurality of first nozzles is equal to or greater than the first predetermined number and the number of the abnormal nozzles among the plurality of second nozzles is less than the second predetermined number, perform a second recording processing of causing the head not to eject liquid from the plurality of first nozzles and to eject liquid from the plurality of second nozzles to perform recording on the recording medium, while causing the relative movement unit to relatively move the head, with respect to the recording medium, in the second direction.

4. The recording device according to claim 3 ,
wherein the liquid storage portion includes:
a first liquid storage portion connected to the first flow path; and
a second liquid storage portion connected to the second flow path, the second liquid storage portion being different from the first liquid storage portion.

5. The recording device according to claim 3 ,
wherein the head includes:
a plurality of first elements that are individually provided for the plurality of first nozzles, the plurality of first elements being configured to apply ejection energy to liquid in the first nozzles; and
a plurality of second elements that are individually provided for the plurality of second nozzles, the plurality of second elements being configured to apply ejection energy to liquid in the second nozzles, and

the recording device further includes:
a first driving signal output unit connected to the plurality of first elements, the first driving signal output unit being configured to output a driving signal to the plurality of first elements; and
a second driving signal output unit connected to the plurality of second elements, the second driving signal output unit being configured to output a driving signal to the plurality of second elements.

6. A recording device according to claim 3 ,
wherein, in a case where the abnormal nozzle information indicates that the number of the abnormal nozzles among the plurality of first nozzles is equal to or greater than the first predetermined number and indicates that the number of the abnormal nozzles among the plurality of second nozzles is equal to or greater than the second predetermined number, the controller is further configured to perform a third recording processing of causing the head to eject a liquid from nozzles, among the plurality of first nozzles and the plurality of second nozzles, having a smaller number of the abnormal nozzles, and causing the head not to eject a liquid from nozzles, among the plurality of first nozzles and the plurality of second nozzles, having a greater number of abnormal nozzles, while causing the relative movement unit to relatively move the head, with respect to the recording medium, in the second direction.

7. The recording device according to claim 3 ,
wherein, in response to receiving the recording instruction signal, the controller is further configured to:
acquire recording data for recording an image;
perform the first recording processing, in a case where the abnormal nozzle informat

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Arakane Satoru

Classifications

• B41J2/04586

  controlling heads of a type not covered by groups B41J2/04575 - B41J2/04585, or of an undefined type · CPC title

• G06F3/1256

  User feedback, e.g. print preview, test print, proofing, pre-flight checks · CPC title

• G06F3/1208

  resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview · CPC title

• G06F3/1239

  Restricting the usage of resources, e.g. usage or user levels, credit limit, consumables, special fonts · CPC title

• G06F3/1255 Primary

  Settings incompatibility, e.g. constraints, user requirements vs. device capabilities · CPC title