Printing appratus, method of controlling printing appratus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024253377-A1
Application number	US-202418422331-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 25, 2024
Priority date	Jan 26, 2023
Publication date	Aug 1, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A printing apparatus includes a head, a carriage, a casing, a sound sensor configured to collect first sound, an output device and a controller. The controller performs causing the carriage to move and causing the sound sensor to collect second sound that is generated when the carriage is being moved, and causing the output device to output guide information related to an installation place of the casing based on a volume value corresponding to the second sound.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A printing apparatus, comprising:
a head configured to eject ink droplets; a carriage mounting the head thereon; a casing accommodating the head and the carriage; a sound sensor configured to collect first sound and output a sound signal corresponding to the first sound; an output device configured to output information; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to perform:
causing the carriage to move and causing the sound sensor to collect second sound that is generated when the carriage is being moved and is different from the first sound; and
causing the output device to output guide information related to an installation place of the casing based on a second volume value corresponding to the second sound.

2 . The printing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the controller is configured to perform:
receiving the sound signal from the sound sensor to obtain the second volume value corresponding to the second sound.

3 . The printing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the controller is configured to perform:
causing the sound sensor to collect the first sound when the carriage is stopped; and
comparing the second volume value with threshold values, the threshold value including a first threshold value and a second threshold value greater than the first threshold value, and
wherein, in the comparing, the controller is further configured to perform:
determining whether a first volume value corresponding to the first sound is greater than a particular volume value;
comparing the second volume value with the second threshold value when determining that the first volume value is greater than the particular volume value, and
causing the output device to output the guide information corresponding to a comparing result of comparing the second volume value with the second threshold value.

4 . The printing apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the controller is configured to perform:
receiving the sound signal from the sound sensor to obtain the first volume value corresponding to the first sound.

5 . The printing apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the controller is configured to perform:
determining whether the second volume value is less than or equal to the first threshold value; and
causing the output device to output the guide information related to the installation place of the casing when determining that the second volume value is less than or equal to the first threshold value.

6 . The printing apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the controller is configured to perform:
determining whether the second volume value is less than or equal to the first threshold value;
determining whether the second volume value is less than or equal to the second threshold value;
causing the output device to output the guide information encouraging re-execution of collecting the first sound when determining that the second volume value is greater than the first threshold value and less than or equal to the second threshold value; and
collecting the first sound after outputting the guide information.

7 . The printing apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the controller is configured to perform:
determining whether the second volume value is less than or equal to the first threshold value;
determining whether the second volume value is less than or equal to the second threshold value; and
causing the output device to output the guide information containing options of changing of the installation place, searching for a quiet operation mode of the printing apparatus, and maintaining of status quo when determining that the second volume value is greater than both the first threshold value and the second threshold value.

8 . The printing apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising an input device configured to input information,
wherein the controller is configured to perform:
determining whether information to select searching for the quiet operation mode among the guide information has been input from the input device; and
searching for a particular operation mode by changing an operation mode of the carriage during the second sound collecting operation when determining that the information to select searching for the quiet operation mode has been input from the input device, the second volume value being less than or equal to the second threshold value when the carriage moves in the particular operation mode.

9 . The printing apparatus according to claim 8 ,
wherein the controller is configured to perform changing one of following parameters:
speed of the carriage;
changing rate of the speed of the carriage;
stopping time of the carriage;
the speed and the changing rate of the speed of the carriage;
the speed and the stopping time of the carriage;
the changing rate of the speed and the stopping time of the carriage; and
the speed, the changing rate of the speed, and the stopping time of the carriage, in such a manner that the second volume value is less than or equal to the second threshold value.

10 . The printing apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the controller is configured to perform
determining whether the operation volume value is less than or equal to the first threshold value when determining that the first volume value is less than or equal to the particular volume value in the comparing; and
causing the output device to output the guide information containing options of changing of the installation place, searching for a quiet operation mode of the printing apparatus, and maintaining of status quo when determining that the operation volume value is greater than the first threshold.

11 . The printing apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising an input device configured to input information,
wherein the controller is configured to perform:
determining whether information to select searching for the quiet operation mode among the guide information has been input through the input device; and
searching for a particular operation mode by changing an operation mode of the carriage during the second sound collecting operation when determining that the information to select searching for the quiet operation mode has been input through the input device, the second volume value being less than or equal to the first threshold value when the carriage moves in the particular operation mode.

12 . The printing apparatus according to claim 8 ,
wherein the controller is configured to perform changing one of following parameters:
speed of the carriage;
changing rate of the speed of the carriage;
stopping time of the carriage;
the speed and the changing rate of the speed of the carriage;
the speed and the s topping time of the carriage;
the changing rate of the speed and the stopping time of the carriage; and
the speed, the changing rate of the speed, and the stopping time of the carriage, in such a manner that the second volume value is less than or equal to the first threshold value.

13 . A method of controlling a printing apparatus including a head configured to eject ink droplets, a carriage mounting the head thereon, a casing accommodating the head and the carriage, a sound sensor configured to collect first sound and output a sound signal corresponding to the first sound, and an output device configured to output information,
wherein the method comprises:
causing the carriage to move and causing the sound sensor to collect second sound that is generated when the carriage is being moved; and
causing the output device to output guide information related to an ins

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Someya Masaru

Classifications

• B41J2/04551

  using several operating modes · CPC title

• B41J29/393 Primary

  Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine {; Controlling or analysing mechanical parameters involving printing of test patterns} · CPC title

• B41J29/13 Primary

  Cases or covers · CPC title

• B41J2/04581

  controlling heads based on piezoelectric elements · CPC title

• B41J2/0458

  controlling heads based on heating elements forming bubbles · CPC title