Printing apparatus and control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9561658-B2
Application number	US-201414456070-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 11, 2014
Priority date	Aug 28, 2013
Publication date	Feb 7, 2017
Grant date	Feb 7, 2017

Abstract

The present invention provided a printing apparatus including: an ink storage section; a detection unit detecting an ink remaining amount of the section; a printhead; an air communication section communicating with the section and air; a suction unit; and a control unit. When a predetermined transport-preparation condition regarding transport of the printing apparatus is satisfied, the control unit saves information about the ink remaining amount detected by the detection unit and controls the suction unit to drain ink in the air communication section through the printhead. When a predetermined start-up condition is satisfied, the control unit controls, based on the information, the suction unit to suck ink from the printhead.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A printing apparatus comprising:
an ink storage section configured to store ink;
a detection unit configured to detect an ink remaining amount of said ink storage section;
a printhead configured to discharge ink supplied from said ink storage section through an ink passage;
an air communication section configured to communicate with said ink storage section and air;
a suction unit configured to suck ink from said printhead; and
a control unit configured to control said suction unit to drain ink from said air communication section through said printhead when a predetermined transport-preparation condition regarding transport of the printing apparatus is satisfied,
wherein said control unit is configured to save information about the ink remaining amount detected by said detection unit in a memory in a case that the predetermined transport-preparation condition is satisfied, and
wherein said control unit controls said suction unit to suck ink from said printhead based on the information saved in the memory in a case that a predetermined start-up condition is satisfied.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the information saved in the memory is information about a result of comparison between the ink remaining amount detected by said detection unit and a threshold, and
when the predetermined start-up condition is satisfied, said control unit controls an amount of the ink sucked from said printhead by said suction unit based on the information saved in the memory.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein in the case that the predetermined start-up condition is satisfied:
when the information saved in the memory represents that the ink remaining amount detected by said detection unit is smaller than the threshold, said control unit is configured to control said suction unit to suck ink of a first ink amount from said printhead, and
when the information represents that the ink remaining amount detected by said detection unit is not smaller than the threshold, said control unit is configured to control said suction unit to not suck ink or to suck ink of a second ink amount smaller than the first ink amount from said printhead.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the first ink amount is an ink amount by which ink remaining in said printhead and the ink passage can be drained.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the second ink amount is several ml.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
when the predetermined transport-preparation condition is satisfied, said control unit is configured to control said suction unit to suck ink of a predetermined ink amount through said printhead so as to drain ink in said air communication section, and
the threshold is an ink amount not smaller than the predetermined ink amount.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the predetermined ink amount is set not to leak ink from said air communication section when transporting the printing apparatus.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said ink storage section includes an ink tank detachable from the printing apparatus and a sub-tank fixed to the printing apparatus,
wherein the sub-tank communicates with the ink tank,
wherein the ink passage communicates with the sub-tank, and
wherein said air communication section communicates with the ink tank.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein when the predetermined transport-preparation condition is satisfied, said control unit is configured to compare the ink remaining amount detected by said detection unit with a threshold, and when the ink remaining amount is smaller than the threshold, said control unit is configured to perform processing of prompting a user to select whether to replace the ink tank.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when the predetermined transport-preparation condition is satisfied, said control unit controls an amount of the ink sucked from said printhead by said suction unit based on the information saved in the memory.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein in the case that the predetermined transport-preparation condition is satisfied,
when the information represents that the ink remaining amount detected by said detection unit is not smaller than the threshold, said control unit is configured to control said suction unit to suck ink of a first ink amount from said printhead, and
when the information represents that the ink remaining amount detected by said detection unit is smaller than the threshold, said control unit is configured to control said suction unit to suck ink of a second ink amount larger than the first ink amount from said printhead.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein said ink storage section includes an ink tank detachable from the printing apparatus and a sub-tank fixed to the printing apparatus,
wherein the sub-tank communicates with the ink tank,
wherein the ink passage communicates with the sub-tank,
wherein said air communication section communicates with the ink tank,
wherein when the predetermined transport-preparation condition is satisfied, said control unit is configured to control said suction unit to suck ink of a first ink amount, and
wherein when the information represents that the ink remaining amount detected by said detection unit is smaller than the threshold, said control unit is configured to control said suction unit to further suck ink of a second ink amount after the ink tank is detached.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the second ink amount is an ink amount by which ink remaining in said printhead, the ink passage, and the sub-tank can be drained.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said ink storage section includes an ink tank detachable from the printing apparatus and a sub-tank fixed to the printing apparatus,
wherein the sub-tank communicates with the ink tank,
wherein the ink passage communicates with the sub-tank,
wherein said air communication section communicates with the ink tank,
wherein said detection unit includes a sensor arranged in the ink tank, a sensor arranged in the sub-tank, and a counter configured to count an amount of ink drained from said printhead, and
wherein the ink remaining amount is a sum of an ink remaining amount of the ink tank and an ink remaining amount of the sub-tank.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said ink storage section includes an ink tank detachable from the printing apparatus and a sub-tank fixed to the printing apparatus,
wherein the sub-tank communicates with the ink tank,
wherein the ink passage communicates with the sub-tank,
wherein said air communication section communicates with the ink tank, and
wherein the printing apparatus further comprises a charging unit configured to move ink in the ink tank to the sub-tank.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said ink storage section includes an ink tank detachable from the printing apparatus and a sub-tank fixed to the printing apparatus,
wherein the sub-tank communicates with the ink tank,
wherein the ink passage communicates with the sub-tank,
wherein said air communication section communicates with the ink tank, and
wherein the ink tank is separable from the printing apparatus when the apparatus is being transported.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an opening/closing valve configured to open/close the ink passage,
wherein said opening/closing valve is set to a closed state when the apparatus is being transported.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Danzuka Toshimitsu
• Uetsuki Masaya
• Kato Masataka
• Ibe Tsuyoshi
• Tomida Asako
• Komatsu Hiroaki

Classifications

• B41J2002/17569

  based on the amount printed or to be printed · CPC title

• B41J2/16508

  connected with the printer frame · CPC title

• B41J29/38

  Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism · CPC title

• B41J2/175

  Ink supply systems {; Circuit parts therefor} · CPC title

• B41J2/16532 Primary

  by applying vacuum only · CPC title