# US 11,305,528 B2 · Printing device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,305,528 B2 - Document ID: US11305528B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/090,898 - Filed: 2020-11-06 - Published: 2021-06-24 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2019-12-20 - Assignees: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Shingo Ito - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305528B2 ## CPC - B41J 2/0451: {for detecting failure, e.g. clogging, malfunctioning actuator} - B41J 19/207: {Encoding along a bar} - B41J 2/04586: {controlling heads of a type not covered by groups B41J2/04575 - B41J2/04585, or of an undefined type} - B41J 3/407: for marking on special material - B41J 19/202: {Drive control means for carriage movement} - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract Provided is a printing device that includes a Y-axis encoder outputting a pulse signal corresponding to a position of a head part in a predetermined direction, a Y-axis counter counting a count value based on the pulse signal from the Y-axis encoder, a control part that performs a first and a second controls, and a determination part determining that the Y-axis encoder is normal when a count value equal to or greater than a predetermined number is counted and determines that the Y-axis encoder is abnormal when a count value less than the predetermined number is counted in the first control. The control part shifts from the first control to the second control when the Y-axis encoder is determined to be normal, and the control part does not shift from the first control to the second control when the Y-axis encoder is determined to be abnormal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A printing device for performing printing on a recording medium, comprising: a head part that ejects ink toward the recording medium; a driving source that causes the head part to move in a predetermined direction with respect to the recording medium; an encoder that outputs a pulse signal corresponding to a position of the head part in the predetermined direction; a counter that counts a count value based on the pulse signal from the encoder; a control part that performs a first control which drives the driving source by applying a voltage to the driving source for a first time, and performs a second control which controls the driving source by applying a voltage to the driving source for a second time longer than the first time based on the count value from the counter; and a determination part which in the first control determines that the encoder is normal when the counter counts to a count value equal to or greater than a predetermined number, and determines that the encoder is abnormal when the counter counts to a count value less than the predetermined number, wherein the control part shifts from the first control to the second control when the determination part determines that the encoder is normal, and the control part does not shift from the first control to the second control when the determination part determines that the encoder is abnormal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The printing device according to claim 1, wherein the encoder outputs a first pulse signal and a second pulse signal which have a predetermined phase difference; and wherein the counter counts the count value based on a rise and a fall of the first pulse signal and a rise and a fall of the second pulse signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The printing device according to claim 2, wherein in the first control, the determination part determines that the encoder is normal when a count value equal to or greater than 4 is counted, and determines that the encoder is abnormal when a count value less than 4 is counted. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The printing device according to claim 2, wherein in the first control, the control part drives the driving source by applying a constant voltage to the driving source for the first time regardless of the count value from the counter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The printing device according to claim 4, wherein in the first control, the control part drives the driving source so as to cause the head part to move by 1 mm or less by applying the constant voltage to the driving source for the first time. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The printing device according to claim 2, wherein in the first control, the determination part detects whether or not there is an abnormality in the encoder over the first time in which the control part applies the voltage to the driving source, and a third time in which the control part does not apply the voltage to the driving source after an elapse of the first time. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The printing device according to claim 2, wherein in the first control, while the control part controls the driving source so as to cause the head part to move in a first direction, the determination part does not determine that the encoder is abnormal when the counter counts to a count value less than the predetermined number; and while the control part continues to controls the driving source so as to cause the head part to move in a second direction opposite to the first direction based on a determination result of the determination part, the determination part determines that the encoder is abnormal when the counter counts to a count value less than the predetermined number. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The printing device according to claim 1, wherein in the first control, the control part drives the driving source by applying a constant voltage to the driving source for the first time regardless of the count value from the counter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The printing device according to claim 8, wherein in the first control, the control part drives the driving source so as to cause the head part to move by 1 mm or less by applying the constant voltage to the driving source for the first time. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The printing device according to claim 1, wherein in the first control, the determination part detects whether or not there is an abnormality in the encoder over the first time in which the control part applies the voltage to the driving source, and a third time in which the control part does not apply the voltage to the driving source after an elapse of the first time. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The printing device according to claim 1, wherein in the first control, while the control part controls the driving source so as to cause the head part to move in a first direction, the determination part does not determine that the encoder is abnormal when the counter counts to a count value less than the predetermined number; and while the control part continues to controls the driving source so as to cause the head part to move in a second direction opposite to the first direction based on a determination result of the determination part, the determination part determines that the encoder is abnormal when the counter counts to a count value less than the predetermined number.