Printer and printing method

A printer comprising:

• a platen;
• a head having a plurality of nozzles and configured to eject light-curable ink from the plurality of nozzles;
• a lamp configured to emit light;
• a carriage configured to support the head and the lamp, and to move the head and the lamp in a main scanning direction;
• a first recovering mechanism provided in a part of the platen to face a first predetermined position within a predetermined area where the head is movable with movement of the carriage, including a first pump, and configured to recover the light-curable ink ejected from the head;
• a second recovering mechanism facing a second predetermined position within the predetermined area, including a second pump, and configured to recover the light-curable ink ejected from the head;
• and
• a controller configured to control the head, the lamp, the carriage, the first recovering mechanism, and the second recovering mechanism,
• wherein the controller is configured to:
• acquire print data for printing a print image on a printing object and, the print image including a plurality of line images;
• acquire printing object information related to the printing object;
• cause the head to eject the light-curable ink while moving the carriage in the main scanning direction to print each of the plurality of line images on the printing object;
• determine whether a target nozzle is included in the plurality of nozzles when printing a predetermined line image included in the plurality of line images, the target nozzle being a nozzle in a state of not ejecting the light-curable ink over a predetermined time during a printing of the predetermined line image;
• in a case where the target nozzle is included in the plurality of nozzles, cause the head to be disposed at the first predetermined position at a first timing during the printing of the predetermined line image and cause the head to eject the light-curable ink toward the first recovering mechanism with the head facing and being separated from the first recovering mechanism while driving the first pump of the first recovering mechanism to suck the light-curable ink ejected from the head, or cause the head to be disposed at the second predetermined position at a second timing after the printing of the predetermined line image and before printing of a next line image to be printed next to the predetermined line image and cause the head to eject the light-curable ink toward the second recovering mechanism with the head facing and being separated from the second recovering mechanism while driving the second pump of the second recovering mechanism to suck the light-curable ink ejected from the head;
• after recovering the light-curable ink ejected from the head by driving the first pump of the first recovering mechanism or the second pump of the second recovering mechanism, determine whether the next line image is included in the plurality of line images;
• and
• in a case where the next line image is included in the plurality of line images, cause the head to eject the light-curable ink while moving the carriage in the main scanning direction to print the next line image on the printing object,
• wherein the controller is configured to switch between causing the head to eject the light-curable ink toward the first recovering mechanism and causing the head to eject the light-curable ink toward the second recovering mechanism, according to the printing object information acquired.

A printing method carried out by a printer,

• the printer comprising:
• a platen;
• a head having a plurality of nozzles and configured to eject light-curable ink from the plurality of nozzles;
• a lamp configured to emit light;
• a carriage configured to support the head and the lamp, and to move the head and the lamp in a main scanning direction;
• and
• an ink recovering mechanism facing a predetermined position within a predetermined area where the head is movable with movement of the carriage, including a pump, and configured to recover the light-curable ink ejected from the head,
• the printing method comprising:
• acquiring print data for printing a print image on a printing object, the print image including a plurality of line images;
• causing the head to eject the light-curable ink while moving the carriage in the main scanning direction to print each of the plurality of line images on the printing object;
• determining whether a target nozzle is included in the plurality of nozzles when printing a predetermined line image included in the plurality of line images, the target nozzle being a nozzle in a state of not ejecting the light-curable ink over a predetermined time during a printing of the predetermined line image;
• in a case where the target nozzle is included in the plurality of nozzles, causing the carriage to move the head and dispose the head at the predetermined position, and
• causing the head to eject the light-curable ink toward the ink recovering mechanism with the head facing and being separated from the ink recovering mechanism while driving the pump of
• the ink recovering mechanism to suck the light-curable ink ejected from the head;
• after recovering the light-curable ink ejected from the head by driving the pump of the ink recovering mechanism, determine whether a next line image to be printed on the printing object is included in the plurality of line images;
• and
• in a case where the next line image is included in the plurality of line images, cause the head to eject the light-curable ink while moving the carriage in the main scanning direction to print the next line image on the printing object.

A printing method carried out by a printer,

• the printer comprising:
• a platen;
• a head having a plurality of nozzles and configured to eject light-curable ink from the plurality of nozzles;
• a lamp configured to emit light;
• a carriage configured to support the head and the lamp, and to move the head and the lamp in a main scanning direction;
• a first recovering mechanism provided in a part of the platen, facing a first predetermined position within a predetermined area where the head is movable with movement of the carriage, including a first pump, and configured to recover the light-curable ink ejected from the head;
• a second recovering mechanism facing a second predetermined position within the predetermined area, including a second pump, and configured to recover the light-curable ink ejected from the head;
• and
• a controller configured to control the head, the lamp, the carriage, the first recovering mechanism, and the second recovering mechanism,
• the printing method comprising:
• acquiring print data for printing a print image on a printing object and, the print image including a plurality of line images;
• acquiring printing object information related to the printing object;
• causing the head to eject the light-curable ink while moving the carriage in the main scanning direction to print each of the plurality of line images on the printing object;
• determine whether a target nozzle is included in the plurality of nozzles when printing a predetermined line image included in the plurality of line images, the target nozzle being a nozzle in a state of not ejecting the light-curable ink over a predetermined time during a printing of the predetermined line image;
• in a case where the target nozzle is included in the plurality of nozzles, causing the head to be disposed at the first predetermined position at a first timing during the printing of the predetermined line image and causing the head to eject the light-curable ink toward the first recovering mechanism with the head facing and being separated from the first recovering mechanism while driving the first pump of the first recovering mechanism to suck the light-curable ink ejected from the head, or causing the head to be disposed at the second predetermined position at a second timing after the printing of the predetermined line image and before printing of a next line image to be printed next to the predetermined line image and cause the head to eject the light-curable ink toward the second recovering mechanism with the head facing and being separated from the second recovering mechanism while driving the second pump of the second recovering mechanism to suck the light-curable ink ejected from the head;
• after recovering the light-curable ink ejected from the head by driving the first pump of the first recovering mechanism or the second pump of the second recovering mechanism, determining whether the next line image is included in the plurality of line images;
• and
• in a case where the next line image is included in the plurality of line images, causing the head to eject the light-curable ink while moving the carriage in the main scanning direction to print the next line image on the printing object,
• wherein whether causing the head to eject the light-curable ink toward the first recovering mechanism or causing the head to eject the light-curable ink toward the second recovering mechanism is switched according to the printing object information acquired.