Image Recording Apparatus and Image Recording Method

An image recording method using an image recording device, wherein the device comprises a conveying mechanism, a scanning carriage comprising a recording head and a detector, a storing unit for storing an edge, and a controller for controlling movement of the scanning carriage, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

• (a) conveying a recording medium in a conveying direction
• (b) moving the scanning carriage in a scanning direction orthogonal to the conveying direction;
• (c) controlling the moving speed of the scanning carriage;
• (d) detecting a first edge of the recording medium in the scanning direction and a second edge of the recording medium in the scanning direction in a leading edge detection region and in an in intermediate detection region located between the leading edge detection region and the trailing edge of the recording medium;
• (e) storing a first position of the first edge of the recording medium in the scanning direction and a second position of the second edge of the recording medium in the scanning direction;
• and
• (f) recording an image on the recording medium, wherein, the step (d) is performed in the intermediate detection region, such that the first edge of the recording medium in the scanning direction and the second edge of the recording medium in the scanning direction are detected in sheet edge region adjacent to the first edge and the second edge, respectively, according to the first position of the first edge in the scanning direction and the second position of the second edge in the scanning direction in the leading edge detection region.

An image recording apparatus comprising:

• a conveying means for conveying a recording medium in a conveying direction;
• a scanning carriage comprising a recording head and a detector, the recording head recording an image on the recording medium, the detector comprising a signal source for transmitting a detection signal to a surface of the recording medium and a signal receiving device for receiving a reflected signal from the recording medium to detect a first edge and a second edge of the recording medium in a leading edge detection region and in an intermediate detection region located between the leading edge detection region and the trailing edge of the recording medium;
• and a scanning carriage moves in a scanning direction orthogonal to the conveying direction;
• a storing means for storing a first edge of the recording medium in the scanning direction and a second edge of the recording medium in the scanning direction, which are detected by the detector;
• and
• a controlling means for controlling movement of the scanning carriage, the controlling means controlling a moving speed of the scanning carriage, such that the detector detects across the recording medium in the scanning direction including the first edge in the scanning direction and the second edge in the scanning direction in the leading edge detection region and in the intermediate detection region, the detector detects the first edge in the scanning direction and the second edge in the scanning direction in sheet edge region adjacent to the first edge and the second edge, respectively, according to the first edge in the scanning direction and the second edge in the scanning direction in the leading edge detection region.