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EP-4737125-A1 - PRINTING APPARATUS, PRINTING SYSTEM, AND CONTROL METHOD

EP4737125A1EP 4737125 A1EP4737125 A1EP 4737125A1EP-4737125-A1

Abstract

A printing apparatus (100) includes: an attachment unit for attaching a liquid pack (300) storing a liquid; a liquid tank (303) configured to store a liquid supplied from the liquid pack (300) attached in the attachment unit; a print head (102) configured to eject the liquid onto a print medium (111), using the liquid supplied from the liquid tank (303); a first obtaining unit (22) configured to obtain a remaining amount of liquid in the liquid tank (303); a second obtaining unit (22) configured to obtain a remaining amount of liquid in the liquid pack (300); a notification unit (101a) configured to notify information about replacement of the liquid pack (300); and a control unit (112) configured to perform control based on a received print job. Upon receipt of a print job, the control unit (112) derives a period during which replacement of the liquid pack (300) is recommended (S403), and causes the notification unit (101a) to notify the period (S404).

Inventors

  • Inagaki, Masafumi

Assignees

  • Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20251028

Claims (20)

  1. A printing apparatus (100) comprising: an attachment unit for attaching a liquid pack (300) storing a liquid; a liquid tank (303) configured to store a liquid supplied from the liquid pack (300) attached in the attachment unit; a print head (102) configured to eject the liquid onto a print medium (111), using the liquid supplied from the liquid tank (303); a first obtaining unit (22) configured to obtain a remaining amount of liquid in the liquid tank (303); a second obtaining unit (22) configured to obtain a remaining amount of liquid in the liquid pack (300); a notification unit (101a) configured to notify information about replacement of the liquid pack (300); and a control unit (112) configured to perform control based on a received print job, characterized in that upon receipt of a print job, the control unit (112) derives a period during which replacement of the liquid pack (300) is recommended (S403), and causes the notification unit (101a) to notify the period (S404).
  2. The printing apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein upon receipt of a print job, the control unit (112) obtains a use amount of liquid used by the print head (102) for the print job (S401), and derives the period based on the remaining amount of liquid in the liquid tank (303), the remaining amount of liquid in the liquid pack (300), and the use amount.
  3. The printing apparatus (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit (112) obtains an amount of liquid supplied per unit time from the liquid pack (300) to the liquid tank (303) during execution of printing for the print job, obtains a time point at which the liquid pack (300) becomes empty based on the supplied amount and the remaining amount of liquid in the liquid pack (300), and causes the notification unit (101a) to notify the time point as a start point of the period during which replacement of the liquid pack (300) is recommended.
  4. The printing apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein in a case where the liquid pack (300) becomes empty during execution of printing for the print job, the control unit (112) causes the notification unit (101a) to notify the period during which replacement of the liquid pack (300) is recommended (S601), and in a case where the liquid pack (300) does not become empty during execution of printing for the print job, the control unit (112) does not notify the period during which replacement of the liquid pack (300) is recommended (S407).
  5. The printing apparatus (100) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein a plurality of the attachment units and the liquid tanks (303) are provided for each type of liquid, and in a case where at least one of the plurality of liquid packs (300) attached in the plurality of attachment units becomes empty during execution of the print job, the control unit (112) causes the notification unit (101a) to notify the period during which replacement of the liquid pack (300) is recommended (S601), and in a case where all of the plurality of liquid packs (300) do not become empty during execution of the print job, the control unit (112) does not notify the period during which replacement of the liquid pack (300) is recommended (S407).
  6. The printing apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the control unit (112) obtains a time point at which both the liquid pack (300) and the liquid tank (303) become empty, based on the supplied amount and the remaining amount of liquid in the liquid tank (303), and causes the notification unit (101a) to notify the time point as an end point of the period during which replacement of the liquid pack (300) is recommended.
  7. The printing apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein in a case where the liquid pack (300) does not become empty during execution of the print job, the control unit (112) causes the notification unit (101a) to display a question (1001) asking whether it is possible to execute the print job and a print start button (1004) for executing the print job, before the start of the print job.
  8. The printing apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the control unit (112) causes the notification unit (101a) to display a time required to execute the print job, along with the period during which replacement of the liquid pack (300) is recommended.
  9. The printing apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the control unit (112) causes the notification unit (101a) to display a countdown of a time remaining until the liquid pack (300) becomes empty from a current time point, as the remaining amount in the liquid pack (300) decreases.
  10. The printing apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the control unit (112) causes the notification unit (101a) to display the remaining amount in the liquid tank (303) and the remaining amount in the liquid pack (300).
  11. The printing apparatus (100) according to claim 10, wherein in a case where the liquid pack (300) becomes empty during execution of the print job, the control unit (112) causes the notification unit (101a) to display a countdown of a time remaining until the liquid tank (303) becomes empty from a current time point, as the remaining amount in the liquid tank (303) decreases.
  12. The printing apparatus (100) according to claim 11, wherein the control unit (112) causes the notification unit (101a) to display the remaining amount in the liquid tank (303) and the remaining amount in the liquid pack (300) at the current time point.
  13. The printing apparatus (100) according to claim 12, wherein in a case where the liquid tank (303) becomes empty during execution of the print job, the control unit (112) stops the execution of the print job and causes the notification unit (101a) to display a message (1201) notifying that the execution of the print job is stopped.
  14. The printing apparatus (100) according to claim 13, wherein the control unit (112) further causes the notification unit (101a) to display a print resume button (1204) for resuming the execution of the print job, and to display the print resume button (1204) in a state where the print resume button (1204) cannot be pressed in a case where the liquid pack (300) is not replaced.
  15. The printing apparatus (100) according to claim 14, wherein the control unit (112) causes the notification unit (101a) to display the print resume button (1204) in a state where the print resume button (1204) can be pressed in a case where the liquid pack (300) is replaced.
  16. The printing apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the control unit (112) causes the notification unit (101a) to display the period in a bar chart format together with a schedule for executing the print job.
  17. The printing apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein in a case where there are a plurality of print jobs, the control unit (112) causes the notification unit (101a) to display the use amount of liquid required to execute each of the plurality of print jobs.
  18. The printing apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein in a case where the liquid pack (300) becomes empty during execution of the print job, the control unit (112) causes the notification unit (101a) to display a first mark (505) indicating that the liquid pack (300) becomes empty next to a print job name of the print job.
  19. The printing apparatus (100) according to claim 18, wherein in a case where the liquid tank (303) becomes empty during execution of the print job, the control unit (112) causes the notification unit (101a) to display a second mark (506) indicating that the print job cannot be completed next to a print job name of the print job.
  20. The printing apparatus (100) according to claim 19, wherein in a case where the liquid tank (303) does not become empty during execution of the print job, the control unit (112) causes the notification unit (101a) to display a third mark indicating that the print job can be completed next to a print job name of the print job.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a printing apparatus, a printing system, and a control method. BACKGROUND Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2023-081653 discloses a printing apparatus that, before executing a print job, obtains the remaining amount of ink stored in an ink tank and the use amount of ink required to execute the print job, and determines whether the print job can be completed. In the printer of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2023-081653, a warning mark is displayed next to an unprintable print image (print job) before starting printing. The printer of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2023-081653 notifies a user of the unprintable print job before starting printing. Some printing apparatuses have a detachable liquid pack that contains a liquid to be supplied to a liquid tank, separately from the liquid tank connected to a print head. With this type of printing apparatus, even if the liquid pack becomes empty, printing can be carried on as long as there is the liquid remaining in the liquid tank. However, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2023-081653 does not disclose a method for obtaining the remaining amount of ink in both the liquid pack and the liquid tank. SUMMARY The present disclosure in its first aspect provides a printing apparatus as specified in claims 1. Optional features are specified in claim 2 to 20. The present disclosure in its second aspect provides a printing system as specified in claims 21. Optional features are specified in claim 22. The present disclosure in its second aspect provides a control method as specified in claims 23. Optional features are specified in claim 24. According to the printing apparatus of the present disclosure, it 1s possible to notify the time point suitable for replacing a liquid pack. Features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. The following description of embodiments is described by way of example. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a printing apparatus applicable to an embodiment.Fig. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating a control configuration of the printing apparatus applicable to the embodiment.Fig. 3 is a diagram explaining a configuration of an ink tank and an ink pack.Fig. 4 is a flowchart of print processing applicable to the embodiment.Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a first confirmation screen applicable to the embodiment.Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a subroutine of S406 applicable to the embodiment.Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a first notification screen applicable to the embodiment.Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a second notification screen applicable to the embodiment.Fig. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a third notification screen applicable to the embodiment.Fig. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a second confirmation screen applicable to the embodiment.Fig. 11 is a diagram illustrating a subroutine of S406 applicable to an embodiment.Fig. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of a print interruption screen applicable to the embodiment.Fig. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a fourth notification screen applicable to an embodiment.Fig. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of a printing system applicable to an embodiment.Fig. 15A is a diagram illustrating an example of a device applicable to the embodiment.Fig. 15B is a diagram illustrating another example of the device applicable to the embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS [First Embodiment] Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a printing apparatus 100 applicable to the present embodiment. The printing apparatus 100 illustrated in Fig. 1 forms an image on a print medium 111 that is capable of continuous printing. In the present embodiment, continuous paper (specifically, roll paper) is used as the print medium 111. The printing apparatus 100 includes a feeding unit 103 configured to feed the print medium 111, a printing unit 108 configured to perform printing by ejecting a liquid (for example, ink) onto the print medium 111, and a winding unit 104 configured to wind the print medium 111. Hereinafter, the liquid is assumed to be ink. The printing apparatus 100 includes a liquid tank for storing ink. In the present embodiment, an ink tank 303 is used as the liquid tank. A disposable liquid pack that contains ink is connected to the ink tank 303. In the present embodiment, an ink pack 300 is used as the liquid pack. The printing unit 108 includes a dryer 105 for heating and drying the print medium 111, a cooler 107 for cooling the print medium 111, and a connection scanner 106 for reading the print medium 111. The printing apparatus 100 includes an operation panel 101 configured to notify a user of various information and to receive instructions inputted by the user, and a control PC 112 configured to perform overall control o