JP4501447B2 - Head cap, head cartridge, and liquid ejection device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a head cap that protects a nozzle surface of a liquid discharge head that discharges liquid from a liquid discharge nozzle, a head cartridge including the head cap, and a liquid discharge apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a cleaning roller provided in the head cap, The present invention relates to a head cap, a head cartridge, and a liquid ejection device that stabilize the liquid ejection performance of the liquid ejection head by wiping the nozzle surface of the liquid ejection head with a cleaning blade.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an apparatus such as an ink jet printer has been widely used as a liquid discharge apparatus that discharges a liquid supplied from a liquid container into a liquid discharge head from a liquid discharge nozzle of the liquid discharge head. The print head of this ink jet printer performs printing by driving the energy generating means to eject the ink droplets from the ink ejection nozzle onto the recording paper. In such an ink jet printer, when the print head does not continuously print for a long time and ink is not discharged from the ink discharge nozzles of the print head, the vicinity of the ink discharge nozzles on the nozzle surface by the previous print operation Ink adhering to the ink may evaporate and dry to thicken and solidify, making normal ink ejection difficult.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 15, when the ink i adheres to the peripheral portion of the ink discharge nozzle 13 provided on the nozzle member 12 and a non-uniform ink pool occurs, the surface state of the nozzle surface 12a becomes non-uniform. In some cases, the ink ejection direction changes, or the flying speed and particle size of ink droplets vary, resulting in a reduction in image resolution. Specifically, when the nozzle surface 12a is not wet with ink, ink droplets are ejected straight, but when a portion of the nozzle surface 12a is wet with ink i before ink ejection, α is shown in FIG. As shown, ink droplets are ejected in a bent direction.

For this reason, conventionally, a slightly hard rubber blade is pressed against the nozzle surface of the print head and slid to remove (wipe) the ink that has adhered to the nozzle surface and thickened and solidified. The print head was being cleaned. For example, a technique (for example, see Patent Document 1) is disclosed in which a plurality of blades are attached to a rotating shaft and rotated to further increase the wiping effect.
JP 57-34969 A

  However, in the conventional technique described in Patent Document 1, the ink attached to the nozzle surface is removed by pressing a slightly hard rubber blade or the like against the nozzle surface of the print head and sliding the nozzle surface. Since wiping is performed, a large force is applied to the nozzle surface by the blade, and the nozzle surface may be damaged. In addition, the blade has to rely only on the wiping effect, but ink may remain in the ink discharge nozzles only by wiping. Even when a plurality of blades are used, the nozzle surface may be damaged in the same manner as described above, and ink remains in the vicinity of the ink discharge nozzle, which causes a problem of ink discharge failure.

  In relation to this, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-240309 has a cleaning roller in a head cap that protects the nozzle surface of the print head, and this cleaning roller removes ink and dust adhering to the nozzle surface of the print head. A technique for cleaning is disclosed. However, in the above technique, since only the cleaning roller is provided in the head cap, the ink whose viscosity has increased in the state just before clogging is not sufficiently absorbed in the vicinity of the ink discharge nozzle. In some cases, solidified ink residue and dust such as paper dust may not be removed, and the ink ejection performance of the print head may become unstable.

  Accordingly, the present invention addresses such problems and wipes the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head with a cleaning roller and a cleaning blade provided in the head cap, thereby providing liquid discharge performance of the liquid discharge head. It is an object of the present invention to provide a head cap, a head cartridge, and a liquid ejection device that stabilize the above.

In order to achieve the above object, a head cap according to the present invention protects a nozzle surface of a liquid ejection head having a nozzle surface provided with a liquid ejection nozzle for ejecting a predetermined liquid and protects the liquid ejection head from the liquid. A head cap mounted relatively movably, extending along the longitudinal direction of the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head, and a cleaning roller that contacts the nozzle surface and cleans the nozzle surface; A cleaning blade is provided on the inside, moves relative to the liquid discharge head, contacts the lower surface of the liquid discharge head as it opens, and is tilted to the opposite side of the cleaning roller or the cleaning blade side. And at least one of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade can be brought into contact with the nozzle surface and closed to When returning to the position to protect the slip surface, it contacts the lower surface of the liquid discharge head, and is tilted to the cleaning roller or the cleaning blade side so that at least one of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade is not in contact with the nozzle surface. The switch member is provided on at least one side of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade .
With such a configuration, the switch member provided on the side of at least one of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade provided on the inside moves relative to the liquid discharge head and opens to move the switch member . The nozzle is brought into contact with the lower surface and tilted to the opposite side of the cleaning roller or the cleaning blade, and at least one of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade is brought into contact with the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head to clean the nozzle surface and then closed to close the nozzle surface. When returning to the position to protect, the switch member is brought into contact with the lower surface of the liquid discharge head and tilted to the cleaning roller or the cleaning blade, so that at least one of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade is not in contact with the nozzle surface. To do .

A head cartridge according to the present invention includes a liquid discharge head having a nozzle surface provided with a liquid discharge nozzle for discharging a liquid supplied from a liquid container that stores a predetermined liquid, and a nozzle of the liquid discharge head A head cap that protects the surface and is mounted so as to be movable relative to the liquid discharge head in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the nozzle surface. A cleaning roller and a cleaning blade are provided extending along the longitudinal direction of the nozzle surface of the discharge head , and cleaning the nozzle surface in contact with the nozzle surface, wherein the head cap is relative to the liquid discharge head. And the lower surface of the liquid discharge head is brought into contact with the opening operation, and the cleaning roller or The liquid is ejected when the head cap closes and returns to a position that protects the nozzle surface while the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade are brought into contact with the nozzle surface by being tilted to the opposite side of the cleaning blade. A switch member that contacts the lower surface of the head and is tilted toward the cleaning roller or the cleaning blade to bring at least one of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade into contact with the nozzle surface is at least one of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade. It is provided on either side .
With such a configuration, when the head cap moves relative to the liquid discharge head and opens, at least one of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade provided in the head cap is lateral. The switch member provided on the surface of the liquid discharge head is brought into contact with the lower surface of the liquid discharge head and tilted to the opposite side of the cleaning roller or the cleaning blade, and at least one of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade is brought into contact with the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head. The nozzle surface is cleaned, and when the head cap closes and returns to the position where the nozzle surface is protected, the switch member is brought into contact with the lower surface of the liquid discharge head and falls to the cleaning roller or the cleaning blade, and the cleaning is performed. Roller and Cleanin At least one blade is in a non-contact state with the nozzle surface.

A liquid discharge apparatus according to the present invention includes a liquid discharge head having a nozzle surface provided with a liquid discharge nozzle for discharging a predetermined liquid, and discharges liquid from the liquid discharge nozzle onto a discharge target. In the ejection device, a head cap that protects the nozzle surface of the liquid ejection head and is mounted so as to be movable relative to the liquid ejection head in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the nozzle surface; and in the head cap, provided by impregnating a cylindrical shape formed by the surfactant solution of a material that absorbs and liquid has elasticity extends along the longitudinal direction of the nozzle face of the liquid ejection head, in contact with the nozzle surface It said Bruno with a cleaning roller for cleaning the nozzle face, in the head cap, extending along a longitudinal direction of the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head It provided formed in a plate shape with a material which is deformed is pressed against the Le surface, and a cleaning blade for cleaning the nozzle surface in contact with the nozzle surface, relative to the head cap against the above liquid discharging heads a moving means is moved you opened and closed manner, and a drive control means for controlling the driving of the moving means, by driving the moving means in control of the drive control means, in accordance with the operation of the head cap is opened It contacts the lower surface of the liquid discharge head and is tilted to the opposite side of the cleaning roller or the cleaning blade so that at least one of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade can contact the nozzle surface, and the head cap is closed. Te contacts the lower surface of the liquid discharge head to return to a position to protect the nozzle face, the cleaning b La or brought down to the cleaning blade side at least one of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade is intended to switch members in the non-contact state with the nozzle surface provided on at least one side of the cleaning roller and a cleaning blade.

  With such a configuration, the moving means is driven by the control of the drive control means, and the nozzle surface is wiped by the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade in conjunction with the opening operation of the head cap, and the head cap is closed to remove the nozzle surface. When returning to the protection position, at least one of the cleaning roller and / or the cleaning blade does not contact the nozzle surface.

According to the head cap of the first aspect, the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head is effectively cleaned by the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade provided in the head cap that moves relative to the liquid discharge head. Can do. Accordingly, the cleaning performance for the nozzle surface is improved and the liquid and dust adhering to the nozzle surface are removed, so that the liquid ejection performance of the liquid ejection head can be stabilized. In addition, a switch member is provided on at least one side of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade, and at least one of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade is brought into contact with the nozzle surface in conjunction with the opening operation of the head cap so that the head cap is closed. When returning to the position where the nozzle surface is protected, at least one of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade is not brought into contact with the nozzle surface, so that the life of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade can be extended and the replacement time can be delayed.

  Here, according to the invention according to claim 2, when the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head is wiped by impregnating at least one of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade, or both, with the surfactant, The attraction of the liquid adhering to the nozzle surface and the liquid in the liquid discharge nozzle can be improved. In addition, since the surfactant film is formed on the nozzle surface, the wettability of the nozzle surface becomes uniform, and the liquid discharge performance of the liquid discharge head can be stabilized.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the cleaning roller has a portion that contacts the nozzle surface and is made of a material that has elasticity and absorbs liquid. While applying the surfactant to the nozzle surface, the effect of sucking the liquid adhering to the nozzle surface and the liquid in the liquid discharge nozzle is improved. Further, since the cleaning blade is made of a material that is deformed by being pressed against the nozzle surface, dust attached to the nozzle surface is easily removed when the nozzle surface is wiped with the cleaning blade. .

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the cleaning blade is formed of a material that absorbs the liquid adhering to the nozzle surface, so that the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head is wiped simultaneously with the nozzle surface. The adhered liquid and the liquid in the liquid discharge nozzle are sucked. When the cleaning blade is impregnated with a surfactant, the cleaning blade applies the surfactant to the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the cleaning roller moves on the nozzle surface while being driven to rotate while in contact with the nozzle surface, so that the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head is damaged. In addition, the cleaning effect in the vicinity of the liquid discharge nozzle can be improved.

  Furthermore, the invention according to claim 6 is provided with a brake mechanism for restricting the rotation of the cleaning roller, and the cleaning roller rotates while rubbing on the nozzle surface in a state where the rotation is restricted by the brake mechanism. By being moved, the liquid and dust attached to the nozzle surface can be cleaned without damaging the nozzle surface.

  Furthermore, according to the seventh aspect of the invention, there is provided a fixing mechanism for prohibiting the rotation of the cleaning roller, and the cleaning roller is fixed on the nozzle surface so as not to rotate by the fixing mechanism. By being moved, the liquid and dust attached to the nozzle surface can be cleaned without damaging the nozzle surface.

  According to an eighth aspect of the invention, the cleaning roller is formed such that the length of the circumference of the cross section is equal to the moving distance of the driven rotation while the cleaning roller is in contact with the nozzle surface. As a result, on the outer peripheral surface of the cleaning roller driven to rotate on the nozzle surface, the contact portion that has cleaned the liquid discharge nozzle at a predetermined position does not clean the liquid discharge nozzle at another position again. Surface cleaning can be performed stably.

Furthermore, according to the invention according to claim 9, mounting frame for retaining the cleaning rows la, by the cleaning rows la with a biasing means for biasing to the nozzle surface, by the biasing means can clean row La is kept in contact is biased to the nozzle surface.

In the invention according to claim 10, the cleaning roller and cleaning blade, since each is detachably held in the mounting frame, to be replaced with a new cleaning roller and a cleaning blade dirt it can.

According to the head cartridge of the eleventh aspect, the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head is effectively cleaned by the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade provided in the head cap that moves relative to the liquid discharge head. can do. Accordingly, the cleaning performance for the nozzle surface is improved and the liquid and dust adhering to the nozzle surface are removed, so that the liquid ejection performance of the liquid ejection head can be stabilized. In addition, a switch member is provided on at least one side of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade, and at least one of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade is brought into contact with the nozzle surface in conjunction with the opening operation of the head cap so that the head cap is closed. When returning to the position where the nozzle surface is protected, at least one of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade is not brought into contact with the nozzle surface, so that the life of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade can be extended and the replacement time can be delayed.

  According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, when the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head is wiped by impregnating at least one of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade, or both, with the surfactant, The attraction of the liquid adhering to the nozzle surface and the liquid in the liquid discharge nozzle can be improved. In addition, since the surfactant film is formed on the nozzle surface, the wettability of the nozzle surface becomes uniform, and the liquid discharge performance of the liquid discharge head can be stabilized.

  According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, the cleaning roller has a portion that contacts the nozzle surface and is made of a material that has elasticity and absorbs liquid. While applying the surfactant to the nozzle surface, the effect of sucking the liquid adhering to the nozzle surface and the liquid in the liquid discharge nozzle is improved. Further, since the cleaning blade is made of a material that is deformed by being pressed against the nozzle surface, the cleaning blade can easily remove dust attached to the nozzle surface.

  Furthermore, according to the invention of claim 14, the cleaning blade is formed of a material that absorbs the liquid adhering to the nozzle surface, so that the liquid adhering to the nozzle surface or the liquid in the liquid discharge nozzle can be removed. The suction effect is improved. When the cleaning blade is impregnated with a surfactant, the cleaning blade applies the surfactant to the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head.

  According to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention, the cleaning roller moves on the nozzle surface while being driven to rotate while in contact with the nozzle surface, so that the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head is damaged. In addition, the cleaning effect in the vicinity of the liquid discharge nozzle can be improved.

  According to the sixteenth aspect of the present invention, the brake mechanism for limiting the rotation of the cleaning roller is provided, and the cleaning roller rotates while rubbing on the nozzle surface in a state where the rotation is limited by the brake mechanism. By being moved, the liquid and dust attached to the nozzle surface can be cleaned without damaging the nozzle surface.

  Furthermore, according to the invention of claim 17, there is provided a fixing mechanism for prohibiting the rotation of the cleaning roller, and the cleaning roller is fixed on the nozzle surface so as not to rotate by the fixing mechanism. By being moved, the liquid and dust attached to the nozzle surface can be cleaned without damaging the nozzle surface.

  According to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, the cleaning roller is formed such that the length of the circumference of the cross section is equal to the moving distance of the driven rotation while the cleaning roller is in contact with the nozzle surface. As a result, on the outer peripheral surface of the cleaning roller driven to rotate on the nozzle surface, the contact portion that has cleaned the liquid discharge nozzle at a predetermined position does not clean the liquid discharge nozzle at another position again. Surface cleaning can be performed stably.

Furthermore, according to the invention according to claim 19, mounting frame for retaining the cleaning rows la, by the cleaning rows la with a biasing means for biasing to the nozzle surface, by the biasing means can clean row La is kept in contact is biased to the nozzle surface.

In the invention according to claim 20, the cleaning roller and cleaning blade, since each is detachably held in the mounting frame, to be replaced with a new cleaning roller and a cleaning blade dirt it can.

According to the liquid ejection device of the twenty-first aspect, the switch member is provided on at least one side of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade, and at least one of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade is interlocked with the opening operation of the head cap. When the head cap closes and the head cap closes and returns to the position where the nozzle surface is protected, at least one of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade is not brought into contact with the nozzle surface. The replacement time can be delayed by lengthening.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an ink jet printer as an example of a liquid ejection apparatus according to the present invention. This ink jet printer 1 forms an image by ejecting ink droplets onto a recording paper, and includes a printer main body 2, a head cartridge 3 (see FIG. 2), and a recording paper tray 4.

  A printer main body 2 shown in FIG. 1 includes a transport mechanism for transporting recording paper stored in a recording paper tray 4, and a control device for appropriately printing on recording paper as an ejection target. The portion 20 (see FIG. 3) is housed inside, and the recording paper tray 4 is detachably attached to a tray insertion opening 5 provided in the lower front portion thereof. The tray insertion port 5 also serves as a recording paper discharge port so that the recording paper printed by the printer main body 2 is discharged from the discharge receiving portion 4 a on the upper surface of the recording paper tray 4. It has become. In addition, a display panel (display unit) 6 is provided at the upper front of the printer main body 2 so as to display the state of the entire operation of the ink jet printer 1.

  Further, an upper lid 7 is attached to the upper surface side of the printer main body 2 so as to be openable and closable. When the upper lid 7 is opened, a storage portion 8 for accommodating the head cartridge 3 is formed on the upper surface side of the printer main body portion 2. ing. In the storage portion 8 of the printer main body 2, the head cartridge 3 is stored as indicated by an arrow Z and is held in a detachable state. The head cartridge 3 has a casing that is elongated across the entire width in the width direction of the printer body 2, that is, the width direction of the recording paper. For example, four color inks of yellow Y, magenta M, cyan C, and black K are recorded. An image is formed by discharging onto paper, and includes an ink tank 9, a print head 10, and a head cap 11.

  FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing the configuration of the head cartridge 3 shown in FIG. Inside the head cartridge 3, four ink tanks 9 (9y, 9m, 9c, 9k) are loaded. The ink tank 9 serves as a liquid container for storing ink (predetermined liquid), and each ink tank 9 contains ink of four colors Y, M, C, and K. The ink tank 9 supplies ink stored in the ink tank 9 into the print head 10. The print head 10 is called a full-line liquid discharge head that discharges ink supplied from the ink tank 9 corresponding to the entire width of the recording paper, and nozzles constituting a nozzle surface 12a on the lower surface thereof. A member 12 is provided, and an array of ink discharge nozzles (liquid discharge nozzles) 13 corresponding to the entire width of the recording paper is provided on the nozzle member 12.

  A head cap 11 is detachably mounted on the lower surface side of the print head 10. The head cap 11 moves relative to the print head 10 and protects the nozzle surface 12a of the print head 10 in the mounted state. Specifically, it is formed in a long and narrow box shape having rising pieces on four sides, and the whole is made of a hard resin or the like, and a cleaning roller (cleaning member) 14 and a cleaning blade 15 are provided inside thereof.

  The cleaning roller 14 shown in FIG. 2 serves as a cleaning member that sucks and wipes ink adhering to the nozzle surface 12a while moving the nozzle surface 12a of the print head 10, and also has an interface with the nozzle surface 12a of the print head 10. This is an application means for applying the activator, is formed in a columnar shape, is attached to one side of the head cap 11 in the longitudinal direction of the head cap 11, and is the longitudinal length of the nozzle surface 12 a of the print head 10. It is parallel to the direction. The cleaning roller 14 is made of a sponge, felt, or the like, which is a porous material that has elasticity and absorbs liquid, and is impregnated with a surfactant solution.

  The cleaning roller 14 is formed such that the length of the circumference of the cross section is equal to the moving distance of the driven rotation while the cleaning roller 14 is in contact with the nozzle surface 12a. As a result, on the outer peripheral surface of the cleaning roller 14 driven to rotate on the nozzle surface 12a, the contact portion that has cleaned the ink discharge nozzle 13 at a predetermined position does not clean the ink discharge nozzle 13 at another position again. For this reason, the nozzle surface 12a can be stably cleaned.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a cleaning blade 15 is provided on the left side of the drawing near the cleaning roller 14. The cleaning blade 15 serves as another cleaning member for wiping away ink residue and dust that has increased in viscosity while moving on the nozzle surface 12a of the print head 10, and is deformed by being pressed against the nozzle surface 12a. It is formed in a thin plate shape by a material such as rubber, and is attached in the longitudinal direction of the head cap 11 and is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the nozzle surface 12 a of the print head 10, similar to the cleaning roller 14. As a result, the cleaning blade 15 is deformed by being pressed against the nozzle surface 12a, so that when the cleaning blade 15 wipes the nozzle surface 12a, the ink or dust adhered to the nozzle surface 12a and thickened and solidified, etc. Is easier to remove.

  The cleaning blade 15 may be formed of a material that absorbs ink attached to the nozzle surface 12a, for example, a porous material (sponge) such as polystyrene, polypropylene, urethane, or polyethylene. Further, it may be formed of felt. As a result, the nozzle surface 12a of the print head 10 is wiped by the cleaning blade 15, and at the same time, ink adhering to the nozzle surface 12a and ink in the ink discharge nozzle 13 can be sucked. Further, the cleaning blade 15 may be impregnated with a surfactant, and in this case, the cleaning performance of the nozzle surface 12a by the cleaning blade 15 can be improved. In the above description, it has been described that both the cleaning blade 15 and the cleaning roller 14 are impregnated with a surfactant. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and at least one of the cleaning roller 14 and the cleaning blade 15 is used. It may be impregnated with a surfactant.

  Therefore, the following four combinations of the cleaning blade 15 and the cleaning roller 14 provided in the head cap 11 according to the present invention are conceivable. That is, (1) a combination of a rubber cleaning blade 15 and a sponge cleaning roller 14 impregnated with a surfactant may be combined, or (2) a sponge cleaning blade 15 and an surfactant are impregnated. A combination with the sponge cleaning roller 14 may be used. Or (3) a combination of a sponge cleaning blade 15 impregnated with a surfactant and a sponge cleaning roller 14; and (4) a sponge cleaning blade 15 impregnated with a surfactant. Alternatively, a combination of a cleaning roller 14 made of sponge impregnated with a surfactant may be used.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the head cap 11 configured as described above moves in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the nozzle surface 12a of the print head 10 as indicated by arrows A and B, and in the direction indicated by arrow A. In this state, it is removed from the print head 10 and is attached to the print head 10 again in the state of returning to the arrow B direction to protect the nozzle surface 12a. The cleaning roller 14 cleans the nozzle surface 12a of the print head 10 as the head cap 11 opens.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration and operation of the control unit 20 that controls the ink jet printer configured as described above. The control unit 20 controls driving of a moving unit that moves the head cap 11 that houses the cleaning roller 14 described above, and controls an ink discharge operation from the ink discharge nozzle 13 of the print head 10. The apparatus includes a control unit 21, a mechanical drive unit 22, and a head drive unit 23.

  The control unit 21 serves as a drive control unit that controls the drive of the cap opening / closing motor 26 that opens and closes the head cap 11 and a discharge control unit that controls the discharge operation of the ink from the ink discharge nozzle 13. Has a ROM 24 for storing various information and control programs, and a CPU 25 for sending various control commands based on the control programs read from the ROM 24, and controls a mechanical drive unit 22 and a head drive unit 23 described later. It is supposed to be.

  The control unit 21 is a print signal as an image signal including a signal indicating the color of the pixel corresponding to the ink discharge nozzle 13, a signal indicating the ink discharge amount, or a signal for selecting the ink discharge nozzle 13. Is input to the print signal, for example, the ink discharge amount from each ink discharge nozzle 13 discharged immediately before, the image signal, and the detection means for detecting the color information of the discharge ink. Based on these pieces of information, the detection means determines the preliminary ejection amount from each ink ejection nozzle 13 and the color of the preliminary ejected ink, that is, the preliminary ejection ink ejection nozzle 13. In addition, the control unit 21 includes discharge control means for controlling the ink discharge by driving the electrothermal conversion means 28 to 31 of each color in each ink tank filled with ink. A signal corresponding to the determination of the detection means is transmitted to the head drive unit 23 described later.

  The mechanical drive unit 22 drives a cap opening / closing motor 26 for opening and closing the head cap 11 and a paper supply / discharge motor 27 for supplying and discharging paper as a recording medium. The cap opening / closing motor 26 serves as a moving means that relatively moves the outer peripheral surface of the cleaning roller 14 and the nozzle surface 12a of the print head 10 in contact with each other. Further, the head drive unit 23 drives an element unit that ejects ink from the ink ejection nozzles 13 provided on the nozzle surface 12a of the print head 10, and is, for example, a yellow electrothermal conversion composed of a heating resistor. Drive signals are sent to the means 28, the magenta electrothermal converting means 29, the cyan electrothermal converting means 30, and the black electrothermal converting means 31, respectively.

  The control device unit 20 configured as described above detects the position of the head cap 11 that moves relative to the print head 11 while the control unit 21 captures a print signal indicating an image forming operation from the outside. A detection signal from the photoelectric switch 18 is input, a drive signal is sent to the mechanical drive unit 22 and the head drive unit 23, and control is performed so that ink of each color is preliminarily discharged from the ink discharge nozzle 13 into the head cap 11. It has become.

  Next, a method for maintaining the liquid discharge performance of the liquid discharge apparatus configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. First, it is assumed that the head cartridge 3 is stored as indicated by an arrow Z and is held in a fixed state in the storage portion 8 of the printer main body 2 shown in FIG. At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, it is assumed that the conveying belt 19 that conveys the recording paper 17 in the recording paper tray 4 to the lower surface side of the print head 10 is in a lowered state. Next, when an image is formed on the recording paper 17 by ejecting ink from the print head 10, the head cap 11 is first moved in the direction of arrow A to be removed from the print head 10, and the head cap 11 is removed from the nozzle member 12. Evacuate. That is, in the standby state shown in FIG. 5A, the head cap 11 mounted on the lower surface of the print head 10 is moved in the direction of arrow A as shown in FIG. Move relative to it. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 5C, after the transport belt 19 is lifted with the head cap 11 retracted to the retracted position, the recording paper 17 in the recording tray 4 is moved to the lower surface side of the print head 10. Transport. Then, ink droplets are ejected from the ink ejection nozzles 13 of the print head 10 on the conveyed recording paper 17 to form an image.

  Here, since the cleaning roller 14 and the cleaning blade 15 are provided in the head cap 11 as shown in FIG. 6A, the head cap 11 is attached as shown in FIG. When moving relative to the print head 10, the cleaning roller 14 is driven and rotated while pressing the nozzle surface 12 a with an appropriate pressure over the entire length, so that dust adhered to the nozzle surface 12 a and thickened and solidified ink are collected. And cleaning is performed by absorbing ink on the nozzle surface 12a. At the same time, the surfactant solution impregnated in the cleaning roller 14 is applied to the nozzle surface 12a. Thus, the nozzle surface 12a is cleaned and a surfactant film 41 is formed on the nozzle surface 12a (see FIG. 7).

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6, for example, a rubber cleaning blade 15 is provided in the vicinity of the cleaning roller 14, so that the viscosity increases while moving the nozzle surface 12 a of the print head 10 simultaneously with the above-described operation. Adhered ink residue and dust are wiped off. Further, when the cleaning blade 15 is formed of a porous material such as sponge and impregnated with a surfactant, the cleaning performance of the nozzle surface 12a by the cleaning blade 15 can be improved.

  In addition, it has been confirmed that the surfactant reduces the surface tension of the ink 42 attached to the nozzle surface 12a, and as a result, the familiarity with the ink is improved. Therefore, the ink 42 attached to the nozzle surface 12a is removed from the cleaning roller 14. Further, when it comes into contact with the cleaning blade 15, it becomes easy to absorb and absorb the surfactant impregnated therein, and as a result, the cleaning effect by the cleaning roller 14 is improved. At this time, as shown in FIG. 7, the surfactant film 41 is formed on the nozzle surface 12a, so that the wettability of the nozzle surface 12a becomes uniform. The ink is discharged straight, and the liquid discharge performance of the print head can be stabilized.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 6C, the printing operation is performed with the head cap 11 moved to the retracted position and moored, and when the predetermined printing operation is completed and the head cap closing trigger signal is input, The cap 11 moves along a locus indicated by an arrow B as shown in FIG. When the head cap 11 returns to the original position, the cleaning roller 14 does not wipe the nozzle surface 12a. This is because it is not necessary to clean the nozzle surface 12a in the return path shown in FIG. In addition, if the cleaning roller 14 which is a consumable item absorbs ink, the life of the liquid absorbent material is shortened and the replacement time is shortened. Then, as shown in FIG. 6E, the head cap 11 returns to the original position and is attached to the print head 10 again to protect the nozzle surface 12a.

  FIG. 8 shows that the cleaning roller 14 wipes the nozzle surface 12a in conjunction with the opening operation of the head cap 11, and when the head cap 11 closes and returns to a position where the nozzle surface 12a is protected, the cleaning roller 14 is moved to the nozzle. It is explanatory drawing which shows the mechanism which does not contact the surface 12a. This mechanism includes a plate spring 33 that lifts the shaft portion 14a of the cleaning roller 14 upward and biases the cleaning roller 14 toward the nozzle surface 12a on the mounting base 32 that holds the cleaning roller 14. A switch member 34 is provided which can be rotated at the upper part of the gantry 32 and falls to the shaft portion 14a side of the cleaning roller 14 to push the cleaning roller 14 downward. A coil spring 35 is attached to the switch member 34. In the normal state shown in FIG. 8A, the switch member 34 faces in the vertical direction and does not come into contact with the shaft portion 14a of the cleaning roller 14.

  As shown in FIG. 8B, when the head cap 11 moves in the direction indicated by the arrow A and moves relative to the print head 10, the switch member 34 is a step on the lower surface of the print head 10. Is pushed down in the direction indicated by arrow C. At this time, since the switch member 34 is not in contact with the shaft portion 14a of the cleaning roller 14, the shaft portion 14a is lifted upward by the leaf spring 33, and the cleaning roller 14 is biased toward the nozzle surface 12a. It is possible to maintain the contact state. If the head cap 11 moves in the direction indicated by the arrow A and moves to the retracted position as shown in FIG. 8C, the switch member 34 does not come into contact with the lower surface of the print head 10, The switch member 34 is returned to the state of being directed in the vertical direction by the coil spring 35.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8D, when the head cap 11 moves in the direction indicated by the arrow B, the switch member 34 is tilted in the direction indicated by the arrow E by the lower surface of the print head 10, and the switch Since the shaft portion 14a of the cleaning roller 14 is pushed downward by the member 34, the cleaning roller 14 does not contact the nozzle surface 12a. Therefore, when the head cap 11 moves in the direction indicated by the arrow B and returns to the original position, the cleaning roller 14 does not wipe the nozzle surface 12a. And as shown in FIG.8 (e), if the head cap 11 is returned to the position which protects the nozzle surface 12a, it will return to a normal state. As shown in FIGS. 8B and 8D, when the head cap 11 moves relative to the print head 10, the cleaning blade 15 is pressed against the nozzle surface 12 a of the head cap 10. The nozzle surface 12a is wiped by deformation.

FIG. 9 shows that the cleaning blade 15 wipes the nozzle surface 12a in conjunction with the opening operation of the head cap 11, and when the head cap 11 closes and returns to a position where the nozzle surface 12a is protected, the cleaning blade 15 is moved to the nozzle. It is explanatory drawing which shows the mechanism which does not contact the surface 12a. This mechanism is provided so that it can stand and rotate with respect to the mounting stand 36 holding the cleaning blade 15 and includes a switch member 37 for tilting the cleaning blade 15. The switch member 37 is provided with an urging means (not shown) so as to stand upright and not to contact the cleaning blade 15 in the normal state shown in FIG. In FIG. 9, the cleaning roller 14 is not shown, but a switch member 34 may be provided on the side to perform the operation shown in FIG .

  9B, when the head cap 11 moves in the direction indicated by the arrow A and moves relative to the print head 10, the switch member 37 is a step on the lower surface of the print head 10. Is pushed down in the direction indicated by arrow F. At this time, since the switch member 37 is not in contact with the cleaning blade 15, the cleaning blade 15 is pressed against the nozzle surface 12 a of the head cap 10 to be deformed, and moved while the nozzle surface 12 a is wiped. To do. If the head cap 11 moves in the direction indicated by the arrow A and moves to the retracted position as shown in FIG. 9C, the switch member 37 does not come into contact with the lower surface of the print head 10, so that the head cap 11 stands upright. It will be returned to the state.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9D, when the head cap 11 moves in the direction indicated by the arrow B, the switch member 37 is tilted by the lower surface of the print head 10 in the direction indicated by the arrow G. The cleaning blade 15 is brought down by the member 37 and does not come into contact with the nozzle surface 12a. Therefore, when the head cap 11 moves in the direction indicated by the arrow B and returns to the original position, the cleaning blade 15 does not wipe the nozzle surface 12a. And as shown in FIG.9 (e), if the head cap 11 is returned to the position which protects the nozzle surface 12a, it will return to a normal state.

The cleaning roller 14 and the cleaning blade 15 configured as described above are detachably held on the mounting bases 32 and 36 , respectively . Thereby, the cleaning roller 14 and the cleaning blade 15 to which dirt has adhered can be replaced with new ones.

  Further, in FIGS. 4 to 9, the cleaning roller 14 is driven to rotate by contact with the nozzle member 12 of the print head 10. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and includes a brake mechanism that restricts the rotation. May be good. As shown in FIG. 10, the brake mechanism includes a brake member 50 on the shaft portion 14 a of the cleaning roller 14, and the rotation of the cleaning roller 14 is restricted by the brake member 50, so that the nozzle member 12 of the print head 10 It rotates while rubbing the nozzle surface 12a. Thereby, the ink and dust adhering to the nozzle surface 12a can be cleaned without the cleaning roller 14 damaging the nozzle surface 12a.

  Further, a fixing mechanism for prohibiting the rotation of the cleaning roller 14 may be provided. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, the fixing mechanism has pinion gears 51 attached to both ends of the shaft portion 14 a of the cleaning roller 14, and an engaging member 52 that engages with the pinion gear 51 is connected to one end of the head cap 11. It is attached to the part. In this case, when the cleaning roller 14 passes the step on the lower surface of the print head 10, the upper part 52 a of the engagement member 52 is pushed downward by the step so that the engagement member 52, the pinion gear 51, The nozzle surface 12a is moved while the cleaning roller 14 is fixed so as not to rotate while in contact with the nozzle surface 12a. Thereby, the ink and dust adhering to the nozzle surface 12a can be cleaned without the cleaning roller 14 damaging the nozzle surface 12a.

  In the above description, the cleaning blade 15 in the head cap 11 is provided at the position on the left side in the drawing in the vicinity of the cleaning roller 14, but the present invention is not limited to this, and is at another position. It may be provided. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, it may be provided near the cleaning roller 14 at the right position in the figure. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 13, you may provide in the position of the right-and-left both sides in the vicinity of the cleaning roller 14. FIG.

Further, the cleaning blade 15 'in the head cap 11 is not limited to a thin plate formed of a material such as rubber, and for example, as shown in FIG. 14, a material that absorbs ink adhering to the nozzle surface 12a, for example, It may be formed of sponge or felt. As a result, the nozzle surface 12a of the print head 10 is wiped by the cleaning blade 15 ', and at the same time, the ink adhering to the nozzle surface 12a and the ink in the ink discharge nozzle 13 can be sucked. Further, when the cleaning blade 15 ′ shown in FIG. 14 is impregnated with a surfactant, the cleaning performance of the nozzle surface 12a by the cleaning blade 15 ′ can be improved.

  In the above description, an example applied to an ink jet printer has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any device that discharges liquid from a liquid discharge nozzle of a liquid discharge head may be used. . For example, the present invention can be applied to a facsimile machine or a copying machine whose recording system is an inkjet system.

  The liquid ejected from the nozzles of the liquid ejection head of the liquid ejection apparatus is not limited to ink, and any other liquid ejection apparatus can be used as long as it can form a dot row or a dot by ejecting the liquid in the liquid chamber. Can be applied. For example, the present invention can be applied to a liquid discharge device for discharging a DNA-containing solution onto a pallet in DNA identification or the like, or a liquid discharge device for discharging a liquid containing conductive particles for forming a wiring pattern of a printed wiring board. Can do.

1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an ink jet printer as an example of a liquid ejection apparatus according to the present invention. It is a partial cross section side view which shows the structure of the head cartridge accommodated in the accommodating part of the inkjet printer shown in FIG. It is a block diagram for demonstrating the structure of the control apparatus part which controls the inkjet printer shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing a state in which a head cartridge is housed in a housing portion of the ink jet printer shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a method of maintaining the ink ejection performance of the print head by moving the head cap shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation of forming a surfactant film while the head cap shown in FIG. 4 moves and the cleaning roller cleans the nozzle surface. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state in which the film | membrane of surfactant is formed in the nozzle surface of a nozzle member, and an ink drop is discharged straight. It is explanatory drawing which shows the mechanism in which a cleaning roller wipes a nozzle surface in connection with the opening / closing operation | movement of the head cap shown in FIG. 6, or makes it non-contact. It is explanatory drawing which shows the mechanism in which a cleaning blade wipes a nozzle surface in connection with the opening / closing operation | movement of the head cap shown in FIG. 6, or makes it non-contact. FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing a brake mechanism that restricts rotation of the cleaning roller shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 7 is a partial enlarged cross-sectional view showing a fixing mechanism that fixes the cleaning roller shown in FIG. 6 so as not to rotate. FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing another example of the arrangement of the cleaning blade provided in the head cap shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing still another example of arrangement of the cleaning blade provided in the head cap shown in FIG. 2. It is a partial cross section side view which shows the example of the other cleaning blade provided in the head cap shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the nonuniform surface state of the nozzle surface of the conventional nozzle member, Comprising: It is a figure which shows the state discharged from the ink discharge nozzle in the bent direction.

Explanation of symbols

1 ... Inkjet printer (liquid ejection device)
2 ... printer body 3 ... head cartridge 4 ... recording paper tray 5 ... tray insertion port 6 ... display panel 7 ... lid 8 ... compartment 9 ... ink tank (liquid container)
10. Print head (liquid discharge head)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Head cap 12 ... Nozzle member 12a ... Nozzle surface 13 ... Ink discharge nozzle (liquid discharge nozzle)
14 ... Cleaning roller 15, 15 '... Cleaning blade 17 ... Recording paper (ejection target)
19 ... Conveyor belt
20 ... Control device (drive control means)
26: Cap opening / closing motor (moving means)
32, 36 ... Mounting base 33 ... Plate spring 34, 37 ... Switch member 35 ... Coil spring 40 ... Pore chamber 41 ... Surfactant film 42 ... Ink (liquid)
50 ... Brake member 51 ... Pinion gear 52 ... Engagement member

Claims (21)

A head cap for protecting a nozzle surface of a liquid discharge head having a nozzle surface provided with a liquid discharge nozzle for discharging a predetermined liquid and mounted so as to be movable relative to the liquid discharge head. ,
Provided along the longitudinal direction of the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head, provided inside with a cleaning roller and a cleaning blade that contact the nozzle surface to clean the nozzle surface ;
The cleaning roller and the cleaning blade are moved relative to the liquid discharge head and come into contact with the lower surface of the liquid discharge head in accordance with the opening operation, and are tilted to the side opposite to the cleaning roller or the cleaning blade side. At least one of the nozzles can be contacted with the nozzle surface, and when returning to a position where the nozzle surface is protected by being closed, the lower surface of the liquid discharge head is brought into contact with the cleaning roller or the cleaning blade. A head cap characterized in that a switch member for bringing at least one of the roller and the cleaning blade into a non-contact state with the nozzle surface is provided on at least one side of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade .   2. The head cap according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade or both of them is impregnated with a surfactant. The cleaning roller is formed of a material that absorbs liquid while the portion in contact with the nozzle surface has elasticity,
3. The head cap according to claim 2, wherein the cleaning blade is made of a material that is deformed by being pressed against the nozzle surface.   4. The head cap according to claim 3, wherein the cleaning blade is made of a material that absorbs the liquid adhering to the nozzle surface.   4. The head cap according to claim 3, wherein the cleaning roller moves on the nozzle surface while being driven and rotated in contact with the nozzle surface.   The brake mechanism for restricting rotation of the cleaning roller is provided, and the cleaning roller rotates while rubbing on the nozzle surface in a state where the rotation is restricted by the brake mechanism. Head cap.   4. The head according to claim 3, further comprising a fixing mechanism for prohibiting rotation of the cleaning roller, wherein the cleaning roller moves on the nozzle surface while being fixed so as not to rotate by the fixing mechanism. cap.   4. The head according to claim 3, wherein the length of the circumference of the cross section of the cleaning roller is equal to the moving distance of the driven rotation in a state where the cleaning roller is in contact with the nozzle surface. cap. The mounting frame that holds the cleaning rows La, head cap according to claim 1, characterized in that the cleaning rows la with a biasing means for biasing to the nozzle surface. The cleaning roller and the cleaning blade, the head cap according to claim 1, characterized in that it is respectively detachably held to the mounting frame. A liquid discharge head having a nozzle surface provided with a liquid discharge nozzle for discharging a liquid supplied from a liquid container containing a predetermined liquid;
In the head cartridge comprising and a head cap which is movable relative to the mounting in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the nozzle surface with respect to protecting the liquid discharge head the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head,
A cleaning roller and a cleaning blade are provided in the head cap so as to extend along the longitudinal direction of the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head , and contact the nozzle surface to clean the nozzle surface .
The head cap moves relative to the liquid discharge head, contacts the lower surface of the liquid discharge head with the opening operation, and is tilted to the side opposite to the cleaning roller or cleaning blade side to perform the cleaning. At least one of the roller and the cleaning blade can be brought into contact with the nozzle surface, and when the head cap closes and returns to a position to protect the nozzle surface, the lower surface of the liquid discharge head is brought into contact with the cleaning roller or the cleaning blade. A head cartridge comprising a switch member that is tilted to the blade side so that at least one of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade is not in contact with the nozzle surface, on at least one side of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade. .   12. The head cartridge according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade or both of them is impregnated with a surfactant. The cleaning roller is formed of a material that absorbs liquid while the portion in contact with the nozzle surface has elasticity,
13. The head cartridge according to claim 12, wherein the cleaning blade is made of a material that is deformed by being pressed against the nozzle surface.   14. The head cartridge according to claim 13, wherein the cleaning blade is made of a material that absorbs liquid adhering to the nozzle surface.   14. The head cartridge according to claim 13, wherein the cleaning roller moves on the nozzle surface while being driven and rotated in contact with the nozzle surface.   The brake mechanism for restricting rotation of the cleaning roller is provided, and the cleaning roller rotates while rubbing on the nozzle surface in a state where the rotation is restricted by the brake mechanism. Head cartridge.   14. The head according to claim 13, further comprising a fixing mechanism for prohibiting rotation of the cleaning roller, wherein the cleaning roller moves on the nozzle surface while being fixed so as not to rotate by the fixing mechanism. cartridge.   14. The head according to claim 13, wherein the length of the circumference of the cross section of the cleaning roller is equal to the moving distance of the driven rotation in a state where the cleaning roller is in contact with the nozzle surface. cartridge. The mounting frame that holds the cleaning rows La, the head cartridge according to claim 13, wherein the said cleaning rows la with a biasing means for biasing to the nozzle surface. The cleaning roller and the cleaning blade, the head cartridge according to claim 13, characterized in that it is respectively detachably held to the mounting frame. In a liquid ejection apparatus comprising a liquid ejection head having a nozzle surface provided with a liquid ejection nozzle for ejecting a predetermined liquid, and ejecting liquid from the liquid ejection nozzle onto an ejection object,
A head cap that protects the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head and is mounted so as to be movable relative to the liquid discharge head in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the nozzle surface;
In the head cap, provided the surfactant solution was formed in a cylindrical shape is impregnated with a material that and absorbs liquid having elasticity extends along the longitudinal direction of the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head, the A cleaning roller that contacts the nozzle surface and cleans the nozzle surface ;
In the head cap, the nozzle is formed in a flat shape with a material that extends along the longitudinal direction of the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head and is deformed by being pressed against the nozzle surface. A cleaning blade for cleaning the surface ,
A moving unit that opens and closes the head cap is relatively moved against the above liquid discharging heads,
Drive control means for controlling the drive of the moving means,
The moving means is driven under the control of the drive control means, and as the head cap opens, it comes into contact with the lower surface of the liquid discharge head and is tilted to the side opposite to the cleaning roller or the cleaning blade side to perform the cleaning. At least one of the roller and the cleaning blade can be brought into contact with the nozzle surface, and when the head cap closes and returns to a position to protect the nozzle surface, the lower surface of the liquid discharge head is brought into contact with the cleaning roller or the cleaning blade. A liquid discharge device characterized in that a switch member is provided on a side of at least one of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade so as to be brought into a non-contact state with at least one of the cleaning roller and the cleaning blade in contact with the nozzle surface. apparatus.

Images