CN1774342A - Head cleaning member for ink jet printer - Google Patents

Head cleaning member for ink jet printer Download PDF

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Publication number
CN1774342A
CN1774342A CNA2003801043057A CN200380104305A CN1774342A CN 1774342 A CN1774342 A CN 1774342A CN A2003801043057 A CNA2003801043057 A CN A2003801043057A CN 200380104305 A CN200380104305 A CN 200380104305A CN 1774342 A CN1774342 A CN 1774342A
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CN
China
Prior art keywords
ink
cleaning device
head cleaning
head
jet printer
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
CNA2003801043057A
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Chinese (zh)
Inventor
服部二郎
佐野兴一
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3M Innovative Properties Co
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3M Innovative Properties Co
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Publication date
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Publication of CN1774342A publication Critical patent/CN1774342A/en
Pending legal-status Critical Current

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    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01Ink jet
    • B41J2/135Nozzles
    • B41J2/165Preventing or detecting of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01Ink jet
    • B41J2/135Nozzles
    • B41J2/165Preventing or detecting of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles
    • B41J2/16505Caps, spittoons or covers for cleaning or preventing drying out
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01Ink jet
    • B41J2/135Nozzles
    • B41J2/165Preventing or detecting of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles
    • B41J2/16517Cleaning of print head nozzles
    • B41J2/16535Cleaning of print head nozzles using wiping constructions
    • B41J2/16544Constructions for the positioning of wipers
    • B41J2/16547Constructions for the positioning of wipers the wipers and caps or spittoons being on the same movable support
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01Ink jet
    • B41J2/135Nozzles
    • B41J2/165Preventing or detecting of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles
    • B41J2/16517Cleaning of print head nozzles
    • B41J2/16552Cleaning of print head nozzles using cleaning fluids
    • B41J2/1728

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  • Ink Jet (AREA)

Abstract

To provide a head cleaning device for ink jet printers, which permits refresh operation of the recording head to be performed easily and quickly, and which has simple and compact structure. A head cleaning device which is used in an ink jet printer between a recording head and a recording medium has a major surface that is equal to or greater than an ink ejection surface of the recording head, and is constructed such that it comprises, on said major surface, a head cleaning member having a multiplicity of parallel and fine ink discharging grooves so as to permit waste ink to flow in a definite direction.

Description

The head cleaning device that is used for ink-jet printer
Invention field
The present invention relates to the improvement of ink-jet printer, relate in particular to a kind of be used to have one be used for by the record head that prints in ink-jet on the recording medium an ink-jet printer, be arranged between record head and the recording medium and be used for the recovery of record head and the head cleaning device of recover waste ink.Particularly, the present invention relates to a kind of head cleaning device that is used to construct the head cleaning device.
Background of invention
As everyone knows, ink-jet printer is widely used as and is for example recording equipment of printer, duplicator and facsimile machine, perhaps is used as to be used for for example output device of the electronic equipment of computer, word processor etc.Have some advantages by carrying out the ink-jet printer of printing at recording medium from the record head ink-jet, for example, it has compact record head, allows flying print and is easy to carry out colour print, allows to use the multiple recording medium that comprises common paper, requires lower operating cost and produce lower noise etc. at work.
In ink-jet printer, adopt a Method of printing, wherein from the nozzle of record head supply printing ink, and with the form ink jet from the little droplets of ink of the nozzle bore of the end that is arranged on record head, print performance depends on the state of nozzle bore or inkjet mouth to a great extent.Therefore, common way provides the ink-jet printer that has the head cleaning device.And, in order to prevent that nozzle is by clogged with ink, common way is to spray (empty ejection of ink) (recovery operation) with the sky that clocklike carries out printing ink blanking time, with the periphery of the topped printing ink spout of a lid, perhaps wipe the residual ink that part is wiped the periphery that adheres to inkjet mouth with drawing together of for example flexure strip.For example, known had a head method for deleting (patent documentation 1 and 2) that is used for wiping from the head of ink-jet printer printing ink, and this method comprises the following steps: to guide printing ink by print-head nozzle, accumulate near the left printing ink the nozzle and utilize drawing together of the base plate that is installed on printing mechanism to wipe part and wipe the printing ink of introducing and the left printing ink of dissolving from the head with the printing ink dissolving of introducing.And, an also known ink-jet printer (patent documentation 3), it have the jet surface of the lid of the inkjet mouth of topped record head when not using, the record head that is used for swiping flexure strip, be used to be received in the printing ink recovery tube of printing ink that recovery operation sprays from the head and lid and be used to collect the anti-wall construction that scatters of the droplets of ink of being scattered by flexure strip with the bore portions that is installed on it.
But, also have some major issue that is associated with the ink-jet printer and its head cleaning device of prior art.For example, though more and more require compacter design for ink-jet printer, the traditional cleaning device that adopts labyrinth is provided with restriction to warming up about this of Compact Design more.And, though can some cleaning effect be arranged, there are some problems that are associated with conventional apparatus from traditional device expectation, for example require the too much processing time, can not fully absorb and reclaim left printing ink etc.
More importantly, designed traditional head cleaning device for having the ink-jet printer of printhead movably, it is feasible that the sky that wherein is in the printing ink in the ready position sprays (recovery operation).But,, wherein adopt fixing record head usually, thereby can not use traditional head cleaning device at the ink-jet printer that is used for colour print in modern times.Like this, be used to have the printer of fixing head, need recovery operation for each head corresponding to each color (dark blue, dark red, yellow, black etc.).Therefore, it is quite complicated that the structure of head cleaning device becomes, and for fear of disturbing with head, need be used for the sufficient room of mechanism, and this has hindered the raising of print speed.
Brief summary of the invention
An object of the present invention is to provide the head cleaning device that uses with ink-jet printer, it allows easily and quickly to carry out the recovery operation of record head, and has simple and compact structure.
Another object of the present invention provides the head cleaning device that can advantageously use with the ink-jet printer with fixing record head.
A further object of the present invention provides the head cleaning device that includes head cleaning device of the present invention.
According to the present invention, one head cleaning device is provided, this cleaning device be used in by from the record head ink-jet in the ink-jet printer that recording medium carry out to be printed, in use to abut against the ink discharging surface of record head, wherein the head cleaning device has a first type surface, this first type surface has the area of the ink discharging surface that is equal to or greater than record head, and many parallel and thin ink emission grooves are set on this first type surface, so that spent ink can flow in the direction that limits.
According to the present invention, a kind of head cleaning device that is used in the ink-jet printer with record head of ink-jet in order to print on recording medium also is provided, in use this device is set between record head and the recording medium, this head cleaning device comprises a head cleaning device, this cleaning device has a first type surface, this first type surface has the area of the ink discharging surface that is equal to or greater than record head, many parallel and thin ink emission grooves wherein are set on the first type surface of a cleaning device, spent ink is flowed in the direction that limits.
According to the present invention, a kind of ink-jet printer also is provided, it comprises and is used on recording medium printing and a fixing record head of ink-jet, and, be between record head and the recording medium according to head cleaning device of the present invention.
Brief Description Of Drawings
Fig. 1 is the stereogram that illustrates according to the head cleaning device of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is the cutaway view by the line " II-II " of head cleaning device shown in Figure 1.
Fig. 4 is the stereogram that illustrates according to the head cleaning device of a preferred embodiment more of the present invention.
Fig. 5 is the cutaway view that illustrates according to the head cleaning device of another preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 6 is the cutaway view that the operation of head cleaning device shown in Figure 5 is shown.
Fig. 7 is the cutaway view that the operation of head cleaning device shown in Figure 5 is shown.
Fig. 8 is the cutaway view that illustrates according to the head cleaning device of a preferred embodiment more of the present invention.
Describe in detail
The present invention is applicable to head cleaning device and the head cleaning device and the ink-jet printer of ink-jet printer.
Basically, the present invention can be applied to the ink-jet printer of any kind.Therefore, comprise the recording equipment of for example printer, duplicator and facsimile machine and be widely used as according to ink-jet printer of the present invention and be for example tape deck of the output device of the electronic equipment of computer, word processor.Like this, ink-jet printer generally includes that an ink cartridge, that contains printing ink is used for recording medium is sent to print position and to be sent to the record that the recording medium connecting gear and of print position not is made up of the orifice plate with many nozzles after printing first-class.Have some class record heads, comprise piezo-electric type and pattern of fever; Piezo-electric type utilizes for example dynamo-electric coverter of piezo-electric device, be used for by ink chamber volume reduce drip from the terminal ink jet of nozzle; Pattern of fever utilizes the irradiation of electromagnetic waves of for example laser emission, be used for dripping from the terminal ink jet of nozzle by the effect of heating, or utilize heating resistor with heating printing ink, thereby ink jet drips etc.And, for ink-jet printer, eliminated the restriction aspect the type of recording medium, can successfully print comprising on the different paper of common paper, plastic sheeting, fabric, felt, leather, the metal etc.About the detail of ink-jet printer, can consult patent publication cited above and other patent documentation and technology book.
In various ink-jet printers, head cleaning device of the present invention is used to be arranged on recording medium and is used between the record head of the ink jet printing on the recording medium, so that recover head and be collected in the recovery operation spent ink that produced.This head cleaning device is compact and has high-performance, thus when be applied to have fixing record head, it has produced significant work effect when being used for the ink-jet printer of present widely used colour print.In the ink-jet printer of this type, can not carry out recovery operation owing to have the record head that moves to ready position, therefore compactness of the present invention and high performance head cleaning device have represented its superior effect fully.
Secondly, the accompanying drawing with reference to the preferred embodiment that it is shown is described in detail head cleaning device of the present invention and head cleaning device.Be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment of the following stated, and can make many modifications and improvement within the scope of the invention.
Fig. 1 is the stereogram that illustrates according to the head cleaning device of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.Head cleaning device 20 is arranged on the front of many unshowned record heads (being six heads in this case), promptly be arranged in the space between record head and the recording medium, record head prints at recording medium by the printing ink that the end from the corresponding interior nozzle of adorning sprays different colours.
Head cleaning device 20 comprises a movable platen 1 and puts on a film shape head cleaning device 10 of the side on its record head.Cleaning device 10 comprises and the same number of all clear areas of record head that each district has one group of ink emission groove.Therefore, comprise six clear areas in this case.
Movable platen 1 comprises that the width with a plurality of and corresponding record head is close to the aperture 15 of identical width, so that when printing, with from the droplets of ink of record head flight disturb, and cleaning device 10 is applied in the part in the adjacent aperture 15 of formation of movable platen.This part that has head cleaning device that it is applied 10 and have one group of ink emission groove just relates to " clear area " of the present invention.Movable platen 1 can be parallel to the i.e. motion in the horizontal direction of ink ejection surface in the place ahead of many record heads, thereby can realize a valve mechanism between the head of adjacent color.Like this, can move this movable platen 1, thereby realize the effect identical with valve in such mode, promptly head is faced in aperture 15 when printing, thereby does not disturb with the droplets of ink of flight, and (when not printing) head cleaning device 10 is faced head when preparing.For such valve mechanism, can shorten the duration of empty ejection of ink in recovery operation.
Can should be readily appreciated that from Fig. 2 the structure of head cleaning device 10, Fig. 2 are the cutaway views along line " II-II " intercepting of head cleaning device 10 shown in Figure 1.
In each clear area, movable platen 1 can have and head cleaning device 10 intimate identical width.The material that is used for movable platen 1 does not have specific restriction, is preferably by the light material that has high mechanical properties and fabulous corrosion resistance to form.The material that is fit to comprises Merlon for example, polyacrylic many plastic materials and the metal etc. of aluminium and its alloy for example.
Head cleaning device 10 can have multiple size and dimension, and at first, each clear area need have the first type surface of the required width of the ink ejection surface (stop and form ink jet exit at this surface inner nozzle 22) of abundant at least topped record head.If the printing ink of head cleaning device 10 is accepted the width of the width on surface less than ink ejection surface, in recovery operation, can not reclaim printing ink fully, perhaps can not remove the left printing ink or other dust particle that adhere to ink ejection surface fully.The printing ink that can optionally change head cleaning device 10 according to the ink ejection surface of record head is accepted the width on surface.This width is generally about 2 to 10 millimeters.In general, about 5 millimeters width is enough to accept spent ink and is used for reclaiming.The width that printing ink is accepted the surface does not need unnecessary increasing, and this is because this can hinder the trend than Compact Design of ink-jet printer.And usually, the width in formed aperture, the adjacent clear area preferably width with the clear area is identical.
Though the thickness of cleaning device 10 can change widely, when it taked the shape of printing ink guiding film shown in the drawings, this thickness was usually in about 50 microns to 5 millimeters scope, preferably in 100 microns to 2 millimeters scope.Usually, comprise the movable platen of for example supporting film matrix thickness printing ink guiding film suitable thickness can for about 3 millimeters or below, this can help the miniaturization of head cleaning device and ink-jet printer and compacter design significantly.
The shape that is used for head cleaning device 10, basic demand are that many parallel and thin ink emission grooves 13 are set on its first type surface.All protrusion-shaped by the little form of ridges of the similar equal height that is parallel to each other, be provided with cardinal principle uniform distances (pitch) become each ink emission groove 13.Shown in situation in, all kicks 12 are formed on the matrix 11 with matrixes 11.
Can change cross section (along the section of the laterally cutting) shape of ink emission groove 13 according to the composition of the size of record head or printing ink.The suitable shape in this cross section is including, but not limited to U-shaped, V-arrangement, rectangle etc.If desired, can make up two or more different shapes.For any cross section shape that is adopted, can be with the spent ink that is recovered in the recovery operation fully at left and other dust of the printing ink at ink jet exit place to be produced.
Suppose that the cross section is a rectangle shown in Figure 2, the size in the cross section of ink emission groove is about 300 microns or following and highly about 50 to 3000 microns of width normally, and preferably width is about 1500 microns or following and highly about 100 to 1000 microns.If the width of ink emission groove 13 is wideer than 3000 microns, may produce the problem of liquid absorption aspect.Equally, if the width of ink emission groove 13 is littler than 50 microns, influences the capillarity of ink emission groove 13 so nocuously and can not reach the suitable speed that is used for the absorption of requirement liquid.Aspect in addition, if highly surpass 3000 microns, it is too dark that the ink emission groove becomes, and makes film become too hard and inconvenience.
Can also optionally change the size of the form of ridges projection 12 that forms ink emission groove 13 according to the size of ink emission groove 13.The size of form of ridges projection 12 normally aspect width be ink emission groove 13 width 20% or following and aspect height be the ink emission groove height 0.5 to 80%, preferably aspect width be ink emission groove 13 width 10% or following and aspect height be ink emission groove 13 height 5 to 50%.
Can form ink emission groove 13 by various materials, and preferably form by moulded plastic material.Be used for molded suitable plastic material including, but not limited to thermoplastic, for example polyacrylic polyolefin, polyester, polyamides are by, polyimides, polyacrylic polyolefin, polyester, polyamide, polyimides, polyvinyl chloride, polyether ester, polyamide fat, polyacrylate, polyacetals vinyl acetate and their compound, and thermosets, for example polyurethane, acrylates, epoxy resin, silicone resin etc.
Utilize the method for moulding of these plastic materials to comprise for example injection molding, impression processing etc.Utilize the crosslinking polymer material for example the method for moulding of polyurethane, acrylates, epoxy resin, silicone resin comprise by ultraviolet radiation, electron beam, moisture etc., utilize the casting processing of cross-linking reaction.In order to control the surface tension of these polymeric materials, can mix or the hydrophilic or hydrophobic additive of coated these polymeric materials.Usually can advantageously use polyolefin, this is because this material has for the accurate shape of groove and the good transmission performance of mechanical performance.Especially, polyethylene is added with the hydrophilic additive of 0.1 to 0.5 percent by weight, and for example the TRITON X-100 (the non-ionic surfactant of octylphenoxy polyethoxy ethanol) that can obtain from Union Carbide company is more suitable.By using ultra-fine replica method (ultrafine replication method) according to applicant of the present invention to obtain to be suitable for good especially head cleaning device 10 purposes of the present invention and that have excellent performance for the spent ink that flows.In being the pct international patent of WO00/42958, publication number disclosed this ultra-fine replica method.
Can use its surface, especially the surface of ink emission groove 13 is surface-treated head cleaning devices 10 not.But, for realize spent ink than smooth flow, can obtain repelling printing ink usefulness such as surface surface treatment.The processing of suitable repulsion printing ink comprises the fluorination processing.
Shown in head cleaning device 20 in, reclaim the unit with spent ink and the spent ink with waste ink sump 3 is set reclaims box 2, spent ink reclaims the unit and is communicated with waste ink sump 3, is used for taking-up and recover waste ink.The spent ink that adopts in this embodiment reclaims the combination that the unit is suction pump 4 and waste ink tank 5.
In the recovery operation period of record head 21, from its nozzle ejection printing ink, and, receive spent ink by ink emission groove 13 and the head 21 formed enclosure spaces that abut against head cleaning device 10.With spent ink, adhere to the printing ink residue of circumference of ink jet exit of head 21 and minute paper debris or other extensive dirt and also received by this space.Under this state, by applying vacuum with suction pump 4, the spent ink in ink emission groove 13 is transported to waste ink tank 5 from ink emission groove 13 by the waste ink sump 3 that spent ink reclaims in the box 2, is recovered at this.
In the embodiment shown in fig. 1, though waste ink sump 3 is simple spaces, do not have filler in it, this space can filling waste ink absorbent 6, as shown in Figure 3.The example of waste ink absorbent 6 is including, but not limited to many fibrous materials of the felt that for example uses useless fibrous material, for example the plastic film of urethane foam sponge etc.Especially, can advantageously use the polymeric absorbent material that for example is used in the disposable towel, for example crosslinked polyacrylate resin.By using waste ink absorbent 6 can improve the efficient of recover waste ink very significantly.Less or when comprising waste ink absorbent is changed when operation when the total amount of spent ink, this method is particularly suitable for.
The upstream side that head cleaning device of the present invention can be formed at the ink emission groove also is provided with the clean solution feeding unit, be used to preserve the clean solution of washing printing ink discharge channel, and when recovery operation, the clean solution of necessary amount be fed to the ink emission groove.Fig. 4 is the schematic diagram that this head cleaning device 20 is shown.Basic structure is with described identical with reference to Fig. 1.But head cleaning device 20 also is provided with the clean solution feeding unit that comprises clean solution case and pressure delivery pump 7.In clean solution case 8, the clean solution of water for example or alcohol is housed in advance.Pressure delivery pump 7 suction clean solutions, and under high pressure be fed to each ink emission groove 13 by distributing pipe 9.After in having held the spent ink that accumulating in the ink emission groove 13 and ink residue, be recycled to waste ink tank 5 by waste ink sump 3 and suction pump 4, clean solution.Owing to carry out the cleaning of ink emission groove simultaneously with recover waste ink, so this embodiment is suitable for the present invention.
The both ends that head cleaning device of the present invention can be formed at it further comprise a sidewall, and this sidewall is at longitudinal extension and swell to than the higher height of form of ridges projection that forms the ink emission groove.Schematic diagram 5 shows: this head cleaning device 10, wherein with bonding agent lateral wall piece 14 is connected in movable platen 1, so that sidewall rises vertically at two ends; And the spent ink that has the projection 12 of form of ridges guides film, and promptly matrix 11 is bonded to two ends by the recessed portion of side walls enclose.For this structure, as following with reference to as described in Fig. 6 and 7, ink ejection surface by record head contacts with the sidewall at place, the two ends of head cleaning device 10, also can draw together except recover waste ink and remove the ink residue that adheres to ink ejection surface or other solid residue of dust particle for example.Narrated the head cleaning device with reference to Fig. 2 and 5, wherein the ink emission groove has the form of printing ink guiding film and guides film to stick and be adhered to the matrix of movable platen for example or lateral wall piece with bonding agent in printing ink.But, this form of replacement ink circulation film, the present invention can be constructed such that the first type surface of matrix, movable platen and the lateral wall piece of ink emission groove and head cleaning device forms as one.As the manufacturing situation of the head cleaning device of above-mentioned film shape, can have this integrally-built head cleaning device with many thermoplastic manufacturings.Can be with the elastomer of for example urethane resin or mylar, by making whole head cleaning device for the known any useful method of the skilled person in this field.
Fig. 6 and 7 shows the actual step of using a cleaning device shown in Figure 5 with continuous order.
When using ink-jet printer to print, shown in Fig. 6 (A), comprise that the record head 21 of nozzle 22 is near the recording medium (record-paper here) 25.Ink discharging surface 21a and the distance between the record-paper 25 at head 21 are about 1 millimeter.The aperture of movable platen is than the wider width of the ink discharging surface 21a of head 21, makes that to drip from nozzle 22 ink jets be no problem.
Secondly, for recovery operation, shown in Fig. 6 (B), head 21 rises in the direction of arrows.During the height of the lateral wall piece 14 that is provided with near the place, two ends that equals head cleaning device 10 when the height of the ink discharging surface 21a of head 21, stop the rising of head.
Then, shown in Fig. 7 (C), the movable platen 1 that maintains head cleaning device 10 moves right, and is sealed by the lateral wall piece 14 of head cleaning device 10 fully until the ink discharging surface 21a of head 21, so that forms enclosure space 19.In this case, the sky of the droplets of ink 26 that is used to recover sprays, with the inside and the ink discharging surface 21a of flooding nozzle 21.By for example using suction pump that space 19 is applied vacuum, that produce, that contain ink residue and fine dust like this spent ink is transported to waste ink tank by pressure, to be recovered at Na Chu.
After finishing recovery operation, shown in Fig. 7 (D), be moved to the left employed head cleaning device 10 (movable platen 1) and turn back to original ready position.During this time, if be adhered to that the ink residue of ink discharging surface 21a of head 21 or analog 27 have then the end that closely pressed the lateral wall piece 14 of ink discharging surface 21a is wiped, to be collected in the space 19.Ink residue that is collected or analog 27 reclaim by flush away with by waste ink tank when recovery operation next time.
As can be understood from the above description, work as the movable platen 1 that keeps it according to head cleaning device 10 of the present invention and work like that with the time image valve that moves right left, and can carry out recovery operation by the motion of head cleaning device 10 simple upper and lower small distances.Self can also be done easily and quickly recovery operation.
Fig. 8 is the view that illustrates according to the head cleaning device of another embodiment of the present invention.As shown in the drawing, after the head cleaning device 10 of printing ink of the present invention guiding film shape was arranged on the movable platen 1, the rib shape spent ink receiving element 24 that is formed by molded elastomeric material applied again and is adhered to it.Spent ink receiving element 24 has the intercommunicating pore 23 that is used for spent ink is delivered to printing ink guiding film.The two ends of spent ink receiving element 24 constitute the sidewall that rises with lateral wall piece 14 same way as with above head cleaning device 10 with reference to Fig. 5 narration.
When the head cleaning device 10 with formation as shown in the drawing uses in the recovery operations at record head, can access as the identical work effect under the situation of reference Fig. 6 and 7 described head cleaning devices 10.At first, the sidewall that the ink discharging surface of head is set at the spent ink receiver member 24 on the head cleaning device 10 seals fully, so that form seal cavity, thereby the sky of the droplets of ink that the nozzle when from the head is used to recover can reclaim the spent ink that comprises ink residue and fine dust droplet when spraying fully, and can not leak into the outside.Because the sidewall of locating at the two ends of spent ink receiving element 24 can contact with the ink discharging surface of head, can draw together the solid residue of the ink residue that for example adheres to ink discharging surface.In addition, because spent ink receiving element 24 is provided with intercommunicating pore 23, spent ink that nozzle bore from the head drips and that accepted by spent ink receiver member 24 can by be sent to effectively below head cleaning device (printing ink circulation film (inkcirculation film)) 10.And because its partition wall is formed in the head cleaning device 10 enclosure space, the spent ink that is limited in this enclosure space can be sucked the pump suction, and promptly and easily is recycled to waste ink tank by waste ink sump.
As explained in detail above, according to the present invention, provide the head that is used for ink-jet printer cleaning device, wherein can make things convenient for and promptly carry out the recovery operation of record head, and simple and compact structure.
In the ink emission groove of head cleaning device, self demonstrate capillarity, thereby used spent ink can discharged the direction circulation and be recycled in waste ink tank or the analog in recovery operation effectively.
Head cleaning device of the present invention has been realized valve action with its head cleaning device, thereby can be advantageously used in the ink-jet printer of fixing head pattern.Especially,, can carry out recovery operation synchronously and remove ink residue and analog, be used for the recovery operation required time thereby can clearly shorten by head cleaning device mobile simply slightly between the head of the multiple color of supply.
In addition, according to the present invention, by absorbing material and suction recovering mechanism, the recover waste ink for prolonged period of time that in the spent ink recovery system, is provided for spent ink.And, provide the clean solution organization of supply by upstream side at the ink emission groove, can carry out the maintenance work of head cleaning device more conveniently.
And,, can be provided for the head cleaning device of the structure of head cleaning device according to the present invention.Especially, the head cleaning element configurations can be become film shape or can form a part of ink emission groove, thereby can help significantly towards littler and compacter head cleaning device and ink-jet printer development with similar depths.Because the printing ink of being accepted by many parallel ink emission grooves only need be transmitted in the groove direction, just be enough to be used for recover waste ink corresponding to about 5 millimeters width of record head width for a cleaning zone, and can not pollute recording medium, printer or other mechanism.

Claims (7)

1. head cleaning device that uses with an ink-jet printer, this ink-jet printer is by printing at recording medium from the record head ink jet, and described cleaning device is employed as the ink discharging surface that abuts against record head, wherein
Described head cleaning device tool one has first type surface, and this first type surface has the area of the ink discharging surface that is equal to or greater than described record head, and
Many parallel and thin ink emission grooves are set, thereby spent ink can flow in the direction of a regulation on described first type surface.
2. according to the described head cleaning device of claim 1, it is characterized in that: described ink emission groove is integrally formed on the first type surface of matrix of described head cleaning device.
3. according to the described head cleaning device of claim 1, it is characterized in that: the spent ink that described ink emission groove is formed on the matrix that adheres to described head cleaning device guides on the surface of film.
4. according to each described head cleaning device of claim 1 to 3, it is characterized in that: described ink emission groove has the cross section shape of selecting from U-shaped, V-arrangement, rectangle and their the shape group that combination constituted.
5. according to each described head cleaning device of claim 1 to 4, it is characterized in that: also provide waste ink sump, so that collect the spent ink that flows through described ink emission groove.
6. according to each described head cleaning device of claim 1 to 5, it is characterized in that: described waste ink sump also is provided with the absorption of inks material.
7. according to each described head cleaning device of claim 1 to 6, it is characterized in that: what be arranged on longitudinal extension at the two ends of described head cleaning device gives prominence to higher sidewall with protuberance than the form of ridges that forms described ink emission groove.
CNA2003801043057A 2002-11-29 2003-10-20 Head cleaning member for ink jet printer Pending CN1774342A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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JP347424/2002 2002-11-29
JP2002347424A JP2004175080A (en) 2002-11-29 2002-11-29 Head cleaning member for inkjet printer

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CN1774342A true CN1774342A (en) 2006-05-17

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EP (1) EP1565319A1 (en)
JP (1) JP2004175080A (en)
KR (1) KR20050083996A (en)
CN (1) CN1774342A (en)
AU (1) AU2003285917A1 (en)
MX (1) MXPA05005526A (en)
TW (1) TW200412294A (en)
WO (1) WO2004050372A1 (en)

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CN101804731B (en) * 2009-02-12 2012-07-04 索尼公司 Liquid discharge apparatus and method of controlling liquid discharge apparatus
CN103895362A (en) * 2012-12-27 2014-07-02 精工爱普生株式会社 Waste ink absorber, waste ink tank, liquid droplet ejecting device
CN114179515A (en) * 2021-11-22 2022-03-15 金湛 Digital printing machine

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JP4573655B2 (en) * 2005-01-26 2010-11-04 大日本スクリーン製造株式会社 Coating device
JP5092645B2 (en) * 2007-09-20 2012-12-05 セイコーエプソン株式会社 Liquid ejector
TWI501880B (en) * 2013-03-21 2015-10-01 Microjet Technology Co Ltd Printhead?cleaning module and printing apparatus using the same
JP6817720B2 (en) * 2016-05-20 2021-01-20 株式会社写真化学 Tablet printing device

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DE8205426U1 (en) * 1982-02-26 1986-08-21 Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München Cover and cleaning device for ink recording heads
US5555461A (en) * 1994-01-03 1996-09-10 Xerox Corporation Self cleaning wiper blade for cleaning nozzle faces of ink jet printheads
JP3907708B2 (en) * 1994-04-01 2007-04-18 富士フイルム株式会社 Maintenance method of recording head of ink jet recording apparatus
JP3467716B2 (en) * 1995-05-25 2003-11-17 セイコーエプソン株式会社 Capping device for inkjet recording head
US6420622B1 (en) 1997-08-01 2002-07-16 3M Innovative Properties Company Medical article having fluid control film

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN101804731B (en) * 2009-02-12 2012-07-04 索尼公司 Liquid discharge apparatus and method of controlling liquid discharge apparatus
CN103895362A (en) * 2012-12-27 2014-07-02 精工爱普生株式会社 Waste ink absorber, waste ink tank, liquid droplet ejecting device
CN103895362B (en) * 2012-12-27 2017-08-25 精工爱普生株式会社 Spent ink absorber, waste ink tank, droplet ejection apparatus
CN114179515A (en) * 2021-11-22 2022-03-15 金湛 Digital printing machine

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KR20050083996A (en) 2005-08-26
MXPA05005526A (en) 2005-08-16
JP2004175080A (en) 2004-06-24
TW200412294A (en) 2004-07-16
EP1565319A1 (en) 2005-08-24
AU2003285917A1 (en) 2004-06-23
WO2004050372A1 (en) 2004-06-17

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