CN209832970U - Liquid ejecting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A liquid ejecting apparatus in which ink is less likely to leak to the outside among components such as a waste liquid tank and a waste liquid pipe for collecting unnecessary ink. The liquid ejecting apparatus is characterized by comprising: a liquid ejecting head (90) that performs printing by ejecting ink from nozzles (95) onto a medium (M); a maintenance unit (30) that forcibly discharges ink from the liquid ejecting head (90); a waste liquid storage unit (32) capable of storing ink discharged from the liquid ejecting head (90) by the maintenance unit (30); and an elastically deformable cylindrical member (36), wherein the downstream end (36b) is inserted into the waste liquid storage section (32), the maintenance section (30) has a waste liquid pipe (45) for flowing the ink discharged from the liquid ejecting head (90), and the downstream end (45b) of the waste liquid pipe (45) is inserted into the upstream end (36a) of the cylindrical member (36).

Description

Liquid ejecting apparatus

Technical Field

The utility model relates to a liquid ejecting device.

Background

For example, a liquid ejecting apparatus is known which ejects liquid (ink) as droplets from a liquid ejecting head and prints on a medium such as paper or a recording sheet.

In such a liquid ejecting apparatus, when foreign matter (ink, paper powder, air bubbles, or the like having increased viscosity) is mixed in the flow path of the liquid ejecting head, since the ink is not properly ejected from the liquid ejecting head, a cleaning process of forcibly discharging the foreign matter from the flow path of the liquid ejecting head is performed. Further, when the ink discharged from the nozzles of the liquid discharge head adheres to the vicinity of the nozzles and accumulates on the nozzle formation surface of the liquid discharge head, the accumulated ink may contaminate the medium, and therefore, an erasing process of erasing the ink adhering to the nozzle formation surface of the liquid discharge head is performed.

Therefore, the liquid ejecting apparatus is provided with a waste liquid tank for collecting the ink discharged by the cleaning process and the ink wiped by the wiping process, a waste liquid pipe connected to the waste liquid tank, and the like. When the waste liquid tank is full of ink, the user performs a disposal process of disposing the ink in the waste liquid tank to the outside. In the disposal process, a waste liquid pipe attachment/detachment operation occurs in which the waste liquid pipe is taken out from the waste liquid tank and attached to the waste liquid tank.

In the case of printing on a large medium, printing on a large amount of medium, or the like, since a large amount of ink is generated in the cleaning process or the wiping process, the waste liquid tank is likely to be filled with ink quickly, and the number of disposal processes is likely to increase. Further, if the liquid ejecting apparatus is enlarged to print on a large medium, the waste liquid pipe is also lengthened, and unnecessary force is likely to act on the waste liquid pipe as compared with the case where the waste liquid pipe is short. Further, if the number of types of ink used for improving the image quality is increased, the number of waste liquid tubes increases, and the work of attaching and detaching the waste liquid tubes becomes complicated as compared with the case where the number of waste liquid tubes is small.

However, when the number of times of disposal increases, unnecessary force tends to act on the waste liquid tube, and when the work of attaching and detaching the waste liquid tube becomes complicated, there is a possibility that a problem occurs in the connection portion between the waste liquid tube and the waste liquid tank, and ink leaks to the outside. That is, components such as the waste liquid tank and the waste liquid pipe for collecting unnecessary ink may leak the ink to the outside.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

The liquid ejecting apparatus according to the present application is characterized by comprising: a liquid ejecting head that performs printing by ejecting liquid from nozzles toward a medium; a maintenance unit that forcibly discharges the liquid from the liquid ejecting head; a waste liquid accommodating portion capable of accommodating the liquid discharged from the liquid ejecting head by the maintenance portion; and an elastically deformable cylindrical member having a downstream end inserted into the waste liquid housing portion, wherein the maintenance portion has a discharge flow path through which the liquid discharged from the liquid discharge head flows, and a downstream end of the discharge flow path is inserted into an upstream end of the cylindrical member.

In the liquid ejecting apparatus according to the present application, it is preferable that the liquid ejecting apparatus further includes a case that houses the liquid ejecting head, the upstream end of the cylindrical member is connected to the case, and an inner diameter of the cylindrical member is two times or more an outer diameter of the discharge flow path.

In the liquid ejecting apparatus of the present application, it is preferable that the liquid ejecting apparatus further includes a closing portion that can close the cylindrical member manually.

In the liquid ejecting apparatus according to the present application, it is preferable that the liquid ejecting apparatus further includes a holding portion capable of holding the downstream end of the cylindrical member in an upward facing state.

In the liquid ejecting apparatus of the present application, it is preferable that the liquid ejecting apparatus further includes a winding portion that is capable of winding the medium on which the printing is performed by rotating around a rotation axis, and the waste liquid storage portion has an opening into which the cylindrical member is inserted, and the opening is provided at a position lower than the rotation axis.

In the liquid ejecting apparatus of the present application, it is preferable that the maintenance unit includes: a wiping unit having a wiping portion capable of wiping the liquid ejecting head and a housing portion for supporting the wiping portion and housing the wiped liquid; and a wiping flow path having one end connected to the housing portion and the other end inserted into the cylindrical member.

In the liquid discharge apparatus of the present application, it is preferable that the liquid discharge apparatus further includes: a cover having a through hole and an opening for exposing a part of the maintenance part; and a discharge flow path having one end connected to the through hole, wherein the cover has a receiving portion that is inclined downward toward the through hole and that receives liquid that is discharged from the liquid discharge head and that is not involved in the printing, and wherein the other end of the discharge flow path is inserted into the cylindrical member.

In the liquid discharge apparatus of the present application, it is preferable that the liquid discharge apparatus further includes: an irradiator that irradiates the liquid ejected by the liquid ejection head with ultraviolet light; and a carriage which is movable in a state where the liquid ejecting head and the irradiator are mounted.

In the liquid ejecting apparatus according to the present application, it is preferable that the maintenance unit includes a wiping unit capable of wiping the liquid ejecting head, and the wiping unit is configured to be movable between a wiping position capable of wiping the liquid ejecting head and a retracted position retracted from the wiping position, the wiping position being a position on the irradiator movement path mounted on the carriage, and the retracted position being a position away from the movement path.

In the liquid ejecting apparatus according to the present application, it is preferable that the liquid ejecting apparatus further includes a cover that covers a part of the maintenance unit and that performs a surface absorption treatment of ultraviolet light on the cover.

In the liquid ejecting apparatus according to the present application, it is preferable that a space for a user to clean the liquid ejecting head is provided below the liquid ejecting head when the carriage moves to a side opposite to a side where the maintenance unit is provided.

In the liquid ejecting apparatus according to the present application, it is preferable that the maintenance unit includes a wiping unit capable of wiping the liquid ejecting head, the liquid ejecting head includes a nozzle surface on which the nozzle is formed and a fixed plate provided with an opening region for exposing the nozzle surface, the wiping unit wipes the nozzle surface and an exposed surface of the fixed plate on a side opposite to the nozzle surface, and when a contact angle of the liquid with respect to the nozzle surface is θ n, a contact angle of the liquid with respect to the exposed surface is θ s, and a contact angle of the liquid with respect to the wiping unit is θ w, a relationship of θ n > θ s > θ w is satisfied.

In the liquid ejecting apparatus according to the present application, it is preferable that the maintenance unit includes a cover capable of forming a closed space of the nozzle opening, the liquid ejecting head includes a nozzle surface on which the nozzle is formed and a fixed plate provided with an opening region for exposing the nozzle surface, the cover forms the closed space of the nozzle opening by contacting an exposed surface of the fixed plate on a side opposite to the nozzle surface, and when a contact angle of the liquid with respect to the nozzle surface is θ n, a contact angle of the liquid with respect to the exposed surface is θ s, and a contact angle of the liquid with respect to the cover is θ c, a relationship of θ n > θ s > θ c is satisfied.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is an external perspective view of a liquid discharge apparatus according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing states of the printing unit and the maintenance unit.

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing states of the printing unit and the maintenance unit.

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing states of the printing unit and the maintenance unit.

Fig. 5 is a schematic view showing a state of the liquid ejecting head.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a state of the closing portion.

Fig. 7 is a schematic view showing a state of the leg.

Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of a liquid ejecting apparatus according to a second embodiment.

Description of reference numerals:

1 … liquid ejection device; 2 … printing part; 3 … platen; 4 … carriage; 6 … auxiliary tank; 8 … guide shaft; 10. 11 … leg; 12 … a housing; 13 … feeding part; 14 … shutter; 17 … timing belt; 18 … ink tank; 21 … a winding; 26 … drive motor; 27 … drive pulley; 28 … driven pulley; 30 … maintenance part; 32 … a waste liquid storage part; 33 … a body; 34 … a cover; 35 … opening; 36 … a cylindrical member; 37 … holding part; 38 … opening; 40 … maintenance unit; 41 … drive shaft; 42 … base; 43 … cover; 44. 54, 64 … through holes; 45. 55, 65 … waste tubes; 45a, 55a, 65a … upstream end; 45b, 55b, 65b … downstream end; 50 … wiping unit; 51 … drive shaft; 52 … a housing; 53 … wiping section; a 60 … cover; 61. 62, 63 … openings; 70 … illuminator; 80 … occlusion; 90 … liquid spray head; 91 … a main body; 92 … fixing the board; 93. 94 … nozzle chip; a 95 … nozzle; 96 … nozzle face; 98 … exposed face.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. This embodiment is an illustration of one aspect of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention, and the technical idea of the present invention can be arbitrarily changed. In the following drawings, the reduction ratio of each layer and each portion is different from the actual one in order to make each layer and each portion have a size that can be recognized in the drawings.

(embodiment mode 1)

Fig. 1 is an external perspective view of a liquid discharge apparatus 1 according to embodiment 1.

First, an outline of the liquid ejecting apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 1.

As shown in fig. 1, the liquid ejecting apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is a Large Format Printer (Large Format Printer) that conveys a medium M in a roll-to-roll manner and prints an image on a medium M having a Large size, such as a0 size or B1 size. Further, the liquid ejecting apparatus 1 can form an image on a cut sheet of a4 size or the like.

In the following description, the width direction of the liquid discharge device 1 is defined as the X direction, the depth direction of the liquid discharge device 1 is defined as the Y direction, and the height direction of the liquid discharge device 1 is defined as the Z direction. The arrow side of the arrow indicating the direction is defined as the + direction, and the base end side of the arrow indicating the direction is defined as the-direction. The + X direction or the-X direction is a direction in which the carriage 4 moves, and hereinafter, is referred to as a scanning direction X.

The liquid ejecting apparatus 1 includes a pair of legs 10 and 11, a housing 12 supported by the pair of legs 10 and 11, a feeding portion 13 located in the + Y direction of the housing 12 and provided to protrude from the housing 12, and a winding portion 21 located in the-Z direction of the housing 12 and supported by the legs 10 and 11. In the pair of legs 10 and 11, the leg 10 is disposed on the-X direction side, and the leg 11 is disposed on the + X direction side.

The delivery unit 13 includes a flip-open type shutter 14. The feeding section 13 houses a roll RB formed by winding the long medium M in a roll shape. The spool RB is supported by a pair of spool support portions 15 provided in the delivery portion 13 at positions corresponding to both ends of the spool RB in the longitudinal direction. A feed motor (not shown) for rotating the roll RB is drivingly connected to the roll support portion 15. The feeding unit 13 is driven by the feeding motor and feeds the medium M to the printing unit 2 in the housing 12.

As will be described in detail later, the printing unit 2 prints an image on the medium M by repeating an operation of ejecting ink as an example of "liquid" from the liquid ejecting head 90 and an operation of conveying the medium M in the-Y direction by the conveying unit.

The medium M on which the image is formed by the printing unit 2 is fed to the winding unit 21 and wound in a roll shape by the winding unit 21.

The winding portion 21 includes a pair of spool support portions 22 and a winding motor (not shown).

The pair of roll body support portions 22 rotatably support a paper tube (core) 23 indicated by a broken line in the figure. The paper tube 23 has a leading end portion of the medium M attached thereto. When the winding motor is driven, the roll body support portion 22 and the paper tube 23 rotate in the direction in which the medium M is wound around the rotation shaft 24 shown by the alternate long and short dash line in the drawing, and the medium M is wound around the paper tube 23.

In this way, the winding unit 21 is configured to be rotatable about the rotation shaft 24 to wind the printed medium M.

In the housing 12, an ink tank housing portion 180 for housing the ink tank 18 and a printing portion 2 for printing an image on the medium M are disposed.

The ink tank housing unit 180 is located below the touch panel 16, and houses an ink tank 18a storing cyan ink, an ink tank 18b storing magenta ink, an ink tank 18c storing yellow ink, and an ink tank 18d storing black ink. That is, the ink tank housing 180 houses four ink tanks 18. Thus, the ink tanks 18 (ink tanks 18a, 18b, 18c, and 18d) store the four colors of ink.

The ink is an aqueous dye ink containing water as a solvent and a dye as a colorant. The ink may be an aqueous pigment ink containing water as a solvent and a pigment as a colorant.

The printing unit 2 includes a carriage 4, a liquid ejecting head 90 that ejects ink onto the medium M, and an auxiliary tank 6 that supplies ink to the liquid ejecting head 90. The liquid ejection head 90 is housed in the casing 12. That is, the liquid ejecting apparatus 1 includes a casing 12 that houses the liquid ejecting head 90.

The printing section 2 will be described in detail later.

The ink tank 18 and the auxiliary tank 6 are communicated through an ink pipe 7. The 4 ink tubes 7 connected to the ink tanks 18 are bundled by a bundling member (not shown), and are routed through the casing 12 while being supported by a bendable guide member (not shown), and are connected to the auxiliary tank 6.

The inks of the four colors stored in the ink tanks 18 are supplied to the auxiliary tank 6 via the ink tubes 7. Specifically, the cyan ink stored in the ink tank 18a is supplied to the sub tank 6a via the ink tube 7. The magenta ink stored in the ink tank 18b is supplied to the auxiliary tank 6b via the ink tube 7. The yellow ink stored in the ink tank 18c is supplied to the sub tank 6c via the ink tube 7. The black ink stored in the ink tank 18d is supplied to the sub tank 6d via the ink tube 7.

Further, the inks of the four colors are supplied to the liquid ejecting head 90 via the sub tanks 6 (the sub tank 6a, the sub tank 6b, the sub tank 6c, and the sub tank 6 d).

The number of colors of the ink is not limited to four colors, and may be more or less than four colors.

In fig. 1, four ink tanks 18, four ink tubes 7, four auxiliary tanks 6, and one liquid ejection head 90 are illustrated for easy discrimination of the states of the ink tubes 7, the auxiliary tanks 6, and the liquid ejection head 90.

The liquid ejection apparatus 1 includes four ink tubes 7, four auxiliary tanks 6, and one liquid ejection head 90, which are not shown in fig. 1, in addition to the four ink tubes 7, the four auxiliary tanks 6, and the one liquid ejection head 90, which are shown in fig. 1. That is, the liquid ejecting apparatus 1 includes four ink tanks 18, eight ink tubes 7, eight sub tanks 6 (see fig. 2), and two liquid ejecting heads 90 (see fig. 2).

In addition, since the four ink tubes 7, the four sub tanks 6, and the one liquid ejection head 90, which are not illustrated in fig. 1, have the same configurations as the four ink tubes 7, the four sub tanks 6, and the one liquid ejection head 90, which are illustrated in fig. 1, the description thereof is omitted.

A mounting table 9 (see fig. 7) is attached to the-Z direction side of the surface 11a of the leg 11 on the-X direction side, and a waste liquid storage unit 32 is mounted on the mounting table 9. Further, a holding portion 37 is attached to the surface 11a on the-X direction side of the leg 11. The holding portion 37 is located on the + Z direction side with respect to the waste liquid storage portion 32.

The waste liquid storage portion 32 is a resin container for storing waste liquid such as ink. The waste liquid storage portion 32 includes a main body 33 for storing waste liquid such as ink, a cover 34 fitted to the main body 33, and an opening 35 provided in the cover 34.

A cylindrical member 36 is inserted into the opening 35 of the waste liquid storage portion 32. That is, the waste liquid storage portion 32 has an opening 35 into which a cylindrical member 36 is inserted. The cylindrical member 36 is a thick tube made of resin and is elastically deformable.

In the present embodiment, the opening 35 of the waste liquid storage portion 32 into which the cylindrical member 36 is inserted is located on the-Z direction side with respect to the rotation axis 24 of the winding portion 21. That is, the opening 35 of the waste liquid storage portion 32 is provided at a position lower than the rotation shaft 24 of the winding portion 21. Since the rotation shaft 24 of the winding portion 21 is located at a position higher than the opening 35 of the waste liquid containing portion 32, the medium M wound around the winding portion 21 is located at a position higher than the opening 35 of the waste liquid containing portion 32.

Fig. 2 to 4 are views of the printing unit 2 and the maintenance unit 30 viewed from the-Y direction side, and are schematic diagrams illustrating states of the printing unit 2 and the maintenance unit 30. Fig. 5 is a view of the liquid ejecting head 90 viewed from the-Z direction side, and is a schematic view showing a state of the liquid ejecting head 90.

Fig. 2 illustrates a state of a printing process of printing an image on the medium M. Fig. 3 illustrates a state of the cleaning process of forcibly discharging the foreign substances in the flow path of the liquid ejection head 90. Fig. 4 illustrates a state of the erasing process of erasing the ink attached to the nozzle surface 96 of the liquid ejection head 90.

Further, fig. 2 to 4 illustrate a printing region R1 in which the liquid ejecting heads 90 are arranged in the printing process of printing an image on the medium M, and a first maintenance region R2 in which the liquid ejecting heads 90 are arranged in the cleaning process and the erasing process. The first maintenance area R2 is also an area where the maintenance unit 30 that performs cleaning, wiping, and the like is disposed.

Next, an outline of the printing unit 2 and the maintenance unit 30 will be described with reference to fig. 2 to 5.

As shown in fig. 2 to 4, the printing unit 2 includes: a carriage 4 movable in a scanning direction X; a liquid ejecting head 90 that ejects ink as ink droplets onto the medium M; an auxiliary tank 6 for supplying ink to the liquid ejecting head 90; a platen 3 supporting the medium M; a guide shaft 8 that supports the carriage 4 so as to be movable in the scanning direction X; a drive pulley 27 disposed on the + X direction side; a driven pulley 28 disposed on the-X direction side; a timing belt 17 wound around a drive pulley 27 and a driven pulley 28; a drive motor 26 that drives a drive pulley 27; and a conveying unit (not shown) for conveying the medium M in the-Y direction.

Eight sub tanks 6 and two liquid ejecting heads 90 are mounted on the carriage 4.

The drive pulley 27 is drivingly coupled to the drive motor 26. The timing belt 17 is an endless belt, and is wound around a drive pulley 27 and a driven pulley 28 in a state where a predetermined tension is applied. When the drive motor 26 is driven to rotate the drive pulley 27, the timing belt 17 rotates in accordance with the rotation of the drive pulley 27. The driven pulley 28 is driven to rotate in accordance with the rotation of the timing belt 17.

The carriage 4 is attached to the timing belt 17 and supported by the guide shaft 8. The guide shaft 8 is a member that guides the movement of the carriage 4. That is, the movement direction of the carriage 4 is controlled by the guide shaft 8, and the carriage 4 moves in the scanning direction X in which the guide shaft 8 extends. The liquid ejecting head 90 and the sub-tank 6 mounted on the carriage 4 move in the scanning direction X together with the carriage 4.

The liquid ejecting head 90 includes a main body 90 and a fixing plate 92 disposed on the-Z direction side with respect to the main body 90. The main body 91 includes four nozzle chips 93 and 94 each having a nozzle 95 (see fig. 5) for ejecting ink onto the medium M. The fixing plate 92 is provided to protect the nozzle chips 93, 94, and is made of, for example, metal. The nozzle chips 93 and 94 are made of, for example, silicon. The liquid ejecting head 90 performs printing by ejecting ink from the nozzles 95 to the medium M.

The nozzle chips 93 and 94 disposed on the main body 91 are members having a structure for ejecting ink. For example, the nozzle chips 93 and 94 are manufactured by integrating the nozzle 95, a piezoelectric element (not shown), and an ink chamber (not shown) by a semiconductor manufacturing technique.

The fixing plate 92 is disposed on the medium M side with respect to the nozzle chips 93 and 94, and protects the nozzle chips 93 and 94. The surface on the-Z direction side of the fixed plate 92 is an exposed surface 98.

As shown in fig. 5, the main body 91 shown by a one-dot chain line in the figure has four nozzle chips 93 and 94 shown by broken lines in the figure. The nozzle chips 93 and 94 have a nozzle surface 96 on which a nozzle 95 is formed. The main body 91 is provided with four nozzle rows in which the nozzles 95 are arranged in the Y direction in the X direction. That is, the liquid ejecting head 90 has four rows of nozzle rows, and any one of cyan ink, magenta ink, yellow ink, and black ink is ejected from the four rows of nozzle rows.

Thus, the nozzle chips 93 and 94 have nozzles 95 for ejecting ink onto the medium M and nozzle surfaces 96 for forming the nozzles 95. The surface of the nozzle chips 93 and 94 on the-Z direction side is a nozzle surface 96.

The fixed plate 92 is provided with four opening regions 97 each exposing a nozzle surface 96 of a nozzle 95 on which the nozzle chips 93 and 94 are formed. The liquid ejecting head 90 has a nozzle surface 96 on which the nozzles 95 are formed and a fixing plate 92 on which an opening region 97 for exposing the nozzle surface 96 is provided, on a surface (surface on the side of the Z direction) facing the medium M.

As described above, the surface on the-Z direction side of the fixed plate 92 is the exposed surface 98. The exposed surface 98 of the fixed plate 92 faces the medium M in the-Z direction.

Thus, the fixing plate 92 has an opening region 97 for exposing the nozzle surface 96 of the nozzle chips 93 and 94 and an exposed surface 98 on the opposite side of the nozzle surface 96 of the nozzle chips 93 and 94.

As described above, the ink is an aqueous dye ink containing water and a dye, the nozzle chips 93 and 94 having the nozzle surface 96 on the-Z direction side are made of silicon, and the fixing plate 92 having the exposed surface 98 on the-Z direction side is made of metal.

As will be described in detail later, when the contact angle of the ink with respect to the nozzle surface 96 of the nozzle chips 93 and 94 is θ n and the contact angle of the ink with respect to the exposed surface 98 of the fixed plate 92 is θ s, the relationship of θ n > θ s is satisfied, and the exposed surface is more wettable by the ink 98 than the nozzle surface 96, and the nozzle surface 96 is more easily repelled by the ink than the exposed surface 98.

When an image is printed on the medium M, the liquid ejecting head 90 is disposed in the printing region R1, and the liquid ejecting head 90 moves in the scanning direction X (+ X direction, -X direction) while ejecting ink from the nozzle surface 96. That is, the liquid ejecting apparatus 1 of the present embodiment alternately repeats the operation of ejecting ink from the ejection surface 96 onto the medium M while moving the liquid ejecting head 90 in the scanning direction X and the operation of conveying the medium M in the-Y direction by the conveying unit, thereby performing a printing process of printing a desired image on the medium M.

Returning to fig. 2 to 4, the maintenance unit 30 is disposed in the first maintenance region R2 located on the + X direction side with respect to the printing region R1.

The maintenance unit 30 includes a maintenance unit 40, a wiping unit 50, and a cover 60.

When the liquid ejecting head 90 is moved in the scanning direction X, the cap 60 is disposed between the liquid ejecting head 90, the maintenance unit 40, and the wiping unit 50, and a part of the maintenance unit 40 is covered with the cap 60. That is, the maintenance unit 30 includes a cover 60 that covers a part of the maintenance unit 40 (a part of the maintenance unit 30).

The cover 60 has an opening 61 for exposing the wiping unit 50, and openings 62 and 63 for exposing the cover 43 of the maintenance unit 40 (a part of the maintenance unit 40). That is, the cover 60 has openings 61, 62, 63 exposing a part of the maintenance part 30.

The cap 60 is a receiving portion that receives ink that is not related to printing and is ejected from the liquid ejection head 90. A through hole 64 is formed at one end of the cover 60 on the-X direction side. The cap 60, which is a receiving portion for receiving ink that is not involved in printing and is discharged from the liquid discharge head 90, is inclined downward toward the through hole 64. The ink leaked to the outside of the maintenance unit 40 and the wiping unit 50 is accommodated in the cover 60, flows toward the through-hole 64, and is discharged from the through-hole 64.

The through-hole 64 is an example of a through-hole in the present application.

The maintenance unit 40 has a drive shaft 41, a base 42, and a cover 43. The base 42 supports the cover 43. The drive shaft 41 supports the base 42. The drive shaft 41 can be moved in the Z direction by a moving mechanism (not shown). The cover 43 is supported by the base 42 and the drive shaft 41, and can be moved in the Z direction by a moving mechanism.

The cap 43 is a receiver for receiving ink ejected from the liquid ejection head 90, and is made of, for example, resin having elasticity. The cover 43 and the base 42 have through holes 44. The ink discharged from the liquid discharge head 90 is contained in the cap 43, flows toward the through-hole 44, and is discharged from the through-hole 44.

Further, when the liquid ejecting head 90 is moved in the scanning direction X, the cover 43 is disposed at a non-contact position P1 where it does not contact the liquid ejecting head 90 as shown in fig. 2 and 4 or a contact position P2 where it contacts the liquid ejecting head 90 as shown in fig. 3. That is, the base 42 supporting the cap 43 is moved in the Z direction by the moving mechanism, and the cap 43 is disposed at the non-contact position P1 where it does not contact the liquid ejecting head 90 or the contact position P2 where it contacts the liquid ejecting head 90.

The wiping unit 50 has a drive shaft 51, a housing portion 52, and a wiping portion 53 capable of wiping the liquid ejection head 90. The accommodating portion 52 supports the wiping portion 53. The drive shaft 51 supports the accommodating portion 52. The drive shaft 51 can be moved in the Z direction by a moving mechanism (not shown). The wiping portion 53 is supported by the housing portion 52 and the drive shaft 51, and is movable in the Z direction by the moving mechanism.

The accommodating portion 52 is a receiver that accommodates the ink wiped off by the wiping portion 53 in addition to supporting the wiping portion 53. The accommodating portion 52 has a through hole 54. The ink wiped off by the wiping portion 53 is accommodated in the accommodating portion 52, flows toward the through hole 54, and is discharged from the through hole 54.

In this way, the wiping unit 50 in the maintenance unit 30 includes the wiping unit 53 capable of wiping the liquid ejecting head 90, and the storage unit 52 that supports the wiping unit 53 and stores wiped ink.

When the liquid ejecting head 90 is moved in the scanning direction X, the wiping unit 53 is disposed at a retreat position P3 retreated from the liquid ejecting head 90 shown in fig. 2 and 3 or a wiping position P4 capable of wiping the liquid ejecting head 90 shown in fig. 4. That is, the housing 52 supporting the wiper 53 is moved in the Z direction by the moving mechanism, and the wiper 53 is disposed at the retreat position P3 retreated from the liquid ejecting head 90 or the wiping position P4 where the liquid ejecting head 90 can be wiped.

When the wiping portion 53 is disposed at the wiping position P4, the wiping portion 53 contacts the liquid ejecting head 90 and wipes the liquid ejecting head 90 when the liquid ejecting head 90 is moved in the scanning direction X. Specifically, the wiping portion 53 wipes the nozzle surface 96 and the exposed surface 98 on the opposite side of the nozzle surface 96 of the fixed plate 92.

When the wiping unit 53 is disposed at the retreat position P3, the wiping unit 53 does not contact the liquid ejecting head 90 and does not wipe the liquid ejecting head 90 when the liquid ejecting head 90 is moved in the scanning direction X.

In this way, the wiping unit 53 is configured to be movable between a wiping position P4 at which the liquid ejecting head 90 can be wiped and a retracted position P3 retracted from the wiping position P4.

The housing portion 52 supporting the wiping portion 53 may be configured not to be moved in the Z direction by the moving mechanism but to be moved in the Y direction by the moving mechanism. That is, the wiping unit 53 may be moved in the Y direction, and the wiping unit 53 may be disposed at the retreat position P3 where it retreats from the liquid ejecting head 90 or at the wiping position P4 where it can wipe the liquid ejecting head 90. In this case, the wiping position P4 is a position on the movement path of the liquid ejecting head 90 mounted on the carriage 4, and the retracted position P3 is a position away from the movement path of the liquid ejecting head 90.

A waste liquid pipe 65 as an example of the "discharge flow path" is connected to the through hole 64 formed in the cover 60. A waste liquid pipe 45 as an example of the "discharge flow path" is connected to the through hole 44 formed in the cover 43 and the base 42. A waste liquid pipe 55 as an example of the "wiping flow path" is connected to the through hole 54 formed in the housing portion 52.

The housing 12 is provided with an opening 38 into which the cylindrical member 36 is press-fitted. One end 36a of the cylindrical member 36 is press-fitted into the opening 38 of the housing 12 and fixed to the housing 12. The other end 36b of the cylindrical member 36 is inserted into the opening 35 of the waste liquid storage portion 32 and fixed to the waste liquid storage portion 32.

The cylindrical member 36 is a flow path for ink discharged from the maintenance unit 40, the wiping unit 50, and the cap 60. The ink flows from one end 36a of the cylindrical member 36 toward the other end 36b of the cylindrical member 36. One end 36a of the cylindrical member 36 is positioned upstream of the ink flow path, and therefore will be referred to as an upstream end 36a hereinafter. The other end 36b of the cylindrical member 36 is located on the downstream side of the ink flow path, and is hereinafter referred to as a downstream end 36 b.

The upstream end 36a of the cylindrical member 36 is fixed to the housing 12 and is a fixed end whose movement is restricted. The downstream end 36b of the cylindrical member 36 is not fixed to the waste liquid storage portion 32, but is a movable free end. Thus, the upstream end 36a of the cylindrical member 36 is connected to the housing 12, and the downstream end 36b is inserted into the waste liquid storage portion 32 and is elastically deformable.

One end 65a of the waste liquid pipe 65 is press-fitted into the through hole 64 formed in the cover 60 and fixed to the cover 60. The other end 65b of the waste liquid pipe 65 is inserted into the upstream end 36a of the cylindrical member 36 and is not fixed to the cylindrical member 36. The ink flows from one end 65a of the waste tube 65 toward the other end 65b of the waste tube 65. The one end 65a of the waste liquid pipe 65 is located on the upstream side of the ink flow path, and is hereinafter referred to as an upstream end 65 a. The other end 65b of the waste liquid pipe 65 is located on the downstream side of the ink flow path, and is hereinafter referred to as a downstream end 65 b.

The upstream end 65a of the waste liquid pipe 65 is fixed to the cover 60 and is a fixed end whose movement is restricted. The downstream end 65b of the waste liquid pipe 65 is a movable free end and is not fixed to the cylindrical member 36.

The one end 65a of the waste liquid pipe 65 is an example of one end in the present application, and the downstream end 65b of the waste liquid pipe 65 is an example of the other end in the present application. The present embodiment has the following structure: one end 65a (one end of the discharge flow path) of the waste liquid pipe 65 is connected to the through hole 64, and the downstream end 65b (the other end of the discharge flow path) of the waste liquid pipe 65 is inserted into the cylindrical member 36.

When an unnecessary force acts on the cylindrical member 36, the unnecessary force may be transmitted to the connection portion between the waste liquid pipe 65 and the cylindrical member 36, and the connection between the waste liquid pipe 65 and the cylindrical member 36 may be released. In the present embodiment, in a state where the downstream end 65b of the waste liquid pipe 65 is not fixed to the cylindrical member 36 and is movable, since the waste liquid pipe 65 is connected to the cylindrical member 36, the downstream end 65b of the waste liquid pipe 65 moves, and the influence of unnecessary force transmitted to the connection portion between the waste liquid pipe 65 and the cylindrical member 36 is alleviated, and the connection between the waste liquid pipe 65 and the cylindrical member 36 is not easily released.

One end 45a of the waste liquid pipe 45 is press-fitted into the through-holes 44 formed in the cover 43 and the base 42, and fixed to the cover 43 and the base 42. The other end 45b of the waste liquid pipe 45 is inserted into the upstream end 36a of the cylindrical member 36 and is not fixed to the cylindrical member 36. The ink flows from one end 45a of the waste liquid pipe 45 toward the other end 45b of the waste liquid pipe 45. The one end 45a of the waste liquid pipe 45 is located upstream of the ink flow path, and is hereinafter referred to as an upstream end 45 a. The other end 45b of the waste liquid pipe 45 is located on the downstream side of the ink flow path, and is hereinafter referred to as a downstream end 45 b.

The upstream end 45a of the waste liquid pipe 45 is fixed to the cover 43 and the base 42, and is a fixed end whose movement is restricted. The downstream end 45b of the waste liquid pipe 45 is a movable free end and is not fixed to the cylindrical member 36.

The present embodiment has the following structure: the downstream end 45b of the waste liquid pipe 45 (downstream end of the discharge flow path) is inserted into the upstream end 36a of the cylindrical member 36 and into the inner cylindrical member 36.

When an unnecessary force acts on the cylindrical member 36, the unnecessary force may be transmitted to the connection portion between the waste liquid pipe 45 and the cylindrical member 36, and the connection between the waste liquid pipe 45 and the cylindrical member 36 may be released. In the present embodiment, in a state where the downstream end 45b of the waste liquid pipe 45 is not fixed to the cylindrical member 36 and is movable, since the waste liquid pipe 45 is connected to the cylindrical member 36, the downstream end 45b of the waste liquid pipe 45 moves, and the influence of unnecessary force transmitted to the connection portion between the waste liquid pipe 45 and the cylindrical member 36 is alleviated, and the connection between the waste liquid pipe 45 and the cylindrical member 36 is not easily released.

One end 55a of the waste liquid pipe 55 is press-fitted into the through hole 54 formed in the housing portion 52 and fixed to the housing portion 52. The other end 55b of the waste liquid pipe 55 is inserted into the upstream end 36a of the cylindrical member 36 and is not fixed to the cylindrical member 36. The ink flows from one end 55a of the waste liquid pipe 55 toward the other end 55b of the waste liquid pipe 55. The waste liquid pipe 55 has one end 55a located upstream of the ink flow path, and is hereinafter referred to as an upstream end 55 a. The other end 55b of the waste liquid pipe 55 is located on the downstream side of the ink flow path, and is hereinafter referred to as a downstream end 55 b.

The upstream end 55a of the waste liquid pipe 55 is fixed to the housing portion 52, and is a fixed end whose movement is restricted. The downstream end 55b of the waste liquid pipe 55 is a movable free end and is not fixed to the cylindrical member 36.

The upstream end 55a of the waste liquid pipe 55 is an example of one end in the present application, and the downstream end 55b of the waste liquid pipe 55 is an example of the other end in the present application. The present embodiment has the following structure: an upstream end 55a (one end of the wiping flow path) of the waste liquid pipe 55 is connected to the housing 52, and a downstream end 55b (the other end of the wiping flow path) of the waste liquid pipe 55 is inserted into the cylindrical member 36.

When an unnecessary force acts on the cylindrical member 36, the unnecessary force may be transmitted to the connection portion between the waste liquid pipe 55 and the cylindrical member 36, and the connection between the waste liquid pipe 55 and the cylindrical member 36 may be released. In the present embodiment, in a state where the downstream end 55b of the waste liquid pipe 55 is not fixed to the cylindrical member 36 and is movable, since the waste liquid pipe 55 is connected to the cylindrical member 36, the downstream end 55b of the waste liquid pipe 55 moves, and the influence of unnecessary force transmitted to the connection portion between the waste liquid pipe 55 and the cylindrical member 36 is alleviated, and the connection between the waste liquid pipe 55 and the cylindrical member 36 is not easily released.

Further, the inner diameter of the cylindrical member 36 is two times or more the outer diameter of the waste liquid pipe 45 (discharge flow path), two times or more the outer diameter of the waste liquid pipe 55 (wiping flow path), and two times or more the outer diameter of the waste liquid pipe 65 (discharge flow path).

If the inner diameter of the cylindrical member 36 is set to be twice or more the outer diameter of each of the waste liquid pipe 45, the waste liquid pipe 55, and the waste liquid pipe 65, the waste liquid pipe 45, the waste liquid pipe 55, and the waste liquid pipe 65 can be inserted into the cylindrical member 36 with a margin, and the waste liquid pipe 45, the waste liquid pipe 55, and the waste liquid pipe 65 can be pulled out from the cylindrical member 36.

For example, if the inner diameter of the cylindrical member 36 is two or more times the outer diameter of the waste liquid pipe 45 (discharge flow path), the work of inserting the downstream end 45b of the waste liquid pipe 45 into the upstream end 36a of the cylindrical member 36 and the work of pulling the downstream end 45b of the waste liquid pipe 45 out of the upstream end 36a of the cylindrical member 36 are facilitated, as compared to the case where the inner diameter of the cylindrical member 36 is shorter than two times the outer diameter of the waste liquid pipe 45 (discharge flow path). That is, the waste liquid pipe 45 and the cylindrical member 36 can be easily connected, and the connection between the waste liquid pipe 45 and the cylindrical member 36 can be easily released.

Similarly, if the inner diameter of the cylindrical member 36 is twice or more the outer diameter of the waste liquid pipe 55 (wiping flow path), the waste liquid pipe 55 and the cylindrical member 36 can be easily connected, and the connection between the waste liquid pipe 55 and the cylindrical member 36 can be easily released. If the inner diameter of the cylindrical member 36 is twice or more the outer diameter of the waste liquid pipe 65 (discharge flow path), the waste liquid pipe 65 and the cylindrical member 36 can be easily connected, and the connection between the waste liquid pipe 65 and the cylindrical member 36 can be easily released.

In a non-printing state where no image is printed on the medium M, as shown in fig. 3, the liquid ejecting head 90 is disposed in the first maintenance region R2, the cap 43 is disposed at the contact position P2, and the wiper 53 is disposed at the retracted position P3. Then, the cover 43 is brought into contact with the exposed surface 98 of the liquid ejecting head 90, and the cover 43 and the exposed surface 98 of the liquid ejecting head 90 form a closed space CS in which the nozzle 95 is opened. Thus, the nozzle 95 is isolated from the outside air, and evaporation of the ink in the nozzle 95 and an increase in the viscosity of the ink in the nozzle 95 are prevented.

That is, in a non-printing state where no image is printed on the medium M, the following capping process is performed: the cover 43 is in contact with the exposed surface 98 of the liquid ejecting head 90, forms a closed space CS in which the nozzle 95 is opened, and shields the nozzle 95 from the outside air, thereby preventing evaporation of the ink in the nozzle 95 and an increase in the viscosity of the ink in the nozzle 95.

Thus, the maintenance unit 40 has the cover 43 forming the closed space CS where the nozzle 95 is opened. The maintenance unit 40 performs the following capping process: the cover 43 is in contact with the exposed surface 98 of the liquid ejecting head 90 to form a closed space CS in which the nozzle 95 is opened, thereby preventing evaporation of the ink in the nozzle 95 and an increase in viscosity of the ink in the nozzle 95.

Further, in a non-printing state where no image is printed on the medium M, a cleaning process of forcibly discharging foreign substances (for example, paper dust, ink having increased viscosity, air bubbles, and the like) in the flow path of the liquid ejecting head 90 is performed.

In the cleaning process, as in the capping process described above, as shown in fig. 3, the liquid ejecting head 90 is disposed in the first maintenance region R2, the cap 43 is disposed at the contact position P2, and the cap 43 is in contact with the exposed surface 98 of the liquid ejecting head 90, thereby forming the closed space CS in which the nozzles 95 are opened. When the closed space CS in which the nozzles 95 are opened is formed, a suction pump (not shown) is driven to make the closed space CS negative pressure, and the ink in the flow path of the liquid ejecting head 90 is forcibly discharged from the nozzles 96 to the cap 43.

Foreign matter (for example, paper dust, ink having increased viscosity, air bubbles, and the like) in the flow path of the liquid ejecting head 90 is discharged to the cap 43 together with the ink by the cleaning process. The ink discharged to the cap 43 is accommodated in the waste liquid accommodating portion 32 through the waste liquid pipe 45 and the cylindrical member 36 from the through hole 44 formed in the cap 43 and the base 42. That is, the maintenance unit 30 includes a waste liquid pipe 45 (discharge flow path) through which the ink discharged from the liquid ejecting head 90 flows.

In this way, the maintenance unit 40 performs a cleaning process of forcibly discharging ink from the liquid ejecting head 90 and removing foreign substances in the flow path of the liquid ejecting head 90, in addition to the capping process. In other words, the maintenance unit 30 forcibly discharges ink from the liquid ejecting head 90 in the cleaning process for removing foreign substances in the flow path of the liquid ejecting head 90. Further, the ink discharged from the liquid ejecting head 90 by the maintenance target portion 30 is stored in the waste liquid storing portion 32.

If foreign matter accumulates in the flow path of the liquid ejecting head 90, the flow path of ink is blocked, and ink cannot be ejected from the liquid ejecting head 90 properly. When a problem occurs that ink cannot be properly discharged from the liquid discharge head 90, the user performs the cleaning process described above to return the liquid discharge head 90 to a normal state.

As described above, the ink is an aqueous dye ink containing water and a dye, the nozzle chips 93 and 94 forming the nozzle surface 96 are made of silicon, the fixing plate 92 forming the exposed surface 98 is made of metal, and the cap 43 is made of resin having elasticity.

In the present embodiment, the nozzle surfaces 96 of the nozzle chips 93 and 94 are surface-treated so that the contact angle θ n of the ink with respect to the nozzle surfaces 96 of the nozzle chips 93 and 94 is larger than the contact angle θ s of the ink with respect to the exposed surface 98 of the fixed plate 92. For example, the nozzle surfaces 96 of the nozzle chips 93 and 94 are covered with a material (e.g., a fluororesin) having a large contact angle with ink. Further, the exposed surface 98 of the fixed plate 92 is subjected to surface treatment so that the contact angle θ s of the ink with respect to the exposed surface 98 of the fixed plate 92 becomes larger than the contact angle θ c of the ink with respect to the cover 43.

As described above, in the present embodiment, at least one of the nozzle surfaces 96 of the nozzle chips 93 and 94, the exposed surface 98 of the fixing plate 92, and the cap 43 is subjected to surface treatment for optimizing wettability with ink, and the contact angle θ of ink is reduced in the order of the contact angle θ n of ink with respect to the nozzle surface 96, the contact angle θ s of ink with respect to the exposed surface 98, and the contact angle θ c of ink with respect to the cap 43.

Further, the materials constituting the nozzle surfaces 96 of the nozzle chips 93 and 94, the exposed surface 98 of the fixing plate 92, and the cap 43 may be optimized so that the contact angle θ n of the ink with respect to the nozzle surface 96, the contact angle θ s of the ink with respect to the exposed surface 98, and the contact angle θ c of the ink with respect to the cap 43 may be changed.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the contact angle of the ink with respect to the nozzle surface 96 of the nozzle chip 93, 94 is represented by θ n, the contact angle of the ink with respect to the exposed surface 98 of the fixed plate 92 is represented by θ s, and the contact angle of the ink with respect to the cap 43 is represented by θ c, the relationship of the following expression (1) is satisfied.

Formula 1

θn＞θs＞θc……(1)

Therefore, the ink is easily wetted in the order of the nozzle surface 96, the exposed surface 98, and the cap 43, and conversely, the ink is easily repelled in the order of the cap 43, the exposed surface 98, and the nozzle surface 96.

When the contact angle θ of the ink is decreased in the order of the nozzle surface 96, the exposed surface 98, and the cap 43, the ink is easily wetted in the order of the nozzle surface 96, the exposed surface 98, and the cap 43, and therefore the ink is easily moved from the nozzle surface 96 and the exposed surface 98 of the liquid ejecting head 90 to the cap 43. Therefore, even if the cleaning treatment for forcibly discharging the foreign matter in the flow path of the liquid ejecting head 90 is performed, the ink is not easily left on the nozzle surface 96 and the exposed surface 98 of the liquid ejecting head 90, and the nozzle surface 96 and the exposed surface 98 are not easily contaminated by the ink.

Further, in a non-printing state where no image is printed on the medium M, the following erasing process is performed: the ink adhering to the surface (nozzle surface 96, exposed surface 98) of the liquid ejecting head 90 facing the medium M is wiped off, and the ink is removed from the surface of the liquid ejecting head 90 facing the medium M.

In the erasing process, the liquid ejecting head 90 is disposed in the first maintenance area 92, the cap 43 is disposed at the non-contact position P1, and the wiping unit 53 is disposed at the wiping position P4. Then, the wiping portion 53 is in contact with the surface (nozzle surface 96, exposed surface 98) of the liquid ejecting head 90 facing the medium M. In a state where the wiping unit 53 is in contact with the surface of the liquid ejecting head 90 facing the medium M, an erasing process is performed to move the liquid ejecting head 90 in the scanning direction X and remove ink adhering to the surface of the liquid ejecting head 90 facing the medium M.

The wiping portion 53 is made of an elastic member such as rubber. The ink wiped off by the wiping portion 53 is collected by the housing portion 52, passes through the waste liquid tube 55 and the cylindrical member 36 from the through hole 54 formed in the housing portion 52, and is housed in the waste liquid housing portion 32.

If ink adheres to the surface (exposed surface 98, nozzle surface 96) of the liquid ejecting head 90 facing the medium M and further ink is accumulated on the surface facing the medium M, there is a problem that the medium M is contaminated with ink. When the medium M is contaminated with ink, the liquid ejecting head 90 is returned to a normal state by performing a wiping process of ink accumulated on the surfaces (the exposed surface 98 and the nozzle surface 96) facing the medium M.

In the present embodiment, the nozzle surfaces 96 of the nozzle chips 93 and 94 are surface-treated so that the contact angle θ n of the ink with respect to the nozzle surfaces 96 of the nozzle chips 93 and 94 is larger than the contact angle θ s of the ink with respect to the exposed surface 98 of the fixed plate 92. Further, the exposed surface 98 of the fixed plate 92 is subjected to surface treatment so that the contact angle θ s of the ink with respect to the exposed surface 98 of the fixed plate 92 becomes larger than the contact angle θ w of the ink with respect to the wiping portion 53.

As described above, in the present embodiment, at least one of the nozzle surfaces 96 of the nozzle chips 93 and 94, the exposed surface 98 of the fixed plate 92, and the wiping portion 53 is subjected to surface treatment for optimizing wettability with ink, and the contact angle θ of ink is reduced in the order of the contact angle θ n of ink with respect to the nozzle surface 96, the contact angle θ s of ink with respect to the exposed surface 98, and the contact angle θ w of ink with respect to the wiping portion 53.

Further, the materials constituting the nozzle surfaces 96 of the nozzle chips 93 and 94, the exposed surface 98 of the fixed plate 92, and the wiping portion 53 may be optimized so that the contact angle θ n of the ink with respect to the nozzle surface 96, the contact angle θ s of the ink with respect to the exposed surface 98, and the contact angle θ w of the ink with respect to the wiping portion 53 may be changed.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the contact angle of the ink with respect to the nozzle surface 96 of the nozzle chips 93 and 94 is θ n, the contact angle of the ink with respect to the exposed surface 98 of the fixed plate 92 is θ s, and the contact angle of the ink with respect to the wiping portion 53 is θ w, the relationship of the following expression (2) is satisfied.

Formula 2

θn＞θs＞θw……(2)

Therefore, the ink is easily wetted in the order of the nozzle surface 96, the exposed surface 98, and the wiping portion 53, and conversely, the ink is easily repelled in the order of the wiping portion 53, the exposed surface 98, and the nozzle surface 96.

If the contact angle θ of the ink is decreased in the order of the nozzle surface 96, the exposed surface 98, and the wiping portion 53, the ink is easily wetted in the order of the nozzle surface 96, the exposed surface 98, and the wiping portion 53, and therefore the ink adhering to the nozzle surface 96 and the exposed surface 98 of the liquid ejecting head 90 is easily moved to the wiping portion 53.

Therefore, the wiping section 53 easily wipes off the ink adhering to the nozzle surface 96 and the exposed surface 98 of the liquid ejecting head 90.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a state of the blocking portion 80. Fig. 7 is a view of the surface 11a of the leg 11 viewed from the-X direction side, and is a schematic view showing the state of the leg 11. In fig. 7, the cylindrical member 36 inserted into the waste liquid storage portion 32 is shown by a solid line, and the cylindrical member 36 taken out from the waste liquid storage portion 32 is shown by a two-dot chain line.

As shown in fig. 2, a closing portion 80 that can close the cylindrical member 36 manually is attached to the cylindrical member 36.

As shown in fig. 6, the blocking portion 80 is a U-shaped deformable member, and includes a U-shaped main body portion 81, a concave portion 82 provided on the upper surface of the main body portion 81, a convex portion 83 provided on the lower surface of the main body portion 81, and an insertion hole 84 provided on the side surface of the main body portion 81.

The concave portion 82 and the convex portion 83 face each other and can be fitted to each other. The cylindrical member 36 is inserted into the insertion hole 84, and the concave portion 82 and the convex portion 83 are disposed so as to sandwich the cylindrical member 36.

The closing portion 80 is in a state where the body portion 81 is deformed and the concave portion 82 is fitted to the convex portion 83 or in a state where the concave portion 82 is not fitted to the convex portion 83. In fig. 6, the recessed portion 82 and the raised portion 83 are not fitted to each other.

In the state where the concave portion 82 and the convex portion 83 are fitted, the cylindrical member 36 is pressed between the concave portion 82 and the convex portion 83, and the cylindrical member 36 is in a closed state in which ink does not flow. In a state where the concave portion 82 and the convex portion 83 are not fitted, the cylindrical member 36 is not pressed between the concave portion 82 and the convex portion 83, and the cylindrical member 36 is in an open state in which ink can flow.

The user can hold the body 81 and deform the body 81 to bring the cylindrical member 36 into a closed state in which ink does not flow. When the body 81 is deformed into a shape to close the cylindrical member 36, the shape of the deformed body 81 is maintained by gripping the body 81 with a gripping member (not shown) such as a clip, for example, and the cylindrical member 36 is maintained in a closed state in which ink is not flowed.

When the user takes out the grip member from the body 81, the body 81 is in the state shown in fig. 6, the concave portion 82 and the convex portion 83 are not fitted to each other, and the cylindrical member 36 is in the open state in which ink can flow.

For example, if the cylindrical member 36 is closed by the closing portion 80 so that the ink does not flow, and the cylindrical member 36 is pulled out from the waste liquid storage portion 32, the problem of ink leaking from the cylindrical member 36 can be suppressed.

The blocking portion 80 may be a valve that manually opens and closes the flow path. Further, the closing portion 80 may have the following structure: the device has a means for rotating the cam, and the cam is rotated to press the cylindrical member 36 to close the cylindrical member 36.

As shown in fig. 7, the mount 9 and the holding portion 37 are attached to the surface 11a of the leg 11. The mounting base 9 is a rectangular member elongated in the X direction, and mounts the waste liquid storage portion 32. The holding portion 37 is an annular elastic member and holds the cylindrical member 36.

The user enlarges the holding portion 37 and inserts the downstream end 36b of the cylindrical member 36 shown by the two-dot chain line in fig. 7 into the enlarged annular holding portion 37. Then, the holding portion 37 returns to the original state from the expanded state, and the force pressing the cylindrical member 36 acts on the cylindrical member 36 from the holding portion 37, so that the holding portion 37 holds the cylindrical member 36. Then, the downstream end 36b of the cylindrical member 36 is fixed to the surface 11a of the leg 11 by the holding portion 37 in a state where the downstream end 36b of the cylindrical member 36 is directed upward.

Thus, the holding portion 37 is a member capable of holding the downstream end 36b of the cylindrical member 36 in an upward direction.

The holding portion 37 is not limited to an annular elastic member, and may be, for example, a thin band capable of binding the cylindrical member 36, or may be a gripping member capable of gripping the cylindrical member 36, such as a clip.

For example, an engaging member may be provided on each of the cylindrical member 36 and the surface 11a of the leg 11, and the cylindrical member 36 may be fixed to the surface 11a of the leg 11 by the engagement of the engaging members.

For example, magnets may be attached to the cylindrical member 36 and the surface 11a of the leg 11, respectively, and the cylindrical member 36 may be fixed to the surface 11a of the leg 11 by magnetic force.

When the waste liquid containing portion 32 becomes full of ink, the user performs a disposal process of ink in a state where the waste liquid containing portion 32 is empty, because a cleaning process of forcibly discharging foreign matters in the flow path of the liquid discharge head 90 and an erasing process of removing ink adhering to the surface of the liquid discharge head 90 facing the medium M cannot be performed.

In the ink disposal process, first, after the user has closed the cylindrical member 36 by the closing portion 80 so as not to flow the ink, the cylindrical member 36 is pulled out from the waste liquid storage portion 32, and the connection between the cylindrical member 36 and the waste liquid storage portion 32 is canceled.

In a state where the cylindrical member 36 is closed by the closing portion 80, since the cylindrical member 36 is pulled out from the waste liquid storage portion 32, ink is less likely to drip from the cylindrical member 36, and a problem that the periphery is contaminated by ink dripping from the cylindrical member 36 is less likely to occur.

Since the downstream end 36b of the cylindrical member 36 is inserted into the waste liquid storage portion 32, the cylindrical member 36 can be disconnected from the waste liquid storage portion 32 by a simple operation of removing the cylindrical member 36 from the waste liquid storage portion 32. Further, the operation of pulling the cylindrical member 36 out of the waste liquid storage portion 32 makes it difficult for unnecessary force to act on the cylindrical member 36.

When the user pulls out the cylindrical member 36 from the waste liquid storage portion 32, the cylindrical member 36 is pulled out from the opening 35 of the waste liquid storage portion 32 in a state where the ink adheres to the downstream end 36b of the cylindrical member 36, and therefore the ink adhering to the downstream end 36b of the cylindrical member 36 may be scattered around from the vicinity of the opening 35 of the waste liquid storage portion 32.

In the present embodiment, the opening 35 of the waste liquid containing portion 32 is provided at a position lower than the rotation axis 24 of the winding portion 21, and the medium M wound around the winding portion 21 is disposed at a position higher than the opening 35 of the waste liquid containing portion 32, so that the medium M is less likely to be contaminated by the scattered ink.

When the user pulls the cylindrical member 36 out of the waste liquid storage portion 32, the downstream end 36b of the cylindrical member 36 is fixed to the surface 11a of the leg 11 by the holding portion 37 in a state where the downstream end 36b of the cylindrical member 36 is directed upward. Next, in a state where the downstream end 36b of the cylindrical member 36 is directed upward, the user discards the ink in the waste liquid storage portion 32, and the waste liquid storage portion 32 is left empty.

Since the downstream end 36b of the cylindrical member 36 faces upward, when the user discards the ink in the waste liquid storage portion 32, the ink is less likely to drip from the downstream end 36b of the cylindrical member 36, and the periphery is less likely to be contaminated by the ink dripping from the downstream end 36b of the cylindrical member 36.

When the holding portion 37 for holding the downstream end 36b of the cylindrical member 36 is provided, the closing portion 80 may be provided or may not be provided.

When the waste liquid storage portion 32 is empty, the user takes the cylinder member 36 out of the holding portion 37, inserts the downstream end 36b of the cylinder member 36 into the opening 35 of the waste liquid storage portion 32, opens the closing portion 80 to allow the ink to flow, connects the cylinder member 36 and the waste liquid storage portion 32, and ends the disposal of the ink in the state where the waste liquid storage portion 32 is empty.

By this ink disposal process, the liquid discharge apparatus 1 is in a state in which it is possible to perform a cleaning process of forcibly discharging foreign matter in the flow path of the liquid discharge head 90 and an erasing process of removing ink adhering to the surface of the liquid discharge head 90 facing the medium M.

(embodiment mode 2)

Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of the liquid ejecting apparatus 1A according to embodiment 2. Fig. 8 is a view of the liquid ejecting apparatus 1A viewed from the Y direction side, and illustrates components necessary for explanation, and omits to illustrate components unnecessary for explanation.

In the liquid ejecting apparatus 1A of the present embodiment, the irradiator 70 for irradiating ultraviolet light (ultraviolet light) is mounted on the carriage 4, and the ink stored in the ink tank storage 180 (see fig. 1) is UV (ultraviolet) ink which is cured by irradiation of ultraviolet light. This point is a main difference between the liquid discharge apparatus 1A of the present embodiment and the liquid discharge apparatus 1 of embodiment 1.

Hereinafter, the outline of the liquid ejecting apparatus 1A according to the present embodiment will be described mainly focusing on differences from embodiment 1 with reference to fig. 8.

As shown in fig. 8, the liquid discharge apparatus 1A of the present embodiment includes: a printing region R1 in which the liquid ejecting head 90 is disposed in a printing process for printing an image on the medium M; a first maintenance area R2 in which a maintenance unit 30 for performing a cleaning process and an erasing process is disposed; and a second maintenance area R3 where the user performs the cleaning process by hand. The second maintenance region R3 is disposed on the opposite side of the first maintenance region R2 with respect to the printing region R1.

As described above, the liquid ejection device 1A of the present embodiment includes the printing region R1, the first maintenance region R2, and the second maintenance region R3. On the other hand, the liquid ejection device 1 of embodiment 1 includes the printing region R1 and the first maintenance region R2. This point is different from embodiment 1.

A space MS for cleaning the liquid ejection head 90 by a user manually is provided in the second maintenance area R3. As shown in fig. 8, in the present embodiment, when the liquid ejecting head 90 moves to the second maintenance area R3, that is, when the carriage 4 moves to the side (the second maintenance area R3) opposite to the side (the first maintenance area R2) where the maintenance unit 30 is provided, the space MS where the user cleans the liquid ejecting head 90 is provided below the liquid ejecting head 90. Further, a space MS for the user to perform cleaning of the liquid ejection head 90 is illustrated by a two-dot chain line in the drawing.

The user can manually perform cleaning of the liquid ejection head 90 in the space MS.

The sub tank 6a stores cyan UV ink, the sub tank 6b stores magenta UV ink, the sub tank 6c stores yellow UV ink, and the sub tank 6d stores black UV ink. The four colors of UV inks stored in the auxiliary tanks 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d are supplied to the liquid ejecting head 90.

In addition to the sub tanks 6 (sub tanks 6a, 6b, 6c, and 6d), the carriage 4 is provided with a liquid ejecting head 90 that ejects UV ink onto the medium M, and an irradiator 70 that irradiates UV ink with ultraviolet light. That is, the liquid ejecting apparatus 1A of the present embodiment has the following configuration: the liquid ejecting apparatus includes a irradiator 70 and a carriage 4, the irradiator 70 irradiates ultraviolet light to the UV ink ejected from the liquid ejecting head 90, and the carriage 4 is movable in a state where the liquid ejecting head 90 and the irradiator 70 are mounted.

The irradiator 70 is constituted by an irradiator 70A located on the + X direction side in the scanning direction X with respect to the liquid ejecting head 90 and an irradiator 70B located on the-X direction side in the scanning direction X with respect to the liquid ejecting head 90.

As the light source of the illuminator 70, a light emitting diode or a halogen lamp can be used. In the present embodiment, a light emitting diode is used as a light source of the illuminator 70. In the case where the light source of the irradiator 70 is a light emitting diode, the directivity of the light emitted from the irradiator 70 becomes higher than in the case where the light source of the irradiator 70 is a halogen lamp, and the UV ink discharged to the medium M can be efficiently irradiated with light.

In the liquid discharge apparatus 1A of the present embodiment, the irradiation device 70 and the liquid discharge head 90 discharge ink from the liquid discharge head 90 to the medium M while moving in the scanning direction X, and the UV ink is cured by light (ultraviolet light) irradiated from the irradiation device 70, so that the UV ink is fixed to the medium M.

In the liquid ejecting apparatus 1A, when the liquid ejecting head 90 ejects the UV ink onto the medium M while moving in the + X direction in the scanning direction X, the irradiator 70A located on the + X direction side with respect to the liquid ejecting head 90 is in a non-lighted state, and the irradiator 70B located on the-X direction side with respect to the liquid ejecting head 90 is in a lighted state. Further, when the liquid ejecting head 90 ejects the UV ink onto the medium M while moving in the-X direction in the scanning direction X, the irradiator 70A located on the + X direction side with respect to the liquid ejecting head 90 is turned on, and the irradiator 70B located on the-X direction side with respect to the liquid ejecting head 90 is turned off. That is, in the liquid ejecting apparatus 1A, the UV ink is ejected from the liquid ejecting head 90, and then the ultraviolet light is irradiated from the irradiator 70.

In this way, when the irradiators 70A, 70B and the liquid ejecting head 90 discharge the UV ink from the liquid ejecting head 90 to the medium M while moving in the scanning direction X, the irradiators 70A, 70B are switched to the lit state in which ultraviolet light is irradiated and the unlit state in which ultraviolet light is not irradiated, in accordance with the movement of the liquid ejecting head 90.

When the liquid ejecting head 90 is moved in the scanning direction X, the wiping portion 53 is brought into contact with the liquid ejecting head 90 at the wiping position P4 (see fig. 4), and the wiping portion 53 can wipe the liquid ejecting head 90. When the liquid ejecting head 90 is moved in the scanning direction X, the wiping portion 53 cannot contact the liquid ejecting head 90 at the retreat position P3, and the wiping portion 53 cannot wipe the liquid ejecting head 90.

Here, the wiping position P4 is a position on the movement path of the liquid ejecting head 90 mounted on the carriage 4, and the retracted position P3 is a position moved in the Y direction from the wiping position P4, that is, a position deviated from the movement path of the liquid ejecting head 90. Since the movement path of the liquid ejecting head 90 is substantially the same as the movement path of the irradiator 70, the wiping position P4 is a position on the movement path of the irradiator 70 mounted on the carriage 4, and the retracted position P3 is a position away from the movement path of the irradiator 70.

As described above, the maintenance unit 30 of the present embodiment includes the wiping unit 53 capable of wiping the liquid ejecting head 90, and the wiping unit 53 is configured to be movable between the wiping position P4 capable of wiping the liquid ejecting head 90 and the retracted position P3 retracted from the wiping position P4, and has the following configuration: the wiping position P4 is a position on the movement path of the illuminator 70 mounted on the carriage 4, and the retracted position P3 is a position away from the movement path of the illuminator 70.

When an image is formed on the medium M, the irradiation device 60 is turned on, and the irradiation device 70 emits ultraviolet light while moving on the moving path, but since the wiping unit 53 is disposed at the retreat position P3 on the moving path from the irradiation device 70, the wiping unit 53 is not irradiated with ultraviolet light, the UV ink adhering to the wiping unit 53 is not cured, and the wiping unit 53 maintains a state in which it is possible to wipe the liquid ejecting head 90.

When an image is not formed on the medium M, the wiping unit 53 is disposed at the wiping position P4 on the movement path of the irradiator 70, but since the irradiator 70 is in the off state, ultraviolet light is not irradiated from the irradiator 70, the UV ink adhering to the wiping unit 53 is not cured, and the wiping unit 53 maintains a state in which it is possible to wipe the liquid ejecting head 90.

When the irradiator 70 and the liquid ejecting head 90 are moved in the scanning direction X together with the carriage 4, the cover 60A is disposed between the irradiator 70 and the maintenance unit 40 and the wiping unit 50, and a part of the maintenance unit 40 is covered with the cover 60A. That is, the liquid ejecting apparatus 1A of the present embodiment includes a cover 60A that covers a part of the maintenance unit 40 (a part of the maintenance unit 30).

The cover 60A is subjected to a surface treatment of absorbing ultraviolet light. Specifically, the cover 60A is colored to suppress transmission of ultraviolet light. Or the cover 60A has a colored layer for suppressing transmission of ultraviolet light. The cover 60A covers a part of the maintenance unit 30, and when the surface of the cover 60A is subjected to ultraviolet light absorption treatment, the cover 60A blocks ultraviolet light so that the ultraviolet light does not reach the maintenance unit 30.

Since the cover 60A prevents ultraviolet light from being irradiated on the maintenance portion 30, the UV ink adhering to the maintenance portion 30 is not easily cured by the ultraviolet light.

If the wiping unit 53 wipes off the UV ink adhering to the liquid ejecting head 90, irradiates the UV ink adhering to the wiping unit 53 with ultraviolet light, and cures the UV ink adhering to the wiping unit 53, when the wiping unit 53 is not elastically deformed and the wiping unit 53 wipes the liquid ejecting head 90, the cured UV ink may damage the liquid ejecting head 90.

In the present embodiment, since the UV ink adhering to the wiping portion 53 is not irradiated with ultraviolet light and the UV ink adhering to the wiping portion 53 is not cured, the wiping portion 53 maintains a state in which it is possible to wipe the liquid ejecting head 90, and the wiping portion 53 can continuously and appropriately wipe off the UV ink adhering to the liquid ejecting head 90.

Further, in the present embodiment, similarly to embodiment 1, the relationship of the above-described expression (2) is satisfied where θ n denotes a contact angle of the UV ink with respect to the nozzle surface 96 of the nozzle chip 93, 94, θ s denotes a contact angle of the UV ink with respect to the exposed surface 98 of the fixed plate 92, and θ w denotes a contact angle of the UV ink with respect to the wiping unit 53. That is, the contact angle θ of the UV ink is reduced in the order of the contact angle θ n of the UV ink with respect to the nozzle surface 96, the contact angle θ s of the UV ink with respect to the exposed surface 98, and the contact angle θ w of the UV ink with respect to the wiping portion 53.

When the contact angle of the UV ink is smaller in the order of the contact angle θ n of the UV ink with respect to the nozzle surface 96, the contact angle θ s of the UV ink with respect to the exposed surface 98, and the contact angle θ w of the UV ink with respect to the wiping portion 53, the wettability of the UV ink is improved in the order of the nozzle surface 96, the exposed surface 98, and the wiping portion 53, and therefore the UV ink adhering to the nozzle surface 96 and the exposed surface 98 of the liquid ejecting head 90 is easily moved to the wiping portion 53.

Therefore, the wiping section 53 easily wipes off the UV ink adhering to the nozzle surface 96 and the exposed surface 98 of the liquid ejecting head 90.

Further, in the present embodiment, similarly to embodiment 1, the relationship of the above-described formula (1) is satisfied where θ n denotes a contact angle of the UV ink with respect to the nozzle surface 96, θ s denotes a contact angle of the UV ink with respect to the exposed surface 98, and θ c denotes a contact angle of the UV ink with respect to the cap 43. That is, the contact angle θ of the UV ink is reduced in the order of the contact angle θ n of the UV ink with respect to the nozzle surface 96 of the nozzle chips 93 and 94, the contact angle θ s of the UV ink with respect to the exposed surface 98 of the fixed plate 92, and the contact angle θ c of the UV ink with respect to the cap 43.

When the contact angle θ of the UV ink becomes smaller in the order of the nozzle surface 96, the exposed surface 98, and the cap 43, the UV ink is easily wetted in the order of the nozzle surface 96, the exposed surface 98, and the cap 43, and therefore the UV ink is easily moved from the nozzle surface 96 and the exposed surface 98 of the liquid ejecting head 90 to the cap 43. Therefore, even if the cleaning process for forcibly discharging the foreign substances in the flow path of the liquid ejecting head 90 is performed, the UV ink is not easily left on the nozzle surface 96 and the exposed surface 98 of the liquid ejecting head 90, and the nozzle surface 96 and the exposed surface 98 are not easily contaminated by the UV ink.

As described above, the present embodiment has the following structure: the UV ink is less likely to remain on the surface (nozzle surface 96, exposed surface 98) of the liquid ejecting head 90 facing the medium M, and the ultraviolet light is less likely to be irradiated to the surface of the liquid ejecting head 90 facing the medium M.

However, there is a possibility that: the ultraviolet light irradiated from the irradiator 70 is reflected by the components of the liquid ejecting apparatus 1A to become stray light, and is irradiated to the surface of the liquid ejecting head 90 facing the medium M, thereby promoting curing of the UV ink attached to the surface of the liquid ejecting head 90 facing the medium M, and the UV ink is firmly attached to the surface of the liquid ejecting head 90 facing the medium M.

Further, there is a possibility that: the UV ink adhering to the surface of the liquid ejecting head 90 facing the medium M is accelerated to be cured by the illumination light of the room in which the liquid ejecting apparatus 1A is installed, and the UV ink is firmly adhered to the surface of the liquid ejecting head 90 facing the medium M.

If the UV ink adhering to the surface of the liquid ejecting head 90 facing the medium M is accelerated to be cured and the UV ink is firmly adhered to the surface of the liquid ejecting head 90 facing the medium M, it is difficult to remove the UV ink from the surface of the liquid ejecting head 90 facing the medium M by the wiping portion 53.

In the present embodiment, since the space MS for the user to manually clean the liquid ejecting head 90 is provided, when it is difficult for the maintenance unit 30 to remove the UV ink from the surface of the liquid ejecting head 90 facing the medium M, the liquid ejecting head 90 is moved to the second maintenance area R3, and the user manually removes the UV ink adhering to the surface of the liquid ejecting head 90 facing the medium M using the space MS indicated by the two-dot chain line in fig. 8.

Since the conditions for cleaning the liquid ejecting head 90 can be changed and optimized by the manual operation of the user, the UV ink can be appropriately removed from the surface of the liquid ejecting head 90 facing the medium M.

Of course, in the liquid ejecting apparatus 1 according to embodiment 1, the space MS for the user to manually clean the liquid ejecting head 90 may be provided, as in the liquid ejecting apparatus 1A according to the present embodiment.

The contents derived from the embodiments are described below.

The liquid ejecting apparatus according to the present application is characterized by comprising: a liquid ejecting head that performs printing by ejecting liquid from nozzles toward a medium; a maintenance unit that forcibly discharges the liquid from the liquid ejecting head; a waste liquid accommodating portion capable of accommodating the liquid discharged from the liquid ejecting head by the maintenance portion; and an elastically deformable cylindrical member having a downstream end inserted into the waste liquid housing portion, wherein the maintenance portion has a discharge flow path through which the liquid discharged from the liquid discharge head flows, and a downstream end of the discharge flow path is inserted into an upstream end of the cylindrical member.

The liquid forcibly discharged from the liquid ejecting head by the maintenance unit is collected in the waste liquid storage unit via the discharge flow path and the cylindrical member. The discharge flow path and the cylindrical member form a flow path of the liquid to the waste liquid storage portion.

Since the downstream end of the cylindrical member is inserted into the waste liquid storage portion, the cylindrical member and the waste liquid storage portion are connected in a state where the cylindrical member is not fixed to the waste liquid storage portion. Further, by a simple operation of inserting the cylindrical member into the waste liquid storage portion or extracting the cylindrical member from the waste liquid storage portion, the cylindrical member and the waste liquid storage portion can be connected to each other, and the connection between the cylindrical member and the waste liquid storage portion can be released.

Since the downstream end of the discharge flow path is inserted into the upstream end of the cylindrical member, the cylindrical member and the waste liquid storage portion are connected in a state where the discharge flow path is not fixed to the cylindrical member. Further, by a simple operation of inserting the downstream end of the discharge flow path into the upstream end of the cylindrical member or extracting the downstream end of the discharge flow path from the upstream end of the cylindrical member, the cylindrical member and the waste liquid storage portion can be connected to each other, and the connection between the cylindrical member and the waste liquid storage portion can be released.

In the connection portion between the cylindrical member and the waste liquid storage portion, since the cylindrical member is not fixed to the waste liquid storage portion, when an unnecessary force acts on the connection portion between the cylindrical member and the waste liquid storage portion, the cylindrical member moves, and thus the influence of the unnecessary force acting on the connection portion between the cylindrical member and the waste liquid storage portion can be alleviated, and the liquid is less likely to leak from the connection portion between the cylindrical member and the waste liquid storage portion.

Since the discharge flow path is not fixed to the cylindrical member at the connection portion between the discharge flow path and the cylindrical member, when an unnecessary force acts on the connection portion between the discharge flow path and the cylindrical member, the discharge flow path moves, and the influence of the unnecessary force acting on the connection portion between the discharge flow path and the cylindrical member can be alleviated, and the liquid is less likely to leak from the connection portion between the discharge flow path and the cylindrical member.

Further, in the liquid ejecting apparatus according to the present invention, since the flow path of the liquid to the waste liquid storage portion can be opened and closed by a simple operation, it is less likely that unnecessary force is applied to the flow path of the liquid to the waste liquid storage portion and the liquid is less likely to leak from the flow path of the liquid to the waste liquid storage portion due to the unnecessary force, as compared with a case where the flow path of the liquid to the waste liquid storage portion is opened and closed by a complicated operation.

In the liquid ejecting apparatus according to the present application, it is preferable that the liquid ejecting apparatus further includes a case that houses the liquid ejecting head, the upstream end of the cylindrical member is connected to the case, and an inner diameter of the cylindrical member is two times or more an outer diameter of the discharge flow path.

When the inner diameter of the cylindrical member is two or more times the outer diameter of the discharge flow path, the work of inserting the downstream end of the discharge flow path into the upstream end of the cylindrical member is facilitated and the work of pulling out the downstream end of the discharge flow path from the upstream end of the cylindrical member is facilitated, as compared with the case where the inner diameter of the cylindrical member is shorter than two times the outer diameter of the discharge flow path.

In the liquid ejecting apparatus according to the present application, it is preferable that the liquid ejecting apparatus further includes a closing portion that can close the cylindrical member manually.

When the cylindrical member is manually closed by the closing portion, the cylindrical member can be pulled out from the waste liquid storage portion without liquid leaking from the cylindrical member.

In the liquid ejecting apparatus according to the present application, it is preferable that the liquid ejecting apparatus further includes a holding portion capable of holding the downstream end of the cylindrical member in an upward facing state.

When the downstream end of the cylindrical member pulled out from the waste liquid storage portion is held in an upward facing state by the holding portion, ink adhering to the downstream end of the cylindrical member is less likely to drip downward from the downstream end of the cylindrical member.

In the liquid ejecting apparatus of the present application, it is preferable that the liquid ejecting apparatus further includes a winding portion that is capable of winding the medium on which the printing is performed by rotating around a rotation axis, and the waste liquid storage portion has an opening into which the cylindrical member is inserted, and the opening is provided at a position lower than the rotation axis.

When the downstream end of the cylindrical member is pulled out from the waste liquid containing portion, the liquid is likely to be scattered around the opening of the waste liquid containing portion.

In the winding section, since the medium is wound around the rotation axis as a rotation center and is disposed around the rotation axis, if the opening of the waste liquid storage portion is disposed at a position lower than the rotation axis of the winding section, the medium is disposed at a position higher than the opening of the waste liquid storage portion. When the medium is disposed at a position higher than the opening of the waste liquid containing portion, when the downstream end of the cylindrical member is pulled out from the waste liquid containing portion, the liquid scattered from the vicinity of the opening of the waste liquid containing portion and around the opening is less likely to adhere to the medium.

In the liquid ejecting apparatus of the present application, it is preferable that the maintenance unit includes: a wiping unit having a wiping portion capable of wiping the liquid ejecting head and a housing portion for supporting the wiping portion and housing the wiped liquid; and a wiping flow path having one end connected to the housing portion and the other end inserted into the cylindrical member.

Since the liquid wiped off by the wiping portion passes through the wiping flow path and the cylindrical member and is collected in the waste liquid storage portion, the wiping flow path and the cylindrical member form a flow path of the liquid to the waste liquid storage portion. Further, the wiping flow path can be connected to the cylindrical member or disconnected from the cylindrical member by a simple operation of inserting the wiping flow path into the cylindrical member or extracting the wiping flow path from the cylindrical member.

In the liquid discharge apparatus of the present application, it is preferable that the liquid discharge apparatus further includes: a cover having a through hole and an opening for exposing a part of the maintenance part; and a discharge flow path having one end connected to the through hole, wherein the cover has a receiving portion that is inclined downward toward the through hole and that receives liquid that is discharged from the liquid discharge head and that is not involved in the printing, and wherein the other end of the discharge flow path is inserted into the cylindrical member.

The liquid irrelevant to printing can be collected by the cover and collected to the waste liquid storage part through the ejection flow path and the cylindrical member. Therefore, the discharge flow path and the cylindrical member form a flow path of the liquid to the waste liquid storage portion. Further, the discharge flow path can be connected to the cylindrical member or disconnected from the cylindrical member by a simple operation of inserting the discharge flow path into the cylindrical member or extracting the discharge flow path from the cylindrical member.

In the liquid discharge apparatus of the present application, it is preferable that the liquid discharge apparatus further includes: an irradiator that irradiates the liquid ejected by the liquid ejection head with ultraviolet light; and a carriage which is movable in a state where the liquid ejecting head and the irradiator are mounted.

If an irradiator for irradiating ultraviolet light to a liquid is provided, the present application can be applied to an ultraviolet printer that uses UV ink as a liquid to form an image on a medium, and the UV ink is less likely to leak from a flow path of the UV ink to a waste liquid storage portion.

In the liquid ejecting apparatus according to the present application, it is preferable that the maintenance unit includes a wiping unit capable of wiping the liquid ejecting head, and the wiping unit is configured to be movable between a wiping position capable of wiping the liquid ejecting head and a retracted position retracted from the wiping position, the wiping position being a position on the irradiator movement path mounted on the carriage, and the retracted position being a position away from the movement path.

When an image is formed on a medium, the irradiation unit is turned on, and the irradiation unit emits ultraviolet light while moving on the movement path, but since the wiping unit is disposed at a retracted position away from the movement path of the irradiation unit, the wiping unit is not irradiated with ultraviolet light, the UV ink adhering to the wiping unit is not cured, and the wiping unit maintains a state in which the liquid ejecting head can be wiped.

When an image is not formed on the medium, the wiping unit is disposed at a wiping position on the movement path of the irradiator, but since the irradiator is in an off state, ultraviolet light is not irradiated from the irradiator, the UV ink adhering to the wiping unit is not cured, and the wiping unit maintains a state in which it is possible to wipe the liquid ejecting head.

As a result, the wiping portion wipes off the UV ink adhering to the liquid ejecting head, and after the UV ink adheres to the wiping portion, the wiping portion maintains a state in which the liquid ejecting head can be wiped, so that the wiping portion can continuously and appropriately wipe off the UV ink adhering to the liquid ejecting head.

In the liquid ejecting apparatus according to the present application, it is preferable that the liquid ejecting apparatus further includes a cover that covers a part of the maintenance unit and that performs a surface absorption treatment of ultraviolet light on the cover.

The cover covers a part of the maintenance part, and when the surface of the cover is subjected to ultraviolet light absorption treatment, the cover blocks ultraviolet light so that the ultraviolet light does not reach the maintenance part.

In the liquid ejecting apparatus according to the present application, it is preferable that a space for a user to clean the liquid ejecting head is provided below the liquid ejecting head when the carriage moves to a side opposite to a side where the maintenance unit is provided.

When the UV ink adheres to the liquid ejecting head and the liquid ejecting head has a problem, the maintenance unit removes the UV ink adhering to the liquid ejecting head and returns the liquid ejecting head to a normal state. However, when stray light of the ultraviolet light generated by reflection enters the surface of the liquid ejecting head to which the UV ink adheres, curing of the UV ink is promoted, and the UV ink adheres firmly to the liquid ejecting head. Therefore, it is difficult for the wiping portion to appropriately remove the UV ink adhering to the liquid ejecting head.

In the present application, since the space for the user to clean the liquid ejecting head is provided, when it is difficult for the maintenance unit to appropriately remove the UV ink adhering to the liquid ejecting head, the UV ink adhering to the liquid ejecting head can be appropriately removed by the manual operation of the user.

In the liquid ejection device of the present application, preferably,

the maintenance unit includes a wiping unit capable of wiping the liquid ejecting head, the liquid ejecting head includes a nozzle surface on which the nozzle is formed and a fixed plate provided with an opening region for exposing the nozzle surface, the wiping unit wipes the nozzle surface and an exposed surface of the fixed plate on the side opposite to the nozzle surface, and when a contact angle of the liquid with respect to the nozzle surface is thetan, a contact angle of the liquid with respect to the exposed surface is thetas, and a contact angle of the liquid with respect to the wiping unit is thetaw, a relationship of thetan > thetas > thetaw is satisfied.

When the contact angle of the liquid is decreased in the order of the contact angle θ n of the liquid with respect to the nozzle surface, the contact angle θ s of the liquid with respect to the exposed surface, and the contact angle θ w of the liquid with respect to the wiping portion, the wettability of the liquid becomes better in the order of the nozzle surface, the exposed surface, and the wiping portion, and therefore the liquid adhering to the nozzle surface and the exposed surface of the liquid ejecting head is likely to move to the wiping portion.

Therefore, the wiping portion easily wipes off the liquid adhering to the nozzle surface and the exposed surface of the liquid ejecting head.

In the liquid ejecting apparatus according to the present application, it is preferable that the maintenance unit includes a cover capable of forming a closed space of the nozzle opening, the liquid ejecting head includes a nozzle surface on which the nozzle is formed and a fixed plate provided with an opening region for exposing the nozzle surface, the cover forms the closed space of the nozzle opening by contacting an exposed surface of the fixed plate on a side opposite to the nozzle surface, and when a contact angle of the liquid with respect to the nozzle surface is θ n, a contact angle of the liquid with respect to the exposed surface is θ s, and a contact angle of the liquid with respect to the cover is θ c, a relationship of θ n > θ s > θ c is satisfied.

When a deteriorated liquid is present in the flow path of the liquid ejecting head and the deteriorated liquid is forcibly discharged from the liquid ejecting head, the cover serves as a receiver that receives the forcibly discharged liquid. That is, if the liquid is forcibly discharged from the liquid ejecting head to the cap in a state where the closed space in which the nozzle is opened is formed, the liquid is collected by the cap and does not scatter around.

Further, if the contact angle of the liquid is decreased in the order of the contact angle θ n of the liquid with respect to the nozzle surface, the contact angle θ s of the liquid with respect to the exposed surface, and the contact angle θ c of the liquid with respect to the cap, the wettability of the liquid becomes better in the order of the nozzle surface, the exposed surface, and the cap, and therefore the liquid is easily moved from the nozzle surface and the exposed surface of the liquid ejecting head to the cap. Therefore, when the deteriorated liquid is forcibly discharged from the liquid ejecting head to the cap, the liquid is less likely to remain on the nozzle surface and the exposed surface of the liquid ejecting head, and the nozzle surface and the exposed surface of the liquid ejecting head are less likely to be contaminated by the liquid.

Claims (13)

1. A liquid ejecting apparatus includes:

a liquid ejecting head that performs printing by ejecting liquid from nozzles toward a medium;

a maintenance unit that forcibly discharges the liquid from the liquid ejecting head;

a waste liquid accommodating portion capable of accommodating the liquid discharged from the liquid ejecting head by the maintenance portion; and

an elastically deformable cylindrical member having a downstream end inserted into the waste liquid housing portion,

the maintenance part has a discharge flow path through which the liquid discharged from the liquid discharge head flows,

the downstream end of the discharge flow path is inserted into the upstream end of the cylindrical member.

2. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1,

the liquid ejecting apparatus further includes a casing that houses the liquid ejecting head,

said upstream end of said cylindrical member being connected to said housing,

the inner diameter of the cylindrical member is two or more times the outer diameter of the discharge flow path.

3. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1,

the liquid ejecting apparatus further includes a closing portion that can close the cylindrical member manually.

4. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1,

the liquid ejecting apparatus further includes a holding portion capable of holding the downstream end of the cylindrical member in an upward facing state.

5. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1,

the liquid ejecting apparatus further includes a winding unit configured to wind the medium on which the printing is performed by rotating around a rotation axis,

the waste liquid containing part has an opening, the cylindrical member is inserted into the opening,

the opening is provided at a position lower than the rotation axis.

6. The liquid ejection device according to claim 2,

the maintenance unit includes:

a wiping unit having a wiping portion capable of wiping the liquid ejecting head and a housing portion for supporting the wiping portion and housing the wiped liquid; and

and a wiping flow path having one end connected to the housing portion and the other end inserted into the cylindrical member.

7. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1,

the liquid discharge apparatus further includes:

a cover having a through hole and an opening for exposing a part of the maintenance part; and

an ejection flow path having one end connected to the through hole,

the cap has a receiving portion that is inclined downward toward the through hole and that contains liquid that is not involved in the printing and that is ejected from the liquid ejecting head,

the other end of the discharge flow path is inserted into the cylindrical member.

8. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1,

the liquid discharge apparatus further includes:

an irradiator that irradiates the liquid ejected by the liquid ejection head with ultraviolet light; and

and a carriage which is movable in a state where the liquid ejecting head and the irradiator are mounted.

9. The liquid ejection device according to claim 8,

the maintenance unit has a wiping unit capable of wiping the liquid ejecting head,

the wiping unit is configured to be movable between a wiping position at which the wiping unit can wipe the liquid ejecting head and a retracted position retracted from the wiping position,

the wiping position is a position on the illuminator movement path mounted on the carriage, and the retracted position is a position away from the movement path.

10. The liquid ejection device according to claim 8,

the liquid ejecting apparatus further includes a cover that covers a part of the maintenance unit,

the cover is treated to absorb ultraviolet light from its surface.

11. The liquid ejection device according to claim 8,

when the carriage is moved to the side opposite to the side where the maintenance part is provided, a space for a user to clean the liquid ejecting head is provided below the liquid ejecting head.

12. The liquid ejection device according to claim 8,

the maintenance unit has a wiping unit capable of wiping the liquid ejecting head,

the liquid ejecting head includes a nozzle surface on which the nozzle is formed and a fixing plate provided with an opening region for exposing the nozzle surface,

the wiping portion wipes the nozzle surface and an exposed surface of the fixed plate on the side opposite to the nozzle surface,

when a contact angle of the liquid with respect to the nozzle surface is represented by thetan, a contact angle of the liquid with respect to the exposed surface is represented by thetas, and a contact angle of the liquid with respect to the wiping portion is represented by thetaw, a relationship of thetan > thetas > thetaw is satisfied.

13. The liquid ejection device according to claim 8,

the maintenance part has a cap capable of forming a closed space of the nozzle opening,

the liquid ejecting head includes a nozzle surface on which the nozzle is formed and a fixing plate provided with an opening region for exposing the nozzle surface,

the cover forms a closed space of the nozzle opening by contacting an exposed surface of the fixed plate on a side opposite to the nozzle surface,

when a contact angle of the liquid with respect to the nozzle surface is represented by thetan, a contact angle of the liquid with respect to the exposed surface is represented by thetas, and a contact angle of the liquid with respect to the cover is represented by thetac, a relationship of thetan > thetas > thetac is satisfied.