EP3056346B1 - Printing apparatus and method of cleaning printing apparatus - Google Patents

Printing apparatus and method of cleaning printing apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3056346B1
EP3056346B1 EP15198141.2A EP15198141A EP3056346B1 EP 3056346 B1 EP3056346 B1 EP 3056346B1 EP 15198141 A EP15198141 A EP 15198141A EP 3056346 B1 EP3056346 B1 EP 3056346B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
head
cleaning
head unit
transfer path
recording
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active
Application number
EP15198141.2A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP3056346A2 (en
EP3056346A3 (en
Inventor
Morihiro Takeda
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Screen Holdings Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Screen Holdings Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Screen Holdings Co Ltd filed Critical Screen Holdings Co Ltd
Publication of EP3056346A2 publication Critical patent/EP3056346A2/en
Publication of EP3056346A3 publication Critical patent/EP3056346A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP3056346B1 publication Critical patent/EP3056346B1/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/165—Preventing or detecting of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles
    • B41J2/16517—Cleaning of print head nozzles
    • B41J2/16535—Cleaning of print head nozzles using wiping constructions
    • B41J2/16544—Constructions for the positioning of wipers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/165—Preventing or detecting of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles
    • B41J2/16517—Cleaning of print head nozzles
    • B41J2/1652—Cleaning of print head nozzles by driving a fluid through the nozzles to the outside thereof, e.g. by applying pressure to the inside or vacuum at the outside of the print head
    • B41J2/16532—Cleaning of print head nozzles by driving a fluid through the nozzles to the outside thereof, e.g. by applying pressure to the inside or vacuum at the outside of the print head by applying vacuum only
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/165—Preventing or detecting of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles
    • B41J2/16517—Cleaning of print head nozzles
    • B41J2/16535—Cleaning of print head nozzles using wiping constructions
    • B41J2/16538—Cleaning of print head nozzles using wiping constructions with brushes or wiper blades perpendicular to the nozzle plate
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/165—Preventing or detecting of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles
    • B41J2/16585—Preventing or detecting of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads
    • B41J2/16588—Print heads movable towards the cleaning unit
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J25/00—Actions or mechanisms not otherwise provided for
    • B41J25/001—Mechanisms for bodily moving print heads or carriages parallel to the paper surface
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J25/00—Actions or mechanisms not otherwise provided for
    • B41J25/304—Bodily-movable mechanisms for print heads or carriages movable towards or from paper surface
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/165—Preventing or detecting of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles
    • B41J2/16505—Caps, spittoons or covers for cleaning or preventing drying out
    • B41J2/16508—Caps, spittoons or covers for cleaning or preventing drying out connected with the printer frame
    • B41J2/16511—Constructions for cap positioning
    • B41J2002/16514—Constructions for cap positioning creating a distance between cap and print head, e.g. for suction or pressurising
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/165—Preventing or detecting of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles
    • B41J2002/16594—Pumps or valves for cleaning

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a method of cleaning the printing apparatus.
  • a printing apparatus which prints an image on recording medium like a long strip by discharging droplets to the recording medium transferred by a transferring mechanism has been hitherto used.
  • Such a conventional printing apparatus is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-36865 , for example.
  • the head unit or the recording media are made to retreat when the connection is to pass through under the head unit, thereby suppressing contact of the connection between the recording medium with a head (paragraphs 0022 and 0030).
  • a printing step is suspended as the printing step cannot be performed in the printing apparatus during exchange of recording media.
  • a printing apparatus employing what is called an ink-jet system of discharging droplets to a recording medium
  • continuing the printing step for a long time gradually causes discharge failure at a nozzle.
  • ink attached to the nozzle may be solidified to cause discharge failure.
  • a cleaning step is performed on a head with a nozzle suffering from the discharge failure at regular intervals or before the printing is restarted.
  • performing such cleaning step necessitates suspension of the printing step.
  • performing the cleaning step leads to reduction in efficiency of printing operation.
  • US 2013/293633 A1 discloses a printing apparatus, wherein a gap in a vertical direction between the head unit and the transfer path for the recording medium in the cleaning position is larger than a gap in the vertical direction between the head unit and the transfer path for the recording medium in the printing position. In US 2013/293633 A1 all heads are located above the caps in the cleaning position.
  • the present invention is intended to provide a technique capable of suppressing reduction in efficiency of printing operation to be caused by a cleaning step in a printing apparatus of printing an image on a recording medium like a long strip.
  • a first aspect of the present invention is intended for a printing apparatus that discharges droplets on a recording medium like a long strip transferred in a longitudinal direction.
  • the printing apparatus comprises: a transferring mechanism that transfers the recording medium while holding the recording medium on a transfer path; a head unit having at least one plurality of recording heads with a plurality of nozzles from which the droplets are discharged to an upper surface of the recording medium; a plurality of caps used for cleaning on ones of the recording heads, the caps being located on one side in a width direction relative to the transfer path; a moving mechanism that changes a relationship in terms of location among the transferring mechanism, the head unit, and the caps between a printing position and a cleaning position by moving at least the head unit; and a controller for operational control on the transferring mechanism, the head unit, the caps, and the moving mechanism.
  • the recording heads include: a target head as a target of cleaning in a cleaning step; and a terminal head located nearest the other side in the width direction among the recording heads.
  • the target head and the terminal head are located above the transfer path in the printing position.
  • the target head is located above one of the caps and the terminal head is located above the transfer path, in the cleaning position.
  • a gap in a vertical direction between the head unit and the transfer path for the recording medium in the cleaning position is larger than a gap in the vertical direction between the head unit and the transfer path for the recording medium in the printing position.
  • a second aspect of the present invention is intended for a method of cleaning a recording head implemented in a printing apparatus comprising at least one head unit having a plurality of recording heads including a target head and a terminal head, a transfer path through which a recording medium is transferred, and a cleaning mechanism having a plurality of caps and located in a position not overlapping the transfer path in a vertical direction.
  • the method comprises the steps of: a) changing a relationship in terms of location among the transfer path, the head unit, and the caps from a printing position to a cleaning position by moving at least the head unit, the printing position being a position where all the recording heads of the head unit are located above the transfer path, the cleaning position being a position where at least one of the recording heads is located above at least one of the caps and other one of the recording heads is located above the transfer path; and b) cleaning the at least one recording head located above the at least one cap in the cleaning position.
  • the step b) is performed after the step a).
  • a gap in the vertical direction between the head unit and the transfer path for the recording medium in the cleaning position is larger than a gap in the vertical direction between the head unit and the transfer path for the recording medium in the printing position.
  • the gap between the head unit and the transfer path for the recording medium is larger than a gap therebetween in a printing step.
  • This allows transfer of a thick part such as a connection between printing media in the cleaning step.
  • the recording media can be exchanged and the cleaning step can be performed simultaneously. This can shorten a time of suspension of the printing step, thereby enhancing efficiency of printing operation.
  • a direction where a printing sheet 9 is transferred is called a “transfer direction” and a horizontal direction perpendicular to the transfer direction is called a “width direction.”
  • a side of a cap 41 relative to a transfer path 220 for the printing sheet 9 is called “one side in the width direction” and a side of the transfer path 220 for the printing sheet 9 relative to the cap 41 is called “the other side in the width direction.”
  • Fig. 1 conceptually shows the structure of a printing apparatus 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • Fig. 2 is a bottom view of a head unit 30.
  • Figs. 3A, 3B, and 3C are top views each showing a head unit 30, a cleaning mechanism 40, and a printing sheet 9 in a state when a printing step and a cleaning step are performed.
  • Figs. 4A, 4B, and 4C are vertical sectional views each showing the head unit 30, the cleaning mechanism 40, and the printing sheet 9 in the state when the printing step and the cleaning step are performed.
  • Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing a control system of the printing apparatus 1.
  • the printing apparatus 1 employs an ink-jet system of recording a color image on a printing sheet 9 as a recording medium like a long strip by discharging ink droplets onto the printing sheet 9 from a plurality of recording heads 32 of at least one head unit 30 while transferring the printing sheet 9.
  • the printing apparatus 1 includes a transferring mechanism 20, four head units 30, the cleaning mechanism 40, and a controller 10.
  • the transferring mechanism 20 is to transfer a printing sheet 9 in the transfer direction corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the printing sheet 9 while holding the printing sheet 9.
  • the transferring mechanism 20 of this preferred embodiment includes an unwinding section 21, a plurality of transferring rollers 22, and a winding section 23.
  • the unwinding section 21 includes a first feeding roller 211, a second feeding roller 212, and a buffer part 213 with a plurality of rollers.
  • the unwinding section 21 may be configured as a unit independent of or integral with the other components of the printing apparatus 1.
  • the unwinding section 21 can change a source for a printing sheet 9 between the first and second feeding rollers 211 and 212. If only little space is left for printing in a printing sheet 9 fed from the first feeding roller 211, a rear end portion of the printing sheet 9 fed from the first feeding roller 211 can be affixed for example with an adhesive tape to a front end portion of a printing sheet 9 fed from the second feeding roller 212 to continue transfer. This achieves prompt change of a feeding roller.
  • the feeding rollers 211 and 212 of the unwinding section 21, the transferring rollers 22, and the winding section 23 are coupled to a motor as a power source (not shown in the drawings). As the controller 10 drives the motor, each of the feeding rollers 211 and 212 of the unwinding section 21, each transferring roller 22, and the winding section 23 rotate. Some of or all of the transferring rollers 22 may be follower rollers that are not coupled to the motor but are caused to rotate in response to movement of a printing sheet 9.
  • the transferring rollers 22 form the transfer path 220 for a printing sheet 9.
  • Each transferring roller 22 rotates about a horizontal axis to guide the printing sheet 9 toward a downstream side of the transfer path 220.
  • tension is applied to the printing sheet 9.
  • the printing sheet 9 is fed from the unwinding section 21 and transferred toward the winding section 23 along the transfer path 220 formed of the transferring rollers 22. After being transferred, the printing sheet 9 is wound and collected at the winding section 23.
  • the four head units 30 are located above the transfer path 220 and arranged at interval in the transfer direction.
  • the four head units 30 are to discharge ink droplets of black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) onto the upper surface of a printing sheet 9.
  • the printing apparatus 1 of the preferred embodiment is a recording apparatus employing what is called a one-pass system of recording a desired image pattern on a printing sheet 9 by discharging ink droplets from each head unit 30 while the printing sheet 9 passes through under each head unit 30 only once.
  • the structures of the four head units 30 are substantially the same. Thus, the structure of one head unit 30 is described below.
  • the head unit 30 includes a case 31 and a plurality of recording heads 32 attached to the case 31.
  • Each recording head 32 has a discharge surface exposed at the lower surface of the case 31.
  • the discharge surface at the lower surface of the recording head 32 is provided with a plurality of nozzles 33 arranged two dimensionally All the nozzles 33 are located in positions shifted in the width direction.
  • Each of the nozzles 33 is allocated to a region having a width corresponding to one pixel on a printing sheet 9.
  • the recording heads 32 are arranged in a staggered pattern (alternately in diagonally opposite positions) in the width direction.
  • the recording heads 32 include a first recording head line 321 extending in the width direction and a second recording head line 322 extending in the width direction and located in a downstream position relative to the first recording head line 321.
  • the recording heads 32 in the first recording head line 321 and the recording heads 32 in the second recording head line 322 are arranged alternately in the width direction.
  • the recording heads 32 are arranged densely in the width direction by being arranged in the aforementioned staggered pattern.
  • the four head units 30 each include a head moving mechanism 34.
  • the head moving mechanism 34 is achieved by a combination of moving mechanisms such as a linear guide, a timing belt, and a ball screw.
  • the head moving mechanism 34 moves the head unit 30 in a vertical direction and the width direction. In this way, the head unit 30 can be located in a printing position P1, a first cleaning position P2, and a second cleaning position P3. Each of these positions is described later.
  • one of the four head units 30 can be moved independently of a different one of the head units 30. In this way, only some of the head units 30 can be cleaned in the cleaning step described later. For example, only the head unit 30 corresponding to the color K to be used frequently can be cleaned.
  • the cleaning mechanism 40 includes a plurality of caps 41, an ink ejecting mechanism 42, a wiping blade 43, and a wiper driving mechanism 44. As shown in Figs. 3A to 3C and Figs. 4A to 4C , the cleaning mechanism 40 is located in a position adjacent to the transfer path 220 in the width direction (a position not overlapping the transfer path 220 in the vertical direction).
  • the caps 41 are arranged in a staggered pattern in the width direction so as to be corresponding to the positions of the recording heads 32 of the head unit 30.
  • the caps 41 include a first cap line 401 extending in the width direction and a second cap line 402 extending in the width direction and located in a downstream position relative to the first cap line 401.
  • the caps 41 in the first cap line 401 and the caps 41 in the second cap line 402 are arranged alternately in the width direction.
  • the ink ejecting mechanism 42 is to eject ink from the inside of the cap 41. Driving the ink ejecting mechanism 42 with the discharge surface of the recording head 32 covered with the cap 41 achieves suction purge of sucking ink in the recording head 32 through the cap 41 and each nozzle 33.
  • the ink ejecting mechanism 42 includes a suction pump 421, a first solenoid valve 422, and a second solenoid valve 423.
  • Each cap 41 and the suction pump 421 are connected through the first or second solenoid valve 422 or 423.
  • a cap 41 belonging to the first cap line 401 and nearest the transfer path 220 and a cap 41 belonging to the second cap line 402 and nearest the transfer path 220 are connected to the first solenoid valve 422 through an ejection tube (not shown in the drawings).
  • These caps 41 connected to the first solenoid valve 422 are called first caps 411 and the other caps 41 are called second caps 412.
  • the second caps 412 are connected to the second solenoid valve 423 through the ejection tube.
  • the first and second solenoid valves 422 and 423 are each connected to the suction pump 421 through the ejection tube.
  • the suction pump 421 is driven while the first solenoid valve 422 is opened, the suction purge is performed on the recording heads 32 covered with the first caps 411 connected to the first solenoid valve 422. If the suction pump 421 is driven while both the first and second solenoid valves 422 and 423 are opened, the suction purge is performed on the recording heads 32 covered with all the caps 41, specifically, all the recording heads 32 in the head unit 30.
  • the suction purge is performed only on the recording heads 32 covered with the first caps 411. Meanwhile, the printing apparatus 1 is capable of conducting an overall cleaning step of performing the suction purge on all the recording heads 32.
  • each of the cap lines 401 and 402 has the three caps 41 and one of these three caps 41 is the first cap 411, to which the present invention is not limited.
  • Each of the cap lines 401 and 402 may have two caps 41 and one of these caps 41 may be the first cap 411.
  • each of the cap lines 401 and 402 may have four caps 41 or more and one or more of these caps 41 may be the first caps 411.
  • the wiping blade 43 is a member used for wiping off the discharge surface of the recording head 32.
  • the ink ejecting mechanism 42 of this preferred embodiment includes two wiping blades 43.
  • Each of the wiping blades 43 is located on the other side in the width direction relative to the corresponding one of the cap lines 401 and 402. Specifically, each of the wiping blades 43 is located between the corresponding one of the cap lines 401 and 402 and the transfer path 220.
  • the wiper driving mechanism 44 is to move the wiping blades 43 up and down.
  • the wiper driving mechanism 44 is achieved by an air cylinder, for example.
  • the wiper driving mechanism 44 of this embodiment can move the two wiping blades 43 up and down with timings differing between the wiping blades 43.
  • each head unit 30 includes the nozzles 33 located in positions covering an area that faces the substantially entire width of the upper surface of the printing sheet 9 and from which ink droplets are to be discharged. This allows each head unit 30 to discharge ink droplets onto the upper surface of the printing sheet 9 through the substantially entire width thereof.
  • Ink droplets of the same color may be recorded on a printing sheet 9 using two or more head units 30.
  • the two or more head units 30 to discharge ink droplets of the same color may be arranged in combination in the width direction of the printing sheet 9, thereby allowing discharge of ink droplets of this color onto the upper surface of the printing sheet 9 through the substantially entire width thereof.
  • the aforementioned process of discharging ink droplets is performed sequentially at the four head units 30 each prepared for a corresponding color, thereby forming a color pattern on the upper surface of a printing sheet 9.
  • the controller 10 is to control the operation of each part in the printing apparatus 1.
  • the controller 10 of this preferred embodiment is formed of a computer including an arithmetic processor 11 such as a CPU, a memory 12 such as a RAM, and a storage 13 such as a hard disk drive.
  • the controller 10 is electrically connected to the transferring mechanism 20, each of the four head units 30, and the head moving mechanism 34.
  • the controller 10 is further electrically connected to the suction pump 421, each of the first and second solenoid valves 422 and 423, and the wiper driving mechanism 44 of the cleaning mechanism 40.
  • the controller 10 reads a computer program 131 and data 132 from the storage 13 and stores the read computer program 131 and data 132 on the memory 12 temporarily. Then, the arithmetic processor 11 performs arithmetic processing based on the computer program 131 and the data 132, thereby controlling the operation of each part in the printing apparatus 1. As a result, the printing step and the cleaning step described later proceed in the printing apparatus 1.
  • the controller 10 may alternatively be formed of an electronic circuit.
  • Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of the cleaning step according to the preferred embodiment.
  • a rear end portion of a printing sheet 9 printed previously and a front end portion of a printing sheet 9 to be printed next are affixed with an adhesive agent or an adhesive tape, for example.
  • the printing sheets 9 may warp and protrude upward at the connection and in places near the connection.
  • a gap in the vertical direction should be increased between the head unit 30 and the transfer path 220 for the printing sheets 9.
  • performing the printing step for a long time may cause discharge failure at some of the nozzles 33 due to increased viscosity of ink or attachment of a foreign object such as paper dust near the nozzle 33 of the recording head 32. If printing is stopped temporarily, ink attached to the nozzle 33 may be solidified to cause discharge failure at some of the nozzles 33.
  • the suction purge is performed on the recording head 32 with the nozzle 33 suffering from the discharge failure at regular intervals or before the printing is restarted. Performing the suction purge on all the recording heads 32 consumes ink in large amount. Thus, it is desirable that the suction purge be performed only on some of the recording heads 32 including the recording head 32 with the nozzle 33 suffering from the discharge failure.
  • the head unit 30 is located in the printing position P1.
  • a recording head 32 which is one of the recording heads 32 of the head unit 30 and nearest the one side in the width direction in the second recording head line 322, is called a target head 51 as a target of cleaning in the cleaning step.
  • a recording head 32 which is one of the recording heads 32 of the head unit 30 and nearest the other side in the width direction, is called a terminal head 52.
  • step S101 is a first moving step of changing a relationship in terms of location among the transfer path 220, the head unit 30, and the cap 41 from the printing position P1 to the first cleaning position P2 by moving the head unit 30.
  • the target head 51 is located above the first cap 411 and the terminal head 52 is located above the transfer path 220.
  • the discharge surface of the target head 51 is housed in the first cap 411.
  • the gap in the vertical direction between the head unit 30 and the transfer path 220 in the first cleaning position P2 is larger than the gap in the vertical direction between the head unit 30 and the transfer path 220 in the printing position P1.
  • this suppresses the contact of a connection 90 between the printing sheets 9 with the discharge surface of each recording head 32 while the connection 90 passes through under the head unit 30, with the head unit 30 located in the first cleaning position P2.
  • the controller 10 After the head unit 30 is located in the first cleaning position P2, the controller 10 performs the suction purge on the target head 51 (step S102). More specifically, the controller 10 opens the first solenoid valve 422 and closes the second solenoid valve 423. In this state, the controller 10 drives the suction pump 421. As a result, ink is sucked from the inside of each of the recording heads 32, including the target head 51, with the discharge surface housed in the first cap 411 into the suction pump 421 through the nozzles 33, the first cap 411, the ejection tube, and the first solenoid valve 422. In this way, discharge failure of ink occurring at the target head 51 is resolved.
  • the wiping blades 43 are located in a storage position P4.
  • the wiping blades 43 in the storage position P4 each have an upper end portion located below the upper end portion of the cap 41. This prevents contact of the wiping blades 43 with the recording head 32 in steps S101 and S102.
  • the controller 10 drives the head moving mechanism 34 to move the head unit 30 to the second cleaning position P3 higher than the first cleaning position P2 (step S103).
  • the controller 10 further drives the wiper driving mechanism 44 to move the wiping blades 43 to a wiping position P5.
  • the upper end portion of each wiping blade 43 in the wiping position P5 is located above the upper end portion of the cap 41.
  • the discharge surface of the recording head 32 in the second cleaning position P3 and the upper end surface of each wiping blade 43 in the wiping position P5 are located in positions substantially the same in the vertical direction.
  • the second cleaning position P3 mentioned herein is a position where the discharge surface of each of the recording heads 32, including the target head 51, subjected to the suction purge in step S102 is located in a position nearest the one side in the width direction where this discharge surface contacts the upper end portion of a corresponding one of the wiping blades 43 located in the wiping position P5.
  • step S103 the controller 10 moves the head unit 30 toward the other side in the width direction with the wiping blades 43 located in the wiping position P5. In this way, the discharge surfaces of the recording heads 32 subjected to the suction purge in step S102 are wiped off with the corresponding wiping blades 43 (step S104). As a result, a meniscus of the ink having been broken by the suction purge is formed again in each of the nozzles 33 of the recording heads 32 subjected to the suction purge.
  • the controller 10 After the recording heads 32 subjected to the suction purge pass through over the corresponding wiping blades 43, the controller 10 returns the wiping blades 43 to the storage position P4. The controller 10 adjusts timings of moving the wiping blades 43 to the wiping position P5 appropriately in a manner such that the wiping blades 43 will not contact a recording head 32 not subjected to the suction purge.
  • the gap in the vertical direction between the head unit 30 and the transfer path 220 in the second cleaning position P3 is larger than the gap in the vertical direction between the head unit 30 and the transfer path 220 in the printing position P1. As shown in Fig. 4C , this suppresses the contact of a connection 90 between the printing sheets 9 with the discharge surface of each recording head 32 while the connection 90 passes through under the head unit 30, with the head unit 30 located in the second cleaning position P3.
  • the controller 10 determines whether the connection 90 between the printing sheets 9 has passed through under all the head units 30 (step S105). If the controller 10 determines that the connection 90 has not passed through under all the head units 30, the flow returns to step S105.
  • step S106 is a second moving step of changing the relationship in terms of location among the transfer path 220, the head unit 30, and the cap 41 from the second cleaning position P3 to the printing position P1 by moving the head unit 30.
  • the suction purge is performed on some of the recording heads 32.
  • the gap between the head unit 30 and the transfer path 220 is larger in the cleaning step than a gap therebetween in the printing step.
  • the first and second cleaning positions P2 and P3 vary in a manner that depends on the position of the target head 51 as a target of cleaning. If the target head 51 includes a plurality of target heads 51 and all these target heads 51 cannot be housed in the first caps 411 simultaneously, steps S101 and S102 may be repeated for these target heads 51 individually. Then, all the heads 32 subjected to the suction purge may be wiped off in step S104.
  • the height of the transfer path for a printing sheet is fixed and the height of the head unit is changed for changing a gap in the vertical direction between the head unit and the transfer path, to which the present invention is not limited.
  • the head unit may be allowed to move only in the horizontal direction (width direction) and the gap in the vertical direction between the head unit and the transfer path may be changed by moving the transfer path in the vertical direction.
  • the height of the cap is fixed. Alternatively, the height of the cap may be changed.
  • the moving mechanism of the present invention is to change the relationship in terms of location among the transferring mechanism, the head unit, and the cap between the printing position and the cleaning position by moving at least the head unit.
  • the printing apparatus of the aforementioned embodiment includes four head units.
  • the printing apparatus may include one head unit.
  • the number of the head units may be two or three or five or more.
  • the printing apparatus of the aforementioned embodiment is to perform the suction purge on a recording head as a target of cleaning in the cleaning step.
  • a recording head as a target of cleaning in the cleaning step may be subjected to pressurizing purge or action called spitting or flushing of causing discharge from a nozzle.
  • the printing apparatus of the aforementioned embodiment is to print an image on a printing sheet as a recording medium.
  • the printing apparatus of the present invention may be an apparatus to print a pattern such as an image on a sheet-like recording medium (such as a resin film, for example) other than a generally-used recording medium made of paper.
EP15198141.2A 2014-12-26 2015-12-07 Printing apparatus and method of cleaning printing apparatus Active EP3056346B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2014264582A JP6370213B2 (ja) 2014-12-26 2014-12-26 印刷装置および印刷装置のクリーニング方法

Publications (3)

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EP3056346A2 EP3056346A2 (en) 2016-08-17
EP3056346A3 EP3056346A3 (en) 2016-09-14
EP3056346B1 true EP3056346B1 (en) 2017-06-28

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EP15198141.2A Active EP3056346B1 (en) 2014-12-26 2015-12-07 Printing apparatus and method of cleaning printing apparatus

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JP (1) JP6370213B2 (ja)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
TWI796500B (zh) 2018-07-30 2023-03-21 瑞士商西克帕控股有限公司 模組化維修站和噴墨列印系統之噴墨列印頭的維修方法

Family Cites Families (7)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2006123203A (ja) * 2004-10-26 2006-05-18 Konica Minolta Holdings Inc インクジェット記録装置
JP2008036865A (ja) * 2006-08-02 2008-02-21 Fujifilm Corp インクジェット装置
JP2008037034A (ja) * 2006-08-09 2008-02-21 Fuji Xerox Co Ltd 液滴吐出装置
US8172359B2 (en) * 2007-10-03 2012-05-08 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. System and method for print head maintenance during continuous printing
JP4613978B2 (ja) * 2008-05-13 2011-01-19 富士ゼロックス株式会社 液滴吐出装置
JP2012223983A (ja) * 2011-04-20 2012-11-15 Seiko Epson Corp 記録装置、記録装置の制御方法、及び、プログラム
US8814323B2 (en) * 2012-05-03 2014-08-26 Delphax Technologies Inc. Inkjet printer maintenance arrangement and method

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP3056346A2 (en) 2016-08-17
JP2016124129A (ja) 2016-07-11
JP6370213B2 (ja) 2018-08-08
EP3056346A3 (en) 2016-09-14

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