JP2002178529A - Cleaner for ink ejecting part, ink ejector comprising the cleaner, and method for cleaning ink ejecting part - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cleaner for ink ejecting part in which the ink ejecting part having ink adhering to the inside of a nozzle or dried ink can be regenerated easily, an ink ejector comprising the cleaner, and a method for cleaning the ink ejecting part. SOLUTION: The cleaner 200 for cleaning the ink ejecting part at the time of stopping ink ejecting comprises a part 200 for ejecting cleaning agent to the ink ejecting part 150.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cleaning apparatus for an ink discharge section such as an ink jet head used in an ink discharge apparatus for a filter or the like, an ink discharge apparatus having the apparatus for cleaning an ink discharge section, and an ink discharge apparatus. The present invention relates to a method of cleaning a part.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ink ejecting apparatus for a filter, especially a color filter or the like, has an ink jet head. In the ink jet head, a number of nozzles are arranged on an ink discharge surface. By discharging ink from these nozzles, ink lands on a filter or the like, and pixels are formed. Further, a piezoelectric element or the like is arranged in the ink jet head, and when a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element, the piezoelectric element is deformed in accordance with the voltage, and ink is ejected from a nozzle. For this reason, the ink jet head is configured to easily control ink ejection. Such a method of ejecting ink is called an ink jet method.

By the way, a large number of nozzles arranged in such an ink-jet type ink-jet head eject or stop the liquid ink as described above. And a structure in which ink adheres to the surrounding area. If the nozzle to which the ink is attached is used as it is, the ejection angle of the ink ejected from the nozzle may be changed by the attached ink, which causes a nozzle ejection failure. For this reason, wiping devices for nozzles of various inkjet heads have been conventionally considered. For example, there is a method of rubbing a nozzle or the like using a rubber blade with a flat surface to remove the adhered ink, a method of applying dry paper or cloth to the nozzle to remove the adhered ink, and the like.

[0004]

However, when the adhered ink is scraped off with a rubber blade of such a wiping device, the ink adhering to the nozzle forming surface of the ink jet head can be scraped off. There is a problem that the ink adhered to the ink cannot be removed. Further, only the ink in a soft state before being dried and fixed can be scraped off with such a rubber blade, and the dried and stuck ink in a fixed state cannot be scraped off. There was a problem. In view of the above, the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and provides a device for cleaning an ink ejection unit capable of easily reproducing an ink ejection unit having, for example, ink attached to the inside of a nozzle or dried and fixed ink. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink ejection device having a unit cleaning device, and a method of cleaning an ink ejection unit.

[0005]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cleaning apparatus for an ink discharge section for cleaning an ink discharge section when the ink discharge section stops discharging the ink. The present invention is achieved by a cleaning apparatus for an ink discharge unit, which has a cleaning agent discharge unit that discharges a cleaning agent to a discharge unit. According to the configuration of claim 1, since the cleaning device has the cleaning agent discharging unit that discharges the cleaning agent to the ink discharging unit, the ink adhered to, for example, the inside of the nozzle of the ink discharging unit by the cleaning agent or the ink fixed by drying. Can be dissolved. Therefore, the ink discharge of the ink discharge unit is stabilized, and the defective ink discharge unit can be easily reproduced.

Preferably, according to a second aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the first aspect, the cleaning agent is discharged in a mist form from the cleaning agent discharging portion. is there. According to the configuration of claim 2, since the cleaning agent is discharged in a mist form from the cleaning agent discharge portion, the cleaning agent spreads more effectively, for example, inside the nozzle and the like, and the ink adhered inside the nozzle and dried. The fixed ink can be more easily dissolved by the cleaning agent.

Preferably, according to a third aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the first or second aspect, a drying section for drying the ink discharge section is provided. Device. According to the configuration of claim 3, since the drying unit that dries the ink ejection unit is provided, it is possible to quickly dry the ink ejection unit after ejecting the cleaning agent to the ink ejection unit. it can. Therefore, since the nozzle portion of the head is not contacted at the time of removal, the life of the nozzle and the nozzle surface can be improved. Further, since there is no mixture, the ink does not become thin or bleed when resuming ejection.

Preferably, according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of any one of the first to third aspects, the drying section is an air discharge section that discharges air to the ink discharge section. A cleaning device for an ink discharge section, characterized in that: According to the configuration of the fourth aspect, since the air discharge unit that discharges air to the ink discharge unit is provided, the inside of the ink discharge unit discharged from the cleaning agent discharge unit by the air discharged from this air discharge unit. The cleaning agent can be blown off from the ink discharge unit to remove the cleaning agent from the ink discharge unit. Therefore, since the nozzle portion of the head is not contacted at the time of removal, the life of the nozzle and the nozzle surface can be improved.

Preferably, according to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, a suction unit for forcibly sucking dirt separated from the ink discharge unit is provided. A cleaning device for an ink discharge section, characterized in that: According to the configuration of claim 5, since the suction unit for forcibly sucking the dirt and the like separated from the ink discharge unit is provided, for example, the dirt and the like such as ink and the cleaning liquid and the like discharged to the ink discharge unit are The liquid is forcibly sucked and discharged by the suction unit.

Preferably, according to the invention of claim 6, in the configuration of claim 5, the cleaning agent discharge section, the air discharge section, and the suction section are housed in a cover section, and the suction section discharges the cleaning agent. A cleaning device for an ink discharge section, wherein the cleaning apparatus is disposed at a position lower than the opening of the section and the air discharge section. According to the configuration of claim 6, since the suction unit is disposed at a position lower than the openings of the cleaning agent discharge unit and the air discharge unit, the cleaning liquid, ink, and the like that have fallen into the cover unit collect in the suction unit. It has become. Therefore, the cleaning liquid and the like in the cover can be more effectively sucked.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink discharging apparatus having a cleaning device for an ink discharging unit for cleaning the ink discharging unit when the ink discharging unit stops discharging the ink. The present invention is achieved by an ink ejection apparatus having a cleaning device for an ink ejection section, which has a cleaning agent ejection section that ejects a cleaning agent to the section. According to the configuration of claim 7, since the cleaning agent discharge unit that discharges the cleaning agent to the ink discharge unit of the ink discharge device is provided, the cleaning agent adheres to the ink discharge unit, for example, inside the nozzle. It can dissolve ink and dried and fixed ink. Therefore, the ink discharge device is capable of stably discharging the ink from the ink discharge unit and easily reproducing the defective ink discharge unit.

Preferably, according to the invention of claim 8, in the configuration of claim 7, the cleaning device for the ink discharge unit is characterized in that the cleaning agent is discharged in a mist form from the cleaning agent discharge unit. It is an ink ejection device having. According to the configuration of claim 8, since the cleaning agent is discharged in a mist form from the cleaning agent discharge portion of the ink discharge device, the cleaning agent spreads more effectively, for example, inside the nozzle and adheres to the inside of the nozzle. The dried ink or the ink fixed by drying can be more easily dissolved by the cleaning agent.

Preferably, according to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the seventh or eighth aspect, a drying unit for drying the ink discharge unit is provided. It is an ink ejection device having the device. According to the configuration of claim 9, since the drying unit that dries the ink ejection unit of the ink ejection device is provided, after the cleaning agent is ejected to the ink ejection unit,
This ink discharge section can be dried quickly.
Furthermore, since there is no mixture, the ink ejection device does not become thin or bleed when the ink ejection is restarted in the ink ejection section. Further, since the nozzle portion of the head is not in contact with the nozzle at the time of removal, the life of the nozzle and the nozzle surface can be improved.

Preferably, according to the tenth aspect of the present invention,
10. The ink ejection apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the drying unit is an air ejection unit that ejects air to the ink ejection unit. Device. According to the configuration of claim 10, since the drying section is an air ejection section that ejects air to the ink ejection section, the cleaning agent is blown off from the ink ejection section by this air, and the ink is washed from the ink ejection section. The agent can be removed. Therefore, since the nozzle portion of the head is not contacted at the time of removal, the life of the nozzle and the nozzle surface can be improved.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in any one of the seventh to tenth aspects, a suction unit for forcibly sucking dirt or the like separated from the ink discharge unit is provided. 1 is an ink ejection device having a cleaning device for an ink ejection unit. According to the configuration of claim 11,
Since the suction unit for forcibly sucking the dirt and the like separated from the ink discharge unit of the ink discharge device is provided, for example, the dirt and the like of the ink or the like and the cleaning liquid or the like discharged to the ink discharge unit are collected by the suction unit. Is forcibly sucked and discharged.

Preferably, according to the invention of claim 12,
In the configuration according to claim 11, the cleaning agent discharge unit, the air discharge unit, and the suction unit are housed in a cover unit, and the suction unit is disposed at a position lower than the openings of the cleaning agent discharge unit and the air discharge unit. An ink discharge device having a cleaning device for an ink discharge portion, characterized in that: According to the configuration of the twelfth aspect, since the suction unit is disposed at a position lower than the openings of the cleaning agent discharge unit and the air discharge unit, the cleaning liquid, ink, and the like that have fallen into the cover unit collect in the suction unit. It has become. Therefore, the cleaning liquid and the like in the cover can be more effectively sucked.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention,
A step of pressing a cleaning device of the ink discharge unit against the ink discharge unit, a step of discharging a cleaning agent from a cleaning agent discharge unit to the ink discharge unit, and a step of drying the ink discharge unit in a drying unit; And a step of forcibly sucking dirt and the like separated from the ink discharge unit by a suction unit. According to the configuration of the thirteenth aspect, the ink adhered to, for example, the inside of the nozzle of the ink ejection unit or the ink fixed by drying is dissolved by the cleaning agent. Then, the ink and the cleaning agent are forcibly suctioned by the suction unit and discharged out of the cleaning device in the ink discharge unit. Further, by drying the ink discharge unit in the drying unit, even if the ink discharge is restarted immediately in the ink discharge unit, the ink does not become thin or bleed. Therefore, the ink discharge of the ink discharge unit is stabilized, and the defective ink discharge unit can be easily reproduced.

Preferably, according to the invention of claim 14,
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the drying unit is an air discharge unit that discharges air to the ink discharge unit. Claim 14
According to the configuration, since the drying unit is an air discharging unit that discharges air to the ink discharging unit, the dissolved ink and the cleaning agent are blown off by the air discharged from the air discharging unit. Can be.

Preferably, according to the invention of claim 15,
The cleaning method according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the cleaning agent is discharged in a mist form from the cleaning agent discharging unit. According to the configuration of claim 15, since the cleaning agent is discharged in a mist form from the cleaning agent discharging portion, the cleaning agent spreads more effectively, for example, inside the nozzle, and the ink adhered to the inside of the nozzle and dried. The fixed ink can be more easily dissolved by the cleaning agent.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an ink ejection device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the ink ejection device 100
It has 0. On the base portion 110, a Y-axis table 120 on which a filter used for a display device to be ejected with ink is placed, for example, is provided. The Y-axis table 120 is formed so as to be movable in the Y-axis direction in FIG. The X-axis table 13 is formed on the Y-axis table 120 so as to be movable in the X-axis direction in FIG.
0 is provided. The X-axis table 130 is provided with an inkjet head 150 serving as an ink ejection unit. The inkjet head 150 is movable in the X-axis direction by the X-axis table 130.

As shown in FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b), the ink-jet head 150 has a substantially upright cubic head body 151 and a head body 151 in a direction indicated by an arrow (θ direction) in FIG. 2 (a). ) For rotation. In addition, a nozzle forming area 151a for arranging a number of nozzles for ejecting ink is provided on the back surface of the head body 151 (on the Y-axis table 120 side). Ink is ejected from the nozzles arranged in this manner by an ink jet method. Specifically, a voltage is applied to a piezoelectric element provided inside the ink jet head 150, and the ink is ejected from the nozzle by vibrating the piezoelectric element. Is discharged. At this time, since the ink ejected from the nozzles is in a liquid state, the amount of ink ejected from the nozzles changes depending on the state of the ink in the nozzles, which causes a failure of a filter to be ejected or the like.

For this reason, the ink discharge device 100 is provided with an ink suction / wiping unit arrangement area 140 on the base as shown in FIG. This ink suction / wiping unit arrangement area 140 is
In an area that does not hinder the movement of the Y-axis table 120 on 0,
In addition, by moving the X-axis table 130, the nozzle formation region 151a of the inkjet head 150 is formed in a region that can be arranged thereon. The ink suction / wiping unit arrangement area 140 formed on the base 110 as described above is an area that is always arranged when the inkjet head 150 is not actually ejecting ink to the filter. That is, before and after ink is ejected to the filter, the inkjet head 150 is always moved to this area by the X-axis table 130.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, the ink suction / wiping unit arrangement area 140 includes an ink ejection confirmation area 141 for ejecting ink from nozzles, and a regular dumping area 143 for preventing the ink from being thickened. Is arranged. Further, a cap 142 for moisturizing the nozzles after ejecting the ink, sucking and removing the thickened ink, and the like is also provided. Further, between the cap 142 and the regular dumping area 143, a head cleaning unit 200, which is a cleaning device for the ink ejection unit, is disposed. The head cleaning unit 200 includes the inkjet head 1
Reference numeral 50 denotes a unit for cleaning the ink attached to the nozzles of the inkjet head 150 when the ejection of the ink is completed or stopped.

In particular, when ink is ejected to the filter,
In some cases, a solvent-based ink is used, but the solvent-based ink is more likely to evaporate and adhere to a nozzle or the like than a water-based ink used for general paper. In addition, since the water repellency with the nozzle surface is poor, the ink tends to adhere to the nozzles and the like. For this reason, in the ink ejection apparatus 100 of the present embodiment particularly using the solvent-based ink, the head cleaning unit 200 is important. That is, if the ink dries and adheres to the nozzle here, it becomes an obstacle near the nozzle outlet, and the ink ejection direction does not become as desired,
This is because this causes a failure of the filter from which the ink is ejected.

The important head cleaning unit 2
FIG. 4 shows 00. As shown in FIG. 4, the head cleaning unit 200
0, a hollow cover portion 210 disposed so as to cover the nozzle forming region 151a formed in the head main body 151.
have. An opening 210a is formed in the upper part of the cover 210 in the drawing.
0a, the nozzle formation region 151 of the head body 151
a is arranged. On the other hand, a cleaning agent discharge unit 220 that discharges a cleaning agent such as ethanol toward the nozzle forming region 151a disposed in the cover unit 210 is disposed below the cover unit 210. An elliptical opening, for example, is provided in the upper part of the cleaning agent discharge section 220, and the cleaning agent is discharged from this opening.

The cleaning agent discharge section 220 is connected to a cleaning agent supply section 221 containing a cleaning agent via a pump P as shown in FIG. Then, adjacent to the cleaning agent discharge portion 220, the air discharge portions 23 are provided on both sides thereof.
For example, two 0s are arranged. This air discharge section 230
Has a circular opening formed in the upper part thereof, and the two air discharge units 230 are connected to the air supply unit 231 via the pump P.
It is connected to the. Furthermore, these cleaning agent discharge sections 22
0, for example, two suction units 240 are formed at a position one step lower than the air discharge unit 230 as shown in FIG. The suction unit 240 is forcibly sucked by vacuum or the like, and sucks dirt such as ink accumulated in the cover unit 210 and a cleaning agent.

The suction unit 240 is connected to the tank 241 via the pump P as shown in FIG.
The ink, the cleaning agent, and the like sucked by the suction unit 240 are stored in the tank 241. The head cleaning unit 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention and the ink ejection apparatus 100 having the same are configured as described above. The operation and the like will be described below. First, FIG.
The filter is arranged on the Y-axis table 120 of FIG. At this time, the inkjet head 150 is
With the setting of 0, the predetermined ejection preparation operation is performed in the ejection confirmation area 141, the cap 142, or the regular dumping area 143 shown in FIG.

Next, the X-axis table 130 moves, the ink jet head 150 is arranged on the filter, and the ink is ejected. As soon as the ejection of the ink is completed or stopped, the X-axis table 130 moves to the ink suction / wiping unit arrangement area 140. When the head cleaning operation is performed, the inkjet head 150 is disposed on the head cleaning unit 200 in FIG. 3, and the cover 210 of the head cleaning unit 200 is placed in the nozzle forming region 151 a of the inkjet head 150 as shown in FIG. Press. Thereby, the nozzle formation region 1
The cover part 210 is arranged so as to cover the ink nozzle 151b arranged on the 51a. After this,
A cleaning agent such as ethanol is discharged from the cleaning agent discharge unit 220 in a mist state. At this time, the cleaning agent discharged in a mist state is as shown in FIG.
As shown by the arrow, the ink reaches the tip of the opening of the ink nozzle 151b and its peripheral portion, and further reaches the inside of the ink nozzle 151b.

When the cleaning agent reaches in this manner, the cleaning agent also permeates and dissolves, for example, the fixed ink (see FIG. 5) formed around the ink nozzle 151b. Such a fixed ink is formed by drying the ink and sticking to the periphery of the ink nozzle 151b. Such a fixed ink is formed not only around the ink nozzle 151b, but also at the tip and inside of the ink nozzle 151b. In particular, when the solvent ink is used as in the ink ejection device 100 according to the present embodiment, the evaporation is quick and the ink is easily fixed as described above. As described above, when the cleaning agent is discharged from the cleaning agent discharging unit 220 in a mist state, the cleaning liquid is uniformly applied to the inside, the front end, and the peripheral portion of the ink nozzle 151b.
The fixed ink formed inside, at the tip and in the periphery of 51b is soaked with the cleaning liquid and dissolved, and a part thereof is separated from the nozzle forming area 151a and becomes
It will fall into zero.

When the discharge of the cleaning agent is completed, the air is discharged from the air discharge unit 230 shown in FIG. 5 toward the ink nozzle 151b. Then, the ink nozzle 151 is moved by air.
The cleaning liquid, dissolved ink, and the like remaining in the inside, the front end portion, and the peripheral portion of b are blown off and fall into the cover portion 210. The cleaning liquid, the dissolved ink, and the like that have fallen into the cover unit 210 in this manner are sucked by the suction unit 240 in FIG.
It will be stored in the tank 241. At this time, the suction part 240 is located inside the cover part 210,
Since the cleaning liquid and the dissolved ink that have fallen into the cover 210 are collected at a position closer to the suction unit 240 because the cleaning liquid and the dissolved ink are disposed at a position lower than the opening of the air discharge unit 230. Therefore, the cleaning liquid and the like in the cover unit 210 can be more effectively sucked.

Next, the air discharge section 230 discharges air again to dry the inside of the cover section 210. Then, the tip portion and the peripheral portion of the nozzle forming region 151a and the ink nozzle 151b are in a dry state.
Even if the ink ejection is restarted from b, the best ink ejection can be guaranteed without thinning or bleeding of the ink. As described above, if the head cleaning unit 200 of the present embodiment is used, even if the dried and adhered fixed ink is formed in the nozzle forming region 151a, for example, inside, the tip portion, and the peripheral portion of the ink nozzle 151b, these fixed inks are fixed. The ink can be effectively redissolved, and the ink ejection of the inkjet head 150 can be stabilized. In addition, the inkjet head 150 that has become defective due to the fixed ink can be easily reproduced.

As described above, the head cleaning unit 200
Even if cleaning of the ink jet head 150 is completed,
Remains in the ink suction / wiping unit arrangement area 140 until the ink is again ejected to the filter,
A predetermined operation is performed, and preparation is made so that ink is always ejected from the nozzles in the best state. By the way, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the claims. The configuration of the above embodiment can be partially omitted or changed to another arbitrary combination not described above.

For example, the present invention can be applied to the manufacture of an EL (electroluminescence) display element.
An EL display element has a configuration in which a thin film containing a fluorescent inorganic or organic compound is sandwiched between a cathode and an anode, and electrons and holes are injected into the thin film and recombined to form excitons. (Exciton), and emits light using light emission (fluorescence / phosphorescence) when the exciton is deactivated. Of the fluorescent materials used in such EL display elements, a material that emits red, green and blue light is inkjet-patterned on an element substrate such as a TFT using the present invention, whereby a self-luminous full-color EL display element is obtained. Can be manufactured.

The EL display device manufactured by using the present invention is as follows.
The present invention can be applied to a low-information field such as a segment display and a simultaneous display of a still image with simultaneous simultaneous light emission, for example, pictures, characters, labels, and the like, or a light source having a point, line, or surface shape. Further, by using an active element such as a TFT, such as a passively driven display element, for driving, a full-color display element having high luminance and excellent responsiveness can be obtained.

[0035]

According to the present invention, a cleaning apparatus for an ink discharge section which can easily reproduce an ink discharge section having, for example, ink adhered to the inside of a nozzle or dried and fixed ink, and this ink discharge section And a method for cleaning the ink discharge section.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an ink ejection device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a schematic perspective view showing the inkjet head of FIG. 1; FIG. 2B is a schematic view illustrating a nozzle formation surface of the inkjet head of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing an ink suction / wiping unit arrangement area of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a head cleaning unit of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the head cleaning unit of FIG. 4 is in contact with a nozzle forming area of the inkjet head.

[Explanation of symbols]

 100: ink ejection device 110: base unit 120: Y-axis table 130: X-axis table 140: ink suction / wiping unit arrangement area 141: ejection confirmation area 142: cap 143: regular dumping area 150: inkjet head 151: head body 151a: nozzle forming area 151b: ink nozzle 152: θ-axis 200: head cleaning unit 210: Cover 210a Opening 220 Cleaning agent discharge unit 221 Cleaning agent supply unit 230 Air discharge unit 231 Air supply unit 240 Suction unit 241 Tank

Claims (15)

[Claims] 1. A cleaning device for an ink discharge unit for cleaning the ink discharge unit when the ink discharge unit stops discharging the ink, comprising a cleaning agent discharge unit for discharging a cleaning agent to the ink discharge unit. A cleaning device for an ink ejection section, characterized by comprising: 2. The cleaning device for an ink discharge unit according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning agent is discharged in a mist form from the cleaning agent discharge unit. 3. The ink jet printer according to claim 1, further comprising a drying unit configured to dry the ink discharge unit.
3. The cleaning device for an ink discharge section according to claim 1. 4. The cleaning device for an ink ejection unit according to claim 1, wherein the drying unit is an air ejection unit that ejects air to the ink ejection unit. . 5. The cleaning device for an ink ejection unit according to claim 1, further comprising a suction unit for forcibly sucking dirt and the like separated from the ink ejection unit. 6. The cleaning agent discharge unit, the air discharge unit, and the suction unit are housed in a cover unit, and the suction unit is disposed at a position lower than the openings of the cleaning agent discharge unit and the air discharge unit. The cleaning device for an ink ejection section according to claim 5, wherein 7. An ink ejection apparatus having an ink ejection section cleaning device for cleaning the ink ejection section when ink ejection of the ink ejection section is stopped, wherein the cleaning agent ejects a cleaning agent to the ink ejection section. An ink ejection device having an ink ejection unit cleaning device, characterized by having an ejection unit. 8. The ink ejection device according to claim 7, wherein the cleaning agent is ejected in a mist form from the cleaning agent ejection unit. 9. The ink jet printer according to claim 7, wherein a drying unit for drying the ink discharge unit is provided.
An ink discharge device comprising the cleaning device for an ink discharge unit according to claim 1. 10. The cleaning device for an ink ejection unit according to claim 7, wherein the drying unit is an air ejection unit that ejects air to the ink ejection unit. An ink ejecting apparatus having: 11. The cleaning device for an ink ejection unit according to claim 7, further comprising a suction unit for forcibly sucking dirt and the like separated from the ink ejection unit. Ejecting device having the same. 12. The cleaning agent discharge unit, the air discharge unit and the suction unit are accommodated in a cover unit, and the suction unit is disposed at a position lower than the openings of the cleaning agent discharge unit and the air discharge unit. An ink ejection device comprising the ink ejection unit cleaning device according to claim 11. 13. A step of pressing a cleaning device of the ink discharge section against the ink discharge section, a step of discharging a cleaning agent from a cleaning agent discharge section to the ink discharge section, and a step of drying the ink discharge section by a drying section. A method for cleaning an ink discharge section, comprising: a step of drying; and a step of forcibly sucking dirt or the like separated from the ink discharge section by a suction section. 14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the drying unit is an air discharge unit that discharges air to the ink discharge unit. 15. The method for cleaning an ink discharge unit according to claim 13, wherein the cleaning agent is discharged in a mist form from the cleaning agent discharge unit.