JP2002192735A - Ink jet recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ink jet recorder in which a cap for capping the ejection opening plane of a recording head is protected against deformation, e.g. distortion, and fixing of the cap to a cap holder can be facilitated. SOLUTION: At the part of a cap 3 for enclosing the ejection opening plane of a recording head, a box type protrusion 4 is formed on a resin cap holder 1 for fixing the cap 3. Subsequently, the cap 3 made of an elastic material is subjected to removal of material while surrounding and penetrating the protrusion 4. Furthermore, a rib 8 provided on the inner wall of the cap 3 is fitted in a groove 7 made in the outer circumference at the protrusion 4 of the cap holder 1 in order to form an enclosure system between the cap 3 and the cap holder 1 thus constituting an ink jet recorder.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus which performs recording by discharging ink as flying droplets from a discharge port of a recording head onto a recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An ink jet recording apparatus performs recording by discharging ink from a recording head onto a recording medium. The recording head has a plurality of fine discharge ports through which ink is discharged. Here, if the ink dries and thickens or adheres to the ejection port surface of the recording head, foreign matter such as paper dust or dust adheres, or bubbles enter the ink in the recording head, the ink is ejected. Not only becomes unstable,
Discharge failure occurs.

Conventionally, an ink jet recording apparatus shuts off a discharge port from the outside air to prevent clogging caused by thickening or sticking of ink and adhesion of foreign matter such as paper dust or dust, or thickening or sticking of ink. Alternatively, in order to recover clogging caused by bubbles generated in the nozzles of the recording head, a closed system is provided on the ejection port surface to perform a suction recovery operation for forcibly discharging ink in the nozzles by a suction pump. The capping means is provided at a position outside the recording area.

An elastic material such as rubber is used for a cap for capping a discharge port surface of a recording head, and the cap has a box shape. The cap is attached to the cap holder, and the cap is brought into contact with the ejection port surface of the recording head from below by a compression spring or the like to seal the ejection port.

[0005] In the case of a cap for performing suction, a cap provided for suction of the cap is inserted into a pipe provided for suction of the cap holder. And, if necessary, they are attached.

[0006]

However, since the cap has elasticity, it may be deformed at the time of capping, thereby deteriorating the sealing property with respect to the discharge port surface.

As a measure for improving the throughput, there is a case where the number of nozzles of the recording head is increased. Then, the length of the nozzle array on the ejection port surface becomes longer, and accordingly, the cap for capping the ejection port surface of the recording head also needs to be longer. The longer the cap, the more likely deformation such as distortion occurs.

Further, the cap is attached by inserting a suction hole of the cap into a suction pipe of the cap holder. Since the closed system between the cap and the cap holder is formed by fitting the pipe and the hole, it is very difficult to attach the cap.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to prevent deformation such as distortion of a cap for capping a discharge port surface of a recording head, and to facilitate mounting of the cap on a cap holder. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink jet recording apparatus which can be used.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, according to the present invention, in a cap portion for sealing a discharge port surface of a recording head, a box-shaped convex portion is formed on a resin cap holder to which the cap is attached. A rib formed on the inner wall of the cap to form a closed system between the cap and the cab holder is formed, and a rib provided on the inner wall of the cap holder is formed. The ink jet recording apparatus is characterized in that it is fitted in a groove provided on the outer periphery of the portion.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<Embodiment 1> FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an ink jet recording apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the inkjet recording apparatus.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a resin cap holder for holding a cap 3, which has a pipe 2 for suction, and one pipe 2 is a cap 3
The other pipe 2 is connected to a suction pump (not shown) through a suction tube. A box-shaped projection 4 is provided on a portion of the cap holder 1 to which the cap 3 is attached.

The cap 3 is for capping the discharge port surface of the recording head, and is made of an elastic material such as rubber. The cap 3 is in contact with the discharge port surface of the recording head to seal the discharge port. have. A portion of the cap 3 attached to the cap holder 1 is provided with a hollow 5 so as to surround the box-shaped projection 4 of the cap holder 1.

Here, if the height of the projection 4 of the cap holder 1 is within a range lower than the contact rib 6 of the cap 3,
The higher the value, the more the deformation of the cap 3 can be prevented. In addition, the cap 3 can be prevented from being deformed by inserting a cap absorber into the hollow portion above the convex portion 4.

In order to form a closed system between the cap 3 and the cap holder 1, a groove 7 is provided on the outer periphery of the convex portion 4 of the cap holder 1. A rib 8 is provided so as to enter the groove 7 of the projection 4 and sealing is performed at this portion.

If the cap 3 becomes longer, the lightening portion 5 of the cap 3 and the projection 4 of the cap holder 1 may be set longer accordingly.

Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present embodiment.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 1 denotes a cap holder for holding a cap 3, which has a pipe 2 for suction. One pipe 2 is provided on the cap 3 and the other pipe 2 is provided.
Is connected to a suction pump (not shown) through a suction tube. A box-shaped projection 4 is provided on a portion of the cap holder 1 to which the cap 3 is attached.

The cap 3 is for capping the ejection port surface of the recording head, and is made of an elastic material such as rubber, and is in contact with the ejection port surface of the recording head to seal the ejection port. have. A portion of the cap 3 attached to the cap holder 1 is provided with a hollow 5 so as to surround the box-shaped projection 4 of the cap holder 1.

In this embodiment, in order to form a closed system between the cap holder 1 and the cap 3, the cap holder 1 and the cap 3 are integrally formed so as to be hermetically sealed at a portion 9 in FIG. ing.

Third Embodiment Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a side view of the ink jet recording image.

4 and 5, reference numeral 1 denotes a cap holder for holding a cap 3, which has a pipe 2 for suction, one pipe 2 passing through the cap 3, and the other pipe passing through a suction tube. Each is connected to a suction pump (not shown).

On both sides of a portion of the cap holder 1 to which the cap 3 made of an elastic material such as rubber is attached, a separate component press 11 having ribs 8 for pressing both side surfaces of the cap 3 is provided via a guide 13. It is urged by a compression spring 12.

When the cap 3 is attached to the cap holder 1, the longer the cap 3, the wider the left and right side surfaces in FIGS. 4 and 5. Here, the higher the height of the rib 8 is, the more the deformation of the cap 3 can be prevented.

[0026]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, in the cap portion for sealing the discharge port surface of the recording head, the box-shaped convex portion is formed on the resin cap holder for mounting the cap. A rib formed on the inner wall of the cap to form a closed system between the cap and the cab holder is formed, and a rib provided on the inner wall of the cap holder is formed. Since the ink jet recording apparatus is configured by being fitted into a groove provided on the outer periphery of the portion, deformation such as distortion of a cap for capping the ejection port surface of the recording head can be prevented, and the cap can be easily attached to the cap holder. The effect that it can be obtained is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an ink jet recording apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the inkjet recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an ink jet recording apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an ink jet recording apparatus according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an ink jet recording apparatus according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cap holder 2 Pipe 3 Cap 4 Convex part 5 Lightening part 6 Adhesive rib 7 Groove 8 Rib 9 Sealing part 11 Holding 12 Compression spring 13 Guide

Claims (5)

[Claims] In a cap portion for sealing a discharge port surface of a recording head, a box-shaped convex portion is formed on a resin cap holder to which the cap is attached, and a cap made of an elastic material surrounds the convex portion. And a rib provided on the inner wall of the cap is fitted into a groove provided on the outer periphery of the projection of the cap holder to form a closed system between the cap and the cab holder. An inkjet recording apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cap has a lightening penetrating therethrough so as to surround the convex rib of the cap holder. 3. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cap and the cap holder are integrally formed to form a closed system between the cap and the cap holder. 4. The height of the projection of the cap holder is as close to the overall height of the cap as possible within a range lower than the rib of the cap that is in close contact with the ejection port surface of the recording head. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1. 5. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the cap is attached to the cap holder, the side surface of the cap is pressed by another component having a pressing rib so that the cap does not spread outward. .