JP2002210994A - Maintenance method for ink-jet recording head - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a maintenance method for an ink-jet recording head, capable of maintaining the performance of a maintenance unit of an ink-jet recording apparatus in the case an ink to be easily aggregated or fixed is used. SOLUTION: At the time of an ink preliminary ejecting operation for eliminating printing deterioration factors of an ink-jet recording head, the recording nozzle surface and the face surface of the ink-jet recording head are covered completely with a covering means 1-1 for suctioning an ink or protecting the recording head.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for maintaining an ink jet recording head in an ink jet recording apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional ink jet recording head maintenance method will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 2-1 denotes an ink jet recording head covering member arranged corresponding to an ink discharge nozzle row of the ink jet recording head. I have. This inkjet recording head coating member 2-1
In the case of performing suction recovery for filling the ink from the ink tank to the ink jet recording head, performing suction recovery for removing bubbles in the ink jet recording head, and drying the ink discharge surface of the ink jet recording head during a printing standby. Sealing is performed for the purpose of prevention.

In addition, ink clogging before starting printing is eliminated,
Ink ejection before printing for the purpose of refreshing the ink nozzles, that is, so-called preliminary ejection, is performed by the preliminary ejection port 2-2. Pre-discharge for the purpose of refreshing unused nozzles during printing is also performed by the pre-discharge port 2-2.

[0005]

However, from the viewpoints of color development on paper and prevention of bleeding between colors, inks using a pigment as a coloring material, and inks or inks in which black ink and color ink react and aggregate with each other are used. Reaction solutions are used and are becoming mainstream at present. Although these inks are very superior in terms of images, they react and aggregate on the maintenance unit of the ink jet recording apparatus, which is a factor of deteriorating the performance of the maintenance unit.

To solve the above problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 81968 discloses a proposal concerning maintenance in a printing apparatus. Regarding the preliminary ejection of the reactive ink and the reaction liquid, a configuration in which the preliminary ejection ports are individually arranged at positions separated from each other is proposed. Have been.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and a purpose thereof is to maintain the performance of a maintenance unit of an ink jet recording apparatus when using ink which easily causes aggregation and sticking. It is an object of the present invention to provide a maintenance method for an ink jet recording head that can perform the above-mentioned steps.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is directed to an ink jet recording head for suctioning ink or protecting a recording head during an ink preliminary ejection operation for removing a printing deterioration factor of an ink jet recording head. The recording means completely covers the recording nozzle surface and the face surface of the ink jet recording head.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, a porous body is provided in the covering means.

A third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect of the invention, at least two or more of the covering means are provided corresponding to each of the recording inks which react with each other.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the same number of the covering means as the number of colors of the ink jet recording head are provided.

[0012]

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

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the closed preliminary discharge by the covering means. As shown in FIG. There is no scattering outside the coating means 1-1,
It is possible to prevent problems such as deterioration of functions and malfunctions of the covering means 1-1 for suction recovery and the wiper for the inkjet head nozzle surface due to mixing of inks.

After the preliminary discharge, the suction recovery pump 1-3 connected to the coating means 1-1 is driven, whereby
All the waste ink generated by the preliminary ejection is introduced into the waste ink processing member 1-4. Therefore, the processing of the waste ink generated at the time of the suction recovery and the waste ink generated by the preliminary ejection can be collectively performed at the same position.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part of the ink jet recording apparatus. For example, when a pigment-based ink is used, the colorant component of the pigment gradually adheres and accumulates in the preliminary discharge port 2-2 shown in FIG. May cause problems such as contact with the ink jet recording head, and it is necessary to perform processing such as increasing the volume in the preliminary ejection port 2-2 or smoothing the colorant component that is mechanically accumulated. Met.

The ink sucked from the ink jet recording head by the suction recovery pump 1-3 shown in FIG. 1 does not drop onto the waste ink processing member 1-4 and does not leak out of the ink jet recording apparatus. Is managed as follows.

According to the present invention, the preliminary discharge port 2-2 is used in order to adopt a configuration in which the preliminary discharge is performed in the covering means 2-1.
In the ink jet recording apparatus, there is no need to take measures within the ink jet recording apparatus, and the ink is sucked out by the suction recovery, and the ink is dropped onto the waste ink processing member 1-4 which is managed in the same manner. An effect such as good one can be obtained.

Also in the case shown in FIG. 2, in order to maintain the printing speed, the preliminary discharge port 2-2 is used for the preliminary discharge with a small number of discharges for the purpose of maintaining the unused nozzles during printing. . For example, before printing, after printing,
In the case of preparatory ejection, which is not related to the printing speed, and preparatory ejection with a large number of ejections for maintenance purposes such as after suction recovery, preliminary covering is performed by closing the ink ejection surface of the inkjet head by the covering means 2-1. In addition, even if both of the preliminary ejection means are used, the scattering of ink droplets due to the preliminary ejection or the like can be reduced.

[0019]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, a coating means for sucking ink or protecting the recording head at the time of preliminary ink discharge operation for eliminating the cause of print deterioration of the ink jet recording head. Since the recording nozzle surface and the face surface of the ink jet recording head are completely covered, the effect of maintaining the performance of the maintenance unit of the ink jet recording apparatus when using ink that easily causes aggregation and sticking can be obtained. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a closed preliminary discharge by a covering means.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part of an inkjet recording apparatus to which the method of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a main part of a conventional inkjet recording apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1-1 Coating means 1-2 Ink nozzle face 1-3 Pump for suction recovery 1-4 Waste ink processing member 2-1 Coating means 2-2 Pre-discharge port

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A method for completely covering a recording nozzle surface and a face surface of an ink jet recording head with a coating means for suctioning ink or protecting the recording head during an ink preliminary discharge operation for removing a cause of print deterioration of the ink jet recording head. A maintenance method for an ink jet recording head. 2. A maintenance method for an ink jet recording head according to claim 1, wherein a porous body is provided in said coating means. 3. The maintenance method for an ink jet recording head according to claim 1, wherein at least two or more said coating means are provided for each of the recording inks which react with each other. 4. The maintenance method for an ink jet recording head according to claim 1, wherein the same number of the coating means as the number of colors of the ink jet recording head are provided.