JP2002264351A - Cap device of ink jet printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cap device of an ink jet printer which can favorably prevent ink jetted or sucked to a cap from a head from overflowing the cap. SOLUTION: Ink absorbers 26a and 26b cover all over entire bottom parts of the caps 25a and 25b. Lid members 27a and 27b are set to be laminated to surfaces of the link absorbers 26a and 26b. The lid members 27a and 27b are connected liquid tightly to an inner wall face of the cap 25a and 25b over the entire periphery. Hole parts 27c and 27b are formed to parts opposite to nozzle positions 7a and 7b of the lid member 27a and 27b. The ink sucked from the nozzle by a suction operation by a pump is once absorbed to the ink absorbers 26a and 26b, and then collected via suction ports 28a and 28b by the pump. Even when the ink cannot be retained only by the ink absorbers 26a and 26b, the ink is stopped by the lid members 27a and 27b and can be prevented from overflowing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cap device for an ink jet printer for sealing the ink ejection surface of a head of the ink jet printer in a hermetically sealed manner.
The present invention relates to an apparatus having an ink absorbing material for absorbing ink on an inner wall surface of a cap.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ink jet printer that forms an image on a recording medium by discharging ink from a head has a cap for sealing the ink discharge surface of the head in a hermetically sealed state, and a cap on the inner wall surface of the cap. It is conceivable to provide a cap device that is provided and has an ink absorbing material that absorbs ink ejected or sucked from the head. When the ink ejection surface is sealed with a cap of such a cap device, a negative pressure is applied to a space surrounded by the cap and the ink ejection surface to suck the ink in the nozzles or to force the head. When the ejection operation (flushing operation) is performed, the scattering of the ink can be prevented by the cap.

Further, by absorbing the ink ejected or sucked from the head into the cap by the ink absorbing material, it is possible to prevent the ink from spilling out of the cap to some extent.

[0004]

However, in the conventional apparatus, the ink once absorbed by the ink absorbing material may spill out of the cap. It is conceivable that the ink absorbed by the ink absorbing material is suctioned and collected by a pump or the like, but if excess ink is absorbed by the ink absorbing material, it can spill out of the cap before the ink is collected. There is also. Such a problem is unlikely to occur when the ink ejection surface of the head is disposed directly downward and the cap is disposed directly upward facing the ink discharge surface. Such a problem becomes conspicuous when the ink ejection surface and the cap are inclined due to this, or when the ink jet printer is used in a so-called vertical state in which the ink ejection surface is arranged vertically.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a cap device for an ink jet printer which can prevent ink ejected or sucked from a head into a cap from spilling out of the cap.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 provides a cap for hermetically sealing an ink discharge surface of an ink jet printer head, and a cap for the cap. An ink absorbing member provided on an inner wall surface and absorbing ink ejected or sucked from the head, comprising: a cap device for an ink jet printer, the cap device including at least a portion of the ink absorbing material opposed to a nozzle of the head. And a cover member connected to the inner wall surface of the cap in a liquid-tight manner.

In the present invention having the above-described structure, the lid member, which is connected to the inner wall surface of the cap in a liquid-tight manner, covers at least a portion of the ink absorbing material except for a portion facing the nozzle of the head from the surface. ing. For this reason, when an ink jet printer is used with the above-mentioned partial side of the ink absorbing material facing downward (or simply tilted), the ink once absorbed by the ink absorbing material can be blocked by the lid member.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the ink ejected or sucked from the head into the cap from spilling out of the cap. In addition, since the lid member covers the ink absorbing material except for the vicinity of the portion facing the nozzle, the ink ejection from the nozzle and the suction of the ink can be performed in the conventional manner.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the lid member covers the entire surface of the ink absorbing material except for the vicinity of a portion of the head facing the nozzle. I do. In the present invention, since the cover member covers the entire surface of the ink absorbing material except for the vicinity of the portion facing the nozzle, even when the cap is disposed in any direction, the ink is well damped, As described above, the ink can be prevented from spilling out of the cap. Therefore, according to the present invention, in addition to the effect of the first aspect of the present invention, even when the cap is disposed in any direction, the ink can be prevented from spilling out of the cap in a good manner. Occurs.

[0010] The third aspect of the present invention is the first or second aspect.
In addition to the configuration described above, a suction port for sucking and removing the ink absorbed by the ink absorbing material is provided near a portion of the cap where the sucked ink is most likely to be stored. . In the present invention, since the suction port for sucking and removing the ink absorbed by the ink absorbing material is provided, the ink absorbed by the ink absorbing material is suctioned and removed from the suction port by a pump or the like. Spills can be prevented more favorably. In addition, since the suction port is provided near the portion of the cap where the sucked ink is most likely to be stored, the absorbed ink is suctioned and removed very efficiently to prevent the ink from spilling out. It can be better prevented. Therefore, in the present invention, claim 1 or claim 2
In addition to the effects of the invention described above, there is an effect that the ink can be better prevented from spilling out of the cap.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the third aspect, the ink ejection surface of the head is arranged vertically or in a direction crossing the vertical, and the suction port is provided near a lower end of the cap. It is characterized by having. In the present invention, the ink ejection surface of the head is arranged vertically or in a direction intersecting the perpendicular. In this case, the ink absorbed by the ink absorbing material is easily stored near the lower end of the cap. Therefore, in the present invention, the suction port is provided near the lower end of the cap. Therefore, according to the present invention, the effect of the invention described in claim 3 can be more reliably produced.

The invention described in claim 5 is the invention according to claim 3 or 4.
In addition to the configuration described above, the suction port is connected to negative pressure generating means for generating a negative pressure, and the negative pressure generated by the negative pressure generating means is transferred to a space surrounded by the cap and the ink ejection surface. It is characterized in that it can be applied.

In the present invention, the suction port is connected to negative pressure generating means for generating a negative pressure, and the negative pressure generated by the negative pressure generating means is converted into a space surrounded by the cap and the ink discharge surface. , The ink in the nozzle can be sucked. Further, in this case, the ink absorbed by the ink absorbing material is sucked by the negative pressure generating means through the suction port, so that the ink can be prevented from being spilled out of the cap more favorably. Therefore, according to the present invention, in addition to the effects of the invention described in claim 3 or 4, the ink in the nozzles is sucked to maintain good performance of the head, and
There is an effect that the ink can be better prevented from spilling out of the cap.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in addition to any one of the first to fifth aspects, a hole is provided in the lid member at a portion facing the nozzle of the head, and The ink absorbing material is characterized in that a convex portion is formed so as to protrude toward the hole so as not to contact the ink ejection surface of the head.

According to the present invention, a convex portion is formed on the ink absorbing material so as to protrude so as not to come into contact with the ink ejection surface of the head toward the hole provided in the portion of the lid member facing the nozzle. ing. For this reason, the volume of the ink absorbing material can be more preferably secured, and the ink absorbing effect of the ink absorbing material can be further ensured. Therefore, in the present invention, in addition to the effect of the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 5, the ink is more preferably prevented from spilling out of the cap by securing the volume of the ink absorbing material more favorably. The effect that it can do is produced.

[0016]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating a configuration near a platen 1 of an inkjet printer to which the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, the platen 1 has a rib 1 on its surface.
The recording paper (corresponding to a recording medium) is formed by forming a large number of a in parallel so that the ribs 1a receive the recording paper. Note that the recording paper is transported in the direction of arrow A by an upstream transport roller (not shown). Hereinafter, the leading end side in the transport direction of the recording paper is referred to as the front.

At the rear of the platen 1, a belt 3 is laid across the entire width of the recording paper. The belt 3 has a driving pulley 3a and a driven pulley 3b driven by a carriage motor 5 (see FIG. 3). It is hung between.
A carriage 9 on which a head 7 is mounted is fixed to the belt 3, and the carriage 9 moves on the platen 1 from the right end to the left end or from the left end to the right end in accordance with the driving of the carriage motor 5. The recording paper on which an image has been formed by the ink ejected from the head 7 is further transported by a downstream transport roller (see a dashed line in FIG. 4), and is discharged by a discharge roller 11.
Are stacked on a discharge tray (not shown).

FIG. 2 shows the cover 13 near the paper discharge roller 11.
FIG. 2 is a plan view partially broken away. As shown in FIG. 2, a tube 15 for supplying ink protrudes from the left and right sides of the head 7, and this tube 15 is once collected at the front center of the platen 1 and then folded back to the left and right again. 1 extends downward from the front left or right end. In addition, the tubes 15 are provided so as to be overlapped with each other by two at the top and bottom, and are tied by a tying tool 15a at each place.

As shown in the back view of FIG. 3, an ink cartridge 17a for holding magenta and yellow inks and an ink cartridge 17b for holding cyan and black inks are arranged on the back side of the platen 1. Are connected to magenta, yellow, cyan, or black ink holding units, respectively. For this reason, the head 7 can form a desired color image on the recording paper by discharging the ink supplied from each ink holding unit as needed.

Returning to FIG. 2, a flushing ink receiving portion 1b for receiving ink ejected from the head 7 by a flushing operation is formed at the right end of the platen 1 facing the head 7. A cut is formed in the rib 1a in the vicinity of a portion where ink is ejected from the head 7, and the cut of the rib 1a is used when performing so-called "overprinting (printing with no margin at the edge of paper)". When only some of the nozzles on the front side of the head 7 are driven to eject ink at the edge of the recording paper in the feed direction or at the width of the recording paper, the ink that has not adhered to the recording paper is received. A protruding ink receiving portion 1c is formed. The flushing ink receiving portion 1b has a large number of narrow grooves 1d (FIG. 4).
) Is formed, and the ink is adsorbed by the capillary action of the narrow groove 1d. Also, the protruding ink receiving section 1
The surface of c is roughened, and the ink discharged here flows into the flushing ink receiving portion 1b by the capillary phenomenon via the narrow groove 1e.

Please refer to FIG. 4 for details of the configuration of the narrow groove 1e. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a cross section taken along line BB of FIG. 2 only for a plastic plate material constituting the platen 1. In FIG. 4, the central axis of the downstream transport roller is indicated by a dashed line. As shown in FIG. 4, two rows of downstream-side transport rollers are provided in front and back.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 which is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC, a tube connector 1f is formed below the flushing ink receiving portion 1b, and the flushing ink receiving portion 1b is entirely a tube. It is inclined toward the connector 1f. In this tube connector 1f,
As shown in FIG.
a is connected via a tube 23. The pump 21 sucks the ink accumulated in the flushing ink receiving portion 1b through the tube 23, and
1b.

The ink discharged from the tube connector 21b is sent to a waste ink collecting section (communicated with each other) of the ink cartridges 17a and 17b via a tube (not shown). Note that a configuration in which an ink holding unit and a waste ink collecting unit are provided in an ink cartridge is disclosed in
As described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 000-15826 or Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-29345, detailed description of the configuration is omitted here.

At the left end of the platen 1 (position facing the head 7 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2), a maintenance device 31 having caps 25a and 25b is provided as shown in FIG. It is also used for driving the maintenance device 31. Next, the configuration of the maintenance device 31 will be described with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 6, caps 25a, 25
b has ink absorbing materials 26a and 26b inside thereof, and the surfaces of the ink absorbing materials 26a and 26b are covered by lid members 27a and 27b except for a portion facing the nozzle, and one embodiment of the cap device of the present invention. Is configured. Note that the ink absorbing materials 26a and 26b and the lid member 27
The configurations of a and 27b will be described later in detail.

The caps 25a, 25b are formed as an integral cap unit 25, and each cap 25a, 25b
The space inside b is connected to the tube connectors 35a and 35b of the switching unit 35 via the tubes 33a and 33b. The pump 21 further includes a tube connector 21c.
Is connected to the tube connector 35c of the switching unit 35 via the tube 33c. The switching unit 35 opens the inside of the tube 33a, 33b, or 33c to atmospheric pressure, or switches the tube 33a, 33b, or 33c.
b or both of them have a function of communicating with the tube 33c. When the tubes 33a or 33b or both of them are connected to the tube 33c, the pump 21 applies a negative pressure to the space in the corresponding caps 25a and 25b. Can be applied.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view schematically showing the structure of the pump 21. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, the pump 21
A hollow piston 43 is slidably provided in the cylinder 41. A pair of rubber rings 43a, 43b are externally fitted to the outer periphery of the piston 43 at the front and rear ends in the sliding direction, and the rubber rings 43a, 43b are in airtight contact with the inner wall of the cylinder 41. A rod 45 penetrates the center of the piston 43, and a flange 45 a formed at the tip of the rod 45 and a rubber ring 4 fitted around the outer periphery of the rod 45.
5b gently sandwiches the piston 43. Further, the pair of rubber rings 43a, 43b on the outer periphery of the piston 43.
Is communicated with a hollow portion 43c of the piston 43 via a hole (not shown).

In the pump 21 configured as described above, when the rod 45 moves in the distal direction (the direction of the arrow D in FIG. 7), the rubber ring 45b is pressed against the piston 43 as shown in FIG. A gap is formed between the portion 45a, the piston 43, and the rubber ring 43a. Therefore, a negative pressure is generated in the negative pressure chamber 47 b on the base end side of the piston 43 as the rod 45 moves. On the other hand, the fluid in the negative pressure chamber 47a on the tip side of the piston 43 flows through the hollow 43c through the gap.
To the tube connector 21 through the hole.
b.

Conversely, when the rod 45 moves in the proximal direction, the rubber ring 43a is pressed against the flange 45a, and a gap is created between the rubber ring 45b and the piston 43.
Therefore, a negative pressure is generated in the negative pressure chamber 47a on the tip side of the piston 43 with the movement of the rod 45. On the other hand, the fluid in the negative pressure chamber 47b on the proximal end side of the piston 43 flows into the hollow portion 43c through the gap, and then flows into the tube connector 2c.
1b. As described above, the pump 21 is driven by the reciprocating motion of the rod 45 so that the tube connectors 21a, 2
1c can alternately function as a suction side, and the tube connector 21b can function as a discharge side.

On the other hand, the switching unit 35
As shown in the vertical sectional view of FIG.
And a cylindrical outer cylinder 51 integrally formed of plastic with a rotating shaft 31 erected on the substrate 31a.
The inner cylinder 53 is rotatably attached to the inner cylinder 53. The rubber member 55 is fitted around the inner cylinder 53 and rotates integrally with the inner cylinder 53. The above-mentioned tube connectors 35a to 35c are erected on the outer periphery of the outer cylinder 51,
The inside of each of the tube connectors 35 a to 35 c is opened on the inner wall surface of the outer cylinder 51.

The inner cylinder 53 is locked by a locking claw 31c formed at the tip of the rotating shaft 31b so as to be able to advance and retreat by elastic deformation, and is prevented from falling off. Also, this inner cylinder 53
Are an engagement portion 53a that engages with a vertical groove 55a formed on the inner wall of the rubber member 55 to rotate the rubber member 55 and the inner cylinder 53 integrally from the bottom (from the substrate 31a side).
5 is provided with a spur gear-shaped gear part 53b exposed at the upper part of the head 5 and a cam plate 53d provided with a large number of claws 53c for operating a limit switch 57 (see FIG. 6). It is constituted by.

As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 8B and the cross-sectional view of FIG. 8C, the outer periphery of the rubber member 55 is opened from the position facing the tube connectors 35a to 35c toward the upper end. Open grooves 55b, 55c, and 55d, and communication grooves 55e and 55f that are formed in a plurality of tube connectors 35a to 35c and that are horizontally long so as to be able to face each other at the same time. Therefore, if any of the tube connectors 35a to 35c is opposed to any of the open grooves 55b to 55d, the opposed tube connectors (35a to 35c) can be used.
Can communicate with the atmosphere. In addition, if two or three of the tube connectors 35a to 35c are simultaneously opposed to the communication groove 55e or 55f,
The opposed tube connectors 35a to 35c can communicate with each other.

As shown in FIG. 8 (C), the communication groove 55f has a width capable of simultaneously facing the three tube connectors 35a to 35c, and the communication groove 55e is provided with the tube connector 35c.
a or 35b and a width capable of simultaneously facing the tube connector 35c. The open groove 55b is
The communicating groove 55e is formed at a position facing the tube connector 35b when facing the tube connectors 35a and 35c, and the open groove 55d faces the tube connector 35a when the communicating groove 55e faces the tube connectors 35b and 35c. Formed at the location. Further, the open groove 55c is formed at a position facing the tube connector 35a when the tube connector 35b faces the open groove 55d. When the tube connector 35c faces the open groove 55b, the tube connectors 35a and 35b communicate with each other. The grooves 55e and 55f are opposed to each other.

The open grooves 55b to 55d are also connected to the communication grooves 55.
When the outer wall portion of the rubber member 55 in which neither e nor 55f is formed is opposed to one of the tube connectors 35a to 35c, the opposed tube connector (35a to 35c).
5c) is hermetically sealed. In the switching unit 35 thus configured, the rubber member 55
Is rotated through the gear portion 53b of the inner cylinder 53, so that the tube connectors 35a to 35c can communicate with each other.
An open state (to atmospheric pressure) and a closed state can be switched.

Next, returning to FIG. 6, the drive system of the pump 21 and the switching unit 35 will be described. As shown in FIG. 6, a maintenance motor 61 is fixed to the substrate 31a, and the rotation of the maintenance motor 61 is transmitted to the sun gear 65 via the reduction gears 63 and 64. When the maintenance motor 61 rotates in the direction of arrow F, the sun gear 65 rotates in the direction of arrow G. Sun gear 6
5 meshes with the planetary gear 67, and the planetary gear 67 swings in the direction of the arrow G in accordance with the rotation of the sun gear 65, and meshes with the gear 68. Then, the rotation of the gear 68 is transmitted to the above-described gear portion 53b (see FIG. 8A) via the gear 69, whereby the inner cylinder 53 and the rubber member 55 can be rotated.

On the other hand, the maintenance motor 61
When the planetary gear 67 rotates in the direction opposite to that of the arrow G, the planetary gear 67 swings in the direction opposite to the arrow G and meshes with the cam gear 71. Cam gear 71
A cam groove 73 that engages with a pin (not shown) formed on the rod 45 of the pump 21 is formed on the upper surface of the pump gear 21. The rotation of the cam gear 71 causes the rod 45 to reciprocate.

Further, as shown in the perspective view of FIG. 9, the wiper unit 75 is configured to be vertically movable via a link 75a. A cam surface 79 for vertically moving the wiper unit 75 by supporting a pin 75c formed on the wiper unit 75 from below is formed on the outer peripheral upper surface of the cam gear 71.

The cap unit 25 is provided with a pin abutting on a cam groove (not shown) formed in the slider 76 and is configured to be vertically movable. A cam groove for sliding the slider 76 by moving a pin formed on the slider 76 is formed on the back surface of the cam gear 71.

Next, the operation of the maintenance device 31 configured as described above will be described. When the ink ejection surface of the head 7 is hermetically sealed with the caps 25a and 25b, the inner tube 53 and the rubber member 55 are rotated so that the tube connectors 35a and 35b face the open grooves 55c and 55d, respectively. . Subsequently, by rotating the cam gear 71 to raise the cap unit 25 via the cam groove and the slider 76 on the back surface (not shown), the ink discharge surface can be sealed. At this time, caps 25a, 25b
Since the space inside is opened to the atmospheric pressure, when the caps 25a and 25b are brought into contact with the ink discharge surface, pressure is applied to the nozzles to prevent adverse effects (such as meniscus destruction) on the nozzles. it can.

In this state, when the tube connector 35a or 35b and the tube connector 35c are communicated via the communication groove 55e, the pump 21 applies a negative pressure to the space surrounded by the cap 25a or 25b and the ink ejection surface. The ink can be sucked from the nozzle. The tube connectors 35a and 35a are connected via the communication groove 55f.
5b and 35c communicate with each other, the caps 25a and 2
A negative pressure can be applied to both the space surrounded by 5b and the ink ejection surface to suction ink from the nozzles. In the present embodiment, suction is performed one by one as described above. In this case, the tube connector 35b or 35a on the side not involved in suction faces the open groove 55b or 55d. For this reason, even if the above suction is repeated a plurality of times while moving the cap unit 25 up and down, the cap 25b or 25a on the side not involved in suction communicates with the atmosphere, which adversely affects the nozzle facing the cap 25b or 25a. (Destruction of meniscus, etc.) can be prevented.

In the present ink jet printer, the performance of the head 7 can be kept good by sucking the ink from the nozzles in this manner. In addition, since the caps 25a and 25b can be arbitrarily switched to a state of communication with the pump 21, a state of opening to atmospheric pressure, or a state of sealing, the suction can be performed appropriately. Further, when the ink is sucked from the nozzle, the ink is once absorbed by the ink absorbing material 26a or 26b provided inside the corresponding cap 25a or 25b, and is sucked through the suction ports 28a and 28b (see FIG. 6). Collected by the pump 21.

Next, the structure of the ink absorbing members 26a and 26b, the lid members 27a and 27b, and the suction ports 28a and 28b will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, FIG.
It is assumed that the inkjet printer is used in a vertically installed state with the discharge roller 11 side up,
(A) is a front view schematically showing a positional relationship between each part of the cap unit 25 and the head 7, (B) is a side view thereof,
(C) is a longitudinal sectional view thereof. Also, in FIG. 10, the so-called cap lip positions of the caps 25a and 25b abutting on the head 7 are indicated by 29a and 29b, and the nozzle positions of the head 7 are indicated by 7a and 7b.

As shown in FIG. 10C, ink absorbing members 26a and 26b made of a foamed resin foam are spread all over the bottoms of the caps 25a and 25b, and cover members 27a and 27b are laminated on the surface. It is provided in. The lid members 27a, 27b are connected to the inner wall surfaces of the caps 25a, 25b in a liquid-tight manner over the entire circumference, and are shown in FIG.
As shown in (A), holes 27c and 27d are formed in portions facing the nozzle positions 7a and 7b. The aforementioned suction ports 28a and 28b are provided near the lower ends of the ink absorbing materials 26a and 26b when the ink jet printer is placed vertically.

In the ink jet printer, the following functions and effects are produced by providing the caps 25a and 25b with the above-described configuration. The ink sucked from the nozzle by the suction operation by the pump 21 is as follows.
Once absorbed by the ink absorbents 26a and 26b, the negative pressure chamber 47b of the pump 21 is subsequently passed through the suction ports 28a and 28b.
However, if the ink is excessively sucked, there is a possibility that the ink cannot be held by the ink absorbing materials 26a and 26b alone until the ink is collected. Lid members 27a, 2
Without the ink 7b, the ink would spill out from the lower ends of the ink absorbing materials 26a and 26b in such a case. However, in the present ink jet printer, the ink is blocked by the lid members 27a and 27b, and the ink spills well. Can be prevented.

Further, in the present ink jet printer, the lid members 27a, 27b are provided on both the left and right sides of the nozzle positions 7a, 7b.
Since b is provided, the sinking of the ink is suppressed by the surface tension of the ink with respect to the lid members 27a and 27b. In addition, in the present ink jet printer, the suction ports 28a and 28b are provided near the lower ends of the ink absorbing materials 26a and 26b where the ink is most easily stored, so that the ink is more effectively prevented from spilling out of the caps 25a and 25b. be able to.

Since the lid members 27a and 27b are not provided at the portions facing the nozzle positions 7a and 7b, the operation of sucking ink as described above can be performed in the same manner as in a conventional ink jet printer. Further, the lid members 27a, 2
7b is also effective when the ink jet printer is so-called horizontally placed and the caps 25a and 25b are arranged upward. That is, even when the ink jet printer is placed horizontally, the ink jet printer may be mounted in an inclined direction in any direction for some reason. In this ink jet printer, even when the printer is placed in such an inclined manner, it is possible to prevent the ink from spilling from the inclined side by the lid members 27a and 27b. Moreover, since the lid members 27a and 27b surround the nozzle positions 7a and 7b all around,
The above-described effects are obtained regardless of the direction in which the ink jet printer is mounted in an inclined manner.

The present invention has been described with reference to the specific embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and may be implemented in various forms without departing from the gist of the present invention. Can be implemented. For example, the suction port 28
a and 28b are caps 25 as shown in FIG.
Apertures may be opened at the lower end surfaces of a and 25b. In this case, substantially the same operation and effect as those of the above-described embodiment are produced. Which of the suction ports 28a and 28b should be opened can be appropriately selected according to the layout of the maintenance device 31 and the like.

As shown in FIG. 11B, the ink absorbing members 26a, 26b have convex portions 26c, 26d projecting toward the holes 27c, 27d so as not to contact the ink ejection surface of the head 7. May be formed. In this case, the volumes of the ink absorbing materials 26a and 26b are more preferably ensured, and the ink absorbing effect of the ink absorbing materials 26a and 26b is further better ensured.
25b can be prevented more effectively from spilling out.

Further, the present invention is not limited to a cap device for sucking ink, but may be similarly applied to a cap device for preventing the ink from scattering when the head 7 performs a flushing operation. it can.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating a configuration near a platen of an inkjet printer to which the present invention has been applied.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a configuration in the vicinity of a platen, partially broken away.

FIG. 3 is a rear view showing a configuration near the platen.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating a configuration of a maintenance device of the inkjet printer.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view schematically showing a configuration of a pump of the maintenance device.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view, a perspective view, and a transverse sectional view showing a configuration of a switching unit of the maintenance device.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of the maintenance device.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a positional relationship between each part of the cap unit of the maintenance device and the head, and FIG.
Is a front view of the head viewed from the cap unit side, (B)
Is a side view, and (C) is a longitudinal sectional view.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration of a modified example of the cap unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

7 head 7a, 7b nozzle position
21: pump 25: cap unit 25a, 25b ...
Caps 26a, 26b ... ink absorbing materials 26c, 26d ...
Protrusions 27a, 27b ... lid members 27c, 27d ...
Holes 28a, 28b ... Suction ports 29a, 29b ...
Cap lip position 31 Maintenance device 35 Switching unit

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A cap for hermetically sealing an ink ejection surface of a head of an inkjet printer, and an ink absorbing material provided on an inner wall surface of the cap and absorbing ink ejected or sucked from the head. A cap device for an ink jet printer, comprising: a lid member that covers at least a portion of the ink absorbing material except for a portion facing a nozzle of the head from a surface thereof and that is liquid-tightly connected to an inner wall surface of the cap. A cap device for an ink jet printer, comprising: 2. A cap device for an ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein said cover member covers the entire surface of said ink absorbing material except for the vicinity of a portion facing said nozzle of said head. 3. A suction port for sucking and removing ink absorbed by the ink absorbing material is provided near a portion of the cap where the sucked ink is most likely to be stored. Item 3. An ink jet printer cap device according to item 1 or 2. 4. A cap for an ink jet printer according to claim 3, wherein the ink ejection surface of the head is arranged vertically or in a direction crossing the vertical, and the suction port is provided near a lower end of the cap. apparatus. 5. The suction port is connected to negative pressure generating means for generating a negative pressure, and the negative pressure generated by the negative pressure generating means is applied to a space surrounded by the cap and the ink ejection surface. 5. The cap device for an ink jet printer according to claim 3, wherein the cap device is configured to be capable of being used. 6. The cover member has a hole at a portion facing the nozzle of the head, and the ink absorbing material is in contact with the ink ejection surface of the head toward the hole. 6. A cap device for an ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein a convex portion is formed so as not to protrude.