JP2003103788A - Plotter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that a porous body is required to be regularly replaced every 1-2 months in a small plotter and approximately every 1 week in a large plotter, not only being in trouble for the replacement work, but taking time for the replacement, thereby eventually worsening the productivity by the work although enabling high-speed plotting. SOLUTION: In the plotter to which a scanning head and a cleaning device for the image head are arranged, the cleaning device is constituted of at least a moisture absorber and a take-up mechanism for taking up the moisture absorber.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a drawing head and a drawing device in which a cleaning device for the drawing head is arranged.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, ink jet printers have been remarkably developed, and have become multicolored, high-speed (drawing), and widened. However, as the number of colors increases and the speed increases, the ink ejection portion of the drawing head becomes heavily soiled, and the drawing surface becomes soiled, resulting in poor quality. Therefore, a method has been adopted in which the ink ejection portion is cleaned after a certain drawing. One example will be described. A porous body such as sponge or cotton is arranged at one end of the drawing head of the drawing device that reciprocates. Then, when the drawing head reciprocates 5 to 6 times, it temporarily stops on the upper surface of the porous body, and then descends to bring the ink ejection portion into contact with the porous body. At this time, the ink adhering to the ink ejection portion is transferred to the porous body, and the ink ejection portion is beautified.

[0003]

However, in the cleaning method using the porous body, if the cleaning operation is performed again before the ink attached to the surface of the porous body is lowered by gravity, There is a risk that the ink adhering to the surface of the porous body may be transferred to the ink ejection portion, and the ink ejection portion may be further soiled. This becomes remarkable as the speedup is improved. Further, there is a limit to the suction amount of the porous body. If the ink ejection portion is brought into contact with the saturated porous body, there is a risk that the ink ejection portion may be soiled. Therefore, it is necessary to replace the porous body regularly, for a small drawing device, for one month to two months, and for a large drawing device, about one week. Not only is the replacement work troublesome, but time is taken for the replacement, and high-speed drawing is possible, but the above-mentioned work results in poor productivity.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a drawing device in which an image line head and a cleaning device for the image line head are arranged, wherein the cleaning device is a hygroscopic body and a winding body for winding the hygroscopic body. At least it is composed of a take-up mechanism.

[0005]

The function of the ink ejecting portion is always in contact with the clean portion of the hygroscopic body.

[0006]

EXAMPLE One example will be described with reference to FIGS. This is an example of a relatively large drawing device. The housing 1 is provided with a print medium 2 made of paper or a soft resin material to be drawn, a roller 3 for moving the print medium 2 back and forth, and the like. still,
In this embodiment, a roll-shaped resin print medium having a horizontal length of about 2 m is used, and printing can be performed as desired. In addition, on the upper surface of the print medium 2,
A printing unit 4 such as an ink jet for drawing on the print medium 2 is located. The printing unit 4
Are removably fixed to the L-shaped base 5. This is because of the ease of maintenance. The base 5 is fixed to a timing belt 6, and the timing belt 6 is rotatably arranged over substantially the entire width of the print medium 2. That is, the printing unit 4 is movable with respect to the entire width of the printing medium 2. In addition to the exemplified timing belts, examples of belt types include steel belts and belts made of fiber bundles.

Next, the printing unit 4 will be described. Eight ink jet heads 7 are arranged on the L-shaped base 5, but the number of ink jet heads 7 is not limited to this, but as the number of ink jet heads increases, it is possible to perform clear drawing at high speed. The ink jet heads 7 are two groups (first head group 7A, second head group 7B) for every four (four colors of magenta, yellow, cyan and black).
It consists of That is, two ink jet heads 7 of each color are arranged to enable high-speed drawing.

Inside the right end of the casing 1 in the figure (not shown), a cleaning unit 9 for cleaning the ink discharge port 8 located on the lower surface of each ink jet head 7 is arranged. The cleaning device 9 will be described below.
The pedestal 10 is provided with a winding roller 12 around which a moisture absorber 11 made of a porous material such as cloth, felt, or cotton is wound. The pedestal 10 is formed by folding the moisture absorber 11. May be installed. Further, a take-up roller 1 for taking up the hygroscopic body 11 adjacent to the take-up roller 12
3 are arranged. A tension mechanism 14 is installed on the winding roller 12 to impart a small amount of rotation resistance. That is, even if an unexpected external force acts on the winding roller 12, it does not easily rotate. On the other hand, the take-up roller 13 is provided with the timing belt 15
It is connected to the rotary drive source 16 via the, and can rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the rotary drive source 16. Further, a hook 18 for fixing the end portion of the moisture absorbing body 11 is detachably attached to the rotary shaft 17 of the winding roller 13, so that the wound moisture absorbing body 11 can be easily separated from the winding roller 13. Is ready to go. A pedestal 19 as a cleaning unit is arranged above the pedestal 10, and a mat member 20 made of an elastic material such as rubber or sponge is arranged on the upper surface of the pedestal 19. Further, rollers 21 around which the hygroscopic body 11 is wound are arranged at both ends of the base portion 19. That is, the absorbent body 11
Is passed over the upper surface of the mat member 20 and is wound around the winding roller 13. A roller 22 is also arranged between the roller 21, the winding roller 12, and the take-up roller 13, but the absorbent body 11 is pressed against the roller 22 on the winding roller 12 side. A pressure welding unit 23 is also provided. The pressure contact unit 23 can be adjusted in its pressure contact force by an elastic member 24 such as a coil spring. The tension of the hygroscopic body 11 is constant.

In the vicinity of the pressure contact unit 23,
A sensor 25 for detecting the amount of movement of the moisture absorber 11 is installed, and a detection plate 26 attached to the roller 22.
By detecting the cutout portion 27 of the
Is measured (see FIG. 6; enlarged view). The cleaning surface (ink-adhered surface) of the hygroscopic body 11, which has been cleaned and soiled, is wound so that the ink-adhered surface is on the inside when being wound by the winding roller 13.
As a result, the hygroscopic body 11 that has been wound up can be removed without soiling the hands or the like. Reference numeral 28 is a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the moisture absorber 11 of the winding roller 12, and reference numeral 29 is a sensor for detecting the remaining amount of the moisture absorber 11, which warns when the amount becomes less than or equal to a set amount. Sounds etc. are made to sound, and it is designed to notify the time of replacement.

Next, the operation will be described. The printing unit 4 is temporarily located above the cleaning unit 9 installed at the right end of the housing 1 during or after the drawing. Here, at the same time when the printing unit 4 descends, the take-up roller 13 rotates, the moisture absorber 11 moves, and the movement causes the excess ink adhering to the ink ejection port 8 to be wiped off and washed. At this time, since the hygroscopic body 11 is moving, it is always wiped off with a clean surface. However, depending on how much ink is ejected,
It may be set to move after being used several times. with this,
The cleaning of the first head group 7A is completed (see FIG. 7). Next, the printing unit 4 is advanced to move the second head group 7B.
Is placed on the upper surface of the hygroscopic body 11, and the hygroscopic body 11 is moved and washed in the same manner (see FIG. 8). This completes the cleaning of the ink jet 7 in the present embodiment, but if the width of the hygroscopic body 11 is made large, the cleaning can be carried out by one movement. In this example, in order to reduce the size,
The width of the hygroscopic body 11 is also narrow. Further, by increasing the installation intervals of the inkjets 7 and positioning the second head group 7B in the non-wiping portion of the first head group 7A, the hygroscopic body 11 can be used efficiently without waste. In addition, as a wiping method, the hygroscopic body 11 may be moved and wiped while the ink discharge port portion 8 is in contact with the hygroscopic body 11. The ink in the ink discharge port portion 8 may be transferred to the hygroscopic body 11 and wiped off. In addition to the present embodiment, the base 19 and the mat member 20 are made of a porous body, and a suction device or the like is installed below the base 19 to remove the hygroscopic body 11 that might have peeled off. Such as a piece of fiber or sponge,
It is possible to prevent the ink from adhering to the ink discharge port 8.

[0011]

The present invention is a drawing apparatus in which an image line head and a cleaning device for the image line head are arranged. The image forming head comprises a hygroscopic body and a winding mechanism for winding the hygroscopic body. Since at least it is configured, it is possible to provide a drawing apparatus with high productivity.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a drawing device.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a cleaning unit.

FIG. 3 is a left side view of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a right side view of FIG.

5 is a top view of FIG.

6 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a top view of essential parts showing the operation.

FIG. 8 is a top view of a main part showing the operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 case 2 print media 3 rollers 4 printing units 5 bases 6 belts 7 ink jet head 8 Ink ejection port 9 Cleaning device 10 pedestals 11 Hygroscopic body 12 winding rollers 13 Take-up roller 14 Tension mechanism 15 Timing belt 16 rotation drive source 17 rotation axis 18 hooks 19 units 20 mat member 21 Laura 22 Laura 23 Pressure welding unit 24 Repellent material 25 sensors 26 Detection plate 27 Notch 28 sensors 29 sensors

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A drawing device in which an image line head and a cleaning device for the image line head are arranged, wherein the cleaning device comprises at least a hygroscopic body and a winding mechanism for winding the hygroscopic body. A drawing device. 2. The drawing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hygroscopic body is made of a porous body. 3. The suction device is arranged below the cleaning section of the cleaning device.
The drawing device according to 1. 4. The drawing device according to claim 1, wherein the ink-absorbing surface of the hygroscopic body after the cleaning is wound up so as to face the inside.