JP2004066835A - Recovery device of inkjet printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a recovery device of an inkjet printer that can perform a sucking operation by using a suction pump means without bubbling even when ink is not contained in a print head and an ink path is filled with air. <P>SOLUTION: The suction pump means 31 comprises a suction cap 34 that can be brought into contact with or moved away from a nozzle face of a print head 5, and a suction pump 35 for sucking the ink of the print head 5 through the suction cap 34. The suction pump 35 has two piston members that can independently move in a pump housing. The second piston member is separated from the first piston member, and then a first sucking operation of which the sucking force is smaller is performed. After that, the first and second piston members are moved to close suction holes while maintaining a volume of a pump chamber. The first piston member is separated from the second piston member, and then a second sucking operation of which the sucking force is greater than that of the first sucking operation and the time period is longer than that of the first sucking operation, is performed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

The present invention relates to a recovery device for an ink jet printer that performs printing by ejecting ink onto a recording medium.

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, an ink jet printer that performs printing by ejecting ink droplets onto a recording medium includes a main body case in which an ink jet type print head and an ink cartridge containing ink to be supplied to the print head are exchangeably mounted. The recording apparatus includes a recording device, a transport device that transports the recording medium, and a carriage device that reciprocates the recording device according to the size of the recording medium transported by the transport device.

In addition, in order to maintain a good ink ejection state in the print head, the print head has a suction cap that comes into contact with the nozzle surface of the print head so that the ink can be separated from the print head by applying a large negative pressure through the suction cap. It is also known to provide suction pump means for suctioning.

By the way, in the use of the ink jet printer as described above, when the user performs printing for the first time, or when the remaining amount of the ink is low, the user erroneously determines that the ejection is defective and sucks the ink by the suction pump means. When the print head is depleted of ink due to the operation, the ink may not be contained in the print head and the ink passage may be filled with air. When performing a suction operation by means, a large negative pressure is applied through the suction cap to suck the ink of the print head at a stretch, so that the ink flows from the ink cartridge into a number of channels (ink passages) of the print head. The ink rapidly flows in a mixed state, the ink foams, and the ink in the print head contains bubbles. This tendency is particularly remarkable when a filter member is provided at a connection portion between the print head and the ink cartridge (for example, an ink supply hole of the ink cartridge) so that dust and the like do not move with the ink on the print head side.

Further, as described in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-4220, ink is discharged from the nozzles by using the pressure generated by the pressure generating means, thereby recovering the ink discharge failure from the nozzles. In the apparatus, the state of ink ejection from the nozzles is grasped, and the pressure for recovery generated by the pressure generating means is different from each other in accordance with the grasped first and second different ink ejection states. Although it is proposed that the recovery be performed as the first and second values, the control becomes complicated because the state of ink ejection from the nozzles is grasped and controlled based on the state.

Furthermore, a recovery device of an ink jet printer that crushes a tube pipe with a cam and performs purging with the pressure is known, in which a driving amount of the cam is controlled to change a crushing amount of the tube pipe. Control becomes complicated like the above-mentioned thing.

The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and even in a state in which the ink is not contained in the print head and the ink passage is filled with air, the suction operation by the suction pump means can be performed without foaming. It is an object of the present invention to provide a recovery device for an ink-jet printer that can be used.

The invention according to claim 1 includes a print head that performs printing by ejecting ink to a recording medium, and a suction cap that comes into contact with the nozzle surface of the print head so as to be able to come and go. The ink of the print head is passed through the suction cap. In a recovery device for an ink jet printer comprising a suction pump means for suctioning,
The suction pump means includes a pump casing having a suction port and a discharge port connected to the suction cap, and two piston members which are independently movable within the pump casing and form a pump chamber having a variable volume. ,
While the suction cap is in contact with the nozzle surface of the print head, the pump chamber between the two piston members is connected to the suction port, while the volume of the pump chamber is enlarged to move the pump chamber to the first position. Performing the suction operation, after the first suction operation, while maintaining the enlarged volume of the pump chamber, moving the two piston members in a direction to close the suction port with respect to the pump chamber, After the suction port is closed, the pump chamber is connected to the suction port, and while the volume of the pump chamber is increased, a second suction operation having a larger suction force than the first suction operation is performed from the print head. Is what you do.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the device according to the first aspect, the first suction operation and the second suction operation are operations of maintaining the volume of the pump chamber after expanding the volume of the pump chamber. including.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the suction operation by the suction pump unit is controlled by a cam member linked to the two piston members.

The invention according to claim 4 has a print head that performs printing by ejecting ink to a recording medium, and a suction cap that comes into contact with the nozzle surface of the print head in a detachable manner. In a recovery device for an ink jet printer comprising a suction pump means for suctioning,
The suction pump means includes a pump casing having a suction port and a discharge port connected to the suction cap, and two piston members which are independently movable within the pump casing and form a pump chamber having a variable volume. , Wherein the two piston members are moved in association with a cam member,
With the suction cap in contact with the nozzle surface of the print head, the pump chamber between the two piston members is connected to the suction port, while the volume of the pump chamber is enlarged and the state is changed to the cam member. Performing a first suction operation from the print head while maintaining the predetermined rotation angle, and after the first suction operation, further increasing the volume of the pump chamber from the state of the first suction operation. While maintaining the state for a predetermined rotation angle of the cam member, a second suction operation having a larger suction force than the first suction operation is performed from the print head.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the second suction operation has a larger suction force and a longer suction time than the first suction operation.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the ink jet printer includes an ink cartridge connected to the print head, and a connection portion between the ink cartridge and the print head. The first suction operation is performed by a suction force necessary for ink to pass through the filter member and fill an ink passage in the print head.

In the apparatus according to the first aspect, the suction pump means drives two independently movable piston members to expand the pump chamber to perform the first suction operation, stop the suction operation, and expand the pump chamber again to perform the first suction operation. Since the suction operation 2 is performed, the suction operation can be performed without bubbling even when the ink is not contained in the print head and the ink passage is filled with air.

The device according to claim 2 ensures that each suction operation is performed by the first suction operation and the second suction operation including an operation of maintaining the volume of the pump chamber after expanding the volume of the pump chamber. It can be carried out. In the apparatus according to the third aspect, the suction operation by the suction pump means is controlled by the cam member linked to the two piston members, so that the control can be easily performed.

In the apparatus according to the fourth aspect, the suction pump means drives the two independently movable piston members to repeatedly perform enlargement and maintenance of the pump chamber to perform the first suction operation and the second suction operation. Even in a state where the ink is not contained in the head and the ink passage is filled with air, the suction operation can be performed without foaming.

The suction device according to claim 5, wherein the suction operation performed by the suction pump means includes a first suction operation having a small suction force and a second suction operation having a larger suction force and a longer suction time than the first suction operation. Therefore, suction is performed slowly by the first suction operation, and when air is contained in the print head, the ink is sucked while expelling the air, and by the second suction operation, Even if the ink in the print head is sucked at once, the ink does not foam.

In the apparatus according to the sixth aspect, the first suction operation is performed by a suction force necessary for ink to pass from the ink cartridge through the filter member and fill the ink passage in the print head. The air in the head can be expelled, and the ink does not bubble during the second suction operation.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1 showing the appearance of the ink jet printer, the ink jet printer 1 has a cylindrical platen roller 3 rotatably supported on a printer frame 2 by a rotating shaft (not shown) extending in the left-right direction. The platen roller 3 transports the printing paper 4 supplied from the paper feeding cassette or the manual paper feeding unit while facing the ink jet type printing head 5 and constitutes a part of a paper feeding device.

The printing paper 4 is supplied from a paper supply port (not shown) behind the printer frame 2 in the direction of arrow A, is fed in the direction of arrow B by the rotation of the platen roller 3, and is provided with a paper discharge port (not shown). Is discharged in the direction of arrow C.

A carriage 6 is provided in front of the platen roller 3 so as to be movable in the direction of arrow D along the axis of the platen roller 3. The carriage 6 is detachably mounted with the print head 5 and an ink cartridge 7 containing ink to be supplied to the print head 5. As shown in detail in FIG. 2, the connection between the print head 5 and the ink cartridge 7 includes a print head 5 supported by a head support member 9 via a manifold member 8 on a cartridge mounting portion 6 of a carriage 6. It is connected. The rear end of the manifold member 8 penetrates the vertical wall portion 6b of the cartridge mounting portion 6a and is connected to the ink cartridge 7 via the joint member 10. In the connection portion, a mesh filter member 12 is provided together with the adapter 11 in the ink supply hole 7a of the ink cartridge 7. In addition, 14 and 15 are an upper cover and a lower cover, respectively.

The carriage 6 is slidably fitted on a carriage shaft 8 provided in parallel with the axis of the platen roller 3, whereby the print head 5 mounted on the carriage 6 moves along the axis of the platen roller 3. It can be moved back and forth by sliding.

The carriage 6 is driven by a carriage drive motor 21 via a belt drive mechanism having a belt 22 and pulleys 23 and 24.

On the right side of the print area corresponding to the platen roller 3, there is formed a recovery area in which a suction pump means 31 as a purge device for recovering from non-ejection or ejection failure of the print head 5 is provided. . The reason why the suction pump means 31 is provided is that the ink-jet type print head 5 generates bubbles inside during use or causes ink droplets to adhere to the ejection surface, for example. This is to cause a discharge failure to recover to a favorable discharge state.

Further, adjacent to the suction pump means 31, a wiper member 32 for wiping the nozzle surface of the print head 5 toward the print area covers the nozzle surface of the print head 5 when printing is not performed on the opposite side. The protective cap devices 33 for preventing the nozzle surface from drying out are provided.

The suction pump means 31 is movable between a protruding position that protrudes into the movement path of the print head 5 and a standby position that retreats from the movement path of the print head 5, and a suction cap 34 that covers the print head 5 at the protruding position. And a suction pump 35 for generating a negative pressure when the print head 5 is covered with the suction cap 34 at the protruding position and sucking and removing the residual ink in the print head 5. The operation is controlled by the cam member 36.

As shown in FIG. 3, the suction pump 35 has first and second piston members 42 and 43 provided in a pump casing 41 having a suction port 41a and a discharge port 41b. The other ends of the shaft members 44 and 45 to which one ends are connected are engaged with the cam grooves of the cam member 46. The suction cap 34 is connected to a suction port 41a of a suction pump 35 via a suction pipe (not shown), and a discharge port 41b is linked to a waste ink tank 46 containing an adsorbent 45 through a discharge pipe 44. .

Therefore, the residual ink in the nozzles of the print head 5 sucked by the suction pump 35 is discharged to the waste ink tank 46 via the suction pump 35 and is adsorbed by the adsorbent 45 in the waste ink tank 46. Has become.

The control of the suction pump 35 by the cam member 36 is such that two or more suction operations having different suction forces are performed to suck the ink of the print head 5. That is, the suction operation performed by the suction pump 35 is a first suction operation having a small suction force, and a second suction operation having a larger suction force and a longer suction time than the first suction operation.

Such two suction operations are performed when the suction pump 35 performs the suction operation in a state where the ink is not contained in the print head 5 and the ink passage thereof is filled with air. When a large negative pressure is applied through the suction cap 34 to suck the ink of the print head 5 at a stroke, the ink is mixed with air in a large number of channels (ink passages) of the print head 5 from the ink cartridge 7. This is because the ink rapidly flows, the ink foams, and the ink in the print head 5 contains bubbles.

Next, the recovery operation in the ink jet printer 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

When the recovery operation is performed for the ink jet printer 1, the carriage 6 is moved to the recovery area by control by a control circuit (not shown), and the suction cap is controlled by the cam member 36 in accordance with this movement. The operations of the suction pump 34, the suction pump 35, and the like are controlled, whereby a series of recovery operations for recovering a good ink ejection state is performed.

First, when the rotation angle of the cam member 36 is near 0 °, the two piston members 42 and 43 of the suction pump 35 are integrated and the vicinity of the boundary is located near the discharge port 41b, while the suction cap 34 is in the standby position. In the initial state.

Then, when the cam member 36 is driven to rotate, the first and second piston members 42 and 43 integrally move from a rotation angle of about 6 ° as shown in FIG. Slightly increase the moving speed in the vicinity. When the rotation angle of the cam member 36 becomes around 114 °, the movement of the piston members 42 and 43 stops, and the vicinity of the boundary between the piston members 42 and 43 becomes the vicinity of the suction port 41a (see FIG. 6). On the other hand, during the movement of the piston members 42 and 43, the suction cap 34 is advanced from the standby position to the movement path side of the print head 5, and covers the nozzle surface of the print head 5.

After the suction cap 34 completely covers the nozzle surface of the print head 5, while the rotation angle of the cam member 36 changes from 122 ° to 129 °, the first piston member 42 remains stationary and the second piston The member 43 is moved in the direction in which the distance between the first piston member 42 and the first piston member 42 is increased, and a pump chamber 46 is formed between the first and second piston members 42 and 43 (see FIG. 7). The first suction operation is performed in which the volume of the pump chamber 46 is maintained while the rotation angle of the member 36 is from 129 ° to 145 °, and the suction force (−0.1 to −0.25 kg / cm ² ) is small. . By the first suction operation, suction is performed with a small negative pressure. When air is contained in the print head, the ink is sucked while expelling the air.

Then, while the rotation angle of the cam member 36 changes from 145 ° to 171 °, the first and second piston members 42 and 43 maintain the volume of the pump chamber 46 while the first piston member 42 As a result, the suction port 41a is moved in the closing direction, and the first suction operation ends. At this time, the second piston member 43 closes the discharge port 41b.

Thereafter, while the rotation angle of the cam member 36 is maintained in the above-described state from 171 ° to 179 °, and during the subsequent 179 ° to 205 °, the discharge port 41b is closed by the second piston member 43, The first piston member 42 is moved in a direction to open the suction port 41a, the pump chamber 46 is enlarged to increase the negative pressure, and finally the suction port 41a is opened as shown in FIG. This state is maintained until the rotation angle becomes about 239 °, and the second suction operation having a larger suction force and a longer suction time than the first suction operation is started.

Then, while the rotation angle of the cam member 36 is between 239 ° and 272 °, the first piston member 42 keeps the suction port 41a open, and until the second piston member 43 opens the discharge port 41b. It is moved (see FIG. 10), and the second suction operation is performed while further expanding the pump chamber 46. By the second suction operation, the ink in the print head 5 is sucked at a stroke, and is restored to a good ejection state.

Then, while the second piston member 43 continues to move in the direction to open the discharge port 41b from the cam member 272 # to 282.5 °, the first piston member 42 closes the suction port 41a. Move in the direction. Then, as shown in FIG. 11, the second piston member 43 moves to a position where the pump chamber 46 is opened to the discharge port 41b, and stops moving when the rotation angle of the cam member is around 282.5 °. The piston member 42 continues the movement until the rotation angle of the cam member 36 becomes around 338 °, compresses the pump chamber 46, and positively performs the discharging operation (see FIG. 12). Thus, the ink in the pump chamber 46 is discharged to the waste liquid tank 46.

After the discharging operation, the two piston members 42 remain stopped until the cam member 36 moves from 338 ° to 345 °, and then the two piston members 42 and 43 are slightly returned until 354 °, as shown in FIG. Then, the state is returned to the same state as the initial state, and the state is maintained from 354 ° to 360 ° (0 °), and the initial state is obtained.

In the above embodiment, the first piston member 42 is displaced between the rotation angles 145 ° and 205 ° of the cam member 36. However, as shown in FIG. 14, the first piston member 42 is displaced. Without stopping, the same control can be performed by displacing only the second piston member 43. In this case, an effect similar to that of the above-described embodiment is exerted, except that the timing of the second suction operation is slightly advanced.

Further, in the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to the case where the filter member 12 is provided only in the ink supply hole 7a of the ink cartridge 7, but the print head ( The filter member 12A may also be provided on the (manifold) side (see FIG. 2). In such a case, the suction operation performed by the suction pump 35 is performed by the first and second suction operations having a small suction force. By using the third suction operation having a larger suction force and a longer suction time than the first and second suction operations, the same operation and effect as in the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

That is, the first suction operation by the suction pump 35 is performed with the suction force necessary for the ink to pass through the first filter member 12, and the second suction operation is performed by causing the ink to pass through the next filter member 12A. The ink is passed by the suction force necessary to fill the ink passage in the print head 5, and after that, the first and second suction operations (−0.1 to −0.25 kg / cm ² ) Even when the third suction operation (−0.5 kg / cm ² ) having a large suction force and a long suction time is performed, ink does not bubble.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of an inkjet printer according to the present invention. It is sectional drawing of the suction pump which concerns on this invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a connection portion between a print head and an ink cartridge according to the present invention. It is a time chart figure of control by a cam member to a suction cap and the 1st and 2nd piston members of a suction pump. It is explanatory drawing of operation | movement of a suction pump. It is explanatory drawing of operation | movement of a suction pump. It is explanatory drawing of operation | movement of a suction pump. It is explanatory drawing of operation | movement of a suction pump. It is explanatory drawing of operation | movement of a suction pump. It is explanatory drawing of operation | movement of a suction pump. It is explanatory drawing of operation | movement of a suction pump. It is explanatory drawing of operation | movement of a suction pump. It is explanatory drawing of operation | movement of a suction pump. FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 4 for another embodiment.

Explanation of reference numerals

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ink jet printer 4 Printing paper 5 Print head 12 Filter member 12A Filter member 31 Suction pump means 34 Suction cap 35 Suction pump 36 Cam member 42 First piston member 43 Second piston member

Claims (6)

A print head that performs printing by ejecting ink to a recording medium; and a suction pump unit that has a suction cap that comes into contact with the nozzle surface of the print head so as to be able to come and go, and sucks the ink of the print head through the suction cap. In the recovery device of the inkjet printer,
The suction pump means includes a pump casing having a suction port and a discharge port connected to the suction cap, and two piston members which are independently movable within the pump casing and form a pump chamber having a variable volume. ,
While the suction cap is in contact with the nozzle surface of the print head, the pump chamber between the two piston members is connected to the suction port, while the volume of the pump chamber is enlarged to move the pump chamber to the first position. Performing the suction operation, after the first suction operation, while maintaining the enlarged volume of the pump chamber, moving the two piston members in a direction to close the suction port with respect to the pump chamber, After the suction port is closed, the pump chamber is connected to the suction port, and while the volume of the pump chamber is increased, a second suction operation having a larger suction force than the first suction operation is performed from the print head. A recovery device for an ink jet printer, wherein the recovery device performs the recovery. 2. The ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein the first suction operation and the second suction operation include an operation of maintaining the volume of the pump chamber after expanding the volume of the pump chamber. apparatus. 3. The ink jet printer recovery device according to claim 1, wherein the suction operation by the suction pump unit is controlled by a cam member linked to the two piston members. A print head that performs printing by ejecting ink to a recording medium; and a suction pump unit that has a suction cap that comes into contact with the nozzle surface of the print head so as to be able to come and go, and sucks the ink of the print head through the suction cap. In the recovery device of the inkjet printer,
The suction pump means includes a pump casing having a suction port and a discharge port connected to the suction cap, and two piston members which are independently movable within the pump casing and form a pump chamber having a variable volume. , The two piston members are moved in association with a cam member,
With the suction cap in contact with the nozzle surface of the print head, the pump chamber between the two piston members is connected to the suction port, while the volume of the pump chamber is enlarged and the state is changed to the cam member. Performing a first suction operation from the print head while maintaining the predetermined rotation angle, and after the first suction operation, further increasing the volume of the pump chamber from the state of the first suction operation. A second suction operation in which the state is maintained for a predetermined rotation angle of the cam member and the suction force of the print head is larger than the first suction operation; . The recovery device for an ink jet printer according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second suction operation has a larger suction force and a longer suction time than the first suction operation. In the inkjet printer, an ink cartridge is connected to the print head, and a filter member is disposed at a connection portion between the ink cartridge and the print head,
The method according to claim 1, wherein the first suction operation is performed by a suction force necessary for ink to pass through the filter member and fill an ink passage in the print head. Recovery device for inkjet printer.

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