JP2004136534A - Method and equipment for cleaning conveyor belt, and ink jet recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide equipment for cleaning a conveyor belt using cleaning liquid in which replacement of the cleaning liquid is not required. <P>SOLUTION: In the method for cleaning the conveyor belt of an ink jet recorder which performs recording by ejecting ink to a recording medium 3, liquid 11 for cleaning a medium 4 to which ink 6 is adhering is electrolyzed to decompose the ink 6 in the cleaning liquid 11 into dye and cleaning liquid. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a transport belt cleaning method, a transport belt cleaning device, and an inkjet recording device applicable to a printer, a fabric dyeing device, and the like using an inkjet recording method.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when an image is formed on a recording medium such as paper or cloth by an ink jet recording apparatus, a method for cleaning an ink jet head or a recording medium transport belt to which ink has adhered includes a cleaning liquid containing water as a main component. 2. Description of the Related Art A conveyor belt cleaning device that contacts a cleaning medium such as a sponge or a woven cloth is known. The cleaning liquid for immersing the cleaning medium to diffuse the ink passes through the waste liquid valve from the cleaning liquid container and is introduced into the waste liquid tank and stored therein. On the other hand, a new cleaning liquid is supplied to the cleaning liquid container by the supply device.
[0003]
For environmental problems such as the loss of light to living organisms living in rivers caused by the flow of wastewater mixed with dyes and the death of such organisms, devices that decolorize ink flowing into the wastewater tank by electrolysis and light irradiation are known. I have.
[0004]
Conventionally, as a device for transporting a recording medium such as a printer using an inkjet method, a transport belt device using an endless belt stretched by a driving roller and a driven roller is known.
[0005]
The ink ejected from the ink jet head may come off the recording medium, or the ink may pass through the recording medium, causing the ink to adhere to the transport belt and contaminating the recording medium at the next printing. I will. As an apparatus for removing this, there is a method in which an absorbing roller in which a nonwoven fabric or the like is wound around a roller abuts on a belt.
[0006]
The method for treating an aqueous dye solution disclosed in JP-A-5-115879 is a method for treating an aqueous solution containing a dye, in particular, a method for decolorizing an aqueous dye solution by electrolysis of a dye component in a waste dye solution.
[0007]
The method and apparatus for treating a colored solution disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-79386 have a step of contacting functional water generated by electrolysis of water containing an electrolyte with the colored solution under light irradiation. is there.
[0008]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-5-115879 (Claims, paragraph number 0004)
[0009]
[Patent Document 2]
JP-A-2000-79386 (Claims 1 to 3 of the claims and paragraph 0013)
[0010]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the conventional transport belt cleaning device, it may not be possible to absorb all of the ink adhered to the transport belt simply by contacting the absorbing roller. In addition, the ink once absorbed may be reversely transferred from the absorbing roller to the transport belt, and contaminate the transport belt. Furthermore, since the amount of ink that can be absorbed by the absorbing roller is limited, it is necessary to replace the absorbing roller with a new one. When the amount of ink for recording per unit time increases, the frequency of replacing the absorbing roller increases, and the user is burdened with excessive replacement labor and cost.
[0011]
Further, in the method of flowing the cleaning liquid in which the ink is diffused into the waste liquid tank, it takes time and effort for the user to supply the cleaning liquid. Furthermore, if the waste liquid mixed with the dye is drained to the outside, there is a problem of environmental destruction such that the sun does not reach the living organisms living in the river and they die.
[0012]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a transport belt cleaning method and a transport belt cleaning device that do not require replacement and replenishment of a cleaning liquid.
[0013]
Another object of the present invention is to provide a transport belt cleaning device for an inkjet recording apparatus that removes ink even when ink adheres to a belt that transports a recording medium and does not stain the recording medium. .
[0014]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The above object is achieved by the following conveyor belt cleaning method, conveyor belt cleaning device, and ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention.
[0015]
(1) In a transport belt cleaning method for an ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording by discharging ink onto a recording medium, the cleaning liquid for cleaning the cleaning medium to which the ink has adhered is electrolyzed to remove the ink in the cleaning liquid. A transport belt cleaning method comprising decomposing into a dye and a cleaning liquid.
[0016]
(2) In a conveyor belt cleaning device of an ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording by discharging ink onto a recording medium, a rotation is performed in which the recording medium is held and conveyed, and is brought into contact with a rotating endless belt-shaped conveyance belt for cleaning. A possible absorption roller, a cleaning liquid container for immersing the absorption roller to supply a cleaning liquid, a pair of electrodes arranged opposite to each other in the cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid container, and a power supply for applying a potential to the electrodes, A conveyor belt cleaning device, comprising:
[0017]
(3) an ink jet recording unit that performs recording by discharging ink onto a recording medium, an endless belt-shaped conveyance belt that holds and conveys the recording medium, and a conveyance belt cleaning according to (2). And an apparatus.
[0018]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0019]
[Transport belt cleaning device]
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a conveyor belt cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0020]
A cleaning roller (hereinafter, referred to as an absorption roller) 10 is brought into contact with the cleaning target medium 4 to clean ink adhered to the cleaning target medium 4. The ink 6 wiped off by the absorbing roller 10 in which the nonwoven fabric is wound around the rotating shaft 10A is diffused into the cleaning liquid 11 stored in the container (electrolytic treatment tank) 12. Further, the water content of the absorbing roller 10 is kept constant by the squeezing member (squeeze roller) 13.
[0021]
In the container 12, a positive electrode (anode) 14A and a negative electrode (cathode) 14B connected to a power supply 15 are arranged to face each other. When a voltage is applied to the positive electrode 14A and the negative electrode 14B by the power supply 15, the dye in the ink is electrolyzed, adheres to the positive electrode 14A and the negative electrode 14B, and the ink diffused in the cleaning liquid 11 is decolorized. You.
[0022]
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a transport belt cleaning device of the inkjet recording apparatus.
[0023]
The recording medium (recording paper, cloth, etc.) 3 is transported while being held on the upper surface of a transport belt 4 around which a plurality of transport rollers 5A, 5B, 5C are wound, and is ejected from the inkjet recording head 1 by a recording unit. A recording image is formed by the ink droplets 2, and is discharged along the transport direction of the transport belt 4. The recording medium 3 transported by the transport belt 4 is separated from the transport belt 4 at the curved surface of the transport roller 5B and transported by transport means (not shown).
[0024]
The driven roller 5D is biased by a spring, and presses the transport roller 5A through the transport belt 4. A support plate 5E for movably supporting the transport belt 4 is fixedly provided on the rear surface side of the surface of the transport belt 4 facing the inkjet recording head 1.
[0025]
Next, the transport belt cleaning device according to the present invention will be described. The ink 6 adhering to the transport belt 4 that transports the recording medium 3 is absorbed by the absorbing roller 10 that is in contact with the transport belt 5 downstream of the transport belt 5 via the transport roller 5B.
[0026]
In order to absorb all of the ink 6 adhered to the transport belt 4, the absorbing roller 10 disposed between the transport belts 5B and 5C is wetted by a cleaning liquid 11 such as water contained in a container 12 provided below. Thus, the squeezing member 13 keeps the water content of the absorbing roller 10 at a certain value or less. Here, the water content is represented by the mass of the cleaning liquid 11 with respect to the mass of the absorber of the absorbing roller 10 containing the cleaning liquid 11.
[0027]
In the container 12, a positive electrode 14A and a negative electrode 14B are arranged to face each other. When a voltage is applied to the positive electrode (anode) 14A and the negative electrode (cathode) 14B by the power supply 15, the dye in the ink is electrolyzed, adheres to the positive electrode 14A and the negative electrode 14B, and is diffused into the cleaning liquid 11. The decolored ink is decolorized.
[0028]
The absorbing roller 10 is formed by winding a nonwoven fabric around a rotating shaft 10 </ b> A, and is moistened to 10% or less by a cleaning liquid 11 and a squeezing member 13 contained in a container 12. The absorbed ink 6 is diffused into the cleaning liquid 11 stored in the container 12, so that the amount of ink that can be absorbed by the absorbing roller 10 increases.
[0029]
The absorption roller 10 is rotated by a driving source such as an electric motor in a direction opposite to the conveyance direction of the conveyance belt 4 in order to increase the sliding friction with the conveyance belt 4 and increase the absorption efficiency. The ink 6 absorbed by the absorbing roller 10 is diffused into the cleaning liquid 11 stored in the container 12.
[0030]
The transport belt cleaning device including the absorbing roller 10, the cleaning liquid 11, the container 12, the squeezing member 13, the positive electrode 14A, the negative electrode 14B, and the power supply 15 is used for printing by a method in which the ink 6 of the transport belt 4 does not adhere. It is possible to move away from the conveyor belt. Further, in order to improve the deterioration of the cleaning function due to long-term use, the absorbing roller 10 can be replaced with a new one.
[0031]
FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the transport belt cleaning device. Note that, in the reference numerals used in the drawings, portions having the same functions as those in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals. Further, points different from the above embodiment will be described.
[0032]
The position where the absorbing roller 10 presses the conveyor belt 4 is not limited to the position shown in FIG. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the absorbing roller 10 may be pressed against the winding area of the transport belt 4 of the transport roller 5C.
[0033]
[Main components of the conveyor belt cleaning device]
Conveying belt 4: Endless belt-absorbing roller 10 in which glass cloth is coated with fluorine resin 10: A polyester non-woven fabric wound on a rotating shaft Squeezing member 13: Hard resin roller or stainless steel roller [ink]
The aqueous ink is formed of a coloring agent composed of a dye, a solvent composed of polyhydric alcohols, additives, and the like, and has an appropriate surface tension in order to improve the wettability to the recording medium 3.
[0034]
[Driving means of absorption roller]
When the cleaning of the transport belt 4 is set at the input unit of the ink jet recording apparatus, the absorbing roller 10 is rotated in a direction indicated by an arrow by a driving unit (not shown). At substantially the same time, the frame 16 holding the absorbing roller 10, the container 12, and the squeezing member 13 is advanced by driving means (not shown) to press the absorbing roller 10 against the transport belt 4. At the pressure contact position between the absorbing roller 10 and the transport belt 4, the rotating direction of the absorbing roller 10 and the transport direction of the transport belt 4 are pressed against each other in a counter state, and the transport belt 4 is cleaned.
[0035]
[Inkjet recording device equipped with transport belt cleaning device]
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a cloth dyeing apparatus provided with a transport belt cleaning apparatus.
[0036]
The roll-shaped recording medium 3 held by the original winding portion 17 is transported by a transport belt 4 disposed above the apparatus, and an image is formed by ink droplets 2 ejected from the inkjet recording head 1. The recording medium 3 carrying the image is separated from the conveyor belt 4, is U-turned at the accumulation section 18, and is wound up into a roll at the winding section 19.
[0037]
【The invention's effect】
With the conveyor belt cleaning device of the present invention, a voltage is applied to the electrode on the side of the container storing the cleaning liquid, and the cleaning liquid is electrolyzed, whereby the ink in the cleaning liquid is decomposed into a dye and the dye in the cleaning liquid is separated. This eliminates the need for replacement and replenishment of the cleaning solution. In addition, when applied to a conveyor belt cleaning device that cleans the conveyor belt of an inkjet recording device, there is no need to replace or replenish the cleaning liquid, and the absorption roller that is immersed in the cleaning liquid and contacts the conveyor belt is always cleaned and transported. The belt can be cleaned.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a transport belt cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a transport belt cleaning device of the inkjet recording apparatus.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating another embodiment of the transport belt cleaning device.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a cloth dyeing apparatus provided with a transport belt cleaning device.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 inkjet recording head 3 recording medium (recording paper, cloth, etc.)
4 Media to be cleaned (transport belt)
5A, 5B, 5C Transport roller 6 Ink 10 Cleaning roller (absorption roller)
11 cleaning liquid 12 container (electrolysis treatment tank)
13 Squeezing member (squeeze roller)
14A positive electrode (anode)
14B negative electrode (cathode)
15 Power supply

Claims (3)

In a transport belt cleaning method of an inkjet recording apparatus that performs recording by discharging ink on a recording medium,
A method of cleaning a transport belt, comprising: decomposing ink in the cleaning liquid into a dye and a cleaning liquid by electrolyzing a cleaning liquid for cleaning the medium to be cleaned to which the ink has adhered. In a conveyor belt cleaning device of an ink jet recording device that performs recording by discharging ink on a recording medium,
A rotatable absorption roller that holds and conveys the recording medium and abuts and cleans the endless belt-shaped conveyance belt that rotates.
A cleaning liquid container that supplies the cleaning liquid by immersing the absorption roller,
A pair of electrodes arranged to face each other in the cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid container,
A power source for applying a potential to the electrode;
A conveyor belt cleaning device comprising: An inkjet recording unit that performs recording by discharging ink on a recording medium,
An endless belt-shaped transport belt that rotates while holding and transporting the recording medium,
An inkjet recording apparatus comprising: the transport belt cleaning device according to claim 2.

Images