JP2007203660A - Cleaning mechanism of wiper in inkjet printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To remove from a wiper surface an adhering substance such as ink or a foreign substance left on the wiper surface after the wiping action for an ink head is carried out by a wiper. <P>SOLUTION: The cleaning mechanism of the wiper in an inkjet printer which removes the adhering substance adhered to a face where an inkjet nozzle of the ink head 10 to eject a predetermined ink onto a medium by an inkjet system is positioned includes a wiper device and a washing fluid tank in which a washing fluid is stored. The wiper device selectively positions the wiper at an operation position where the wiper and the face where the inkjet nozzle of the ink head is positioned can contact each other, and a waiting position where the wiper and the face where the inkjet nozzle of the ink head is positioned are hindered from contacting each other. The wiper is soaked in the washing fluid stored in the washing fluid tank when the wiper device positions the wiper at the waiting position. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a wiper cleaning mechanism in an ink jet printer, and more particularly, suitable for use in an ink jet printer that performs printing on a medium such as recording paper by numerical control, for example, color printing at high speed and high resolution. The present invention relates to a wiper cleaning mechanism in an inkjet printer.

  In this specification, “medium” refers to various recording media such as plain paper and various recording media such as PVC, polyester, and other materials such as aluminum, iron, and wood. The following materials shall be included.

  In addition, in the present specification, the “inkjet method” refers to various conventionally known methods including various continuous methods such as a binary deflection method and a continuous deflection method, and various on-demand methods such as a thermal method and a piezoelectric element method. This means a printing method based on an inkjet technique based on the above method.

  Conventionally, the entire operation is controlled by a microcomputer, and the width direction of the recording sheet on the recording sheet supplied as a medium by the paper feeding device (in this specification, the width direction of the recording sheet is 2. Description of the Related Art An ink jet printer that uses an ink head that moves in the “scanning direction” as appropriate to perform predetermined printing by an ink jet method is known.

  In such an ink jet printer, an ink in which a plurality of ink jet nozzles are formed as ejection openings for ejecting ink onto a recording paper at a standby position where the ink head does not perform printing on the recording paper. A cap that covers the ink jet nozzles is disposed on the lower surface side of the head.

  This cap protects the ink jet nozzle of the ink head at the standby position, and prevents the ink from being hardened by the ink jet nozzle or from dust adhering to the ink jet nozzle.

  Further, in such an ink jet printer, a wiper capable of contacting the lower surface of the ink head where the ink jet nozzle is located is disposed, and the wiper causes adhered matter such as ink remaining on the lower surface of the ink head or adhered foreign matter. Has been made to remove.

However, after the wiper removes the ink remaining on the lower surface of the ink head and the adhering foreign matter, etc., the wiper surface is left with ink or foreign matter adhering to the wiper surface. It becomes.

  If the ink remaining on the surface of the wiper has solidified due to natural drying or the like, the lower surface of the ink head is wiped by the wiper with the solidified ink adhered to the surface during the next cleaning. Therefore, there is a possibility that the ink jet nozzle, which is an ink discharge port located on the lower surface of the ink jet, may be damaged, which may cause a decrease in printing result.

  On the other hand, if the ink remaining on the wiper is not solidified, the ink attached to the wiper surface may adhere to the ink head and contaminate the ink head during the next cleaning. As a result, there is a problem that the printing result may be deteriorated.

Note that the prior art that the applicant knows at the time of filing a patent is as described above, and is not an invention related to a known literature, so there is no prior art information to be described.

  The present invention has been made in view of the various problems of the prior art as described above. The object of the present invention is to remain on the surface of the wiper after wiping the ink head with the wiper. An object of the present invention is to provide a wiper cleaning mechanism in an ink jet printer in which deposits such as ink and foreign matters can be removed from the surface of the wiper.

  In order to achieve the above object, a wiper cleaning mechanism in an ink jet printer according to the present invention is provided with a cleaning liquid tank storing cleaning liquid in the vicinity of the wiper of the ink jet printer, and after wiping the ink head with the wiper, the wiper Is immersed in a cleaning liquid stored in a cleaning liquid tank, and the deposits such as ink and foreign matters remaining on the wiper surface are removed by the cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid tank.

That is, the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is a wiper cleaning in an ink jet printer that removes the adhering matter adhering to the surface where the ink jet nozzle of the ink head that discharges predetermined ink onto the medium by the ink jet method. In the mechanism, the wiper is placed at an operating position where the wiper can contact the surface of the ink head where the ink jet nozzle is located and a standby position where the wiper does not contact the surface where the ink jet nozzle of the ink head is located. A wiper device that is selectively positioned; and a cleaning liquid tank that stores a cleaning liquid. When the wiper apparatus positions the wiper at a standby position, the wiper is immersed in the cleaning liquid stored in the cleaning liquid tank. It is what I did.

  The invention described in claim 2 of the present invention is the invention described in claim 1 of the present invention, further comprising supply means for supplying a cleaning liquid to the cleaning liquid tank.

  The invention described in claim 3 of the present invention is the invention described in claim 1 or 2 of the present invention, wherein the cleaning liquid tank is provided with a waste liquid outlet at the top for discharging the cleaning liquid. It is a thing.

  Since the present invention is configured as described above, it is possible to remove deposits such as ink and foreign matters remaining on the surface of the wiper from the wiper surface after the wiper wipes the ink head. There is an excellent effect of becoming.

  Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of a wiper cleaning mechanism in an ink jet printer according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an inkjet printer provided with an example of an embodiment of a wiper cleaning mechanism in an inkjet printer according to the present invention.

  In the inkjet printer 100 shown in FIG. 1, a recording paper is used as a medium, and the recording paper is predetermined in the width direction (hereinafter, the width direction of the recording paper is appropriately referred to as “main scanning direction”). And is conveyed in the direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction, that is, the longitudinal direction of the recording paper (hereinafter, the longitudinal direction of the recording paper is appropriately referred to as “sub-scanning direction”). Yes.

The ink jet printer 100 includes a fixed base member 114 supported by a base member 112 and extended in the main scanning direction, and is disposed at right and left ends of the base member 114 and orthogonal to the base member 114. Side members 116L, 116R, a central wall 118 that connects the two left and right side members 116L, 116R, a wire 120 that is arranged in parallel to the wall surface of the central wall 118 and is movable in the main scanning direction, and a wire Ink head holder 122 fixedly disposed on 120, four ink cartridges 124 disposed in side member 116R and storing liquid inks of different colors, and movable in side member 116R. And a cleaning unit 20 disposed in the space. The four ink cartridges 124 each store liquid ink, and each store different color ink.

  The overall operation of the ink jet printer 100 is controlled by a microcomputer (not shown).

Here, the ink head holder 122 is equipped with four ink heads 12, 14, 16, and 18 that eject inks of different colors onto a recording sheet by an inkjet method. The four ink heads 12, 14, 16, and 18 are all indicated as separate ink heads 10.

  The four ink heads 12, 14, 16, and 18 constituting the ink head 10 have the same configuration, and the ink head 12 and the ink head 14 are arranged in the order from the left side to the right side in the main scanning direction. The ink head 16 and the ink head 18 are sequentially arranged in the ink head holder 122 along the main scanning direction.

  Although detailed illustration is omitted, the ink is applied to the recording paper on the lower surfaces 12a, 14a, 16a, and 18a (see FIG. 3) of the four ink heads 12, 14, 16, and 18 constituting the ink head 10, respectively. On the other hand, a plurality of inkjet nozzles serving as ejection ports when ejecting are disposed so as to face the recording paper.

  The plurality of inkjet nozzles are arranged in a line in the sub-scanning direction to form an inkjet nozzle row having a total length L1 (see FIG. 3) in the sub-scanning direction. The ink head holder 122 is disposed outside the ink head holder 122 through a hole formed in the portion.

Next, the ink head holder 122 fixedly disposed on the wire 120 is moved by the wire 120 when the wire 120 is taken up by a driving device (not shown) such as a motor and moved in the main scanning direction. Accordingly, the main wall 118 moves in the main scanning direction along the wall surface.

  Therefore, the ink head 10 fixedly disposed on the ink head holder 122 also moves in the main scanning direction on the recording paper as the ink head holder 122 moves. That is, it moves in the main scanning direction from the side member 116R side to the side member 116L side, and also moves in the return direction in the main scanning direction from the side member 116L side to the side member 116R side.

  In addition, at a predetermined timing such as when printing is not performed, the ink head holder 122 moves in the return direction and stays at the standby position in the side member 116R, and the ink head 10 disposed in the ink head holder 122 moves to the side. It is made to be located in the direction member 116R.

  In FIG. 1, the ink head holder 122 and the ink head 10 located in the side member 116R are indicated by broken lines.

In addition to the four ink cartridges 124, a cleaning liquid tank 126 and a cleaning unit 20 (shown by broken lines in FIG. 1) are disposed in the side member 116R on which the ink head 10 stands by.

  Here, FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic perspective view of the main part of the ink jet printer 100 shown in FIG. 1 with the cleaning unit 20 as the center, and FIG. 3 shows the cleaning unit shown in FIG. FIG. 4A is a schematic configuration perspective view showing an operation state, FIG. 4A is a principal cross-sectional configuration explanatory view taken along line II of FIG. 2, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional configuration explanatory diagram of a main part taken along line II-II.

  The cleaning unit 20 extends in the sub-scanning direction on the fixed system in the side member 116R, and is freely movable on the two guide rails 30-1 and 30-2 disposed in parallel with each other. A substantially box-shaped cleaning holder 22 disposed on the surface, a cap device 24 disposed on the cleaning holder 22, and the cleaning holder 22 disposed on the front side of the cap device 24 in the sub-scanning direction. And the cleaning liquid tank 28 disposed in the cleaning holder 22 so as to be positioned below the wiper device 26 in the height direction.

  Here, in the cleaning holder 22 of the cleaning unit 20, an inner space 22a is formed by a substantially rectangular bottom surface portion 22b, left side surface portion 22c, right side surface portion 22d, and back surface portion 22e. That is, the cleaning holder 22 is a substantially box-like body in which the substantially rectangular front portion and the top portion are omitted from the six faces of a rectangular parallelepiped box having a hollow inside.

  The outer wall surface 22bb of the bottom surface portion 22b of the cleaning holder 22 is formed with engaging portions 32-1 and 32-2 that can engage the guide rail 30-1 in the vicinity of the left side surface portion 22c, and the right side surface portion 22d. Engaging portions 32-3 and 32-4 that can engage the guide rail 30-2 are formed in the vicinity.

  Further, a locking portion 34 is formed on the outer wall surface 22 dd of the right side surface portion 22 d of the cleaning holder 22. The locking portion 34 is fixed to a drive belt 42 that is stretched endlessly between a pulley 38 and a pulley 40 that are fixed to the tip end of the rotating shaft 36 a of the motor 36.

  Accordingly, when the motor 36 is driven and the pulley 38 rotates together with the rotating shaft 36a, the driving belt 42 is driven, and the cleaning holder 22 having the engaging portion 34 fixed to the driving belt 42 is engaged with the engaging portion 32-1. It is moved in the sub-scanning direction along the guide rails 30-1 and 30-2 engaged with 32-2, 32-3, and 32-4.

  As the cleaning holder 22 moves, the cap device 24, the wiper device 26, and the cleaning liquid tank 28 also move in the sub-scanning direction within the side member 116R.

  Note that the two guide rails 30-1 and 30-2 with which the engaging portions 32-1, 32-2, 32-3, and 32-4 of the cleaning holder 22 are engaged are fixed in the side member 116R. Although the upper portion is arranged extending in the sub-scanning direction, more specifically, the ink head holder 122 on which the ink head 10 is placed is orthogonal to the path along which the ink head 10 moves along the main scanning direction. Arranged.

Further, the cap device 24 disposed in the internal space 22a of the cleaning holder 22 is formed on the base portion 50 and the base portion 50 fixedly disposed on the left side surface portion 22c, the right side surface portion 22d and the back surface portion 22e of the cleaning holder 22. The four nozzle cap portions 52, 54, 56, and 58 are provided.

  The four nozzle cap portions 52, 54, 56, and 58 each have the same configuration, for example, a case 52a that is made of a synthetic resin and has a full length L2 (see FIG. 2) along the extending direction. 54a, 56a, 58a, and sponges 52b, 54b, 56b, 58b disposed in the cases 52a, 54a, 56a, 58a.

  The total length L2 of the cases 52a, 54a, 56a, and 58a of the nozzle cap portions 52, 54, 56, and 58 is aligned with the lower surfaces 12a, 14a, 16a, and 18a of the ink head units 12, 14, 16, and 18. The dimension is set to be longer than the total length L1 in the sub-scanning direction of the arranged inkjet nozzle row.

  Then, the four nozzle cap portions 52, 54, 56, and 58 are moved from the left side to the right side in the main scanning direction in a state where the extending direction having the full length L2 of the cases 52a, 54a, 56a, and 58a is matched with the sub-scanning direction. They are sequentially arranged on the pedestal 50 in the order toward the side. Thus, the interval between the four nozzle cap portions 52, 54, 56, 58 arranged in a line along the main scanning direction of the base portion 50 is set so that the ink head unit 12 of the ink head 10 disposed in the ink head holder 122 is arranged. , 14, 16, and 18 are arranged corresponding to the intervals.

  Further, the height positions of the nozzle cap portions 52, 54, 56, and 58 disposed on the base portion 50 in the height direction are the ink head holder 122 that remains at the standby position in the side member 116R (the broken line portion in FIG. 1). Various dimensions are set so as to substantially coincide with the height positions where the lower surfaces 12a, 14a, 16a, and 18a of the ink head units 12, 14, 16, and 18 of the ink head 10 disposed in FIG. ing.

  Therefore, when the ink head holder 122 remains in a predetermined position in the side member 116R, the nozzle cap portion 52 of the cap device 24 can cover the lower surface 12a of the ink head unit 12 of the ink head 10, and the nozzle cap portion 54 can cover the lower surface 14 a of the ink head unit 14, the nozzle cap portion 56 can cover the lower surface 16 a of the ink head unit 16, and the nozzle cap portion 58 can cover the lower surface 18 a of the ink head unit 18. .

On the other hand, the wiper device 26 disposed in the internal space 22a of the cleaning holder 22 supports and rotates the four flexible blades 60a, 60b, 60c, 60d and the four blades 60a, 60b, 60c, 60d. And a support plate 62 (see FIG. 3) fixed to the shaft 68a. The support plate 62 is made of, for example, a sheet metal.

  The four blades 60a, 60b, 60c, and 60d are made of an elastic member such as rubber having a predetermined thickness, for example.

  The four blades 60 a, 60 b, 60 c, 60 d are formed corresponding to the distance between the ink head units 12, 14, 16, 18 of the ink head 10 disposed in the ink head holder 122.

  Further, the height position in the height direction of the four blades 60a, 60b, 60c, 60d positioned above the rotation shaft 68a in the operation state shown in FIG. 3 is the ink head holder 122 (refer to the broken line portion in FIG. 1). Various dimensions are set so as to substantially coincide with the height positions where the lower surfaces 12a, 14a, 16a, and 18a of the ink head units 12, 14, 16, and 18 of the ink head 10 disposed in FIG. .

  Therefore, when the ink head holder 122 moves along the main scanning direction and stays at a predetermined position in the side member 116R, the blade 60a of the wiper device 26 contacts the lower surface 12a of the ink head unit 12 of the ink head. The blade 60b can contact the lower surface 14a of the ink head unit 14, the blade 60c can contact the lower surface 16a of the ink head unit 16, and the blade 60d can contact the lower surface 18a of the ink head unit 18. It is possible to contact.

  A motor 68 is disposed on the left side surface portion 22c of the cleaning holder 22 so as to be positioned on the outer wall surface 22cc side. A rotation shaft 68a of the motor 68 passes through the left side surface portion 22c and the right side surface portion 22d, and is rotatably disposed in a state where the axial direction coincides with the main scanning direction.

In addition, a cleaning liquid tank 28 is disposed on the lower side in the height direction of the wiper device 26 in the internal space 22 a of the cleaning holder 22. The cleaning liquid tank 28 is fixedly disposed on the bottom surface portion 22b, the left side surface portion 22c, and the right side surface portion 22d of the cleaning holder 22, and has a substantially semi-cylindrical shape with both end surfaces closed. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, a front surface portion 28a, a left side surface portion 28b, a right side surface portion 28c, a back surface portion 28d, and a semi-cylindrical bottom surface portion 28e are provided, and a cleaning liquid can be stored. It is made into a shape.

  Such a cleaning liquid tank 28 can be formed of, for example, a synthetic resin such as polypropylene. For example, water or an organic solvent can be appropriately used as the cleaning liquid.

  Here, the cleaning liquid tank 28 and the wiper device 26 are arranged when the four blades 60a, 60b, 60c, 60d disposed in the wiper device 26 are positioned below the rotating shaft 68a (in the state shown in FIG. 2). The positional relationship and dimensions of the two blades 60a, 60b, 60c, and 60d are set, and the amount of cleaning liquid stored in the cleaning liquid tank 28 is set so that the four blades 60a, 60b, 60c, and 60d can be immersed. (See FIGS. 2 and 4 (a)).

  FIG. 6 shows a conceptual configuration explanatory diagram of a supply mechanism of the cleaning liquid stored in the cleaning liquid tank 28. The cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid tank 28 is, for example, from the cleaning liquid tank 126 to the cleaning liquid tank so as to keep a constant amount. It is controlled so that 1 ml per day is supplied into 28. Specifically, the through hole 22da formed in the right side surface portion 22d of the cleaning holder 22 is disposed between the cleaning liquid tank 126 and the hole 88 formed in the upper portion of the right side surface portion 28c of the cleaning liquid tank 28. After passing through the tube T1, the cleaning liquid is automatically supplied from the cleaning liquid tank 126 into the cleaning liquid tank 28 by driving the pump P (see FIG. 6).

  At this time, a waste liquid port 82 is provided above the right side surface portion 28c of the cleaning liquid tank 28 so that the automatically replenished cleaning liquid does not exceed a certain amount. The liquid passes through the through hole 22db formed in the surface portion 22d, passes through the tube T2 connected to the waste liquid port 82, and is discharged to the waste liquid tank 84.

  Further, a waste liquid port 86 that can be freely opened and closed is provided at the bottom surface of the cleaning liquid tank 28, and a tube T3 is attached through the bottom surface 22b of the cleaning unit 22. When replacing the dirty cleaning liquid, the waste liquid port 86 is opened, and the cleaning liquid is discharged to the waste liquid tank 84 through the tube T3. After the dirty cleaning liquid is discharged, the waste liquid port 86 is closed, and a necessary amount of cleaning liquid may be newly supplied from the cleaning liquid tank 126 to the cleaning liquid tank 28 through the tube T1 by the pump P.

The operation of the ink jet printer 100 having the wiper cleaning mechanism in the ink jet printer according to the present invention having the above configuration will be described.

  First, when printing on recording paper, when the wire 120 is moved by winding the wire 120, the ink head 10 mounted on the inkjet holder 122 is moved along with the movement of the wire 120 to a paper feeding device (not shown). .) Is integrally moved back and forth in the main scanning direction in the forward direction and the return direction (see FIG. 1).

  At this time, in the going direction and the returning direction in the main scanning direction, the ink head 10 discharges the ink conveyed by the ink tube from the respective ink head units 12, 14, 16, and 18 onto the recording paper.

  During such printing, the cleaning unit 20 is positioned at the rearmost position in the sub-scanning direction as the cleaning holder 22 moves along the guide rails 30-1 and 30-2 (see FIG. 2). See the state shown.)

  Then, at a predetermined timing such as after the completion of the predetermined printing, the ink head holder 122 on which the ink head 10 is placed moves in the return direction and is positioned at the standby position in the side member 116R. Become.

  Thereafter, in the cleaning unit 20 waiting in the state shown in FIG. 2, the rotation shaft 36 a of the motor 36 rotates in the direction of arrow A, and the pulley 40 rotates in the direction of arrow B, and is fixed to the drive belt 42. The holder 22 moves in the direction of arrow C from the rear side in the sub-scanning direction toward the front side.

  Then, the cleaning holder 22 that moves along the sub-scanning direction comes to a predetermined position (refer to the state shown in FIG. 3), and the four nozzles of the cap device 24 placed on the cleaning holder 22. The cap portions 52, 54, 56, and 58 respectively cover the lower surfaces 12a, 14a, 16a, and 18a of the ink head units 12, 14, 16, and 18 of the ink head 10.

  Ink jet nozzle rows on the lower surfaces 12a, 14a, 16a, and 18a of the ink head units 12, 14, 16, and 18 of the ink head 10 placed on the ink head holder 122 positioned at a predetermined position without printing. However, it is protected by the nozzle cap portions 52, 54, 56, and 58 of the cap device 24 of the cleaning unit 20, and it is possible to prevent the ink from being hardened by the ink jet nozzles and the dust from adhering to the ink jet nozzles.

  Further, at a predetermined timing such as after a predetermined amount of printing is completed, the ink head 10 located at a predetermined position in the state shown in FIG. 7 is cleaned.

  More specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, when the ink head 10 is cleaned from the state capped by the cap device 24, the rotation shaft 36a of the motor 36 rotates in the direction of arrow D, and the pulley 40 moves to the arrow. Rotating in the E direction, the cleaning holder 22 fixed to the drive belt 42 moves by a predetermined amount in the direction of arrow F from the front side to the rear side in the sub-scanning direction.

  At this time, the four blades 60a, 60b, 60c, and 60d that are positioned on the lower side of the rotating shaft 68a in the state shown in FIG. 2 are (the four blades 60a, 60b, 60c, and 60d are on the lower side of the rotating shaft 68a. This state is appropriately referred to as a standby state of the wiper device 26.) When the motor 68 rotates in the direction of arrow G, it is positioned above the rotation shaft 68a (the four blades 60a, 60b, 60c, 60d rotate). The state positioned on the upper side of the shaft 68a is appropriately referred to as the operation state of the wiper device 26) (see the state of FIGS. 3 and 4B).

  As shown in FIG. 7, in the operation state of the wiper device 26, the four blades 60 a, 60 b, 60 c, and 60 d of the wiper device 26 placed on the cleaning holder 22 are respectively the ink head unit 12 of the ink head 10. , 14, 16 and 18 are in contact with the lower surfaces 12a, 14a, 16a and 18a, respectively.

  In this operation state, as the motor 36 is further driven, the cleaning holder 22 moves by a predetermined width in the direction of the arrow C or the direction of the arrow F, so that the four blades 60a, 60b, 60c, 60d The lower surface 12a, 14a, 16a, 18 of each of the four ink head units 12, 14, 16, 18 is brought into contact with a predetermined pressure, and the lower surface 12a, 14a, 16a, of each of the ink head units 12, 14, 16, 18 is Thus, it is possible to remove adhering matter such as ink remaining on 18 and foreign matter adhering thereto.

  After the cleaning is completed, the four blades 60a, 60b, 60c, and 60d that are located above the rotation shaft 68a in the operation state shown in FIG. 7 are rotated by the motor 68 rotating in the arrow H direction. The wiper device 26 is kept in a standby state until the next cleaning.

  When the wiper device 26 is in the standby state, the four blades 60 a, 60 b, 60 c, 60 d are disposed on the lower side in the height direction of the wiper device 26 and are immersed in the cleaning liquid stored in the cleaning liquid tank 28. Thus, the adhered matter such as the ink removed and the adhered foreign matter is cleaned when the inkjet nozzle rows of the lower surfaces 12a, 14a, 16a, and 18a of the ink head units 12, 14, 16, and 18 are cleaned.

  That is, in the ink jet printer 100, the cleaning liquid tank 28 is disposed in the cleaning unit 22 for cleaning the ink head 10, and the cleaning liquid is stored in the cleaning liquid tank 28. Therefore, the four blades 60a, 60b, 60c, and 60d are stored. Is always immersed in the cleaning liquid during the standby state, and the remaining ink on the four blades 60a, 60b, 60c, and 60d is immersed in the cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid. Can be washed.

  Accordingly, the ink head units 12, 14, 16, 18 are arranged side by side on the lower surfaces 12 a, 14 a, 16 a, 18 a of the ink head units 12, 14, 16, 18 by adhering matter such as ink remaining on the four blades 60 a, 60 b, 60 c, 60 d. It is possible to prevent the printing result from being deteriorated due to damage or dirt on the inkjet nozzles.

The embodiment described above may be modified as described in the following (1) to (7).

  (1) In the above-described embodiment, the cleaning liquid tank 28 is formed of a synthetic resin such as polypropylene. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a metal such as stainless steel is used. It may be formed.

  (2) In the above-described embodiment, the cleaning liquid is water or an organic solvent. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a surfactant or the like is used for more effectively cleaning the deposits. The mixture may be water or an organic solvent mixed with a synthetic detergent.

  (3) In the above-described embodiment, the amount supplied from the cleaning liquid tank 126 is 1 ml per day so that the cleaning liquid stored in the cleaning liquid tank 28 maintains a constant amount. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Needless to say, the supply amount can be arbitrarily adjusted in consideration of characteristics such as volatility of the cleaning liquid, the size of the cleaning liquid tank 28, and the like.

  (4) In the above-described embodiment, the cleaning liquid tank 28 is configured to simply store the cleaning liquid. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and as shown in FIG. 28 may be provided with a heating device such as a pipe heater 200 to keep the cleaning liquid at an appropriate temperature and enhance the cleaning effect. At this time, the cleaning liquid tank 28 may be formed in a hollow, substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape having an upper opening so that a heating device such as the pipe heater 200 does not contact the four blades 60a, 60b, 60c, 60d.

  (5) In the above-described embodiment, the cleaning liquid tank 28 is configured to simply store the cleaning liquid. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and as illustrated in FIG. A cleaning function may be provided. That is, a vibrator 202 that converts electrical vibration into mechanical vibration is provided on the outer wall surface of the bottom surface portion 28e of the cleaning liquid tank 28, and an oscillator 204 that generates electrical vibration is connected to the vibrator 202. Thereby, a more effective cleaning effect can be obtained.

  (6) In the above-described embodiment, the cleaning liquid tank 28 is provided with a substantially semi-cylindrical shape whose both end faces are closed. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the space for arranging the cleaning liquid tank 28 is not limited thereto. Accordingly, various shapes such as a hollow substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape having an open top as described above and a hemisphere with a hollow inside can be selected.

  (7) You may make it combine the above-mentioned embodiment and the modification shown in said (1) thru | or (6) suitably.

  The present invention is used for an ink jet printer using various ink jet methods, including various continuous methods such as a binary deflection method or a continuous deflection method, and various on-demand methods such as a thermal method or a piezoelectric element method. be able to.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an inkjet printer provided with an example of an embodiment of a wiper cleaning mechanism in an inkjet printer according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of the inkjet printer shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the operational state of the cleaning unit shown in FIG. 4 (a) is a cross-sectional configuration explanatory view of a main part taken along line II in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 (b) is a cross-sectional configuration explanatory view taken along a line II-II in FIG. FIG. 5A is a schematic configuration perspective view of the cleaning liquid tank, FIG. 5B is a view taken in the direction of arrow P in FIG. 5A, and FIG. 5C is a schematic illustrating a modification of the cleaning liquid tank. FIG. 5 (d) is a schematic configuration explanatory view showing a modified example of the cleaning liquid tank. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a conceptual configuration of a supply mechanism for the cleaning liquid stored in the cleaning liquid tank. FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration perspective view illustrating the operation state of the cleaning unit illustrated in FIG. 2. .

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Ink head 12, 14, 16, 18 Ink head unit 20 Cleaning unit 22 Cleaning holder 24 Cap apparatus 26 Wiper apparatus 28 Cleaning liquid tank 30-1, 30-2 Guide rail 34 Locking part 36 Motor 36a Rotating shaft 38 Pulley 40 Pulley 42 drive belt 50 base part 52, 54, 56, 58 nozzle cap part 60a, 60b, 60c, 60d blade 62 support plate 68 motor 68a rotating shaft 82 waste liquid port 84 waste liquid tank 86 waste liquid port 88 hole 100 inkjet printer 112 base member 114 Base member 116L, 116R Side member 118 Central wall 120 Wire 122 Ink head holder 124 Ink cartridge 126 Cleaning liquid tank 200 Pipe heater 202 Vibrator 204 Oscillator

Claims (3)

In a wiper cleaning mechanism in an ink jet printer that removes adhering matter adhering to a surface where an ink jet nozzle of an ink head that ejects predetermined ink onto a medium by an ink jet method is located.
The wiper is selectively placed in an operating position where the wiper and the surface of the ink head where the ink jet nozzle is located can contact, and a standby position where the wiper and the surface of the ink head where the ink jet nozzle is located do not contact. A wiper device to be positioned;
A cleaning liquid tank storing the cleaning liquid, and
A wiper cleaning mechanism in an ink jet printer, wherein the wiper is immersed in a cleaning liquid stored in the cleaning liquid tank when the wiper device positions the wiper at a standby position. The wiper cleaning mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising:
A wiper cleaning mechanism in an ink jet printer, characterized by comprising supply means for supplying a cleaning liquid to the cleaning liquid tank. In the cleaning mechanism of the wiper in the ink jet printer according to any one of claims 1 and 2,
A cleaning mechanism for a wiper in an ink jet printer, wherein the cleaning liquid tank has a waste liquid outlet for discharging the cleaning liquid in an upper part.

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