JP2007203713A - Cap, maintenance unit of liquid jetting apparatus, and liquid jetting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid jetting apparatus which can reduce the liquid remaining on a nozzle formation surface even when cleaning of sucking and discharging the ink in nozzles of a liquid jetting head with the liquid jetting apparatus reversed upside down is performed, a maintenance unit thereof, and a cap. <P>SOLUTION: A cap 23 is provided in an ink-jet printer having a recording head 19, which jets out the ink from the nozzles 20 formed on the nozzle formation surface 19a, so that the nozzle formation surface 19a can be sealed. The cap 23 includes a liquid receiving opening 23a which receives the ink jetted from the nozzles 20 into the cap 23, an ink channel 28 which is divided from the liquid receiving opening 23a when the nozzle formation surface 19a is sealed for making the ink from the nozzle formation surface 19a side communicate with the inner bottom surface side of the cap, and a discharge channel 32a which enables discharge of the ink from the cap 23. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid ejecting apparatus such as an ink jet printer, a maintenance unit thereof, and a cap.

  In general, an ink jet printer (hereinafter referred to as “printer”), which is a type of liquid ejecting apparatus, performs printing by ejecting ink (liquid) from a recording head (liquid ejecting head) mounted on a carriage onto a recording medium. Is going. That is, the recording head has a large number of nozzles for ejecting ink, and a piezoelectric element is provided in each nozzle. Then, a desired nozzle is filled with ink by driving the piezoelectric element, and the ink is ejected from the opening of the nozzle. Therefore, the ink solvent in the nozzle easily evaporates from the nozzle opening, and the viscosity of the ink increases and the nozzle is easily clogged. Further, when air is mixed into the ink from the opening of the nozzle, bubbles may be generated in the ink and printing defects such as missing dots may occur.

In order to solve such problems, a conventional printer includes a recording head cleaning mechanism (maintenance unit) (for example, Patent Document 1). The printer cleaning mechanism includes a cap for sealing the nozzle forming surface of the recording head, and a suction pump (suction means) for sucking the inside of the cap. In this printer, cleaning is performed as needed to suck ink from the nozzles by the negative pressure generated when the suction pump is driven with the nozzle formation surface sealed with a cap.
JP 2004-174766 A

  By the way, when the cleaning mechanism of the printer of Patent Document 1 is mounted on a so-called mobile printer which is a portable small printer that is convenient to carry, the mobile printer itself is turned upside down during the cleaning (upside down). There are times. However, since the cleaning mechanism of the printer of Patent Document 1 is not supposed to perform cleaning with the printer turned upside down, cleaning is performed when the mobile printer itself is turned upside down. However, there is a problem that ink remains on the nozzle forming surface.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to such problems existing in the prior art. The purpose is to remove the liquid remaining on the nozzle forming surface even when cleaning is performed by sucking and discharging ink in the nozzles of the liquid ejecting head while the liquid ejecting apparatus is turned upside down. It is an object to provide a liquid ejecting apparatus that can be reduced, a maintenance unit thereof, and a cap.

  In order to achieve the above object, a cap of the present invention is provided in a liquid ejecting apparatus having a liquid ejecting head that ejects liquid from a nozzle formed on a nozzle forming surface, and seals the nozzle forming surface of the liquid ejecting head. A bottomed box-like cap that is open on the upper side, a liquid receiving port that allows the liquid ejected from the nozzle of the liquid ejecting head to be received in the cap, and the nozzle of the liquid ejecting head by the cap The nozzle has an upper opening defined separately from the liquid receiving port so as to face the nozzle forming surface when the forming surface is sealed, and a lower opening facing the inner bottom surface of the cap. It has a liquid flow path that allows the liquid to flow from the forming surface side to the inner bottom surface side of the cap, and an opening in the cap that opens to the inner bottom surface of the cap. And a discharge passage to allow out.

  According to this invention, since it is possible to circulate the liquid from the nozzle formation surface side to the inner bottom surface side of the cap via the liquid flow path, the liquid is kept in a state where the nozzle formation surface of the liquid ejecting apparatus is sealed by the cap. When cleaning for sucking and discharging ink in the nozzles of the ejection head is performed, it is possible to reduce the liquid remaining on the nozzle formation surface. In particular, even when the liquid ejecting apparatus performs cleaning in an abnormal posture state (for example, a state in which the liquid ejecting device is turned upside down) instead of a normal posture state, according to the present invention, the nozzle forming surface is provided via the liquid flow path. Since the liquid can be sucked from the side toward the inner bottom surface side of the cap, the liquid remaining on the nozzle forming surface can be reduced.

Further, the cap of the present invention is formed so that the liquid flow path extends in the vertical direction along the inner side surface of the cap.
According to the present invention, it is possible to suitably suck the liquid collected in the vicinity of the inner side surface (particularly, the corner portion) in the cap where the liquid tends to accumulate through the liquid channel.

  In the cap of the present invention, the upper opening of the liquid flow path is close to the nozzle forming surface with a slight gap when the nozzle forming surface of the liquid ejecting head is sealed by the cap.

  According to the present invention, at the time of cleaning, the liquid remaining on the nozzle forming surface flows on the nozzle forming surface toward the upper opening of the liquid flow path, and the liquid is efficiently sucked through the liquid flow path. Become so.

  The maintenance unit of the liquid ejecting apparatus of the present invention includes the cap having the above-described configuration and suction means capable of sucking liquid from the cap through the discharge passage of the cap.

  According to this invention, when the suction unit is driven in a state where the nozzle forming surface of the liquid ejecting apparatus is sealed by the cap, the liquid is supplied from the nozzle forming surface side to the inner bottom surface side of the cap via the liquid flow path of the cap. It becomes possible to suck. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the liquid remaining on the nozzle formation surface after cleaning.

  The maintenance unit of the liquid ejecting apparatus of the present invention includes an attitude detecting unit that detects an attitude of the liquid ejecting apparatus, an arithmetic unit that calculates a time during which the suction unit performs a suction operation based on a detection result by the attitude detecting unit, And a control unit that causes the suction unit to perform a suction operation for a time calculated by the calculation unit when the nozzle forming surface is sealed by the cap.

  According to the present invention, when the liquid ejecting apparatus is used in an abnormal posture, it is possible to sufficiently suck the liquid accumulated in the cap even when the liquid ejecting apparatus is turned upside down. Become.

  The maintenance unit of the liquid ejecting apparatus according to the aspect of the invention includes an abnormality determining unit that determines whether the posture of the liquid ejecting apparatus is an abnormal posture tilted by a predetermined angle or more based on a detection result by the posture detecting unit. The control means may further include the cap even if the suction means has been subjected to the suction operation for the time calculated by the calculation means when the determination result by the abnormality determination means is affirmative. The sealing state of the nozzle forming surface is maintained.

  According to this invention, even when the liquid ejecting apparatus is used in an abnormal posture state, in particular, when the suction in the cap is finished with the liquid ejecting apparatus turned upside down, the nozzle formation surface by the cap Therefore, it is possible to suppress liquid leakage from the cap.

  In the maintenance unit of the liquid ejecting apparatus of the present invention, the control means informs the abnormality notifying means that the attitude of the liquid ejecting apparatus is an abnormal attitude when the determination result by the abnormality determining means is affirmative. Let

According to this aspect of the invention, the abnormality notification unit can promptly notify the user that the posture of the liquid ejecting apparatus is an abnormal posture.
The liquid ejecting apparatus of the present invention includes a liquid ejecting head that ejects liquid from a nozzle formed on a nozzle forming surface, and the maintenance unit of the liquid ejecting apparatus having the above configuration.

  According to this invention, since it is possible to suck the liquid from the nozzle formation surface side to the inner bottom surface side of the cap via the liquid flow path, for example, in a state where the liquid ejecting apparatus is turned upside down, the liquid ejecting head Even when cleaning for sucking and discharging ink in the nozzles is performed, it is possible to reduce the liquid remaining on the nozzle formation surface.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the liquid ejecting apparatus of the invention is embodied in an ink jet printer will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, when referring to “front-rear direction”, “vertical direction”, and “left-right direction”, unless otherwise specified, “front-rear direction”, “vertical direction”, It shall be the same as the “left-right direction”.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an ink jet printer 11 as a liquid ejecting apparatus includes a frame 12 having a rectangular shape in plan view. A platen 13 is installed in the frame 12 along the left-right direction, and the recording paper P is fed along the front-rear direction on the platen 13 by a paper feed mechanism having a paper feed motor 14. ing. A rod-shaped guide member 15 is installed above the platen 13 in the frame 12 in parallel with the longitudinal direction of the platen 13.

  A carriage 16 is inserted into and supported by the guide member 15 so as to be able to reciprocate in the axial direction of the guide member 15. A driving pulley 17a and a driven pulley 17b are rotatably supported at positions corresponding to both end portions of the guide member 15 on the rear surface in the frame 12. Between these pulleys 17a and 17b, an endless timing belt 17 that fixes and supports the carriage 16 is hung, and a carriage motor 18 provided on the back surface of the frame 12 is connected to the drive pulley 17a. Therefore, the carriage 16 reciprocates along the guide member 15 by the driving force transmitted through the timing belt 17 as the carriage motor 18 is driven.

  A recording head 19 as a liquid jet head is mounted on the lower surface of the carriage 16, and a plurality of nozzles 20 (four are shown in FIG. 2) are provided on a nozzle forming surface 19 a constituted by the lower surface of the recording head 19. (See FIG. 2). An ink cartridge 21 is detachably mounted above the recording head 19 in the carriage 16, and inks as liquids of a plurality of colors (four colors in this embodiment) are supplied to the recording head 19 in the ink cartridge 21. Contained as possible.

  Then, by driving a piezoelectric element (not shown) provided in the recording head 19, each ink is supplied from the ink cartridge 21 to the recording head 19, and each ink is fed from each nozzle 20 onto the platen 13. Printing is performed by being ejected to each P. A maintenance unit 22 for sealing the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19 at the time of non-printing is provided in the non-printing region located at the right end in the frame 12.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the maintenance unit 22 includes a cap 23 made of a synthetic resin having a bottomed square box shape whose upper side capable of sealing the nozzle forming surface 19 a of the recording head 19 is opened. In the cap 23, an ink absorbing material 24 is laid as a square plate-shaped liquid absorbing material made of a flexible porous material so as to cover the entire inner bottom surface of the cap 23. Then, due to the upper edge of the cap 23, for example, at the time of cleaning or flushing in the cap, a liquid receiving port 23a that enables the ink ejected (discharged) from the nozzle 20 of the recording head 19 as waste ink into the cap 23. Is configured.

  The four corner portions in the cap 23 are respectively provided so as to extend in the vertical direction so as to extend in the vertical direction so as to straddle the respective corner portions. . The lower surface of each flow path forming member 25 is in contact with the upper surface of the ink absorbing material 24, and the upper surface of each flow path forming member 25 is flush with the upper surface of the cap 23.

  A square frame-shaped sealing member 26 made of a flexible member such as rubber is provided on the entire upper surface of the cap 23 so as to be in close contact therewith. The cross-sectional shape along the vertical direction of the seal member 26 is an isosceles trapezoidal shape. And in the four corner parts in the seal member 26, the auxiliary flow path forming members 27 having an L shape in plan view are provided so as to extend in the vertical direction so as to straddle the respective corner parts. .

  Each auxiliary flow path forming member 27 is formed of a flexible material such as rubber, and its lower surface is formed to have a planar shape corresponding to the upper surface of each flow path forming member 25. In addition, each auxiliary flow path forming member 27 is such that, when the lower surface thereof is in close contact with the upper surface of each flow path forming member 25, the upper surface is slightly lower than the upper surface of the seal member 26. The vertical dimension is set.

  And by the inner surface of the cap 23, the opposing surface to the inner surface of the cap 23 in each flow path forming member 25, the inner surface of the seal member 26, and the opposing surface to the inner surface of the sealing member 26 in each auxiliary flow path forming member 27 In each corner portion in the cap 23, an ink flow path 28 as a liquid flow path is formed so as to surround the vertical direction. The ink flow path 28 has an upper opening 28 a that faces the nozzle forming surface 19 a at the corner portion of the cap 23 when the nozzle forming surface 19 a of the recording head 19 is sealed by the cap 23, and the corner portion of the cap 23. The cap 23 has a lower opening 28 b facing the inner bottom surface.

  It should be noted that the upper openings 28 a of the respective ink flow paths 28 correspond to the height of the upper surface of the seal member 26 and the height of the upper surface of the auxiliary flow path forming member 27 when the nozzle forming surface 19 a of the recording head 19 is sealed with the cap 23. It is provided so as to face the nozzle forming surface 19a through a slight gap corresponding to the difference (for example, a gap of about 0.5 mm). On the other hand, the lower opening 28 b of each ink flow path 28 is provided so as to be close to the inner bottom surface of the cap 23 with an interval corresponding to the thickness of the ink absorbing material 24 laid on the inner bottom surface. That is, the lower opening 28 b of each ink flow path 28 is in contact with the ink absorbing material 24.

  As shown in FIG. 2, an elevating device 30 for elevating the cap 23 is connected to the cap 23. When the carriage 16 is moved to the non-printing area, the cap 23 is lifted by the lifting device 30 so that the upper surface of the seal member 26 is brought into contact with the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19, and each nozzle 20 is moved. The cap 23 is sealed.

  In this case, a slight gap is formed between the upper surface of each auxiliary flow path forming member 27 and the nozzle forming surface 19a as described above. That is, in a state where the cap 23 seals the nozzle forming surface 19a, the upper openings 28a of the ink flow paths 28 formed so as to be surrounded by the respective corner portions in the cap 23 have the nozzle forming surface 19a interposed through this slight gap. Will be placed in close proximity to. In the state where the cap 23 seals the nozzle forming surface 19a, the ink absorbing material 24 absorbs and holds the ink in the cap 23 to keep the space in the cap 23 moist.

  On the other hand, on the lower surface of the cap 23, a discharge portion 32 having a discharge passage 32a for discharging ink from the cap 23 to the outside of the cap 23 is formed in the left-right direction at a position slightly to the left of the central portion in the left-right direction. The end portion (left end portion) of the discharge portion 32 protrudes to the left side of the left side surface of the cap 23. A proximal end side (upstream side) of a discharge tube 33 made of a flexible material is connected to a distal end portion of the discharge portion 32, and the cap 23 is connected via a discharge passage 32 a having a cap inner opening 32 b on the inner bottom surface of the cap 23. The inside and the inside of the discharge tube 33 are communicated.

  The distal end side (downstream side) of the discharge tube 33 is inserted into a waste ink tank 34 having a rectangular parallelepiped shape. Further, a tube pump 35 serving as a suction unit that is driven to suck ink and bubbles contained in the ink from the cap 23 side toward the waste ink tank 34 side is disposed at an intermediate portion of the discharge tube 33. ing.

  Then, by driving the tube pump 35 with the nozzle formation surface 19a (each nozzle 20) of the recording head 19 sealed with the cap 23, the thickened ink in each nozzle 20 is sucked together with bubbles and the like, and the cap 23 and the discharge tube 33 are discharged into the waste ink tank 34, so-called cleaning is performed.

  In addition, the maintenance unit 22 has a first tilt as a posture detection unit that detects the tilt angle R1 of the ink jet printer 11 in the left-right direction with reference to the posture in a state where the ink jet printer 11 is normally used. The sensor 40 and the 2nd inclination sensor 41 as an attitude | position detection means which detects inclination-angle R2 of the inkjet printer 11 in the front-back direction are provided. As the first tilt sensor 40 and the second tilt sensor 41, an existing tilt sensor having a tilt detectable range of ± 180 degrees (for example, a magnetic applied displacement type tilt sensor using a magnet and a Hall element) is used.

Next, the electrical configuration of the ink jet printer 11 will be described.
A first tilt sensor 40 and a second tilt sensor 41 are electrically connected to the input side of the control unit 31 that controls the operating state of the ink jet printer 11. Further, an elevator lamp 30, a tube pump 35, and an abnormality lamp 42 as an abnormality notification means provided on the front surface of the frame 12 (see FIG. 1) are electrically connected to the output side of the control unit 31. .

  The control unit 31 also includes a drive time T1 for driving the tube pump 35 when cleaning, and a waiting time T2 for the tube pump 35 after the tube pump 35 is driven for the drive time T1 (stop of the tube pump 35). Calculation data for calculating (time for maintaining the state) is stored. This calculation data is based on experiments to determine ink suction efficiency and cap so that different drive times T1 and standby times T2 are calculated when the tilt angles R1 and R2 of the ink jet printer 11 are different within a certain angle range. 23 is calculation data obtained in consideration of the rate of decrease of the negative pressure generated in 23.

  The waiting time T2 is the time when the tube pump 35 is driven for the driving time T1 during cleaning, and the negative pressure generated in the cap 23 stops the tube pump 35, and then the nozzle 23 is sealed by the cap 23. Even if the state is canceled, this is the time until the meniscus of the recording head 19 is lowered so as not to affect the meniscus, and changes substantially in proportion to the driving time T1.

  Incidentally, when the sealing state of the nozzle forming surface 19a by the cap 23 is released without waiting for the negative pressure generated in the cap 23 to sufficiently decrease during cleaning, the pressure in the cap 23, particularly each nozzle Since the pressure in 20 suddenly increases, the meniscus of the recording head 19 is destroyed. Note that the calculation data in the present embodiment indicates that when at least one of the inclination angles R1 and R2 is 30 degrees or more, the driving time T1 is twice as long as both of the inclination angles R1 and R2 are less than 30 degrees. The waiting time T2 is set to be calculated.

  When the cleaning is performed, the control unit 31 drives and controls the elevating device 30 in a direction in which the cap 23 seals the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19. Further, in this case, the control unit 31 determines the driving time T1 of the tube pump 35 and the standby based on the signals input from the first tilt sensor 40 and the second tilt sensor 41 and the calculated data stored in the control unit 31. The time T2 is calculated, and the tube pump 35 is driven only during the driving time T1, and then the tube pump 35 is maintained in the stopped state only during the waiting time T2. Further, the control unit 31 turns on or off the abnormal lamp 42 based on the inclination angles R1 and R2 of the ink jet printer 11. In this respect, the control unit 31 constitutes a control unit, a calculation unit, and an abnormality determination unit.

Next, a cleaning processing routine in the ink jet printer 11 will be described based on a flowchart shown in FIG.
When cleaning is performed, the control unit 31 first drives the lifting device 30 to seal the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19 with the cap 23 (step S1). Next, the control unit 31 detects the inclination angles R1 and R2 of the ink jet printer 11 based on the signals respectively input from the first inclination sensor 40 and the second inclination sensor 41 (step S2).

  Then, the control unit 31 calculates the drive time T1 and the standby time T2 based on the tilt angles R1, R2 detected in step S2 and the calculation data stored in the control unit 31 (step S3). Then, after calculating the drive time T1 and the standby time T2, the control unit 31 drives the tube pump 35 (step 4).

  When the tube pump 35 is driven, the control unit 31 determines whether or not the driving time T1 has elapsed from the start of driving (step S5). When a negative determination is made in step S5, the control unit 31 executes the process of step S5 again. On the other hand, if the determination in step S5 is affirmative, the control unit 31 stops driving the tube pump 35 (step S6).

  When the tube pump 35 is stopped, the control unit 31 determines whether or not the standby time T2 has elapsed since the tube pump 35 was stopped (step S7). When a negative determination is made in step S7, the control unit 31 executes the process of step S7 again. On the other hand, if the determination in step S7 is affirmative, the control unit 31 again determines the inclination angles R1 and R2 of the inkjet printer 11 based on the signals input from the first inclination sensor 40 and the second inclination sensor 41, respectively. Detection is performed (step S8).

  The reason why the inclination angles R1 and R2 are detected again in step S8 as in step S2 is that the posture of the ink jet printer 11 is changed by the user during the execution of steps S4 to S7, and the inclination angles R1 and R2 are detected. This is because R2 may change.

  Next, the control unit 31 determines whether or not at least one of the inclination angles R1 and R2 detected in step S8 is equal to or greater than a predetermined angle N (30 degrees in the present embodiment) set in advance by experiments or the like, that is, It is determined whether or not the posture of the ink jet printer 11 is an abnormal posture (step S9). If the determination in step S9 is affirmative, the control unit 31 turns on the abnormal lamp 42 (step S10), and then repeats the processes in steps S8 and S9 again.

  On the other hand, in the case of negative determination in step S9, the control unit 31 determines whether or not the abnormal lamp 42 is lit (step S11). If the determination in step S11 is affirmative, the control unit 31 turns off the abnormal lamp 42 (step S12) and drives the lifting device 30 to change the sealing state of the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19 by the cap 23. Release (step S13). If the determination is negative in step S11, the control unit 31 proceeds to step S13. Thereafter, the control unit 31 ends the cleaning process routine.

Next, the operation of the ink jet printer 11 configured as described above will be described.
When the recording head 19 is cleaned, the cap 23 is moved after the carriage 16 is moved to the non-printing area, and the nozzle forming surface 19a (each nozzle 20) of the recording head 19 is moved by the cap 23. Sealed. Subsequently, when the tube pump 35 is driven, a negative pressure is generated in the cap 23, and the ink thickened in each nozzle 20 due to the negative pressure is bubbled together with bubbles and the like from the nozzle forming surface 19a side to the ink absorber 24 side ( It is sucked toward the inner bottom surface side of the cap 23.

  At this time, the ink remaining on the nozzle forming surface 19a is sucked along the nozzle forming surface 19a toward the corner portion of the cap 23 where the upper openings 28a of the ink flow channels 28 are located, It circulates and is sucked toward the inner bottom surface side of the cap 23. The ink sucked to the inner bottom surface side of the cap 23 penetrates the ink absorbing material 24 from the lower opening 28b of the ink flow path 28, and passes through the discharge passage 32a and the discharge tube 33 from the cap inner opening 32b on the inner bottom surface of the cap 23. And is discharged into the waste ink tank 34.

  Incidentally, cleaning may be performed in a state where the ink jet printer 11 is turned upside down (inclination angles R1 and R2 are both 180 degrees; abnormal posture). In this case, the time during which ink is sucked from the cap 23 is sucked from the cap 23 when the inkjet printer 11 is cleaned in a normal posture (inclination angles R1 and R2 are both less than 30 degrees). It is set to be twice as long as the time.

  As described above, even when the suction (cleaning) in the cap 23 is finished, the posture of the ink jet printer 11 is an abnormal posture (at least one of the inclination angles R1 and R2 is 30 degrees or more). The sealing state of the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19 by the cap 23 is maintained. Then, the abnormal lamp 42 is turned on to notify the user that the posture of the ink jet printer 11 is an abnormal posture. As a result of this notification, when the user sets the posture of the ink jet printer 11 to the normal posture, the abnormal lamp 42 is turned off and the cap 23 is moved, and the nozzle 23 on the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19 by the cap 23 is moved. The sealed state is released.

As described above, according to the embodiment described in detail, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) Even when the recording head 19 is cleaned in an abnormal posture in which the posture of the ink jet printer 11 is turned upside down, the ink remaining on the nozzle forming surface 19a is passed through each ink flow path 28. It is possible to suck the cap 23 toward the inner bottom surface side. For this reason, when the recording head 19 is cleaned, ink remaining on the nozzle forming surface 19a can be reduced.

  (2) In the ink jet printer 11, the ink flow path 28 is formed along the corner portion in the cap 23. For this reason, when the ink jet printer 11 performs cleaning of the recording head 19 in an abnormal posture, the ink accumulated in the corner portion (corner portion) in the cap 23 where ink tends to stay is passed through the ink flow path 28. Thus, it is possible to perform suction and discharge appropriately.

  In addition, when cleaning the recording head 19 in a state where the ink jet printer 11 is in a normal posture, the ink remaining in the portion where the upper surface of the seal member 26 abuts on the nozzle forming surface 19a (portion where ink tends to remain) The ink can be effectively sucked and discharged through the ink flow path 28. For this reason, it is possible to suppress contamination of the ink jet printer 11 with ink wiped by the wiping operation of the nozzle forming surface 19a. Further, when an ink absorbing material for absorbing ink wiped off by the wiping operation of the nozzle forming surface 19a is used, the volume of the ink absorbing material can be reduced.

  (3) When the recording head 19 is cleaned, the time during which the cap 23 is sucked is set to be twice as long when the ink jet printer 11 is in the abnormal posture than when it is in the normal posture. ing. For this reason, even if the cleaning is performed in an abnormal posture in which the posture of the ink jet printer 11 is turned upside down, the ink in the cap 23 can be sufficiently sucked and discharged. That is, the efficiency of sucking and discharging the ink in the cap 23 is lower when the posture of the ink jet printer 11 is abnormal than when it is normal, but the amount of reduction in this efficiency can be compensated. By increasing the time for sucking and discharging the ink in the cap 23, the ink in the cap 23 can be sufficiently sucked and discharged.

  (4) Even if the suction (cleaning) in the cap 23 is completed, if the posture of the ink jet printer 11 is in an abnormal posture inverted up and down, the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19 by the cap 23 is formed. The sealed state is maintained. That is, when the ink jet printer 11 is in an abnormal posture, the sealing state of the nozzle forming surface 19a by the cap 23 is not released, so that a small amount of ink remaining in the cap 23 after cleaning is removed. Can be prevented from leaking out of the cap 23.

  (5) Even if the suction (cleaning) in the cap 23 is completed, if the posture of the ink jet printer 11 is abnormal, the abnormal lamp 42 is turned on, so the posture of the ink jet printer 11 is abnormal. It is possible to promptly notify the user of the posture.

(6) In the cleaning process routine in the ink jet printer 11, since it is set in step S7 whether or not the standby time T2 has elapsed, the negative pressure generated in the cap 23 during the cleaning is sufficiently high. The sealed state of the nozzle forming surface 19a by the cap 23 is not released without being lowered. For this reason, it is possible to effectively suppress the pressure increase in the cap 23 caused by the release of the sealing state of the nozzle forming surface 19a by the cap 23, in particular, the pressure increase in each nozzle 20. Destruction can be suppressed.
(Example of change)
In addition, you may change the said embodiment as follows.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the ink flow path 28 provided in the cap 23 is single, and the upper surface of the auxiliary flow path forming member 27 and the upper surface of the seal member 26 are flush with each other. Further, when the nozzle forming surface 19a is sealed by the cap 23, the recording head 19 may be provided with a communication path 50 that communicates the inside and outside of the ink flow path 28 in the cap 23. In this way, when the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19 is sealed with the cap 23, a large space in the cap 23 can be secured.

The number of ink flow paths 28 provided in the cap 23 may be any number other than four (for example, one, two, or five or more).
The ink flow path 28 may be provided at any position (for example, the center portion) other than the corner portion in the cap 23.

The abnormal lamp 42 may be provided not only on the front surface of the frame 12 but also on the upper surface of the frame 12 and both the left and right side surfaces.
As an abnormality notification unit, a user may be notified that the posture of the ink jet printer 11 is an abnormal posture by a buzzer or a melody instead of the abnormal lamp. Further, when the ink jet printer 11 is connected to a personal computer, it may be displayed on the monitor (abnormality notification means) of the personal computer that the posture of the ink jet printer 11 is an abnormal posture.

  The predetermined angle N in step S9 of the cleaning process routine may be set any number of times as long as it does not spill ink remaining in the cap 23 after cleaning, but normally 0 degree <N <90. Set in degrees.

  The first tilt sensor 40 and the second tilt sensor 41 include, for example, a tilt sensor described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-299718, that is, a tilt sensor having a combination of a float provided with a magnet and a Hall element. May be adopted. Or you may make it employ | adopt for the 1st inclination sensor 40 and the 2nd inclination sensor 41 the liquid-enclosed capacity type | formula inclination-angle sensor etc. which catch the change of the electrostatic capacitance accompanying the inclination of the enclosed liquid as an angle change.

  In the above embodiment, the liquid ejecting apparatus is embodied as the ink jet printer 11. However, for example, the liquid ejecting apparatus may be used for manufacturing a color filter such as a liquid crystal display or pixel formation such as an organic EL display. Good.

1 is a perspective view of an ink jet printer according to an embodiment. The cross-sectional simplified view of the maintenance unit of embodiment. The perspective view of the cap of embodiment. 6 is a flowchart for explaining a cleaning processing routine of the embodiment. The cross-sectional simplified view of the maintenance unit of a modification example. The perspective view of the cap of the example of a change.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Inkjet printer as a liquid ejecting apparatus, 19 ... Recording head as a liquid ejecting head, 19a ... Nozzle formation surface, 20 ... Nozzle, 22 ... Maintenance unit, 23 ... Cap, 23a ... Liquid inlet, 24 ... Liquid absorption Ink absorbing material as material, 28... Ink channel as liquid channel, 28 a... Upper opening, 28 b .. lower opening, 31... Control means, computing means, and control section as abnormality determining means, 32 a. 32b ... an opening in the cap, 35 ... a tube pump as a suction means, 40 ... a first inclination sensor as an attitude detection means, 41 ... a second inclination sensor as an attitude detection means, 42 ... an abnormal lamp as an abnormality notification means.

Claims (8)

A bottomed box-shaped cap that is provided in a liquid ejecting apparatus having a liquid ejecting head that ejects liquid from nozzles formed on a nozzle forming surface and has an open upper side capable of sealing the nozzle forming surface of the liquid ejecting head. And
A liquid receiving port that allows the liquid ejected from the nozzle of the liquid ejecting head to be received in the cap;
When the nozzle forming surface of the liquid ejecting head is sealed by the cap, the lower opening facing the upper opening and the inner bottom surface of the cap that are partitioned separately from the liquid receiving port so as to face the nozzle forming surface. A liquid flow path having a side opening and allowing the liquid to flow from the nozzle forming surface side to the inner bottom surface side of the cap;
A cap having a cap inner opening that opens to the inner bottom surface of the cap, and a discharge passage that allows the liquid to be discharged from the inside of the cap to the outside of the cap. The said liquid flow path is formed so that it may extend in the up-down direction along the inner surface of a cap, The cap of Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned. The upper opening of the liquid channel is close to the nozzle forming surface with a slight gap when the nozzle forming surface of the liquid jet head is sealed with a cap. Item 3. The cap according to Item 2. Maintenance of a liquid ejecting apparatus comprising: the cap according to any one of claims 1 to 3; and suction means capable of sucking liquid from the cap through the discharge passage of the cap to the outside of the cap. unit. The nozzle forming surface is sealed by the cap, the posture detecting means for detecting the posture of the liquid ejecting apparatus, the calculating means for calculating the time for which the suction means is operated based on the detection result by the posture detecting means, and the cap. 5. The maintenance unit for a liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: a control unit that causes the suction unit to perform a suction operation for a time calculated by the calculation unit. Further comprising an abnormality determining means for determining whether or not the posture of the liquid ejecting apparatus is an abnormal attitude inclined by a predetermined angle or more based on a detection result by the attitude detecting means;
When the determination result by the abnormality determination unit is affirmative determination, the control unit forms the nozzle by the cap even when the suction unit has been subjected to the suction operation for the time calculated by the calculation unit. The maintenance unit of the liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the sealing state of the surface is maintained. 7. The control unit according to claim 6, wherein when the determination result by the abnormality determination unit is a positive determination, the abnormality notification unit notifies that the posture of the liquid ejecting apparatus is an abnormal posture. Maintenance unit for liquid ejector. A liquid, comprising: a liquid ejecting head that ejects liquid from a nozzle formed on a nozzle forming surface; and the maintenance unit of the liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 4. Injection device.

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