JP2008055754A - Ink-jet ejection head cleaning device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ink-jet ejection head cleaning device which cleans a plurality of ejection ports of an ink ejection head densely arranged in an ink-jet device, so as not to cause ink drying at any time and to achieve stable ink ejection without erroneous ejection. <P>SOLUTION: The ink-jet ejection head cleaning device comprises: a sheet-like cleaning member 3 which can be delivered to a lower surface of the ink-jet ejection head 9, and has high ink permeability imparted thereto; a cleaning fluid feeding means 4 for feeding and infiltrating cleaning fluid into the cleaning member; a sheet-like ink infiltration preventing member 5 which can be delivered to a lower surface of the cleaning member; an elastic roller pressing means 8 which can be elastically pressed from the lower surface of the ink infiltration preventing member via the cleaning member to the lower surface of the ejection head; a roller pressing means pressing pressure mechanism 10 for pressing a roller of the roller pressing means to the lower surface of the ejection head; and a roller pressing means transfer mechanism 11 for pressing the roller of the elastic roller pressing means to the lower surface of the ejection head and at the same time transferring the roller in a direction of an ink-jet ejection width. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an inkjet discharge head cleaning device for cleaning an inkjet head of an inkjet printer used to form a color pattern such as a color filter.

  In recent years, ink jet printers have been used to form color patterns such as color filters. A method of manufacturing a color filter (hereinafter simply referred to as CF) used for a liquid crystal display display panel or the like. Conventionally, a manufacturing method by a photolithography method (hereinafter simply referred to as a photolithography method) has been generally used. In this photolithography method, a constant lattice-like color pattern can be obtained by applying a photosensitive photoresist to a square glass substrate and then repeating the exposure, development, and drying steps a plurality of times.

  However, in recent years, as the size of the substrate has increased, the demand for cost reduction of the CF has become more severe as the price of the display panel has fallen. Therefore, when building a large-scale CF production line exceeding the 2m square of the next generation by the photolitho method, the cost of the manufacturing apparatus itself is higher than the current line, and the footprint is increased by increasing the size of the building. The initial cost is expected to increase significantly. In addition, it can be expected that the running cost will further increase due to an increase in excess ink to be developed and an increase in the amount of materials used such as a developer, and it is difficult to satisfy the cost reduction requirement described above.

  In view of this, the inkjet method has attracted attention as one of new CF manufacturing methods that can replace the photolithography method. In this method, a color filter pattern for a color filter is directly applied to a BM pattern (black matrix pattern) using an inkjet head, and a plurality of colors are simultaneously applied as a pattern, which is necessary in the conventional photolithography method. Thus, it is possible to reduce the exposure and development processes, and to significantly reduce the footprint.

  In addition, a minimum amount of pattern coating material such as a colorant for forming a color pattern is required, and further, a developing solution or the like necessary for the photolithography method is not required, so that the running cost can be reduced.

  By the way, an ink ejection head for ejecting ink of an ink jet apparatus used in the manufacture of a color pattern by the above-described ink jet method has increased as the tact-up for increasing the size of the substrate and improving the productivity and the higher definition of the color filter. The ink discharge heads mounted on the apparatus are densely arranged and a plurality of ink discharge heads are arranged.

  Further, in the above ink jet device, due to drying of the head discharge surface of the ink discharge head or ink aggregation due to drying, clogging of the discharge port of the ink discharge head, etc., resulting in a phenomenon of ink non-discharge, It was one of the factors that lowered the product yield. If measures against non-ejection cannot be taken with the device, it is necessary to manually wipe up the ejection surface at the ejection port of the ink ejection head, or if the non-ejection is still not resolved, it is necessary to replace the head. It will result in loss of sex. In order to increase the yield of non-defective products, it is necessary to mount a cleaning mechanism that supports high reliability capable of reliably discharging from all of these discharge ports.

Below, the known literature relevant to this invention is described.
JP 2001-047609 A JP 2001-047612 A

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the object of the present invention is to always cause the ink to dry out at the discharge ports of a plurality of closely arranged ink discharge heads in the ink jet apparatus. It is another object of the present invention to provide an inkjet cleaning apparatus having a cleaning mechanism for cleaning an ink ejection head of an inkjet apparatus so that stable ejection of ink without ejection errors is possible.

The present invention is a cleaning mechanism for cleaning an inkjet discharge head while keeping the lower surface of the inkjet discharge head, in which a plurality of rows of ink discharge ports are arranged in the ink-shette discharge width direction, at a constant condition without always drying the ink. At least,
a) a sheet-like cleaning member with high ink permeability that can be fed to the lower surface of the inkjet discharge head;
b) cleaning liquid supply means for supplying and penetrating the cleaning liquid into the cleaning member;
c) a sheet-shaped ink permeation preventing member that can be fed to the lower surface of the cleaning member;
d) elastic roller pressing means capable of elastically pressing the lower surface of the ink jet discharge head from the lower surface of the ink penetration preventing member via the cleaning member;
e) roller pressing means pressing pressure mechanism for pressing the roller of the roller pressing means against the lower surface of the inkjet discharge head;
f) a roller pressing means transfer mechanism for transferring in the inkjet discharge width direction while pressing the roller of the elastic roller pressing means against the lower surface of the inkjet discharge head;
An inkjet discharge head cleaning device comprising:

  According to the inkjet discharge head cleaning device of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. First, using a cleaning member with a highly permeable roll-like cloth or film that can be fed out to the lower surface of the inkjet discharge port, the cleaning liquid penetrates into the discharge port on the lower surface of the inkjet discharge head in the inkjet device. Since the cleaning liquid adheres through the impregnated highly permeable cleaning member, the adhesion of the cleaning liquid to the lower surface of the discharge head, which is the contact surface with the cleaning member, can be promoted, and the ink discharge of the discharge head can be performed by the cleaning member. Absorption and wiping of ink adhering to the outlet can be satisfactorily performed.

  In addition, after the discharge port of the discharge head is cleaned with the cleaning member and the cleaning liquid, the cleaning member is soiled by the cleaning liquid and the ink, but in this case, the back surface of the cleaning member that is opposite to the lower surface of the discharge head Since the ink permeation preventing member is interposed in the ink, it is possible to prevent the dirt from accumulating on the pressed roller pressing means.

  If the pressing means such as a roller, which is an elastic body that can be pressed against the lower surface of the discharge head via the cleaning member, is not resistant to the cleaning liquid (ink solvent), the cleaning member It serves as a protective film for the cleaning liquid against the rollers of the means.

In addition, when the height of the ink jet discharge heads arranged in a plurality of rows in the ink jet apparatus (the distance between the ink jet pattern forming surface, the print surface and the lower surface of the discharge head) is not uniform, an elastic roller or the like Since the pressing means responds flexibly to the lower surface of each discharge head, it is possible to avoid applying an excessive pressing force to the discharge head having a high height (long separation distance).

  When the lower surface of the ejection head is pressed through the cleaning member by the roller pressing means, which is an elastic body, a linear load due to the roller pressure along the arrangement direction of the plurality of ejection ports arranged on the lower surface of the ejection head. Thus, it is possible to efficiently press the discharge ports arranged on the lower surface of the discharge head.

  Also, the efficiency against the cleaning liquid and ink penetrating and adhering to the cleaning member due to the pressing load applied to the lower surface of the discharge head by the roller pressing means, which is an elastic body, and the pressing and rolling movement of the roller from the lower end of the discharge head by the means It can produce a good squeegee effect (cleaning liquid and ink wiping effect), and it can effectively remove unnecessary ink from the surface of the discharge head.

  In addition, by providing a pressing adjustment mechanism with a spring mechanism on the roller pressing means, which is an elastic body, the roller pressing means is not subjected to an excessive pressing load on the lower surface of the discharge head, and is optimally pressed. A load can be applied.

  In addition, the cleaning member fed to the lower surface of the ink jet discharge port has a small amount from the back side of the cleaning member without touching the cleaning member from the leading head to the cleaning member contact surface on the lower surface of the ink jet discharge head. The cleaning liquid can be partially supplied only to the position of the ejection head, so that the necessary amount of the cleaning liquid can be effectively used without contamination of the ejection head main body by the cleaning liquid.

  As described above, the ink jet discharge head cleaning device mounted on the ink jet apparatus of the present invention is equipped with a cleaning mechanism for cleaning the ink jet discharge head, thereby drying ink at all of the discharge ports arranged in a dense manner on the discharge head. Stable ink can be ejected without causing any ejection errors without causing it, and stable ink can be ejected from all the ejection ports that are densely arranged in the ejection head. It is possible to provide an ink jet apparatus that can exhibit high productivity.

  The inkjet discharge head cleaning device of the present invention will be described in detail below in accordance with an embodiment, and as shown in the front view of FIG. This is a cleaning mechanism for cleaning the inkjet discharge head 9 while keeping the lower surface 9a of the inkjet discharge head 9 provided with the outlet 9b in a constant condition without always drying the ink.

  As shown in the front view of FIG. 1, the apparatus of the present invention is a sheet-like cleaning member 3 with high ink permeability that can be fed to the lower surface of the inkjet discharge head 9, and an ink cleaning liquid (ink solvent) is applied to the cleaning member 3. The cleaning liquid supply means 4 for supplying and permeating, the sheet-like ink permeation preventing member 5 that can be fed to the lower surface of the cleaning member 3, and the lower surface of the inkjet discharge head 9 from the lower surface of the ink permeation preventing member 5 An elastic roller pressing means 8 that can be elastically pressed through the roller 3, a roller pressing means pressing mechanism 10 that presses the roller of the roller pressing means 8 against the lower surface of the inkjet discharge head 9, and the elastic roller. Roller pressing means for transferring the roller 8a of the pressing means 8 to the inkjet discharge width direction (left and right direction in FIG. 1) while pressing the roller 8a against the lower surface of the inkjet discharge head 9. And a transfer mechanism 11. In the present invention, the cleaning member 3 and the ink permeation preventing member 5 are pressed toward the inkjet discharge head 9 as necessary at both ends in the arrangement width direction of the discharge ports 9b in the inkjet discharge head 9. The holding members 8h and 8h may be provided.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the sheet-like cleaning member 3 is a take-up roll-like sheet member having high ink permeability, such as a cloth such as a cloth, a non-woven fabric, and a resin film. As shown in FIG. 1, the cleaning member 3 is unwound from the sheet unwinding portion 1 by the sheet winding portion 2 and is unrolled in parallel to the lower surface of the inkjet discharge head 9 via a guide roll.

  The cleaning member 3 is fed to the lower surface of the inkjet discharge head 9 by the sheet unwinding unit 1, the sheet winding unit 2, the guide roll 20, and the like. For example, a mechanical clutch brake is used for the sheet unwinding portion 1 for unwinding the cleaning member 3 to prevent sheet loosening during unwinding, and a servo motor or the like is used for the sheet winding portion 2 for example. The feed rate can be adjusted. The feed amount of the unwinding sheet is detected by a feed amount detection roller (not shown) provided alongside the guide roller 20 that guides the cleaning member 3, and is detected by a pulse counter or the like connected to the rotation shaft of the roller.

  A cleaning liquid supply means 4 (for example, a cleaning liquid discharge roller) that supplies and infiltrates the cleaning liquid from the back side of the cleaning member 3 is provided on the leading side of the cleaning member 3 on the sheet unwinding portion 1 side. The cleaning liquid is discharged from a discharge port (not shown) of the discharge roller 4 and supplied.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a sheet-like ink permeation preventing member 5 is fed in parallel to the lower surface of the cleaning member 3 that is fed to the lower surface of the inkjet discharge head 9. The ink permeation preventing member 5 is fed to the lower surface of the cleaning member 3 by the sheet unwinding portion 6, the sheet winding portion 7, the guide roll 21, and the like. For example, a mechanical clutch brake is used for the sheet unwinding portion 6 for unwinding the ink permeation preventing member 5 to prevent sheet loosening during unwinding, and for example, a servo motor or the like is used for the sheet winding portion 7. Thus, the feed rate can be adjusted. The feed amount of the unwinding sheet is detected by a feed amount detection roller (not shown) attached to the guide roller 21 that guides the ink permeation preventing member 5, and is detected by a pulse counter connected to the rotation shaft of the roller. .

  The ink permeation preventing member 5 serves to protect the cleaning liquid or ink that has adhered and permeated the cleaning member 3 from adhering to or contaminating the roller of the roller pressing means 8. As shown in FIG. 1, the roller pressing which can press the cleaning member 3 and the ink penetration preventing member 5 against the lower surface of the inkjet discharge head 9 arranged in a plurality of rows on the lower surface of the ink penetration preventing member 5. Means 8 are provided.

  The roller pressing means 8 is guided by a lifting base 8b as shown in the entire front view of FIG. 1, the partial side view of FIG. 2, the partially enlarged front view of FIG. 3, and the front view of the roller pressing means of FIG. A shaft 8e is erected vertically, and a slide guide 8d inside the pressing roller block 8c is fitted along the guide shaft 8e so as to be movable up and down. The roller 8a is pivotally supported by a pressing roller block 8c so as to be freely rotatable.

  The roller pressing means pressing pressure mechanism 10 will be described below. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, a lifting drive unit such as an air cylinder that moves the lifting base 8b of the roller pressing means 8 up and down. 10a and the lifting guide shaft 10b are attached to and supported by the support frame 13. A support plate 10c is provided at the upper end of the elevating guide shaft 10b. The roller pressing means 8 is attached and supported on the support plate 10c, and the roller pressing means 8 mounted on the lifting base 8b is lifted by the lifting drive unit 10a, whereby the roller pressing means 8 is driven. The roller 8 a can be pressed against the lower surface of the inkjet discharge head 9.

As shown in FIG. 4, a pressing spring 8f is fitted on the guide shaft 8e below the pressing roller block 8c. The pressing roller block 8c is moved up and down by the pressing spring 8f. It is attached to the upper surface of the steel plate by being biased in the separating direction in a floating state. Therefore, the pressing pressure of the roller 8a against the lower surface of the inkjet discharge head 9 is applied by the pressing spring 8f fitted to the guide shaft 8e at the lower part of the pressing roller block 8c.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the elevating base 8b is provided with a pressing pressure adjusting screw 8g, which also serves as a guide shaft, which is screwed in a vertical direction, and extends outwardly from the pressing roller block 8c along the guide shaft 8g. The slide guide 8d is fitted to be movable up and down. By rotating the pressing pressure adjusting screw 8g screwed to the lifting base 8b, the separation distance of the pressing roller block 8c urging the lifting base 8b in the direction away from the lifting base 8b is shortened or expanded. The pressing force of the roller 8a of the roller pressing means 8 is adjusted by adjusting the biasing force of the pressing spring 8f.

  The roller pressing means transfer mechanism 11 will be described below. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the lower surface of the inkjet discharge head 9 is placed on the support plate 10 c of the roller pressing means pressing pressure mechanism 10. An actuator 11a such as an air cylinder is attached to operate in the discharge width direction (left and right direction in FIG. 1), which is the arrangement direction of the plurality of discharge ports 9b arranged in 9a. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the lifting base 8b of the roller pressing means is attached to a bracket 11c attached to the tip of the telescopic operating rod 11b of the actuator 11a. By operating the actuator 11a to extend or shorten, the roller pressing means 8 can be moved in the discharge width direction (left-right direction in FIG. 1), and the roller 8a of the roller pressing means 8 can be The ink can be transferred along the lower surface 9 a of the ink jet discharge head 9 while being pressed against the lower surface 9 a of the discharge head 9 or separated from the lower surface 9 a of the ink jet discharge head 9.

  Next, the operation of the apparatus of the present invention will be described. When a signal for starting the cleaning of the inkjet discharge head 9 is issued, the actuator 10a is extended by the operation of the roller pressing means transfer mechanism 11, and the roller pressing means. Eight rollers 8a move directly below the lower surface 9a of the inkjet discharge head 9 (the lower surface of the right end portion or the lower surface of the left end portion in the discharge width direction) and face the lower surface 9a in a non-contact state.

  Simultaneously with the movement, the sheet unwinding unit 1 and the winding unit 2 are driven to start unwinding and winding of the cleaning member 3, and the roller 8a of the roller pressing unit 8 and the lower surface 9a of the inkjet discharge head 9 are started. The cleaning member 3 is fed out, and the cleaning member 3 of the designated feed amount (feed amount) is fed out by the cleaning member feed amount detection roller. At that time, the cleaning liquid is discharged from the cleaning liquid supply means 4 (discharge roller, discharge nozzle, discharge block, etc.), and the cleaning liquid is supplied to and penetrates into the cleaning member 3 at a place necessary for cleaning.

  When the feeding operation of the designated amount of cleaning member 3 is completed, the roller pressing means pressing pressure mechanism 10 operates, the elevating part 10a moves upward, and the roller 8a of the roller pressing means 8 contains the cleaning liquid. It is pressed against the lower surface 9a (the lower surface of the right end portion or the lower surface of the left end portion in the discharge width direction) of the inkjet discharge head 9 through the cleaning member 3 by the biasing force of the spring 8f.

  Thereafter, the roller pressing means transfer mechanism 11 is operated, and the actuator 11a is further extended or retracted, so that the roller 8a of the roller pressing means 8 includes the cleaning member 3 containing the cleaning liquid and the ink jet discharge head 9. While pressing the lower surface 9a with the urging force of the spring 8f, the lower surface 9a of the inkjet discharge head 9 (the left end lower surface or the right end lower surface in the discharge width direction) is transferred to a designated position.

  After the transition to the designated position, the roller pressing means pressing pressure mechanism 10 operates, and the roller 8a of the roller pressing means 8 is separated from the lower surface 9a of the ink jet discharge head 9 to release the pressing operation. Furthermore, the roller pressing means transfer mechanism 11 operates, the roller 8a of the roller pressing means 8 returns to the original position, and the series of operations ends.

1 is an overall front view of an inkjet discharge head cleaning device of the present invention. 2 is a partial side view of the inkjet discharge head cleaning device of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 3 is a partial front view of the inkjet discharge head cleaning device of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged front view illustrating roller pressing means of the inkjet discharge head cleaning device of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Cleaning member unwinding part 2 ... Cleaning member winding part 3 ... Cleaning member 4 ... Cleaning liquid supply means 5 ... Ink penetration preventing member 6 ... Ink penetration preventing member unwinding part 7 ... Ink penetration preventing member winding part 8 ... Roller Pushing means 8a Pushing roller 9 ... Inkjet discharge head 10 ... Roller pushing means pushing pressure mechanism 11 ... Roller pushing means transfer mechanism

Claims (1)

A cleaning mechanism for cleaning an inkjet discharge head while keeping the lower surface of the inkjet discharge head, in which a plurality of rows of ink discharge ports are arranged in the ink-shette discharge width direction, in a constant condition without always drying the ink, ,
a) a sheet-like cleaning member with high ink permeability that can be fed to the lower surface of the inkjet discharge head;
b) cleaning liquid supply means for supplying and penetrating the cleaning liquid into the cleaning member;
c) a sheet-shaped ink permeation preventing member that can be fed to the lower surface of the cleaning member;
d) elastic roller pressing means capable of elastically pressing the lower surface of the ink jet discharge head from the lower surface of the ink penetration preventing member via the cleaning member;
e) roller pressing means pressing pressure mechanism for pressing the roller of the roller pressing means against the lower surface of the inkjet discharge head;
f) a roller pressing means transfer mechanism for transferring in the inkjet discharge width direction while pressing the roller of the elastic roller pressing means against the lower surface of the inkjet discharge head;
An inkjet discharge head cleaning device comprising:

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