JP2010173328A - Inkjet recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a highly reliable inkjet recording apparatus which prevents light from entering a recording head and a maintenance unit and not causes the occurrence of, for example, clogging and bent discharge of light-curing ink and defective maintenance. <P>SOLUTION: The recording apparatus has the recording head which discharges the ink, which is cured when irradiated with light, to a recording medium, light sources 8, 8 which irradiate the ink, which is discharged onto the recording medium, with light, and a maintenance unit which carries out maintenance operation of the recording head. Upon the maintenance operation carried out by at least one of a wipe member and a suction cap member, the light sources are controlled so that the amount of the light of the light sources is controlled to 1/2 or less of the light amount used upon image recording. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus, and more particularly to an ink jet recording apparatus capable of preventing light from a light source from entering a recording head during maintenance.

Conventionally, when performing image recording on a packaging material, a gravure printing method or a flexographic printing method is usually used. However, since the gravure printing method and the flexographic printing method require a plate making process, it is disadvantageous in terms of cost to perform small lot printing.
Therefore, an image recording apparatus using an inkjet method (hereinafter referred to as “inkjet recording apparatus”) is known as an image recording unit that can record an image easily and inexpensively. The inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head that discharges ultraviolet curable ink as droplets onto a recording medium, and a light source that emits light to cure the ink discharged on the recording medium. The carriage on which the light source is mounted moves on the recording medium to record an image on the recording medium (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  However, in such an ink jet recording apparatus, when continuous image recording is performed, the ink that is ejected from the ejection port of the recording head and becomes atomized adheres to and accumulates near the ejection port of the recording head. The outlet may be clogged, so-called clogging may occur. When image recording is continued in such a state, there is a possibility that a problem may occur in image recording such as ink not being ejected.

For this reason, in recent inkjet recording apparatuses, a maintenance unit for removing ink adhering to and near the ejection port of the recording head is installed in order to recover clogging of the recording head and perform normal image recording. Yes.
The ink removing operation described above is performed by moving the carriage on which the recording head is mounted to the maintenance area where the maintenance unit is arranged.

  The maintenance unit includes a suction cap member that sucks and removes the ink clogged in the discharge port of the recording head, and a wipe member that wipes off the ink deposited and deposited near the discharge port and the discharge port. The suction cap member covers the discharge surface of the recording head and sucks ink, and the wipe member wipes the discharge surface with a blade.

JP 2001-310454 A

  However, the maintenance unit installed in an exposed state directly irradiates the maintenance unit with light emitted from the light source during the maintenance operation. For this reason, the light emitted from the light source causes irregular reflection on the surface of the maintenance unit on the recording head side and enters the vicinity of the ejection opening of the recording head.

For this reason, the photocurable ink adhering to the ejection port and the vicinity of the ejection port is cured, thereby causing problems such as clogging in which ink is not ejected or so-called ejection bending in which ink droplets are not ejected in the correct direction.
Further, if the photocurable ink adhering to the suction cap or the wipe member of the maintenance unit is cured, there is a possibility that maintenance may not be performed normally.

  The present invention has been made in view of this problem, and prevents light from entering the recording head and the maintenance unit, and is highly reliable without causing clogging and ejection bending due to the photo-curable ink, poor maintenance, and the like. An object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording apparatus.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, an ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1 is provided with a recording head having an ejection port for ejecting ink that is cured by light irradiation onto the recording medium, and ejected onto the recording medium. In addition, in an inkjet recording apparatus including a light source that irradiates light to the ink and a maintenance unit that performs a maintenance operation of the recording head, a suction cap member that sucks ink from the discharge port and the vicinity of the discharge port; A wipe member for wiping off ink near the discharge port and the discharge port, and a control unit for controlling turning on and off of the light source, wherein the control unit is maintained by at least one of the wipe member and the suction cap member In operation, the light source is set so that the light amount of the light source is ½ or less of the light amount during image recording It is characterized by controlling.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in the maintenance operation by at least one of the wipe member and the suction cap member of the maintenance unit, the control unit controls the light source so that the light quantity of the light source is 1 / of the light quantity at the time of image recording. Therefore, it is possible to obtain an ink jet recording apparatus that reduces the light from the light source that is irregularly reflected on the maintenance unit and incident on the recording head side.
In addition, when maintenance is completed and image recording is performed after that, the light source must be turned on with the amount of light necessary for image recording. However, if the light source is turned off during maintenance, the amount of light is required. It takes time to complete. However, if the light source is lit at half or less of the light quantity during image recording during maintenance, the time until image recording can be resumed can be shortened.

The invention according to claim 2 is the ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1,
The control unit controls the light source to be turned off during a maintenance operation by at least one of the wipe member and the suction cap member.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the control unit controls the light source and turns off the light source during the maintenance operation by at least one of the wipe member and the suction cap member of the maintenance unit, the light from the light source An ink jet recording apparatus can be obtained which more reliably prevents the light from being irregularly reflected on the maintenance unit and entering the recording head. In particular, when the photocurable ink is a cationic polymerization type ink, even if it is a minute ultraviolet ray, it will be cured if it is irradiated for a long time, but if the light source is turned off in this way, the cationic polymerization type ink is used. Curing of the ink can be prevented over a long period of time.

The invention according to claim 3 is the ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
The wipe member is formed of ultrafine fibers having a fineness of 0.2 denier to 0.01 denier, and has a sheet shape wound around the first roll shaft and the second roll shaft, The ink absorber fed out from the first roll shaft is wound around the second roll shaft.

According to the invention described in claim 3, since the wipe member is formed of ultrafine fibers having a fineness of 0.2 to 0.01 denier, the ink is absorbed more efficiently by capillary action or the like. be able to.
Further, since the wipe member has a sheet shape wound around the first roll shaft and the second roll shaft, the wipe member sent from the first roll shaft is a portion where ink is absorbed. Can be sequentially wound around the second roll shaft. Therefore, it is possible to collect the wipe member wound around the second roll shaft, and to prepare for arranging a new wipe member on the first roll shaft.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the ink jet recording apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, the recording head is a serial type recording head that performs reciprocal driving in the main scanning direction. It is characterized by that.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the maintenance operation is performed by the wipe member of the maintenance unit, the control unit controls the light source and turns off the light source, so that the light from the light source is irregularly reflected on the maintenance unit, Thus, a serial type ink jet recording apparatus can be obtained which prevents the light from entering the light.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, the recording head is disposed so as to extend in a width direction of the recording medium, and the recording medium It is characterized in that it is a line system that performs recording by moving the.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, during the maintenance operation by the wipe member of the maintenance unit, the control unit controls the light source and turns off the light source, so that the light from the light source is irregularly reflected on the maintenance unit and the recording head side. It is possible to obtain a line-type ink jet recording apparatus that prevents light from being incident on the head.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the ink jet recording apparatus according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the ink is an ultraviolet curable ink.

  According to the invention described in claim 6, an ink jet recording apparatus using an ultraviolet curable ink can be obtained.

The invention according to claim 7 is the inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 6,
The ultraviolet curable ink has a viscosity of 10 to 50 mPa · s at 25 ° C. and a surface tension of 20 to 40 mN / m.

  According to the invention described in claim 7, the ultraviolet curable ink has a viscosity at 25 ° C. of 10 to 50 mPa · s, a surface tension of 20 to 40 mN / m, high viscosity, and poor wettability. Although it is ink, it is possible to prevent the ink from adhering to the suction cap member even with such ink having high viscosity and poor wettability.

  According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the ink jet recording apparatus according to the sixth or seventh aspect, the ink is a cationic polymerization type ink.

  According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, an ink jet recording apparatus using a cationic polymerization type ink can be obtained.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the control unit controls the light source during at least one of the wiping maintenance and the suction maintenance, and the light amount of the light source is set to ½ or less of the light amount during image recording. Can be prevented from being diffusely reflected on the maintenance unit and incident on the recording head side, preventing clogging and ejection bending caused by curing of the photocurable ink adhering to the ejection port and the vicinity of the ejection port. There is an effect that can be done.
Also, in wiping maintenance and suction maintenance, the amount of light is ½ or less than during image recording, so it is possible to prevent the ink adhering to the wipe member and suction cap member from hardening, and to perform normal maintenance over a long period of time. Can do.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the control unit controls the light source and turns off the light source during the maintenance operation by at least one of the wipe member and the suction cap member of the maintenance unit, the light from the light source Is more reliably prevented from being diffusely reflected on the maintenance unit and incident on the recording head, and clogging, discharge bending, and maintenance caused by curing of the photo-curing ink adhering to the discharge port and the vicinity of the discharge port are maintained. There is an effect that defects can be reliably prevented.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, ink can be absorbed more efficiently by capillary action or the like.
Further, since the wipe member has a sheet shape wound around the first roll shaft and the second roll shaft, the wipe member sent from the first roll shaft is a portion where ink is absorbed. Can be sequentially wound around the second roll shaft. Therefore, it is possible to collect the wipe member wound around the second roll shaft, and to prepare for arranging a new wipe member on the first roll shaft.

  According to the invention described in claim 4, an ink jet recording apparatus which is a serial printing method can be used, and the same effect as that of the invention described in any one of claims 1-3 is obtained.

  According to the invention described in claim 5, an ink jet recording apparatus which is a line print method can be used, and the same effect as that of the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 3 is obtained.

  According to the invention described in claim 6, ultraviolet curable ink can be used, and the same effect as in the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 5 is obtained.

  According to the invention described in claim 7, the ultraviolet curable ink has a viscosity at 25 ° C. of 10 to 50 mPa · s, a surface tension of 20 to 40 mN / m, high viscosity, and poor wettability. Although it is ink, it is possible to prevent the ink from adhering to the suction cap member even with such ink having high viscosity and poor wettability.

  According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, since the cationic polymerization type ink having higher sensitivity to ultraviolet rays than other ultraviolet curable inks is used, the ink is sufficiently cured even if the amount of ultraviolet rays is weaker than other ultraviolet curable inks. Thereby, the thing with a small irradiation dose can be used as a light source, and there exists an effect that a light source can be made smaller than before.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a main part of an ink jet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment. 1 is a block diagram of an ink jet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a main part of an ink jet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment. It is the schematic diagram which showed the principal part of the inkjet recording device in 2nd embodiment. It is the schematic diagram which showed the principal part of the inkjet recording device in 3rd embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a front view schematically showing the ink jet recording apparatus according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, an ink jet recording apparatus 1 according to this embodiment is a serial ink jet recording apparatus 1 using photocurable ink.

  The ink jet recording apparatus 1 includes recording heads 2 and 2 provided with ejection openings for ejecting photocurable ink of any one of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (Bk). .. Are provided with light sources 3, 3... For curing the ink by irradiating light onto the ink ejected onto the recording medium 16. The heads 2, 2,... Are arranged parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other, and the light sources 3, 3 are arranged on both sides in the main scanning direction X of the recording heads 2, 2,. Examples of the light sources 3 and 3 include a high-pressure mercury lamp, a low-pressure mercury lamp, a metal hydride lamp, a hot cathode tube, a cooling tube, and an LED.

The carriage 4 described above is supported by a rod-shaped guide rail 5 and is reciprocated on the recording medium 16 along the guide rail 5 by a carriage driving mechanism 6.
The direction of movement of the carriage 4 is the main scanning direction X, and the direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction X is the sub-scanning direction Y. A recording medium transport mechanism 7 for transporting the recording medium 16 in the sub-scanning direction Y is provided in the ink jet recording apparatus.

  A central portion of the movable range of the carriage 4 along the main scanning direction X is a recording area A that performs recording on the recording medium 16, and the recording area A includes a platen that supports the recording medium 16 from a non-recording surface. 17 is provided.

  The outer end of the recording area A that is the movable range of the carriage 4 is a maintenance area B that performs a maintenance operation such as the ejection ports of the recording heads 2, 2,... A maintenance unit 8 is provided to perform the above.

  The maintenance unit 8 is provided with a suction cap member 9 for suction maintenance for sucking and removing the ink clogged in the discharge port and the bubbles generated in the discharge port together with the ink. The suction cap member 9 includes a suction cap member 9 that covers the discharge ports of the recording heads 2, 2... At positions facing the recording heads 2,. As many suction caps 10, 10,... Are provided as there are recording heads 2, 2,. The maintenance unit 8 is provided with a maintenance unit driving mechanism (not shown), and the maintenance unit 8 is moved to the recording heads 2, 2,. The suction caps 10, 10,.

Inside the suction caps 10, 10,..., An absorber (not shown) is provided, and the absorber is formed of a porous resin that has been subjected to a hydrophilic treatment, such as Belita (trade name, manufactured by Kanebo Co., Ltd.). ing.
An ink communication tube 11 communicating with the inside of the suction caps 10, 10,... Is provided on the bottom surfaces of the suction caps 10, 10,. A suction pump 12 is provided in the middle of the communication pipe 11, and a waste ink tank 13 for receiving the sucked ink is provided at the lower end of the ink communication pipe 11.

  In the maintenance unit 8, a wipe member 14 for wiping off the ink adhering to the discharge port and the vicinity of the discharge port is provided at one end side in the main scanning direction X from the suction cap 10, 10. Is provided. Since the wiping maintenance is performed by bringing the wipe member 14 into contact with the discharge ports of the recording heads 2, 2,... ing.

  Next, the control unit 100 in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 100 includes a CPU 101 that executes various processes, various programs for various processes such as control and determination, a ROM 102 that stores various data, a work area and various processes in various processes. And a RAM 103 having a storage area for temporarily storing the generated data.

  When the image is recorded, the control unit 100 controls the recording heads 2, 2,... To eject ink according to various programs stored in the ROM 102, and controls the light sources 3, 3 to turn on the light sources 3, 3. Alternatively, it is turned off, the carriage drive mechanism 6 is controlled to drive the carriage 4, and the recording medium transport mechanism 7 is controlled to transport the recording medium 16.

  In addition, the control unit 100 controls the maintenance unit 8 to perform the maintenance operation according to various programs stored in the ROM 102 during the maintenance operation, and controls the light sources 3 and 3 during the wiping maintenance. The light sources 3 and 3 are turned off.

  Further, the control unit 100 includes an input unit 110 such as a keyboard and an operation panel for inputting operation and data and information, a power source 120, recording heads 2, 2,..., Light sources 3 and 3, carriage driving mechanism 6, recording. The medium transport mechanism 7 and the maintenance unit 8 are connected to each other via an interface (not shown).

  In addition, as the ink used in the present embodiment, in particular, the “photocuring system” described in “Photocuring technology—selection of resin / initiator and blending conditions and measurement / evaluation of curing degree— (Technical Association information)” (Chapter 4) "" Curing system using photoacid / base generator (Section 1) "," Photo-induced alternating copolymerization (Section 2) ", etc. are applicable. You may harden | cure by normal radical polymerization.

  Specifically, the ink used in the present embodiment is an ultraviolet curable ink having a property of being cured by irradiation with ultraviolet rays as light, and has at least a polymerizable compound (a known polymerizable compound as a main component). ), A photoinitiator, and a coloring material. However, as the ink used in the present embodiment, the photoinitiator may be excluded when an ink that conforms to the above-mentioned “light-induced alternating copolymerization (section 2)” is used.

  The ultraviolet curable ink is roughly classified into a radical curable ink containing a radical polymerizable compound and a cation curable ink containing a cationic polymerizable compound as a polymerizable compound. It can be applied as an ink to be used, and a hybrid ink in which a radical curable ink and a cationic curable ink are combined may be applied as an ink used in this embodiment.

  However, since a cationic curable ink that has little or no inhibition of polymerization reaction by oxygen is superior in functionality and versatility, a cationic curable ink is particularly used in the present embodiment. The cation curable ink used in the present embodiment is specifically a mixture containing at least a cation polymerizable compound such as an oxetane compound, an epoxy compound, and a vinyl ether compound, a photo cation initiator, and a coloring material. As described above, it has a property of being cured by irradiation with ultraviolet rays.

  As a recording medium used in the present embodiment, a transparent or opaque non-absorbent resin film used for so-called soft packaging can be applied. Specific resin types of resin film include polyethylene terephthalate, polyester, polyolefin, polyamide, polyesteramide, polyether, polyimide, polyamideimide, polystyrene, polycarbonate, poly-ρ-phenylene sulfide, polyether ester, polyvinyl chloride , Poly (meth) acrylic acid ester, polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon and the like are applicable, and further, copolymers of these resins, mixtures of these resins, and those obtained by crosslinking these resins are also applicable. Above all, as the type of resin of the resin film, one of stretched polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polypropylene, and nylon is selected because of the transparency, dimensional stability, rigidity, environmental load, cost, etc. of the resin film. It is preferable to use a resin film having a thickness of 2 to 100 μm (preferably 6 to 50 μm). Moreover, you may perform surface treatments, such as a corona discharge process and an easily bonding process, on the surface of the support body of resin films. Furthermore, as the recording medium used in the present embodiment, various known papers whose surfaces are coated with a resin, films containing pigments, foamed films, and other known opaque recording media can be applied.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.
When the control unit 100 receives image recording information from the input unit 110, the control unit 100 controls the recording heads 2, 2, the light sources 3 and 3, the carriage drive mechanism 6 and the recording medium transport mechanism 7 to control the image recording information. Each operation based on the above is executed, and image recording is started.
Further, the control unit 100 controls the maintenance unit 8 to start a maintenance operation.

Next, the maintenance operation in this embodiment will be described.
During the maintenance operation, the control unit 100 first controls the carriage drive mechanism 6 to move the carriage 4 on which the recording heads 2, 2... And the light sources 3, 3 are moved to the maintenance area B.

  When the recording heads 2, 2... Are arranged at predetermined positions in the maintenance area B, the maintenance unit drive mechanism moves the maintenance unit 8 toward the recording heads 2, 2,. As a result, the discharge surfaces of the recording heads 2, 2,... Are covered and the discharge ports are sealed.

  The control unit 100 controls the maintenance unit 8 to operate the suction pump 12 to suck ink from the ejection surface. The sucked ink is stored in the waste ink tank 13 through the ink communication pipe 11.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the light sources 3 and 3 are kept lit during the suction maintenance by the suction caps 10, 10,..., But the recording heads 2, 2,. Are completely covered by the suction caps 10, 10,... So that light from the light source does not enter the ejection surfaces of the recording heads 2, 2,.

After the suction maintenance is completed, the control unit 100 turns off the light sources 3 and 3.
The control unit 100 controls the maintenance unit 8 to move the maintenance unit 8 by the above-described maintenance unit driving mechanism, and separates the suction cap 10 from the ejection surface of the recording heads 2, 2.

The control unit 100 controls the maintenance unit 8 to reciprocate the maintenance unit 8 in the auxiliary inspection direction Y by the above-described maintenance drive mechanism, and sequentially slides the ejection surface of the recording head on the blade 15 of the wipe member 14. Then, wiping maintenance is performed from the recording heads 2, 2... On the platen side in the main scanning direction X.
Thereafter, the control unit 100 causes the recording head 2 that has completed the wiping maintenance to be ejected idle.

  When the maintenance operation is completed, the control unit 100 controls the carriage driving mechanism 6 to move the carriage 4 on which the recording heads 2, 2,.

  During this movement, when the rightmost light source 3 in the main scanning direction X passes over the platen 17, the control unit 100 turns on the light sources 3 and 3.

According to this embodiment, in the inkjet recording apparatus 1 including the serial recording heads 2 and 2 that perform image recording by reciprocating driving in the main scanning direction X, the light sources 3 and 3 are turned off during wiping maintenance. During the maintenance operation, it is possible to prevent the light irregularly reflected on the surface of the recording head 2, 2... Of the maintenance unit 8 from entering the vicinity of the ejection openings of the recording head 2, 2. 2 can provide a highly reliable ink jet recording apparatus in which clogging, discharge bending, and the like are not caused by the photocurable ink adhering to and near the discharge port.
The above-described ink has a viscosity of 10 to 50 mPa · s at 25 ° C. and a surface tension of 20 to 40 mN / m. Therefore, the ink has high viscosity and poor wettability, but such viscosity is high. It is possible to prevent the ink from adhering to the suction cap 9 even with ink having poor wettability, and thus, the suction operation can be performed even with ink such as ultraviolet curable ink.

As shown in FIG. 3, even if light sources 3, 3,... Are provided between the recording head 2 and the recording head 2 and at both ends in the main scanning direction X of the recording heads 2, 2,. The same effect as the invention can be obtained.
Further, in the ink jet recording apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the light sources 3 and 3 are turned off only during the wiping maintenance, but may be turned off during the suction maintenance. As described above, since the discharge surfaces of the recording heads 2, 2,... Are completely covered by the suction caps 10, 10,. However, the ink may be present at the contact portion between the discharge surface and the suction caps 10, 10,..., And when the ink is cured, the discharge surface The suction caps 10, 10,. However, if the light sources 3 and 3 are turned off during the suction maintenance, the ink at the contact portion can be prevented from curing. Thus, if the light sources 3 and 3 are turned off for wiping maintenance and suction maintenance, the ink attached to the wipe member 14 and the suction caps 10 and 10 can be prevented from being cured, and normal maintenance can be performed over a long period of time. .

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the light sources 3 and 3 are turned off during the wiping maintenance. However, if the light amount of the light sources 3 and 3 is less than 1/2 of the light amount during image recording, the light from the light source is irregularly reflected on the maintenance unit. Then, it is possible to reduce the incidence on the recording head side. When maintenance is completed and image recording is performed after that, the light sources 3 and 3 must be lit with the amount of light necessary for image recording, but are necessary if the light sources 3 and 3 are turned off during maintenance. It takes a long time to get a good light intensity. However, if the light sources 3 and 3 are lit at less than ½ of the light amount during image recording during maintenance, the time until image recording can be resumed can be shortened.

  Next, an ink jet recording apparatus 40 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the inkjet recording apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment described above, the blade 15 is configured to perform wiping maintenance by rubbing the ejection surface of the recording head 2, but the inkjet recording apparatus according to the second embodiment. No. 40 is configured to perform wiping maintenance so that ink on the ejection surface is wiped off by a sheet-like wipe member made of fibers. In the following description, the same parts as those in the ink jet recording apparatus 1 of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 4, a first roll shaft 41 that is rotatable and a second roll shaft 42 that is driven to rotate in parallel with the first roll shaft 41 are provided on one end side of the suction cap member 9. ing. A sheet-like wipe member 43 wound in a roll shape is attached to the first roll shaft 41, and the distal end portion of the wipe member 43 is fixed to the second roll shaft 42. That is, when the second roll shaft 42 is rotationally driven, the wipe member 43 is pulled out from the first roll shaft 41 and wound around the second roll shaft 42.
The wipe member 43 is formed of ultrafine fibers having a fineness of 0.2 to 0.01 denier in order to increase the ink absorption efficiency. For example, polyester, acrylic, nylon or the like is preferably used for this fiber.

The wiping maintenance by the wipe member 43 will be described.
When the suction maintenance by the suction cap member 9 is completed, the control unit 100 reciprocates the maintenance unit 8 in the auxiliary inspection direction Y, and sequentially contacts the ejection surface of the recording head 2 with the wipe member 43 while moving in the main scanning direction. Wiping maintenance is performed from the recording heads 2, 2... On the X platen side. Here, when the wiping maintenance is performed a predetermined number of times, the control unit 100 drives the second roll shaft 42 to rotate and winds the portion of the wipe member 43 that is soiled with ink around the second roll shaft 42. A portion of the wipe member 43 to which ink is not attached is drawn out.

  As described above, according to the ink jet recording apparatus of the second embodiment, the wipe member 43 is wound around the second roll shaft 42 sequentially from the portion where the ink is absorbed. The wipe member 43 taken up by the shaft 42 can be collected, and a new wipe member 43 can be prepared to be arranged on the first roll shaft 41.

  Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the ink jet recording apparatus 21 in the present embodiment is an ink jet recording apparatus 21 of a line system. The ink jet recording apparatus 21 is provided with recording heads 22 and 22 provided with ejection openings for ejecting one of the color curable inks of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (Bk). A carrier 24 is provided to support the light sources 23, 23,... For curing the ink by irradiating the ink discharged onto the recording medium 30 with light. The recording heads 22, 22,... Are arranged so as to extend in the width direction of the recording medium 30, and the light sources 23, 23 are arranged downstream of the recording heads 22, 22 in the conveying direction of the recording medium 30. ing.

The conveyance direction of the recording medium 30 is a sub-scanning direction Y, and a recording medium conveyance mechanism 25 for feeding the recording medium 30 in the sub-scanning direction Y is provided.
An area for recording on the recording medium 30 is a recording area A. A platen 31 is provided in the recording area, and the recording medium 30 is supported by the platen 31 from a non-recording surface.

  A maintenance unit 26 for performing maintenance operations such as the ejection ports of the recording heads 22, 22... Is provided in an area opposite to the conveyance direction of the recording medium 30 in the recording area A, and this maintenance unit 26 is disposed. The area that is present is the maintenance area B.

  In this maintenance area B, a carrier drive mechanism (not shown) is provided for arranging the recording heads 22, 22... Supported by the carrier 24 and the light sources 23, 23.

  The maintenance unit 26 is provided with a suction cap member 27. When the carrier 24 is arranged in the maintenance area B, the suction cap member 27 is recorded at a position facing the recording heads 22, 22. The number of suction caps 28, 28,... As the suction cap members 27 that cover the ejection surfaces of the heads 22, 22,. The maintenance unit 26 is provided with a maintenance unit drive mechanism (not shown). The maintenance unit drive mechanism moves the maintenance unit 26 toward the recording heads 22, 22,. The suction caps 28, 28,.

  In the maintenance unit 26, a wipe member 29 is provided near the suction caps 28, 28 on the platen 31 side in the sub-scanning direction Y. Since the wiping maintenance is performed by sliding the wipe member 29 and the ejection surfaces of the recording heads 22, 22..., The maintenance unit 26 is reciprocated in the main scanning direction X by the above-described maintenance unit driving mechanism.

  Since the configuration of the control unit in the third embodiment is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment, description thereof is omitted.

Next, the maintenance operation in the third embodiment will be described.
During the maintenance operation, the control unit controls the carrier driving mechanism and moves the recording heads 22, 22... And the light sources 23, 23.

  When the recording heads 22, 22,... Are arranged at predetermined positions in the maintenance area B, the maintenance unit 26 is moved to the recording heads 22, 22,. By covering the ejection surfaces of the recording heads 22, 22,..., The ejection ports are sealed.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the light source is held in the on state during the suction maintenance by the suction caps 28, 28,..., But the discharge surface of the recording heads 22, 22,. Are completely covered by the suction caps 28, 28,... So that the light from the light source does not enter the ejection surfaces of the recording heads 22, 22,.

After the suction maintenance is completed, the control unit controls the light sources 23, 23, and turns off the light sources 23, 23.
The control unit controls the maintenance unit 26 to separate the suction caps 28, 28,... From the ejection surfaces of the recording heads 22, 22,.

  After the separation, the control unit controls the maintenance unit 26 to reciprocate the maintenance unit 26 in the main scanning direction X by the maintenance driving mechanism, and sequentially wipes the ejection surfaces of the recording heads 22, 22. Wiping maintenance is executed from the recording head 22 on the recording area side in the sub-scanning direction Y while being in sliding contact. The control unit causes the recording head 22 that has completed the wiping maintenance to idle.

  When the maintenance operation is completed, the control unit controls the carrier driving mechanism to arrange the recording heads 22, 22... And the light sources 23, 23.

  When the recording heads 22, 22... And the light sources 23, 23... Are arranged in the recording area A, the control unit controls the light sources 23, 23.

  According to the present embodiment, the recording heads 22, 22,... Are arranged so as to extend in the width direction of the recording medium 30 and the recording medium 30 is moved to perform recording in the wiping maintenance. By turning off the light sources 23, 23, the light irregularly reflected on the surfaces of the recording heads 22, 22,... Of the maintenance unit 26 is made incident near the ejection openings of the recording heads 22, 22,. Can be prevented, and a highly reliable ink jet recording apparatus can be obtained in which clogging, ejection bending, and the like are not caused by the photocurable ink adhering to and near the ejection openings of the recording heads 22, 22.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Inkjet recording device 2 Recording head 3 Light source 4 Carriage 5 Guide rail 6 Carriage drive mechanism 7 Recording medium conveyance mechanism 8 Maintenance unit 9 Suction cap member 10 Suction cap 11 Communication pipe 12 Suction pump 13 Waste ink tank 14 Wipe member 15 Blade 16 Recording Medium 17 Platen 21 Inkjet recording device 22 Recording head 23 Light source 24 Carrier 25 Recording medium transport mechanism 26 Maintenance unit 27 Suction cap member 28 Suction cap 29 Wipe member 30 Recording medium 31 Platen 41 First roll shaft 42 Second roll shaft 43 Wipe member

Claims (8)

A recording head having an ejection port for ejecting ink that is cured by irradiating light onto the recording medium; a light source that irradiates light onto the ink ejected on the recording medium; and a maintenance operation of the recording head. In an inkjet recording apparatus comprising a maintenance unit to perform,
A suction cap member that sucks ink from the discharge port and the vicinity of the discharge port; a wipe member that wipes ink near the discharge port and the discharge port; and a control unit that controls turning on and off of the light source,
The control unit controls the light source so that a light amount of the light source becomes 1/2 or less of a light amount at the time of image recording in a maintenance operation by at least one of the wipe member and the suction cap member. An ink jet recording apparatus.   The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the light source to be turned off during a maintenance operation by at least one of the wipe member and the suction cap member.   The wipe member is formed of ultrafine fibers having a fineness of 0.2 denier to 0.01 denier, and has a sheet shape wound around the first roll shaft and the second roll shaft, 3. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ink absorber fed from the first roll shaft is wound up by the second roll shaft. 4.   The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording head is a serial recording head that performs recording by reciprocating driving in a main scanning direction.   4. The line system according to claim 1, wherein the recording head is arranged so as to extend in a width direction of the recording medium, and is a line system that performs recording by moving the recording medium. The ink jet recording apparatus described.   The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ink is an ultraviolet curable ink.   The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the ultraviolet curable ink has a viscosity at 25 ° C. of 10 to 50 mPa · s and a surface tension of 20 to 40 mN / m.   The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the ink is a cationic polymerization type ink.

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