JP2012126043A - Maintenance apparatus and liquid ejecting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a maintenance apparatus that can eliminate a liquid adhering to a nozzle forming surface while suppressing the liquid from being unnecessarily ejected from a nozzle opening, and to provide a liquid ejecting apparatus.SOLUTION: The maintenance apparatus 30 includes: a bottomed box-shaped cap 31 that contacts with the nozzle opening 23a to be surrounded on the nozzle forming surface 24a where the nozzle opening 23a for ejecting ink is formed, and forms a closed space region R1 to be surrounded between the nozzle forming surface 24a; and an absorbing material 35 that can absorb the ink discharged from the nozzle opening 23a and is movably housed in the cap 31 between an absorbing position where the ink adhering to the nozzle forming surface 24a in the closed space region R1 can be absorbed and a separation position that is more separate from the nozzle forming surface 24a than the absorbing position.

Description

  The present invention relates to a maintenance device in a liquid ejecting apparatus such as an ink jet printer, and a liquid ejecting apparatus including the maintenance device.

  Conventionally, as a liquid ejecting apparatus, an ink jet printer that performs a printing process on a sheet or the like by ejecting ink (liquid) from a nozzle provided in a liquid ejecting head is widely known. In such a printer, a bottomed box-shaped cap is brought into contact with the nozzle forming surface of the liquid ejecting head in which the nozzle opening is formed, and air bubbles accumulated in the liquid ejecting head are sucked with a suction pump. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-260707 performs suction cleaning that discharges the gas and the like.

JP 2007-136830 A

  By the way, the ink droplets discharged from the nozzle openings may adhere to the nozzle forming surface of the printer as the suction cleaning is executed. If such ink droplets enter the nozzle through the nozzle opening again, there is a risk that fine bubbles will be mixed with the ink droplets, or different colors of ink discharged from other nozzles may be mixed to cause color mixing. .

  Therefore, it is preferable to remove the ink adhering to the nozzle formation surface by absorbing it with an absorbent material. However, if the absorbent material is brought into contact with the nozzle forming surface in order to absorb the ink, the ink is drawn out from the nozzle by the absorbent material, and the ink is wasted or the meniscus in the nozzle is destroyed. There is a problem that it is.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a maintenance device capable of removing the liquid adhering to the nozzle forming surface while suppressing unnecessary drawing of the liquid from the nozzle opening. And a liquid ejecting apparatus.

  In order to achieve the above object, a maintenance device according to the present invention is in contact with a nozzle forming surface on which a nozzle opening for ejecting a liquid is formed so as to surround the nozzle opening, and between the nozzle forming surface and a closed space region. A bottomed box-like cap that surrounds the nozzle, an absorption position that can absorb the liquid discharged from the nozzle opening, and can absorb the liquid adhering to the nozzle formation surface in the closed space region, and the absorption And an absorbent material accommodated in the cap so as to be movable between a position separated from the nozzle forming surface rather than a position.

  According to this configuration, the liquid adhering to the nozzle formation surface can be absorbed by the absorbent material moving to the absorption position, while the absorbent material and the nozzle opening are separated by moving the absorbent material to the separation position. Can be made. Therefore, the liquid adhering to the nozzle formation surface can be removed while suppressing unnecessary drawing of the liquid from the nozzle opening.

  The maintenance device of the present invention comprises a negative pressure generating means for generating a negative pressure in the closed space region, and a movable wall disposed between the bottom wall of the cap and the absorbent material to support the absorbent material. Further, the movable wall moves in a moving direction from the bottom wall side of the cap toward the nozzle forming surface side by the negative pressure generated in the closed space region, so that the absorbent material is moved from the separation position to the absorption position. Move to.

  According to this configuration, the negative pressure generating means generates negative pressure in the closed space region, so that suction cleaning for sucking liquid from the nozzle opening can be executed. Moreover, since the movable wall moves in the moving direction when the negative pressure generating means generates a negative pressure in the closed space region, the absorbent can be moved by the negative pressure generating means for performing suction cleaning.

The maintenance device of the present invention further includes a seal member disposed between the side wall of the cap and the movable wall in order to ensure the sealing property of the closed space region.
According to this configuration, the sealing member seals between the side wall of the cap and the movable wall, so that the hermeticity of the closed space region can be ensured even when the movable wall moves.

The maintenance device of the present invention further includes a guide unit for guiding the movable wall so as to move along the moving direction.
According to this structure, a movable wall can be reliably moved along a moving direction by a guide part.

  In the maintenance device of the present invention, the cap restricts movement of the movable wall in the movement direction so that the absorbent material is stopped at the absorption position when the movable wall moves in the movement direction. And the absorbing position is a position at which the facing surface of the absorbent material facing the nozzle forming surface is in contact with the nozzle forming surface.

  According to this configuration, the restricting portion restricts the movement of the movable wall in the moving direction, so that the absorbent material is stopped at the absorption position. Therefore, the absorbent material can be brought into contact with the nozzle forming surface without being contracted and deformed. it can. Therefore, when the absorbent material comes into contact with the nozzle forming surface, it excessively shrinks and deforms, and the liquid that flows out of the absorbent material due to the shrinkage and deformation enters the nozzle, or bubbles are mixed into the nozzle together with the liquid. Can be suppressed.

  The maintenance device of the present invention further includes an elastic member having a first end in the moving direction fixed to the bottom wall of the cap and a second end fixed in the moving direction to the movable wall.

According to this configuration, when the negative pressure in the closed space is eliminated, the movable wall can be quickly returned to the original position by the elastic member.
In the maintenance device of the present invention, the cap is provided with an air release valve that opens the closed space to the atmosphere.

  According to this configuration, the air release valve opens the closed space region to the atmosphere, so that the negative pressure generated in the closed space region can be quickly eliminated. Thereby, the absorbent material can be quickly moved from the absorption position to the separation position in accordance with the timing when the negative pressure in the closed space region is eliminated and the discharge of the liquid from the nozzle opening ends. That is, when the closed space region is in a negative pressure state, the absorbent quickly absorbs the liquid discharged from the nozzle opening, whereas when the closed space region is in the atmospheric pressure state, the absorbent material is separated from the nozzle formation surface. Unnecessary withdrawal of liquid from the can be suppressed.

In order to achieve the above object, a liquid ejecting apparatus of the present invention includes a liquid ejecting head provided with a nozzle for ejecting a liquid, and the maintenance device.
According to this structure, the same effect as the said maintenance apparatus can be acquired.

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating an embodiment of a liquid ejecting apparatus according to the invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a maintenance device provided in the liquid ejecting apparatus in FIG. 1. Sectional drawing for demonstrating an effect | action of the maintenance apparatus of FIG.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment in which a liquid ejecting apparatus according to the present invention is embodied in an ink jet printer (hereinafter also abbreviated as “printer”) will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, when referring to “front-rear direction”, “left-right direction”, and “up-down direction”, the direction indicated by an arrow in each figure is used as a reference. In addition, in the arrow indicating the upward direction in the drawing, a point described in a circle (a diagram in which the tip of the arrow is viewed from the front) means an arrow heading from the back of the page to the front. .

  As shown in FIG. 1, in the printer 11 of the present embodiment, on a support member 13 disposed in a frame 12, along a conveyance direction Y that intersects a main scanning direction X that is a longitudinal direction of the frame 12. The paper P is conveyed.

  A plurality of ink cartridges 15 that store ink as an example of liquid are detachably mounted on the cartridge holder 14 disposed on one end side (right end side in FIG. 1) in the longitudinal direction of the frame 12. In the present embodiment, four ink cartridges 15 that contain inks of different colors are mounted on the cartridge holder 14. A pressurizing pump 17 that pressurizes and supplies air to each ink cartridge 15 through an air supply tube 16 is placed above the cartridge holder 14.

  A guide shaft 19 extending in the main scanning direction X is installed in the frame 12, and a carriage 20 is slidably supported on the guide shaft 19. The carriage 20 is connected via a timing belt 21 to a carriage motor 22 provided on the upstream side in the transport direction Y of the frame 12. The carriage 20 is reciprocated in the main scanning direction X along the guide shaft 19 by driving the carriage motor 22.

  Mounted on the carriage 20 are a liquid ejecting head 24 provided with a plurality of nozzles 23 for ejecting ink on the lower surface side, and a plurality of valve units 25 corresponding to the respective ink cartridges 15. The plurality of nozzles 23 arranged in the transport direction Y form a nozzle row that ejects the same color ink. In the liquid ejecting head 24, a plurality (four in this embodiment) of nozzle rows corresponding to different color inks are arranged along the main scanning direction X.

  The valve unit 25 is connected to the ink cartridge 15 via a flexible ink supply tube 26. The ink pressurized and supplied from the ink cartridge 15 by the pressure pump 17 is supplied to the liquid ejecting head 24 via the valve unit 25.

  That is, the printer 11 is a so-called off-carriage type printer that supplies ink from the ink cartridge 15 provided on the frame 12 side to the liquid ejecting head 24 mounted on the carriage 20. The valve unit 25 has a pressure adjusting function for maintaining the pressure in the liquid jet head 24 that is the back pressure of the nozzle 23 in a weak negative pressure state, thereby forming a uniform meniscus in the plurality of nozzles 23. The ink ejection operation is stabilized.

  Further, the printer 11 performs a printing process on the paper P by ejecting ink from the nozzles 23 to the paper P by driving a piezoelectric element (not shown) provided in the liquid ejecting head 24. The valve unit 25 supplies ink toward the liquid ejecting head 24 when the pressure in the liquid ejecting head 24 decreases due to ink ejection from the nozzle 23 or the like.

  The first end side (the right end side in FIG. 1) in the moving range along the main scanning direction X of the carriage 20 in the frame 12 is the home position HP. A maintenance device 30 for performing various maintenance processes on the liquid ejecting head 24 is disposed in the frame 12 at a position corresponding to the home position HP.

  The maintenance device 30 includes a bottomed box-shaped cap 31 formed in a size corresponding to the liquid ejecting head 24 disposed at the home position HP, and an elevating mechanism 32 for moving the cap 31 up and down. .

  As shown in FIG. 2, a rectangular frame-shaped sealing member 33 made of a flexible material is disposed on the entire upper surface of the side wall 31 a of the cap 31. Further, the cap 31 moves upward in a direction approaching the liquid ejecting head 24, and seal member so as to surround the nozzle opening 23a on the nozzle forming surface 24a on which the nozzle opening 23a for ejecting ink of the liquid ejecting head 24 is formed. By contacting 33, the closed space region R1 is surrounded and formed between the nozzle forming surface 24a. In the following description, it may be referred to as “capping” that the cap 31 is in contact with the nozzle forming surface 24a and surrounds the closed space region R1.

  The side wall 31a of the cap 31 is provided with an air release valve 34 that opens the closed space region R1 to the atmosphere when the cap 31 is opened. Further, the cap 31 accommodates an absorbent material 35 that can absorb the ink discharged from the nozzle openings 23a. Further, the cap 31 supports the absorbent material 35 in the cap 31, and is disposed between the bottom wall 31b of the cap 31 and the absorbent material 35 when the cap 31 surrounds and forms the closed space region R1. A movable wall 36 is accommodated.

  The absorber 35 and the movable wall 36 are movable in the cap 31 along the direction approaching and separating from the nozzle forming surface 24a (the vertical direction Z in this embodiment). Then, the absorbent material 35 and the movable wall 36 move in the moving direction (upward in the present embodiment) from the bottom wall 31b side of the cap 31 toward the nozzle forming surface 24a side (opening side of the cap 31). When the facing surface 35a (the upper surface in this embodiment) facing the nozzle forming surface 24a contacts the nozzle forming surface 24a as shown in FIG. 3, the absorbent 35 absorbs the ink attached to the nozzle forming surface 24a. It has become.

  Between the side wall 31a of the cap 31 and the movable wall 36, an annular seal member 37 whose inner peripheral side is fixed to the movable wall 36 and whose outer peripheral side abuts on the side wall 31a of the cap 31 is disposed. The seal member 37 is made of, for example, flexible rubber packing or a film. And when the absorber 35 and the movable wall 36 move to the up-down direction Z, the sealing member 37 bends and displaces and the contact with the side wall 31a of the cap 31 is hold | maintained, and the sealing performance of the closed space area R1 is ensured. It has come to be. In the cap 31, an open space region R2 is formed below the closed space region R1 between the bottom wall 31b of the cap 31 and the movable wall 36.

  A guide groove 38 extending in the vertical direction Z is formed at a position in the open space region R2 on the side wall 31a of the cap 31. A guide portion 39 for guiding the movable wall 36 so as to move along the vertical direction Z extends from the lower surface side of the movable wall 36 toward the guide groove 38. The leading end side of the guide portion 39 is inserted into the guide groove 38 in a movable state. When the movable wall 36 moves in the movement direction together with the absorbent 35 and moves to a position where the opposing surface 35a contacts the nozzle forming surface 24a (hereinafter referred to as "absorption position"), the guide portion The movement in the movement direction is regulated by abutting 39 on a regulation part 38 a formed of the upper end part of the guide groove 38.

  Further, a coil spring 40 as an example of an elastic member is accommodated at a position in the cap 31 that is in the open space region R2. The coil spring 40 has a first end (lower end in FIG. 3) in the movement direction (vertical direction Z) fixed to the bottom wall 31b of the cap 31 and a second end (in FIG. 3 in the vertical direction Z). The upper end is fixed to the movable wall 36.

  A through hole 41 is formed in the bottom wall 31 b of the cap 31, and a flexible discharge tube 42 is inserted into the through hole 41. A proximal end side of a tubular suction portion 43 is connected to the upstream end of the discharge tube 42. Further, the suction part 43 is fixed to the movable wall 36 in a state in which the tip side penetrates the movable wall 36 and is inserted into the absorbent material 35.

  The lower end side of the discharge tube 42 is inserted into a waste ink tank 44 having a rectangular parallelepiped shape for collecting the discharged ink. In the waste ink tank 44, a waste ink absorbing material 45 for absorbing the discharged ink is accommodated. In addition, a suction pump 51 as an example of a negative pressure generating unit is disposed in the middle of the discharge tube 42.

  The suction pump 51 is a tube pump having a substantially cylindrical pump case 52, and is accommodated in the pump case 52 so that the middle portion of the discharge tube 42 in the length direction is along the inner peripheral wall of the pump case 52. Has been. In the pump case 52, a rotating body 53 that is rotatable about a wheel shaft 52a provided at the axial center of the pump case 52 is accommodated.

  The rotating body 53 is formed with a pair of arcuate guide grooves 53a bulging outward so as to face each other across the wheel shaft 52a. Each guide groove 53 a has one end positioned on the outer peripheral side of the rotating body 53 and the other end positioned on the inner peripheral side of the rotating body 53. That is, both guide grooves 53a gradually extend away from the outer peripheral portion of the rotating body 53 as they go from one end to the other end. A pair of pressing rollers 54 capable of pressing the discharge tube 42 while moving along the inner peripheral surface of the pump case 52 when the rotating body 53 rotates are inserted into the guide grooves 53a through the rotating shafts 54a. It is supported.

  When the suction pump 51 is driven to rotate forward, the rotating body 53 rotates in the counterclockwise direction indicated by the solid arrow A in FIG. Then, the pressing roller 54 moves to one end side (the outer peripheral side of the pump wheel 32) of the guide groove 53a, and the intermediate portion of the discharge tube 42 is sequentially moved from the cap 31 side (upstream side) to the waste ink tank 44 side (downstream side). It is designed to rotate while being crushed. As a result of this rotation, the air in the discharge tube 42 is expelled to the waste ink tank 44 side (downstream side), and the inside of the discharge tube 42 on the cap 31 side (upstream side) than the suction pump 51 is sucked.

  Accordingly, when the suction pump 51 is driven to rotate forward by bringing the cap 31 into contact with the liquid jet head 24 (that is, with capping), negative pressure is generated in the closed space region R1. Due to this negative pressure, bubbles and thickened ink are discharged from the nozzle openings 23a together with the ink in the liquid ejecting head 24. Further, such suction from the nozzle opening 23a is referred to as “suction cleaning processing”.

  On the other hand, when the suction pump 51 is driven in reverse, the rotating body 53 rotates in the clockwise direction in FIG. Then, the pressing roller 54 moves to the other end side (the inner peripheral side of the pump wheel 32) of the guide groove 53a, and the pressing of the discharge tube 42 is released. As a result, the pressing roller 54 is in a state where it is in light contact with the intermediate portion of the discharge tube 42, and the inside of the discharge tube 42 is opened to the atmosphere.

Next, the operation of the maintenance device 30 of this embodiment will be described.
When the printing process is not executed in the printer 11, the carriage 20 is moved to the home position HP, and capping is performed to suppress drying of the nozzles 23. At this time, the closed space region R1 surrounded and formed between the cap 31 and the nozzle forming surface 24a is in an atmospheric pressure state.

  In addition, the maintenance device 30 executes the suction cleaning process at a predetermined timing before the start of the printing process or between printing processes. Specifically, with the liquid ejecting head 24 capped, the atmosphere release valve 34 is closed and the suction pump 51 is driven to rotate forward.

  When a negative pressure is generated in the closed space region R1 by the forward rotation of the suction pump 51, the movable wall 36 is moved in the moving direction by the negative pressure. Further, when the movement of the movable wall 36 is restricted by the restriction portion 38a, the absorbent 35 that has moved in the movement direction together with the movable wall 36 is stopped at the absorption position. That is, when the movable wall 36 moves in the moving direction approaching the nozzle forming surface 24a due to the negative pressure generated in the closed space region R1, the absorbent 35 moves from the separation position shown in FIG. 2 to the absorption position shown in FIG. To do.

  When the absorbent material 35 moves to the absorption position, the opposed surface 35a of the absorbent material 35 comes into contact with the nozzle forming surface 24a, so that the inside of the nozzle 23 is sucked through the absorbent material 35 and together with the bubbles in the liquid jet head 24 from the nozzle opening 23a. Ink is discharged. Then, the ink discharged from the nozzle opening 23 a is absorbed by the absorbing material 35, and the ink absorbed by the absorbing material 35 is accommodated in the waste ink tank 44 through the suction part 43 and the discharging tube 42.

  When the forward rotation drive of the suction pump 51 is completed, the closed atmosphere release valve 34 is opened. Then, since the atmospheric air flows into the closed space region R1 and the negative pressure is eliminated, the movable wall 36 and the absorbent 35 are separated from the nozzle forming surface 24a from the absorption position by the restoring force of the coil spring 40 from the absorption position. Move to the separated position. As described above, the absorbing material 35 moves in the closed space region R1 between the absorption position where the ink attached to the nozzle formation surface 24a can be absorbed and the separation position which is further away from the nozzle formation surface 24a than the absorption position. It is possible. In the cap 31, the separation position is a position closer to the bottom wall 31b than the absorption position, and the absorption position is a position closer to the opening side of the cap 31 (nozzle formation surface 24a side) than the separation position.

  Further, when the inside of the closed space R <b> 1 becomes an atmospheric pressure state due to the opening of the atmosphere release valve 34, the back pressure of the nozzle 23 is made a weak negative pressure state by the pressure adjustment function of the valve unit 25. Then, a meniscus Sf is formed in the nozzle 23 so as to form a concave surface toward the upstream side of the nozzle 23 as shown in FIG.

  When a meniscus is formed in the nozzle 23, the boundary of the curved liquid surface is clipped to the boundary portion between the nozzle 23 and the nozzle forming surface 24a. “Clipped” refers to a state in which the liquid surface is caught by a portion where the shape or surface state changes, and the liquid surface position is less likely to move than a flat portion. However, if the absorbent material 35 is in contact with the nozzle forming surface 24a, the boundary between the absorbent material 35 and the liquid surface may come into contact with the clip, and the ink may be drawn out from the nozzle 23.

  In this regard, in the present embodiment, when the closed space region R1 is opened to the atmosphere, the absorbent 35 moves from the absorption position to the separated position after the ink discharged from the nozzle openings 23a is wiped by the absorbent 35. That is, when the meniscus is formed in the nozzle 23, the absorbent 35 is separated from the nozzle forming surface 24a, so that the ink attached to the nozzle forming surface 24a can be removed without drawing the ink from the nozzle 23. .

According to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) The ink adhering to the nozzle forming surface 24a can be absorbed by moving the absorbing material 35 to the absorbing position, while the absorbing material 35 and the nozzle opening 23a are moved by moving the absorbing material 35 to the separated position. Can be separated. Therefore, it is possible to remove ink adhering to the nozzle forming surface 24a while suppressing unnecessary drawing of ink from the nozzle opening 23a.

  (2) Since the suction pump 51 generates a negative pressure in the closed space region R1, suction cleaning for sucking ink from the nozzle openings 23a can be executed. Further, when the suction pump 51 generates a negative pressure in the closed space region R1, the movable wall 36 moves in the moving direction, so that the absorbent 35 can be moved by the suction pump 51 for performing suction cleaning.

(3) Since the seal member 37 seals between the side wall 31a of the cap 31 and the movable wall 36, even when the movable wall 36 moves, the hermeticity of the closed space region R1 can be ensured.
(4) The movable wall 36 can be reliably moved along the moving direction by the guide portion 39.

  (5) Since the restricting portion 38a restricts the movement of the movable wall 36 in the moving direction, the absorbing material 35 is stopped at the absorbing position, so that the absorbing material 35 does not excessively contract and deform and does not contact the nozzle forming surface 24a. Can be touched. Accordingly, when the absorbent material 35 comes into contact with the nozzle forming surface 24a, the ink is excessively contracted and deformed, and the ink flowing out of the absorbent material 35 by the contraction and deformation enters the nozzle 23 to cause color mixing, or bubbles are formed together with the ink. Mixing into the nozzle 23 can be suppressed.

(6) When the negative pressure in the closed space region R1 is eliminated, the movable wall 36 can be quickly returned to the original position by the coil spring 40.
(7) Since the atmosphere release valve 34 opens the closed space region R1 to the atmosphere, the negative pressure generated in the closed space region R1 can be quickly eliminated. Thereby, the absorbent 35 can be quickly moved from the absorption position to the separation position in accordance with the timing when the negative pressure in the closed space region R1 is eliminated and the discharge of the ink from the nozzle opening 23a is completed. That is, when the closed space region R1 is in a negative pressure state, the absorbent 35 quickly absorbs the ink discharged from the nozzle opening 23a, while when the closed space region R1 is in the atmospheric pressure state, the absorbent material 35 is removed from the nozzle forming surface 24a. Since they are separated from each other, unnecessary drawing of ink from the nozzle openings 23a can be suppressed.

In addition, you may change the said embodiment as follows.
The position where the facing surface 35a of the absorbent 35 is separated from the nozzle forming surface 24a to such an extent that the ink droplets adhering to the nozzle forming surface 24a can be absorbed may be set as the absorption position. According to this configuration, it is possible to suppress the ink absorbed by the absorbing material 35 from adhering to the nozzle forming surface 24a.

  The position where the absorbent material 35 abuts on the nozzle forming surface 24a without contracting may be set as the absorption position. According to this configuration, it is possible to suppress the ink that has flowed out of the absorbing material 35 due to contraction deformation from adhering to the nozzle forming surface 24a.

  A position where the absorbent material 35 is in contact with the nozzle forming surface 24a in a state where the absorbent material 35 is slightly contracted and deformed may be set as the absorption position. In this case, when the negative pressure in the closed space region R1 is eliminated, the ink adhering to the nozzle forming surface 24a can be efficiently absorbed by the absorbing material 35 that is restored and deformed.

  The guide portion 39 may be extended from the movable wall 36 in the horizontal direction, or may be extended from the side wall 31a of the cap 31 to the movable wall 36 side. Alternatively, the guide groove 38 and the guide part 39 may not be provided.

The outer peripheral side of the seal member 37 may be fixed to the side wall 31 a of the cap 31.
The movable wall 36 may be made of an elastically deformable elastomer or the like, and the outer peripheral portion of the movable wall 36 may be in contact with the side wall 31a of the cap 31 to ensure the sealing property of the closed space region R1.

  The restricting portion that restricts the movement of the movable wall 36 in the moving direction may be realized as a convex portion protruding from the side wall 31a of the cap 31 toward the movable wall 36. Or it is good also as a structure which is not provided with the control part 38a.

  The elastic member is not limited to the coil spring 40 but may be a leaf spring, elastic rubber, or the like. Alternatively, the elastic member may not be provided in the cap 31, and the absorbent 35 and the movable wall 36 may move from the absorption position to the separation position by their own weight when the closed space region R1 is opened to the atmosphere.

  -It is not necessary to provide the atmosphere release valve 34 in the cap 31. FIG. Also in this case, the closed space region R1 can be opened to the atmosphere through the discharge tube 42 by driving the suction pump 51 in the reverse direction and then driving it in the reverse direction.

A moving mechanism for moving the absorbent 35 and the movable wall 36 in the closed space region R <b> 1 may be provided separately from the suction pump 51.
The maintenance device 30 may include a plurality of caps 31 corresponding to nozzles that eject different colors of ink.

  The printer may be an on-carriage type in which the ink cartridge 15 is mounted on the carriage 20. Alternatively, not only a serial type printer in which the carriage 20 moves in the main scanning direction X, but also a line head type or lateral type printer capable of printing in the maximum paper width range while the liquid ejecting head 24 is fixed. Good. Furthermore, an ink jet type label printer, a barcode printer, a ticket issuing device, or the like may be used.

  The liquid ejecting apparatus is not limited to a printer, but may be a FAX apparatus, a copying apparatus, or a multifunction machine having a plurality of these functions. Furthermore, a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects or ejects liquid other than ink may be employed, and can be used for various liquid ejecting apparatuses including a liquid ejecting head that ejects a minute amount of liquid droplets. . In addition, a droplet means the state of the liquid discharged from the said liquid ejecting apparatus, and shall also include what pulls a tail in granular shape, tear shape, and thread shape. The liquid here may be any material that can be ejected by the liquid ejecting apparatus. For example, it may be in the state when the substance is in a liquid phase, such as a liquid state with high or low viscosity, sol, gel water, other inorganic solvents, organic solvents, solutions, liquid resins, liquid metals (metal melts ) And a liquid as one state of a substance, as well as a material in which particles of a functional material made of a solid such as a pigment or metal particles are dissolved, dispersed or mixed in a solvent. Further, representative examples of the liquid include ink and liquid crystal as described in the above embodiment. Here, the ink includes general water-based inks and oil-based inks, and various liquid compositions such as gel inks and hot melt inks. As a specific example of the liquid ejecting apparatus, for example, a liquid containing a material such as an electrode material or a color material used for manufacturing a liquid crystal display, an EL (electroluminescence) display, a surface emitting display, a color filter, or the like in a dispersed or dissolved state. It may be a liquid ejecting apparatus for ejecting. Further, it may be a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects a bio-organic matter used for biochip manufacture, a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects a liquid as a sample that is used as a precision pipette, a printing apparatus, a microdispenser, or the like. In addition, transparent resin liquids such as UV curable resin to form liquid injection devices that pinpoint lubricant oil onto precision machines such as watches and cameras, and micro hemispherical lenses (optical lenses) used in optical communication elements. A liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects a liquid onto the substrate or a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects an etching solution such as an acid or an alkali to etch the substrate may be employed.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Printer as an example of a liquid ejecting apparatus, 23 ... Nozzle, 23a ... Nozzle opening, 24 ... Liquid ejecting head, 24a ... Nozzle formation surface, 30 ... Maintenance device, 31 ... Cap, 31a ... Side wall, 31b ... Bottom wall, 34 ... Air release valve, 35 ... Absorber, 35a ... Opposite surface, 36 ... Movable wall, 37 ... Seal member, 38a ... Restriction part, 39 ... Guide part, 40 ... Coil spring as an example of elastic member, 51 ... Negative Suction pump as an example of pressure generating means, R1...

Claims (8)

A bottomed box-like cap that surrounds and forms a closed space region between the nozzle forming surface and a nozzle forming surface on which a nozzle opening for ejecting liquid is formed so as to surround the nozzle opening;
An absorption position capable of absorbing the liquid discharged from the nozzle opening and capable of absorbing the liquid adhering to the nozzle formation surface in the closed space region, and a separation position separated from the nozzle formation surface than the absorption position And an absorbent material housed in the cap so as to be movable between the maintenance device and the maintenance device. Negative pressure generating means for generating a negative pressure in the closed space region;
A movable wall disposed between the bottom wall of the cap and the absorbent material and supporting the absorbent material;
Due to the negative pressure generated in the closed space region, the movable wall moves in the moving direction from the bottom wall side of the cap toward the nozzle forming surface side, so that the absorbent material moves from the separation position to the absorption position. The maintenance device according to claim 1.   The maintenance device according to claim 2, further comprising a seal member disposed between a side wall of the cap and the movable wall in order to ensure sealing of the closed space region.   The maintenance device according to claim 2, further comprising a guide portion for guiding the movable wall so as to move along the moving direction. The cap is provided with a restricting portion for restricting the movement of the movable wall in the moving direction so that the absorbing material is stopped at the absorption position when the movable wall moves in the moving direction.
The said absorption position is a position where the opposing surface which opposes the said nozzle formation surface of the said absorber contact | abuts to the said nozzle formation surface, The Claim 2 characterized by the above-mentioned. Maintenance device.   The elastic member in which the first end in the moving direction is fixed to the bottom wall of the cap, and the second end in the moving direction is fixed to the movable wall. The maintenance device according to any one of 5.   The maintenance device according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the cap is provided with an air release valve that opens the closed space to the atmosphere. A liquid ejecting head provided with a nozzle for ejecting liquid;
A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising: the maintenance apparatus according to claim 1.

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