JP2015085618A - Inkjet recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inkjet recorder capable of rapidly and surely removing an ink on a wiping surface in a short maintenance time.SOLUTION: An inkjet recorder 1 includes one or more wipers 30 for wiping a nozzle surface 24 of an inkjet head 20, and a cleaning mechanism 40 for cleaning the wipers 30. The cleaning mechanism 40 comprises a wiping member 42 for wiping a wiping surface of the wipers 30 while wetting with a cleaning liquid L, and cleaning liquid supply means 44 for supplying the cleaning liquid L to the wiping member 42. The wiping member 42 comprises one wiping part 42a for contacting a wiping surface facing a predetermined direction in the one or more wipers 30, and another wiping part 42b for contacting a wiping surface facing the direction opposite to the predetermined direction, and a moving mechanism 38 for moving the wiping member 42 or the wipers 30 to perform the contact is also provided.

Description

  The present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus, and more specifically, an inkjet recording apparatus that performs recording by discharging liquid (ink) from an inkjet head (recording head) mounted on a carriage that scans the recording medium onto the recording medium. About.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, ink jet recording apparatuses (ink jet printers) having various configurations have been known for ejecting ink from nozzles of an ink jet head to record (print) desired characters and figures on a recording medium.

  In general, in an ink jet recording apparatus, when printing is performed, ink ejected may gradually adhere to the nozzle surface of the ink jet head, and the adhering inks may merge to form ink droplets. is there. Further, the ink droplets may be gradually cured to become, for example, a gel-like thickened ink. In this way, if printing is continued with thickened ink or ink droplets attached to the nozzle surface, ink droplets may drip onto the recording medium or nozzle clogging may occur. The problem of deteriorating quality arises. Therefore, conventionally, a technique for cleaning the nozzle surface of the inkjet head by wiping with a wiper made of a rubber material or the like is known.

  However, when wiping is performed, ink is attached to the wiper. Further, as in the case of the nozzle face of the ink jet head, the ink attached to the wiper may be gradually cured by drying or the like to become a gel-like thickened ink. Therefore, if wiping is continued in the same state, ink attached to the wiper or thickened ink will enter the nozzles, causing clogging, color mixing of the ink, and flight bending during ejection. There has been a problem of causing it to occur.

  As means for solving such a problem, for example, an ink jet recording apparatus including a porous absorbent member and configured to absorb ink adhering to a wiper is disclosed (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2010-228214 A

  However, in the configuration exemplified in Patent Document 1, since the ink on the wiping surface of the wiper is removed by the same portion of the same absorbing member, there is a problem that the wear is severe, and in particular, a plurality of wipers are formed. In an ink jet recording apparatus in which the number of wiping surfaces increases due to, for example, there may be a problem that the absorption by the absorbing member cannot catch up, or a problem that the ink once adhered to the absorbing member once again adheres to the wiper. Further, as in the configuration of the same document 1, since it takes time to obtain the action of diffusing ink inside the absorbing member, the time required for the process (maintenance time) increases, and the printing tact time increases. Problems such as becoming may occur.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and includes a wiping member having a plurality of wiping portions corresponding to a plurality of wiping surfaces in a wiper, and quickly and reliably ink on a wiping surface in a short maintenance time. In addition to being able to remove, it is possible to prevent reattachment of ink to the wiping surface, thereby preventing clogging of nozzles of the ink jet head, ink color mixing, flight bending at the time of ejection, etc. An object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording apparatus capable of high quality recording.

  As an embodiment, the above-described problem is solved by a solution as disclosed below.

  The disclosed inkjet recording apparatus includes: an inkjet recording apparatus including an inkjet head that performs recording by ejecting ink droplets from nozzles; and one or a plurality of wipers that wipe the nozzle surface of the inkjet head; A cleaning mechanism that performs cleaning, wherein the cleaning mechanism is a wiping member that wipes the wiping surface of the wiper while being wetted by the cleaning liquid, and a cleaning liquid supply unit that supplies the cleaning liquid to the wiping member And the wiping member has one wiping portion that contacts a wiping surface facing a predetermined direction in the one or more wipers, and a direction opposite to the predetermined direction in the one or more wipers. And another wiping portion that contacts the wiping surface facing the surface, and moving the wiping member or the wiper Serial and further comprising a moving mechanism for causing the contact. According to this, the wiping member having a plurality of wiping portions corresponding to the plurality of wiping surfaces can be provided, and the wiping surface of the wiper can be cleaned, and ink can be removed from the wiping surface quickly and reliably. At the same time, reattachment of ink to the wiping surface can be prevented. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent ink adhering to the wiping surface of the wiper from drying and becoming thickened ink, so that the thickened ink and ink droplets adhering to the nozzle surface of the inkjet head can be effectively removed by the wiper. It is possible to prevent clogging of the nozzles of the ink jet head, ink color mixing, flight bending during ejection, and the like. Furthermore, since the wiping surface is cleaned by a plurality of wiping portions corresponding to each wiping surface, the cleaning time, in particular, the wiping of the ink in the wiping portion and the diffusion of the ink inside the wiping portion which has been wiped off to the inside. Since the time required can be greatly shortened, the time required for the process (maintenance time) can be shortened, and the remarkable effect that the tact time of printing can be reduced is achieved.

  Moreover, in this invention, it is preferable that the wiping member is formed in the cylindrical shape fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the 1st roller member. According to this, a simple mounting structure can be realized for the first roller member, and the wiping member replacement operation can be facilitated. In addition, since the position of the wiping portion can be changed by moving (rotating) the first roller member, the wiping member has a wiping surface that is removed from the wiping surface of the wiper at the same location of the same member. The amount of wear can be reduced, the life can be extended, and the replacement cycle can be extended.

  Moreover, in this invention, it is preferable that the said wiping member is formed in the sheet | seat shape which is drawn | fed out from a feeding roller and wound up by the winding roller. According to this, compared with the structure which removes the ink of the wiping surface of a wiper by the same location of the same member, the abrasion amount of a wiping member can be reduced and a lifetime can be lengthened. Moreover, since it becomes possible to maintain the wiping effect of the wiping member over a long period of time by using a long sheet-like member, it becomes possible to greatly increase the replacement cycle of the wiping member, The effect that the labor of work is greatly reduced can be obtained.

  In the present invention, a platen for supporting the wiping member at a predetermined position is provided, and the support surface of the platen and the wiping surface of the wiper facing each other are arranged at a predetermined angle. It is preferable. According to this, the wiping part of a wiping member can be installed in the state which made the angle with respect to the wiping surface of the wiper. Therefore, when the wiping surface comes into contact with the wiping portion, an action of sequentially coming in contact from the right end portion to the left end portion of the wiping surface (or vice versa) is obtained, and as a result, the ink adhering to the wiping surface is wiped off. It is possible to further enhance the effect of washing while removing it by wiping with a take-up section.

  Further, in the present invention, the cleaning liquid supply means has a columnar or cylindrical second roller member, and the second roller member has a groove portion capable of holding the cleaning liquid on the outer peripheral surface, and the outer peripheral surface is It is preferable to be disposed so as to be able to contact the wiping member. According to this, since either one of the cylindrical or sheet-like wiping member or the second roller member can be driven to rotate, both can be rotated simultaneously. A structure in which the cleaning liquid is held in the groove portion of the outer peripheral surface and the cleaning liquid is supplied from the groove portion to the wiping member when the two contact each other can be realized.

  Moreover, in this invention, it is preferable to provide the control means which moves the said wiping member and changes the position of the said wiping part when the washing | cleaning of predetermined times or predetermined time is performed. According to this, since the position of the wiping portion can be changed at a predetermined timing, it is possible to prevent only the same portion of the wiping member from being worn. Therefore, the lifetime of the wiping member can be extended and the replacement cycle can be extended.

  According to the disclosed inkjet recording apparatus, it is possible to remove ink from the wiping surface quickly and reliably in a short maintenance time, and it is possible to prevent reattachment of ink to the wiping surface. As a result, clogging of the nozzles of the ink jet head, ink color mixing, flight bending at the time of ejection, and the like can be prevented, and high-quality recording can be performed.

1 is a schematic view (plan view) illustrating an example of an ink jet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is the schematic (front view) of the inkjet recording device shown in FIG. It is the schematic which shows the example of the wiper and cleaning mechanism of the inkjet recording device shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining a wiper sliding operation of the ink jet recording apparatus shown in FIG. 1. It is the schematic which shows the example of the wiper and cleaning mechanism of the inkjet recording device which concern on 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic which shows the example of the wiper and cleaning mechanism of the inkjet recording device which concern on 3rd embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic which shows the example of the wiper and washing | cleaning mechanism of the inkjet recording device which concern on 4th embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic which shows the modification of the inkjet recording device shown in FIG.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram (plan view) of an inkjet recording apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic view (front view) of the inkjet recording apparatus 1. For convenience of explanation, the front and rear, left and right, and up and down directions of the inkjet recording apparatus 1 are shown in the directions of the arrows in each drawing.
Note that components having the same function are denoted by the same reference symbols throughout the drawings for describing the embodiments, and the repetitive description thereof may be omitted.

  The ink jet recording apparatus 1 has a liquid (here, ink) from a nozzle of an ink jet head with respect to a recording surface (printing surface) of a recording medium M such as paper, cloth, resin sheet (for example, made of vinyl chloride, polyester, etc.). Is a device that prints characters, figures, etc.

  Here, in this embodiment, a case where an aqueous sublimation transfer ink is used as an ink will be described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is also applicable to the case of using inks such as latex ink, solvent ink, and UV ink.

  The ink jet recording apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is above a platen 10 (first platen) on which the recording medium M is supported, and in a direction (in FIG. 1) orthogonal to the conveyance direction (front direction in FIG. 1) of the recording medium M. A guide rail 12 is disposed in the left-right direction, and a carriage 14 is movably held on the guide rail 12. For this reason, the carriage 14 is guided by the guide rail 12 and can move in the left-right direction. The carriage 14 is connected to a traction mechanism using a wire or a ball (not shown), and can be moved in the left-right direction by driving and controlling a drive source such as a motor.

  A head unit 18 on which an inkjet head (recording head) 20 for discharging ink droplets is mounted is fixed to the carriage 14.

  The inkjet head 20 is configured for each of magenta, yellow, cyan, and black, for example, and a plurality of nozzles 23 that eject ink droplets are disposed on the surface of the recording medium M (that is, the platen 10). A nozzle surface 24 is formed (see FIGS. 2 and 4). FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining a sliding operation of the wiper 30 described later.

  With the above configuration, the head unit 18 can be moved in the left-right direction by moving the carriage 14 in the left-right direction. When the carriage 14 is moved in the left-right direction, printing can be performed by ejecting ink droplets from the head unit 18 and landing on the recording medium M.

  Further, in the present embodiment, a wiper that wipes the nozzle surface 24 of the inkjet head 20 below the inkjet head 20 when the head unit 18 is moved to an end portion on one side (right side in FIGS. 1 and 2). 30 and a cleaning mechanism 40 for cleaning the wiper 30 is provided.

  More specifically, the wiper 30 is one end portion in the main scanning direction (left and right direction in FIGS. 1 and 2), and is disposed at a predetermined standby position for waiting the inkjet head 20 (FIG. 1, FIG. 1). (See FIG. 2). According to this, the nozzle surface 24 can be wiped by using a waiting time such as during the printing process of the inkjet head 20. Further, it is possible to prevent the recording medium M from being soiled by unintentional ink dropping caused by wiping.

  Here, the example of a structure of the wiper 30 and the washing | cleaning mechanism 40 which concerns on this embodiment is shown in the schematic (side view) of FIG.

Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the wiper 30 according to the present embodiment is provided with a plurality of (here, two) wipers 30 (30A and 30B), each of which includes a blade 34 supported by a support member 32. Configured. As an example, predetermined surfaces (here, surfaces 34 b and 34 c facing each other) of the blade 34 are used as wiping surfaces for wiping the nozzle surface 24. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the surfaces (34a, 34d) of the blade 34 that do not face each other may be used as the wiping surface. Or it is good also as a structure which uses the surface (34a, 34b and 34c, 34d) of the both sides of each blade 34 as a wiping surface.
Furthermore, as a modification, only one wiper 30 (for example, 30A) may be provided, and the surfaces on both sides (for example, 34a and 34b) of the blade 34 may be used as wiping surfaces.

  The wiper 30 is configured to be attached to the moving mechanism 38 so as to be able to reciprocate in a predetermined direction (here, the A direction and the B direction in FIG. 3). As an example, the moving mechanism 38 that moves the wiper 30 includes a driving roller that is driven by a driving motor (not shown) and a timing belt that is wound around a driven roller. At a position to be cleaned, for example, a predetermined position near the home position of the carriage 14 that scans the inkjet head 20, the wiper 30 is moved to face the nozzle surface 24 at a predetermined interval from the nozzle surface 24 of the inkjet head 20. Arranged to be able to. The drive motor is composed of, for example, a pulse motor, and rotates the timing belt forward / reversely by switching the phase excitation to forward / reverse. The position of the wiper 30 is detected by, for example, a position detection sensor (not shown).

  The wipers 30 are moved up and down by a wiper drive mechanism (not shown). Since the wiper drive mechanism can be configured using various conventional techniques, the description thereof is omitted here.

  According to the above configuration, the wiping surface of the blade 34 of the wiper 30 on the nozzle surface 24 of the inkjet head 20 (for example, the wiping surface 34c when moving in the A direction and the wiping surface 34b when moving in the B direction). The wiper 30 (that is, the blade 34) is moved in a predetermined direction by the moving mechanism 38 to perform wiping (wiping), and the ink attached to the nozzle surface 24 can be removed (see FIG. 4). Although a specific wiping operation will be described later, one wiping operation of the blade 34 is performed by sliding in a predetermined direction (the arrow direction in FIG. 4).

  Here, the blade 34 has flexibility and strength capable of removing ink mechanically, does not damage the surface of the nozzle surface 24, and has resistance to cleaning liquids such as acid and alkali. It is preferable to be made of a material that satisfies the above characteristics. For example, a resin material such as polypropylene or a rubber material such as EPDM is used. However, it is not limited to these materials. As an example, the blade 34 according to the present embodiment is formed in a substantially rectangular flat plate shape using polypropylene, and has a configuration in which a tip portion (upper end side) is in line contact with the nozzle surface 24.

  Next, the cleaning mechanism 40 characteristic of this embodiment will be described. The cleaning mechanism 40 includes a wiping member 42 that wipes the wiping surface of the wiper 30 while being wetted with the cleaning liquid, and a cleaning liquid supply unit 44 that supplies the cleaning liquid L to the wiping member 42. .

  In the present embodiment, the cleaning mechanism 40 is located at a position corresponding to the wiper 30, that is, one end portion in the main scanning direction (left and right direction in FIGS. 1 and 2), and is a predetermined for waiting the inkjet head 20. It is preferable to be disposed at the standby position (see FIGS. 1 and 2). According to this, the wiper 30 (blade 34) can be cleaned by using a waiting time such as during the printing process of the inkjet head 20. Further, it is possible to prevent the recording medium M from being soiled by the dropping of cleaning liquid or ink.

  Here, the wiping member 42 of the cleaning mechanism 40 is configured by using, for example, a non-woven fabric, and as shown in a side view (schematic diagram) of FIG. The other end 42 </ b> B is immersed in the cleaning liquid L stored in the storage tank 45 that constitutes the cleaning liquid supply means 44. According to this, one end 42A of the wiping member 42 can always be kept wet by the cleaning liquid L due to the capillary phenomenon in the nonwoven fabric. Therefore, it is possible to perform cleaning with the cleaning liquid L impregnating the wiping member 42 by bringing the wiping surface (for example, the wiping surfaces 34b and 34c) of the wiper 30 into contact with the one end 42A. . More specifically, the effect of the ink adhering to the wiping surface of the wiper 30 being wiped by the wiping member 42 and leaching into the cleaning liquid of the wiping member 42 and diffusing in the wiping member 42. Is obtained. Thereby, the wiping surface is cleaned.

  Here, the cleaning liquid may be appropriately selected according to the type of ink used, and a liquid having an action of swelling and peeling the thickened / solidified ink is suitable.

  As an example, when the ink is an aqueous sublimation transfer ink, the cleaning liquid L may be, for example, a polyhydric alcohol such as ethylene glycol, a glycol ether such as ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, an alcohol such as isopropyl alcohol, N-methyl- Basic solvents such as 2-pyrrolidone and triethanolamine are used.

  When the ink is a latex ink, as the cleaning liquid L, for example, water or a hydrophilic solvent mainly containing glycol ethers is used. In addition, you may use ester, a lactone solvent, etc. together.

  Further, when the ink is a solvent ink, as the cleaning liquid L, for example, an organic solvent incompatible with water is used. As an example of such an organic solvent, an organic solvent selected from glycol ether or glycol ester compounds is used.

  When the ink is UV ink, examples of the cleaning liquid L include ketones such as n-hexane, isoparaffin hydrocarbons, cyclohexanone, aromatic hydrocarbons such as toluene and xylene, dipropylene glycol, and monomethyl ether acetate. Volatile organic solvents such as esters can be used. Moreover, you may mix and use not only one type but a several volatile organic solvent.

  In addition, a known cleaning liquid may be appropriately selected according to the type of ink.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the wiping member 42 has a wiping surface (here, the wiping surface 34c) facing a predetermined direction (here, the A direction) in the wiper 30 (here, the two wipers 30A and 30B). A wiping surface (here, the wiping surface 34b) facing the direction opposite to the predetermined direction (here, B direction) in the wiper 30a (here, the two wipers 30A, 30B). The other end 42A has another wiping portion 42b that comes into contact with the first end 42A.

  Here, as described above, since the moving mechanism 38 for moving the wiper 30 in a predetermined direction (here, the A direction and the B direction) is provided, the wiper 30 is moved in a predetermined direction (here, as shown in FIG. 3). The wiping surfaces (here, 34b and 34c) can be brought into contact with the wiping member 42 by moving in the A direction and the B direction. Therefore, since the wiping surface of the wiper 30 can be slid by the wiping portions 42a and 42b of the wiping member 42, the ink adhering to the wiping surface is removed by the wiping member 42 (wiping portions 42a and 42b). It is possible to perform cleaning while removing it so as to wipe it off. That is, it is possible to effectively remove thickened ink and the like that cannot be removed simply by wetting the wiper 30 with a solvent. As a modification, instead of the configuration in which the moving mechanism 38 that moves the wiper 30 is provided, a configuration (not shown) that provides a moving mechanism that moves the wiping member 42 may be used. Played.

  According to the above configuration, the plurality of wiping surfaces (here, 34b and 34c) in the wiper 30 are brought into contact with the wiping unit corresponding to (opposing to) each wiping surface from among the plurality of wiping units 42a and 42b. Depending on the configuration, the problem in the conventional configuration exemplified in Patent Document 1, that is, the problem in the configuration in which the ink on the wiping surface of the wiper is removed by the same location of the same absorbing member, in particular, the wiping surface due to multiple wipers, etc. In an inkjet recording apparatus with a large amount of ink, the problem that the ink absorption by the absorbing member cannot catch up, the problem that the ink once adhered to the absorbing member again adheres to the wiper, and further, the ink inside the absorbing member Since it takes time to obtain the effect of diffusion, the time required for the process (maintenance) During) is increased, tact time of printing becomes possible to resolve the problems such as increases.

  Thus, according to this embodiment, the wiping member 42 having the plurality of wiping portions 42a and 42b corresponding to the plurality of wiping surfaces (here, 34b and 34c) is provided, and the wiping surface ( Here, it becomes possible to perform the cleaning of 34b, 34c), and it is possible to remove the ink on the wiping surface quickly and surely and to prevent the ink from reattaching to the wiping surface (here, 34b, 34c). Can do. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the ink adhering to the wiping surfaces (34b and 34c in this case) of the wiper 30 from drying to become a thickened ink, and to increase the viscosity ink or ink adhering to the nozzle surface 24 of the inkjet head 20. Since the droplets can be effectively removed, clogging of the nozzles 23 of the ink jet head 20, color mixing of ink, flight bending at the time of ejection, and the like can be prevented.

  Furthermore, since the wiping surfaces (here 34b and 34c) are cleaned by the plurality of wiping portions 42a and 42b corresponding to the respective wiping surfaces (here 34b and 34c), the cleaning time, particularly the wiping portion The time required for the process (maintenance time) can be shortened because the time required for the ink to be wiped off and the time required for the ink to diffuse inside the wiper can be greatly reduced. Thus, a remarkable effect is achieved that the tact time of printing can be reduced.

  Next, the operation of the inkjet recording apparatus 1 having the above configuration will be described.

First, the printing operation will be described.
At the time of normal printing, the ink jet recording apparatus 1 performs ink downward from the nozzle 23 while moving the head unit 18 back and forth along the guide rail 12 with respect to the recording medium M supported on the platen 10. The ink is ejected and attached to the recording medium M in a desired pattern to perform printing. When printing for a predetermined front-rear width on the recording medium M is completed, the head unit 18 is slid back and forth, and the head unit 18 is reciprocated back and forth again, and the same process is repeated, whereby the print area of the recording medium M is printed. Desired characters and designs are printed throughout.

Next, the wiping operation of the nozzle surface 24 of the inkjet head 20 will be described.
As described above, when printing is performed by ejecting ink from the nozzle 23 continuously for a long time, the ejected ink adheres to the nozzle surface 24 of the inkjet head 20 (particularly around the opening of the nozzle 23). In some cases, adhering inks may be combined with each other to form ink droplets. Further, the ink droplets may become gel-like thickened ink, for example, and adhere to the nozzle surface 24 of the inkjet head 20. In this way, when printing is continued with the thickened ink or ink droplets or the like attached to the nozzle surface 24 of the inkjet head 20, the ink droplets are dropped on the recording medium M to reduce the print quality. There is a risk that. Therefore, in order to ensure print quality, it is important to keep the nozzle surface 24 of the inkjet head 20 clean. Therefore, the wiper 30 is used to maintain the nozzle surface 24 of the ink jet head 20 so as to keep it clean. It goes without saying that maintenance may be performed by using a known capping unit (ink suction means) together (not shown).

  For example, when the operator determines that the maintenance of the nozzle surface 24 of the inkjet head 20 is necessary, or when the control means (not shown) operates for a predetermined operation time (printing time) from the previous maintenance. It is started when it is determined that the time has been reached.

  More specifically, the head unit 18 is slid along the guide rail 12 to a predetermined standby position. At this standby position, the wiper 30 can be brought into contact with the nozzle surface 24 of the inkjet head 20.

  Next, a wiper driving mechanism (not shown) that moves the wiper 30 up and down is driven, and the wiping surface of the wiper 30 is moved up to a position where it can contact the nozzle surface 24 of the inkjet head 20. As an example, when the wiper 30 (30A, 30B) is moved in the A direction, the wiper 30B is moved upward so that the wiping surface (for example, the wiping surface 34c) can come into contact with the nozzle surface 24. On the other hand, when the wiper 30 (30A, 30B) is moved in the B direction, the wiper 30A is moved upward so that the wiping surface (for example, the wiping surface 34b) can come into contact with the nozzle surface 24.

  Next, the wiper 30 that has been moved up is slid in a state where the wiper 30 is in contact with the nozzle surface 24 of the inkjet head 20, whereby the nozzle surface 24 of the inkjet head 20 is wiped. By wiping, the inside of the nozzle 23 and the nozzle surface 24 of the inkjet head 20 can be in a clean state in which no ink droplets or thickened ink are attached, and printing is performed by ejecting straight ink from the nozzle 23. And high-quality printing is possible.

Next, the cleaning operation of the wiping surface of the wiper 30 will be described.
After the above wiping operation is completed, the moving mechanism 38 is driven to clean the wiping surfaces (for example, 34b and 34c) of the wiper 30.

  More specifically, first, the moving mechanism 38 is driven to move the wiper 30 (here, the two wipers 30A and 30B) in a predetermined direction (here, the A direction), while in a predetermined direction (here, the A direction). The wiping surface (for example, the wiping surface 34 c) facing the wiping member 42 is brought into contact with the wiping portion 42 a of the wiping member 42. Next, the moving mechanism 38 is driven to move the wiper 30 (here, the two wipers 30A and 30B) in the direction opposite to the predetermined direction (here, the B direction), while moving in the direction opposite to the predetermined direction (here Then, the wiping surface (for example, the wiping surface 34b) facing the B direction is brought into contact with the wiping portion 42a of the wiping member 42. The contact of the wiping surface 34b may be performed first, and the contact of the wiping surface 34c may be performed later.

  According to the above configuration, since the wiping surfaces (34b and 34c in this case) of the wiper 30 can be slid with respect to the wiping portions 42a and 42b of the wiping member 42, the ink adhered to the wiping surface. It is possible to perform cleaning while removing so as to wipe off with a wiping member 42 (wiping portions 42a, 42b). That is, it is possible to effectively remove thickened ink and the like that cannot be removed simply by wetting the wiper 30 with a solvent.

  Therefore, in particular, ink that adheres to the wiping surfaces (here, 34b and 34c) of the wiper 30 as typified by water-based sublimation transfer ink tends to dry, and the wiping surfaces (here, 34b and 34c). The ink can be reliably washed and removed before the ink becomes thickened ink. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the nozzle 23 from being clogged during wiping of the nozzle surface due to such ink (particularly thickened ink) remaining on the wiping surface. It is possible to obtain a remarkable effect that it is possible to perform high-definition recording while preventing flight bending or the like.

  The above configuration has been described by taking as an example a case where predetermined surfaces of the blade 34 (here, surfaces 34b and 34c facing each other) are used as wiping surfaces for wiping the nozzle surface 24. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. That is, in the configuration using the surfaces (34a, 34d) that do not oppose each other in the blade 34 as the wiping surface, or the configuration using the surfaces (34a, 34b, 34c, 34d) on both sides of each blade 34 as the wiping surface. In some cases, the same operation may be performed.

  Further, the cleaning operation of the wiping surface of the wiper 30 is not limited to a single operation, and may be performed a plurality of times depending on the state of dirt on the nozzle surface of the inkjet head.

(Second embodiment)
Next, the ink jet recording apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The ink jet recording apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has features that are different from those of the first embodiment described above, particularly in the cleaning mechanism 40, and will be described in detail below with a focus on that point. It should be noted that repeated description of the same configurations and effects as those of the above-described embodiment may be omitted.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of the wiper 30 and the cleaning mechanism 40 of the inkjet recording apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. Here, Fig.5 (a) is a front view, FIG.5 (b) is a side view (AA sectional view taken on the line in Fig.5 (a)).

  As shown in FIG. 5, the cleaning mechanism 40 according to the present embodiment has a cylindrical wiping member fixed to the outer peripheral surface of a roller member (first roller member 54) that can rotate about a shaft 52. 42 is provided. According to this structure, since it can attach easily with respect to the 1st roller member 54, the replacement | exchange operation | work of the wiping member 42 becomes very easy. In addition, the wiping member 42 is comprised using the nonwoven fabric as an example like the above-mentioned 1st embodiment, and can be maintained in the state moistened with the cleaning liquid L supplied from the cleaning liquid supply means 44. .

  Since the wiping member 42 according to the present embodiment is cylindrical, as shown in FIG. 5B, the wiper 30 (here, the two wipers 30A and 30B) has a predetermined direction (here, the A direction). One wiping portion 42 a that abuts the facing wiping surface (here, the wiping surface 34 c) is provided in the lower half on the front side of the cylindrical wiping member 42. On the other hand, in the wiper 30 (here, the two wipers 30A and 30B), another wiping portion 42b that abuts against a wiping surface (here, the wiping surface 34b) facing in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction (here, the B direction). Is provided in the lower half of the rear side of the cylindrical wiping member 42.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5A, the cleaning liquid supply means 44 according to the present embodiment is provided at two locations in the left-right direction with respect to the cylindrical wiping member 42. That is, since the cleaning liquid L is supplied to the wiping member 42 from the two places, the cleaning liquid L is stably supplied to the wiping member 42 and a uniform wet state is maintained in the left-right direction. It becomes possible. As a modification, the cleaning liquid supply means 44 may be provided at either one of the left and right sides (not shown).

  Here, the cleaning liquid supply means 44 has a columnar or cylindrical roller member (second roller member 64) that can rotate about the shaft 62. The second roller member 64 has a groove 66 capable of holding the cleaning liquid L on the outer peripheral surface. Further, the second roller member 64 is disposed so that the lower part thereof is immersed in the cleaning liquid L stored in the storage tank 45, and the outer peripheral surface of the second roller member 64 can contact and contact the outer peripheral surface of the wiping member 42. However, it is arranged so that it can be rotated. According to this configuration, by rotating one of the cylindrical wiping member 42 or the second roller member 64, both can be rotated simultaneously. At this time, the cleaning liquid L is held in the groove portion 66 on the outer peripheral surface of the second roller member 64 by the rotation of the both, and the cleaning liquid L is supplied from the groove portion 66 to the wiping member 42 when the two contact each other. It is done.

  Here, as in the first embodiment described above, since a moving mechanism 38 for moving the wiper 30 in a predetermined direction (here, the A direction and the B direction) is provided, as shown in FIG. The wiper 30 can be moved in a predetermined direction (here, the A direction and the B direction), and the wiping surfaces (here, 34b and 34c) can be brought into contact with the wiping member 42. Accordingly, the wiping surfaces (34b and 34c in this case) of the wiper 30 can be slid with respect to the wiping portions 42a and 42b of the wiping member 42 in a state wetted by the cleaning liquid L. Here, it is possible to perform cleaning while removing the ink adhering to 34b, 34c) so as to be wiped off by the wiping member 42 (wiping portions 42a, 42b).

  In the present embodiment, the wiping member 42 is moved by a predetermined amount (that is, the shaft 52 is moved when the cleaning is performed a predetermined number of times or for a predetermined time by a control means (not shown). The first roller member 54 is rotated to the center), and control for changing the positions of the wiping portions 42a and 42b is performed. According to this configuration, for example, in the configuration in which the ink on the wiping surface of the wiper is removed by the same location of the same member as exemplified in the configuration of Patent Document 1, the wear is severe and the lifetime of the wiping member is long. Although there was a problem of shortening, it is possible to solve the problem. That is, the amount of wear of the wiping member 42 can be reduced, the life can be extended, and the replacement period can be extended, so that the labor of replacement can be reduced and the cost of parts can be reduced. .

(Third embodiment)
Next, the ink jet recording apparatus 1 according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The ink jet recording apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has features that are different from those of the second embodiment described above, particularly in the cleaning mechanism 40, and will be described in detail below with a focus on that point. It should be noted that repeated description of the same configurations and effects as those of the above-described embodiment may be omitted.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of the wiper 30 and the cleaning mechanism 40 of the inkjet recording apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. Here, Fig.6 (a) is a front view, FIG.6 (b) is a side view (BB sectional drawing in Fig.6 (a)).

  As shown in FIG. 6A, the cleaning mechanism 40 according to the present embodiment supplies the cleaning liquid to one place in the right direction with respect to the cylindrical wiping member 42 similar to the second embodiment described above. Means 44 are provided. According to this, it becomes possible to achieve simplification and miniaturization of the apparatus. As a modification, the cleaning liquid supply means 44 may be provided in one place in the left direction (not shown).

  Here, the cleaning liquid supply means 44 has a columnar or cylindrical roller member (second roller member 64) that can rotate about the shaft 62. The second roller member 64 has a groove 66 capable of holding the cleaning liquid L on the outer peripheral surface. Further, the second roller member 64 is disposed so that the lower part thereof is immersed in the cleaning liquid L stored in the storage tank 45, and the outer peripheral surface of the second roller member 64 can contact and contact the outer peripheral surface of the wiping member 42. However, it is arranged so that it can be rotated.

  In the present embodiment, the groove 66 of the second roller member 64 is formed in a spiral shape that is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface. According to this, even if the storage tank 45 of the cleaning liquid supply means 44 is provided at one place in the right direction, the cleaning liquid L can be sufficiently supplied to the left end of the wiping member 42. Become.

(Fourth embodiment)
Subsequently, an ink jet recording apparatus 1 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. The ink jet recording apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has features that are different from those of the above-described embodiment, particularly in the cleaning mechanism 40, and will be described in detail below, focusing on that point. It should be noted that repeated description of the same configurations and effects as those of the above-described embodiment may be omitted.

  FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of the wiper 30 and the cleaning mechanism 40 of the inkjet recording apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. Here, Fig.7 (a) is a front view, FIG.5 (b) is a side view (CC sectional view taken on the line in Fig.7 (a)).

  As shown in FIG. 7, the cleaning mechanism 40 according to the present embodiment includes a wiping member 42 formed in a sheet shape that is fed from a feeding roller 72 and wound around a winding roller 74. Reference numeral 76 in the figure denotes a platen (second platen) that supports the wiping member 42 at a predetermined position and slides when the wiping member 42 is moved. In addition, the said wiping member 42 is comprised using the nonwoven fabric as an example similarly to the above-mentioned 1st embodiment, and can maintain it in the state moistened with the cleaning liquid L supplied from the cleaning liquid supply means 44. it can.

  According to this configuration, the position of the wiping portions 42 a and 42 b can be changed by sequentially winding the sheet-like wiping member 42 by the winding roller 74. Further, as in the second and third embodiments described above, when the control means performs a predetermined number of times or a predetermined time of cleaning, the wiping member 42 is moved by a predetermined amount ( That is, control is performed to change the positions of the wiping portions 42a and 42b by performing winding by the winding roller 74).

  Therefore, compared to the configuration in which the ink on the wiping surface of the wiper is removed at the same location of the same member, the wear amount of the wiping member 42 can be reduced and the life can be extended. Moreover, since it becomes possible to maintain the wiping effect by the wiping member 42 over a long period of time by using a long sheet-like member, it becomes possible to greatly lengthen the replacement cycle of the wiping member 42. As a result, it is possible to obtain the effect of greatly reducing the labor of the exchange work.

  Since the wiping member 42 according to the present embodiment has a sheet shape, as shown in FIG. 7B, the wiper 30 (here, the two wipers 30A and 30B) has a predetermined direction (here, the A direction). The one wiping portion 42 a that abuts the wiping surface (here, the wiping surface 34 c) facing the wiping surface is provided in the lower half on the front side of the sheet-like wiping member 42 supported at a predetermined position by the platen 76. On the other hand, in the wiper 30 (here, the two wipers 30A and 30B), another wiping portion 42b that abuts against a wiping surface (here, the wiping surface 34b) facing in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction (here, the B direction). Is provided in the lower half of the rear side of the sheet-like wiping member 42 supported at a predetermined position by the platen 76.

  As shown in FIG. 7A, the cleaning mechanism 40 according to the present embodiment is configured such that a cleaning liquid supply unit 44 is provided along the left-right direction of the sheet-like wiping member 42. According to this, it becomes possible to stably supply the cleaning liquid L to the wiping member 42 and maintain a uniform wet state in the left-right direction. As a modification, the same configuration as that of the second and third embodiments described above may be used.

  Similarly to the second and third embodiments described above, the cleaning liquid supply means 44 has a columnar or cylindrical roller member (second roller member 64) that can rotate about the shaft 62. . The second roller member 64 has a groove 66 capable of holding the cleaning liquid L on the outer peripheral surface. Further, the second roller member 64 is disposed so that the lower part thereof is immersed in the cleaning liquid L stored in the storage tank 45, and the outer peripheral surface of the second roller member 64 can contact and contact the outer peripheral surface of the wiping member 42. However, it is arranged so that it can be rotated.

  As a modification of the present embodiment, as shown in a plan view (schematic diagram) in FIG. 8, support surfaces 76 a and 76 b of the platen 76 facing each other and wiping surfaces 34 b and 34 c of the wiper 30 are predetermined. It is good also as a structure arrange | positioned at angle (theta). According to this configuration, the wiping portions 42 a and 42 b of the wiping member 42 supported by the support surfaces 76 a and 76 b of the platen 76 are installed at an angle with respect to the wiping surfaces 34 b and 34 c of the wiper 30. be able to. Therefore, when the wiping surfaces 34b and 34c are in contact with the wiping portions 42a and 42b, an operation of sequentially contacting the right and left ends of the wiping surfaces 34b and 34c (or vice versa) is obtained. It is possible to further enhance the cleaning effect while removing the ink adhering to the wiping surfaces 34b and 34c so as to be wiped off by the wiping member 42 (wiping portions 42a and 42b).

  As described above, according to the disclosed inkjet recording apparatus 1, it is possible to quickly and surely remove ink from a wiping surface in a short maintenance time, and to prevent reattachment of ink to the wiping surface. Become. As a result, clogging of the nozzles 23 of the ink jet head 20, ink color mixing, flight bending at the time of ejection, and the like can be prevented, and high-quality recording can be performed.

  In particular, the present embodiment provides the following characteristic operational effects.

  The disclosed inkjet recording apparatus 1 is an inkjet recording apparatus including an inkjet head 20 that performs recording by ejecting ink droplets from nozzles 23. One or a plurality of wipers that wipe the nozzle surface 24 of the inkjet head 20 are provided. 30 and a cleaning mechanism 40 that cleans the wiper 30, and the cleaning mechanism 40 wipes a wiping surface (34b, 34c, etc., as an example) of the wiper 30 while being wetted by the cleaning liquid L. And a cleaning liquid supply means 44 for supplying the cleaning liquid L to the wiping member 42, and the wiping member 42 has a predetermined direction (one example) in the one or the plurality of wipers 30. A wiping portion 42a that abuts against a wiping surface (for example, 34c, etc.) facing in the direction of arrow A), The one or a plurality of wipers 30 includes another wiping portion 42b that abuts against a wiping surface (for example, 34b or the like) that faces in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction (for example, the direction of arrow B), and A moving mechanism 38 for moving the take-up member 42 or the wiper 30 to perform the contact is further provided. According to this, a wiping member 42 having a plurality of wiping portions 42a, 42b corresponding to a plurality of wiping surfaces (for example, 34b, 34c, etc.) is provided, and a wiping surface (for example, 34b, 34c, etc.) can be cleaned, ink can be removed from the wiping surface quickly and reliably, and ink re-adhesion to the wiping surface (for example, 34b, 34c, etc.) can be prevented. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the ink attached to the wiping surface (for example, 34b, 34c, etc.) of the wiper 30 from drying and becoming a thickened ink, so that the thickened ink attached to the nozzle surface 24 of the inkjet head 20 or Clogging of the nozzles 23 of the ink jet head 20, ink color mixing, flight bending at the time of ejection, and the like that can effectively remove ink droplets can be prevented. Furthermore, since the wiping surfaces (for example, 34b, 34c, etc.) are cleaned by the plurality of wiping portions 42a, 42b corresponding to each wiping surface (for example, 34b, 34c, etc.), the cleaning time, in particular, wiping is performed. The time required for the process (maintenance time) can be greatly shortened because the time required for wiping the ink in the take-off portions 42a and 42b and the diffusion of the ink that has been wiped into the wiping portion can be greatly reduced. It is possible to shorten the printing time and to shorten the printing tact time.

  In the present invention, the wiping member 42 is preferably formed in a cylindrical shape fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the first roller member 54. According to this, a simple mounting structure can be realized with respect to the first roller member 54, and the replacement work of the wiping member 42 can be facilitated. Moreover, since the position of the wiping portions 42a and 42b can be changed by moving (rotating) the first roller member 54, compared with the configuration in which the ink on the wiping surface of the wiper is removed by the same location of the same member, The wear amount of the wiping member 42 can be reduced, the life can be lengthened, and the replacement cycle can be lengthened.

  In the present invention, the wiping member 42 is preferably formed in a sheet shape that is fed from the feeding roller 72 and wound around the winding roller 74. According to this, compared with the structure which removes the ink of the wiping surface of a wiper by the same location of the same member, the abrasion amount of the wiping member 42 can be reduced and a lifetime can be lengthened. Moreover, since it becomes possible to maintain the wiping effect by the wiping member 42 over a long period of time by using a long sheet-like member, it becomes possible to greatly lengthen the replacement cycle of the wiping member 42. Thus, the effect of greatly reducing the labor of the exchange work can be obtained.

  Further, in the present invention, a platen 76 that supports the wiping member 42 at a predetermined position is provided, a support surface of the platen 76 facing each other, and a wiping surface of the wiper 30 (for example, 34b, 34c, etc.) Are preferably arranged at a predetermined angle. According to this, the wiping part of the wiping member 42 can be installed in the state which made the angle with respect to the wiping surface (34b, 34c etc. as an example) of a wiper. Accordingly, when the wiping surface (for example, 34b, 34c, etc.) abuts the wiping portion 42a, 42b, from the right end portion to the left end portion of the wiping surface (for example, 34b, 34c etc.) (or vice versa). As a result, the effect of washing while removing the ink adhering to the wiping surface (for example, 34b, 34c, etc.) so as to be wiped off by the wiping portions 42a, 42b is further obtained. It becomes possible to raise.

  In the present invention, the cleaning liquid supply means 44 has a columnar or cylindrical second roller member 64, and the second roller member 64 has a groove 66 that can hold the cleaning liquid L on the outer peripheral surface thereof. At the same time, the outer peripheral surface is preferably disposed so as to be able to contact the wiping member 42. According to this, by rotating either one of the cylindrical or sheet-like wiping member 42 or the second roller member 64, both (the wiping member 42 and the second roller member 64) are simultaneously rotated. Therefore, the cleaning liquid L is held in the groove portion 66 on the outer peripheral surface of the second roller member 64 by the rotation of both (the wiping member 42 and the second roller member 64), and both (the wiping member 42 and the second roller member 64). A structure in which the cleaning liquid L is supplied from the groove 66 to the wiping member 42 when the roller member 64 abuts can be realized.

  Moreover, in this invention, it is preferable to provide the control means which moves the said wiping member 42 and changes the position of the said wiping part 42a, 42b when the washing | cleaning of predetermined times or predetermined time is performed. According to this, since the positions of the wiping portions 42a and 42b can be changed at a predetermined timing, it is possible to prevent only the same portion of the wiping member 42 from being worn. Therefore, the lifetime of the wiping member 42 can be extended and the replacement cycle can be extended.

  Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the present invention. In particular, the water-based sublimation transfer ink has been described as an example of the ink to be used. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can be applied when other ink is used.

1 Inkjet recording apparatus 10 Platen (first platen)
12 Guide rail 14 Carriage 18 Head unit 20 Inkjet head 23 Nozzle 24 Nozzle surface 30, 30A, 30B Wiper 32 Support member 34 Blade 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d Example of wiping surface 38 Moving mechanism 40 Cleaning mechanism 42 Wiping member 42a, 42b Wiping part 44 Cleaning liquid supply means 45 Storage tank 64 Second roller member 66 Groove part 72 Feeding roller 74 Winding roller 76 Platen (second platen)
L Cleaning liquid M Recording medium

Claims (6)

In an inkjet recording apparatus including an inkjet head that performs recording by ejecting ink droplets from nozzles,
One or more wipers for wiping the nozzle surface of the inkjet head;
A cleaning mechanism for cleaning the wiper,
The cleaning mechanism includes a wiping member that wipes the wiping surface of the wiper in a state wetted by a cleaning liquid, and a cleaning liquid supply unit that supplies the cleaning liquid to the wiping member,
The wiping member contacts one wiping portion that abuts against a wiping surface that faces a predetermined direction in the one or a plurality of wipers, and a wiping surface that faces a direction opposite to the predetermined direction in the one or a plurality of wipers. With other wiping parts in contact with,
An inkjet recording apparatus, further comprising a moving mechanism that moves the wiping member or the wiper to perform the contact. 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wiping member is formed in a cylindrical shape fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the first roller member. 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wiping member is formed in a sheet shape that is fed from a feeding roller and wound around the winding roller. Comprising a platen for supporting the wiping member at a predetermined position;
4. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the support surface of the platen and the wiping surface of the wiper facing each other are arranged at a predetermined angle. The cleaning liquid supply means has a columnar or cylindrical second roller member,
5. The second roller member has a groove portion capable of holding the cleaning liquid on an outer peripheral surface, and is disposed so that the outer peripheral surface can come into contact with the wiping member. The ink jet recording apparatus according to any one of the above. 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit that moves the wiping member to change the position of the wiping unit when the cleaning is performed a predetermined number of times or for a predetermined time. 2. An ink jet recording apparatus according to 1.

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