JP2016055548A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image recorder which stably supplies a liquid to a head with a simple control.SOLUTION: An image recorder includes: a liquid tank 11C; a liquid supply passage 16 connected with the liquid tank 11C at one end; a damper gear 19 provided at the liquid supply passage 16; a supply pump 17 which supplies a liquid from the liquid tank 11C to the damper gear 19; a head 15 provided at the other end of the liquid supply passage 16; and a liquid recovery passage 20 in which one end is connected with the damper gear 19 and the other end is connected with an area of the liquid supply passage 16 which is located between the liquid tank 11C and the supply pump 17. The damper gear 19 includes: a liquid storage chamber 23 in which a discharge port 26, with which the one end of the liquid recovery passage 20 is connected, is formed; and a valve member 29 which opens the discharge port 26 when a pressure of the liquid storage chamber 23 is larger than a predetermined pressure and closes the discharge port 26 when the pressure is smaller than or equal to the predetermined pressure.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image recording apparatus, in order to properly eject ink from an ink head to a recording medium, it is required to stably supply ink to the ink head. In order to stably supply ink to the ink head, it is known to suppress ink pressure fluctuation.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an image recording apparatus including a damper device that suppresses ink pressure fluctuation. The image recording apparatus includes an ink tank that stores ink, an ink head that discharges ink, and an ink supply path that connects the ink tank and the ink head. The ink supply path is provided with a damper device, a supply pump for supplying ink from the ink tank toward the damper device, and a supply valve constituted by an electromagnetic valve. The drive of the supply pump and the supply valve is controlled by the control device, and the ink stored in the ink tank is supplied toward the ink head by appropriately opening and closing the supply valve and appropriately driving the supply pump. At this time, the ink is stably supplied to the ink head by suppressing the pressure fluctuation of the ink and adjusting the back pressure by the damper device.

JP2013-35248A

  However, as described above, the drive of the supply pump and the supply valve is controlled by the control device. The control device needs to control the supply pump and the supply valve in conjunction with each other, and the control is complicated.

  The present invention has been made in view of such points, and an object thereof is to provide an image recording apparatus capable of stably supplying a liquid to a head with simple control.

  An image recording apparatus according to the present invention is provided in a liquid tank that stores liquid, a liquid supply path having one end connected to the liquid tank, a damper device provided in the liquid supply path, and the liquid supply path. A supply pump that supplies liquid from the liquid tank toward the damper device, a head that is provided at the other end of the liquid supply path, discharges the liquid, one end is connected to the damper device, and the other end is the liquid A liquid recovery path connected between the liquid tank and the supply pump in the supply path. The damper device has a discharge port to which one end of the liquid recovery path is connected, a liquid storage chamber in which liquid is temporarily stored, and the discharge port when the pressure of the liquid storage chamber is higher than a predetermined pressure And a valve member provided to close the discharge port when the pressure of the liquid storage chamber is equal to or lower than the predetermined pressure.

  According to the image recording apparatus, the liquid is supplied from the liquid tank to the liquid storage chamber of the damper device through the liquid supply path by the supply pump. In the liquid storage chamber, the pressure of the stored liquid is adjusted by the valve member. For example, when the pressure in the liquid storage chamber is higher than a predetermined pressure, the discharge port is opened by the valve member, and the liquid in the liquid storage chamber is returned from the discharge port to the liquid supply path through the liquid recovery path. As a result, the pressure in the liquid storage chamber can be reduced. In the present invention, since the pressure of the liquid is adjusted by a valve member that automatically opens and closes according to the pressure in the liquid storage chamber, the supply valve (see Patent Document 1) controlled by the control device may be omitted. it can. Therefore, since the drive of the supply valve is not controlled, it is not necessary to control the supply valve and the supply pump in conjunction with each other. Accordingly, the liquid can be stably supplied to the head without complicated control.

  According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the damper device is disposed so as to constitute a part of the wall surface of the liquid storage chamber, and the damper film is bent outward from the liquid storage chamber. And an elastic member provided on the damper film so as to bend to the outside of the liquid storage chamber. The valve member is provided on the damper film.

  According to the above aspect, the valve member can open and close the discharge port in conjunction with the bending of the damper film. Therefore, the liquid can be stably supplied to the head without electrically controlling the damper device.

  According to another preferable aspect of the present invention, the elastic member is provided outside the liquid storage chamber in the damper film. The valve member is provided inside the liquid storage chamber in the damper film.

  According to the above aspect, the elastic member can bend the damper film toward the outside of the liquid storage chamber. Accordingly, the valve member can open the discharge port. When the pressure in the liquid storage chamber is small, the deflection of the damper film to the outside of the liquid storage chamber is alleviated, so that the discharge port is closed by the valve member. Therefore, the discharge port can be opened and closed as the damper film bends.

  According to another preferable aspect of the present invention, the elastic member and the valve member are provided inside the liquid storage chamber in the damper film.

  According to the above aspect, the elastic member can bend the damper film toward the outside of the liquid storage chamber by pressing the damper film. Accordingly, the valve member can open the discharge port. When the pressure in the liquid storage chamber is small, the deflection of the damper film to the outside of the liquid storage chamber is alleviated, so that the discharge port is closed by the valve member. Therefore, the discharge port can be opened and closed as the damper film bends.

  According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the valve member is a rod.

  According to the said aspect, compared with the case where a valve member is a member wider than a rod, it becomes easy to flow a liquid in a liquid storage chamber.

  According to another preferable aspect of the present invention, a valve seat that is formed of an elastic body and is in contact with the valve member is provided on a peripheral edge of the discharge port.

  According to the said aspect, when the discharge port is closed by the valve member, since the valve member is closely_contact | adhered to the valve seat, it can prevent suitably that a liquid leaks from a discharge port.

  According to another preferable aspect of the present invention, the supply pump is a tube pump.

  According to the above aspect, the liquid stored in the liquid tank can be suitably supplied to the damper device by the tube pump.

  According to another preferred aspect of the present invention, the liquid tank is disposed at a position lower than the head.

  According to the said aspect, it is easy to maintain the pressure of a liquid storage chamber.

  According to another preferable aspect of the present invention, a control device for controlling driving of the supply pump is provided. While the head discharges the liquid, the control device controls the supply pump to always drive.

  According to the above aspect, when the head is discharging the liquid, the control device controls to always drive the supply pump. Therefore, the control device does not perform complicated control of driving or stopping the supply pump according to the pressure of the liquid, and the pressure fluctuation of the liquid can be suppressed.

  According to another preferable aspect of the present invention, the control device controls the supply pump to be driven at a constant rotational speed.

  According to the above aspect, the control device only needs to control the drive of the supply pump at a constant rotation speed without changing the rotation speed of the supply pump, so that it is not necessary to perform complicated control by the control device. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the liquid pressure fluctuation without performing complicated control.

  According to another preferable aspect of the present invention, an apparatus main body that supports the liquid tank, a guide rail that is fixed to the apparatus main body, a carriage that moves along the guide rail while supporting the head, It has. At least a part of the liquid supply path is a flexible tube that deforms as the carriage moves. The image recording apparatus further includes a cable protection guide device that is deformed along with the movement of the carriage and covers at least a part of the peripheral surface of the tube of the liquid supply path.

  According to the above aspect, even when the head moves along with the carriage along the guide rail and the liquid supply path is deformed, the liquid supply path is a part of the liquid supply path, so the liquid supply The road can be made difficult to break. In addition, since at least a part of the peripheral surface of the tube of the liquid supply path is covered with the cables protection guide device, the liquid supply path is hardly subject to external impact and is not easily damaged.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image recording apparatus capable of stably supplying a liquid to a head with simple control.

1 is a front view of an ink jet printer according to an embodiment. It is a perspective view of an inkjet printer. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure for supplying ink from an ink cartridge to an ink head. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of a supply pump. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of a damper apparatus. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of a damper apparatus. It is the graph which showed how the pressure before and behind a damper device changed with progress of time. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the damper apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described herein are, of course, not intended to limit the present invention in particular. Further, members / parts having the same action are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted or simplified.

  FIG. 1 is a front view of an ink jet printer (hereinafter referred to as a printer) 10 according to an embodiment. In FIG. 1 and the like, reference characters L and R indicate left and right, respectively. In FIG. 1, the near side and the far side are the front side and the rear side, respectively. However, these are only directions for convenience of explanation, and do not limit the installation mode of the printer 10 at all. As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, a printer 10 as an example of an image recording apparatus prints on a recording sheet 5 as a recording medium. The recording medium in the present embodiment includes not only papers such as plain paper but also recording media made of various materials such as resin materials such as PVC and polyester, aluminum, iron, and wood.

  The printer 10 includes a printer main body 2 which is an example of an apparatus main body, and a guide rail 3 fixed to the printer main body 2. The guide rail 3 extends in the left-right direction. The carriage 1 is engaged with the guide rail 3. Rollers (not shown) are respectively provided on the left end side and the right end side of the guide rail 3. A carriage motor (not shown) is connected to one of these rollers, and this one roller is rotationally driven by the carriage motor. An endless belt 6 is wound around both rollers. The carriage 1 is fixed to the belt 6. When the roller rotates and the belt 6 travels, the carriage 1 moves in the left-right direction. The carriage 1 is movable in the left-right direction along the guide rail 3.

  The printer main body 2 is provided with a platen 4 that supports the recording paper 5. Although not shown, the platen 4 is provided with a pair of upper and lower grid rollers and a pinch roller. The grid roller is connected to a feed motor (not shown), and the grid roller is rotationally driven by the feed motor. When the grid roller rotates while the recording paper 5 is sandwiched between the grid roller and the pinch roller, the recording paper 5 is conveyed in the front-rear direction.

  The printer 1 includes a plurality of ink cartridges 11C, 11M, 11Y, 11K, and 11W. The ink cartridges 11C, 11M, 11Y, 11K, and 11W store ink that is an example of a liquid. The plurality of ink cartridges 11C, 11M, 11Y, 11K, and 11W are detachably attached to the printer main body 2. Cyan ink is stored in the ink cartridge 11C. Magenta ink is stored in the ink cartridge 11M. Yellow ink is stored in the ink cartridge 11Y. Black ink is stored in the ink cartridge 11K. White ink is stored in the ink cartridge 11W. In the present embodiment, the ink cartridges 11C, 11M, 11Y, 11K, and 11W correspond to the “liquid tank” of the invention.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the printer 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure for supplying ink from the ink cartridge 11 </ b> C to the ink head 15. In FIG. 2, symbols F and Rr indicate front and rear, respectively. As shown in FIG. 2, the printer 1 includes an ink head 15, an ink supply path 16, a supply pump 17, a control device 18, a damper device 19, and an ink recovery path 20. In the present embodiment, an ink head 15, an ink supply path 16, a supply pump 17, a damper device 19, and an ink recovery path 20 are provided for each color of ink. Hereinafter, the ink head 15, the ink supply path 16, the supply pump 17, the damper device 19, and the ink recovery path 20 provided in the ink cartridge 11C that stores cyan ink will be described. However, the configurations of the ink head 15, the ink supply path 16, the supply pump 17, the damper device 19, and the ink recovery path 20 provided in the ink cartridges 11M, 11Y, 11K, and 11W are the same. 2 and 3, the ink head 15, the ink supply path 16, the supply pump 17, the damper device 19, and the ink recovery path 20 provided in the ink cartridge 11C are illustrated, and the ink cartridges 11M, 11Y, and 11K are illustrated. , 11W, the ink head 15, the ink supply path 16, the supply pump 17, the damper device 19 and the ink recovery path 20 are omitted.

  The ink head 15 ejects ink. The ink head 15 is mounted on the carriage 1. A plurality of nozzles (not shown) for discharging ink are formed on the lower surface of the ink head 15. In addition, an actuator (not shown) made of a piezoelectric element or the like is provided inside the ink head 15. When this actuator is driven, ink is ejected from the nozzle. As shown in FIG. 2, the ink head 15 is provided at a position higher than the ink cartridge 11C. However, the ink head 15 may be provided at the same height as the ink cartridge 11C. The ink head 15 may be provided at a position lower than the ink cartridge 11C. In the present embodiment, the ink head 15 corresponds to a “head”.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the ink supply path 16 is connected to the ink cartridge 11 </ b> C and the ink head 15. One end of the ink supply path 16 is connected to the ink cartridge 11 </ b> C, and the other end is connected to the ink head 15. The ink supply path 16 is a flexible tube that can be easily deformed. Here, the ink supply path 16 includes tubes 16a, 16b, 16c (see FIG. 4), and 16d. However, the configuration of the ink supply path 16 is not particularly limited, and may be made of a material other than the tube. A part of the ink supply path 16 may be constituted by a tube. The ink supply path 16 forms a flow path that guides ink from the ink cartridge 11 </ b> C to the ink head 15. The ink stored in the ink cartridge 11 </ b> C is supplied to the ink head 15 through the ink supply path 16. The ink supplied to the ink head 15 is ejected from the nozzles of the ink head 15 toward the recording paper 5. In the present embodiment, the ink supply path 16 corresponds to a “liquid supply path”.

  The supply pump 17 is provided in the ink supply path 16. The supply pump 17 supplies ink from the ink cartridge 11 </ b> C toward the damper device 19. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the supply pump 17. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the supply pump 17 is a tube pump. However, the type of the supply pump 17 is not particularly limited. For example, the supply pump 17 includes a frame 36, a tube 16 c that is disposed in a substantially U shape within the frame 36, and a wheel 32 that is rotatably disposed within the frame 36. One end of the tube 16c is connected to the ink cartridge 11C via the tube 16a of the ink supply path 16, and the other end is connected to the damper device 19 via the tube 16b. A drive shaft 33 is provided at the center of the wheel 32. The drive shaft 33 is connected to the motor 34. The wheel 32 is provided with two cylindrical rollers 35. Here, the two rollers 35 are opposed to each other with the drive shaft 33 interposed therebetween.

  The control device 18 controls the supply of ink from the ink cartridge 11 </ b> C to the ink head 15 by controlling the drive of the supply pump 17. Here, the control device 18 is connected to the motor 34 of the supply pump 17, and the motor 34 is controlled by the control device 18. When the motor 34 is driven by the control device 18, the motor 34 rotates the drive shaft 33. When the drive shaft 33 rotates, the wheel 32 rotates. As the wheel 32 rotates, the roller 35 rotates around the drive shaft 33. At this time, the roller 35 changes its position while partially crushing the tube 16c. Thereby, the ink in the tube 16c is sent out in the direction (here, the direction A) in which the roller 35 moves. The control device 18 supplies the ink while the ink head 15 is discharging ink, that is, while the ink head 15 is moving along the guide rail 3 and discharging ink toward the recording paper 5. Control is performed so that the pump 17 is always driven. At this time, the control device 18 may control the supply pump 17 to be driven at a constant rotational speed.

  The damper device 19 is mounted on the carriage 1 together with the ink head 15. The damper device 19 is provided in the ink supply path 16. Here, the damper device 19 is provided between the tube 16 b and the tube 16 d of the ink supply path 16. The damper device 19 plays a role of stabilizing the ink ejection operation by supplying ink to the ink head 15 and relaxing the pressure fluctuation of the ink in the ink head 15. 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views showing the configuration of the damper device 19. As shown in FIG. 5, the damper device 19 includes a damper main body 21 and a damper film 22. The damper body 21 is open at the top and has a space inside. The damper main body 21 is made of resin. The damper film 22 is attached to the upper portion of the damper main body 21 so as to cover the opening of the damper main body 21. The damper main body 21 and the damper film 22 form an ink storage chamber 23 that is an example of a liquid storage chamber. An ink inlet 24 through which ink flows into the ink storage chamber 23 is formed on the left wall of the damper main body 21. An ink outlet 25 through which ink flows out from the ink storage chamber 23 is formed on the right wall of the damper main body 21. The ink inlet 24 and the ink outlet 25 are connected to the ink storage chamber 23. A tube 16 b of the ink supply path 16 is connected to the ink inlet 24. A tube 16d of the ink supply path 16 is connected to the ink outlet 25, and the ink head 15 is connected via the tube 16d. However, the ink head 15 may be directly connected to the ink outlet 25.

  An ink recovery port 26 is formed in the lower wall of the damper main body 21. However, the position of the ink recovery port 26 is not particularly limited, and may be formed on the side wall of the damper main body 21, for example. The ink recovery port 26 discharges the ink in the ink storage chamber 23 to the ink recovery path 20. The ink recovery port 26 is connected to the ink storage chamber 23. The ink recovery port 26 is connected to the ink recovery path 20. The ink recovery port 26 is an example of the “discharge port” in the present invention. Here, a valve seat 27 is provided in the damper main body 21 at the periphery of the ink recovery port 26.

  The valve seat 27 is a member that can contact a rod 29 described later. The valve seat 27 is formed of a member having an elastic body, and is made of rubber, for example.

  The damper film 22 is disposed so as to constitute a part of the ink storage chamber 23. Here, the damper film 22 constitutes a part of the upper wall of the ink storage chamber 23. The damper film 22 is made of a resin film having flexibility. The damper film 22 is attached to the upper portion of the damper main body 21 with a tension that can bend to the outside (see FIG. 6) of the ink storage chamber 23. A cover body 28 that is recessed upward is provided on the outside of the damper film 22. The cover body 28 is attached to the upper part of the damper main body 21.

  A rod 29 is provided in the damper main body 21 between the damper film 22 and the lower wall of the damper main body 21. The rod 29 is provided in the ink storage chamber 23. The rod 29 is provided on the damper film 22 on the ink storage chamber 23 side, that is, on the lower side of the damper film 22. The rod 29 extends downward from the damper film 22 toward the ink recovery port 26. The rod 29 is provided to open and close the ink recovery port 26 according to the pressure in the ink storage chamber 23. Specifically, the rod 29 opens the ink recovery port 26 when the pressure in the ink storage chamber 23 is high, and closes the ink recovery port 26 when the pressure in the ink storage chamber 23 is low. In this way, the rod 29 adjusts the pressure of the ink storage chamber 23 so that the pressure of the ink storage chamber 23 becomes constant. 5 is a diagram illustrating a state where the ink recovery port 26 is closed, and FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a state where the ink recovery port 26 is opened.

  In the following description, the pressure that serves as a reference when ink is supplied to the ink head 15 among the pressure in the ink storage chamber 23 is referred to as a reference pressure. The reference voltage is an example of the “predetermined pressure” in the present invention. Here, as shown in FIG. 5, when the pressure in the ink storage chamber 23 is equal to or lower than the reference pressure, the damper film 22 bends outside the ink storage chamber 23. At this time, the rod 29 moves downward. Then, when the tip of the rod 29 comes into contact with a valve seat 27 formed at the periphery of the ink recovery port 26, the ink recovery port 26 is closed. At this time, the ink flowing into the ink storage chamber 23 from the ink inlet 24 is not discharged from the ink recovery port 26. The ink that has flowed into the ink storage chamber 23 is discharged to the ink head 15 through the ink outlet 25. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, when the pressure in the ink storage chamber 23 is larger than the reference pressure, the damper film 22 is further bent outward from the ink storage chamber 23. At this time, the rod 29 moves upward. Since the tip of the rod 29 is separated from the valve seat 27, the ink recovery port 26 is opened. At this time, the ink flowing into the ink storage chamber 23 from the ink inlet 24 is discharged from the ink recovery port 26. As a result, the pressure in the ink storage chamber 23 is reduced to a reference pressure or lower. When the pressure in the ink storage chamber 23 is equal to or lower than the reference pressure, the ink recovery port 26 is closed by the rod 29 by reducing the deflection of the damper film 22 to the outside of the ink storage chamber 23. The rod 29 is an example of the “valve member” in the present invention.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 5, a coil spring 31 is provided in the cover body 28 between the damper film 22 and the upper wall 28 a of the cover body 28. One end of the coil spring 31 is attached to the damper film 22, and the other end is attached to the upper wall 28 a of the cover body 28. The coil spring 31 is supported on the upper wall 28 a of the cover body 28. The coil spring 31 is an example of an elastic member that bends the damper film 22 to the outside of the ink storage chamber 23. Here, the coil spring 31 is provided outside the ink storage chamber 23 in the damper film 22. The coil spring 31 is maintained in a pulled state. Therefore, the damper film 22 is always pressed toward the outside of the ink storage chamber 23. As the coil spring 31 expands and contracts and the damper film 22 bends, the ink recovery port 26 is opened or closed by the rod 29. As a result, the pressure in the ink storage chamber 23 is adjusted.

  As shown in FIG. 3, when the pressure of the ink storage chamber 23 of the damper device 19 is large (in other words, when the pressure is higher than the reference pressure), the ink recovery path 20 supplies the ink in the ink storage chamber 23 to the ink supply path 16. It is something to return. One end of the ink recovery path 20 is connected to the ink recovery port 26 of the damper device 19. The other end of the ink recovery path 20 is connected to the ink supply path 16. Specifically, the other end of the ink recovery path 20 is connected between the ink cartridge 11 </ b> C and the supply pump 17 in the ink supply path 16. When the ink recovery port 26 of the damper device 19 is opened to the ink recovery path 20 by the rod 29, the ink in the ink storage chamber 23 is discharged. The ink recovery path 20 is a tube that has flexibility and is easily deformed, like the ink supply path 16. However, the configuration of the ink recovery path 20 is not particularly limited, and may be made of a material other than the tube. A part of the ink recovery path 20 may be constituted by a tube. In the present embodiment, the ink recovery path 20 corresponds to the “liquid recovery path” of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, as described above, the ink head 15 and the damper device 19 are mounted on the carriage 1 and reciprocate in the left-right direction. On the other hand, the ink cartridges 11C, 11M, 11Y, 11K, and 11W are not mounted on the carriage 1 and do not reciprocate in the left-right direction. Therefore, when the ink head 15 and the damper device 19 move in the left-right direction, the ink supply path 16 may be damaged. Therefore, in this embodiment, most of the ink supply path 16 (at least half of the total length) is arranged in a state extending in the left-right direction. In the present embodiment, since five types of ink are used, five ink supply paths 16 are provided. These ink supply paths 16 are covered by a cable protection guide device 7. The cable protection guide device 7 is, for example, a cable bear (registered trademark). Here, the cable protection guide device 7 has a bent portion that is turned rightward from below to above. The position of the bent portion changes as the carriage 1 moves. The ink supply path 16 is also bent at the bent portion from the ink cartridges 11C, 11M, 11Y, 11K, and 11W to the damper device 19 side. The bent portion of the ink supply path 16 is located inside the bent portion of the cables protection guide device 7. The bent portion of the ink supply path 16 also moves as the carriage 1 moves.

  In the present embodiment, the cable protection guide device 7 covers the entire peripheral surface of the ink supply path 16. However, the cables protection guide device 7 may cover a part of the peripheral surface of the ink supply path 16. For example, the cables protection guide device 7 may intermittently cover the peripheral surface of the ink supply path 16 in the longitudinal direction of the ink supply path 16. The cable protection guide device 7 is configured by connecting a plurality of constituent members in a bellows shape. These constituent members may be arranged continuously without leaving a gap in the longitudinal direction, or may be arranged intermittently so that a gap is formed between them. The cable protection guide device 7 may cover a part of the circumferential surface of the ink supply path 16 in the circumferential direction of the ink supply path 16. For example, the cable protection guide device 7 may cover only the upper part, the lower part, the front part, or the rear part of the peripheral surface of the ink supply path 16. For example, a clamp may be attached to the cables protection guide device 7, and the ink supply path 16 may be attached to the cables protection guide device 7 via this clamp. Even in such a case, the ink supply path 16 can be smoothly deformed together with the cables protection guide device 7.

  The ink recovery path 20 may be covered with the cable protection guide device 7. In this case, the cables protection guide device 7 may cover the entire peripheral surface of the ink recovery path 20 or may cover at least a part of the peripheral surface. The ink recovery path 20 may be covered with the cable protection guide device 7 together with the ink supply path 16, or may be covered with a cable protection guide device that is different from the cable protection guide device 7 that covers the ink supply path 16. It may be broken.

  Next, an operation of supplying ink in the ink cartridges 11C, 11M, 11Y, 11K, and 11W to the ink head 15 in the printer 10 will be described. Hereinafter, the ink cartridge 11C among the ink cartridges 11C, 11M, 11Y, 11K, and 11W will be described. However, the same applies to the ink cartridges 11M, 11Y, 11K, and 11W, and the description thereof will be omitted.

  First, as shown in FIG. 4, when printing is started, that is, when ink ejection by the ink head 15 is started, the supply pump 17 is driven by the control device 18. At this time, the control device 18 controls the drive of the supply pump 17 so that the supply pump 17 is always driven at a constant rotational speed. By driving the supply pump 17, the ink stored in the ink cartridge 11C flows into the ink storage chamber 23 from the ink inlet 24 of the damper device 19 through the ink supply path 16, as shown in FIG. By the way, by suppressing the ink pressure fluctuation, the ink can be stably supplied from the ink cartridge 11C to the ink head 15. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the pressure of the ink storage chamber 23 is made constant by the damper device 19 to suppress ink pressure fluctuation.

  In the damper device 19, ink is temporarily stored in the ink storage chamber 23. At this time, when the pressure in the ink storage chamber 23 is equal to or lower than the reference pressure, the damper film 22 bends outside the ink storage chamber 23. At this time, the rod 29 provided on the damper film 22 closes the ink recovery port 26. Therefore, the ink in the ink storage chamber 23 does not flow from the ink recovery port 26 to the ink recovery path 20. The ink in the ink storage chamber 23 is supplied from the ink outlet 25 to the ink head 15. The ink supplied to the ink head 15 is discharged toward the recording paper 5 from a nozzle (not shown).

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, when the pressure in the ink storage chamber 23 is larger than the reference pressure, the damper film 22 is further bent to the outside of the ink storage chamber 23 by being pulled by the coil spring 31. At this time, when the rod 29 provided on the damper film 22 is separated from the ink recovery port 26, the ink recovery port 26 is opened. As a result, the ink in the ink storage chamber 23 is returned from the ink recovery port 26 to the ink supply path 16 through the ink recovery path 20. As shown in FIG. 3, the ink returned to the ink supply path 16 is supplied again to the damper device 19 by the supply pump 17 together with the ink stored in the ink cartridge 11 </ b> C. Note that since the ink in the ink storage chamber 23 has been discharged to the ink collection path 20, the pressure in the ink storage chamber 23 is reduced. When the pressure in the ink storage chamber 23 becomes equal to or lower than the reference pressure, the deflection of the damper film 22 to the outside of the ink storage chamber 23 is alleviated. At this time, the rod 29 closes the ink recovery port 26.

  FIG. 7 is a graph showing how the pressure before the damper device 19 (that is, the tube 16b of the ink supply path 16) and after the damper device 19 (that is, the ink head 15) has changed over time. It is. As shown in FIG. 7, when the pressure of the ink passing through the tube 16 b of the ink supply path 16 that is in front of the damper device 19 is changed and the flow rate is changed, the pressure is kept constant in the damper device 19. . Accordingly, the pressure of the ink head 15 is also maintained in a constant state. Thus, in the present embodiment, ink can be stably supplied to the ink head 15.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, in the damper device 19, the pressure of the ink storage chamber 23 is adjusted by the rod 29 opening and closing the ink recovery port 26. Specifically, when the pressure in the ink storage chamber 23 is larger than the reference pressure, the damper film 22 bends outside the ink storage chamber 23. At this time, the rod 29 opens the ink recovery port 26 of the damper device 19, and the ink in the ink storage chamber 23 is discharged to the ink recovery path 20. As a result, the pressure in the ink storage chamber 23 becomes equal to or lower than the reference pressure. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, when the pressure in the ink storage chamber 23 is equal to or lower than the reference pressure, the deflection of the damper film 22 to the outside of the ink storage chamber 23 is alleviated by the coil spring 31. Is closed by a rod 29. Note that the ink in the ink storage chamber 23 is supplied to the ink head 15 regardless of whether the ink recovery port 26 is opened or closed by the rod 29. In the present embodiment, since the ink pressure is adjusted by the rod 29 that is automatically opened and closed according to the pressure in the ink storage chamber 23, a supply valve (see Patent Document 1) controlled by the control device 18 is provided. Can be omitted. Therefore, since the control device 18 does not control the drive of the supply valve, it is not necessary to control the supply valve and the supply pump 17 in conjunction with each other. The control device 18 can stably supply ink to the ink head 15 without performing complicated control.

  In the present embodiment, the coil spring 31 is provided outside the ink storage chamber 23 in the damper film 22. The rod 29 is provided inside the ink storage chamber 23 in the damper film 22. As a result, the coil spring 31 presses against the damper film 22, whereby the bending of the damper film 22 to the outside of the ink storage chamber 23 can be reduced. Accordingly, the rod 29 can close the ink recovery port 26. When the pressure in the ink storage chamber 23 is large, the ink recovery port 26 is opened by the rod 29 as the damper film 22 bends toward the outside of the ink storage chamber 23. Therefore, the ink recovery port 26 can be opened and closed as the damper film 22 bends. Therefore, ink pressure fluctuations can be suppressed without electrically controlling the damper device 19 by the control device 18.

  In this embodiment, it is a rod-shaped rod 29 provided on the damper film 22 that opens and closes the ink recovery port 26. This makes it easier for the ink to flow in the ink storage chamber 23 than when the member that opens and closes the ink recovery port 26 is wider than the rod 29.

  A valve seat 27 that is formed of an elastic body and can come into contact with the rod 29 is provided at the periphery of the ink recovery port 26 of the damper device 19. As a result, when the ink recovery port 26 is closed by the rod 29, the rod 29 is in close contact with the valve seat 27, so that it is possible to suitably prevent ink from leaking from the ink recovery port 26.

  As shown in FIG. 3, one end of the ink recovery path 20 is connected to the ink recovery port 26 of the damper device 19, and the other end is connected to the ink cartridges 11C, 11M, 11Y, 11K, and 11W in the ink supply path 16 and the supply pump. 17 is connected. Thus, the ink discharged from the damper device 19 to the ink recovery path 20 can be supplied again to the damper device 19 together with the inks of the ink cartridges 11C, 11M, 11Y, 11K, and 11W by the supply pump 17. Therefore, waste of ink can be reduced.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the supply pump 17 is a tube pump. Accordingly, the ink stored in the ink cartridges 11C, 11M, 11Y, 11K, and 11W can be supplied to the damper device 19 with a simple configuration.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the ink cartridges 11 </ b> C, 11 </ b> M, 11 </ b> Y, 11 </ b> K, and 11 </ b> W are arranged at positions lower than the ink head 15. This makes it easy to maintain the pressure in the ink storage chamber 23.

  The control device 18 controls so that the supply pump 17 is always driven while the ink head 15 is ejecting ink. Here, the control device 18 controls the supply pump 17 to be driven at a constant rotational speed. As a result, the control device 18 does not perform control for driving or stopping the supply pump 17 according to the pressure of the ink, or control for changing the rotational speed of the supply pump 17. The control device 18 may control the drive of the supply pump 17 at a constant rotational speed at all times. Therefore, ink pressure fluctuations can be suppressed without performing complicated control by the control device 18.

  At least a part of the ink supply path 16 is a flexible tube that deforms as the carriage 1 moves. At least a part of the peripheral surface of the ink supply path 16 is covered with the cable protection guide device 7. Accordingly, even when the ink head 15 moves along the guide rail 3 together with the carriage 1 and the ink supply path 16 is deformed, a part of the ink supply path 16 is a flexible tube. Therefore, the ink supply path 16 can be made difficult to be damaged. In addition, since at least a part of the peripheral surface of the ink supply path 16 is covered by the cables protection guide device 7, the ink supply path 16 is hardly affected by an external shock and is not easily damaged.

  The first embodiment of the present invention has been described above. However, the above-described embodiment is merely an example, and the present invention can be implemented in various other forms.

  Next, a printer according to the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a damper device 19B according to the second embodiment. In the present embodiment, the arrangement position of the coil spring 31 is different from that of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 8, the coil spring 31 is provided inside the ink storage chamber 23 in the damper film 22. The coil spring 31 is provided in the ink storage chamber 23. Here, one end of the coil spring 31 is attached to the damper film 22. The other end of the coil spring 31 is attached to the side surface of the ink storage chamber 23 facing the damper film 22. The coil spring 31 is provided so as to be wound around the rod 29. As a result, it is difficult for the coil spring 31 to be affected by the flow of ink in the ink storage chamber 23.

  Here, the coil spring 31 is maintained in a compressed state. Therefore, the damper film 22 is always pressed toward the outside of the ink storage chamber 23. Even in this embodiment, the coil spring 31 expands and contracts and the damper film 22 bends, whereby the ink recovery port 26 is opened or closed by the rod 29, thereby adjusting the pressure in the ink storage chamber 23. ing.

  Specifically, when the pressure in the ink storage chamber 23 is equal to or lower than the reference pressure, the deflection of the damper film 22 to the outside of the ink storage chamber 23 is reduced. At this time, the rod 29 provided on the damper film 22 closes the ink recovery port 26. Therefore, the ink in the ink storage chamber 23 does not flow from the ink recovery port 26 to the ink recovery path 20. The ink in the ink storage chamber 23 is supplied from the ink outlet 25 to the ink head 15. The ink supplied to the ink head 15 is discharged toward the recording paper 5 from a nozzle (not shown).

  On the other hand, when the pressure in the ink storage chamber 23 is larger than the reference pressure, the damper film 22 is further bent to the outside of the ink storage chamber 23 by pressing the damper film 22 by the coil spring 31. At this time, when the rod 29 provided on the damper film 22 is separated from the ink recovery port 26, the ink recovery port 26 is opened. As a result, the ink in the ink storage chamber 23 is returned from the ink recovery port 26 to the ink supply path 16 through the ink recovery path 20. As described above, even in the present embodiment, the ink recovery port 26 can be opened and closed as the damper film 22 bends, as in the first embodiment.

<Modification>
In each of the above embodiments, the image recording apparatus is the ink jet printer 10. However, the image recording apparatus is not limited to the inkjet printer 10. For example, the image recording apparatus may be an apparatus capable of recording an image.

  In the above embodiments, the liquid stored in the ink cartridges 11C, 11M, 11Y, 11K, and 11W is ink. However, the liquid of the present invention is not limited to ink. For example, the liquid of the present invention may be a cleaning liquid.

  In each of the above embodiments, as shown in FIG. 5, the elastic member that deflects the damper film 22 is the coil spring 31. However, the elastic member of the present invention is not limited to the coil spring 31. The elastic member may be a rubber member (for example, a rubber plate).

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Carriage 2 Printer main body 3 Guide rail 7 Cable protection guide apparatus 10 Inkjet printer (image recording apparatus)
11C, 11M, 11Y, 11K, 11W Ink cartridge (liquid tank)
15 Ink head (head)
16 Ink supply path (liquid supply path)
17 Supply pump 18 Control device 19, 19B Damper device 20 Ink recovery path (liquid recovery path)
22 Damper film 23 Ink storage chamber (liquid storage chamber)
26 Ink collection port (discharge port)
27 Valve seat 29 Rod (valve member)
31 Coil spring (elastic member)

Claims (11)

A liquid tank for storing liquid;
A liquid supply path having one end connected to the liquid tank;
A damper device provided in the liquid supply path;
A supply pump that is provided in the liquid supply path and supplies liquid from the liquid tank toward the damper device;
A head that is provided at the other end of the liquid supply path and discharges the liquid;
One end is connected to the damper device, and the other end of the liquid supply path is connected between the liquid tank and the supply pump.
With
The damper device is
A liquid storage chamber in which a discharge port connected to one end of the liquid recovery path is formed and the liquid is temporarily stored;
A valve member provided to open the discharge port when the pressure of the liquid storage chamber is larger than a predetermined pressure, and to close the discharge port when the pressure of the liquid storage chamber is equal to or lower than the predetermined pressure;
An image recording apparatus comprising: The damper device is
A damper film that is arranged to constitute a part of the wall surface of the liquid storage chamber, and bends outside the liquid storage chamber;
An elastic member provided on the damper film so as to bend the damper film to the outside of the liquid storage chamber;
With
The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the valve member is provided on the damper film. The elastic member is provided outside the liquid storage chamber in the damper film,
The image recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the valve member is provided inside the liquid storage chamber in the damper film.   The image recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the elastic member and the valve member are provided inside the liquid storage chamber in the damper film.   The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the valve member is a rod.   6. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a valve seat that is formed of an elastic body and is capable of contacting the valve member is provided at a peripheral edge of the discharge port.   The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the supply pump is a tube pump.   The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid tank is disposed at a position lower than the head. A control device for controlling the drive of the supply pump;
9. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control device performs control so that the supply pump is always driven while the head is ejecting liquid. 10.   The image recording apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the control device controls the supply pump to be driven at a constant rotation speed. An apparatus main body for supporting the liquid tank;
A guide rail fixed to the apparatus body;
A carriage that moves along the guide rail while supporting the head;
With
At least a part of the liquid supply path is a flexible tube that deforms as the carriage moves,
11. The image according to claim 1, further comprising a cable protection guide device that is deformed along with the movement of the carriage and covers at least a part of a peripheral surface of the tube of the liquid supply path. Recording device.

Images