JP2020093519A - Wiping unit and liquid discharge device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a wiping unit that can cleanly remove ink adhering to a wiping member, maintain wiping performance for a long term and prevent the wiped out ink from scattering, and to provide a liquid discharge device.SOLUTION: A wiping unit 2 includes: a wiping member 3 for wiping a nozzle face 1a including a nozzle that is provided in a liquid discharge head 1 to discharge liquid; an absorption member 4 for absorbing liquid adhering to the wiping member 3; a holding member 5 for holding the wiping member 3 and the absorption member 4; and suction means 8 for sucking the liquid absorbed by the absorption member 4.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a wiping unit and a liquid ejection device.

In a liquid ejecting apparatus such as a printer, a facsimile, a copying machine, a plotter, or a complex machine including these, which has a liquid ejecting head for ejecting a recording liquid as a recording head, a performance maintaining/recovering mechanism for maintaining and recovering the performance of the recording head is provided. A liquid discharge unit is essential. This performance maintenance/recovery mechanism has a cap function of covering the recording head with a highly-sealing cap member to prevent the recording liquid near the nozzle hole from thickening and sticking due to natural evaporation of the recording liquid, and the bubbles generated in the nozzle hole. In order to prevent the occurrence of ejection failure due to, for example, the ejection recovery function that discharges the recording liquid or sucks the recording liquid from the nozzle of the recording head through the cap function, and changes the flying state of the recording liquid attached to the nozzle surface. It has a wiping function and the like for wiping off the residual recording liquid that causes the above.

In such a performance maintaining/restoring mechanism, after the suction is performed while the nozzle surface of the recording head is capped by the capping member, the nozzle surface of the recording head is wiped and cleaned by the wiping member, and then the nozzle of the recording head is again cleaned. A step of capping the surface with a capping member is performed.
Here, in the above-described operation of wiping the nozzle surface after the recording head suction operation, when the wiping operation of wiping the nozzle surface is performed, the recording liquid adhering to the wiping member due to the restoring deformation at the tip of the wiping member is adjacent to the recording head. However, there is a problem that the ink is scattered on the side surface and the nozzle surface, and the scattered ink drips to the transport portion to stain the recording medium. Further, there is a problem that the wiped recording liquid is thickened and deposited on the wiping member, and the wiping performance is deteriorated.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a technique of sucking the recording liquid adhering to the wiping member has been proposed in order to prevent the recording liquid adhering to the wiping member from being deteriorated and the wiping performance being deteriorated (for example, "Patent Document"). Reference 1)).

However, the above-mentioned technique does not solve the problem that the recording liquid wiped when the curved wiping member is restored and deformed is scattered, and the recording liquid adhering to the wiping member is pressed against the print receiver and scraped off. In that case, the recording liquid remains on the top surface of the wiping member.
The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, can cleanly remove the recording liquid adhering to the wiping member, can maintain the wiping performance for a long time, and can prevent scattering of the wiped recording liquid. An object is to provide a wiping unit and a liquid ejection device.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a wiping member for wiping a nozzle surface provided with a nozzle for ejecting a liquid provided in a liquid ejection head, an absorbing member for absorbing the liquid adhering to the wiping member, the wiping member, and A holding member for holding the absorbing member, and a suction means for sucking the liquid absorbed by the absorbing member are provided.

According to the present invention, since the absorbing member that absorbs the liquid attached to the wiping member is included, the liquid wiped from the nozzle surface by the wiping member can be removed from the wiping member by absorbing the liquid. It is possible to prevent the liquid attached to the wiping member from scattering around due to the impact force when the wiping member that is elastically deformed and curved during the wiping operation is restored.

It is a schematic block diagram of the wiping unit which employ|adopted the 1st Embodiment of this invention. (A) Schematic perspective view of a holder member used in a modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention (b) Schematic perspective view of a holder member used in the first embodiment of the present invention (c) The present invention It is a partial cross-section perspective view of the holder member used for 1 embodiment. It is a schematic diagram explaining a wiping member, an absorption member, and a holder member used for a 1st embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a wiping operation of the recording head nozzle surface by the wiping unit used in the first embodiment of the present invention. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a wiping operation of the recording head nozzle surface by the wiping unit used in the first embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating another example of the wiping operation of the recording head nozzle surface by the wiping unit used in the first embodiment of the present invention. 7 is a flowchart illustrating still another example of the wiping operation of the recording head nozzle surface by the wiping unit used in the first embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic diagram explaining an absorption member used for a modification of a 1st embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an inkjet recording device to which a wiping unit used in the first embodiment of the present invention can be applied. FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of an inkjet recording device to which a wiping unit used in the first embodiment of the present invention can be applied. It is a schematic front view of the inkjet recording device to which the wiping unit used in the third embodiment of the present invention can be applied. It is a figure explaining the operation control of the suction pump by the control means in the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the operation control of the suction pump by the control means in the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram of the conventional wiping unit. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a wiping operation of a recording head nozzle surface by a conventional wiping unit. (A) Schematic view of the wiping member, the absorbing member, and the holder member used in the second embodiment of the present invention (b) The wiping member, the absorbing member, and the holder member used in the modified example of the second embodiment of the present invention FIG. It is a figure explaining the operation control of the suction pump by the control means in the 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

First, prior to the description of the present invention, problems in the conventional technique will be described with reference to the drawings.
In FIG. 14, reference numeral 31 denotes a recording head which is a liquid ejection head having a nozzle surface 31a on which a plurality of nozzles for ejecting liquid are formed. A wiping unit 32 for cleaning the liquid adhering to the nozzle surface 31a is arranged below the recording head 31. The wiping unit 32 holds the wiping member 33 that comes into contact with the nozzle surface 31a for cleaning, the holder member 34 that holds the wiping member 33 and is moved up and down by a vertically moving unit (not shown), and the holder that holds the holder member 34 in a vertically movable manner. It has a print receiver 35 as a member, a roller member 36 and the like which is movably supported by the print receiver 35 and is provided so as to be able to come into contact with and separate from the wiping member 33 by a moving means (not shown).
The wiping member 33 is formed of a porous body capable of absorbing liquid. The print receiver 35 is provided with an upper end portion 35a that is sharply formed in an acute angle, and the wiping member 33 held by the holder member 34 contacts the upper end portion 35a when the holder member 34 moves up and down. It is configured to move.

FIG. 15 shows the wiping operation of the wiping unit 32 with respect to the recording head 31. When the wiping operation is started, first, as shown in FIG. 15A, the holder member 34 is moved to a predetermined position where the up-and-down moving means (not shown) is activated and the upper end of the wiping member 33 can come into contact with the nozzle surface 31a. Is raised. When the holder member 34 moves up to a predetermined position, the recording head 31 starts moving leftward in the drawing as shown in FIG. 15B, and the wiping operation is started. At this time, the wiping member 33 is elastically deformed leftward in FIG. 15B as the recording head 31 moves.
Then, as shown in FIGS. 15C and 15D, the recording head 31 comes into contact with the wiping member 33 to perform the wiping operation, and the liquid adhering to the nozzle surface 31 a is removed by the wiping member 33. Be wiped away. Then, when the wiping operation is completed as shown in FIG. 15E, the elastically deformed wiping member 33 returns to its original position by the restoring force, and the moving means (not shown) operates to cause the roller 36 to wipe the roller 36. It is moved to the position where it contacts 33. After the movement of the roller 36, as shown in FIG. 15( f ), the vertical movement means (not shown) is activated and the holder member 34 is lowered to the initial position.
When the holder member 34 descends, the wiping member 33 is brought into pressure contact with the upper end portion 35a by the pressure contact force of the roller 36, and the liquid adhering to the wiping member 33 is squeezed at the upper end portion 35a by the pressure contact operation and the lowering operation. The squeezed liquid travels along the outer wall surface of the print receiver 35 and falls into a waste liquid tray (not shown) provided below.

During the series of operations described above, the wiping member 33, which has been elastically deformed when transitioning from FIG. 15D to FIG. 15E, returns to the original state due to the restoring force. There is a problem that the liquid adhering to the wiping member 33 is scattered and the periphery of the wiping member 33 is soiled. Further, at this time, the liquid remains on the upper surface 33a of the wiping member 33, and the nozzle surface 31a is contaminated by the liquid remaining on the upper surface 33a in the next wiping operation.
The structure of the present invention for solving such a problem will be described below.

In FIG. 1 showing the first embodiment of the present invention, reference numeral 1 denotes a recording head which is a liquid ejection head having a nozzle surface 1a on which a plurality of nozzles for ejecting a liquid are formed. A wiping unit 2 for cleaning the liquid adhering to the nozzle surface 1a is arranged below the recording head 1. The wiping unit 2 wipes and cleans the liquid adhering to the nozzle surface 1a by coming into contact with the nozzle surface 1a, and an absorption that absorbs the liquid wiped from the nozzle surface 1a by the wiping member 3 and adhering to the wiping member 3 The holder member 5 as a holding member that holds the member 4, the wiping member 3, and the absorbing member 4 and is moved up and down by an up-and-down moving unit (not shown), the frame 6 that holds the holder member 5 in a vertically movable manner, and is attached to the frame 6. It has a roller member 7 rotatably supported by an arm 6a, a suction means 8 connected to the holder member 5, and the like.

The wiping member 3 is a rubber plate material, and its upper surface 3a moves to a position higher than the nozzle surface 1a when wiping the nozzle surface 1a, and elastically deforms and contacts the nozzle surface 1a in a curved state during the wiping operation. The liquid adhering to the nozzle surface 1a is wiped off.
The absorbing member 4 is a porous body, and by absorbing and holding the liquid, the absorbing power can be maintained without always being dried. The tip end position of the absorbing member 4 is configured to be lower than the upper surface 3a, so that when the wiping member 3 wipes the nozzle surface 1a, the contact of the absorbing member 4 with the nozzle surface 1a is prevented. ..

The holder member 5 holds the wiping member 3 and the absorbing member 4, and is moved up and down by an up/down moving means (not shown). As shown in FIG. 2A, the holder member 5 has a shape that covers at least the side surfaces of the wiping member 3 and the absorbing member 4. With this configuration, liquid leakage from the holder member 5 and drying of the absorbing member 4 can be prevented, and the efficiency of absorbing liquid from the absorbing member 4 by the suction means 8 described later can be improved.
In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C, the holder member 5 has a configuration that covers at least a part of the upper surface of the absorbing member 4. When the upper surface of the absorbing member 4 is opened, only the air is sucked during the suction operation of the suction means 8 and the suction force of the liquid is reduced. Covers the upper surface of. Thereby, the liquid absorption efficiency of the absorbing member 4 can be further improved. However, if the upper surface of the absorbing member 4 is entirely covered with the holder member 5, the suction means 8 cannot perform suction. Therefore, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3, the upper portion 5a of the holder member 5 is formed so that the upper surface 4a of the absorbing member 4 is partially exposed. Specifically, the upper portion 5a is formed so that a predetermined portion of the upper surface of the absorbing member 4 is exposed from the upper portion 5a, that is, a gap X corresponding to the predetermined portion is formed between the absorbing member 4 and the wiping member 3. Has been done. With this configuration, since the suction operation by the suction means 8 is appropriately performed, the liquid absorption efficiency of the absorbing member 4 can be improved.

The suction means 8 has suction tubes 9 and 10, a suction pump 11, a waste liquid tank 12, and the like. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the suction tube 9 as a connecting member, which is a rubber tube, has one end connected to the connected portion 5b formed at the lower end of the holder member 5 and the other end connected to the suction pump 11, respectively. It is connected. The suction tube 10, which is a rubber tube, has one end connected to the suction pump 11 and the other end connected to the waste liquid tank 12.
The suction pump 11 driven by a motor (not shown) is configured so that its suction force and suction time can be changed by drivingly controlling a motor (not shown).
The waste liquid tank 12 stores the liquid removed from the nozzle surface 1a by the wiping member 3 and absorbed by the absorbing member 4 and then recovered by the operation of the suction pump 11 through the suction tubes 9 and 10. A porous body similar to the absorbing member 4 may be disposed inside the waste liquid tank 12, and the liquid stored in the waste liquid tank 12 is discarded at a predetermined timing.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the wiping operation of the wiping unit 2 with respect to the recording head 1, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the same operation. When the wiping operation is started, first, as shown in FIG. 4A, the recording head 1 is moved to a predetermined position which is the initial position of the wiping operation (ST01), and the up-and-down moving means (not shown) operates to wipe the wiping member. The holder member 5 is raised to a predetermined position where the upper end of 3 can come into contact with the nozzle surface 1a (ST02). When the holder member 5 moves up, if the holder member 5 contacts the nozzle surface 1a, the nozzle surface 1a may be damaged. Therefore, when the holder member 5 moves up, the upper portion 5a has a height that does not contact the nozzle surface 1a. Has been formed. 2A is used as the holder member 5, the absorbing member 4 is formed so that the upper surface 4a does not come into contact with the nozzle surface 1a when the holder member 5 rises. It
When the holder member 5 rises to a predetermined position, the recording head 1 starts moving leftward in the drawing as shown in FIG. 4B, and the wiping operation is started (ST03). At this time, the wiping member 3 is elastically deformed leftward in FIG. 4B as the recording head 1 moves.

Then, as shown in FIGS. 4C and 4D, the recording head 1 contacts the wiping member 3 to perform the wiping operation (ST04). At the time of this wiping operation, the wiping member 3 that is elastically deformed and curved contacts the roller member 7 and the curving deformation is suppressed. By the action of the roller member 7, the wiping member 3 can be pressed against the nozzle surface 1a with a target pressure.
The liquid removed from the nozzle surface 1a by the wiping operation of the wiping member 3 moves downward along the curved wiping member 3 and is absorbed by the absorbing member 4 arranged in parallel to the wiping member 3. With this configuration, the removed liquid moves from the wiping member 3 and quickly permeates the absorbing member 4, and the liquid adhering to the wiping member 3 is prevented from scattering around due to the impact force when the wiping member 3 is restored. can do.

After the wiping operation, the wiping member 3 that has been elastically deformed as shown in FIG. 4E returns to the original position by the restoring force. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, since the upper portion 5a is formed so as to form the gap X between the wiping member 3 and the wiping member 3, the absorbing member protruding by the protrusion amount X from the upper portion 5a to the wiping member 3 side. Since 4 absorbs the impact force acting on the wiping member 3 which returns to the initial position by the restoring force, the scattering of the liquid attached to the upper surface 3a is suppressed. After that, as shown in FIG. 4(f), the vertically moving means (not shown) is activated to lower the holder member 5 to the initial position.
When the holder member 5 descends, the suction pump 11 starts operating (ST05), and the liquid absorbed in the absorbing member 4 by the suction force of the suction pump 11 and the liquid contained in the holder member 5 are sucked into each suction tube. The waste liquid is stored in the waste liquid tank 12 via 9 and 10. The suction pump 11 stops its operation after being operated for a predetermined time (ST06).
By this series of operations, the wiping operation of the liquid from the nozzle surface 1a by the wiping unit 2 is completed.

As described above, according to the wiping unit 2 of the present invention, the wiping unit 2 has the absorbing member 4 that absorbs the liquid that has been wiped and removed by the wiping member 3 from the nozzle surface 1a of the recording head 1 during the wiping operation. Therefore, the liquid wiped from the nozzle surface 1a by the wiping member 3 can be removed from the wiping member 3 by absorbing the liquid by the absorbing member 4, and the wiping member 3 that is elastically deformed and curved during the wiping operation is restored. It is possible to prevent the liquid attached to the wiping member 3 from splashing around due to the impact force at the time of performing.
Further, by configuring the holder member 5 for holding the wiping member 3 and the absorbing member 4 so as to cover the side surface of the absorbing member 4, it is possible to prevent liquid leakage from the holder member 5 and drying of the absorbing member 4, and The efficiency of liquid absorption from the absorbing member 4 by the suction means 8 can be improved.
Further, the holder member 5 for holding the wiping member 3 and the absorbing member 4 is configured to cover the upper surface of the absorbing member 4, whereby the suction force by the suction means 8 can be improved, and liquid absorption efficiency can be further improved. You can

Further, since the upper surface 4a of the absorbing member 4 is formed so as to project toward the wiping member 3 side with respect to the upper portion 5a by the projecting amount X, when the wiping member 3 curved by elastic deformation returns to the initial position due to the restoring force, the wiping operation is performed. Since the absorbing member 4 colliding with the wiping member 3 absorbs the impact force acting on the wiping member 3 while preventing the member 3 from colliding with the upper portion 5a, the scattering of the liquid attached to the upper surface 3a is suppressed.
Further, when the holder member 5 is raised during the wiping operation, the upper portion 5a is formed to have a height that does not contact the nozzle surface 1a, so that the holder member 5 contacts the nozzle surface 1a and the nozzle surface 1a. It is possible to prevent damage.
Further, since the absorbing member 4 is arranged at a position where the liquid removed from the nozzle surface 1a by the wiping member 3 can come into contact with the wiping member 3 during the wiping operation, the removed liquid moves from the wiping member 3 and is quickly absorbed. It is possible to prevent the liquid that has penetrated into the member 4 and adhered to the wiping member 3 from scattering due to the impact force when the wiping member 3 is restored.

In the wiping operation described above, the operation timing of the suction means 8 is shown in FIG. 5 after starting the suction after the movement of the recording head 1 is completed and the wiping operation is completed (ST05) and stopping after a predetermined time (ST06). However, instead of this, as shown in FIG. 6, suction may be started during movement of the recording head 1 (ST07) and stopped after a predetermined time (ST06). As a result, it is possible to prevent the liquid exceeding the holding allowable amount of the liquid held by the absorbing member 4 and the holder member 5 from overflowing the holder member 5.
Further, as shown in FIG. 7, in addition to the operation shown in FIG. 5, a suction operation is added before the wiping operation of the nozzle surface 1a by the wiping member 3, that is, before the raising operation (ST02) of the wiping member 3 (ST08). It is also possible. With such a configuration, the liquid contained in the holder member 5 can be discharged in advance, and the liquid collected during the previous wiping operation removes the liquid removed during the wiping operation from the holder member 5. It is possible to prevent overflow.

In the above-described embodiment, a porous body is used as the absorbing member 4, which allows the wiping member 3 to absorb and retain the liquid wiped and removed from the nozzle surface 1a. As the absorbing member 4, the volume of liquid that can be sucked can be adjusted by changing the size of the pores and the porosity of the porous body, and it is possible to cope with various liquids and device configurations.
As a modified example of the above-described embodiment, a configuration using the absorbing member 13 shown in FIG. 8 instead of the absorbing member 4 may be used. The absorbing member 13 integrally includes a fine member 13a, which is a fine porous body, in the upper stage, and a coarse member 13b, which is a porous body having a coarser mesh than the fine member 13a, in the lower stage. The boundary between the fine member 13a and the coarse member 13b is set to be at the same position as the deformation start point when the wiping member 3 is curved and deformed during the wiping operation.
With this configuration, the same action and effect as the absorbing member 4 can be obtained, and the fine member 13a can prevent the absorbing member 13 from being dried by decreasing the fluidity of the absorbed liquid and increasing the holding force, and thus the coarse member can be used. In 13b, it is possible to improve the fluidity of the absorbed liquid and improve the suction property of the liquid by the suction means 8.

In the first embodiment, when the wiping unit 2 wipes the nozzle surface 1a of the recording head 1, if foreign matter (paper dust, ink that is about to solidify, etc.) is present on the nozzle surface 1a, the gap X shown in FIG. There is a problem that foreign matter accumulates in the. The gap X is formed so that the absorbing member 4 is not completely sealed by the holder member 5, and if the gap X is partially closed, the suction efficiency by the suction means 8 is reduced.
A configuration for preventing the occurrence of such a problem will be described below as a second embodiment.

FIG. 16A shows an absorbing member 14 used in the second embodiment of the present invention. Compared to the absorbent member 4 shown in the first embodiment, the absorbent member 14 has a flat upper surface 4a as shown in FIG. 3, whereas the upper surface 14a of the absorbent member 14 is formed. Are different in that they are formed so as to be recessed toward the central portion, and the other configurations are the same. In FIG. 16A, the holder member 5 is shown by cutting a part of a side portion and a part of a wall surface connected to the upper portion 5a.
In the example shown in FIG. 16A, the holder member 5 similar to that of the first embodiment is used, and the holder member 5 has one connected portion 5b at the center portion in the width direction. The absorbing member 14 is formed such that the central portion 14b in the width direction, which is a portion corresponding to the portion where the connected portion 5b is provided, is recessed as compared with other portions.

The liquid that has permeated the absorbing member 14 is sucked through the connected portion 5b by the operation of the sucking means 8, but by using the absorbing member 14 having the upper surface 14a having such a shape, the liquid is absorbed in the central portion 14b of the upper surface 14a. Due to the depression, the distance between the central portion 14b and the connected portion 5b becomes shorter, and the suction force at the central portion 14b becomes higher than that at other portions. With this configuration, the liquid containing the foreign matter after wiping is collected and sucked in the central portion 14b of the inclined upper surface 14a, and the foreign matter can be collected in the central portion 14b. As a result, the life of the suction member 14 until the wiping unit 2 is replaced can be extended as compared with the suction member 4.

FIG. 16B shows an absorbing member 14A and a holder member 5A as a holding member used in the modification of the second embodiment of the present invention. The absorbent member 14A is different from the absorbent member 4 shown in the first embodiment in that the upper surface 14c is formed so as to be recessed toward both ends, and the other configurations are the same. In FIG. 16B, the holder member 5A is shown by cutting a part of the side portion and a part of the wall surface connected to the upper portion 5a.
The holder member 5A is different from the holder member 5 in that it has two connected portions 5b near both ends in the width direction, and the other configurations are the same. The absorbent member 14A is formed such that both end portions 14d, 14d in the width direction, which are portions corresponding to the portion where the connected portion 5b is provided, are recessed as compared with other portions.

With this configuration, the liquid containing the foreign matter after wiping is collected and sucked at both end portions 14d, 14d of the inclined upper surface 14c, and the same effect as that of the second embodiment described above can be obtained. In the above-described second embodiment, one connected part 5b is provided at the center of the holder member 5 in the width direction, and in the modified example, two connected parts 5b are provided at both ends of the holder member 5A in the width direction. And When one connected portion 5b is provided, it is preferably provided at the center in the width direction. Further, three or more connected parts 5b may be provided. In this case, if the part of the upper surface corresponding to the connected part is formed lower than the other parts of the absorbing member, The same effect can be obtained.

Next, an ink jet recording apparatus as a liquid ejection apparatus equipped with the recording head 1 and the wiping unit 2 described above will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10.
An ink jet recording apparatus 54 as a liquid ejecting apparatus has a carriage 55 that is movable in the main scanning direction and that mounts the recording head 1 inside the apparatus main body. Further, inside the apparatus main body, a liquid ejection unit 57 and the like including a recording head 1 and an ink tank 56 that supplies ink to the recording head 1 are housed. A paper feed cassette (which may be a paper feed tray) 59 on which a large number of recording sheets 58, which are recording media, can be stacked is detachably attached to the lower part of the apparatus main body. Further, a manual feed tray 60, which is opened when the transfer sheet 58 is manually fed, is arranged in the apparatus body. The inkjet recording device 54 takes in the transfer sheet 58 fed from the paper feed cassette 59 or the manual feed tray 60, records a desired image by the liquid ejection unit 57, and then arranges the transfer sheet 58 after image formation on the rear surface side. The sheet is discharged to the sheet discharge tray 61 provided.

The liquid discharge unit 57 holds a main guide rod 62, a sub guide rod 63, and a carriage 55, which are guide members that are hung on left and right side plates (not shown), slidably in the main scanning direction. The carriage 55 is provided with a plurality of recording heads 1 that eject yellow (Y), cyan (C), magenta (M), and black (Bk) color ink droplets.
Further, each ink tank 56 that supplies each color ink to each recording head 1 is replaceably mounted on the carriage 55. Each ink tank 56 has an atmosphere port communicating with the atmosphere in the upper part and a supply port supplying the ink to each recording head 1 in the lower part. A porous body filled with ink is provided inside the ink tank 56, and the ink supplied to the recording head 1 is maintained at a slight negative pressure by the capillary force of the porous body.

The carriage 55 is slidably fitted to the main guide rod 62 on the downstream side in the sheet transport direction, and is slidably mounted on the upstream side in the sheet transport direction on the front side to the slave guide rod 63. There is. In order to move and scan the carriage 55 in the main scanning direction, a timing belt 67 is stretched between a drive pulley 65 and a driven pulley 66 that are rotationally driven by a main scanning motor 64, and the timing belt 67 is fixed to the carriage 55. .. With this configuration, the carriage 55 is reciprocally moved by the forward and reverse rotations of the main scanning motor 64.

On the other hand, in order to convey the transfer sheet 58 set in the paper feeding cassette 59 to the lower side of the recording head 1, a paper feeding roller 68 and a friction pad 69 for separating and feeding the transfer sheet 58 from the paper feeding cassette 59 are provided. ing. Further, a guide member 70 that guides the transfer sheet 58, and a conveyance roller 71 that reverses and conveys the fed transfer sheet 58 are provided. Further, a transport roller 72 pressed against the peripheral surface of the transport roller 71 and a leading end roller 73 that regulates the delivery angle of the transfer sheet 58 from the transport roller 71 are provided. The transport roller 71 is rotationally driven by a sub-scanning motor (not shown) via a gear train.

A print receiving member 74, which is a sheet guide member, is provided in order to guide the transfer sheet 58 sent out from the conveying roller 71 to a position below the recording head 1 in correspondence with the movement range of the carriage 55 in the main scanning direction. There is. A transport roller 75 and a spur 76, which are driven to rotate in order to feed the transfer sheet 58 in the paper discharge direction, are provided on the downstream side of the print receiving member 74 in the paper transport direction. Further, a paper discharge roller 77 and a spur 78 for sending the transfer sheet 58 to the paper discharge tray 61, and guide members 79 and 80 forming a paper discharge path are provided.

In the inkjet recording apparatus 54 described above, the recording head 1 is driven according to an image signal while moving the carriage 55 during recording. As a result, ink is ejected onto the stopped transfer sheet 58 to record one line, and then the transfer sheet 58 is conveyed by a predetermined amount and then the next line is recorded. Upon receiving the recording end signal or the signal that the rear end of the transfer sheet 58 reaches the recording area, the inkjet recording device 54 terminates the recording operation and ejects the transfer sheet 58.

A recovery device 81 for recovering the ejection failure of the recording head 1 is provided at a position outside the recording area on the right end side of the carriage 55 in the moving direction. The recovery device 81 includes a suction cap (not shown) that caps the recording head 1, a pump (not shown) that sucks a suction cap (not shown), and the wiping unit 2 described above. The carriage 55 is moved to the recovery device 81 side during printing standby, and the recording head 1 is capped with a suction cap (not shown) to keep the nozzle surface 1a in a wet state, thereby preventing ejection failure due to ink drying. .. In addition, by ejecting ink irrelevant to recording during recording or the like, the ink viscosity of the nozzle surface 1a is made constant and a stable ejection state is maintained.

When ejection failure occurs, the nozzle surface 1a of the recording head 1 is sealed with a suction cap (not shown), and air bubbles and the like are sucked from the nozzle surface 1a with a pump (not shown). Then, the wiping unit 2 removes ink, dust, and the like adhering to the nozzle surface 1a, thereby recovering the ejection failure. The sucked ink is discharged to the waste liquid tank 12 and absorbed and held by the ink absorber provided inside the waste liquid tank 12.
In the above-described inkjet recording device 54, since the wiping unit 2 of the present invention is mounted, since it has the absorbing member 4 that absorbs the liquid adhering to the wiping member 3, the wiping member 3 wipes the nozzle surface 1a. The absorbed liquid can be removed from the wiping member 3 by being absorbed by the absorbing member 4, and the liquid adhering to the wiping member 3 is scattered around by the impact force when the wiping member 3 which is elastically deformed and curved is restored. Can be suppressed.

In the above-described embodiment, a configuration is shown in which the suction means 8 is operated when the wiping member 3 performs the wiping operation or before performing the wiping operation, and the operating time and the suction force of the suction means 8 are not mentioned. Therefore, a configuration for controlling the operating time and the suction force of the suction means 8 will be described below as a third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 11 shows an inkjet recording apparatus as a liquid ejection apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the inkjet recording device 40 is different from the inkjet recording device 54 shown in the first embodiment in that the control means 41 for controlling the operation of the suction pump 11 in the wiping unit 2 in the recovery device 81 and the recording device main body. Temperature detecting sensor 42 as a temperature detecting means for detecting the ambient temperature in the vicinity of the liquid ejection unit 57, and an ink type as a liquid type detecting means for detecting the type of ink by reading different codes provided in the ink tank 56. The only difference is that the detection sensor 43, a humidity detection sensor 44 as a humidity detection means for detecting the environmental temperature in the vicinity of the liquid ejection unit 57, and the like are provided, and the other configurations are the same.
Detection signals from the sensors 42, 43, 44 are sent to the control means 41, and the control means 41 controls the operation of the suction pump 11 based on the sent signals.

The control means 41 controls the suction pump 11 as shown in FIGS. 12, 13 and 17. In this embodiment, the control means 41 controls the operating time of the suction pump 11, that is, the operating time of a drive motor (not shown) and the suction force, that is, the rotation speed of the motor.
The operation control of the suction pump 11 by the control unit 41 includes operation control based on temperature detection information by the temperature detection sensor 42, operation control based on ink type detection information by the ink type detection sensor 43, and humidity by the humidity detection sensor 44. There is operation control based on the detection information.

The operation control based on the temperature detection information by the temperature detection sensor 42 is 10 when the operation time and suction force of the suction pump 11 when the temperature detected by the temperature detection sensor 42 is room temperature (23° C.) are 1. Pattern 1 with operating time 2 when the temperature is lower than 0°C, Pattern 2 with operating time 0.8 when the detected temperature exceeds 32°C, and suction force 1.2 when the detected temperature is lower than 10°C. There are four types: a pattern 3 in which the operating temperature is 0.9 and a pattern 4 in which the operating time is 0.9 when the detected temperature exceeds 32°C.

The operation control based on the ink type detection information by the ink type detection sensor 43 is 1 when the operation time and the suction force of the suction pump 11 when the viscosity is within a predetermined range corresponding to the ink B detected by the ink type detection sensor. Then, in the case of the ink A whose detected ink type has a higher viscosity than the ink B, the pattern 5 whose operating time is 1.5, and the ink C whose detected ink type has a lower viscosity than the ink B Pattern 6 with an operating time of 0.7, a pattern 7 with a suction force of 1.1 when the detected ink type is ink A, and a suction force with a known ink type of ink C There are four types of pattern 8 to be 0.8.

The operation control based on the humidity detection information by the humidity detection sensor 44 is performed when the operating time and suction force of the suction pump 11 when the humidity detected by the humidity detection sensor 44 is the standard humidity (50%) are 1. Pattern 1 in which the operation time is 2 when the humidity is less than 20%, pattern 2 in which the operation time is 0.8 when the detected humidity exceeds 80%, and suction force is 1. when the detected humidity is less than 20%. There are four types: a pattern 3 of 2 and a pattern 4 of 0.9 when the detected humidity exceeds 80%.

In the second embodiment, the control means 41 controls the operation of the suction pump 11 to any one of the patterns 1 to 8 described above. It is sufficient that at least one of these controls is performed, and it is possible to combine a plurality of controls.
With this configuration, according to the second embodiment of the present invention, when the detection temperature is lower than the standard temperature, the operation time of the suction pump 11 is made longer than the standard temperature or the suction force is increased to detect the temperature. When the temperature is high, the operating time of the suction pump 11 is shortened or the suction force is reduced as compared with the standard temperature. Therefore, when the ambient temperature is low, the liquid with increased viscosity is sucked for a long time or with a strong suction force. By doing so, it is possible to surely and satisfactorily suck the liquid, and when the ambient temperature is high, it is possible to apply more time and suction force than necessary by sucking the liquid with low viscosity for a short time or with weak suction force. It is possible to obtain an energy saving effect.

Further, according to the second embodiment of the present invention, when it is determined that the detected liquid type has a higher viscosity than the standard liquid, the operation time of the suction pump 11 is longer than that of the standard type. Alternatively, when the suction force is increased and it is determined that the detected liquid type has a lower viscosity than the standard liquid, the operating time of the suction pump 11 is shortened or the suction force is decreased as compared with the standard type. Therefore, the same effect as the above can be obtained.
Further, according to the second embodiment of the present invention, when the detected humidity is lower than the standard humidity, the operating time of the suction pump 11 is longer than that of the standard humidity or the suction force is increased, so that the detected humidity is When it is high, the operating time of the suction pump 11 is shortened or the suction force is reduced as compared with the standard humidity, so that the same action and effect as described above can be obtained.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the ink used in the inkjet recording apparatus is shown as the liquid to be wiped by the wiping unit 2, but the liquid to which the present invention is applicable is not limited to the ink, and is applied to the configuration for wiping other liquids. It is possible to
Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, an example in which a color printer, which is an ink jet type image forming apparatus, is used as the liquid ejecting apparatus is shown, but the image forming apparatus is not limited to this, and may be used in a printer, a facsimile, a multifunction peripheral, or the like. The present invention is also applicable. Further, although the ink jet recording apparatus is shown as the liquid ejecting apparatus, other apparatus may be used as the liquid ejecting apparatus. You may apply.

In each of the above embodiments, the transfer sheet 58 is used as a recording medium on which an image is formed. However, the transfer sheet 58 is not limited to recording paper, and may be thick paper, postcards, envelopes, plain paper, thin paper. , Coated paper (coated paper, art paper, etc.), tracing paper, OHP sheet, OHP film, resin film, etc., and any material can be used as long as it has a sheet shape and can be image-formed. Good.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments, and unless otherwise specified in the above description, the present invention described in the claims is disclosed. Various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the purpose.
The effects described in the embodiments of the present invention merely exemplify the most preferable effects that result from the present invention, and the effects according to the present invention are limited to those described in the embodiments of the present invention. is not.

1 Liquid ejection head (recording head)
2 Wiping unit 3 Wiping member 4, 13, 14, 14A Absorbing member 4a Upper surface 5, 5A Holding member (holder member)
5b Connected part 8 Suction means 9 Connection member (suction tube)
13a Fine member 13b Coarse members 14a, 14c Upper surfaces 40, 54 Liquid ejection device (inkjet recording device)
42 Temperature detection means (temperature detection sensor)
43 Liquid type detection means (ink type detection sensor)
44 Humidity detection means (humidity detection sensor)

JP, 2012-35440, A

Claims (19)

A wiping member for wiping a nozzle surface provided with a nozzle for ejecting a liquid, which is provided in the liquid ejection head;
An absorbing member that absorbs the liquid attached to the wiping member,
A holding member for holding the wiping member and the absorbing member,
A wiping unit having a suction unit that sucks the liquid absorbed by the absorbing member. The wiping unit according to claim 1,
The wiping unit, wherein a part of the holding member is arranged so as to cover a side surface of the absorbing member. The wiping unit according to claim 2,
The wiping unit, wherein a part of the holding member is arranged so as to cover at least a part of an upper surface of the absorbing member. The wiping unit according to claim 3,
A wiping unit, wherein a predetermined portion of the upper surface of the absorbing member is exposed from the holding member. The wiping unit according to claim 3 or 4,
The wiping unit, wherein the holding member is not in contact with the nozzle surface when the wiping member wipes the nozzle surface. The wiping unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The wiping unit, wherein the absorbing member is arranged at a position where the liquid removed from the nozzle surface by the wiping member can come into contact with the wiping member when wiping the nozzle surface. The wiping unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The wiping unit, wherein the suction means operates when the wiping member wipes the nozzle surface. The wiping unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The wiping unit, wherein the suction means operates before the wiping operation of the nozzle surface by the wiping member. The wiping unit according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
The wiping unit, wherein the absorbing member is a porous body. The wiping unit according to claim 9,
The said absorption member has a fine member and a coarse member as said porous body, The fine member is arrange|positioned at the upper stage, and the coarse member is arrange|positioned at the lower stage, respectively, The wiping unit characterized by the above-mentioned. The wiping unit according to claim 1,
A part of the holding member is arranged so as to cover a side surface of the absorbing member, and another part of the holding member is arranged so as to cover an upper surface of the absorbing member,
Part of the upper surface of the absorbing member is exposed from the holding member,
The suction means has a connecting member connected to a connected portion provided on the holding member,
The wiping unit, wherein a portion of the upper surface of the absorbing member corresponding to the connected portion is formed to be recessed as compared with other portions. The wiping unit according to claim 11,
The wiping unit, wherein one connected portion is provided corresponding to a position other than both ends in the width direction of the holding member or two corresponding end portions are provided in the width direction. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising the wiping unit according to claim 1. The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 13,
It has a temperature detecting means for detecting the ambient temperature, and lengthens the operating time of the suction means when the detected temperature is lower than the standard temperature, and shortens the operating time of the suction means when the detected temperature is high. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising: The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 13,
It has a temperature detection means for detecting the ambient temperature, and increases the suction force of the suction means when the detection temperature is lower than the standard temperature, and decreases the suction force of the suction means when the detection temperature is high. A liquid ejecting apparatus, characterized in that: The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 13,
A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising: a liquid type detecting unit configured to detect a type of liquid ejected from the liquid ejecting head, and controlling an operation time of the suction unit according to the detected type of liquid. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 13,
A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising: a liquid type detecting unit that detects the type of liquid ejected from the liquid ejecting head, and controlling the suction force of the suction unit according to the detected type of liquid. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 13,
Having a humidity detecting means for detecting environmental humidity, the operating time of the suction means is lengthened when the detected humidity is lower than the standard humidity, and the operating time of the suction means is shortened when the detected humidity is high. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising: The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 13,
Having a humidity detecting means for detecting environmental humidity, the suction force of the suction means is increased when the detected humidity is lower than the standard humidity, and the suction force of the suction means is decreased when the detected humidity is high. A liquid ejecting apparatus, characterized in that:

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