JP2021016987A - Ink jet printer - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an ink jet printer for hardly carrying wiping residue in a peripheral region of a nozzle surface onto the nozzle surface.SOLUTION: An ink jet printer includes an ink head 40A, and a cleaning member 100 for wiping the ink head 40A. The ink head 40A has a nozzle surface 42, and a peripheral region formed around the nozzle surface 42. The peripheral region includes a first peripheral region 45a positioned at an X1 direction side from the nozzle surface 42. The nozzle surface 42 is wiped by moving the cleaning member 100 in a state of contacting the nozzle surface 42 in an X direction. The first peripheral region 45a is wiped by moving the cleaning member 100 in a state of contacting the first peripheral region 45a in a Y direction orthogonal to the X direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

The present invention relates to an inkjet printer.

Conventionally, an inkjet printer provided with a wiper that wipes an ink head to remove ink or the like has been known. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a wiper that wipes a nozzle surface on which a nozzle is formed in an ink head, a moving mechanism that moves the wiper with respect to the ink head by traveling a carriage on which the ink head is mounted, and a wiper. An inkjet printer equipped with a cleaning mechanism for cleaning the ink is disclosed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2018-83342

By the way, for example, a head guard for protecting the nozzle surface may be provided around the nozzle surface of the ink head. In the conventional method, the peripheral area such as the head guard is wiped as it is by a cleaning member such as a wiper following the nozzle surface. Alternatively, the peripheral area is wiped by the cleaning member before the nozzle surface, and the cleaning member wipes the nozzle surface as it is. However, in the peripheral area, for example, the shape is complicated or the water-repellent treatment is not applied, so that unwiped residue is likely to occur, and the foreign matter remaining in the peripheral area is removed by the cleaning member at the next wiping. There was a problem that it was brought into.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide an inkjet printer in which wiping residue in a peripheral region of a nozzle surface is less likely to be carried into the nozzle surface.

In the inkjet printer disclosed herein, the cleaning member is moved with respect to the ink head in a first direction and the first by moving at least one of the ink head, the cleaning member, and the ink head and the cleaning member. It includes a moving device that moves in a second direction orthogonal to the direction, and a control device that controls the moving device. The ink head has a nozzle surface on which a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink are formed, and a peripheral region formed around the nozzle surface. The cleaning member is configured so that the nozzle surface and the peripheral area can be wiped off. The peripheral region includes a first peripheral region located on one side of the first direction with respect to the nozzle surface.
The control device includes a first nozzle cleaning unit and a first peripheral cleaning unit. The first nozzle cleaning unit moves the cleaning member in the first direction with respect to the ink head in a state of being in contact with the nozzle surface, and wipes the nozzle surface. The first peripheral cleaning unit moves the cleaning member in the second direction with respect to the ink head in a state of being in contact with the first peripheral region, and wipes the first peripheral region.

According to the above-mentioned inkjet printer, the deposits such as ink adhering to the first peripheral region are moved to a position deviated from the nozzle surface in the second direction by the movement of the cleaning member in the second direction. Therefore, even if the deposit remains there, it is difficult for the residue to be carried to the nozzle surface by the cleaning member at the next wiping.

It is a front view of the printer which concerns on one Embodiment. It is a plan view of a table. It is a top view which shows the structure of the lower surface of a carriage schematically. It is a block diagram of a printer. It is a perspective view of a cleaning unit. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of cleaning of an ink head. It is the first half of the flowchart which shows the detail of step S200 of FIG. It is the latter half of the flowchart which shows the detail of step S200. It is a top view which shows typically the positional relationship of an ink head and a cleaning unit in step S201. It is a top view which shows typically the positional relationship of an ink head and a cleaning unit in step S204. It is a top view which shows typically the positional relationship of an ink head and a cleaning unit in step S207. It is a top view which shows typically the positional relationship of an ink head and a cleaning unit in step S210.

Hereinafter, the inkjet printer according to the embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments described here are, of course, not intended to specifically limit the present invention. In addition, members and parts that perform the same action are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate description will be omitted or simplified as appropriate. In the following description, when the inkjet printer is viewed from the front, the side away from the inkjet printer is the front side, and the side closer to the inkjet printer is the rear side. Further, the reference numerals F, Rr, L, R, U, and D in the drawing represent front, rear, left, right, top, and bottom, respectively. However, these are merely directions for convenience of explanation, and do not limit the installation mode of the inkjet printer.

Reference numeral Y in the drawings indicates the main scanning direction. The main scanning direction Y is the left-right direction. Further, in the following, one of the main scanning directions Y will be referred to as a first main scanning direction Y1 and the other will be referred to as a second main scanning direction Y2 as appropriate. In this embodiment, the first main scanning direction Y1 is to the left. The second main scanning direction Y2 is to the right. Reference numeral X indicates a sub-scanning direction. The sub-scanning direction X is the front-back direction. The main scanning direction Y and the sub scanning direction X are orthogonal to each other in a plan view. Further, hereinafter, one of the sub-scanning directions X will be referred to as a first sub-scanning direction X1 and the other will be referred to as a second sub-scanning direction X2. In this embodiment, the first sub-scanning direction X1 is rearward. The second sub-scanning direction X2 is forward. Reference numeral Z indicates a vertical direction. The vertical direction Z is orthogonal to the main scanning direction Y and the sub scanning direction X. However, the main scanning direction Y, the sub-scanning direction X, and the vertical direction Z are not particularly limited, and can be appropriately set according to the form of the printer 10.

FIG. 1 is a front view of an inkjet printer (hereinafter referred to as a printer 10) according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 according to the present embodiment includes a printer main body 11, a carriage 20, a table 30, a plurality of ink heads 40A to 40D mounted on the carriage 20, a moving device 50, and capping. It includes a device 80, a wiping device 90, and a control device 150. Further, the printer 10 includes a cleaning unit 100 that is detachably configured on the table 30.

The printer main body 11 is formed in a box shape with an open front surface. The printer main body 11 extends in the left-right direction. The printer main body 11 houses a carriage 20, a table 30, ink heads 40A to 40D, a moving device 50, a capping device 80, a wiping device 90, and a control device 150 inside. The printer main body 11 includes a front cover 12 capable of opening and closing an open portion on the front surface.

As shown in FIG. 1, the table 30 is arranged substantially in the center of the main scanning direction Y in the internal space of the printer main body 11. The table 30 is installed substantially horizontally. The table 30 is a support base that supports the printed matter 5 (see FIG. 2). The printer 10 according to this embodiment is a so-called flatbed type printer.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the table 30. In FIG. 2, the cleaning unit 100 is illustrated by a chain double-dashed line. As shown in FIG. 2, a jig 200 for positioning the printed matter 5 is placed on the table 30. The shape of the printed matter 5 is not particularly limited, and may have various three-dimensional shapes in addition to the flat plate shape. Further, the material of the printed matter 5 is not particularly limited, and the printed matter 5 may be, for example, wood, metal, glass, paper, cloth, or the like. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the number of printed matter 5 may be plural. The plurality of printed matter 5s are each mounted on the storage portion 210 of the jig 200. Here, the storage portion 210 is a through hole formed in a planar shape corresponding to the printed matter 5. The printed matter 5 is positioned with respect to the table 30 by being mounted on the storage unit 210.

As shown in FIG. 2, the table 30 includes an installation portion 30a in which the cleaning unit 100 is installed. Here, the installation portion 30a is set within a certain range from the left front end of the table 30. The installation portion 30a includes mounting holes 31a to 31c into which the legs 141 to 143 (see FIG. 5) of the cleaning unit 100 are inserted, respectively. The mounting holes 31a to 31c are through holes that penetrate the table 30 in the vertical direction Z.

As shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of ink heads 40A to 40D are provided so as to face the table 30. The ink heads 40A to 40D are mounted on the carriage 20. The carriage 20 is movably engaged with the printer body 11 via the guide rail 61 of the moving device 50. FIG. 3 is a plan view schematically showing the configuration of the lower surface of the carriage 20. As shown in FIG. 3, the plurality of ink heads 40A to 40D are arranged side by side in the main scanning direction Y on the carriage 20. Among them, the first ink head 40A is arranged on the Y1 side in the first main scanning direction. The second ink head 40B is arranged on the second main scanning direction Y2 side of the first ink head 40A. The third ink head 40C is arranged on the second main scanning direction Y2 side of the second ink head 40B. The fourth ink head 40D is arranged on the Y2 side in the second main scanning direction. The ink heads 40A to 40D each extend in the sub-scanning direction X. The positions of the ink heads 40A to 40D with respect to the sub-scanning direction X are aligned.

The first ink head 40A includes a nozzle surface 42 on which a plurality of nozzles 41 are formed. Here, the nozzle surface 42 is the lower surface of the first ink head 40A. The nozzle 41 is a fine hole into which ink is ejected. An actuator having a piezoelectric element is connected to each of the plurality of nozzles 41. By driving each actuator, each nozzle 41 ejects ink. Each actuator includes a pressure chamber that communicates with the nozzle 41 and stores ink, and a piezoelectric element that is in contact with the pressure chamber. When the voltage applied to the piezoelectric element is changed, the piezoelectric element expands and contracts, and the volume of the pressure chamber changes due to the displacement. Ink is ejected from the nozzle 41 due to the change in the volume of the pressure chamber. The plurality of actuators are electrically connected to the control device 150 and are controlled by the control device 150. In the first ink head 40A, the plurality of nozzles 41 form two nozzle rows 43a and 43b extending in the sub-scanning direction X. The first nozzle row 43a and the second nozzle row 43b are aligned in the main scanning direction Y.

The nozzle surface 42 is water repellent. The water-repellent treatment is a treatment for facilitating removal of ink adhering to the nozzle surface 42 during head cleaning, which will be described later. As the water repellent treatment, various known treatments can be used.

A peripheral region 44 is formed around the nozzle surface 42 of the first ink head 40A. The peripheral region 44 includes a head guard 45 and a head side surface 46 here. The head guard 45 is formed so as to surround the periphery of the nozzle surface 42. The head guard 45 is formed in a quadrangular ring shape when viewed from below. The head guard 45 projects below the nozzle surface 42. The head guard 45 is provided to prevent an obstacle from colliding with the nozzle 41. A step is formed at the boundary 42a and 42b between the head guard 45 and the nozzle surface 42. The boundary 42a is a boundary on the first sub-scanning direction X1 side of the boundary between the head guard 45 and the nozzle surface 42. The boundary 42b is a boundary on the second sub-scanning direction X2 side of the boundary between the head guard 45 and the nozzle surface 42. In the following, the boundaries 42a and 42b may be referred to as steps 42a and 42b. The head guard 45 is made of, for example, stainless steel. The lower surface of the head guard 45 is formed substantially parallel to the nozzle surface 42.

The lower surface of the head guard 45 includes a region 45a located on the first sub-scanning direction X1 side of the nozzle surface 42 and a region 45b located on the second sub-scanning direction X2 side of the nozzle surface 42. .. Hereinafter, the region 45a is also referred to as a first peripheral region 45a. Further, in the following, the region 45b will also be referred to as a second peripheral region 45b.

As shown in FIG. 1, the lower surface of the first ink head 40A is located below the lower surface of the carriage 20. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, the first ink head 40A includes a head side surface 46 that is exposed to the outside while being mounted on the carriage 20. The head side surface 46 has a first head side surface 46a located further on the first main scanning direction Y1 side than the first peripheral region 45a and a second head side surface 46 located further on the second main scanning direction Y2 side than the second peripheral region 45b. The head side surface 46b is included. Here, the first head side surface 46a extends substantially perpendicular to the first peripheral region 45a. However, the first head side surface 46a may intersect the first peripheral region 45a at an angle that is not substantially vertical. The second head side surface 46b here extends substantially perpendicular to the second peripheral region 45b. However, the second head side surface 46b may intersect the second peripheral region 45b at an angle that is not substantially vertical.

The second ink head 40B to the fourth ink head 40D also have the same configuration as the first ink head 40A. One ink cartridge (not shown) is connected to each of the nozzle rows of the ink heads 40A to 40D. From the nozzle rows of the ink heads 40A to 40D, the ink stored in the ink cartridges connected to each is ejected. The ink material is not limited in any way, and various materials conventionally used as ink materials for inkjet printers can be used. Here, an ultraviolet curable pigment ink that cures by receiving ultraviolet rays is used.

As shown in FIG. 1, the carriage 20 is provided with an ultraviolet lamp 25. Here, the ultraviolet lamp 25 is provided on the left side surface of the carriage 20. The ultraviolet lamp 25 extends in the sub-scanning direction X. The ultraviolet lamp 25 irradiates the table 30 with ultraviolet rays. The ultraviolet lamp 25 is electrically connected to the control device 150 and is controlled by the control device 150.

The moving device 50 according to the present embodiment includes a carriage moving device 60 and a table moving device 70. The carriage moving device 60 is configured to move the carriage 20 in the main scanning direction Y. The carriage moving device 60 includes a guide rail 61, a belt 62, left and right pulleys (not shown), and a carriage motor 63. The carriage 20 is slidably engaged with the guide rail 61. The guide rail 61 is fixed to the printer main body 11 and extends in the main scanning direction Y. The guide rail 61 guides the movement of the carriage 20 in the main scanning direction Y. The belt 62 is fixed to the carriage 20. The belt 62 is an endless belt. The belt 62 is wound around pulleys (not shown) provided on the left and right sides of the guide rail 61. A carriage motor 63 is attached to one of the pulleys. The carriage motor 63 is electrically connected to the control device 150. The carriage motor 63 is controlled by the control device 150. When the carriage motor 63 is driven, the pulley rotates and the belt 62 travels. As a result, the carriage 20 moves along the guide rail 61 in the main scanning direction Y.

A table moving device 70 is arranged below the table 30. The table moving device 70 moves the table 30 in the sub-scanning direction X and the vertical direction Z. The table moving device 70 supports the table 30 from below. The table moving device 70 includes a Z-axis direction moving mechanism 71 and an X-axis direction moving mechanism 72. The Z-axis direction moving mechanism 71 supports the table 30 and moves it in the vertical direction Z. The Z-axis direction moving mechanism 71 includes a ball screw mechanism (not shown) and a motor (not shown). The ball screw mechanism is driven by a motor. The Z-axis direction moving mechanism 71 is supported from below by the X-axis direction moving mechanism 72. The X-axis direction moving mechanism 72 moves the table 30 in the sub-scanning direction X. The X-axis direction moving mechanism 72 includes a ball screw mechanism (not shown) and a motor.

The configuration of the moving device 50 is not particularly limited. The moving device 50 includes a moving mechanism that moves at least one of the ink heads 40A to 40D and the table 30 in the main scanning direction Y, and a moving mechanism that moves at least one of the ink heads 40A to 40D and the table 30 in the sub-scanning direction X. It suffices to have a moving mechanism for moving to, and is not limited further. For example, the moving device may move either the table 30 or the carriage 20 in the main scanning direction Y, the sub-scanning direction X, and the vertical direction Z. Alternatively, both the table 30 and the carriage 20 may be moved in the main scanning direction Y, the sub-scanning direction X, and the vertical direction Z. The movement of the ink heads 40A to 40D and the table 30 is relative, and there is no limitation as to which member is moved in which direction. The mobile device 50 is electrically connected to the control device 150 and is controlled by the control device 150.

As shown in FIG. 1, a home position HP is set at the right end of the movable range of the carriage 20. The home position HP is a position where the carriage 20 is arranged during printing standby or the like. A capping device 80 is arranged below the carriage 20 in the home position HP. The capping device 80 includes a cap 81, a cap moving mechanism 82, and a suction pump 83.

The same number of caps 81 as the ink heads 40A to 40D are provided. One cap 81 corresponds to one ink head. The cap 81 has a container-like shape with an open upper surface. The cap 81 is made of rubber or the like.

The plurality of caps 81 are supported by one cap moving mechanism 82. The cap moving mechanism 82 is configured so that the plurality of caps 81 are brought into contact with or separated from the nozzle surfaces 42 of the ink heads 40A to 40D. The cap moving mechanism 82 supports the cap 81 from below and moves in the vertical direction Z. As a result, the cap 81 is attached to and separated from the ink heads 40A to 40D. When the cap 81 is attached to the ink heads 40A to 40D, the upper edge is pressed against the nozzle surface 42. Therefore, due to the elasticity of the cap 81, the cap 81 comes into close contact with the nozzle surface 42.

The suction pump 83 is connected to a plurality of caps 81 via a tube or the like (not shown). The suction pump 83 sucks ink or the like accumulated in the cap 81. The suction pump 83 is electrically connected to the control device 150 and is controlled by the control device 150.

A wiping device 90 is provided on the left side of the capping device 80. The wiping device 90 includes a wiper 91 and a wiper moving mechanism 92. The wiper 91 is formed in a flat plate shape. The wiper 91 is made of a material that can wipe the nozzle surface 42 but does not absorb ink. The material of the wiper 91 is, for example, rubber. The wiper 91 extends in the main scanning direction Y and the vertical direction Z. The front-rear surface of the wiper 91 constitutes a wiping surface that wipes the nozzle surface 42.

The wiper 91 is held by the wiper moving mechanism 92. The wiper moving mechanism 92 is configured to move the wiper 91 with respect to the ink heads 40A to 40D in the sub-scanning direction X. The wiper moving mechanism 92 includes a guide rail extending in the sub-scanning direction X and a motor (neither of which is shown). The wiper moving mechanism 92 is electrically connected to the control device 150 and is controlled by the control device 150.

As shown in FIG. 1, a control device 150 for controlling various operations of the printer 10 is housed in the right end portion of the printer 10. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the printer 10. As shown in FIG. 4, the control device 150 includes an ultraviolet lamp 25, first ink heads 40A to fourth ink heads 40D, a carriage motor 63, a Z-axis direction moving mechanism 71, and an X-axis direction moving mechanism 72. The cap moving mechanism 82, the suction pump 83, and the wiper moving mechanism 92 are connected to each other. The control device 150 controls these movements.

The configuration of the control device 150 is not particularly limited. The control device 150 is, for example, a microcomputer. The hardware configuration of the microcomputer is not particularly limited, but for example, an interface (I / F) for receiving print data or the like from an external device such as a host computer, and a central processing unit (CPU: central) for executing control program instructions. A processing unit), a ROM (read only memory) that stores programs executed by the CPU, a RAM (random access memory) that is used as a working area for deploying programs, and a memory that stores the above programs and various data. It is equipped with a storage device.

As shown in FIG. 4, the control device 150 includes a cleaning control unit 160, a wiping control unit 170, and a capping control unit 180. The cleaning control unit 160 controls the cleaning operation of the ink heads 40A to 40D using the cleaning unit 100. The wiping control unit 170 controls the wiping operation of the ink heads 40A to 40D by the wiping device 90. The capping control unit 180 controls the capping operation of attaching the cap 81 to the ink heads 40A to 40D and the suction operation of sucking the inside of the cap 81 with the suction pump 83. The control device 150 may include a control unit that is in charge of other functions such as printing, but description and illustration thereof will be omitted here.

As shown in FIG. 4, the cleaning control unit 160 includes a first nozzle cleaning unit 161, a first peripheral cleaning unit 162, a first side surface cleaning unit 163, a second nozzle cleaning unit 164, and a second peripheral cleaning unit. It includes 165 and a second side surface cleaning unit 166.

The first nozzle cleaning unit 161 controls the moving device 50 to bring the cleaning unit 100 into contact with the nozzle surfaces 42 of the ink heads 40A to 40D. Further, the first nozzle cleaning unit 161 moves the cleaning unit 100 with respect to the ink heads 40A to 40D in the first sub-scanning direction X1 in that state, and moves a part of the nozzle surface 42, more specifically, the nozzle surface 42. Wipe off about half of the first sub-scanning direction X1 side.

The first peripheral cleaning unit 162 brings the cleaning unit 100 into contact with the first peripheral region 45a after about half of the nozzle surface 42 on the first sub-scanning direction X1 side is wiped off. Further, the first peripheral cleaning unit 162 moves the cleaning unit 100 with respect to the ink heads 40A to 40D in the main scanning direction Y in that state, and wipes the first peripheral region 45a. At this time, it is not limited whether the cleaning unit 100 is moved in the first main scanning direction Y1, the second main scanning direction Y2, or both. The first peripheral cleaning unit 162 may wipe the first peripheral region 45a by reciprocating the cleaning unit 100 with respect to the ink heads 40A to 40D a predetermined number of times in the main scanning direction Y. At this time, it is the ink heads 40A to 40D mounted on the carriage 20 that actually move.

The first side surface cleaning unit 163 brings the cleaning unit 100 into contact with the first head side surface 46a after the first peripheral region 45a is wiped off. Further, the first side surface cleaning unit 163 moves the cleaning unit 100 with respect to the ink heads 40A to 40D in the main scanning direction Y in that state, and wipes the first head side surface 46a. At this time, it is not limited whether the cleaning unit 100 is moved in the first main scanning direction Y1, the second main scanning direction Y2, or both.

The second nozzle cleaning unit 164 controls the moving device 50 to bring the cleaning unit 100 into contact with the nozzle surfaces 42 of the ink heads 40A to 40D. Further, the second nozzle cleaning unit 164 moves the cleaning unit 100 with respect to the ink heads 40A to 40D in the second sub-scanning direction X2 in that state, and moves a part of the nozzle surface 42, more specifically, the nozzle surface 42. Wipe off about half of the second sub-scanning direction X2 side.

The second peripheral cleaning unit 165 brings the cleaning unit 100 into contact with the second peripheral region 45b after about half of the nozzle surface 42 on the second sub-scanning direction X2 side has been wiped off. Further, the second peripheral cleaning unit 165 moves the cleaning unit 100 with respect to the ink heads 40A to 40D in the main scanning direction Y in that state, and wipes the second peripheral region 45b. At this time, it is not limited whether the cleaning unit 100 is moved in the first main scanning direction Y1, the second main scanning direction Y2, or both.

The second side surface cleaning unit 166 brings the cleaning unit 100 into contact with the second head side surface 46b after the second peripheral region 45b is wiped off. Further, the second side surface cleaning unit 166 moves the cleaning unit 100 with respect to the ink heads 40A to 40D in the main scanning direction Y in that state, and wipes the second head side surface 46b. At this time, it is not limited whether the cleaning unit 100 is moved in the first main scanning direction Y1, the second main scanning direction Y2, or both.

The wiping control unit 170 controls the carriage moving device 60 to move the carriage 20 to a position aligned with the wiper 91 in the main scanning direction Y. At this time, the wiper 91 is located behind the guide rail 61. Due to the above movement, the fourth ink head 40D is positioned in front of the wiper 91. The wiping control unit 170 moves the wiper 91 forward from this state to wipe the fourth ink head 40D. Similarly, the wiping of the third ink head 40C to the first ink head 40A is performed while gradually moving the carriage 20 to the right.

The capping control unit 180 controls the carriage moving device 60 to move the carriage 20 to the home position HP. Further, the capping control unit 180 controls the cap moving mechanism 82 to attach the cap 81 to the ink heads 40A to 40D. As a result, the waiting ink heads 40A to 40D are covered with the cap 81, and the ink is prevented from being cured. Further, the capping control unit 180 drives the suction pump 83 with the cap 81 attached to the ink heads 40A to 40D. The suction pump 83 is driven periodically or as needed. As a result, old ink in the nozzle 41 is sucked, and clogging of the nozzle 41 is prevented.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the cleaning unit 100. The cleaning unit 100 is an example of a cleaning member capable of wiping the nozzle surface 42 and the peripheral region 44 of the ink heads 40A to 40D. As shown in FIG. 5, the cleaning unit 100 includes a base 110, first wiping portions 120A to eighth wiping portions 120H, a seat holding member 130, and legs 140.

The base 110 is formed in a plate shape. The first wiping portion 120A to the eighth wiping portion 120H are provided on the upper surface 111 of the base 110. Legs 140 are provided on the lower surface 112 of the base 110. A seat holding member 130 is attached to and detached from the base 110. The base 110 is made of, for example, metal. As shown in FIG. 5, the base 110 includes an elastic body holding portion 113.

The elastic body holding portion 113 is formed on the upper surface 111 of the base 110. The elastic body holding portion 113 holds the elastic body 121 of the first wiping portion 120A to the eighth wiping portion 120H. The elastic body holding portion 113 has a recess that is one step lower than the upper surface 111 of the base 110. The recess is divided in the main scanning direction Y by the partition plate 113a. The elastic body holding portion 113 is divided into eight frames 113b by the partition plate 113a.

The plurality of wiping portions 120A to 120H include an elastic body 121 held by the elastic body holding portion 113 and an ink absorber 122 provided so as to cover the elastic body 121. Here, each of the plurality of wiping portions 120A to 120H includes one elastic body 121. The ink absorber 122 is shared by all the wiping portions 120A to 120H.

The elastic body 121 is made of a flexible material. The elastic body 121 is made of rubber, more preferably silicone rubber having a hardness of 5 degrees or more and 20 degrees or less. The elastic body 121 is elastically deformable. Here, the elastic body 121 is formed by bending a flat plate-like material. The flat plate-shaped material of the elastic body 121 is bent outward by the elastic body holding portion 113 and held in that state. More specifically, the material of one elastic body 121 is inserted into one of the eight frames 113b formed in the elastic body holding portion 113. At that time, the material of the elastic body 121 is bent at substantially the center of the main scanning direction Y, and both ends are inserted into the frame 113b. The material of the elastic body 121 is inserted into the frame 113b so that both ends are aligned in the main scanning direction Y. Therefore, the elastic body 121 forms a convex surface 121a whose center in the main scanning direction Y is convex toward the side opposite to the base 110. The convex surface 121a of the elastic body 121 extends in the sub-scanning direction X in its cross-sectional shape. The length of the elastic body 121 in the sub-scanning direction X is not particularly limited, but here, the length is slightly longer than half the length of the sub-scanning direction X of the nozzle rows 43a and 43b.

Since the elastic body 121 is formed in a saddle shape, it has a space below the convex surface 121a. Therefore, the elastic body 121 is deformable by the amount that the space is deformed, in addition to its own flexibility.

The ink absorber 122 is a sheet-like member that absorbs ink. Here, the ink absorber 122 is made of a non-woven fabric. One ink absorber 122 is used for a plurality of elastic bodies 121. The ink absorber 122 is placed on a plurality of elastic bodies 121 arranged in the main scanning direction Y, and covers the plurality of elastic bodies 121. The ink absorber 122 is removable from the elastic body 121. The length of the ink absorber 122 in the main scanning direction Y is longer than the length of the plurality of elastic bodies 121 arranged in the main scanning direction Y. Further, the length of the ink absorber 122 in the sub-scanning direction X is longer than that of the elastic body 121.

The ink absorber 122 is held by the sheet holding member 130. The sheet holding member 130 has a box-like shape with the base 110 side (lower surface) open. The sheet holding member 130 extends in the main scanning direction Y. The sheet holding member 130 also has an opening 131 on the upper surface. The opening 131 is configured to pass a plurality of elastic bodies 121 arranged in the main scanning direction Y. Therefore, when the seat holding member 130 is attached to the base 110, the convex surface 121a of the elastic body 121 projects upward from the opening 131. The sheet holding member 130 is provided with claws 132 at the lower ends of both side surfaces in the main scanning direction Y. The seat holding member 130 is mounted on the base 110 by fitting the claw portion 132 into the mounting groove of the base 110. The sheet holding member 130 presses the ink absorber 122 covered on the plurality of elastic bodies 121 from above.

In the present embodiment, the wiping portions 120A to 120H each include an elastic body 121 and an ink absorber 122, but the wiping portions 120A to 120H are not limited thereto. The wiping portions 120A to 120H may be made of a material having both flexibility and ink absorbency, for example, a sponge or the like.

A small amount of cleaning liquid is applied to the ink absorber 122 when cleaning the ink heads 40A to 40D. As the cleaning liquid, a liquid that dissolves ink, such as an ink solvent, can be preferably used.

The plurality of wiping portions 120A to 120H are arranged in the main scanning direction Y. The wiping portions 120A to 120H clean the nozzle surface 42 and the peripheral area 44 of the ink heads 40A to 40D of the printer 10. The wiping portions 120A to 120H are arranged so as to face the ink heads 40A to 40D when the cleaning unit 100 is mounted on the table 30.

The legs 140 are provided on the lower surface 112 of the base 110. The legs 140 are installed on the table 30 of the printer 10. Here, the leg 140 includes a plurality of legs 141-144. The first legs 141 to the third legs 143 are inserted into the mounting holes 31a to 31c of the table 30, respectively. The cleaning unit 100 is thereby positioned with respect to the table 30. The fourth leg 144 is erected on the table 30 or the jig 200 to prevent the cleaning unit 100 from tipping over. The fourth leg 144 is configured so that the position on the base 110 and the length of protrusion of the base 110 from the lower surface 112 can be adjusted.

The cleaning process of the ink heads 40A to 40D will be described below. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a cleaning flow of the ink heads 40A to 40D. As shown in FIG. 6, in the cleaning process of the ink heads 40A to 40D including cleaning using the cleaning unit 100, the cleaning unit 100 is attached to the table 30 in step S100. Step S100 is performed by the user. In the following step S200, the cleaning unit 100 cleans the ink heads 40A to 40D. In step S200, the ink absorber 122 absorbs and removes the ink existing in the nozzle surface 42 and the peripheral region 44. Details of step S200 will be described later. In step S300, the wiping device 90 wipes the ink heads 40A to 40D. In step S300, the meniscus of the ink in the nozzle 41 is prepared. In step S400, flushing is performed to eject the ink toward the cap 81. After that, in step S500, the cap 81 is attached to the ink heads 40A to 40D.

7 and 8 are flowcharts showing the details of step S200. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, step S200 includes 17 steps S201 to S217. FIG. 9 is a plan view schematically showing the positional relationship between the first ink head 40A, the second ink head 40B, and the cleaning unit 100 in step S201. In step S201 of FIG. 7, the cleaning unit 100 is moved to the position of FIG. In the following, it is referred to as "moving the cleaning unit 100" or "moving the ink heads 40A to 40D" regardless of whether the cleaning unit 100 actually moves or the ink heads 40A to 40D move. Sometimes expressions are used. At the time of step S201, the cleaning unit 100 is located below the ink heads 40A to 40D. Therefore, at this point, the cleaning unit 100 is not in contact with the ink heads 40A to 40D.

As shown in FIG. 9, in step S201, the first wiping portion 120A of the cleaning unit 100 is located below the region of about half of the nozzle surface 42 of the first ink head 40A on the first sub-scanning direction X1 side. There is. In a plan view, the end E2 on the second sub-scanning direction X2 side of the first wiping portion 120A is located slightly closer to the second sub-scanning direction X2 than the center line CL with respect to the sub-scanning direction X of the nozzle surface 42. There is. At this time, the third wiping portion 120C is located below the second ink head 40B. The second wiping portion 120B is located between the first ink head 40A and the second ink head 40B in the main scanning direction Y.

Although not shown, at the time of step S201, the fifth wiping portion 120E is located below the third ink head 40C, and the seventh wiping portion 120G is located below the fourth ink head 40D.

As shown in FIG. 7, in step S202, the cleaning unit 100 is moved upward. As a result, the first wiping portion 120A contacts the region of about half of the nozzle surface 42 of the first ink head 40A on the first sub-scanning direction X1 side. At this time, the third wiping section 120C, the fifth wiping section 120E, and the seventh wiping section 120G are about half of the nozzle surfaces 42 of the second ink head 40B to the fourth ink head 40D on the first sub-scanning direction X1 side, respectively. Contact the area.

In step S203, the cleaning unit 100 is moved in the first sub-scanning direction X1 (see the arrow in FIG. 9). As a result, the cleaning unit 100 wipes out a region of a little over half of the nozzle surface 42 of the first ink head 40A to the fourth ink head 40D on the first sub-scanning direction X1 side.

In step S203, in the cleaning unit 100, the end E2 on the second sub-scanning direction X2 side of the first wiping portion 120A is slightly smaller than the boundary 42a between the nozzle surface 42 of the first ink head 40A and the first peripheral region 45a. It moves to a position where it comes to the second sub-scanning direction X2 side. FIG. 10 is a plan view schematically showing the positional relationship between the first ink head 40A, the second ink head 40B, and the cleaning unit 100 in step S204. As shown in FIG. 10, at the start of step S204, the first wiping portion 120A is in contact with the first peripheral region 45a and the boundary 42a. The elastic body 121 is elastically deformed by the first peripheral region 45a and the step 42a. Due to the elastic force, the first wiping portion 120A is in contact with the first peripheral region 45a and the step 42a.

As shown by the arrow in FIG. 10, in step S204, the first peripheral cleaning unit 162 of the control device 150 is in a state where the first wiping unit 120A is in contact with the first peripheral region 45a and the step 42a of the first ink head 40A. Then, the cleaning unit 100 is moved in the main scanning direction Y. As a result, most of the foreign matter such as ink adhering to the first peripheral region 45a and the step 42a is absorbed by the ink absorber 122. However, a part of the foreign matter may remain in the first peripheral region 45a and the step 42a.

However, in the present embodiment, the cleaning unit 100 wipes the first peripheral region 45a and the step 42a while moving in the main scanning direction Y. Therefore, the unwiped foreign matter moves to the first main scanning direction Y1 side or the second main scanning direction Y2 side with respect to the nozzle surface 42. For example, when the cleaning unit 100 is reciprocated in the main scanning direction Y a predetermined number of times in step S204, as shown in FIG. 10, the foreign matter 220 is at both ends of the first peripheral region 45a with respect to the main scanning direction Y. , And both ends of the step 42a with respect to the main scanning direction Y. As described above, the cleaning of the nozzle surface 42 by the cleaning unit 100 and the wiping by the wiper 91 are performed by moving the cleaning unit 100 and the wiper 91 in the sub-scanning direction X, respectively. Therefore, even if the cleaning unit 100 cleans the nozzle surface 42 or the wiper 91 wipes after step S204, there is little possibility that the remaining foreign matter 220 is brought into the nozzle surface 42.

The same thing can be said between the second ink head 40B and the third wiping portion 120C, between the third ink head 40C and the fifth wiping portion 120E, and between the fourth ink head 40D and the seventh wiping portion 120G. Will be done.

As shown in FIG. 7, in step S205, the first wiping portion 120A is moved in the first sub-scanning direction X1. In step S205, the first wiping portion 120A is moved to the first sub-scanning direction X1 side from the first head side surface 46a of the first ink head 40A. As a result, the first wiping portion 120A is separated from the first ink head 40A. The elastic body 121 recovers from the elastically deformed state due to this separation. As a result, the upper ends of the elastic body 121 and the ink absorber 122 move above the nozzle surface 42.

In step S206, the cleaning unit 100 is moved in the second sub-scanning direction X2. As a result, the cleaning unit 100 moves to a position where the end E2 on the second sub-scanning direction X2 side of the first wiping portion 120A comes into contact with the first head side surface 46a of the first ink head 40A. FIG. 11 is a plan view schematically showing the positional relationship between the first ink head 40A, the second ink head 40B, and the cleaning unit 100 in step S207. As shown by the arrow in FIG. 11, in step S207, the cleaning unit 100 is moved in the main scanning direction in a state where the end E2 on the second sub-scanning direction X2 side of the first wiping portion 120A is in contact with the first head side surface 46a. Move to Y and wipe the side surface 46a of the first head. As shown in FIG. 11, among the foreign matter adhering to the first head side surface 46a, the foreign matter 220 that was not absorbed by the ink absorber 122 is thereby located on the Y1 side in the first main scanning direction or on the first main scanning direction Y1 side of the nozzle surface 42. 2 Moves to the Y2 side in the main scanning direction.

The same thing can be said between the second ink head 40B and the third wiping portion 120C, between the third ink head 40C and the fifth wiping portion 120E, and between the fourth ink head 40D and the seventh wiping portion 120G. Will be done.

As shown in FIG. 7, in step S208, the cleaning unit 100 is lowered. As a result, the cleaning unit 100 is separated from the first ink heads 40A to 40D.

As shown in FIG. 8, in step S209, the ink heads 40A to 40D are moved in the second main scanning direction Y2. In step S209, the first ink head 40A is moved to a position aligned with the second wiping portion 120B in the sub-scanning direction X. Similarly, in step S209, the second ink head 40B to the fourth ink head 40D are moved to positions aligned with the fourth wiping section 120D, the sixth wiping section 120F, the eighth wiping section 120H, and the sub-scanning direction X, respectively. .. In the following step S210, the cleaning unit 100 is moved in the second sub-scanning direction X2.

FIG. 12 is a plan view schematically showing the positional relationship between the first ink head 40A, the second ink head 40B, and the cleaning unit 100 in step S210. As shown in FIG. 12, in step S210, the second wiping portion 120B of the cleaning unit 100 is located below the region of about half of the nozzle surface 42 of the first ink head 40A on the second sub-scanning direction X2 side. There is. In a plan view, the end portion E1b of the second wiping portion 120B on the first sub-scanning direction X1 side is located slightly closer to the first sub-scanning direction X1 side than the center line CL with respect to the sub-scanning direction X of the nozzle surface 42. There is.

The following steps S211 to S217 are the same as steps S202 to S208, except that the first sub-scanning direction X1 and the second sub-scanning direction X2 are interchanged and the wiping portion used is changed. That is, as shown in FIG. 8, in step S211 the cleaning unit 100 is raised. In step S212, the cleaning unit 100 is moved in the second sub-scanning direction X2, and a little more than half of the area of the nozzle surface 42 of the first ink head 40A on the second sub-scanning direction X2 side is wiped off (see the arrow in FIG. 12). ). The area wiped in step S204 and the area wiped in step S212 partially overlap. In step S213, the second wiping portion 120B is moved in the main scanning direction Y in a state of being in contact with the second peripheral region 45b and the step 42b, and the second peripheral region 45b and the step 42b are wiped.

In step S214, the second wiping portion 120B is moved to the second sub-scanning direction X2 side from the second head side surface 46b of the first ink head 40A. In step S215, the cleaning unit 100 is moved in the first sub-scanning direction X1 and comes into contact with the second head side surface 46b of the first ink head 40A. In step S216, the cleaning unit 100 is moved in the main scanning direction Y with the second wiping portion 120B in contact with the second head side surface 46b, and the second head side surface 46b is wiped. In step S217, the cleaning unit 100 is lowered. As a result, the cleaning unit 100 is separated from the first ink heads 40A to 40D.

The same thing can be said between the second ink head 40B and the fourth wiping portion 120D, between the third ink head 40C and the sixth wiping portion 120F, and between the fourth ink head 40D and the eighth wiping portion 120H. Will be done. Since steps S211 to S217 are basically the same as steps S202 to S208, the illustrations relating to them are omitted.

As described above, in the printer 10 according to the present embodiment, the cleaning unit 100 is moved in the sub-scanning direction X in a state of being in contact with the nozzle surface 42 to wipe the nozzle surface 42, and the cleaning unit 100 is moved to the first periphery. It is configured to wipe the first peripheral region 45a by moving it in the main scanning direction Y in a state of being in contact with the region 45a. In the conventional head cleaning method, the first peripheral area is also wiped by a cleaning member that moves in the sub-scanning direction in the same manner as the nozzle surface, so that the ink or the like remaining in the first peripheral area is wiped off at the next head cleaning. It was easy to be brought to the nozzle surface by the cleaning member. However, according to the printer 10 according to the present embodiment, even if the foreign matter in the first peripheral region 45a remains, it remains on the first main scanning direction Y1 side or the second main scanning direction Y2 side of the nozzle surface 42. .. Therefore, foreign matter in the first peripheral region 45a is unlikely to be brought into the nozzle surface 42.

Further, according to the above configuration, the cleaning unit 100 is moved in the second wiping direction (here, the main scanning direction Y) orthogonal to the wiping direction (here, the sub-scanning direction X) when wiping the nozzle surface 42. This is possible while suppressing the complexity of the configuration of the printer 10 and the cost increase. For example, a comparison with a printer including a first cleaning member that moves in the first wiping direction to wipe the nozzle surface and a second cleaning member that moves in the second wiping direction to wipe the peripheral area. The configuration of the printer 10 according to this embodiment is simple.

If the cleaning unit 100 is reciprocated in the main scanning direction Y to wipe the first peripheral region 45a, the amount of foreign matter remaining on the first peripheral region 45a can be reduced, and the foreign matter can be removed from the nozzle surface 42. The risk of being brought in is further reduced. The number of round trips is preferably, for example, 2 to 5 times, but may be 1 time. Further, the cleaning unit 100 may be moved only once in the first main scanning direction Y1 or the second main scanning direction Y2 (one way).

The printer 10 according to the present embodiment moves the cleaning unit 100 in the main scanning direction Y in a state of being in contact with the first peripheral region 45a and the step 42a formed between the first peripheral region 45a and the nozzle surface 42. It is configured as follows. According to this configuration, at least the foreign matter can be moved to the first main scanning direction Y1 side or the second main scanning direction Y2 side with respect to the nozzle surface 42 at the step 42a where the foreign matter tends to remain.

In particular, in the present embodiment, the cleaning unit 100 includes an elastic body 121 that can be elastically deformed, and the elastic body 121 is elastically deformed by the first peripheral region 45a and the step 42a, so that the first peripheral region 45a and the step 42a Contact. According to such a configuration, since the wiping portion of the cleaning unit 100 is in close contact with the first peripheral region 45a and the step 42a (particularly the step 42a), it is possible to reduce the amount of foreign matter left behind in the first peripheral region 45a and the step 42a. ..

Further, in the present embodiment, the cleaning unit 100 is provided so as to cover the elastic body 121, and includes an ink absorber 122 that absorbs ink. According to such a configuration, the ink can be removed more reliably by the absorbing power of the ink absorber 122.

The printer 10 according to the present embodiment is configured to move the cleaning unit 100 in the main scanning direction Y in a state of being in contact with the head side surfaces 46a and 46b to wipe the head side surfaces 46a and 46b. Foreign matter may remain on the side surface of the head after cleaning, and in the conventional method, there is a high possibility that this is brought into the nozzle surface. However, according to the printer 10 according to the present embodiment, the foreign matter is placed on the nozzle surface 42 rather than the nozzle surface 42. It can be moved to the 1 main scanning direction Y1 side or the 2nd main scanning direction Y2 side. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the possibility that foreign matter remaining on the head side surfaces 46a and 46b is brought into the nozzle surface 42.

In the printer 10 according to the present embodiment, the cleaning unit 100 is moved toward the first sub-scanning direction X1 side to wipe off about half of the nozzle surface 42 on the first sub-scanning direction X1 side, and the cleaning unit 100 is seconded. It is set to move toward the sub-scanning direction X2 side and wipe off about half of the nozzle surface 42 on the second sub-scanning direction X2 side. Further, the printer 10 moves the cleaning unit 100 in the main scanning direction Y to wipe the second peripheral region 45b. According to this operation, the cleaning unit 100 is moved from the nozzle surface 42 toward the first peripheral region 45a or the second peripheral region 45b, and from the first peripheral region 45a or the second peripheral region 45b toward the nozzle surface 42. Is not moved. Therefore, the possibility that foreign matter is brought into the nozzle surface 42 can be further reduced. In the present embodiment, the area of the nozzle surface 42 where the cleaning unit 100 is moved toward the first sub-scanning direction X1 for cleaning and the area where the cleaning unit 100 is moved toward the second sub-scanning direction X2 for cleaning. Is classified near the center line CL with respect to the sub-scanning direction X of the nozzle surface 42, but may be classified anywhere on the nozzle surface 42.

Further, in the present embodiment, the cleaning unit 100 includes two wiping portions for wiping one ink head. For example, in the case of the first ink head 40A, about half of the nozzle surface 42 on the first sub-scanning direction X1 side is wiped by the first wiping portion 120A. The first peripheral region 45a is also wiped by the first wiping portion 120A. On the other hand, about half of the nozzle surface 42 on the second sub-scanning direction X2 side is wiped by the second wiping portion 120B. The second peripheral region 45b is also wiped by the second wiping portion 120B. Therefore, the wiping portion used is clean both when wiping about half of the nozzle surface 42 on the first sub-scanning direction X1 side and when wiping about half of the nozzle surface 42 on the second sub-scanning direction X2 side. Therefore, the nozzle surface 42 can be cleaned with higher quality.

In the present embodiment, the cleaning unit 100 is detachably configured on the table 30. The moving device 50 moves the cleaning unit 100 with respect to the ink heads 40A to 40D by moving the ink heads 40A to 40D and the table 30. According to such a configuration, it is not necessary to separately provide a mechanism for changing the relative positions of the ink heads 40A to 40D and the cleaning unit 100. Therefore, the configuration of the printer 10 is not complicated, and the cost increase can be suppressed.

In the present embodiment, the cleaning unit 100 includes an ink absorber 122 that absorbs ink. Further, the printer 10 includes a wiper 91 that can wipe the nozzle surface 42 and does not absorb ink. According to the ink absorber 122, the ink adhering to the ink heads 40A to 40D can be removed more reliably. However, the ink absorption by the ink absorber 122 destroys the meniscus of the ink in the nozzle 41. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the printer 10 is further provided with a wiper 91 that does not absorb ink, and is configured so that the meniscus of the ink in the nozzle 41 can be adjusted by wiping with the wiper 91.

The preferred embodiment has been described above. However, the above embodiments are merely examples, and the techniques disclosed herein can be implemented in various other embodiments. For example, in the above embodiment, the nozzle surface 42 is wiped first, and then the peripheral region 44 is wiped. However, the cleaning procedure is not limited to this. For example, the wiping of the peripheral region 44 may be performed before the wiping of the nozzle surface 42.

In the above-described embodiment, the nozzle surface 42 is wiped in two steps from the inside of the nozzle surface 42 toward the peripheral region 44. However, the method of wiping the nozzle surface 42 is not limited to this, and for example, it may be performed once from one of the sub-scanning directions X toward the other.

In the above-described embodiment, only the region of the peripheral region 44 located in the first sub-scanning direction X1 or the second sub-scanning direction X2 with respect to the nozzle surface 42 is wiped, but other parts of the peripheral region 44 are also wiped. You may. For example, a portion of the head guard 45 located in the first main scanning direction Y1 or the second main scanning direction Y2 may be further wiped out from the nozzle surface 42. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the first peripheral region 45a, the second peripheral region 45b, the first head side surface 46a, and the second head side surface 46b are cleaned, but only a part of them is cleaned if necessary. May be cleaned. For example, the first peripheral region 45a and the second peripheral region 45b may not be cleaned, and only the first head side surface 46a and the second head side surface 46b may be cleaned.

In the above-described embodiment, the wiping direction of the nozzle surface 42 coincides with the extension direction of the nozzle rows 43a and 43b, but may be orthogonal to the extension direction of the nozzle rows, for example. The wiping direction of the nozzle surface is not limited, and therefore the wiping direction of the peripheral region orthogonal to it is not further limited.

In the above-described embodiment, the cleaning unit 100 is detachably configured on the table 30 that supports the printed matter 5. However, the cleaning unit may be configured so as to be able to change its relative position with respect to the ink head, and is not limited to the unit mounted on the table. For example, the cleaning unit may be mounted on a moving device outside the table. Alternatively, the ink head may move three-dimensionally and the cleaning unit may be fixed. The configuration for changing the positional relationship between the cleaning unit and the ink head is not particularly limited.

The configuration of the cleaning unit is also not limited. The configuration of the cleaning unit 100 described above is only one suitable example. For example, the cleaning unit does not have to include an ink absorber. The cleaning unit may be in the form of a normal rubber wiper. Further, the cleaning unit may be a wiping device.

In addition, the configuration of the inkjet printer is not limited unless otherwise specified. For example, the technology disclosed here can also be used for roll-to-roll type inkjet printers and the like. It can also be used for devices in which an inkjet printer is incorporated, such as an inkjet printer with a cutting head.

5 Printed matter 10 Printer (Inkjet printer)
30 tables (support stand)
40A-40D 1st to 4th ink heads 41 Nozzle 42 Nozzle surface 42a Boundary (step)
42b boundary (step)
44 Peripheral area 45a First peripheral area 45b Second peripheral area 46a First head side surface 46b Second head side surface 50 Moving device 90 Wiping device 100 Cleaning unit (cleaning member)
120A-120H 1st to 8th wiping parts 121 Elastic body 122 Ink absorber 150 Control device 161 1st nozzle cleaning part 162 1st peripheral cleaning part 163 1st side surface cleaning part 164 2nd nozzle cleaning part 165 2nd peripheral cleaning part 166 Third side cleaning part X Sub-scanning direction (first direction)
Y Main scanning direction (second direction)

Claims (10)

An ink head having a nozzle surface on which a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink are formed and a peripheral region formed around the nozzle surface.
A cleaning member capable of wiping the nozzle surface and the peripheral area,
A moving device that moves the cleaning member in a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction with respect to the ink head by moving at least one of the ink head and the cleaning member.
A control device that controls the mobile device and
With
The peripheral region includes a first peripheral region located on one side of the first direction with respect to the nozzle surface.
The control device is
A first nozzle cleaning unit that moves the cleaning member in the first direction with respect to the ink head in a state of being in contact with the nozzle surface to wipe the nozzle surface.
A first peripheral cleaning unit that wipes the first peripheral region by moving the cleaning member in the second direction with respect to the ink head in a state of being in contact with the first peripheral region.
Equipped with an inkjet printer. The first peripheral cleaning unit wipes the first peripheral region by reciprocating the cleaning member in the second direction with respect to the ink head.
The inkjet printer according to claim 1. The first peripheral region is formed substantially parallel to the nozzle surface.
A step is formed between the nozzle surface and the first peripheral region.
The first peripheral cleaning unit moves the cleaning member in the second direction with respect to the ink head in a state of being in contact with the first peripheral region and the step.
The inkjet printer according to claim 1 or 2. The cleaning member includes an elastic body that can be elastically deformed, and the elastic body is elastically deformed by the first peripheral region and the step so as to come into contact with the first peripheral region and the step.
The inkjet printer according to claim 3. The cleaning member is provided so as to cover the elastic body, and includes an ink absorber that absorbs the ink.
The inkjet printer according to claim 4. The first peripheral region is formed substantially parallel to the nozzle surface.
The peripheral region includes a head side surface which is located on the one side of the first direction with respect to the first peripheral region and extends in a direction intersecting the nozzle surface and the first peripheral region.
The control device includes a side surface cleaning unit that moves the cleaning member in the second direction with respect to the ink head in a state of being in contact with the side surface of the head and wipes the side surface of the head.
The inkjet printer according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The peripheral region includes a second peripheral region located on the other side of the first direction with respect to the nozzle surface.
The first nozzle cleaning unit moves the cleaning member toward the one side of the first direction with respect to the ink head in a state of being in contact with the nozzle surface, and wipes a part of the nozzle surface. Set to
The control device is
With the cleaning member in contact with the nozzle surface, the cleaning member is moved toward the other side in the first direction with respect to the ink head, and the other side in the first direction is more than the part of the nozzle surface. A second nozzle cleaning unit that wipes at least the other part located in
A second peripheral cleaning unit that moves the cleaning member in the second direction with respect to the ink head in a state of being in contact with the second peripheral region to wipe the second peripheral region.
Is equipped with
The inkjet printer according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The cleaning member includes a first wiping portion and a second wiping portion.
The first nozzle cleaning unit is set so that the first wiping unit wipes the part of the nozzle surface.
The first peripheral cleaning unit is set so that the first peripheral area is wiped by the first wiping unit.
The second nozzle cleaning unit is set so that the second wiping unit wipes the other part of the nozzle surface.
The second peripheral cleaning unit is set to wipe the second peripheral area by the second wiping unit.
The inkjet printer according to claim 7. A support base provided so as to face the ink head and supporting the printed matter is provided.
The cleaning member is configured to be detachably attached to the support base.
The moving device moves the cleaning member with respect to the ink head by moving at least one of the ink head and the support base.
The inkjet printer according to any one of claims 1 to 8. The cleaning member includes an ink absorber that absorbs the ink.
A wiper that can wipe the nozzle surface and does not absorb the ink,
A wiper moving mechanism that moves the wiper with respect to the ink head,
Is equipped with
The inkjet printer according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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