JP2021045852A - Inkjet recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an inkjet recorder capable of discharging an ink mist in the prescribed direction similarly when performing forward feed operation, even when performing back feed operation.SOLUTION: An inkjet recorder has a recording head for discharging ink to a recording medium, a carrier unit capable of first carrying operation for carrying the recording medium in the first direction and second carrying operation for carrying the recording medium in the second direction opposite of the first direction, an air current generation member capable of generating an air current for discharging air between the recording head and the recording medium in the predetermined direction by rotating in the prescribed rotation direction and a driving unit for rotating the air current generation member in the prescribed rotation direction with the first carrying operation of the carrier unit as a driving source and rotating the air current generation member in the prescribed rotation direction with the second carrying operation of the carrying unit as the driving source.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to an inkjet recording device that records an image by an inkjet method.

As an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium, an inkjet recording apparatus using a recording head that ejects ink droplets is known. Inkjet recording devices include a serial method in which ink droplets are ejected onto a recording medium in which the recording head is stopped while moving in the main scanning direction to form an image, and a line-type recording head is used in a state where the recording head does not move. There is a line method in which ink droplets are ejected onto a conveyed recording medium to form an image.

In such an inkjet recording device, ink droplets are ejected from the nozzle surface of the recording head while a predetermined gap is maintained between the recording medium and the recording head to form an image. Therefore, when the ink droplets are ejected from the nozzle surface of the recording head, a part of the ink droplets becomes atomized and floats in the air by the time the ink droplets reach the printing surface of the recording medium. Then, this ink mist has a problem that it adheres to a member inside the recording device and adheres to the hands of a serviceman or a user who touches the inside of the recording device.

Therefore, Patent Document 1 proposes a configuration in which the ink mist is recovered by using the driving force of the transport mechanism of the recording medium. In this configuration, fans that rotate by driving the transport rollers are provided at both ends of the transport rollers that transport the recording medium, and the fans generate airflow in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction to collect the ink mist. There is.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-83946

Here, when printing on a long continuous sheet in an inkjet recording apparatus, the unprinted portion of the sheet is also conveyed by the recording head as the printed portion of the sheet is conveyed to the outside of the apparatus after the printing is completed. It will be transported to the downstream side in the direction. Therefore, a back feed operation is required to return the unprinted portion of this sheet to the upstream side in the transport direction of the recording head before the next printing.

However, in the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1 described above, since the fan generates an air flow in a direction corresponding to the rotation direction of the transfer roller, when the back feed operation is performed, the transfer roller transfers the sheet in the forward feed direction. There is a problem that the rotation direction is opposite to the rotation direction when printing is performed and an air flow is generated in the direction opposite to the direction in which the ink mist is collected, and the ink mist is diffused in the recording device. It was.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an inkjet recording apparatus capable of eliminating ink mist in a predetermined direction even when a back feed operation is performed, as in the case where a forward feed operation is performed. Is what you do.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has a recording head that ejects ink to a recording medium, a first transfer operation that conveys the recording medium in the first direction, and a second transfer operation that is opposite to the first direction. A transport unit capable of a second transport operation for transporting the recording medium in a direction and an air flow for removing air between the recording head and the recording medium in a predetermined direction by rotating in a predetermined rotation direction. The airflow generating member that can be generated and the first transporting operation of the transporting unit are used as a drive source to rotate the airflow generating member in the predetermined rotation direction, and the second transporting operation of the transporting unit is used as a drive source. It is an inkjet recording apparatus having a drive unit that rotates the airflow generating member in the predetermined rotation direction.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an inkjet recording apparatus capable of removing ink mist in a predetermined direction even when the back feed operation is performed, as in the case where the forward feed operation is performed.

It is a front view of the main part of the inkjet recording apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a top view and the front view which show the structure of the transport unit which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a front view of the main part which shows the forward feed operation of the transport unit which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a front view of the main part which shows the back feed operation of the transport unit which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the transport unit explaining the flow of ink mist which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a circuit block diagram which shows the control structure which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart of CPU 101 of FIG. 6 which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The components described in the following embodiments are merely examples, and various conditions such as the configuration, function, material, shape, and relative arrangement of the device to which the present invention is applied without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Can be modified or changed as appropriate, and is not limited to the following embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a main part of the inkjet recording apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the inkjet recording apparatus 100 has a roll paper feeding unit 110 in which a roll paper 111, which is a continuous sheet as a recording medium, is stored in a rotatable state, and a width direction orthogonal to the feeding direction of the roll paper 111. A guide unit 150 for regulating the position of the roll paper 111, a transport unit 120 for transporting the roll paper 111, and a cutter 160 for cutting the recorded (printed) roll paper 111 are provided.

Further, the inkjet recording apparatus 100 is provided with a recording head 140 that forms an image on the roll paper 111 conveyed by the conveying unit 120 by an inkjet method. Here, as the recording head 140, a line head having a plurality of nozzles arranged side by side with a length substantially the same as the maximum recording width of the roll paper used is used.

2A and 2B show the configuration of the transport unit 120, FIG. 2A is a plan view of the transport unit 120, and FIG. 2B is a front view of the transport unit 120.

In FIG. 2, in the transport unit 120, the transport belt 121 for transporting the roll paper 111 fed from the paper feed unit is connected to the transport motor 122 shown in FIG. 2B to drive the transport belt 121. It is wound around the drive pulley 123 and the driven pulleys 124 and 125 that are carried around by the movement of the transport belt 121. The transport belt 121 can be driven by the transport motor 122 in the forward feed direction of arrow A and in the back feed direction of arrow B in the direction opposite to arrow A.

As shown in FIG. 2B, a cutter 160 for cutting the roll paper 111 is provided on the downstream side of the transport unit 120 in the forward feed direction.

A pinch roller 126 that sandwiches the roll paper 111 with the transport belt 121 is arranged on the downstream side of the driven pulley 124 in the direction of the arrow A, and is pressed in the direction of the arrow C. A platen 127 is arranged inside the transport belt 121 to support the transport belt 121.

A tip detection sensor 128 for detecting the tip of the roll paper 111 is arranged on the downstream side of the pinch roller 126 in the direction of the arrow A, and detects the tip of the rolled paper 111 to be conveyed. After that, ink is ejected to a predetermined position by the recording head 140 on the roll paper 111 whose tip is detected, and recording is performed.

On the downstream side of the recording head 140 in the direction of the arrow A, a roll paper 111 is sandwiched between the recording head 140 and the transfer belt 121, and the spurs 129 and the spurs 129 that follow the transfer belt 121 are fixedly supported and synchronized with the spurs 129. A rotating spur shaft 130 is arranged and pressed in the direction of arrow D.

The printed roll paper 111 is transported to the outside of the recording device 100 and then cut by the cutter 160. Then, the roll paper 111 is back-fed in the direction of arrow B, and the tip of the roll paper 111 is the tip detection sensor 128. Return to the downstream side from the position detected by the printer to prepare for the next printing.

As shown in FIG. 2A, a spur gear 131, which is a first driving force transmission member as an interlocking unit, is arranged on the side of the spur shaft 130. The spur gear 131 has a one-way clutch, and when the roll paper 111 is conveyed in the forward feed direction of the arrow A, it rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the spur shaft 130. On the other hand, when the roll paper 111 is conveyed in the back feed direction of the arrow B, it slips with respect to the rotation of the pulsating shaft 130, and the interlocking is cut off.

Further, a transfer gear 132, which is a second drive force transmission member as an interlocking unit, is arranged on the side of the drive pulley 123 opposite to the side connected to the transfer motor 122. The transfer gear 132 also has a one-way clutch, and when the drive pulley 123 drives the transfer belt 121 in the back feed direction of arrow B, it rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the drive pulley 123, and the drive pulley 123 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the drive pulley 123. When the 121 is driven in the forward feed direction of the arrow A, it idles with respect to the rotation of the drive pulley 123, and the interlocking is cut off.

Further, as an airflow generating member that generates an airflow toward the upper side of FIG. 2A, which is orthogonal to the conveying direction of the roll paper 111, by rotating in the direction of the arrow G shown in FIG. 2B. A blade gear 133 provided with rotating blades is provided so as to mesh with both the spur gear 131 and the conveyor gear 132. The blade gear 133 is fixedly supported by the shaft member 134, and the blade member 135 as an airflow generating member is fixedly supported on the shaft member 134 on the side facing the blade gear 133. The blade member 135 rotates in the direction of the arrow G in the same manner as the blade gear 133 to generate an air flow above FIG. 2A.

An ink mist processing unit 136 as an ink mist collecting unit for collecting ink mist is provided on the downstream side of the blade gear 133 and the blade gear 133 in the airflow direction generated by the blade gear 133 and the blade member 135. The ink mist processing unit 136 has a filter 137 that captures the ink mist excluded above FIG. 2 (A) by the air flow generated by the blade gear 133 and the blade member 135.

Next, the operations of the spur gear 131, the transfer gear 132, and the blade gear 133 with respect to the transfer of the roll paper 111 will be described.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a main part (B) of FIG. 2 showing the operations of the spur gear 131, the transfer gear 132, and the blade gear 133 when the roll paper 111 is conveyed in the forward feed direction of the arrow A.

In FIG. 3, when the roll paper 111 is conveyed in the forward feed direction of the arrow A in order to form an image on the roll paper 111, the drive pulley 123 is rotated in the direction of the arrow E to rotate the transfer belt 121 in the forward feed direction of the arrow A. Send in the direction. When the transport belt 121 is fed in the forward feed direction of the arrow A, the beater 129 pressed by the transport belt 121 rotates in the direction of the arrow F, and the beater shaft 130 is rotated in the direction of the arrow F.

When the spur shaft 130 rotates in the direction of the arrow F, the spur gear 131 rotates in the direction of the arrow F in synchronization with the spur 129 and the spur shaft 130 by the action of the one-way clutch of the spur gear 131. As a result, the blade gear 133 meshing with the spur gear 131 rotates in the direction of the arrow G, and the rotating blades generate an air flow toward the upper side of FIG. 2 (A).

On the other hand, since the transport gear 132 idles with respect to the rotation of the drive pulley 123 in the direction of the arrow E by the action of the one-way clutch of the transport gear 132, the transport gear 132 receives the rotation in the direction of the arrow G of the blade gear 133 and moves in the direction of the arrow H. Rotate.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a main part (B) of FIG. 2 showing the operations of the spur gear 131, the transfer gear 132, and the blade gear 133 when the roll paper 111 is conveyed in the back feed direction of the arrow B.

In FIG. 4, when the roll paper 111 is conveyed in the back feed direction of arrow B in preparation for the next printing, the drive pulley 123 is rotated in the direction of arrow J to feed the transfer belt 121 in the back feed direction of arrow B. .. When the drive pulley 123 rotates in the direction of arrow J, the transfer gear 132 rotates in the direction of arrow J in conjunction with the drive pulley 123 by the action of the one-way clutch of the transfer gear 132. As a result, the blade gear 133 meshing with the transport gear 132 rotates in the direction of the arrow G, and the rotating blades generate an air flow toward the upper side of FIG. 2 (A).

On the other hand, when the transport belt 121 is fed in the back feed direction of arrow B, the pulsating wheel 129 rotates in the direction of arrow K, and the pulsating shaft 130 rotates in the direction of arrow K. Since the accelerating gear 131 idles with respect to the rotation of the accelerating shaft 130 in the direction of the arrow K by the action of the one-way clutch of the accelerating gear 131, it rotates in the direction of the arrow L in response to the rotation of the blade gear 133 in the direction of the arrow G. To do.

Next, the flow of ink mist generated by the ink ejection of the recording head 140 will be described.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the transport unit 120 for explaining the flow of ink mist.

In FIG. 5, the roll paper 111 is conveyed in the forward feed direction of arrow A, and ink is ejected from the recording head 140 to form an image. Due to this ink ejection, the ink mist M floats on the recording surface of the roll paper 111. The ink mist M is transported to the downstream side of the recording head 140 in the forward feed direction by the transport of the roll paper 111.

The ink mist M carried to the downstream side in the forward feed direction of the arrow A of the recording head 140 rotates in the direction of rotation in which the blade gear 133 and the blade member 135 generate an air flow in the direction of the arrow P, and the air flow caused by the rotation It is swept away in the direction of the arrow P and is captured by the filter 137 in the ink mist processing unit 136.

On the other hand, the roll paper 111 on which the image is formed is cut and roughened by the cutter 160 and then discharged to the outside of the machine. At this time, when forming an image in which a large amount of ink is ejected from the recording head 40, the amount of ink mist M generated is also large, and all the ink mist is eliminated and captured by the time the roll paper 111 is discharged to the outside of the machine. You may not be able to do it. Therefore, the remaining ink mist M drifts on the downstream side of the recording head 140.

Also in this case, when the roll paper 111 is conveyed in the back feed direction of the arrow B in preparation for the next printing, the blade gear 133 and the blades are similarly conveyed in the same manner as when the roll paper 111 is conveyed in the forward feed direction of the arrow A. The member 135 rotates in the direction of the arrow P in the direction of rotation to generate an air flow, and the remaining ink mist M is excluded in the direction of the arrow P and captured by the filter 137.

FIG. 6 is a circuit block diagram showing a control configuration of the present embodiment.

In FIG. 6, 101 is a control circuit composed of a CPU that controls the entire circuit, and controls a printing operation by receiving print data and a printing instruction transmitted from an external computer 102. Reference numeral 103 denotes a tip detection circuit that detects the tip of the roll paper 111 by the tip detection sensor 128 of FIG. 2, and 104 drives a recording head 140 to eject ink based on print data transmitted from an external computer 102. A recording head drive circuit that forms an image on the roll paper 111, 105 drives the transport motor 122 in the forward and reverse rotation drives, and the transport belt 121 drives the transport belt 121 in the forward feed direction and the back feed direction, and 106 drives the cutter 160. It is a cutter drive circuit that cuts the printed roll paper 111.

Next, the printing operation after the roll paper 111 is set will be described according to the flowchart of the control circuit 101 of FIG. 6 shown in FIG. 7.

When a print instruction is received from the external computer 102 in step S01, the transfer motor 122 is driven in the forward direction by the transfer drive circuit 105 in step S02 to transfer the roll paper 111 in the forward feed direction.

In step S03, the tip of the roll paper 111 conveyed in the forward feed direction is detected by the tip detection circuit 103, and in step S04, when the roll paper 111 is further conveyed in the forward feed direction by a predetermined amount, in step S05, The recording head drive circuit 104 drives the recording head 140 to eject ink to perform an image forming operation.

After that, when the roll paper 111 is conveyed in the forward feed direction by a predetermined amount and reaches the cutting position of the cutter 160 in step S06, the forward rotation drive of the transfer motor 122 by the transfer drive circuit 105 is stopped in step S07.

Next, in step S08, the cutter 160 is driven by the cutter drive circuit 106 to cut the image-formed roll paper 111.

Then, in step S09, the transport drive circuit 105 reversely drives the transport motor 122 to transport the roll paper 111 in the back feed direction.

In step S10, the tip detection circuit 103 detects that the tip of the roll paper 111 conveyed in the back feed direction has been conveyed to the upstream side in the forward feed direction of the recording head 140, and in step S11, the roll paper 111 is subsequently transferred. Further, when a predetermined amount is conveyed in the back feed direction, the reverse drive of the transfer motor 122 by the transfer drive circuit 105 is stopped in step S12 to end a series of operations.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the image forming operation is performed on the downstream side of the recording head in the forward feed direction, and is linked to the transfer regardless of whether the roll paper is conveyed in the forward feed direction or the back feed direction. Since the blade member is rotated in the direction of rotation to generate an air flow toward the ink mist processing unit that captures the ink mist, the ink mist can be efficiently eliminated.

In the above embodiment, the present invention can be applied even if the ink mist processing unit that captures the ink mist is detachable from the main body of the inkjet recording device.

Further, the present invention does not provide a dedicated ink mist processing unit, and if there is a place where there is no problem even if ink adheres to the inkjet recording device, an air flow for eliminating the ink mist is generated toward the place. It is applicable.

Further, in the above embodiment, the roll paper is conveyed by the conveying belt, but the present invention can be applied to the conveying means other than the conveying belt, for example, the conveying roller.

Further, in the above embodiments, roll paper is taken as an example of the recording medium, but the present invention can be applied to other recording media such as sheets.

100 ... Inkjet recording device 111 ... Roll paper 120 ... Conveying unit 121 ... Conveying belt 122 ... Conveying motor 123 ... Drive pulley 124 ... Driven pulley 125 ... Driven pulley 129 ... Accelerator 130 ... Accelerating shaft 131 ... Accelerating gear 132 ... Conveying gear 133 ... Blade gear 134 ... Blade gear 135 ... Wing member 136 ... Ink mist processing unit 137 ... Filter 140 ... Recording head 150 ... Guide unit 140 ... Cutter M ... Ink mist

Claims (7)

A recording head that ejects ink to a recording medium,
A transport unit capable of a first transport operation for transporting the recording medium in the first direction and a second transport operation for transporting the recording medium in the second direction opposite to the first direction.
An airflow generating member capable of generating an airflow for removing air between the recording head and the recording medium in a predetermined direction by rotating in a predetermined rotation direction.
The airflow generating member is rotated in the predetermined rotation direction by using the first conveying operation of the conveying unit as a driving source, and the airflow generating member is used as a driving source by using the second conveying operation of the conveying unit as a driving source. A drive unit that rotates in the direction of rotation,
An inkjet recording apparatus characterized by having. The drive unit includes a first drive force transmitting member that transmits a driving force for rotating in the predetermined rotation direction to the airflow generating member in conjunction with the first transport operation of the transport unit, and the first drive unit. The inkjet according to claim 1, further comprising a second driving force transmitting member for transmitting a driving force for rotating in the predetermined rotation direction to the airflow generating member in conjunction with the transport operation of 2. Recording device. The first driving force transmission member disconnects the interlocking with the second transfer operation of the transfer unit, and the second driving force transmission member with respect to the first transfer operation of the transfer unit. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the interlocking is cut off. The first driving force transmitting member has a first one-way clutch that is interlocked with the first transfer operation of the transfer unit and for disengaging the interlock with the second transfer operation, and the second. 3. The driving force transmitting member according to claim 3 has a second one-way clutch that is interlocked with the second transfer operation of the transfer unit and for disengaging the interlock with the first transfer operation. The inkjet recording apparatus according to the above. The recording head ejects ink when the transport unit transports the recording medium in the first direction.
Claims 1 to 4, wherein the airflow generating member generates an airflow for eliminating ink mist in the predetermined direction on the downstream side in the first direction with respect to the recording head. The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one item. The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising an ink mist collecting unit that collects ink mist excluded in the predetermined direction by the air flow generating member. The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the recording medium is a continuous sheet.

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