JP2567883Y2 - Head capping mechanism of inkjet printer - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a head capping mechanism for an ink jet printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a capping mechanism for a head of an ink-jet printer includes a mechanism for performing capping using an eccentric cam, which will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 6 is a side view showing a structure of a conventional capping mechanism and a state in which a head is out of a capping position. The eccentric cam 14 rotates by receiving power from a power source via a train wheel. The driven lever 10 rotates about the shaft 11 by the center, a tension coil spring 12 for always holding the driven lever 10 on the cam surface 14a of the eccentric cam 14, and an elastic cap attached to the end of the driven lever 10. When the head 15 is out of the capping position, the driven lever 10 is located at a position where the radius of curvature of the eccentric cam 14 is maximum. FIG.
FIG. 4 is a side view showing a state in which the head is performing capping. The driven lever 10 is located in a portion where the eccentric cam 14 rotates clockwise and the radius of curvature of the eccentric cam 14 is minimized. Nozzle surface 15a of head 15
To prevent the nozzle from drying.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, a space for disposing mechanical components such as a power source, a wheel train, an eccentric cam, and a driven lever for capping operation is provided.
Is required behind the cap. For this space
The length in the depth direction of the printer increases,
There was a problem that the miniaturization was hindered. Small printer
Space for the capping mechanism to reduce
Makes it difficult to attach each part, and the workability during assembly deteriorates.
You. In addition, the capping mechanism becomes complicated,
Parts, which increases parts and assembly costs.
Had the problem of

The present invention has been made to solve such a drawback, and has as its object to obtain a small and simple capping mechanism, and at the same time, to assemble easily and to reduce parts and assembly costs .

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems] head capping mechanism of an ink jet printer of the present invention for solving the above problems, an ink for recording by discharging ink from a nozzle
A jet head and the inkjet head
A carriage for returning and a cap for covering the nozzle
Head cap of an ink jet printer
In the moving direction of the carriage.
An axis provided in parallel and the cap fixed to one end
A lever rotatably supported by the shaft,
At the other end of the
A follower that contacts a part of the ridge and the carriage
With the operation of contacting the follower and further pressing the follower
Release the cap covering the nozzle from the nozzle
An elastic portion for urging the lever in a direction
And the lever and the lever are formed integrally.
I do.

[0006]

According to the above configuration of the present invention, when the carriage on which the head is mounted moves to the capping position,
An elastic portion ( flexible portion ) formed integrally with the lever carries the follower at the lever end held in a state of overlapping with the trajectory of the surface (front surface) on the nozzle surface side of the carriage.
Contact. When the carriage moves further, the follower
Along the curved surface against the elastic force of the elastic part.
Pushed up to the front of the ridge, the lever moves the carriage
The cap attached to the other end of the lever is pressed against the nozzle face of the head by rotating about an axis provided in parallel with the direction . Further, when the carriage deviates from the capping position and the follower of the lever moves away from the carriage, the lever is moved by the elastic force of the elastic portion.
Rotate in opposite directions around a shaft provided in parallel to the moving direction, the cap away from the nozzle. Therefore, the necessary mechanisms to open and close operation of the cap is simplified, Further, cache
There is almost no mechanism for opening and closing the cap behind the
Therefore, the size of the printer can be reduced.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a side view showing the structure of the present invention, and also shows a state where the head is out of the capping position. A cap 3 of an elastic member is attached to one end of a shaft 3 provided in parallel with the moving direction of the head 5 at a position facing the nozzle surface 5a of the head 5 at the capping position. A plate-shaped metal lever 2 formed with 2a is rotatably mounted by a hole 2d, and a tip of a flexible portion 2c formed integrally with the lever 2 is engaged with a groove 4a of the printer body 4. The follower portion 2a is held so as to overlap the locus 6c of the surface 6a of the carriage 6 on the nozzle surface side.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the shape of the lever.
An elastic plate-shaped metal is processed by stamping and bending, and the follower portion 2a has a curved surface 2b.

3 and 4 are a top view showing a capping operation and a side view showing a capping state, respectively.
As shown in FIG. 3, the carriage 6 on which the head 5 is mounted moves in the direction of arrow A, and the corner 6b of the carriage 6 forms the follower portion 2a overlapping the locus 6c of the surface 6a on the nozzle surface side with the curved surface 2b. Up in the direction of arrow B along
As shown in FIG. 4, the lever 2 rotates clockwise about the shaft 3 against the flexible portion 2c, and the cap 1 is pressed against the nozzle surface 5a to enter a capping state. Also,
When the carriage 6 moves in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 3 and deviates from the capping position, the lever 2 is bent to the flexible portion 2c.
The cap 1 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction by the elastic force of the head 1 to separate from the nozzle surface 5a of the head 5, and returns to the state shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the present invention.
It is a perspective view which shows the shape of a lever. The lever 8 is made of resin, is integrally formed with a follower portion 8a having a plate-shaped flexible portion 8c and a curved surface 8b, and a cap 7 of an elastic member is attached to an end portion. The operation is the same as in the above-described embodiment.

[0012]

As described above, according to the present invention, a simple capping mechanism having a smaller number of parts than in the conventional art can be obtained, and the parts and assembly costs can be reduced.

Further, with a simple capping mechanism, it is possible to save space as compared with the conventional one, and there is an effect that the size of the printer can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing the structure of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the shape of the lever according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a top view showing the capping operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a capping state of the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the shape of a lever according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing the structure of a conventional capping mechanism.

FIG. 7 is a side view showing a capping state of a conventional capping mechanism.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cap 2 Lever 2a Follower part 2b Curved surface 2c Flexible part 2d Hole 3 Axis 4 Printer body 4a Groove 5 Head 5a Nozzle surface 6 Carriage 6a Surface on nozzle surface 6b Corner 6c Locus of surface on carriage nozzle surface

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A method of recording by discharging ink from a nozzle.
Ink jet head and the inkjet head
A reciprocating carriage and a key for covering the nozzle.
With capHead cap of an inkjet printer with
In the ping mechanism, An axis provided substantially parallel to the moving direction of the carriage
When,  The cap is fixed to one end,On the axisPivotable
And the other end of the leverProvided,
At the capping positionA slave contacting a part of the carriage.
A carriage, the carriage abuts on the follower, and further the follower
Push the cap covering the nozzle with the pressing operation
In the direction away from the nozzleElasticity to bias the lever
Part and,The elastic part And that the lever is formed integrally.
Characteristic head capping of inkjet printer
Mechanism.