JP2728872B2 - Ink jet recording device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus, and more particularly, to a cap for performing ink jet recording head capping, and a liquid adhered to an orifice of the ink jet recording head. And / or an ink jet recording apparatus having a removing member for removing foreign matter. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ink jet recording apparatus has been known as an apparatus capable of recording various images, characters, and the like by silent recording at low cost and by dot recording. This type of device has a different technical problem from the device using an ink ribbon due to the nature of using liquid ink.
For example, in an on-demand type apparatus, ink is ejected from a fine orifice of a nozzle by driving energy of a piezoelectric element, a heating element, or the like only at a timing when dot is required. There are problems in that physical properties change, bubbles are generated in the nozzles, and paper debris, dust, dust, and the like adhere to the orifice, preventing normal recording. [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Therefore, in an ink jet recording apparatus, means for preventing a change in physical properties of ink during a non-driving period and means for restoring a recording head to a normal state are required. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a recording head capping device of a conventional ink jet recording device, and this capping device is provided at a predetermined position such as an end of a scanning area of the recording head. The capping device is formed by mounting each member with a reference numeral on a pedestal. In the figure, reference numeral 60 denotes a cap formed of silicon rubber or the like, and the cap 60 is substantially airtightly attached to the tip of a recording head (not shown). Be attached. The block-shaped member including the cap 60 is moved back and forth by a motor 62 via a gear 63, and the cap 60 is mounted on the leading end of the recording head moved to a position facing the cap 60. The blade 61 attached to the side surface of the cap 60 is formed of silicon rubber or the like, and by rubbing a head on this tip, foreign substances such as liquid, paper dust, dust, and dust can be removed. The release lever 64 is used to retract the blade 61 after the recovery operation. Conventionally, the cap 60 is mounted on the front of the recording head with the above configuration. In addition, foreign matter and air bubbles adhering to the orifice are rubbed at the tip of the head against a cleaning blade 61 formed of rubber or the like so as to drop. However, in such a configuration, the number of parts increases,
Therefore, the number of manufacturing steps of the apparatus is increased, and there is a disadvantage that the manufacturing cost is increased. Further, since the cap of the recording head and the blade as a member for removing foreign matter are provided as separate members, the driving mechanism thereof is complicated. [Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, a cap for capping an orifice of an ink jet recording head for scanning and performing recording in a recording area, The cap is integrally formed as the same member as the cap, and the tip protrudes from the front surface of the cap toward the side closer to the recording area than the cap in parallel with the cap along the scanning direction of the inkjet recording head. A cleaning member for cleaning a surface of the ink jet recording head provided with the orifice, a first position at which the orifice is capped by the cap, and the cleaning by scanning of the ink jet recording head. The orifice is provided by a member The second cleaning is performed
Moving means for integrally moving the cap and the cleaning member forward and backward at a position and a third position at which the cleaning member is separated from the ink jet recording head, wherein the capping and the cleaning are performed. The transition between the steps (1) and (2) can be performed only by moving between the first position and the second position without passing through the third position. EXAMPLES Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be described in detail. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a recording head capping apparatus of an ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention. This recovery device is provided at a predetermined position such as at the end of the scanning area of the recording head. As shown in FIG. 1, a cap 1a and a member (cleaning member) 1b for removing foreign matter and the like are integrally formed as the same member 1. The member 1 is made of, for example, silicon rubber. FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the member 1 shown in FIG.
The member 1 according to the present invention in which the cap 1a and the removing member 1b for removing foreign matter or the like are integrally formed may have a plate-like shape as shown in FIG. It may be pleated as shown in FIG. 2 and 3 are perspective views showing an example of a member 1 according to the present invention, in which a cap 1a and a removing member 1b for removing foreign matter or the like are integrally formed. A holder 2 supporting a member 1 shown in FIG. 1 is moved back and forth by a motor 3 via a cam 4. As shown in FIG. 1, two tubes 5 and 6 are connected to the inside of the member 1 as needed. The tube 5 communicates with the atmosphere via a valve, and the tube 6 is connected to a recovery pump or the like. With such a configuration, not only the window around the orifice by the cap 1a can be closed, but also ink non-ejection can be eliminated by forcibly sucking ink from the orifice. An example of the operation of the recording head capping apparatus of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 (a) to 4 (g). still,
FIGS. 4 (a) to 4 (g) are schematic diagrams for explaining an example of the operation of the recording head capping device of the ink jet recording device according to the present invention. 4, reference numeral 1 denotes a member according to the present invention, in which a cap and a member for removing foreign matter are integrally formed, 2 denotes a holder for supporting the member 1, and 7 denotes the member 1 and the holder 2. And a capping device having: Also, 8
Reference numeral 9 denotes a recording head, 9 denotes a sub-ink tank for supplying ink to the recording head 8, and 10 denotes a carriage on which the recording head 8 and the sub-ink tank 9 are placed. The carriage 10 moves along guide shafts 11a and 11b. The holder 2 supporting the recording head 8 (FIG. 4A) retreats, and the carriage 10 moves (FIG. 4B).
The recording head 8 is cleaned by the removing member (FIG. 4 (c)). Thereafter, the holder 2 further retreats (FIG. 4 (d)), the carriage 10 moves in the reverse direction (FIG. 4 (e)), and the recording head is again capped (FIG. 4 (f)). ). 5 (a) to 5 (g) are schematic views for explaining another example of the operation of the recording head capping device of the ink jet recording device according to the present invention. Here, the same members as those shown in FIG. 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a description thereof will be omitted. The holder 2 supporting the member 1 which has been performing the capping of the recording head 8 (FIG. 5 (a)) retreats, and the carriage 10 moves (FIG. 5 (b)). The holder 2 moves forward and the carriage 10 moves in the opposite direction (FIG. 5 (c),
(D)), the recording head 8 is cleaned by the removing member of the member 1 (FIG. 5 (e)). The holder 2 is further advanced (FIG. 5 (f)), and the recording head is again capped (FIG. 5 (g)). Through such a series of operations, the recording head is cleaned and cleaned. At the time of the above-described recording head capping, the first
The suction recovery of the recording head may be performed by the tubes 5 and 6 shown in the drawing. [Effects of the Invention] As described in detail above, according to the present invention, since the recording head cap and the removing member for foreign matter are integrally configured as the same member, the number of parts is reduced, Therefore, the number of manufacturing steps of the apparatus is also reduced. Therefore, the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Further, there is an effect that the driving mechanism for the cap and the removing member is simpler than the conventional one.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a recording head capping device of an ink jet recording device according to the present invention. 2 and 3 are perspective views showing an example of a member according to the present invention, in which a cap and a member for removing foreign matter or the like are integrally formed. FIGS. 4 (a) to (g) and FIGS. 5 (a) to (g) are schematic views for explaining an example of the operation of the ink jet recording head capping apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a recording head capping device of a conventional ink jet recording device. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Member 1a ... Cap 1b ... Removing member 2 ... Holder 3 ... Motor 4 ... Cam 5 ... Tube 6 ... Tube 7 ... Capping device 8 ... Recording head 9 ... Sub ink tank 10 … Carrier 11a …… Guide shaft 11b …… Guide shaft

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A cap for capping an orifice of an ink jet recording head for performing recording in a recording area by scanning; and the cap is integrally formed as the same member as the cap, and the cap is formed along the scanning direction of the ink jet recording head. A cleaning member for cleaning the surface of the ink jet recording head provided with the orifice, arranged in parallel with the cap, on the side closer to the recording area than the cap, so that the tip protrudes from the front surface of the cap. A first position at which the orifice is capped by the cap; a second position at which the cleaning member cleans the surface provided with the orifice by scanning of the ink jet recording head; and A third position separated from the jet recording head, and moving means for integrally moving the cap and the cleaning member back and forth, wherein a transition between the steps of the capping and the cleaning includes: An ink jet recording apparatus characterized in that it can be performed only by moving between the first position and the second position without passing through the third position. 2. 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cleaning member is made of a rubber plate. 3. 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cleaning member is made of a pleated rubber. 4. 2. The ink jet recording head according to claim 1, wherein an element for generating energy used for discharging ink from the orifice is provided.
Item 6. The ink jet recording apparatus according to item 1. 5. 5. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said element is a heating element. 6. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the element is a piezoelectric element.