JP2837040B2 - Nozzle clogging removal device for inkjet recording head - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for removing nozzle clogging of an ink jet recording head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when air or the like enters an ink path portion of a nozzle of an ink jet recording head and causes clogging of the nozzle, there is a method of removing air or the like in the ink path portion and the nozzle orifice by using a suction force. As an apparatus for performing this method, there is a removing apparatus as shown in FIG.

This device comprises a cap holder having a cap rubber for covering a nozzle surface, a driving mechanism for pressing the cap holder against the nozzle surface, and an air path in an ink path portion and a nozzle orifice. And a suction means for removing the like.

[0004] A method of removing air and the like from the ink path section and the nozzle orifice by this apparatus will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of FIG. 12, and FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG.

A cap holder 112 having a cap rubber 111 covering the nozzle surface is provided on the nozzle surface 2 where air or the like enters the ink path portion 110 and the nozzle orifice 3 of the nozzle of the ink jet recording head and the nozzle is clogged. Then, it is pressed against the nozzle surface 2 from a vertical direction and mounted. This push-fitting includes a one-way clutch 115 that transmits only the driving force due to the rotation of the gear 116, the gear 117, the motor 118 in the direction a, the crank disk 1
14 and the cap holder 11 via the crank 113
2 by transmitting the driving force due to the rotation of the motor 118 in the direction a, and the cap holder 11
The motor is stopped with 2 pressed. next,
The motor 1 is mounted coaxially with the crank disk 114 by changing the rotation direction of the motor to the opposite direction b.
By transmitting the driving force of the motor to the piston 121 of the suction pump 122 via the one-way clutch 119 and the crank 120 for transmitting only the driving force due to the rotation in the direction b of the motor 18, the suction pump 122 is operated. Air and the like in the ink path section and the nozzle orifice are suctioned and removed via a suction pipe 123 connected to the pump 122. Finally, the motor is again rotated in the direction a to release the cap holder 112 from the nozzle surface 2 and the removing operation is completed.

[0007]

The above-described conventional removing device requires a pump for suction and a check valve, which increases the cost. Since the check valve has a reduced function, the suction force is also reduced and the clogging can be removed. In some cases, it is impossible to do so, which causes a drop in reliability. Further, pressure may be generated when the cap is attached, and air may be injected from the orifice in reverse. Further, since a cleaning brush for removing foreign matter, ink, and the like on the nozzle surface is attached by a separate mechanism, the cost is increased.

Accordingly, the present invention does not require a suction pump or a check valve, does not push air into the nozzle when the cap is mounted, and can simultaneously remove foreign matter, ink, etc. from the nozzle surface. An object of the present invention is to provide a device for removing clogging of a nozzle of a recording head.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, an apparatus of the present invention comprises an orifice sealing rubber integrally connected to a cap sealing rubber via a cap connecting rubber, and a cap retainer attached to the orifice sealing rubber. A roller carriage engaged via a spring; and
The cap seal rubber is attached to the ink jet nozzle surface so that it closely adheres to the ink jet nozzle surface.
A cap box which can be slid in,
It is composed of a drive system for operating the said cap boxes and the roller carriage, an ink jet cap Box
With the roller carriage in close contact with the
To slide against the inkjet nozzle surface
Therefore, the orifice sealing rubber is deformed and inkjet
A negative pressure is generated in the space where the nozzle surface contacts . Further, the cap box is provided with a cleaning sheet and an ink absorbing sheet capable of simultaneously removing foreign matter, ink, and the like on the nozzle surface. In addition, the apparatus of the present invention
Key that is in close contact with the inkjet nozzle
Integrated with cap seal rubber via cap connecting rubber
Orifice for sealing the inkjet nozzle face
Fiss sealing rubber, sealed on the inkjet nozzle surface
Orifice sealing rubber is sequentially inkjetted from one end
Means for peeling off from the nozzle surface.

[0010]

The cap box is slid with respect to the nozzle surface in such a positional relationship that the cap seal rubber is in close contact with the nozzle surface of the ink jet nozzle head, and the nozzle surface is covered with the cap seal rubber in an intimate manner. The whole surface is shut off from the outside air. At this time, the orifice sealing rubber is in close contact with the entire orifice.
When the roller carriage is moved along the nozzle surface in this state, the orifice sealing rubber is deformed and moves away rapidly from the nozzle surface with this movement, and this portion expands to form a cap space. Then, bubbles that cause clogging are sucked from the orifice, and ink is sucked. The ink absorbing sheet absorbs the removed ink by sliding the cap box with respect to the nozzle surface. When the cap box is first slid with respect to the nozzle surface, the cleaning sheet cleans the nozzle surface.

[0011]

An embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a printer provided with the clogging removing device of the present invention. 100 is a clogging removal device, 200 is an inkjet recording head, 30
0 indicates an ink supply tank.

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are schematic views showing the structure of the clogging removing device.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the clogging removing device, FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line II of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cap box 4 is supported by a cap link 8 via a guide knob 6, and the cap link 8 has a motor 28, gears I, 11, and a gear.
II, 21, cap link crank wheel 9, drive shaft 19, slide link 7, slide link crank wheel 12, umbrella pinion 13, ratchet 2
4, 26, ratchet wheel 23, 25, stay 1
8, cap link shaft 20 and link arm 22
Is arranged by assembling the drive shaft 19 and the cap link shaft 20 to the cap link 8.

FIGS. 5 to 8 are schematic views showing the structure of the cap box 4. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5, a cap sealing rubber 31 integrally connected to an orifice sealing rubber 32 via a cap connecting rubber 33 is attached to the periphery of the open surface of the cap box 4. A roller carriage 34 is engaged with the orifice sealing rubber 32 via a cap pressing spring 37. The roller carriage 34 includes a pair of rubber release rollers 35 and a pair of rubber push rollers 36. The pair of rubber release rollers 35 and the pair of rubber push rollers 36 are opposed to each other with a cap pressing spring 37 interposed therebetween. The roller carriage 34 has the orifice sealing rubber 32
Holding. The cap pressing spring 37 is assembled by pushing the cap holding spring 37 into the orifice sealing rubber 32 as shown in FIG. FIG. 5 shows that the cap box 4 is slid with respect to the nozzle surface 2 in such a positional relation that the cap seal rubber 31 is in close contact with the nozzle surface 2 of the ink jet nozzle head 1, and the nozzle surface 2 is FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the state in which the cover is tightly covered as viewed from above. FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG.

Next, the operation of the thus configured clogging removing device will be described.

The cap box 4 is moved in the order shown in FIGS. 11A to 11D to complete the step of removing clogs. That is, the cap box 4 located above the nozzle head 1 (FIG. 11A) is positioned with respect to the nozzle surface 2 in such a positional relationship that the cap seal rubber 31 is in close contact with the nozzle surface 2 of the nozzle head 1. The nozzle surface 2 is slid to be disposed at a position where the nozzle surface 2 is tightly covered with the cap seal rubber 31 (FIG. 11B). In this state, the clogging of the nozzle orifice 3 is removed by moving the roller carriage 34.
Next, the cap box 4 is moved to separate the cap seal rubber 31 from the nozzle surface 2 of the nozzle head 1 (FIG. 11C), and the cap box 4 is again moved to a position above the nozzle head 1 (FIG. 11C). 11
(D)).

Next, the movement of the cap box 4 is shown in FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

The rotation of the drive source motor 28 is controlled by the gears I and 11
Through the ratchet wheel 25 and the ratchet 26, and transmitted to the cap link crank wheel 9 coaxially mounted on the drive shaft 19 and engaged with the cap link crank wheel 9 as the cap link crank wheel 9 rotates. Cap link 8
However, as shown in FIG. 3 (a cross-sectional view taken along the line II of FIG. 2), it moves up and down with the locking point to the link arm 22 as a fulcrum. Since the other end of the cap link 8 is engaged with the guide knob 6 attached to the side wall of the cap box 4, the cap box 4 is eventually moved along the guide 5 by the vertical movement of the cap link 8. It will be moved up and down. The rotational force of the cap link crank wheel 9 is transmitted to the cap link 8 only by the rotation of the cap link crank wheel 9 in the direction of the arrow a by the ratchet 26 cooperating with the ratchet wheel 25. Next, the movement of the roller carriage 34 will be described with reference to FIGS.

The rotation of the drive source motor 28 is transmitted via a gear I to a gear II mounted coaxially with the drive shaft 19, and the driving force of the gear II is transmitted to the ratchet wheel 23 coaxial with the gear II. , And via an umbrella pinion 13, the umbrella pinion is engaged with the umbrella pinion and transmitted to an umbrella gear 14 integrated with the slide link crankwheel 12. The slide link 7 engaged with the slide link crank wheel moves left and right with the stay 18 at one end as a fulcrum. Since the other end of the slide link 7 is connected to the roller carriage 34 housed in the cap box 4, the roller link 34 is eventually moved by the left and right movement of the slide link 7.
Is moved in the direction along the nozzle surface. The rotational force of the umbrella pinion 13 is controlled by the ratchet 24 cooperating with the ratchet wheel 23, and the umbrella gear, and hence the umbrella pinion 13 is rotated only by the rotation of the umbrella pinion 13 in the direction of the arrow b shown in FIG. It is transmitted to the slide link 7.

At the start of the movement of the roller carriage 34, as shown in FIG. 5, the nozzle surface 2 is disposed at a position where the nozzle surface 2 is tightly covered with the cap seal rubber 31, so that the entire orifice is shut off from the outside air. The orifice sealing rubber 32 is in close contact with the orifice 3. When the roller carriage 34 is moved along the nozzle surface 2 in this state, the orifice sealing rubber 32
Deforms rapidly from the nozzle surface 2, and this portion expands to form a cap space 38 (FIG. 9). As a result, a negative pressure is generated and air bubbles that cause clogging are sucked from the orifice, and ink is removed. Suction.

[0024]

The device of the present invention adopts the above-mentioned configuration, and therefore does not require a suction pump and a check valve by a separate mechanism, thereby reducing costs and providing air to the nozzle when the cap is mounted. This has the effect that bubbles causing the clogging can be effectively removed by suction from the nozzle orifice of the nozzle of the ink jet recording head, and that foreign matter, ink, etc. on the nozzle surface can be removed at the same time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a printer including a clogging removing device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a clogging removing device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line II of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a cap box provided in the clogging removal stopping device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a diagram viewed from the right side of FIG. 5;

8 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line V (VI) -V (VI) of FIG. 6, and schematically shows the configuration of the cap box in a state where the orifice clogging removal processing is completed by moving the roller carriage along the nozzle surface. FIG.

FIG. 10 is an assembly diagram of an orifice sealing rubber housed in a cap box of FIG. 5 and a cap pressing spring.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing movement of a cap box in a step of removing clogging.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a conventional clogging removal prevention device.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of FIG.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 12;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Nozzle Head 2 Nozzle Surface 3 Orifice 4 Cap Box 7 Slide Link 8 Cap Link 29 Cleaning Sheet 30 Ink Absorption Sheet 31 Cap Seal Rubber 32 Orifice Seal Rubber 34 Roller Carriage 35 Rubber Release Roller 36 Rubber Push Roller 37 Cap Holder Spring

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-62-113556 (JP, A) JP-A-4-161343 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B41J 2/18 B41J 2/165 B41J 2/185

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] An orifice sealing rubber integrally connected to a cap sealing rubber via a cap connecting rubber,
And comprising a roller carriage which engages via a spring pressing the cap to the orifice sealing rubber, and formed by attaching the cap seal rubber, the inkjet nozzle surface so as to be in close contact with the inkjet nozzle face to
A cap box which can be slid Te, is composed of a drive system for operating the said cap boxes and the roller carriage, the said cap boxes in
Keep the roller key in close contact with the jet nozzle surface.
Slide the cartridge against the inkjet nozzle surface.
The orifice sealing rubber is deformed.
And apply a negative pressure to the space where the inkjet nozzle surface is in contact.
An apparatus for removing clogging of nozzles of an ink jet recording head, wherein the apparatus causes clogging. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cleaning sheet and an ink absorbing sheet. 3. An ink jet recording head for ink jet recording.
Cap seal rubber that is in close contact with the
The ink jet is integrally connected via a
Orifice sealing rubber to seal the nozzle face
The orifice sealed on the surface of the inkjet nozzle.
Sealing rubber is applied to the inkjet nozzle surface sequentially from one end
Characterized by further comprising means for peeling off
Device for removing clogged nozzles of jet recording head.