JP3005958B2 - Recovery method for liquid ejection device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recovery method for a liquid discharge apparatus for removing clogging of a discharge port for discharging a liquid.

[Conventional technology]

The inkjet recording apparatus includes a carriage movably disposed in a main scanning direction of a recording surface, at least one recording head mounted on the carriage, and ink droplets from nozzles of the recording head in accordance with recording data. It is used for printers and facsimile machines for recording by flying.

In an ink jet recording apparatus of this type, since the ink droplets are always filled in the nozzles of the head, the ink liquid evaporates from the discharge ports, and ink, impurities, and the like are fixed to cause nozzle clogging, or In some cases, air bubbles enter the nozzles for some reason, making the printing operation impossible or performing incomplete printing. Therefore, the carriage is moved to the home position, and ink or cleaning liquid is supplied into the nozzles by the recovery device to open the nozzles, thereby removing bubbles and clogging.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the recovery method of such a conventional liquid discharge apparatus, when a recovery process is performed in which ink is discharged from the discharge port in a state where the discharge port is capped with the cap being in contact with the discharge surface, the discharged ink is discharged. Because part of the ink may enter the recording operation while adhering to the ejection surface, the attached ink may be scattered due to the influence of acceleration / deceleration or vibration during carriage movement, and the inside of the liquid ejection device or the recording paper may be stained with the ink. there were. In addition, even after performing a recovery process for discharging ink from the discharge ports, deflection (disorder in the discharge direction) due to the ink attached to the discharge surface is likely to occur, and the recovery process cannot be achieved at a high level. There were inconveniences.

The present invention has been made in view of such problems of the related art, and an object of the present invention is to eliminate contamination of a device and recording paper caused by scattering of liquid remaining on a discharge surface, and Provided is a method of recovering a liquid ejecting apparatus capable of achieving a higher level of the recovery process by finishing the ejection surface to a clean surface with no residual ink when performing the recovery process by discharging the liquid from the discharge port. That is.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a carriage for mounting and moving a liquid ejection head having an ejection surface provided with an ejection port for ejecting liquid, and the ejection port in contact with the ejection surface. A cap for capping,
A method of recovering a liquid ejection apparatus comprising: a first step of capping the ejection port by bringing the cap into contact with the ejection surface, and discharging the liquid from the ejection port using pressure generating means, Following the first step, a second step of separating the cap from the discharge surface without moving the liquid discharge head; and, following the second step, the carriage is moved without moving the liquid discharge head. And a third step of bringing a liquid absorbing member into contact with the ejection surface in order to absorb the liquid remaining on the ejection surface before the movement of the liquid is started.

[Action]

The liquid remaining on the ejection surface due to the recovery operation is a liquid that is actively removed after the cap is separated from the ejection surface and before the movement of the carriage is started. The liquid is absorbed by the absorbing member by capillary action, does not cause liquid to remain on the discharge surface, and does not cause contamination due to scattering.

In addition, if the liquid absorbing member is guided to the waste ink storage section by capillary force, there is no limit to the amount of absorption, and it is possible to always prevent contamination due to scattering of the residual liquid.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a main part of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an entire configuration of the embodiment of the present invention. In FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a recording head mounted on a carriage 2, which is provided with a storage unit capable of storing ink supplied from an ink supply source, and a nozzle unit for ejecting the stored ink. A recording head unit.
For example, four recording heads 1 are provided according to ink colors. As will be described later, a cartridge tank as an ink supply source can be attached to the carriage 2. Reference numeral 4 denotes a printed wiring board for controlling ink ejection by the recording head 1, reference numeral 6 denotes a flexible cable for connecting the printed wiring board 4 and the liquid jet recording unit 1, and the printed wiring board 4 and the flexible cable 6 are connected via a connector. Connect.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a paper feed motor, and the recording paper P is conveyed in the direction f in FIG. Reference numeral 12 denotes a roller which cooperates with the roller 10 to regulate the recording paper P flat and forms a recording surface for the recording head 1.

Reference numeral 14 denotes a carriage driving belt connected to the carriage 2, 16 denotes a motor for driving the belt 14 in the S direction in the drawing, and 18 denotes a guide rail of the carriage 2. The carriage 2 moves in the S direction in the figure along the guide rail 18 in response to the driving of the motor 16, and can perform recording on the recording surface.

Reference numeral 38 denotes a recovery system, which includes a cap 39 as shown in FIG. 1 and recovery means as described later.

In FIG. 2, the recording paper P is
When a start button (not shown) is pressed after setting the carriage 2 by inserting it into each of 12 and 10, the carriage 2 moves to the print start position by driving the motor 16. Next, when print data is given, each of the energy generators in the print head 1 is driven in response thereto, ink droplets fly from each nozzle, and the ink adheres and is absorbed on the surface of the recording paper P. Is recorded.

As the recording proceeds, the motor 16 rotates, and the carriage 2 gradually moves rightward in the drawing. The carriage 2 records the number of characters for one line set in advance or returns to the printing start position when a carriage return signal is received, and printing is started again.

At the time of the recovery operation, the carriage 2 is moved so that the head 1 is located at the home position (H line shown) facing the recovery system 38. In this state, the fixed matter and the attached ink adhering to the nozzle surface are removed by using the recovery means described later.

 Next, the configuration of the embodiment of FIG. 1 will be described.

Reference numeral 33 denotes an ink cartridge provided at a lower portion of the traveling area of the carriage 2, and a waste ink absorber 33 A for collecting waste ink removed by the recovery system 38 and an ink bag containing ink for supplying ink to the head 1. 33B. Reference numeral 34 denotes an L-shaped porous absorber having one end connected to the waste ink absorber 33A and the other end extending below a cap 39 provided in the recovery system 38. The cap 39 is mounted on the surface of the recovery system 38 facing the head 1 and seals the nozzle during capping and shuts off the atmosphere.

Reference numeral 41 denotes an absorber lever for pressing the end (upper end) of the porous absorber 34 toward the head 1. Porous absorber
34 is made of an elastically deformable polymer plastic or fibrous material.

As shown in FIG. 3, the front surface (ejection surface) of the head 1 is provided with a nozzle 1A having a plurality of ejection openings in the longitudinal direction at the center of the nozzle face surface 1B, and the outer edge of the cap 39 is a nozzle.
The outer periphery of 1A is pressed against the cap contact surface 1C shown by the two-dot chain line.

 Next, the operation of the configuration shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

At the time of recovery, the head 1 moves to the H position, the recovery system 38 advances to the head side, and the cap 39 presses against the cap contact surface 1C. In this state, ink or cleaning liquid is supplied to the nozzle 1A by an ink pressurizing means or a cleaning liquid supply means (not shown), and the waste ink discharged into the cap 39 is discharged by a waste ink collecting means (not shown). To be collected.

Thereafter, the recovery system 38 is retracted, and the cap 39 is separated from the front of the head. At this time, the ink adhering to the contact portion between the cap 39 and the front surface of the head and the lower part of the nozzle drips and remains on the head surface as an ink reservoir (residual ink) 40. If the carriage 2 moves in this state, it scatters and stains the recording paper P and the carriage 2.

However, in the present invention, after the capping is completed, the absorber lever 41 is protruded from the recovery system 38 toward the head, and the upper portion of the porous absorber 34 is brought into contact with the residual ink (ink reservoir) 40. As a result, the residual ink 40 becomes porous absorbent 34.
And the nozzle face 1B is cleaned. The ink absorbed by the porous absorber 34 is collected by the waste ink absorber 33A by capillary force. As described above, since the residual ink (ink reservoir) 40 can be removed, even if the carriage 2 is moved, ink contamination due to the residual ink 40 does not occur.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the same components as those in FIG. 1 or those having the same functions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted below.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 42 denotes an ink absorber implanted or fixed to the tip of the absorber lever 41, and may be a bundle of bundled thin tubes or fibers. The lower end of the ink absorber 42 is in contact with the upper end of a fixed absorber 43 having the same function and shape as the porous absorber 34.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a drive mechanism of the absorber lever 41 of FIG.

A coil spring 4 is located at the back of the lever shaft 41A of the absorber lever 41.
1B is externally fitted, and a stop ring 41C is provided to regulate the position of the coil spring 41B. A cap holder 44 for holding the cap 39 is provided in parallel with the absorber lever 41. Similarly, a coil spring 44B is externally fitted to the cap holder shaft 44A, and a stop ring 44C is provided.

Lever shaft 41A and cap holder shaft 44A are guide members
The coil springs 41B and 44B are slidably supported by the guide 49, and are disposed between the rear surface of the guide member 49 and the strip rings 41C and 44C.

At the ends of the lever shaft 41A and the cap holder shaft 44A,
Absorber press-contact cam 47B and cap cam 47A are attached,
These two cams rotate around the cam 47 as a rotation axis. Reference numeral 48 denotes a suction tube for sucking and removing waste ink discharged into the cap 39 at the time of recovery.

FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the cam 47. The cap cam 47A and the absorber press-contact cam 47B are mounted such that the cam pieces are shifted from each other by 90 degrees. Note that the cam position in the printing state is 47C.

Next, the operation of the configuration of FIG. 5 will be described with reference to the time chart of FIG. When the recovery operation is started, as shown in FIG. 5, the cap cam 47A presses the cap holder shaft 44A against the urging force of the coil spring 44B to press the cap 39 against the nozzle face 1B. In this state, the pump is operated to discharge ink from the nozzle 1A,
The waste ink in the cap 39 is collected via the suction tube 48.

Next, the cam 47 is rotated by 90 degrees and the cap holder shaft 44 is rotated.
A is retracted by the urging force of the coil spring 44B,
The absorber lever 41 is pushed by the pressing force of the absorber pressing cam 47B, and the upper part of the porous absorber is brought into contact with the ink reservoir 40 as the residual ink to absorb the ink. This processing corresponds to T1 shown in FIG.
Where T1 illustrates the recovery method according to the present invention. In addition, T2 is an ink pooling operation linked to the opening and closing operation of the cap 39 (ink absorption by contact of the absorber 34).
Is shown. T3 indicates a mode in which the ink pooling process is performed every time a predetermined time elapses during continuous printing or every time a predetermined number of sheets are printed.

8 and 9 show a plan view and a front view of the structure of the absorber lever 41 when there are a plurality of recording heads.
In this case, since a porous absorber 34 having a comb-shaped tip is provided for each head, an absorber lever 41 having a width equal to or greater than the entire width of the porous absorber 34 is used.
As a result, the tips of the porous absorber 34 move forward and backward at the same time, and the ink reservoirs (residual ink) 40 of all the heads are simultaneously removed.

Such a configuration is suitable for performing color printing with a plurality of heads, and can reliably absorb unnecessary ink on the face surface of the nozzle, thereby preventing a problem of stain on the recording paper surface.

FIG. 10 is a schematic partial sectional view showing a reference example of an ink jet recording apparatus in which a rotary absorber 50 is used in place of the ink absorber 42 shown in FIG. In FIG. 10, the rotary absorber 50 is rotatably attached to the tip of the absorber lever 41 in FIG. 4, and a part of its circumferential surface is projected from the lever tip. . According to this reference example, even when there are a plurality of heads, the ink reservoir 40 of each head is moved by moving the carriage 2 at a low speed while keeping the circumferential surface of the rotary absorber 50 in contact with the head face. Can be removed.

FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 are a front view and a side view showing a reference example.

In contrast to the aforementioned embodiment in which the ink reservoir 40 was removed by bringing the porous absorber 34 and the ink absorber 42 into contact with the ejection surface 1B using the absorber lever 41 from the recovery system side,
11 and 12, the lever 35 is driven by using the movement of the carriage 2, and the porous absorber 34 provided at the other end of the lever 35 is brought into contact with the lower portion of the head face. It was made.

The lever 35 is disposed so as to be able to abut a pressing portion 35A provided at the center, and the upper end of the porous absorber 34 is fixed to the other end.

In this mechanism, when the carriage 2 comes to the home position, the pressing portion 35A pushes down one end of the lever 35 and raises the other end. As a result, the upper portion of the porous absorber 34 is twisted clockwise, and the tip portion contacts the ink reservoir 40,
The ink reservoir 40 is absorbed by the porous absorber 34.

FIG. 13 is a front view showing a reference example in which the porous absorber 34 of FIG. 12 is replaced with an ink absorber 50 in which the leading end is made of a bundle of wires, fibrous or plastic thin wires. In this case, every time the carriage 2 comes to the home position, the leading end of the ink absorber 50 comes into natural contact with the head face surface.
Becomes unnecessary.

FIG. 14 shows a modification of the reference example of FIG. 12, and FIG.
FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing details of a groove 35B in FIG.

14 and 15, a groove 35B having a V-shaped cross section is formed at minute intervals on the inner surface of the rising portion at the other end of the lever 35, and the lower end thereof is a fixed absorber as shown in FIG. 43 is in contact with the upper surface. groove
An opening 35C is provided so that 35B can pass through the horizontal portion of the lever 35.

According to this configuration, since there is no portion that is pressed and deformed unlike the configuration of FIG. 12, there is an advantage that the ink reservoir 40 can always be collected even when used for a long period of time, and that assembly can be facilitated.

FIG. 16 shows another modification of the reference example of FIG.
In this embodiment, a solenoid 51 is used in place of 35.

In FIG. 16, a solenoid 51 is fixed to a base 37, and a lever 52 for holding an upper portion of the porous absorber 34 is attached to a tip of the armature 53. Armature53
Is provided so that the porous absorber 34 can reciprocate in the thickness direction. That is, when the solenoid 51 is energized, the armature 53 is pushed out of the solenoid coil, and the attached porous absorber 34 is moved rightward in FIG.
The tip is brought into contact with the lower surface of the head face so that the ink reservoir 40 is absorbed by the tip of the porous absorber.

According to such a configuration, although the drive source must be provided separately from the capping mechanism, the drive source can be freely installed without any consideration of the movement with the carriage and the capping mechanism.

〔The invention's effect〕

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, a carriage for mounting and moving a liquid discharge head having a discharge surface provided with a discharge port for discharging liquid, and A cap for capping the discharge port, wherein the cap is brought into contact with the discharge surface, the discharge port is capped, and the discharge port is formed using pressure generating means. A first step of discharging the liquid from the first step, and a second step of separating the cap from the ejection surface without moving the liquid ejection head, following the first step, and following the second step, A third step of bringing a liquid absorbing member into contact with the ejection surface to absorb liquid remaining on the ejection surface before moving the carriage without moving the liquid ejection head. When the liquid is discharged from the discharge port in the capping state, the cap is separated from the discharge surface without moving the liquid discharge head, and the liquid remaining on the discharge surface before the movement of the carriage is started. , Which eliminates contamination of the device and recording paper caused by the liquid remaining on the ejection surface being scattered by vibrations, etc. In addition, the recovery process is performed by discharging the liquid from the ejection port When performing the above, a recovery method of the liquid discharge apparatus which can achieve the recovery process at a higher level by finishing the discharge surface to a clean surface free of attached ink is provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing an example of a main part of an ink jet recording apparatus suitable for carrying out the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the overall configuration of an ink jet recording apparatus suitable for carrying out the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of the recording head in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a schematic side view showing another configuration example of a main part of an ink jet recording apparatus suitable for carrying out the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view showing a driving mechanism of the absorber lever 41 in FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 is a cam in FIG.
47 is a plan view, FIG. 7 is a timing chart illustrating the operation of the drive mechanism of FIG. 5, FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of an absorber lever 41 corresponding to a plurality of recording heads, and FIG. FIG. 10 is a schematic front view of FIG. 10, FIG. 10 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view showing a reference example of an ink jet recording apparatus in which a rotary absorber 50 is used in place of the ink absorber 42 in FIG. 4, and FIG. FIG. 12 is a schematic front view showing a reference example of a main part of an ink jet recording apparatus, FIG. 12 is a schematic side view of FIG. 11, and FIG. 13 shows another configuration example of the porous absorber 34 in FIG. Schematic front view,
FIG. 14 is a schematic side view showing a modification of the reference example of FIG. 12,
FIG. 15 is a schematic perspective view showing details of the groove 35B in FIG. 14,
FIG. 16 is a schematic side view showing another modification of the reference example of FIG. 1 ... print head, 1A ... nozzle (ejection port), 1B ... nozzle face surface (ejection surface), 2 ... carriage, 33 ...
Ink cartridge, 33A …… Waste ink absorber, 33B ……
Ink bag, 34 ... Porous absorber (liquid absorbing member), 35 ...
... Lever, 38 ... Recovery system, 39 ... Cap, 40 ... Ink pool (residual liquid), 41 ... Absorber lever, 42 ... Ink absorber, 43 ... Fixed absorber.

Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Hideki Yamaguchi 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (56) References JP-A-61-230940 (JP, A) JP-A-61-121950 ( JP, A) JP-A-56-58875 (JP, A) JP-A-57-117965 (JP, A) JP-A-62-103147 (JP, A) JP-A-62-191155 (JP, A)

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] A carriage for mounting and moving a liquid ejection head having an ejection surface provided with an ejection port for ejecting a liquid; and a cap for contacting the ejection surface and capping the ejection port. A method of recovering the liquid ejection device, comprising: a cap contacting the ejection surface, capping the ejection port, and discharging the liquid from the ejection port using a pressure generating unit. A second step of separating the cap from the ejection surface without moving the liquid ejection head, following the first step, and following the second step, without moving the liquid ejection head, A third step of bringing a liquid absorbing member into contact with the ejection surface in order to absorb liquid remaining on the ejection surface before starting movement of the carriage. How to recover 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid absorbed by the liquid absorbing member is guided to a waste ink reservoir by capillary force. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said liquid absorbing member is simultaneously brought into contact with liquid remaining on the discharge surfaces of a plurality of recording heads.