JP3158916B2 - Cap device for inkjet recording device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cap device for covering an ink jetting surface of an ink jet head in an ink jet recording apparatus, and more particularly to capping an ink jet head having an inclined ink jet surface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an ink jet recording apparatus, a cap device has already been used to cover an ink ejection surface of an ejection head. If the ink ejection surface is left without being covered by the cap device, the ink adhering to the ink ejection surface solidifies and hinders the ejection of the ink, or dust enters the ink flow path and hinders the ejection of the ink. For it will occur. The cap device is provided with a cap and a cap holder for holding the cap, and the cap is in close contact with the ink ejecting surface on the contact surface,
It is configured to airtightly cover the ink ejection surface.

Recently, there has been proposed a cap device capable of airtightly covering the ink ejection surface even when the ink ejection surface is inclined. Here, "the ink ejecting surface is inclined" means that the ink ejecting surface is rotated by a small angle around an arbitrary straight line located on the ink ejecting surface from a normal position where the ink ejecting surface should be. Yes, it is referred to as non-parallel rotation inclination in relation to parallel rotation inclination due to parallel rotation about an axis parallel to the ink ejection direction described later. If the ink ejection surface and the contact surface of the cap are not parallel due to an assembly error or the like, the contact surface cannot adhere to the ink ejection surface, and the cap cannot cover the ink ejection surface in an airtight manner. There has been proposed a cap device that can be tilted in all directions by turning, so that the ink jetting surface can be air-tightly covered even if the ink jetting surface has a non-parallel turning inclination.

For example, in a cap device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-122933, a cap is held by a cap holder so as to be relatively movable in a three-dimensional direction. The cap has a rubber cap portion and a cap support portion for supporting the cap portion so as to be relatively immovable. The cap support portion has a plate shape, and the cap portion is fixed to the surface facing the ejection head, and a hemispherical concave portion is formed at the center of the surface facing the cap holder. Further, support shafts are provided on both side surfaces which are parallel to and perpendicular to the horizontal ink ejection direction, respectively, and project at right angles to the ink ejection direction and concentrically with each other.

The cap holder has a middle portion rotatably supported around a horizontal rotation center line perpendicular to the ink jetting direction, and two arms from the middle portion at right angles to the rotation center line and to each other. The arm has a bell-crank lever shape extending in two different directions, and the free end of one of the arms is provided with a hemispherical convex portion which is rotatably received in any direction in the hemispherical concave portion. A pair of support protrusions extending in the ink ejection direction are provided at two positions symmetrically spaced from the hemispherical protrusion in the horizontal direction at right angles to the ink ejection direction. A long hole extending long in the projecting direction is formed. The support shaft of the cap support is fitted into each of the elongated holes so as to be relatively movable, and rotation around the center line of the hemispherical convex portion of the cap support is prevented. Eventually, the cap holder can be tilted in all directions around the spherical center of the hemispherical concave portion and the hemispherical convex portion by the cap holder, but is held non-rotatably around the center line of the hemispherical convex portion. Will have been.

A roller is rotatably mounted on the other arm portion of the cap holder, and the cap holder is urged by a spring in a direction in which the roller follows the cam. The cap holder is rotated by the rotation of the cam, and the cap portion of the cap is brought into close contact with and separated from the ink ejection surface. When the cap is brought into close contact with the ink ejection surface,
Even if the ink ejection surface has a non-parallel rotation inclination, the cap support is rotatably held in all directions by the cap holder. The ink jetting surface is air-tightly covered without fail.

[0007]

However, in the cap device described in the above publication, a hemispherical concave portion and a pair of support shafts are provided in a cap support portion, and a pair of a hemispherical convex portion and a long hole are provided in a cap holder. It is necessary to provide a supporting projection, and there is a problem that the structure is complicated.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cap device which can be air-tightly covered with a cap and has a simple structure even if the ink jetting surface has a non-parallel rotation inclination. It was done.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cap device including a cap and a cap holder for holding the cap, the cap supporting the cap being provided. Fitting projections and fitting recesses respectively provided on the portion and the cap holder.
And the direction in which the cap is brought into close contact with the ejection head and separated.
With a gap in every direction that is almost perpendicular to the
Between the cap support and the cap holder.
An elastic member, one end of which is attached to the cap support
By providing in a compressed state by direct contact,
Place a cap on the cap holder and the ink jetting surface
From the regular position to any straight line on the ink ejection surface
Even if it is rotated by a small angle around it,
The gist is that the body is held so as to be able to adhere to the ink ejection surface .

[0009] The invention of claim 2 is characterized in that the elastic member is a compression coil spring. The cap device according to a third aspect of the present invention is the cap device, wherein the cap has a first engaging portion extending in a direction intersecting a perpendicular direction substantially perpendicular to the contact surface, and the cap holder is provided with a first engaging portion. A second engaging portion that engages with the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion, the shape and dimensions of the cap in a direction perpendicular to the cap holder in a state where a preload is applied to the elastic member; It is characterized in that it has a shape and dimensions that uniquely determine the relative position.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the cap device further moves the cap holder and the ejection head in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface to move the cap and the ejection head into close contact with each other. And a translation device for moving the ejection head and the cap holder in a translation direction substantially parallel to the contact surface, wherein the cap is attached to the cap holder.
Is held rotatably in a plane parallel to the contact surface,
In addition, it has a positioning protrusion protruding toward the ejection head.
And than, the positioning projections, in contact with the parallel moving with the relative movement direction ejecting head and integral member or jetting head itself ejecting head side member between the cap holder and the injection head, said cap Flat on the contact surface
It is characterized in that it is positioned at a position directly facing the ejection head by being rotated in a plane of movement .

[0011]

In the cap device according to the first aspect of the present invention,
Provided on the cap support and the cap holder, respectively.
The fitting projection and the fitting recess are close to each other and almost perpendicular to the direction of separation.
In all directions with a gap. Also,
An elastic member presses between the cap support and the cap holder.
It is arranged in a contracted state. When the ejection head and the cap holder are brought close to each other and the cap is brought into close contact with the ink ejection surface, if the ink ejection surface has a non-parallel rotation inclination, the distance between the contact surface and the ink ejection surface is uniform. Instead, the part where the distance between the cap and the ink jetting surface is short first contacts the ink jetting surface, and then the cap rotates with respect to the cap holder while elastically deforming the elastic member. Close contact with the spray surface. Irrespective of the direction in which the ink ejection surface has a non-parallel rotational inclination, it is guaranteed that the entire contact surface is in close contact with the ink ejection surface.

In the cap device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the compression coil spring is simply compressed in a direction parallel to the center line when the ink ejection surface has no non-parallel rotation inclination. The amount of compression is uniform at all positions in the circumferential direction of the compression coil spring. It will be different for each position in the circumferential direction.

In the cap device according to the third aspect of the present invention, a preload is applied to the elastic member by the engagement of the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion, and the cap member is substantially perpendicular to the contact surface with the cap holder. The relative position in the right angle direction is uniquely determined. Even though the first and second engaging portions are not provided, the cap can be held by the cap holder via the elastic member in a free state. However, in general, the elastic member such as a compression coil spring or a rubber block can be used. Since it is difficult to increase the dimensional accuracy and the parallelism of both end surfaces, it is difficult to position the cap relatively accurately with respect to the cap holder, that is, with respect to the cap holder. In addition, since a preload cannot be applied to the elastic member, when the ink ejection surface has a non-parallel rotational inclination,
The ratio of the difference in the amount of elastic deformation between the maximum elastic deformation amount and the minimum elastic deformation amount of the elastic member to the average elastic deformation amount increases, and the nonuniformity of the contact surface pressure of the contact surface with the ink ejection surface increases. Inevitable. By providing the first and second engagement portions and applying a preload to the elastic member, the ratio of the difference to the average elastic deformation can be reduced, or the cap can be accurately positioned with respect to the cap holder. It will be easier.

Further, in order for the cap holder to hold the cap via the free elastic member, it is necessary to fix the cap holder and the cap to the elastic member by an appropriate fixing means such as adhesion. When a preload is applied, the elastic member is held between the cap and the cap holder so as to be immovable.

Further, in a mode in which the magnitude of the contact force between the contact surface of the cap and the ink jetting surface is determined by the restoring force of the elastic member, there is no first and second engaging portions, and a preload is applied to the elastic member. If not, it is inevitable that the adhesion force will vary greatly due to the variation in the relative approach distance between the cap and the ejection head after the cap abuts on the ink ejection surface, but the preload is applied to the elastic member. In this case, it is possible to reduce the variation in the adhesion due to the variation in the relative approach distance. For example, when the elastic member is a compression coil spring, if a long one is used in a compressed state, the change in the restoring force itself due to the relative approach can be reduced, and the influence of the variation in the relative approach distance can be ignored. It can be made smaller.

[0016] In the cap device according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the cap support is in close contact with the cap holder.
It is rotatably held in a plane parallel to the plane . Due to the relative movement of the cap holder and the ejection head in the parallel movement direction, the cap is positioned parallel to the contact surface by the positioning part.
By being rotated in the plane, it is positioned at a position substantially facing the ejection head. Facing is a state in which the phase around the axis parallel to the ink ejection direction between the ink ejection surface and the contact surface of the cap coincides with each other, and is parallel to the ink ejection direction from a regular position due to an assembly error or the like on the ink ejection surface. Even if a parallel rotation inclination that is rotated in parallel about an axis is generated, the ink jetting surface can be covered well by the cap.

[0017]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the cap holder supports the cap via the elastic member, the ink jetting surface can be air-tightly covered even if it has a non-parallel rotation inclination. A cap device having a simple structure can be obtained. According to the invention of claim 2, the effect of the invention of claim 1 can be obtained by using a compression coil spring as an elastic member.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the effects of the first or second aspect of the present invention can be obtained, and it is easy to position the cap relatively accurately with respect to the cap holder. Positioning with respect to the ejection head can be accurately performed in a state away from the ejection head, and the amount of movement of the cap for closely contacting and separating from the ejection head can be reduced. Further, the nonuniformity of the pressure of the contact surface of the cap with respect to the ink ejection surface can be reduced. Further, it is not essential to fix the cap and the cap holder to the elastic member, and if the fixation is omitted, the production becomes easy. Further, in an aspect in which the magnitude of the adhesion force of the contact surface of the cap to the ink ejection surface is determined by the restoring force of the elastic member, the relative approach distance between the cap and the ejection head after the cap abuts on the ink ejection surface. Variations in adhesion due to variations can be reduced.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the effect of any one of the first to third aspects of the present invention can be obtained, and even if the ink ejecting surface has a parallel rotation inclination, the cap can be properly positioned on the ink ejecting surface. A cap device can be obtained which is in close contact with the position and can be airtightly covered. In particular, when the ejecting head ejects ink while moving, the ejecting head moving device can be used as a parallel moving device, and the cap device can be configured simply and inexpensively.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be listed below, and related explanations will be provided as necessary. (1) The cap device according to claim 4, wherein the positioning portion is a positioning projection extending from the cap to the ejection head side beyond the cap, and the ejection head side member is the ejection head itself. Since the ejection head side member is the ejection head itself, the number of components is small, and the cap device can be easily and inexpensively configured.

(2) The ejection head has an inclined side surface inclined with respect to the parallel movement direction, and the positioning projection has at least two inclined side surfaces separated by the parallel movement direction.
The cap device according to claim 4, wherein the cap device has a shape that contacts a location. (3) The cap device according to aspect 2, wherein the positioning projection includes two positioning projections that respectively contact two locations of the inclined side surface separated in the parallel movement direction. If the ejection head has an inclined side surface inclined in the parallel movement direction, when the ejection head is in parallel rotation inclination, the cap is guided by the inclined side surface via the positioning portion by the action of the inclined surface of the inclined side, and the elastic member Is moved relative to the cap holder while elastically deforming the cap, and the cap is directly opposed to the ink ejection surface. In particular, since the positioning portions are provided at at least two places separated in the parallel movement direction, the cap can stably follow the parallel rotation inclination of the ejection head.

(4) The parallel movement device includes a carriage that supports the ejection head and moves in the parallel movement direction, and the close contact / separation device operates after the positioning protrusion contacts the inclined surface of the ejection head. The cap device according to aspect 2 or 3, wherein the cap holder includes a motion conversion mechanism that converts a follow-up motion following the carriage into a close contact motion. In the device of this aspect, when the cap is brought into close contact with the ink jetting surface, the cap and the jetting head face each other, so that the ink jetting surface is reliably airtightly covered.

(5) The movement conversion mechanism is provided so as to be movable in parallel with the parallel movement direction, and is capable of engaging with the carriage and moving together with the carriage and moving the cap holder in the perpendicular movement direction. And a cam member having a cam surface inclined with respect to the parallel movement direction, and engaging with the cam member to cause the movement of the follower table in the parallel movement direction to move the cap holder at the right angle. The cap device according to aspect 4, comprising a cam follower that converts the motion into a direction.

(6) The motion conversion mechanism is configured such that the contact surface of the cap is in close contact with the ejection head, and the compression coil spring is elastically deformed after being brought into close contact with the ejection head. The cap device according to aspect 4 or 5, further comprising an adhesion force regulating spring that elastically presses the cap against the ejection head. (7) The cam member is provided so as to be movable in a direction intersecting with the parallel movement direction, and is held at a position in contact with a stopper by the adhesion force defining spring,
And the relative position between the cam member and the cap holder is
The cap holder is set at a relative position where the cap member separates the cam member from the stopper against the elastic force of the contact force regulating spring after the contact surface of the cap comes into close contact with the ejection head and the compression coil spring comes into contact. 7. The cap device according to aspect 6, wherein:

(8) Even when the cap holder and the ejection head are closest to each other, the compression coil spring does not come into close contact with the ejection head, and the adhesion of the cap to the ejection head depends on the elastic force of the compression coil spring. A cap device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, aspects 1 to 7 as defined. If the surface pressure is adjusted by the compression coil spring provided between the cap and the cap holder as described above, the unevenness of the surface pressure can be reduced. If the cap is tilted with respect to the cap holder, it will not be completely uniform, but if the spring constant is small and a long compression coil spring is compressed and used, the unevenness of the surface pressure due to the tilt of the cap can be minimized. . If the compression coil spring comes into close contact with a part of the circumferential direction, the closely contacted part becomes the same as a rod, the tightly contacted part is pushed with a rod, and the part that is not closely contacted is pushed with a spring, and the contact surface pressure is reduced. The nonuniformity of the surface pressure can be reduced as compared with the case where the surface pressure does not become uniform. In the eighth aspect, an adjusting device for adjusting the position of the cam member may be provided instead of the contact force regulating spring, so that the relative position of the cap and the ejection head in the direction perpendicular to the movement can be adjusted. A similar purpose is
This can also be achieved by making the position of the stopper according to the seventh aspect adjustable.

(9) A method in which the cap closely contacts and separates the cap and the ejection head from the cap holder.
Direction perpendicular claims 1 to 4, are fitted to leave a gap with respect to all directions, the cap device according to any one of embodiments 1-8. The free movement of the cap with respect to the cap holder is restricted by the fitting between the cap and the cap holder, and it is easy to keep the cap in a position where the cap can cover the ink jetting surface.

(10) A method in which the cap closely contacts and separates the cap and the ejection head from the cap holder.
The two parts spaced apart from each other are fitted with a gap left in any direction perpendicular to the right-angle movement direction, and fitted with substantially no gaps in any direction perpendicular to the right-angle movement direction. 4. The cap device according to any one of aspects 1 to 8. In the device according to this aspect, the movement of the cap with respect to the cap holder is limited to relative rotation in all directions and relative movement in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface, but the cap is moved to the ink ejection surface. It is sufficient to cover the cap tightly and air-tightly, and it is possible to improve the positioning accuracy of the cap and the cap relative to the cap holder when the cap is not in close contact with the ejection head.

[0028]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ink jet recording apparatus provided with a cap device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; In FIG. 1, 10
Is a platen. The platen 10 has a cylindrical shape extending in the axial direction, and is attached to a side frame 14 so as to be rotatable around its own axis by a shaft 16 in a casing 12 of the ink jet recording apparatus, as shown in FIG. ing. The side frame 14 and the casing 12 are respectively connected to a frame 17 serving as an apparatus main body.
Is one of the components.

One end of the shaft 16 projects from the side frame 14 and has a platen gear 18 attached thereto.
The platen 10 is rotated in a direction indicated by an arrow A in FIG. The recording paper 28 is supplied in a direction indicated by an arrow C from a paper supply port (not shown) behind the casing 12, sent by rotation of the platen 10, and discharged from a paper discharge port (not shown).

The ink ejection device 3 faces the platen 10
0 is provided. The ink ejection device 30 is mounted on a carriage 32. As shown in FIG. 2, the carriage 32 has a bottom wall 34, a front wall 36 and a rear wall 38 that rise from the front end and the rear end of the bottom wall 34, respectively. The guide rail 42 (shown in FIG. 1 is not shown in FIG. 1), which is slidably fitted to a guide rod 40 provided in parallel with the rotation axis of the platen 10 at the rear. Are engaged).

Here, the front-back direction is a direction parallel to the ink ejection direction, and for the ink ejection device 30 and the carriage 32, the downstream side in the ink ejection direction is the front side, and the upstream side is the rear side. The inkjet recording apparatus is an apparatus in which ink is ejected in a horizontal direction to perform recording, and the front-back direction is a horizontal direction. However, for the ink jet recording apparatus, the side where the ink ejecting device 30 is provided from the platen 10, that is, the upstream side in the ink ejecting direction is the front side, which is opposite to the front-back direction of the ink ejecting apparatus 30 and the carriage 32. Further, in the ink jet recording apparatus of this embodiment, since the ink jetting direction is the horizontal direction as described above, the vertical direction is the ink jetting direction, the moving direction of the ink jetting apparatus 30, and the width direction of the ink jet recording apparatus. Is a direction orthogonal to the direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, the carriage 32 is engaged with a timing belt 48 wound around a pair of pulleys 44 and 46, and one of the pulleys 44 is rotated by a carriage drive motor 50. The carriage 32 is moved in the direction of arrow B along the platen 10 by feeding the timing belt 48. These pair of pulleys 44, 46, timing belt 48,
The carriage drive motor 50 constitutes a carriage moving device 52.

The recording is performed by reciprocating the ink ejecting device 30 in a predetermined recording area by the movement of the carriage 32. When the recording is completed, one of the recording areas in the moving direction of the ink ejecting apparatus is moved. To the non-recording area provided on the side. Acceleration / deceleration areas are provided on both sides of the constant-speed movement area which is a recording area, respectively.
When the direction is changed, the carriage 32 is accelerated and decelerated, and the ink ejecting device 30 is moved at a constant speed in the recording area so that the recording is performed uniformly. Therefore, the acceleration / deceleration area is a part of the non-recording area.

In the carriage 32, engaging holes 54 are formed at two positions on the front wall 36 which are separated from each other in the carriage moving direction. . As shown in FIG. 4, an ink container hook 56 is provided on the rear wall 38 at the center in the carriage movement direction. As shown in FIG. 3, the ink container hook 56 has a U-shape that opens upward. A protrusion 62 is provided. The lower surface of the engaging projection 62 is an inclined surface 63 that is inclined rearward downward.

4, the head holder hooks 64 are provided on both sides of the ink container hook 56 in the carriage moving direction, respectively, as shown in FIG. The head holder hook 64 has a U-shape that opens upward as shown in FIG. 2, and an engagement protrusion having an inclined surface 68 that inclines downward toward the front in the front arm portion 66 of the U-shape. 70 are provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, the ink ejection device 30 has an ejection head 78, a head holder 80, and an ink container 82, and is attached to the carriage 32 in the head holder 80. The head holder 80 is shown in FIG.
, A bottom wall 86, side walls 88 rising from both edges extending in the front-rear direction of the bottom wall 86, and a bottom wall 86.
And a front wall 90 rising from the front of the vehicle.

The front wall 90 is provided with engaging projections 94 projecting forward at two locations separated in the width direction at the lower part of the front surface (only one is shown in FIG. 2). The bottom surface of the engagement protrusion 94 is a slope 9 that is inclined upward as it goes forward.
6. As shown in FIG. 5, engaging projections 98 are respectively provided at two positions separated in the width direction of the rear end face of the bottom wall 86 so as to project rearward. As shown in FIG. 2, the protruding end surface of the engagement projection 98 is an inclined surface 100 which inclines forward downward. The engagement projection 98 is also formed with an engagement recess 101 that opens on the upper surface and the rear end surface.

When the head holder 80 is attached to the carriage 32, the front portion of the head holder 80 is inclined such that the front portion is located below the rear portion, and the front portion of the engaging projection 94 is the carriage 32.
Of the head holder 80 is rotated about the engagement position thereof in such a direction as to approach the bottom wall 34 of the carriage 32.
With this rotation, the engagement projection 94 moves forward in the engagement hole 54, and the inclined surface 100 of the engagement projection 98 engages with the inclined surface 68 of the engagement projection 70 of the head holder hook 64. The arm portion 66 is bent backward by the action of the slopes of the slopes 100 and 68, and the engagement projection 98 rides over the engagement projection 70, and the head holder 80 is placed on the carriage 32. The bottom surface of the engaging protrusion 94 is an inclined surface 96, and the projecting end portion is smaller, so that the engaging hole 5
4 without increasing the vertical dimension of the engaging projection 9.
4 can be fitted into the engagement hole 54 and the upper surface of the engagement protrusion 94 can be brought into contact with the inner upper surface of the engagement hole 54 in a state where the head holder 80 is supported by the carriage 32.

After the engagement projection 98 has climbed over the engagement projection 70, the engagement projection 70 fits into the engagement recess 101. Therefore, the head holder 80 is moved from the carriage 32 by the engagement between the upper surface of the engagement protrusion 94 and the inner surface of the engagement hole 54 facing each other and the engagement between the engagement protrusion 70 and the bottom surface of the engagement recess 101. The holder is prevented from being lifted, and is engaged with two side surfaces parallel to the front-rear direction of the engaging protrusion 94 and two opposing inner surfaces of the engaging hole 54, and by fitting the engaging protrusion 70 and the engaging concave portion 101. The positional deviation in the moving direction (same as the carriage moving direction) is prevented, and the head is urged forward by the head holder hook 64 to be pressed against the front wall 36 of the carriage 32, thereby preventing the positional deviation in the front-rear direction.

When the head holder 80 is to be removed from the carriage 32, the arm portion 66 of the head holder hook 64 is bent backward, and the engagement between the engaging projection 70 and the engaging projection 98 is released. The rear portion of the holder 80 is rotated in a direction away from the bottom wall 34 of the carriage 32, and the engagement protrusion 94 is disengaged from the engagement hole 54.

The ejection head 78 is attached to a front wall 90 of the head holder 80. The ejection head 78 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape and includes a number of ink channels (not shown) and a number of nozzles provided corresponding to the ink channels. These nozzles are opened on the ink ejection surface 102 (see FIG. 16), which is the front surface of the ejection head 78, and are provided in a straight line. A row in which the openings of many nozzles are arranged is referred to as a nozzle row 104. On the front surface of the front wall 90, as shown in FIG. 2, a head fitting projection 106 is provided so as to protrude, and a fitting recess 108 opening to the projecting end face is formed. As shown in FIG. 5, the nozzle row 104 is fitted into the fitting recess 108 in a posture inclined with respect to the holder moving direction, and the upper surface of the ejection head 78 is inclined with respect to the holder moving direction.
It has been.

The wall of the ink flow path is formed by a vibrating plate, and when the vibrating plate is deformed by a drive circuit (not shown) based on a command from a control device (not shown), the ink changes from the nozzle due to a pressure change caused by the deformation. It is injected. Therefore, the ejection head 78 is provided with a FPC (Flexible Printed Circit) substrate 112 as shown in FIG. The FPC board 112 includes the head holder 80
Rubber holding member 114 disposed on the bottom surface of the bottom wall 86
When the head holder 80 is mounted on the carriage 32, the holding member 114 presses the head holder 80 against a circuit board (not shown) disposed on the upper surface of the bottom wall 34 of the carriage 32. The ejection head 78
Is covered with an FPC retainer 116 to protect the FPC board 112.

At the center of the rear surface of the front wall 90 of the head holder 80, as shown in FIG.
20 protrudes rearward. In the manifold section 120, an ink passage 12 extending parallel to the axis of the manifold section 120 and opening to a protruding end face of the manifold section 120 is provided.
2 is formed, and the open end of the ink passage 122 is
The tapered hole 124 has a larger diameter at the opening end.
Further, a mesh filter 126 made of stainless steel is welded to the protruding end surface of the manifold section 120.

A rubber support cylinder 130 is detachably fitted to the outside of the manifold section 120. Support tube 1
The projection 30 further projects from the projecting end face of the manifold section 120 in a state fitted to the manifold section 120, and the projection section is a tapered section 132 whose diameter gradually decreases toward the distal end. The support cylinder 130 is a tapered cylinder having a tapered tip (the support cylinder 130 is
The whole may be a tapered cylinder whose diameter gradually decreases toward the tip.) A flange 134 extending radially outward and a flange 13 are provided at the base end of the support cylinder 130.
4 and a flare portion 136 extending rearward with increasing inner dimension.

A cylindrical porous body 138 is irremovably fitted to the projecting portion of the support cylinder 130 from the manifold section 120. One end of the porous body 138 is a support cylinder 130
And the other end thereof is in contact with the mesh filter 126. The support cylinder 130 is connected to the manifold 12
If it is removed from 0, the porous body 138 is also removed, but the mesh filter 126 remains on the manifold section 120 side. The support cylinder 130 and the porous body 138 constitute a connecting member 140 that is integral with and detachable from the manifold section 120, and includes the manifold section 120 and the mesh filter 126.
Together, they form a connecting portion 142 to which the ink container 82 is connected. Mesh filter 126, support cylinder 1
FIG. 6 is an exploded view of 30 and the porous body 138.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, a pair of engaging recesses 144 are formed in the lower portion of the front wall 90 of the head holder 80 on both sides of the manifold portion 120 and open to the rear surface of the front wall 90. (Only one is shown in FIGS. 3 and 5). A projection 146 projects rearward from the periphery of the opening of the engagement recess 144. As shown in FIG. 2, the lower inner surface of the engagement recess 144 is continuous with the upper surface 147 of the bottom wall 86, and is inclined upward toward the front.
48. The upper inner surface 149 is a horizontal plane. On the rear surface of the front wall 90, first engagement protrusion receiving portions 150 are respectively provided to protrude rearward at positions on both sides of the upper manifold portion 120. These first engagement protrusion receiving portions 150
Has a long plate shape in the holder moving direction.

The upper surface 147 of the bottom wall 86 of the head holder 80
, A positioning engagement protrusion 154 having a partial disk shape is provided in a posture extending in a direction perpendicular to the holder moving direction. The positioning engagement protrusion 154 is located at the center of the upper surface 147 in the holder movement direction, and the distance in the front-rear direction perpendicular to the holder movement direction from the engagement recess 144 is equal to that of the ink container 82.
Is provided at a position larger than the dimension in the holder moving direction. This position is also a position where the distance from the front wall 90 in a direction perpendicular to the holder moving direction is larger than the dimension of the ink container 82 in the holder moving direction.

The ink container 82 has a box shape as shown in FIG. 7, and an ink supply port 162 having a circular cross section is formed through the center of the front wall 160. Ink container 82
Is provided with an ink supply port 162 on the front face 165 (see FIG. 3) which is the front face of the front wall 160. Although not shown, the ink container 82 accommodates an ink holding member made of urethane foam into which ink is impregnated.

As shown in FIG. 7, first engagement protrusions 164 are provided at two positions on both sides of the ink supply port 162 in the holder moving direction on the upper portion of the front surface 165 of the ink container 82, respectively. ing. First engagement protrusion 164
Has a plate shape long in the holder moving direction. Also, the front wall 160
At the lower part of the front surface 165 of the rim, second engagement protrusions 166 project forward at two positions located on both sides of the ink supply port 162 in the holder movement direction, and as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 168 are provided in the same plane as the bottom surface 169 of the ink container 82.
The upper surface 171 of the second engagement protrusion 166 is a surface parallel to the bottom surface 168.

On the upper part of the rear surface of the rear wall 170 of the ink container 82, a plate-shaped operation projection 172 extending in the holder moving direction is provided.
, And an engagement groove 174 extending in the holder moving direction is formed at a lower portion. The ink container 82 also has
A positioning engagement recess 178 in the form of a partial disk is formed on the bottom surface 169. Positioning engagement recess 178
Is provided at a position where the distance from the second engagement protrusion 166 and the ink supply port 162 in the front-back direction perpendicular to the holder moving direction is larger than the dimension of the ink container 82 in the holder moving direction, and The engagement protrusion 154 is formed with a high degree of precision so as to fit without any gap in the holder moving direction.

Further, the bottom surface 169 of the ink container 82 has a total of four places, two places separated by a distance in the holder movement direction and two places separated by a distance in the front-rear direction perpendicular to the holder movement direction from the two places. A hemispherical supported projection 180 is provided at each of the positions. The amount of projection, that is, the radius of the supported projection 180 is determined by the second engagement projection 16 when the ink container 82 is placed on the bottom wall 86 of the head holder 80 and the supported projection 180 is supported by the upper surface 147.
6 is the inner upper surface 149 of the engagement recess 144.
It is sized to contact.

The casing 12 is provided with a cover 184 as shown in FIG. The cover 184 is attached to the casing 12 so as to be rotatable around an axis parallel to the holder moving direction. The rotation axis is not shown, but is provided on the opposite side of the platen 10 from the ink ejecting device 30. Have been. Therefore, the cover 184 is opened and closed above the ink ejecting device 30, and the cover 1
In a state where 84 is opened, an opening is formed above the ink ejecting device 30.

When the ink container 82 is attached to the head holder 80, the ink container 82 is held in the inclined position with the front part lower than the rear part by holding the operation protrusion 172 and as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. The front portion of the container 82 is fitted between the pair of side walls 88, and the first engagement protrusion 164 is placed on the first engagement protrusion receiving portion 150. Then, the ink container 82
Is connected to the ink supply port 162 from the above inclined position.
2 and the bottom wall 8 of the head holder 80.
6 is rotated to the mounting posture mounted on the upper surface. At this time, it is necessary to be able to rotate the ink container 82 while avoiding interference between the ink supply port 162 and the porous body 138 or the support cylinder 130. Therefore, as shown in FIG. The engagement protrusion 164 and the first engagement protrusion receiving portion 150 have their engagement position as a rotation center O, a distance R 1 from the rotation center O to the lowermost end of the porous body 138, and an ink supply port 16.
2, a distance R2 to the lowermost edge of the second engagement protrusion 166, a distance R3 to the lower end surface of the second engagement protrusion 166, and a distance R4 to the upper surface 147 of the bottom wall 86 of the head holder 80 satisfying R1 <R2 <R3 <R4. It is provided in.

Therefore, when the ink container 82 is rotated from the position shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG.
38 and the tapered portion 132 of the support cylinder 130 can protrude into the ink supply port 162 without interfering with the opening periphery of the ink supply port 162. When the ink container 82 is rotated to near the mounting position, the second engagement protrusion 166
Comes into contact with the inclined inner surface 148 of the engagement recess 144, and the first engagement protrusion 164 is disengaged from the engagement with the first engagement protrusion receiving portion 150. Thereafter, the bottom surface 169 of the ink container 82 approaches the bottom wall 86 of the head holder 80 while the second engagement protrusion 166 is guided by the inclined inner surface 148, and is slightly lifted upward by the inclination of the inclined inner surface 148. The engagement recess 178 for positioning and the engagement projection 154 for positioning are fitted.
Finally, the supported projection 180 is supported on the upper surface 147 of the bottom wall 86, and the upper surface 171 of the second engagement projection 166 is
44 is brought into contact with the upper inner surface 149. When the ink container 82 is rotated from the inclined posture in this manner, the ink container 82 is positioned in a direction parallel to the rotation axis by the pair of side walls 88, and the ink supply port 162 and the connecting portion 142 are aligned in the width direction. Therefore, the mounting operation is facilitated, and the second engagement protrusion 166 can be easily and reliably fitted into the engagement recess 144.

When the ink container 82 is rotated,
The lower end of the rear portion of the ink container 82 is engaged with the inclined surface 60 of the hook 56 for the ink container, and the arm portion 58 is bent backward by the action of the inclined surface, and rides over the engaging projection 62. When the ink container 82 is placed on the bottom wall 86 of the head holder 80, the engagement protrusion 62 engages with the engagement groove 174 of the ink container 82 as shown in FIG. 8
2 is prevented from rising from the bottom wall 86 by the arm portion 58.

When the ink container 82 is mounted, the porous body 138 and the support cylinder 130 are fitted into the ink container 82, so that the ink infiltrates the porous body 138 and passes through the ink passage 122 and the ejection head 78. Is supplied to the ink channel. The flare section 136 is provided in the ink container 8.
In this case, the ink supply port 162 is in close contact with the peripheral portion of the ink supply port 162 on the front surface 165 of the second unit 165, thereby preventing ink leakage. The ink container 82 contacts the flare 136 on the front wall 160 and
At the front side of the rear wall 38 of the carriage 32, and is positioned in the front-rear direction.
6 to keep it constantly positioned in the front-rear direction.

In the state where the ink container 82 is attached to the head holder 80 in this manner, the ink container 82 is
The first engagement protrusion 164 is slightly lifted from the first engagement protrusion receiving portion 150 while the second engagement protrusion 166 is
Of the ink container 82 is prevented from floating from the bottom wall 86 by contact between the upper surface 171 of the ink container 82 and the upper inner surface 149 of the engagement concave portion 144 and the engagement between the ink container hook 56 and the engagement groove 174. Furthermore, the positioning engagement projection 154
Of the head holder 80 of the ink container 82 by the engagement of the second engagement protrusion 166 with the two side surfaces parallel to the front-rear direction of the second engagement protrusion 166 and the two opposite surfaces of the engagement recess 144. Is prevented from moving in the holder moving direction. A protruding portion 146 protrudes rearward from the periphery of the opening of the engaging concave portion 144, whereby the engaging length in the front-rear direction between the guide protruding portion 166 and the engaging concave portion 144 is long, and the two are securely engaged. Can be Also, the flare portion 1 of the support cylinder 130
The urging of 36 prevents the ink container 82 from moving back and forth. In this state, the ink supply port 162 and the connecting portion 142 are concentric, and the positioning
A vertical gap remains between the positioning projection 8 and the positioning engagement protrusion 150.

To remove the ink container 82 from the head holder 80, the cover 184 is opened, and the ink container 82 is rotated so that the rear portion is separated from the head holder 80. When the ink container 82 is rotated, the rear end of the ink container 82 is engaged with the inclined surface 63 formed on the engaging projection 62 of the hook 56 for the ink container. The hook 56 is bent backward, and the ink container 82 can be removed. After the rear portion of the ink container 82 has passed over the ink container hook 56, the ink container 82 is further rotated to separate the porous body 138 and the support cylinder 130 from the ink supply port 162.

If the head holder 80 is left in a state where the ink container 82 is removed, the porous body 138 dries, but the drying of the mesh filter 126 can be prevented. When the porous body 138 is removed, the mesh filter 126 is removed.
Is dried, the adhered ink solidifies and hinders the flow of ink, and it is necessary to replace the mesh filter 126 with the ejection head 78, which increases the replacement cost. Therefore, when the head holder 80 is left with the ink container 82 removed, the porous body 138 is left with the porous body 138 attached, and the porous body 138 is dried, and the ink soaked in the porous body 138 is dried. In this case, the porous body 138 is removed from the manifold 120 together with the support cylinder 130,
Replace with a new porous body 138 held by the support cylinder 130. The porous body 138 and the support cylinder 130 must be replaced, but the replacement cost is smaller than when the ejection head 78 is replaced.

In the non-recording area provided on one side of the recording area in the holder moving direction, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 11, an ink jet head cleaning device 190 and a cap device 192 are provided with a platen 10 in the holder moving direction.
And are provided in series. These platens 10,
Ink jet head cleaning device 190 and cap device 1
A region 92 is provided, and a region on the platen 10 side with respect to the ink jetting surface movement path through which the ink jetting surface 102 (see FIG. 16) passes is a platen side region, and a region parallel to the platen side region and where the ink jetting device 30 moves is ink. It is referred to as the injection device movement area.

The ink ejecting head cleaning device 190 is a device for wiping the ink attached to the ink ejecting surface 102 of the ejecting head 78. This is a device that prevents intrusion of dust and the like into the flow path. First,
The ink jet head cleaning device 190 will be described.

The ink ejecting head cleaning device 190 includes a wiper blade 196 supported by the wiper blade supporting member 194 and the wiper blade supporting member 1 in the moving direction of the ink ejecting device 30 from the recording area to the non-recording area.
A cleaning member 198 provided downstream of the cleaning member 94 to clean the wiper blade 196.

The wiper blade support member 194 is provided in the
As shown in FIG. 14 and FIG. 14, the ink jet head cleaning device 1 has a cylindrical fitting portion 200, as shown in FIG.
Common to the cap 90 and the cap device 192, it is rotatably fitted to a support shaft 202 erected perpendicularly to a sub-frame 201, which is one component of the frame 17, so as to be rotatable and relatively movable in the axial direction. The fitting portion 200 includes the fitting portion 2
A pair of arms 204 and 206 projecting in parallel with each other and in opposite directions to a chord of a circle centered on the center line of 00;
One end of a wiper blade 196 is fixed to one of the arm portions 206 and the side surface of the fitting portion 200, and the other end is projected from the arm portion 206 in a direction opposite to the other arm portion 204. The wiper blade 196 is a flexible member having a flat plate shape, and is easily elastically bent.

A support portion 208 is extended downward from the fitting portion 200, and the first operation arm 21 is attached to the support portion 208.
The zero and second operating arms 212 project at right angles to the axis of the fitting portion 200. First and second working arms 2
10, 212 are provided on the recording area side of the wiper blade 196 in the rotation direction of the wiper blade support member 194, and the second operation arm 212 is provided on the recording area by the first operation arm 210 in the rotation direction of the fitting section 200. And at the lower side of the first operating arm 210.

A tension coil spring 214 as an elastic member, which is a kind of urging means, is disposed obliquely downward between the arm 204 and the casing 12, and the wiper blade support member 194 is moved downward and The wiper blade 196 is biased in a direction toward the recording area. The rotation limit of the wiper blade support member 194 due to the urging force of the extension coil spring 214 is such that a vertical stopper surface 218 (see FIG. 12) in which a sub-frame 201 is provided with a stopper pin 216 projecting from the lower surface of the support portion 208. It is defined by contact with In this position, the wiper blade supporting member 194 is positioned such that the wiper blade 196 is substantially perpendicular to the holder moving direction, as shown in FIG.
It is positioned at an operation position extending beyond the ink ejection surface movement path toward the ink ejection device movement area.

The sub-frame 201 is also provided with a vertical standby position defining surface 222 as shown in FIGS. The standby position defining surface 222 is located at a position downstream of the stopper surface 218 in the moving direction of the ink ejecting device 30 from the recording region to the non-recording region at a height that can be engaged with the second operation arm 212, and The portion closer to the ejecting device movement area is provided so as to be inclined toward the downstream side in the moving direction of the ink ejecting device 30 from the recording area to the non-recording area.
As shown in FIG. 19A, the wiper blade 1
96 is retracted from the ink ejection surface movement path to the platen side region and is positioned at a standby position where it does not contact the ink ejection surface 102 and does not contact the cleaning member 198. Further, the standby position defining surface 222 of the sub-frame 201
And two horizontal surfaces positioned on the recording region side and the non-recording region side at right angles to the support surfaces 224 and 225 supporting the wiper blade support member 194, respectively.

The cleaning member 198 is made of an absorptive material, has a cross-sectional shape in which a part of a column is cut out, is longer in the vertical direction than the wiper blade 196, and has a cleaning member supporting member 226.
And is provided at the same height as the wiper blade 196 in a vertical posture in the rotation path of the wiper blade 196.

The wiper blade support member 194 is rotated based on the movement of the carriage 32. for that reason,
As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, a projection 232 extending in the holder movement direction is provided forward and downward at the lower portion of the front surface of the carriage 32. The carriage 32 has
A notch 234 that opens to the downstream end face and the front face when moving from the recording area to the non-recording area is formed. A second operation arm drive surface 238 is formed at a position separated from the operation arm drive surface 236 upstream in the movement direction and below the first operation arm drive surface 236 and perpendicular to the holder movement direction. I have. The front surface of the portion of the protrusion 232 where the notch 234 is not formed is a vertical arm sliding surface 240.

The upper surface of the projection 232 is formed as an arm support surface 242 higher than the support surface 224, and the arm support surface 242 has a portion on the upstream side in the moving direction of the carriage 32 from the recording area to the non-recording area. An inclined surface 244 that is inclined downward toward the upstream side is formed. These first operating arm driving surface 236 and second operating arm driving surface 23
8, the arm sliding surface 240, the arm supporting surface 242, and the inclined surface 244 sequentially move the first operating arm 210 and the second operating arm 212 with the movement of the carriage 32, as described later.
To move the wiper blade support member 194 to the operating position,
The standby position, the wiper blade 196 is the cleaning member 1
The wiper blade supporting member driving device 246 is configured to rotate together with the carriage 32 and the carriage moving device 52 by rotating to the cleaning position in contact with the cleaning member 98.

The lengths of the first and second operating arms 210 and 212 are each sufficient to rotate the wiper blade support member 194 from the standby position to the cleaning position. At the standby position and the operation position, the protrusion 232 protrudes into the protrusion movement path in which the protrusion moves, and the second operating arm 212 is set to have a length protruding into the protrusion movement path at the standby position.

The wiper blade supporting member 194 is
As will be described later, the second operating arm 2 is in the operating position.
12 and supported by the support surface 225 in the standby position, the support surfaces 224 and 225 are located at any position of the wiper blade support member 194 between the standby position and the operation position. In this state, the first operation arm 210 is provided at a height at which the first operation arm 210 can be engaged with the first operation arm drive surface 236. Further, a plate-like engagement protrusion 25 is provided above the protrusion 232 on the front surface of the carriage 32 and at the center in the holder movement direction.
0 protrudes forward.

The cap device 192 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the cap device 192 includes a follower 260, a cap holder 262, and a cap 263.
And a cap unit 268 including the.

As shown in FIG. 11, the follower table 260 is slidably fitted on a guide rail 270 provided in the sub-frame 201 in parallel with the holder moving direction, and has a surface on the ink ejecting apparatus moving area side. At the center in the width direction of the front surface (the width direction is parallel to the holder moving direction), an engagement protrusion 272 is engaged with the engagement protrusion 250 forward as shown in FIGS. It is protruding with a possible length. Note that the front-back direction of the cap device 192 is parallel to the ink ejection direction, but the ink ejection device moving area side is forward, the front and back are opposite to the ink ejection device 30, and the front surfaces face each other. In other words, the front and rear of the cap device 192 are the same as the front and rear of the inkjet recording device.

As shown in FIG. 11, a tension coil spring 276 as an elastic member, which is a kind of urging means, is disposed between the side surface on the recording area side of the follower table 260 and the subframe 201. The follower 260 is urged toward the recording area. The movement limit of the follower table 260 due to the urging force of the extension coil spring 276 is defined by the contact with the stopper 278. The follower 260 is the stopper 27
8 is the original position of the cap 266.

As shown in FIG. 17, the follower 260
Through hole 28 penetrating in the front-back direction parallel to the ink ejection direction
0 is formed. The front portion of the through hole 280 is a fitting hole 282 having a circular cross section, and the rear portion is a fitting hole 284 having a cross-shaped cross section.
It has been. The cap holder 262 has a fitting portion 286 with a circular cross section at the front portion, is fitted in the fitting hole 282 movably in the axial direction and without a gap in the radial direction, and the rear portion has a cross-shaped cross section. Mating portion 288 and the fitting hole 2
A gap is left at 84 in the longitudinal direction of each arm of the cross, and is left movably in the axial direction without leaving a gap in the width direction.

At the rear of the cap holder 262, an engagement projection 292 is provided so as to project therefrom. The engaging projection 292 is the fitting part 2
After being extended backward from the sub-frame 201, the sub-frame 201 is bent upward as shown in FIG.
Is engaged with the rail member 294 attached to the rail. The rail member 294 has a longitudinal shape, and is attached to the subframe 201 by a shaft 298 at an end on the recording area side so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis.

The rail member 294 is located on a horizontal plane.
From the position supported by the shaft 298, the cap holder 26
The cam member 295 is inclined in a direction approaching the cap holder 262 after being inclined away from the cam member 295, and has a U-shape like the cam member 295, and is integrated with the cam member 295. Support member 2 provided
97 (see FIG. 17). A downward cam groove 296 is formed in a portion of the cam member 295 inclined toward the cap holder 262, and engages with the engagement protrusion 292 as a cam follower. Of the pair of side walls 299 that define the cam groove 296 of the cam member 295, the vertical gap between the side wall 299 on the cap unit 268 side and the support member 297 is just from the fitting portion 288 of the engagement protrusion 292. In the vertical direction, the portion extended rearward is sized to allow the engagement protrusion 292 to move in the holder movement direction, but to be fitted with substantially no gap. On the side wall 299, the engagement protrusion 292 is provided with a cam member 295.
A notch 302 for fitting between the cam member 295 and the supporting member 297 is formed through the notch 302 so as to fit between the cam member 295 and the supporting member 297. The lower surface of the portion 292 and the side wall 299 and the support member 297
The rotation of the cap holder 262 and thus the follower table 260 around an axis parallel to the holder moving direction is prevented by the engagement with the above.

As shown in FIG. 11, the end opposite to the side of the rail member 294, which is rotatably mounted on the subframe 201 around the vertical axis by the shaft 298, is an elastic member which is a kind of urging means. It is urged by a tension coil spring 300 as a member in a direction approaching the cap holder 262. The rotation limit of the rail member 294 due to the urging force of the extension coil spring 300 is defined by a stopper (not shown) provided on the sub-frame 201.

As shown in FIG. 18, the fitting portion 286 of the cap holder 262 is formed with an annular fitting groove 304 which is open at the front surface, thereby forming a fitting projection 306 having a circular cross section at the center. Have been. The fitting groove 304 has a wide portion 308 having a wide opening side and a narrow portion 3 having a narrow bottom portion.
09.

The protruding end of the fitting portion 286 of the cap holder 262 from the follower table 260 is long in the holder moving direction.
In addition, a rectangular flange portion 310 inclined at the same inclination as the ejection head 78 is provided, and a support wall 312 (see FIG. 17) protrudes forward from a lower end of the flange portion 310. The support wall 312 is also inclined at the same inclination as the ejection head 78, and engagement ends 314 (see FIG. 18) extending in a direction perpendicular to the support wall 312 are provided at both ends.

As shown in FIG. 18, the cap 263 has a rubber cap 266 and a cap support 264 for holding the cap 266 immovably.
The cap support 264 has a U-shaped cross section,
A cylindrical fitting portion 322 protrudes from the rear surface of the U-shaped bottom wall 320. This fitting part 322 is a cap holder 2
62 are fitted in the fitting groove 304 so as to be movable in the axial direction.
09 is smaller than the clearance between the inner peripheral surface of the fitting portion 322 and the outer peripheral surface of the fitting protrusion 306, and the fitting portion 322 is smaller than the narrow width portion 309. A small angle rotation is possible in all directions about the contact point with the inner peripheral surface. In addition, the main body of the cap support 264 is fitted with a gap between the pair of engagement walls 314, and also faces the support wall 312 with a gap therebetween. Cap support part 26 accompanying rotation
4 is allowed to rotate.

The cap supporting portion 264 is provided between the bottom surface 324 of the wide portion 308 and the bottom wall 320 and is a compression coil spring 32 as an elastic member which is a kind of urging means.
6, the fitting portion 322 is urged in a direction to separate from the fitting groove 304. However, the bottom wall 320 is provided at the rear end of the U-shaped side wall 328 of the cap support 264, respectively.
Projections 330 are provided, which intersect with a right angle direction perpendicular to the axis and extend in directions away from each other.
By engaging the engagement walls 30 with the engagement walls 314, the cap support portion 264 is held by the cap holder 262 in a state where a preload is applied to the compression coil spring 326. In this state, the axes of the cap support portion 264 and the cap holder 262 substantially coincide with each other, and there are gaps between the pair of side walls 328 and the engagement walls 314, respectively, and between the bottom wall 320 and the flange portion 310. There are also gaps. Also, as shown in FIG. 18, the cap support 264 faces the support wall 310 of the cap holder 262 with a gap therebetween, and defines a rotatable range around the fitting part 322.

On the front surface of the bottom wall 320 of the cap support portion 264, an engagement projection 334 having a square cross section is provided so as to protrude. The cap 266 is fitted and fixed in the concave portion 336, and is inclined in parallel with the ejection head 78 as shown in FIG. A joint 338 is provided on the bottom wall 320 of the cap support 264, and extends rearward through a through hole 340 formed in the flange 310 of the cap holder 262.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 17, the upper end of the bottom wall 320 is separated from the upper end of the bottom wall 320 by two distances in the holder moving direction. A plate-shaped positioning protrusion 344 projecting into the ink ejecting device moving area is provided so as to protrude.
Since the cap support 264 is inclined, the heights of the positioning projections 344 are different as shown in FIG. 12, and the positioning projections 344 on the side closer to the recording area are higher.

As shown in FIG. 17, a projection 348 is provided at the tip of the cap 266. This protrusion 3
48 has a depression 352 that is inclined parallel to the ejection head 78 and that opens into a contact surface 350 that is parallel to the bottom wall 320 of the cap support portion 264, and a portion surrounding the depression 352 of the contact surface 350 is ink. It closely adheres to the portion of the ejection surface 102 surrounding the nozzle row 104, and covers the nozzle row 104 in an airtight manner.

As shown in FIG. 18, the distance from the contact surface 350 to the lower part of the recess 352 is increased as shown in FIG. A fitting hole 35 that is open and extends in the front-rear direction.
4 are formed and fitted to a joint 338 projecting from the cap support 264. The joint 338 is connected to the suction pump 356 by a suction tube (not shown).
The suction pump 356 is, as shown in FIG.
92, and is connected to a waste ink tank 358 (see FIG. 1) by a discharge tube (not shown). The suction pump 356 is driven by a pump driving device 362 having a cam 360.

The cam 360 is integrally provided with a cam gear 364. The rotation of the drive motor 20 for driving the platen 10 is transmitted through the drive gear 22, the switching gear 24, the idle gear 366, and the cam idle gear 368.
64, the cam 360 is rotated, the suction pump 356 is reciprocated, and the cap portion 2
While the cover 66 is covered, the ink in the ink flow path in the ejection head 78 is sucked and discharged to the waste ink tank 358. Drive motor 20, cam 360, drive gear 2
2, the switching gear 24, the idle gear 366, the cam idle gear 368, the cam gear 364, etc.
Is composed.

Next, the operation will be described. In this ink jet recording apparatus, recording is performed by ejecting ink onto the recording paper 28 by reciprocating the ink ejecting device 30 in the recording area. At the time of recording, the diaphragm forming the wall of the ink flow path in the ejection head 78 is deformed based on the recording data, and the ink supplied to the ink flow path is ejected from the nozzle determined based on the recording data. You. The ink is ejected onto the recording paper 28 supplied between the platen 10 and the ejection head 78 along with the movement of the carriage 32, whereby an image for one line is formed. When the image formation for one line is completed, the recording paper 32 is fed by one line by the rotation of the platen 10, and the image for one line is formed again. By this repetition, image formation on the entire recording paper 32 is performed.

When printing is performed by moving the ink ejecting device 30 in this manner, the head holder 80 is displaced and lifted in the holder moving direction and the front-rear direction with respect to the carriage 32, and the head holder 80 of the ink container 82 is lifted. As described above, the displacement of the holder in the holder moving direction, the front-back direction, and the lifting are prevented as described above, so that the recording position does not deviate due to the displacement of the head holder 80 or the like. Therefore, an image can be accurately and clearly recorded on the recording paper 28 without causing inconvenience such as occurrence of ink leakage and the like.

When the recording is completed after the recording data stored in the recording data memory of the RAM of the control device for controlling the ink jet recording device is exhausted, the ink ejecting device 30 is moved to the non-recording area and the ejection head 78 is moved. Is capped by the cap device 192 and is put on standby for the next recording. However, before the ejection head 78 moves to the cap position covered by the cap portion 266, the wiper blade 196 is
98, and the ink adhered to the wiper blade 196 is wiped off.

The wiper blade 196 is always
It is at the standby position as shown in FIG. When the ink ejecting device 30 is moved from the recording area to the non-recording area as shown by the arrow, the first operation arm driving surface 236 of the carriage 32 is engaged with the first operation arm 210 located in the projection movement path. At this time, the wiper blade support member 194 is rotated to the cleaning position against the urging force of the extension coil spring 214.

As the ink ejecting device 30 moves, the first operation arm 210 comes into engagement with the arm sliding surface 240 as shown in FIG. When the ink ejecting device 30 is further moved to the non-recording area side, the second operation arm driving surface 238 engages with the second operation arm 212 to rotate the wiper blade support member 194 as shown in FIG. The wiper blade 196 is moved as shown in FIG.
Is pressed against the cleaning member 198. Thus, the ink adhered to the wiper blade 196 is sucked by the cleaning member 198. At this time, the second operation arm 212 is engaged with the arm sliding surface 240, and the wiper blade support member 194 is kept at the cleaning position.

When the ink ejecting device 30 is further moved, as shown in FIG.
Is disengaged from the arm sliding surface 240, the wiper blade support member 196 is urged by the tension coil spring 214 to be rotated to the standby position, and the second operating arm 212 is engaged with the standby position defining surface 222 to be in standby. Kept in position.

After the wiper blade 196 has been cleaned in this manner, the ejection head 78 is moved to the cap device 192.
Capped. The ink ejection device 30 is further moved from the position where the second operation arm 212 is separated from the arm sliding surface 240 to the cap device 192 side. At this time, the ejection head 78 enters below and engages with the pair of positioning protrusions 344 provided on the cap support 264 to make the inclination of the cap support 264 coincide with the inclination of the ejection head 78.

The cap support 264 is inclined substantially in parallel with the ejection head 78, and has a pair of positioning projections 3
Of the 44, the positioning protrusion 344 on the side closer to the recording area is higher. Therefore, even if there is a relative inclination in the forward or reverse direction around the axis parallel to the front-rear direction between the ejection head 78 and the cap supporting portion 264 (this inclination is referred to as a parallel rotation inclination), The head 78 can always enter below the positioning protrusion 344, and the engagement between the pair of positioning protrusions 344 and the inclined side surface 110 of the ejection head 78 causes the inclination of the cap support portion 264 to be reduced.
To the inclination of Thereby, the cap part 2
66 is directly opposed to the ejection head 78.

After the cap portion 266 is directly opposed to the ejection head 78, the engagement projection 250 of the carriage 32 engages with the engagement projection 272 of the follower 260, and moves the follower 260 along the guide rail 270. Let it. With this movement, the engagement protrusion 292 of the cap holder 262 is moved to the cam member 2.
95 along the cam groove 296 of the cap holder 2
62 is advanced due to the inclination of the cam groove 296, and the contact surface 350 of the cap portion 266 is brought into close contact with the ink ejection surface 102 around the nozzle array 104 to cover the nozzle array 104 in an airtight manner.

[0097] The cap holder 262 is
After the nozzle 6 is brought into close contact with the ejection head 78, the nozzle 6 is advanced, but this advance is permitted by the compression of the compression coil spring 326. If the ink ejection surface 102 has neither inclination about the vertical axis nor inclination about an axis parallel to the holder moving direction, the cap support portion 264 is moved by the ejection head 78 to the cap holder 2 as shown in FIG.
With respect to 62, it is retracted with the axes aligned. The inclination of the ink ejection surface 102 about the vertical axis and the inclination about the axis parallel to the holder moving direction are different from the above-described parallel rotation inclination caused by the parallel rotation about the axis parallel to the front-rear direction (ink ejection direction). , Non-parallel rotation inclination. After the compression coil spring 326 is brought into close contact with the cap holder 262, a force is applied to the cap holder 262 so that the cap holder 262 is further advanced.
Numeral 2 rotates the rail member 294 against the urging force of the extension coil spring 300 and separates it from the stopper provided on the sub-frame 201. The cap portion 266 is elastically pressed against the ejection head 78 by the tension coil spring 300 via the compression coil spring 326 in a close contact state, and covers the nozzle row 104 in an airtight manner. The force is defined by the shape and size of the cam groove 296 formed in the rail member 294 and the spring constant of the extension coil spring 300.

On the other hand, if the ejection head 78 has an inclination about the vertical axis and the upstream end in the movement direction is located closer to the platen side area than the downstream end, the cap holder 262 is moved. When being advanced, first, the cap portion 266 is brought into contact with the portion of the ejection head 78 on the platen side region side. When the cap holder 262 is further advanced, the portion of the compression coil spring 326 that urges the portion of the cap portion 266 in contact with the ejection head 78 is compressed, but the portion diametrically separated from the portion is compressed. Instead, as shown in FIG. 27, the cap support portion 264 is rotated about a vertical axis about the point of contact with the narrow portion 309 of the fitting portion 322, and the entire cap portion 266 is moved to the ejection head 78. It is made to adhere. When the cap holder 262 is further advanced, the portion that urges the portion of the compression coil spring 326 that is in close contact with the portion of the cap portion 266 that protrudes toward the platen side region of the ejection head 78 is brought into close contact. If the cap holder 262 is further advanced, the rail member 29
4 is moved in a direction away from the stopper, and the cap portion 266 is elastically brought into close contact with the ejection head 78 by the tension coil spring 300 via the compression coil spring 326 closely contacted in a part in the circumferential direction. In addition,
FIG. 27 shows a state in which the cap support portion 264 has been rotated to the maximum extent, and one of the pair of engagement protrusions 330 is engaged with the engagement wall 314. Generally, a compression coil spring is used. Before the part of 326 comes into close contact, the two engaging projections 3
30 are spaced from both engagement walls 314.

If the ejection head 78 has a reverse inclination about the vertical axis, the cap support 264 is rotated with respect to the cap holder 262 in the direction shown in FIG. The compression coil spring 326, which is brought into close contact with the ejection surface 102 and partially adhered in the circumferential direction, is maintained in a state of being elastically attached to the ink ejection surface 102 by the tension coil spring 300 via the compression coil spring 326.

Also, as shown in FIG.
8 has an inclination about an axis parallel to the holder moving direction, and the upper part is located closer to the platen side area than the lower part, when the cap holder 262 is advanced,
When the upper portion of the cap portion 266 contacts the upper portion of the ink ejection surface 102 and the cap holder 262 is further advanced, the cap supporting portion 26 of the compression coil spring 326 is moved.
4 is compressed, but the portion that urges the lower portion of the cap support 264 is not compressed, and the cap support 264 is centered on the contact point with the narrow portion 309 of the fitting portion 322. Is rotated about an axis parallel to the holder moving direction, and the contact surface 350 of the cap portion 266 adheres to the ink ejection surface 102.

When the cap holder 262 is further advanced, the cap supporting portion 2 of the compression coil spring 326 is moved.
The upper part of the upper part 64 is brought into close contact, the rail member 294 is moved in a direction away from the stopper, and the cap part 266 is elastically moved by the tension coil spring 300 via the compression coil spring 326 which is partially adhered. Is brought into close contact with the ink ejection surface 102. Even when the ejection head 78 has an inclination about an axis parallel to the holder moving direction and is inclined in the opposite direction, the cap support portion 264 is similarly rotated so that the cap portion 266 comes into close contact with the ink ejection surface 102. Let me do.

The case where the ejection head 78 has an inclination about the vertical axis and the case where the injection head 78 has an inclination about an axis parallel to the holder moving direction have been described above. The rotation in the above two cases occurs simultaneously on the cap support portion 264. That is, even if the ejection head 78 has any three-dimensional inclination,
The cap portion 266 can cover the nozzle row 104 in close contact with the ink ejection surface 102. Cap part 2
66 covers the nozzle array 104, and the tension coil spring 3
00, the carriage 32 stops, and the ejection head 78 is on standby for the next recording while being covered by the cap portion 266. Since it is covered by the portion 266, the nozzle tip does not dry, and dust does not enter the nozzle.

If the suction switch (not shown) is operated after the carriage 32 is stopped, the drive motor 20 is continuously rotated, the suction pump 356 is operated, and the ink in the ink flow path of the ejection head 78 is sucked. Is discharged to the waste ink tank 358. As a result, ink solidified in the ink flow path, bubbles, foreign matters, and the like that have entered the ink flow path are removed. The suction for this purpose is mainly performed at the time of maintenance of the ink jet recording apparatus. However, after the ink container 82 is replaced, the ink suction is also performed to suck the ink in the ink container 82 into the ink flow path of the ejection head 78. Will be

When the recording is resumed, FIG.
As shown in (b), the carriage 32 is moved to the recording area. In FIG. 21B, only the protrusion 232 of the carriage 32 on which the first operating arm drive surface 236 and the like are provided is indicated by a two-dot chain line (FIG. 22).
(B), FIG. 23 (b), and FIG. 24 (b). At the time of movement of the carriage 32, FIG.
As shown in (b), the inclined surface 244 is the first operation arm 2.
10, the wiper blade support member 194 is lifted by the action of the slope. As a result, the engagement between the second operating arm 212 and the standby position defining surface 222 is released, and the wiper blade support member 194 is moved by the tension coil spring 21.
4, the stopper pin 216 is moved to the stopper surface 2
The wiper blade support member 194 is rotated to the position where the wiper blade support member 194 is in the operating position. Therefore, when the carriage 32 is further moved to the recording area, the ink ejection surface 102 moves while contacting the wiper blade 196 as shown in FIG.
Is wiped by the wiper blade 196.

During this time, the first operating arm 210 is
As shown in (b), the arm support surface 2 of the carriage 32
42, and the second operating arm 212 is supported by the support surface 2
It is kept in a state of being raised a small distance from 24. Therefore, when the carriage 32 is moved to a position where the first operating arm 210 is disengaged from the arm support surface 242 as shown in FIGS. 24A and 24B, the wiper blade support member 194 is pulled. The second operating arm 212 is urged downward by the coil spring 214 so that the second operating arm 212
4 and is maintained at a height capable of engaging with the first operating arm drive surface 236.

Next, the carriage 32 is moved from the recording area to the non-recording area, the first operating arm drive surface 236 is engaged with the first operating arm 210, and the wiper blade support member 194 is rotated toward the standby position. Let it. FIG. 19 (b)
When the wiper blade support member 194 is rotated to a position where the second operating arm 212 is disengaged from the support by the support surface 224, as shown in FIG.
4 is lowered by the urging force of the extension coil spring 214, and the second operation arm 212 is supported by the support surface 225 and has a height that can be engaged with the standby position defining surface 222. Thereafter, the carriage 32 is moved from the non-recording area to the recording area, the second operating arm 212 is engaged with the standby position defining surface 222 by the urging force of the extension coil spring 214, and the wiper blade support member 194 is moved to the state shown in FIG. a)
At the standby position shown in FIG.

As described above, in order to move the wiper blade support member 194 to the standby position, as shown in FIG. 19 (b), the upstream end of the ejection head 78 moves in the acceleration / deceleration region. The ink ejecting device 3 is moved until it reaches the downstream area in the direction, and then is turned to the recording area while being accelerated.
Recording is performed with 0. At the time of recording, the carriage 3
2 is moved to a position where the upstream end of the ejection head 78 reaches the downstream end region of the acceleration / deceleration region every time one line is recorded, and the direction is changed at that position (this position is referred to as a carriage return position). Can be On the side of the acceleration / deceleration area where the ink jet head cleaning device 190 is provided adjacent to the carriage 32, the carriage return position is the same as the movement position for moving the wiper blade support member 194 from the operation position to the standby position. 25 moves to the cleaning area where the ink jetting surface 102 is cleaned, as shown in FIG. 25, and the first operating arm drive surface 326 moves to the first operating arm 21 as shown in FIG.
The wiper blade support member 194 is rotated by engaging with the ejection head 78. At this time, the ejection head 78 is out of the recording area, and there is no problem.

As described above, the wiper blade supporting member 194
When the wiper blade support member 194 is at the standby position, the first operating arm 210 is inclined downstream with respect to the moving direction of the carriage 32 from the recording area to the non-recording area. The ink ejection surface 102 does not contact the wiper blade 196 while the ejection head 78 is performing recording in the recording area, and the carriage 32 engages with the first operating arm 210. Therefore, good recording quality can be obtained without providing the ink ejecting head cleaning device 190 away from the recording area, and the ink jet recording device can be made compact.

Further, the wiper blade supporting member 194 is
The wiper blade support member 194 is rotated intermittently to three positions of an operation position, a standby position, and a cleaning position. Since the rotation is stopped before the moving speed is increased, the ink attached to the cleaning member 198 does not scatter around due to the centrifugal force or the impact at the time of stopping, and the peripheral members and the ink ejecting device 30 are stained. There is no.

Further, the wiper blade support member 194
Is merely reciprocated between the operating position and the cleaning position via the standby position, and the wiper blade support member is rotated in one direction and moved to the operating position or the standby position. The space required for the movement of the blade support member can be reduced, and the ink jet head cleaning device 190 can be made compact in this respect as well.

In the ink jet head cleaning device 190, the wiper blade support member 194 can be moved from the standby position to the cleaning position by sequentially engaging the two operating arms 210 and 212 with the carriage 32. As a result, a sufficient rotation angle can be obtained using the short operation arm. Since the rotation angle of the wiper blade support member increases as the length of the portion of the operation arm that engages with the operation arm drive surface increases,
In order to obtain a predetermined rotation angle with one operation arm, the operation arm becomes long, and the ink jet head cleaning device 190 is used.
However, if two operating arms are used, the operating arms can be shortened by sharing the rotation angle with each other, and a compact ink jet head cleaning device 190 can be obtained.

Furthermore, the first operating arm 210 is used to move the carriage 32 when the lock of the wiper blade support member 194 by the standby position defining surface 222 is released and when the wiper blade support member 194 is moved from the operation position to the standby position.
, So that the first operating arm 210 functions as both a release arm and an operating arm,
When the wiper blade support member 194 moves from the standby position to the cleaning position, the carriage 32 engages with the second operation arm 212, and the wiper blade support member 194 is moved.
Is adapted to be locked at the standby position by the engagement of the second operation arm 212 with the standby position defining surface 222, and for the second operation arm 212 to position the wiper blade support member 194 at the standby position. The moving-side engaging surface is constituted, and at the same time, it also functions as an operating arm for moving the wiper blade supporting member 194 to the cleaning position. And at a low cost.

The carriage 32 is adapted to directly engage with the first and second operating arms 210, 212 provided integrally with the wiper blade support member 194 to rotate the wiper blade support member 194. , Carriage 3
A member for transmitting the movement of the second to the first and second operating arms 210 and 212 is not required, and the ink jet head cleaning device 190 can be made compact and inexpensive from this point as well.

Further, in this embodiment, the carriage 3
2, the ink container hook 56 for holding the ink container 82 is provided in a state of rising from the rear of the carriage 32. The ink container 82 is provided with the first engagement protrusion receiving portion 150 and the first engagement protrusion receiving portion 150. Since the ink container 82 is attached to the head holder 80 by rotation about an engagement portion with the engagement protrusion 164, it does not hinder the attachment of the ink container 82 to the head holder 80, and the ink container hook 56 When the ink container 82 is rotated, the ink container 82 bends to allow the ink container 82 to be placed on the bottom wall 86,
Since the carriage 32 holds the ink container 82 at the same time that the ink container 82 is attached to the head holder 80, the ink container 82 can be easily attached.

As is clear from the above description, in the present embodiment, the engaging projection 330 provided on the side wall 328 of the cap supporting portion 264 extends in a direction intersecting a perpendicular direction substantially perpendicular to the contact surface 350. The first engaging portion, the engaging wall 312 of the cap holder 262 forms a second engaging portion engaging with the first engaging portion, and the shapes and dimensions of these first and second engaging portions. Have a shape and dimensions that uniquely determine the relative position of the cap 233 to the cap holder 262 in the right-angle direction in a state where a preload is applied to the compression coil spring 326.

Further, the engaging projection 2 of the cap holder 262
A cam follower 92 engages with a cam groove 296 formed in the cam member 295.
Numeral 0 constitutes a contact force regulating spring for elastically pressing the cap portion 266 against the ejection head 78, and these, together with the follower 260, form a motion conversion device which constitutes a contact separation device for contacting and separating the cap portion 266 and the ejection head 78. Make up the mechanism. The carriage 32, the carriage moving device 52, the engagement protrusion 250 provided on the carriage 32, and the engagement protrusion 272 provided on the follow-up table 260 correspond to the ejection head 7.
8 and a cap holder 262 in a translation direction substantially parallel to the contact surface 350. In addition, the flange portion 310, the engaging wall 314, the bottom wall 320, the side wall 328, and the engaging projection 330 of the cap holder 262 limit the inclination of the cap supporting portion 264 around the vertical axis. The flange 310 of the cap holder 262 and the bottom wall 320 of the cap support 264 serve as limiting means.
64 constitutes a restricting means for restricting the inclination around an axis parallel to the holder moving direction. Further, the ink container hook 56 constitutes a clamp device for preventing the ink container 82 from being separated from the head holder 80.

In the ink jet head cleaning device 190, the standby position defining surface 222 forms a fixed engagement surface provided on the sub-frame 201 as a part of the frame 17, and the standby position of the second operating arm 212 Regulation surface 222
The portion that engages with the movable side constitutes a moving side engaging surface, and these constitute a locking means for locking the wiper blade support member 194 at the standby position. The support surface 224 is the second operation arm 21
2 is held at a position where the moving-side engaging surface is displaced from the fixed-side engaging surface and the moving-side engaging surface is closer to the fixed-side engaging surface than the position supported by the arm support surface 242. It constitutes a holding surface. Projection 2 formed on carriage 32
32 constitutes a release cam, the first operation arm 210 forms a release arm as a release cam follower, and the portion of the first operation arm 210 coupled to the support portion 208 releases. And a lock releasing means for releasing the locking of the wiper blade support member 194 by the locking means. The first operating arm drive surface 236 constitutes a cam for realizing the locked state, the first operating arm 210 forms a cam follower for realizing the locked state, and the support portion 208 includes the first operating arm 210 and the wiper blade support member 194. And a transmission means for achieving a locked state, which moves the wiper blade support member 194 to the standby position based on the movement of the carriage 32 against the urging force of the tension coil spring 214. And locking means for locking with the locking means. Further, the first operation arm driving surface 236 and the first operation arm 210 are connected to the wiper blade support member 194.
Of the operating position and the cleaning position to the cleaning position, which is the other position with respect to the operating position obtained by the urging of the urging means.

The urging means constituted by the tension coil spring 214 and the locking means constituted by the standby position defining surface 222 and the second operating arm 212 serve as holding means for holding the wiper blade support member 194 at the standby position. And the first operating arm 210 and the second operating arm 21
2, the first operating arm driving surface 236 and the second operating arm driving surface 238 bias the wiper blade support member 194 based on the movement of the carriage 32 in the first direction, which is the movement from the recording area to the non-recording area. The urging force is moved from the standby position to the cleaning position against the urging force, and constitutes the urging force opposing moving means which is a part of the cleaning position moving means. The urging force opposing moving means also includes a carriage 32
Blade support member 1 based on the movement of the
It also functions as a locked state realizing means for moving the 94 from the operating position to the standby position and realizing locking of the wiper blade support member 194 at the standby position by the locking means. The first operation arm 210 and the inclined surface 244 are
The second ejection head 78 moves from the non-recording area to the recording area in a second direction to form a lock releasing means for releasing the lock of the wiper blade support member 194, and the lock releasing means is biased. Extension coil spring 2 as a means
In cooperation with 14, an operation position moving means for moving the wiper blade support member from the standby position to the operation position based on the movement of the carriage in the second direction.

FIG. 3 shows another example of the ink jet head cleaning device.
0 is shown. Ink jet head cleaning device 378 of this embodiment
Is configured to urge the wiper blade support member 380 to a cleaning position by a tension coil spring 382 as an elastic member which is a kind of urging means.

As schematically shown in FIG. 30, a wiper blade support member 380 is provided on a shaft 3 erected on a frame 384.
85 is supported so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis and ascend and descend. The wiper blade support member 380 includes an operating arm 386 and a wiper blade 388 indicated by a two-dot chain line.
However, both are provided at right angles to the rotation axis and at different phases from each other. The wiper blade 388 moves from the recording area of the carriage 392 to the non-recording area (FIG. 30).
In the direction from right to left), the cleaning member 390 (see FIG. 3) is provided further downstream than the operating arm 386 and at a position further downstream and in the rotation path of the wiper blade 388. 30 (b) only). The tension coil spring 382 is disposed between the wiper blade support member 380 and the frame 384 to urge the operating arm 386 to a cleaning position where the wiper blade 388 contacts the cleaning member 390, and to operate the wiper blade support member. 380 is biased downward. However, FIG.
The illustration of the tension coil spring 382 in FIG.
It is intended to indicate the direction of action of its biasing force, and does not require that the tension coil spring 382 be actually disposed at the position shown.

The frame 384 is provided with a vertical standby position defining surface 396 and a cleaning position defining surface 398. The standby position defining surface 396 is
During the movement from the recording area to the non-recording area, the surface provided upstream of the cleaning position defining surface 398 and upstream of the standby position defining surface 396 of the upper surface of the frame 384 is inclined downward toward the upstream. The surface 400 is set. A portion between the cleaning position defining surface 398 and the standby position defining surface 396 on the upper surface of the frame 384 is a horizontal support surface 402.

On the front surface of the carriage 392, a projection 406 parallel to the holder moving direction is projected (in FIG. 30, the carriage 392 is represented by the projection 406). When the carriage 392 on the upper surface of the protrusion 406 moves from the recording area to the non-recording area, the downstream portion is
A horizontal surface 408 slightly lower than the lower surface of the operation arm 386 engaged with the standby position defining surface 396 is provided. An arm support surface 412 is provided. The arm support surface 412 is provided on the operation arm 38.
6 is indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG.
2 is a surface that is supported at a higher position than that supported by the support 2.

When the carriage 392 moves from the recording area to the non-recording area, the protrusion 406 has an upstream end surface perpendicular to the holder moving direction.
It has been. The front surface of the projection 406 is an arm sliding surface 418 that is vertical and parallel to the holder moving direction.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 30A, the operating arm 386 of the wiper blade supporting member 380 is always engaged with the standby position defining surface 396, and the operating arm 386 is moved into the projection moving path. Projecting, wiper blade 38
Reference numeral 0 denotes a standby position in which the ink jetting surface is retracted toward the platen side from the ink ejection surface movement path. When the carriage 392 moves from the print area to the non-print area, the horizontal surface 40
8 passes below the working arm 386 and
6. Do not rotate 6. When the inclined surface 410 comes into engagement with the operation arm 386 in accordance with the movement of the carriage 392, the operation arm 386 is moved upward by the action of the inclined surface, as shown in FIG. And the wiper blade support member 380 is disengaged from the arm 38 by the urging force of the tension coil spring 382.
6 is rotated until it comes into contact with the cleaning position defining surface 398. Accordingly, the wiper blade 388 is pressed against the cleaning member 390, and the attached ink is absorbed.

When the carriage 392 is further moved, the inclined surface 410 is engaged with the operating arm 386 again, and the operating arm 386 is lifted while being kept in contact with the cleaning position defining surface 398. Therefore, the operating arm 3
86 rises on the inclined surface 410 and is supported by the arm supporting surface 412, but is held by the movement of the carriage 392.
2 is disengaged from the tension coil spring 382.
, And is placed on the support surface 402. At this time, since the protruding end of the operation arm 386 protrudes into the protruding portion movement path, if the carriage 392 is next moved from the non-recording area to the recording area, the operation arm driving surface 416 is moved to the operation arm 386. And rotate the wiper blade support member 380 from the cleaning position to the standby position. The wiper blade support member 380 includes:
If the operation arm 386 is rotated until it exceeds the standby position defining surface 396, the operating arm 386 is urged downward by the extension coil spring 382 and can be engaged with the standby position defining surface 396. Therefore, if the carriage 392 is moved in the direction from the recording area to the non-recording area to cap the ejection head, the wiper blade support member 380
Engages with the standby position defining surface 396 and is kept at the standby position.

When recording is resumed, the carriage 392 is moved from the non-recording area to the recording area. At this time, FIG.
As shown in (c), the operation arm drive surface 416 is engaged with the operation arm 386, and moves the wiper blade support member 380 from the standby position to the operation position against the urging force of the extension coil spring 382. The operating arm 386 moves the operating arm drive surface 41 in a state where the wiper blade 388 is moved to an operating position perpendicular to the ink ejection surface moving path.
6 and comes into contact with the arm sliding surface 418.

The operating arm 386 is connected to the operating arm driving surface 4.
When it is rotated by engaging with the projection 16, the projection 406 is moved downward along the inclined surface 400, as shown in FIG. When moving while moving, it is located below the horizontal plane 408. Therefore, the operating arm 386
When the carriage 392 moves from the non-recording area to the recording area, the carriage 392 keeps in contact with the entire length of the protrusion 406, during which the wiper blade 388 is maintained at the operation position perpendicular to the ink ejection surface movement path, Injection surface (not shown)
Wipe the ink.

When the carriage 392 is moved to a position where the operation arm 386 is disengaged from the arm sliding surface 418, the operation arm 386 is moved by the urging force of the extension coil spring 382 to the inclined surface 400, as shown in FIG.
The wiper blade supporting member 380 is moved from the operation position to the standby position by moving the upper side toward the standby position defining surface 396, and returns to the standby state in preparation for the next cleaning of the ink ejection surface.

As described above, the ink ejection surface is the wiper blade 38 located at right angles to the ink ejection path moving surface.
The wiper blade support member 380 needs to be moved to the operating position before the ink ejection surface moves to the cleaning position where the ink is wiped by the wiper blade 388. for that reason,
An angle θ1 which is a rotation angle of the wiper blade support member 380 from the standby position to the operation position and which is also an angle in a rotation direction between the operation arm 386 and the wiper blade 388 is defined by the angle θ1 between the carriage 392 and the ink ejection surface. In consideration of the relative position and the size, the size is set such that the wiper blade supporting member 380 is positioned at the operation position before the ink ejection surface reaches the cleaning position. Further, the rotation angle θ2 of the wiper blade support member 380 from the standby position to the cleaning position is set smaller than the above angle θ1, and even if the wiper blade support member 380 is rotated to the cleaning position, the operation arm 386 projects. The end is kept in a state of protruding into the protrusion moving path.

Also in this embodiment, when the carriage 392 moves from the recording area to the non-recording area, the wiper blade supporting member 380 is at the standby position, and the engagement of the operating arm 386 with the standby position defining surface 396 is performed. Since the inclined surface 410 to be released is provided on the upstream side in the moving direction of the protrusion 406 from the recording area of the carriage 392 to the non-recording area, the ink ejection surface is located in the recording area and the ink ejection surface is moved by the wiper blade. 388 or the actuation arm 386 does not engage the ramp 410
An ink ejection head cleaning device 378 that is provided at a position adjacent to the acceleration / deceleration area and does not hinder recording of the ejection head can be obtained.

In the present embodiment, the standby position defining surface 39
6 constitutes a fixed-side engaging surface, and a surface that engages with the standby position defining surface 396 of the operating arm 386 constitutes a moving-side engaging surface;
These constitute locking means. The portion of the projection 406 forming the inclined surface 410 constitutes a release cam, the operation arm 386 constitutes a release cam follower, and the operation arm 3
The portion that couples 86 to the wiper blade support member 380 constitutes a release transmitting means, and these constitute locking release means. The operating arm drive surface 416 constitutes a locked state realizing cam, the operating arm 386 forms a locked state realizing cam follower, and a portion connecting the operating arm 386 to the wiper blade support member 380 is a locked state realizing transmission. Means, and these constitute locking state realizing means.
The operation arm drive surface 416 and the operation arm 386 constitute the other position moving means.

The extension coil spring 382 constitutes a biasing means, and the standby position defining surface 396 and the operating arm 38
The surface engaging with the standby position defining surface 396 constitutes a locking means, and these constitute holding means for keeping the wiper blade support member 380 at the standby position. Actuating arm 386
And the inclined surface 410 constitute an unlocking means, and the unlocking means is a tension coil spring 38 as an urging means.
2 together with the cleaning position moving means. The operating arm 386 and the operating arm drive surface 416 constitute an urging force opposing moving means as an operating position moving means. The urging force opposing movement means also functions as locking state realizing means for realizing locking of the wiper blade support member 380 by the locking means.

In each of the above embodiments, the ink container 82
Are positioning recesses 178 provided on the bottom surface of the ink container 82 and the upper surface 1 of the bottom wall 86 of the head holder 80.
The fitting with the positioning engaging projection 154 protruded on the top 47 prevents the displacement in the holder moving direction. However, as in the ink container 430 shown in FIG. A partial disk-shaped positioning projection 434 provided on the rear surface of the wall 432 and an engaging wall 440 rising from the rear edge of the bottom wall 438 on the head holder 436 extend vertically and open to the front and top surfaces. The positioning engagement recess 442 provided in the posture may be engaged to prevent the displacement in the holder moving direction.

In the rear surface of the rear wall 432 of the ink container 430, an engaging groove 444 is provided at an intermediate portion of the lower part in the holder moving direction, where an ink container hook provided on the carriage is engaged.
Is formed, and a positioning engagement protrusion 434 is provided at a position adjacent to the engagement groove 444 so as to protrude vertically. A pair of engagement projections 448 having an engagement recess 446 that engages with a pair of head holder hooks provided on the carriage is provided on the rear edge of the bottom wall 438 of the head holder 436 so as to protrude. An engagement wall 440 is provided at a position adjacent to the engagement protrusion 448 upwardly. Positioning engagement protrusion 434 and positioning engagement recess 44
Reference numeral 6 denotes an ink container 430 using an ink container hook.
Holder, head holder 43 with head holder hook
6 is provided in a position that does not hinder the holding. Other configurations are the same as those of the embodiment shown in FIGS.
Description is omitted.

When the ink container 430 is rotated and attached to the head holder 436, as shown in FIG. 32, the positioning engaging projections 434 are fitted into the positioning engaging recesses 442 and are engaged. The hook for the ink container is engaged with the groove 444, and the ink container 430 is prevented from being displaced with respect to the head holder 436 in the holder moving direction and in the front-rear direction.

In each of the above embodiments, the ink container 8
In order to attach the head holders 80, 430 to the head holders 80, 436, a first engagement protrusion 164 projecting forward is provided on the front surface of the ink container 82, 430.
Although the first engagement protrusion receiving portion 150 is provided on the front wall 90 of the ink container 436, as shown in FIGS. 33 to 35, the shaft portions 462 are respectively moved from both side surfaces perpendicular to the holder moving direction of the ink container 460. 33 (only one is shown in FIGS. 33 and 34), and a pair of side walls 466 of the head holder 464 are provided.
A bearing portion 468 that opens on the upper surface may be provided at the upper end portion of the front portion of the base member to support the shaft portion 462.

In this embodiment, the ink container 460
However, as shown in FIG. 35, the shaft portion 462 is rotated about the axis of the shaft portion 462 received in the bearing portion 468 as the rotation center O. The shaft portion 426 and the bearing portion 468 A distance R1 from O to the lowermost end of the porous body 138,
The distance R2 to the lowermost edge of the ink supply port 162, the distance R3 to the lower surface of the second engagement protrusion 166, the head holder 464
The distance R4 to the upper surface of the bottom wall 86 of R1 is R1 <R2 <R3.
<R4. Other configurations are the same as those of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 29, and description thereof will be omitted.

Since the shaft portion 462 and the bearing portion 468 are provided at the positions as described above, when the ink container 460 is attached to the head holder 464, the ink container 4
The shaft portion 462 is supported by the bearing portion 468 in an inclined posture in which the front portion of the head 60 is lower than the rear portion, and the ink container 460 is rotated so that the rear portion approaches the bottom wall 86 of the head holder 464. The body 138 and the support cylinder 130 fit into the ink supply port 162 without interfering with the peripheral edge of the opening of the ink supply port 162. When the ink container 460 is supported by the engagement of the second engagement protrusion 166 with the head holder 464, the shaft portion 462 is slightly lifted from the bearing portion 468, and the ink container 460 is connected to the second engagement protrusion. 1
Engagement protrusion 470 and engagement recess 14 having the same function as 66
6 is attached to the head holder 464 by being guided by engagement with the inclined inner surface 148.

In each of the above embodiments, the ink container 8
2,430,460 and head holders 80,434,46
4 are provided with a first engagement protrusion 164, a shaft portion 462, a first engagement protrusion receiving portion 150, and a bearing portion 468, respectively. It was designed to be attached to the holder.
As shown in FIG. 40, guide projections 486 are provided on both sides of the ink supply port 482 at the lower portion of the front face 484 of the ink container 480 where the ink supply port 482 is provided. It may be used as a guide when attaching to 488.

As shown in FIG. 38, the bottom surface 490 of the pair of guide projections 486 is formed on the bottom surface 49 of the ink container 480.
2 are located in the same plane. Ink container 4
In addition, four hemispherical supported protrusions 494 are provided on the bottom surface 490 of the 80. Front wall 4 of head holder 488
At the lower part of the rear surface of the 96, engagement recesses 500 are provided at positions on both sides of the connecting portion 498, and projections 501 project rearward from around the openings of the engagement recesses 500. The inner surface of the engagement recess 500 that is continuous with the upper surface 504 of the bottom wall 502 of the head holder 488 is an inclined inner surface 506 that rises toward the back. The supported projection 49
The amount of projection of 4 is set such that the upper surface 508 of the guide projection 486 contacts the corresponding upper inner surface 510 of the engagement recess 500 in a state where the supported projection 494 is supported by the upper surface 504. Further, on the upper portion of the rear surface of the front wall 496, the stopper projections 5 are provided on both sides with the connecting portion 498 interposed therebetween.
12 are protruded. The stopper projection 512 has a plate shape that is long in the holder moving direction. Other configurations are the same as those of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 29, and a detailed description is omitted.

The ink container 480 is connected to the head holder 488.
39, the cover 184 is opened as shown in FIG. 39, and the ink container 480 is inserted into the frame 12 in an inclined position in which the front portion is positioned lower than the rear portion, and the guide projection 4
86 is brought into contact with the upper surface 504 of the bottom wall 502 of the head holder 488. In this state, the ink container 480 is advanced, and after contacting the stopper protrusion 512 as shown in FIG. 40, the ink container 480 is rotated so that the rear portion approaches the bottom wall 502.

When the ink container 480 is tilted so that the front portion is located below the rear portion, the ink container 480 is
If there is no guide projection 486 protruding from the front 484 of the
Due to the inclination, the position of the ink supply port 482 is lowered, and the upper edge of the ink supply port 482 interferes with the support cylinder 130 and the porous body 138 forming the connecting portion 498. However, if there is a guide projection 486 and it is supported on the upper surface 504, FIG.
9, the position of the ink supply port 498 is raised as shown by the broken line in the positional relationship between the ink supply port 482 and the support cylinder 130, and interference with the support cylinder 130 and the porous body 138 is avoided. If the guide projection 486 is provided, when the ink container 82 is inclined, the upper edge of the ink supply port 482 is supported by the support cylinder 1.
30 and the distance between the support cylinder 130 and the support cylinder 130 increases, whereas the lower edge of the ink supply port 482 is
The distance between them becomes smaller. However, in the inclined position,
The lower edge of the ink supply port 482 is located on the tapered portion 132 side, which is the tip of the support cylinder 130, and originally has the support cylinder 13.
Since the distance between the ink supply port 482 and the ink supply port 482 is increased by inclining the ink container 82, the distance between the ink supply container 482 and the support cylinder 130 does not interfere.

When the ink container 480 is the stopper projection 512
After contact with the bottom wall 502, the ink supply port 482 is lowered when approaching the mounting position, and the distance between the upper edge of the ink supply port 482 and the support cylinder 130 is reduced. However, after the guide projection 486 is engaged with the inclined inner surface 506 of the engagement concave portion 500, the ink container 480 is guided by the inclined inner surface 506, and the ink container 480 is finally lifted by the head holder 488. As in the case where the ink supply port 482 is inserted horizontally from the rear part, the ink supply port 482 and the connection part 498 are fitted in a posture in which the axes are substantially coincident with each other. The ink container 480 is supported by the upper surface 504 of the bottom wall 502 at the supported protrusion 494. In this state, the upper surface 508 of the guide protrusion 486 contacts the upper inner surface 510 of the engagement recess 500, and the ink container 480 Floating from the head holder 488 is prevented.

If the inclination angle is the same, the longer the guide projection, the larger the amount of rise of the ink supply port. Ink container 48
When attaching the ink container 480 to the head holder 488, as shown in FIG. 39, it is convenient to make the rear portion contact the upper surface of the rear wall 38 of the carriage 32 to determine the inclination angle of the ink container 480. 38 is brought into contact with the upper surface,
With the guide projection 486 in contact with the upper surface 508,
The length of the guide protrusion 486 is set so that the ink supply port 482 has a size that allows the ink supply port 482 to rise so as not to interfere with the porous body 138 and the support cylinder 130.

The guide projection 486 is connected to the ink container 48.
0, which protrudes forward from the front 484, thereby preventing the ink ejecting apparatus from being enlarged. Head holder 48
An ejection head 78 is provided on the front surface of the front wall 90 of the head 8.
This is because the dimension in the front-rear direction does not increase.

In the above embodiment, the guide projection 486 is provided such that the bottom surface 490 is located on the same plane as the bottom surface 492 of the ink container 480. However, as in the case of the guide projection 520 shown in FIG. The container 522 may be provided at an intermediate portion in the vertical direction. The guide projection 520 is projected forward from an intermediate position in the vertical direction on both sides perpendicular to the holder moving direction of the ink container 522, beyond the front surface 524 of the ink container 522. On the bottom surface of the ink container 522, four supported protrusions 526 forming a hemisphere are provided.

The head holder 530 is provided with guide plates 534 parallel to the front-rear direction at the front of the inner surfaces of two side walls 532 perpendicular to the holder moving direction.
Constitutes a support guide surface 536 that supports the guide protrusion 520. The support guide surface 536 is connected to the ink container 52
2 is provided at a position where the axis of rotation coincides with the axis of the connecting portion 542. Engaging recesses 544 are formed on both sides of the connecting portion 542 of the front wall 540 of the head holder 530 with the connecting portion 542 interposed therebetween in the holder moving direction. The lower inner surface of the engagement concave portion 544 is an inclined inner surface 546 that is continuous with the support guide surface 536 and that is inclined upward toward the far side. Further, on the rear surface of the front wall 540, stopper protrusions 548 protrude at two places separated on both sides of the connecting portion 542 in the holder moving direction.

The head holder 530 of the ink container 522
When the ink container 522 is attached to the ink container 522, the ink container 522 has an inclined position in which the front portion is located lower than the rear portion, and the tip of the guide protrusion 520 is brought into contact with the support guide surface 536. In this position, the ink container 522 is advanced until it comes into contact with the stopper protrusion 548. At this time, the porous body 138 and the support cylinder 130 do not interfere with the peripheral edge of the ink supply port 162, and the ink supply port 162 The position and shape of the lower surface of the guide protrusion 520 are determined so as to fit into the guide protrusion 520. For example, when the support guide surface 536 of the guide plate 534 is formed at the same height as the axis of the connecting portion 542 (to be precise, the rotation axis of the ink container 522 corresponds to the axis of the connection portion 542). In the case where the ink container 522 is tilted, the position of the upper edge portion of the ink supply port 162 is lowered, but the amount of the reduction is the guide protrusion 486. 36 to 40 provided at the lower end of the ink container 480, the front surface 52 of the ink container 522 of the guide protrusion 520 is smaller.
The amount of protrusion from 4 is also small. Therefore, the amount of protrusion of the guide protrusion 520 from the front surface 524 of the ink container 522 may be actually reduced, but the guide protrusion 520 may be reduced.
When it is not desirable to make the guide projection 520 shorter in order to prevent the ink container 522 from floating from the head holder 530 by engaging with the engagement recess 544, the lower surface of the tip of the guide projection 520 Are shaped so as not to contact the support guide surface 536.

The support guide surface 536 of the guide plate 534 is at the same height as the upper edge of the ink supply port 162 (more precisely, the rotation axis of the ink container 522 is at the same position as the upper edge of the ink supply port 162). Height).
Even when the ink container 522 is tilted, the position of the upper edge of the ink supply port 162 does not lower, so that the guide protrusion 520 does not need to protrude from the front surface 524 of the ink container 522. Therefore, as shown in FIG.
It is also possible to form guide protrusions that are supported and guided by the support guide surface on the shaft-like protrusions protruding laterally from the front ends of two side surfaces perpendicular to the holder moving direction of the ink container.

As described above, after the ink container 522 is advanced until it comes into contact with the stopper projection 548, the ink container 522 is rotated so as to approach the bottom wall 550 of the head holder 530. At this time, the position of the upper edge portion of the ink supply port 162 is lowered, but when the guide protrusion 520 comes into engagement with the inclined inner surface 546 of the engagement concave portion 544, it is guided by the inclined inner surface 546 to be lifted, and the ink storage portion is moved. The container 522 is attached to the head holder 530 in such a manner that the axes of the ink supply port 162 and the connecting portion 142 substantially coincide with each other, as in the case where the container 522 is horizontally inserted into the head holder 530 from the rear. The ink container 522 has a bottom wall 550 at the supported protrusion 526.
The guide projection 520 is supported on the upper surface 552 of the
Is brought into contact with the upper inner surface of the engagement recess 544 to prevent the ink container 522 from rising.

[0151] The direction perpendicular to the holder moving direction of the ink container 2
FIG. 42 shows an example in which an axial projection is protruded laterally from the front end of the side surface to form a guide projection. Axial projections 564 projecting laterally are provided at front ends of two side surfaces 562 of the ink container 560 that are perpendicular to the holder moving direction. Each of the axial projections 564 is provided such that the axis is positioned at the same height as the upper edge of the ink supply port 566. Engagement protrusions 568 are provided on both sides of the lower ink supply port 566 at the front of the ink container 560 so as to project forward, respectively.
Stopper protrusions 569 are respectively provided on both sides of the protrusion 6 therebetween. Further, four supported projections 570 are protruded from the bottom surface of the ink container 560.

The front end portions of the pair of side walls 574 of the head holder 572 are cut out in parallel in the front-rear direction, extend in the front-rear direction, and form a horizontal support guide surface 576. These support guide surfaces 574 are formed at a height that is lower from the axis of the shaft-shaped protrusion 564 by a radius of the shaft-shaped protrusion 564. The support guide surface 572 is formed such that the axis of the shaft-like projection 564 is at the same height as the upper edge of the ink supply port 566. Head holder 57
Engaging recesses 584 are formed on both sides of the connecting portion 580 at the lower portion of the rear surface 582 of the second front wall 578. Bottom wall 5 of head holder 572 of engagement recess 584
The lower inner surface that is continuous with the upper surface 588 of the 86 is an inclined inner surface 590 that is inclined upward toward the front.

The head holder 572 of the ink container 560
When the ink container 560 is mounted on the support guide surface 576, the ink container 560 is inclined such that the front portion is located lower than the rear portion. After the 569 is advanced until it comes into contact with the rear surface 582 of the front wall 578 of the head holder 572, it is rotated and placed on the head holder 572. Since the support guide surface 576 is provided such that the axis of the shaft-like projection 564 is at the same height as the upper edge of the ink supply port 566, the porous shape is formed when the ink container 560 is advanced and rotated. The body 138 and the support cylinder 130 are fitted into the ink supply port 566 without interfering with the peripheral edge of the opening of the ink supply port 566. When the engagement protrusion 568 enters the engagement recess 584 and comes into contact with the inclined inner surface 590, the axial protrusion 564 is disengaged from the support guide surface 576, and thereafter, the engagement protrusion 568 is guided by the inclined inner surface 590. And
Due to the inclination of the inclined inner surface 590, the ink container 560 is moved while being slightly lifted upward and placed on the upper surface 588 of the bottom wall 586. The ink container 560 is placed on the upper surface 588 at the supported protrusion 570, the engagement protrusion 568 is fitted into the engagement recess 584, and the upper surface of the engagement protrusion 568 and the upper inner surface of the engagement recess 584. Are prevented from being lifted from the head holder 572 of the ink container 560.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 42, the vertical surface rising perpendicularly from the front edge of the support guide surface 576 is used as a stopper surface, and the shaft-shaped projection 564 is engaged with the stopper surface. May be stopped. The guide projection is brought into contact with the end of the support guide surface to define the movement limit of the ink container. Further, the stopper protrusion 569 is omitted, and the ink container 560 is omitted.
To the front face 578 of the front wall 578 of the head holder 572.
May be stopped to advance the ink container 560, or the front surface of the ink container 560 may be stopped against the flange 136 of the connecting portion 580 by stopping the front.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 29, the cap 263 of the cap device 192 is
An engagement concave portion 336 is formed on the cap support portion 264. The engagement concave portion 336 is fitted and fixed to the engagement protrusion 334 formed on the cap support portion 264. However, as shown in FIG. Cap part 600 made of
Vulcanization bonding to the front surface 606 of the bottom wall 604
08 may be configured. Other configurations are the same as those of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 29, and description thereof will be omitted.

In addition, the cap is not limited to a structure in which the cap portion is supported by the cap support portions that are separate from each other so as to be relatively immovable, and the cap portion and the cap support portion may be integrated. For example, a synthetic resin is molded to obtain a cap in which the cap portion and the cap support portion are integrated.

It should be noted that, in each of the above embodiments,
The wiper blade supporting members 194 and 380 of the ink jet head cleaning devices 190 and 378 rotate to the operating position,
Although it has been designed to be moved to the standby position and the cleaning position, it may be moved to the operation position, the standby position and the cleaning position by linear movement.
Further, a cleaning member may be provided at the standby position, and the standby position and the cleaning position may be the same position. further,
It is not essential to clean the wiper blade, and the cleaning member may be omitted, and the wiper blade support member may be moved between the standby position and the operation position.

In each of the above embodiments, the cam follower for releasing and the cam follower for realizing the locked state are mounted on the frame by being fixed to the wiper blade support member, but are mounted on the frame separately from the wiper blade support member. Is also good. In this case, the release cam follower,
The movements of the cam followers for achieving the locked state are respectively transmitted to the wiper blade support member by the transmission means, and the wiper blade support member is indirectly rotated by the carriage. Further, it is not essential that the release arm also serves as the operating arm, and may be provided separately.

Furthermore, it is not essential to provide a supported projection on the bottom surface of the ink container and to support it by the upper surface of the bottom wall of the head holder. The supported projection is omitted, and the bottom surface of the ink container is directly connected to the head holder. You may make it support on the upper surface of a bottom wall. In addition, an engagement protrusion similar to the second engagement protrusion 166 is provided on the front surface of the ink container having no supported protrusion, and the engagement protrusion and the engagement recess in which the engagement protrusion is engaged are accurately formed. The engagement protrusion is fitted into the engagement recess, and the lower surface of the engagement protrusion and the lower inner surface of the engagement recess just contact with the upper surface of the engagement protrusion being in contact with the upper inner surface of the engagement recess. However, it is also possible to prevent the ink container from being displaced in the vertical direction. In this case, the positioning engaging projection 154 of FIG.
It is also possible to support the rear part of the ink container 82 by contacting the bottom surface of the ink container 82.

Further, when the ink container 82 is attached to the head holder 80 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 29, the ink container 82 is perpendicular to the head holder 80 as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. It is not indispensable to set the posture, and the first engagement protrusion 164 and the first engagement protrusion receiving portion 1
The cover 184 may have any inclined posture that engages with the cover 50.
May be provided at a position where an opening is formed in accordance with the setting of the inclination angle. The degree of freedom in designing the cover is high.

Further, the ink ejecting device may be reciprocated a plurality of times, and the ink ejecting surface may be wiped a plurality of times by the wiper blade. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIGS.
After cleaning the ink ejection surface 102 by the first
The carriage 32 is moved from the recording region side to the non-recording region side before the carriage 10 moves to a position where it is disengaged from the engagement with the holding surface 244, and the ink ejection surface 102 is wiped by the wiper blade 196 by this movement. One operating arm 2
10 and the inclined surface 244, the second operating arm 2
Again before the carriage 12 is seated on the support surface 224.
2 is moved from the non-printing area side to the printing area side, so that the ink jetting surface 102 is wiped by the wiper blade 196. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 30, the carriage 32 is moved from the recording area side to the non-recording area side before the operating arm 386 is disengaged from the arm sliding surface 418, and the operating arm 386 is moved by the arm sliding. Face 41
The carriage 32 is moved from the non-recording area side to the recording area side before the engagement with the carriage 8 is released.

Further, the cap device 192 of the above embodiment is used.
In, the cap portion 266 is brought into close contact with the ink jetting surface 102 by the urging force of the tension coil spring 300 that urges the rail member 292.
A cap may be provided between the cap holder and the cap, and the cap may be brought into close contact with the ink jetting surface by a compression coil spring that biases the cap. in this case,
It is desirable to use a long compression coil spring, which has a small spring constant and compressed short, to reduce the non-uniformity of the surface pressure due to the inclination of the cap. Further, both ends of the compression coil spring for urging the cap are fixed to the cap and the cap holder, respectively, and the engagement between the engagement projection (330) of the cap support member and the engagement wall (314) of the cap holder is performed. May be omitted. Further, the cap support portion 264 and the cap holder 262 are connected with the fitting portion 322 and the fitting projection 3.
It is not indispensable that the fitting portions 322 and the fitting portions 322 and 306 are fitted together.

Further, in the cap device, rubber may be used as the elastic member instead of the compression coil spring, and the cap holder may hold the cap so as to be relatively movable in any direction. Further, the number of elastic members is not limited to one, and a plurality of elastic members may be provided. For example, four compression coil springs are arranged at four places between the cap and the cap holder, which are separated from each other in a direction parallel to the holder moving direction and in a vertical direction.

Further, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 29, the outer peripheral surface of the fitting portion 322 and the narrow portion 3 of the fitting groove 302 are formed.
The fitting clearance between the inner peripheral surface of the fitting portion 322 and the outer peripheral surface of the fitting protrusion 306 is smaller than that of the fitting portion 322, but may be reversed. In this case, the wide groove 308 can be omitted. It is only necessary to project the fitting projection 306 at the center of the bottom surface of the fitting groove 302. In this case, it is desirable that the tip of the fitting protrusion 306 be a tapered portion whose diameter gradually decreases toward the tip, and that the fitting portion 322 be a guide for fitting to the fitting protrusion 306.
Furthermore, it is not essential that the protruding end surface of the fitting protrusion 306 has a length that is located in the same plane as the distal end surface of the fitting portion 286 of the cap holder 262, and may be shorter. When the cap support 264 is rotated,
It is only necessary that the fitting portion 322 has a length that does not separate.

Further, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 29, the first engagement projection 164 and the first engagement projection receiving portion 150 are provided.
Are provided in pairs, but a projection extending in the width direction may be provided at the center of the front wall of the front wall of the ink container in the width direction to serve as the first engagement projection. Further, a protrusion extending in the width direction may be provided at the center in the width direction of the rear surface of the front wall of the head holder to serve as the first engagement protrusion receiving portion. Each of the first engagement protrusion and the first engagement protrusion receiving portion may be one, or a plurality of each may be provided, or one of the engagement protrusion and the engagement protrusion receiving portion is provided, and the other is provided. May be provided in plurality. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 36 to 40 and 41, the pair of stopper projections 512 and 548 for stopping the forward movement of the ink containers 480 and 522 may be one projection extending in the width direction of the head holder. .

Further, the present invention can be applied to an ink jet head cleaning device for a thermal ink jet device in which air in the ink is heated by a heating element provided in the ink flow path to jet the ink. it can. Also, the present invention
The present invention is also applicable to an ink ejecting apparatus and a cartridge for an ink ejecting apparatus in which the ink ejecting direction is not the horizontal direction but the inclined direction is the vertical direction. Furthermore, the present invention can be implemented in a mode in which the combination of the components in each of the above embodiments is changed. In addition, without departing from the scope of the claims, the present invention can be implemented in various modified and improved forms based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an ink jet recording apparatus having a cap device according to an embodiment common to the first to fourth aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing a state where the ink ejecting device of the ink jet recording apparatus is mounted on a carriage.

FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view when the ink ejecting device of the ink jet recording apparatus is mounted on a carriage and cut along a cutting plane different from FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a rear view showing the ink ejection device.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing an ink container and a head holder of the ink ejecting apparatus.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the head holder with a connecting portion disassembled.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state where the ink container is viewed from the front side.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a state where the ink container is viewed from the bottom side.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating attachment of the ink container to a head holder.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating setting of positions of a first engagement protrusion and a first engagement protrusion receiving portion provided on the ink container and the head holder, respectively.

FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the ink jet head cleaning device together with a cap device.

FIG. 12 is a front view showing the ink jet head cleaning device and the cap device.

FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a wiper blade and a wiper blade support member of the ink jet head cleaning device.

FIG. 14 is a front view showing the wiper blade and the wiper blade support member.

FIG. 15 is a side view showing a state where the ink ejecting apparatus is mounted on a carriage.

FIG. 16 is a front view showing a state where the ink ejecting apparatus is mounted on a carriage.

FIG. 17 is a side sectional view showing a cap unit of the cap device.

FIG. 18 is a bottom sectional view showing a part of a cap and a cap holder of the cap device.

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the ink jet head cleaning device when the ink jet device moves from a recording area to a non-recording area.

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a wiper blade of the ink jet head cleaning device is cleaned by a cleaning member.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating release of locking of the wiper blade support member at a standby position based on movement of the carriage.

FIG. 22 is a view showing a state in which the wiper blade support member has been turned to an operation position.

FIG. 23 is a diagram illustrating a state in which an ink ejection surface of an ink ejection head is cleaned by a wiper blade supported by the wiper blade support member.

FIG. 24 is a diagram illustrating a state in which cleaning of an ink ejection surface by the wiper blade has been completed.

FIG. 25 is a diagram illustrating a movement path of the carriage.

FIG. 26 is a diagram illustrating capping of the ink ejection surface by the cap of the cap device when the ejection head is not tilted about the vertical axis.

FIG. 27 is a diagram illustrating capping of an ink ejection surface by a cap when the ejection head is inclined about a vertical axis.

FIG. 28 is a diagram illustrating capping of the ink ejection surface by the cap when the ejection head has a tilt around the vertical axis in a direction opposite to that of FIG. 27;

FIG. 29 is a diagram illustrating capping of an ink ejection surface by a cap when the ejection head is inclined about an axis parallel to the holder moving direction.

FIG. 30 is a diagram illustrating cleaning of an ink ejection surface and cleaning of a wiper blade by an ink ejection head cleaning device in another mode different from the above-described ink ejection head cleaning device.

FIG. 31 is a perspective view showing another example of a first engagement protrusion and a first engagement recess for preventing a displacement of the ink container and the head holder in the holder moving direction.

32 is a front sectional view showing a state where the positioning engagement projection and the positioning engagement recess as the first engagement projection and the first engagement recess shown in FIG. 31 are fitted.

FIG. 33 is a perspective view showing another example of the first rotation engagement portion and the second rotation engagement portion that constitute the center of rotation when the ink container is attached to the head holder.

FIG. 34 is a perspective view showing a state where the ink container shown in FIG. 33 is viewed from the front side.

FIG. 35 is a diagram illustrating the installation positions of a shaft portion and a bearing portion as the first rotation engagement portion and the second rotation engagement portion shown in FIG. 33.

FIG. 36 is a perspective view showing an example in which an ink container and a head holder are attached by engaging a guide projection provided on the ink container with a head holder.

FIG. 37 is a perspective view showing the ink container shown in FIG. 36.

FIG. 38 is a side sectional view showing a state where the ink container shown in FIG. 36 is attached to a head holder.

FIG. 39 is a diagram illustrating attachment of the ink container shown in FIG. 36 to a head holder.

40 is a diagram showing another state of attachment of the ink container shown in FIG. 36 to the head holder.

FIG. 41 is a perspective view showing an example in which the mounting of the ink container to the head holder is guided by engagement of a guide projection provided on the side surface of the ink container and a guide plate provided on the head holder.

FIG. 42 is a perspective view showing an example in which the mounting of the head holder of the ink container is guided by the engagement of the axial projection provided on the side surface of the ink container and the support guide surface provided on the head holder.

FIG. 43 is a plan sectional view showing another embodiment of the cap of the cap device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 28 Recording paper 30 Ink ejecting device 32 Carriage 52 Carriage moving device 78 Injecting head 102 Ink ejecting surface 192 Cap device 260 Follow-up table 262 Cap holder 263 Cap 264 Cap supporting portion 266 Cap portion 295 Cam member 300 Tension coil spring 326 Compressed coil spring 344 Positioning protrusion 350 Adhesion surface 600 Cap part 602 Cap support part 608 Cap

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A cap device for an ink jet recording apparatus, comprising: a cap that hermetically closes an ink jetting surface of the jetting head by tightly adhering to the jetting head for jetting ink, and a cap holder that holds the cap. A cap support portion for supporting the cap and the cap holder, the fitting protrusion and the fitting recess respectively provided,
The direction in which the cap is in close contact with the ejection head,
If it is fitted with a gap in every direction that is almost perpendicular,
The elasticity between the cap support and the cap holder
One end of the member directly contacts the cap support
By providing in a compressed state, the cap
With the ink ejection surface of the cap holder
From the position around any straight line on the ink jetting surface
Even in the state rotated by an angle, the entire contact surface is
A cap device characterized in that the cap device is held in close contact with the ejection surface . 2. The cap device according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member is a compression coil spring. 3. A second engaging member in which the cap has a first engaging portion extending in a direction intersecting a perpendicular direction substantially perpendicular to the contact surface, and wherein the cap holder is engaged with the first engaging portion. The shape and dimensions of the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion define the relative position of the cap to the cap holder in the perpendicular direction in a state where a preload is applied to the elastic member. The cap device according to claim 1, wherein the shape and the size are determined in an appropriate manner. 4. A close-contact separation device for relatively moving the cap holder and the ejection head in a right-angle movement direction substantially perpendicular to the close contact surface to thereby closely contact and separate the cap and the ejection head; A translation device for moving the head and the cap holder in a parallel movement direction substantially parallel to the contact surface, wherein the cap is flush with the cap holder and the contact surface.
And the spray head
All SANYO having positioning projection which projects into de side, the positioning projection is an injection head and integral member or jetting head itself along with the relative movement of the parallel movement direction of the cap holder and the injection head injection Contact the head side member and place the cap in a plane parallel to the close contact surface
The cap device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cap device is positioned at a position directly facing the ejection head by rotating the cap device.