JP3230303B2 - Inkjet printer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet printer provided with a nozzle wiping device for cleaning a nozzle and a nozzle suction device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known an ink jet printer having a structure shown in FIG. 3 provided with a nozzle wiping device and a nozzle suction device. This ink jet printer moves the recording head 1 into the protection device 15 when the nozzle surface 11 located on the lower surface of the recording head 1 is clogged with ink or dust and the print quality deteriorates.
The nozzle clogging is removed by a suction-type cleaning device (not shown) housed in the protection device 15.

[0003] After the clogging of the nozzle 11 is removed,
Alternatively, after printing for a predetermined time, the surface of the nozzle 11 is wiped by moving the recording head 1 above the wiper 16. Since the wiper 16 is fixed in the vertical direction, extra wiping is performed every time the recording head 1 moves into the protection device 15 and performs suction cleaning. For this reason, the ink and dust having increased viscosity in a semi-dry state adhered on the wiper 16 are applied to the nozzle surface 11 again.

As a result, the print quality of the recording head 1 is degraded, and further, as the number of times of wiping by the wiper 16 increases, the wear of the wiper 16 progresses and the wiper 16
Life is shortened. Therefore, a device has been proposed in which the wiper is moved up and down to wipe only when necessary. It is, FIG. 4, a drive unit of the wiper shown in FIG.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a recording head 1 and a wiper 17.
And shows only the driving portion thereof, the other parts 3
It is configured similarly to. As in the case of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3 , this apparatus moves the recording head 1 to the upper right side of the wiper 17 when the nozzles are clogged by ink or dust and the print quality is reduced, or after printing for a predetermined time. After the movement, the wiper 17 is raised, and the recording head 1 is moved to the left to perform wiping.

The up-and-down movement of the wiper 17 is driven by a motor 23 installed below the wiper 17 and a gear unit 22 connected to the motor 23. That is, the motor 23
Is rotated, the gear 20 on the output side of the gear unit 22 is rotated, and the eccentric cam 21 coaxially connected to the gear 20 is rotated.
The arm 19 supporting the wiper 17 is pivoted upward through. Further, when the upper end of the wiper 17 rises to a predetermined level, the motor is stopped. The other end of the arm 19 to which the wiper 17 is fixed is supported by a pin 18.

FIG. 4 shows a state in which the wiper 17 is lowered, and the recording head 1 can freely pass above the wiper 17. FIG. 5 shows a state in which the wiper 17 has risen to the nozzle surface 11 from the state shown in FIG. 4. In this state, the nozzle surface 11 is wiped by moving the recording head 1 to the left. When the wiping by the wiper 17 is completed, the motor 23 is rotated in reverse to lower the wiper 17 to be in a standby state for the next wiping. By providing the lifting mechanism for the wiper 17, the wiping cleaning and the suction cleaning can be performed completely independently.

[0008]

However, since the motor 23, the gear unit 22, the arm 19, and the like are newly installed as the lifting mechanism dedicated to the wiper, an extra space is required and the cost is increased. There was a problem. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet printer having a wiper elevating mechanism capable of saving space and reducing costs.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises a nozzle wiping device and a nozzle suction device.
Of the recording head in an inkjet printer
Forward and backward in the direction perpendicular to the road, and
A drive mechanism that supports the chisel suction device, and a tip of the drive mechanism
One end engages one end and the other end supports the nozzle wiping device.
Lever and the other end of the lever can be moved toward and away from the road
To support the middle of the lever so that it can rotate in the
The support shaft and the spring that urges the other end of the lever in the backward direction
It is characterized by having.

[0010]

According to the present invention, the driving mechanism operates as the recording head runs.
Forward and backward in the direction perpendicular to the path and at the tip
A nozzle suction device is supported. Lever at the end of the drive mechanism
Of the lever is engaged and the other end of the lever is
A wiping device is supported. The other end of the lever is
In the middle of the lever so that it can rotate in a
Is supported by the support shaft portion. Furthermore, it is engaged with the lever
The other end of the lever is urged in the backward direction by the spring. So
As a result, nozzle suction is performed according to the forward / backward position of the drive mechanism.
Only one of the drawing device and the nozzle wiping device records
Advance to the head side to wipe and clean the nozzle
Performed in Germany.

[0011]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.
You. FIGS. 1 and 2 show the main parts of an embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 1 shows the drive mechanism in a retracted state, and FIG.
Represents the advance state. In both figures, the nozzle wiping device
The arm 3 is integrated with the right end of the arm 13 which is a lever.
And between the lower end and the frame 4
A spring 14 is stretched.

The arm 13 is flexed by the support shaft 12 halfway.
The arm 14 is pivotally supported by the
Tension so that it always rotates clockwise.
It is being rushed. The cap 2, which is a nozzle suction device, is
It is integrally fixed to the tip of the cap mounting plate 5. Ma
In addition, the protrusion 2a formed on the right side
The tip of the arm 13 is engaged with the groove between the
Thus, the rotation range of the arm 13 is restricted.

The cap mounting plate 5 is connected to the frame 4.
It is supported so that it can reciprocate up and down. Cap removal
A pin 6 is provided upright on the upper left side of the attachment plate 5.
A link plate 7 is rotatably supported by the shaft 6. Link
The lower end of the plate 7 is engaged with a cam 9, and the cam 9 is
When rotated to 10, the cap is
The mounting plate 5 moves up and down.

Further, the cap mounting plate 5 moves up and down.
And the cap 2 together with the cap mounting plate 5 and the nozzle surface
11 moves forward and backward, but with the movement of the cap 2
The arm 13 is attached to the arm 13 by rotating the arm 13.
The wiper 3 retracts or moves in the opposite direction to the cap 2.
Proceed. That is, the cap 2 moves forward and the nozzle surface 11
Is exceeded, the wiper 3 is retracted from the nozzle surface 11.
On the contrary, the cap 2 is retracted and
When positioned in front, the wiper 3 moves beyond the nozzle surface 11
It is a level that can be wiped.

Also, the lower end of the cap mounting plate 5 and the frame
4 and a spring 8 is attached to the cap mounting plate.
5 is urged upward. These cap mounting plates
5, pin 6, link plate 7, cam 9, motor 10, spring 8
The driving mechanism of the cap 2 and the wiper 3 is constituted by
It is.

Next, the operation will be described with reference to FIGS.
Each will be described. (1) After the clogging of the nozzle surface 11 is removed by the first process cap 2,
As shown in FIG. 1, the motor 10 is rotated to remove the cap.
The attachment plate 5 is lowered and supported by the tip of the cap attachment plate 5.
The cap 2 is retracted below the nozzle surface 11.
And the wiper 3 is advanced beyond the nozzle surface 11.
You.

(2) Second Step Next, the recording head 1 is moved rightward to move the nozzle surface 1
1 to remove ink and dust adhering to the nozzle surface 11
Remove.

(3) Third Step Here, the motor 10 is rotated in the reverse direction, as shown in FIG.
Raise the cap mounting plate 5 and move the wiper 3
Repel. The recording head 1 moving to the right in this state
To the left and move it between the cap 2 and the wiper 3.
To stop. If necessary, the motor 10
The cap 2 is retracted by rotating
Ends wiping cleaning by allowing head 1 to return to the left.
I do.

The wiping cleaning has been described above.
In the case of sweeping, without considering the operation of the wiper 3,
It can be executed by raising and lowering the top mounting plate 5.
You. In the embodiment of the present invention, when the nozzle is clogged,
On the cap mounting plate 5 supporting the reciprocating cap 2
Since the wiper 3 was also attached via the arm 13, nozzle clogging
The same power source and power transmission both when clearing and when wiping the nozzle surface
The cap 2 or the wiper 3 can be operated by the mechanism.
And become possible. As a result, the wiper dedicated
Drive mechanism is not required, saving space and cost.
Toe down is measured.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, the driving
Support the nozzle suction device at the tip of the support member at the tip of the mechanism
Nozzle wiping device via a lever that engages with the tip
, So that the drive mechanism moves forward and backward
Depending on the nozzle suction device or nozzle wiping device
Only one of them is advanced to the print head side, and the nozzle
Wiping and suction cleaning can be performed independently. That
Result, nozzle wiping device contact and drive mechanism of the nozzle suction device
Are common, which saves space and costs.
It will work.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a retracted state of a drive mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a forward movement state of a drive mechanism according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a conventional example.

FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory diagram of a conventional example.

FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory diagram of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Recording head 2 Cap 2a Projection part 3 Wiper 4 Frame 5 Cap mounting plate 6 Pin 7 Link plate 8 Spring 9 Cam 10 Motor 11 Nozzle surface 12 Support shaft 13 Arm 14 Spring 25 arm

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-3-290259 (JP, A) JP-A-6-8459 (JP, A) JP-A-2-198859 (JP, A) JP-A-6-1984 965 (JP, A) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 2/01 B41J 2/165 B41J 2/185

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A nozzle wiping device for cleaning a nozzle and a nozzle.
In an inkjet printer equipped with a suction device, It is assumed that the print head moves forward and backward in the vertical direction with respect to the travel path.
A driving mechanism for supporting the nozzle suction device at the tip thereof, One end engages the tip of this drive mechanism and the other end
A lever for supporting the wiping device; The other end of the lever can be pivoted in a direction that allows it to move toward and away from the road
To be able to support the middle of the lever, A spring for urging the other end of the lever in the backward direction, An ink jet printer comprising: