JP3319474B2 - Cleaning device for inkjet head - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cleaning device for removing ink on a nozzle surface of an ink jet head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an ink-jet recording head, the printing quality is greatly affected by the state near nozzles, particularly the presence or absence of unnecessary ink, because of the ejection of minute ink droplets from nozzle openings. For this reason, it is necessary to remove the ink adhering to the nozzle surface, and scrape the ink on the nozzle surface with a wiping material such as a rubber blade, or remove the ink with a rubbing material made of an ink absorbing material such as a porous material. The method of absorption is taken. Then, in order to obtain a more reliable cleaning effect, a blade material and a wiping material are used together, but there is a problem that the structure of the cleaning mechanism is complicated. In order to solve such a problem, it has been proposed to form a cleaning member by stacking a plurality of rubber plates at intervals such that a capillary phenomenon can be exhibited, as disclosed in JP-A-4-80042. .

[0003]

According to this, the scraping and wiping of the ink adhering to the nozzle surface can be realized by a single member, but the ink scraped to the front end side in the moving direction can be realized. Since the ink collects intensively, there is a problem that the ink leaks out and the wiped ink is pushed into the nozzles, resulting in a low cleaning effect. The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to reliably remove not only liquid ink but also filmed and solidified ink from a nozzle surface with a single member. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device that can perform the cleaning.

[0004]

According to the present invention , there is provided a cleaning apparatus for an ink jet head for removing ink adhered to a nozzle surface of an ink jet head for discharging ink droplets from a nozzle opening. the rollers made of elastically deformable resilient material when elastic contact with the nozzle surface rotatable by a rotary shaft, and while supporting so as to be movable in contact with the nozzle surface, holding the ink to the surface of the roller Do
The concave portion, whose both ends are sealed, can be
And it is configured to provide a ridge extending parallel to the rotary shaft so as to the form and divided in a direction.

[0005]

[Effect] Deformation of the raised part due to elastic contact with the nozzle surface is possible
While preventing, raking the ink on the nozzle surface with ridges, held in concave portions at both ends is closed.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of the present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a cleaning roller constituting a cleaning device of the present invention, and a substantially cylindrical cleaning member 1 formed of an elastic member is fixed to a roller shaft 2. On the surface of the cleaning member 1, long ridges 3 extending parallel to the roller shaft 2 are formed at substantially equal intervals on the peripheral surface as shown in FIG. 2, and ink is held between the ridges 3 by capillary force. A shallow groove 4 is formed so as to seal both ends 4a and 4b.

The cleaning member 1 is manufactured according to the type of ink to be removed from an elastic material such as natural rubber, synthetic rubber, or elastomer, and is manufactured by injection molding using a mold.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a mechanism for driving the above-described cleaning roller. The cleaning roller 11 is driven by a crank 1 via a roller shaft 2.
2 and rotatably fixed to one end of the connecting member 14 and supported. The roller shaft 2 is connected to the frame 19
The ink jet head 10 is also regulated by a guide hole 16 formed in the ink jet head 10 and moves vertically along the guide hole 16, that is, in parallel with the nozzle surface.

The roller shaft 2 is provided with a roller gear 1.
1 is attached, and the gear plate 1 is attached to the frame 19.
It moves while meshing with 8.

With this configuration, when the crankshaft 13 is rotated in the direction of arrow a by a motor (not shown), the cleaning roller 1 contacts the nozzle surface of the ink jet head 10 in the direction of arrow b along the guide hole 16. As a result, the roller gear 17 and the gear plate 18 mesh with each other and rotate in the direction of arrow c.

As a result of such linear movement and rotation of the cleaning roller 17, the ink adhering to the nozzle surface of the ink jet head 10 is rubbed by the long raised portion 3 and peeled off from the nozzle surface, and is adjacent to the raised portion 3. Groove 4
And is removed from the nozzle surface by capillary force. Since the concave groove 4 has both ends 4 a and 4 b sealed with the raised portions 3, the ink held in the concave groove 4 does not leak from both ends of the cleaning roller 17.

The removal of the ink that maintains the liquid state will be further described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 7, in a state where the liquid ink 50 is adhered to the surface of the nozzle surface 51 of the inkjet head 10, the cleaning roller 11 rotates in the direction of arrow m while the nozzle surface in the direction of arrow k. The ink 50 adhering to the nozzle surface 51 is scraped by the sliding operation of the cleaning roller 11 in the traveling direction of the cleaning roller 11.

At this time, the groove 4 of the cleaning roller 11 holds the ink 52 by capillary action, and the groove 4 holding the ink by the rotation of the cleaning roller 11.
Are compared from the nozzle surface 11, and at the same time, the next groove 4 moves to the cleaning surface to hold the ink on the nozzle surface. Thus, even if a large amount of ink adheres to the nozzle surface, the plurality of concave grooves 4 can hold and absorb the ink, and can perform cleaning without re-adhering the ink to the nozzle surface.

Next, for example, pigment 3 wt% resin 12 wt% triethanolamine 5 wt% polyethylene glycol 5 wt% isopropyl glycol 4 wt% surfactant 2 wt% water 69 wt%, the resin is easily formed into a film or solidified. The removal of ink from the nozzle surface will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 9, the cleaning roller 11 is rotated in the direction of arrow m while the resin ink 53 is solidified and adhered to the surface of the nozzle surface 52 of the inkjet head 10 in the direction of arrow k. When the resin ink 53 is moved in contact with the nozzle surface 52, the resin ink 53 solidified on the nozzle surface 52 is raked in the direction of travel of the cleaning roller 11 by the sliding operation of the cleaning roller 11 in the direction indicated by the arrow k.

At this time, the raised portion 3 formed on the surface of the cleaning roller 11 peels off the solidified ink adhered to the nozzle surface 52 by the rotation of the cleaning roller, and holds the solidified ink at the tip as the rotation rotates. The operation is retracted from 52, and the next protrusion 3 continuously repeats the operation of peeling off the ink in the new area again.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show other embodiments of the cleaning roller moving mechanism. In these embodiments, the cleaning roller is moved along an arc-shaped locus with respect to the nozzle surface. , A mechanism for rotating.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 4 uses a moving arm and a gear formed on a frame. When a motor gear 25 is driven by a motor (not shown), the moving arm 22 connected to the moving gear 24 is moved in the direction of arrow d. , The cleaning roller 11 moves along an arc-shaped locus and comes into contact with the nozzle surface. At this time, the roller gear 26 meshes with the gear 21 formed on the frame, and the cleaning roller 11
Rotate in the direction of. As a result, the nozzle surface is rubbed by the raised portion 3 and the ink is peeled off from the nozzle surface.
Are retained by the capillary force in the groove 4 adjacent to the nozzle and are removed from the nozzle surface.

The embodiment shown in FIG.
The roller pulley 32 and the roller pulley 32 are connected and fixed by a moving arm 34, and are configured to be linked by a belt 35. The belt pulley 3 is driven by a drive motor (not shown).
When the cleaning roller 11 is driven, the cleaning roller 11 moves along an arc-shaped trajectory, and at the same time, the roller pulley 32 rotates in the direction of the arrow g. It is peeled off from the surface and is held by capillary force in the groove 4 adjacent to the raised portion 3 and is removed from the nozzle surface.

The embodiment shown in FIG.
46 are connected by a fixing plate 44 so as to mesh with each other,
The gear 46 is fixed by a motor (not shown).
Is rotated in the direction of arrow h, the cleaning roller 1
1 moves along an arc-shaped trajectory, and at the same time, the roller gear 42 rotates in the direction of the arrow j to perform the above-described cleaning action.

Next, of the cleaning operation according to the above-described embodiment, the removal of the liquid ink will be described with reference to FIGS. The cleaning roller 11 is arranged as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 12, while rotating in the direction of arrow k while moving in an arc as shown by arrow m, the cleaning roller 11 comes into contact with a portion of the nozzle 55 around the nozzle 55 which needs cleaning, as shown in FIG. The cleaning of the liquid ink is performed, and finally the cleaning roller 11 is separated from the nozzle surface 51 as shown in FIG. Thereby, the nozzle 5
The liquid ink 50 adhering to the area around the cleaning roller 5 that needs cleaning is absorbed by the concave groove 4 of the cleaning roller 11 and removed.

FIGS. 14, 15, and 16 show a case where the cleaning roller is brought into contact with the nozzle surface along a locus that draws an arc to remove the solidified ink. As shown in FIG. , Rotating in the direction of arrow k while moving in an arc as shown by arrow m, and FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the cleaning roller 11 is
Then, the solidified ink 53 is adhered to the raised portion 3 and removed, and the cleaning roller 11 is finally separated from the nozzle surface as shown in FIG.

FIG. 17, FIG. 18, there is shown a second embodiment of the cleaning roller are al used in the cleaning apparatus of the present invention, is formed between the long ridges 62 of the surface of the cleaning member 1 shallow recess 6 for holding the ink
0 are separated by walls 61 . The wall 61 is next to
It is formed at a position where it does not overlap with the wall 61 of the concave portion 60 in contact.
ing. The deformation of the long ridge 62 of Russia over La-axis direction according to the embodiment that can suppress the wall 61, it is possible to enhance the cleaning effect.

FIGS. 19 and 20 show a third embodiment of the cleaning roller used in the cleaning device of the present invention. In this embodiment, the roller shaft 2 is used.
And a base 1 'of the cleaning member formed of an elastic member.
And a fold-like raised portion 70 made of an elastic material that is long in parallel with the roller shaft 2 is formed radially on the surface thereof so as to form a concave groove 71 that is shallow enough to hold ink.

According to this embodiment, the raised portion 70 acts on the nozzle surface of the ink jet head in the same manner as a blade to remove the ink strongly, and the concave groove 71 can reliably hold the ink. .

[0025]

According to the present invention as described above, according to the present invention, prevention Shinano as much as possible the deformation of the elevation according to the elastic contact between Nozzle <br/> Le surface
Then, collect the ink on the nozzle surface with the raised part, and close both ends.
Flip was holding the ink in a concave portion, the ink leakage invited
Without removing the solidified ink.
Wear.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a cleaning roller used in a cleaning device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning roller.

FIG. 3 is a view showing one embodiment of a mechanism for sliding the cleaning roller in parallel with the nozzle surface.

FIG. 4 is a view showing an embodiment of a mechanism for moving the cleaning roller in an arc shape according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a mechanism for moving the cleaning roller in an arc shape according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a view showing an embodiment of a mechanism for moving the cleaning roller in an arc shape according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a state immediately before the cleaning roller starts removing the liquid ink.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the cleaning roller removes liquid ink by a sliding operation.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a state immediately before the cleaning roller starts removing solidified or filmed ink by a sliding operation;

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the cleaning roller removes ink solidified or formed into a film by a sliding operation.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing a state immediately before the removal of liquid ink is started by moving the cleaning roller in an arc shape.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state in which a cleaning roller is moved in an arc shape to remove liquid ink.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state immediately after removing a liquid ink by moving a cleaning roller in an arc shape.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a state immediately before the cleaning roller is moved in an arc shape and removal of solidified or filmed ink is started.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a cleaning roller is moved in an arc shape to remove solidified or filmed ink.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing a state immediately after removing a solidified or filmed ink by moving a cleaning roller in an arc shape.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view illustrating a second embodiment of the cleaning roller.

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning roller.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing a third embodiment of the cleaning roller.

FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning roller.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cleaning member 2 Roller shaft 3 Raised part 4 Concave groove 10 Ink jet head 11 Cleaning roller

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A cleaning device for an ink jet head that removes ink adhered to a nozzle surface of an ink jet head that discharges ink droplets from a nozzle opening, wherein a roller made of an elastic material that is elastically deformable when elastically contacting the nozzle surface. Is rotatable by a rotating shaft, and supported so as to be able to move in contact with the nozzle surface, and is capable of holding the ink on the surface of the roller, and a concave portion having both ends sealed with the rotating shaft. A cleaning device for an ink jet head, which is provided with a raised portion extending in parallel with the rotation axis so as to be formed in a divided direction. 2. The end of the concave portion other than both ends of the shaft is formed so as not to overlap in circumferential direction with the end portion of another concave portion adjacent in the circumferential direction. Inkjet head cleaning device.