JP3469894B2 - Ink jet printer and ink head recovery processing method - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet printer, and more particularly to an ink jet printer for ensuring ink ejection from a head portion of an ink head.

[0001]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ink jet printer which ejects ink droplets from a single or plural ink ejection holes (hereinafter referred to as nozzles) onto a recording medium for recording has been widely used as a printer alone or as an output device of a facsimile or a word processor. There are uses.

In addition to monochrome printing, color printing is also possible by using an ink head compatible with a plurality of color inks. A maintenance unit is provided in order to reliably eject ink from the ink head of such an inkjet printer.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a main part of a conventional example of an ink jet printer having a maintenance unit 10 for cleaning an ink head, and FIG.
FIG. The carriage 3 reciprocates in the direction of arrow A by the drive belt 2 along the guide shaft 1, and the recording medium 5 is transferred to the ink head 4 mounted on the carriage 3.
Nozzles are provided so as to face each other, and printing is performed by the ink ejected from the nozzles on the recording medium 5 conveyed from the paper feeding unit 6.

The wiper blade 8 of the cleaning device 7 provided so as to face the ink head 4 moves so as to come into contact with the nozzle surface of the ink head 4 as necessary to remove ink drops or dust adhering to the nozzle surface. Remove.

Further, a suction tube (not shown) is provided on the cap 9 provided on the side of the cleaning device 7 so as to seal and protect the ink head 4 at the time of non-recording and to prevent the ink in the orifice portion of the ink head 4 from leaking. Prevents drying, and when the ink head 4 prints badly, the ink head 4
The dust and air bubbles inside the ink are pulled out by suction with a suction motor through the suction tube together with the ink.

Further, the performance of the ink head 4 is restored by performing a spit operation (so-called spitting) in which ink is ejected from the nozzles of the ink head 4 after the suction is performed.

The mixture of the ink droplets and dust sucked by the cap 9, the ink droplets ejected from the nozzle by the spit operation, and the ink droplets and dust collected by the cleaning device are provided at the bottom of the maintenance unit 10. It is designed to be discharged to the bad.

In the case of a color ink jet printer including a black ink head and a color ink head,
Two caps are provided, one for the black ink head and one for the color ink head, each of which has a suction tube so that the caps can be discharged to different places in the pad. Further, as for the spit operation, the black ink head and the color ink head are simultaneously performed, so that the ink is ejected to different places in the pad.

By the way, the black ink is a pigment-based ink having a high viscosity, and the color ink is a dye-based ink having a low viscosity. Therefore, when the ink is discharged onto the pad as described above, the black ink is deposited and solidified due to its viscosity. On the other hand, since the color ink has a low viscosity, it spreads along the bottom surface of the pad and is stored.

[0010]

However, if the black ink is continuously deposited, there is a problem that the top of the deposit comes into contact with the ink head. Further, due to the high viscosity of the black ink, there is a problem that the black ink stays inside the suction tube and is solidified to cause clogging of the suction tube.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and the viscosity of black ink is increased by mixing a black ink made of a pigment ink having a high viscosity and a color ink made of a dye ink having a low viscosity. By lowering it, it is intended to prevent the solidification of the black ink.

[0012]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An ink jet printer of the present invention for achieving the above object comprises a black ink head for ejecting pigment-based ink, a color ink head for ejecting dye-based ink, a black ink head or and one contact member for sucking closely possible ink in the color ink head, a housing member for containing ink, the ink end is sucked provided on the contact member of one to discharge into the receiving member A guide tube and a negative pressure generating unit for sucking ink through the guide tube are provided.

The contact member is brought into close contact with the black ink head, and the black ink is passed through the guide tube at the negative pressure generating section.
After suction Te, is the disjunction of the contact member from said black ink head, to close contact with the color ink heads, the proposed color ink is a dye-based ink in the negative pressure generating unit
It is characterized in that control means for terminating the suction process by suctioning through the inner tube is provided.

As described above, by sucking the pigment-based black ink from the black ink head and then sucking the dye-based color ink, for example, the pigment-based black ink having a high viscosity and the dye-based dye having a low viscosity are used. The color inks are always mixed, and as a result, the viscosity of the previously sucked black ink is reduced, solidification of the black ink is suppressed, clogging of the guide tube is prevented, and the black ink can be discharged to the containing member.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In a printer according to the present invention, a black ink head and a color ink head are connected to an ink tank for black ink or color ink and eject ink from nozzles according to a print signal. It is mounted on a carriage slidably supported by a guide shaft, and printing is performed by moving an ink head and a printing paper in a direction orthogonal to each other.

The cleaning unit in the present invention is a unit mainly for cleaning the nozzles of the ink head. For example, when the ink is forcibly sucked out from the nozzles to remove dust and bubbles in the ink head, It includes a device for accommodating ink during a spit operation in which the head ejects ink from the nozzle when not printing.

The storage member of the present invention is provided in the cleaning unit, and a member for storing the ink discharged from the nozzle of the ink head, for example, a container called a pad is used for the cleaning unit. Further, the drive section in the present invention is provided with a function or mechanism for selectively performing movement of the ink head and ink ejection operation, movement of the cleaning unit and ink suction operation, for example.

It is preferable that the cleaning unit has an ink suction portion that sucks the ink inside the black ink head and the color ink head and discharges it to the containing member. This ink suction unit can suck out the ink that has entered the nozzles of the ink head and further dust.

In this case, the ink suction unit includes a contact member which can be in airtight contact with the black ink head and the color ink head, a guide tube for guiding the black ink and the color ink from the contact member to the containing member, and a guide tube. It is preferable to have a negative pressure generating portion that generates a negative pressure in the contact member via the. Since the negative pressure generating unit closely adheres the black ink head and the color ink head to the black ink head and the color ink head via the guide tube to suck the ink, the suction work can be performed efficiently.

It is preferable that the contact member is composed of one cap, and the cap is in close contact with the black ink head to suck the black ink, and then in close contact with the color ink head to suck the color ink. Since the black ink and the color ink are discharged at the same position and the black ink head and the color ink head are sucked in order using one cap, the high viscosity black ink is diluted with the low viscosity color ink. It is possible to prevent the black ink from solidifying. Further, since the black ink remaining in the guide tube is diluted with the color ink, it is possible to prevent clogging of the guide tube due to solidification of the black ink.

The drive unit has an ink head drive unit, and the ink head drive unit moves the black ink head and the color ink head so that the black ink and the color ink are discharged in order to the same position of the containing member. Is preferred. With this configuration, the ink head drive unit can move the black ink head and the color ink head to the same position of the containing member in this order to perform the spit operation.
The black ink deposited on the containing member is diluted with the color inks, and the solidification of the black ink can be prevented.

Further, the driving unit has a containing member driving unit, and the containing member driving unit moves the containing member so that black ink and color ink are discharged to the same position of the containing member in this order. Good. Also with this configuration, since the containing member is moved by the containing member driving unit, the spit operation can be performed in the same position of the containing member in the order of the black ink head and the color ink head. It can be diluted with ink to prevent solidification of black ink.

It is preferable that the accommodating member has a pad for accommodating both the ink sucked and discharged by the ink suction section and the ink discharged from the black ink head and the color ink head. According to this configuration, since the ink sucked and discharged by the suction member and the ink discharged by the spit operation are stored in one pad, the structure of the entire cleaning unit can be simplified.

Further, the accommodating means independently comprises a pad for accommodating the ink sucked and discharged by the ink suction means and a pad for accommodating the ink discharged from the black ink head and the color ink head. Good. According to this configuration, since the pad that stores the ink that is sucked and discharged by the suction unit and the pad that stores the ink that is discharged by the spit operation are provided independently, each position can be set freely. Therefore, the degree of freedom of drive control of the ink head and the pad can be widened.

(First Embodiment) A first embodiment according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the configuration explanatory view shown in FIG. In the first embodiment, the cleaning unit is 1 in the color inkjet printer.
This is a mode in which the black ink head and the color ink head are sucked by the individual caps. It should be noted that in FIG. 1, in order to clearly explain the features of this embodiment, only members related to the ink head and ink suction are shown, and the components are not shown.

In FIG. 1, a cap 11 as a contact member faces a black ink head 21 or a color ink head 22 by a drive unit (not shown), and its opening can be brought into close contact with and separated from the ink heads 21 and 22. It is provided. Furthermore, the cap 11 is a tube 1 as a guide tube.
It is connected via 2 to a suction pump 13 as a negative pressure generating portion. When the pump 13 is operated, the cap 11 sucks out a mixture of ink droplets and dust in the nozzle of the ink head 21 or 22 by the suction force of the suction pump 13.
The sucked mixture of ink droplets and dust is configured to be discharged to the pad 14 as a containing member.
The ink carriage 15 on which the black ink head 21 and the color ink head 22 are mounted is supported by a guide shaft (not shown) so as to be movable in the arrow C direction.

When the black ink head 21 and the color ink head 22 are sucked, the ink carriage 15 carrying them is moved to the maintenance area by the guide of the guide shaft and the drive of the drive unit. Within this area,
Further, the ink carriage moves so that the nozzles of the black ink head 21 and the cap 11 face each other. The cap 11 is movable in the direction of arrow D, and the black ink head 2
When the nozzle 1 and the cap 11 face each other, the cap 1
1 is driven by a drive unit to approach and closely contact the nozzle.
After that, the suction pump 13 operates to suck out a mixture of ink droplets and dust (hereinafter collectively referred to as black ink). When the suction work of the black ink head 21 is completed, the cap 11 is driven by the drive unit, moves in the direction away from the nozzle, and returns to the initial position.

After that, the color ink head 22 continues.
To aspirate. The ink carriage is driven by a guide shaft and driven by a driving unit to drive the color ink head 2
2 moves so as to face the cap 11. When the nozzles of the color ink head 22 and the cap 11 face each other, the cap 11 is driven by the driving unit to approach and closely contact the nozzle. After that, like the black ink head 21, a mixture of ink droplets and dust (hereinafter collectively referred to as color ink).
The suction work is performed, and then the robot returns to the initial position.

In the above suction work, since the black ink has a high viscosity, it may remain in the tube 12 before being sucked and discharged into the pad. However, after the black ink is sucked, when the low-viscosity color ink is sucked and passes through the tube 12, it is mixed with the remaining black ink to dilute the viscosity, and as a result, the fluidity is improved and remains. Black ink is discharged onto the pad 14.

The tube 12 is arranged between the cap 11 and the suction pump 13 so as to move along with the movement of the cap 11 in the direction of the arrow D.
And the pad 14 are fixed so that the inks sucked when the black ink and the color inks are sucked are discharged to the same position.

According to the above structure, the black ink remaining in the tube is diluted with the color ink by sucking the nozzles of the black ink head and the nozzles of the color ink head in this order using one cap. It is possible to prevent the clogging of the tube due to the solidification of the ink.

Further, conventionally, the black ink and the color ink were discharged to different positions on the pad, but in this embodiment, since there is only one tube and the end portion on the pad side is fixed, the black ink is black. The discharge positions of the ink and the color ink are the same, and the high-viscosity black ink is diluted with the low-viscosity color ink to prevent the black ink from solidifying.

(Second Embodiment) A second embodiment according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the structural explanatory view shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, in a cleaning unit of a color inkjet printer, when performing a spit operation after a suction operation, an ink head drive unit (not shown) using an ink carriage equipped with a black ink head and a color ink head as a drive unit. ), And the black ink and the color ink are discharged to the same position on the pad. In order to clearly explain the features of the second embodiment, FIG. 2 illustrates only the members related to the ink head and the ink spit, and omits the other components.

After the ink suction work as shown in the above-described embodiment is completed, the ink head has a pad for exclusive use of a spit as a storage member in the maintenance area or a pad for discharging the ink sucked by the suction work. 14 (FIG. 1) to perform a spit operation. FIG. 2 shows the spit pad 14a. As a procedure, the ink carriage 15 is moved by an arrow C by a driving unit (not shown) so that the nozzle of the black ink head comes to a position facing the predetermined discharge position on any one of the pads 14 or 14a.
Move in the direction. At this position, a predetermined amount of black ink is ejected from the nozzle of the black ink head 21 to the pad 14a (or 1
Discharge toward 4).

Then, the spit operation of the color ink is continued. The ink carriage 15 is placed on the pad 14a at a position facing a predetermined discharge position.
The ink carriage 15 is moved by the drive unit so that the two nozzles come. At this position, a predetermined amount of color ink is ejected from the nozzles of the color ink head 22 to the pad 14a.
Discharge toward.

In the discharging operation, the black ink may be deposited on the discharged pad 14a due to its high viscosity. However, when the low-viscosity color ink is discharged to the same position after the black ink spit operation, the viscosity is diluted by mixing with the deposited black ink, and as a result, the fluidity is improved and the deposited black ink is deposited. Collapses to spread in the surface direction of the bottom surface of the pad 14a.

According to the above construction, the black ink head and the color ink head are moved in this order to the same predetermined discharge position of the pad 14a to perform the spit operation, so that the pad 1 is ejected.
Since the black ink deposited on 4a is diluted with the color ink, it is possible to prevent the black ink from solidifying. The same applies when the pad 14 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is used instead of the pad 14a.

(Third Embodiment) A third embodiment according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the structural explanatory view shown in FIG. In this embodiment, in a cleaning unit of a color inkjet printer, when performing a spit operation after a suction operation, an ink carriage on which a black ink head and a color ink head are mounted is fixed, and a storage unit drive unit (drive unit) (Not shown) moves the pad to discharge the black ink and the color ink to the same position on the pad. In the spit operation, after the black ink spit operation, the color ink spit operation is performed.

In order to clearly explain the features of the third embodiment, FIG. 3 shows only the members related to the ink head and the spit operation of the ink, and omits the other components. The description of the contents common to the second embodiment will be omitted.

Normally, after the ink suction work is completed, the ink carriage 15 stops at a predetermined position in the maintenance area. In the maintenance area, the spit-dedicated pad 14b as the accommodating section or the pad 14 (FIG. 1) from which the ink sucked by the suction operation is discharged is moved by the accommodating member driving section to perform the spit operation.

As a procedure, the pad 14 is placed so that the nozzle position of the black ink head 21 mounted on the ink carriage 15 stopped at a predetermined position faces the ink discharge position.
The housing member drive unit moves b in the direction of arrow E. The pad 14b moves to move to the ink discharge position and the black ink head 21.
Black ink head 2 when the nozzles of the
The first nozzle ejects a predetermined amount of black ink toward the ejection position of the pad 14b. When the black ink spit operation is completed, the pad 14b is moved so that the nozzle of the color ink head 22 faces the position where the black ink is discharged. When the pad 14b moves to a position where the ink discharge position and the nozzle of the color ink head 22 face each other, the nozzle of the color ink head 22 superimposes a predetermined amount of color ink on the already discharged black ink. Discharge.

In the spit operation, the black ink may be deposited on the discharged pad because of its high viscosity. However, when the low-viscosity color ink is discharged to the same position after the black ink spit operation, the viscosity is diluted by mixing with the deposited black ink, and as a result, the fluidity is improved and the deposited black ink is deposited. Collapses to spread in the surface direction of the bottom surface of the pad 14b.

According to the above construction, the pad 14b is moved and the black ink head and the color ink head are spited at the same position of the pad 14b in this order, whereby the black ink deposited on the pad 14b is diluted with the color ink. Therefore, the solidification of the black ink can be prevented. The same applies when the pad 14 is used instead of the pad 14b.

[0044]

According to the present invention, for example, pigment-based black ink or dye-based color ink is sucked through the same contact member and tube. At this time, face recovery
After inhaling the black dye ink, be sure to use the dye-based color ink
To terminate the recovery process by sucking click, can be discharged to the same position of the housing member with a simple configuration, also have viscosity <br/> high degree of pigment in click and low dye-in click viscosity As a result, the viscosity of the pigment-based black ink is reduced, solidification of the black ink alone in the tube is prevented, and clogging can be prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration explanatory view showing a configuration of a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration explanatory view showing a configuration of a conventional example.

5 is an enlarged view of part B in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 Cap (adhesive member) 12 tubes 13 Suction pump 14 pad (accommodation member) 15 ink carriage 21 black ink head 22 color ink head

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Masanobu Exit 22-22 Nagaike-cho, Abeno-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture Sharp Corporation (56) References JP-A-7-68795 (JP, A) JP-A-8- 1960 (JP, A) JP-A 14-178543 (JP, A) JP-A 8-281968 (JP, A) JP-A 2-1325 (JP, A) JP-A 8-58115 (JP, A) JP-A-7-68790 (JP, A) JP-A-10-217494 (JP, A) JP-A-1-198356 (JP, A) JP-A-7-276668 (JP, A) JP-A-10-278304 (JP, A) JP 2000-239590 (JP, A) JP 2000-203063 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 2/18 B41J 2/175 B41J 2/185

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A black ink head for ejecting a pigment-based ink, a color ink head for ejecting a dye-based ink, and a single contact member that can be in close contact with the black ink head or the color ink head and sucks ink. An accommodating member for accommodating ink, and one guide tube provided at one end of the contact member for ejecting the sucked ink to the accommodating member,
A negative pressure generating section for sucking ink through the guide tube, the contact member is brought into close contact with the black ink head, and the negative ink generating section sucks black ink through the guide tube. After that, the contact member is brought into and out of contact with the black ink head to be brought into close contact with the color ink head, and the color ink , which is a dye-based ink, is passed through the guide tube in the negative pressure generating section. An inkjet printer provided with a control means for sucking and ending the suction processing. 2. The guide tube is made of a single flexible tube, and an end portion of the guide tube opposite to the contact member is located above the containing member, and the ink sucked at the same position of the containing member. The inkjet printer according to claim 1, wherein the inkjet printer discharges the ink. 3. The ink jet printer according to claim 2, wherein the negative pressure generating unit is arranged in the middle of the tube. 4. The black ink head and the color ink head are mounted on a carriage that is reciprocally moved for recording, and a position at which the carriage is moved to suck the black ink head or the color ink head. The ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein the ink jet printer faces the contact member. 5. An ink head for ejecting a pigment-based ink and an ink head for ejecting a dye-based ink are provided for recording, and any one of the above inks is used to recover the ejection performance from the ink head. When ink is sucked from the head for recovery processing, a cap for suction is closely attached to the ink head that ejects the pigment-based ink, and the pigment-based ink is sucked and sucked.
First step of discharging the pigment-based ink to the containing member, and after finishing the first step , the cap is brought into close contact with the ink head for discharging the dye-based ink, and the dye-based ink is sucked and sucked. Dye-based ink is added to the containing member
An ink head recovery processing method comprising a second step of discharging to the same position, and a third step of terminating the recovery processing by ink suction after the completion of the second step. 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the pigment-based ink is a black ink and the dye-based ink is a color ink for performing color printing.