JP4645250B2 - Liquid recovery apparatus and liquid ejecting apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid recovery apparatus and a liquid ejection apparatus.

  Conventionally, an ink jet printer (hereinafter referred to as “printer”) is known as a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects liquid onto a target. In this printer, in order to reduce ink ejection defects, cleaning is performed as appropriate to eject thickened ink from nozzles that eject ink. In this cleaning, after the nozzle forming surface on which the nozzle is formed is sealed with a cap, a space (inside the cap) that is airtight between the nozzle forming surface and the cap is sucked by a suction pump. The printer forms an inner space of the cap that becomes a negative pressure on the ink discharge direction side, and discharges the thickened ink or the like by using the negative pressure.

  In such cleaning, the ink ejected from the nozzle is sucked by a suction pump and then collected in a collecting container as described in Patent Document 1, for example. The collection container contains an ink absorbing material (liquid absorbing material) inside, and the ink discharged from the suction pump (hereinafter referred to as “discharged ink”) is the ink absorbing material in the collecting container. To be absorbed. The recovery container evaporates a part of the ink solvent in the recovered discharged ink from the opening of the recovery container, thereby reducing the capacity of the discharged ink and improving the recovery efficiency.

  However, since the entire upper portion of the collection container of Patent Document 1 is an opening, when the atmospheric temperature of the printer is high, the ink solvent of the discharged ink is evaporated in a large amount from the inside of the collection container. In particular, when the discharged ink is pigment ink or high-concentration ink, the discharged ink thickens due to evaporation of the ink solvent, the ink absorbing material is clogged, and the amount of discharged ink that can be absorbed and held by the ink absorbing material decreases. Therefore, the recovery efficiency of the discharged ink by the recovery container is also lowered.

Therefore, in consideration of such a decrease in the collection efficiency of the discharged ink, recently, the entire upper part (that is, the entire opening) of the collection container is sealed with a lid, and the inside and outside of the collection container are sealed on a part of the lid. There has been proposed a printer in which an opening having a predetermined area for communication is provided. In such a printer, the evaporation amount of the ink solvent of the discharged ink can be suppressed by evaporating the ink solvent through a small opening provided in the lid.
JP 2004-34361 A

  However, since the opening area of the opening provided in the lid is constant, when the ambient temperature of the printer is low, only a small amount of the ink solvent evaporates. For this reason, the capacity of the discharged ink is not reduced so much, and instead the recovery efficiency of the recovery container may be lowered.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to such problems existing in the prior art. An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid recovery apparatus and a liquid ejecting apparatus that can improve the liquid recovery efficiency by adjusting the evaporation amount of the liquid from the recovery container.

A liquid recovery apparatus according to the present invention includes a liquid absorbent that absorbs liquid discharged from a discharge port , and a recovery container that houses the liquid absorbent, and a part of the liquid is evaporated through an opening of the recovery container. The liquid recovery apparatus includes an opening / closing means for opening / closing the opening, and a control means for controlling the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing means. The control means has an opening area of the opening according to a change in ambient temperature. The opening / closing operation of the opening / closing means is controlled so as to be changed .

  According to the present invention, for example, even if the surrounding environment changes, by appropriately changing the opening area of the opening, it is possible to suitably adjust the evaporation amount of the liquid from the collection container. Recovery efficiency can be improved.

Furthermore , even if the evaporation amount of the liquid changes with the change of the ambient temperature, the evaporation amount of the liquid from the inside of the recovery container can be suitably adjusted by appropriately changing the opening area of the opening, The recovery efficiency of the liquid can be improved.

In the liquid recovery apparatus of the present invention, the control means controls the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing means so that the opening area of the opening decreases as the ambient temperature increases.
According to the present invention, even when the atmospheric temperature is increased, the amount of evaporation of the liquid can be made substantially constant (less likely to change) by reducing the opening area of the opening in accordance with the increase in the atmospheric temperature. Recovery efficiency can be improved.

A liquid recovery apparatus according to the present invention includes a liquid absorbent that absorbs liquid discharged from a discharge port , and a recovery container that houses the liquid absorbent, and a part of the liquid is evaporated through an opening of the recovery container. The liquid recovery apparatus includes an opening / closing means for opening / closing the opening, and a control means for controlling an opening / closing operation of the opening / closing means . The opening / closing operation of the opening / closing means is controlled so that the opening area is changed.
According to the present invention, for example, even if the surrounding environment changes, by appropriately changing the opening area of the opening, it is possible to suitably adjust the evaporation amount of the liquid from the collection container. Recovery efficiency can be improved.
Furthermore , since the evaporation of the liquid can be promoted while suppressing the liquid in the recovery container from solidifying, the recovery efficiency of the liquid can be improved.

In the liquid recovery apparatus of the present invention, the control means controls the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing means so that the opening area of the opening increases as the amount of liquid in the recovery container increases.
According to this invention, as the amount of liquid in the recovery container increases, the amount of evaporation of the liquid can be increased, so that the recovery efficiency of the liquid can be improved.

  The liquid ejecting apparatus according to the aspect of the invention ejects the liquid stored in the liquid storing unit, the cap that seals the nozzle forming surface of the liquid ejecting head, and the liquid ejecting head from the liquid ejecting head into the cap. Recovery means for recovering the liquid from the outlet, and the recovery means is constituted by the liquid recovery apparatus having the above-described configuration.

  According to this invention, even if the surrounding environment changes, the evaporation amount of the liquid from the collection container can be suitably adjusted by appropriately changing the opening area of the opening. Efficiency can be improved.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in an ink jet printer will be described with reference to FIGS. Unless otherwise specified, the front-rear direction, the up-down direction, and the left-right direction in the following description are the same as the front-rear direction, the up-down direction, and the left-right direction based on the ink jet printer shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an ink jet printer 10 as a liquid ejecting apparatus includes a bottomed substantially long rectangular box-shaped main body case 11 that covers the entire apparatus of the ink jet printer 10. Between the left and right side walls of the main body case 11, a rod-shaped guide member 12 is installed so as to extend in the left-right direction. A carriage 13 is inserted into and supported by the guide member 12 so as to be movable in the left-right direction along the guide member 12. The carriage 13 is connected to a carriage motor 15 via a timing belt 14, and is moved in the left-right direction along the guide member 12 by driving the carriage motor 15.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a recording head 16 as a liquid ejecting head is mounted below the carriage 13. The lower surface of the recording head 16 is a nozzle forming surface 16a, and a plurality of nozzles (not shown) are provided on the nozzle forming surface 16a. An ink cartridge 17 as a liquid storage unit is detachably mounted on the carriage 13 above the recording head 16. In the ink cartridge 17, a plurality of colors of ink as liquids are accommodated so as to be supplied to the recording head 16. Although not shown in FIG. 2, the recording head 16 is provided with a temperature sensor 44 (see FIG. 5) for measuring the ambient temperature T of the ink jet printer 10.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a platen 18 extending in the left-right direction is provided below the carriage 13. The platen 18 is a support base that supports the recording paper P as a target, and a paper feed mechanism (not shown) is provided on the upper surface thereof. This paper feed mechanism feeds (moves) the recording paper P forward by driving a paper feed motor 19 (see FIG. 1) provided in the main body case 11. When the carriage 13 is reciprocated along the guide member 12 and a piezoelectric element (not shown) provided in the recording head 16 is driven based on the print data, each ink from each nozzle on the nozzle forming surface 16a is driven. Are jetted to the recording paper P fed forward, and printing is performed on the recording paper P.

  On the bottom surface of the main body case 11 on the lower side of the platen 18, a recovery container 20 that constitutes a liquid recovery device as a recovery means is provided. The collection container 20 includes a container body 21 having a bottomed substantially long rectangular box shape extending in the left-right direction, and a lid body 22 that closes an upper end opening 21a (see FIG. 3) of the container body 21. As shown in FIG. 2, a communication portion 23 that connects the inside and the outside of the container body 21 is formed on the right side wall of the container body 21. The communication part 23 is formed by notching a part of the upper-end center part of the right side wall of the container main body 21 in a U shape (see FIG. 3).

  As shown in FIG. 3, an ink absorbing material 24 as a liquid absorbing material is accommodated in the container main body 21 so as to substantially fill the container main body 21, and the ink absorbing material 24 and the lid 22 are A slight gap is provided between them. A concave portion 25 having a quadrangular shape in a plan view is formed at the right end portion of the ink absorbing material 24, and a space in the concave portion 25 serves as an introduction chamber 26. In addition, a communication path 27 that connects the communication portion 23 and the recess 25 is formed between the communication portion 23 and the recess 25.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a rectangular opening 28 extending in the left-right direction is formed in a part of the upper surface of the lid 22 (in the vicinity of the front end in FIG. 3). Thus, the inside and outside of the collection container 20 communicate with each other. In addition, on the upper surface of the lid 22, an opening / closing member 29 made of a substantially rectangular plate capable of closing the opening 28 has a fully closed position where the entire opening 28 is closed and a fully open position where the entire opening 28 is opened. A rack portion 29 a is formed on the rear end surface of the opening / closing member 29. Further, a disc-shaped opening / closing motor 30 and an opening / closing gear 31 are provided on the upper surface of the lid 22. The opening / closing motor 30 and the opening / closing gear 31 are connected via a rotating shaft 30 a extending in the vertical direction, and the opening / closing gear 31 meshes with the rack portion 29 a of the opening / closing member 29.

  When the opening / closing gear 31 rotates positively about the rotation shaft 30a by driving the opening / closing motor 30, the opening / closing member 29 moves to the left so as to close the entire opening 28, and the opening / closing gear 31 is centered on the rotation shaft 30a. When rotating in the reverse direction, the opening / closing member 29 moves to the right so as to open the entire opening 28. The opening area S of the opening 28 can be freely changed by stopping the opening / closing member 29 at an arbitrary position between the fully closed position and the fully open position. Note that a guide mechanism (not shown) is provided on the upper surface of the lid 22 to guide the opening / closing member 29 when the opening / closing member 29 slides. In this embodiment, the opening / closing member 29, the opening / closing motor 30, the rotating shaft 30a, and the opening / closing gear 31 constitute an opening / closing means.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a non-printing area (home position) where printing is not performed is provided at the right end in the main body case 11, and a cleaning mechanism 32 is provided in this non-printing area. Is provided. The cleaning mechanism 32 includes a cap 33, a discharge tube 34, and a suction pump 35.

  The cap 33 has a substantially square box shape with an upper surface opened, and is configured to reciprocate in the vertical direction by the driving force of a lifting motor 36 (see FIG. 5) provided in a non-printing area. . As shown in FIG. 2, a suction hole 33 a that penetrates the inner bottom wall in the vertical direction is formed in the inner bottom wall of the cap 33. A substantially rectangular frame-shaped portion 33 b made of a flexible material is provided on the upper end portion of the cap 33. When the cap 33 is moved upward while the recording head 16 is moved to the non-printing area, the frame-shaped portion 33b is brought into contact with the nozzle forming surface 16a of the recording head 16, and this contact Thus, a cap internal space that is a space for sealing each nozzle (not shown) is formed in the cap 33.

  As shown in FIG. 2, one end of the discharge tube 34 is connected to the suction hole 33 a, and the other end is accommodated in the collection container 20 and is introduced into the introduction chamber 26 through the communication portion 23 and the communication passage 27. Led up to. The distal end portion of the discharge tube 34 in the introduction chamber 26 is bent at a substantially right angle toward the lower side, and the distal end of the discharge tube 34 is a discharge port 34a. In this case, the discharge port 34a of the discharge tube 34 and the inner bottom surface of the recess 25 forming the introduction chamber 26 are opposed to each other without being in contact with each other. Ink can be discharged into the introduction chamber 26 in the collection container 20.

  Further, a suction pump 35 is provided in the middle portion of the discharge tube 34. Then, by driving the suction pump 35 with the cap 33 sealing the nozzle formation surface 16a, each thickened ink in the recording head 16 passes from each nozzle (not shown) through the space in the cap. Then, the recording head 16 is discharged from the discharge port 34a into the introduction chamber 26, and the recording head 16 is cleaned. In this case, the discharged ink discharged from the discharge port 34 a into the introduction chamber 26 is absorbed and held in the ink absorbing material 24.

Next, the electrical configuration of the ink jet printer 10 will be described with reference to FIG.
The ink jet printer 10 includes a control unit 40, and the control unit 40 includes a CPU 41 as a control unit, and a ROM 42 and a RAM 43 as storage units. The CPU 41 performs various controls in the ink jet printer 10 using the RAM 43 as a work area based on various control programs stored in the ROM 42. The control unit 40 is connected to a host computer (not shown) via an interface (not shown), and performs a printing operation based on print data transmitted from the host computer.

  The ROM 42 stores change data for changing the opening area S of the opening 28 in accordance with the ambient temperature T. In the change data, a plurality of threshold values of the ambient temperature T are set (three in this embodiment, 10 ° C., 25 ° C., and 40 ° C.), and the opening area S is in a plurality of stages (in this embodiment, The maximum opening area of the opening area S is set to 100% (fully open), 70%, 40%, and 10%).

  The CPU 41 is electrically connected to an opening / closing motor 30, a suction pump 35, and a lifting motor 36. The opening / closing motor 30, the suction pump 35, and the lifting motor 36 are driven and controlled by the CPU 41. Yes. Further, a temperature sensor 44 is electrically connected to the CPU 41.

Next, the opening degree changing process routine of the opening 28 in the ink jet printer 10 will be described based on the flowchart shown in FIG.
When changing the opening area S of the opening 28, first, the CPU 41 reads the signal input from the temperature sensor 44 and detects the ambient temperature T of the ink jet printer 10 (step S1). Next, the CPU 41 determines whether or not the ambient temperature T detected in step S1 is lower than 10 ° C. based on the change data (step S2). If the determination in step S2 is affirmative, the CPU 41 drives the opening / closing motor 30 to move the opening / closing member 29 so that the opening area S of the opening 28 becomes 100% (fully open) of the maximum opening area. (Step S3), and then the opening degree changing process routine is terminated.

  When the determination in step S2 is negative, the CPU 41 determines whether the atmospheric temperature T detected in step S1 is 10 ° C. or higher and lower than 25 ° C. based on the change data (step S4). ). When the determination in step S4 is affirmative, the CPU 41 drives the opening / closing motor 30 to move the opening / closing member 29 so that the opening area S of the opening 28 becomes 70% of the maximum opening area (step S41). S5) Thereafter, the opening degree changing process routine is terminated. If the determination in step S4 is negative, the CPU 41 determines whether the ambient temperature T detected in step S1 is 25 ° C. or higher and lower than 40 ° C. based on the change data (step S6). ).

  When the determination in step S6 is affirmative, the CPU 41 drives the opening / closing motor 30 to move the opening / closing member 29 so that the opening area S of the opening 28 is 40% of the maximum opening area (step S7) Thereafter, the opening degree changing process routine is terminated. If the determination in step S6 is negative, the CPU 41 drives the opening / closing motor 30 to move the opening / closing member 29 so that the opening area S of the opening 28 becomes 10% of the maximum opening area (step S8) Thereafter, the opening degree changing process routine is terminated.

  As described above, the opening area S of the opening 28 is reduced as the atmospheric temperature T becomes higher, and the opening area S of the opening 28 is increased as the atmospheric temperature T becomes lower, so that the ink from the collection container 20 is increased. Since the evaporation amount can be made substantially constant, the ink recovery efficiency can be improved even if the ambient temperature T changes.

Therefore, according to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) Since the size of the opening area S of the opening 28 can be changed as appropriate even when the environment (atmosphere temperature T, humidity, etc.) around the ink jet printer 10 changes, the inside of the collection container 20 can be changed. The ink evaporation amount can be suitably adjusted, and the recovery efficiency of the ink into the recovery container 20 can be improved.

  (2) Since the size of the opening area S of the opening 28 can be appropriately changed according to the change in the atmospheric temperature T that has a great influence on the ink evaporation amount, the amount of ink from the collection container 20 can be appropriately changed. The evaporation amount can be suitably adjusted, and the recovery efficiency of the ink into the recovery container 20 can be improved.

  (3) Although the ink easily evaporates as the ambient temperature T increases, the amount of ink evaporated from the collection container 20 is increased by increasing the opening area S of the opening 28 as the ambient temperature T increases. It can be adjusted (promoted) suitably, and the recovery efficiency of the ink into the recovery container 20 can be improved.

(Example of change)
In addition, you may change the said embodiment as follows.
The shape of the opening 28 may be a polygonal shape other than a rectangle such as a triangle, a circular shape, an elliptical shape, a fan shape, or the like. In this case, the shape of the opening / closing member 29 may be any shape that can close or open the opening 28, but is preferably a shape corresponding to the shape of the opening 28.

  The number and size of the openings 28 formed in the lid body 22 may be arbitrary. In this case, the number and size of the openings 28 need to be appropriately determined in consideration of the shape and performance of the collection container 20 and the ink absorber 24, the type of ink, and the like.

  -The formation position of the opening part 28 in the cover body 22 is good also as arbitrary. In this case, the opening 28 is preferably formed at a position separated from the introduction chamber 26 in order to further promote the penetration of the ink into the ink absorbing material 24. For example, when the introduction chamber 26 is provided in the vicinity of the periphery of the collection container 20, the opening 28 may be provided in the vicinity of the opposite periphery opposite to the vicinity of the periphery.

  In addition to the opening 28, the lid 22 may be formed with an opening that is always opened separately. In this case, the opening that is always open may be formed at a position separated from the opening 28 or may be sufficiently open compared to the opening 28 so as not to affect the control of the ink evaporation amount from the opening 28. It is necessary to reduce the area. Further, in this case, it is necessary to form the opening that is always open at a position separated from the introduction chamber 26.

  The collection container 20 may be configured such that the opening 28 is formed by omitting the opening 28 and sliding the whole or part of the lid 22 relative to the container main body 21. .

  The opening 28 may be configured by a plurality of holes arranged with each other, and each hole may be closed or opened one by one by the sliding movement of the opening / closing member 29. In this way, the size of the opening area S of the opening 28 can be changed in units of one hole.

-You may form the container main body 21 and the cover body 22 integrally.
The size of the opening area S of the opening 28 may be adjusted regardless of the ambient temperature T.

The threshold value of the ambient temperature T may be set at a smaller interval (for example, every 1 ° C.), and the size of the opening area S of the opening 28 may be changed in small increments according to each temperature range.
The opening area S (or opening) of the opening 28 is represented by a specific calculation formula using the ambient temperature T, and the opening area S (or opening) of the opening 28 is appropriately changed based on the calculation formula. You may do it.

  The opening area S of the opening 28 may be changed according to the total amount of ink in the collection container 20. That is, the opening area S of the opening 28 may be increased as the total ink amount in the collection container 20 increases. In this case, the total ink amount in the collection container 20 is preferably obtained by counting the amount of ink ejected from the nozzles of the recording head 16 by the CPU 41. In this way, the amount of ink evaporation increases as the total amount of ink in the collection container 20 increases, so that the ink in the collection container 20 is solidified and the ink absorber 24 is prevented from being clogged. Ink evaporation can be promoted. Accordingly, the ink recovery efficiency can be improved.

The opening area S of the opening 28 may be changed based on two parameters, the ambient temperature T and the total ink amount in the collection container 20.
In the above embodiment, the liquid ejecting apparatus is embodied as an ink jet printer. However, for example, the liquid ejecting apparatus may be a liquid ejecting apparatus used for manufacturing a color filter such as a liquid crystal display or pixel formation such as an organic EL display. .

1 is a perspective view of an ink jet printer according to an embodiment. Sectional drawing of the printer. The disassembled perspective view of the collection container of the printer. The principal part top view of the cover body of the printer. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the printer. The flowchart which shows the opening degree change process routine of the printer.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Inkjet printer as a liquid ejecting apparatus, 16 ... Recording head as a liquid ejecting head, 16a ... Nozzle formation surface, 17 ... Ink cartridge as a liquid storage means, 20 ... Recovery constituting a liquid recovery apparatus as a recovery means Container, 24... Ink absorbing material as liquid absorbing material constituting liquid collecting device as collecting means, 28... Opening, 29. Opening and closing member as opening and closing means, 30. Rotating shaft as 31 Open / close gear as opening / closing means, 33 ... Cap, 34a ... Discharge port, 41 ... CPU as control means, T ... Ambient temperature, S ... Opening area

Claims (5)

In a liquid recovery apparatus that includes a liquid absorbent that absorbs liquid discharged from a discharge port, and a recovery container that stores the liquid absorbent, and evaporates a part of the liquid through an opening of the recovery container.
Opening and closing means for opening and closing the opening, and control means for controlling the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing means ,
The liquid recovery apparatus , wherein the control means controls the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing means so that the opening area of the opening is changed according to a change in ambient temperature . 2. The liquid recovery apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls an opening / closing operation of the opening / closing unit so that an opening area of the opening becomes smaller as the atmospheric temperature becomes higher. In a liquid recovery apparatus that includes a liquid absorbent that absorbs liquid discharged from a discharge port, and a recovery container that stores the liquid absorbent, and evaporates a part of the liquid through an opening of the recovery container.
Opening and closing means for opening and closing the opening, and control means for controlling the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing means,
Said control means, said liquids collecting device you and controlling the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing means so that the opening area of the openings is changed according to the liquid amount of the collection container. 4. The liquid recovery apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the control means controls the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing means so that the opening area of the opening increases as the amount of liquid in the recovery container increases. . A liquid ejecting head for ejecting the liquid stored in the liquid storing means, a cap for sealing a nozzle forming surface of the liquid ejecting head, and the liquid ejected from the liquid ejecting head into the cap from the discharge port and a recovery means for recovering, said recovery means, a liquid-jet apparatus characterized by being configured by the liquid recovery apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4.

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