JP5599693B2 - Inkjet printer regulator and inkjet printer - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a regulator for an ink jet printer having an ink filling and cleaning function and an ink jet printer.

An ink jet printer using a printer head performs desired printing by ejecting ink from nozzles formed on the lower surface of the head while moving the head relative to the print medium. In particular, in a large-sized inkjet printer that prints commercial large format advertisements or banners, a large amount of ink is consumed in a relatively short time. Therefore, a large-capacity ink tank is provided in the printer body, and the ink tank The printer head is connected with a tube or the like, and ink is supplied from the ink tank to the printer head in accordance with ink ejection.

  FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram showing a part of a regulator of a conventional inkjet printer. The ink jet printer 500 is a type in which the head internal pressure is controlled by a pressure damper 501 and includes a pressure damper 501 connected to an ink tank via a tube and a head 1 connected to the pressure damper 501. A negative pressure valve 10 is provided in the pressure damper 501. FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram showing the negative pressure valve. In the negative pressure valve 10, the ink chamber 11 and the ink supply chamber 12 are separated by a separation wall 13, and an ink path 14 is formed at the center of the separation wall 13. The ink chamber 11 is connected to the head 1 via a tube. A flexible film 16 is provided to face the separation wall 13 of the ink chamber 11. The flexible membrane 16 is provided with a seat for the valve opening / closing member 17, and a pin is erected from the center thereof. The pin penetrates the ink path 14, and a valve 18 is provided at the tip. A sealing rubber 19 that abuts against the valve 18 is provided on the valve side of the separation wall 13. The valve 18 is pressed against the sealing rubber 19 with a predetermined pressure by a spring 20 provided in the ink supply chamber 12.

  As shown in FIG. 12, when ink is ejected from the head 1, the ink in the ink chamber 11 is reduced, and the pressure in the ink chamber 11 is reduced. As a result, the valve opening / closing member 17 supported by the flexible film 16 moves to open the valve 18, and the ink in the ink supply chamber 12 is sent into the ink chamber 11 through the ink path 14. As a result, the pressure in the ink chamber 11 rises, the valve opening / closing member 17 moves, and the valve 18 closes. By repeating these operations, ink is supplied to the ink chamber 11. The pressure damper 501 has a function of relieving sudden pressure fluctuation due to ink ejection.

  Further, Patent Document 1 discloses a valve in which the spring 20 is omitted. In this valve, until the pressure in the valve chamber reaches a constant value, the rubber raised portion is deformed, and the ink in the space below the raised portion is supplied through the communication groove, but the pressure in the valve chamber is constant. When the value is less than the value, the raised portion is deformed and the tapered lip portion is separated from the lower surface of the flange to temporarily open the communication path and supply ink to the valve chamber. It is substantially the same as the pressure valve 10.

2004-345250 (paragraphs 0041 to 0043 on page 8, FIG. 9)

  However, in the conventional ink jet printer 500, when ink is filled, suction is forcibly performed from the nozzle surface of the head 1, and the valve 18 is opened by lowering the pressure of the ink chamber 11 of the negative pressure valve 10, thereby causing the ink to flow. Ink had to be supplied from the supply chamber 12. For this reason, there is a problem that the cap 502 is attached to the nozzle of the head 1 and suction is performed by the suction pump 503. In addition, there is a problem that it takes time to handle these devices.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to enable ink filling and cleaning without using a cap or a suction pump attached to the head.

The regulator (3, 203, 250 , 300 ) of the ink jet printer according to the first aspect of the invention includes an inlet (ink path 14) connected to the ink tank side, an outlet 11a connected to the head side, and ink. The ink chamber 11 that temporarily stores, the inlet valve 18 that opens and closes the inlet, and the inlet valve is opened when the ink chamber is below a predetermined pressure during printing, and the ink chamber is below the predetermined pressure. In the regulator of an ink jet printer having a valve opening / closing mechanism (a flexible film 16, a valve opening / closing member 17, and a spring 20) that closes the inlet valve when it is large and closes the inlet valve during ink filling or cleaning. A bypass inlet 11b different from the above is formed in the ink chamber, and is connected to the bypass inlet and is connected to the ink chamber. And a bypass ink passage 21 that directly feeds ink to the bypass ink passage 21 and a bypass opening / closing means (30, 91 ) that is provided in the bypass ink passage and is closed during printing and opened during ink filling or cleaning.

  According to this, even when the regulator is in a state where the inlet is closed during ink filling or cleaning, the bypass opening / closing means is opened and the bypass ink flow path circulates, so that ink can be fed into the ink chamber. It becomes like this. Therefore, ink filling or cleaning can be performed without using other components.

  The regulator of the ink jet printer according to the second invention is the above-described invention, wherein the bypass opening and closing means includes a second chamber (32) communicating with the ink chamber, and a first chamber (31) communicating with the second chamber. A bypass valve (36) for opening and closing between the second chamber and the first chamber; and when the bypass valve is closed during printing and a pressure greater than that during printing is applied to the bypass valve during ink filling or cleaning A bypass opening / closing mechanism (38) for opening the bypass valve is provided.

  According to this, at the time of ink filling or cleaning, a large pressure different from that at the time of printing is applied to the bypass valve, so that the presence or absence of ink bypass can be switched. Therefore, ink filling or cleaning can be easily performed only by controlling the ink transport pressure.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the regulator 250 of the ink jet printer according to the above invention, wherein the regulator housing (71) is formed with flow paths on both the front and back surfaces with the dividing wall (81) as a boundary. The means defines the second chamber 32 on one surface side of the casing, and defines the first chamber 31 on the other surface side of the casing, and the second chamber or the first chamber. The above-mentioned bypass opening / closing mechanism is attached.

  Therefore, since the first chamber and the second chamber of the bypass opening / closing means are formed on the front and back of the housing, the assembly operation of the bypass opening / closing mechanism can be performed on one surface side of the first chamber or the second chamber. become. Since the bypass opening / closing mechanism can be housed in a housing to form a compact regulator, an advantage of being easily mounted on an ink jet printer can be expected.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a regulator for an ink jet printer according to the above invention, wherein the bypass opening / closing means is an electrically driven valve provided in the bypass ink flow path , and the electrically driven valve is closed during printing. It is controlled to open during filling or cleaning.

During printing, the ink chamber is depressurized by the ejection of ink from the head, and ink is supplied from the ink supply chamber to the ink chamber along with this depressurization. During cleaning, opened by controlling said electric driven valve, by supplying Lee ink, ink is supplied to the head through the bypass ink flow channel. Thus, without mounting the suction pump or the like to the head, at a constant feed pressure without changing the supply pressure of the ink, enabling the cleaning. Further, since a constant ink supply pressure is sufficient, a pressure control device is unnecessary.

According to this, even when the regulator is in a state where the inlet is closed during ink filling or cleaning, the electric ink is opened by control and the bypass ink flow path flows, so that the ink is fed into the ink chamber. be able to.

1 is a configuration diagram illustrating an ink jet printer according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the regulator of the inkjet printer which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. FIG. 3 is a detailed configuration diagram of the regulator shown in FIG. 2. It is a block diagram which shows the regulator of the inkjet printer which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a top view which shows the structure of the regulator which concerns on the Example of this invention, (a) is a front view, (b) is a rear view. It is a partially expanded sectional view which shows the regulator of FIG. It is a partially expanded sectional view which shows the regulator of FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the regulator of the inkjet printer which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a detailed block diagram of the regulator concerning Embodiment 4 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows a part of regulator of the conventional inkjet printer. It is a block diagram which shows a negative pressure valve. It is a block diagram which shows a negative pressure valve.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an ink jet printer according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The ink jet printer 100 includes a carriage 2 that is driven and controlled in the main scanning direction, a head 1 that is provided on the carriage 2 and that has a nozzle on the lower side thereof, and a regulator 3 that is provided on the carriage 2 and connected to the head 1. An ink tank 4 connected to the regulator 3 via a tube, a pump 5 for sending ink from the ink tank (including an ink cartridge) 4 to the regulator 3, a pressure control device 6 for controlling the ink supply pressure, and printing A platen 6 that supports the medium 50 on the upper surface and a transport roller 7 that transports the print medium 50 are provided. The regulator 3 is provided with a negative pressure valve 10 and a pressurization valve 30.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the regulator of the ink jet printer according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a detailed configuration diagram of the regulator shown in FIG. The ink jet printer 100 has a configuration in which a pressurizing valve 30 is connected to a conventional negative pressure valve 10. An ink flow path 150 made of a tube from an ink tank is branched and connected to the negative pressure valve 10 and the pressure valve 30, and the ink supply means comprising the ink tank 4, the pump 5 and the pressure control device 6 is connected. Ink is supplied at the same pressure.

In the negative pressure valve 10, the ink chamber 11 and the ink supply chamber 12 are separated by a separation wall 13, and an ink path (inflow port) 14 is formed at the center of the separation wall 13. The ink chamber 11 is connected to the head 1 via an outlet 11a connected to an outlet ink flow path 15 made of a tube, a groove or the like. A flexible film 16 is provided to face the separation wall 13 of the ink chamber 11. The flexible membrane 16 is provided with a seat for the valve opening / closing member 17, and a pin is erected from the center thereof. The pin penetrates the ink path 14, and a valve 18 is provided at the tip. A sealing rubber 19 that abuts against the valve 18 is provided on the valve side of the separation wall 13. The valve 18 is pressed against the sealing rubber 19 with a predetermined pressure by a spring 20 provided in the ink supply chamber 12. The ink supply chamber 12 is connected to the ink flow path 150 from the ink tank 4. Since the ink path 14 is a path for communicating the ink supply chamber 12 and the ink chamber 11, the ink flow path 150 or the like is directly connected to the ink chamber 11 without forming the ink supply chamber 12. May be formed as an inlet of the ink chamber 11.

In the ink chamber 11 of the negative pressure valve 10, a bypass ink channel 21 made of a tube, a groove, or the like is connected to the bypass inlet 11 b, and the bypass ink channel 21 is connected to the outlet 33 of the pressurizing valve 30. . In the pressurizing valve 30, the first chamber 31 and the second chamber 32 are separated by a separation wall 34, and an ink path 35 is formed in the center of the separation wall 34. The second chamber 32 is connected to the ink chamber 11 of the negative pressure valve 10 via the bypass ink flow path 21. On the valve side of the separation wall 34, a sealing rubber 37 that abuts on a bypass valve 36 (hereinafter referred to as “valve 36”) is provided. The valve 36 is pressed against the sealing rubber 37 with a predetermined pressure by a spring 38 provided in the second chamber 32.

  Next, the operation of the regulator 3 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 3A, ink is ejected from the head 1 during printing. When ink is ejected from the head 1, the ink in the ink chamber 11 is reduced and the pressure in the ink chamber 11 is reduced. Then, the valve opening / closing member 17 supported by the flexible film 16 moves to open the valve 18, and the ink in the ink supply chamber 12 is sent into the ink chamber 11 through the ink path 14. As a result, the pressure in the ink chamber 11 rises, the valve opening / closing member 17 moves, and the valve 18 closes. Further, the negative pressure valve 10 is supplied with ink at a low pressure by the pressure control device 6. This pressure needs to be a pressure that does not hinder the opening operation of the valve 18 and is a pressure that allows ink to be fed into the ink chamber 11 when the valve 18 is opened. On the other hand, the pressure valve 30 does not open the valve 36 at the low pressure ink supply pressure, so that ink is not supplied from the pressure valve 30 to the ink chamber 11 of the negative pressure valve 10. During normal printing, the above operation is repeated to supply ink to the ink chamber 11.

  Next, when ink filling or cleaning is performed, as shown in FIGS. 2B and 3B, when the ink supply pressure is switched to a high pressure by the pressure control device 6, The pressure in the first chamber 31 increases, and the valve 36 opens. As a result, the ink is sent from the first chamber 31 through the ink path 35 to the second chamber 32, and then the ink is sent directly into the ink chamber 11 of the negative pressure valve 10 through the bypass ink flow path 21. When the ink chamber 11 is filled with ink at high pressure, the flexible film 16 expands and the valve 18 closes. Further, since the ink is supplied to the ink supply chamber 12 at the same high pressure, the valve 18 remains closed. In other words, since the pressure in the ink chamber 11 and the ink supply chamber 12 is balanced, the valve 18 biased by the spring 20 remains closed. When ink is sent from the first chamber 31 to the second chamber 32, the pressure in the first chamber 31 is released and decreases, and the valve 36 is closed. When the pressure of the ink supply is switched to a low pressure by the pressure control device 6, the state returns to the state of FIG. 2 (a) and FIG. 3 (a).

  In this way, printing and ink filling or cleaning can be switched by switching the ink pressure level, so that it is not necessary to attach a cap to the head 1 and forcibly suck it with a suction pump as in the prior art. That's it. For this reason, the number of parts is reduced, and a cap mounting operation or the like can be omitted.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the regulator of the ink jet printer according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. The regulator 203 of the ink jet printer 200 according to the second embodiment is characterized in that the check pressurizing valves 61 and 62 are connected to the configuration of the first embodiment to perform air bleeding. Since this is the same as that of the first embodiment, its description is omitted. An air passage 63 is provided in the ink chamber 11 of the negative pressure valve 10, and a check pressure valve 61 is provided on the air passage 63. Further, an air passage 64 for bleeding air is connected to the head 1, and the air passage 64 such as a tube or a groove is connected to a check pressure valve 62.

  Next, the operation of the regulator 203 will be described. Since air is contained in the ink chamber 11 and the head 1 of the negative pressure valve 10 at the time of initial ink filling, it is necessary to completely remove the air. As shown in FIGS. 2B and 3B, when ink is supplied at a high pressure by the pressure control device 6, the valve of the pressurization valve 30 opens, and the ink passes from the pressurization valve 30 through the bypass ink flow path 21. Is fed into the ink chamber 11 of the negative pressure valve 10. When the ink chamber 11 is filled with ink at high pressure, the valve 18 of the negative pressure valve 10 is closed and the ink chamber 11 is filled with ink. Since the check pressurizing valve 61 is opened at a high pressure, the air in the ink chamber 11 is discharged together with the ink through the air passage 63. Even when the discharge of air is completed and the pressure of the ink is switched to a low pressure, the backflow of the air is prevented by the action of the check pressure valve 61.

  On the head 1 side, the ink is sent to the ink chamber 11 at a high pressure and filled, so that the ink is sent to the head 1 through the outlet ink flow path 15 formed of a tube, a groove, and the like. As a result, the air in the head 1 is discharged together with the ink through the air passage 64. Even when the discharge of air is completed and the pressure of the ink is switched to a low pressure, the backflow of the air is prevented by the action of the check pressure valve 62. If it does in the above, the air release of the ink chamber 11 and the head 1 can be performed easily. The pressurization valve 30 and the check pressurization valves 61 and 62 may be mechanically or electrically controllable open / close valves.

  5A and 5B are plan views showing the structure of the regulator according to the embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 5A is a front view and FIG. 5B is a rear view. 6 and 7 are partially enlarged cross-sectional views showing the regulator of FIG. This regulator 250 has a structure in which two systems of regulators are constructed inside a rectangular casing 71. As shown in FIG. 6, the casing 71 is divided into upper and lower parts by a dividing wall 81, and the ink chamber 11 of the negative pressure valve 10 is defined on the upper part of the dividing wall 81. The ink path 14 is partitioned and the valve opening / closing member 17 is biased upward by the spring 20. The valve opening / closing member 17 is attached to the flexible film 16 attached to the surface of the casing 71 in order to move up and down by the pressure inside the ink chamber 11. The pin 82 of the valve opening / closing member 17 passes through the ink path 14 and protrudes into the ink path 14 that is defined and formed below the dividing wall 81. The ink path 14 is provided with a lever 72 that is supported biased to one side. The pin 82 is in contact with the end of the lever 72 on the long side.

  In addition, an ink supply chamber 12 is partitioned and formed adjacent to the ink chamber 11 above the dividing wall 81. The valve 18 of the ink supply chamber 12 is connected to the end of the lever 72 on the short side. The lever 72 operates the valve 18 in accordance with the vertical movement of the valve opening / closing member 17. The ink supply chamber 12 is closed by a cap 73 on the upper surface, and a spring 20 is provided between the back side of the cap 73 and the valve 18. A sealing rubber 19 is provided around the ink path 14, and the valve 18 is urged against the sealing rubber 19 by the spring 20 to block the ink path 14. The interlocking of the valve opening / closing member 17 and the valve 18 is not limited to the lever 72. For example, a sensor may be provided in the valve opening / closing member 17, and the valve 18 may be opened and closed by an electric drive valve such as an electromagnetic valve based on an output signal of the sensor (not shown).

  As shown in FIG. 7, the second chamber 32 of the pressurizing valve 30 is partitioned and formed on the upper part of the dividing wall 81 of the casing 71, and the upper surface is closed with a cap 74. An ink passage (first chamber 31) is formed below the dividing wall 81, an ink path 35 is formed between the first chamber 31 and the second chamber 32, and the ink path 35 is sealed around the ink path 35. A rubber stopper 37 is provided. A spring 38 is provided between the back side of the cap 74 and the valve 36, and the valve 36 is urged against the sealing rubber 37 by the spring 38, and the valve 36 connects the first chamber 31 and the second chamber 32. The closed second chamber 32 is provided adjacent to the ink chamber 11 of the negative pressure valve 10, and the second chamber 32 and the ink chamber 11 communicate with each other (not shown). This communication part substantially corresponds to the bypass ink flow path in the above embodiment.

  Since the first system and the second system of the regulator 250 are formed on the front and back of the casing 71 with the same structure, only the first system will be described. As shown in FIG. 5A, the ink supply port 75 is connected to the ink tank 4 by a tube (not shown), and ink is supplied from the supply port 75. The ink supplied at a low pressure passes through the ink passage 76 formed in the housing 71 and reaches the ink supply chamber 12 of the negative pressure valve 10. The ink in the ink chamber 11 of the negative pressure valve 10 is supplied to the head 1 through a tube connected to the ink passage 76 and the supply port 77. When ink is ejected from the head 1, the ink chamber 11 is depressurized, the valve opening / closing member 17 is moved, and the valve 18 is opened via the lever 72. Thus, ink is sent from the ink supply chamber 12 to the ink chamber 11 through the ink passage. Since the pressure in the ink chamber 11 is increased by feeding the ink, the valve 18 is closed. During normal printing, the above operation is repeated to supply ink to the ink chamber 11.

  When performing ink filling or cleaning, if ink is supplied to the supply port 75 at a high pressure, the ink is supplied to the first chamber 31 of the pressurizing valve 30 through the ink passage 76 in the casing 71, and the valve is controlled by the pressure of the ink. 36 opens. As a result, the ink is sent through the second chamber 32 to the ink chamber 11 of the adjacent negative pressure valve 10. On the other hand, the valve 18 of the ink supply chamber 12 of the negative pressure valve 10 does not open when the pressure of the ink chamber 11 and the ink supply chamber 12 is balanced when ink is supplied at a high pressure. When ink is fed into the ink chamber 11, the pressure in the second chamber 32 decreases, so that the valve 36 of the pressurizing valve 30 is closed.

  When the air of the negative pressure valve 10 is evacuated, the ink supply at a high pressure is continued to fill the ink chamber 11 of the negative pressure valve 10, and the ink passes through the ink passage 76 to reverse the air. It reaches the stop pressure valve 61 and opens the check pressure valve 61. The check pressure valve 61 is connected to the discharge port 79 by the ink passage 78, and finally, the air is pushed out from the discharge port 79 with high-pressure ink. Further, the check pressure valve 61 prevents the backflow of air from the discharge port 79.

  The ink filled in the ink chamber 11 is sent to the head 1 through the ink passage 76 and the supply port 77, and the air in the head 1 is returned to the air through the discharge port 80 and the air passage 64. The pressure valve 62 is reached and the check pressure valve 62 is opened. Finally, the air is pushed out from the discharge port 79 with high-pressure ink. Further, the check pressure valve 62 prevents the backflow of air from the discharge port 79.

  Although not shown, a negative pressure valve, a pressure valve, and a bypass ink channel may be formed inside a substantially planar box-shaped housing. Specifically, a plurality of walls are erected at the bottom of the housing, and the ink chamber and ink supply chamber of the negative pressure valve are partitioned by this wall, and the ink chamber and the ink supply chamber are connected by an ink path. To do. A valve opening / closing member is provided in the ink chamber. The ink chamber is formed by a space sealed with a flexible film attached to the top of the partitioned wall, and the valve opening / closing member is partially attached to the flexible film. Interlocks with vertical deflection. The movement of the valve opening / closing member is transmitted to the valve in the ink supply chamber via interlocking means such as a lever arranged in the ink path. Although the ink path is closed by a valve, when the pressure in the ink chamber is reduced, the valve opening / closing member moves, the movement of the valve opening / closing member is transmitted to the valve, and the valve opens. Thereby, the ink in the ink supply chamber is sent to the ink chamber via the valve.

  A bypass ink channel is connected to the ink chamber, and a pressure valve is provided in the bypass ink channel. The pressurizing valve is composed of a first chamber and a second chamber that are defined by walls. An ink path is opened in the wall between the first chamber and the second chamber, and a valve disposed in the second chamber is provided. The ink path is urged by an elastic member such as a spring. The upper part of the first chamber, the second chamber, and the ink path is covered with a lid. When the ink is fed into the first chamber at a high pressure, the valve is opened, the ink is fed into the second chamber, and sent to the ink chamber via the bypass ink flow path. Since the inside of the ink chamber becomes a high pressure, the valve of the ink supply chamber does not open. A planar box-shaped regulator can be configured by the above configuration.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a regulator of an ink jet printer according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. Since the structure of the negative pressure valve 10 is the same as that of the first embodiment, detailed description thereof is omitted. The regulator 300 has a configuration in which an open / close valve 91 is connected to the conventional negative pressure valve 10. The ink chamber 11 of the negative pressure valve 10 is provided with a bypass ink flow path 21 made of a tube, a groove or the like, and the bypass ink flow path 21 is connected to the outlet of the open / close valve 91. The inlet of the open / close valve 91 is connected to the same ink supply system as the negative pressure valve 10.

  An air passage 63 is provided in the ink chamber 11 of the negative pressure valve 10, and an opening / closing valve 92 is provided on the air passage 63. The head 1 is connected to an air passage 64 made of an air bleeding tube or the like, and the air passage 64 is connected to the same open / close valve 93 as described above. The on-off valves 92 and 93 are solenoid valves that can be controlled integrally with the on-off valve 91.

  Next, the operation of the regulator 300 will be described. Ink is ejected from the head 1 during printing. When ink is ejected from the head 1, the ink in the ink chamber 11 is reduced and the pressure in the ink chamber 11 is reduced. Then, the valve opening / closing member 17 supported by the flexible film 16 moves to open the valve 18, and the ink in the ink supply chamber 12 is sent into the ink chamber 11 through the ink path 14. As a result, the pressure in the ink chamber 11 rises, the valve opening / closing member 17 moves, and the valve 18 closes. The negative pressure valve 10 is supplied with ink at a low pressure. This pressure needs to be a pressure that does not hinder the opening operation of the valve 18 and is a pressure that allows ink to be fed into the ink chamber 11 when the valve 18 is opened.

  When ink filling or cleaning is performed, the opening / closing valve 91 is opened, and the ink is fed directly into the ink chamber 11. Since the ink supply pressures in the ink chamber 11 and the ink supply chamber 12 are the same, the valve 18 does not open. When ink is fed into the ink chamber 11, the air in the ink chamber 11 is discharged through the air passage 63. At this time, the opening / closing valve 92 is opened simultaneously with the opening / closing valve 91. When the ink filling is completed, the open / close valves 91 and 92 are closed.

  In this way, the ink can be filled or cleaned from the usage state at the time of printing by switching the open / close valve 91, so that the cap is attached to the head 1 and the suction pump is forcibly sucked as in the prior art. You don't have to. Further, the ink supply pressure does not need to be changed by using the opening / closing valve 91 that can be opened and closed arbitrarily (at the time of ink filling or cleaning). That is, since a constant ink supply pressure is sufficient, the pressure control device 6 of Embodiment 1 is not necessary.

  Further, since air is contained in the ink chamber 11 and the head 1 of the negative pressure valve 10 at the time of initial ink filling, it is necessary to completely remove the air. When all the open / close valves 91, 92, 93 are opened, ink is sent into the ink chamber 11 of the negative pressure valve 10. When the ink chamber 11 is filled with ink, the air in the ink chamber 11 passes through the air passage 63 and is discharged together with the ink. When the air discharge is completed and the on-off valve 92 is closed, the backflow of air is prevented.

  With respect to the head 1 side, ink is sent to the ink chamber 11 and filled with ink, so that the ink is sent to the head 1 via the outlet ink flow path 15. As a result, the air in the head 1 is discharged together with the ink through the air passage 64. When the air discharge is completed and the on-off valve 93 is closed, the backflow of air is prevented. If it does in the above, the air release of the ink chamber 11 and the head 1 can be performed easily.

  In the first to third embodiments, the regulator has shown an example in which the negative pressure valve 10 and the pressurization valve 30 are integrated. However, the negative pressure valve 10 and the pressurization valve 30 are separate, and A regulator may be configured as a whole by being connected by the bypass ink flow path 21.

(Embodiment 4)
FIG. 9 is a detailed configuration diagram of the regulator according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the negative pressure valve 10 of the regulator 400, the ink chamber 11 and the ink supply chamber 12 are separated by a separation wall 13, and an ink path 14 is formed at the center of the separation wall 13. The ink chamber 11 is connected to the head 1 via an outlet ink flow path 15 formed of a tube, a groove or the like. A flexible film 16 is provided to face the separation wall 13 of the ink chamber 11. The flexible membrane 16 is provided with a seat for the valve opening / closing member 17, and a pin is erected from the center thereof. The pin penetrates the ink path 14, and a valve 18 is provided at the tip. A sealing rubber 19 that abuts against the valve 18 is provided on the valve side of the separation wall 13. The valve 18 is pressed against the sealing rubber 19 with a predetermined pressure by a spring 20 provided in the ink supply chamber 12. The ink supply chamber 12 is connected to an ink flow path 150 from the ink tank.

The ink chamber 11 of the negative pressure valve 10 is provided with a second air passage 102 made of a tube, a groove or the like, and an electromagnetic valve 103 is provided in the second air passage 102. The second air passage 102 is connected to an air passage 101 formed of a tube or a groove provided in the head 1. A bypass ink flow path 104 is provided between the ink supply chamber 12 and the outlet ink flow path 15 formed of a tube, a groove, or the like, and an electromagnetic valve 105 is provided in the bypass ink flow path 104. The electromagnetic valves 103 and 105 are controlled to be opened and closed by the control unit 106 in accordance with the ink supply pressure to the ink supply chamber 12.

  Next, the operation of the regulator 400 will be described. During printing, the electromagnetic valves 103 and 105 are closed by the control unit 106. The operation during printing is the same as in the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9A, when ink is ejected from the head 1, the ink in the ink chamber 11 is reduced and the pressure in the ink chamber 11 is reduced. . Then, the valve opening / closing member 17 supported by the flexible film 16 moves to open the valve 18, and the ink in the ink supply chamber 12 is sent into the ink chamber 11 through the ink path 14. As a result, the pressure in the ink chamber 11 rises, the valve opening / closing member 17 moves, and the valve 18 closes. Further, the negative pressure valve 10 is supplied with ink at a low pressure by the pressure control device 6. This pressure needs to be a pressure that does not hinder the opening operation of the valve 18 and is a pressure that allows ink to be fed into the ink chamber 11 when the valve 18 is opened. On the other hand, since the electromagnetic valves 103 and 105 are closed, no ink flows through the bypass ink flow path 104.

  Next, when ink filling or cleaning is performed, as shown in FIG. 9B, the pressure control device 6 switches the ink supply pressure to a high pressure, and at the same time, the control unit 106 opens the electromagnetic valves 103 and 105. . When high-pressure ink is supplied to the ink supply chamber 12, the inside of the ink supply chamber 12 becomes high pressure, so that the valve 18 remains closed. Therefore, the high-pressure ink passes through the bypass ink flow path 104 and is supplied to the head 1 through the outlet ink flow path 15 and also to the ink chamber 11 at high pressure. The air remaining in the ink chamber 11 reaches the air passage 101 via the second air passage 102 and is released into the atmosphere. Also, the air in the head 1 is released into the atmosphere via the air passage 101. As a result, the head 1 is cleaned and the ink chamber 11 is filled with ink.

  In addition, the pressure control device 6 returns the ink supply pressure to a low pressure, and the control unit 106 closes the electromagnetic valves 103 and 105 to enable printing. The bypass ink channel 104 may be directly connected to the ink chamber 11 instead of being connected to the outlet ink channel 15.

  In this way, printing and ink filling or cleaning can be switched by switching the ink pressure level and opening / closing the electromagnetic valves 103 and 105. Therefore, the head 1 is attached with a cap and a suction pump is used as in the prior art. There is no need to force suction. For this reason, the number of parts is reduced, and a cap mounting operation or the like can be omitted.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Head, 100, 200, 500 ... Inkjet printer, 103, 105 ... Electromagnetic valve (electrically driven valve), 104 ... Bypass ink flow path, 106 ... Control part, 11 ... Ink chamber, 11a ... Outlet, 11b ... Bypass inlet, 14 ... ink path (inlet), 16 ... flexible membrane (valve opening / closing mechanism), 17 ... valve opening / closing member (valve opening / closing mechanism), 18 ... valve (inlet valve), 20 ... spring (valve) Opening / closing mechanism), 21 ... Bypass ink flow path, 3, 203, 250, 300, 400 ... Regulator, 30 ... Pressurizing valve (bypass opening / closing means), 31 ... First chamber, 32 ... Second chamber, 36 ... Bypass valve 38 ... Spring, 4 ... Ink tank, 71 ... Housing, 81 ... Partition wall, 91 ... Open / close valve,

Claims (5)

An inlet connected to the ink tank side, an outlet connected to the head side, an ink chamber for temporarily storing ink, an inlet valve for opening and closing the inlet, and the ink chamber during printing An ink jet printer having a valve opening / closing mechanism that opens the inlet valve when the pressure is lower than a predetermined pressure, closes the inlet valve when the ink chamber is larger than the predetermined pressure, and closes the inlet valve when filling or cleaning ink. In the regulator,
A bypass inlet different from the inlet is formed in the ink chamber;
A bypass ink flow path that is connected to the bypass inlet and feeds ink directly into the ink chamber;
A bypass opening / closing means provided in the bypass ink flow path and closed at the time of printing and opened at the time of ink filling or cleaning;
An ink jet printer regulator characterized by comprising: The regulator of the ink jet printer according to claim 1,
The bypass opening / closing means includes
A second chamber that communicates with the ink chamber; a first chamber that communicates with the second chamber; a bypass valve that opens and closes between the second chamber and the first chamber; A regulator for an ink jet printer, comprising: a bypass opening / closing mechanism that opens the bypass valve when a larger pressure is applied to the bypass valve than when printing during filling or cleaning. The regulator of the inkjet printer according to claim 2,
In the case of the regulator, a flow path is formed on each of the front and back surfaces with the dividing wall as a boundary,
The bypass opening / closing means includes
The second chamber is partitioned on one surface side of the casing, the first chamber is partitioned on the other surface side of the casing, and the bypass opening / closing mechanism is provided in the second chamber or the first chamber. A regulator for an ink jet printer, characterized in that the is attached. The regulator of the ink jet printer according to claim 1,
The bypass opening / closing means includes
An electrically driven valve provided in the bypass ink flow path ;
The electrically driven valve is controlled to close when printing and open when filling or cleaning ink.
Inkjet printer regulator characterized by the above. A carriage driven in the main scanning direction;
A head provided on the carriage and having a nozzle below the carriage;
The regulator according to claim 1 provided on the carriage and connected to the head;
A pump for sending ink from an ink tank to the regulator;
An ink jet printer comprising: