JP5668383B2 - Cleaning device in fluid ejection device, fluid ejection device, and cleaning method in fluid ejection device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a cleaning device in a fluid ejecting apparatus such as an ink jet printer, a fluid ejecting apparatus, and a cleaning method in the fluid ejecting apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, ink jet printers are widely known as fluid ejecting apparatuses that eject a fluid onto a medium. This printer performs printing processing on paper (medium) by ejecting ink (fluid) from nozzles formed in a fluid ejecting head.

  In recent years, a printer capable of performing a wet wiping operation for removing foreign matter adhering to the nozzle forming surface of the fluid ejecting head by sliding the wiper containing the cleaning liquid against the nozzle forming surface of the fluid ejecting head. Has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2009-119727 A

  By the way, in the printer of patent document 1, the member for exclusive use for supplying the cleaning liquid which wets a wiper with respect to a wiper is provided. For this reason, there is a problem that the number of parts increases as much as the dedicated member is provided.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a fluid ejection capable of performing a wiping operation on a fluid ejection head while a wiper is moistened while suppressing an increase in the number of parts. An apparatus, a cleaning device in the fluid ejection device, and a cleaning method in the fluid ejection device.

In order to achieve the above object, a cleaning device in a fluid ejecting apparatus of the present invention is a cleaning device in a fluid ejecting apparatus including a fluid ejecting head that ejects fluid from a nozzle opening formed on a nozzle forming surface, A suction unit capable of performing a suction operation for sucking the fluid from the fluid ejection head through the nozzle opening, and a wiping operation for sliding contact with the nozzle formation surface to wipe the nozzle formation surface can be performed. A wiper, and a control unit that controls the suction operation of the suction unit and the wiping operation of the wiper, wherein the control unit is in a state before causing the suction unit to perform a suction operation on the fluid ejecting head. a first wiping operation for sliding the wiper so as to cut transverse the nozzle openings in said nozzle forming surface Together to line, in a state where the suction means has finished the suction operation for the fluid ejecting head, to execute the second wiping operation for sliding the wiper executing a first wiping operation on the nozzle formation surface, The amount of elastic deformation of the wiper due to the sliding contact with the nozzle forming surface in the first wiping operation is smaller than the amount of elastic deformation of the wiper due to the sliding contact with the nozzle forming surface in the second wiping operation .

  According to the above configuration, the control means causes the wiper to slide in contact with the nozzle forming surface so as to cross the nozzle opening a plurality of times during the first wiping operation. The fluid discharged from the fluid ejecting head can be attached to the wiper by a plurality of wiping operations. Therefore, the wiper can be moistened without providing a dedicated member for moistening the wiper.

  In the cleaning device in the fluid ejecting apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, the control unit may attach the fluid discharged from the fluid ejecting head to the wiper through the nozzle opening during the first wiping operation. In addition, during the second wiping operation, the portion of the wiper to which the fluid is attached is brought into sliding contact with the nozzle forming surface.

  According to the above configuration, after the wiper performs the first wiping operation, the suction unit performs the suction operation on the fluid ejecting head, and then performs the second wiping operation. Therefore, even if a wiper to which no fluid is attached performs the first wiping operation on the nozzle forming surface and bubbles are mixed into the fluid ejecting head through the nozzle openings, such bubbles are sucked. Sometimes it is discharged from the fluid ejecting head. Further, since the wiper performs the wiping operation on the nozzle forming surface using the wetted portion where the fluid adheres during the second wiping operation, this wiping operation causes the fluid ejection head to pass through the nozzle opening. Air bubbles are prevented from entering.

Further, in the cleaning device in the fluid ejecting apparatus of the present invention, the nozzle forming surface is arranged such that the plurality of nozzle openings form a plurality of nozzle groups, and the control means performs the first wiping operation. In some cases, the nozzle openings of some of the plurality of nozzle groups are traversed .

  The cleaning device in the fluid ejecting apparatus of the present invention further includes detection means for detecting whether or not the fluid adheres to the wiper during the first wiping operation.

  According to the above configuration, since it is possible to detect whether or not fluid has adhered to the wiper, the wiping operation can be performed on the fluid ejecting head while the wiper is reliably moistened. it can.

The fluid ejecting apparatus of the present invention includes a fluid ejecting head that ejects fluid from a nozzle opening formed on a nozzle forming surface, and the cleaning device having the above-described configuration.
According to the said structure, the effect similar to invention of the cleaning apparatus in the said fluid injection apparatus is acquired.

The cleaning method in the fluid ejecting apparatus of the present invention is a cleaning method of a fluid ejection device including a fluid ejection head that ejects fluid from a nozzle opening formed in the nozzle formation surface, thereby cut transverse the nozzle opening A first wiping step for sliding the wiper against the nozzle forming surface, and a suction step for sucking the fluid from the fluid ejection head through the nozzle opening after the first wiping step, And a second wiping step for sliding the wiper against the nozzle forming surface after the suction step, and the amount of elastic deformation of the wiper due to the sliding contact with the nozzle forming surface in the first wiping step is the first wiping step. The amount of elastic deformation of the wiper due to sliding contact with the nozzle forming surface in the wiping stage 2 is smaller .

  According to the said structure, the effect similar to invention of the cleaning apparatus in the said fluid injection apparatus is acquired.

1 is a perspective view of a printer according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the recording head as viewed from below. The schematic diagram of the cleaning apparatus in which the carriage was located at the home position. The schematic diagram of the cleaning apparatus in which the carriage is moving toward the home position. The schematic diagram of the cleaning apparatus in which the wiper is performing 1st wiping operation | movement. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a cleaning device that is performing a suction operation on a recording head. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a cleaning device in which a cap is separated from a nozzle formation surface of a recording head after a suction operation. The schematic diagram of the cleaning apparatus immediately after a wiper starts execution of 2nd wiping operation | movement. The schematic diagram of the cleaning apparatus just before completion | finish of a wiper performing 2nd wiping operation | movement. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating a state immediately before a wiper completes a wiping operation on a nozzle formation surface of a recording head in a conventional printer.

Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the fluid ejecting apparatus of the invention is embodied in an ink jet printer (hereinafter also referred to as “printer”) will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, a printer 11 as a fluid ejecting apparatus includes a frame 12 having a substantially rectangular box shape. A support base 13 extends along the main scanning direction X, which is the longitudinal direction, in the lower part of the frame 12. On the support base 13, the recording paper P extends along the sub-scanning direction Y orthogonal to the main scanning direction X based on the driving of the paper feed motor 14 provided at the lower back of the frame 12 (lower rear in FIG. 1). It is designed to be fed.

  A guide shaft 15 is installed above the support base 13 in the frame 12 along the longitudinal direction of the support base 13. A carriage 16 is supported on the guide shaft 15 so as to be capable of reciprocating along the axial direction (main scanning direction X) of the guide shaft 15. That is, the carriage 16 is supported so as to be reciprocally movable along the axial direction of the guide shaft 15 by inserting the guide shaft 15 through a support hole 16 a formed penetrating in the axial direction.

  A drive pulley 17a and a driven pulley 17b are rotatably supported at positions corresponding to both ends of the guide shaft 15 on the inner surface of the rear wall of the frame 12. An output shaft of a carriage motor 18 serving as a drive source for reciprocating the carriage 16 is connected to the drive pulley 17a, and an endless shape connected to the carriage 16 is connected between the pair of pulleys 17a and 17b. A timing belt 17 is hung. Therefore, the carriage 16 is movable in the main scanning direction X via the endless timing belt 17 by the driving force of the carriage motor 18 while being guided by the guide shaft 15.

  A recording head 19 as a fluid ejecting head is provided on the lower surface side of the carriage 16, and a plurality (four in this embodiment) for supplying ink as a fluid to the recording head 19 on the carriage 16. The ink cartridge 20 is detachably mounted. As shown in FIG. 2, the nozzle forming surface 19a on the lower surface side of the recording head 19 has a plurality of (this embodiment) extending in the sub-scanning direction by a large number of nozzles 21 serving as ejection openings for ejecting ink of each color. In this case, four nozzle groups 22B, 22C, 22M, and 22Y are formed. That is, on the nozzle forming surface 19a, a plurality of nozzle rows extending along the sub-scanning direction are formed at regular intervals in the main scanning direction X by the nozzle groups 22B, 22C, 22M, and 22Y.

  The ink in the ink cartridge 20 is supplied from the ink cartridge 20 to the recording head 19 by driving a piezoelectric element (not shown) provided in the recording head 19. In addition, printing is performed by ejecting (jetting) ink from the plurality of nozzles 21 formed on the nozzle forming surface 19 a of the recording head 19 onto the recording paper P fed onto the support table 13. It has become.

  A cleaning device 23 for performing a cleaning operation of the recording head 19 at the time of non-printing is provided at a home position (non-printing area) HP that does not correspond to the recording paper P located at the right end in FIG. ing.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the cleaning device 23 includes a cap 24, a suction pump 25 as a suction means, a wiper 26, a control device 27 as a control means, and the like.

  The cap 24 is formed to have a bottomed square box shape, and a projecting portion 28 projects downward from the bottom wall 24a. A discharge passage 29 for discharging ink from the cap 24 is formed in the protrusion 28 so as to penetrate in the vertical direction. The protrusion 28 is connected to an upstream end of a discharge tube 30 made of a flexible material, and the downstream end of the discharge tube 30 is inserted into a waste liquid container 31 having a rectangular parallelepiped shape. Further, a suction pump 25 that sucks the inside of the cap 24 in order to forcibly discharge ink from the cap 24 side toward the waste liquid container 31 side is provided at an intermediate portion of the discharge tube 30 between the cap 24 and the waste liquid container 31. Is arranged. Further, the cap 24 can be displaced between a contact position of the recording head 19 with respect to the nozzle formation surface 19 a and a separation position separated from the nozzle formation surface 19 a of the recording head 19 based on driving of the elevating mechanism 32. .

  The wiper 26 is formed in a strip shape from an elastic material (for example, natural rubber or synthetic rubber). The wiper 26 is disposed at a position close to the cap 24 in the main scanning direction X of the carriage 16 and is erected vertically to the upper surface of the wiper holder 33. Then, the wiper 26 moves up and down in the vertical direction based on the drive of the lifting mechanism 34, so that the wiper 26 is integrated with the wiper holder 33 in a direction in which the wiper 26 contacts and separates from the nozzle forming surface 19 a of the recording head 19. Displaceable.

  The wiper 26 is designed such that the width dimension of the carriage 16 in the sub-scanning direction Y is larger than the width dimension of the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19 in the same direction. Further, the wiper 26 is disposed so that the tip end portion 26 a thereof is located above the nozzle forming surface 19 a of the recording head 19. Further, a sensor 35 as a detecting means for detecting the electrical conduction state of the wiper 26 can be brought into contact with and separated from the distal end portion 26 a of the wiper 26 at a position close to the distal end portion 26 a of the wiper 26. Is provided. The detection signal in the sensor 35 is output to a control device 27 that controls the suction operation of the recording head 19 by the suction pump 25 and the wiping operation of the recording head 19 by the wiper 26.

  Next, the operation of the printer 11 configured as described above will be described below, particularly focusing on the operation when the control device 27 comprehensively controls the cleaning operation for the recording head 19.

  First, as shown in FIG. 4, the control device 27 drives the lifting mechanism 34 to lower the wiper holder 33 vertically downward, so that the tip end portion 26 a of the wiper 26 is positioned at the height position of the nozzle of the recording head 19. It is set to be vertically lower than the formation surface 19a. In other words, when the carriage 16 on which the recording head 19 is mounted moves in the main scanning direction X between the printing region and the home position HP, the control device 27 causes the tip end portion 26a of the wiper 26 to form nozzles of the recording head 19. The tip end portion 26a of the wiper 26 is retracted vertically downward from the moving path of the recording head 19 so that the surface 19a does not slide. Then, the carriage 16 located in the printing area at that time is moved in the main scanning direction X toward the home position HP, and the carriage 16 is moved when the carriage 16 reaches the home position HP. Stop.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 5, as a first wiping step, the control device 27 drives the lifting mechanism 34 again to raise the wiper holder 33 vertically upward, and the tip 26a of the wiper 26 is The height position is set vertically above the nozzle formation surface 19 a of the recording head 19. In other words, when the carriage 16 on which the recording head 19 is mounted moves in the main scanning direction X between the printing region and the home position HP, the control device 27 causes the tip end portion 26a of the wiper 26 to form nozzles of the recording head 19. The tip end portion 26a of the wiper 26 is advanced into the moving path of the recording head 19 from below vertically so as to be in sliding contact with the surface 19a. Then, the carriage 16 located at the home position HP at that time is moved in the main scanning direction X toward the printing area. Then, the wiper 26 has a wiping operation (first operation) with respect to the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19 by the sliding contact of the tip portion 26a with the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19 with elastic deformation. Execute the wiping operation.

  In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, the control device 27 causes the wiper 26 to pass through the nozzle openings of all the nozzle rows composed of the plurality of nozzle groups 22B, 22C, 22M, and 22Y formed in the recording head 19 a plurality of times. Then, the carriage 16 is reciprocated in the main scanning direction X so as to cross. That is, in the main scanning direction X perpendicular to the direction in which the nozzle rows extend, from one end side (left end side in FIG. 5) to the other end side (right end side in FIG. 5), first the nozzle group 22B, then the nozzle group 22C, Next, the carriage 16 is moved in the main scanning direction X so as to cross the nozzle openings of all the nozzle groups (nozzle rows) one after another in the order of the nozzle group 22M and finally the nozzle group 22Y.

  Here, when each nozzle group 22B, 22C, 22M, 22Y crossed by the wiper 26 is filled with ink, the tip 26a of the wiper 26 records through the nozzle openings of these nozzle groups 22B, 22C, 22M, 22Y. The ink in the head 19 comes into contact. The ink in the recording head 19 is discharged from the recording head 19 through the nozzle groups 22B, 22C, 22M, and 22Y by flowing along the tip 26a of the wiper 26 based on the surface tension of the ink. The As a result, as shown in an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 5, the ink discharged from the recording head 19 is attached to the tip end portion 26 a of the wiper 26.

  Of the nozzle groups 22B, 22C, 22M, and 22Y in the recording head 19, a nozzle group in which bubbles or foreign matters are mixed to cause ejection failure (in FIG. 5, the leftmost nozzle group 22B and the third nozzle group from the left end). From the nozzle opening 22M), the ink is not discharged even if the tip 26a of the wiper 26 is brought into contact, or even if it is discharged, only a very small amount is discharged. For this reason, even if the carriage 16 is moved in the main scanning direction X so as to cross the nozzle groups 22B and 22M that are defective in ejection, it is difficult to adhere the desired ink to the tip 26a of the wiper 26.

  However, in this embodiment, the wiper 26 crosses the nozzle openings of all the nozzle groups 22B, 22C, 22M, and 22Y including the nozzle groups 22C and 22Y that are not defective in discharge other than the nozzle groups 22B and 22M that are defective in discharge. The carriage 16 is moved in the main scanning direction X. Accordingly, ink adheres to the tip end portion 26a of the wiper 26 through contact with the nozzle openings of the nozzle groups 22C and 22Y that are not defective in ejection.

  Moreover, in the present embodiment, the carriage 16 is reciprocated in the main scanning direction X so that the wiper 26 crosses the nozzle openings of all the nozzle groups 22B, 22C, 22M, and 22Y described above a plurality of times. Specifically, when the recording head 19 further moves leftward from the state shown in FIG. 5 and the tip 26a of the wiper 26 is separated from the nozzle forming surface 19a, the control device 27 drives the lifting mechanism 34 to wipe the wiper. The holder 33 is lowered vertically downward. Then, the front end portion 26a of the wiper 26 is retracted vertically downward from the movement path of the recording head 19 so that the front end portion 26a of the wiper 26 does not slide on the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19, and then the carriage 16 is moved in the main scanning direction X toward the home position HP. When the home position HP is reached, the movement is stopped.

  Then, the control device 27 drives the lifting mechanism 34 again to raise the wiper holder 33 vertically upward. Then, the front end portion 26 a of the wiper 26 is advanced from below in the moving path of the recording head 19 so that the front end portion 26 a of the wiper 26 is in sliding contact with the nozzle forming surface 19 a of the recording head 19. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 5 again, the carriage 16 is moved in the main scanning direction X so that the wiper 26 crosses the nozzle openings of all the nozzle groups 22B, 22C, 22M, and 22Y of the recording head 19. As described above, the control device 27 reciprocates the carriage 16 in the main scanning direction X so that the wiper 26 crosses the nozzle openings of all the nozzle groups 22B, 22C, 22M, and 22Y a plurality of times.

  As shown in FIG. 6, when the control device 27 detects an electrical conduction state at the tip end portion 26 a of the wiper 26 with the sensor 35 being in contact with the tip end portion 26 a of the wiper 26, 26, it is determined that conductive ink has adhered to the tip 26a. Then, as a suction stage, the control device 27 causes the suction head 25 to perform a suction operation by driving the suction pump 25 so as to remove bubbles together with ink from the inside of the print head 19 through the nozzle groups 22B to 22Y.

  That is, in the suction stage, the control device 27 first moves the carriage 16 in the main scanning direction X, thereby moving the recording head 19 mounted on the carriage 16 to a position facing the cap 24 in the vertical direction. In this state, the control device 27 drives the elevating mechanism 32 to raise the cap 24 so as to approach the recording head 19, so that the opening edge of the cap 24 has the nozzle forming surface 19 a of the recording head 19. A space area S1 is formed in close contact with and sealed.

  Subsequently, the control device 27 drives the suction pump 25 to discharge the air from the space region S1, thereby reducing the pressure in the space region S1. When the space S1 is depressurized, bubbles are discharged from the recording head 19 together with ink through the nozzle groups 22B to 22Y.

  In this case, the ink discharged from the recording head 19 through the nozzle groups 22 </ b> B to 22 </ b> Y is stored in the space area S <b> 1 between the cap 24 and the nozzle forming surface 19 a of the recording head 19. In this case, the liquid level of the ink stored in the space S1 is not so high as to adhere to the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19 (see FIG. 6). Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7, the control device 27 drives the elevating mechanism 32 to move the cap 24 downward and away from the nozzle forming surface 19 a of the recording head 19. At this time, the ink remaining in the cap 24 is sucked idle.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 8, the control device 27 drives the lifting mechanism 34 to raise the wiper holder 33 vertically upward, so that the tip 26 a of the wiper 26 is moved to the nozzle forming surface 19 a of the recording head 19. Is arranged so as to increase the amount of protrusion upward in the vertical direction. In other words, the control device 27 increases the advance amount of the wiper 26 into the moving path of the recording head 19. In this state, as the second wiping stage, when the control device 27 moves the wiper 26 so as to cross the main scanning direction X, the tip 26a of the wiper 26 undergoes elastic deformation while the recording head 19 is moved. By making sliding contact with the nozzle forming surface 19a, a wiping operation (second wiping operation) is performed on the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19.

  That is, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the wiper 26 has a nozzle forming surface 19 a of the recording head 19, while sliding the tip 26 a to which the ink is attached to the nozzle forming surface 19 a of the recording head 19. A wiping operation (second wiping operation) is performed on Therefore, when the wiper 26 performs the wiping operation on the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19, the liquid level of the ink adhering to the front end portion 26a and the liquid level of the ink in the recording head 19 are fused, so Ink forms a continuous form between the portion 26 a and the nozzle openings of the nozzle groups 22 </ b> B to 22 </ b> Y of the recording head 19. Therefore, it becomes difficult for the leading end portion 26a of the wiper 26 to push air into the recording head 19 through the nozzle groups 22B to 22Y.

  In the state where the ink is attached to the tip end portion 26 a of the wiper 26, the sliding contact resistance when the tip end portion 26 a of the wiper 26 is brought into sliding contact with the nozzle forming surface 19 a of the recording head 19 is reduced. Therefore, as described above, even if the tip end portion 26a of the wiper 26 wipes the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19 firmly, it is avoided that the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19 is damaged.

  Further, in the case of the second wiping operation, the wiper 26 is applied to the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19 as compared with the case where the tip 26a of the wiper 26 is moistened (wet) by the first wiping operation. On the other hand, the amount of elastic deformation of the wiper 26 at the time of sliding contact is increased. For this reason, the tip 26a of the wiper 26 firmly adheres to the nozzle formation surface 19a of the recording head 19, so that the ink adhering to the nozzle formation surface 19a of the recording head 19 is reliably wiped off.

  Conversely, in the first wiping operation, the amount of elastic deformation of the wiper 26 is smaller than that in the second wiping operation. In the first wiping operation, since the wiper 26 is wetted with ink, the wiper 26 is not firmly attached to the nozzle forming surface 19a, and the wiper 26 and the nozzle forming surface 19a are prevented from being damaged or wiped. It is possible to reduce the load for moving the carriage 16.

  Here, the wiper 26 forms the nozzles of the recording head 19 in a state before the ink is sucked and discharged from the recording head 19, that is, in a state where the ink is not attached to the nozzle forming surface 19 a of the recording head 19. Compared to the case where the wiping operation is performed once on the surface 19a. In this case, ink does not adhere to the wiper 26 in one wiping operation. Conversely, by performing the wiping operation in such a state a plurality of times, the ink meniscus in the nozzles 21 is destroyed. However, in the present application, since the suction operation is performed after the first wiping operation, the ink can be forcibly sucked even if the ink meniscus is destroyed, and the meniscus is recovered.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 10, it is assumed that the tip 26 a of the wiper 26 is brought into sliding contact with the nozzle forming surface 19 a of the recording head 19 in a state where the ink is not attached to the tip 26 a of the wiper 26. Then, in a state where air is interposed between the tip 26a of the wiper 26 and the nozzle openings of the nozzle groups 22B to 22Y of the recording head 19, the tip 26a of the wiper 26 passes through the nozzle groups 22B to 22Y in the recording head 19. Air will be pushed into the air. As a result, there is a possibility that bubbles may enter the recording head 19 through the nozzle groups 22B to 22Y. When bubbles are mixed into the nozzle groups 22B to 22Y, the nozzles become defective in ejection. Therefore, it is necessary to execute the suction operation again in order to eliminate the ejection failure. As a result, the time for the cleaning operation becomes longer and the amount of ink consumed also increases.

According to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) During the first wiping operation, the control device 27 causes the wiper 26 to slidably contact the nozzle forming surface 19a so as to traverse the nozzle openings of the nozzle group 22M a plurality of times. The ink discharged from the recording head 19 can be attached to the wiper 26 by a plurality of wiping operations. Therefore, the wiper 26 can be moistened without providing a dedicated member for moistening the wiper 26.

  (2) After the wiper 26 performs the first wiping operation, the suction pump 25 performs the suction operation on the recording head 19, and then executes the second wiping operation. Therefore, even if air bubbles are mixed into the recording head 19 through the nozzle groups 22B to 22Y by the wiping operation performed on the nozzle forming surface 19a by the wiper 26 to which ink is not attached, such bubbles are not generated. The ink is discharged from the recording head 19 during the suction operation. Further, since the wiper 26 performs a wiping operation on the nozzle forming surface 19a using a portion wetted with ink during the second wiping operation, the nozzle group 22B is inserted into the recording head 19 by this wiping operation. It is suppressed that bubbles are mixed through ~ 22Y.

  (3) When the second wiping operation is completed, the control device 27 ends the cleaning operation for the recording head 19. Since the second wiping operation prevents the bubbles from being mixed into the recording head 19 via the nozzle groups 22B to 22Y, a suction operation for discharging the bubbles after that is not necessary.

  (4) Since the sensor 35 can detect whether or not ink has adhered to the wiper 26, the first wiping operation is performed on the recording head 19 in a state where the wiper 26 is reliably moistened. be able to. In addition, the number of first wiping operations for ink to adhere to the wiper 26 can be minimized, and damage to the wiper 26 and the recording head can be suppressed.

  (5) In the first wiping operation, the wiper 26 is such that the amount of elastic deformation when sliding on the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19 can suppress damage to the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19. It is set to be. On the other hand, the tip end portion 26a of the wiper 26 comes into contact with the ink in the recording head 19 through the nozzle openings of the nozzle group, so that the ink in the recording head 19 is transferred to the wiper 26 based on the surface tension of the ink. It is made to flow so that it may go along with tip part 26a. Therefore, even when the wiper 26 is not firmly attached to the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19, it can be discharged from the recording head 19 through the nozzle groups 22B to 22Y.

  In the above-described embodiment, the control device 27 is configured to detect the degree of ink dot missing (no-discharge nozzle) in the nozzles 21 of the recording head 19 and ink dot missing in these nozzles 21. The number of reciprocations of the wiper 26 during the first wiping operation may be changed according to the detection result. That is, when the degree of ink dot missing in the nozzle 21 of the recording head 19 is large, the degree of ink dot missing in the nozzle 21 of the recording head 19 is smaller than in the case of the first wiping operation. The number of reciprocating movements of the wiper 26 may be increased.

  In the above embodiment, a sensor that performs image analysis of the tip portion 26a of the wiper 26 is provided as detection means, and whether or not ink has adhered to the tip portion 26a of the wiper 26 according to the analysis result of the image by this sensor. You may make it detect.

In the above embodiment, the control device 27 may perform a further operation as a cleaning operation for the recording head 19 after performing the second wiping operation.
In the above embodiment, the control device 27 does not cross all the nozzle openings of the plurality of nozzle groups 22B to 22Y provided in the recording head 19 as the first wiping operation, and the nozzles of some nozzle groups The wiper 26 may be brought into sliding contact with the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19 so as to cross the opening. In this case, since ink may not be discharged from the nozzle group with missing dots, it is preferable to select a nozzle group that has not lost dots according to the detection result of missing dots.

  In particular, among the plurality of nozzle groups 22 </ b> B to 22 </ b> Y formed on the recording head 19, the single nozzle group disposed closest to the cap 24 is caused to cross the wiper 26 a plurality of times. If the carriage 16 is reciprocated in the main scanning direction X, the wiper 26 does not cross a plurality of nozzle groups containing different color inks. Therefore, when the ink discharged from the nozzle group is attached to the tip end portion 26a of the wiper 26, it is possible to avoid the ink stored in each nozzle group from being mixed with each other.

  In the above embodiment, the recording head 19 may be moved up and down so as to change the vertical distance between the recording head 19 and the support base 13. According to this configuration, the amount of elastic deformation of the wiper 26 when the wiper 26 performs a wiping operation on the nozzle forming surface 19 a of the recording head 19 can be adjusted.

  In the above embodiment, during the wiping operation with respect to the recording head 19, the wiper holder 33 is moved in the main scanning direction X of the carriage 16, and the wiper 26 is moved in the main scanning direction of the carriage 16 with respect to the nozzle forming surface 19 a of the recording head 19. You may make it carry out relative displacement to X.

  In the above embodiment, a fluid ejecting apparatus that ejects or discharges fluid other than ink may be employed as the fluid ejecting apparatus. The present invention can be used for various fluid consuming devices including a fluid ejecting head that discharges a minute amount of droplets. In addition, a droplet refers to the state of the fluid discharged from the fluid ejecting apparatus, and includes one that has a tail in a granular shape, a tear shape, or a thread shape. In addition, the fluid here may be a material that can be ejected by the fluid consuming apparatus. For example, it may be in the state when the substance is in a liquid phase, and may be in a liquid state with high or low viscosity, sol, gel water, other inorganic solvents, organic solvents, solutions, liquid resins, liquid metals (metal melts) ) And a liquid as one state of the substance, as well as particles in which functional material particles made of solid materials such as pigments and metal particles are dissolved, dispersed or mixed in a solvent. In addition, as a typical example of the fluid, ink as described in the above embodiment can be given. Here, the ink includes general water-based inks and oil-based inks, and various fluid compositions such as gel inks and hot-melt inks. As a specific example of the fluid consuming apparatus, for example, a liquid containing a material such as an electrode material or a color material used for manufacturing a liquid crystal display, an EL (electroluminescence) display, a surface emitting display, or a color filter in a dispersed or dissolved form. It may be a fluid ejecting apparatus for ejecting, a fluid ejecting apparatus for ejecting a bio-organic matter used for biochip manufacturing, a fluid ejecting apparatus for ejecting a fluid used as a precision pipette, a printing apparatus, a microdispenser, or the like. In addition, transparent resin liquids such as UV curable resins to form fluid injection devices that inject lubricating oil onto precision machines such as watches and cameras, micro hemispherical lenses (optical lenses) used in optical communication elements, etc. A fluid ejecting apparatus that ejects a liquid onto the substrate, or a fluid ejecting apparatus that ejects an etching solution such as acid or alkali to etch the substrate or the like may be employed.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Printer as fluid ejecting device, 23 ... Cleaning device, 25 ... Suction pump as suction means, 26 ... Wiper, 27 ... Control device as control means, 35 ... Sensor as detection means

Claims (6)

A cleaning device in a fluid ejecting apparatus including a fluid ejecting head that ejects fluid from a nozzle opening formed on a nozzle forming surface,
A suction unit capable of performing a suction operation of sucking the fluid from the fluid ejecting head through the nozzle opening;
A wiper capable of performing a wiping operation in sliding contact with the nozzle forming surface in order to wipe the nozzle forming surface;
Control means for controlling the suction operation of the suction means and the wiping operation of the wiper,
The control means includes
Wherein in a state before executing the suction operation in the suction means with respect to the fluid ejecting head, the executing the first wiping operation for sliding the wiper so as to cut transverse the nozzle openings in said nozzle forming surface, said In a state where the suction means has completed the suction operation with respect to the fluid ejecting head, a second wiping operation is performed in which the wiper that has performed the first wiping operation is brought into sliding contact with the nozzle forming surface ,
The amount of elastic deformation of the wiper due to the sliding contact with the nozzle forming surface in the first wiping operation is smaller than the amount of elastic deformation of the wiper due to the sliding contact with the nozzle forming surface in the second wiping operation. A cleaning device in a fluid ejecting apparatus. In the cleaning device in the fluid ejection device according to claim 1,
The control means attaches the fluid discharged from the fluid ejecting head through the nozzle opening to the wiper during the first wiping operation, and causes the wiper to operate during the second wiping operation. A cleaning device in a fluid ejecting apparatus, wherein a portion to which the fluid adheres is slidably brought into contact with the nozzle forming surface. In the cleaning device in the fluid ejection device according to claim 1 or 2,
A plurality of the nozzle openings are arranged on the nozzle forming surface so as to form a plurality of nozzle groups,
The cleaning device in the fluid ejecting apparatus , wherein the control unit causes the nozzle openings of some of the plurality of nozzle groups to traverse the nozzle openings during the first wiping operation . In the cleaning device in the fluid ejection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A cleaning device for a fluid ejecting apparatus, further comprising: detecting means for detecting whether or not the fluid adheres to the wiper during the first wiping operation. A fluid ejection head that ejects fluid from a nozzle opening formed on a nozzle forming surface;
A fluid ejecting apparatus comprising: the cleaning apparatus according to claim 1. A cleaning method in a fluid ejecting apparatus including a fluid ejecting head that ejects fluid from a nozzle opening formed on a nozzle forming surface,
A first wiping step of sliding the wiper to the nozzle formation surface so as to cut transverse the nozzle openings,
A suction step of sucking the fluid from the fluid ejection head through the nozzle opening after the first wiping step;
A second wiping step for sliding the wiper against the nozzle forming surface after the suction step ;
The amount of elastic deformation of the wiper due to the sliding contact with the nozzle forming surface in the first wiping stage is smaller than the amount of elastic deformation of the wiper due to the sliding contact with the nozzle forming surface in the second wiping stage. A cleaning method in a fluid ejecting apparatus.

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