JP5942505B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus having a carriage on which a recording head for discharging droplets is mounted.

  As an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a facsimile, a copying machine, a plotter, or a complex machine of these, for example, a liquid discharge recording type image forming using a recording head composed of a liquid discharge head (droplet discharge head) that discharges ink droplets. As an apparatus, for example, an ink jet recording apparatus is known.

  In such a liquid ejection type image forming apparatus, an ink cartridge, which is a liquid cartridge for storing a liquid to be supplied to a recording head, is detachably mounted on a cartridge holder portion of the apparatus main body. It also has a maintenance / recovery mechanism (maintenance unit, maintenance / recovery unit) for maintaining and recovering the ejection stability of the nozzles of the recording head, and a waste liquid tank that contains the waste liquid generated by the maintenance / recovery operation. It is known that the apparatus main body is detachably mounted (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2005-254636 A

  By the way, in the serial type image forming apparatus, at least the maximum printable paper width and the width of the maintenance / recovery mechanism are required as the apparatus main body size, and there is a problem that the apparatus size increases. In particular, a wide image forming apparatus that uses A0 size or A1 size as a sheet is increased in size.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to suppress an increase in the size of the apparatus when the liquid cartridge, the maintenance / recovery unit, and the waste liquid tank are detachable from the apparatus main body.

In order to solve the above problems, an image forming apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention provides:
A recording head for discharging droplets;
A carriage mounted with the recording head and moved in the main scanning direction;
A liquid cartridge for storing a liquid to be supplied to the recording head;
A maintenance and recovery unit for performing maintenance and recovery of the recording head;
A replaceable waste liquid tank for storing waste liquid generated in association with the maintenance recovery,
At least a first recording head and a second recording head are mounted on the carriage,
The first recording head and the second recording head are arranged with their positions shifted in a sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction,
On the front surface of the apparatus main body, there is a cartridge holder portion to which the liquid cartridge is mounted in the front-rear direction of the apparatus main body from obliquely above,
The maintenance and recovery unit is removable from the side of the apparatus main body,
The waste liquid tank is detachable from the side of the apparatus main body,
The maintenance and recovery unit is
A first maintenance / recovery unit held in the apparatus body;
A second maintenance / recovery unit capable of reciprocating in the sub-scanning direction between a first position that can face the first recording head and a second position that can face the second recording head;
A relay path for detachably connecting the discharge path for discharging the waste liquid from the maintenance / recovery unit and the waste liquid tank is provided on the apparatus body side ,
The discharge path is connected to the second maintenance recovery unit,
The discharge path is provided with an L-shaped joint connected to the relay path side .

  According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to suppress an increase in the size of the apparatus when the liquid cartridge, the maintenance / recovery unit, and the waste liquid tank are detachable from the apparatus main body.

1 is an external perspective view illustrating an example of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is an explanatory side view of the apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus. It is side surface explanatory drawing of the state which removed the waste liquid part cover of the apparatus main body. It is side surface explanatory drawing used for description of the arrangement | positioning relationship of the cartridge holder part of the same apparatus main body, a maintenance recovery unit, and a waste liquid tank. It is front explanatory drawing of the removal state similarly provided for description of arrangement | positioning and attachment / detachment of a maintenance recovery unit and a waste liquid tank. It is front explanatory drawing of the mounting state similarly provided for description of arrangement | positioning and attachment / detachment of a maintenance recovery unit and a waste liquid tank. FIG. 3 is an explanatory plan view of a main part of a mechanism unit of the image forming apparatus. It is principal part side explanatory drawing of the mechanism part. It is a plane explanatory view when the 2nd maintenance recovery part (suction cap) of a maintenance recovery unit exists in the 1st position. It is a plane explanatory view when the 2nd maintenance recovery part (suction cap) is in the 1st position similarly. It is principal part perspective explanatory drawing with which it uses for description regarding the attachment or detachment with respect to the apparatus main body of a maintenance recovery unit and a waste liquid tank. It is explanatory drawing with which it uses for description of the relay path | route on the apparatus main body side similarly. It is a plane explanatory view in the state where the 2nd maintenance recovery part of the maintenance recovery mechanism in a 2nd embodiment of the present invention exists in the 1st position. It is a plane explanatory view in the state where the 2nd maintenance recovery part of a maintenance recovery mechanism is in the 1st position similarly. It is a perspective explanatory view, a plane explanatory view, and a front explanatory view of an L-shaped joint for explaining the attachment structure of the L-shaped joint. It is a perspective explanatory view of the state where the L-shaped joint was similarly attached to the maintenance frame. It is a perspective explanatory view of a state before attaching an L-shaped joint to a maintenance frame. It is explanatory drawing with which it uses for description of the attachment procedure to the maintenance frame of an L-shaped joint similarly. It is explanatory drawing similarly. It is explanatory drawing similarly. It is plane explanatory drawing with which it uses for description of the relief shape of the discharge tube of the maintenance frame of the embodiment. It is a cross-sectional explanatory drawing of the L-shaped joint of the embodiment and the joint part of the apparatus main body side.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. An example of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 is an external perspective view of the image forming apparatus, FIG. 2 is a side view of the apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus, and FIG. 3 is a side explanatory view of the apparatus main body with a waste liquid cover removed.

  The image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body 101 and a paper feeding device 102 disposed below the apparatus main body 101.

  Inside the apparatus main body 101, a cartridge holder portion 104, which is a main tank holder, is detachably mounted on the ink cartridge 10 that is a main tank.

  Here, the cartridge holder portion 104 has an opening 104 a that opens obliquely upward toward the front surface of the apparatus main body 101, and a cover 105 that covers the front surface of the opening 104 a of the cartridge holder portion 104 is opened and closed on the apparatus main body 101. Be prepared for possible.

  With this configuration, when the ink cartridge 10 is mounted on the cartridge holder portion 104 of the apparatus main body 101, the ink cartridge 10 is inserted into the cartridge holder section 104 from the upper front side of the apparatus main body 101 and mounted.

  As described above, the arrangement in which the ink cartridge 10 is mounted on the cartridge holder unit 104 from the diagonally upper front surface of the apparatus main body 101 with respect to the apparatus main body 101 allows the depth space of the apparatus main body 101 to be larger than the configuration of mounting in the horizontal direction. Can be reduced.

  Further, when replacing the ink cartridge 10, the user can use the weight of the ink cartridge 10 without requiring an unreasonable posture, and the replacement operation becomes easy.

  Next, the arrangement relationship of the cartridge holder portion, the maintenance / recovery unit and the waste liquid tank and the attachment / detachment of the maintenance / recovery unit and the waste liquid tank in this image forming apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 is a side view for explaining the arrangement relationship of the cartridge holder portion, the maintenance / recovery unit, and the waste liquid tank of the apparatus main body, and FIG. 5 is a front view of the removed state that is also used for explaining the arrangement / removal of the maintenance / recovery unit and the waste liquid tank. FIG. 6 is an explanatory front view of the attached state for explaining the arrangement and attachment / detachment of the maintenance and recovery unit and the waste liquid tank.

  The maintenance / recovery unit 20 is detachably provided on the side of the apparatus main body 101 on the rear side of the cartridge holder portion 104, and the waste liquid tank 400 is provided on the lower side of the maintenance / recovery unit 20 from the side of the apparatus main body 101. It is provided to be exchangeable.

  On the apparatus main body 101 side, a joint portion 403 to which a joint 402 connected to the discharge path of the maintenance / recovery unit 20 is detachably connected, and a needle 404 that can be inserted into and removed from the insertion port portion 400a of the waste liquid tank 400, Are fixedly arranged, and the joint portion 403 and the needle 404 are connected by a relay tube 405.

  With this configuration, as shown in FIG. 5, when the maintenance / recovery unit 20 is removed from the side of the apparatus main body 101 and attached again, the joint 402 of the maintenance / recovery unit 20 becomes a joint as shown in FIG. The unit 403 is connected. Further, by removing and replacing the waste liquid tank 400 from the side of the apparatus main body 101 and mounting a new waste liquid tank 400 again, as shown in FIG. 6, the needle 404 is inserted into the insertion port 400 a of the waste liquid tank 400. Plugged in.

  Accordingly, the discharge path of the maintenance / recovery unit 20 is connected to the waste liquid tank 400 via the relay path including the joint portion 403, the relay tube, and the needle 404, and the waste liquid generated in the maintenance / recovery operation of the maintenance / recovery unit 20 is the waste liquid tank 400. Can be discharged and accommodated.

  In this way, the ink cartridge 10 can be attached to and detached from the cartridge holder portion 104 obliquely from above in the front surface of the apparatus main body 101, and the maintenance / recovery unit 20 and the waste liquid tank 400 are disposed on the rear side of the cartridge holder portion 104. Can be removed from the side of the apparatus main body 101, and the waste liquid tank 400 can be detached from the side of the apparatus main body 101. Therefore, the depth space of the apparatus main body 101 can be reduced, and the size can be reduced.

  Next, the mechanism of this image forming apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 7 is an explanatory plan view of the main part of the mechanism of the image forming apparatus, and FIG. 8 is an explanatory side view of the main part of the mechanism.

  The mechanism unit movably holds the carriage 3 with a main guide member 1 and a sub-guide member (not shown) spanned between the left and right side plates 11L and 11R, and between a drive pulley and a driven pulley by a main scanning motor (not shown). The carriage 3 is moved and scanned in the main scanning direction via the spanned timing belt.

  In the carriage 3, a recording head 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d (which is referred to as “recording head 4” when not distinguished) is composed of a plurality of nozzles. They are arranged in the sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the scanning direction, and are mounted with the droplet discharge direction facing downward.

  Here, the recording head 4a and the recording heads 4b to 4c are arranged by shifting the position of one head (for one nozzle row) in the sub-scanning direction, which is a direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction. Each of the recording heads 4a to 4d has two nozzle rows. The recording heads 4a and 4b discharge black droplets having the same color, and magenta (M), cyan (C), and yellow (y) droplets are discharged from the nozzle rows of the recording heads 4c and 4d. To do.

  As a result, monochrome images can be formed with a width of two heads in one scan (main scanning) using the recording heads 4a and 4b, and color images are formed using, for example, the recording heads 4b to 4d. .

  The recording heads 4a to 4d are each provided with a head tank 5 for supplying a liquid to each head 4. The head tank 5 is supplied with ink of each color via a supply tube 6 from ink cartridges 10k, 10c, 10m, and 10y, which are main tanks that are replaceably attached to the apparatus main body.

  On the other hand, in order to convey the sheet, the conveyance roller 13 for adsorbing the sheet and conveying it at a position facing the recording head 4, the pressure roller 14 being pressed against and contacting the conveyance roller 13, and facing the recording head 4 The platen member 12 is configured to include a suction fan 15 that sucks the roll paper (paper) P through the suction holes of the platen member 12.

  Further, the above-described maintenance / recovery unit 20 which is a maintenance / recovery mechanism that performs maintenance / recovery of the recording head 4 is disposed on one side of the carriage 3 in the main scanning direction, and the liquid that does not contribute to image formation from the recording head 4 is disposed on the other side. Empty discharge receptacles 24 that perform empty discharge for discharging droplets are respectively disposed.

  As will be described in detail later, the maintenance / recovery unit 20 includes a first maintenance / recovery unit 21 held in the apparatus main body 101 and a second maintenance / recovery unit 22 held so as to be reciprocally movable in the sub-scanning direction. . The maintenance / recovery unit 20 includes, for example, a suction cap 31 and a moisture retaining cap 32 that also serve as a moisture retaining cap for capping the nozzle surface (the surface on which the nozzle is formed) of the recording head 4, a wiper member 33 for wiping the nozzle surface, and image formation. A blank discharge receptacle 34 for receiving droplets (empty discharge droplets) that do not contribute to the above.

  In the image forming apparatus configured as described above, roll paper (paper) P is fed from the paper feeding device 102 and is sucked on the platen member 12 by the transport roller 13 and the pressure roller 14 in the sub-scanning direction. Be transported.

  Therefore, by driving the recording head 4 according to the image signal while moving the carriage 3 in the main scanning direction, droplets are ejected onto the stopped roll paper P to record one line, and the roll paper P , The next line is recorded, and the roll paper P is sequentially discharged.

  Next, details of the maintenance and recovery unit 20 will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. FIG. 9 is an explanatory plan view when the second maintenance recovery portion (suction cap) of the maintenance recovery unit is in the first position, and FIG. 10 is also when the second maintenance recovery portion (suction cap) is in the first position. It is a plane explanatory view.

  In the present embodiment, as described above, the recording heads 4a to 4d are arranged on the carriage 3 by shifting the position in the sub-scanning direction by the width in the sub-scanning direction of one nozzle row (hereinafter referred to as “staggered arrangement”). Say.).

  Here, among the recording heads 4 a to 4 d mounted on the carriage 3, the recording head 4 a disposed downstream in the sub-scanning direction (paper transport direction) is the first recording head, and the sub-scanning direction (paper transport direction) is upstream. The recording heads 4b, 4c, and 4d arranged on the side are referred to as second recording heads.

  On the other hand, the maintenance / recovery unit 20 includes a first maintenance / recovery unit 21 held by a maintenance frame 201 that is detachably fixed to an internal frame (side plate) 111 of the apparatus main body 101 and a sub-scanning direction (y And a second maintenance / recovery portion 22 held by a maintenance cleaner frame 202 provided so as to be capable of reciprocating in the axial direction.

  The first maintenance / recovery unit 21 has three moisturizing caps 32 corresponding to each head at a position where the recording heads 4b to 4d as the second recording head can be capped.

  The second maintenance / recovery unit 22 includes a suction cap 31, a wiper member 33, an idle discharge receiver 34, and a suction pump 37 including a tubing pump that is a suction unit connected to the suction cap 31.

  The second maintenance / recovery unit 22 maintains and recovers the recording head 4a, which is the first recording head, on the maintenance frame 201 by swinging the arm 207 of the drive mechanism unit 25 including a drive source (not shown). It is reciprocated between a first position where the operation is performed and a second position where the maintenance recovery operation is performed on the recording heads 4b to 4d which are the second recording heads.

  The maintenance cleaner frame 202 that holds the second maintenance recovery unit 22 is guided by, for example, a guide rail and a guide groove.

  Next, attachment / detachment of the maintenance / recovery unit 20 and the waste liquid tank 400 with respect to the apparatus main body 101 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 11 is an explanatory perspective view of a main part provided for the description, and FIG.

  The maintenance / recovery unit 20 inserts two positioning pins 251 provided in the maintenance frame 201 into two positioning holes 112 provided in the internal frame (side plate) 111 arranged in the main scanning direction inside the apparatus main body 101, It is fixed with screws (not shown).

  Therefore, the maintenance / recovery unit 20 can be removed from the side surface of the apparatus main body 101 to the side (along the main scanning direction) by removing the exterior 101A of the apparatus main body 101 and removing the screw.

  Further, the waste liquid tank 400 can also be attached to the apparatus main body 101 in a replaceable manner from the side surface of the apparatus main body 101 by opening the exterior 101B that can be opened and closed.

  Here, in the maintenance frame 201 of the maintenance / recovery unit 20, in order to discharge the waste liquid generated by the maintenance recovery operation by the second maintenance / recovery unit 22 to the waste liquid tank 400, the end of the discharge tube 38 forming the waste liquid discharge path is provided. A connected joint 402 is provided.

  On the other hand, the internal frame 111 of the apparatus main body 101 is provided with a joint portion 403 to which the joint 402 of the maintenance / recovery unit 20 is detachably connected. The joint 402 of the maintenance / recovery unit 20 is connected to the joint portion 403 at the final stage when the positioning pin 251 is fitted into the positioning hole 112 of the inner frame 111.

  Further, a needle 404 that can be inserted and removed from the waste liquid tank 400 is attached to a support plate 111A that is integral with the inner frame 111 of the apparatus main body 101. The needle 404 is connected to the joint portion 403 via the relay tube 405. The needle 404 and the relay tube 405 constitute a relay path on the apparatus main body 101 side that detachably connects the discharge path (discharge tube 38) of the maintenance and recovery unit 20 and the waste liquid tank 400.

  Since it comprised in this way, while the maintenance recovery unit 20 and the waste liquid tank 400 can be attached or detached from the side surface which is the same direction with respect to the apparatus main body 101, the discharge path of the maintenance recovery unit 20 and the waste liquid tank 400 can be connected. It can be connected detachably.

  As described above, the ink cartridge 10 can be attached to and detached from the cartridge holder 104 from the front side of the apparatus main body 101 obliquely from above, and the maintenance / recovery unit 20 and the waste liquid tank 400 are arranged on the rear side of the cartridge holder 104 from the side of the apparatus main body 101. Since it is detachable, the depth space of the apparatus main body 101 can be reduced and the size can be reduced.

  Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. First, the 2nd maintenance recovery part in the embodiment is demonstrated with reference to FIG.13 and FIG.14. FIG. 13 is an explanatory plan view of a state in which the second maintenance / recovery unit of the maintenance / recovery mechanism is in the first position in the same embodiment, and FIG. 14 is a plan view of the state where the second maintenance / recovery unit of the maintenance / recovery mechanism is in the first position. It is explanatory drawing.

  In the present embodiment, an L-shaped joint 502 is connected to the end of the discharge tube 38 of the second maintenance recovery unit 22, and the L-shaped joint 502 is attached to the maintenance frame 201. Further, in the second maintenance recovery unit 22, the discharge tube 38 is fixed to the maintenance cleaner frame 202 with a clamp 503.

  With this configuration, when the second maintenance / recovery unit 22 moves between the first position shown in FIG. 13 and the second position shown in FIG. 14, the curvature of the discharge tube 38 is maintained.

  Next, an L-shaped joint mounting structure will be described with reference to FIGS. 15 is a perspective explanatory view, a plan explanatory view and a front explanatory view of the L-shaped joint, FIG. 16 is a perspective explanatory view of a state in which the L-shaped joint is attached to the maintenance frame, and FIG. 17 is an L-shaped joint on the maintenance frame. It is a perspective explanatory view of the state before attaching.

  The L-shaped joint 502 includes a connecting portion 511 that connects the discharge tube 38 and a connecting portion 512 that is connected to the joint portion 403 on the apparatus main body 101 side, and includes a regulating surface 513 that sandwiches the maintenance frame 201 and the connecting portion 512. And ribs 514a and 514b provided on the outer peripheral surface.

  On the other hand, the maintenance frame 201 has an opening 602 into which the L-shaped joint 502 is inserted. As a means for restricting the rotation by engaging with the ribs 514a and 514b of the L-shaped joint 502 on the outer peripheral side of the opening 602. Are also provided with a first restricting portion 603a and a second restricting portion 603b.

  Next, a procedure for attaching the L-shaped joint to the maintenance frame will be described with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 18, the ribs 514a and 514b of the L-shaped joint 502 are fitted and fitted into the opening 602 of the maintenance frame 201 as shown in FIGS. By rotating 502, the rib 603 in FIG. 19 gets over the slope of the first restricting portion 600a, and is maintained by the restricting surface 513 on the L-shaped joint 502 side and the ribs 514a, 514b as shown in FIGS. The frame 201 is sandwiched and fixed.

  At this time, the maintenance frame 201 is provided with first and second restricting portions 603a and 603b that contact the ribs 514a and 514b of the L-shaped joint 502, and the first restricting portion 603a and the second restricting portion 603b cause the L The rotation of the letter joint 502 is restricted.

  Thus, when the maintenance cleaner frame 202 slides, the vertical movement of the discharge tube 38 due to the rotation of the L-shaped joint 502 can be restricted, and the friction between the discharge tube 38 and the maintenance frame 201 can be prevented. The durability of the discharge tube 38 can be improved.

  Next, the relief shape of the discharge tube of the maintenance frame will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 21 is an explanatory plan view for explaining the same.

  In the maintenance frame 201, relief shapes 201a and 201b are formed in accordance with the movable part of the discharge tube 38 when the second maintenance recovery part 22 slides.

  Thereby, a margin for variation in assembly of the discharge tube 38 can be provided, and it is possible to prevent a reaction force from being generated due to the discharge tube 38 interfering with the maintenance frame 201 with respect to the slide movement of the second maintenance recovery portion 22.

  Next, the joint part on the apparatus main body side will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of a joint portion provided for the description.

  The joint portion 403 into which the L-shaped joint 502 is inserted includes a fixing component 701 that is fixed to the inner frame 111, an intermediate joint 702 that connects the relay tube 405, and a seal member 703 that seals between the L-shaped joint 502. ing.

  Here, in the joint portion 403, the inlet 403a to the relay tube 405 is provided lower than the waste liquid discharge port 502a of the L-shaped joint 502 by a height h in the height direction.

  As a result, when the maintenance / recovery unit 20 is removed from the apparatus main body 101, the waste liquid remaining in the relay tube 405 and the like is prevented from leaking into the apparatus main body 101 from the insertion port of the L-shaped joint 502. it can.

  In the present application, the “paper” is not limited to paper, but includes OHP, cloth, glass, a substrate, etc., and means a material to which ink droplets or other liquids can be attached. , Recording media, recording paper, recording paper, and the like. In addition, image formation, recording, printing, printing, and printing are all synonymous.

  The “image forming apparatus” means an apparatus that forms an image by discharging liquid onto a medium such as paper, thread, fiber, fabric, leather, metal, plastic, glass, wood, ceramics, etc. “Formation” means not only giving an image having a meaning such as a character or a figure to a medium but also giving an image having no meaning such as a pattern to the medium (simply causing a droplet to land on the medium). ) Also means.

  The “ink” is not limited to an ink unless otherwise specified, but includes any liquid that can form an image, such as a recording liquid, a fixing processing liquid, or a liquid. Used generically, for example, includes DNA samples, resists, pattern materials, resins, and the like.

  In addition, the “image” is not limited to a planar image, and includes an image given to a three-dimensionally formed image and an image formed by three-dimensionally modeling a solid itself.

  In addition to a vertical printing type image forming apparatus in which a recording head discharges droplets downward in the vertical direction, a horizontal direction in which the recording head discharges droplets in a direction perpendicular to or intersecting with the vertical direction. The present invention can also be applied to a strike type image forming apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Guide rod 3 Carriage 4, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d Recording head 20 Maintenance recovery mechanism 21 1st maintenance recovery part 22 2nd maintenance recovery part 31 Suction cap 32 Moisturizing cap 33 Wiper member 34 Empty discharge receptacle 37 Suction pump 38 Ejection Tube 201 Maintenance frame 202 Maintenance cleaner frame 400 Waste liquid tank 402 Joint 403 Joint portion 404 Needle 405 Relay tube

Claims (4)

A recording head for discharging droplets;
A carriage mounted with the recording head and moved in the main scanning direction;
A liquid cartridge for storing a liquid to be supplied to the recording head;
A maintenance and recovery unit for performing maintenance and recovery of the recording head;
A replaceable waste liquid tank for storing waste liquid generated in association with the maintenance recovery,
At least a first recording head and a second recording head are mounted on the carriage,
The first recording head and the second recording head are arranged with their positions shifted in a sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction,
On the front surface of the apparatus main body, there is a cartridge holder portion to which the liquid cartridge is mounted in the front-rear direction of the apparatus main body from obliquely above,
The maintenance and recovery unit is removable from the side of the apparatus main body,
The waste liquid tank is detachable from the side of the apparatus main body,
The maintenance and recovery unit is
A first maintenance / recovery unit held in the apparatus body;
A second maintenance / recovery unit capable of reciprocating in the sub-scanning direction between a first position that can face the first recording head and a second position that can face the second recording head;
A relay path for detachably connecting the discharge path for discharging the waste liquid from the maintenance / recovery unit and the waste liquid tank is provided on the apparatus body side ,
The discharge path is connected to the second maintenance recovery unit,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the discharge path includes an L-shaped joint connected to the relay path side . In the maintenance and recovery unit, a maintenance frame on which the first maintenance and recovery unit is mounted is provided with a tube relief portion that forms the discharge path, and a member that restricts rotation of the L-shaped joint. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein: The connection part that connects the relay path and the L-shaped joint of the maintenance / recovery unit is characterized in that the entrance of the relay path is at a lower position in the height direction than the exit of the L-shaped joint. Item 3. The image forming apparatus according to Item 1 or 2 .   A recording head for discharging droplets;
  A carriage mounted with the recording head and moved in the main scanning direction;
  A liquid cartridge for storing a liquid to be supplied to the recording head;
  A maintenance and recovery unit for performing maintenance and recovery of the recording head;
  A replaceable waste liquid tank for storing waste liquid generated in association with the maintenance recovery,
  At least a first recording head and a second recording head are mounted on the carriage,
  The first recording head and the second recording head are arranged with their positions shifted in a sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction,
  A front surface of the apparatus main body has a cartridge holder portion to which the liquid cartridge is mounted in the front-rear direction of the apparatus main body,
  The maintenance and recovery unit is removable from the side of the apparatus main body,
  The waste liquid tank is detachable from the side of the apparatus main body,
  The maintenance and recovery unit is
  A first maintenance / recovery unit held in the apparatus body;
  A second maintenance / recovery unit capable of reciprocating in the sub-scanning direction between a first position that can face the first recording head and a second position that can face the second recording head;
  A relay path for detachably connecting the discharge path for discharging the waste liquid from the maintenance / recovery unit and the waste liquid tank is provided on the apparatus body side,
  The discharge path is connected to the second maintenance recovery unit,
  The discharge path includes an L-shaped joint that is connected to the relay path side.
An image forming apparatus.

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