JP6202272B2 - Cleaning method for flow path member - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a flow path member cleaning method, and is particularly useful when applied to cleaning a seal member having a through flow path provided with a return portion together with a convex portion, being sandwiched between two cases. is there.

  A typical example of a liquid ejecting head that ejects droplets is an ink jet recording head that ejects ink droplets. As the ink jet recording head, for example, a head main body that ejects ink droplets from nozzle openings and a head main body are fixed, and an ink cartridge that stores ink is detachably provided. Has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  The flow path member in Patent Document 1 is usually formed by laminating a plurality of cases each having a flow path inside, but a seal member is sandwiched between the two cases. Here, the seal member is a kind of flow path member formed of an elastic member having a through flow path communicating between the flow paths of the cases. Such a flow path member is cleaned by circulating a cleaning liquid through the through flow path before being integrated with the case. This is to wash away foreign substances adhering to the inner wall of the through flow path.

  By the way, in the seal member, a flange portion extending in a direction intersecting the central axis of the through flow passage formed in the convex portion, and the through flow passage along the central axis from the inner peripheral side end portion of the flange portion. And a return portion formed integrally and continuously with the flange portion so as to extend toward the opening on one side. In such a sealing member, a hollow portion is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the return portion and the one side surface of the flange portion continuous with the outer peripheral surface.

  The foreign matter adhering to the hollow portion cannot be removed by a cleaning method in which the cleaning liquid is circulated through the through channel as in the prior art, and causes nozzle clogging in the ink jet recording head.

  Therefore, it is necessary to surely wash away the foreign matter in the recess during the cleaning operation. However, if the depressions are cleaned in a separate process, the number of steps increases, resulting in a decrease in production efficiency and an increase in cost. For this reason, it is desirable that it is possible to remove foreign matter from the recess at the same time when the through channel is cleaned.

  Such a problem exists not only in a flow path member used for a liquid jet head such as an ink jet recording head but also in a flow path member used in a device other than the liquid jet head.

JP2013-123830A

  In view of the circumstances as described above, the present invention provides a flow path member cleaning method capable of simultaneously cleaning a recessed portion associated with a return portion adjacent to a through flow path when cleaning the through flow path. For the purpose.

An aspect of the present invention that solves the above problems includes a flange portion that extends in a direction intersecting the central axis of the through-flow passage, and an inner end of the flange portion on one side of the through-flow passage along the central axis. A flow path member having a return portion formed integrally and continuously with the flange portion so as to extend toward an opening, wherein the flow path member is mounted on a base having a cleaning liquid discharge hole. The flow path for cleaning the through flow path by flowing a cleaning liquid from the opening on the other side toward the opening on the one side of the through flow path, and discharging the cleaned cleaning liquid through the discharge hole When cleaning the member, the flow path member is placed on the base at a position where the opening on the one side and the discharge hole do not overlap in the central axis direction, and the outer peripheral surface of the return portion and the outer periphery Between one side surface of the flange portion that is continuous with the surface In the cleaning method of the flow path member, wherein a cleaning liquid bouncing off at the base to the recess to be made also to wash the recess portion by collision.
According to this aspect, the cleaning liquid that has washed the through-flow path bounces off the base and collides with the recessed portion, so that even if foreign matter is attached to the recessed portion, it can be washed away at the same time. As a result, it is possible to prevent inconveniences such as clogging of the flow path due to contamination of foreign matters even when the flow path member is sandwiched between cases and functioned as a predetermined seal member.

  Here, it is desirable that the through flow path in the flow path member is formed in a convex part, and the flange part and the return part are also formed in the convex part. This is because the convex portion can be used as a reference when positioning the flow path member at a predetermined position when the flow path member is integrated with another case.

  Further, the flow path member is useful as an elastic seal member sandwiched between the case members.

  Furthermore, it is desirable that the place where the flow path member is placed on the base is coated so as to be more slippery than the ground state of the base. This is because, in the cleaning operation, it is necessary to place and position the flow path member to be cleaned on the base, and fine adjustment of the position of the flow path member on the base can be satisfactorily performed.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a recording head having a cleaning target according to the present invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the clamping aspect of the sealing member which is a washing | cleaning object. It is sectional drawing which shows the aspect at the time of the cleaning of a sealing member. It is sectional drawing which shows the aspect at the time of the washing | cleaning which extracts and expands a part of FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an ink jet recording head (hereinafter also simply referred to as a recording head) having a seal member which is a flow path member to be cleaned according to the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the head body 10 is provided with a liquid ejecting surface 12 on one side of which a nozzle for ejecting ink droplets as a liquid is opened. Although not specifically shown, the liquid ejection surface 12 of the present embodiment is provided with two rows of nozzle rows in which nozzles are juxtaposed in a direction intersecting the nozzle juxtaposition direction. Here, in this embodiment, the direction in which the nozzles are arranged in parallel in one nozzle row is referred to as a first direction X, and the direction in which the nozzle rows are in contact with each other across the first direction X is the second direction. Called Y.

  Inside the head main body 10 (not shown), there are provided a flow path communicating with the nozzle and the liquid flow path of the flow path member 20, a pressure generating means for causing a pressure change in the ink in the flow path, and the like. . Further, the head body 10 is provided with a wiring member 13 connected to an internal pressure generating means or the like on the surface opposite to the liquid ejection surface 12. Furthermore, an inlet for supplying ink (liquid) to the flow path in the head body 10 on both sides of the wiring member 13 in the second direction Y on the side opposite to the liquid ejection surface 12 of the head body 10. Is provided.

  The head main body 10 has a surface opposite to the liquid ejecting surface 12 fixed to the flow path member 20, and ink held in a liquid holding portion such as an ink cartridge or an ink tank is introduced through the flow path member 20. Supplied from The flow path member 20 includes a plurality of head main bodies 10 arranged in parallel in the second direction Y, which is the arrangement direction of the nozzle rows in the present embodiment. That is, a single recording head 1 has a total of four nozzle rows arranged in parallel in the second direction Y. In the present embodiment, the fixing direction of the flow path member 20 and the head body 10 is referred to as a third direction Z. That is, the fixing direction of the flow path member 20 and the head body 10 is the stacking direction, and is orthogonal to the surface direction of the liquid ejection surface 12 (the in-plane directions of the first direction X and the second direction Y). Direction, and the direction in which ink droplets are ejected.

  The flow path member 20 to which the head body 10 is fixed includes the upstream flow path member 30 to which the liquid holding unit is connected, the downstream flow path member 40 communicating with the upstream flow path member 30, and the upstream flow path member 30 and the downstream flow. A seal member 50 provided between the path member 40 and sealing the connecting portion between the two and a wiring board 60 provided between the upstream flow path member 30 and the downstream flow path member 40; and The upstream flow path member 30, the seal member 50, the wiring substrate 60, and the downstream flow path member 40 are stacked in a third direction Z that is a direction in which ink droplets are ejected.

  The upstream flow path member 30 has a connection portion 34 connected to a liquid holding portion such as an ink tank or an ink cartridge in which ink (liquid) is held on the side opposite to the downstream flow path member 40. In this embodiment, the connection part 34 protruded in the shape of a needle. In addition, the connection part 34 is not limited to a needle-like thing, A cylindrical member etc. may be sufficient. Further, a liquid holding part such as an ink cartridge may be directly connected to the connection part 34, or a liquid holding part such as an ink tank may be connected via a supply pipe such as a tube.

  A plurality of head main bodies 10, in the present embodiment, two head main bodies 10 are fixed to the surface of the downstream flow path member 40 opposite to the upstream flow path member 30. Here, as described above, the nozzle group (nozzle row) is formed side by side in the second direction Y in one head main body 10, and the two head main bodies 10 are arranged in the second direction in the recording head 1. Y is provided side by side.

  Between the upstream flow path member 30 and the downstream flow path member 40, a seal member 50 that is a joint that connects (joins) the both is provided.

  The seal member 50 may be made of a material (elastic material) that has liquid resistance to an ink or the like used in the recording head 1 and is elastically deformable, such as rubber or elastomer. The seal member 50 is provided with a through channel 130 that communicates the upstream channel member 30 and the downstream channel member 40. Further, the seal member 50 of the present embodiment is held in a state in which pressure is applied in the third direction Z between the upstream flow path member 30 and the downstream flow path member 40.

  A wiring board 60 to which the wiring member 13 is connected is provided between the seal member 50 and the downstream flow path member 40. The wiring board 60 is mounted with wiring (not shown), electronic components, and the like, and the wiring (not shown) is connected to connectors 61 provided on both end sides in the second direction Y. The connector 61 is connected to an external wiring (not shown) for supplying a print signal or the like. The channel member 20 is provided with a connector connection port 21 for exposing the connector 61 on both side surfaces in the second direction Y, and the external wiring is the connector 61 exposed by the connector connection port 21. Connected to.

  A cover head 70 that exposes the nozzles and protects the head body 10 is provided on the side of the flow path member 20 on which the head body 10 is provided.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the sealing member that shows the sealing member extracted and enlarged. As shown in the figure, the seal member 50 has a flange portion 131 and a return portion 132, and rubber sandwiched between the upstream flow path member 30 and the downstream flow path member 40, which are case members. It is a made member. The flange portion 131 extends in the second direction Y, which is a direction that intersects the central axis C of the through channel 130 formed in the convex portion 129. Further, the return portion 132 extends integrally from the inner peripheral side end portion of the flange portion 131 toward the lower end side opening 130 </ b> A that is an opening on one side of the through channel 130 along the central axis C. Thus, a recessed portion 133 is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the return portion 132 and one surface (lower surface in the drawing) of the flange portion 131 continuous with the outer peripheral surface.

  The downstream flow channel member 40 is connected to the seal member 50 by the convex portion 40A fitting the return portion 132 from the lower opening 130A side, and the upstream flow channel member 30 is brought into contact with the apex of the convex portion 129 and sealed. 50 is pressed along the third direction Z downward in the figure. Thus, the upstream flow path 110, the through flow path 130, and the downstream flow path 120 are all connected as a single flow path having the central axis C in common.

  The assembly of the upstream flow path member 30, the seal member 50, and the downstream flow path member 40 is performed in a clean environment such as a clean room, and each member (the upstream flow path member 30, the seal member 50, and the downstream flow path is assembled before assembly. The member 40) is cleaned, in particular, the inner peripheral surfaces of the upstream flow path 110, the through flow path 130, and the downstream flow path 120 are cleaned to wash out foreign matters. At this time, in this embodiment, the cleaning method is devised so that the foreign matter adhering to the depression 133 of the seal member 50 can be washed away. Specifically, it is as follows.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the sealing member 50 is cleaned by placing the sealing member 50 at a predetermined position on the base 35. The cleaning jig 37 is lowered from above the seal member 50 placed on the base 35 and is brought into contact with the apex of the convex portion 129 of the seal member 50 as shown by the dotted line in the figure. The cleaning liquid is poured through the supply port 37A in a state in which the seal is secured. Here, the supply port 37 </ b> A and the through flow path 130 are communicated so that the central axis C is common. The cleaning liquid discharge hole 36 formed in the base 35 is formed at a position where the central axes C and C1 do not overlap. Furthermore, although not clearly shown in the drawings, a slippery coating agent is applied to the mounting portion of the seal member 50 on the base 3 in order to facilitate positioning of the seal member 50. For example, when the base 3 is formed of SUS, silicone is suitable as the coating agent. When the seal member 50 is of the recording head 1, the discharge hole 36 has a very small diameter of about 1 mm.

  As described above, the positional relationship between the seal member 50 placed on the base 3 and the cleaning jig 37 is as shown in FIG. The cleaning jig 37 at the initial position is lowered, and positioning is performed in such a manner that the convex portion 129 of the seal member 50 is inserted into the concave portion 37B of the cleaning jig 37 as indicated by a dotted line in the drawing (here, The seal member 50 is actually placed on the base 35, but is shown in a position where the base 35 is lowered from the actual position for convenience of understanding). More specifically, with respect to the third direction Z, the cleaning jig 37 is pressed downward along the third direction Z in a state where the cleaning jig 37 is in contact with the apex of the convex portion 129, and the first and second directions With respect to the directions X and Y, a gap is formed between the concave portion 37 </ b> B of the cleaning jig 37 and the convex portion 129 of the seal member 50. This ensures workability when the cleaning jig 37 is raised and separated from the seal member 50 after the cleaning process is completed. That is, the convex portion 129 of the seal member 50 is stuck to the concave portion 37B of the cleaning jig 37 and is prevented from rising together. In this embodiment, in this embodiment, since the part on which the seal member 50 is placed is coated on the base 35, the frictional force of the part where the seal member 50 abuts on the base 35 is small. As a result, the seal member 50 placed on the base 35 can be precisely moved, and the seal member 50 can be accurately positioned. By the way, as the coating agent in this case, a material having a slip / static friction coefficient of 0.16 and a dynamic friction coefficient of 0.06 was applied. In addition, the numerical value which concerns is a result measured by the handy tribo master of Trinity Lab. Further, as described above, the same effect can be obtained by performing a surface treatment that reduces the contact area instead of the coating treatment.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a specific aspect of the cleaning operation. As shown in the figure, when the sealing member 50 is cleaned, the sealing member 50 is placed on a base 35 having a cleaning liquid discharge hole 36. At this time, the positional relationship is such that the central axis C1 of the discharge hole 36 is deviated by a predetermined amount with respect to the central axis C of the through flow path 130. That is, the seal member 50 is placed on the base 35 at a position where the opening 130A and the discharge hole 36 do not overlap in the central axis C direction.

  In this state, the cleaning liquid 38 is caused to flow into the through flow path 130 from the supply port 37A of the cleaning jig 37 through the opening 130A and circulate toward the opening 130A. As a result, the inner peripheral surface of the through channel 130 is cleaned. When the cleaning liquid 38 after cleaning is discharged through the discharge hole 36, in this embodiment, the central axis C of the opening 130A and the central axis C1 of the discharge hole 36 do not overlap in the third direction Z in the drawing. Because of the positional relationship, the cleaning liquid 38 discharged from the opening 130A collides with the surface of the base 35 and rebounds. The cleaning liquid 38 that has rebounded in this manner collides with the recess 133 of the seal member 50 placed on the base 35. As a result, the recess 133 is also washed, and the foreign matter attached to this portion is washed away. The cleaning liquid 38 that has cleaned the recess 133 is discharged to the outside through the discharge hole 36.

  Thus, according to the present embodiment, the cleaning liquid 38 that has cleaned the through-flow channel 130 rebounds at the base 35 and collides with the recessed portion 133, so that even if foreign matter is attached to the recessed portion 133, it can be simultaneously washed away. it can. As a result, even when sandwiched between the upstream flow path member 30 and the downstream flow path member 40, which are case members, and function as the predetermined seal member 50, inconveniences such as clogging of the flow path due to contamination of foreign matters are prevented in advance. can do.

  Although the above embodiment has been described with respect to the case where the flow path member is a seal member, the present invention is not limited to this. There is no further limitation as long as it is a flow path member in which a recess is formed at the boundary between the flange part and the return part by having a flange part and a return part on the convex part in which the through channel is formed. .

  Further, it is not necessary to limit the flow path member (seal member) to that applied to the recording head 1. There is no further limitation as long as it is sandwiched between the two case members and forms part of the liquid flow path.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Recording head, 10 Recording head main body, 30 Upstream flow path member, 35 Base, 36 Discharge hole, 38 Cleaning liquid, 40 Downstream flow path member, 50 Seal member, 129 Convex part, 130 Through flow path, 130A One side opening , 130B opening on the other side, 131 flange portion, 132 return portion, 133 recess portion, C central axis

Claims (4)

A flange portion extending in a direction intersecting the central axis of the through flow passage, and the flange portion extending from the inner peripheral side end portion of the flange portion to the opening on one side of the through flow passage along the central axis A flow path member having a return portion integrally formed therewith,
The flow path member is placed on a base having a discharge hole for the cleaning liquid, and the through flow path is cleaned by flowing the cleaning liquid from the opening on the other side toward the opening on the one side of the through flow path. , When cleaning the flow path member for discharging the cleaned cleaning liquid through the discharge hole,
The flow path member is placed on the base at a position where the opening on the one side and the discharge hole do not overlap in the direction of the central axis, and the outer peripheral surface of the return portion and the flange continuous with the outer peripheral surface A cleaning method for a flow path member, characterized in that a cleaning liquid bounced off from the base collides with a recess formed between one side surface and a recess, and the recess is also cleaned. In the flow path member cleaning method according to claim 1,
The through-flow channel in the flow channel member is formed in a convex portion, and the flange portion and the return portion are also formed in the convex portion. In the cleaning method for a flow path member according to claim 1 or 2,
The channel member cleaning method, wherein the channel member is an elastic seal member sandwiched between case members. In the washing | cleaning method of the flow-path member as described in any one of Claims 1-3,
A method of cleaning a flow path member, wherein a mounting place for mounting the flow path member on the base is coated so as to be more slippery than a ground state of the base.

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