JP6973185B2 - Liquid discharge unit and liquid discharge device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a liquid discharge unit and a liquid discharge device.

Liquid discharge devices such as printers, facsimiles, copiers, plotters, and other multifunction devices equipped with a liquid discharge head that discharges recording liquid as a recording head are equipped with a performance maintenance / recovery mechanism that maintains and recovers the performance of the recording head. A liquid discharge unit is indispensable. This performance maintenance / recovery mechanism has a cap function that covers the recording head with a highly airtight cap member to prevent the recording liquid near the nozzle hole from thickening and sticking due to natural evaporation of ink, bubbles generated in the nozzle hole, etc. Discharge recovery function that discharges the recording liquid and sucks the recording liquid from the nozzle of the recording head through the cap function to prevent the occurrence of ejection failure due to It has a wiping function to wipe off the residual recording liquid that is a factor.

In such a performance maintenance / recovery mechanism, after suction is performed with the nozzle surface of the recording head capped by the capping member, the nozzle surface of the recording head is wiped and cleaned by the wiping member, and then the nozzle of the recording head is again used. The process of capping the surface by capping means is performed. Here, in the operation of wiping the nozzle surface after the recording head suction operation described above, when the nozzle surface is wiped off, the ink adhering to the wiping member due to the restoration deformation at the tip of the wiping member is adjacent to the side surface of the recording head. In addition, there is a problem that the ink scattered on the nozzle surface and the scattered ink drips onto the transport portion and the recording medium becomes dirty.

After capping the nozzle surface with a suction cap and performing nozzle suction for the purpose of preventing the ink adhering from scattering when the tip of the wiper member is restored and deformed in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. By wiping without wiping the nozzle surface with the wiper blade, the ink splattering on the tip of the blade is reduced, and then wiping is performed again with the wiper blade to wipe off the nozzle surface to clean the entire nozzle surface. The technique is known (see, for example, "Patent Document 1").

However, in the above-mentioned technique, since the wiping operation is performed a plurality of times, the work efficiency is poor, and at the time of the final wiping, the ink adhering to the wiping member is scattered on the side surface and the nozzle surface of the adjacent head due to the restoration deformation of the wiping member, and the transport unit. There is a problem that it hangs down.
It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide a liquid ejection unit and a liquid ejection device capable of cleaning the nozzle surface while preventing ink from splashing to adjacent heads by one wiping operation. And.

The invention according to claim 1 comprises a plurality of liquid discharge heads for discharging liquid from a nozzle surface, a head suction member for sucking liquid from the plurality of liquid discharge heads, and the nozzle surfaces of the plurality of liquid discharge heads. The liquid discharge head, which is provided with a movable and restoreable wiping member for wiping and is located downstream of the one liquid discharge head in the moving direction of the wiping member, is a nozzle thereof rather than the one liquid discharge head. The plurality of liquid discharge heads are respectively arranged so that the surface is located in a direction away from the liquid toward the upstream side in the discharge direction.

According to the present invention, when the wiping member wipes off the nozzle surface of one liquid ejection head, the ink droplets adhering to the wiping member that is restored and deformed are on the downstream side in the moving direction of the wiping member with respect to the one liquid ejection head. Since the liquid ejection head located at is located at a position away from the upstream side in the ink ejection direction, it is prevented from adhering to the liquid ejection head located on the downstream side in the moving direction of the wiping member, and the adhered ink droplets are prevented. It is possible to surely prevent the occurrence of a problem that the recording medium is soiled due to the ink falling onto the transport unit.

It is a schematic block diagram explaining the problem in the conventional liquid discharge unit. It is a schematic diagram explaining the wiping operation in the conventional liquid discharge unit. It is a figure explaining the conventional problem. It is a schematic diagram of the liquid discharge unit used in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram explaining the behavior of the ink drop at the time of the wiping operation in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the operation of the liquid discharge unit in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the state of the recording head and the suction cap at the time of the wiping operation in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating still another problem of this invention. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating still another problem of this invention. It is a schematic diagram of the liquid discharge unit used in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram of the liquid discharge unit used in the modification of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram of the liquid discharge unit used in the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram of the liquid discharge unit used in the modification of the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic perspective view of the liquid discharge device which can mount the liquid discharge unit of this invention. It is a schematic front view of the liquid discharge device which can mount the liquid discharge unit of this invention.

Prior to the description of the present invention, the configuration and problems of the conventional liquid discharge unit will be described.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional liquid discharge unit. In FIG. 1, the liquid discharge unit 1 has recording heads 2Y, 2M, 2C, and 2K which are liquid discharge heads, and each recording head 2 is integrally provided with ink tanks 3Y, 3M, 3C, and 3K, respectively. Has been done. Here, Y indicates yellow, M indicates magenta, C indicates cyan, and K indicates black, and the same applies to the following configurations.
Each of the prismatic recording heads 2 has a nozzle surface 2c having a nozzle 2b for ejecting ink at the lower end of the front end portion of the side surface 2a. Although only the recording head 2Y is shown in FIG. 1, other recording heads 2M, 2C, and 2K are similarly configured. The ink supplied from each ink tank 3 to each recording head 2 is ejected from top to bottom in FIG.

The recording heads 2 arranged side by side in the horizontal direction in FIG. 1 are configured to be movable in the horizontal direction by a moving means (not shown). Below each recording head 2, suction caps 4Y, 4M, 4C, and 4K configured to be vertically movable in FIG. 1 are arranged. Each suction cap 4 is configured to be removable from each recording head 2.
Below the recording head 2Y located on the leftmost side in FIG. 1, a pump 5 that sucks each recording head 2 via each suction cap 4 is arranged. A waste liquid tank 6 is arranged below the pump 5, and the waste ink sucked from each recording head 2 by the pump 5 is stored in the waste liquid tank 6.

On the left side of the pump 5, a wiping device 7 for wiping each nozzle surface 2c of each recording head 2 is arranged. As shown in FIG. 2, the wiping device 7 configured to be vertically movable is movable in contact with and detached from the recording head 2, and the nozzle surface 2c of the recording head 2 is wiped and cleaned in a contact state. It has a brush 7a. The wiping device 7 is also used as an ink receiver when each recording head 2 performs empty ejection.
On the left side of FIG. 1 of the wiping device 7, a transport unit 8 for transporting the recording medium is arranged.

Next, the wiping operation will be described with reference to FIG. When the recording head 2 to be wiped (here, the recording head 2Y) is moved above the wiping device 7 (see FIG. 2A), the wiping brush 7a moves upward to the nozzle surface 2c of the recording head 2Y. Press contact (see FIG. 2 (b)). Next, the wiping brush 7a horizontally moves to the right in FIG. 2 (see FIG. 2C), and the ink, paper dust, and the like adhering to the nozzle surface 2c are wiped off by this movement. Then, when the wiping brush 7a wipes off the nozzle surface 2c, the wiping operation is completed.

FIG. 3 shows a state in which the wiping brush 7a wipes off the nozzle surface 2c in FIG. 2D. As shown in FIG. 3A, the wiping brush 7a wipes off the nozzle surface 2c and then is restored and deformed by its own elasticity to return to a vertically standing state. At this time, when viewed from the wiping brush 7a, the direction in which the recording head 2Y is located is the upstream side in the moving direction of the wiping brush 7a, and the direction in which the recording head 2M is located is the downstream side in the moving direction of the wiping brush 7a. In other words, the recording head 2Y is located on the upstream side and the recording head 2M is located on the downstream side in the moving direction of the wiping brush 7a indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 3A. When the wiping brush 7a is restored, the ink droplets 9 adhering to the wiping brush 7a are scattered to the right by the elastic force accompanying the restoration of the wiping brush 7a as shown in FIG. 3A, and the recording head 2M Adheres to the side surface 2a and the nozzle surface 2c of the above, and is in the state shown in FIG. 3 (b).
When the ink droplet 9 drops due to gravity from the state shown in FIG. 3B, there is a problem that the ink droplet 9 adheres to the transport unit 8 and stains the recording medium.

An embodiment of the present invention that solves the above-mentioned problems will be described below.
FIG. 4 shows a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 4, the liquid discharge unit 11 has recording heads 12Y, 12M, 12C, and 12K which are liquid discharge heads, and each recording head 2 is integrally provided with ink tanks 13Y, 13M, 13C, and 13K, respectively. Has been done.
Each of the prismatic recording heads 12 has a nozzle surface 12c having a nozzle 12b for ejecting ink at the lower end which is a tip end portion of the side surface 12a. Although only the recording head 12Y is shown in FIG. 4, other recording heads 12M, 12C, and 12K are similarly configured. The ink supplied from each ink tank 13 to each recording head 12 is ejected from top to bottom in FIG. The arrangement position of each recording head 12 will be described later.

In FIG. 4, a wiping device 17 for wiping each nozzle surface 12c of each recording head 12 is arranged on the left side of the recording head 12Y. The wiping device 17 configured to be vertically movable has a wiping brush 17a as a wiping member, which is configured in the same manner as the wiping brush 7a described above and wipes and cleans the nozzle surface 12c of each recording head 12. There is. The wiping device 17 is also used as an ink receiver when each recording head 12 performs empty ejection. In FIG. 4, a transport unit 18 for transporting the recording medium is arranged on the left side of the wiping device 17.

Here, the arrangement position of each recording head 12 will be described. Similar to the wiping brush 7a shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when the wiping brush 17a wipes the nozzle surface 12c of the recording head 12Y, the recording heads 12 are arranged in the horizontal direction like the recording head 2. When they are arranged side by side, the ink droplets 9 adhere to the side surface 12a of the recording head 12M located on the downstream side in the moving direction of the wiping brush 17a when viewed from the recording head 12Y.
In order to prevent the above-mentioned problems from occurring, in the present embodiment, the recording head 12M located on the downstream side of the wiping brush 17a in the moving direction is separated from the recording head 12Y in the vertical direction upward as shown in FIG. In other words, it is arranged so as to be located at a position away from the upstream side of the liquid ejection direction, which is the ink ejection direction from the nozzle 12b. That is, in the moving direction of the wiping brush 17a indicated by the arrow B in FIGS. 4 and 5, the recording head 12M located on the downstream side of the recording head 12Y located on the upstream side is separated toward the upstream side in the liquid discharge direction. It is placed in the position.

According to the present invention, according to the present invention, when the wiping brush 17a wipes off the nozzle surface 12c of the recording head 12Y, the ink droplet 9 adhering to the wiping brush 17a that is restored and deformed is the recording head. Since the recording head 12M located on the downstream side in the moving direction of the wiping brush 17a from 12Y is arranged at a position away from the upstream side in the ink ejection direction, it may adhere to the side surface 12a and the nozzle surface 12c of the recording head 12M. This is prevented, and it is possible to reliably prevent the occurrence of a problem that the ink droplet 9 adhering to the recording head 12M falls on the transport unit 18 and stains the recording medium.

As shown in FIG. 4, the recording head 12C located on the downstream side in the moving direction of the wiping brush 17a from the recording head 12M is located at a position away from the recording head 12M in the vertical direction and away from the recording head 12C. As shown in FIG. 4, the recording heads 12K located on the downstream side in the moving direction of the head 12K are arranged so as to occupy a position away from the recording head 12C in the vertical direction. Further, each recording head 12 is configured to be movable in the horizontal direction by a moving means (not shown) while maintaining the positional relationship shown in FIG.

Below each recording head 12, suction caps 14Y, 14M, 14C, 14K configured to be vertically movable in FIG. 4 are arranged. Each suction cap 14 is configured to be removable from each recording head 12.
In FIG. 4, a pump 15 as a head suction member that sucks each recording head 12 via each suction cap 14Y is arranged below the recording head 12Y. A waste liquid tank 16 is arranged below the pump 15, and the waste ink sucked from each recording head 12 by the pump 15 passes through the waste ink passage 20 connecting the suction cap 14Y and the pump 15, and the waste liquid tank 16 is used. Is stored in.
The pump 15 and the wiping device 17 are connected to a control means 19 which is a well-known microcomputer having a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, an I / O port, and the like, and its operation is controlled by the control means 19.

Next, the operation of the liquid discharge unit 11 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
When the recovery start switch (not shown) is pressed, ink is supplied from the ink tank 13Y to the recording head 12Y (ST01). Next, the suction cap 14Y is raised and positioned at the position shown in FIG. 4, the pump 15 is operated based on the operation command from the control means 19, and the head suction of the recording head 12Y is performed (ST02).

When the head suction of the recording head 12Y is completed, after the suction cap 14 is lowered, each recording head 12 is translated to the left in FIG. 4, and the recording head 12Y is positioned at a position corresponding to the wiping device 17. After positioning, the wiping brush 17a rises and comes into contact with the nozzle surface 12c of the recording head 12Y, and then the wiping brush 17a moves to the right to perform the wiping operation of the nozzle surface 12c of the recording head 12Y (ST03).
When the wiping operation is completed, the recording head 12Y discharges empty air toward the inside of the wiping device 17 (ST04), and a series of operations in the recording head 12Y is completed.
When the wiping to the recording head 12Y is completed and the wiping brush 17a returns to the initial position, the suction cap 14 rises and the suction cap 14Y caps the recording head 12M to the state shown in FIG. 7. After that, a series of operations are performed on the recording head 12M in the same manner as described above.

According to the above configuration, since the pump 15 sequentially sucks each recording head 12 one by one, the configuration as a conventional liquid ejection unit can be used as it is, and ink droplets to adjacent recording heads can be used at the time of wiping. It is possible to prevent the scattering of ink and reduce the cost.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this second embodiment, even if a plurality of recording heads are arranged in the same positional relationship as in the first embodiment, the ink tanks attached to the plurality of recording heads have different shapes from the others. The configuration that solves the problem that occurs when is included is shown. First, this problem will be described.

FIG. 8 shows the liquid discharge unit 21. The liquid discharge unit 21 has a plurality of recording heads 12Y, 12M, 12C, 12K, similarly to the liquid discharge unit 11 shown in the first embodiment. The recording heads 12Y, 12C, and 12K are integrally provided with the same ink tanks 13Y, 13C, and 13K as in the first embodiment, but the recording head 13M has a larger capacity than each ink tank 13. The ink tank 22 is integrally provided.
Further, suction caps 23Y, 23M, 23C, and 23K that can move up and down like the suction cap 14 are arranged at positions corresponding to the recording heads 12, respectively. The suction cap 23Y and the pump 15 are connected by a waste ink passage 20, and the waste ink sucked from the recording head 12Y by the pump 15 passes through the waste ink passage 20 and is stored in the waste liquid tank 16.

In the liquid discharge unit 21 configured as described above, when the wiping operation of the recording head 12Y is performed as in the first embodiment, each recording head 12 occupies a position where the recording head 12Y corresponds to the wiping device 7. It occupies the position shown in FIG. At this time, since the recording head 12M is provided with the large-capacity ink tank 22, the interval between the suction caps 23Y and 23M is different from the interval between the suction caps 23M and 23C. Therefore, the moved recording head 12C does not fit into the suction cap 23M, and there is a problem that the recording head 12C and the suction cap 23M may be damaged.

A second embodiment of the present invention that solves the above-mentioned problems will be described below.
Compared to the liquid discharge unit 21, the liquid discharge unit 10 shown in FIG. 10 has a waste ink passage 24 that connects the suction cap 23M and the pump 15 in addition to the waste ink passage 20 that connects the suction cap 23Y and the pump 15. , The waste ink passage 25 connecting the suction cap 23C and the pump 15, and the waste ink passage 26 connecting the suction cap 23K and the pump 15 are different, and the other configurations are the same.

By using the liquid discharge unit 10 having the above-mentioned configuration and simultaneously performing the suction operation of each recording head 12 by the pump 15, it is possible to surely prevent the occurrence of the above-mentioned trouble during capping, and further, the suction caps adjacent to each other Regardless of the spacing and shape, it is possible to reliably prevent problems caused by ink scattering during the wiping operation.
As a modification of this second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, instead of the recording head 12M and the suction cap 23M, the recording head 27 and the recording head 27 as a liquid ejection head having a size corresponding to the large capacity ink tank 22, respectively. The same effect can be obtained by using the suction cap 28.

Next, another configuration that solves the same problems as the second embodiment will be described as the third embodiment.
Compared with the liquid discharge unit 10 shown in FIG. 11, the liquid discharge unit 29 shown in FIG. 12 has a pump 15A connected to the waste ink passage 24 and a pump 15B connected to the waste ink passage 25, in addition to the pump 15. The difference is that the pump 15C is connected to the waste ink passage 26, and the other configurations are the same.
By using the liquid discharge unit 29 having the above-described configuration and simultaneously performing the suction operation of the recording heads 12 and 27 by the pumps 15, 15A, 15B, and 15C, the same operation and effect as those of the second embodiment can be obtained. At the same time, more stable suction operation can be performed on the large-capacity ink tank 22 and the corresponding recording head 27.
As a modification of this third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13, a pump 15D for sucking only the large-capacity ink tank 22 and the corresponding recording head 27 is provided, and other recording heads 13Y, 13C, 13K are provided. Similar effects can be obtained even with a configuration in which suction is performed by the pump 15.

Next, an inkjet recording device as a liquid discharge device equipped with the above-mentioned liquid discharge unit 10, 11, 1, 2 and 29 will be described with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15. In this description, only the liquid discharge unit 11 will be described as a representative.
The inkjet recording device 54 as a liquid ejection device has a carriage 55 that is movable in the main scanning direction and mounts each recording head 12 inside the device main body. Further, inside the main body of the apparatus, a liquid ejection unit 11 or the like including an ink tank 13 or the like for supplying ink to each recording head 12 and each recording head 12 is housed. A paper cassette (which may be a paper tray) 59 capable of loading a large number of transfer sheets 58, which are recording media, is mounted on the lower portion of the main body of the apparatus so that it can be freely inserted and removed from the front side. Further, the apparatus main body is provided with a manual feed tray 60 that is opened when the transfer sheet 58 is manually fed. The inkjet recording device 54 takes in the transfer sheet 58 to be fed from the paper feed cassette 59 or the manual feed tray 60, records a desired image by the liquid ejection unit 11, and then arranges the transfer sheet 58 after image formation on the rear surface side. It is discharged to the provided paper discharge tray 61.

The liquid discharge unit 11 slidably holds the main guide rod 62, the slave guide rod 63, and the carriage 55, which are guide members hung on the left and right side plates (not shown), in the main scanning direction. The carriage 55 is provided with recording heads 12 for ejecting ink droplets of each color of yellow (Y), cyan (C), magenta (M), and black (Bk).
Further, each ink tank 13 for supplying each color ink to each recording head 12 is replaceably mounted on the carriage 55. Each ink tank 13 has an atmospheric port communicating with the atmosphere above and a supply port for supplying ink to each recording head 12 below. A porous body filled with ink is provided inside the ink tank 13, and the ink supplied to the recording head 12 is maintained at a slight negative pressure by the capillary force of the porous body.

The carriage 55 is slidably fitted to the main guide rod 62 on the downstream side in the paper transport direction, which is the rear side, and slidably mounted on the slave guide rod 63 on the upstream side in the paper transport direction, which is the front side. There is. In order to move and scan the carriage 55 in the main scanning direction, a timing belt 67 is hung between the drive pulley 65 and the driven pulley 66 which are rotationally driven by the main scanning motor 64, and the timing belt 67 is fixed to the carriage 55. .. From this configuration, the carriage 55 is reciprocated by the forward and reverse rotation of the main scanning motor 64.

On the other hand, in order to convey the transfer sheet 58 set in the paper feed cassette 59 to the lower side of the recording head 12, a paper feed roller 68 and a friction pad 69 for separately feeding the transfer sheet 58 from the paper feed cassette 59 are arranged. ing. Further, a guide member 70 for guiding the transfer sheet 58 and a transfer roller 71 for reversing and transporting the fed transfer sheet 58 are arranged. Further, a transfer roller 72 pressed against the peripheral surface of the transfer roller 71, and a tip roller 73 that regulates the delivery angle of the transfer sheet 58 from the transfer roller 71 are provided. The transport roller 71 is rotationally driven via a gear train by a sub-scanning motor (not shown).

A printing receiving member 74, which is a sheet guide member, is arranged in order to guide the transfer sheet 58 sent out from the transport roller 71 at a lower position of the recording head 12 corresponding to the movement range of the carriage 55 in the main scanning direction. There is. On the downstream side of the imprint receiving member 74 in the paper transport direction, a transport roller 75 and a spur 76 that are rotationally driven to feed the transfer sheet 58 in the paper discharge direction are provided. Further, a paper ejection roller 77 and a spur 78 for feeding the transfer sheet 58 to the paper ejection tray 61, and guide members 79 and 80 forming a paper ejection path are arranged.

In the above-mentioned inkjet recording device 54, the recording head 12 is driven in response to an image signal while moving the carriage 55 at the time of recording. As a result, ink is ejected to the stopped transfer sheet 58 to record one line, and then the transfer sheet 58 is conveyed in a predetermined amount and then the next line is recorded. Upon receiving the recording end signal or the signal that the rear end of the transfer sheet 58 reaches the recording area, the inkjet recording apparatus 54 ends the recording operation and discharges the transfer sheet 58.

A recovery device 81 for recovering the ejection failure of the recording head 12 is provided at a position outside the recording area on the right end side of the carriage 55 in the moving direction. The recovery device 81 has a suction cap 14, a pump 15, and a wiping device 7. The carriage 55 is moved to the recovery device 81 side while waiting for printing, and the recording head 12 is capped by the suction cap 14 to keep the nozzle 12b in a wet state, thereby preventing the occurrence of ejection defects due to ink drying. Further, by ejecting ink unrelated to recording during recording or the like, the ink viscosities of all the nozzles 12b are kept constant and a stable ejection state is maintained.

When a ejection failure occurs, the nozzle 12b of the recording head 12 is sealed with the suction cap 14, and air bubbles and the like are sucked out from the nozzle 12b by the pump 15 through the waste ink passage 20. Then, the ink, dust, and the like adhering to the nozzle surface 12c are removed by the wiping brush 17a, whereby the ejection defect is recovered. Further, the sucked ink is discharged to the waste liquid tank 16 provided in the lower part of the main body, and is absorbed and held by the ink absorber provided inside the waste liquid tank 16.
Since the liquid ejection unit 11 of the present invention is mounted on the inkjet recording device 54 described above, the ink droplets 9 are scattered on the side surface 12a of the adjacent recording head 12 during wiping, and the ink droplets 9 adhering to the side surface 12a are conveyed. It is possible to reliably prevent the occurrence of a problem that the transfer sheet 58 is soiled by falling onto the portion.
Further, in the above description, the liquid ejection unit 11 is used to eject ink, but the liquid to which the present invention is applicable is not limited to ink. For example, the liquid ejection unit 11 is used for a device that ejects a liquid resist for patterning. May be applied. Further, the liquid ejection unit 11 may be applied to the apparatus for ejecting the gene analysis sample.

In the above-described embodiment and each modification, an example in which a color printer is used as the liquid discharge device is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this as the liquid discharge device, and the present invention can be applied to printers, facsimiles, multifunction devices, and the like. .. Further, in the present embodiment and the modified examples, the transfer sheet 58 is used as the recording medium on which the image is formed, but the transfer sheet S is not limited to the recording paper, and is a thick paper, a postcard, an envelope, or the like. Paper, thin paper, coated paper (coated paper, art paper, etc.), tracing paper, transparencies, transparencies, resin films, etc. are also included, and any substance that can form a sheet and form an image can be used. You may use it.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to such a specific embodiment, and unless otherwise specified in the above description, the present invention described in the claims. Various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the purpose. The effects described in the embodiments of the present invention merely exemplify the most preferable effects resulting from the present invention, and the effects according to the present invention are limited to those described in the embodiments of the present invention. is not it.

10,11,21,29 Liquid discharge unit 12Y, 12M, 12C, 12K, 27 Liquid discharge head (recording head)
12c Nozzle surface 15, 15A, 15B, 15C, 15D Head suction member (pump)
17 Wiping member (wiping brush)
19 Control means 54 Liquid ejection device (inkjet recording device)

Japanese Patent No. 421574

Claims (6)

Multiple liquid discharge heads that discharge liquid from the nozzle surface,
A head suction member that sucks liquid from the plurality of liquid discharge heads,
A movable and restoreable and deformable wiping member for wiping each nozzle surface of the plurality of liquid discharge heads is provided.
The liquid discharge head located on the downstream side in the moving direction of the wiping member from the one liquid discharge head is in a direction in which the nozzle surface thereof is separated from the one liquid discharge head toward the upstream side in the liquid discharge direction. A liquid discharge unit in which the plurality of liquid discharge heads are arranged so as to be located. In the liquid discharge unit according to claim 1,
A liquid discharge unit having a control means for controlling the operation of the head suction member and the wiping member. In the liquid discharge unit according to claim 2,
The head suction member is a liquid discharge unit characterized in that the plurality of liquid discharge heads are sequentially sucked one by one. In the liquid discharge unit according to claim 2,
The head suction member is a liquid discharge unit characterized in that the plurality of liquid discharge heads are sucked at the same time. In the liquid discharge unit according to any one of claims 2 to 4.
A liquid discharge unit having a plurality of head suction members. A liquid discharge device comprising the liquid discharge unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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