JP7256987B2 - Device for ejecting liquid - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an apparatus for ejecting liquid.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a device for ejecting liquid, which includes a liquid ejection head for ejecting liquid and a liquid receiving portion for receiving liquid ejected from the liquid ejection head.

In Patent Document 1, as a device for ejecting the liquid, a waste liquid foam as a liquid receiving part having a waste liquid absorber as an absorbing member for absorbing the liquid and a waste liquid receiving case as a case member in which the waste liquid absorber is put is provided. something is described. The waste foam is configured to be replaceable.

However, in the device for ejecting liquid described in Patent Document 1, there is a possibility that the cost of the device increases.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a liquid ejecting apparatus comprising a liquid ejection head for ejecting liquid and a liquid receiving portion for receiving liquid ejected from the liquid ejection head. The receiving part includes an absorbing member that absorbs the liquid, a case member that contains the absorbing member and is made of a liquid impermeable material, and a shape retaining member that retains the shape of the case member . The receiving portion is detachably attached to a support component that supports the liquid receiving portion, and has a cylindrical transport drum that rotates to transport a medium onto which liquid is to be ejected by the liquid ejection head. The support component is provided on the transport drum, and the rotation of the transport drum is controlled so that the support component is positioned at a specified rotational position when the liquid receiver is attached to or detached from the support component. It is characterized by

According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the cost of the device.

1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a printer, which is an inkjet recording apparatus as a "device for ejecting liquid" according to the present embodiment; FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an image forming unit; The perspective view of an idle discharge receiver. Schematic cross-sectional view of an idle discharge receiver. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a liquid receiver; (a) is a perspective view of a film case, and (b) is a perspective view of a holding case. The figure explaining exchange of a liquid receiving part. FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram of a liquid receiver of Modification 1; FIG. 11 is a schematic configuration diagram of a liquid receiver of Modification 2; FIG. 11 is a schematic configuration diagram of a liquid receiver of Modification 3; The perspective view which shows the absorber which has a through-hole. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a liquid receiver according to Modification 3, in which an absorbent member is composed only of an absorbent body having through holes; FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a liquid receiver according to Modification 3, in which an absorbent member is configured by alternately arranging two absorbent bodies having different heights; FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a liquid receiver according to Modification 3, in which an absorbent member is composed of one absorbent body having a plurality of slits;

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[Overall explanation]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a printer 1, which is an inkjet recording apparatus as a "liquid ejecting apparatus" according to the present embodiment.
The printer 1 mainly includes a paper feeding section 100 , an image forming section 200 , a drying section 300 and a paper discharging section 400 .

In the printer 1 , the image forming section 200 forms an image with ink, which is liquid for image formation, on a sheet P (a medium, a sheet material, and a recording material) fed from the paper feeding section 100 . After drying the ink adhering to the paper P in the drying unit 300 , the paper P is discharged from the paper discharge unit 400 .

[Paper feed section]
The paper feeding unit 100 mainly includes a paper feeding tray 110 on which a plurality of papers P are stacked, a feeding device 120 that separates and feeds out the papers P one by one from the paper feeding tray 110, and an image forming unit that feeds the papers P. 200, and a pair of registration rollers 130.

As the feeding device 120, any feeding device can be used, such as a device using rollers or rollers, or a device using air suction. After the leading edge of the paper P fed from the paper feeding tray 110 by the feeding device 120 reaches the pair of registration rollers 130, the pair of registration rollers 130 is driven at a predetermined timing to feed the paper P to the image forming section 200. be done.

Note that, in the present embodiment, the configuration of the paper feeding unit 100 is not limited as long as it feeds the paper P to the image forming unit 200 .

[Image forming section]
The image forming section 200 mainly includes a receiving cylinder 201 , a paper transport drum 210 (transporting member), an ink discharge section 220 and a transfer cylinder 202 .
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the image forming section 200. As shown in FIG.
The receiving cylinder 201 is a member that receives the fed paper P (medium) and conveys it downstream. The paper transport drum 210 is a cylindrical member that carries and transports the paper P transported by the receiving cylinder 201 on its outer peripheral surface. The ink ejection unit 220 is a mechanism that ejects ink toward the paper P transported by the paper transport drum 210 . The delivery drum 202 is a member that delivers the paper P transported by the paper transport drum 210 to the drying section 300 .

The paper P transported from the paper feeding unit 100 to the image forming unit 200 is gripped at the leading end by a paper receiving gripper 201a provided on the surface of the receiving cylinder 201 and transported as the surface of the receiving cylinder 201 moves. The paper P transported by the receiving cylinder 201 is delivered to the paper transport drum 210 at a position facing the paper transport drum 210 .

A conveying paper gripper 210a is also provided on the surface of the paper conveying drum 210, and the leading edge of the paper P transferred to the paper conveying drum 210 is gripped by the conveying paper gripper 210a. In addition, a plurality of suction holes are dispersedly formed on the surface of the paper transport drum 210 , and a suction device 211 generates a suction airflow toward the inside of the paper transport drum 210 in each of the suction holes.

The leading end of the paper P transferred from the receiving cylinder 201 to the paper transport drum 210 is gripped by the transport paper gripper 210a, and the surface of the paper transport drum 210 is attracted to the surface of the paper transport drum 210 by the suction air current, causing the surface of the paper transport drum 210 to move. transported with

The ink ejection unit 220 of the present embodiment ejects four colors of ink, C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), and K (black), to form an image. of liquid ejection heads 230 (230C, 230M, 230Y, 230K). The four liquid ejection heads 230 have the same configuration except that the colors of ink ejected are different. Subscripts such as "K" will be omitted as appropriate.

The configuration of the liquid ejection head 230 is not limited as long as it ejects the liquid from the ejection holes, and any configuration can be adopted. If necessary, a liquid ejection head for ejecting special ink such as white, gold, or silver may be provided, or a liquid ejection head for ejecting liquid that does not form an image, such as a surface coating liquid, may be provided.

The ejection operations of the four liquid ejection heads 230 of the ink ejection section 220 are controlled by drive signals corresponding to image information. When the paper P conveyed by the paper conveying drum 210 passes through the area facing the ink ejection section 220, each color ink is ejected from the four liquid ejection heads 230 to form an image according to the image information.

Note that in the present embodiment, the configuration of the image forming section 200 is not limited as long as it forms an image by depositing liquid on the paper P. FIG.

[Drying section]
The drying unit 300 mainly includes a drying mechanism 301 for drying ink adhered on the paper P in the image forming unit 200 and a transport mechanism 302 for transporting the paper P transported from the image forming unit 200. It is

The paper P conveyed from the image forming section 200 is received by the conveying mechanism 302 , conveyed so as to pass through the drying mechanism 301 , and delivered to the paper discharging section 400 . When the paper P passes through the drying mechanism 301, the ink on the paper P is subjected to a drying process, whereby liquids such as moisture in the ink evaporate, the ink adheres to the paper P, and the paper P curls. Suppressed.

[Paper output section]
The paper discharge section 400 mainly includes a paper discharge tray 410 on which a plurality of sheets P are stacked. The sheets P transported from the drying section 300 are sequentially stacked and held on the discharge tray 410 .

Note that, in the present embodiment, the configuration of the paper ejection unit 400 is not limited as long as it ejects the paper P.

[Other functional parts]
The printer 1 of this embodiment includes a paper feeding section 100, an image forming section 200, a drying section 300, and a paper discharging section 400, but other functional sections may be added as appropriate. For example, a preprocessing unit that performs preprocessing for image formation is added between the paper feed unit 100 and the image forming unit 200, or postprocessing for image formation is performed between the drying unit 300 and the paper discharge unit 400. Processing units can be added.

Examples of the pretreatment unit include those that perform a treatment liquid coating process for applying a treatment liquid to the paper P for suppressing bleeding by reacting with ink, but there are no particular restrictions on the content of the pretreatment. .

Further, as a post-processing unit, for example, a paper reversing and conveying process for reversing the paper P on which an image is formed in the image forming unit 200 and sending it to the image forming unit 200 again to form images on both sides of the paper P, , a process of binding a plurality of sheets P on which an image is formed, and the like. However, there are no particular restrictions on the content of post-processing.

In this embodiment, the printer 1, which is an inkjet recording apparatus, is used as an example of a device that ejects liquid. The printer 1 includes a liquid ejection head 230 that ejects ink, which is a liquid, toward the surface to be dried of the paper P, which is a sheet material.

In this embodiment, a long liquid ejection head (line head) is formed by arranging a plurality of liquid ejection heads in the paper width direction (direction perpendicular to the transport direction). Unless otherwise specified, "liquid ejection head" means "line head".

Each liquid ejection head 230 of this embodiment is a line-type liquid ejection head having a length in the width direction of the paper P (length in the main scanning direction). Eject ink.

In this embodiment, the individual liquid ejection heads 230 are individually arranged radially around the rotation axis of the paper transport drum 210 .

Further, depending on the image to be printed, the liquid ejection heads 230 may include one that ejects ink frequently and one that ejects ink infrequently. In the liquid ejection head 230 that does not eject much ink, the ink may dry and thicken, making it impossible to eject a desired amount of ink at a desired timing. In order to prevent this, idle ejection is performed when ink is not ejected for a predetermined time.

In this embodiment, three blank ejection receivers 500 for receiving ink ejected by blank ejection are provided on the paper conveying drum 210 at equal intervals in the rotational direction of the paper conveying drum 210 . In this embodiment, the idle discharge receiver 500 is arranged between the sheets of paper P gripped by the conveying paper gripper 210a.

The paper conveying drum 210 and the idle ejection receiver 500 rotate integrally, and when the idle ejection receiver 500 passes a position facing the liquid ejection head that has not ejected ink for a predetermined time, the liquid is ejected. The head performs preliminary ejection toward the preliminary ejection receiver 500 .

3 is a perspective view of the idle discharge receiver 500, and FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the idle discharge receiver 500. As shown in FIG.
The blank ejection receiver 500 includes a liquid receiver 510 for containing ink ejected by the blank ejection operation, and a support component 520 that supports the liquid receiver 510 . The support component 520 includes a support case 501 that is attached to the paper transport drum 210 and accommodates the liquid receiver 510 , and a slide member 502 that is attached with the liquid receiver 510 and provided slidably with respect to the support case 501 . have.
In this embodiment, the liquid receiver 510 is detachably attached to the support component 520, and only the liquid receiver 510 can be replaced.

The liquid receiving portion 510 includes an absorbing member 511 made of a sponge or the like that absorbs the discharged ink, a film case 512 that houses the absorbing member 511 and is a case member made of a material that does not transmit ink, It has a holding case 513 which is a shape holding member for housing the film case 512 therein and holding the shape of the film case 512 .

The support case 501 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape in which one of a pair of surfaces perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (rotational axis direction of the sheet conveying drum 210) (the front side in FIG. 3) and an upper surface are opened. 502 and a liquid receiver 510 attached to the slide member 502 . In addition, the support case 501 has bent portions 501a as retaining portions that are bent inward from the upper ends of a pair of side surfaces parallel to the longitudinal direction. facing the department.

In this embodiment, the blank discharge receiver 500 is attached to the paper transport drum 210, and the paper transport drum 210 and the blank discharge receiver 500 rotate together. Therefore, as the sheet conveying drum 210 rotates, the opening of the support case 501 through which the idle-discharged ink passes faces downward. When this opening faces downward, the bent portion 501a of the support case 501 can prevent the liquid receiver 510 from falling from the opening of the support case 501 due to the weight of the liquid receiver 510 itself.

Further, in the present embodiment, the tip of the bent portion 501a is located inside the edge of the opening 510a of the liquid receiving portion 510, and the tip portion of the bent portion 501a faces the absorbing member 511 of the liquid receiving portion 510. there is As a result, it is possible to prevent the absorbing member 511 from slipping out of the film case 512 due to its own weight.

As shown in FIG. 4, the slide member 502 is provided with a plurality of press-fit claws 502a, and the liquid receiver 510 is attached to the slide member 502 by press-fitting the press-fit claws 502a. By pressing the liquid receiver 510 into these press-fit claws 502a, when the opening of the support case 501 faces downward, the weight of the liquid receiver 510 prevents the liquid receiver 510 from falling from the opening of the support case 501. can be prevented.

5A and 5B are schematic configuration diagrams of the liquid receiver 510, where (a) is a perspective view and (b) is a cross-sectional view. 6A is a perspective view of the film case 512, and FIG. 6B is a perspective view of the holding case 513. FIG.
As described above, the liquid receiving portion 510 includes an absorbing member 511 made of sponge or the like, a film case 512 that accommodates the absorbing member 511 inside, and is a case member made of a material that does not transmit ink. and a holding case 513 serving as a shape holding member for holding the shape of the film case 512 .

As shown in FIG. 5B, the volume of the absorbing member 511 is equal to or larger than the volume of the film case 512 and completely fills the inside of the film case 512 . As a result, the amount of ink that the absorbing member 511 can hold can be increased, and the replacement cycle of the liquid receiving portion 510 can be lengthened, compared to when the volume of the absorbing member 511 is set to be less than the volume of the film case 512 . can.

As shown in FIG. 6A, the film case 512 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with one surface (upper surface) open, and an absorbing member 511 is press-fitted therein. As shown in FIG. 6B, the holding case 513 also has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with one side (upper surface) open, like the film case 512 . The outer dimension of the film case 512 is larger than the inner dimension of the holding case 513 , and the film case 512 is press-fitted into the holding case 513 .

The film case 512 of this embodiment comprises, from the outside, a polyamide (PA) layer (front base material), a black ink layer (colored layer), an adhesive layer, an aluminum (AL) layer (intermediate base material), an adhesive layer, a linear It is a laminate film having a 6-layer structure of polyethylene layers (Linear Low Density Polyethylene: LLDPE) (inner base material). The bonding between the front base material and the intermediate base material and between the intermediate base material and the inner base material is performed by dry lamination.

By configuring the film case 512 with a material having no ink permeability, it is possible to prevent the ink absorbed by the absorbing member 511 from oozing out of the film case 512 . In this way, since the ink does not seep out from the film case 512, the holding case 513 can be made of a material that is less expensive than a material that does not transmit ink. In this embodiment, the holding case 513 is made of paper, which can be made at a lower cost than when the holding case 513 is made of a material such as resin that does not allow ink to pass through.

In this embodiment, the idle ejection receiver 500 is attached to the paper transport drum 210 so that the opening 510a (the surface where the absorbing member 511 is exposed: see FIG. 5) of the liquid receiver 510 for receiving the idle ink is directed outward. The paper conveying drum 210 and the idle discharge receiver 500 are designed to rotate integrally. Therefore, as the paper transport drum 210 rotates, the opening 510a of the liquid receiver 510 faces downward. However, in this embodiment, the absorbing member 511 is provided in the liquid receiving portion 510 , and the absorbing member 511 absorbs and holds the ink discharged in an idle state. As a result, even if the opening 510a of the liquid receiver 510 faces downward, it is possible to prevent the ink from falling from the opening 510a.

In addition, since the absorbing member 511 is press-fitted into the film case 512, the absorbing member 511 does not drop out of the film case 512 due to its own weight when the opening 510a of the liquid receiving portion 510 faces downward. Further, by attaching the absorbing member 511 to the film case 512 by press-fitting, the absorbing member 511 can be attached to the film case 512 more easily than when attaching the absorbing member 511 to the film case 512 using an adhesive or the like. .

In addition, since the film case 512 is attached to the holding case 513 by press fitting, the film case 512 holding the absorbing member 511 by its own weight does not come off from the holding case 513 when the opening of the liquid receiving portion 510 faces downward. can be prevented. By attaching the film case 512 to the holding case 513 by press-fitting, the film case 512 can be attached to the holding case 513 more easily than when the film case 512 is attached to the holding case 513 using an adhesive or the like. can.

Conventionally, the liquid receiver 510 is composed of an absorbing member 511 and a case that accommodates the absorbing member 511, and the case is made of a material (for example, resin) that does not allow ink to pass through. The function of preventing seepage and the function of maintaining the shape of the liquid receiving portion by increasing the thickness are combined. As a result, the cost of the case increases, which may lead to an increase in the cost of the device. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, a member (film case 512) functioning to prevent ink from seeping out and a member (holding case 513) functioning to maintain the shape of the liquid receiver 510 are provided. Separated. As a result, it is possible to reduce the thickness of the case member, which is made of a material having no ink permeability, as the film case 512 . The holding case 513 for holding the shape is made of paper, which is cheaper than a material (for example, resin) that does not transmit ink. As a result, the liquid receiver 510 can be configured at a lower cost than the conventional configuration, and the cost of the device can be reduced. Also, the cost for replacing the liquid receiver 510 can be reduced, and the maintenance cost of the apparatus can be reduced. Further, the holding case 513 for holding the shape can be made of a light material such as paper, so that the weight of the liquid receiver 510 can be reduced.

Further, conventionally, when a case is reused, it takes time and effort to remove adhering ink by cleaning the inside of the case. On the other hand, this embodiment has the advantage that the holding case 513 can be reused without cleaning, and the recyclability can be improved as compared with the conventional case.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating replacement of the liquid receiver 510. As shown in FIG.
When the sensor detects that the liquid receiving section 510 is full of ink, the control section controls replacement of the liquid receiving section 510 . Specifically, after controlling the rotational drive of the paper transport drum 210 to position the liquid receiver 510 at a specified position, the operation panel of the printer 1 indicates that the liquid receiver 510 is full of ink. display. The specified position is the position where the opening 510a of the liquid receiver 510 faces upward (for example, the top of the paper transport drum 210 in the vertical direction). In this way, by positioning the liquid receiving portion 510 at a position where the opening 510a of the liquid receiving portion 510 faces upward, ink absorbed by the absorbing member 511 can be absorbed into the liquid receiving portion 510 when the liquid receiving portion 510 is replaced. Problems such as leakage from the opening 510a of 510 can be suppressed.

In addition, by positioning the liquid receiver 510 to be replaced at a specified position, it is sufficient to provide a space for the slide member 502 to slide only around the specified position, increasing the degree of freedom in the layout of the device. becomes possible. Further, by positioning the liquid receiver 510 to be replaced at a specified position, it is possible to easily grasp which of the plurality of liquid receivers 510 is the liquid receiver 510 to be replaced.

When the operation panel displays the message that the liquid receiver 510 is full of ink, the user performs replacement work to replace the liquid receiver 510 with a new one as follows.
First, the user grips the handle portion 502b of the slide member 502 and slides the slide member 502 in the direction of arrow A in FIG. pull out As shown in FIGS. 7B and 7C, the slide member 502 is provided with a plurality of press-fit claws 502a. installed. Therefore, the user can remove the liquid receiver 510 from the slide member 502 simply by pulling the liquid receiver 510 from the slide member 502 in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 7B. As a result, the liquid receiver 510 can be easily removed from the apparatus main body as compared with the case where the liquid receiver 510 is attached to the slide member 502 with a screw or the like.

After that, after press-fitting a new liquid receiver 510 into the slide member 502 to attach it, the slide member 502 is pushed into the support case 501 . Thus, in this embodiment, only the liquid receiver 510 is replaced, and the support case 501 and the slide member 502 are reused. can be reduced, and maintenance costs can be reduced.

In addition, in this embodiment, the liquid receiver 510 is attached, and by providing the slide member 502 that can slide with respect to the support case 501, the liquid receiver 510 can be pulled out from the support case 501 to replace the liquid receiver 510. be able to. This makes it possible to replace the liquid receiver 510 more easily than when the liquid receiver 510 stored in the support case 501 is directly extracted from the support case 501 .

Next, a modified example of the liquid receiver 510 will be described.

[Modification 1]
FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram of the liquid receiver 510 of Modification 1. As shown in FIG.
In the liquid receiver 510 of Modification 1, the volume of the absorbing member 511 is made smaller than the volume of the film case 512 .
As shown in FIG. 8B, the absorbing member 511 is provided so as to block the opening of the film case 512, forming a cavity K inside the film case.
Compared with the case where the volume of the absorbing member 511 is the same as the volume of the film case 512, the modified example 1 has the advantage that the cost of the absorbing member 511 can be reduced and the cost of the apparatus can be reduced. be.

[Modification 2]
FIG. 9 is a schematic configuration diagram of a liquid receiver 510 of Modification 2. As shown in FIG.
The liquid receiver 510 of Modification 2 has a film case 512 provided with an opening/closing part 512 a for opening and closing an opening 510 a of the liquid receiver 510 .
As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, opening/closing portions 512a are provided on a pair of side surfaces parallel to the longitudinal direction and a pair of side surfaces parallel to the width direction of the film case 512, respectively. . When the liquid receiver 510 is used, the opening/closing part 512a is bent outward to open the opening 510a of the liquid receiver 510, as shown in FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b). When exchanging the liquid receiver 510, the opening/closing part 512a is folded inward to close the opening 510a of the liquid receiver 510, and the liquid receiver 510 is removed from the main body of the apparatus. When the opening 510a is closed by the opening/closing portion 512a, it is preferable to fix the opening/closing portions to each other at the closed position with an adhesive, an adhesive tape, or the like. In this way, by closing the opening 510a with the opening/closing part 512a at the time of replacement, it is possible to prevent ink from leaking or dropping from the opening 510a of the liquid receiving part 510 at the time of replacement.

[Modification 3]
FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram of a liquid receiver 510 of Modification 3. As shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 10, in this modified example 3, slits S are provided in an absorbing member 511 . The slit S has a narrow groove shape extending in the longitudinal direction and is open on the opening 510a side of the liquid receiving portion 510 .

As shown in FIG. 10B, a plurality of absorbent bodies 511a having rectangular through holes H extending in the longitudinal direction shown in FIG. 11 are laminated on an absorbent body 511b having no through holes H formed therein. Thus, an absorbing member 511 having slits S is formed.

Dried ink or thickened ink may be discharged to the absorbing member 511 . As in this embodiment, the absorbing member 511 is housed in the film case 512 without gaps, or as in Modification 1 (see FIG. 8B), the absorbing member 511 is arranged so as to close the opening of the film case 512 . , the dried ink or thickened ink ejected toward the absorbing member 511 may not be absorbed by the absorbing member 511 and may accumulate on the upper surface of the absorbing member 511 (the surface on the opening side of the film case 512). There is As a result, the ink deposited on the upper surface of the absorbing member 511 may grow over time and eventually come into contact with the ink ejection surface of the liquid ejection head 230 . Therefore, it is necessary to replace the liquid receiving portion 510 before the ink deposited on the upper surface of the absorbing member 511 contacts the ink ejection surface, which may shorten the replacement cycle of the liquid receiving portion 510 .

Therefore, in Modification 3, the absorption member 511 is provided with a slit S (a space (thin groove) extending in the longitudinal direction and opened on the opening side of the film case 512). The liquid ejection head 230 idly ejects ink toward the slits S at the timing when the slits S of the absorbing member 511 face the nozzle rows. As a result, dried ink or thickened ink can be deposited in the slits S of the absorbing member 511 . Therefore, compared to the case where the ink is deposited on the upper surface of the absorbing member 511, the position where the ink is deposited can be kept away from the liquid ejection head 230. FIG. As a result, compared to the case where the ink is deposited on the upper surface of the absorbing member 511, it is possible to extend the period until the ink deposited on the absorbing member grows to a height where it contacts the ink discharging surface of the liquid discharging head 230. The replacement cycle of the liquid receiver 510 can be lengthened.

Further, as in Modification 3, by forming the thin slit S in the absorbing member 511 , the ink that is idle-discharged onto the dried ink accumulated in the slit S is discharged from the opening of the liquid receiving portion 510 . The ink can surely flow down to the side surface of the slit S (the side surface on the downstream side in the sheet conveying direction) until it faces downward, and the ink discharged idle from the side surface of the slit S can be absorbed by the absorbing member 511 . Therefore, when the opening of the liquid receiving part 510 faces downward, it is possible to suppress the ink from falling from the opening of the liquid receiving part 510 and prevent the device from being soiled.

In addition, by forming the slit S, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the volume of the absorbing member 511 and suppress a decrease in the amount of ink that the absorbing member 511 can hold, compared to the case of forming a wide concave portion. As a result, shortening of the replacement cycle of the liquid receiver 510 due to a decrease in the amount of ink that the absorbing member 511 can hold can be suppressed.

Alternatively, the absorbing member may be configured to have a concave shape with a certain width, and the ink may be blankly ejected into the concave portion. Even with such a configuration, it is possible to extend the period until the ink deposited on the absorbing member 511 contacts the ink ejection surface.

In this modification 3, three slits S are provided. For example, an idle ejection is performed in one of the three slits S, and at the timing when the ink deposited in the slit S becomes full, the slit S performs idle ejection. to change Further, for example, a sensor for detecting the height of the ink deposited in the slit S is provided in the liquid ejection head or the idle ejection receiver 500, and this sensor detects whether the top of the ink deposited in the slit S reaches the opening of the slit S. If it is detected, the slit S for the idle discharge may be changed.

Further, for example, the first idle ejection is performed to the most upstream slit S in the paper transport direction among the three slits S, the second idle ejection is performed to the central slit S, and the third idle ejection is performed. , the slit S to be idle-discharged may be changed each time the idle-discharge is performed, such that the slit S on the most downstream side in the paper transport direction is used.

Also, although three slits S are provided in the present embodiment, the number of slits may be appropriately determined according to the ease with which the ink dries. For example, when using ink that is difficult to dry, it is highly likely that the idly-discharged ink is not so thick, and that ink that is likely to be absorbed by the absorbing member 511 rather than deposited in the slit S is used. In the apparatus, the replacement cycle of the liquid receiver 510 can be extended by reducing the number of slits S and increasing the volume of the absorbing member 511 so that a large amount of ink can be absorbed.

On the other hand, when using ink that dries easily, there is a high possibility that thickened or dried ink will be idle-discharged, and ink that is likely to deposit in the slit S rather than be absorbed by the absorbing member 511 is used. In the device to be used, it is preferable to increase the number of slits so that more ink can be deposited, so that the replacement cycle of the liquid receiver 510 can be extended.

The width of the slit S is set according to the nozzle row of the liquid ejection head 230, the rotational speed of the paper transport drum 210, and the like, so that the blankly ejected ink can enter the slit S without fail.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 12, an absorbent member 511 having slits S may be configured by stacking a plurality of absorbent bodies 511a each having a through hole H formed therein. With such a configuration, the parts forming the absorbent member 511 can be integrated, and the absorbent member is formed by combining the absorbent body 511a in which the through hole H is formed and the absorbent body 511b in which the through hole H is not formed. The number of parts can be reduced and the cost of the liquid receiver 510 can be reduced as compared with the case where the liquid receiver 510 is provided. As a result, the running cost of the device can be reduced. As shown in FIG. 10(b), an absorbent member 511 is formed by combining an absorbent body 511a having a through hole H and an absorbent body 511b having no through hole H, whereby the through hole Compared to the case where the absorbing member 511 is composed only of the absorbing member 511a in which H is formed, there is an advantage that the volume of the absorbing member can be increased and more ink can be absorbed. Therefore, in an apparatus that uses ink that is likely to be absorbed by the absorbing member rather than deposited in the slit S, such as when ink that is difficult to dry is used, the absorbing member 511 is configured as shown in FIG. 10B. preferably. On the other hand, in an apparatus that uses ink that is more likely to deposit in the slit S than to be absorbed by the absorbing member, such as when ink that dries easily is used, the absorbing member 511 is configured as shown in FIG. preferable.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 13, absorbers 511c and 511d having different heights may be arranged alternately in the lateral direction of the film case 512 to form the absorber 511 having the slits S. FIG. As shown in FIG. 11, the structure shown in FIG. 13 has the advantage of facilitating the processing of the absorber, compared to the structure in which absorbers 511a having through holes H formed therein are stacked.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 14, the absorbent member 511 may be composed of a single absorbent body 511e having a plurality of slits S (longitudinal grooves opened on the opening side of the film case 512). With such a configuration, there is an advantage that the number of assembling man-hours can be reduced as compared with the case where the absorbent member is configured with a plurality of absorbent bodies.

In addition, the slit S preferably has a configuration in which ink ejected from the liquid ejection head 230 can be introduced and at least a portion of the ink can adhere to the side surfaces of the slit S, and the width and length of the slit S are not particularly limited. Both ends of the slit S in the extending direction may be closed or open. The width of the slit may be uniform or non-uniform.

For example, the side surface of the slit S is inclined so that the width of the slit S widens toward the opening of the film case 512, or the width of the slit S narrows toward the opening of the film case 512. You can also By forming the slit S in such a shape that the width of the slit S widens toward the opening of the film case 512, it is possible to reliably discharge the ink into the slit. On the other hand, when the width of the slit S narrows toward the opening of the film case 512, when the opening of the liquid receiver 510 faces downward, the ink in the slit becomes a droplet and falls. However, it can be received by the side surface of the slit S, and the contamination of the device can be suppressed.

Further, in this modified example 3, the ink is idle-discharged to the slit S. As shown in FIG. Therefore, for example, the upper surface of the film case may be closed and a slit corresponding to the slit S of the absorbing member 511 may be provided on the upper surface of the film case. Alternatively, the upper surface of the holding case 513 may be closed, and a slit corresponding to the slit S of the absorbing member 511 may be provided on the upper surface of the holding case 513 .

In this embodiment, the "liquid ejection head" is a functional component that ejects and ejects liquid from ejection holes (nozzles). The liquid to be ejected is not particularly limited as long as it has a viscosity and surface tension that can be ejected from the head, but the viscosity becomes 30 [mPa s] or less at normal temperature and pressure, or by heating or cooling. It is preferable to be More specifically, solvents such as water and organic solvents, colorants such as dyes and pigments, functional-imparting materials such as polymerizable compounds, resins, and surfactants, biocompatible materials such as DNA, amino acids, proteins, and calcium. , edible materials such as natural pigments, and the like. These can be used, for example, as inkjet inks, surface treatment liquids, constituent elements of electronic elements and light-emitting elements, liquids for forming electronic circuit resist patterns, material liquids for three-dimensional modeling, and the like. Piezoelectric actuators (laminated piezoelectric elements and thin film piezoelectric elements), thermal actuators that use electrothermal conversion elements such as heating resistors, and electrostatic actuators that consist of a diaphragm and a counter electrode are used as energy sources for liquid ejection. includes those that

In this embodiment, by arranging a plurality of liquid ejection heads in the paper width direction (direction orthogonal to the transport direction), a long liquid ejection head (line head) is formed, and the liquid ejection head does not move with respect to the apparatus main body. It is configured. The liquid ejection head may form a "liquid ejection unit" together with other parts, and print while moving relative to the apparatus main body.

A "liquid ejection unit" is a combination of functional parts and mechanisms integrated with a liquid ejection head, and is a collection of parts related to ejection of liquid. For example, the "liquid ejection unit" includes a combination of at least one of a supply circulation mechanism, a carriage, a maintenance/recovery mechanism, and a main scanning movement mechanism with a liquid ejection head. Here, integration means, for example, that the liquid ejection head and functional parts or mechanisms are fixed to each other by fastening, adhesion, or engagement, or that one is held movably with respect to the other. include. Also, the liquid ejection head, the functional parts, and the mechanism may be configured to be detachable from each other.

For example, there is a liquid ejection unit in which a liquid ejection head and a supply circulation mechanism are integrated. Also, there is a type in which the liquid ejection head and the supply circulation mechanism are integrated by being connected to each other by a tube or the like. Here, a unit including a filter can be added between the supply circulation mechanism of these liquid ejection units and the liquid ejection head. Further, there is a liquid ejection unit in which a liquid ejection head and a carriage are integrated. Further, as a liquid ejection unit, there is one in which the liquid ejection head and the scanning movement mechanism are integrated by movably holding the liquid ejection head on a guide member that constitutes a part of the scanning movement mechanism. There is also a liquid ejection unit in which the liquid ejection head, the carriage, and the maintenance and recovery mechanism are integrated by fixing a cap member, which is a part of the maintenance and recovery mechanism, to a carriage to which the liquid ejection head is attached. . Further, as a liquid ejection unit, there is one in which a tube is connected to a liquid ejection head to which a supply circulation mechanism or a channel component is attached, and the liquid ejection head and the supply mechanism are integrated. The liquid in the liquid storage source is supplied to the liquid discharge head through this tube. It is assumed that the main scanning movement mechanism also includes a single guide member. Also, the supply mechanism includes the tube unit and the loading unit unit.

A “device for ejecting liquid” is a device that includes a liquid ejection head or a liquid ejection unit, drives the liquid ejection head, and ejects liquid. Devices that eject liquid include not only devices that can eject liquid onto an object to which liquid can adhere, but also devices that eject liquid into air or liquid. The "liquid ejecting device" can include means for feeding, transporting, and ejecting an object to which liquid can adhere, as well as a pre-processing device, a post-processing device, and the like.

“Devices that eject liquid” include image forming devices that eject ink to form images on paper, There is a three-dimensional modeling apparatus (three-dimensional modeling apparatus) that ejects a modeling liquid onto a body layer. Further, the "apparatus for ejecting liquid" is not limited to one that visualizes significant images such as characters and figures with the ejected liquid. For example, it includes those that form patterns that have no meaning per se, and those that form three-dimensional images.

The term "substance to which a liquid can adhere" means a substance to which a liquid can adhere at least temporarily, such as a substance to which a liquid is adhered and fixed, a substance which is adhered and permeated, and the like. Specific examples include media such as recording media such as paper, recording paper, recording paper, film, and cloth, electronic components such as electronic substrates and piezoelectric elements, powder layers (powder layers), organ models, and test cells. Yes, and unless otherwise specified, includes anything that has liquid on it. The material of the above-mentioned "thing to which a liquid can adhere" may be paper, thread, fiber, fabric, leather, metal, plastic, glass, wood, ceramics, etc., as long as the liquid can adhere even temporarily. The shape of the "thing to which liquid can adhere" is not limited to a sheet like paper P, and may be any shape to which liquid can adhere. Examples of "things to which a liquid can adhere" include those used for film products, cloth products such as clothing, building materials such as wallpaper and flooring, and leather products.

In addition, the “liquid” is not particularly limited as long as it has a viscosity and surface tension that can be ejected from the head. It is preferable to be More specifically, solvents such as water and organic solvents, colorants such as dyes and pigments, functional-imparting materials such as polymerizable compounds, resins, and surfactants, biocompatible materials such as DNA, amino acids, proteins, and calcium. , edible materials such as natural pigments, and the like. These can be used, for example, as inkjet inks, surface treatment liquids, constituent elements of electronic elements and light-emitting elements, liquids for forming electronic circuit resist patterns, material liquids for three-dimensional modeling, and the like.

Further, the printer 1 of the present embodiment is a "liquid ejecting device" in which the liquid ejecting head and an object to which liquid can be adhered move relative to each other. Specific examples of devices that move relatively include a line type device that does not move the liquid ejection head as in this embodiment, and a serial type device that moves the liquid ejection head. The "apparatus for ejecting liquid" is not limited to an apparatus in which a liquid ejection head and an object to which liquid can be adhered move relative to each other.

Another example of the ``liquid ejecting device'' is a treatment liquid application device that ejects a treatment liquid onto a sheet of paper in order to apply the treatment liquid to the surface of the paper for the purpose of modifying the surface of the paper. There is also an injection granulator that granulates fine particles of the raw material by injecting a composition liquid in which the raw material is dispersed in a solution through a nozzle. Further, the terms used in the present application, such as image formation, recording, printing, printing, printing, modeling, etc., are synonymous.

What has been described above is only an example, and each of the following aspects has a unique effect.
(Aspect 1)
In a device for ejecting liquid comprising a liquid ejection head 230 for ejecting liquid such as ink and a liquid receiving portion 510 for receiving the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection head, an absorbing member 511 for absorbing the liquid and an absorbing member 511, and includes a case member such as a film case 512 made of a liquid impermeable material, and a shape retaining member such as a holding case 513 that retains the shape of the case member.
As described in Patent Document 1, when the liquid receiving portion is composed of an absorbing member and a waste liquid case containing the absorbing member, the waste liquid case is made of a material having no liquid permeability so that the liquid absorbed by the absorbing member does not ooze out. In addition, it is necessary to increase the thickness of the waste liquid case to some extent in order to maintain the shape, which leads to an increase in the cost of the apparatus.
On the other hand, the liquid receiver of aspect 1 has a case member made of a liquid-impermeable material for receiving an absorbing member that absorbs liquid, and a shape-retaining member that retains the shape of the case member. . As described above, in Mode 1, the case member has only the function of preventing the liquid from seeping out, and the shape retaining member has the function of maintaining the shape, thereby separating the functions. Therefore, the case member made of liquid-impermeable material can be made thinner, and the shape-retaining member can be made of less expensive material than liquid-impermeable material such as paper. As a result, the thickness of the case member made of non-liquid-permeable material is increased, compared to the case member that has both the function of preventing liquid seepage and the function of maintaining its shape. Therefore, it becomes possible to form the liquid receiving portion at low cost, and the cost of the apparatus can be reduced.

(Aspect 2)
In mode 1, the shape retaining member such as the retaining case 513 is made of paper.
According to this, as described in the embodiment, the cost of the shape retaining member such as the holding case 513 can be reduced, and the weight of the holding case 513 can be reduced. As a result, the cost and weight of the liquid receiver 510 can be reduced.

(Aspect 3)
In aspect 1 or 2, liquid receiver 510 is provided detachably with respect to support component 520 that supports liquid receiver 510 .
According to this, when the liquid receiving part 510 becomes full of liquid, only the liquid receiving part 510 can be replaced, compared to the case where the idle discharge receiver 500 consisting of the supporting part 520 and the liquid receiving part 510 is replaced. can reduce maintenance costs.

(Aspect 4)
Aspect 3 has a transport drum such as a cylindrical paper transport drum 210 that rotates to transport a medium such as a paper P onto which liquid is ejected by the liquid ejection head 230, and the transport drum is provided with a support component 520. When the liquid receiver 510 is attached to or detached from the support component 520, the rotation of the transport drum is controlled so that the support component 520 is positioned at a specified rotational position.
According to this, as described in the embodiment, the liquid receiver 510 can be attached and detached only around the specified rotational position, and the degree of freedom in the layout of the apparatus can be increased. Further, the position at which the opening 510a of the liquid receiving portion 510 that receives liquid such as blankly ejected ink faces upward can be set to the specified rotational position. This makes it possible to prevent liquid such as ink from dropping from the opening 510a of the liquid receiving portion 510 when the liquid receiving portion 510 is replaced.

(Aspect 5)
In mode 3 or 4, support component 520 has support case 501 in which liquid receiver 510 is placed, and slide member 502 that holds liquid receiver 510 and is configured to be slidable relative to support case 501 .
According to this, as described in the embodiment, the slide member 502 can be slid to pull out the liquid receiving portion 510 from the support case 501 for replacement, and the liquid receiving portion 510 can be easily replaced. can.

(Aspect 6)
In any one of modes 1 to 5, a support component 520 that supports the liquid receiver 510 is provided, and the liquid receiver 510 is press-fitted into the support component 520 (in this embodiment, press-fit into the slide member 502 of the support component 520). be.
According to this, it is possible to prevent the liquid receiver 510 from falling off from the support component 520 as described in the embodiment. In addition, the liquid receiver 510 can be attached to the support component 520 more easily than when the liquid receiver 510 is attached to the support component 520 using screws or the like.

(Aspect 7)
In any one of modes 1 to 6, a support component 520 that supports the liquid receiver 510 is provided, the support component 520 includes a support case 501 that houses the liquid receiver 510, and the support case 501 is a case member such as a film case 512. and a retaining portion such as a bent portion 501 a that is bent from the opposing wall and faces the edge of the opening of the film case 512 .
According to this, it is possible to prevent the liquid receiver 510 placed in the support case 501 from slipping out of the support case 501 .

(Aspect 8)
In any one of Modes 1 to 7, the volume of the absorbing member 511 is made equal to or less than the volume of the case member such as the film case 512 .
In this way, as described in Modification 1, the cost of the absorbing member 511 can be reduced compared to the case where the volume of the absorbing member 511 is the same as that of the case member such as the film case 512. There is an advantage that the cost of the device can be reduced.

(Aspect 9)
In any one of modes 1 to 8, the case member such as the film case 512 has an opening/closing part 512a that opens and closes the opening 510a of the liquid receiving part 510 .
According to this, as described in the modification 2, the opening 510a of the liquid receiving portion 510 can be closed by the opening/closing portion 512a, and the liquid receiving portion 510 can be replaced. As a result, liquid such as ink can be prevented from leaking or falling from the opening 510a of the liquid receiving portion 510 when the liquid receiving portion 510 is replaced.

(Mode 10)
In any one of Modes 1 to 9, the absorbing member 511 is press-fitted into a case member such as a film case 512, and the outer dimension of the case member is larger than the inner dimension of the shape maintaining member such as the holding case 513.
According to this, as described in the embodiment, it is possible to prevent the absorbing member 511 from slipping out of the case member such as the film case 512 . Further, by making the outer dimension of the case member larger than the inner dimension of the shape retaining member such as the holding case 513, the case member is press-fitted into the shape retaining member, and the case member does not come out of the shape retaining member. can be suppressed.

(Aspect 11)
In a device for ejecting liquid, which includes a liquid ejection head 230 for ejecting liquid such as ink and a liquid receiving portion 510 for receiving liquid ejected from the liquid ejection head 230, an absorbing member 511 for absorbing the liquid, a resin and a film case 512 in which the absorbing member 511 is placed, and a holding case 513 that holds the film case 512 .
According to this, it becomes possible to form the liquid receiver at a low cost, and the cost of the apparatus can be reduced.

(Aspect 12)
In any one of modes 1 to 11, slits S are provided in the absorbing member 511 .
According to this, as described in the embodiment, it is possible to idle-discharge the ink to the slit S of the absorbing member 511 , and the ink can be deposited in the slit of the absorbing member 511 . As a result, it is possible to extend the period until the ink deposited on the absorbing member 511 reaches the position of the ejection surface of the liquid ejection head 230, and the replacement cycle of the liquid receiver 510 can be extended.

1: Printer 200: Image forming unit 201: Receiving cylinder 201a: Receiving paper gripper 202: Receiving cylinder 210: Paper conveying drum 210a: Conveying paper gripper 211: Suction device 220: Ink ejection unit 230: Liquid ejection head 500: Blank ejection receiver 501 : Support case 501a : Bending portion 502 : Slide member 502a : Press-in claw 502b : Handle portion 510 : Liquid receiving portion 510a : Opening 511 : Absorption member 512 : Film case 512a : Opening/closing portion 513 : Holding case 520 : Supporting part P : paper

JP-A-10-058704

Claims (10)

a liquid ejection head for ejecting liquid;
A device for ejecting liquid, comprising a liquid receiver for receiving the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection head,
The liquid receiver includes an absorbing member that absorbs liquid, a case member that contains the absorbing member and is made of a liquid-impermeable material, and a shape retaining member that retains the shape of the case member,
The liquid receiver is provided detachably with respect to a support component that supports the liquid receiver,
a cylindrical transport drum that rotates to transport a medium onto which liquid is to be ejected by the liquid ejection head;
The support member is provided on the transport drum,
A device for ejecting liquid, wherein the rotation of the conveying drum is controlled so that the support member is positioned at a specified rotational position when the liquid receiver is attached to or detached from the support member. The device for ejecting liquid according to claim 1,
A device for ejecting liquid, wherein the shape-retaining member is made of paper . 3. The apparatus for ejecting liquid according to claim 1 or 2 ,
A device for ejecting liquid, wherein the support component includes a support case for receiving the liquid receiver, and a slide member that holds the liquid receiver and is configured to be slidable with respect to the support case. A device for ejecting liquid according to any one of claims 1 to 3 ,
Having a support component that supports the liquid receiver,
A device for ejecting liquid, wherein the liquid receiver is press-fitted into the support component. A device for ejecting liquid according to any one of claims 1 to 4 ,
A support component that supports the liquid receiver,
The support component includes a support case for containing the liquid receiver,
The support case has an opposing wall portion facing a side surface extending in the longitudinal direction of the case member, and a retaining portion bent from the opposing wall portion and facing an edge of the opening of the case member. A device that dispenses a liquid that A device for ejecting liquid according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ,
A device for ejecting liquid, wherein the volume of the absorbing member is equal to or less than the volume of the case member. A device for ejecting liquid according to any one of claims 1 to 6 ,
A device for ejecting liquid, wherein the case member has an opening and closing portion for opening and closing an opening of the liquid receiving portion. A device for ejecting liquid according to any one of claims 1 to 7 ,
The absorbing member is press-fitted into the case member,
An apparatus for ejecting liquid, wherein an outer dimension of the case member is larger than an inner dimension of the shape retaining member. a liquid ejection head for ejecting liquid;
A device for ejecting liquid, comprising a liquid receiver for receiving the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection head,
The liquid receiving part includes an absorbing member that absorbs liquid, a film case that is made of resin and contains the absorbing member, and a holding case that holds the film case,
The liquid receiver is provided detachably with respect to a support component that supports the liquid receiver,
a cylindrical transport drum that rotates to transport a medium onto which liquid is to be ejected by the liquid ejection head;
The support member is provided on the transport drum,
A device for ejecting liquid, wherein the rotation of the conveying drum is controlled so that the support member is positioned at a specified rotational position when the liquid receiver is attached to or detached from the support member. A device for ejecting liquid according to any one of claims 1 to 9 ,
A device for ejecting liquid, wherein a slit is provided in the absorbing member.

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