JPH02273243A - Ink jet printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the size of a recording head in a running direction and to decrease a whole size by providing a scavenger corresponding to a nozzle opening of an ink jet recording head in a hollow part formed in a platen at a predetermined position in a record running range of the head. CONSTITUTION:Hollow parts are provided at the split position of left and right platens 5, 6, and a scavenger 20 is provided thereat. A recording sheet 10 is fed by the platens 5, 6 rotated synchronously, and print recording of a recording head 1 is not disturbed even if the hollow parts are provided at the split position. The head 1 is placed on a carriage 2, which is linearly movably guided by guide rails 3, and linearly driven by a driver represented by a belt 4. The cleaning by a scavenger 20 is executed after the sheet 10 is removed and the head 1 is then moved to a position opposite to a scavenging head 21. Accordingly, the lateral size of a printer can be reduced in size corresponding to the lateral width of the scavenger 20 as compared with a conventional one.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field]

In particular, the present invention relates to an inkjet printer that is miniaturized by providing a cleaning device for eliminating nozzle clogging at a predetermined location within the recording travel range of the recording head so as to correspond to the nozzle opening of the recording head.

[Conventional technology]

A conventional example will be described with reference to FIG. 3, which is a perspective view of the main parts thereof. In the figure, a recording head 1 is mounted on a carriage 2 that can move left and right. The carriage 2 is movably guided by two guide rails 43 and is driven to run by a drive section represented by a belt 44 . The guide rail 43 and the drive section represented by the belt 44 are provided between the left and right side plates of the U-shaped frame 49. Recording paper is fed by clockwise rotation of a cylindrical platen 45 to face jet nozzles (not shown) of the recording head 1 . Also, the left end surface of the platen 45 and the frame 4
A cleaning device 20 is installed between the left side plate 9 and the inside of the left side plate. During recording, the recording head 1 only moves within a range corresponding to the width of the recording paper 10, but if the nozzles become clogged with ink or dust and print quality deteriorates, the cleaning device 20
The cleaning device 20 moves to a position facing the cleaning head 2, and as will be described in detail later, the nozzle clogging is cleared by this cleaning device 20. The cleaning device 20 will be described with reference to FIG. 4, which is a side view thereof. The cleaning device 20 mainly includes a cleaning head 2
1, a linear mechanism (not labeled), and a suction mechanism. The cleaning head 21 includes a flat short cylindrical suction section 22,
It is composed of a wiper 23 made of a soft rubber material for wiping the nozzle opening. The straight movement mechanism mainly consists of a base 248, a motor 25. cam 2
6, consisting of a spring 27 and a bellows 28, which causes the cleaning head 21 to move straight back and forth in the left-right direction. That is, motor 2
5 rotates the cam 26, and this rotation causes the bellows 28 to expand and contract under the bias of the spring 27. The cleaning head 21 is provided on the left end surface of the bellows 28, and the right end surface is fixed to the base 24. The spring 27 is stretched between the base 24 and the bellows 28. The case 29 exposes only the left end portion of the cleaning head 21 and stores the main body and other parts of the cleaning head 21 and the linear movement mechanism. The suction mechanism mainly includes a suction pump 30. Pipe 31.
32 and a waste ink reservoir 33, and is responsible for the suction function of the suction section 22. The vibrator 31 connects the suction section 22 and the pump 30, and the pipe 32 has one end connected to the pump 3.
0 and the other end is open to the atmosphere, and a waste ink reservoir 33 is installed at this open end. The nozzle clogging operation of the recording head 1 by the cleaning device 20 is performed as follows. In FIG. 3, at the final stage of the leftward straight movement of the recording head 1, the nozzle opening moves while contacting the wiper 23 (see FIG. 4), and the ink adhering to the nozzle opening is wiped away. taken. Next, the cleaning head 21 is moved slightly to the left by the rotation of the motor 25 in FIG.
The suction operation is started by activation of . This suction operation sucks out ink and dust clogged inside the nozzle, thereby eliminating the nozzle clogging. Note that the sucked ink and dust pass through the vibrator 32 and are discharged to the waste ink reservoir 33.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

As described above, in the conventional technology, the cleaning device 20 is installed outside the recording travel range of the recording head 1. Therefore, the width dimension of the printer corresponds to the sum of the recording travel range corresponding to the length of the platen 45 and the width of the cleaning device 20, and the width of the cleaning device 20 becomes at least extra large. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink-end printer which solves the above problems of the prior art, reduces the size of the recording head in the running direction as much as possible, and is designed to be more compact overall.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to solve this problem, the inkjet printer according to the present invention includes an inkjet recording head that runs close to and opposite to the recording paper that is fed along the surface of the platen, and a cleaning system that eliminates nozzle clogging of this inkjet recording head. In the printer including the cleaning device, the cleaning device is located in a hollow portion formed in the platen at a predetermined location within the recording travel range of the inkjet recording head, and is provided so as to correspond to the nozzle opening of the inkjet recording head.

[For use]

Since the cleaning device is provided at a predetermined location within the recording travel range of the inkjet recording head so that it can accommodate the nozzle opening of the inkjet recording head, the size of the printer in the travel direction can be reduced accordingly. I can do it.

【Example】

An embodiment of an inkjet printer according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1, which is a perspective view of the main parts thereof. In the same figure, the difference between this embodiment and the conventional example shown in FIG. 3 is that: (1) the platen is divided into two;
There are two methods: a cleaning device is installed in the gap between the split points. The left platen 5 and the right platen 6 are provided separately on the left and right side plates of the U-shaped frame 9 and coaxially with each other, and are rotated synchronously via a partially illustrated transmission mechanism. A hollow portion is provided at the dividing point of each of the left and right platens 5.degree. 6, and the same cleaning device 20 as in the conventional example is installed here. - The recording paper 10 indicated by the dotted chain line is fed by the left and right platens 5 and 6 that are rotated synchronously, and even if there is a hollow part at the dividing point between the left and right platens 5 and 6, the recording paper 10 is printed by the recording head 1. There is no problem with recording. This is because recording is performed using an inkjet jet. Note that the recording head l is mounted on a carriage 2, and this carriage 2 is guided by a guide rail 3 so as to be able to move straight.
It is driven in a straight line by a drive section represented by a belt 4. Cleaning by the cleaning device 20 is performed after removing the recording paper 10 and moving the recording head 1 to a position facing the cleaning pad 21. Note that the cleaning operation is the same as in the conventional example. Therefore, the width of the printer can be made smaller by the width of the cleaning device 20 than in the conventional example shown in FIG. Another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 2, which is a perspective view of the main parts thereof. In the figure, the platen 15 is planar and is installed parallel to the bottom plate of the U-shaped frame 19, and has a rectangular hole 16 formed approximately in the center of the recording travel range of the recording head 1. A cleaning device 20 is installed below the platen 15 so that a cleaning head (not shown) can protrude or retract from this hole 16. The recording paper 10 is fed horizontally over the surface of the platen 15 by roller shafts 17, 18 which are rotated in opposing contact with each other. The recording head 1 has an ink ejecting direction facing downward, unlike the embodiment shown in FIG. The running of the recording head 1 is the same as in one embodiment, and a carriage I2 carrying the recording head 1 is guided by a guide rail 13 so as to be able to move in a straight line, and is driven to run by a drive unit represented by a belt 14. In this other embodiment as well, cleaning by the cleaning device 20 is performed after the recording paper 10 is removed and the recording head 1 is moved to a position facing a cleaning head (not shown). Therefore, the width of the printer can be made smaller than the conventional example shown in FIG. 3 by the width of the cleaning device 20.

【Effect of the invention】

Therefore, the present invention has the following superior effects compared to the conventional technology. (1) The cleaning device is not outside the recording travel range of the recording head,
Since it is installed at a predetermined location within that range, the width of the printer in the running direction can be reduced accordingly.
Therefore, miniaturization can be achieved. (2) Applicable whether the platen is cylindrical or planar.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the main parts of an embodiment according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the main parts of another embodiment, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the main parts of a conventional example, and FIG. The figure is a side view of the cleaning device. Symbol explanation 1: Recording head, 2, 12: Carriage, 3.13
: Guide rail, 5: Left platen, 6: Right platen, 15
Nibraten, 16: Hole, 10: Recording paper, 20: Cleaning device, 21: Cleaning head. Figure 1 J no Shu 2nd eye

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1) In a printer comprising an inkjet recording head that runs close to and opposite to recording paper fed along the surface of a platen, and a cleaning device that unclogs the nozzles of this inkjet recording head, the cleaning device is configured to clean the inkjet recording head. An inkjet printer characterized in that the inkjet printer is located in a hollow part formed in the platen at a predetermined location within a recording travel range of the head so as to correspond to a nozzle opening of the inkjet recording head.