JPH0240509B2 - INKUJETSU TOPURINTA - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an inkjet printer, and more particularly to an inkjet printer configured to forcibly supply ink to an inkjet nozzle to recover from an ink discharge failure. be.

In conventional inkjet printers, if air is sucked into the inkjet nozzle due to an impact or if ink ejection failure occurs due to adhesion of foreign matter, the problem can be recovered by suctioning or pushing out the ink from the nozzle. It was on. However, this recovery operation has conventionally been performed by providing a recovery device in a fixed portion of the printer and fixing the carriage at a fixed position corresponding to the recovery device. On the other hand, if a bag-shaped ink tank is housed in a case, it is expected that a dedicated drive source for pressurizing the ink tank will be required, or that the ink tank itself will have a complicated configuration to adopt a pressurizing configuration. However, the former has the drawback of increasing the size of the device, and the latter has the drawback of significantly increasing the unit price of the replaceable ink tank.

The present invention provides an inkjet printer that can easily and reliably set the bag-shaped ink tank between a pressurized state and an atmospheric pressure state even if the bag-shaped ink tank is housed in a case. The purpose is to provide.

The present invention achieves this object, and includes a conveyance means for conveying printing paper to an inkjet nozzle, a drive source for driving the conveyance means, and a bag-shaped ink tank containing ink. An inkjet printer that supplies ink to an inkjet nozzle using a case containing the inkjet nozzle, the pressurizing pump being operated by receiving driving force from the driving source, and a path communicating between the pressurizing pump and the inside of the case. The inkjet printer is characterized in that it is provided with a switching means capable of switching the inside of the case between a state in which the interior of the case is communicated with the atmosphere and a state in which pressure is applied by the pressurizing pump.

Hereinafter, details of the present invention will be explained based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

1 and 2 illustrate one embodiment of the present invention. In the figures, the reference numeral 1 indicates a permanent magnet, and this permanent magnet 1 has a yoke 2 formed with both ends bent upward. Fixed on top. Another cylindrical yoke 3 is horizontally suspended between both ends of this yoke 2, and a carriage 4 is attached to this yoke 3 so as to be freely movable. The carriage 4 has a coil bobbin 5.
A coil (not shown) is wound around the coil bobbin 5, and the carriage 4 is fitted to the yoke 3 so as to be freely movable.

The permanent magnet 1, the yokes 2 and 3, and a coil (not shown) constitute a linear motor, and a control current is applied to the coil via a flexible cord 6.

The position of the carriage 4 is detected by an optical slit plate 7 having a large number of slits and a photocoupler (not shown) mounted on the carriage side.
In accordance with the control signal, ink is ejected from an inkjet model to be described later, and printing is performed on the printing paper guided along the platen 8.

A nozzle holder 9 is attached to the carriage 4, as shown in cross section in FIG. 2, and an inkjet nozzle 10 is accommodated within this nozzle holder 9. The inkjet nozzle 10 is formed by processing a thin glass tube or the like, and a cylindrical piezoelectric element 11 is mounted around the inkjet nozzle 10. When a control signal is applied to the piezoelectric element 11, it undergoes physical deformation and pressure is applied to the ink jet nozzle 10, causing ink to be ejected. The rear end of the inkjet nozzle 10 is inserted into the ink 13 in the sub-tank 12, and a filter 14 is provided at its lower end. The sub tank 12 and the bag-shaped main tank 15 are connected by a tube 16. As is clear from FIG. 2, the ink tank 15 is shaped like a bag, and the ink tank 15 is
It is housed within 7. A rubber cap 18 is attached to the open end of the main tank 15, and a needle 16a fixed to the tip of the tube 16 is inserted into the rubber cap 18.
The rubber cap 18 also serves as a seal for the case 17 and hermetically seals the case 17.

By changing the direction of the current applied to the coil of the carriage 4, the carriage moves back and forth along the yoke 3, and when one dot line is recorded, the carriage 4 automatically moves backwards and at the same time moves along the platen 8. The printing paper (not shown) guided by the pulse motor 19 is fed in one pitch by rotating a gear 20 fixed to its output shaft. That is, in FIG. 2, only when gear 20 is rotated counterclockwise, rotation is transmitted to gear 22 via one-way clutch 21, platen gear 24 is rotated via gear 23 integrated with gear 22, and platen gear 24 is rotated via gear 23 integrated with gear 22. 8 is rotated one pitch, and the printing paper is fed one pitch.

A solenoid 25 is attached using the frame of the device. An armature 26 is rotatably attached via a pin 27 to face the iron core of the solenoid 25. One end of the armature 26 is connected to a valve stem 29 of a first valve device 28 .
The inner end of the valve stem 29 is fixed to a diaphragm valve 30, and the diaphragm valve 30 is supported by a spring 31.
A pressing force is constantly applied in the direction of closing the opening 30a. Opening 30a of valve device 28
A tube 32 communicates between the tank 12 and the sub-tank 12, and a filter 33 is attached to the middle of the tube 32.

The other end of the armature 26 is connected to the second valve device 3
It is connected to the rod 35 of No. 4. The inner end of rod 35 is fixed to valve 36. The valve 36 is the second
As is clear from the figure, the cross section is formed into a substantially H-shape, and one opening 34a of this valve device 34 is formed.
A tube 37 connects the main tank 15 to the case 17 of the main tank 15, which is sealed with a rubber cap 18. Further, the valve 36 is always moved by a spring 38 toward the side where the rod 35 is retracted.

On the other hand, in the vicinity of the pulse motor 19, there are first and second cylinders 39 and 4 as pressurizing means.
A pump device 41 consisting of 0 is arranged.

The first and second cylinders 39, 40 have a common rod 42. A piston 43 is fixed to the rod 42 on the first cylinder 39 side, and a piston 44 is fixed on the second cylinder 40 side.
is fixed. The end of the rod 42 on the cylinder 40 side is pressed in the pushing direction by a spring 45.

A through hole 43a is formed in the piston 43 of the first cylinder 33 in parallel with the rod 42, and one end of the rod 46 is slidably fitted into the through hole 43a. Rod 46 has flange 4 in the middle.
6a, and a spring 47 is loaded between the flange 46a and the cylinder case.
A pressing force is constantly applied to the rod 46 in the direction of the piston 43. At the lower end of the rod 46 is another flange 46 on the outside of the cylinder case.
b is formed, and this flange 46b faces into a chamber 48 formed integrally with the cylinder 39. This chamber 48 and the second valve device 3
4 is connected by a tube 49.

On the other hand, a through hole 44a is formed in the piston 44 of the second cylinder 40 in parallel with the rod 42, and a valve 50 is attached to the lower end of the through hole 44a. The opening 40a formed in the middle of the cylinder 40 and the nozzle holder 9 are connected by a tube 51, and the tip of the tube 51 is opened below the ink jet nozzle as an ink recovery port 51a. There is. Further, the opening 40b formed at the lower end of the second cylinder 40 and the waste box 52 are connected by a tube 53.
and the first valve device 28 are connected by a tube 54.

On the other hand, the gear 20 fixed to the output shaft of the pulse motor 19 meshes with a gear (not shown) that is integrated with a pulley 55, as shown in FIG. A belt 57 is stretched between the pulley 56 and another pulley 56, and a cam 58 is fixed coaxially and eccentrically with this pulley 56, and this cam 58 is connected to the rod 42. In constant contact.

Next, the operation of this embodiment configured as above will be explained. When an ink ejection failure occurs, the user presses an ejection failure release key (not shown). Then, the signal causes the pulse motor 19 to rotate in the opposite direction to the direction used when feeding the paper, and the solenoid 25
is energized. When the solenoid 25 is turned ON, the armature 26 is sucked, and the valve stem 29 of the first valve device 28 moves to the left in FIG.
4 rod 35 is moved to the right. As a result, the opening 30a of the first valve device 28 is opened, and the opening of the second valve device 34 on the atmosphere side is closed. As a result, the tubes 37 and 49 are brought into electrical communication via the second valve device 34.

Further, the tube 32 and the tube 54 are brought into conduction via the first valve device 28.

In this state, when the gear 20 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 2, the pulley 55 rotates clockwise.
A pulley 56 and a cam 58 are rotated via a belt 57. At this time, the one-way clutch 21 spins idly,
No rotational force is transmitted to the platen gear 24.

When the cam 58 rotates, the rod 42 reciprocates up and down, and the pistons 43 and 44 also reciprocate. When the piston 43 reaches the uppermost position in FIG. 2 due to the rotation of the cam 58, the through hole H formed in the side wall of the cylinder 39 communicates with the lower cylinder space of the piston 43 in FIG. Make it atmospheric pressure. Furthermore, due to the rotation of the cam 58, the piston 43
As the piston 43 descends, the through hole H is closed by the cylinder, and the lower chamber of the piston 43 is pressurized.
In this state, when the piston 43 further descends,
The rod 46 hits the bottom of the through hole 43a, the rod 46 descends against the spring 47, and the flange 46b descends, so that the chamber 48 and the pressurized cylinder chamber are brought into communication with each other, and the pressurized air flows through the tube 49.
through the second valve device 34 and the tube 37
Case 1 where the main tank 15 is accommodated through the
Supplied during the 7th. When pressurized air is introduced into the case 17, the main tank 15 is pressurized, and the ink passes through the tube 16 to the sub tank 12.
supplied within. The ink supplied into the sub-tank is discharged from the upper joint 12a of the sub-tank 12 through the tube 32, the first valve device 28, and the tube 54 into the ink waste box 52.
In addition, the ink in the sub tank 12 is filtered through a filter 14.
It is also supplied to the inkjet nozzle 10 through the inkjet nozzle 10, and flows out from its discharge port. This spilled ink is sucked by the operation of the second cylinder 40.

That is, as the rod 42 descends, the piston 44 of the second cylinder 40 also descends, and since the valve 50 is closed, the space above the piston 44 becomes negative pressure.
This negative pressure is guided to the lower end of the ejection port of the inkjet nozzle 10 by the tube 51 through the opening 40a, and the ink flowing out from the tip of the inkjet nozzle is sucked. This ink is guided above the piston 44 of the second cylinder 40a and accumulates therein.

Then, when the piston 44 begins to rise due to the rotation of the cam 58, the valve 50 opens, the opening 40a is blocked by the piston 44, and the accumulated ink passes through the through hole 44a and enters the ink waste box 52 via the tube 53. be thrown away.

After ink continues to be sucked for a certain period of time in this manner, the energization to the solenoid 25 is stopped. Then, the second valve device 34 is closed, and pressurized air is not supplied to the case 17 side even if the cylinder 39 is operated.
The main tank 15 is not pressurized.

There is a slight delay time until the pressure in the case 17 becomes equal to atmospheric pressure through the tube 37, and ink is pushed out from the inkjet nozzle 10 during that time, but the second cylinder 40 is in operation. Therefore, ink can be reliably sucked.

By supplying ink in this manner, ejection failures caused by foreign matter adhering to the ink jet nozzle 10 or air being sucked in can be reliably eliminated.

As is clear from the above description, according to this embodiment, the rotation of the motor that feeds the printing paper is used to operate the pump, and pressurizes the ink tank and sucks ink flowing out from the tip of the nozzle. Because of this configuration, the ink tank can be pressurized without requiring a separate drive valve.
As described above, the present invention includes a pressure pump configuration that operates in response to the driving force of a drive source of a conveyance means for conveying printing paper, and a switch provided in a path communicating between the pressure pump and the inside of the case. By means of this means, it is possible to easily and reliably switch between the atmospheric communication state in the case housing the bag-shaped ink tank and the pressurized state by the pressurizing pump, thereby reducing the size of the entire printer and improving its reliability. It is possible to provide an inkjet printer with improved performance.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The figure explains one embodiment of the present invention.
The figure is a perspective view, and FIG. 2 is a longitudinal side view. 4...Carriage, 10...Ink jet nozzle, 12...Sub tank, 15...Main tank, 17...Case, 25...Solenoid, 28
...First valve device, 34...Second valve device, 39
...first cylinder, 40...second cylinder,
43, 44... Piston, 52... Ink waste box.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A case that includes a conveying means for conveying printing paper to an inkjet nozzle and a drive source that drives the conveying means, and that houses a bag-shaped ink tank containing ink. In an inkjet printer that supplies ink to an inkjet nozzle using a pressurizing pump that operates in response to driving force from the driving source, and a path connecting the pressurizing pump and the inside of the case, the above-mentioned An inkjet printer comprising: switching means capable of switching the inside of the case between a state of communication with the atmosphere and a state of pressurization by the pressurizing pump.