JPH0410947A - Device for preventing clogging of ink jet record head - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a clogging of a nozzle of a record head with a device which is simple in constitution and operation by driving a pump with a force which is exerted when a cartridge holder moves from its mounting position to an ink supply position. CONSTITUTION:When an ink cartridge 26 is inserted in a cartridge holder 27, a seal of an ink supply port 26a is removed by a cutter 27a. When a lever 30 is pressed downward and the cartridge holder 27 is closed downward in this state, a cap 35 contacts tightly with a front face of a nozzle 22a. In this case, the ink cartridge 26 is set in an ink supply position and ink is supplied to an ink tank 25 through the ink supply port 26a. In this state, when the lever 30 is revolved forward, a pump coupling arm 31 revolves counterclockwise. Accordingly, another arm of the pump coupling arm 31 abuts against a rear end 45 of a pump coupling rod 40 which moves rearward. A pinion 41 rotates to drive a vacuum pump 37 so that the ink in the nozzle is discharged through an opening of the cap 35.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a clogging prevention device for an inkjet recording head.

[Prior Art] FIG. 3 (E) is a conventional example of a clogging prevention device for an inkjet recording head.

As shown in the figure, the carriage 11 is movable in the main scanning direction (direction perpendicular to the paper surface) of recording paper (not shown), and the carriage 11 includes an inkjet recording head 12 and an inkjet recording head. An ink tank 13 for supplying ink to 12 is fixed. Note that the ink in the ink tank 13 is replenished by manually inserting the ink cartridge 14 into the ink tank 13.

In front of the inkjet recording head 12 (on the left side of the figure), there is an arm 15 that can be rotated by a motor (not shown), and a cap 18 that can be brought into contact with the front surface of the nozzle of the inkjet recording head 12 by means of a push cam 16 and a push spring 17. The cap 18 is provided with an opening for sucking ink inside the nozzle. The opening of the cap 18 is connected to a vacuum pump 19, and the vacuum pump 19 is driven by a motor and a crank 20.

In the above configuration, when the motor is driven, the arm 15
, the push cam 16 and the push spring 17 are driven, the cap 18 comes into contact with the front surface of the nozzle, and the ink and air inside the nozzle are discharged by the vacuum pump 19. Therefore, if the inkjet recording head 12 is not used for a long period of time, it is possible to prevent the tips of the nozzles from drying out, causing ink remaining in the nozzles to stick, and dust to adhere.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional inkjet recording head clogging prevention device described above, the ink and air in the nozzles are discharged by a pump using a dedicated motor, which is costly and does not last long. When not in use, it is necessary to turn on the switch and operate this pump each time it is used.
It is cumbersome to operate.

On the other hand, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 57-117964,
A device has been disclosed in which a suction pump is driven by the pressing force of a button to generate negative pressure at the nozzle tip and suck ink backward from the nozzle tip, but it is necessary to press a button each time it is used. If you neglect to do this, the tip of the nozzle may dry out, causing residual ink to stick to the nozzle, or dirt to adhere to it.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an inkjet recording head clogging prevention device that has a simple configuration and is capable of preventing nozzle tips from drying out or from being contaminated with dust by simple operation. .

[Means for Solving the Problems] According to the present invention, the above-mentioned object is achieved by providing a cartridge holder that is movable between a cartridge mounting position and an ink supply position, and a cap for supplying ink to the nozzles of an inkjet recording head. This can be achieved by comprising a pump for suction, and the pump is configured to be driven by the force applied when the cartridge holder is moved from the mounting position to the ink supply position.

[Operation] When the cartridge is mounted on the cartridge holder, the pump is driven by the force generated when the cartridge holder is moved from the mounting position to the ink supply position.

As a result, ink is sucked from the nozzles of the inkjet recording head through the cap.

[Example] Hereinafter, the clogging prevention device for an inkjet recording head of the present invention will be described with reference to an example.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an embodiment of a clogging prevention device for an inkjet recording head as an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the carriage 21 can move in the main scanning direction (direction perpendicular to the paper surface) of recording paper (not shown), and the carriage 21 is capable of ejecting ink to the left. An inkjet recording head 22 for recording on recording paper is provided via a head holder 23.

An ink tank 25 containing a porous member impregnated with ink is held on the carriage 21, and the ink tank 25 communicates with the inkjet recording head 22 via an ink supply tube 24.

The carriage 21 is also provided with a cartridge holder 27 for holding an ink cartridge 26 having a porous member impregnated with ink therein. A lever 30 is rotatably attached to the right end of the cartridge holder 27, and the cartridge holder 27 is rotatably attached to the support portion of the carriage 21 by a pin 29. The lever 30 is the cartridge holder 27
It is bent upwards to make it easier to install. A pin 30a is formed near the center of the lever 30. This pin 3 (la is the approximately dogleg-shaped pump connecting arm 31
It can be locked to the upper tip of the. Note that an ink supply port 26m is formed in the ink cartridge 26 so that the ink tank 25 can come into contact with the ink cartridge 26. A cutter 27a is attached to the right end of the cartridge holder 27, and when the ink cartridge 26 is inserted, a seal (not shown) of the ink supply port 26a is attached to the cutter 27a.
will be removed.

The pump connecting arm 31 is arranged so as to be rotatable around a pin 32 at the rear of the carriage 21 (on the right side in the figure), and is biased clockwise by a spring 33.

Incidentally, the pump connecting arm 31 is attached to the power cartridge holder 27.
When the lever 30 is set at the ink supply position, the pin 30a of the lever 30 is in contact with the stopper 32a so as to be engaged with the tip of one arm of the pump connecting arm 31.

The L-shaped cap arm 34 is rotatably disposed in front of the carriage 21, and a cap 35 is rotatably disposed at the tip of the other arm so as to be able to come into contact with the front of the nozzle 22a. installed. The other arm of this cap arm 34 is connected to the holder arm 28.
It is formed so that it can be locked on the tip of the.

The cap 35 is formed with an opening for sucking the ink inside the nozzle 22a.
Vacuum pump 37 via ink discharge tube 36
is connected to. A check valve 38 is attached to the ink discharge tube 36 to prevent backflow of ink. Note that the cap 35 is attached to the nozzle 22 by a spring 39.
It is energized in the direction away from the front surface of m.

These carriages 21. A pump connecting rod 40 for transmitting the movement of the lever 30 to the vacuum pump 37 is disposed below the cap 35 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction (left-right direction in the drawing). A rack 42 that meshes with a pinion 41 is formed in front of the pump connecting rod 40 . The rotation of the pinion 41 is converted into linear motion by the eccentric cam 43 and transmitted to the vacuum pump 37.

Furthermore, a release par 44 is formed in the center of the pump connecting rod 40 so as to protrude upward for releasing the engagement between the distal end of the holder arm 28 and the distal end of the other arm of the cap arm 34. Rear end 4 of pump connecting rod 40
5 is formed to protrude upward so that it can be locked to the other arm of the pump connection arm 31. Incidentally, the pump connecting rod 40 is biased forward by a spring 46, and the pump connecting rod 40 is in contact with a stopper 47.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the clogging prevention device for the inkjet recording head shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the cartridge holder 27 is opened upward, the ink cartridge 26 can be inserted, and the ink cartridge 26 is inserted into the cartridge holder 27.
When the ink cartridge 26 is inserted into the ink cartridge 26, the seal of the ink supply port 26a of the ink cartridge 26 is removed by the cutter 27 (state I).

In this state I, when the lever 30 is pressed downward and the cartridge holder 27 is closed downward, the holder arm 28 is moved toward the cartridge holder 27 as shown in FIG.
7 and rotates clockwise.

Therefore, the lower end of the holder arm 28 abuts the other arm of the cap arm 34, and the cap 35 is held in place by the spring 39.
The nozzle 22a is brought into close contact with the front surface of the nozzle 22a against the urging force of (state 2). In this case, the ink cartridge 26 is set at the ink supply position, and the ink inside the ink cartridge 26 is supplied to the ink supply port 26! The ink is supplied to the ink tank 25 via.

In this state (3), when the lever 30 is rotated forward, the pin 30a of the lever 30 comes into contact with the tip of one arm of the pump connecting arm 31, so that the pump connecting arm 3
1 rotates counterclockwise against the biasing force of the spring 33. Therefore, the other arm of the pump connecting arm 31 comes into contact with the rear end 45 of the pump connecting rod 4o, and the pump connecting rod 4o moves rearward against the urging force of the spring 46 (state ■).

When the pump connecting rod 40 moves rearward, the rack 42
The pinion 41 that meshes with rotates and the vacuum pump 3
7 is driven. Therefore, ink and the like inside the nozzle are discharged through the opening of the cap 35.

In this state (2), when the lever 3o is further rotated downward, the pump connecting rod 4o is further moved rearward. When the pump connecting rod 4o moves further rearward, the release par 44 of the pump connecting rod 4o comes into contact with the cap arm 34, and the cap-arm 34 is bent, for example, in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper. Therefore, the engagement between the tip of the holder arm 28 and the other arm of the cap arm 34 is released (state
), the cap 35 is separated from the front surface of the nozzle by the spring 39, and printing preparation is completed.

Note that if air bubbles, etc. in the nozzles of the inkjet recording head 22 are not removed by this operation, the above conditions
It is removed by repeating the operation (2).

Therefore, according to the present invention, air bubbles etc. in the nozzle are automatically removed when replacing the cartridge holder, so there is no need to neglect to turn on the suction pump as in the conventional example. It is possible to reliably prevent the tip of the nozzle from drying out or getting dust attached. Further, since there is no need to provide a pump using a dedicated motor, costs are reduced.

Effects of the Invention As explained in detail above, according to the present invention, ink is sucked through the cartridge holder which is movable between the cartridge mounting position and the ink supply position and the nozzle of the inkjet recording head through the cap. The pump is configured to be driven by the force applied when the cartridge holder is moved from the mounting position to the ink supply position, so it is easy to operate the inkjet recording head with a simple configuration and operation. This can prevent nozzle clogging.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an embodiment of an inkjet recording head clogging prevention device as an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows the operation of the inkjet recording head clogging prevention device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3, which is an explanatory diagram, is a conventional example of a clogging prevention device for an inkjet recording head. 22... Inkjet recording head, 26...
... Ink cartridge, 27 ... Cartridge holder, 30 ... Lever, 31 ...
... Pump connecting arm, 34... Cap arm, 35... Cap, 37... Vacuum pump, 40... Pump connecting rod, 4
1... Binion, 42... Rack, 4
3...Eccentric cam, 44...Release bar

Claims (1)

[Claims] The cartridge holder is movable between a cartridge mounting position and an ink supply position, and a pump that sucks ink from a nozzle of an inkjet recording head through a cap. A clogging prevention device for an ink jet recording head, characterized in that it is configured to be driven by a force applied when the device is moved from the ink supply position to the ink supply position.