JPH068473A - Device and method for ink suction for ink jet recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the use of valves or a motor in an ink suction device and reduce the cost thereof. CONSTITUTION:A bellows section 34a is formed on an intermediate section of a pump 34, and a pump chamber 45 and an ink reservoir 46 are formed inside. A base end of a pipe 33 is installed in the pump 34, and a head cap is installed at the end of the pipe 33. A cam 48 for operating the pump 34 is mounted on the pump 34. The cam 48 is driven by the arrangement to press down a top plate 34a, pressurize the pump 34, compress the pump chamber 45 and exhaust air in the pump chamber 45. Then the head cap is mounted on a recording head, and then the cam 48 is driven for the suction into the pump 34, and the pump chamber 45 is expanded to suck the ink in the recording head to the inside of the pump chamber 45 through the pipe 33 and store the ink in the ink reservoir 46.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet printer or the like which prints on a sheet on a platen by ejecting ink from nozzles of the print head while reciprocally moving a carriage carrying the print head along the platen. Recording device More specifically, the invention relates to an ink suction device and an ink suction method for sucking ink in a print head into a pump chamber of a pump through a pipe in such an ink jet printing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in an ink jet printer,
After a lapse of a certain use period, as shown in FIG. 10, air bubbles 3 are inevitably generated in the ink 2 in the recording head 1. If the bubbles 3 are generated, the ejection of the ink 2 becomes a great obstacle and the image is deteriorated. Therefore, in order to remove the bubbles 3, the recording head 1 is periodically or as needed.
It is necessary to suck the ink 2 from inside.

Therefore, conventionally, in the ink suction device of this type, as shown in FIG. 9, the base ends of pipes 7 and 8 having valves 5 and 6 in the middle are attached to the pump 4 and one of them is attached. There is a configuration in which the head cap 9 is attached to the tip of the pipe 8 and the ink reservoir 10 is attached to the tip of the other pipe 7.

Then, the head cap 9 is put on the recording head 1, one valve 6 is closed and the other valve 5 is opened to operate the pump 4, and the air in the pump 4 is compressed and released through the pipe 7. Next, one valve 6 is opened and the other valve 5 is closed to operate the pump 4, and the ink in the recording head 1 is sucked into the pump 4 through the pipe 8. After that, one valve 6 is closed again and the other valve 5 is opened to operate the pump 4. Then, the ink in the pump 4 is sent out through the pipe 7 and stored in the ink reservoir 10, and this is repeated to suck the ink in the recording head 1.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the base ends of the pipes 12 and 13 are attached to a pump 11 driven by a motor, the head cap 14 is attached to the tip of one pipe 12, and the tip of the other pipe 13 is attached. There is also a structure in which the ink reservoir 15 is attached.

Then, the head cap 14 was put on the recording head and the pump 11 was driven by a motor to suck the ink in the recording head through the pipes 12 and 13 and store it in the ink reservoir 15.

[0007]

However, in the above-described conventional ink suction device, since the valve and the motor are used, there is a problem that the cost is increased.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to reduce the cost by omitting the valve and the motor in the ink suction device.

[0009]

Therefore, in the invention described in claim 1, for example, as shown in the following illustrated embodiments, the base end of the pipe 33 is attached to the pump 34, and the head cap 30 is attached to the tip of the pipe 33. Ink suction of an ink jet recording apparatus that attaches the head cap 30 to the recording head 24, operates the pump 34, and sucks the ink in the recording head 24 into the pump chamber 45 of the pump 34 through the pipe 33. Device 2
8, the pump 34 is operated to operate the pump chamber 4
5 is provided with a cam 48 that compresses and expands 5 and an ink reservoir 46 that is provided in the pump 34 and that stores the sucked ink in the pump chamber 45.

In the ink suction device 28 of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the ink reservoir 46 is attached to and detached from the pump 34, for example, as shown in the following illustrated embodiment. It is characterized by being provided freely.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, for example, as shown in the following illustrated embodiment, after the cam 34 operates the pump 34 to compress the pump chamber 45 and discharge the air in the pump chamber 45, The head cap 30 is covered on the recording head 24, the pump 34 is operated by the cam 48 to expand the pump chamber 45 this time, and the ink in the recording head 24 is sucked into the pump chamber 45 through the pipe 33. It is characterized by storing it there.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, for example, as shown in the following illustrated embodiments, in the ink suction method of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the third aspect, the recording head 24 to the head are sucked during the suction of the ink. The cap 30 is removed and the ink in the pipe 33 is put into the pump chamber 45.

[0013]

In the present invention, the pump 48 is driven by the cam 48.
When the pump chamber 45 is compressed by operating the
Exhaust the air inside. Thereafter, when the head cap 30 is put on the recording head 24 and the pump 48 is operated by the cam 48 to expand the pump chamber 45, the ink in the recording head 24 is accumulated in the ink reservoir 46 in the pump 34 through the pipe 33. During the suction of the ink, the head cap 30 is removed from the recording head 24 and the ink in the pipe 33 is sucked.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the ink becomes full over time, only the ink reservoir 46 is removed from the pump 34 and replaced.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of an inkjet printer including an ink suction device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numeral 20 in the figure denotes a box-shaped printer body. In the printer body 20, a platen 21 is appropriately supported and rotatably provided, and a guide shaft 22 is provided in parallel with the platen 21. A carriage 23 is slidably provided on the guide shaft 22.
A recording head 24 is mounted on the carriage 23.

During recording, the carriage 23 is guided by the two guide shafts 22 in the area A to reciprocate along the platen 21, and the sheet (not shown) set on the platen 21 is moved to the carriage 2 during recording.
3 is conveyed in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction, and at that time, ink is ejected from the recording head 24 toward the sheet by nozzles to record on the sheet. On the other hand, when not recording, the recording head 2
In order to prevent the ink from drying on the nozzle surface of No. 4, the carriage 23 is automatically returned to the retracted position in the area B, and the recording head 24 is covered with the capping mechanism 27.

The capping mechanism 27 is specifically constructed as shown in FIG. Reference numeral 30 in the figure denotes a head cap that covers the nozzle surface of the recording head 24. The head cap 30 is swingably attached to one end of a cap lever 37 by a shaft 38 as shown in the figure.
The cap lever 37 is rotatable about a support shaft 39, and rotatably holds a roller 40 at the other end. A cam 41 is provided on the upper side of the roller 40 so as to be rotatably supported by a supporting member. Then, a spring 42 is hooked on the cap lever 37, and the cap lever 37 is always urged to rotate clockwise in the drawing to rotate the roller 40.
Is pressed against the cam 41.

After returning the carriage 23 to the retracted position in the area B, the cam 41 is rotated counterclockwise by a predetermined angle. Then, with the spring 42, the cap lever 3
7 is rotated clockwise to cover the nozzle surface of the recording head 24 with the head cap 30. On the other hand, during recording, the cam 41 is rotated clockwise by a predetermined angle. Then, the cap lever 37 is rotated counterclockwise against the spring 42 to remove the head cap 30 from the nozzle surface of the recording head 24. Then, it moves to the set position in the area A.

By the way, the head cap 30 is provided with a cap member 31 on the front surface, as shown in FIGS. The cap member 31 has a suction groove 31a on the front surface and a suction hole 31b at one end in the length direction.
And is attached to the holder 32. Its holder 32
Has a through hole 32a and is connected to the suction hole 31b. The tip of the pipe 33 of the ink suction device 28 of the present invention is connected to the outlet of the through hole 32a. That pipe 3
The rear end of 3 is connected to the pump 34, as shown in FIG.

In the present invention, the pump 34 and its surroundings are specifically constructed as shown in FIG.
The pump 34 has a bellows portion 34c between a top plate 34a and a cylindrical portion 34b, and a pump chamber 45 formed therein. An ink reservoir 46 is fitted and provided on the lower portion of the pump 34. The ink reservoir 46 is removable and contains an ink absorbent 47 therein. A convex portion 34b is provided on the top plate 34a of the pump 34. The convex portion 34
A cam 48 is arranged above b. The cam 48 is
The printer body 20 is provided rotatably around a shaft 49.

According to the present invention, however, the carriage 23 is moved to the retracted position in the area B periodically or automatically if necessary. At the same time, as shown in FIG. 3, the cam 48 is driven in the clockwise direction in FIG. 1 to rotate to (2) through (1) in FIG. 2 to pressurize the pump 34 to move the inside of the pump chamber 45. Air is discharged from the intake hole 31b of the head cap 30 through the pipe 33 (see FIGS.
). Then, the capping mechanism 27 described above is driven to cover the recording head 24 with the head cap 30 (FIGS. 3 to). Thereafter, the cam 48 is driven again in the clockwise direction in (2) of FIG. 2 to rotate to FIG. 1, and the pump 34 is sucked to remove the ink in the recording head 24 from the head cap 3.
No. 0 intake hole 31b through pipe 33 to pump chamber 45
It is sucked in and absorbed by the ink absorbent 47, and the ink reservoir 4
Store in 6 (Fig. 3-). During the suction, the capping mechanism 27 is driven to remove the head cap 30 from the recording head 24 (FIG. 3). Then, the ink in the pipe 33 is completely sucked into the pump chamber 45, and the ink reservoir 4
Put in 6 (Fig. 3-).

After that, when the ink reservoir 46 becomes full of ink, only the ink reservoir 46 is removed from the pump 34 and replaced.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, the cam operates the pump to compress and expand the pump chamber, and the ink sucked from the inside of the recording head is stored in the ink reservoir inside the pump. No need for valves and valves can reduce costs.

According to the second aspect of the invention, since the ink reservoir is attached and detached, when the ink is full, it is possible to remove only the ink reservoir from the pump and replace it, and the maintenance cost can be reduced. it can.

According to the fourth aspect, since the head cap is removed from the recording head during the ink suction to completely suck the ink in the pipe, it is possible to prevent the ink from remaining in the pipe. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a pump and a cam of an ink suction device that is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a state diagram in which the cam is rotated to operate the pump, (1) is a state diagram in which the cam is rotated 90 degrees, (2)
Is a state diagram in which it is rotated 180 degrees.

FIG. 3 is a time chart showing the pressure suction of the pump and the opening / closing relationship of the head cap.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the head cap.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view thereof.

FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ink suction device including the head cap.

FIG. 7 is an external perspective view of a main part of an inkjet printer including the ink suction device.

FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional ink suction device.

FIG. 9 is a schematic configuration diagram of another conventional ink suction device.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the recording head showing a state where bubbles are generated in the ink.

[Explanation of symbols]

 24 recording head 28 ink suction device 30 head cap 33 pipe 34 pump 45 pump chamber 46 ink reservoir 48 cam

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A base end of a pipe is attached to a pump, a head cap is attached to the front end of the pipe, the head cap is put on a recording head to operate the pump, and ink in the recording head is passed through the pipe. In an ink suction device of an ink jet recording apparatus that sucks into a pump chamber of a pump, a cam that operates the pump to compress and expand the pump chamber, and an ink reservoir that is provided inside the pump to store the sucked ink in the pump chamber. An ink suction device of an inkjet recording device, comprising: 2. The ink suction device for an ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ink reservoir is detachably attached to the pump. 3. A cam operates a pump to compress the pump chamber, exhaust air in the pump chamber, and then a head cap is put on the recording head, and the cam operates the pump to turn the pump chamber. Is expanded, and the ink in the recording head is sucked into the pump chamber through a pipe and stored therein. 4. The ink suction method for an inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the head cap is removed from the recording head during the suction of the ink, and the ink in the pipe is put into the pump chamber.