JPH0712666B2 - Inkjet recording device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus, and more specifically, to a liquid and / or a foreign substance that is in sliding contact with a recording liquid ejection portion of an inkjet recording head and adheres to the recording liquid ejection portion. The present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus having a first removing member for removing adhered substances such as the above.

[Prior Art] In an inkjet recording apparatus that performs recording by an inkjet recording head that ejects an ink liquid as a recording liquid,
When paper dust, dust, or the like adheres to the ink liquid ejection portion of the recording head, that is, the orifice portion, through the ink, the ejection direction of the ink liquid changes and ejection failure occurs or ejection becomes impossible, resulting in normal operation. Recording may not be possible.

Therefore, in the conventional ink jet recording apparatus, a recovery device composed of a suction pump for recovering a normal ink discharge state is provided, and ink is sucked from the orifice by the negative pressure of the pump and A structure is used to remove paper dust and dirt from the orifice.

In addition, in order to remove large paper dust, dust, etc. that cannot be removed by the above ink flow, a blade for removing these is provided adjacent to the recovery device, and the orifice portion is rubbed against the blade through the movement of the carriage. Is adopted.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the configuration provided with the blade described above, there is no place for collecting paper dust, dust, etc. adhering to the blade as they are, and therefore, such paper dust, dust, etc. are not recovered. On the contrary, there is a problem that the vicious circle is repeated from the blade by adhering to the orifice portion.

In addition, there is a problem that ink that could not flow when the ink is sucked is accumulated in the orifice portion and the blade scatters the ink to scatter the ink and contaminate the surrounding area. Further, if the ink is configured to adhere well to the blade due to the shape of the blade to prevent the ink from scattering, there is a problem that the ink accumulates on the blade and the same vicious cycle as described above is repeated.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, a carriage equipped with a recording head for ejecting ink is caused to scan so that the recording head is slidably brought into contact with the front surface of the recording head. In an ink jet recording apparatus having a first removing member for removing a kimono, the carriage is slidably in contact with the first removing member to remove an adhering substance on the front surface of the recording head transferred to the first removing member. And a second removing member for removing the adhering material on the front surface of the recording head by sliding contact with the front surface of the recording head by scanning the carriage, and further by scanning the carriage. A second removing member slides on the first removing member to remove the adhering material transferred to the first removing member.

[Operation] As shown in FIG. 1, a recovery device 1 including a pump 12
The blade 2 is movably provided forward and backward as shown by an arrow, adjacent to the cap holder 14 that supports the cap 15 that is pressed against the recording head during the recovery operation. As shown in FIG. 2, a large number of pleats 2a are formed at the tip of the blade 2 which is in sliding contact with the recording head.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, on the carriage 4, a porous body 7 for removing adhered matters such as ink, paper dust, and dust adhered to the blade 2 is provided adjacent to the recording head 3 in a holder 6
It is provided so that it can be exchanged.

During the ejection recovery operation, after the ink suction by the recovery device 1 is completed as shown in FIG. 4, the blade 2 is displaced forward as shown by arrow a, and the carriage 4 is driven in the direction of arrow b.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 5, the fold 2a at the tip of the blade 2
The formed portion is brought into sliding contact with the front surface of the recording head 3 to remove ink, paper dust, dust and the like adhering to the orifice portion. In this case, the removed ink is held in the folds 2a by the capillary phenomenon and does not scatter around.

Next, as the carriage 4 is further driven in the direction b, the porous body 7 is brought into sliding contact with the blade 2 as shown in FIG. 6 to remove ink, paper dust, dust and the like adhering to the blade 2.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7, the blade 2 is retracted to the original position as shown by arrow c, the carriage 4 is driven in the direction of arrow d to the home position, and the ejection recovery operation is completed.

When a large amount of ink, paper dust, dust, etc. is accumulated in the porous body 7 by repeating the discharge recovery operation, the porous body 7 is removed and replaced with a new one, or after cleaning,
Reattach.

In this way, ink, paper dust, dust, etc. adhering to the blade 2 each time the discharge recovery operation is performed is caused by the porous body 7
Since it is removed from the blade 2, ink, paper dust, dust, etc. are prevented from adhering to the orifice portion from the blade 2, and the occurrence of defective ink ejection due to this adhering is prevented.

[Examples] Hereinafter, details of examples of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the construction of a recovery device for recovering the above-mentioned ink discharge state of the ink jet recording device according to the present embodiment to normal.

The recovery device 1 is provided so as to face the carriage at a predetermined area in the moving range of the carriage which is dictated, for example, at the home position. The pump 12 is operated by the lever 11 to suck the above-mentioned ink, and the cap 15 is connected to the pump chamber in the pump 12 supported by the cap holder 14 on the front surface of the frame 13.

The cap holder 14 is provided so as to be movable back and forth as indicated by an arrow, and is configured to be displaced back and forth by driving a motor 17 via a gear 16 during a recovery operation.

Further, on one side surface of the frame 13, the blade 2 for removing the ink, paper dust, dust and the like adhering to the orifice portion is fixed to the tip of the support plate 18 and supported adjacent to the cap holder 14 as described above. ing. The blade 2 is formed of an elastic material in the shape of a rectangular plate as shown in FIG. 2, and a large number of pleats 2a are formed at the tip end portion which is in sliding contact with the front surface of the recording head during the recovery operation. The support plate 18 is the first
As shown by the arrow in the figure, it is provided so as to be movable back and forth, and is configured to be displaced back and forth via the lever 20 and a drive mechanism (not shown) during a recovery operation.

Next, FIG. 3 shows the structure around the carriage of the apparatus of this embodiment.

Reference numeral 4 in FIG. 3 denotes a carriage, which is slidably provided on two sliding shafts 5, 5 and is set on a platen (not shown) by driving a driving mechanism (not shown). It runs on the sliding shafts 5, 5 along the recording surface of the recording paper (not shown).

A recording head 3 is mounted on a central portion of the front surface of the carriage 4, which faces the recording paper. The recording head 3 is driven by a drive signal corresponding to the recording data applied via the flat cable 19, and ejects ink droplets from the tips of a predetermined number of orifices 3a arranged in a vertical line on the front surface to perform dot recording. Do.

A holder 6 is fixed on the front side of the carriage 4 through a mounting hole 4a. The holder 6 is hollow, and a notch 6a is formed on the front surface side. Then, the porous body 7 indicated by the reference numeral 7 is fitted in the holder 6 so as to be freely detachable, that is, replaceable.

The porous body 7 slides on the blade 2 during the ink ejection recovery operation to remove ink, paper dust, dust and the like adhering to the blade 2, and is formed from a porous material into a rectangular block shape having a convex cross section. Has been formed. The side surface exposed to the front surface side of the carriage 4 through the notch 6a when fitted in the holder 6 is raised like a cotton brush.

A sub tank 8 is provided on the carriage 4, and ink is supplied from the sub tank 8 to the recording head 3.

Next, the ink discharge recovery operation by the apparatus of this embodiment having the above mechanism will be described with reference to FIGS.

When ink ejection failure occurs, first, the carriage 4 is moved to the home position shown in FIG.
Are moved to a position facing the cap 15 of the recovery device 1.

Next, after the cap holder 14 is displaced forward as shown by the arrow and the cap 15 is pressed tightly against the front surface of the recording head 3, the pump 12 is driven to suck the ink from the orifice 3a of the recording head 3. .

When suction is completed, the cap holder 14 is retracted together with the cap 15 as shown by the arrow, and the blade 2
Is displaced forward as indicated by arrow a.

Next, as the carriage 4 is driven in the direction of arrow b, the fold 2a forming portion at the tip of the blade 2 is brought into sliding contact with the front surface of the recording head 3 as shown in FIG. Remove dust, etc.

In this case, the removed ink is retained in the folds 2a by a capillary phenomenon and does not scatter around.

When the carriage 4 is further driven in the direction of arrow b, the porous body 7 slides on the blade 2 as shown in FIG. The raised hair portion of the porous body 7 slides on the surface of the folds 2a of the blade 2 and passes between the folds 2a to collect paper dust, dust, etc. attached to the surface of the folds 2a and the folds 2a. The ink is removed. The removed paper dust, dust and the like are held between the bristles of the porous body 7, and the ink is absorbed by the main body of the porous body 7.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7, the blade 2 is retracted to the original position as shown by the arrow c, and the carriage 4
Is driven in the direction of arrow d to return to the home position in FIG. 4, and the discharge recovery operation ends.

When a large amount of ink, paper dust, dust or the like is accumulated in the porous body 7 by repeating such a discharge recovery operation, the porous body 7 should be removed and replaced with a new one.
Alternatively, reattach after cleaning.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the ink, paper dust, dust, etc. adhering to the blade 2 are removed from the blade 2 by the porous body 7 every time the discharge recovery operation is performed, the ink from the blade 2 to the orifice portion, It is possible to prevent paper dust, dust, and the like from adhering, and prevent the occurrence of defective ink ejection due to the adhering.

In the present embodiment, the porous body 7 having the raised portion in the sliding contact portion with the blade 2 is used, but other structures of the sliding contact portion of the porous body can be considered. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, a structure in which a large number of rods 10 that are thicker than the hand and are very thin are implanted, or a structure in which a large number of irregularities are formed on the surface 9 by embossing as shown in FIG.

Further, the adhering material on the blade 2 may be removed using a removing member made of an appropriate material other than the porous body.

Further, an ink storage means composed of a porous body or the like for further absorbing and storing the ink absorbed by the porous body 7 may be connected to the porous body 7.

[Effects of the Invention] As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, a carriage equipped with a recording head for ejecting ink is caused to scan so as to slide on the front surface of the recording head so as to remove the adhered matter on the front surface. In an inkjet recording apparatus provided with a first removing member for removing, a carriage for slidingly contacting the first removing member and removing the adhering matter on the front surface of the recording head transferred to the first removing member A second removing member is provided, and the first removing member is brought into sliding contact with the front surface of the recording head by scanning of the carriage to remove the adhered matter on the front surface, and then the second scanning member is further scanned by scanning the second member. Since the removing member of FIG. 1 slides on the first removing member to remove the adhering matter transferred to the first removing member, the recording head before the transfer to the first removing member is adopted. Adhesion on the surface does not transfer to the front surface of the recording head, and the front surface of the recording head can be cleaned reliably and satisfactorily, and the occurrence of defective recording liquid ejection from the recording head can be prevented, maintaining a normal recording state. , The reliability of the device can be improved.

Moreover, by simply using the scanning of the carriage, after removing the adhered matter on the front surface of the recording head by the first removing member,
It is possible to continuously remove the adhered matter from the first remover member by the second remover member, it is not necessary to provide a special drive function for the operation of removing the adherent matter, and the structure is simple and inexpensive. The excellent effect that it can be obtained is obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a recovery device, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the structure of the blade in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration, FIGS. 4 to 7 are explanatory views of the discharge recovery operation, and FIGS. 8 and 9 are perspective views showing another structural example of the porous body. 1 ... Recovery device, 2 ... blade 2a ... fold, 3 ... recording head 3a ... orifice, 4 ... carriage 5 ... sliding shaft, 6 ... holder 7 ... porous body

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An ink jet recording apparatus comprising a first removing member for slidingly contacting a front surface of the recording head to remove adhered matter on the front surface by scanning a carriage carrying a recording head for ejecting ink, The carriage is provided with a second removing member for removing the adhering matter on the front surface of the recording head that has slidably contacted with the first removing member and transferred to the first removing member. The first removing member slides on the front surface of the recording head to remove the adhered matter on the front surface, and then the second removing member slides on the first removing member by scanning the carriage. An ink jet recording apparatus, characterized in that the adhering matter transferred to the removing material section 1 is removed.