JPH07156419A - Ink jet recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To seal two ink jet recording heads mounted on the same carriage by a simple mechanism. CONSTITUTION:A slider 30 having first and second cap members 31, 32 sealing the nozzle orifices of first and second ink jet recording heads 7, 8 whose nozzle orifices are turned downwardly arranged to the upper surface thereof is constituted so that the central part in the longitudinal direction thereof is made rotatable by the revolving shaft 50 crossing the moving direction of the carriage 1 at a right angle and supported by a support member 52 moved up and down accompanied by the movement of the carriage 1. The slider 30 is subjected to seesaw motion around the shaft 50 by the movement of the carriage. By this constitution, two cap members 32, 31 are successively fitted to the recording heads.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention has a plurality of ink jet type recording heads which move in the width direction of a recording sheet and ejects a plurality of colors of ink onto the recording sheet in conformity with print data to produce a color image. , An inkjet printer that prints a plurality of ink jet recording heads on the same carriage to enable high density printing, and more specifically, an inkjet recording that is suitable for such a recording device. The present invention relates to a capping device for sealing a head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An on-demand type ink jet recording apparatus for recording print data by ejecting ink pressurized in a pressure generating chamber from a nozzle as an ink droplet onto a recording sheet is based on evaporation of an ink solvent from a nozzle opening. Increase in viscosity,
There is a problem that printing failure occurs due to ink drying, dust adhesion, and air bubble mixing. For this reason, the ink jet recording apparatus is equipped with a capping device for sealing the nozzle openings during non-printing. As such a capping device, for example, JP-A-1-
As disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 125239, a slider, which is moved by being pushed by a carriage that has moved to a home position, is moved to a nozzle surface side of a head along an inclined guide surface provided on the frame. It has been proposed that a cap member provided on the surface of a slider is pressed against a recording head to seal a nozzle.

On the other hand, with the development of personal computers, it has become relatively easy to execute graphic processing. Therefore, there is a demand for a printer capable of outputting a hard copy of a color image displayed on a display.
Inkjet printers that enable such color printing are designed with a black printhead and color printhead in consideration of ink consumption between colors, differences in recording density, and prevention of color mixture during pauses. A print head and two recording heads are mounted on the carriage. For this reason, a capping device is required for each of the plurality of ink jet recording heads, and a drive mechanism for bringing the capping devices into and out of contact with the recording heads is also required, resulting in an overall structure of the printer. It has the problem of becoming complicated.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a simple mechanism for contacting and separating operations of a plurality of cap members with respect to a recording head. It is to provide a novel ink jet recording apparatus that can be realized.

[0005]

In order to solve such a problem, according to the present invention, a carriage having two first and second ink jet recording heads with nozzle openings directed downward, and a first carriage. And a slider in which first and second cap members for sealing the nozzle openings of the second recording head are arranged, the slider having a rotating shaft whose longitudinal center portion is orthogonal to the moving direction of the carriage. Is supported by a supporting member which is rotatable and movable in the moving direction of the carriage, and further moves in the opposite direction to the recording head with the movement.

[0006]

When the carriage moves while the carriage is in contact with the slider, the slider moves in a seesaw motion about the axis to contact the first recording head and then the second recording head. Not only can the two cap members of the same slider be reliably attached to the respective recording heads, but also one slider can be moved in conjunction with the movement of the carriage to move the two cap members. The attachment / detachment mechanism can be simplified.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of the present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 shows an outline of a printing mechanism peripheral of an ink jet recording apparatus to which a capping device of the present invention is applied. In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a carriage, which is supported by a guide member 2 and a timing belt 3. It is connected to the pulse motor 23 via the and is configured to be capable of reciprocating in parallel with the platen 5.

A first recording head 7 for black printing is arranged on the carriage 1 so that the nozzle openings are directed toward the recording paper 6.
A second recording head 8 for color printing (FIG. 4) is mounted, and a black ink cartridge 9 and a color ink cartridge 10 are removably mounted on the respective recording heads 7, 8. With this configuration, when a drive signal from a head drive circuit (not shown) is received via the flexible cable 11, the ink cartridges 9 and 1
Ink from 0 flows into the recording heads 7 and 8 and the recording paper 6
It is possible to form black dots and colored dots.

FIG. 2 is a view showing the upper surface in the vicinity of the above-mentioned capping device. In the figure, reference numeral 20 is a paper feed roller, which is a paper feed roller composed of a pulse motor by means of a gear 22 fixed to one end of a rotary shaft 21. It is also connected to the pump motor 24 and conveys the recording paper 6 in accordance with the printing process. In the figure, reference numeral 12 is the above-mentioned capping device arranged outside the printing area of the movement path of the carriage 1, and is a capping position that covers the nozzle opening surfaces of the two recording heads 7 and 8 in conjunction with the movement of the carriage 1. A slider 3 occupying two positions, a non-capping position and a position away from the nozzle opening surface
0, a first cap member 31 and a second cap member 32, which are formed of an elastic material in a cup shape, are provided. The opening areas of the cap members 31 and 32 are selected according to the sizes of the corresponding first recording head 7 and second recording head 8.

The first and second cap members 31, 32 are
The suction ports 31a and 32a are connected to pumps 37 and 38, respectively.
Of the first and second tube pumps 37, 3 which will be described later and are connected to one end of tubes 33, 34 that form a part of
It is designed to receive the suction force from 8. First, second
The tube pumps 37 and 38 of FIG. 3 selectively feed the paper feed / pump motor 24 via the train wheel 40, that is, only the first tube pump 37 performs the suction operation when the motor 24 rotates in the reverse direction, and the second tube pump 37 when the motor rotates in the normal direction. Only the tube pump 38 is adapted to perform the suction operation.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show an embodiment of the capping unit described above, respectively.
Reference numeral 0 is a slider, and first and second cap members 31 and 32 are provided so as to be swingable by shafts 31c and 32c so as to match the distance between the two recording heads 7 and 8 mounted on the carriage 1. . Reference numerals 41 and 42 in the drawing denote first and second guide pieces, which are arranged on both sides according to the widths of the first and second recording heads 7 and 8 of the carriage 1, and the carriage 1 is set at a predetermined position. The recording heads 7 and 8 are spaced apart from each other when facing each other. At the tip of the slider 30, the right end in the figure, the carriage 1 is
A flag piece 45 is formed that comes into contact with the protrusion 44 at the lower end of the carriage 1 when the second cap members 31 and 32 and the first and second recording heads 7 and 8 move to exactly opposite positions. An engaging piece 46 is provided at the tip further than the flag piece 45 so as to come into contact with and separate from a guide member 47 fixed to the base.

The guide member 47 has a convex portion 47a for preventing the slider 30 from coming off, a position where the slider 1 is always formed at a constant distance from the lower ends of the recording heads 7 and 8, and a cap member 31 at the time of capping. , 32 are formed to connect the recording heads 7 and 8 to the positions at which the recording heads 7 and 8 are elastically contacted.

On the other hand, a shaft 50 perpendicular to the moving direction of the carriage 1 is provided at the center of the lower part of the slider 30, and both ends of the shaft 50 are connected to the shaft 54 of the base 53 with the lower ends thereof through the long grooves 52a. Lever 52 swingably attached
Is loosely fitted to. The lower end of the slider 30 is fixed to the base 53 and is inclined toward the printing region side, and the upper end of the buckling coil spring 56 is attached to the non-printing region side.

As a result, when the cap 30 is not capped, the slider 30 is urged toward the print area by the coil spring 56 while being regulated by the lever 52 at the one end to the lowermost end of the slope 47b of the guide member 47 and at the center. 7,
8 is a gap g such that 8 does not contact the cap members 31 and 32.
It will be positioned horizontally at a height that can form

On the case 61 side of the slider 30,
A valve unit 60 that connects to the atmosphere opening ports 31b and 32b provided in each cap member 31 and 32 is provided. When the operating rod 62 projects from the valve unit 60 and the slider 30 moves to the capping position and the operating rod 62 contacts the case 61, the operating rod 6
2 is pushed into the printing area side to open the atmosphere 3
The valves 1b and 32b are closed by the valve unit 60.

5, 6 and 7 show the pump unit 1 described above.
3 shows an embodiment of the third embodiment, in which the drive wheel 72 of one pump 37 is driven by the paper train and pump motor 2 via the train wheel 70.
4 is connectable. Each cap member 31,
The pump tubes 33 and 34, which connect the waste ink tank 14 to the waste ink tank 14, are covered with cover cases 73 and 74 so that the outer sides thereof have a substantially circular shape, and are connected to each other via a connecting member 76. Two rollers 85, 8 freely movably fitted in long grooves, which will be described later, of drive wheel trains 72, 81, 82, 83 fixed to both ends of rotating shafts 77, 78.
It is designed to be repressed by 5,86,86.

FIGS. 8A and 8B show an embodiment of the above-mentioned guide grooves 90, 90 formed in the drive wheels supporting the rollers 85, 85, 86, 86, respectively. It is formed as a long groove whose distance from the center gradually changes, and when the paper feed / pump motor 24 rotates in the reverse direction (reference A), the shaft 85a of the roller 85 has long grooves 90,9.
It moves to the outer peripheral side along 0. This allows the roller 85,
85 rotates while pressing the tube 33 under pressure to generate a suction force, and when the motor 24 rotates in the normal direction (reference B), the shaft 85a moves toward the center and the rollers 85,
85 will separate from tube 33 and lose pumping action.

The second tube pump 38 is constructed so as to operate in the opposite manner to the first tube pump 37. That is, when the motor 24 reversely rotates, the roller 86
Moves toward the center and loses pumping action.
When 4 rotates in the normal direction, the rollers 86, 86 move to the outer peripheral side and rotate while elastically pressing the tube 34 to generate a suction force.

Thus, by switching the rotation direction of the motor 24, it is possible to select the pump that generates the suction force. In the figure, reference numeral 92 is a roller pressing piece made of an elastic member such as rubber, and when the drive wheel 72 rotates, it elastically presses the roller 85 to cause the roller 85 to move along the long groove 90 in the rotation direction of the motor. Is forcibly moved to a position corresponding to.

Next, the operation of the thus constructed apparatus will be described. When the carriage 1 carrying the two recording heads 7 and 8 moves in the direction indicated by the arrow C in FIG. 9, the arrow 101 is centered on the shaft 100 provided under the carriage 1.
The lever 102, which rotates to the right, contacts the slope 103 and is rotated, and this rotation causes the slide gear 104 to move to the spring 105.
And the power of the paper feed / pump motor 24 is transmitted to the pump unit 13. When the carriage 1 reaches the slider 30 located outside the printing area in this manner, the first recording head 7 engages with the second guide 42 provided on the slider 30. When the carriage 1 further moves in this state, the first recording head 7 engages with the first guide 41 and the second recording head 8 engages with the second guide 42. This allows the slider 3
0 is aligned in the posture corresponding to the carriage 1. When the carriage 1 further moves in this state, the convex piece 44 provided at the tip of the carriage 1 contacts the flag piece 45 of the slider 30. As a result, the first slider 30
The second cap members 31 and 32 oppose each other at a position where the first and second recording heads 7 and 8 of the carriage 1 can be housed, with a constant gap g therebetween.

When the carriage 1 further moves in this state, the flag piece 45 of the slider 30 receives a force from the carriage 1 via the protrusion 44 of the carriage 1, and the upper portion thereof buckles in the moving direction of the carriage 1. Since the lever 52 receives the resisting force of the coil spring 56, a forward bending is exerted, and a force to lift the rear end of the slider 30 upward acts as indicated by reference numeral D in the figure.

As a result, the rear portion of the slider 30 is lifted up with the shaft 50 as a fulcrum of rotation, and the second cap member 32 located on the rear portion (printing area side) of the shaft 50 first contacts the second recording head 8. Contact. At this time, the cap member 3
2 is attached to the slider 30 to be swingable to some extent,
Further, since the slider 30 can also be swung on the base 53 via the lever 52, it rises while being guided by the second recording head 8 and comes into contact with it at a position where the second recording head 8 can be sealed ( (Fig. 10).

When the carriage 1 further moves to the case 61 side, the coil spring 56 cannot withstand the force from the carriage 1 and begins to buckle, and lifts the slider 30 to the upper portion (reference numeral E in the figure). As a result, the slider 30 is provided with the second cap member 32 on the case side and the second cap member 32 on the case side.
While being fitted to the recording head 8, the first cap member 31 is fitted to the first recording head 7. Needless to say, the slider 30 swings with respect to the base 53, and the first and second cap members 31 and 32 can swing with respect to the slider 30 to some extent. Since it is configured, it fits into the recording heads 7 and 8 while being guided by the edges of the recording heads 7 and 8 (FIG. 11).

When the carriage 1 is further moved in this way, the slider 30 has its upper surface on the recording heads 7 and 8.
It moves horizontally to the case 61 while being regulated by. Then, the operating rod 62 protruding from the tip of the slider 30 abuts the case 61 and is pushed in the direction indicated by the reference numeral in the figure to shut off the atmosphere opening ports 31b and 32b of the cap members 31 and 32 from the atmosphere. In this state, the coil spring 56 is largely buckled, so that the slider 30 is lifted up by the elastic force of the coil spring 56, and therefore each cap member 31,
The numeral 32 makes elastic contact with the recording heads 7 and 8 to securely seal them (FIG. 12).

When the cap members 31 and 32 are in elastic contact with the recording heads 7 and 8 in this manner, the paper feed / pump motor 24 is connected to the drive wheel 72 of the tube pump 37 by the lever 102. When 24 is reversed, the first tube pump 37 and the connecting mechanism 76 are
The 2nd tube pump 38 connected via is rotated. In the first tube pump 37, the roller 85 is guided by the long groove 90 by the rotation of the drive wheel 72 in the direction of the arrow F in the figure to move in the outer peripheral direction and elastically contact the tube 33 to start the suction operation (see FIG. )).

On the other hand, the second second tube pump 38
Because the drive wheel rotates in the direction of arrow G, the roller 8
6 and 86 move toward the center and substantially idle around the tube 34 at a position where the tube 34 is not repressed (FIG. 13B). As a result, only the first cap member 31 receives the suction force to suck the ink from the first recording head 7. The ink ejected from the first recording head 7 to the cap member 31 is discharged to the waste ink tank 14 via the tube 33.

When the motor 24 is normally rotated at the stage when the suction of the ink from the first recording head 7 is completed in this way, the drive wheel of the second tube pump 38 rotates in the direction of arrow H. Move the rollers 86, 86 to the outside,
The tube 34 is elastically contacted (FIG. 14 (A)). In addition, in the first tube pump 37, the drive wheel rotates in the direction of arrow J in the drawing, and the rollers 85, 85 move in the center direction to cause the tube 3 to move.
3 is moved to a position where it is not pressed (Fig. 14 (b)). As a result, the second cap member 32 sucks the ink from the recording head 7. The ink ejected to the second cap member 32 passes through the tube 34 and the waste ink tank 14
Is discharged to.

By selecting the rotation direction of the paper feed / pump motor 24, the ink is sucked from only one of the recording heads 7 or 8 requiring suction, so that the ink is not sucked from the head on the side not required. Not only can ink be prevented from being sucked, but a motor with a small rating that can supply the torque required to drive one pump can be used.

When the suction operation is completed, the pump that is finally operated, that is, the second tube pump 38 in this embodiment is used.
Of the drive wheels 72, 83 in the direction opposite to the suction force generation direction of
When the rotation angle is about 60 to 150 degrees, the rollers 85 and 85 of the first pump 37 are rotated by the tube 33 and the roller pressing piece 92, and when the rotation angle is 150 or less, regardless of the positions of the rollers 85 and 85. The roller 86 that has not surpassed the pressing piece 95 to repress the tube 33, and has repressed the tube 34 of the second pump 38,
86 moves to a position where the tube 34 is not elastically pressed by the elastic force of the tube 34 at a rotation angle of 60 degrees or more due to the shape of the long groove 90, so the first and second tube pumps 3
Nos. 7 and 38 are stopped at positions where the rollers 85, 85 and 86, 86 do not press the respective tubes 33, 34 (FIG. 15 (a) (b)). As a result, the first and second cap members 37 and 38 can communicate with the atmosphere via the tubes 33 and 34 that form the pump, respectively, and the recording head of the recording head due to the atmospheric pressure fluctuation caused by the temperature change. Not only can printing defects be prevented, but roller 8
It is possible to prevent the tube from being crushed for a long time by 5, 85, 86 and 86.

When a series of operations is completed and there is no print data and the printer shifts to the idle state, this state is maintained. On the other hand, if the carriage 1 is moved in the direction of the symbol K in FIG.
Since the second cap members 31 and 32 are fitted to the recording heads 7 and 8, the slider 30 follows the movement of the carriage 1 and moves in the direction of the reference numeral in the drawing. In this way, when the protrusion 46 of the slider reaches the lowermost portion of the inclined surface 47b of the guide member 47 (FIG. 9), the slider 30 causes the coil spring 5 to move.
It is urged by 6 and descends downward to become horizontal. As a result, a gap g is generated between the recording heads 7 and 8 and the slider 30, and the carriage can freely move in the main scanning direction. Therefore, the recording head moves to the print area as it is and prints based on the print data. The action will be executed.
In this state, the engagement piece 46 of the slider 30 has the guide piece 47.
Since it engages with the convex portion 47a, it comes to rest at a predetermined position.

In the above embodiment, the description has been made by taking the example in which the nozzle openings of the recording head are arranged downward, but for the recording head arranged with the nozzle openings facing upward or horizontally. However, it is clear that the same effect can be obtained even if the cap is arranged so as to correspond to the arrangement of these recording heads, that is, the cap faces the surface of the nozzle opening. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the color printer is described as an example, but the invention is applied to a printer in which two ink jet recording heads that eject ink droplets of the same color are mounted on the same carriage to improve recording density. It is clear that also has the same effect.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention, a carriage on which two first and second ink jet recording heads having nozzle openings are mounted, and nozzle openings of the first and second recording heads. And a slider in which first and second cap members for sealing are disposed. The slider is rotatable about a central portion in a longitudinal direction by a rotating shaft orthogonal to the moving direction of the carriage, and in the moving direction of the carriage. The carriage is supported by a supporting member that moves so as to face each of the recording heads as the carriage moves. The slider moves in a seesaw manner to contact the first recording head and then to the second recording head, and the two cap members of the same slider are connected to the recording head. Not only can be reliably mounted, for moving the two cap members by movement of one slider in conjunction with the movement of the carriage, it is possible to simplify the attachment and detachment to mechanism of the cap member.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a structure around a printing mechanism of an ink jet recording apparatus in which a capping device of the present invention is used.

FIG. 2 is a top view mainly showing a capping device.

FIG. 3 is a top view showing an example of a capping device.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing an example of a capping device in a state of being in contact with a recording head.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which a paper feed / pump motor is connected to a tube pump.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a structure of a vertical cross section of the tube pump.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a cross-sectional structure of a tube pump.

FIG. 8 is a view showing a shape of a long groove formed in a drive wheel which constitutes a tube pump with a first tube pump.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a state in which the carriage has moved to a position where each recording head faces each cap member.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which one recording head of the carriage is in contact with one cap member.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a state in which the carriage has moved to a position where two recording heads come into contact with each cap member.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a state where the carriage has moved to a suction possible position.

13A and 13B are diagrams showing the states of the first and second tube pumps when the paper feed / pump motor is rotated in the reverse direction.

14 (a) and 14 (b) are diagrams showing the states of the second and first tube pumps, respectively, when the paper feed / pump motor rotates forward.

15 (a) and 15 (b) are diagrams showing states of the second and first tube pumps, respectively, when the paper feed / pump motor is stopped.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 carriage 7 and 8 inkjet recording head 12 capping device 24 paper feed and pump motor 30 sliders 31 and 32 cap members 37 and 38 tube pump 41 and 42 guide member 50 turning shaft 52 lever 56 coil spring 60 valve unit 61 case

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (72) Inventor Seiji Mochizuki 3-3-5 Yamato, Suwa City, Nagano Prefecture Seiko Epson Corporation

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A carriage carrying first and second ink jet recording heads having nozzle openings, and first and second cap members for sealing the nozzle openings of the first and second recording heads. And a slider that is arranged, wherein the slider is rotatable about a central portion in the longitudinal direction by a rotating shaft that is orthogonal to the moving direction of the carriage, and is movable in the moving direction of the carriage. An ink jet recording apparatus supported by a supporting member that also moves in the direction opposite to the recording head. 2. A coil spring that buckles when the slider moves to a capping position to generate elastic force in a direction opposite to the recording head, and one end of the support member swings on a shaft of a base through a long groove. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a lever that is movably provided and that rotatably supports the rotation shaft at the other end. 3. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the slider is provided with engagement means that abuts on the carriage and receives a driving force from the carriage. 4. The first and second cap members each have a suction port connected to the first and second suction pumps, and an atmosphere opening port communicating with the atmosphere via valve means.
Inkjet recording device. 5. The slider is equipped with a valve unit that closes when it reaches a capping position, and the atmosphere opening port of each cap member communicates with the atmosphere through the valve unit. Inkjet recording device. 6. A carriage having first and second ink jet recording heads having nozzle openings, and a suction port for sealing the nozzle openings of the first and second recording heads and connecting to suction means. First and second having
And a cap member, wherein the suction means is configured as first and second tube pumps that are connected to the same rotary drive source and are selectively driven according to the rotation direction of the rotary drive source. 7. The suction means is connected to the same rotary drive source and is selectively driven by the rotational direction of the rotary drive source to press the tube, and the roller is in contact with the roller and corresponds to the rotational direction. 7. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the ink jet recording apparatus is configured as a tube pump having a roller pressing piece for forcibly moving the roller toward the center or outside.