JPH071812A - Cleaner for print head - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To clean a print head by providing a cleaning tape in a cartridge case instead of an ink ribbon and mounting it as it is in a printer. CONSTITUTION:A cartridge case 1 has on its front face a head pocket 4 in which a print head H is to be inserted. A cleaning tape 10 travels in a manner crossing the front face of the opening of the head pocket 4 through a tape reel 2. On the head pocket 4, a pressing member 22 for covering the outer face of the cleaning tape 10 is mounted. The pressing member 22 is constituted of a pair of right-and-left springs 23A, 23B which press the cleaning tape 10 from its outer face against the inside of the head pocket 4. Accordingly, the adhesion of the cleaning tape 10 to the print head H is improved by the pressing work of the right-and-left springs 23A and 23B, so that its contact pressure is stabilized and cleaning effect is improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cleaner for cleaning a print head of a printer using a ribbon cartridge.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When micro dust, fiber dust, or the like adheres to a print head of a printer, print quality deteriorates such as uneven printing and distorted character. For example, in the case of a thermal transfer type dot printer, a group of printing elements provided in the print head press and heat the ink ribbon to transfer the ink to the paper surface according to the heated pattern, but foreign matter adheres to the print head. If so, heat is difficult to be transferred to the ink ribbon, and a part of the character is faded or the character is uneven in density. The only way to prevent such deterioration of print quality is to clean the print head and clean the surface of the print element.
In the past, this cleaning was done manually. For example, the head surface is wiped with a cotton swab impregnated with a cleaning liquid to remove dust and the like adhering thereto.

[0003]

In order to manually clean the print head, it is necessary to have some preliminary knowledge about the function and structure of the print head. Even if there is a manual for the cleaning method, the procedure is cumbersome and there are many detailed tasks, so it is often avoided by general users. Since the cleaning is performed while the printer is stopped, only the print head surface exposed at the time of the stop can be cleaned, resulting in lack of certainty. In particular, since the gap between the print head surface and the platen is generally narrow, inserting a cotton swab into this slight gap may cause deformation of the print head base or damage to the print head surface. It is not preferable. An object of the present invention is to make it possible to perform cleaning while maintaining an appropriate cleaning pressure even in the gap between the print head surface and the platen, simplify the cleaning work, and improve the cleaning effect.

[0004]

The basic principle of the present invention is to clean the print head H with a tape-shaped cleaning member. This cleaning member, that is, the cleaning tape 10 is housed in the cartridge case 1 instead of the ink ribbon of the ribbon cartridge as a cleaner, and this cleaner is exchanged with the ribbon cartridge and mounted in the printer to clean the print head. is there. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, a cartridge case 1 contains a cleaning tape 10 and a tape reel 2 for transferring the tape 10. The cartridge case 1 is provided with a head pocket 4 into which the print head H is inserted, and the cleaning tape 10 is provided in the cartridge case 1.
From the head pocket 4 so as to cross the opening front surface. A pressing member 22 located on the outer surface side of the cleaning tape 10 is attached to the front side of the opening of the head pocket 4. The pressing member 22 includes a pair of left and right springs 23A and 23B arranged in parallel to press the cleaning tape 10 toward the inside of the head pocket 4 from the left and right on the outer surface side thereof.
The cartridge case 1 is configured substantially the same as the ribbon cartridge, and the tape reel 2 is rotationally driven when the printer is operated so that the cleaning tape 10 can be fed and moved in one direction.

[0005]

When the cleaner having the above structure is replaced with a ribbon cartridge and mounted in the printer and the printer is driven, the head surface of the print head H is cleaned with the cleaning tape 10. In the head pocket 4, the pair of left and right springs 23A and 23B press the outer surface side of the cleaning tape 10 to improve the adhesion of the cleaning tape 10 to the print head H inserted into the head pocket 4. Moreover, since the springs 23A and 23B independently exert the pressing action before and after the cleaning tape 10 in the traveling direction, the dancing phenomenon of the cleaning tape 10 caused by the running frictional resistance of the cleaning tape 10 is alleviated. Adhesion to is improved.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The drawings show an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a print head cleaner of a thermal transfer printer. In FIG. 1, this cleaner has substantially the same configuration as an ink ribbon and a ribbon cartridge incorporating a pair of tape reels for winding the ink ribbon. Specifically, to the left and right inside the horizontally long cartridge case 1 with four corners removed,
A take-up tape reel 2 and a pay-out tape reel 3 are provided, and a head pocket 4 into which a print head H of a printer is inserted is provided in a U-shaped recess on the front side of the cartridge case 1 on the left side. Tape pockets 5 and 6 are provided at the left and right ends of the front opening of the pocket 4. Tape guides 5a and 6a are provided on the edges of the left and right tape outlets 5 and 6 on the side closer to the head pocket 4. The cartridge case 1 is composed of a flat container-shaped case body 1a and a cover plate 1b that closes the upper surface of the opening of the case body 1a.

The tape reel 3 for feeding is rotatably supported by a cylindrical boss 7 standing from the inner bottom surface of the case body 1a. The tape reel 2 for winding is rotationally driven by a drive shaft provided on the printer side. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, the tape reel 2 has a drive hole 2a in the shape of a spline that opens toward the bottom wall of the case in the center of the reel.
A drive shaft insertion hole 8 that is concentric with the drive hole 2a is opened in the bottom wall of the case. Both reels 2 and 3 have their upper limit of floating limit regulated by the cover plate 1b.

In FIG. 1, a feeding tape reel 3 is wound with a cleaning tape 10 having the same width as that of an ink ribbon. The cleaning tape 10 fed from the tape reel 3 is located on the front left and right sides in the case. After being guided in order by the guide pin 11, the guide rib 12, and the coating liquid means 17 described later, the tape is guided out of the case from the tape guide 6a of the one tape drawing port 6. Then, after being introduced again into the case from the tape guide 5a of the other tape pull-out port 5, the tape is wound around the tape reel 2 for winding via the guide rib 13. As a result, a tape path is formed between the tape outlets 5 and 6 with the cleaning tape 10 crossing the front opening of the head pocket 4. Tape retainers 14 and 15 are in contact with the guide pins 11 and the guide ribs 13 closest to the tape reels 3 and 2 via the cleaning tape 10 respectively. The cleaning tape 10 is made of a liquid absorbing woven or non-woven fabric, preferably a woven fabric as a base material, and the surface thereof in contact with the print head H is roughened to provide a polishing function.

FIG. 4 shows a coating liquid means 17 for coating the cleaning liquid on the cleaning tape 10. The coating means 17 is composed of a shaft 18 which is supported by the case body 1a and the cover plate 1b so as to be freely rotatable, and an impregnating body 19 which is externally fitted and fixed to the shaft 18. The impregnated body 19 is made of felt, foamed rubber, foamed plastic, or the like in a roll shape and impregnated with the cleaning liquid dropped from the liquid supply port 20 provided in the lid plate 1b, so that the cleaning tape 10 can run. Rotate in line and apply the cleaning liquid to the tape surface.

In order to press the cleaning tape 10 toward the insertion position of the print head H in the head pocket 4 and bring the tape 10 into close contact with the print head H,
It has a pressing member 22 that is mounted by using the left and right tape outlets 5 and 6. The pressing member 22 is composed of a pair of left and right springs 23A and 23B made of a metal plate such as phosphor bronze or stainless steel, or a plastic such as polyethylene or polypropylene.

The left and right springs 23A and 23B are shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 5, the leg portions 24 are inserted into the tape outlets 5 and 6 from the outer surface side of the case, and the front ends of the leg portions 24 are bent toward the outer surface side of the tape guides 5a and 6a to be inwardly of the case. Is continuously formed in a shape having a restriction wall 25 for restricting the movement of the above and a pressing wall 26 bent so as to project from the restriction wall 25 into the head pocket 4. A pressing portion 27 that presses the outer surface side of the cleaning tape 10 at a position slightly wider than the print head H is formed on the pressing wall 26 so as to be bent inward. A hook-shaped hooking piece 29 is outwardly bent and formed at the rear end of the leg portion 24, and the hooking piece 29 is hooked to and attached to the peripheral rib 28 of the case body 1a, whereby the spring 23A.・ 23B is supported in a cantilever manner so that it does not come out.

The cleaner as described above is provided with the coating liquid means 1
After cleaning liquid 7 is dropped and impregnated with the cleaning liquid, it is mounted on the printer instead of the ribbon cartridge. In this case, the cleaning tape 10 can be pulled out forward in the head pocket 4 by elastically expanding and deforming the left and right springs 23A and 23B forward, so that the print head H can be easily inserted into the inner surface of the cleaning tape 10. Can be easily installed.

The print head H is cleaned by operating the printer and outputting an appropriate amount of characters. Simultaneously with the character output, the tape reel 2 on the take-up side is rotationally driven by the drive shaft on the printer side, and the cleaning tape 10 coated with the cleaning liquid is taken up while slidingly contacting the print head H. During this cleaning, the print head H moves forward and the left and right springs 23A
23B is pressed by the print head H via the cleaning tape 10 which is in a tensioned state between the pressing portions 27, 27, and is slightly flexed and deformed toward the front of the pocket, and this deformation stress causes the cleaning tape 10 to closely contact the print head H. . The pressing force of the cleaning tape 10 at this time is 0.1 to 0.
It is set within the range of 4 kg / cm ² .

The movement of the cleaning tape wipes the head surface of the print head H, and the polishing action of the cleaning tape 10 polishes the head surface to remove foreign matter. When the cleaning liquid impregnated in the cleaning tape 10 adheres to the head surface, dissociation of foreign matter from the head surface is promoted and the cleaning effect is improved. The foreign matter scraped off from the head surface is captured by the rough surface concave portion of the cleaning tape 10 on the roughened side, and is prevented from falling off from the cleaning tape surface by the surface tension of the cleaning liquid. Therefore, the foreign matter does not scatter around the print head H.

The left and right springs 23A and 23B are separated from each other and are supported in a cantilever manner, and each independently bends and deforms forward. Therefore, in the case of a thermal transfer printer which is a non-impact printer, the print head H moves slightly forward in the head pocket 4 and pushes the cleaning tape 10 forward, but the pushing action is the springs 23A and 23A.
This is allowed by the bending deformation of B in the forward direction, and the deformation stress can maintain the state in which the cleaning tape 10 is brought into good contact with the print head H, thereby improving the cleaning effect. In particular, when the left and right springs 23A and 23B receive a load by the print head H that moves forward, each exerts stress independently, so that the print head H moves from the insertion position in the head pocket 4 to the platen ahead. However, even in such a case, the left and right springs 23A and 23B follow the tilted posture of the print head H during the forward movement. Cleaning tape 10
Can be surely kept in close contact with the print head H. In case of impact printer (dot type), print head H
The printing element of the cleaning tape 10
The left and right springs 23A and 23B can be flexed while receiving the repeated load, so that the printing element is surely prevented from being hit by the springs 23A and 23B through the cleaning tape 10 and damaged. it can.
Further, since the cleaning is performed while operating the printing element, it is possible to wipe the area other than the printing surface, and more reliable cleaning can be performed.

The left and right springs 23A and 23B do not necessarily have to be hooked and attached by using the tape outlets 5 and 6, and can be attached, for example, in a sandwiched manner between the case body 1a and the cover plate 1b. The cleaning tape 10 may be one in which an abrasive is applied to the contact surface side with the print head H.

Although the springs 23A and 23B are formed of leaf springs in the above embodiment, they may be formed of compression coil springs as shown in FIG. 6 instead. In this case, the spring 2
3A and 23B are arranged in parallel by fixing one end of each to a spring support plate 33 mounted on the front side of the opening of the head pocket 4, and the other end of each is connected by a tape pressing plate 32. is doing. The spring support plate 33 has leg portions 24, 24 which are inserted into the left and right tape outlets 5, 6 from the front at the left and right ends of the spring support plate 33, and the tip ends of the leg portions 24 are engaged with the peripheral ribs 28 of the case body 1a. A hook 29 is provided. Left and right springs 23 composed of such compression coil springs
Even in the cases of A and 23B, even when the print head H is tilted while moving forward, the tape pressing plate 32 can be tilted following the tilted posture, and the cleaning tape 10 can be surely brought into close contact with the print head H. it can.

In the illustrated example, the tape feeding is performed by the reel-to-reel system, but it is not always necessary and the cleaning tape 10 may be circulated and moved by a single reel. The coating means 17 is not always necessary, and may be one that performs dry cleaning. Further, the means for feeding the cleaning tape 10 is not limited to the rotation mechanism for printing output as in the above embodiment, but may be one that directly drives the reel to rotate from the outside, or the entire head unit is manually operated with the printer power off. The reel may be rotated by sliding with.

[0019]

As described above, according to the print head cleaner of the present invention, the print head H is cleaned by a simple operation of mounting the tape cartridge in place of the ribbon cartridge and rotating the tape reel 2. The cleaning work can be performed easily and surely.

Since the cleaning is performed while operating the print head H, not only the head surface of the print head H but also the printing surface of the printing element can be cleaned, and more effective cleaning can be performed. This allows
The print head can be used in good condition for a long period of time, and deterioration of print quality can be prevented for a long period of time.

In particular, left and right separated springs 23A and 23
B is advantageous in that the cleaning effect can be improved by increasing the adhesion of the cleaning tape 10 to the print head H during cleaning.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the inside.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of part A in FIG.

3 is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line CC in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a pressing member.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing another embodiment corresponding to FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Cartridge case 2 Tape reel for winding 3 Tape reel for feeding 4 Head pocket 10 Cleaning tape 22 Pressing member 23A ・ 23B Spring H Print head

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cleaning tape 10 and the tape 1.
Tape reel 2 for moving 0, and both members 2
A cartridge case 1 for accommodating 10 is provided, and a head pocket 4 into which the print head H is inserted is provided on the front surface side of the cartridge case 1. The cleaning tape 10 crosses the opening front surface of the head pocket 4. The pressing member 22 is attached to the outside of the cleaning tape 10 on the front side of the opening of the head pocket 4, and the pressing member 22 attaches the cleaning tape 10 to the outside of the cleaning tape 10. A print head cleaner comprising a pair of left and right springs 23A and 23B arranged to be pressed from the left and right toward the inside of the head pocket 4.