JPH1044448A - Ink jet recording head and ink jet recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize free replacement of a hybrid recording head for dye ink and insoluble liquid by providing a face for jetting an ink or a processing liquid, and a cap face covering a face lower than the jetting face on the outer circumference thereof. SOLUTION: Even when a color ink jet recording head 1b also jetting an insoluble liquid is replaced by a gradation ink jet recording head only for a dye ink, the rib part of a cap 61 is capped to the cap face of the color ink jet recording head without touching the face of a color ink jet recording head 1b also jetting an insoluble liquid and the face of the gradation ink jet recording head only for a dye ink. Consequently, conventional arrangement for shifting the cap position of a carriage by providing a large number of caps is not required. According to the arrangement, the size of an ink jet recorder and the number of components thereof are prevented from increasing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus capable of obtaining a high-quality image on a recording material, and more particularly, to insolubilize a dye in the ink on the recording material prior to discharging the ink. The present invention relates to an inkjet recording head for discharging an insolubilizing liquid, and an inkjet recording apparatus including the recording head.

The present invention can be applied to all devices using recording media such as paper, cloth, non-woven fabric, OHP paper, and the like. Specific devices include office equipment such as printers, copiers, facsimile machines, and mass production. There are examples of devices and the like.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Sho 56-84792 discloses a method in which a material for fixing a dye is previously coated on recording paper. However, in this method, it is necessary to use a specific recording paper, and in order to apply a material for fixing the dye in advance, an increase in the size and cost of the apparatus is inevitable. Therefore, there is a disadvantage that it is difficult to apply the material with a predetermined film thickness.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-63185 discloses that
There is disclosed a technique in which a colorless ink for insolubilizing a dye is attached on recording paper by an ink jet recording head. Furthermore, a bounce mist that has ejected ink adheres to the face surface of the ink jet recording head for dye ink, and the dye ink adheres to the cap that covers the face surface. A rebound mist that has discharged the insolubilizing liquid adheres to the face surface of the ink jet recording head for the insolubilizing liquid, and the insolubilizing liquid adheres to the cap that covers the face surface.

In an ink jet recording apparatus having an ink jet recording head for a dye ink and an ink jet recording head for an insolubilizing liquid, a cap for the dye ink and a cap for the insolubilizing liquid are required exclusively.

Further, in the case where the ink jet recording head for dye ink and the ink jet recording head for insolubilizing liquid are configured to be exchangeable, and both can be mounted,
Unless the cap is also replaceable, there is a drawback that the dye ink and the insolubilizing solution are fixed on the face surface and the cap and adhere.

FIGS. 16 and 17 are sectional views showing a conventional example, in which many caps are provided so that the ink jet recording heads 1b and 2 can be exchanged.

FIG. 16 shows an example in which an ink jet recording head in which an ink jet recording head for dye ink and an ink jet recording head for insolubilizing liquid are integrated is mounted. A cap for each recording head 63a is a cap for insolubilizing liquid, and 63b is a cap for dye. It is a cap for ink,
The carriage 5 stops at the position shown in FIG.

FIG. 17 shows a gradation ink jet recording head 2.
In this example, the carriage 5 stops at the position shown in the figure at the position where the dye ink cap 63b faces, so as to correspond to each recording head, and becomes the home position.

As described above, in the conventional example, since many caps are arranged so that the ink jet recording apparatus can mount either of the ink jet recording heads, the reliability of the apparatus is lacking, the apparatus becomes large, and the cost increases. And other problems.

[0011]

In the prior art, when an interchangeable ink jet recording head for a dye ink and an ink jet recording head for an insolubilizing liquid are set at the same mounting location in an ink jet recording apparatus, each ink jet recording head is used. It was necessary to prepare a cap corresponding to the recording head.

An object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording head which can obtain a high quality image on a recording material without the above-mentioned problems, and in particular, a recording head for dye ink and a recording head for insolubilizing solution are mixed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a highly reliable and inexpensive inkjet recording apparatus which can be freely replaced.

[0013]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and the above objects can be attained by the present invention described below.

That is, the present invention provides an ink jet recording head for performing printing on a recording medium by discharging ink from nozzles of the ink jet head, and a processing liquid for insolubilizing dye in the ink with respect to a solvent from the nozzle. An ink jet recording head, comprising: a face surface for discharging the ink or the processing liquid; and a cap surface covering a face surface lower than the face surface at the outer periphery of the face surface. Is what you do.

According to the present invention, there is provided an ink jet recording head for performing printing on a recording medium by discharging ink from a nozzle of the ink jet head, and a processing liquid for insolubilizing a dye in the ink with respect to a solvent from the nozzle. An integrated ink jet recording head having an ink jet recording head, wherein the face for discharging the ink and the face for discharging the processing liquid are the same face, wherein the same face for discharging the ink or the processing liquid is used. The present invention discloses an ink jet recording head comprising a surface and a cap surface which covers the same face lower than the same face on the outer periphery of the same face.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink jet recording apparatus having an ink jet recording head, wherein the ink jet recording head is the ink jet recording head of the present invention, and a cap for covering the cap surface is provided. A recording device is disclosed.

The ink jet recording apparatus is characterized in that the surface tension of the treatment liquid is lower than the surface tension of the ink.

Further, the energy generating element of the ink jet recording head is an electrothermal transducer for generating heat by applying electric energy, causing a state change in the ink and causing the ink to discharge. is there.

[0019]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention particularly provides an excellent effect in an ink jet recording head and an ink jet recording apparatus which perform recording by flying droplets using thermal energy among ink jet recording systems. . The surface configuration and principle of these recording heads and recording apparatuses are described in, for example, US Pat. No. 4,723,129.
It is preferable to use the basic principle disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 4740796.

A system using this principle can be applied to both an on-demand type and a continuous type, but is particularly effective for the on-demand type. The on-demand system is as follows. One or more drive signals that give a rapid temperature rise exceeding nucleate boiling corresponding to the recorded information to an electrothermal transducer arranged corresponding to the sheet or liquid path holding the liquid (ink). By applying the heat, thermal energy is generated in the electrothermal transducer, causing film boiling on the heat-acting surface of the recording head to form bubbles in the liquid (ink) one-to-one corresponding to the drive signal. The ink is discharged from the ink discharge port by the growth and contraction of the bubble to form and fly one or more droplets.

If the drive signal at this time is pulse-shaped, the growth and shrinkage of the bubbles are performed instantaneously and appropriately in response to the application of the signal, and ink ejection with excellent responsiveness can be achieved.
Suitable driving signals are those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,463,359 and 4,345,262. Also, U.S. Pat.
By adopting the set conditions of the invention relating to the temperature rise rate of the heat acting surface described in the specification of JP-A No. 4, further excellent recording can be performed.

The structure of the ink jet recording head of the present invention includes a combination of a discharge port, a liquid path, and an electrothermal converter (a linear liquid flow path configuration or a rectangular liquid Channel configuration), US Pat.
A configuration in which the heat acting portion is disposed in a bent region as disclosed in the specification of Japanese Patent No. 58333 and the specification of Japanese Patent No. 4459600 may be adopted.

In addition to the above configuration, a configuration in which a slit common to a plurality of electrothermal transducers is used as a discharge portion of the electrothermal transducer (disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-123670), The present invention is also effective as a configuration based on a configuration in which a hole for absorbing a wave corresponds to a discharge section (disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. S59-138461).

Further, a full-line type recording head having a length corresponding to the maximum recording width that can be recorded by the recording apparatus may be used. The full-line type recording head may have a configuration in which a plurality of recording heads as disclosed in the above specification are combined or an integrated configuration.

Other types of recording heads include a replaceable chip-type recording head that enables electrical connection with the recording apparatus main body and supply of ink from the recording apparatus main body, or ink that is integrated with the recording head itself. A cartridge type recording head provided with a tank may be used.

It is preferable to add recovery means for the printhead, preliminary auxiliary means, and the like as constituent units of the ink jet printing apparatus of the present invention, in order to further stabilize the effects of the present invention. Specific examples of these means include a capping unit for the recording head, a cleaning unit, a pressurizing / suctioning unit, a preheating unit, and a predischarge unit.

Further, as the recording mode of the recording apparatus of the present invention, in addition to a recording mode of only a mainstream color such as black, a multi-color mode of different colors or a full-color mode of mixed colors may be provided.

In the above-described recording head and recording apparatus of the present invention, the ink is described as a liquid. If it can be used in the present invention. In general, in the ink-jet method, the ink itself is adjusted to 30 to 70 ° C. to control the viscosity of the ink to a stable ejection range. Such inks
Liquefies by applying thermal energy according to the recording signal,
An ink that is ejected as liquid ink and starts to solidify immediately upon reaching the recording medium is used. Depending on the liquefaction of the ink, it is possible to prevent temperature rise due to excessive thermal energy,
The evaporation of the ink can be prevented by the fact that the ink is solid at around normal temperature or solidified after ejection.

The above-mentioned ink is held as a liquid or solid in a concave portion or a through hole of a porous sheet or the like, and may be provided at a position facing the electrothermal converter (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 54-1979).
56847 and 60-71260.)
In the present invention, the film boiling method is most effective for each of the above-mentioned inks.

The ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention can be used not only as an image output terminal of an information processing apparatus such as a word processor or a computer but also integrally or separately, as well as a copying apparatus combined with a reader or the like or a facsimile apparatus having a transmission / reception function. It may take a form.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to specific examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0032]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Embodiment 1 Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3 are plan views showing the configuration of the ink jet recording head of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes a replaceable inkjet recording head in which a recording head 12b for dye ink and a recording head 12a for insolubilizing liquid are integrated. Next, reference numeral 11 denotes a tank unit that stores ink, and 12 denotes a head unit that discharges ink.

The head section 12 includes a face surface 121 for discharging the dye ink and the insolubilizing liquid, a cap surface 122 for receiving the cap, and a contact portion 1 for enabling electrical connection with the main body.
3 and a contact 13a.

This ink jet recording head 1 discharges the insolubilizing liquid from the insolubilizing liquid recording head 12a, moves the carriage unit 5, discharges the dye ink from the dye ink recording head 12b to the same location, and fixes the ink. .

There are two types of recording heads 12b for dye ink, one for black ink and the other for YMC color ink. The black ink jet recording head 1a, which is a combination of the recording head 12a for insolubilizing liquid and the recording head 12b for black ink, and the recording head for insolubilizing liquid. Head 12a and YMC color ink recording head 1
2b and a color inkjet recording head 1b.

FIGS. 4 to 6 are plan views showing the structure of the ink jet recording head of the present invention. 2 is a recording head 12b for dye ink similar to the recording head 12b for dye ink.
Is a replaceable inkjet recording head. Next, reference numeral 21 denotes a tank section containing ink, and 2
Reference numeral 2 denotes a head unit that ejects ink.

The head portion 22 has a face surface 221 for discharging the dye ink and the insolubilizing liquid, a cap surface 222 for receiving the cap, and a contact portion 2 for enabling electrical connection with the main body.
3 and a contact 23a.

This gradation ink jet recording head 2
Two rows of dye ink recording heads 12b are provided,
For example, by using a two-column ink jet recording head configuration of YMC color and lighter YMC color, gradation with density becomes possible, and a high-definition printing result is obtained.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show the cap 61 of the ink jet recording printer according to the embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 611 denotes a rib for capping the cap surface of the ink jet recording head.

FIGS. 9 and 10 are operation plan views showing an ink jet recording head, a carriage section and a recovery section of the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention.

First, in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 and FIG. 7 to FIG.
And two color ink jet recording heads 1b, and the electrical connection between the ink jet recording apparatus and the ink jet recording head by a contact part 51 for contacting with the main body of the carriage unit 5 and the contact part 13 of the ink jet recording head. Becomes possible.

The ink jet recording apparatus having this configuration will be described. The carriage section 5 on which two black ink jet recording heads 1a and two color ink jet recording heads 1b are mounted is moved in the direction of the arrow "a" and in the opposite direction, so that the insolubilizing liquid is obtained. , And then the dye ink is ejected to the same place and fixed on the recording medium.

Numeral 6 denotes a recovery section. The cap holder 62 holding the cap 61 is moved in the direction of arrow "b" by driving (not shown) to recover and maintain the ink jet recording head. The portion 611 and the cap surface 122 of the inkjet recording head are capped.

Next, in FIG. 1 to FIG. 8 and FIG. 10, the carriage unit 5 has two black ink jet recording heads 1a and two gradation ink jet recording heads 2 shown in FIG. The electrical connection between the inkjet recording device and the inkjet recording head is made possible by the contact forming portion 51 for establishing a contact with the main body and the contact portion 13 of the inkjet recording head.

The ink jet recording apparatus having this configuration will be described. A carriage section 5 having two black ink jet recording heads 1a and two gradation ink jet recording heads 2 mounted thereon.
Is moved in the direction of the arrow “a” and in the opposite direction to eject black ink, and further eject YMC ink.
The configuration is such that light ink of YMC is ejected to the same place to realize a gradation image on a recording medium.

Numeral 6 denotes a recovery section, in which the cap holder 62 holding the cap 61 is moved in the direction of the arrow "b" by a drive (not shown) to recover and maintain the ink jet recording head. The portion 611 and the cap surface 122 of the inkjet recording head are capped.

More specifically, on the face surfaces 121 of the black ink jet recording head 1a and the color ink jet recording head 1b in FIG. 9, the periphery of the nozzle 12a is stained by the insolubilizing liquid, and the periphery of the nozzle 12b is Dirt from dye ink is attached. FIG. 10 shows a configuration in which a gradation ink jet recording head 2 can be set in place of the color ink jet recording head 1b.

When capping the ink jet recording head in this state, conventionally, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the capping position is set to correspond to the cap 63a for the insolubilizing liquid and the cap 63b for the dye ink, respectively. Was changed.

In the present invention, even if the color ink jet recording head 1b that also discharges the insolubilizing liquid and the gradation ink jet recording head 2 that uses only the dye ink are replaced, the cap 61
The face portion 121 of the color ink jet recording head 1b, from which the rib portion 611 also discharges the insolubilizing liquid, and the face surface 22 of the gradation ink jet recording head 2 using only dye ink
1, the cap surface 122 of the color ink jet recording head and the cap surface 222 of the gradation ink jet recording head are configured to be capped. This eliminates the need for shifting, without increasing the size of the main unit or increasing the number of parts.
It has become possible to increase reliability, reduce costs, and reduce the size of the apparatus main body.

[Second Embodiment] In the first embodiment, an example was described in which two replaceable ink jet recording heads were mounted on the carriage section 5. However, in the second embodiment, only one replaceable ink jet recording head was mounted. The possible carriage unit 5 will be described.

FIG. 11 shows that when the black ink jet recording head 1b is mounted on the carriage section 5, monochrome printing can be performed. When the color inkjet recording head 1b is mounted, color printing can be performed.

FIG. 12 shows a case in which the gradation ink jet recording head 2 is mounted on the carriage section 5, and it is possible to perform printing capable of gradation.

Even if the ink jet recording head is replaced, there is no problem since the cap surfaces 122 and 222 and the cap 61 are capped as described in the first embodiment.

In the second embodiment, the case where the number of the ink jet recording heads that can be mounted on the carriage unit 5 of the ink jet recording apparatus is one has been described.
May be an ink jet recording apparatus provided with.

[Embodiment 3] In Embodiments 1 and 2,
A replaceable inkjet printhead equipped with both a printhead for dye ink and a printhead for insolubilizing liquid and a replaceable inkjet printhead equipped with two printheads for dye ink have been described. As shown in FIG. 13 to FIG. 15, an ink jet recording head equipped with any one of the recording heads may be configured.

Further, an ink jet recording head having a plurality of recording heads may be provided.

[0057]

According to the present invention, an ink jet recording head in which a recording head for a dye ink and a recording head for an insolubilizing liquid are mixed can be freely replaced, the size of the main body of the ink jet recording apparatus can be reduced, and the number of parts can be reduced. And a highly reliable and inexpensive inkjet recording apparatus is provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic top plan view of an ink jet recording head according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic front plan view of the ink jet recording head of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side plan view of the ink jet recording head of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic top plan view of the ink jet recording head of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic front plan view of the ink jet recording head of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic side plan view of the ink jet recording head of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional view showing a cap of a recovery unit.

FIG. 8 is a schematic front view showing a cap of a recovery unit.

FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a recording head, a carriage unit, an inkjet recording head, and a recovery unit according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a recording head, a carriage unit, an inkjet recording head, and a recovery unit according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a recording head, a carriage unit, an inkjet recording head, and a recovery unit according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a recording head, a carriage unit, an inkjet recording head, and a recovery unit according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a schematic top plan view of an ink jet recording head according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a schematic front plan view of an ink jet recording head according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a schematic side plan view of the ink jet recording head according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a recording head, a carriage unit, an ink jet recording head, and a recovery unit of a conventional example.

FIG. 17 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a recording head, a carriage unit, an ink jet recording head, and a recovery unit of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,3 inkjet recording head 1a black inkjet recording head 1b color inkjet recording head 2 gradation inkjet recording head 5 carriage unit 6 recovery unit 11,21,31 tank unit 12,22,32 head unit 12a recording head for insolubilizing liquid 12b dye Ink recording head 13, 23, 33 Contact part 13a, 23a, 33a Contact 51 Contact constituent part 61 Cap 62 Cap holder 63a Cap for insolubilizing solution 63b Cap for dye ink 121,221,321 Face face 122,222,322 Cap face 611 Cap rib part

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An ink jet recording head which discharges ink from a nozzle of an ink jet head to print on a recording medium, and an ink jet recording head which discharges a processing liquid for insolubilizing a dye in the ink with respect to a solvent from the nozzle to the recording medium. 2. The ink jet recording head according to claim 1, further comprising: a face surface for discharging the ink or the processing liquid; and a cap surface for covering a face surface lower than the face surface at an outer periphery of the face surface. 2. An ink jet recording head which discharges ink from a nozzle of an ink jet head to perform printing on a recording medium, and an ink jet recording head which discharges a processing liquid for insolubilizing a dye in ink to a solvent from the nozzle to the recording medium. In the integrated ink jet recording head having a face surface for discharging the ink and a face surface for discharging the processing liquid, the same face surface,
An ink jet recording head comprising: a same face surface for discharging the ink or the processing liquid; and a cap surface for covering the same face surface which is lower than the same face surface at the outer periphery of the same face surface. 3. An ink jet recording apparatus comprising an ink jet recording head, wherein the ink jet recording head is the ink jet recording head according to claim 1 and further comprising a cap for covering the cap surface. Recording device. 4. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the surface tension of the treatment liquid is lower than the surface tension of the ink. 5. The ink-jet recording head according to claim 1, wherein the energy generating element is an electrothermal transducer for generating heat by applying electric energy to cause a change in state of the ink to discharge the ink. 5. The ink jet recording apparatus according to 3 or 4.