JPS59155051A - Nozzle protector of ink jet printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the intrusion of air into a nozzle even during the period of transportation and long-term storage by providing a specific nozzle protector capable of covering the nozzle mounted on a carriage when the carriage is in its home position. CONSTITUTION:A nozzle protector 5 is made up of a cam 12 provided on a holder 10 on one slidable end of a carriage 4 and also rotatably on a pivot shaft 11, a follow plate 15, and a rubber body 18 fixed to a holder plate 17 supported rotatably on a shaft 16 provided to the follow plate 15. The follow plate 15 is contacted with the cam 12 by a spring 14 in a turnable manner on the shaft 13 and displaced in relation to the nozzle 1 according to the rotation amount of the cam 12.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Technical Field The present invention relates to a device that prevents air from entering from a nozzle portion during transportation or long-term storage of an inkjet printer.

<Prior art> In general, in an ink sheet printer, ink is ejected in the form of particles to draw characters, etc. in a donut matrix on a recording paper on a platen. It is formed to about 10 microns. Therefore, if air gets mixed into the nozzle, the ink dries, and there is a risk that the nozzle will become clogged or the ink supply system will become clogged.

In conventional inkjet printers, in order to prevent ink from drying in the nozzle, for example, ink is intermittently ejected at regular intervals when the printer is not operating, or a cap is automatically placed over the nozzle when the power is turned off. Various efforts have been made. However, for example, the dealer
During transportation from the factory to the user or during long-term storage, air may still be mixed in from the /nu/L/ section.
The problems mentioned above are constant.

<Objective of the Invention> The present invention was made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a device that can prevent air from being mixed in from a nozzle with a simple operation during transportation or long-term storage of an inksheet printer.

That is, it is provided opposite the nozzle at one sliding end of the carriage on which the nozzle is mounted, and covers the nozzle part to prevent air from entering the nozzle part during transportation or long-term storage of the inkjet or blink. The device includes a cam rotatable on a pivot shaft, a driven plate that is displaced toward the nozzle according to the amount of rotation of the cam in a predetermined direction, and a driven plate that is supported by the driven plate and that is a rubber body forming a sealed chamber covering the nozzle; an injection port provided at the top of the rubber body for injecting a protective liquid into the sealed chamber;
a cam port that integrally has a stopper that closes the injection port of the sealed chamber when the cam is rotated and the nozzle is covered with a rubber body supported by a driven plate, and that restricts the rotational movement of the cam; “
The present invention provides a nozzle protection device for an inksheet printer, which is equipped with a printing plate.

<Example> Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

Fig. 1 is an external perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is its A-
It is an A sectional view. 2. At one sliding end (for example, the right end) of the carriage 4 on which the nozzle part 1 is mounted and which slides on the slide bar 3 along the platen 2, a nozzle protection device 5 according to the present invention is placed opposite the nozzle part 1. is provided. In addition to the nozzle section 1, the carriage 4 includes an ink tank 7 that supplies ink to the nozzle section l via an ink passage 6, a shutoff screw 8 that can block ink from the ink tank 7 at the ink passage 6, and an ink tank. Ink cartridges 9 and the like for replenishing ink are provided. These are independently provided by the number of nozzles provided in the nozzle section 1 (four in this embodiment).

As is clearly seen in FIG.
The ink is guided through the nozzle hole 1d by the adjacent piezoelectric element 1c.

Now, the nozzle protection device 5 is disposed on the holder 10 at one sliding end (right end) of the carriage 4, and
a cam 12 rotatably provided on a shaft 13; a driven plate 1 that is rotatable on a shaft 13 and abuts the cam 12 by a spring 14; the driven plate 1 is displaced relative to the nozzle portion 1 according to the amount of rotation of the cam 12;
5. It is composed of a rubber body 18 and the like fixed to a holding plate 17 provided on the driven plate 15 and rotatably supported by a shaft 16.

The cross-sectional shape of the contact portion of the cam 12 with the driven plate 15 described above is formed into a polygonal shape so that the amount of displacement of the driven plate 15 changes depending on the amount of rotation of the cam 12.

On the other hand, the rubber body 18 independently forms sealed chambers 18a that are closely attached to the nozzle portion 1 and cover the respective nozzle holes 1d by displacement of the driven plate 15 due to rotation of the cam 12 in a predetermined direction. Further, at the top of the rubber body 18, there is an injection port 1 for injecting the protective liquid into each sealed chamber 1'8a formed.
8b is provided.

Further, on the upper surface of the holder 1o, there is an injection port 18b.
1 driven plate 15, and a cam lock plate 19 which is attached to the upper surface of the cam 12 and also serves as a plug for the injection port 18b.

That is, the cam lock plate 19 is clearly shown in FIG. 3, and has an opening 19a into which the operating lever 12a of the cam 12 is fitted and which regulates the operation of the lever 12a, into which the upper end of the driven plate 15 is fitted. an opening 19'b, and a plug body part 1 that is tightly fitted (press-fitted) into each injection port 18b to close the injection port 18b.
It has 9c.

Therefore, this cam lock plate 19 is shown in FIG.
Then, fit the operating lever 12a and the driven plate 15 into the openings 1'9a and 19b, respectively, and insert the plug body 19c into each injection port 18b.
and is attached to their upper surface by the engagement effect caused by this press-fitting. The opening 19a restricts the movement of the operating lever 12a, that is, the cam 12, and prevents the cam lock plate 19 from being removed.In other words, the plug body 19c of the injection port 18b
This prevents the cam 12 from moving. As will be described later, this is to reliably prevent air from entering the nozzle when the nozzle hole 1d is uncovered by the rubber body 18 in order to restart the printing operation.

Note that the bottom of the holder 10 has a slope 1 that slopes to the right in FIG.
0a is formed.

Next, the function of the embodiment of the present invention will be described together with its usage method.

When transporting or storing the InkSend printer for a long period of time, first move the carriage 4 to the sliding end (right end) where the nozzle protection device 5 is installed, and then move the cam 12 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2 (clockwise). ).

Then, the driven plate 15 is rotated around the shaft 13 toward the nozzle part 1, and thereby the rubber body 18 fixed to the holding plate 17 comes into close contact with the nozzle part 1, and each of the rubber bodies 18 that covers each nozzle hole 1d A closed chamber 1'8a is formed.

Next, turn the shutoff screw 8 to shut off the ink passage 6, and inject the protective liquid into each sealed chamber 18 from each injection port 18b with a syringe or the like.
a, and then insert the cam lock plate 19 into this opening 19.
A and 19b are fitted with the operating lever 12a and the driven plate 15, and the plug body portion 19c is press-fitted into each injection hole 18b to seal it. This prevents the nozzle holes 1d from clogging due to ink drying during long-term storage.

Note that during transportation, it is desirable to remove the ink cartridge 9 and plug it, and also close the air hole 7a' provided in the ink tank 7.

When using the inkjet printer after transportation or long-term storage, first do not remove the cam lock plate 19 to open the sealed chamber 18a to the atmosphere, release the restriction on the cam 12, and then open the ink passage 6. - Unclose the plug of the ink cartridge 9 insertion part and the air hole 7a. Next, the cam 12 is turned in the direction opposite to the arrow in FIG. 2 (counterclockwise) to separate the rubber body 18 from the nozzle portion 1. At this time, the sealed chamber 18a
The protective liquid flowing out from the holder 10 is guided in a predetermined direction along the slope 10a formed at the bottom of the holder 10, and does not contaminate the machine.

Another procedure is to first remove the cam lock plate 19 to open the sealed chamber 18a to the atmosphere and release the restriction on the cam 12, then turn the cam 12 in the opposite direction to the arrow in FIG. 18 from the nozzle part 1, and then the ink passage 6 is released, and the plug of the ink cartridge 9 insertion part and the air hole 7a are removed.
This is a method to solve the closure.

What is important here is to first open the sealed chamber 18a to the atmosphere and then perform an operation to separate the rubber body 18 from the nozzle portion 1.

If the rubber body is separated from the nozzle portion by a cam without opening the sealed chamber 18a to the atmosphere, when the rubber body 18 is separated, the ink on the nozzle portion 1 side eastward into the sealed chamber 18a will be rapidly sucked. When the nozzle part 1 is in a state where
This causes air to enter the non-null capillary tube 1a and the ink chamber 1b, which adversely affects subsequent recording operations.

Therefore, in the present invention, the cam lock plate 19 configured as described above is
is equipped so that the cam 12 cannot be rotated unless the cam lock plate 19 is removed when the rubber body 18 is separated from the nozzle part 1 by the cam 12.

The cam 12 is configured to rotate after the stopper portion 19'c integrally provided on the tab and the cam lock plate 19 opens the sealed chamber 18a to the atmosphere, and the rubber body 18 is separated. This prevents air from entering the nozzle portion 1, the nozzle capillary tube 1a, and the ink chamber 1b.

In addition, if for some reason, nozzle part 1, nozzle capillary 1
a. If it is found that air has entered the ink chamber 1b side, turn the cam 12 again to bring the rubber body 18 into close contact with the nozzle portion 1. Then, a small amount of the protective liquid is injected into the sealed chamber 18 through the injection port 18b using a syringe, and then the liquid in the sealed chamber 18a is sequentially inhaled using the syringe. By this suction operation, the ink in the nozzle portion 1, the nozzle capillary tube 1a, and the ink chamber 1b side is sucked out into the sealed chamber 18a, and the mixed air is also taken out from the nozzle side.

<Other Embodiments> FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the cam lock plate 19, in which the other part of the cam lock plate 19 on the stopper portion 19c side is further extended toward the ink cartridge side, and is connected to the ink tank 7. The plug body portion 19d of the provided air hole 7a and the plug body portion 19ci of the insertion portion of the ink cartridge 9 are integrally formed.

This configuration is convenient because it is possible to open the sealed chamber 18a, unclose the plug of the car 1-ridge insertion part, and the air hole 7a all at once by removing one cam lock plate.

It should be noted that the structure is the same as that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 above, except for the structure of the cam lock plate 19.

<Effects> As explained above, the present invention provides a simple method (based on the structure and simple operation), which can be easily used during long-term storage during transportation of a Kujet printer. It prevents air from entering the nozzle and prevents clogging of the nozzle due to ink drying, and when reusing the machine, it can be easily restored to the working condition without contaminating the machine and can be used immediately, increasing the reliability of the product. In addition to improving the quality of the product, transportation and storage operations can be simplified, and maintenance can be made easier.

In addition, by providing a cam lock plate that is integrated with the plug body of the sealed chamber, the rubber body can be separated from the nozzle part by camming while the sealed chamber is always open to the atmosphere, so that the nozzle can be secured during reuse. It has the feature of reliably preventing air from entering the side.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an external perspective view of the device of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is its A-A
3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a cam lock plate included in the device, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the device.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A nonu-printing ink sheet printer is mounted, and has a carriage that moves on a slide bar along a platen, and is provided at one sliding end of the carriage to face the nozzle, This is a device that covers the nozzle part and prevents air from entering the nozzle part during transportation or long-term storage of the inkjet printer. a driven plate that is displaced toward the nozzle according to the amount of rotation of the driven plate; a rubber body that is supported by the driven plate and forms a sealed chamber that covers the nozzle during the displacement; An injection port for injecting the protective liquid into the chamber, and a plug body that closes the injection port of the sealed chamber when the nozzle is controlled by a rubber body supported by a driven plate by rotating the cam. 1. A nozzle protection device for an inkjet printer, comprising: a cam opening plate for regulating rotational movement of a cam;