JPS60240454A - Ink jet recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the generation of the clogging of a nozzle, by closing the jet orifice of the nozzle when an ink jet recording apparatus is not used. CONSTITUTION:A charge electrode 21 having a water absorbing member 20 such as a sponge mounted thereto is arranged so as to be made movable to a nozzle 30. When an ink jet recording apparatus is stopped, said electrode 21 is present at the positiin shown by the broken line and the water absorbing member 20 is contacted with the opening surface of the nozzle 30 to close the jet orifice thereof. Therefore, the jet orifice is prevented from drying and no clogging is generated. At the time of printing, because a solenoid 23 is excited and an armature 24 is drawn in, the charge electrode 21 moves to the position shown by the solid line to be set at a proper position and the water absording member 20 is separated from the jet orifice of the nozzle 30 and set to such a state that ink droplets can be flown.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus capable of preventing clogging of nozzles through which ink droplets are ejected.

(Conventional technology) One example is a conventional inkjet recording device.

There is a rotary drum 2 and 2 shown in Fig. 1, around which recording paper 1 is wound and which rotate at a predetermined circumferential speed during printing.
A head unit 3 that flies ink droplets toward the printing surface of the rotating drum 2 at regular intervals, and a charging unit that charges only the ink droplets that do not need to be printed according to print information on the ink droplets 4 that fly from the nozzles 30 of the head unit 3. The electrode 5 and the electrode 5 are electrically charged.
a deflection electrode 7 that deflects the ink droplets 6 and shifts the flight direction out of the printing direction, a gutter 9 that collects the ink droplets 8 deflected by the electrode 7, and a tank ( The head unit 3 includes a pump 10 that pumps ink (not shown) to the head unit 3.

The head section 3 includes a piezoelectric vibrator 31 that is excited at a predetermined frequency.
and an ink chamber 32 into which the piezoelectric vibrator 31 is attached and into which ink from the pump 10 is press-fitted. The ink 33 introduced into the ink chamber 32 vibrates under the vibration generated by the piezoelectric vibrator 31, and the ink 33 vibrates through the nozzle 3.
0, ink droplets are generated and fly with each vibration.

In the above configuration, the ink droplets flying from the nozzle 30 of the hesid part 3 are charged by the charging electrode 5 according to printing information, and only the charged ink droplets, that is, the ink droplets that do not require printing, are deflected by the deflection electrode 7. . The deflected ink droplets 8 change their course toward the gutter 9 and are collected.

On the other hand, the uncharged ink droplets 11 travel straight without being affected by the deflection electrode 7.

It adheres to the surface of the recording paper l and prints or images are produced by continuous adhesion.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in conventional inkjet recording devices, the nozzles 30 are always exposed, so the ink in the nozzles dries when printing is finished, and the nozzles tend to become clogged. This has the disadvantage of being less reliable.

(Means and effects for solving the problems) The present invention has the following features:
This invention has been made in view of the above, and provides an inkjet recording apparatus in which the nozzle openings are closed with a water-absorbing member, for example, when not in use, in order to prevent nozzle clogging.

(Example) Hereinafter, an inkjet recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which the same parts as in FIG. A charging electrode 21 is movably installed toward the nozzle side.

As shown in FIG. 3, the charging electrode 21 is fixed to a fixing plate 22 made of an insulating material, and a water-absorbing material 20 is attached to the center of the fixing plate 22. As shown in FIG. Furthermore, an armature 24 of a solenoid 23 is coupled to the bottom of the fixed plate 22, and when the solenoid 23 is excited, the charging electrode 21 becomes the second
The cent is placed at the position shown by the solid line in the figure.

In the above configuration, when the inkjet recording apparatus is stopped, it is at the chain line position in FIG. 2, and the water absorbing member 20 comes into contact with the opening surface of the nozzle 30 and closes the ejection port. Therefore, the injection port never dries out and no clogging occurs. During printing, the solenoid 23 is energized,
Since the armature 24 is retracted, the charging electrode 21 moves to the solid line position in FIG.

The ink droplets are set in a state where they can fly (that is, set in the state shown in FIG. 1).

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the present invention, in which the same parts as in FIG. In addition, a lever 25 is provided at the other end with a water absorbing member 20 that can close the injection port of the nozzle 30, thereby configuring a dedicated clogging prevention mechanism.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 4, when the printer is stopped.

At the position indicated by the chain line in the figure, the water absorbing member 2o comes into contact with the injection port of the nozzle 3° and closes the injection port to prevent it from drying out. Therefore, there is no risk of clogging. During printing, the lever 25 is rotated counterclockwise (above the charging electrode 5) by a drive source (not shown), resulting in the state shown in FIG. 1 in which ink droplets can fly.

Note that in 1 and above, the charge control type was explained as an example, but
The present invention can be similarly applied to electric field control types and the like. In either type, in order to apply the invention shown in FIG. 2, it is sufficient to adopt a configuration in which the electrode is not disposed at the position closest to the nozzle but also serves as the electrode. Also.

A configuration similar to that shown in FIG. 2 can also be used for a device having a control electrode in which a charging electrode and a deflection electrode are integrated.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to the inkjet recording device of the present invention, the nozzle ejection port is blocked with a water-absorbing member when not in use, which prevents nozzle clogging and improves reliability. can improve sex.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a conventional inkjet recording apparatus. Fig. 2 is a front view showing one embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 3 is a front view showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the electrode section shown in the figure, and FIG. 4 is a front view showing another embodiment of the present invention. Explanation of symbols 3...Head part, 5.21...Charging electrode. 7... Deflection electrode, 9... Gutter. 20...Water absorbing member, 22...Fixing plate. 23... Solenoid, 24... Armature. 25...Lever, 30...Nozzle. Patent Applicant Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. Agent Patent Attorney Nobuyuki Matsuhara Patent Attorney Seiji Muraki Agent Patent Attorney Taira 1) Tadao Agent Patent Attorney Atsushi Ueshima − Agent Patent Attorney Hitoshi Suzuki Figure 1 21st Application, Figure 3 t

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] An inkjet recording apparatus that performs recording by ejecting ink droplets from a nozzle toward a recording paper at predetermined intervals and controlling the flight direction of the ejected ink droplets according to print information. An inkjet recording apparatus comprising: a closing member for closing the nozzle; and a driving means for moving the closing member to open the nozzle when a recording command is output.