JPS62286746A - Ink jet recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the contamination of recording paper caused by ink mist, by providing the ink droplet removing guide plate in contact with the surface of head nozzles and an ink mist removing flow passage along which the other end of the ink droplet removing guide plate is guided. CONSTITUTION:The ink mist adhered to each ink jet head 201 flows down under its own weight and flows in an ink removing flow passage from an ink droplet removing guide plate 203 and the slits 206 provided at a head guide plate 204 to be made to flow down. The ink mist of the upper head flows down on the nozzles 208 of the lower head along with the falling of and contacted ink and the contamination of recording paper due to the ink blown off by air injected from each nozzle 208 at a high speed can be prevented. A washing solution sprayed is divided to enter a washing housing to flow down along the surface of the head guide plate 204 and to flow in the slits 206 to wash the ink removing flow passage 207 and these solutions divided are discharged in a waste solution receiver.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 3. Detailed Description of the Invention Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus related to ink mist removal.

Conventional technology In inkjet recording devices, mist ink generated when ink droplets are ejected or collide with recording paper is removed by suction, and mist ink and paper powder adhering to the nozzle surface of the head are showered. As a method for removing the particles by washing, there is, for example, a technique described in Japanese Patent Application No. 195124/1983. Below, with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5,
One such conventional mist ink removal device will be described.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of essential parts of an inkjet recording apparatus equipped with an ink mist suction unit and a head cleaning device, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the same operating state during head cleaning.

In FIG. 4, when the printer is stopped, the inkjet unit 20 is in the home position and the head is covered by a clogging prevention cap 21 to prevent nozzles from clogging due to ink drying.

When the power is turned on to the device, the anti-clogging cap 2 is first removed.
1 is removed and an air supply device (not shown) is activated to supply pressurized air to the inkjet unit 20 and maintain it at a predetermined pressure. Next, when recording paper is mounted on the drum 1 and a recording start signal is applied, the inkjet unit 20 moves to the recording start position and starts recording. Simultaneously with the start of recording, the air suction means 31 operates, and air is suctioned from the ink mist suction unit 30 provided above the ink jet unit 20 via the air suction hose 32. The air suction means 31 continues to operate during recording, and the generated ink mist is sent to the ink mist suction port 302 together with air.
It is removed by suction. When the recording end signal is applied, the air suction means 31 stops, but the inkjet unit 2
0 and the ink mist suction unit 30 move part of the way and stop in front of the head cleaning unit 22 provided at a position away from the side edge of the drum 1. When the inkjet unit 20 stops, the cleaning unit 22 is pressed against the inkjet unit 20. Then, the pump in the liquid supply tank 23 operates for a certain period of time, and the cleaning liquid is sprayed onto the head 201 from the cleaning nozzle 222 shown in FIG.
Dirt caused by ink mist adhering to the nozzle surface of the head 201 and the periphery of the head is washed away. A part of the cleaning liquid sprayed on the head 201 and the like enters the cleaning housing 221 through a drain member 223 through a drain 226, and the other cleaning liquid is discarded into a waste liquid receiver 25 while washing off the head guide plate 202. The cleaning waste liquid flowing into the waste liquid receiver 25 passes through a waste liquid pipe 26 and is stored in a waste liquid tank 27 built into the printer or is discharged to the outside.

On the other hand, since the air flow containing ink mist hits the mist suction port 302, a large amount of ink mist adheres to the mist suction port 302.

To prevent this aggregated ink mist from falling and staining equipment, recording paper, etc., it is absorbed by a mist absorbing member 225 provided at the top of the head cleaning housing 221.

After cleaning is completed, the cleaning housing 221 retreats, and the inkjet unit 20 and ink mist suction unit 30
returns to the home position and becomes ready.

As described above, the ink mist suction bow unit 30 is provided on the top of the inkjet unit 20 to suction and remove the ink mist generated by drawing, and to clean the nod attachment surface of the inkjet unit to which the ink mist has adhered after the drawing is completed. equipment has been installed to improve equipment reliability and maintenance.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, the above configuration, especially the inkjet unit 2
0, drawings that use a large amount of ink, for example,
When the recording density is at the highest level and the pixel density is high, and when drawing on a large screen of 82 or more plates, a large amount of ink mist adheres to the head nozzle surface, and the ink mist is affected by gravity during drawing. The mist ink flows down the head nozzle surface to form a convex pool of mist ink at the lower part of the head nozzle surface, and this ink pool sometimes comes into contact with the recording paper or falls, staining the drawing surface. In addition, in the case of a large screen as described above, in order to increase the recording speed, it is necessary to arrange a large number of heads in a matrix. I'm doing it.

For this reason, mist ink flowing down from the upper head may flow down over the nozzles of the lower head, and in this case, the mist ink is blown away by the high-speed air flow flowing out from the air nozzle, staining the drawing surface. Something happened.

(This air nozzle forms an inkjet head together with an ink nozzle, and the air nozzle discharges and stops ink droplets in accordance with an electric signal from the ink nozzle together with the air flow that flows out to create an image. ) The present invention solves the above problems and completely prevents recording paper from being stained by mist ink.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention achieves the above object by using an ink droplet removal guide plate that contacts the head nozzle surface, and a mist ink removal channel through which the other end of the ink droplet removal guide plate is guided. It is something.

According to the present invention, with the above configuration, the mist ink that adheres to the head nozzle surface during recording gradually flows down, and is guided by the ink droplet removal guide plate provided at the lower part of the head nozzle surface, and is continuously removed from the head nozzle surface. will be removed. Then, the mist ink that has flown down while being guided by the ink droplet removal guide plate is discharged through the ink removal channel to the waste liquid receiver that covers the moving range of the inkjet unit.

EXAMPLE An example of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a main part of an inkjet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front view of a main part of an inkjet unit in the same apparatus.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, 1 is a drum that winds the paper to be drawn, and 20 is a drum IK that faces the drum and discharges and stops minute ink droplets onto the paper on the drum L according to an electric signal. an inkjet unit that draws images on
Reference numeral 30 denotes an ink mist suction unit that sucks ink mist through an air suction hose 32 using an air suction means 31 .

Furthermore, in the inkjet unit 20.

Reference numeral 201 denotes a plurality of inkjet heads that perform drawing by ejecting minute ink from nozzles 208 in response to electrical signals from ink nozzles (not shown) along with air flowing out from air nozzles (not shown). Air is flowing out during operation.

204, 205? This head guide plate 204 is a head guide plate provided along the i inkjet head.
, 205 form an ink removal channel 207. Furthermore, a slit 206 is provided in the pend guide plate 204 below the inkjet head 201. Reference numeral 203 denotes an ink droplet removal guide plate extending from the lower part of the ink side end head 201 toward the ink removal flow path 207. The mist ink attached to the head 201 is transmitted through this ink droplet removal guide plate 203, and is directed to the ink removal flow path. be led down the road.

The operation of the above configuration will be explained below.

The basic configuration of an inkjet recording apparatus that uses both an ink mist suction unit and a head cleaning device is the same as that shown in FIG. 4, so it will be explained using FIG. 4 as well.

First, when the printer is stopped, the inkjet unit 2
0 is in the home position, and the anti-clogging cap 21
The head is covered with a lid to prevent clogging due to ink drying.

When the recording apparatus is powered on, the clogging prevention cap is first removed, and an air supply device (not shown) is activated to supply processing air to the inkjet unit 20 and maintain it at a predetermined pressure.

Next, when recording paper is mounted on the drum 1 and a recording start signal is applied, the inkjet unit 20 moves to the recording start position and starts recording.

Simultaneously with the start of recording, the air suction means 31 operates, and air is suctioned from the ink mist suction unit 30 disposed on the inkjet unit 20 via the air hose 32. The air suction means 31 continues to operate during recording, and the generated ink mist is sucked together with air from the mist suction port 302. The above is the same operation as the conventional one.

Now, the mist ink attached to the head 201 flows down by gravity, flows into the ink removal channel 207 through the slit 206 provided in the ink droplet removal guide plate 203 and the head guide plate 204, and is caused to flow down.

For this reason, the mist ink attached to the nozzle surface of the head 201 does not become convex and accumulate, and many nozzles 201
1 are arranged in a matrix, the recording paper is caused by ink falling, contact, and mist ink from the upper head flowing down over the nozzles 208 of the lower head and being blown away by air flowing out from the nozzles 208 at a high speed. can prevent contamination.

After recording is completed, the inkjet unit 20 and the ink mist suction unit 30 move to the drum 1 as shown in FIG.
It stops in front of a head cleaning unit 22 located away from the side edge of the head. The head cleaning housing 221 is moved forward by the pushing force of the inkjet unit 20 and is pressed against the inkjet unit 20 and the ink mist suction unit 30. Then, the pump of the liquid supply tank 23 is activated, and the cleaning liquid is sprayed from the cleaning nozzle 222 onto the surfaces of the inkjet head 201 and the head guide plate 204, and the attached mist ink and paper dust are washed away.

The sprayed cleaning liquid enters the cleaning housing.
The liquid is divided into two types: one that flows down the surface of the head guide plate 204 and one that flows through the slit 206 and cleans the ink removal channel 207, but these liquids are finally discharged to the waste liquid receiver 25.

The cleaning waste liquid discharged into the waste liquid receiver 25 is collected in a waste liquid tank 27 provided within the recording apparatus or is discharged to the outside. After the cleaning is completed, the cleaning nozzle 221 retreats as the inkjet unit 20 returns.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the inkjet unit 20
In addition to providing an ink droplet removal guide plate 203 at the lower part of the head nozzle surface, the head guide plates 204 and 205 have a double structure, and the outer head guide plate 204 is provided with a slit 206 for mist inflow. By preventing the mist ink 7 that adheres to the head from forming a convex pool at the bottom of the head, the mist ink flowing down from above will not flow over the nozzles of the lower head, as in the case where many heads are arranged in a matrix. This prevents the mist ink from flowing down, prevents the recording paper from being soiled by falling, contacting, and blowing away the mist ink, and improves reliability.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention prevents staining of recording paper due to falling and contact of ink pools or cleaning liquid pools to the lower part of the head due to adhesion of mist ink, and especially in the case of a large number of heads arranged in a matrix, This has the effect of significantly increasing the reliability of the inkjet recording apparatus, such as eliminating the staining of the recording paper caused by the blown-off mist ink that occurs when the mist ink of the head flows down over the air nozzles of the lower head.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of the main parts of an inkjet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of the main parts of the inkjet unit in the same apparatus, and FIG. 3 is a main part of the inkjet unit and head cleaning unit in the same apparatus. A cross-sectional side view, FIG. 4 is a plan view of the main part of the ink side recording device,
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of main parts of a conventional inkjet unit and a stylus cleaning unit. 1...Drum, 20...Inkjet unit, 20
1...Head%203...Ink droplet removal guide plate, 20
4°205...Head guide plate, 206...Slit, 207...Ink removal channel. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person 2nd
1 3rd! ! I II Yao

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) An inkjet head that is provided with an air nozzle having an opening relative to the ink nozzle and that forms an image on a recording medium by ejecting and stopping minute ink droplets in response to an electrical signal, and a lower part of the nozzle surface of the inkjet head. An inkjet recording apparatus comprising: an ink droplet removal guide plate having one end in contact with the ink droplet removal guide plate; and a mist ink removal channel to which the other end of the ink droplet removal guide plate is guided. (2) The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mist ink removal channel is formed between two head guide plates provided along the inkjet head. (3) The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a slit is provided in the head guide plate on the inkjet head side.