JPS626990B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a cleaning device for removing ink droplets, dust, etc. that adhere to the deflection electrodes of an inkjet printer and cause disturbances in printing.

Generally, in an inkjet printer, as shown in Fig. 1, ink is force-fed from an ink supply device (not shown) through an ink pipe 6 to a nozzle 1, and mechanical vibrations are applied to the ink at the nozzle 1. The ink is made into particles and ejected from the nozzle 1,
The ink particles are selectively charged by a charging electrode 2, and then deflected by a pair of deflection electrodes 3 according to the amount of charge to reach the recording paper 5, thereby performing desired printing. Further, ink particles not used for recording reach the gutter 4 and are returned to the ink supply device.

However, when ink particles are ejected from the nozzle 1, a small number of ink droplets are attached to the deflection electrode 3, and also filamentous foreign matter flying from outside is attached. The adhesion of the ink droplets leads to the occurrence of leakage from the electrodes, and filamentous dust and the like impede the flight of the ink particles.

Therefore, the present invention provides a cleaning device for deflection electrodes, in which a liquid-absorbing pad is moved and inserted between opposing deflection electrodes (as the head moves to the standby position when the printer stops recording). The cleaning operation was performed using the following steps.

The present invention will be described below with reference to an embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

In FIG. 2, components corresponding to those in FIG. It is mounted on head 33.

The recording head 33 is reciprocated in the row direction of the recording paper 5 by guide rods 32, 32 arranged parallel to the platen 30.

The specific structure of the nozzle 1, charging electrode 2, deflection electrode 3, and gutter 4 mounted on the recording head 33 is shown more clearly in FIG. The electrode 3 is fixed at its end to an insulating support member 11 with a screw 12,
A constant spacing is maintained in the vertical direction. A creeling body 20 is provided on the open end side of the deflection electrode 3 opposite to the fixed end, and is guided by guide plates 22 and 22 and is movable in the direction of the opening.

That is, guide grooves 24, 24 are formed on both sides of the cleaning body 20, and guide plates 22, 24 are formed on both sides of the cleaning body 20.
22 is provided with guide rails 25, 25 that fit into the grooves 24, 24, and these guide rails 25,
25 and guide grooves 24, 24, the cleaning body 20 is moved in the direction of the opening of the deflection electrode 3 and is fitted between the deflection electrodes 3. Furthermore, by moving in the opposite direction, it can be returned to the position shown in FIG. 3 where it is displaced from the deflection electrode 3.

On the upper and lower surfaces of the cleaning body 20, there are liquid-absorbing pads 2 made of Japanese paper, leather, etc. that absorb ink.
1 and 21, and a spring 23 is provided at the end of the cleaning body 20 opposite to the end facing the deflection electrode 3.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the body 31 has a solenoid mechanism 34 adjacent to the home position (left margin) of the recording head 33, and a rotational displacement about an axis 36 in the direction of the arrow 35 due to the excitation of this solenoid mechanism. A set bar 37 is provided. When the solenoid mechanism 34 is not energized, the set bar 37 is in the solid line position shown in FIG. 2, and the solenoid mechanism 34 is energized during a recording pause, such as when the device is turned off to stop ink ejection. . Due to this excitation, the set bar 37 is angularly displaced to the position shown by the dotted line.

As a result, the set bar 37 is connected to the spring 23.
This collision causes the cleaning body 20 to move toward the opening of the deflection electrode 3.

The solenoid mechanism 34 includes a coil, a plunger that moves in a direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG.
6 includes a spring that returns the set bar 37 to the solid line state.

Further, the body 31 is provided with a reset post 38 adjacent to the right margin position of the recording head 33, and a spring 39 is attached to the tip of the reset post 38. This reset post 38 resets the cleaning body 20 fitted between the deflection electrodes 3 into the deflection electrodes 3.
It has the effect of removing it from the body.

That is, when the solenoid mechanism 34 is energized when the device is turned off and recording is stopped, the set bar 3
7 is angularly displaced to the position shown by the dotted line in FIG. 2 and presses the spring 23 of the cleaning body 20. Then, the cleaning body 20 moves to the guide plates 22, 22.
At this time, the liquid-absorbing pads 21, 21 of the cleaning body 20 clean ink droplets, dust, etc. adhering to the deflection electrodes 3.

Then, the set bar 37 is moved back to the solid line position in FIG. 2, and the apparatus comes to a stopped state with the cleaning body 20 fitted between the deflection electrodes 3.

Thereafter, when the apparatus is operated again and the power is turned on, the recording head 33 is moved horizontally to the right margin position before this ink jetting starts. When the recording head 33 reaches the right margin, the spring 39 of the reset post 38 collides with the cleaning body 20 interposed between the deflection electrode 3, and the cleaning body 20 is pushed leftward and removed from the deflection electrode 3. It will be returned to its original position. As a result, the cleaning body 20 is moved to a position that does not interfere with recording, and the recording head 33 is then returned to its home position to prepare for the recording operation.

In this way, in the present invention, a pair of deflection electrodes that deflect ink droplets ejected from a nozzle is provided with an electric field between the deflection electrodes as the head moves to the standby position when the recording operation of the printer is stopped. By moving the liquid-absorbing pad, ink droplets, dust, etc. adhering to the deflection electrode can be removed, thereby effectively preventing leakage of the electrode and preventing ink particles from flying due to adhesion of dust.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the construction of an inkjet printer, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the construction of the inkjet printer of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the specific construction of the recording head section of FIG. 2. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Nozzle, 2... Charging electrode, 3... Deflection electrode, 4... Gutter, 20... Cleaning body, 2
1...Liquid-absorbing pad, 23...Spring, 33
... Recording head, 34 ... Solenoid, 37 ...
Set bar, 38... Reset post, 39...
spring.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An inkjet printer that has a head equipped with a pair of deflection electrodes that deflect ink particles ejected from a nozzle, and prints by moving the head back and forth, comprising: a cleaning device that is movable in a direction perpendicular to the path of ink droplets from the nozzle so as to move forward and backward, and has a liquid-absorbing pad on a surface facing the deflection electrode for absorbing ink adhering to the deflection electrode; a body for colliding with one end of the cleaning body and moving the cleaning body between the deflection electrodes when the head moves to a standby position at one end of the reciprocating path as the printer stops recording; , a first pressing body provided near a standby position, and when the head moves to the other end of the reciprocating path as the printer starts recording, it collides with the other end of the cleaning body and presses the cleaning body. a second pressing body provided near the other end of the reciprocating path for moving the cleaning body in a direction to pull out the cleaning body from the deflection electrode, and a second pressing body provided in the vicinity of the other end of the reciprocating path; Then, by moving the cleaning body using the first pressing body, the adhering ink on the deflection electrode is removed by the liquid-absorbing pad, and the head is moved to the other end of the reciprocating path at the start of recording. An ink jet printer characterized in that the cleaning body is released from between the deflection electrodes by moving the cleaning body by the second pressing body.