KR100614627B1 - Head cleaning structure of ink-jet printer - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a head cleaning structure of an ink printer, comprising a cleaning liquid supply container containing a cleaning liquid, a supply motor forcibly drawing out the cleaning liquid contained in the cleaning liquid supply cylinder, and a cleaning contained in the cleaning liquid supply cylinder. Cleaning liquid supply to which the cleaning liquid drawn out from the cleaning liquid supply cylinder is moved by connecting the auxiliary pressing button having a hollow inside, and the cleaning liquid supply passage, the supply motor, and the auxiliary pressure button so that the liquid can be drawn out using air pressure. A cleaning liquid supply unit having a hose; A capping part having a plurality of in / out holes penetrating therein such that the cleaning liquid supplied from the cleaning liquid supply part is discharged to the surface; A waste ink reservoir containing a plurality of waste ink circulating guides arranged on one side by a circulation motor so that waste ink generated during cleaning of the head can be easily circulated, and waste ink circulated by the waste ink circulator; A waste ink collection unit connected to the waste ink circulator and a waste ink storage container and having a waste ink collection hose to which waste ink is moved; A cleaning liquid supply hose of the cleaning liquid supply unit and a waste ink collection hose of the waste ink collection unit are connected to each other so that a valve is provided to supply the cleaning liquid to the capping unit or to collect the waste ink remaining on the capping unit. will be.

Ink Printer, Head Cleaning, Capping Device

Description

HEAD CLEANING STRUCTURE OF INK-JET PRINTER}

1 is a schematic view showing a cleaning process of the head cleaning structure of the ink printer of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a capping part which is one of the constituent parts of the head cleaning structure of the ink printer of the present invention.

-Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings-

10: cleaning liquid supply unit 11: cleaning liquid supply container

12: supply motor 13: auxiliary pressure button

14: cleaning liquid supply hose 20: capping part

21: entrance and exit 30: waste ink collection

31: circulation guide 32: circulation motor

33: waste ink circulator 34: waste ink reservoir

35: waste ink collection hose 36: extrusion hose

37 extruder 38 air connector

40: valve

The present invention relates to a head cleaning structure of an ink printer, and more particularly, a cleaning liquid is supplied to a capping part by a supply motor, so that the cleaning of the dried head surface can be easily performed, and the waste ink generated after the head surface is cleaned. In addition to the automatic collection, the additional pressurizing device is further provided so that the cleaning liquid can be supplied to the capping unit without driving the motor to prevent the head from drying and to clean the surface of the head cleanly. It relates to a head cleaning structure of an ink printer.

In general, an inkjet printer for printing various documents, photographs, and the like using ink includes a carriage supported on a main frame and guided by a belt pulley to be moved left and right by a belt pulley, and mounted on the carriage together with the carriage. The head is formed with a nozzle to eject ink in a predetermined shape while moving, and a capping part that wipes or seals the head according to a cleaning signal at a predetermined cycle during printing.

The inkjet printer sprays ink onto paper conveyed from the inkhead, and prints the inkjet printer. When not printing, the inkjet printer closes the nozzle of the head to prevent the ink of the nozzle from drying.

Also, when the carriage is moved to the printing position for printing, the cap guide is moved downward, and the wiper cleans the surface of the nozzle when the carriage is moved to the printing position with the upper portion positioned. On the other hand, when the driving rib of the carriage is in contact with the upper end of the wiper lever, the wiper is released by the return spring to move down so that printing does not interfere.

Conventional ink head capping portion as described above is composed of a plurality of parts to operate the wiper and the rubber cap, the rubber cap and the wiper has a structure that slides in accordance with the movement of the carriage, the rubber cap and the wiper is the carriage position It has a structure that is returned to the initial position by the return spring when moved to.

However, since the capping part for cleaning the head of the conventional ink printer described above can be driven only when electricity is always supplied, for example, when it is left without using the printer for a long time, the head is dried and buried in the nozzle of the head. As the ink is hardened as it is, there is a problem in that the printing of the printer is not properly performed by the ink solidified at the nozzle of the head when the printer is restarted.

In addition, there is a problem that the waste ink generated during the cleaning of the head is not easy to be disposed so that the waste ink remains in the head and the capping portion as it is, and the surrounding becomes dirty.

The present invention has been made to solve the problems caused by preventing the drying of the head of the conventional ink printer and cleaning the surface of the head, the cleaning liquid is supplied to the capping portion by the power of the supply motor during driving of the printer. It is delivered so that the surface of the head can be cleaned cleanly, and when the printer is not driven, the cleaning liquid is supplied to the capping part by using a separate press button to prevent the head from drying and is generated when the head is cleaned. The waste ink is collected by power when the printer is driven and forcedly collected by the extruder when the printer is not driven to solve the problem of ink remaining in the nozzle of the head and hardening. An ink print that prevents soiling by waste ink and prevents dryness of the head. In the cleaning of the head structure providing it is an object.

As a means for achieving the above object, the head cleaning structure of the ink printer of the present invention includes a cleaning liquid supply passage containing a cleaning liquid for wiping the surface of the head therein, and forcibly drawing out the cleaning liquid contained in the cleaning liquid supply cylinder. A cleaning motor in which a supply motor and a cleaning liquid drawn out by connecting the cleaning liquid supply passage, the supply motor and the auxiliary pressurizing button are respectively connected to the auxiliary pressurizing button which draws out the cleaning liquid contained in the cleaning liquid supply container using air pressure. A cleaning liquid supply unit having a liquid supply hose; A capping part having a plurality of in / out holes penetrating therein such that the cleaning liquid supplied from the cleaning liquid supply part is discharged to the surface; A waste ink circulator in which a plurality of circulation guides are arranged on one side of the waste ink circulator so as to be easily circulated by a circulating motor having waste ink generated during cleaning of the head; A waste ink collection unit having an ink collection hose passing through the waste ink circulator and the waste ink storage container and moving the waste ink collected therethrough; The cleaning liquid supply hose of the cleaning liquid supply unit and the waste ink collection hose of the waste ink collection unit are connected to each other so that the cleaning liquid supply to the capping unit and the waste ink collection from the capping unit are included. It is done.

The waste ink collection unit may further include an extruder connected to an inside of the waste ink storage container and an end of the extruded hose connected to the inside of the waste ink reservoir so that the waste ink can be collected when the printer is not driven.

One end of the extrusion hose connecting the extruder and the waste ink reservoir may be further connected to an air connector to facilitate the access of air from the extruder.

The head cleaning structure of the ink printer according to the present invention having the above-mentioned characteristics prevents the cleaning liquid from being supplied to the capping part by the supply motor of the cleaning liquid supply part and prevents the nozzle of the head from drying. The cleaning liquid can be used to clean the head nozzle without scratching the surface of the head nozzle, and even when the printer is not running, the cleaning liquid can be supplied to the capping unit by using the auxiliary pressure button to prevent the head nozzle from drying out. do.

In addition, the waste ink collection unit makes it easy to collect the waste ink of the capping unit into the waste ink reservoir, thereby maintaining the cleanliness around the capping unit and inking the ink in the head. The waste ink can be forcibly collected through the extruder even when not driven, thereby preventing the ink from hardening in the print head portion.

The features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description based on the accompanying drawings, and the terminology or words used in the specification and claims are used to explain the invention in its best way. Based on the principle that the concept of can be properly defined, it should be interpreted as meaning and concept corresponding to the technical idea of the present invention.

1 is a schematic view showing the cleaning process of the head cleaning structure of the ink printer of the present invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a capping part which is one of the constituent parts of the head cleaning structure of the ink printer of the present invention.

As shown, the head cleaning structure of the ink printer of the present invention forcibly cleans the cleaning liquid supply container 11 containing the cleaning liquid for wiping the surface of the head therein, and the cleaning liquid contained in the cleaning liquid supply cylinder 11. The supply motor 12 to be drawn out, the auxiliary pressurization button 13 having a hollow inside so that the cleaning liquid contained in the cleaning liquid supply cylinder 11 can be drawn out using air pressure, and the cleaning liquid supply cylinder ( 11) a cleaning liquid supply unit 10 having a cleaning liquid supply hose 14 to which the cleaning liquid withdrawn from the cleaning liquid supply container 11 is moved by connecting the supply motor 12 and the auxiliary pressure button 13 to each other. And a capping part 20 having a plurality of in / out holes 21 therein so that the cleaning liquid supplied from the cleaning liquid supply part 10 is discharged to the surface, and waste ink generated during cleaning of the head is easily circulated. Circulation guide 31 on one side to be A plurality of waste ink circulators 33 arranged by the circulation motor 32, a waste ink reservoir 34 in which waste ink circulated by the waste ink circulator 33 is stored, and the waste ink circulator 33 And a waste ink collection portion 30 having a waste ink collection hose 35 to which the waste ink collected and connected to the waste ink reservoir 34 is moved, and a cleaning liquid supply hose 14 of the cleaning liquid supply portion 10. And a waste ink collection hose 35 of the waste ink collection unit 30 are connected to each other to supply a cleaning liquid to the capping unit 20 or to collect waste ink remaining in the capping unit 20. It consists of 40.

In the head cleaning structure of the ink printer according to the present invention configured as described above, the cleaning liquid is periodically or aperiodically supplied by the cleaning liquid supply unit 10 to the upper end of the capping unit 20 where the nozzle of the head is located. At the same time, it is easy to clean the surface of the head, and when the printer is not driven, the head is prevented from drying so as to prevent the dust from sticking to the head or hardening of the waste ink.

The process of supplying the cleaning liquid to the capping part by the head cleaning structure of the ink printer of the present invention will be described.

1 is a process in which the cleaning liquid is supplied to the capping part in the direction of the solid arrow of FIG. 1, and when the printer is driven, the cleaning liquid contained in the cleaning liquid supply container 11 is driven by the power of the supply motor 12. The cleaning liquid supply hose 14 is supplied to the upper end of the capping unit 20 through the entrance and exit hole 21 of the capping unit 20.

Therefore, a cleaning liquid supplied to the capping unit 20 is applied to a head (not shown) of the printer positioned at the upper end of the capping unit 20, and the applied cleaning liquid moves the head to the left / right side. In the process of moving the head to the other side by being wiped by a wiper (not shown) provided on one side of the capping portion 20, the waste ink on the head is cleanly cleaned, the head is always in an optimal state It can be maintained.

On the other hand, the wiper for wiping the waste ink on the surface of the head when the carriage or the head to move the head to the left or right is a technical idea that is already used in the conventional ink printer and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In addition, since the cleaning liquid supply part 10 is provided with an auxiliary pressure button 13 having a hollow inside, the cleaning liquid can be supplied to the capping part 20 without power of the supply motor 12 when the printer is not driven. have.

That is, when the upper portion of the auxiliary pressure button 13, which is hollow inside, is pressed using a finger, the inside of the cleaning liquid supply container 11 is accommodated by the internal air pressure of the auxiliary pressure button 13, which is hollow inside. Cleaning liquid is supplied to the capping part 20 along the cleaning liquid supply hose 14.

Therefore, since the cleaning liquid can be supplied to the capping unit 20 even when the printer is not driven, the head is prevented from drying out as the head contacts the upper surface of the capping unit 20 when the printer is not driven. Since the ink is easily supplied to the head when the printer is restarted and the nozzle of the head is not clogged, the head is easily wiped by the wiper during installation of the printer, and the printing state of the printer is improved.

Meanwhile, the moving direction of the dotted line arrow in FIG. 1 illustrates a process of collecting the residual ink of the cleaning liquid supplied to the capping unit 20 and the waste ink generated when the head is wiped with a wiper, and the head of the ink printer according to the present invention. The waste ink is collected by the cleaning structure.

The cleaning liquid supplied to the upper end of the capping unit 20 is applied to the nozzle surface of the head, and the remaining cleaning liquid and the waste ink wiped off the head surface with a wiper are the circulation motor 32 of the waste ink circulator 33. Residual cleaning liquid and waste ink remaining on the upper end of the capping portion 20 through the waste ink collection hose 35 by the plurality of circulation guides 31 arranged on the side are moved in the direction of the dotted line arrow to the waste ink reservoir ( 34 is received and stored inside.

The reason why the waste ink is collected through the waste ink collection hose 35 by the rotation of the circulation motor 32 of the waste ink circulator 33 is that the waste ink collection hose 35 is the waste ink circulator ( The circulation guide 31 is rotated by the rotation of the circulation motor 32 as the circulation guide is wound around the plurality of circulation guides 31 arranged in the circulation motor 32 of the circulation motor 32. 31) the outer circumferential surface of the waste ink collection hose 35 wound around the outer periphery is repeatedly pushed so that the waste ink is moved through the waste ink collection hose 35 to be received and stored inside the waste ink storage container 34. Because.

In addition, the waste ink collection unit 30, an extrusion hose 36 is further connected to the inside of the waste ink storage container 34 so that waste ink collection is possible when the printer is not driven, and an end of the extrusion hose 36 is connected. A further connected extruder 37 is provided, and at one end of the extrusion hose 36 connecting the extruder 37 and the waste ink storage container 34, an air connector for facilitating access of air from the extruder 37 ( 38 is further connected, it is possible to move the waste ink remaining in the capping unit 20 to the waste ink reservoir 34 even when the printer is not driven.

That is, when the user pulls the upper part of the extruder 37 upward by using force, the air of the extruder 37 is sucked by the same principle as extruding the external liquid into the syringe using a syringe. By the suction force of this air pressure through the extrusion hose 36 connected to the end side of the extruder 37, the air of the waste ink reservoir 34 is discharged to the extruder 37 side, and by the air pressure acting accordingly Waste ink remaining on the upper end of the capping unit 20 through the waste ink collection hose 35 connected to the waste ink reservoir 34 is moved into the waste ink reservoir 34 and stored.

Therefore, the waste ink can be collected not only when the printer is driven but also when the printer is not driven, so that the surface of the head can be cleanly cleaned at all times, and waste ink is prevented from remaining even during long periods of non-driving. Problems such as burying and hardening are solved.

In the head cleaning structure of the ink printer of the present invention, since a separate valve 40 is formed between the cleaning liquid supply unit 10, the waste ink collection unit 30, and the capping unit 20, for example, a cleaning liquid supply unit When the cleaning liquid is delivered to the capping part 20 by the 10, the valve 40 blocks the capping part 20 and the waste ink collection part 30, and furthermore, the waste ink collection part (10). When the waste ink of the capping unit 20 is collected by the operation of 30, the connection between the capping unit 20 and the cleaning liquid supply unit 10 is interrupted by the valve 40, so that one capping unit 20 is removed. Cleaning liquid supply and waste ink collection.

The head cleaning structure of the ink printer of the present invention may be modified in various ways in addition to those shown and described, and the embodiments to be modified should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

As described above, according to the head cleaning structure of the ink printer of the present invention, the cleaning liquid is supplied to the capping portion by the supply motor of the cleaning liquid supply portion, thereby preventing the nozzle of the head from drying and being supplied at the time of cleaning the head nozzle. The cleaning liquid enables the head nozzle to be cleaned without scratching the surface of the head nozzle, and the cleaning liquid can be supplied to the capping unit by using the auxiliary press button even when the printer is not driven, thereby preventing the head nozzle from drying. .

In addition, the waste ink collection unit makes it easy to collect the waste ink of the capping unit into the waste ink reservoir, thereby maintaining the cleanliness around the capping unit and inking the ink in the head. Since the waste ink can be forcibly collected through the extruder even when not driven, an effect of preventing the ink from hardening in the print head portion is expected.

Claims (3)

The cleaning liquid supply container 11 containing the cleaning liquid which wipes the surface of the head inside, the supply motor 12 which forcibly draws out the cleaning liquid contained in the cleaning liquid supply cylinder 11, and the said cleaning liquid supply An auxiliary pressure button 13 having a hollow inside to enable the cleaning liquid contained in the cylinder 11 to be drawn out using air pressure, the cleaning liquid supply cylinder 11, the supply motor 12, and the auxiliary pressure button 13. A cleaning liquid supply unit 10 having a cleaning liquid supply hose 14 to which cleaning liquids drawn from the cleaning liquid supply cylinder 11 are connected to each other; A capping unit 20 having a plurality of inlet / outlet holes 21 therein so that the cleaning liquid supplied from the cleaning liquid supply unit 10 is discharged to the surface; By the waste ink circulator 33 and the waste ink circulator 33 in which a plurality of circulation guides 31 are arranged on one side by the circulation motor 32 so that the waste ink generated during head cleaning can be easily circulated. Waste ink having a waste ink reservoir 34 for storing the waste ink circulated, and a waste ink collection hose 35 to which the waste ink collected and connected to the waste ink circulator 33 and the waste ink reservoir 34 is moved A collecting unit 30; The cleaning liquid supply hose 14 of the cleaning liquid supply unit 10 and the waste ink collection hose 35 of the waste ink collection unit 30 are respectively connected to supply a cleaning liquid to the capping unit 20, or a capping unit. A head cleaning structure for an ink printer, characterized in that a valve (40) is included to enable the collection of waste ink remaining in (20). The method of claim 1, The waste ink collecting unit 30, an extruder 36 is further connected to the inside of the waste ink reservoir 34 and the end of the extrusion hose 36 is connected to the waste ink reservoir 34 so that the waste ink can be collected when the printer is not driven. A head cleaning structure for an ink printer, further comprising (37). The method of claim 2, One end of the extrusion hose 36 connecting the extruder 37 and the waste ink reservoir 34 is further connected to an air connector 38 to facilitate the access of air from the extruder 37. The head cleaning structure of the ink printer.

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