WO2021131306A1

WO2021131306A1 - Inkjet printer

Info

Publication number: WO2021131306A1
Application number: PCT/JP2020/040356
Authority: WO
Inventors: 久弥松岡; ホセビジェガス
Original assignee: ローランドディー．ジー．株式会社
Priority date: 2019-12-26
Filing date: 2020-10-28
Publication date: 2021-07-01
Also published as: JPWO2021131306A1; JP7186902B2

Abstract

A printer 10 is provided with: an ink head 40 having a nozzle surface 44 on which a plurality of nozzles 41 are formed; a cap 93 formed to be attachable to and detachable from the ink head 40; a movement mechanism 100 that moves the cap 93 between a cap position CP and a distant position DP; and a shielding unit 130 having a shielding member 132 partially movable to a position overlapping the whole cap 93 in a plan view. The shielding member 132 includes a shielding part 134 movable to a position overlapping the whole cap 93 in a plan view and an opening part 136 at which the cap 93 is exposed in a plan view. The shielding member 132 is configured to be movable to a first position at which the shielding part 132 is positioned above the cap 93 and a second position at which the opening part 136 is positioned below an upper end 93T of the cap 93.

Description

Inkjet printer

The present invention relates to an inkjet printer.
This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-236811 filed on December 26, 2019, and the entire contents of the application are incorporated herein by reference. There is.

Conventionally, an inkjet printer having an ink head having a plurality of nozzles and a nozzle surface on which nozzles are formed and performing predetermined printing on a recording medium by an inkjet method has been known. Such an inkjet printer is provided with a capping unit used to properly eject ink from a nozzle. The capping unit has a cap that covers the nozzle surface when printing is not performed.

For example, as shown in Patent Document 1, the capping unit forms a closed space by covering the nozzle surface with a cap. By driving the suction pump connected to the cap while the closed space is formed, the ink with high viscosity is forcibly ejected from the nozzle (hereinafter, also referred to as suction operation). As a result, clogging of the nozzle can be suppressed.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-119397

By the way, the cap has an opening facing upward. Therefore, when the cap is attached to the ink head, foreign matter or the like does not enter the cap from the outside of the cap, but when the cap is removed from the ink head (for example, during printing), the inside of the cap There is a risk of foreign matter entering the market.

The present invention has been made in view of this point, and an object of the present invention is to provide an inkjet printer capable of reducing the possibility of foreign matter or the like invading the cap.

The inkjet printer according to the present invention is equipped with an ink head having a plurality of nozzles that eject ink to a recording medium and are lined up in the first direction, and nozzle surfaces on which the plurality of nozzles are formed, and the ink head. A carriage that is movable in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and a carriage that is detachably formed on the ink head and covers the nozzle surface and covers the nozzle surface when attached to the ink head. A cap forming a closed space between them, a suction pump for sucking a fluid in the closed space, a cap position where the cap covers the nozzle surface, and a separation position where the cap is separated from the nozzle surface. It is provided with a moving mechanism for moving between the two, and a shielding unit having a shielding member that can be moved to a position where a part of the cap overlaps the entire cap in a plan view. The shielding member includes a shielding portion that can be moved to a position that overlaps the entire cap in a plan view, and an opening in which the cap is exposed in a plan view. It is configured to be movable between a first position located above and a second position where the opening is located below the upper end of the cap.

According to the inkjet printer of the present invention, the shielding member includes a shielding portion that can be moved to a position that overlaps the entire cap in a plan view. Therefore, when the cap is removed from the ink head, the entire cap is covered by the shielding portion by moving the shielding member to the first position so that the shielding portion is located above the cap. As a result, the intrusion of foreign matter or the like from above the cap is suppressed by the shielding portion. Further, the shielding member includes an opening in which the cap is exposed in a plan view. Therefore, when the cap is attached to the ink head, the entire cap is exposed by moving the shielding member to the second position so that the opening is located below the upper end of the cap. This allows the cap to be attached to the ink head.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an inkjet printer capable of reducing the possibility of foreign matter or the like invading the cap.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an inkjet printer according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the lower surface of the carriage according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cleaning unit according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a front view of the cleaning unit according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the flushing unit and the wiping unit according to the embodiment. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the flushing unit and the wiping unit according to the embodiment. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the wiper unit according to the embodiment. FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the wiper unit according to the embodiment. FIG. 9 is a side view of the wiping unit according to the embodiment, showing a state in which the wiper is in the wiping position. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the cleaner holder and the collection container according to the embodiment. FIG. 11 is a side view of the wiping unit according to the embodiment, showing a state in which the wiper is located at the first retracted position. FIG. 12 is a side view of the wiping unit according to the embodiment, showing a state in which the wiper is in the collection position. FIG. 13 is a side view of the wiping unit according to the embodiment, showing a state in which the wiper is in the cleaning position. FIG. 14 is a plan view of the capping unit with the shielding member according to the embodiment removed. FIG. 15 is a side view of the capping unit according to the embodiment, showing a state in which the cap is not attached to the ink head. FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the stage and the support base according to the embodiment. FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the cam and the support base according to the embodiment. FIG. 18 is a side view of the capping unit according to the embodiment, showing a state in which a cap is attached to the ink head. FIG. 19 is a plan view showing a shielding unit according to an embodiment. FIG. 20 is a front view showing a part of the capping unit according to the embodiment. FIG. 21 is a side view of the wiping unit according to the embodiment.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of an inkjet printer (hereinafter referred to as a printer) according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments described here are, of course, not intended to particularly limit the present invention. In addition, members and parts that perform the same action are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate description will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

FIG. 1 is a front view of the printer 10 according to the present embodiment. In the following description, the reference numerals F, Rr, L, R, U, and D in the drawings mean front, rear, left, right, top, and bottom when the printer 10 is viewed from the front. The reference numeral Y in the drawing indicates the main scanning direction, and the reference numeral X in the drawing (see FIG. 2) indicates the sub-scanning direction. In the present embodiment, the main scanning direction Y is the left-right direction. The sub-scanning direction X is a front-rear direction, which is orthogonal to the main scanning direction Y in a plan view. The sub-scanning direction X is an example of the first direction. The main scanning direction Y is an example of the second direction. However, these directions are merely the directions defined for convenience of explanation, and do not limit the installation mode of the printer 10 at all, and do not limit the present invention at all.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 prints on the recording medium 5. The recording medium 5 is, for example, a recording paper. However, the recording medium 5 is not limited to the recording paper. The recording medium 5 may be a resin sheet or film such as polyvinyl chloride or polyester, a cloth such as a woven cloth or a non-woven fabric, or other medium, in addition to papers such as plain paper and printing paper for inkjet.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 includes a printer main body 10A, a platen 13, a transport mechanism 20, a guide rail 15, a carriage 17, a head moving mechanism 30, an ink head 40 (see FIG. 2), and the like. It includes a light irradiation device 38, a cleaning unit 45, and a control device 200.

The printer body 10A has a casing extending in the main scanning direction Y. The recording medium 5 is placed on the platen 13. Printing is performed on the platen 13 with the recording medium 5 mounted on the platen 13. The platen 13 extends in the main scanning direction Y and the sub-scanning direction X. The platen 13 is an example of a mounting table.

The transport mechanism 20 transports the recording medium 5 mounted on the platen 13 in the sub-scanning direction X. The configuration of the transport mechanism 20 is not particularly limited. In the present embodiment, the transport mechanism 20 includes a pinch roller 21, a grit roller 22, and a feed motor 23. The pinch roller 21 is arranged above the platen 13 and below the guide rail 15 and presses the recording medium 5 from above. The grit roller 22 is provided on the platen 13 with its upper portion exposed upward from the platen 13. The grit roller 22 faces the pinch roller 21. The installation positions and numbers of the pinch rollers 21 and the grit rollers 22 are not particularly limited. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the pinch roller 21 and the grit roller 22 are arranged at the left end portion and the right end portion of the platen 13, respectively.

Here, the feed motor 23 is connected to the grit roller 22. When the feed motor 23 is driven with the recording medium 5 sandwiched between the pinch roller 21 and the grit roller 22, the grit roller 22 rotates. As a result, the recording medium 5 is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction X. The feed motor 23 is controlled by the control device 200.

The guide rail 15 is arranged above the platen 13. The guide rail 15 is arranged parallel to the platen 13 and extends in the main scanning direction Y. A carriage 17 is engaged with the guide rail 15. The carriage 17 is slidably provided on the guide rail 15.

The head moving mechanism 30 is a mechanism for moving the carriage 17, the ink head 40 (see FIG. 2), and the light irradiation device 38 in the main scanning direction Y. The configuration of the head moving mechanism 30 is not particularly limited. In the present embodiment, the head moving mechanism 30 includes a pulley 31a on the left side, a pulley 31b on the right side, a belt 32, and a carriage motor 33. The left pulley 31a is provided near the left end of the guide rail 15. The right pulley 31b is provided near the right end of the guide rail 15. The belt 32 has, for example, an endless shape, and is wound around a pulley 31a on the left side and a pulley 31b on the right side. A carriage 17 is attached and fixed to the belt 32.

The carriage motor 33 is connected to the pulley 31b on the right side. When the carriage motor 33 is driven, the pulley 31b on the right side rotates, and the belt 32 travels between the pulley 31a on the left side and the pulley 31b on the right side. As a result, the carriage 17, the ink head 40, and the light irradiation device 38 move along the guide rail 15 in the main scanning direction Y. The carriage motor 33 is controlled by the control device 200.

As shown in FIG. 2, the ink head 40 is mounted on the carriage 17. The ink head 40 includes a first ink head 40A, a second ink head 40B, a third ink head 40C, and a fourth ink head 40D. The first ink heads 40A to 40D are formed in a shape in which the length of the sub-scanning direction X is longer than the length of the main scanning direction Y. The first ink head 40A to the fourth ink head 40D are formed to have the same shape and the same size. The ink head 40 has a first nozzle row 42 in which a plurality of nozzles 41 are arranged in the sub-scanning direction X, and a second nozzle row 42 in which a plurality of nozzles 41 are arranged sideways to the first nozzle row 42 and the plurality of nozzles 41 are arranged in the sub-scanning direction X. It includes 43 and a nozzle surface 44 on which a plurality of nozzles 41 are formed. Here, the second nozzle row 43 is located to the right of the first nozzle row 42. Ink (for example, photocurable ink) is ejected from the nozzle 41 toward the recording medium 5. The inside of the nozzle 41 is set to a negative pressure (pressure lower than atmospheric pressure). In the present embodiment, the printer 10 includes four ink heads 40A to 40D, but the number is not particularly limited. Further, although the ink head 40 each includes two nozzle rows, one nozzle row or three or more nozzle rows may be provided.

The nozzle 41 of the ink head 40 ejects photocurable ink as ink, for example. Examples of the photocurable ink include ultraviolet curable ink. The ultraviolet curable ink has a property of being cured when irradiated with ultraviolet rays.

As shown in FIG. 1, the light irradiation device 38 is arranged on the right side and the left side of the carriage 17, respectively. The light irradiation device 38 is a device that irradiates light (for example, ultraviolet rays) with light (for example, ultraviolet rays) on the photocurable ink (for example, ultraviolet curable ink) discharged to the recording medium 5.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cleaning unit 45 is arranged on the right side of the platen 13. The cleaning unit 45 is arranged below the carriage 17. As shown in FIG. 3, the cleaning unit 45 includes a flushing unit 50, a wiping unit 60, a capping unit 90, and a shielding unit 130. Regarding the main scanning direction Y, the platen 13, the flushing unit 50, the wiping unit 60, and the capping unit 90 are arranged in this order. Here, as shown in FIG. 4, the flushing unit 50 is arranged on the right side of the platen 13 (see FIG. 1) and on the left side of the wiping unit 60. The wiping unit 60 is arranged on the right side of the flushing unit 50 and on the left side of the capping unit 90. The shielding unit 130 is provided in the capping unit 90. In FIG. 4, the actuator 170 (see FIG. 3), which will be described later, is omitted for convenience of explanation. The same applies to FIG. 20, which will be described later.

A predetermined amount of ink is ejected from the nozzle 41 of the ink head 40 to the flushing unit 50. The operation of ejecting ink from the nozzle 41 to the flushing unit 50 is a so-called flushing operation. The flushing operation is performed, for example, periodically during printing (for example, every time the carriage 17 reciprocates on the platen 13 in the main scanning direction Y). As shown in FIG. 5, the flushing unit 50 includes a main body case 51, a flushing stage 52, and a tube 59. The main body case 51 is formed in a rectangular shape. The main body case 51 is formed with an opening 51A formed in a rectangular shape in a plan view. The main body case 51 holds the flushing stage 52 in the opening 51A. The flushing stage 52 is a member that receives the ink ejected from the nozzle 41. The flushing stage 52 includes a detachably provided net-like lid 53, a storage container 54 for receiving ink ejected from the nozzle 41, and an absorber 55 for absorbing ink ejected from the nozzle 41. There is. The lid 53 is detachably provided in the storage container 54. The absorber 55 is detachably held in the storage container 54. The absorber 55 is, for example, a sponge. A discharge port 54A to which one end 59A of the tube 59 is connected is formed in the lower part of the storage container 54. The other end 59B of the tube 59 is exposed to the outside of the main body case 51 through a through hole 51H formed in the right side wall 51R of the main body case 51 (that is, a wall facing the wiping unit 60). The other end 59B of the tube 59 is located on the collection container 82 described later of the capping unit 90. That is, the ink discharged from the nozzle 41 of the ink head 40 to the flushing stage 52 is collected in the collection container 82 via the tube 59.

Next, the wiping unit 60 according to this embodiment will be described. When printing is performed by the printer 10, deposits such as ink and foreign matter may adhere to the nozzle surface 44 of the ink head 40. If printing is performed with the deposits attached, the recording medium 5 may become dirty and the print quality deteriorates. Therefore, the wiping unit 60 removes deposits such as ink adhering to the nozzle surface 44. Further, the meniscus of the nozzle 41 may not be in an appropriate state after the suction operation described later by the capping unit 90 is performed. Therefore, the wiping unit 60 returns the meniscus of the nozzle 41 to an appropriate state by wiping the nozzle surface 44.

The wiping unit 60 is arranged below the carriage 17. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the wiping unit 60 includes a main body case 61, a wiper unit 63, a belt 70, a first rotating shaft 73, a second rotating shaft 74, a wiper cleaner 78, and a cleaner holder. It includes 80 (see FIG. 10) and a collection container 82.

As shown in FIG. 3, the main body case 61 includes a bottom wall 61A, a left wall 61B extending upward from the bottom wall 61A and extending in the sub-scanning direction X, and a left wall 61B extending upward and in the sub-scanning direction X from the bottom wall 61A. A right wall 61C arranged to the right, a front wall 61D connecting the left wall 61B and the right wall 61C, and a rear wall arranged behind the front wall 61D and connecting the left wall 61B and the right wall 61C. It has 61E and. The main body case 61 has an opening 61H formed in a rectangular shape in a plan view. The opening 61H is partitioned by a left wall 61B, a right wall 61C, a front wall 61D, and a rear wall 61E. As shown in FIG. 6, the opening 61H is formed in a rectangular shape in a plan view. The opening 61H opens upward. Further, the main body case 61 has an opening 61J (see FIG. 5) below the front wall 61D. The opening 61J opens toward the front.

As shown in FIG. 3, guide plates 62 are provided on the left wall 61B and the right wall 61C of the main body case 61, respectively. The guide plate 62 is formed with a guide groove 62H that guides the movement of the wiper unit 63. As shown in FIG. 9, the guide groove 62H is formed in an oval shape.

As shown in FIG. 6, the first rotating shaft 73 and the second rotating shaft 74 extend in the main scanning direction Y. The first rotating shaft 73 and the second rotating shaft 74 are rotatably supported by the left wall 61B, the right wall 61C, and the guide plate 62. The second rotation shaft 74 is arranged in front of the first rotation shaft 73. The first rotating shaft 73 and the second rotating shaft 74 are arranged in parallel. The heights of the first rotating shaft 73 and the second rotating shaft 74 from the bottom wall 61A are the same. As shown in FIG. 9, in the present embodiment, the first rotating shaft 73 and the second rotating shaft 74 rotate clockwise (direction of arrow R1 in FIG. 9) when viewed from the right to the left. It is configured in. In FIG. 9, for convenience of explanation, the right wall 61C and the guide plate 62 provided on the right wall 61C of the wiping unit 60 are omitted. The same applies to FIGS. 12 and 13 described later.

As shown in FIG. 6, the belt 70 is wound around the first rotating shaft 73 and the second rotating shaft 74. The belt 70 is formed in an endless shape. The belt 70 includes a first belt 71 and a second belt 72 wound around the first rotating shaft 73 and the second rotating shaft 74. The first belt 71 and the second belt 72 are formed in an endless shape. The second belt 72 is arranged to the right of the first belt 71. The second belt 72 is arranged apart from the first belt 71 in the main scanning direction Y. In the present embodiment, the first belt 71 and the second belt 72 are the first rotating shaft 73 and the second rotating shaft 73 via the belt gear 75 (see FIG. 5) provided on the first rotating shaft 73 and the second rotating shaft 74. It is wound around a shaft 74. In the present embodiment, when the first rotating shaft 73 is rotated by the actuator 170 (see FIG. 3) described later, the first belt 71 and the second belt 72 travel between the first rotating shaft 73 and the second rotating shaft 74. ..

As shown in FIG. 3, the wiper unit 63 has a wiper 64 extending in the main scanning direction Y and a wiper holder 65 holding the wiper 64. The wiper 64 wipes the nozzle surface 44 of the ink head 40. The wiper 64 is made of a flexible material, such as rubber. The wiper 64 is a flat plate-shaped member. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the wiper holder 65 has a first holder 66 that holds the wiper 64 and a second holder 67 that holds the first holder 66. The first holder 66 is inserted into a case portion 66A that penetrates in the vertical direction and holds the wiper 64 and a through hole 64H provided in the inner wall of the case portion 66A and formed in the wiper 64 to engage with the wiper 64. It has an engaging claw 66B, a groove 66C formed on the inner wall of the case portion 66A and extending in the vertical direction, and an arm portion 66D provided so as to project from the outer wall of the case portion 66A and held by the second holder 67. .. The second holder 67 is formed on the outer wall of the case portion 67A that penetrates in the vertical direction and holds the first holder 66, the engaging protrusion 67B that engages with the arm portion 66D, and the guide plate 62. It has a guide protrusion 67C that fits into the guide groove 62H (see FIG. 9), a first belt connecting portion 67D connected to the first belt 71, and a second belt connecting portion 67E connected to the second belt 72. .. The first belt connecting portion 67D and the second belt connecting portion 67E are provided below the case portion 67A. The first belt connecting portion 67D, the second belt connecting portion 67E, and the case portion 67A are integrally formed. The first belt 71 and the second belt 72 are sandwiched between the first belt connecting portion 67D, the second belt connecting portion 67E, and the case portion 67A.

As shown in FIG. 3, the wiper 64 protrudes from the outer peripheral surface 70A of the belt 70 (so as to protrude from the outer peripheral surface 70A in the direction intersecting the outer peripheral surface 70A and in the direction away from the outer peripheral surface 70A). It is provided. The wiper 64 projects from the outer peripheral surface 71A of the first belt 71 and the outer peripheral surface 72A of the second belt 72 (from the outer peripheral surface 72A in the direction intersecting the outer peripheral surface 72A and in the direction away from the outer peripheral surface 72A). ) It is provided on the first belt 71 and the second belt 72. In the present embodiment, the wiper 64 is provided on the first belt 71 and the second belt 72 via the wiper holder 65. As shown in FIG. 6, the wiper 64 is inclined from one end of the main scanning direction Y toward the other end in a plan view. For example, when the wiper 64 projects upward, the wiper 64 is inclined rearward from the left end to the right end of the wiper 64 in a plan view. That is, the left end of the wiper 64 is located in front of the right end. The left end of the wiper 64 may be located behind the right end. As shown in FIG. 9, in the present embodiment, the wiper 64 is configured to move clockwise (in the direction of arrow R2 in FIG. 9) when viewed from right to left. That is, when the wiper 64 is facing upward, the wiper 64 moves from the front to the rear, and when the wiper 64 is facing downward, the wiper 64 moves from the rear to the front (FIG. 12). reference). In the present embodiment, in the wiper 64, the center of the main scanning direction Y of the wiper 64 is the center of the main scanning direction Y of the first cap unit 92A and the center of the main scanning direction Y of the second cap unit 92B, which will be described later. It is arranged at a position separated to the left from the center of the main scanning direction Y of the first cap unit 92A by an integral multiple (for example, twice) of the distance.

As shown in FIG. 6, in a state where the wiper unit 63 is attached to the first belt 71 and the second belt 72, the groove 66C of the first holder 66 is formed between the first belt 71 and the second belt 72 in a plan view. Located in between. Here, the groove 66C is located to the right of the first belt 71 and to the left of the second belt 72. As a result, when the ink adhering to the wiper 64 falls downward through the groove 66C, it is possible to prevent the ink from adhering to the first belt 71 and the second belt 72.

As shown in FIG. 9, the cleaner holder 80 holds the wiper cleaner 78 detachably. The cleaner holder 80 is arranged below the first rotating shaft 73 and the second rotating shaft 74. As shown in FIG. 6, the cleaner holder 80 overlaps with the second rotation shaft 74 in a plan view. The cleaner holder 80 is made of, for example, a resin material. As shown in FIG. 10, the cleaner holder 80 has a main body 80A for holding the wiper cleaner 78 and a pair of extending portions 80B extending forward from the main body 80A. The main body 80A is formed with a recess 80C (see FIG. 9) that holds the wiper cleaner 78 in an inclined state. The extending portion 80B is formed with an engaging projection 80P that engages with an engaging hole 61P (see FIG. 3) formed in the left wall 61B and the right wall 61C of the main body case 61. As shown in FIG. 9, the cleaner holder 80 is detachably provided in the main body case 61 via an opening 61J (see also FIG. 5) formed in the main body case 61. When the cleaner holder 80 is inserted into the opening 61J, the cleaner holder 80 is fixed at a position where it comes into contact with the collection container 82. At this time, the engaging protrusion 80P of the cleaner holder 80 engages with the engaging hole 61P. Further, by moving the pair of extending portions 80B toward each other, the engagement between the engaging projection 80P and the engaging hole 61P is released, so that the cleaner holder 80 can be removed from the main body case 61.

As shown in FIG. 9, the wiper cleaner 78 is arranged below the first rotating shaft 73 and the second rotating shaft 74. As shown in FIG. 6, the wiper cleaner 78 overlaps the second rotation axis 74 in a plan view. The wiper cleaner 78 comes into contact with the wiper 64 and removes the ink adhering to the wiper 64. The wiper cleaner 78 is made of a flexible material such as a resin material or a non-woven fabric. Examples of the resin material include polyolefin resins such as polyethylene and polypropylene. The wiper cleaner 78 is configured to absorb ink. The wiper cleaner 78 has, for example, a continuously foamed structure and is made of a polyolefin resin. In the present embodiment, the wiper cleaner 78 is arranged so as to be inclined so that the front end 78F is located above the rear end 78R.

The collection container 82 is a member that collects the ink flowing down from the wiper 64. As shown in FIG. 9, the collection container 82 is arranged in the main body case 61. The collection container 82 is fixed to the bottom wall 61A. The collection container 82 is arranged below the first rotation shaft 73 and the second rotation shaft 74. The collection container 82 is arranged behind the cleaner holder 80. As shown in FIG. 6, the collection container 82 overlaps the first rotation shaft 73 in a plan view. The collection container 82 is formed with a discharge port 82D connected to the waste liquid tank 99 (see FIG. 1). The upper surface 82A of the collection container 82 is inclined toward the discharge port 82D.

Next, the movement of the wiper 64 will be described. As shown in FIG. 9, the wiper 64 has a wiping position WW for wiping the nozzle surface 44 of the ink head 40, a collection position WR for collecting the ink adhering to the wiper 64, and a cleaning position for removing the ink adhering to the wiper 64. It is configured to move between the WC, the first retracted position WP1 and the second retracted position WP2. The first retract position WP1 is located between the cleaning position WC and the wiping position WW. The second retract position WP2 is located between the wiping position WW and the collection position WR. The wiper 64 of the present embodiment moves in the direction of arrow R2 in FIG. 9 as described above.

As shown in FIG. 11, the wiper 64 is located at the first retracted position WP1 during printing or before wiping the nozzle surface 44. Since the wiper 64 located at the first retracted position WP1 has passed through the wiper cleaner 78, ink has been removed from the wiper 64. The position of the wiper 64 shown in FIG. 11 is the initial position WS. When the wiper 64 is located at the initial position WS, the wiper 64 is located above the first rotating shaft 73 and the second rotating shaft 74. That is, the wiper 64 projects upward. The wiper 64 is configured to be located at the initial position WS during printing. The wiper 64 may be configured to be located at the second retracted position WP2 shown in FIG. 13 during printing. For example, the carriage 17 moves in the main scanning direction Y when the wiper 64 is located at the initial position WS.

As shown in FIG. 9, the wiper 64 located at the wiping position WW faces upward. At the wiping position WW, the wiper 64 moves from the front to the rear. When the wiper 64 wipes the nozzle surface 44, the ink adhering to the nozzle surface 44 moves to the wiper 64. At this time, since the wiper 64 faces upward, a part of the moved ink flows downward due to gravity. The ink that has flowed downward falls downward through the groove 66C (see FIG. 6) provided in the first holder 66, and is collected in the collection container 82.

As shown in FIG. 12, the wiper 64 located at the collection position WR faces downward. At the recovery position WR, the wiper 64 moves from the rear to the front. At this time, since the wiper 64 faces downward, most of the ink adhering to the wiper 64 falls into the collection container 82 due to gravity.

As shown in FIG. 13, the wiper 64 comes into contact with the wiper cleaner 78 at the cleaning position WC. That is, since the wiper 64 moves while contacting the wiper cleaner 78, the ink adhering to the wiper 64 is removed by the wiper cleaner 78. Since the wiper 64 moves to the cleaning position WC after the collection position WR, most of the ink adhering to the wiper 64 is collected in the collection container 82 before the wiper 64 is brought into contact with the wiper cleaner 78. As a result, the amount of ink removed by the wiper cleaner 78 is reduced, so that the frequency of replacement of the wiper cleaner 78 can be reduced.

Even when the wiper 64 is located at the second retracted position WP2, a part of the ink adhering to the wiper 64 falls into the collection container 82 due to gravity.

Next, the capping unit 90 according to this embodiment will be described. The capping unit 90 suppresses drying of the nozzle 41 of the ink head 40 by attaching a cap 93, which will be described later, to the ink head 40. Further, in order to suppress clogging of the nozzle 41, the capping unit 90 forcibly discharges the ink in the nozzle 41 into the cap 93 by the suction pump 98 described later.

The capping unit 90 is arranged below the carriage 17. As shown in FIG. 14, the capping unit 90 includes a cap unit 92 having a cap 93 detachably formed on the ink head 40, a suction pump 98 (see FIG. 1), and a moving mechanism 100 for moving the cap 93. It has.

The cap unit 92 is a member that prevents the ink adhering to the nozzle 41 of the ink head 40 from being cured and clogging the nozzle 41. As shown in FIG. 14, the cap unit 92 is held by the stage 102 of the moving mechanism 100, which will be described later. The cap unit 92 includes a first cap unit 92A, a second cap unit 92B, a third cap unit 92C, and a fourth cap unit 92D. The first cap unit 92A to the fourth cap unit 92D are arranged in the main scanning direction Y. The first cap unit 92A to the fourth cap unit 92D are arranged at equal intervals. The first cap unit 92A to the fourth cap unit 92D have the same configuration.

As shown in FIG. 14, the cap unit 92 includes a cap 93, an absorber 94, and a case 95. The cap 93 is formed so that the length of the sub-scanning direction X is longer than the length of the main scanning direction Y. The cap 93 is open upward. The cap 93 is arranged inside the case 95. The cap 93 is provided on the case 95 so as to be in contact with the nozzle surface 44. When the cap 93 comes into contact with the nozzle surface 44, a closed space is formed between the cap 93 and the nozzle surface 44. The upper end 93T (see FIG. 15) of the cap 93 first contacts the nozzle surface 44. The cap 93 is attached to the first ink head 40A to the fourth ink head 40D, respectively, and covers the nozzle surface 44, respectively, during the printing standby. The cap 93 has flexibility. The cap 93 is made of, for example, rubber. The cap 93 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view.

As shown in FIG. 14, the absorber 94 is arranged inside the cap 93. The absorber 94 is arranged below the upper end 93T (see FIG. 15) of the cap 93. That is, the absorber 94 does not project outward from the cap 93, and the absorber 94 does not come into contact with the nozzle surface 44. The absorber 94 is a porous material capable of absorbing ink. Examples of the absorber 94 include a sponge.

As shown in FIG. 15, an ink flow path 95A is provided in the lower part of the case 95. The ink flow path 95A penetrates the cap 93 and communicates with the absorber 94. That is, when a closed space is formed between the cap 93 and the nozzle surface 44, the ink flow path 95A communicates with the closed space.

The moving mechanism 100 supports the cap 93. The moving mechanism 100 is a mechanism for moving the cap 93 so as to be detachable from the ink head 40. In the present embodiment, the moving mechanism 100 moves the cap 93 in the vertical direction. The moving mechanism 100 moves the cap 93 to the cap position CP (see FIG. 18) by moving the cap 93 upward. Here, the cap position CP is a position where the cap 93 covers the nozzle surface 44. As a result, the cap 93 is attached to the ink head 40. The moving mechanism 100 moves the cap 93 downward from the cap position CP (see FIG. 18) by moving the cap 93 downward when starting printing, wiping the nozzle surface 44 with the wiper 64, or the like. (See FIG. 15). Here, the separation position DP is a position where the cap 93 is separated from the nozzle surface 44. As a result, the cap 93 is removed from the ink head 40.

As shown in FIG. 15, the moving mechanism 100 includes a stage 102 that holds the cap 93, a support base 104 that supports the stage 102, and a pair of partition walls 106L arranged outside the support base 104 in the main scanning direction Y. , 106R (see FIG. 14), the first urging member 110 that urges the stage 102 downward, the second urging member 112 that urges the cap 93 upward, and the stage 102 upward. It includes a plurality of pressable cams 120 (see also FIG. 17) and a cam shaft 125 that holds the cams 120. In FIG. 15, the partition wall 106R of the moving mechanism 100 is omitted for convenience of explanation. The same applies to FIG. 18 described later.

As shown in FIG. 15, the stage 102 holds the cap unit 92. The stage 102 holds the cap 93 via the case 95 of the cap unit 92. As shown in FIG. 16, the stage 102 includes a flat plate-shaped base portion 102A, a first stopper 102B extending upward from the front end of the base portion 102A, and a second stopper 102C extending upward from the rear end of the base portion 102A. It has a fixing portion 102D for fixing the second urging member 112 (see FIG. 15). The base portion 102A is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view. As shown in FIG. 15, the first stopper 102B is located above the front end 95F of the case 95 of the cap unit 92 and has a regulation unit 102BS that restricts the upward movement of the cap unit 92. The second stopper 102C has a rod member 102CS that is located above the rear end 95R of the case 95 of the cap unit 92 and is inserted into the through hole 95H formed in the case 95. The second stopper 102C guides the vertical movement of the cap unit 92 and restricts the upward movement of the cap unit 92. The fixing portion 102D is formed on the surface of the base portion 102A. The fixed portion 102D projects upward. The fixed portion 102D is formed in a columnar shape. In this embodiment, two first stoppers 102B, one second stopper 102C, and two second urging members 112 hold one cap unit 92.

As shown in FIG. 16, the support base 104 supports the stage 102. As shown in FIG. 17, the support base 104 is provided with a plurality of guide pillars 104A for guiding the vertical movement of the stage 102. The guide pillar 104A extends in the vertical direction. The support base 104 is formed with a storage recess 104B in which the cam 120 is housed. The support base 104 is provided with a holding portion 104C for holding the lower end of the first urging member 110. The support base 104 is formed with a support surface 104D that supports the lower surface of the stage 102 from below. A metal support plate 105 is provided below the support base 104.

As shown in FIG. 3, the partition wall 106L is arranged to the left of the support base 104. The partition wall 106R is arranged to the right of the support base 104. The

partition walls

106L and 106R extend in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction. The

partition walls

106L and 106R are connected to the support plate 105. In this embodiment, the partition wall 106L and the bottom wall 61A of the wiping unit 60 are integrally formed.

As shown in FIG. 15, the first urging member 110 is arranged between the stage 102 and the support base 104. The upper end of the first urging member 110 is connected to the lower surface of the base portion 102A of the stage 102. The lower end of the first urging member 110 is connected to the holding portion 104C (see FIG. 17) of the support base 104. The first urging member 110 urges the stage 102 downward. As shown in FIG. 17, in the present embodiment, the moving mechanism 100 includes eight first urging members 110. Four first urging members 110 are provided in front of the cam shaft 125, and four first urging members 110 are provided behind the cam shaft 125. The first urging member 110 is, for example, a tension spring (tension coil spring).

As shown in FIG. 15, the second urging member 112 is arranged between the case 95 of the cap unit 92 and the stage 102. The upper end of the second urging member 112 is connected to the lower surface of the case 95. The lower end of the second urging member 112 is fitted into the fixing portion 102D formed on the base portion 102A of the stage 102. The second urging member 112 urges the case 95 upward. That is, the second urging member 112 urges the cap 93 upward. In this embodiment, the moving mechanism 100 includes eight second urging members 112. Two second urging members 112 are provided for one cap unit 92. The second urging member 112 is, for example, a compression spring (compression coil spring).

As shown in FIG. 15, the cam 120 is arranged below the stage 102. The cam 120 is in contact with the convex portion 102E provided on the back surface of the base portion 102A of the stage 102. As the cam 120 rotates with the cam shaft 125, the stage 102 is pressed upward. In this embodiment, the moving mechanism 100 includes four cams 120. The four cams 120 are fixed to the cam shaft 125 at the same angle.

As shown in FIG. 17, the cam shaft 125 extends in the main scanning direction Y. The camshaft 125 is located below the stage 102. The cam shaft 125 is arranged substantially at the center of the support base 104 in the front-rear direction. The cam shaft 125 is rotatably supported by

partition walls

106L and 106R (see FIG. 4). As the cam shaft 125 rotates, the cam 120 also rotates. As shown in FIG. 15, in the present embodiment, the cam shaft 125 is configured to rotate counterclockwise (in the direction of arrow S1 in FIG. 15) when viewed from right to left.

As shown in FIG. 1, the suction pump 98 is provided in the printer main body 10A. The suction pump 98 performs a suction operation of sucking a fluid (for example, ink) in a closed space and discharging ink from a nozzle 41 while the cap 93 is attached to the ink head 40. By driving the suction pump 98, the pressure in the enclosed space becomes lower than the atmospheric pressure. As a result, the ink is forcibly discharged from the nozzle 41 of the ink head 40. The suction port of the suction pump 98 is connected to an ink flow path 95A (see FIG. 15) provided in the case 95 of the cap unit 92 via a flexible tube (not shown). The discharge port of the suction pump 98 is connected to the waste liquid tank 99 (see FIG. 1). The fluid in the closed space sucked by the suction pump 98 is stored in the waste liquid tank 99. The suction operation is a work for eliminating the ejection defect of the nozzle 41, and is a work for preventing the nozzle 41 of the ink head 40 from being clogged.

Next, the movement of the cap 93 will be described. The cap 93 is configured to move between the cap position CP (see FIG. 18) and the separation position DP (see FIG. 15). The cap 93 moves in the vertical direction.

As shown in FIG. 15, when the cam 120 does not push the stage 102 upward, the stage 102 is urged downward (pulled downward) by the first urging member 110. Therefore, the stage 102 is in contact with the support surface 104D of the support base 104. At this time, the cap 93 is urged upward by the second urging member 112 provided on the stage 102, but when the stage 102 is in contact with the support surface 104D, the cap 93 and the ink head are in contact with each other. A large space is formed between the nozzle surface 44 of the 40 and the nozzle surface 44. That is, the cap 93 is located at the separation position DP. For example, the carriage 17 moves in the main scanning direction Y when the cap 93 is located at the separation position DP.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 18, when the cam shaft 125 rotates in the direction of the arrow S1 in FIG. 18, the cam 120 provided on the cam shaft 125 also rotates in the direction of the arrow S1. Then, the cam 120 pushes the stage 102 upward against the urging force of the first urging member 110. As a result, the cap 93 is attached to the ink head 40, and a closed space is formed between the cap 93 and the nozzle surface 44. That is, the cap 93 is located at the cap position CP. At this time, since the vertical distance between the stage 102 and the nozzle surface 44 is narrower than when it is located at the separation position DP, the case 95 is provided by the second urging member 112 provided on the stage 102. It is urged upward. As a result, the contact between the cap 93 and the nozzle surface 44 becomes stronger. When the cam shaft 125 further rotates in the direction of the arrow S1 in FIG. 18 from the state of the cam 120 shown in FIG. 18, the pressing force of the stage 102 by the cam 120 weakens, and the stage 102 is moved by the first urging member 110. The position returns to the position where the support base 104 comes into contact with the support surface 104D. In this way, the cap 93 is removed from the ink head 40.

Next, the shielding unit 130 according to this embodiment will be described. The shielding unit 130 is a member that covers the cap 93 when the cap 93 is located at the separation position DP during printing or the like, and exposes the cap 93 when the cap 93 is located at the cap position CP. As shown in FIG. 19, the shielding unit 130 includes a shielding member 132 and a plurality of rotating shafts 140.

As shown in FIG. 19, the rotation axis 140 extends in the main scanning direction Y. The rotating shaft 140 is rotatably supported by the

partition walls

106L and 106R. As shown in FIG. 15, in this embodiment, the shielding unit 130 has four rotating shafts 140. The four rotation axes 140 are arranged parallel to each other. The two rotating shafts 140 are located in front of the capping unit 90, and the two rotating shafts 140 are located behind the capping unit 90. The rotating shaft 140 is provided with a plurality of protrusions 142 extending in the radial direction. The protrusions 142 are formed along the circumferential direction at the right end and the left end of the rotation shaft 140. In the present embodiment, the rotation shaft 140 is configured to rotate clockwise (direction of arrow T1 in FIG. 15) when viewed from the right to the left.

As shown in FIG. 19, the shielding member 132 is configured to be movable to a position where a part of the shielding member 132 overlaps the entire cap 93 in a plan view. Here, the entire cap 93 means the entire portion of the cap 93 that covers at least the nozzle surface 44 (the portion that comes into contact with the nozzle surface 44). The shielding member 132 is wound around the rotating shaft 140. The material constituting the shielding member 132 is not particularly limited, and is formed of, for example, a rubberized cloth, a thin metal plate (for example, stainless steel), or a colored resin film. The shielding member 132 includes a shielding portion 134, an opening portion 136, and a base portion 138. The shielding portion 134 is configured to be movable at a position overlapping the entire cap 93 in a plan view. The shielding portion 134 covers the entire cap 93. The shielding portion 134 is formed in a rectangular shape. The length of the shielding portion 134 in the front-rear direction is longer than the length of the cap 93 in the front-rear direction. The length of the shielding portion 134 in the front-rear direction is shorter than the distance between the front rotating shaft 140 and the rear rotating shaft 140. For example, when light is emitted from the light irradiation device 38 (see FIG. 2), the shielding portion 134 overlaps the entire cap 93 in a plan view. At the opening 136, the cap 93 is exposed in a plan view. The opening 136 is larger than the shielding 134. The base portion 138 is connected to the shielding portion 134. The base portion 138 is connected to the left end and the right end of the shielding portion 134, respectively. The base portion 138 is integrally formed with the shielding portion 134. The base portion 138 is formed in an endless shape. The base portion 138 is wound around the rotating shaft 140. A plurality of holes 138H are formed in the base portion 138 along the circumferential direction. The protrusion 142 of the rotating shaft 140 fits into the hole 138H of the base portion 138. In the present embodiment, when one of the plurality of rotating shafts 140 is rotated by the actuator 170 (see FIG. 3) described later, the shielding member 132 travels between the four rotating shafts 140.

Next, the movement of the shielding member 132 will be described. The shielding member 132 has a shielding position EP (see FIGS. 15 and 19) in which the shielding portion 134 overlaps the entire cap 93 in a plan view, and an exposed position FP (FIG. 18) in which the opening 136 overlaps the entire cap 93 in a plan view. It is configured to move to and from (see). In the shielding position EP, the shielding portion 134 is located above the cap 93. In the exposed position FP, the opening 136 is located below the upper end 93T of the cap 93. The shielding position EP is an example of the first position, and the exposed position FP is an example of the second position. The shielding member 132 is configured to move in the direction of the arrow T2 by rotating the rotation shaft 140 in the direction of the arrow T1 in FIG. The shielding member 132 is configured to be movable around the cap 93 so that the shielding portion 134 and the opening 136 pass above, below and sideways (here front and rear) of the cap 93. The shielding member 132 is configured to be movable around the capping unit 90. The shielding member 132 of the present embodiment moves (rotates) around the cap 93 (capping unit 90) so that the shielding portion 134 moves in the sub-scanning direction X in a plan view.

As shown in FIG. 3, the cleaning unit 45 includes an interlocking mechanism 150 and one actuator 170 for driving the interlocking mechanism 150. The interlocking mechanism 150 of the present embodiment interlocks the movement of the wiper 64, the movement of the cap 93, and the movement of the shielding member 132. The interlocking mechanism 150 interlocks the rotation of the first rotating shaft 73 (see FIG. 9) of the wiping unit 60, the rotation of the second rotating shaft 74 (see FIG. 9), and the movement of the cap 93. That is, the interlocking mechanism 150 interlocks the rotation of the first rotating shaft 73, the rotation of the second rotating shaft 74, and the rotation of the cam shaft 125 of the moving mechanism 100. The interlocking mechanism 150 interlocks the movement of the cap 93 with the movement of the shielding member 132. That is, the interlocking mechanism 150 interlocks the rotation of the cam shaft 125 with the rotation of the rotating shaft 140.

As shown in FIG. 3, the interlocking mechanism 150 includes a first gear 152 connected to the actuator 170, a second gear 153A that meshes with the first gear 152, and a third gear integrally formed with the second gear 153A. The 153B, the fourth gear 154 (see FIG. 20) that meshes with the third gear 153B and is connected to the rotating shaft 140, the fifth gear 155A that meshes with the third gear 153B, and the fifth gear 155A are integrally formed. The sixth gear 155B, the seventh gear 156R that meshes with the sixth gear 155B and is provided at the right end of the cam shaft 125, the eighth gear 156L (see FIG. 21) provided at the left end of the cam shaft 125, and the second gear. The 9th gear 157A (see FIG. 21) that meshes with the 8th gear 156L, the 10th gear 157B (see FIG. 21) integrally formed with the 9th gear 157A, and the 11th gear 158 that meshes with the 10th gear 157B (see FIG. 21). 21) and a twelfth gear 159 (see FIG. 21) that meshes with the eleventh gear 158 and is provided at the right end of the first rotating shaft 73. The first gear 152 is an example of a drive gear, the seventh gear 156R is an example of a first driven gear, the eighth gear 156L is an example of a second driven gear, and the twelfth gear 159 is an example of the third driven gear. This is an example. By driving the actuator 170, all gears rotate.

The second gear 153A to the seventh gear 156R are provided on the partition wall 106R of the moving mechanism 100. The first gear 152 to the seventh gear 156R are arranged to the right of the partition wall 106R. The eighth gear 156L to the eleventh gear 158 are provided on the partition wall 106L of the moving mechanism 100. The 8th gear 156L to the 12th gear 159 are arranged to the left of the partition wall 106L. The eighth gear 156L to the twelfth gear 159 are arranged to the right of the right wall 61C of the main body case 61.

The actuator 170 is provided on the partition wall 106R. The actuator 170 is arranged in front of the capping unit 90. The actuator 170 is arranged in front of the rotation shaft 140. The actuator 170 is, for example, an electric motor. The actuator 170 is controlled by the control device 200. The actuator 170 rotates the rotation shaft 140 via the interlocking mechanism 150. The actuator 170 rotates the cam shaft 125 via the interlocking mechanism 150. The actuator 170 rotates the first rotating shaft 73 and the second rotating shaft 74 via the interlocking mechanism 150.

Next, the movement of the wiper 64, the movement of the cap 93, and the movement of the shielding member 132 by the interlocking mechanism 150 will be described. By driving one actuator 170 as described above, the interlocking mechanism 150 rotates the first rotating shaft 73 that moves the wiper 64, and the cam shaft 125 of the moving mechanism 100 that moves the cap 93 in the vertical direction. Rotates and rotates the rotation shaft 140 that moves the shielding member 132.

In the present embodiment, when the cam shaft 125 makes one rotation, the shielding member 132 makes one round around the capping unit 90. That is, when the cap 93 moves from the separation position DP to the cap position CP and then returns from the cap position CP to the separation position DP, the shielding member 132 moves from the shielding position EP to the exposed position FP, and then the exposed position FP. Moves from to the shield position EP. As shown in FIG. 15, when the shielding member 132 is located at the shielding position EP, the cap 93 is located at the separation position DP. That is, the interlocking mechanism 150 interlocks the rotation of the rotating shaft 140 with the rotation of the cam shaft 125 so that the cap 93 is located at the separation position DP when the shielding portion 135 is located above the cap 93. Further, as shown in FIG. 18, when the shielding member 132 is located at the exposed position FP, the cap 93 is located at the cap position CP. That is, the interlocking mechanism 150 interlocks the rotation of the rotating shaft 140 with the rotation of the cam shaft 125 so that the cap 93 is located at the cap position CP when the opening 136 is located above the cap 93. At this time, the upper end 93T of the cap 93 is located above the shielding member 132. That is, the moving mechanism 100 positions the upper end 93T of the cap 93 above the shielding member 132 when the cap 93 is exposed through the opening 136 of the shielding member 132 in a plan view.

In the present embodiment, when the cam shaft 125 makes one rotation, the wiper 64 makes two rounds in the direction of the arrow R2 in FIG. 9 from the initial position WS (see FIG. 11) and returns to the initial position WS. The interlocking mechanism 150 is configured such that the wiper 64 wipes the nozzle surface 44 when the cap 93 is located at the separation position DP. That is, when the wiper 64 moves in the direction of the arrow R2 in FIG. 9 and wipes the nozzle surface 44 of the ink head 40, the cam shaft 125 naturally rotates, but at this time, the cam 120 presses the stage 102 upward. Absent.

The interlocking mechanism 150 is configured to position the wiper 64 at the initial position WS (see FIG. 11) when the ink is ejected from the nozzle 41 of the ink head 40 to the recording medium 5 (that is, during printing).

According to the printer 10 of the present embodiment, the shielding member 132 includes a shielding portion 134 that can be moved to a position that overlaps the entire cap 93 in a plan view. Therefore, when the cap 93 is removed from the ink head 40, the shielding member 132 is moved to the shielding position EP so that the shielding portion 134 is located above the cap 93, so that the entire cap 93 is the shielding portion 134. Covered by. As a result, the intrusion of foreign matter or the like from above the cap 93 is suppressed by the shielding portion 134. Further, the shielding member 132 includes an opening 136 in which the cap 93 is exposed in a plan view. Therefore, when the cap 93 is attached to the ink head 40, the entire cap 93 is exposed by moving the shielding member 132 to the exposed position FP so that the opening 136 is located below the upper end 93T of the cap 93. .. As a result, the cap 93 can be attached to the ink head 40.

According to the printer 10 of the present embodiment, the shielding member 132 is configured to be movable around the cap 93 so that the shielding portion 134 and the opening 136 pass above, below, and sideways of the cap 93. Therefore, when the cap 93 is removed from the ink head 40, the shielding member 132 is moved around the cap so that the shielding portion 134 is located above the cap 93, so that the entire cap 93 is entirely covered by the shielding portion 134. Be covered. As a result, the intrusion of foreign matter or the like from above the cap 93 is suppressed by the shielding portion 134. Further, when the cap 93 is attached to the ink head 40, the entire cap 93 is exposed by moving the shielding member 132 around the cap 93 so that the opening 136 is located above the cap 93. As a result, the cap 93 can be attached to the ink head 40.

According to the printer 10 of the present embodiment, the moving mechanism 100 positions the upper end 93T of the cap 93 above the shielding member 132 when the cap 93 is exposed through the opening 136 in a plan view. As a result, when the cap 93 is attached to the ink head 40, contact between the shielding member 132 and the nozzle surface 44 of the ink head 40 is suppressed.

The printer 10 of the present embodiment includes an interlocking mechanism 150 that interlocks the movement of the cap 93 and the movement of the shielding member 132, and one actuator 170 that drives the interlocking mechanism 150. In this way, the movement of the cap 93 and the movement of the shielding member 132 can be linked by the interlocking mechanism 150 driven by one actuator 170. That is, the control becomes easier as compared with the case where each is controlled independently.

According to the printer 10 of the present embodiment, the shielding member 132 moves around the cap 93 so that the shielding portion 134 moves in the sub-scanning direction X in a plan view. In this way, since the shielding member 132 can be moved around the cap 93, a space for retracting the shielding portion 134 is not required as compared with the case where the shielding portion 134 is translated in the sub-scanning direction X. The entire shielding unit 130 can be compactly configured.

According to the printer 10 of the present embodiment, the shielding unit 130 includes a plurality of rotation axes 140 extending in the main scanning direction Y. The shielding member 132 includes a base portion 138 that is connected to the shielding portion 134, is formed in an endless shape, and is wound around a plurality of rotating shafts 140. The actuator 170 rotates a plurality of rotating shafts 140. According to such a configuration, the shielding member 132 can be easily moved, and the movement of the cap 93 and the movement of the shielding member 132 can be linked.

According to the printer 10 of the present embodiment, the rotating shaft 140 is provided with a plurality of protrusions 142 extending in the radial direction, and the base portion 138 has a plurality of holes 138H into which the plurality of protrusions 142 are fitted along the circumferential direction. It is formed. As a result, the shielding member 132 can be easily moved around the cap 93.

According to the printer 10 of the present embodiment, the shielding portion 134 and the base portion 138 are integrally formed. As a result, the shielding portion 134 can satisfactorily follow the movement of the base portion 138.

According to the printer 10 of the present embodiment, the moving mechanism 100 is arranged below the stage 102, the stage 102 holding the cap 93, the first urging member 110 for urging the stage 102 downward, and the stage. A cam 120 capable of pressing the 102 upward and a cam shaft 125 for holding the cam 120 rotatably are provided. As a result, the rotation of the cam 120 causes the stage 102 to move upward against the urging force of the first urging member 110, and the cap 93 moves from the separation position DP to the cap position CP. Further, as the cam 120 further rotates, the stage 102 moves downward due to the urging force of the first urging member 110, and the cap 93 moves from the cap position CP to the separation position DP. Further, in the interlocking mechanism 150, when the opening 136 is located above the cap 93, the cap 93 is located at the cap position CP, and when the shielding portion 134 is located above the cap 93, the cap 93 is at the separation position DP. The rotation of the rotating shaft 140 and the rotation of the cam shaft 125 are interlocked so as to be positioned. Thereby, the contact between the shielding member 132 and the cap 93 can be suppressed.

The printer 10 of the present embodiment includes a light irradiation device 38 mounted on a carriage 17 and irradiating light toward the photocurable ink ejected to the recording medium 5, and the shielding unit 134 receives light from the light irradiation device 38. When illuminated, it overlaps the entire cap 93 in plan view. Since the shielding portion 134 overlaps the entire cap 93 in a plan view, at least a part of the light emitted from the light irradiation device 38 is blocked, so that even if the photocurable ink remains in the cap 93, it is photocured. Curing of the sex ink is suppressed. That is, when the photocurable ink ejected to the recording medium 5 is irradiated with light from the light irradiation device 38, the light is prevented from reaching the cap 93 by covering the entire cap 93 with the shielding portion 134. To.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above. However, each of the above embodiments is merely an example, and the present invention can be implemented in various other embodiments.

In the above-described embodiment, the shielding member 132 moves around the cap 93 (capping unit 90) so that the shielding portion 134 moves in the sub-scanning direction X in a plan view, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the shielding member 132 may move around the cap 93 (capping unit 90) so that the shielding portion 134 moves in the main scanning direction Y in a plan view.

In the above-described embodiment, the base portion 138 is formed integrally with the shielding portion 134, but it may be formed separately. In this case, the base portion 138 is composed of, for example, a roller chain.

In the above-described embodiment, the wiper 64 moves in the direction of the arrow R2 in FIG. 9 (that is, clockwise) and wipes the nozzle surface 44 of the ink head 40, but in the direction opposite to the arrow R2 (that is, counterclockwise). ), And the nozzle surface 44 of the ink head 40 may be wiped. In this case, the collection container 82 is arranged in front of the wiper cleaner 78. Further, the wiper cleaner 78 is arranged so as to be inclined so that the front end 78F is located below the rear end 78R.

10 Inkjet printer 40 Ink head 41 Nozzle 44 Nozzle surface 90 Capping unit 93 Cap 100 Moving mechanism 102 Stage 120 Cam 125 Camshaft 130 Shielding unit 132 Shielding member 134 Shielding part 136 Opening 138 Base part 138H Hole 140 Rotating shaft 142 Protrusion 150 Interlocking Mechanism 170 actuator

Claims

An ink head having a plurality of nozzles that eject ink to a recording medium and are lined up in the first direction, and nozzle surfaces on which the plurality of nozzles are formed.
A carriage on which the ink head is mounted and movable in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction,
A cap that is detachably formed on the ink head, covers the nozzle surface when attached to the ink head, and forms a closed space between the nozzle surface and the ink head.
A suction pump that sucks the fluid in the enclosed space,
A moving mechanism for moving the cap between a cap position where the cap covers the nozzle surface and a separation position where the cap is separated from the nozzle surface.
A shielding unit having a shielding member that can be moved to a position where a part of the cap overlaps the entire cap in a plan view.
The shielding member is
A shield that can be moved to a position that overlaps the entire cap in a plan view,
Includes an opening in which the cap is exposed in plan view,
The shielding member is configured to be movable to a first position where the shielding portion is located above the cap and a second position where the opening is located below the upper end of the cap. ..
The inkjet printer according to claim 1, wherein the shielding member is configured to be movable around the cap so that the shielding portion and the opening pass above, below, and sideways of the cap.
The inkjet printer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the moving mechanism positions the upper end of the cap above the shielding member when the cap is exposed through the opening in a plan view.
An interlocking mechanism that links the movement of the cap and the movement of the shielding member,
The inkjet printer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising one actuator for driving the interlocking mechanism.
The inkjet printer according to claim 4, wherein the shielding member moves around the cap so that the shielding portion moves in the first direction in a plan view.
The shielding unit includes a plurality of rotating shafts extending in the second direction.
The shielding member includes a base portion connected to the shielding portion, formed in an endless shape, and wound around the plurality of rotating shafts.
The inkjet printer according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the actuator rotates a plurality of the rotation axes.
The rotating shaft is provided with a plurality of protrusions extending in the radial direction.
The inkjet printer according to claim 6, wherein the base portion is formed with a plurality of holes into which the plurality of protrusions are fitted along the circumferential direction.
The inkjet printer according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the shielding portion and the base portion are integrally formed.
The moving mechanism
The stage that holds the cap and
The first urging member that urges the stage downward and
A cam located below the stage and capable of pushing the stage upward,
A camshaft that rotatably holds the cam, and
In the interlocking mechanism, the cap is located at the cap position when the opening is located above the cap, and the cap is located at the separation position when the shielding portion is located above the cap. The inkjet printer according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the movement of the rotation shaft and the rotation of the cam shaft are linked with each other.
The ink is a photocurable ink and is
A light irradiation device mounted on the carriage and irradiating light toward the photocurable ink ejected to the recording medium is provided.
The inkjet printer according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the shielding portion overlaps the entire cap in a plan view when light is emitted from the light irradiation device.