JP2000272202A - Ink jet recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ink jet recording apparatus which can discharge mist generated when ink is discharged without contaminating the exterior of the apparatus in a simple and inexpensive constitution. SOLUTION: In a representative constitution of the ink jet recording apparatus, an ink jet recording apparatus 1 includes a feed and transfer part 2 where sheets P are loaded, a feed and transfer rotary body 22 for supplying the sheets P from the feed and transfer part 2, and a recording head 7 of an ink jet system for recording images to the supplied sheets P. An opening part 10b for forming an air channel which connects the feed and transfer part 2 and recording head 7 is formed in a position opposite to the feed and transfer part 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet recording means and, more particularly, to an improvement in exhaust from the inside of an apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A recording apparatus having functions such as a printer, a copying machine, and a facsimile, or a recording apparatus used as an output device of a composite electronic device or a workstation including a computer and a word processor, etc. It is configured to record an image on a recording material (recording medium) such as a plastic thin plate. The recording apparatus can be classified into an ink jet type, a wire dot type, a thermal dot type, a laser beam type, and the like according to a recording method.

[0003] In a serial type recording apparatus employing a serial scan system in which main scanning is performed in a direction intersecting with a conveying direction (sub-scanning direction) of the recording material, the serial type is mounted on a carriage which moves along the recording material. The image is recorded (main scanning) by the recording means that has been completed, a predetermined amount of paper is fed (pitch transport) after printing of one line is completed, and then the image of the next line is stopped again on the stopped recording medium. By repeating the operation of main scanning (main scanning), recording of the entire recording material is performed.

On the other hand, in a line type recording apparatus that records only by sub-scanning in the transport direction of the recording material, the recording material is set at a predetermined recording position, and recording for one line is performed collectively. After that, a predetermined amount of paper feed (pitch conveyance) is performed, and further, the operation of collectively recording the next line is repeated, thereby recording the entire recording material.

[0005] Among the above recording apparatuses, an ink jet recording apparatus is for performing recording by discharging ink from a recording means (recording head) onto a recording material, and it is easy to make the recording means compact and high-definition. It can record images at high speed, can record on plain paper without requiring special processing, has low running costs, uses a non-impact method, reduces noise, and uses multicolor inks. This makes it easy to record a color image. In particular, a line-type apparatus in which a large number of ejection ports are arranged in the paper width direction can further increase the recording speed.

[0006] In particular, an ink jet type recording means (recording head) for discharging ink by using thermal energy is an electrothermal transducer formed on a substrate through a semiconductor manufacturing process such as etching, vapor deposition, or sputtering. By forming an electrode, a liquid path wall, a top plate, and the like, a device having a high-density liquid path arrangement (discharge port arrangement) can be easily manufactured, and further downsizing can be achieved.

[0007]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional construction, in the ink jet recording means, apart from the ink droplets reaching the recording material, a minute amount of ink generated at the time of discharging the ink and floating in the recording apparatus. Ink droplets (hereinafter, referred to as mist) gradually adhere to the mechanism unit and the operation unit of the recording apparatus along with recording, and have occurred as problems such as deterioration of performance and adhesion of dirt during scanning.

On the other hand, in a configuration in which the mist is simply discharged to the outside of the apparatus, the generation of dirt outside the apparatus becomes a problem. If a filter or the like is provided to prevent this, not only the filter but also the air flow path by the filter is used. Therefore, a powerful fan or the like is required for the increase in the load, so that an increase in cost cannot be avoided.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink jet recording apparatus capable of discharging mist generated at the time of ink ejection with a simple and inexpensive structure without soiling the outside of the apparatus.

[0010]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a typical construction of an ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention comprises a loading means for loading a recording material and a recording material supplied from the loading means. And an ink jet recording apparatus having an ink jet type recording means for recording an image on the supplied recording material, wherein the loading means and the recording means are provided at a position opposed to the loading means. An opening for forming a flow path of air communicating with the opening is provided.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of an ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present embodiment except for a front cover, FIG. 2 is a front view illustrating a main part of the ink jet recording apparatus, and FIG. The inkjet recording apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a feeding unit 2, a transporting unit 3, a discharging unit 4, a carriage unit 15, and a cleaning unit 6. Hereinafter, each will be described.

(Feeding Unit) The feeding unit 2 has a pressure plate 21 on which a sheet P as a recording material is stacked, and a feeding rotator 22 (see FIG. 3) for feeding the sheet P, which are attached to a base 20. Configuration. A movable side guide 23 is movably provided on the pressure plate 21, and regulates the stacking position of the sheets P.

As shown in FIG. 3, the pressure plate 21 is rotatable about a rotation shaft connected to the base 20, and is urged by a pressure plate spring 24 to the feeding rotating body 22. Feed rotating body of pressure plate 21
A separation pad 25 made of a material having a large coefficient of friction, such as artificial leather, for preventing double feeding of the sheet P is provided at a portion facing the sheet 22. Further, the base 20 covers a corner in one direction of the sheet P, and a separation claw 26 for separating the sheet P one by one.
It has a bank 27 integrally formed with the base 20 for separating thick paper or the like from which the separation claw 26 cannot be used. Further, a switching lever 28 is provided for switching the separation claw 26 so that the separation claw 26 does not operate when feeding the plain paper and the separation claw 26 is operated when feeding the thick paper.

(Conveying Unit) The conveying unit 3 has a conveying roller 36 for conveying the sheet P and a PE sensor 32. A pinch roller 37 is provided in contact with the transport roller 36. This pinch roller 37 is held by the pinch roller guide 30,
The sheet P is pinched and conveyed by the pinch roller spring 31 being biased and pressed against the conveying roller 36.

Further, the transport section 3 to which the sheet P is transported
An upper guide 33 and a platen 34 for guiding the sheet P are provided at the entrance of the printer. The upper guide 33 is provided with a PE sensor lever 35 for transmitting the detection of the leading edge and the trailing edge of the sheet P to the PE sensor 32. Further, a recording head 7 that forms an image based on image information is provided downstream of the transport roller 36 in the recording sheet transport direction.

In the above configuration, the sheet P sent to the transport section 3 is guided by the platen 34, the pinch roller guide 30 and the upper guide 33, and is sent to a pair of transport rollers 36 and a pinch roller 37. At this time, the PE sensor lever 35 detects the leading end of the conveyed sheet P, and thereby obtains the print position of the sheet P. The sheet P is conveyed on the platen 34 by rotation of the conveying rollers 36 and 37 by an LF motor (not shown).

The recording head 7 is a replaceable ink jet recording head integrally formed with the ink tank. The recording head 7 causes the ink to undergo film boiling by a heater or the like, and ink is ejected from the nozzles 70 of the recording head 7 by a pressure change caused by the growth or contraction of bubbles due to the film boiling, whereby an image is formed on the sheet P.

At the time of discharging the ink, a small amount of minute ink droplets (hereinafter, referred to as mist) is generated separately from the main ink droplets reaching the sheet.

(Carriage section) The carriage section 15 has a carriage 50 to which the recording head 7 is mounted. The carriage 50 has a guide shaft 81 for reciprocating scanning in a direction perpendicular to the sheet P conveyance direction and a carriage 50. It is supported by a guide rail 82 that holds the rear end and maintains a gap between the recording head 7 and the sheet P. The guide shaft 81 and the guide rail 82 are attached to the chassis 8.

The carriage 50 is driven by a carriage motor 80 attached to the chassis 8 to a timing belt.
Driven via 83. The timing belt 83 is stretched and supported by an idler pulley 84. Further, the carriage 50 is provided with a flexible substrate 51 for transmitting a head signal from the electric substrate 9 to the recording head 7.

In the above configuration, when an image is formed on the sheet P, the conveying rollers 36 and 37 convey the sheet P to the line position (position in the conveying direction of the sheet P) where the image is formed, and the carriage motor 80 The recording head 7 is moved to a row position (a position perpendicular to the sheet P conveying direction) where an image is to be formed, and the recording head 7 is opposed to the image forming position. Thereafter, the recording head 7 ejects ink toward the sheet P according to a signal from the electric board 9 to form an image.

(Discharge Unit) The discharge unit 4 is configured such that the transmission roller 40 is in contact with the transport roller 36 and the discharge roller 41. Therefore, the driving force of the transport roller 36 is in contact with the discharge roller 41 via the transmission roller 40. With the above configuration, the sheet P on which an image is formed by the carriage unit 15 is nipped by the nip between the discharge roller 41 and the spur 42, conveyed, and discharged to a discharge tray (not shown).

(Cleaning unit) The cleaning unit 6
A pump 60 for cleaning the recording head 7, a cap 61 for suppressing drying of the recording head 7, and a transport roller
It is composed of a drive switching arm 62 for switching the driving force from 36 to the feeding section 2 and the pump 60. Drive switching arm 62
When is not feeding or cleaning, a driving force is not transmitted to the feeding unit 2 and the pump 60 because a planetary gear (not shown) that rotates around the axis of the transport roller 36 is fixed at a predetermined position. When the drive switch arm 62 is moved in the direction of arrow A by the movement of the carriage 50, the planetary gears become free, so that the planetary gears move in accordance with the forward and reverse rotations of the transport rollers 36, and the transport rollers 36 move forward. When rotated, the driving force is transmitted to the feeding unit 2, and when reversed, the driving force is transmitted to the pump 60.

(Air Flow Path) In the ink jet recording apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG.
Is covered by the upper case 10 and the front cover 5. A notch hole 8a is provided in the chassis 8, and a flow path of air communicating from the discharge unit 4 to the feeding unit 2 through the notch hole 8a and the opening 10b is formed.

Thus, during printing, the air drawn in the direction of arrow B from the discharge unit 4 by the pump action by the scanning of the carriage 50 causes the recording surface of the sheet P stacked on the discharge unit 4 together with the mist generated in the wiring unit. Is discharged to Further, the ink jet recording apparatus 1 is provided with a separator plate 10a, and separates the electric substrate 9 and the feed rotating body 22 from mist flowing in the air flow path.

With this configuration, most of the mist generated in the recording section adheres to the surface of the sheet P of the next page, and does not accumulate in the mechanism section or the operation section. Regarding the mist adhering to the sheet P, the amount of mist for one sheet is affected by the amount of the mist for one sheet, whereas the mist amount that has conventionally been seen as dirt is the accumulation of thousands or tens of thousands of sheets. Not at all.

Further, as a number of effects, the mist containing a certain amount of water adheres to the sheet P, so that it is possible to avoid the adverse effects caused by static electricity that easily occurs under low humidity.

Further, the opening 10b is a surface facing the sheet P, and since the opening 10b can be set large,
The effect of releasing heat generated by driving a motor or the like is also great.

[Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present embodiment except for the front cover, and the same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. I do.

In the ink jet recording apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment, when the movable side guide 23 is slid when a small width sheet P such as a postcard is used, the opening 10b outside the movable side guide 23 is provided. May be released and mist may directly adhere to the pressure plate 21. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a cover 23a for closing the opening 10b is provided outside the movable side guide 23.

In this configuration, even when the movable side guide 23 is largely slid, the cover 23a is kept open at the opening 10b.
Mist can be guided only on the surface of the sheet P. Therefore, the same effect as in the first embodiment can be expected, and it is possible to easily cope with sheets P having different sizes.

[Third Embodiment] Next, a third embodiment of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present embodiment except for the front cover, and the same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. I do.

In this embodiment, a blade member 85 as a blower is provided in the notch 8a of the chassis 8. The blade member 85 rotates by receiving drive from the timing belt 83 via a one-way clutch. That is, the timing belt 83 performs a reciprocating operation to scan the carriage 50, but the blade member 85 performs air blowing only in the direction of the feeding unit 2, and when the operation is performed in the direction of the discharging unit 4, the clutch idles and the drive is transmitted. It is configured not to perform forced air movement.

With the above configuration, the generated mist can be forcibly guided to the stacking portion of the sheet P, so that the mist in the recording apparatus can be more reliably transferred to the sheet P.
In the same manner as in the first embodiment, it is possible to prevent the accumulation of mist even in the configuration of the recording apparatus in which the air flow path is difficult to be formed, and also in the recording device having a large amount of mist generated. .

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described configuration, and it is also possible to separately transmit a driving force or to provide a blower near the opening 10b. In addition, the present invention can be widely applied to all printing apparatuses configured to guide the mist in the printing apparatus onto the surface of the sheet P.

[0036]

As described above, in the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention, an air flow path communicating with a recording material stacked from a recording section is formed, and mist generated at the time of ink ejection is generated. By adopting a configuration in which the recording medium is dispersed on the recording material, it is possible to reliably prevent a mechanism section, an operation section, and the like from being stained inside the apparatus without increasing production costs or causing other adverse effects.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an overall configuration of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment excluding a front cover.

FIG. 2 is a front view illustrating a main part of the inkjet recording apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of an inkjet recording apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an overall configuration of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a second embodiment, excluding a front cover.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating an overall configuration of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a third embodiment, excluding a front cover.

[Explanation of symbols]

 P: Sheet 1 ... Inkjet recording device 2 ... Feeding unit 3 ... Conveying unit 4 ... Discharge unit 5 ... Front cover 6 ... Cleaning unit 7 ... Recording head 8 ... Chassis 8a ... Notch hole 9 ... Electric board 10 ... Upper case 10a ... Separating plate 10b Opening 15 Carriage 20 Base 21 Pressure plate 22 Feeding rotary member 23 Movable side guide 23a Cover 24 Press plate spring 25 Separating pad 26 Separating claw 27 Bank 28 Switching lever 30 ... pinch roller guide 31 ... pinch roller spring 32 ... sensor 33 ... upper guide 34 ... platen 35 ... PE sensor lever 36 ... transport roller 37 ... pinch roller 40 ... transmission roller 41 ... discharge roller 42 ... spur 50 ... carriage 51 ... flexible Substrate 60 Pump 61 Cap 62 Switch arm 70 Nozzle 80 Carriage motor 81 Guide shaft 82 Guide rail 83 Timing belt 84 ... idler pulley 85 ... blade member

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A printing apparatus comprising: loading means for loading a recording material; feeding means for supplying a recording material from the loading means; and inkjet recording means for recording an image on the supplied recording material. An ink jet recording apparatus, characterized in that an opening for forming an air flow path communicating between the loading means and the recording means is provided at a position facing the loading means. 2. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a flow path wall for guiding said air flow path to said recording material is provided. 3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said opening is provided with an opening adjusting means for changing the position and size of said opening in accordance with the size of the recording material to be stacked. Ink jet recording device. 4. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a blower for assisting the movement of the air is provided in the air flow path. 5. The ink jet recording means according to claim 4, wherein said air blowing means is a blade member attached to a drive transmitting means for said feeding means or said recording means.