JP2834957B2 - Inkjet printer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet printer for ejecting ink from nozzles of an ink jet head in a process of moving a carriage on which the ink jet head is mounted in a linear direction.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an ink-jet printer, ink in a nozzle of an ink-jet head dries when it is maintained in a non-printing state for a long time. Therefore, a capping mechanism for sealing the nozzle to prevent the ink from drying, It has a cleaning mechanism for removing ink droplets, dust and the like adhering to the front surface of the inkjet head, a pump mechanism for sucking air bubbles and ink residue mixed in the nozzles, and the like.

As one example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.
FIG. 16 and FIG. Reference numeral 1 denotes an inkjet head. A carriage 2 on which the inkjet head 1 is mounted is slidably held on a carriage shaft 4 parallel to a platen 3. The carriage 2 has a motor 5 that can rotate forward and reverse.
A part of the belt 6 driven by is fixed. Also,
When the carriage 2 moves to the left outside of the print area, a cap 7 facing the inkjet head 1 is held by a holding frame 8, and the cap 7 is connected to a pump 10 by a tube 9. As shown in FIG. 17, the holding frame 8 is rotatably held by a support shaft 11, urged toward the inkjet head 1 by a spring 12, and has a back surface connected to a solenoid 13.

Accordingly, the carriage 2 is driven by the motor 5.
When moving to the left non-printing area, the solenoid 13
The holding frame 8 is retracted from the ink-jet head 1 together with the cap 7 by the exciting operation described above, and when the carriage 2 reaches a predetermined position in the non-printing area, the power supply to the solenoid 13 is cut off. Is returned by the urging force of the ink jet head 1
Seal the tip nozzle. Further, in this state, by discharging ink from all the nozzles, ink residue, bubbles, and the like clogged in the nozzles are removed. The ink and other foreign matters accumulated in the cap 7 are sucked by driving the pump 10.

[0005]

FIGS. 16 and 17 require a drive source such as a solenoid 13 for bringing the cap 7 into and out of contact with the ink-jet head 1 and suck out the ink in the cap 7. Therefore, since the pump 10 using a motor or the like as a driving source is required, there is a problem that the cost increases and the structure becomes large.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided an ink jet printer in which ink is ejected from nozzles of the ink jet head in a process of moving a carriage on which the ink jet head is mounted in a linear direction. A support portion is fixedly arranged at a position facing the home position, and a slider that slides from the home position to the capping position or the priming position or the cap release position in synchronization with the operation of the carriage on the support portion is moved to the home position side. The slider is provided with a cap facing the nozzle so as to be slidable in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the carriage, and converts the linear movement of the slider to the capping position and the priming position. A movement to advance the cap toward the nozzle A conversion unit is provided, and a pump mechanism that has an operation unit that operates using the sliding movement of the slider as a drive source and operates at the priming position and the cap release position is provided with its suction side connected to the inside of the cap. Was.

[0007]

The slider is moved from the home position by the movement of the carriage to the non-printing area. By controlling the stop position of the carriage, the slider is moved to any of the capping position, the priming position, and the cap release position. be able to. The linear motion of the slider is transmitted to the cap by the motion conversion unit, and the cap contacts the nozzle of the inkjet head at the capping position and the priming position. When the slider is at the priming position and the cap seals the nozzle, and when the slider is at the cap release position and the cap is separated from the nozzle, the operation of the pump mechanism is driven by the operation of the slider. Therefore, ink can be sucked from the ink jet head through the cap to recover clogging of the ink in the nozzles, and the ink remaining in the cap separated from the nozzles can be sucked and discharged.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1, a carriage 21 guided by a carriage shaft 20 and reciprocally driven by a carriage driving mechanism (not shown) is provided. Ink cartridge 22 mounted on this carriage 21
Includes an ink tank 23 and an inkjet head 24 that receives supply of ink from the ink tank 23.

In the non-printing area on the left side of the moving range of the carriage 21, a frame 25 is provided as a support. The frame 25 is provided with a guide shaft 26 and a rail 27 parallel to the moving direction of the carriage 21. A slider 29 having a receiving piece 28 receiving a contact force from the carriage 21 is slidably held on the guide shaft 26 and the rail 27. A cap 30 facing the tip of the inkjet head 24 is slidably held on the slider 29 in a direction indirectly orthogonal to the moving direction of the carriage 21. That is, a spring holder 31 is slidably held on the slider 29 in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the carriage 21. This spring holder 31 is provided with a cap 3 by a spring (not shown).
It is urged in the direction opposite to zero. A cap holder 32 holding a cap 30 having an ink absorber 33 therein is slidably held in the spring holder 31 in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the carriage 21. This cap holder 32 is a spring 3
4 is urged toward the ink jet head 24 by the ink jet head 2 but is stopped by a stopper (not shown).
The range of movement in four directions is limited. A receiving shaft 35 is integrally formed on the back surface of the spring holder 31. Further, a cam 37 is rotatably provided on the support shaft 36 formed on the slider 29 as a motion conversion unit that converts the linear motion of the slider 29 and transmits the linear motion to the cap 30 via the receiving shaft 35. The cam 37 has the frame 2
A gear 39 meshed with the rack 38 formed in the fifth gear 5 is formed. The support shaft 36 is provided with a spring 40 for urging the cam 37 in one of the axial directions. 41
Is a pump mechanism that operates using the sliding motion of the slider 29 as a drive source, and 42 is a reverse arm that biases the slider 29 in one direction. The pump mechanism 41 will be described later in detail.

FIG. 2A shows that the carriage 21 is located in the printing area and the slider 29 is in the home position (frame 2).
FIG. 5 is a plan view of a state located at the right end of FIG. The reverse arm 42 has a support 44 formed on the frame 25.
A spring 45 is stretched between one end and the frame 25, and the other end is locked to a part of the slider 29. Therefore, the slider 29 is urged toward the home position by receiving the force of the spring 45 via the reverse arm 42. The pump mechanism 41 and the cap 30
Is connected by a tube 46a.

FIG. 2B is a plan view showing a stationary position of the cam 37 corresponding to FIG. 2A, and FIG.
FIG. 7 is a front view of FIG. As shown in these figures, the cam 37
Are formed with pressing peripheral surfaces 46 and 47 which come into contact with the receiving shaft 35 of the spring holder 31. One pressing peripheral surface 4
6 is arranged on the upper side, and the other pressing peripheral surface 47 is arranged on the lower side. Further, the outer circumference of the upper pressing peripheral surface 46 gradually increases in radius from the minimum radius portion 48 to the maximum radius portion 49.
Reach The maximum radius portion 49 has a constant range with the same radius, and a step portion 50 is formed at the boundary between the end of the maximum radius portion 49 and the minimum radius portion 48. The pressing peripheral surface 47 on the lower surface side is equal to the radius of the minimum radius portion 48 over the entire circumference.
The receiving shaft 35 has a semicircular tip when viewed from a plane as shown in FIG. 2B, but has an inclined surface 51 on the upper surface when viewed from the front as shown in FIG. 2C. Is formed,
An inclined surface 52 that is inclined in a direction coinciding with the inclined direction of the inclined surface 51 is formed on the lower surface of the end of the maximum radius portion 49.

Next, the structure of the pump mechanism 41 is shown in FIGS. FIG. 8 shows a state in which the slider 29 is positioned at the capping position when the non-printing state is maintained for a long time. The main structure of the pump mechanism 41 includes a piston 53 and a cylinder 54 fixed to the slider 29. The piston 53, which functions as an operating unit that operates using the sliding motion of the slider 29 as a drive source, has two expanding portions 55, 56 that expand inside the cylinder 54 at predetermined intervals in the axial direction. A plurality of through holes 57 are formed on the outer periphery of the expanded portion 55 on the distal end side, and the other expanded portion 56 is formed.
Are formed with a plurality of through holes 58. The left end of the cylinder 54 is connected to the inside of the cap 30 via the tube 46a, and the right end is provided with a piston seal 60 slidably fitted on the outer periphery of the piston 53 under the load of a spring 59. ing. A slide seal 61 located between the two expanded portions 55 and 56 is pressed against the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 54. Further, an ink tank (not shown) is provided inside the cylinder 54 on the right end side.
Is formed with a discharge hole 62 connected to the discharge port.

In such a configuration, as shown in FIG. 2A, when the carriage 21 is located in the printing area, the slider 29 is pressed by the reverse arm 42 and stops at the home position. In this state, FIG.
As shown in (c), the cam 37 is in contact with the receiving shaft 35 of the spring holder 31 with the minimum radius 48.
That is, the distance L ₀ from the tip of the receiving shaft 35 to the center of the cam 37 is minimized, and therefore the spring holder 3
1 is maintained in a state of approaching the center of the cam 37 together with the cap 30.

When the carriage 21 moves to the left non-printing area, the slider 29 moves leftward because the receiving piece 28 is pressed by the carriage 21. FIG. 3A shows a state where the slider 29 has moved to the capping position. on the other hand,
Since the gear 39 of the cam 37 held by the support shaft 36 of the slider 29 is meshed with the rack 38 of the frame 25, as shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C, the movement of the slider 29 at this time causes The cam 37 rotates clockwise, and presses the receiving shaft 35 of the spring holder 31 with the maximum radius portion 49. In other words, as shown in FIG. 3B, the distance L ₁ from the tip of the receiving shaft 35 to the center of the cam 37.
Is maximum, the spring holder 31 is pressed together with the cap holder 32 and the cap 30, and the cap 30 comes into contact with the tip of the inkjet head 24. After that, the spring holder 31 is pressed toward the ink jet head 24 by the cam 37, and the spring 34 is compressed by this operation, so that the cap 30 is brought into contact with the tip of the ink jet head 24 with a high pressing force.
Therefore, the nozzle formed at the tip of the inkjet head 24 can be reliably sealed.

Further, when the carriage 21 moves to the left, the slider 29 reaches the priming position as shown in FIG. By this operation, as shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C, the cam 37 further rotates clockwise.
Since there is no change in the radius of the maximum radius portion 49, the state where the ink jet head 24 is closed by the cap 30 is continued. On the other hand, although the pump mechanism 41 moves to the left together with the slider 29, the left end of the cylinder 54 contacts the left end of the frame 25 before the slider 29 reaches the priming position. Thereby, the pump mechanism 41 is driven. The operation of the pump mechanism 41 will be described later in detail.

When the carriage 21 further moves to the left, the slider 29 reaches the cap release position as shown in FIG. By this operation, FIG.
As shown in (c), the cam 37 further rotates clockwise, and presses the receiving shaft 35 of the spring holder 31 with the minimum radius portion 48. That is, the spring holder 31 is returned until the distance L ₀ from the tip of the receiving shaft 35 to the center of the cam 37 is minimized, and the cap 30 is separated from the tip of the inkjet head 24. During this time, the cylinder 54
, The tip of the piston 53 enters near the left end, and the operation of the pump mechanism 41 proceeds. The operation will be described later in detail.

When the carriage 21 moves rightward after the slider 29 moves from the home position to the cap release position, the slider 29 receives the urging force of the spring 45 via the reverse arm 42, and moves toward the right home position. This causes the cam 37 to rotate clockwise, which is different from the previous rotation direction. At this time, FIG.
As shown in (b), since the tip of the receiving shaft 35 is located near the step 50 of the cam 37, when the cam 37 rotates counterclockwise, the receiving shaft 35 comes into contact with the step 50. The slopes 51 and 52 abut the 35 and the maximum radius portion 49. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the cam 37 is displaced in the axial direction against the urging force of the spring 40 due to the component force generated by this contact. Move axially. That is, the tip of the receiving shaft 35 moves from the pressing peripheral surface 46 on the upper surface side to the pressing peripheral surface 47 on the lower surface side having a small radius. Thus, the rotation of the cam 37 in the counterclockwise direction is not hindered.

FIG. 6 shows the progress of the return of the slider 29 from the cap release position to the home position. When the slider 29 reaches the home position, the relative relationship between the cam 37 and the receiving shaft 35 is shown in FIG. As shown in b).

As understood from the above description, when the slider 29 moves from the home position to the capping position and when the slider 29 moves between the capping position and the priming position, the movement of the ink jet head 24 is controlled. The tip is sealed by the cap 30. Further, when the slider 29 reaches the cap release position from the priming position and when the slider 29 returns to the home position from the cap release position, the cap 30 is kept away from the tip of the inkjet head 24.

Next, the operation of the pump mechanism 41 will be described. The slider 2 is moved by moving the carriage 21 to the left.
In the process of 9 reaching the capping position from the home position as shown in FIG. 8, the piston 53 and the cylinder 54 move to the left together with the slider 29 while keeping the relative positions equal to each other. As a result, the pump mechanism 41 does not operate.

The priming operation for sucking ink from the inside of the ink jet head 24 is performed in a state where the ink jet head 24 is closed by the cap 30.
That is, when the slider 29 moves further to the left from the capping position, the left end of the cylinder 54 comes into contact with the frame 25. Therefore, when the slider 29 reaches the priming position as shown in FIG. Move to the left. At this time, slide seal 6
1 is a piston 53 due to friction with the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 54.
In order to show the resistance to the movement, it is pushed away by the right expanding portion 56 away from the expanding portion 55 at the distal end and moves leftward. For this reason,
The ink sucked into the cylinder 54 from the cap 30 by the previous ink suction operation is the cylinder 54 separated by the slide seal 61 as indicated by an arrow.
From the left chamber through the through hole 57 of the expanding portion 55, the inside of the slide seal 61, and the through hole 58 of the expanding portion 56 to the right chamber.

In the process of moving the slider 29 from the priming position shown in FIG. 9 to the capping position, the cylinder 54 is prevented from moving rightward by the urging force of the spring 59, as shown in FIG. , The piston 53 moves rightward. At this time, the slide seal 61 that comes into frictional contact with the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 54 is moved to the right by the moving amount of the expanding portion 55, and the volume of the left chamber of the cylinder 54 with respect to the slide seal 61. Increases, the pressure decreases, the volume of the right chamber is reduced, and the pressure increases. Therefore, the ink in the inkjet head 24 is filled with the cap 30 and the tube 4.
6a, the ink sucked into the left chamber of the cylinder 54 and stored in the right chamber of the cylinder 54 is discharged to the discharge hole 62.
From the ink tank.

Further, from the state shown in FIG.
9 further moves rightward, the expanding portion 56 of the piston 53 moving integrally with the slider 29 presses the right end of the cylinder 54, so that the slider 29, the piston 53 and the cylinder 54 are They move together and reach the capping position.

As described above, in the process of returning the slider 29 from the state where the slider 29 is located at the cap release position to the home position, the cap 30 is separated from the ink jet head 24 by the operation of the cam 37 as described above. The cap clean operation is an operation of sucking the ink in the cap 30 in this state. That is, the slider 2
When the slider 29 is moved to the left by moving the carriage 21 to the left from the state of FIG. 11 in which the carriage 9 is located at the capping position, the left end of the cylinder 54 contacts the frame 25 as in the case of the priming operation. FIG.
As shown in the figure, the piston 53 enters the left side of the cylinder 54. At this time, the slide seal 61 is
In order to show resistance to the movement of the piston 53 due to friction with the inner peripheral surface of the piston, the piston 53 is moved away from the distal end expanding portion 55 and pushed to the left by the right expanding portion 56. For this reason, the ink sucked into the cylinder 54 from the cap 30 by the previous priming operation passes through the through hole 57 of the expanding portion 55 from the left chamber of the cylinder 54 partitioned by the slide seal 61 as shown by an arrow. The fluid flows to the right chamber through the inside of the slide seal 61 and the through hole 58 of the expanding portion 56.

This operation is continued until the slider 29 reaches the leftmost cap release position, as shown in FIG. When the slider 29 is returned to the right from the state where the slider 29 reaches the cap release position and the cap 30 is separated from the ink jet head 24, the cylinder 54 is prevented from moving to the right by the urging force of the spring 59. As shown in FIG. 14, the piston 53 moves rightward with respect to the cylinder 54. At this time, the slide seal 61 that comes into frictional contact with the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 54 is moved to the right by the moving amount of the expanding portion 55, and the volume of the left chamber of the cylinder 54 with respect to the slide seal 61. Increases, the pressure decreases, the volume of the right chamber is reduced, and the pressure increases. Therefore, the ink stored in the cap 30 by the previous priming operation is sucked into the left chamber of the cylinder 54 through the tube 46a, and the ink stored in the right chamber of the cylinder 54 is discharged from the discharge hole 62 through the discharge hole 62. Drained into tank.

Further, from the state shown in FIG.
When the cylinder 9 moves further rightward, the expanding portion 56 of the piston 53 that moves integrally with the slider 29 presses the right end of the cylinder 54, so that the slider 29, the piston 53, and the cylinder 54 are moved together as shown in FIG. Move together to reach the home position. When the carriage 21 is moved to the left again to move the slider 29 to the capping position, the cap cleaning operation ends. In the process of moving the slider 29 from the home position to the capping position,
Since the relative relationship between the piston 53 and the cylinder 54 does not change, the pump mechanism 41 does not operate.

As described above, the cap 30 can be moved toward and away from the ink jet head 24 by transmitting the movement of the slider 29 interlocked with the operation of the carriage 21 to the cap 30 via the cam 37. Since the pump mechanism 41 can be operated using the operation of the slider 29 linked to the carriage 21 as a driving force, a driving source for capping and a driving source for driving the pump mechanism 41 can be omitted. Therefore,
The structure can be simplified, miniaturization and cost reduction can be achieved. Further, the ink sucked into the cap 30 from the ink jet head 24 to recover the flow of the ink in the nozzles can be sucked out by the cap cleaning operation, thereby preventing the ink from flowing from the cap 30 and contaminating the surroundings. Can be avoided.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, the slider which slides from the home position to the capping position, the priming position or the cap release position in conjunction with the operation of the carriage toward the non-printing area is moved to the home position side. The slider is provided with a cap facing the inkjet head slidably in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the carriage, and converts the linear movement of the slider to the cap at the capping position and the priming position so that the cap faces the inkjet head. A pump mechanism operating at a priming position and a cap release position having an operation unit operating with a sliding motion of a slider as a drive source is provided by connecting a suction side thereof to the inside of the cap. So, by controlling the stop position of the carriage, the slider The cap can be moved to any position of the capping position, the priming position, and the cap release position. The linear motion of the slider is transmitted to the cap by the motion conversion unit, so that the cap contacts the inkjet head at the capping position and the priming position. In addition, when the slider is located at the priming position and the cap seals the nozzle of the inkjet head, and when the slider is located at the cap release position and the cap is separated from the nozzle, the operation of the slider causes Since the operating part of the pump mechanism is driven, the ink is sucked from the ink jet head through the cap to recover the clogging of the ink in the nozzle, etc., and the ink remaining in the cap separated from the nozzle is sucked and discharged. Can, but did Therefore, the driving source for capping and the driving source for driving the pump mechanism are omitted, the structure can be simplified, miniaturization and cost reduction can be achieved, and further, in order to recover the ink flow of the nozzles. The ink sucked into the cap from the ink jet head can be sucked out by the cap cleaning operation, which has the effect of preventing the ink from flowing from the cap and soiling the periphery.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing one embodiment of the present invention.

2 (a) is a plan view, FIG. 2 (b) is a plan view showing a stationary position of a cam, and FIG. 2 (c) is a front view showing a stationary position of a cam. is there.

3A and 3B show a state in which a slider is positioned at a capping position, wherein FIG. 3A is a plan view, FIG. 3B is a plan view showing a cam stationary position, and FIG. 3C is a front view showing a cam stationary position. is there.

4 (a) is a plan view, FIG. 4 (b) is a plan view showing a stationary position of a cam, and FIG. 4 (c) is a front view showing a stationary position of a cam. is there.

5A and 5B show a state in which the slider is located at a cap release position, where FIG. 5A is a plan view, FIG. 5B is a plan view showing a cam stationary position, and FIG. 5C is a front view showing a cam stationary position. It is.

FIG. 6 shows a cam position in a process of returning the slider from the cap release position to the home position.
(A) is a plan view and (b) is a front view.

FIG. 7 shows the rest position of the cam when the slider is returned from the cap release position to the home position.
(A) is a plan view and (b) is a front view.

FIG. 8 is a front view showing a state of the pump mechanism when the slider is positioned at the capping position with a part of the cross section.

FIG. 9 is a front view showing a state of the pump mechanism when a slider is positioned at a priming position with a part thereof being in section for priming operation.

FIG. 10 is a front view showing a state of a pump mechanism in a process of returning a slider from a priming position to a capping position with a part of a cross section for a priming operation.

FIG. 11 is a front view showing a state of the pump mechanism when the slider is returned from the priming position to the capping position with a partial cross section for the priming operation.

FIG. 12 is a front view showing a state of a pump mechanism in a process of moving a slider from a capping position to a cap release position with a part of a cross section for a cap cleaning operation.

FIG. 13 is a front view showing a state of a pump mechanism when a slider is moved to a cap release position with a part of a cross section for a cap cleaning operation.

FIG. 14 is a front view showing a state of a pump mechanism in a process of returning a slider from a cap release position to a home position with a part of a cross section for a cap cleaning operation.

FIG. 15 is a front view showing a state of the pump mechanism when the slider is returned from the cap release position to the home position with a part of a cross section for the cap cleaning operation.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a conventional example.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a part thereof.

[Explanation of symbols]

 21 Carriage 24 Inkjet Head 29 Slider 30 Cap 37 Motion Conversion Unit 41 Pump Mechanism 53 Operating Unit

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An ink jet printer in which ink is ejected from nozzles of an ink jet head in a process of moving a carriage on which the ink jet head is mounted in a linear direction, a supporting portion is provided at a position facing the carriage moving to a non-printing area. Fixedly disposed, a slider that slides from the home position to a capping position or a priming position or a cap release position from the home position in conjunction with the operation of the carriage is biased toward the home position side and provided on the support portion, A slider is provided with a cap facing the nozzle so as to be slidable in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the carriage, and converts the linear motion of the slider to advance the cap toward the nozzle at the capping position and the priming position. A motion conversion section for causing A pump mechanism having an operating part that operates using the sliding motion of the damper as a drive source and operating at the priming position and the cap release position, with its suction side connected to the inside of the cap. Inkjet printer.