JP3157271B2 - Head surface cleaning device of inkjet recording device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention can be applied to an ink jet recording apparatus such as an ink jet printer which reciprocates a carriage on which an ink jet head is mounted and ejects ink from the ink jet head to perform recording on a sheet. More specifically, the present invention relates to a head surface cleaning apparatus that moves a cleaning blade to wipe a head surface of an ink jet head and removes ink attached to the head surface in such an ink jet recording apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 10, for example, as shown in FIG. 10, a cleaning blade 2 is attached to the tip of a rotating lever 1 and an ink absorbing material 3 is provided below. was there. When cleaning the head surface, the rotating lever 1 is rotated, the cleaning blade 2 is lowered from the upper cleaning standby position, and the head surface 4a of the ink jet head 4 is wiped once.
While the ink adhering to the cleaning blade 2 was removed, the cleaning surface 2a on one side of the cleaning blade 2 was brought into contact with the ink absorbing material 3 to absorb the ink adhering to the cleaning surface 2a.

However, in this conventional head surface cleaning device, when a large amount of ink adheres to the head surface 4a,
It is not possible to remove the ink cleanly only by wiping with the cleaning blade 2 only once. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, an unwiped portion 5 like a thread drawn on the head surface 4a occurs.

Accordingly, some other conventional head surface cleaning devices remove the ink by repeatedly wiping the head surface several times with the cleaning surface on one side of the cleaning blade when cleaning the head surface. The head surface cleaning device retracts the cleaning blade 2 from the head surface 4a when returning the cleaning blade 2 to the cleaning standby position after the ink is absorbed by rotating the rotation lever 1 as shown in FIG. 8, for example. A moving mechanism (not shown).

[0005]

However, this conventional device has such a retracting mechanism, and thus has a problem that the structure becomes more complicated and the cost is increased. Also,
At the time of cleaning the head surface, it is only necessary to wipe off the ink on the cleaning surface 2a on one side of the cleaning blade 2, and when the cleaning blade 2 is returned to the cleaning standby position, the cleaning blade 2 is moved while being retracted one by one. There was a problem of becoming long.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a head cleaning apparatus as described above which wipes the head surface without complicating the structure and increasing the cost, and without prolonging the head surface cleaning time. It is to a clean cleanable not come remaining.

[0007]

Means for Solving the Problems] Therefore according to claim 1
Is intended, for example, as shown in the following illustrated examples, Lee
Head jet cleaning device 20 for ink jet recording device
, The first and second offset parts fixed on the drive shaft 26
For rotation of the center cams 17 and 25 and the first eccentric cam 17
A first rotating part such as a cap lever 11 that rotates more
And a first rotating member supported by the first rotating member.
Covers or covers the head surface 10a as the material rotates.
And the second eccentric cam 2
5 such as a rotation lever 19 which rotates by rotation of
A rotating member, is supported at its second pivot member, the second
With the rotation of the rotating member, the cap member 14 is
Move to the wiping standby position when wearing the
When the cover of the head surface 10a is released, the head surface 10
a cleaning blade 23 to wipe the a, the Cleaning
Ink absorption to wipe off ink attached to blade 23
And materials 30 and 31 .

[0008] as described in claim 2, e.g. Ri Contact When in the following illustrated examples, the head surface cleaning device 20 Lee inkjet recording apparatus, the drive gear 44
A reciprocating rack 43 and a cleaning blade 23 supported by the rack 43 and moved with the reciprocating motion of the rack 43 to wipe the head surface 10a when cleaning the head surface and to return to the wiping standby position after cleaning. And that clini
Ink to wipe off the ink adhering to the cleaning blade 23
It is characterized by comprising collection materials 30 and 31 .

[0009]

[0010]

[0011]

According to the first aspect, the drive shaft 2
6 to rotate the first and second eccentric cams 17 and 25.
To rotate and rotate the first rotating member by the first eccentric cam 17.
And the second eccentric cam 25 causes the second rotating portion
When the material is rotated, the first rotating member rotates when cleaning the head surface.
And covering the head surface 10a with the cap member 14.
Is released while the rotation of the second rotating member rotates.
The head surface 10a is wiped with the
Ink adhering to the cleaning blade 23
Wipe off with 30.31. After cleaning, the first rotating unit
With the rotation of the material, the head surface 10 is
a, while the second rotating member rotates,
The blade 23 is returned to the wiping standby position.

According to the second aspect, the driving gear 44
To move the rack 43 back and forth,
Moves with the return movement and cleans the head surface.
Wipe the head surface 10a with the blade 23, and clean it after cleaning.
The cleaning blade 23 is returned to the wiping standby position .

[0013]

[0014]

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 7 shows a schematic configuration of an ink jet printer including a head surface cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The symbol a in the figure is the printer main body.
A platen b is provided in the printer body a. And
A carriage d is reciprocally mounted on a guide shaft c parallel to the platen b along the guide shaft c, and the inkjet head 10 is mounted on the carriage d. Thus, while the carriage d reciprocates along the platen b in the recording area A, and rotates the platen b to convey the sheet S set thereon, the head surface 10 of the inkjet head 10 is directed toward the sheet S.
The recording is performed on the sheet S by ejecting ink from a.

As shown in FIG. 1, an L-shaped cap lever 11 is provided in the non-recording area B on one side of the carriage moving direction, and the cap lever 11 is rotatable about a support shaft 12. The cap lever 11 has one end 1
The roller 13 is rotatably held at 1a, and the cap member 14 is rotatably held at the other end 11b. Further, a stopper 11c for restricting the rotation of the cap member 14 is provided near the other end 11b. The cap member 14 has a head cap 14a at the front end on the head surface 10a side, and connects the tube 15 to the rear end. The tube 15 is connected to an ink suction pump (not shown). And cap lever 1
1 is constantly biased clockwise in FIG. 1 by a spring 16 to move the carriage d to the non-recording area B during non-recording, and cover the head surface 14a with the head cap 14a. Above the roller 13, the first eccentric cam 17 is rotatably supported by a suitable support member.

Further, in the non-recording area B, as shown in FIG. 1, a head surface cleaning apparatus 20 of the present invention having a rotating lever 19 is provided. The rotation lever 19 is
The support shaft 21 at the base end 19a is supported so as to be capable of reciprocating rotation about the support shaft 21. The rotating lever 19 rotatably holds the roller 22 on a convex portion 19b near the base end 19a, and attaches a rubber cleaning blade 23 to the distal end 19c. Then, the rotating lever 19 is
, And is constantly biased in the clockwise direction in the drawing, and the first eccentric cam 17 is
The roller 22 is pressed against the second eccentric cam 25 fixed to the same drive shaft 26 as the above.

The head surface cleaning device 20
The ink absorbing members 30 and 31 made of a porous material such as a sponge material are arranged on both sides of the cleaning blade 23 in the reciprocating direction (on both sides in the vertical direction in the figure). When the cleaning blade 23 is at the illustrated wiping standby position, the upper cleaning surface 23a is
It comes in contact with 0.

In the above-described ink jet printer, when printing is performed, the drive shaft 26 is rotated to rotate the eccentric cam 1.
7.25 is rotated clockwise in FIG. Then, the cap lever 11 is rotated counterclockwise against the spring 16, and the cap member 14 is removed from the head surface 10a and retracted. On the other hand, the cleaning blade 23 is at the wiping standby position almost as it is. Thus, the inkjet head 10 is moved into the recording area A, where recording is performed on the sheet S.

Thereafter, the ink jet head 10 is returned to the non-recording area B again at the time of predetermined cleaning in which the head surface 10a is stained with ink. Thereafter, the drive shaft 26 is rotated to rotate the eccentric cams 17 and 25 clockwise. The rotating lever 19 is rotated by the urging force of the spring 24 to lower the cleaning blade 23 from the wiping standby position, and the ink adhered to the head surface 10a is wiped off by the lower cleaning surface 23b of the blade 23. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the lower cleaning surface 23b
Is brought into contact with the lower ink absorbing material 31 to absorb the ink attached to the lower cleaning surface 23b.
Then, the eccentric cams 17 and 25 are rotated in the reverse direction to return the cleaning blade 23 from the post-wiping position in FIG. 2 to the wiping standby position in FIG. 1 and adhere to the head surface 10 a by the upper cleaning surface 23 a of the blade 23. The wiped ink is wiped, and the upper cleaning surface 23a is brought into contact with the upper ink absorbing material 30 again to absorb the ink adhered to the upper cleaning surface 23a by the ink absorbing material 30. In this way, the rotating lever 19 is continuously rotated and reciprocated several times, and the two cleaning surfaces 2 of the cleaning blade 23 are moved.
While the head surface 10a is repeatedly wiped with the cleaning surfaces 23a and 23b, the cleaning surfaces 23a and 23b are brought into contact with the ink absorbing materials 30 and 31, respectively.
The ink adhering to b is absorbed by the ink absorbing materials 30 and 31.

After the cleaning of the head surface 10a, the ink jet head 10 is moved to the recording area A again to continue the recording. Thereafter, the inkjet head 10 is periodically moved to the non-recording area B as described above, and the cleaning blade 23 cleans the head surface 10a.

After the recording, the ink jet head 10
Is moved to the non-recording area B, the drive shaft 26 is rotated to an angle beyond the cleaning range to move the cap member 14, and the head cap 14a is moved to the head surface 10 as shown in FIG.
Put on a. Then, the ink suction pump is operated appropriately, and the ink jet head 10 is passed through the tube 15.
The remaining ink inside is sucked. In this way, it is possible to prevent the remaining ink from drying and the ink from being deteriorated.

In the illustrated embodiment, the cleaning blade 23 is supported by the rotating lever 19, and the rotating lever 19 is reciprocated to wipe the head surface 10a. For example, as shown in the illustrated embodiment below, a cleaning blade may be mounted on a rack, and the rack may be linearly reciprocated to wipe the head surface.

In another embodiment, the head surface cleaning device 20 includes a frame indicated by reference numeral 40 in FIG. Each of the frames 40 has a support portion 41 extending upward.
42, and the longitudinal rack 43 is held by the support portions 41 and 42 so as to be able to linearly reciprocate in the left-right direction. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, a pair of support portions 41 are provided at intervals.
The engaging recesses 41a facing each other are formed. Then, both side portions 43 of the rack 43 are
a. The rack 43 has a tooth portion 43b at the center in the length direction of the lower surface. Then, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the gear 44 is engaged with the tooth portion 43b. Gear 44
Is engaged with the motor gear 45a of the pulse motor 45. The rack 43 has a mounting protrusion 43c facing upward in the width direction of the upper surface facing the head surface 10a. On the rack 43, the cleaning blade 23 is mounted on the right side in the movement direction along the mounting protrusion 43c, and the ink absorbing material 30 having an L-shaped cross section is mounted on the right side of the cleaning blade 23 with the backing. Then, the cleaning blade 23 and the ink absorbing material 30 are sandwiched between the mounting projection 43c and the holder plate 46. Then
The cleaning blade 23 has two cleaning surfaces 2 at its upper end.
3c and 23d are head surfaces 1 from the upper end of the ink absorbing material 30.
It is arranged so as to protrude toward 0a and is held at the illustrated wiping standby position. In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, the head surface cleaning device 20 has an ink absorbing material 31 attached to the upper end of the other supporting portion 42 of the frame 40.

When cleaning the head surface, the inkjet head 10 is moved to the non-recording area B. afterwards,
By driving the pulse motor 45, the gear 44 is rotated in the direction of arrow L via the motor gear 45a, and the rack 43 is horizontally moved in the direction of arrow C. Thus, as shown in FIG. 5, the deflection upper end of the cleaning blade 23 is hit pushes the head surface 10a, while wiping the ink adhering to the head surface 10a at one side cleaning surface 23c, the other side cleaning surface 2 3d ink The ink that contacts the upper end of the absorbing material 30 and adheres to the other-side cleaning surface 23d is absorbed. Then, the one-side cleaning surface 23c contacts the ink absorbing material 31 at the post-wiping position shown in FIG. 6, and the ink absorbing material 31 also absorbs the ink attached to the one-side cleaning surface 23c. Then, the gear 43 is rotated in the R direction by the pulse motor 45 to move the rack 43 in the D direction.
The head surface 10a is wiped by the other cleaning surface 23d of the cleaning blade 23 previously cleaned with the ink absorbing material 30 during the forward movement. Then, the cleaning blade 23 is returned to the wiping standby position in FIG.

The linear reciprocating motion of the rack 43 is continuously repeated several times to remove ink adhering to the head surface 10a by the cleaning surfaces 23c and 23d on both sides of the cleaning blade 23. ink absorbing material in a bilateral cleaning surface 23 c, 23 d respectively 3 1 - 3 0
The ink adhered to the cleaning surface 23c-23d in contact with and absorbed by the ink absorbing material 3 1 - 3 0 to clean the head surface 10a.

[0027]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
The cap member and the clear on the common drive shaft.
Eccentric cam and rotating member for individually driving the cleaning blade
Configuration, so the structure is simple and the cost is low.
Can be achieved. Also, the second rotation of the drive shaft
The head surface can be wiped with one rotation of the rotation member
Cleaning time of the head surface can be shortened.
You. After cleaning the head surface,
Do you immediately wipe off the ink adhering to the ink
The head surface can be cleaned neatly without wiping.
Wear.

According to those described in claim 2, the driving gear
The cleaning blade reciprocates the rack by the rotation of
The structure is simple to move, so the structure is simple and low
Cost can be reduced. Also, for driving gear rotation
Head surface can be wiped by the reciprocating motion of the rack
Therefore, the cleaning time of the head surface can be shortened
You. After cleaning the head surface,
Do you immediately wipe off the ink adhering to the ink
The head surface can be cleaned neatly without wiping.
Wear. Furthermore, if we are configured to wipe the head face a rack equipped with a cleaning blade linearly reciprocates,
At the time of cleaning the head surface, the cleaning blade is constantly brought into contact with the head surface at a constant pressure, so that the head surface can be stably cleaned without causing uneven ink wiping.

[0029]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating a head surface cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention in a state where a cleaning blade is at a wiping standby position.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing the head surface cleaning device in a state where the cleaning blade is at a position after wiping.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a head surface cleaning device according to another embodiment of the present invention in a state where a cleaning blade is at a wiping standby position.

FIG. 4 is a right side view thereof.

FIG. 5 is a state explanatory view showing a state of wiping a head surface by the cleaning blade.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing the head surface cleaning device in a state where the cleaning blade is at a position after wiping.

FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ink jet printer including the head surface cleaning device of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a state explanatory view showing a state in which a cleaning blade of a conventional head surface cleaning device is returned to a cleaning standby position.

FIG. 9 is a state explanatory view showing a state of dirt on a head surface after conventional cleaning.

FIG. 10 is a state explanatory view showing a state in which a head surface is cleaned by another conventional head surface cleaning device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10a Head surface 19 Rotating lever 20 Head surface cleaning device 23 Cleaning blade 30, 31 Ink absorber 43 Rack

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 2/165 B41J 29/17

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] (1)First and second offsets fixed on the drive shaft
With a heart cam, A first rotating portion which is rotated by rotation of the first eccentric cam;
Materials and Supported by the first rotating member, and rotated by the first rotating member.
Key to cover or release the head surface with
A cap member, A second rotating portion that rotates by rotation of the second eccentric cam
Materials and Supported by the second rotating member, and rotated by the second rotating member.
With movement, the cap member covers the head surface
Move to the wiping standby position and release the head surface
A cleaning blade that wipes the head surface when Wipe off the ink adhering to the cleaning blade
With ink absorbing material , Inkjet recording device
Head surface cleaning device. (2)A rack that reciprocates by a drive gear; Supported by the rack and moved with the reciprocation of the rack
The head surface when cleaning the head surface, and wipe it after cleaning.
A cleaning blade that returns to the standby position, Wipe off the ink adhering to the cleaning blade
With ink absorbing material , Inkjet recording device
Head surface cleaning device.