JP2001334687A - Ink jet recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an ink jet recorder comprising a pit-in type mechanism for coupling a first moving ink tank with a second fixed ink tank, as required, to supply ink to a recording head. SOLUTION: In an ink jet recorder mounting a recording head integrated with a first ink tank for supplying ink to a nozzle array including a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink and reciprocating above a recording medium to perform recording, a cap moving in the direction of the nozzle face and sealing the nozzle face hermetically is secured to the body along with a second ink tank for supplying ink to the first ink tank. The ink jet recorder comprises means for coupling a recording head, reciprocating to supply ink from the second ink tank to the first ink tank, with the body wherein the coupling direction is in parallel with the moving direction of the cap and they are coupled while facing each other.

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 apparatus for performing recording by discharging ink, and more particularly to an ink jet recording apparatus having an ink supply apparatus for supplying ink to a recording head for discharging ink. It concerns the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a serial ink jet recording apparatus which performs recording by reciprocating a recording head for discharging ink on recording paper, a recording head and an ink tank are integrated with a reciprocating carriage. The head is mounted so as to be replaceable, and recording is performed by replacing the tank integrated head or only the tank when the ink runs out.

In addition, a first ink tank is mounted on a reciprocating carriage, a second ink tank is fixed to a main body, and the first ink tank and the second ink tank are connected by a tube. , Continuous recording.

[0004]

However, in such a conventional ink jet recording apparatus, the replaceable ink tank mounted on the carriage must be made smaller by increasing the speed of recording and miniaturizing the main body. In addition, complicated replacement of the tank is required. Also,
In a multi-color recording apparatus connected by a tube, an increase in driving force for reciprocating motion due to the rigidity of the tube and an increase in size of the apparatus due to a moving space of the tube are caused.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems by connecting a moving first ink tank and a fixed second ink tank as needed to record ink. An object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording apparatus having a connection configuration that employs a pit-in type supply mode for supplying a head.

[0006]

Accordingly, in order to achieve the above object, an ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention comprises a first ink tank for supplying ink to a nozzle row having a plurality of nozzles for discharging ink. In an ink jet recording apparatus that carries a recording head integrated with a recording head and performs recording while reciprocating on a recording medium, a cap that moves in the direction of the nozzle surface to seal the nozzle surface and ink is supplied to the first ink tank. A second ink tank for supplying ink to the main body, and a means for connecting the main body to a recording head that reciprocates to supply ink from the second ink tank to the first ink tank, and a connecting direction. Are parallel to the moving direction of the cap and are connected in a face-to-face state.

Further, in the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention, the connecting means for supplying the ink may include the first ink.
And an opening provided in the ink tank, and a connecting portion formed of an elastic member on the main body side.

Further, in the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention, the connecting portion has a plurality of openings, and the arrangement direction is parallel to the arrangement direction of the nozzles.

Further, in the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention, recording heads having different numbers of nozzles can be separately mounted, the length of the contact surface of the cap is a length covering the maximum nozzle length, and Is characterized in that the distance between the openings is smaller than the minimum length of the nozzle row.

In the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention, the cap has a moving means in a nozzle direction and a pressing means,
The connection portion has a moving unit and a pressing unit in a direction opposite to a pressing direction of the cap.

In the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention, the pressing force of the pressing means of the cap is larger than the pressing force of the pressing means of the connecting portion.

Further, the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that the contact area of the cap is larger than the contact area of the connecting portion.

Further, the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that a peripheral length of the cap in contact with the cap is longer than a peripheral length of the connecting portion.

The ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the recording direction is downward in the direction of gravity, and the opening of the connecting portion on the recording head side is upward in the direction of gravity.

Further, the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the cap for sealing the nozzle is connected to pressure generating means for recovering from the malfunction of the nozzle.

Further, the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention has a plurality of recording heads.

Still further, in the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention, the recording head may use, as an element for generating energy used for discharging the ink, an electric element for generating thermal energy for causing film boiling of the ink. It has a heat converter.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments of the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Hereinafter, the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0020]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a view best showing the features of an ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. And a recording head (not shown) for discharging ink, and an opening 2 for supplying ink.
A first ink tank 2 having an opening 21 for discharging air and air, and a carriage 1 on which the first ink tank 2 is mounted and supported so as to reciprocate along slide shafts 3 and 4.
And a carriage motor 5 that reciprocates the carriage 1 by transmitting a driving force to the carriage 1 by a belt 6 wrapped around the pulleys 7A and 7B in parallel with the slide shafts 3 and 4, and a recording paper or the like inserted in the direction of the arrow. LF roller 8 and paper discharge roller 9 for conveying the recording medium, and ink is ejected from the recording head to the recording medium that is arranged between LF roller 8 and paper discharge roller 9 and conveyed by LF roller 8. Platen 10 for performing recording with a recording head, a recovery system 11 disposed outside the recording range (right side in the drawing) for recovering ejection failure of the recording head, and covering the periphery of the nozzles of the recording head during non-recording. , A second ink tank 13 detachably attached to the lower part of the main body and connected to the main body ink supply system, and a first ink tank 2 And a connecting portion 14 connected when it came to the position.

As shown in FIG. 1, the carriage 1
It is integrated with a recording head (not shown),
The first ink tank 2 provided with the first ink tank 1 is mounted, and can reciprocate along a pair of slide shafts 3 and 4 in a direction perpendicular to a recording medium conveyance direction indicated by an arrow, that is, in a main scanning direction. Is provided. The carriage motor 5 is mounted on the main body, a pulley 7A is provided on the motor shaft, and a belt 6 is hung between the pulley 7A and another corresponding pulley 7B. Thus, the carriage 1 is reciprocally driven along the slide shafts 3 and 4. Then, the recording medium is conveyed onto the platen 10 via the LF roller 8 in the direction of the arrow, and the recording head ejects ink in accordance with the scanning operation of the carriage 1 to form a recording image on the recording medium and perform recording. I will continue.

A recovery position is provided at a position on the right side of the drawing in order to perform recovery processing of ink ejection failure in the recording head, and a recovery system 11 is disposed at this position.
The recovery system 11 is provided with a cap 12 that seals around the nozzles of the recording head. Cap 12
Indicates that the carriage 1 is retracted downward into the recovery system 11 when in the recording state, and the carriage 1 is in the non-recording state.
Moves to the recovery position and reaches the position where the recording head and the cap 12 are opposed to each other, the cap 12 moves in the direction of the recording head, that is, moves upward and comes into contact with the nozzle portion 24, and It is formed so that it may be hermetically sealed. Therefore, the cap 1 is attached to the recording head.
2 is abutted and sealed, thereby preventing clogging due to drying of the recording head, or performing recovery processing of ink ejection failure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the side of the main body of the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention shown in FIG.

As shown in the figure, a first ink tank 2 on which a carriage 1 reciprocates along slide shafts 3 and 4 has an opening 20 for supplying ink and an opening 21 for discharging air. Are opened upward in the direction of gravity. Corresponding to the openings 20 and 21 of the first ink tank 2,
When the openings 20 and 21 of the first ink tank 2 reach the capping position, a connection portion 14 for supplying ink having joint portions 16 and 17 forming connection holes is provided at opposing positions so as to be adapted to each other. Have been. The connecting portion 14 is rotatably supported about a fulcrum 14A, and is rotated counterclockwise by a spring 14C mounted on an end 14B opposite to the joints 16, 17 which are connecting ports. And the first ink tank 2 and the connecting portion 14
Are connected to each other.

In contrast to the first ink tank 2, the second ink tank 13 is removably attached to the lower part of the main body of the recording apparatus, and is connected to the main body ink supply system in a fluid communication state by a needle 15. . This second ink tank 1
3 is the first from the needle 15 pierced into the ink tank 13.
Is connected to the connecting portion 14 via the ink flow path 18 of the first embodiment, and is connected to the opening 20 of the first ink tank 2 from the joint 16 of the connecting portion 14 formed of an elastic member. Therefore,
The opening 20 functions as an ink supply inlet.

Further, inside the first ink tank 2,
The porous absorber 22 is built in a compressed state,
The porous absorber 22 holds the ink by absorbing the ink. A nozzle portion 24 in which a plurality of nozzles communicated via a flow path 23 is arranged below the porous absorber 22 of the first ink tank 2.
Are formed. The nozzle of the nozzle unit 24 is opened so as to discharge ink downward in the direction of gravity. On the other hand, the other opening 21 of the first ink tank 2 is connected to the joint portion 17 which is the other elastic body connecting means of the connecting portion 14, and passes through the second ink flow path 19 through a pressure such as a suction pump. It is connected to the generating means 30. Therefore,
In the first ink tank 2, the opening 21 functions as an air outlet.

On the other hand, in the recovery system 11, the cap 12
Is formed vertically long (length M in the drawing) so as to cover the maximum nozzle row (not shown) of the nozzle section 24. Further, a pair of positioning bosses 12A and 12B are provided at both ends of the center of the cap 12 in the longitudinal direction. Correspondingly, the positioning system boss 12
A groove (not shown) is formed for engaging and guiding each of the caps A and 12B, so that the cap 12 is guided so as to be movable in the recording head direction. Further, a plurality of compression springs 31A, 32A having an equalizing function so that the cap 12 can evenly contact the recording head.
B is provided to urge the cap 12 in the direction of the recording head (upward in the direction of gravity). Here, cap 1
The movement direction of the 2 and the connecting portion 14 is parallel, and furthermore, they are connected in the facing direction. Furthermore, the distance between the plurality of openings 20 and 21 of the first ink tank 2 is a distance (length L in the drawing) that can be connected at least independently, and is related to the length of the cap 12 in the longitudinal direction. Is L <M. Here, L is the distance between the centers of the openings 20 and 20 and M is the length of the cap 12 in the longitudinal direction.

For a plurality of nozzles, a single opening for ink introduction 20 is sufficient, and a plurality of openings 2 are sufficient.
The circumferential length of the elastic member for connecting to the nozzles 0 and 21 is shorter than the circumferential length of the cap 12 covering the nozzle portion 24, and the pressing force of the cap 12 is set to be larger than the pressing force of the connecting portion 14. For this reason, the carriage 1 is urged clockwise around the slide shaft 4. Accordingly, the rotational force applied to the slide shaft 3 is applied only by the amount by which the pressing force of the connecting portion 14 is reduced from the pressing force by the cap 12.

Therefore, in the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention thus configured, the first ink tank 2 and the second ink tank are sealed by sealing the nozzle portion 24 with the cap 12 and connecting the connecting portion 14. If the negative pressure is generated by the pressure generating means 30 by connecting the pressure generating means 13 to the pressure generating means 30, the negative pressure is generated after the ink in the second ink tank 13 fills the first ink tank 2. Generation means 3
It is obvious that the value reaches 0, and one side supplies ink by the connecting portion 14 formed of an elastic member.
By discharging the air in the first ink tank 2 by the other, reliable gas-liquid exchange in the first ink tank 2 can be realized.

In the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention, the recording head is an ink jet recording means for discharging ink by using thermal energy.
An electrothermal converter for generating thermal energy is provided. Further, the recording head uses the pressure change caused by the growth and shrinkage of bubbles due to film boiling caused by the heat energy applied by the electrothermal transducer to eject ink from a nozzle serving as an ink ejection port to perform recording. Is what you do.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a connecting portion in another embodiment of the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention. A plurality of first ink tanks 2A and 2B are mounted on a carriage 1. Corresponding to this, cap 12,
This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a plurality of members 33 and a plurality of connecting portions 14 and 34 are provided. Therefore,
As shown in the drawing, the basic configuration is the same in the second embodiment, and the ink jet recording apparatus is integrated with a recording head (not shown) for discharging ink, and the ink supply openings 20 and 31 are provided. And an opening 21 for air outlet,
A first ink tank 2A, 2B having
The carriage 1 is supported so as to be able to reciprocate along the slide shafts 3 and 4 and the slide shafts 3 and 4 are attached to pulleys 7A and 7B.
A carriage motor 5 that reciprocates the carriage 1 by transmitting a driving force to the carriage 1 by a belt 6 that is hung in parallel with the LF roller 8 for conveying a recording medium such as recording paper inserted in the direction of the arrow, and a discharge roller Paper roller 9 and LF
The LF roller 8 is disposed between the roller 8 and the paper discharge roller 9.
Platen 10 for ejecting ink from the recording head to perform recording on recording paper conveyed by the recording head, and recovering ejection failure of the recording head disposed outside the recording range (right side in the drawing). Recovery system 11 and cap 1 for sealing so as to cover around the nozzles of the recording head during non-recording
2, 33, a second ink tank 13 detachably attached to the lower part of the main body and connected to the main body ink supply system, and a connection connected when the first ink tanks 2A and 2B come to the capping position. Parts 14 and 34.

The first ink tank 2A according to the second embodiment of the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention having such a configuration,
2B has a plurality of openings 20, 21 and 31, respectively.
32 and a plurality of connecting portions 1
4 and 34 and caps 12 and 33, respectively. The plurality of openings 20, 21, 31, 32
Are installed in the longitudinal direction with respect to the connecting portions 14 and 34, so that the recording apparatus does not become large and a plurality of ink supply means can be realized.

Therefore, in the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention thus constructed, the nozzles are respectively provided with the caps 12 and 3 as in the first embodiment.
3 and the connecting portions 14 and 34 are connected to form the first
By connecting the ink tanks 2A and 2B, the second ink tank 13 and the pressure generating means, and generating a negative pressure by the pressure generating means, the ink in the second ink tank 13 is converted into the first ink tank 2A. , After reaching 2B, the negative pressure generating means is reached.
4 ensures that gas-liquid exchange of the first ink tanks 2A, 2B is performed.

(Others) The present invention can of course be applied to various ink jet recording apparatuses as long as they use ink as a recording agent. Among them, the present invention is used for discharging ink. Means for generating thermal energy as energy (for example, an electrothermal converter or a laser beam) are provided, and a superior effect is obtained in a recording head and a recording apparatus of a type in which a change in ink state is caused by the thermal energy. . According to such a method, it is possible to achieve higher density and higher definition of recording.

The typical configuration and principle are described in, for example, US Pat.
It is preferable to use the basic principle disclosed in the specification of US Pat. No. 740,796. This method can be applied to both the so-called on-demand type and the continuous type. In particular, in the case of the on-demand type, it is arranged corresponding to the sheet or the liquid path holding the liquid (ink). By applying at least one drive signal corresponding to the recorded information and giving a rapid temperature rise exceeding nucleate boiling to the electrothermal transducer or the like, heat energy is generated in the electrothermal transducer and recording is performed. This is effective because film boiling occurs on the heat-acting surface of the head, and consequently bubbles in the liquid (ink) can be formed corresponding to this drive signal on a one-to-one basis. The liquid (ink) is ejected through the ejection opening by the growth and contraction of the bubble to form at least one droplet.
When the drive signal is formed into a pulse shape, the growth and shrinkage of the bubble are performed immediately and appropriately, so that the ejection of a liquid (ink) having particularly excellent responsiveness can be achieved, which is more preferable. U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,359 describes this pulse-shaped drive signal.
Nos. 4,345,262 are suitable. It should be noted that U.S. Pat.
If the conditions described in the specification of JP-A No. 4 are adopted, more excellent recording can be performed.

As the configuration of the recording head, a combination of ink discharge ports (nozzles), liquid paths, and electrothermal converters (a linear liquid path or a right-angle liquid In addition, the present invention also includes a configuration using U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,333 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,600 which disclose a configuration in which a heat acting portion is arranged in a bending region. It is included in. In addition, JP-A-59-12367 discloses a configuration in which a common slit is used as a discharge portion of an electrothermal converter for a plurality of electrothermal converters.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-138461 discloses a configuration in which an opening for absorbing a pressure wave of thermal energy is made to correspond to a discharge portion.
The effect of the present invention is effective even in a configuration based on the above-mentioned publication. That is, according to the present invention, recording can be reliably and efficiently performed regardless of the form of the recording head.

Further, the present invention can be effectively applied to a full-line type recording head having a length corresponding to the maximum width of a recording medium on which a recording apparatus can record. Such a recording head may have a configuration that satisfies the length by a combination of a plurality of recording heads, or a configuration as one integrally formed recording head.

In addition, even in the case of the serial type as described above, the recording head fixed to the apparatus main body or the electric connection with the apparatus main body or the ink from the apparatus main body by being attached to the apparatus main body. The present invention is also effective when a replaceable chip-type recording head that can be supplied or a cartridge-type recording head in which an ink tank is provided integrally with the recording head itself is used.

Further, as a configuration of a recording apparatus to which the present invention can be applied, various forms of ejection recovery means (also having auxiliary auxiliary means and the like) of the recording head may be used. More specifically, a capping unit for the recording head, a cleaning unit such as a blade, a unit for removing the ink from the ink ejection port by pressurizing the ink supply system or suctioning as described above, an electrothermal converter or the like. It is only necessary to have a preliminary heating means for performing heating using another heating element or a combination thereof, and a preliminary discharge means for performing discharge other than recording. When ink adhesion or residue may occur on the head face after such recovery processing, the arrangement of the absorber in the cap as in this example is effective, and the absorber for keeping the blade clean is effective. This is because the arrangement can prevent the ink from dropping to an undesired portion.

As for the type and number of print heads to be mounted, for example, only one print head is provided corresponding to a single color ink, and a plurality of print heads having different print colors and densities as described above are provided. A plurality of recording heads may be provided for each ink. That is, for example, the printing mode of the printing apparatus is not limited to a printing mode of only a mainstream color such as black, but may be any of integrally forming a printing head or a combination of a plurality of printing heads. The present invention is also very effective for an apparatus provided with at least one of the full-color recording modes using mixed colors.

In addition, in the embodiment of the present invention described above, the ink is described as a liquid. However, an ink which solidifies at room temperature or lower and which softens or liquefies at room temperature may be used. In general, the ink jet method generally controls the temperature of the ink itself within a range of 30 ° C. or more and 70 ° C. or less to control the temperature so that the viscosity of the ink is in a stable ejection range. Sometimes, the ink may be in a liquid state. In addition, in order to positively prevent temperature rise due to thermal energy by using it as energy for changing the state of the ink from a solid state to a liquid state, or to prevent evaporation of the ink, the ink is solidified in a standing state and heated. May be used. In any case, the application of heat energy causes the ink to be liquefied by the application of the heat energy according to the recording signal and the liquid ink to be ejected, or to start solidifying when it reaches the recording medium. The present invention is also applicable to a case where an ink that liquefies for the first time is used. In such a case, the ink is disclosed in JP-A-54-56847 or JP-A-60
As described in JP-A-71260, a configuration may be adopted in which a liquid or solid substance is held in a concave portion or through hole of a porous sheet and opposed to an electrothermal converter. In the present invention, the most effective one for each of the above-mentioned inks is to execute the above-mentioned film boiling method.

In addition to the above, the form of the ink jet recording apparatus applicable to the present invention is not only one used as an image output terminal of an information processing apparatus such as a computer, but also a copying apparatus combined with a reader or the like, and a facsimile having a transmission / reception function. It may be in the form of an apparatus.

[0043]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink jet recording apparatus in which a recording head integrated with a first ink tank for supplying ink to a nozzle row having a plurality of nozzles for discharging ink is mounted. In an ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording while reciprocating on a recording medium, a cap that moves in the direction of the nozzle surface to seal the nozzle surface and a second ink tank that supplies ink to the first ink tank are provided. Means for connecting the recording head fixed to the main body and reciprocating to supply ink from the second ink tank to the first ink tank and the main body, the connecting direction is parallel to the moving direction of the cap, and Since the connection is performed in a face-to-face state, the direction of rigidity of the recording head that reciprocates does not change at all even if the number of coupling portions increases, and a recording head having a simple shape can be realized.

In the ink jet recording apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention, the connection means for supplying ink is formed by an opening provided in the first ink tank and an elastic member on the main body side. And has a plurality of connecting portions, one of which supplies ink, and the other of which discharges air in the first ink tank. Thus, reliable gas-liquid exchange can be realized in the first ink tank.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the ink jet recording apparatus, since the connecting portion has a plurality of openings and the arrangement direction is parallel to the arrangement direction of the nozzles, a plurality of recording heads are mounted. Even without increasing the size of the device,
An ink supply system can be realized.

In the ink jet recording apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, recording heads having different numbers of nozzles can be separately mounted, and the contact surface length of the cap is a length covering the maximum nozzle length. Since the distance of the opening of the connecting portion is smaller than the minimum length of the nozzle row, even when a recording head having a different length of the nozzle row is mounted, the connection can be performed without lowering the eco-izing performance on the cap side.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the ink jet recording apparatus, the cap has a moving means in a nozzle direction and a pressing means, and the connecting portion has a moving means and a pressing means in a direction opposite to the pressing direction of the cap. Therefore, it is possible to simplify the pressure-resistant structure of the recording head by canceling the pressing force of the pressing means.

In the ink jet recording apparatus according to a sixth aspect of the present invention, since the pressing force of the pressing means of the cap is larger than the pressing force of the pressing means of the connecting portion, the pressing force of the connecting portion can be reduced, so that the cap can be used. It is possible to prevent a decrease in eco-rise performance.

In the ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 7 of the present invention, since the contact area of the cap is larger than the contact area of the connecting portion, the connecting portion does not need to be changed as the number of nozzles increases. Standardization can be achieved.

In the ink jet recording apparatus according to the eighth aspect of the present invention, since the peripheral length of the cap that is in contact with the cap is longer than the peripheral length of the connecting portion, the common portion can be used without changing the connecting portion as the number of nozzles increases. Can be measured.

In the ink jet recording apparatus according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the recording direction is downward in the direction of gravity, and the opening of the connecting portion on the recording head side is upward in the direction of gravity. This is suitable for gas-liquid exchange in the tank accompanying consumption.

In the ink jet recording apparatus according to the tenth aspect of the present invention, since the cap for sealing the nozzle is connected to the pressure generating means for recovering from the malfunction of the nozzle, the ink supply and the recovery of the nozzle are performed separately. In addition, a space-saving recording device can be realized.

Since the ink jet recording apparatus according to the eleventh aspect of the present invention has a plurality of recording heads, application to a color recording apparatus or the like can be realized without complicating the configuration by canceling the pressing force. I can do it.

In an ink jet recording apparatus according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, the recording head generates heat energy for causing film boiling of the ink as an element for generating energy used for discharging the ink. Since it has an electrothermal converter, it can perform good ink ejection,
You can record clearly.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a connecting portion in an inkjet recording apparatus to which the present invention has been applied.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an ink flow path in the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of another embodiment of the connecting portion in the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Carriage 2, 2A, 2B 1st ink tank 3 Slide shaft 4 Slide shaft 5 Carriage motor 6 Belt 7A Pulley 7B Pulley 8 LF roller 9 Discharge roller 10 Platen 11 Recovery system 12, 33 Cap 13 Second ink tank 14 , 34 Connecting part 15 Needle 16 Joint part 17 Joint part 18 First ink flow path 19 Second ink flow path 20, 31 Opening for ink supply 21, 32 Opening for deriving air 22 Porous absorber 23 Flow path 24 Nozzle part 30 Pressure generating means 31A Compression spring 31B Compression spring

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A printing head integrated with a first ink tank for supplying ink to a nozzle row having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink is mounted on a tower, and printing is performed while reciprocating on a printing medium. In the ink jet recording apparatus, a cap that moves in the direction of the nozzle surface and seals the nozzle surface and a second ink tank that supplies ink to the first ink tank are fixed to the main body.
An ink jet recording apparatus comprising means for connecting a recording head and a main body which reciprocate to supply ink to an ink tank, wherein the connection direction is parallel to the moving direction of the cap, and the recording head is connected in a face-to-face state. . 2. The connection means for supplying ink has an opening provided in the first ink tank, and a connection portion formed by an elastic member on a main body side. 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to 1. 3. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion has a plurality of openings, and an arrangement direction thereof is parallel to an arrangement direction of the nozzles. 4. A recording head having a different number of nozzles can be separately mounted, the contact surface length of the cap is a length covering the maximum nozzle length, and the distance of the opening of the connecting portion is the minimum of the nozzle row. 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the length is smaller than the length. 5. The cap according to claim 1, wherein the cap has a moving means in a nozzle direction and a pressing means, and the connecting portion has a moving means and a pressing means in a direction opposite to the pressing direction of the cap. Inkjet recording device. 6. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressing force of the pressing means of the cap is larger than the pressing force of the pressing means of the connecting portion. 7. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an area where the cap comes into contact is larger than an area where the connecting section comes into contact. 8. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a peripheral length of the cap in contact with the cap is longer than a peripheral length of the connecting portion. 9. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording direction is downward in the direction of gravity, and the opening of the connecting portion on the recording head side is upward in the direction of gravity. 10. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cap for sealing the nozzle is connected to a pressure generating means for recovering a malfunction of the nozzle. 11. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of recording heads. 12. The recording head according to claim 1, further comprising, as an element for generating energy used for discharging the ink, an electrothermal transducer for generating thermal energy for causing film boiling of the ink. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein