JPH0825284B2 - Inkjet recording device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording on a recording medium using ink.

[Prior Art] Inkjet recording apparatuses have many advantages such as extremely low noise during recording and recording on plain paper, and the degree of attention has been increasing in recent years.

Among them, electromechanical conversion elements such as piezoelectric elements and magnetostrictive elements,
Alternatively, an on-demand type ink jet recording apparatus that discharges ink at the time of recording by using an electrothermal conversion element or the like consumes ink only when necessary for recording, so that unnecessary ink collecting means and deflecting means for deflecting ink are used. There is a great advantage that a high voltage power supply or the like is not required.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

As described above, the inkjet recording apparatus has various advantages, but dust or paper powder of recording paper adheres to the ejection port of the recording head to cause clogging, and air bubbles are not mixed into the ejection port. In addition, in an on-demand type ink jet recording apparatus, the ejection conditions may vary due to thickening of the ink because the number of nozzles arranged in the recording head is not uniform. Further, if ink remains on the end surface of the recording head with the ejection port opened, it may adhere to the recording medium.

Therefore, in the inkjet recording apparatus, it is essential to perform an appropriate process (hereinafter referred to as an ejection port recovery process) for removing each factor that lowers the recording area.

In such a discharge recovery process, a recovery member is joined to a discharge port, or is closely opposed to discharge in this state.

However, in an inkjet recording apparatus, particularly an inkjet recording head having a so-called full multi-type recording head in which ejection ports are arranged in a range corresponding to the width of a recording medium, the platen for regulating the recording surface is
Since the discharge port is provided close to and facing the discharge port over the entire disposition range, it is necessary to replace the platen with the recovery member when performing the discharge recovery process.

Therefore, when performing the ejection recovery process, the platen is largely separated from the recording head, and the recovery member can be opposed to the recording head in this state (for example, disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 60-65103 by the present applicant). However, it is desirable to make the moving range of the platen or the recovery member small in order to contribute to downsizing of the recording apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide an inkjet recording apparatus that can easily and reliably perform a discharge recovery process without requiring a large displacement of the platen and the recovery member.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve such an object, in the present invention, recording is performed on a recording medium using an inkjet recording head having a large number of ink ejection ports over the entire width direction of the recording medium intersecting with the conveying direction of the recording medium. In an ink jet recording apparatus, a cap member for capping the ink ejection port, and the ink ejection port and one surface side of the ink ejection port are located between the ink ejection port and the cap member when recording. And a flat platen that faces the cap member on the other surface side, and when the ink discharge port is capped by the cap member, the flat platen is connected to the ink discharge port. It is characterized in that it is retracted from a position between the cap member and the cap member.

[Operation] That is, according to the present invention, when the ink ejection port is capped by the cap member, the flat platen is retracted from the position between the ink ejection port and the cap member. There is no need to move it out of.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the external configuration of an inkjet recording apparatus to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the outer cover is removed for convenience.

Here, reference numeral 1 denotes a main body unit, which has an upper unit 1a and a lower unit 1b, and the upper unit 1a may be rotatable with respect to the lower unit 1b in a vertical direction with a hinge as a rotation center. Here, the upper unit 1a is provided with a recording head 101, an electric circuit section 103, a fan 150, a discharge upper roller 115a, a conveyance roller 113a, a paper guide 201, and a paper feed roller 111, which will be described in detail later. On the other hand, the lower unit 1b includes a platen 203, an ink absorber 235, and an ink tank 23.
1, paper cassette 221, output tray 9A and idlers 213, 21
Five are provided. Reference numeral 5 denotes a cover arranged so as to cover the upper side of the main body unit 1, and this cover 5 is used for various command switches such as an online switch with the host device H.
An operation unit 7 is provided in which 7a, 7b and a display 7C for displaying the mode are arranged. A discharge port 9 is provided on one side surface of the apparatus, and the recorded recording medium is loaded on the discharge tray 9A through the discharge port 9.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the cover 5 of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is removed in order to explain an example of the internal configuration of the apparatus shown in FIG. In the figure, 101 is an ink jet recording head arranged near the discharge port 9, for example, 16 mm per 1 mm.
It has a so-called full multi-type configuration in which the nozzles 101a are arranged in a range corresponding to the entire recordable width (for example, A4 size recording paper) of this apparatus at the density of a book. Further, an electromechanical conversion element (not shown), an electrothermal conversion element (not shown), or the like is arranged at an appropriate portion in the ink liquid flow path such as this nozzle, and the host device H according to the image to be recorded. Ink ejection energy is applied according to the supply of the drive signal from
As a result, ink is ejected from the ejection port 101b. In the present example, this recording head 101 has ejection ports 101 of each nozzle 101a.
It is provided so that b opens vertically downward.

103 is a recording head via the flexible cable 102
In addition to the driver circuit for driving 101, the main electric circuit section of the present apparatus is provided with a power supply circuit, a control circuit, an internal circuit of each section in the apparatus, an interface circuit with the host apparatus H and the like outside the apparatus on the substrate 103A, In this embodiment, since the main electric circuit section 103 is provided in the same upper unit 1a as the recording head 101, even if ink is ejected at the time of recording or unexpected ink leakage occurs, the influence of the ink is not affected. Electric circuit part 10
I will not call it to 3. That is, even if ink may leak from the ejection port 101b, the flow path is formed on the lower unit 1b side, and therefore, in this embodiment, the electric circuit portion 103 is disposed above the flow path. Will be
The ink does not affect the main electric circuit section 103 of the apparatus. Further, in the present embodiment, the electric circuit section 103 is arranged at a position higher than the disposition position of each ejection port 101b of the recording head 101. As a result, the influence of the ink does not reach the electric circuit section 103. However, the above-described arrangement of the electric circuit portion 103 and the discharge port 101b is not always necessary.

Reference numeral 111 denotes a paper feed roller formed by cutting out a part of an arc, for example, a recording head S from a cassette 221 for accommodating the recording medium S such as paper, film or cloth.
It is a roller for feeding toward the recording position by 01.

Denoted at 113 and 115 are a discharge roller arranged on the upstream side of the recording position of the recording head 101 and a discharge roller arranged near the discharge port 9 on the downstream side of the recording medium conveyance path. It is rotationally driven via 119. Then, according to this rotation drive,
The transport roller 113 and the discharge roller 115 cooperate with idlers 213 and 215 arranged to face each other, and transport the recording medium S to a recording position or hold the recording medium S between them, or record the recording medium S. The recording medium S is discharged from the position to the discharge tray 9A.

A paper guide 201 is provided on the conveyance path of the recording medium and regulates the conveyance path. 203 is a discharge port of the recording head 101
The platen is provided on the lower unit 1b side so as to face 101b and regulates the recording surface. The platen can be moved from a position facing the recording head 101 by a drive unit (not shown in FIG. 2) described later.

The recording media stacked in the paper cassette 221 described above are separated one by one by the paper feeding roller 111 in cooperation with a separating unit (not shown) and are conveyed toward the recording position. Reference numeral 225 denotes a bottom plate of the apparatus.In this example, the bottom plate 225 is also used as a partition wall for preventing leakage of leaked ink from the recording head 101 or the like to the outside of the apparatus even if unexpected ink leakage occurs. I have.

A flexible supply tube 233 connects the recording head 101 and an ink tank (not shown) as an ink supply source. 235 is an ink absorber as a recovery member formed of a water-absorbing porous material.
It is located on the lower 3 side. Further, as described later, in this example, the ink absorber 235 can be appropriately replaced with the platen 203 in association with the movement of the platen 203 so that the ink absorber 235 can be close to or joined to the ejection port 101b of the recording head 101. The recording head 101 is provided with a discharge recovery process and a capping process for protecting the discharge port when the apparatus is not used. Thereby, the ink of the recording head 101 is properly collected.

Further, 150 is a fan that cools each part by taking in air from the outside of the device, and in this example, by arranging this on the side of the device opposite to the exhaust port 9, the air of the arranging part is arranged. An air flow from the intake port to the exhaust port 9 is generated. As described above, in this example, the recording head 10
Since 1 is provided in the vicinity of the outlet 9, the recording head 1
Satellites that may be secondary when ejecting ink droplets from 01, ink mist and dust that can be generated by ink scattering on the surface of the recording medium, and paper powder of the recording medium, etc., are immediately ejected from the discharge port 9 from the discharge port 9 by the airflow. It is transported outside and adheres to various parts inside the device to contaminate it, or the electric circuit part 103
It will be possible to prevent the failure. That is,
In this example, the cooling fan 150 that cools the electric circuit unit 103 and the like is also used as a blowing unit in the device that removes the ink mist.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the configuration of the drive unit of the platen according to the present invention. 203A and 203B are platen members that form the platen 203 in the illustrated joined state, and are connected to shafts 253A and 253B extending in the longitudinal direction of the recording head 101 via arms 251A and 251B, respectively. twenty five
It can be rotated around 3A and 253B in the direction of opening the recording surface. Gears 255A and 255B are provided on the shaft ends of the shafts 253A and 253B, respectively, and a pair of gears 257A and 257A that mesh with each other are provided through the gears 255A and 255B.
By connecting to 257B, the directions of rotation of the platens 203A and 203B for opening / forming the recording surfaces are reversed. The transmission mechanism including these gears is combined with the motor 260 via the gear 259, and the platen 203A and 203B can be rotated in a predetermined manner by controlling the rotation direction of the motor 260.

Further, the lower part of the arms 251A and 251B is extended inward from the attachment part to the shafts 253A and 253B, and the extended part is engaged with the bottom surface of the case 235A accommodating the ink absorber 235. There is.

The operation of the drive units for the platen 203 and the ink absorber 235 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 (A) to 4 (C).

First, as shown in FIG. 4A, at the time of recording, the abutment 204A of the platen member 203A and the platen member 203B.
The platen members 203A and 203B form the platen 203 for restricting the recording surface of the recording medium by the recording head 101 by holding the abutting surface 204B of the recording medium in a joined state. Also, at this time, the inwardly extending portion 25 of each arm is
2 is engaged with the bottom surface of the case 235A while being kept substantially horizontal, so that the ink absorbing member 235 is connected to the platen 203A and the platen 203A.
It is covered with 03B and is positioned below.

On the other hand, when the ink in the nozzle including the ejection port is dried or clogged, the mixed air bubbles are removed, or the ink for increasing the viscosity is replaced with new ink (preliminary ejection), the motor 260 Drive the same figure (B)
, The platen members 203A and 203B are opened to the left and right in the figure via the transmission mechanism, and the arm portion 25
Since the 2 rotates upward about the shafts 253A and 253B, the case 23
5A, the ink absorber 235 is pushed upward and directly faces the lower side of the recording head 101. As a result, the discharge recovery process by the preliminary discharge becomes possible. The ejection recovery process by such preliminary ejection can be performed by driving the motor 260 before starting the recording process or at an appropriate opportunity during the recording process.

Further, when cleaning the end face including the ejection port, as shown in FIG. 7C, the arms 251A and 251B are further rotated from the state of FIG.
May be joined to the ejection port of the recording head 101. As a result, the ink or the like attached to the end face of the ejection port is immediately absorbed by the ink absorber 235, and the ejection recovery by cleaning is performed. If an elastic body made of silicon rubber or the like is placed instead of the ink absorber 235, it is possible to perform capping to protect the vicinity of the discharge port from drying or invasion / adhesion of dust when the device is not used. Is.

In this example, the platen 203 is composed of two members 203A and 203B, and the abutting surfaces 204A and 204B are joined at the time of recording. Therefore, when the recording medium is conveyed, the tip of the recording medium is abutted at this abutting portion. It is thought that the progress is hindered and a jam occurs.

FIGS. 5A and 5B show two examples of the configurations of the platen members 203A and 203B for smoothing the progress of the recording medium and preventing the occurrence of jam. First of all, in the same figure (A), curved surfaces are provided on both abutting surfaces 204A and 204B,
The curved surface guides the leading end of the recording medium smoothly in the traveling direction indicated by the arrow in the figure. In addition, the same figure (B)
Is the platen member 20 on the downstream side in the traveling direction of the recording medium.
The abutting surface 204B of the 3B is provided with an inclined surface which is inclined with respect to the traveling direction of the paper and is directed downward in the drawing. With such a configuration, it is possible to prevent jamming at the abutting portion.

In the above configuration, the two arms 251A and
Although a transmission mechanism including a motor 260 and a gear train is provided to make the 251B rotatable, for example, a solenoid is used at the time of driving, and an appropriate link mechanism is arranged to provide a platen member 203A.
Also, the rotation of 203B may be performed.

FIG. 6 shows still another configuration example of the drive unit of the platen. In this example, the platen 203 is an integral member, and in the horizontal plane, this is a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the recording head 101, that is, of the recording medium. The ink absorber 235 can be moved in the carrying direction, and the ink absorber 235 can be moved up and down in accordance with the movement.

In the figure, 270A and 270B are pulleys, and a wire 2 for moving the platen 203 in the direction shown by the arrow in the figure.
67 is stretched. 265 is connected to one pulley 270B,
A motor for moving the platen 203 via a wire 267. 271 is a wire fixing base provided on the platen 203 and fixing the wire 267 to the platen 203. 273 is platen 203
The wheels are combined to smoothly move the platen 203 along a guide rail 275 extending in the direction of the arrow in the figure. Further, 275A and 275B are provided on the guide rail 275, engage with the wheel 273, and make the platen 203 face the recording head 101, respectively, and the ink absorber 235.
This is a stopper for positioning at a position where the recording head 101 is joined.

Reference numeral 281 denotes a guide member integrally combined with the platen 203, which engages with a guide pin 283 protruding from a case 235A storing the ink absorber 23 and allows the ink absorber 235 to be displaced in the vertical direction. A cam surface 281A is provided. Case
The 235A is always given a tendency to move upward by a biasing member such as a spring (see FIG. 7), and its upward movement is restricted by the guide pin 236. Further, 290 is a fixed base fixed to the apparatus, and 292 is a parallel link connecting the fixed base 280 and the case 235A, whereby the ink absorber
When the 235 is displaced in the vertical direction, it will not fall down.

With such a configuration, the platen 203 during recording
Is positioned near the stopper 275A in FIG. 6 and forms the recording surface of the recording medium. That is, in this state, as shown in FIG. 7A, the cam surface 281A of the guide 281 positions the ink absorber 235 at the lowered position via the guide pin 283 against the biasing force of the spring 294.

On the other hand, when performing the discharge recovery process by cleaning or capping, the motor 26 is driven to move the platen 203 and position it near the stopper 275B. In this state, as the guide 281 moves in the X direction, FIG. 7 (B)
While the guide pin 283 is engaged with the cam surface 281A, the ink absorber 235 rises by the action of the spring 294 and is joined to the ejection port of the recording head 101 as shown in FIG.

Note that the motor 265 is controlled so that the platen 203 is stopped by the stopper 27.
If properly positioned between 5A and 275B, the ink absorber 23
Since 5 faces the recording head 101 with an appropriate distance,
A discharge recovery process can be performed by preliminary discharge.

In the above example, the case where the present invention is applied to an inkjet recording apparatus that is an on-demand type that uses an electromechanical conversion element or an electrothermal conversion element and that has a recording head in which ejection ports are arranged downward has been described. However, it is needless to say that the present invention can be extremely effectively and easily applied to an inkjet recording apparatus that employs various driving methods and arrangements.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, when the ink ejection port is capped by the cap member, the flat platen is retracted from the position between the ink ejection port and the cap member. There is an effect that it is not necessary to move the outside of the recording area.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an ink jet recording apparatus to which the present invention is applicable, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a cover portion of the apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is removed, FIG. Is a perspective view showing one structural example of a main part of the present invention, FIGS. 4 (A) to 4 (C) are side views for explaining the operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 5 (A) and (A). B) is a side view showing two examples of the constitution of the platen which can be adopted in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing another constitution example of the main part of the present invention, FIG. 7 (A) and (B) is a side view for explaining the operation of the configuration shown in FIG. 1 …… Main unit, 1a …… Upper unit, 1b …… Lower unit, 5 …… Cover, 9 …… Discharge port, 9A …… Discharge tray, 11 …… Hinge, 101 …… Record head, 101b …… Discharge port, 101B, 231B …… O ring, 103 …… Electric circuit, 103A …… Substrate, 111,113,115 …… Roller, 117 …… Motor, 119 …… Timing belt, 150 …… Cooling fan, 201 …… Paper guide , 203 …… platen, 203A, 203B …… platen member, 213, 215 …… idler, 221 …… paper cassette, 233 …… supply tube, 235 …… ink absorber, 235A …… case, 251A, 251B …… arm, 252 …… Arm part, 253A, 253B …… Axis, 255A, 255B, 257A, 257B, 259 …… Gear, 260,265 …… Motor, 267 …… Wire, 270A, 270B …… Pulley, 271 …… Wire fixing base, 273 …… Wheels, 275 …… Guide rails, 281 …… Guides, 281A …… Cam surface, 283 …… Guide pins 290 ...... fixing member, 292 ...... parallel link.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI technical display location B41J 11/14

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An ink jet recording apparatus for recording on a recording medium using an ink jet recording head having a large number of ink ejection openings across the entire width direction of the recording medium intersecting the conveying direction of the recording medium. A cap member for capping the outlet, and a cap member that is located between the ink ejection port and the cap member when recording and faces the ink ejection port on one surface side; And a flat platen opposite to the other surface side, and when capping the ink discharge port with the cap member, the flat platen is moved from a position between the ink discharge port and the cap member. An inkjet recording device characterized by being evacuated. 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cap member is an absorbing member that receives ink from the ink ejection port side in a state of being close to or joined to the ink ejection port. An ink jet recording apparatus characterized by having. 3. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the platen has two members that can be joined / separated and extend in the arrangement direction of the ink ejection ports, and the holding member Ink jet recording, characterized in that the member has a mechanism for rotating the two members in different directions to perform the joining / separation, and at the time of the separation, moving the joining member toward the ejection port. apparatus. 4. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the holding member detachably holds the platen in a plane including the recording surface in a direction orthogonal to an arrangement direction of the ejection ports. At the same time, the inkjet recording apparatus has a member that moves the joining member toward the ejection port at the time of separation.