JP3166606B2 - Ink jet recording device - 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 recording apparatus provided with a cap unit for covering a discharge surface with a cap when the print head is not in use so as to shut off the air from outside air when the print head is not in use.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an ink jet recording apparatus, ink droplets are ejected and ejected from ejection openings formed on an ejection surface of a print head, and the ink droplets are attached to a printing paper such as a paper for recording. In such an ink jet recording apparatus, when the state in which the print head is not used continues, the viscosity of the ink increases due to evaporation of water from the discharge port or the like, and the discharge speed of the ink becomes slow or clogging occurs. Or wake up.

In order to reduce the ink ejection failure due to such non-use, when the print head is not used, a cap unit that covers the discharge surface of the print head with an elastic cap and shuts off the outside air is used. .

Next, an entire ink jet recording apparatus using a cap unit will be described with reference to FIG. A print head 3 having a plurality of nozzles (ejection ports) and a recovery mechanism R are provided on a main body frame 2 of the inkjet recording apparatus 1.
M, a paper feed mechanism LM, and the like are built in. A cylindrical platen roller 5 is disposed at the center of the main body frame 2. The platen roller 5 transports the print paper P supplied from the paper feed cassette or the manual paper feed unit while facing the print head 3, and forms a part of the paper feed mechanism LM. The platen roller 5 closely contacts the printing paper P with a pressure roller (not shown) provided on the upper side. Further, the platen roller 5 is driven to rotate by the LF motor (not shown), and the printing paper P is sub-scanned.

[0005] A carriage 7 is provided in front of the platen roller 5. The carriage 7 has an ink jet type color print head 3 mounted thereon and a plurality of ink containers containing inks (black B, yellow Y, cyan C, and magenta M) to be supplied to the color print head 3. 8A to 8D are mounted detachably, and can be moved along a carriage shaft 9 provided in parallel with the platen roller 5. Thus, the print head 3 is main-scanned along the platen roller 5. The color print head 3 has four print heads 3A to 3D that eject black B, yellow Y, cyan C, and magenta M inks arranged in a row in the main scanning direction.

A carriage 7 is provided below the main body frame 2.
Is disposed. The CR motor 10 drives the carriage 7 via the belt 11, and uses a step motor or a DC motor. On the right side of the platen roller 5, a recovery mechanism RM of the print head 3 is arranged.

The recovery mechanism RM includes a cap unit 13 for shutting off the outside air when the print head 3 is not used.
The ink in the print head 3 is sucked in order to prevent the occurrence of defective ink ejection due to the occurrence of bubbles inside the ink during use and the attachment of ink droplets to the ejection surface. It comprises a purge mechanism 18, a wiping device 15 for wiping the nozzle surface of the print head 3, and the like. The cap unit 13 is provided further outside the purge mechanism 18.

The cap unit 13 includes four cap portions 51A to 51A corresponding to the four print heads 3A to 3D.
1D, and the whole of the parts 51A to 51D is held in a common cap holder 52 so as to be able to move forward and backward. A support portion 53 is protruded below the cap holder 52,
The support portion 53 is movably supported along the axis 54. The cap holder 52 is usually located on the side of the purge mechanism 18 (the side close to the printing area) as shown by a tension spring 57. An engagement protrusion 55 is attached to the tip of the support portion 53, and when the engagement protrusion 55 engages with the engagement portion 56 of the carriage 7, the support protrusion 53 moves together with the carriage 9.
Then, the entirety of the cap holder 52 moves toward the print head 3 by the shaft 54, and the entirety of the cap holder 52 tilts counterclockwise about the shaft 54 as a fulcrum by a tilt guide (not shown).
The 3D ejection surface 4 is pressed into contact with the outside surface to cover the same. Instead of the entire cap holder 52 tilting, the shaft 54 is inclined and disposed so as to gradually approach the carriage shaft 9.
In some cases, the entirety of the print head 2 is gradually approached while being kept parallel to the ejection surfaces 4 of the print heads 3A to 3D.

A cap 17 is also provided at the tip of the purge mechanism 18. When the print head 3 is covered with the cap 17, the purge mechanism 18
4, a negative pressure is generated to suck and recover the defective ink inside the nozzle to one of the print heads 3A to 3D. Purge mechanism 32 together with purge mechanism 18
Is driven by a paper feed LF motor (not shown) via a cam gear 19.

The operation of the cap unit 13 in the above-described ink jet recording apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 9, a capping area (B) is formed outside the area (A) used during the printing operation of the print head 3. The printing operation area (A) is the printing area (A1).
Acceleration / deceleration areas (A2) and (A3) are disposed on both sides of the motor. The print head 3 is gradually decelerated when entering the acceleration / deceleration areas (A2) and (A3) from the printing area (A1) at a constant speed, and is gradually increased in speed after reversing at an end to have a constant speed in the opposite direction. The process returns to the print area (A1). When the print head is not used, the print head 3 enters the capping area (B) by overrunning the end of the acceleration / deceleration area (A3).
Then, the engagement protrusion 55 of FIG. 8 is engaged with the engagement portion 56 of the carriage 7, and the cap holder 52 moves together with the carriage 9. Then, the cap holder 52 is
Is tilted counterclockwise with the fulcrum as a fulcrum, and capping of the print head 3 is performed at the end of the capping area (B). To eliminate capping, the carriage 9
Need only return from the end of the capping area (B) to the printing use area (A).

[0011]

By the way, in the above-mentioned conventional ink jet recording apparatus, the print head 3
The operation of the cap unit 13 is performed in the capping area (B) overrunning the printing use area (A), so that the width of the inkjet recording apparatus is increased by an amount corresponding to the capping area (B). There was a point.

Therefore, the present invention is used when the print head is not used, and the cap unit that covers the discharge surface of the print head and shuts off the outside air operates without overrunning the print head from the use area during the printing operation. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink jet recording apparatus which is enabled.

[0013]

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink jet recording apparatus which covers an ejection surface when a print head is not in use and shuts off the air when the print head is not used. A cap unit that moves in conjunction with the movement of the carriage on which the print head is mounted and moves toward the ejection surface of the print head, and a reversal position in the middle of an acceleration / deceleration area outside the print area of the carriage on which the print head is mounted. A reversing means for reversing the carriage toward an end of the acceleration / deceleration area; and an engaging means for interlocking the movement of the carriage and the movement of the cap unit when the reversing means reverses the movement. is there. An operation that cannot be a normal printing operation that repeats reversal at the end of the acceleration / deceleration area, that is, an operation of the reversing means that reverses at an inversion position on the way from the end of the acceleration / deceleration area to the printing area, for example, mechanical engagement means When activated, the movement of the carriage and the movement of the cap unit are linked.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the ink jet recording apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the engaging means does not engage during a normal reversal of the end of the acceleration / deceleration area, but starts from the middle of the acceleration / deceleration area. It can be selectively engaged so as to be engaged at the time of reversal toward the end of the acceleration / deceleration region.
At the time of normal reversal at the end of the acceleration / deceleration area, the carriage only passes right and left through the reversal position in the middle of the acceleration / deceleration area. Can be. In the inversion at the inversion position in the middle of the acceleration / deceleration region, the engagement means can be kept advanced so as to engage.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the ink jet recording apparatus according to the second aspect, the engagement means projects the engagement portion so that the carriage can be engaged by movement of the carriage toward an end of the acceleration / deceleration area. Then, the engaging portion is retracted so that the carriage does not engage with the movement toward the printing area beyond the reversing position from the end, and the engaging portion projects when the carriage is reversed at the reversing position. There is provided a switching means for keeping the switching. At the time of normal reversal at the end of the acceleration / deceleration area, the carriage only passes right and left through a reversal position in the middle of the acceleration / deceleration area,
In a normal reversing operation toward the end of the acceleration / deceleration region beyond the reversal position, for example, the first engagement portion operates to cause the third engagement portion to protrude. In the normal reversing operation toward the printing area, for example, the second engaging section operates to cause the third engaging section to retreat, and when reversing from the end of the acceleration / deceleration area at the reversing position, the third engaging section retreats. In this state, the carriage and the cap unit can be moved integrally.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The essential parts of an ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG.
FIG. 2 is a side view of a cap unit in the inkjet recording apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a front view of the cap unit in the inkjet recording apparatus of the present invention. 4 corresponds to Y- in FIG.
It is a Y sectional view.

1 and 2, reference numeral 7 denotes a carriage;
9 is a carriage shaft, 51 is a cap, 52 is a cap holder, 53 is a support portion, 54 is a shaft, and 57 is a tension spring, which functions in the same manner as described with reference to FIG. The shaft 54 is supported by the frame 61, and the support portion 53 is movable along the shaft 54 from one end to the other inside the frame 61. Usually, the supporting portion 53 is at the position shown in FIG. The support portion 53 is L-shaped and has an L-shaped upper arm 53a.
A cap holder 52 is attached to the print head 3 side, and a cam plate 62 protrudes from the upper arm 53a on the side opposite to the print head 3 side. In addition, the column 6
The portion of the column 63 facing the cam plate 62 is a cam seat 63a that runs up diagonally. Therefore, when the support portion 53 moves forward in the thickness direction of the paper, the tip of the cam plate 62 is pushed by the cam seat 63a, and the entire cap holder 52 tilts counterclockwise as indicated by the arrow a.
1 is pressed against the discharge surface of the print head 3.

In this embodiment, it is particularly important that the carriage 7 and the support 53 are provided on the cap unit 13 only when the carriage 7 is reversed at a reversing position in the middle of the acceleration / deceleration area.
Are provided, and switching means 71 for selectively operating the engaging means 70 so that a necessary engaging portion remains protruding when necessary. Is a point.

The switching means 70 and the engaging means 71 are mechanically formed integrally with each other, and are composed of an upper first engaging portion 72, a middle second engaging portion 73, and a lower third engaging portion 73. A rotating member 75 having an engaging portion 74 protruding therefrom, a first position at which the first engaging portion 72 is operable, and a second position at which the second and third engaging portions 73, 74 are operable. A tension spring 76 (a position holding means capable of switching between a first position and a second position) capable of holding a position for switching the rotation member 75, and an upper first engagement protrusion 77 with respect to the upper first engagement portion 72. And the middle second engagement portion 7
3 and a lower third engaging protrusion 79 with respect to the lower third engaging portion 74. Here, the third engagement portion 74 and the third engagement protrusion 79 constitute an engagement means 71, and the combination of the first engagement portion 72 and the first engagement protrusion 77, the second engagement The combination of the portion 73 and the second engaging projection 78, and these and the tension spring 76 constitute switching means 70 for selectively operating the engaging means 70.

The rotating member 75 is rotatably held in a horizontal plane by an upward shaft 81 projecting from a base plate 80 provided at the base of the holding portion 53. The first engaging portion 72, the second engaging portion 73, and the third engaging portion 74 are horizontally projected from the top to the bottom of the rotating member 75 in this order. The first engagement projection 77, the second engagement projection 78, and the third engagement projection 79 are sequentially projected in the horizontal direction from the top to the bottom of the carriage 7, and the first engagement section 72 and the second Engaging part 73 and third engaging part 74
And face to face.

FIG. 2 shows the positional relationship of the engaging portions 72, 73, 74 and the engaging projections 77, 78, 79 in the horizontal plane. An arm 82 protrudes from a side surface of the rotating member 75 opposite to the engaging portion 74, and a first stopper 83 and a second stopper 84 for the arm 82 are provided upright on the base plate 80. . The tension spring 76 is provided by being hooked between a rod 85 projecting downward from the side surface of the base plate 80 and a rod 86 projecting downward from the end of the third engaging portion 74.
The extension spring 76 is located closer to the second stopper 84 than the shaft 81, and the arm 82 contacts the first stopper 83 to hold the first position (a).

In the first position (a), the first engagement portion 72
Is in the operating position, and engages with the first engagement protrusion 77 in the direction in which the carriage 7 is directed to the end of the acceleration / deceleration region.
The force of the tension spring 76 is smaller than the force of the tension spring 52, and the pivoting member 75 rotates counterclockwise with almost no movement of the support portion 53 (FIG. 6).
(See (b)). In this second position (b),
The third engagement portion 74 protrudes to a position where it can be engaged.

In the second position (b), the second engaging member 7
3 is in the operating position, and the carriage 7 is moved from the end of the acceleration / deceleration area to the printing area in the direction of the second engagement projection 7.
8 is engaged. Then, the rotating member 75 rotates clockwise and switches to the first position (A). This first position (a)
In the figure, the third engaging portion 74 is retracted.

As described above, the combination of the first engagement portion 72 and the first engagement projection 77, the combination of the second engagement portion 73 and the second engagement projection 78, and the extension spring 76 are selectively used. In addition, switching is performed with the third engagement portion 74 (engaging means) as the engagement position.

As described above, at the second position (b), the third position
The engaging portion 74 is in the operating position in which it is projected. This third
The engagement portion 74 has a climbing portion 74a and a contact portion 74b. Also, the third engaging projection 79 on the side of the carriage 7
Also has an inclined portion 79a and a contact portion 79b.

Immediately after switching from FIG. 6A to FIG. 6B, the climbing portion 74a of the third engaging portion 74
As shown in FIG. 6, the projection 74 hits the inclined portion 79 a of the engaging projection 79, but the climbing portion 74 a slides down the inclined portion 79 a.
The state shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6C, when the carriage 7 moves in the direction toward the printing area, the third engaging portion 74 and the third projecting portion 79 need to pass without engaging. is there. First, the climbing portion 74 a of the third engaging portion 74 is fitted to the inclined portion 79 of the third engaging protrusion 79.
a, the third engaging portion 74 is pushed up and rotated to the position indicated by the two-dot chain line, and the third engaging portion 74 folds over the third engaging protrusion 79. At this time, the extension spring 76 is at the position for holding the second position (b), and the third engagement portion 74 returns to the solid line position again. When the carriage 7 moves in the direction from the state shown in FIG. 6C, the contact portion 74b of the third engagement portion 74 comes into contact with and engages with the contact portion 79b of the third engagement projection 79.

Further, according to FIGS.
The surrounding structure will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, a slide plate 91 is slidably provided in a cap holder 52, and a cap 51 made of an elastic material such as rubber is attached to the slide plate 91. The cap 51 integrally has cap portions 51A, 52B, 53C, and 54D corresponding to the print heads 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D. A pressing spring 92 is provided between the rear surface of the cap holder 52 and the slide plate 91, and the pressing spring 9 is pressed when the cap 51 is pressed against the print head 3.
2 is pushed in to provide an appropriate biasing force.

Next, a device configuration of an ink jet recording apparatus in which the cap unit having the above-described structure is incorporated will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 shows the one driven by the host 22 equipped with the window system. Various applications (A), (B),... (N) are provided in the window system of the host 22 so as to be executable.
Further, a font driver, a CRT driver, a keyboard driver, a mouse driver, a printer driver, and the like are incorporated. When printing a color image or the like using the inkjet recording apparatus 1 during execution of various application programs, output data relating to an image suitable for the printing function of the inkjet recording apparatus 1 is created by the printer driver. . If the image is a color image, dot image data of four colors of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black is created, and then output to the inkjet recording apparatus 1 via the communication interface 21.

The control system of the ink jet recording apparatus 1 will be described below. The CPU 20 includes an operation panel 23, R
The OM 24 and the RAM 25 are connected. Operation panel 2
3 sets the paper size and other various parameters,
It is to display them. The ROM 24 stores various programs necessary for controlling the inkjet recording apparatus 1. A typical program stored in the ROM 24 is a capping program for reversing the carriage in the acceleration / deceleration area to cap the print head 3, and recovering the print head 3 by sucking the ink in the print head 3 by the purge mechanism 18. There is a suction program to be performed. The RAM 25 temporarily stores print data transferred from the host 22 and various data necessary for controlling the inkjet recording apparatus 1.

The CPU 20 controls the LF motor 2 via an LF drive circuit 26, a CR drive circuit 27, and a head drive circuit 28.
9. Drive control of the CR motor 10 and the print head 3. L
The F motor 29 drives only the paper feed mechanism LM or both the purge mechanism 32 and the paper feed mechanism LM via the switching mechanism 30. That is, the purge for sucking the print head 3 utilizes the LF motor 29 which is the driving source of the paper feeding means.
The driving force is transmitted via the switching mechanism 30. The purging mechanism 32 for performing the purging includes the purging mechanism 18 having the suction cap 17 and the pump cam 19.
And so on. The paper feed mechanism LM includes a platen roller 5, a platen gear 6, a pressure roller (not shown), and the like.

The CR motor 12 drives a carriage mechanism 31. The carriage mechanism 31 includes, in addition to the carriage 7,
It includes the belt 11 and its pulley. This carriage mechanism 3
1 can reverse the carriage in the middle of the acceleration / deceleration area by a program written in the CPU 20. In this case, the cap unit 13 is switched via the switching means 71.
Can be activated. The purge mechanism 18, the paper feed mechanism LM, and the carriage mechanism 31 each include a sensor, and notify the detection signal to a group of counters 36 provided in the CPU 20.

The paper feed mechanism LM is provided with a PE sensor 34. The PE sensor 34 emits a signal according to the leading edge of the newly supplied printing paper, and the LF of the counter group 36 is output.
Notify the position counter. This signal serves as a reference for controlling the recording position in the vertical direction (sub-scanning direction). Carriage mechanism 31
Is provided with a CR position sensor 35. The CR position sensor 35 detects the position of the carriage 9 by counting the driving pulses of the CR motor 12 and
Notify the R position counter. The position information serves as a reference for controlling the printing position in the horizontal direction (main scanning direction), and also serves as a reference for various maintenance controls such as capping, purging, wiping, and flushing. For example, when the print head 3 is not used and capping is required, the CR position sensor 35 notifies the carriage position counter of the counter group 36 to reverse the carriage 7 in the acceleration / deceleration region.
That is, the CPU 20, the CR motor 10, the carriage mechanism 3
1. The CR position sensor 35 and the like constitute carriage reversing means.

In the ink jet recording apparatus 1 having the control system described above, the CPU 20 determines whether the print head is not used. Then, a mode for operating the cap unit 13 is entered. First, by driving the carriage mechanism 31 by the CR motor 12, the print head 3 is driven.
Is reversed at the end of the acceleration / deceleration area, and a reversing operation from the inversion position in the middle of the acceleration / deceleration area to the end again is performed. Then, the carriage and the support portion of the cap holder are engaged by the switching means 71, and the cap is pressed against the ejection surface of the print head. In order to eliminate the capping of the print head 3, when the carriage 7 is moved to the print area via the adjustable area, the cap is separated from the print head 3. In the normal reversal at the ends of the acceleration / deceleration areas on both sides of the print area, the switching means 71 does not operate, and the cap does not face the print head 3.

Next, the operation of the cap unit of the above-described ink jet recording apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 6, the normal reversal (during normal printing) in the acceleration / deceleration area corresponds to (a) → (b) → (c) →
FIG. 6D shows the state of capping by reversal from the reversal position in the middle of the acceleration / deceleration area toward the end, as shown in FIG.
(B) → (c) → (e). 6 (a) and 6 (c) show a state at the reverse position Z in the middle of the acceleration / deceleration region.

FIG. 6A shows a state in which the carriage 7 enters the acceleration / deceleration area (A3) (see FIG. 7), moves toward the end (D) (see FIG. 7), and reaches a predetermined reversal position (C). Is shown. At this time, the third engaging portion 74 (engaging means) is at the first position (a) and has retreated. This first position (a) is held by a tension spring 80 for holding the position. Therefore, the third engaging protrusion 79 of the carriage 7 does not engage with the third engaging portion 74. However, the first engaging portion 72 as the switching means is at the projecting position, and can be engaged with the first engaging projecting portion 78 of the carriage 7.

When the carriage 7 is moved from the state shown in FIG.
When further moving to the state of (b), the first engaging portion 72 and the first engaging projecting portion 78 are engaged, and each of the engaging portions 7
The entirety of 2, 73, 74 is switched to the second position (b), and the state shown in FIG. In this state, the third engagement portion 74
Although the (engaging means) protrudes, the third engaging projection 79 of the carriage 7 slightly precedes and does not engage. Then, the process proceeds to the end (D) of the acceleration / deceleration area (A3) in FIG.

Then, on the way from the end (D) of the acceleration / deceleration area to the printing area (A1), the motor again reaches the reversal position (C).
This state is shown in FIG. First, by the time the state shown in FIG. 6C is reached, the climbing portion 74a of the third engagement portion 74 rides on the inclined portion 79a of the third engagement projection 79, and the third engagement portion 74 and the second engagement The portion 73 rotates clockwise to the position indicated by the two-dot chain line. However, since the second position (b) is about to be held by the tension spring 76, the position returns to the original solid line position and the state shown in FIG. . In this state, the second engaging portion 73 is at the projecting position and faces the second engaging projecting portion 78.

In the state where the carriage 7 normally moves in the direction from the state shown in FIG. 6C to the state shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 6C, the second engagement portion 73 and the second engagement projection 78 are engaged, and the entire engagement portions 72, 73, 74
Switch to the position (a). FIG. 6 (a) →
(B) → (c) → (d) → (a) shows a normal inversion state.

From the state of the reversal position C in FIG.
In a state in which the carriage 7 is reversed in the direction shown in FIG. 7E (movement from C to D in the capping area in FIG. 7), the contact portion 74b of the third engagement portion 74 and the second engagement protrusion are provided. The contact portion 79b of the cap unit 79 engages, and the support unit 53 of the cap unit moves in conjunction with the carriage 7 against the pulling force of the pulling spring 52. Then, capping is performed as described with reference to FIGS. 6 (a) → (b) → (c) → (e) → (a) in FIG. 6 show a reverse state in the reverse direction in the acceleration / deceleration region for capping.

[0040]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cap unit, which moves in conjunction with the movement of a carriage on which a print head is mounted and moves toward the discharge surface of the print head, and a print head. A reversing means for reversing the carriage from a reversal position in the middle of the acceleration / deceleration area outside the printing area of the carriage toward the end of the acceleration / deceleration area; Engaging means for interlocking movement of the cap unit. As a result, the print head can be capped by moving the acceleration / deceleration area originally required for the movement of the carriage, the moving distance of the carriage is shortened, and the reciprocating mechanism of the print head is simplified and downsized. Therefore, the size of the ink jet recording apparatus can be reduced.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the engaging means does not engage during the normal reversal of the end of the acceleration / deceleration region, but engages during the reversal from the middle of the acceleration / deceleration region toward the end of the acceleration / deceleration region. As described above.
Thus, in addition to the effect of the first aspect, there is an effect that the engagement accompanying the reversal can be realized by the engagement means for selectively engaging.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the engagement means projects the engagement portion so that the carriage can be engaged by moving the carriage toward the end of the acceleration / deceleration region, and the carriage shifts the inverted position from the end. A switching means is provided which causes the engaging portion to retreat so as not to be engaged by the movement toward the printing area beyond the position, and keeps the engaging portion protruded when the carriage is reversed at the reverse position. Things. Thus, similarly to the effect of the second aspect, there is an effect that the engagement accompanying the reversal can be realized by a simple mechanism by the mechanical switching means.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a cap unit in an ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a cap unit in the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line YY of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a device block diagram of the inkjet recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an operation diagram of a cap unit in the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a view showing an operation area of a cap unit in the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an ink jet recording apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an operation area of a cap unit in a conventional inkjet recording apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 ink jet recording device 3 print head 4 ejection surface 7 carriage 13 cap unit 20 CPU (reversing means) 31 carriage means (reversing means) 51 cap 52 cap holder 53 support portion 57 tension spring 72 first engagement portion (switching means) 73 Third engaging portion (switching means) 74 Third engaging portion (engaging means for selectively engaging) 76 Tension spring (switching means) 77 First engaging protrusion (switching means) 78 Second engaging protrusion Portion (switching means) 79 Third engagement projection (engaging means) A print use area A1 print area A3 acceleration / deceleration area B capping area C inversion position D end of acceleration / deceleration area

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. An ink jet recording apparatus which covers a discharge surface when the print head is not in use and shields the air from the atmosphere, wherein the print head moves in conjunction with the movement of a carriage on which the print head is mounted. A cap unit facing the ejection surface; and a reversing unit for reversing the carriage from a reversal position in the middle of the acceleration / deceleration area outside the print area of the carriage on which the print head is mounted toward the end of the acceleration / deceleration area. An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising: an engaging means for interlocking the movement of the carriage and the movement of the cap unit at the time of reversing by the reversing means. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the engaging means does not engage during normal reversal of the end of the acceleration / deceleration area, but engages during reversal from a middle of the acceleration / deceleration area toward the end of the acceleration / deceleration area. 2. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said ink jet recording apparatus is capable of engaging with said recording medium. 3. The printing device according to claim 2, wherein the engagement portion projects the engagement portion such that the carriage can be engaged by moving toward the end of the acceleration / deceleration region. 3. The switching means according to claim 2, wherein said engaging portion is retreated so as not to be engaged by the movement toward said moving portion, and said engaging portion is kept protruding when said carriage is reversed at said reversing position. Ink jet recording device.