JP4069445B2 - Inkjet printer - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an inkjet printer.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, a head for ejecting ink is provided, and printing is performed by ejecting ink from a discharge port formed on the ejection surface of the head toward a recording sheet while the head reciprocates. Ink jet printers are well known.
[0003]
In such an ink jet printer, there is a risk that ink or dust may adhere to the discharge surface of the head or in the vicinity of the discharge port, and the discharge port may become clogged. Therefore, a wiper blade that cleans the discharge surface of the head before such a state occurs. I have.
[0004]
The head is movably provided in a retreat area that is out of the print area for printing the recording paper, and the wiper blade is provided in the retreat area. The head and the wiper blade are configured to move relative to each other in the surface direction of the ejection surface within the retreat area.
[0005]
The wiper blade is formed in a thin plate shape by an elastic material such as rubber or synthetic resin. The wiper blade is provided so that the tip end of the wiper blade comes into contact with the ejection surface of the head in the retreat area in a direction substantially perpendicular to the relative movement direction (surface direction of the ejection surface). The wiper blade has a proximal end portion positioned so as to be elastically deformed in a state where the distal end portion is in contact with the ejection surface of the head. As a result, even if the head and the wiper blade move relative to each other and the contact position of the tip of the wiper blade with respect to the ejection surface changes, the elastic force of the elastically deformed wiper blade acts as a pressing force against the ejection surface. And the discharge surface can be maintained.
[0006]
The ink jet printer having the above configuration moves ink while the tip of the wiper blade is in contact with the ejection surface of the head by moving the head and the wiper blade relative to each other within the retreat area. The cause of clogging of the discharge port can be eliminated in advance.
[0007]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-1976
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in recent years, the technological development of ink jet printers has progressed dramatically, achieving higher performance of the head, higher quality of ink, and the like, and the print quality by the ink jet printer has been remarkably improved. Along with this, the ink jet printer having the above-described configuration, which has been used only in ordinary homes, is now being used for business use in photo shops and the like.
[0009]
Thus, when an inkjet printer is used for business use, the amount of printing is very large, so the probability of deposits such as ink and dust on the ejection surface of the head increases and clogging of the ejection port (printing) Quality). On the other hand, since a high-quality printing is always required at a photo shop, the store owner, the store clerk, or the ink jet printer itself frequently cleans the ejection surface of the head to ensure the printing quality.
[0010]
However, as described above, the wiper blade is provided so as to be elastically deformed in contact with the ejection surface of the head. Therefore, if the head is frequently cleaned, the elasticity of the wiper blade due to material fatigue or the like ( Elasticity) will decrease over time. As a result, the elastic force of the wiper blade does not act as a pressing force against the discharge surface, the contact state between the discharge surface of the head and the wiper blade cannot be maintained, and the deposits can be completely removed. It will disappear. Therefore, the wiper blade had to be replaced according to the aging.
[0011]
Therefore, in view of such circumstances, the present invention provides an inkjet printer that can improve the deteriorated contact state between the ejection surface of the head and the wiper blade, and can extend the use period of the wiper blade. This is the issue.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The ink jet printer according to the present invention comprises a head for ejecting ink and a wiper blade having elasticity, and the head and the wiper are in contact with the ejection surface of the head. In an inkjet printer configured to clean the discharge surface by moving relative to the blade, the elasticity of the wiper blade decreases due to fatigue and deterioration over time. Data on the timing for displacing the wiper blade and the amount of displacement of the wiper blade corresponding to the timing determined based on the characteristics is stored, and based on the data Displacement means for displacing the wiper blade on the ejection surface side of the head is provided.
[0013]
According to the ink jet printer having the above configuration, since the displacement means for displacing the wiper blade is provided on the ejection surface side of the head, even if the contact state between the ejection surface of the head and the wiper blade deteriorates, the displacement means If the blade is displaced toward the ejection surface of the head, the wiper blade can be pressed against the ejection surface, and the wiper blade can be brought into contact with the ejection surface again in an optimum state.
[0014]
Therefore, the deteriorated contact state between the discharge surface of the head and the wiper blade can be improved to an optimal contact state, and the reliability of cleaning on the discharge surface can be ensured.
[0015]
In addition, as described above, the wiper blade can be properly brought into contact with the ejection surface, so that it can be used again without replacing the wiper blade. Thereby, the use period of a wiper blade can be lengthened.
[0016]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the displacing means includes a cam that can rotate about an axis, and a follower that is disposed in contact with a part of the outer peripheral surface of the cam and that is driven by the rotational displacement of the cam. The wiper blade may be attached to the driven body. Since the cam has a contour curve (outer peripheral surface) according to the purpose, the distance between the outer peripheral surface and the rotation center varies depending on the position of the outer peripheral surface. Therefore, if the cam rotates, the distance between the part of the outer peripheral surface of the cam that contacts the driven body and the rotation center changes as needed, and the driven body moves according to the rotational displacement of the cam. Therefore, by attaching the wiper blade to this follower, the wiper blade can be appropriately displaced according to the rotational displacement of the cam, and the pressing force is adjusted so that the contact state of the wiper blade with the discharge surface is optimized. can do.
[0017]
Further, it is preferable that the displacement means is operated at a preset timing, and the wiper blade is displaced by a displacement corresponding to the timing. Here, the “preset timing” refers to the end of the usage period in which the characteristics such as elasticity of the wiper blade are expected to deteriorate, the number of times of cleaning, and the number of times of printing on which the cleaning time is calculated. These timings, that is, the time when the characteristics of the wiper blade are deteriorated, are determined by the material characteristics of the wiper blade, or an experiment for grasping the characteristics of the wiper blade over time (for example, an experiment in which the head is artificially cleaned with the wiper blade). It is determined by data obtained from the above.
[0018]
If the displacing means operates at the preset timing as described above and the wiper blade is displaced by a displacement amount corresponding to the timing, the contact state between the ejection surface of the head and the wiper blade is automatically set at an appropriate timing. Since it is possible to achieve an appropriate state, it is not necessary for the user to manually adjust (maintenance) the contact state of the wiper blade with the ejection surface of the head, and the work load such as maintenance for the user can be reduced. it can.
[0019]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an inkjet printer according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 1, the ink jet printer according to the present embodiment includes a recording paper placement device 1 for setting a recording paper P to be printed, and a head for printing on the recording paper P supplied from the recording paper placement device 1. 2, an ink storage device (not shown) that stores a plurality of colors of ink to be supplied to the printing device 3, a cleaning device 4 that performs maintenance of the head 2 to ensure printing stability, A control unit (not shown) for controlling the operation of the ink jet printer and a transport device 5 for transporting the recording paper P pulled out from the recording paper arranging device 1 further downstream.
[0021]
The recording paper placement device 1 is configured to be able to detachably support a long recording paper P in a roll shape so that the recording paper P supported in the longitudinal direction can be drawn out in the longitudinal direction.
[0022]
The printing apparatus 3 includes a pair of rails 6 and 6 that extend in a direction intersecting the drawing direction of the recording paper P, and the head 2 that is slidably attached to the rails 6 and 6.
[0023]
Each of the pair of rails 6 and 6 has a rod shape set longer than the width W of the recording paper P (the length in the direction perpendicular to the drawing direction of the recording paper P), and the axial centers thereof are substantially parallel. As shown, the recording paper P is provided so as to face the recording paper P in a state where the head 2 can be interposed in the drawing direction of the recording paper P. Further, the pair of rails 6 and 6 are provided so that one end side does not face the recording paper P drawn out by setting the length as described above, and the head 2 is interposed between the rails 6 and 6 in this portion. A retreat area X for retreating is formed.
[0024]
The head 2 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped appearance, and is arranged with the longitudinal direction orthogonal to the supply direction of the recording paper P. The head 2 includes a nozzle (not shown) that discharges ink and a discharge unit (not shown) that discharges a predetermined amount of ink from the nozzle at an appropriate timing. A projecting cylinder portion 7 in an open state at both ends is connected to connect substantially transparent tubes 8C, 8M, 8Y, and 8K connected to the ink storage device. Four protruding cylinders 7 are provided corresponding to the number of ink colors stored in the ink storage device, and they have a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction of the head 2. Each protruding cylinder 7 has an outer diameter that allows one end of each of the tubes 8C, 8M, 8Y, and 8K to be fitted, and is provided so as to communicate with the nozzle.
[0025]
A plurality of nozzles are provided for each color of ink to be ejected. Each nozzle is a hole penetrating vertically in a truncated cone shape (a shape obtained by cutting a top portion of the cone shape), and an opening end on the small diameter side (hereinafter referred to as a discharge port (not shown)) is provided on the lower surface 9 ( Hereinafter, this surface is referred to as a discharge surface). Thus, a plurality of ejection openings for ejecting ink are formed on the ejection surface 9 of the head 2 that forms a flat surface.
[0026]
Moreover, the open end of each nozzle on the large diameter side is connected to each of a plurality of connection holes (not shown) branched from the inner hole of the protruding cylinder portion 7, and the nozzles are connected to the protruding cylinder portion 7 via the connection holes. It is comprised so that it may communicate with. By doing in this way, the ink supplied from each tube 8C, 8M, 8Y, 8K can be discharged from a plurality of nozzles (discharge ports).
[0027]
The ejection means is embedded in the inner peripheral surface of each connection hole, and is configured to push the ink in the connection hole toward the nozzle by applying a voltage. As this ejection means, a piezoelectric element (piezo element) that is deformed by applying a voltage, a heater that heats ink by applying a voltage, or the like can be employed. Since it is common to use a piezo element, a heater, or the like in an ink jet printer, a description thereof will be omitted.
[0028]
The head 2 having the above configuration is attached to the rails 6 and 6 while being arranged between the pair of rails 6 and 6, and is slidable in the longitudinal direction of the rails 6 and 6. The head 2 slidably attached to the rails 6 and 6 is connected to a part of an endless belt (not shown) disposed along the rails 6 and 6. The endless belt is rotatable in the circumferential direction by driving a motor 16 (not shown). Thus, the head 2 reciprocates along the rails 6 and 6 by driving the motor 16 and rotating the endless belt forward and backward.
[0029]
More specifically, the head 2 has a rail 6 in an area facing the recording paper P (hereinafter, this area is referred to as a printing area Y) so that ink is ejected toward the recording paper P when printing is performed. , 6 reciprocate along. The head 2 is also configured to reciprocate within the retreat area X after moving to the retreat area X when performing maintenance (cleaning of the ejection surface 9) with the cleaning device 4. The head 2 moves to the retreat area X and waits on the spot when printing is not performed.
[0030]
The cleaning device 4 is provided below the rails 6 and 6 in the retreat area X. The wiper blade 10 removes ink and dust adhering to the ejection surface 9 of the head 2 and the wiper blade 10 is disposed above (retreat area). The cam mechanism 11 which is a displacement means for displacing toward the discharge surface 9 side of the head 2 in X, and the wiper blade 10 and the cam mechanism 11 are moved in a direction (vertical direction) perpendicular to the discharge surface 9 of the head 2. And a lifting device (not shown).
[0031]
The wiper blade 10 is made of an elastic material such as rubber or synthetic resin. The wiper blade 10 has a substantially rectangular plate shape when viewed from the front, and is disposed with both ends in the short direction being up and down (hereinafter, the upper end is referred to as the tip and the lower end is referred to as the base end. ), The tip part of the head 2 is disposed so as to intersect (orthogonally) and contact the ejection surface 9 of the head 2 in the retreat area X.
[0032]
The cam mechanism 11 includes cams 12 and 12 that rotate around an axis, and a follower 13 that is disposed in contact with a part of the outer peripheral surface of the cams 12 and 12 and that is driven by the rotation of the cams 12 and 12. ing.
[0033]
The cams 12 and 12 are set to an outer peripheral shape in which the distance from the contact position of the outer peripheral surface that contacts the driven body 13 to the center of rotation changes by rotating. A pair of the cams 12 and 12 are provided so as to face each other with a predetermined interval so that the driven body 13 can be driven stably. The pair of cams 12, 12 is configured integrally with the rotary shaft 14 through which the rotary shaft 14 is inserted in a state where the outer peripheral shapes thereof correspond to each other.
[0034]
The rotating shaft 14 inserted through the cams 12 and 12 is pivotally supported by a flat plate-like base 15 disposed below. The shaft support structure of the rotating shaft 14 is not shown. The rotary shaft 14 is connected to a drive shaft 17 of a motor 16 that is a drive source fixed on the base 15. The motor 16 employs a pulse motor that operates according to an instruction from the control unit.
[0035]
The follower 13 is set in a predetermined shape (block shape in the present embodiment), is placed on the cams 12, 12 that are pivotally supported by the base 15, and the lower surface is the outer peripheral surface of the cams 12, 12. It is in contact with some parts. The base end of the wiper blade 10 is fixed to the upper surface of the follower 13. Further, the follower 13 is guided by the guide body 18 in order to secure movement in a predetermined direction (movement toward the rails 6 and 6).
[0036]
The guide body 18 according to the present embodiment is formed in an L-shaped cross section so as to form a sliding contact surface that guideably slides the raised corner portion of the driven body 13 placed on the cams 12 and 12. Four pillars are provided on the upper surface of the base 15 so as to correspond to the positions of the corners of the driven body 13. The base 15 is provided so as to move up and down by the lifting device in response to the reciprocating movement of the head 2 in the retreat area X, and the wiper blade 10, the follower 13, the motor 16 and the like together with the base 15. Is designed to move up and down. As the configuration for moving the base 15 up and down, the same configuration as the cam mechanism 11 for operating the follower 13 can be adopted.
[0037]
The cam mechanism 11 having the above configuration drives the pulse motor 16 to rotate the cams 12, 12, so that the driven body 13 is guided by the guide body 18 corresponding to the rotational displacement of the cams 12, 12. It moves in the direction orthogonal to the discharge surface 9. 1 and 2, when the cams 12 and 12 are rotated clockwise, the follower 13 moves to the ejection surface 9 side of the head 2.
[0038]
The ink storage device includes a tank (not shown) for storing ink, a pressure pump (not shown) that pressurizes the inside of the tank and supplies the ink in the tank to the printing device 3, and supplies the ink from the tank to the printing device 3. It is composed of an open / close valve (not shown) for switching between supply and stop of ink.
[0039]
Four tanks are provided corresponding to the number of ink colors, and each tank is connected to each tube 8C, 8M, 8Y, 8K connected to the head 2 of the printing apparatus 3. In the middle of each tube 8C, 8M, 8Y, 8K, the open / close valve is provided so that ink can flow out and stop for each tank.
[0040]
One pressurizing pump is provided, and is connected to each tank via a pipe branching body (not shown) so as to pressurize each of the four tanks with the single pressurizing pump.
[0041]
In the ink storage device, the pressurizing pump is always operated, and the ink is supplied to the printing device 3 and stopped by opening and closing the opening / closing valve.
[0042]
The control unit includes a control device (CPU), a storage device (RAM, ROM), and the like. In addition, when controlling the said inkjet printer with CPU of the personal computer which connects an inkjet printer, it is not necessary to necessarily provide a control apparatus in a control unit.
[0043]
The storage device stores data necessary for operating the recording paper arranging device 1, the printing device 3, the cleaning device 4, and the transport device 5, and a program for controlling the entire inkjet printer based on the data. Yes.
[0044]
As one of the data stored in the storage device, there is data (hereinafter referred to as wiper blade data) for displacing the wiper blade 10 in the cleaning device 4 by a predetermined amount toward the ejection surface 9 of the head 2 at a predetermined timing. is there.
[0045]
The wiper blade data includes the timing for displacing the wiper blade 10 determined based on experimental data obtained from experiments to grasp the characteristics of the wiper blade over time, and the displacement of the wiper blade 10 in accordance with the timing. This is table data in which amounts are tabulated. In the present embodiment, the timing for displacing the wiper blade is set when the head 2 is cleaned a predetermined number of times. The displacement timing of the wiper blade 10 and the displacement amount of the wiper blade 10 according to the displacement timing can also be calculated from the material characteristics of the wiper blade 10.
[0046]
Further, as the data stored in the storage device, there is a timing for cleaning the head 2, and this timing is based on an empirical value that does not cause clogging of the ejection port of the head, and the head in the printing region Y 2 is set at the time of reaching the number of reciprocations (hereinafter referred to as cleaning timing data).
[0047]
The program is configured to clean the head 2 by moving the head 2 to the retreat area X when the head 2 reciprocates a predetermined number of times within the print area Y based on the cleaning timing data. Further, the program automatically repeats the above steps to automatically activate the cam mechanism 11 (displacement means) via the pulse motor 16 when the number of cleanings of the head 2 reaches the number of cleanings set in the wiper blade data. The wiper blade 10 is displaced by a predetermined displacement amount according to the timing set in the wiper blade data.
[0048]
The transport device 5 includes roller pairs 19 and 19 that transport the recording paper P drawn from the recording paper placement device 1 in a pressure-bonded state. It arrange | positions at the supply direction upstream of P, and downstream. The transport device 5 is configured to perform so-called intermittent transport in which the recording paper P is transported by a predetermined transport amount in accordance with the reciprocating timing of the head 2 during printing. The transport device 5 is also operated by an instruction from the control unit.
[0049]
When printing on the recording paper P by the ink jet printer having the above configuration, first, the recording paper P drawn from the recording paper placement device 1 is conveyed to the downstream printing device 3 by the roller pairs 19 and 19. Then, while the head 2 reciprocates in the printing area Y, the ink of each color is ejected from the ejection port formed on the ejection surface 9 toward the recording paper P, and the recording paper P corresponds to the reciprocating timing of the head 2. Is transported by the transport device 5, and the line-like printing is continuous to form a surface, and an image such as a photograph or a picture is formed on one surface of the recording paper P (the surface facing the ejection surface 9). It becomes.
[0050]
Then, when the head 2 reciprocates a set number of times in the printing area Y, the head 2 moves toward the retreat area X in a state where printing is stopped by an instruction from the control unit. In this state, the interval A (FIG. 2A) between the ejection surface 9 of the head 2 and the upper surface of the driven body 13 is slightly shorter than the vertical length of the wiper blade 10, and the cleaning device 4 in this state The follower 13 is stopped at a predetermined position by the cams 12 and 12 so that the tip of the wiper blade 10 protrudes slightly above the movement locus of the ejection surface 9 of the head 2 (head 2 side). It is supported. In other words, the base end of the wiper blade 10 is positioned so that the wiper blade 10 is elastically deformed when the tip of the wiper blade 10 abuts against the ejection surface 9 of the head 2.
[0051]
As shown in FIG. 2 (a), when the head 2 reaches the retreat area X, the discharge surface 9 of the head 2 comes into contact with the tip of the wiper blade 10, and the wiper blade 10 is elastically deformed. The elastic force due to the deformation acts as a pressing force against the ejection surface 9 of the head 2 of the wiper blade 10. Then, the head 2 further moves to one end side of the rails 6 and 6 with the tip of the wiper blade 10 in contact with the discharge surface 9 of the head 2, so that the head 2 and the wiper blade 10 are connected to the discharge surface 9. Thus, the ink or the like adhering to the ejection surface 9 of the head 2 is scraped off by one surface of the tip of the wiper blade 10.
[0052]
When the head 2 reaches the movement limit position on one end side of the rails 6, 6, the lifting device operates to lower the wiper blade 10 and the cam mechanism 11, so that the head 2 moves in the retreat area X with the rails 6, 6. Move to the other end. Then, the lifting device is operated again to raise the wiper blade 10 and the cam mechanism 11, and after the tip of the wiper blade 10 is brought into contact with the ejection surface 9 of the head 2 again, the head 2 is moved to one end of the rails 6 and 6. The ink is moved to the movement limit position, and the adhering matter such as ink adhering to the ejection surface 9 is scraped off. By repeating such a process several times, the adhering matter adhering to the ejection surface 9 of the head 2 can be removed, and the ink ejection accuracy can be ensured.
[0053]
When the printing as described above and the cleaning of the head 2 are repeated, fatigue or the like occurs in the wiper blade 10, and the elasticity of the wiper blade 10 decreases, and the pressing force against the ejection surface 9 of the head 2 due to the elasticity of the wiper blade 10. However, the contact state between the ejection surface 9 of the head 2 and the wiper blade 10 is improved before or after such a situation occurs.
[0054]
Since the timing for improving the contact state between the ejection surface 9 of the head 2 and the wiper blade 10 is set as wiper blade data as described above, the cleaning of the ejection surface 9 of the head is performed at this timing. The number of times reaches the number of cleanings set in the wiper blade data determined based on the experiment as described above. Then, as shown in FIG. 2 (b), the pulse motor 16 of the cleaning device 4 is driven in accordance with an instruction from the control unit, and the cams 12 and 12 are rotationally displaced at a predetermined rotational angle corresponding to the displacement timing. The wiper blade 10 is displaced upward by a displacement amount corresponding to the displacement timing.
[0055]
In this state, the distance A between the ejection surface 9 of the head 2 and the upper surface of the follower 13 (FIG. 2 (a)) is narrowed by the amount of displacement α as compared to before the displacement of the wiper blade 10 (FIG. 2 ( B)). Note that the number of cleanings that serves as a reference for driving the pulse motor 16 depends on the material, thickness, and the like of the wiper blade 10. Therefore, based on the measurement of the characteristics of the wiper blade 10 and empirical rules for using the wiper blade 10, What is necessary is just to set below the frequency | count of the cleaning | cleaning anticipated that the braid | blade 10 will fatigue and a elasticity will fall.
[0056]
Therefore, in this state, when the printed head 2 is moved to the retreat area X, the pressing force of the wiper blade 10 can act on the discharge surface 9 of the head 2, that is, the discharge surface of the head 2. The contact state between the wiper blade 9 and the wiper blade 10 is improved as in the initial state.
[0057]
If the contact state between the head 2 and the wiper blade 10 cannot be improved even after the above-described printing and cleaning are performed and the wiper blade 10 is displaced upward by the displacement means, the wiper blade Therefore, the reliability of cleaning is maintained by exchanging 10.
[0058]
According to the ink jet printer having the above configuration, the wiper blade 10 that is a displacement means for moving the wiper blade 10 that is brought into contact with the ejection surface 9 of the head 2 toward the ejection surface 9 side of the head 2 is provided. However, even if the elasticity decreases due to fatigue or deterioration due to aging and the contact state with the discharge surface 9 of the head 2 deteriorates, the cam mechanism 11 is driven to displace the wiper blade 10 toward the discharge surface 9 side of the head 2. In this way, the wiper blade 10 can be brought into contact with the ejection surface 9 of the head 2. Thereby, the reliability of the cleaning with respect to the ejection surface 9 of the head 2 can be ensured, and the wiper blade 10 provided in the initial stage can be used over a long period of time.
[0059]
Further, since the cam mechanism 11 is employed as the displacement means for moving the wiper blade 10 toward the ejection surface 9 of the head 2, the mechanism for displacing the wiper blade 10 can be simplified, and the wiper blade 10 can be displaced with high accuracy. Can be made. In addition, since the cam mechanism 11 is driven by the pulse motor 16, the cams 12 and 12 can be rotated and displaced with high precision even when the wiper blade 10 is moved (jagged) by a small amount toward the head 2 side. Can be made.
[0060]
Furthermore, before the contact state between the wiper blade 10 and the ejection surface 9 of the head 2 deteriorates, that is, when the number of cleanings reaches a predetermined number in consideration of the material of the wiper blade 10, the wiper blade 10 is moved upward. Since it is moved to the (head 2) side, the contact state between the ejection surface 9 of the head 2 and the wiper blade 10 can be ensured in an optimum state even during the subsequent cleaning of the head 2, and printing can be ensured. Even if the head 2 is cleaned halfway, there is no imbalance between the already printed image and the cleaned image formed in a continuous state on the image, and high-quality printing is possible. In addition, since the cam mechanism 11 is operated at a preset timing as described above and the wiper blade is automatically displaced by a displacement amount corresponding to the timing, the operator can dispose the discharge surface 9 of the head 2 with It is not necessary to manually adjust the contact state with the wiper blade 10, and the work burden on the operator can be reduced.
[0061]
The ink jet printer of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is needless to say that various changes can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.
[0062]
In the above embodiment, the plate-like wiper blade 10 is moved in the direction perpendicular to the surface direction of the ejection surface 9 of the head 2 by the cam mechanism 11 as the displacement means. However, the displacement means does not necessarily move the wiper blade 10. For example, the base end portion of the wiper blade 10 is connected to the drive shaft 17 of the motor 16, and the wiper blade 10 is driven by the motor 16. It may be configured to be rotationally displaced about the shaft 17.
[0063]
In this way, the wiper blade 10 can be rotationally displaced so that the tip of the wiper blade 10 moves toward the discharge surface 9 of the head 2, and the tip of the wiper blade 10 with respect to the discharge surface 9 of the head 2. The part can be pressed. Therefore, the contact state between the ejection surface 9 of the head 2 and the wiper blade 10 can be improved to a state similar to the initial state. Even in this case, it is preferable to employ the pulse motor 16 as the motor 16.
[0064]
In the above embodiment, the cam mechanism 11 is moved up and down by the lifting device during cleaning. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the cam mechanism 11 is moved in a direction crossing the moving direction of the head 2. May be. That is, when the ejection surface 9 of the head 2 is cleaned on one surface of the tip of the wiper blade 10 during the reciprocating movement and the ejection surface 9 of the head 2 is not cleaned during the backward movement, In order to prevent the wiper blade 10 and the head 2 from coming into contact with each other, the wiper blade 10 may be moved in either direction to be retracted.
[0065]
In the above embodiment, when the head 2 is cleaned, the base 15 of the cam mechanism 11 is moved up and down by the lifting device so as to remove the adhering matter adhering to the ejection surface 9 of the head 2 on one surface at the tip of the wiper blade 10. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In other words, the lifting device is not necessarily provided. In the forward movement in the reciprocating motion of the head 2 in the retreat area X, the attached matter is removed on one surface of the tip of the wiper blade 10, and in the backward movement, the wiper blade is removed. You may make it remove a deposit | attachment in the other surface of 10 front-end | tip parts. In this case, it is preferable to stick a water-absorbing fabric (for example, non-woven fabric) or the like on one surface. By sticking the fabric in this way, the deposits can be scraped off on one side and the deposits remaining on the discharge surface 9 can be wiped off on the other side.
[0066]
In the above embodiment, the so-called business-use inkjet printer in which the head 2 and the tank are connected by the tubes 8C, 8M, 8Y, and 8K has been described. The present invention is not limited to this, and for example, it can also be adopted in a so-called small inkjet printer for home use in which a tank is mounted on the head 2.
[0067]
In the above embodiment, the wiper blade 10 is automatically moved upward by the pulse motor 16 connected to the control unit when the head 2 is cleaned a predetermined number of times. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Instead, the cam mechanism 11 may be manually operated. In this case, it is preferable to provide a counter that counts the number of cleanings of the head 2 so that the number of cleanings of the head 2 by the wiper blade 10 can be ascertained by a display or warning sound from the counter.
[0068]
In the above embodiment, the ejection surface 9 of the head 2 is cleaned by reciprocating the head 2 in the retreat area. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a wiper is provided on the ejection surface 9 of the head 2. The head 2 and the wiper blade 10 may be moved relative to each other with the blade 10 in contact. For example, a configuration in which the cleaning device 4 is moved in the longitudinal direction of the rails 6 and 6 while the head 2 is stopped in the retreat area X, or both the head 2 and the cleaning device 4 are disposed in the longitudinal direction of the rails 6 and 6. A relatively moving configuration or the like can be employed.
[0069]
In the above embodiment, the wiper blade 10 has a plate shape. However, the wiper blade 10 is not limited to this, and the wiper blade 10 is, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped shape or a cubic shape that can contact the discharge surface 9 of the head 2. It may be formed in a block shape. That is, the wiper blade 10 may be configured to be in line contact or surface contact with the ejection surface 9 of the head 2.
[0070]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the ink jet printer of the present invention, since the displacement means for displacing the wiper blade is provided on the discharge surface side of the head, the contact state between the deteriorated discharge surface of the head and the wiper blade is improved. It is possible to extend the period of use of the wiper blade.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a partial schematic perspective view of an ink jet printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic state diagram in which the head according to the embodiment is moved toward the retreat area, and the lower surface of the head is in contact with the wiper blade, where (A) is an initial state, and (B) Indicates a state where the wiper blade is displaced toward the ejection surface of the head.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Recording paper arrangement | positioning apparatus, 2 ... Head, 3 ... Printing apparatus, 4 ... Cleaning apparatus, 5 ... Conveyance apparatus, 6 ... Rail, 7 ... Projection cylinder part, 8C, 8M, 8Y, 8K ... Tube, 9 ... Ejection surface DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Wiper blade, 11 ... Cam mechanism (displacement means), 12 ... Cam, 13 ... Follower, 14 ... Rotating shaft, 15 ... Base, 16 ... Motor (pulse motor), 17 ... Drive shaft, 18 ... Guide body , 19 ... Roller pair, P ... Recording paper, X ... Retraction area, Y ... Printing area

Claims (3)

A head that ejects ink and an elastic wiper blade is provided, and the head and the wiper blade move relative to each other so that the ejection surface is cleaned while the wiper blade is in contact with the ejection surface of the head. In the constructed ink jet printer, data relating to the timing of displacing the wiper blade and the amount of displacement of the wiper blade corresponding to the timing determined based on the characteristic that the elasticity of the wiper blade decreases due to fatigue and deterioration with age is stored. An ink jet printer comprising a displacement means for displacing the wiper blade on the ejection surface side of the head based on the data .   The displacement means is composed of a cam that can rotate about its axis and a driven body that is arranged in contact with a part of the outer peripheral surface of the cam and that follows the rotational displacement of the cam. A wiper blade is attached to the driven body. The inkjet printer according to claim 1, wherein   3. An ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein the displacement means is operated at a preset timing to displace the wiper blade by a displacement amount corresponding to the timing.

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