JP4535770B2 - Line head wiping device for inkjet recording apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention provides a line head in which a plurality of nozzle heads each having a plurality of ink discharge nozzles and having a strip shape on the print surface side are arranged in a line in a slanted manner with respect to the arrangement direction. The present invention relates to a line head wiping device for an ink jet recording apparatus comprising:

  An ink jet recording apparatus using a line head is liable to cause deterioration in print quality due to clogging of the ink discharge nozzles due to deteriorated ink or intrusion of dust into the ink discharge nozzles. Need to wipe. A blade is used as this type of wiping device, and the nozzle surface of the line head is wiped by moving the blade while elastically deforming the nozzle surface of the line head.

  At this time, foreign matter such as ink wiped from the nozzle surface of the line head adheres to the tip of the blade. If this is left as it is, the foreign matter will again adhere to the head nozzle surface of the line, so it is necessary to remove the foreign matter periodically.

  As a conventional removing means for removing foreign matter from the blade, the foreign matter adhering to the blade is moved to the foreign matter removing member by relatively moving the blade tip in contact with the foreign matter removing member. It is removed by rubbing (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2001-105612 A

  In the conventional wiping device, the foreign matter attached to the blade is removed by rubbing on the foreign matter removing member. Therefore, the foreign matter is transferred to and attached to the foreign matter removing member. However, there is a problem in that the foreign matter is always attached, and the foreign matter is dropped by vibration or the like and scattered around to contaminate the surroundings.

The present invention solves the above-described problems of the prior art, and uses a foreign matter removing member that causes foreign matter adhering to the blade by wiping operation not to stay around the blade, that is, to cause foreign matter to scatter around. The line head wiping device for an ink jet recording apparatus that can completely remove foreign matters from the blade is provided, and the device according to the first aspect of the invention has a strip shape on the printing surface side. The nozzle surface of the line head is wiped by moving the nozzle head in contact with the nozzle surface of the line head of the inkjet recording apparatus in which a large number of nozzle heads are inclined with respect to the alignment direction. in the line head wiping device of an ink jet recording apparatus, a blade for supporting the blade The support member, the blade wiping position in contact with the nozzle surface of the line head, and movable in a standby position away from the line head is supported on the blade base, the blade platform, the nozzle head of the line head It is supported by a sliding base supported by a saddle base so as to move in an inclined direction, and is directed to the blade in a standby position at a position on the side of the sliding base in the sliding direction and away from the nozzle surface of the line head. A spray nozzle for injecting a cleaning liquid for cleaning the blade is provided, and the height of the saddle base that supports the sliding base is adjustable .

In the line head wiping device of the ink jet recording apparatus configured as described above, the wiping roll that comes into contact with the wiping surface of the blade in the standby posture is provided so as to be rotatable and capable of contacting and leaving the wiping surface of the blade in the standby posture state. It has a configuration.
In the line head wiping apparatus of the ink jet recording apparatus, the blade platform that is supported on the sliding table, and supported by a supporting shaft provided at one end in a direction perpendicular to the sliding direction of the sliding base sliding base It is configured to be able to swing in the sliding direction and to be fixed in an arbitrary posture within a predetermined range in the swinging direction .

In the invention apparatus according to the first aspect, foreign matter such as ink adhering to the blade by wiping the line head is not directly caused by the foreign matter removing member, but directly by the cleaning liquid ejected from the spray nozzle in the standby posture. Thus, contamination around the blade due to scattering of foreign matter from the foreign matter removing member can be prevented.
In addition, according to the present invention, when the blade at the time of wiping moves in the inclination direction of the nozzle head, the tip of the blade moves along the gap in a state of slightly entering the gap between the nozzle heads, Along with the surface of the nozzle head, the ink in the gap between the nozzle heads can also be wiped.
Further, since the height of the saddle base that supports the slide base can be adjusted, the height at which the tip of the blade interferes with the nozzle head of the line head during the wiping operation can be adjusted.

In the invention device according to claim 2, in addition to the cleaning by the spray nozzle, the blade wiping surface can be wiped by the wiping roll after the blade cleaning by the spray nozzle, and the blade after the cleaning by the cleaning liquid Can be kept clean and maintainability of parts and the like can be improved, and the quality of the product can be maintained well. Furthermore, in the invention device according to claim 3, the blade base supporting the blade via the blade support member is fixed so as to be swingable in the sliding direction of the sliding base, so that the posture of the blade with respect to the moving direction is improved. By changing the fixing position of the blade base, it can be arbitrarily changed over a predetermined range.

  1 and 2 are a side view and a plan view schematically showing a line head wiping apparatus A according to the present invention, in which 1 is a base and 2 is a vertical axis with respect to the base 1. This is a swivel mounted so as to be capable of swiveling. The swivel base 2 can be fixed to the base 1 with a bolt 3 in an arbitrary swiveling posture.

  In the figure, reference numeral 4 denotes a saddle base provided horizontally on the swivel base 2, and a slide base 5 is guided horizontally by two rails 6, 6 provided on the saddle base 4 on the saddle base 4. It is placed so that it can reciprocate in the direction. The sliding table 5 is connected to a rodless cylinder 7 provided on the saddle table 4, and reciprocates by the operation of the rodless cylinder 7.

  In the figure, reference numeral 9 denotes a blade base placed on the upper surface of the slide base 5, and this blade base 9 is supported by a support shaft 10 at one end in a direction orthogonal to the slide direction of the slide base 5. It is supported so as to be swingable in the horizontal direction. A fixed handle 11 is provided at the other end of the blade base 9, and the fixed handle 11 is provided in an arc-shaped groove 12 provided around the support shaft 10 at the other end of the slide base 5. By engaging and fastening the fixed handle 11, the blade base 9 can be fixed in an arbitrary posture within the range of the arc-shaped groove 12.

  In the figure, reference numeral 13 denotes a wiping blade made of a flexible material such as a rubber material. The blade 13 is a plate having a predetermined length, and is formed on one side of the width direction. The reinforcing plate 14 is fixed. A pair of rotating members 15, 15 are fixed to both ends of the reinforcing plate 14, and an intermediate portion of both the rotating members 15, 15 rotates to a pair of brackets 16, 16 provided on the blade base 9. It is supported freely. Further, the other ends of the rotating members 15, 15 are connected to the piston rod 18 of the cylinder devices 17, 17 provided on the blade base 9. 15 is rotated, and the tip of the blade 13 is moved up and down in an arc shape so that a wiping posture and a standby posture are achieved. An ink receiver 19 is provided below the blade 13.

  The base 1 is installed via a jack device 22 comprising a screw shaft 20 and a nut member 21 that is screwed to the floor surface. By operating the nut member 21 of the jack device 22, the entire device is By moving up and down, the position of the blade 13 in the height direction can be adjusted. The jack device 22 may be provided not at a position where the base 1 is moved up and down, but at a position where the slide base 5 is moved up and down relative to the swivel base 2. In short, the blade base 9 supporting the blade 13 is moved up and down. Provide a position where it can move. Further, the configuration is not limited to the above configuration.

  The line head wiping apparatus A having the above configuration is installed on the side of the ink jet recording apparatus, and the line head 23 of the ink jet recording apparatus is moved from the printing position to a maintenance position perpendicular to the printing direction (main scanning direction). The state is as shown in FIG. 2, and the lower surface thereof is positioned above the line head wiping apparatus A.

  The shape of the line head 23 as viewed from below is as shown in FIG. 3, and a plurality of strip-like nozzle heads 24 are arranged side by side in a posture inclined at a predetermined angle θ with respect to the arrangement direction. Yes. The nozzle head 24 is provided with a large number of ink ejection nozzles (not shown) substantially parallel to the long sides thereof.

  A support base 26 is provided at a position where one side of the base 1 does not interfere with the swivel base 2, and the blade cleaning device 27 moves on the support base 26 in a direction perpendicular to the swivel center of the swivel base 2. It is provided as possible.

  The blade cleaning device 27 includes a slide base 28 supported by the support base 26 so as to be slidable by the rails 26a and 26a, and a pair of brackets 29 and 29 provided on the slide base 28. A wipe composed of a plurality of spray nozzles 30 provided toward the blade 13 and a nonwoven fabric rotatably supported at the tips of a pair of arms 31 and 31 rotatably supported by both brackets 29 and 29. A pair of cylinder devices 33, 33 that rotate a roll 32 and arms 31, 31 that support the wiping roll 32, a motor 34 that rotates the wiping roll 32, and the slide base 28 are attached to the support base 26. And a cylinder device 35 that moves.

  The spray nozzle 30 and the wiping roll 32 have a length slightly longer than the length of the blade 13, and the spray nozzle 30 ejects the cleaning liquid toward the blade 13 in the standby posture.

  The wiping roll 32 is brought into contact with and separated from the wiping surface of the blade 13 in the standby posture by rotating the arms 31 and 31 supporting the wiping roll 32 by the cylinder device 33, and this is in contact with the wiping surface. When the motor 34 is driven in the state where the cleaning liquid is attached, the cleaning liquid adhering to the wiping surface of the blade 13 by cleaning with the cleaning liquid is wiped and cleaned by the wiping roll 32.

  A wiping operation using the line head wiping apparatus A configured as described above will be described below.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the line head 23 of the ink jet recording apparatus is moved above the line head wiping apparatus A installed at the maintenance position thereof. In this state, the swivel base 2 is swung to fix the blade 13 in a posture orthogonal to the inclination angle θ of the nozzle head 24 of the line head 23. At this time, the slide base 5 is moved to the standby position by the operation of the rodless cylinder 7 for sliding, and the blade 13 is moved to a position where it is detached from the line head 23.

  Next, the cylinder devices 17 and 17 for rotation are extended to rotate the blade 13 in the upright direction, and the tip of the blade 13 is moved upward in an arc shape to be in a wiping posture. At this time, it is confirmed whether the tip of the blade 13 has a height that interferes with the nozzle head 24 of the line head 23. The height of the blade 13 at this time is adjusted by the jack device 22.

  In this state, the reciprocating rodless cylinder 7 is operated to slide the slide base 5 along one of the rails 6 and 6 so that the blade 13 contacts the lower surface of the nozzle head 24 of the line head 23. The tip end of the nozzle head 24 moves while being bent by the contact amount, and the lower surface of the nozzle head 24 is wiped (wiped) by the blade 13.

  At this time, if the tip of the blade 13 is bent as described above, the tip of the blade 13 comes into contact with the nozzle head 24, and the blade 13 moves in the inclination direction of the nozzle head 24, so that the tip of the blade 13 is shown in FIG. The nozzle head moves along the gap in a state where it slightly enters the gap 24a between the nozzle heads. Accordingly, the ink in the gap 24a between the nozzle heads 24 is wiped together with the surface of the nozzle head 24.

  After the end of the wiping operation, the cylinder device 17 is shortened to rotate the blade 13 in the downward movement direction, and the tip of the blade 13 is moved downward in an arc shape to be in a standby posture. Next, the rodless cylinder 7 is operated in the reverse direction to move the slide 5 to a standby position where the blade 13 is disengaged from the line head 23.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the blade 13 at the standby position tilts toward the blade cleaning device 27 and assumes a standby posture. Next, the cylinder device 35 is extended to move the blade cleaning device 27 to the blade 13 side. At this time, the wiping roll 32 is raised by the extension movement of the cylinder device 33. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 1, the spray nozzle 30 faces the tip of the blade 13.

  In this state, the cleaning liquid is sprayed from the nozzle 30. Thereby, foreign matters such as ink adhering to the wiping surface of the blade 13 are removed by the cleaning liquid. Then, the waste liquid mixed with foreign matters at this time is collected by the ink receiver 19. Further, the air pressure for spraying the cleaning liquid sprayed from the spray nozzle 30 is appropriately adjusted by an air regulator.

  Next, in a state where the spraying of the cleaning liquid from the spray nozzle 30 is stopped, the wiping roll 32 is moved downward and brought into contact with the wiping surface of the blade 13 and rotated by the motor 34. As a result, the cleaning liquid adhering to the wiping surface of the blade 13 is wiped off by the wiping roll 32.

  The above-described series of operations can be automatically performed by controlling a cylinder device that operates each member via a control device.

  The blade 13 may be cleaned only by a spray nozzle, but good wiping can be performed by wiping off the ink and the cleaning liquid with the wiping roll 32 thereafter. Furthermore, better cleaning can be performed by repeating spraying of the cleaning liquid and wiping by the wiping roll 32.

It is a partially broken front view which shows the apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a top view of the said apparatus. It is a bottom view which shows the line head of the inkjet recording device which is going to apply the apparatus based on this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the mode of the blade of the wiping part in a line wiping apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

  A ... line head wiping device, 1 ... base, 2 ... swivel base, 3 ... bolt, 4 ... saddle base, 5 ... sliding base, 6 ... rail, 7 ... rodless cylinder, 8, 18 ... piston rod, 9 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ... Blade stand, 10 ... Support shaft, 11 ... Fixed handle, 12 ... Circular groove, 13 ... Blade, 14 ... Reinforcement plate, 15 ... Rotating member, 16 ... Bracket, 17 ... Cylinder device, 19 ... Ink receptacle, 20 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ... Screw shaft, 21 ... Nut, 22 ... Jack apparatus, 23 ... Line head, 24 ... Nozzle head, 24a ... Gap, 26 ... Support stand, 27 ... Blade washing apparatus, 28 ... Moving stand, 29 ... Bracket, 30 ... Spray Nozzle, 31 ... arm, 32 ... wiping roll, 33, 35 ... cylinder device, 34 ... motor.

Claims (3)

By moving the nozzle surface of the line head of the ink jet recording apparatus in which a large number of nozzle heads having a strip shape on the printing surface side are arranged in a line at an inclination with respect to the alignment direction , the blade is in contact with the nozzle surface In the line head wiping device of the ink jet recording apparatus that wipes the nozzle surface of the line head,
The blade support member that supports the blade is supported by the blade base so that the blade can move between a wiping posture in which the blade contacts the nozzle surface of the line head and a standby posture in which the blade is separated from the line head ,
The blade base is supported by a sliding base supported by a saddle base so as to move in the inclination direction of the nozzle head of the line head,
A spray nozzle is provided on the side of the sliding direction of the sliding table and at a position off the nozzle surface of the line head to inject a cleaning liquid for cleaning the blade toward the blade in a standby posture.
A line head wiping apparatus for an ink jet recording apparatus, wherein the height of a saddle base for supporting the slide base is adjustable .   2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a wiping roll that comes into contact with the wiping surface of the blade in the standby posture is provided so as to be rotatable and capable of contacting and separating from the wiping surface of the blade in the standby posture state. Line head wiping device. The blade platform that is supported on the sliding base, swingably supported supported to the sliding direction of the sliding base on the support shaft provided at one end in a direction perpendicular to the sliding direction of the slide base The line head wiping apparatus for an ink jet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the line head wiping apparatus can be fixed in an arbitrary posture within a predetermined range in a swing direction .

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