JP5029752B2 - Liquid supply device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a liquid body subjected KyuSo location you supplying liquid such as liquid ejecting apparatus such as an ink jet printer.

  As a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects liquid from a liquid ejecting head to a target, for example, an ink jet recording apparatus (hereinafter simply referred to as “printer”) is known. This printer normally includes an ink supply tank (liquid supply means) for supplying ink to the liquid ejecting head and an ink recovery tank (liquid recovery means) for recovering waste ink discharged from the liquid ejecting head. Equipped inside the printer. As such a printer, a printer in which both an ink supply tank and an ink recovery tank are mounted on a carriage is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). In the printer disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the recovery operation (cleaning) of the liquid ejecting head is performed, the cap is brought into close contact with the liquid ejecting head, the ink (liquid) in the nozzle is sucked with a pump, and the sucked waste ink is recovered. Collected in the tank.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-60991

  By the way, in the printer of Patent Document 1, since the ink supply tank and the ink recovery tank are mounted on the carriage, it is difficult to enlarge them. For this reason, particularly when a large amount of printing is performed, the number of times the liquid ejecting head is cleaned and flushed increases, and the ink supply tank and the ink recovery tank have to be frequently replaced. Patent Document 1 describes a printer (see Example 5 and FIG. 6) in which an ink supply tank and an ink recovery tank are arranged in a location other than the carriage in the printer. However, even in this case, as long as the ink supply tank and the ink recovery tank are disposed in the printer, they must be disposed in a dead space where devices necessary for the printer are not disposed. It was difficult to set the shape freely. In particular, when an absorbent material is disposed in the ink collection tank, the amount of ink retained varies depending on its shape. However, when arranged in a dead space, it has not been possible to obtain an ideal cube or cuboid shape.

The present invention has been made paying attention to such problems existing in the prior art. And an object thereof is to provide a liquid subjected KyuSo location capable of setting the size and shape of the liquid supply hand stage freely.

In order to achieve the above object, a liquid supply apparatus according to the present invention is a liquid supply apparatus that is provided separately from the liquid ejecting apparatus and supplies liquid to the liquid ejecting head of the liquid ejecting apparatus. Positioning in the height direction of the liquid supply means is performed based on the positional relationship between the liquid ejecting head and a liquid supply means including a plurality of liquid storage containers connected to supply pipes for storing and supplying the liquid. A holding member, and the holding member is a tray on which the liquid ejecting apparatus and the liquid supply unit are arranged .

According to the present invention, regardless of the size of the liquid body ejecting apparatus, it is possible to freely set the size and shape of the liquid supply hand stage.

In the liquid supply apparatus of the present invention, the tray arranges the liquid supply means such that the hydrostatic head of the liquid stored in the liquid supply means is lower than the nozzle formation surface of the liquid ejecting head.
According to this aspect of the invention, since the liquid does not become positive pressure on the nozzle formation surface of the liquid ejecting head, it is possible to eject an appropriate amount of liquid from the liquid ejecting head.

In the liquid supply apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, the tray may be configured such that the liquid supply unit has a liquid level stored in the liquid supply unit that is the same height as or higher than the nozzle formation surface of the liquid ejecting head. Arrange as follows.

According to the present invention, it is possible to reliably supply the liquid to the liquid ejecting head .

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid ejection system in the embodiment. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an ink jet printer according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the ink supply / recovery device in the embodiment. The principal part expanded sectional view of the ink supply collection | recovery apparatus in embodiment. FIG. 3 is a simplified cross-sectional view of the ink supply and recovery device according to the embodiment. The perspective view of the cover in an embodiment.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in a liquid supply and recovery apparatus used in a liquid ejection system will be described with reference to FIGS. Unless otherwise specified, the front-rear direction, the up-down direction, and the left-right direction in the following description correspond to the front-rear direction, the up-down direction, and the left-right direction when the front side is the front side in FIG. To do.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a liquid ejecting system 10 includes an ink jet printer 11 as a liquid ejecting apparatus, and an ink supply and recovery as a liquid supply and recovery apparatus that supplies and recovers ink as a liquid to the ink jet printer 11. Device 12. The ink jet printer 11 and the ink supply / recovery device 12 are juxtaposed in the left-right direction on a tray 13 as a holding member arranged horizontally. The tray 13 keeps the ink jet printer 11 and the ink supply / recovery device 12 in a fixed positional relationship.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the ink jet printer 11 includes a main body case 14 having a bottomed substantially long rectangular box shape. Between the left and right side walls of the main body case 14, a rod-shaped guide member 15 is installed so as to extend in the left-right direction. A carriage 16 is inserted into and supported by the guide member 15 so as to be movable in the left-right direction along the guide member 15. The carriage 16 is connected to a carriage motor 18 via a timing belt 17, and is moved in the left-right direction along the guide member 15 by driving the carriage motor 18.

  A recording head 19 as a liquid ejecting head is mounted below the carriage 16. The lower surface of the recording head 19 is a nozzle formation surface 19a, and a plurality of nozzles (not shown) are provided on the nozzle formation surface 19a. A plurality (eight in this embodiment) of ink storage chambers 20 are provided above the recording head 19 in the carriage 16, and each of the ink storage chambers 20 has a liquid supply pipe extending from the ink supply and recovery device 12. A plurality of (eight in this embodiment) flexible ink supply tubes 21 are connected to each other. Each ink storage chamber 20 temporarily stores ink of a plurality of colors (eight colors in this embodiment) supplied from the ink supply / recovery device 12 via each ink supply tube 21. Each ink temporarily stored in each ink storage chamber 20 is supplied to the recording head 19.

  A platen 22 extending in the left-right direction is provided below the carriage 16. The platen 22 is a support base that supports the recording paper P as a target, and a paper feed mechanism (not shown) is provided on the upper surface thereof. This paper feed mechanism feeds (moves) the recording paper P forward by driving a paper feed motor (not shown) provided in the main body case 14. When the carriage 16 is reciprocated along the guide member 15 and a piezoelectric element (not shown) provided on the recording head 19 is driven based on the print data, each ink from each nozzle on the nozzle forming surface 19a is driven. Are jetted to the recording paper P fed forward, and printing is performed on the recording paper P.

  A non-printing area (home position) where printing is not performed is provided at the right end in the main body case 14, and a cleaning mechanism 23 is provided in this non-printing area. The cleaning mechanism 23 includes a cap 24, an ink discharge tube 25 as a flexible liquid discharge tube, and a suction pump 26.

  The cap 24 has a substantially square box shape with an upper surface opened, and is configured to reciprocate in the vertical direction by a driving force of a lifting motor (not shown) provided in a non-printing area. In the inner bottom wall of the cap 24, a suction hole 24a penetrating the inner bottom wall in the vertical direction is formed. A substantially rectangular frame-shaped portion 24 b made of a flexible material is provided on the upper end portion of the cap 24. When the cap 24 is moved upward while the recording head 19 is moved to the non-printing area, the frame-like portion 24b is contacted so as to seal the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19, and this contact Thus, a cap internal space, which is a space for sealing each nozzle (not shown), is formed in the cap 24.

  The ink discharge tube 25 is connected to the suction hole 24 a, and a suction pump 26 is provided at an intermediate portion of the ink discharge tube 25. Then, by driving the suction pump 26 with the cap 24 sealing the nozzle forming surface 19a, each of the thickened inks in the recording head 19 is transferred from the respective nozzles (not shown) to the space inside the cap and the cap. The recording head 19 is cleaned by being discharged to the ink supply / recovery device 12 through the ink discharge tube 25.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the ink supply / recovery device 12 includes a case 27 as a unit body having a rectangular parallelepiped shape. Then, a plurality (eight in this embodiment) of ink cartridges 28 as a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped liquid supply means inserted into the case 27 and a square box-shaped liquid recovery means as the liquid supply means inserted into the case 27. And a recovery container 29. Each ink cartridge 28 is filled with ink of different colors.

  Eight first insertion openings 27 a for inserting the respective ink cartridges 28 are arranged in the left and right direction at the upper part of the front surface of the case 27. Further, a second insertion port 27 b for inserting the collection container 29 is provided at the lower part of the front surface of the case 27. Each ink cartridge 28 and the collection container 29 are configured to be attachable to and detachable from the case 27 through the first insertion port 27a and the second insertion port 27b, respectively.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a contact wall 30 is provided in the case 27 so that the rear surface of each ink cartridge 28 contacts when the ink cartridge 28 is inserted from the first insertion port 27 a to the back. ing. Eight cylindrical supply needles 31 extending in the front-rear direction are provided at the lower end portion of the contact wall 30 so as to correspond to the ink cartridges 28.

  A supply hole 28a is formed at the lower end of the rear wall of each ink cartridge 28 so as to face each supply needle 31. When the rear surface of each ink cartridge 28 contacts the contact wall 30, The front end portion of each supply needle 31 is inserted into each ink cartridge 28 from the supply hole 28a. Each supply hole 28a is provided with a valve mechanism (not shown) so that each ink in each ink cartridge 28 does not leak from each supply hole 28a when each supply needle 31 is not inserted. It has become.

  The rear end of each supply needle 31 is connected to the other end of each ink supply tube 21 having one end connected to each ink storage chamber 20. The space from each supply needle 31 to the recording head 19 is shut off from the atmosphere. Each ink is supplied to the recording head 19 via each ink supply tube 21 and each ink storage chamber 20 by the capillary force at the nozzles generated by the consumption of each ink in the recording head 19. It has become. As shown in FIG. 1, each ink cartridge 28 is arranged such that the liquid surface 28b of each ink inside is lower than the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19, and the ink forming surface 19a Each ink does not become a positive pressure. In this case, each ink cartridge 28 is appropriately supplied to each recording head 19 via each ink supply tube 21 and each ink storage chamber 20 by the capillary force generated in the recording head 19. Is arranged at the height of In particular, as shown in FIG. 1, the inkjet printer 11 and the ink supply / recovery device 12 are arranged on the tray 13 so that positioning in the respective height directions is performed by the user. The positional relationship is not changed.

  As shown in FIG. 5, in a state where the recovery container 29 is mounted in the case 27 from the second insertion port 27b (see FIG. 3), the other end of the ink discharge tube 25 whose one end is connected to the suction hole 24a is the recovery port. It is arranged in the container 29. Further, in this state, the ink sensor 32 supported in the case 27 is arranged in the collection container 29.

  The ink sensor 32 is electrically connected to a control unit 33 provided in the case 27, and the control unit 33 is electrically connected to a lamp 34 as a notification unit provided on the surface of the case 27. . Then, when the amount of ink in the collection container 29 reaches a predetermined amount (about 80 to 90% of the volume of the collection container 29), the ink sensor 32 is immersed in the ink, so that a signal is sent from the ink sensor 32 to the control unit 33. The control unit 33 lights the lamp 34 based on the signal.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the exposed ink supply tube 21, ink discharge tube 25, cable (not shown) and the like are covered between the main body case 14 of the ink jet printer 11 and the case 27 of the ink supply / recovery device 12. Thus, a cover 35 as a covering member is provided. The cover 35 has a U shape with a cross-sectional opening opened downward, and is made of a material having rigidity such as metal. The length of the cover 35 in the left-right direction is substantially the same as the distance between the main body case 14 of the ink jet printer 11 and the case 27 of the ink supply / recovery device 12, and the lower end of the cover 35 is the tray 13 (see FIG. 1). ). The ink supply / recovery device 12 of this embodiment is unitized in a state where each ink cartridge 28 and the recovery container 29 are accommodated in a case 27.

  When printing is performed on the recording paper P by the ink jet printer 11 and each ink in each ink storage chamber 20 is consumed, each consumed ink is transferred from each ink cartridge 28 to the recording head 19. The recording head 19 is replenished through the ink supply tubes 21 and the ink storage chambers 20 by the capillary force of the nozzles. In addition, when the recording head 19 is cleaned, each ink discharged from the recording head 19 by driving the suction pump 26 is recovered in the recovery container 29 via the cap inner space and the ink discharge tube 25. When the lamp 34 is lit, the recovery container 29 is pulled out from the second insertion port 27b, the ink in the recovery container 29 is disposed, and the recovery container 29 is returned from the second insertion port 27b into the case 27 again. . In this way, ink does not overflow from the collection container 29.

As described above, according to the embodiment described in detail, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) Since the case 27 of the ink supply / recovery device 12 is provided as a separate body outside the ink jet printer 11, the size and shape of each ink cartridge 28 and the recovery container 29 can be freely set. For this reason, even when a large amount of printing is performed by the ink jet printer 11, it is not necessary to frequently replace each ink cartridge 28 or frequently dispose of the ink collected in the collection container 29.

  (2) In the case 27 of the ink supply / recovery device 12, each ink cartridge 28 is disposed above the collection container 29, and therefore, when each ink in each ink cartridge 28 is supplied to the recording head 19 by capillary force. In addition, the height of each ink cartridge 28 necessary for maintaining the capillary force can be easily ensured.

  (3) Since each ink cartridge 28 and the collection container 29 are configured to be detachable from the case 27 of the ink supply and collection device 12, the replacement of each ink cartridge 28 and the ink collected in the collection container 29 are provided. Disposal can be done easily.

  (4) Since the ink in each ink cartridge 28 is replenished to the recording head 19 by the capillary force at the nozzles of the recording head 19, the ink supply / recovery device 12 is a pressure motor for pressurizing each ink. In other words, each ink storage chamber 20 and recording head 19 can be replenished with ink without requiring power, that is, without requiring a power source or the like. For this reason, it is possible to reduce the size of the ink supply / recovery device 12 (case 27) and reduce the running cost (such as electricity costs).

  (5) Since the liquid level 28b of each ink in each ink cartridge 28 is at a position lower than the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19, each ink does not have a positive pressure on the nozzle forming surface 19a of the recording head 19. For this reason, it is possible to suppress an increase in the amount of each ink ejected from the recording head 19 and an unstable ejection of each ink, and to stabilize an appropriate amount of each ink from the recording head 19. Can be injected.

  (6) Since the ink jet printer 11 and the ink supply / recovery device 12 (case 27) can be maintained in a fixed positional relationship by the tray 13, the water head of each ink in each ink cartridge 28 is properly maintained. be able to. Therefore, each ink can be reliably replenished and supplied to each ink storage chamber 20 and the recording head 19 by the capillary force at the nozzle of the recording head 19.

(7) The exposed ink supply tube 21, ink discharge tube 25, cable (not shown) and the like between the main body case 14 of the ink jet printer 11 and the case 27 of the ink supply and recovery device 12 are covered with a cover 35. Yes. For this reason, the cover 35 can protect the ink supply tube 21, the ink discharge tube 25, the cable (not shown), and the like from external force, and can prevent them from being accidentally pulled out by a user or the like. .
(Example of change)
In addition, you may change the said embodiment as follows.

-The cover 35 may be omitted.
-The tray 13 may be omitted.
The inside of each ink cartridge 28 may not be a free liquid level but may be a sealed bag or the like having a hydrostatic head equivalent to this.

  Each ink cartridge 28 may be arranged so that the liquid surface 28b of each ink in each ink cartridge 28 is at the same height as or higher than the nozzle formation surface 19a of the recording head 19.

Each ink in each ink cartridge 28 may be pressurized by a pressure pump or the like and supplied to the recording head 19.
At least one of the collection container 29 and each ink cartridge 28 may be fixed to the case 27 of the ink supply and collection device 12. In this case, it is necessary to configure the case 27 of the ink supply and recovery device 12 so that each ink cartridge 28 can be replenished with each ink and the ink in the recovery container 29 can be disposed.

The case 27 of the ink supply / recovery device 12 may be configured such that the recovery container 29 is disposed above each ink cartridge 28.
The ink supply tube 21 and the ink discharge tube 25 are divided between the ink jet printer 11 and the ink supply / recovery device 12, respectively, and the divided portions are connected by joints, respectively. The apparatus 12 may be configured to be separable. In this way, for example, the ink supply / recovery device 12 can be easily replaced with a type that supplies ink by a pressure pump or the like as described above.

  An ink absorbing material that absorbs and holds the collected ink in the collection container 29 may be provided. In this case, it is desirable that the ink absorbing material has a rectangular parallelepiped shape that fits inside the collection container 29. Thereby, the collected ink can be efficiently held.

-A buzzer or melody may be used as a notification means.
The case 27 of the ink supply / recovery device 12 may be provided with one or a plurality of ink cartridges 28 other than eight.

  In the above embodiment, the liquid ejecting apparatus is embodied as the ink jet printer 11. However, for example, the liquid ejecting apparatus may be used for manufacturing a color filter such as a liquid crystal display or pixel formation such as an organic EL display. Good.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Inkjet printer as a liquid ejecting apparatus, 12 ... Ink supply / recovery apparatus as a liquid supply / recovery apparatus, 13 ... Tray as a holding member, 19 ... Recording head as a liquid ejecting head, 19a ... Nozzle formation surface, 21 ... Ink supply tube as a liquid supply tube, 25 ... Ink discharge tube as a liquid discharge tube, 27 ... Case as a unit body, 28 ... Ink cartridge as liquid supply means, 29 ... Recovery container as liquid recovery means, 35 ... Cover as a covering member.

Claims (3)

A liquid supply device that is provided as a separate body outside the liquid ejecting apparatus and supplies liquid to the liquid ejecting head of the liquid ejecting apparatus,
Liquid supply means for storing liquid and including a plurality of liquid storage containers to which supply pipes for supplying the liquid are connected;
A holding member that positions the liquid supply unit in a height direction in a positional relationship with the liquid ejecting head ;
The liquid supply apparatus, wherein the holding member is a tray on which the liquid ejecting apparatus and the liquid supply means are arranged . The said tray arrange | positions the said liquid supply means so that the hydrostatic head of the liquid stored by this liquid supply means may become lower than the nozzle formation surface of the said liquid ejecting head. Liquid supply device. The tray is characterized in that the liquid supply means is arranged such that the liquid level of the liquid stored in the liquid supply means is at a level equal to or higher than the nozzle formation surface of the liquid jet head. The liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1.

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