Drawing machine ejecting ink and cleaning unit of drawing machine

Abstract

The invention provides a plotter ejecting ink and a cleaning unit of the plotter. And under the condition that nozzle faults are not caused, accurate cleaning of the nozzle is achieved. The plotter includes: a print head (22) for ejecting ink supplied from an ink tank to a conveyed object to be plotted; a nozzle group composed of a plurality of nozzles arranged side by side on one end surface of the print head (22); a purge control unit that performs a purge process that leaks ink remaining in a flow path from the ink tank to the nozzle group to the outside through the nozzle group; and a cleaning unit (400) that has a wiping member for wiping attachments attached to the nozzle group due to the cleaning process, and that positions the wiping member for the nozzle group in a state in which the cleaning unit is in contact with one end surface of the print head.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to an ink-jet plotter and a plotter cleaning unit. Background Technology

[0002] For example, an inkjet printing device that sprays ink onto packaging materials such as cardboard to print text is known (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-131141).

[0003] In a DOD-type inkjet printer, a printhead is installed, in which multiple nozzles are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the direction of transport of the object being drawn.

[0004] In addition, when residual ink or dust adheres to the nozzles on the front face of the printhead, users will wipe them with a cloth to prevent clogging.

[0005] However, because the printhead has multiple nozzles on its narrow front face, and each nozzle is very small, it is difficult for users to control the pressure when wiping with a cloth. If the wiping pressure is too weak, it may not remove dirt completely; conversely, if the wiping pressure is too strong, dust or dirt may be trapped, potentially causing nozzle malfunction. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This disclosure takes into account the above-mentioned problems and aims to enable the nozzle to be cleaned as expected without causing nozzle malfunction.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, one aspect of this disclosure is based on a plotter that ejects ink for drawing information onto a workpiece conveyed by a conveyor. The plotter includes: an ink tank containing ink; a printhead for ejecting ink supplied from the ink tank onto the conveyed workpiece; a nozzle assembly consisting of a plurality of nozzles arranged on one end face of the printhead; a cleaning control unit that performs a cleaning process to allow ink remaining in the flow path from the ink tank to the nozzle assembly to leak out through the nozzle assembly; and a cleaning unit having a wiping component that wipes away deposits adhering to the nozzle assembly due to the cleaning process, and positioning the wiping component relative to the nozzle assembly while in contact with the one end face of the printhead.

[0008] Alternatively, a cleaning unit that can be detachably mounted on the plotter can be used. The cleaning unit includes: a wiping component that wipes away deposits that have adhered to the nozzle assembly due to the cleaning process; and a mounting portion that can be detachably mounted on one end face of the printhead on which the nozzle assembly is arranged, and positions the wiping component relative to the nozzle assembly.

[0009] With this structure, when the cleaning unit is mounted on one end face of the printhead, the wiping component is positioned on the nozzle group arranged on that end face, thus the relative positional relationship between the wiping component and the nozzle group becomes a predetermined positional relationship. In this way, when the wiping component contacts the nozzle group, the force is neither too weak nor too strong, achieving appropriate force control.

[0010] As described above, when the cleaning unit is installed on one end face of the printhead, the force of the wiping component when it contacts the nozzle assembly can be adjusted appropriately, so that the nozzle can be cleaned as expected without causing nozzle malfunction. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the overall structure of the inkjet printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0012] Figure 2 This is a block diagram of an inkjet printing device;

[0013] Figure 3 It is a plan view showing an example of the installation of a plotter and a testing machine;

[0014] Figure 4 This is a front view showing an example of the installation of a plotter and an inspection machine;

[0015] Figure 5 This is an oblique view of the plotter from the front;

[0016] Figure 6 This is an oblique view of the plotter viewed from above after the top cover has been removed;

[0017] Figure 7 It is a perspective view showing the state after the outer shell containing the absorber has been removed;

[0018] Figure 8 This is a perspective view showing the state after the ink receiver has been removed;

[0019] Figure 9 It is a top view showing the positional relationship between the printhead, ink receiver, and ink tank;

[0020] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of the ink receiving section;

[0021] Figure 11 This is an oblique view of the cleaning unit from the front;

[0022] Figure 12 This is an angled view showing the cleaning unit installed on the front face of the printhead;

[0023] Figure 13 This is an oblique view of the cleaning unit from the rear;

[0024] Figure 14 This is a diagram illustrating the installation method of the cleaning unit;

[0025] Figure 15 This is an enlarged view of the area near the printhead mounting slot;

[0026] Figure 16 This is a side view showing a modified example 1 of the printhead mounting;

[0027] Figure 17 This is a side view showing a modified example 2 of printhead mounting;

[0028] Figure 18 It is a perspective view showing the ink cartridge being removed from its casing for cleaning;

[0029] Figure 19 yes Figure 11 Cross-sectional view of the XIX-XIX line;

[0030] Figure 20 yes Figure 11 Cross-sectional view of the XX-XX line;

[0031] Figure 21 This is a floor plan of the cleaning unit;

[0032] Figure 22 yes Figure 20 A cross-sectional view corresponding to the XXII-XXII line;

[0033] Figure 23 This is the state after removing the wiped parts. Figure 13 Equivalent diagram;

[0034] Figure 24 It is a perspective view showing the positional relationship between the buffer component, the input component, the input shaft, and the cam plate;

[0035] Figure 25 yes Figure 20 The cross-sectional view corresponding to the XXV-XXV line indicates that the first locking mechanism is in the locked state;

[0036] Figure 26 This indicates that the first locking mechanism is in the unlocked state. Figure 25 Equivalent diagram;

[0037] Figure 27 yes Figure 20 The cross-sectional view corresponding to line XXVII-XXVII shows the second locking mechanism in the locked state;

[0038] Figure 28 This indicates that the second lockdown mechanism is being lifted. Figure 27 Equivalent diagram;

[0039] Figure 29 This indicates that after the second locking mechanism is released... Figure 27 Equivalent diagram;

[0040] Figure 30 This indicates that the second locking mechanism is locking. Figure 27 Equivalent diagram;

[0041] Figure 31 yes Figure 20 The cross-sectional view corresponding to line XXXI-XXXI indicates the third locking mechanism in the unlocked state; and

[0042] Figure 32 This indicates that the third locking mechanism is in a locked state. Figure 31 Equivalent diagram. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail based on the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following description of preferred embodiments is merely illustrative and is not intended to limit the invention, its application, or its uses.

[0044] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the overall structure of the inkjet printing apparatus 1, including the plotter 2 related to an embodiment of the present invention, during operation. Figure 2 This is a block diagram of an inkjet printing apparatus 1. The inkjet printing apparatus 1 includes, for example, a plotter 2, an inspection machine 3, a controller 4, and an operating terminal 5.

[0045] The plotter 2 is the part that performs drawing processing on the object to be drawn, and it is separate from the controller 4. The inspection machine 3 is the part that determines the quality of the drawing performed by the plotter 2 on the object to be drawn, and it is also separate from the controller 4. The inkjet printing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, having the plotter 2 and the inspection machine 3, is an inkjet printing apparatus that ejects ink to draw information on an object and determines the quality of the drawing by imaging.

[0046] The controller 4 controls the plotter 2 and the inspection machine 3, and can also be called a control device, control unit, etc. Furthermore, the operator terminal 5, consisting of a personal computer or similar device, is where the user performs operations such as inputting drawing information, setting various parameters, selecting options, and confirming information. The operator terminal 5 includes a terminal-side display unit 5a, consisting of an LCD or similar device, and a terminal-side operation unit 5b, consisting of a keyboard, mouse, pointing device, etc.

[0047] The above configuration example is merely one illustration, and the present invention is not limited to this configuration example. That is, the controller 4 can be embedded in the operating terminal 5 or in the plotter 2. Furthermore, the operating terminal 5 can also function as the controller 4. Additionally, Figure 1 and Figure 2The diagram shows an external device 6, consisting of a programmable logic controller (PLC), which is communicatively connected to the controller 4. Control signals output from the external device 6 are input to the controller 4. The external device 6 can be a device that forms part of the inkjet printing apparatus 1, or it can be a separate device distinct from the inkjet printing apparatus 1.

[0048] The inkjet printing device 1 is a device for forming a drawing pattern on a workpiece W (an example of a drawing object) that is horizontally conveyed by a conveyor (an example of a conveying device) 10. It is assembled into a manufacturing line (also called a production line) and is an in-line device. The conveyor 10 is, for example, a belt conveyor, a roller conveyor, etc. The aforementioned production line is constituted by the conveyor 10. The aforementioned production line is installed in various factories or warehouses, etc. The drawing machine 2 is fixed in a predetermined position relative to the conveyor 10.

[0049] During the operation of the inkjet printing device 1, multiple workpieces W are placed on the conveyor surface 10a of the conveyor 10, and then... Figure 1 The conveying proceeds sequentially in the direction indicated by arrow A. Therefore, the upstream side of the conveying direction is... Figure 1 On the left, downstream of the conveying direction is Figure 1 On the right side. Multiple workpieces W are placed on the conveying surface 10a at a certain distance from each other in the conveying direction, i.e., the direction of arrow A. The direction perpendicular to arrow A and along the conveying surface 10a is called the width direction.

[0050] The workpiece W is not particularly limited; examples include packaging materials used to package various products. Typical examples of packaging materials include corrugated cardboard. The inkjet printing device 1 draws information on the workpiece W conveyed by the conveyor 10, such as text containing numbers, symbols, barcodes, QR codes, images, marks, illustrations, and combinations thereof. When only text is drawn, the inkjet printing device 1 can also be called a printing device, and the plotter 2 can be called a printer. Furthermore, the information drawing by the inkjet printing device 1 also includes printing images. In this case, the inkjet printing device 1 can be called a printing device. In the following description, printing and drawing will be collectively referred to as drawing.

[0051] Furthermore, encoder 7 and detection sensor 9 (described later), among other devices for detecting the position of workpiece W, are connected to controller 4. Based on the signals output from encoder 7 and detection sensor 9, controller 4 detects the position of workpiece W. Controller 4 controls plotter 2 so that plotting begins when workpiece W reaches a predetermined position.

[0052] (Structure of Plotter 2)

[0053] The plotter 2 is a DOD (Drop On Demand) plotter that only ejects ink when drawing is required, but it can also be a CIJ (Continuous Ink Jet) plotter that ejects ink even when no drawing is being performed, in addition to the DOD method. Hereinafter, the case where a DOD plotter is used as the plotter 2 in this embodiment will be described.

[0054] like Figure 2 As shown, the plotter 2 includes an ink supply unit 20, a printhead drive unit 21, and a DOD printhead (hereinafter referred to as the printhead) 22. The plotter 2 also includes a plotter body 25 (e.g., a plotter main body 25 on which the printhead 22 is mounted) Figure 1 (As shown). The plotter body 25 is fixed to the conveyor 10, etc.

[0055] The printhead 22 is fixed inside the plotter body 25, and the positional relationship between the plotter body 25 and the printhead 22 is fixed. In addition, the ink supply unit 20 and the printhead drive unit 21 are also housed inside the plotter body 25.

[0056] The printhead 22 of the DOD plotter 2, for example, a component equivalent to the ejection section, ejects ink supplied from the removable ink cartridge 300 toward the workpiece W conveyed by the conveyor 10. A nozzle group 22a consisting of multiple nozzles is provided on the front end face (one end face) of the printhead 22 and arranged in the direction of gravity, i.e., the up-down direction.

[0057] The ink ejected from the nozzle assembly 22a of the print head 22 forms a drawing pattern on the workpiece W. The print head 22 can have various structures, such as thermal inkjet, valve inkjet, or piezoelectric. In this embodiment, a piezoelectric print head 22 is used. This print head can draw from low to high resolution, has a large drawing width, and high durability. The ink ejected from the print head 22 exits the plotter body 25 and adheres to the workpiece W.

[0058] The ink supply unit 20 is the part that supplies ink to the print head 22. It includes an ink tank 20a for holding ink supplied to the print head 22, and an ink cartridge 300 for replenishing ink to the ink tank 20a.

[0059] The printhead drive unit 21 is controlled by the control unit 40 (described later) during drawing operations. The printhead drive unit 21 generates drive electrical waveforms for driving the printhead 22 and outputs them to the printhead 22. The drive electrical waveforms are waveforms used to individually drive the drive elements (piezoelectric vibrators) located at each nozzle ("ejection section") of the printhead 22 based on the timing of the drawing command output from the control unit 40.

[0060] (Composition of the testing machine)

[0061] Inspection machine 3 is a device that determines the quality of a drawing pattern on a workpiece W by imaging the workpiece W, based on drawing data. It is essentially an image inspection unit. Inspection machine 3 can also be called an image inspection device. Located downstream of the plotter 2, inspection machine 3 is capable of inspecting the drawing quality of the workpiece W drawn by the plotter 2.

[0062] (Integral fastener)

[0063] like Figure 1 As shown, the inkjet printing apparatus 1 includes an integrated fastener 90 for fixing the inspection machine 3 to the plotter body 25, which houses the printhead 22. The integrated fastener 90 has a portion for mounting the plotter body 25 and a portion for mounting the inspection machine 3. The integrated fastener 90 has a defined dimension in the conveying direction of the workpiece W. By fixing the inspection machine 3 to the plotter body 25 using the integrated fastener 90, a fixed positional relationship is established between the inspection machine 3 and the printhead 22, maintaining a certain distance between them in the conveying direction of the workpiece W. By fixing the inspection machine 3 to the plotter body 25 using the integrated fastener 90, a fixed relative positional relationship with the printhead 22 is defined.

[0064] Figure 3 This is a plan view showing an example of the installation of the plotter 2 and the inspection machine 3. When the workpiece W is conveyed in the direction of arrow A, the inspection machine 3 can be installed downstream of the plotter 2 in the direction of workpiece W by setting the integrated fitting 90 shown in the solid line. On the other hand, when the workpiece W is conveyed in the direction of arrow B, which is opposite to the direction of arrow A, the inspection machine 3 can be installed downstream of the plotter 2 in the direction of workpiece W by setting the integrated fitting 90 shown in the dashed line. Furthermore, by simultaneously setting both the integrated fitting shown in the solid line and the integrated fitting 90 shown in the dashed line, both conveying directions of arrow A and arrow B can be accommodated.

[0065] Figure 4 An example of the installation of the plotter 2 and the inspection machine 3 is shown, viewed from the ink ejection side (front view). As shown... Figure 4As shown, the inspection machine 3 is fixed to the plotter body 25 by an integrated hardware 90, so that the vertical center of the plotting area is at the same height as the vertical center of the field of view of the imaging unit 31 of the inspection machine 3.

[0066] (Detection sensor)

[0067] like Figure 1 As shown, the inkjet printing unit 1 is equipped with a detection sensor 9 for detecting the arrival of the workpiece W conveyed by the conveyor 10. The detection sensor 9 is installed on the upstream side of the workpiece W in the conveying direction of the plotter 2. The detection sensor 9 is equipped with, for example, an optical motion measurement sensor or a distance sensor (not shown in the figure), which enables the detection of the arrival of the conveyed workpiece W. When the detection sensor 9 detects the arrival of the workpiece W, it sends a detection signal to the controller 4. Based on the detection signal output from the detection sensor 9, the controller 4 determines that the workpiece W has reached a predetermined position and, after a predetermined drawing delay time, causes the plotter 2 to start drawing.

[0068] (Structure of controller 4)

[0069] like Figure 2 As shown, the controller 4 includes a control unit 40, a storage unit 41, and an operation display unit 42. The control unit 40 is, for example, a microcomputer including a central processing unit, various memories, etc., and is capable of executing pre-stored software. The control unit 40 includes a drawing setting unit 40a, a drawing data generation unit 40b, a verification setting unit 40c, a display screen generation unit 40d, and a mode switching unit 40e. The drawing setting unit 40a, drawing data generation unit 40b, verification setting unit 40c, display screen generation unit 40d, and mode switching unit 40e of the control unit 40 are hardware and software components. For convenience, they are described as drawing setting unit 40a, drawing data generation unit 40b, verification setting unit 40c, display screen generation unit 40d, and mode switching unit 40e, but they can be integrated in hardware.

[0070] The operation display unit 42 includes a controller-side display unit 42a, such as a liquid crystal display, and a controller-side operation unit 42b, such as operation keys. The controller-side operation unit 42b is responsible for receiving various operations such as drawing content and setting parameters. Various screens generated by the display screen generation unit 40d are displayed on the controller-side display unit 42a, allowing the user to operate the controller-side operation unit 42b while viewing the controller-side display unit 42a. The operation status of the controller-side operation unit 42b can be obtained by the control unit 40.

[0071] The controller-side operation unit 42b can be a touch panel. A touch panel is a component capable of detecting user finger movements. The form of the touch panel is not particularly limited; examples include capacitive and infrared types. User operation information on the touch panel is sent to the control unit 40.

[0072] The drawing setting unit 40a is used to set the drawing content to be drawn on the workpiece W. The drawing data generation unit 40b is used to control the ink ejection from the printhead 22 and generate drawing data corresponding to the drawing content set by the drawing setting unit 40a. Based on the drawing data generated by the drawing data generation unit 40b, the control unit 40 outputs a control signal to the printhead drive unit 21 to control the ink ejection from the nozzle of the printhead 22.

[0073] The inspection setting unit 40c is responsible for setting the inspection parameters for the inspection machine 3. The storage unit 41 stores the relative fixed positional relationship between the inspection machine 3 and the print head 22. Based on the drawing content set in the drawing setting unit 40a and the relative fixed positional relationship stored in the storage unit 41, the inspection setting unit 40c supports the user's inspection settings.

[0074] (Detailed structure of a plotter)

[0075] Figures 1-4 The shapes of the plotter 2, printhead 22, plotter body 25, ink cartridge 300, etc., are shown in general; however, the specific shapes of the plotter 2, printhead 22, plotter body 25, ink cartridge 300, etc., are as follows: Figure 5 As shown in the following figures. Figure 5 The shapes shown in the following figures are similar to Figures 1-4 The shape shown may differ in some parts because... Figures 1-4 It is a diagram used for conceptual explanation.

[0076] like Figure 5 As shown, the plotter body 25 has a box-shaped outer casing 200 extending along its long side. (As shown...) Figure 2 The ink reservoir 20a shown is located inside the housing 200 and is not visible from the outside. In the installed state of the plotter 2, the long side of the housing 200 is aligned with the width direction of the conveyor 10. In this specification, the long side of the housing 200 is defined as the front-to-back direction, and the side facing the workpiece W during installation is defined as the front side. Furthermore, when viewing the plotter 2 from the front, the portion on the right is defined as the right side, and the portion on the left is defined as the left side; the left-to-right direction of the plotter 2 is defined as the width direction. These directional definitions are for ease of explanation and do not limit the directions involved in this invention.

[0077] like Figure 5As shown, the outer casing 200 has an approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape that is slender in the front-to-back direction. Therefore, the front-to-back dimension of the outer casing 200 is longer than the left-to-right and top-to-bottom dimensions of the outer casing 200.

[0078] Because the outer casing 200 has a near-cubic-pole shape, its outer peripheral surface comprises six faces. Specifically, the outer peripheral surface of the outer casing 200 includes: a front face 201 opposite to the workpiece W; a rear face 202 located on the opposite side of the front face 201; a right face 203 located on the right side when viewed from the direction facing the front face 201; a left face 204 located on the left side when viewed from the direction facing the front face 201; a top face 205; and a bottom face 206. The front face 201, rear face 202, right face 203, and left face 204 constitute the outer surface of the outer casing 200. One end face along the long side of the outer surface of the outer casing 200 is the front face 201, and the other end face along the long side is the rear face 202. A printhead 22 for ejecting ink onto the workpiece W being transported is provided on the front face 201. Additionally, the front face 201 can also be referred to as the front side, and the rear face 202 can also be referred to as the back side.

[0079] like Figure 5 As shown, the plotter 2 has a top cover 230 that can be detached from the plotter body 25. Figure 6 The image shows the top cover 230 removed. The plotter 2 has an absorber 240 for absorbing ink leaking from the printhead 22 (only in...). Figure 6 (as shown in the figure) and a housing 241 that contains the absorbent 240. The absorbent 240 is made of sponge or fiber, etc.

[0080] The outer casing 241 is elongated in the vertical direction and is detachably mounted on the front 201 of the chassis 200, located to the left of the printhead 22. Figure 7 The image shows the state where the outer casing 241 has been removed from the plotter body 25 and moved forward. (As shown) Figure 7 As shown, the outer casing 241 can be removed from the plotter body 25 for replacement without removing the top cover 230.

[0081] The absorber 240 is provided only on one of the left and right sides of the plotter body 25. In this example, since the outer casing 241 housing the absorber 240 is located on the left side of the plotter body 25, the absorber 240 is not provided on the right side of the plotter body 25. Therefore, a detachable box-shaped component 242 that does not house the absorber 240 is provided on the right side of the plotter body 25. The shape of the box-shaped component 242 is symmetrical to that of the outer casing 241. Alternatively, when the absorber 240 is provided on the left side of the plotter body 25, it is sufficient to detachably provide the outer casing 241 housing the absorber 240 on the left side of the plotter body 25 and detachably provide the box-shaped component 242 on the right side.

[0082] Below the printhead 22 of the plotter body 25, there is a tray 245 with a liquid delivery structure for guiding ink leaking from the printhead 22 to the absorber 240. The tray 245 is detachably mounted on the front 201 of the plotter body 25, below the nozzle assembly 22a. Figure 8 The image shows the state where the outer casing 241, the box-shaped component 242, and the tray 245 have been removed from the plotter body 25, and the tray 245 has been moved forward.

[0083] like Figure 9 As shown, the tray 245 extends to the left and right below the printhead 22, forming an overall upward-opening concave shape. Above the left side of the tray 245 is a housing 241 that accommodates the absorber 240, while above the right side of the tray 245 is a box-shaped component 242. (See diagram) Figure 10 As shown, the bottom surface 245a of the tray 245 slopes downwards from the center in the left-right direction. Therefore, after ink leaking from the printhead 22 is received on the bottom surface 245a of the tray 245, it can be directed to the left, i.e., the side where the absorber 240 is located, so that the ink can be reliably absorbed by the absorber 240. Furthermore, if the absorber 240 is located on the right side, the tray 245 with its bottom surface 245a sloped in the opposite direction can be installed.

[0084] Figure 9 The positional relationship between the ink reservoir 20a and the print head 22 is shown. The ink reservoir 20a is located at the lower part of the plotter body 25. Figure 9 As shown, in plan view, the ink reservoir 20a is configured to be located behind the printhead 22 and on the left and right sides of the printhead 22, but not in front of the printhead 22. That is, in this embodiment, the ink reservoir 20a is configured to surround the printhead 22 except for the side with the nozzle assembly 22a, in plan view.

[0085] like Figure 6 As shown, the plotter 2 is equipped with operation buttons 250. Operation buttons 250 are components used to receive user commands to control the plotter 2. There may be one, two, or more operation buttons 250. The operation buttons 250 are located on the upper part of the rear 202 of the housing 200, on the side opposite to the print head 22. Therefore, the user can operate the operation buttons 250 from the side opposite to the conveyor 10, thereby improving operability. Examples of operation buttons 250 include, for instance, a test button operated when performing test drawing, or a cleaning button operated when cleaning the plotter 2, but they can also be buttons that perform any function.

[0086] The plotter 2 is equipped with a waste ink bottle 251. The waste ink bottle 251 serves as a recycling container for ink and is located at the rear 202 of the chassis 200, on the side opposite the print head 22. The waste ink bottle 251 is a container for storing ink supplied from the ink tank 20a to the print head 22 but not ejected onto the workpiece W. The opening of the waste ink bottle 251, i.e., the ink inlet (not shown in the figure), is located at the top of the waste ink bottle 251, positioned higher than the ink tank 20a (e.g., as shown in the figure). Figure 9 The ink level contained in the drawing machine body 25 is shown. Ink supplied to the print head 22 but not ejected onto the workpiece W is delivered to the opening of the waste liquid bottle 251 via the delivery section, and then flows into the interior of the waste liquid bottle 251 from the opening. The waste liquid bottle 251 is designed to be detachable from the drawing machine body 25 so that the ink in the waste liquid bottle 251 can be drained when necessary.

[0087] In addition, such as Figure 6 As shown, with the top cover 230 removed, the upper side of the plotter body 25 is equipped with an air filter 260 for filtering the air drawn into the plotter body 25, a level 261, and a manual valve 262 for manually opening and closing the internal pipelines. The air filter 260, level 261, and manual valve 262 are arranged side by side in the front-to-back direction. When the top cover 230 is installed on the plotter body 25, the air filter 260, level 261, and manual valve 262 are covered by the top cover 230 and are not visible from the outside.

[0088] The plotter 2 is equipped with a cleaning control unit 27. The cleaning control unit 27 performs a cleaning process that allows residual ink in the flow path from the ink tank 20a to the nozzle assembly 22a to leak to the outside through the nozzle assembly 22a. For example, by pressurizing the ink tank 20a, residual ink in the flow path from the ink tank 20a to the nozzle assembly 22a can be sent to the nozzle assembly 22a and leak to the outside through the nozzle assembly 22a. This cleaning process is performed, for example, during maintenance of the plotter 2. Maintenance of the plotter 2 is initiated by receiving a maintenance instruction from the user. The cleaning control unit 27 can be mounted on the plotter body 25, or it can be separate from the plotter body 25 and mounted externally. For example, the cleaning control unit 27 can also be built into the controller 4, in which case the cleaning process is performed by the cleaning control unit 27 of the controller 4.

[0089] As the cleaning process is performed, the ink leaking from the nozzle assembly 22a flows downward. Since a tray 245 is provided below the nozzle assembly 22a, the ink leaking from the nozzle assembly 22a during the cleaning process can be received by the tray 245. The ink received by the tray 245 is guided to the absorber 240 and absorbed by the absorber 240.

[0090] (Cleaning Unit)

[0091] Residual ink may adhere to the nozzle assembly 22a of the printhead 22. Furthermore, since the nozzle assembly 22a of the printhead 22 is exposed to the outside, dust, dirt, etc., may also adhere to it. Residual ink, dust, dirt, etc., are deposits adhering to the nozzle assembly 22a. Since these deposits are dirt on the nozzle assembly 22a, if they continue to adhere to it, it will lead to a decrease in drawing quality. Therefore, it is necessary to remove these deposits. The plotter 2 of this embodiment is equipped with a cleaning unit 400 (e.g., for wiping and cleaning the nozzle assembly 22a of deposits during maintenance) Figure 11 (As shown). The design of the cleaning unit 400 allows users to remove deposits manually without the need for a built-in battery or other power source, or an external power supply.

[0092] like Figure 12 As shown, the cleaning unit 400 is detachably mounted on the front end face of the printhead 22 and positioned relative to the nozzle assembly 22a. Based on its mounted position on the printhead 22, the front, rear, left, and right sides of the cleaning unit 400 are defined as shown in the figures. The orientation of the cleaning unit 400 corresponds to the orientation of the plotter body 25; the front and rear sides of the plotter body 25 correspond to the front and rear sides of the cleaning unit 400, respectively, and the right and left sides of the plotter body 25 correspond to the right and left sides of the cleaning unit 400, respectively. It should be noted that the cleaning unit 400 can be positioned relative to the nozzle assembly 22a in all directions—vertical, longitudinal, and lateral—but should be positioned at least in the longitudinal direction.

[0093] The cleaning unit 400 is only installed on the front face of the printhead 22 during maintenance of the plotter 2. This allows the cleaning unit 400 to come into contact with the front face 201 of the printhead 22. During operation of the plotter 2, the cleaning unit 400 is removed from the front face of the printhead 22. Maintenance includes at least the removal of deposits from the nozzle assembly 22a, and may also include other cleaning procedures and inspections. During maintenance of the plotter 2, it is not necessary to move the plotter 2 from its operating installation position; the cleaning unit 400 can be installed on the front face of the printhead 22 in place to remove deposits. Alternatively, during maintenance of the plotter 2, the cleaning unit 400 can be installed on the front face of the printhead 22 after the plotter 2 has been moved from its operating installation position.

[0094] like Figure 13 As shown, the cleaning unit 400 includes a wiping member 400A for wiping away deposits attached to the nozzle assembly 22a by the cleaning process performed by the cleaning control unit 27. The wiping member 400A is made of, for example, non-woven fabric and is soft and flexible. The vertical dimension of the wiping member 400A is set to be greater than or equal to the dimension of the nozzle assembly 22a from the upper end to the lower end.

[0095] When the cleaning unit 400 is positioned on the front end face of the print head 22, the wiping member 400A is positioned in the same vertical direction as the nozzle assembly 22a, and also in the same horizontal direction. This allows the wiping member 400A to wipe away any residue adhering to all the nozzles constituting the nozzle assembly 22a using a common wiping member 400A. Since the wiping member 400A is positioned relative to the housing 600 of the cleaning unit 400 at least in the longitudinal direction, positioning the cleaning unit 400 relative to the front end face of the print head 22 at least in the longitudinal direction achieves the same longitudinal positioning of the nozzle assembly 22a formed on the front end face of the print head 22 and the wiping member 400A.

[0096] The following is an example of the disassembly and assembly structure between the cleaning unit 400 and the print head 22. Figure 14 This shows the state where the cleaning unit 400 has separated from the printhead 22. (As shown) Figure 14 As shown, mounting grooves (sliding portions) 22b extending along the arrangement direction of the nozzle assembly 22a are formed on the right and left sides of the front end face of the printhead 22. Furthermore, the mounting grooves 22b open to the front. Figure 15 As shown in the magnified view, a protrusion 22c extending vertically is formed in the open portion of the mounting groove 22b. A guide surface 22g is formed at the upper end of the protrusion 22c, which slopes upwards and forwards. The upper end of the mounting groove 22b opens upwards. Figure 14 As shown, a recess 230a is formed on the front end face of the top cover 230 above the mounting groove 22b.

[0097] like Figure 13 As shown, the rear right and left sides of the cleaning unit 400 each have vertically extending track portions 401 that can be inserted into the mounting slot 22b of the printhead 22. The spacing between the left and right track portions 401 is set to be the same as the spacing between the mounting slots 22b of the printhead 22. The track portions 401 protrude rearward from the rear of the cleaning unit 400. The track portion 401 is an example of a mounting portion that is detachably mounted on the front end face of the printhead 22, which is provided with the nozzle assembly 22a, and is used to position the wiping member 400A relative to the nozzle assembly 22a.

[0098] In other words, when the cleaning unit 400 is installed onto the print head 22, such as Figure 14As shown, after placing the cleaning unit 400 above the print head 22, it is moved in the direction of the downward arrow, and the lower ends of the guide rails 401 on both sides of the cleaning unit 400 are inserted into the upper open portions of the mounting slots 22b on both sides of the print head 22. At this time, since the front end face of the upper cover 230 has a recess 230a, the guide rails 401 of the cleaning unit 400 will not interfere with the upper cover 230. In addition, since the upper end of the protrusion 22c of the print head 22 has a guide surface 22g (such as... Figure 15 As shown), the guide rail 401 of the cleaning unit 400 can be easily inserted into the mounting slot 22b of the printhead 22.

[0099] After the guide rail 401 is inserted into the mounting slot 22b, when the cleaning unit 400 is moved further in the direction of the arrow, the guide rail 401 of the cleaning unit 400 will slide relative to the inner surface of the mounting slot 22b and the protrusion 22c of the print head 22. The cleaning unit 400 moves in the direction of the arrow until the wiping member 400A is at the same height as the nozzle assembly 22a. When the wiping member 400A is at the same height as the nozzle assembly 22a, the guide rail 401 of the cleaning unit 400 contacts the stop (not shown in the figure) provided on the print head 22 from above, thereby completing the positioning of the cleaning unit 400 in the height direction. In addition, when the guide rail 401 is inserted into the mounting slot 22b, the guide rail 401 and the protrusion 22c are engaged, restricting the left-right and front-back displacement of the cleaning unit 400 relative to the print head 22. Thus, the cleaning unit 400 is positioned relative to the print head 22. In this way, the cleaning unit 400 is installed by the user by sliding it along the arrangement direction of the nozzle assembly 22a relative to the inner surface of the mounting groove 22b and the raised strip 22c of the printhead 22. That is, the cleaning unit 400 is held in contact with the front end 201 of the printhead 22, and in this contact state, the cleaning unit 400 is positioned relative to the printhead 22. On the other hand, when removing the cleaning unit 400, it is moved upward relative to the printhead 22, and the guide rail 401 is pulled out of the mounting groove 22b.

[0100] Additionally, although not shown in the figure, when installing the cleaning unit 400 onto the printhead 22, the cleaning unit 400 can be moved from one side of the printhead 22 to the other in the left-right direction. In this case, it is sufficient to design the guide rail portion 401 and the mounting groove portion 22b to extend in the left-right direction.

[0101] The structure in which the cleaning unit 400 is installed onto the print head 22 by manual operation by the user is not limited to the structure described above. For example, such as Figure 16As shown in Modification 1, after the user manually installs the lower part of the cleaning unit 400 onto the lower part of the print head 22, the cleaning unit 400 is rotated in the direction of arrow D, and then the upper part of the cleaning unit 400 is lifted so that the guide rail 401 engages with the ridge portion 22c. With the guide rail 401 engaged with the ridge portion 22c, the cleaning unit 400 is held in contact with the front 201 of the print head 22, and in this contact state, the cleaning unit 400 is positioned relative to the print head 22.

[0102] In addition, such as Figure 17 As shown in Modification 2, a cleaning unit-side magnet 402 and a head-side magnet 22d are respectively provided on the rear portion of the cleaning unit 400 and the front portion of the printhead 22. The cleaning unit 400 can be mounted onto the printhead 22 using the magnetic force of the cleaning unit-side magnet 402 and the head-side magnet 22d. The cleaning unit-side magnet 402 and the head-side magnet 22d are permanent magnets, and their magnetic poles are set to attract each other. In this Modification 2, after the cleaning unit 400 is placed in front of the printhead 22, the user manually moves it towards the direction of arrow E. The cleaning unit 400 can be mounted onto the printhead 22 by the mutual attraction between the cleaning unit-side magnet 402 and the head-side magnet 22d. With the cleaning unit 400 mounted onto the printhead 22 by the mutual attraction between the cleaning unit-side magnet 402 and the head-side magnet 22d, the cleaning unit 400 is held in a state abutting against the front 201 of the printhead 22. In this abutting state, the cleaning unit 400 is positioned relative to the printhead 22.

[0103] As a further variation, not shown in the figure, the user holds the cleaning unit 400 and presses it against the front 201 of the printhead 22, thereby bringing the cleaning unit 400 into contact with the front 201 of the printhead 22. Even in this case, since the wiping member 400A is positioned relative to the housing 600 of the cleaning unit 400, when the front 201 of the printhead 22 contacts the cleaning unit 400, the wiping member 400A is positioned relative to the nozzle assembly 22a formed on the front 201 of the printhead 22. When the user presses it into contact, the cleaning unit 400 does not remain relative to the printhead 22, so the user needs to support the cleaning unit 400 for use. However, no structure for mounting the cleaning unit 400 onto the printhead 22 is needed, thus simplifying the design and reducing manufacturing costs.

[0104] like Figure 18 As shown, the cleaning unit 400 includes a cleaning cartridge 500 and a housing 600 for receiving the cleaning cartridge 500. The bottom of the housing 600 is open, allowing the cleaning cartridge 500 to be received into the housing 600 from below.

[0105] like Figure 19As shown, the cleaning cartridge 500 includes a wiping component 400A, a hollow driven shaft 501 on which the unused wiping component 400A is wound, and a hollow drive shaft (rewind shaft) 502 for rewinding the used wiping component 400A. The driven shaft 501 is disposed on the front portion of the cleaning cartridge 500 and extends vertically. The upper and lower ends of the driven shaft 501 are both open. The drive shaft 502 is disposed in the middle portion of the cleaning cartridge 500 in the front-rear direction and extends vertically substantially parallel to the driven shaft 501. The upper and lower ends of the drive shaft 502 are both open.

[0106] The wiping component 400A is elongated and long enough to wipe away residue from the nozzle assembly 22a multiple times. Before use, the wiping component 400A is pre-wound around the driven shaft 501, forming a coil. Once all the wiping components 400A wound around the driven shaft 501 have been used, they are detached from the driven shaft 501 and wound onto the drive shaft 502, thus being removed from the housing 600 as a used cleaning cartridge 500 and discarded. A new cleaning cartridge 500 is then prepared and placed into the housing 600, allowing the cleaning unit 400 to be used. In this way, the housing 600 can be reused, while the cleaning cartridge 500 can be replaced.

[0107] like Figure 18 As shown, the cleaning cartridge 500 includes a base plate 503 and an upper plate 504. The base plate 503 rotatably supports the lower end of the driven shaft 501 and the lower end of the drive shaft 502, and the upper plate 504 rotatably supports the upper end of the driven shaft 501 and the upper end of the drive shaft 502. Figure 19 As shown, the base plate portion 503 is configured to extend outward from the lower part of the housing 600, serving as a cover to close the open portion of the housing 600.

[0108] The upper plate portion 504 has a driven-side opening 504a for supporting the upper end of the driven shaft 501, and a drive-side opening 504b for supporting the upper end of the drive shaft 502. In addition, a rear opening 504c is formed in the upper plate portion 504 located behind the drive-side opening 504b.

[0109] The cleaning cartridge 500 includes a connecting member 505 that connects the base plate portion 503 and the upper plate portion 504. The connecting member 505 extends vertically, with its upper part fixed to the periphery of the upper plate portion 504 and its lower part fixed to the periphery of the base plate portion 503. In this embodiment, as... Figure 19 As shown, multiple connecting parts 505 are arranged in a spaced-apart manner on the circumference of the upper plate portion 504 and the bottom plate portion 503.

[0110] like Figure 19 and Figure 20As shown, the front of the housing 600 is provided with a window 601 containing a light-transmitting component. Since the wiping component 400A is pre-wound in a coil shape onto the driven shaft 501, and this driven shaft 501 is located on the front side of the cleaning cartridge 500, the coiled component can be observed through the window 601. Thus, since the process of the wiping component 400A being used and the coil shrinking can be observed through the window 601 outside the housing 600, the user can determine the remaining amount of wiping component 400A without removing the cleaning cartridge 500 from the housing 600. Furthermore, when all the wiping components 400A have been used and wound onto the drive shaft 502, the outer peripheral surface of the driven shaft 501 can be seen through the window 601 outside the housing 600. This allows the user to determine when the wiping components 400A have been used up without removing the cleaning cartridge 500 from the housing 600. Additionally, the color of the wiping component 400A and the color of the outer peripheral surface of the driven shaft 501 can be different colors. For example, if the color of the wiping component 400A is set to white and the color of the outer peripheral surface of the driven shaft 501 is set to red, then when there is still wiping component 400A remaining, the white component can be seen through the window 601, and when the wiping component 400A is used up, the red component can be seen through the window 601. This makes it easier for the user to notice that the wiping component 400A has been used up.

[0111] like Figure 18 As shown, an operating section 602 for feeding the wiping component 400A is provided on the upper rear side of the housing 600. The operating section 602 protrudes upwards from the top of the housing 600 and consists of a knob that can be gripped and rotated by the user's fingers. Figure 20 As shown, the lower portion of the operating part 602 is rotatably supported relative to the housing 600 around a vertically extending shaft F. Shaft F, unlike the driven shaft 501 and drive shaft 502, is shown virtually. Shaft F is parallel to the driven shaft 501 and drive shaft 502.

[0112] like Figure 21 As shown, the operation unit 602 has a direction display 602a indicating the rotation direction of the operation unit 602 and a stop position display 602b indicating the stop position of the operation unit 602 on its top surface. The direction display 602a is composed of, for example, an arrow. The stop position display 602b instructs the user to rotate the operation unit 602 until the stop position display 602b reaches a predetermined position, and is only provided on a portion of the circumference of the operation unit 602.

[0113] like Figure 20As shown, an anti-reverse rotation structure 610 is provided on the lower part of the operating part 602 to prevent the operating part 602 from rotating in the opposite direction. The anti-reverse rotation structure 610 is, for example, composed of a one-way surface. The one-way surface has a plurality of movable teeth (not shown in the figure) arranged along the axis F on the lower surface of the operating part 602, and a plurality of fixed teeth (not shown in the figure) formed in the portion of the housing 600 opposite to the movable teeth. By the shape arrangement of each tooth, when the operating part 602 rotates in the feeding direction (forward rotation) of the wiping member 400A, it is allowed to rotate, while when an attempt is made to rotate the operating part 602 in the opposite direction (reverse rotation) of the feeding direction of the wiping member 400A, the movable teeth engage with the fixed teeth, thereby preventing reverse rotation. The anti-reverse rotation structure 610 only needs to prevent the operating part 602 from rotating in the opposite direction, so various structures other than the one-way surface can be used to implement it.

[0114] A drive gear 611 is fixed on the operating part 602. Figure 22 (Also shown in the image). The drive gear 611 is located below the anti-reverse structure 610 and rotates around the axis F as the operating part 602 rotates. On the other hand, a driven gear 612 that meshes with the drive gear 611 is provided above the drive shaft 502. Inside the upper part of the drive shaft 502, a connecting member 613 (such as...) is fixed in an inserted state. Figure 20 As shown), the connecting component 613 is connected to the driven gear 612 and the drive shaft 502 in a non-rotatable manner. Figure 22 As shown, the driven gear 612 has more teeth than the driving gear 611, therefore, the outer diameter of the driven gear 612 is larger than the outer diameter of the driving gear 611. In order to accommodate the larger outer diameter driving gear 611, the width of the housing 600 in the left-right direction is set.

[0115] When the operating part 602 rotates in the forward direction, the drive gear 611 also rotates in the same direction. Then, the driven gear 612, which meshes with the drive gear 611, rotates in the same direction. Figure 22 When the gear rotates in the direction indicated by arrow H, the drive shaft 502 fixed to the driven gear 612 also rotates in the direction indicated by arrow H. Figure 19 As shown, when the drive shaft 502 rotates in the direction indicated by arrow H, it retracts the wiping member 400A. Therefore, on the side opposite to the print head 22 (the rear side of the cleaning unit 400), the wiping member 400A moves from right to left, that is, in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the multiple nozzles. In this embodiment, when the operating unit 602 rotates one revolution, the feed amount of the wiping member 400A is set to be sufficient to remove the deposits on the nozzle assembly 22a. Therefore, by performing one revolution of the operating unit 602, the predetermined cleaning action can be completed.

[0116] The moving mechanism 600A for moving the wiping component 400A includes a drive gear 611, a driven gear 612, and a drive shaft 502. The drive gear 611 is a component that rotates synchronously with the rotation of the operating unit 602. Therefore, the moving mechanism 600A is configured to operate in conjunction with the operation of the operating unit 602.

[0117] When the wiping member 400A moves from right to left, it contacts the nozzle assembly 22a, reliably wiping away any adhering material. In this embodiment, with the cleaning unit 400 mounted on the print head 22, a contact mechanism 600B is also included, which moves the wiping member 400A toward the nozzle assembly 22a and makes it contact the nozzle assembly 22a. Therefore, when the wiping member 400A is in contact with the nozzle assembly 22a via the contact mechanism 600B, the moving mechanism 600A wipes away any adhering material from the nozzle assembly 22a by moving the wiping member 400A from right to left.

[0118] Figure 23 This is a perspective view of the cleaning unit 400 with the wiping component 400A removed, viewed from the rear. After removing the wiping component 400A, the contact mechanism 600B is visible. The contact mechanism 600B includes a buffer member 620 that contacts the wiping component 400A from the side opposite to the nozzle assembly 22a, pressing the wiping component 400A against the nozzle assembly 22a. The buffer member 620 is mounted on the housing 600, so that when the cleaning cartridge 500 is installed into the housing 600, it can be inserted into the side of the wiping component 400A opposite to the nozzle assembly 22a.

[0119] The buffer member 620 includes an elastic material 621 disposed at a position corresponding to the nozzle assembly 22a. The elastic material 621 is a component used to press the wiping member 400A from the side opposite to the nozzle assembly 22a, and is made of, for example, a foam material such as sponge. The vertical position of the elastic material 621 is set such that, when the cleaning unit 400 is mounted to the print head 22, it is in the same vertical direction as the nozzle assembly 22a. The vertical dimension of the elastic material 621 is set to be no less than the dimension of the nozzle assembly 22a from its upper end to its lower end.

[0120] In the state prior to wiping, the portion of the wiping member 400A opposite to the printhead 22 is positioned and set in a predetermined standby position relative to the housing 600. In other words, with the cleaning unit 400 in contact with the front 201 of the printhead 22 where the nozzle assembly 22a is formed, the wiping member 400A is positioned in the predetermined standby position relative to the nozzle assembly 22a and housed inside the housing 600. When the portion of the wiping member 400A opposite to the printhead 22 is in the standby position, it maintains a certain distance from the front of the nozzle assembly 22a, or is in slight contact with the nozzle assembly 22a. By setting the standby position in this way, when the cleaning unit 400 is installed onto or removed from the printhead 22, the wiping member 400A will not strongly contact the nozzle assembly 22a, thereby protecting the nozzle assembly 22a. On the other hand, even if the wiping component 400A is moved while the part of the wiping component 400A opposite to the print head 22 is in the standby position, it is almost impossible to expect a wiping effect that removes the attached material.

[0121] In contrast, the contact mechanism 600B of this embodiment is configured to move the wiping member 400A from the standby position toward the nozzle group 22a by a predetermined amount, so as to contact the nozzle group 22a with a predetermined pressing force, and at the same time move the wiping member 400A in contact with the nozzle group 22a by the predetermined amount in a direction away from the nozzle group 22a, so as to return it to the standby position.

[0122] The specific structure of the contact mechanism 600B is described below. For example... Figure 19 As shown, the buffer component 620 has guide plates 620a extending in the front-back direction on its left and right sides respectively. The housing 600 has left and right guide portions 623 extending in the front-back direction inside, which are used to guide the guide plates 620a in the front-back direction, and the left and right guide plates 620a are arranged between the left and right guide portions 623.

[0123] When the receiving mechanism 600B includes an input component 625. The input component 625 is disposed on the opposite side of the elastic material 621 in the buffer component 620, and is located between the left and right guide plates 620a. The input component 625 is a component that is longer in the vertical direction and is fixed to the buffer component 620. The middle part of the input component 625 in the horizontal direction is composed of a backward-curved portion 625a.

[0124] The contact mechanism 600B has an input shaft 626. For example... Figure 20 As shown, the input shaft 626 extends vertically and is arranged coaxially with the shaft F. The upper part of the input shaft 626 is fixed to the lower part of the operating part 602. The rotational force of the operating part 602 is input into the input shaft 626, so that the operating part 602 and the input shaft 626 rotate synchronously and at the same speed.

[0125] The contact mechanism 600B has an upper cam plate 627 and a lower cam plate 628. For example... Figure 24 As shown, the lower cam plate 628 is fixed to the lower part of the input shaft 626 and is composed of a plate extending perpendicular to the shaft F. A lower cam groove 628a is formed on the upper surface of the lower cam plate 628, surrounding the shaft F. The lower cam groove 628a is annular, having a portion close to the shaft F and a portion away from the shaft F.

[0126] A downwardly protruding lower follower 625b is provided on the lower part of the input component 625, which inserts into the lower cam groove 628a. When the input shaft 626 is rotated, the lower cam plate 628 rotates, applying a force corresponding to the shape of the lower cam groove 628a to the lower follower 625b inserted in the lower cam groove 628a. Since the lower cam groove 628a has a portion near the shaft F and a portion away from the shaft F, a force in the front-rear direction is applied to the lower follower 625b. In this way, the force in the front-rear direction is transmitted to the buffer component 620 through the input component 625. The guide plate 620a of the buffer component 620 moves in the front-rear direction under the guidance of the guide portion 623.

[0127] like Figure 20 As shown, the upper cam plate 627 has the same structure as the lower cam plate 628, and is fixed to the upper part of the input shaft 626, positioned above the upper plate portion 504, extending in a direction perpendicular to the shaft F. An upper cam groove 627a is formed around the shaft F on the lower side of the upper cam plate 627, and the shape of this upper cam groove 627a is the same as that of the lower cam groove 628a in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, the upper cam groove 627a and the lower cam groove 628a are in phase. An upper follower 625c, provided on the upper part of the input member 625, is inserted into the upper cam groove 627a. Therefore, force can be applied to the upper part of the input member 625 at the same time and in the same direction as to the lower part, allowing the buffer member 620 to move stably.

[0128] As described above, when the user rotates the operating unit 602, the upper cam plate 627 and the lower cam plate 628 rotate, causing the buffer member 620 to move in the front-to-back direction. By moving the buffer member 620 forward and away from the nozzle assembly 22a, the wiping member 400A can be held in a standby position. By moving the buffer member 620, located in the front, backward and closer to the nozzle assembly 22a, the wiping member 400A, which is in the standby position, can be moved towards the nozzle assembly 22a by a predetermined amount and brought into contact with the nozzle assembly 22a. At this time, since the elastic material 621 of the buffer member 620 is compressed and undergoes elastic deformation in the front-to-back direction, the reaction force of the elastic material 621 can be used to make the wiping member 400A adhere tightly to the nozzle assembly 22a. In other words, the movement of the buffer member 620 in the front-to-back direction, as defined by the rotation of the upper cam plate 627 and the lower cam plate 628, brings the wiping member 400A and the nozzle assembly 22a closer to the contact position. The slight relative positions of the wiping member 400A and the nozzle assembly 22a are adjusted by the elastic deformation of the elastic material 621 of the buffer member 620. That is, the elastic material 621 absorbs the influence of dimensional tolerances of the components and the effects of surrounding vibration, ensuring that the wiping member 400A is tightly attached to the nozzle assembly 22a.

[0129] The pressing force of the wiping member 400A on the nozzle assembly 22a can be set by the shapes of the upper cam groove 627a and the lower cam groove 628a. In this embodiment, the pressing force of the wiping member 400A is set so as to reliably contact the nozzle assembly 22a without placing excessive burden on it. By further rotating the operating unit 602, the buffer member 620 moves forward, which can return the wiping member 400A to the standby position. During one revolution of the operating unit 602, the buffer member 620, which is in the standby position, switches to the contact position and then returns to the standby position.

[0130] The contact mechanism 600B is configured to operate in conjunction with the operation unit 602.

[0131] Since both the contact mechanism 600B and the moving mechanism 600A are linked to the operation of the operating unit 602, the movement of the contact mechanism 600B and the movement of the moving mechanism 600A can be synchronized in the mechanism.

[0132] like Figure 20 As shown, the housing 600 has a first locking mechanism 600C, which restricts the operation of the operating section 602 before the cleaning unit 400 is installed on the front end face of the printhead 22. Figure 25 and Figure 26The structure of the first locking mechanism 600C is shown. The first locking mechanism 600C includes a rotating component 630 that rotates integrally with the operating unit 602, a forward / backward component 631 that moves linearly relative to the housing 600 in the front-rear direction, and a locking gear 632. The rotating component 630 is annular around an upper cam plate 627 and fixed to the upper cam plate 627. The rotation center of the rotating component 630 is located on the shaft F. A recess 630a is formed at one point in the circumference of the rotating component 630, recessed radially inward. The rotating component 630 rotates synchronously with the operating unit 602.

[0133] The locking gear 622 is disposed above the upper plate portion 504 and fixed to the upper part of the driven shaft 501. The position of the locking gear 622 in the height direction is set to be the same as the position of the rotating member 630 in the height direction.

[0134] The forward / reverse component 631 is positioned above the upper plate 504, at the same height as the rotating component 630. A first tension spring 633 is provided on the side of the forward / reverse component 631. One end of the first tension spring 633 is fixed to the upper plate 504, and the other end is fixed to the forward / reverse component 631. The first tension spring 633 always applies a rearward biasing force to the forward / reverse component 631.

[0135] The outer casing 600 has first through holes 600a formed on both the left and right sides of its rear. The telescopic member 631 has a protrusion 631a at its rear that inserts into the first through holes 600a. Under the biasing force of the first tension spring 633, when the telescopic member 631 is in the rear position, the protrusion 631a protrudes rearward from the first through holes 600a by a predetermined dimension (e.g., ...). Figure 25 (As shown). On the other hand, when a forward pressure is applied to the protrusion 631a that protrudes rearward from the first through hole 600a, the telescopic member 631 will move forward against the biasing force of the first tension spring 633 (as shown). Figure 26 (As shown).

[0136] A first locking piece 631b protruding rearward is formed at the middle of the forward / reverse component 631 to correspond to the rotating component 630. The first locking piece 631b is disposed on the front side of the rotating component 630, as shown below. Figure 25 As shown, when the forward / reverse component 631 is in the rear position, the first locking piece 631b inserts into the groove 630a of the rotating component 630 to lock the rotating component 630 and prevent it from rotating. On the other hand, as... Figure 26 As shown, when the forward / reverse component 631 is in the front position, the first locking piece 631b disengages from the groove 630a of the rotating component 630, enabling the rotating component 630 to rotate.

[0137] Furthermore, a rearwardly protruding second locking piece 631c is formed on the front side of the forward / reverse member 631 to correspond to the locking gear 622. The second locking piece 631c is disposed on the front side of the locking gear 622, such as... Figure 25 As shown, when the forward / reverse member 631 is in the rear position, the second locking piece 631c engages with the teeth of the locking gear 622, thereby locking the locking gear 622 and preventing it from rotating. On the other hand, as... Figure 26 As shown, when the forward / reverse component 631 is in the front position, the second locking plate 631c separates from the teeth of the locking gear 622, allowing the locking gear 622 to rotate.

[0138] When the cleaning unit 400 is removed from the printhead 22, the protrusion 631a of the retractable component 631 will not be externally pressed in, thus protruding beyond the specified size from the first through hole 600a. Therefore, as Figure 25 As shown, the rotation of the rotating component 630 and the locking gear 622 is locked by the forward and backward component 631.

[0139] When the cleaning unit 400 is installed onto the print head 22, the protrusion 631a protruding from the first through hole 600a is pushed by the front end face of the print head 22, as... Figure 26 As shown, the forward / reverse member 631 moves forward. This allows the rotating member 630 and the locking gear 622 to rotate. Thus, by providing the first locking mechanism 600C, the operating part 602 cannot be operated when the cleaning unit 400 is removed from the print head 22, thereby preventing unnecessary wear and tear on the wiping member 400A.

[0140] The housing 600 is equipped with a second locking mechanism 600D, which is used to restrict the operation of the operating unit 602 when the cleaning unit 400 is installed on the front end face of the print head 22 and completes the prescribed cleaning action. Figures 27 to 30 The structure and operation of the second locking mechanism 600D are shown. The second locking mechanism 600D includes a pawl 640 disposed on the upper part of the drive gear 611, an engaging part 641 that engages with the pawl 640, and a movable member 642 that moves the engaging part 641. The pawl 640 protrudes radially outward, thus forming a shape on the upper part of the drive gear 611 where a portion of the circumference protrudes radially. The pawl 640 rotates synchronously with the operating part 602.

[0141] A locking portion 641 is provided on the front side of the claw portion 640 and is formed to protrude rearward. The locking portion 641 is supported by the movable member 642 when mounted to it. Figure 27 As shown, the rotation of the drive gear 611 is locked by the locking part 641 contacting the claw part 640 from one circumferential side.

[0142] A movable member 642 supporting the stop 641 is disposed above the upper plate 504 and is a member that moves linearly in the front-rear direction relative to the outer casing 600. A second tension spring 643 is disposed on the side of the movable member 642. One end of the second tension spring 643 is fixed to the upper plate 504, and the other end is fixed to the movable member 642. The second tension spring 643 always applies a rearward biasing force to the movable member 642.

[0143] The rear of the outer casing 600 has second through holes 600b formed on the left and right sides respectively (e.g. Figure 18 (As shown). The movable part 642 has a protrusion 642a at its rear, which inserts through the second through hole 600b. Under the biasing force of the second tension spring 643, when the movable part 642 is located at the rear, the protrusion 642a protrudes rearward from the second through hole 600b by a predetermined dimension (as shown). Figure 27 (As shown). On the other hand, when a forward pressing force is applied to the protrusion 642a that protrudes rearward from the second through hole 600b, the movable member 642 moves forward against the biasing force of the second tension spring 643 (as shown). Figure 28 (As shown).

[0144] A stop 641 is mounted on the movable part 642, and the stop 641 is linked with the movable part 642. The stop 641 is subjected to a rightward elastic force by the elastic member 645. Figure 28 As shown, when the movable part 642 moves forward, the stop part 641 also moves forward, thereby separating from the claw part 640. This is the unlocked state. When the cleaning unit 400 is installed onto the print head 22, the protrusion 642a protruding from the second through hole 600b is released by the release surface 230b formed by a part of the front end face of the upper cover 230 (as shown). Figure 14 As shown, it is pushed forward. Because the protrusion 642a is pushed by the release surface 230b, as... Figure 28 As shown, the movable part 642 and the claw part 640 move forward. In this way, the rotation of the drive gear 611, that is, the rotation of the operating part 602, becomes possible.

[0145] When the cleaning unit 400 moves below the release surface 230b and reaches the proper installation position, the protrusion 642a separates from the release surface 230b in the vertical direction, and the movable part 642... Figure 29 As shown, it moves rearward, and along with this movement, the fixing part 641 also moves rearward. Prior to this stage, i.e., from... Figure 27 The state shown transforms into Figure 28 At the instant shown in the state, the fixed part 641 moves to the right beyond the claw part 640 under the elastic force of the elastic member 645. Therefore, as Figure 29As shown, even if the fixing part 641 moves to the rear, it will not lock with the claw part 640 and will remain in the unlocked state.

[0146] When the user rotates the operating unit 602 to rotate the drive gear 611, the pawl 640 also rotates. During this rotation of the pawl 640, the stop 641 slides on the outer peripheral surface of the upper side of the drive gear 611. Finally, when the rotation angle of the operating unit 602 approaches 360°, as... Figure 30 As shown, the claw 640 contacts and stops with the stop 641, so the operating part 602 will not rotate more than one revolution. In this way, regardless of who performs the cleaning, the necessary amount of wiping parts 400A can be used to always perform the same cleaning operation, which can eliminate individual differences and reduce the wasteful use of wiping parts 400A.

[0147] When the cleaning unit 400 is removed from the printhead 22, the protrusion 642a protruding from the second through hole 600b contacts the release surface 230b formed by a portion of the front end face of the upper cover 230 and is pushed forward, as... Figure 28 As shown, the lock is released. Therefore, the operating unit 602 can be rotated the next time the cleaning unit 400 is used.

[0148] like Figure 31 and Figure 32 As shown, the housing 600 includes a third locking mechanism 600E, which, when the cleaning unit 400 is mounted on the front end face of the printhead 22, prevents the cleaning unit 400 from disengaging from the front end face of the printhead 22 before completing the prescribed cleaning action. The third locking mechanism 600E includes a locking cam plate 660 and a locking pin 661. The locking cam plate 660 is disposed above the upper plate portion 504 and fixed to the lower part of the operating portion 602. The locking cam plate 660 is composed of a plate extending perpendicular to the axis F and rotates synchronously with the operating portion 602. Since the second locking mechanism 600D allows the operating portion 602 to rotate only one revolution, the locking cam plate 660 can also rotate only one revolution.

[0149] On the upper surface of the locking cam plate 660, a locking cam groove 660a is formed around the shaft F. The locking cam groove 660a is annular and has a portion close to the shaft F and a portion away from the shaft F.

[0150] A third through hole 600c is formed at the middle of the rear of the housing 600 in the left-right direction. A locking pin 661 is positioned above the locking cam plate 660. The rear portion of the locking pin 661 is positioned above the upper plate portion 504 and can protrude rearward from the third through hole 600c, moving linearly relative to the housing 600 in the front-rear direction. A downwardly protruding follower portion 661a is formed on the front portion of the locking pin 661, which inserts into the locking cam groove 660a. When the rotation operation unit 602 rotates the locking cam plate 660, a force corresponding to the shape of the locking cam groove 660a is input to the follower portion 661a inserted into the locking cam groove 660a. Since the locking cam groove 660a has a portion close to the shaft F and a portion away from the shaft F, a force in the front-rear direction is input to the follower portion 661a. This causes the locking pin 661 to move in the front-rear direction, allowing it to switch as... Figure 32 The locking pin 661 shown has a rear portion that protrudes significantly rearward from the third through hole 600c at a locking position, and as shown... Figure 31 The rear portion of the locking pin 661 shown is in the unlocked position, where it almost does not protrude rearward from the third through hole 600c. The timing for switching to the unlocked position is the completion of the prescribed cleaning action, synchronized with the second locking mechanism 600D.

[0151] like Figure 14 and Figure 15 As shown, an insertion hole 22f is formed on the front end face of the printhead 22, into which the rear portion of the locking pin 661 is inserted. The position of the insertion hole 22f coincides with the position of the third through hole 600c of the cleaning unit 400 mounted on the printhead 22. Therefore, as Figure 32 As shown, when the locking pin 661 is switched to the locked position, the rear part of the locking pin 661 is inserted into the insertion hole 22f, preventing the cleaning unit 400 from moving upward and thus preventing it from being removed. On the other hand, when the locking pin 661 is switched to the unlocked position, the rear part of the locking pin 661 is pulled out of the insertion hole 22f, allowing the cleaning unit 400 to move upward and thus allowing it to be removed. In other words, the cleaning unit 400 cannot be removed until the operating part 602 has rotated one full turn, so the cleaning unit 400 will not be mistakenly removed during the cleaning process.

[0152] like Figure 20 As shown, the cleaning unit 400 has a built-in magnet 670 that is linked to the operation unit 602. The magnet 670 is fixed on the upper cam plate 627. By rotating the upper cam plate 627, it moves from a position close to the rear of the housing 600 to a position away from the rear of the housing 600 and towards the front, and from a position away from the rear of the housing 600 and towards the front to a position close to the rear of the housing 600.

[0153] like Figure 14 and Figure 15 As shown, a Hall element (detection unit) 22e is provided near the front end face of the printhead 22. This Hall element detects the state of the cleaning unit 400 based on the magnetic force of the magnet 670. When the Hall element 22e detects a magnetic force greater than or equal to a predetermined value, it determines that the cleaning unit 400 is installed on the printhead 22 in a normal state. On the other hand, when the Hall element 22e does not detect a magnetic force greater than or equal to the predetermined value, it determines that the cleaning unit 400 is malfunctioning. The determination unit that performs this determination can be composed of the control unit 40 of the controller 4, or it can be built into the plotter body 25. When it is determined that the cleaning unit 400 is malfunctioning, the user can be notified. In addition, it can also be determined whether cleaning is in progress based on the detection result of the Hall element 22e.

[0154] like Figure 11 As shown, the housing 600 is provided with a dial 680 for eliminating loosening of the wiping component 400A. A circumferential portion of the dial 680 protrudes from the front of the housing 600, and the user can operate this circumferential portion of the dial 680 from outside the housing 600.

[0155] The dial 680 is fixed to the upper part of the driven shaft 501. When the wiping component 400A is loose, the user can rotate the dial 680 from the outside, thereby rotating the driven shaft 501 in the winding direction of the wiping component 400A to eliminate the looseness of the wiping component 400A.

[0156] The positioning of the wiping component 400A relative to the nozzle assembly 22a is described in detail. The housing 600 of the cleaning unit 400 has a wiping surface that exposes the wiping component 400A, at least when pushed out by the contact mechanism. The wiping surface is provided with a guide rail 401, a movable component 642, and a forward / reverse component 631. The user holds the housing 600 of the cleaning unit 400 and brings the wiping surface of the housing 600 into contact with the front end 201 of the print head 22. Because the structure of the cleaning unit 400 positions and holds the wiping component 400A relative to the wiping surface at least in the front-rear direction, when the wiping surface of the housing 600 is in contact with the front end 201 of the print head 22, the wiping component 400A is positioned at least in the front-rear direction relative to the nozzle assembly 22a formed on the front end 201. Thus, by cleverly designing the cleaning unit 400 to achieve mechanical positioning in the front-rear direction, the user does not need to worry about the force applied to the nozzle assembly 22a by the wiping component 400A and can accurately clean the nozzle assembly 22a by manual operation.

[0157] The above embodiments are merely illustrative in all respects and should not be construed as limiting. Furthermore, any modifications or alterations falling within the scope of the claims are also within the scope of this invention.

[0158] As described above, this disclosure can be used to remove deposits adhering to the nozzle assembly.

Claims

1. A plotter that ejects ink for drawing information onto a workpiece being conveyed by a conveyor, characterized in that, The plotter includes: An ink container, which holds ink; A printhead for ejecting ink supplied from the ink tank onto the workpiece in transit; The nozzle assembly consists of multiple nozzles arranged on one end face of the print head; A cleaning control unit that performs a cleaning process to allow ink remaining in the flow path from the ink tank to the nozzle assembly to leak out through the nozzle assembly to the outside; and The cleaning unit has a wiping component that wipes away deposits that have adhered to the nozzle assembly due to the cleaning process, and positions the wiping component relative to the nozzle assembly while in contact with one end face of the print head.

2. The plotter according to claim 1, wherein, The cleaning unit positions the wiping component relative to the nozzle assembly when it is in contact with one end face of the print head through manual operation by the user.

3. The plotter according to claim 2, wherein, The cleaning unit can be detachably installed on the print head by the user's manual operation and is in contact with one end face of the print head when installed on the print head.

4. The plotter according to claim 1, wherein, The cleaning unit includes: A contact mechanism that moves the wiping component toward the nozzle assembly to contact the nozzle assembly while it is mounted on the print head; and A moving mechanism that wipes off the deposits attached to the nozzle group by moving the wiping member in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the plurality of nozzles are arranged, while the wiping member is in contact with the nozzle group via the contact mechanism.

5. The plotter according to claim 1, wherein, The plotter includes: The elastic material of the wiping component is pressed from the opposite direction of the nozzle assembly; and A contact mechanism that moves the wiping component toward the nozzle assembly to contact the nozzle assembly when it is installed in the printhead.

6. The plotter according to claim 2, wherein, The cleaning unit has a housing that accommodates the contact mechanism. The wiping component is positioned relative to the housing in a predetermined standby position. The contact mechanism causes the wiping component to move a predetermined amount from the standby position toward the nozzle group to contact the nozzle group, while simultaneously causing the wiping component in contact with the nozzle group to move that predetermined amount away from the nozzle group to return to the standby position.

7. The plotter according to claim 6, wherein, The plotter includes: An operating unit, disposed on the housing, is used for feeding the wiping component. At least one of the contact mechanism and the moving mechanism is configured to operate in conjunction with the operation of the operating unit.

8. The plotter according to claim 7, wherein, The plotter includes a first locking mechanism that restricts the operation of the operating section before the cleaning unit is installed onto one end face of the print head.

9. The plotter according to claim 7, wherein, The plotter includes a second locking mechanism that restricts the operation of the operating unit when the cleaning unit is mounted on one end face of the print head and performs a predetermined cleaning action.

10. The plotter according to claim 7, wherein, The plotter includes a third locking mechanism that, while the cleaning unit is mounted on one end face of the print head, prevents the cleaning unit from detaching from one end face of the print head until a predetermined cleaning action is completed.

11. The plotter according to claim 1, wherein, The plotter includes: An absorber for absorbing ink leaking from the nozzle assembly due to the cleaning process; and Positioned below the nozzle assembly, it guides the ink leaking from the nozzle assembly to the tray of the absorber.

12. The plotter according to claim 1, wherein, A sliding portion extending along the arrangement direction of the nozzle assembly is formed on one end face of the print head. The cleaning unit is mounted slidably relative to the sliding portion of the printhead along the arrangement direction of the nozzle assembly.

13. The plotter according to claim 7, wherein, The cleaning unit has a built-in magnet that is linked to the operating unit. The plotter includes a detection unit that detects the state of the cleaning unit based on the magnetic force of the magnet.

14. A cleaning unit detachably mounted on a plotter, the plotter comprising: An ink container, which holds ink; A printhead for ejecting ink supplied from the ink tank onto the workpiece being drawn in transit; A nozzle assembly, comprising a plurality of nozzles arranged on one end face of the printhead; a cleaning control unit, which performs a cleaning process to allow ink remaining in the flow path from the ink tank to the nozzle assembly to leak out through the nozzle assembly to the outside, characterized in that... The cleaning unit includes: Wiping component, which wipes away deposits that have adhered to the nozzle assembly due to the cleaning process; and The mounting part is detachably mounted on one end face of the printhead on which the nozzle assembly is arranged, and positions the wiping component relative to the nozzle assembly.

15. The cleaning unit according to claim 14, wherein, The cleaning unit includes: A contact mechanism that moves the wiping component toward the nozzle assembly to contact the nozzle assembly when it is installed in the print head; as well as With the wiping component in contact with the nozzle group via the contact mechanism, the attachments on the nozzle group are wiped away by moving the wiping component in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the plurality of nozzles are arranged.

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