Ink-jet printer and cleaning control device and cleaning control method thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of printers, in particular to an ink-jet printer and a cleaning control device and method thereof. The cleaning control device of the ink-jet printer comprises a standby power supply and a controller, wherein the standby power supply is electrically connected with the controller; the ink-jet printer comprises a control module and a cleaning module, the control module is electrically connected with the cleaning module, and the controller is in communication connection with the control module; the controller is used for determining a cleaning time interval according to ink information of the ink-jet printer; the controller is further used for triggering and starting the standby power supply to supply power to the ink-jet printer according to starting signals generated every cleaning time interval when the ink-jet printer is powered off, and generating state indication signals to the control module so that the control module can control the cleaning module to clean a nozzle of the ink-jet printer. While the cleaning of the printer nozzle is guaranteed, the energy utilization efficiency is greatly improved, and the total cost of power consumption is reduced.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to the utility model application number 2024222697322 filed on September 14, 2024, entitled “AN INKJET PRINTER AND ITS CLEANING CONTROL DEVICE”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of printer technology, and in particular to an inkjet printer and a cleaning control device and a cleaning control method thereof. Background Art

[0004] Inkjet printers are a common printing device that forms text or images by spraying tiny droplets of ink onto paper. With the growing demand for document printing and copying, inkjet printers have become a must-have device in many homes and offices. However, when the printer is not used for a long time, the nozzle is prone to clogging, which leads to problems such as printing defects, missing lines, incomplete colors, and image incompleteness. Therefore, how to avoid clogging of the inkjet printer nozzle and keep the printer nozzle clean has become an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the invention

[0005] In view of this, the embodiments of the present application provide an inkjet printer and its cleaning control device and cleaning control method, which can effectively solve the problem that the inkjet printer in the prior art is prone to nozzle clogging if it is not used for a long time after a sudden power outage, thereby causing problems such as printing defects, missing lines, incomplete colors and incomplete images.

[0006] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a cleaning control device for an inkjet printer, comprising: a backup power supply and a controller, wherein the backup power supply is electrically connected to the controller;

[0007] The inkjet printer comprises a control module and a cleaning module, the control module is electrically connected to the cleaning module, and the controller is communicatively connected to the control module;

[0008] The controller is used to determine a cleaning time interval according to ink information of the inkjet printer;

[0009] The controller is also used to trigger the start-up signal generated according to the cleaning time interval to start the backup power supply to power the inkjet printer when the inkjet printer is powered off, and generate a status indication signal to the control module so that the control module controls the cleaning module to clean the nozzle of the inkjet printer.

[0010] In some embodiments, the controller is used to determine the cleaning time interval according to the ink information of the inkjet printer, including: the controller is used to determine the cleaning time interval according to the current ink information of the inkjet printer, and generate the start signal every cleaning time interval.

[0011] In some embodiments, the controller is used to determine the cleaning time interval according to the ink information of the inkjet printer, including: the controller is used to determine the cleaning time interval according to the basic ink information of the inkjet printer, and generate the start signal every cleaning time interval.

[0012] In some embodiments, the controller is further configured to adjust the current cleaning time interval according to current ink information of the inkjet printer, and regenerate the start signal according to the adjusted cleaning time interval.

[0013] In some embodiments, the cleaning control device further comprises: a timer, the timer being electrically connected to the controller;

[0014] The timer is used to start timing when the backup power supply starts to supply power, end timing after a first preset time, and output a power supply stop signal;

[0015] The controller is also used to control the backup power supply to stop supplying power to the inkjet printer according to the power supply stop signal.

[0016] In some embodiments, the cleaning control device further includes: a detection module, the detection module is electrically connected to the controller, and the detection module is used to detect current ink information of the inkjet printer.

[0017] In some embodiments, an information tag is provided at the ink cartridge of the inkjet printer, and the controller is used to obtain basic ink information of the inkjet printer through the information tag.

[0018] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a cleaning control method for an inkjet printer, wherein the cleaning control method is applied to at least one cleaning control device described in the first aspect, including:

[0019] Determining whether the inkjet printer is powered off;

[0020] If the inkjet printer is powered off, generating the cleaning time interval according to the ink information of the inkjet printer;

[0021] generating the start signal according to the cleaning time interval;

[0022] triggering and starting the backup power supply to supply power to the inkjet printer according to the start signal obtained each time;

[0023] The status indication signal is generated to a control module of the inkjet printer, so that the control module controls the cleaning module to clean the nozzle of the inkjet printer.

[0024] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an inkjet printer, which includes a body, a control module, a cleaning module, a nozzle, and a cleaning control device of at least one inkjet printer described in the first aspect, wherein the control device is electrically connected to the cleaning module, and the control module is communicatively connected to the controller in the cleaning control device; the nozzle is installed on the body.

[0025] In some embodiments, the cleaning module includes: a moisturizing ink box, an ink scraping motor and a driving module, and the control module is electrically connected to the moisturizing ink box, the ink scraping motor and the driving module respectively;

[0026] The control module is used to control the moisturizing ink cartridge to move to a first preset position after receiving the status indication signal, and to control the driving module to make the nozzle perform a flash spraying action;

[0027] After the flash spraying action is finished, the control module controls the moisturizing ink box to move to a second preset position, and controls the ink scraping motor to perform an ink scraping action;

[0028] After the ink scraping action is completed, the control module controls the moisturizing ink box to move to a preset moisturizing position to keep the nozzle moist.

[0029] The embodiments of the present application have the following beneficial effects:

[0030] The cleaning device of the inkjet printer of the present application includes: a backup power supply and a controller, wherein the backup power supply is electrically connected to the controller, the inkjet printer includes a control module and a cleaning module, the control module and the cleaning module are electrically connected, the controller and the control module are communicatively connected, the controller confirms the cleaning time interval according to the ink information of the inkjet printer, and when the inkjet printer is powered off, controls the backup power supply to power the inkjet printer according to the start signal generated during the cleaning time interval, and generates a status indication signal to the control module, so that the control module of the inkjet printer cleans the nozzle of the inkjet printer by controlling the cleaning module, thereby avoiding the inkjet printer from suddenly losing power during operation and the nozzle being blocked due to long-term non-use, thereby ensuring the cleaning of the printer nozzle, and the present application can also perform intelligent maintenance on the nozzle, thereby greatly enhancing the reliability of the inkjet printer, ensuring the cleaning of the printer nozzle, ensuring that the ink can be ejected smoothly when the inkjet printer is printing normally, and ensuring the quality of the output document or picture, and the control module of the present application controls the backup power supply to power the inkjet printer according to the cleaning time interval confirmed according to the ink information, while ensuring the cleaning of the printer nozzle, greatly improving the energy utilization efficiency and reducing the overall cost of electricity consumption. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show certain embodiments of the present application and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0032] Figure 1 A first structural schematic diagram of a cleaning control device for an inkjet printer according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0033] Figure 2 A second structural schematic diagram of the cleaning control device of the inkjet printer according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0034] Figure 3 A schematic flow chart of a cleaning control method for an inkjet printer according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0035] Figure 4 A schematic structural diagram of a cleaning module built into an inkjet printer according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0036] Description of main component symbols:

[0037] 10: backup power supply; 11: controller; 12: timer; 13: detection module; 20: inkjet printer; 201: control module; 202: cleaning module; 301: moisturizing ink cartridge; 302: ink scraping motor; 303: driving module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all of the embodiments.

[0039] The components of the embodiments of the present application generally described and shown in the drawings herein may be arranged and designed in various configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present application provided in the drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the application claimed for protection, but merely represents the selected embodiments of the present application. Based on the embodiments of the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without making creative work belong to the scope of protection of the present application.

[0040] Hereinafter, the terms "including", "having" and their cognates that can be used in various embodiments of the present application are intended only to indicate specific features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components or a combination of the foregoing items, and should not be understood as first excluding the existence of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components or a combination of the foregoing items or increasing the possibility of one or more features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components or a combination of the foregoing items. In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third" and the like are only used to distinguish descriptions and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0041] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical terms and scientific terms) used herein have the same meanings as those generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the various embodiments of the present application belong. The terms (such as those defined in generally used dictionaries) will be interpreted as having the same meanings as the contextual meanings in the relevant technical field and will not be interpreted as having idealized meanings or overly formal meanings unless clearly defined in the various embodiments of the present application.

[0042] In conjunction with the accompanying drawings, some embodiments of the present application are described in detail below. In the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0043] Considering that if the inkjet printer in the existing scheme is not used for a long time after a sudden power failure, the nozzle is easily clogged, which leads to problems such as printing defects, missing lines, incomplete colors and image incompleteness, the present application proposes an inkjet printer and its cleaning control device and cleaning control method. The cleaning control device of the inkjet printer of the present application includes: including: a backup power supply and a controller, the controller confirms the cleaning time interval according to the ink information of the inkjet printer, and when the inkjet printer is powered off, controls the backup power supply to power the inkjet printer according to the start signal generated at each cleaning time interval, and generates a status indication signal to the control module, so that the control module of the inkjet printer cleans the nozzle of the inkjet printer by controlling the cleaning module, avoiding the sudden power failure of the inkjet printer during operation and the nozzle clogging caused by long-term non-use, ensuring the cleaning of the printer nozzle, ensuring that the ink can be ejected smoothly when the inkjet printer is printing normally, and ensuring the quality of the output document or picture, and the control module of the present application uses the cleaning time interval confirmed according to the ink information to control the backup power supply to power the inkjet printer, while ensuring the cleaning of the printer nozzle, greatly improving the energy utilization efficiency and reducing the overall cost of electricity consumption.

[0044] The cleaning control device of the inkjet printer is described below in conjunction with some specific embodiments.

[0045] In one embodiment, Figure 1 A structural schematic diagram of a cleaning control device of an inkjet printer 20 according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. Exemplarily, the cleaning control device of the inkjet printer 20 includes: a backup power supply 10 and a controller 11, and the backup power supply 10 is electrically connected to the controller 11. It is understandable that the backup power supply 10 can be any type of backup power supply, the backup power supply 10 can be a storage capacitor, and the backup power supply 10 can also be a charge and discharge storage circuit. Further, the controller 11 can be built inside the backup power supply 10 and controlled by the backup power supply 10 product.

[0046] Specifically, the controller 11 may be any type of controller, such as an MCU, a DSP, a CPU, or an FPGA.

[0047] The inkjet printer 20 includes a control module 201 and a cleaning module 202, the control module 201 is electrically connected to the cleaning module 202, and the controller 11 is communicatively connected to the control module 201, wherein VCC represents the power signal for normal power supply of the inkjet printer 20, the control module 201 in the inkjet printer 20 can be a controller with the same structure as the controller 11 of the cleaning control device of the inkjet printer 20, or the control module 201 in the inkjet printer 20 can be a controller with a different structure from the controller 11 of the cleaning control device of the inkjet printer 20.

[0048] It is understandable that the connection method between the control module 201 of the inkjet printer 20 and the controller 11 can be set according to the actual application situation. The control module 201 of the inkjet printer 20 can be connected to the controller 11 by wireless communication, or the control module 201 of the inkjet printer 20 can be connected to the controller 11 by wired communication.

[0049] The controller 11 is used to determine the cleaning time interval based on the ink information of the inkjet printer 20. Specifically, the ink information refers to the relevant performance parameters of the ink used by the inkjet printer 20. The ink information may include one or more of the ink viscosity, the ink sensitivity and / or the ink pigment particle size. The controller 11 can set the cleaning time interval based on the ink viscosity of the inkjet printer 20; the controller 11 can also set the cleaning time interval based on the ink sensitivity of the inkjet printer 20; the controller 11 can also set the cleaning time interval based on the ink pigment particle size of the inkjet printer 20. The controller 11 can also set the cleaning time interval based on two or three of the ink pigment particle size, ink viscosity and sensitivity of the inkjet printer 20.

[0050] Furthermore, a timer may be set to generate a cleaning time interval, and the timer is electrically connected to the controller 11 . The controller 11 controls the timer according to the ink information to generate the cleaning time interval.

[0051] The controller 11 is also used to trigger the start-up of the backup power supply 10 to power the inkjet printer 20 when the inkjet printer 20 is powered off, based on the start-up signal generated by obtaining the cleaning time interval, and generate a status indication signal to the control module 201, so that the control module 201 controls the cleaning module 202 to clean the nozzle of the inkjet printer 20.

[0052] The cleaning time interval may be the time period from the moment the inkjet printer 20 is currently turned on to the moment it is next turned on when the backup power supply is used for power supply, and the cleaning time interval may also be the time period from the moment the inkjet printer 20 is currently turned off to the moment it is next turned on. The cleaning time interval of this embodiment is the time period from the moment the inkjet printer 20 is currently turned on to the moment it is next turned on, and the controller 11 generates a start signal and a status indication signal once every cleaning time interval, that is, the controller 11 controls the backup power supply 10 to power the inkjet printer 20 every cleaning time interval, and generates a status indication signal to the control module 201, so that the control module 201 controls the cleaning module 202 to clean the nozzle of the inkjet printer 20.

[0053] Furthermore, when the inkjet printer 20 is powered off for the first time, the controller 11 directly generates a start signal and a status indication signal, so that the backup power supply 10 supplies power to the inkjet printer 20 and the cleaning module 202 cleans the nozzle of the inkjet printer 20 until a cleaning time interval has passed. The controller 11 generates a start signal and a status indication signal again, and the inkjet printer 20 is turned on again to clean the nozzle.

[0054] In one embodiment, for an inkjet printer 20 with a self-cleaning function, the cleaning module 202 is a cleaning structure integrated in the inkjet printer 20, such as a moisturizing ink cartridge, an ink scraping motor, etc. The moisturizing ink cartridge is used to moisturize the nozzle, and the ink scraping motor is used to scrape off dry ink and impurities from the nozzle. Optionally, if the inkjet printer 20 does not have a self-cleaning function, the cleaning module 202 can also be a cleaning module 202 independent of the inkjet printer 20, which is set in the cleaning control device and connected to the inkjet printer 20 in an external manner.

[0055] The cleaning control device of the inkjet printer of the present embodiment is provided with a backup power supply 10 and a controller 11. The controller 11 first generates a cleaning time interval according to the ink information of the inkjet printer 20, and then controls the backup power supply 10 to supply power to the inkjet printer 20 according to the cleaning time interval, so that the control module 201 controls the cleaning module 202 to clean the nozzle of the inkjet printer 20, thereby avoiding the problem of nozzle clogging of the printer. While cleaning the nozzle of the inkjet printer 20, the nozzle can also be intelligently maintained, which greatly enhances the reliability of the inkjet printer 20, better guarantees the quality of the output documents or pictures, and prolongs the working life of the nozzle.

[0056] In one embodiment, based on the above embodiment, the controller 11 is used to determine the cleaning time interval according to the ink information of the inkjet printer 20, including: the controller 11 is used to determine the cleaning time interval according to the current ink information of the inkjet printer 20, and generate a start signal every cleaning time interval.

[0057] The controller 11 can set the cleaning time interval based on the basic ink information, and can also set the cleaning time interval based on the current ink information. Furthermore, the cleaning time interval can be set based on the basic ink information, and then the cleaning time interval can be adjusted in real time using the current ink information, wherein the current ink information refers to the relevant parameters representing the real-time status of the ink during use of the inkjet printer; and the basic ink information refers to the relevant parameters representing the characteristics of the ink itself when the ink leaves the factory.

[0058] Specifically, the current ink information is relevant parameter information of the ink in the inkjet printer that changes in real time during use. Exemplarily, the current ink information is the viscosity of the ink. Furthermore, the current ink information may also include the ambient temperature of the ink.

[0059] Specifically, a special detection module can be set up to detect the ink information and input it into the controller 11, so that the controller 11 can generate a cleaning time interval based on the current ink information detected in real time. The current ink information can also be obtained by using the relevant modules in the inkjet printer 20, and transmitted to the controller 11 through the control module 201. Demonstratively, the flash spray sensor of the inkjet printer 20 is used to detect the difference in the inkjet speed of the nozzle. The viscosity of the ink can be determined by the difference in the inkjet speed, and the time for starting the inkjet and detecting the ink dot to reach the relative position can be obtained. The longer the time, the higher the viscosity, and the cleaning interval should be shortened. The control module 201 of the inkjet printer 20 can be used to obtain the temperature of the nozzle, that is, the ambient temperature.

[0060] In this embodiment, the controller 11 generates a cleaning time interval according to the current ink information and the current ambient temperature, which can more accurately meet the cleaning requirements of the inkjet printer 20, improve the cleaning effect of the nozzle, and ensure the quality of the inkjet printer 20.

[0061] In one embodiment, based on the above embodiment, the controller 11 is used to determine the cleaning time interval according to the ink information of the inkjet printer 20, including: the controller 11 is used to determine the cleaning time interval according to the basic ink information of the inkjet printer 20, and generate a start signal every cleaning time interval.

[0062] Specifically, the basic ink information is the relevant parameters of the ink in the inkjet printer that represent its own characteristics. Exemplarily, the basic ink information is the various parameters of the ink when it leaves the factory. When the controller 11 detects that the inkjet printer 20 is powered off, it generates a cleaning time interval according to the basic ink parameters, and the controller 11 generates a start signal and a status indication signal, so that the cleaning module cleans the nozzle, and outputs a start signal and a status indication signal every cleaning time interval.

[0063] It is understandable that the controller 11 may generate the cleaning time interval based on a single item of ink information or may generate the cleaning time interval based on multiple items of ink information.

[0064] In the cleaning control device of the inkjet printer of this embodiment, the controller 11 generates a cleaning time interval based on basic ink information, does not require complex algorithms, reduces the need for complex control logic, is relatively simple to implement, reduces development time and cost, simplifies system maintenance, and reduces overall system costs.

[0065] In one embodiment, based on the above embodiment, the controller 11 is further configured to adjust the current cleaning time interval according to the current ink information of the inkjet printer 20, and regenerate the start signal according to the adjusted cleaning time interval.

[0066] Specifically, when the controller 11 detects that the inkjet printer 20 is powered off, it first generates a cleaning time interval based on the basic ink parameters, and generates a start signal and a status indication signal, so that the cleaning module cleans the nozzle. When the inkjet printer is powered off, the cleaning time interval is adjusted in real time according to the current ink information, and the start signal and the status indication signal are output according to the adjusted cleaning time interval.

[0067] Furthermore, the priorities of the ambient temperature and the ink parameters may be set. Exemplarily, the importance of the ink parameters is greater than the importance of the ambient temperature.

[0068] The cleaning control device of the inkjet printer of this embodiment first generates a cleaning time interval based on the basic ink information, and then adjusts the cleaning time interval based on the current ink information, so that the nozzle of the inkjet printer 20 is cleaned only when necessary, avoiding excessive cleaning or insufficient cleaning that may be caused by fixed-cycle cleaning, and further improving the cleaning effect of the nozzle.

[0069] In one embodiment, based on the above embodiment, the ink information includes one or more of the viscosity of the ink, the sensitivity of the ink and / or the particle size of the pigment.

[0070] Specifically, the viscosity of the ink represents the surface tension of the ink droplets. The greater the tension, the easier it is to get clogged, and the shorter the cleaning time interval should be set. The sensitivity of the ink represents the photosensitivity curing speed of the ink. The faster the speed, the shorter the cleaning time interval should be set. The larger the pigment particle size of the ink, the greater the deposition in the same time, the easier it is to get clogged, and the shorter the cleaning time interval should be set.

[0071] Furthermore, the ink information also includes the ambient temperature of the ink.

[0072] The ink information of the inkjet printer 20 can be selected according to the actual application situation. The cleaning time interval can be set according to only one parameter among the ink viscosity, the ink sensitivity and the pigment particle size, or according to two parameters among the ink viscosity, the ink sensitivity and the pigment particle size, or according to the ink viscosity, the ink sensitivity and the pigment particle size. Furthermore, if multiple ink information is selected to set the cleaning time interval, the priority of the multiple ink information can be set. For example, the importance of ink viscosity is greater than the importance of ink sensitivity, and the importance of ink sensitivity is greater than the importance of ink pigment particle size.

[0073] The cleaning control device of the inkjet printer of this embodiment sets the ink information to one or more of the ink viscosity, the ink sensitivity and / or the pigment particle size, fully considering the impact of different ink parameters on the cleaning of the nozzle, and further ensuring the cleanliness of the printer nozzle.

[0074] As an optional solution, Figure 2 Shown is another structural schematic diagram of a cleaning control device for an inkjet printer.

[0075] In one embodiment, if Figure 2 As shown, on the basis of the above embodiment, the cleaning control device further includes: a timer 12, the timer 12 is electrically connected to the controller 11, the timer 12 is used to start timing when the backup power supply 10 starts to supply power, end timing after a first preset time, and output a stop power supply signal, and the controller 11 is also used to control the backup power supply 10 to stop supplying power to the inkjet printer 20 according to the stop power supply signal;

[0076] It is understandable that the timer 12 can be any type of timer. The timer 12 can be a 555 timer, the timer 12 can also be a programmable timer, the timer 12 can also be a real-time clock, the timer 12 can also be a precision timer, the timer 12 can also be a digital timer 12, the timer 12 can also be an analog timer 12, etc.

[0077] Specifically, the timer 12 starts timing each time the backup power supply 10 starts supplying power, ends timing after a first preset time, and outputs a stop power supply signal to the controller 11. The controller 11 controls the backup power supply 10 to stop supplying power to the inkjet printer 20 according to each stop power supply signal, so that the cleaning module 202 cannot clean the nozzle of the inkjet printer 20.

[0078] The external timer 12 can be set according to the actual application situation, and a specific first preset time can be set. For example, the first preset time can be ten minutes, the first preset time can also be twenty minutes, and the first preset time can also be thirty minutes, which is not limited here. It can be understood that the first preset time should be less than the above-mentioned cleaning time interval, that is, the backup power supply 10 is turned on according to the cleaning time interval to power the inkjet printer 20 for cleaning the nozzle, and the specific time of power supply is determined by the second preset time.

[0079] As another embodiment, the timer 12 may also be built into the controller 11 .

[0080] The cleaning control device of the inkjet printer of this embodiment is provided with a timer 12 to control the time that the backup power supply 10 supplies power to the inkjet printer 20. After the cleaning is completed, the power is cut off to use resources reasonably and avoid unnecessary resource consumption. A special timer 12 is set for timing to facilitate maintenance and replacement, reduce the maintenance complexity of the system, enhance the flexibility and reliability of the system, and at the same time reduce interference and improve the stability of the system.

[0081] In one embodiment, if Figure 2 As shown, based on the above embodiment, the cleaning control device further includes: a detection module 13 , the detection module 13 is electrically connected to the controller 11 , and the detection module 13 is used to detect the current ink information of the inkjet printer 20 .

[0082] It is understandable that the detection module 13 can detect only one type of ink information; the detection module 13 can also detect multiple types of ink information. The detection module 13 can detect the ink only once to generate basic ink information, or the detection module 13 can monitor the ink in real time to generate basic ink information and current ink information. The detection module can be a viscometer, a surface tension meter, or a particle size analyzer.

[0083] The cleaning control device of the inkjet printer of this embodiment is provided with a detection module 13 to detect ink information. The detection module 13 can provide continuous and accurate ink information, further ensuring the cleaning effect of the nozzle, and can store historical ink information for a long time to facilitate subsequent analysis.

[0084] In one embodiment, based on the above embodiment, an information tag is provided at the ink cartridge of the inkjet printer 20, and the controller 11 is used to obtain basic ink information of the inkjet printer 20 through the information tag.

[0085] It is understandable that the information tag of this embodiment can be any type of information tag. The information tag can be an RFID tag, the information tag can be a chip, the information tag can be an encryption chip, the information tag can be a barcode, the information tag can be a QR code, the information label page can be a serial number, and the information tag can be set inside the ink cartridge or on the surface of the ink cartridge according to the actual application situation.

[0086] The information contained in the information label can be detected by the detection module 13, can also be detected by the inkjet printer 20, and can also be provided by the ink manufacturer.

[0087] It is understandable that a module for reading information labels should be provided in the cleaning control device of the inkjet printer 20 .

[0088] The cleaning control device of the inkjet printer of this embodiment sets an information label on the ink cartridge, so that the controller 11 can directly obtain the information of the ink according to the information label, making the cleaning process more intelligent and automated, greatly improving the user experience.

[0089] The present application also provides a cleaning control method for an inkjet printer. Figure 3 A flow chart of a cleaning control method for an inkjet printer according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. The cleaning control method is applied to the cleaning control device mentioned in any of the above embodiments. The cleaning control method is executed by a controller 11 in the cleaning control device, and includes:

[0090] Step S101: Determine whether the inkjet printer 20 is powered off.

[0091] The controller 11 can directly determine whether the inkjet printer 20 is powered off through the control module 201 of the inkjet printer 20, and also set up a special power detection module to detect the signal at the power end of the inkjet printer 20, so that the controller 11 can determine whether the inkjet printer 20 is powered off based on the signal of the power detection module.

[0092] Step S102 : if the inkjet printer 20 is powered off, generate a cleaning time interval according to the ink information of the inkjet printer 20 .

[0093] The cleaning time interval may be set according to the ink viscosity of the inkjet printer 20; the cleaning time interval may also be set according to the sensitivity of the inkjet printer 20; the cleaning time interval may also be set according to the pigment particle size of the inkjet printer 20; the cleaning time interval may also be set according to the pigment particle size, ink viscosity and sensitivity of the inkjet printer 20; the cleaning time interval may be set according to basic ink information; and the cleaning time interval may also be set according to current ink information.

[0094] Step S103: generating a start signal according to the cleaning time interval.

[0095] Specifically, the controller 11 generates an on signal at every cleaning time interval.

[0096] Step S104: triggering the backup power supply 10 to start supplying power to the inkjet printer 20 according to the start-up signal obtained each time.

[0097] After the start signal is obtained, the backup power supply 10 is started, and the backup power supply 10 is connected to the power supply terminal of the inkjet printer 20 to supply power to the inkjet printer 20 .

[0098] Step S105 : generating a status indication signal to the control module 201 of the inkjet printer 20 , so that the control module 201 controls the cleaning module 202 to clean the nozzle of the inkjet printer 20 .

[0099] The status indication signal is output to the control module 201 of the inkjet printer 20 via wireless communication or wired communication, so that the control module 201 controls the cleaning module 202 to clean the nozzle of the inkjet printer 20 .

[0100] In this embodiment, after the inkjet printer 20 is powered off, the controller 11 generates a cleaning time interval based on the ink information, and controls the backup power supply 10 to power the inkjet printer 20 according to the cleaning time interval, so that the inkjet printer 20 can perform regular cleaning when the power is off, thereby avoiding sudden power outages during operation of the inkjet printer 20 and clogging of the nozzle due to long-term non-use, ensuring the cleanliness of the printer nozzle, and ensuring that the ink can be sprayed out smoothly when the inkjet printer 20 is operating normally, thereby ensuring the quality of the output documents or pictures.

[0101] The present application also provides an inkjet printer 20. Exemplarily, the inkjet printer 20 includes a body, a control module 201, a cleaning module 202, a nozzle, and a cleaning control device of the inkjet printer 20 mentioned in any of the above embodiments. The control module 201 is electrically connected to the cleaning module 202, and the control module 201 is communicatively connected to the controller 11 in the cleaning control device; the nozzle is installed on the body.

[0102] In one embodiment, if Figure 4 As shown, a structural schematic diagram of a cleaning module 202 built into an inkjet printer 20 is provided. On the basis of the above embodiment, the cleaning module 202 includes: a moisturizing ink cartridge 301, an ink scraping motor 302 and a driving module 303. The control module 201 is electrically connected to the moisturizing ink cartridge 301, the ink scraping motor 302 and the driving module 303 respectively. The control module 201 is used to control the moisturizing ink cartridge 301 to move to a first preset position after receiving a status indication signal, and to control the driving module 303 to enable the nozzle to perform a flash spraying action. Specifically, the first preset position is a non-moisturizing position, which can be set according to actual application conditions.

[0103] The number of spraying times of the nozzle can be set according to the actual application situation. For example, the number of spraying times is ten.

[0104] After the flash spraying action is finished, the control module 201 controls the moisturizing ink cartridge 301 to move to the second preset position, and controls the ink scraping motor 302 to perform the ink scraping action; specifically, the control module 201 controls the moisturizing ink cartridge 301 to move to the nozzle area, and controls the ink scraping motor 302 to scrape away the dry ink and impurities of the nozzle. After the ink scraping action is finished, the control module 201 controls the moisturizing ink cartridge 301 to move to the preset moisturizing position to keep the nozzle moist.

[0105] The inkjet printer 20 of this embodiment is provided with a driving module 303, so that the control module 201 controls the driving module 303 to make the nozzle flash spray to ensure that the nozzle hole of the nozzle is unobstructed, and an ink scraper motor 302 is provided to clean the nozzle, which can remove foreign matter on the surface of the nozzle and keep the nozzle clean. A moisturizing ink cartridge 301 is provided to moisturize the nozzle and extend the service life of the nozzle.

[0106] In several embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods can also be implemented in other ways. The device embodiments described above are merely schematic. For example, the flowcharts and structure diagrams in the accompanying drawings show the possible architecture, functions and operations of the devices, methods and computer program products according to multiple embodiments of the present application. In this regard, each box in the flowchart or block diagram can represent a module, a program segment or a part of a code, and the module, a program segment or a part of a code contains one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function. It should also be noted that in an alternative implementation, the functions marked in the box can also occur in a different order from the order marked in the accompanying drawings. For example, two consecutive boxes can actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they can sometimes be executed in the opposite order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each box in the structure diagram and / or the flow diagram, and the combination of boxes in the structure diagram and / or the flow diagram, can be implemented with a dedicated hardware-based system that performs a specified function or action, or can be implemented with a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0107] In addition, the functional modules or units in the various embodiments of the present application may be integrated together to form an independent part, or each module may exist separately, or two or more modules may be integrated to form an independent part.

[0108] If the functions are implemented in the form of software function modules and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present application, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or the part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product, which is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions for a computer device (which can be a smart phone, a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to perform all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of the present application.

[0109] The above description is only a specific implementation manner of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field can easily think of changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present application, which should be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A cleaning control device for an inkjet printer, characterized in that: include: A backup power supply and a controller, wherein the backup power supply is electrically connected to the controller; The inkjet printer comprises a control module and a cleaning module, the control module is electrically connected to the cleaning module, and the controller is communicatively connected to the control module; The controller is used to determine a cleaning time interval according to ink information of the inkjet printer; The controller is also used to trigger the start-up of the backup power supply to power the inkjet printer according to the start-up signal generated by obtaining the cleaning time interval when the inkjet printer is powered off, and generate a status indication signal to the control module so that the control module controls the cleaning module to clean the nozzle of the inkjet printer.

2. The cleaning control device for an inkjet printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The controller is used to determine the cleaning time interval according to the ink information of the inkjet printer, including: the controller is used to determine the cleaning time interval according to the current ink information of the inkjet printer, and generate the start signal every cleaning time interval.

3. The cleaning control device for an inkjet printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The controller is used to determine the cleaning time interval according to the ink information of the inkjet printer, including: the controller is used to determine the cleaning time interval according to the basic ink information of the inkjet printer, and generate the start signal every cleaning time interval.

4. The cleaning control device for an inkjet printer according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The controller is also used to adjust the current cleaning time interval according to current ink information of the inkjet printer, and regenerate the start signal according to the adjusted cleaning time interval.

5. The cleaning control device for an inkjet printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cleaning control device further comprises: a timer, wherein the timer is electrically connected to the controller. The timer is used to start timing when the backup power supply starts to supply power, end timing after a first preset time, and output a power supply stop signal; The controller is also used to control the backup power supply to stop supplying power to the inkjet printer according to the power supply stop signal.

6. The cleaning control device for an inkjet printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cleaning control device further includes: a detection module, which is electrically connected to the controller and is used to detect current ink information of the inkjet printer.

7. The cleaning control device for an inkjet printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: An information label is provided at the ink cartridge of the inkjet printer, and the controller is used to obtain basic ink information of the inkjet printer through the information label.

8. A cleaning control method for an inkjet printer, characterized in that: The cleaning control method is applied to the cleaning control device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising: Determining whether the inkjet printer is powered off; If the inkjet printer is powered off, generating the cleaning time interval according to the ink information of the inkjet printer; generating the start signal according to the cleaning time interval; triggering and starting the backup power supply to supply power to the inkjet printer according to the start signal obtained each time; The status indication signal is generated to a control module of the inkjet printer, so that the control module controls the cleaning module to clean the nozzle of the inkjet printer.

9. An inkjet printer, characterized in that: The inkjet printer includes a body, a control module, a cleaning module, a nozzle and a cleaning control device for an inkjet printer as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the control device is electrically connected to the cleaning module, and the control module is communicatively connected to the controller in the cleaning control device; the nozzle is mounted on the body.

10. The inkjet printer according to claim 9, characterized in that: The cleaning module comprises: a moisturizing ink box, an ink scraping motor and a driving module, and the control module is electrically connected to the moisturizing ink box, the ink scraping motor and the driving module respectively. The control module is used to control the moisturizing ink cartridge to move to a first preset position after receiving the status indication signal, and to control the driving module to make the nozzle perform a flash spraying action; After the flash spraying action is finished, the control module controls the moisturizing ink box to move to a second preset position, and controls the ink scraping motor to perform an ink scraping action; After the ink scraping action is completed, the control module controls the moisturizing ink box to move to a preset moisturizing position to keep the nozzle moist.

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