An inkjet printer with a nozzle cleaning function

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of industrial inkjet robots, and particularly relates to an inkjet printer with a nozzle cleaning function, which comprises an inkjet printer body, a nozzle frame fixed to the inkjet printer body, a plurality of print heads arranged at the bottom of the nozzle frame, and an inkjet printing assembly arranged on the nozzle frame and used for assembling the plurality of print heads to perform multi-color inkjet printing. The inkjet printing assembly is used to drive the plurality of print heads to the nozzle cleaning area, and then the inkjet printing assembly is used to lower the plurality of print heads to be connected to a plurality of cleaning boxes on the base. The cleaning boxes are used to wrap and seal the nozzles of the print heads. An external water pipe is connected to a plurality of water inlets and a drain of the cleaning boxes to form a water channel. Water is introduced into the flow guide channel from the plurality of water inlets, and the water can soak and clean the nozzles of the print heads in the cleaning boxes. The cleaned water can flow away through the drain and be collected, thereby ensuring the production efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of industrial inkjet robot technology, specifically an inkjet printer with nozzle cleaning function. Background Technology

[0002] Industrial robots are programmable and multifunctional automated mechanical devices that typically mimic the movements of a human arm through multi-axis articulated arms and moving parts. They efficiently perform repetitive tasks such as welding, assembly, handling, and multi-color printing in industrial production. They integrate mechanical, electronic, sensor, and artificial intelligence interaction technologies, possess powerful load-bearing capacity, and exhibit high flexibility and consistency. They are core equipment for realizing industrialized factories and intelligent manufacturing, significantly improving the efficiency, quality, and reliability of production lines.

[0003] Industrial inkjet printers are fast and high-resolution non-contact industrial printing robots designed for large-scale industrial production environments. They can quickly print variable data, such as barcodes, production dates, logos, and patterns, on various materials such as metal, plastic, glass, and packaging boxes. Using continuous inkjet technology, they have excellent wear resistance and corrosion resistance and can be integrated into automated production lines to achieve real-time and accurate labeling and traceability. They are a key tool for improving logistics management, product compliance, and production line intelligence.

[0004] In industrial inkjet printing, the printhead is a key component. The bottom of the printhead contains multiple nozzles for ejecting ink. However, in excessively dry, high-temperature, and dusty environments, the ink dries and evaporates quickly, causing condensation and solidification in the nozzles. Specifically, when the equipment operates in such an environment for an extended period, the pigment in the ink will deposit in the nozzles, causing blockage. After the machine is stopped and idle, the moisture in the ink remaining in the tiny nozzles evaporates, which will also cause the pigment to condense and solidify, causing blockage. This blockage not only affects print quality and accuracy but also reduces printing efficiency and may even lead to the failure of the entire printhead.

[0005] To address these issues, the traditional method involves disassembling and cleaning multiple printheads. This is a time-consuming process that requires specialized technicians to perform meticulous cleaning to ensure the effective unobstructed flow of each nozzle. However, this approach presents significant efficiency bottlenecks in industrial mass production applications. Each disassembly and reassembly of multiple printheads can easily lead to decreased production efficiency, extended product delivery times, and increased risks of equipment downtime and maintenance costs.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention provides an inkjet printer with nozzle cleaning function. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, at least one technical problem raised in the background art is solved.

[0008] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve its technical problem is as follows: The inkjet printer with nozzle cleaning function of the present invention includes an inkjet printer body; an inkjet carriage is fixedly connected to the inkjet printer body; multiple printheads are arranged at the bottom of the inkjet carriage; an inkjet printing assembly is arranged on the inkjet carriage, and the inkjet printing assembly is used to assemble multiple printheads for multi-color inkjet printing; a base is fixedly connected to the inkjet carriage; multiple cleaning boxes are fixedly connected to the base, the multiple cleaning boxes correspond to the multiple printheads, and the cleaning boxes are provided with guide channels; multiple water inlets are provided on the cleaning boxes; and a drain outlet is provided on the cleaning boxes near the bottom of the cleaning boxes.

[0009] Preferably, a water pipe valve is fixedly connected to the outside of the inkjet carriage; a water inlet pipe is fixedly connected to the water pipe valve; multiple guide boxes are fixedly connected to the water inlet pipe away from the water pipe valve, and the end of the guide box away from the water inlet pipe is fixedly connected to the water inlet on the cleaning box; a guide pipe is fixedly connected to the cleaning box near the drain outlet; a water outlet pipe is fixedly connected to the end of the guide pipe away from the cleaning box, and the guide pipe can be connected to the water pipe valve through the water outlet pipe.

[0010] Preferably, the inkjet printing assembly includes a slide rail, an electric slider, a first electric cylinder, an inkjet chamber, and an assembly frame; the slide rail is fixedly connected to the inkjet chamber; the electric slider is slidably connected to the slide rail; the first electric cylinder is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the electric slider; the inkjet chamber is fixedly connected to the output end of the first electric cylinder; and multiple assembly frames are fixedly connected to the bottom of the inkjet chamber, with each assembly frame corresponding to a multiple printhead.

[0011] Preferably, a plurality of rubber plates are fixedly connected to the inner wall of the cleaning box; a guide block is fixedly connected between two of the rubber plates.

[0012] Preferably, multiple rubber brushes are fixedly connected to the multiple guide blocks, with three rubber brushes forming a group, and each group of rubber brushes facing the left, middle and right sides respectively; a sponge is provided on the top of the rubber brush; a transmission component is provided on the cleaning box, which is used to drive the multiple guide blocks and rubber brushes to swing.

[0013] Preferably, the transmission assembly includes a rotating rod, a connecting plate, a gear, a toothed plate, and a second electric cylinder; the two rotating rods are rotatably connected inside the cleaning box, and the rotating rods are located below the guide block; the connecting plate is fixedly connected between the rotating rod and the guide block; the gear is fixedly connected to the rotating rod; the toothed plate is slidably connected to multiple cleaning boxes, and the toothed plate can mesh with multiple gears; the second electric cylinder is fixedly connected to one cleaning box, and the output end of the second electric cylinder is fixedly connected to the toothed plate.

[0014] Preferably, a first heat-conducting plate is fixedly connected to the water inlet pipe; a second heat-conducting plate is fixedly connected to the water outlet pipe; multiple heat-conducting frames are fixedly connected between the first and second heat-conducting plates; and electric heaters are fixedly connected to the multiple heat-conducting frames.

[0015] Preferably, both ends of the inkjet printer body are fixedly connected to extension seats; and the two extension seats are fixedly connected to a conveyor on the inkjet printer body.

[0016] Preferably, a sealing gasket is fixed to the cleaning box; the sealing gasket has a square cross-sectional shape.

[0017] Preferably, the plurality of water inlets are divided into two groups, with the group of water inlets furthest from the water inlet pipe having a flared opening located at the end of the water inlet near the guide box; and the drain outlet having a guide opening at the end furthest from the guide pipe.

[0018] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0019] 1. The inkjet printer with nozzle cleaning function described in this invention drives multiple printheads to the nozzle cleaning area via a set inkjet printing assembly. The inkjet printing assembly then slides the multiple printheads down to engage with multiple cleaning boxes on the base. The cleaning boxes enclose and seal the nozzles of the printheads. An external water pipe is connected to multiple water inlets and outlets of the cleaning boxes to form a water path. As water flows into the guide channel from the multiple water inlets, the water can soak and clean the nozzles of the printheads inside the cleaning boxes. The cleaned water flows away through the outlet and is collected, ensuring production efficiency. Simultaneously, due to the guide channel within the cleaning boxes, the external pipe valves at the water inlets and outlets can be closed beforehand. The nozzles are soaked, and then the valve of the external pipeline is opened to allow water to flow into the guide channel. The flowing water continuously flushes the nozzles. When soaking statically, the water around the nozzles will quickly become saturated with dissolved ink, resulting in ineffective soaking. Allowing the liquid to flow continuously brings in fresh water, improving dissolution efficiency. The gentle flow can generate a weak physical flushing force at the nozzle inlet, which helps to remove softened blockages. The flow energy also carries dissolved impurities away from the nozzle area, reducing their redeposition. This more effectively removes condensed and solidified ink from the printhead nozzles, avoiding cleaning dead zones that may exist in traditional cleaning methods, and improving cleaning effect and efficiency.

[0020] 2. The inkjet printer with nozzle cleaning function described in this invention uses multiple sets of rubber brushes to clean the nozzles by having a guide block reciprocate along with a transmission component. Although the rubber brushes are made of rubber, they still have toughness. A sponge is provided on the top of the rubber brush to assist in cleaning the nozzles. The oscillation of multiple sets of rubber brushes can cover all directions of the nozzles, forming an all-round cleaning effect, further improving the thoroughness of cleaning. This dynamic cleaning method, compared with static soaking, can more effectively loosen and remove stubborn condensed and solidified ink in the nozzles. At the same time, the design of the transmission component allows the oscillation frequency and amplitude of the guide block and rubber brushes to be adjusted, which can be flexibly adjusted according to different clogging conditions and cleaning needs to achieve the best cleaning effect. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly frame in this invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the toothed plate in this invention;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the heat-conducting frame in this invention;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the gear structure in this invention;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a partial sectional perspective view of the cleaning box in this invention;

[0028] Figure 7 This is a partial cross-sectional plan view of the cleaning box in this invention.

[0029] In the diagram: 1. Inkjet printer body; 11. Inkjet cartridge; 12. Printhead; 13. Base; 14. Cleaning box; 15. Water inlet; 16. Drain outlet; 2. Water valve; 21. Water inlet pipe; 22. Flow guide box; 23. Flow guide pipe; 24. Water outlet pipe; 3. Slide rail frame; 31. Electric slider; 32. No. 1 electric cylinder; 33. Inkjet cartridge; 34. Assembly frame; 4. Rubber plate; 41. Flow guide block; 5. Rubber brush; 6. Rotating rod; 61. Connecting plate; 62. Gear; 63. Gear plate; 64. No. 2 electric cylinder; 7. No. 1 heat conduction plate; 71. No. 2 heat conduction plate; 72. Heat conduction frame; 73. Electric heater; 8. Extension seat; 81. Conveyor; 9. Sealing gasket. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To make the technical means, creative features, objectives and effects of this invention easier to understand, the invention will be further described below in conjunction with specific embodiments.

[0031] Industrial inkjet printers can be considered a highly specialized type of information and decoration industrial robot. They integrate precision motion control, machine vision, and intelligent decision-making systems. Like a tireless painting robotic arm, they can autonomously identify and position products on the production line and accurately execute printing tasks with variable data and complex patterns. Their core print head performs high-speed and precise reciprocating motion, achieving precise positioning and spraying through program control. This perfectly conforms to the essential definition of industrial robots, which complete specific tasks in a multi-degree-of-freedom space through programmable drive. As coding experts on the production line, they perfectly embody the core value of industrial robots in improving automated, flexible, and intelligent production.

[0032] When industrial inkjet printers encounter nozzle clogging, the traditional solution is to disassemble and clean multiple printheads. This is a time-consuming process that requires professional technicians to perform meticulous cleaning to ensure that each nozzle remains unobstructed.

[0033] To better clean clogged nozzles, such as Figures 1 to 7 As shown in the figure, an inkjet printer with nozzle cleaning function according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an inkjet printer body 1; an inkjet carriage 11 is fixedly connected to the inkjet printer body 1; multiple printheads 12 are arranged at the bottom of the inkjet carriage 11; an inkjet printing assembly is arranged on the inkjet carriage 11, the inkjet printing assembly is used to assemble multiple printheads 12 for multi-color inkjet printing; a base 13 is fixedly connected to the inkjet carriage 11; multiple cleaning boxes 14 are fixedly connected to the base 13, the multiple cleaning boxes 14 correspond to the multiple printheads 12, and a guide channel is opened in the cleaning box 14; multiple water inlets 15 are opened on the cleaning box 14; and a drain outlet 16 is opened on the cleaning box 14 near the lower part of the cleaning box 14.

[0034] When the industrial inkjet printer is working, the external robotic arm is assembled to grab the material and feed it into the inkjet printer body 1, and is located below the inkjet frame 11. Then the inkjet printing assembly drives the assembled multiple print heads 12 to perform multi-color inkjet printing on the material below. After the multi-color printing is completed, the robotic arm removes the material, thus completing the multi-color inkjet printing of the material.

[0035] When industrial inkjet printers operate in excessively dry, high-temperature, and dusty environments for extended periods, the ink dries rapidly and the moisture evaporates, causing pigments to deposit inside the nozzles. This leads to condensation and solidification, resulting in blockages. When the nozzles become blocked, the inkjet printing assembly drives multiple printheads 12 to the nozzle cleaning area. The inkjet printing assembly then slides the printheads 12 down to dock with multiple cleaning boxes 14 on the base 13. The cleaning boxes 14 enclose and seal the nozzles of the printheads 12, leaving the area outside the nozzles exposed. An external water pipe connects to multiple water inlets 15 and drain outlets 16 of the cleaning boxes 14 to form a water path. Water flows into the guide channel from the multiple water inlets 15. The water can be replaced with cleaning fluid as needed. The water should not pass through the nozzles. There is space between the top of the guide channel and the water surface, allowing the water to soak and clean the nozzles of the printheads 12 inside the cleaning boxes 14. The cleaned water flows away and is collected through the drain outlet 16, ensuring production efficiency.

[0036] Meanwhile, due to the flow channel inside the cleaning box 14, the external pipeline valves at the water inlet 15 and the drain outlet 16 can be closed first to soak the nozzles. After soaking the nozzles, the external pipeline valves are opened to allow the water flowing into the flow channel to circulate. The flowing water can continuously flush the nozzles. When soaking in still water, the water around the nozzles will quickly become saturated with dissolved ink, resulting in ineffective soaking. The continuous flow of liquid can bring fresh water, improving dissolution efficiency. The gentle flow can generate a weak physical flushing force at the nozzle inlet, which helps to remove softened blockages. The flow can also carry dissolved impurities away from the nozzle area, reducing their redeposition. This more effectively removes condensed and solidified ink from the nozzles of the printhead 12, avoiding cleaning dead spots that may exist in traditional cleaning methods, and improving cleaning effect and efficiency.

[0037] After the above cleaning steps, the deposited pigment and dried ink in the nozzles can be effectively removed, restoring the nozzles to a clear state. After cleaning, the inkjet printing assembly moves the multiple printheads 12 upwards, disengaging them from the cleaning box 14, ready for the next inkjet printing job. This design not only improves the maintenance efficiency of the inkjet printer but also extends the service life of the printheads 12, reducing the risk of print quality degradation and downtime due to nozzle clogging. At the same time, the nozzle cleaning function can be automated, reducing manual intervention and improving the continuity and stability of the overall production process.

[0038] A water valve 2 is fixedly connected to the outside of the inkjet carriage 11; an inlet pipe 21 is fixedly connected to the water valve 2; multiple guide boxes 22 are fixedly connected to the inlet pipe 21 away from the water valve 2, and one end of the guide box 22 away from the inlet pipe 21 is fixedly connected to the water inlet 15 on the cleaning box 14; a guide pipe 23 is fixedly connected to the cleaning box 14 near the drain outlet 16; an outlet pipe 24 is fixedly connected to the end of the guide pipe 23 away from the cleaning box 14, and the guide pipe 23 can be connected to the water valve 2 through the outlet pipe 24; when the water circuit of the cleaning box 14 is connected, the water valve 2 is fixed to the outside of the inkjet carriage 11, and the water inlet end of the water valve 2... The inlet pipe 21 connects to the water source and the outlet pipe 24 connects to the water source and the outlet pipe 23. The outlet pipe 23 connects to the outlet pipe 16, thus realizing the connection of the entire water path of the guide channel of the cleaning box 14. This allows the external water source to enter the guide channel stably and orderly to clean the nozzles and smoothly discharge and collect the cleaned wastewater. This constructs a complete and efficient cleaning water system, eliminating the need for cumbersome water path construction and disassembly operations each time cleaning is performed, thus improving the convenience and efficiency of cleaning.

[0039] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the inkjet printing assembly includes a slide rail 3, an electric slider 31, a first electric cylinder 32, an inkjet cartridge 33, and an assembly frame 34. The slide rail 3 is fixedly connected to the inkjet frame 11. The electric slider 31 is slidably connected to the slide rail 3. The first electric cylinder 32 is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the electric slider 31. The inkjet cartridge 33 is fixedly connected to the output end of the first electric cylinder 32. Multiple assembly frames 34 are fixedly connected to the bottom of the inkjet cartridge 33, and the multiple assembly frames 34 correspond to multiple printheads 12. When multi-color printing is performed on the material, the slide rail 3 is fixed on the inkjet frame 11 as the track for the electric slider 31. The industrial inkjet printing robot drives the electric slider 31 through programming, which in turn drives the first electric cylinder 32 and the inkjet cartridge. The slider 33 slides on the slide rail 3, enabling switching between the working area and the nozzle cleaning area. Multiple assembly racks 34 are fixed to the bottom of the inkjet box 33 for the fixed assembly of multiple printheads 12. During the sliding of the electric slider 31, the first electric cylinder 32 serves as the power drive. The industrial inkjet printing robot then uses programming to drive the first electric cylinder 32 to precisely control the vertical movement of the inkjet box 33, ensuring that the printheads 12 fixed on the assembly racks 34 can accurately align with the nozzle cleaning position of the cleaning box 14, achieving efficient and precise cleaning operations. In addition, the sliding mechanism of the electric slider 31 can quickly switch between the working area and the nozzle cleaning area, reducing non-productive time and improving overall operational efficiency.

[0040] like Figures 1 to 7As shown, multiple rubber plates 4 are fixed to the inner wall of the cleaning box 14; a guide block 41 is fixed between two rubber plates 4; when water is introduced into the guide channel to clean the spray nozzle, two rubber plates 4 and a guide block 41 form a set of guide components fixed below the spray nozzle. There are two sets of guide components. After water is introduced from multiple inlets 15, the water can be guided to the flushing spray nozzle through the slope of the guide channel and the multiple sets of guide components. The design of multiple sets of guide components effectively guides the water flow towards the spray nozzle. This flow method not only enhances the flushing force of the water flow, but also ensures that the water flow evenly covers the entire spray nozzle area, reducing cleaning dead corners. The slope angle of the guide components can ensure the water flow speed and reduce the direct impact of the water flow on the spray nozzle, reducing the situation where the spray nozzle structure is damaged due to excessive water flow.

[0041] Multiple rubber brushes 5 are fixedly attached to multiple flow guide blocks 41, with three rubber brushes 5 forming a group. Each group of rubber brushes 5 faces the left, middle, and right sides respectively. A sponge is placed on the top of each rubber brush 5. A transmission assembly is provided on the cleaning box 14 to drive the multiple flow guide blocks 41 and rubber brushes 5 to swing. When water enters the flow channel, the water flow is guided by the flow guide blocks 41 to flush the spray holes. The multiple groups of rubber brushes 5, driven by the transmission assembly, cause the flow guide blocks 41 to swing back and forth, thus cleaning the spray holes. Although the rubber brushes 5 are made of rubber, they still possess toughness. A sponge (not shown in the diagram) is provided on the top of brush 5. The sponge assists in brushing the nozzles. The oscillation of multiple sets of rubber brushes 5 can cover all directions of the nozzles, forming an all-round brushing effect, which further improves the thoroughness of cleaning. Compared with static soaking, this dynamic brushing method can more effectively loosen and remove stubborn condensed and solidified ink in the nozzles. At the same time, the design of the transmission component makes the oscillation frequency and amplitude of the guide block 41 and the rubber brushes 5 adjustable. It can be flexibly adjusted according to different clogging conditions and cleaning needs to achieve the best cleaning effect.

[0042] The transmission assembly includes a rotating rod 6, a connecting plate 61, a gear 62, a toothed plate 63, and a second electric cylinder 64. Two rotating rods 6 are rotatably connected inside the cleaning box 14, and the rotating rods 6 are located below the guide block 41. The connecting plate 61 is fixedly connected between the rotating rod 6 and the guide block 41. The gear 62 is fixedly connected to the rotating rod 6. The toothed plate 63 is slidably connected to multiple cleaning boxes 14, and the toothed plate 63 can mesh with multiple gears 62. The second electric cylinder 64 is fixedly connected to one cleaning box 14, and the output end of the second electric cylinder 64 is fixedly connected to the toothed plate 63. When multiple sets of rubber brushes 5 on the guide block 41 swing and brush the nozzles, the industrial inkjet printing robot drives the second electric cylinder 64 to reciprocate, and the second electric cylinder 64 drives the toothed plate 63 to slide back and forth. The toothed plate 63 synchronously drives multiple gears to reciprocate. The meshing gear 62 rotates, and the rotating rod 6 drives the guide block 41 connected to the connecting plate 61 and the multiple sets of rubber brushes 5 to swing. The rubber plate 4 is squeezed, contracted and stretched, thereby controlling the swing frequency of the guide block 41 and adjusting the swing amplitude of the multiple sets of rubber brushes 5. The design of the transmission component realizes the swing control of the guide block 41 and the multiple sets of rubber brushes 5, ensuring the stability and consistency of the brushing action. By programming and adjusting the reciprocating extension and retraction frequency of the second electric cylinder 64, it can flexibly adapt to different degrees of nozzle clogging. For mild clogging, a lower frequency of swing can be used to avoid excessive wear on the nozzles; while for severe clogging, the swing frequency is increased to enhance the cleaning effect, so that the inkjet printer can perform well in dealing with various complex cleaning needs, ensuring the stability of print quality and the long-term reliable operation of the equipment.

[0043] like Figures 1 to 4As shown, a first heat-conducting plate 7 is fixedly connected to the water inlet pipe 21; a second heat-conducting plate 71 is fixedly connected to the water outlet pipe 24; multiple heat-conducting frames 72 are fixedly connected between the first heat-conducting plate 7 and the second heat-conducting plate 71; electric heaters 73 are fixedly connected to the multiple heat-conducting frames 72; when water is introduced into the cleaning box 14 to clean the clogged spray holes, the first heat-conducting plate 7 and the second heat-conducting plate 71 are fixed to the water inlet pipe 21 and the water outlet pipe 24 respectively. The first heat-conducting plate 7, the second heat-conducting plate 71 and the heat-conducting frames 72 are all made of metal. The industrial inkjet printing robot controls the electric heater 73 to work and generate heat, and conducts the heat to the first heat-conducting plate 7 and the second heat-conducting plate 71 through the multiple heat-conducting frames 72, respectively, to clean the water inlet pipe 21 and the water outlet pipe 24. The water inside the nozzle is heated, resulting in a higher temperature compared to room temperature water when it enters the flow channel. This warm water accelerates the dissolution process of the pigment in the ink, allowing the solidified ink clogging the nozzles to soften and disperse more quickly into the water. Compared to room temperature water cleaning, warm water significantly improves cleaning efficiency and shortens the cleaning time. Furthermore, the heat conduction design of the heater 73 ensures that heat is evenly transferred to the water, reducing the risk of damage to the nozzles from localized overheating. The operating status of the heater 73 can be controlled, adjusting the heating temperature according to different clogging conditions and cleaning needs, achieving flexible and efficient cleaning operations. This heating cleaning method further enhances the performance and reliability of the inkjet printer's nozzle cleaning function.

[0044] like Figure 1 As shown, extension seats 8 are fixedly connected to both ends of the inkjet printer body 1; conveyors 81 are fixedly connected to the two extension seats 8 and the inkjet printer body 1; when multi-color printing is performed on the material, the two extension seats 8 are respectively installed at both ends of the inkjet printer body 1 as extensions, and conveyors 81 are assembled on the two extension seats 8 and the inkjet printer body 1. The industrial inkjet printing robot programmatically controls the conveyors 81 to continuously transport the material to the inkjet printer frame 11 for multi-color printing. The design of the conveyor 81 can ensure the stability and accuracy of the material during the transport process, thereby ensuring the quality and precision of multi-color printing; at the same time, during the printing process, the industrial inkjet printing robot achieves perfect coordination with the inkjet printing components by precisely controlling the conveying speed and stopping position of the conveyor 81, further improving the overall printing efficiency.

[0045] like Figures 1 to 7As shown, a sealing gasket 9 is fixedly attached to the cleaning box 14; the sealing gasket 9 has a square cross-sectional shape; when cleaning the nozzles at the bottom of the printhead 12, the output end of the first electric cylinder 32 drives multiple printheads 12 to extend downwards and connect with multiple cleaning boxes 14 one by one. The square cross-section of the sealing gasket 9 can improve the sealing effect as the printhead 12 is squeezed and connected to the cleaning box 14, ensuring that water will not leak from the connection point during the cleaning process, avoiding the problem of reduced cleaning effect and equipment damage caused by water leakage. At the same time, the square cross-section design of the sealing gasket 9 can provide a more suitable contact area compared with circles or other shapes, further enhancing the reliability of the seal, and maintaining good sealing performance even under water pressure, providing a strong guarantee for the stable operation of the nozzle cleaning function.

[0046] The multiple water inlets 15 are divided into two groups. The group of water inlets 15 furthest from the water inlet pipe 21 is provided with a flared opening, located at the end of the water inlet 15 near the guide box 22. The drain outlet 16 is provided with a guide opening at the end furthest from the guide pipe 23. When water is introduced into the cleaning box 14, the water inlets 15 furthest from the water inlet pipe 21 are provided with flared openings. The flared openings ensure the water volume and uniformity of the water inlets 15 at a distance. The drain outlet 16 is provided with a guide opening at the end furthest from the guide pipe 23. The guide openings also assist in the drainage of water. The special design of the flared openings and guide openings makes the entire water system smoother during water intake and drainage, reducing water flow obstruction and water accumulation, further improving cleaning efficiency, and ensuring the continuity and stability of the cleaning process. The design of the guide openings helps to guide the wastewater to flow in a specific direction, reducing the amount of wastewater stagnating in the guide channel, thereby avoiding the risk of secondary pollution and adapting to the needs of more complex industrial environments.

[0047] Working process: When the industrial inkjet printer is working, the external robotic arm of the assembly grabs the material and feeds it into the interior of the inkjet printer body 1, located below the inkjet carriage 11. Then, the inkjet printing assembly drives multiple printheads 12 to perform multi-color inkjet printing on the material below. After the multi-color printing is completed, the robotic arm removes the material, thus completing the multi-color inkjet printing of the material. However, after the industrial inkjet printer has been working for a long time in an excessively dry, high-temperature, and dusty environment, the ink will dry rapidly and the moisture will evaporate. The pigment in the ink will deposit in the nozzle, causing condensation and solidification blockage in the nozzle. When the nozzle is blocked, the inkjet printing assembly drives multiple printheads 12 to the nozzle cleaning area. Subsequently, the inkjet printing assembly slides down and docks with multiple cleaning boxes 14 on the base 13. The cleaning boxes 14 enclose and seal the nozzles of the printheads 12, leaving the area outside the nozzles exposed. An external water pipe connects to multiple water inlets 15 and drain outlets 16 of the cleaning boxes 14 to form a water path. Water flows into the guide channel from the multiple water inlets 15. The water can be replaced with cleaning fluid as needed. The water should not pass through the nozzles. There is space between the top of the guide channel and the water surface, allowing the water to soak and clean the nozzles of the printheads 12 inside the cleaning boxes 14. The cleaned water flows away and is collected through the drain outlets 16, ensuring production efficiency. At the same time, because the cleaning boxes 14 contain... The flow channel design allows for the initial closure of the external pipeline valves at the inlet 15 and outlet 16 to soak the nozzles. After soaking, the external pipeline valves are opened, allowing water to flow through the flow channel. This flowing water continuously flushes the nozzles. During static soaking, the water around the nozzles quickly becomes saturated with dissolved ink, resulting in ineffective soaking. The continuous flow of liquid brings in fresh water, improving dissolution efficiency. The gentle flow generates a weak physical scouring force at the nozzle inlet, helping to remove softened blockages. The flow also carries dissolved impurities away from the nozzle area, reducing their redeposition and further cleansing the condensed and solidified ink within the printhead 12 nozzles. Effective cleaning avoids potential blind spots in traditional cleaning methods, improving cleaning effect and efficiency. After the above cleaning steps, the pigment and dried ink deposited in the nozzles can be effectively removed, restoring the nozzles to unobstructed state. After cleaning, the inkjet printing assembly moves multiple printheads 12 upwards, disengaging them from the cleaning box 14, ready for the next inkjet printing job. This design not only improves the maintenance efficiency of the inkjet printer but also extends the service life of the printheads 12, reducing the risk of print quality degradation and downtime due to nozzle clogging. At the same time, the nozzle cleaning function can be automated, reducing manual intervention and improving the continuity and stability of the overall production process.When connecting the water system to the cleaning box 14, the water valve 2 is fixed to the outside of the inkjet printer 11. The inlet and outlet ends of the water valve 2 are connected to the water source. The inlet pipe 21 serves as the inlet end of the water valve 2 and connects to the guide box 22. The guide box 22 connects to multiple inlets 15. The outlet pipe 24 serves as the outlet end of the water valve 2 and connects to the guide pipe 23. The guide pipe 23 connects to the drain outlet 16, thus achieving full water system connectivity of the guide channel of the cleaning box 14. This allows external water to enter the guide channel stably and orderly to clean the nozzles and smoothly discharge and collect the wastewater after cleaning. This constructs a complete and efficient cleaning water system, eliminating the need for cumbersome water system setup and disassembly operations each time cleaning is performed, improving the convenience and efficiency of cleaning. When performing multi-color printing on materials, the slide rail 3 is fixed on the inkjet printer 11 as... The electric slider 31 is driven by the industrial inkjet printing robot through programming, which in turn drives the first electric cylinder 32 and the inkjet cartridge 33 to slide on the slide rail 3, enabling the switching between the working area and the nozzle cleaning area. Multiple assembly racks 34 are fixed to the bottom of the inkjet cartridge 33 for the fixed assembly of multiple printheads 12. During the sliding of the electric slider 31, the first electric cylinder 32 serves as the power drive, and the industrial inkjet printing robot further controls the vertical movement of the inkjet cartridge 33 precisely through programming, ensuring that the printheads 12 fixed on the assembly racks 34 can accurately align with the nozzle cleaning position of the cleaning box 14, achieving efficient and precise cleaning operations. In addition, the sliding mechanism of the electric slider 31 is designed to quickly switch between the working area and the nozzle cleaning area, reducing non-productive time and improving overall operational efficiency.

[0048] When water is introduced into the guide channel to clean the nozzles, two rubber plates 4 and a guide block 41 form a guide component fixed below the nozzles. Two sets of guide components are provided. After water enters from multiple inlets 15, it is guided through the slope of the guide channel and the multiple sets of guide components to flush the nozzles. The design of multiple guide components effectively guides the water flow towards the nozzles. This flow not only enhances the scouring force of the water flow but also ensures that the water flow evenly covers the entire nozzle area, reducing cleaning dead zones. The slope angle of the guide components ensures the water flow velocity and reduces the direct impact of the water flow on the nozzles, minimizing damage caused by excessive water flow. In the case of a faulty nozzle structure, when water enters the guide channel, the water flow is guided by the guide block 41 to flush the nozzle. Multiple sets of rubber brushes 5, driven by the transmission component, reciprocate to clean the nozzle by swinging the guide block 41. Although the rubber brushes 5 are made of rubber, they still have toughness. A sponge (not shown in the diagram) is provided on the top of each rubber brush 5. The sponge assists in cleaning the nozzle. The swinging of multiple sets of rubber brushes 5 can cover all directions of the nozzle, forming an all-round cleaning effect, further improving the thoroughness of cleaning. This dynamic cleaning method, compared with static soaking, can more effectively loosen and remove stubborn condensed and solidified ink inside the nozzle; at the same time... The design of the transmission components allows for adjustable oscillation frequency and amplitude of the guide block 41 and rubber brush 5, enabling flexible adjustments based on different clogging conditions and cleaning needs to achieve optimal cleaning results. When the multiple sets of rubber brushes 5 on the guide block 41 oscillate and brush the nozzles, the industrial inkjet printing robot, through programming, drives the second electric cylinder 64 to reciprocate. The second electric cylinder 64 drives the toothed plate 63 to slide reciprocally, and the toothed plate 63 synchronously drives multiple meshing gears 62 to rotate. The rotating rod 6 also drives the guide block 41 and multiple sets of rubber brushes 5 connected to the connecting plate 61 to oscillate. The rubber plate 4 is compressed, contracted, and stretched, thereby controlling the flow. The design of the transmission component controls the oscillation frequency of the guide block 41 and the oscillation amplitude of the multiple sets of rubber brushes 5, ensuring the stability and consistency of the brushing action. By programming and adjusting the reciprocating extension frequency of the second electric cylinder 64, it can flexibly adapt to different degrees of nozzle clogging. For mild clogging, a lower frequency of oscillation can be used to avoid excessive wear on the nozzles; while for severe clogging, the oscillation frequency is increased to enhance the cleaning effect. This allows the inkjet printer to perform well in dealing with various complex cleaning needs, ensuring the stability of print quality and the long-term reliable operation of the equipment.

[0049] When water is introduced into the cleaning box 14 to clean the clogged nozzles, heat-conducting plates 7 and 71 are fixed to the inlet pipe 21 and outlet pipe 24, respectively. All three heat-conducting plates, including 7 and 71, and the heat-conducting frame 72, are made of metal. The industrial inkjet printing robot controls the heater 73 to generate heat, which is then transferred to the heat-conducting plates 7 and 71 via the multiple heat-conducting frames 72. This heats the water in the inlet pipe 21 and outlet pipe 24. The heated water has a higher temperature than room temperature water when entering the flow channel, and this warm water accelerates the color mixing of the ink. The dissolution process of the material softens the solidified ink clogging the nozzles more quickly and disperses it into the water. Compared with room temperature water cleaning, warm water can significantly improve cleaning efficiency and shorten the cleaning time. At the same time, the heat conduction design of the heater 73 can ensure that heat is evenly transferred to the water, reducing the damage to the nozzles caused by local overheating. Furthermore, the working state of the heater 73 can be controlled, and the heating temperature can be adjusted according to different clogging conditions and cleaning needs to achieve flexible and efficient cleaning operations. This heating cleaning method further improves the performance and reliability of the inkjet printer nozzle cleaning function.

[0050] When performing multi-color printing on materials, two extension seats 8 are installed at both ends of the inkjet printer body 1 as extensions. Conveyors 81 are assembled on the two extension seats 8 and the inkjet printer body 1. The industrial inkjet printing robot programmatically controls the conveyor 81 to continuously transport the materials to the inkjet printer frame 11 for multi-color printing. The design of the conveyor 81 can ensure the stability and accuracy of the materials during the transport process, thereby ensuring the quality and precision of multi-color printing. At the same time, during the printing process, the industrial inkjet printing robot achieves perfect coordination with the inkjet printing components by precisely controlling the conveying speed and stopping position of the conveyor 81, further improving the overall printing efficiency.

[0051] When cleaning the nozzles at the bottom of the printhead 12, the output end of the first electric cylinder 32 drives multiple printheads 12 to extend downwards and connect with multiple cleaning boxes 14 one by one. The square-section sealing gasket 9 can improve the sealing effect as the printhead 12 is squeezed and connected to the cleaning box 14, ensuring that water will not leak from the connection point during the cleaning process. This avoids the problem of reduced cleaning effect and equipment damage caused by water leakage. At the same time, the square-section design of the sealing gasket 9 can provide a more suitable contact area compared with round or other shapes, further enhancing the reliability of the seal. It can maintain good sealing performance even under water pressure, providing a strong guarantee for the stable operation of the nozzle cleaning function.

[0052] When water is introduced into the cleaning box 14, the inlet 15, which is far from the inlet pipe 21, is equipped with a flared opening. The flared opening ensures the water volume and uniformity of the inlet 15 at a distance. The drain outlet 16, which is far from the guide pipe 23, is equipped with a guide opening. The guide opening also assists in the water drainage. The special design of the flared opening and the guide opening makes the entire water system smoother during water intake and drainage, reduces water flow obstruction and water accumulation, further improves cleaning efficiency, and ensures the continuity and stability of the cleaning process. The design of the guide opening helps to guide the wastewater to flow in a specific direction, reducing the amount of wastewater stagnating in the guide channel, thereby avoiding the risk of secondary pollution and adapting to the needs of more complex industrial environments.

[0053] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the present invention as claimed. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An inkjet printer with nozzle cleaning function, characterized in that: The device includes an inkjet printer body; an inkjet printer frame is fixedly attached to the inkjet printer body; multiple printheads are arranged at the bottom of the inkjet printer frame; an inkjet printing assembly is arranged on the inkjet printer frame, the inkjet printing assembly is used to assemble multiple printheads for multi-color inkjet printing; a base is fixedly attached to the inkjet printer frame; multiple cleaning boxes are fixedly attached to the base, the multiple cleaning boxes correspond to the multiple printheads, and the cleaning boxes have flow channels; multiple water inlets are provided on the cleaning boxes; and a drain outlet is provided on the cleaning boxes near the bottom. A water pipe valve is fixedly connected to the outside of the inkjet printer; a water inlet pipe is fixedly connected to the water pipe valve; multiple guide boxes are fixedly connected to the water inlet pipe away from the water pipe valve, and the end of the guide box away from the water inlet pipe is fixedly connected to the water inlet of the cleaning box; a guide pipe is fixedly connected to the cleaning box near the drain outlet; a water outlet pipe is fixedly connected to the end of the guide pipe away from the cleaning box, and the guide pipe can be connected to the water pipe valve through the water outlet pipe. The inkjet printing assembly includes a slide rail, an electric slider, a first electric cylinder, an inkjet cartridge, and an assembly frame; the slide rail is fixedly connected to the inkjet cartridge; the electric slider is slidably connected to the slide rail; the first electric cylinder is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the electric slider; the inkjet cartridge is fixedly connected to the output end of the first electric cylinder; multiple assembly frames are fixedly connected to the bottom of the inkjet cartridge, and the multiple assembly frames correspond to multiple printheads; Multiple rubber plates are fixedly connected to the inner wall of the cleaning box; a flow guide block is fixedly connected between two of the rubber plates. Multiple rubber brushes are fixed to the multiple flow guide blocks, and three rubber brushes form a group. Each group of rubber brushes faces the left, middle and right sides respectively. A sponge is provided on the top of the rubber brush. A transmission component is provided on the cleaning box. The transmission component is used to drive the multiple flow guide blocks and rubber brushes to swing. The transmission assembly includes a rotating rod, a connecting plate, a gear, a toothed plate, and a second electric cylinder; two rotating rods are rotatably connected inside the cleaning box, and the rotating rods are located below the guide block; the connecting plate is fixed between the rotating rod and the guide block; the gear is fixed to the rotating rod; the toothed plate is slidably connected to multiple cleaning boxes, and the toothed plate can mesh with multiple gears; the second electric cylinder is fixed to one cleaning box, and the output end of the second electric cylinder is fixed to the toothed plate.

2. An inkjet printer with nozzle cleaning function according to claim 1, characterized in that: A first heat-conducting plate is fixedly connected to the water inlet pipe; a second heat-conducting plate is fixedly connected to the water outlet pipe; multiple heat-conducting frames are fixedly connected between the first and second heat-conducting plates; and electric heaters are fixedly connected to the multiple heat-conducting frames.

3. An inkjet printer with nozzle cleaning function according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both ends of the inkjet printer body are fixedly connected to extension seats; the two extension seats are fixedly connected to conveyors on the inkjet printer body.

4. An inkjet printer with nozzle cleaning function according to claim 1, characterized in that: A sealing gasket is fixed to the cleaning box; the sealing gasket has a square cross-sectional shape.

5. An inkjet printer with nozzle cleaning function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The multiple water inlets are divided into two groups. The group of water inlets away from the water inlet pipe is provided with a flared opening, which is located at the end of the water inlet near the guide box. The drain outlet is provided with a guide opening at the end away from the guide pipe.

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