Cleaning module and nozzle cleaning assembly

Abstract

The invention is suitable for the field of digital printing nozzle cleaning, and provides a cleaning module and a nozzle cleaning assembly. The cleaning module comprises a base body, a first cavity and a second cavity are sequentially formed in the base body in the first direction, an air suction groove is formed in the top of the first cavity, the first cavity is used for inputting negative pressure, a first groove communicated with the second cavity is formed in the top of the second cavity, and liquid is input into the second cavity so that the first groove can be filled with the liquid; the first direction is the moving direction of the nozzle or the printing medium; the scraper is arranged in the first groove, liquid in the first groove is always kept in contact with the cleaning surface when the scraper cleans the spray head assembly, the liquid is continuously input into the second cavity, and the liquid overflows from the first groove after making contact with the cleaning surface. The cleaning effect on the spray head assembly can be greatly improved, meanwhile, the scraper can be cleaned, and it is avoided that after the scraper is used for a long time, dried ink is attached to the scraper to affect the cleaning effect and corrode the scraper to shorten the service life of the scraper.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of digital printing printhead cleaning, and particularly relates to a cleaning module and printhead cleaning components. Background Technology

[0002] After a certain period of operation, the printheads of digital printing equipment need to be moisturized, cleaned, and maintained regularly to prevent the ink from drying out and clogging the printhead, which would affect normal printing. Current methods for cleaning printheads include single negative pressure suction, scraping with a scraper, and wiping with a cloth. Negative pressure suction can only remove ink droplets attached to the printhead and cannot clean dried ink. Wiping with a cloth is a manual process, which is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and inefficient, and is not the mainstream method for cleaning current automated equipment. Scraping with a scraper can remove dried ink from the printhead, but existing scrapers either scrape directly from the printhead or spray cleaning fluid onto the printhead before scraping. While spraying cleaning fluid does involve cleaning fluid, it's similar to spraying water before scraping, resulting in poor scraping effectiveness. The scraper is essentially in a "dry scraping" state, limiting the cleaning effect. Furthermore, dried ink tends to adhere to the scraper after scraping. If the scraper is not cleaned, it will reduce the cleaning effect and the adhered dried ink is corrosive, easily corroding the scraper and reducing its lifespan. Cleaning the scraper, on the other hand, greatly reduces the cleaning efficiency of the printhead. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The cleaning module provided by this invention aims to solve the problems of poor cleaning effect and low cleaning efficiency of the nozzle in the prior art.

[0004] This invention is implemented as follows: a cleaning module for cleaning printhead assemblies in digital printing equipment, comprising:

[0005] The base has a first chamber and a second chamber arranged sequentially along a first direction. The top of the first chamber is provided with a suction groove and is used to input negative pressure. The top of the second chamber is provided with a first groove communicating with the second chamber and is used to input liquid to fill the first groove. The first direction is the movement direction of the nozzle or printing medium.

[0006] A scraper is disposed in the first groove. The liquid in the first groove is always in contact with the cleaning surface of the nozzle assembly when the scraper cleans the nozzle. Liquid is continuously introduced into the second chamber, and the liquid overflows from the first groove after contacting the cleaning surface of the nozzle assembly.

[0007] Furthermore, the bottom of the first groove is provided with a plurality of first through holes, the plurality of first through holes connecting the first groove and the second chamber, and the scraper is disposed in the first groove and located on one side of the first through holes.

[0008] Furthermore, the bottom of the first groove is provided with a mounting groove on one side of the first through hole, the scraper is placed in the mounting groove, the cleaning module also includes a fastener, the base is provided with a second through hole communicating with the mounting groove, the fastener passes through the second through hole from the outside of the base and extends into the mounting groove to abut against the scraper.

[0009] Furthermore, the two ends of the suction groove and the first groove extend to the edge of the base body along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The base body is provided with second grooves at intervals in both the first and second directions. A roller is rotatably provided in the second groove for abutting against the non-printing area in the cleaning surface of the printhead assembly.

[0010] Furthermore, the cleaning module is applied to cleaning a nozzle assembly arranged in an arc shape, characterized in that the base has an arc shape and is adapted to the structural contour of the nozzle assembly, and the base is provided with auxiliary scrapers on opposite sides along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, with the auxiliary scrapers on opposite sides arranged at an angle.

[0011] Furthermore, the seat body includes at least two separate units, which are sequentially spliced ​​together to form an arc-shaped structure. Each separate unit has a first chamber and a second chamber spaced apart along the first direction. The auxiliary scraper is disposed on the two outermost separate units of the at least two separate units.

[0012] Furthermore, the seat body is provided with a mounting component, the mounting component including a first mounting part and a second mounting part arranged parallel to each other along the first direction, and the auxiliary scraper is provided on the first mounting part and / or the second mounting part.

[0013] The present invention also provides a nozzle cleaning assembly, comprising: a waste liquid tray and a cleaning module as described in any one of claims 1-7, wherein the waste liquid tray has a receiving cavity, a fixing member is provided in the receiving cavity, the seat is movably disposed on the fixing member close to or away from the fixing member, and the waste liquid tray drives the cleaning module to reciprocate along the first direction.

[0014] Furthermore, a buffer assembly is provided between the fixing member and the seat body. The buffer assembly includes a guide rod disposed on the seat body and an elastic member disposed between the seat body and the fixing member. The guide rod passes through the fixing member and can move on the fixing member. The elastic member provides a preload force to the seat body away from the fixing member.

[0015] Furthermore, the printhead cleaning assembly also includes two parallel and spaced slide rails that extend along the first direction. The waste liquid tray is placed between the two slide rails and is slidably connected to each of the two slide rails. The two slide rails are used to fix the printhead assembly on the digital printing equipment below, and the waste liquid tray can reciprocate along the slide rails.

[0016] The beneficial effects achieved by this invention are achieved by sequentially arranging a first chamber for inputting negative pressure and a second chamber for inputting liquid in a first direction. Before cleaning the printhead assembly, the cleaning module is positioned in a cleaning position in the height direction. Specifically, the cleaning module can move relative to the printhead assembly, or the printhead assembly can move relative to the cleaning module. After cleaning begins, the printhead assembly or cleaning module of the digital printing equipment moves along the first direction, so that the suction groove of the first chamber is located at the front end of the movement direction, and the scraper is located at the rear end of the movement direction. The suction groove on the first chamber first removes the ink droplets attached to the cleaning surface of the printhead assembly (i.e., the printing area of ​​the printhead assembly, or the printing area and non-printing area of ​​the printhead assembly). The liquid in the first groove, which is connected to the second chamber in the cleaning position, is always in contact with the cleaning surface. The scraper scrapes off the cleaning surface from which the ink droplets have been sucked by the suction groove, while the cleaning surface is always in contact with the liquid in the first groove. The liquid contact serves two purposes: firstly, it dilutes any residual ink on the cleaning surface that wasn't removed by the suction channel; secondly, it keeps the cleaning surface constantly submerged in liquid, ensuring the dried ink from the printhead is moistened. This prevents the scraper from directly scraping the printhead dry, thus improving cleaning effectiveness. Simultaneously, the continuous inflow of liquid into the second chamber carries away any dried ink scraped off by the scraper as it overflows from the first groove. This continuous inflow of clean liquid into the first groove, along with the dried ink, not only prevents the reuse of liquid from contaminating the cleaning surface but also avoids dried ink buildup on the scraper that repeatedly contacts the cleaning surface, thus maintaining cleaning effectiveness. Furthermore, the highly corrosive ink in digital devices prevents dried ink from adhering to the scraper for extended periods and damaging it. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram showing the relative positions of the nozzle cleaning assembly and the nozzle assembly provided by the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the nozzle cleaning assembly provided by the present invention;

[0019] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Sectional view at point AA;

[0020] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Sectional view at point BB;

[0021] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Sectional view at CC;

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the nozzle cleaning assembly provided by the present invention.

[0023] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0024] 10. Cleaning module; 1. Base; 1a. Split unit; 11. First chamber; 111. Suction slot; 112. Air pipe connector; 12. Second chamber; 121. First groove; 122. First through hole; 123. Mounting groove; 124. Water pipe connector; 13. Second through hole; 14. Second groove; 15. Mounting component; 151. First mounting part; 152. Second mounting part; 16. Third mounting hole; 2. Scraper; 3. Roller; 4. Auxiliary scraper; 20. Waste liquid tray; 201. Receiving cavity; 202. Fixing component; 2021 1. First mounting hole; 2. Second mounting hole; 2. Waste outlet; 2. Through hole; 2. First connecting plate; 2. Second connecting plate; 3. Buffer assembly; 3. Guide rod; 3. Limiting part; 3. Elastic element; 4. Slide rail; 5. Slider; 6. Cable chain; 7. Drive assembly; 7. Drive element; 7. Belt; 7. Transmission rod; 8. Adapter chamber; 8. Air inlet; 8. Air outlet; 9. Mounting strip; 10. Nozzle cleaning assembly; 200. Nozzle assembly. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0026] See Figures 1-4This invention provides a cleaning module 10 for cleaning the printhead assembly 200 in a digital printing device. The cleaning module 10 includes a base 1 and a scraper 2. The base 1 is provided with a first chamber 11 and a second chamber 12 in sequence along a first direction. The top of the first chamber 11 is provided with a suction groove 111. The first chamber 11 is used to input negative pressure. The first chamber 11 is provided with an air pipe connector 112 for connecting to an external negative pressure source. The top of the second chamber 12 is provided with a first groove 121 communicating with the second chamber 12. The second chamber 12 is used to input liquid to fill the first groove 121. The second chamber 12 is provided with a water pipe connector 124 for connecting to an external liquid source. The first direction is the direction of movement of the printhead or printing medium. The scraper 2 is located in the first groove 121. The liquid in the first groove 121 is always in contact with the cleaning surface of the printhead assembly 200 when the scraper 2 cleans the printhead. The second chamber 12 continuously inputs liquid. After the liquid comes into contact with the cleaning surface of the printhead assembly 200, it overflows from the first groove 121.

[0027] By sequentially arranging a first chamber 11 for inputting negative pressure and a second chamber 12 for inputting liquid in the first direction, before cleaning the printhead, the cleaning module 10 is positioned in a cleaning position in the height direction. Specifically, the cleaning module 10 can move relative to the printhead assembly 200, or the printhead assembly 200 can move relative to the cleaning module 10. After cleaning begins, the printhead assembly 200 or the cleaning module 10 of the digital printing equipment moves along the first direction, so that the suction groove 111 of the first chamber 11 is located at the front end of the movement direction, and the scraper 2 is located at the rear end of the movement direction. The suction groove 111 on the first chamber 11 first removes the ink droplets attached to the cleaning surface of the printhead assembly 200 (i.e., the printing area of ​​the printhead assembly 200, or the printing area and non-printing area of ​​the printhead assembly 200). The liquid in the first groove 121, which is connected to the second chamber 12 in the cleaning position, is always in contact with the cleaning surface. The scraper scrapes off the cleaning surface from which the ink droplets are sucked by the suction groove 111, and the cleaning surface is always in contact with the cleaning surface. Contact with the liquid in the first groove 121 serves two purposes: firstly, it dilutes any residual ink on the cleaning surface that was not sucked away by the suction groove 111; secondly, it keeps the cleaning surface constantly immersed in liquid, ensuring the dried ink from the printhead is moistened. When the scraper scrapes the cleaning surface, it prevents the scraper 2 from directly scraping the printhead, thus improving the cleaning effect. Simultaneously, the second chamber 12 continuously supplies liquid, which, during the scraping process of the scraper 2, also carries away the dried ink that overflows from the first groove 121. The continuous supply of liquid to the second chamber 12 ensures a constant flow of clean liquid into the first groove 121, which then overflows along with the dried ink. This not only prevents the reuse of liquid from contaminating the cleaning surface but also prevents dried ink from accumulating on the scraper 2 and repeatedly contacting the cleaning surface, thus affecting the cleaning effect. Furthermore, since the ink in digital devices is highly corrosive, this also prevents dried ink from adhering to the scraper for extended periods and damaging it.

[0028] It should be noted that the liquid mentioned can be, but is not limited to, water or cleaning fluid. In this example, in order to improve the cleaning intensity, the liquid can be a cleaning fluid. The scraper 2 is made of a material with a certain degree of bending deformation, such as, but not limited to, silicone. When in contact with the printhead, the top of the scraper 2 is compressed by the printhead to a certain amount of deformation so that the scraper 2 can have enough elastic force to resist the printhead and scrape off the dried ink on the printhead cleaning surface.

[0029] The cleaning module 10 provided by this invention adopts a dual cleaning method for the printhead, which can greatly improve the cleaning effect of the printhead assembly 200. While the scraper 2 is scraping, the cleaning surface of the printhead assembly 200 is continuously in contact with the liquid. This allows the printhead to be immersed in the liquid, improving the cleaning effect, while also cleaning the scraper 2. This prevents the ink from drying out after prolonged use and adhering to the scraper 2, thus affecting the cleaning effect and corroding the scraper 2, thereby reducing the service life of the scraper 2.

[0030] Furthermore, the top of the suction groove 111 and the top of the second groove 14 are flush, meaning that when the cleaning module 10 is in the cleaning position, the distance between the top of the suction groove 111 and the printhead assembly 200 and the distance between the top of the second groove 14 and the printhead assembly 200 are equal. Thus, when the cleaning module 10 is in the cleaning position, within the distance of the suction groove 111 to absorb ink droplets, the liquid surface in the second groove 14 can just fill the gap with the printhead assembly 200 due to the liquid tension, thus always maintaining contact with the printhead assembly 200. While the liquid continuously overflows from the second groove 14, it can also carry away the dried ink that has not been dissolved in the liquid before the scraper 2 scrapes it, thereby further realizing the pre-cleaning before the scraper 2 cleans.

[0031] See Figure 4 Specifically, the bottom of the first groove 121 is provided with a plurality of first through holes 122, which connect the first groove 121 and the second chamber 12. The scraper 2 is disposed in the first groove 121 and located on one side of the first through holes 122. In this way, liquid can flow from the second chamber 12 into the first groove 121 through the first through holes 122 and surround the scraper 2.

[0032] See Figure 3 Furthermore, the bottom of the first groove 121 has a mounting groove 123 on one side of the first through hole 122. The scraper 2 is placed in the mounting groove 123. The cleaning module 10 also includes a fastener (not shown in the figure). The base 1 has a second through hole 13 communicating with the mounting groove 123. The fastener passes through the second through hole 13 from the outside of the base 1 and extends into the mounting groove 123 to abut against the scraper 2. In this way, the scraper 2 can be fixed in the mounting groove 123 by the fastener, preventing the scraper 2 from shifting in the vertical direction and thus changing the relative position of the scraper 2 and the cleaning surface of the nozzle assembly 200. Specifically, the bottom of the mounting groove 123 can extend toward the second chamber 12 and communicate with the second chamber 12. In this way, the scraper 2 can be installed using the space of the second chamber 12, thereby adjusting the distance between the scraper 2 and the cleaning surface of the nozzle assembly 200 to adapt to the optimal cleaning force of the nozzle assembly 200.

[0033] See Figure 2Furthermore, the two ends of the suction groove 111 and the first groove 121 extend to the edge of the base 1 along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The second direction is the width direction of the printhead assembly 200, which is the width of the printable medium. This expands the cleaning range of the printhead assembly 200, and simultaneously cleans both the printing and non-printing areas of the cleaning assembly 200, improving the cleaning effect of the cleaning assembly 200. The base 1 is provided with second grooves 14 at intervals in both the first and second directions. Specifically, in the first direction, the spaced second grooves 14 are arranged between the suction groove 111 and the second groove 14 and / or on the side where the suction groove 111 and the second groove 14 are opposite to each other. In the second direction, the spaced second grooves 14 can be arranged in a straight line. A roller 3 is rotatably provided in the second groove 14 for contacting the non-printing area in the cleaning surface of the printhead assembly 200. The roller 3 is configured so that when the cleaning module 10 cleans the printhead, it can first come into contact with the non-printing area of ​​the cleaning surface of the printhead assembly for positioning. This avoids direct contact between the roller 3 and the printing area of ​​the cleaning surface, which could damage the printhead in the printhead assembly 200, and also avoids direct contact between the scraper 2 and the printhead, which could cause a collision and damage the printhead. When the cleaning module 10 moves relative to the printhead, the roller 3 can form rolling friction with the non-printing area of ​​the cleaning surface of the printhead assembly 200, which prevents the roller 3 from damaging the non-printing area of ​​the printhead assembly 200.

[0034] The top surface of the roller 3 is lower than the top of the scraper 2 to prevent the scraper 2 from failing to contact the nozzle and thus failing to clean after the roller 3 comes into contact with the cleaning surface of the nozzle assembly 200.

[0035] See Figure 1 , Figure 2 Furthermore, the cleaning module 10 is used to clean the nozzle assembly 200 arranged in an arc shape. The base 1 has an arc shape and is adapted to the structural contour of the nozzle assembly 200. That is, the nozzle assembly 200 is arranged in an arc shape. The arc shape of the base 1 is adapted to the arc shape of the nozzle assembly 200. The base 1 is provided with auxiliary scrapers 4 on opposite sides along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The auxiliary scrapers 4 on opposite sides are set at an angle to fit the side of the nozzle assembly 200. During operation, due to gravity, ink ejected from the printing surface of the arc-shaped printhead assembly 200 accumulates over time, flowing towards both sides of the arc-shaped printhead assembly 200 and accumulating at the junction of the bottom surface (i.e., the printing area + non-printing area) and the sides, spreading upwards. By setting the auxiliary scraper 4, the cleaning module 10 can not only clean the cleaning surface of the printhead assembly 200, but also scrape off the dried ink accumulated on the sides, further cleaning the printhead assembly 200 comprehensively and preventing residual ink from falling onto the printing media due to vibration during equipment operation, thus causing product scrapping.

[0036] See Figure 2 , Figure 4 Specifically, the base 1 includes at least two separate units 1a, which are sequentially spliced ​​together to form an arc-shaped base 1. Each separate unit 1a has a first chamber 11 and a second chamber 12 spaced apart along the first direction. Each first chamber 11 is equipped with an air pipe connector 112, and each second chamber is equipped with a water pipe connector 124. An auxiliary scraper 4 is located on the two outermost separate units 1a of the at least two separate units 1a. The separate structure facilitates the processing of the base 1, simplifies the processing difficulty, and improves production efficiency. Furthermore, the base 1 can be spliced ​​with a corresponding number of separate units 1a according to the required width of the nozzle assembly 200, thus adapting to the needs of different cleaning scenarios.

[0037] In this embodiment, two separate units 1a are used to divide the base 1 into two separate units 1a. This avoids increasing the complexity of installation due to the excessive number of separate units 1a. At the same time, it can also adapt to the width and length of the current cleaning components. If the width of the nozzle assembly 200 increases, the number of separate units 1a can be appropriately increased to splice and extend the base 1. However, the number of separate units 1a should not be too large, so the size of a single separate unit 1a should not be too short.

[0038] See Figure 2 Furthermore, the seat 1 is provided with a mounting member 15, which includes a first mounting portion 151 and a second mounting portion 152 arranged parallel to each other along a first direction. An auxiliary scraper 4 is disposed on the first mounting portion 151 and / or the second mounting portion 152. When the seat 1 adopts an integral structure, the mounting member 15 is disposed on both sides of the seat 1, and the auxiliary scraper 4 can be disposed on the first mounting portion 151 or the second mounting portion 152 of the mounting member 15. When the seat 1 is made up of at least two split units 1a, the mounting member 15 is disposed on the outer side of the two outermost split units 1a, that is, the split unit 1a with the auxiliary scraper 4 only needs to be disposed on one side. In this case, the auxiliary scraper 4 of the split unit 1a is disposed on the first mounting portion 151 or the second mounting portion 152 of the mounting member 15. Furthermore, regardless of whether the base 1 is integrated or separate, auxiliary scrapers 4 can be installed on both the first mounting portion 151 and the second mounting portion 152 of the mounting member 15. This increases the number of auxiliary scrapers 4 on one side, allowing the sides of the nozzle assembly 200 to be scraped by two sets of auxiliary scrapers 4, resulting in better cleaning. Specifically, the blades of the auxiliary scrapers 4 on the first mounting portion 151 and the second mounting portion 152 can be arranged facing each other. This ensures that during reciprocating scraping of the nozzle assembly 200, the auxiliary scrapers 4 with facing blades can effectively scrape the sides of the nozzle assembly 200 with the front of the blades rather than the back of the blades in each movement, improving the cleaning effect.

[0039] See Figure 2 , Figure 4 The present invention also provides a nozzle cleaning assembly 100, including a waste liquid tray 20 and the aforementioned cleaning module 10. The waste liquid tray 20 has a receiving cavity 201 for collecting liquid overflowing from the first groove 121 in the cleaning module 10. A fixing member 202 is provided in the receiving cavity 201. The seat 1 is movably disposed on the fixing member 202, which can be close to or away from the fixing member 202, so that when the cleaning module 10 is in the cleaning position and the roller 3 abuts against the cleaning surface of the nozzle assembly 200, a soft contact can be formed to avoid hard contact and damage to the nozzle. The waste liquid tray 20 can drive the cleaning module 10 to reciprocate along the first direction.

[0040] By sequentially arranging a first chamber 11 for inputting negative pressure and a second chamber 12 for inputting liquid in the first direction, before cleaning the printhead, the cleaning module 10 is positioned in a cleaning position in the height direction. Specifically, the cleaning module 10 can move relative to the printhead assembly 200, or the printhead assembly 200 can move relative to the cleaning module 10. After cleaning begins, the printhead assembly 200 or the cleaning module 10 of the digital printing equipment moves along the first direction, so that the suction groove 111 of the first chamber 11 is located at the front end of the movement direction, and the scraper 2 is located at the rear end of the movement direction. The suction groove 111 on the first chamber 11 first cleans the cleaning surface of the printhead assembly 200 (i.e., the printing surface of the printhead assembly 200). The ink droplets attached to the printing area (or the printing surface of the printhead assembly 200, including both the printing and non-printing areas) are removed. Meanwhile, the liquid in the first groove 121, which communicates with the second chamber 12 at the cleaning position, remains in contact with the cleaning surface. The scraper removes the ink droplets from the cleaning surface by sucking up the suction groove 111. Since the cleaning surface is always in contact with the liquid in the first groove 121, it dilutes any residual ink that wasn't sucked up by the suction groove 111, and keeps the cleaning surface constantly immersed in the liquid, thus wetting the dried ink from the printhead. Therefore, when the scraper scrapes the cleaning surface, it avoids directly scraping the printhead, thereby improving the cleaning effect. Simultaneously, the second chamber... Liquid is continuously supplied to chamber 12. During the cleaning process of the nozzle cleaning surface, the liquid also carries away dried ink scraped off by the scraper as it overflows from the first groove 121. The continuous supply of liquid to the second chamber 12 ensures a constant flow of clean liquid into the first groove 121, which then overflows along with the dried ink. This not only prevents the reuse of liquid from contaminating the cleaning surface but also avoids dried ink buildup on the scraper 2, preventing repeated contact with the cleaning surface and affecting the cleaning effect. Furthermore, the ink from digital devices is highly corrosive, and prolonged contact of dried ink with the scraper can also prevent damage. Additionally, the waste liquid tray 20 drives the cleaning module 10 along the first groove 121... The cleaning module 10 moves back and forth in one direction, so that after cleaning the cleaning surface of the printhead assembly 200 in the first direction along the positive direction, the cleaning module 10 moves relative to the printhead assembly 200 in the opposite direction. At this time, the scraper 2 is located at the front end of the moving direction, and the suction groove 111 is located at the rear end of the moving direction. The liquid on the first groove 121 also continues to be in contact with the cleaning surface that has been cleaned once. The scraper 2 performs a second scraping cleaning on the cleaning surface, and the suction groove 111 located at the rear end absorbs the residual liquid on the cleaning surface after the second scraping, so as to dry the cleaning surface and prevent the liquid from mixing with the ink sprayed from the printhead and reducing the performance of the ink, thereby affecting the cleaning effect.

[0041] The nozzle cleaning component 100 provided by the present invention adopts a dual cleaning method for the nozzle, which can greatly improve the cleaning effect of the nozzle component 200. While the scraper 2 is scraping, the cleaning surface of the nozzle component 200 is continuously in contact with the liquid, which can immerse the nozzle in the liquid to improve the cleaning effect, and at the same time clean the scraper 2, preventing the scraper 2 from being damaged by the accumulation of debris after long-term use.

[0042] See Figure 4 , Figure 5 Specifically, a buffer assembly 30 is provided between the fixing member 202 and the base 1. The buffer assembly 30 includes a guide rod 301 disposed on the base 1 and an elastic member 302 disposed between the base 1 and the fixing member 202. The guide rod 301 passes through the fixing member 202 and can move on the fixing member 202. The elastic member 302 provides a preload force to the base 1 away from the fixing member 202. In this way, when the roller 3 abuts against the nozzle assembly 200, the nozzle assembly 200 can compress the elastic member 302 through the roller 3, avoiding hard contact between the roller 3 and the nozzle assembly 200, which would damage the bottom surface of the nozzle assembly 200 and affect the positioning effect of the nozzle assembly 200. The elastic member 302 can also allow the cleaning module 10 to adaptively adjust the contact force with the nozzle assembly 200, so that the scraper 2 has good contact with each area of ​​the nozzle assembly 200, improving the cleaning effect.

[0043] See Figure 5 Furthermore, the fixing member 202 is provided with a first mounting hole 2021, and a step is provided in the first mounting hole 2021. One end of the guide rod 301 is provided with a limiting part 3011. The guide rod 301 passes through the first mounting hole 2021 and can move in the first mounting hole 2021. The limiting part 3011 of the guide rod 301 is locked on the step. The fixing member 202 is provided with a second mounting hole 2022 on the side facing the seat 1. The seat 1 is provided with a third mounting hole 16 corresponding to the second mounting hole 2022 on the side facing the fixing member 202. The two ends of the elastic member 302 abut against the second mounting hole 2022 and the third mounting hole 16, respectively.

[0044] It should be noted that when the base 1 is an integral structure, two fasteners 202 can be provided, respectively located on the lower sides of the base 1 along the second direction. This can save the material cost of the fasteners 202. When the base 1 is spliced ​​from at least two separate units 1a, one fastener 202 is provided on each side of each separate unit 1a along the second direction, that is, each separate unit 1a is provided with two fasteners 202. In this embodiment, when two separate units 1a are used, the number of fasteners 202 is four. A set of buffer components 30 is provided between each fastener 202 and the base 1.

[0045] See Figure 1 , Figure 2Furthermore, the bottom wall of the receiving cavity 201 is provided with a waste discharge port 203, which can discharge the waste liquid received by the receiving cavity 201 in a timely manner. The side wall of the waste liquid tray 20 is provided with a through hole 204. The air pipe passes through the through hole 204 and is connected to the air pipe connector 112 of the cleaning module 10 and the external negative pressure source respectively. The water pipe passes through the through hole 204 and is connected to the water pipe connector 124 of the cleaning module 10 and the external liquid source.

[0046] See Figure 2 , Figure 4 In this embodiment, when the base 1 is assembled from at least two separate units 1a, each separate unit 1a is provided with an air pipe connector 112 communicating with the first chamber 11 and a water pipe structure communicating with the second chamber 12. To simplify the structure of the external air source communicating with at least two air pipe connectors 112 of the at least two separate units 1a, a transfer chamber 80 can be provided in the receiving cavity 201 near the through hole 204. The transfer chamber 80 is provided with an air inlet 801 communicating with the external air source and at least two air outlets 802, the same number as the at least two separate units 1a. Each air outlet 802 is connected to an air pipe connector 112 by an air pipe. The bottom of the transfer chamber 80 is spaced apart from the bottom of the receiving cavity 201, so that after the water pipe passes through the through hole 204, it can pass between the transfer chamber 80 and the receiving cavity 201 and then communicate with the water pipe connector 124.

[0047] See Figure 6 Specifically, the printhead cleaning assembly 100 also includes two parallel and spaced slide rails 40, which extend along a first direction. The waste liquid tray 20 is placed between the two slide rails 40 and slidably connected to them. Specifically, the waste liquid tray 20 has first connecting plates 205 on opposite sides, and each of the first connecting plates 205 has a slider 50 that cooperates with the slide rails 40. The two slide rails 40 are used to fix the printhead assembly 200 on the digital printing equipment. Specifically, the slide rails 40 are fixed to the digital printing equipment by mounting strips 90, and the waste liquid tray 20 can reciprocate along the slide rails 40.

[0048] Specifically, the nozzle cleaning assembly 100 also includes a drive assembly 70 that drives the waste liquid tray 20 to move along the slide rail 40. The drive assembly 70 includes two belts 702, a transmission rod 703, and a drive component 701. The drive component 701 is mounted on the mounting strip 90. The transmission rod 703 is driven to rotate by the drive component 701. The two belts 702 are located at both ends of the transmission rod 703 and cooperate with the transmission rod 703. The two belts 702 are located on opposite sides of the waste liquid tray 20 and are fixed to the first connecting plate 205. The drive component 701 drives the belts 702 through the transmission rod 703, thereby driving the waste liquid tray 20 to move.

[0049] Furthermore, the nozzle cleaning assembly 100 also includes a cable chain 60, which is located on one side of one of the slide rails 40. The aforementioned air pipes and water pipes are collected in the cable chain 60 and pass through through holes 204 to communicate with corresponding connectors. A second connecting plate 206 is provided on the first connecting plate 205 on one side of the waste liquid tray 20. The movable end of the cable chain 60 is fixed to the second connecting plate 206. The second connecting plate 206 drives the cable chain 60 to move. The cable chain 60 can integrate and store the water pipes and air pipes, including but not limited to those mentioned above, to ensure neat wiring.

[0050] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cleaning module for cleaning printhead assemblies in digital printing equipment, characterized in that, include: The base has a first chamber and a second chamber arranged sequentially along a first direction. The top of the first chamber is provided with a suction groove and is used to input negative pressure. The top of the second chamber is provided with a first groove communicating with the second chamber and is used to input liquid to fill the first groove. The first direction is the movement direction of the nozzle or printing medium. A scraper is disposed in the first groove. The liquid in the first groove is always in contact with the cleaning surface of the nozzle assembly when the scraper cleans the nozzle assembly. Liquid is continuously introduced into the second chamber, and the liquid overflows from the first groove after contacting the cleaning surface of the nozzle assembly.

2. The cleaning module as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the first groove is provided with a plurality of first through holes, which connect the first groove and the second chamber. The scraper is disposed in the first groove and located on one side of the first through holes.

3. The cleaning module as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The bottom of the first groove has a mounting groove on one side of the first through hole. The scraper is placed in the mounting groove. The cleaning module also includes a fastener. The base has a second through hole that communicates with the mounting groove. The fastener passes through the second through hole from the outside of the base and extends into the mounting groove to abut against the scraper.

4. The cleaning module as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The two ends of the suction groove and the first groove extend to the edge of the base body along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The base body is provided with second grooves at intervals in both the first and second directions. A roller is rotatably provided in the second groove for abutting against the non-printing area in the cleaning surface of the printhead assembly.

5. The cleaning module as described in any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The cleaning module is used for cleaning nozzle assemblies arranged in an arc shape. The feature is that the base has an arc shape and is adapted to the structural contour of the nozzle assembly. The base is provided with auxiliary scrapers on opposite sides along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The auxiliary scrapers on opposite sides are set at an angle.

6. The cleaning module as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The seat body includes at least two separate units, which are sequentially spliced ​​together to form an arc-shaped structure. Each separate unit has a first chamber and a second chamber spaced apart along the first direction. The auxiliary scraper is disposed on the two outermost separate units of the at least two separate units.

7. The cleaning module as described in claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, The base is provided with a mounting component, which includes a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion arranged parallel to each other along the first direction. The auxiliary scraper is provided on the first mounting portion and / or the second mounting portion.

8. A nozzle cleaning assembly, characterized in that, include: The waste liquid tray and the cleaning module as described in any one of claims 1-7, wherein the waste liquid tray has a receiving cavity, a fixing member is provided in the receiving cavity, the seat is movably disposed on the fixing member close to or away from the fixing member, and the waste liquid tray drives the cleaning module to reciprocate along the first direction.

9. The nozzle cleaning assembly as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that, A buffer assembly is provided between the fixing member and the seat body. The buffer assembly includes a guide rod disposed on the seat body and an elastic member disposed between the seat body and the fixing member. The guide rod passes through the fixing member and can move on the fixing member. The elastic member provides a preload force to the seat body away from the fixing member.

10. The nozzle cleaning assembly as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that, The printhead cleaning assembly also includes two parallel and spaced slide rails that extend along the first direction. The waste liquid tray is placed between the two slide rails and is slidably connected to each of the two slide rails. The two slide rails are used to fix the printhead assembly on the digital printing equipment below, and the waste liquid tray can reciprocate along the slide rails.

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