Inkjet printer

Abstract

To provide an inkjet printer including a wiper member for wiping an ink discharge surface of an inkjet head by contacting the ink discharge surface, the inkjet printer being capable of suppressing splashing of ink when the wiper member is separated from the ink discharge surface.SOLUTION: In the inkjet printer, a maintenance unit for preventing clogging of a plurality of nozzles of an inkjet head 3 includes an energization member for energizing a wiper member 15 to an upper side or a drive mechanism for moving the wiper member 15 vertically. In the inkjet printer, the other side end of a main scanning direction of an ink discharge surface 3a of the inkjet head 3 moves to one side of the main scanning direction together with a carriage 4. When the other side end passes the wiper member 15 being wiping the ink discharge surface 3a and the wiper member 15 is separated from the ink discharge surface 3a, the wiper member 15 moves to the upper side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an inkjet printer equipped with a wiper member that comes into contact with an ink ejection surface of an inkjet head to wipe the ink ejection surface. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, inkjet printers that print on a medium by ejecting ink are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The inkjet printer described in Patent Document 1 includes an inkjet head that ejects ink, a carriage on which the inkjet head is mounted, and a carriage drive mechanism that moves the carriage in the main scanning direction. An ink ejection surface (nozzle surface) on which multiple nozzles are arranged is formed on the underside of the inkjet head. This inkjet printer also includes a maintenance unit that prevents clogging of the multiple nozzles of the inkjet head. The maintenance unit includes a wiping mechanism that wipes off ink adhering to the ink ejection surface of the inkjet head.

[0003] In the inkjet printer described in Patent Document 1, the wiping mechanism includes a wiper member that wipes the ink ejection surface, a wiper holder member to which the wiper member is fixed, and a wiper drive mechanism that moves the wiper holder member in a front-to-rear direction perpendicular to the up-and-down direction and the main scanning direction. The wiper member is made of, for example, rubber and is elastic. In the inkjet printer described in Patent Document 1, when the carriage moves in the main scanning direction with the wiper member positioned in the same position as the inkjet head in the front-to-rear direction, the wiper member comes into contact with the ink ejection surface and wipes off ink adhering to the ink ejection surface. At this time, the upper end of the wiper member that comes into contact with the ink ejection surface is significantly elastically deformed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-45875 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the inkjet printer described in Patent Document 1, the wiper member is made of elastic rubber or the like, and the upper end of the wiper member that comes into contact with the ink ejection surface when wiping off ink from the ink ejection surface undergoes large elastic deformation. Therefore, in this inkjet printer, when the wiper member that has been in contact with the ink ejection surface to wipe off ink from the ink ejection surface moves away from the ink ejection surface as the carriage moves in the main scanning direction, there is a risk that the upper end of the wiper member will undergo large and sudden elastic deformation to return to its original shape. If the upper end of the wiper member undergoes large and sudden elastic deformation, there is a risk that ink adhering to the wiper member will splash and contaminate the area around the wiping mechanism.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an inkjet printer that is equipped with a wiper member that comes into contact with the ink ejection surface of an inkjet head to wipe the ink ejection surface, and that is capable of suppressing ink from splashing when the wiper member comes off the ink ejection surface. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the inkjet printer of the present invention comprises an inkjet head that ejects ink, a carriage on which the inkjet head is mounted, a carriage drive mechanism that moves the carriage in a main scanning direction perpendicular to the up-down direction, and a maintenance unit that prevents clogging of the multiple nozzles of the inkjet head, wherein an ink ejection surface on which multiple nozzles are arranged is formed on the underside of the inkjet head, and the maintenance unit comprises a wiper member that comes into contact with the ink ejection surface to wipe the ink ejection surface, and a biasing member that biases the wiper member upward or a drive mechanism that moves the wiper member up and down, and is characterized in that when the other end in the main scanning direction of the ink ejection surface of the inkjet head that moves to one side in the main scanning direction together with the carriage passes the wiper member that is wiping the ink ejection surface and the wiper member disengages from the ink ejection surface, the wiper member moves upward.

[0008] In the inkjet printer of the present invention, the maintenance unit includes a biasing member for biasing the wiper member upward or a drive mechanism for moving the wiper member up and down. Therefore, if the portion of the wiper member that elastically deforms when its upper end contacts the ink ejection surface is designated as the elastically deformable portion, the present invention makes it possible to contact the wiper member with a predetermined contact pressure on the ink ejection surface even if the vertical length of the elastically deformable portion is shortened. In other words, the present invention makes it possible to shorten the vertical length of the elastically deformable portion. Therefore, the present invention makes it possible to reduce the amount of elastic deformation of the wiper member when its upper end contacts the ink ejection surface.

[0009] Furthermore, in the present invention, not only can the amount of elastic deformation of the wiper member be reduced when the upper end of the wiper member is in contact with the ink discharge surface, but the other end of the ink discharge surface of the inkjet head, which moves in one direction in the main scanning direction together with the carriage, passes the wiper member in a state of wiping the ink discharge surface, and the wiper member moves upward when it disengages from the ink discharge surface. Therefore, in the present invention, it is possible to suppress ink from splashing when the wiper member disengages from the ink discharge surface.

[0010] In the present invention, it is preferable that the maintenance unit includes a biasing member, and when one end of the ink ejection surface of the inkjet head, which moves together with the carriage in one side of the main scanning direction, reaches the wiper member, the wiper member descends against the biasing force of the biasing member, and the upper end of the wiper member comes into contact with the ink ejection surface. With this configuration, it is possible to simplify the configuration of the maintenance unit and reduce the cost of the maintenance unit compared to when the maintenance unit includes a drive mechanism for moving the wiper member up and down.

[0011] In the present invention, the maintenance unit includes a wiper holding member that holds the wiper member, the upper end of the wiper member protruding above the upper end surface of the wiper holding member, and the urging member urging the wiper member and the wiper holding member upward, and if the upper end of the wiper member that protrudes above the upper end surface of the wiper holding member is defined as the wiper upper end, it is preferable that a first inclined surface is formed on the side of the wiper upper end on the other side in the main scanning direction, which inclines toward one side in the main scanning direction as it moves upward, and a second inclined surface is formed on the portion of the upper end surface of the wiper holding member that is located on the other side of the wiper upper end in the main scanning direction, which inclines toward the upper side as it moves toward one side in the main scanning direction.

[0012] With this configuration, when the inkjet head, which moves together with the carriage to one side in the main scanning direction, comes into contact with the wiper member or the wiper holding member, the inkjet head can be moved smoothly along the first inclined surface or the second inclined surface. Therefore, when the inkjet head, which moves together with the carriage to one side in the main scanning direction, comes into contact with the wiper member or the wiper holding member, the wiper member and the wiper holding member can be smoothly lowered.

[0013] In the present invention, it is preferable that a third inclined surface be formed on one side surface of the upper end of the wiper in the main scanning direction, the third inclined surface being inclined upward toward the other side in the main scanning direction, and the shape of the wiper member when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the main scanning direction is symmetrical with respect to the center line of the wiper member in the main scanning direction. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the wiper member from being attached in the wrong direction to the wiper holder.

[0014] In the present invention, the maintenance unit preferably includes a wiper holding member that holds a wiper member, the upper end of the wiper member protruding above the upper end surface of the wiper holding member, and a discharge flow path formed in the wiper holding member for discharging ink adhering to the upper end surface of the wiper holding member to the lower side of the wiper holding member, the discharge flow path opening at the upper end surface of the wiper holding member. This configuration makes it possible to remove ink adhering to the upper end surface of the wiper holding member using the discharge flow path, thereby preventing ink adhering to the upper end surface of the wiper holding member from flowing down onto components of the maintenance unit. This makes it possible to prevent contamination of components of the maintenance unit caused by ink adhering to the upper end surface of the wiper holding member.

[0015] In the present invention, the maintenance unit preferably includes a suction mechanism that sucks ink downward from the discharge flow path. This configuration makes it possible to effectively remove ink adhering to the upper end surface of the wiper holding member using the suction mechanism. This effectively prevents ink adhering to the upper end surface of the wiper holding member from flowing down onto the components of the maintenance unit, thereby effectively preventing contamination of the components of the maintenance unit caused by ink adhering to the upper end surface of the wiper holding member.

[0016] In the present invention, for example, the maintenance unit includes a biasing member and a holding member that holds the wiper holding member so that the wiper holding member can move up and down, the biasing member is a compression coil spring that biases the wiper member and the wiper holding member upward relative to the holding member, the wiper holding member includes a cylindrical member having a portion of a discharge flow path formed on its inner periphery, the axial direction of the cylindrical member coincides with the up-down direction, a portion of the cylindrical member is disposed on the inner periphery of the compression coil spring, the upper end of the compression coil spring contacts the cylindrical member, and the lower end of the compression coil spring contacts the holding member. In this case, it is possible to bias the wiper member upward with a relatively simple configuration. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] As described above, the present invention makes it possible to suppress ink splattering when the wiper member comes off the ink ejection surface in an inkjet printer equipped with a wiper member that comes into contact with the ink ejection surface of an inkjet head and wipes the ink ejection surface. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of an inkjet printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the maintenance unit shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the wiper unit shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the wiper unit shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] 4A to 4C are diagrams for explaining the operation of the wiper member and the wiper holding member shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 6] 4A to 4C are diagrams for explaining the operation of the wiper member and the wiper holding member shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the configuration of a maintenance unit according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the configuration of a wiper unit according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0020] (Overall structure of inkjet printer) Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of an inkjet printer 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of a maintenance unit 9 shown in Fig. 1.

[0021] The inkjet printer 1 (hereinafter referred to as "printer 1") of this embodiment is, for example, a commercial inkjet printer that prints on a medium 2 such as paper, fabric, or resin film. The medium 2 is, for example, formed in a long shape. The printer 1 includes an inkjet head 3 (hereinafter referred to as "head 3") that ejects ink toward the medium 2, a carriage 4 on which the head 3 is mounted, a carriage drive mechanism 5 that moves the carriage 4 in a main scanning direction (Y direction in FIG. 1, etc.) that is perpendicular to the up-down direction (vertical direction), a Y bar 6 that movably holds the carriage 4, a medium transport mechanism that transports the medium 2, and a platen 7 on which the medium 2 is placed.

[0022] The head 3 ejects ink downward. An ink ejection surface (nozzle surface) 3a on which multiple nozzles that eject ink are arranged is formed on the bottom surface of the head 3. The ink ejection surface 3a is arranged below the bottom surface (lower surface) of the carriage 4. The ink ejection surface 3a has multiple nozzle rows arranged in the main scanning direction. The nozzle rows are made up of a large number of nozzles arranged in the vertical direction and in a direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction. When viewed from the vertical direction, the ink ejection surface 3a has a rectangular outer shape. The head 3 is equipped with piezoelectric elements that eject ink from the nozzles.

[0023] The carriage drive mechanism 5 includes, for example, two pulleys, a belt that is stretched over the two pulleys and has a portion fixed to the carriage 4, and a motor that rotates the pulleys. The medium transport mechanism includes a transport roller for transporting the medium 2, a roller drive mechanism that drives the transport roller, and multiple pinch rollers that are urged toward the transport roller and pinch the medium 2 between them. The platen 7 is located below the carriage 4. The medium 2 is placed on the platen 7 during printing.

[0024] In the following description, the main scanning direction (Y direction) is referred to as the "left-right direction," and the X direction in FIG. 1, etc., which is perpendicular to the up-down and left-right directions, is referred to as the "front-rear direction." The Y1 direction in FIG. 1, etc., which is one side of the left-right direction, is referred to as the "right" side, and the Y2 direction in FIG. 1, etc., which is the opposite side of the right side, is referred to as the "left" side. The left-right direction (Y direction) in this embodiment is the width direction of the medium 2. The up-down direction (Z direction) is the thickness direction of the medium 2 placed on the platen 7 during printing, and the front-rear direction (X direction) is the transport direction of the medium 2 moving on the platen 7 and is also the sub-scanning direction. In this embodiment, the left side (Y2 direction) is one side of the main scanning direction, and the right side (Y1 direction) is the other side of the main scanning direction.

[0025] The printer 1 also includes a maintenance unit 9 for preventing clogging of the multiple nozzles of the head 3. If the area in the left-right direction (main scanning direction) where printing is performed on the medium 2 by the head 3 is defined as a printing area PA, the maintenance unit 9 is installed in a maintenance area MA, which is an area outside the printing area PA in the left-right direction. The maintenance unit 9 in this embodiment is located at the right end of the printer 1. The maintenance unit 9 cleans the head 3 to prevent clogging of the multiple nozzles of the head 3. For example, the maintenance unit 9 performs purging, which forcibly sucks ink from the nozzles of the head 3, flushing, which forcibly ejects ink from the nozzles of the head 3, and wiping, which wipes the ink ejection surface 3a with a wiper member 15, which will be described later.

[0026] The maintenance unit 9 includes a capping mechanism 10 that covers the ink ejection surface 3a of the head 3 and sucks ink from the nozzles, and a wiping mechanism 11 that wipes off ink adhering to the ink ejection surface 3a. The capping mechanism 10 and wiping mechanism 11 are located below the head 3. The capping mechanism 10 is located immediately to the right of the wiping mechanism 11. The capping mechanism 10 includes a cap member that covers the ink ejection surface 3a from below. The specific configuration of the wiping mechanism 11 will be described below.

[0027] (Wiping mechanism configuration) Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the wiper unit 20 shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the wiper unit 20 shown in Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and 6 are diagrams for explaining the operation of the wiper member 15 and the wiper holding member 16 shown in Fig. 3.

[0028] The wiping mechanism 11 includes a wiper member 15 that comes into contact with the ink ejection surface 3a of the head 3 to wipe (wipe) the ink ejection surface 3a, a wiper holding member 16 that holds the wiper member 15, a slide member 17 that serves as a holding member that holds the wiper holding member 16 so that it can move up and down, a holding frame 18 that movably holds the slide member 17, and a biasing member 19 (see FIG. 4) that biases the wiper member 15 upward. In this embodiment, the biasing member 19 is a compression coil spring. Therefore, in the following description, the biasing member 19 will be referred to as a "compression coil spring 19."

[0029] The holding frame 18 is fixed to the main body frame of the printer 1. The slide member 17 is movable in the front-to-rear direction relative to the holding frame 18. In this embodiment, the wiper member 15, the wiper holding member 16, the slide member 17, and the compression coil spring 19 form a wiper unit 20. The wiper unit 20 is held by the holding frame 18 so as to be movable in the front-to-rear direction.

[0030] The wiping mechanism 11 also includes a wiper drive mechanism 21 that moves the wiper unit 20 in the front-rear direction relative to the holding frame 18. The wiper drive mechanism 21 moves the wiper member 15 in the front-rear direction together with the wiper holding member 16 and the slide member 17. If the front-rear position through which the ink ejection surface 3a of the head 3, which moves left and right together with the carriage 4, passes is defined as the head passing position, the wiper drive mechanism 21 moves the wiper member 15 in the front-rear direction between a wiping position (position shown in FIG. 2(B)) where the wiper member 15 is located at the head passing position, and a standby position (position shown in FIG. 2(A)) where the wiper member 15 is out of the head passing position.

[0031] The wiper drive mechanism 21 includes a motor 24, a first lever member 25 having one end fixed to the output shaft of the motor 24, and a second lever member 26 having one end rotatably connected to the other end of the first lever member 25. The motor 24 is attached to a holding frame 18. The other end of the second lever member 26 is rotatably connected to a slide member 17. When the motor 24 is driven, the wiper unit 20 moves in the front-to-rear direction along the holding frame 18.

[0032] The slide member 17 is formed in the shape of a rectangular box with an open top. When viewed from the top-bottom direction, the outer shape of the slide member 17 is a rectangle that is elongated in the front-to-back direction. A through-hole 17a is formed in the center of the bottom of the slide member 17. The through-hole 17a is a circular hole that passes through the bottom of the slide member 17 in the top-to-bottom direction. In addition, an annular recess 17b is formed in the center of the bottom of the slide member 17, surrounding the through-hole 17a. The recess 17b is recessed downward from the top surface of the bottom of the slide member 17.

[0033] The wiper member 15 and the wiper holding member 16 are formed as separate bodies. As described above, the wiper holding member 16 holds the wiper member 15. The upper end of the wiper member 15 protrudes above the upper end surface of the wiper holding member 16. Some of the ink wiped off from the ink ejection surface 3a by the wiper member 15 adheres to the upper end surface of the wiper holding member 16. The wiper holding member 16 is formed with a discharge flow path 16a for discharging ink adhering to the upper end surface of the wiper holding member 16 to the lower side of the wiper holding member 16. The discharge flow path 16a opens at the upper end surface of the wiper holding member 16 so that ink adhering to the upper end surface of the wiper holding member 16 flows into the discharge flow path 16a.

[0034] The wiper holding member 16 includes a first holding member 28 that forms the upper end of the wiper holding member 16, a second holding member 29 to which the first holding member 28 is fixed at the upper end, and a cylindrical member 30. The wiper holding member 16 of this embodiment is composed of the first holding member 28, the second holding member 29, and the cylindrical member 30. The wiper member 15 is attached to the first holding member 28. The first holding member 28 and the second holding member 29 are housed in a slide member 17 that is formed in a box shape. The upper end surface of the wiper holding member 16 (specifically, the upper end surface of the first holding member 28) is located above the upper end of the slide member 17.

[0035] The first holding member 28 is formed in a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape that is elongated in the front-to-rear direction, and when viewed from above and below, the outer shape of the first holding member 28 is a rectangle with its longer side extending in the front-to-rear direction. Engagement pieces 28a for fixing the first holding member 28 to the second holding member 29 are formed on both ends of the first holding member 28 in the front-to-rear direction. The first holding member 28 is fixed to the second holding member 29 by a snap fit that utilizes elastic deformation of the engagement pieces 28a.

[0036] The first holding member 28 is formed with an arrangement recess 28b in which the upper end of the second holding member 29 is disposed. The arrangement recess 28b is recessed upward from the lower surface of the first holding member 28. When viewed from the top-bottom direction, the outline of the arrangement recess 28b is a rectangle with its longer side extending in the front-to-rear direction. The first holding member 28 is also formed with an arrangement hole 28c in which the wiper member 15 is disposed, and a plurality of through holes 28d that form part of the discharge flow path 16a. The arrangement hole 28c and the through holes 28d are through holes that lead from the upper end surface of the first holding member 28 (i.e., the upper end surface of the wiper holding member 16) to the arrangement recess 28b.

[0037] The arrangement hole 28c is a rectangular hole that is elongated in the front-to-rear direction. The arrangement hole 28c is formed in the center of the first holding member 28 in the left-to-right direction. The arrangement hole 28c is composed of a first hole portion 28e that forms the upper part of the arrangement hole 28c, and a second hole portion 28f that forms the lower part of the arrangement hole 28d. The left-to-right width of the second hole portion 28f is wider than the left-to-right width of the first hole portion 28e. In other words, the arrangement hole 28c is a stepped rectangular hole.

[0038] The through holes 28d are rectangular holes with their long sides extending in the front-rear direction. The through holes 28d are formed on both left-right sides of the arrangement hole 28c. Furthermore, on both left-right sides of the arrangement hole 28c, multiple through holes 28d are arranged in the front-rear direction at a constant pitch. In this embodiment, three through holes 28d are arranged in the front-rear direction at a constant pitch on both left-right sides of the arrangement hole 28c. The upper ends of the through holes 28d form openings of the discharge flow paths 16a that open at the upper end surface of the wiper holding member 16. In other words, the opening of the discharge flow paths 16a is formed in the upper end surface of the first holding member 28.

[0039] On the upper end surface of first holding member 28, on the right side of arrangement hole 28c, there is formed inclined surface 28g, which slopes upward as it approaches the left side. Inclined surface 28g slopes gently upward as it approaches the left side. On the upper end surface of first holding member 28, on the left side of arrangement hole 28c, there is formed inclined surface 28h, which slopes upward as it approaches the right side. Inclined surface 28h slopes gently upward as it approaches the right side. The inclination angle of inclined surface 28g and the inclination angle of inclined surface 28h are equal. When viewed from the front-to-rear direction, the shape of first holding member 28 is symmetrical with respect to the center line of first holding member 28 in the left-to-right direction.

[0040] The second holding member 29 is formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped that is elongated in the front-rear direction. The upper end of the second holding member 29 is disposed in the arrangement recess 28b of the first holding member 28. The left-right width of the upper end of the second holding member 29 is narrower than the left-right width of the rest of the second holding member 29. A discharge flow path 29a that communicates with the through-hole 28d of the first holding member 28 is formed at the upper end of the second holding member 29. The discharge flow path 29a constitutes a part of the discharge flow path 16a.

[0041] An arrangement recess 29b is formed in the center of the second holding member 29, in which the tubular member 30 is arranged. The arrangement recess 29b is recessed upward from the lower surface of the second holding member 28. The arrangement recess 29b is a circular recess. A through hole 29c is formed above the arrangement recess 29b, connecting the discharge flow path 29a and the arrangement recess 29b. The through hole 29c forms a part of the discharge flow path 16a. Engaged portions 29d, with which the engaging pieces 28a of the first holding member 28 engage, are formed at both ends of the second holding member 29 in the front-rear direction.

[0042] The tubular member 30 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The axial direction of the tubular member 30 coincides with the up-down direction. Approximately half of the upper side of the tubular member 30 is disposed in the arrangement recess 29b of the second holding member 29. The upper end surface of the tubular member 30 contacts the upper surface of the arrangement recess 29b. An annular flange 30a that extends radially outward from the tubular member 30 is formed on the upper end side of the tubular member 30. A portion of the tubular member 30 is disposed in the through hole 17a of the slide member 17. The lower end portion of the tubular member 30 protrudes downward below the lower surface of the slide member 17.

[0043] The inner diameter of the upper end of the cylindrical member 30 is larger than the inner diameter of the remaining portions of the cylindrical member 30. The inner circumferential side of the cylindrical member 30 is connected to the through-hole 29c of the second holding member 29. The inner circumferential side of the cylindrical member 30 constitutes a portion of the discharge flow path 16a. That is, a portion of the discharge flow path 16a is formed on the inner circumferential side of the cylindrical member 30. One end of a piping member (not shown), such as a hose, is connected to the lower end of the cylindrical member 30. The other end of the piping member is connected to a suction pump 32, which serves as a suction mechanism that sucks ink downward from the discharge flow path 16a. That is, the wiping mechanism 11 is equipped with the suction pump 32. When the suction pump 32 is driven, ink in the discharge flow path 16a is discharged downward.

[0044] The wiper member 15 comes into contact with the ink ejection surface 3a of the head 3 to wipe off ink adhering to the ink ejection surface 3a. The wiper member 15 is made of an elastic material. The wiper member 15 in this embodiment is made of rubber. Specifically, the wiper member 15 is made of ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM) or butyl rubber. For example, the wiper member 15 is made of EPDM with a hardness of 40 degrees, butyl rubber with a hardness of 60 degrees, or butyl rubber with a hardness of 40 degrees.

[0045] The wiper member 15 is formed in an elongated shape that is elongated in the front-rear direction. The width of the wiper member 15 in the front-rear direction is wider than the width of the ink ejection surface 3a in the front-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the wiper member 15 is composed of a first wiper portion 15a that forms the upper part of the wiper member 15, and a second wiper portion 15b that forms the lower part of the wiper member 15. The first wiper portion 15a is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape that is elongated in the front-rear direction. The second wiper portion 15b is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape that is elongated in the front-rear direction. The width of the first wiper portion 15a in the left-right direction is narrower than the width of the second wiper portion 15b in the left-right direction.

[0046] As described above, the upper end of the wiper member 15 protrudes upward beyond the upper end surface of the wiper holding member 16. The wiper member 15 is disposed in the arrangement hole 28c of the holding member 28. Specifically, the second wiper portion 15b is disposed in the second hole portion 28f of the arrangement hole 28c, and the lower portion of the first wiper portion 15a is disposed in the first hole portion 28e of the arrangement hole 28c. The wiper member 15 is inserted into the arrangement hole 28c from the lower side of the arrangement hole 28c. In this embodiment, the wiper member 15 is press-fitted into the arrangement hole 28c. In the following description, the upper end of the wiper member 15 that protrudes upward beyond the upper end surface of the wiper holding member 16 (i.e., the upper portion of the first wiper portion 15a) is referred to as the "wiper upper end portion 15c."

[0047] The amount of protrusion F of the wiper upper end 15c from the upper end surface of the wiper holding member 16 (i.e., the vertical length of the wiper upper end 15c, see Figure 4) is approximately 1.5 to 2 (mm). An inclined surface 15d is formed on the right side of the wiper upper end 15c, inclining leftward as it extends upward. An inclined surface 15e is formed on the left side of the wiper upper end 15c, inclining rightward as it extends upward. In this embodiment, inclined surface 15d is a first inclined surface, and inclined surface 15e is a third inclined surface.

[0048] The upper end of the wiper upper end 15c (i.e., the upper end of the wiper member 15) is a flat surface that is perpendicular to the up-down direction and has a narrow width in the left-right direction, and the upper end of the wiper upper end 15c is approximately pointed. The inclination angle of the inclined surface 15d is equal to the inclination angle of the inclined surface 15e. When viewed from the front-rear direction, the shape of the upper portion of the wiper upper end 15c is approximately triangular. Specifically, when viewed from the front-rear direction, the shape of the upper portion of the wiper upper end 15c is approximately isosceles triangular. Furthermore, when viewed from the front-rear direction, the shape of the wiper member 15 is symmetrical with respect to the center line of the wiper member 15 in the left-right direction. The lower ends of the inclined surfaces 15d and 15e are located above the upper end surface of the wiper holding member 16.

[0049] As described above, inclined surface 28g is formed on the portion of the upper end surface of first holding member 28 to the right of arrangement hole 28c, and inclined surface 28h is formed on the portion of the upper end surface of first holding member 28 to the left of arrangement hole 28c. That is, inclined surface 28g is formed on the portion of the upper end surface of first holding member 28 that is located to the right of wiper upper end portion 15c, and inclined surface 28h is formed on the portion of the upper end surface of first holding member 28 that is located to the left of wiper upper end portion 15c. In this embodiment, inclined surface 28g is the second inclined surface.

[0050] The lower end of the compression coil spring 19 is disposed in the recess 17b of the slide member 17. A part of the tubular member 30 is disposed on the inner circumferential side of the compression coil spring 19. The lower end of the compression coil spring 19 is in contact with the slide member 17. Specifically, the lower end of the compression coil spring 19 is in contact with the lower surface of the recess 17b. The upper end of the compression coil spring 19 is in contact with the tubular member 30. Specifically, the upper end of the compression coil spring 19 is in contact with the lower surface of the flange portion 30a of the tubular member 30.

[0051] The compression coil spring 19 biases the cylindrical member 30 upward relative to the slide member 17. That is, the compression coil spring 19 biases the wiper member 15 and the wiper holding member 16 upward relative to the slide member 17. In this embodiment, the spring constant of the compression coil spring 19 is small. Therefore, even if the wiper member 15 and the wiper holding member 16 move up and down, the biasing force of the compression coil spring 19 does not change much.

[0052] When no external force is acting on the wiper member 15 and the wiper holding member 16, the wiper member 15 and the wiper holding member 16 are urged upward by the urging force of the compression coil spring 19. At this time, the upper end surface of the wiper member 15 is located above the ink ejection surface 3a of the head 3. Also, at this time, the upper end surface of the wiper member 15 is located below the lower surface of the carriage 4. Also, in this embodiment, when no external force is acting on the wiper member 15 and the wiper holding member 16, the upper ends of the inclined surfaces 28g, 28h of the first holding member 28 are located above the ink ejection surface 3a, and the lower ends of the inclined surfaces 28g, 28h are located below the ink ejection surface 3a. In other words, when no external force is acting on the wiper member 15 and the wiper holding member 16, the ink ejection surface 3a is located below the upper ends of the inclined surfaces 28g and 28h of the first holding member 28 and above the lower ends of the inclined surfaces 28g and 28h.

[0053] In the printer 1, when the carriage 4 moves leftward from the capping mechanism 10, the wiping mechanism 11 wipes the ink ejection surface 3a. In other words, when the carriage 4 moves rightward from the printing area PA toward the capping mechanism 10, the wiping mechanism 11 does not wipe the ink ejection surface 3a. Therefore, when the carriage 4 moves rightward from the printing area PA toward the capping mechanism 10, the wiper member 15 is positioned in a standby position (see FIG. 2(A)). When the wiping mechanism 11 wipes the ink ejection surface 3a, the wiper member 15 moves from the standby position to a wiping-enabled position before the carriage 4 starts moving leftward from the capping mechanism 10 (see FIG. 2(B)).

[0054] In this state, the carriage 4 moves to the left. As the carriage 4 moves to the left, the left end of the ink ejection surface 3a (i.e., the left end of the head 3) reaches the wiper holding member 16, and the head 3 comes into contact with the inclined surface 28g. When the head 3 comes into contact with the inclined surface 28g, the wiper member 15 and the wiper holding member 16 move downward against the biasing force of the compression coil spring 19 (see FIGS. 5(A) and 5(B)). As the head 3 then moves further left, the left end of the ink ejection surface 3a reaches the wiper member 15, and the head 3 comes into contact with the inclined surface 15d. When the head 3 comes into contact with the inclined surface 15d, the wiper member 15 and the wiper holding member 16 move downward further against the biasing force of the compression coil spring 19, and the upper end surface of the wiper member 15 comes into contact with the ink ejection surface 3a (see FIGS. 5(C) and 5(D)).

[0055] That is, when the left end of the ink ejection surface 3a of the head 3, which is moving leftward together with the carriage 4, reaches the wiper holding member 16 and the wiper member 15, the wiper member 15 and the wiper holding member 16 descend against the biasing force of the compression coil spring 19, and the upper end surface of the wiper member 15 comes into contact with the ink ejection surface 3a. If the head 3 moves further leftward in this state, the wiper member 15 wipes off the ink adhering to the ink ejection surface 3a (see FIG. 5(D)).

[0056] Thereafter, as the head 3 moves further to the left, the right end of the ink ejection surface 3a passes the wiper member 15, and the wiper member 15 disengages from the ink ejection surface 3a. At this time, the upper end surface of the wiper member 15 moves above the ink ejection surface 3a due to the biasing force of the compression coil spring 19 (see FIGS. 6A to 6C). That is, as the right end of the ink ejection surface 3a of the head 3, which moves leftward together with the carriage 4, passes the wiper member 15, which is wiping the ink ejection surface 3a, and the wiper member 15 disengages from the ink ejection surface 3a, the wiper member 15 moves upward. Specifically, the wiper member 15 and the wiper holding member 16 move upward until the right end of the ink ejection surface 3a comes into contact with the inclined surface 28h.

[0057] Thereafter, as the head 3 moves further to the left, the right end of the ink ejection surface 3a moves along the inclined surface 28h, and the wiper member 15 and the wiper holding member 16 move further upward. When the head 3 moves to the left until the right end of the ink ejection surface 3a is no longer in contact with the inclined surface 28h (see FIG. 6(D)), wiping of the ink ejection surface 3a by the wiping mechanism 11 ends. When wiping of the ink ejection surface 3a by the wiping mechanism 11 ends, the wiper member 15 moves from the wiping position to the standby position.

[0058] (Main effect of this form) As described above, in this embodiment, the wiping mechanism 11 includes a compression coil spring 19 for biasing the wiper member 15 upward. Therefore, in this embodiment, even if the protrusion amount F of the wiper upper end 15c that protrudes above the upper end surface of the wiper holding member 16 is reduced (i.e., even if the vertical length of the wiper upper end 15c is reduced), the wiper member 15 can be brought into contact with the ink ejection surface 3a with a predetermined contact pressure. That is, in this embodiment, it is possible to reduce the protrusion amount F of the wiper upper end 15c. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to reduce the amount of elastic deformation of the wiper member 15 when the upper end surface of the wiper member 15 is in contact with the ink ejection surface 3a.

[0059] Furthermore, in this embodiment, not only can the amount of elastic deformation of the wiper member 15 be reduced when the upper end surface of the wiper member 15 is in contact with the ink ejection surface 3a, but also the wiper member 15 moves upward when the right end of the ink ejection surface 3a of the head 3, which moves leftward together with the carriage 4, passes the wiper member 15 in a state of wiping the ink ejection surface 3a and the wiper member 15 detaches from the ink ejection surface 3a. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to suppress ink from splashing when the wiper member 15 detaches from the ink ejection surface 3a.

[0060] In this embodiment, the left end of the head 3, which moves leftward together with the carriage 4, comes into contact with the inclined surface 28g formed on the right side of the wiper holding member 16, and then comes into contact with the inclined surface 15d formed on the right side of the wiper upper end 15c. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the head 3 comes into contact with the wiper member 15 or the wiper holding member 16, the head 3 can be moved smoothly along the inclined surfaces 15d and 28g. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the head 3 comes into contact with the wiper member 15 or the wiper holding member 16, the wiper member 15 and the wiper holding member 16 can be smoothly lowered.

[0061] In addition, in this embodiment, an inclined surface 15d is formed on the right side of the wiper upper end 15c, and the left end of the head 3, which moves leftward together with the carriage 4, comes into contact with the inclined surface 15d. This makes it possible to disperse the force transmitted from the head 3 to the wiper member 15 when the head 3 comes into contact with the wiper member 15. In addition, in this embodiment, the wiper member 15 is movable up and down relative to the slide member 17 together with the wiper holding member 16. Therefore, by lowering the wiper member 15 when the head 3 comes into contact with the wiper member 15, it is possible to dissipate the impact when the head 3 comes into contact with the wiper member 15. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to prevent damage to the wiper member 15 caused by contact between the head 3 and the wiper member 15.

[0062] In this embodiment, the shape of the wiper member 15 when viewed from the front-rear direction is symmetrical with respect to the center line of the wiper member 15 in the left-right direction. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the wiper member 15 from being attached to the wiper holding member 16 in the wrong direction.

[0063] In this embodiment, the wiper holding member 16 is formed with a discharge flow path 16a for discharging ink adhering to the upper end surface of the wiper holding member 16 to the lower side of the wiper holding member 16, and the discharge flow path 16a opens at the upper end surface of the wiper holding member 16. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to remove ink adhering to the upper end surface of the wiper holding member 16 using the discharge flow path 16a. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to prevent ink adhering to the upper end surface of the wiper holding member 16 from flowing down onto the components of the maintenance unit 9, and as a result, it is possible to prevent the components of the maintenance unit 9 from being soiled by ink adhering to the upper end surface of the wiper holding member 16.

[0064] In particular, in this embodiment, the wiping mechanism 11 is provided with the suction pump 32 that sucks ink downward from the discharge flow path 16a, and therefore it is possible to effectively remove ink adhering to the upper end surface of the wiper holding member 16 by using the suction pump 32. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to effectively prevent ink adhering to the upper end surface of the wiper holding member 16 from flowing down onto the components of the maintenance unit 9, and as a result, it is possible to effectively prevent the components of the maintenance unit 9 from being soiled by ink adhering to the upper end surface of the wiper holding member 16.

[0065] In this embodiment, the wiper member 15 is biased upward by the compression coil spring 19, the lower end of which contacts the slide member 17 and the upper end of which contacts the cylindrical member 30. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to bias the wiper member 15 upward with a relatively simple configuration.

[0066] (Other embodiments) The above-described embodiment is one example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0067] In the above-described embodiment, when no external force is acting on the wiper member 15 and the wiper holding member 16, the ink ejection surface 3a may be positioned above the lower ends of the inclined surfaces 15d and 15e of the wiper member 15 (see FIG. 7). In this case, the left end of the head 3, which moves leftward together with the carriage 4, directly contacts the inclined surface 15d. When the head 3 contacts the inclined surface 15d, the wiper member 15 descends against the biasing force of the compression coil spring 19, and the upper end surface of the wiper member 15 contacts the ink ejection surface 3a (see FIGS. 7A and 7B). When the head 3 moves further leftward in this state, the wiper member 15 wipes off the ink adhering to the ink ejection surface 3a (see FIG. 7B).

[0068] Thereafter, when the head 3 moves further to the left, the right end of the ink ejection surface 3a passes the wiper member 15, and the wiper member 15 disengages from the ink ejection surface 3a. At this time, the biasing force of the compression coil spring 19 causes the upper end face of the wiper member 15 to move above the ink ejection surface 3a (see FIG. 7C). Even in this case, when the head 3 comes into contact with the wiper member 15, the head 3 can be moved smoothly along the inclined surface 15d, and therefore the wiper member 15 can be smoothly lowered when the head 3 comes into contact with the wiper member 15.

[0069] In the above-described embodiment, as shown in Fig. 8, the lower ends of inclined surfaces 15d and 15e may be located below the upper end surface of wiper holding member 16. In this case, for example, if carriage 4 is equipped with an elevation mechanism for changing the height of ink ejection surface 3a of head 3, even if the height of ink ejection surface 3a changes, the left end of head 3, which moves leftward together with carriage 4, will come into contact with inclined surface 15d or inclined surface 28g. Therefore, even if the height of ink ejection surface 3a fluctuates, when head 3 comes into contact with wiper member 15 or wiper holding member 16, head 3 can be moved smoothly along inclined surfaces 15d and 28g, and as a result, wiper member 15 and wiper holding member 16 can be smoothly lowered.

[0070] In the above-described embodiment, the upper ends of inclined surfaces 15d and 15e may be connected, and a plane perpendicular to the up-down direction may not be formed at the upper end of wiper upper end 15c. Also, in the above-described embodiment, inclined surface 15e may not be formed on wiper member 15, and inclined surface 28h may not be formed on first holding member 28. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, inclined surface 15d may not be formed on wiper member 15 as long as wiper member 15 and wiper holding member 16 can be smoothly lowered when the left end of head 3 contacts wiper member 15. Similarly, inclined surface 28g may not be formed on first holding member 28 as long as wiper member 15 and wiper holding member 16 can be smoothly lowered when the left end of head 3 contacts wiper holding member 16.

[0071] In the above-described embodiment, the biasing member for biasing the wiper member 15 upward may be a spring member other than the compression coil spring 19. Also, in the above-described embodiment, the wiping mechanism 11 may include a drive mechanism for moving the wiper member 15 up and down, instead of the compression coil spring 19. The drive mechanism includes, for example, a motor as a drive source and a power transmission mechanism that transmits the power of the motor to the wiper member 15. Also, the drive mechanism may be, for example, a cylinder such as an air cylinder.

[0072] In this case, when the right end of the ink ejection surface 3a of the head 3 moving leftward together with the carriage 4 passes the wiper member 15 that is wiping the ink ejection surface 3a and the wiper member 15 disengages from the ink ejection surface 3a, the drive mechanism moves the wiper member 15 upward. That is, even in this case, when the right end of the ink ejection surface 3a of the head 3 moving leftward together with the carriage 4 passes the wiper member 15 that is wiping the ink ejection surface 3a and the wiper member 15 disengages from the ink ejection surface 3a, the wiper member 15 moves upward.

[0073] In this case, when the wiping mechanism 11 wipes the ink ejection surface 3a, the wiper member 15 waits in a position where its upper end face is located below the ink ejection surface 3a until the left end of the ink ejection surface 3a of the head 3, which moves leftward together with the carriage 4, reaches the wiper member 15, and then, when the left end of the ink ejection surface 3a reaches the wiper member 15, the wiper member 15 moves upward to a position where its upper end face comes into contact with the ink ejection surface 3a. In this case, the inclined surfaces 15d and 15e do not need to be formed on the wiper member 15, and the inclined surfaces 28g and 28h do not need to be formed on the first holding member 28.

[0074] Even in this case, as in the above-described embodiment, it is possible to suppress the scattering of ink when the wiper member 15 comes off the ink ejection surface 3 a. Note that, when the wiping mechanism 11 is provided with the compression coil spring 19 as in the above-described embodiment, it is possible to simplify the configuration of the wiping mechanism 11 and reduce the cost of the wiping mechanism 11, compared to when the wiping mechanism 11 is provided with a drive mechanism for moving the wiper member 15 up and down.

[0075] In the above-described embodiment, the wiping mechanism 11 may not include the suction pump 32. In this case, ink that has passed through the discharge flow path 16a is discharged downward from the cylindrical member 30 due to its own weight. In the above-described embodiment, the discharge flow path 16a may not be formed in the wiper holding member 16. In the above-described embodiment, the wiper member 15 may be formed of an elastic material other than rubber. In the above-described embodiment, the medium 2 may not be formed in an elongated shape. In this case, the printer 1 may include, for example, a table on which the medium 2 is placed and a table feed mechanism that moves the table back and forth. In addition, the inkjet printer to which the present invention is applied may be a printer for general consumers or a 3D printer.

[0076] In the above-described embodiment, the wiper member 15 and the wiper holder 16 can also be integrally formed. When the wiper member 15 and the wiper holder 16 are integrally formed, the wiper member 15 and the wiper holder 16 are formed, for example, from rubber such as EPDM. In this case, the wiper member 15 and the wiper holder 16 may be deformed by immersion in ink, and therefore are classified as consumables. In this case, for example, even if the wiper member 15 is still usable, if the wiper holder 16 wears out and becomes unusable, the wiper member 15 and the wiper holder 16 must be replaced together. Similarly, even if the wiper member 15 is still usable, if the wiper member 15 wears out and becomes unusable, the wiper member 15 and the wiper holder 16 must be replaced together. Therefore, if the wiper member 15 and the wiper holder 16 are integrally formed, running costs may increase. On the other hand, if the wiper member 15 and the wiper holding member 16 are formed as separate bodies as in the embodiment described above, such a problem does not occur. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 1. Printer (inkjet printer) 3 heads (inkjet heads) 3a Ink ejection surface 4 carriages 5 Carriage drive mechanism 9 Maintenance Unit 15 Wiper member 15c Upper end of wiper 15d Slope (1st slope) 15e Slope (3rd slope) 16 Wiper holding member 16a Discharge flow path 17 Slide member (holding member) 19 Compression coil spring (biasing member) 28g inclined surface (second inclined surface) 30 Cylindrical member 32 Suction pump (suction mechanism) X: A direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and the main scanning direction Y main scanning direction Y1 Other side in the main scanning direction Y2 One side of the main scanning direction

Claims

1. an inkjet head that ejects ink; a carriage on which the inkjet head is mounted; a carriage drive mechanism that moves the carriage in a main scanning direction that is perpendicular to a vertical direction; and a maintenance unit that prevents clogging of a plurality of nozzles of the inkjet head; an ink ejection surface on which a plurality of the nozzles are arranged is formed on a lower surface of the inkjet head; the maintenance unit includes a wiper member that comes into contact with the ink ejection surface to wipe the ink ejection surface, and a biasing member that biases the wiper member upward or a drive mechanism that moves the wiper member up and down; an inkjet printer characterized in that the other end of the ink ejection surface of the inkjet head, which moves together with the carriage to one side in the main scanning direction, passes the wiper member wiping the ink ejection surface, and when the wiper member is released from the ink ejection surface, the wiper member moves upward.

2. the maintenance unit includes the biasing member, 2. The inkjet printer according to claim 1, wherein when one end of the ink ejection surface of the inkjet head, which moves together with the carriage in one side of the main scanning direction, reaches the wiper member, the wiper member descends against the biasing force of the biasing member, and an upper end of the wiper member comes into contact with the ink ejection surface.

3. the maintenance unit includes a wiper holding member that holds the wiper member, an upper end of the wiper member protrudes above an upper end surface of the wiper holding member; the biasing member biases the wiper member and the wiper holding member upward; If the upper end of the wiper member that protrudes above the upper end surface of the wiper holding member is defined as the wiper upper end, a first inclined surface inclined upwardly toward one side in the main scanning direction is formed on a side surface of the upper end of the wiper on the other side in the main scanning direction; 3. An inkjet printer according to claim 2, wherein a second inclined surface is formed on the upper end surface of the wiper holding member at a portion located on the other side of the upper end of the wiper in the main scanning direction, the second inclined surface being inclined upward as it approaches one side in the main scanning direction.

4. a third inclined surface is formed on one side surface of the upper end of the wiper in the main scanning direction, the third inclined surface being inclined upward toward the other side in the main scanning direction; 4. The inkjet printer according to claim 3, wherein the shape of the wiper member when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and the main scanning direction is symmetrical with respect to a center line of the wiper member in the main scanning direction.

5. the maintenance unit includes a wiper holding member that holds the wiper member, an upper end of the wiper member protrudes above an upper end surface of the wiper holding member; a discharge flow path is formed in the wiper holding member to discharge ink adhering to an upper end surface of the wiper holding member to a lower side of the wiper holding member; 5. The inkjet printer according to claim 1, wherein the discharge passage is open at an upper end surface of the wiper holding member.

6. 6. The inkjet printer according to claim 5, wherein the maintenance unit includes a suction mechanism that sucks ink downward from the discharge flow path.

7. the maintenance unit includes the biasing member and a holding member that holds the wiper holding member so that the wiper holding member can move up and down; the biasing member is a compression coil spring that biases the wiper member and the wiper holding member upward relative to the holding member, the wiper holding member includes a cylindrical member having a part of the discharge flow path formed on an inner circumferential side thereof, The axial direction of the cylindrical member coincides with the vertical direction, a portion of the cylindrical member is disposed on the inner circumferential side of the compression coil spring; an upper end of the compression coil spring contacts the cylindrical member; 6. The ink jet printer according to claim 5, wherein the lower end of the compression coil spring is in contact with the holding member.

Images