Liquid discharge device and maintenance device

Abstract

To provide a liquid discharge device and a maintenance device capable of suitably wiping an opposing part including an opening for opening a nozzle surface of a line head by one wiping member.SOLUTION: A wiping member 76 is formed so as to be elastically deformable, and cleans an opposing part 43 while relatively moving in a first direction X1 relative to a line head 40. The opposing part 43 has a nozzle surface 46 in which a plurality of nozzles are disposed along the first direction X1, and a fixing part 47 having an opening 47A for opening the nozzle surface 46. The wiping member 76 has a first part 81 disposed in a position facing the nozzle surface 46 when cleaning the opposing part 43, and a second part 82 connected to the first part 81 and disposed in a position facing the fixing part 47. The long side of the opening 47A is arranged along the first direction X1. The rigidity of the first part 81 to the first direction X1 is higher than the rigidity of the second part 82 to the first direction X1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid ejection device and a maintenance device that are provided with a wiping member that wipes a line head that ejects liquid. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a liquid ejection device that prints on a medium such as paper by using a line head as a liquid ejection unit capable of ejecting liquid such as ink. This liquid ejection device is equipped with a wiping member (an example of a wiping member) that moves relatively in the width direction of the line head and wipes the nozzle surface (ejection surface) where the nozzles open. The line head is provided with a cover that is at a different height from the nozzle surface, and the wiping member wipes the underside of the cover and the nozzle surface. The wiping member is arranged in a direction along the nozzle row, and wipes from one long side to the other long side of the opening (through hole) that opens the nozzle row. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-214175 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, unlike the liquid ejection device described in Patent Document 1, there are cases in which the nozzle row and the long side of the opening are arranged along the width direction of the line head. In this case, when the wiping member is moved relative to the line head in the width direction to wipe, wiping occurs along the long side of the opening, from one short side to the other short side. If the wiping direction is along the long side of the opening, the gap in the opening during wiping is narrow, equal in width to the short side, which may reduce adhesion between the nozzle row and the wiping member and degrade wiping performance. Therefore, it is desirable to be able to effectively wipe the surface, including the nozzle surface where the nozzles in the opening are located, even when the wiping direction is along the long side of the opening relative to the line head. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A liquid ejection device that solves the above problem includes a support portion, a line head having an opposing portion that faces the support portion and ejects liquid onto a medium supported by the support portion, and a wiping member that is elastically deformable and cleans the opposing portion while moving relative to the line head in a first direction, wherein the opposing portion has a nozzle surface on which a plurality of nozzles are arranged along the first direction, and a fixed portion having an opening that opens into the nozzle surface and arranged at a position closer to the support portion than the nozzle surface, and the wiping member has a first portion that is arranged at a position facing the nozzle surface when cleaning the opposing portion, and a second portion that is connected to the first portion and is arranged at a position facing the fixed portion when cleaning the opposing portion, and the long side of the opening is arranged along the first direction, and the rigidity of the first portion in the first direction is higher than the rigidity of the second portion in the first direction.

[0006] A maintenance device that solves the above problem is provided in a liquid ejection device that has a support portion and a line head that ejects liquid onto a medium supported on the support portion, and is a maintenance device that cleans an opposing portion that the line head has on a surface that faces the support portion, and includes a wiping member that is elastically deformable and moves relative to the line head in a first direction to clean the opposing portion, the opposing portion having a nozzle surface on which a plurality of nozzles are arranged along the first direction, and a fixed portion that is located closer to the support portion than the nozzle surface and has an opening that opens to the nozzle surface, the wiping member having a first portion that is located at a position facing the nozzle surface when cleaning the opposing portion, and a second portion that is connected to the first portion and is located at a position facing the fixed portion when cleaning the opposing portion, the long side of the opening is arranged along the first direction, and the rigidity of the first portion in the first direction is higher than the rigidity of the second portion in the first direction. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing a liquid ejection device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing the liquid ejection device. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a line head. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the maintenance device. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic bottom view showing a part of the line head. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the opposing portion of the line head taken along line 6-6 in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a housing portion that holds the wiping member. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic front view showing the dimensional relationship between the wiping member and the line head. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a front view showing the back support portion. [Figure 10]FIG. 10 is a schematic side view comparing the free lengths of the first and second portions of the wiping member. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view showing the wiping member and the line head at the start of wiping. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective view showing the state of the wiping member during wiping. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a container that holds a wiping member in the second embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 14-14 in FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 15-15 in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] (First embodiment) A liquid ejection device according to a first embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same components are assigned the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted. In each drawing, X, Y, and Z represent three spatial axes that are orthogonal to one another. In this specification, the directions along these axes are referred to as the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction. When specifying a direction, a positive direction is indicated by "+" and a negative direction by "-", and both positive and negative signs are used to indicate the direction, with the direction indicated by the arrow in each drawing being referred to as the + direction and the direction opposite the arrow being referred to as the - direction.

[0009] The Z-axis direction indicates the direction of gravity, the +Z direction indicates the vertically upward direction, and the -Z direction indicates the vertically downward direction. The three spatial axes X, Y, and Z, which are not limited to positive and negative directions, will be described as the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis.

[0010] The X-axis direction is the width direction of the liquid ejection device 11, and is the width direction of the medium M on which recording is performed. For this reason, the X-axis direction is also referred to as the width direction X. In other words, the width direction X is the direction that intersects (for example, is perpendicular to) the transport direction of the medium M. When viewed from an operator positioned in front of the liquid ejection device 11, the +X direction is the right side, and the -X direction is the left side.

[0011] The Y-axis direction is the depth direction of the liquid ejection device 11 and is the direction along the transport direction of the medium M during recording. The transport direction of the medium M changes depending on the position on the transport path. In the liquid ejection device 11 of this embodiment, the transport direction of the medium M at the position during recording coincides with the Y-axis direction, so the Y-axis direction is also referred to as the transport direction Y. In addition, the transport direction of the medium M that changes depending on the position on the transport path, that is, the direction along the transport path, is also referred to as the transport direction Y1.

[0012] The +Y direction is the direction from the front to the back of the liquid ejection device 11, and the -Y direction is the direction from the back to the front of the liquid ejection device 11. In this embodiment, of the side surfaces that make up the periphery of the liquid ejection device 11, the side surface in the -Y direction is the front surface of the liquid ejection device 11, and the side surface in the +Y direction is the back surface of the liquid ejection device 11. Hereinafter, the direction in which the medium M is transported may be referred to as "downstream," and the opposite direction may be referred to as "upstream."

[0013] <Configuration of the liquid ejection device 11> First, the configuration of a liquid ejection device 11 will be described as shown in FIG. The liquid ejection device 11 shown in FIG. 1 is, for example, an inkjet printer capable of recording on a medium M such as paper. The liquid ejection device 11 includes a housing 12. The housing 12 defines the outer contour of the liquid ejection device 11. The housing 12 forms the front side, which is the side facing the -Y direction of the liquid ejection device 11, and the back side, which is the side facing the +Y direction. The housing 12 forms the right side, which is the side facing the +X direction of the liquid ejection device 11, and the left side, which is the side facing the -X direction. The housing 12 forms the top side, which is the side facing the +Z direction of the liquid ejection device 11, and the bottom side, which is the side facing the -Z direction. The housing 12 may be made up of multiple members.

[0014] The liquid ejection device 11 has a transport path FP along which the medium M is transported. Below, the components of the liquid ejection device 11 will be described along the transport path FP. The liquid ejection device 11 has a medium storage cassette 13 on the bottom side inside the housing 12. The medium storage cassette 13 stores the medium M. The medium storage cassette 13 is stored in a removable manner from the front side of the liquid ejection device 11, which is the -Y direction side.

[0015] A pick roller 14 driven by a motor (not shown) is provided on the +Z direction side of the medium storage cassette 13. The pick roller 14 can move forward and backward relative to the medium M stored in the medium storage cassette 13. The pick roller 14 rotates in contact with the medium M stored in the medium storage cassette 13, thereby feeding the medium M from the medium storage cassette 13 in the +Y direction.

[0016] A feed roller 15 driven by a motor (not shown) and a separation roller 16 to which a rotational torque is applied by a torque limiter (not shown) are provided downstream of the medium storage cassette 13. The medium M sent out from the medium storage cassette 13 is nipped between the feed roller 15 and the separation roller 16, whereby the medium M is separated and transported further downstream.

[0017] A reversing roller 17 driven by a motor (not shown) is provided downstream of the feed roller 15 and the separation roller 16. A first nip roller 19 and a second nip roller 20 are provided around the reversing roller 17. The medium M is nipped between the reversing roller 17 and the first nip roller 19, and further nipped between the reversing roller 17 and the second nip roller 20, and transported. The transport direction of the medium M is reversed from the +Y direction to the -Y direction by the reversing roller 17, and the medium M is transported downstream.

[0018] A transport roller pair 25 including a transport roller 26 driven by a motor (not shown) and a driven roller 27 that can rotate when driven by the motor is provided downstream of the reversing roller 17. The medium M is transported by the transport roller pair 25 to a position facing the line head 40.

[0019] In addition to the transport path from the medium storage cassette 13, the liquid ejection device 11 also has a transport path from a medium supply tray 22. The medium supply tray 22 supports the medium M in an inclined position. The medium M supported on the medium supply tray 22 is transported toward a pair of transport rollers 25 by a supply roller 23 driven by a motor (not shown). A rotational torque is applied to the separation roller 24 by a torque limiter (not shown).

[0020] The liquid ejection device 11 includes a support portion 50 and a line head 40 that ejects liquid onto a medium M supported by the support portion 50. The liquid is, for example, ink. The line head 40 performs recording by ejecting ink onto the medium M from a plurality of nozzles 44 provided on an ejection surface 42. The line head 40 is a liquid ejection head in which a plurality of nozzles 44 that eject liquid are arranged so as to cover the entire width of the medium M in the width direction X, which is the width direction of the medium.

[0021] The line head 40 is configured as a liquid ejection head that is long in the width direction X and can perform recording across the entire width of the medium without moving in the width direction X. The line head 40 is a recording unit that performs recording by ejecting liquid such as ink onto the medium M.

[0022] The ejection surface 42 is a surface facing the medium M supported by the support part 50. The ejection surface 42 may be a surface in which a nozzle surface 46 (see FIG. 5) where the nozzles 44 open is recessed. Ink ejected from the line head 40 is supplied to the line head 40 from a liquid container IC provided inside the housing 12 via a supply tube 49. The liquid container IC is housed in a position between the line head 40 and the medium container cassette 13 in the Z axis direction, and is detachably attached from, for example, the front surface of the liquid ejection device 11 on the -Y direction side.

[0023] The support section 50 is disposed at a position facing the ejection surface 42 of the line head 40. The support section 50 is provided vertically below the line head 40, on the -Z direction side. The support section 50 supports the medium M being transported, thereby defining a gap between the medium M and the ejection surface 42. Hereinafter, the gap between the medium M and the ejection surface 42 may be referred to as a recording gap.

[0024] The liquid ejection device 11 includes a guide frame 18. The guide frame 18 is provided on the +Y direction side, which is upstream of the line head 40. The guide frame 18 supports the line head 40 so that it can move in the recording gap adjustment direction. The recording gap adjustment direction is the direction in which the line head 40 moves forward and backward relative to the support part 50. In this embodiment, the recording gap adjustment direction is along the Z axis direction. Hereinafter, movement of the line head 40 in the +Z axis direction may be referred to as "rising," and movement in the -Z direction may be referred to as "descending."

[0025] The liquid ejection device 11 includes a head moving unit 45. When a head moving motor (not shown) is driven, the head moving unit 45 moves the line head 40 supported by the guide frame 18 in the direction of adjusting the recording gap. The head moving unit 45 can be configured, for example, by a rack and pinion mechanism including a rack (not shown) provided on the line head 40 and a pinion (not shown) that meshes with the rack. The head moving motor rotates the pinion.

[0026] The head moving unit 45 can move the line head 40 to a recording position, a wiping position Hw (see FIG. 2), and a retracted position. The recording position is a position where the line head 40 records on the medium M supported by the support unit 50. The wiping position Hw is located in the +Z direction relative to the recording position. The retracted position is located in the +Z direction relative to the wiping position Hw.

[0027] The liquid ejection device 11 includes a maintenance device 70. The maintenance device 70 is provided at a position on the +Z direction side of the support part 50. The maintenance device 70 wipes the ejection surface 42 of the line head 40 at the wiping position Hw. The detailed configuration of the maintenance device 70 will be described later.

[0028] A feed roller pair 29 is provided downstream of the line head 40. The feed roller pair 29 includes a feed roller 30 driven by a motor (not shown) and a driven roller 31 that can rotate following the feed roller 30. The medium M on which recording has been performed is sent downstream by the feed roller pair 29.

[0029] A transfer roller pair 32 is provided downstream of the feed roller pair 29, and a discharge roller pair 33 is provided further downstream of the transfer roller pair 32. The path between the transfer roller pair 32 and the discharge roller pair 33 forms a face-down discharge path. The medium M on which recording has been performed is discharged onto a discharge tray 34 by the discharge roller pair 33 with the most recently recorded surface facing down.

[0030] The support unit 50 of this embodiment has a built-in cap (not shown). The cap can be raised and lowered, and is covered by a shutter when stored in the support unit 50. The shutter is configured to be movable between a support position that supports the medium M being transported and an open position that exposes the cap. During standby when no printing is being performed, the shutter moves to the open position and the cap moves from a retracted position (storage position) to a cap position, thereby covering the ejection surface 42 of the line head 40 that is in the recording position. The liquid ejection device 11 includes a cap moving unit (not shown) that moves the cap between the retracted position and the cap position when a cap moving motor (not shown) is driven.

[0031] When the cap is in the cap position, the cap covers the ejection surface 42, forming a closed space between the cap and the ejection surface 42 that is in communication with the nozzles 44. During standby when no printing is being performed, the cap is moved to the cap position and is in a capping state, covering the ejection surface 42. This prevents the liquid in the nozzles 44 from thickening or drying out.

[0032] 1, a cap tube 65 is connected to the cap. The cap tube 65 is connected to a pump 68 provided midway along the waste liquid tube 69 via a switching unit 67 and a waste liquid tube 69. When the pump 68 operates in a capping state in which the cap has moved to the cap position and covers the ejection surface 42 of the line head 40 located at the recording position, negative pressure is generated in the closed space. This causes liquid to be forcibly discharged from the nozzles 44 of the line head 40 into the cap.

[0033] 1, the liquid forcibly discharged from the nozzle 44 is collected as waste liquid in the waste liquid container WC via the cap tube 65, the switching unit 67, the waste liquid tube 69, and the pump 68. The waste liquid container WC is accommodated inside the housing 12 at a position on the -Y direction side of the discharge tray 34.

[0034] The waste liquid container WC is housed in a position in the Z-axis direction between the upper surface of the liquid discharger 11 and the medium supply tray 22, so as to be detachable from the upper surface of the liquid discharger 11 on the +Z direction side. The waste liquid container WC may have an air communication part so that the waste liquid can be contained in the case, or may have a flexible bag body in the case so that the waste liquid can be contained in the case.

[0035] The switching unit 67 is, for example, a switching valve that switches the connection state between the cap tube 65 and a wiper tube 66 (described later) and the waste liquid tube 69. For example, when discharging liquid from the nozzles 44 of the line head 40, the switching unit 67 connects the cap tube 65 and the waste liquid tube 69. Also, for example, when recovering liquid from a storage unit 77 of the maintenance device 70 (described later) into a waste liquid storage body WC, the switching unit 67 connects the wiper tube 66 and the waste liquid tube 69.

[0036] 1, the liquid ejection device 11 includes a control unit 100. The control unit 100 controls the entire liquid ejection device 11. The control unit 100 controls the rollers constituting the transport unit, the line head 40, the maintenance device 70, the switching unit 67, the pump 68, and the like.

[0037] <Configuration of the maintenance device 70> Next, the configuration of the maintenance device 70 will be described with reference to Fig. 2 and Fig. 4. For the sake of explanation, the line head 40 and head moving unit 45 provided on the guide frame 18 are not shown in Fig. 4. The line head 40 moves along rails 18A formed in the vertical direction Z at both ends of the guide frame 18 in the width direction X. Wiping by the maintenance device 70 is performed with the line head 40 at the wiping position Hw.

[0038] 2, the liquid ejection device 11 includes a maintenance device 70. The maintenance device 70 includes a wiping member 76. That is, the liquid ejection device 11 includes the wiping member 76.

[0039] The line head 40 has a facing portion 43 facing the support portion 50. The maintenance device 70 has a wiping member 76 that cleans the facing portion 43 of the line head 40. The wiping member 76 is configured to be elastically deformable. The wiping member 76 cleans the facing portion 43 while moving relative to the line head 40 in a first direction X1. The direction in which the wiping member 76 moves relative to the line head 40 to wipe the facing portion 43 of the line head 40 is the first direction X1. In this embodiment, the first direction X1 is a direction parallel to the width direction X.

[0040] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the maintenance device 70 includes a pair of guide rails 79 extending in the first direction X1 on both sides of the line head 40 in the conveying direction Y1. The guide rails 79 support both Y-direction ends of the bottom of the wiper carriage 75, thereby guiding the movement of the wiper carriage 75 in the first direction X1. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the wiper carriage 75 includes a carriage main body 75A and a pair of guide portions 75B arranged on both sides of the carriage main body 75A in the Y direction. The wiper carriage 75 is configured to be movable in the first direction X1 by the pair of guide portions 75B being guided by the pair of guide rails 79. One of the pair of guide rails 79 is formed by the lower end of the guide frame 18, and the other is supported by the support base 53.

[0041] The wiper motor 71 is a drive source for the wiper carriage 75. The wiper motor 71 is provided at the end of the guide frame 18 in the -X direction. A drive pulley 72 is provided on the motor shaft of the wiper motor 71. A driven pulley 73 is provided at the end of the guide frame 18 in the +X direction. An endless belt 74 is wound around the drive pulley 72 and the driven pulley 73. The wiper carriage 75 is fixed to a part of the endless belt 74.

[0042] When the endless belt 74 rotates due to the rotation of the wiper motor 71, the wiper carriage 75 moves in the first direction X1. In this embodiment, the wiper carriage 75 has a home position at the position shown in FIG. 4, that is, the end of the movement range of the wiper carriage 75 in the -X direction. When the liquid ejection device 11 is powered off or in a standby state during recording, the wiper carriage 75 is positioned at the home position.

[0043] Hereinafter, the position of the wiper carriage 75 and the wiping member 76 when the wiper carriage 75 is located at the home position will be referred to as the standby position Ws. When located at the standby position Ws, the wiper carriage 75 and the wiping member 76 are located on the -X side of the -X side end of the ejection surface 42 of the line head 40. When located at the standby position Ws, the wiper carriage 75 and the wiping member 76 are located on the -X side of the -X side end of the support part 50.

[0044] When the wiper carriage 75 moves in the -X direction from a position on the +X side of the standby position Ws to reach the standby position Ws, it comes into contact with a movement restricting portion (not shown), and further movement in the -X direction is restricted. The control portion 100 can determine that the wiper carriage 75 is located at the standby position Ws by detecting an increase in the motor drive current value when the wiper carriage 75 comes into contact with the movement restricting portion.

[0045] The wiper motor 71 is provided with an encoder sensor 80. This encoder sensor 80 enables the control unit 100 to detect the amount of rotation of the wiper motor 71. The control unit 100 can detect the amount of movement of the wiper carriage 75 from the home position. In other words, the control unit 100 can grasp the current position of the wiper carriage 75.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 4, the wiper carriage 75 is provided with a storage section 77. The storage section 77 holds a wiping member 76. The wiping member 76 is held in the storage section of the wiper carriage 75. The wiping member 76 is configured to be elastically deformable. Specifically, the wiping member 76 is a thin plate-like member made of an elastic material such as rubber. The wiping member 76 held in the storage section 77 has a rectangular plate shape extending in the Y-axis direction. The wiping member 76 is held in the storage section 77 in a state where it extends in the +Z direction (upward) beyond the upper ends of the wiper carriage 75 and the storage section 77.

[0047] The wiper carriage 75 can be formed in a box shape with the housing portion 77 open on the +Z direction side, or it can be semi-enclosed with only the portion surrounding the wiping member 76 open. In this case, the function of the housing portion 77 may be located at the standby position Ws separately from the wiper carriage 75.

[0048] The wiping member 76 wipes the entire area of ​​the ejection surface 42 in the width direction X by moving the wiper carriage 75 in a first direction X1 along the ejection surface 42 while being in elastic contact with the ejection surface 42. The first direction X1 is an example of a wiping direction that intersects with the transport direction Y1 of the medium M.

[0049] In this embodiment, when wiping of the ejection surface 42 is performed, the line head 40 is located at a wiping position Hw, as shown in Fig. 2. In this state, the wiper carriage 75 and the wiping member 76 move in the first direction X1 from the standby position Ws to the terminal position We shown in Fig. 4, thereby wiping the ejection surface 42, which is the surface of the facing portion 43. The ejection surface 42 is a surface that is recessed in the formation region of the nozzle row 44R (see Fig. 3). The terminal position We is located at the end of the movement range of the wiper carriage 75 on the first direction X1 (+X direction) side.

[0050] When located at terminal position We, the wiping member 76 is located on the +X side of the +X side end of the ejection surface 42 of the line head 40. When located at terminal position We, the wiping member 76 is located on the +X side of the +X side end of the support part 50.

[0051] The wiper carriage 75 has a storage portion 77. The storage portion 77 is provided on the wiper carriage 75 so as to be able to receive liquid such as ink that has been wiped off from the ejection surface 42 by wiping. The storage portion 77 temporarily stores the liquid that has been wiped off by wiping.

[0052] The liquid temporarily stored in the storage section 77 is pumped up by the drive of the pump 68 through the wiper tube 66 connected to the bottom of the wiper carriage 75, and further collected in the waste liquid storage body WC through the waste liquid tube 69.

[0053] 4, the wiper carriage 75 wipes the ejection surface 42 of the line head 40 while moving from the standby position Ws in the first direction X1. When wiping is complete, the wiper carriage 75 stops at the terminal position We. The wiper carriage 75 returns to the standby position Ws by moving from the terminal position We in the −X1 direction, which is the direction opposite to the first direction X1.

[0054] A wiper tube 66 is connected to the bottom of the wiper carriage 75 to discharge the liquid received in the storage section 77. As shown in Fig. 1, the ink received in the storage section 77 is collected as waste liquid in the waste liquid storage container WC via the wiper tube 66, the switching section 67, the waste liquid tube 69, and the pump 68. In other words, the liquid wiped off from the ejection surface 42 by wiping is collected in the waste liquid storage container WC through the wiper tube 66.

[0055] The control unit 100 may include a processor that executes various processes according to a program, a dedicated hardware circuit such as an application specific integrated circuit that executes at least some of the various processes, or a combination thereof.

[0056] The processor includes a CPU and memory, such as RAM and ROM, that stores program code or instructions configured to cause the CPU to perform processes. Memory, or computer-readable media, includes any readable media that can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer.

[0057] 2 and 4 is a standby position Ws where the wiping member 76 waits. When the wiping member 76 is not cleaning the facing portion 43 of the line head 40, the wiping member 76 waits at the standby position Ws. The standby position Ws is a position retracted to the outside in the width direction X from the printing area where the line head 40 can eject liquid. In other words, the wiping member 76 waits at the standby position Ws where it has retracted to a position where it does not interfere with printing performed by the line head 40 by ejecting liquid from the nozzles 44 toward the medium M supported by the support unit 50.

[0058] A portion of the liquid (mist, etc.) ejected from the plurality of nozzles 44 adheres to the ejection surface 42, which is the surface of the facing portion 43 of the line head 40. Furthermore, when cleaning by wiping, wiping may be performed in a state in which the liquid inside the nozzles 44 is pressurized to expand the liquid with a force that does not cause the liquid to drip from the nozzles 44. This is performed for the purpose of removing a portion of the liquid that has mixed colors inside the nozzles 44 by wiping, or adjusting the shape of the meniscus of the liquid inside the nozzles after wiping. Furthermore, after cleaning, some of the liquid that splashed during cleaning when the liquid was forcibly discharged from the nozzles may adhere to the facing portion 43.

[0059] For this reason, the control unit 100 manages the cleaning timing when wiping should be performed, and when the cleaning timing arrives, controls the drive of the wiper motor 71 to cause the wiping member 76 to wipe the facing portion 43 of the line head 40. That is, the control unit 100 drives the wiper motor 71 in the forward direction to move the wiper carriage 75 from the standby position Ws in the first direction X1. During this movement of the wiper carriage 75, the wiping member 76 wipes the facing portion 43 of the line head 40. The control unit 100 drives the wiper motor 71 in the reverse direction to move the wiper carriage 75, which has finished wiping, in the direction -X1 from the terminal position We toward the standby position Ws.

[0060] The storage section 77 has a receiving port 77A that receives the liquid scraped up by the wiping member 76 cleaning the opposing section 43. The liquid received through the receiving port 77A is stored in the storage section 77. One end of a tube 66 is connected to the storage section 77. The other end of the tube 66 is connected to the mounting section 60, to which the waste liquid container WC is detachably mounted. The other end of the tube 66 is connected to a switching section 67 that can switch the flow path. One end of a tube is connected to a cap unit (not shown) having a cap, and the other end of the tube is connected to the switching section 67. The switching section 67 is configured to be able to switch the flow path. The switching section 67 has two tubes 65, 66, and one end of a tube 69 that is connected to the waste liquid container WC via the switching section 67 is connected to the switching section 67. A pump 68 is provided midway along the tube 69. When the pump 68 is driven, the pump 68 recovers the liquid accumulated in the storage section 77 through the tube 66 and into the waste liquid container WC. The switching unit 67 is configured to be able to switch the flow path to which the liquid is recovered by the pump 68. When the flow path selected by the switching unit 67 is the tube 66, the liquid accumulated in the storage unit 77 is recovered into the waste liquid storage body WC through the tubes 66 and 69 by driving the pump 68.

[0061] The device further includes a mounting part 60 in which a waste liquid container WC that stores the liquid received by the receiving port 77A as waste liquid is removably provided. The mounting part 60 is provided above the transport path FP that transports the medium M to the line head 40, and in a position that does not overlap with the wiping member 76 that is positioned at the standby position Ws when viewed from the top of the device.

[0062] Next, the configuration of the line head 40 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. The line head 40 has a plurality of head units 41 arranged along the first direction X1. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the plurality of head units 41 are arranged in a zigzag pattern. The plurality of head units 41 have a plurality of nozzles 44 arranged along the first direction X1. Each head unit 41 has a nozzle row 44R formed by arranging a plurality of nozzles 44 along the first direction X1. The nozzles 44 constituting the nozzle row 44R of each head unit 41 are arranged at a constant nozzle pitch when projected in the Y direction onto an imaginary plane perpendicular to the Y direction. Therefore, the line head 40 can eject droplets at positions corresponding to the nozzle pitch over the entire area in the width direction X of the medium M at once using the plurality of nozzles 44.

[0063] The line head 40 has a facing portion 43 that faces the support portion 50. The facing portion 43 has a recessed portion where the nozzles 44 are formed. In other words, the nozzles 44 are formed on the bottom surface of the recessed portion of the facing portion 43. The wiping member 76 wipes the ejection surface 42 where such a recessed portion is formed.

[0064] <Detailed configuration of line head 40> Next, the detailed configuration of the line head 40 will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Figure 6 shows a cross section of the line head 40 cut along the YZ plane.

[0065] The line head 40 has a facing portion 43 that is to be wiped. The facing portion 43 has a nozzle surface 46 on which a plurality of nozzles 44 are arranged along the first direction X1, and a fixed portion 47 having an opening 47A that exposes the nozzle surface 46. The fixed portion 47 is, for example, a cover that covers the other areas so that the nozzle surface 46, which is a surface area including the nozzle row 44R, is exposed. The nozzle surface 46 is located on the +Z direction side of the surface of the fixed portion 47 that is the cover.

[0066] 6, the fixed portion 47 is provided at a position closer to the support portion 50 than the nozzle surface 46. Therefore, the nozzle surface 46 is located further back in the +Z direction than the fixed portion 47. The nozzle surface 46 is the bottom surface of the recess formed by the opening 47A in the fixed portion 47.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 6, in a plan view of the bottom surface of the line head 40 seen from the +Z direction shown in FIG. 5, the opening 47A has an elongated rectangular shape that is long in the first direction X1. The opening 47A has two long sides 47L extending along the first direction X1 and two short sides 47S extending along the Y direction intersecting the first direction X1. The long sides 47L of the opening 47A are arranged along the first direction X1. The two long sides 47L are positioned opposite each other in the Y direction, spaced apart by a distance equal to the dimension of the short sides 47S. The two short sides 47S are positioned opposite each other in the first direction X1, spaced apart by a distance equal to the dimension of the long sides 47L.

[0068] The first direction X1, which is the wiping direction, is the direction from one short side 47S to the other short side 47S. The wiping member 76 shown in Fig. 2 wipes the ejection surface 42, which is the surface of the facing portion 43, by pressing it against the entire area of ​​the facing portion 43 shown in Fig. 5 in the transport direction Y and moving in the first direction X1. The ejection surface 42 is a surface that includes recesses at positions where the nozzle surface 46 is recessed by the openings 47A.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 6 , the nozzle surface 46 is the lower surface of the nozzle plate 48. Nozzles 44 are formed in the nozzle plate 48. The fixing part 47 is fixed in a state where the part of the nozzle surface 46 including the nozzles 44 is exposed through an opening 47A in order to protect the nozzle plate 48. The nozzle plate 48 may be made of, for example, silicon. The fixing part 47 may be made of, for example, metal. The fixing part 47 may be made of, for example, stainless steel. The inner circumferential wall of the opening 47A is covered with a covering part 47C made of synthetic resin. The covering part 47C may seal the gap between the nozzle surface 46 and the fixing part 47.

[0070] <Retention structure of wiping member 76> Next, the holding structure of the wiping member 76 in the wiper carriage 75 will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. Figure 7 shows a storage section 77 that holds the wiping member 76. Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram comparing the holding structure of the wiping member 76 with the line head 40. Figure 8 shows the holding structure of the wiping member 76 as seen from the first direction X1.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 7 , the wiping member 76 is held by a holder portion 78 disposed within the housing portion 77. The upper portion of the wiping member 76 extends above the upper end of the housing portion 77. The wiping member 76 is made of a material such as an elastomer. The wiping member 76 may be made of any material that is elastically deformable, such as rubber. The housing portion 77 has a bottomed box shape with an opening that opens upward. The housing portion 77 has a holder portion 78 therein. The holder portion 78 may be formed integrally with the housing portion 77 or may be fixed to the housing portion 77 as a separate component. The housing portion 77 has four side surfaces: an upstream side surface intersecting the X direction, a downstream side surface intersecting the X direction, an upstream side surface intersecting the Y direction, and a downstream side surface intersecting the Y direction.

[0072] The holder portion 78 may be disposed in the storage portion 77 at a position closer to the upstream side in the first direction X1. The wiping member 76 may be disposed in the storage portion 77 at a position closer to the upstream side in the wiping direction. The liquid scraped off by the wiping member 76 when wiping the ejection surface 42 falls mainly downstream in the first direction X1. For example, the scraped liquid may flow down the surface of the wiping member 76 on the downstream side in the first direction X1. Alternatively, the scraped liquid may splash in the first direction X1 when the wiping member 76, which has bent during wiping, returns to its original shape after wiping is completed. This liquid falls on the downstream side of the wiping member 76 in the first direction X1. Because the wiping member 76 is disposed in the storage portion 77 at a position closer to the upstream side in the first direction X1, the scraped liquid is received into the storage portion 77 through the receiving port 77A. The bottom surface of the storage section 77 may include a slope that slopes downward toward an outlet (not shown) connected to the tube 66. With this configuration, the waste liquid stored in the storage section 77 is efficiently discharged from the storage section 77 when the pump 68 is driven.

[0073] 7 and 8, the wiping member 76 has a first portion 81 and a second portion 82. The first portion 81 is provided at a position facing the nozzle surface 46 when cleaning the facing portion 43. The second portion 82 is a portion connected to the first portion 81. The second portion 82 is provided at a position facing the fixing portion 47 when cleaning the facing portion 43.

[0074] The rigidity of the first portion 81 in the first direction X1 is higher than the rigidity of the second portion 82 in the first direction X1. In this embodiment, the difference in rigidity between the first portion 81 and the second portion 82 in one wiping member 76 is realized by the difference in free length, which is the length over which the wiping member 76 can flex and bend.

[0075] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 , the storage portion 77 is provided on the back surface of the first portion 81 in the first direction X1. The storage portion 77 has a back surface support portion 85 that supports the first portion 81. Specifically, the upstream side surface of the storage portion 77 that intersects with the X direction is located on the back surface side, which is upstream of the wiping member 76 in the first direction X1. Similarly, the upstream side surface of the holder portion 78 that intersects with the X direction is located on the back surface side, which is upstream of the wiping member 76 in the first direction X1. That is, as shown in FIG. 7 , the storage portion 77 has a wall portion located on the back surface side of the wiping member 76. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8 , the holder portion 78, which is part of the storage portion 77, has a wall portion that is partially open and located on the back surface side of the wiping member 76. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 , the holder portion 78 has a back surface support portion 85 that supports the first portion 81.

[0076] The upper end 86 of the rear support portion 85 is parallel to the wiping surface 76A of the first portion 81. The upper end 86 of the rear support portion 85 has a shape that is cut parallel to the wiping surface 76A of the first portion 81. Therefore, the free length L1 of the first portion 81 is uniform in the second direction Y that intersects with the first direction X1 of the first portion 81. In other words, the free length L1 of the first portion 81 in the second direction Y is less likely to vary. The rigidity of the first portion 81 in the first direction X1 is more likely to be uniform in the second direction Y that intersects with the first direction X1 of the first portion 81.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 8, the width of the opening 47A is Ln, the width of the wiping member 76 in the Y direction is Lw, and the width of the upper end 86 of the rear support portion 85 is Lr. The width Ln of the opening 47A is also the width of the nozzle surface 46. Furthermore, the free length, which is the extension length of the first portion 81 of the wiping member 76 that is located above the upper end 86 of the rear support portion 85, is defined as L1. In other words, the free length, which is the length over which the first portion 81 can be freely flexibly deformed, is defined as L1. Furthermore, the free length, which is the extension length over which the second portion 82 held by the holder portion 78 can be freely flexibly deformed, is defined as L2 (see FIG. 10).

[0078] When comparing the dimensions in the Y direction, the relationship Ln < Lr < Lw may be satisfied. If the free length L1 is too short, it becomes impossible to achieve a bending deformation with appropriate curvature. Therefore, it is set to a length of at least a predetermined length L1min. Since it is necessary for the free length L1 to be at least the predetermined length L1min, in order to maintain rigidity over the length of the free length L1 from the upper end 86 of the back support portion 85 to the wiping surface 76A, the width dimension Lr of the upper end 86 is made larger than the width dimension Ln of the opening 47A. The width dimension of the first portion 81, which can maintain the rigidity at a magnitude greater than or equal to a predetermined value as it moves away from the upper end 86 of the back support portion 85 upward, tends to gradually narrow. Therefore, the width dimension Lr of the upper end 86 of the back support portion 85 is set to a value that satisfies Lr > Ln so that a rigidity greater than or equal to a predetermined value can be obtained at the portion facing the opening 47A on the wiping surface 76A. Note that the width dimension Lr of the upper end 86 of the back support portion 85 may be a value that satisfies Lr ≤ Ln as long as the desired rigidity is obtained in the first portion 81.

[0079] Furthermore, the wiping member 76 of this embodiment has multiple (e.g., two) first portions 81 in the Y direction. Second portions 82 are located between the multiple first portions 81 and are connected to the first portions 81. When the width dimension Lr of the upper ends 86 of the rear support portions 85 exceeds the predetermined length Lro, the spacing between the upper ends 86 of the rear support portions 85—i.e., the width dimension in the Y direction of the second portions 82 located between the upper ends 86—becomes narrower than the predetermined length L2min. When the width dimension of the second portions 82 becomes narrower than the predetermined length L2min, the high rigidity of the first portions 81 on both sides in the Y direction tends to increase the rigidity of the second portions 82. In other words, the rigidity of the second portions 82 becomes too high, making it difficult for them to undergo appropriate elastic deformation. Therefore, it is preferable that the spacing between two adjacent rear support portions 85 be greater than the predetermined length L2min. Taking this into consideration, the width dimension Lr of the upper end 86 of the rear support portion 85 may be set so that the center-to-center distance between two adjacent openings 47A in the Y direction of the line head 40 and the width dimension of the second portion 82 sandwiched between two adjacent first portions 81 in the Y direction of the wiping member 76 are equal to or greater than a predetermined length L2min in the Y direction. For example, if the distance in the Y direction between two adjacent upper ends 86 is Lc, the width dimension Lr of the upper end 86 of the rear support portion 85 and the distance Lc may be set to a value that satisfies, for example, Lc ≧ Lr / 2. Furthermore, when Lc ≧ Lr is satisfied, the second portion 82 is even less susceptible to the influence of the rigidity of the first portions 81 on both sides.

[0080] Next, the rear support portion 85 will be described with reference to FIG. 9 . As shown in FIG. 9 , the rear support portion 85 has a shape obtained by, for example, cutting the upper end of a circular plate parallel to the wiping surface 76A. The diameter of the circular plate is D1, and the dimension of the cut upper end in the Z direction is C1. The width dimension Lr of the upper end 86 of the rear support portion 85 is determined by the diameter D1 and the dimension C1. The larger the dimension C1, the larger the width dimension Lr of the upper end 86. For example, if the upper end of the rear support portion 85 has an arc-shaped upper end 87 indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 9 , stress tends to concentrate at the upper end. In this case, the wiping member 76 tends to break near the upper end 87 where stress is concentrated. Therefore, in this embodiment, the upper end 86 of the rear support portion 85 is shaped like a plane parallel to the wiping surface 76A. Therefore, stress concentration is less likely to occur at the location where the first portion 81 is supported by the upper end 86. Furthermore, a wide region in the Y direction where the free length L1 of the first portion 81 is the same is ensured. Therefore, the rigidity of the first portion 81 in the first direction X1 is prevented from varying depending on the position in the Y direction. From this perspective, the width dimension Lr of the upper end 86 of the back support portion 85 may be, for example, two or more times the width dimension Ln of the opening 47A. That is, the width dimension Lr of the upper end 86 may be a value that satisfies Lr≧2Ln. Furthermore, the width dimension Lr of the upper end 86 may be set to a value within a range in which the dimension C1 satisfies D1 / 5≦C1≦D1 / 2. The width dimension Lr of the upper end 86 may be set to a value outside these ranges, or may be determined from values ​​outside these ranges.

[0081] Next, two types of free lengths L1 and L2 of the wiping member 76 will be described with reference to Fig. 10. As shown in Fig. 10, the free length L1 of the first portion 81 from the upper end of the back surface support portion 85 is shorter than the free length L2 of the second portion 82.

[0082] The rear surface support portion 85 supports the wiping member 76 at a position P1 above (in the +Z direction) a position P2 at which the holder portion 78 supports the second portion 82. Therefore, the free length L1 of the first portion 81 supported by the upper end 86 of the rear surface support portion 85 is shorter than the free length L2 of the second portion 82 supported by the portion 88 of the holder portion 78. In other words, in this embodiment, the free lengths of the first portion 81 and the second portion 82 of the wiping member 76 are made different from each other, thereby making the rigidity of the first portion 81 greater than the rigidity of the second portion 82. Note that, with the base portion 76B of the wiping member 76 held in the recessed portion 78A of the holder portion 78, the wiping member 76 extends upward in a direction intersecting with the ejection surface 42.

[0083] The wiping member 76 has a thickness in the first direction X1 of W, and the thicknesses of the first portion 81 and the second portion 82 are equal. That is, the thickness of the first portion 81 is W, and the thickness of the second portion 82 is also W. Here, the thickness W of the wiping member 76 is one parameter that determines the flexibility of the first portion and the second portion. Therefore, the width dimension Lr of the upper end of the rear support portion 85 is determined taking the thickness W into consideration. For example, the width dimension of the upper end 86 of the rear support portion 85 when the thickness W is a second thickness smaller than the first thickness may be set to a larger value than the width dimension of the upper end 86 of the rear support portion 85 when the thickness W is a first thickness, which is a predetermined thickness. That is, when the thickness W is greater than the predetermined thickness and the rigidity is high, the width dimension Lr of the upper end 86 of the rear support portion 85 may be relatively small. However, when the thickness W is small and the rigidity is low, the width dimension Lr of the upper end 86 of the rear support portion 85 may be relatively large. In this way, the width dimension Lr of the upper ends 86 of the back support portions 85 may be set in consideration of the free length L1, the spacing between the upper ends 86 of the back support portions 85, and the thickness W.

[0084] Here, examples of each dimension are given. The width dimension Ln of the opening 47A is, for example, a value within a range of 1.5 mm or more and 3 mm. The width dimension Lr of the upper end 86 of the rear support portion 85 is, for example, a value within a range of 2 mm or more and 5 mm or less. The free length L1 is, for example, a value within a range of 3 mm or more and 6 mm or less. The free length L2 is, for example, a value within a range of 4 mm or more and 8 mm or less. The thickness W is, for example, a value within a range of 0.5 mm or more and 2 mm. The center-to-center distance in the Y direction between the two rear support portions 85 is, for example, a value within a range of 6 mm or more and 10 mm or less. The width dimension Lr of the upper end 86 and the free lengths L1 and L2 may be set within these ranges to satisfy the above conditions. Note that the above numerical values ​​are merely examples and are affected by the model of the liquid ejection device 11, the type of line head 40, the material of the wiping member 76, and the like. Therefore, values ​​outside the above numerical ranges or values ​​within a range that does not satisfy the above conditions may be set.

[0085] <Operation of the First Embodiment> Next, the operation of the liquid ejection device 11 of the first embodiment will be described. For example, when the liquid ejection device 11 is in a recording standby state after powering off or powering on, the line head 40 is located at the recording position, and the wiper carriage 75 of the maintenance device 70 is located at the standby position Ws.

[0086] In this state, the control unit 100 receives the recording data and controls the cap moving unit to store the cap inside the support unit 50, and controls the shutter moving unit to close the shutter. The control unit 100 performs recording by ejecting ink from the nozzles 44 of the line head 40 at the recording position onto the medium M transported between the ejection surface 42 and the support unit 50.

[0087] Between recordings on the medium M, the control unit 100 performs flushing, which involves ejecting a liquid unrelated to printing from the nozzles 44 of the line head 40 into the cap that has been moved to the cap position. Flushing is one of the maintenance operations of the line head 40 that is performed with the aim of maintaining normal ink ejection from the nozzles 44. The control unit 100 controls the line head 40 to eject ink as flushing from the nozzles 44 of the line head 40 that is in the recording position toward the cap. Between recordings on the medium M, the control unit 100 may drive the maintenance device 70 to wipe the facing portion 43 with the wiping member 76. When the recording job is finished, the control unit 100 controls the cap moving unit to move the cap from the retracted position to the cap position.

[0088] When the power is turned on or after a recording job is completed, if it is time for cleaning, the control unit 100 performs cleaning by sucking ink from the nozzles 44 of the line head 40. When performing cleaning, the control unit 100 controls the switching unit 67 to connect the cap tube 65 and the waste liquid tube 69. Next, the control unit 100 controls the driving of the pump 68 to suck ink from the nozzles 44 of the line head 40.

[0089] When wiping is performed following suction cleaning, the control unit 100 controls the head moving unit 45 to move the line head 40 from the recording position to the wiping position Hw shown in Fig. 2. This creates a gap between the line head 40 and the support unit 50, allowing the wiper carriage 75 to enter between the line head 40 and the support unit 50, and also allows the wiping member 76 to come into contact with the ejection surface 42.

[0090] When wiping, the control unit 100 controls and drives the wiper motor 71 to move the wiper carriage 75 in the first direction X1 from the standby position Ws toward the terminal position We. This causes the wiping member 76 to wipe the ejection surface 42. The wiping member 76 wipes the opposing portion 43 of the line head 40.

[0091] 11 and 12, the action of the wiping member 76 when wiping the facing portion 43 of the line head 40 will be described. Note that in Figs. 11 and 12, only the portion of the wiping member 76 that wipes one head portion 41 is shown.

[0092] 11, before wiping starts, the wiping member 76 extends upward in the +Z direction above the opposing portion 43 by a predetermined length Lo. In other words, the overlap amount of the wiping member 76 with respect to the line head 40 is the predetermined length Lo. Due to this overlap amount Lo, even if the wiping member 76 is flexed and deformed during wiping, the wiping surface 76A can scrape off liquid from the ejection surface 42, which is the surface of the opposing portion 43, with a predetermined surface pressure.

[0093] 12, during wiping, the wiping member 76 moves in a first direction X1. That is, the wiping member 76 moves in a direction along the long sides of the opening 47A, i.e., in the first direction X1 from one short side to the other short side. The wiping member 76 is bent in a curved shape in the direction opposite to the first direction X1 (-X1 direction) due to the reaction force received from the opposing portion 43.

[0094] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 10 , the first portion 81 of the wiping member 76 is supported by the upper end 86 of the rear support portion 85, and therefore its free length L1 is shorter than the free length L2 of the second portion 82. Therefore, the rigidity of the first portion 81 is greater than the rigidity of the second portion 82. Even when the same reaction force is applied from the facing portion 43, the first portion 81, which has greater rigidity, is less likely to bend than the second portion 82, which has less rigidity. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 12 , the first portion 81 of the wiping member 76 can easily enter the opening 47A, ensuring the necessary surface pressure between the first portion 81 of the wiping member 76 and the nozzle surface 46. As a result, one wiping member 76 can wipe both the surface 47B of the fixing portion 47 and the nozzle surface 46 inside the opening 47A in a single wiping motion.

[0095] After wiping, the control unit 100 drives and controls the wiper motor 71 to move the wiper carriage 75 in the -X direction and position the wiper carriage 75 at the standby position Ws. At this time, the control unit 100 may control the head moving unit 45 to move the line head 40 from the wiping position Hw to a retracted position on the +Z axis direction side.

[0096] After wiping, the control unit 100 controls the head moving unit 45 to move the line head 40 to the recording position and enter a recording standby state. Note that before entering the recording standby state, the control unit 100 may perform flushing.

[0097] The liquid wiped off from the ejection surface 42 by wiping is received in the storage section 77 during wiping. When the liquid received in the storage section 77 is to be collected into the waste liquid container WC, the control section 100 controls the switching section 67 to connect the wiper tube 66 and the waste liquid tube 69. Next, the control section 100 controls the driving of the pump 68 to suck the liquid from the storage section 77 through the tubes 66 and 69. Note that the liquid may be collected from the storage section 77 after each wiping, or after each multiple wiping operations.

[0098] <Effects of the first embodiment> According to the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. (1-1) The liquid ejection device 11 has a support part 50, a line head 40, and a wiping member 76. The line head 40 has a facing part 43 facing the support part 50. The line head 40 ejects liquid onto a medium M supported by the support part 50. The wiping member 76 is configured to be elastically deformable. The wiping member 76 cleans the facing part 43 while moving relative to the line head 40 in a first direction X1. The facing part 43 has a nozzle surface 46 and a fixed part 47. The nozzle surface 46 has a plurality of nozzles 44 arranged along the first direction X1. The fixed part 47 has an opening 47A that opens onto the nozzle surface 46. The fixed part 47 is located closer to the support part 50 than the nozzle surface 46. The wiping member 76 has a first part 81 and a second part 82. The first portion 81 is provided at a position facing the nozzle surface 46 when cleaning the facing portion 43. The second portion 82 is a portion connected to the first portion 81. The second portion 82 is provided at a position facing the fixing portion 47 when cleaning the facing portion 43. The long side 47L of the opening 47A is arranged along the first direction X1. The rigidity of the first portion 81 in the first direction X1 is higher than the rigidity of the second portion 82 in the first direction X1.

[0099] According to this configuration, the first portion 81 is less likely to bend than the second portion 82 during wiping, and the greater rigidity of the first portion 81 makes it easier for the first portion 81 to enter the opening 47A during wiping. This improves the adhesion between the first portion 81 and the nozzle surface 46 during wiping, making it easier to ensure surface pressure between the first portion 81 and the nozzle surface 46. Therefore, the facing portion 43, including the opening 47A that exposes the nozzle surface 46 of the line head 40, can be suitably wiped with a single wiping member 76.

[0100] (1-2) The maintenance device 70 further includes a housing 77 that holds the wiping member 76. The housing 77 is provided on the back surface of the first portion 81 in the first direction X1. The housing 77 has a back support portion 85 that supports the first portion 81. A free length L1 of the first portion 81 from an upper end 86 of the back support portion 85 is shorter than a free length L2 of the second portion 82. With this configuration, the back support portion 85 functions as a backrest for the wiping member 76 during wiping, thereby restricting the free length of the first portion 81 to be shorter than the free length of the second portion 82. Therefore, the rigidity of the first portion 81 can be easily increased.

[0101] (1-3) The upper end 86 of the back surface support portion 85 is parallel to the wiping surface 76A of the first portion 81. With this configuration, the variation in rigidity in the first portion 81 in the first direction X1 can be reduced.

[0102] (1-4) The storage unit 77 has a receiving opening 77A that receives the liquid scraped up by the wiping member 76 cleaning the opposing portion 43. The storage unit 77 further includes an attachment unit 60 to which a waste liquid container WC is removably attached, which stores the liquid received by the receiving opening 77A as waste liquid. The attachment unit 60 is located above the transport path FP that transports the medium M to the line head 40, and is positioned so as not to overlap with the wiping member 76 that is positioned at the standby position Ws when viewed from the top of the device. With this configuration, if the attachment unit 60 were positioned so as to overlap with the standby position Ws of the wiping member 76, the device would become larger in width depending on the width of the waste liquid container WC. Therefore, by locating the attachment unit 60 above the transport region, it is possible to prevent the device from becoming larger in width.

[0103] (1-5) The maintenance device 70 has a wiping member 76. The wiping member 76 has a first portion 81 and a second portion 82. The first portion 81 is provided in a position facing the nozzle surface 46 when cleaning the facing portion 43. The second portion 82 is a portion connected to the first portion 81 and is provided in a position facing the fixing portion 47 when cleaning the facing portion 43. The long side of the opening 47A is arranged along the first direction X1. The rigidity of the first portion 81 in the first direction X1 is higher than the rigidity of the second portion 82 in the first direction X1. Therefore, a single wiping member 76 can suitably wipe the facing portion 43, including the opening 47A that exposes the nozzle surface 46 of the line head 40.

[0104] (Second embodiment) Next, a liquid ejection device 11 equipped with a maintenance device 70 of a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 to 15. In this embodiment, the configuration of the maintenance device 70 differs from that of the first embodiment. The configuration of the liquid ejection device 11 is the same as that of the first embodiment. Therefore, the same members as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. The following description will focus on the particularly different configuration of the maintenance device 70.

[0105] 13 shows the wiping member 76 held in the housing portion 77 of the wiper carriage 75. This differs from the first embodiment in that the holder portion 78 of the housing portion 77 does not have the rear support portion 85 of the first embodiment.

[0106] As shown in FIG. 13, the wiping member 76 has a first portion 91 and a second portion 92. The first portion 91 is provided at a position facing the nozzle surface 46 (FIGS. 6 and 8) when cleaning the facing portion 43. The long side 47L of the opening 47A (see FIG. 5) where the nozzle surface 46 opens is disposed along the first direction X1. The second portion 92 is a portion connected to the first portion 91. The second portion 92 is provided at a position facing the fixing portion 47 when cleaning the facing portion 43.

[0107] The rigidity of the first portion 91 in the first direction X1 is higher than the rigidity of the second portion 92 in the first direction X1. A configuration in which the rigidity of the first portion 91 is higher than the rigidity of the second portion 92 is a configuration in which the thicknesses of the first portion 81 and the second portion 82 in the first direction X1 are different from each other, instead of the configuration in the first embodiment in which the free lengths L1, L2 of the first portion 81 and the second portion 82 are different from each other.

[0108] The wiping member 76 is held in the holder portion 78 of the accommodation portion 77 with its thickness direction parallel to the first direction X1. In other words, the thickness direction of the wiping member 76 is parallel to the first direction X1. For this reason, hereinafter, the thickness direction of the wiping member 76 will also be referred to as the thickness direction X1.

[0109] Fig. 14 shows a cross section of the wiping member 76 and the holder portion 78 taken along line 14-14 in Fig. 13. That is, Fig. 14 shows a cross section of the wiping member 76 and the holder portion 78 taken at the second portion 92. Moreover, Fig. 15 shows a cross section of the wiping member 76 and the holder portion 78 taken along line 15-15 in Fig. 13. That is, Fig. 15 shows a cross section of the wiping member 76 and the holder portion 78 taken at the first portion 91. With its base portion 76B held in the recessed portion 78A of the holder portion 78, the wiping member 76 extends upward, which is a direction intersecting with the ejection surface 42.

[0110] 14 and 15, in the wiping member 76, the length W1 in the thickness direction X1 of the first portion 91 is longer than the length W2 in the thickness direction X1 of the second portion 92. In other words, the thickness W1 of the first portion 91 is greater than the thickness W2 of the second portion 92.

[0111] Therefore, the rigidity of the first portion 91 is greater than the rigidity of the second portion 92. When the wiping member 76 wipes the facing portion 43 of the line head 40, even if the wiping member 76 receives the same reaction force from the facing portion 43, the first portion 91, which has greater rigidity, is less likely to bend than the second portion 92, which has less rigidity. Therefore, similar to FIG. 12 in the first embodiment, the first portion 91 of the wiping member 76 can easily enter the opening 47A, and the necessary surface pressure is ensured between the first portion 91 of the wiping member 76 and the nozzle surface 46. As a result, in the second embodiment as well, a single wiping member 76 can wipe the surface 47B of the fixing portion 47 and the nozzle surface 46 inside the opening 47A in a single wiping motion.

[0112] <Effects of the second embodiment> According to the second embodiment, in addition to the effects (1-1), (1-4) and (1-5) of the first embodiment, the following effects are also obtained.

[0113] (2-1) The wiping member 76 has a first portion 91 and a second portion 92. The first portion 91 is located at a position facing the nozzle surface 46 when cleaning the facing portion 43. The second portion 92 is a portion connected to the first portion 91. The second portion 92 is located at a position facing the fixing portion 47 when cleaning the facing portion 43. The long side 47L of the opening 47A is disposed along the first direction X1. The rigidity of the first portion 91 in the first direction X1 is higher than the rigidity of the second portion 92 in the first direction X1. With this configuration, the first portion 91 is less likely to bend than the second portion 92 during wiping, thereby improving the adhesion between the first portion 91 and the nozzle surface 46. This makes it easier to ensure the necessary surface pressure between the first portion 91 and the nozzle surface 46 during wiping. Therefore, the facing portion 43 including the opening 47A that opens onto the nozzle surface 46 of the line head 40 can be wiped appropriately with one wiping member 76.

[0114] (2-2) The length W1 in the thickness direction X1 of the first portion 91 of the wiping member 76 is longer than the length W2 in the thickness direction X1 of the second portion 92. According to this configuration, by increasing the thickness of the first portion 91, it is possible to easily increase the rigidity compared to the second portion 92.

[0115] <Example of change> The above embodiment can be modified as follows. Furthermore, the above embodiment and the modified examples shown below can be implemented in combination with each other within the scope of technical compatibility. Furthermore, the modified examples shown below can be implemented in appropriate combination with each other.

[0116] The first portion 81 and the second portion 82 of the wiping member 76 may be made of materials with different rigidities, so that the rigidity of the first portion 81 is greater than the rigidity of the second portion 82. By embedding a core material in the first portion 81 of the wiping member 76, the rigidity of the first portion 81 may be made greater than the rigidity of the second portion 82. For example, the second portion 82 may be configured without an embedded core material, or may be configured with an embedded core material having a lower rigidity than the core material of the first portion.

[0117] In the above embodiment, the first portion 81 of the wiping member 76 may be configured to be separated from the rear support portion 85 when not wiping, and to be supported by the rear support portion 85 when it is bent into a curved shape during wiping. In short, it is sufficient that the rigidity of the first portion 81 is greater than the rigidity of the second portion 82 during wiping.

[0118] The arrangement direction of the multiple nozzles 44 and the direction along the long side 47L of the opening 47A through which the nozzles 44 are opened may be an oblique direction that forms an acute angle with respect to the width direction X, which is the longitudinal direction of the line head 40. In this case, the wiping member 76 may wipe the facing portion 43 by moving in the first direction X1, which is an oblique direction that intersects with the longitudinal direction of the line head 40. In this way, the first direction X1 along the long side 47L of the opening 47A may be an oblique direction with respect to the width direction X.

[0119] In the first embodiment, the shape of the rear support portion 85 is not limited to a shape obtained by cutting a portion of a disk parallel to the wiping surface 76A. The rear support portion 85 may be a rectangular or trapezoidal plate whose upper end 86 is parallel to the wiping surface 76A.

[0120] The back support portion 85 that supports the first portion 81 in the first embodiment may be combined with the configuration in the second embodiment in which the length W1 of the first portion 91 in the thickness direction X1 is made greater than the length W2.

[0121] 12, a configuration may be adopted in which a plurality of wiping members 76 are arranged side by side in a direction intersecting the long side 47L, with one wiping member 76 provided for each opening 47A. For example, in the first embodiment, instead of one wiping member 76, two wiping members 76 may be arranged side by side in the Y direction. Even with this configuration, the facing portion 43 including the nozzle surface 46 can be wiped by one wiping member 76 provided for each opening 47A that exposes the nozzle surface 46.

[0122] The line head 40 is not limited to a configuration in which the number of rows of nozzles 44 aligned in the Y direction is two, but may be a configuration in which three, four, five, or six rows are aligned. In these cases, the fixing portion 47 may have an opening 47A for every row, or one opening 47A for every two or three rows.

[0123] Although the nozzle rows ejecting one color of liquid are arranged in a staggered arrangement, the nozzle rows for one color may be arranged in a single row in the width direction X. The line head 40 in the above embodiment is configured to eject ink of one color (for example, black), but the line head 40 may have multiple nozzle rows capable of ejecting ink of multiple colors.

[0124] The liquid ejection device 11 is not limited to an inkjet printer that ejects liquids such as ink. The liquid ejection device 11 may also eject liquids other than ink. The liquid ejected from the line head 40 of the liquid ejection device 11 may be in the form of granules, tears, or strings. The term "liquid" as used herein refers to any material that can be ejected from the liquid ejection device 11. For example, the term "liquid" refers to any material in a liquid phase, including fluids such as high or low viscosity liquids, sols, gel water, other inorganic solvents, organic solvents, solutions, liquid resins, and liquid metals (metal melts). The term "liquid" also refers to not only liquids as a single state of matter, but also to solids such as pigments, metal particles, or particles of functional materials dissolved, dispersed, or mixed in a solvent. Here, "ink" encompasses various liquid compositions, including general water-based inks and oil-based inks, as well as gel inks and hot-melt inks. Specific examples of the liquid ejection device 11 include a liquid ejection device that ejects a liquid containing dispersed or dissolved materials such as electrode materials and color materials used in the manufacture of liquid crystal displays, electroluminescent (EL) displays, surface-emitting displays, and color filters. The liquid ejection device 11 may also be a liquid ejection device that ejects bioorganic materials used in biochip manufacture, a liquid ejection device used as a precision pipette to eject sample liquids, a textile printing device, or a microdispenser. Furthermore, the liquid ejection device 11 may be a liquid ejection device that ejects lubricating oil with pinpoint accuracy onto precision machinery such as watches and cameras, or a liquid ejection device that ejects transparent resin liquid such as ultraviolet-curable resin onto a substrate to form micro-hemispherical lenses (optical lenses) used in optical communication devices. The liquid ejection device 11 may also be a liquid ejection device that ejects an etching solution such as an acid or alkali to etch a substrate. Such a liquid ejection device 11 may also be equipped with a maintenance device 70 having a wiping member 76 that wipes the facing portion 43 of the line head 40.

[0125] <Additional Notes> The technical concepts and effects that can be understood from the above-described embodiment and modified examples will be described below. (A) A liquid ejection device includes a support portion, a line head having an opposing portion opposing the support portion and ejecting liquid onto a medium supported by the support portion, and a wiping member that is elastically deformable and cleans the opposing portion while moving relative to the line head in a first direction, the opposing portion having a nozzle surface on which a plurality of nozzles are arranged along the first direction, and a fixed portion having an opening that opens into the nozzle surface and arranged at a position closer to the support portion than the nozzle surface, the wiping member having a first portion arranged at a position facing the nozzle surface when cleaning the opposing portion, and a second portion connected to the first portion and arranged at a position facing the fixed portion when cleaning the opposing portion, the long side of the opening being arranged along the first direction, and the rigidity of the first portion in the first direction being higher than the rigidity of the second portion in the first direction.

[0126] According to this configuration, the first portion is less likely to bend than the second portion during wiping, and the greater rigidity of the first portion makes it easier for the first portion to enter the opening during wiping. This improves the adhesion between the first portion and the nozzle surface during wiping, making it easier to ensure surface pressure between the first portion and the nozzle surface. Therefore, a single wiping member connecting the first and second portions can effectively wipe the entire facing portion, including the nozzle surface within the opening. Therefore, a single wiping member can effectively wipe the facing portion, including the opening that exposes the nozzle surface of the line head.

[0127] (B) The liquid ejection device described in (A) above may further include a housing portion for holding the wiping member, at least a portion of which is provided on the back surface of the first portion in the first direction and which has a back support portion for supporting the first portion, and the free length of the first portion from the upper end of the back support portion may be shorter than the free length of the second portion. With this configuration, the back support portion functions as a backrest for the wiping member during wiping, thereby restricting the free length of the first portion to be shorter than the free length of the second portion. This makes it possible to easily increase the rigidity of the first portion.

[0128] (C) In the liquid ejection device described in (A) above, the length in the thickness direction of the first portion may be longer than the length in the thickness direction of the second portion. With this configuration, by increasing the thickness of the first portion, it is possible to simply make the rigidity higher than that of the second portion.

[0129] (D) In ​​the liquid ejection device described in (B) above, the upper end of the rear surface support portion may be parallel to the wiping surface of the first portion. With this configuration, it is possible to reduce variations in rigidity in the first direction within the first portion.

[0130] (E) In the liquid ejection device described in (B) or (D) above, the storage unit may have a receiving port that receives the liquid scraped up by the wiping member cleaning the opposing portion, and may further include an attachment unit to which a waste liquid container that receives the liquid received by the receiving port as waste liquid is detachably attached, the attachment unit being located above a transport path that transports a medium to the line head and not overlapping the wiping member that is positioned in a standby position when viewed from the top of the device. According to this configuration, if the attachment unit is positioned to overlap the standby position of the wiping member, the device may become larger in width depending on the width of the waste liquid container. Therefore, by locating the attachment unit above the transport area, it is possible to prevent the device from becoming larger in width.

[0131] (F) A maintenance device is provided in a liquid ejection device having a support part and a line head that ejects liquid onto a medium supported on the support part, and is a maintenance device that cleans an opposing part that the line head has on a surface that faces the support part, and has a wiping member that is elastically deformable and cleans the opposing part while moving relative to the line head in a first direction, the opposing part having a nozzle surface on which a plurality of nozzles are arranged along the first direction, and a fixed part that is located closer to the support part than the nozzle surface and has an opening that opens to the nozzle surface, the wiping member having a first part that is located at a position that faces the nozzle surface when cleaning the opposing part, and a second part that is connected to the first part and is located at a position that faces the fixed part when cleaning the opposing part, the long side of the opening is arranged along the first direction, and the rigidity of the first part in the first direction is higher than the rigidity of the second part in the first direction.

[0132] With this configuration, the first portion is less likely to bend than the second portion during wiping, and the greater rigidity of the first portion makes it easier for the first portion to enter the opening during wiping. This improves the adhesion between the first portion and the nozzle surface during wiping. This makes it easier to ensure the necessary surface pressure with the nozzle surface during wiping. Therefore, a single wiping member in which the first portion and the second portion are connected can effectively wipe the entire opposing portion, including the nozzle surface, inside the opening. [Explanation of symbols]

[0133] 11...liquid ejection device, 12...casing, 13...media storage cassette, 14...pick roller, 15...feed roller, 16...separation roller, 17...reversal roller, 18...guide frame, 18A...rail, 19...first nip roller, 20...second nip roller, 22...media supply tray, 23...supply roller, 24...separation roller, 25...conveyance roller pair, 26...conveyance roller, 27...driven roller, 29...feed roller pair, 30...feed roller, 31...driven roller, 32...transport roller pair, 33...exhaust Output roller pair, 34...discharge tray, 40...line head, 41...head portion, 42...discharge surface, 43...opposing portion, 44...nozzle, 44R...nozzle row, 45...head moving portion, 46...nozzle surface, 47...fixed portion, 47A...opening, 47B...surface, 47C...covering portion, 47L...long side, 47S...short side, 48...nozzle plate, 49...supply tube, 50...support portion, 53...support stand, 60...mounting portion, 65...cap tube, 66...wiper tube, 67...switching portion, 68...pump, 69...waste liquid tube, 70...maintenance device, 71...wiper motor, 72...drive pulley, 73...driven pulley, 74...endless belt, 75...wiper carriage, 75A...carriage body, 75B...guide portion, 76...wiping member, 76A...wiping surface, 76B...base portion, 77...accommodating portion, 77A...receiving opening, 78...holder portion, 78A...recess, 79...guide rail, 80...encoder sensor, 81...first portion, 82...second portion, 85...rear support portion, 86...upper end, 87...upper end, 88...portion, 91...first portion, 92...second portion, 100...control unit, FP...transport path, IC...liquid container, M...medium, Hw...wiping position, WC...waste liquid container, Ws...waiting position, We...terminal position, L1...free length, L2...free length, Lc...spacing, Ln...width dimension, Lo...predetermined length (overlap amount), Lr...width dimension, Lro...predetermined length, C1...dimension, D1...diameter, P1...position, P2...position, W...thickness, W1...length (thickness), W2...length (thickness), X...width direction, X1...first direction (thickness direction), Y...transport direction (second direction), Y1...transport direction, Z...vertical direction.

Claims

1. A support part; a line head having a facing portion facing the support portion and configured to eject a liquid onto a medium supported by the support portion; a wiping member that is elastically deformable and cleans the facing portion while moving relative to the line head in a first direction, The facing portion is a nozzle surface on which a plurality of nozzles are provided along the first direction; a fixing portion having an opening that opens the nozzle surface and provided at a position closer to the support portion than the nozzle surface, The wiping member is a first portion provided at a position facing the nozzle surface when cleaning the facing portion; a second portion connected to the first portion and provided at a position facing the fixed portion when cleaning the facing portion, The long side of the opening is arranged along the first direction, The liquid ejection device, wherein the rigidity of the first portion in the first direction is higher than the rigidity of the second portion in the first direction.

2. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1 , The wiping member further includes a storage portion for holding the wiping member. the accommodation portion has a rear support portion, at least a portion of which is provided on a rear surface of the first portion in the first direction and which supports the first portion; A liquid ejection device, wherein a free length of the first portion from an upper end of the rear support portion is shorter than a free length of the second portion.

3. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1 , The liquid ejection device, wherein the length in the thickness direction of the first portion is longer than the length in the thickness direction of the second portion.

4. 3. The liquid ejection device according to claim 2, A liquid ejection device, wherein an upper end of the rear surface support portion is parallel to a wiping surface of the first portion.

5. 3. The liquid ejection device according to claim 2, the container has a receiving port that receives liquid scraped up by the wiping member cleaning the opposing portion, The liquid receiving device further includes a mounting portion on which a waste liquid container that receives the liquid received by the receiving port as waste liquid is detachably provided, A liquid ejection device characterized in that the mounting portion is located above a transport path that transports a medium to the line head and in a position that does not overlap with the wiping member that is located in a standby position when viewed from the top of the device.

6. A maintenance device is provided in a liquid ejection device including a support part and a line head that ejects liquid onto a medium supported by the support part, and the maintenance device cleans an opposing part of the line head on a surface that faces the support part, a wiping member that is elastically deformable and cleans the facing portion while moving relative to the line head in a first direction, the facing portion has a nozzle surface on which a plurality of nozzles are provided along the first direction, and a fixing portion that is provided at a position closer to the support portion than the nozzle surface and has an opening that opens to the nozzle surface, The wiping member is a first portion provided at a position facing the nozzle surface when cleaning the facing portion; a second portion connected to the first portion and provided at a position facing the fixed portion when cleaning the facing portion, The long side of the opening is arranged along the first direction, A maintenance device, wherein the rigidity of the first portion in the first direction is higher than the rigidity of the second portion in the first direction.

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