Cleaning liquid permeation apparatus and inkjet recording apparatus

Abstract

To efficiently permeate a cleaning liquid into ink fixed to a nozzle surface.SOLUTION: The washing liquid permeation device 40 includes an impregnated member 41 impregnated with the washing liquid F, and a holding member 44 which holds the impregnated member 41 in a plane shape by a plane 14F facing the nozzle surface 44P of the inkjet head 12 and brings the plane part of the impregnated member 41 into contact with the nozzle surface 14F, and the holding member 44 is more flexible than the nozzle surface 14F. The cleaning liquid permeation device 40 includes a liquid-impermeable layer (second layer 41B) between the impregnated member 41 and the holding member 44.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaning liquid permeation device and an inkjet recording device. [Background technology]

[0002] In inkjet recording devices that use water-based ink, evaporation of water from the ink in the nozzles during periods when printing is not being performed can increase the ink's viscosity, potentially resulting in ejection problems or clogging. To address this issue, technologies for removing ink with increased viscosity have been explored. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a nozzle cleaning device that includes a cleaning liquid tank filled with cleaning liquid for dissolving solidified material adhering to the functional liquid ejection orifices, a cleaning liquid tank elevating unit that elevates or lowers at least one of the functional liquid droplet ejection head and the cleaning liquid tank to immerse the nozzle surface of the functional liquid droplet ejection head in the cleaning liquid, and a wiping member that contacts the functional liquid ejection orifices immersed in the cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid tank and removes solidified material from the functional liquid ejection orifices. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-272097 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, the entire cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid tank becomes contaminated when the nozzle surface is immersed, and repeated immersion causes the concentration of contamination to increase, which means that the cleaning liquid needs to be replaced periodically, consuming a large amount of cleaning liquid.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In consideration of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to allow cleaning liquid to efficiently penetrate ink that has adhered to the nozzle surface. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the cleaning liquid penetration device of the present invention comprises an impregnated member impregnated with cleaning liquid, and a holding member that holds the impregnated member flat with a flat surface facing the nozzle face of an inkjet head and brings the flat portion of the impregnated member into contact with the nozzle face, and the holding member is softer than the nozzle face.

[0007] The cleaning liquid permeation device may include a liquid-impermeable layer between the impregnated member and the retaining member.

[0008] The impregnated member may include a plurality of layers including a first layer having liquid-absorbent properties and a second layer that is impermeable to liquids, and the first layer may be in contact with the nozzle surface.

[0009] The flat surface of the holding member may be larger than an area of ​​the nozzle surface where the ejection ports are provided.

[0010] The inkjet recording apparatus according to the present invention also includes the cleaning liquid penetration device, the inkjet head, and a maintenance device that removes ink that has been penetrated with cleaning liquid by the cleaning liquid penetration device from the nozzle surface of the inkjet head. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, the cleaning liquid can be efficiently permeated into the ink that has adhered to the nozzle surface. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a front view schematically illustrating the internal configuration of an inkjet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a front view schematically showing a head unit and a maintenance device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing a head unit and a wipe unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing a cap unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an inkjet head according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a bottom view showing an inkjet head according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are front views showing the operation of the maintenance device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 1 is a right side view schematically showing a cleaning liquid supplying device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 10] 1 is a right side view schematically showing a cleaning liquid supplying device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a right side view schematically showing a cleaning liquid permeation device according to a modified example of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a right side view schematically showing a cleaning liquid permeation device according to a modified example of an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] An inkjet recording apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an image forming system 100. FIG. 2 is a front view schematically showing the internal configuration of an inkjet recording apparatus 1. FIG. 3 is a front view schematically showing a head unit 11 and a maintenance device 30. FIG. 4 is a plan view schematically showing a head unit 11 and a wiping unit 32. FIG. 5 is a plan view schematically showing a cap unit 31. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing an inkjet head 12. FIG. 7 is a bottom view showing an inkjet head 12. FIG. 8 is a front view showing the operation of the maintenance device 30. In the following description, the front side of the paper in FIG. 2 is the front side (front side) of the inkjet recording apparatus 1, and left and right directions are described based on the direction as seen from the front of the inkjet recording apparatus 1. In each figure, U, Lo, L, R, Fr, and Rr represent up, down, left, right, front, and rear, respectively.

[0015] The image forming system 100 (see FIG. 1) includes a paper feeder 110, an inkjet recording apparatus 1, a drying apparatus 120, and a post-processing apparatus 130. The paper feeder 110 stores several thousand sheets and supplies the sheets to the inkjet recording apparatus 1. The inkjet recording apparatus 1 forms an image on the sheets using an inkjet method. The drying apparatus 120 heats the sheets conveyed from the inkjet recording apparatus 1 to dry the ink. The post-processing apparatus 130 performs post-processing such as punching, stapling, and folding on the sheets conveyed from the drying apparatus 120.

[0016] The inkjet recording device 1 (see FIG. 2) includes a rectangular parallelepiped main housing 3. A transport unit 7 that adsorbs and transports a sheet in the Y direction is provided in the center of the main housing 3. An imaging unit 6 that ejects ink to form an image is provided above the transport unit 7. A paper feed opening 8 that introduces a sheet from a paper feed device 110 is provided on the right side of the main housing 3. A discharge opening 9 that discharges the sheet on which an image has been formed to a drying device 120 is provided on the left side of the main housing 3. A transport path 10 is provided inside the main housing 3, extending from the paper feed opening 8 through the gap between the transport unit 7 and the imaging unit 6 to the discharge opening 9. A registration roller 18 is provided upstream of the transport unit 7 in the transport direction Y.

[0017] The transport unit 7 includes an endless transport belt 21 and a suction unit 24. The transport belt 21 has a number of air holes (not shown) and is wound around a drive roller 25 and a driven roller 22. The upper surface of the suction unit 24 has a number of air holes (not shown) and is in contact with the inner surface of the transport belt 21. The suction unit 24 sucks air through the air holes of the transport belt 21 and the suction unit 24, thereby adsorbing the sheet to the transport belt 21. The drive roller 25 is driven counterclockwise by a drive unit (not shown) including a motor and a reduction gear, causing the transport belt 21 to rotate counterclockwise, and the sheet adsorbed to the transport belt 21 is transported in the Y direction.

[0018] The imaging unit 6 includes a plurality of (four in this embodiment) head units 11. Each head unit 11 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) includes one or more (three in this embodiment) inkjet heads 12. Each head unit 11 is connected to an ink container 20 filled with black, cyan, magenta, or yellow ink, respectively.

[0019] The inkjet head 12 (see FIG. 6) includes a rectangular parallelepiped housing 12H with its longitudinal direction extending in the front-to-rear direction, a nozzle plate 14 provided below the housing 12H, and a socket 12S to which a pipe for supplying ink is connected. The nozzle plate 14 includes a number of nozzles 14N arranged in the front-to-rear direction. The nozzles 14N include branch flow paths 14B branching from the downstream side of the socket 12S and ejection ports 14A provided in a nozzle surface 14F, which is the lower surface of the nozzle plate 14. A vibration plate 14V also serves as part of the inner wall of the branch flow path 14B. A pressure element 14Z is provided on the vibration plate 14V. The pressure element 14Z may be a piezoelectric element, an electrostatic actuator, a heater, or the like. A drive circuit 12D that drives the pressure element 14Z is connected to the pressure element 14Z.

[0020] The nozzle surface 14F is rectangular with the longitudinal direction extending in the front-to-rear direction. A large number of ejection ports 14A are provided in a rectangular region 14R that is narrower than the entire nozzle surface 14F. Specifically, the length L1 in the front-to-rear direction of the region 14R in which the ejection ports 14A of the nozzle surface 14F are provided is shorter than the length L2 in the front-to-rear direction of the nozzle surface 14F. The width W1 in the left-to-right direction of the region 14R is narrower than the width W2 in the left-to-right direction of the nozzle surface 14F. The shape of the region 14R may be a trapezoid, a parallelogram, or the like.

[0021] The control unit 2 (see FIG. 2) includes a calculation unit and a storage unit (not shown). The calculation unit is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The storage unit includes storage media such as a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory). The calculation unit performs various processes by reading and executing control programs stored in the storage unit. Note that the control unit 2 may be realized by an integrated circuit that does not use software.

[0022] A display operation unit 19 is provided on the top of the main body housing 3 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). The display operation unit 19 includes a display panel, a touch panel stacked on the display panel, and a keypad (not shown). The control unit 2 displays a screen showing the operation menu and status of the inkjet recording device 1 on the display panel, and controls each part of the inkjet recording device 1 in response to operations detected by the touch panel and the keypad.

[0023] The basic image formation operation of the inkjet recording apparatus 1 is as follows. When an image formation job is input to the inkjet recording apparatus 1 from the display operation unit 19, an external computer, or the like, the paper feeder 110 feeds a sheet into the conveyance path 10 through the paper feed port 8, and the registration rollers 18, whose rotation has been stopped, correct any skew of the sheet. When the registration rollers 18 feed the sheet to the conveyance unit 7 at a predetermined timing, the conveyance unit 7 attracts the sheet onto the conveyance belt 21 and conveys it in the Y direction. Ink is ejected from the inkjet head 12 onto the sheet, and an image is formed. The sheet with the image formed is discharged to the drying device 120 through the discharge port 9.

[0024] [Maintenance equipment] Next, we will explain the maintenance device 30. Since the four head units 11 have the same configuration and the four maintenance devices 30 have the same configuration, the following will explain one head unit 11 and one maintenance device 30 provided to the right of it.

[0025] The head unit 11 includes a head base 11B (see FIGS. 3 and 4) that supports the inkjet heads 12. Three inkjet heads 12 are arranged in a staggered manner on the head base 11B.

[0026] The maintenance device 30 (see FIG. 3) is provided on the side (the right side in this embodiment) of the head unit 11. The maintenance device 30 includes a cap unit 31 and a wipe unit 32.

[0027] [Cap Unit] The cap unit 31 (see FIGS. 3 and 5) includes the same number of caps 72 (three in this embodiment) as the number of inkjet heads 12 included in the head unit 11. The three caps 72 are arranged in a staggered pattern similar to the inkjet heads 12.

[0028] [Wipe unit] The wiping unit 32 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) includes a waste liquid tray 81 and a cleaning member 82. The waste liquid tray 81 includes recesses 81U, the number of which is the same as the number of inkjet heads 12 included in the head unit 11. The recesses 81U are arranged in a staggered pattern, similar to the inkjet heads 12. A cleaning member 82 is provided in each recess 81U. The cleaning member 82 is, for example, a rubber blade. The waste liquid tray 81 includes a drive unit (not shown) that slides the cleaning member 82 along the nozzle surface 14F. The waste liquid tray 81 is placed on a plurality of caps 72. In other words, the wiping unit 32 is placed on the cap unit 31. The head unit 11 is provided with a cleaning liquid supply device 13 (see FIG. 6) that supplies cleaning liquid F to the nozzle surface 14F.

[0029] [Head lifting device] The head lifting device 11L (see FIG. 4) is provided in front of and behind the head base 11B. The head lifting device 11L is configured, for example, with a ball screw, a belt drive device, or the like. The head lifting device 11L lifts and lowers the head unit 11 between an image forming position and a retracted position. The image forming position (see FIG. 7A) is a position where the distance between the conveyance path 10 (the upper surface of the conveyance belt 21) along which the sheet is conveyed and the nozzle surface 14F is a predetermined distance suitable for image formation. The image forming position is the lower limit of the range in which the head unit 11 is lifted and lowered by the head lifting device 11L. The retracted position (see FIG. 7B) is a position where the head unit 11 does not interfere with the wiping unit 32 when the cap unit 31 and the wiping unit 32 are slid using a cap slide device 34 (described later). The retracted position is the upper limit of the range in which the head unit 11 is lifted and lowered.

[0030] [Cap slide device] The cap slide device 34 (see FIG. 5) is provided in front of and behind the frame body 71 of the cap unit 31. The cap slide device 34 is composed of, for example, a ball screw, a belt drive device, etc. The cap slide device 34 slides the cap unit 31 to a home position and a maintenance position. The home position (see FIG. 7(A)) is a position to the right of the head unit 11 located in the image forming position. The maintenance position (see FIG. 7(F)) is a position below the head unit 11 located in the retracted position.

[0031] [Wiping lifting device] The wipe lifting device 35 (see FIG. 4) is provided in front of and behind the waste liquid tray 81 of the wiping unit 32. The wipe lifting device 35 is configured, for example, with a ball screw, a belt drive device, or the like. The wipe lifting device 35 raises and lowers the wiping unit 32 between a contact position (see FIG. 7(B)) where the waste liquid tray 81 contacts the cap 72 and a separated position (see FIG. 7(E)) where the waste liquid tray 81 is separated a predetermined distance from the cap 72.

[0032] [Unit lifting device] The head lifting device 11L, the cap slide device 34, and the wipe lifting device 35 are all attached to the frame 36F. In other words, the head unit 11 is supported by the frame 36F via the head lifting device 11L. The cap unit 31 is supported by the frame 36F via the cap slide device 34. The wipe unit 32 is supported by the frame 36F via the wipe lifting device 35.

[0033] Unit lifting devices 36 are provided at the front and rear of the frame 36F. The unit lifting devices 36 are supported by the main body housing 3. The unit lifting devices 36 are configured, for example, with a ball screw, a belt drive device, or the like, and raise and lower the frame 36F. That is, the unit lifting devices 36 raise and lower the head unit 11 and the maintenance device 30 together. The unit lifting devices 36 raise and lower the head unit 11 and the maintenance device 30 between a normal position and a retracted position. When image formation is performed by the head unit 11 or maintenance is performed by the maintenance device 30, the frame 36F is positioned at the normal position (see FIGS. 7A to 7G). When a sheet is jammed on the conveyor belt 21, the frame 36F is positioned at the retracted position (see FIG. 7H) to facilitate sheet removal, and the gap between the conveyor belt 21 and the frame 36F is widened.

[0034] Next, the basic operation of the maintenance device 30 will be described. In the initial state (see FIG. 7(A)), the frame 36F is located in the normal position, the head unit 11 is located in the image forming position, and the cap unit 31 is located in the home position. The wiping unit 32 is placed on the cap unit 31. In other words, the waste liquid tray 81 is in contact with the cap 72. The control unit 2 executes the purging process, wiping process, and capping process described below at a predetermined timing. The predetermined timing is, for example, a timing when an increase in the viscosity of the ink in the nozzle 14N is expected, and specifically, when a predetermined period of time has passed since an image formation job was executed.

[0035] First, the control unit 2 operates the head lifting device 11L to raise the head unit 11 to the retracted position (see FIG. 7(B)). Next, the control unit 2 operates the cap slide device 34 to slide the cap unit 31 to the maintenance position (see FIG. 7(C)). At this time, because the wiping unit 32 is placed on the cap unit 31, the wiping unit 32 also slides to the maintenance position together with the cap unit 31. Next, the control unit 2 operates the head lifting device 11L to lower the head unit 11 to a height at which the nozzle surface 14F contacts the cleaning member 82 (see FIG. 7(D)).

[0036] Next, the control unit 2 forcibly ejects a predetermined amount of ink from the inkjet head 12 (purging process), supplies cleaning liquid F to the nozzle surface 14F using the cleaning liquid supply device 13, and slides the cleaning member 82 along the nozzle surface 14F (wiping process). As a result, the ink remaining on the nozzle surface 14F is diluted with the cleaning liquid F, and waste liquid containing the ink and cleaning liquid F is scraped off by the cleaning member 82 and falls into the waste liquid tray 81.

[0037] Next, the control unit 2 activates the head lifting device 11L to raise the head unit 11 to the retracted position (see FIG. 7(C)). Next, the control unit 2 activates the cap sliding device 34 to slide the cap unit 31 and the wipe unit 32 to the home position (see FIG. 7(B)).

[0038] Next, the control unit 2 operates the wiper lifting device 35 to raise the wiper unit 32 to the separated position (see FIG. 7(E)). Next, the control unit 2 operates the cap slide device 34 to slide the cap unit 31 to the maintenance position (see FIG. 7(F)). At this time, since the wiper unit 32 is separated from the cap unit 31, the wiper unit 32 remains in the home position, and only the cap unit 31 slides to the maintenance position.

[0039] Next, the control unit 2 activates the head lifting device 11L to lower the head unit 11 to a height where the nozzle surface 14F comes into contact with the cap 72 (see FIG. 7(G)). In this way, the cap 72 is attached to the nozzle surface 14F (cap attachment process).

[0040] When an image forming job is to be executed, the control unit 2 activates the head lifting device 11L to raise the head unit 11 to the retracted position (see FIG. 7(F)), activates the cap slide device 34 to slide the cap unit 31 to the home position (see FIG. 7(E)), and activates the wipe lifting device 35 to lower the wipe unit 32 to the contact position (see FIG. 7(B)). Then, the control unit 2 activates the head lifting device 11L to lower the head unit 11 to the image forming position (see FIG. 7(A)), and executes the image forming job.

[0041] If a sheet becomes jammed between the conveyor belt 21 and the frame 36F during image formation, the control unit 2 will go through the states of Figures 7(B), (E), (F), and (G), and then actuate the unit lifting device 36 to raise the frame 36F to the retracted position (see Figure 7(H)). When the user removes the jammed sheet and instructs the display / operation unit 19 to resume image formation, the control unit 2 will actuate the unit lifting device 36 to lower the frame 36F to the normal position (see Figure 7(G)), and go through the states of Figures 7(F), (E), and (B), and then lower the head unit 11 to the image forming position (see Figure 7(A)), and resume the image formation job.

[0042] [Cleaning solution penetration device] As described above, the control unit 2 executes the purging process, wiping process, and capping process at a predetermined timing. The predetermined timing is, for example, a timing when an increase in the viscosity of the ink in the nozzle 14N is expected, specifically, when a predetermined period of time has passed without an image formation job being executed.

[0043] However, even if the purging process, wiping process, and capping process are performed at the specified timing, ink that is not completely removed by the wiping process may accumulate and adhere to the nozzle surface 14F. Also, in a low-humidity environment or when a large number of images with low image density are printed, the viscosity of the ink adhering to the nozzle surface 14F increases, making the ink more likely to adhere to the nozzle surface 14F. To prepare for such situations, this embodiment uses a cleaning liquid penetration device 40, which will be described below.

[0044] For example, the cleaning liquid permeation device 40 may be used as part of a regular routine of periodic maintenance performed by a service technician. Also, the cleaning liquid permeation device 40 may be used when ink adhesion to the nozzle surface 14F is visually confirmed during periodic maintenance.

[0045] The cleaning liquid permeation device 40 may be incorporated into the maintenance device 30. Alternatively, the cleaning liquid permeation device 40 may be configured as a device separate from the inkjet recording apparatus 1. In this case, the front door 3D (see FIG. 1) of the inkjet recording apparatus 1 may be opened, the head unit 11 may be raised to the retracted position (see FIG. 7(B)), and then the cleaning liquid permeation device 40 may be inserted below the head unit 11 for use.

[0046] 9 and 10 are right side views schematically showing the cleaning liquid permeation device 40. The cleaning liquid permeation device 40 includes a rectangular parallelepiped housing 46 with the longitudinal direction extending in the front-to-rear direction. The portion of the housing 46 that corresponds to the top surface of the rectangular parallelepiped is open. The housing 46 is provided with a payout unit 42, a winding unit 43, a holding member 44, a cleaning liquid supply unit 45, and an elevating device 47.

[0047] [Feeding part, impregnated material] The feeding unit 42 is provided at the front lower part of the housing 46. The feeding unit 42 has a shaft 42S whose axial direction is in the left-right direction. Both left and right ends of the shaft 42S are supported by the housing 46. A strip-shaped impregnated member 41 is wound around the shaft 42S. The impregnated member 41 has multiple layers including a first layer 41A and a second layer 41B, and the first layer 41A contacts the nozzle surface 14F. The first layer 41A is made of a liquid-absorbent material such as fabric or nonwoven fabric. The second layer 41B is made of a liquid-impermeable material such as film or metal foil.

[0048] [Winding section] The winding unit 43 is provided at the rear lower part of the housing 46. The winding unit 43 has a shaft 43S whose axial direction is in the left-right direction. Both left and right ends of the shaft 43S are supported by the housing 46. The impregnated member 41 fed from the feeding unit 42 is wound around the shaft 43S. A driving force is transmitted to the shaft 43S from a drive unit (not shown) equipped with a motor, a reduction gear, etc.

[0049] [Holding member] The holding member 44 is a rectangular parallelepiped member with its longitudinal direction in the front-rear direction. The holding member 44 is disposed between the reeling unit 42 and the winding unit 43 in the front-rear direction, and is disposed above the reeling unit 42 and the winding unit 43 in the up-down direction, and is supported by the housing 46. The holding member 44 holds the impregnated member 41 between the reeling unit 42 and the winding unit 43 in a flat state with a flat surface 44P facing the nozzle surface 14F.

[0050] The plane 44P of the holding member 44 is wider than the region 14R (see FIG. 7) in which the ejection ports 14A (see FIG. 6) of the nozzle surface 14F are provided. Specifically, the length L3 in the front-rear direction of the plane 44P is longer than the length L1 in the front-rear direction of the region 14R. The width W3 in the left-right direction of the plane 44P is wider than the width W1 in the left-right direction of the region 14R.

[0051] 7, the length L3 of the plane 44P in the front-to-rear direction is shorter than the length L2 of the nozzle surface 14F in the front-to-rear direction, but length L3 may be equal to or greater than length L2. Also, in the example of Fig. 7, the width W3 of the plane 44P in the left-to-right direction is greater than the width W2 of the nozzle surface 14F in the left-to-right direction, but width W3 may be equal to or less than width W2.

[0052] The holding member 44 is made of a material that is more flexible than the nozzle surface 14F, such as silicone rubber or urethane foam. Because the holding member 44 is more flexible than the nozzle surface 14F, when the holding member 44 is pressed against the nozzle surface 14F, the holding member 44 elastically deforms, while the nozzle surface 14F does not deform. The holding member 44 is preferably made of a material that does not absorb liquid, but it may also be made of a liquid-absorbent material covered with a liquid-impermeable coating (not shown).

[0053] [Cleaning liquid supply unit] The cleaning liquid supply unit 45 is, for example, a nozzle that ejects cleaning liquid F onto the impregnated member 41. The cleaning liquid supply unit 45 is disposed between the delivery unit 42 and the holding member 44. When the ink is water-based, the cleaning liquid F is mainly composed of water. A surfactant or the like may be added to the cleaning liquid F. The cleaning liquid supply unit 45 may be any unit that supplies the cleaning liquid F to the impregnated member 41. For example, the delivery unit 42 may be configured to be immersed in the cleaning liquid F stored in a liquid tank. Alternatively, the cleaning liquid F may be stored in a roller that is hollow inside and has fine holes, and the cleaning liquid F may be applied to the impregnated member 41 by rubbing the roller against the impregnated member 41.

[0054] [Lifting device] The lifting device 47 raises and lowers the housing 46. For example, a ball screw, a rack and pinion, a timing belt, or the like may be used as the lifting device 47. The lifting device 47 raises and lowers the housing 46 between a contact position where the flat portion of the impregnated member 41 held by the holding member 44 contacts the nozzle surface 14F, and a non-contact position where the flat portion of the impregnated member 41 does not contact the nozzle surface 14F.

[0055] Next, the operation of the cleaning liquid penetration process performed by the cleaning liquid penetration device 40 will be described. As an example, a case will be described in which the cleaning liquid penetration device 40 is configured as a device separate from the inkjet recording apparatus 1. A service technician opens the front door 3D (see FIG. 1) of the inkjet recording apparatus 1, raises the head unit 11 to the retracted position (see FIG. 7(B)), and then inserts the cleaning liquid penetration device 40 below the head unit 11. The operation of the cleaning liquid penetration device 40 described below may be performed by a service technician operating the cleaning liquid penetration device 40, or may be performed by electrically connecting the cleaning liquid penetration device 40 to the inkjet recording apparatus 1 and having the control unit 2 control the cleaning liquid penetration device 40.

[0056] The cleaning liquid permeation device 40 first unrolls the impregnated member 41 by a predetermined length in the non-contact position while supplying the cleaning liquid F from the cleaning liquid supply unit 45 to the impregnated member 41. The predetermined length is, for example, the length over which the leading portion of the impregnated member 41 to which the cleaning liquid F is supplied from the cleaning liquid supply unit 45 reaches the rear end of the flat surface 44P of the holding member 44. This operation results in the cleaning liquid F being impregnated over the entire area of ​​the flat portion of the impregnated member 41 held on the flat surface 44P of the holding member 44.

[0057] Next, the cleaning liquid permeation device 40 uses the elevator device 47 to raise the housing 46 to the contact position, and maintains the state in which the impregnated member 41 is in contact with the nozzle surface 14F for a predetermined period of time. This operation allows the cleaning liquid F to permeate the ink adhering to the nozzle surface 14F. Thereafter, the cleaning liquid permeation device 40 uses the elevator device 47 to lower the housing 46 to the non-contact position.

[0058] Next, the service technician pulls out the cleaning liquid permeation device 40 from the inkjet recording apparatus 1 and closes the front door 3D. Next, the service technician operates the display operation unit 19 to cause the maintenance device 30 to perform the above-mentioned purging process and wiping process. In this way, ink adhering to the nozzle surface 14F is removed.

[0059] The cleaning liquid penetration process may be performed multiple times before the purging process and the wiping process are performed. Furthermore, while the impregnated member 41 is in contact with the nozzle surface 14F, the cleaning liquid F may be supplied to the impregnated member 41 from the cleaning liquid supply unit 45 while the impregnated member 41 is being fed out.

[0060] The cleaning liquid permeation device 40 according to the present embodiment described above includes the impregnated member 41 impregnated with cleaning liquid F, and the holding member 44 that holds the impregnated member 41 flat with a flat surface 44P facing the nozzle surface 14F of the inkjet head 12 and brings the flat portion of the impregnated member 41 into contact with the nozzle surface 14F, the holding member 44 being more flexible than the nozzle surface 14F. With this configuration, the holding member 44 pressed against the nozzle surface 14F elastically deforms, bringing the impregnated member 41 into close contact with the nozzle surface 14F, allowing the cleaning liquid F to efficiently permeate the ink adhered to the nozzle surface 14F. Furthermore, while the holding member 44 elastically deforms, the nozzle surface 14F does not deform, preventing damage to the nozzle surface 14F.

[0061] Furthermore, the cleaning liquid permeation device 40 according to this embodiment includes a liquid-impermeable layer (second layer 41B) between the impregnated member 41 and the holding member 44. This configuration prevents the cleaning liquid F from leaking out of the impregnated member 41.

[0062] Furthermore, according to the cleaning liquid permeation device 40 of this embodiment, the impregnated member 41 has multiple layers including a first layer 41A having liquid-absorbent properties and a second layer 41B that is impermeable to liquids, and the first layer 41A is brought into contact with the nozzle surface 14F. Outflow of the cleaning liquid F from the impregnated member 41 is suppressed.

[0063] Furthermore, in the cleaning liquid permeation device 40 according to this embodiment, the flat surface 44P of the holding member 44 is larger than the region 14R in which the ejection ports 14A of the nozzle surface 14F are provided. With this configuration, the impregnated member 41 impregnated with the cleaning liquid F comes into surface contact with the entire region 14R in which the ejection ports 14A of the nozzle surface 14F are provided, so that the cleaning liquid F can be efficiently permeated into the ink that has adhered to the nozzle surface 14F.

[0064] Furthermore, the inkjet recording apparatus 1 according to the present invention includes a cleaning liquid permeation device 40, the inkjet head 12, and a maintenance device 30 that removes ink that has been permeated with cleaning liquid F by the cleaning liquid permeation device 40 from the nozzle surface 14F of the inkjet head 12. With this configuration, it is possible to suppress degradation of image quality due to ejection defects or clogging of the inkjet head 12.

[0065] The above embodiment may be modified as follows.

[0066] 11 is a right side view schematically showing a cleaning liquid permeation device 40 according to a modified example. In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the holding member 44 was a rectangular parallelepiped member with the longitudinal direction extending in the front-to-rear direction, but the holding member 44 may also be a pair of rollers. Even with this configuration, the impregnated member 41 impregnated with the cleaning liquid F comes into surface contact with the entire region 14R of the nozzle surface 14F where the ejection ports 14A are provided, so that the cleaning liquid F can be efficiently permeated into the ink adhered to the nozzle surface 14F.

[0067] FIG. 12 is a right side view schematically illustrating a cleaning liquid permeation device 40 according to a modified example. In the above embodiment, the impregnated member 41 includes multiple layers, including a first layer 41A and a second layer 41B. However, the impregnated member 41 may be configured as a single layer, and the holding member 44 may include multiple layers, including a first layer 44A and a second layer 44B. In this case, the impregnated member 41 is formed of a liquid-absorbent material, such as fabric or nonwoven fabric. The first layer 44A of the holding member 44 is formed of a liquid-impermeable material, such as a film or metal foil, and the second layer 44B is formed of a material that is more flexible than the nozzle surface 14F, such as silicone rubber or urethane foam. The second layer 44B may also be formed of a liquid-absorbent material. This configuration also prevents the cleaning liquid F from leaking from the impregnated member 41. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 1. Inkjet recording device 12 Inkjet head 14A outlet 14F nozzle surface 14R area 30 Maintenance Equipment 40 Cleaning liquid penetration device 41 Impregnated member 44 Retaining member 44A 1st layer 44B 2nd layer 44P plane 47 Lifting device F cleaning solution

Claims

1. an impregnated member impregnated with a cleaning liquid; a holding member that holds the impregnated member in a planar state with a plane that faces a nozzle surface of an inkjet head and brings a planar portion of the impregnated member into contact with the nozzle surface; The cleaning liquid penetration device is characterized in that the holding member is more flexible than the nozzle surface.

2. 2. The cleaning liquid permeation device according to claim 1, further comprising a liquid-impermeable layer between the impregnated member and the retaining member.

3. the impregnated member comprises a plurality of layers including a first layer having liquid-absorbent properties and a second layer that is impermeable to liquids; 3. The cleaning liquid permeation device according to claim 2, wherein the first layer is in contact with the nozzle surface.

4. 4. The cleaning liquid permeation device according to claim 1, wherein the flat surface of the holding member is wider than an area of ​​the nozzle surface where the ejection ports are provided.

5. The cleaning liquid penetration device according to claim 1; the inkjet head; and a maintenance device that removes the ink that has been permeated with the cleaning liquid by the cleaning liquid permeation device from the nozzle surface of the inkjet head.

Images