Wiper and liquid ejection device

Abstract

To provide a wiper and a liquid discharge device.SOLUTION: A wiper 3 wipes a nozzle surface by a liquid discharge head moving relative to the nozzle surface in a predetermined wiping direction and has an elastic member 13. The elastic member 13 has a main part 13a and a restrained part 13b. The main part 13a has an apical surface facing the nozzle surface during wiping. The restrained part 13b is connected to an opposite side of the apical surface of the main part 13a and restrained by a holding member (for example, a holder 11) for holding the wiper 3. The apical surface of the main part 13a has a flat surface 13c. A length (a width w1) as seen in the wiping direction of the flat surface 13c is longer than a length (a height h1) as seen in a normal direction of the flat surface 13c of the main part 13a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a wiper and a liquid ejection device. [Background technology]

[0002] A liquid ejection head (e.g., an inkjet head) that ejects droplets (e.g., ink droplets) toward a recording medium (e.g., paper) is known. Such a liquid ejection head has, for example, a nozzle surface in which a plurality of nozzle holes that eject droplets are opened. A technique for wiping the nozzle surface by sliding a wiper is also known (for example, Patent Document 1 below). By wiping, for example, solidified ink that has accumulated on the nozzle surface is removed. The solidified ink is generated, for example, when a part of the ink droplets after ejection becomes mist-like and floats up, and the mist-like ink adheres to the nozzle surface and solidifies. By removing the solidified ink, for example, the probability that a part or all of the plurality of nozzle holes are blocked by the solidified ink is reduced. In turn, the ejection characteristics of the liquid ejection head are stabilized. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-334963 A Summary of the Invention

[0004] A wiper according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a wiper that wipes a nozzle face of a liquid ejection head by moving relative to the nozzle face in a predetermined wiping direction, and has an elastic member, the elastic member having a main portion having a tip surface that faces the nozzle face during wiping, and a restrained portion that is connected to the main portion on the opposite side from the tip surface and is restrained by a holding member for holding the wiper, the tip surface having a flat surface, and the length of the flat surface in the wiping direction is longer than the length of the main portion in a direction normal to the flat surface.

[0005] A liquid ejection device according to one aspect of the present disclosure has a drive unit that moves the wiper and the nozzle face relative to each other in the wiping direction while applying pressure to the nozzle face with the entire flat surface of the wiper. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a liquid ejection head and a wiper according to the embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of the wiper of FIG. 1; [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded side view of the wiper shown in FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a side view showing an example of a manner in which a covering member is attached to an elastic member in the wiper of FIG. 1. [Diagram 5] 5(a), 5(b) and 5(c) are schematic diagrams showing examples of woven fabrics that are used as the material for the covering member of the wiper. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a schematic side view showing a wiper 3 according to a modified example. [Figure 7] FIG. 7(a) is a schematic diagram showing a first example of a supply mode of a cleaning liquid, and FIG. 7(b) is a schematic diagram showing a second example of a supply mode of a cleaning liquid. [Figure 8] FIG. 8(a) is a schematic diagram showing a third example of a supply mode of a cleaning liquid, and FIG. 8(b) is a schematic diagram showing a fourth example of a supply mode of a cleaning liquid. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a first example of a wiping operation. [Figure 10] 13 is an example of a flowchart for implementing a second example of a wiping operation. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a wiping device. [Figure 12] 12(a) and 12(b) are schematic diagrams showing a first example of a printer having the wiper of FIG. [Figure 13] 13(a) and 13(b) are schematic diagrams showing a second example of a printer having the wiper of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 14]FIG. 2 is a side view of a third example of a printer having the wiper of FIG. 1; [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a plan view of the printer of FIG. [Figure 16] 15 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a wiping device used in the printer of FIG. 14. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0007] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings are schematic, and the shapes and / or dimensions in the drawings do not necessarily correspond to the actual ones. The shapes and / or dimensions in the drawings may not correspond to each other. In addition, some shapes may be exaggerated, and details may be omitted. However, the actual shapes and / or dimensions may be as shown in the drawings, and features such as the shapes and / or dimensions may be extracted from the drawings.

[0008] (Overview of the embodiment) FIG. 1 is a perspective view that diagrammatically illustrates a liquid ejection head 1 (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as "head 1") and a wiper 3 according to an embodiment.

[0009] FIG. 1 shows a Cartesian coordinate system D1D2D3. The head 1 and wiper 3 may be used in any orientation relative to the vertical direction. In the following explanation, for convenience, it may be assumed that the +D3 side is vertically upward. The Cartesian coordinate system D1D2D3 is fixed relative to the head 1. When referring to the Cartesian coordinate system D1D2D3 in the explanation of the wiper 3, the relationship between the wiper 3 and the Cartesian coordinate system D1D2D3 in the state shown in FIG. 1 is assumed, unless otherwise specified.

[0010] The head 1 has a nozzle surface 7 in which one or more (multiple in the illustrated example) nozzle holes 5 are opened. Droplets (e.g., ink droplets) are ejected to the -D3 side from the multiple nozzle holes 5. This allows printing to be performed, for example, on an object (e.g., a recording medium such as paper) (not shown) located on the -D3 side of the head 1.

[0011] The wiper 3 wipes the nozzle surface 7. This removes, for example, dirt that may clog the nozzle holes 5, stabilizing the ejection characteristics of the head 1. In the illustrated example, more specifically, the wiper 3 performs wiping by moving relative to the nozzle surface 7 in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle surface 7 (direction D1; hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the "wiping direction").

[0012] The wiper 3 has a wiping member 9 that contacts the nozzle surface 7 and directly contributes to wiping, and a holder 11 that holds the wiping member 9. The holder 11 is held, for example, by a wiping device (described later) that moves the head 1 and the wiper 3 relative to each other.

[0013] The wiper 3 does not necessarily have to have the holder 11. The wiping member 9 may be directly held by the wiping device. However, in the description of the embodiment, the wiper 3 has the holder 11. In the embodiment in which the wiper 3 has the holder 11, unlike the description here, only the wiping member 9 may be regarded as the wiper.

[0014] Fig. 2 is a side view of the wiper 3. Note that the shape and dimensions of the cross section (cross section parallel to the D1 direction and the D3 direction) of the wiper 3 may be, for example, approximately constant regardless of the position in the D2 direction. Therefore, Fig. 2 may be considered as a cross-sectional view.

[0015] The wiping member 9 has, for example, an elastic member 13 and a flexible covering member 15 that covers the surface of the elastic member 13. The covering member 15 directly contributes to wiping by contacting the nozzle face 7. The elastic member 13 contributes to generating a pressure suitable for wiping between the nozzle face 7 and the wiping member 9 by, for example, its deformation and restoring force.

[0016] It should be noted that the wiping member does not have to have the covering member 15. For example, the wiping member may be configured only by the elastic member 13, and the elastic member 13 may directly contact the nozzle surface 7. However, in the description of the embodiment, the example in which the wiping member 9 has the covering member 15 is mainly taken as an example, and the description may be made on the premise that the wiping member 9 has the covering member 15 unless otherwise specified.

[0017] In the wiper 3 (or the wiping member 9 or the elastic member 13), the end facing the nozzle surface 7 is referred to as the leading end, and the opposite end is referred to as the rear end. The elastic member 13 has a main portion 13a on the leading end side, and a restrained portion 13b connected to the main portion 13a on the rear end side and restrained by the holder 11.

[0018] The tip surface (reference numeral omitted) of the main portion 13a has a flat surface 13c that faces the nozzle surface 7 during wiping. The length of the flat surface 13c in the wiping direction (direction D1) is referred to as width w1. The length of the flat surface 13c of the main portion 13a in the normal direction (direction D3) is referred to as height h1. In this case, the width w1 is greater than the height h1.

[0019] In such a configuration, for example, it is easy to increase the contact area of ​​the wiping member 9 with the nozzle surface 7 during wiping. Also, for example, it is easy to stably apply a load to the flat surface 13c facing the nozzle surface 7. As a result, for example, it is possible to improve the efficiency of wiping. Also, for example, in a mode in which an elastic member that does not have a flat surface 13c at its tip surface (for example, a semicircular tip surface) is pressed strongly against the nozzle surface 7 to ensure the contact area, the pressure applied to the nozzle surface 7 becomes large, which may remove or deteriorate the water-repellent film on the nozzle surface 7. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the contact area is ensured by the flat surface 13c, so the probability of such inconvenience occurring can be reduced.

[0020] The above is an overview of the wiper 3 according to the embodiment. The embodiment will be described below in brief in the following order. 1. Liquid ejection head 1 2. Liquid ejected from the liquid ejection head 1 3. Wiper 3 3.1. Basic wiping operation 3.2. Elastic member 13 (FIGS. 2 and 3) 3.2.1. Flat surface 13c, width w1 and height h1 of main portion 13a 3.2.2. Supplementary information regarding the shape and dimensions of the elastic member 13 3.2.3.Material of Elastic Member 13 3.3. Covering material 15 3.3.1. Shape and dimensions of the covering member 15 3.3.2.Material of the Covering Member 15 3.3.3. Mounting of Covering Member 15 (FIG. 4) 3.3.4. Specific Examples of Fabric (Covering Member 15) (FIGS. 5(a) to 5(c)) 3.4.Holder 11 3.5.Modified Wiper Designs (Fig. 6) 4. Specific examples of embodiments using cleaning fluid (FIGS. 7 to 10) 5. Aspects in which multiple wipers 3 are used (FIG. 11) 6. Supplementary information regarding wiping operation 7. Various configuration examples of liquid ejection devices (FIGS. 12 to 16) 8. Summary of the embodiment

[0021] (1. Liquid ejection head) 1 may have various specific configurations, or may be the same as a known configuration. Therefore, in the following description, details of the head 1 may be omitted as appropriate.

[0022] The head 1 is included in, for example, an inkjet printer (not shown) that prints on paper. However, the head 1 may be used for other purposes. For example, the head 1 may be held by a robot and used to paint a car body. For the sake of convenience, the following description may be expressed on the assumption that the head 1 is included in an inkjet printer.

[0023] As described above, the head 1 has a nozzle surface 7 in which multiple nozzle holes 5 are opened. The nozzle surface 7 faces the -D3 side. The term nozzle surface 7 may be understood to refer to the entire surface on the -D3 side of the head 1, or may be understood to refer to only the area of ​​the surface on the -D3 side in which the multiple nozzle holes 5 are arranged.

[0024] The nozzle surface 7 is, for example, planar. The planar shape of the nozzle surface 7 is arbitrary. In the illustrated example, the nozzle surface 7 is elongated in the D1 direction. More specifically, the nozzle surface 7 is an approximate rectangle with the D1 direction as the longitudinal direction. The dimensions of the nozzle surface 7 are arbitrary. For example, the length in the D1 direction may be 1 cm or more and 1 m or less, or may be outside this range. Also, for example, the length in the D2 direction (the width of the nozzle surface 7) may be 1 mm or more and 20 cm or less, or may be outside this range. The material of the nozzle surface 7 is arbitrary, and may be, for example, metal or resin. Also, a water-repellent film covering the metal or resin may be provided.

[0025] The shape and dimensions of the nozzle hole 5 are arbitrary. The number and arrangement of the multiple nozzle holes 5 are also arbitrary. For example, the multiple nozzle holes 5 are arranged to form one or more rows (multiple (two) in the illustrated example). The direction in which the rows extend (the direction in which the nozzle holes 5 are arranged in each row) is, for example, along the D1 direction (from another perspective, the longitudinal direction of the nozzle surface 7). The direction in which the rows extend may be parallel to the D1 direction (in the illustrated example), or may be inclined.

[0026] Since the rows are formed by a plurality of nozzle holes 5, a belt-like image having a width in the direction in which the rows extend is formed by ejecting ink droplets from the head 1 while moving the head 1 and the recording medium relatively in a direction intersecting the rows (for example, direction D2). Also, since the nozzle holes 5 are arranged such that the positions of the nozzle holes 5 in the plurality of rows do not overlap each other when viewed in the direction of relative movement between the head 1 and the recording medium (for example, direction D2), dots can be formed on the recording medium at a pitch narrower than the pitch of the nozzle holes 5 in each row.

[0027] The head 1 may be, for example, a piezoelectric type or a thermal type. In a piezoelectric head, pressure is applied to the liquid by a piezoelectric body, causing droplets to be ejected from the nozzle hole 5. In a thermal head, bubbles are formed in the liquid by the heat of a heating element, and droplets are ejected from the nozzle hole 5 by the pressure associated with the formation of the bubbles.

[0028] The head 1 may be, for example, one used in a so-called line printer, or one used in a serial printer.

[0029] The head 1 used in a line printer has a length in the direction D1 that is approximately the entire length (width) of the recording medium. The head 1 ejects ink droplets while moving relative to the recording medium in the direction D2. This forms an image, for example, over almost the entire recording medium. A unit that functions as a line printer head may be configured by arranging a plurality of heads 1. An example of this embodiment will be given later (FIGS. 14 and 15).

[0030] The head 1 used in the serial printer repeats an operation of forming a belt-shaped image by ejecting ink droplets while moving relative to the recording medium in the direction D2, and an operation of moving relative to the recording medium in the direction D1. As a result, a plurality of belt-shaped images are formed in a continuous manner. Eventually, an image is formed over almost the entire recording medium.

[0031] (2. Liquid ejected from the head) The liquid ejected by the head 1 may be, for example, ink. The ink contains, for example, a colorant and a solvent. The colorant may be, for example, a pigment or a dye. The solvent may be, for example, water or an organic solvent. In some technical fields, a distinction is made between ink and paint, but the two are not distinguished in the description of this embodiment.

[0032] Furthermore, the liquid ejected by the head 1 may be something other than ink. For example, the liquid may be a coating agent that does not contain a colorant. The liquid may also be something that is printed on a circuit board to form a conductive layer. The liquid may also be a liquid chemical agent, or a liquid that contains a chemical agent.

[0033] (3. Wiper) (3.1. Basic wiping operations) 1, during wiping, the wiper 3 is disposed with respect to the nozzle surface 7 so that the normal to the flat surface 13c and the normal to the nozzle surface 7 generally coincide with each other. At this time, the wiper 3 contacts the entire nozzle surface 7 in the direction D2 (which may be only the area where the multiple nozzle holes 5 are arranged, as described above). In other words, the flat surface 13c has a length that spans the entire length of the nozzle surface 7 in the direction D2.

[0034] As indicated by the arrow, the wiper 3 moves in the D1 direction relative to the nozzle surface 7. This wipes almost the entire nozzle surface 7. The wiper 3 may perform wiping by moving relatively to the -D1 side with respect to the nozzle surface 7 (example shown), or may perform wiping by moving relatively to the +D1 side with respect to the nozzle surface 7, or may perform both.

[0035] Unlike the illustrated example, the wiper 3 may perform wiping by moving relatively to the nozzle surface 7 in a direction other than the direction D1. Examples of such a direction include the direction D2, and also a direction inclined to the direction D1. Furthermore, the wiper 3 may move relatively to the nozzle surface 7 in an arc (or, more generally, in a curved shape) like a windshield wiper on a car, rather than moving relatively to the nozzle surface 7 in a straight line. The direction of the wiper 3's relative movement to the nozzle surface 7 may be changed to various directions.

[0036] Furthermore, unlike the illustrated example, the wiper 3 may not have a length that covers the nozzle surface 7 in a direction perpendicular to the relative movement with respect to the nozzle surface 7 (direction D2 in the illustrated example) when the nozzle surface 7 is viewed in plan. In this case, the wiper 3 may wipe the entire nozzle surface 7 by moving back and forth while changing its position in the perpendicular direction with respect to the nozzle surface 7. Alternatively, two or more wipers 3 may be used for one head 1. Conversely, when multiple heads 1 are arranged, the wiper 3 may have a size that covers multiple heads 1, thereby wiping multiple nozzle surfaces 7 simultaneously.

[0037] For convenience, in describing the embodiment, an example is taken in which the wiper 3 has a length that covers the entire nozzle surface 7 in the direction D2, and the wiper 3 moves relative to the nozzle surface 7 in the direction D1, as shown in the figure.

[0038] (3.2. Elastic member) (3.2.1. Plane, width and height of main part) 2 has a main portion 13a that is not restrained by the holder 11, and a restrained portion 13b that is restrained by the holder 11, as described above. From another perspective, the elastic member 13 is divided into the main portion 13a and the restrained portion 13b depending on whether it is restrained or not.

[0039] The restraint here means that the relative movement of the elastic member 13 (each part thereof) with respect to the holder 11 in the D1 direction (wiping direction) is restricted. In addition, this restriction restricts the elastic deformation (e.g., bending deformation or shear deformation) of the elastic member 13 (restrained part 13b) in the D1 direction. From another perspective, the restraint here does not necessarily contribute to preventing the elastic member 13 from falling off the holder 11 (although it may of course contribute to this). In addition, the restraint here does not require the restriction of the relative movement of the elastic member 13 (each part thereof) with respect to the holder 11 in directions other than the D1 direction (directions D2 and D3).

[0040] Typically, the elastic member 13 is restrained from both sides in the D1 direction by the holder 11 abutting against it from both sides in the D1 direction (example shown in the figure). When the wiping direction is performed only by movement to one side in the D1 direction, the restraint may be performed only from the other side in the D1 direction. Also, for example, the restraint in the D1 direction may be performed by inserting a part of the holder 11 into a hole formed in the rear end surface (the surface on the -D3 side) of the elastic member 13. Also, for example, it is possible to sandwich the restrained portion 13b from both sides in the D2 direction to substantially restrain it in the D1 direction.

[0041] In the case where the edge of the elastic member 13 on the +D3 side of the range in the D3 direction where restraint is performed is different between the restraint from the +D1 side and the restraint from the -D1 side, the division of the main part 13a and the restrained part 13b may be determined rationally. For example, if wiping is performed only by movement to one side in the D1 direction, the main part 13a and the restrained part 13b may be divided based on the restraint from the other side in the D1 direction. In addition, if wiping is performed for both movement to the +D1 side and movement to the -D1 side, the restraint performed over a range wider toward the +D3 side may be used as the basis.

[0042] In the description of the embodiment, for convenience, an example is taken in which the restrained portion 13b is restrained from both sides in the D1 direction as shown in the figure, and there is no difference between the range restrained from the +D1 side and the range restrained from the -D1 side. Also, expressions based on such an example may be used.

[0043] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the wiper 3. As shown in FIG.

[0044] 2 and 3, the elastic member 13 may be deformed by being restrained by the holder 11. Before deformation, the main portion 13a and the restrained portion 13b may have the same width in the D1 direction near the boundary between them (as shown in the example), or may have different widths. From another perspective, the surfaces of the main portion 13a and the restrained portion 13b that intersect with each other in the D1 direction may be continuous with each other to form a flat surface, or may not be continuous (there may be a step).

[0045] The flat surface 13c does not have, for example, relatively large irregularities formed intentionally. In other words, the flat surface 13c may have relatively small irregularities due to processing accuracy. Also, for example, irregularities may be permitted within a range in which the effect intended in the embodiment can be obtained. The size of such permitted irregularities may be determined rationally. For example, in the description of the embodiment, cloth is given as the material of the covering member 15, but the flat surface 13c may have irregularities of the same roughness as the irregularities of the cloth. Also, for example, the flat surface 13c may have one or more grooves (without regard to depth) in an area of ​​20% or less or 10% or less of its entire area.

[0046] In addition, the flat surface 13c is, for example, substantially planar (not curved) when the elastic member 13 is not deformed (as shown in FIG. 3), and is also substantially planar after the restrained portion 13b is restrained. However, in a case where the flat surface 13c may be significantly curved by restraining the restrained portion 13b, the flat surface 13c before deformation may be curved so as to offset the curvature. Although the flat surface 13c is flat, it is of course acceptable for it to have a curvature due to processing accuracy. In addition, some curvature may be permitted within a range in which the effect intended in the embodiment can be obtained. For example, depending on the material of the elastic member 13, a curvature with a radius of curvature of 2×w1 or more, 5×w1 or more, or 10×w1 or more may exist before and / or after deformation due to restraint.

[0047] The planar shape of the flat surface 13c is, for example, a rectangle having sides parallel to the D1 and D2 directions. However, the planar shape of the flat surface 13c may be a shape other than a rectangle. For example, the edges on both sides of the flat surface 13c in the D2 direction do not have to be straight lines parallel to the D1 direction. In a mode in which the wiper 3 moves to one side in the D1 direction to perform wiping, the edge on the one side of the flat surface 13c may be formed in a wavy shape.

[0048] As described above, the width w1 is greater than the height h1. The ratio and difference between the two are arbitrary. For example, the width w1 may be 1.1 times or more, 1.5 times or more, or 2 times or more, or 10 times or less, 5 times or less, 3 times or less, or 2 times or less, of the height h1. The above lower limit and upper limit may be combined with any combination that is not inconsistent. The ratio between the two may be outside the above range.

[0049] For example, if the flat surface 13c has a slight curve, the width w1 may be the length along the flat surface 13c (in other words, the length of the arc). This is because the length of this arc defines the length in the D1 direction of the region where the nozzle surface 7 and the wiping member 9 contact each other. However, if it is clear that the width w1 is greater than the height h1, it is not necessary to pursue such strictness. In such a case, for example, instead of the length along the flat surface 13c, the length when the flat surface 13c is viewed in plan (the length projected onto the D1 axis) may be used.

[0050] As illustrated in FIG. 2, if the elastic member 13 (main part 13a) has a surface overlapping the +D3 side surface of the holder 11 via the covering member 15, the height h1 may be the length from the overlapping surface to the flat surface 13c. If the elastic member 13 does not have such a surface, or if there is no need to pursue such strictness (for example, if it is clear that the width w1 is larger than the height h1), the height from the edge on the +D3 side of the surface of the holder 11 that is in contact with the wiping member 9 in the D1 direction (the surface that restrains the elastic member 13) to the flat surface 13c may be used as the height h1. If the flat surface 13c is curved, the height h1 to be compared with the width w1 may be the average value of the height h1 over the entire flat surface 13c. Of course, if it is clear that the width w1 is larger than the height h1, such an average value does not need to be specified.

[0051] In comparing the width w1 and the height h1, a unique portion that occupies a relatively small area in the area of ​​the flat surface 13c may be excluded from consideration. For example, when a unique portion exists in the planar shape of the flat surface 13c at both ends of the flat surface 13c in the D2 direction, the portion may be excluded from consideration. A portion located outside the nozzle surface 7 in the D2 direction (which may be only the area where the nozzle hole 5 exists as described above) may also be excluded from consideration. In addition, in a mode in which the width w1 is not constant with respect to the position in the D2 direction over a relatively long range in the D2 direction (for example, the edge of the flat surface 13c on the +D1 side is wavy), the average value of the width w1 may be used. Of course, when it is clear that the width w1 is larger than the height h1, such an average value does not need to be specified.

[0052] As can be understood from the above description of height h1, the main portion 13a may be, for example, a portion from the overlapping surface to the flat surface 13c if the elastic member 13 has a surface that overlaps with the surface on the +D3 side of the holder 11 via the covering member 15. Also, for example, if the elastic member 13 does not have such a surface, the portion from the edge on the +D3 side of the surface of the holder 11 that contacts the wiping member 9 in the D1 direction to the flat surface 13c may be the main portion 13a.

[0053] (3.2.2. Supplementary information regarding the shape and dimensions of elastic members) The elastic member 13 may have various shapes and dimensions, except that it has a flat surface 13c and the width w1 is greater than the height h1. The elastic member 13 constitutes, for example, most (or all) of the wiping member 9. Therefore, the description of the shape and dimensions of the elastic member 13 herein may be applied to the shape and dimensions of the wiping member 9, unless a contradiction arises.

[0054] For example, the size of the elastic member 13 may be set appropriately depending on the size of the head 1 to be wiped, the wiping direction, etc. More specifically, for example, as described above, in this embodiment, the wiper 3 comes into contact with the nozzle surface 7 over the entirety in the D2 direction and wipes in the D1 direction, so the length of the elastic member 13 in the D2 direction is equal to or greater than the length of the nozzle surface 7 in the D2 direction. The length of the elastic member 13 in the D2 direction is, for example, longer than the lengths of the elastic member 13 in other directions.

[0055] Furthermore, for example, the shape of the elastic member 13 before deformation (FIG. 3) may be a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape (illustrated example), or may be another shape. Although not specifically illustrated, other shapes include a shape in which the length of the restrained portion 13b in the D1 direction is shorter or longer than the length of the main portion 13a in the D1 direction.

[0056] The elastic member 13 may have a chamfered corner between the tip surface (surface on the +D3 side) and the side surface (surface on the -D1 side or +D1 side) (as shown in the example), or may not have a chamfered corner. The chamfering may be performed by a curved surface (as shown in the example), or may be performed by a flat surface. The radius of curvature of the curved surface is arbitrary, and may be, for example, 3 mm or more and 7 mm or less, and may be, for example, 5 mm. When the chamfering is performed to such a size, for example, in an embodiment in which the covering member 15 is a flexible sheet (for example, cloth), the likelihood of sagging and wrinkles occurring in the covering member 15 is reduced. In other words, the adhesion of the covering member 15 to the elastic member 13 is improved.

[0057] Although not particularly shown, the elastic member 13 may have a unique shape for various purposes. For example, the restrained portion 13b may have an engaged portion (e.g., a recessed or protruding portion) that engages with the holder 11, and / or a through hole through which a bolt inserted into the holder 11 is inserted. In addition, for example, the elastic member 13 may be located outside the end of the nozzle surface 7 in the D2 direction, and may have an end that has a shape different from the majority of the cross section parallel to the D1 and D3 directions.

[0058] Also, for example, the length of elastic member 13 in the D1 direction (e.g., maximum length; the same applies to other lengths in the following paragraph) may be shorter (in the illustrated example), equal to, or longer than the length of elastic member 13 in the D3 direction. The length of main portion 13a in the D3 direction may be shorter (in the illustrated example), equal to, or longer than the length of restrained portion 13b in the D3 direction. The length of restrained portion 13b in the D1 direction (before deformation) may be shorter, equal to, or longer than the length of restrained portion 13b in the D3 direction (in the example of FIG. 3).

[0059] (3.2.3. Elastic member materials) The material of the elastic member 13 is, for example, an elastomer. The elastomer may be a thermosetting elastomer (so-called rubber) or a thermoplastic elastomer (elastomer in the narrow sense). The thermosetting elastomer may be, for example, vulcanized rubber (rubber in the narrow sense) or a thermosetting resin-based elastomer. The hardness of the elastic member 13 may be appropriately set. For example, the hardness measured by a type A durometer specified in K6253 of the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) may be 30 or more and 80 or less, or 60 or more and 80 or less.

[0060] The elastic member 13 is integrally formed from the same material throughout. However, some components may be different from the components of other portions. For example, the hardness of the restrained portion 13b may be made higher than the hardness of the main portion 13a by two-color molding.

[0061] (3.3. Covering Materials) The covering member 15 may be provided for various purposes and may have a configuration according to the purpose. For example, the covering member 15 may be made of cloth, and the mesh (or fibers or threads) may contribute to scraping off dirt (e.g., solidified ink). Also, for example, the covering member 15 may be made of a liquid-retentive material (e.g., cloth or sponge) and contribute to retaining cleaning liquid. Note that, for convenience, in the description of this embodiment, some expressions are used assuming that the covering member 15 has liquid-retentive properties.

[0062] (3.3.1. Shape and dimensions of covering member) The covering member 15 covers, for example, at least the entire flat surface 13c. However, the covering member 15 may cover only a part of the flat surface 13c. For example, the length of the covering member 15 in the D2 direction may be shorter than the length of the flat surface 13c (or the elastic member 13). Of course, the length of the covering member 15 in the D2 direction may be equal to or longer than the length of the flat surface 13c (or the elastic member 13).

[0063] The covering member 15 may cover the surfaces of the elastic member 13 other than the flat surface 13c (as shown in the example), or may not cover them. In the former embodiment, the covering member 15 may cover, for example, at least the tip surface (surface facing the +D3 side) of the elastic member 13, a part of the tip side (+D3 side) of the surface facing the +D1 side (one side in the wiping direction), and a part of the tip side of the surface facing the -D1 side (the other side in the wiping direction). In the example shown in the figure, the covering member 15 covers the surface of the elastic member 13 over the entire circumference around the D2 axis. The covering member 15 may cover, or may not cover, the surface of the elastic member 13 facing the D2 direction.

[0064] The thickness of the covering member 15 may be set appropriately. Depending on the material of the covering member 15, the thickness may change significantly due to compression during wiping and / or absorption of liquid. In the description of the embodiment, the thickness of the covering member 15 refers to the thickness when no force is applied and when the covering member 15 is dry, unless otherwise specified. In the illustrated example, the thickness of the covering member 15 is constant throughout. However, the thickness of the covering member 15 may vary depending on the position. As an example of a relatively narrow range of the thickness of the covering member 15, a range of 0.1 mm or more and 1 mm or less can be given.

[0065] (3.3.2. Materials of Covering Parts) The material (substrate) of the covering member 15 may be flexible or elastic. In the description of the embodiment, the term flexibility refers to the property of being able to bend with almost no restoring force (elastic force) and does not include elasticity. An example of a flexible material is cloth. Another example of a material that has flexibility or elasticity and liquid retention is a porous body.

[0066] The fabric may be a woven fabric or a nonwoven fabric. To clarify, a woven fabric is produced, for example, by weaving (for example, combining lengthwise and widthwise) fibers or threads made of fibers. The term woven fabric refers to a broad concept including knitting and the like. A nonwoven fabric is produced by bonding or intertwining fibers by thermal treatment, mechanical treatment, and / or chemical treatment and the like. In the woven fabric and nonwoven fabric, the fibers may be natural fibers or chemical fibers (in other words, man-made fibers). An example of a natural fiber is cotton. An example of a chemical fiber is polyester, nylon, acrylic, and polyurethane.

[0067] An example of a porous body is a sponge. The sponge may be a natural sponge or an artificial sponge. An example of a natural sponge is one that uses a marine sponge. An example of an artificial sponge is one that is obtained by foaming a synthetic resin such as polyurethane. The artificial sponge may be one that is made of vulcanized rubber.

[0068] The degree of liquid retention (for example, water retention or water absorption) of the material of the covering member 15 may be set appropriately.

[0069] For example, the ratio of the mass of water that a material can hold to the mass of the material multiplied by 100 is referred to as the water absorption rate or water retention rate (%). This water absorption rate may be measured, for example, by the method for measuring water absorption rate specified in JIS L1907 or the method for measuring water retention rate specified in JIS L1913. In this case, the water absorption rate may be 10% or more, 100% or more, 200% or more, or 300% or more, and may be 1000% or less, or 400% or less. The above lower limit and upper limit may be combined with any combination. The water absorption rate may be outside the above range.

[0070] Also, for example, JIS L1907 specifies the Byreck method, which measures the water absorption rate (mm) based on the length that water is absorbed into a sample of a given size within a given time. The water absorption rate of the material of the covering member 15 measured by this Byreck method may be, for example, 1 mm or more and 200 mm or less, or 5 mm or more and 100 mm or less, or may be outside these ranges.

[0071] The amount of liquid that can be held, which depends on the liquid retention of the material of the covering member 15 and the thickness of the covering member 15, may also be set appropriately. As described above, the thickness of the covering member 15 may be set to any value within a wide range depending on various circumstances, and the amount of liquid that can be held may also be set to any value within a wide range. As an example of a relatively narrow range, the amount of water that the covering member 15 can hold is 100 g / m 2 More than 1000g / m 2 It may be as follows.

[0072] (3.3.3. Mounting of Covering Member) FIG. 4 is a side view (or a cross-sectional view) showing an example of a manner in which the covering member 15 is attached to the elastic member 13. As shown in FIG.

[0073] The upper diagram in Fig. 4 shows the state before installation, and the lower diagram in Fig. 4 shows the state after installation.

[0074] The covering member 15 is made of, for example, a flexible material (for example, cloth). That is, the covering member 15 does not have a specific three-dimensional shape realized by a restoring force. The covering member 15 is then overlaid on the surface of the elastic member 13 and is shaped to reflect the shape of the elastic member 13. In this state, the covering member 15 is fixed to the elastic member 13. When the covering member 15 is fixed to the elastic member 13, the covering member 15 may or may not be under tension. The magnitude of the tension when tension is generated is also arbitrary, and the slackness when tension is not generated is also arbitrary.

[0075] Unlike the above description, the covering member 15 may be made of an elastic material (e.g., an elastic sponge). In this case, for example, the covering member 15 has a shape (e.g., a flat plate shape) that is more expanded than the shape when attached to the elastic member 13 when no restoring force is generated. Then, the covering member 15 is bent so as to conform to the surface shape of the elastic member 13 and is superimposed on the surface of the elastic member 13. In this state, the covering member 15 is fixed to the elastic member 13. The presence or absence of tension is optional, as in the case of flexibility.

[0076] In the illustrated example, the covering member 15 can be considered as being wound around the elastic member 13. When the covering member 15 is expressed as being wound around the elastic member 13, the covering member 15 may be flexible as described above, or may be elastic enough to assume an expanded shape when no restoring force is generated. When the covering member 15 is expressed as being wound around the elastic member 13, for example, the covering member 15 extends over at least a tip surface (reference numerals omitted) including the flat surface 13c, and two surfaces (all of them or parts of the tip surface side) facing the predetermined direction on both sides of a predetermined direction (for example, the D1 direction) relative to the flat surface 13c. In other words, the covering member 15 does not necessarily have to cover the elastic member 13 over the entire circumference around a predetermined axis.

[0077] In the illustrated example, the covering member 15 is wound around the elastic member 13 around the D2 axis. In other words, the covering member 15 is wound around the elastic member 13 at least once. Also, the covering member 15 is wound in a single layer in the region overlapping the flat surface 13c. Unlike the illustrated example, the covering member 15 may be wound around the elastic member 13 in two or more layers in the region overlapping the flat surface 13c. In this case, for example, when the covering member 15 has liquid retention properties, the amount of cleaning liquid that can be retained can be increased.

[0078] The fixing manner for preventing the covering member 15 from falling off the elastic member 13 may be any appropriate manner. For example, the fixing may be such that the covering member 15 can be attached to and detached from the elastic member 13, or may not be such that the fixing manner is possible. Also, the covering member 15 may have the entire portion overlapping the elastic member 13 fixed to the elastic member 13, or only a part of the portion overlapping the elastic member 13 fixed to the elastic member 13. An example of the latter is, for example, a manner in which only a portion (a part or all of it) of the covering member 15 covering the restrained portion 13b is fixed to the elastic member 13. In such a manner, the covering member 15 may or may not be restricted in displacement with respect to the main portion 13a by abutting against the main portion 13a while exerting tension.

[0079] An example of a removable fixing mode is a mode in which the wiping member 9 is sandwiched by the holder 11 so as to press the covering member 15 against the elastic member 13. Also, although not particularly shown, an example is a mode in which the covering member 15 is pressed against the elastic member 13 by a member other than the holder 11. An example of such a member is a combination of a bolt inserted through the covering member 15 and the elastic member 13 and a nut screwed onto the bolt. Another example is an annular member into which the covering member 15 and the elastic member 13 are both press-fitted. In addition, in a state in which the covering member 15 is attached to the elastic member 13, parts of the covering member 15 may be fixed together by a hook-and-loop fastener, a button, a hook, or the like to prevent the covering member 15 from falling off the elastic member 13.

[0080] An example of a fixing mode that cannot be detached is a mode in which an adhesive is interposed between the covering member 15 and the elastic member 13. Another example is a mode in which the covering member 15 and / or the elastic member 13 are melted and joined. Such a fixing mode that cannot be detached may be used in either a mode in which the entire covering member 15 is fixed to the elastic member 13 or a mode in which only a part of the covering member 15 is fixed to the elastic member 13.

[0081] The shape of the elastic member 13 is the same before and after the covering member 15 is attached, for example. However, some elastic deformation may occur due to the force accompanying the attachment of the covering member 15. Examples of the force that causes elastic deformation include the tension of the covering member 15 wrapped around the elastic member 13, the force applied to the elastic member 13 by a member (holder 11 or other member) for attaching the covering member 15 to the elastic member 13, and the force accompanying the hardening shrinkage of the adhesive. It has been mentioned above that when the flat surface 13c may be curved due to the influence of restraint on the restrained portion 13b, the flat surface 13c may have a curved shape that offsets the curvature. The same applies to the curvature caused by the attachment of the covering member 15 as described above.

[0082] The manner in which the covering member 15 is attached to the elastic member 13 may be various manners other than those shown in the drawings. For example, although not particularly shown, the covering member 15 may be made of an elastic material (e.g., a sponge) and may have a shape in a state in which no elastic deformation occurs that is generally the same as the shape after the covering member 15 is attached to the elastic member 13 (e.g., a rectangular parallelepiped shape, or a rectangular parallelepiped shape with one to three faces removed). The covering member 15 may then be attached to the elastic member 13 by covering the elastic member 13. Also, for example, the covering member 15 may be made of cloth and may have a bag-like or bag-like shape. The covering member 15 may then be placed over the elastic member 13.

[0083] (3.3.4. Examples of Fabrics) 5(a) to 5(c) are schematic diagrams showing examples of woven fabrics that are the material of the covering member 15. More specifically, FIG. 5(a) is a plan view showing a so-called plain weave fabric (referred to as "covering member 15A"). FIG. 5(b) is a plan view showing a so-called twill weave fabric (referred to as "covering member 15B"). FIG. 5(c) is a plan view showing a so-called satin weave fabric (referred to as "covering member 15C").

[0084] For convenience, a Cartesian coordinate system D1D2D3 is attached to these figures. The Cartesian coordinate system D1D2D3 may be regarded as being the same as the Cartesian coordinate system D1D2D3 attached to Figures 1 to 4. In this case, Figures 5(a) to 5(c) may be regarded as showing a portion of the covering member 15 that covers the flat surface 13c.

[0085] Each of the covering members 15A to 15C has a plurality of warp threads 17 extending parallel to each other, and a plurality of weft threads 19 extending parallel to each other in a direction generally perpendicular to the plurality of warp threads 17. Note that in the manufacturing process, the weft thread 19 is a single thread throughout the entire fabric, but for convenience, it is considered here as a plurality of threads. The plurality of warp threads 17 and the plurality of weft threads 19 cross each other while switching positions above and below (+D3 side and -D3 side).

[0086] In the covering member 15A illustrated in Fig. 5(a), each warp thread 17 alternates between crossing the +D3 side and crossing the -D3 side with respect to the multiple weft threads 19. Similarly, each weft thread 19 alternates between crossing the +D3 side and crossing the -D3 side with respect to the multiple warp threads 17.

[0087] In the example of Fig. 5(a), the warp thread 17 is thinner than the weft thread 19 when viewed in the D3 direction. However, they may have the same width, or, conversely to the example shown, the weft thread 19 may be thinner than the warp thread 17. Similarly, in other examples, the warp thread 17 and the weft thread 19 may have the same width (Figs. 5(b) and 5(c)), or one may be thinner than the other.

[0088] 5(b), each warp thread 17 repeatedly passes through the +D3 side of two (or three) weft threads 19 and then passes through the -D3 side of one weft thread 19. On the other hand, each weft thread 19 repeatedly passes through the -D3 side of two (or three) warp threads 17 and then passes through the +D3 side of one warp thread 17.

[0089] In the covering member 15C illustrated in Fig. 5(c), there are few intersections between the warp threads 17 and the weft threads 19, and many of the warp threads 17 (or the weft threads 19) appear on the +D3 side. Specifically, in the illustrated example, each warp thread 17 passes through the +D3 side of four weft threads 19, and then passes through the -D3 side of one weft thread 19, repeatedly. Meanwhile, each weft thread 19 passes through the -D3 side of four warp threads 17, and then passes through the +D3 side of one warp thread 17, repeatedly.

[0090] The orientation of the weave with respect to the elastic member 13 is arbitrary. For example, in the covering members 15B and 15C (FIGS. 5(b) and 5(c)), the warp threads 17 appear more on the front side of the paper than the weft threads 19. In such a case, as shown by the Cartesian coordinate system D1D2D3 attached to these figures, the covering members 15B and 15C may be arranged so that the surface on the front side of the paper is the outside (+D3 side, the side in contact with the nozzle surface 7) of the wiping member 9 in the portion covering the flat surface 13c, and the warp threads 17 are approximately perpendicular to the wiping direction (D1 direction). With such an arrangement, for example, the efficiency of scraping off dirt by the threads (or fibers) is improved.

[0091] Although not shown, in covering members 15B and 15C, the weft threads 19 appear more toward the rear of the page than the warp threads 17. Therefore, contrary to the above description, covering members 15B and 15C may be arranged such that the surface toward the rear of the page in the portion covering flat surface 13c is the outer side of wiping member 9 (+D3 side, the side in contact with nozzle surface 7) and the weft threads 19 are approximately perpendicular to the wiping direction (D1 direction). In this case as well, for example, the efficiency of scraping off dirt by threads (or fibers) is improved.

[0092] Furthermore, unlike the above description, the covering members 15B and 15C may be arranged such that the yarns appearing more on the +D3 side in the portion covering the flat surface 13c are not perpendicular to the wiping direction (for example, parallel to the wiping direction). Also, for example, even in the covering member 15 having an aspect in which neither the warp yarns 17 nor the weft yarns 19 appear more in the portion covering the flat surface 13c, the orientation of the weave relative to the elastic member 13 is arbitrary.

[0093] Which of the warp yarns 17 and the weft yarns 19 is more prominent may be determined, for example, by comparing the sum of the lengths of each yarn per unit area when the flat surface 13c is viewed from the outside (+D3 side). That is, in light of the effect of scraping off dirt by the yarns crossing the wiping direction, the determination may be made by the length of the yarns, not the area of ​​the yarns. The length here may be, for example, the length visible from the outside and projected onto the D1-D2 plane (the length ignoring the effect of the D3 direction). More specifically, the sum of the lengths per unit area may be the sum of the lengths of the yarns within a square (or circle) of any size having one side in the wiping direction (D1 direction). The length of one side of the square (or the diameter of the circle) may be, for example, larger than the unit of repeating weave, and more specifically, may be equal to the width w1 of the flat surface 13c.

[0094] The effect of scraping off dirt by the threads intersecting the wiping direction (D1 direction) is considered to be maximum when the direction in which the threads that appear more on the nozzle surface 7 side (+D3 side) on the flat surface 13c extend (referred to as the "first direction" in this paragraph) is perpendicular to the wiping direction. However, the first direction does not necessarily have to be perpendicular to the wiping direction. For example, the first direction may be within ±30° or ±10° of the direction perpendicular to the wiping direction. Even in this case, the effect of scraping off dirt is easier to obtain compared to when the first direction is parallel to the wiping direction. Note that the direction in which the threads extend (such as the first direction) is, of course, not the direction in which an extremely small part of the thread is viewed, but the average direction when the thread is viewed macroscopically to some extent (for example, across the width of the flat surface 13c).

[0095] The above is not limited to the weave illustrated in the figure, and is similar to other weaves. For example, the weave may be a twill weave. In a twill weave, multiple warp threads and multiple weft threads are combined so that a weft thread passes between two twisted warp threads. Depending on the thickness of the warp threads and weft threads, the spacing between the warp threads, and the spacing between the weft threads, for example, a relatively large number of warp threads may appear on both the front and back sides (the +D3 side and the -D3 side).

[0096] (3.4. Holder) 2 and 3 may have various configurations as long as it is capable of holding the wiping member 9. The illustrated examples are as follows.

[0097] The holder 11 is made of a hard material such as metal, resin, or ceramic. The holder 11 has, for example, a restraining portion 11c and a held portion 11d. The restraining portion 11c holds (restrains) the wiping member 9 (restricted portion 13b). The held portion 11d is held by a wiping device (described later) that moves the head 1 and the wiper 3 relative to each other. The held portion 11d is located on the rear end side (-D3 side) of the restraining portion 11c.

[0098] As can be understood from the above description of the restrained portion 13b of the elastic member 13, the restraining portion 11c may hold the wiping member 9 appropriately. For example, the holder 11 may include two divided members 11a obtained by dividing the holder 11 in the wiping direction (D1 direction). The two divided members 11a may be fixed to each other so as to sandwich the wiping member 9 therebetween, so that the wiping member 9 is held by the restraining portion 11c. The two may be fixed to each other by, for example, a bolt that is inserted through the two divided members 11a while avoiding the wiping member 9, and a nut that is screwed onto the bolt, although not particularly shown. The bolt may be inserted into the wiping member 9, unlike the above description. The restraining portion 11c may have a length equal to that of the wiping member 9 in the D2 direction. The corner of the restraining portion 11c between the surface that abuts against the wiping member 9 from the -D1 side or the +D1 side (the inner surface of the recess of the restraining portion 11c) and the surface on the +D3 side may be chamfered by a curved surface, unlike the example shown in the figure.

[0099] The shape, size, etc. of the held portion 11d may be appropriately set according to the manner in which the held portion 11d is held by a wiping device (described later) that moves the head 1 and the wiper 3 relatively. In the illustrated example, the held portion 11d has a length in the D1 direction smaller than that of the restraining portion 11c. This portion is, for example, sandwiched and held (grasped) in the D1 direction by the wiping device.

[0100] (3.5. Wiper Modifications) FIG. 6 is a schematic side view (which may be considered as a cross-sectional view) showing a wiper 3A according to a modified example.

[0101] The wiper 3A has a plurality of (four in the illustrated example) wiping members 9 (from another point of view, elastic members 13 or main portions 13a) arranged in the wiping direction. The plurality of wiping members 9 are held together by a holder 11A, which is a modified example of the holder 11. In other words, the plurality of wiping members 9 are fixed to each other by the holder 11A. Unlike the illustrated example, the plurality of wiping members may be fixed to each other by at least the elastic members being integrally formed. That is, the elastic member of the wiper 3A may have a base and a plurality of protruding portions (e.g., main portions) protruding from the surface on the +D3 side of the base, and the plurality of wiping members may be constituted by the plurality of protruding portions.

[0102] In the illustrated example, the multiple wiping members 9 are similar to the wiping members 9 described above. As described above, the wiping members may be composed only of the elastic member 13. The number of wiping members 9 is arbitrary, and may be two, three, five or more than four, unlike the illustrated example.

[0103] The multiple wiping members 9 may have the same configuration, or at least some of the wiping members 9 may have a different configuration from the other wiping members 9. In the latter embodiment, the differences between the wiping members 9 include, for example, at least one of the following: the presence or absence of a covering member 15, the material (substance) and thickness of the covering member 15, and the material (hardness), shape, and dimensions (for example, the length in the D1 direction and / or the length in the D3 direction) of the elastic member 13. For example, the covering member 15 of the wiping member 9 that is the foremost during wiping may have a higher liquid retention than the other wiping members 9. Also, for example, the covering member 15 of the wiping member 9 that is the second or subsequent wiping members 9 during wiping may have a relatively higher effect of scraping off dirt than the covering member 15 of the wiping member 9 that is the foremost.

[0104] The pitch of the multiple wiping members 9 (for example, the distance between the centers of the flat surface 13c in the D1 direction) is arbitrary. For example, the pitch may be smaller than, equal to, or larger than twice the length of the flat surface 13c in the D2 direction. In an embodiment in which the number of wiping members 9 is three or more, the pitch may be constant, or at least some of the pitches may be different from the other pitches. Similarly, the size of the interval (size of the gap) between the multiple wiping members 9 is arbitrary. For example, the interval may be smaller than, equal to, or larger than the length of the flat surface 13c in the D2 direction. In an embodiment in which the number of wiping members 9 is three or more, the interval may be constant, or at least some of the intervals may be different from the other intervals.

[0105] (4. Specific Examples of Use of Cleaning Fluid) As mentioned above, a cleaning liquid may be used during wiping. Specific examples of the use of a cleaning liquid will be described below in the following order. 4.1.Ingredients of cleaning solution 4.2.How cleaning solution is supplied 4.2.1. First example of supply mode 4.2.2. Second example of supply mode 4.2.3. Third example of supply mode 4.2.4. Fourth example of supply mode 4.3. Example of wiping action when using cleaning fluid 4.3.1. First example of wiping operation 4.3.2. Second example of wiping operation

[0106] (4.1. Ingredients of cleaning solution) The cleaning liquid (component) may be in various forms, and may be in a form similar to a known form, for example. Examples of the cleaning liquid include a soluble cleaning liquid. Examples of the soluble cleaning liquid include a solvent that dissolves a solidifying component contained in the liquid discharged by the liquid discharge head 1, or a liquid (e.g., aqueous) containing the solvent. Examples of the solidifying component include a resin contained in the ink. Examples of the solvent include a solvent that is the same as or similar to the solvent of the liquid discharged by the head 1. From another perspective, the cleaning liquid may be the same as or similar to the liquid discharged by the head 1, except that it does not contain a colorant. For example, the cleaning liquid may be water or an organic solvent. The cleaning liquid (e.g., a soluble cleaning liquid) may contain a surfactant, a preservative, a fungicide, etc., as a component that may or may not be contained in the liquid discharged by the head 1.

[0107] (4.2. Supply of cleaning liquid) The cleaning liquid may be supplied in various ways, some examples of which are given below.

[0108] (4.2.1. First example of supply mode) FIG. 7(a) is a schematic diagram showing a first example of a supply mode of the cleaning liquid Lq.

[0109] In this example, the cleaning liquid Lq is supplied to the wiper 3 by the shower 23. Specifically, for example, a liquid discharge device including the head 1 has, in addition to the shower 23, a tank 25 that stores the cleaning liquid Lq, and a pump 27 that sends the cleaning liquid Lq from the tank 25 to the shower 23. These specific configurations may be any appropriate configuration. The combination of the shower 23 and the pump 27 may be regarded as a cleaning liquid supply unit 35A that supplies the cleaning liquid Lq to the wiper 3.

[0110] The relative movement of the shower 23 to a relative position where the cleaning liquid Lq can be supplied to the wiper 3 by the shower 23 is achieved by movement of the shower 23 and / or the wiper 3. The movement of the wiper 3 to supply the cleaning liquid Lq may be performed, for example, by a wiper drive mechanism 29 that moves the wiper 3 relative to the nozzle surface 7 for wiping, or by a drive mechanism that moves the entire wiping device, which will be described later, or by both.

[0111] (4.2.2. Second example of supply mode) FIG. 7(b) is a schematic diagram showing a second example of the supply mode of the cleaning liquid Lq.

[0112] In this example, the wiper 3 is immersed in the cleaning liquid Lq stored in the tank 25, whereby the cleaning liquid Lq is supplied to the wiper 3. The specific configuration of the tank 25 may be any appropriate one. The relative movement of the wiper 3 and the tank 25 for dipping the wiper 3 in the cleaning liquid Lq is realized by the movement of the wiper 3 and / or the tank 25. The movement of the wiper 3 for supplying the cleaning liquid Lq may be performed, for example, by a wiper drive mechanism 29 that moves the wiper 3 relative to the nozzle surface 7 for wiping, or by a drive mechanism that moves the entire wiping device, which will be described later, or by both. The tank 25 and the mechanism that realizes the above-mentioned relative movement may be regarded as a cleaning liquid supply unit 35B that supplies the cleaning liquid Lq to the wiper 3.

[0113] (4.2.3. Third example of supply mode) FIG. 8(a) is a schematic diagram showing a third example of a supply mode of the cleaning liquid.

[0114] In this example, cleaning liquid Lq is supplied to the nozzle surface 7. More specifically, the cleaning liquid Lq is supplied via a flow path 31 provided in the head 1 or a member that can be considered to be a part of the head 1. The flow path 31 opens to the nozzle surface 7 or a surface connected to the nozzle surface 7. The wiper 3 holds the cleaning liquid Lq supplied to the nozzle surface 7 when it is driven by the wiper drive mechanism 29 to start wiping.

[0115] (4.2.4. Fourth example of supply mode) FIG. 8(b) is a schematic diagram showing a fourth example of the manner in which the cleaning liquid is supplied.

[0116] In this example, cleaning is provided by spraying the cleaning liquid Lq from the nozzle 33 in a mist form onto the nozzle surface 7. The nozzle 33 that sprays the cleaning liquid Lq may have various configurations. The nozzle 33 may be capable of simultaneously spraying the cleaning liquid Lq over the entire surface of the nozzle surface 7, or may be capable of spraying the cleaning liquid Lq over an area smaller than the area of ​​the nozzle surface 7 and spraying the cleaning liquid Lq over the entire nozzle surface 7 by moving relative to the nozzle surface 7. The relative movement in the latter embodiment is realized by the movement of the nozzle 33 and / or the head 1. The movement of the head 1 may be performed, for example, by a mechanism that drives the head 1 for wiping, or by a driving mechanism that moves the head 1 to a wiping device, which will be described later, or by both. The combination of the nozzle 33 and the pump 27 that sends the cleaning liquid Lq to the nozzle 33 may be regarded as a spray device 35D that sprays the cleaning liquid toward the nozzle surface 7.

[0117] (4.3. Example of wiping operation when using cleaning fluid) The basic wiping operation has already been described. In addition, when a cleaning liquid is used, an operation for performing wiping more effectively may be performed. An example is shown below.

[0118] (4.3.1. First example of wiping operation) FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the wiping operation in an embodiment in which cleaning liquid is supplied to the wiper 3 prior to wiping (eg, FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b)).

[0119] The top diagram shows the state after cleaning liquid has been supplied to the wiper 3 and immediately before the first wiping. The middle diagram shows the state immediately after the first wiping has been performed. The bottom diagram shows the state immediately before the second wiping. No operation is performed to eject droplets from the nozzle surface 7 between the first and second wipings. In this way, after cleaning liquid is supplied to the wiper 3, wiping may be performed at least two times on the same area of ​​the nozzle surface 7 (for example, the entire nozzle surface 7).

[0120] In this case, as shown in the middle diagram of FIG. 9, the first wiping supplies cleaning liquid Lq to the nozzle surface 7. This reduces the adhesive strength of the ink that has adhered to the nozzle surface 7. As a result, the effectiveness of removing the adhered ink by the second and subsequent wipings is improved. Note that the combination of applying cleaning liquid and wiping two or more times may be performed on the entire nozzle surface 7 (as in the illustrated example), or may be performed sequentially on multiple regions that are obtained by dividing the nozzle surface 7.

[0121] The relative speed V1 of the wiper 3 to the head 1 in the first wiping may be slower than the relative speed V2 of the wiper 3 to the head 1 in the second (or subsequent) wiping. In this case, for example, in the first wiping, it becomes easier for cleaning liquid to penetrate between the solidified ink and the nozzle surface 7. On the other hand, in the second wiping, a strong stress is applied to the solidified ink, improving the removal rate.

[0122] When the speed V1 is slower than the speed V2 as described above, the specific values ​​(absolute values) of the two and the difference or ratio between them may be set appropriately. For example, the speed V2 may be 1.1 times or more, 1.5 times or more, or 2 times or more than the speed V1. An example of the speeds may be V1=5 mm / s and V2=10 mm / s.

[0123] The direction of the first wiping and the direction of the second wiping may be the same (as in the illustrated example) or may be opposite to each other. However, if they are the same direction, the likelihood that dirt that has adhered to the +D3 side and the moving direction of the wiper 3 (the -D1 side in the illustrated example) during the first wiping will adhere to the nozzle surface 7 during the second wiping is reduced.

[0124] Between the first wiping and the second wiping, a cleaning liquid may be further supplied to the wiper 3. This supply of cleaning liquid may or may not serve as cleaning of the wiper 3. Furthermore, between the first wiping and the second wiping, cleaning of the wiper 3 may be performed separately from the supply of cleaning liquid.

[0125] Just to be clear, unlike the illustrated example, wiping may be performed only once. That is, after one wiping is performed, the next wiping may be performed under the condition that the liquid ejection operation has been performed at least once. In addition, in a mode in which two wipings are performed consecutively as in the illustrated example, the speeds V1 and V2 may be the same, or the speed V1 may be faster than the speed V2.

[0126] (4.3.2. Second example of wiping operation) In a second example of the wiping operation, cleaning liquid is sprayed onto the nozzle surface 7 as illustrated in Fig. 8(b). Next, the nozzle surface 7 is left without being wiped until a predetermined leaving time has elapsed. After that, wiping is performed.

[0127] During the time period in which the liquid is left unattended, for example, the cleaning liquid penetrates between the solidified ink and the nozzle surface 7. This improves the rate at which the solidified ink is removed. The above-mentioned time period in which the liquid is left unattended may be set appropriately depending on the components of the liquid ejected by the liquid ejection device and the components of the cleaning liquid, etc. For example, the time period in which the liquid is left unattended may be set to 10 seconds or more, or 30 seconds or more.

[0128] 10 is a flow chart showing an example of a predetermined procedure executed by a liquid ejection device (more specifically, a control device) including the head 1 to realize the above operation. Note that a part of the procedure shown here may be realized by a user's operation on an input device of the liquid ejection device. This process is started, for example, when a user instructs the liquid ejection device to print a set number of times (one or more times).

[0129] In step ST1, the control device controls each part of the liquid ejection device to perform printing, that is, liquid is ejected from the head 1.

[0130] In step ST2, the control device determines whether the conditions for wiping are satisfied. If the determination is affirmative, the control device proceeds to step ST3, and if the determination is negative, the control device proceeds to step ST6. The conditions may be appropriately selected from the examples given in the following description ("6. Supplementary information regarding wiping operation").

[0131] In step ST3, the control device controls each part of the liquid ejection device so as to spray the cleaning liquid toward the nozzle surface .

[0132] In step ST4, the control device determines whether or not a predetermined unused time has elapsed. If the determination is affirmative, the control device proceeds to step ST5, and if the determination is negative, the control device repeats step ST4 (standby).

[0133] In step ST5, the control device controls each part of the liquid ejection device to perform wiping.

[0134] In step ST6, the control device judges whether or not a termination condition for stopping the operation of the liquid ejection device is satisfied. If the determination is affirmative, the control device terminates the illustrated process, and if the determination is negative, the control device returns to step ST1. The termination condition may be any appropriate one. For example, the termination condition may be that the number of times printing has been completed is set by the user when the illustrated process is started.

[0135] (5. Use of multiple wipers) A liquid ejection device including the head 1 may selectively use multiple wipers 3 (or other wipers) of different types. The different features between the multiple wipers 3 of different types include, for example, at least one of the following: the presence or absence of a covering member 15, the material (substance) and thickness of the covering member 15, and the material (hardness), shape, and dimensions (for example, the length in the D1 direction and / or the length in the D3 direction) of the elastic member 13.

[0136] For example, a wiper including a wiping member made only of an elastic member 13 (hereinafter referred to as "wiper 3B") can be washed and reused. On the other hand, a wiper 3 having a covering member 15 (e.g., cloth) can be washed and reused fewer times than wiper 3B, or cannot be reused at all. Thus, for example, wiper 3B is used when ink adhering to the nozzle surface 7 is not sufficiently dry and the ink is easy to remove. On the other hand, when the ink has dried and solidified, wiper 3 is used together with a cleaning liquid. Such an operation may be performed.

[0137] The wiper 3 (and 3B) may be replaced manually or by the liquid ejection device. In the latter embodiment, the time to replace the wiper may be when a predetermined operation is performed on an operation unit (not shown) of the liquid ejection device, or when a control device of the liquid ejection device determines that a predetermined replacement condition is satisfied. Regarding the above replacement condition, the conditions (time) for wiping may be replaced with the replacement condition, and the explanation of the conditions for wiping in the following explanation ("6. Supplementary information regarding wiping operation") may be appropriately used.

[0138] The liquid ejection device may have various configurations in the mode in which the wiper 3 is replaced by the liquid ejection device. An example will be described below.

[0139] 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a wiping device 45A that selectively holds one wiper 3 from among a plurality of wipers 3 and performs wiping. The wiping device 45A is included in a liquid ejection device having a head 1.

[0140] The wiping device 45A has, for example, a drive unit 37 that holds the wiper 3 (or 3B) and moves the wiper 3 relative to the nozzle surface 7 in the wiping direction (direction D1). In the illustrated example, the drive unit 37 includes an arm 39 that holds the wiper 3.

[0141] The arm 39 selectively holds one of the wiper 3 (including the covering member 15) and the wiper 3B (not including the covering member 15) from a waiting section 41 (e.g., a container) where unused wipers 3 wait. In the figure, the wiper 3B is held. The arm 39 presses the held wiper 3 against the head 1. Wiping is performed by translating the head 1 and / or the arm 39 in the D1 direction.

[0142] Thereafter, for example, when it is time to replace the wiper used for wiping, wiping device 45A returns the wiper it is holding to standby unit 41 and holds another wiper. Then, wiping is performed using the newly held wiper.

[0143] The arm 39 has at its tip a holding portion 39a that holds and releases the wiper 3. In the illustrated example, the holding portion 39a is configured by a gripper that grips the held portion 11d of the holder 11. Alternatively, the holding portion 39a may have various mechanisms for the spindle of a machine tool to hold a tool, or may use an electromagnet. The operation of the holding portion 39a is controlled by a control device 51, which will be described later.

[0144] (6. Supplementary information regarding wiping operation) The timing (conditions) for wiping may be any appropriate timing. For example, wiping may be performed when a predetermined operation is performed on an operation unit (not shown) of the liquid ejection device. Wiping may also be performed when a control device of the liquid ejection device determines that the time to perform wiping has arrived (the conditions for performing wiping have been met). The timing may be, for example, when the liquid ejection device starts operating, when printing starts, and / or when printing has been performed for a predetermined length of time (or number of times). The control device may determine whether or not to perform wiping based on information on the state (e.g., dirt) of the nozzle surface 7. The information on the nozzle surface 7 may be obtained, for example, by an imager that captures the nozzle surface 7, or a scanner that scans a printed image (if the image quality is degraded, it can be determined that wiping is necessary).

[0145] 10 shows an example in which the conditions for wiping in step ST2 are determined after printing in step ST1. However, as will be understood from the above, the determination as to whether or not to perform wiping may be made before printing (wiping may be performed before printing). Also, as already mentioned, the above explanation of the timing for performing wiping may be applied to the timing for replacing the wiper 3 with a different type of wiper.

[0146] Wiping may be performed without supplying cleaning liquid. For example, wiping may be performed without cleaning liquid after printing. In this case, for example, ink adhering to the nozzle surface 7 during printing is wiped off by the wiper 3. Also, wiping may be performed without cleaning liquid after so-called capping cleaning.

[0147] Cleaning by capping is performed, for example, as follows. First, a cap (not shown) is placed over the nozzle surface 7 (this is called capping), creating a substantially sealed space between the nozzle surface 7 and the cap. In this state, liquid is repeatedly ejected from the head 1 to remove liquid and / or foreign matter that has become more viscous than in a standard state and that has been clogged in the nozzle holes 5. The cap may then be removed and wiping may be performed.

[0148] The wiper 3 may be washed as appropriate. As already mentioned, the supply of the cleaning liquid to the wiper 3 (for example, FIG. 7(a) and FIG. 7(b)) may also serve as the cleaning of the wiper 3. Two or more of the supply modes of the cleaning liquid illustrated in FIG. 7(a) to FIG. 8(b) may be combined. One of the two or more combined supply modes may mainly contribute to the cleaning of the wiper 3, and the other may mainly contribute to the supply of the cleaning liquid. The types (components) of the cleaning liquid used in the two or more combined supply modes may be the same or different from each other.

[0149] The operation of supplying cleaning liquid to the nozzle surface 7, leaving it thereon, and then performing wiping (FIG. 10) may be applied to a cleaning liquid supply mode other than the mode in which cleaning liquid is sprayed onto the nozzle surface 7. For example, in the operation of performing two wipings shown in FIG. 9, after the first wiping, the nozzle surface 7 may be left to stand for a predetermined time (e.g., 10 seconds or more or 30 seconds or more), and then the second wiping may be performed.

[0150] (7. Various configuration examples of liquid ejection devices) As mentioned in the description of the head 1, the wiper 3 may be used in printers of various types. Below, examples of printer configurations are roughly shown in the following order. 7.1. First example of printer configuration 7.2. Second example of printer configuration 7.3. Third example of printer configuration

[0151] (7.1. First example of printer configuration) Figures 12(a) and 12(b) are schematic diagrams showing a printer 43A having a wiper 3. Figure 12(a) shows a state in which printing is being performed, and Figure 12(b) shows a state in which wiping is being performed.

[0152] The printer 43A has a head 1 and a transport unit 47 that transports a recording medium (for example, print paper P). Here, the printer 43A is assumed to be a line printer that prints on print paper P transported in the D2 direction (a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the head 1). The transport unit 47 is shown diagrammatically to have rollers 47b that transport the print paper P made of roll paper.

[0153] The printer 43A also has a wiping device 45B. The wiping device 45B has, for example, a wiper drive mechanism 29 that drives the wiper 3 for wiping. The wiper drive mechanism 29 may include, for example, a rotary electric motor or a linear motor. The wiping device 45B may also have a container or the like that contains the scattering and / or dropping cleaning liquid.

[0154] 12(a), during printing, the head 1 faces the print paper P being transported by the transport section 47. This makes it possible to eject ink droplets from the head 1 and perform printing.

[0155] 12(b), during wiping, the head 1 is transported to the position of the wiping device 45B by the head drive mechanism 49. This allows wiping to be performed. The wiping device 45B may be located in either direction relative to the transport section 47.

[0156] The head driving mechanism 49 may include, for example, a rotary electric motor or a linear motor. In the illustrated example, the relative movement between the head 1 and the recording medium is realized by conveying the recording medium by the conveying unit 47. However, the relative movement between the head 1 and the recording medium may be realized in whole or in part by the movement of the head 1. In this case, the driving mechanism responsible for the relative movement of the recording medium with respect to the head 1 may also serve as the head driving mechanism 49 that moves the head 1 to the position of the wiping device 45B.

[0157] The head drive mechanism 49, wiper drive mechanism 29, and other components may be controlled by a control device 51. The control device 51 may be configured, for example, by a computer. The computer is configured, for example, although not particularly shown, to include a central processing unit (CPU), read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), and an external storage device. The CPU executes programs stored in the ROM and / or the external storage device to configure various functional units that perform control and the like.

[0158] (7.2. Second example of printer configuration) Figures 13(a) and 13(b) are schematic diagrams showing a printer 43B, which is another example having a wiper 3. Figure 13(a) shows a state in which printing is being performed, and Figure 13(b) shows a state in which wiping is being performed.

[0159] In the printer 43A, the head 1 moves to switch between a printing state and a wiping state. On the other hand, in the printer 43B, the conveying section 47 and the wiping device 45B move to switch between the printing state and the wiping state. Specifically, the conveying section 47 is moved by the conveying section drive mechanism 53 from a position facing the head 1 (FIG. 13(a)) to a position away from the head 1 (FIG. 13(b)). Also, the wiping device 45B is moved by the wiping device drive mechanism 55 from a position away from the head 1 (FIG. 13(a)) to a position facing the head 1 (FIG. 13(b)). Note that the conveying section 47 may be located in either direction with respect to the head 1 when it is away from the head 1.

[0160] The conveying section driving mechanism 53 may include, for example, a rotary electric motor or a linear motor. Similarly, the wiping device driving mechanism 55 may include, for example, a rotary electric motor or a linear motor. The operations of these mechanisms are controlled by the control device 51.

[0161] In the explanation so far, the relative movement between the head 1 and the wiper 3 during wiping is realized by driving the wiper 3 by the wiper drive mechanism 29. However, although not particularly shown, at least a part of the relative movement between the head 1 and the wiper 3 may be realized by moving the head 1. As the mechanism for driving the head 1 in this case, a mechanism for relatively moving the head 1 and the recording medium for printing may be used, or the head drive mechanism 49 shown in FIG. 12(b) may be used.

[0162] (7.3. Third example of printer configuration) In the third example, a more specific example of the printer configuration will be described than in the first and second examples. First, the configuration excluding the configuration related to wiping will be described. Next, the configuration related to wiping will be illustrated.

[0163] Fig. 14 is a schematic side view of the printer 43C, and Fig. 15 is a schematic plan view of the printer 43C.

[0164] In these figures, an orthogonal coordinate system D1D2D3 defined for the head 1 is provided. As will be understood from the description below, the printer 43C has multiple heads 1. The multiple heads 1 have slightly different orientations from each other. Therefore, the orthogonal coordinate system D1D2D3 is provided without regard to strictness.

[0165] The printer 43C is configured as a line printer that prints on the printing paper P by ejecting ink droplets using the head 1, whose movement is restricted, while transporting the printing paper P in the D2 direction (the short side direction of the head 1). More specifically, the printer 43C moves the printing paper P relatively to the head 1 by transporting the printing paper P from the paper feed roller 80A to the recovery roller 80B. The paper feed roller 80A and the recovery roller 80B, as well as various rollers described below, constitute a moving unit 85 that moves the printing paper P and the head 1 relatively. The control device 51 controls the head 1 based on print data, which is data for images and / or characters, to eject liquid toward the printing paper P and land droplets on the printing paper P to perform recording, such as printing, on the printing paper P.

[0166] The printer 43C has four flat head mounting frames 70 (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as frames) that are approximately parallel to the printing paper P. Each frame 70 has five holes (not shown), and five heads 1 are mounted in each of the holes. The five heads 1 mounted on one frame 70 constitute one head group 72. The printer 43C has four head groups 72, and a total of 20 heads 1 are mounted.

[0167] The head 1 mounted on the frame 70 is arranged so that the nozzle surface 7 (the surface on the -D3 side) faces the printing paper P. The distance between the head 1 and the printing paper P is, for example, about 0.5 to 20 mm.

[0168] The 20 heads 1 may be directly connected to the control device 51, or may be connected to the control device 51 via a distribution unit that distributes the print data. For example, the control device 51 may send the print data to one distribution unit, and the one distribution unit may distribute the print data to the 20 heads 1. Also, for example, the control device 51 may distribute the print data to four distribution units corresponding to the four head groups 72, and each distribution unit may distribute the print data to five heads 1 in the corresponding head group 72.

[0169] In one head group 72, three heads 1 are lined up in a direction intersecting (for example, a direction approximately perpendicular to) the transport direction of the print paper P, and the other two heads 1 are lined up one each between the three heads 1 at positions shifted along the transport direction. In other words, in one head group 72, the heads 1 are arranged in a staggered pattern. The heads 1 are arranged so that the range that can be printed by each head 1 is connected in the width direction of the print paper P, i.e., in the direction intersecting the transport direction of the print paper P, or so that the edges overlap, making it possible to print without gaps in the width direction of the print paper P.

[0170] The four head groups 72 are arranged along the transport direction of the printing paper P. Each head 1 is supplied with liquid (e.g., ink) from a liquid supply tank (not shown). The heads 1 belonging to one head group 72 are supplied with ink of the same color, and the four head groups 72 can print with four colors of ink. The colors of ink ejected from each head group 72 are, for example, magenta (M), yellow (Y), cyan (C), and black (K). A color image can be printed by impacting such ink on the printing paper P.

[0171] The number of heads 1 mounted on the printer 43C may be one, so long as the area printable by one head 1 is printed in a single color. The number of heads 1 included in the head group 72 and / or the number of head groups 72 can be changed as appropriate according to the object to be printed and / or the printing conditions. For example, the number of head groups 72 may be increased to print in more colors. In addition, by arranging multiple head groups 72 that print in the same color and printing alternately in the transport direction, the transport speed can be increased even if heads 1 with the same performance are used. This makes it possible to increase the printing area per unit time. In addition, multiple head groups 72 that print in the same color may be prepared and arranged at different positions in a direction intersecting the transport direction to increase the resolution in the width direction of the printing paper P.

[0172] Furthermore, in addition to printing colored inks, a liquid such as a coating agent may be printed uniformly or in a pattern by the head 1 in order to treat the surface of the printing paper P. For example, when a recording medium into which the liquid does not easily penetrate is used, a coating agent that forms a liquid receiving layer so that the liquid can be easily fixed can be used. In addition, when a recording medium into which the liquid easily penetrates is used, a coating agent that forms a liquid penetration suppressing layer can be used so that the liquid does not bleed too much or mix with another liquid that has landed next to it. In addition to printing the coating agent by the head 1, the coating agent may be uniformly applied by an applicator 76 controlled by the control device 51.

[0173] Printer 43C prints on printing paper P, which is a recording medium. The printing paper P is wound around paper feed roller 80A, and the printing paper P sent out from paper feed roller 80A passes under head 1 mounted on frame 70, then passes between two transport rollers 82C, and is finally collected by collection roller 80B. When printing, the printing paper P is transported at a constant speed by rotating transport roller 82C, and is printed on by head 1.

[0174] Next, the printer 43C will be described in detail in the order in which the printing paper P is transported. The printing paper P sent out from the paper feed roller 80A passes between two guide rollers 82A, and then passes under the coater 76. The coater 76 applies the above-mentioned coating agent to the printing paper P.

[0175] The printing paper P then enters the head chamber 74, which houses a frame 70 on which the head 1 is mounted. The head chamber 74 is connected to the outside in some areas, such as the area where the printing paper P enters and exits, but is generally a space isolated from the outside. The head chamber 74 has control factors such as temperature, humidity, and air pressure controlled by the control device 51, etc., as necessary. The head chamber 74 is less susceptible to the effects of disturbances than the outside where the printer 43C is installed, so the fluctuation range of the above-mentioned control factors can be narrower than the outside.

[0176] Five guide rollers 82B are arranged in the head chamber 74, and the printing paper P is transported over the guide rollers 82B. The five guide rollers 82B are arranged so that the center is convex in the direction in which the frame 70 is arranged when viewed from the side. As a result, the printing paper P transported over the five guide rollers 82B has an arc shape when viewed from the side, and by applying tension to the printing paper P, the printing paper P between the guide rollers 82B is stretched so that it is flat. One frame 70 is arranged between two guide rollers 82B. The angle at which the frame 70 is installed is changed little by little so that it is parallel to the printing paper P transported underneath it.

[0177] The printing paper P that has left the head chamber 74 passes between two transport rollers 82C, through the dryer 78, between two guide rollers 82D, and is collected by the collection roller 80B. The transport speed of the printing paper P is set to, for example, 100 m / min. Each roller may be controlled by the control device 51, or may be manually operated by a person.

[0178] By drying with the dryer 78, the printing paper P that is wound up overlapping on the collection roller 80B is less likely to stick to each other, and the undried liquid is less likely to rub against each other. In order to print at high speed, drying must also be performed quickly. To speed up drying, the dryer 78 may use multiple drying methods in sequence, or multiple drying methods may be used in combination. Drying methods used in such cases include, for example, blowing hot air, irradiating infrared rays, and contacting a heated roller. When irradiating infrared rays, infrared rays of a specific frequency range may be applied so that the printing paper P can be dried quickly while minimizing damage to the printing paper P. When the printing paper P is brought into contact with a heated roller, the time for heat to be transmitted may be increased by conveying the printing paper P along the cylindrical surface of the roller. The range of conveyance along the cylindrical surface of the roller is preferably 1 / 4 or more of the circumference of the cylindrical surface of the roller, and more preferably 1 / 2 or more of the circumference of the cylindrical surface of the roller. When printing with UV curable ink or the like, a UV irradiation light source may be arranged instead of the dryer 78 or in addition to the dryer 78. A UV irradiation source may be disposed between each of the frames 70 .

[0179] The recording medium may be a roll of cloth in addition to the printing paper P. Also, instead of directly transporting the printing paper P, the printer 43C may transport a transport belt and place the recording medium on the transport belt and transport it. In this way, sheets of paper, cut pieces of cloth, wood, tiles, etc. can be used as recording media. Furthermore, a liquid containing conductive particles may be ejected from the head 1 to print wiring patterns for electronic devices, etc. Furthermore, a chemical agent may be produced by ejecting a predetermined amount of liquid chemical agent or a liquid containing a chemical agent from the head 1 toward a reaction vessel or the like and causing a reaction.

[0180] Furthermore, the printer 43C may be equipped with a position sensor, a speed sensor, and / or a temperature sensor, and the control device 51 may control each part of the printer 43C according to the state of each part of the printer 43C determined from information from each sensor. For example, in cases where the temperature of the head 1, the temperature of the liquid in the liquid supply tank that supplies the liquid to the head 1, and / or the pressure that the liquid in the liquid supply tank applies to the head 1 affect the ejection characteristics of the ejected liquid (e.g., the ejection amount and / or the ejection speed), the drive signal for ejecting the liquid may be changed according to such information.

[0181] 16 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a wiping device 45C used in a printer 43C. Here, the nozzle surface 7 of the head 1 is also shown by a dotted line.

[0182] In the illustrated example, it is assumed that the wiper 3 is held by the arm 39 described with reference to Fig. 11. The wiping device 45C may have, for example, an arm 39 (and a standby unit 41 as necessary) for each head 1. That is, the wiping device 45C may have a plurality of arms 39, the same number as the plurality of heads 1. In this way, wiping can be performed even when a plurality of heads 1 is provided.

[0183] Various configurations for wiping the multiple heads 1 are possible other than those shown in the figure. For example, the multiple wipers 3 may be connected to each other by a frame-like member and cannot be driven individually. Also, the multiple heads 1 may be wiped sequentially by arms 39 and wipers 3 whose number is less than the number of heads 1.

[0184] (8. Summary of the embodiment) As described above, in this embodiment, the wiper 3 that wipes the nozzle surface 7 by moving relative to the nozzle surface 7 of the liquid ejection head 1 in a predetermined wiping direction (D1 direction) has an elastic member 13. The elastic member 13 has a main portion 13a and a restrained portion 13b. The main portion 13a has a tip surface (a surface on the +D3 side) that faces the nozzle surface 7 during wiping. The restrained portion 13b is connected to the main portion 13a on the opposite side to the tip surface, and is restrained by a holding member (e.g., holder 11) for holding the wiper 3. The tip surface of the main portion 13a has a flat surface 13c. The length (width w1) of the flat surface 13c in the wiping direction is longer than the length (height h1) of the main portion 13a in the normal direction to the flat surface 13c.

[0185] From another perspective, the liquid ejection device (for example, the printers 43A to 43C) has a drive unit (for example, the wiping devices 45A to 45C, the drive unit 37, the arm 39, or the wiper drive mechanism 29). The drive unit moves the wiper 3 and the nozzle surface 7 relative to each other in the wiping direction (direction D1) while applying pressure to the nozzle surface 7 with the entire flat surface 13c of the wiper 3 as described above.

[0186] Therefore, as described above, for example, pressure can be applied stably to the nozzle surface 7 over a large contact area during wiping, improving wiping efficiency.

[0187] The wiper 3 may have a cloth (covering member 15) that covers the flat surface 13c.

[0188] In this case, the fibers (or threads) of the cloth can scrape off dirt (for example, solidified ink) on the nozzle surface 7. As a result, the wiping effect is improved.

[0189] The cloth as the covering member 15 may be composed of a woven or knitted fabric in which a first thread (e.g., one of the warp threads 17 and the weft threads 19) extending in a first direction and a second thread (e.g., the other of the warp threads 17 and the weft threads 19) extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction are combined, as described with reference to Figs. 5(b) and 5(c). The total length of the first threads per unit area exposed to the outer surface of the wiper 3 may be longer than the total length of the second threads per unit area exposed to the outer surface of the wiper 3. In a plan view of the flat surface 13c, the cloth may cover the flat surface 13c with the first direction being within ±30° with respect to the direction perpendicular to the wiping direction.

[0190] In this case, for example, as described with reference to Figs. 5(b) and 5(c), the effect of scraping off dirt by the yarn is improved.

[0191] The wiper 3 may further include a water-absorbent sheet (covering member 15) that covers the flat surface 13c and has a water absorption rate of 200% or more. And / or, the liquid ejection device (e.g., the printers 43A to 43C) may include a cleaning liquid supply unit (e.g., the shower 23 in FIG. 7(a) or the tank 25 in FIG. 7(b)) that supplies cleaning liquid to the flat surface 13c of the wiper 3.

[0192] In this case, for example, the cover member 15 is provided with a large area so as to cover the large area of ​​the flat surface 13c, thereby increasing the amount of cleaning liquid that the wiper 3 can hold, thereby improving the cleaning effect.

[0193] The wiper 3A (FIG. 6) may have a plurality of main portions 13a aligned in the wiping direction (direction D1).

[0194] In this case, for example, the cleaning liquid is applied to the nozzle surface 7 by the leading main portion 13a (the covering member 15 covering the main portion 13a), and the solidified ink dissolved by the cleaning liquid is removed by the next main portion 13a. As a result, the wiping effect is synergistically improved.

[0195] The liquid ejection device may have a control device 51. The control device 51 may control a drive unit (for example, wiping devices 45A to 45C, drive unit 37, arm 39, or wiper drive mechanism 29) so that the wiper 3 supplied with cleaning liquid performs wiping on the same area of ​​the nozzle surface 7 at least twice without an operation of ejecting liquid droplets from the nozzle surface 7 in between.

[0196] In this case, for example, as described with reference to FIG. 9, cleaning liquid can be applied to the nozzle surface 7 in the first wiping, and the ink dissolved by the cleaning liquid can be removed in the second wiping.

[0197] The liquid ejection device may have a spray device 35D that sprays a cleaning liquid toward the nozzle surface 7.

[0198] In this case, for example, the amount of cleaning liquid applied to the nozzle surface 7 is not restricted by the liquid retention properties of the wiper 3. As a result, for example, when an operation of applying cleaning liquid to the nozzle surface 7 and leaving it is performed, a sufficient amount of cleaning liquid can be applied to the nozzle surface compared to a mode in which cleaning liquid held by the wiper 3 is applied to the nozzle surface 7.

[0199] The drive unit 37 (FIG. 11) may have a holding unit 39a that holds and releases the hold of the wiper 3. The control device 51 may control the holding unit 39a to selectively hold any one of the multiple wipers 3.

[0200] In this case, for example, as described above, it is possible to selectively use the wiper 3 having the covering member 15 and the wiper 3B not having the covering member 15 depending on the situation. As a result, it is possible to reduce the need to replace the wiper 3 while keeping the nozzle surface 7 clean, thereby reducing costs.

[0201] In the above embodiment, the wipers 3, 3A, 3B, the wiping member 9, and the elastic member 13 are all examples of wipers. The holder 11 is an example of a holding member. When the wiper does not have the holder 11 and the holding portion 39a (FIG. 11) directly holds the wiping member, the holding portion 39a is an example of a holding member. The D1 direction is an example of a wiping direction. The covering members 15, 15A to 15C are all examples of fabrics and examples of absorbent sheets. The D2 direction, the D1 direction, the warp threads 17, and the weft threads 19 in FIG. 5(b) and FIG. 5(b) are examples of the first direction, the second direction, the first thread, and the second thread, respectively. The wiping devices 45A to 45C, the drive unit 37, the arm 39, and the wiper drive mechanism 29 are examples of the drive unit. [Explanation of symbols]

[0202] Reference Signs List 1: liquid ejection head, 3: wiper, 7: nozzle surface, 13: elastic member, 13a: main portion, 13b: restrained portion, 13c: flat surface.

Claims

1. A wiper that wipes a nozzle surface of a liquid ejection head by moving relative to the nozzle surface in a predetermined wiping direction, The elastic member is provided. The elastic member is a main portion having a tip surface that faces the nozzle surface during wiping; a restrained portion connected to the main portion on an opposite side to the tip surface and restrained by a holding member for holding the wiper, The tip surface has a flat surface, The length of the flat surface in the wiping direction is longer than the length of the main portion in the normal direction to the flat surface. Wiper.

2. A cloth covering the flat surface is provided. The wiper of claim 1.

3. The fabric is formed by weaving or knitting a first yarn extending in a first direction and a second yarn extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction, a total length of the first threads per unit area exposed to the outer surface of the wiper is greater than a total length of the second threads per unit area exposed to the outer surface of the wiper; When viewed from above on the flat surface, the cloth covers the flat surface with the first direction being oriented within ±30° with respect to a direction perpendicular to the wiping direction. The wiper according to claim 2.

4. A water-absorbent sheet is provided covering the flat surface and has a water absorption rate of 200% or more. The wiper according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The main portions are arranged in the wiping direction. The wiper according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The holding member is provided The wiper according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The wiper according to any one of claims 1 to 6 further comprises a drive unit that moves the wiper and the nozzle face relative to each other in the wiping direction while applying pressure to the nozzle face over the entire flat surface of the wiper. Liquid discharge device.

8. The wiper further includes a cleaning liquid supply unit that supplies a cleaning liquid to the flat surface of the wiper. The liquid ejection device according to claim 7.

9. a control device that controls the drive unit so that the wiper to which the cleaning liquid has been supplied performs wiping on the same area of ​​the nozzle surface at least twice without an operation of discharging droplets from the nozzle surface in between. The liquid ejection device according to claim 8.

10. In the at least two wiping operations, a relative speed between the nozzle surface and the wiper in a second wiping operation is faster than a relative movement between the nozzle surface and the wiper in a first wiping operation. The liquid ejection device according to claim 9.

11. A spray device that sprays a cleaning liquid toward the nozzle surface The liquid ejection device according to any one of claims 7 to 10.

12. a control device that controls the drive unit and the spray device so that the wiper wipes the nozzle surface after 10 seconds or more have elapsed since the cleaning liquid was sprayed on the nozzle surface; The liquid ejection device according to claim 11.

13. The drive unit has a holding unit that holds and releases the wiper, The wiper device further includes a control device that controls the holding unit to selectively hold any one of the wipers. The liquid ejection device according to any one of claims 7 to 12.

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