Recording device and maintenance method

Abstract

To provide a technique for suppressing poor ejection in an ejection port caused by reaction of reaction liquid with ink during a wiping motion.SOLUTION: A recording device comprises maintenance means that makes a wiping member having absorbability to ink and reaction liquid wipe a surface of an ejection port of recording means on which a first ejection port row that ejects ink and a second ejection port row that ejects reaction liquid which reacts with the ink are formed. The wiping member is configured so that a portion which wipes the first ejection port row and a portion which wipes the second ejection port row are different from each other in a first direction in which the recording means and the maintenance means move relatively.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a recording device that wipes an ejection port face on which ejection ports of an ejection head that ejects ink onto a recording medium are formed, and to a maintenance method that maintains and restores a good state of ink ejection from the ejection head. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for removing ink and other deposits from the ejection port surface of an ejection head in which ejection ports for ejecting ink are formed. Specifically, an absorbent wiping member is pressed against the ejection port surface to wipe and remove the deposits from the ejection port surface. The deposits include ink mist caused by ink accumulation or rebounding at the ejection port when ink is ejected, dust in the air, and fibers derived from the recording medium. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 8,342,638 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, the wiping member wipes the ejection port surface, so that the wiping member comes into contact with the meniscus surface of each ejection port. This causes the ink in the ejection port to seep into the wiping member. In particular, in a recording device capable of ejecting a reaction liquid from an ejection port that promotes the aggregation of solids dispersed in the ink, if a reaction liquid in which a reaction component is dissolved in a solvent is used, the reaction liquid will seep into a wider range of the wiping member than the solids dispersed in the ink. When the reaction liquid that has seeped out of the ejection port reaches the area where the wiping member has wiped the ink, the solids such as the pigment of the ink will aggregate, and the aggregates will adhere to the ejection port surface during the wiping operation, which may cause ejection defects from the ejection port.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has an object to provide a technique for suppressing ejection defects in ejection ports that are caused by the reaction between reactive liquid and ink during a wiping operation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, one embodiment of the present invention provides a liquid ejection head having a first ejection port array formed by arranging a plurality of ejection ports capable of ejecting ink in a first direction, and a second ejection port array formed by arranging a plurality of ejection ports in the first direction, the second ejection port array being arranged on an ejection port surface. At the same position in the first direction, The first direction and Orthogonal and a maintenance means capable of wiping the ejection port surface with a wiping member that is absorbent for the ink and the reaction liquid, wherein at least one of the recording means and the maintenance means is moved relative to one another to wipe the ejection port surface in the first direction with the wiping member, wherein the wiping member has a first wiping portion that wipes the first ejection port row and a second wiping portion that wipes the second ejection port row that are different in the first direction. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress ejection defects at the ejection ports caused by the reaction between the reaction liquid and the ink during the wiping operation. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a main part of the recording apparatus shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an ejection port surface of a head unit. [Figure 4] 4A and 4B are diagrams showing the movement area of ​​a head unit and the movement area of ​​a maintenance unit. [Diagram 5] FIG. [Figure 6]4A and 4B are cross-sectional views of pressed areas A1 and A2. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control system of the printing apparatus. [Figure 8] 5 is a flowchart showing a processing routine of a wiping process. [Figure 9] 6A to 6C are diagrams illustrating the operation of the maintenance unit during a wiping process. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the distance between the wiping positions of the reaction liquid and the ink in the comparative example and the example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of a recording device and a maintenance method will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiment does not limit the present invention, and not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiment are necessarily essential to the solution of the present invention. Furthermore, the relative positions and shapes of the components described in the embodiment are merely examples, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to only these.

[0010] In the following description, a recording device using an inkjet recording method will be described as an example. The recording device may be, for example, a single-function printer having only a recording function, or a multifunction printer having multiple functions such as a recording function, a fax function, and a scanner function. Alternatively, the recording device may be a manufacturing device for manufacturing color filters, electronic devices, optical devices, microstructures, etc. using a predetermined recording method.

[0011] In addition, "recording" does not only refer to the formation of meaningful information such as characters and figures, but also includes cases where images, patterns, structures, etc. are formed on a recording medium, or where the medium is processed, regardless of whether they are visible to humans or not. "Recording medium" includes not only paper used in general recording devices, but also cloth, plastic film, metal plate, glass, ceramics, resin, wood, leather, and other materials that can accept ink.

[0012] <Recording device configuration> Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment. Fig. 2(a) is a diagram explaining a heating section in the recording apparatus, and Fig. 2(b) is a diagram explaining a recovery section in the recording apparatus. The recording apparatus 10 in Fig. 1 is a so-called serial scan type inkjet recording apparatus that ejects ink onto a conveyed recording medium by an inkjet method while moving in a direction intersecting (orthogonal in this embodiment) the conveying direction.

[0013] The recording device 10 includes a platen 12 that supports the recording medium P transported by a transport unit (not shown), and a recording unit 14 that records on the recording medium P supported by the platen 12. The recording device 10 also includes a heating unit 16 (see FIG. 2(a)) that heats the recording surface Pf of the recording medium P after recording, and a recovery unit 18 (see FIG. 2(b)) that maintains and recovers the ink ejection state in the recording unit 14. The overall operation of the recording device 10 is controlled by a control unit 100 (described later).

[0014] The conveying section conveys the sheet-shaped recording medium, which is unwound from roll paper 27 and fed, to the platen 12 by a conveying roller 23 driven via a gear by a conveying motor (not shown) (see FIG. 2(a)). After recording, the recording medium P is taken up by a spool 21. The conveying mechanism of the conveying section is not limited to this, and various known technologies can be used.

[0015] The recording unit 14 includes a carriage 22 movably mounted on a guide shaft 20, and a head unit 24 detachably mounted on the carriage 22 and configured to eject ink onto a recording medium P supported by a platen 12. The guide shaft 20 extends in an X direction intersecting (orthogonal in this embodiment) the Y direction in which the recording medium P is transported, and the carriage 22 is configured to be reciprocatingly movable in the +X direction and the -X direction along the guide shaft 20. The head unit 24 includes a plurality of ejection ports 32 (described later) for ejecting ink, and is mounted on the carriage 22 so that an ejection port surface 34 (see FIG. 2(a)) in which the ejection ports 32 are formed faces the platen 12. As a result, in the recording device 10, the head unit 24 is configured to eject ink while moving back and forth in the ±X direction. As a specific moving mechanism for the carriage 22, various known techniques can be used, such as a carriage belt that transmits driving force from a carriage motor or a mechanism using a lead screw.

[0016] The recording device 10 is provided with a linear encoder 30 extending in the X direction, and the position of the head unit 24 is controlled by the control unit 100 based on a signal from the linear encoder 30. The head unit 24 is configured to be capable of ejecting four colors of ink, an emulsion liquid, and a reaction liquid that reacts with the ink and the emulsion liquid to promote solidification. The four colors of ink are black (K) ink, cyan (C) ink, magenta (M) ink, and yellow (Y) ink. These four colors of ink are pigment inks that contain coloring materials that exhibit the corresponding colors. Note that the colors and number of the ejected inks are not limited to the four colors described above.

[0017] In the recording device 10, the recording section 14, i.e., the head unit 24, moves at a speed of, for example, 40 inch / sec, and performs recording at a resolution of 1200 dpi (1 / 1200 inch). When recording starts, the recording device 10 moves the head unit 24 to a recording start position, and transports the recording medium P to a position where the recording can be performed by the head unit 24 using the transport unit. Next, based on the recording data, a recording operation is performed in which ink is ejected while moving (scanning) the head unit 24 in the +X direction (or -X direction), and when the recording operation is completed, a transport operation is performed in which the recording medium P is transported by a predetermined amount using the transport unit. Thereafter, a recording operation is performed in which ink is ejected while moving the head unit 24 in the -X direction (or +X direction). In this way, the recording device 10 performs recording on the recording medium P by alternately and repeatedly performing the recording operation and the transport operation. Note that in this embodiment, for example, a multi-pass recording is performed in which the recording unit 14 is scanned multiple times to record a unit area on the recording medium.

[0018] The heating unit 16 applies heat to the recording surface Pf of the recording medium P on which ink (and emulsion liquid and reaction liquid) is ejected from the recording unit 14 and recorded, thereby heating the recording surface Pf and the ink applied to the recording surface Pf and fixing the ink to the recording surface Pf. The heating unit 16 is covered with a cover 17, which has the function of efficiently reflecting the heat of the heating unit 16 onto the recording medium P and the function of protecting the heating unit 16. As the heating unit 16, various heaters such as a sheath heater and a halogen heater can be used. The heating unit 16 may be configured to heat not only by such a non-contact type thermal conduction heater, but also by using hot air for heating.

[0019] The heating unit 16 is not limited to a configuration in which the recording medium P is heated from the recording surface Pf as shown in Fig. 2(a). For example, the heating unit 16 may be located downstream in the +Y direction of the platen 12, and may be provided vertically below (upstream in the +Z direction) a guide unit 19 that guides the recording medium P after recording, and may be configured to heat the recording medium P from the back surface Pb. The heating temperature by the heating unit 16 is set in consideration of the fixability of the ink and the productivity of the recorded matter. Furthermore, a plurality of heating units 16 may be provided.

[0020] Although details will be described later, the ink used in the recording device 10 contains a pigment, resin particles, and a water-soluble organic solvent. Therefore, in the recording device 10, the resin particles contained in the ink are heated by the heating unit 16 to melt the resin particles, and further, the water-soluble organic solvent in the ink is evaporated, thereby fixing the pigment to the recording medium.

[0021] Ink containing resin particles has the property of improving abrasion resistance (fixability). Therefore, the heating temperature is desirably equal to or higher than the minimum film-forming temperature of the resin particles, and it is necessary to evaporate most of the liquid components in the ink, such as the water-soluble organic solvent, during heating. Therefore, the heating unit 16 is configured to have a temperature distribution in the recording medium conveyance direction that ensures a heating time to supply the energy required to evaporate most of the liquid components.

[0022] The recovery unit 18 includes a maintenance unit 28 provided at a position adjacent to the end of the platen 12 in the X direction. The maintenance unit 28 is located in an area S1 on one end side of a recording area Sp where ink is ejected from the recording unit 14 onto the recording medium P supported by the platen 12. Although details will be described later, the maintenance unit 28 is configured to be able to wipe the ejection port surface 34 of the head unit 24 with a wiping member 50 (described later) that is absorbent for liquids such as ink.

[0023] The recovery unit 18 may be provided with a configuration other than the maintenance unit 28. For example, the recovery unit 18 may be provided with various known configurations for maintaining and recovering the ink ejection state from the ejection ports 32 in a good condition, such as a suction unit that forcibly sucks ink from the multiple ejection ports 32 that eject ink in the head unit 24, in the region on the other end side of the recording region Sp.

[0024] The recording device 10 is configured to be capable of ejecting a reaction liquid that reacts with the ink and the emulsion liquid. Therefore, in the recording device 10, the reaction liquid and the ink may be mixed and solidified in an unintended state, and the unintended solidified matter may prevent normal ejection from the ejection port. A part of the configuration for preventing such ink solidification or for removing the solidified matter to maintain and recover good ejection of the ink from the ejection port 32 is provided independently for the ink, the emulsion liquid, and the reaction liquid. Note that examples of the configuration for maintaining and recovering good ejection of the ink from the ejection port 32 include a cap that protects the ejection head 25 (described later) in which the ejection ports of each liquid are formed, a pump that generates negative pressure, and a non-absorbent wiper that wipes the ink from the ejection port surface 34. In this specification, the ink, the emulsion liquid, and the reaction liquid are collectively referred to as "liquid".

[0025] <Head unit configuration> Next, the configuration of the head unit 24 will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the discharge port surface 34 of the head unit 24. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the discharge port surface 34 as viewed in the -Z direction. The discharge port surface 34 of the head unit 24 is provided with a discharge head 25 in which a discharge port 32 for discharging a corresponding liquid is formed. Specifically, the discharge head 25-1 for discharging four color inks, a discharge head 25-2 for discharging an emulsion liquid, and a discharge head 25-3 for discharging a reaction liquid are provided. Each discharge head 25 is provided with a discharge port row 33 formed by arranging a plurality of discharge ports 32 for discharging a corresponding liquid along the Y direction. In this embodiment, in each discharge port row 33, 1280 discharge ports 32 are arranged in the Y direction at intervals of 1200 dpi. The amount of liquid discharged from one discharge port 32 is, for example, about 4.5 pl.

[0026] A tank (not shown) for storing the corresponding liquid is connected to each ejection port array 33, and ink, emulsion liquid, and reaction liquid are supplied from the tank. The tank may be configured integrally with the ejection head 25 and detachably mounted on the carriage 22, or the tank and the ejection head 25 may be separable.

[0027] In the ejection head 25-1, an ejection port array 33K for ejecting K ink, an ejection port array 33C for ejecting C ink, an ejection port array 33M for ejecting M ink, and an ejection port array 33Y for ejecting Y ink are formed in this order in the +X direction. In the ejection head 25-2, an ejection port array 33EM for ejecting emulsion liquid is formed, and the ejection head 25-2 is disposed adjacent to the ejection head 25-1 on the downstream side in the +X direction (the right side in FIG. 3). In the ejection head 25-3, an ejection port array 33RS for ejecting reaction liquid is formed, and the ejection head 25-3 is disposed downstream in the +X direction of the ejection head 25-2, separated from the ejection head 25-2 by a predetermined distance. That is, in the head unit 24, the ejection port array 33 for ejecting ink, the ejection port array 33 for ejecting emulsion liquid, and the ejection port array for ejecting reaction liquid are formed side by side on the same plane in a direction intersecting the extension direction of each ejection port array 33.

[0028] The placement of each ejection head 25 takes into consideration the effect of mist that occurs when liquid is ejected from each ejection head 25. That is, the ejection head 25-3 that ejects reactive liquid that is highly reactive with ink is placed at a position farthest from the ejection head 25-1 that ejects ink. Also, the ejection head 25-2 that ejects emulsion liquid that is relatively less reactive with reactive liquid is placed between the ejection head 25-1 and the ejection head 25-3.

[0029] <Ink, emulsion liquid, and reaction liquid> Next, the ink, emulsion liquid, and reaction liquid used in the recording apparatus 10 will be described.

[0030] =Ink= In this embodiment, the recording device 10 can use pigment ink containing a pigment, or water-soluble resin particle ink containing no pigment or a small amount of pigment. These pigment inks and water-soluble resin particle inks contain a water-soluble organic solvent. Various surfactants, defoamers, preservatives, antifungal agents, etc. can be added appropriately to the water-soluble resin particle ink to give it desired properties as necessary.

[0031] The pigment ink and the water-soluble resin particle ink contain water-soluble resin particles for adhering the recording medium and the coloring material to improve the abrasion resistance (fixability) of the recorded image. The resin particles are dissolved by heat, and in the recording device 10, a heater (heating unit 16, etc.) is used to form a film of the resin particles and to dry the solvent contained in the ink. In this embodiment, the resin particles are polymer particles that exist in a state of being dispersed in water. The polymer particles that exist in a state of being dispersed in water may be in the form of resin particles obtained by homopolymerizing a monomer having a dissociable group or copolymerizing multiple types of monomers, that is, a so-called self-dispersing resin particle dispersion.

[0032] From the viewpoint of abrasion resistance, the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the resin fine particles is preferably 40° C. or more and 120° C. or less. In addition, it is preferable to use deionized water as the water. For example, the surface tension of each ink used in the present embodiment is 28 to 30 dyn / cm. This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of beading on low-permeability recording media into which ink does not easily permeate, such as printing paper and polyvinyl chloride sheets, and non-permeability recording media into which ink does not permeate.

[0033] In addition, from the viewpoint of preventing impurities from eluting from members that come into contact with the ink, deterioration of materials constituting the members, and a decrease in the solubility of the pigment dispersion resin in the ink, it is preferable that the pH of each ink is 7.0 or more and 10.0 or less. The ink used in this embodiment uses an anionic coloring material. Therefore, the pH of the ink is stable on the alkaline side, and the value is 8.5 to 9.5.

[0034] =Emulsion liquid= As the emulsion liquid, for example, a water-soluble resin fine particle ink that does not contain coloring material but contains resin fine particles can be used. In other words, the emulsion liquid is a so-called clear ink. In the recording device 10, the clear ink is used from the viewpoint of improving gloss and abrasion resistance. For example, the emulsion liquid is used to level out the difference in gloss caused by uneven distribution of areas where the amount of ink containing coloring material is large and small, or areas where ink dots are sparsely arranged. Furthermore, the emulsion liquid is used as an overcoat on the entire image made of ink containing coloring material in order to improve abrasion resistance.

[0035] Specifically, dots of emulsion liquid are distributed to complement areas where the amount of ink applied is small so that differences in gloss dots do not occur. Also, to compensate for the loss of gloss in areas where dots of ink containing coloring material are placed, dots of emulsion liquid are further applied on top of the dots. Also, dots of emulsion liquid are distributed to areas where the amount of ink applied changes suddenly, such as the edges of an image, in order to mitigate changes in gloss. In this embodiment, the emulsion liquid is a liquid that is less reactive to the reactive liquid than ink, that is, is less likely to solidify.

[0036] =Reaction solution= The reaction liquid contains a reactive component that reacts with the pigment contained in each ink to aggregate or gel the pigment, or a reactive component that reacts with dyes, resins, etc. to insolubilize them. The reactive component is, for example, a component that can destroy the dispersion stability of an ink when mixed with an ink having a target component that is stably dispersed in an aqueous medium by the action of an ionic group. Specific examples include solutions containing polyvalent metal ions such as magnesium nitrate, magnesium chloride, aluminum sulfate, and iron oxide. As one type of aggregation action using such cations, a system using a low molecular weight cationic polymer flocculant for the purpose of neutralizing the charge of emulsion particles and insolubilizing anionic soluble substances can also be used.

[0037] In addition, in the recording device 10, a liquid that is insoluble by utilizing the pH difference with the ink can be used as the reaction liquid. Ink used in inkjet recording devices is generally stable on the alkaline side due to the characteristics of its coloring material. The pH value is generally about 7.0 to 10.0, and is mainly set around 8.5 to 9.5. In order to aggregate and solidify such ink, an acidic liquid is used as the reaction liquid. By mixing such a reaction liquid with the ink, the pH of the ink can be changed to destroy the stable state, and the dispersed components can be aggregated.

[0038] <Maintenance Department> Next, the maintenance unit 28 in the recovery section 18 will be described. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the movement area of ​​the maintenance unit and the movement area of ​​the head unit. Fig. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of the main parts of the maintenance unit. Fig. 6(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIa-VIa in Fig. 5, and Fig. 6(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIb-VIb in Fig. 5.

[0039] The maintenance unit 28 is provided in an area S1 on one end side of the recording area Sp so as to be movable in the Y direction. The movement area Sm of the maintenance unit 28 partially overlaps with the movement area Sh of the head unit 24 which moves in the X direction, as shown in Fig. 4. The maintenance unit 28 is configured so as to be able to move back and forth between a first position on the upstream side in the +Y direction (upper side in Fig. 4) which does not overlap with the movement area Sh of the head unit 24, and a second position on the downstream side in the +Y direction (lower side in Fig. 4) which does not overlap with the movement area Sh.

[0040] When performing a wiping process (described later) on the ejection port surface 34 of the head unit 24, the maintenance unit 28 wipes the ejection port surface 34 while moving from a first position to a second position in the movement area Sm. When not performing the wiping process, the maintenance unit 28 may be located at a standby position located at the rear end (the most upstream side in the +Y direction) of the movement area Sm, or at any position that is the first position. During the wiping process, the head unit 24 is located at a wiping position in an area Sc where the movement area Sm of the maintenance unit 28 and the movement area Sh of the head unit 24 overlap. This wiping position is a position where the wiping member 50 can appropriately wipe the ejection port surface 34 by moving the maintenance unit 28 from the first position to the second position in the movement area Sm.

[0041] The maintenance unit 28 is provided with a wiping member 50 that can be impregnated with a predetermined liquid during a wiping process and that comes into contact with the discharge port surface 34 to wipe off any deposits adhering to the discharge port surface 34. The maintenance unit 28 also includes a winding unit 52 that winds up the wiping member 50, and a pressing member 54 that presses the wiping member 50 so that the wiping member 50 comes into contact with the discharge port surface 34 with a predetermined pressure. The maintenance unit 28 also includes a regulating member 56 that regulates the wiping member 50 from floating up, and a support member 58 that supports the wiping member 50 by pressing it in the direction opposite to the pressing direction on the upstream side (left side in FIG. 5) and downstream side (right side in FIG. 5) of the pressing member 54 in the Y direction.

[0042] The wiping member 50 may be a nonwoven fabric made of various base materials such as olefins such as polyester, nylon, rayon, polyethylene, and polypropylene, and natural materials such as cotton and silk. Also usable are cloth made of the above materials, woven fabrics made of split fibers finer than normal fibers called wiping cloths, and paper. The wiping member 50 is impregnated with a liquid so that it can be impregnated with a predetermined liquid for the purposes of reducing friction during wiping, improving the removability of adhered matter, and improving the absorption of components contained in the ink such as pigments and polymers.

[0043] The predetermined liquid (impregnating liquid) impregnated into the wiping member 50 is a liquid having properties such as low volatility, high dispersion stability, low fluidity, and low hygroscopicity. The impregnating liquid does not need to have all the above properties, and may have a plurality of the above properties. In addition, the impregnating liquid may be, for example, diols, polyols, glycol ethers, glycol diethers, polyethylene glycol, or the like.

[0044] The maintenance unit 28 is configured to press the wiping member 50 with a pressing member 54 and a supporting member 58. Therefore, the wiping member 50 has a degree of elasticity and flexibility that allows it to properly wipe the discharge port surface 34 without breaking when pressed by the pressing member 54, the supporting member 58, and the like.

[0045] The winding unit 52 includes a rotating member 52a around which an unused wiping member 50 is wound, and a rotating member 52b around which a used wiping member 50 is wound. The rotating member 52b is disposed upstream of the rotating member 52a in the +Y direction. The tip of the wiping member 50 is attached to the rotating member 52b, and the rotating member 52b rotates under the control of the control unit 100 to wind up the wiping member 50. The maintenance unit 28 wipes the discharge port surface 34 while moving in the +Y direction, and at this time, the rotating members 52a, 52b are controlled by the control unit 100 so that tension is generated in the wiping member 50 stretched between the rotating members 52a, 52b.

[0046] The pressing member 54 includes a pressing member 54a located downstream in the +Y direction and a pressing member 54b located upstream in the +Y direction. The distance in the Y direction between the pressing member 54a and the pressing member 54b is determined by, for example, the type of liquid discharged from the head unit 24 and the type of impregnating liquid of the wiping member 50. The pressing member 54 is configured to be able to release the pressure on the wiping member 50 under the control of the control unit 100. This allows the maintenance unit 28 to move within the movement region Sm without the wiping member 50 coming into contact with the discharge port surface 34. Note that in FIG. 5, the end face of the pressing member 54a-5 is shown to be visible for ease of understanding, but in reality, it is covered by the wiping member 50.

[0047] The pressing member 54a is disposed at a position in the X direction corresponding to each of the outlet rows 33 of the ejection heads 25-1 and 25-2 in the head unit 24 at the wiping position. Specifically, the pressing member 54a includes a pressing member 54a-1 capable of pressing an area in the X direction corresponding to the outlet row 33K of the head unit 24 at the wiping position, that is, an area including the outlet row 33K and its vicinity. The pressing member 54a also includes a pressing member 54a-2 capable of pressing an area in the X direction corresponding to the outlet row 33C of the head unit 24 at the wiping position, that is, an area including the outlet row 33C and its vicinity. The pressing member 54a also includes a pressing member 54a-3 capable of pressing an area in the X direction corresponding to the outlet row 33M of the head unit 24 at the wiping position, that is, an area including the outlet row 33M and its vicinity. Furthermore, the pressing member 54a is provided with a pressing member 54a-4 capable of pressing an area in the X direction corresponding to the outlet row 33Y of the head unit 24 in the wiping position, i.e., an area including the outlet row 33Y and its vicinity. The pressing member 54a is also provided with a pressing member 54a-5 capable of pressing an area in the X direction corresponding to the outlet row 33EM of the head unit 24 in the wiping position, i.e., an area including the outlet row 33EM and its vicinity.

[0048] These five pressing members 54a-1, 54a-2, 54a-3, 54a-4, and 54a-5 are arranged in parallel along the X direction. In this embodiment, the pressing member 54a is configured to be composed of five pressing members 54a-1, 54a-2, 54a-3, 54a-4, and 54a-5, but is not limited to this. Specifically, the pressing member 54a may be configured as a single member extending in the X direction that can press areas corresponding to each of the ejection port arrays 33K, 33C, 33M, 33Y, and 33EM of the head unit 24 that is in the wiping position in the X direction.

[0049] Further, the pressing member 54b is disposed at a position offset in the X direction from the five pressing members 54a-1, 54a-2, 54a-3, 54a-4, 54a-5. Specifically, the pressing member 54b is disposed so as to be able to press, in the X direction, an area including the ejection port row 33RS of the ejection head 25-3 in the head unit 24 that is in the wiping position and its vicinity.

[0050] The pressing member 54 may be made of various general-purpose resins or engineering plastics and their foams molded into a desired shape. Alternatively, a curable resin or its foam molded into a desired shape, or various rubber molded bodies or their foams molded into a desired shape may be used. The pressing members 54a-1, 54a-2, 54a-3, 54a-4, 54a-5 and the pressing member 54b may be made of different materials or the same material depending on the liquid discharged from the discharge port row 33 to be pressed. In FIG. 5, the pressing member 54 is cylindrical, but the shape of the pressing member 54 is not limited to this. Specifically, the pressing member 54 may be made of various known shapes, such as a plate shape, a convex shape, or a triangular shape, that can appropriately press the wiping member 50 against the discharge port surface 34.

[0051] The regulating member 56 includes a regulating member 56a located downstream in the +Y direction and a regulating member 56b located upstream in the +Y direction. The regulating member 56a is disposed at a position that substantially coincides with the pressing member 54a in the Y direction. The regulating member 56a is disposed downstream of the pressing member 54a in the +X direction and at a position that substantially coincides with the pressing member 54b in the X direction. The regulating member 56b is disposed at a position that substantially coincides with the pressing member 54b in the Y direction. The regulating member 56b is disposed upstream of the pressing member 54b in the +X direction and at a position that substantially coincides with the pressing member 54a in the X direction. The regulating member 56 may be fixedly provided at a position that makes the wiping member 50 stretched between the rotating members 52a and 52b substantially flat in the Z direction. Alternatively, the regulating member 56 may be configured to press down the wiping member 50 in the -Z direction.

[0052] During the wiping operation, the upstream side in the +X direction on the downstream side of the wiping member 50 in the +Y direction is pushed up in the +Z direction from the back surface 50a by the pressing member 54a, and the downstream side in the +X direction is pressed down from the front surface 50b by the regulating member 56a, forming a pressed region A1 (see FIGS. 5 and 6(a)). Also, the upstream side in the +Y direction of the wiping member 50 is pressed down from the front surface 50b by the regulating member 56b, and the downstream side in the +X direction is pressed up in the +Z direction from the back surface 50a by the pressing member 54b, forming a pressed region A2 (see FIGS. 5 and 6(b)).

[0053] The support member 58 presses the wiping member 50 in the -Z direction on the upstream side and downstream side in the +Y direction of each of the pressing members 54a-1, 54a-2, 54a-3, 54a-4, 54a-5, and 54b. This generates an appropriate tension in the wiping member 50 pressed by the pressing member 54, and limits the contact area of ​​the wiping member 50 with the discharge port surface 34. The length of the support member 58 in the X direction is set according to the length in the X direction of the area pressed by each pressing member 54. Furthermore, the support member 58 may be configured of one member or multiple members on the upstream side or downstream side in the +Y direction of the pressing member 54 according to its length in the X direction.

[0054] <Control configuration of the recording device> Next, a description will be given of the configuration of the control system of the recording device 10. FIG.

[0055] The control unit 100, which controls the entire recording device 10, includes a central processing unit (CPU) 102, a ROM 104, a RAM 106, and a memory 108. The CPU 102 controls the operation of each component in the recording device 10 and processes input image data based on various programs. The ROM 104 functions as a memory that stores various control and image data processing programs executed by the CPU 102. The RAM 106 saves various data used to control the recording device 10. The memory 108 stores various data such as a mask pattern, which will be described later. The control unit 100 also includes an input / output port 110, and is connected to various drivers and drive circuits via the input / output port 110.

[0056] The control unit 100 is connected to an interface circuit 112 via an input / output port 110, and is connected to a host device 114 via the interface circuit 112. The control unit 100 is also connected to an operation panel 124 that can be operated by a user via the input / output port 110. The user inputs image data to the recording device 10 via the host device 114, and inputs various information to the recording device 10 via the host device 114 and the operation panel 124. The control unit 100 is also connected to a motor driver 116 via the input / output port 110, and controls the driving of a motor 118 via the motor driver 116. In FIG. 7, various motors in the recording device 10, such as a motor that moves the carriage 22, a motor that drives a conveying unit that conveys the recording medium, a motor that moves the maintenance unit 28, and a motor that drives the winding unit 52, are collectively shown as a motor 118.

[0057] The control unit 100 is also connected to a head driver 120 via an input / output port 110, and controls the head unit 24 via the head driver 120 to eject ink. The control unit 100 is also connected to a drive circuit 122 via the input / output port 110, and controls the drive of the heating unit 16 via the drive circuit 122.

[0058] In the control unit 100, the CPU 102 converts image data input from the host device 114 into print data and stores it in the RAM 106. Specifically, when the CPU 102 acquires image data represented by 8-bit 256-value information (0 to 255) for each of RGB, the CPU 102 converts this image data into multi-value data represented by multiple types of ink (K, C, M, Y, EM in this embodiment) used for printing. This color conversion process generates multi-value data represented by 8-bit 256-value information (0 to 255) that defines the gradation of each ink of K, C, M, Y, EM in each pixel group consisting of multiple pixels.

[0059] Next, quantization of multi-value data represented by K, C, M, Y, and EM is performed to generate quantized data (binary data) represented by 1-bit binary information (0, 1) that determines whether or not each of the inks K, C, M, Y, and EM is ejected for each pixel. As the quantization process, various known quantization methods such as error diffusion, dithering, and indexing can be used. After that, a distribution process is performed to distribute the quantized data to multiple scans of the head unit 24 for the unit area. This distribution process generates print data represented by 1-bit binary information (0, 1) that determines whether or not each of the inks K, C, M, Y, and Em is ejected for each pixel in each of multiple scans of the unit area of ​​the print medium. This distribution process corresponds to multiple scans and is performed using a mask pattern that determines whether or not ink ejection is permitted for each pixel. Note that the generation of such print data is not limited to being performed by the control unit 100, but may be performed by the host device 114, or a part of the process may be performed by the host device 114 and the remaining process may be performed by the control unit 100.

[0060] <Wipe processing> In the above configuration, when the recording process of recording on the recording medium based on the recording data is started, the recording device 10 performs a wiping process at a predetermined timing during the recording process. Note that in the following explanation, the wiping process will be explained, but the recording device 10 not only performs the wiping process, but also performs processes such as a wiping process to maintain and restore the good ejection state of the liquid from the ejection port 32 by various components provided as the recovery unit 18. In addition, examples of the predetermined timing include the timing when the number of ejections of ink (and emulsion liquid) from the head unit 24 reaches a predetermined number, and the timing when scanning involving recording is performed a predetermined number of times.

[0061] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a detailed processing routine of the wiping process. FIG. 9(a), (b), (c), and (d) are diagrams explaining the wiping operation of the maintenance unit. FIG. 10(a) and (b) are diagrams explaining a comparison between the conventional technology and the technology according to the embodiment. In FIG. 10(a) and (b), only the pressing member 54 and the wiping member 50 are shown for ease of understanding. The series of processes shown in the flowchart of FIG. 8 are performed by the CPU 102 expanding the program code stored in the ROM 104 into the RAM 106 and executing it. Alternatively, some or all of the functions of the steps in FIG. 8 may be executed by hardware such as an ASIC or an electric circuit. In addition, the symbol S in the explanation of each process means that it is a step in the flowchart.

[0062] When the wiping process is started, first, the CPU 102 moves the head unit 24 to a wiping position (S802) and moves the maintenance part 28 to a wiping start position (S804). The wiping start position is a position where the wiping member 50 does not come into contact with the head unit 24 or the carriage 22 when the wiping member 50 is pressed by the pressing member 54, and is located upstream of the head unit 24 in the +Y direction (corresponding to the first position described above) (see FIG. 9(a)).

[0063] Next, the CPU 102 presses the wiping member 50 with the pressing member 54 (S806), and while maintaining this pressed state, moves the maintenance unit 28 in the +Y direction to the wiping end position (S808). When the maintenance unit 28 moves in the +Y direction from the wiping start position, the pressed area A1 pressed by the pressing member 54a, which is located downstream of the wiping member 50 in the +Y direction, comes into contact with the ejection port surface 34 (see FIG. 9(b)). At this time, the wiping member 50 comes into contact with an area including the ejection port arrays 33K, 33C, 33M, 33Y, and 33EM on the ejection port surface 34 and their vicinity (hereinafter referred to as the "ink ejection area" (see FIG. 3)). On the other hand, in the region of the ejection port surface 34 including the ejection port row 33RS and its vicinity (hereinafter referred to as the "reaction liquid ejection region" (see FIG. 3)), the wiping member 50 is pressed down by the regulating member 56a. Therefore, below the reaction liquid ejection region, the wiping member 50 is regulated from floating up, and the wiping member 50 does not come into contact with the reaction liquid ejection region. Thereafter, as the maintenance unit 28 moves in the +Y direction, the ink ejection region is wiped in the pressing region A1 of the wiping member 50, but the reaction liquid ejection region is not wiped.

[0064] Furthermore, when the maintenance unit 28 moves further in the +Y direction, the pressing area A2, which is located on the upstream side of the wiping member 50 in the +Y direction and is pressed by the pressing member 54b, comes into contact with the ejection port surface 34 (see FIG. 9C). At this time, the wiping member 50 comes into contact with the reaction liquid ejection area on the ejection port surface 34. On the other hand, in the ink ejection area on the ejection port surface 34, the wiping member 50 is pressed down by the regulating member 56b. For this reason, the wiping member 50 is regulated from floating up below the ink ejection area, and the wiping member 50 does not come into contact with the ink ejection area. Thereafter, as the maintenance unit 28 moves in the +Y direction, the pressing area A2 of the wiping member 50 wipes the reaction liquid ejection area, but does not wipe the ink ejection area.

[0065] In this manner, in S808, the maintenance unit 28 performs a wiping operation on the ejection port surface 34. The wiping end position is a position where the wiping member 50 does not come into contact with the carriage 22 and the head unit 24 when the wiping member 50 is pressed by the pressing member 54, and is located downstream in the +Y direction from the head unit 24 (corresponding to the above-mentioned second position) (see FIG. 9(d)). As described above, during the wiping operation, the CPU 102 controls the rotating members 52a, 52b to generate tension in the wiping member 50.

[0066] Here, a comparative example is considered in which the ink ejection region and the reaction liquid ejection region are wiped simultaneously. In this comparative example, the wiping portion of the wiping member 50 of the ink ejection region and the wiping portion of the reaction liquid ejection region are positioned substantially the same in the Y direction, which is the movement direction of the maintenance unit 28 during wiping (see FIG. 10(a)). For this reason, the reaction liquid that seeps into the wiping member 50 during wiping may diffuse around the wiping portion of the reaction liquid ejection region in the wiping member 50 and reach the wiping portion of the ink ejection region. In this case, the ink that has seeped into the ink ejection region reacts with the reaction liquid, causing the ink to solidify. As a result, during the wiping operation, the solidified ink adheres to the ejection port 32 of the ejection port array 33 in the ink ejection region, causing ink ejection failure. This phenomenon is particularly likely to occur when a highly penetrative reaction liquid is used. It is also likely to occur when the mass or volume is small and the ink is easily moved and diffused, such as when a reaction liquid that reacts based on pH is used.

[0067] In contrast to this, in the recording device 10, the wiping portion of the wiping member 50 of the ink ejection region is located a predetermined distance downstream in the +Y direction from the wiping portion of the reaction liquid ejection region (see FIG. 10(b)). Therefore, compared to the comparative example shown in FIG. 10(a), the wiping portion of the ink ejection region and the protruding portion of the reaction liquid ejection region are located farther apart. Specifically, the distance between the portion wiping the ejection port array 33RS that ejects reaction liquid and the portion wiping the ejection port array 33Y that ejects Y ink is L1 in the comparative example, but in this embodiment it is L2, which is longer than L1 (see FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b)).

[0068] As a result, the reactive liquid that seeps into the wiping member 50 during wiping is less likely to spread to the wiping portion of the ink ejection region in the wiping member 50. In addition, since wiping of the ink ejection region is performed prior to wiping of the reactive liquid ejection region, the ink that has permeated the wiping member 50 spreads first. As a result, the reactive liquid reacts with the ink that has seeped out from the wiping portion of the ink ejection region and is located away from the wiping portion, and solidification of the ink in the vicinity of the wiping portion is suppressed. Therefore, ejection defects are less likely to occur in the ejection port arrays 33 in the ink ejection region by the reactive liquid, that is, the ejection port arrays 33K, 33C, 33M, and 33Y.

[0069] Furthermore, when wiping the ink ejection region, the wiping member 50 is pushed up by the pressing member 54 at a position of the wiping member 50 corresponding to the ink ejection region, and the wiping member 50 is pressed down by the regulating member 56a at a position of the wiping member 50 corresponding to the reaction liquid ejection region. When wiping the reaction liquid ejection region, the wiping member 50 is pushed up by the pressing member 54 at a position of the wiping member 50 corresponding to the reaction liquid ejection region, and the wiping member 50 is pressed down by the regulating member 56b at a position of the wiping member 50 corresponding to the ink ejection region.

[0070] Thus, in the maintenance unit 28, the wiping member 50 is pressed down by the regulating members 56 on the +X direction downstream side of the pressing area A1 of the wiping member 50 and on the +X direction upstream side of the pressing area A2 of the wiping member 50. Also, the wiping member 50 is supported by support members on the +Y direction upstream and downstream sides of each pressing member 54. For this reason, contact of the wiping member 50 with the discharge port surface 34 of the portion not contributing to wiping during wiping is regulated, thereby making it possible to prevent the deposits adhering to that portion from adhering again to the discharge port surface 34.

[0071] Returning to Fig. 8, when the wiping operation in S808 is completed, the CPU 102 releases the pressure of the pressing member 54 on the wiping member 50 at the wiping end position (S810), and while maintaining this state, moves the maintenance unit 28 in the -Y direction to the wiping start position (S812). In S812, because the pressure of the pressing member 54 on the wiping member 50 has been released, the wiping member 50 does not come into contact with the outlet surface 34 when moving to the wiping start position.

[0072] When the maintenance unit 28 returns to the wiping start position, the CPU 102 drives the rotating member 52b to wind up the wiping member 50 (S814), and ends the wiping process. The amount of the wiping member 50 wound up in S814 corresponds to the length L (see FIG. 9(a)) from the pressing area A1 to the pressing area A2 in the Y direction. For example, taking into consideration the range of the ink, emulsion liquid, and reaction liquid that seeps into the wiping member 50 during wiping, the wiping member 50 is wound up in the Y direction by a certain amount longer than the length L. After the wiping member 50 is wound up in S814, the wiping member 50 is in a state where the wiped deposits are not attached to the pressing areas A1 and A2 of the wiping member 50.

[0073] As described above, the recording device 10 is configured to wipe the ink ejection region on the ejection port surface 34 where the ejection port array 33 for ejecting ink is formed and the reaction liquid ejection region on the ejection port surface 34 where the ejection port array 33 for ejecting reaction liquid is formed at different positions in the +Y direction with the wiping member 50. As a result, the distance between the wiping portion for wiping the ink ejection region and the wiping portion for wiping the reaction liquid ejection region is greater than in a configuration where the wiping portion is wiped at the same position in the +Y direction with the wiping member 50. Note that the +Y direction is the extension direction of the ejection port array 33 and the movement direction of the maintenance unit 28 during the wiping process. For this reason, the reaction liquid that seeps out from the wiping portion is less likely to reach the wiping portion of the ink ejection region. Therefore, in the wiping member 50, the seeping reaction liquid is less likely to reach the seeping ink, and the ink is less likely to solidify due to the reaction liquid, making it less likely that ejection defects will occur after the wiping process.

[0074] Furthermore, the wiping member 50 is configured such that the wiping portion of the ink ejection region is located downstream in the +Y direction from the portion that wipes the reaction liquid ejection region, allowing wiping of the ink ejection region to be performed in advance. As a result, in the wiping member 50, the ink that has seeped out from the wiping portion is diffused first, so that the reaction liquid reacts with the ink at a position away from the wiping portion of the ink ejection region, and solidification of the ink in the vicinity of the wiping portion is suppressed. Therefore, ejection defects are less likely to occur after the wiping process.

[0075] Furthermore, the wiping portions of the ink ejection region and the reaction liquid ejection region are pressed by the pressing member 54, and the upstream and downstream sides of the wiping region in the +Y direction and the upstream or downstream side in the +X direction are pressed by the regulating member 56 and the supporting member 58. This regulates the wiping member 50 to prevent the portions not contributing to wiping near the wiping portion from contacting the ejection port surface 34. This makes it possible to prevent the deposits adhering to those portions from adhering again to the ejection port surface 34. This makes it difficult for ejection defects to occur after the wiping process.

[0076] (Other embodiments) The above embodiment may be modified as shown in the following (1) to (5).

[0077] (1) In the above embodiment, in the wiping member 50, the wiping portion that wipes the reaction liquid ejection region of the ejection port surface 34 is formed on the upstream side in the +Y direction, and the wiping portion that wipes the ink ejection region is arranged on the downstream side in the +Y direction. This results in a configuration in which the ink ejection region is wiped first, but the configuration of the maintenance unit 28 is not limited to this. For example, when the permeability of the reaction liquid into the wiping member 50 is higher than the permeability of the ink or emulsion liquid into the wiping member 50, the configuration described in the above embodiment may be used. On the other hand, when the permeability of the reaction liquid into the wiping member 50 is lower than the permeability of the ink or emulsion liquid into the wiping member 50, the wiping portion is arranged in reverse. That is, the wiping portion that wipes the reaction liquid ejection region is formed on the downstream side in the +Y direction, and the wiping portion that wipes the ink ejection region is arranged on the upstream side in the +Y direction, and the reaction liquid ejection region is wiped first. In this way, the maintenance unit 28 may be configured to wipe first the area in which the ejection port arrays 33 that eject liquid with lower permeability into the wiping member 50 are located.

[0078] (2) In the above embodiment, the head unit 24 is configured to eject emulsion liquid, but the head unit 24 may be configured not to eject emulsion liquid. In this case, an ejection head 25-1 that ejects ink and an ejection head 25-3 that ejects reaction liquid are provided on the ejection port surface 34 of the head unit 24, and are arranged at a predetermined distance from each other in the X direction.

[0079] In the above embodiment, the ejection head 25-2 that ejects the emulsion liquid is disposed between the ejection head 25-1 and the ejection head 25-3 and adjacent to the ejection head 25-1 in the X direction, but the present invention is not limited to this. Specifically, the ejection head 25-2 may be disposed at a certain distance from the ejection head 25-1 as well as from the ejection head 25-3 in the X direction.

[0080] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an emulsion liquid having a lower reactivity to the reaction liquid than the ink is used, but the present invention is not limited to this. An emulsion liquid having a higher reactivity to the reaction liquid than the ink may be used. In this case, the ejection head 25-1 is disposed between the ejection head 25-2 and the ejection head 25-3 in the X direction, and the ejection head 25-1 and the ejection head 25-3 are disposed at a predetermined distance apart.

[0081] (3) Although not specifically mentioned in the above embodiment, it is preferable to use a liquid whose surface tension with respect to the wiping member 50 is lower than the surface tension of the reactive liquid and ink used as the impregnating liquid with which the wiping member 50 is impregnated. This makes it possible to suppress diffusion of the ink and reactive liquid on the wiping member 50.

[0082] The higher the viscosity of the impregnating liquid that suppresses the diffusion of the reaction liquid and the ink, the greater the effect of suppressing the diffusion, but the more difficult it becomes to impregnate the wiping member 50 with the liquid. When using a highly viscous impregnating liquid, the viscosity is reduced by dilution, heating, or the like. Specifically, the viscosity of the impregnating liquid in the undiluted state is useful to be 100 to 10,000 mPa·s, preferably 500 to 5,000 mPa·s, and more preferably 1,000 to 2,000 mPa·s.

[0083] Furthermore, the greater the amount of impregnating liquid (impregnation amount), the more the reaction liquid and ink are suppressed from being absorbed into the wiping member 50, and therefore the greater the effect of suppressing diffusion of the reaction liquid and ink. On the other hand, if the impregnation amount is excessive, problems such as transfer to the ejection port surface 34 and uneven distribution due to movement within the wiping member 50 are likely to occur. For this reason, the impregnation amount is determined by comprehensively taking into account the wiping performance, the diffusibility of the reflection liquid and ink, and the likelihood of the above problems occurring. For example, when glycerin is used as the impregnating liquid, the impregnation amount is approximately 50 g / m. 2 Furthermore, in order to suppress the diffusion of the reaction liquid and ink, the impregnating liquid having a high surface tension is used, which makes it possible to suppress the diffusion of the reaction liquid and the like in the wiping member 50. The surface tension of the impregnating liquid is, for example, 50 N / m or more.

[0084] (4) In the above embodiment, the recording device 10 is configured such that the head unit 24 moves in the X direction and the maintenance unit 28 moves in the Y direction, but this is not limiting. That is, one of the head unit 24 and the maintenance unit 28 may be fixedly disposed, and the other may move in the X direction and the Y direction, and the head unit 24 and the maintenance unit 28 may be configured to be relatively movable. In the above embodiment, the regulating member 56 and the supporting member 58 are disposed on each of the pressing members 54a and 54b, but this is not limiting. They may be provided on either one of the pressing members 54a and 54b depending on the configuration of the recording device, the ink used, the type of reaction liquid, etc. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the supporting member 58 is provided on both the upstream side and the downstream side of the pressing member 54 in the +Y direction, but this is not limiting. They may be provided on the upstream side or the downstream side of the pressing member 54 in the +Y direction depending on the configuration of the recording device, the ink used, the type of reaction liquid, etc.

[0085] (5) The above embodiment and the various configurations shown in (1) to (4) may be combined as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 10 Recording Device 24 Head unit (recording means) 28 Maintenance section (maintenance means) 50 Wiping material 100 Control section

Claims

1. a recording means, in which a first ejection port array formed by arranging a plurality of ejection ports capable of ejecting ink in a first direction and a second ejection port array formed by arranging ejection ports in the first direction in a row, the second ejection port array being arranged in a row in the first direction, the second ejection port array being arranged in a row in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction, at the same positions in the first direction on an ejection port surface; a maintenance means for wiping the ejection port surface with a wiping member having absorbency for the ink and the reaction liquid, a wiping member for wiping the ejection port surface in the first direction by relatively moving at least one of the recording unit and the maintenance unit, a first wiping portion for wiping the first ejection port row and a second wiping portion for wiping the second ejection port row, the first wiping portion being different from each other in the first direction.

2. A recording device according to claim 1, wherein the first wiping portion and the second wiping portion, the portion having a higher permeability into the wiping member of the liquid ejected from the nozzle array that it wipes, is located downstream in the first direction.

3. The maintenance means includes: a first pressing member that presses the wiping member at a position corresponding to the first ejection port array to form the first wiping portion; a second pressing member that corresponds to the second ejection port array and presses the wiping member at a position different from that of the first pressing member in the first direction to form the second wiping portion; 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

4. The maintenance means includes: a first regulating member that regulates lifting of the wiping member in a pressing direction by the first pressing member at a position that is substantially aligned with the first pressing member in the first direction and that corresponds to the second ejection port row; a second regulating member that regulates lifting of the wiping member in a pressing direction by the second pressing member at a position that is substantially aligned with the second pressing member in the first direction and that corresponds to the first ejection port row; 4. The recording apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

5. 5. The recording device according to claim 3, wherein the maintenance means further includes a support member on at least one of the upstream side and downstream side of the first direction of the first pressing member and the second pressing member, the support member supporting the wiping member by pressing the wiping member in a direction opposite to the pressing direction of the first pressing member and the second pressing member.

6. the recording means includes a third ejection port array formed between the first ejection port array and the second ejection port array by arranging a plurality of ejection ports in parallel along the first direction, the third ejection port array being capable of ejecting a liquid having a lower reactivity to the reaction liquid than the ink; The recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the third nozzle array is wiped by the first wiping portion of the wiping member.

7. 7. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wiping member is impregnated with a liquid having a surface tension lower than the surface tensions of the ink and the reaction liquid with respect to the wiping member.

8. 8. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wiping member is impregnated with a liquid having a viscosity of 100 to 10,000 mPa·s.

9. 9. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wiping member is stretchable and flexible.

10. 10. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a heating unit for heating the recording medium after recording by the recording unit.

11. a recording means, in which a first ejection port array formed by arranging a plurality of ejection ports capable of ejecting ink in a first direction and a second ejection port array formed by arranging ejection ports in the first direction in a row, the second ejection port array being arranged in a row in the first direction, the second ejection port array being arranged in a row in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction, at the same positions in the first direction on an ejection port surface; a maintenance means for wiping the ejection port surface with a wiping member having absorbency for the ink and the reaction liquid, A maintenance method characterized by moving at least one of the recording means and the maintenance means relative to one another, and wiping the outlet surface in the first direction with a first wiping portion for wiping the first outlet row and a second wiping portion for wiping the second outlet row, the first wiping portion and the second wiping portion being provided at different positions of the wiping member in the first direction.

12. A recording means comprising: a first row of ejection ports formed by arranging a plurality of ejection ports capable of ejecting ink in a first direction; and a second row of ejection ports formed by arranging a plurality of ejection ports in a first direction in a second direction intersecting the first direction on an ejection port surface; a maintenance means for wiping the ejection port surface with a wiping member having absorbency for the ink and the reaction liquid, a wiping member for wiping the ejection port surface in the first direction by relatively moving at least one of the recording unit and the maintenance unit, the wiping member has a first wiping portion that wipes the first ejection port row and a second wiping portion that wipes the second ejection port row that are different from each other in the first direction, The maintenance means includes: a first pressing member that presses the wiping member at a position corresponding to the first ejection port array to form the first wiping portion; a second pressing member that corresponds to the second ejection port array and presses the wiping member at a position different from that of the first pressing member in the first direction to form the second wiping portion; a first regulating member that regulates lifting of the wiping member in a pressing direction by the first pressing member at a position that is substantially aligned with the first pressing member in the first direction and that corresponds to the second ejection port row; a second regulating member that regulates lifting of the wiping member in the pressing direction by the second pressing member at a position that is approximately aligned with the second pressing member in the first direction and that corresponds to the first row of ejection ports.

13. A recording means comprising: a first row of ejection ports formed by arranging a plurality of ejection ports capable of ejecting ink in a first direction; and a second row of ejection ports formed by arranging a plurality of ejection ports in a first direction in a second direction intersecting the first direction on an ejection port surface; a maintenance means for wiping the ejection port surface with a wiping member having absorbency for the ink and the reaction liquid, a wiping member for wiping the ejection port surface in the first direction by relatively moving at least one of the recording unit and the maintenance unit, the wiping member has a first wiping portion that wipes the first ejection port row and a second wiping portion that wipes the second ejection port row that are different from each other in the first direction, the recording means includes a third ejection port array formed between the first ejection port array and the second ejection port array by arranging a plurality of ejection ports in parallel along the first direction, the third ejection port array being capable of ejecting a liquid having a lower reactivity to the reaction liquid than the ink; a wiping portion of the wiping member that is disposed on the third nozzle row and that is disposed on the first nozzle row;

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