LIQUID EJECTION DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MAINTENANCE OF LIQUID EJECTION DEVICE

Abstract

To efficiently remove an adhered matter adhered to a liquid discharge unit.SOLUTION: A liquid discharge device includes: a liquid discharge unit; a wiper blade including an abutting surface that abuts with the liquid discharge unit; movement means that moves at least one of the liquid discharge unit and the wiper blade to a movement direction to cause the abutting surface to abut with the liquid discharge unit. The abutting surface is formed with unevenness formed to be inclined with respect to the movement direction in the wiper blade.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a liquid ejection device and a maintenance method for the liquid ejection device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent document 1 describes an inkjet recording device (hereinafter referred to as a "liquid ejection device") that can scrape the face surface (hereinafter referred to as the "ejection surface") of a recording head by providing a sawtooth portion on a blade (hereinafter referred to as a "wiper blade"). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-35251 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with the wiper blade of Patent Document 1, the scraped ink may become clogged in the grooves of the saw blade, reducing the contact pressure between the wiper blade and the ejection surface, which could reduce the wiping ability of the wiper blade.

[0005] In order to solve the above problem, the technology according to the present disclosure aims to efficiently remove the deposits adhering to the liquid ejection section. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] Book The liquid ejection device according to the present disclosure includes a liquid ejection unit, a wiper blade having a contact surface that contacts the liquid ejection unit, and a wiper blade that contacts the liquid ejection unit. Towards The wiper blade Do a moving means for moving the contact surface in a movement direction to bring the contact surface into contact with the liquid discharge unit; YesThe contact surface is inclined with respect to the moving direction of the wiper blade. a linear first recess, the end of which is located on the rear side in the moving direction of the wiper blade and does not reach one end of the wiper blade; and a linear second recess, the linear second recess being inclined with respect to the moving direction of the wiper blade and the end of which is located on the rear side in the moving direction of the wiper blade and reaches the one end of the wiper blade. but 、 Formed Crate , The first recess and the second recess are configured parallel to each other. It is characterized by: [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the technology of the present disclosure, it is possible to efficiently remove the deposits adhering to the liquid ejection portion. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an example of a main part of a liquid ejection device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a recording head that can be mounted on a carriage. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a head unit. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a structure in the vicinity of a discharge port with a part cut away. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of an example of a discharge surface cleaning mechanism. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a wiping operation. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of the wiper blade during a wiping operation. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a wiper blade having a plurality of recesses formed therein; [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view showing a wiper blade that wipes a plurality of ejection port arrays. [Figure 10] 3 is a schematic diagram of a contact surface of a wiper blade. [Figure 11] 3 is a schematic diagram of a contact surface of a wiper blade. [Figure 12] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a wiper blade viewed from a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the wiper blade. [Figure 13] 3 is a schematic diagram of a wiper blade and a recording head used in the examples. [Figure 14]Schematic diagram of wiper blade No. 1. [Figure 15] Schematic diagram of wiper blade No. 2. [Figure 16] Schematic diagram of wiper blade No. 3. [Figure 17] Schematic diagram of wiper blade No. 4. [Figure 18] Schematic diagram of wiper blade No. 5. [Figure 19] Schematic diagram of wiper blade No. 6. [Figure 20] Schematic diagram of wiper blade No. 7. [Figure 21] Schematic diagram of wiper blade No. 8. [Figure 22] Schematic diagram of wiper blade No. 9. [Figure 23] Schematic diagram of wiper blade No. 10. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the present invention, and not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the present invention. Note that the same components will be described with the same reference numerals. Furthermore, the relative arrangements, shapes, etc. of the components described in the embodiments are merely examples, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to only those.

[0010] Furthermore, although examples of liquids described in this specification include ink (for example, pigment ink), examples of liquids are not limited to ink.

[0011] <Embodiment 1> <About dimensions> First, the dimensions in the figures will be described. The X direction shown in each figure indicates the movement direction (i.e., the main scanning direction) of the carriage 10 provided in the liquid ejection device 1 (see FIG. 1) according to this embodiment. The rightward direction in FIG. 1 is called the +X direction, and the opposite direction (i.e., the leftward direction in FIG. 1) is called the -X direction. Next, the Y direction will be described. The Y direction indicates a direction perpendicular to the X direction on a plane. The back side of FIG. 1 is called the +Y direction, and the opposite direction (i.e., the front side of FIG. 1) is called the -Y direction. In other words, the -Y direction is the transport direction of the recording medium S according to this embodiment. Next, the Z direction will be described. The Z direction indicates a direction perpendicular to the X and Y directions. In this embodiment, the direction of gravity is called the -Z direction, and the opposite direction (i.e., the anti-gravity direction) is called the +Z direction. This concludes the description of the dimensions in the figures.

[0012] <Liquid discharge device 1> FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an example of the main components of a liquid ejection device 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid ejection device 1 according to this embodiment includes a carriage 10, a guide shaft 20, a linear encoder 30, an endless belt 40, and a maintenance mechanism 50. The endless belt 40 includes a pulley 41. The carriage 10 is fixed to the endless belt 40 and is movable along the guide shaft 20. The endless belt 40 is wound around a pair of pulleys 41, one of which is connected to the drive shaft of a carriage drive motor (not shown). Therefore, the carriage 10 is driven to rotate by the motor and reciprocates in the main scanning direction (i.e., the X direction) along the guide shaft 20. The carriage 10 includes a cartridge-shaped recording head 170 that detachably holds a liquid container 200. The head unit 110 (see FIG. 2), to which the liquid container 200 can be detachably attached, further includes a connector (not shown) for receiving signals for driving the recording head 170. Then, the liquid ejection device 1 can eject liquid by driving the heater 151 (see FIG. 4) provided in the recording head 170 in accordance with the received electrical signals.

[0013] <Transport> The recording medium S is transported intermittently in a direction (i.e., the -Y direction) perpendicular to the movement direction of the carriage 10 (i.e., the X direction). The recording medium S is supported by a pair of roller units (not shown) provided on the upstream and downstream sides of the transport direction, and a certain tension is applied to the recording medium S. The recording medium S is transported while ensuring flatness relative to the ejection ports 152 (see FIG. 4) that eject liquid. Then, as the carriage 10 moves, recording over a width corresponding to the array width of the ejection ports 152 provided in the head unit 110 and transport of the recording medium S are alternately repeated, thereby performing recording on the entire recording medium S. The liquid ejection device 1 is also provided with a linear encoder 30 for purposes such as detecting the movement position of the carriage 10 in the main scanning direction.

[0014] <Maintenance method> When starting or during recording, the carriage 10 stops at a home position, which is a position facing the maintenance mechanism 50. Near the home position, the maintenance mechanism 50 is provided, which includes a cap and a wiper mechanism 60 (described later). The cap is supported so that it can be raised and lowered. When in the raised position, it caps the ejection surface 171 (see FIG. 5) of the head unit 110, protecting the ejection surface 171 during non-recording operations and enabling suction recovery. During recording, the cap is set to a lowered position to avoid interference with the head unit 110, and is also positioned opposite the ejection surface 171 to allow preliminary ejection. The wiper mechanism 60 also performs maintenance by wiping off any deposits adhering to the ejection surface 171 of the recording head 170.

[0015] <Recording head 170> FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a print head 170 that can be mounted on the carriage 10. The print head 170 according to this embodiment includes a head unit 110 having an array of ejection ports 152 (see FIG. 4) that eject liquid, and a liquid container 200 that stores liquid and supplies the liquid to the head unit 110. The print head 170 is mounted on the carriage 10 so that a first ejection port array 152a and a second ejection port array 152b (see FIG. 4) provided in the head unit 110 face the recording medium S and the direction of the array differs from the main scanning direction. For example, the print head 170 is mounted on the carriage 10 so that a first ejection port array 152a and a second ejection port array 152b provided in the head unit 110 face the recording medium S and coincide with the sub-scanning direction, which is the transport direction of the recording medium S. An example of the recording medium S is a sheet. The number of pairs of liquid ejection port arrays and liquid containers 200 can correspond to the color of liquid used. In the illustrated example, six pairs are provided corresponding to six colors (for example, black (Bk), cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), light cyan (PC), and light magenta (PM)). In the illustrated print head 170, an independent liquid container 200 is provided for each color, and each liquid container 200 is detachable from the head unit 110. Note that the print head 170 is not limited to the illustrated example, and any print head 170 may be used. Also, a print head 170 that uses only monochrome ink rather than color ink may be used.

[0016] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a head unit 110 included in a recording head 170. As shown in FIG. 3, the head unit 110 includes a cartridge holder 111, a flow path forming member 120, a first plate 130, a second plate 140, a recording element substrate 150, and an electrical wiring board 160. The recording element substrate 150, which has an array of liquid ejection ports, is adhesively fixed onto the first plate 130 made of aluminum oxide (Al2O3). The first plate 130 is formed with a liquid supply port 131 for supplying liquid to the recording element substrate 150. Furthermore, a second plate 140, which has an opening, is adhesively fixed to the first plate 130. The second plate 140 holds the electrical wiring board 160, which applies an electrical signal for ejecting liquid, so that the recording element substrate 150 is electrically connected to the electrical wiring board 160. Meanwhile, a flow path forming member 120 is ultrasonically welded to a cartridge holder 111 that detachably holds the head unit 110, forming a liquid flow path (not shown) that extends from the liquid container 200 to the first plate 130.

[0017] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing a structure near the ejection ports 152, with a partial cutaway. As shown in FIG. 4, the recording element substrate 150 includes a heater 151, ejection ports 152, a substrate 153, an ejection port plate 155, a flow path wall 156, and a coating layer 157. A row of ejection ports 152 that eject the same type of liquid is referred to as an ejection port array. The recording element substrate 150 according to this embodiment includes a first ejection port array 152a in which ejection ports 152 that eject a liquid are arranged, and a second ejection port array 152b in which ejection ports 152 that eject a different liquid from the first ejection ports are arranged. The heater 151 functions as an electrothermal transducer that generates thermal energy that causes film boiling in the liquid in response to energization as energy used to eject the liquid. The ejection ports 152 are formed in the ejection port plate 155, facing the heater 151. The ejection port plate 155 is provided on the substrate 153 via a coating layer 157 made of resin or the like. Furthermore, the surface of the ejection port plate 155 (i.e., the ejection surface 171 facing the recording medium S) may be a water-repellent surface that has been subjected to a water-repellent treatment.

[0018] <Water-repellent treatment> Examples of methods for forming a water-repellent surface by subjecting the ejection surface 171, on which the ejection ports 152 are formed, to a water-repellent treatment include spraying a water-repellent material and attaching the water-repellent material by vacuum deposition or plasma polymerization. The water-repellent surface is preferably formed as a uniform film made of the water-repellent material. The water-repellency of the formed water-repellent surface can be determined by measuring the contact angle of a water droplet on the surface of the component. A contact angle of 70 degrees or greater with water indicates water repellency. A contact angle of 90 degrees or greater with water is preferred. The contact angle with water can be measured using a general contact angle meter using pure water (ion-exchanged water). An example of a contact angle meter is an automatic contact angle measuring machine. A preferred example of a water-repellent material is a fluororesin-based compound. In particular, the water-repellent surface is preferably formed as a uniform resin film made of a fluororesin-based compound. Furthermore, it is preferred that this resin film does not contain metals such as nickel. Examples of fluororesin-based compounds include polytetrafluoroethylene resin and fluororesins with a cyclic structure. Other examples include other fluorine-containing resins, such as fluorinated epoxy resins, fluorinated polyimide resins, fluorinated polyamide resins, fluorinated acrylic resins, fluorinated urethane resins, fluorinated siloxane resins, and modified resins thereof. Silicon-containing compounds or silicone-based resins may also be used as water-repellent materials. Among these, condensates of hydrolyzable silane compounds having a fluoroalkyl group and a cationically polymerizable group are preferred as water-repellent materials because they provide high levels of water repellency and durability. Resins obtained by curing these condensates by irradiation with active energy rays such as ultraviolet light may also be used. These hydrolyzable silane compounds have hydrolyzable groups in their molecular structures. Examples of hydrolyzable groups include alkoxy groups. Examples of cationically polymerizable groups include cyclic ether groups and cyclic vinyl ether groups.

[0019] <Wiper mechanism 60> Next, the wiper mechanism 60 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7. FIG. 5 is a schematic side view showing an example of the wiper mechanism 60 according to this embodiment, showing the wiper mechanism 60 as viewed from the +X direction shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 5, the head unit 110 has a liquid container 200 mounted on the carriage 10 and includes a recording head 170 on the lower side that ejects liquid supplied from the liquid container 200. As described above, liquid may adhere to the ejection surface 171 of the recording head 170. On the other hand, the wiper mechanism 60 includes a wiper holder 61, a wiper blade 62 having a recess 63 (i.e., a groove) formed thereon, wiper moving means (not shown), and an absorber 64 (see FIG. 6). The wiper holder 61 can fix the wiper blade 62. When the wiper moving means is driven, the wiper holder 61 can move while the wiper blade 62 is fixed thereto. The wiper holder 61 may be movable with a plurality of wiper blades 62 fixed thereto.

[0020] <Wiper Blade 62> The wiper blade 62 is made of an elastic material (e.g., rubber). Therefore, the wiper blade 62 is flexible. In the example shown in this embodiment, the wiper holder 61 is movable in a direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction of the recording head 170 (i.e., the Y direction). That is, the wiper holder 61 according to this embodiment can move along the first and second ejection port arrays 152a and 152b. Therefore, when the wiper blade 62 according to this embodiment moves and hits the recording head 170, it bends and wipes the ejection ports 152 formed in the ejection surface 171. The surface of the wiper blade 62 that wipes the ejection surface 171 is referred to as the "contact surface." The action of the wiper blade 62 wiping the ejection surface 171 is referred to as the "wiping action." Details of the recess 63 and the absorber 64 will be described later with reference to FIG. 6.

[0021] <Wiping operation> FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the wiping operation. FIG. 6(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the wiper blade 62 performing the wiping operation. As shown in FIG. 6(a), during the wiping operation, the wiper blade 62 moves and wipes the ejection surface 171 by sliding a portion of its contact surface against the ejection surface 171. As shown in the figure, wiping the multiple ejection port arrays from the rear side of the recording head 170 (i.e., from the +Y direction) can prevent ink mist discharged from the ejection ports 152 of one ejection port array from entering the ejection ports 152 of another ejection port array (so-called color mixing). The wiper blade 62 may also perform the wiping operation from the front side of the recording head 170 (i.e., from the -Y direction). In this case, color mixing can also be prevented. Furthermore, the deposits (e.g., liquid) wiped off by the wiper blade 62 are discharged through the recessed portion 63, fall, and are then absorbed by the absorber 64.

[0022] FIG. 6B is a plan view schematically illustrating the wiper blade 62 during wiping operation. For ease of explanation, the recording head 170 is omitted. The recesses 63, which are not visible in the plan view, are indicated by dashed lines. As shown in FIG. 6B, the contact surface of the wiper blade 62 according to this embodiment has the recesses 63 formed at an angle. The formation of the recesses 63 on the contact surface reduces the contact area between the ejection surface 171 and the wiper blade 62, increasing the contact pressure and improving wiping performance. In this embodiment, the wiper blade 62 moves from the +Y direction to the -Y direction. Therefore, once the wiped deposits enter the recesses 63, they flow from the +X direction to the -X direction. Furthermore, because the recesses 63 are formed at an angle, during wiping operation, there are two ends, one that first contacts the ejection surface 171 and the other that last contacts it. Hereinafter, the end of the recess 63 that first contacts the ejection surface 171 will be referred to as the "upper end." On the other hand, during wiping operation, the end of the recess 63 that comes into contact with the discharge surface 171 is referred to as the "lower end." Furthermore, the side where the "upper end" of the recess 63 is located is referred to as the "upstream side." On the other hand, the side where the "lower end" of the recess 63 is located is referred to as the "downstream side." When the lower end of the recess 63 reaches one end (i.e., the periphery) of the wiper blade 62, the deposits flowing from the upstream side to the downstream side can be discharged to the outside of the recess 63. Furthermore, an absorber 64 is arranged on the lower side of the wiper blade 62 to absorb the deposits that are discharged from the lower end of the recess 63 and flow down.

[0023] <Absorbent 64> The deposits discharged from the lower end of the recess 63 flow down below the wiper blade 62 (i.e., in the −Z direction). If the deposits flowing down from the lower end of the recess 63 are left as they are, there is a risk that the deposits will splatter onto the recording medium S during printing and soil the recording medium S. Therefore, it is preferable to arrange an absorber 64 (see FIG. 6 ) at the point where the deposits flowing down from the lower end of the recess 63 fall to absorb the fallen deposits. The absorber 64 may be made of any material as long as it can absorb the deposits flowing down from the lower end of the recess 63. For example, the absorber 64 can be made using a sponge, nonwoven fabric, or the like. The absorber 64 may be arranged anywhere as long as it is capable of absorbing the deposits from the lower end of the recess 63. In order to efficiently absorb the falling deposits, it is preferable that the absorber 64 be arranged below the lower end of the recess 63 (i.e., on the −Z direction side). Of course, to increase the probability of absorbing the falling deposits, the absorber 64 may be arranged so as to cover the entire lower side of the wiper blade 62. For example, as shown in FIG. 6( b), if the recess 63 is formed across both ends of the wiper blade 62, it is preferable to also arrange the absorber 64 on the upper end side of the recess 63. With this configuration, even if deposits flow down from the upper end side of the recess 63, there is a high possibility that the deposits can be absorbed. Of course, the absorber 64 may be arranged directly below the short end of the contact surface of the wiper blade 62. In this case, the absorber 64 is arranged directly below the entire movement path of the wiper blade 62. Therefore, no matter where on the wiper blade 62 the deposits fall, the deposits can be absorbed using the absorber 64. In other words, by arranging the absorber 64, it is possible to prevent deposits from falling onto the recording medium S during printing and soiling the recording medium S.

[0024] <Recess 63> FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view of the wiper blade 62 during wiping. For ease of explanation, the recesses 63 are indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 7, as in FIG. 6B. As shown in FIG. 7, the recesses 63 formed on the contact surface of the wiper blade 62 are inclined relative to the end of the wiper blade 62. In the illustrated example, the recesses 63 are inclined at a predetermined angle θ with respect to an imaginary line L1 that is perpendicular to the longitudinal end of the wiper blade 62. That is, the recesses 63 are formed obliquely relative to the imaginary line L1. The reason why the recesses 63 are formed obliquely will be explained below. Let us assume that the recesses 63 are formed in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the wiper blade 62 (i.e., parallel to the short-side end of the wiper blade 62). In this case, when the wiper blade 62 repeatedly performs wiping operations, the wiped deposits accumulate in the recesses 63. This may reduce the contact pressure of the wiper blade 62, resulting in a deterioration in wiping performance. In contrast, if the recess 63 is formed at an angle, the deposits wiped away by the wiper blade 62 while it moves will flow from the end of the recess 63 that first hits the discharge surface 171 toward the end of the recess 63 that last hits the discharge surface 171. In other words, if the recess 63 is formed at an angle, the deposits wiped away by the wiper blade 62 while it moves will flow from the end of the recess 63 on the +X direction side (upstream side) shown in FIG. 7 toward the end of the recess 63 on the −X direction side (downstream side).

[0025] According to the liquid ejection device 1 of this embodiment, the wiped-off deposits flow from the upstream side to the downstream side of the recessed portion 63. This prevents the wiped-off deposits from accumulating in the recessed portion 63, and prevents a decrease in the wiping performance of the wiper blade 62. In other words, according to the liquid ejection device 1 equipped with the wiper blade 62 of this embodiment, deposits adhering to the liquid ejection portion can be efficiently removed.

[0026] Furthermore, it is preferable that the recess 63 be formed at an angle that allows both wiping of the discharge surface 171 and discharge of the wiped deposits. Suppose the recess 63 is formed at an angle of less than 10 degrees with respect to the imaginary line L1 (i.e., an angle nearly perpendicular to the movement direction of the wiper blade 62). In this case, the flow of deposits (liquid) that have entered the recess 63 can be strengthened, but if the wiping operation is repeated many times, the wiped deposits will accumulate in the recess 63. Conversely, suppose the recess 63 is formed at an angle of more than 45 degrees with respect to the imaginary line L1 (i.e., an angle nearly parallel to the movement direction of the wiper blade 62). In this case, the deposits (liquid) that have entered the recess 63 will be easily washed away, but the deposits will also easily slip through the recess 63. This may result in some of the discharge surface 171 remaining unwiped. Therefore, for example, when the recess 63 is formed at an angle of 10 degrees or more and 45 degrees or less with respect to the imaginary line L1, it is possible to both wipe the ejection surface 171 and discharge the wiped deposits.

[0027] <Summary> As described above, the liquid ejection device 1 equipped with the wiper blade 62 according to this embodiment can prevent the wiped deposits from accumulating in the recesses 63, thereby preventing a decrease in wiping performance. In other words, the liquid ejection device 1 according to this embodiment can efficiently remove deposits from the ejection surface 171. Furthermore, pigment-based inks are made by dispersing colorants, which are originally solids, in water by introducing functional groups to a dispersant, the pigment surface, or one of them. Therefore, dried pigment inks that dry on the ejection surface 171 due to evaporation of water in the ink are more likely to accumulate on the ejection surface 171 and are often more difficult to wipe off than dried, solid dye-based inks, in which the colorant itself is dissolved at the molecular level. However, the wiper blade 62 according to this embodiment can efficiently remove pigment inks and pigment ink deposits that have adhered to the ejection surface 171, even when the liquid ejected by the liquid ejection device 1 is pigment ink.

[0028] <Embodiment 2> The present embodiment aims to more efficiently remove deposits adhering to the discharge surface 171. A plurality of recesses 63 are formed on the contact surface of the wiper blade 62 according to this embodiment, and the difference from the first embodiment is that the lower end of at least one recess 63 reaches one end of the wiper blade 62. This embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. 8. In the following description, the same components as those in the first embodiment will be given the same reference numerals and description will be omitted, and the differences will be mainly described.

[0029] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a wiper blade 62 having a plurality of recesses 63. In the example shown in Fig. 8, a first recess 63a, a second recess 63b, and a third recess 63c are formed on the contact surface of the wiper blade 62 from the front with respect to the movement direction of the wiper blade 62.

[0030] Regardless of which of the lower ends of these recesses 63 reaches one end of the wiper blade 62, deposits can be discharged outside the recess 63. For example, it is preferable that the lower end of the third recess 63c, which is located furthest rearward (i.e., at the rear end) in the moving direction of the wiper blade 62, reaches one end of the wiper blade 62. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the lower ends of the first recess 63a and the second recess 63b do not reach the end of the wiper blade 62. Therefore, deposits wiped off by the first recess 63a and the second recess 63b overflow onto the contact surface of the wiper blade 62 and are discharged. The deposits discharged onto the contact surface of the wiper blade 62 are then wiped off by the third recess 63c, which is formed at the rear end in the moving direction of the wiper blade 62, and are discharged together from the lower end of the third recess 63c. This improves wiping performance while preventing clogging of the recesses 63.

[0031] <Embodiment 3> In order to perform full-color printing, the liquid ejection device 1 may have multiple ejection port arrays on the same ejection surface 171, and each ejection port array may eject a different type of liquid. Therefore, an object of this embodiment is to provide a liquid ejection device 1 that can suppress color mixing.

[0032] FIG. 9 is a schematic plan view showing a liquid ejection device 1 having multiple ejection port arrays and a wiper blade 62 that wipes the multiple ejection port arrays. For ease of explanation, FIG. 9 illustrates the ejection surface 171, the first ejection port array 152a, and the second ejection port array 152b from the top side of the print head 170. Although the wiper blade 62 does not contact the ejection surface 171, it is bent backward in the movement direction (i.e., toward the +Y direction) to show the contact surface. As shown in FIG. 9, the ejection surface 171 of the print head 170 according to this embodiment includes a first ejection port array 152a that ejects liquid and a second ejection port array 152b that ejects a different type of liquid than the liquid ejected from the first ejection port array 152a. For example, a brighter yellow ink is ejected from the first ejection port array 152a, and a darker cyan ink is ejected from the second ejection port array 152b. During the wiping operation, the wiper blade 62 moves in one direction to wipe the first and second ejection port arrays 152a and 152b formed on the same ejection surface 171 in a single wiping operation. In the illustrated example, the wiper blade 62 moves from the +Y direction to the −Y direction. The wiper blade 62 uses the recesses 63 to wipe the first and second ejection port arrays 152a and 152b together in a single operation. In this case, it is preferable that the ejection surface 171 of the recording head 170 has the first ejection port array 152a formed on the upper end side of the recesses 63, which ejects a liquid with a high lightness, and the second ejection port array 152b formed on the lower end side of the recesses 63, which ejects a liquid with a low lightness. An example will be described in which the first ejection port array 152a ejects a yellow ink with a high lightness, and the second ejection port array 152b ejects a cyan ink with a low lightness. In this case, when the wiping operation is performed, the wiped-off deposits flow from the upper end to the lower end of the recess 63 (that is, from the +X direction to the -X direction), as described above. Therefore, the yellow ink that was wiped off first flows to the lower end, and there is a risk that the yellow ink will get into the second ejection opening array 152b, which is located lower than the first ejection opening array 152a and ejects cyan ink. In other words, there is a risk that color mixing will occur inside the second ejection opening array 152b.However, even if color mixing occurs, it is less detrimental if a high-luminosity liquid (i.e., a light-colored liquid) enters an outlet 152 that ejects a low-luminosity liquid (i.e., a dark-colored liquid) than if a low-luminosity liquid enters an outlet 152 that ejects a high-luminosity liquid. For this reason, it is preferable that, in the ejection surface 171 provided in the recording head 170 according to this embodiment, the first ejection port array 152a is arranged on the side that hits the recessed portion 63 first, and the second ejection port array 152b is arranged on the side that hits the recessed portion 63 later. In this way, according to the liquid ejection device 1 according to this embodiment, color mixing can be suppressed when the ejection surface 171 is wiped.

[0033] <Embodiment 4> The present embodiment aims to more efficiently remove deposits adhering to the discharge surface 171. The wiper blade 62 according to the present embodiment has a region on its contact surface where no recesses 63 are intentionally formed, and wipes away deposits without using the recesses 63, which is different from the first embodiment. Hereinafter, this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 10. In the following description, the same components as those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described again, and differences will be mainly described. When using the same wiper blade 62 to wipe rows of discharge ports that discharge different types of liquid, it may be preferable to intentionally provide a region where no recesses 63 are formed. In other words, it may be preferable to form recesses 63 only in a portion of the wiper blade 62, thereby simultaneously forming portions with low and high contact pressure.

[0034] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of the contact surface of the wiper blade 62 according to this embodiment. As with FIG. 9, for ease of explanation, FIG. 10 illustrates the ejection surface 171 from the top side of the recording head 170, with the wiper blade 62 bent to illustrate the contact surface. As shown in FIG. 10, the ejection surface 171 of the recording head 170 according to this embodiment includes an inorganic pigment ejection port 152c that ejects inorganic pigment ink and an organic pigment ejection port 152d that ejects organic pigment ink. For example, the inorganic pigment ejection port 152c ejects inorganic pigment ink such as carbon black. On the other hand, the organic pigment ejection port 152d ejects organic pigment ink such as quinacridone pigment. Furthermore, in the contact surface of the wiper blade 62 according to this embodiment, no recesses 63 are formed in the area that wipes the inorganic pigment ejection port 152c, but a recess 63 is formed in the area that wipes the organic pigment ejection port 152d. Hereinafter, the region of the contact surface of the wiper blade 62 that wipes the organic pigment discharge orifice 152d will be referred to as the "formation region," and the region that wipes the inorganic pigment discharge orifice 152c will be referred to as the "non-formation region." In other words, the region on the side where the recesses 63 are formed will be referred to as the "formation region," and the region on the side where the recesses 63 are not intentionally formed will be referred to as the "non-formation region." The reason for the existence of a "formation region" and a "non-formation region" on the contact surface of the wiper blade 62 according to this embodiment will be explained below. The above-mentioned organic pigment is relatively soft and tends to adhere firmly to the discharge surface 171. Therefore, when wiping the organic pigment discharge orifice 152d, a strong contact pressure is required. On the other hand, the above-mentioned inorganic pigment is relatively hard and does not easily adhere to the discharge surface 171. Therefore, when wiping the inorganic pigment discharge orifice 152c, a weak contact pressure can be used to sufficiently wipe it. Furthermore, if the inorganic pigment discharge orifice 152c is repeatedly wiped with a strong contact pressure, the hard inorganic pigment acts as an abrasive and may scrape off the water-repellent film formed on the discharge surface 171. For this reason, the contact surface of the wiper blade 62 according to this embodiment has a "formation region" and a "non-formation region." Therefore, with the wiper blade 62 according to this embodiment, the organic pigment discharge orifice 152d can be wiped using the "formation region" with a strong contact pressure, and the inorganic pigment discharge orifice 152c can be wiped using the "non-formation region" with a weak contact pressure.That is, the wiper blade 62 according to this embodiment can ensure wiping performance when wiping off organic pigment ink. On the other hand, when wiping off inorganic pigment ink, scraping off the water-repellent film can be suppressed. Therefore, the wiper blade 62 according to this embodiment can more efficiently remove deposits that have adhered to the ejection surface 171.

[0035] <Embodiment 5> The object of this embodiment is to inexpensively manufacture a wiper blade 62 that can efficiently remove deposits. In the fourth embodiment, an example was shown in which a "forming region" and a "non-forming region" exist on one contact surface. In contrast, the wiper blade 62 according to this embodiment has a plurality of contact surfaces, and a recess 63 is formed on one contact surface while no recess 63 is formed on the other contact surfaces, which is different from the wiper blade 62 according to the third embodiment. Hereinafter, this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12. In the following description, the same components as those in the third embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted, and the description will focus on the differences.

[0036] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a contact surface of a wiper blade 62 according to this embodiment. For ease of explanation, FIG. 11, like FIGS. 9 and 10, shows the ejection surface 171 from the top side of the recording head 170, and the wiper blade 62 is bent to show the contact surface. As shown in FIG. 11, the recording head 170 according to this embodiment includes an organic pigment ejection surface 171a having organic pigment ejection orifices 152d and an inorganic pigment ejection surface 171b having inorganic pigment ejection orifices 152c. The wiper blade 62 according to this embodiment includes an organic pigment contact surface 62a that wipes the organic pigment ejection surface 171a and an inorganic pigment contact surface 62b that wipes the inorganic pigment ejection surface 171b. While a recess 63 is formed in the organic pigment contact surface 62a, no recess 63 is formed in the inorganic pigment contact surface 62b.

[0037] In this case, it is conceivable to use a wiper blade 62 having recesses 63 to wipe the organic pigment ejection surface 171a, and a wiper blade 62 having no recesses 63 to wipe the inorganic pigment ejection surface 171b. In other words, it is conceivable to use two wiper blades 62. However, it is more effective in reducing the number of parts to cut out a single elastic member (for example, a rubber sheet) and fabricate wiper blades 62 that wipe the ejection surfaces 171 that eject different types of liquid. Next, the wiper blade 62 according to this embodiment will be described while looking in the direction opposite to the movement direction (that is, from the -Y direction to the +Y direction).

[0038] 12 is a schematic diagram of a wiper blade 62 according to this embodiment, viewed from a direction opposite to the direction of movement. As shown in FIG. 12, the wiper blade 62 according to this embodiment includes an organic pigment contact surface 62a on which recesses 63 are formed, and an inorganic pigment contact surface 62b on which no recesses 63 are formed. This configuration makes it possible to inexpensively manufacture a wiper blade 62 having a plurality of different contact surfaces (i.e., the organic pigment contact surface 62a and the inorganic pigment contact surface 62b) from a single elastic member. In other words, according to this embodiment, it is possible to inexpensively manufacture a wiper blade 62 that can efficiently remove deposits.

[0039] <Other embodiments> In the first embodiment, the wiper blade 62 performs the wiping operation by moving in a direction perpendicular to the movement direction of the carriage 10 (i.e., the Y direction), but the wiper blade 62 may also perform the wiping operation by moving in a direction relatively opposite to the carriage 10. That is, when the carriage 10 moves in the +X direction, the wiper blade 62 may also move in the -X direction. Of course, when the carriage 10 moves in the -X direction, the wiper blade 62 may also move in the +X direction. In this case, in order to suppress color mixing, it is preferable that the recesses 63 are also formed in the direction along the ejection port array (i.e., the Y direction).

[0040] Alternatively, the wiper holder 61 may be fixed, and the recording head 170 may be moved in the direction of the stationary wiper blade 62. In this case, costs can be reduced because there is no need to provide a separate driving means for moving the wiper blade 62. Furthermore, the wiper mechanism 60 can also be made smaller.

[0041] [Example] The technology according to the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to examples and comparative examples using Figures 13 to 23, but the present disclosure is not limited in any way by the following examples as long as it does not deviate from the gist of the disclosure. The terms "parts" and "%" used to describe component amounts are based on mass unless otherwise specified. In the following description, the same reference numerals are used to designate components similar to those in embodiment 1, and a description thereof will be omitted, with differences being mainly described.

[0042] Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram of the wiper blade 62 used in the examples. The length from the discharge surface 171 to the upper surface of the wiper blade 62 shown in Fig. 13 is denoted as L2. In addition, in the example shown in Fig. 13, the number of recesses 63 is one, but the number of recesses 63 varies depending on the comparative examples and examples. Below, common features between the examples and comparative examples will be described.

[0043] <Preparation of pigment dispersion> (Pigment dispersion 1) A water-soluble resin, styrene / acrylic acid copolymer (composition (molar) ratio = 33:67), was neutralized with potassium hydroxide in an amount equal to the acid value and dissolved in ion-exchange water to prepare an aqueous solution of resin dispersant with a resin (solids) content of 20.0%. The weight-average molecular weight of this water-soluble resin was 10,000, and the acid value was 200 mg KOH / g. A mixture of 15.0 parts of pigment (CI Pigment Red 122), 30.0 parts of the aqueous solution of resin dispersant, and 55.0 parts of water was placed in a sand grinder and dispersed for 1 hour, followed by centrifugation to remove coarse particles. The mixture was pressure-filtered through a 3.0 μm pore-size microfilter (Fujifilm), and an appropriate amount of ion-exchange water was added to obtain Pigment Dispersion 1. The resulting Pigment Dispersion 1 had a pigment content of 10.0% and a resin dispersant content of 3.0%.

[0044] (Pigment dispersion 2) Pigment dispersion 2 having a pigment content of 10.0% and a resin dispersant content of 6.0% was obtained in the same manner as in the above-mentioned pigment dispersion 1, except that the pigment was changed to CI Pigment Yellow 74.

[0045] (Pigment dispersion 3) Pigment dispersion 3 having a pigment content of 10.0% and a resin dispersant content of 6.0% was obtained in the same manner as in the above-mentioned pigment dispersion 1, except that the pigment was changed to CI Pigment Blue 15:3.

[0046] (Dye dispersion 1) A 10.0% aqueous solution of CI Acid Red 249 was used as dye dispersion 1.

[0047] <Ink Preparation> Each of the components (unit: %) shown in Table 1 was mixed and thoroughly stirred, and then pressure filtered through a microfilter (manufactured by Fujifilm) with a pore size of 3.0 μm to prepare each of the inks.

[0048] "Acetylenol E100" shown in Table 1 is the trade name of a nonionic surfactant manufactured by Kawaken Fine Chemicals. The number-average molecular weight of the polyethylene glycol was 1,000.

[0049] [Table 1]

[0050] <Evaluation Printer> A modified Canon Maxify iB4130 was used for the evaluation. The Maxify iB4130 transfers head liquid to the wiper blade 62 to improve the wiping performance of pigment ink, and then cleans the ejection surface 171. However, to more clearly demonstrate the effects of the technology disclosed herein, the head liquid supply unit was removed. The Maxify iB4130 also has two ejection port arrays for each color ink. For example, there is a single tank that supplies magenta ink, but the flow path branches within the print head 170, resulting in two ejection port arrays for ejecting magenta. For simplicity, in this example, only one ejection port array was used for each color, and ink was not ejected from one of the ejection port arrays.

[0051] <Wiper Blade 62> The wiper blades 62 used in the present embodiment, comparative example, and reference example are as follows.

[0052] The wiper blade 62 was made of urethane rubber with a thickness of 1.0 mm. The recess 63 was formed by laser processing and had a width of 100 μm and a depth of 100 μm. The length from the discharge surface 171 to the upper surface of the wiper blade 62 (i.e., L2 shown in FIG. 13) was 1.3 mm.

[0053] <Evaluation method> A Maxify iB4130 modified according to the evaluation conditions shown in Table 2 was used. Each prepared ink was filled into the ink reservoir and then pumped into the recording head 170. The recording duty of an image recorded under conditions where 11 ng of ink was applied to a unit area of ​​1 / 600 inch x 1 / 600 inch was defined as 100%. A solid image measuring 18 cm in the carriage movement direction x 2 cm in the paper feed direction and a nozzle check pattern were recorded on the recording head 170. In addition, 30,000 images were recorded under the condition that the ejection surface 171 was wiped once after each image was recorded. In other words, the ejection surface 171 was wiped 30,000 times. Glossy paper (product name "Gloss Gold GL-101" manufactured by Canon) was used as the recording medium S. The recording conditions were a temperature of 15°C and a relative humidity of 10%.

[0054] <Evaluation criteria> (wipeability) After printing 30,000 images (i.e., after cleaning 30,000 times), the printed nozzle check pattern was visually inspected and the ejection surface 171 was observed under a microscope, and the wiping ability was evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria. The evaluation results are shown in Table 2. AA: No pigment adhesion to the ejection surface 171 was observed, the nozzle check pattern was not distorted, and the image was recorded satisfactorily (same as the first image). A: A small amount of pigment adhesion was observed on the ejection surface 171, but the nozzle check pattern was not distorted and was recorded well (same as the first image). B: Pigment adhesion was observed on the ejection surface 171, and some distortion occurred in the nozzle check pattern (10% to 50% of all ejection ports) C: Pigment adhesion was observed on the ejection surface 171, and some distortion occurred in the nozzle check pattern (more than 50% of all ejection ports)

[0055] (ink splatter) After recording 30,000 images (that is, after cleaning was performed 30,000 times), the ink splashing onto the lower part of the wiper blade 62 was visually evaluated. The evaluation results are shown in Table 2. AA: No ink scattering was observed. A: Some ink splatter was observed, but no significant effect on the image was observed.

[0056] (Color mixing effect) After simultaneously printing the cyan ink and the yellow ink, the ejection surface 171 was wiped, a nozzle check pattern was printed, and the effect of color mixing was evaluated visually.

[0057] Furthermore, generally, after wiping the ejection surface 171, a so-called preliminary ejection is often performed, which is a waste print on the cap unit to eliminate the influence of color mixing. However, in this embodiment, preliminary ejection was not performed in order to clarify the influence of color mixing. AA: The effect of color mixing was barely noticeable. A: The effect of color mixing was very slight.

[0058] [Table 2]

[0059] The details of each example will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same components as those in the first embodiment will be given the same reference numerals and will not be described again, and differences will be mainly described.

[0060] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram of a wiper blade 62 according to Example 1. As shown in FIG. 14, three recesses 63 are formed on the contact surface of the wiper blade 62 according to this example. The recesses 63 are formed at an angle of 20 degrees with respect to the imaginary line L1. Furthermore, the upper and lower ends of the recess 63 formed at the rearmost position in the moving direction of the wiper blade 62 are in contact with both ends of the wiper blade 62 in the longitudinal direction. When wiping was performed using the wiper blade 62 according to this example, the evaluation result for wiping performance was "AA." The evaluation result for ink splattering was also "AA."

[0061] FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of a wiper blade 62 according to Example 2. As shown in FIG. 15, three recesses 63 are formed on the contact surface of the wiper blade 62 according to this example. The recesses 63 are formed at an angle of 10 degrees with respect to the imaginary line L1. Furthermore, the upper and lower ends of the recess 63 formed at the rearmost position in the moving direction of the wiper blade 62 are in contact with both ends of the wiper blade 62 in the longitudinal direction. When wiping was performed using the wiper blade 62 according to this example, the evaluation result for wiping performance was "AA." The evaluation result for ink splattering was also "AA."

[0062] FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of a wiper blade 62 according to Example 3. As shown in FIG. 16, three recesses 63 are formed on the contact surface of the wiper blade 62 according to this example. The recesses 63 are formed at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the imaginary line L1. Furthermore, the upper and lower ends of the recess 63 formed at the rearmost position in the moving direction of the wiper blade 62 are in contact with both ends of the wiper blade 62 in the longitudinal direction. When wiping was performed using the wiper blade 62 according to this example, the evaluation result for wiping performance was "AA." The evaluation result for ink splattering was also "AA."

[0063] FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram of a wiper blade 62 according to Example 4. As shown in FIG. 17, three recesses 63 are formed on the contact surface of the wiper blade 62 according to this example. The recesses 63 are formed at an angle of 5 degrees with respect to the imaginary line L1. Furthermore, the upper and lower ends of the recess 63 formed at the rearmost position in the moving direction of the wiper blade 62 are in contact with both ends of the wiper blade 62 in the longitudinal direction. When wiping was performed using the wiper blade 62 according to this example, the evaluation result for wiping performance was "A." The evaluation result for ink splattering was "AA."

[0064] FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram of a wiper blade 62 according to Example 5. As shown in FIG. 18, three recesses 63 are formed on the contact surface of the wiper blade 62 according to this example. The recesses 63 are formed at an angle of 50 degrees with respect to the imaginary line L1. The upper end of the recess 63 formed at the rearmost position in the movement direction of the wiper blade 62 does not contact one end of the wiper blade 62 in the longitudinal direction. On the other hand, the lower end of the recess 63 formed at the rearmost position in the movement direction of the wiper blade 62 contacts the other end of the wiper blade 62 in the longitudinal direction. When wiping was performed using the wiper blade 62 according to this example, the evaluation result for wiping performance was "A." The evaluation result for ink splattering was "AA."

[0065] FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram of a wiper blade 62 according to Example 6. As shown in FIG. 19, one recess 63 is formed on the contact surface of the wiper blade 62 according to this example. The recess 63 is formed at an angle of 20 degrees with respect to the imaginary line L1. Both ends of the recess 63 are in contact with both ends of the wiper blade 62 in the longitudinal direction. When wiping was performed using the wiper blade 62 according to this example, the evaluation result for wiping performance was "A." The evaluation result for ink splattering was "AA."

[0066] FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram of a wiper blade 62 according to Example 7. As shown in FIG. 20, three recesses 63 are formed on the contact surface of the wiper blade 62 according to this example. The recesses 63 are formed at an angle of 20 degrees with respect to the imaginary line L1. The upper end of each recess 63 contacts one end of the wiper blade 62 in the longitudinal direction. On the other hand, the lower end of each recess 63 does not contact the other end of the wiper blade 62 in the longitudinal direction. When a wiping operation was performed using the wiper blade 62 according to this example, the evaluation result for wiping performance was "A." The evaluation result for ink splattering was "AA."

[0067] FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram of a wiper blade 62 according to Example 8. As shown in FIG. 21, three recesses 63 are formed on the contact surface of the wiper blade 62 according to this example. The recesses 63 are formed at an angle of 20 degrees with respect to the imaginary line L1. Furthermore, the upper and lower ends of the recess 63 formed at the frontmost position in the moving direction of the wiper blade 62 are in contact with both ends of the wiper blade 62 in the longitudinal direction. When wiping was performed using the wiper blade 62 according to this example, the evaluation result for wiping performance was "AA." The evaluation result for ink splattering was also "AA."

[0068] Fig. 22 is a schematic diagram of a wiper blade 62 according to Comparative Example 1. As shown in Fig. 22, no recesses 63 are formed on the contact surface of the wiper blade 62 according to this Comparative Example. As a result of performing a wiping operation using the wiper blade 62 according to this Comparative Example, the evaluation result for wiping performance was "C."

[0069] Fig. 23 is a schematic diagram of a wiper blade 62 according to Comparative Example 2. As shown in Fig. 23, three recesses 63 are formed on the contact surface of the wiper blade 62 according to this comparative example.

[0070] The recess 63 is formed at an angle of 0 degrees with respect to the imaginary line L1 (i.e., parallel to the imaginary line L1). Furthermore, the upper and lower ends of the recess 63 formed at the rearmost position in the moving direction of the wiper blade 62 are in contact with both longitudinal ends of the wiper blade 62. As a result of performing a wiping operation using the wiper blade 62 according to this example, the evaluation result for wiping performance was "B".

Claims

1. A liquid ejection device comprising: a liquid ejection section; a wiper blade having an abutment surface that abuts against the liquid ejection section; and a moving means that moves the wiper blade in a movement direction toward the liquid ejection section, thereby bringing the abutment surface into abutment with the liquid ejection section, The contact surface is formed on a side surface of the wiper blade, The contact surface is formed with a linear first recess that is inclined with respect to the moving direction of the wiper blade, and an end portion located on the rear side in the moving direction of the wiper blade does not reach one end of the wiper blade, and a linear second recess that is inclined with respect to the moving direction of the wiper blade, and an end portion located on the rear side in the moving direction of the wiper blade reaches the one end of the wiper blade, The first recess and the second recess are configured parallel to each other. A liquid ejection device characterized by:

2. The first recess is inclined at an angle of 10 degrees or more and 45 degrees or less with respect to a line perpendicular to the moving direction of the wiper blade. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1 .

3. The second recess is formed rearward of the first recess in the moving direction of the wiper blade.

3. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the ejection head is a nozzle.

4. The wiper blade further includes an absorber that absorbs liquid discharged through the second recess, The absorber is disposed on a side where an end portion of the absorber that has entered the second recess is located and below the one end of the wiper blade.

4. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid ejection device is a liquid ejection device.

5. The liquid discharge unit includes: a first ejection port that ejects a liquid with high brightness; a second ejection port that ejects a liquid with low brightness; the second recess abuts against the first discharge port and then abuts against the second discharge port; 5. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid ejection device is a liquid ejection device.

6. The abutment surface is a non-formation region in which the first recess and the second recess are not formed, the non-forming region is in contact with an inorganic pigment discharge port that discharges the inorganic pigment; 6. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid ejection device is a liquid ejection device.

7. The abutment surface further comprises: a formation region in which the first recess and the second recess are formed, the formation region abuts against an organic pigment discharge port that discharges the organic pigment; 7. The liquid ejection device according to claim 6.

8. In the movement direction of the wiper blade, the position of the front end of the first recess; The positions of the front ends of the second recesses are different from each other.

8. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid ejection device is a liquid ejection device.

9. A liquid ejection device comprising: a liquid ejection section; a wiper blade having an abutment surface that abuts against the liquid ejection section; and a moving means for moving at least one of the liquid ejection section and the wiper blade in a moving direction to bring the abutment surface into abutment with the liquid ejection section, The liquid discharge unit includes: a first ejection port that ejects a liquid with high brightness; a second outlet for ejecting a liquid with low brightness; Equipped with The contact surface is formed with a recess inclined with respect to the moving direction of the wiper blade, the recess abuts against the first discharge port and then abuts against the second discharge port; A liquid ejection device characterized by:

10. A maintenance method for a liquid ejection device including a liquid ejection unit that ejects liquid, and a wiper blade that moves to wipe off deposits that have adhered to the liquid ejection unit, comprising: a step of wiping a first linear recess formed on a side surface of the wiper blade at an angle to the moving direction of the wiper blade, the first linear recess having an end located on the rear side in the moving direction of the wiper blade that does not reach one end of the wiper blade, and a second linear recess formed in parallel to the first linear recess and the second linear recess having an end located on the rear side in the moving direction of the wiper blade that reaches the one end of the wiper blade, while sliding the first linear recess against the liquid discharge portion; Discharging deposits wiped by the wiper blade through the second recess; Including, A maintenance method for a liquid ejection device.

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