Head cleaning device, inkjet recording device, head cleaning method and program

Abstract

To provide a head cleaning device, an ink jet recording apparatus, a head cleaning method and a program which can properly wipe residual ink adhering to a nozzle surface.SOLUTION: A head cleaning device 20 includes a wipe unit 21 which has a wipe member 211 and executes a cleaning operation of causing the wipe member 211 to wipe a nozzle surface 11a of an ink jet head 10 having a water repellent film on the nozzle surface 11a. The cleaning operation includes the scratch mode of bringing the wipe member 211 into contact with the nozzle surface 11a to relatively slide the wipe member 211 and the nozzle surface 11a, and the stamp mode of bringing the wipe member 211 into contact with the nozzle surface 11a to stop them. The head cleaning device includes decision means 40 which decides whether to use the scratch mode or the stamp mode on the basis of a predetermined condition.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a head cleaning device, an inkjet recording apparatus, a head cleaning method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there are inkjet recording devices that record images by ejecting ink and making it land at desired positions on a recording medium. When ink is ejected, if the ink adheres to the nozzle surface of the inkjet head, the residual ink will thicken and even solidify while partially blocking the nozzle outlet, causing nozzle ejection failure.

[0003] To solve this problem, a head maintenance device is known that rubs the nozzle surface by sliding a cloth against it at a predetermined speed relative to the nozzle surface in order to wipe off residual ink from the nozzle surface (see, for example, Patent Document 1). With such a head maintenance device, it is possible to wipe off residual ink adhering to the nozzle surface. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5857969 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the invention of Patent Document 1, the nozzle surface is uniformly rubbed to wipe off the residual ink, which poses the problem that depending on the state of adhesion of the residual ink, the water-repellent film formed on the nozzle surface may be unnecessarily damaged, reducing the water-repellent properties.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a head cleaning device, an inkjet recording device, a head cleaning method, and a program that can properly wipe off residual ink adhering to the nozzle surface. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The invention described in claim 1 is a head cleaning device that includes a wiping unit having a wiping member, and that performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a determining means for determining which mode of the cleaning operation is to be performed based on a predetermined condition; The determining means determines which mode to use based on the components of ink ejected from nozzles having openings on the nozzle surface. The invention of claim 2 is a head cleaning device that includes a wiping unit having a wiping member, and performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a determining means for determining which mode of the cleaning operation is to be performed based on a predetermined condition; The determining means determines which mode to use based on whether a predetermined time has elapsed since purging was performed. The invention of claim 3 is a head cleaning device that includes a wiping unit having a wiping member, and that performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a determining means for determining which mode of the cleaning operation is to be performed based on a predetermined condition; The determining means determines which mode to use based on a statistical value of coverage during printing after the previous cleaning operation is performed. The invention of claim 4 is a head cleaning device that includes a wiping unit having a wiping member, and performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a determining means for determining which mode of the cleaning operation is to be performed based on a predetermined condition; The determining means determines which mode to use based on the total printing time since the previous cleaning operation was performed. The invention of claim 5 is a head cleaning device that includes a wiping unit having a wiping member, and performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a determining means for determining which mode of the cleaning operation is to be performed based on a predetermined condition; The determining means determines which mode to use based on the period during which the inkjet head has been installed. The invention of claim 6 is a head cleaning device that includes a wiping unit having a wiping member, and performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a determining means for determining which mode of the cleaning operation is to be performed based on a predetermined condition; The determining means determines which mode to use based on the installation angle of the inkjet head relative to a horizontal plane when the inkjet head is installed. The invention described in claim 7 is a head cleaning device that includes a wiping unit having a wiping member that is a woven fabric made of split yarn, and that performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; A determining means is provided for determining which mode of the cleaning operation is to be performed based on a predetermined condition. 。

[0008] Claim 8 The invention described in claims 1 to 7 The head cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The determining means determines which mode to use based on the time that has elapsed since the previous cleaning operation was performed.

[0014] Claim 9 The invention described in claims 1 to 8 The head cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, In the rubbing mode, the time during which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface is between 2 and 5 seconds.

[0015] Claim 10 The invention described in claims 1 to 9 The head cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, In the rubbing mode, the speed at which the wiping member and the nozzle surface slide relative to each other is 20 mm / s or less.

[0018] Claim 11 The invention described in claims 1 to 10 The head cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The dimension of the wiping member in the sliding direction in the rubbing mode is larger than the dimension of the nozzle face.

[0019] Claim 12 The invention described in claim 11 The head cleaning device according to The dimension of the wiping member in the sliding direction in the rubbing mode is larger than the dimension of the nozzle face plus the sliding distance in the rubbing mode.

[0020] Claim 13 The invention described in claims 1 to 12 The head cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The wiping member is used in the cleaning operation in a dry state.

[0021] Claim 14 The invention described in is an inkjet recording apparatus The inkjet head and the ink jet head according to claim 1 13 and the head cleaning device according to any one of the preceding claims.

[0022] Claim 15 The invention described in A head cleaning method for a head cleaning device that includes a wiping unit having a wiping member and that performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, comprising: the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a determining step of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition; The determining step determines which mode to use based on the components of ink ejected from nozzles having openings on the nozzle surface. Claim 16 The invention described in A head cleaning method for a head cleaning device that includes a wiping unit having a wiping member and that performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, comprising: the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a determining step of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition; The determining step determines which mode to use based on whether a predetermined time has elapsed since purging was performed. Claim 17 The invention described in A head cleaning method for a head cleaning device that includes a wiping unit having a wiping member and that performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, comprising: the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a determining step of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition; The determining step determines which mode to use based on a statistical value of coverage during printing after the previous cleaning operation is performed. Claim 18 The invention described in A head cleaning method for a head cleaning device that includes a wiping unit having a wiping member and that performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, comprising: the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a determining step of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition; The determining step determines which mode to use based on the total value of the printing time since the previous cleaning operation was performed. Claim 19 The invention described in A head cleaning method for a head cleaning device that includes a wiping unit having a wiping member and that performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, comprising: the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a determining step of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition; The determining step determines which mode to use based on the period during which the inkjet head has been installed. Claim 20 The invention described in A head cleaning method for a head cleaning device that includes a wiping unit having a wiping member and that performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, comprising: the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a determining step of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition; The determining step determines which mode to use based on an installation angle of the inkjet head relative to a horizontal plane when the inkjet head is installed. Claim 21 The invention described in A head cleaning method for a head cleaning device that includes a wiping unit having a wiping member that is a woven fabric made of split yarn, and that performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, comprising: the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; and a determining step of determining which mode of the cleaning operation is to be performed based on a predetermined condition. 。

[0023] Claim 22 The invention described in A head cleaning device includes a wiping unit having a wiping member, and the head cleaning device performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the program being executed by a computer, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; causing the computer to realize a determination function of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition; The determination function determines which mode to use based on the components of ink ejected from nozzles having openings on the nozzle surface. Claim 23 The invention described in A head cleaning device includes a wiping unit having a wiping member, and the head cleaning device performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the program being executed by a computer, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; causing the computer to realize a determination function of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition; The decision function determines which mode to use based on whether a predetermined time has elapsed since purging. Claim 24 The invention described in A head cleaning device includes a wiping unit having a wiping member, and the head cleaning device performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the program being executed by a computer, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; causing the computer to realize a determination function of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition; The determination function determines which mode to use based on statistical values ​​of coverage during printing after the previous cleaning operation was performed. Claim 25 The invention described in A head cleaning device includes a wiping unit having a wiping member, and the head cleaning device performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the program being executed by a computer, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; causing the computer to realize a determination function of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition; The determination function determines which mode to use based on the total printing time since the previous cleaning operation was performed. Claim 26 The invention described in A head cleaning device includes a wiping unit having a wiping member, and the head cleaning device performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the program being executed by a computer, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; causing the computer to realize a determination function of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition; The determination function determines which mode to use based on the period during which the inkjet head has been installed. Claim 27The invention described in A head cleaning device includes a wiping unit having a wiping member, and the head cleaning device performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the program being executed by a computer, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; causing the computer to realize a determination function of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition; The determination function determines which mode to use based on the installation angle of the inkjet head relative to a horizontal plane when the inkjet head is installed. Claim 28 The invention described in A head cleaning device includes a wiping unit having a wiping member that is a woven fabric made of split yarn, and the head cleaning device performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the program being executed by a computer, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; The computer is caused to realize a determination function of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition. [Effects of the Invention]

[0024] According to the present invention, residual ink adhering to the nozzle surface can be wiped off appropriately. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view showing an inkjet head and a wipe unit of an inkjet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a side view showing an inkjet head and a wipe unit of an inkjet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] 1 is a block diagram showing main operating elements of an inkjet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4A] 10A and 10B are side views showing a part of the operation of the inkjet head and the head cleaning device in the rubbing mode. [Figure 4B] 10A and 10B are side views showing a part of the operation of the inkjet head and the head cleaning device in the rubbing mode. [Figure 4C] 10A and 10B are side views showing a part of the operation of the inkjet head and the head cleaning device in the rubbing mode. [Figure 4D] 10A and 10B are side views showing a part of the operation of the inkjet head and the head cleaning device in the rubbing mode. [Figure 5A] 10A and 10B are side views showing a part of the operation of the inkjet head and the head cleaning device in the stamp mode. [Figure 5B] 10A and 10B are side views showing a part of the operation of the inkjet head and the head cleaning device in the stamp mode. [Figure 5C] 10A and 10B are side views showing a part of the operation of the inkjet head and the head cleaning device in the stamp mode. [Figure 5D] 10A and 10B are side views showing a part of the operation of the inkjet head and the head cleaning device in the stamp mode. [Figure 6] 10 is a graph showing the relationship between the time after the ink adheres to the nozzle surface and the increase in viscosity of the ink. [Figure 7] 10 is a graph showing the relationship between the duration of mounting an inkjet head and the water repellency of the nozzle surface. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing a determination process of the control unit when determining in which mode a cleaning operation is to be performed based on a plurality of conditions. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a split yarn. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the scope of the invention is not limited to the illustrated examples. In the following description, components having the same functions and configurations are designated by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

[0027] In the following description, as shown in each drawing, the X direction is the transport direction of the wiping member 211 in the wiping unit 21, the Y direction is the direction perpendicular to the X direction on the transport surface of the wiping member 211, and the Z direction is the direction perpendicular to the X and Y directions and in which ink is ejected from the inkjet head 10.

[0028] [Outline of Inkjet Recording Apparatus] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inkjet recording apparatus 1 includes an inkjet head 10 and a head cleaning device 20.

[0029] (inkjet head) The inkjet head 10 ejects ink from nozzles to print or form images on a recording medium such as paper or fabric. The nozzles of the inkjet head 10 have openings on a nozzle surface 11a of a nozzle plate 11, and multiple nozzles are arranged in the Y direction.

[0030] The nozzle surface 11a is covered with a water-repellent film (ink-repellent film). The water-repellent film is typically an organic film made of fluorine-based resin. By covering the nozzle surface 11a with the water-repellent film, it becomes difficult for ink to adhere to the nozzle surface 11a.

[0031] (Head cleaning device) The head cleaning device 20 includes a wiping unit 21 having a wiping member 211 that wipes the nozzle surface 11a, and holds a wiping surface 211a of the wiping member 211 on an XY plane parallel to the nozzle surface 11a.

[0032] {wipe material} In this embodiment, the wiping member 211 is a long member wound into a roll, and can be made of, for example, cloth such as woven or nonwoven fabric, or paper. The wiping member 211 is unwound from an unwinding roller 215 and is stretched between support rollers 213 and 214 to form a wiping surface 211a at a predetermined position. After wiping the nozzle surface 11a, the wiping surface 211a with ink attached thereto is taken up by a take-up roller 212. A backup member 216 made of rubber, sponge, or the like is disposed on the back side of the wiping surface 211a to resist the pressing force from the nozzle surface 11a to the wiping surface 211a.

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the main operating elements of the inkjet recording apparatus 1.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 3, the inkjet recording device 1 includes a control unit 40, an inkjet head driving unit 15, a wipe unit driving unit 29, a carriage driving unit 35, and a recording medium transport unit 55, and performs drive control by sending signals from the control unit 40 to each driving unit.

[0035] (Control unit) The control unit 40 is a processor that controls the overall operation of the inkjet recording apparatus 1. The control unit 40 includes, for example, a CPU 41 (Central Processing Unit), a RAM 42 (Random Access Memory), a ROM 43 (Read Only Memory), a storage unit 44, and the like.

[0036] {CPU} The CPU 41 reads out various control programs and setting data stored in the ROM 43, the storage unit 44, etc., stores them in the RAM 42, executes the programs, drives and controls the inkjet recording apparatus 1, and performs various arithmetic processing.

[0037] {RAM} The RAM 42 provides a working memory space for the CPU 41 that performs various control processes, and stores temporary data. The RAM 42 may include a non-volatile memory.

[0038] {ROM} The ROM 43 stores various control programs and setting data executed by the CPU 41. Note that the ROM 43 may be replaced by a rewritable nonvolatile memory such as a flash memory.

[0039] {Storage section} The storage unit 44 uses an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) and also uses a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), etc. The storage unit 44 stores programs executed by the CPU 41, print jobs (image recording commands), image data of images to be recorded related to the print jobs, an OS (Operating System), and various print data related to the determination conditions described below.

[0040] {Inkjet head drive unit} The inkjet head driving unit 15 sends a driving signal to the inkjet head 10 based on a control signal sent from the control unit 40, thereby causing the ink to be ejected appropriately from the nozzles.

[0041] {Wipe unit drive section} Based on a control signal sent from the control unit 40, the wipe unit drive unit 29 outputs a drive signal to the motor and brake of the movement mechanism that moves the wipe unit 21, and moves the wipe unit 21 to a position facing the inkjet head 10 that is the target of the cleaning operation.

[0042] {Carriage drive unit} Based on a control signal sent from the control unit 40, the carriage drive unit 35 outputs a drive signal to the motor and brake of the movement mechanism that moves the inkjet head 10, and moves the inkjet head 10 to a position facing the recording medium or a position facing the wipe unit 21.

[0043] {Recording medium transport section} The recording medium transport unit 55 transports the recording medium to a transport path facing the inkjet head 10 based on a control signal sent from the control unit 40.

[0044] The inkjet head 10 is mounted on a carriage and is movable in the Y direction. A control unit 40 controls the inkjet head drive unit 15, the carriage drive unit 35, and the recording medium transport unit 55 to perform a recording operation on the recording medium. On the other hand, when a cleaning operation of the nozzle surface 11a is to be performed, the control unit 40 suspends the recording operation. Then, the control unit 40 controls the carriage drive unit 35 and the wipe unit drive unit 29 to position the inkjet head 10 at the wiping position as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and bring the nozzle surface 11a into contact with the wiping surface 211a. This contact is achieved by the carriage lifting function of the carriage drive unit 35 or the wipe unit 21 lifting function of the wipe unit drive unit 29.

[0045] [Cleaning operation] Here, the rubbing mode and stamp mode related to the cleaning operation of the wipe unit 21 on the nozzle surface 11a in the inkjet recording apparatus 1 will be described. 4B, 4C, 5B and 5C show a case where the control of contacting and separating the inkjet head 10 and the wiping unit 21 is achieved by raising and lowering the wiping unit 21, but as mentioned above, the control may also be achieved by raising and lowering the carriage.

[0046] (scraping mode) The rubbing mode is a mode in which the nozzle surface 11a and the wiping surface 211a, which are in contact with each other, are caused to slide relative to each other. Specifically, in a state in which the inkjet head 10 and the wiping unit 21 are spaced apart as shown in Fig. 4A, the control unit 40 controls the carriage drive unit 35 or the wiping unit drive unit 29 to perform a sliding operation in which the inkjet head 10 or the wiping unit 21 is moved back and forth in the Y direction while the nozzle surface 11a and the wiping surface 211a are brought into contact with each other as shown in Fig. 4B, thereby wiping away ink adhering to the nozzle surface 11a. After the sliding operation is completed, the control unit 40 separates the nozzle surface 11a and the wiping surface 211a as shown in Fig. 4C, and drives the unwinding roller 215 and the take-up roller 212 to wind up the wiping surface 211a with the ink adhering thereto, thereby providing a new wiping surface 211b as shown in Fig. 4D.

[0047] In the rubbing mode, it is possible to wipe away ink that has been adhering to the nozzle surface 11a for a predetermined time and has thickened or even solidified. Also, if the wiping member 211 is made of woven fabric, it is possible to wipe away even small ink droplets that are located in the gaps between the warp and weft threads. On the other hand, the sliding action may damage the water-repellent film on the nozzle surface 11a, which may reduce the water-repellent properties.

[0048] (Stamp mode) The stamp mode is a mode in which the nozzle surface 11a and the wiping surface 211a are kept stationary in contact with each other. The difference from the rubbing mode is that, after the control unit 40 brings the nozzle surface 11a and the wiping surface 211a into contact with each other as shown in Fig. 5B, the control unit 40 keeps them stationary without performing a sliding motion in the Y direction, and then separates the nozzle surface 11a and the wiping surface 211a from each other as shown in Fig. 5C.

[0049] That is, unlike the rubbing mode, the stamp mode does not cause the nozzle surface 11a and the wiping member 211 to slide relative to each other, so compared to the rubbing mode, the stamp mode may not be able to fully wipe away thickened or even solidified ink. Also, if the wiping member 211 is a woven fabric, small ink droplets located in the gaps between the warp and weft threads may not be able to be fully wiped away. On the other hand, because there is no sliding action, wiping off residual ink does not damage the water-repellent film covering the nozzle surface 11a as much as in the rubbing mode. Also, if a large amount of ink is attached to the nozzle surface 11a, attempting to wipe it in the rubbing mode may cause the ink to back up into the nozzles, but in the stamp mode, wiping can be done effectively.

[0050] Therefore, for example, if small ink droplets or thickened ink are attached to the nozzle surface 11a, it is preferable to perform the cleaning operation in the rubbing mode. On the other hand, if large ink droplets are present, or if ink with a low viscosity is present, it is preferable to perform the cleaning operation in stamp mode.

[0051] Therefore, in the inkjet recording device 1 according to this embodiment, the control unit 40 also functions as a decision means, and determines whether to perform the cleaning operation in the rubbing mode or the stamp mode based on the decision conditions shown below, thereby enabling the head cleaning device 20 to properly wipe off the ink adhering to the nozzle surface 11a.

[0052] [Decision conditions] (Condition 1: Time elapsed since the previous cleaning operation) One of the conditions for determining this is the amount of time that has elapsed since the previous cleaning operation was performed. Fig. 6 is a graph showing the relationship between the time after ink adheres to the nozzle surface 11a and the increase in viscosity of the adhered ink. As shown in Fig. 6, the viscosity of the ink adhered to the nozzle surface 11a increases over time due to the adhesion of discharge products, the progress of drying, etc.

[0053] Therefore, the control unit 40, which is the decision means, decides to perform the cleaning operation in the rubbing mode if, for example, three hours or more have elapsed since the last cleaning operation, and decides to perform the cleaning operation in the stamp mode if the elapsed time is less than three hours. In this way, ink adhering to the nozzle surface 11a can be properly wiped away.

[0054] (Condition 2: Ink ingredients) The determination condition may also be based on the components of the ink ejected from the nozzles. For example, titanium oxide (TiO2), a pigment in white ink, has an average particle size of 180 to 300 nm, which is larger than the average particle size of YMCK ink pigments, which is 50 to 150 nm. Furthermore, carbon black (CB), a pigment in black ink, is harder than the pigments in YMCK ink. Therefore, wiping the nozzle surface 11a with ink containing these pigments in the rubbing mode is likely to damage the water-repellent film that covers the nozzle surface 11a.

[0055] Therefore, the control unit 40, which is a determination means, determines to perform the cleaning operation in stamp mode if the components of the ink ejected from the nozzle surface 11 a include, for example, titanium oxide or carbon black, and determines to perform the cleaning operation in rubbing mode if the components are not included. By doing this, it is possible to properly wipe off ink adhering to the nozzle surface 11 a.

[0056] (Condition 3: Is it within a specified time since purging?) The determination condition may also be whether the cleaning operation is performed within a predetermined time after purging, where the predetermined time may be any time, but is preferably immediately after purging. Immediately after purging, a large amount of ink remains on the nozzle surface 11a, and therefore wiping it in the rubbing mode is likely to damage the water-repellent film that covers the nozzle surface 11a.

[0057] Therefore, the control unit 40, which is the determination means, determines that the cleaning operation should be performed in stamp mode if the cleaning operation is to be performed within a predetermined time after purging, and determines that the cleaning operation should be performed in rubbing mode if the predetermined time has passed since purging. In this way, ink adhering to the nozzle surface 11 a can be properly wiped away.

[0058] (Condition 4: Coverage statistics) The determination condition may also be a statistical value of coverage in the printing operation after the previous cleaning operation. Specifically, as shown in Tables I and II, if the total printing time for the recording operation after the previous cleaning operation is the same, the amount of ink adhered is greater when the average coverage value is higher, so the nozzle surface 11a is wiped using stamp mode so as not to damage it.

[0059] [Table 1]

[0060] [Table 2]

[0061] That is, the control unit 40, which is the determination means, determines to perform the cleaning operation in stamp mode if the average value of coverage in the printing operations since the previous cleaning operation is, for example, 30% or more, and determines to perform the cleaning operation in rubbing mode if the average value of coverage is less than 30%. In this way, ink adhering to the nozzle surface 11a can be properly wiped away. The statistical value of coverage in the recording operation after the previous cleaning operation, which is referred to by the control unit 40, is not limited to the average value, and any known value such as the mode value or the median value may be used as appropriate.

[0062] (Condition 5: Total printing time) The determination condition may also be the total printing time of the recording operations after the previous cleaning operation. As shown in Tables I and II, if the coverage statistics for the recording operations after the previous cleaning operation are the same, the amount of ink adhered will be greater if the total printing time is longer, so wiping is performed in stamp mode to avoid damaging the nozzle surface 11a.

[0063] That is, the control unit 40, which is the determination means, determines that the cleaning operation should be performed in stamp mode if the total printing time in the recording operations since the previous cleaning operation is, for example, 5 hours or more, and determines that the cleaning operation should be performed in rubbing mode if the total printing time is less than 5 hours. In this way, ink adhering to the nozzle surface 11a can be properly wiped away.

[0064] (Condition 6: Head installation period) The determining condition may also be the period during which the inkjet head 10 has been installed. 7 is a graph showing the relationship between the installation period of the inkjet head 10 and the water repellency of the nozzle surface 11a. As shown in FIG. 7, the longer the installation period of the inkjet head 10, the worse the water repellency of the nozzle surface 11a. Even if the same amount of ink adheres, it becomes difficult to wipe the ink off in stamp mode if the installation period of the inkjet head 10 is long. This is because the longer the installation period, the more frequently the cleaning operation in rubbing mode is performed, which damages the water-repellent film.

[0065] Therefore, the control unit 40, which is the determination means, determines to perform the cleaning operation in the rubbing mode if, for example, seven months or more have passed since the installation start date and time of the inkjet head 10, and determines to perform the cleaning operation in the stamp mode if the number of days that have passed since the installation start date and time of the inkjet head 10 has passed is less than seven months. In this way, ink adhering to the nozzle surface 11a can be properly wiped off.

[0066] (Condition 7: Installation angle of inkjet head) The determining condition may also be the installation angle of the inkjet head 10 relative to the horizontal plane when the inkjet head 10 is installed. Specifically, as shown in Table III, if the installation angle is steep, even if ink adheres to the nozzle surface 11a due to purging or ink ejection, gravity causes the ink to drip from the nozzle surface 11a toward the top plate, reducing the amount of ink adhering to the nozzle surface 11a and making it less likely to damage the water-repellent film, so wiping is performed in rubbing mode.

[0067] [Table 3]

[0068] Therefore, the control unit 40, which is a determination means, determines to perform the cleaning operation in the rubbing mode when the installation angle of the inkjet head 10 with respect to the horizontal plane when installed is, for example, 50° or more, and determines to perform the cleaning operation in the stamp mode when the installation angle is less than 50°. In this way, ink adhering to the nozzle surface 11a can be properly wiped off.

[0069] [Modification] In the above, the control unit 40 determines whether to perform the cleaning operation in either the rubbing mode or the stamp mode based on one determination condition, but this is not limited to this, and the mode may be determined based on a combination of determination conditions.

[0070] The decision process of the control unit 40 when determining which mode to use for the cleaning operation based on multiple decision conditions will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

[0071] First, the control unit 40 of the inkjet recording apparatus 1, which has received an instruction to perform a cleaning operation, performs a process of resetting a decision variable α, which is a variable for determining which mode the cleaning operation will be performed in, to 0 in advance (step S101).

[0072] Then, the control unit 40 determines whether titanium oxide or carbon black is included in the components of the ink ejected from the inkjet head 10 to be cleaned (step S102). If neither titanium oxide nor carbon black is contained (Step S102; No), the control unit 40 adds 10 to the decision variable α and then proceeds to Step S104 (Step S103). If titanium oxide or carbon black is contained (Step S102; Yes), the control unit 40 proceeds to Step S104.

[0073] Next, the control unit 40 determines whether the inkjet head 10 has been installed for seven months or more (step S104). If the on-board period is seven months or longer (step S104; Yes), the control unit 40 adds 10 to the decision variable α and then proceeds to step S106 (step S105). If the on-board period is less than seven months (step S104; No), the control unit 40 proceeds to step S106.

[0074] Next, the control unit 40 determines whether or not the time that has elapsed since the previous cleaning operation is three hours or more (step S106). If the elapsed time is three hours or more (step S106; Yes), the control unit 40 assigns 20 to the decision variable α and then proceeds to step S108 (step S107). If the elapsed time is less than three hours (step S106; No), the control unit 40 proceeds to step S108.

[0075] Finally, the control unit 40 determines whether the decision variable α is greater than 19 (step S108). If the decision variable α is greater than 19 (step S108; Yes), the control unit 40 sends a signal to perform a cleaning operation of the inkjet head 10 in the rubbing mode (step S109). If the decision variable α is 19 or less (step S108; No), the control unit 40 sends a signal to perform a cleaning operation of the inkjet head 10 in the stamp mode (step S110).

[0076] As described above, in the present invention, it is possible to determine in which mode the cleaning operation is to be performed based on a complex set of decision conditions. In the above example, the control unit 40 determines which mode to use based on a composite decision condition consisting of conditions 1, 2, and 6, but it is optional whether to include any of the decision conditions from conditions 1 to 7 in the composite decision condition. The values ​​added to, substituted for, and judged by the decision variable α in each step may also be increased or decreased as desired based on the number of decision conditions to be included in the composite decision condition, the weighting of each of the included decision conditions, etc. [Example]

[0077] Next, the results of evaluating the preferred configurations for the contact time and relative sliding speed between the nozzle surface 11a and the wiping surface 211a in the rubbing mode of the present invention will be described. The present invention will be specifically described below using examples, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0078] (Sample creation) Ten inkjet heads 10 were prepared, each with ink mist intentionally deposited on the nozzle surface 11a, and the following test was carried out on each of them.

[0079] (Exam contents) (1) The inkjet head 10 is mounted on an AccurioJet KM-1 (manufactured by Konica Minolta, Inc.) as an inkjet recording apparatus 1. (2) The wiping unit 21 was rubbed so that the relative sliding speed was 20 mm / s or 50 mm / s and the contact time between the nozzle surface 11a and the wiping member 211 was 2 seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 15 seconds, or 20 seconds. The rub distance was 6 mm in all cases. (3) The amount of ink adhering to the nozzle surface 11a after rubbing was visually evaluated as "◯: no adhesion," "Δ: slight adhesion," or "×: adhesion."

[0080] The results of the tests are shown in Tables IV and V.

[0081] [Table 4]

[0082] [Table 5]

[0083] (evaluation) Comparing the evaluation results when the sliding speed is 20 mm / s and when the sliding speed is 50 mm / s, it can be seen that, when the sliding speed is the same, the shorter the contact time between the nozzle surface 11a and the wiping surface 211a, the better the ink wiping performance. This is because if the nozzle surface 11a and the wiping member 211 are in contact for a long time, the wiping surface 211a will draw ink out of the nozzles, which will contaminate the nozzle surface 11a. However, if the contact time is too short, the wiping action will not be sufficient, so it is preferable to keep the nozzle surface 11a and the wiping member 211 in contact for at least 2 seconds.

[0084] Furthermore, when the sliding speed is 20 mm / s and the contact time is 10 seconds, the result is "Good," and when the sliding speed is 50 mm / s and the contact time is 10 seconds, the result is "Poor." This shows that when the contact time is the same, the slower the sliding speed between the nozzle surface 11a and the wiping member 211, the better the ink wiping performance. This is because a slower sliding speed allows the wiping member 211 to absorb ink adhering to the nozzle surface 11a more sufficiently. Furthermore, if the sliding speed is increased while the contact time remains the same, the number of sliding movements increases, which makes the water-repellent film more susceptible to damage, so it is preferable to slow down the sliding speed.

[0085] [Other configurations] When the wiping member 211 is a woven fabric, the yarn constituting the woven fabric is preferably a split yarn having a cross section as shown in Fig. 9. As shown in Fig. 9, the split yarn is made up of two fibers S1 and S2, with nylon fiber being used as fiber S1 and polyester fiber being used as fiber S2. The split yarn is made up of fibers S1 and S2 of two different materials, and has been subjected to an opening process, which splits the fibers, making them thinner and irregularly shaped. In this way, the split yarn has a fine fiber structure, which can improve the liquid absorbency of the wiping member 211. Furthermore, because the fibers have an irregular shape, it can improve the ink scraping ability of the wiping surface 211a in the rubbing mode.

[0086] 1, the wiping member 211 is preferably provided so that its dimension W2 in the Y direction exceeds the dimension W1 in the Y direction of the nozzle plate 11 having the nozzle surface 11a. By doing so, in either mode, the nozzle surface 11a and the wiping surface 211a are first brought into contact with each other, and then slid from there in the rubbing mode, or stopped from there in the stamp mode, which simplifies the behavior.

[0087] 1, the wiping member 211 is preferably provided so that its dimension W2 in the Y direction exceeds the dimension W1 in the Y direction of the nozzle plate 11 having the nozzle surface 11a plus the sliding distance T1 in the Y direction in the rubbing mode. By doing so, the entire surface of the nozzle surface 11a is always in contact with the wiping member 211 during the sliding operation in the rubbing mode, improving the scraping ability of the wiping member 211.

[0088] Furthermore, if the wiping member 211 is a woven fabric, it is preferable to use a dry one for the cleaning operation. If the wiping member 211 is wet, the nozzle surface 11a and the wiping member 211 tend to come into close contact with each other, which may draw ink out of the nozzles and contaminate or damage the nozzle surface 11a.

[0089] Furthermore, in the above description, the inkjet recording apparatus 1 is equipped with the head cleaning device 20, but this is not limiting, and the head cleaning device 20 may be a device separate from the inkjet recording apparatus 1.

[0090] Furthermore, in the above description, an example has been disclosed in which the ROM 43 is used as a computer-readable medium for the program according to the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this example. As other computer-readable media, non-volatile memories such as flash memories and portable recording media such as CD-ROMs can be used. Furthermore, a carrier wave is also applied to the present invention as a medium for providing data of the program according to the present invention via a communication line.

[0091] In addition, the specific details of the configuration, structure, arrangement, control contents and procedures of the inkjet recording device 1 and the head cleaning device 20 shown in the above embodiment can be changed as appropriate within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] 1. Inkjet recording device 10 Inkjet head 11a Nozzle surface 20 Head cleaning device 21 Wipe Unit 211 Wiping material 40 Control unit (determination means)

Claims

1. A head cleaning device includes a wiping unit having a wiping member, and performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a determining means for determining which mode of the cleaning operation is to be performed based on a predetermined condition; The determining means determines which mode to use based on the components of ink ejected from nozzles having openings on the nozzle surface.

2. A head cleaning device includes a wiping unit having a wiping member, and performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a determining means for determining which mode of the cleaning operation is to be performed based on a predetermined condition; The determining means determines which mode to use based on whether a predetermined time has elapsed since purging.

3. A head cleaning device includes a wiping unit having a wiping member, and performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a determining means for determining which mode of the cleaning operation is to be performed based on a predetermined condition; The determining means determines which mode to use based on a statistical value of coverage during printing after the previous cleaning operation is performed.

4. A head cleaning device includes a wiping unit having a wiping member, and performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a determining means for determining which mode of the cleaning operation is to be performed based on a predetermined condition; The determining means determines which mode to use based on the total printing time since the previous cleaning operation was performed.

5. A head cleaning device includes a wiping unit having a wiping member, and performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a determining means for determining which mode of the cleaning operation is to be performed based on a predetermined condition; The determining unit determines which mode to use based on the period during which the inkjet head has been installed.

6. A head cleaning device includes a wiping unit having a wiping member, and performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a determining means for determining which mode of the cleaning operation is to be performed based on a predetermined condition; The determining unit determines which mode to use based on an installation angle of the inkjet head relative to a horizontal plane when the inkjet head is installed.

7. A head cleaning device includes a wiping unit having a wiping member that is a woven fabric made of split yarn, and performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; The head cleaning device includes a determining unit that determines which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition.

8. The head cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein the determining unit determines which mode to use based on the amount of time that has elapsed since the previous cleaning operation was performed.

9. 9. The head cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein in the rubbing mode, the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface for a period of time ranging from 2 seconds to 5 seconds.

10. 10. The head cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein in the rubbing mode, the speed at which the wiping member and the nozzle surface slide relative to each other is 20 mm / s or less.

11. The head cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein a dimension of the wiping member in the sliding direction in the rubbing mode is larger than a dimension of the nozzle surface.

12. 12. The head cleaning device according to claim 11, wherein a dimension of the wiping member in the sliding direction in the rubbing mode is greater than a dimension of the nozzle face plus a sliding distance in the rubbing mode.

13. The head cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein the wiping member is used in the cleaning operation in a dry state.

14. An inkjet recording apparatus comprising: the inkjet head; and the head cleaning device according to claim 1 .

15. A head cleaning method for a head cleaning device that includes a wiping unit having a wiping member and that performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, comprising: the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a determining step of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition; The determining step determines which mode to use based on the components of ink ejected from nozzles having openings on the nozzle surface.

16. A head cleaning method for a head cleaning device that includes a wiping unit having a wiping member and that performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, comprising: the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a determining step of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition; A head cleaning method for a head cleaning device, wherein the determining step determines which mode to use based on whether a predetermined time has elapsed since purging.

17. A head cleaning method for a head cleaning device that includes a wiping unit having a wiping member and that performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, comprising: the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a determining step of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition; A head cleaning method for a head cleaning device, wherein the determining step determines which mode to use based on a statistical value of coverage during printing after the previous cleaning operation is performed.

18. A head cleaning method for a head cleaning device that includes a wiping unit having a wiping member and that performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, comprising: the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a determining step of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition; The head cleaning method in the head cleaning device, wherein the determining step determines which mode to use based on the total value of printing time since the previous cleaning operation was performed.

19. A head cleaning method for a head cleaning device that includes a wiping unit having a wiping member and that performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, comprising: the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a determining step of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition; The head cleaning method for a head cleaning device, wherein the determining step determines which mode to use based on the period during which the inkjet head has been installed.

20. A head cleaning method for a head cleaning device that includes a wiping unit having a wiping member and that performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, comprising: the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a determining step of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition; The head cleaning method for a head cleaning device, wherein the determining step determines which mode to use based on an installation angle of the inkjet head relative to a horizontal plane when the inkjet head is installed.

21. A head cleaning method for a head cleaning device that includes a wiping unit having a wiping member that is a woven fabric made of split yarn, and that performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, comprising: the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; A head cleaning method for a head cleaning device, comprising: a determining step of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition.

22. A head cleaning device includes a wiping unit having a wiping member, and the head cleaning device performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the program being executed by a computer, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; causing the computer to realize a determination function of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition; The determination function is a program that determines which mode to use based on the components of ink ejected from nozzles having openings on the nozzle surface.

23. A head cleaning device includes a wiping unit having a wiping member, and the head cleaning device performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the program being executed by a computer, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; causing the computer to realize a determination function of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition; The decision function is a program that decides which mode to use based on whether a predetermined time has passed since purging.

24. A head cleaning device includes a wiping unit having a wiping member, and the head cleaning device performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the program being executed by a computer, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; causing the computer to realize a determination function of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition; The determination function is a program that determines which mode to use based on statistical values ​​of coverage during printing after the previous cleaning operation is performed.

25. A head cleaning device includes a wiping unit having a wiping member, and the head cleaning device performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the program being executed by a computer, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; causing the computer to realize a determination function of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition; The determination function is a program that determines which mode to use based on the total printing time since the previous cleaning operation was performed.

26. A head cleaning device includes a wiping unit having a wiping member, and the head cleaning device performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the program being executed by a computer, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; causing the computer to realize a determination function of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition; The determination function is a program that determines which mode to use based on the period during which the inkjet head is installed.

27. A head cleaning device includes a wiping unit having a wiping member, and the head cleaning device performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the program being executed by a computer, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; causing the computer to realize a determination function of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on a predetermined condition; The determination function is a program that determines which mode to use based on the installation angle of the inkjet head relative to a horizontal plane when the inkjet head is installed.

28. A head cleaning device includes a wiping unit having a wiping member that is a woven fabric made of split yarn, and the head cleaning device performs a cleaning operation of wiping a nozzle surface of an inkjet head having a water-repellent film on the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the program being executed by a computer, the cleaning operation has a rubbing mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and slides relative to the nozzle surface, and a stamp mode in which the wiping member contacts the nozzle surface and remains stationary; a program that causes the computer to realize a determination function of determining which mode of the cleaning operation to select based on predetermined conditions;

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