Cleaning unit and cleaning method

Abstract

A cleaning unit according to the present disclosure includes a base member and a moving body. A liquid discharge device includes a head which moves in a main scanning direction and discharges a liquid; a table which can move in a sub-scanning direction intersecting the main scanning direction; and a wall part which extends in the sub-scanning direction and a vertical direction on a side of the table. The base member is detachably fixed to the wall part of the liquid discharge device. The moving body can hold a cleaning member for cleaning the head, is guided by the base member, and can move in the sub-scanning direction. The cleaning unit is configured to be able to move the cleaning member with respect to the head by moving the table in the sub-scanning direction in a state in which the moving body and the table are in contact with each other.

Description

Cleaning unit and cleaning method

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaning unit and a cleaning method.

[0002] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-144999 describes a method of moving the carriage and head to a maintenance area and performing maintenance on the head in the maintenance area.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-153918

[0004] Conventionally, the heads have been cleaned manually by an operator (see, for example, FIG. 3C of Patent Document 1). However, cleaning work by an operator is prone to variations in cleaning quality.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to automatically clean the head.

[0006] The main invention for achieving the above object is a cleaning unit comprising: a head that moves in a main scanning direction to eject liquid; a table that is movable in a sub-scanning direction that intersects the main scanning direction; a base member that is removably fixed to a wall portion of a liquid ejection device that has a wall portion that extends to the side of the table in the sub-scanning direction and in the vertical direction; and a movable body that is capable of holding a cleaning member for cleaning the head and is movable in the sub-scanning direction while being guided by the base member, and is configured so that the cleaning member can be moved relative to the head by moving the table in the sub-scanning direction with the movable body and the table in contact.

[0007] Other features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of this specification.

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to automatically clean the head.

[0009] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of a liquid ejection device 100. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the liquid ejection device 100. FIGS. 3A and 3B are explanatory diagrams of the head 20. FIG. 4A is an explanatory diagram of the cleaning unit 60 attached to the wall 10. FIG. 4B is an explanatory diagram of the cleaning unit 60 before being attached to the wall 10. FIG. 5A is an explanatory diagram of the cleaning unit 60. FIG. 5B is an exploded view of the cleaning unit 60. FIGS. 6A to 6C are orthographic views of the cleaning unit 60. FIGS. 7A and 7B are explanatory diagrams of the state before and after the movement of the movable body 65 relative to the base member 61. FIGS. 8A to 8F are schematic explanatory diagrams of the cleaning operation as viewed from the left and right. FIGS. 9A to 9D are schematic explanatory diagrams of the cleaning operation as viewed from the front and back. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a location to be cleaned by the head 20. FIGS. 11A and 11B are explanatory diagrams of an attachment structure for attaching the cleaning unit 60. FIG. 12 is an exploded view of the attachment structure. Figures 13A to 13C are explanatory diagrams showing how the protruding piece 62B of the base member 61 is inserted into the insertion port 121. Figure 14A is an explanatory diagram of the alignment unit 80. Figure 14B is an exploded view of the alignment unit 80. Figure 15 is a view of the alignment member 81 as seen from the front side. Figures 16A to 16C are explanatory diagrams showing positioning in the front-to-rear direction using the protrusion 84.

[0010] ===Embodiments=== <Configuration of Liquid Ejection Apparatus 100> Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of the liquid ejection apparatus 100. Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the liquid ejection apparatus 100.

[0011] In the following description, the movement direction of the head 20 that ejects liquid (the movement direction of the carriage 31) is referred to as the "left-right direction," with the right-hand side as viewed from the operator operating the liquid ejection device 100 being referred to as the "right," and the opposite side being referred to as the "left." The left-right direction is also sometimes referred to as the "main scanning direction" or "first direction." The direction perpendicular to the mounting surface on which the liquid ejection device 100 is placed is referred to as the "up-down direction," with the side of the liquid ejection device 100 as viewed from the mounting surface being referred to as the "upper" and the opposite side being referred to as the "lower." The up-down direction is a direction parallel to the vertical direction. The direction perpendicular to the up-down and left-right directions is referred to as the "front-rear direction," with the side of the operator as viewed from the liquid ejection device 100 being referred to as the "front" and the opposite side being referred to as the "rear." The front-rear direction is also referred to as the "sub-scanning direction" or "second direction," and the up-down direction is also referred to as the "third direction." The up-down and front-rear directions intersect with the left-right direction (the movement direction of the head 20).

[0012] The liquid ejection device 100 is a device that ejects liquid from a head 20. Here, the liquid ejection device 100 is an inkjet printing device (inkjet printer) that ejects ink onto a three-dimensional structure (a substrate). However, the liquid ejection device 100 is not limited to a printing device and may be, for example, a 3D printer. The liquid ejection device 100 has a wall unit 10, a head 20, a carriage unit 30, a table unit 40, and a control unit 50.

[0013] The wall portion 10 is a wall-like portion extending in the front-to-rear direction (sub-scanning direction) and up-down direction on the side of the table 41. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the wall portion 10 constitutes a side frame that supports a guide frame 1A equipped with a guide rail 33 (described later). However, the wall portion 10 is not limited to being provided on a member that supports the guide frame 1A. The wall portion 10 has wall surfaces that are parallel to the up-down direction and front-to-rear direction (wall surfaces that are perpendicular to the left-to-right direction). In this example, the wall portion 10 is disposed on the left side of the liquid ejection space. However, the wall portion 10 may also be disposed on the right side of the liquid ejection space. A cleaning unit 60 (described later) is attached to the wall portion 10.

[0014] The head 20 is a member that ejects liquid. The head 20 is disposed on the lower surface of the carriage 31 and is movable in the left-right direction together with the carriage 31.

[0015] 3A and 3B are explanatory diagrams of the head 20. Fig. 3A is an explanatory diagram of the cover member 22. Fig. 3B is an explanatory diagram of the guard member 23. In Fig. 3A, the cover member 22 is shown with a sandy texture pattern. In Fig. 3B, the guard member 23 is shown with a sandy texture pattern.

[0016] The head 20 includes a nozzle plate 21 and a cover member 22 .

[0017] The nozzle plate 21 is a plate provided with nozzles that eject liquid. The nozzle plate 21 is provided with a plurality of nozzle rows 21A. Each nozzle row 21A is made up of a plurality of nozzles lined up in the front-rear direction. The plurality of nozzle rows 21A are arranged side by side in the left-right direction.

[0018] The cover member 22 is a member that covers the edge of the nozzle plate 21. The cover member 22 is formed by bending a metal sheet. The cover member 22 has a pair of cover portions 22A that are parallel to each other in the front-to-rear direction. The pair of cover portions 22A are portions that respectively cover the left and right edges of the nozzle plate 21. The cover portions 22A are configured to cover the corners of the bottom surface and side surface (right or left side surface) of the head 20.

[0019] The head 20 protrudes downward from the bottom surface of the carriage 31. Therefore, when the head 20 moves left and right, there is a risk that the head 20 may come into contact with, for example, the printing material, and be damaged. Therefore, as shown in Figure 3B, a guard member 23 is provided.

[0020] The guard member 23 is a member that protects the head 20. The guard member 23 is a member that is provided to surround the head 20. The guard member 23 is fixed to the bottom surface of the carriage 31, and protrudes downward from the bottom surface of the carriage 31 together with the head 20. The guard member 23 is disposed on the outer side of the head 20 in the left-right direction, thereby protecting the head 20.

[0021] The carriage unit 30 is a unit (mechanism) that moves the carriage 31 in the left-right direction. The carriage unit 30 includes a carriage 31 and a carriage drive motor 32. The carriage 31 is equipped with the head 20 and is configured to be movable in the left-right direction. The carriage 31 is guided in the left-right direction by a guide rail 33. The guide rail 33 is provided on a guide frame 1A, which is supported by a side frame formed by the wall portion 10. The carriage drive motor 32 is a drive source that moves the carriage 31. The carriage unit 30 includes a transmission mechanism (not shown; for example, a gear, pulley, belt, etc.) that transmits the driving force of the carriage drive motor 32 to the carriage 31. When the carriage unit 30 moves the carriage 31 in the left-right direction, the head 20 moves in the left-right direction.

[0022] The table unit 40 is a unit (mechanism) that moves the table 41 in the up-down and front-back directions. The table unit 40 includes a table 41, a front-back drive motor 42, a lifting platform 43, and a lifting drive motor 44. The table 41 is a member that can move in directions (up-down and front-back) that intersect with the movement direction of the head 20. For example, a printing substrate is placed on the table 41. The table 41 is configured to be movable in the front-back direction relative to the lifting platform 43, and also configured to be movable in the up-down direction together with the lifting platform 43. The front-back drive motor 42 is a drive source that moves the table 41. The lifting platform 43 is a member that moves the table 41 in the up-down direction. The lifting drive motor 44 is a drive source that moves the lifting platform 43. The lifting platform 43 is provided with the front-back drive motor 42 and a transmission mechanism (not shown; for example, a feed screw mechanism) that transmits the driving force of the front-back drive motor 42 to the table 41. The table unit 40 drives the front-rear drive motor 42 to move the table 41 relative to the lift platform 43, thereby moving the table 41 in the front-rear direction. The table unit 40 also drives the lift drive motor 44 to move the lift platform 43 in the up-down direction, thereby moving the table 41 in the up-down direction.

[0023] The control unit 50 is responsible for controlling the liquid ejection device 100. The control unit 50 has, for example, an arithmetic processing unit and a storage device (not shown), and the arithmetic processing unit executes programs stored in the storage device. The control unit 50 has a print control unit 51 and a cleaning control unit 52. The print control unit 51 controls each unit of the liquid ejection device 100 based on a print command from an external computer, causing the liquid ejection device 100 to perform a printing operation. The cleaning control unit 52 controls each unit of the liquid ejection device 100, causing it to perform a cleaning operation (described below).

[0024] <Cleaning Unit 60> Conventionally, workers manually clean the head 20 using a cleaning member. However, manual cleaning work is prone to variations in cleaning quality. Therefore, the liquid ejection device 100 of this embodiment cleans the head 20 using a cleaning unit 60 equipped with a cleaning member 70. By automatically cleaning the head 20 using the cleaning unit 60, variations in cleaning quality can be reduced. However, when cleaning the head 20 using a cleaning member mounted on the table 41, the cleaning member needs to be attached to the table 41 with high positional accuracy. However, it is difficult to attach a cleaning member with high positional accuracy to a movable table 41. Therefore, in this embodiment, the cleaning unit 60 is attached to the wall 10 (a stationary member). The configuration of the cleaning unit 60 and the cleaning operation using the cleaning unit 60 will be described below.

[0025] Fig. 4A is an explanatory diagram of the cleaning unit 60 attached to the wall 10. Fig. 4B is an explanatory diagram of the cleaning unit 60 before being attached to the wall 10. Fig. 5A is an explanatory diagram of the cleaning unit 60. Fig. 5B is an exploded view of the cleaning unit 60. Figs. 6A to 6C are orthographic projection views of the cleaning unit 60. Figs. 7A and 7B are explanatory diagrams of the state before and after the movable body 65 moves relative to the base member 61. Note that Figs. 7A and 7B also show the state of extension of the spring 67 (see Fig. 5B).

[0026] The cleaning unit 60 is a unit (mechanism) for cleaning the head 20 with a cleaning member 70. The cleaning unit 60 is configured to be detachable from the wall portion 10. The cleaning member 70 is also replaceably attached to the cleaning unit 60. During maintenance, an operator attaches the cleaning unit 60 to the wall portion 10, and then the cleaning unit 60 is used to automatically clean the head 20.

[0027] The cleaning member 70 is a member for cleaning the head 20. As shown in Fig. 5B, the cleaning member 70 is a member similar to a cotton swab. The cleaning member 70 has a cleaning body 71 and a rod portion 72.

[0028] The cleaning element 71 is a part that comes into contact with the cleaning target. Bringing the cleaning element 71 into contact with the cleaning target cleans the cleaning target. The cleaning element 71 is composed of a material (absorbent) that absorbs liquid. Here, cleaning liquid is applied to the cleaning element 71 in advance, and the cleaning element 71, which has absorbed the cleaning liquid, is brought into contact with the head 20 (the cleaning target) to clean the head 20. Alternatively, a dried cleaning element 71 may be brought into contact with the head 20 to absorb ink adhering to the head 20, thereby cleaning the head 20. The diameter of the cleaning element 71 is larger than the diameter of the rod portion 72. This makes it easier to bring the cleaning element 71 into contact with the cleaning target without bringing the rod portion 72 into contact with the cleaning target. As shown in FIG. 6B , when the cleaning element 71 is attached to the movable body 65, the upper edge of the cleaning element 71 is positioned above the upper surface of the movable body 65. This makes it easier to bring the cleaning body 71 into contact with the object to be cleaned without bringing the moving body 65 into contact with the object to be cleaned.

[0029] The rod portion 72 is a rod-shaped portion. The cleaning body 71 is provided at the tip (rear end) of the rod portion 72. The rod portion 72 is a portion for attaching the cleaning member 70 to the cleaning unit 60 (moving body 65). As shown in FIG. 5B , the cleaning member 70 is attached to the cleaning unit 60 so that the rod portion 72 is parallel to the front-rear direction.

[0030] The cleaning unit 60 includes a base member 61 and a moving body 65 .

[0031] The base member 61 is a member that is removably fixed to the wall portion 10. The base member 61 mounts the moving body 65 so that the moving body 65 is movable in the front-rear direction. The base member 61 has a fixing portion 62 and a mounting portion 63.

[0032] The fixing portion 62 is a portion that is fixed to the wall 10. The fixing portion 62 is a plate-shaped portion that is perpendicular to the up-down direction (a plate-shaped portion that is parallel to the front-rear and left-right directions). A top plate 12 that is perpendicular to the up-down direction is provided on the upper portion of the wall 10. With the fixing portion 62 placed on the top surface of the top plate 12, the fixing portion 62 is fixed to the top plate 12 by fixing screws 621 (see FIGS. 4A and 4B ), thereby fixing the cleaning unit 60 (base member 61) to the wall 10. Note that the top plate 12 has a shape that extends in the front-rear direction and has a predetermined length (predetermined width) in the left-right direction (described later; see FIGS. 11A and 12 ). Therefore, by fixing the fixing portion 62 to the top plate 12, the base member 61 can be stably fixed to the wall 10.

[0033] The fixing portion 62 of the base member 61 has a hole 62A (see FIGS. 4B and 5B ) through which a fixing screw 621 is inserted and a pair of protruding pieces 62B. The protruding pieces 62B protrude downward from the fixing portion 62. The protruding pieces 62B are formed by bending the metal sheet that constitutes the fixing portion 62. The protruding pieces 62B are inserted into insertion slots 121 provided in the top plate 12 (see FIG. 4A ). The pair of protruding pieces 62B are spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction. By inserting the pair of protruding pieces 62B into the pair of insertion slots 121 in the top plate 12, the fixing portion 62 and the wall portion 10 are aligned, and the base member 61 is fixed in a predetermined position relative to the wall portion 10 by the fixing screw 621. As described below, the protruding pieces 62B are inserted into slits 831 in the alignment member 81. The pair of protruding pieces 62B are inserted into the pair of slits 831, respectively, so that the base member 61 is fixed at a predetermined position with high precision to the wall portion 10. The mounting structure for mounting the cleaning unit 60 (base member 61) will be described later.

[0034] The mounting portion 63 is a portion on which the movable body 65 is mounted so as to be movable in the front-rear direction. As will be described later, the movable body 65 may move upward (separate from or float up) relative to the mounting portion 63. The mounting portion 63 has a mounting surface 63A, an insertion hole 63B, a spring retaining portion 63C, and a limiting portion 63D.

[0035] The placement surface 63A is a portion on which the movable body 65 is placed. The placement surface 63A has a surface perpendicular to the up-down direction. The placement surface 63A serves as a sliding surface on which the movable body 65 slides.

[0036] The insertion holes 63B are through-holes for inserting the protrusions 652 (described below; front protrusion 652A and rear protrusion 652B) of the movable body 65. The insertion holes 63B are configured so that the movable body 65 can move in the front-rear direction with the protrusions 652 of the movable body 65 inserted therethrough. The insertion holes 63B, through which the front protrusions 652A are inserted, are configured as grooves extending in the front-rear direction. Of the edges of the insertion holes 63B, edges parallel to the front-rear direction function as guides that guide the movable body 65 in the front-rear direction.

[0037] The spring retaining portion 63C is provided on the mounting surface 63A and serves to retain the rear end of the spring 67. The front end of the spring 67 is retained by a spring retaining portion 656 (see FIGS. 7A and 7B) of the movable body 65. The pair of spring retaining portions 63C are spaced apart in the left-right direction (the right spring retaining portion 63C is not shown in FIG. 5B).

[0038] The limiting portion 63D is a portion that limits the movement range of the moving body 65. The limiting portion 63D limits the movement range of the moving body 65 by coming into contact with the moving body 65.

[0039] The movable body 65 is a member that moves in the front-to-rear direction relative to the base member 61 while holding the cleaning member 70. The movable body 65 is movable in the front-to-rear direction while being guided by the base member 61. The cleaning member 70 can be moved by moving the movable body 65. The movable body 65 has a holding portion 651, a protruding portion 652, a receiving portion 655, and a spring retaining portion 656.

[0040] The holding portion 651 is a portion that holds the cleaning member 70. The holding portion 651 holds the cleaning member 70 so that the rod portion 72 is parallel to the front-rear direction and the cleaning body 71 is positioned rearward relative to the rod portion 72. Here, the holding portion 651 has an insertion portion 651A, a clamping portion 651B, and a support portion 651C. The insertion portion 651A is a portion that holds the rear end of the rod portion 72. When attaching the cleaning member 70 to the holding portion 651, the operator inserts the rear end of the rod portion 72 into the insertion portion 651A while moving the rod portion 72, which is parallel to the front-rear direction, forward. The insertion portion 651A restricts the movement of the rear end of the rod portion 72 in the left-right and up-down directions, preventing the rear end of the rod portion 72 from swinging. The clamping portion 651B is a portion that clamps the rod portion 72 from the left and right directions. The clamping portion 651B clamps the rod portion 72 at a position closer to the cleaning element 71 than the rear end of the rod portion 72. The rod portion 72 is held from the left and right by the holding portion 651 and the clamping portion 651B at positions separated in the front-rear direction. This makes it possible to prevent the rod portion 72 from bending when the cleaning element 71 is subjected to a force in the left-right direction. The support portion 651C is a portion that supports the rod portion 72 from below. The support portion 651C supports the rod portion 72 on the rear side (the cleaning element 71 side) of the clamping portion 651B. By using the support portion 651C to support the rod portion 72 near the cleaning element 71, it is possible to prevent the rod portion 72 from bending when the cleaning element 71 is subjected to a downward force. When the cleaning body 71 receives a downward force during cleaning, a rotational force with the support portion 651C as a fulcrum acts on the rod portion 72, but the insertion portion 651A holds down the rear end of the rod portion 72 from above, preventing the rear end of the rod portion 72 from bouncing up. The holding portion 651 may have a different configuration from that described above as long as it can hold the cleaning member 70 on the moving body 65.

[0041] The protrusion 652 is a portion that protrudes downward from the lower surface of the movable body 65 (the surface that comes into contact with the placement surface 63A). The protrusion 652 is inserted into the insertion hole 63B of the base member 61 and protrudes downward beyond the base member 61. This allows the protrusion 652 to come into contact with the table 41 below the base member 61. The protrusion 652 is guided in the front-to-rear direction by the edge of the insertion hole 63B. The protrusion 652 has a front protrusion 652A and a rear protrusion 652B. The front protrusion 652A is disposed on the front side of the movable body 65, and the rear protrusion 652B is disposed on the rear side of the movable body 65. The front protrusion 652A and the rear protrusion 652B each form a pair aligned in the left-right direction.

[0042] The protrusions 652 (front protrusion 652A and rear protrusion 652B) have contact portions 653 that come into contact with the upper surface of the table 41. The movable body 65 can be moved upward by moving the table 41 upward while the contact portions 653 are in contact with the table 41. In other words, when the table 41 is raised with the upper surface of the table 41 in contact with the contact portions 653, the movable body 65 is lifted by the table 41.

[0043] The front protrusion 652A has a hook 654 that comes into contact with the front edge of the table 41. The movable body 65 can be moved in the front-to-rear direction by moving the table 41 in the front-to-rear direction while the hook 654 and the table 41 are in contact with each other. In other words, when the table 41 moves forward with the front edge of the table 41 in contact with the hook 654, the movable body 65 is pushed by the table 41 and moves forward.

[0044] The receiving portion 655 is a portion that receives liquid. The receiving portion 655 is configured in a concave shape and is capable of collecting liquid. When the cleaning member 70 is attached to the holding portion 651, the cleaning body 71 is placed on the receiving portion 655. By placing the receiving portion 655 below the cleaning body 71, the receiving portion 655 can receive liquid that drips from the cleaning body 71. Here, the receiving portion 655 has the function of receiving cleaning liquid for wetting the cleaning body 71. Note that the receiving portion 655 may also have the function of preventing ink (liquid) adhering to the head 20 from dripping during cleaning. The moving body 65 does not have to have the receiving portion 655.

[0045] The spring retaining portion 656 is a portion that retains the front end of the spring 67 (see FIGS. 7A and 7B). As already described, the rear end of the spring 67 is retained by the spring retaining portion 63C of the base member 61 (mounting portion 63). The spring retaining portion 656 of the movable body 65 is disposed forward of the spring retaining portion 63C of the base member 61.

[0046] The spring 67 is disposed between the base member 61 and the movable body 65 so that a restoring force acts in the front-to-rear direction. The spring 67 is disposed in a stretched state between the base member 61 and the movable body 65. As a result, the spring 67 applies a force to the movable body 65 toward the rear due to its restoring force. When the table 41 is not in contact with the movable body 65, the force of the spring 67 causes the movable body 65 to assume a predetermined position relative to the base member 61. Here, a pair of springs 67 are disposed side by side on the left and right. However, the number of springs 67 is not limited to two. Also, the cleaning unit 60 does not necessarily have to be provided with a spring 67.

[0047] 8A to 8F are schematic explanatory diagrams of the cleaning operation as viewed from the left and right. 9A to 9D are schematic explanatory diagrams of the cleaning operation as viewed from the front and back. Each process in the diagram is realized by the cleaning control unit 52 controlling each part of the liquid ejection device 100 after an operator attaches the cleaning unit 60 to the wall 10. The attachment structure and method for attaching the cleaning unit 60 to the wall 10 will be described later.

[0048] 8A and 9A , the cleaning control unit 52 moves the table 41 in the up-down and front-rear directions to bring the front edge of the table 41 into contact with the hook portion 654 of the movable body 65. At this time, the upper surface of the table 41 may come into contact with the protrusion portion 652 (contact portion 653) of the movable body 65. At this stage, the upper edge of the cleaning body 71 is located below the lower surface of the head 20.

[0049] The cleaning control unit 52 brings the front edge of the table 41 into contact with the hook portion 654 of the movable body 65, and then moves the table 41 forward as shown in FIG. 8B . This causes the movable body 65 to be pushed by the table 41, and the movable body 65 and the cleaning member 70 move forward relative to the base member 61. Because the cleaning member 70 can be moved using the table 41, the structure of the cleaning unit 60 is simpler than when the cleaning unit 60 includes a movement mechanism for moving the cleaning member 70. When the movable body 65 moves forward relative to the base member 61 as shown in FIG. 8B , the spring 67 is further extended.

[0050] 8C and 9B, the cleaning control unit 52 moves the carriage 31 so that the head 20 (the object to be cleaned) is at a predetermined position in the left-right direction. At this time, the cleaning control unit 52 moves the carriage 31 so that the cleaning area of ​​the head 20 is in a predetermined positional relationship with the cleaning element 71 in the left-right direction. The cleaning area of ​​the head 20 will be described later. At this stage, the upper edge of the cleaning element 71 is located below the bottom surface of the head 20, so the head 20 and the cleaning element 71 do not collide when the carriage 31 is moved left-right.

[0051] The cleaning control unit 52 moves the carriage 31 so that the head 20 (the object to be cleaned) is in a predetermined position, and then moves the table 41 upward, as shown in FIGS. 8D and 9C . At this time, the table 41 comes into contact with the protrusion 652 (contact portion 653). As the table 41 moves upward while the upper surface of the table 41 is in contact with the contact portion 653 of the movable body 65, the movable body 65 and the cleaning member 70 move upward, and the movable body 65 moves away from (floats up from) the mounting portion 63 of the base member 61. After movement, the cleaning member 71 is positioned at a height that allows it to clean the object to be cleaned (the head 20).

[0052] When the table 41 is moved upward, the cleaning element 71 comes into contact with the head 20 (the object to be cleaned). At this time, the cleaning element 71 receives a downward force from the head 20, and a rotational force with the support portion 651C as the fulcrum acts on the rod portion 72. However, the insertion portion 651A of the moving body 65 holds down the rear end of the rod portion 72 from above, preventing the rear end of the rod portion 72 from jumping up.

[0053] Next, as shown in FIG. 8E , the cleaning control unit 52 moves the table 41 rearward. When the table 41 moves rearward, the restoring force of the spring 67 also moves the movable body 65 and the cleaning member 70 rearward. At this time, the cleaning body 71 moves while in contact with the head 20 (the object to be cleaned) and cleans the head 20. Here, the cleaning liquid moistened on the cleaning body 71 is applied to the head 20. Note that instead of applying the cleaning liquid to the head 20, the cleaning body 71 may wipe off ink adhering to the head 20. In this way, the head 20 can be cleaned by sliding the cleaning body 71 and the head 20.

[0054] However, if the cleaning body 71 moves in contact with the head 20 while the moving body 65 is being pushed forward by the table 41, excessive force may be applied to the head 20. In contrast, the restoring force of the spring 67 causes the moving body 65 to move rearward while the cleaning body 71 moves in contact with the head 20, thereby preventing excessive force from being applied to the head 20. For this reason, it is desirable that the cleaning body 71 move in contact with the head 20 (the object to be cleaned) when the moving body 65 is moving due to the restoring force of the spring 67.

[0055] Furthermore, when cleaning the head 20 while the movable body 65 is moving forward, there is a risk that the rod portion 72 of the cleaning member 70 may come out of the insertion portion 651A during cleaning, causing the cleaning member 70 to fall off the movable body 65. In response to this, as shown in FIG. 8E , by moving the movable body 65 and the cleaning member 70 rearward in a direction in which the rod portion 72 of the cleaning member 70 is inserted into the insertion portion 651A to clean the head 20, it is possible to prevent the rod portion 72 of the cleaning member 70 from coming out of the insertion portion 651A during cleaning. In this way, when the insertion portion 651A is configured so that the rod portion 72 moves forward to insert the rear end of the rod portion 72, it is desirable that the cleaning control unit 52 clean the head 20 while the cleaning member 70 is moving forward. However, if the cleaning member 70 is held by the movable body 65 so as not to fall off, the head 20 can be cleaned whether the cleaning member 70 is moving forward or backward. Furthermore, when the cleaning member 70 is held by the moving body 65 so as not to fall off, the cleaning control unit 52 may clean the head 20 by moving the cleaning member 70 back and forth in the front-to-rear direction.

[0056] Next, as shown in Figures 8F and 9D, the cleaning control unit 52 moves the table 41 downward. As a result, the movable body 65 and cleaning member 70 move downward, and the upper edge of the cleaning body 71 is positioned below the underside of the head 20. Therefore, when the carriage 31 is moved left and right, the head 20 and the cleaning body 71 do not collide. If there are multiple cleaning locations for the head 20, the cleaning control unit 52 repeats the operations shown in Figures 8B to 8F (and Figures 9B to 9D).

[0057] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of an example of cleaning locations on the head 20. The cleaning locations are indicated by arrows in the figure. Here, the cleaning locations are the side surfaces (both left and right side surfaces) of the cover member 22 of the head 20 and the underside of the cover member 22 (the undersides of the left and right cover portions 22A). Note that there is a step 221 between the cover portion 22A and the nozzle surface, and because ink tends to adhere to this step 221, it is desirable to also clean the step 221 between the cover portion 22A and the nozzle surface. In other words, when the cleaning element 71 is brought into contact with the underside of the cover member 22, it is desirable for the cleaning element 71 to be positioned at the step 221 between the cover portion 22A and the nozzle surface.

[0058] When the heights of the areas to be cleaned are different, it is desirable that the cleaning control unit 52 change the height of the table 41 shown in Fig. 8D according to the height of the area to be cleaned. For example, as shown in Fig. 10, the heights of the side surfaces and the underside of the cover member 22 of the head 20 are different, so it is desirable that the cleaning control unit 52 increase the height of the table 41 shown in Fig. 8D when cleaning the side surfaces of the cover member 22 of the head 20 compared to when cleaning the underside of the cover member 22.

[0059] The cleaning areas are not limited to the areas shown in Fig. 10. For example, the cleaning areas may include the areas between the nozzle rows 21A on the lower surface of the nozzle plate 21 shown in Fig. 3A, the lower surface of the guard member 23 shown in Fig. 3B, and the like.

[0060] <Mounting Structure> Figures 11A and 11B are explanatory diagrams of a mounting structure for mounting the cleaning unit 60. Figure 11B is an explanatory diagram showing the top plate 12 of Figure 11A in a see-through manner. Figure 12 is an exploded view of the mounting structure.

[0061] As already explained, the wall portion 10 is provided on the left side of the liquid ejection space (see FIG. 1). The wall portion 10 is provided with a mounting structure for mounting the cleaning unit 60. The mounting structure is made up of the wall portion 10 and the alignment unit 80.

[0062] The wall portion 10 is a member that constitutes the inner wall surface of the liquid ejection space. The wall portion 10 has a wall plate portion 11 and a top plate portion 12.

[0063] The wall panel 11 is a plate-like member that is parallel to the up-down and front-rear directions (perpendicular to the left-right direction). Here, the wall panel 11 is made of sheet metal. A bent portion 11A is provided at the top of the wall panel 11. The bent portion 11A is a portion where the upper edge of the wall panel 11 is bent, and has a plate surface that is perpendicular to the up-down direction (a plate surface that is parallel to the front-rear and left-right directions). The bent portion 11A is a portion for fixing the top panel 12.

[0064] The wall panel 11 has a positioning hole 111 (see FIG. 12 ). The positioning hole 111 is a portion (hole) for positioning the alignment unit 80. By inserting a protrusion 84 (described later) of the alignment unit 80 into the positioning hole 111, the alignment unit 80 can be positioned at a predetermined position in the front-to-rear direction relative to the wall 10.

[0065] The top plate 12 is a plate-shaped member that is perpendicular to the up-down direction (a plate-shaped member that is parallel to the front-rear and left-right directions). The top plate 12 has a predetermined length (predetermined width) in the left-right direction and is shaped to extend in the front-rear direction. The top plate 12 is provided on the upper part of the wall plate 11. The top plate 12 is fixed to the bent portion 11A by fixing screws 13. The top plate 12 is a portion for fixing the cleaning unit 60 (base member 61). The top plate 12 is disposed above the alignment member 80.

[0066] Here, the wall panel 11 and the top panel 12 are formed from separate members, but the structure of the wall 10 is not limited to this configuration, and it is sufficient if a top panel (a portion perpendicular to the up-down direction) is provided on the upper part of the wall 10. For example, the wall panel 11 and the top panel may be integrally formed by bending the upper edge of the wall panel 11 to form the top panel.

[0067] The top panel 12 has an insertion port 121. The insertion port 121 has a shape that follows the front-to-rear direction. A pair of insertion ports 121 are arranged spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction on the top panel 12. A protruding piece 62B of the base member 61 is inserted into each insertion port 121.

[0068] 13A to 13C are explanatory diagrams showing how the protruding piece 62B of the base member 61 is inserted into the insertion port 121. FIG.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 13A , the tip of the protruding piece 62B protrudes forward beyond its base. In other words, the protruding piece 62B is configured as a hook, and is configured as an L-shape (inverted L-shape) when viewed from the right side. The portion of the protruding piece 62B protruding from its base toward the tip is sometimes referred to as the "hook-shaped portion." As shown in FIGS. 13B and 13C , after the protruding piece 62B is inserted into the insertion port 121, the base member 61 (fixing portion 62) is slid forward relative to the top plate portion 12. As shown in FIG. 13C , by sliding the base member 61, the tip of the protruding piece 62B can slide under the top plate portion 12. As a result, the top plate 12 is sandwiched in the gap between the tip of the protruding piece 62B and the fixing portion 62, and the hook-shaped portion of the protruding piece 62B (the portion protruding from the base toward the tip) engages with the top plate 12, making it difficult for the base member 61 (fixing portion 62) to shift vertically relative to the wall portion 10 (top plate 12). As described above, by positioning the tip (hook-shaped portion) of the hook-shaped protruding piece 62B below the top plate 12, it becomes easier to stably fix the base member 61 to the wall portion 10. Note that the protruding piece 62B does not have to be configured as a hook. Furthermore, the base member 61 (fixing portion 62) does not have to be configured so that the protruding piece 62B slides relative to the top plate 12 after being inserted into the insertion port 121.

[0070] Fig. 14A is an explanatory diagram of the alignment unit 80. Fig. 14B is an exploded view of the alignment unit 80.

[0071] The alignment unit 80 is a member for aligning the cleaning unit 60 (base member 61) to a predetermined position with respect to the wall portion 10. The alignment unit 80 has an alignment member 81 and a sensor 86.

[0072] The alignment member 81 is a member that forms the main body of the alignment unit 80. The alignment member 81 is made of a bent metal sheet. The alignment member 81 has a main body 82, a pair of overhanging portions 83 (a front overhanging portion 83A and a rear overhanging portion 83B), and a protrusion 84.

[0073] The main body 82 is a part that is fixed to the wall panel 11. The main body 82 is a plate-shaped part that is parallel in the front-to-back and up-down directions. By aligning the plate-shaped main body 82 with the plate surface (inner wall surface) of the wall panel 11, the alignment member 81 can be positioned at a predetermined position in the left-to-right direction. The plate surface of the main body 82 functions as a positioning part for the alignment member 81 in the left-to-right direction. The main body 82 is fixed to the wall panel 11 with fixing screws 821. The main body 82 has a pair of elongated holes 82A. The elongated holes 82A are holes through which the fixing screws 821 that fix the main body 82 to the wall panel 11 are inserted. The elongated holes 82A are narrow in the up-to-down direction and long in the front-to-back direction. The pair of elongated holes 82A are spaced apart in the front-to-back direction. The alignment member 81 can be positioned at a predetermined position in the vertical direction by fixing the alignment member 81 to the wall panel 11 with fixing screws 821 through the pair of elongated holes 82A. The elongated holes 82A (more specifically, the upper and lower edges of the elongated holes 82A) function as positioning portions that determine the vertical position of the alignment member 81. The pair of elongated holes 82A also function as positioning portions that determine the rotational position of the alignment member 81 around the left-right axis.

[0074] The protruding portion 83 is a portion that protrudes from the end of the main body portion 82. The protruding portion 83 is a plate-shaped portion that is parallel in the left-right and up-down directions. The protruding portion 83 protrudes from the main body portion 82 toward the table 41. In other words, the protruding portion 83 protrudes from the main body portion 82 toward the liquid ejection space (here, the right side). The protruding portion 83 is formed by bending the sheet metal that makes up the main body portion 82. Protruding portions 83 are provided at each end of the main body portion 82 in the front-to-rear direction. In the following description, the protruding portion 83 located on the front side may be referred to as the front protruding portion 83A, and the protruding portion 83 located on the rear side may be referred to as the rear protruding portion 83B.

[0075] The overhanging portion 83 (front overhanging portion 83A and rear overhanging portion 83B) has slits 831 (831A, 831B). The slits 831 are shaped by cutting out the upper edge of the plate-shaped overhanging portion 83 downward. The slits 831 are portions into which the protruding pieces 62B of the base member 61 are inserted. By inserting the protruding pieces 62B of the cleaning unit 60 into the slits 831, the protruding pieces 62B can be positioned at a predetermined position in the left-right direction. The slits 831 function as alignment portions for aligning the left-right position of the cleaning unit 60 (base member 61). The pair of slits 831 also function as alignment portions for aligning the position of the cleaning unit 60 (base member 61) in the rotational direction around the vertical axis. The slit 831 in the front protruding portion 83A may be referred to as a front slit 831A, and the slit 831 in the rear protruding portion 83B may be referred to as a rear slit 831B.

[0076] The slits 831 (831A, 831B) are disposed below the insertion port 121 of the top panel 12. Therefore, when the protruding piece 62B is inserted into the insertion port 121, the protruding piece 62B is inserted into the slit 831. Note that the protruding piece 62B may be configured to be inserted directly into the slit 831 without using the insertion port 121. However, in this case, it may be difficult for the operator to insert the protruding piece 62B into the slit 831. In contrast, by disposing the slit 831 below the insertion port 121 of the top panel 12 and configuring the protruding piece 62B to be inserted into the slit 831 through the insertion port 121, the slit 831 can prevent the cleaning unit 60 (base member 61) from wobbling, making it easier for the operator to insert the protruding piece 62B into the slit 831.

[0077] The slits 831 are arranged so that the protruding pieces 62B are inserted into the slits 831 in both states (see FIGS. 13B and 13C ) before and after the cleaning unit 60 (base member 61) is slid relative to the top panel portion 12. This allows the protruding pieces 62B to be reliably inserted into the slits 831.

[0078] FIG. 15 is a front view of the alignment member 81. The width (inner dimension in the left-right direction) of the rear slit 831B of the rear overhang 83B is narrower than the width of the front slit 831A of the front overhang 83A. Therefore, the rear slit 831B of the rear overhang 83B can determine the position of the protruding piece 62B with higher positional accuracy than the front slit 831A of the front overhang 83A. In other words, the left-right position of the cleaning unit 60 (base member 61) is determined primarily by the rear slit 831B of the rear overhang 83B. The width of the slit 831 of the front overhang 83A is set slightly wider than the thickness of the protruding piece 62B to provide clearance (gap).

[0079] When a pair of slits 831 spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction have different widths, it is desirable that the narrower slit 831 be positioned closer to the head 20 (the object to be cleaned). This allows the position of the cleaning unit 60 to be determined with high positional accuracy relative to the head 20 when the cleaning unit 60 is aligned using the pair of slits 831, thereby enabling the object to be cleaned to be cleaned accurately. Here, the rear slit 831B of the rear overhang 83B is positioned closer to the head 20 than the front slit 831A of the front overhang 83A, and is therefore configured to have a narrower width than the slit 831 of the front overhang 83A.

[0080] Furthermore, when a pair of slits 831 spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction have different widths, it is desirable that the narrower slit 831 be positioned closer to the cleaning element 71. This allows the position of the cleaning element 71 to be determined with high positional accuracy when the cleaning unit 60 is aligned using the pair of slits 831, thereby enabling accurate cleaning of the cleaning target. Here, the rear slit 831B of the rear overhang 83B is positioned closer to the cleaning element 71 than the front slit 831A of the front overhang 83A, and is therefore configured to have a narrower width than the slit 831 of the front overhang 83A.

[0081] A guide portion 832 is provided at the upper portion of the slit 831. The guide portion 832 is configured to be wider as it approaches the upper side. By providing the guide portion 832 at the upper portion of the slit 831, it becomes easier to insert the protruding piece 62B into the slit 831.

[0082] The protrusion 84 is a portion for positioning the alignment member 81 relative to the wall portion 10 (wall plate portion 11). The protrusion 84 protrudes from the main body portion 82 toward the wall plate portion 11 side (here, the left side; the side opposite the liquid ejection space side). In other words, the protrusion 84 protrudes toward the side opposite the overhang portion 83. The protrusion 84 is configured in the shape of a plate that is perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction. Here, the protrusion 84 is configured to extend from the front overhang portion 83A. However, the protrusion 84 is not limited to a shape that extends from the overhang portion 83.

[0083] 16A to 16C are explanatory diagrams of positioning in the front-rear direction using the protrusion 84. Fig. 16A is a diagram showing the protrusion 84 inserted into the positioning hole 111 as viewed from an angle. Fig. 16B is a diagram showing the protrusion 84 inserted into the positioning hole 111 as viewed from the left. Fig. 16C is a diagram showing the protrusion 84 of Fig. 16B removed, and is an explanatory diagram of the positioning hole 111.

[0084] The wall panel portion 11 is provided with a positioning hole 111. The alignment member 81 can be positioned at a predetermined position in the front-rear direction by inserting the protrusion 84 into the positioning hole 111. The protrusion 84 and the positioning hole 111 function as a positioning portion for positioning the alignment member 81 in the front-rear direction.

[0085] 16C , the positioning hole 111 has a pair of first contact portions 111A and second contact portions 111B. The first contact portion 111A and the second contact portion 111B are portions that come into contact with the protrusion 84 and define the position of the protrusion 84 in the front-to-rear direction. Here, the first contact portion 111A is positioned rearward of the second contact portion 111B, and the pair of first contact portions 111A contact the rear surface of the protrusion 84, while the second contact portion 111B contacts the front surface of the protrusion 84. However, the front-to-rear positional relationship between the first contact portion 111A and the second contact portion 111B may be reversed. The first contact portion 111A and the second contact portion 111B need to be configured with high positional accuracy. If the first contact portion 111A and the second contact portion 111B are arranged opposite each other, it is difficult to punch the positioning hole 111 so that both the first contact portion 111A and the second contact portion 111B are positioned with high positional accuracy. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 16C , if the first contact portion 111A and the second contact portion 111B are positioned at different positions in the vertical direction, the portions facing the first contact portion 111A and the portions facing the second contact portion 111B do not contact the protrusion 84, so low positional accuracy of these portions is acceptable. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 16C , if the first contact portion 111A and the second contact portion 111B are positioned at different positions in the vertical direction, it is possible to punch the positioning hole 111 so that the first contact portion 111A and the second contact portion 111B are positioned with high positional accuracy. Note that the shape of the positioning hole 111 is not limited to the shape shown in FIG. 16C . For example, the first contact portion 111A and the second contact portion 111B may be disposed opposite each other. Alternatively, the protrusion 84 may be configured as a pin, and the positioning hole 111 may be configured as a circular hole.

[0086] The sensor 86 detects whether the cleaning unit 60 is attached to the wall 10. In this example, the sensor 86 detects whether the protruding piece 62B of the base member 61 is inserted into the slit 831. The sensor 86 is configured as a transmission-type optical sensor, and a groove-like gap is provided between the light-emitting element 86A and the light-receiving element 86B. When the protruding piece 62B is not between the light-emitting element 86A and the light-receiving element 86B, the amount of light received by the light-receiving element 86B increases. When the protruding piece 62B is between the light-emitting element 86A and the light-receiving element 86B, the amount of light received by the light-receiving element 86B decreases. Therefore, the presence or absence of the protruding piece 62B can be detected based on the detection signal of the sensor 86 (a signal indicating the amount of light received by the light-receiving element 86B).

[0087] The sensor 86 is not limited to an optical sensor, and may be, for example, a contact-type mechanical sensor, as long as it can detect whether the cleaning unit 60 is attached to the wall 10. However, if the sensor 86 is configured as an optical sensor having a light-emitting portion 86A and a light-receiving portion 86B, it can detect the presence or absence of the protruding piece 62B in a non-contact manner, and malfunction of the sensor 86 can be prevented.

[0088] The groove of the sensor 86 (the gap between the light-emitting unit 86A and the light-receiving unit 86B) is located below the insertion port 121 of the top panel 12. Therefore, when the protruding piece 62B is inserted into the insertion port 121, the protruding piece 62B is inserted between the light-emitting unit 86A and the light-receiving unit 86B. Note that the protruding piece 62B may be configured to be inserted directly between the light-emitting unit 86A and the light-receiving unit 86B without using the insertion port 121. However, in this case, it may be difficult for an operator to insert the protruding piece 62B into the groove of the sensor 86. In contrast, by configuring the groove of the sensor 86 to be located below the insertion port 121 of the top panel 12 and for the protruding piece 62B to be inserted between the light-emitting unit 86A and the light-receiving unit 86B of the sensor 86 through the insertion port 121, it becomes easier for an operator to insert the protruding piece 62B between the light-emitting unit 86A and the light-receiving unit 86B. Furthermore, since the position of the protruding piece 62B can be determined by the insertion port 121, the protruding piece 62B can be prevented from coming into contact with the sensor 86, and damage to the sensor 86 can be prevented.

[0089] The sensor 86 is positioned so that the protruding piece 62B is located between the light-emitting part 86A and the light-receiving part 86B of the sensor 86, both before and after the cleaning unit 60 (base member 61) is slid relative to the top panel 12 (see FIGS. 13B and 13C). This allows the sensor 86 to reliably detect the protruding piece 62B inserted into the insertion port 121.

[0090] The sensor 86 is fixed to the overhang 83 (front overhang 83A) with a fixing screw 861. The overhang 83 has a slit 831, so by fixing the sensor 86 to the overhang 83, the groove of the sensor 86 (the gap between the light-emitting unit 86A and the light-receiving unit 86B) can be positioned near the slit 831. The sensor 86 is positioned so that the groove of the sensor 86 overlaps the slit 831 when viewed from the front-to-rear direction. The sensor 86 has a positioning protrusion 862, and the overhang 83 has a positioning hole 833. By fitting the positioning protrusion 862 of the sensor 86 into the positioning hole 833 of the overhang 83, the sensor 86 is positioned at a predetermined position relative to the alignment member 81. The width of the groove of the sensor 86 (the distance between the light-emitting unit 86A and the light-receiving unit 86B) is greater than the slit 831. This prevents the protruding piece 62B from contacting the sensor 86 and damaging it.

[0091] The sensor 86 outputs a detection signal to the control unit 50 (see FIG. 2 ). Based on the detection signal from the sensor 86, the control unit 50 sets the upper limit of the table 41's movement range (the uppermost position to which the table 41 can move). For example, when the sensor 86 detects the protruding piece 62B (when the cleaning unit 60 is attached to the wall 10), the control unit 50 sets the upper limit of the table 41's movement range lower than when the sensor 86 does not detect the protruding piece 62B (when the cleaning unit 60 is not attached to the wall 10). This prevents collisions between the table 41 and the cleaning unit 60 and reduces damage to the cleaning unit 60. The control unit 50 may also determine whether to perform printing or cleaning operations based on the detection signal from the sensor 86. For example, when the sensor 86 detects the protruding piece 62B (when the cleaning unit 60 is attached to the wall 10), the control unit 50 prohibits the printing control unit 51 from performing the printing operation and allows the cleaning control unit 52 to perform the cleaning operation.

[0092] The alignment unit 80 does not have to include the sensor 86. That is, the alignment member 81 may be provided alone on the wall portion 10. In this case as well, the cleaning unit 60 can be positioned with high positional accuracy.

[0093] The alignment unit 80 (alignment member 81) is positioned relative to the wall 10 as described below. The alignment unit 80 is fixed to the wall 10 with the side of the main body 82 aligned with the side of the wall panel 11, thereby positioning the alignment unit 80 at a predetermined position in the left-right direction. The alignment unit 80 is fixed to the wall 10 with the side of the main body 82 aligned with the side of the wall panel 11, thereby positioning the alignment unit 80 at a predetermined angle in the rotational direction about the vertical axis and the front-to-rear axis. The alignment unit 80 is fixed to the wall 10 with the protrusion 84 inserted into the positioning hole 111 of the wall panel 11, thereby positioning the alignment unit 80 at a predetermined position in the front-to-rear direction. The alignment unit 80 is fixed to the wall 10 with the fixing screw 821 passing through the elongated hole 82A, which is narrow in the vertical direction. The alignment unit 80 is fixed to the wall 10 by the fixing screws 821 through the pair of elongated holes 82A, so that the alignment unit 80 is positioned at a predetermined angle in the rotation direction about the left-right axis. The liquid ejection device 100 is shipped to the user with the alignment unit 80 (alignment member 81) fixed to the wall 10 as described above.

[0094] The cleaning unit 60 is positioned relative to the wall 10 as follows: The cleaning unit 60 is fixed to the wall 10 with the fixing screws 621 while the bottom surface of the fixing portion 62 of the base member 61 is aligned with the top surface of the top plate 12, thereby positioning the cleaning unit 60 at a predetermined position in the vertical direction. The cleaning unit 60 is fixed to the wall 10 with the bottom surface of the fixing portion 62 of the base member 61 aligned with the top surface of the top plate 12, thereby positioning the cleaning unit 60 at a predetermined angle in the rotation direction about the left-right axis and the front-rear axis. The fixing portion 62 of the base member 61 is fixed to the wall 10 (top plate 12) through the holes 62A with the fixing screws 621, thereby positioning the cleaning unit 60 at a predetermined position in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the cleaning unit 60 is fixed to the wall 10 with the protruding pieces 62B of the base member 61 inserted into the slits 831 of the alignment unit 80, thereby disposing the cleaning unit 60 at a predetermined position in the left-right direction. Note that, by fixing the cleaning unit 60 to the wall 10 with the pair of protruding pieces 62B inserted into the pair of slits 831, the cleaning unit 60 is disposed at a predetermined angle in the rotation direction about the vertical axis.

[0095] As described above, the alignment unit 80 is positioned at a predetermined position with high positional accuracy relative to the wall 10, so when the cleaning unit 60 is attached to the wall 10 using the alignment unit 80, the cleaning unit 60 can be positioned at a predetermined position with high positional accuracy. Therefore, when an operator attaches the cleaning unit 60 to the wall 10, variation in the accuracy of the attachment position of the cleaning unit 60 can be reduced, and as a result, variation in the cleaning quality can be reduced.

[0096] Summary The cleaning unit 60 includes a base member 61 that is removably fixed to the wall 10 of the liquid ejection device 100 (the wall 10 extending in the sub-scanning direction and the up-down direction on the side of the table 41), and a movable body 65 that can hold a cleaning member 70 and is guided by the base member 61 to move in the sub-scanning direction (front-to-back direction; a direction intersecting the main scanning direction; a direction in which the table 41 can move). The cleaning member 70 can be moved relative to the head 20 by moving the table 41 in the sub-scanning direction while the movable body 65 is in contact with the table 41. This cleaning unit 60 allows cleaning of the head 20 without manual labor by an operator. Furthermore, because the cleaning member 70 can be moved using the table 41, the structure of the cleaning unit 60 is simpler than when the cleaning unit 60 includes a moving mechanism for moving the cleaning member 70.

[0097] The movable body 65 has a protruding portion 652 that is inserted into the base member 61 and protrudes below the base member 61, and the protruding portion 652 comes into contact with the table 41. This allows the movable body 65 to come into contact with the table 41 below the base member 61.

[0098] By moving the table 41 while the movable body 65 and the table 41 are in contact with each other, it is possible to move the movable body 65 in the vertical direction, thereby moving the cleaning member 70 in the vertical direction.

[0099] A spring 67 is provided between the base member 61 and the movable body 65 so that a restoring force acts along the sub-scanning direction (front-rear direction). This allows the movable body 65 to be moved using the restoring force of the spring 67.

[0100] The movable body 65 has a receiving portion 655 below the cleaning body 71. This allows the liquid to be collected below the cleaning body 71.

[0101] The wall portion 10 has a top panel portion 12 having an insertion port 121 and an alignment member 81 having a slit 831. The base member 61 has a fixing portion 62 parallel to the top panel portion 12 and a protruding piece 62B protruding from the fixing portion 62. When the protruding piece 62B is inserted into the insertion port 121 while aligning the fixing portion 62 with the top panel portion 12, the protruding piece 62B is inserted into the slit 831. By inserting the protruding piece 62B into the slit 831 in this way, the cleaning unit 60 can be aligned.

[0102] The protruding piece 62B is formed in a hook shape so that the tip thereof protrudes further than the base thereof. Then, by inserting the protruding piece 62B into the insertion port 121 and then sliding the base member 61 relative to the top plate 12, the tip of the protruding piece 62B can be positioned below the top plate 12. This makes it less likely that the base member 61 will shift relative to the top plate 12, making it easier to stably fix the base member 61 to the wall 10.

[0103] A sensor 86 having a light-emitting portion 86A and a light-receiving portion 86B is provided on the wall portion 10, and the protruding piece 62B inserted into the insertion port 121 of the top panel portion 12 is positioned between the light-emitting portion 86A and the light-receiving portion 86B. This allows the sensor 86 to detect whether the cleaning unit 60 is attached to the wall portion 10.

[0104] The above cleaning method involves the following steps: First, a cleaning unit 60 including a base member 61 and a movable body 65 is prepared. Then, the base member 61 of the cleaning unit 60 is fixed to a wall 10 of the liquid ejection device 100 (the wall 10 extending in the sub-scanning direction and the up-down direction on the side of the table 41). A cleaning member 70 is held by the movable body 65 of the cleaning unit 60. The table 41 is then moved to a predetermined position so that the table 41 comes into contact with the movable body 65. The head 20 is then moved to a predetermined position in the main scanning direction (left-right direction). Then, with the movable body 65 and the table 41 in contact, the table 41 is moved in the sub-scanning direction (front-back direction), and the cleaning member 70 moving in the sub-scanning direction comes into contact with the head 20. This allows cleaning of the head 20 without manual intervention by an operator.

[0105] ===Other Embodiments===The above embodiments are presented as examples and do not limit the scope of the invention. The above configurations can be implemented in appropriate combinations, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The above embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the inventions described in the claims and their equivalents.

[0106] 1A guide frame, 10 wall portion, 11 wall plate portion, 11A bent portion, 111 positioning hole, 111A first contact portion, 111B second contact portion, 12 top plate portion, 121 insertion port, 122 hole, 13 fixing screw, 20 head, 21 nozzle plate, 21A nozzle row, 22 cover member, 22A cover portion, 221 step, 23 guard member, 30 carriage unit, 31 carriage, 32 carriage drive motor, 33 guide rail, 40 table unit, 41 table, 42 front-rear drive motor, 43 lifting platform, 44 lifting drive motor, 50 control portion, 51 print control portion, 52 cleaning control portion, 60 cleaning unit, 61 base member, 62 fixing portion, 62A hole, 62B Projecting piece, 621 fixing screw, 63 placing portion, 63A placing surface, 63B insertion hole, 63C spring retaining portion, 63D limiting portion, 65 moving body, 651 holding portion, 651A insertion portion, 651B clamping portion, 651C support portion, 652 projecting portion, 652A front projecting portion, 652B rear projecting portion, 653 contact portion, 654 hook portion, 655 receiving portion, 656 spring retaining portion, 67 spring, 70 cleaning member, 71 cleaning body, 72 rod portion, 80 alignment unit, 81 alignment member, 82 main body portion, 82A elongated hole, 821 fixing screw, 83 extension portion, 83A front extension portion, 83B rear extension portion, 831 Slit, 831A front slit, 831B rear slit, 832 guide portion, 833 positioning hole, 84 protrusion, 86 sensor, 86A light emitting portion, 86B light receiving portion, 861 fixing screw, 862 positioning protrusion, 100 liquid ejection device

Claims

1. A cleaning unit comprising: a head that moves in a main scanning direction and discharges a liquid; a table that is movable in a sub-scanning direction intersecting the main scanning direction; and a base member removably fixed to the wall portion of a liquid discharge apparatus having a wall portion extending in the sub-scanning direction and the vertical direction on a side of the table, and a moving body that can hold a cleaning member for cleaning the head and is guided by the base member and movable in the sub-scanning direction, wherein the cleaning member can be moved relative to the head by moving the table in the sub-scanning direction with the moving body in contact with the table.

2. The cleaning unit according to claim 1, wherein the moving body has a protruding portion inserted through the base member and protruding below the base member, and the protruding portion contacts the table.

3. The cleaning unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the moving body can be moved in the vertical direction by moving the table with the moving body in contact with the table.

4. The cleaning unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a spring is provided between the base member and the moving body so that a restoring force acts along the sub-scanning direction.

5. The cleaning unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cleaning member has a cleaning body for contacting a cleaning target, and the moving body has a receiving portion for receiving a liquid below the cleaning body.

6. The cleaning unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the wall portion has a top plate portion having an insertion port and an alignment member having a slit, and the base member has a fixing portion parallel to the top plate portion and a protruding piece protruding from the fixing portion, and when the fixing portion is aligned with the top plate portion and the protruding piece is inserted into the insertion port, the protruding piece is inserted into the slit.

7. The cleaning unit according to claim 6, wherein the protruding piece is formed in a hook shape such that the tip protrudes more than the base, and after inserting the protruding piece into the insertion port, the base member is slid with respect to the top plate portion, so that the tip of the protruding piece can be disposed below the top plate portion.

8. The cleaning unit according to claim 6, wherein a sensor having a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion is provided on the wall portion, and the protruding piece is disposed between the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion.

9. Preparing a cleaning unit including a base member and a moving body guided by the base member and movable; fixing the base member to the wall portion of a liquid ejection apparatus including a head that moves in a main scanning direction to eject liquid, a table that is movable in a sub-scanning direction intersecting the main scanning direction, and a wall portion that extends in the sub-scanning direction and in the vertical direction on a side of the table; causing the moving body to hold a cleaning member; bringing the table into contact with the moving body; moving the head to a predetermined position in the main scanning direction; and moving the table in the sub-scanning direction with the moving body and the table in contact with each other, and bringing the cleaning member moving in the sub-scanning direction into contact with the head.

Images