Recording device

Abstract

The present invention is provided with: a recording head for recording an image by discharging ink; a storage unit (7) for storing ink (81) supplied to the recording head; a waste liquid storage unit (50) for storing waste liquid (82) discharged due to a recovery operation of the recording head; and discharge means (10, 11) for discharging the waste liquid to the waste liquid storage unit (50). When a coagulant (83) for coagulating the ink is injected into the storage unit (7), the coagulant (83) is discharged from the storage unit (7) to the waste liquid storage unit (50) via the recording head by means of the discharge means (10, 11).

Description

Recording device

[0001] The present invention relates to a recording device.

[0002] Inkjet recording devices that eject ink from a recording head onto a recording medium perform a recovery operation to maintain good ink ejection from the recording head, which causes some of the ink to be discharged from the recording head. Some recording devices are known to have a detachable waste ink container that collects the waste ink discharged during the recovery operation.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-144222 discloses a configuration in which a meltable ink coagulant is stored in the waste ink reservoir so that the waste ink reservoir can also be easily reused.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-15285

[0005] However, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, only the waste ink storage section is reusable, and if the recording device is tilted, for example, to reuse parts related to the transport of recording media, there is a risk of ink leakage inside the device.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to reduce ink leakage.

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the recording device of the present invention comprises a recording head that ejects ink to record an image, a storage section that stores ink supplied to the recording head, a waste liquid storage section that stores waste liquid discharged during the recovery operation of the recording head, and a discharge means that discharges the waste liquid into the waste liquid storage section, and is characterized in that when a coagulant that coagulates ink is injected into the storage section, the discharge means discharges the coagulant from the storage section via the recording head to the waste liquid storage section.

[0008] According to the present invention, a technique for reducing ink leakage is provided.

[0009] 1 is a perspective view of the appearance of a recording apparatus according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the appearance of a recording apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the appearance of a recording apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of a recording apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of a recording apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a recording apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating a coagulant discharge sequence of a recording apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating a coagulant discharge sequence of a recording apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed on a display unit of a recording apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a coagulant discharge sequence of a recording apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a schematic view illustrating a coagulant discharge sequence of a recording apparatus according to the second embodiment. FIG. 12 is a schematic view illustrating a coagulant discharge sequence of a recording apparatus according to the second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a schematic view illustrating a coagulant discharge sequence of a recording apparatus according to the third embodiment. FIG. 14 is a schematic view illustrating a coagulant discharge sequence of a recording apparatus according to the third embodiment. FIG. 15 is a schematic view illustrating a coagulant discharge sequence of a recording apparatus according to the third embodiment. FIG. 16 is a schematic view illustrating a coagulant discharge sequence of a recording apparatus according to the third embodiment.

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the following embodiments do not limit the present invention, and not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the present invention. Furthermore, the relative arrangements, shapes, etc. of the components described in the embodiments are merely examples, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to those alone.

[0011] "Recording" not only includes the formation of meaningful information such as characters and figures, but also the formation of images, designs, patterns, etc. on a recording medium, whether meaningful or insignificant, or the processing of the medium, regardless of whether it is manifested in a way that can be perceived visually by humans. In addition, although paper is assumed as the "original" and "recording medium" in this embodiment, they may also be cloth, plastic film (OHP), metal plate, glass, ceramics, wood, leather, etc.

[0012] Furthermore, "ink" (sometimes called "liquid") should be interpreted broadly in the same way as the definition of "recording" above. Therefore, it refers to a liquid that can be applied to a recording medium to form an image, design, pattern, etc., to process the recording medium, or to process the ink (for example, to solidify or insolubilize the coloring material in the ink applied to the recording medium).

[0013] 1A is a perspective view showing the appearance of the recording apparatus 1, where Fig. 1A is a perspective view of the front surface of the recording apparatus 1 as seen obliquely from above, and Fig. 1B and Fig. 1C are perspective views of the rear surface of the recording apparatus 1 as seen obliquely from above.

[0014] In the following description, the direction of gravity is referred to as the Z direction, with the side above gravity being the +Z direction and the side below gravity being the -Z direction. The direction perpendicular to the front of the recording device 1 is referred to as the Y direction, with the direction from the front toward the front being the +Y direction and the direction toward the rear (back) being the -Y direction. Furthermore, the right direction when viewed from the front of the recording device 1 is referred to as the +X direction and the left direction is referred to as the -X direction. The reference usage orientation of the recording device 1 is one in which the bottom surface of the main body 1A, which forms the outer shell of the device, is parallel to the XY plane, as shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1A , the recording device 1 has a display unit 8 including an operation unit 8A and multiple tanks 7 (storage units) arranged on the front side. The display unit 8 functions as a notification unit that displays the status of the recording device 1 and an indication of the amount of ink remaining in the tanks 7. The user can cause the recording device 1 to perform various operations by operating the operation unit 8A. In this embodiment, multiple tanks 7C each containing cyan ink, magenta ink, and yellow ink are arranged on the right side of the front of the main body 1A, and a tank 7B containing black ink is arranged on the left side of the front. In the following description, the tanks 7B and 7C may be collectively referred to as tanks 7.

[0016] The plurality of tanks 7 have filling ports (not shown) for filling ink. A user fills the tanks 7 with ink by filling the tanks 7 with ink stored in a replenishment bottle or pack through the filling port. The ink stored in the tanks 7 is supplied via tubes (not shown) to the print head 3 mounted on a carriage 33 that can move back and forth in the main scanning direction (X direction) (see FIG. 2).

[0017] The print head 3 is formed with a plurality of ejection ports for ejecting ink (liquid). Each ejection port is provided with an ejection element that generates ejection energy for ejecting ink. The drive of each ejection element is controlled by a control means (not shown) based on print data. When the ejection elements are driven, ink is ejected from the ejection ports of the print head 3 and lands on a print medium. In this way, an image is printed on the print medium.

[0018] In this embodiment, the ink stored in the tank 7 is supplied via a tube. Alternatively, it is possible to mount the tank 7 on the carriage 33 and supply ink to the print head 3 while moving the tank 7 in the main scanning direction together with the carriage 33 and the print head 3. Furthermore, the tank 7 in this embodiment is provided in the printing device 1, and ink is injected from an injection portion, but this is not limiting, and a cartridge-type tank 7 configured to be detachable from the printing device 1 may also be used.

[0019] 1B and 1C, a mounting section 5 for mounting and dismounting a maintenance cartridge 50 (waste liquid storage section), which will be described later, is provided on the rear surface of the main body 1A, which forms the outer shell of the recording device 1. Fig. 1B shows the state in which the maintenance cartridge 50 is mounted in the main body 1A, and Fig. 1C shows the state in which the maintenance cartridge 50 has been removed from the main body 1A.

[0020] The maintenance cartridge 50 contains waste liquid (waste ink) that is discharged during recovery operations to maintain and recover the ejection performance of the print head 3. When the amount of waste liquid contained in the maintenance cartridge 50 reaches a certain level, the user removes the currently installed maintenance cartridge 50 and installs a new maintenance cartridge 50, as shown in FIG.

[0021] Next, the schematic configuration inside the main body 1A will be described using Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Figure 1A. In Figures 1A to 1C and 2, a paper feed cassette 6 for loading recording media 4 such as paper is removably attached to the front of the main body 1A. The topmost sheet of recording media 4 in the paper feed cassette 6 is separated by a feeding means 41 having a feeding roller 41a and a separation roller 41b, and fed to a conveying path 42 that guides the recording media 4.

[0022] The recording medium 4 fed to the conveying path 42 is conveyed in the +Y direction along the upper surface of a platen 45 by a conveying means including a conveying roller 43 and a pinch roller 44 facing the conveying roller 43. Thereafter, the recording medium 4 is further conveyed in the +Y direction by a discharging means driven in synchronization with the conveying means, and is discharged onto a discharge tray 9. The discharging means is composed of a discharge roller 46 which rotates in synchronization with the conveying roller 43, and a spur 47 which is in pressure contact with the discharge roller 46.

[0023] A carriage 33 that moves back and forth in the main scanning direction (X direction) is provided between the transport roller 43 and the discharge roller 46 in the front-to-rear direction (Y direction) of the recording device 1. The recording head 3 is mounted on the bottom of the carriage 33 and moves in the main scanning direction (X direction) together with the carriage 33. The recording head 3 includes an internal tank 32 that can store ink. The bottom of the recording head 3 is formed with an ejection port surface 31 on which a plurality of ejection ports that eject ink are arranged. The ejection port surface 31 is arranged to face the recording medium 4, which is transported along the upper surface of a platen 45, with a predetermined gap between them. Ink ejected from the ejection ports lands on the recording medium 4 to form an image.

[0024] The recording apparatus 1 also has recovery means that performs recovery operations to maintain and restore the ejection performance of the recording head 3. In this embodiment, the recovery means includes a suction mechanism 40 that forcibly sucks in and expels air bubbles and viscous ink present in the recording head 3 and in the ejection ports from the ejection ports, and a wiping mechanism (not shown) that wipes away excess ink adhering to the ejection port surface 31. Note that some recording apparatuses 1 also include a pressure mechanism as recovery means that applies positive pressure to the recording head 3 to forcibly expel ink from the ejection ports. The ink expelled by the recovery means is not suitable for image formation, and is therefore expelled into the maintenance cartridge 50 through a discharge path.

[0025] 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 1B, showing the schematic configuration of the suction mechanism 40 and maintenance cartridge 50 provided in the recording apparatus 1. The suction mechanism 40 is provided in a recovery operation position outside the recording area (e.g., the area through which the recording medium passes) within the main body 1A. The suction mechanism 40 includes a cap 10 that can be brought into contact with and separated from the ejection port surface 31 of the recording head 3, a pump 11 as a negative pressure generating means that applies negative pressure to the cap 10, an outlet 14, and a tube and joint that connect these.

[0026] The cap 10 is provided so as to be able to come into contact with and separate from the ejection port surface 31 of the print head 3 positioned at the recovery operation position. The cap 10 is configured to cover the ejection ports provided in the ejection port surface 31 when in a capping state in which the cap 10 is in close contact with the ejection port surface 31. In this embodiment, the cap 10 is made of an air-impermeable elastic material such as rubber, and its periphery is formed with an annular sealing rib (not shown) that allows the cap 10 to come into contact with and separate from the ejection port surface 31. The cap 10 is moved into and out of contact with the ejection port surface 31 by raising and lowering the cap 10 using an elevator mechanism (not shown). When no printing operation is being performed, the cap 10 is in a capping state to protect the ejection ports and reduce evaporation of ink inside the ejection ports.

[0027] Furthermore, the cap 10 of this embodiment includes a color cap that caps the ejection port surface 31 on which the ejection ports for color inks are arranged, and a black cap that caps the ejection port surface 31 on which the ejection ports for black ink are arranged. The color cap and the black cap may be formed as separate parts, or may be separated by a rib or the like.

[0028] The cap 10 and pump 11 are also used for suction or pressurization, which are recovery processes for refreshing the ink in the ejection ports of the print head 3. The suction process is performed by placing the cap 10 in a capping state and operating the pump 11 to create a negative pressure inside the cap 10. This forcibly sucks and discharges ink containing air bubbles, dust, thickened ink, etc. from the ejection ports, and the ink in the ejection ports is replaced with non-thickened ink. The waste ink sucked from the ejection ports of the print head 3 is received by the cap 10 and then sent by the pump 11 from the cap 10 through the tubes described below to the outlet 14, from which it is sent and stored in the maintenance cartridge 50.

[0029] On the other hand, the pressurization process is a process in which a positive pressure is applied to the recording head 3 with the ejection port surface 31 facing the cap 10 or an ink receiving portion (not shown), forcibly discharging ink from the ejection ports, thereby refreshing the ink in the ejection ports. The process of refreshing the ink in the ejection ports also includes so-called preliminary ejection, in which the ejection elements provided in the ejection ports are driven to eject ink toward the cap 10 for purposes other than printing. The preliminary ejection is directed toward the cap 10, and the ink ejected into the cap 10 is discharged into the maintenance cartridge 50 via the tubes and the outlet 14, just like the suction process.

[0030] Note that various types of pumps that generate negative pressure can be used as the pump 11. In this embodiment, a tube pump is used as the pump 11, which generates negative pressure in a tube connected to the cap 10 by squeezing the tube with a roller.

[0031] Next, the path of waste ink from the cap 10 to the discharge port 14 will be described. One end of cap tubes 13a and 13b corresponding to the black cap and the color cap, respectively, is connected to the cap 10. The other end of the cap tubes 13a and 13b is connected to one end of inlet tubes 25a and 25b of the pump 11 via joints 12a and 12b. The other end of the inlet tubes 25a and 25b is connected to the inlet of the pump 11. One end of outlet tubes 26a and 26b is connected to the outlet of the pump 11, and the other end of the outlet tubes 26a and 26b is connected to one end of the drain tube 16 via joint 15.

[0032] The other end of the drain tube 16 is connected to the drain port 14, to which the maintenance cartridge 50 is detachably connected. The drain port 14 is supported on the bottom of the main body 1A. Black ink discharged from the black cap flows through the cap tube 13a, joint 12a, inlet tube 25a, and outlet tube 26a. Meanwhile, color inks discharged from the color caps flow through the cap tube 13b, joint 12b, inlet tube 25b, and outlet tube 26b. Furthermore, although the pump 11 is configured to act on both the inlet tubes 25a and 25b, a pump may be provided for each tube.

[0033] By operating the pump 11, the waste ink discharged into the cap 10 is introduced from the cap tubes 13a and 13b through the inlet tubes 25a and 25b into the pump 11. The waste ink is then sent from the pump 11 through the outlet tubes 26a and 26b, the joint 15, and the drain tube 16 to the outlet port 14, and is discharged from the outlet port 14 into the maintenance cartridge 50.

[0034] Furthermore, the waste ink from each of the outlet tubes 26a, 26b is combined at the joint 15 and then discharged into the maintenance cartridge 50 from a single outlet 14. By combining the waste ink introduction point into the maintenance cartridge 50 into a single point in this way, the work of attaching and detaching the maintenance cartridge 50 is simplified, and the risk of waste ink leaking can be reduced.

[0035] 4 is a block diagram of the control unit 830 of the recording device 1. The MPU 831 is a processor that controls the various operations of the recording device 1 and the processing of data. The MPU 831 executes programs stored in a storage device 832 to control the entire recording device 1. The storage device 832 is composed of, for example, a ROM or RAM. The storage device 832 stores not only the programs executed by the MPU 831 but also various types of data required for processing, such as data received from the host computer 800.

[0036] The MPU 831 controls the print head 3 via a driver 834a. The MPU 831 controls a carriage motor 807a that drives the carriage 33 via a driver 834b. The MPU 831 also controls a transport motor 809b that drives the transport means and discharge means via a driver 834c.

[0037] The MPU 831 also performs control operations by acquiring detection results from a group of various sensors 835 provided in the recording device 1. The group of sensors 835 includes a temperature sensor 835a. The MPU 831 also controls the display of the display unit 8 and accepts user operations on the operation unit 8A.

[0038] The host computer 800 is, for example, a personal computer or a mobile terminal (such as a smartphone or tablet terminal) used by a user. A printer driver 801 that performs communication between the host computer 800 and the recording device 1 is installed in the host computer 800. The recording device 1 is equipped with an interface unit 833, and communication between the host computer 800 and the MPU 831 is performed via the interface unit 833. For example, when a user inputs a command to execute a recording operation to the host computer 800, the printer driver 801 compiles data of the image to be recorded and settings related to the recording (information such as the quality of the recorded image), and instructs the recording device 1 to execute the recording operation.

[0039] Next, the coagulant discharge sequence will be described with reference to Figures 5A to 7. Figures 5A to 5C are schematic diagrams showing the flow of ink from the tank 7 inside the recording apparatus 1 to the maintenance cartridge 50. Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the coagulant discharge sequence.

[0040] Each component used in the coagulant discharge sequence will be described below with reference to Figure 5A. Recording ink 81 for recording is stored in the tank 7, and a heater 88 is disposed at the bottom of the tank 7. The heater 88 does not have to be disposed at the bottom of the tank 7, but may be disposed on the side. The tank 7 includes multiple tanks 7C each containing a color ink and a tank 7B containing black ink, and a heater 88 is disposed for each tank 7. Figure 5A is a schematic diagram showing the flow of ink for one color.

[0041] Furthermore, a temperature control means 89 is connected to the plurality of heaters 88, and the temperature of the heaters 88 is controlled by adjusting the voltage supplied to the heaters 88 using the temperature control means 89. The tank 7 is also connected to an in-head tank 32 formed inside the recording head 3 via an ink flow path (tube). A cap 10 is disposed opposite the recording head 3, and the cap 10 and a pump 11 are connected via the ink flow path. Similarly, the pump 11 and a maintenance cartridge 50 are also connected via the ink flow path.

[0042] As described above, by driving the pump 11, it is possible to move the recording ink 81 from the tank 7 to the in-head tank 32. Furthermore, by driving the pump 11, ink containing air bubbles, dust, thickened ink, etc. contained inside the recording head 3 is sent to the maintenance cartridge 50. As a result, waste ink 82 is stored inside the maintenance cartridge 50.

[0043] The coagulant bottle 80 contains a coagulant 83 capable of coagulating ink. The number of coagulant bottles 80 prepared corresponds to the number of inks, and it is desirable that each bottle has a capacity capable of storing an amount of liquid corresponding to the capacity of each tank 7. The coagulant bottle 80 has an outlet (not shown) for discharging the coagulant 83 therein, and the user injects the coagulant into the tank 7 through an inlet (not shown) in the tank 7. This inlet may also be used as an inlet for injecting the recording ink 81.

[0044] The coagulant 83 shown in this embodiment is stored in a dry powder state in the coagulant bottle 80. The coagulant is water-soluble and melts when mixed with ink and heated to a predetermined temperature, and solidifies when the temperature drops. Naturally-derived materials such as agar, gelatin, carrageenan, and pectin are preferably used as the coagulant 83. Other than the above, resin materials such as SBR (styrene-butadiene rubber) that are water-soluble and melt and solidify when heated and cooled may also be used. Although the coagulant is in powder form in this embodiment, it may also be in flake form.

[0045] Next, the coagulant discharge sequence will be described in detail. The coagulant discharge sequence begins when execution is instructed by a user through operation on the operation unit 8A of the recording device 1, operation on the display unit 8, or operation on the host computer 800. Figure 6 shows an example of a display screen displayed on the display unit 8 when the coagulant discharge sequence is executed. The screen displays "discharge sequence 850" and is selectable like other functions for maintaining the recording device 1. When the user selects discharge sequence 850 and presses the Start button 851, the recording device 1 begins the coagulant discharge sequence. While an example screen of the display unit 8 is shown here, the discharge sequence selection screen may also be displayed on the host computer 800.

[0046] The flow of the discharge sequence will be described with reference to Figure 7. In S701, a user inputs an instruction to execute the discharge sequence via a display screen such as that shown in Figure 6. After the coagulant discharge sequence starts, a notification prompting the user to inject the coagulant 83 is displayed on the display unit 8 (S702). Thereafter, the user injects the coagulant 83 stored in the coagulant bottle 80 into each of the corresponding tanks 7. In S703, it is determined whether the injection of the coagulant has been completed. This is done, for example, by determining whether a completion notification has been input via the display unit 8. When the injection is completed, the heater 88 starts heating in S704.

[0047] 5B shows the state after the coagulant 83 has been injected by the user. Because the recording ink 81 and coagulant 83 may not be melted when mixed, the heater 88 is used to heat the mixture, melting the coagulant 83 into liquid coagulant ink 84. If the heater 88 heats the mixture too much, the resin material that makes up the tank 7 may melt. Therefore, a temperature control unit 89 is used to control the temperature of the heater 88 to a temperature between 50°C and 70°C, which is appropriate for melting the coagulant. In this state, the coagulant ink 84 is stored only in the tank 7, while the recording ink 81 remains in the in-head tank 32 and the waste ink 82 remains in the maintenance cartridge 50.

[0048] In S705, it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the heater was turned on. If the predetermined time has elapsed, the process proceeds to S706, where the pump 11 is driven for a predetermined time. FIG. 5C shows the state after the predetermined time has elapsed since the pump 11 started to be driven. The heated coagulant ink 84 stored inside the tank 7 is moved by the pump 11 through the ink flow path to the in-head tank 32. The ink is then discharged through the cap 10, inside the pump 11, and through the ink flow path into the maintenance cartridge 50.

[0049] When a predetermined time has elapsed since the pump 11 was driven (S707), the heater 88 and pump 11 are stopped in S708. Then, in S709, the completion of the discharge sequence (discharge completion) is notified to the user via the display unit 8 or the like. By executing this coagulant discharge sequence, the heated coagulant ink 84 can be discharged from the tank 7 through the ink flow path into the maintenance cartridge 50. This completes the coagulant discharge sequence.

[0050] Note that once the coagulant discharge sequence is executed, the recording device 1 will no longer be able to perform recording operations. Therefore, it is desirable to execute the coagulant discharge sequence through multiple operations so that the user does not execute the sequence by mistake. For example, after the discharge sequence 850 is selected, a screen may be displayed that notifies the user that the recording device 1 will no longer be usable and prompts the user to select whether or not to execute the sequence again.

[0051] Furthermore, even after the coagulant discharge sequence has been executed, the display unit 8 may display that the coagulant discharge sequence is being executed to prevent the user from accidentally performing normal recording operations. Furthermore, the display unit 8 may also display the predicted time required for the coagulant ink 84 to solidify. The predicted time may be the time required for cooling itself, or it may be the estimated completion time calculated by adding the required time to the time when the coagulant discharge sequence was executed. This allows the user to grasp the time when the coagulant ink 84 will have the expected viscosity and will be easy to remove reusable parts from the recording device 1.

[0052] The heated coagulant ink 84 cools over time to the ambient temperature of the recording device 1. It is generally desirable to allow at least six hours for the coagulant ink 84, which is about 50 to 70 degrees Celsius, to cool to the ambient temperature. In this embodiment, the expected cooling time is set to, for example, 24 hours, and when the coagulant discharge sequence is completed, the expected completion time, which is the time when the sequence was executed plus 24 hours, is displayed on the display unit 8.

[0053] As the coagulant ink 84 cools, it becomes more viscous than the recording ink 81 and waste ink 82 originally contained in the recording device 1. This makes it possible to prevent ink from leaking into the device even when the recording device 1 is tilted.

[0054] The degree of solidification of the coagulant varies depending on the amount and the ambient temperature. It is desirable for the coagulant to solidify to the extent that it does not flow even when the recording device 1 is tilted 20 degrees. However, by solidifying the coagulant to a viscosity at least five times that of the recording ink 81, ink leakage can be reduced and ink leakage into the device can be prevented. For example, if the viscosity of the recording ink 81 is approximately 10 mPas, it is preferable that the viscosity of the coagulant ink 84 after cooling be 50 mPas or more. By setting the cooling time in this manner, when removing parts of the conveying means for reuse, the recording device 1 can be tilted and removed while preventing ink leakage.

[0055] In addition, in the present embodiment, the coagulant ink 84 is cooled for six hours or more, but a cooling means such as a cooling fan may be provided in the recording device 1. In this case, the display unit 8 may display a calculated time or a predetermined time required for cooling depending on the cooling means.

[0056] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the operations before and after the coagulant discharge sequence are changed from those in the first embodiment. The same components are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions of components with the same configuration and function will be omitted.

[0057] The coagulant discharge sequence in this embodiment will be described using Figures 8A to 8C. In this embodiment, a heater 88 is also disposed at the bottom of the tank 7, and is connected to the maintenance cartridge 50 via an ink flow path from the tank 7. The coagulant 85 stored in the coagulant bottle 80 is in liquid form.

[0058] Fig. 8A shows the state before the coagulant 85 is injected into the tank 7. When attempting to remove a reusable part of the recording device 1, it is assumed that the recording ink 81 in the tank 7 has been used and there is little recording ink 81 in the tank 7. Fig. 8A illustrates the state in which there is little recording ink 81 in the tank 7.

[0059] 8B shows a state in which the user has injected liquid coagulant 85 into the tank 7. If the coagulant 85 is in liquid form, even if the amount of recording ink 81 in the tank 7 is low, it is possible to discharge the coagulant ink 84 into the tank 7, the in-head tank 32, the pump 11, and the maintenance cartridge 50. The coagulant 85 is, for example, a highly viscous liquid obtained by melting the powdered coagulant 83 described in the first embodiment.

[0060] After the user pours the liquid coagulant 85 into the tank 7, the heater 88 provided at the bottom of the tank 7 is heated using the temperature control means 89 before driving the pump 11. This reduces the viscosity of the liquid coagulant 85, allowing it to be discharged from the tank 7 through the ink flow path into the maintenance cartridge 50. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the liquid coagulant 85 is a liquid obtained by melting the coagulant 83, but it is also possible to use a liquid whose viscosity increases upon chemical reaction with the pigment, which is a component of the ink.

[0061] 8C shows the state in which the heated liquid coagulant 85 is discharged into the maintenance cartridge 50 by driving the pump 11. The liquid coagulant 85 moves to the in-head tank 32 by the pump 11, mixes with the recording ink 81 to become coagulant ink 84, and is then discharged into the maintenance cartridge 50. This completes the coagulant discharge sequence in this embodiment.

[0062] 8C, the coagulant ink 84 is cooled to the ambient temperature and its viscosity is increased. This makes it possible to prevent ink from leaking into the recording device 1 even if the recording device 1 is tilted, and makes it easier to reuse the components inside the recording device 1.

[0063] Third Embodiment Next, a third embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the operations before and after the coagulant discharge sequence are different from those in the first embodiment, so the same components are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions of components with the same configurations and functions will be omitted.

[0064] 9A to 9D, the coagulant discharge sequence in this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, too, a heater 88 is disposed at the bottom of the tank 7, and is connected from the tank 7 to the maintenance cartridge 50 via an ink flow path. As in the second embodiment, the coagulant 85 stored in the coagulant bottle 80 is in liquid form.

[0065] 9A shows the state before the coagulant 85 is injected into the tank 7. When attempting to remove a reusable part of the recording device 1, it is possible that the tank 7 is filled with recording ink 81 and there is a large amount of recording ink 81 in the tank 7. FIG. 9A illustrates the state in which the tank 7 is full of recording ink 81.

[0066] In this embodiment, a preparation sequence is executed before the liquid coagulant 85 is poured into the tank 7. The preparation sequence begins with the execution of a coagulant discharge sequence by a user operating the operation unit 8A of the recording apparatus 1 or by sending a signal using the host computer 800. The preparation sequence includes two operations, which will be described later.

[0067] The first operation performed in the preparation sequence is to print the expected completion time on the recording medium. The expected completion time is the time when the preparation sequence is executed plus the time it takes for the coagulant ink 84 to cool (e.g., 24 hours). By printing the expected completion time on the recording medium, the user can be prevented from accidentally tilting the recording device 1 before the expected completion time. Furthermore, since there is no need to continue displaying the information on the display unit 8 of the recording device 1 after the coagulant discharge sequence has finished, the user can turn off the recording device 1. Note that printing the expected completion time on the recording medium is just one example. For example, it is also possible to transmit the fact that the preparation sequence has been executed to a host computer 800 connected to the recording device 1 and have the host computer 800 display the information.

[0068] The second operation performed in the preparation sequence is a discharge operation, which discharges the recording ink 81 from the tank 7 into the maintenance cartridge 50. Figure 9B shows the state after this discharge operation has been performed. In the discharge operation, the recording ink 81 in the tank 7 is discharged into the maintenance cartridge 50 to the extent that the coagulant 85 contained in the coagulant bottle 80 can be poured in. This allows the user to pour the coagulant 85 into the tank 7.

[0069] This concludes the description of the preparation sequence. Even if the recording ink 81 in the tank 7 is low, it is possible to drain it from the tank 7 through the ink flow path into the maintenance cartridge 50 by using the liquid coagulant 85 as described in the second embodiment.

[0070] Furthermore, an absorbing member for absorbing waste ink 82 may be disposed inside the maintenance cartridge 50. By disposing of an absorbing member, it is possible to increase the amount of liquid held per unit volume compared to when no absorbing member is disposed. Therefore, even if the tank 7 is filled to the brim with recording ink 81, the recording ink 81 discharged by the preparation sequence can be held in the maintenance cartridge 50. Then, by executing the coagulant discharge sequence to cool the coagulant ink 84, it is possible to further reduce ink leakage into the device.

[0071] Furthermore, the tanks 7 include multiple tanks 7C each containing a color ink and a tank 7B containing black ink, and the remaining ink levels in these tanks often differ when the preparation sequence is executed. By executing the preparation sequence described in this embodiment, the recording ink 81 in each color tank 7 is reduced. As a result, the relative amounts of recording ink 81 in the tanks 7 are reduced, and the variation in the concentration of the coagulant 85 among the tanks 7 can be reduced. This reduces the variation in the coagulation state of the coagulant ink 84 after cooling.

[0072] Once the preparation sequence is complete, the process moves to the coagulant discharge sequence. An instruction to inject the coagulant 85 into the tank 7 is displayed on the display unit 8. Figure 9C shows the state after the liquid coagulant 85 has been injected into the tank 7. In this embodiment, the tank 7 is initially almost full, and the capacity of the coagulant bottle 80 is discharged in the preparation sequence. Therefore, by injecting the coagulant 85, the tank 7 becomes almost full.

[0073] In this embodiment, the process automatically transitions to the coagulant discharge sequence after the preparation sequence is executed, but since executing the coagulant discharge sequence makes it impossible to perform recording operations using the recording device 1, a user operation may be requested again before the coagulant discharge sequence is started. Specifically, a message requesting permission to start the coagulant discharge sequence may be displayed on the display unit 8.

[0074] Next, the state in which the pump 11 is driven and the coagulant ink 84 is discharged into the maintenance cartridge 50 is shown in Figure 9D. The coagulant ink 84 moves from the tank 7 to the in-head tank 32 and the maintenance cartridge 50. Then, as in the first and second embodiments, the recording apparatus 1 is left for a predetermined time to cool the coagulant ink 84 to the ambient temperature and increase its viscosity. This makes it possible to prevent ink from leaking into the recording apparatus 1 even if the recording apparatus 1 is tilted, and makes it easier to reuse parts within the recording apparatus 1.

[0075] The cap 10 is provided so that it can be brought into close contact with or separated from the ejection port surface 31 of the print head 3 positioned in the recovery operation position, and after the coagulant discharge sequence, the cap 10 is maintained in close contact with the ejection port surface 31 by an elevation mechanism. However, while the coagulant ink 84 is being cooled, the user may accidentally tilt the printing apparatus 1 and remove a component. For this reason, a locking mechanism may be provided to prevent the cap 10 from being separated from the ejection port surface 31 of the print head 3.

[0076] The locking mechanism may be configured, for example, to have a protruding convex shape that interferes with the lifting mechanism of the cap 10 and the operating part of the carriage 33, and to be able to protrude and retract using the transport motor 809b. By driving the locking mechanism after the coagulant discharge sequence, it is possible to maintain a tight contact between the cap 10 and the print head 3 and prevent ink leakage into the printer. Note that the locking mechanism is not limited to using the transport motor 809b, and may be driven by another drive source or by user operation. If driven by user operation, it is desirable to notify the user of the necessary operation for the locking mechanism on the display unit 8.

[0077] In the above-described embodiments, the pump 11 is used via the cap 10 to discharge the coagulant ink 84 from the recording head 3, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the coagulant ink 84 may be discharged by applying a positive pressure to the inside of the recording head 3 and using a preliminary discharge that forcibly discharges the ink from the discharge ports.

[0078] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments, the tank 7 is provided in the recording apparatus 1, but the present invention is not limited to this. A cartridge-type tank 7 configured to be detachable from the recording apparatus 1 may be used. In this case, by using a cartridge in which a liquid coagulant 85 is stored inside the cartridge instead of the recording ink 81, the coagulant 85 can be supplied to the recording head 3.

[0079] Furthermore, although the above embodiments show examples in which the coagulant is injected into the tanks 7 of all colors, the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention is also effective in a configuration in which the coagulant is injected into one or more tanks 7 in which the recording ink 81 is stored.

[0080] Additionally, in the above-described embodiments, a serial-type recording device that performs recording by scanning the recording head 3 and intermittently transporting the recording medium has been exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention can also be applied to a full-line recording device that performs recording on a continuously transported recording medium using a long recording head 3 with ejection openings in an area corresponding to the width of the recording medium. In this case, the ejection means for ejecting ink from the recording head 3 can also be a pressurized ejection means that applies positive pressure inside the recording head 3 to forcibly eject ink from the ejection openings.

[0081] Furthermore, although an example has been shown in which the maintenance cartridge 50 is detachably provided in the recording device 1, the present invention is also effective in a case in which the waste ink discharge section that stores waste ink is fixed to the main body of the recording device.

[0082] The disclosure of the above-described embodiment includes the following configurations.

[0083] (Configuration 1) A recording device comprising: a recording head that ejects ink to record an image; a storage section that stores ink supplied to the recording head; a waste liquid storage section that stores waste liquid discharged during a recovery operation of the recording head; and a discharge means that discharges the waste liquid into the waste liquid storage section, wherein when a coagulant that coagulates ink is injected into the storage section, the discharge means discharges the coagulant from the storage section through the recording head to the waste liquid storage section.

[0084] (Configuration 2) The recording apparatus according to Configuration 1, wherein the discharging means includes a cap that covers the discharge port surface of the recording head, and a pump connected to the cap.

[0085] (Configuration 3) The recording apparatus according to configuration 1 or 2, further comprising a heater for heating the inside of the reservoir.

[0086] (Configuration 4) The recording apparatus according to Configuration 3, wherein the heater is disposed at the bottom of the reservoir.

[0087] (Configuration 5) The recording apparatus according to Configuration 3 or 4, wherein when a coagulant for coagulating ink is injected into the storage section, the heater is driven for a predetermined time, and then the discharge means is driven.

[0088] (Configuration 6) The recording apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 5, wherein the ejection means is a pressure ejection means that applies a positive pressure to the recording head.

[0089] (Configuration 7) The recording device according to any one of configurations 1 to 6, further comprising a notification unit that notifies the user.

[0090] (Configuration 8) The recording apparatus according to Configuration 7, wherein when the coagulant has been discharged into the waste liquid storage section by the discharging means, the notifying section notifies the completion of discharge.

[0091] (Configuration 9) The recording device according to configuration 7 or 8, wherein the notification section notifies the user of the time required for the coagulant to coagulate.

[0092] (Configuration 10) The recording device according to any one of configurations 7 to 9, wherein the notification section notifies the user of an estimated time until the coagulant coagulates.

[0093] (Configuration 11) The recording apparatus according to configuration 2, further comprising a locking mechanism that locks the cap in a state where the cap covers the ejection port surface.

[0094] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the following claims are appended to apprise the public of the scope of the present invention.

[0095] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-129223, filed August 5, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0096] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Recording device 3 Recording head 7 Tank (storage section) 10 Cap 11 Pump 50 Maintenance cartridge (waste liquid storage section)

Claims

1. A recording device comprising: a recording head that ejects ink to record an image; a storage section that stores ink supplied to said recording head; a waste liquid storage section that stores waste liquid discharged during recovery operations of said recording head; and discharge means that discharges waste liquid into said waste liquid storage section, wherein when a coagulant that coagulates ink is injected into said storage section, said discharge means discharges said coagulant from said storage section via said recording head into said waste liquid storage section.

2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said discharging means includes a cap for covering the discharge port surface of said recording head, and a pump connected to said cap.

3. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a heater for heating the inside of said reservoir.

4. The recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the heater is disposed at the bottom of the reservoir.

5. A recording apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein when a coagulant for coagulating ink is injected into said reservoir, said heater is driven for a predetermined time, and then said discharge means is driven.

6. A recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said ejection means is a pressure ejection means for applying a positive pressure to said recording head.

7. The recording device according to claim 1, further comprising a notification unit for notifying the user.

8. The recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein when the coagulant has been discharged into the waste liquid storage section by the discharging means, the notification section notifies the completion of discharge.

9. The recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the notification section notifies the user of the time required for the coagulant to coagulate.

10. The recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the notification section notifies the user of the estimated time for the coagulant to coagulate.

11. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a locking mechanism for locking the cap in a state where the cap covers the ejection port surface.

Images