Printing device, maintenance device, and maintenance method

Abstract

The present invention reduces the manufacturing cost of a printing device including a nozzle surface wiping member.　This printing device comprises: an inkjet head; a wiper 248 which is a wiping member; an installation member 242; a shutter 206; a shutter drive unit 212; and a connection part 210. The shutter drive unit 212: moves the shutter 206 in a state where a wiper installation plate 242 and the shutter 206 are not connected by the connection part 210, thereby moving the shutter 206 without moving the wiper installation plate 242; and, at the time of wiping where the wiper 248 material is caused to wipe a nozzle surface, moves the shutter 206 in a state where the wiper installation plate 242 and the shutter 206 are connected by the connection part 210, to thereby moving the wiper 248 together with the shutter 206 and causing the wiper 248 to wipe the nozzle surface.

Description

Printing apparatus, maintenance apparatus, and maintenance method

[0001] The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, a maintenance apparatus, and a maintenance method.

[0002] Conventionally, an inkjet printer, which is a printing apparatus that performs printing by an inkjet method, has been widely used. Also, regarding an inkjet printer, a configuration using a wiping member such as a wiper that wipes the nozzle surface of an inkjet head is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Patent No. 5488439

[0004] When using a wiping member for wiping the nozzle surface of an inkjet head, usually, a drive mechanism for relatively moving the wiping member with respect to the inkjet head is required. In this case, the manufacturing cost of the printing apparatus may increase due to an increase in members such as the drive mechanism. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus, a maintenance apparatus, and a maintenance method that can solve the above problems.

[0005] The inventor of the present application has intensively studied a configuration using a wiping member for wiping the nozzle surface. Then, it was considered to omit a dedicated drive mechanism for the wiping member by using a drive mechanism used for driving a shutter used in a printing apparatus. More specifically, it was considered to connect a member on which a wiping member such as a wiper is installed and the shutter, and move the wiping member together with the shutter to cause the wiping member to wipe the nozzle surface. With such a configuration, it is possible to cause the wiping member to wipe the nozzle surface without using a dedicated drive mechanism for the wiping member. Thereby, the manufacturing cost of the printing apparatus can be reduced.

[0006] Furthermore, the inventors of this application, through further diligent research, have discovered the features necessary to obtain such effects, leading to the present invention. In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a printing apparatus for printing using an inkjet method, comprising: an inkjet head having nozzles for ejecting ink; a wiping member for wiping the nozzle surface, which is the surface of the inkjet head on which the nozzles are formed; an installation member on which the wiping member is installed; a shutter covering a predetermined area; a shutter drive unit for moving the shutter; and a connecting unit for connecting the installation member and the shutter. The shutter drive unit moves the shutter without moving the installation member by moving the shutter when the connecting unit is not connected to the installation member and the shutter, and when wiping the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the shutter is moved with the connecting unit connected to the installation member and the shutter, thereby moving the wiping member together with the shutter and causing the wiping member to wipe the nozzle surface. With this configuration, the wiping member can perform wiping of the nozzle surface without using a dedicated drive mechanism for the wiping member. This can reduce the manufacturing cost of printing equipment.

[0007] The printing apparatus in this configuration may further include a main scanning drive unit that causes the inkjet head to perform a main scanning operation, which involves ejecting ink while moving relative to the printing medium in a preset main scanning direction. In this case, the mounting member is arranged on one side of the shutter in a direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction. The shutter drive unit opens and closes the shutter by moving the shutter in a direction parallel to the orthogonal direction, and during wiping, it moves the wiping member together with the shutter in a direction parallel to the orthogonal direction. With this configuration, wiping of the nozzle surface can be performed by the wiping member by moving the shutter in the same direction as during normal opening and closing.

[0008] Furthermore, the mounting member may hold multiple wiping members on the opposing surface, which is the surface facing the inkjet head during wiping. With this configuration, multiple wiping members can be moved simultaneously, allowing the nozzle surfaces of multiple inkjet heads to be wiped at the same time. In this case, when the shutter is closed, the opposing surface of the mounting member can be inclined with respect to the horizontal plane. With this configuration, the space required for installing the wiping members and mounting member can be reduced. Also, in this case, during wiping, the opposing surface of the mounting member can be made parallel to the horizontal plane. With this configuration, the nozzle surfaces can be properly wiped by multiple wiping members.

[0009] Furthermore, in this configuration, the inkjet head may eject ultraviolet-curable ink. In this case, the printing apparatus further includes an ultraviolet light source that irradiates ultraviolet light and an ink receiving section that receives the ink ejected by the inkjet head outside the medium. The ink receiving section receives the ink ejected by the inkjet head when maintenance (e.g., purging or flushing) is performed on the inkjet head to eject ink. The shutter covers the ink receiving section when it is closed. With this configuration, the shutter can shield the ink receiving section from light. This also prevents the ink accumulated in the ink receiving section from hardening.

[0010] Furthermore, in this configuration, the connecting part may connect the installation member and the shutter by magnetic force. In this case, it is preferable that the printing device further includes a switching part that switches whether or not to move the installation member together with the shutter. When the installation member is not to be moved together with the shutter, the switching part separates the shutter and the installation member by stopping the movement of the installation member at a predetermined position. With this configuration, it is possible to easily switch whether or not to connect the installation member and the shutter. In addition, as a configuration of the present invention, maintenance devices and maintenance methods having the same features as described above can also be considered. In these cases as well, the same effects as described above can be obtained.

[0011] According to the present invention, the manufacturing cost of a printing apparatus equipped with a nozzle surface wiping member can be reduced.

[0012] This diagram illustrates a printing apparatus 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1(a) shows an example of the configuration of the main part of the printing apparatus 10. Figure 1(b) shows an example of the configuration of the head unit 12 in the printing apparatus 10. This diagram further explains the configuration of the maintenance unit 22, etc. Figure 2(a) shows an example of the configuration of the main part of the maintenance unit 22. Figure 2(b) shows an example of the operation of the maintenance unit 22. This diagram shows an example of the specific configuration of the maintenance unit 22 and each part of the maintenance unit 22. Figure 3(a) is a top view of the maintenance unit 22. Figure 3(b) is a side view of the maintenance unit 22. Figure 3(c) shows an example of the configuration of the switching unit 214. This diagram explains an example of the configuration and operation of the state detection unit 216. Figure 4(a) shows an example of the configuration of the sensor 312 in the state detection unit 216. Figure 4(b) shows an example of the operation of the state detection unit 216. This diagram shows an example of the operation of opening and closing the shutter 206. Figure 5(a) shows an example of the state in which the shutter 206 is closed. Figure 5(b) shows an example of the shutter 206 being opened by moving only the shutter 206 without moving the wiper unit 208. Figure 5(c) shows an example of the wiper unit 208 being moved together with the shutter 206 by connecting the wiper mounting plate 242 and the shutter 206. This figure specifically explains the wiping operation performed in this example. Figure 6(a) shows an example of the state of the wiper unit 208 in the standby position when wiping is not being performed. Figure 6(b) shows an example of the wiper unit 208 being in the head wipe start position. Figure 6(c) shows an example of the wiper unit 208 being in the head wipe end position.

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a printing apparatus 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1(a) shows an example of the configuration of the main parts of the printing apparatus 10. Figure 1(b) shows an example of the configuration of the head unit 12 in the printing apparatus 10. Except for the points described below, the printing apparatus 10 and each part of the printing apparatus 10 may have the same or similar characteristics as known printing apparatuses and each part thereof. The printing apparatus 10 is an inkjet printer that performs printing using an inkjet method and performs color printing using multiple colors of ink. Furthermore, the printing apparatus 10 in this example is a UV printer that uses ultraviolet-curable ink (UV ink) and comprises a head unit 12, a platen 14, a Y bar 16, a main scanning drive unit 18, a sub-scanning drive unit 20, a maintenance unit 22, and a control unit 30.

[0014] The print head unit 12 is configured to eject ink onto the printing medium 50, and, for example, as shown in Figure 1(b), it has a plurality of inkjet heads 102 and a plurality of ultraviolet light sources 104. The inkjet head 102 in this example has a nozzle row in which a plurality of nozzles are arranged at different positions in a pre-set sub-scanning direction (X direction in the figure) in the printing device 10, and ultraviolet-curable ink is ejected from the nozzles in the nozzle row. The sub-scanning direction is an example of an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction (Y direction in the figure). The print head unit 12 also has inkjet heads 102 for each process color as at least some of the plurality of inkjet heads 102. Process colors are the basic colors for color expression in subtractive color mixing. As inkjet heads 102 for each process color, it is conceivable to use inkjet heads 102 for yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K). Furthermore, the head unit 12 may have additional inkjet heads 102 for spot colors in addition to the inkjet heads 102 for process colors. Spot colors are different from process colors. Also, regarding the multiple inkjet heads 102 that the head unit 12 has, if we consider an arrangement of one or more inkjet heads 102 that are aligned in the main scanning direction as a row of inkjet heads 102, then the head unit 12 has multiple rows of inkjet heads 102. In the illustrated example, the rows of multiple inkjet heads 102 are arranged in a staggered pattern by shifting their positions in the sub-scanning direction between adjacent rows. The ultraviolet light source 104 is a light source that irradiates ultraviolet light to cure ultraviolet-curable ink. In this example, the ultraviolet light source 104 is arranged on one side and the other side in the main scanning direction relative to the multiple inkjet heads 102 of the head unit 12.

[0015] The platen 14 is a table-shaped member that supports the medium 50 at a position opposite the head unit 12. The Y-bar 16 is a member that holds the head unit 12 at a position opposite the medium 50 and guides the movement of the head unit 12 in the main scanning direction. The Y-bar 16 has a guide rail or the like that guides the movement of the head unit 12, and moves the head unit 12 in the main scanning direction along the guide rail. In this example, the Y-bar 16 extends to a position opposite the maintenance unit 22. When performing maintenance on the inkjet head 102, the head unit 12 is moved to a position opposite the maintenance unit 22. The main scanning drive unit 18 is a drive unit that causes the head unit 12 to perform the main scanning operation. The main scanning operation is an operation (scanning operation) in which ink is ejected while moving in the main scanning direction relative to the medium 50. The sub-scanning drive unit 20 is a drive unit that causes the head unit 12 to perform the sub-scanning operation. Sub-scanning is an operation that moves relative to the medium 50 in the sub-scanning direction. The sub-scanning drive unit 20 causes the head unit 12 to perform sub-scanning in between main scanning operations, thereby changing the portion of the medium 50 facing the head unit 12 with each main scanning operation. Sub-scanning can also be thought of as a feeding operation (feed operation) that moves the medium 50 relative to the head unit 12.

[0016] The maintenance unit 22 is configured to perform maintenance on the inkjet head 102. In this example, the maintenance unit 22 is positioned outside the main scanning direction relative to the area where ink is ejected onto the medium 50 during the main scanning operation, and performs maintenance on the inkjet head 102 as appropriate during or before / after a printing operation on a single medium 50. The maintenance unit 22 in this example also performs maintenance such as purging, flushing, and wiping on the inkjet head 102. Purge is a maintenance procedure to prevent nozzle clogging by ejecting ink from each nozzle of the inkjet head 102. Flushing is a maintenance procedure to prevent nozzle drying by ejecting a smaller amount of ink from each nozzle of the inkjet head 102 than when purging is performed. Wiping is a maintenance procedure in which the nozzle surface, which is the surface on which the nozzles are formed on the inkjet head 102, is wiped with a wiper. The maintenance unit 22 is configured to correspond to a maintenance device that performs a predetermined maintenance method. Furthermore, the control unit 30 includes, for example, the CPU of the printing device 10, and controls the operation of each part of the printing device 10.

[0017] Next, with reference to Figure 2, the specific configuration of the maintenance unit 22 will be explained in more detail. Figure 2(a) shows an example of the configuration of the main parts of the maintenance unit 22. Figure 2(b) shows an example of the operation of the maintenance unit 22. In Figure 2, for illustrative purposes, the specific shapes and sizes of each component have been appropriately altered from the actual configuration.

[0018] The maintenance unit 22 in this example includes a housing unit 202, an ink receiving unit 204, a shutter 206, a wiper unit 208, a shutter drive unit 212, a switching unit 214, and a state detection unit 216. The housing unit 202 is a member that houses the ink receiving unit 204. The housing unit 202 can also be considered as the housing of the maintenance unit 22. In this example, the housing unit 202 is located below the upper surface of the platen 14 (see Figure 1). The housing unit 202 has the ink receiving unit 204 below the shutter 206 in the closed position. The ink receiving unit 204 is a container that receives ink ejected by the inkjet head 102 of the head unit 12 when the inkjet head 102 (see Figure 1) is moved outside the medium during maintenance of the inkjet head 102. In this example, the ink receiving unit 204 is positioned facing multiple inkjet heads 102 when the shutter 206 is opened, and receives ink ejected by the inkjet heads 102 when purging or flushing is performed. An absorbent material or the like may be installed in the ink receiving section 204. In this case, it is preferable to install the absorbent material in a position facing the inkjet head 102 during maintenance.

[0019] The shutter 206 is a component that covers a predetermined area in the maintenance section 22. In this example, the shutter 206 is a component that is opened and closed by the shutter drive unit 212, and when closed, it covers the upper side of the ink receiving section 204, thereby preventing ultraviolet rays that cure UV-curable ink from entering the ink receiving section 204. Furthermore, when purging or flushing is performed, the shutter 206 is moved by the shutter drive unit 212, opening the upper side of the ink receiving section 204 so that ink can be ejected from the inkjet head 102 to the ink receiving section 204.

[0020] The wiper section 208 is configured for wiping the inkjet head 102. The wiper section 208 in this example includes a wiper mounting plate 242, a plurality of mounting members 244, a plurality of wiper holding parts 246, and a plurality of wipers 248. The wiper mounting plate 242 is an example of a mounting member on which the wipers 248 are installed. The wiper mounting plate 242 in this example is a plate-shaped member whose width in the main scanning direction matches the width of the shutter 206, and holds the plurality of wiper holding parts 246, etc., on its upper surface. By having the wipers 248 be held by the wiper holding parts 246, a plurality of wipers 248 are installed on the upper surface of the wiper mounting plate 242. In addition, the wiper mounting plate 242 in this example is arranged on one side in the sub-scanning direction relative to the shutter 206, as shown in the figure, and is connected to the shutter 206 by a connecting part 210 as needed.

[0021] The mounting member 244 is a member for attaching multiple wiper holding parts 246 to the wiper mounting plate 242. In this example, the mounting member 244 is a rod-shaped member that extends in the main scanning direction on the upper surface of the wiper mounting plate 242, and has a configuration that indicates the mounting position of each wiper holding part 246, thus also functioning as a positioning member that defines the position of the wiper holding parts 246. By using such a mounting member 244, multiple wiper holding parts 246 can be appropriately attached to the upper surface of the wiper mounting plate 242. Furthermore, by installing the mounting member 244 that extends in the main scanning direction on the upper surface of the wiper mounting plate 242, it is possible to prevent the wiper mounting plate 242 from bending significantly due to its own weight, even if the width of the wiper mounting plate 242 in the main scanning direction is widened to accommodate multiple wiper holding parts 246. The wiper part 208 in this example has two mounting members 244. One mounting member 244 defines the positions of four wiper holding parts 246, which are positioned differently from each other in the main scanning direction. As a result, eight wiper holding parts 246 are installed on the wiper section 208.

[0022] The wiper holder 246 is a component that replaceably holds the wiper 248 on the wiper mounting plate 242. In this example, the wiper unit 208 holds eight wipers 248 with eight wiper holders 246. The wiper holder 246 in this example also has a function to adjust the height of the wiper 248. The height of the wiper 248 is the distance between the wiper mounting plate 242 and the inkjet head 102 during wiping. The wiper holder 246 adjusts the height of the wiper 248 it holds using a mechanism, for example, a screw. With this configuration, the height of multiple wipers 248 can be adjusted individually. Furthermore, this ensures that all wipers 248 can make proper contact with the inkjet head 102 even if there is some degree of deflection in the wiper mounting plate 242.

[0023] The wiper 248 is an example of a wiping member, and wipes the nozzle surface of the inkjet head 102 by contacting it during wiping. In this example, the wiper 248 is a blade-type wiper that elastically deforms when pressed against the nozzle surface. The wiper 248 removes ink adhering to the nozzle surface by moving in a predetermined direction while in contact with the nozzle surface. In this example, the wiper 248 is held in the wiper holding unit 246 with its longitudinal direction parallel to the main scanning direction. The wiper 248 then wipes the nozzle surface of the inkjet head 102 by moving in a direction parallel to the sub-scanning direction.

[0024] Furthermore, considering the relationship with a row of inkjet heads 102 composed of one or more inkjet heads 102 whose positions are aligned in the main scanning direction, one wiper 248 in this example wipes one row of inkjet heads 102. In this way, the wiper unit 208, with multiple wipers 248 (8 wipers 248), simultaneously wipes multiple rows (8 rows) of inkjet heads 102. By moving the wiper unit 208 back and forth once in the sub-scanning direction, wiping of a large number of inkjet heads 102 can be performed at once.

[0025] It is also conceivable to use a single wiper 248 in common for multiple rows of inkjet heads 102. In this case, after wiping one row, the inkjet head 102 or wiper 248 is moved in the main scanning direction to wipe the next row of inkjet heads 102. However, when wiping is performed in this manner, the time required to wipe all inkjet heads 102 is usually long. In contrast, according to this example, wiping of a large number of inkjet heads 102 can be performed in a short time. For this reason, the multiple wipers 248 in this example are arranged with a constant spacing in the main scanning direction, matching the spacing of the rows of inkjet heads 102.

[0026] As described above, the wiper mounting plate 242 in this example is connected to the shutter 206 by a connecting portion 210 as needed. The connecting portion 210 is a member that connects the wiper mounting plate 242 and the shutter 206. The connecting portion 210 in this example has a shutter-side member 252 and a wiper-side member 254, and connects the wiper mounting plate 242 and the shutter 206 by magnetic force (magnetic attraction). The shutter-side member 252 is the part of the connecting portion 210 that is attached to the shutter 206 side. The wiper-side member 254 is the part of the connecting portion 210 that is attached to the wiper mounting plate 242 side. The shutter-side member 252 in this example has a magnet. In addition, at least a part of the wiper-side member 254 is made of a material (such as iron) that is attracted to the magnet of the shutter-side member 252. By using such a connecting portion 210, the wiper mounting plate 242 and the shutter 206 can be connected. Furthermore, the shutter drive unit 212 is a drive unit that opens and closes the shutter 206 by moving the shutter 206. In this example, the shutter drive unit 212 opens and closes the shutter 206 by moving the shutter 206 in a direction parallel to the sub-scanning direction. As the shutter drive unit 212, a drive unit using a motor and a mechanism that converts the rotational motion of this motor into linear motion can be used. For example, a configuration having one stepper motor and a rack and pinion mechanism that utilizes the power of this stepper motor can be used. In addition, in this example, the shutter drive unit 212 moves the wiper unit 208 together with the shutter 206 as needed by moving the shutter 206 while the wiper mounting plate 242 and the shutter 206 are connected.

[0027] The switching unit 214 is a mechanism that switches whether or not to move the wiper mounting plate 242 together with the shutter 206 when the shutter 206 moves. In other words, it is a mechanism that connects and separates the wiper mounting plate 242 and the shutter 206. The switching unit 214 stops the movement of the wiper mounting plate 242, which is being pulled along by the shutter 206, by contacting the wiper mounting plate 242 or a member attached thereto from the side in the direction of movement. A configuration having a solenoid can preferably be used as the switching unit 214.

[0028] The state detection unit 216 is configured to detect whether the wiper mounting plate 242 and the shutter 206 are connected. By using the state detection unit 216, it is possible to confirm whether the operation is actually being performed as controlled by the control unit 30. Preferably, the state detection unit 216 detects the state of connection at multiple locations. The state detection unit 216 detects the state of connection at the standby position of the wiper unit 208 and at the position of the wiper unit 208 during wiping. The standby position of the wiper unit 208 is the position of the wiper unit 208 when the shutter 206 is closed. The position of the wiper unit 208 during wiping is the position where the wiper unit 208 faces the inkjet head 102. The state detection unit 216 has multiple sensors arranged at different positions, and detects whether the wiper mounting plate 242 and the shutter 206 are connected at each position according to the output of these sensors. Known photosensors and the like can preferably be used as these sensors.

[0029] Furthermore, the maintenance unit 22 in this example performs maintenance on the inkjet head 102 by moving only the shutter 206, or the shutter 206 and the wiper unit 208, as shown in Figure 2(b). The shutter drive unit 212 moves the shutter 206 without moving the wiper mounting plate 242 by moving the shutter 206 with the connecting unit 210 not connected to the wiper mounting plate 242, as shown on the left side of Figure 2(b). In this case, the upper part of the ink receiving unit 204 is left open, allowing maintenance such as purging and flushing of the inkjet head 102 to be performed.

[0030] On the other hand, when wiping (cleaning) the nozzle surface of the inkjet head 102, for example, as shown on the right side of Figure 2(b), the shutter 206 is moved while the wiper mounting plate 242 and the shutter 206 are connected by the connecting part 210, and the wiper 248 is moved together with the shutter 206. Then, with the wiper 248 in contact with the nozzle surface of the inkjet head 102, the shutter 206 is moved back and forth as appropriate, causing the wiper 248 to wipe the nozzle surface. In this way, according to this example, the nozzle surface can be wiped by the wiper 248 by moving the shutter 206 in the same direction as during normal opening and closing. As a result, the nozzle surface can be wiped without using a dedicated drive mechanism for the wiper 248, and the manufacturing cost of the printing device 10 (see Figure 1) is reduced.

[0031] As described above, the wiper unit 208 in this example is positioned on one side of the shutter 206 in the sub-scanning direction. This configuration allows for a smaller width of the printing device 10 in the main scanning direction compared to a configuration where the shutter 206 and the wiper unit 208 are adjacent in the main scanning direction.

[0032] Next, the more specific configuration of the maintenance unit 22 will be described. Figures 3 and 4 show an example of the specific configuration of the maintenance unit 22 and each part of the maintenance unit 22. Figure 3(a) is a top view of the maintenance unit 22. The left side of Figure 3(a) shows the maintenance unit 22 from the same viewpoint as in Figure 2(a). The right side shows the state of the inkjet head 102 and the maintenance unit 22 when the head unit 12 (see Figure 1) is moved to the maintenance unit 22. Figure 3(b) is a side view of the maintenance unit 22. Figure 3(c) shows an example of the configuration of the switching unit 214. Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration and operation of the state detection unit 216. Figure 4(a) shows an example of the configuration of the sensor 312 in the state detection unit 216. Figure 4(b) shows an example of the operation of the state detection unit 216. For the convenience of illustration and explanation, some of the reference numerals used in Figures 1 and 2 have been appropriately omitted in Figures 3 and 4.

[0033] As shown in Figure 3(a), when the shutter 206 is closed, the area where the inkjet head 102 is located during maintenance is covered by the shutter 206. When the shutter 206 is closed, the wiper unit 208 waits in a standby position outside the area where the inkjet head 102 is located. As shown in Figure 3(b), the wiper unit 208 is tilted in the standby position. This reduces the space required for the installation of the wiper unit 208. When wiping is performed, the wiper unit 208 is moved together with the shutter 206, and the inclination of the wiper mounting plate 242 is changed so that the opposing surface of the wiper mounting plate 242 is parallel to the horizontal plane. This parallel state also includes a state in which the wiper 248 is almost parallel so that it simultaneously contacts the inkjet head 102 to be wiped.

[0034] In this example, a configuration having a solenoid, as shown in the switching unit 214 in Figure 3(c), can be suitably used for the switching unit. The switching unit 214 in Figure 3(c) moves a plunger forward and backward in accordance with the control of the control unit 30 (see Figure 1). The switching unit 214 prevents the wiper mounting plate 242 from moving toward the shutter 206 by bringing the plunger into contact with a convex contact portion 302 provided on the wiper mounting plate 242. When the shutter 206 is moved in its opening direction while the plunger is in contact with the contact portion 302, only the shutter 206 moves, separating the shutter 206 from the wiper mounting plate 242. By retracting the plunger and releasing the contact portion 302, the state in which the wiper mounting plate 242 and the shutter 206 are connected is maintained, and the wiper mounting plate 242 moves together with the shutter 206.

[0035] The state detection unit 216 in Figure 4 has a known photosensor as its sensor 312. As shown in Figure 4(a), the sensor 312 is positioned at a predetermined location on the side of the wiper unit 208 and detects the passage of a sensor dog. In this example, the state detection unit 216 has sensors 312 at multiple positions within the movement range of the shutter 206, as indicated by the circles in Figure 4(b), and by detecting the passage of a sensor dog, it detects the amount of movement of the shutter 206 and the connection state between the wiper mounting plate 242 and the shutter 206.

[0036] The opening and closing operation of the shutter 206 and the wiping operation are performed as shown in Figures 5 and 6. Figures 5 and 6 show an example of the operation of the maintenance unit 22 with the specific configuration shown in Figures 3 and 4. Figure 5 shows an example of the operation of opening and closing the shutter 206. Figure 5(a) shows an example of the shutter 206 in a closed state. Figure 5(b) shows an example of the shutter 206 being opened by moving only the shutter 206 without moving the wiper unit 208. By moving the shutter 206 while leaving the wiper unit 208 in a standby position, the upper part of the ink receiving unit 204 is opened, allowing purging, flushing, etc. to be performed. Figure 5(c) shows an example of the wiper unit 208 being moved together with the shutter 206 by connecting the wiper mounting plate 242 and the shutter 206. By moving the wiper unit 208 together with the shutter 206, wiping can be performed, for example, as shown in Figure 6.

[0037] Figure 6 illustrates the wiping operation performed in this example. Figure 6(a) shows an example of the state of the wiper unit 208 in the standby position when wiping is not being performed. Figure 6(b) shows an example of the state where the wiper unit 208 is at the head wipe start position where wiping begins. Figure 6(c) shows an example of the state where the wiper unit 208 is at the head wipe end position, which is the opposite end of the wiper 248's movement range during wiping. The shutter drive unit 212 moves the wiper unit 208 together with the shutter 206, and by moving the wiper 248 back and forth between the head wipe start position and the head wipe end position, the inkjet head 102 is wiped with the wiper 248.

[0038] Next, we will explain some variations of the configuration described above. The configuration of the printing device 10 and its various parts is not limited to the specific configurations described so far, and various other modifications are possible. For example, inks other than UV-curing inks may be used for the inkjet head 102.

[0039] Furthermore, it is conceivable to use a mechanism that connects the wiper mounting plate 242 and the shutter 206 by a method other than magnetism as the connecting part 210 of the maintenance section 22. For example, it is conceivable to connect the wiper mounting plate 242 and the shutter 206 using a push latch mechanism. In a connecting part 210 using a push latch mechanism, the presence or absence of connection is switched by pushing in the member to be pressed. It is also conceivable to control the operation of the push latch mechanism by configuring it so that the member to be pressed is pushed when the shutter 206 is moved (retracted) in the opposite direction to the direction in which the shutter 206 is opened. In this case, it is conceivable that the presence or absence of connection is switched by controlling the amount of movement of the shutter 206 in the sub-scanning direction.

[0040] Furthermore, it is conceivable to use a 3D printer (3D printing device) or the like as the printing device 10 to create three-dimensional objects. A 3D printer is an example of a liquid ejection device, and the ink used in it is an example of a liquid ejected by a liquid ejection device.

[0041] The present invention can be suitably used, for example, in printing apparatus.

[0042] 10...Printing device, 102...Inkjet head, 104...Ultraviolet light source, 12...Head unit, 14...Platen, 16...Y-bar, 18...Main scanning drive unit, 20...Sub-scanning drive unit, 202...Storage unit, 204...Ink receiving unit, 206...Shutter, 208...Wiper unit, 210...Connecting unit, 212...Shutter drive unit, 214...Switching unit, 216...Status detection unit, 22...Maintenance unit, 242...Wiper mounting plate, 244...Mounting member, 246...Wiper holding unit, 248...Wiper, 252...Shutter side member, 254...Wiper side member, 30...Control unit, 302...Contacted part, 312...Sensor, 50...Medium

Claims

1. A printing apparatus that performs printing using an inkjet method, comprising: an inkjet head having nozzles for ejecting ink; a wiping member for wiping the nozzle surface, which is the surface of the inkjet head on which the nozzles are formed; an installation member on which the wiping member is installed; a shutter covering a predetermined area; a shutter drive unit for moving the shutter; and a connecting unit for connecting the installation member and the shutter, wherein the shutter drive unit moves the shutter without moving the installation member by moving the shutter when the connecting unit is not connected to the installation member and the shutter, and when wiping the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the shutter is moved with the connecting unit connected to the installation member and the shutter, thereby moving the wiping member together with the shutter and causing the wiping member to wipe the nozzle surface.

2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a main scanning drive unit that causes the inkjet head to perform a main scanning operation in which it ejects ink while moving relative to the medium to be printed in a pre-set main scanning direction, wherein the installation member is disposed on one side of the shutter in an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction, and the shutter drive unit opens and closes the shutter by moving the shutter in a direction parallel to the orthogonal direction, and during wiping, moves the wiping member together with the shutter in a direction parallel to the orthogonal direction.

3. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the mounting member holds a plurality of the wiping members on an opposing surface which is the surface facing the inkjet head during wiping, the opposing surface of the mounting member is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane when the shutter is closed, and the opposing surface of the mounting member is parallel to the horizontal plane during wiping.

4. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an ultraviolet light source for irradiating ultraviolet light, and an ink receiving section for receiving ink to be ejected by the inkjet head outside the medium, wherein the inkjet head ejects ultraviolet-curable ink, and the shutter covers the ink receiving section when closed.

5. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a switching unit for switching whether or not to move the installation member together with the shutter, wherein the connecting unit connects the installation member and the shutter by magnetic force, and when the installation member is not to be moved together with the shutter, the switching unit separates the shutter and the installation member by stopping the movement of the installation member at a predetermined position.

6. A maintenance device for performing maintenance on an inkjet head having nozzles for ejecting ink, comprising: a wiping member for wiping a nozzle surface which is the surface of the inkjet head on which the nozzles are formed; an installation member which is the member on which the wiping member is installed; a shutter that covers a predetermined area; a shutter drive unit for moving the shutter; and a connecting unit for connecting the installation member and the shutter, wherein the shutter drive unit moves the shutter without moving the installation member by moving the shutter when the connecting unit is not connected to the installation member and the shutter, and when wiping the nozzle surface with the wiping member, the shutter is moved with the connecting unit connected to the installation member and the shutter, thereby moving the wiping member together with the shutter and causing the wiping member to wipe the nozzle surface.

7. A maintenance method for performing maintenance on an inkjet head having nozzles for ejecting ink, comprising: a wiping member for wiping a nozzle surface which is the surface of the inkjet head on which the nozzles are formed; an installation member which is the member on which the wiping member is installed; and a connecting part for connecting the installation member to a shutter that covers a predetermined area, wherein the shutter is a member that moves without moving the installation member when the connecting part is not connected to the installation member and the shutter, and by moving the shutter when the connecting part is connected to the installation member and the shutter, the wiping member is moved together with the shutter, thereby wiping the nozzle surface with the wiping member.

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