JPH03151242A - Liquid-jet recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention is applicable to copying machines, facsimile machines, word processors,
The present invention relates to a liquid jet recording device used in output terminal printers such as computers, video output printers, and the like.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Liquid jet recording apparatuses (inkjean-j recording apparatuses) that perform printing of characters, images, etc. by ejecting recording liquid from a recording head have been widely known.

The recording material of this type of liquid jet recording device is mainly a desk, plus f, Tsukushiruto, etc., and it produces less operating noise than other recording devices, and has a basic mechanical structure. It has the advantage of being simple and inexpensive, and has been adopted in various fields as a recording/output device for computers, word processors, etc.

However, in this type of device, printing is performed by directly ejecting the print 1 (hereinafter referred to as ink) from the liquid path of the print head, so in order to keep the ink in a state where it can be ejected at all times, other methods cannot be used. special consideration is required.

That is, since the ink remains in the liquid path of the recording head even during recording, a means is required to prevent the ink in this liquid path from deteriorating in quality, such as increasing viscosity due to drying or evaporation. For this reason, devices have been devised that are equipped with so-called capping means, which covers the ejection ports of the print head with a lid to prevent the ink from drying or evaporating when not printing.8 On the other hand, there is usually a There are several types of configurations, one of which is called the -a serial method, in which a head with one or more ejection ports is moved in a direction that intersects the paper conveyance direction, that is, in the main scanning direction. This is a type of device that records images on recording paper.

The other type is generally called the full-line force type, in which LJ discharge ports are arranged to cover the entire width of the recording paper being transported, and the head is moved in the same direction as the recording paper transport direction. This is the type of device for recording. Normally, the recording paper is transported using a belt, etc., and a fixed full-line head is used to transport the recording paper.
It is configured to record in units of one line.

Furthermore, there are two types of recording devices: a monochrome type in which only one spatula F is mounted, and a color one type in which a plurality of heads are mounted.

[Technical problem to be solved by the invention]

In recent years, the development of high-speed color printing presses using the inkjet method has been actively carried out. However, some of these recording devices have a configuration in which multiple full-line heads are mounted and the recording paper is conveyed by a belt, and in order to carry out the above-mentioned 7-bing, the heads must be Because of the need to move the device, the device becomes larger and more complex, and due to the complicated capping operation, it takes time to record, making it impossible to utilize the original high speed in one minute. The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid jet recording device that is compact and simple, and that can shorten recording start time. .

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a liquid jet recording apparatus equipped with a line-type inkjet printer and a means for conveying a recording material.
Feed stage f is used as a capping member or a part of a capping member of a recording means, and U2 is configured to eject droplets in an amount that fills the gap between the recording means and the conveyance means in the capped state. be.

[Effect]

As described above, according to the present invention, the recording material conveying means itself is used as a capping means for suppressing the evaporation of water in the recording liquid from the droplet ejection opening of the line type inkjet recording head, and By discharging just enough recording liquid to fill the gap with the conveyance means to prevent drying, the apparatus becomes simple and compact, and costs can be reduced and recording start time can be shortened.

[Example] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail using examples shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of essential parts of an embodiment of a liquid jet recording apparatus according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, on the bottom surface of the recording nozzle 1, for example, a part of the ejection port and liquid path are shown enlarged.
3456 (1!f outlet 1) at an interval of 6 dont/I1m
-1 and a liquid path 1-2 communicating therewith are generally IJ, and the cough liquid path 1-2 is provided with an electrothermal converter (not shown). The recording apparatus is configured to record 216 widths for each line.

In addition, the recording gutter 1 is provided with four recording heads la, lb, lc, and 1d corresponding to recording liquids of four colors, black, cyan, magenta, and yellow, and each recording spatula F1a -1d is fixedly held by the holder 2 so that the interval in the recording paper conveyance direction of the liquid path is constant. Further, a head unit composed of four recording heads 1a to 1d and a holder 2 can be moved up and down by a head moving means 22, which will be described later.

On the other hand, a recording liquid tank 3 (3a to 3d) is provided corresponding to each recording head 1a to 1d, and a nozzle 1a to the recording head is provided.
1d and recording tanks 3a to 3d are recording liquid supply tubes 4
are connected.

Therefore, the recording liquid is led to the recording head Ia-1c+ via the recording liquid supply tube 4.

Further, the supply of the recording liquid utilizes the tube phenomenon in the liquid path of the recording heads 1a to 1d, and each recording liquid tank 3a to 3d
The water head of the recording liquid inside is set a certain distance lower than the liquid path surface. Note that reference numeral 5 denotes a recording liquid circulation pump, which supplies recording liquid under pressure within the recording head la = 1d.

6 is a conveyor belt for conveying recording paper, which is a type of recording material, and 7, and has a high resistance layer (about 100 cm) with a thickness of about 50 μm on the surface (-2 has an idle roller 8 on the inner surface).
It is grounded, and the surface is charged to about 1500V by a charging ratio of 2:9.

The record 1IE7 is injected with a negative charge by the charger 10, and is conveyed by being electrostatically attracted to the surface of the -h bolt. Reference numeral 10a indicates a charger driver.

Further, the conveyor belt 6 is configured to be rotated by a motor 12 connected to a belt drive I-column 11 in a direction to move the recording paper 7 in the illustrated X direction.

The idle roller 8 is for pulling the conveyor belt 1-6, and the reference numeral 13 is a tension roller for applying a +7 force to the conveyor belt 6.

14 (14a, 14b) charges the recording paper 7 with a charger 9.10
A pinch roller that presses against the conveyor belt 6 before and after the conveyor belt 6 to strengthen suction, and receives the recording paper 7 fed by the conveyor belt of the pinch rollers 14a and 141) and the guide 14.
It also has the function of making the recording paper 7 loop in the X direction so that the leading edge of the recording paper 7 is orthogonal to the X direction.

The recording paper 7 is fed out one by one from the cassette 15 via a paper feed roller 16, and is sandwiched between a conveyance roller 17 and a pinch roller 18 and guided to the above-mentioned register 1-roller equivalent section. It will be destroyed.

A cleaning unit I. 19 removes paper dust and liquid droplets on the conveyor belt 6. Reference numeral 20 denotes a paper discharge tray on which recorded recording paper is stacked. FIG. 2 is a flowchart 1 for explaining a series of operations in the apparatus of this embodiment.

This flowchar!・J, Follow this and explain the operation.

Normally, in a state other than recording operation, the hesodron is in almost close contact with the conveyor belt 6,
You can get the gear/7bing effect.

In this state, when a recording instruction is input to the control circuit 21 by a means not shown (step si), the head unit moving means 22 moves the head unit 7 so that the gap between it and the recording paper 7 is several hundred μm. The cap is immediately raised to the position where the cap can be operated (step S2).

After that, the conveyor belt 6 is driven and the motor 19a of the cleaning unit 19 is rotated (step S3).
, the conveyor heald 6 is cleaned by the wiping member 19b for cleaning the conveyor belt 6. As a result, when the conveyor belt 6 rotates once, the motor 1
9a is stopped (step S4).

Next, the recording paper 7 is conveyed by the paper feed roller 16.

The ink is supplied onto the route 6 (step S5), and the electrothermal converter generates heat according to the output signal from the drive circuit, and the thermal energy causes a state change in the ink, and based on the change in state B, j' ink is ejected. .

In this way, each 2 mehendo 1a=1d is printed,
The paper is stacked on the paper discharge tray 20 (step S5). When the specified count of supplies is completed without causing a jam of the recording material (step S7), ill
The shipping belt 6 is stopped (step S8), and the head unit is lowered onto the conveyor belt 6 (step S9) to bring it into the close contact state.

After this, sporadic droplets are ejected using the same drive signal as during printing (step 510), and recording
The gaps between a to 1d and the conveyor belt 6 are filled with recording liquid to prevent each liquid roller from drying out.

In addition, in FIG. 1, the reference numeral 22a indicates a head driver;
22b is a motor driver, 22c is a pump driver 22
d and 22e indicate a dryer driver.

3 and 4 are for explaining the capping state in an easy-to-understand manner.
The lower surface of the paper and the transport bell l-6 are separated from each other, indicating a normal recordable state.

FIG. 4 shows that the head unit is lowered and the recording heads 1a--
A state in which the lower surface of 1d is in close contact with the conveyor belt 6 is shown. 23 in the figure is a belt guide, and the recording head 1a
This is to maintain a constant distance between ~1d and the recording paper 7 and to improve adhesion during capping.

In the above-described embodiment, an example was described in which the recording paper was transported by electrostatic attraction of the transport heald 6, but a system using a drum or the like is also applicable.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show another embodiment, and show a structure in which the conveying drum 24 is used as a means for conveying the recording paper 7. In FIG.

The recording paper 7 is conveyed in the direction of arrow A in the figure by a conveyance drum 24 and a press roller 25.
Further, recording heads 1a to 1d are arranged on the transport drum 24.

FIG. 5 shows a normal recordable state, and FIG. 6 shows a capping state in which the head unit is lowered and the lower surfaces of the recording heads 1a to 1d are in close contact with the conveyance drum 24. In this configuration, it is possible to handle not only cut paper but also roll paper.Also, in the configuration of this embodiment, the cleaning function described in the first embodiment is necessary, but the The number of recording heads is approximately (7). Also, 1- In each of the embodiments described above, the number of recording heads was described as four, but the number is not limited to this.c.1: Of course.

Further, in the first embodiment described above, the mechanism for lowering the recording head onto the conveyor belt was explained, but the mechanism is not limited to this, and the mechanism for lowering the recording head onto the conveyor belt is used. In addition, in each of the above-mentioned embodiments, the conveyor heald was used as the capping member itself, but in addition to this,
A cylindrical member is lowered from around the recording head to the top of the conveyor belt 1, and the conveyor belt is conveyed.

It is clear that the present invention is also applicable when used as part of a ping member.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the liquid jet recording apparatus according to the present invention, as a capping means for suppressing the evaporation of water in the recording liquid from the droplet ejection opening of the line type ink side recording. By using the paper conveying means itself and ejecting enough recording liquid to roughly fill the gap between the recording head and the conveying means to prevent drying, the device becomes simpler and smaller, reducing costs and improving recording efficiency. Start time,
That is, the first printing time can be shortened, and since the structure does not require a large movement of the print head for recording, various excellent effects such as being advantageous against misregistration can be achieved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of essential parts showing an embodiment of a liquid jet recording device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the liquid jet recording device, and FIGS. 1
5 is a schematic diagram showing another embodiment of the device of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the device shown in FIG. 1 (1a=1d) - recording head, 2 holder, 3
Record 1! Liquid tank, 6--- Transport heald, 7--
-Recorded material, 24-m-/conveyance drum.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a liquid jet recording apparatus including a line-type inkjet recording means and a means for conveying a recording material, the conveyance means is used as a capping member or a part of the capping member of the recording means during non-recording, and the conveyance means is in a capping state. A liquid jet recording apparatus characterized in that the liquid jet recording apparatus is configured to eject droplets in an amount that fills a gap between the recording means and the conveying means.