Cleaning method and inkjet recording apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12496828-B2
Application number	US-202318523362-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2023
Priority date	Nov 30, 2022
Publication date	Dec 16, 2025
Grant date	Dec 16, 2025

Abstract

A cleaning method is a method of cleaning a recording head that has an ink-ejecting surface and ejects ink from the ink-ejecting surface. The cleaning method includes supplying a cleaning liquid to the ink-ejecting surface of the recording head, and wiping the ink-ejecting surface of the recording head twice with a wipe blade after the supplying a cleaning liquid. A first wiping speed in the wiping is 5 mm/sec or more and 25 mm/sec or less. A second wiping speed in the wiping is 45 mm/sec or more and 100 mm/sec or less. The cleaning liquid contains water, a water-soluble organic solvent, an amphoteric surfactant having a betaine structure, and a silicone surfactant. The viscosity of the cleaning liquid is 1.0 mPa·s or more and 3.1 mPa·s or less. The static surface tension of the cleaning liquid is 10 mN/m or more and 25 mN/m or less.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A cleaning method for a recording head that includes an ink-ejecting surface and ejects ink from the ink-ejecting surface, comprising:
supplying a cleaning liquid to the ink-ejecting surface of the recording head; and wiping the ink-ejecting surface of the recording head twice with a wipe blade after the supplying a cleaning liquid, wherein a first wiping speed in the wiping is 5 mm/sec or more and 25 mm/sec or less, a second wiping speed in the wiping is 45 mm/sec or more and 100 mm/sec or less, and the cleaning liquid contains water, a water-soluble organic solvent, an amphoteric surfactant having a betaine structure, and a silicone surfactant, viscosity of the cleaning liquid being 1.0 mPa·s or more and 3.1 mPa·s or less, static surface tension of the cleaning liquid being 10 mN/m or more and 25 mN/m or less.

2 . The cleaning method according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio of an amount of the water-soluble organic solvent to the cleaning liquid is 10.0% by mass or more and 35.0% by mass or less.

3 . The cleaning method according to claim 1 , wherein the water-soluble organic solvent contains a polyhydric alcohol.

4 . The cleaning method according to claim 3 , wherein the polyhydric alcohol contains glycerin, propylene glycol, or 1,3-propanediol.

5 . The cleaning method according to claim 1 , wherein the amphoteric surfactant has an amidoalkyl betaine structure.

6 . The cleaning method according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio of an amount of the amphoteric surfactant to the cleaning liquid is 0.3% by mass or more and 3.0% by mass or less.

7 . The cleaning method according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio of an amount of the silicone surfactant to the cleaning liquid is 0.05% by mass or more and 1.5% by mass or less.

8 . The cleaning method according to claim 1 , further comprising wiping the ink-ejecting surface of the recording head with the wipe blade before supplying the cleaning liquid, wherein
a wiping speed in the wiping before supplying the cleaning liquid is 45 mm/sec or more and 100 mm/sec or less.

Assignees

• Kyocera Document Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Katayama Yosuke

Classifications

• B41J2002/16558

  Using cleaning liquid for wet wiping · CPC title

• B41J2/16552

  using cleaning fluids · CPC title

• B41J2/16585

  for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads · CPC title

• B41J2002/16591

  for line print heads above an endless belt · CPC title

• C11D2111/20

  Industrial or commercial equipment, e.g. reactors, tubes or engines · CPC title