Printer with a cleanable nozzle surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9427971-B2
Application number	US-201514809696-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2015
Priority date	Jul 29, 2014
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

A printer includes a head, a wiper, a cap, a supply flow path, a supply opening/closing valve, a gas channel, a gas opening/closing valve, a waste fluid flow path, a suction portion, and a processor. The processor is configured to set a covered state in which the cap covers the at least one nozzle, supply the cleaning fluid to the cap, in the covered state, by opening the supply opening/closing valve, closing the gas opening/closing valve, and driving the suction portion, discharge the cleaning fluid, in the covered state, by closing the supply opening/closing valve, opening the gas opening/closing valve, and driving the suction portion, set an uncovered state in which covering the at least one nozzle by the cap is released, and cause the wiper to slide in contact with the nozzle surface, in the uncovered state, by moving the wiper relatively with respect to the nozzle surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A printer comprising:
a head that includes a nozzle surface, the nozzle surface being a surface including at least one nozzle configured to eject an ejection fluid;
a wiper configured to move relatively with respect to the nozzle surface, the wiper being configured to slide in contact with the nozzle surface;
a cap configured to be opposed to the nozzle surface, the cap being configured to fit closely to the nozzle surface and to cover the at least one nozzle;
a supply flow path connected to the cap, the supply flow path being a flow path configured to supply a cleaning fluid to the cap;
a supply opening/closing valve provided on the supply flow path, the supply opening/closing valve being configured to open and close the supply flow path;
a gas channel connected to the cap;
a gas opening/closing valve configured to open and close the gas channel;
a waste fluid flow path connected to the cap, the waste fluid flow path being a flow path configured to discharge the cleaning fluid supplied to the cap;
a suction portion connected to the waste fluid flow path, the suction portion being configured to perform suction; and
a processor configured to:
set a covered state in which the cap covers the at least one nozzle;
supply the cleaning fluid to the cap via the supply flow path, in the covered state, by opening the supply opening/closing valve, closing the gas opening/closing valve, and driving the suction portion;
discharge, via the waste fluid flow path, the cleaning fluid supplied to the cap, in the covered state, by closing the supply opening/closing valve, opening the gas opening/closing valve, and driving the suction portion;
form a gap between the nozzle surface and the cap by moving the cap relatively with respect to the nozzle surface after the cleaning fluid is discharged from the cap;
cause air to flow into the cap from a periphery of the cap via the gap by closing the supply opening/closing valve and driving the suction portion;
set an uncovered state in which covering the at least one nozzle by the cap is released; and
cause the wiper to slide in contact with the nozzle surface, in the uncovered state, by moving the wiper relatively with respect to the nozzle surface,
wherein the setting the uncovered state includes setting the uncovered state after the air is caused to flow into the cap from the periphery of the cap.

2. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein
the processor is further configured to:
draw out the ejection fluid from the at least one nozzle into the cap, in the covered sate, by closing the supply opening/closing valve and the gas opening/closing valve and driving the suction portion; and
discharge, via the waste fluid flow path, the ejection fluid drawn out from the at least one nozzle, in the covered state, by closing the supply opening/closing valve, opening the gas opening/closing valve, and driving the suction portion, and

the supplying the cleaning fluid to the cap includes supplying the cleaning fluid to the cap via the supply flow path after the ejection fluid is discharged via the waste fluid flow path.

3. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein
the processor is further configured to:
set the covered state after the wiper slides in contact with the nozzle surface.

4. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein
the nozzle surface includes a plurality of nozzle arrays, a plurality of nozzles being arrayed in each of the plurality of nozzle arrays, and the at least one nozzle including the plurality of nozzles, and
the cap includes a partition wall on a side, of the cap, that is configured to be opposed to the nozzle surface, the partition wall being configured to be opposed to a boundary between the plurality of nozzle arrays, and the partition wall being configured to fit closely to the boundary in the covered state.

5. A printer comprising:
a head that includes a nozzle surface, the nozzle surface being a surface including at least one nozzle configured to eject an ejection fluid;
a wiper configured to move relatively with respect to the nozzle surface, the wiper being configured to slide in contact with the nozzle surface;
a cap configured to be opposed to the nozzle surface, the cap being configured to fit closely to the nozzle surface and to cover the at least one nozzle, and the cap including a plurality of areas partitioned by a partition wall, the partition wall being provided on a side, of the cap, that is configured to be opposed to the nozzle surface;
a plurality of supply flow paths respectively connected to the plurality of areas, the plurality of supply flow paths being flow paths configured to supply a cleaning fluid to the cap;
a plurality of supply opening/closing valves respectively provided on the plurality of supply flow paths, the plurality of supply opening/closing valves being respectively configured to open and close the plurality of supply flow paths;
at least one gas channel connected to the plurality of supply flow paths, a number of the at least one gas channel being smaller than a number of the plurality of supply flow paths;
at least one gas opening/closing valve configured to open and close the at least one gas channel;
a waste fluid flow path connected to the cap, the waste fluid flow path being a flow path configured to discharge the cleaning fluid supplied to the cap;
a suction portion connected to the waste fluid flow path, the suction portion being configured to perform suction; and
a processor configured to:
set a covered state in which the cap covers the at least one nozzle;
supply the cleaning fluid to the cap via at least one of the plurality of supply flow paths, in the covered state, by opening at least one of the plurality of supply opening/closing valves, closing the at least one gas opening/closing valve, and driving the suction portion;
discharge, via the waste fluid flow path, the cleaning fluid supplied to the cap, in the covered state, by opening at least one of the plurality of supply opening/closing valves, opening the at least one gas opening/closing valve, and driving the suction portion;
set an uncovered state in which covering the at least one nozzle by the cap is released; and
cause the wiper to slide in contact with the nozzle surface, in the uncovered state, by moving the wiper relatively with respect to the nozzle surface.

6. The printer according to claim 5 , wherein
the processor is further configured to:
draw out the ejection fluid from the at least one nozzle into the cap, in the covered state, by closing at least one of the plurality of supply opening/closing valves and driving the suction portion; and
discharge, via the waste fluid flow path, the ejection fluid drawn out from the at least one nozzle, in the covered state, by opening at least one of the plurality of supply opening/closing valves, opening the at least one gas opening/closing valve, and driving the suction portion, and

the supplying the cleaning fluid to the cap includes supplying the cleaning fluid to the cap via at least one of the plurality of supply flow paths after the ejection fluid is discharged via the waste fluid flow path.

7. The printer according to claim 5 , wherein
the processor is further configured to:
form a gap between the nozzle surface and the cap by moving the cap relatively with respect to the nozzle surface after the cleaning fluid is discharged from the cap; and
cause air to flow into the cap from a periphery of the cap via the gap by closing at least one of the plurality of supply opening/closing valves and driving the suction portion, and

the setting the uncovered state includes setting the uncovered state after the air is caused to flow into the cap from the periphery of the cap.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Kobayashi Haruo

Classifications

• B41J2/16523

  Waste ink transport from caps or spittoons, e.g. by suction (Collecting or collectors of waste ink B41J2/1721) · CPC title

• B41J2/16508

  connected with the printer frame · CPC title

• B41J2/16538

  with brushes or wiper blades perpendicular to the nozzle plate · CPC title

• B41J2/1652

  by driving a fluid through the nozzles to the outside thereof, e.g. by applying pressure to the inside or vacuum at the outside of the print head · CPC title

• B41J2/16552 Primary

  using cleaning fluids · CPC title