JP2001063075A - Image-recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image-recording apparatus in which a movable stage with a sucking cap for covering at least a head accurately moves to surely cover the head. SOLUTION: In the image-recording apparatus, ink drops are jetted from nozzles of an ink-jet head to directly adhere to a recording sheet, thereby recording images. The apparatus is equipped with a movable stage 51 which moves upward to the apparatus body and has a sucking cap 61 for covering at least the nozzles, and movable stage drive means 18 and 19 which have cam parts 35a and 36a to slide in a horizontal direction to the apparatus body and in mutual opposite directions for moving the movable stage in up and down directions via a member set to the movable stage for acting to the cam parts by the slide of the cam parts.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus, and more particularly to an image recording apparatus having a head for ejecting ink droplets and ejecting ink droplets from the head in accordance with image data to record an image on a recording sheet. Related to the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art (Prior Art 1) There is an image recording apparatus which records an image by ejecting ink droplets from nozzles of an ink jet head and directly attaching the ink to a recording sheet. And a movable base having a sucking cap covering at least the nozzle,
2. Description of the Related Art There is known an image recording apparatus having a function of tilting a movable table with respect to the apparatus main body, or performing a curve operation by a link mechanism to cover the nozzle, and reduce the pressure to discharge and recover bubbles, dust and the like. .

(Prior Art 2) The above-described image recording apparatus has a structure in which a movable base cannot be removed from the apparatus main body.

(Prior Art 3) In the above-described image recording apparatus, when the apparatus is started to be driven, the movable base having the sucking cap does not first move to the lower stop position, and the sucking cap covers the head. Has become.

[0005]

However, as a problem of the prior art 1, there is a problem that it is difficult for the sucking cap to cover the head with high accuracy when the movable base tilts or moves along a curved path by the link mechanism.

As a problem of the second prior art, there is a problem that it is difficult to perform maintenance and inspection of the movable base if the movable base having the sucking cap cannot be removed from the apparatus main body.

[0007] As a problem of the prior art 3, when the movable base is driven by a pulse motor or the like, the position of the movable base may not be known due to a shift of a pulse signal.
When the movable base is moved horizontally at the upper position, there is a problem that the head and the lip portion of the sucking cap interfere with each other.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and one of the objects of the present invention is to provide an image recording apparatus in which a movable base having a sucking cap for covering at least a head moves accurately and smoothly. It is in.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an image recording apparatus in which a movable base having a sucking cap for covering at least a head can be easily detached from an apparatus main body, and for example, maintenance and inspection are easy. is there.

One of the objects of the present invention is that the movable table having a sucking cap for covering at least the head moves smoothly and precisely, and is further moved to the lower stop position first after the start of the operation to more reliably. To provide an image recording apparatus that moves to the same.

[0011]

The above object can be achieved by any of the following means.

(1) In an image recording apparatus for recording an image by ejecting ink droplets from nozzles of an ink jet head and directly attaching the ink droplets to a recording sheet, the apparatus moves upward with respect to the apparatus main body of the image recording apparatus, and A movable base having a sucking cap for covering the main body, and a cam portion that slides in a horizontal direction and in a direction opposite to each other with respect to the apparatus main body, and the movable table that acts on the cam portion by sliding the cam portion. An image recording apparatus comprising: a movable table drive unit configured to move the movable table in a vertical direction via a provided member.

(2) In an image recording apparatus for recording an image by ejecting ink droplets from nozzles of an ink jet head and attaching the ink droplets directly to a recording sheet, the apparatus moves upward with respect to the apparatus main body of the image recording apparatus, and at least the nozzles A movable base having a sucking cap for covering the main body, and a cam portion that slides in a horizontal direction and in a direction opposite to each other with respect to the apparatus main body, and the movable table that acts on the cam portion by sliding the cam portion. A movable table driving means for moving the movable table in the vertical direction via a provided member; and a member provided on the movable table can be separated upward from the cam portion at a highest position of the movable table, and the apparatus body An image recording apparatus, wherein the movable table is detachable.

(3) In the image recording apparatus according to the above (1) or (2), a position sensor for detecting a lower stop position of the movable base is provided. An image recording apparatus comprising: control means for moving a table in the direction of the lower stop position and controlling the position sensor to detect the lower stop position.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As an image recording apparatus according to the present invention, an ink jet proofer will be described in an embodiment. The image recording apparatus of the present invention is not limited to an ink jet proofer, but may be, for example, an ink jet printer.

The ink jet proofer has a head for discharging ink droplets, and discharges ink droplets from the head in accordance with image data to create a color proof on an image recording surface of a recording sheet. In addition, the ink jet proofer has an ink jet head provided with a mechanism for recovering bubbles, dirt, dust, foreign matter, and the like.

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural view of an image recording apparatus.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a main part of FIG. 1, and FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ink in the ink containers 11a and 11b provided for each ink
3 and are supplied to the heads 12a and 12b, respectively.
The heads 12a and 12b are held by a support plate 14, and the support plate 14 is slidable on a fixed member 16 via a slide portion 15. By moving the support plate 14, a recording sheet (not shown) is scanned to record an image. Note that the ink colors are not limited to two colors.

Next, a motor 18 is fixed to the apparatus main body 17 of the ink jet proofer. When the motor 18 rotates, a screw 19 rotates and a nut 22a fixed to the support base 22 moves. Further, two guide rails 21 are installed on the apparatus main body 17, and a roller 23 that is rotatable about a shaft 24 fixed to the support 22 is provided on the support 22. When the motor 18 is driven, the nut 22a moves, and the support base 22 can move along the guide rail 21.

A motor 31 is mounted on the support base 22, and when the motor 31 rotates, a gear 3 integrated with the shaft of the motor 31 is provided.
2 rotates, and the racks 33 and 34 meshing with the gear 32 move in opposite directions. Then, the cam plate 35 integral with the rack 33 and the cam plate 36 integral with the rack 34 move in opposite directions along the two slide guides 25 provided on the support base 22. The movable table 51 is raised by moving the cam plates 35 and 36 in a direction approaching each other, and the movable table 51 is lowered by moving in a direction away from each other.

A roller 52, which is rotatable by a roller shaft 53 provided on the movable table 51, acts on a cam portion 36a provided on the cam plate 36. When the cam plate 36 moves, the movable table 51 is Moves up and down. Similarly, the cam plate 35
The roller shaft 5 provided on the movable base 51 on the cam portion 35a provided on the
3, the roller 52 which is rotatable acts on the cam plate 36.
When the is moved, the movable base 51 moves up and down. Movable table 5
In 1, two guide posts 54 are arranged close to the cam portion, and the guide posts 54 are engaged with two bearings 55 provided on the support base 22 to smoothly move up and down the movable base 51.

The cam portions 35a and 36a are inclined grooves having flat portions at the top and bottom, and a part of the upper portion is cut.
Has a shape that does not interfere with the cam portion.

According to the present invention, the cam portions 35a which slide horizontally with respect to the apparatus main body 17 and in directions opposite to each other,
Means for moving the movable table 51 up and down by means of a roller member provided on the movable table 51 acting on the cam portion and having a portion 36a is referred to as movable table driving means.

On the upper surface of the movable base 51, a sucking cap 61, a heat retaining cap 62, cleaning wipers 63a and 63b are provided.
Is provided. Sucking cap 61 is head 1
The heat insulating cap 62 covers the nozzles of the heads 12a and 12b to keep the ink liquid warm. The cleaning wipers 63a and 63b are nozzles for cleaning the nozzles of the heads 12a and 12b, respectively. When the support base 22 moves in the horizontal direction, the sucking cap 61, the heat retaining cap 62, the cleaning wiper 63
a and 63b move. In addition, 2
There are book guide posts 54, which are engaged with bearings 55 of the support plate 22.

The support base 22 is provided with a position sensor 41 for detecting the presence or absence of a light beam interruption. After the operation of the apparatus is started, when the slit 42 provided on the cam plate 36 moves to block the light beam of the position sensor 41, the movable table 51 detects that it has come to the lower stop position.

In the present invention, the position sensor 41 for detecting the lower stop position of the movable table 51 is provided, and after the operation of the image recording apparatus is started, the movable table 51 is first moved in the direction of the lower stop position, and Means for controlling so as to detect the lower stop position at 41 is referred to as control means.

Here, the recovery operation of the head will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

1) The motor 31 rotates, the gear 32 rotates, and the racks 33 and 34 meshing with the gear 32 operate.

2) The cam plates 35, 36 are operated by the movement of the racks 33, 34.

3) The roller 52 formed on the movable base 51 moves along the grooves of the cam portions 35a and 36a, and
1 falls.

4) The support base 22 is moved along the guide rail 21 and the sucking cap 61 provided on the movable base 51 is moved.
Stops at a position below the heads 12a and 12b.

5) The motor 31 rotates in the opposite direction, the gear 32 rotates, and the rack 33 meshing with the gear 32,
34 is activated.

6) The cam plates 35 and 36 are operated by the movement of the racks 33 and 34, respectively.

7) The roller 52 of the movable base 51 moves along the grooves of the cam portions 35a and 36a, and the movable base 51 rises.

8) The sucking cap 61 is attached to the head 12
a, 12b.

9) The space between the heads 12a and 12b and the sucking cap is reduced in pressure to remove and recover air bubble dust and the like.

Next, the operation of removing the movable base from the apparatus main body will be described with reference to FIGS.

1) First, after the movable table 51 is moved to the lower stop position, the support table 22 is moved along the guide rail 21 to stop the movable table 51 at a position where the movable table 51 can be removed without interference with the head or the like.

2) The cam plates 36 and 37 are moved in a direction approaching each other, the rollers 52 are moved along the grooves of the cam portions 35a and 36a, and the movable table 51 is moved to the highest position.

3) When the cam plates 35 and 36 are further moved in a direction to approach each other, the rollers 52
a, 36a (see FIG. 3).

4) The movable table 51 is lifted upward and removed from the apparatus main body 27. The detachable movable base 51 performs maintenance and inspection.

[0042]

According to the structure described above, the following effects can be obtained.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cam portion which slides in a horizontal direction and in a direction opposite to each other, and a member provided on a movable base which acts on the cam portion by sliding of the cam portion. Since the movable table moves in the vertical direction, the movable table cancels out the forces acting in the horizontal direction on the apparatus main body, so that the movable table can be raised and lowered smoothly, and at least the sucking cap can accurately cover the head. it can.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, at the highest position of the movable table, the member provided on the movable table can be separated upward from the cam portion, so that the movable table can be easily removed from the apparatus main body, For example, according to the invention described in claim 3, which facilitates maintenance and inspection, the movable table is first moved in the direction of the lower stop position after the operation of the image recording apparatus is started, and the lower stop position is detected by the position sensor. , The initial operation can be performed without interfering with the head or the like.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the guide support is provided at the lower portion of the movable base, and the bearing is provided on the main body of the apparatus, and the movable base is arranged along the guide support with respect to the main body of the apparatus. Since the movable table moves in the vertical direction, the movable table smoothly and accurately moves, and, for example, the alignment between the sucking cap and the head becomes accurate.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the image recording apparatus discharges ink droplets from the head in accordance with the image data to form an image for forming a color proof on the image recording surface of the recording sheet. Since the recording is performed, a color proof creating apparatus having the above-described effect can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an image recording apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a state where a movable base is detached from an apparatus main body.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12a, 12b Head 33, 34 Rack 35, 36 Cam plate 35a, 36a Cam portion 41 Position sensor 51 Movable table 54 Guide column 55 Bearing 61 Sacking cap

Claims (5)

[Claims] In an image recording apparatus for recording an image by ejecting ink droplets from nozzles of an ink jet head and directly attaching the ink droplets to a recording sheet, the image recording apparatus is moved upward with respect to the apparatus main body of the image recording apparatus, and at least the nozzles are moved. A movable base having a covering cap to cover, and a cam portion sliding in a horizontal direction and in a direction opposite to each other with respect to the device main body, provided on the movable base acting on the cam portion by sliding of the cam portion. And a movable table driving means for moving the movable table in a vertical direction through a member. 2. An image recording apparatus for recording an image by ejecting ink droplets from nozzles of an ink jet head and directly attaching the ink droplets to a recording sheet, moving the image recording apparatus upward with respect to the apparatus body of the image recording apparatus, and moving at least the nozzles. A movable base having a covering cap to cover, and a cam portion sliding in a horizontal direction and in a direction opposite to each other with respect to the device main body, provided on the movable base acting on the cam portion by sliding of the cam portion. A movable table driving means for moving the movable table in the vertical direction via a member that has been moved, and a member provided on the movable table can be separated upward from the cam portion at the highest position of the movable table. An image recording apparatus, wherein the movable table is removable. 3. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a position sensor for detecting a lower stop position of the movable table, and after starting operation of the image recording apparatus, the movable table is first moved to the lower position. An image recording apparatus comprising: a control unit that moves in a direction of a side stop position and controls the position sensor to detect the lower stop position. 4. A guide column is provided below the movable base,
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a bearing provided on the apparatus main body, the bearing being engaged with the guide column, and the movable table moving in a vertical direction along the guide column with respect to the apparatus main body.
4. The image recording device according to 2 or 3. 5. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a head for ejecting ink droplets, wherein the head ejects ink droplets in accordance with image data to form a color proof on an image recording surface of a recording sheet. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image recording apparatus is an apparatus for recording an image.