Cap and droplet ejecting apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides a droplet ejecting apparatus including an ejector that ejects a liquid, and a humidity regulator that includes a humidity regulating material and regulates humidity around the ejector. The invention also provides a cap for maintaining a droplet ejecting port in an airtight condition, the droplet ejecting port being for ejecting a droplet by an ink jet system, the cap including, at least in an inner wall, a humidity regulating material containing an inorganic porous material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of an ink jet recording apparatus in a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an internal basic structure of the ink jet recording apparatus in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic views showing a structure at the nozzle surface side of the recording head 3 in FIG. 2. FIG. 3A shows an example of disposition of moisture adjusting material, and FIG. 3B shows another example of disposition of moisture adjusting material.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are explanatory views of porous material adsorbing water. FIG. 4A shows a case where the pores are appropriately small, and FIG. 4B shows a case where the pores are large.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are enlarged perspective views of the surroundings of the recording head 3 in FIG. 2. FIG. 5A is a view showing a case where a wall member 19 encloses the nozzle surface, and FIG. 5B is a view showing a case where a brush 20 is further provided at the end of the wall member 19.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are enlarged perspective views of the surroundings of a recording head 3 of an ink jet recording apparatus in a second embodiment. FIG. 6A shows a case where a housing 21 is provided, and FIG. 6B shows a case where a brush 20 is further provided at the end of the housing 21.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an ink jet recording apparatus in a third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of an ink jet recording apparatus in a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an internal basic structure of the ink jet recording apparatus in FIG. 8.

FIGS. 10A, 10B and 10C are schematic views showing a structure at the nozzle surface side of the recording head 3 in FIG. 9. FIG. 10A shows an example of disposition of moisture adjusting material, FIG. 10B shows another example of disposition of moisture adjusting material, and FIG. 10C shows still another example of disposition of moisture adjusting material.

FIGS. 11A and 11B are enlarged perspective views of the surroundings of the recording head 3 in FIG. 9. FIG. 11A is a view showing a case where a wall member 19 encloses the nozzle surface, and FIG. 11B is a view showing a case where a brush 20 is further provided at the end of the wall member 19.

FIGS. 12A and 12B are enlarged perspective views of the surroundings of a recording head 3 of an ink jet recording apparatus in a fifth embodiment. FIG. 12A shows a case where a housing 21 is provided, and FIG. 12B shows a case where a brush 20 is further provided at the end of the housing 21.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an ink jet recording apparatus in a sixth embodiment.

FIGS. 14A and 14B are schematic views showing a configuration of an ink jet recording apparatus in a seventh embodiment. FIG. 14A shows a case where a connection port is provided at a position opposite to the nozzle 17 (17a to 17e), and FIG. 14B shows a case where a connection port is provided to the housing 21.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a cap for an ink jet ejecting head of the invention.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing another structure of a cap for an ink jet ejecting head of the invention.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of an ink jet recording apparatus in a tenth embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing an internal basic structure of the ink jet recording apparatus in FIG. 17.

FIGS. 19A, 19B and 19C are views showing a case where the cap is fixed on the recording head 3 which is not recording (not ejecting) in the ink jet recording apparatus in FIG. 17. FIG. 19A is a perspective view, FIG. 19B is a sectional view, and FIG. 19C is a sectional view showing an example of another configuration.

FIG. 20 is a schematic view showing a maintenance unit having a cap of the invention in an ink jet recording apparatus in an eleventh embodiment.

FIG. 21 is an schematic view showing a unit wherein a cap of the invention and a humidity assisting aqueous solution tank are connected in an ink jet recording apparatus in a twelfth embodiment.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of an ink jet recording apparatus in a fourteenth embodiment.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view showing an internal basic configuration of the ink jet recording apparatus in FIG. 22.

Claims

1. A droplet ejecting apparatus comprising an ejector that ejects a liquid, and a humidity regulator that comprises a humidity regulating material and regulates humidity around the ejector.

2. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ejector comprises a droplet ejecting head having a droplet ejecting surface having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting a liquid, and the humidity regulator comprises the humidity regulating material provided on the droplet ejecting surface and regulates the humidity near the nozzles.

3. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 2, wherein the humidity regulator comprises an enclosure member that is disposed at the droplet ejecting surface, has the humidity regulating material provided in an inner wall thereof, and regulates the humidity near the nozzles.

4. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ejector comprises a droplet ejecting head having a droplet ejecting surface having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting a liquid, and the humidity regulator includes a housing that has the humidity regulating material provided in an inner wall thereof and is disposed so as to accommodate at least the droplet ejecting head.

5. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the humidity regulator comprises the humidity regulating material that is provided in an inner wall of a casing of the droplet ejecting apparatus and regulates the humidity in the droplet ejecting apparatus.

6. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the humidity regulating material is at least one selected from the group consisting of inorganic porous materials and high molecular humidity regulating materials.

7. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the humidity regulating material holds or releases moisture depending on the humidity.

8. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a waste ink tank, and a moisture supplying device that is connected to the waste ink tank and supplies moisture to the humidity regulating material.

9. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a humidity assisting aqueous solution tank containing a humidity retaining solvent, and a moisture supplying device that is connected to the humidity assisting aqueous solution tank and supplies moisture to the humidity regulating material.

10. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a humidifier, and a moisture supplying device that is connected to the humidifier and supplies moisture to the humidity regulating material.

11. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the liquid is ink, and an image is formed by the ejector.

12. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the liquid is a liquid containing resin, and a resin product is formed by the ejector.

13. A cap for maintaining a droplet ejecting port in an airtight condition, the droplet ejecting port being for ejecting a droplet by an ink jet system, the cap comprising, at least in an inner wall, a humidity regulating material containing an inorganic porous material.

14. The cap of claim 13, wherein the average pore radius of the inorganic porous material is approximately 0.5 nm to approximately 40 nm.

15. The cap of claim 13, wherein the inorganic porous material has a humidity regulating film on its surface.

16. A droplet ejecting apparatus comprising an ejector that ejects a droplet by an ink jet system, and the cap of claim 13 for maintaining a droplet ejecting port in the ejector in an airtight condition.

17. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a waste ink tank and a connecting part that connects the waste ink tank and the cap.

18. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a humidity assisting aqueous solution tank containing a humidity retaining solution, and a connecting part that connects the humidity assisting aqueous solution tank and the cap.

19. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a humidifier, and a connecting part that connects the humidifier and the cap.

20. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 16, wherein the droplet is ink, and an image is formed by the ejector.

21. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 16, wherein the droplet is a liquid containing resin, and a resin product is formed by the ejector.