Droplet ejecting apparatus, a droplet adherence preventing method and a cleaning method for cleaning a recording medium carrier roller

Abstract

Droplet ejecting apparatus has a recording medium carrier portion provided with recording medium carrier rollers conveying a recording medium, a droplet ejecting portion discharging droplets to the recording medium, and a droplet adherence preventing liquid applying portion applying droplet adherence preventing liquid preventing adherence of the droplets to at least one of the recording medium carrier rollers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a structure of an ink jet recording apparatus of a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a structure of another example of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a structure of an ink jet recording apparatus of a second embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a structure of an ink jet recording apparatus of a third embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a structure of another example of the ink jet recording apparatus of a third embodiment; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a structure of an ink jet recording apparatus of a fourth embodiment.

Claims

1. A droplet ejecting apparatus comprising: a recording medium carrier portion provided with recording medium carrier rollers conveying a recording medium;droplet ejecting portion discharging droplets onto the recording medium; anddroplet adherence preventing liquid applying portion applying droplet adherence preventing liquid preventing adherence of the droplets to at least one of the recording medium carrier rollers.

2. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the recording medium carrier rollers are arranged at a downstream side of the droplet ejecting portion with respect to a conveyance direction of the recording medium.

3. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the recording medium carrier rollers are arranged in a pair so as to nip the recording medium having droplets discharged from the droplet ejecting portion adhered thereto.

4. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 3, wherein the droplet adherence preventing liquid applying portion applies the droplet adherence preventing liquid to one of the recording medium carrier rollers that is brought into contact with the surface of the recording medium onto which the droplets are discharged.

5. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 4, wherein the droplet adherence preventing liquid applying portion comprises a droplet adherence preventing liquid applying member in which the droplet adherence preventing liquid is impregnated, the droplet adherence preventing liquid applying member being brought into contact with at least one recording medium carrier roller contacting a surface of the recording medium to which droplets are discharged so as to apply the droplet adherence preventing liquid thereto.

6. A droplet ejecting apparatus comprising: a recording medium carrier portion being provided with recording medium carrier rollers and conveying a recording medium;a droplet ejecting portion discharging droplets to the recording medium;a cleaning liquid applying portion applying to at least one of the recording medium carrier rollers a cleaning liquid for removing the droplets, or component(s) incorporated in the droplets, adhering to the recording medium carrier rollers; anda cleaning liquid wiping means for wiping off the cleaning liquid applied to the recording medium carrier rollers.

7. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 6, wherein the recording medium carrier rollers are arranged at a downstream side of the droplet ejecting portion with respect to the conveyance direction of the recording medium.

8. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 6, wherein the recording medium carrier rollers are disposed in a pair so as to nip the recording medium having the droplets discharged from the droplet ejecting portion adhered thereto.

9. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cleaning liquid applying portion applies the cleaning liquid to one of the recording medium carrier rollers that is brought into contact with the surface of the recording medium onto which the droplets are discharged.

10. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 9, wherein the cleaning liquid applying portion includes a cleaning liquid applying member in which the cleaning liquid is impregnated, the cleaning liquid applying member being brought into contact with one of the recording medium carrier rollers contacting with a surface of the recording medium onto which the droplets are discharged so as to apply the cleaning liquid.

11. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 6, wherein the cleaning liquid also functions as droplet adherence preventing liquid preventing adherence of the droplets to the recording medium carrier rollers.

12. The droplet ejecting apparatus of claim 6, wherein the cleaning liquid includes at least one surface active agent.

13. A droplet adherence preventing method for preventing droplets from adhering to recording medium carrier rollers in a droplet ejecting apparatus, having a recording medium carrier portion being provided with the recording medium carrier rollers and conveying a recording medium, and a droplet ejecting portion discharging droplets onto the recording medium conveyed by the recording medium carrier portion, comprising: applying to at least one of the recording medium carrier rollers droplet adherence preventing liquid that prevents the droplets from adhering.

14. The droplet adherence preventing method of claim 13, wherein the droplet adherence preventing liquid is applied by bringing droplet adherence preventing liquid applying member impregnated with the droplet adherence preventing liquid into contact with at least one of the recording medium carrier rollers.

15. A cleaning method for cleaning a recording medium carrier roller in a droplet ejecting apparatus, having a recording medium carrier portion being provided with recording medium carrier rollers and conveying a recording medium, and a droplet ejecting portion discharging droplets onto the recording medium conveyed by the recording medium carrier portion, comprising: applying a cleaning liquid to at least one of the recording medium carrier rollers for removing the droplets adhering to the recording medium carrier rollers or for removing a component incorporated in the droplets; andwiping off the cleaning liquid applied to the recording medium carrier rollers.

16. The cleaning method for cleaning a recording medium carrier roller of claim 15, wherein the cleaning liquid is applied by bringing a cleaning liquid applying member impregnated with the cleaning liquid into contact with at least one of the recording medium carrier rollers, and the cleaning liquid applied to the recording medium carrier roller is wiped off by a cleaning liquid wiping member.

17. The cleaning method for cleaning a recording medium carrier roller of claim 15, wherein the cleaning liquid functions as a droplet adherence preventing liquid preventing adherence of the droplets to the surface of the recording medium carrier roller on the printing side.

18. The cleaning method for cleaning a recording medium carrier roller of claim 15, wherein the cleaning liquid includes at least one surface active agent.