This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-66946 filed on Mar. 30, 2017, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The present disclosure relates to a print device that is provided with a cap that is able to cover a nozzle and to a non-transitory computer-readable medium.
An inkjet type of print device is known that is provided, in a non-printing area, with a cap unit that prevents a nozzle from drying out while the print device is idle. The cap unit is configured from a rectangular cap case whose top face is open and from a cap member that is formed as a single unit with the interior of the cap case and is formed into a cup shape by an elastic member. In the print device, a carriage on which a print head is mounted moves to the non-printing area when printing is completed, and the cap member covers a nozzle of the print head.
In the print device, the temperature of the print head increases, because an integrated drive circuit that drives the print head during printing generates heat. If the cap member covers the nozzle of the print head when the temperature of the print head has increased, the interior of the cap member dries out, and liquid inside the nozzle dries out. Therefore, the viscosity of the ink inside the nozzle increases, creating the possibility that a discharge failure will occur in the nozzle the next time that printing is performed.
Embodiments of the broad principles derived herein provide a print device and a non-transitory computer-readable medium that decrease the possibility that a discharge failure will occur in the nozzle.
The embodiments herein provide a print device that includes a head provided with a nozzle face having a nozzle, a cap configured to contact the nozzle face and covering the nozzle, a supply flow path connected to the cap and configured to supply a cleaning liquid to the interior of the cap, a waste liquid flow path connected to the cap and configured to drain off the cleaning liquid that has been supplied to the interior of the cap, a temperature detector configured to detect the temperature of the head, a processor, and a memory. The memory stores computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, perform processes including cover processing, first determination processing, first cap processing, and second cap processing. The cover processing puts the cap into a covering state in which the cap covers the nozzle. The first determination processing determines, based on an input value from the temperature detector, whether the temperature is higher than a reference temperature. When the first determination processing has not determined that the temperature is higher than the reference temperature, the first cap processing, after the cover processing, puts the nozzle face into a state in which the nozzle face is not soaked by the cleaning liquid. When the first determination processing has determined that the temperature is higher than the reference temperature, the second cap processing, after the cover processing, supplies the cleaning liquid from the supply flow path to the cap, thus putting the nozzle face into a soak state in which the nozzle face is soaked by the cleaning liquid.
The embodiments herein also provide a non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions, that are executed by a processor of a print device. The print device is provided with a head provided with a nozzle face having a nozzle, a cap configured to contact the nozzle face and covering the nozzle, a supply flow path connected to the cap and configured to supply a cleaning liquid to the interior of the cap, a waste liquid flow path connected to the cap and configured to drain off the cleaning liquid that has been supplied to the interior of the cap, and a temperature detector configured to detect the temperature of the head. The processor is configured to control the print device, and the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, perform processes including cover processing, first determination processing, first cap processing, and second cap processing. The cover processing puts the cap into a covering state in which the cap covers the nozzle. The first determination processing determines, based on an input value from the temperature detector, whether the temperature is higher than a reference temperature. When the first determination processing has not determined that the temperature is higher than the reference temperature, the first cap processing, after the cover processing, puts the nozzle face into a state in which the nozzle face is not soaked by the cleaning liquid. When the first determination processing has determined that the temperature is higher than the reference temperature, the second cap processing, after the cover processing, supplies the cleaning liquid from the supply flow path to the cap, thus putting the nozzle face into a soak state in which the nozzle face is soaked by the cleaning liquid.
Embodiments will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
A configuration of a printer 1 will be explained with reference to
Mechanical Configuration of the Printer 1
The printer 1 is an inkjet printer that performs printing by discharging liquid inks 91 (refer to
As shown in
An operation portion (not shown in the drawings) that performs operations of the printer 1 is provided in a position on the right front side of the housing 2. The operation portion is provided with a display 49 (refer to
The frame body 10 has a frame shape that is rectangular in a plan view, and it is installed in the top portion of the housing 2. The frame body 10 supports the guide shaft 9 on its front side and supports the rail 7 on its rear side. The guide shaft 9 extends from left to right on the inner side of the frame body 10. The rail 7 is disposed opposite the guide shaft 9 and extends from left to right.
The carriage 20 is supported such that it can be conveyed to the left and the right along the guide shaft 9. As shown in
Each of the heads 110 is provided with a nozzle face 111, which is a face that has a plurality of the tiny nozzles 112 (refer to
The nozzle face 111 has nozzle arrays 121 to 124. Each one of the nozzle arrays 121 to 124 is an array of a plurality of the nozzles 112. The nozzle arrays 121 to 124 are disposed in four separate areas in the left-right direction of the nozzle disposition area 120. The nozzle arrays 121 to 124 are arrayed as the nozzle array 121, the nozzle array 122, the nozzle array 123, and the nozzle array 124, in that order from left to right.
The nozzle arrays 121 to 124 of the head unit 100 are nozzle arrays that are capable of discharging the white ink. Each one of the nozzle arrays 121 to 124 of the head unit 200 is capable of discharging a different one of the color inks. For example, the nozzle array 121 is capable of discharging the black ink, the nozzle array 122 is capable of discharging the yellow ink, the nozzle array 123 is capable of discharging the cyan ink, and the nozzle array 124 is capable of discharging the magenta ink.
As shown in
The platen drive mechanism 6 is provided with the pair of the guide rails (not shown in the drawings) and a platen support base (not shown in the drawings). The pair of the guide rails extend from the front to the rear on the inner side of the platen drive mechanism 6 and support the platen support base such that it can move toward the front and the rear. The top portion of the platen support base supports the platen 5. The platen 5 supports the printing medium.
The tray 4 is provided below the platen 5. When the operator places a T-shirt or the like on the platen 5, the tray 4 receives the sleeves and the like of the T-shirt, thus protecting the sleeves and the like, such that they do not come into contact with other parts in the interior of the housing 2.
The platen drive mechanism 6 is driven by an auxiliary scanning direction drive portion 46 that will be described later (refer to
Along the path that the heads 110 travel, the area where the heads 110 perform printing will be called the printing area 130, as shown in
Various types of maintenance operations for ensuring printing quality are performed in the non-printing area 140. For example, the maintenance operations include flushing, ink suction that is called a purge, soak cleaning, wipe processing that performs a nozzle face wiping operation, a wiper wiping operation, and the like. Flushing is an operation that, before printing is performed on the printing medium, discharges the inks 91 from the nozzles 112 onto a flushing receiving portion 145 that will be described later (refer to
The wipe processing performs the nozzle face wiping operation, in which wipers 31 that will be described later wipe off the excess inks 91 and the excess cleaning liquid 92 that are remaining on the surfaces of the nozzle faces 111 (refer to
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The pair of the inclined portions 641, 642 face one another in the front-rear direction. The pair of the inclined portions 641, 642 are formed on the upper parts of the opposing wall portions 651, 652, respectively, and are components that extend obliquely downward toward the left. As shown in
An up-down position of the wiper 31 and the wiper support portion 32 in which the wiper 31 is separated from the nozzle face 111 and the absorption member 51, as shown in
An up-down position of the wiper 31 and the wiper support portion 32 in which the wiper 31 can be in contact with the nozzle face 111, as shown in
An up-down position of the wiper 31 and the wiper support portion 32 in which the wiper 31 can be in contact with the absorption member 51, as shown in
The support plate 149 is provided between the wiper 31 and the cap 67 in the left-right direction. The support plate 149 is a plate-shaped member that is rectangular in a plan view, with its axes extending in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. As shown in
The support plate 149 is moved to the left and the right by a first drive portion 194 (refer to
As shown in
The cap 67 is formed from a synthetic resin such as rubber or the like, for example. A perimeter wall 672 that configures the cap 67 extends upward from the perimeter of a bottom wall 671 that configures the cap 67. The perimeter wall 672 faces the perimeter of the nozzle disposition area 120 of the nozzle face 111 from below. A partition wall 673 that configures the cap 67 extends upward from the bottom wall 671 and is connected to the front edge and the rear edge of the perimeter wall 672. Therefore, the partition wall 673 divides the area inside the perimeter wall 672 into two parts. In the explanation that follows, the area inside the perimeter wall 672 that is to the left of the partition wall 673 will be called the first area 661, and the area that is to the right of the partition wall 673 will be called the second area 662. The partition wall 673 faces a boundary 127 between the nozzle array 121 and the nozzle arrays 122 to 124 from below. A portion of a cap lip 676 that is formed from the upper edge of the perimeter wall 672 is at the same height as a portion of the cap lip 676 that is formed from the upper edge of the partition wall 673.
The cap support portion 69 is moved up and down between a covering position (refer to
In a case where soak processing (
Electrical Configuration of the Printer 1
As shown in
The ROM 41 stores a control program by which the CPU 40 controls the printer 1, as well as initial values and the like. The RAM 42 temporarily stores various types of data that are used by the control program. The EEPROM 44 stores a soak flag that indicates that soak processing, which will be described later, has been performed, a printing-in-progress flag that indicates that printing is in progress, and a first discharge flag that indicates that first discharge processing has been performed. The EEPROM 44 also stores an elapsed time that starts being counted in the cover processing (Step S14). The head drive portion 43 is electrically connected to the heads 110 that discharge the inks 91. By operating piezoelectric elements that are provided in individual discharge channels in the heads 110 (refer to
The main scanning direction drive portion 45 includes the drive motor 19 (refer to
The first drive portion 194 includes a first drive motor (not shown in the drawings), a gear (not shown in the drawings), and the like. By moving the support plate 149 to the left and the right, the first drive portion 194 moves the absorption member 51 to the left and the right. The second drive portion 195 includes a second drive motor (not shown in the drawings), a gear (not shown in the drawings), the moving portion 63 (refer to
The electromagnetic valve drive portion 197 opens and closes supply on-off valves 721, 722, an air on-off valve 743, and waste liquid on-off valves 771, 772, all of which will be described later (refer to
Structure of the Maintenance Flow Path System 700
As shown in
The cleaning liquid tank 705 is a container that stores the cleaning liquid 92. The supply flow path 711 is a flow path that is connected to the cleaning liquid tank 705 and to the first area 661 in the cap 67. The operating of the suction pump 708 makes it possible for the supply flow path 711 to take the cleaning liquid 92 that is stored in the cleaning liquid tank 705 and supply it to the first area 661 in the cap 67. The supply flow path 712 is a flow path that is connected to the cleaning liquid tank 705 and to the second area 662 in the cap 67. In the same manner as the supply flow path 711, the supply flow path 712 is able to supply the cleaning liquid 92 to the second area 662 in the cap 67.
The supply on-off valves 721, 722 are electromagnetic valves that are provided in the supply flow paths 711, 712 and that open and close the supply flow paths 711, 712. The gas flow path 733 is connected to the supply flow path 711 at a convergence portion 751 that is located between the supply on-off valve 721 and the cleaning liquid tank 705. Therefore, the gas flow path 733 is connected to the first area 661 of the cap 67 through the supply flow path 711. The opposite end of the gas flow path 733 from the convergence portion 751 is open to the atmosphere. Therefore, the gas flow path 733 is a flow path through which air passes. The air on-off valve 743 is an electromagnetic valve that is provided in the gas flow path 733, and it opens and closes the gas flow path 733. The gas flow path 733 is also connected to the supply flow path 712 by the connecting path 734. One end of the connecting path 734 is connected to a convergence portion 753 between the convergence portion 751 and the air on-off valve 743. The other end of the connecting path 734 is connected to the supply flow path 712 at a convergence portion 752 that is located between the supply on-off valve 722 and the cleaning liquid tank 705. Therefore, the gas flow path 733 is connected to the second area 662 of the cap 67 through the connecting path 734 and the supply flow path 712.
Note that the gas flow path 733 may also be connected directly to the cap 67, without being connected to the supply flow paths 711, 712. In that case, the single gas flow path 733 may be divided into two branches, with one branch being connected to the first area 661 and the other branch being connected to the second area 662. The gas flow path 733 may also be provided in the form of two gas flow paths, with one of the gas flow paths 733 being connected to the first area 661 and the other of the gas flow paths 733 being connected to the second area 662. The convergence portion 752 may also be located between the cap 67 and the supply on-off valve 722 in the supply flow path 712, and the convergence portion 753 may also be located between the cap 67 and the supply on-off valve 721 in the supply flow path 711. In that case, the gas flow path 733, which is connected to the convergence portions 752, 753, may be provided as a single gas flow path, and it may also be provided in the form of two gas flow paths.
The waste liquid flow path 761 is connected to the first area 661 of the cap 67. The waste liquid flow path 762 is connected to the first area 662 of the cap 67. The waste liquid flow paths 761, 762 converge at a convergence portion 707 to form the single waste liquid flow path 763. The waste liquid flow path 763 is connected to the waste liquid tank 706. The waste liquid tank 706 is a container that stores the inks 91 and the cleaning liquid 92 that have been drained out of the cap 67. The suction pump 708 is provided in the waste liquid flow path 763. The operation of the suction pump 708 enables the waste liquid flow paths 761, 762, 763 to drain the inks 91 and the cleaning liquid 92 out of the cap 67. The waste liquid on-off valves 771, 772 are electromagnetic valves that are respectively provided in the waste liquid flow paths 761, 762 and that respectively open and close the waste liquid flow paths 761, 762.
In the explanation that follows, the supply flow path 711, the gas flow path 733, and the waste liquid flow paths 761, 763, all of which are connected to the first area 661, will be called the first flow path system 701. The supply flow path 712, the gas flow path 733, the connecting path 734, and the waste liquid flow paths 762, 763, all of which are connected to the second area 662, will be called the second flow path system 702.
Maintenance Processing
When the power supply to the printer 1 is turned on, the CPU 40 reads the control program that is stored in the ROM 41 and controls the printer 1. A control program for the maintenance processing, which is shown in
In a case where the CPU 40 has determined that printing has been completed (YES at Step S11), the CPU 40 determines whether a head temperature T is higher than a reference temperature Tw (Step S12). The reference temperature Tw is 45 degrees Celsius, for example. In a case where the CPU 40 does not determine, based on the output from the temperature detector 23, that the head temperature T is higher than the reference temperature Tw (NO at Step S12), the CPU 40 performs the wipe processing (Step S13). In a case where the CPU 40 has determined, based on the output from the temperature detector 23, that the head temperature T is higher than the reference temperature Tw (YES at Step S12), the CPU 40 performs the cover processing (Step S14) and the soak processing (Step S16). Note that the CPU 40 may perform the determination processing at Step S12 between the completion of print processing (Step S18; Step S247) that prints the image on the printing medium and the moving of the head 110 to the maintenance position, where it is opposite the cap 67, or in a state in which the head 110 has moved to the maintenance position, or immediately prior to the completion of the print processing. However, in the present embodiment, it is preferable for the determination processing at Step S12 to be performed between the completion of the print processing and the moving of the head 110 to the wipe position, because whether or not the head 110 is in a printing position, it is closer to the wipe position than to the cap position. It is also better to perform the determination processing at Step S12 after printing has been completed than in the final stage of the print processing, because the effect of heat generated by printing with an integrated drive circuit that is contained in the head drive portion 43 is thought to be a major cause of failure to discharge the inks 91 from the nozzles 112.
In the wipe processing (Step S13), the CPU 40 performs the nozzle face wiping operation that was described previously. That causes the wiper 31 to slide along the nozzle face 111 and wipe the ink 91 off of the nozzle face 111. Next, the CPU 40 may perform the wiper wiping operation that was described previously.
Following the wipe processing (Step S13), the CPU 40 performs the cover processing (Step S15). In the cover processing (Step S15), the CPU 40 operates the third drive portion 196 (refer to
Following the cover processing (Step S15), the CPU 40 determines whether a print command has been received (Step S17). The print command is transmitted to the CPU 40 from the operation processing portion 50 based on an operation of the operation buttons 501 or is transmitted to the CPU 40 from a computer (not shown in the drawings) that is connected to the CPU 40 through the USB connector 47 and a network such as a local area network (LAN) or the like (not shown in the drawings). In a case where the print command has been received (YES at Step S17), the CPU 40 performs the print processing (Step S18).
Print Processing (Step S18)
The CPU 40 performs the print processing (Step S18) according to the subroutine flowchart that is shown in
Following the processing at Step S249, the CPU 40 performs first flushing processing (Step S250). The first flushing processing is processing that performs a first flushing, which discharges a first amount of the ink 91 from each of the nozzles 112 onto the flushing receiving portion 145 (refer to
In a case where the CPU 40 has not received the print command (NO at Step S17), the CPU 40 determines whether it has received a head cleaning command (Step S19). The head cleaning command is transmitted to the CPU 40 from the operation processing portion 50 based on an operation of the operation buttons 501 or is transmitted to the CPU 40 from a computer (not shown in the drawings) that is connected to the CPU 40 through the USB connector 47 and a network such as a local area network (LAN) or the like (not shown in the drawings). In a case where the head cleaning command has been received (YES at Step S19), the CPU 40 performs head cleaning processing (Step S20).
Head Cleaning Processing
The CPU 40 performs the head cleaning processing (Step S20) according to the subroutine flowchart that is shown in
Following the processing at Step S201, the CPU 40 performs the cover release processing (Step S202), which moves the cap 67 from the covering position on the nozzles 112 to the cap withdrawn position (refer to
In the processing at Step S12, in a case where the CPU 40 has determined, based on the output from the temperature detector 23, that the head temperature T is higher than the reference temperature Tw (YES at Step S12), the CPU 40 performs the cover processing (Step S14). In the cover processing (Step S14), the CPU 40 performs the same processing as the cover processing (Step S15) that is shown in
Soak Processing
In the soak processing (Step S16), the CPU 40 performs a soak that puts the cleaning liquid 92 in contact with the nozzle face 111 by using the first flow path system 701 to fill the first area 661 with the cleaning liquid 92, as shown in
The CPU 40 supplies the cleaning liquid 92 from the cleaning liquid tank 705 to the first area 661 of the cap 67 through the supply flow path 711. First, for example, the CPU 40 may operate the valves. For example, the CPU 40 closes the air on-off valve 743 and opens the supply on-off valve 721, as shown in
Next, the CPU 40 determines whether an elapsed time H since the covering state of the cap 67 was established by the cover processing (Step S14) is greater than a specified time N (Step S21). The elapsed time H is stored in the EEPROM 44 and is the time that is indicated by the timer that started to count the time in the cover processing (Step S14). An example of the specified time N is 300 seconds. In a case where the CPU 40 does not determine that the elapsed time H is greater than the specified time N (NO at Step S21), the CPU 40 determines whether it has received the print command (Step S22). The determination processing at Step S22 is the same determination processing as the determination processing at Step S17. In a case where the CPU 40 has determined that it has received the print command (YES at Step S22), the CPU 40 performs the print processing (Step S24).
Print Processing (Step S24)
The CPU 40 performs the print processing (Step S24) according to the subroutine flowchart that is shown in
The first discharge processing (Step S23) has not been performed prior to the print processing (Step S24), so the first discharge flag has not been stored in the EEPROM 44. Therefore the CPU 40 determines that the first discharge processing has not been completed (NO at Step S241) and performs the first discharge processing (Step S242). The first discharge processing is processing that discharges the cleaning liquid 92 from the inside of the cap 67 while the cap 67 is in the covering state, in which it covers the nozzle face 111. For example, the CPU 40 operates the suction pump 708 at the same time that it opens the air on-off valve 743, the waste liquid on-off valve 771, and the supply on-off valve 721. In the processing at Step S242, the cleaning liquid 92 is discharged from the first area 661 through the waste liquid flow paths 761, 763. The suction force of the suction pump 708 causes air to flow into the first area 661 through the gas flow path 733 and causes the cleaning liquid 92 inside the first area 661 to be drained into the waste liquid tank 706 through the waste liquid flow paths 761, 763, as shown in
Next, the CPU 40 performs the second discharge processing (Step S243). The second discharge processing is processing that uses the suction force of the suction pump 708 to suck the cleaning liquid 92 and the air from the inside of the cap 67 while the cap 67 is in a state in which it has moved an short distance away from the nozzle face 111. The short distance may be one millimeter, for example. The CPU 40 may operate the third drive portion 196 (refer to
Next, the CPU 40 performs the cover release processing (Step S244). The cover release processing (Step S244) is the same processing as the cover release processing (Step S202) that is shown in
Next, the CPU 40 performs a second flushing processing (Step S246). The second flushing processing is processing that performs a second flushing, which discharges the ink 91 from the nozzles 112 onto the flushing receiving portion 145 (refer to
Next, the CPU 40 performs the printing of the image (Step S247). When the CPU 40 starts the printing, it stores the printing-in-progress flag in the EEPROM 44 (Step S247), and when the printing is completed, the CPU 40 deletes the printing-in-progress flag from the EEPROM 44 (Step S247). The CPU 40 then returns the processing to Step S11.
In the determination processing at Step S22, in a case where the CPU 40 does not determine that it has received the print command (NO at Step S22), it determines whether it has received the head cleaning command (Step S25). The determination at Step S25 is the same determination processing as the determination at Step S19. In a case where the CPU 40 has determined that it has received the head cleaning command (YES at Step S25), it performs soak time head cleaning processing (Step S26).
Soak Time Head Cleaning Processing
The CPU 40 performs the soak time head cleaning processing (Step S26) according to the subroutine flowchart that is shown in
In a case where the CPU 40 has determined that the elapsed time H is greater than the specified time N (YES at Step S21), the CPU 40 performs the first discharge processing (Step S23). The processing at Step S23 is the same processing as at Step S242 in
Print Processing (Step S28)
The CPU 40 performs the print processing (Step S28) according to the subroutine flowchart that is shown in
In the determination processing at Step S27, in a case where the CPU 40 does not determine that it has received the print command (NO at Step S27), the CPU 40 determines whether it has received the head cleaning command (Step S29). The determination at Step S29 is the same determination processing as the determination at Step S19. In a case where the CPU 40 has determined that it has received the head cleaning command (YES at Step S29), the CPU 40 performs the head cleaning processing (Step S30), and in a case where the CPU 40 does not determine that it has received the head cleaning command (NO at Step S29), the CPU 40 returns the processing to Step S27.
Head Cleaning Processing (Step S30)
The CPU 40 performs the head cleaning processing (Step S30) according to the subroutine flowchart that is shown in
Soak
The inventor has confirmed that under the conditions enumerated below, the cleaning liquid 92 soaks the nozzle face 111 in the soak processing (Steps S16, S267).
(1) The second area 662 that is shown in
(2) The revolution speed of the suction pump 708 in the soak processing is 300 rpm.
(3) A surface tension F of the cleaning liquid 92 is 68.5 mN/m.
Note that the first area 661 that is shown in
Based on the confirmed results for the conditions (1) to (3) above, it is thought that in the soak processing, the cleaning liquid 92 will soak the nozzle face 111 under the conditions hereinafter described. Specifically, if the volumes V of the spaces within the cap 67 to which the suction pump 708 applies suction are reduced, the amount of the cleaning liquid 92 that is needed to fill the spaces will be reduced. Accordingly, it becomes easier for the cleaning liquid 92 to soak the nozzle face 111. Therefore, one of the surface area S and the distance L may be reduced in order to reduce the volume V. Reducing the distance L shortens the distance to the nozzle face 111, so that is desirable for soaking purposes. Soaking also becomes easier in the soak processing if the revolution speed of the suction pump 708 is not less than 300 rpm, because the suction force with which the suction pump 708 draws the cleaning liquid 92 into the spaces inside the cap 67 becomes stronger.
The cleaning liquid 92 also spreads more readily, and soaking becomes more difficult, if the surface tension F of the cleaning liquid 92 is less than 68.5 mN/m. Conversely, the cleaning liquid 92 becomes more resistant to spreading, and soaking becomes easier, if the surface tension F of the cleaning liquid 92 is not less than 68.5 mN/m. Note that the cleaning liquid 92 contains a surface active agent, and if the ratio of the surface active agent increases, the surface tension F becomes greater. The surface tension of the ink 91 is approximately 30 mN/m, and the surface tension F of the cleaning liquid 92 is higher than the surface tension of the ink 91.
As explained previously, in the embodiment that is described above, the printer 1 is provided with the head 110, the cap 67, the supply flow paths 711, 712, and the waste liquid flow paths 761 to 763. The head 110 is provided with the nozzle face 111, in which the nozzles 112 are arrayed. The CPU 40 of the printer 1 determines, based on the input value from the temperature detector 23, whether the head temperature T is higher than the reference temperature Tw (Step S12). The determination processing at Step S12 is an example of first determination processing. In the determination processing (Step S12), in a case where it is not determined that the head temperature T is higher than the reference temperature Tw (NO at Step S12), the soak processing is not performed after the cover processing (Step S15), and the nozzle face 111 is put into a state in which it is not soaked by the cleaning liquid 92. The cover processing (Step S15), which puts the nozzle face 111 into the state in which it is not soaked by the cleaning liquid 92, is an example of first cap processing. In the determination processing (Step S12), in a case where the CPU 40 has determined, based on the input value from the temperature detector 23, that the head temperature T is higher than the reference temperature Tw (YES at Step S12), the CPU 40 performs the cover processing (Step S14). The CPU 40 then performs the soak processing (Step S16), which supplies the cleaning liquid 92 to the cap 67 through the supply flow paths 711, 712, thus putting the nozzle face 111 into the state in which it is soaked by the cleaning liquid 92. The soak processing (Step S16) is an example of second cap processing.
In the embodiment that is described above, in a case where the head temperature T that the temperature detector 23 detects is higher than the reference temperature Tw (YES at Step S12), the CPU 40 performs the soak processing (Step S16) to put the nozzle face 111 into the soak state. Therefore, the cleaning liquid 92 draws heat away from the nozzle face 111, promoting the cooling of the head 110. That, in turn, reduces the possibility that an increase in the viscosity of the ink 91 inside the nozzles 112, due to drying, will cause a discharge failure to occur in the nozzles 112 the next time printing is performed. This reduces concern that the nozzles 112 will dry out. Furthermore, even if the ink 91 or the like hardens on the nozzle face 111, it is dissolved by the cleaning liquid 92.
After the cover processing (Step S14), the cap 67 is in the covering state, in which it covers the nozzles 112. With the cap 67 in the covering state, the CPU 40 determines whether it has received the print command (Step S22). In the print processing, it is necessary for the covering of the nozzles 112 by the cap 67 to be released, so the print command is an example of a covering state release command. In a case where the CPU 40 has determined that it has received the print command (YES at Step S22), the CPU 40 performs the print processing (Step S24). In the print processing (Step S24), the CPU 40 first determines whether the nozzle face 111 is in the soak state (Step S240 in
Therefore, in a case where the CPU 40 has received the print command (YES at Step S22), which is a command to release the covering state, if the CPU 40 determines, in the determination processing at Step S240, that the nozzle face 111 is in the soak state (YES at Step S240), the CPU 40 performs the first discharge processing (Step S242). Therefore, the processing that discharges the cleaning liquid 92 is performed. It is therefore possible to prevent the cover release processing from being performed while the cleaning liquid 92 is inside the cap 67.
After the cover release processing (Step S244), the CPU 40 performs the wipe processing (Step S245), in which the cleaning liquid 92 that is adhering to the nozzle face 111 is wiped away by the wiper 31. Therefore, the cleaning liquid 92 that is adhering to the nozzle face 111 can be wiped away by the wipe processing (Step S245) that follows the cover release processing (Step S244). The adhesion of the cleaning liquid 92 to the nozzle face 111 can therefore be reduced, and the meniscus can be formed.
After the wipe processing (Step S245), the CPU 40 performs the second flushing processing (Step S246), which performs the second flushing. The second flushing processing (Step S246) is an example of flushing processing. Therefore, the cleaning liquid 92 that has entered the nozzles 112 during one of the wipe processing (Step S245) and the soak processing (Step S16) can be discharged by the second flushing processing (Step S246).
In the determination processing at Step S240, in a case where the CPU 40 does not determine that the nozzle face 111 is in the soak state (NO at Step S240), the CPU 40 performs the cover release processing (Step S248), then performs the first flushing processing (Step S250), which performs the first flushing that discharges the first amount of the ink 91. In the second determination processing, in a case where the CPU 40 has determined that the nozzle face 111 is in the soak state (YES at Step S240), the CPU 40 performs the first discharge processing (Step S242 in
In the determination processing at Step S21, the CPU 40 determines whether the elapsed time H since the covering state of the cap 67 was established by the cover processing (Step S14) is greater than the specified time N. The determination processing at Step S21 is an example of third determination processing. In the determination processing at Step S21, in a case where the CPU 40 has determined that the elapsed time H is greater than the specified time N (YES at Step S21), the CPU 40 performs the first discharge processing (Step S23), which discharges the cleaning liquid 92 inside the cap 67 through the waste liquid flow paths 761, 762, 763. The first discharge processing is an example of discharge processing. If the state in which the cleaning liquid 92 has filled the cap 67 continues for longer than the specified time N, the cleaning liquid 92 may penetrate beyond the nozzles 112, and cases may occur in which the cleaning liquid 92 cannot be completely discharged from the nozzles 112 by maintenance processing such as the flushing processing or the like. Therefore, in the determination processing at Step S21, in a case where the CPU 40 has determined that the elapsed time H is greater than the specified time N (YES at Step S21), the CPU 40 uses the processing at Step S23 to perform the discharge processing of the cleaning liquid 92. The possibility that the cleaning liquid 92 cannot be completely discharged from the nozzles 112 is thus reduced.
With the cap 67 in the covering state that was established by the cover processing (Step S14), the CPU 40 performs the first discharge processing (Step S242), after which it performs the second discharge processing (Step S243). Therefore, the discharge processing is performed for the cleaning liquid 92 with the cap 67 in the covering state, so the covering state is maintained, even after the cleaning liquid 92 has been discharged from the cap 67, and the nozzles 112 can be prevented from drying out. Furthermore, in the second discharge processing, the suction pump 708 is used to suck the cleaning liquid 92 and the air from the inside of the cap 67 while the cap 67 is in the state in which it has moved an short distance away from the nozzle face 111, making it possible to decrease the amount of the cleaning liquid 92 that adheres to the nozzle face 111.
With the nozzle face 111 in the soak state, the CPU 40 uses the determination processing at Step S25 to determine whether it has received the head cleaning command for cleaning the head 110. The determination processing at Step S25 is an example of fourth determination processing. In the determination processing at Step S25, in a case where the CPU 40 has determined that it has received the head cleaning command (YES at Step S25), the CPU 40 performs the soak time head cleaning processing (Step S26). In the soak time head cleaning processing (Step S26), the CPU 40 drains off the cleaning liquid 92 while the cap 67 is in the covering state (Step S261) and performs at least one of the ink suction (Step S262), which sucks the ink 91 out of the nozzles 112, the wipe processing (Step S264), and the first flushing processing (Step S265). Next, the CPU 40 performs the cover processing (Step S266) and the soak processing (Step S267). Therefore, in the determination processing at Step S25, in a case where the CPU 40 has determined that it has received the head cleaning command (YES at Step S25), the CPU 40 performs the drains off the cleaning liquid 92 while the cap 67 is in the covering state and performs at least one of the ink suction, the wipe processing, and the first flushing processing. The head 110 is therefore cleaned. Next, the nozzle face 111 is put into the soak state, in which it is soaked by the cleaning liquid 92, so the nozzles 112 can be prevented from drying out.
In the interval between the completion of print processing (Steps S18, S24, S28) that performs the printing on the printing medium and the moving of the head 110 to the maintenance position, where it is positioned opposite the cap 67, or in the state in which the head 110 to the maintenance position, the CPU 40 performs the determination processing at Step S12. Therefore, if the CPU 40 performs the determination processing at Step S12 in the period up to the moving of the head 110 to the maintenance position, it can perform the cover processing for the cap 67 promptly.
The present invention is not limited to its form in the embodiment that is described above, and various types of modifications can be made. For example, the reference temperature Tw is not limited to 45 degrees Celsius, and the temperature of the head 110 that has been increased by the printing operation, such as 50 degrees Celsius or the like, may be set as the reference. The determination processing at Step S12 may also determine, based on the input value from the temperature detector 23, whether the head temperature T is not less than the reference temperature Tw, instead of higher than the reference temperature Tw. The first cap processing is not limited to a case in which the cleaning liquid 92 is not supplied at all to the interior of the cap 67 in the covering state, and the cleaning liquid 92 may also be injected into the interior of the cap 67 to an extent that does not soak the nozzle face 111.
In the first flushing, the first amount of the ink 91 that is discharged from each of the nozzles 112 is not limited to the total amount of the ink 91 that is discharged by five rounds of an operation in which five hundred drops of the ink 91 are discharged. Furthermore, in the second flushing, the second amount of the ink 91 that is discharged from each of the nozzles 112 is not limited to the total amount of the ink 91 that is discharged by fifteen rounds of an operation in which five hundred drops of the ink 91 are discharged. The second amount needs only to be greater than the first amount and to be an amount that is able to discharge the cleaning liquid 92 that has penetrated into the interiors of nozzles 112. For example, at Step S204, the first amount of the ink 91 that is discharged from each of the nozzles 112 may be the total amount of the ink 91 that is discharged by three rounds of an operation in which three-hundred-fifty drops of the ink 91 are discharged. And at Step S246, the second amount of the ink 91 that is discharged from each of the nozzles 112 may be the total amount of the ink 91 that is discharged by fifteen rounds of an operation in which five hundred drops of the ink 91 are discharged. Then, at Step S250, the first amount of the ink 91 that is discharged from each of the nozzles 112 may be the total amount of the ink 91 that is discharged by five rounds of an operation in which five hundred drops of the ink 91 are discharged and the ink 91 that is subsequently discharged by twenty-five rounds of an operation in which two hundred drops of the ink 91 are discharged.
After the processing at Step S242, the processing at Step S243 is performed, but it is also acceptable for the processing at Step S243 not to be performed. It is also acceptable for the processing at Step S243 to be performed without the processing at Step S242 having been performed. In other words, the processing at Step S243 may be performed as the first discharge processing. The second discharge processing that is shown at Step S243 may also be performed after Step S261. In that case, the operations of the supply on-off valve 721, the waste liquid on-off valve 771, the air on-off valve 743, and the suction pump 708 are the same as their operations at Steps S242 and S243. The specified time N that is determined by the determination processing at Step S21 is not necessarily limited to 300 seconds. The specified time N needs only to be a time that takes into consideration the length of time that the cleaning liquid 92 that is soaking the nozzle 112 penetrates into the interiors of nozzles 112.
It is also acceptable for the partition wall 673 not to be provided in the cap 67. In that case, the first area 661 and the second area 662 would also cease to exist, so it would be possible to supply the cleaning liquid 92 into the interior of the cap 67 only once, and to remove the cleaning liquid 92 only once. In that case, it would also not be necessary to provide both the first flow path system 701 and second flow path system 702, and a single flow path system would be preferable. The number of the partition walls 673 is also not limited. For example, three of the partition walls 673 may be provided in the cap 67, and they may contact the corresponding boundaries between the plurality of the nozzle arrays 121 to 124.
It is also acceptable not to provide the waste liquid on-off valves 771, 772. It is also acceptable not to provide the waste liquid tank 706. The ink 91 that is discharged from the nozzles 112 may also be a discharge agent that decolorizes a dyed cloth, for example.
The opposite end of the gas flow path 733 from the cap 67 is open to the atmosphere, but it may also be connected to a tank that stores a gas other than air, for example. A gas flow path may also be connected to each one of the supply flow paths 711, 712, and an air on-off valve may be provided in each one of the gas flow paths.
The individual steps in the maintenance processing in
The apparatus and methods described above with reference to the various embodiments are merely examples. It goes without saying that they are not confined to the depicted embodiments. While various features have been described in conjunction with the examples outlined above, various alternatives, modifications, variations, and/or improvements of those features and/or examples may be possible. Accordingly, the examples, as set forth above, are intended to be illustrative. Various changes may be made without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the underlying principles.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2017-066946 | Mar 2017 | JP | national |