Patent Application
20240010002
The present disclosure relates to a wiping operation of a printing apparatus.
Regarding inkjet printing apparatuses, there is a possibility that normal printing is hindered due to solidification of ink adhering to the vicinity of ejection ports of a print head or increase in viscosity of ink. U.S. Pat. No. 8,342,638 (hereinafter referred to as Document 1) proposes an inkjet printing apparatus equipped with a maintenance mechanism as a technique for wiping off ink adhering to ejection ports. The maintenance mechanism utilizes the movement of a carriage on which a print head is mounted, so as to push up a part of a sheet-like cleaning member, which is referred to as a web, to the ejection port surface of the print head. Accordingly, ink stagnation at ejection ports during ink ejection, adhering mist due to rebounding, dust, dirt, paper fibers, etc., in the atmosphere, or many particles carried by the air are wiped and removed.
Further, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2017-124617 (hereinafter referred to as Document 2), as a technique for suppressing an increase in viscosity of ink, the pressure difference between two pressure adjustment mechanisms is utilized to generate an ink flow that passes through pressure chambers. With the ink flow circulating the ink through channels communicating with respective ejection ports and pressure chambers corresponding thereto, the increase in viscosity of the ink in the ejection ports is suppressed.
However, by using the wiping configuration and the ink circulation configuration described in Document 1 and Document 2, there is a possibility of causing color mixture due to entering of ink from an ejection port. This is because, if the wiping is performed during ink circulation, mist of another color in the vicinity of an ejection port or bleed from an adjacent ink is mixed through the ejection port, and, if it is flowed deep into the print head due to the circulation, it will be difficult to discharge it. On the other hand, if the wiping is performed after the ink circulation is stopped, the color mixture is suppressed, but such a problem that the throughput drops occurs.
The printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a print head configured to eject ink, which has flowed from a first channel into a pressure chamber, from a nozzle by driving an ejection energy generating element installed in the pressure chamber; a circulation pump configured to circulate the ink in a circulation channel including the first channel, the pressure chamber, and a second channel that flows the ink inside the pressure chamber to the outside of the pressure chamber; a wiping unit configured with a cleaning member that can wipe an ejection port surface of an ejection port and a winding member that winds the cleaning member; and a control unit configured to control a cleaning operation in which the wiping unit wipes the ejection port surface, so that, in a case where the cleaning operation is performed after the circulation pump is stopped, the cleaning operation is changed based on an elapsed time from the time the circulation pump stopped driving.
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
Hereinafter, an explanation is given of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the following description, “printing” indicates not only cases of forming meaningful information such as characters and figures, that is, being meaningful or meaningless does not matter. Further, for “printing”, whether or not being elicited in such a manner that a human can visually perceive does not matter, and cases of forming an image, design, pattern, or the like on a print medium in a broad sense or cases of processing a medium are also indicated. Further, the “print medium” represents not only paper used in a general printing apparatus but also a cloth, plastic film, metal plate, glass, ceramics, wood, leather, and the like, or a material that can accept ink in a broad sense. Furthermore, “ink” (maybe referred to as “liquid”) should be interpreted in a broad sense as with the above-described definition of “printing”. Therefore, it indicates liquids that are applied onto a print medium, so as to thereby serve for forming an image, design, pattern, etc., for processing a print medium, or for treating an ink (e.g., solidification or insolubilization of a coloring material in the ink applied to the print medium). In addition, unless otherwise specified, a “nozzle” collectively indicates an ejection port, a liquid path communicating therewith, and an element that generates energy utilized for ink ejection.
With reference to
First, in S401, the CPU 301 obtains image data (luminance data) represented by 8-bit 256-value information (0 to 255) for each color of red (R), green (G), and blue (B), which is input from the host PC 312 to the printing apparatus 101.
Next, in S402, the CPU 301 converts the image data represented by R, G, and B into multi-valued data represented by the multiple types of ink (K, C, M, Y) used for printing. By this color conversion process, multi-valued data which is represented by 8-bit 256-value information (0 to 255) that defines the tone of each ink in each pixel group consisting of multiple pixels is generated.
Next, in S403, the CPU 301 executes quantization of the multi-valued data represented by K, C, M, and Y, so as to generate quantized data (binary data) represented by 1-bit binary information (0, 1), which defines ejection or non-ejection of each ink for each pixel. Here, the quantization process can be performed according to various quantization methods such as an error diffusion method, a dither method, an index method, and the like.
In S404, the CPU 301 performs a distribution process for distributing the quantization data for multiple times of scanning to be performed on a unit area of the print head. By this distribution process, print data represented by 1-bit binary information (0, 1) that defines ejection or non-ejection of each ink for each pixel in each of the multiple times of scanning to be performed on a unit area of the print medium is generated. This distribution process corresponds to the multiple times of scanning and is executed by use of a mask pattern that defines allowance or no allowance of ink ejection for each pixel.
Ink is ejected from the print head according to the print data generated as described above. Note that, although the form in which the CPU 301 of the printing apparatus 101 executes all of the processes as described above, embodiments in other forms are also possible. For example, such a form in which the processes are executed by the PC 312 is also possible. Further, for example, such a form in which a part of the processes is executed by the PC 312 and the rest is executed by the printing apparatus 100 is also possible.
Next, with reference to
As illustrated in
As described above, by driving the circulation drive pump 408, a flow of moving the ink in the vicinity of the ejection ports 402 is generated, so that an increase in ink viscosity due to drying in the ejection ports during printing operations is suppressed, and thus deterioration in ink ejection characteristics can be suppressed.
In the state where ink is supplied, the chip 403 is kept at such a negative pressure in which a meniscus is formed on the ejection port surface. Two channels, i.e., the inlet port 421 and the outlet port 422, are formed on both sides of the ejection port 402, respectively. In the present embodiment, each of the inlet port 421 and the outlet port 422 is arranged so as to correspond to two of the ejection ports 402 as illustrated in
The recovery processing device 61 illustrated in
Next, an explanation is given of the maintenance mechanism 60.
The cleaning member 64 in unused condition (before ink is wiped off) is wound around the rotary member 65a (the first rotary member). The rotary member 65b (second rotary member) is arranged on the downstream side relative to the rotary member 65a in the conveyance direction (F) of printing paper. The tip of the cleaning member 64 is attached to the rotary member 65b, so that the cleaning member 64 in used condition (ink has been wiped off) is wound around the rotary member 65b. The pressing member 66 is arranged between the rotary member 65a and the rotary member 65b. The pressing member 66 presses the cleaning member 64 upward with a constant load by use of the compression spring 67. The pressing position is a position where the pressing member 66 pushes up the cleaning member 64 so that a part thereof makes contact with the ejection ports 402. In the present embodiment, the length of the cleaning member 64 that is made to abut on the ejection ports 402 by the pressing member 66 is about 5 mm in the ejection port array direction (that is, the wiping direction), which is the length that simultaneously abuts on about 240 ejection ports per color.
In general, the particle size of coloring materials such as pigment contained in a pigment ink used in the printing apparatus 101 is about 20 nm to 30 nm. On the other hand, the cleaning member 64 of the present embodiment is configured with a non-woven fabric (a sheet web or pad-like material made by bonding or entangling fibers by melt-adhesion or mechanical or chemical action). Further, because of the capillary pressure of the fine pores of the cleaning member 64, the ink adhering to the ejection port array forming surface is instantaneously absorbed by the wiping operation with the cleaning member 64.
Hereinafter, an explanation is given of the wiping operation of the maintenance mechanism 60 in the present embodiment. Hereinafter, ink ejection that is not associated with image formation on a print medium is referred to as preliminary ejection.
Conventionally, in wiping operations performed during ink circulation, there has been a possibility that mist of another color in the vicinity of an ejection port or bleeding from an adjacent ink onto a cleaning member enters an ejection port and the deep inside of it, which results in color mixture. This is because, although the cleaning member 64 is wound before a wiping operation so that the area that abuts on the ejection port surface is renewed with a new surface, since all of the ejection port arrays are wiped with the same surface during the wiping operation, ejection ports on the downstream side of the wiping operation are wiped with the surface that has been soiled with ink including other colors. Inks of other colors that are mixed deep inside the ejection ports 402 cannot be easily discharged even by preliminary ejection after the wiping. On the other hand, if the wiping is performed after the ink circulation is stopped, the color mixture is suppressed, but such a problem that the throughput drops occurs.
Therefore, in the present embodiment explained below, the enhancement of wiping accuracy is considered, i.e., by performing the wiping operation and the winding operation of the cleaning member 64 together, the wiping operation is performed while the area that abuts on the ejection port surface is renewed with a new surface. By performing the winding operation at an appropriate timing, it is expected to improve productivity while suppressing color mixture. For example, there is such a timing as after ink circulation is stopped, at which color mixture can be prevented even if wiping is performed without performing the winding operation together. If the winding operation is performed at such a timing, the consumption amount of the cleaning member 64 increases although the accuracy of the wiping of the surface after ejection is not much different from the case of not performing the winding operation together. An explanation is given below of the method for reducing the consumption amount of the cleaning member 64 while suppressing color mixture in consideration of the winding of the cleaning member 64 at an appropriate timing and by an appropriate winding length.
First, in S1001, the printing apparatus 101 moves the carriage unit 102 from the printing area A to the non-printing area B as illustrated in
In S1002, the printing apparatus 101 performs the operation of ascending the pressing member 66. In S1003, the printing apparatus 101 winds the cleaning member 64 by a predetermined length, so as to renew the area to be pressed against the ejection port forming surface by the pressing member 66 with a new surface. In the present embodiment, winding by about 5 mm, which is the length for the cleaning member to abut on the ejection port arrays in the wiping direction, is performed for each wiping operation.
In S1004, the printing apparatus 101 compares the elapsed time from the time the circulation drive pump 408 illustrated in
On the other hand, in the determination of S1004, in a case where the time period since the circulation drive pump 408 is stopped is equal to or less than the threshold value, there is a possibility that color-mixed ink is flowed from an ejection port deep into it due to the circulatory flow of ink. Therefore, in S1006, the printing apparatus 101 starts the winding operation of the cleaning member 64 and, in S1007, performs the wiping operation together with the winding operation. Accordingly, it is possible to perform the wiping operation in a state where the area to be pressed against the ejection port forming surface by the pressing member 66 is always renewed with a new surface. That is, suppression of color mixture can be expected. In S1008, the printing apparatus 101 ends the winding operation of the cleaning member 64 at the timing where the wiping operation ends.
An explanation is given of the processes of S1006 to S1008 with reference to
In S1010, the printing apparatus 101 moves the maintenance mechanism 60 to the wiping start position. In S1011, the printing apparatus 101 performs preliminary ejection. Preliminary ejection may be performed on the cap or may be performed on the cleaning member 64, or a preliminary ejection box that receives only preliminary ejection may be installed. Then, the series of wiping operation ends.
Next, an explanation is given of the preliminary ejection operation in S1011.
The dashed line in
Therefore, preliminary ejection is performed at each of the preliminary ejection positions 1201K, 1201C, 1201M, and 1201Y, where the carriage unit 102 is moved so that the preliminary ejection is performed at positions between ejection port arrays, i.e., positions different from the positions that make contact with the ejection port arrays in the wiping operation. That is, in S1102 to S1105, the printing apparatus 101 moves to the preliminary ejection positions in the order of 1201K, 1201C, 1201M, and 1201Y, so as to perform preliminary ejection. In the present embodiment, preliminary ejection of 100 shots per ejection port is performed at a driving frequency of 5 kHz. Note that the preliminary ejection need not be performed in the above-described order of the preliminary ejection positions. Furthermore, the preliminary ejection may not be performed on the pressing member 66 and may be performed on the cleaning member 64 in used condition (which has wiped off ink).
Next, an explanation is given of the timing at which the wiping operation explained with reference to
The wiping operation during a printing operation is performed as a maintenance on a regular basis for preventing the mist of the same color or different colors from the print head, which occurs during printing operations, from adhering and sticking to the vicinity of ejection ports or for preventing a large amount of mist from congregating to form a liquid droplet and dripping.
The wiping operation at the start of a printing operation is performed before the printing of the first page and is performed for the purpose of preliminarily applying a wiping liquid impregnated in the cleaning member to the head orifice face so as to make it easier to remove mist that will adhere later by the wiping operations during the printing operation. Further, the wiping operation during a cleaning sequence is also performed for preliminarily applying the wiping liquid impregnated in the cleaning member to the head orifice face after a recovery process such as ink suctioning with the cap is performed.
The wiping operation at the start of a printing operation or during a cleaning sequence is performed in a state where there is no “ink circulatory flow”, that is, after a sufficient time period has passed since the circulation drive pump 408 is stopped. Therefore, even if wiping is performed with a surface that has already been soiled with ink, the color-mixed ink remains in the vicinity of ejection ports and thus can be discharged by preliminary ejection. That is, it is not necessary to perform the wiping operation while performing the winding operation.
A wiping operation between pages is performed as necessary during a multiple page printing operation. The timing of the wiping operation is, for example, the timing after the end of the printing of the first page and before the printing of the second page and, in some cases, the timing at which cutting is performed by a cutter process after the printing of the first page ends. Further, the wiping operation before a cap closing operation is a wiping operation for performing maintenance before capping the print head 110 after the end of printing. The wiping operations between pages and before the cap closing operation are performed in a state where the elapsed time from the time the circulation drive pump 408 is stopped is short (for example, shorter than the time period represented by the threshold value used in S1004 of
As described above, during the printing operation, the circulation drive pump 408 is driven for circulating the ink in the ejection ports so as to stabilize the ejection characteristics. Here, during the printing operation of
If the printing operation ends, the print head 110 returns to the standby position and is capped after the necessary recovery operation is performed by the recovery processing device 61. After the printing operation ends, it is not necessary to circulate the ink in the ejection ports to suppress the increase in viscosity due to evaporation, and thus the driving of the circulation drive pump 408 is stopped at such a timing illustrated in
In a case of waiting for the wiping operation to be performed on the head orifice face by the cleaning member 64 of the maintenance mechanism 60 until the ink flow velocity stops after the circulation drive pump 408 stops, the problem of ink mixture or the problem that an foreign substance deeply enters a circulation path do not occur. However, because of the wait for the ink flow velocity to stop, the start of the wiping operation is delayed due to the standby time and, accordingly, the start of the printing operation for the next image to be printed is also delayed, and therefore the productivity of the printing apparatus is decreased.
On the other hand, if the wiping is performed in a state where the ink flow velocity remains, the problem that ink of another color enters an ejection port and flows deep into the print head 110 occurs. As for this color mixture, if the ink flow velocity is fast, the amount of color mixture is large, and the ink enters an ejection port deeply though the vicinity thereof and cannot be discharged even by preliminary ejection, and, if the ink flow velocity is slow, the amount of color mixture is small, and the ink does not enter an ejection port deeply through the vicinity thereof and can be discharged by preliminary ejection. Specifically, in view of the amount of color mixture and a discharge operation by preliminary ejection for each ink flow velocity, if the ink flow velocity is about 3 (mm/s) or less, ink does not enter the ejection ports deeply through the vicinities thereof and can be discharged by preliminary ejection. Note that this ink flow velocity is an example in the case of the print head of the present embodiment, and the allowable ink flow velocity may change as appropriate depending on the print head used, etc.
For example, the ink flow velocity during a printing operation and at the time the circulation drive pump 408 stops driving (0 (sec)) is about 12.5 (mm/s). Similarly, the wiping timing in the case of performing wiping between pages is a timing after the printing operation for the previous page ends and about 3.0 (sec) elapses from the time the circulation drive pump 408 is stopped, and the ink flow velocity is about 8.0 (mm/s). Similarly, before closing the cap, the ink flow velocity is about 2.2 (mm/s) at about 10.0 (sec) after the pump stops, and, during the cleaning sequence, the ink flow velocity is about 0 (mm/s) at about 20 (sec) or more after the pump stops. At start of printing, the ink flow velocity is about 0 (mm/s) as well since it is before driving the circulation drive pump 408. It is known that the wiping during printing operations and between pages, in which ink flow velocity is faster than about 3 (mm/s), causes the problem of color mixture, and the wiping before closing the cap, at the start of printing, and during cleaning sequences, in which the ink flow velocity is slower than about 3 (mm/s), is not likely to cause the problem of color mixture.
Therefore, in a case where the wiping is performed at a timing earlier than the timing at which the ink flow velocity is about 3 (mm/s) or less, the operation is performed while winding the cleaning member 64 so as to renew the part that abuts on the ejection-performed surface as illustrated in S1006 to S1008 of
Here, the relationship among time period from the time the circulation drive pump 408 stops, ink flow velocity, and whether or not to perform the wiping operation while performing winding for the respective timings of the wiping operations explained in the description above is summarized in Table 1.
As explained above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to suppress color mixture of ink or entering of foreign substances into channels during maintenance while suppressing a decrease in productivity. Specifically, in a case where the ink flow velocity is fast, the wiping is performed while winding the cleaning member. As a result, it is possible to suppress the problem that the color-mixed ink is flowed deep through the vicinity of an ejection port by wiping. Further, by doing so only in a case where the ink flow velocity is fast, it is possible to suppress the consumption amount of the cleaning member.
In the first embodiment, the wiping operation is performed according to the result of comparing the elapsed time from the time the circulation drive pump 408 stops with the threshold value. Specifically, in a case where the elapsed time is equal to or less than the threshold value, the wiping operation is performed with a new non-woven fabric while the winding operation of the cleaning member 64 is performed, and, in a case where the elapsed time is greater than the threshold value, the wiping operation without the winding operation is performed after renewing with a new non-woven fabric before the wiping operation. In the present embodiment, it is considered to change the wiping speed of the wiping operation without performing the winding operation by comparing the elapsed time from the time the circulation drive pump 408 stops with a threshold value. Hereinafter, a detailed explanation is given.
Hereinafter, an explanation is given of the wiping operation of the maintenance mechanism 60 in the second embodiment.
In S1401, the printing apparatus 101 compares the time period from the time the circulation drive pump 408 stopped with a predetermined threshold value.
In a case of being equal to or less than the threshold value, the wiping operation is performed in S1404 at a relatively slower wiping speed than the normal speed. Accordingly, for the ink with a fast circulatory flow immediately after the circulation drive pump 408 stops, the ink sufficiently seeps out from the ejection ports to the cleaning member 64, and thus entering of wiped ink of another color can be suppressed.
On the other hand, in a case of being greater than the threshold value, the wiping operation is performed in S1402 at a wiping speed relatively faster than the normal speed. Because a sufficient time period has elapsed since the circulation drive pump 408 is stopped, the circulatory flow of the present step has become slow. For this reason, the degree of the color-mixed ink deeply entering an ejection port is small and thus can be discharged by preliminary ejection. Therefore, it is not necessary to slow down the wiping speed so that the cleaning member 64 is sufficiently soaked with ink, and, to the contrary, by making the wiping speed faster, the time period for the wiping operation can be shortened.
In Table 2, the relationship among time period from the time the circulation drive pump 408 stops, ink flow velocity, wiping speed, and number of times of preliminary ejection for the respective timings of the wiping operations is illustrated.
As described above, according to the present embodiment, in a case where the ink flow velocity is fast, the wiping is performed at a relatively slow wiping speed. As a result, it is possible to suppress the problem that the color-mixed ink is flowed deep through the vicinity of an ejection port by wiping. Further, in a case where the ink flow velocity is low due to the passage of time period after the circulation drive pump 408 stops, the wiping operation is performed at a relatively high speed, so as to thereby reduce the time period required for the wiping operation.
In the above-described embodiment, the explanation is given that the wiping operation is performed while winding the cleaning member and the wiping speed is changed according to the elapsed time from the time the circulation drive pump 408 stops. In the present embodiment, an explanation is given of a method of changing both of the winding length of the cleaning member and the wiping speed according to whether the circulation pump is in a driving state or in a stopped state.
Hereinafter, an explanation is given of the wiping operation of the maintenance mechanism 60 in the third embodiment.
In S1601, the printing apparatus 101 determines whether the circulation drive pump 408 is stopped. In a case where the circulation drive pump 408 is stopped, i.e., in the case of S1602, the printing apparatus 101 performs the wiping operation at a relatively high wiping speed in S1603.
On the other hand, in a case where the circulation drive pump 408 is not stopped, i.e., in a case where the circulation drive pump 408 is being driven, the printing apparatus 101 sets a relatively slow wiping speed in S1604. Then, the winding operation of the cleaning member 64 is started in S1605, and, in S1606, the wiping operation is performed while performing the winding operation. Accordingly, the area to be pressed against the ejection port forming surface by the pressing member 66 is always renewed with a new surface, so that the ink can sufficiently seep out from the ejection ports to the cleaning member 64, and thus entering of ink can be suppressed. In S1607, the printing apparatus 101 ends the winding operation upon completion of the wiping operation.
In Table 3, the relationship among time period from the stop of the circulation drive pump 408, ink flow velocity, wiping speed, whether the wiping operation is performed, winding length, and number of times of preliminary ejection for the respective timings of the wiping operations is illustrated.
As explained above, according to the present embodiment, in a case where the circulation drive pump 408 is being driven, the wiping is performed at a relatively slow wiping speed while winding the cleaning member. As a result, it is possible to suppress the color-mixed ink from being flowed deep through the vicinity of an ejection port by wiping. Further, in a case where the circulation drive pump 408 is stopped, the time period required for the wiping operation can be shortened by performing the relatively fast wiping operation.
In the present embodiment, an explanation is given of the example in which the above-described embodiments are applied to a full-line type printing apparatus using a print head with a length corresponding to the entire width of print paper.
The conveyance belt 500 is an endless belt that conveys the print medium P and is held by two rollers so as to be rotatable in the direction of the arrow. The print medium is fed in the direction of the arrow by the conveyance belt 500, and printing is performed by ink ejection applied in the order of the print heads 2200K, 2200C, 2200M, and 2200Y.
Also in the present embodiment, the maintenance mechanism 60 as illustrated in
In the above-described embodiments, the wiping direction and the winding direction of the cleaning member are the same direction, and, in a case where the winding operation is performed with the wiping operation (winding length>0), the area of the cleaning member 64 abuts on the ejection port surface while being renewed so as to wipe the ejection port surface. However, it is also possible that the wiping direction of the cleaning member 64 and the winding direction of the cleaning member 64 are opposite directions. In a case where the wiping direction and the winding direction are opposite directions and the wiping operation is not performed while the winding operation is performed, the cleaning sequence is performed in the same manner as in the above-described embodiments.
On the other hand, in a case where the wiping direction and the winding direction are opposite directions and the wiping operation is performed while the winding operation is performed, it is desirable that the wiping speed of the cleaning member 64 and the winding speed of the cleaning member 64 are different. This is because, in a case of “wiping speed=winding speed”, the cleaning member 64 moves while abutting on the ejection port surface without wiping, and thus a sufficient cleaning performance cannot be obtained. The magnitude relationship between the wiping speed and the winding speed may be “wiping speed <winding speed” or “wiping speed >winding speed”. Regardless of the magnitude relationship, the area of the cleaning member 64 abuts on the ejection port surface while being renewed, so as to wipe the ejection port surface in the wiping operation.
Further, although the maintenance mechanism 60 is such that the cleaning member 64 performs the wiping operation in parallel to the ejection port arrays and the cleaning member 64 is wound in the above-described embodiments, there is not limitations as such. For example, it is also possible to configure the maintenance mechanism such that the cleaning member 64 performs the wiping operation in parallel to the ejection port arrays and the cleaning member 64 is wound perpendicularly to the ejection port arrays. Further, it is also possible to configure the maintenance mechanism such that the cleaning member performs the wiping operation perpendicularly to the ejection port arrays and the cleaning member 64 is wound up.
Further, in the above-described embodiments, whether or not the winding operation of the cleaning member 64 is performed or the wiping speed is determined according to whether or not the circulation drive pump 408 is being driven or the elapsed time from the time the circulation drive pump 408 stops. Alternatively, it is also possible that a flow rate sensor is used to measure if the ink is actually being circulating, so that the determination is based on the result thereof.
Table 4 represents ink flow velocity over elapsed time from the time the circulation pump stops, which is measured by use of a flow rate sensor.
Furthermore, the frequency of wiping the multiple ejection port arrays, the amount of adhering mist, the amount of image application, the distance between the ejection port surface and the print medium, the environmental temperature, etc., affect the amount of mist adhering to the ejection port surface, and thus the determination may be made according to any of them.
Further, in the above-described embodiments, whether or not the winding operation of the cleaning member 64 is performed or the wiping speed is classified into two stages according to whether or not the circulation drive pump 408 is being driven or the elapsed time from the time the circulation drive pump 408 stops. However, the number of classifications is not limited as such. At the timings of the wiping operations such as during a printing operation, at the start of a printing operation, during a cleaning sequence, between pages, and before closing the cap, the ink flow velocity changes since the elapsed time from the time the pump stops changes due to the wait between scans, an automatic cutting process, the type of cleaning sequence, etc. Further, there are also other timings, such as at the time of replacing the head or at the time where a paper jam error occurs. Classification into a number of groups (e.g.,
Further, although the wiping is performed in the direction parallel to the ejection port arrays and the winding of the cleaning member is performed in the wiping direction in the above-described embodiments, the wiping direction and the winding direction are not limited as such. The wiping direction may be a direction perpendicular to the ejection port arrays, and the winding direction may be the direction opposite to the wiping direction.
Further, although the surface on which ejection has been performed is wiped in the wiping operation by moving the maintenance mechanism 60 in a state where the print head 110 is stopped in the above-described embodiments, there are not limitations as such. For example, such a form in which at least one of the maintenance mechanism 60 and the print head 110 moves to wipe the ejection port surface. That is, the ejection port surface may be wiped by moving the print head 110. Further, the ejection port surface may be wiped by moving both the print head 110 and the maintenance mechanism 60. In any case, the above-described wiping speed may be considered as a speed at which the relative positions of the print head 110 and the maintenance mechanism 60 change.
Embodiment(s) of the present invention can also be realized by a computer of a system or apparatus that reads out and executes computer executable instructions (e.g., one or more programs) recorded on a storage medium (which may also be referred to more fully as a ‘non-transitory computer-readable storage medium’) to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) and/or that includes one or more circuits (e.g., application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) for performing the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s), and by a method performed by the computer of the system or apparatus by, for example, reading out and executing the computer executable instructions from the storage medium to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) and/or controlling the one or more circuits to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s). The computer may comprise one or more processors (e.g., central processing unit (CPU), micro processing unit (MPU)) and may include a network of separate computers or separate processors to read out and execute the computer executable instructions. The computer executable instructions may be provided to the computer, for example, from a network or the storage medium. The storage medium may include, for example, one or more of a hard disk, a random-access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a storage of distributed computing systems, an optical disk (such as a compact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), or Blu-ray Disc (BD)™), a flash memory device, a memory card, and the like.
While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-111285, filed Jul. 11, 2022, which is hereby incorporated by reference wherein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-111285 | Jul 2022 | JP | national |
