Inkjet recording apparatus

• US 8,109,600 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2008
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Okada, Goro
• Primary Examiner(s): UHLENHAKE, JASON S
• Application Number:
  US12/199,967
• Publication Number:
  US 20090058927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 347 33- 37
• US Class Current: 347/33
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/226 using suction
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16511 Constructions for cap positioning B41J2/16547 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16585 for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads

Abstract

The inkjet recording apparatus includes: a drum which conveys a recording medium, an inkjet head having an ejection surface which faces the outer circumferential surface of the drum, and a cap facing the outer circumferential surface. The inkjet heads are moved by a head-moving mechanism to be in a recording position, wiping position, or a capping position. The cap-moving mechanism moves the cap, in the circumferential direction of the drum along the outer circumferential surface, to: an open position where the cap does not face the ejection surface, or an opposing position in which the cap faces the ejection surface and covers the inkjet head in the capping position.

Claims

1. An inkjet recording apparatus, comprising:

a drum having a cylindrical outer circumferential surface, which rotates about a rotation axis thereof to convey a recording medium retained on the outer circumferential surface;

a plurality of inkjet heads which respectively eject different colors of ink, each having an ejection surface which extends in the axial direction and faces the outer circumferential surface, each ejection surface having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink droplets;

a plurality of caps each of which covers the ejection surface of different one of the plurality of the inkjet heads, each facing the outer circumferential surface;

a head-moving mechanism which moves the inkjet heads to any one of positions including a recording position, a wiping position, and a capping position;

a cap-moving mechanism which moves the plurality of caps to an open position or an opposing position in the circumferential direction of the drum along the outer circumferential surface;

a plurality of wipers each of which wipes a different one of the ejection surfaces of the plurality of inkjet heads and each extending in a width direction of the ejection surfaces;

a wiper-moving mechanism which moves the plurality of wipers in the axial direction along the outer circumferential surface so as to wipe the ejection surfaces of the plurality of inkjet heads in the wiping position;

a waste liquid tray which receives wasted ink, and which is disposed below the lower most one of the plurality of wipers; and

a wiper tray which supports the plurality of wipers, wherein the wiper tray is slanted downward, and a lower end thereof is positioned above the waste liquid tray,

wherein the plurality of the inkjet heads, the plurality of the wipers, and the plurality of the caps are aligned in the circumferential direction along the outer circumferential surface, and

wherein the recording position is a position where the plurality of inkjet heads are disposed at a time of forming an image on a recording medium on the outer circumferential surface by ejecting ink droplets from the nozzles to the recording medium, the wiping position is a position in which the ejection surfaces of the plurality of inkjet heads are farther distanced from the outer circumferential surface than in the recording position, and the capping position is a position in which the ejection surfaces of the plurality of inkjet heads are farther distanced from the outer circumferential surface than in the recording position, wherein the open position is a position where the plurality of caps do not face the ejection surfaces, and the opposing position is a position where the plurality of caps face the ejection surfaces and cover the plurality of inkjet heads while the plurality of inkjet heads are in the capping position.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the head-moving mechanism simultaneously moves the inkjet heads without changing relative positions of the plurality of the inkjet heads.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the head-moving mechanism is capable of moving the inkjet head to a retracted position so that the ejection surface of the inkjet head while the inkjet head is in the retracted position is farther distanced from the outer circumferential surface than in the wiping position, and that the wiper is apart from the inkjet head when the wiper moved by the wiper-moving mechanism is in a position to face the ejection surface of the inkjet head.