阅读说明：本技术 液体排出装置和液体排出设备 (Liquid discharge device and liquid discharge apparatus ) 是由 村井秀世 铃木洁 加藤知己 于 2020-04-01 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种液体排出装置包括:液体排出头,包括配置为排出液体的喷嘴；滑架,安装所述液体排出头,并可移动；擦拭器,配置为擦拭所述液体排出头的喷嘴面；以及擦拭器移动器,配置为在所述擦拭器面对所述喷嘴面的面对位置和所述擦拭器不面对所述喷嘴面的待机位置之间保持和移动所述擦拭器。所述滑架可移动地将所述液体排出头和所述擦拭器移动器保持为单个单元。(A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge head including a nozzle configured to discharge a liquid; a carriage mounting the liquid discharge head and movable; a wiper configured to wipe a nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head; and a wiper mover configured to hold and move the wiper between a facing position where the wiper faces the nozzle face and a standby position where the wiper does not face the nozzle face. The carriage movably holds the liquid discharge head and the wiper mover as a single unit.)

1. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:

a liquid discharge head including a nozzle configured to discharge a liquid;

a carriage on which the liquid discharge head is mounted and which is movable;

a wiper configured to wipe a nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head; and

a wiper mover configured to hold and move the wiper between a facing position where the wiper faces the nozzle face and a standby position where the wiper does not face the nozzle face,

wherein the carriage movably holds the liquid discharge head and the wiper mover as a single unit.

2. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cleaning liquid supplier configured to supply a cleaning liquid to the wiper.

3. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the wiper mover movably holds the cleaning liquid supplier.

4. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a driver configured to drive and move the wiper mover.

5. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 2,

further comprising a cleaning liquid recycler located below the wiper,

wherein the cleaning liquid retriever is configured to receive the cleaning liquid supplied to the wiper.

6. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:

a liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 2, and

a carriage mover configured to move the carriage.

7. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 6,

further comprising a mounting table configured to mount a cylindrical member as an object to which liquid is discharged from the liquid discharge head,

wherein the carriage is capable of reciprocating in a vertical direction as a first direction, an

The carriage mover reciprocates the carriage in a second direction along a tangent of the columnar member within a plane defined by the first direction and a direction orthogonal to the first direction.

8. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 7,

further comprising an actuator configured to move the liquid discharge apparatus toward or away from the mounting table,

wherein the actuator separates the liquid discharge device from the mount table before the wiper wipes the nozzle surface.

9. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the cleaning liquid supplier is configured to supply the cleaning liquid to the wiper before the wiper contacts the nozzle face.

10. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the cleaning liquid feeder is configured to complete feeding of the cleaning liquid to the wiper before the wiper moves to the standby position.

11. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:

a liquid discharge head including a nozzle surface in which nozzles are formed, the liquid discharge head configured to discharge liquid from the nozzles in a lateral direction;

a wiper extending in a direction intersecting a horizontal plane, the wiper being configured to contact and wipe the nozzle face of the liquid discharge head;

a cleaning liquid applicator configured to apply a cleaning liquid to the wiper;

a cleaning liquid retriever configured to receive the cleaning liquid applied to the wiper; and

a wiper mover configured to laterally move the wiper, the cleaning liquid applicator, and the cleaning liquid retriever in a facing region of the wiper facing the nozzle face.

12. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the wiper mover is configured to move the wiper in a horizontal direction between a facing position where the wiper faces the nozzle face and a standby position where the wiper does not face the nozzle face.

13. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a carriage configured to movably hold the liquid discharge head and the wiper mover.

14. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the nozzle face intersects a horizontal plane, an

The cleaning liquid feeder is configured to feed the cleaning liquid to the wiper from above the wiper.

15. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein an upper end surface of the wiper is inclined downward toward the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head facing the wiper.

16. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the wiper mover is configured to move the wiper in a horizontal direction when the wiper is in a facing position, an

The wiper extends in a direction perpendicular to a moving direction of the wiper mover.

17. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the wiper extends in a vertical direction.

18. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:

a liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 16;

a cleaning liquid tank connected to the cleaning liquid recoverer with a flexible tube; and

a negative pressure generator configured to generate a negative pressure between the flexible tube and the cleaning liquid tank.

19. The liquid discharge apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

a pressurized air supply configured to generate pressurized air; and

a liquid tank configured to receive the pressurized air supplied from the pressurized air supplier, supply the pressurized liquid to the liquid discharge head,

wherein the negative pressure generator is configured to generate the negative pressure using the pressurized air received from the pressurized air supplier.

20. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:

a liquid discharge head including a nozzle surface in which a nozzle is formed, the liquid discharge head configured to discharge a liquid from the nozzle;

a wiper configured to contact the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head;

a cleaning liquid applicator configured to apply a cleaning liquid to the wiper;

a cleaning liquid retriever located below the wiper, the cleaning liquid retriever configured to receive the cleaning liquid applied to the wiper;

a wiper mover configured to move the wiper, the cleaning liquid applicator, and the cleaning liquid retriever between a facing position where the wiper faces the nozzle face and a standby position where the wiper does not face the nozzle face; and

the wiper maintains a constant inclination between a horizontal plane and the cleaning liquid recoverer during movement between the facing position and the standby position.

21. The liquid discharge apparatus as claimed in claim 20,

wherein the wiper mover is configured to be movable between the facing position and the standby position while keeping a height of the cleaning liquid recoverer constant.

22. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a driver configured to drive and move the wiper mover between the facing position and the standby position in a vertical direction.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a liquid discharge device and a liquid discharge apparatus.

Background

A liquid discharge apparatus includes an apparatus that discharges liquid onto a surface of a gas cylinder (cylinder), an airplane, a vehicle, or the like to print on the surface.

A liquid discharge apparatus includes a head array; a linear guide rail for reciprocating the head array; a multi-joint robot including a robot arm that appropriately moves the linear guide to a predetermined position and holds the linear guide at the predetermined position; a robot arm controller that controls driving of the robot arm based on the position information; and a controller that supplies positional information to the robot arm controller and drives and controls predetermined ink ejection nozzles in the head array in conjunction with the positional information (patent document 1).

CITATION LIST

Patent document

[ patent document 1 ] JP-2015-027636-A

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem

An apparatus for discharging a liquid using a head includes a cleaner (maintenance apparatus) for maintaining and restoring a state of a nozzle face (discharge face) of an apparatus main body, and moves a liquid discharge head to a position of the cleaner at a predetermined time.

Therefore, the apparatus having the long scanning distance of the print head has problems such as the long down time accompanying the cleaning action, and the reduction of the printing speed.

The liquid discharge apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention solves the above-described problems and cleans the nozzle face as necessary.

Means for solving the problems

In one aspect of the present invention, a liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge head including a nozzle configured to discharge a liquid; a carriage mounting the liquid discharge head and movable; a wiper configured to wipe a nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head; and a wiper mover configured to hold and move the wiper between a facing position where the wiper faces the nozzle face and a standby position where the wiper does not face the nozzle face. The carriage movably holds the liquid discharge head and the wiper mover as a single unit.

In another aspect of the present invention, a liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge head including a nozzle surface in which a nozzle is formed, the liquid discharge head configured to discharge liquid from the nozzle; a wiper configured to contact the nozzle surface of the liquid discharge head; a cleaning liquid applicator configured to apply a cleaning liquid to the wiper; a cleaning liquid retriever located below the wiper, the cleaning liquid retriever configured to receive the cleaning liquid applied to the wiper; a wiper mover configured to move the wiper, the cleaning liquid applicator, and the cleaning liquid retriever between a facing position where the wiper faces the nozzle face and a standby position where the wiper does not face the nozzle face; and a guide configured to maintain a constant inclination between a horizontal plane and the cleaning liquid recoverer during movement of the wiper between the facing position and the standby position.

Effects of the invention

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the nozzle face can be cleaned as necessary.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a liquid discharge apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the liquid discharge apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the liquid discharge apparatus of FIG. 1;

fig. 4 is a circuit diagram of a controller in the liquid discharge apparatus of fig. 1;

fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a liquid discharge apparatus illustrating a relationship between a printing area and print data;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a cylinder illustrating an example of dividing a printing area when printing the entire circumference of the cylinder;

fig. 7 is a flowchart of control of a printing operation of the controller performed by the controller;

fig. 8A and 8B (fig. 8) are schematic side views of a cylinder representing a trajectory of a print head during a printing operation of the liquid discharge apparatus;

fig. 9 is a schematic view of a liquid discharge apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a schematic view of the liquid discharge apparatus of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a front view of the head of FIGS. 9 and 10;

fig. 12 is a circuit diagram of a cleaning liquid supply system and a cleaning operation of the cleaning mechanism;

FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view of one nozzle portion of the head according to the first embodiment;

fig. 14A to 14C (fig. 14) are waveform diagrams showing examples of driving voltages for head operation;

fig. 15 is a circuit diagram of a liquid supply system that supplies liquid to the head;

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of an example of a cleaning operation performed by the controller;

fig. 17 is a flowchart of control of the cleaning operation performed by the cleaning controller;

fig. 18 is a perspective view of a liquid discharge apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 19 is a schematic view of a liquid discharge apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention, in which the liquid discharge apparatus prints an image on an airplane as an object to be printed;

fig. 20 is an enlarged perspective view of the liquid discharge apparatus of fig. 19 according to the third embodiment;

fig. 21 is a schematic view of a liquid discharge apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 22 is a perspective view of a driver of the liquid discharge apparatus of fig. 21;

fig. 23A and 23B (fig. 23) illustrate a liquid discharge apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 24 is a front view of the carriage according to the fifth embodiment;

fig. 25 is a schematic view of the carriage of fig. 24 according to a fifth embodiment;

fig. 26 is a schematic side view of the carriage of fig. 24 and 25 according to a fifth embodiment;

fig. 27 is a circuit diagram illustrating a control system in a fifth embodiment of the invention;

fig. 28 is a circuit diagram showing a liquid supply system in a fifth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 29 is a flowchart for explaining control of a drawing action in the fifth embodiment;

fig. 30A and 30B (fig. 30) illustrate a moving locus of the carriage in the fifth embodiment;

fig. 31A and 31B (fig. 31) show a wiper unit in a fifth embodiment;

fig. 32A and 32B (fig. 32) are partially enlarged views of the wiper unit of fig. 31A and 31B in a fifth embodiment;

FIG. 33 is a flowchart for explaining control of maintenance operation in the fifth embodiment;

fig. 34 is a plan view showing a wiper unit for maintenance operation in the fifth embodiment;

fig. 35A and 35B (fig. 35) are perspective views of a wiper unit according to a sixth embodiment (first modification) of the present disclosure;

fig. 36A and 36B (fig. 36) are perspective views of a wiper unit according to a seventh embodiment (second modification) of the present invention;

fig. 37 is a flowchart showing control of a maintenance operation of the liquid discharge apparatus in the seventh embodiment (second modification);

fig. 38 is a plan view of a wiper unit showing a maintenance operation in the seventh embodiment (second modification);

fig. 39A to 39D (fig. 39) are front views of the magnetic head and wiper unit, illustrating a maintenance action in the seventh embodiment (second modification);

fig. 40 is a schematic diagram of a liquid discharge apparatus in an embodiment of drawing an image on an aircraft as a drawing object according to an eighth embodiment (third modification) of the present disclosure;

fig. 41 is an enlarged perspective view of a liquid discharge apparatus according to an eighth embodiment (third modification);

fig. 42 is a perspective view of a liquid discharge apparatus according to a ninth embodiment (fourth modification) of the present invention;

fig. 43 is a perspective view of a driver of a liquid discharge apparatus according to a ninth embodiment (fourth modification);

fig. 44 is a flowchart of a drawing operation in the ninth embodiment (fourth modification).

Detailed Description

Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, embodiments of the present invention are described below. A first embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to fig. 1 to 3, fig. 1 is a schematic side view of a liquid discharge apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, fig. 2 is a front view of the liquid discharge apparatus of the first embodiment, and fig. 3 is a plan view of the liquid discharge apparatus of the first embodiment.

The liquid discharge apparatus 1 includes a mount 11 for mounting the cylinder 2 (gas cylinder) on the base 10 and a fixing portion 12 for fixedly holding the cylinder 2 mounted on the mount 11. The cylinder 2 is a columnar member as a printing object. The liquid discharge apparatus 1 further includes a liquid discharge device 13, and the liquid discharge device 13 includes a head 300 that discharges liquid onto the circumferential surface of the cylinder 2 and a carriage 14 mounted on the base 10.

The mount 11 includes a turntable rotatably mounted on the base 10, and therefore, the liquid discharge apparatus 1 can print on half of the circumferential surface of the cylinder 2 mounted on the mount 11 and then print on the other half of the circumferential surface of the cylinder 2 after rotating the cylinder 2 by half a revolution (by 180 degrees). The mounting 11 may be fixed and the cylinder 2 may be rotated manually. Further, even if the mount table 11 can be rotated, any structure such as manual rotation of the mount table 11 or rotation driven by a driver such as a motor may be employed.

The fixing portion 12 is held movably up and down by a support 51 mounted on the mount table 11 side of the base 10, and the fixing portion 12 includes a rotatable arm 22, a holder 23 held by the arm 22, and a motor that moves the rotatable arm 22. The holder 23 is mounted on top of the cylinder 2 of the mounting table 11. The holder 23 can be exchanged by means of accessories according to the shape and size of the upper part of the cylinder 2.

The carriage 14 is reciprocally movable in a first direction (Y direction) in the height direction of the cylinder 2 mounted on the mount table 11 and a second direction (X direction) orthogonal to the axis of the cylinder 2. In the present embodiment, the columnar member is a cylinder 2 having an arc shape on a side surface of the cylinder 2, and the second direction (X direction) is a direction parallel to a tangent line of an arc circumferential surface of the cylinder 2 in a plane orthogonal to the first direction (Y direction).

In the liquid discharge apparatus 1 of the present invention, the slider 16 is held between the support portions 51 (see fig. 2) of the frame 15 erected on the side of the mount 11 of the base 10, the slider 16 is movable in the Y direction along the longitudinal direction (height direction) of the support portions 51, and the slider 16 holds the carriage 14 so that the carriage 14 is movable in the X direction.

The liquid discharge apparatus 1 further includes a vertical movement mechanism 17 (Y-direction scanning mechanism) that vertically moves the slider 16 in the Y direction, and a carriage movement mechanism 18 (X-direction scanning mechanism) that moves the slider 14 in the X direction. The carriage moving mechanism 18 is also referred to as a "carriage moving body".

The vertical movement mechanism 17 includes a screw rotation movement mechanism 71 and a Y-direction motor 72 (vertical movement motor), and the screw rotation movement mechanism 71 is connected to the slider 16. By rotating the Y-direction motor 72 of the vertical movement mechanism 17, the slider 16 is vertically moved in the Y-direction via the spiral rotation movement mechanism 71.

Similarly, the carriage moving mechanism 18 includes a screw rotation moving mechanism and an X-direction motor 82 (horizontal movement motor), and drives the carriage 14 to reciprocate in the X direction by rotating the X-direction motor 82.

The support portion 51 of the frame 15 is connected by a connector 52, and the support portion 51 is movable in a third direction (Z direction) toward and away from the cylinder 2 (mount 11) along a guide groove 53 on the base 10 (see fig. 3).

The liquid discharge apparatus 1 further includes a Z-direction moving mechanism 19 that reciprocates the frame 15 in the Z direction, and the Z-direction moving mechanism 19 is an extendable and retractable portion that moves the liquid discharge device 13 in a direction toward or away from the mount 11. Therefore, the Z-direction moving mechanism 19 functions as an "advancing/retreating device" for moving the liquid discharge device 13 toward and away from the mounting table 11.

The Z-direction moving mechanism 19 further includes a screw rotation moving mechanism 91 and a Z-direction motor 92 (advancing/retreating motor), and the screw rotation moving mechanism 91 is connected to the connector 52 of the frame 15. By rotationally driving the Z-direction motor 92 of the Z-direction moving mechanism 19, the frame 15 is horizontally (laterally) moved in the Z-direction via the screw rotation moving mechanism 91, and the carriage 14 is moved forward and backward in the Z-direction relative to the mount table 11.

Fig. 4 is a circuit diagram of the controller 500 in the liquid discharge apparatus 1.

The control device 500 includes a main control device 500a having a central processing unit 501(CPU501), a read only memory 502(ROM502), and a random access memory 503(RAM 503), the CPU501 controlling the entire liquid discharge apparatus 1, the ROM502 storing a program containing a program for causing the CPU501 to control and other fixed data, and the RAM503 temporarily storing print data and the like.

The controller 500 further includes a host interface 506(I/F506) for transmitting and receiving data and signals for receiving print data from a host 520 (external device), the host 520 including an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer.

The controller 500 includes a motor driver 508 that drives the head 300 constituting the liquid discharge apparatus 13.

The controller 500 includes a motor driver 510 that drives the Y-direction motor 72 to move the carriage 14 of the mounting head 300 in the Y-direction, and a motor driver 511 that drives the X-direction motor 82 to move the carriage 14 in the X-direction.

The controller 500 includes a motor driver 512 that drives the Z-direction motor 92 to move the carriage 14 in the Z-direction through the frame 15, and the controller 500 includes a motor driver 513 that drives the mount motor 25 that rotates the mount 11.

The controller 500 includes a cleaning controller 514 to drive and control the cleaning mechanism 200 to clean the head 300, as described below.

Next, a printing operation (drawing operation) performed on the cylinder 2 by the liquid discharge apparatus 1 will be described.

First, a print area and print data are described with reference to fig. 5 and 6. Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of the liquid discharge apparatus 1 showing the relationship between the print area and the print data. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the cylinder 2 showing an example of dividing the printing area when printing the entire circumference of the cylinder 2.

In the present embodiment, the cylinder 2 is in a stopped state (fixed state here), and further, when the head 300 is moved in the first direction (Y direction), the head 300 discharges liquid to the cylinder 2 to print (draw) an image on the cylinder 2, and when the head 300 is moved in the second direction (X direction), the head 300 does not discharge liquid to the cylinder 2.

When the liquid discharge apparatus 1 prints on the cylinder 2 that is stopped, the liquid discharge apparatus 1 moves the carriage 14 in the X direction as shown in fig. 5, changing the drawing position of the head 300. The range L is a printable range of the liquid discharge apparatus 1 when the liquid discharge apparatus 1 prints on the cylinder 2 stopped above, and is less than half the length of the circumferential surface of the cylinder 2 in the circumferential direction of the cylinder 2. At the time of printing, the movement distance Lx of the carriage 14 is shorter than the diameter D of the cylinder 2.

Further, the diameter D of the cylinder 2 changes according to the cylinder 2, the distance from the head 300 to the circumferential surface of the cylinder 2 changes according to the cylinder 2, and the landing accuracy of the flying liquid is affected by the distance from the head 300 to the circumferential surface of the cylinder 2.

Therefore, when the liquid discharge apparatus 1 prints an image on the circumferential surface of the cylinder 2, the liquid discharge apparatus 1 sets a plurality of divided printing regions, for example, three divided printing regions La to Lc shown in fig. 6, in the circumferential direction. When the liquid discharge apparatus 1 completes printing of one divided printing region, the liquid discharge apparatus 1 rotates the mount 11 so that the next divided printing region of the cylinder 2 faces the print head 300, and printing is started.

The divided print areas do not need to have the same circumferential length, but the print areas are preferably divided with blank portions between the respective drawings, for example, between areas where no image or the like exists at an arbitrary position in the Y direction.

The control of the printing operation (drawing operation) by the controller 500 is explained below with reference to fig. 7 and 8. Fig. 7 is a flowchart of drawing motion control of the controller 500. Fig. 8A and 8B are side views of the cylinder 2 illustrating the trajectory of the print head 300 during different drawing (printing) actions of the liquid discharge apparatus 1.

First, the cylinder 2 is placed on the mount 11, and the top of the cylinder 2 is fixed by the fixing portion 12.

Referring to fig. 7, the X-direction motor 82, the Y-direction motor 72, and the Z-direction motor 92 are rotationally driven to move the carriage 14 in the X, Y and Z directions, and the print head 300 is moved to a predetermined drawing start position (print start position: writing start position) (step S1). Hereinafter, step S1 is simply referred to as "S1".

Here, assuming that printing (drawing) is performed from the upper side to the lower side of the cylinder 2, the home position of the print head 300 is set at the upper position in the Y direction of the cylinder 2, and the controller 500 of the liquid discharge apparatus 1 moves the print head 300 from the home position to the drawing home position of the cylinder 2.

Then, the controller 500 starts moving the head 300 downward in the Y direction (S2), starts discharging the liquid from the head 300 (S3), performs a predetermined drawing, and stops moving the head 300 downward in the Y direction (S4).

The controller determines whether the drawing action (printing action) is completed (S5).

If the drawing is not completed, the controller 500 judges whether or not the drawing of one divided printing region is completed (S6).

In step S6, if the drawing of one divided printing region is not completed, the controller 500 moves the print head 300 in the X direction by a predetermined distance (e.g., 3.2mm) (S7), and further, the controller 500 starts moving the print head 300 upward in the Y direction (S8), and the controller 500 stops the print head 300 from moving upward in the Y direction when the print head 300 moves by a predetermined amount (S9). Then, the drawing action (printing action) returns to step S2, and the controller 500 executes drawing of the next line (line).

In contrast, when the drawing action (printing action) of one divided printing region is completed, the controller 500 rotates the mount 11 to a position where the next divided printing region can be printed (S10). Then, the drawing action returns to step S1, and the controller 500 continues to perform printing at the drawing start position.

When the drawing is ended in step S5, the liquid discharge apparatus 1 ends the drawing action.

As described above, in the present embodiment, as shown by the locus "a" in fig. 8A, when the print head 300 moves in one predetermined direction (one direction) of the Y direction, the liquid is discharged from the print head 300 to perform unidirectional printing, and when the print head 300 moves in the direction opposite to the one predetermined direction (one direction), the liquid is not discharged from the print head 300.

The liquid discharge apparatus 1 performs such unidirectional printing to prevent the influence of a force, which is applied to the liquid discharged from the print head 300 in the direction of gravity (downward in the Y direction), on the image quality.

In contrast, if the liquid discharge apparatus 1 performs bidirectional printing as shown by the locus "B" in fig. 8B, when the print head 300 is moved downward in the Y direction from the top toward the bottom of the cylinder 2, the liquid is discharged from the print head 300 to perform necessary printing on the circumferential surface of the cylinder 2, and when the scan of the print head 300 from the top toward the bottom of the cylinder 2 in the Y direction is completed, the controller 500 moves the print head 300a predetermined distance in the X direction, performs printing on the cylinder 2, and simultaneously moves the print head 300 from the bottom toward the top of the cylinder 2 in the Y direction.

Bidirectional printing can improve productivity of drawing action (printing action).

As described above, the head 300 is reciprocally movable in each of the first direction (Y direction) along the height direction (vertical direction) of the cylinder 2 mounted on the mount table 11 and the second direction (X direction) along the tangential direction of the circumferential surface of the cylinder 2 in the plane orthogonal to the first direction (Y direction).

Therefore, the liquid discharge apparatus 1 can discharge the liquid onto the circumferential surface of the cylinder 2 (columnar member) and print (draw) an image on the cylinder 2. Thus, when, for example, printing is performed by rotating the cylinder 2 (columnar member), the liquid discharge apparatus 1 can discharge liquid on the cylinder 2 with high image quality without significantly changing the distance between the circumferential surface of the cylinder 2 (columnar member) and the print head 300 (liquid discharge apparatus).

In addition, the liquid discharge apparatus 1 of the present invention fixes the top of the cylinder 2 as a columnar member using the fixing portion 12. Therefore, the liquid discharge apparatus 1 can print an image on the cylinder 2 in a state where the posture of the cylinder 2 placed on the mount 11 is fixed, and therefore, the liquid discharge apparatus 1 can stably print a high-quality image on the cylinder 2.

In the embodiment of fig. 1, the liquid discharge apparatus 1 does not have a structure of discharging the liquid while rotating the cylinder 2, and therefore, if the posture of the cylinder 2 is stable, it is not necessary to fix the top of the cylinder 2. The means for holding the posture of the cylinder 2 is not limited to the fixing portion 12 fixing the top of the cylinder 2, for example, if the cylinder 2 is made of a magnetically attracting material, the liquid discharge apparatus 1 may include an electromagnet on the mount 11, or the liquid discharge apparatus 1 may include an attracting means on the mount 11 to attract the cylinder 2 to the mount 11.

Here, the cylinder 2 is described as an example of a columnar member printed by the liquid discharge apparatus 1, but the liquid discharge apparatus 1 may be printed on a columnar member other than a cylinder (gas cylinder) or a columnar member other than a cylindrical member, for example, a prismatic member.

Next, a first embodiment of the present disclosure is described with reference to fig. 9 to 11. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the liquid discharge apparatus, fig. 10 is a side view of the liquid discharge apparatus, and fig. 11 is a front view of the head 300 of fig. 9 and 10.

The liquid discharge device 13 includes a head 30 (liquid discharge portion) that discharges liquid, the head 30 includes an integrated cleaning mechanism 200, and the cleaning mechanism 200 includes a wiper 201 that wipes a nozzle surface 302a that is a discharge surface.

The head 30 includes a holder 31 for holding a plurality of (here, three) heads 300(300A to 300C) for discharging different color liquids, a plurality of nozzles 302 for discharging the liquids are arranged in the heads 300, the head 300 is held by the holder 31 as a housing, and the arrangement direction of the nozzles 302 is inclined with respect to the Y direction.

The cleaning mechanism 200 includes a wiper 201 that wipes the nozzle face 302a of the head 300, and a cleaning liquid discharger 202 as a cleaning liquid applicator to discharge or drip a cleaning liquid 220 (described later) to the nozzle face 302a of the head 300.

The liquid discharge apparatus 1 includes a wiper mover 205, and the wiper 201 and the cleaning liquid discharge 202 are mounted and held on the wiper mover 205.

In the liquid discharge apparatus 13, guides 206 having guide grooves 206a are attached to both sides of the holder 31 of the head 30. The support shaft 205a of the wiper mover 205 is movably fitted in the guide groove 206a of the guide 206. The holder 31 is a housing that holds the head 300 and movably supports the wiper mover 205.

In this way, the wiper mover 205 can move the wiper 201 along the guide groove 206a between a facing position where the wiper 201 faces the nozzle face 302a of the head 300 and a standby (retracted) position where the wiper 201 is retracted (retracted) from the nozzle face 302 a.

The liquid discharge device includes a rotary cylinder 210 for driving the wiper mover 205 to move. The liquid discharge device 13 includes an arm 211 having one end connected to the rotary cylinder 210 and the other end formed with an elongated hole 211 a. The wiper mover 205 includes a pin 205b on a side surface of the wiper mover 205. The pin 205b is movably mounted in an elongated hole 211a in the arm 211. A driver may be mounted on the carriage 14, the driver transmitting a driving force from the carriage 14 to the liquid discharge device 13.

Thus, the rotary cylinder 210 is driven to rotate the arm 211 in the direction indicated by the arrow "a" in fig. 9, and the wiper mover 205 is guided by the guide groove 206a of the guide 206. Then, the wiper mover 205 moves from the standby (retracted) position indicated by the imaginary line in fig. 10 to the opposite position, which is the wiping end position indicated by the solid line in fig. 10 as shown by the arrow B in fig. 9. Thus, the wiper mover 205 moves the wiper 201 from the standby (retracted) position to the wiping end position. Then, the wiper mover 205 moves the wiper 201 so that the wiper 201 wipes the nozzle face 302a of the head 300.

As described above, the liquid discharge device 13 includes the head 30 as a liquid discharge portion that discharges the liquid and the cleaning mechanism 200 that wipes and cleans the nozzle surface 302a of the head 300 of the head 30, and is integrated therewith. Further, the carriage 14 reciprocates while the liquid discharge device 13 is mounted on the carriage 14. Thus, the carriage 14 supports the cleaning mechanism 200 including the head 300 and the wiper mover 205 as one body.

Therefore, when the liquid discharge device 13 does not discharge the liquid, the liquid discharge device 13 can wipe and clean the nozzle face 302a of the head 300 regardless of where the liquid discharge device 13 is located. Therefore, the liquid discharge device 13 can clean the nozzle face 302a of the head 300 as needed.

Next, the cleaning liquid supply system and the cleaning action of the cleaning mechanism 200 are described with reference to fig. 12. Fig. 12 is a circuit diagram of a cleaning liquid supply system of the cleaning mechanism 200.

The liquid discharge apparatus 1 includes a cleaning liquid tank 221 as a cleaning liquid reservoir that stores the cleaning liquid 220. The cleaning liquid tank 221 is connected to the compressor 230 through a passage 231 including an air regulator 232, and pressurized air is supplied from the compressor 230.

In addition, the cleaning liquid tank 221 is connected to the cleaning liquid discharger 202 through a passage 233, and the passage 233 includes an openable and closable valve 234.

Further, the rotary cylinder 210 is connected to the compressor 230 through a passage 241 including an air regulator 242, and the rotary cylinder 210 supplies compressed air from the compressor 230. The passage 241 includes an openable and closable valve 244.

When the wiper 201 of the cleaning mechanism 200 wipes the nozzle face 302a of the head 300, the cleaning controller 514 of the controller 500 controls opening and closing of the openable and closable valve 244 to drive the rotary cylinder 210. As described above, the wiper mover 205 moves the wiper 201 from the standby (retracted) position to the wiping end position.

When the wiper mover 205 moves the wiper 201 to the wiping end position, the openable and closable valve 234 is controlled to open and close the passage 233. The cleaning liquid 220 is discharged from the cleaning liquid discharger 202, the cleaning liquid 220 is applied to the nozzle face 302a of the head 300 as necessary or continuously, and the wiper 201 wipes the nozzle face 302a while being wetted with the cleaning liquid.

The controller 500 controls the wiping action time, which may be performed at any time when the head 300 does not discharge the liquid, for example, when the liquid discharge device 13 (head 300) is returned to the home position, and when the liquid discharge device 13 is moved in the X direction to perform unidirectional printing.

When the liquid discharge apparatus 1 performs the wiping action, the liquid discharge device 13 moves in the Z direction to ensure that the wiper mover 205 can enter the space between the head 300 and the cylinder 2.

Next, an example of the head 300 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to fig. 13. Fig. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view of one nozzle portion of the head 300. The upper part of fig. 13 shows a state in which the nozzle 302 is closed, and the lower part of fig. 13 shows a state in which the nozzle 302 is opened.

The head 300 includes a hollow housing 304, the housing 304 including a nozzle 302 at a front end of the head 300 to discharge liquid, an injection port 303 adjacent to the nozzle 302, the liquid being injected into the housing 304 from the injection port 303.

The head 300 includes a piezoelectric element 305, a valve 307, and a valve mover 308 in a housing 304. The piezoelectric element expands and contracts in response to an externally applied voltage, a valve 307 opening and closing the nozzle 302, and a valve mover 308 disposed between the valve 307 and the piezoelectric element 305, the valve mover 308 moving the valve 307 toward or away from the nozzle 302.

The piezoelectric element 305 is housed in a case 315, and a pair of wiring members 310a and 310b for applying a voltage to the piezoelectric element 305 are connected to the piezoelectric element 305 and led out to the outside of the case 304.

A sealing member 306 is provided between the valve 307 and the case 304 to prevent the pressurized liquid injected from the injection port 303 from entering the piezoelectric element 305, thereby forming a liquid chamber 309 into which the pressurized liquid is injected from the injection port 303.

The housing 304 is a cylindrical body having a cylindrical shape, a square cylindrical shape, for example, and has a closed space except for the nozzle 302 and the injection port 303. The nozzle 302 is an opening formed at the tip of the housing 304, and the liquid 311 is discharged from the nozzle 302. An injection port 303 is formed on a side surface of the housing 304 near the nozzle 302, and pressurized liquid is continuously supplied to the injection port 303.

The piezoelectric element 305 is formed of zirconia ceramics or the like. A drive waveform (drive voltage) is applied to the piezoelectric element 305 through the wiring members 310a and 310 b.

The sealing member 306 is, for example, a seal ring, an O-ring 306, or the like, and the sealing member 306 fitted around the valve 307 prevents liquid from flowing from the inlet 303 side to the piezoelectric element 305 side.

The valve mover 308 includes a deformable portion 308a having a substantially trapezoidal cross section formed of an elastically deformable elastic member formed of rubber, soft resin, thin metal plate, or the like. A connection portion 308e corresponding to the upper side of the substantially trapezoidal cross section of the deformable portion 308a is fixed to the base end surface of the valve 307. A long side corresponding to a lower side of the deformable portion 308a having a substantially trapezoidal cross section is connected to the curved side 308 d. The curved side 308d has a radially central portion connected to the guide portion 308c, and a fixing portion 312 having one end connected to the case 315 is connected between the radially central portion and an end portion of the curved side 308 d.

When a predetermined voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element 305, the piezoelectric element 305 expands, and the valve mover 308 moves toward the nozzle 302 by, for example, a distance "e" as shown in the lower part of fig. 13, and therefore, the vicinity of the center of the curved side 308d is pushed into the valve mover 308.

The curved side 308d is displaced in the arrow direction in the lower part of fig. 13 from the connection between the guide portion 308c and the fixed portion 312 as the starting point of the displacement, the outer peripheral side of the guide portion 308c is connected to the fixed portion 312, and when the curved side 308d is displaced in the arrow direction in the lower part of fig. 13, the deformable portion 308a expands and the connection portion 308e connected to the valve 307 is pulled in the arrow direction (right-hand direction) in the lower part of fig. 13.

The nozzle 302 is opened by the deformation of the deformable portion 308a of the valve mover 308, and the valve 307 fixed to the connecting portion 308e of the deformable portion 308a is retracted by a distance d.

In this way, due to the expansion of the piezoelectric element 305, the guide portion 308c moves toward the nozzle 302 by a distance "e", so that the valve 307 moves in a direction (right direction) opposite to the moving direction of the guide portion 308c (the expansion direction of the piezoelectric element 305).

The distance between the connection portion 308e, which is a connection between the deformable portion 308a of the valve mover 308 and the valve 307, and the curved side 308d or the length of the curved side 308d are adjusted so that the amount of movement of the valve 307 becomes larger than the amount of displacement of the piezoelectric element 305.

Thus, the valve shifter 308 can amplify the displacement amount of the piezoelectric element 305, and can reduce the displacement amount of the piezoelectric element 305, thereby reducing the size of the piezoelectric element 305.

Next, the action of the head 300 is described with reference to fig. 14. Fig. 14 is a waveform diagram showing an example of a driving voltage for the operation of the head 300.

When no voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element 305, the piezoelectric element 305 is in a contracted state, and therefore, the piezoelectric element 305 does not apply a force to the valve mover 308. At this time, the deformable portion 308a of the valve mover 308 is in an expanded state (normal state) as shown in the upper part of fig. 13, and the valve 307 is pushed toward the nozzle 302 by the elastic force of the deformable portion 308a, so that the nozzle 302 is closed by the end face of the valve 307, and the liquid 311 is not discharged from the nozzle 302.

Here, as shown in fig. 14A, when a voltage (+ EV) having a waveform P1 is applied to the piezoelectric element 305, the piezoelectric element 305 expands, so that the deformable portion 308a of the valve mover 308 is deformed, drawing in the valve 307 in a direction indicated by an arrow shown in the lower part of fig. 13. Thereby causing the valve 307 to open the nozzle 302 and discharge the pressurized liquid injected from the injection port 303 from the nozzle 302.

In contrast, as shown in fig. 14B, a voltage (+ EV) having waveforms P1 and P2 may be applied to the piezoelectric element 305. As shown in fig. 14B, the latter half of the waveform P2 disappears in the middle. Further, as shown in fig. 14C, a voltage having a waveform applied to the piezoelectric element 305 may not be applied to the piezoelectric element 305 due to a power failure or the like.

At this time, since the piezoelectric element 305 is kept in the contracted state, the deformable portion 308a of the valve mover 308 is returned to the normal state shown in the upper part of fig. 13. Thus, since the valve 307 keeps the nozzle 302 closed, the liquid 311 is not discharged from the nozzle 302.

Therefore, even in the case of a power failure or the like, the liquid 311 can be prevented from accidentally leaking from the nozzle 302 or causing nozzle clogging.

Next, a liquid supply system that supplies liquid to the head 300 will be described with reference to fig. 15. Fig. 15 is a circuit diagram of the liquid supply system.

The liquid discharge apparatus 1 includes liquid tanks 330A to 330C as sealed containers, the liquid tanks 330A to 330C storing liquids 311 of various colors discharged from the heads 300A to 300C, and hereinafter, the liquid tanks 330A to 330C are collectively referred to as "liquid tanks 300". The liquid tank 330 and the inlet 303 (see fig. 13A and 13B) of the head 300 are connected to each other by a tube 333.

The liquid tank 330 is connected to a compressor 340 through a pipe 331 including an air conditioner 332, and pressurized air is supplied from the compressor 340.

Therefore, the pressurized liquid 311 of each color is supplied to the injection port 303 of the head 300, and therefore, as described above, the liquid 311 of each color is discharged from the nozzle 302 of the head 300 in accordance with the opening and closing of the valve 307.

Next, an example of the cleaning process of the controller 500 is described with reference to the flowchart of fig. 16.

When the cleaning action is started, the controller 500 starts moving the liquid discharge device 13 to the retracted position in the Z direction (S21), and completes moving the liquid discharge device 13 to the standby (retracted) position in the Z direction (S22). Therefore, the controller 500 drives the Z-direction moving mechanism 19 (the contractible portion) to move the liquid discharge device 13 in a direction away from the cylinder 2 (the columnar member) before wiping the nozzle face 302a with the wiper 201 is performed.

The cleaning controller 514 starts a cleaning action (S23).

Then, the controller 500 starts moving the liquid discharge apparatus 13 to the drawing start position after completing the cleaning action (S24). Then, the controller 500 completes the movement of moving the liquid discharge apparatus 13 to the drawing start position (S25), and ends the cleaning process.

The controller 500 may move the liquid discharge device 13 in the X, Y and Z directions in parallel with the movement of the wiper mover 205 during the movement of the liquid discharge device 13 to the standby (retracted) position, during the cleaning action, and during the return of the liquid discharge device 13 to the drawing position, as long as the movement of the wiper mover 205 does not interfere with the drum 2 in the cleaning action.

Next, an example of controlling the cleaning action by the cleaning controller 514 is described with reference to fig. 17.

When the cleaning action is started, the cleaning controller 514 starts to apply the cleaning liquid 220 from the cleaning liquid discharger 202 to the nozzle face 302a of the head 300 (S31). Then, the wiper mover 205 moves the wiper 201 from the standby (retracted) position shown by the imaginary line in fig. 10 to the wiping position so that the wiper 201 contacts the nozzle surface 302a of the head 300 (S32).

Therefore, before the wiper 201 contacts the nozzle face 302a of the head 300, the cleaning liquid discharger 202 (cleaning liquid applicator) applies (discharges or drops) the cleaning liquid 220 to the nozzle face 302a of the head 300.

Then, the wiper mover 205 moves the wiper 201 from the wiping position (the upper end of the nozzle surface 302a) to the wiping position (the lower end of the nozzle surface 302a), and the wiper 201 wipes the nozzle surface 302a of the head 300 (S33).

Next, the wiper mover 205 moves the wiper 201 from the wiping position (the lower end of the nozzle surface 302a) to the wiping position (the upper end of the nozzle surface 302a), and the wiper 201 wipes the nozzle surface 302a of the head 300 (S34).

Then, the cleaning liquid discharger 202 ends the application of the cleaning liquid 220 to the nozzle surface 302a of the head 300 (S35), and then the wiper mover 205 moves from the wiping position to the standby (retracted) position (S26), ending the cleaning operation.

Therefore, the cleaning liquid discharger 202 (cleaning liquid applicator) ends the application (discharge or dropping) of the cleaning liquid 220 to the nozzle surface 302a before the wiper 201 returns to the standby (retracted) position.

The cleaning liquid discharger 202 (cleaning liquid applicator) may apply the cleaning liquid 220 to the nozzle surface 302a continuously or intermittently from the start of application of the cleaning liquid 220 (S31) to the end of application of the cleaning liquid 220 (S35).

A second embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to fig. 18, and fig. 18 is a perspective view of a liquid discharge apparatus 13 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

The liquid discharge apparatus 13 of the present invention uses a head 300 including a plurality of (here, 6) nozzle rows 302Y in which a plurality of nozzles 302 are arranged.

The cleaning mechanism 200 includes a cleaning liquid receiver 261 that receives excess cleaning liquid 220 that falls from the nozzle face 302a when the wiping action is performed. The waste liquid pipe 262 is connected to the cleaning liquid receiver 261, and the cleaning liquid 220 recovered by the cleaning liquid receiver 261 is discharged to the waste liquid tank 240 and the like.

In the above-described embodiments, the wiper mover 205 movably holds the wiper 201 and the cleaning liquid discharger 202 (cleaning liquid applicator) of the liquid discharge device 13 so that the wiper 201 and the cleaning liquid discharger 202 move together as a single unit. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

For example, the liquid discharge device may include a cleaning liquid applicator in a home position to apply the cleaning liquid 220 onto the nozzle face 302a of the head 300, and when the cleaning liquid 220 is applied onto the nozzle face 302a to perform wiping, the liquid discharge device 13 may return to the home position, and other units may perform only a wiping action without applying the cleaning liquid.

In the above-described second embodiment, the cleaning liquid receiver 261 is provided on the side of the liquid discharge apparatus 13, and conversely, the cleaning liquid receiver 261 such as a groove portion may be provided on the side of the apparatus main body of the liquid discharge apparatus 1, and only when the cleaning liquid 220 is imparted, moved to a position where the cleaning liquid receiver 261 (groove portion) is arranged, the cleaning liquid 220 is imparted. Thereby, the carriage 14 does not have to move together with the cleaning liquid receiver 261, and therefore, the liquid discharge apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment can prevent an increase in the weight of the entire carriage 14.

A third embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to fig. 19 and 20. Fig. 19 is a schematic diagram of a liquid discharge apparatus 1 according to a third embodiment, the liquid discharge apparatus 1 printing an image as an object to be printed on an aircraft, and fig. 20 is an enlarged view of the liquid discharge apparatus 1 according to the third embodiment.

The liquid discharge apparatus 1 includes a linear guide 404 and an articulated robot 405, the linear guide 404 guiding the carriage 14 on which the liquid discharge device 13 is mounted to reciprocate along the linear guide 404, and the articulated robot 405 appropriately moves the linear guide 404 to a predetermined position to hold the linear guide 404 at the predetermined position.

The articulated robot 405 includes a robot arm 405a, and the robot arm 405a can freely move the distal end of the robot arm 405a and dispose the distal end of the robot arm 405a at a correct position.

For example, a 6-axis control type industrial robot having 6 axes (6 joints) may be used as the articulated robot 405. According to the 6-axis control type articulated robot 405, information on the motion of the articulated robot 405 is taught in advance, and the linear guide 404 can be accurately and quickly directed to a predetermined position of the printing object 702 (airplane). The number of axes of the articulated robot 405 is not limited to 6, and an articulated robot having an appropriate number of axes such as 5 axes or 7 axes may be used.

The liquid discharge apparatus 1 includes a fork-shaped support 424 bifurcated into two parts, a robot arm 405a provided at the articulated robot 405, and the liquid discharge apparatus 1 further includes a vertical linear guide 423a attached to a front end of a left branch 424a of the support 424 and a vertical linear guide 423b attached to a front end of a right branch 424b of the support 424, the vertical linear guide 423a and the vertical linear guide 423b being parallel to each other.

Further, both ends of the linear guide 404 movably holding the liquid discharge apparatus 13 are supported by the vertical linear guides 423a and 423b to cross the two vertical linear guides 423a and 423 b.

The liquid discharge device 13 includes, for example, a plurality of heads 300 that discharge liquids of black, cyan, magenta, yellow, and white, respectively, or a head 300 having a plurality of nozzle arrays that discharge liquids of respective colors, respectively, and the liquids of the respective colors are supplied from the liquid tank 330 to the heads 300 of the liquid discharge device 13 or the nozzle arrays of the heads 300, respectively, in the same manner as the liquid supply system shown in fig. 28 described above.

In the liquid discharge apparatus 1, the articulated robot 405 moves the linear guide 404 to a relative position where the linear guide 404 faces a desired printing area of the printing object 702, and moves the liquid discharge device 13 along the linear guide 404 in accordance with print data while driving the print head 300 to print an image on the printing object 702.

When the liquid discharge apparatus 1 finishes printing of one line, the liquid discharge apparatus 1 drives the vertical linear guides 423a and 423b of the articulated robot 405 to move the heads 300 of the liquid discharge devices 13 from one line to the next.

The liquid discharge apparatus 1 repeats the above operation to print an image on a desired print area of the print object 702.

During the printing action, the liquid discharge device 13 including the wiper 201 can clean the nozzle face 302a of the head 300 with the wiper 201 at any time, although the moving distance of the liquid discharge device 13 (head 300) increases.

Therefore, the liquid discharge apparatus 1 can continuously print high-quality images with little downtime.

A fourth embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to fig. 21 and 22. Fig. 21 is a perspective view of a liquid discharge apparatus 1 according to a fourth embodiment. Fig. 22 is a perspective view of the drive of the liquid discharge apparatus 1 according to fig. 21.

The liquid discharge apparatus 1 includes a movable frame 802, and the movable frame 802 is mounted so as to face a printing object 702 having a curved surface such as a vehicle hood. The frame 802 includes a left frame 810, a right frame 811, and a movable portion 813. The movable portion 813 is connected to the left frame 810 and the right frame 811 such that the movable portion 813 bridges between the left frame 810 and the right frame 811. The movable portion 813 is vertically movable in the Y direction.

The movable portion 813 includes a driver 803 having a built-in motor and the liquid discharge apparatus 13 attached to the driver 803. The driver 803 is reciprocally movable in the horizontal direction (X direction or lateral direction) on the movable portion 813, and the liquid discharge device 13 discharges the liquid to the printing object 702.

In addition, the liquid discharge apparatus 1 has a control device 805 and an information processing device 806. The control device 805 controls the liquid discharged from the liquid discharge device 13, the reciprocating movement of the driver 803, and the vertical movement of the movable portion 813, and an information processing device 806 such as a Personal Computer (PC) transmits a command to the control device 805, and the information processing device 806 is connected to a database 807(DB) in which information on the shape, size, and the like of the printing object 702 is recorded and stored.

The frame 802 includes, in addition to the left frame 810 and the right frame 811, an upper frame 808 and a lower frame 809 that form the vertical and horizontal contours of the frame 802. The upper frame 808, the lower frame 809, the left frame 810, and the right frame 811 are formed of a metal pipe or the like. The frame 802 also includes a left leg 812a and a right leg 812b that are connected to both ends of the lower frame 809 to make the frame 802 self-standing. The left leg 812a and the right leg 812b are vertically and horizontally connected to both ends of the lower frame 809.

The movable portion 813 bridged between the left frame 810 and the right frame 811 is vertically movable while supporting the driver 803.

The surface of the printing object 702 is perpendicular to the liquid discharge direction (Z direction), and therefore, the surface of the printing object 702 faces a plane formed by the upper frame 808, the lower frame 809, the left frame 810, and the right frame 811 of the frame 802.

In this case, in order to place the printing object 702 at a predetermined printing position for printing, for example, the back surface of the printing area of the printing object 702 is held by a chuck attached to the tip of the arm of the articulated arm robot, and the articulated arm robot is used to place the printing object 702 at the printing position accurately, thereby changing the posture of the printing object 702 appropriately.

As shown in fig. 22, the driver 803 reciprocates in the horizontal direction (X direction or lateral direction) along the movable portion 813 as a guide rail. The movable portion 813 includes a guide 830, a rack 831, a linear guide 832, a pinion 833, a motor 834, and a rotary encoder 835. The guide 830 is horizontally configured to bridge between the left frame 810 and the right frame 811 of the frame 802. The rack 831 is parallel to the guide rail 830. Linear guide 832 is mounted on a portion of guide 830 and slides along guide 830. The pinion 833 is connected to the linear guide 832 and meshes with the rack 831. The motor 834 includes a reducer 836 that drives the pinion 833 in rotation. The rotary encoder 835 detects the position of the printed dot.

The motor 834 drives the liquid discharge device 13 in the left and right directions along the movable portion 813 by driving in the forward direction or in the reverse direction, the driver 803 functions as a driving mechanism of the liquid discharge device 13 in the X direction, and the speed reducer 836 includes limit switches 837a and 837b attached to both sides of a housing of the speed reducer 836.

The liquid discharge device 13 includes, for example, a plurality of heads 300 to discharge the liquids of black, cyan, magenta, yellow, and white, respectively, or a head 300 including a plurality of nozzle arrays to supply the heads 300 of the liquid discharge device 13 or the nozzle arrays of the heads 300, respectively, under pressure from a liquid tank 330 in the same manner as the liquid supply system shown in fig. 28 described above.

The liquid discharge apparatus 1 moves the movable portion 813 in the Y direction and moves the liquid discharge device 13 in the X direction, thereby printing a desired image on the printing object 702.

During the printing action, the liquid discharge device 13 including the wiper 201 can clean the nozzle face 302a of the head 300 with the wiper 201 at any time, although the moving distance of the liquid discharge device 13 (head 300) increases.

Therefore, the liquid discharge apparatus 1 can continuously print high-quality images with little downtime.

Fig. 23A and 23B illustrate a liquid discharge apparatus 1000 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 23A is a right side view of a liquid discharge apparatus 1000 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 23B is a plan view of the liquid discharge apparatus 1000.

The liquid discharge apparatus 1000 includes a carriage 601 facing a drawing object 100 as an example of an object to be printed. The carriage 601 mounts a head 300 (see fig. 24) that discharges ink as an example of liquid to the drawing object 100. The carriage 601 is an example of a liquid discharge apparatus that discharges liquid to the drawing object 100.

The liquid discharge apparatus 1000 includes a Z-axis guide 103, an X-axis guide 101, and a Y-axis guide 102. The Z-axis guide 103 movably holds the carriage 601 in the Z-axis direction. The X-axis guide 101 movably holds the Z-axis guide 103 in the X-axis direction. The Y-axis guide 102 movably holds the X-axis guide 101 in the Y-axis direction. The X-axis guide 101, the Y-axis guide 102, and the Z-axis guide 103 are examples of guides that movably hold the carriage 601.

Further, the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 includes a Z-direction driver 692, an X-direction driver 672, and a Y-direction driver 682. A Z-direction driver 692 moves the carriage 601 in the Z-axis direction along the Z-axis guide rail 103. The X-direction driver 672 moves the Z-axis guide 103 in the X-axis direction along the X-axis guide 101. The Y-direction driver 682 moves the X-axis rail 101 in the Y-axis direction along the Y-axis rail 102.

In this way, the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 can discharge ink onto the drawing object 100 while moving the carriage 601 in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction. Although the drawing object 100 has a flat plate shape in fig. 23A and 23B, the surface of the drawing object 100 may be a surface close to a vertical surface or a surface having a large radius of curvature, for example, like a body of a vehicle such as an automobile, a truck, or an airplane.

Fig. 24 is a front view of the carriage 601 according to the present embodiment. Fig. 25 is a schematic plan view of the carriage 601 of fig. 24 according to the present embodiment. Fig. 26 is a schematic side view of the carriage 601 of fig. 24 according to the present embodiment.

The carriage 601 includes heads 300Y, 300M, 300C, and 300K that discharge Y, M, C and K color ink, respectively, and hereinafter, the heads 300Y, 300M, 300C, and 300K are collectively referred to as "heads 300". Each head 300 includes a nozzle face 302a having a plurality of nozzles 302.

The carriage 601 includes a head fixing plate 607 that fixes the heads 300Y, 300M, 300C, and 300K such that the nozzle surface 302a intersects a horizontal plane, and the plurality of nozzles 302 are aligned in a direction inclined with respect to the X-axis direction (refer to fig. 24). Therefore, the nozzles 302 discharge ink in a direction intersecting the direction of gravity.

Specifically, the heads 300Y, 300M, 300C, and 300K are arranged such that the nozzle face 302a is orthogonal to the horizontal plane. Accordingly, the nozzles 302 of the heads 300Y, 300M, 300C, and 300K discharge ink in the horizontal direction.

The carriage 601 further includes a wiper unit 604 including an ink receiving surface 624, a wiper 603, a cleaning liquid supplier 605, and a cleaning liquid recoverer 606.

The ink receiving surface 624 is an example of a liquid receiving surface that receives ink discharged from the nozzle 302.

The wiper 603 is an example of a contact portion that contacts the nozzle 302 and the nozzle face 302a while the ink receiving face 624 faces the nozzle 302 (nozzle face 302a) when the wiper unit 604 moves, the wiper 603 extending in a direction parallel to the nozzle face 302 a. The wiper 603 is also an example of a protrusion protruding from the ink receiving surface 624 toward the nozzle 302, extending in a direction parallel to the ink receiving surface 624 in a state where the ink receiving surface 624 faces the nozzle 302 (nozzle surface 302 a).

The cleaning liquid 220 is supplied to the cleaning liquid supplier 605 via a cleaning liquid supply pipe 611 (see fig. 31A) as a hose. The cleaning liquid supplier 605 supplies the cleaning liquid 220 to the wiper 603 and the ink receiving surface 624 from above (see fig. 31A). The cleaning liquid retriever 606 is an example of a liquid holder that holds ink received by the ink receiving face 624. The cleaning liquid retriever 606 is disposed below the ink receiving face 624. The cleaning liquid retriever 606 is also an example of a cleaning liquid holder that holds the cleaning liquid supplied to the wiper 603 and the ink receiving surface 624. Then, the cleaning liquid recovery 606 discharges the ink and the cleaning liquid 220 via the cleaning liquid recovery pipe 612 as a hose.

The carriage 601 includes an upper guide plate 608H, a lower guide plate 608L, an upper plate 604H, and a lower plate 604L. The upper guide plate 608H is fixed to an upper portion of the head fixing plate 607. The lower guide plate 608L is fixed to a lower portion of the head fixing plate 607. The upper plate 604H is fixed to the upper portion of the wiper unit 604. The lower plate 604L is fixed to the lower portion of the wiper unit 604. The head fixing plate 607, the upper guide plate 608H, and the lower guide plate 608L are examples of a housing that holds the nozzles 302 of the head 300 and movably supports the wiper unit 604.

A guide groove 609 is formed in the upper guide plate 608H, and a guide groove 609 is also formed in the lower guide plate 608L. The upper plate 604H and the lower plate 604L include pins 610 that project toward the upper guide plate 608H and the lower guide plate 608L, respectively.

In addition, the carriage 601 includes a motor 613, a roller 613A, a belt 614A, a roller 616A, a rotation shaft 616, a roller 616B, a belt 614B, rollers 615B and 618B, and an upper mounting portion 604B. The roller 613A rotates coaxially with the motor 613. The belt 614A is wound around the roller 613A. Tape 614A is wound on roll 616A. The rotating shaft 616 coaxially supports the roller 616A. The roller 616B is coaxially supported by the rotating shaft 616. Tape 614B is wound on roll 616B. Tape 614B is wound on roller 615B and roller 618B. The upper mounting portion 604B connects the upper plate 604H of the wiper unit 604 and the belt 614B.

The carriage 601 includes a roller 616C, a belt 614C, a roller 615C, and a roller 618C, and a lower mounting portion 604C. The roller 616C is coaxially supported on the rotating shaft 616. Tape 614C is wound on roll 616C. Tape 614C is wound on roll 615C and roll 618C. The lower mounting portion 604C connects the lower plate 604L of the wiper unit 604 and the belt 614C.

The carriage 601 includes sensors 617a and 617 b. The sensor 617a detects the position of the upper mounting portion 604B on the right end side (the negative side in the X-axis direction). The sensor 617b detects the position of the lower mounting portion 604C on the left end side (the positive side in the X-axis direction). The sensor 617a detects that the wiper unit 604 is in the standby position (home position). The sensor 617b detects that the wiper unit 604 is at the movement end position (return position).

The carriage 601 having the above-described configuration drives the motor 613, transmits the rotational driving force of the motor 613 to the belt 614B and the belt 614C through the belt 614A, and moves the wiper unit 604 connected to the belt 614B and the belt 614C. At this time, the pin 610 slides inside the guide slot 609, moving along the guide slot 609, so that the wiper unit 604 moves in a trajectory along the shape of the guide slot 609.

As shown in fig. 24, when the wiping unit 604 is moved in the left-right direction (X-axis direction), the wiping unit 604 is moved in the horizontal (lateral) direction (without changing the position in the Y-axis direction), and therefore, the posture of the wiping unit 604 is not changed. Then, the wiping unit 604 moves in the left-right direction (X-axis direction), and the inclination of the wiping unit 604 with respect to the horizontal plane does not change, and the height of the wiping unit 604 does not change. Here, the cleaning liquid retriever 606 is fixed in position with respect to the wiping unit 604. In other words, the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 is fixed to the wiping unit 604. Accordingly, while the wiping unit 604 is moving in the left-right direction (X-axis direction), the inclination of the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 with respect to the horizontal plane does not change. Further, while the wiping unit 604 is moving in the left-right direction (X-axis direction), the height of the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 does not change.

Then, as shown in fig. 25, when the wiper unit 604 moves from the right side to the left side (the positive side in the X-axis direction), the guide groove 609 is formed so that the wiper unit 604 moves from the back side to the front side (the positive side in the Z-axis direction).

In the standby position (right side in fig. 24 and 25), the wiper unit 604 is located further to the back side (negative side in the Z-axis direction) than the nozzle 302 and does not face the nozzle 302.

Then, when the wiper unit 604 is moved to the left side (positive side in the X-axis direction), the wiper unit 604 is moved to the front side (positive side in the Z-axis direction) of the nozzle 302 (nozzle face 302a) and further moved to the left side (positive side in the X-axis direction), facing the nozzle 302 (facing position). In this state, the wiper unit 604 faces the nozzle 302 (nozzle face 302a), the wiper 603 can contact the nozzle face 302a, and the ink receiving face 624 can receive ink discharged from the nozzle 302. The wiper unit 604 moves to the left side (the positive side in the X-axis direction) while facing the nozzle 302, so that the wiper 603 wipes and cleans the nozzle face 302a and the nozzle 302 of the head 300.

In addition, when the wiper unit 604 moves leftward (the positive side in the X-axis direction), the wiper unit 604 does not face the nozzle 302.

Then, when the wiper unit 604 moves to the movement end position, the wiper unit 604 moves rightward (negative side in the X-axis direction) and returns to the standby position.

Therefore, the wiper unit 604 is an example of a wiper shifter that can move the wiper 603 and the ink receiving surface 624 between a facing position where the wiper 603 and the ink receiving surface 624 face the nozzle 302 and a standby position (home position) where the wiper 603 and the ink receiving surface 624 do not face the nozzle 302. Further, the wiper unit 604 is movable so that the wiper 603 can be horizontally (laterally) moved at a facing position where the wiper 603 faces the nozzle face 302 a.

As described above, the carriage 601 includes the head 300 that discharges ink from the nozzles 302 toward the drawing object 100, the ink receiving surface 624 that receives ink discharged from the nozzles 302, the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 that holds ink received by the ink receiving surface 624, and the wiper unit 604. The wiper unit 604 is movable between a facing position where the ink receiving face 624 faces the nozzle 302 and a standby position (home position) where the ink receiving face 624 does not face the nozzle 302, while keeping (maintaining) the inclination of the cleaning liquid retriever 606 with respect to the horizontal plane constant. In other words, the wiper unit 604 does not change the inclination of the cleaning liquid retriever 606 with respect to the horizontal plane, and at the same time, the wiper unit 604 moves between a facing position where the ink receiving surface 624 faces the nozzle 302 and a standby position where the ink receiving surface 624 does not face the nozzle 302.

Therefore, the carriage 601 moves the ink receiving face 624 to a facing position where the ink receiving face 624 faces the nozzle 302, so that the head 300 on the carriage 601 can discharge ink from the nozzle 302 to the ink receiving face 624 without moving the nozzle 302 of the head 300 to the ink receiving face 624. Further, when the ink receiving face 624 moves to a standby position where the ink receiving face 624 does not face the nozzle 302, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the ink received by the ink receiving face 624 rocks to overflow from the cleaning liquid retriever 606.

In addition, the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 includes a carriage 601, and an X-axis guide 101, a Y-axis guide 102, and a Z-axis guide 103 that movably hold the carriage 601 as shown in fig. 23.

Accordingly, the carriage 601 can discharge ink toward the drawing object 100 while moving in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions. Regardless of the positions of the carriage 601 and the drawing object 100, the carriage 601 moves the ink receiving surface 624 to a facing position facing the nozzle 302 as necessary so that the head 300 can discharge ink from the nozzle 302 to the ink receiving surface 624 without moving the nozzle 302 of the head 300 to the ink receiving surface 624. In other words, regardless of the position of the carriage 601 in the liquid discharge apparatus 1000, the head 300 can discharge ink from the nozzles 302 toward the ink receiving surface 624 without moving the carriage 601 to the ink receiving surface 624.

Therefore, the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 can continuously draw high-quality images with less downtime because the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 can reduce the time required for the carriage 601 to move toward the ink receiving surface 624 as compared with the configuration in which the carriage 601 moves toward the ink receiving surface 624 whose position is fixed.

The wiper unit 604 is movable without changing the height of the cleaning liquid recoverer 606. Then, when the wiper unit 604 moves, the cleaning liquid 220 held by the cleaning liquid retriever 606 receives no force in the height direction (gravity direction). Therefore, the cleaning liquid 220 held by the cleaning-liquid recoverer 606 is less likely to shake to overflow from the cleaning-liquid recoverer 606.

The head 300 ejects ink from the nozzles 302 in a direction intersecting the direction of gravity, and the cleaning liquid retriever 606 is located below the ink receiving surface 624. The cleaning liquid recovery unit 606 can hold the ink ejected from the nozzle 302 of the head 300 toward the ink receiving surface 624, and the ink falls down to the cleaning liquid recovery unit 606 by gravity.

The cleaning liquid recoverer 606 holds the cleaning liquid 220 supplied to the ink receiving face 624. Therefore, when the ink receiving surface 624 moves to the standby position not facing the nozzle 302, the wiper unit 604 can clean the ink receiving surface 624, and can also prevent the cleaning liquid 220 received by the ink receiving surface 624 from overflowing from the cleaning liquid retriever 606.

The wiper unit 604 includes a cleaning liquid feeder 605 that feeds the cleaning liquid 220 to an ink receiving surface 624. Therefore, the wiper unit 604 can reliably supply the cleaning liquid 220 to the ink receiving surface 624, reliably cleaning the ink receiving surface 624.

Therefore, the carriage 601 includes a nozzle face 302a of the nozzle 302 that discharges ink to the drawing object 100, a wiper 603 that contacts the nozzle face 302a, a cleaning liquid recoverer 606 that holds the cleaning liquid 220 supplied to the wiper 603, and a wiper unit 604 that holds the wiper 603 and the cleaning liquid recoverer 606. The wiper unit 604 is movable between a facing position where the wiper 603 faces the nozzle face 302a and a standby position where the wiper 603 does not face the nozzle face 302a without changing the inclination of the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 with respect to the horizontal plane. In other words, the wiper unit 604 maintains a constant inclination of the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 from the horizontal plane during the movement between the facing position and the standby position. Further, during the movement of the wiper unit 604 facing the area of the nozzle face 302a of the head 300, the wiper unit 604 maintains a constant inclination of the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 from the horizontal plane.

The wiper 603 preferably extends in a direction parallel to the nozzle face 302 a.

The wiper 603 is moved to the facing position where the wiper 603 faces the nozzle face 302a, so that the wiper 603 supplied with the cleaning liquid 220 can contact the nozzle face 302a, wipe and clean the nozzle face 302a without moving the nozzle face 302a of the head 300 to the wiper 603.

In other words, regardless of the position of the carriage 601 in the liquid discharge apparatus 1000, the wiper 603 can contact the nozzle face 302a, wipe and clean the nozzle face 302a without moving the carriage 601 to the wiper 603.

In addition, when the wiper 603 is moved to a standby position where the wiper 603 does not face the nozzle face 302a, the carriage 601 can reduce the possibility that the cleaning liquid 220 in the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 wobbles to overflow from the cleaning liquid recoverer 606.

In addition, the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 includes a carriage 601, and an X-axis guide 101, a Y-axis guide 102, and a Z-axis guide 103 that movably hold the carriage 601 as shown in fig. 23.

Accordingly, the carriage 601 can discharge ink toward the drawing object 100 while moving in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions. Regardless of the position of the carriage 601 in the liquid discharge apparatus 1000, the carriage 601 moves the wiper 603 to a facing position where the wiper 603 faces the nozzle face 302a as necessary. Therefore, the wiper 603 supplied with the cleaning liquid 220 can contact the nozzle face 302a of the head 300, wipe and clean the nozzle face 302a without moving the nozzle face 302a (the carriage 601) to the wiper 603.

Therefore, the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 can continuously draw high-quality images with less downtime, because the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 can reduce the time required for the carriage 601 to move to the wiper 603 compared to the arrangement in which the carriage 601 moves to the wiper 603 whose position is fixed.

The wiper unit 604 is movable without changing the height of the cleaning liquid recoverer 606. Then, when the wiper unit 604 moves, the cleaning liquid 220 held by the cleaning liquid retriever 606 receives no force in the height direction (gravity direction). Therefore, the cleaning liquid 220 held by the cleaning-liquid recoverer 606 is less likely to shake to overflow from the cleaning-liquid recoverer 606.

The wiper unit 604 is movable without changing the height of the cleaning liquid recoverer 606. Then, when the wiper unit 604 moves, the cleaning liquid 220 held by the cleaning liquid retriever 606 receives no force in the height direction (gravity direction). Therefore, the cleaning liquid 220 held by the cleaning-liquid recoverer 606 is less likely to shake to overflow from the cleaning-liquid recoverer 606.

The wiper unit 604 is movable without changing the height of the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 in the facing area of the wiper 603 facing the nozzle face 302a of the head 300. In addition, the wiper unit 604 is horizontally (laterally) movable in the facing area. In addition, the wiper unit 604 is horizontally (laterally) movable in the facing area. The facing area is, for example, a horizontal portion of the guide groove 609 in fig. 25. More specifically, the facing area is an area where the wiper 603 faces the nozzle face 302a as shown in fig. 24 and 25. Therefore, when the wiper unit 604 moves, the cleaning liquid 220 held by the cleaning liquid retriever 606 is not subjected to a force in the height direction (gravity direction). Therefore, the cleaning liquid 220 held by the cleaning-liquid recoverer 606 is less likely to shake to overflow from the cleaning-liquid recoverer 606.

Further, the wiper 604 maintains a constant inclination of the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 from the horizontal plane during movement between a facing position where the wiper 603 faces the nozzle face 302a and a standby position where the wiper 603 does not face the nozzle face 302 a.

The wiper unit 604 can keep the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 horizontal during movement between a facing position where the wiper 603 faces the nozzle face 302a and a standby position where the wiper 603 does not face the nozzle face 302 a.

Therefore, when the wiper 603 is moved to the facing position, the wiper 603 to which the cleaning liquid is supplied can contact, wipe, and clean the nozzle face 302a without moving the nozzle face 302a (the carriage 601) to the wiper 603. Therefore, the cleaning liquid 220 held by the cleaning-liquid recoverer 606 is less likely to shake to overflow from the cleaning-liquid recoverer 606 during the movement of the wiper 603 to the nozzle face 302 a.

The carriage 601 includes a head fixing plate 607 that holds the nozzle face 302a and movably supports the wiper unit 604, and guide plates 608H and 608L (an example of a housing).

The wiper unit 604 includes a cleaning liquid supplier 605 that supplies the cleaning liquid 220 to the wiper 603. Therefore, the cleaning liquid supplier 605 reliably supplies the cleaning liquid 220 to the wiper 603, so that the wiper 603 reliably wipes and cleans the nozzle face 302 a.

The nozzle surface 302a is arranged in a direction intersecting the horizontal plane, the wiper 603 extends downward, and the cleaning liquid feeder 605 feeds the cleaning liquid 220 from above the wiper 603. Then, the cleaning liquid supplier 605 reliably supplies the cleaning liquid 220 to the lower portion of the wiper 603, so that the wiper 603 reliably wipes and cleans the lower portion of the nozzle face 302 a.

Fig. 27 is a circuit diagram illustrating a control system in the embodiment of the present invention. The liquid discharge apparatus 1000 includes a compressor 230 and an air conditioner 332 that supply pressurized air, and a liquid tank 330 that stores ink (liquid 311). Thus, the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 may supply pressurized air from the compressor 230 and the air conditioner 332 to the liquid tank 330. Here, the compressor 230 is an example of a pressurized air supplier, and the liquid tank 330 is an example of a liquid holder.

Further, the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 includes an air conditioner 232 connected to the compressor 230, a cleaning liquid tank 221 storing the cleaning liquid 220, and an openable and closable valve 234 between the cleaning liquid tank 221 and the cleaning liquid supplier 605. Accordingly, the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 may supply the pressurized air from the compressor 230 and the air conditioner 232 to the cleaning liquid tank 221.

Further, the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 includes a vacuum generator 242, a solenoid valve 245, and a waste liquid tank 240. A solenoid valve 245 is connected to the pressure ports of the compressor 230 and the vacuum generator 242. The waste liquid tank 240 is connected to the discharge port of the vacuum generator 242. The cleaning liquid recovery tube 612 is connected to the suction port of the vacuum generator 242. The vacuum generator 242 is an example of a negative pressure generator, and the waste liquid tank 240 is an example of a cleaning liquid recoverer.

The liquid discharge apparatus 1000 includes a controller 500 that controls the motor 613 based on detection signals from the sensors 617a and 617b as shown in fig. 24 to 26. Further, the controller 500 controls the X-direction driver 672, the Y-direction driver 682, and the Z-direction driver 692 as shown in fig. 23A and 23B. The controller 500 also controls the head 300, the openable and closable valve 234, and the solenoid valve 245.

The controller 500 includes, for example, a central processing unit CPU, a read only memory ROM, a random access memory RAM, and an interface I/F circuit that control the entire liquid discharge apparatus 1000. The CPU501 controls the entire liquid discharge apparatus 1000. The ROM stores programs including control programs for causing the CPU to execute such as drawing actions and other fixed data. The RAM temporarily stores drawing data and the like. The I/F transmits and receives data and signals used when the controller 500 receives drawing data and the like from a host such as a personal computer PC.

In the above configuration, the controller 500 controls the head 300 so as to supply the pressurized ink from the liquid tank 330 to the head 300.

When the controller 500 opens the openable and closable valve 234, the pressurized cleaning liquid 220 is supplied from the cleaning liquid tank 221 to the cleaning liquid supplier 605.

When the controller 500 opens the solenoid valve 245 and the compressor 230 sends pressurized air to the ejector 242, a negative pressure is generated at the suction port of the ejector 242. The liquid in the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 is sucked through the cleaning liquid recovery tube 612 and discharged to the waste liquid tank 240.

As described above, the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 includes the waste liquid tank 240 connected to the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 through the cleaning liquid recovery pipe 612. Therefore, regardless of the position of the carriage 601 relative to the drawing object 100, the cleaning liquid held by the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 can be recovered by the waste liquid tank 240.

The liquid discharging apparatus 1000 includes a vacuum generator 242 which generates a negative pressure between the cleaning liquid recovery pipe 612 and the waste liquid tank 240. Therefore, the cleaning liquid 220 held by the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 can be reliably recovered by the waste liquid tank 240.

The liquid discharge apparatus 1000 includes a compressor 230 that supplies pressurized air, and a liquid tank 330 that receives the pressurized air supplied from the compressor 230 and supplies pressurized ink to the nozzle 302. The vacuum generator 242 generates a negative pressure using pressurized air supplied from the compressor 230. Therefore, the cleaning liquid 220 held by the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 can be reliably recovered by the waste liquid tank 240 using the compressor 230 that supplies ink to the head 300. Fig. 28 is a circuit diagram showing a liquid supply system in the embodiment of the present invention.

Next, a liquid supply system for supplying the liquid to the head 300 will be described with reference to fig. 28. Fig. 28 is a circuit diagram of a liquid supply system in the liquid discharge apparatus 1000.

The liquid discharge apparatus 1000 includes liquid tanks 330(330Y, 330M, 330C, and 330K) as sealed containers that store the inks 311 of the respective colors discharged from the respective heads 300(300Y, 300M, 300C, and 300K), respectively. Here, the liquid tanks 330Y, 330M, 330C, and 330K are collectively referred to as a liquid tank 330. The liquid tank 330 and the ejection port 303 of the head 300 are connected by a tube 333, respectively.

In addition, the liquid tank 330 is connected to the compressor 230 through a pipe 331 including an air conditioner 332, thereby supplying pressurized air from the compressor 230 to the liquid tank 330.

Therefore, the pressurized inks 311 of the respective colors are supplied to the ejection ports 303 of the head 300, respectively. Then, as described above, the inks 311 of the respective colors are discharged from the nozzles 302 of the head 300 in accordance with the opening and closing of the valves 307, respectively.

Fig. 29 is a flowchart showing control of the rendering operation in the present embodiment. Fig. 30A and 30B show the movement trajectory of the carriage 601 in the present embodiment, fig. 30A is a front view of the drawing object 100 and the movement trajectory of the carriage 601, and fig. 30B is a side view of the drawing object 100 and the X-axis rail 101. The movement locus of the carriage 601 is denoted by 601R in fig. 30B.

When the controller 500 receives a drawing command, the controller 500 controls the X-direction driver 672, the Y-direction driver 682, and the Z-direction driver 692 as shown in fig. 23A and 23B to move the carriage 601 to the drawing start standby position 110(PS 1).

The drawing start standby position 110 (left end in fig. 30A) is a position that is apart from the drawing region (central region in fig. 30A) of the drawing object 100 by a certain distance in the-X axis direction, and is a position that is apart from the drawing surface of the drawing object 100 in the + Z axis direction (see fig. 30B). As shown in fig. 30B, in the + Z-axis direction, the distance of the drawing start standby position 110 from the drawing surface of the drawing object 100 is larger than the distance of the region (central region in fig. 30B) of the X-axis trajectory 101 facing the drawing object 100 during the drawing operation from the drawing surface of the drawing object 100.

The controller 500 performs the maintenance action at the drawing start standby position 110(PS 2). The maintenance action is specifically described below.

Then, the controller 500 controls the X-direction driver 672 and the Z-direction driver 692 to move the carriage 601 in the + X-axis direction and bring the carriage 601 close to the drawing surface of the drawing object shown in fig. 30B, thereby executing the drawing operation based on the image information (PS 3). Then, the controller 500 executes the drawing operation while causing the carriage 500 to scan (PS 3).

When the carriage 601 moves out of the drawing area, the controller 500 controls the X-direction driver 672 and the Z-direction driver 692 to move the carriage 601 in the direction of moving away from the drawing surface (-Z-axis direction) and to move the carriage in the + X-axis direction, and to stop the carriage at the inversion position 111 (see fig. 30B).

The controller 500 determines whether the drawing action is completed (PS 4). If there is remaining rendering data, the controller 500 controls the Y-direction driver 682 so that the carriage 601 moves in the-Y-axis direction (PS 5). Then, the controller 500 performs the actions from PS2 to PS4 again. Then, the controller 500 causes the carriage 601 to scan in the Y-axis direction until the drawing action is completed.

The controller 500 continues the action from PS2 to PS5 until the end of the rendering (completion). After the controller 500 judges that the drawing action has been completed (yes at PS4), the controller 500 performs the same maintenance action as in step PS2 (PS6), and ends the drawing action. Then, the controller 500 may end the drawing operation in a state where foreign matter, residual ink, or the like is removed from the nozzle surface 302 a.

Fig. 31A and 31B illustrate the wiper unit 604 in the present embodiment. Fig. 32A and 32B are partially enlarged views of the wiper unit 604 of fig. 31A and 31B.

Fig. 31A is a rear view of the wiper unit 604. Fig. 31B is a side view of the wiper unit 604. Fig. 32A is an enlarged upper front view of a part of the wiper unit 604. Fig. 32B is an enlarged lower front view of a part of the wiper unit 604. Fig. 32C is an enlarged lower rear perspective view of a portion of the wiper unit 604.

The wiper unit 604 includes a protrusion 623 and a pressing mechanism 603P. The convex portion 623 protrudes from the ink receiving surface 624 toward the nozzle surface 302a side (in the normal direction of the ink receiving surface 624), and extends in a direction parallel to the ink receiving surface 624, and extends downward in the vertical direction. The pressing mechanism 603P presses the wiper 603 from the rear side of the wiper 603 as shown by an arrow in fig. 32C. The wiper 603 and the convex portion 623 are examples of protrusions protruding from the ink receiving surface 624 toward the nozzle 302 in a state where the ink receiving surface 624 faces the nozzle 302.

In addition, the ink receiving surface 624 is located between the wiper 603 and the convex portion 623 in the horizontal (lateral) direction. Both the wiper 603 and the protrusion 623 extend downward in the vertical direction. That is, the longitudinal direction of both the wiper 603 and the convex portion is along the vertical direction. As shown in fig. 24 to 26, the wiper unit 604 moves in the horizontal direction (X-axis direction or lateral direction). The ink receiving surface 624 is provided between the wiper 603 and the convex portion 623 in the moving direction (in the horizontal (lateral) direction) of the wiper unit 604. The above-described embodiment is an example of the first protrusion and the second protrusion extending in the direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the wiper unit 604.

The wiper 603 has a shape with four sides inclined with the surface on the side facing the nozzle surface 302a of the head 300 as the highest point.

A cleaning liquid supply 605 is located above the wiper 603 and the ink receiving surface 624. The cleaning liquid supplier 605 includes a wiper-side supply port 621 and a receiving-side supply port 622. The wiper side supply port 621 supplies the cleaning liquid 220 from above the wiper 603. The receiving-side supply port 622 supplies the cleaning liquid 220 from above the ink receiving surface 624. The cleaning liquid retriever 606 is located below the wiper 603 and the ink receiving surface 624. The cleaning liquid recovery unit 606 has a wall surface 606W that surrounds the space above the bottom surface of the wiper unit 604. An opening 606A surrounded by a wall surface 606W is formed in an upper portion of the cleaning liquid recovery unit 606.

As described above, the wiper unit 604 includes the convex portion 623 and the wiper 603, which protrude from the ink receiving surface 624 toward the nozzle 302 side, extending in the direction parallel to the ink receiving surface 624 in a state where the ink receiving surface 624 faces the nozzle 302. Thus, the wiper unit 604 can reduce ink received by the ink receiving face 624 from splashing around the ink receiving face 624.

Further, the wiper unit 604 includes a convex portion 623 (first protrusion), a wiper 603 (second protrusion), and an ink receiving surface 624 in the moving direction (horizontal direction) of the wiper unit 604 provided between the convex portion 623 (first protrusion) and the wiper 603 (second protrusion). The first protrusion (convex portion 623) and the second protrusion (wiper 603) extend in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the wiper unit 604. Therefore, the wiper unit 604 can reliably reduce the ink received by the ink receiving surface 624 from scattering toward the periphery of the ink receiving surface 624.

Fig. 33 is a flowchart showing control of the maintenance operation in the present embodiment. Fig. 34 is a plan view of the wiper unit 604 showing the maintenance operation in the present embodiment.

The controller 500 confirms whether the wiper unit 604 is at the home position based on the detection signal of the sensor 617a (MS 1).

The controller 500 opens the openable and closable valve 234 and supplies the cleaning liquid 220 from the cleaning liquid supplier 605. At the same time, the controller 500 opens the solenoid valve 245, activates the vacuum generator 242, and the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 becomes a vacuum state (MS 2).

The controller 500 drives the motor 613 so as to move the wiper unit 604 in the + X-axis direction as shown in fig. 24 and 25, moving the wiper unit 604 to a facing position where the wiper 603 faces the nozzle face 302a of the head 300 (MS 3).

When the wiper 603 faces the nozzle face 302a, the controller 500 further moves the wiper unit 604 in the + X-axis direction while wiping the nozzle face 302a with the wiper 603 (MS 4).

When the controller 500 judges that the wiper unit 604 has reached the movement end position based on the detection signal from the sensor 617b, the controller 500 stops the motor 613, stopping the movement of the wiper unit 604 (MS 5).

Next, the controller 500 drives the motor 613 in the opposite direction, so that the wiper unit 604 moves in the opposite direction (-X-axis direction), so that the wiper unit 604 moves to a facing position where the wiper 603 faces the nozzle face 302a and the ink receiving face 624 faces the nozzle face 302a (MS 6).

The controller 500 further moves the wiper unit 604 in the-X axis direction while the wiper 603 faces the nozzle face 302a, wipes the nozzle face 302a with the wiper 603, and controls the head 300 to discharge (pseudo discharge) ink from the nozzle 302 toward the ink receiving face 624 after the wiper 603 passes (wipes) the nozzle face 302a (MS 7).

Specifically, as shown in fig. 34, the control section 500 controls the head 300 to discharge ink from the nozzle 302C to the ink receiving surface 624 in a manner indicated by an arrow "a" before the protrusion 623 passes through the nozzle 302C after the wiper 603 passes through the nozzle 302C. Thus, in fig. 34, the wiper 603 is disposed below the nozzle 302C, and the projection 623 is disposed above the nozzle 302C. In contrast, in the state shown in fig. 34, in which the nozzle 302B is wiped by the wiper 603, neither the nozzle 302A nor the nozzle 302B faces the ink receiving surface 624 until the nozzle 302A is wiped by the wiper 603. Therefore, the control portion 500 does not discharge ink from the nozzles 302A and 302B.

When the controller 500 judges that the wiper unit 604 has reached the standby position (home position) based on the detection signal from the sensor 617a, the controller 500 stops the motor 613, stopping the movement of the wiper unit 604 (MS 8).

The controller 500 closes the openable and closable valve 234, stops the supply of the cleaning liquid 220 from the cleaning liquid supply unit 605 to the wiper 603 and the ink receiving surface, closes the electromagnetic valve 245, and stops the vacuum state of the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 (MS 9).

As described above, in the state where the ink receiving surface 624 is opposed to the nozzle 302, when the wiper unit 604 is moved, the wiper 603 is brought into contact with the nozzle 302 and the nozzle surface 302a having the nozzle 302. Thus, when the wiper unit 604 moves, the wiper 603 makes contact with the nozzle surface 302a, and the nozzle 302 and the nozzle surface 302a can be wiped and cleaned.

In addition, the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 includes a controller 500 that discharges ink from the nozzles 302 to an ink receiving surface 624 after the wiper 603 passes through the nozzles 302 during movement of the wiper unit 604. The liquid discharge apparatus 1000 can thus remove foreign matter and the like from the nozzle 302, reliably discharging ink from the nozzle 302 to the ink receiving surface 624.

Fig. 35A and 35B are perspective views of a wiper unit according to a sixth embodiment (first modification) of the present invention.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 25, the wiper unit 604 moves along the locus of the shape of the guide slot 609. In the first modification shown in fig. 35A and 35B, the wiper unit 604 moves along the guide rail 609R in a direction parallel to the X-axis direction.

In the first modification, the controller 500 drives the motor 613 and transmits the rotational driving force of the motor 613 to the belts 614B and 614C through the belt 614A, as shown in fig. 25, moving the wiper unit 604 connected to the belts 614B and 614C. Thus, the wiper unit 604 moves along the trajectory of the guide rail 609R.

Fig. 36A and 36B are perspective views of a wiper unit 604 according to a seventh embodiment (second modification) of the present invention.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 32A to 32C, the wiper unit 604 includes the wiper 603, the convex portion 623, and the ink receiving surface 624 provided between the wiper 603 and the convex portion 623 in the horizontal (lateral) direction. In a second modification example shown in fig. 36A and 36B, the wiper unit 604 includes a first wiper 603A, a second wiper 603B, and an ink receiving surface 624 provided between the first wiper 603A and the second wiper 603B in a horizontal (lateral) direction.

The ink receiving surface 624 is arranged between the first wiper 603A and the second wiper 603B in the moving direction (in the horizontal (lateral) direction) of the wiper unit 604. The first wiper 603A and the second wiper 603B are examples of a first protrusion and a second protrusion, respectively. The first wiper 603A and the second wiper 603B extend in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction (vertical direction) of the wiper unit 604. The first wiper 603A (first protrusion) and the second wiper 603B (second protrusion) may be formed as a single wiper 603, instead of being formed as separate members like the first wiper 603A and the second wiper 603B in fig. 35A and 35B.

The first wiper 603A and the second wiper 603B each include an upper end face 603H formed to be inclined such that the ink receiving face 624 side of the upper end face 603H is higher than the nozzle face 302a side of the upper end face 603H. Therefore, the upper end surface 603H is inclined such that the nozzle surface 302a side of the upper end surface 603H is lower than a surface orthogonal to the nozzle surface 302 a. In other words, the respective upper end faces 603H of the first wiper 603A and the second wiper 603B are inclined downward to the nozzle face 302a of the head 300 facing the first wiper 603A and the second wiper 603B.

The wiper-side supply port 621 includes a first supply port 621A facing the upper end face 603H of the first wiper 603A and a second supply port 621B facing the upper end face 603H of the second wiper 603B. Therefore, the cleaning liquid 220 easily flows toward the nozzle surface 302a of the wiper 603.

In the moving direction (horizontal (lateral) direction) of the wiper unit 604, a receiving-side supply port 622 is provided between the first supply port 621A and the second supply port 621B.

As described above, the upper end surfaces 603H of the first wiper 603A and the second wiper 603B are each inclined such that the nozzle surface 302a side of the upper end surface 603H is lower than the ink receiving surface 624 side of the upper end surface 603H. Therefore, the cleaning liquid 220 received by the respective upper end surfaces 603H of the first wiper 603A and the second wiper 603B is reliably supplied to the respective nozzle surface 302a sides of the first wiper 603A and the second wiper 603B, and therefore, the first wiper 603A and the second wiper 603B can reliably wipe and clean the nozzle surface 302a of the head 300.

Fig. 37 is a flowchart showing control of a maintenance operation of the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 in the seventh embodiment (second modification) of the present invention. Fig. 38 is a top view showing control of a maintenance action of the wiper unit 604 in the seventh embodiment (second modification) of the present invention.

The controller 500 confirms whether or not the wiper unit 604 is in the standby position (home position) based on the detection signal from the sensor 617a (MS 11).

The controller 500 opens the openable/closable valve 234 to supply the cleaning liquid 220 from the cleaning liquid supplier 605, opens the electromagnetic valve 245, and activates the vacuum generator 242 to bring the cleaning liquid recovery unit 606 into a vacuum state (MS 12).

The controller 500 drives the motor 613, moves the wiper unit 604 in the + X-axis direction, and moves the wiper unit 604 to a facing position where the wiper 603 faces the nozzle face 302a of the head 300 and the ink receiving face 624 faces the nozzle 302 (MS 13).

The controller 500 further moves the wiper unit 604 in the + X axis direction while the wiper 603 faces the nozzle face 302a, wipes the nozzle face 302a with the wiper 603, and controls the head 300 to discharge (pseudo discharge) ink from the nozzle 302 toward the ink receiving face 624 after the wiper 603 passes (wipes) the nozzle face 302a (MS 14).

Specifically, as shown in fig. 38, the controller 500 controls the head 300 to discharge ink from the nozzles 302B to the ink receiving surface 624 in a manner indicated by an arrow "a" after the second wiper 603B passes through the nozzles 302B and before the first wiper 603A passes through the nozzles 302B. Then, in fig. 38, the first wiper 603A is disposed below the nozzle 302B, and the second wiper 603B is disposed above the nozzle 302B.

In contrast, in the state shown in fig. 38, in the wiping of the nozzle 302A by the first wiper 603A, neither the nozzle 302A nor the nozzle 302C faces the ink receiving surface 624 until the nozzle 302C is wiped by the second wiper 603B. Therefore, the controller 500 does not discharge ink from the nozzles 302A and 302C.

When the controller 500 judges that the wiper unit 604 has reached the movement end position based on the detection signal from the sensor 617b, the controller 500 stops the motor 613, stopping the movement of the wiper unit 604 (MS 15).

Next, the controller 500 drives the motor 613 in the opposite direction to move the wiper unit 604 in the opposite direction (-X axis direction) so that the wiper unit 604 is moved to a facing position where the wiper 603 faces the nozzle face 302a and the ink receiving face 624 faces the nozzle 302 (MS 16).

The controller 500 further moves the wiper unit 604 in the-X axis direction while the wiper 603 faces the nozzle face 302a, wipes the nozzle face 302a with the wiper 603, and controls the head 300 to discharge (pseudo discharge) ink from the nozzle 302 toward the ink receiving face 624 after the wiper 603 passes (wipes) the nozzle face 302a (MS 17).

When the controller 500 judges that the wiper unit 604 has reached the standby position (home position) based on the detection signal from the sensor 617b, the controller 500 stops the motor 613, stopping the movement of the wiper unit 604 (MS 18).

The controller 500 closes the openable and closable valve 234, stops the supply of the cleaning liquid 220 from the cleaning liquid supplier 605 to the first wiper 603A and the second wiper 603B, closes the electromagnetic valve 245, and stops the vacuum state of the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 (MS 19).

Fig. 39A to 39D are front views of the print head 300 and the wiper unit 604, showing maintenance actions in a seventh embodiment (second modification) of the present invention.

Fig. 39A corresponds to step MS13 in the flowchart in fig. 37. Fig. 39A shows a state in which the wiper unit 604 does not face the nozzle surface 302 a.

Fig. 39B to 39D correspond to step MS13 in the flowchart of fig. 37. Fig. 39B to 39D show a state in which the wiper unit 604 faces the nozzle surface 302 a.

In the state shown in fig. 39B, the second wiper 603B faces the nozzle face 302A and the nozzles 302A, and the second wiper 603B wipes and cleans the nozzle face 302A and the nozzles 302A, while the second wiper 603B moves in the + X-axis direction (positive X-axis direction).

In the state shown in fig. 39B, the second wiper 603B passes (wipes) the nozzle 302A, and the second wiper 603B does not discharge ink from the nozzles 302A and 302B before passing (wiping) the nozzle 302B, because neither the nozzle 302A nor the nozzle 302C faces the ink receiving surface 624.

In the state shown in fig. 39C, the second wiper 603B and the first wiper 603A face the nozzle face 302a, and the second wiper 603B and the first wiper 603A wipe and clean the nozzle face 302a while moving in the + X-axis direction (positive X-axis direction). Further, the controller 500 drives the head 300 to discharge the ink from the nozzle 302A because the nozzle 302A faces the ink receiving face 624.

In contrast, the controller 500 does not drive the head 300 to discharge ink from the nozzles 302B because the ink receiving surface 624 does not face the nozzles 302B before the second wiper 603B passes (wipes) the nozzles 302B.

In the state shown in fig. 39D, the second wiper 603B faces the nozzle face 302a and the nozzles 302B, and the second wiper 603B wipes and cleans the nozzle face 302a and the nozzles 302B while moving in the + X-axis direction (positive X-axis direction). Further, in fig. 39D, the first wiper 603A faces the nozzle face 302A and the nozzle 302A, and the first wiper 603A wipes and cleans the nozzle face 302A and the nozzle 302A while the first wiper 603A moves in the + X-axis direction (positive X-axis direction).

In contrast, the controller 500 does not drive the head 300 to discharge ink from the nozzles 302A and 302B because the second wiper 603B passes through (wipes) the nozzle 302B, the first wiper 603A passes through (wipes) the nozzle 302A, and neither the nozzle 302A nor the nozzle 302B faces the ink receiving surface 624.

As described above, the controller 500 drives the head 300 so as to sequentially discharge ink from the nozzles 302 facing the ink receiving surface 624 in synchronization with the movement of the wiper unit 604.

Then, as shown in fig. 39B, the second wiper 603B wipes the nozzle 302A before ink is discharged from the nozzle 302A to the ink receiving surface 624 to temporarily clean the surface environment of the nozzle 302A.

Subsequently, as shown in fig. 39C, the controller 500 drives the head 300 to discharge ink from the nozzle 302A onto the ink receiving surface 624 to discharge dry ink from the nozzle 302A.

Then, as shown in fig. 39D, the first wiper 603A wipes the nozzle 302A after the ink is discharged from the nozzle 302A onto the ink receiving surface 624, so that the discharged dry ink can be removed, eventually cleaning the nozzle 302A. Further, the above cleaning action is performed twice in the forward path and the return path to further stably ensure the normal state of the nozzle 302.

Fig. 40 is a schematic perspective view of a liquid discharge apparatus 1000 according to an 8 th embodiment (3 rd modification) of the present invention. In fig. 40, the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 draws an airplane as a drawing object. Fig. 41 is a perspective view of a liquid discharge apparatus 1000 according to an 8 th embodiment (3 rd modification) of the present invention.

The liquid discharge apparatus 1000 includes a linear guide 404 and a multi-joint robot 405. The linear guide 404 guides the carriage 601 which linearly reciprocates along the linear guide 404. The articulated robot 405 appropriately moves the linear guide 404 to a predetermined position, and holds the linear guide 404 at the predetermined position.

The articulated robot 405 includes a robot arm 405a, and the robot arm 405a can move freely like an arm by a plurality of joints. The articulated robot 405 can freely move the distal end of the robot arm 405a, and dispose the distal end of the robot arm 405a at a correct position.

A 6-axis control type industrial robot having 6 axes (6 joints) can be used as the articulated robot 405, for example. According to the 6-axis control type articulated robot 405, it is possible to teach information relating to the movement of the articulated robot 405 in advance and to accurately and quickly orient the linear guide 404 to a predetermined position of the drawing object 703 (airplane). The number of axes of the articulated robot 405 is not limited to 6, and an articulated robot having an appropriate number of axes such as 5 axes or 7 axes may be used.

The liquid discharge apparatus 1000 is provided with a bifurcated support member 424 on a robot arm 405a of the articulated robot 405. The liquid discharge apparatus 1000 further includes a vertical linear guide 423a attached to a front end of the left arm 424a of the support member 424, and a vertical linear guide 423b attached to a front end of the right arm 424b of the support member 424. The vertical linear guide 423a and the vertical linear guide 423b are parallel to each other.

Further, both ends of the linear guide 404 movably holding the carriage 601 are supported by being bridged on the vertical linear guides 423a and 423 b.

The carriage 601 is mounted with, for example, a plurality of heads 300 that discharge liquid of each color of black, cyan, magenta, yellow, and white, or a head 300 having a plurality of nozzle rows that discharge liquid of each color, as shown in fig. 24. The liquid of each color is supplied under pressure from the liquid tank 330 to the head 300 or the nozzle row of the head 300, respectively, in the same manner as in the liquid supply system shown in fig. 28 described above.

In the liquid discharge apparatus 1000, the articulated robot 405 moves the linear guide 404 to a position where the linear guide 404 faces a desired drawing area of the drawing object 703, and moves the carriage 601 along the linear guide 404 in accordance with print data while driving the head 300 to print an image on the drawing object 703.

When the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 ends one line drawing, the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 drives the vertical linear guides 423a and 423b of the articulated robot 405 to move the head 300 of the carriage 601 from one line to the next line.

The liquid discharge apparatus 1000 repeats the above operation to draw an image in a desired print area of the drawing target 703.

During the drawing action, the carriage 601 including the wiper 603 can wipe and clean the nozzle face 302a of the head 300 with the wiper 603 at any time, although the moving distance of the carriage 601 (head 300) becomes long.

In a fourth modification of the present embodiment, the wiper 603 wipes the nozzles 302 before and after one line of wiping action. So that the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 can continuously draw high-quality images with small downtime.

Fig. 42 is a perspective view of a liquid discharge apparatus 1000 according to a ninth embodiment (fourth modification) of the present invention. Fig. 43 is a perspective view of a driver of a liquid discharge apparatus 1000 according to a ninth embodiment (fourth modification) of the present invention.

The liquid discharge apparatus 1000 includes a movable frame 802, and the movable frame 802 is mounted so as to face a drawing object 703 having a curved surface such as a vehicle hood. The frame 802 includes a left frame 810, a right frame 811, and a movable portion 813. The movable portion 813 is attached to the left frame 810 and the right frame 811 such that the movable portion 813 bridges between the left frame 810 and the right frame 811. The movable portion 813 is vertically movable in the Y direction.

The movable portion 813 includes a driver 803 having a built-in motor and a carriage 601 attached to the driver 803. The driver 803 is reciprocally movable in the horizontal direction (X-axis direction or lateral direction) of the movable portion 813. The carriage 601 discharges liquid to the drawing object 703.

Further, the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 includes a controller 805 and an information processing apparatus 806. The controller 805 controls the liquid discharged from the head 300 mounted on the carriage 601, the reciprocation of the driver 803, and the vertical movement of the movable portion 813. An information processing apparatus 806 such as a Personal Computer (PC) sends an instruction to the controller 805. The information processing apparatus 806(PC) is connected to a database 807(DB) that records and holds information related to the drawing object 703 such as the shape and size of the drawing object 703.

The frame 802 further includes an upper frame 808, a lower frame 809, a left frame 810, and a right frame 811, forming the vertical and horizontal contours of the frame 802. The upper frame 808, the lower frame 809, the left frame 810, and the right frame 811 are formed of a metal pipe or the like. The frame 802 further includes a left foot component 812a and a right foot component 812b that are connected to both ends of the lower frame 809 to make the frame 802 free-standing. The left foot member 812a and the right foot member 812b are vertically and horizontally connected to both ends of the lower frame 809.

The movable portion 813 bridged between the left frame 810 and the right frame 811 is vertically movable while supporting the driver 803.

The surface of the drawing object 703 is perpendicular to the liquid discharge direction (Z-axis direction). Thus, the surface of the drawing object 703 faces a plane formed by the upper frame 808, the lower frame 809, the left frame 810, and the right frame 811 of the frame 802.

In the above case, in order to arrange the drawing object 703 at a predetermined drawing position for drawing, for example, the back surface of the drawing area of the drawing object 703 is held by a chuck connected to the tip of the robot arm 405a of the articulated robot 405, the drawing object 703 is accurately arranged at the printing position by the articulated robot 405, and the posture of the drawing object 703 is appropriately changed.

As shown in fig. 43, the driver 803 is reciprocally movable in the horizontal (lateral) direction (X-axis direction) along a movable portion 813 as a guide rail. The movable portion 813 includes a guide 830, a rack 831, a linear guide 832, a pinion 833, a motor 834, and a rotary encoder 835. The guide 830 is horizontally disposed to bridge between the left frame 810 and the right frame 811 of the frame 802. The rack 831 is parallel to the guide rail 830. A linear guide 832 is mounted to a portion of the guide 830 and slides along the guide 830. The pinion 833 is connected to the linear guide 832 and engages with the rack 831. The motor 834 comprises a reducer 836 and drives the pinion 833 in rotation. The rotary encoder 835 detects the position of the plot.

The motor 834 drives forward or backward to move the carriage 601 rightward or leftward along the movable portion 813. Further, the driver 803 functions as a driving mechanism of the carriage 601, and moves the carriage 601 in the X-axis direction. The decelerator 836 includes limit switches 837a and 837b installed at both sides of a housing of the decelerator 836.

The carriage 601 is mounted with, for example, a plurality of heads 300 that discharge liquid of each color of black, cyan, magenta, yellow, and white, or a head 300 having a plurality of nozzle rows that discharge liquid of each color, as shown in fig. 24. The liquid of each color is supplied under pressure from the liquid tank 330 to the head 300 or the nozzle row of the head 300, respectively, as shown in fig. 28.

The liquid discharge apparatus 1000 moves the movable portion 813 in the Y-axis direction and moves the carriage 601 in the X-axis direction, thereby forming a desired image on the drawing object 703.

During the drawing action, the carriage 601 including the wiper 603 can wipe and clean the nozzle face 302a of the head 300 with the wiper 603 at any time, although the moving distance of the carriage 601 (head 300) becomes long.

Therefore, the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 can continuously draw high-quality images with less downtime.

Fig. 44 is a flowchart of a drawing action in the ninth embodiment (fourth modification) of the present invention.

In the fourth modification, the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 forms a pattern coat on the drawing object 703 of an automobile body or the like on which a base coat layer and an intermediate coat layer are formed in this order on a substrate.

The substrate used in the fourth modification may be any material without limitation as long as the substrate can be used for an automobile body. Examples of the substrate include a steel sheet, an aluminum sheet, a galvanized steel sheet, an iron-zinc alloy plated steel sheet, a chemically converted metal substrate obtained by subjecting the above metal substrate to a chemical conversion treatment such as a chromate treatment, a zinc phosphate treatment, an iron phosphate treatment, and the like, and a plastic substrate such as a glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP) and the like.

The undercoat layer is formed on the substrate by a known method such as spraying, dipping, brushing. When the substrate is a conductive substrate such as a metal substrate or a chemically treated metal substrate, it is preferable to form an electrocoat as an undercoat layer using an electrocoat (CS 1).

To form the electrophoretic coating layer, the substrate may be immersed in an electrophoretic bath by a known method, and then, the electrophoretic coating layer is formed. As the electrophoresis bath, any of the well-known anionic electrophoresis baths and cationic electrophoresis baths can be used.

As the matrix resin component of the electrophoretic bath, one or two or more resins of epoxy resin, acrylic resin, polybutadiene resin, alkyd resin, polyester resin, silicone resin, and the like can be cited. As an anionic electrophoresis bath, the base resin component includes an acid group such as a carboxyl group. As the cationic electrophoresis bath, the matrix resin component includes an amino group and a basic group such as an onium group of an ammonium group, a sulfonium group, a phosphonium group or the like. The above groups can be neutralized and ionized to make the groups aqueous.

The thickness of the primer layer is generally about 5 to 40 micrometers, preferably about 15 to 30 micrometers, as a dry film thickness.

After priming, the primer layer is washed with water if necessary, and then, after the primer layer is cured by air-drying or baking, an intermediate coating paint is applied onto the primer layer (CS 2). The intermediate coating material may be in the form of a water-based coating material, an organic solvent-based coating material, or a powder coating material. Examples of the resin coating include various types of resin coatings such as alkyd resin, polyester resin, acrylic resin, polyurethane resin, and vinyl resin. Among them, alkyd resin materials are generally used as the material of the intermediate coat.

In the fourth modification, the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 applies a coat of a predetermined pattern (pattern coat) set in advance in the information processing apparatus 806 to the automobile body on which the above-described undercoat layer and intermediate coat layer have been formed in this order (CS 3).

The pattern coating is typically a thin film having a thickness of about 1 to 10 μm, and must contain a large amount of pigment in order to mask the undercoat layer and the intermediate coating layer with the thin film. In the fourth modification, a clear coat is further coated on the pattern coating layer to solve problems caused by a large amount of pigment contained in the pattern coating layer, such as reduction of gloss resulting in deterioration of the surface appearance of the coating layer and deterioration of weather resistance and chemical resistance (CS 4).

Examples of the clear coating include an organic solvent type coating, a water type coating, a powder coating, and the like, without limitation, as long as the clear coating has good weather resistance. For example, as the resin system, various resins such as acrylic resin, polyester resin, alkyd resin, silicone resin, and fluororesin may be used, and the resin may be a thermosetting resin or a resin cured by active light such as ultraviolet light or electron beam. As the clear coating material, a clear coating material used as a clear coating layer of an automobile roof is included, and among them, an acrylic resin-based heat-curable clear coating material is particularly suitable.

As described above, the carriage 601 (example of the liquid discharge device) according to the embodiment of the present invention includes the head 300 including the nozzle face 302a (example of the liquid discharge face), the wiper 603 (example of the contact portion) in contact with the nozzle face 302a, the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 (example of the cleaning liquid holder) holding the cleaning liquid 220 supplied to the wiper 603, and the wiper unit 604 (wiper mover) holding the wiper 603 and the cleaning liquid recoverer 606. The wiper unit 604 is movable between a facing position where the wiper 603 faces the nozzle face 302a and a standby position (home position) where the wiper 603 does not face the nozzle face 302a, so that the inclination of the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 with respect to the horizontal plane is kept constant. The head 300 includes a nozzle 302 (an example of a discharge port) on a nozzle surface 302a, and the head 300 discharges ink (an example of liquid) from the nozzle 302 toward the drawing object 100 (an example of a drawing object). The wiper 603 preferably extends in a direction parallel to the nozzle face 302 a.

In this way, the wiper 603 is moved to the facing position facing the nozzle face 302a, and the nozzle face 302a is contacted, wiped, and cleaned with the wiper 603 supplied with the cleaning liquid 220 without moving the nozzle face 302a to the wiper 603. Further, the carriage 601 can reduce the possibility that the cleaning liquid 220 in the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 wobbles to overflow from the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 when the wiper 603 is moved to the standby position where the wiper 603 does not face the nozzle face 302 a.

The wiper unit 604 is movable in a facing area where the wiper 603 faces the nozzle face 302a without changing the height of the cleaning liquid recoverer 606. The wiper unit 604 is movable in the horizontal direction (lateral direction) in a facing area where the wiper 603 faces the nozzle surface 302 a. Then, when the wiper unit 604 moves, the cleaning liquid 220 held by the cleaning liquid retriever 606 receives no force in the height direction (gravity direction). Therefore, the cleaning liquid 220 held by the cleaning-liquid recoverer 606 is less likely to shake to overflow from the cleaning-liquid recoverer 606.

The carriage 601 includes a head fixing plate 607 that holds the nozzle face 302a and movably supports the wiper unit 604, and guide plates 608H and 608L (an example of a housing).

The wiper unit 604 includes a cleaning liquid supplier 605 that supplies the cleaning liquid 220 to the wiper 603. Therefore, the cleaning liquid supplier 605 reliably supplies the cleaning liquid 220 to the wiper 603, so that the wiper 603 reliably wipes and cleans the nozzle face 302 a.

The nozzle surface 302a is arranged in a direction intersecting the horizontal plane, the wiper 603 extends downward, and the cleaning liquid feeder 605 feeds the cleaning liquid 220 from above the wiper 603. The cleaning liquid supplier 605 reliably supplies the cleaning liquid 220 to the lower side of the wiper 603, so that the wiper 603 can reliably wipe and clean the lower side of the nozzle face 302 a.

Therefore, the upper end surface 603H is inclined such that the nozzle surface 302a side of the upper end surface 603H is lower than a plane orthogonal to the nozzle surface 302 a. In other words, the upper end face 603H of the wiper 603 is inclined downward toward the nozzle face 302a of the head 300 facing the wiper 603. So that the cleaning liquid 220 received by the upper end face 603H of the wiper 603 is reliably supplied to the nozzle face 302a of the wiper 603, and the wiper 603 reliably wipes and cleans the nozzle face 302a of the head 300.

Further, the wiper unit 604 is horizontally (laterally) movable at a facing position where the wiper 603 faces the nozzle face 302 a. The wiper 603 extends in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction (vertical direction) of the wiper unit 604.

In addition, the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes the carriage 601 as described above, and the X-axis guide 101, the Y-axis guide 102, and the Z-axis guide 103 (refer to fig. 23A and 23B) which movably hold the carriage 601, or the guide 830 (an example of the guide, refer to fig. 42).

Accordingly, the carriage 601 can discharge ink to the drawing object 100 while moving in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions. Regardless of the position of the carriage 601 with respect to the drawing object 100, the carriage 601 moves the wiper 603 to a facing position where the wiper 603 faces the nozzle face 302a as needed. Accordingly, the wiper 603 provided with the cleaning liquid 220 may contact the nozzle face 302a of the head 300, wipe and clean the nozzle face 302a without moving the nozzle face 302a to the wiper 603.

Therefore, the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 can continuously draw high-quality images with less downtime because the liquid discharge apparatus 1000 can reduce the time required for the carriage 601 to move to the wiper 603 compared to when the carriage 601 moves to the wiper 603 whose position is fixed.

The liquid discharge apparatus 1000 includes a waste liquid tank 240 (an example of a cleaning liquid recovery unit) connected to the cleaning liquid recovery unit 606 through a cleaning liquid recovery pipe 612 (an example of a flexible pipe). Therefore, the cleaning liquid 220 held by the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 can be recovered by the waste liquid tank 240 regardless of the position of the carriage 601 with respect to the drawing object 100.

The liquid discharging apparatus 1000 includes a vacuum generator 242 which generates a negative pressure between the cleaning liquid recovery pipe 612 and the waste liquid tank 240. Therefore, the cleaning liquid 220 held by the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 can be reliably recovered by the waste liquid tank 240.

The liquid discharge apparatus 1000 includes a compressor 230 (an example of a pressurized air supplier) that supplies pressurized air, and a liquid tank 330 (an example of a liquid holder) that receives the pressurized air supplied from the compressor 230 and supplies pressurized ink to the nozzle 302. The vacuum generator 242 generates a negative pressure using the pressurized air received from the compressor 230. Therefore, the cleaning liquid held by the cleaning liquid recoverer 606 can be reliably recovered by the waste liquid tank 240 by the compressor 230 that supplies ink to the head 300. The liquid tank 330 receives pressurized air supplied from a pressurized air supplier (compressor 230) and supplies pressurized liquid to the head 300.

This patent application is based on and claims from 35U.S. C. § 119(a) priority from Japanese patent application No. 2019-.

List of reference numerals

1 liquid discharge apparatus

2 Cylinder (column shaped component)

10 base

11 mounting table

12 fixed part

13 liquid discharge device

14 carriage

15 frame

16 sliding block

300 heads

200 cleaning mechanism

201 wiper

202 cleaning liquid discharger

302 nozzle

305 piezoelectric element

307 valve

500 controller

702 print target