US 12,138,931 B2
Printing apparatus and ink sucking unit cleaning method
Shogo Muto, Kyoto (JP); and Yasunori Akiyoshi, Kyoto (JP)
Assigned to SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD., Kyoto (JP)
Filed by SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD., Kyoto (JP)
Filed on Aug. 29, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/897,705.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-156163 (JP), filed on Sep. 24, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0095416 A1, Mar. 30, 2023
Int. Cl. B41J 2/165 (2006.01); B41J 25/304 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 2/1652 (2013.01) [B41J 2/16511 (2013.01); B41J 2/16532 (2013.01); B41J 2/16547 (2013.01); B41J 2/16552 (2013.01); B41J 2/16508 (2013.01); B41J 2002/1655 (2013.01); B41J 2/16585 (2013.01); B41J 25/304 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A printing apparatus, comprising:
a discharge head having an ink discharging surface, in which a nozzle opens, and discharging an ink from the nozzle;
an ink sucking unit having a head facing surface, in which a suction hole opens, and sucking the ink through the suction hole;
a negative pressure applier applying a negative pressure to the suction hole of the ink sucking unit;
a cleaning liquid supplier supplying a cleaning liquid to the head facing surface;
an auxiliary cleaning member having an auxiliary cleaning surface;
a driver moving the ink sucking unit between a head cleaning region at which the head facing surface is facing the ink discharging surface and a self-cleaning region at which the head facing surface is facing the auxiliary cleaning surface; and
a controller controlling the negative pressure applier, the cleaning liquid supplier and the driver, wherein:
the controller includes:
a negative pressure controller controlling the negative pressure applier;
a drive controller controlling the driver; and
a supply controller controlling the cleaning liquid supplier, when performing a head cleaning,
the drive controller controls the driver to move the ink sucking unit to the head cleaning region and further move the ink sucking unit in a horizontal direction in the head cleaning region while the head facing surface of the ink sucking unit is facing the ink discharging surface of the discharge head in the head cleaning region, and
the negative pressure controller controls to activate the negative pressure applier and generate a negative pressure in the suction hole of the ink sucking unit, thereby sucking the ink adhering to the ink discharging surface through the suction hole while the ink sucking unit is moving in a horizontal direction in the head cleaning region, when performing a self-cleaning,
the drive controller controls the driver to move the ink sucking unit to the self-cleaning region and cause the head facing surface of the ink sucking unit to face the auxiliary cleaning surface in the self-cleaning region,
the supply controller controls the cleaning liquid supplier to supply the cleaning liquid to the head facing surface of the ink sucking unit from the cleaning liquid supplier in the self-cleaning region, and
the negative pressure controller controls to activate the negative pressure applier and generate a negative pressure in the suction hole of the ink sucking unit, thereby sucking the cleaning liquid through the suction hole while bringing the cleaning liquid supplied to the head facing surface into contact with the auxiliary cleaning surface.
 
6. An ink sucking unit cleaning method, comprising:
moving an ink sucking unit to a head cleaning region at which an ink discharging surface of a discharge head is facing a head facing surface of an ink sucking unit, the discharge head configured to discharge an ink from a nozzle opening in the ink discharging surface, the ink sucking unit configured to suck from a suction hole opening in the head facing surface, further moving the ink sucking unit in a horizontal direction in the head cleaning region while the head facing surface of the ink sucking unit is facing the ink discharging surface of the discharge head in the head cleaning region;
generating a negative pressure in the suction hole of the ink sucking unit thereby sucking the ink adhering to the ink discharging surface through the suction hole while the ink sucking unit is moving in a horizontal direction in the head cleaning region;
moving the ink sucking unit to a self-cleaning region at which the head facing surface is facing an auxiliary cleaning surface of an auxiliary cleaning member;
supplying a cleaning liquid to a head facing surface;
bringing the auxiliary cleaning surface of the auxiliary cleaning member facing the head facing surface and the cleaning liquid supplied to the head facing surface into contact; and
sucking the cleaning liquid on the head facing surface through the suction hole.