JP2009148967A - Liquid-droplet discharge apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it easy to clean a preliminarily-discharged ink droplet. <P>SOLUTION: When a picture is recorded in a recording medium P whose width is narrower than an image recording width of ink-jet recording heads 20Y to 20K, the recording heads 20Y to 20K move in the image recording width direction, and a rest nozzle gets out of one end side of a conveyance belt 30. The ink droplet preliminarily discharged from the rest nozzle which has got out of the conveyance belt 30 to the outside of the belt 30 are received and absorbed by a receiving member 60. The ink droplet which impacted onto the conveyance belt 30 from the rest nozzle arranged on the conveyance belt 30 is cleaned by a cleaning mechanism 62. Owing to the ink droplets preliminarily discharged from the getting-out rest nozzle being mostly received by the receiving member 60, the range wherein the ink droplet is preliminarily discharged onto the conveyance belt 30 becomes the narrow range of one end side of the conveyance belt 30, and then the ink droplet discharged preliminarily is easily cleaned. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a droplet discharge device.

  As a droplet discharge device, a droplet discharge device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known. In the droplet discharge device disclosed in Patent Document 1, a purge region made of an absorbing member is provided on the belt, the purge region is detected by the purge region detection unit, and the phase of the belt is adjusted. Discharging can be performed. Further, since the phase of the belt is adjusted so that no recording paper is placed in the purge area, problems such as the floating of the recording paper do not occur.

On the other hand, since the ink absorbed in the purge area is cleaned by the belt cleaning unit, the purge area can be used repeatedly, and maintenance is not required. Further, the distance between the purge areas is determined in accordance with the size of the frequently used recording paper, and the interval between the recording papers can be reduced, so that the productivity can be improved.
JP 2005-119284 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide a droplet discharge device that facilitates cleaning of pre-discharged droplets.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a liquid droplet ejection apparatus that records an image on a recording medium by ejecting liquid droplets from a plurality of nozzles to a conveyance body that conveys the recording medium and the recording medium that is conveyed to the conveyance body. When the droplet discharge head and the recording medium are narrower than the image recordable width of the droplet discharge head, a pause nozzle that pauses in image recording on the recording medium protrudes from one end side of the carrier. Moving means for moving the liquid droplet ejection head relative to the transport body in the image recordable width direction; and a receiving member for receiving liquid droplets preliminarily ejected from a pause nozzle that protrudes from one end of the transport body. It is characterized by having.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the liquid droplet ejection apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the moving means is located on the outermost side opposite to the side where the pause nozzle protrudes from one end side of the carrier. The droplet discharge head is moved relative to the conveyance body in the image recordable width direction so that the nozzle is positioned on the recording medium.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a droplet discharge device according to the first or second aspect, wherein the droplet discharge device is provided on one end side of the transport body and is narrower than an image recordable width of the droplet discharge head. And a cleaning mechanism for cleaning droplets preliminarily ejected from the idle nozzle that pauses during image recording to the carrier.

  According to the configuration of the first aspect of the present invention, as compared with the configuration in which preliminary ejection is performed to all of the idle nozzles that are paused in the image recording on the recording medium narrower than the image recordable width of the droplet ejection head, the preliminary ejection is performed on the conveyance body. The discharged droplets can be easily cleaned.

  According to the configuration of the second aspect of the present invention, the outermost nozzle on the side opposite to the side where the pause nozzle protrudes from the one end side of the transport body can be used for image recording without pausing, and on the outermost nozzle side. Preliminary ejection is not required, and cleaning on the outermost nozzle side is not necessary, so cleaning of the preliminarily ejected droplets is facilitated.

  According to the configuration of the third aspect of the present invention, as compared with the configuration in which preliminary ejection is performed from all the idle nozzles that are paused in image recording onto a recording medium narrower than the image recordable width of the droplet ejection head to the conveyance body. It becomes easy to clean the liquid droplets preliminarily ejected on the body.

  Below, an example of an embodiment concerning the present invention is described based on a drawing.

  In this embodiment, as an example of a droplet discharge device that discharges droplets, an ink jet recording device that discharges ink droplets and records an image on a recording medium will be described.

  The droplet discharge device is not limited to the ink jet recording device. As a droplet discharge device, for example, a color filter manufacturing device that manufactures a color filter by discharging ink or the like onto a film or glass, a device that forms a bump for mounting components by discharging molten solder onto a substrate Further, an apparatus for forming a wiring pattern by discharging a liquid containing a metal and various film forming apparatuses for forming a film by discharging a droplet may be used as long as the apparatus discharges a droplet.

(Overall configuration of inkjet recording apparatus according to this embodiment)
First, the overall configuration of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described. 1 and 2 schematically show the overall configuration of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an inkjet recording apparatus 10 includes a recording medium storage unit 12 that stores a recording medium P such as paper, an image recording unit 14 that records an image on the recording medium P, and a recording medium storage. Conveying means 16 for transporting the recording medium P from the section 12 to the image recording section 14 and a recording medium discharging section 18 for discharging the recording medium P on which an image is recorded by the image recording section 14 are provided.

  The image recording unit 14 is an example of a droplet discharge head that discharges droplets, and inkjet recording heads 20Y, 20M, 20C, and 20K (hereinafter referred to as 20Y to 20K) that discharge ink droplets and record an image on a recording medium. ).

  The inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K are arranged in parallel in the order of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) from the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the recording medium P. The ink droplets corresponding to the respective colors are ejected from a plurality of nozzles formed on the nozzle surface by a piezoelectric method, and an image is recorded. In the inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K, the configuration for ejecting ink droplets may be a configuration for ejecting ink droplets by other methods such as a thermal method.

  Further, the ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K are configured to be longer in the width direction (main scanning direction) of the recording medium P than the conveyance direction (sub scanning direction) of the recording medium P. The inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K can form one line in the main scanning direction without moving relative to the recording medium P in the main scanning direction, and move relative to the recording medium P in the sub scanning direction. Thus, color images are recorded. The width direction of the recording medium P is a direction that intersects with the conveyance direction of the recording medium P.

  The ink jet recording apparatus 10 is provided with ink tanks 21Y, 21M, 21C, and 21K (hereinafter referred to as 21Y to 21K) that store ink. Ink is supplied from the ink tanks 21Y to 21K to the inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K. As the ink supplied to the inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K, various inks such as water-based ink, oil-based ink, and solvent-based ink can be used.

  Furthermore, the inkjet recording apparatus 10 is provided with maintenance units 22Y, 22M, 22C, and 22K (hereinafter referred to as 22Y to 22K) that perform maintenance of the inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K. The maintenance units 22Y to 22K are respectively opposed to the nozzle surfaces of the ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K (see FIG. 2) and retracted from the nozzle surfaces of the ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K (see FIG. 1). It is configured to be movable between.

  Each of the maintenance units 22Y to 22K has a cap that covers the nozzle surfaces of the ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K, a cleaning member that cleans the nozzle surfaces of the ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K, and a suction device that sucks ink in the nozzles. When maintaining the respective ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K, the respective ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K are raised by a predetermined height and the maintenance units 22Y to 22K are moved to the opposing positions to perform various maintenance.

  The transport unit 16 includes a feed roll 24 that sends out the recording medium P accommodated in the recording medium storage unit 12, a transport roll pair 25 that sandwiches and transports the recording medium P sent out by the feed roll 24, and a transport roll pair 25. And an endless conveyance belt 30 that causes the recording surface of the recording medium P conveyed by the inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K to face each other.

  The conveyance belt 30 is wound around a driving roll 26 disposed on the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the recording medium P and a driven roll 28 disposed on the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the recording medium P, and is wound in a predetermined direction (A in FIG. 1). Direction).

  The transport belt 30 may be a transport body that transports the recording medium P. For example, a transport drum as an example of a transport body that transports the recording medium P on the outer peripheral surface may be used.

  In addition, a pressing roll 27 that presses the recording medium P against the conveyance belt 30 is provided above the driven roll 28. The pressing roll 27 is driven by the conveying belt 30 and also serves as a charging roll. When the conveying belt 30 is charged by the pressing roll 27, the recording medium P is electrostatically attracted to the conveying belt 30 and conveyed. It is a configuration.

  When the conveyance belt 30 conveys the recording medium P, the inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K and the recording medium P move relative to each other, and ink droplets are ejected onto the relatively moving recording medium P to form an image.

  Note that the inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K may move with respect to the recording medium P, and the recording medium P and the inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K may be configured to move relative to each other.

  Further, the conveyance belt 30 is not limited to a configuration that holds the recording medium P by electrostatic adsorption, but is a non-electrostatic means such as friction with the recording medium P or suction or adhesion of the recording medium P. It may be configured to be held by.

  A separation claw for separating the recording medium P from the conveyance belt 30 is disposed on the downstream side of the conveyance belt 30 so as to be able to approach and separate. The recording medium P on which an image is recorded by the ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K is configured such that the recording medium P is peeled off from the transport belt 30 by the curvature of the transport belt 30 and the peeling claw. In addition, in FIG.1 and FIG.2, illustration of the peeling nail | claw is abbreviate | omitted.

  On the downstream side of the peeling claw, a plurality of transport roll pairs 29 in which the recording surface side of the recording medium P is a star wheel are provided. The recording medium P on which an image is recorded by the image recording unit 14 is conveyed to the recording medium discharge unit 18 by the conveyance roll pair 29.

  A reversing unit 37 that reverses the recording medium P is provided below the conveyance belt 30. After the conveyance roll pair 29 once conveys the recording medium P downstream, the conveyance roll pair 29 reverses and records. The medium P is sent to the reversing unit 37.

  The reversing unit 37 is provided with a plurality of conveying roll pairs 23 in which the recording surface side of the recording medium P is a star wheel, so that the recording medium P sent to the reversing unit 37 is sent to the conveying belt 30 again. It has become.

  In addition, although not shown, the inkjet recording apparatus 10 performs the overall operation of the inkjet recording apparatus 10 and the ejection timing of ink droplets, the head controller that determines the nozzles of the inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K to be used, and the inkjet recording apparatus 10. System control means for controlling.

  Next, an image recording operation of the inkjet recording apparatus 10 will be described.

  First, the recording medium P is sent out from the recording medium container 12 by the sending roll 24, and sent to the transport belt 30 by the transport roll pair 25 on the upstream side of the transport belt 30.

  The recording medium P sent to the conveying belt 30 is attracted and held on the conveying surface of the conveying belt 30 and conveyed to the recording positions of the ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K, and an image is recorded on the recording surface of the recording medium P. The Then, after the image recording is finished, the recording medium P is peeled off from the transport belt 30 by a peeling claw.

  When an image is recorded only on one side of the recording medium P, it is discharged to the recording medium discharge unit 18 by a pair of conveying rolls 29 on the downstream side of the conveying belt 30.

  When recording an image on both sides of the recording medium P, after the image is recorded on one side, the recording medium P is reversed by the reversing unit 37 and sent to the transport belt 30 again. Images are recorded on the opposite side of the recording medium P in the same manner as described above, images are recorded on both sides of the recording medium P, and are discharged to the recording medium discharge unit 18.

(Configuration that facilitates cleaning of ink droplets preliminarily ejected from the inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K)
Next, a configuration that facilitates cleaning of ink droplets preliminarily ejected from the inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K will be described.

  Note that the preliminary ejection is ejection performed for purposes other than image recording, for example, ejection for suppressing ink thickening at the nozzles of the inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining a configuration for facilitating cleaning of ink droplets preliminarily ejected from the ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K according to the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a state in which the inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K according to the present embodiment are moved. FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the configuration of the actuator 50 according to the present embodiment.

  3, 4, 5, 7, and 8, only the inkjet recording head 20 </ b> Y is representatively illustrated among the inkjet recording heads 20 </ b> Y to 20 </ b> K, but the inkjet recording heads 20 </ b> M, 20 </ b> C, and 20 </ b> K are also illustrated. It is constituted similarly.

  As shown in FIGS. 3B and 4B, the inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K occupy an image recordable area 20A, that is, an image recordable nozzle that can actually record an image among a plurality of nozzles. Has an area. The width of the image recordable area 20A, that is, the image recordable width A (see FIG. 4B) is a predetermined width. The width here is the width in the main scanning direction.

  In the configuration in which the nozzles of the ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K are two-dimensionally arranged, a nozzle region that cannot be used for image recording is generated because of low resolution at the head end, and image recording is possible except for this area. It becomes area | region 20A. Further, even when there are nozzles arranged for the purpose other than image recording, that is, so-called dummy nozzles at the end of the head, the range excluding this is the image recordable area 20A.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the inkjet recording apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment includes an actuator 50 as an example of a moving unit that moves the droplet discharge head in the image recordable width direction X.

  The actuator 50 includes a housing 52 that houses each component, a ball screw 54 that is rotatably supported on the side wall of the housing 52, and a drive that applies a driving force to the ball screw 54 to rotate the ball screw 54. A motor 58 and a stage 56 attached to the ball screw 54 are provided.

  In this actuator 50, a driving force is applied from the drive motor 58 to the ball screw 54 to rotate the ball screw 54, and the stage 56 moves along the ball screw 54 by rotating the ball screw 54. .

  The ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K are attached to the stage 56 of the actuator 50, and the stage 56 and the ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K move together. The ball screw 54 has a length of the maximum moving distance of the ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K.

  When the recording medium P is narrower than the image recordable width A of the ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K, the actuator 50 records an image on the recording medium P as shown in FIGS. 4 (A), 4 and 4B. The inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K are moved in the image recordable width direction X so that at least a part of the pause nozzles that are paused in FIG.

  In addition, as shown in FIGS. 4A, 4, and 4 </ b> B, the actuator 50 includes a recording medium having an outermost nozzle on the side opposite to the side where there is a pause nozzle protruding from one end side of the conveyance belt 30. The inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K are moved in the image recordable width direction X so as to be positioned on P.

  In FIG. 4B, the range of the idle nozzle is indicated by an arrow B, and the portion surrounded by a dotted line C indicates the outermost nozzle on the side opposite to the side where the idle nozzle is located.

  The amount of movement of the inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K is determined by the number of idle nozzles. If the number of idle nozzles increases, the number of idle nozzles that protrude from the conveyor belt 30 also increases, and the inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K move. The amount increases. The number of idle nozzles is determined by the width of the recording medium P on which an image is recorded, and the number of idle nozzles increases as the width of the recording medium P on which an image is recorded decreases. In the ink jet recording apparatus 10, the maximum number of idle nozzles is the number of idle nozzles that pause when an image is recorded on the minimum width of the transportable recording medium P. When the maximum number of idle nozzles is reached, the amount of movement of the ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K is maximized.

  In the present embodiment, the amount of movement of the ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K is determined by the size of the recording medium P. The size of the recording medium P can be detected by an input from an operator of the ink jet recording apparatus 10 or by automatic detection by a detection sensor in the recording medium container 12 or the conveyance path.

  The actuator 50 is also provided in each of the other inkjet recording heads 20M, 20C, and 20K, and the inkjet recording heads 20M, 20C, and 20K are configured to move similarly to the inkjet recording head 20Y.

  The inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K are not limited to being individually moved, and an actuator that moves all the inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K at once may be used.

  Alternatively, the inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K may be moved relative to the conveyance belt 30 by moving the conveyance belt 30 side instead of the inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K.

  As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B and FIGS. 4A and 4B, the ink jet recording apparatus 10 receives liquid droplets preliminarily ejected from a pause nozzle that protrudes from one end side of the conveyor belt 30. A receiving member 60 is provided.

  The receiving member 60 is configured in a box shape with an open top, and an absorber that absorbs ink droplets is provided therein.

  The receiving member 60 is intended to collect the ink droplets preliminarily ejected from the idle nozzle that protrudes from one end side of the conveyance belt 30 without contaminating the surroundings, and the maximum number that protrudes from one end side of the conveyance belt 30. The full range of the idle nozzles is set to be satisfied.

  The receiving member 60 may be configured to be fixed at a position for receiving ink droplets preliminarily ejected from the maximum number of idle nozzles protruding from one end side of the conveying belt 30, and as the inkjet recording apparatus 10 moves. May be configured to move.

  As a moving mechanism for moving the receiving member 60, the above-described actuator 50 may be used.

  The receiving member 60 is provided in each of the ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K, and is configured to receive ink droplets preliminarily ejected from the respective pause nozzles of the ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K.

  Note that the receiving member 60 may be configured to collectively receive ink droplets preliminarily ejected from the idle nozzles of all the ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K. Further, as the receiving member 60, a cap used for maintenance may be used.

  A cleaning mechanism 62 is provided on one end side of the transport belt 30 to clean the liquid droplets preliminarily ejected from the idle nozzle to the transport belt 30.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 (A) and 4 (A), the cleaning mechanism 62 includes, as a cleaning member capable of cleaning ink droplets landed on one end side of the conveyor belt 30, for example, a blade that scrapes ink droplets, A roll for wiping off ink droplets is used. For the blade, for example, an elastic body such as rubber is used, and for the roll, for example, an absorbent body such as sponge is used.

  As shown in FIG. 6A, the cleaning mechanism 62 is configured to clean not only the outer peripheral surface of the conveyance belt 30 but also the end surface 30A of the conveyance belt 30 so as to contact the end surface 30A of the conveyance belt 30. It is desirable to do.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6B, the cleaning mechanism 62 is configured to clean the back surface 30B of the transport belt 30 in addition to the end surface 30A of the transport belt 30 so as to sandwich the transport belt 30. Is more desirable.

  Since the cleaning mechanism 62 is for cleaning ink droplets that have landed on one end side of the transport belt 30, it is not necessary to clean the entire width direction of the transport belt 30, and at least a length narrower than the width of the transport belt 30. Is formed.

  In addition, when performing edgeless image recording in which an image is recorded on the entire area of the recording medium P without providing an edge on the recording medium P, the belt surface on the other end side of the conveyance belt 30 without the cleaning mechanism 62 is also soiled. A cleaning mechanism 63 may be provided on the other end side of the conveyance belt 30. Similar to the cleaning mechanism 62, the cleaning mechanism 63 uses, for example, a blade that scrapes ink drops or a roll that wipes ink drops as a cleaning member that can clean ink drops that have landed on the other end of the transport belt 30. It is done.

  Since the cleaning mechanism 63 needs to be moved by changing the size of the recording medium P, as shown in FIG. 8, the cleaning mechanism 63 is attached to the ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K and moves integrally with the ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K. Also good. Moreover, it is good also as a structure moved according to the inkjet recording heads 20Y-20K.

  In the configuration shown in FIG. 8, when cleaning the ink droplets that have landed on the other end side of the conveyance belt 30, the cleaning mechanism 63 is moved to the cleaning target portion where the ink droplets have landed by moving the ink jet recording heads 20 </ b> Y to 20 </ b> K. Move to clean. Alternatively, a configuration in which only the cleaning mechanism 63 is moved without moving the inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K may be employed.

  In the present embodiment, a side register is used in which the recording medium P is conveyed while being aligned with respect to one end side of the conveying belt 30 on the side where the pause nozzle protrudes, and the side edge of the recording medium P is in the vicinity of the belt end. Aligned.

  The side edge of the recording medium P is conveyed so as to be located within a range of 5 mm inward from the belt end of the conveying belt 30 and 5 mm outward from the belt end, for example. It is more desirable that the side end of the recording medium P coincides with the belt end of the conveyance belt 30.

  By arranging the side end of the recording medium P inside the conveying belt 30 that does not come off the conveying belt 30, the recording medium P is conveyed in a smooth state. In this case, since the cleaning range on the conveyance belt 30 can be narrowed, it is desirable that the distance from the belt end of the belt to the side end of the recording medium P is narrow.

  As shown in FIG. 7, even when the recording medium P protrudes from the conveyance belt 30, the side edge of the recording medium P is turned up and the interval between the recording heads 20 </ b> Y to 20 </ b> K changes and the image recording accuracy decreases. There is no problem if it protrudes to a certain extent.

(Operation of this embodiment)
Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

  In the ink jet recording apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, when an image is recorded on the recording medium P having the same size as the image recording width of the ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K, the ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20Y are used. 20K does not move, and the image recordable nozzles of the ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K are arranged on the conveying belt 30.

  Ink droplets are ejected from the image recordable nozzles of the inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K, and an image is recorded on the recording medium P.

  On the other hand, when recording an image on a recording medium P narrower than the image recording width of the inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K, as shown in FIG. 4, the inkjet recording heads 20Y to 20K move in the image recording width direction, The idle nozzle protrudes from one end side of the conveyance belt 30.

  At this time, the recording medium P is conveyed while being moved toward one end of the conveying belt 30 on the side where the pause nozzle protrudes, and ink droplets are ejected from the image recordable nozzles of the ink jet recording heads 20Y to 20K to the recording medium P. An image is recorded.

  In addition, the outermost nozzle on the opposite side to the side where there is a pause nozzle that protrudes from one end side of the conveyor belt 30 is positioned on the recording medium P, and the outermost nozzle is used for image recording. Then, preliminary discharge is not performed.

In order to suppress the increase in the viscosity of the ink at the pause nozzle, preliminary ejection is performed from the pause nozzle.
The ink droplets preliminarily ejected from the idle nozzle protruding from the conveyance belt 30 to the outside of the conveyance belt 30 are received by the receiving member 60 and absorbed.

  Ink droplets that have landed on the conveyor belt 30 from the idle nozzles disposed on the conveyor belt 30 are cleaned by the cleaning mechanism 62. At least a part of the idle nozzles protrudes from the conveying belt 30 and the ink droplets preliminarily ejected from the protruding idle nozzles are received by the receiving member 60, and the range of preliminary ejection on the conveying belt 30 is the range of the conveying belt 30. It is a narrow range at one end.

  In the present embodiment, it is not necessary to secure a dedicated area for preliminary ejection on the conveyor belt 30, and it is not necessary to perform special processing on the conveyor belt 30. In addition, control of the timing of the conveyance and preliminary ejection of the recording medium P is not complicated. In addition, since it is not necessary to secure a dedicated area for preliminary ejection on the transport belt 30, the recording medium P can be placed and transported at an arbitrary position on the transport belt 30, so that a loss of time for image recording is small.

  In the present embodiment, the range of preliminary discharge on the conveyor belt 30 is a narrow area at one end of the conveyor belt 30, and thus the cleaning mechanism 62 can be made small. For this reason, the contact surface to the conveyance belt 30 of the cleaning mechanism 62 is small, the contact pressure to the conveyance belt 30 can be made uniform, and the cleaning accuracy is improved.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications, changes, and improvements can be made.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a state in which the maintenance unit is in a facing position facing the nozzle surface of the ink jet recording head in the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining a configuration for facilitating cleaning of ink droplets preliminarily ejected from the ink jet recording head according to the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a state in which the ink jet recording head according to the present embodiment is moved. FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the configuration of the actuator according to the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the cleaning mechanism according to the present embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a state in which the recording medium protrudes from the conveyance belt according to the present embodiment and is conveyed. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration in which a cleaning mechanism is provided also on the other end side of the conveyance belt according to the present embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

10 Inkjet recording device (droplet ejection device)
20Y-20K inkjet recording head (droplet ejection head)
30 Conveyor belt (conveyor)
50 Actuator (moving means)
60 receiving member 62 cleaning mechanism

Claims (3)

A carrier for conveying the recording medium;
A liquid droplet ejection head that ejects liquid droplets from a plurality of nozzles onto a recording medium conveyed to the conveyance body to record an image on the recording medium;
When the recording medium is narrower than the image recordable width of the liquid droplet ejection head, the liquid droplet ejection head is imaged so that a pause nozzle that pauses in image recording on the recording medium protrudes from one end side of the carrier. Moving means for moving relative to the carrier in the recordable width direction;
A receiving member for receiving liquid droplets preliminarily ejected from a pause nozzle protruding from one end side of the transport body;
A droplet discharge apparatus comprising:   The moving means is capable of recording an image of the droplet discharge head so that the outermost nozzle located on the side opposite to the side where the pause nozzle protrudes from one end side of the transport body is positioned on the recording medium. The droplet discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the droplet discharge device is moved relative to the transport body in a width direction.   A cleaning mechanism provided on one end of the transport body for cleaning droplets preliminarily ejected to the transport body from a pause nozzle that pauses in image recording on a recording medium narrower than an image recordable width of the liquid droplet ejection head; The droplet discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the droplet discharge device is provided.

Images