Ink jet printer including a liquid flow path supplying cleaning liquid to an ink jet head via a route separate from an ink flow path supplying ink to the head

摘要

The printer comprises: an ink reservoir 7; an ink jet head(s) 1A; an ink flow path 5 which supplies ink from the reservoir to a flow path substrate 2A of the head via a sub-tank 11; and a cleaning liquid flow path 6 which supplies the liquid from a tank 8 to the flow path substrate of the head via a route separate from the ink flow path 5. Open-close valves 3,4 may be provided to control the flow of ink and cleaning liquid to the flow path substrate of the head(s). Alternatively, a three-way switching valve (14,Fig.3) may be provided to select inflow of one of the ink and cleaning liquid at a position where the liquid flow path joins the ink flow path. Thus, a dedicated cleaning liquid flow path is provided in parallel with an ink flow path in the vicinity of the flow path substrate of the head. The arrangement may be use in the maintenance of printers or plotters using inks which require frequent cleaning thereof, for example radiation curable inks and solvent inks.