JPH01290480A - Cleaning method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field 1 The present invention relates to a method for cleaning a printing device.

[Conventional technology J] Conventionally, when using an M printing device, such as an electrophotographic copying machine, after a certain period of continuous use, the conveyance path of the recording paper becomes dirty, the characters become smudged, and the printing becomes difficult. Defects such as performance deterioration occur. To eliminate these problems, regular cleaning is necessary. In general, cleaning methods include disassembling the device and cleaning the rollers, drums, etc. with alcohol to remove dust, or forming dirty parts into units and replacing them with new ones. Problem 1 to be Solved However, the above-mentioned method has the problem that cleaning requires disassembling the device and requires various complicated and specialized techniques for a long time.

Additionally, the methods of replacing units and signing maintenance contracts also had problems in terms of cost and work time.

The present invention is intended to solve this problem, and its purpose is to make it possible to clean a printing device easily and inexpensively.

[Means for Solving the Problem 1] A cleaning paper is used in which a part impregnated with a cleaning liquid, a wiping part, and a dust collecting part are integrated.

[Operation] The cleaning paper is inserted into the paper feed path in place of the printing paper of the printing mechanism, and the steps of applying cleaning liquid, wiping the object to be cleaned, and removing and collecting dust together with the cleaning liquid are performed in one step [Example 1 (Example 1) FIG. 1 shows a structural diagram of cleaning paper 101 used in the present invention. (a) is an oblique view, (b)
) indicates a cross-sectional view. Reference numeral 102 denotes a layer into which the cleaning liquid is soaked, and here a sponge is used. Further, the cleaning liquid may be of any type as long as it is volatile and does not adversely affect the object to be cleaned or its vicinity. Especially here mixed alcohol (
Butyl + ethyl) was used.

Reference numeral 103 denotes a wiping portion, which wipes off dirt to be cleaned using a cleaning liquid that has seeped out from the impregnated layer 102. Any material that can be wiped off without damaging or adversely affecting the object to be cleaned may be used. Here, extremely thin (about 100 μm) cloth (linen) was used.

Reference numeral 104 denotes a dust collecting section that collects the cleaning liquid and the dust collected in the wiping section 103 and takes it out of the machine. Anything you can take in is fine. In particular, blotting paper was used here. Alternatively, it may be an adhesive substance.

105 is an impregnating section 102, a wiping section 103, and a dust collecting section 1.
In this case, 50 μm polyethylene terephthalate was used as the support on which 04 was mounted.

Of course, anything that can be supported is fine.

Figure 2 shows an example of cleaning a part of the roller of a commercially available electrophotographic printer using this product.
The process of cleaning the dust 203 adhering to the roller 2 is shown in (b), (c), and (d). At this time, the cleaning paper 101 is inserted into the apparatus in the same way as normal printing paper, and is transported in the same way as printing paper.

First, the impregnated layer 102 is crushed by a roller, and the cleaning liquid impregnated inside oozes out to uniformly wet the roller 202. (Step (b)) Next, the dust on the surface of the roller 202 is wiped off with wiping M2O3 and collected in one place. (Step (C)) Finally, the surface of the roller 202 can be cleaned by collecting all the collected dust in the dust collecting layer 104 and carrying it directly to the outside of the machine. (Step (d)) Here, we used the rollers of an electrophotographic printer, but of course it is also possible to clean parts other than the rollers, such as the drum, and of course it can be applied to other than electrophotographic printers. . For example, it can be applied to cleaning the head section of a thermomagnetic inkjet printer as shown in Example 2 below.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 3 shows a configuration diagram of a thermomagnetic inkjet printer. 301 is a thermal head, 302 is a magnetic head, and 303 is an ink ribbon coated with thermoplastic magnetic ink.

The name briefly explains the printing principle and is as follows. First, the heating element of the thermal head 301 generates heat in accordance with recorded information, and the heat is conducted to the ink ribbon 303 to thermally melt the thermoplastic magnetic ink.

Next, the thermoplastic magnetic ink that has been thermally melted and becomes free is magnetically attracted by the magnetic head 302 and flies towards the magnetic head 302, forming a recorded dot image on the recording paper 304 along the way. .

Further, a large amount of magnetic dust 305 is attached to the magnetic head 302 .

Here, as shown in FIG. 4(a), the ink ribbon 303 was removed and the cleaning paper 101 was inserted in place of the recording paper 304.

First, the impregnated layer 102 is crushed between the thermal head 301 and the magnetic head 302, and the cleaning liquid impregnated therein oozes out to uniformly wet the magnetic head 302.

((b) process) Next, the wiping layer 103 wipes off the dust 305 on the surface of the magnetic head 302 and collects it in one place. ((c) process) Finally, the dust collection layer 104 takes in all the collected dust and leaves it as it is. By carrying it outside the machine, the surface of the magnetic head 302 can be cleaned. (Step (d)) Of course, the structure of the cleaning paper shown here is only an example, and cleaning mechanisms may be provided on both sides of the support to clean both sides at the same time, or various additional mechanisms may be provided. .

The embodiments described above are merely examples of the present invention, and any embodiment may be used as long as it performs the same operation.

[Effect of the invention 1] As described above, according to the present invention, by using a cleaning paper that integrates a part impregnated with a cleaning liquid, a wiping part, and a dust collecting part, it is possible to apply the cleaning liquid and wipe the object to be cleaned. Now, the process of removing and collecting dust along with the cleaning liquid can be done in one go, making cleaning extremely easy and quick.

Additionally, by inserting cleaning paper into the paper feed path instead of the printing paper in the printing mechanism, cleaning can be done without having to remove or disassemble the device each time, making cleaning extremely easy and quick.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of the cleaning paper used in the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the cleaning process of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the structural principle of a thermomagnetic inkjet printer, which is an example of the device to be cleaned according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the cleaning process of the present invention when a thermomagnetic inkjet printer is used. Applicant: Seiko Epson Co., Ltd. Representative Patent Attorney Kizobe Suzuki and 1 other person

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A cleaning method for cleaning the inside of a printing apparatus, characterized in that the cleaning method comprises at least a cleaning liquid applying means, a wiping means, and a dust collecting means. (2) The cleaning method according to item 1, wherein the cleaning means is a cleaning paper containing a cleaning liquid application means, a wiping means, and a dust collection means. (3) The cleaning method according to item 1, characterized in that the cleaning paper according to item 2 is conveyed through a recording paper conveyance path of a printing device.