Patent Document

BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a fitting tool for fitting a liquid absorber for absorbing liquid in a cap included in a liquid ejecting apparatus such as an ink jet printer and a method of fitting a liquid absorber using the fitting tool. 
         [0003]    2. Related Art 
         [0004]    Generally, as a liquid ejecting apparatus for ejecting ink (liquid) from a nozzle opening formed in a recording head (liquid ejecting head) to a target, for example, an ink jet printer (hereinafter, referred to as a printer) is widely known. In such a printer, generally, the recording head is cleaned for the purpose of suppressing clogging of the nozzle opening due to thickened ink and for discharging the ink, in which air bubbles or dust is mixed, from the nozzle of the recording head. In this cleaning process, thickened ink or ink, in which air bubbles are mixed, is sucked and discharged by sucking the cap in a state of contacting the cap so as to surround the nozzle opening of the recording head. In the cap, generally, an ink absorber (liquid absorber) for absorbing a portion of the ink sucked and discharged from the nozzle opening at the time of the cleaning process is received. 
         [0005]    A printer including a cap in which an ink absorber is received is disclosed in JP-A-2000-62202. In the printer disclosed in JP-A-2000-62202, a cap member (cap) is received in a cap holder and an ink absorber is received in the cap member. Five pins which are inserted into insertion holes formed in the cap member and through-holes formed in the ink absorber are erected on the inner bottom surface of the cap holder and front ends (top ends) of the pins protrude from the upper surface of the ink absorber upward. By thermally caulking a pressing plate to the front ends of the pins, the pressing plate and the ink absorber are fixed in the cap member. 
         [0006]    However, in the printer disclosed in JP-A-2000-62202, when the ink absorber is fitted into the cap member, since the pressing plate is thermally caulked to the front ends of the pins, the operation for fitting the ink absorber is cumbersome. In particular, if the ink absorber is thin and small, the ink absorber is susceptible to being deformed when the ink absorber is fitted into the cap member. Accordingly, the fitting operation becomes difficult or the thermal caulking device is not introduced into the cap member. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a fitting tool for a liquid absorber, which is capable of facilitating an operation for fitting the liquid absorber into a cap, and a fitting method. 
         [0008]    According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a fitting tool for a liquid absorber which is included in a liquid ejecting apparatus having a liquid ejecting head for ejecting liquid from nozzle openings formed in a nozzle forming surface and fits the liquid absorber for absorbing the liquid in a cap which is capable of being abutted to the liquid ejecting head so as to cover the nozzle openings, the fitting tool including: a holding portion which holds the liquid absorber; and a locking portion which has elasticity and is locked to a portion of the cap when the holding portion is inserted into the cap. 
         [0009]    According to the invention, it is possible to lock the locking portion of the fitting tool to the portion of the cap by inserting the fitting tool into the cap in a state in which the liquid absorber is held by the holding portion of the fitting tool. Accordingly, it is possible to easily perform an operation for fitting the liquid absorber in the cap by fitting the liquid absorber in the cap via the fitting tool. 
         [0010]    In the fitting tool, the cap may include an ejection passage forming portion which forms an ejection passage for ejecting the liquid in the cap, and the locking portion may be locked to the ejection passage forming portion when the holding portion is inserted into the cap. 
         [0011]    According to the invention, a concave portion or a hole for locking the locking portion does not need to be separately provided in the cap by locking the locking portion of the fitting tool to the ejection passage forming portion. 
         [0012]    In the fitting tool, the cap may include an ejection passage forming portion which forms an ejection passage for ejecting the liquid in the cap and a standby opening passage forming portion which forms a standby opening passage for standby opening the inside of the cap, and the locking portion may be locked to at least one of the ejection passage forming portion and the standby opening passage forming portion when the holding portion is inserted into the cap. 
         [0013]    According to the invention, a concave portion or a hole for locking the locking portion does not need to be separately provided in the cap by locking the locking portion of the fitting tool to at least one of the ejection passage forming portion and the standby opening passage forming portion. 
         [0014]    In the fitting tool, the ejection passage forming portion and the standby opening passage forming portion may be placed at the sides of the cap so as to be opposite each other, and the locking portion may include a first locking portion locked to the ejection passage forming portion and a second locking portion locked to the standby opening passage forming portion. 
         [0015]    According to the invention, it is possible to stably fit the fitting tool in the cap by respectively fitting the first locking portion and the second locking portion of the fitting tool to the ejection passage forming portion and the standby passage forming portion of the cap. 
         [0016]    In the fitting tool, the holding portion may include a substrate which is capable of being brought into surface contact with the liquid absorber and side plates which are formed by bending both ends of the substrate such that the liquid absorber is interposed therebetween. 
         [0017]    Accordingly, it is possible to surely and strongly hold the ink absorber by the fitting tool. In the fitting tool, the locking portion may be formed by bending portions of the side plates outward. 
         [0018]    According to the invention, the configuration of the locking portion is simplified. 
         [0019]    According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of fitting a liquid absorber which is included in a liquid ejecting apparatus having a liquid ejecting head for ejecting liquid from nozzle openings formed in a nozzle forming surface and fits the liquid absorber for absorbing the liquid in a cap which is capable of being abutted to the liquid ejecting head so as to cover the nozzle openings, the method including: holding the liquid absorber by means of the fitting tool for fitting the liquid absorber in the cap and inserting the fitting tool, by which the liquid absorber is held, into the cap so as to be locked to a portion of the cap while a portion of the fitting tool is elastically deformed. 
         [0020]    According to the invention, even in the case where the liquid absorber is thin and small, it is possible to easily fit the liquid absorber to the cap using the fitting tool. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]    The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers reference like elements. 
           [0022]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing an ink jet printer according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  is a plan view showing a cap of the printer. 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing main portions of a maintenance unit of the printer. 
           [0025]      FIG. 4A  is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a positional relationship among a discharge passage, a step difference and a concave groove and  FIG. 4B  is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a positional relationship between a standby opening passage and a concave groove according to the embodiment of the invention. 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged view showing main portions of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged view showing main portions of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 7  is a side view showing an ink absorber according to the embodiment of the invention. 
           [0029]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing a fitting tool according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0030]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view showing a fitting tool according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0031]    Hereinafter, an ink jet printer which is an embodiment of a liquid ejecting apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, “front and back directions”, “upper and lower directions” and “right and left directions” are respectively used referring to “front and back directions”, “upper and lower directions” and “right and left directions” of  FIG. 1  unless otherwise specified. 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , as the liquid ejecting apparatus, the ink jet printer  11  includes a frame  12  having a rectangular shape in plan view. In the frame  12 , a platen  13  extends in the right and left directions and a recording sheet P is transported on the platen  13  from a rear side to a front side by a sheet transporting mechanism having a sheet transporting motor  14 . A guide shaft  15  which extends in parallel in a longitudinal direction (right and left directions) of the platen  13  is installed above the platen  13  in the frame  12 . 
         [0033]    A carriage  16  is reciprocally supported in the axial direction (right and left directions) of the guide shaft  15 . At positions corresponding to both ends of the guide shaft  15  on the back surface of the frame  12 , a driving pulley  17  and a driven pulley  18  are rotatably supported. A carriage motor  19  which is a driving source for reciprocally moving the carriage  16  is connected to the driving pulley  17 , and a timing belt  20  for fixing and supporting the carriage  16  is stretched over the pair of pulleys  17  and  18 . Accordingly, the carriage  16  is moved in the right and left directions via the timing belt  20  while being guided by the guide shaft  15 , by driving the carriage motor  19 . 
         [0034]    On a lower surface of the carriage  16 , a recording head  21  is provided as a liquid ejecting head. As shown in  FIG. 3 , on a nozzle forming surface  21   a  constituted by a lower surface of the recording head  21 , nozzle openings  22   a  of a nozzle group including a plurality of nozzles  22  arranged in a row form a plurality (five in the present embodiment) of nozzle arrays in the front and back directions so as to be spaced by a predetermined interval in the right and left directions. 
         [0035]    Meanwhile, as shown in  FIG. 1 , a plurality (five in the present embodiment) of ink cartridges  23  for supplying inks onto the recording head  21  as liquid are detachably mounted on the carriage  16 . The ink cartridges  23  respectively correspond to the nozzle arrays formed on the nozzle forming surface  21   a  of the recording head  21  and the inks are supplied to the nozzle group of the nozzle arrays via ink channels (not shown) formed in the recording head  21 . 
         [0036]    A home position HP which is a maintenance position for positioning the carriage  16  when the power of the ink jet printer  11  is turned off or maintenance of the recording head  21  is performed is provided at one end (right end in  FIG. 1 ) of the frame  12 , that is, a non-print area which the recording sheet P does not reach. A maintenance unit  24  for performing various types of maintenance operations so that the ink ejection from the recording head  21  to the recording sheet P is properly maintained is provided below the home position HP. 
         [0037]    Hereinafter, the detailed configuration of the maintenance unit  24  will be described. 
         [0038]    As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the maintenance unit  24  includes a cap  30  having a substantially rectangular box shape. On an upper surface of the cap  30 , a plurality (five in the present embodiment) of seal portions  31  having a rectangular annular shape and respectively corresponding to the nozzle arrays formed on the nozzle forming surface  21   a  of the recording head  21  are formed so as to constitute cap openings. 
         [0039]    Cap cells  32  are recessed in each of the seal portions  31  on the upper surface of the cap  30  and ink absorption materials  33  are fitted in the cap cells  32  as a liquid absorber in a state of being held by fitting tools  34 . The ink absorbers  33  are made of a flexible porous material and absorb and hold the inks ejected from the nozzle openings  22   a  of the nozzle arrays. In the present embodiment, a cap device is constituted by the cap  30  and the ink absorbers  33 . 
         [0040]    The maintenance unit  24  includes an elevation device (not shown) for elevating the cap  30 . The cap  30  rises by means of the elevation device (not shown) in a state in which the carriage  16  is moved to the home position HP such that the upper ends of the seal portions  31  are placed close to the nozzle forming surface  21   a  of the recording head  21  and the nozzle arrays are separately covered by the cap  30 . 
         [0041]    On the lower end of the front side of the cap cells  32  of the cap  30 , ejection passage forming portions  35  which form ejection passages  35   a  for ejecting the inks in the cap cells  32  to the outside of the cap  30  extend in the front and back directions. The front ends of the ejection passage forming portions  35  protrude toward the front side beyond the front surface of the cap  30 . The front ends of the ejection passage forming portions  35  are connected to base end sides (upstream sides) of ejection tubes  36  made of a flexible material, and the cap cells  32  and the ejection tubes  36  communicate with each other via the ejection passages  35   a.    
         [0042]    The ejection tubes  36  merge together at a midway position between the base end sides (upstream sides) and front end sides (downstream sides) of the ejection tubes  36 , and the front end sides (downstream sides) of the merged ejection tubes  36  are inserted into a waste ink tank  37 . Near a midway position of the ejection tubes  36  at the downstream side of the merged portion of the ejection tubes  36 , a suction pump  38  for sucking the inside of the ejection tubes  36  from the cap  30  to the waste ink tank  37  is provided. If the suction pump  38  is driven, the inside of the cap cells  32  are sucked via the ejection tubes  36  and the ejection passages  35   a.    
         [0043]    On the lower end of the back side of the cap cells  32  of the cap  30 , standby opening passage forming portions  39  which form standby opening passages  39   a  for opening the insides of the cap cells  32  extend in the front and back directions. The back ends of the standby opening passage forming portions  39  protrude toward the back side beyond the back surface of the cap  30 . Accordingly, in the cap  30 , the ejection passage forming portions  35  and the standby opening passage forming portions  39  are arranged opposite each other in the front and back directions. 
         [0044]    The back ends of the standby opening passage forming portions  39  are connected to the base ends of standby opening tubes  40  made of a flexible material and the cap cells  32  and the standby opening tubes  40  communicate with each other via the standby opening passages  39   a.  The standby opening tubes  40  are merged into each other at a midway position between the base ends and front end sides of the standby opening tubes  40 , and a standby opening valve  41  is provided on the front end sides of the merged standby opening tubes  40 . Accordingly, if the standby opening valve  41  is opened, the insides of the standby opening tubes  40  are made to be in a communicated state with the atmosphere and, if the standby opening valve  41  is closed, the insides of the standby opening tubes  40  are made to be in a non-communicated state with the atmosphere. 
         [0045]    As shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 A and  6 , a step difference  42  is provided between the bottom surfaces  32   a  of the cap cells  32  and the lower end surfaces  35   b  of the ejection passages  35   a  (the bottom surface of the ejection passage forming portions  35 ) such that the lower end surfaces  35   b  are higher than the bottom surfaces  32   a.  A groove  43  is provided in the bottom surfaces  32   a  of the cap cells  32  so as to extend from the standby opening passage forming portion  39  to the ejection passage forming portion  35 . That is, the groove  43  is linearly connected to the standby opening passage  39   a  in a communicated state at the back end thereof and the front end thereof is adjacent to the step difference  42 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 B and  5 , the bottom surface of the groove  43  and the lower end surface  39   b  of the standby opening passages  39   a  (the bottom surfaces of the standby opening passage forming portions  39 ) have the substantially same height. 
         [0046]    Next, the configuration of the ink absorber  33  and each of the fitting tools  34  will be described in detail. 
         [0047]    As shown in  FIG. 7 , the ink absorber  33  includes a main body  33   a  having a rectangular parallelepiped shape and a protrusion  33   b  having a quadrangular prism shape and protruding from the lower end to the front side on the front surface of the main body  33   a.  In the ink absorber  33 , if the ink absorber  33  is fitted (received) in the cap cell  32 , the main body  33   a  is placed in the cap cell  32  and the protrusion  33   b  is placed in the ejection passage  35   a  in a fitted state. 
         [0048]    That is, the shape of the main body  33   a  corresponds to the shape of the inside of the cap cell  32  and the size of the protrusion  33   b  in the upper and lower directions and the size of the protrusion  33   b  in the right and left directions are set to be larger than the inner diameter of the ejection passage  35   a.  The lower surface of the main body  33   a  and the lower surface of the protrusion  33   b  are parallel with a horizontal surface, and the lower surface of the main body  33   a  is the same as the lower surface of the protrusion  33   b.    
         [0049]    As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , each of the fitting tools  34  is made of metal which is a rust-resistant metal such as stainless steel and includes a substrate  50  which has a rectangular plate shape and is elongated in the front and back directions. In the substrate  50 , a front notch  50   a  having a rectangular shape is formed in a portion from a substantially central portion in the upper and lower directions of the front end of the substrate  50  to the lower side and a back notch  50   b  having a rectangular shape is formed in a portion from the back end of the substrate  50  at a position nearer the upper end of the substrate  50  than the central portion in the upper and lower directions to the lower side of the substrate  50 . A notched concave portion  50   c  is formed in the central portion of the lower side of the substrate  50  in the front and back directions. 
         [0050]    A front plate  51  is provided on the front end of the substrate  50  as a side plate formed by perpendicularly bending a portion, other than the front notch  50   a,  of the front end of the substrate  50  leftward and a back plate  52  is provided on the back end of the substrate  50  as a side plate formed by perpendicularly bending a portion, other than the back notch  50   b,  of the back end of the substrate  50  leftward. 
         [0051]    The front plate  51  includes a front base portion  51   a  having a rectangular plate shape and a first locking portion  51   b  having elasticity as a locking portion extending from the central portion of the lower end of the front base portion  51   a  in the right and left directions to the front oblique lower side (outside). That is, the first locking portion  51   b  is formed by bending a portion of the front plate  51  frontward (outward). The size of the first locking portion  51   b  in the right and left directions is set to be narrower than the size of the front base portion  51   a  in the right and left directions, and a first locking piece  51   c  formed by perpendicularly bending a front end of the first locking portion  51   b  upward is provided on the front end (lower side) of the first locking portion  51   b.  The size of the first locking piece  51   c  is set such that the first locking piece is capable of being inserted into the ejection passage  35   a  of the cap  30 . 
         [0052]    The back plate  52  includes a back base portion  52   a  having a rectangular plate shape and a second locking portion  52   b  having elasticity as a locking portion extending from the central portion of the lower side of the back base portion  52   a  in the right and left directions to the back oblique lower side (outside). That is, the second locking portion  52   b  is formed by bending a portion of the back plate  52  backward (outward). The size of the second locking portion  52   b  in the right and left directions is set to be narrower than the size of the back base portion  52   a  in the right and left directions, and a second locking piece  52   c  formed by perpendicularly bending a front end of the second locking portion  52   b  upward is provided on the front end (lower side) of the second locking portion  52   b.  The size of the second locking piece  52   c  is set such that the second locking piece  52   c  is capable of being inserted into the standby opening passage  39   a  of the cap  30 . 
         [0053]    The front base portion  51   a  and the back base portion  52   a  are opposite each other with the substrate  50  interposed therebetween, and the length of the front base portion  51   a  in the upper and lower directions is larger than that of the back base portion  52   a.  A pressing portion  53  having a rectangular frame shape which is elongated in the front and back directions in plan view protrudes from the upper end edge of the substrate  50  leftward. That is, the pressing portion  53  includes a vertical frame  53   a  extending in parallel with the upper end edge of the substrate  50  and five horizontal frames  53   b  for connecting the vertical frame  53   a  and the upper end edge of the substrate  50 . The horizontal frames  53   b  are provided from the back end to the front end of the vertical frame  53   a  in the front and back directions at the equal intervals. 
         [0054]    The left end edge of the pressing portion  53 , the left side edge of the front base portion  51   a  and the left side edge of the back base portion  52   a  are located on the same plane. That is, the sizes of the pressing portion  53 , the front base portion  51   a  and the back base portion  52   a  in the right and left directions are set to be equal to one another and correspond to the size of the cap cell  32  in the right and left directions. 
         [0055]    In the case where the ink absorber  33  is locked to each of the fitting tools  34  such that the right surface of the ink absorber  33  (main body  33   a ) comes into contact with the left surface of the substrate  50  and the upper surface of the ink absorber  33  (main body  33   a ) comes into contact with the lower surface of the pressing portion  53 , the ink absorber  33  (main body  33   a ) is inserted between the front base portion  51   a  and the back base portion  52   a.  That is, the ink absorber  33  is held by each of the fitting tools  34 . In the present embodiment, the substrate  50 , the front base portion  51   a  and the back base portion  52   a  constitutes a holding portion. 
         [0056]    Next, a method of fitting the ink absorber  33  into the cap cell  32  using each of the fitting tools  34  will be described. 
         [0057]    In the case where the ink absorber  33  is fitted into the cap cell  32 , first, the ink absorber  33  is locked to each of the fitting tools  34  and the ink absorber  33  is held in each of the fitting tools  34 . Subsequently, while the first locking portion  51   b  and the second locking portion  52   b  of each of the fitting tools  34  are bent inward in a state in which the ink absorber  33  is held in each of the fitting tools  34 , each of the fitting tools  34  is inserted into the cap cell  32  together with the ink absorber  33 . Then, the first locking portion  51   b  and the second locking portion  52   b  of each of the fitting tools  34  are held in such a manner as to be bent inward by the pressing force from the front side surface and the back side surface of the inside of the cap cell  32 . At this time, the protrusion  33   b  of the ink absorber  33  is bent upward by the pressing force from the front side surface of the inside of the cap cell  32  so as to be compressed. 
         [0058]    In this state, if each of the fitting tools  34  is thrust into the inside of the cap cell  32  together with the ink absorber  33 , the lower end of the substrate  50  and the lower surface of the main body  33   a  of the ink absorber  33  are brought into contact with the bottom surface  32   a  of the inside of the cap cell  32 . At this time, the first locking portion  51   b  and the second locking portion  52   b  which are bent inward are returned to their original states by their respective elastic restoration forces, the first locking piece  51   c  of the first locking portion  51   b  is locked to the ejection passage  35   a,  and the second locking piece  52   c  of the second locking portion  52   b  is locked to the standby opening passage  39   a.    
         [0059]    At this time, the compressed protrusion  33   b  is inserted into the ejection passage  35   a  so as to be returned to its original state by its elastic restoration force and is engaged with the ejection passage  35   a.  At this time, the lower surface of the protrusion  33   b  of the ink absorber  33  is brought into contact with the lower end surface  35   b  of the ejection passage  35   a,  but the lower end surface  35   b  of the ejection passage  35   a  is set at a higher position than the bottom surface  32   a  of the inside of the cap cell  32 , with which the lower surface of the main body  33   a  of the ink absorber  33  is brought into contact, by the step difference  42 . 
         [0060]    Accordingly, the lower surface of the protrusion  33   b  of the ink absorber  33  is strongly abutted (contacted by pressure) to the lower end surface  35   b  of the ejection passage  35   a  compared with the case where the lower surface of the main body  33   a  of the ink absorber  33  is abutted to the bottom surface  32   a  of the inside of the cap cell  32 . In this case, the lower surface of the protrusion  33   b  of the ink absorber  33  is pressed to the lower end surface  35   b  of the ejection passage  35   a  corresponding to the lower surface of the protrusion  33   b  so as to be deformed. 
         [0061]    Accordingly, the first locking piece  51   c  of the first locking portion  51   b  is locked to the ejection passage  35   a  and the second locking piece  52   c  of the second locking portion  52   b  is locked to the standby opening passage  39   a  and the upward movement of the ink absorber  33  together with each of the fitting tools  34  is restricted. That is, the ink absorber  33  is fitted and fixed in the cap cell  32  via each of the fitting tools  34 . 
         [0062]    Next, the operation when the extra ink which is collected in the cap cells  32  after cleaning the recording head  21  will be described. 
         [0063]    Generally, if the recording head  21  is cleaned, the ink sucked from the nozzle openings  22   a  is collected in the cap cells  32  of the cap  30 . Thus, after cleaning, the extra ink collected in the cap cells  32  needs to be sucked and ejected. 
         [0064]    However, when the recording head  21  is cleaned, the upper ends of the seal portions  31  of the cap  30  are closely brought into contact with the nozzle forming surface  21   a  of the recording head  21  such that the nozzle arrays are separately covered and the standby opening valve  41  is closed. In the case where the extra ink collected in the cap cells  32  of the cap  30  are sucked and ejected after the recording head  21  is cleaned, first, the standby opening valve  41  is opened and the suction pump  38  is driven. Then, the inside of the cap cell  32  is sucked from the ejection passage  35   a  and the atmosphere from the standby opening passage  39   a  is introduced into the cap cell  32 . 
         [0065]    Accordingly, the ink absorbed and held in the ink absorber  33  is guided to the ejection passage  35   a  by the protrusion  33   b  and the ink is smoothly ejected from the ejection passage  35   a.  Meanwhile, since the most of the atmosphere introduced from the standby opening passage  39   a  to the cap cell  32  flows to the ejection passage  35   a  through the groove  43 , the ink collected in the groove  43  flows toward the ejection passage  35   a  by the pressure of the atmosphere. At this time, since the atmosphere flows in the groove  43 , the generation of the foam of the ink is suppressed. At this time, although the foam is generated in the ink, the foam is rapidly ejected to the ejection passage  35   a  via the groove  43  together with the ink. 
         [0066]    Since the adhesion between the lower surface of the protrusion  33   b  of the ink absorber  33  and the lower end surface  35   b  of the ejection passage  35   a  is high and the opening of the front end side of the groove  43  is closed, the atmosphere from the standby opening passage  39   a  to the groove  43  does not directly flow to the ejection passage  35   a.  Accordingly, the deterioration in suction efficiency from the ejection passage  35   a  into the cap cell  32  by the suction pump  38  is suppressed and the ink in the cap cell  32  is efficiently sucked and ejected from the ejection passage  35   a.    
         [0067]    In addition, in the case where a gap is formed between the lower surface of the protrusion  33   b  of the ink absorber  33  and the lower end surface  35   b  of the ejection passage  35   a,  the atmosphere introduced from the standby opening passage  39   a  into the groove  43  directly comes out from the gap to the ejection passage  35   a  and thus the suction efficiency of the ink absorbed in the ink absorber  33  deteriorates. 
         [0068]    The above-described embodiment can obtain the following effects. 
         [0069]    (1) Each of the fitting tools  34  is inserted into the cap cell  32  in a state in which the ink absorber  33  is held by each of the fitting tools  34  such that the first locking piece  51   c  of the first locking portion  51   b  is locked to the ejection passage  35   a  (ejection passage forming portion  35 ) and the second locking piece  52   c  of the second locking portion  52   b  is locked to the standby opening passage  39   a  (standby opening passage forming portion  39 ) in each of the fitting tools  34 . Accordingly, by fitting the ink absorber  33  in the cap cell  32  via each of the fitting tools  34 , the operation for fitting the ink absorber  33  into the cap cell  32  can be easily performed. 
         [0070]    In the case where the ink absorber  33  is thin and small, the ink absorber  33  is susceptible to be deformed when the ink absorber  33  is inserted into the cap cell  32 . Thus, it is difficult to perform and the operation for fitting the ink absorber  33  into the cap cell  32 . In the present embodiment, even when the ink absorber  33  is thin and small, it is difficult to deform the ink absorber  33  when the ink absorber  33  into the cap cell  32  by inserting the ink absorber into the cap cell  32  in a state in which the ink absorber  33  is held in each of the fitting tools  34 . Accordingly, in particular, even when the ink absorber  33  is thin and small, it is possible to easily perform the operation for fitting the ink absorber  33  into the cap cell  32 . 
         [0071]    (2) The first locking piece  51   c  of the first locking portion  51   b  and the second locking piece  52   c  of the second locking portion  52   b  of each of the fitting tools  34  are engaged with the ejection passage  35   a  (ejection passage forming portion  35 ) and the standby opening passage  39   a  (standby opening passage forming portion  39 ) of the cap  30 . Accordingly, an concave portion or hole for locking the first locking piece  51   c  and the second locking piece  52   c  of each of the fitting tools  34  does not need to be separately provided in the cap  30 . 
         [0072]    (3) The first locking piece  51   c  of the first locking portion  51   b  and the second locking piece  52   c  of the second locking portion  52   b  of each of the fitting tools  34  are locked to the ejection passage  35   a  (ejection passage forming portion  35 ) and the standby opening passage  39   a  (standby opening passage forming portion  39 ) which are opposite each other the cap cell  32  interposed therebetween in the cap  30 . Accordingly, it is possible to stably fit each of the fitting tools  34 , in which the ink absorber  33  is held, in the cap cell  32  without performing a troublesome thermal caulking process of JP-A-2000-62202. 
         [0073]    (4) The holding portion for holding the ink absorber  33  in each of the fitting tools  34  includes the substrate  50  which is capable of being brought into contact with the ink absorber  33  and the front base portion  51   a  and the back base portion  52   a  which are formed on the front and back ends of the substrate  50  to be bent such that the ink absorber  33  is interposed therebetween. Accordingly, it is possible to surely and strongly hold the ink absorber  33  by each of the fitting tools  34 . 
         [0074]    (5) Since the first locking portion  51   b  and the second locking portion  52   b  of each of the fitting tools  34  are formed by bending portions of the front plate  51  and the back plate  52  outward, it is possible to simplify the configurations of the first locking portion  51   b  and the second locking portion  52   b.  That is, it is possible to easily form the first locking portion  51   b  and the second locking portion  52   b.    
         [0075]    (6) Since each of the fitting tools  34  includes the pressing portion  53 , it is possible to efficiently suppress the floating of the ink absorber  33  in the cap cell  32  in the case where the ink absorber  33  is fitted in the cap cell  32  via each of the fitting tools  34 . 
         [0076]    (7) In the case where the ink absorber  33  is received in the cap cell  32 , the ink absorber  33  include the main body  33   a  placed in the cap cell  32  and the protrusion  33   b  placed in the ejection passage  35   a.  Accordingly, since the inside of the cap cell  32  is sucked from the ejection passage  35   a  by the suction pump  38  such that the extra ink absorbed and held in the main body  33   a  is guided into the ejection passage  35   a  by the protrusion  33   b,  it is possible to easily suck and eject the extra ink absorbed and held in the main portion  33   a  (ink absorber  33 ). That is, it is possible to smoothly suck and eject the extra ink in the cap cell  32  to the outside of the cap cell  32  through the ejection passage  35   a  by the suction pump  38 . 
         [0077]    (8) Since the protrusion  33   b  of the ink absorber  33  is placed in the ejection passage  35   a  in the engaged state, it is possible to reduce suction loss by the suction pump  38  in the case where the inside of the ejection passage  35   a  is sucked to the outside of the cap  30  by the suction pump  38 . Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently suck and eject the extra ink absorbed and held in the main body  33   a  (ink absorber  33 ) via the ejection passage  35   a  by the suction pump  38 . 
         [0078]    (9) Since the protrusion  33   b  of the ink absorber  33  has flexibility and is inserted into the ejection passage  35   a  in the compressed state, it is possible to closely bring the outer surface of the protrusion  33   b  into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the ejection passage  35   a.    
         [0079]    (10) The groove  43  extending from the standby opening passage  39   a  to the ejection passage  35   a  is formed in the bottom surface  32   a  of the inside of the cap cell  32 . Accordingly, the inside of the cap cell  32  is sucked from the ejection passage  35   a  such that the extra ink collected in the bottom surface  32   a  of the inside of the cap cell  32  is suitably guided from the standby opening passage  39   a  to the ejection passage  35   a  by the groove  43 . In this case, since the atmosphere flows from the standby opening passage  39   a  to the ejection passage  35   a  in the groove  43 , it is possible to suppress the generation of the foam of the ink. In addition, although the foam is generated in the ink, it is possible to rapidly guide the ink, in which the foam is generated, from the standby opening passage  39   a  to the ejection passage  35   a  by the groove  43 . 
         [0080]    (11) Since the standby opening passage  39   a  is linearly connected to the back end of the groove  43  in the communicated state, it is possible to easily introduce the atmosphere from the standby opening passage  39   a  into the groove  43  (cap cell  32 ). That is, since it is possible to reduce resistance when the atmosphere from the standby opening passage  39   a  is introduced into the groove  43 , it is possible to smoothly introduce the atmosphere from the standby opening passage  39   a  into the groove  43 . 
         [0081]    (12) The step difference  42  is provided between the lower end surface  35   b  of the ejection passage  35   a  and the bottom surface  32   a  of the inside of the cap cell  32  such that the lower end surface  35   b  is higher than the bottom surface  32   a.  Accordingly, since the protrusion  33   b  of the ink absorber  33  contacts the lower end surface  35   b  of the ejection passage  35   a  by pressure when the ink absorber  33  is received in the cap cell  32 , it is possible to increase the adhesion between the protrusion  33   b  of the ink absorber  33  and the lower end surface  35   b  of the ejection passage  35   a.    
         [0082]    (13) Since the step difference  42  is abutted to the front end of the groove  43 , the front end of the groove  43  is closed by the step difference  42 . Accordingly, the atmosphere introduced from the standby opening passage  39   a  to the groove  43  is not directly introduced into the ejection passage  35   a.    
       MODIFIED EXAMPLE 
       [0083]    The above-described embodiment may be modified as follows. 
         [0084]    In each of the fitting tools  34 , any one of the first locking portion  51   b  and the second locking portion  52   b  may be omitted. 
         [0085]    The first locking portion  51   b  and the second locking portion  52   b  of each of the fitting tools  34  do not need to be respectively locked to the ejection passage  35   a  and the standby opening passage  39   a  and a concave portion or a hole for locking the first locking portion  51   b  and the second locking portion  52   b  may be separately provided in the cap  30 . 
         [0086]    The front end of the groove  43  does not need to be necessarily abutted to the step difference  42 . That is, the front end of the groove  43  and the step difference  42  may be separated from each other. 
         [0087]    The step difference  42  may be omitted. 
         [0088]    In the cap  30 , the ejection passage forming portion  35  and the standby opening passage forming portion  39  may be provided at the lower side of the cap cell  32  downward. In this case, the first locking portion  51   b  and the second locking portion  52   b  of each of the fitting tools  34  are locked to the end (lower end) opposite to the cap cell  32  in the ejection passage forming portion  35  and the standby opening passage forming portion  39 . 
         [0089]    In the cap  30 , the groove  43  and the standby opening passage  39   a  do not need to be linearly connected to each other. That is, the standby opening passage  39   a  may be connected to the groove so as to cross the groove  43 . 
         [0090]    In the bottom surface  32   a  of the inside of the cap cell  32 , the groove  43  may extend from a portion other than the standby opening passage forming portion  39  to the ejection passage forming portion  35 . 
         [0091]    In the cap  30 , the groove  43  may be omitted. 
         [0092]    In the cap  30 , the standby opening passage forming portion  39  (standby opening passage  39   a ) may be omitted. In this case, in each of the fitting tools  34 , only the first locking portion  51   b  is locked to the ejection passage  35   a.    
         [0093]    The protrusion  33   b  of the ink absorber  33  may be placed in the ejection passage  35   a  in a loose-fitted state. 
         [0094]    Although, in the above-described embodiment, the ink jet printer  11  is implemented as the liquid ejecting apparatus, a liquid ejecting apparatus for ejecting liquid other than the ink (including liquid obtained by dispersing or mixing particles of a functional material in liquid or fluid such as gel) may be embodied. In the present specification, the liquid includes liquid and fluid in addition to an inorganic solvent, an organic solvent, a solution, liquid resin, liquid metal (metallic melt). 
         [0095]    The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-192372, filed Jul. 24, 2007 is expressly incorporated by reference herein.

Technology Category: 4