Patent Application
20230364930
The present invention relates to an inkjet printer.
Inkjet printers that print on a recording medium using an inkjet method have been known in the art. This type of inkjet printer, for example, includes a platen on which a recording medium is placed and an ink head that dispenses ink onto the recording medium placed on the platen. Depending on the type of ink used, some inkjet printers also include a dryer with a heater, a fan, or the like, to dry the ink dispensed onto the recording medium.
For example, JP A 2018-159482 discloses an inkjet printer that includes a dryer having a plurality of fans as a means for accelerating the drying of ink dispensed onto a recording medium. Such a dryer is configured to blow air from above the recording medium toward the recording medium, thus efficiently drying the ink dispensed onto the recording medium.
Now, water-based ink, which is superior in environmental and health aspects, is sometimes used as ink dispensed from an ink head. Water-based ink includes water, a water-soluble organic solvent, a colorant and a binder resin, or the like, as a fixing component. Since water-based ink includes a relatively large amount of a water component, it can cause a problem that it takes a long time to dry. Therefore, when a dryer as shown in JP A 2018-159482 is used, the drying of the water-based ink on the recording medium conveyed to a position opposing the dryer is accelerated, but the drying of the water-based ink hardly progresses until it is conveyed to the position opposing the dryer, and the quality of the formed image may degrade.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide inkjet printers each including a dryer capable of accelerating the drying of water-based ink dispensed onto a recording medium.
An inkjet printer according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a platen to support a recording medium, a carriage positioned upward relative to the platen and movable in a left-right direction, an ink head provided on the carriage to dispense water-based ink onto the recording medium, a guide including an upper wall extending forward and downward on which the recording medium is able to be placed, and positioned forward relative to the platen to guide movement of the recording medium, and a dryer opposing the upper wall of the guide to send an airflow toward the recording medium on the guide. The dryer includes a main body case extending in the left-right direction, a first partition wall that partitions an inside of the main body case into a first chamber and a second chamber, one or more first fans provided in the first chamber, one or more second fans provided in the second chamber, a heater provided in the second chamber to heat air that is sent by the second fan, a first intake port provided in the main body case to take in air from outside the main body case into the first chamber, a first exhaust port provided in the main body case and including an opening facing toward the platen to discharge air of the first chamber, a second intake port provided in the main body case and including an opening facing toward the upper wall of the guide to take in air from outside the main body case into the second chamber, and a second exhaust port provided in the main body case downward relative to the first exhaust port and including an opening facing toward the upper wall of the guide to discharge air of the second chamber that has been heated by the heater.
With an inkjet printer according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the dryer can draw air from outside through the first intake port by the first fan and let the air flow into the first chamber. Then, the air flowing in the first chamber is discharged toward the platen through the first exhaust port. Here, since the air flowing in the first chamber is discharged through the first exhaust port, it is possible to send an airflow onto the recording medium on the platen. That is, an airflow can be immediately sent toward water-based ink that has been dispensed from the ink head and landed on the recording medium. Therefore, drying of the water-based ink is accelerated on the platen, and it is possible to improve the quality of the image. Moreover, the dryer can draw air from outside through the second intake port by the second fan and let the air flow into the second chamber. Then, air that has been heated by the heater can be blown onto the guide through the second exhaust port. Therefore, air that has been heated by the heater can be sent to the water-based ink that has been dried on the platen further on the guide. This can further accelerate the drying of the water-based ink dispensed onto the recording medium on the guide.
According to preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to provide inkjet printers each including a dryer capable of accelerating the drying of water-based ink dispensed onto a recording medium.
The above and other elements, features, steps, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
Inkjet printers (hereinafter referred to simply as “printer”) according to preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described. Note that it is understood that the preferred embodiments described herein are not intended to limit the present invention in particular. Members and portions that realize like functions are denoted by like reference signs, and redundant description will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.
The recording medium 5 is, for example, a recording paper. Note however that the recording medium 5 is not limited to recording paper. In addition to papers such as plain papers and inkjet printing papers, the recording medium 5 includes those formed from a resin material such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyester, a metal plate formed from aluminum, iron, or the like, a glass plate, a wood plate, and cardboard, etc.
As described below, the printer 10 includes a platen 16 on which the recording medium 5 is placed, and an ink head 35 located directly above the platen 16. In the present specification, when printing on the recording medium 5 on the platen 16, the direction in which the recording medium 5 is conveyed on the platen 16 is the forward direction, and the opposite direction is the rearward direction. Left, right, up and down refer to those directions as seen from the operator in front of the printer 10. Note that when the operator is facing the front of the printer 10, the direction from the rear of the printer 10 toward the operator is forward, and the direction from the operator toward the rear of the printer 10 is rearward. The reference signs F, Rr, L, R, U and D in the drawings refer to front, rear, left, right, up and down, respectively.
A carriage 30 (see
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The printer 10 includes an upstream guide 17 and a downstream guide 18 and an auxiliary guide 15. The upstream guide 17 guides the movement of the recording medium 5 onto the platen 16.
The downstream guide 18 is arranged forward relative to the platen 16. An upper wall 18A of the downstream guide 18 extends forward and downward from the rear side. The upper wall 18A of the downstream guide 18 includes an arc-shaped cross section, for example. The upper wall 18A of the downstream guide 18 is curved downward as it moves away from the platen 16. The downstream guide 18 guides the movement of the recording medium 5. That is, the downstream guide 18 guides the movement of the recording medium 5 from the platen 16.
The auxiliary guide 15 is arranged forward and downward relative to the downstream guide 18. An upper wall 15A of the auxiliary guide 15 extends rearward and forward. While the upper wall 15A of the auxiliary guide 15 may include an arc-shaped cross section, in this example it includes a straight cross section. The auxiliary guide 15 guides the movement of the recording medium 5. Here, the downstream guide 18 and the auxiliary guide 15 guide the recording medium 5 to a take-up device 19 (see
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For example, latex ink can be preferably used as water-based ink. A latex ink includes a solvent, a colorant and a binder resin. In a latex ink, the binder resin is dispersed or emulsified in a solvent. For example, one or more of water and water-soluble organic solvents (lower alcohols, lower ketones, etc.) that can be uniformly mixed with water can be selected and used as the solvent. A latex ink includes about 50% by mass or more and about 90% by mass or less of a solvent relative to the total mass of the latex ink, for example. As a colorant, any conventional colorant contained in a latex ink can be selected as appropriate. Example colorants include dyes such as water-soluble dyes, pigments, etc. Any conventional binder resin contained in a latex ink can be selected as appropriate as the binder resin.
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The printer 10 includes a medium conveying mechanism 32. The medium conveying mechanism 32 relatively moves, in the sub-scanning direction X, the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 16 relative to the ink head 35. Here, the medium conveying mechanism 32 moves the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 16 in the sub-scanning direction X. Note that there is no particular limitation on the configuration of the medium conveying mechanism 32. As shown in
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The dryer 50 includes a partition wall 52B that partitions the inside of the main body case 51 into a first chamber 53 and a second chamber 63, a partition wall 51H that partitions the inside of the main body case 51 into a first chamber 53 and a third chamber 73, and a partition wall 52A that partitions the inside of the main body case 51 into a second chamber 63 and a third chamber 73. At least one of the partition wall 52A, the partition wall 52B and the partition wall 51H may be partially or entirely integrated with some or all of the other partition walls. At least one of the partition wall 52A, the partition wall 52B and the partition wall 51H may be integrated with a portion of the outer wall of the main body case 51.
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The thermal conductivity of the partition wall 52A and the partition wall 52B is lower than the thermal conductivity of the outer wall that partitions between the outside of the main body case 51 and the first chamber 53. The partition wall 52A and the partition wall 52B are formed from a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the upper portion of the front wall 51F and the upper wall 51U. The partition wall 52A and the partition wall 52B are formed from stainless steel, for example. The upper portion of the front wall 51F and the upper wall 51U are formed from iron, for example.
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The rear wall 51B is formed by a perforated metal having a plurality of openings 65. As shown in
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Next, the air flow in the dryer 50 will be described in detail. First, the air flow in the first chamber 53 will be described. As indicated by arrow FA1 in
Next, the air flow in the second chamber 63 will be described. As shown by arrow FB1 in
The air blown onto the recording medium 5 guided by the downstream guide 18 and the auxiliary guide 15 flows upward as an updraft as indicated by arrow FB4 in
As described above, with the printer 10 of the present preferred embodiment, the dryer 50 can draw air from outside through the first intake port 54 by the first fan 56 and let the air flow into the first chamber 53. Then, the air flowing in the first chamber 53 is discharged toward the platen 16 through the first exhaust port 55. Air can be immediately sent toward water-based ink that has been dispensed from the ink head 35 and landed on the recording medium 5. Therefore, drying of the water-based ink is accelerated on the platen 16, and it is possible to improve the quality of the image formed on the recording medium 5. Note that in the present preferred embodiment, the first exhaust port 55 extends in the primary scanning direction Y. Therefore, it is possible to send a generally uniform airflow over a wide area of the recording medium 5 on the platen 16 in the primary scanning direction Y. Drying of the water-based ink on the platen 16 can be more accelerated.
Moreover, the dryer 50 can draw air from outside through the second intake ports 64 by the second fan 66 and let it flow into the second chamber 63. The air heated by the heater 67 is discharged through the second exhaust ports 65 toward the downstream guide 18 and the auxiliary guide 15. Thus, heated air can be sent further on the downstream guide 18 and the auxiliary guide 15 to the water-based ink that has been dried on the platen 16 by the air blown by the first fan 56. This can further accelerate the drying of the water-based ink dispensed onto the recording medium 5 on the downstream guide 18 and on the auxiliary guide 15.
With the printer 10 of the present preferred embodiment, the second exhaust ports 65 are arranged downward relative to the second intake ports 64. This allows the air heated by the heater 67 to be efficiently taken in again through the second intake ports 64. That is, heated air can be efficiently circulated in the second chamber 63 of the dryer 50 and on the downstream guide 18 and on the auxiliary guide 15.
With the printer 10 of the present preferred embodiment, the second intake ports 64 are arranged downward relative to the first exhaust port 55. This allows air to be more reliably sent to the platen 16 through the first exhaust port 55.
With the printer 10 of the present preferred embodiment, the thermal conductivity of the partition wall 52B is lower than the thermal conductivity of the front wall 51F and the upper wall 51U that partition between the inside and the outside of the first chamber 53. This prevents heat from the heater 67 from being transferred to the first chamber 53 via the partition wall 52B. The air can be heated to the required temperature in the second chamber 63 while keeping the output of the heater 67 low. Although the first chamber 53 is located closer to the operator operating the printer 10 and may be touched by the operator, it is safe because the heat from the heater 67 is not substantially transferred to the first chamber 53.
With the printer 10 of the present preferred embodiment, the dryer 50 includes the printed circuit board 72 arranged in the third chamber 73 and connected to at least one of the first fan 56, the second fan 66 and the heater 67. Heat from the heater 67 is prevented from being transferred to the third chamber 73 via the partition wall 52A, thus preventing heat-derived defects from occurring in the printed circuit board 72.
With the printer 10 of the present preferred embodiment, the dimension in the up-down direction of the first exhaust channel 53B of the first chamber 53 gradually decreases rearward. This allows a rectified airflow to be sent to the platen 16 through the first exhaust port 55.
With the printer 10 of the present preferred embodiment, the rear wall 51B is provided with a plurality of second exhaust ports 65, so that heated air can be blown over the entire extent of the recording medium 5 guided on the downstream guide 18 and on the auxiliary guide 15. By partially blocking some of the openings 65 by the rectifying plates 51P, the air flowing toward the downstream guide 18 and the auxiliary guide 15 is rectified.
With the printer 10 of the present preferred embodiment, a circulation path, where air having a higher temperature than the air discharged through the first exhaust port 55 is circulated, is provided in the space 505 enclosed by the downstream guide 18 and the auxiliary guide 15 and the rear wall 51B of the main body case 51 and in the second chamber 63. Then, the air heated by the heater 67 can be circulated, thus reducing the power consumption of the heater 67.
With the printer 10 of the present preferred embodiment, the first intake port 54 is provided in the front portion of the main body case 51. Since the first intake port 54 is located away from the circulation path, air circulation in the circulation path is less likely to be inhibited.
With the printer 10 of the present preferred embodiment, the first exhaust port 55 is located rearward relative to the second exhaust ports 65. This allows an airflow to be more reliably sent to the platen 16 through the first exhaust port 55.
With the printer 10 of the present preferred embodiment, the second intake ports 64 are arranged downward relative to the first exhaust port 55. This makes the flow of an airflow from the first exhaust port 55 to the platen 16 less likely to be obstructed.
The first preferred embodiment has been described above. While the dryer 50 includes the partition wall 51H that partitions between the first chamber 53 and the third chamber 73 in the preferred embodiment described above, but the partition wall 51H may be absent. In this case, the printed circuit board 72 and the first fan 56 are arranged in the first chamber 53, so that the printed circuit board 72 can be cooled by the first fan 56.
Next, the printer 10 according to the second preferred embodiment will be described. In the following description, members and portions that are similar to or that correspond to the first preferred embodiment are denoted by like reference signs, and redundant description will be omitted or simplified.
In the second preferred embodiment, the configuration of the dryer 50 and the configuration of the guide 14 differ from the first preferred embodiment. First, the detailed configuration of the dryer 50 will be described.
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The heated chamber 102 is defined by the partition wall 111, the partition wall 113 and the rear wall 51B. The partition wall 111 and the partition wall 113 have a bent plate structure. The upstream chamber 102A is defined by the partition wall 111, the partition wall 116 and the partition wall 117. The downstream chamber 102B is defined by the partition wall 111, the partition wall 113, the partition wall 116, the rectifying plate 127 and the rear wall 51B. The exit chamber 102C is defined by the partition wall 117, the rectifying plate 127 and the rear wall 51B. The volume of the downstream chamber 102B is larger than the volume of the upstream chamber 102A, and the volume of the upstream chamber 102A is larger than the volume of the exit chamber 102C. The air flowing through the heated chamber 102 flows into the upstream chamber 102A from the heated chamber intake port 102a, is sent from the upstream chamber 102A to the downstream chamber 102B by the heated chamber fans 132 attached to the partition wall 116, flows into the exit chamber 102C from the downstream chamber 102B through through-holes 120h of the rectifying plate 127, and is discharged to the outside of the heated chamber 102 from the exit chamber 102C through a heated chamber exhaust port 102b. The pressure in the upstream chamber 102A is set to a negative pressure, the pressure in the downstream chamber 102B is set to a positive pressure, and the pressure in the exit chamber 120C is set to a positive pressure lower than the pressure in the downstream chamber 102B. As shown in
The main body case 51 includes the front wall 51F extending upward, the upper wall 51U extending rearward from an upper end 51Ft of the front wall 51F, the lower wall 51D extending rearward from a lower end 51Fd of the front wall 51F, and the rear wall 51B extending upward from a rear end 51Db of the lower wall 51D. The lower wall 51D is arranged downward relative to the upper wall 51U, and the rear wall 51B is arranged rearward relative to the front wall 51F. The main body case 51 also includes the left wall 51L and the right wall 51R arranged leftward and rightward, respectively, of the front wall 51F, the upper wall 51U, the lower wall 51D and the rear wall 51B (see
The dryer 50 includes an extension wall 119 extending downward from the lower wall 51D or the rear wall 51B. Here, the extension wall 119 is attached to the lower wall 51D. The extension wall 119 extends forward and downward from the lower end of the lower wall 51D. Note however that there is no particular limitation on the position of the extension wall 119. The extension wall 119 may be attached to the rear wall 51B. The extension wall 119 may extend forward and downward from the lower end of the rear wall 51B. The extension wall 119 may be absent.
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The rear wall 51B includes blowout walls 122B and 122C extending rearward and downward. The blowout wall 122C is arranged upward of the blowout wall 122B, and a gap is located between the blowout wall 122B and the blowout wall 122C. This gap defines the second air-passing chamber exhaust port 122b. The second air-passing chamber exhaust port 122b has an opening facing rearward and downward toward the upper wall 14U of the guide 14.
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The first openings 115a of the mounting plate 115 connect together the intake chamber 123 and the first air-passing chamber 121. The first air-passing chamber fans 131A are attached to the first openings 115a of the mounting plate 115. The first air-passing chamber fans 131A draw air into the intake chamber 123 through the air-passing chamber intake ports 101a, send the air from the intake chamber 123 to the first air-passing chamber 121 through the first openings 115a, and discharge the air from the second air-passing chamber 121 through the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b. Thus, the first air-passing chamber fans 131A are configured to send air from the first air-passing chamber 121. The first air-passing chamber fan 131A is arranged to send air rearward in the horizontal direction.
The second openings 115b of the mounting plate 115 connect together the intake chamber 123 and the second air-passing chamber 122. The second air-passing chamber fans 131B are attached to the second openings 115b of the mounting plate 115. The second air-passing chamber fans 131B draw air into the intake chamber 123 through the air-passing chamber intake ports 101a, send the air from the intake chamber 123 to the second air-passing chamber 122 through the second openings 115b, and discharge the air from the second air-passing chamber 122 through the second air-passing chamber exhaust ports 122b. The second air-passing chamber fans 131B are configured to send air from the second air-passing chamber 122. The second air-passing chamber fans 131B are arranged to send air rearward in the horizontal direction.
The first air-passing chamber fans 131A and the second air-passing chamber fans 131B may be fans of the same specifications or may be fans of different specifications. The flow rate of the first air-passing chamber fans 131A and the second air-passing chamber fans 131B may be equal to each other or may be different from each other. Here, the first air-passing chamber fans 131A and the second air-passing chamber fans 131B are set so that the air-blowing speed through the second air-passing chamber exhaust ports 122b is greater than the air-blowing speed through the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b.
While the first air-passing chamber fans 131A and the second air-passing chamber fans 131B may be arranged directly below the air-passing chamber intake ports 101a, they are arranged leftward or rightward of a location directly below the air-passing chamber intake ports 101a in the present preferred embodiment. The first air-passing chamber fans 131A and the second air-passing chamber fans 131B are arranged leftward and rightward relative to the air-passing chamber intake port 101a (see
The unheated chamber fans 133 are attached to the third openings 115c of the mounting plate 115. The unheated chamber fans 133 draw air into the unheated chamber 103 through the unheated chamber intake ports 103a, send the air of the unheated chamber 103 from forward to rearward of the mounting plate 115 through the third openings 115c, and discharge the air through the unheated chamber exhaust ports 103b. The unheated chamber fans 133 are configured to send air from the unheated chamber 103. While the unheated chamber fans 133 may be arranged in a position that overlaps with the unheated chamber intake ports 103a as viewed from the front side, they are arranged in the present preferred embodiment at positions that are shifted from the unheated chamber intake ports 103a. The unheated chamber fans 133 are arranged leftward or rightward relative to the unheated chamber intake ports 103a (see
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The dryer 50 includes a heater 135 arranged in the heated chamber 102. The heater 135 heats the air sent by the heated chamber fans 132. There is no particular limitation on the configuration of the heater 135. Here, the heater 135 includes a cylinder 135A, having an octagonal cross section, and an electric heating wire, not shown, arranged inside the cylinder 135A. Air is heated by the electric heating wire as it passes through the inside of the cylinder 135A. The heated chamber 102 is configured to heat the air.
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In the present preferred embodiment, the partition wall 112 and the partition wall 114 are formed of iron. The partition wall 111 and the partition wall 113, which partition the heated chamber 102, are formed of stainless steel. The thermal conductivity of the partition wall 111 and the partition wall 113 is lower than the thermal conductivity of the partition wall 112 and the partition wall 114. In addition, in order to prevent the transfer of heat from the heated chamber 102 to the air-passing chamber 101 and the unheated chamber 103, an insulation material 155 is provided on the air-passing chamber 101 side of the partition wall 111 and the unheated chamber 103 side of the partition wall 113. In the present preferred embodiment, the insulation material 155 is flexible and easily deformable.
The mounting plate 115 is pressed against the insulation material 155 from the front side. The mounting plate 115 is pressed against the partition wall 111 and the partition wall 113 via the insulation material 155. The mounting plate 115 is positioned at a predetermined position by being pressed against the partition wall 111 and the partition wall 113. Since the insulation material 155 is interposed between the mounting plate 115 and the partition wall 111 and the partition wall 113, it is possible to prevent the printed circuit board 150, the first air-passing chamber fan 131A, the second air-passing chamber fan 131B and the unheated chamber fan 133 attached to the mounting plate 115 from being heated by the heat of the heated chamber 102.
Note however that there is no particular limitation on the material of the partition wall 111 and the partition wall 113. The insulation material 155 is not always necessary and can be omitted.
While the first air-passing chamber 121 and the first air-passing chamber exhaust port 121b extend in the left-right direction, the first air-passing chamber fans 131A are dispersed in the left-right direction (see
Similarly, while the second air-passing chamber 122 and the second air-passing chamber outlet 122b extend in the left-right direction, the second air-passing chamber fans 131B are arranged dispersed in the left-right direction. Therefore, a rectifying member may be provided to make uniform the velocity distribution of the air flowing through the second air-passing chamber 122. Here, a second rectifying plate 126 which is a rectifying plate 120 (see
While the heated chamber 102 extends in the left-right direction, and the heated chamber exhaust port 102b is arranged over the entire extent in the left-right direction, the heated chamber fans 132 are arranged dispersed in the left-right direction. Therefore, a rectifying member may be provided to make uniform the velocity distribution of the air discharged through the heated chamber exhaust port 102b. Here, a third rectifying plate 127 made from a rectifying plate 120 (see
Next, the guide 14 will be described. As shown in
Inlet ports 14a and outlet ports 14b are provided in the lower wall 14D. The upper wall 14U, the rear wall 14B, the lower wall 14D, the left wall 14L and the right wall 14R together define an air channel 14E extending from the inlet ports 14a to the outlet ports 14b. The inlet ports 14a are provided in the central portion 14CA when the guide 14 is divided into three equal portions in the left-right direction. The number of inlet ports 14a may be one or more. Here, two inlet ports 14a are provided. The inlet ports 14a include a left inlet port 14aL, and a right inlet port 14aR located rightward of the left inlet port 14aL. The number of outlet ports 14b may be one or more. Here, two outlet ports 14b are provided. The outlet ports 14b include a left outlet port 14bL and a right outlet port 14bR. The left outlet port 14bL and the right outlet port 14bR are provided in the left-side portion 14LA and the right-side portion 14RA when the guide 14 is divided into three equal portions in the left-right direction. The distance 14LR between the centers of the left inlet port 14aL and the right inlet port 14aR is shorter than the distance 14LL between the centers of the left inlet port 14aL and the left outlet port 14bL, and is shorter than the distance 14RR between the centers of the right inlet port 14aR and the right outlet port 14bR.
The guide 14 is provided with a cooling fan that flows air into the air channel 14E so that air drawn in through the inlet ports 14a flows through the air channel 14E and flows out through the outlet ports 14b. The cooling fan serves to cool the upper wall 14U by flowing air into the air channel 14E, which is partitioned by the upper wall 14U. Here, the cooling fan includes an intake fan 140A that is inside the guide 14 and connected to the inlet port 14a, and an exhaust fan 140B that is inside the guide 14 and connected to the outlet port 14b. The intake fan 140A draws air from the outside of the guide 14 into the air channel 14E from the downward side. The exhaust fan 140B discharges air from the air channel 14E downward to the outside of the guide 14. In the present preferred embodiment, the intake fan 140A and the exhaust fan 140B are axial flow fans.
While the material of the guide 14 is preferably a material with low thermal conductivity, an insulation material may be added while using a material with high thermal conductivity. The upper wall 14U, the rear wall 14B, the lower wall 14D, the left wall 14L and the right wall 14R, for example, may be formed by stainless steel or may be an iron plate with an insulation material attached thereon.
Next, the operation of the dryer 50 will be described. The dryer 50 accelerates the drying of the ink on the recording medium 5 by blowing air onto the recording medium 5. Specifically, the dryer 50 accelerates initial drying of the ink by blowing air at room temperature onto the recording medium 5 on the platen 16. In addition, the dryer 50 accelerates complete drying of the ink by blowing hot air onto the recording medium 5 on the guide 14.
As shown in
As indicated by arrow A102a, the heated chamber fan 132 draws air from the outside of the main body case 51 from the heated chamber intake port 102a and sends the air from the upstream chamber 102A to the downstream chamber 102B. The air in the downstream chamber 102B is heated by the heater 135. While there is no particular limitation on the temperature of the heated air, it may be about 50° C. to about 110° C., for example. The heated, hot air is discharged through the heated chamber exhaust ports 102b as indicated by arrow A102b. The hot air discharged through the heated chamber exhaust ports 102b is blown onto the recording medium 5 on the guide 14 to accelerate the drying of the ink on the recording medium 5.
By way of example, since the air in the heated chamber 102 is hot, the partition wall 111 that divides between the heated chamber 102 and the air-passing chamber 101 is heated by the air in the heated chamber 102. The temperature of the partition wall 111 increases with the operation time of the dryer 50. Therefore, of the air in the air-passing chamber 101, the air that comes into contact with the partition wall 111 is heated and the temperature thereof increases. Therefore, when the second air-passing chamber 122 is not provided (e.g., in the case of the first preferred embodiment), the air A121 flowing in the first air-passing chamber 121 is heated by the partition wall 111 and becomes hotter than the outside air. If the air, which has become hot, flows out onto the platen 16, the pretreatment agent for image quality formation may become too dry, thus inhibiting reaction with the ink. If the hot air that flows onto the platen 16 also reaches the ink system (cap, wiper, etc.) side, the ink adhering to the ink system may easily dry out, thus causing nozzle clogging. However, according to the present preferred embodiment, the second air-passing chamber 122 is provided between the first air-passing chamber 121 and the heated chamber 102. The air A121 in the first air-passing chamber 121 does not come into contact with the partition wall 111. Therefore, the temperature increase of the air A121 in the first air-passing chamber 121 is prevented. The air A122 flowing in the second air-passing chamber 122 serves an insulating function to prevent the temperature increase of the air A121 in the first air-passing chamber 121. Therefore, it is possible to prevent relatively hot air from blowing onto the recording medium 5 on the platen 16. Note that the temperature of the air A122 flowing in the second air-passing chamber 122 is higher than that of the air A121 flowing in the first air-passing chamber 121. The temperature of the air discharged through the second air-passing chamber exhaust ports 122b is, for example, about 10° C. to about 20° C. higher than the temperature of the air discharged through the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b.
The second air-passing chamber exhaust ports 122b are arranged downward of the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b and upward of the heated chamber intake ports 102a. The second air-passing chamber exhaust ports 122b are arranged between the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b and the heated chamber intake ports 102a. This prevents hot air from rising to the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b between the rear wall 51B of the main body case 51 and the guide 14. The second air-passing chamber exhaust ports 122b have openings facing rearward and downward. Air discharged through the second air-passing chamber exhaust ports 122b flows downward along the rear wall 5B and the guide 14 (see arrow AH). Therefore, hot air is prevented from mixing with the room temperature air discharged through the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b. The temperature of the air blown onto the recording medium 5 on the platen 16 is prevented from rising.
According to the present preferred embodiment, the dryer 50 includes the extension wall 119 extending forward and downward from the lower wall 51D or the rear wall 51B. As a result, hot air AH is prevented from moving around from the rear wall 51B to the lower wall 51D. The unheated chamber fan 133 takes room temperature air into the unheated chamber 103 through the unheated chamber intake ports 103a and blows out the room temperature air through the unheated chamber exhaust ports 103B. Even if the hot air Ah moves around to the lower wall 51D, the room temperature air A103 blown out through the unheated chamber exhaust ports 103b prevents the hot air Ah from moving around from the lower wall 51D to the front wall 51F. That is, the room temperature air A103 blown out from the unheated chamber exhaust ports 103B serves to block the rise of the hot air Ah. Therefore, according to the present preferred embodiment, the rise of the hot air Ah along the front wall 51F is prevented. The temperature of the front wall 51F is prevented from increasing. Note that the unheated chamber exhaust ports 103B have openings facing forward and downward. In the present preferred embodiment, the direction of the unheated chamber exhaust ports 103b is parallel to the direction of the rear wall 51B. This allows the hot air AH flowing downward along the rear wall 51B to be diffused farther downward.
In the present preferred embodiment, hot air Ah is prevented from rising along the front wall 51F, so that hot air Ah is prevented from being taken in through the air-passing chamber intake ports 101a. This also prevents the temperature rise of the air discharged through the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b and the second air-passing chamber exhaust ports 122b, thus more effectively preventing the temperature rise of the air blown onto the recording medium 5 on the platen 16.
Hot air AH blown onto the recording medium 5 on the guide 14 flows downward in the space between the rear wall 51B and the guide 14. Now, hot air AH has a tendency to rise because of its low specific gravity. After hot air AH flows downward of the rear wall 51B of the main body case 51, the air may move around from the lower wall 51D to the front wall 51F and rise along the front wall 51F. In such a case, the front wall 51F may be heated by the hot air and the temperature of the front wall 51F may become high. The front wall 51F is a portion of the printer 10 that is closest to the operator who operates in front of the printer 10. Therefore, it is not preferable for the operator that the temperature of the front wall 51F becomes high.
As described above, hot air A102b discharged through the heated chamber exhaust ports 102b is blown onto the recording medium 5 on the upper wall 14U of the guide 14. Here, since the recording medium 5 moves forward and downward, the same portion of the recording medium 5 will not be continuously heated for a long time. On the other hand, the upper wall 14U of the guide 14 continues to be heated by hot air A102b via the recording medium 5 for a long time. Therefore, the temperature of the upper wall 14U of the guide 14 may become high. However, according to the present preferred embodiment, as shown in
Next, various effects brought about by the printer 10 according to the present preferred embodiment will be described.
With the printer 10 according to the present preferred embodiment, the dryer 50 discharges air at room temperature through the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b to the recording medium 5 on the platen 16. Thus, drying of the water-based ink is accelerated on the platen 16, and the quality of the image formed on the recording medium 5 can be improved. Furthermore, the dryer 50 discharges hot air heated by the heater 135 toward the recording medium on the guide 14 through the heated chamber exhaust ports 102b. This can further accelerate the drying of the water-based ink dispensed onto the recording medium 5 on the guide 14.
With the printer 10 according to the present preferred embodiment, between the first air-passing chamber 121 partitioned by the partition wall 111 and the heated chamber 102, the dryer 50 is provided with the second air-passing chamber 122 which is partitioned by the first air-passing chamber 121 and the partition wall 114 and in which room temperature air flows. The air in the second air-passing chamber 122 is discharged by the third fans 131B through the third exhaust ports 122b. Therefore, even when the air in the second air-passing chamber 122 is heated by the air in the heated chamber 102, the temperature rise inside the first air-passing chamber 121 is prevented. Thus, the temperature rise inside the first air-passing chamber 121 can be prevented, so that the temperature of the air discharged through the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b can be prevented from becoming high. That is, the second air-passing chamber 122 arranged between the first air-passing chamber 121 and the heated chamber 102 serves an insulating function to prevent the temperature rise of the air A121 in the first air-passing chamber 121. Since the first air-passing chamber 121 is partitioned from the second air-passing chamber 122 by the partition wall 114, the air A121 of the first air-passing chamber 121 does not come into contact with the partition wall 111. Therefore, even if the air in the second air-passing chamber 122 is heated by the air in the heated chamber 102, the temperature rise of the air A121 in the first air-passing chamber 121 is prevented. Therefore, the temperature of the air discharged through the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b is prevented from becoming high. If the temperature of the air discharged through the exhaust ports 121b is high, image quality degradation, nozzle clogging, and other problems will occur. Specifically, ink is dispensed from the ink head 35 onto the recording medium 5 on the platen 16, and if the ink (typically, a pretreatment agent that is one of the components of the ink and fixes water-based ink) dries too quickly, the quality of the image formed on the recording medium 5 may deteriorate. However, according to the present preferred embodiment, the temperature of the air blown onto the recording medium 5 on the platen 16 does not become high, so the drying of the ink can be accelerated without degrading the image quality. If the temperature of the air discharged through the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b is too high, if the discharged air reaches the ink head 35, it may adhere to the ink head 35 and cause nozzle clogging or other problems. By preventing the rise in temperature of the air discharged through the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b, nozzle clogging and other problems can be prevented even if the discharged air reaches the ink head 35.
According to the present preferred embodiment, the air discharged through the second air-passing chamber exhaust ports 122b is discharged from the downward side of the second air-passing chamber exhaust ports 122b and the upward side of the second exhaust ports 102b, i.e., from between the second air-passing chamber exhaust ports 122b and the second exhaust ports 102b in the up-down direction, toward the guide 14 or platen 16. Here, the hot air discharged through the second exhaust ports 102b may flow upward and rearward along the upper wall 14U because of its high temperature. If the air flows upward and rearward, there is a possibility that the discharged hot air may mix with the air discharged through the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b and blown onto the platen 16. Even in this case, the upward flow of air discharged through the second exhaust ports 102b is obstructed by the flow of air discharged through the second air-passing chamber exhaust ports 122b. Therefore, the hot air discharged through the heated chamber exhaust ports 102b can effectively prevent the air from mixing with the air discharged through the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b. Therefore, the temperature of the air blown onto the recording medium 5 on the platen 16 is prevented from becoming high, and the drying of ink can be accelerated without degrading the image quality. The air discharged through the second air-passing chamber exhaust ports 122b flows out rearward and downward toward the upper wall 14U of the guide 14 at a position rearward relative to the second intake ports 102a. The rearward and downward air flow pushes, forward and downward, the hot air discharged through the second exhaust ports 102b and flowing out rearward and upward along the upper wall 14U to accelerate suction into the second intake ports 102a. This allows heated air to circulate efficiently outside and inside the heated chamber 102.
According to the present preferred embodiment, the air-blowing speed of the second air-passing chamber exhaust ports 122b is greater than the air-blowing speed of the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b. The velocity of the air blown out of the second air-passing chamber exhaust ports 122b is relatively large. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent the hot air discharged through the heated chamber exhaust ports 102b from mixing with the air discharged through the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b. Thus, the temperature of the air blown onto the recording medium 5 on the platen 16 is prevented from becoming high, and the drying of the ink can be accelerated without degrading the image quality.
According to the present preferred embodiment, the air-passing chamber 101 includes an intake chamber 123 that connects to the first air-passing chamber 121 and the second air-passing chamber 122. The air-passing chamber intake ports 101a are structured to take air from outside the main body case 51 into the intake chamber 123. There is no need to provide separate intake ports for the first air-passing chamber 121 and intake ports for the second air-passing chamber 122. Thus, the number of intake ports can be reduced.
The heated chamber exhaust ports 102b are arranged downward relative to the heated chamber intake ports 102a. A portion of the air heated by the heater 135 is discharged through the heated chamber exhaust ports 102b and then drawn into the heated chamber 102 through the heated chamber intake ports 102a to be reheated by the heater 135. Heated air can be circulated outside and inside the heated chamber 102. Therefore, it is possible to increase the heating efficiency of the air in the heated chamber 102. It is possible to accelerate drying of the water-based ink with less power consumption.
The dimension in the up-down direction of the first exhaust channel 121A of the first air-passing chamber 121 gradually becomes smaller toward the rear side. Thus, it is possible to pass a rectified airflow through the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b to the platen 16.
The first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b are located rearward relative to the heated chamber exhaust ports 102b. This allows air to be more reliably sent toward the platen 16 through the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b.
The heated chamber intake ports 102a are arranged downward relative to the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b. Therefore, air with high temperature downward relative to the heated chamber intake ports 102a rises along the guide 14, but much of the air is sucked into the heated chamber 102 by the heated chamber intake ports 102a. Therefore, the air flow from the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b toward the platen 16 is less likely to be obstructed.
With the printer 10 according to the present preferred embodiment, hot air is discharged from the heated chamber 102 through the heated chamber exhaust ports 102b. A portion of the discharged hot air flows upward by a circulation path after being discharged through the heated chamber exhaust ports 102b and is sucked into the heated chamber 102 through the heated chamber intake port 102a, but a portion flows forward and downward between the rear wall 51B of the main body case 51 and the recording medium 5 on the guide 14. The hot air flowing out forward and downward reaches the vicinity of the lower wall 51D of the main body case 51, and then rises along the front wall 51F of the main body case 51. When hot air rises along the front wall 51F of the main body case 51, problems occur, such as the front wall 51F of the main body case 51 becoming hot. In contrast, with the printer 10 according to the present preferred embodiment, the unheated chamber exhaust ports 103b to discharge the air of the unheated chamber 103 are provided in the lower wall 51D arranged between the air-passing chamber intake ports 101a and the rear wall 51B of the main body case 51. The air discharged through the unheated chamber exhaust ports 103b becomes an air curtain, which prevents hot air from flowing along the lower wall 51D and into the front wall 51F. Therefore, hot air is prevented from rising along the front wall 51F. Therefore, with the printer 10 according to the present preferred embodiment, the front portion of the main body case 51 of the dryer 50 can be prevented from becoming hot.
With the printer 10 according to the present preferred embodiment, the air-passing chamber intake ports 101a are provided in the upper wall 51U of the main body case 51. Therefore, when hot air rises along the front wall 51F of the main body case 51, the temperature of air sucked in through the air-passing chamber intake ports 101a may become high. However, since the hot air is prevented from rising along the front wall 51F of the main body case 51, the temperature of the air sucked in through the air-passing chamber intake ports 101a can be prevented from becoming high. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the air discharged through the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b from becoming high. As a result, since it is possible to prevent the temperature rise of the air blown onto the recording medium 5 on the platen 16, it is possible to prevent the image quality from degrading due to excessive drying of the ink, and to prevent nozzle clogging.
While there is no particular limitation on the positional relationship between the unheated chamber intake ports 103a and the unheated chamber exhaust ports 103b, the unheated chamber intake ports 103a are arranged forward relative to the unheated chamber exhaust ports 103b in the present preferred embodiment. The unheated chamber intake ports 103a are arranged relatively far from the rear wall 51B of the main body case 51. This can effectively prevent hot air from rising along the front wall 51F. Even if the hot air flows forward relative to the unheated exhaust ports 103b, the hot air will be sucked in through the unheated chamber intake ports 103a. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the hot air from being sucked in through the air-passing chamber intake ports 101a.
In the present preferred embodiment, the unheated chamber intake ports 103a are provided on the front wall 51F of the main body case 51. Even if hot air moves around from the lower wall 51D of the main body case 51 to the front wall 51F, the hot air will be sucked into the unheated chamber 103 through the unheated exhaust ports 103a. This also effectively prevents the hot air from rising along the front wall 51F.
The air-passing chamber intake port 101a is arranged upward relative to the unheated chamber intake ports 103a. Therefore, it is possible to prevent hot air from being sucked into the air-passing chamber 101. Since the temperature of the air blown onto the recording medium 5 on the platen 16 does not become high, it is possible to prevent the image quality from degrading due to excessive drying of the ink, and to prevent and nozzle clogging.
According to the present preferred embodiment, the air-passing chamber intake ports 101a are provided in the upper wall 51U of the main body case 51. Even if hot air rises along the front wall 51F, it will be possible to prevent the hot air from being sucked into the air-passing chamber 101.
According to the present preferred embodiment, the air-passing chamber 101 and the unheated chamber 103 are separated by the partition wall 112. It is possible to further prevent the temperature of the air in the air-passing chamber 101 from becoming high. Even if hot air is taken into the unheated chamber 103 through the unheated chamber intake ports 103a, the temperature of the air in the air-passing chamber 101 will be prevented from becoming high.
With the printer 10 according to the present preferred embodiment, the guide 14 includes the air channel 14E with the inlet ports 14a and the outlet ports 14b, and cooling fans 140. Air from outside the guide 14 is sucked in through the inlet ports 14a to flow through the air channel 14E, and is discharged through the outlet ports 14b. Therefore, the guide 14 is cooled by the air flowing through the air channel 14E. Thus, it is possible to prevent the guide 14 from becoming hot.
While there is no particular limitation on the positions of the inlet ports 14a and the outlet ports 14b, the inlet ports 14a are arranged at the central portion 14CA of the guide 14 in the present preferred embodiment. The outlet ports 14b include the left exhaust outlet 14bL arranged in the left portion 14LA of the guide 14 and the right exhaust outlet 14bR arranged in the right portion 14RA of the guide 14. The central portion 14CA of the guide 14 tends to be hotter than the opposite end portions of the guide 14 because it tends to retain more heat. However, since the inlet ports 14a are arranged in the central portion 14CA, relatively cold air that has just been taken in from the outside flows in the central portion 14CA. Therefore, it is possible to sufficiently cool the central portion 14CA. Since the left exhaust port 14bL and the right exhaust port 14bR are closer to the end portions of the guide 14 than the central portion 14CA, the outside air taken into the inside of the guide 14 through the inlet ports 14a is divided into the right side and the left side to flow toward the opposite ends. According to the present preferred embodiment, it is possible to efficiently cool the guide 14 over the entirety in the longitudinal direction.
While there is no particular limitation on the number of inlet ports 14a of the air channel 14E, a plurality of inlet ports 14a are provided in the present preferred embodiment. The inlet ports 14a include the left inlet port 14aL and the right inlet port 14aR. This allows a sufficient amount of air to be taken into the air channel 14E to efficiently cool the guide 14.
In the present preferred embodiment, the distance 14LR between the centers of the left inlet port 14aL and the right inlet port 14aR is shorter than the distance 14LL between the centers of the left inlet port 14aL and the left outlet port 14bL. The distance 14LR is shorter than the distance 14RR between the centers of the right inlet port 14aR and the right outlet port 14bR. Although air tends to remain in the area between the left inlet port 14aL and the right inlet port 14aR in the air channel 14E, the area where air remains is small because the distance 14LR between the left inlet port 14aL and the right inlet port 14aR is short in the present preferred embodiment. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently cool the guide 14.
While the inlet ports 14b may be provided in the left wall 14L or the right wall 14R, they are provided in the lower wall 14D in the present preferred embodiment. It is possible to prevent the inflow of air through the inlet ports 14a from affecting the drying of the recording medium 5 on the upper wall 14U.
While the outlet ports 14b may be provided on the left wall 14L or the right wall 14R, they are provided in the lower wall 14D in the present preferred embodiment. It is possible to prevent air discharged through the outlet ports 14b from affecting the drying of the recording medium 5 on the upper wall 14U.
According to the present preferred embodiment, the cooling fans 140 include the exhaust fan 140B connected to the outlet port 14b. Thus, it is possible to desirably discharge air from the air channel 14E.
According to the present preferred embodiment, the cooling fans 140 include the intake fan 140A connected to the inlet ports 14a. Thus, it is possible to desirably take air into the air channel 14E.
With the printer 10 according to the present preferred embodiment, the dryer 50 includes the first air-passing chamber 121 and the second air-passing chamber 122, and the first air-passing chamber fans 131A is provided for the first air-passing chamber 121 and the second air-passing chamber fans 131B is provided for the second air-passing chamber 122. The first air-passing chamber fans 131A and the second air-passing chamber fans 131B are arranged so as to pass air from different air-passing chambers, but are attached to a common mounting plate 115. The mounting plate 115 is removably connected to the main body case 51. Therefore, the first air-passing chamber fans 131A and the second air-passing chamber fans 131B can be easily assembled to the main body case 51 by attaching the first air-passing chamber fans 131A and the second air-passing chamber fans 131B to the mounting plate 115, and connecting the mounting plate 115 to the main body case 51.
The air-passing chamber 101 of the main body case 51 is partitioned into the first air-passing chamber 121, the second air-passing chamber 122 and the intake chamber 123, and the air-passing chamber intake ports 101a connect together the outside of the main body case 51 and the intake chamber 123. The first air-passing chamber fans 131A and the second air-passing chamber fans 131B are arranged in the intake chamber 123. As the dryer 50 has such a configuration, the mounting plate 115, to which the first air-passing chamber fans 131A and the second air-passing chamber fans 131B are attached, can be easily assembled to the main body case 51. The dryer 50 including the first air-passing chamber fans 131A and the second air-passing chamber fans 131B can be made smaller.
According to the present preferred embodiment, the first air-passing chamber fans 131A and the second air-passing chamber fans 131B are arranged parallel to each other. The first air-passing chamber fans 131A and the second air-passing chamber fans 131B are configured to send air rearward in the horizontal direction. The first air-passing chamber fans 131A and the second air-passing chamber fans 131B are arranged next to each other in the up-down direction. As the dryer 50 has such a configuration, the mounting plate 115, to which the first air-passing chamber fans 131A and the second air-passing chamber fans 131B are attached, can be easily assembled to the main body case 51. The dryer 50 including the first air-passing chamber fans 131A and the second air-passing chamber fans 131B can be made smaller.
While there is no particular limitation on the number of first air-passing chamber fans 131A and second air-passing chamber fans 131B, a plurality of first air-passing chamber fans 131A are arranged in the left-right direction and a plurality of second air-passing chamber fans 131B are arranged in the left-right direction in the present preferred embodiment. All those first air-passing chamber fans 131A and second air-passing chamber fans 131B are attached to a common mounting plate 115. Therefore, a plurality of first air-passing chamber fans 131A and a plurality of second air-passing chamber fans 131B can be easily assembled to the main body case 51.
According to the present preferred embodiment, in addition to the first air-passing chamber fans 131A and the second air-passing chamber fans 131B, the unheated chamber fans 133 are also attached to the mounting plate 115. Therefore, the first air-passing chamber fans 131A, the second air-passing chamber fans 131B and the unheated chamber fans 133 can all be easily assembled to the main body case 51. Note that the heated chamber fans 132 are not attached to the mounting plate 115. The first air-passing chamber fans 131A, the second air-passing chamber fans 131B and the unheated chamber fans 133 blow air at room temperature or substantially room temperature, but the heated chamber fans 132 sends hot air because hot air circulates in the heated chamber 102. The specifications of the heated chamber fans 132 are often different from the specifications of the first air-passing chamber fans 131A, the second air-passing chamber fans 131B and the unheated chamber fans 133. In the present preferred embodiment, a plurality of fans that send air at room temperature or substantially room temperature are attached to the mounting plate 115 in a localized manner. Note, however that the present preferred embodiment is only one example, and there is no particular limitation thereto.
According to the present preferred embodiment, a first rectifying plate 125 with a plurality of through-holes 120h is arranged inside the first air-passing chamber 121. A second rectifying plate 126 with a plurality of through-holes 120h is arranged inside the second air-passing chamber 122. This allows for uniform velocity distribution of the air discharged through the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b. The velocity distribution of the air discharged through the second air-passing chamber exhaust ports 122b can be made uniform. Because the velocity distribution of the air can be made uniform, there are only a few restrictions regarding the orientation of the first air-passing chamber fans 131A and the second air-passing chamber fans 131B.
The dryer 50 includes the printed circuit board 150 connected to the first air-passing chamber fans 131A and the second air-passing chamber fans 131B via wires 151. This printed circuit board 150 is also attached to the mounting plate 115. Therefore, each of the first air-passing chamber fans 131A, the second air-passing chamber fans 131B and the printed circuit board 150 can be easily assembled to the main body case 51 by attaching them to the same mounting plate 115. By arranging the printed circuit board 150 sideward of the first air-passing chamber fans 131A and the second air-passing chamber fans 131B, the printed circuit board 150 can be effectively cooled by the airflow generated by the first air-passing chamber fans 131A and the second air-passing chamber fans 131B.
With the printer 10 according to the present preferred embodiment, the heated chamber fans 132 of the dryer 50 are spaced apart from each other and are arranged next to each other in the left-right direction, but the heated chamber exhaust ports 102b are arranged upward relative to the midpoint of a rear wall 50B of the main body case 51 in the up-down direction. The heated chamber exhaust ports 102b are not arranged evenly over the entire extent of the rear wall 50B, but are concentrated in an upper portion of the rear wall 50B. Thus, it is possible to increase the air pressure in an area of the heated chamber 102 before the heated chamber exhaust ports 102b. Thus, the velocity distribution of the air blown onto the recording medium 5 through the heated chamber exhaust ports 102b can be made more uniform than before. Thus, the drying of the ink on the recording medium 5 can be effectively accelerated on the guide 14.
The air in the heated chamber 102 is heated by the heater 135 provided at the exit of the heated chamber fans 132. According to the present preferred embodiment, the velocity distribution of the air discharged through the heated chamber exhaust ports 102b is made uniform, so that the temperature distribution of the air blown onto the recording medium 5 on the guide 14 can be made uniform. The recording medium 5 can be heated evenly and the drying of the ink on the recording medium 5 can be effectively accelerated.
A third rectifying plate 127 with a plurality of through-holes 120h is arranged in the heated chamber 102. With the third rectifying plate 127, the velocity distribution of the air flowing through the heated chamber 102 can be made uniform. Thus, the velocity distribution of the air blown onto the recording medium 5 through the heated chamber exhaust ports 102b can be made more uniform.
According to the present preferred embodiment, the air discharged through the heated chamber exhaust ports 102b flows forward and downward in the space between the rear wall 51B of the main body case 51 and the upper wall 14U of the guide 14. The air discharged through the heated chamber exhaust ports 102b is prevented from rising. The air discharged through the heated chamber exhaust ports 102b and flowing forward and downward can accelerate drying of the ink on the recording medium 5.
The dryer 50 includes the extension wall 119 extending forward and downward arranged downward of the rear wall 51B of the main body case 51. This prevents hot air from moving around from the rear wall 51B to the lower wall 51D. Thus, hot air is prevented from rising along the front wall 51F.
According to the present preferred embodiment, the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b are arranged upward relative to the heated chamber exhaust ports 102b. The first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b are arranged rearward relative to the heated chamber exhaust ports 102b. Air discharged through the heated chamber exhaust ports 102b desirably flows forward and downward in the space between the rear wall 51B of the main body case 51 and the upper wall 14U of the guide 14. The air discharged through the heated chamber exhaust port 102b and flowing forward and downward can accelerate drying of the ink on the recording medium 5.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the preferred embodiments described above are merely examples, and the present invention can be implemented in various other forms.
In the second preferred embodiment described above, the air-passing chamber intake ports 101a are provided in the upper wall 51U of the main body case 51 (see
There is no limitation on the shape of the various intake ports and exhaust ports of the preferred embodiments described above. The intake ports and the exhaust ports may have a circular shape, an elliptical shape, a rectangular shape, a slit shape, etc.
While the downstream guide 18 and the auxiliary guide 15 of the guide 14 may be separate from each other in the preferred embodiment described above, the downstream guide 18 and the auxiliary guide 15 may be integral with each other. The printer 10 does not need to include the auxiliary guide 15.
The printer 10 may include a platen heater that heats the platen 16. If the printer 10 includes a platen heater, for example, the platen heater is provided on the reverse surface of the platen 16. If the printer 10 includes a platen heater, initial drying may not be performed. The printer 10 may also include a downstream guide heater that heats the downstream guide 18. If the printer 10 includes a downstream guide heater, for example, the downstream guide heater is provided on the reverse surface of the downstream guide 18.
The second air-passing chamber exhaust ports 122b is not necessarily arranged rearward relative to the heated chamber exhaust ports 102b. The second air-passing chamber exhaust ports 122b do not need to have openings facing rearward and downward.
The air-blowing speed of the second air-passing chamber exhaust ports 122b may be less than or equal to the air-blowing speed of the first air-passing chamber exhaust ports 121b.
The air-passing chamber 101 does not need to include the intake chamber 123. For example, the dryer 50 may separately include an intake port to take air into the first air-passing chamber 121 and an intake port to take air into the second air-passing chamber 122, wherein the first air-passing chamber fans 131A may be arranged in the first air-passing chamber 121 and the second air-passing chamber fans 131B may be arranged in the second air-passing chamber 122.
The unheated chamber 103 may be optional. For example, the unheated chamber 103 may be omitted if the front wall 51F of the main body case 51 does not become hot.
The air channel 14E, the intake fan 140A and the exhaust fan 140B of the guide 14 may be optional. If there is no need to cool the guide 14, they may be omitted.
Two or three of the first air-passing chamber fans 131A, the second air-passing chamber fans 131B and the unheated chamber fans 133 may be attached to separate mounting plates.
The heated chamber exhaust ports 102b do not need to be positioned upward relative to the midpoint of the rear wall 51B of the main body case 51 in the up-down direction. Some or all of the heated chamber exhaust ports 102b may be positioned downward relative to the midpoint of the rear wall 51B in the up-down direction.
While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it is to be understood that variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention, therefore, is to be determined solely by the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-010272 | Jan 2021 | JP | national |
This application claims the benefit of priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-010272 filed on Jan. 26, 2021 and is a Continuation Application of PCT Application No. PCT/JP2021/048338 filed on Dec. 24, 2021. The entire contents of each application are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/JP2021/048338 | Dec 2021 | US |
| Child | 18225781 | US |
