Conveying device, recording device

Abstract

Provided is a conveyance device and a recording device capable of reducing the likelihood of degradation of a cleaning roller. The conveyance device includes: a conveyance belt (22) having a support surface (26) capable of supporting a medium and capable of conveying the medium supported on the support surface; a cleaning roller (32) including an absorbent material (52) capable of absorbing a cleaning liquid and capable of cleaning the support surface by contacting the support surface with the absorbent material; a supply portion (31) capable of supplying the cleaning liquid to the cleaning roller; and a blowing portion (35) capable of blowing a gas to the support surface cleaned by the cleaning roller, the blowing portion being configured to be capable of blowing the gas to the cleaning roller.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a conveying device and a recording device. Background Technology

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a conveying device comprising a conveyor belt for conveying a medium and a cleaning roller for cleaning the conveyor belt. A cleaning fluid is supplied to the cleaning roller. The cleaning roller cleans the conveyor belt using the cleaning fluid by contacting the conveyor belt.

[0003] In such a conveying device, if the cleaning roller is constantly wetted by the cleaning fluid, there is a possibility that the cleaning roller will deteriorate.

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-137034 Summary of the Invention

[0005] The conveying device for solving the above-mentioned problems includes: a conveyor belt having a support surface capable of supporting a medium and capable of conveying the medium supported on the support surface; a cleaning roller comprising an absorbent material capable of absorbing cleaning liquid and capable of cleaning the support surface by contacting the absorbent material with the support surface; a supply unit capable of supplying the cleaning liquid to the cleaning roller; and a blowing unit capable of blowing gas onto the support surface cleaned by the cleaning roller, the blowing unit being configured to blow the gas onto the cleaning roller.

[0006] A recording apparatus for solving the above-mentioned problems includes: a recording unit capable of recording on a medium; a conveyor belt having a support surface capable of supporting the medium and conveying the medium supported on the support surface; a cleaning roller comprising an absorbent material capable of absorbing cleaning fluid, and capable of cleaning the support surface by contacting the absorbent material with the support surface; a supply unit capable of supplying the cleaning fluid to the cleaning roller; and a blowing unit capable of blowing gas onto the support surface cleaned by the cleaning roller, the blowing unit being configured to blow the gas onto the cleaning roller. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Figure 1 This is a side view showing one embodiment of a recording apparatus equipped with a conveying device.

[0008] Figure 2 A side view showing a cleaning mechanism in a supplied and contacted state.

[0009] Figure 3 A side view showing a cleaning mechanism in a non-supply and non-contact state.

[0010] Figure 4This is a flowchart illustrating the drying process performed by the blowing unit.

[0011] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the drying process performed by the extrusion component.

[0012] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the drying process performed by the blowing section and the extrusion component. Detailed Implementation

[0013] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the recording apparatus equipped with a conveying device will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The recording apparatus is, for example, an inkjet printer that records text, photographs, and other images by ejecting ink, an example recording material, onto a medium such as paper or cloth. The recording apparatus is not limited to inkjet printing; it can be a toner-jet printer or other recording methods.

[0014] like Figure 1 As shown, the recording device 11 includes a recording unit 12, a control unit 13, a receiving unit 14, and a conveying device 15.

[0015] The recording unit 12 is configured to perform recording on the medium 99. The recording unit 12 is, for example, a head. Therefore, the recording unit 12 in this example has one or more nozzles 16. In this example, the recording unit 12 is a serial head that scans the medium 99. The recording unit 12 may also be a line head that records across the width of the medium 99. The recording unit 12 records an image on the medium 99 by spraying liquid onto the medium 99.

[0016] The control unit 13 controls the recording device 11. The control unit 13 controls, for example, the recording unit 12, the transport device 15, etc. The control unit 13 can be configured as a circuit, which includes: α: one or more processors that execute various processes according to a computer program; β: one or more dedicated hardware circuits, such as an integrated circuit for a specific purpose, that executes at least a portion of the various processes; or γ: a combination thereof. The processor includes a CPU, RAM, ROM, and other memories, which store program code or instructions configured to cause the CPU to perform processing. Memory, or computer-readable medium, includes so-called readable media that can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer.

[0017] The receiving unit 14 is configured to receive instructions from the user. The receiving unit 14 is, for example, an operation panel. The receiving unit 14 is connected to the control unit 13. The user instructions received by the receiving unit 14 are input to the control unit 13. As described later, the receiving unit 14 can receive instructions from the user related to the action of the extrusion member 33 extruding the absorbent material 52. The receiving unit 14 can display various information related to the recording device 11.

[0018] The conveying device 15 is a device for conveying the medium 99. In this example, the conveying device 15 conveys the medium 99 intermittently. The conveying device 15 can also convey the medium 99 continuously.

[0019] The conveying device 15 includes multiple rollers, a drive source 21, a conveyor belt 22, and a cleaning mechanism 23. The conveying device 15 may also have a control unit for controlling the conveying device 15, in addition to the control unit 13 included in the recording device 11. In this case, for example, the control unit 13 included in the recording device 11 and the control unit included in the conveying device 15 communicate with each other. Alternatively, the conveying device 15 may have a control unit instead of the control unit 13. In this case, for example, the control unit included in the conveying device 15 controls the recording unit 12. When the conveying device 15 has a control unit, a receiving unit 14 may also be connected to this control unit. For example, the conveying device 15 may also have a receiving unit 14.

[0020] In this example, the conveying device 15 comprises multiple rollers, such as a first roller 24 and a second roller 25. The first roller 24 and the second roller 25 convey the medium 99 in a first direction A1. The first direction A1 is the direction in which the medium 99 is conveyed. The first roller 24 and the second roller 25 are arranged side by side in the first direction A1. Therefore, the first roller 24 is located upstream of the recording unit 12 in the first direction A1. The second roller 25 is located downstream of the recording unit 12 in the first direction A1.

[0021] The drive source 21 is, for example, a motor that rotates multiple rollers. The drive source 21 is connected, for example, to the first roller 24, the second roller 25, or both. In this example, the drive source 21 is connected to the first roller 24. Therefore, the drive source 21 causes the first roller 24 to rotate. In this example, the second roller 25 rotates along with the first roller 24 via the conveyor belt 22.

[0022] The conveyor belt 22 is wound around multiple rollers. In this example, the conveyor belt 22 is wound around a first roller 24 and a second roller 25. When the drive source 21 rotates the first roller 24, the conveyor belt 22 moves, i.e., wraps around, the first roller 24 and the second roller 25. Thus, the conveyor belt 22 conveys the medium 99. In this example, the conveyor belt 22 conveys the medium 99 by moving intermittently. For example, the conveyor belt 22... Figure 1 It circles in a counter-clockwise direction.

[0023] The conveyor belt 22 has a support surface 26 that supports the medium 99. The support surface 26 is the outer peripheral surface of the conveyor belt 22.

[0024] The conveyor belt 22 is, for example, a belt coated with adhesive. The adhesive is applied to the support surface 26. The medium 99 is thus bonded to the support surface 26 by the adhesive. This results in a more stable posture for the medium 99. The adhesive is not limited to; for example, suction force, electrostatic force, intermolecular forces, etc., can also be used to bond the medium 99 to the support surface 26. An image is recorded on the medium 99 supported on the support surface 26 by the recording unit 12.

[0025] The conveyor belt 22 may become contaminated during the transport of the medium 99. The support surface 26 is particularly susceptible to contamination. For example, powder, lint, airborne dust, and recording material from the recording unit 12 may adhere to the support surface 26. This contamination of the support surface 26 increases the possibility of stains adhering to the medium 99. Furthermore, contamination of the support surface 26 may impair its adhesion to the medium 99.

[0026] like Figure 1 as well as Figure 2 As shown, the cleaning mechanism 23 is a mechanism for cleaning the conveyor belt 22. Specifically, the cleaning mechanism 23 cleans the support surface 26 by contacting it. This reduces the likelihood of dirt adhering from the conveyor belt 22 to the medium 99. Furthermore, it reduces the possibility of damaging the adhesive strength of the support surface 26.

[0027] The cleaning mechanism 23 is configured to contact the support surface 26 in an area where the medium 99 will not pass through. This area is, for example, opposite to the portion of the support surface 26 that moves in the second direction A2. The second direction A2 is the direction opposite to the first direction A1. On the other hand, the area where the medium 99 passes through is, for example, opposite to the portion of the support surface 26 that moves in the first direction A1. Therefore, the cleaning mechanism 23 is configured, for example, to contact the portion of the support surface 26 that moves in the second direction A2. Thus, in this example, the cleaning mechanism 23 and the recording unit 12 are configured, for example, to clamp the conveyor belt 22. Specifically, the cleaning mechanism 23 and the recording unit 12 are configured to clamp the conveyor belt 22 from above and below. Thus, the cleaning mechanism 23 cleans the support surface 26 after it has been used to support the medium 99, i.e., after the medium 99 has been peeled off. The cleaned support surface 26 then supports the medium 99 again by wrapping around it.

[0028] The cleaning mechanism 23 is controlled, for example, by the control unit 13. If the conveying device 15 is equipped with a control unit, the cleaning mechanism 23 can also be controlled by that control unit. A detailed description of the cleaning mechanism 23 will be given below.

[0029] The conveying device 15 may also include a moving mechanism 27. The moving mechanism 27 moves the conveyor belt 22 and the cleaning roller 32 relative to each other in such a way that the cleaning roller 32 of the cleaning mechanism 23 is separated from the support surface 26. The cleaning roller 32 will be described below. In this example, the moving mechanism 27 separates the cleaning roller 32 from the support surface 26 by moving the cleaning mechanism 23 relative to the conveyor belt 22. In this example, the moving mechanism 27 causes the cleaning mechanism 23 to rise and fall relative to the conveyor belt 22. The moving mechanism 27 can move the conveyor belt 22 relative to the cleaning mechanism 23, or it can move both the conveyor belt 22 and the cleaning mechanism 23. Furthermore, the moving mechanism 27 may also move the cleaning roller 32 separately, rather than moving the cleaning mechanism 23 as a whole.

[0030] Next, we will explain cleaning agency 23.

[0031] like Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 As shown, in this example, the cleaning mechanism 23 has a supply unit 31, a cleaning roller 32, a squeezing member 33, a drive unit 34, and a blowing unit 35.

[0032] The supply unit 31 is configured to supply cleaning fluid to the cleaning roller 32. The cleaning fluid is, for example, water. Alternatively, the cleaning fluid may be other liquids. The supply unit 31 includes, for example, a support tank 41, a storage tank 42, a supply pipe 43, a supply valve 44, a discharge pipe 45, and a discharge valve 46.

[0033] The support tank 41 houses the storage tank 42. In this example, a cleaning roller 32, a squeezing member 33, and a blowing member 35 are mounted on the support tank 41. The support tank 41 has a discharge port 47. The discharge port 47 is located, for example, on the bottom surface of the support tank 41. The discharge port 47 is an opening for discharging cleaning fluid that overflows from the storage tank 42 into the support tank 41.

[0034] The reservoir 42 stores the cleaning fluid. In this example, the reservoir 42 houses a portion of the cleaning roller 32. Specifically, the reservoir 42 houses the lower end portion of the cleaning roller 32. Therefore, by storing the cleaning fluid in the reservoir 42, the cleaning roller 32 is immersed in the cleaning fluid. In this manner, the cleaning fluid is supplied to the cleaning roller 32. The reservoir 42 is located, for example, on the bottom surface of the support tank 41. By housing the reservoir 42 in the support tank 41, the possibility of the cleaning fluid stored in the reservoir 42 splashing around the supply section 31 is reduced.

[0035] The supply pipe 43 is connected to the source of the cleaning fluid and the support tank 41. The source of the cleaning fluid is, for example, tap water. By allowing the cleaning fluid to flow from the source through the supply pipe 43, the cleaning fluid is supplied to the storage tank 42. After flowing out into the support tank 41, the cleaning fluid is stored in the storage tank 42 by falling. The supply pipe 43 may also be connected to the storage tank 42.

[0036] A supply valve 44 is installed on the supply pipe 43. When the supply valve 44 is opened, the cleaning fluid is supplied to the storage tank 42 through the supply pipe 43. When the supply valve 44 is closed, the supply of cleaning fluid to the storage tank 42 is stopped.

[0037] The discharge pipe 45 is connected to the storage tank 42. The cleaning fluid is discharged from the storage tank 42 by allowing the cleaning fluid to flow from the storage tank 42 through the discharge pipe 45.

[0038] A drain valve 46 is provided on the drain pipe 45. When the drain valve 46 is opened, the cleaning fluid is discharged from the storage tank 42 through the drain pipe 45. When the drain valve 46 is closed, the discharge of the cleaning fluid from the storage tank 42 is stopped.

[0039] The supply unit 31 is configured to switch between a supply state in which cleaning fluid is supplied to the cleaning roller 32 and a non-supply state in which cleaning fluid is not supplied to the cleaning roller 32. In this example, the supply state refers to the state in which the cleaning roller 32 comes into contact with the liquid stored in the storage tank 42. In this example, the non-supply state refers to the state in which the cleaning roller 32 does not come into contact with the liquid stored in the storage tank 42.

[0040] In this example, the state of the supply unit 31 switches between a supply state and a non-supply state by varying the level of the cleaning fluid stored in the storage tank 42. For example, the level of the cleaning fluid stored in the storage tank 42 is varied by controlling the supply valve 44 and the discharge valve 46 by the control unit 13. For example, if the control unit 13 controls the supply valve 44 and the discharge valve 46 such that the opening of the supply valve 44 is greater than the opening of the discharge valve 46, the level of the cleaning fluid will rise. In this case, if the control unit 13 controls the supply valve 44 and the discharge valve 46 such that the opening of the supply valve 44 is less than the opening of the discharge valve 46, the level of the cleaning fluid will fall.

[0041] In this example, when the supply unit 31 is in a supplying state, the level of the cleaning fluid stored in the storage tank 42 is the height to which the cleaning roller 32 is immersed in the cleaning fluid. When the supply unit 31 is not in a supplying state, the level of the cleaning fluid stored in the storage tank 42 is the height to which the cleaning roller 32 is not immersed in the cleaning fluid. It is not limited to changing the level of the cleaning fluid stored in the storage tank 42; the state of the supply unit 31 can also be switched by, for example, moving the cleaning roller 32 relative to the storage tank 42.

[0042] The cleaning roller 32 cleans the support surface 26 by contacting it. The cleaning roller 32 is supported by the support groove 41 in a rotatable manner.

[0043] The cleaning roller 32 includes a rotating shaft 51 and an absorbent material 52. The rotating shaft 51 is parallel to, for example, the shaft of the first roller 24 and the shaft of the second roller 25. The absorbent material 52 is a component capable of absorbing cleaning fluid. The absorbent material 52 is, for example, a sponge. The absorbent material 52 is supported by the rotating shaft 51. The absorbent material 52 rotates together with the rotating shaft 51. The support surface 26 is cleaned by contacting the support surface 26 with the absorbent material 52.

[0044] In this example, a portion of the absorbent material 52 is housed in the storage tank 42. Specifically, the lower portion of the absorbent material 52 is housed in the storage tank 42. Therefore, when the supply unit 31 is in a supplying state, the absorbent material 52 will come into contact with the cleaning fluid stored in the storage tank 42. Thus, the absorbent material 52 becomes a state containing the cleaning fluid. When the supply unit 31 is not in a supplying state, the absorbent material 52 will not come into contact with the cleaning fluid stored in the storage tank 42.

[0045] The cleaning roller 32 switches between a contact state, in contact with the support surface 26, and a non-contact state, separated from the support surface 26, via the moving mechanism 27. When the cleaning roller 32 is in the contact state, the absorbent material 52 is in contact with the support surface 26. In this example, the upper portion of the absorbent material 52 is in contact with the support surface 26. When the cleaning roller 32 is in the non-contact state, the absorbent material 52 is not in contact with the support surface 26.

[0046] When the supply unit 31 is in the supply state and the cleaning roller 32 is in the contact state, the cleaning roller 32 cleans the support surface 26 by rotating. In this example, the cleaning roller 32 is rotated by the drive unit 34. The cleaning roller 32 can be driven to rotate by the driving force of the drive unit 34, or it can be driven to rotate while in contact with the conveyor belt 22 by the driving force of the drive source 21. The absorbent material 52, which is wetted by the cleaning liquid, comes into contact with the support surface 26 while rotating, thereby removing the dirt on the support surface 26.

[0047] In this example, the cleaning roller 32 rotates in the same direction as the wrapping direction of the conveyor belt 22 when cleaning the conveyor belt 22. That is, when cleaning the conveyor belt 22, the cleaning roller 32 rotates in the same direction as the wrapping direction of the conveyor belt 22. Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 The cleaning roller 32 rotates counterclockwise. In this example, the cleaning roller 32 rotates such that at the contact point of the cleaning roller 32, the conveyor belt 22 moves in the second direction A2, while the absorbent material 52 moves in the first direction A1. As a result, the contact resistance between the conveyor belt 22 and the cleaning roller 32 increases, thus making it easier to remove stains from the conveyor belt 22.

[0048] When cleaning the conveyor belt 22, the cleaning roller 32 can also rotate in the opposite direction to the wrapping direction of the conveyor belt 22 via the drive unit 34. That is, the cleaning roller 32 can also... Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 The cleaning roller 32 rotates clockwise. Even under these conditions, the cleaning roller 32 is still able to clean the conveyor belt 22.

[0049] The extrusion member 33 is a member that extrudes the absorbent material 52. The extrusion member 33 contacts the absorbent material 52 in a manner that causes deformation of the absorbent material 52. The extrusion member 33 contacts the absorbent material 52 in a manner that causes it to sink into the absorbent material 52. The extrusion member 33 extrudes the absorbent material 52 by rotating the cleaning roller 32 while in contact with the absorbent material 52.

[0050] The extrusion member 33 extrudes the absorbent material 52 from the time it is immersed in the storage tank 42 until it comes into contact with the support surface 26. Therefore, the absorbent material 52, having absorbed cleaning fluid using the storage tank 42, comes into contact with the support surface 26 after being extruded by the extrusion member 33. The amount of cleaning fluid contained in the absorbent material 52 is adjusted by the extrusion. That is, when cleaning the conveyor belt 22, the cleaning roller 32 cleans the support surface 26 with the absorbent material 52 containing an appropriate amount of cleaning fluid. This reduces the possibility that the support surface 26 may become excessively wetted by the cleaning fluid.

[0051] In this example, since the cleaning roller 32 cleans the conveyor belt 22, Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 The extrusion member 33 rotates counterclockwise, thus positioning itself offset relative to the cleaning roller 32 in the second direction A2. This occurs when the cleaning roller 32 cleans the conveyor belt 22. Figure 2 as well as Figure 3When the cleaning roller 32 rotates clockwise, the squeezing member 33 is positioned offset relative to the cleaning roller 32 in the first direction A1. That is, the squeezing member 33 is provided on at least a portion of the area extending from downstream of the portion of the cleaning roller 32 that contacts the cleaning liquid to upstream of the portion of the cleaning roller 32 that contacts the support surface 26, in the direction of rotation of the cleaning roller 32. As a result, the absorbent material 52, which has absorbed the cleaning liquid using the storage tank 42, contacts the support surface 26 after being squeezed by the squeezing member 33.

[0052] In this example, the extrusion member 33 is a roller. Therefore, the extrusion member 33 rotates together with the cleaning roller 32 while extruding the absorbent material 52. The extrusion member 33 is not limited to a roller; it can be a clamp or a scraper. The extrusion member 33 only needs to be a structure that deforms the absorbent material 52 by contacting it.

[0053] By squeezing the absorbent material 52 with the squeezing member 33 when the supply section 31 is in the supply state, the conveyor belt 22 is properly cleaned. By squeezing the absorbent material 52 with the squeezing member 33 when the supply section 31 is in the non-supply state, the amount of cleaning liquid contained in the absorbent material 52 is reduced. Therefore, the absorbent material 52 becomes easier to dry. This reduces the possibility that the absorbent material 52 will remain wet with cleaning liquid.

[0054] When the absorbent material 52 is kept wet and left for a long time, there is a possibility that the absorbent material 52 will deteriorate. For example, there is a possibility that the absorbent material 52 will become moldy. Therefore, by promoting the drying of the absorbent material 52 by the squeezing member 33, the possibility of the absorbent material 52 deteriorating is reduced. For example, it is preferable that when the conveying device 15 is not expected to be used for a long time, the absorbent material 52 is squeezed by the squeezing member 33 to promote the drying of the absorbent material 52.

[0055] The drive unit 34 is configured to rotate the cleaning roller 32. When the drive unit 34 rotates the cleaning roller 32, the absorbent material 52 is squeezed by the extrusion member 33. In this example, the drive unit 34 is a motor connected to the cleaning roller 32. Therefore, in this example, the drive unit 34 drives the cleaning roller 32 to rotate. The drive unit 34 may also be configured to drive the cleaning roller 32 to rotate passively. That is, it may be a structure in which the driving force for rotating the cleaning roller 32 is not transmitted to the cleaning roller 32 but to other elements. For example, the drive unit 34 may also be a motor connected to the extrusion member 33. In this case, the cleaning roller 32 is driven to rotate passively by rotating the extrusion member 33 using the drive unit 34. Alternatively, for example, the driving force of the drive source 21 may be transmitted to the cleaning roller 32 via the conveyor belt 22. That is, the drive unit 34 may be omitted, and the driving force of the drive source 21 may be transmitted to the cleaning roller 32 via the conveyor belt 22. In this case, the structure becomes one in which the drive source 21 drives the cleaning roller 32 to rotate. By using the drive source 21 to make the conveyor belt 22 rotate, the cleaning roller 32 rotates passively while in contact with the support surface 26.

[0056] The blowing unit 35 is connected to the blower 54. In this example, the blower 54 is an external structure to the recording device 11. In other words, the blower 54 is connected to either the recording device 11 or the conveying device 15. The blower 54 delivers gas to the blowing unit 35.

[0057] The blowing section 35 is configured to direct the air pressure (energy) of the gas delivered from the blower 54. The blowing section 35 is, for example, an air knife. The blowing section 35 blows the gas delivered from the blower 54 onto the conveyor belt 22. Specifically, the blowing section 35 blows the gas onto the support surface 26.

[0058] The blowing section 35 blows gas onto the support surface 26 that has been cleaned by the cleaning roller 32. Specifically, the blowing section 35 blows gas onto a specific area of ​​the support surface 26 after it has been cleaned by the cleaning roller 32. This dries the support surface 26 that has been wetted by the cleaning solution. In this example, the blowing section 35 is located at a position offset relative to the cleaning roller 32 in the second direction A2. Furthermore, regarding the drying of the support surface 26 achieved by the blowing section 35, it is not necessary to ensure that the residual moisture in the support surface 26 is zero.

[0059] The blowing section 35 is configured to blow gas onto the cleaning roller 32. The blowing section 35 is not limited to blowing gas onto the support surface 26, but can also blow gas onto the absorbent material 52. In this example, the blowing section 35 is configured to switch the object to which the blown gas is applied to either the support surface 26 or the cleaning roller 32.

[0060] In this example, the blowing section 35 has an inner roller 55 and an outer roller 56. The inner roller 55 and the outer roller 56 each have an outlet for blowing out gas. The gas delivered by the blower 54 passes through the inner roller 55 and the outer roller 56 in that order.

[0061] The inner roller 55 is housed within the outer roller 56. The inner roller 55 is configured to rotate relative to the outer roller 56. The inner roller 55 has a first air outlet 57 as a blowout. The outer roller 56 is fixed to the support groove 41. The outer roller 56 also has a second air outlet 58 and a third air outlet 59 as blowouts. The second air outlet 58 and the third air outlet 59 face different directions from each other. The second air outlet 58 faces the support surface 26. The third air outlet 59 faces the absorbent material 52.

[0062] The inner roller 55 is configured to rotate via a switching mechanism (not shown). This switching mechanism includes, for example, a switching drive unit controllable by the control unit 13, and a transmission mechanism that transmits the driving force of the switching drive unit to the inner roller 55. If a motor is used as the switching drive unit, the transmission mechanism may, for example, employ one or both of a conveyor belt and at least one gear. Rotation of the inner roller 55 causes the first blow-out port 57 to move within the outer roller 56. When the first blow-out port 57 overlaps with the second blow-out port 58, gas is blown onto the support surface 26. When the first blow-out port 57 overlaps with the third blow-out port 59, gas is blown onto the absorbent material 52.

[0063] In this example, the blowing section 35 is configured to selectively blow gas onto the support surface 26 or the absorbent material 52. Therefore, under the condition that the airflow rate from the blower 54 is approximately constant per unit time, the amount of gas blown per unit time is increased compared to the case where gas is blown onto both the support surface 26 and the absorbent material 52 simultaneously. The blowing section 35 can also be configured to blow gas onto both the support surface 26 and the absorbent material 52 simultaneously. In this case, for example, the inner roller 55 can be removed from the blowing section 35. Alternatively, for example, the blowing section 35, which has only one outlet, can be arranged at an angle and blown toward the contact area between the support surface 26 and the absorbent material 52, thereby blowing gas onto both the support surface 26 and the absorbent material 52.

[0064] By blowing gas onto the absorbent material 52 through the blowing section 35, the absorbent material 52 becomes easier to dry. This reduces the possibility that the absorbent material 52 will remain wet with cleaning liquid. When the absorbent material 52 remains wet and is left for a long time, there is a possibility of deterioration. For example, there is a possibility that the absorbent material 52 will mold. In particular, mold is prone to grow on the parts of the absorbent material 52 that are in contact with the atmosphere. Promoting the drying of the absorbent material 52 through the blowing section 35 reduces the possibility of deterioration. For example, when the conveying device 15 is not expected to be used for a long period of time, blowing gas onto the absorbent material 52 through the blowing section 35 can also promote the drying of the absorbent material 52.

[0065] The cleaning mechanism 23 may also have a heating unit 61. In other words, the recording device 11 or the conveying device 15 may also have a heating unit 61. The heating unit 61 is configured to heat the gas blown by the blowing unit 35. The heating unit 61 includes, for example, a heating element. The heating unit 61 is installed, for example, inside the inner roller 55. The heating unit 61 may also be installed on the outer roller 56. The heating unit 61 is not limited to being installed on the inner roller 55 or the outer roller 56, and may also be provided between the blowing unit 35 and the cleaning roller 32. By heating the gas blown by the blowing unit 35 through the heating unit 61, the heated gas is blown onto the absorbent material 52. This further promotes the drying of the absorbent material 52. The heating unit 61 may also heat the gas blown toward the support surface 26. The heating unit 61 may be controlled by the control unit 13. For example, the control unit 13 may control the temperature of the gas based on the drying conditions of the absorbent material 52.

[0066] The cleaning unit 23 may also include a detection unit 62. In other words, the recording device 11 or the conveying device 15 may also include a detection unit 62. The detection unit 62 is configured to detect the amount of cleaning fluid contained in the absorbent material 52. The detection unit 62 is located at a position in contact with the absorbent material 52, that is, at a position in contact with the surface of the absorbent material 52. The detection unit 62 detects the amount of cleaning fluid contained in the absorbent material 52, for example, by measuring the surface resistance value of the absorbent material 52. The detection unit 62 sends the detection result to the control unit 13.

[0067] In this example, the detection unit 62 contacts the portion of the absorbent material 52 that has been squeezed by the squeezing member 33. Therefore, the detection unit 62 detects the amount of cleaning fluid contained in the portion of the absorbent material 52 squeezed by the squeezing member 33. The detection unit 62 and the squeezing member 33 are arranged, for example, to clamp the rotating shaft 51. That is, the detection unit 62 is located at a position offset relative to the cleaning roller 32 in the first direction A1.

[0068] When the supply unit 31 is in a supply state, the control unit 13 can determine the supply status of cleaning fluid to the absorbent material 52 based on the detection results of the detection unit 62. That is, the control unit 13 can determine whether an appropriate amount of cleaning fluid is supplied to the absorbent material 52 when cleaning the conveyor belt 22. For example, the control unit 13 controls the amount of cleaning fluid supplied based on the detection results of the detection unit 62. When cleaning the conveyor belt 22, if the amount of cleaning fluid contained in the absorbent material 52 is large, the control unit 13 lowers the level of the cleaning fluid stored in the storage tank 42. As a result, the amount of cleaning fluid supplied to the absorbent material 52 decreases. When cleaning the conveyor belt 22, if the amount of cleaning fluid contained in the absorbent material 52 decreases, the control unit 13 raises the level of the cleaning fluid stored in the storage tank 42. As a result, the amount of cleaning fluid supplied to the absorbent material 52 increases.

[0069] When the supply unit 31 is in a non-supply state, the control unit 13 can determine the drying status of the absorbent material 52 based on the detection results of the detection unit 62. For example, the control unit 13 can control the drying process that promotes the drying of the absorbent material 52 by the blowing unit 35, the extrusion member 33, or both, based on the detection results of the detection unit 62. Thus, the drying status of the absorbent material 52 is controlled. In this example, the control is not limited to the detection results of the detection unit 62, but can also be based on the duration of the continuous drying process.

[0070] The cleaning mechanism 23 may also include a brush roller 63. The brush roller 63 cleans the support surface 26 by contacting it. The brush roller 63 is supported by the support groove 41 in a rotatable manner. In this example, the brush roller 63 is in contact with the support surface 26 when the cleaning roller 32 is in contact. When the cleaning roller 32 is not in contact, the brush roller 63 is separated from the support surface 26.

[0071] The brush roller 63 is arranged side-by-side with the cleaning roller 32 in a manner parallel to it. In this example, the brush roller 63 is positioned offset in the first direction A1 compared to the cleaning roller 32. Therefore, for a specific area of ​​the support surface 26, the brush roller 63 contacts the cleaning roller 32 before the cleaning roller 32 contacts it.

[0072] The brush roller 63 has a rotating shaft 64 and brushes 65. The rotating shaft 64 is parallel to the rotating shaft 51. The brushes 65 extend radially from the rotating shaft 64 when viewed axially. The brushes 65 are supported by the rotating shaft 64. The brushes 65 rotate together with the rotating shaft 64.

[0073] In this example, a portion of the brush 65 is housed in the storage tank 42. Specifically, the lower end of the brush 65 is housed in the storage tank 42. Thus, the brush 65 comes into contact with the cleaning fluid stored in the storage tank 42 according to the level of the cleaning fluid stored therein. That is, cleaning fluid is supplied to the brush 65. In this example, when the supply unit 31 is in a supply state, the brush 65 is in contact with the cleaning fluid stored in the storage tank 42. When the supply unit 31 is in a non-supply state, the brush 65 is not in contact with the cleaning fluid stored in the storage tank 42. That is, in this example, the supply state refers to the state where cleaning fluid is supplied from the supply unit 31 to the cleaning roller 32 and the brush roller 63. The non-supply state refers to the state where cleaning fluid is not supplied from the supply unit 31 to the cleaning roller 32 and the brush roller 63.

[0074] The brush roller 63 cleans the support surface 26 by rotating when the supply unit 31 is in the supply state. In this example, the brush roller 63 is linked to the rotation of the cleaning roller 32, for example. The brush roller 63 can also be driven to rotate by the drive unit 34. The brush roller 63 can also rotate passively by being surrounded by the conveyor belt 22 without being linked to the cleaning roller 32. By contacting the support surface 26 while rotating, the brush 65, which is wetted by the cleaning solution, removes the dirt from the support surface 26.

[0075] In this example, the rotation direction of the brush roller 63 is the same as the rotation direction of the cleaning roller 32. The rotation direction of the brush roller 63 may also be different from the rotation direction of the cleaning roller 32. In this example, the brush roller 63... Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 The conveyor belt 22 rotates counterclockwise. As a result, the contact resistance between the conveyor belt 22 and the brush roller 63 increases, making it easier to remove dirt from the conveyor belt 22.

[0076] Next, the drying process for promoting the drying of absorbent material 52 will be explained.

[0077] The control unit 13 performs a drying process that promotes the drying of the absorbent material 52 by means of one or both of the blowing unit 35 and the extrusion member 33. The control unit 13 starts the drying process at a predetermined time. For example, the control unit 13 starts a first drying process by blowing gas from the blowing unit 35 to the cleaning roller 32 at a predetermined time. For example, the control unit 13 starts a second drying process by extruding the absorbent material 52 with the extrusion member 33 in a non-supply state of the supply unit 31 at a predetermined time. For example, the control unit 13 starts a third drying process by blowing gas from the blowing unit 35 to the cleaning roller 32 and extruding the absorbent material 52 with the extrusion member 33 in a non-supply state of the supply unit 31 at a predetermined time. The control unit 13 may also select the process to be performed from the first, second, and third drying processes.

[0078] The predetermined time is, for example, when the power supply to the recording device 11 or the conveying device 15 is disconnected, when the receiving unit 14 receives an instruction from the user to start the drying process, or when a pre-set time arrives.

[0079] The control unit 13 terminates the drying process based on predetermined conditions. For example, the control unit 13 terminates the first drying process, which involves blowing gas from the blowing unit 35 to the cleaning roller 32, based on predetermined conditions. The control unit 13 terminates the second drying process, where the extrusion member 33 extrudes the absorbent material 52, while the supply unit 31 is in a non-supply state, based on predetermined conditions. The control unit 13 terminates the third drying process, where gas is blown from the blowing unit 35 to the cleaning roller 32 and the extrusion member 33 extrudes the absorbent material 52 while the supply unit 31 is in a non-supply state, based on predetermined conditions.

[0080] The predetermined conditions may be, for example, conditions based on the detection results of the detection unit 62, or conditions based on the duration of the drying process. The control unit 13 terminates the drying process when the predetermined conditions are met. Therefore, the control unit 13 terminates the drying process based on the detection results of the detection unit 62 and the duration of the drying process. The duration may be arbitrarily set by the user through the receiving unit 14, for example. The duration may also be set to an appropriate value based on the evaluation results of a pre-conducted experiment or simulation. The control unit 13 may terminate the drying process by setting predetermined conditions such as when the receiving unit 14 receives an instruction from the user to terminate the drying process, or when a pre-set period arrives.

[0081] First, the first drying process will be explained. For example, when the control unit 13 receives a start instruction from the user via the receiving unit 14 to begin the process of blowing gas from the blowing unit 35 to the cleaning roller 32—meaning to begin executing the first drying process—it will begin the process. Figure 4 The first drying process is shown.

[0082] like Figure 4 As shown, in step S11, the control unit 13 switches the state of the cleaning roller 32 from a contact state to a non-contact state. If the state of the cleaning roller 32 is in a non-contact state at the execution time of step S11, the state of the cleaning roller 32 remains in a non-contact state. The control unit 13 separates the cleaning roller 32 from the support surface 26 via the moving mechanism 27. At this time, the control unit 13 can also switch the state of the supply unit 31 from a supply state to a non-supply state.

[0083] In step S12, the control unit 13 blows gas from the blowing unit 35 to the cleaning roller 32. The control unit 13 rotates the inner roller 55 so that the first blow-out port 57 overlaps with the third blow-out port 59. As a result, gas is blown onto the cleaning roller 32. At this time, since the cleaning roller 32 is separated from the support surface 26, the gas easily flows on the circumferential surface of the cleaning roller 32. Therefore, it is easier to promote the drying of the absorbent material 52. Thus, in this example, the blowing unit 35 blows gas onto the cleaning roller 32 while the cleaning roller 32 is separated from the support surface 26.

[0084] Even if the blowing section 35 blows gas onto the cleaning roller 32 which is in contact, it can still promote the drying of the absorbent material 52. Therefore, step S11 can be skipped in the first drying process. Alternatively, steps S11 and S12 can be performed simultaneously in the first drying process.

[0085] When the supply section 31 is in a non-supply state, gas is blown onto the cleaning roller 32 by the blowing section 35, thereby promoting the overall drying of the absorbent material 52. When the supply section 31 is in a supply state, the drying of the portions of the absorbent material 52 that are not immersed in the cleaning liquid is promoted. Since the portions of the absorbent material 52 immersed in the cleaning liquid are difficult to come into contact with the atmosphere, deterioration is less likely to occur.

[0086] In step S13, the control unit 13 determines whether a first predetermined condition is met. The first predetermined condition is a condition for ending the first drying process. The first predetermined condition can be based on the duration of the first drying process or on the amount of cleaning liquid detected by the detection unit 62. For example, the control unit 13 can determine that the first predetermined condition is met if the elapsed time since the start of blowing gas from the blowing unit 35 to the cleaning roller 32 has reached the required duration. That is, the control unit 13 can determine that the first predetermined condition is met if the elapsed time since the start of step S12 has reached the required duration. In this case, the control unit 13 counts the time during the execution of step S12. The control unit 13 can also count the elapsed time as the time elapsed since the start of step S11. For example, the control unit 13 can also determine that the first predetermined condition is met if the amount of cleaning liquid detected by the detection unit 62 is below a threshold value. In this case, the threshold value is stored in the control unit 13. The threshold value is set appropriately, for example, based on the evaluation results of a previously performed experiment or simulation.

[0087] If the control unit 13 determines in step S13 that the first predetermined condition is met, it ends the first drying process. At this time, the control unit 13 stops the operation of blowing gas from the blowing unit 35 to the cleaning roller 32. The control unit 13 can rotate the inner roller 55 either by overlapping the first blowing outlet 57 with the second blowing outlet 58, or by not overlapping any of the first blowing outlet 57 with the second blowing outlet 58 and the third blowing outlet 59.

[0088] If the control unit 13 determines in step S13 that the first predetermined condition is not met, it repeatedly performs step S13. That is, it continues to blow gas from the blowing unit 35 to the cleaning roller 32 until the first predetermined condition is met. The first predetermined condition may include a condition based on duration or a condition based on the detection result of the detection unit 62. In this case, the control unit 13 ends the first drying process if the duration has elapsed and the amount of cleaning liquid detected by the detection unit 62 is below a threshold. Alternatively, the control unit 13 may report an error even if the duration has elapsed but the amount of cleaning liquid detected by the detection unit 62 is not below the threshold.

[0089] Next, the second drying process will be described. For example, when the control unit 13 receives a start instruction from the user via the receiving unit 14 to begin the process of extruding the absorbent material 52 by the extrusion member 33 in a non-supply state in the supply unit 31, that is, to begin executing the second drying process, the control unit 13 will begin the process. Figure 5 The second drying process is shown. The start indication and duration are examples of indications related to the operation of the extrusion member 33 extruding the absorbent material 52. Indicators related to the operation of the extrusion member 33 extruding the absorbent material 52 could also be, for example, the value of the pressure when the extrusion member 33 extrudes the absorbent material 52, or the value of the rotational speed of the cleaning roller 32. The control unit 13 can also control the operation of the extrusion member 33 extruding the absorbent material 52 based on these indications. For example, the control unit 13 can also control the pressure and rotational speed based on these indications.

[0090] like Figure 5As shown, in step S21, the control unit 13 switches the state of the supply unit 31 from the supply state to the non-supply state. If the state of the supply unit 31 is in the non-supply state at the execution time of step S21, the state of the supply unit 31 remains in the non-supply state. The control unit 13 switches the state of the supply unit 31 from the supply state to the non-supply state by closing the supply valve 44 and opening the discharge valve 46. At this time, the control unit 13 can also switch the state of the cleaning roller 32 from the contact state to the non-contact state. However, in the case where the driving force of the drive source 21 is transmitted to the cleaning roller 32 via the conveyor belt 22, the control unit 13 switches the state of the cleaning roller 32 from the non-contact state to the contact state, or maintains it in the contact state. The reason is that when the state of the cleaning roller 32 is in the non-contact state, the drive source 21 cannot drive the cleaning roller 32 to rotate.

[0091] In step S22, the control unit 13 controls the drive unit 34 to rotate the cleaning roller 32. As a result, the cleaning roller 32 is squeezed by the squeezing member 33. Alternatively, steps S21 and S22 can be performed simultaneously in the second drying process.

[0092] In step S21, with the cleaning roller 32 in a non-contact state, the extrusion member 33 extrudes the absorbent material 52 in step S22 with the cleaning roller 32 separated from the support surface 26. In this case, the rotational resistance applied to the cleaning roller 32 is reduced compared to the case where the cleaning roller 32 is in contact. Therefore, it becomes easier to extrude the absorbent material 52.

[0093] In step S23, control unit 13 determines whether a second predetermined condition is met. The second predetermined condition is a condition for ending the second drying process. The second predetermined condition can be based on the duration of the second drying process or on the amount of cleaning fluid detected by detection unit 62. For example, control unit 13 may determine that the second predetermined condition is met if the elapsed time since the extrusion member 33 started extruding the absorbent material 52 has reached the required duration. That is, control unit 13 may also determine that the second predetermined condition is met if the elapsed time since the start of step S22 has reached the required duration. In this case, control unit 13 counts the time during the execution of step S22. Control unit 13 may also count the elapsed time as the time elapsed since the execution of step S21. For example, control unit 13 may also determine that the second predetermined condition is met if the amount of cleaning fluid detected by detection unit 62 is below a threshold value.

[0094] If the control unit 13 determines in step S23 that the second predetermined condition has been met, it ends the second drying process. At this time, the control unit 13 stops the operation of the extrusion member 33 extruding the absorbent material 52. The control unit 13 stops the cleaning roller 32 by controlling the drive unit 34.

[0095] If the control unit 13 determines in step S23 that the second predetermined condition is not met, it repeatedly performs step S23. That is, the control unit 13 continues to compress the absorbent material 52 until the second predetermined condition is met. The second predetermined condition may also include, like the first predetermined condition, a condition based on duration and a condition based on the detection result of the detection unit 62. The second predetermined condition may be the same as the first predetermined condition or a different condition.

[0096] The first and second drying processes can also be performed in parallel. In the case of parallel execution, the starting times can be simultaneous or different. The first and second drying processes begin at their respective predetermined times and end under their respective predetermined conditions.

[0097] Next, the third drying process will be explained. For example, when the control unit 13 receives an instruction from the user via the receiving unit 14 to begin processing both the blowing unit 35 blowing gas onto the cleaning roller 32 and the extrusion member 33 extruding the absorbent material 52 while the supply unit 31 is not in a supply state, meaning to begin executing the third drying process, the control unit 13 begins implementation. Figure 6 The third drying process is shown. That is, the third drying process is a combination of the first and second drying processes. The start indication and duration are examples of indications related to the operation of the extrusion member 33 extruding the absorbent material 52. Indicators related to the operation of the extrusion member 33 extruding the absorbent material 52 may also be, for example, the value of the pressure when the extrusion member 33 extrudes the absorbent material 52, or the value of the rotational speed of the cleaning roller 32. The control unit 13 may also control the operation of the extrusion member 33 extruding the absorbent material 52 based on this indication. For example, the control unit 13 may also control the pressure and rotational speed based on this indication.

[0098] like Figure 6 As shown, in step S31, the control unit 13 switches the state of the cleaning roller 32 from the contact state to the non-contact state in the same way as in step S11. If the state of the cleaning roller 32 is in the non-contact state at the execution time of step S31, the state of the cleaning roller 32 remains in the non-contact state.

[0099] In step S32, control unit 13 switches the state of supply unit 31 from supply state to non-supply state in the same way as in step S21. If the state of supply unit 31 is in non-supply state at the execution time of step S32, the state of supply unit 31 remains in non-supply state. The order of steps S31 and S32 can also be reversed. Steps S31 and S32 can also be executed simultaneously.

[0100] In step S33, the control unit 13 blows gas from the blowing unit 35 to the cleaning roller 32 in the same manner as in step S12.

[0101] In step S34, control unit 13 rotates the cleaning roller 32 in the same manner as in step S22. The order of steps S33 and S34 can also be reversed. Steps S33 and S34 can also be executed simultaneously. Steps S31 to S34 can also be executed simultaneously.

[0102] In step S35, control unit 13 determines whether a third predetermined condition has been met. The third predetermined condition is a condition for ending the third drying process. This third predetermined condition can be based on the duration of the third drying process or on the amount of cleaning liquid detected by detection unit 62. For example, control unit 13 can determine that the third predetermined condition has been met if the elapsed time since the start of blowing gas from blowing unit 35 to cleaning roller 32 and the extrusion of absorbent material 52 by extrusion member 33 has reached the specified duration. That is, control unit 13 can determine that the third predetermined condition has been met if the elapsed time since both steps S33 and S34 have been executed has reached the specified duration. Control unit 13 can also determine that the third predetermined condition has been met if, for example, the amount of cleaning liquid detected by detection unit 62 is below a threshold value.

[0103] If the control unit 13 determines in step S35 that the third predetermined condition is met, it ends the third drying process. At this time, the control unit 13 stops the operation of the blowing unit 35 blowing gas to the cleaning roller 32 and the operation of the extrusion member 33 extruding the absorbent material 52. The control unit 13 stops the cleaning roller 32 while rotating the inner roller 55 in such a way that the first blow-out port 57 does not overlap with the third blow-out port 59.

[0104] If the control unit 13 determines in step S35 that the third predetermined condition is not met, it repeatedly performs step S35. That is, the control unit 13 continuously performs the blowing of gas from the blowing unit 35 to the cleaning roller 32 and the squeezing of the absorbent material 52 by the squeezing member 33. The third predetermined condition may also include, like the first and second predetermined conditions, a condition based on duration and a condition based on the detection result of the detection unit 62. The third predetermined condition may be the same as the first predetermined condition, the same as the second predetermined condition, or a condition different from both the first and second predetermined conditions.

[0105] Next, the function and effects of the above-described implementation methods will be explained.

[0106] (1) The conveying device 15 includes a blowing section 35, which is capable of blowing gas onto the support surface 26 that has been cleaned by the cleaning roller 32. The blowing section 35 is configured to blow gas onto the cleaning roller 32.

[0107] The blowing unit 35 dries the support surface 26 by blowing gas onto it, which has been cleaned by the cleaning roller 32. According to the above structure, the blowing unit 35 is not limited to blowing gas onto the support surface 26, but can also blow gas onto the cleaning roller 32. This makes the cleaning roller 32 easier to dry. Therefore, the possibility of the cleaning roller 32 remaining wet with cleaning liquid is reduced. That is, the possibility of the cleaning roller 32 deteriorating is reduced.

[0108] (2) When the cleaning roller 32 is separated from the support surface 26, the blowing section 35 blows gas onto the cleaning roller 32.

[0109] According to the above structure, compared to the state where the cleaning roller 32 is in contact with the support surface 26, the gas blown by the blowing section 35 to the cleaning roller 32 becomes easier to flow on the circumferential surface of the cleaning roller 32. As a result, the cleaning roller 32 becomes easier to dry.

[0110] (3) The extrusion component 33 extrudes the absorbent material 52 when the supply section 31 is in a non-supply state.

[0111] According to the above structure, by squeezing the absorbent material 52 by the squeezing member 33 when the supply section 31 is in a non-supply state, the amount of cleaning liquid contained in the absorbent material 52 is reduced. As a result, the cleaning roller 32 becomes easier to dry.

[0112] (4) After the extrusion member 33 extrudes the material 52 in the non-supply state of the supply unit 31, the control unit 13 ends the operation of the extrusion member 33 extruding the material 52 based on predetermined conditions.

[0113] According to the above structure, since the compression of the absorbent material 52 is terminated based on predetermined conditions, the possibility of the absorbent material 52 being compressed to a degree that is not necessary is reduced. When the absorbent material 52 is compressed to a degree that is not necessary, the deterioration of the absorbent material 52 will be accelerated.

[0114] (5) If the amount of cleaning fluid detected by the detection unit 62 is below the threshold, the control unit 13 ends the operation of the extrusion member 33 extruding the absorbent material 52.

[0115] According to the above structure, since the compression of the absorbent material 52 is ended based on the amount of cleaning liquid contained in the absorbent material 52, the possibility of the absorbent material 52 being compressed to an unnecessary degree is reduced.

[0116] (6) The control unit 13 controls the operation of the extrusion member 33 extruding the absorbent material 52 based on the instructions related to the operation of the extrusion member 33 extruding the absorbent material 52.

[0117] According to the above structure, since the action of the extrusion member 33 in extruding the absorbent material 52 can be controlled based on instructions from the user, appropriate extrusion actions are performed according to the user.

[0118] (7) When the elapsed time since the extrusion member 33 started extruding the absorbent material 52 has reached the duration, the control unit 13 ends the operation of the extrusion member 33 extruding the absorbent material 52.

[0119] According to the above structure, the absorbent material 52 is compressed for a duration set by the user. Therefore, convenience for the user is improved.

[0120] (8) When the receiving unit 14 receives the start instruction, the control unit 13 switches the state of the supply unit 31 from the supply state to the non-supply state, and rotates the cleaning roller 32 by controlling the drive unit 34.

[0121] According to the above structure, the absorbent material 52 can be compressed by the compression member 33 at the time desired by the user. Therefore, the convenience for the user is improved.

[0122] (9) The conveying device 15 includes a heating unit 61, which can heat the gas blown by the blowing unit 35.

[0123] According to the above structure, the heated gas is blown onto the cleaning roller 32. Therefore, the cleaning roller 32 becomes easy to dry.

[0124] (10) The blowing section 35 is configured to be able to switch the object of the blowing gas to the support surface 26 or the cleaning roller 32.

[0125] According to the above structure, compared to the blowing section 35 blowing gas to both the support surface 26 and the cleaning roller 32 simultaneously, the amount of gas blown to the cleaning roller 32 per unit time is increased. As a result, the cleaning roller 32 becomes easier to dry.

[0126] This embodiment can be modified and implemented in the following ways. This embodiment and the following modifications can be combined and implemented with each other within the scope of technical inconsistency.

[0127] The supply unit 31 may also be a structure that supplies cleaning fluid to the cleaning roller 32 by spraying or dripping cleaning fluid towards it. In this case, the supply unit 31 has a cleaning fluid nozzle for spraying or dripping cleaning fluid. The state in which cleaning fluid is sprayed or dripped from the cleaning fluid nozzle is the supply state. The state in which the spraying or dripping of cleaning fluid from the cleaning fluid nozzle stops is the non-supply state.

[0128] • The blowing section 35 may also be configured such that the object to which the blowing gas is to be blown can be switched to the support surface 26 or the cleaning roller 32 via a gate, valve or the like.

[0129] The blower 54 can also be a recording device 11 or a conveying device 15. That is, the blower 54 can also be controlled by the control unit 13. The control unit 13 can also control the amount of gas blown by the blower 54, the opening and closing of the blower 54, etc.

[0130] The liquid ejected by the recording unit 12 is not limited to ink; for example, it can be a liquid formed by dispersing or mixing functional material particles in a liquid. For example, the recording unit 12 can also eject a liquid containing materials such as electrode materials or pixel materials used in the manufacture of liquid crystal displays, electroluminescent displays, and surface-emitting displays in a dispersed or dissolved form.

[0131] The following text describes the technical concepts and effects learned from the above-described embodiments and modifications.

[0132] (A) The conveying device comprises: a conveyor belt having a support surface capable of supporting a medium and capable of conveying the medium supported on the support surface; a cleaning roller comprising an absorbent material capable of absorbing cleaning liquid and capable of cleaning the support surface by contacting the support surface through the absorbent material; a supply unit capable of supplying the cleaning liquid to the cleaning roller; and a blowing unit capable of blowing gas onto the support surface cleaned by the cleaning roller.

[0133] The blowing unit dries the support surface by blowing gas onto it, which has been cleaned by the cleaning roller. According to the above structure, the blowing unit is not limited to blowing gas onto the support surface, but can also blow gas onto the cleaning roller. This makes the cleaning roller easier to dry. Therefore, the possibility of the cleaning roller remaining wet with cleaning fluid is reduced. That is, the possibility of the cleaning roller deteriorating is reduced.

[0134] (B) The above-mentioned conveying device may also be provided with a moving mechanism, which moves the conveyor belt and the cleaning roller relative to each other in such a way that the cleaning roller is separated from the support surface, and the blowing unit blows the gas onto the cleaning roller in the state where the cleaning roller is separated from the support surface.

[0135] According to the above structure, compared to the state where the cleaning roller is in contact with the support surface, the gas blown onto the cleaning roller by the blowing section becomes easier to flow on the circumferential surface of the cleaning roller. As a result, the cleaning roller becomes easier to dry.

[0136] (C) The above-described conveying device may also include: a drive unit that rotates the cleaning roller; a squeezing member that contacts the absorbent material and squeezes the absorbent material by rotating the cleaning roller while in contact with the absorbent material; the supply unit is configured to switch between a supply state in which the cleaning liquid is supplied to the cleaning roller and a non-supply state in which the cleaning liquid is not supplied to the cleaning roller; when the supply unit is in the non-supply state, the squeezing member squeezes the absorbent material.

[0137] According to the above structure, by squeezing the absorbent material by the squeezing member when the supply section is in a non-supply state, the amount of cleaning liquid contained in the absorbent material is reduced. As a result, the cleaning roller becomes easier to dry.

[0138] (D) The above-mentioned conveying device may also be configured to include a control unit, which, after the processing of the extrusion member extruding the absorbent material in the non-supply state of the supply unit begins, ends the operation of the extrusion member extruding the absorbent material based on predetermined conditions.

[0139] According to the above structure, since the extrusion of the absorbent material is terminated based on predetermined conditions, the possibility of the absorbent material being extruded to an excessive degree is reduced.

[0140] (E) The above-mentioned conveying device may also be provided with a detection unit that can detect the amount of cleaning liquid contained in the absorbent material. The predetermined conditions include conditions based on the amount of cleaning liquid detected by the detection unit. If the amount of cleaning liquid detected by the detection unit is below a threshold, the control unit ends the operation of the extrusion member extruding the absorbent material.

[0141] Based on the above structure, since the compression of the absorbent material is terminated based on the amount of cleaning fluid contained in the absorbent material, the possibility of the absorbent material being compressed to an unnecessary degree is reduced.

[0142] (F) The above-mentioned conveying device may also be configured to include a receiving unit that can receive instructions from the user related to the action of the extrusion member extruding the absorbent material, and the control unit controls the action of the extrusion member extruding the absorbent material based on the instructions.

[0143] According to the above structure, since the action of the extrusion component to extrude and absorb material can be controlled based on instructions from the user, appropriate extrusion actions can be performed according to the user.

[0144] (G) The above-mentioned conveying device may also be configured such that the receiving unit receives from the user the duration of the continuous squeezing of the absorbent material by the squeezing member as an indication, and the predetermined condition includes a condition based on the duration, in which the control unit ends the operation of the squeezing member squeezing the absorbent material when the elapsed time since the squeezing member started squeezing the absorbent material has reached the duration.

[0145] Based on the above structure, the absorbent material is compressed for a duration set by the user. This improves convenience for the user.

[0146] (H) In the above-described conveying device, the receiving unit may also be configured such that a start instruction is given from the user's acceptance of the process of squeezing the absorbent material by the squeezing member. As such, when the receiving unit accepts the start instruction, the control unit switches the state of the supply unit from the supply state to the non-supply state and rotates the cleaning roller by controlling the drive unit.

[0147] Based on the above structure, the extrusion component can extrude the absorbent material at the time desired by the user. Therefore, it improves convenience for the user.

[0148] (I) The above-mentioned conveying device may also be provided with a heating unit that can heat the gas blown by the blowing unit.

[0149] According to the above structure, the heated gas is blown onto the cleaning roller. Therefore, the cleaning roller becomes easy to dry.

[0150] (J) In the above-described conveying device, the blowing unit may also be configured to be able to switch the object to which the gas is blown is either the support surface or the cleaning roller.

[0151] According to the above structure, compared to the case where the blowing section blows gas to both the support surface and the cleaning roller simultaneously, the amount of gas blown to the cleaning roller per unit time is increased. As a result, the cleaning roller becomes easier to dry.

[0152] (K) The recording apparatus includes: a recording unit capable of recording on a medium; a conveyor belt having a support surface capable of supporting the medium and capable of conveying the medium supported on the support surface; a cleaning roller comprising an absorbent material capable of absorbing cleaning liquid and capable of cleaning the support surface by contacting the support surface through the absorbent material; a supply unit capable of supplying to the cleaning roller; and a blowing unit capable of blowing gas onto the support surface cleaned by the cleaning roller, the blowing unit being configured to blow the gas onto the cleaning roller.

[0153] The recording device described above achieves the same effect as the conveying device described above.

[0154] Symbol Explanation

[0155] 11…Recording device; 12…Recording section; 13…Control section; 14…Receiving section; 15…Conveying device; 16…Nozzle; 21…Drive source; 22…Conveyor belt; 23…Cleaning mechanism; 24…First roller; 25…Second roller; 26…Support surface; 27…Moving mechanism; 31…Supply section; 32…Cleaning roller; 33…Extrusion component; 34…Drive section; 35…Blowing section; 41…Support groove; 42…Retention groove; 43…Supply pipe; 44…Supply valve; 45…Discharge pipe; 46…Discharge valve; 47…Discharge port; 51…Rotating shaft; 52…Absorbent material; 54…Blower; 55…Inner roller; 56…Outer roller; 57…First blowout port; 58…Second blowout port; 59…Third blowout port; 61…Heating section; 62…Detection section; 63…Brush roller; 64…Rotating shaft; 65…Brush; 99…Media.

Claims

1. A conveying device, characterized in that, have: A conveyor belt having a support surface capable of supporting a medium and capable of conveying the medium supported on the support surface; A cleaning roller comprising an absorbent material capable of absorbing cleaning fluid, and capable of cleaning the support surface by contacting the support surface through the absorbent material; A supply unit that can supply the cleaning fluid to the cleaning roller; A blowing section that blows gas onto the support surface cleaned by the cleaning roller in a manner that dries the support surface. A drive unit that rotates the cleaning roller; An extrusion component contacts the absorbent material and extrudes the absorbent material by rotating the cleaning roller while in contact with the absorbent material. Control Department The blowing section is configured to blow the gas onto the cleaning roller in a manner that promotes the drying of the cleaning roller. The supply unit is configured to switch between a supply state in which the cleaning fluid is supplied to the cleaning roller and a non-supply state in which the cleaning fluid is not supplied to the cleaning roller. When the supply section is in the non-supply state, the extrusion member extrudes the absorbent material. After the process of the extrusion member extruding the absorbent material is started when the state of the supply unit is in the non-supply state, the control unit terminates the operation of the extrusion member extruding the absorbent material based on predetermined conditions.

2. The conveying device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It includes a detection unit capable of detecting the amount of cleaning liquid contained in the absorbent material. The predetermined conditions include conditions based on the amount of cleaning fluid detected by the detection unit. If the amount of cleaning fluid detected by the detection unit is below a threshold, the control unit terminates the action of the extrusion member extruding the absorbent material.

3. The conveying device as described in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that, It includes a receiving unit that can receive instructions from the user related to the action of the extrusion member extruding the absorbent material. The control unit controls the action of the extrusion member to extrude the absorbent material based on the instruction.

4. The conveying device as described in claim 3, characterized in that, As indicated, the receiving unit receives information from the user regarding the duration for which the squeezing member continuously squeezes the absorbent material. The predetermined conditions include conditions based on the duration. If the elapsed time since the extrusion member began extruding the absorbent material has reached the specified duration, the control unit terminates the extrusion member's operation of extruding the absorbent material.

5. The conveying device as described in claim 3, characterized in that, As such, the receiving unit receives a start instruction from the user to begin the process of causing the extrusion member to extrude the absorbent material. When the receiving unit accepts the start instruction, the control unit switches the state of the supply unit from the supply state to the non-supply state, and rotates the cleaning roller by controlling the drive unit.

6. The conveying device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, It includes a heating unit that can heat the gas blown by the blowing unit.

7. The conveying device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The blowing section is configured to switch the object to which the gas is blown can be either the support surface or the cleaning roller.

8. A conveying device, characterized in that, have: A conveyor belt having a support surface capable of supporting a medium and capable of conveying the medium supported on the support surface; A cleaning roller comprising an absorbent material capable of absorbing cleaning fluid, and capable of cleaning the support surface by contacting the support surface through the absorbent material; A supply unit that can supply the cleaning fluid to the cleaning roller; A blowing section that can blow gas onto the support surface that has been cleaned by the cleaning roller; A moving mechanism that causes relative movement between the conveyor belt and the cleaning roller in a manner that separates the cleaning roller from the support surface. The blowing section is configured to blow the gas onto the cleaning roller. With the cleaning roller separated from the support surface, the blowing unit blows the gas onto the cleaning roller.

9. The conveying device as described in claim 8, characterized in that, have: A drive unit that rotates the cleaning roller; A squeezing component contacts the absorbent material, and squeezes the absorbent material by rotating the cleaning roller while in contact with the absorbent material. The supply unit is configured to switch between a supply state in which the cleaning fluid is supplied to the cleaning roller and a non-supply state in which the cleaning fluid is not supplied to the cleaning roller. When the supply section is in the non-supply state, the extrusion member extrudes the absorbent material.

10. The conveying device as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that, Equipped with a control unit, After the process of the extrusion member extruding the absorbent material is started when the state of the supply unit is in the non-supply state, the control unit terminates the operation of the extrusion member extruding the absorbent material based on predetermined conditions.

11. The conveying device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that, It includes a detection unit capable of detecting the amount of cleaning liquid contained in the absorbent material. The predetermined conditions include conditions based on the amount of cleaning fluid detected by the detection unit. If the amount of cleaning fluid detected by the detection unit is below a threshold, the control unit terminates the action of the extrusion member extruding the absorbent material.

12. The conveying device as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11, characterized in that, It includes a receiving unit that can receive instructions from the user related to the action of the extrusion member extruding the absorbent material. The control unit controls the action of the extrusion member to extrude the absorbent material based on the instruction.

13. The conveying device as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that, As indicated, the receiving unit receives information from the user regarding the duration for which the squeezing member continuously squeezes the absorbent material. The predetermined conditions include conditions based on the duration. If the elapsed time since the extrusion member began extruding the absorbent material has reached the specified duration, the control unit terminates the extrusion member's operation of extruding the absorbent material.

14. The conveying device as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that, As such, the receiving unit receives a start instruction from the user to begin the process of causing the extrusion member to extrude the absorbent material. When the receiving unit accepts the start instruction, the control unit switches the state of the supply unit from the supply state to the non-supply state, and rotates the cleaning roller by controlling the drive unit.

15. The conveying device as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that, It includes a heating unit that can heat the gas blown by the blowing unit.

16. The conveying device as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that, The blowing section is configured to switch the object to which the gas is blown can be either the support surface or the cleaning roller.

17. A recording device, characterized in that, have: A recording unit, capable of recording on a medium; A conveyor belt having a support surface capable of supporting the medium and capable of conveying the medium supported on the support surface; A cleaning roller comprising an absorbent material capable of absorbing cleaning fluid, and capable of cleaning the support surface by contacting the support surface through the absorbent material; A supply unit that can supply the cleaning fluid to the cleaning roller; A blowing section that blows gas onto the support surface cleaned by the cleaning roller in a manner that dries the support surface. A drive unit that rotates the cleaning roller; An extrusion component contacts the absorbent material and extrudes the absorbent material by rotating the cleaning roller while in contact with the absorbent material. Control Department The blowing section is configured to blow the gas onto the cleaning roller in a manner that promotes the drying of the cleaning roller. The supply unit is configured to switch between a supply state in which the cleaning fluid is supplied to the cleaning roller and a non-supply state in which the cleaning fluid is not supplied to the cleaning roller. When the supply section is in the non-supply state, the extrusion member extrudes the absorbent material. After the process of the extrusion member extruding the absorbent material is started when the state of the supply unit is in the non-supply state, the control unit terminates the operation of the extrusion member extruding the absorbent material based on predetermined conditions.

18. A recording device, characterized in that, have: A recording unit, capable of recording on a medium; A conveyor belt having a support surface capable of supporting the medium and capable of conveying the medium supported on the support surface; A cleaning roller comprising an absorbent material capable of absorbing cleaning fluid, and capable of cleaning the support surface by contacting the support surface through the absorbent material; A supply unit that can supply the cleaning fluid to the cleaning roller; A blowing section that can blow gas onto the support surface that has been cleaned by the cleaning roller; A moving mechanism that causes relative movement between the conveyor belt and the cleaning roller in a manner that separates the cleaning roller from the support surface. The blowing section is configured to blow the gas onto the cleaning roller. With the cleaning roller separated from the support surface, the blowing unit blows the gas onto the cleaning roller.

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