Drying apparatus and image forming system

Abstract

The drying device (120) has a conveying unit (40), a drying unit (50), a lifting mechanism (60), and a limiting mechanism (70). The conveying unit (40) conveys a sheet containing ink along a conveying path (34) and is capable of lifting and lowering. The drying unit (50) faces the conveying path (34), dries the ink by heat, and is also capable of lifting and lowering. The lifting mechanism (60) lowers the lower unit and raises the upper unit by the gravity acting on the lower unit of the conveying unit (40) and the drying unit (50), thereby opening the conveying path (34). The limiting mechanism (70) restricts the descent of the lower unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a drying apparatus for drying ink discharged onto a sheet and an image forming system having the drying apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] When using an inkjet recording device to form an image on a sheet, it is necessary to quickly dry the ink ejected onto the sheet. As an example of ink drying technology, a drying apparatus is known, which includes a conveyor section for transporting the sheet and a heat source that dries the ink by radiant heat. However, the heat source that generates radiant heat continues to produce residual heat for a certain period even after the power supply is cut off. Therefore, if the sheet gets stuck during transport, there is a concern that even if the power supply to the heat source is cut off, the temperature of the sheet will rise due to the residual heat.

[0003] As a technical solution to this problem, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3 describe components for providing shielding against radiant heat. Patent Document 1 proposes a device comprising: a shielding plate storage section that normally stores the shielding plate in a position where it is not exposed to direct light from the halogen heater during drying; and a shielding plate driving mechanism that, in case of an abnormality, removes the shielding plate from the shielding plate storage section to a light-blocking posture. Patent Document 2 proposes a shielding film that defines the irradiation area of ​​the heat rays in response to paper passing through the halogen heater, such that heat rays are irradiated onto the paper while preventing heat rays from irradiating areas other than the paper on the conveyor belt. Patent Document 3 proposes a technique comprising a reflective section and an openable / closable shielding plate section, wherein the reflective section has a shape that covers a portion of the heater, reflecting the heat rays emitted by the heater so that they are directed towards the object to be heated; the shielding plate section blocks the heater and the heat rays from the reflective section toward the object from the heater, and the heater is heated in a closed state before irradiating the object with the heat rays.

[0004] Existing technical documents

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-170573; Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2009-214328

[0007] Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2015-80943 Summary of the Invention

[0008] The technical problem that the invention aims to solve

[0009] However, in the structures proposed in Patent Documents 1 to 3, the light-shielding plate becomes hot. In this case, there is a concern that the stuck sheet may come into contact with the hot light-shielding plate and its temperature may rise. Furthermore, due to the narrow gap between the light-shielding plate and the transport path, it is difficult to remove the stuck sheet. There is also a concern that hands may come into contact with the hot light-shielding plate when removing the sheet.

[0010] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention aims to provide a drying apparatus and an image forming system that can prevent the temperature rise of sheets that have stopped on the transport path and improve the ease and safety of removing stopped sheets.

[0011] Technical solutions for solving technical problems

[0012] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the drying apparatus of the present invention is characterized by having a conveying unit, a drying unit, a lifting mechanism, and a limiting mechanism, wherein the conveying unit conveys and discharges an ink-filled sheet along a conveying path and is capable of lifting; the drying unit faces the conveying path, dries the ink by heat, and is also capable of lifting; the lifting mechanism lowers the lower unit and raises the upper unit by acting on the gravity of the lower unit in the conveying unit and the drying unit, thereby opening the conveying path; the limiting mechanism restricts the descent of the lower unit.

[0013] The image forming system of the present invention is characterized by having an inkjet recording device and any of the aforementioned drying devices, wherein the inkjet recording device discharges the ink to the sheet; and the drying device dries the ink discharged by the inkjet recording device.

[0014] Invention Effects

[0015] According to the present invention, the temperature rise of the sheet that stops on the conveyor path can be prevented without the use of power, and the ease and safety of removing the stopped sheet can be improved. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing the appearance of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a front view schematically illustrating the internal structure of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a schematic front view showing the internal structure of a drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a front view showing the operation of a drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a front view showing the operation of a drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 6 This is a front view schematically illustrating the internal structure of a drying apparatus according to a first variation of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 7 This is a front view schematically illustrating the internal structure of a drying apparatus according to a second variation of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 8 This is a front view schematically illustrating the internal structure of a drying apparatus according to a third variation of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 9 This is a front view schematically illustrating the internal structure of a drying apparatus according to a fourth variation of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 10 This is a front view schematically illustrating the internal structure of a drying apparatus according to a fourth variation of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 11 This is a front view schematically illustrating the internal structure of a drying apparatus according to a fifth variation of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 12 This is a front view schematically illustrating the internal structure of a drying apparatus according to a fifth variation of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 13 This is a front view schematically illustrating the internal structure of a drying apparatus according to a sixth variation of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 14 This is a left view schematically illustrating the limiting mechanism involved in a sixth variation of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 15 This is a left view schematically illustrating the limiting mechanism involved in a sixth variation of an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0031] [Structure of the first embodiment]

[0032] Below, refer to the appendix. Figure 1The drying apparatus 120 and the image forming system 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

[0033] First, the overall structure of the image forming system 100 according to the first embodiment will be described. Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional view showing the appearance of the image forming system 100. Figure 2 This is a schematic front view showing the internal structure of the image forming system 100. Below, we will assume... Figure 2 The front side of the paper in the diagram represents the front view of the image forming system 100. The left and right directions are explained based on the direction from which the image forming system 100 is viewed from the front. In each figure, U, Lo, L, R, Fr, and Rr represent up, down, left, right, front, and back, respectively.

[0034] The image forming system 100 includes a paper feeding device 110, a printer 1 (an inkjet recording device as an example), a drying device 120, and a post-processing device 130. The paper feeding device 110 has a large-capacity receiving section capable of holding thousands of sheets S, and supplies the sheets S to the printer 1. The printer 1 is an inkjet image forming device that forms images by discharging ink onto the sheets S. The drying device 120 heats the ink discharged onto the sheets S to dry it. The post-processing device 130 performs post-processing on the sheets S, such as perforation, binding, and folding.

[0035] Next, a general overview of printer 1 will be provided. Printer 1 has a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped main body housing 3. Inside the lower part of the main body housing 3 are: a paper tray 4 for receiving single sheets of paper S, such as plain paper and coated paper; and a feed roller 5 for feeding the sheets S from the paper tray 4. Above the paper tray 4 is a transport unit 7 that absorbs the sheets S and transports them along the Y direction. Above the transport unit 7 is an imaging unit 6 having multiple inkjet heads (not shown). In the upper left part of the main body housing 3 are: an ejector roller pair 8 for ejecting sheets S with images formed on them; and an ejector port 9 for ejecting the sheets S. On the left side of the paper tray 4 is an ink cartridge 20 that supplies ink to the imaging unit 6.

[0036] A conveying path 10 is provided inside the main housing 3, which leads from the paper storage box 4 through the conveying unit 7 to the discharge port 9. Multiple conveying roller pairs 17 for conveying the sheet S are provided on the conveying path 10. A positioning roller pair 18 is provided upstream of the imaging unit 6 in the conveying direction Y.

[0037] The various parts of printer 1 are controlled by control unit 2. Control unit 2 has a processor and memory. The processor is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The memory includes storage media such as ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), and EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory). The processor performs various processes by reading and executing the control program stored in the memory. Alternatively, control unit 2 can also be implemented using an integrated circuit that does not use software.

[0038] The basic image forming operation of printer 1 is as follows. When an image forming task is input to printer 1 from an external computer, the paper feed roller 5 feeds sheet S from paper tray 4 to transport path 10, and the rotating and stopped positioning roller pair 18 corrects the skew of sheet S. When the positioning roller pair 18 feeds sheet S to transport unit 7 at a predetermined time, transport unit 7 absorbs sheet S onto conveyor belt 21 and transports it along the Y direction. When control unit 2 supplies grayscale data corresponding to each nozzle of the inkjet head to drive circuit in sync with the transport of sheet S, drive circuit supplies drive signals corresponding to the grayscale data to piezoelectric elements to eject ink droplets from the nozzles, thereby forming an image on sheet S. The ejector roller pair 8 ejects the sheet S with the formed image through ejector port 9.

[0039] [Drying device]

[0040] Next, the drying device 120 will be described in detail. Figure 3 This is a schematic front view showing the internal structure of the drying device 120.

[0041] The drying apparatus 120 includes: a conveying unit 40 that conveys and discharges an ink-filled sheet S along a conveying path 34 and is capable of lifting and lowering; a drying unit 50 facing the conveying path 34 that dries the ink by heat and is also capable of lifting and lowering; a lifting mechanism 60 that lowers the lower unit and raises the upper unit by gravity acting on the lower unit of the conveying unit 40 and the drying unit 50; and a limiting mechanism 70 that limits the descent of the lower unit. In this embodiment, the lower unit is the conveying unit 40 and the upper unit is the drying unit 50.

[0042] Specifically, the drying device 120 has a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped main housing 31. A conveying unit 40 is positioned slightly above the center of the main housing 31, and a drying unit 50 is positioned above the conveying unit 40. The main housing 31 has a conveying path 34, with an inlet 32 ​​on the right side and an outlet 33 on the left side. The conveyor passes from the inlet 32 ​​through the gap between the conveying unit 40 and the drying unit 50 to the outlet 33. A pair of conveying rollers 35 is positioned downstream of the conveying unit 40 in the conveying direction Y. The right end of the conveying unit 40 extends from the inlet 32 ​​to the outside of the main housing 31. By inserting the right end of the conveying unit 40 into the outlet 9 of the printer 1, the conveying path 10 of the printer 1 and the conveying path 34 of the drying device 120 are connected (see reference). Figure 2 A door 31D is provided on the front side of the main body shell 31 (see reference). Figure 1 ).

[0043] [Conveying Unit]

[0044] Conveying unit 40 (reference) Figure 2 The conveying unit 40 comprises: an annular conveyor belt 41 with multiple ventilation holes (not shown), wound around a drive roller 42 and a driven roller 43; a conveyor plate 44 with multiple ventilation holes (not shown), the upper surface of which contacts the inner surface of the conveyor belt 41; and a suction unit 45 that draws air through the ventilation holes of the conveyor plate 44 to adsorb the sheet S onto the conveyor belt 41. The drive roller 42 is driven by a motor or other drive unit (not shown), causing the conveyor belt 41 to rotate counterclockwise, and the sheet S adsorbed by the conveyor belt 41 is conveyed along the Y direction. Conveying frames 46 are provided on the front and rear sides of the conveying unit 40, and the drive roller 42, driven roller 43, conveyor plate 44, suction unit 45, etc., are supported on the conveying frames 46. Preferably, the mass of the conveying unit 40 is greater than the mass of the drying unit 50.

[0045] [Conveyor Unit Guide Section]

[0046] The conveying unit guide 62 guides the lifting and lowering of the conveying unit 40. The conveying unit guide 62 includes: a groove or elongated hole disposed on the main body housing 31 with the vertical direction as its length; and a protrusion disposed on the conveying frame 46. The lifting and lowering of the conveying unit 40 is guided by the protrusion sliding relative to the groove or elongated hole. Alternatively, the groove or elongated hole may be disposed on the conveying frame 46, and the protrusion may be disposed on the main body housing 31.

[0047] [Drying Unit]

[0048] The drying unit 50 has a rectangular drying housing 51 with an opening at the bottom, and the heat source 52 is housed in the drying housing 51 (see reference). Figure 2 ).

[0049] [Heat source]

[0050] The heat source 52 is rod-shaped or strip-shaped with its length along the front-to-back direction (in one example, the direction intersecting the conveying direction Y), and both ends are fixed to the drying housing 51. The heat source 52 can be a halogen heater, a carbon heater, an infrared LED (Light Emitting Diode), a ceramic heater, etc. Multiple heat sources 52 (six in this example) are arranged at equal intervals along the conveying direction Y. Above each heat source 52, a reflector is provided, facing the conveying path 34 across the heat source 52.

[0051] [Drying Unit Guide Section]

[0052] The drying unit guide 63 guides the lifting and lowering of the drying unit 50. The drying unit guide 63 includes: a groove or elongated hole disposed on the main body housing 31 with the vertical direction as its length; and a protrusion disposed on the drying housing 51. The lifting and lowering of the drying unit 50 is guided by the protrusion sliding relative to the groove or elongated hole. Alternatively, the groove or elongated hole may be disposed on the drying housing 51, and the protrusion may be disposed on the main body housing 31.

[0053] [Lifting Mechanism]

[0054] Lifting mechanism 60 is disposed on the upper part of the front and rear conveying frames 46. The front lifting mechanism 60 will be described below, but the rear lifting mechanism 60 has the same structure. The lifting mechanism 60 has a first end 611 connected to the conveying unit 40 in a swingable manner, and a second end 612 that can slide relative to the lower surface of the drying unit 50. A lever 61 is located between the first end 611 and the second end 612, and the lever 61 has a fulcrum 61P. Specifically, the lever 61 can swing about the fulcrum 61P, which is fixed to the main housing 31. The fulcrum 61P is located at the center of the lever 61's length direction. A lever guide 64 guides the sliding of the first end 611 of the lever 61 in the left-right direction and allows the lever 61 to swing relative to the conveying frame 46. The lever guide 64 includes: a groove or elongated hole disposed on the conveying frame 46 with the left-right direction as the length direction; and a protrusion disposed on the first end 611 of the lever 61. The protrusion slides relative to the groove or elongated hole. The second end 612 of the lever 61 contacts the lower surface of the drying housing 51.

[0055] Lever 61 is positioned at multiple locations (two locations in this example) in the left-right direction of the conveyor frame 46. The left and right levers 61 have a symmetrical configuration. Figure 3In the example, the first end 611 of the lever 61 on the left is located on the left, and the second end 612 is located on the right; conversely, the first end 611 of the lever 61 on the right is located on the right, and the second end 612 is located on the left. Furthermore, the positional relationship between the first end 611 and the second end 612 of the lever 61 can also be... Figure 3 Conversely, the levers 61 on the left and right sides may not be symmetrically constructed.

[0056] The ratio of the length from fulcrum 61P to the second end 612 to the length from fulcrum 61P to the first end 611, i.e., the lever ratio, can be set to any value. The amount of rise of the drying unit 50 can be increased by making the lever ratio greater than 1.

[0057] [Restricted Institutions]

[0058] The limiting mechanism 70 is located below the front and rear conveying frames 46. The front limiting mechanism 70 will be described below, while the rear limiting mechanism 70 has the same structure. The limiting mechanism 70 includes: an eccentric cam 71 that contacts the lower surface of the conveying unit 40; and a cam limiting mechanism 72 that limits the oscillation of the eccentric cam 71 when the conveying unit 40 is raised.

[0059] [Eccentric Cam]

[0060] The eccentric cam 71 is capable of swinging around a cam pivot 71P fixed to the main housing 31. The eccentric cam 71 is provided at multiple locations (two locations in this example) below the conveyor frame 46 in the left-right direction. The eccentric cam 71 is provided with a radially protruding arm 71A.

[0061] [Cam limiting mechanism]

[0062] The cam limiting mechanism 72 includes a control lever 74, a connecting rod 76, and a connecting rod limiting mechanism 78.

[0063] [Control lever]

[0064] The control lever 74 is located to the left of the eccentric cam 71 on the left side. The control lever 74 is capable of swinging around a control lever fulcrum 74P, which is fixed to the main housing 31. The control lever fulcrum 74P is positioned at the same height as the cam fulcrum 71P. A control lever force-applying part 74S is provided on the control lever 74 to apply force to the left. In this example, the control lever force-applying part 74S is a tension coil spring, but it could also be a compression coil spring, a torsion coil spring, etc.

[0065] [link]

[0066] Link 76 is a rod whose length is measured in the left-right direction. The end 76E of the link (in this example, the left end of link 76) has an upwardly projecting protrusion. Link 76 is connected to control rod 74 via control rod connector 76L and to the top end of arm 71A of eccentric cam 71 via cam connector 76C. Control rod 74 can swing relative to link 76 about control rod connector 76L. Eccentric cam 71 can swing relative to link 76 about cam connector 76C. The distance between control rod fulcrum 74P and control rod connector 76L is equal to the distance between cam fulcrum 71P and cam connector 76C. A connecting mechanism is formed by control rod 74, eccentric cam 71, and link 76, which, in conjunction with the left-right movement of link 76, allows control rod 74 and eccentric cam 71 to swing clockwise and counterclockwise. Alternatively, a mechanism that applies force to the link 76 in the same direction as the control lever force application part 74S may be provided instead of the control lever force application part 74S, or a mechanism that applies force to the link 76 in the same direction as the control lever force application part 74S may be provided in addition to the control lever force application part 74S.

[0067] [Linkage limiting mechanism]

[0068] The linkage limiting mechanism 78 includes a solenoid actuator 78A and a trigger 78T. The iron core of the solenoid actuator 78A protrudes downwards. The trigger 78T has a downwardly protruding protrusion, which allows it to swing about a fulcrum fixed to the main housing 31, and is connected to the iron core of the solenoid actuator 78A. The solenoid actuator 78A is a traction type, pulling the iron core upwards when energized, thereby causing the trigger 78T to move upwards. The solenoid actuator 78A is controlled by the control unit 30.

[0069] In this embodiment, the control lever 74 and the linkage limiting mechanism 78 are located on the left side of the linkage 76, but they can also be located on the right side of the linkage 76. Alternatively, the trigger 78T can be driven by a motor or the like instead of the solenoid actuator 78A. Furthermore, the shapes of the trigger 78T and the linkage end 76E do not have to be those shown in the figure; they can be any shape, as long as they are configured to restrict the movement of the linkage 76 to the right by hooking the trigger 78T onto the linkage end 76E.

[0070] [Testing Department]

[0071] The drying apparatus 120 has a detection unit 36 ​​for detecting the stop of conveying the sheet S in the conveying path 34 (see reference). Figure 2The conveying of sheet S may stop in cases such as when sheet S gets stuck on conveying path 34, or when conveying unit 40 or conveying roller pair 35 malfunctions. In this example, a detection unit 36 ​​is provided downstream of drying unit 50 in the conveying direction Y; alternatively, multiple detection units 36 may be provided on conveying path 34. The detection unit 36 ​​may be, for example, a transmissive or reflective optical sensor, a torque sensor, etc. In the case of an optical sensor, the stop of sheet S conveying is detected by the sheet S blocking light. In the case of a torque sensor, the stop of sheet S conveying is detected by capturing abnormal values ​​of the torque of the motor (not shown) driving conveying unit 40 or conveying roller pair 35.

[0072] [Control Department]

[0073] Each part of the drying device 120 is controlled by the control unit 30 (see reference). Figure 2 The control unit 30 has a processor and a memory. The processor is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The memory includes storage media such as ROM (Read-Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), and EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory). The processor performs various processes by reading and executing the control program stored in the memory. Alternatively, the control unit 30 can also be implemented using an integrated circuit that does not use software. When the detection unit 36 ​​detects a stop in the transport of the sheet S, the control unit 30 releases the restriction mechanism 70 from restricting the descent of the transport unit 40.

[0074] Next, the operation of the drying device 120 will be explained. Figure 4 , 5 This is a front view showing the operation of the drying device 120. In its initial state (refer to...) Figure 3 The protrusion of trigger 78T hooks onto the protrusion of connecting rod end 76E. At this time, control lever 74 and connecting rod 76 are pulled to the left, and eccentric cam 71 pushes up conveying unit 40. Additionally, the movement of connecting rod 76 to the right is restricted, resulting in the counter-clockwise oscillation of eccentric cam 71 and control lever 74 also being restricted. Furthermore, by pushing up conveying unit 40, lever 61 is lowered, and drying unit 50 descends.

[0075] When an image forming task is input to printer 1, control unit 30 energizes heat source 52 to supply radiant heat to sheet S fed in through inlet 32 ​​to dry ink, and sends sheet S out through outlet 33 to post-processing unit 130.

[0076] If the detection unit 36 ​​detects a stop in the conveying of sheet S (refer to...) Figure 4 The control unit 30 causes the trigger 78T to retract upwards by energizing the solenoid actuator 78A for a specified time (see reference). Figure 5 Therefore, the trigger 78T disengages from the end 76E of the connecting rod, thereby releasing the restriction on the movement of the connecting rod 76 to the right. As a result, the restriction on the counterclockwise swing of the eccentric cam 71 is also released. Thus, by the force of gravity acting on the conveying unit 40, the conveying unit 40 descends, and the eccentric cam 71 and the control rod 74 swing counterclockwise. Furthermore, by the descent of the conveying unit 40, the lever 61 is lifted, thereby pushing the drying unit 50. The descent of the conveying unit 40 and the rise of the drying unit 50 stop at the position where the force of the conveying unit 40 pressing down on the eccentric cam 71 and the force of the control rod applying force portion 74S pulling the control rod 74 to the left are balanced.

[0077] Next, the user opens door 31D of the drying unit 120 (see reference). Figure 1 Remove the sheet S that has stopped on the conveyor path 34, operate the control lever 74 in a clockwise direction, and hook the trigger 78T onto the end 76E of the connecting rod. Figure 3 (Refer to). Then, by moving the linkage 76 to the left, the eccentric cam 71 swings clockwise, pushing up the conveyor unit 40. Additionally, by pushing up the conveyor unit 40, the lever 61 is lowered, and the drying unit 50 descends. Finally, the user closes the door 31D.

[0078] According to the drying apparatus 120 described above, since it has a lifting mechanism 60, which lowers the lower unit and raises the upper unit by acting on the gravity of the lower unit in the conveying unit 40 and the drying unit 50, the temperature of the sheet S that stops on the conveying path 34 can be prevented from rising without the use of power, and the ease and safety of removing the stopped sheet S are improved.

[0079] Sometimes the distance by which the lower unit descends is limited by other design elements of the drying apparatus 120. For example, in the case of duplex printing performed by the image forming system 100, a duplex printing transport unit is sometimes provided below the lower unit. The duplex printing transport unit transports the sheet S, whose front side has been printed and dried by the drying apparatus 120, to the printer 1 for printing the back side. According to the above structure, since the upper unit rises, the distance between the units can be increased compared to the case where only the lower unit descends. Accordingly, even when the descent distance of the lower unit is small, the distance between the units can be increased.

[0080] Furthermore, according to the drying apparatus 120 of this embodiment, the lifting mechanism 60 has a lever 61, the first end 611 of the lever 61 is connected to the conveying unit 40 in a swingable manner, and the second end 612 is slidable relative to the lower surface of the drying unit 50. There is a fulcrum 61P between the first end 611 and the second end 612, so the lifting mechanism 60 can be realized with a simple structure.

[0081] Furthermore, according to the drying apparatus 120 of this embodiment, the limiting mechanism 70 has an eccentric cam 71 and a cam limiting mechanism 72, wherein the eccentric cam 71 is in contact with the lower surface of the conveying unit 40; the cam limiting mechanism 72 limits the swing of the eccentric cam 71 when the conveying unit 40 is raised. Therefore, the limiting mechanism 70 can be implemented with a simple structure.

[0082] Furthermore, according to the drying apparatus 120 of this embodiment, since the mass of the conveying unit 40 is greater than the mass of the drying unit 50, the conveying unit 40 and the drying unit 50 can be separated even without the supply of power for lifting.

[0083] Furthermore, even when the mass of the conveying unit 40 is less than the mass of the drying unit 50, the conveying unit 40 and the drying unit 50 can be separated without power supply by adjusting the ratio of the length from the fulcrum 61P of the lever 61 to the first end 611 to the length from the fulcrum 61P to the second end 612.

[0084] Furthermore, the drying apparatus 120 according to this embodiment includes a detection unit 36 ​​and a control unit 30. The detection unit 36 ​​detects the cessation of the conveying of the sheet S in the conveying path 34. When the detection unit 36 ​​detects the cessation of the conveying of the sheet S, the control unit 30 releases the restriction mechanism 70 from restricting the descent of the conveying unit 40. Therefore, when the conveying of the sheet S stops, the conveying unit 40 and the drying unit 50 can be quickly separated.

[0085] The above implementation method can also be modified as follows.

[0086] [First Variation]

[0087] Figure 6This is a schematic front view showing the internal structure of the drying apparatus 121 according to the first modified example. In this example, in addition to the structure of the embodiment described above, a drying unit force-applying part 80 (an example of a force-applying part) is provided on the side of the drying unit 50 to apply upward force to the drying unit 50. According to this structure, the energy used to assist in raising the drying unit 50 can be used to quickly separate the conveying unit 40 and the drying unit 50. Furthermore, even if the mass of the conveying unit 40 is less than the mass of the drying unit 50, the difference in mass can be compensated by the drying unit force-applying part 80, allowing the conveying unit 40 and the drying unit 50 to be separated without power supply.

[0088] The upward force applied by the force-applying unit to the drying unit 50 (upper unit) also includes indirect force application. That is, the force-applying unit can also apply upward force to the drying unit 50 (upper unit) by applying downward force to the conveying unit 40 (lower unit).

[0089] [Second Variation]

[0090] Figure 7 This is a schematic front view showing the internal structure of the drying apparatus 122 according to the second modification. In this example, in addition to the structure of the embodiment described above, a vibration damper 82 is provided below the conveying unit 40 to attenuate the energy when the conveying unit 40 descends. According to this structure, the impact when the conveying unit 40 descends can be mitigated. Alternatively, a torque limiter or the like can be provided instead of the vibration damper 82 to stop transmitting torque when the torque acting on the eccentric cam 71 exceeds a threshold.

[0091] [3rd Variation]

[0092] Figure 8 This is a schematic front view showing the internal structure of the drying apparatus 123 involved in the third modification. In this example, in addition to the structure of the embodiment described above, a drive unit 84 for driving the eccentric cam 71 is also provided. The drive unit 84 has a motor 84M and a gear set 84G, which transmits driving force from the output axis of the motor 84M to the eccentric cam 71. According to this structure, even after the sheet S that has stopped on the conveying path 34 is removed, the user can bring the conveying unit 40 and the drying unit 50 close together without operating the control lever 74. This structure is advantageous in cases where the conveying unit 40 is heavy and difficult to push manually.

[0093] [4th Variation]

[0094] Figure 9 , 10 This is a schematic front view showing the internal structure of the drying device 124 involved in the fourth modification. In this example, the lever guide 64 is not provided (see reference). Figure 3The first end 611 of lever 61 is connected to conveying unit 40 via conveying unit fulcrum 65C, and lever 61 can swing about conveying unit fulcrum 65C. The second end 612 of lever 61 is connected to drying unit 50 via drying unit fulcrum 65D, and lever 61 can swing about drying unit fulcrum 65D. When the restriction on the swing of eccentric cam 71 is released by the upward retraction of trigger 78T, conveying unit 40 descends due to gravity acting on it, and lever 61 is lifted, thereby pushing drying unit 50. According to this structure, lifting mechanism 60 can be implemented with a simple structure equivalent to the above embodiment.

[0095] [5th ​​Variation]

[0096] Figure 11 , 12 This is a schematic front view showing the internal structure of the drying apparatus 125 according to the fifth modification. In this example, instead of the lever 61 in the above embodiment, a pulley 67 and a wire 68 are provided. The shaft of the pulley 67 is fixed to the main housing 31. One end of the wire 68 is connected to the conveying unit 40, and the other end is connected to the drying unit 50. When the restriction on the swing of the eccentric cam 71 is released by the upward retraction of the trigger 78T, the conveying unit 40 is lowered by gravity acting on it, and the drying unit 50 is pulled up by the wire 68. According to this structure, the lifting mechanism 60 can be implemented with a simple structure equivalent to that of the above embodiment.

[0097] [Sixth Variation]

[0098] Figure 13 This is a schematic front view showing the internal structure of the drying apparatus 126 involved in the sixth variation. Figure 14 , 15 This is a schematic left view showing the limiting mechanism 90 involved in the sixth variation. In this example, the limiting mechanism 70 of the above embodiment is replaced by the limiting mechanism 90. The limiting mechanism 90 is provided on the front and rear sides of the conveying unit 40. The limiting mechanism 90 on the front side will be described below, and the limiting mechanism 90 on the rear side has the same structure except for the front-rear direction.

[0099] The limiting mechanism 90 is provided at multiple locations (two locations in this example) in the left-right direction in front of the conveyor frame 46. The limiting mechanism 90 has an electromagnetic actuator 90A and a trigger 90T. The iron core of the electromagnetic actuator 90A is exposed at the rear. The trigger 90T has a rearward protrusion and can swing about a pivot point fixed to the main body housing 31, and is connected to the iron core of the electromagnetic actuator 90A. The electromagnetic actuator 90A is a traction type, which pulls the iron core forward when energized, thereby causing the trigger 90T to retract forward. The electromagnetic actuator 90A is controlled by the control unit 30. Alternatively, the trigger 90T can be driven by a motor or the like instead of the electromagnetic actuator 90A. A stop member 91 fixed to the main body housing 31 is provided below the conveyor frame 46. The stop member 91 stops the conveyor frame 46 at a predetermined height when the conveyor unit 40 descends.

[0100] In the initial state (refer to) Figure 13 , 14 The protrusion of trigger 90T hooks onto the lower end of the conveyor frame 46, thereby limiting the descent of the conveyor unit 40. When the detection unit 36 ​​detects a stop in the conveying of sheet S, the control unit 30 energizes the solenoid actuator 90A to cause trigger 90T to retract forward (see reference). Figure 15 Therefore, by disengaging the trigger 90T from the conveyor frame 46, the restriction on the descent of the conveyor unit 40 is released, and the conveyor unit 40 is lowered by gravity acting on it. Furthermore, as the conveyor unit 40 descends, the lever 61 is lifted, thereby pushing the drying unit 50 upward. When the conveyor unit 40 contacts the stop member 91, the descent of the conveyor unit 40 and the rise of the drying unit 50 cease.

[0101] Next, the user opens door 31D of the drying unit 126 (see reference). Figure 1 Remove the sheet S that has stopped on the conveyor path 34, manually push up the conveyor unit 40, and hook the trigger 90T onto the lower end of the conveyor frame 46 (refer to...). Figure 14 Finally, the user closes door 31D. In addition to the structure of the sixth modification, a spring or similar device can be provided to apply force backward to the trigger 90T. Furthermore, the drying unit force application part 80 of the first modification, the vibration damper 82 of the second modification, and the drive part 84 of the third modification can also be provided.

[0102] [Other variations]

[0103] In the above embodiment, an example is given in which the control unit 30 releases the restriction mechanism 70 from restricting the descent of the conveying unit 40 when the detection unit 36 ​​detects that the conveying of the sheet S has stopped. However, it can also be configured such that the restriction on the descent of the conveying unit 40 is released by manually moving the trigger 78T upward.

[0104] In the above embodiments, an example of drying ink by radiant heat is given, but the present invention can also be applied to drying apparatuses that dry ink by heat such as hot air. Furthermore, the present invention can also be applied to drying apparatuses that combine radiant heat and hot air.

[0105] In the above embodiments, an example of applying the present invention to a drying apparatus 120 in which the conveying unit 40 is disposed below and the drying unit 50 is disposed above is exemplified, but the present invention may also be applied to a drying apparatus 120 in which the conveying unit 40 is disposed above and the drying unit 50 is disposed below.

Claims

1. A drying apparatus, characterized in that, It has a conveying unit, a drying unit, a lifting mechanism, and a limiting mechanism, wherein, The conveying unit conveys and discharges the ink-filled sheet along the conveying path and is capable of lifting and lowering. The drying unit faces the conveying path, dries the ink by heat, and can be raised and lowered. The lower unit in the conveying unit and the drying unit is lowered by gravity, and the upper unit is raised by gravity acting on the lifting mechanism, thereby opening the conveying path. The limiting mechanism restricts the descent of the lower unit.

2. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lower unit is the conveying unit. The upper unit is the drying unit.

3. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism has a lever, the first end of which is oscillatingly connected to the lower unit, and the second end which is slidable relative to the lower surface of the upper unit, with a fulcrum at the midpoint between the first end and the second end.

4. The drying apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, When the limiting mechanism releases the restriction on the descent of the lower unit, the lever rotates around the fulcrum, causing the lower unit to descend and the upper unit to rise, thus opening the conveying path.

5. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lower unit and the upper unit move up and down in a horizontal position.

6. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The limiting mechanism includes an eccentric cam and a cam limiting mechanism, wherein... The eccentric cam is in contact with the lower surface of the lower unit; The cam limiting mechanism restricts the oscillation of the eccentric cam while the lower unit is raised.

7. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mass of the lower unit is greater than the mass of the upper unit.

8. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, It has a force-applying part that applies an upward force to the upper unit.

9. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also has a vibration damper that reduces the energy when the lower unit descends.

10. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also has a stopping component that stops the lower unit at a predetermined height when the lower unit is descending.

11. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, It has a detection department and a control department, among which, The detection unit detects the cessation of the conveying of the sheet in the conveying path; If the detection unit detects a stop in the feeding of the sheet, the control unit releases the restriction mechanism from restricting the descent of the lower unit.

12. The drying apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The limiting mechanism can be manually released from the restriction on the descent of the lower unit.

13. An image forming system, characterized in that, It has an inkjet recording device and a drying device as described in claim 1, wherein, The inkjet recording device discharges the ink onto the sheet; The drying device dries the ink discharged from the inkjet recording device.

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