Liquid ejection device

Abstract

A liquid ejecting apparatus is disclosed which suppresses ink dripping downward when an opening / closing body for opening the inside of the apparatus is opened, thereby soiling the floor surface outside the installation area of the ink jet recording apparatus. The liquid ejecting apparatus has: a liquid ejecting section which ejects liquid onto a medium being conveyed, the ejection surface of the liquid being perpendicular to the horizontal direction; a conveyance path which is located upstream of a position opposite the liquid ejecting section and which is located vertically below the liquid ejecting section; and an opening / closing body which is provided so as to be openable / closable with respect to the side surface of an apparatus main body having the liquid ejecting section, the conveyance path being formed by closing the opening / closing body and at least a part of the conveyance path being opened by opening the opening / closing body, a liquid recovery section which recovers liquid leaked from the liquid ejecting section being provided in the opening / closing body vertically below the ejection surface.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a liquid ejection device for ejecting liquid into a medium. Background Technology

[0002] Patent document 1 discloses an ink leakage recovery unit in an inkjet roll paper printer for recovering ink leakage generated inside the device.

[0003] In addition, Patent Document 2 discloses that in an inkjet recording device, the nozzle surface of the recording head and the pressure plate facing the nozzle surface are tilted at about 45 degrees relative to the horizontal direction.

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-160825

[0005] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-136915

[0006] As with the inkjet recording device in Patent Document 2, when the nozzle surface of the recording head and the pressure plate opposite to the nozzle surface are tilted relative to the horizontal direction, the ink leaking from the nozzle of the recording head will not be caught by the pressure plate and will easily drip downwards.

[0007] Here, inkjet recording devices sometimes include an opening / closing mechanism to open the interior of the device so that clogging paper can be removed when a paper jam occurs. However, if ink dripping downwards from the recording head flows onto the opening / closing mechanism, when the mechanism is opened, the ink may drip downwards and stain the floor surface outside the area where the inkjet recording device is located. Such a technical problem has not been specifically considered in the devices described in Patent Documents 1 and 2. Summary of the Invention

[0008] To solve the above problems, the liquid ejection device of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a liquid ejection section that ejects liquid onto a conveyed medium, wherein the ejection surface of the liquid is intersected by a horizontal direction; a conveying path that is upstream of the position opposite to the liquid ejection section and located vertically below the liquid ejection section; and an opening and closing body configured to be openable and closable relative to a side of the device body having the liquid ejection section, wherein the conveying path is formed by closing the opening and closing body, and at least a portion of the conveying path is opened by opening the opening and closing body, wherein a liquid recovery section for recovering liquid leaking from the liquid ejection section is provided in the opening and closing body at a position vertically below the ejection surface. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the media delivery path of the printer.

[0010] Figure 2This is a 3D view of the printer with the side door closed.

[0011] Figure 3 This is a 3D view of the printer with the side door open.

[0012] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of the first liquid recovery section located at the side door.

[0013] Figure 5 This is a 3D view of a liquid storage tray.

[0014] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of a liquid storage tray with a first liquid absorbent material and a second liquid absorbent material installed.

[0015] Figure 7 This is a perspective view of a liquid storage tray with a cover installed and maintenance parts included.

[0016] Figure 8 This is a top view of the first guide section.

[0017] Figure 9 This is a three-dimensional sectional view of the first guide section.

[0018] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of the first liquid recovery section.

[0019] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the first liquid recovery unit, the overhead conveyor head, and the conveyor belt from a top-down view.

[0020] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0021] 1…Inkjet printer, 2…Main body of the device, 3…First media cartridge, 4…Second media cartridge, 5…Third media cartridge, 7…Scanner unit, 8…Discharge tray, 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D…Ink receiving section, 11A, 11B, 11C, 11D…Mounting section, 12…Waste liquid receiving section, 13…Conveyor belt, 14, 15…Pulleys, 19…Feed roller, 20…Separation roller, 21…Pick-up roller, 25…Feed roller pair, 28, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38…Conveyor roller pair, 39…Roller support component, 41…Baffle, 43…Head unit, 44…Linear head, 50…Side door, 51…Path forming component, 52…Path forming section Component, 52a…first part, 52b…second part, 52c…recess, 52e…corner, 60…first liquid recovery part, 61…liquid storage tray, 61a…storage part, 61b…first guide part, 61c…second guide part, 61d…third guide part, 61e…first rib, 61f…second rib, 61g…wall part, 61h…part receiving part, 62…first liquid absorbent material, 63…second liquid absorbent material, 63a…opening, 64…cover, 64a…sloping surface, 64b…opening, 65…maintenance part, 70…medium detection sensor, T1…conveying path during recording, T2…turning path, T3…connecting path, T4…flipping path. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The present invention will now be described in brief.

[0023] The liquid ejection device according to the first aspect is characterized by comprising: a liquid ejection section that ejects liquid onto a conveyed medium, wherein the ejection surface of the liquid is intersected by a horizontal direction; a conveying path that is upstream of the position opposite to the liquid ejection section and located vertically below the liquid ejection section; and an opening and closing body configured to be openable and closed relative to a side of the device body having the liquid ejection section, wherein the conveying path is formed by closing the opening and closing body, and at least a portion of the conveying path is opened by opening the opening and closing body, wherein a liquid recovery section for recovering liquid leaking from the liquid ejection section is provided in the opening and closing body at a position vertically below the ejection surface.

[0024] According to this aspect, in a liquid ejection device having a liquid ejection section that intersects the horizontal direction with the ejection surface of the ejected liquid, a transport path located vertically below the liquid ejection section, and an opening and closing body configured to be able to open and close relative to the side of the device body having the liquid ejection section, forming the transport path by closing and opening at least a portion of the transport path by opening, since a liquid recovery section for recovering liquid leaking from the liquid ejection section is provided on the opening and closing body at a position vertically below the ejection surface, it is possible to suppress the undesirable situation where liquid drips downwards and contaminates the floor surface outside the installation area of ​​the liquid ejection device when the opening and closing body is opened.

[0025] It should be noted that the intersection of the ejection surface with the horizontal direction also includes the case where the ejection surface is orthogonal to the horizontal direction.

[0026] The second aspect is characterized in that, in the first aspect, when viewed from above, at least a portion of the liquid recovery section overlaps with at least a portion of the ejection surface when the opening and closing body is closed.

[0027] According to this aspect, when the opening and closing body is closed, and viewed from above, since at least a portion of the liquid recovery section overlaps with at least a portion of the spray surface, liquid leaking from the liquid spray section can be recovered more reliably.

[0028] The third aspect is characterized in that, in the second aspect, a medium support portion for supporting the medium is provided at a position opposite to the liquid ejection portion, a portion of the medium support portion being located at a position vertically below the liquid ejection portion, and when viewed from above in the closed state of the opening and closing body, at least a portion of the liquid recovery portion overlaps with at least a portion of the medium support portion.

[0029] According to this aspect, when the opening and closing body is closed, and viewed from above, since at least a portion of the liquid recovery section overlaps with at least a portion of the medium support section, liquid leaking from the liquid ejection section can be recovered more reliably.

[0030] It should be noted that this aspect is not limited to the second aspect mentioned above, but can also be applied to the first aspect mentioned above.

[0031] The fourth aspect is characterized in that, in the first aspect, the conveying path has a path portion that convexes vertically downward and causes the medium to bend and flip upward, and the liquid recovery section is configured using the inner region of the path portion.

[0032] According to this aspect, since the liquid recovery section is configured using the inner region of the path section, the large size of the device can be suppressed by effectively utilizing the inner region of the path section.

[0033] It should be noted that this aspect is not limited to the first aspect mentioned above, but can also be applied to the second or third aspect mentioned above.

[0034] The fifth aspect is characterized in that, in the fourth aspect, the liquid recovery section is located vertically below the downstream end of the path section.

[0035] When the opening and closing body is opened and closed, if the liquid recovery section is located vertically above the downstream end of the path section, the liquid recovery section may obstruct the opening and closing of the opening and closing body. However, according to this aspect, since the liquid recovery section is located vertically below the downstream end of the path section, it is possible to obtain a configuration in which the liquid recovery section does not easily obstruct the opening and closing of the opening and closing body.

[0036] The sixth aspect is characterized in that, in the first aspect, the liquid recovery unit comprises: a storage section for storing liquid; and a guide section, which extends outward from the storage section to guide the liquid to the storage section.

[0037] According to this aspect, since the liquid recovery unit has a storage section for storing liquid and a liquid guiding section that extends outward from the storage section and guides the liquid to the storage section, the area for receiving liquid can be expanded without making the storage section larger, thus enabling the expansion of the area for receiving liquid and the enlargement of the suppression device.

[0038] It should be noted that this aspect is not limited to the first aspect mentioned above, but can also be applied to any of the second to fifth aspects mentioned above.

[0039] The seventh feature is that, in the sixth aspect, the liquid recovery unit has a cover that covers the storage unit.

[0040] According to this aspect, since a cover is provided to cover the storage section, it is possible to prevent the user from accidentally touching the inside of the storage section.

[0041] The eighth aspect is characterized in that, in the seventh aspect, the cover has an inclined surface that is inclined toward the storage section.

[0042] According to this aspect, since the cover has an inclined surface that slopes toward the storage section, liquid falling onto the cover can flow down into the storage section, and liquid falling onto the cover can be effectively recovered.

[0043] The ninth aspect is characterized in that, in the sixth aspect, the storage section contains an absorbent material for absorbing liquid.

[0044] According to this aspect, since the storage section is equipped with an absorbent material that absorbs liquid, the possibility of liquid leaking out of the storage section can be reduced.

[0045] It should be noted that this aspect is not limited to the sixth aspect mentioned above, but can also be applied to the seventh or eighth aspect mentioned above.

[0046] The tenth aspect is characterized in that, in the sixth aspect, it includes a path forming member for forming the conveying path, the path forming member having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion forming a part of the conveying path, the second portion serving as a portion for receiving liquid and guiding the liquid to the guide portion, the second portion having a recess formed at the portion for transferring liquid to the guide portion, the guide portion having a rib extending into the inner side of the recess.

[0047] According to this aspect, since the path forming member that forms the conveying path has a first portion and a second portion, the first portion forming part of the conveying path and the second portion serving as a liquid receiving portion and guiding the liquid to the guide portion, the path forming member performs the functions of receiving liquid and guiding the received liquid to the guide portion, thus enabling the liquid leaking from the liquid ejection portion to be more reliably recovered to the storage portion.

[0048] Furthermore, since the second part has a recess at the location where liquid is transferred to the guide part, and the guide part has a rib extending into the inside of the recess, liquid can be transferred from the second part to the guide part, and leakage of liquid to other places can be prevented if it is not transferred from the second part to the guide part.

[0049] It should be noted that this aspect is not limited to the sixth aspect mentioned above, but can also be applied to any of the seventh to ninth aspects mentioned above.

[0050] The eleventh aspect is characterized in that, in the first aspect, the liquid recovery section is used as the first liquid recovery section, and a second liquid recovery section is provided at the lower part of the opening and closing body and at a position vertically below the first liquid recovery section to recover the liquid leaking from the liquid ejection section.

[0051] According to this aspect, since the liquid recovery section is used as the first liquid recovery section, and a second liquid recovery section is provided at the lower part of the opening and closing body and at a position vertically below the first liquid recovery section to recover the liquid leaking from the liquid ejection section, it is possible to more effectively suppress the undesirable situation of liquid dripping downwards when the opening and closing body is opened.

[0052] It should be noted that this aspect is not limited to the first aspect mentioned above, but can also be applied to any of the second to tenth aspects mentioned above.

[0053] The twelfth aspect is characterized in that, in any of the first to eleventh aspects, the ejection surface intersects both the horizontal and vertical directions.

[0054] According to this aspect, in the configuration where the ejection surface intersects both the horizontal and vertical directions, the effects of any one of the first to eleventh aspects described above can be obtained.

[0055] The present invention will now be described in detail.

[0056] Hereinafter, an inkjet printer 1, which records by ejecting ink, a liquid, from a medium represented by recording paper, will be described as an example of a liquid ejection device. Hereinafter, inkjet printer 1 will be simply referred to as printer 1.

[0057] The XYZ coordinate system shown in the figures is a rectangular coordinate system, and the Y-axis direction intersects the direction of medium transport, i.e., the direction of medium width, and also the direction of device depth. Along the Y-axis, the +Y direction is from the front of the device towards the back, and the -Y direction is from the back of the device towards the front.

[0058] The X-axis is the width direction of the device. From the operator's perspective, the +X direction is to the left and the -X direction is to the right. The Z-axis is the vertical direction and is the normal direction relative to the mounting surface G of the printer 1, i.e., the height direction of the device. In the Z-axis direction, the +Z direction is upward and the -Z direction is downward.

[0059] Hereinafter, the direction of medium travel is sometimes referred to as "downstream," and its opposite direction as "upstream." Additionally, in... Figure 1 In the diagram, the media transport path is shown by dashed lines. In printer 1, the media is transported via... Figure 1 The media transport path shown by the dashed line is transported.

[0060] Furthermore, the F-axis direction is the media conveying direction between the overhead conveyor 44 and the conveyor belt 13, i.e., in the recording area. The +F direction is downstream of the conveying direction, and the opposite -F direction is upstream of the conveying direction. Additionally, the V-axis direction is orthogonal to the F-axis direction.

[0061] Printer 1 is a multifunction printer that has a scanner unit 7, which serves as an image reading device, on the upper part of the main body 2.

[0062] Furthermore, printer 1 is configured to connect an additional unit (not shown) to the lower part of the device body 2, and is configured to feed media through this additional unit. Figure 1 In the figure, reference numeral 28 is a pair of conveying rollers that feed the medium from the additional unit (not shown) into the interior of the device body 2.

[0063] The main body 2 of the device has a first medium box 3 at its lower part to hold the medium. A pickup roller 21 is provided for the first medium box 3 to feed the medium contained therein in the -X direction. The medium fed by the pickup roller 21 is conveyed toward the conveying roller pair 31 by the feed roller pair 25.

[0064] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, "roller pair" is composed of a drive roller that imparts conveying force to the medium by being driven by a drive source not shown, and a driven roller that rotates in contact with the drive roller or the medium.

[0065] It should be noted that the supply roller 19 and the separating roller 20, located near the conveying roller pair 38, are responsible for transferring the medium from... Figure 1 The roller pair feeding the supply pallet is omitted from the diagram.

[0066] The medium, which receives conveying force from the conveyor roller pair 31, is delivered between the line head 44 (an example of a recording head) and the conveyor belt 13; that is, it is delivered to a position opposite to the line head 44. It should be noted that the medium conveying path from the conveyor roller pair 31 to the conveyor roller pair 32 is referred to as the recording conveying path T1.

[0067] As an example of a liquid ejection section, the line print head 44 constitutes the head unit 43. The line print head 44 ejects ink onto the surface of the medium to perform recording. The line print head 44 is an ink ejection head configured such that the nozzle ejecting ink covers the entire width direction of the medium, and is configured to record the entire width of the medium without moving in the width direction of the medium. However, the ink ejection head is not limited to this; it may also be a type that is mounted on a carriage and ejects ink while moving in the width direction of the medium.

[0068] The head unit 43 is configured to move forward and backward relative to the recording transport path T1, and is configured to move between a recording position that enters the recording transport path T1 to record the medium and a retreat position that retreats from the recording transport path T1.

[0069] Figure 1 The diagram shows the head unit 43 in the recording position, in which it records the medium.

[0070] Reference numerals 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D are ink reservoirs that serve as liquid reservoirs. Ink ejected from the print head 44 is supplied from each ink reservoir via tubing (not shown) to the print head 44. The ink reservoirs 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10D are each designed to be detachable from mounting portions 11A, 11B, 11C, and 11D.

[0071] Additionally, reference numeral 12 is a waste liquid container that stores ink that is sprayed from the line head 44 toward a rinse cover (not shown) as waste liquid for maintenance.

[0072] The conveyor belt 13 is an annular belt wound around pulleys 14 and 15, and is rotated by a motor (not shown) driving at least one of pulleys 14 and 15. The medium is attracted to the edge of the conveyor belt 13 and conveyed to a position opposite to the head 44. The medium can be attracted to the conveyor belt 13 using known methods such as air suction or electrostatic adsorption. The conveyor belt 13 is an example of a medium support portion that supports the medium.

[0073] Here, the recording path T1, located opposite the line head 44, intersects both the horizontal and vertical directions, conveying the medium upwards. That is, the F-axis direction intersects both the horizontal and vertical directions. Therefore, in the line head 44, the ink ejection surface 44a is also parallel to the F-axis direction and intersects both the horizontal and vertical directions. In this embodiment, the angle α formed by the F-axis direction relative to the horizontal direction is 75°. It should be noted that the angle α can be appropriately changed to other angles within the range of 0° < α ≤ 90°. For example, the angle α can be set to the range of 45° ≤ α ≤ 80°. It should be noted that, in the case of miniaturizing the device body 2, 60° ≤ α ≤ 80° is preferred.

[0074] The medium, which has been recorded on the first surface by the line head 44, is further conveyed upward by the conveyor roller pair 32 located downstream of the conveyor belt 13.

[0075] A baffle 41 is provided downstream of the conveying roller pair 32 to switch the conveying direction of the medium. In the case of direct discharge of the medium, the conveying path of the medium is switched by the baffle 41 to the upward conveying roller pair 35, and the medium is discharged towards the discharge tray 8 by the conveying roller pair 35.

[0076] With the second side of the medium recorded in addition to the first side, the conveying direction of the medium is directed toward the branch position K1 by the baffle 41. Then, the medium passes through the branch position K1 and enters the turning path T2. In this embodiment, the turning path T2 is the medium conveying path above the branch position K1. A pair of conveying rollers 36 and 37 are provided in the turning path T2. The medium that has entered the turning path T2 is conveyed upward by the conveying rollers 36 and 37. Then, once the lower edge of the medium passes through the branch position K1, the rotation direction of the conveying rollers 36 and 37 is switched, thereby conveying the medium downward.

[0077] A connecting path T3 is connected to the turning path T2. In this embodiment, the connecting path T3 is a media conveying path from the branch position K1 to the conveyor roller pair 34. Additionally, a reversing path T4 is connected to the connecting path T3. In this embodiment, the reversing path T4 is a media conveying path from the conveyor roller pair 34 through the conveyor roller pair 38 to the conveyor roller pair 31. The reversing path T4 is an upstream conveying path from the position opposite the linear head 44, and is located vertically below the linear head 44. The reversing path T4 has a path portion S that convexes vertically downward and causes the media to bend and flip upward. In this embodiment, although the entire reversing path T4 is constituted as the path portion S, the path portion S may also constitute a part of the reversing path T4.

[0078] The medium conveyed downward from branch position K1 is conveyed by conveying force from conveying roller pairs 33 and 34 to conveying roller pair 38, where it is bent, flipped and conveyed to conveying roller pair 31.

[0079] When the medium is sent back to the position opposite the line head 44, the second side, opposite to the first side that has already been recorded, is opposite the line head 44. Thus, the second side of the medium can be recorded by the line head 44.

[0080] Next, refer to Figure 2 The following figures illustrate the first liquid recovery unit 60.

[0081] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, a side door 50, which can be opened and closed, is provided on the right side of the main body 2 in the -X direction. This allows for the opening and closing of the door. Figure 3 As shown, the side door 50 is opened, exposing the interior of the main body 2 of the device. Figure 1As shown, the side door 50 includes the following rollers: conveyor roller pairs 36 and 37 in the -X direction, conveyor roller pairs 33 and 34, supply roller 19, separation roller 20, and conveyor roller pair 38 in the +Z direction. Furthermore, when the side door 50 is opened, the deflection path T2 is opened, and a portion of the flipping path T4 is also opened. Thus, for example, in the event of a paper jam in the flipping path T4, the obstructing paper can be removed.

[0082] A path forming component 51 is provided at the lower part of the side door 50. The path forming component 51 is a component that forms the inner side of the flipping path T4 and has a shape that convexes vertically downward. In addition, a first liquid recovery section 60 is provided at the upper part of the path forming component 51. The first liquid recovery section 60 is located at a position that is vertically below the spray surface 44a of the rotary head 44.

[0083] like Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 As shown, the first liquid recovery unit 60 according to this embodiment includes a liquid storage tray 61, a first liquid absorbent material 62, a second liquid absorbent material 63, and a cover 64.

[0084] The liquid storage tray 61 is a component that is screwed to the path forming component 51, and is formed as a tray, and has a storage section 61a for storing ink.

[0085] A first liquid absorbent material 62 is provided in the storage section 61a. The first liquid absorbent material 62 and the second liquid absorbent material 63 (described later) are both made of materials capable of absorbing and retaining ink. Various materials such as sponge and non-woven fabric can be used. In this embodiment, non-woven fabric is used as an example.

[0086] It should be noted that since the liquid storage tray 61 forms the base of the first liquid recovery unit 60 and is fixed with screws relative to the path forming member 51, in other words, the first liquid recovery unit 60 is configured to be detachable from the side door 50.

[0087] In addition to the storage section 61a, the liquid storage tray 61 also includes a first guide section 61b, a second guide section 61c, and a third guide section 61d that extend outward from the storage section 61a and guide ink to the storage section 61a. It should be noted that when the configuration of the first liquid recovery section 60 is described below based on the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, it refers to each direction with the side door 50 closed.

[0088] The first guide section 61b is disposed in the +X direction relative to the storage section 61a. The second guide section 61c is disposed in the -X direction relative to the storage section 61a. The third guide section 61d is disposed in the +Y direction relative to the storage section 61a.

[0089] The first guide portion 61b is formed to be inclined upward in the +X direction, guiding the received ink in the -X direction. The second guide portion 61c is formed to be inclined upward in the -X direction, guiding the received ink in the +X direction. Multiple ribs extending in the Y-axis direction are formed on the third guide portion 61d along the X-axis direction, guiding the received ink in the -Y direction through capillary action.

[0090] It should be noted that a parts receiving section 61h is formed in the -Y direction relative to the storage section 61a, which can accommodate the service parts 65.

[0091] However, the area where the part receiving portion 61h is located may also be used as the storage portion 61a. Alternatively, the area where the third guide portion 61d is located may also be used as the storage portion 61a.

[0092] Multiple first ribs 61e and second ribs 61f are formed on the first guide portion 61b along the X-axis direction. It should be noted that, in order to avoid clutter in the figures, only a portion of the multiple first ribs 61e and second ribs 61f are labeled with reference numerals.

[0093] The first rib 61e and the second rib 61f are integrally formed with the liquid storage tray 61. The first rib 61e includes a first rib 61e-1 integrally formed with the second rib 61f and a separately formed first rib 61e-2.

[0094] Additionally, a second liquid-absorbing material 63 is provided on the first guide portion 61b. For example... Figure 8 , Figure 9 As shown, a plurality of openings 63a are formed on the second liquid absorbent material 63 along the X-axis direction, and the first rib 61e and the second rib 61f are located inside the openings 63a.

[0095] Furthermore, a wall portion 61g is formed at the +X direction end of the first guide portion 61b, extending upwards in the +Z direction along the Y-axis. The wall portion 61g restricts the movement of the second liquid absorbent material 63 in the +X direction and restricts its contact with the path forming member 51.

[0096] A cover 64 is provided on the upper part of the storage section 61a. The cover 64 is fixed to the liquid storage tray 61 with screws. The cover 64 has an opening 64b along the Y-axis direction, and inclined surfaces 64a are formed on both sides of the opening 64b in the Y-axis direction. The inclined surfaces 64a are inclined surfaces that slope downward toward the opening 64b in the Y-axis direction. The ink received through the inclined surfaces 64a flows toward the opening 64b and then falls into the storage section 61a.

[0097] Next, as Figure 4 As shown, a path forming member 52 is provided in the +X direction relative to the first liquid recovery unit 60. In this embodiment, the path forming member 52 is formed by bending a metal sheet to have a first portion 52a and a second portion 52b. The corner portion 52e where the first portion 52a and the second portion 52b intersect forms an upper end in the +Z direction at the end of the side door 50 in the +X direction. In addition, the corner portion 52e forms the downstream end of the curved portion S of the flipping path T4.

[0098] The first part 52a is part that forms a portion of the flipping path T4. It should be noted that a medium detection sensor 70 (see reference 72a) is located opposite the first part 52a. Figure 10 The medium detection sensor 70 is an optical sensor, which includes a light-emitting part (not shown) that emits light to the first part 52a and a light-receiving part (not shown) that receives reflected light from the first part 52a, and detects the passage of the medium based on the change in reflectivity when the medium passes through.

[0099] The second part 52b is the part that receives ink and guides the ink to the first guide part 61b. For example... Figure 8 , Figure 9 As shown, in the second part 52b, a recess 52c is formed at the part where ink is transferred to the first guide part 61b.

[0100] The first rib 61e extends into the recess 52c. A predetermined gap is formed between the recess 52c and the first rib 61e, and the path forming member 52 does not contact the first rib 61e. However, the gap is set to a size that allows ink to be transferred from the recess 52c to the first rib 61e.

[0101] The ink received through the second portion 52b is transferred from the second portion 52b to the first rib 61e, guided to the second liquid absorbent material 63, and absorbed by the second liquid absorbent material 63. Alternatively, the ink received through the second portion 52b is transferred from the second portion 52b to the first rib 61e, then transferred to the second rib 61f, guided to the second liquid absorbent material 63, and absorbed by the second liquid absorbent material 63.

[0102] As described above, in the side door 50, a first liquid recovery section 60 is provided at a position vertically below the ejection surface 44a of the line head 44 to recover ink leaking from the line head 44. This prevents ink from dripping downwards and staining the floor surface outside the setting area of ​​the printer 1 when the side door 50 is opened.

[0103] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the side door 50 is closed, at least a portion of the first liquid recovery section 60 overlaps with at least a portion of the spray surface 44a when viewed from above. Figure 11 In the figure, solid lines show the areas of the storage section 61a, the first guide section 61b, the second guide section 61c, and the third guide section 61d that constitute the first liquid recovery section 60. Additionally, the area A1, indicated by a double-dotted line, represents the area of ​​the ejection surface 44a when viewed from the +Z direction. As shown, a portion of the first liquid recovery section 60 overlaps with a portion of the ejection surface 44a. This configuration allows for more reliable recovery of ink leaking from the printhead 44.

[0104] It should be noted that when viewed from above, the entire ejection surface 44a may overlap with a portion of the first liquid recovery section 60.

[0105] In addition, when viewed from above, the ejection surface 44a may not overlap with the first liquid recovery section 60, that is, the first liquid recovery section 60 can be positioned to recover the ink leaking from the print head 44.

[0106] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the conveyor belt 13 is listed as an example of a medium support, but it can also be a pressure plate that supports the medium.

[0107] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the side door 50 is closed, at least a portion of the first liquid recovery unit 60 overlaps with at least a portion of the conveyor belt 13 when viewed from above. Figure 11 The area A2, indicated by the double-dotted line, is the region of the conveyor belt 13 when viewed from the +Z direction. As shown, a portion of the first liquid recovery unit 60 overlaps with a portion of the conveyor belt 13. This configuration allows for more effective recovery of liquid leaking from the rotary head 44.

[0108] It should be noted that when viewed from above, the entire conveyor belt 13 may overlap with a portion of the first liquid recovery unit 60.

[0109] In addition, when viewed from above, the conveyor belt 13 may not overlap with the first liquid recovery unit 60.

[0110] It should be pointed out that, in Figure 10In this context, region Xa is the X-axis region in which ink can be received by the second part 52b of the first liquid recovery unit 60 and the path forming member 52.

[0111] The conveyor roller pair 31 consists of a drive roller 31a and a driven roller 31b, with the lower end of the drive roller 31a located vertically below the lower end of the driven roller 31b. Therefore, when ink leaking from the printing head 44 falls onto the conveyor roller pair 31, although the ink drips downwards from the lower end of the drive roller 31a, the lower end of the drive roller 31a is located inside region Xa. In particular, in this embodiment, the entire drive roller 31a is located inside region Xa, thus the ink falling from the drive roller 31a can be properly recovered.

[0112] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the flipping path T4 has a path portion S that convexes vertically downward and bends and flips the medium upward, and the first liquid recovery unit 60 is configured using the inner region of the path portion S (see reference). Figure 1 In this way, the size of the device can be suppressed by effectively utilizing the inner region of the path section S.

[0113] Furthermore, the first liquid recovery section 60 is located vertically below the corner 52e, which is the downstream end of the path section S. Here, when opening and closing the side door 50, if the first liquid recovery section 60 is located vertically above the corner 52e, which is the downstream end of the path section S, the first liquid recovery section 60 may obstruct the opening and closing of the side door 50. However, in this embodiment, since the first liquid recovery section 60 is located vertically below the corner 52e, which is the downstream end of the path section S, the first liquid recovery section 60 is less likely to obstruct the opening and closing of the side door 50.

[0114] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first liquid recovery unit 60 includes a storage unit 61a for storing ink, and a first guide portion 61b, a second guide portion 61c, and a third guide portion 61d extending outward from the storage unit 61a and guiding liquid to the storage unit 61a. This allows for an expansion of the ink receiving area without increasing the size of the storage unit 61a, thus enabling both an expansion of the ink receiving area and a larger size of the suppression device.

[0115] In addition, the first liquid recovery unit 60 is equipped with a cover 64 that covers the storage unit 61a. This prevents the user from accidentally touching the inside of the storage unit 61a.

[0116] In addition, in this embodiment, such as Figure 10 As shown, a pair of conveying rollers 31 is provided near the storage section 61a. Here, although when the first liquid absorbent material 62 becomes fuzzy, the fuzzy part may be caught in the conveying rollers 31, such an undesirable situation can be suppressed by providing the cover 64.

[0117] In addition, the cover 64 has an inclined surface 64a that slopes toward the storage section 61a. As a result, ink that falls onto the cover 64 can flow down into the storage section 61a, and the ink that falls onto the cover 64 can be effectively recovered.

[0118] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a first liquid absorbent material 62 for absorbing ink is provided in the storage section 61a. This reduces the possibility of ink leakage from the storage section 61a.

[0119] It should be noted that one or both of the first liquid absorbent material 62 and the second liquid absorbent material 63 may be omitted. Alternatively, ribs or other materials that can maintain the shape of the ink may be provided instead of omitting the ink absorbent material.

[0120] In addition, in this embodiment, a path forming member 52 is provided to form a flipping path T4. The path forming member 52 has a first portion 52a and a second portion 52b. The first portion 52a forms a part of the flipping path T4, and the second portion 52b serves as a portion for receiving ink and guiding the ink to a first guide portion 61b. A recess 52c is formed in the second portion 52b at the portion where the ink is transferred to the first guide portion 61b. The first guide portion 61b has a first rib 61e extending into the inside of the recess 52c.

[0121] Thus, the path forming component 52 functions as a receiver of ink and a guide to the first guide portion 61b, enabling more reliable recovery of ink leaking from the print head 44 into the storage section. Furthermore, by transferring ink from the second portion 52b to the first guide portion 61b, leakage of ink to other locations due to failure to transfer from the second portion 52b to the first guide portion 61b can be prevented.

[0122] It should be noted that a second liquid recovery unit for recovering ink leaking from the print head 44 can also be provided at the lower part of the side door 50 and vertically below the first liquid recovery unit 60. Figure 1 In the figure, reference numeral 60A shows an example of a second liquid recovery unit. Although the second liquid recovery unit 60A can be omitted, by providing the second liquid recovery unit 60A, the undesirable situation of ink dripping downwards when the side door 50 is opened can be more effectively suppressed.

[0123] It should be pointed out that, in Figure 1 In the example, when viewed from above, a portion of the first liquid recovery unit 60 overlaps with a portion of the second liquid recovery unit 60A, but they do not necessarily have to overlap, as long as the second liquid recovery unit 60A is positioned to recover ink leaking from the print head 44.

[0124] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and variations described above, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the invention as described in the claims, and these modifications are naturally included within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A liquid ejection device, characterized in that, have: A liquid ejection section ejects liquid from the conveyed medium, and the ejection surface of the liquid is perpendicular to the horizontal direction. The conveying path is upstream of the position opposite the liquid ejection part and located vertically below the liquid ejection part. as well as An opening and closing body is configured to open and close relative to a side of the device body having the liquid ejection section. Closing the opening and closing body forms the conveying path, and opening the opening and closing body opens at least a portion of the conveying path. In the opening and closing body, a liquid recovery section is provided at a position vertically below the ejection surface to recover liquid leaking from the liquid ejection section. The conveying path includes a path portion that is convex downwards and, when recording a second side in addition to the first side of the medium, causes the medium to bend and flip upwards. The liquid recovery section is configured using the inner region of the path section.

2. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the opening and closing body is closed, at least a portion of the liquid recovery section overlaps with at least a portion of the spray surface when viewed from above.

3. The liquid ejection device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The liquid ejection device has a medium support portion for supporting the medium at a position opposite to the liquid ejection part. A portion of the medium support is located vertically below the liquid ejection section. When the opening and closing body is closed, at least a portion of the liquid recovery section overlaps with at least a portion of the medium support section when viewed from above.

4. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid recovery section is located vertically below the downstream end of the path section.

5. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid recovery unit includes: Storage section, for storing liquids; and The guide section extends outward from the storage section and guides the liquid into the storage section.

6. The liquid ejection device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The liquid recovery unit has a cover that covers the storage unit.

7. The liquid ejection device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cover has an inclined surface that slopes toward the storage section.

8. The liquid ejection device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The storage section contains an absorbent material for absorbing liquid.

9. The liquid ejection device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The liquid ejection device includes a path forming component for forming the delivery path. The path forming component has a first portion and a second portion, the first portion forming a part of the conveying path, and the second portion serving as a liquid receiving portion and guiding the liquid to the guide portion. The second portion has a recess at the point where the liquid is transferred to the guide portion. The guide portion has ribs that extend into the inside of the recess.

10. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid recovery unit serves as the first liquid recovery unit. A second liquid recovery unit is provided at the lower part of the opening and closing body and at a position vertically below the first liquid recovery unit to recover the liquid leaking from the liquid ejection unit.

11. The liquid ejection device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The ejection surface intersects both the horizontal and vertical directions.

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