Recording apparatus

Abstract

To suppress the cost of the apparatus from increasing unlike in a conventional configuration of transmitting heat from a heat generating component to a discharged-ink storage part using a heat sink.SOLUTION: A recording apparatus comprises: a liquid ejection head that ejects liquid to a medium to perform recording on the medium; a waste liquid storage container that stores waste liquid generated in maintenance of the liquid ejection head, in which an exhaust port through which evaporated volatile constituents are exhausted is provided at an upper part; and a heat generation part that generates heat by electric power consumption. The waste liquid storage container is arranged at a position where the exhaust port is exposed on an upper surface of a main body of the device. The heat generating part is arranged at a position lower than the waste liquid storage container, where the heat generated by the heat generating part is transmitted to the waste liquid storage container by convection.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a recording device for recording on a medium. [Background technology]

[0002] The inkjet recording device described in Patent Document 1 is configured to store in a waste ink storage section ink generated during cleaning to maintain the functionality of the print head. This inkjet recording device is also configured to use a heat sink thermally coupled to a heat generating component for heat transfer from the waste ink storage section in order to promote drying of the ink absorber in the waste ink storage section and restore the ink storage capacity. Specifically, a waste ink tank is provided to the side of the power supply unit, a heat sink is in contact with the side of the power supply unit, and this heat sink extends to the bottom surface of the waste ink absorber. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2000-108326 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the configuration described in Patent Document 1, heat generated in the power supply unit is transferred to the ink absorber via a heat sink, which requires a heat sink, resulting in increased costs for the device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, the recording device of the present invention comprises a liquid ejection head which ejects liquid onto a medium to record, a waste liquid storage container which is a container for storing waste liquid generated during maintenance of the liquid ejection head and which has an exhaust port at the top for discharging evaporated volatile components, and a heat generating unit which generates heat by consuming power, wherein the waste liquid storage container is positioned at a position where the exhaust port is exposed on the top surface of the device body, and the heat generating unit is positioned below the waste liquid storage container and at a position where heat generated by the heat generating unit is transferred to the waste liquid storage container by convection. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. [Diagram 2] A view of the printer's media transport path from the left side of the device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the components of the printer. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the components of the printer. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the components of the printer. [Figure 8] 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of control executed by a control unit. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a change in the remaining amount of waste liquid. [Figure 10] A diagram showing temperature and humidity classifications. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0007] The present invention will now be briefly described. The recording device of the first aspect comprises a liquid ejection head which ejects liquid onto a medium to record, a waste liquid storage container which is a container for storing waste liquid generated during maintenance of the liquid ejection head and has an exhaust port at the top for discharging evaporated volatile components, and a heating unit which generates heat by consuming power, wherein the waste liquid storage container is positioned at a position where the exhaust port is exposed on the top surface of the device body, and the heating unit is positioned below the waste liquid storage container and at a position where heat generated by the heating unit is transferred to the waste liquid storage container by convection.

[0008] According to this aspect, the heat generating unit is disposed below the waste liquid storage container and at a position where the heat generated by the heat generating unit is transferred to the waste liquid storage container by convection, so that the heat generated by the heat generating unit can be transferred to the waste liquid storage container without using a separate component such as a heat sink to promote drying inside the waste liquid storage container, thereby suppressing an increase in the cost of the device. Furthermore, by promoting drying inside the waste liquid storage container, the period until the waste liquid in the waste liquid storage container reaches its allowable capacity can be extended, i.e., the life of the waste liquid storage container can be extended.

[0009] In addition, when the heat generating part is positioned below the waste liquid storage container, this means that at least a part of the heat generating part is positioned below the waste liquid storage container, and also means that a part of the heat generating part may be positioned at the same height as the waste liquid storage container or above the waste liquid storage container.

[0010] The second aspect is a dependent aspect of the first aspect, and is characterized in that the heat generating portion includes a plurality of heat generating portions, the plurality of heat generating portions including a substrate having electronic components, and the substrate is arranged on one side of the device body in the device width direction, along the side surface of the device body.

[0011] According to this aspect, the present invention provides the effect of the first aspect described above in a configuration comprising a plurality of heat generating portions, the plurality of heat generating portions including a substrate having electronic components, and the substrate being arranged on one side of the device body in the device width direction, along the side surface of the device body.

[0012] A third aspect is a mode dependent on the second aspect, characterized in that the plurality of heat generating portions include a power supply unit, and the power supply unit is provided on one side and the other side of the device body in the device width direction, on the side on which the substrate is arranged.

[0013] According to this aspect, the multiple heat generating parts include a power supply unit, and the power supply unit is provided on one side of the device body in the width direction of the device, on the side on which the substrate is arranged. Therefore, the multiple heat generating parts are not positioned far apart but are concentrated together, thereby enabling heat to be effectively transferred to the waste liquid storage container.

[0014] A fourth aspect is an aspect dependent on the second aspect, characterized in that an upper portion of the substrate faces a side surface of the waste liquid storage container. According to this aspect, since the upper portion of the substrate faces the side surface of the waste liquid storage container, heat can be transferred to the waste liquid storage container by radiation from the upper portion of the substrate in addition to being transferred to the waste liquid storage container by convection from a position below the waste liquid storage container, thereby making it possible to effectively transfer heat to the waste liquid storage container. Incidentally, this aspect is not limited to the second aspect, but may be subordinate to the third aspect.

[0015] A fifth aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, and is characterized in that it comprises a liquid storage section for storing liquid to be ejected from the liquid ejection head, and the heat generating section is provided on one of the sides of the device body in the device width direction, and the liquid storage section is provided on the other side.

[0016] When the liquid to be discharged from the liquid discharge head is heated, the viscosity of the liquid may deviate from the range of viscosity suitable for discharge, which may result in problems such as poor discharge. According to this aspect, the heat generating portion and the liquid storage portion are disposed at positions spaced apart in the device width direction, making it possible to prevent problems such as the above-mentioned ejection defects from occurring. Incidentally, this aspect is not limited to the above-mentioned first aspect, and may be subordinate to any of the above-mentioned second to fourth aspects.

[0017] A sixth aspect is an aspect dependent on the fifth aspect, characterized in that the waste liquid storage container has a waste liquid inlet for receiving the waste liquid, a waste liquid absorbent for absorbing the waste liquid is provided inside the waste liquid storage container, a flow path within the container for guiding the waste liquid to the waste liquid absorbent is provided between the waste liquid inlet and the waste liquid absorbent, and the waste liquid inlet is provided on one side and the other side of the waste liquid storage container in the device width direction, the side farthest from the heat generating portion.

[0018] If the waste liquid that flows into the waste liquid storage container from the waste liquid inlet becomes viscous quickly, the waste liquid becomes difficult to absorb by the waste liquid absorbent. If the waste liquid is not quickly absorbed and diffused by the waste liquid absorbent, it becomes difficult to effectively evaporate the volatile components contained in the waste liquid even if the heat generated by the heat generating part is transferred to the waste liquid storage container. According to this aspect, the waste liquid inlet is provided on one of the two sides of the waste liquid storage container in the width direction of the device, which side is farther from the heat generating portion, thereby suppressing the above-mentioned problem.

[0019] A seventh aspect is a dependent aspect of the second aspect, and comprises a cap portion that can be switched between a state covering the liquid ejection surface of the liquid ejection head and a state separated from the liquid ejection surface, a pump for directing waste liquid from the cap portion to the waste liquid storage container, and a pump motor for driving the pump, wherein the multiple heat generating portions include the pump motor, and the pump motor is positioned below the waste liquid storage container.

[0020] According to this aspect, the plurality of heat generating parts include the pump motor, and in a configuration in which the pump motor is disposed below the waste liquid storage container, the operational effect of the first aspect described above can be obtained. Incidentally, this aspect is not limited to the above-mentioned second aspect, and may be subordinate to any of the above-mentioned third to sixth aspects.

[0021] An eighth aspect is a mode dependent on the first aspect, and is characterized in that the device further includes a fan that guides gas from the heat generating portion to the waste liquid storage container. According to this aspect, since a fan that guides gas from the heat generating portion to the waste liquid storage container is provided, heat generated in the heat generating portion can be effectively transferred to the waste liquid storage container. Incidentally, this aspect is not limited to the above-mentioned first aspect, and may be subordinate to any of the above-mentioned second to seventh aspects.

[0022] A ninth aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, characterized in that the device further comprises a guide for guiding gas from the heat generating portion to the waste liquid storage container. According to this aspect, since a guide for guiding gas from the heat generating portion to the waste liquid storage container is provided, the heat generated in the heat generating portion can be effectively transferred to the waste liquid storage container. Incidentally, this aspect is not limited to the above-mentioned first aspect, and may be subordinate to any of the above-mentioned second to eighth aspects.

[0023] A tenth aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, and is characterized in that the device includes a temperature and humidity detection unit that detects temperature and humidity, and a control unit that manages the total amount of waste liquid in the waste liquid storage container calculates the total amount of waste liquid based on the temperature and humidity, and issues an alert if the calculated total amount of waste liquid exceeds an allowable value.

[0024] According to this aspect, the control unit calculates the total amount of waste liquid based on the temperature and humidity, and if the calculated total amount of waste liquid exceeds an allowable value, an alert is issued. Therefore, by more accurately grasping the total amount of waste liquid, unnecessary replacement of the waste liquid storage container can be prevented.

[0025] The present invention will be specifically described below. The following describes an inkjet printer 1, which is a recording device that records on a medium such as recording paper. Hereinafter, the inkjet printer 1 will be referred to simply as the printer 1. In the XYZ coordinate system shown in each drawing, the X-axis direction is the width direction of the device, which is the width direction of the medium on which recording is performed. As seen by the operator of the printer 1, the +X direction is the left direction and the -X direction is the right direction. The Y axis direction is the depth direction of the device, and is the direction along the medium transport direction during recording. The -Y direction is the direction from the front of the device to the rear of the device, and is the medium transport direction during recording, and is an example of a first direction. The +Y direction is the direction from the rear of the device to the front of the device, and is an example of a second direction opposite to the first direction. In this embodiment, of the sides that make up the periphery of the printer 1, the side in the +Y direction is the front of the device, and the side in the -Y direction is the rear of the device. The Z-axis direction is the vertical direction, which is the device height direction. The +Z direction is the vertically upward direction, and the -Z direction is the vertically downward direction. In the following description, the direction in which the medium is transported may be referred to as "downstream" and the opposite direction may be referred to as "upstream."

[0026] 1, the device body 1a of the printer 1 has an outer shell formed by a housing 30. The housing 30 has a front surface 30a, a right side surface 30b, a left side surface 30c, a top surface 30d, and a rear surface 30e. The front portion of the medium storage cassette 2 is exposed on the front surface 30a. The medium storage cassette 2 is an example of a medium storage section, and is configured to be able to store media before feeding. The medium storage cassette 2 can be removed from the printer 1 by pulling it out in the +Y direction, and can be installed in the printer 1 by pushing it in the -Y direction. In FIG. 1, the symbol Pt indicates the media stored in the medium storage cassette 2.

[0027] A recess 30f is provided on the top surface 30d. The bottom surface of the recess 30f is configured as the discharge tray 29. The discharge tray 29 is formed so as to be inclined upward in the +Y direction. An outlet 30g is provided inside the recess 30f so as to open in the +Y direction. The medium on which recording has been performed is discharged from the outlet 30g in the +Y direction and is supported by the discharge tray 29 and the top surface 30d.

[0028] A waste liquid storage container 33 is provided on the top surface 30d. The waste liquid storage container 33 is a container that stores waste liquid, i.e., waste ink, generated during maintenance of the line head 40, which will be described later, and can be removed from the printer 1 by lifting it up in the +Z direction from the top surface 30d, and can be attached to the printer 1 by dropping it in the -Z direction.

[0029] Next, the medium transport path of the printer 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The printer 1 has a first feeding path R1a, a second feeding path R1b, a reversing path R2, a recording transport path R3, a guide path R4, and a discharge path R5 as medium transport paths for transporting the medium. In FIG. 2, these paths are indicated by two-dot chain lines. The first feeding path R1a is a path from the pick roller 3 at the bottom to the first nip roller 9. The second feeding path R1b is a path from the medium support unit 12 at the top to the first conveying roller pair 15 via the feeding roller 13. The reversing path R2 is a path from the first nip roller 9 to the second nip roller 10. The recording conveying path R3 is a path from the second nip roller 10 to the third conveying roller pair 27. The guide path R4 is a path from the third conveying roller pair 27 to the first nip roller 9 via the fourth conveying roller pair 65. The discharge path R5 is a path from the third conveying roller pair 27 to the discharge port 30g.

[0030] Among these, the transport path R3 during recording is a path facing the line head 40, and guides the medium in the -Y direction, which is an example of the first direction. Note that guiding the medium in the -Y direction does not necessarily mean that the medium transport direction is straight along the -Y direction, but rather means that it includes a -Y direction component. The guide path R4 is a medium transport path located below the recording transport path R3, and guides the medium that has exited from the recording transport path R3 in the +Y direction, which is an example of the second direction. Note that guiding the medium in the +Y direction does not necessarily mean that the medium transport direction is straight along the +Y direction, but rather means that it includes a +Y direction component. The reversing path R2 is a medium transport path that connects with the guide path R4, and turns the medium over to join the recording transport path R3. The discharge path R5 is located downstream of the recording transport path R3, and is a path for discharging the medium on which recording has been performed from a discharge port 30g.

[0031] A more detailed explanation is given below. The printer 1 is provided with the above-mentioned medium storage cassette 2 at the bottom of the device. A pick roller 3 driven by a motor (not shown) is provided above the medium storage cassette 2. The pick roller 3 can move forward and backward with respect to the medium Pt stored in the medium storage cassette 2, and rotates in contact with the medium Pt stored in the medium storage cassette 2 to send the medium out of the medium storage cassette 2 in the +Y direction.

[0032] A feed roller 5 driven by a motor (not shown) and a separation roller 6 to which a rotational torque is applied by a torque limiter (not shown) are provided downstream of the pick roller 3. The medium sent out from the medium storage cassette 2 is nipped between the feed roller 5 and the separation roller 6, whereby the medium is separated and sent further downstream.

[0033] A reversing roller 8 driven by a motor (not shown) is provided downstream of the feed roller 5 and the separation roller 6. A first nip roller 9, a second nip roller 10, and a third nip roller 11 are provided around the reversing roller 8. Each nip roller is a roller that can be rotated by being driven. The medium is nipped between the reversing roller 8 and the first nip roller 9, and is further nipped between the reversing roller 8 and the second nip roller 10 and transported. The medium is reversed by the reversing roller 8 and transported downstream. In this embodiment, the reversing roller 8 is a large diameter roller whose outer periphery forms the inside of the reversing path R2, but is not limited to this. The outside and inside of the reversing path R2 may be formed by a path forming member, and the reversing roller 8 may be a small diameter roller arranged opposite each nip roller.

[0034] A first transport roller pair 15 is provided downstream of the reversing roller 8. The first transport roller pair 15 includes a first drive roller 16 driven by a motor (not shown) and a first driven roller 17 that can rotate following the first drive roller 16. The medium is transported by a first transport roller pair 15 to a position facing the line head 40 . Incidentally, in addition to feeding the medium from the medium storage cassette 2, i.e., feeding using the first feeding path R1a, the printer 1 is capable of feeding the medium from the medium support unit 12, i.e., feeding using the second feeding path R1b. The medium support unit 12 supports the medium in an inclined position, and the supported medium is transported to the first transport roller pair 15 by a feed roller 13 driven by a motor (not shown). Reference numeral 14 denotes a separation roller to which a rotational torque is applied by a torque limiter (not shown).

[0035] The line head 40 is a liquid ejection head that ejects ink, which is an example of a liquid, onto a medium to record, and is an example of a recording unit. The line head 40 is a liquid ejection head in which a plurality of nozzles 44 that eject ink are arranged to cover the entire area in the width direction of the medium. The line head 40 is long in the width direction of the medium, and is configured as a liquid ejection head that can record over the entire width of the medium without moving in the width direction of the medium. The head surface 42 faces the medium and can also be called a liquid ejection surface or a nozzle surface. The printer 1 includes an ink storage section 47 (see FIG. 3), and the ink ejected from the line head 40 is supplied from the ink storage section 47 to the line head 40 via an ink supply tube 70 (see FIG. 3).

[0036] A second transport roller pair 19 is provided downstream of the line head 40. The second transport roller pair 19 includes a second drive roller 20 driven by a motor (not shown) and a second driven roller 21 that can rotate by the second drive roller 20. The medium on which recording has been performed is sent downstream by the second transport roller pair 19. The lower surface of the transport path R3 during recording is formed by the first path forming section 51. The upper surface of the transport path R3 during recording upstream of the first transport roller pair 15 is formed in part by the third path forming section 53, and the medium is guided to the first transport roller pair 15 by the third path forming section 53 and the first path forming section 51. The upper surface of the transport path R3 during recording downstream of the second transport roller pair 19 is formed by the fourth path forming section 54, and the medium on which recording has been performed is guided to the third transport roller pair 27 by the fourth path forming section 54 and the first path forming section 51.

[0037] A shutter 46 is provided at a position facing the line head 40 on the recording transport path R3. The shutter 46 can take a blocking position ( FIG. 2 ) facing the head surface 42 and an open position (not shown) retracted from the position facing the head surface 42 by sliding along the Y-axis direction. When in the blocking position, the shutter 46 supports the medium, thereby defining a gap between the medium and the head surface 42. Hereinafter, the gap between the shutter 46 and the head surface 42 may be referred to as a platen gap.

[0038] The line head 40 is provided so as to be movable toward and away from the shutter 46, i.e., in the direction of adjusting the platen gap. In this embodiment, the direction of adjusting the platen gap is parallel to the Z-axis direction. Hereinafter, movement of the line head 40 in the +Z-axis direction may be referred to as "rising," and movement in the -Z direction may be referred to as "descending."

[0039] The cap unit 38 is provided below the shutter 46. The cap unit 38 includes a cap portion 39. The cap portion 39 is switchable between a state in which it covers the head surface 42 and a state in which it is spaced apart from the head surface 42. The cap unit 38 is provided so as to be displaceable between an elevated position and a lowered position.

[0040] When recording on the medium, the control unit 80 (see FIG. 3) maintains the shutter 46 and the cap unit 38 in the state shown in FIG. 2, that is, the shutter 46 in the closed position and the cap unit 38 in the lowered position. When the head surface 42 is to be covered by the cap portion 39 from this state, the control unit 80 moves the shutter 46 from the shielding position to the open position. Then, the cap unit 38 is raised. This causes the cap portion 39 to cover the head surface 42. When performing maintenance on the line head 40, the control unit 80 covers the head surface 42 with the cap portion 39 when the device is powered off, when the device is powered on and in a recording standby state, etc. In this embodiment, the cap unit 38 moves up and down to cause the cap section 39 to cover the head surface 42, but the cap unit 38 may be fixedly provided, and the cap section 39 may cover the head surface 42 when the line head 40 moves down from the recording position. Alternatively, the cap section 39 may cover the head surface 42 when the line head 40 moves down and the cap unit 38 moves up.

[0041] Next, a flap 22 is provided downstream of the recording transport path R3. The flap 22 is provided so as to be swingable around a swing shaft 22a by a power source (not shown), such as a power source such as a solenoid. When the -Y direction tip of the flap 22 descends, the medium transported along the recording transport path R3 is sent to the discharge path R5. When the -Y direction tip of the flap 22 ascends, the medium transported in reverse along the discharge path R5 can be sent to the guide path R4. The flap 22 is not limited to being driven by a power source, and may be biased by a spring so as to maintain a posture in which the -Y direction tip ascends. In this case, the tip of the medium proceeding downstream from the recording transport path R3 pushes aside the flap 22 and enters the discharge path R5.

[0042] In this embodiment, the ejection path R5 is a path for curving the medium so that the side on which recording has been performed faces inward, inverting it, and ejecting it from the ejection port 30g. When recording is performed on both sides of the medium, curving the side on which recording has been performed faces inward means curving the medium so that the side on which recording has been performed last faces inward. At the same time, the ejection path R5 is also a path for switching back the medium in order to feed the medium to the guide path R4.

[0043] The discharge path R5 is provided with a third transport roller pair 27 including a third drive roller 27a driven by a motor (not shown) and a third driven roller 27b rotatably driven by the third drive roller 27a. Further, downstream of the third transport roller pair 27 in the discharge path R5, a fifth transport roller pair 28 including a fifth drive roller 28a driven by a motor (not shown) and a fifth driven roller 28b rotatable by the fifth drive roller 28a is provided.

[0044] When the third transport roller pair 27 and the fifth transport roller pair 28 rotate forward, the medium is discharged from the discharge port 30g. After the rear end of the medium passes the third transport roller pair 27, when the third transport roller pair 27 and the fifth transport roller pair 28 rotate in the reverse direction while the leading end of the flap 22 in the -Y direction is raised, the end that was the rear end of the medium becomes the leading end, and the medium is sent into the guide path R4.

[0045] The guide path R4 is provided with a fourth transport roller pair 65 including a fourth drive roller 66 driven by a motor (not shown) and a fourth driven roller 67 that can rotate following the drive roller 66. The medium sent into guide path R4 is guided between reversing roller 8 and third nip roller 11 by fourth transport roller pair 65, and is sent into reversing path R2 by reversing roller 8 and third nip roller 11. Reference numeral 52 denotes a second path forming portion that forms the upper surface of the guide path R4, and reference numeral 55 denotes a fifth path forming portion that forms the lower surface of the guide path R4.

[0046] Next, the positional relationship between the heat generating portion and the waste liquid storage container 33 will be described. As described with reference to FIG. 1, the upper surface of the waste liquid storage container 33 is exposed on the upper surface 30d of the housing 30. 3, a pump motor 84 and a pump unit 32 are provided below the waste liquid storage container 33. The pump unit 32 sends ink from the cap portion 39 of the cap unit 38 to the waste liquid storage container 33. The cap portion 39 and the pump unit 32 are connected by a first waste liquid supply tube 71 , and the pump unit 32 and the waste liquid storage container 33 are connected by a second waste liquid supply tube 72 . The pump motor 84 transmits power to the pump unit 32 via a power transmission section (not shown).

[0047] Next, the printer 1 is equipped with a wiper unit 36. The wiper unit 36 ​​is equipped with a wiper 37 made of an elastic material such as rubber. The wiper unit 36 ​​can move in the X-axis direction by the power of a motor (not shown), and at that time, the wiper 37 wipes the head surface 42 of the line head 40. The wiper unit 36 ​​has a home position at the -X direction end. Reference numeral 36-1 indicates the wiper unit 36 ​​moving from the home position toward the +X direction end, and reference numeral 37-1 indicates the wiper 37 at that time.

[0048] A substrate 90 (see also FIG. 1) is provided at the home position of the wiper unit 36. The substrate 90 has electronic components 93 mounted thereon, such as integrated circuits, capacitors, diodes, and transistors. An opening 90a is provided in this board 90, and when the wiper unit 36 ​​is located in the home position, the wiper unit 36 ​​is located inside the opening 90a so as not to interfere with the wiper unit 36 ​​and the board 90. With this configuration, the dimension of the printer 1 in the X-axis direction can be reduced. The board 90 constitutes a control unit 80 that is responsible for various controls of the printer 1. The control unit 80 includes a CPU, non-volatile memory, and the like (not shown), and programs that realize various controls of the printer 1 are stored in the non-volatile memory.

[0049] A power supply unit 91, which is a power supply source for the device, is provided at the bottom of the device at a position opposite to the substrate 90. Both the substrate 90 and the power supply unit 91 are examples of heat generating parts that generate heat due to power consumption.

[0050] 4 and 5, the waste liquid storage container 33 is provided with a lid portion 34a on the top of the container body 34. The lid portion 34a is formed with a plurality of slit-shaped exhaust ports 33g. A waste liquid inlet 33a is provided on the side surface in the +X direction of the waste liquid storage container 33, i.e., the left side surface 33c. A second waste liquid supply tube 72 (FIG. 3) is connected to the waste liquid inlet 33a. Reference numeral 33b denotes the side surface in the -X direction of the waste liquid storage container 33, i.e., the right side surface, and reference numeral 33d denotes the surface in the -Z direction of the waste liquid storage container 33, i.e., the bottom surface. Reference numeral 33e denotes the side surface in the +Y direction of the waste liquid storage container 33, i.e., the front surface, and reference numeral 33f denotes the side surface in the -Y direction of the waste liquid storage container 33, i.e., the back surface.

[0051] An ink absorbing material 35 is provided inside the waste liquid storage container 33 as shown in FIG. A hollow portion 33h is provided in the +X direction inside the waste liquid storage container 33, and waste ink introduced from the waste liquid inlet 33a is guided inside the hollow portion 33h along the bottom surface 33j as shown by the arrow Uf to the ink absorbent material 35 and absorbed by the ink absorbent material 35. That is, the bottom surface 33j is located between the waste liquid inlet 33a and the ink absorbent material 35, and forms a flow path within the container that guides the waste ink to the ink absorbent material 35. Therefore, the bottom surface 33j is formed so as to slope downward toward the -X direction.

[0052] The upper surface of the ink absorbent 35 faces the exhaust port 33g, and the ink absorbent 35 is configured so that the volatile components contained in the waste ink absorbed by the ink absorbent 35 are discharged from the exhaust port 33g. The volatile components here include all volatile substances present in the ink, such as water and organic solvents.

[0053] Returning to FIG. 3, the above-mentioned substrate 90 is an example of a heat generating part, and in this embodiment, the substrate 90 is located below the waste liquid storage container 33 except for the upper region. Therefore, the heat generated by the substrate 90 is transferred to the waste liquid storage container 33 by convection f1. In this way, the heat generating part is located at a position below the waste liquid storage container 33, and the heat generated by the heat generating part is transferred to the waste liquid storage container 33 by convection. Therefore, the heat generated by the heat generating part can be transferred to the waste liquid storage container 33 without using a separate component such as a heat sink, and the drying in the waste liquid storage container 33 can be promoted, and the cost increase of the device can be suppressed. And, by promoting the drying in the waste liquid storage container 33, the period until the waste ink in the waste liquid storage container 33 reaches the allowable capacity can be extended, that is, the life of the waste liquid storage container 33 can be extended.

[0054] Furthermore, when heat generated in the heat generating portion acts on the upper surface of the waste liquid storage container 33, i.e., from the exhaust port 33g, the surface of the ink absorbing material 35 dries out and a thickened ink layer is formed, making it difficult for newly collected waste ink to be absorbed from the surface of the ink absorbing material 35. However, according to this embodiment, the heat generated in the heat generating portion acts on at least one of the right side surface 33b, left side surface 33c, bottom surface 33d, front surface 33e, and back surface 33f of the waste liquid storage container 33, thereby suppressing the above-mentioned problem.

[0055] In addition, when the heat generating part is positioned below the waste liquid storage container 33, this means that at least a part of the heat generating part is positioned below the waste liquid storage container 33, and it also means that a part of the heat generating part may be positioned at the same height as the waste liquid storage container 33 or above the waste liquid storage container 33. In the example of FIG. 3, the heat generating parts are the board 90 and the power supply unit 91, but the heat generating parts are not limited to these and may of course be other heat generating components such as a motor. In addition to being transferred to the waste liquid storage container 33 by convection, the heat generated in the heat generating portion may also be transferred by radiation as described above, or by conduction when part of the heat generating portion comes into contact with the waste liquid storage container 33.

[0056] In this embodiment, the substrate 90 is disposed on one side of the device body 1a in the device width direction, that is, on the side in the -X direction, along the right side surface 30b. However, the substrate 90 may be disposed so that its side in the +X direction is aligned along the left side surface 30c.

[0057] The power supply unit 91 is also a heat generating part, and heat generated in the power supply unit 91 is transferred by convection f2 to the waste liquid storage container 33. That is, in this embodiment, the printer 1 has multiple heat generating parts, and the multiple heat generating parts include the board 90 and the power supply unit 91. The power supply unit 91 is provided on one side of the device in the width direction where the substrate 90 is disposed, i.e., on the side in the -X direction. In this manner, the multiple heat generating parts are not disposed at distant positions but are concentrated together, so that heat can be effectively transferred to the waste liquid storage container 33.

[0058] In this embodiment, the upper part of the substrate 90 faces the right side surface 33b of the waste liquid storage container 33. As a result, in addition to transferring heat to the waste liquid storage container 33 from a position below the waste liquid storage container 33 by convection f1, heat can be transferred to the waste liquid storage container 33 from the upper part of the substrate 90 by radiation h1. As a result, heat generated in the heat generating portion can be transferred to the waste liquid storage container 33 effectively.

[0059] In this embodiment, the electronic component 93 is provided on the surface of the substrate 90 in the +X direction, that is, the surface facing the waste liquid storage container 33. This allows the heat generated by the electronic component 93 to be efficiently transferred to the waste liquid storage container 33.

[0060] In addition, in this embodiment, with regard to the positional relationship between the ink storage section 47, which is a liquid storage section that stores ink to be ejected from the line head 40, and the heat generating section, the substrate 90 and power supply unit 91, which are the heat generating section, are provided on the side in the -X direction, and the ink storage section 47 is provided on the side in the +X direction. If the ink ejected from the line head 40 is heated, the viscosity of the ink may deviate from the range of suitable viscosity for ejection, which may result in problems such as poor ejection. However, as described above, the substrate 90 and power supply unit 91, which are the heat generating parts, and the ink containing section 47 are disposed at positions separated in the width direction of the device, so that the occurrence of problems such as the above-mentioned ejection defects can be suppressed. The ink supply tube 70 that supplies ink from the ink storage section 47 to the line head 40 is also disposed in the +X direction away from the substrate 90 and the power supply unit 91. This makes it possible to further prevent the ink ejected from the line head 40 from being heated.

[0061] The waste liquid storage container 33 also has a waste liquid inlet 33a for receiving waste ink, and an ink absorbent 35 for absorbing waste ink is provided inside the waste liquid storage container 33. The waste liquid inlet 33a is provided on the side in the +X direction, which is the side farther from the substrate 90 and power supply unit 91, which are heat generating parts. If the waste ink that flows into the waste liquid storage container 33 from the waste liquid inlet 33a thickens quickly, the waste ink becomes difficult to absorb into the ink absorbent 35. If the waste ink is not quickly absorbed and diffused into the ink absorbent 35, it becomes difficult to satisfactorily evaporate the volatile components contained in the waste ink even if the heat generated in the heat generating portion is transferred to the waste liquid storage container 33. However, according to this embodiment, the waste liquid inlet 33a is provided on one side and the other side of the waste liquid storage container 33 in the width direction of the device, on the side farthest from the heat-generating parts, the substrate 90 and the power supply unit 91, thereby suppressing the above-mentioned problem.

[0062] The multiple heat generating parts of the printer 1 include a pump motor 84. Since the pump motor 84 is disposed directly below the waste liquid storage container 33 and facing the bottom surface 33d of the waste liquid storage container 33, heat generated by the pump motor 84 can be transferred to the waste liquid storage container 33 by radiation and convection, and drying inside the waste liquid storage container 33 can be promoted without using a separate component such as a heat sink. The pump motor 84 may be in contact with the lower surface 33d of the waste liquid storage container 33. This allows the heat generated by the pump motor 84 to be transferred to the waste liquid storage container 33 by conduction in addition to radiation and convection, and the drying of the inside of the waste liquid storage container 33 can be further promoted.

[0063] 6, a fan 75 may be provided to guide gas from the heat generating portion to the waste liquid storage container 33. This allows the heat generated in the heat generating portion to be effectively transferred to the waste liquid storage container 33. In this case, it is also preferable to provide an outside air intake (not shown) on the right side surface 30b of the housing 30. This allows the outside air taken in from the right side surface 30b to be blown onto the waste liquid storage container 33 by the fan 75 while containing heat generated by heat generating parts such as the substrate 90.

[0064] 7, a guide 76 may be provided to guide gas from the heat generating portion to the waste liquid storage container 33. For convenience of illustration, the first waste liquid supply tube 71 and the second waste liquid supply tube 72 are omitted in FIG. The guide 76 has a first guide portion 76a, a second guide portion 76b, and a third guide portion 76c. The first guide portion 76a is a portion extending in the Z-axis direction, forms a surface parallel to the YZ plane, and forms a gap between the first guide portion 76a and the substrate 90. The second guide portion 76b is a portion extending in the X-axis direction, forms a surface parallel to the XY plane, and forms a gap between the second guide portion 76b and the lower surface 33d of the waste liquid storage container 33. The third guide portion 76c is a portion extending in the Z-axis direction, forms a surface parallel to the YZ plane, and forms a gap between the third guide portion 76c and the left side surface 33c of the waste liquid storage container 33. The heat generated in the heat generating part acts on the outer surface of the waste liquid storage container 33 by convection as shown by the symbol g. By providing the guide 76 for guiding the gas from the heat generating part to the waste liquid storage container 33 in this manner, the heat generated in the heat generating part can be effectively transferred to the waste liquid storage container 33.

[0065] Next, the control executed by the control unit 80, specifically the calculation of the total amount of waste liquid stored in the waste liquid storage container 33, will be described with reference to FIG. 8 and subsequent figures. When the control unit 80 determines that maintenance of the line head 40 is to be performed (Yes in step S101), the process proceeds to step S103, where the control unit 80 calculates the total amount of waste liquid in the waste liquid storage container 33. The maintenance of the line head 40 includes a flushing operation in which ink is discharged onto the cap portion 39, and a suction operation in which ink is sucked from the nozzles 44 of the line head 40 by operating the pump unit 32 with the head surface 42 of the line head 40 covered by the cap portion 39. The amount of waste liquid generated in each maintenance operation is stored as known information in a non-volatile memory (not shown) provided in the control unit 80.

[0066] Even if the control unit 80 does not perform maintenance of the line head 40 (No in step S101), if a predetermined time has elapsed since the previous calculation of the total amount of waste liquid (Yes in step S102), the control unit 80 proceeds to step S103 and calculates the total amount of waste liquid. The predetermined time in step S102 is stored as known information in a non-volatile memory (not shown) provided in the control unit 80. The calculation of the total amount of waste liquid in step S103 may be performed at other times, such as when the power is turned on, when the power is turned off, when printing starts, or when printing ends. During the power-off period, the total amount of waste liquid need not be calculated, or the total amount of waste liquid may be calculated at predetermined time intervals by energizing the control unit 80 and a temperature and humidity detection unit 81 (see FIG. 2) described later.

[0067] Next, the control unit 80 updates the information stored in a non-volatile memory (not shown) included in the control unit 80 (step S104). The information here is the calculation result of the total amount of waste liquid, and the temperature and humidity (described later) acquired during the calculation. If the calculation result of the total amount of waste liquid exceeds the allowable amount (Yes in step S105), an alert to that effect is issued.

[0068] The calculation of the total amount of waste liquid in step S103 will now be described. 9, the total amount of waste liquid Wt0 is the total amount of waste liquid at the time of the previous calculation. Note that the unit of the amount of waste liquid described in this specification may be expressed by weight such as grams, or may be expressed by volume such as milliliters. The total amount of waste liquid Wt0 is composed of the amount of volatile components A0 and the amount of non-volatile components B0. That is, the total amount of waste liquid Wt0 is the sum of the amount of volatile components A0 and the amount of non-volatile components B0.

[0069] In Figure 9, the total amount of waste liquid Wt1 is the change in the total amount of waste liquid Wt0 over time. Because the volatile components evaporate over time, the amount of volatile components A0 from the previous calculation becomes the amount of volatile components A1, which is smaller than the amount of volatile components A0. Note that the amount of non-volatile components B0 does not change. 9, the symbol Wt2 is the amount of waste liquid generated by the maintenance, and the amount of waste liquid Wt2 is composed of the amount of volatile components a1 and the amount of non-volatile components b1. That is, the amount of waste liquid Wt2 is the sum of the amount of volatile components a1 and the amount of non-volatile components b1.

[0070] From the above, the total amount of waste liquid Wt0 to be updated by this calculation can be calculated using the following formula. Wt0 = Wt1 + Wt2 = (A1 + a1) + (B0 + b1) Furthermore, A1+a1 becomes the new amount of volatile components A0, and B0+b1 becomes the new amount of non-volatile components B0. When calculating the total amount of waste liquid at any time other than maintenance, the current amount of waste liquid Wt2 will be zero. The newly calculated total amount of waste liquid Wt0, amount of volatile components A0, and amount of non-volatile components B0 are stored in a non-volatile memory (not shown) of the control unit 80 together with the calculation date and time, and the temperature and humidity at the time of the calculation (step S104 in FIG. 8).

[0071] Next, in this embodiment, the amount A1 of volatile components is obtained by the following formula. A1 = A0 - (k × t × A0) Here, the value k is the evaporation coefficient, and the value t is the time elapsed since the previous calculation. The evaporation coefficient k is the amount of volatile components that evaporate per unit time for a unit amount of waste ink. The evaporation coefficient k is a value that varies depending on temperature and humidity, and is stored in a non-volatile memory (not shown) provided in the control unit 80.

[0072] The evaporation coefficient k will be described below. The printer 1 is equipped with a temperature and humidity detection unit 81 (see FIG. 2), and the control unit 80 can acquire temperature and humidity information from the temperature and humidity detection unit 81. Although the temperature and humidity detection unit 81 is provided inside the device, it may be provided outside the device, or it may be provided both inside and outside the device and the values ​​may be averaged, for example.

[0073] Next, FIG. 10 shows regions divided according to temperature and humidity, with the vertical axis H representing humidity (%) and the horizontal axis T representing temperature (° C.). 10, the humidity is divided into those below humidity H1 and those below humidity H2, and the temperature is divided into those below temperature T1 and those below temperature T2. As an example, the humidity H1 can be set to 35%, the humidity H2 can be set to 45%, the temperature T1 can be set to 18°, and the temperature T2 can be set to 25°C. As described above, according to the temperature and humidity, area RA, area RB, area RC, area RD, area RE, area RF, area RG, area RH, and area RJ are partitioned as area R.

[0074] The evaporation coefficient k is set for each of the above-mentioned regions, and is stored as information in a non-volatile memory (not shown) provided in the control unit 80. The evaporation coefficient k is set to be larger in an environment in which the volatile components are more likely to volatilize. Specifically, the higher the temperature and humidity, the larger the evaporation coefficient k is set, and therefore the evaporation coefficient k is set to be highest in region RJ. Conversely, the evaporation coefficient k is set to be smaller in an environment in which the volatile components are less likely to volatilize. Specifically, the lower the temperature and higher the humidity, the smaller the evaporation coefficient k is set, and therefore the evaporation coefficient k is set to be lowest in region RA. The control unit 80 selects an evaporation coefficient k based on the acquired temperature and humidity, and calculates the amount A1 of the volatile components based on the selected evaporation coefficient k.

[0075] As described above, the control unit 80, which manages the total amount of waste liquid in the waste liquid storage container 33, calculates the total amount of waste liquid based on the temperature and humidity, and if the calculated total amount of waste liquid exceeds an allowable value, an alert is issued. Therefore, by more accurately grasping the total amount of waste liquid, unnecessary replacement of the waste liquid storage container 33 can be prevented. The evaporation coefficient k may be selected based on the currently acquired temperature and humidity, or based on the previously acquired temperature and humidity. Alternatively, the evaporation coefficient k may be selected based on the average of the currently acquired temperature and humidity and the previously acquired temperature and humidity. Alternatively, the evaporation coefficient k may be selected based on the temperature and humidity obtained by comparing the currently acquired temperature and humidity with the previously acquired temperature and humidity, and the evaporation coefficient k may be selected based on the temperature and humidity at which the volatile components are less likely to evaporate. The evaporation coefficient k may be selected based on the environment at which the volatile components are less likely to evaporate. By selecting the above, it is possible to prevent the waste ink in the waste liquid storage container 33 from unintentionally overflowing.

[0076] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments and modifications described above, but various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention described in the claims, and it goes without saying that these modifications are also included in the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 1...inkjet printer, 1a...device main body, 2...media storage cassette, 3...pick roller, 5...feed roller, 6...separation roller, 8...reversal roller, 9...first nip roller, 10...second nip roller, 11...third nip roller, 12...media support section, 13...feed roller, 14...separation roller, 15...first conveyor roller pair, 16...first drive roller, 17...first driven roller, 19...second conveyor roller pair, 20...second drive roller, 21...second driven roller , 22...flap, 22a...oscillating shaft, 27...third conveying roller pair, 27a...third driving roller, 27b...third driven roller, 28...fifth conveying roller pair, 28a...fifth driving roller, 28b...fifth driven roller, 29...discharge tray, 30...casing, 30a...front, 30b...right side, 30c...left side, 30d...top, 30e...rear, 30f...recess, 30g...discharge port, 32...pump unit, 33...waste liquid storage container, 33a...waste liquid inlet, 33b...right side, 33c...left side, 33d...underside, 33e...front, 33f...rear, 33g...exhaust port, 33h...hollow portion, 33j...bottom, 34...container body, 34a...lid portion, 35...ink absorbing material, 36...wiper unit, 37...wiper, 38...cap unit, 39...cap portion, 40...line head, 42...head surface, 44...nozzle, 46...shutter, 47...ink storage portion, 51...first path forming portion, 51a...guide hole, 51b...upstream end, 51c...downstream end, 52...second path forming portion, 53...third path forming section, 54...fourth path forming section, 55...fifth path forming section, 65...fourth transport roller pair, 66...fourth drive roller, 67...fourth driven roller, 70...ink supply tube, 71...first waste liquid supply tube, 72...second waste liquid supply tube, 75...fan, 76...guide, 76a...first guide section, 76b...second guide section, 76c...third guide section, 80...control section, 81...temperature and humidity detection section, 84...pump motor, 90...substrate, 90a...opening, 91...power supply unit, 95...fan, R1a: first feeding path, R1b: second feeding path, R2: reversing path, R3: recording transport path, R4: guide path, R5: ejection path

Claims

1. a liquid ejection head that ejects liquid onto a medium for recording; a waste liquid storage container for storing waste liquid generated during maintenance of the liquid ejection head, the waste liquid storage container having an exhaust port at an upper portion thereof for discharging evaporated volatile components; A heat generating unit that generates heat by consuming power; Equipped with the waste liquid storage container is disposed at a position where the exhaust port is exposed on an upper surface of the apparatus body; The heat generating unit is disposed below the waste liquid storage container and at a position where heat generated by the heat generating unit is transferred to the waste liquid storage container by convection. A recording device comprising:

2. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, The heating unit includes a plurality of heating portions, the plurality of heat generating portions include a substrate having electronic components; the substrate is disposed on one side of the device body in the device width direction so as to extend along a side surface of the device body; A recording device comprising:

3. 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, The plurality of heat generating parts include a power supply unit, the power supply unit is provided on one side of the device body in a width direction of the device, on which the circuit board is disposed; A recording device comprising:

4. 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, An upper portion of the substrate faces a side surface of the waste liquid storage container. A recording device comprising:

5. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, a liquid storage section that stores liquid to be ejected from the liquid ejection head; the heat generating portion is provided on one side of the device body in a device width direction, The liquid storage portion is provided on the other side portion. A recording device comprising:

6. 6. The recording apparatus according to claim 5, the waste liquid storage container has a waste liquid inlet for receiving the waste liquid; A waste liquid absorbing material that absorbs the waste liquid is provided inside the waste liquid storage container, Between the waste liquid inlet and the waste liquid absorbent, an internal flow path is provided to guide the waste liquid to the waste liquid absorbent, The waste liquid inlet is provided on one side of the waste liquid storage container in the width direction of the device, the other side being farther from the heat generating portion. A recording device comprising:

7. 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, a cap portion that is switchable between a state in which the cap portion covers the liquid ejection surface of the liquid ejection head and a state in which the cap portion is spaced apart from the liquid ejection surface; a pump for directing waste liquid from the cap portion to the waste liquid storage container; A pump motor that drives the pump; Equipped with the plurality of heat generating units include the pump motor, The pump motor is disposed below the waste liquid storage container. A recording device comprising:

8. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, A fan is provided to guide gas from the heat generating portion to the waste liquid storage container. A recording device comprising:

9. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, A guide is provided for guiding gas from the heat generating portion to the waste liquid storage container. A recording device comprising:

10. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, A temperature and humidity detection unit is provided for detecting temperature and humidity, a control unit that manages a total amount of waste liquid in the waste liquid storage container, the control unit determining the total amount of waste liquid based on the temperature and humidity; If the calculated total amount of waste liquid exceeds the allowable value, an alert will be issued. A recording device comprising:

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