Printing apparatus and absorber

Abstract

To provide a printing apparatus enabling reduction of the possibility of contaminating a printing object medium caused by dropping of liquid, and an absorber arranged in the printing apparatus.SOLUTION: A printing apparatus comprises a platen, a head, a support plate 34 and an absorber 72. A printing object medium is placed on the platen. The head has nozzle surfaces 57A, 57B, 58A, 58B. The head ejects ink downward from the nozzle surfaces 57A, 57B, 58A, 58B. The support plate 34 supports the head from below. The absorber 72 is arranged on the lower side of the support plate 34, and is exposed to the platen. The absorber 72 has water absorptivity. The absorber 72 absorbs a mist formed of a part of the ink ejected, for example, from the head.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a printing device and an absorbent body provided in the printing device. [Background technology]

[0002] The printer described in Patent Document 1 includes a discharge head, a carriage, and a platen. The carriage carries the discharge head and moves back and forth over paper supported by the platen. Printing is performed by the discharge head discharging ink during this reciprocating movement. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-205415 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the printer, some of the ink ejected from the ejection head turns into mist and may adhere to the carriage. Furthermore, the mist that adheres to the carriage may grow into droplets and fall onto the paper serving as the print medium supported by the platen, potentially soiling the print medium.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a printing device that can reduce the possibility of liquid dripping and soiling a print medium, and an absorbent body provided in the printing device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A printing device according to a first aspect of the present invention is characterized by comprising a platen on which a printing medium is placed, a head having a nozzle surface and ejecting ink from the nozzle surface in an ejection direction, a support plate that supports the head, and an absorber that is provided on the ejection direction side of the support plate, is exposed to the platen, and absorbs liquid.

[0007] According to the first aspect, the absorber provided on the support plate and exposed to the platen reduces the possibility of liquid dripping onto the print medium placed on the platen, thereby reducing the possibility of the print medium becoming soiled.

[0008] In the first aspect, the nozzle surface may be located closer to the ejection direction than the support plate, and the absorber may be located between the support plate and the nozzle surface in the ejection direction.

[0009] In this case, the printing device can reduce the possibility that ink ejected from the nozzle surface will be absorbed by the absorber before it adheres to the print medium.

[0010] In the first aspect, the absorber may be located between the support plate and the nozzle surface in the ejection direction in a state where the absorber has absorbed the liquid.

[0011] In this case, even when the absorber has absorbed the liquid, the printing device can reduce the possibility that ink ejected from the nozzle surface will be absorbed by the absorber before it adheres to the print medium.

[0012] The printing device of the first aspect may further include a wiper that wipes the nozzle surface, and the absorber may be located on the opposite side of the wiper in the ejection direction.

[0013] In this case, the printing device can reduce the possibility that the wiper will transfer the liquid absorbed in the absorber to the nozzle surface.

[0014] In the first aspect, the absorber may be provided on at least one of the upstream side and the downstream side of a wiping direction in which the nozzle surface is wiped by the wiper, the wiping direction being a direction intersecting the ejection direction.

[0015] In this case, the printing device can absorb the liquid splashed from the wiper with the absorbent body.

[0016] In the first aspect, the platen may move relative to the nozzle surface in a sub-scanning direction, and the absorber may be provided on the sub-scanning direction side of the nozzle surface.

[0017] In this case, the printing device can absorb the liquid by the absorber when the platen moves relatively in the sub-scanning direction.

[0018] In the first aspect, the absorber may be provided so as to be replaceable with respect to the support plate.

[0019] In this case, the possibility that the liquid absorbed in the absorber will drop onto the print medium can be reduced by replacing the absorber.

[0020] The printing device of the first aspect may include a holding member that holds the absorber, one of the holding member and the support plate having a magnet, and the other of the holding member and the support plate having an adhesive portion that is attracted to the magnet.

[0021] In this case, the user of the printing device can easily replace the absorber.

[0022] In the first aspect, the support plate may include a positioning portion that positions the absorber relative to the support plate in the main scanning direction or the sub-scanning direction.

[0023] If the absorber is not positioned relative to the support plate, the positional relationship between the attached absorber and the support plate may change, causing an imbalance in the attachment relationship between the absorber and the support plate. In this case, the attachment of the absorber to the support plate becomes unstable. In the printing device, the absorber is positioned by the positioning unit, so that an imbalance in the attachment relationship between the absorber and the support plate does not occur, and the absorber is stably attached to the support plate.

[0024] The printing device of the first aspect may include a guide section that guides the absorber to an attachment position where it is attached to the support plate, and a regulating section that prevents the absorber from being attached to the support plate at a position other than the attachment position.

[0025] In this case, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the absorber guided by the guide portion will be attached to the support plate at a position different from the intended attachment position.

[0026] The printing device of the first aspect may be provided with an escape member that allows the liquid to escape from at least one of the absorber and the retaining member in an area inside the printing device other than a printing area, where the head ejects ink onto the printing medium placed on the platen.

[0027] In this case, by using the escape member to allow liquid adhering to at least one of the absorber and the holding member to escape, the printing device can reduce the possibility of liquid soiling the print medium.

[0028] The printing device of the first aspect may include a holding member that holds the absorber, and an escape member that allows the liquid to escape from at least one of the absorber and the holding member in an area inside the printing device other than a printing area where the head ejects ink onto the printing medium placed on the platen.

[0029] In this case, by using the escape member to allow liquid adhering to at least one of the absorber and the holding member to escape, the printing device can reduce the possibility of liquid soiling the print medium.

[0030] The printing device of the first aspect may include a cap that fits tightly against the nozzle face, and the relief member may be disposed in a gap between the absorber and the nozzle face when the cap is in tight contact with the nozzle face.

[0031] In this case, while the cap is in close contact with the nozzle surface, the escape member disposed between the absorber and the nozzle surface allows liquid adhering to at least one of the absorber and the holding member to escape through the escape member.

[0032] An absorber according to a second aspect of the present invention is an absorber provided in a printing device that includes a platen on which a print medium is placed, a head having a nozzle surface and ejecting ink from the nozzle surface in an ejection direction, and a support plate that supports the head, wherein the absorber is provided on the ejection direction side of the support plate, is exposed to the platen, and absorbs liquid.

[0033] The second aspect can achieve the same effects as the first aspect.

[0034] The absorbent body of the second aspect may be replaceable with respect to the support plate and may include a holding member for holding the absorbent body.

[0035] In this case, since the absorbent body is held by the holding member, it becomes possible to replace absorbent bodies made of various materials, such as flexible materials, in the printing device.

[0036] In the second aspect, an intermediate member different from the holding member may be provided at a part of an end of the holding member.

[0037] In this case, the intermediate member can reduce the possibility of contact between the end of the holding member and the nozzle surface when replacing the absorber.

[0038] The intermediate member may be a part of the absorbent body.

[0039] In this case, the intermediate member can be formed from the absorber, so there is no need to provide a separate member as the intermediate member. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0040] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a printing device 1. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the printing device 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the internal structure of the printing device 1. [Figure 4]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the carriage 30 without the absorbent device 7 attached. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the carriage 30 with the absorbent device 7 attached. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the absorbent device 7. [Figure 7] 10 is a perspective view of the periphery of the carriage 30 located at the second reference position. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the absorbent device 7 in a state where it is positioned at a different position from the attached position. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the absorbent device 7 in a state where it is located at an attachment position. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which second caps 41B and 42B cover nozzle surfaces 57B and 58B. [Figure 11] 10 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the carriage 30 at the first reference position and the wiping mechanism 6. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which a first wiper 60A wipes a nozzle surface 58A. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which a second wiper 60B wipes a nozzle surface 58B. [Figure 14] 10 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the carriage 30 and the wiping mechanism 6 after the wiping operation is completed. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0041] A printing device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will now be described. The top, bottom, bottom left, top right, bottom right, and top left in Fig. 1 respectively correspond to the top, bottom, front, rear, right, and left of the printing device 1. Note that in this embodiment, mechanical elements depicted in the drawings are shown to actual scale.

[0042] <Outline of Printing Device 1> The printing device 1 is an inkjet printer that prints by ejecting a liquid onto a printing medium such as a fabric such as a T-shirt or paper. The printing device 1 prints a color image onto the printing medium by ejecting, for example, five different types of ink (white, black, yellow, cyan, and magenta) downward as liquid.

[0043] In the following, the white ink of the five color inks will be referred to as "white ink." When referring to the four color inks of the five color inks, black, cyan, yellow, and magenta, collectively or when not specifying any of them, they will be referred to as "color ink." When referring to white ink and color inks collectively or when not specifying any of them, they will simply be referred to as "ink." White ink is used in printing to represent the white part of an image or as a base for color inks. Color inks are ejected directly onto the print medium or on top of a base of white ink and are used to print color images.

[0044] 1, the printing device 1 includes a housing 11, a platen 12, a platen drive mechanism 14, and a mounting unit 16. The housing 11 is box-shaped and has an opening on the front. Hereinafter, the area inside the housing 11 will be referred to as the area inside the printing device 1, and the area outside the housing 11 will be referred to as the area outside the printing device 1.

[0045] The platen drive mechanism 14 incorporates a sub-scanning drive unit (not shown) that moves the platen 12 by driving a platen motor (not shown). The platen 12 is a rectangular plate in a plan view. A print medium is placed on the upper surface of the platen 12. A mounting unit 16 is provided on the right side of the housing 11. A cartridge 16A is connected to the mounting unit 16. The liquid contained in the cartridge 16A is supplied to heads 31 and 32, which will be described later.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 2, the frame body 20, guide shafts 21A and 21B, carriage 30, capping mechanism 40, and cleaning assembly 5 are provided inside the housing 11 (see FIG. 1). The frame body 20 is a lattice-shaped structure. The frame body 20 supports the guide shafts 21A and 21B at their upper ends. The frame body 20 supports the platen drive mechanism 14 at the center in the left-right direction and below the guide shafts 21A and 21B in the up-down direction.

[0047] The guide shafts 21A and 21B extend in the left-right direction. The guide shafts 21A and 21B are arranged parallel to each other with a gap in the front-rear direction. The guide shafts 21A and 21B support the carriage 30 so that it can move in the left-right direction (hereinafter also referred to as the main scanning direction). Figures 2 and 3 show the carriage 30 moved to the right end. The carriage 30 includes heads 31 and 32 (see Figure 3; hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between them, they will be collectively referred to as heads 3) that eject ink. In this embodiment, the heads 3 have piezoelectric elements. However, the heads 3 may have heaters instead of piezoelectric elements as a mechanism for ejecting ink. A drive belt 210, which is provided along the guide shaft 21A, moves in the main scanning direction by being driven by a main scanning motor (not shown). The carriage 30 is connected to the drive belt 210 and moves in the main scanning direction by the drive belt 210. The area sandwiched between the guide shafts 21A and 21B in the front-rear direction corresponds to the movement path of the carriage 30.

[0048] The platen drive mechanism 14 has guide rails 14A and 14B on its upper surface. The guide rails 14A and 14B extend in the front-rear direction. The guide rails 14A and 14B are arranged parallel to each other with a gap in the left-right direction. The guide rails 14A and 14B support the platen 12 so that it can move in the front-rear direction (hereinafter also referred to as the sub-scanning direction). The area located between the guide rails 14A and 14B in the left-right direction corresponds to the movement path of the platen 12. The platen 12 moves in the front-rear direction relative to the carriage 30 by being driven by a platen motor.

[0049] 3, the movement path of the platen 12, which moves along the guide rails 14A and 14B, crosses in the front-to-rear direction below the center, in the main scanning direction, of the movement path of the carriage 30, which moves along the guide shafts 21A and 21B. Hereinafter, the area where the movement path of the platen 12 intersects with the movement path of the carriage 30 in the up-down direction is referred to as the printing area 20R. The printing area 20R is located in the center of the area inside the printing device 1 in the left-to-right direction.

[0050] The frame body 20 includes frames 22A and 22B. The frames 22A and 22B extend in the front-to-rear direction. The frames 22A and 22B are disposed below the guide shafts 21A and 21B. The frame 22A is disposed on the right side of the printing area 20R. The frame 22B is disposed on the left side of the printing area 20R. A capping mechanism 40 and a cleaning assembly 5 are provided to the left of the frame 22B and below the movement path of the carriage 30. The capping mechanism 40 is disposed on the left side of the cleaning assembly 5.

[0051] The printing device 1 moves the carriage 30 back and forth in the main scanning direction while transporting the print medium in the sub-scanning direction using the platen 12. At this time, ink is ejected from the head 3 onto the print medium placed on the platen 12 in the printing area 20R, thereby printing on the print medium.

[0052] <Carriage 30> 3, the carriage 30 has heads 31, 32, and a support plate 34. The heads 31, 32 are each supported by the support plate 34. A detailed description of the support plate 34 will be given later. The head 31 has a first head 31A and a second head 31B that have a common structure. The first head 31A is disposed to the right of the second head 31B with a gap therebetween.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 4, the first head 31A has a protruding portion 55A. The second head 31B has a protruding portion 55B. The protruding portions 55A and 55B protrude downward from the support plate 34. The protruding portions 55A and 55B are each shaped like a rectangular parallelepiped. Nozzle surfaces 57A and 57B are formed on the lower surfaces of the protruding portions 55A and 55B, respectively. The nozzle surfaces 57A and 57B are positioned in the same vertical direction. Each of the nozzle surfaces 57A and 57B is provided with a plurality of nozzles (not shown). The plurality of nozzles are openings that eject ink downward.

[0054] 3, the head 32 has a first head 32A and a second head 32B. The first head 32A is located in front of the first head 31A. The second head 32B is located in front of the second head 31B. The first head 32A is disposed to the right of the second head 32B with a gap therebetween.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 4, the first head 32A has a protruding portion 56A. The second head 32B has a protruding portion 56B. The protruding portions 56A and 56B protrude downward from the support plate 34. The protruding portions 56A and 56B are each shaped like a rectangular parallelepiped. Nozzle surfaces 58A and 58B are formed on the lower surfaces of the protruding portions 56A and 56B, respectively. In the vertical direction, the positions of the nozzle surfaces 58A and 58B coincide with the positions of the nozzle surfaces 57A and 57B, respectively. Each of the nozzle surfaces 57A and 57B is provided with a plurality of nozzles (not shown). The plurality of nozzles are openings that eject ink downward. Hereinafter, as shown in FIG. 3, when there is no need to distinguish between the first heads 31A and 32A, they will be collectively referred to as the first head 3A. When there is no need to distinguish between the second heads 31B and 32B, they will be collectively referred to as the second head 3B.

[0056] <Cap mechanism 40> As shown in FIG. 3, the cap mechanism 40 has caps 41 and 42 that cover the head 3. Hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between the caps 41 and 42, they will be collectively referred to as cap 4. The cap mechanism 40 has a support part 40A that supports the cap 4. The support part 40A can be moved up and down by a cap drive part (not shown). The cap 41 has a first cap 41A and a second cap 41B. The cap 42 has a first cap 42A and a second cap 42B.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 2, the first cap 41A has a frame 411A and a covering portion 414A. The frame 411A is a rectangular tube with open top and bottom. In a plan view, the size of the inside of the frame 411A is the same as the size of the protruding portion 55A (see FIG. 4). The frame 411A has protruding portions 412A and 413A. The protruding portion 412A is the left rear end portion of the frame 411A. The protruding portion 413A is the left front end portion of the frame 411A. The upper ends of the protruding portions 412A and 413A are each located higher than the upper end of the covering portion 414A in the vertical direction. The upper ends of the frame 411A other than the protruding portions 412A and 413A are located lower than the upper end of the covering portion 414A in the vertical direction. The covering portion 414A is housed inside the frame 411A. The covering portion 414A is open at the top and bottom. In a plan view, the size of the inside of the covering portion 414A is the same as the size of the nozzle surface 57A (see FIG. 4). The second cap 41B, the first cap 42A, and the second cap 42B have the same structure as the first cap 41A.

[0058] When the carriage 30 has moved to the left end of the movement path, the first cap 41A is positioned below the first head 31A. The second cap 41B is positioned below the second head 31B. The first cap 42A is positioned below the first head 32A. The second cap 42B is positioned below the second head 32B. Hereinafter, the position of the carriage 30 when it has moved to the left end of the movement path will be referred to as the first reference position.

[0059] <Cleaning assembly 5> As shown in Figure 3, the cleaning assembly 5 is located between the capping mechanism 40 and the frame 22B in the main scanning direction. The cleaning assembly 5 has a cleaning liquid tank 51 and a wiping mechanism 6. The cleaning liquid tank 51 contains cleaning liquid. The cleaning liquid tank 51 is box-shaped. Openings 52A and 52B are provided at the top of the cleaning liquid tank 51.

[0060] <Wiping mechanism 6> As shown in FIG. 2, the wiping mechanism 6 has two first wipers 60A and two second wipers 60B. Each of the two first wipers 60A and two second wipers 60B is housed inside the cleaning liquid tank 51 (see FIG. 11). Each of the two first wipers 60A and two second wipers 60B is rotatable around an axis extending in the left-right direction inside the cleaning liquid tank 51. The two first wipers 60A are arranged with a gap between them in the front-rear direction. Of the two first wipers 60A, the front first wiper 60A wipes the nozzle surface 58A shown in FIG. 4. The rear first wiper 60A wipes the nozzle surface 57A shown in FIG. 4.

[0061] The two second wipers 60B are arranged at a distance from each other in the front-to-rear direction. Of the two second wiping mechanisms 6B, the front second wiper 60B is provided to the front and left of the front first wiper 60A. The front second wiping mechanism 6B wipes the nozzle surface 58B shown in FIG. 4. The rear second wiper 60B is provided to the front and left of the rear first wiper 60A. The rear first wiping mechanism 6A wipes the nozzle surface 57B shown in FIG. 4.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 2, the first wiper 60A has a first foam wiper 62A and a first rubber wiper 63A. The first foam wiper 62A has a plate shape that is long in the front-rear direction and perpendicular to the left-right direction. The first foam wiper 62A is a wiper made of a porous material such as foamed resin, and has water-absorbing properties. The first rubber wiper 63A is disposed to the right of the first foam wiper 62A. The first rubber wiper 63A is made of rubber.

[0063] 2, the second wiper 60B has a second foam wiper 62B and a second rubber wiper 63B. The second foam wiper 62B is made of the same material and has the same shape as the first foam wiper 62A. The second rubber wiper 63B is made of the same material and has the same shape as the first rubber wiper 63A.

[0064] Each of the first wiper 60A and the second wiper 60B moves between a contact position and a non-contact position by rotating. As shown in FIG. 2, the contact position of the first wiper 60A is a position where the first foam wiper 62A and the first rubber wiper 63A protrude upward from the opening 52A. The contact position of the second wiper 60B is a position where the second foam wiper 62B and the second rubber wiper 63B protrude upward from the opening 52B. The non-contact position of the first wiper 60A is a position where the first foam wiper 62A and the first rubber wiper 63A are rotated 180° from the contact position around an axis inside the cleaning liquid tank 51 (see FIG. 11). The non-contact position of the second wiper 60B is a position where the second foam wiper 62B and the second rubber wiper 63B are rotated 180° from the contact position around an axis inside the cleaning liquid tank 51 (see FIG. 11). When the first wiper 60A is in the non-contact position, the first foam wiper 62A and the first rubber wiper 63A do not protrude upward from the opening 52A. When the second wiper 60B is in the non-contact position, the second foam wiper 62B and the second rubber wiper 63B do not protrude upward from the opening 52B.

[0065] <Support plate 34> 2 to 4, the support plate 34 supports the head 3 from below. The front end of the support plate 34 is supported by a guide shaft 21A so as to be movable in the main scanning direction. The rear end of the support plate 34 is supported by a guide shaft 21B so as to be movable in the main scanning direction.

[0066] The support plate 34 is made of a non-magnetic metal such as aluminum. As shown in Fig. 4, the support plate 34 includes plate portions 35A, 35B, 35C and plate portions 36A, 36B. The plate portions 35A, 35B, 35C are flat plates extending in the front-rear direction. The plate portions 35A, 35B, 35C are arranged parallel to one another in order from right to left with a gap between them.

[0067] The plate portions 36A and 36B are flat plates extending in the left-right direction. The plate portions 36A and 36B are arranged in parallel order from rear to rear with a gap in the front-rear direction. The front end of the plate portion 36A is connected to the rear end portions of the plate portions 35A, 35B, and 35C. The rear end of the plate portion 36B is connected to the front end portions of the plate portions 35A, 35B, and 35C.

[0068] The support plate 34 has holes 37A and 37B that penetrate in the up-down direction. The hole 37A is a space surrounded by the left end of plate portion 35A, the right end of plate portion 35B, the front end of plate portion 36A, and the rear end of plate portion 36B. The hole 37B is a space surrounded by the left end of plate portion 35B, the right end of plate portion 35C, the front end of plate portion 36A, and the rear end of plate portion 36B. The protrusions 55A and 56A pass through the hole 37A. The nozzle surfaces 57A and 58A are positioned below the support plate 34 in the up-down direction. The protrusions 55B and 56B pass through the hole 37B. The nozzle surfaces 57B and 58B are positioned below the support plate 34 in the up-down direction.

[0069] The support plate 34 includes magnets 38A to 38F and positioning portions 34A and 34B. Magnet 38A is provided below plate portion 36A and rearward relative to plate portion 35A. Magnet 38B is provided below plate portion 36B and forward relative to plate portion 35A. Magnets 38A and 38B are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-rear direction. Magnets 38C and 38D are arranged below plate portion 35B and in the front-to-rear direction at the center of plate portion 35B. Magnet 38D is located forward of magnet 38C. Magnet 38E is located below plate portion 36A and rearward relative to plate portion 35C. Magnet 38F is located below plate portion 36B and forward relative to plate portion 35C. Magnets 38E and 38F are located at a distance from each other in the front-to-rear direction.

[0070] The positioning portion 34A extends downward from the plate portion 35A. While the number of positioning portions 34A is not limited, in this embodiment there are two positioning portions 34A, which are spaced apart in the front-rear direction. In the left-right direction, the two positioning portions 34A are located to the right of the magnets 38A and 38B.

[0071] The positioning portion 34B extends downward from the plate portion 35C. The number of positioning portions 34B is not limited, but in this embodiment, there are two positioning portions 34B, which are arranged with a gap between them in the front-rear direction. In the left-right direction, the two positioning portions 34B are positioned to the left of the magnets 38E and 38F. In this embodiment, both of the two positioning portions 34B are arranged at the left end of the plate portion 35C. The gap in the left-right direction between the positioning portion 34A and the positioning portion 34B is equal to the left-right size of the absorbent device 7, which will be described later.

[0072] <Absorption Device 7> As shown in FIG. 5, the absorber 7 is provided below the support plate 34. The absorber 7 is exposed relative to the platen 12 (see FIG. 1). Here, "exposed" refers to a state in which no print medium is placed on the platen and there is nothing blocking the vertical line between the platen and the absorber 7. The absorber 7 includes a holding member 71 and an absorber 72. The holding member 71 holds the absorber 72. The holding member 71 is a flat plate extending in the front-rear and left-right directions. The holding member 71 is made of a magnetic metal such as ferritic stainless steel. The absorber 7 is attached to the support plate 34 by the holding member 71 being attracted to the magnets 38A-38F. Conversely, the absorber 7 is detached from the support plate 34 by detaching the holding member 71 from the magnets 38A-38F. In other words, the absorber 7 is provided to be replaceable with respect to the support plate 34.

[0073] 6(A), the holding member 71 has cutout portions 711A, 711B, 712A, and 712B, and holes 713A, 713B, 714A, and 714B. The cutout portion 711A is formed by cutting out the left rear end of the holding member 71. The cutout portion 711B is formed by cutting out the left front end of the holding member 71. The cutout portion 712A is formed by cutting out the rear end of the holding member 71 forward. The cutout portion 712B is formed by cutting out the front end of the holding member 71 rearward.

[0074] Holes 713A, 713B, 714A, and 714B each penetrate the holding member 71 in the up-down direction. Holes 713A and 714A are arranged at a distance from each other in the front-rear direction. Holes 713B and 714B are arranged at a distance from each other in the front-rear direction. Holes 713B and 714B are arranged on the left front side of holes 713A and 714A, respectively. As shown in FIG. 5, when the absorbent device 7 is attached to the support plate 34, protrusion 55A is inserted into hole 713A. Protrusion 55B is inserted into hole 713B. Protrusion 56A is inserted into hole 714A. Protrusion 56B is inserted into hole 714B.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 6B, the absorber 72 is provided below the holding member 71. The absorber 72 is a porous material such as foamed resin and has water-absorbing properties. The absorber 72 absorbs, for example, mist formed by a portion of the ink ejected from the head 3 and droplets of cleaning liquid contained in the cleaning liquid tank 51 that are splashed up by the wiping mechanism 6. Compared to the absorber 72 before absorbing the liquid, the absorber 72 after absorbing the liquid is not deformed by its own weight and does not excessively increase in volume. In this embodiment, the absorber 72 is made of a porous material such as melamine resin. The absorber 72 is attached to the entire lower surface of the holding member 71 via an adhesive (not shown). The adhesive is, for example, double-sided tape.

[0076] The absorber 72 is partially folded back at the left end 71A of the holding member 71. The folded back absorber 72A is attached to the upper side of the holding member 71 via an adhesive material. Because it is covered with the absorber 72A, the left end 71A of the holding member 71 does not come into contact with the support plate 34 or the nozzle surface 57A.

[0077] The absorber 72 has holes 723A, 723B, 724A, and 724B. The holes 723A, 723B, 724A, and 724B each penetrate the absorber 72 in the up-and-down direction. When the absorber 72 is attached to the holding member 71, the positions of the holes 723A, 723B, 724A, and 724B in the absorber 72 correspond to the holes 713A, 713B, 714A, and 714B in the holding member 71, respectively. That is, when the absorbent device 7 is attached to the support plate 34, the protruding portion 55A is inserted into the hole 723A. The protruding portion 55B is inserted into the hole 723B. The protruding portion 56A is inserted into the hole 724A. The protruding portion 56B is inserted into the hole 724B. Hereinafter, holes 713A and 723A will be collectively referred to as holes 73A, holes 713B and 723B will be collectively referred to as holes 73B, holes 714A and 724A will be collectively referred to as holes 74A, and holes 714B and 724B will be collectively referred to as holes 74B. With the absorbing device 7 attached to the support plate 34, absorbers 72 are disposed on the front, rear, right and left sides of the nozzle surfaces 57A, 57B, 58A and 58B.

[0078] <Auxiliary members 23A and 23B> As shown in Figures 7 to 9, the auxiliary members 23A and 23B guide the absorbent device 7 when the absorbent device 7 is attached to the support plate 34. The auxiliary members 23A and 23B are each provided on the frame 22A. The auxiliary members 23A and 23B are arranged at an interval from each other in the front-to-rear direction. The auxiliary member 23A is provided behind the auxiliary member 23B. The structure of the auxiliary member 23B is symmetrical to that of the auxiliary member 23A in the front-to-rear direction. In the following, only the structure of the auxiliary member 23A will be described, and a description of the structure of the auxiliary member 23B will be omitted.

[0079] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the auxiliary member 23A has plate portions 231A (see FIG. 8(B)), 232A, 233A, 234A, 235A, 236A, and 237A. As shown in FIG. 8(B), the plate portion 231A is fixed to the upper side of the frame 22A. The plate portion 232A extends upward and to the right from the right end of the plate portion 231A. As shown in FIG. 7, the plate portion 233A extends downward and to the right from the right end of the plate portion 232A. The right end of the plate portion 233A is located to the right of the right end of the frame 22A in the left-right direction. The plate portion 234A extends downward and to the right from the right end of the plate portion 233A. The right end of the plate portion 234A is located lower than the right end of the plate portion 233A in the up-down direction.

[0080] Plate portion 235A extends upward from the rear end of plate portion 233A. Plate portion 236A extends forward from the upper end of plate portion 235A. The distance between plate portions 233A and 236A in the up-down direction is constant. The front end of plate portion 236A is located rearward of the front end of plate portion 233A in the front-rear direction. The length of plate portion 236A in the front-rear direction is shorter than the length of notches 712A, 712B (see FIG. 6) of holding member 71 in the front-rear direction. Plate portion 237A extends upward from the front end of plate portion 236A.

[0081] 8(B), the upper end of the plate portion 237A is located above the upper end of the nozzle surface 58B in the vertical direction, and the right end of the plate portion 237A is located to the right of the right end of the nozzle surface 58B in the horizontal direction.

[0082] Plate portions 233B, 235B, and 236B of auxiliary member 23B correspond to plate portions 233A, 235A, and 236A of auxiliary member 23A, respectively.

[0083] <Attaching the absorption device 7> The absorbing device 7 is attached to the support plate 34 using the auxiliary members 23A and 23B when the absorbing device 7 is located at the second reference position. The second reference position is a position to the right of the printing area 20R in the movement path of the carriage 30. The position of the absorbing device 7 attached to the support plate 34 when the carriage 30 is located at the second reference position is referred to as the attachment position.

[0084] As shown in Fig. 8, with the absorber 72 positioned below the holding member 71, the user moves the absorbent device 7 to the left toward the auxiliary members 23A and 23B. The user inserts the left end of the absorbent device 7 from the right into the auxiliary members 23A and 23B. The left rear end of the absorbent device 7 is inserted into the space surrounded by the plate portions 233A, 235A, and 236A, and the left front end of the absorbent device 7 is inserted into the space surrounded by the plate portions 233B, 235B, and 236B of the auxiliary member 23B.

[0085] 8(B), the position of the absorbent device 7 where the notches 711A and 711B come into contact with the positioning portion 34B is the attachment position. If the absorbent device 7 is located at a position different from the attachment position, when the user moves the absorbent device 7 upward toward the support plate 34, the absorbent device 7 comes into contact with the plate portions 236A and 236B. In this case, the user cannot attach the absorbent device 7 to the support plate 34.

[0086] 9, when the absorbent device 7 is in the attachment position, the cutouts 712A and 712B are located below the plate portions 236A and 236B. Therefore, even when the user moves the absorbent device 7 upward toward the support plate 34, the absorbent device 7 does not come into contact with the plate portions 236A and 236B. When the absorbent device 7 moves upward toward the support plate 34, the holding member 71 is attracted to the magnets 38A to 38F, and the absorbent device 7 is attached to the support plate 34.

[0087] <Covering the head 3 with the cap 4> The printer 1 positions the carriage 30 at the first reference position while printing on a print medium is not being performed. As shown in FIG. 10, the printer 1 moves the support portion 40A upward. As the support portion 40A moves upward, the right surfaces of the protrusions 412A and 413A of the second caps 41B and 42B come into contact with the left surfaces of the protrusions 55B and 56B. As the support portion 40A moves further upward, the protrusions 412A and 413A are inserted into the gaps 45 between the inner surfaces of the holes 73B and 74B and the side surfaces of the protrusions 55B and 56B. The covering portions 414A of the second caps 41B and 42B are guided by the protrusions 412A and 413A to vertically face the nozzle surfaces 57B and 58B, respectively.

[0088] Although not shown, when the support part 40A moves upward, the right surfaces of the protrusions 412A and 413A of the first caps 41A and 42A come into contact with the left surfaces of the protrusions 55A and 56A. When the support part 40A moves further upward, the protrusions 412A and 413A pass through the gaps between the inner surfaces of the holes 73A and 74A and the side surfaces of the protrusions 55A and 56A. The covering parts 414A of the first caps 41A and 42A are guided by the protrusions 412A and 413A and vertically face the nozzle surfaces 57A and 58A, respectively.

[0089] The first cap 41A covers the nozzle surface 57A (see FIG. 5). The first cap 42A covers the nozzle surface 58A (see FIG. 5). The second cap 41B covers the nozzle surface 57B. The second cap 42B covers the nozzle surface 58B. By covering the nozzle surfaces 57A, 57B, 58A, and 58B, the caps 4 prevent the ink from drying out while printing on the print medium is not being performed. When the first caps 41A, 42A and the second caps 41B, 42B cover the nozzle surfaces 57A, 58A, 57B, and 58B, respectively, the protrusions 412A and 413A allow liquid adhering to the retaining member 71 or the inner surface of the hole 74A to come into contact with the protrusions 412A and 413A. The liquid that comes into contact with the protrusions 412A and 413A flows downward from the retaining member 71 and the absorber 72 along the protrusions 412A and 413A due to its own weight.

[0090] <Wiping operation by wiping mechanism 6> 11 to 14, the wiping operation of the wiping mechanism 6 on the nozzle surfaces 57A, 57B, 58A, and 58B will be described. 11 to 14 only show the wiping operation on the nozzle surfaces 58A and 58B, but the nozzle surfaces 57A and 57B are also wiped in the same manner as the nozzle surfaces 58A and 58B. Below, the wiping operation of the nozzle surfaces 57A and 57B by the front first wiper 60A and the front second wiper 60B of the two first wipers 60A and two second wipers 60B will be described.

[0091] 11, the printing apparatus 1 moves the first wiper 60A and the second wiper 60B to the non-contact position. The printing apparatus 1 moves the carriage 30, which is in the first reference position, to the right toward the wiping mechanism 6 (arrow Y13).

[0092] As shown in FIG. 12A, the printing apparatus 1 moves the first wiper 60A from the non-contact position to the contact position. The second wiper 60B remains in the non-contact position. As the first wiper 60A moves upward from the non-contact position, it passes over the surface of the cleaning fluid. When the first wiper 60A is in the contact position and not in contact with the nozzle surface 58A, the vertical positions H1 of the nozzle surface 58A, H2 of the tip of the first wiper 60A, and H3 of the bottom of the absorber 72 are aligned in this order from bottom to top. Even when the absorber 72 has absorbed the fluid, the relative positions of H1, H2, and H3 do not change.

[0093] As shown in FIG. 12(B), the printing device 1 moves the carriage 30 to the right (arrow Y23). As the carriage 30 moves, the first head 3A passes above the first wiper 60A, which is in the contact position. The first wiper 60A contacts the nozzle surface 58A, first the foam wiper 62A and then the first rubber wiper 63A. The first wiper 60A wipes the nozzle surface 58A from right to left.

[0094] As shown in FIG. 13(A), after wiping the nozzle surface 58A, the printing apparatus 1 moves the first wiper 60A from the contact position to the non-contact position. When the first wiper 60A moves downward from the contact position, it passes over the surface of the cleaning liquid. The printing apparatus 1 moves the second wiper 60B from the non-contact position to the contact position. When the second wiper 60B moves upward from the non-contact position, it passes over the surface of the cleaning liquid.

[0095] As shown in FIG. 13B, the printing device 1 moves the carriage 30 to the right (arrow Y51). As the carriage 30 moves, the second head 3B passes above the second wiper 60B, which is at the second contact position. The second wiper 60B contacts the nozzle surfaces 57B and 58B, first the second foam wiper 62B and then the second rubber wiper 63B. The second wiper 60B wipes the nozzle surfaces 57B and 58B from right to left.

[0096] 14, after wiping the nozzle surfaces 57B and 58B, the printing apparatus 1 moves the second wiper 60B from the contact position to the non-contact position. As the second wiper 60B moves downward from the contact position, it passes over the surface of the cleaning liquid. The printing apparatus 1 stops the movement of the carriage 30.

[0097] <Actions and Effects of This Embodiment> In the printing device 1, an absorbing device 7 is provided below the support plate 34. The absorbing device 7 is exposed to the platen 12. The absorbing device 7 includes an absorbent 72. The absorbent 72 has water-absorbing properties. The printing device 1 can reduce the possibility of the liquid dropping onto the print medium placed on the platen 12 by using the absorbent 72 to absorb the liquid (for example, misted ink). This reduces the possibility of the print medium becoming soiled.

[0098] The nozzle surfaces 57A, 57B, 58A, and 58B are positioned vertically below the support plate 34. In the vertical direction, position H3 (H6) of the lower end of the absorber 72 is positioned above vertical position H1 of the nozzle surfaces 57A and 58A and above vertical position H4 of the nozzle surfaces 57B and 58B. Therefore, the printing device 1 can reduce the possibility that ink ejected from the nozzles of the nozzle surfaces 57A, 57B, 58A, and 58B will be absorbed by the absorber 72 before it adheres to the print medium.

[0099] The absorber 72 does not deform under its own weight or expand excessively in volume before and after absorbing liquid. Therefore, even when the absorber 72 has absorbed liquid, the positional relationship between positions H3 and H6 and H1 and H4 does not change. Therefore, even when the absorber 72 has absorbed liquid, the printing device 1 can reduce the possibility that ink ejected from the nozzles on the nozzle surfaces 57A, 57B, 58A, and 58B will be absorbed by the absorber 72 before it adheres to the print medium.

[0100] In the vertical direction, positions H3 and H6 are located above vertical position H2 of the tip of the first wiper 60A and vertical position H5 of the tip of the second wiper 60B. Therefore, the printing device 1 can reduce the possibility that the first wiper 60A or the second wiper 60B will transfer the liquid absorbed in the absorber 72 to the nozzle surfaces 57A, 57B, 58A, 58B.

[0101] The first wiper 60A wipes the nozzle surfaces 57A and 58A from right to left. The second wiper 60B wipes the nozzle surfaces 57B and 58B from right to left. The absorbers 72 are disposed on the right and left sides of the nozzle surfaces 57A, 57B, 58A, and 58B. Therefore, the printing device 1 can absorb liquid splashed from the wiping mechanism 6 with the absorbers 72.

[0102] The platen 12 is driven by a platen motor to move in the front-to-rear direction (sub-scanning direction) relative to the carriage 30. The absorbers 72 are disposed in front of and behind the nozzle surfaces 57A, 57B, 58A, and 58B. Therefore, in the printing device 1, the absorbers 72 can absorb liquid when the platen 12 moves relatively in the sub-scanning direction.

[0103] The absorber 72 is replaceably provided on the support plate 34. Therefore, the printing device 1 can reduce the possibility that the liquid absorbed in the absorber 72 will drop onto the print medium by replacing the absorber 72.

[0104] The holding member 71 holds the absorber 72. The holding member 71 is made of a magnetic metal. Magnets 38A to 38F are provided on the underside of the support plate 34. The absorber 72 is attached to the support plate 34 when the holding member 71 is attracted to the magnets 38A to 38F. The absorber 72 is removed from the support plate 34 when the holding member 71 is removed from the magnets 38A to 38F. Therefore, the user can easily replace the absorber 72.

[0105] The support plate 34 includes positioning portions 34A and 34B. When the absorber 72 is attached to the support plate 34, the notches 711A and 711B come into contact with the positioning portion 34B, thereby positioning the absorber 72 relative to the support plate 34. If the absorber 72 is not positioned relative to the support plate 34, the positional relationship between the absorber 72 and the support plate 34 changes, which may result in excessive force being applied to the magnets 38A to 38F that attract the holding member 71. In this case, the attachment of the absorber 72 to the support plate 34 becomes unstable. In the printing device 1, the absorber 72 is positioned by the positioning portions 34A and 34B, so that the absorber 72 is stably attached to the support plate 34. Furthermore, each of the positioning portions 34A and 34B restricts movement of the absorbing device 7 in the left-right direction (main scanning direction) when the absorber 72 is attached to the support plate 34. Therefore, the absorber 72 is stably attached to the support plate 34 without the holding members 71 coming off the magnets 38A to 38F.

[0106] When attaching the absorbent device 7 to the support plate 34, the user inserts the rear portion of the absorbent device 7 into the space surrounded by the plate portions 233A, 235A, and 236A of the auxiliary member 23A. The user inserts the front portion of the absorbent device 7 into the space surrounded by the plate portions 233B, 235B, and 236B of the auxiliary member 23B. When the absorbent device 7 is positioned at a position different from the attachment position, the plate portions 236A and 236B restrict the absorbent device 7 from moving upward toward the support plate 34. The user moves the absorbent device 7 to the upper left along the plate portions 233A and 233B, thereby positioning the absorbent device 7 at the attachment position. When the absorbent device 7 is positioned at the attachment position, the cutout portions 712A and 712B are positioned below the plate portions 236A and 236B. Therefore, the user can move the absorbent device 7 upward toward the support plate 34 without being restricted by the plate portions 236A and 236B. Therefore, the printing device 1 can reduce the possibility that the absorber 72, which is moved along the plate portions 233A and 233B, will be attached to the support plate 34 at a position different from the intended attachment position.

[0107] The cap 4 is provided to the left of the printing area 20R within the interior of the printing device 1. The protrusions 412A and 413A of the first cap 41A receive liquid adhering to the support plate 34 or the inner surface of the hole 74A of the absorber 7, and allow the liquid to escape downward toward the support part 40A. By allowing the protrusions 412A and 413A to escape liquid adhering to at least one of the absorber 72 and the holding member 71, the printing device 1 can reduce the possibility of the liquid staining the print medium.

[0108] The protrusions 412A and 413A are respectively disposed in the gaps 45 between the inner surfaces of the holes 74A, 75A, 74B and 75B and the side surfaces of the nozzle faces 57A, 58A, 57B and 58B. Therefore, the printing device 1 can allow liquid adhering to the inner surfaces of the holes 74A, 75A, 74B and 75B of the absorbent device 7 to escape via the protrusions 412A and 413A.

[0109] The holding member 71 is a flat plate extending in the front-rear and left-right directions. A left end 71A of the holding member 71 is covered with an absorber 72A. This reduces the possibility of the left end 71A of the holding member 71 coming into contact with the support plate 34, the nozzle surface 57A, etc.

[0110] The left end 71A of the holding member 71 is covered by folding back a portion of the absorber 72. The structure covering the left end 71A of the holding member 71 can be formed by the absorber 72. Therefore, there is no need to provide a separate member to cover the left end 71A of the holding member 71.

[0111] <Modification> The present invention can be modified in various ways from the above-described embodiment. The various modifications described below can be combined with each other as long as no contradictions arise. The movement mechanisms for the head 3 and the platen 12 are not limited to those described in the above-described embodiment. For example, the head 3 and the platen 12 may be moved by movement mechanisms such as rollers or ball screws. The head 3 may be a line head. The head 3 may be movable left and right relative to the cap 4, the first wiper 60A, the second wiper 60B, and the platen 12. In other words, the carriage 30 may be fixed to the frame 20, and the cap 4, the first wiper 60A, the second wiper 60B, and the platen 12 may be configured to be movable left and right. If the platen 12 is movable left and right, the cap 4, the first wiper 60A, the second wiper 60B, and a part of the platen 12, such as the cap 4, may be configured to be movable left and right. The platen 12 may be fixed to the frame 20, and the head 3 may be configured to be movable forward and backward.

[0112] The capping mechanism 40 and the cleaning assembly 5 may be provided to the right of the printing area 20R within the interior of the printing apparatus 1. The positional relationship between the capping mechanism 40 and the cleaning assembly 5 in the left-right direction may be changed as appropriate.

[0113] The platen 12 and the nozzle surfaces 57A, 57B, 58A, and 58B may face each other in the left-right direction or in the front-rear direction. For example, when the platen 12 and the nozzle surfaces 57A, 57B, 58A, and 58B face each other in the left-right direction or the front-rear direction, the head 3 may move vertically relative to the platen 12.

[0114] The printing device 1 may have a third head in addition to the first head 31A and the second head 31B. The first head 31A and the second head 31B may have different structures. The first head 31A and the second head 31B may eject the same ink. In the above embodiment, the structure, type of ink ejected, and relative position of the first head 32A and the second head 32B are the same as those of the first head 31A and the second head 31B of the head 31, but this is not limited to this. For example, the vertical positions of the nozzle surfaces 57A, 57B, 58A, and 58B may be different from each other.

[0115] The protrusion 412A may protrude upward from the upper end of the right rear end of the frame 411A. In addition to the protrusions 412A and 413A, the first cap 41A may also include a member for discharging liquid adhering to the support plate 34 or the inner surface of the hole 74A of the absorbent device 7. The direction in which the protrusions 412A and 413A dissipate liquid is not limited to downward.

[0116] The absorber 72 is not limited to a porous material such as foamed resin, but may be a water-absorbent nonwoven fabric. Since nonwoven fabric may sag under its own weight after absorbing liquid, it is preferable to use a material that does not deform under its own weight or expand excessively in volume before and after absorbing liquid, as in the above embodiment.

[0117] The absorber 72 may be fixed to the support plate 34. In this case, the printing device 1 does not need to include the auxiliary members 23A and 23B.

[0118] The absorber 72 may be attached directly to the support plate 34. The holding member 71 may be configured with a magnetic metal inserted into a thermosetting resin. In this configuration, the inserted metal in the holding member 71 is attracted to the magnets 38A to 38F, thereby attaching the absorbing device 7 to the support plate 34. In this case, the inserted metal corresponds to the "attraction portion" of the present invention. The holding member 71 may be made of a non-magnetic metal, and a magnet may be provided on the upper side of the holding member 71. In this case, the support plate 34 may be made of a magnetic metal.

[0119] The absorbent device 7 may be attached to the support plate 34 by, for example, adhesion with a hook-and-loop fastener, fastening with screws, or the like.

[0120] The absorber 72 does not have to be disposed over the entire lower surface of the holding member 71. The absorber 72 may be disposed, for example, on any one of the front, rear, right, and left sides of the nozzle surfaces 57A, 57B, 58A, and 58B.

[0121] An end portion (for example, the right end portion) other than the left end 71A of the holding member 71 may be covered with the absorber 72A. The left end 71A of the holding member 71 may be covered with a member different from the absorber 72. The left end 71A of the holding member 71 may be covered with an elastic member such as rubber.

[0122] The holding member 71 may have a protrusion that protrudes forward from the front end or rearward from the rear end. The plate portions 236A and 236B may have a recess that corresponds to the protrusion. When the absorbent device 7 is placed at the attachment position, the protrusion may pass through the recess, thereby attaching the absorbent device 7 to the support plate 34.

[0123] The auxiliary members 23A and 23B may be provided on the carriage 30. In this case, it is desirable that the auxiliary members 23A and 23B are located below the support plate 34 so as not to interfere with the platen 12 located in the printing region 20R, and be able to move between an auxiliary position where they assist in attaching the absorbing device 7 to the support plate 34, and a retracted position above the support plate 34.

[0124] <Other> The downward direction in the printing device 1 corresponds to the "discharge direction" of the present invention. The leftward direction in the printing device 1 corresponds to the "wiping direction" of the present invention. The holding member 71 is the "holding member" of the present invention, and the entire holding member 71, which is magnetic and attracted to the magnets 38A to 38F, is also the "attraction portion." The space surrounded by the plate portions 233A, 235A, and 236A and the space surrounded by the plate portions 233B, 235B, and 236B correspond to the "guide portion" of the present invention. The plate portions 236A and 236B correspond to the "regulation portion" of the present invention. The protruding portions 412A and 413A correspond to the "relief member" of the present invention. The front, rear, right, and left surfaces of the protruding portions 55A, 55B, 56A, and 56B correspond to the "side surface" of the present invention. The left end 71A of the holding member 71 corresponds to the "part of the edge of the holding member" of the present invention. The absorber 72A corresponds to the "intermediate member" of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0125] 1 Printing device 3 heads 4 Cap 6 Wipe mechanism 7 Water absorption equipment 12 Platen 20R printing area 23A, 23B Auxiliary parts 34 Support plate 57A, 57B, 58A, 58B nozzle surface 71 Retaining member 72 Absorbent 412A, 413A protrusion

Claims

1. a platen on which a print medium is placed; a head having a nozzle surface and discharging ink from the nozzle surface in a discharge direction; a support plate that supports the head; an absorber that is provided on the support plate in the ejection direction, is exposed to the platen, and absorbs liquid; Equipped with a wiper that wipes the nozzle surface; the absorber is located on the opposite side of the discharge direction from the end of the wiper on the opposite side of the discharge direction when wiping the nozzle surface; A printing device comprising:

2. a platen on which a print medium is placed; a head having a nozzle surface and discharging ink from the nozzle surface in a discharge direction; a support plate that supports the head; an absorber that is provided on the support plate in the ejection direction, is exposed to the platen, and absorbs liquid; Equipped with a wiper that wipes the nozzle surface; the absorber is provided on at least one of an upstream side and a downstream side of the nozzle surface in a wiping direction in which the nozzle surface is wiped by the wiper, the wiping direction being a direction intersecting the ejection direction, the platen moves relative to the nozzle surface in a sub-scanning direction that intersects with the wiping direction, The absorber is provided on the sub-scanning direction side of the nozzle surface. A printing device comprising:

3. the nozzle surface is located closer to the ejection direction than the support plate, The printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the absorber is located between the support plate and the nozzle surface in the ejection direction.

4. The printing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the absorber is positioned between the support plate and the nozzle surface in the ejection direction when the absorber has absorbed the liquid.

5. The printing device according to claim 1 , wherein the absorber is provided on at least one of the upstream side and the downstream side of a wiping direction in which the wiper wipes the nozzle surface, the direction intersecting the ejection direction.

6. the platen moves relative to the nozzle surface in a sub-scanning direction, The printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 5, wherein the absorber is provided on the sub-scanning direction side of the nozzle surface.

7. 7. The printing device according to claim 1, wherein the absorber is provided on the support plate so as to be replaceable.

8. a holding member for holding the absorbent body, a magnet is provided on one of the holding member and the support plate; 8. The printing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the other of the holding member and the support plate has an attraction portion that is attracted to the magnet.

9. 9. The printing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the support plate includes a positioning portion that positions the absorber relative to the support plate in the main scanning direction or the sub-scanning direction.

10. a guide portion that guides the absorber to an attachment position where the absorber is attached to the support plate; 9. The printing device according to claim 7, further comprising a restricting portion that restricts the absorber from being attached to the support plate at a position different from the attachment position.

11. The printing device according to claim 8, characterized in that an area inside the printing device other than a printing area where the head ejects ink onto the printing medium placed on the platen is provided with an escape member that escapes the liquid from at least one of the absorber and the holding member.

12. a holding member for holding the absorbent body, A printing device as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that an area inside the printing device other than a printing area where the head ejects ink onto the printing medium placed on the platen is provided with an escape member that escapes the liquid from at least one of the absorber and the holding member.

13. a cap that fits tightly to the nozzle surface, 13. The printing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the relief member is disposed in a gap between the absorber and the nozzle surface when the cap is in close contact with the nozzle surface.

14. An absorber provided in a printing device including a platen on which a print medium is placed, a head having a nozzle surface and ejecting ink from the nozzle surface in an ejection direction, a support plate supporting the head, and a wiper for wiping the nozzle surface, the absorber is provided on the support plate on the discharge direction side, is exposed to the platen, and absorbs liquid; the absorber is located on the opposite side of the discharge direction from the end of the wiper on the opposite side of the discharge direction when wiping the nozzle surface; An absorbent body characterized by:

15. An absorber provided in a printing device including a platen on which a print medium is placed, a head having a nozzle surface and ejecting ink from the nozzle surface in an ejection direction, a support plate supporting the head, and a wiper for wiping the nozzle surface, the absorber is provided on the support plate on the discharge direction side, is exposed to the platen, and absorbs liquid; the absorber is provided on at least one of an upstream side and a downstream side of the nozzle surface in a wiping direction in which the nozzle surface is wiped by the wiper, the wiping direction being a direction intersecting the ejection direction, the platen moves relative to the nozzle surface in a sub-scanning direction that intersects with the wiping direction, The absorber is provided on the sub-scanning direction side of the nozzle surface. An absorbent body characterized by:

16. 16. The absorbent body according to claim 14, further comprising a holding member that is replaceable with respect to the support plate and that holds the absorbent body.

17. 17. The absorbent body according to claim 16, wherein an intermediate member different from the holding member is provided at a part of an end of the holding member.

18. 18. The absorbent body according to claim 17, wherein the intermediate member is a part of the absorbent body.

Images