Drying equipment

Abstract

High-boiling point solvents in ink can be recovered effectively with a simple configuration. [Solution] A drying apparatus 10 for drying a medium M on which an image has been recorded with an ink containing a high-boiling point solvent having a higher boiling point than water, comprising a drying oven 14, a heating unit 15 for heating the medium M inside the drying oven 14, and an exhaust unit 16 for exhausting steam generated by heating the medium M from the drying oven 14, wherein the exhaust unit 16 comprises a duct 13 extending from the drying oven 14, a condensation member 163 positioned to obstruct the airflow flowing inside the duct 13 and condense the steam exhausted from the exhaust unit 16, and a recovery unit 164 for recovering the liquid condensed by the condensation member 163.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a drying device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, various printing systems that print an image on a medium by discharging ink have been used. Among these, some have a drying device for drying the ink applied to the medium. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a drying device for a cloth dyed by inkjet. The drying device of Patent Document 1 is configured to be able to dry by reducing the pressure inside a chamber that houses a cloth roll after inkjet dyeing with a vacuum pump and removing high-boiling solvents.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Ink often contains high-boiling solvents such as glycerin. In general drying devices, the ink is often evaporated and the vapor of the ink together with the high-boiling solvent is discharged outside the device. If the high-boiling solvent leaks inside the device, there is a risk of failure and a load for cleaning and maintenance occurs. The drying device of Patent Document 1, for example, includes a trapping device capable of cooling and liquefying or solidifying the ink by mixing the vapor of the ink with a cooling medium such as ice, dry ice, or liquefied nitrogen, and can trap and recover the high-boiling solvent volatilized by the trapping device. Also, it is possible to improve the recovery efficiency by installing a heater in the chamber and heating the cloth roll.

[0005] Thus, in various printing systems that print images onto a medium by ejecting ink, it is sometimes desirable to recover high-boiling-point solvents from the ink. However, trapping devices are large and expensive. Furthermore, the introduction of trapping devices complicates the system configuration. This is because, in trapping devices, the ink vapor and the cooling medium mix, making it difficult to separate the high-boiling-point solvents from the cooling medium. For this reason, it has been difficult to recover high-boiling-point solvents from ink using a simple configuration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention, for solving the above problems, is a drying apparatus for drying a medium on which an image is recorded with an ink containing a high-boiling-point solvent having a higher boiling point than water, comprising: a drying oven; a heating unit for heating the medium in the drying oven; and an exhaust unit for exhausting steam generated by heating the medium from the drying oven, wherein the exhaust unit comprises: a duct extending from the drying oven; a condensation member arranged to obstruct the airflow flowing in the duct and for condensing the steam exhausted from the exhaust unit; and a recovery unit for recovering the liquid condensed on the condensation member. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] A schematic side view showing the printing system of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 2] A schematic diagram showing the exhaust section of the drying apparatus that makes up the printing system in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is a schematic bottom view showing the condensation member and fan of the exhaust section. [Figure 4] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the condensation member and fan of the exhaust section. [Figure 5] A perspective view showing a fan applicable to the drying apparatus of the present invention. [Figure 6] A perspective view showing a fan with a different configuration from the fan in Figure 5, which is applicable to the drying apparatus of the present invention. [Figure 7]A perspective view showing a fan with a different configuration from the fans in Figures 5 and 6, which is applicable to the drying apparatus of the present invention. [Figure 8] A perspective view showing a fan with a different configuration from the fans in Figures 5 to 7, which is applicable to the drying apparatus of the present invention. [Figure 9] A perspective view showing a fan with a different configuration from the fans in Figures 5 to 8, which is applicable to the drying apparatus of the present invention. [Figure 10] A schematic diagram showing the exhaust section of the drying apparatus that constitutes the printing system of Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 11] A schematic diagram showing the exhaust section of the drying apparatus that constitutes the printing system of Embodiment 3 of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] First, the present invention will be described in general terms. A drying apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention for solving the above problems is a drying apparatus for drying a medium on which an image is recorded with an ink containing a high-boiling point solvent having a higher boiling point than water, comprising: a drying oven; a heating unit for heating the medium in the drying oven; and an exhaust unit for exhausting steam generated by heating the medium from the drying oven, wherein the exhaust unit comprises: a duct extending from the drying oven; a condensation member arranged to obstruct the airflow flowing in the duct and for condensing the steam exhausted from the exhaust unit; and a recovery unit for recovering the liquid condensed on the condensation member.

[0009] According to this embodiment, the exhaust section includes a duct extending from a drying oven, a flocculation member positioned to obstruct the airflow within the duct and flocculate the vapor exhausted from the exhaust section, and a recovery section for recovering the liquid condensed by the flocculation member. With this configuration, high-boiling-point solvents in ink can be suitably recovered with a simple configuration without using expensive and difficult-to-implement equipment such as a trapping device.

[0010] The drying device according to the second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in an aspect subordinate to the first aspect, the agglomerating member is a plate member that can rotate while facing the airflow.

[0011] According to this aspect, the agglomerating member is a plate member that can rotate while facing the airflow. By adopting such a configuration, the agglomerating member can have a particularly simple structure.

[0012] The drying device according to the third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in an aspect subordinate to the first or second aspect, the plate member has a curved structure on its surface that curves downward on the downstream side in the rotational direction from the rotation axis side toward the outside.

[0013] <0000​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ The drying device according to the sixth aspect of the present invention is an aspect that depends on any one of the first to fifth aspects, and is characterized in that the recovery unit is provided over the entire circumference of the inner wall of the duct.

[0019] According to this aspect, the recovery unit is provided over the entire circumference of the inner wall of the duct. By adopting such a configuration, the high-boiling solvent can be collected in a wide area within the duct, and the high-boiling solvent in the ink can be recovered particularly preferably.

[0020] The drying device according to the seventh aspect of the present invention is an aspect that depends on any one of the first to sixth aspects, and is characterized in that the aggregation member is provided below the recovery unit, and the aggregation member is provided in an arrangement where at least a part thereof overlaps the recovery unit when viewed in the vertical direction.

[0021] According to this aspect, the aggregation member disposed above the recovery unit is provided in an arrangement where at least a part thereof overlaps the recovery unit when viewed in the vertical direction. By adopting such a configuration, the high-boiling solvent can be efficiently moved from the aggregation member to the recovery unit using gravity, and the high-boiling solvent in the ink can be recovered particularly preferably.

[0022] The drying device according to the eighth aspect of the present invention is an aspect that depends on any one of the first to seventh aspects, and is characterized in that the exhaust unit has a fan that rotates by the airflow, the aggregation member is connected to the fan, and the aggregation member rotates passively as the fan rotates.

[0023] According to this aspect, the exhaust unit has a fan that rotates by the airflow, the aggregation member is connected to the fan, and the aggregation member rotates passively as the fan rotates. By adopting such a configuration, a simple and inexpensive configuration can be achieved in which the fan and the aggregation member are rotated without separately preparing a driving unit such as a motor.

[0024] A drying apparatus according to the ninth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in an embodiment dependent on any one of the first to seventh aspects, the condensing member is rotatable in a state facing the airflow, and the exhaust section has a drive unit for rotating the condensing member.

[0025] According to this embodiment, the condensation member is rotatable while facing the airflow, and the exhaust unit has a drive unit for rotating the condensation member. With this configuration, the condensation member can be rotated at a desired rotational speed.

[0026] A drying apparatus according to a tenth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in an aspect dependent on the ninth aspect, it comprises a rotational load detection unit capable of detecting the rotational load of the agglomerating member, and a control unit that controls the driving force by the drive unit so as to change the number of rotations per unit time of the agglomerating member based on the detection result of the rotational load detection unit.

[0027] According to this embodiment, the rotational load of the agglomerating member is detected by a rotational load detection unit, and the rotational speed of the agglomerating member per unit time is changed based on the detection result of the rotational load detection unit, which is capable of detecting the rotational load of the agglomerating member. With this configuration, the agglomerating member can be kept rotating at a desired rotational speed.

[0028] A drying apparatus according to an eleventh aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in an aspect dependent on any one of the first to seventh aspects, the exhaust section comprises a fan connected to the condensing member and a drive unit for rotating the fan.

[0029] According to this embodiment, the exhaust unit includes a fan connected to the agglomerating member and a drive unit that rotates the fan. With this configuration, the agglomerating member can be rotated together with the fan at a desired rotational speed.

[0030] A drying apparatus according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in an aspect dependent on the eleventh aspect, it comprises a temperature detection unit capable of detecting the temperature inside the duct, and a control unit that controls the driving force by the drive unit to change the rotational speed of the fan per unit time based on the detection result of the temperature detection unit.

[0031] According to this embodiment, the rotational speed of the fan per unit time is changed based on the detection result of a temperature detection unit capable of detecting the temperature inside the duct. With this configuration, the agglomerating member can be continuously rotated at a desired rotational speed together with the fan.

[0032] A drying apparatus according to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in an aspect dependent on any one of the first to twelfth aspects, the exhaust section comprises a connection section between the drying oven and the duct, and a cooling section disposed between the connection section and the condensing member and configured to cool the inside of the duct.

[0033] According to this embodiment, the exhaust section has a connection section between the drying oven and the duct, and a cooling section disposed between the connection section and the coagulation member and configured to cool the inside of the duct. With this configuration, efficient cooling of volatile components of the ink, such as high-boiling-point solvents, is possible by cooling the inside of the duct with the cooling section, and high-boiling-point solvents in the ink can be recovered particularly effectively.

[0034] A drying apparatus according to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in an aspect dependent on the thirteenth aspect, the cooling section is an opening that penetrates the inside and outside of the duct.

[0035] According to this embodiment, the cooling section is an opening that penetrates both the inside and outside of the duct. This configuration allows for a simpler cooling section design.

[0036] A drying apparatus according to a 15th aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in an aspect dependent on the 14th aspect, it comprises a temperature detection unit capable of detecting the temperature inside the duct, and a control unit that controls the size of the opening area of ​​the opening based on the detection result of the temperature detection unit.

[0037] According to this embodiment, the size of the opening area of ​​the opening is controlled based on the detection result of a temperature detection unit capable of detecting the temperature inside the duct. With this configuration, the condensation member can be efficiently cooled in the cooling unit, and the high-boiling point solvent can be efficiently cooled.

[0038] A drying apparatus according to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in an aspect dependent on the thirteenth aspect, the cooling section is provided on the inner side surface of the duct and is a path section capable of circulating liquid.

[0039] According to this embodiment, the cooling section is provided on the inner side of the duct and is a passage section through which liquid can be circulated. With this configuration, the high-boiling-point solvent can be efficiently cooled by the liquid circulating in the passage section.

[0040] A drying apparatus according to a 17th aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in an aspect dependent on the 16th aspect, it comprises a temperature detection unit configured to detect the temperature inside the duct, and a control unit that controls the amount of liquid circulated in the path based on the detection result of the temperature detection unit.

[0041] According to this embodiment, the amount of liquid circulating in the pathway is controlled based on the detection result of a temperature detection unit configured to detect the temperature inside the duct. With this configuration, high-boiling point solvents can be efficiently and continuously cooled.

[0042] [Example 1] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, an overview of the printing system 1, which includes a printing apparatus 20 and a drying apparatus 10A of Example 1, which is an example of the drying apparatus 10 of the present invention, will be described with reference to Figure 1.

[0043] As shown in Figure 1, the printing system 1 of this embodiment includes a holding unit 2 capable of rotatably holding a roll body R1 in which a medium M such as cloth is wound into a roll. It also includes a printing device 20 comprising a transport unit 29 for transporting the medium M, a head 27 which acts as a printing unit for printing an image by ejecting ink onto the medium M transported by the transport unit 29, and a housing 21 having a first space 22 in which the head 27 is arranged. Furthermore, it includes a drying device 10A of this embodiment comprising a drying oven 14 into which the medium M into which the image printed by the head 27 enters, and a heating unit 15 arranged in the drying oven 14 for heating the medium M. In addition, it includes a winding unit 3 capable of forming a roll body R2 by winding the medium M, which has been printed in the printing device 20 and dried in the drying device 10A, into a roll.

[0044] The holding unit 2 holds the paper tube that constitutes the rotation axis of the roll body R1, and can rotate in the rotation direction C to feed the media M from the roll body R1 to the transport unit 29 of the printing device 20. The holding unit 2 may be configured separately from the printing device 20, or it may be part of the components of the printing device 20.

[0045] The printing apparatus 20 of this embodiment is an inkjet printer capable of forming an image on a medium M by ejecting liquid ink in droplet form. The printing apparatus 20 includes a transport unit 29 in a first space 22 inside the housing 21, which comprises a driven roller 23 located upstream of the transport direction A, which is the transport direction of the medium M, a drive roller 24 located downstream of the transport direction A, and a transport belt 25, which is an endless belt stretched between the driven roller 23 and the drive roller 24. Here, the transport belt 25 is an adhesive belt having an outer peripheral surface 25a on which an adhesive is applied to the support surface of the medium M, which is the outer surface. Furthermore, a cleaning unit 28 capable of cleaning the outer peripheral surface 25a is provided inside the housing 21. In addition, a duct 9 for discharging gas from the first space 22 is connected to the housing 21.

[0046] As shown in Figure 1, in the transport section 29, the medium M is supported and transported by the transport belt 25 with the medium M attached to its outer surface 25a. In the printing apparatus 20 of this embodiment, the medium support region that supports the medium M on the transport belt 25 is the upper region bridged by the driven roller 23 and the drive roller 24. The drive roller 24 is a roller that rotates in the rotational direction C by the driving force of a motor (not shown), and the driven roller 23 is a roller that rotates in accordance with the rotation of the transport belt 25 caused by the rotation of the drive roller 24.

[0047] In other words, when transporting the medium M, the direction of movement of the conveyor belt 25 is the rotational direction C, and the direction of movement of the conveyor belt 25 in the medium support area is the transport direction A. However, when not transporting the medium M, it is also possible to rotate the drive roller 24 in the opposite direction to the rotational direction C, thereby moving the conveyor belt 25 in the opposite direction to the rotational direction C.

[0048] Furthermore, the printing apparatus 20 of this embodiment includes a carriage 26 that can reciprocate in the width direction B of the conveyor belt 25, and a head 27 attached to the carriage 26. The head 27 is a printing unit that can form an image by ejecting liquid ink onto a medium M that is conveyed in the conveying direction A based on the printing data. The ink ejected from the head 27 of this embodiment contains, in addition to the colorant, water as the main solvent and a high-boiling point solvent with a higher boiling point than water, such as glycerin. There are no particular limitations on the type of high-boiling point solvent, and various solvents that dissolve in water as the main solvent and have a higher boiling point than water, such as polyhydric alcohols such as glycerin, can be used alone or in combination.

[0049] Furthermore, the printing apparatus 20 of this embodiment is capable of forming an image by ejecting ink from the head 27 onto the transported medium M while reciprocating the carriage 26 in the width direction B intersecting the transport direction A. By having a carriage 26 configured in this way, the printing apparatus 20 of this embodiment can form a desired image on the medium M by repeatedly transporting the medium M in the transport direction A at a predetermined transport amount, and ejecting ink while moving the carriage 26 in the width direction B with the medium M stopped. However, there are no particular limitations on the configuration of the printing unit. For example, a so-called line head, in which nozzles for ejecting ink are provided over the entire width direction B of the medium M, may be used as the printing unit.

[0050] The medium M, on which an image has been formed by ejecting ink from the head 27, is discharged from the printing apparatus 20 of this embodiment and sent to a drying apparatus 10A, which is located downstream of the printing apparatus 20 in the transport direction A, and which volatilizes the components of the ink ejected onto the medium M. In this way, the drying apparatus 10A of this embodiment, together with the printing apparatus 20, constitutes the printing system 1.

[0051] Here, the medium M can preferably be a material to be printed. A material to be printed refers to fabrics, clothing, or other fashion products that are to be printed. Fabrics include woven, knitted, and nonwoven fabrics made of natural fibers such as cotton, silk, and wool, or synthetic fibers such as nylon, or composite fibers made by mixing these. Clothing and other fashion products include T-shirts, handkerchiefs, scarves, towels, tote bags, cloth bags, curtains, sheets, bedspreads, and other furniture after sewing, as well as fabrics before and after cutting that exist as parts before sewing. However, in addition to the above-mentioned materials to be printed, inkjet-specific papers such as plain paper, fine paper, and glossy paper can also be used.

[0052] As shown in Figure 1, the drying apparatus 10A of this embodiment comprises a heating unit 15 for heating the medium M, and a drying oven 14 in which the heating unit 15 is located for drying the medium M. In this embodiment, the heating unit 15 is configured to blow heated air onto the medium M. However, there are no particular limitations on the configuration of the heating unit 15; it may be configured to irradiate the medium M with infrared rays, or it may be a heater consisting of an electric heating wire, etc. However, the heating temperature of the medium M by the heating unit 15 must be higher than the boiling point of the high-boiling point solvent in the ink.

[0053] A duct 13 is attached to the drying oven 14, and an airflow generating unit is provided in the duct 13 to generate airflow. Within the duct 13, the airflow flows in direction F1. Since direction F1 is the direction from the drying device 10A to the outside, the duct 13 constitutes the exhaust section 16 (exhaust section 16A), which will be described later. A duct 9 is attached to the printing device 20, and an airflow generating unit is provided in the duct 9 to generate airflow. Within the duct 9, the airflow flows in direction F0. Since direction F0 is the direction from the printing device 20 to the outside, the duct 9 also constitutes the exhaust section 16 (exhaust section 16B). In this embodiment, the duct 13 and the duct 9 merge, but a configuration in which the duct 13 and the duct 9 do not merge is also possible. In the printing system 1 of this embodiment, the exhaust section 16A of the drying device 10A and the exhaust section 16B of the printing device 20 have the same configuration, but the system is not limited to this configuration.

[0054] Furthermore, as described above, the printing system 1 of this embodiment includes a winding unit 3. The winding unit 3 holds a paper tube as a rotating shaft for forming a roll body R2, and can form a roll body R2 by rotating in the rotational direction C and winding the medium M onto the paper tube. Note that the winding unit 3 may be configured separately from the drying device 10A, or it may be part of the components of the drying device 10A.

[0055] As described above, the drying apparatus 10A constituting the printing system 1 of this embodiment is a drying apparatus 10 that dries a medium M on which an image has been recorded using ink containing a high-boiling point solvent having a higher boiling point than water. It comprises a drying oven 14, a heating unit 15 that heats the medium M to a temperature higher than the boiling point of the high-boiling point solvent within the drying oven 14, and an exhaust unit 16A that exhausts the vapor generated by heating the medium M from the drying oven. The details of the exhaust unit 16A of this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 2 to 9.

[0056] As shown in Figure 2, the exhaust section 16A includes a duct 13 extending from the drying oven 14, a condensation member 163 positioned to obstruct the airflow within the duct 13 and condense the steam exhausted from the exhaust section 16A, and a recovery section 164 for recovering the liquid, which is the volatile component of the ink, that has condensed on the condensation member 163. As shown in Figure 2, the end of the condensation member 163 overlaps with the recovery section 164 in the vertical direction, and the liquid condensed on the condensation member 163 drips from the end of the condensation member 163 into the recovery section 164. There are no particular limitations on the configuration of the recovery section 164, but for example, it can be an absorbent member capable of absorbing and holding liquid.

[0057] The drying apparatus 10A in this embodiment, with this configuration, can suitably recover high-boiling-point solvents in ink with a simple configuration without using expensive and difficult-to-implement equipment such as a trapping device. Here, liquid condensation in the coagulation member 163 includes not only the condensation of vaporized high-boiling-point solvent, but also the adhesion of liquid high-boiling-point solvent to water vapor, etc., and the adhesion of liquid high-boiling-point solvent to the recovery part along with water vapor, etc. Furthermore, the heating unit 15 in this embodiment is configured to heat the medium M at a temperature higher than the boiling point of the high-boiling-point solvent in the drying oven 14, but is not limited to this configuration. For example, the medium M may be heated by using high-frequency dielectric heating by generating an AC electric field of 3 MHz to 300 MHz and microwave heating by generating an AC electric field of 300 MHz to 30 GHz.

[0058] It is also conceivable to recover high-boiling-point solvents by arranging a filter that serves the same purpose as both the coagulation member 163 and the recovery unit 164 in a manner that obstructs the airflow within the duct 13, but in such a configuration, the filter would have to be replaced frequently. By adopting a configuration like that of this embodiment, where the coagulation member 163 and the recovery unit 164 are provided separately, although the high-boiling-point solvents such as glycerin accumulated in the recovery unit 164 must be recovered each time, the frequency of replacement of the coagulation member 163 can be reduced.

[0059] Furthermore, in the printing system 1 of this embodiment, as described above, the printing apparatus 20 is also provided with an exhaust section 16B having the same configuration as the exhaust section 16A. Therefore, in the printing system 1 of this embodiment, the high-boiling point solvent in the ink can be suitably recovered in the printing apparatus 20 with a simple configuration. However, the present invention is not limited to a configuration in which the printing apparatus 20 is also provided with an exhaust section 16.

[0060] In this embodiment, the condensation member 163 of the exhaust section 16A is a disc-shaped plate member 163A, as shown in Figures 2 to 4. More specifically, the plate member 163A is a disc-shaped flat plate made of porous metal (SUS). The plate member 163A is configured to rotate in the rotational direction D1 with respect to the rotation axis 162 while facing the airflow inside the duct 13. By having such a configuration, the drying apparatus 10A in this embodiment allows for a particularly simple configuration of the condensation member 163.

[0061] More specifically, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the plate member 163A is composed of a plurality of first extensions 163a extending outward from the rotation axis 162 and a second extension 163b extending in the rotation direction D1. Here, the first extensions 163a are curved downstream in the rotation direction D1, extending outward from the rotation axis 162 side. The first extensions 163a and the second extensions 163b form a hole 163c through which airflow can pass.

[0062] In other words, the plate member 163A has a curved structure on its surface that bends downstream in the rotation direction D1 from the rotation axis 162 side outwards. With this configuration, the drying apparatus 10A of this embodiment can efficiently collect the high-boiling point solvent on the outside of the plate member 163A, and can recover the high-boiling point solvent in the ink in a particularly suitable manner.

[0063] In this embodiment, the drying apparatus 10A has an annular shape when viewed from above or below in the region shown in Figure 2. Similarly, the recovery section 164 also has an annular shape when viewed from above or below in the same way as the duct 13. That is, the recovery section 164 of the exhaust section 16A in this embodiment is provided around the entire circumference of the inner wall of the duct 13. With this configuration, the drying apparatus 10A in this embodiment can collect high-boiling-point solvents over a wide area within the duct 13, and can recover high-boiling-point solvents in ink particularly effectively. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and the duct 13 in the region shown in Figure 2 may have a rectangular frame shape when viewed from above or below, and the recovery section 164 may also have a rectangular frame shape when viewed from above or below.

[0064] Furthermore, as described above, in the drying apparatus 10A of this embodiment, the recovery section 164 is provided below the agglomerating member 163, and when viewed in the vertical direction, the end of the agglomerating member 163 overlaps with the recovery section 164. In other words, the agglomerating member 163 is provided in such a configuration that at least a portion of it overlaps with the recovery section 164 when viewed from the direction of airflow F1. With this configuration, the drying apparatus 10A of this embodiment can efficiently move the high-boiling point solvent from the agglomerating member 163 to the recovery section 164 using gravity, and can recover the high-boiling point solvent in the ink particularly effectively.

[0065] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the exhaust section 16A of this embodiment has a fan 161 connected to a condensing member 163 by a rotating shaft 162. The rotating shaft 162 serves as both the rotating shaft for the condensing member 163 and the rotating shaft for the fan 161. The fan 161 is configured to rotate in accordance with the airflow in direction F1 within the duct 13. The condensing member 163 is configured to rotate in accordance with the rotation of the fan 161 to which it is connected. By configuring the condensing member 163 to rotate in accordance with the rotation of the fan 161, which rotates due to the airflow within the duct 13, an inexpensive and simple configuration can be achieved in which the fan 161 and the condensing member 163 are rotated without the need for a separate drive unit such as a motor.

[0066] On the other hand, the drying apparatus 10A of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, includes a control unit 11 and a drive unit 17 capable of driving the fan 161 under the control of the control unit 11. As described above, the condensation member 163 can rotate while facing the airflow, but the exhaust unit 16A of this embodiment is also configured to rotate the condensation member 163 by the driving force of the drive unit 17. With this configuration, the condensation member 163 can be rotated at a desired rotational speed. In other words, the drying apparatus 10A of this embodiment can rotate the fan 161 by the airflow flowing through the duct 13 by turning off the drive of the drive unit 17, and can rotate the fan 161 and the condensation member 163 at a desired rotational speed by turning on the drive of the drive unit 17.

[0067] In this embodiment, the drive unit 17 is configured to rotate the agglomerating member 163 together with the fan 161. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the fan 161 may not be provided, and the drive unit 17 may be configured to rotate only the agglomerating member 163.

[0068] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the drying apparatus 10A of this embodiment is equipped with a rotational load detection unit 18 capable of detecting the rotational load of the fan 161, which also corresponds to the rotational load of the agglomerating member 163. Based on the detection result of the rotational load detection unit 18, the control unit 11 controls the driving force by the drive unit 17 to change the rotational speed of the fan 161, which also corresponds to the rotational speed of the agglomerating member 163 per unit time. With this configuration, the drying apparatus 10A of this embodiment can keep the fan 161 and the agglomerating member 163 rotating at a desired rotational speed.

[0069] Furthermore, in the drying apparatus 10A of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the exhaust section 16A has a connection section 141 between the drying oven 14 and the duct 13, and an opening 165 which is a cooling section located between the connection section 141 and the coagulation member 163 (more specifically, between the connection section 141 and the recovery section 164) and configured to cool the inside of the duct 13. By providing such a cooling section, the drying apparatus 10A of this embodiment enables efficient cooling of volatile components of the ink, such as high-boiling point solvents, by cooling the inside of the duct 13 with the cooling section, and can recover high-boiling point solvents in the ink particularly effectively.

[0070] In detail, the cooling unit provided in the exhaust section 16A of this embodiment is an opening 165 that penetrates the inside and outside of the duct 13. By configuring the cooling unit in this way, the cooling unit can be made simple. However, there are no particular limitations on the configuration of the cooling unit, and in addition to a configuration such as the opening 165, other methods such as a water cooling system for the inside of the duct 13, a Peltier element cooling system for the inside of the duct 13, or a compressor cooling system for the inside of the duct 13 can be used.

[0071] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the drying apparatus 10A of this embodiment is equipped with a temperature detection unit 19 capable of detecting the temperature inside the duct 13. The drying apparatus 10A of this embodiment is configured to change the size of the opening area of ​​the opening 165 based on the detection result of the temperature detection unit 19, by an opening area adjustment mechanism (not shown) controlled by the control unit 11. With this configuration, the drying apparatus 10A of this embodiment can efficiently cool the condensed material 163 inside the duct 13 in the cooling unit, and can efficiently cool the high-boiling point solvent.

[0072] In this embodiment, the exhaust section 16A includes a propeller fan 161A, as shown in Figure 5, which has a bearing 161a through which a rotating shaft 162 passes, and a plurality of blades 161b provided on the bearing 161a. However, there are no particular limitations on the configuration of the fan 161. For example, the fan 161 may be a sirocco fan 161B, as shown in Figure 6, which has a bearing 161a through which a rotating shaft 162 passes, and a plurality of blades 161b provided on the bearing 161a.

[0073] Furthermore, for example, the fan 161 may be a turbo fan 161C having a bearing 161a through which a rotating shaft 162 passes, and a plurality of blades 161b provided on the bearing 161a, as shown in Figure 7. Also, for example, the fan 161 may be a mixed-flow duct fan 161D having a bearing 161a through which a rotating shaft 162 passes, and a plurality of blades 161b provided on the bearing 161a, as shown in Figure 8. Moreover, for example, the fan 161 may be a line flow fan (registered trademark) 161E having a bearing 161a through which a rotating shaft 162 passes, and a plurality of blades 161b provided on the bearing 161a, as shown in Figure 9.

[0074] [Example 2] Next, the drying apparatus 10B of Example 2 will be described using Figure 10. Note that Figure 10 corresponds to Figure 2 in the printing system 1 of Example 1. In Figure 10, components common to Example 1 are indicated by the same reference numerals, and detailed explanations will be omitted. Here, the drying apparatus 10B of this example has the same configuration as the drying apparatus 10A of Example 1, except for the parts described below. Therefore, with respect to parts other than those described below, the drying apparatus 10B of this example has the same characteristics as the drying apparatus 10A of Example 1.

[0075] As can be seen by comparing Figure 2 and Figure 10, the drying apparatus 10B of this embodiment differs from the drying apparatus 10A of Embodiment 1 only in the configuration of the cooling section. Specifically, the cooling section in the drying apparatus 10B of this embodiment is a passage section 166 provided on the inner side surface of the duct 13, through which liquid water can be circulated. The passage section 166 is arranged to make a full circle around the inner side surface of the duct 13 when viewed from above or below. By having such a water-cooled cooling section, the drying apparatus 10B of this embodiment can efficiently cool high-boiling-point solvents with the liquid (water) circulating in the passage section 166. Naturally, since the passage section 166 is sealed, the liquid circulating in the passage section 166 does not mix with the components contained in the volatile ink.

[0076] Furthermore, the drying apparatus 10B of this embodiment, like the drying apparatus 10 of Embodiment 1, is equipped with a temperature detection unit 19 capable of detecting the temperature inside the duct 13. The drying apparatus 10B of this embodiment can control the amount of liquid circulating in the path section 166 based on the detection result of the temperature detection unit 19, under the control of the control unit 11. With this configuration, the drying apparatus 10B of this embodiment can efficiently continue to cool high-boiling point solvents.

[0077] [Example 3] Next, the drying apparatus 10C of Example 3 will be described using Figure 11. Figure 11 corresponds to Figure 2 in the printing system 1 of Example 1. In Figure 11, components common to Example 1 are indicated by the same reference numerals, and detailed explanations will be omitted. Here, the drying apparatus 10C of this example has the same configuration as the drying apparatus 10A of Example 1, except for the parts described below. Therefore, with respect to parts other than those described below, the drying apparatus 10C of this example has the same characteristics as the drying apparatus 10A of Example 1.

[0078] As shown in Figure 11, in the drying apparatus 10C of this embodiment, similar to the drying apparatus 10A of Embodiment 1, the airflow flows in an upward direction F1, and the agglomerating member 163B has a surface in which the central part, when viewed from below, is located above the ends. In the vertical direction, the ends of the agglomerating member 163B overlap with the recovery section 164, and the condensation components derived from ink that condense on the agglomerating member 163B flow from the central part, when viewed from below, to the ends, and then drip from the ends into the recovery section 164. By having this configuration, the drying apparatus 10C of this embodiment allows for a particularly simple configuration of the agglomerating member 163B.

[0079] Furthermore, in the drying apparatus 10C of this embodiment, the agglomerating member 163B is configured to be rotatable with its axis of rotation in the vertical direction. With this configuration, the drying apparatus 10C of this embodiment can efficiently collect high-boiling point solvents at the outer end of the agglomerating member 163B, and can recover high-boiling point solvents in the ink particularly effectively.

[0080] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention described in the claims, and these modifications are also included within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the configuration of Embodiment 2, if the liquid circulating in the path section 166 is heated inside the duct 13, the heated liquid can be used as the cleaning liquid in the cleaning section 28. Also, for example, the vapor after the high-boiling point solvent has been recovered in the exhaust section 16 can be irradiated onto the medium M before it is supported by the conveyor belt 25 to improve the supportability of the medium M. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0081] 1…Printing system, 2…Holding unit, 3…Winding unit, 9…Duct, 10…Drying device, 10A…Drying device, 10B…Drying device, 10C…Drying device, 11…Control unit, 13…Duct, 14…Drying oven, 15…Heating unit, 16…Exhaust unit, 16A…Exhaust unit, 16B…Exhaust unit, 17…Drive unit, 18…Rotational load detection unit, 19…Temperature detection unit, 20…Printing device, 21…Housing, 22…First space, 23…Driven roller, 24…Drive roller, 25…Conveyor belt, 25a…Outer surface, 26…Carriage, 27…Head, 28…Washing unit, 29 ...Conveying section, 141...Connection section, 161...Fan, 161A...Propeller fan, 161B...Sirocco fan, 161C...Turbo fan, 161D...Mixed flow duct fan, 161E...Line flow fan, 161a...Bearing, 161b...Blade section, 162...Rotating shaft, 163...Agglomerating member, 163A...Plate member, 163B...Agglomerating member, 163a...First extension section, 163b...Second extension section, 163c...Hole section, 164...Recovery section, 165...Opening (cooling section), 166...Path section (cooling section), M...Media, R1...Roll body, R2...Roll body

Claims

1. A drying apparatus for drying a medium on which an image has been recorded using an ink containing a high-boiling point solvent having a higher boiling point than water, The system comprises a drying oven, a heating section for heating the medium inside the drying oven, and an exhaust section for exhausting steam generated by heating the medium from the drying oven. The drying apparatus is characterized in that the exhaust section comprises a duct extending from the drying oven, a condensation member positioned to obstruct the airflow within the duct and condense the steam exhausted from the exhaust section, and a recovery section for recovering the liquid condensed by the condensation member.

2. In the drying apparatus according to claim 1, The drying apparatus is characterized in that the agglomerating member is a plate member that can rotate while facing the airflow.

3. In the drying apparatus according to claim 2, The drying apparatus is characterized in that the plate member has a curved structure on its surface that bends downstream in the rotational direction from the rotation axis side outwards.

4. In the drying apparatus according to claim 1, The aforementioned airflow flows upward, The drying apparatus is characterized in that the agglomerating member has a surface in which the central part, when viewed from below, is located above the edges.

5. In the drying apparatus according to claim 4, The drying apparatus is characterized in that the agglomerating member is rotatable with respect to the vertical axis of rotation.

6. In the drying apparatus according to claim 1, The drying apparatus is characterized in that the recovery section is provided around the entire circumference of the inner wall of the duct.

7. In the drying apparatus according to claim 1, The recovery unit is provided below the agglomerating member, The drying apparatus is characterized in that the agglomerating member is provided in such an arrangement that at least a portion of it overlaps with the recovery section when viewed in the vertical direction.

8. In the drying apparatus according to claim 1, The exhaust section has a fan that rotates due to the airflow, The drying apparatus is characterized in that the agglomerating member is connected to the fan and rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the fan.

9. In the drying apparatus according to claim 1, The aforementioned aggregation member is rotatable while facing the airflow, The drying apparatus is characterized in that the exhaust section has a drive unit for rotating the condensing member.

10. In the drying apparatus according to claim 9, A rotational load detection unit capable of detecting the rotational load of the aggregated member, A control unit controls the driving force by the drive unit so as to change the rotational load detection unit's detection result, thereby changing the rotational speed of the aggregated member per unit time. A drying apparatus characterized by being equipped with the following features.

11. In the drying apparatus according to claim 1, The drying apparatus is characterized in that the exhaust section comprises a fan connected to the condensing member and a drive unit for rotating the fan.

12. In the drying apparatus according to claim 11, A drying apparatus comprising: a temperature detection unit capable of detecting the temperature inside the duct; and a control unit that controls the driving force by the drive unit to change the rotational speed of the fan per unit time based on the detection result of the temperature detection unit.

13. In the drying apparatus according to claim 1, The drying apparatus is characterized in that the exhaust section comprises a connection section between the drying oven and the duct, and a cooling section disposed between the connection section and the condensing member and configured to cool the inside of the duct.

14. In the drying apparatus according to claim 13, The drying apparatus is characterized in that the cooling section is an opening that penetrates the inside and outside of the duct.

15. In the drying apparatus according to claim 14, A drying apparatus comprising a temperature detection unit capable of detecting the temperature inside the duct, and a control unit that controls the size of the opening area of ​​the opening based on the detection result of the temperature detection unit.

16. In the drying apparatus according to claim 13, The drying apparatus is characterized in that the cooling section is provided on the inner side surface of the duct and is a passage section through which liquid can be circulated.

17. In the drying apparatus according to claim 16, A drying apparatus comprising: a temperature detection unit configured to detect the temperature inside the duct; and a control unit that controls the amount of liquid circulated through the path based on the detection result of the temperature detection unit.

Images