Drying system and drying method

Abstract

The present invention provides a drying system and drying method that can suppress the temperature inside the drying apparatus from rising. [Solution] The device includes a drying apparatus for heating a medium to which a liquid has been applied, an exhaust mechanism for discharging air from the drying apparatus via an exhaust passage, a heating means for heating air passing through a first supply passage that takes in air from outside the drying apparatus using the heat of the air passing through the exhaust passage, an air supply mechanism for supplying air into the drying apparatus that is a mixture of the air passing through the first supply passage heated by the heating means and the air passing through a second supply passage that takes in air from outside the drying apparatus, and a mixing mechanism provided in the air supply mechanism for mixing the air passing through the first supply passage and the air passing through the second supply passage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a drying system and a drying method.

Background Art

[0002] Inkjet printers and the like form an image by ejecting ink onto the surface of paper, and the ink adhering to the paper is fixed and dried by a drying device. The drying device has an exhaust mechanism for discharging exhaust gas containing water vapor and solvents generated by the drying of the ink to the outside of the drying device, and an air supply mechanism for supplying warm air from the outside of the drying device to the inside. In this case, there is a known technique in which a supply and exhaust system raises the temperature of the supply air by heating the supply air using the heat of the exhaust gas discharged from the drying device with a heat exchanger, thereby improving energy savings and drying performance, and reducing and suppressing condensation generated inside the drying device.

[0003] As a technique using such a heat exchanger, a supply and exhaust system of a drying device that heats supply air using the heat of exhaust gas discharged from the drying device with a heat exchanger is disclosed (for example, Patent Document 1). For example, FIG. 6 shows a conceptual configuration of an image forming apparatus having a conventional drying device. In the example shown in FIG. 6(a), in an image forming apparatus 1001 including a drying device 1020, the heat of the exhaust gas discharged by an exhaust mechanism 1050 is used to heat the supply air supplied by a supply air mechanism 1040 using a heat exchanger 1060. Further, in the example shown in FIG. 6(b), in an image forming apparatus 1001a including a drying device 1020, the heat of the exhaust gas discharged by an exhaust mechanism 1050 is used to heat a part of the supply air supplied by a supply air mechanism 1040 using a heat exchanger 1060. Thereby, it is intended to improve energy savings and drying performance and reduce and suppress condensation generated inside the drying device.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, with conventional technology, the heat from the exhaust is transferred using a heat exchanger, resulting in hotter supply air being introduced, which raises the temperature inside the drying unit, and hotter air is exhausted. Then, the heat from this hot exhaust is transferred back into the supply air by the heat exchanger, resulting in even hotter supply air being introduced into the drying unit. This repeated process can cause the temperature inside the drying unit to rise higher than expected. When the temperature inside the drying unit rises higher than expected, components inside and around the drying unit, electrical equipment, and control devices are exposed to high temperatures, which can induce malfunctions in the printing equipment.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and aims to provide a drying system and a drying method that can suppress the temperature inside the drying apparatus from rising. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, the present invention is characterized by comprising: a drying apparatus for heating a medium to which a liquid has been applied; an exhaust mechanism for discharging air from the drying apparatus via an exhaust passage; a heating means for heating air passing through a first supply passage that takes in air from outside the drying apparatus by the heat of the air passing through the exhaust passage; an air supply mechanism for supplying into the drying apparatus air that is a mixture of the air passing through the first supply passage heated by the heating means and the air passing through a second supply passage that takes in air from outside the drying apparatus; and a mixing mechanism provided in the air supply mechanism for mixing the air passing through the first supply passage and the air passing through the second supply passage. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the temperature inside the drying apparatus from rising. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows an example of a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an example of the configuration of a drying system according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the control device for the drying system according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows an example of the configuration of a functional block in the control device of the drying system according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation flow of the drying system according to the present invention. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows an example of a schematic configuration of a conventional drying system. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the drying system and drying method according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited by the following embodiments, and the components in the following embodiments include those easily conceivable by those skilled in the art, those substantially identical, and those within the so-called equivalent range. Moreover, various omissions, substitutions, modifications, and combinations of components can be made without departing from the spirit of the following embodiments.

[0010] (Outline configuration of an image forming apparatus) Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example of the schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to this embodiment. The schematic configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 1.

[0011] The image forming apparatus 1 shown in Figure 1 is an inkjet recording apparatus that fixes and dries the recording paper S, which is a medium such as continuous sheet paper, with ink ejected from the liquid ejection unit 13, using a drying device 20. As shown in Figure 1, the image forming apparatus 1 includes an unwinding roller 11, a transport roller 12, a liquid ejection unit 13, a transport guide member 14, a drying device 20, a discharge roller 31, and a take-up roller 32. A transport path R for transporting the recording paper S is formed between the unwinding roller 11 and the take-up roller 32. The transport path R is arranged in the following order from upstream: transport roller 12, liquid ejection unit 13 and transport guide member 14, drying device 20, and discharge roller 31.

[0012] The unwinding roller 11 is a roller that feeds recording paper S, such as continuous sheets of paper, into the transport path R by rotating in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 1. Note that the recording paper S is not limited to continuous sheets of paper, but may be, for example, pre-cut sheets of a predetermined size. In this case, the sheets of the predetermined size may be fed out one by one by the paper feed roller.

[0013] The medium may also be other materials such as plain paper, glossy paper, specialty paper, non-permeable substrates, ceramics, glass, or metal. Furthermore, the medium may be fabrics used in clothing such as T-shirts, textiles, leather, or building materials such as wallpaper, flooring, or tiles.

[0014] The transport rollers 12 are a pair of rollers for transporting the recording paper S, which has been unwound from the unwinding roller 11, onto the transport guide member 14 while holding it in place. The means for transporting the recording paper S may also be a transport belt or the like, which transports the recording paper S while holding it in place.

[0015] The liquid ejection unit 13 is a unit that ejects ink, which is a liquid of a predetermined color, onto the surface (printing surface) of the recording paper S. The liquid ejection unit 13 has liquid ejection heads 13a to 13d, which are arranged in parallel in the transport direction of the recording paper S and eject four different colors of ink (black K, cyan C, magenta M, yellow Y), respectively. The types and number of ink colors ejected from the liquid ejection unit 13 are not limited to those described above. Furthermore, the driving method for ejecting the ink from the liquid ejection heads 13a to 13d is not particularly limited and may include, for example, a method using an on-demand piezoelectric element actuator, a method applying thermal energy, an electrostatic method utilizing electrostatic force, or a continuous ejection type charged control method. In addition, although the liquid ejection unit 13 has liquid ejection heads 13a to 13d configured as separate heads for each color, they may all be integrated heads.

[0016] The transport guide member 14 is a member for supporting the recording paper S and guiding it along the transport path R. The liquid discharge unit 13 discharges ink onto the surface of the recording paper S, which is supported and guided by the transport guide member 14.

[0017] The drying device 20 is a device that heats and dries the ink-coated recording paper S. As shown in Figure 1, the drying device 20 has heating rollers 21a to 21g, air inlets 22a to 22f, exhaust ports 23a to 23f, and guide rollers 24a to 24e.

[0018] The heating rollers 21a to 21g are cylindrical heating rotating bodies arranged in a circular pattern as shown in Figure 1, and each has a heat source such as a halogen heater inside. The heating rollers 21a to 21g constitute an inner circumferential path for transporting the recording paper S on the inner side of the drying apparatus 20. In this inner circumferential path, the heating rollers 21a to 21g come into contact with the back surface of the transported recording paper S. The heating rollers 21a to 21g transport the recording paper S that has entered the drying apparatus 20 and heat the recording paper S that they contact from the back surface. The heating rollers 21a to 21g also heat the recording paper S according to a preset temperature. The means of heating the recording paper S is not limited to contact-type heating means such as the heating rollers 21a to 21g, but may also be non-contact heating means such as heating the recording paper S by irradiating it with infrared or ultraviolet light. Furthermore, when referring to any of the heating rollers 21a to 21g, or collectively, they shall simply be referred to as "heating roller 21." Also, the number of heating rollers 21 is not limited to those shown in Figure 1.

[0019] Guide rollers 24a to 24e are cylindrical rotating bodies that do not have an internal heat source and are rollers that guide the recording paper S heated by the heating rollers 21a to 21g and transport it to the outside of the drying apparatus 20. Of these, guide roller 24a reverses the recording paper S as it passes through the inner circumference path. Guide rollers 24b to 24e constitute an outer circumference path that transports the recording paper S to the outer circumference side of the drying apparatus 20. In this outer circumference path, guide rollers 24b to 24e come into contact with the surface of the recording paper S being transported.

[0020] The air supply ports 22a to 22f are members such as nozzles that are installed in the drying device 20 and blow out the air sent into the drying device 20 from the outside of the drying device 20 as air supply by the air supply mechanism 40 described later. As shown in FIG. 1, the air supply ports 22a to 22f are arranged between the respective heating rollers 21 in the inner peripheral path and are arranged to face the exhaust ports 23a to 23f across the conveyance path R of the recording paper S. In this case, the air supply ports 22a to 22f are arranged on the printed surface (image forming surface) side (outer peripheral side) of the conveyed recording paper S, and blow air onto the printed surface of the recording paper S.

[0021] The exhaust ports 23a to 23f are suction ports that are installed in the drying device 20 and suck the air in the drying device 20 and exhaust it outdoors by the exhaust mechanism 50 described later. As shown in FIG. 1, the exhaust ports 23a to 23f are arranged between the respective heating rollers 21 in the inner peripheral path and are arranged to face the air supply ports 22a to 22f across the conveyance path R of the recording paper S. In this case, the exhaust ports 23a to 23f are arranged on the back surface (the surface opposite to the printed surface) side (inner peripheral side) of the conveyed recording paper S, and suck the air containing vapor in the drying device 20 for exhaust.

[0022] Note that the arrangement relationship of the air inlets 22a to 22f and the air outlets 23a to 23f is not limited to that shown in FIG. 1, and other arrangement relationships may be possible. For example, the air inlets 22a to 22f may be arranged side by side in a linear manner instead of being arranged circumferentially. Also, the air outlets 23a to 23f may be arranged side by side in a linear manner instead of being arranged circumferentially. In this case, the circumferential conveyance path R shown in FIG. 1 may also be configured linearly. Further, the air inlets 22a to 22f are separate bodies in the example shown in FIG. 1, but are not limited thereto and may be integrally formed. The same applies to the air outlets 23a to 23f. Also, in the example shown in FIG. 1, a configuration is shown in which the air inlets 22a to 22f are arranged on the front surface side of the recording paper S conveyed on the conveyance path R, and the air outlets 23a to 23f are arranged on the back surface side of the recording paper S, but this is not limiting. For example, the air inlets 22a to 22f may be arranged on the back surface side of the recording paper S, and the air outlets 23a to 23f may be arranged on the front surface side of the recording paper S, or both the air inlets 22a to 22f and the air outlets 23a to 23f may be arranged on the front surface side of the recording paper S, or both may be arranged on the back surface side. Also, the number of the air inlets 22a to 22f and the air outlets 23a to 23f is not limited to that shown in FIG. 1.

[0023] The discharge roller 31 is a pair of rollers for conveying the recording paper S conveyed from the drying device 20 to the winding roller 32 in a sandwiched state. Note that as the conveying means for the recording paper S, a conveying belt or the like that conveys the recording paper S while adsorbing it may be used.

[0024] The winding roller 32 is a roller for winding and recovering the recording paper S conveyed by the discharge roller 31 by rotating in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 1. Note that when the recording paper S is a paper of a predetermined size that has been cut in advance, it is also possible to use a paper discharge tray on which the discharged papers are stacked instead of the winding roller 32.

[0025] Next, the image forming operation of the image forming apparatus 1 having the general configuration described above will be explained.

[0026] When the image forming operation starts, the unwinding roller 11 starts to rotate, and the recording paper S is fed out from the unwinding roller 11.

[0027] The fed-out recording paper S is transported below the liquid ejection unit 13 by the transport roller 12, and ink is ejected from the liquid ejection heads 13a to 13d toward the recording paper S. This forms an image on the recording paper S.

[0028] Subsequently, the recording paper S is transported to the drying device 20. In the drying device 20, the recording paper S is heated as it is transported by heating rollers 21a to 21g and comes into contact with each of the heating rollers 21a to 21g. Specifically, the recording paper S is heated when the side of the recording paper S opposite to the printing surface comes into contact with each of the heating rollers 21a to 21g. This dries the ink-coated recording paper S. At this time, air is blown onto the printing surface of the recording paper S from the air inlets 22a to 22f, creating an airflow to remove ink vapor and accelerating the drying of the recording paper S.

[0029] Here, when the recording paper S is heated by the heating rollers 21a to 21g, the water or solvent contained in the ink applied to the recording paper S is released as vapor. Also, when the recording paper S is heated, the water contained in the recording paper S itself is also released as vapor. This vapor exists in a gaseous state for a while, but if it is then cooled in the drying device 20 and condenses, water droplets may adhere to the recording paper S, potentially causing image defects. Therefore, air from inside the drying device 20 is drawn in through the exhaust ports 23a to 23f provided in the drying device 20, and the air containing the vapor generated from the recording paper S is exhausted outside the drying device 20. The destination for the exhaust of the air containing vapor may be outside the drying device 20, outside the space in which the image forming apparatus 1 is installed, or outdoors.

[0030] The recording paper S is then transported outside the drying device 20 by guide rollers 24a to 24e. Subsequently, the recording paper S is transported to the winding roller 32 by the discharge roller 31, and is wound up and collected by the winding roller 32. This completes the series of image forming operations.

[0031] (Drying system configuration) Figure 2 shows an example of the configuration of the drying system according to the embodiment. The configuration of the drying system 2 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 2.

[0032] As shown in Figure 2, the drying system 2 includes a drying device 20, an air supply mechanism 40, an exhaust mechanism 50, a heat exchanger 60, and a control device 80. In the example shown in Figure 2, the drying device 20, air supply mechanism 40, heat exchanger 60, and control device 80 are installed in an indoor ID enclosed by the walls of a building, etc. Outdoor OD in Figure 2 refers to the outdoor area separated from the indoor ID.

[0033] The air supply mechanism 40 is a mechanism that takes in air from the outdoor OD or from the indoor ID, which is the space in which the image forming apparatus 1 is installed, and supplies it as air into the drying apparatus 20 through the air supply ports 22a to 22f. As shown in Figure 2, the air supply mechanism 40 includes an indoor air supply passage 41, an outdoor air supply passage 42, adjustment dampers 43a to 43f, air supply blowers 44a to 44f, and temperature sensors 45a to 45f.

[0034] The indoor air supply passage 41 is a duct that takes in air from the indoor ID, which is the space where the image forming apparatus 1 is installed, and supplies the air, from which heat has been transferred from the exhaust in the exhaust mechanism 50 by the heat exchanger 60, to the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f, respectively. In order to supply high-temperature air to the drying apparatus 20, it is preferable that the temperature of the air taken in by the indoor air supply passage 41 is high. For this reason, it is preferable that the indoor air supply passage 41 takes in air from the indoor ID, which tends to be relatively warmer than the outdoor OD. Furthermore, the indoor air supply passage 41 is not limited to taking in air from the indoor ID, but may also take in air from the outdoor OD. In addition, the indoor air supply passage 41 corresponds to the "first supply passage" of the present invention.

[0035] The outdoor air supply passage 42 is a duct for taking in air from the outdoor OD and branching that air to the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f, respectively. It is preferable that the air taken in by the outdoor air supply passage 42 is at a low temperature, as it is mixed with the air supplied from the indoor air supply passage 41, which is heated by the heat exchanger 60, to lower its temperature. Therefore, it is preferable that the outdoor air supply passage 42 takes in air from the outdoor OD, which tends to be relatively cooler than the indoor ID. Furthermore, the outdoor air supply passage 42 is not limited to taking in air from the outdoor OD; it may also take in air from the indoor ID. For example, if the indoor air supply passage 41 takes in air from the outdoor OD, the outdoor air supply passage 42 can be configured to take in air from the indoor ID. In other words, the indoor air supply passage 41 and the outdoor air supply passage 42 can be configured to take in air from different areas separated by a barrier between the indoors and outdoors. This allows for a larger temperature difference between the air taken in through the indoor air supply passage 41 and the outdoor air supply passage 42, thereby broadening the temperature range that can be achieved by adjusting the mixing ratio with the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f. Furthermore, the outdoor air supply passage 42 corresponds to the "second supply passage" of this invention.

[0036] Adjustment dampers 43a to 43f are connected to a branched indoor air supply passage 41 and a branched outdoor air supply passage 42, respectively, and are dampers that mix indoor air (ID) supplied from the indoor air supply passage 41 and outdoor air (OD) supplied from the outdoor air supply passage 42. Adjustment dampers 43a to 43f send the mixed air (hereinafter sometimes referred to as mixed air) to the supply air blowers 44a to 44f, respectively. Furthermore, adjustment dampers 43a to 43f adjust the mixing ratio of indoor air (ID) supplied from the indoor air supply passage 41 and outdoor air (OD) supplied from the outdoor air supply passage 42 according to a control signal from the control device 80. Note that adjustment dampers 43a to 43f correspond to the "mixing mechanism" of the present invention. The mixed air that has passed through adjustment dampers 43a to 43f is supplied to the air inlets 22a to 22f via a mixed air supply passage, which is a duct for supplying the mixed air into the drying device 20. The mixed air supply passages are independent ducts provided for each adjustment damper 43a to 43f, and each supplies mixed air to the air inlets 22a to 22f. In addition, air inlet blowers 44a to 44f and temperature sensors 45a to 45f are provided along the path of each mixed air supply passage.

[0037] Furthermore, when the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f adjust the mixing ratio, they may be able to adjust either the indoor ID air supplied from the indoor air supply passage 41 or the outdoor OD air supplied from the outdoor air supply passage 42, or they may be able to adjust both. In addition, the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f may be made manually adjustable by the user. In this case, the user may be able to adjust the mixing ratio while checking the display on the output device 602 described later, or the display unit provided on the temperature sensors 45a to 45f. Also, when referring to any of the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f, or collectively, they shall simply be referred to as "adjustment damper 43". Furthermore, the above-mentioned mixed air is a concept that also includes air composed of only either the indoor ID air supplied from the indoor air supply passage 41 or the outdoor OD air supplied from the outdoor air supply passage 42. For example, even if the ratio of indoor air supplied from the indoor air supply passage 41 to the air discharged from the adjustment damper 43 is 100%, and the ratio of outdoor air supplied from the outdoor air supply passage 42 to the outdoor air supply passage 42 is 100%, the air in question will be described as "mixed air."

[0038] The air supply blowers 44a to 44f are devices that blow the mixed air supplied from the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f into the drying device 20 as supply air through the air supply ports 22a to 22f, respectively.

[0039] The temperature sensors 45a to 45f are sensors that detect the temperature of the supply air (mixed air) just before it is blown into the drying apparatus 20 from the supply air inlets 22a to 22f. The temperature sensors 45a to 45f are installed in the ducts that connect the supply air blowers 44a to 44f to the supply air inlets 22a to 22f, respectively. The temperature sensors 45a to 45f transmit the temperature information they detect to the control device 80. Note that the temperature sensors 45a to 45f correspond to the "temperature detection unit" of the present invention.

[0040] Furthermore, when referring to any of the temperature sensors 45a to 45f, or collectively, they shall simply be referred to as "temperature sensor 45." In addition, although the example shown in Figure 2 describes a configuration in which the temperature sensors 45a to 45f are installed upstream of the airflow relative to the air intake ports 22a to 22f, the system is not limited to this configuration. They may also be installed downstream of the airflow relative to the air intake ports 22a to 22f, i.e., a configuration in which the temperature of the air blown out from the air intake ports 22a to 22f is detected. Also, although the example shown in Figure 2 describes the temperature sensors 45a to 45f as detecting the temperature of the mixed air mixed by the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f, the system is not limited to this configuration. For example, they may also detect the temperature of the air drawn in from the exhaust ports 23a to 23f and before it is sent to the heat exchanger 60.

[0041] Furthermore, the number of adjustment dampers 43a to 43f, air supply blowers 44a to 44f, and temperature sensors 45a to 45f is not limited to those shown in Figure 2. Also, although the example shown in Figure 2 shows a configuration in which a temperature sensor 45 is provided corresponding to each adjustment damper 43, it is not limited to this configuration. For example, a configuration in which one temperature sensor 45 is provided corresponding to multiple adjustment dampers 43 is also possible.

[0042] The exhaust mechanism 50 is a mechanism that draws in air from inside the drying device 20 through exhaust ports 23a to 23f and discharges it as exhaust to the outdoors (OD). As shown in Figure 2, the exhaust mechanism 50 includes an exhaust passage 51 and an exhaust blower 52.

[0043] The exhaust passage 51 is a duct that collects the air inside the drying device 20, which is drawn in through the exhaust ports 23a to 23f by the drive of the exhaust blower 52, and discharges it as exhaust to the outdoors (OD) via the exhaust blower 52 and the heat exchanger 60. The exhaust passage 51 is formed by the collection of ducts connected to the exhaust ports 23a to 23f, and is connected to the exhaust blower 52.

[0044] The exhaust blower 52 is a device for drawing air from inside the drying apparatus 20 through exhaust ports 23a to 23f. The exhaust blower 52 then sends the air drawn in through exhaust ports 23a to 23f to the heat exchanger 60 via the exhaust passage 51.

[0045] The heat exchanger 60 is a device that performs heat exchange between the air passing through the indoor air supply passage 41 in the air supply mechanism 40 and the air passing through the exhaust passage 51 sent from the exhaust blower 52 in the exhaust mechanism 50. In other words, the heat exchanger 60 is a means of heating the air passing through the indoor air supply passage 41 with the heat of the air passing through the exhaust passage 51. Note that the heat exchanger 60 is an example of the "heating means" of the present invention. Specifically, the heat exchanger 60 transfers the heat of the exhaust passing through the exhaust passage 51 sent from the exhaust blower 52 to the air passing through the indoor air supply passage 41. That is, the heat exchanger 60 is installed so that the indoor air supply passage 41 and the exhaust passage 51 pass through it. Note that the heat exchanger 60 may be a sensible heat exchanger that exchanges only sensible heat, or it may be a total heat exchanger that exchanges both sensible heat and latent heat.

[0046] The control device 80 is a device that controls the mixing ratio of indoor ID air supplied from the indoor air supply passage 41 and outdoor OD air supplied from the outdoor air supply passage 42 in the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f, according to the temperature information of the supply air received from the temperature sensors 45a to 45f. As a specific example of operation, the control device 80 receives temperature information from the temperature sensors 45a to 45f, and if the temperature information indicates a predetermined temperature (for example, 70 degrees) or higher, it uses the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f to mix the indoor ID air supplied from the indoor air supply passage 41 with the outdoor OD air supplied from the outdoor air supply passage 42 to lower the temperature of the supply air, thereby supplying supply air below the predetermined temperature from the air inlets 22a to 22f. This involves controlling whether or not to mix the air from the outdoor air supply passage 42 with the air from the indoor air supply passage 41 using the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f according to the temperature information. However, it is not limited to this, and as described above, the mixing ratio of the two airs may be finely controlled by the control device 80 according to the temperature information.

[0047] In Figure 2, an example is shown in which the control device 80 is installed in an indoor ID outside the drying apparatus 20. However, the design is not limited to this. For example, the control device 80 may be installed inside the drying apparatus 20 or the image forming apparatus 1, or it may be configured on a cloud system that can communicate via a network. Furthermore, the control device 80 may not only be able to communicate with the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f and the temperature sensors 45a to 45f, but may also be able to communicate with other components within the drying apparatus 20 or the image forming apparatus 1. In addition, the control device 80 may be a control device dedicated to the drying apparatus 20, or it may also serve as a control device for the image forming apparatus 1.

[0048] As described above, the heat exchanger 60 transfers the heat from the exhaust air passing through the exhaust passage 51, which is sent from the exhaust blower 52, to the air passing through the indoor air supply passage 41, thereby supplying heated supply air to the drying apparatus 20. However, since the heat exchanger 60 itself cannot control the temperature of the supply air, in the case of a configuration without adjustment dampers 43a to 43f, if the temperature of the air heated by the heat exchanger 60 is high, that high-temperature air will be supplied as supply air into the drying apparatus 20. As a result, if the temperature inside the drying apparatus 20 becomes higher than expected, the components inside and around the drying apparatus 20, electrical equipment, control devices, etc., will be exposed to high temperatures, which may induce malfunctions in the image forming apparatus 1. Therefore, as described above, in this embodiment, the indoor air (ID) supplied from the indoor air supply passage 41 and the outdoor air (OD) supplied from the outdoor air supply passage 42 are mixed by the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f included in the air supply mechanism 40, and the control device 80 controls the mixing ratio of the mixed air in the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f according to the temperature information of the supplied air received from the temperature sensors 45a to 45f. The mixed air mixed in the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f is then supplied as supplied air into the drying device 20 through the air inlets 22a to 22. This makes it possible to supply air at an appropriate temperature into the drying device 20, thereby improving the drying performance and condensation suppression effect in the drying device 20, and also suppressing the temperature inside the drying device 20 from rising.

[0049] In the example shown in Figure 2, the air supply mechanism 40, exhaust mechanism 50, heat exchanger 60, and control device 80 are described as being located outside the drying apparatus 20, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, the drying apparatus 20 may include some or all of the air supply mechanism 40, exhaust mechanism 50, heat exchanger 60, and control device 80.

[0050] (Control device hardware configuration) Figure 3 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the control device of the drying system according to the embodiment. The hardware configuration of the control device 80 of the drying system 2 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 3.

[0051] As shown in Figure 3, the control device 80 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 501, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 502, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 503, an NVRAM (Non-Volatile Random Access Memory) 504, a sensor interface 505, a damper drive circuit 506, a network interface 507, and an input / output interface 508. The CPU 501, ROM 502, RAM 503, NVRAM 504, sensor interface 505, damper drive circuit 506, network interface 507, and input / output interface 508 can communicate with each other via bus lines 510, such as an address bus and a data bus.

[0052] The CPU 501 is an arithmetic unit that controls the overall operation of the control unit 80. The ROM 502 is a non-volatile memory device that stores programs used to drive the CPU 501, such as the IPL (Initial Program Loader). The RAM 503 is a volatile memory device used as the work area of ​​the CPU 501.

[0053] NVRAM504 is a non-volatile memory device that stores various data, such as programs, and retains this data even when the power supply is cut off.

[0054] Sensor I / F505 is an interface circuit for data communication with temperature sensors 45a to 45f.

[0055] The damper drive circuit 506 is a drive circuit for controlling the operation of the adjustable dampers 43a to 43f.

[0056] The Network I / F 507 is an interface circuit for data communication with external devices via a network. The Network I / F 507 supports, for example, Ethernet® and enables communication compliant with TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) / IP (Internet Protocol), etc. Alternatively, the Network I / F 507 may be a wireless communication interface compliant with Wi-Fi®, etc.

[0057] The I / F 508 is an interface circuit for data communication with input / output devices. The I / F 508 can communicate data with input devices 601 such as a mouse, keyboard, or touch panel, and output devices 602 such as a display or touch panel.

[0058] Note that the hardware configuration of the control device 80 shown in Figure 3 is just one example, and it is not necessary to have all the components, nor is it possible to have other components. For example, when the control device 80 controls the air intake blower 44 and the exhaust blower 52, the control device 80 may have a blower drive circuit, which is a drive circuit for controlling the operation of the air intake blowers 44a to 44f and the exhaust blower 52.

[0059] (Configuration of the control unit's functional blocks) Figure 4 shows an example of the configuration of the functional block of the control device for the drying system according to this embodiment. The configuration of the functional block of the control device 80 of the drying system 2 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 4.

[0060] As shown in Figure 4, the control device 80 includes an acquisition unit 101, a determination unit 102, a damper control unit 103, a setting unit 104, a storage unit 105, an output control unit 106, and an input unit 107.

[0061] The acquisition unit 101 is a functional unit that acquires temperature information detected by temperature sensors 45a to 45f via the sensor I / F 505.

[0062] The determination unit 102 is a functional unit that compares and determines whether the temperature information acquired by the acquisition unit 101 meets a predetermined threshold. For example, the determination unit 102 performs a threshold determination on the temperature indicated by the temperature information acquired by the acquisition unit 101. The determination unit 102 can perform a threshold determination on each of the temperature information detected by the temperature sensors 45a to 45f.

[0063] The damper control unit 103 is a functional unit that controls the mixing ratio of the mixed air in the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f according to the determination result of the determination unit 102 regarding the temperature information. For example, if the determination unit 102 determines that the temperature indicated by the temperature information is greater than a first threshold, the damper control unit 103 controls the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f so that the ratio of air supplied from the outdoor air supply line 42, which is mixed with the air supplied from the indoor air supply line 41 (air that has undergone heat exchange in the heat exchanger 60), becomes larger (for example, larger than the current ratio). Also, if the determination unit 102 determines that the temperature indicated by the temperature information is less than a second threshold, the damper control unit 103 controls the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f so that the ratio of air supplied from the outdoor air supply line 42, which is mixed with the air supplied from the indoor air supply line 41 (air that has undergone heat exchange in the heat exchanger 60), becomes smaller (for example, smaller than the current ratio). Here, the damper control unit 103 can control the mixing ratio of the mixed air in each of the adjustment dampers 43a to 43 according to the determination result for each temperature information detected by the temperature sensors 45a to 45f by the determination unit 102. For example, the damper control unit 103 can control the mixing ratio of the mixed air in the adjustment damper 43a provided in the mixed air supply path corresponding to the temperature sensor 45a according to the determination result for the temperature information detected by the temperature sensor 45a, and can control the mixing ratio of the mixed air in the adjustment damper 43b provided in the mixed air supply path corresponding to the temperature sensor 45b according to the determination result for the temperature information detected by the temperature sensor 45b. The damper control unit 103 may refer to the storage unit 105 for the first and second threshold values ​​used for comparison determination. However, it is not limited to this, and the damper control unit 103 may control the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f based on table data that stores the ratio of air supplied from the outdoor air supply path 42 to be mixed with the air supplied from the indoor air supply path 41 for each temperature information. Furthermore, the damper control unit 103 corresponds to the "mixing mechanism control unit" of the present invention.

[0064] The first threshold and the second threshold mentioned above may be the same value or different values. Furthermore, the first and second thresholds may be variable thresholds depending on the conditions of the drying apparatus 20, and may be different thresholds for each temperature sensor 45 (each adjustment damper 43).

[0065] The setting unit 104 is a functional unit that sets the first threshold, second threshold, etc., as setting information in response to operation input to the input unit 107. The setting unit 104 may also set the first threshold, second threshold, etc., as setting information based on commands from an external device that can communicate data via the network I / F 507. The setting unit 104 stores the set setting information in the storage unit 105.

[0066] The memory unit 105 is a functional unit that stores setting information such as the first threshold and second threshold set by the setting unit 104. However, it is not limited to this, and the memory unit 105 may also store table data as setting information, which stores the ratio of air supplied from the outdoor air supply line 42 to be mixed with air supplied from the indoor air supply line 41 for each temperature information. The memory unit 105 is implemented by the RAM 503 or NVRAM 504 shown in Figure 3.

[0067] The output control unit 106 is a functional unit that controls the operation of the output device 602, which is an external device connected via a display, touch panel, or network. For example, the output control unit 106 causes the output device 602 to display at least one of the following: temperature information acquired by the acquisition unit 101, and the state of the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f controlled by the damper control unit 103. The output control unit 106 corresponds to the "display control unit" of the present invention. The output device 602 corresponds to the "display device" of the present invention.

[0068] The input unit 107 is a functional unit that receives user input. The input unit 107 is implemented by the input device 601 shown in Figure 3.

[0069] The acquisition unit 101, determination unit 102, damper control unit 103, setting unit 104, and output control unit 106 described above are implemented, for example, by a program executed by the CPU 501 shown in Figure 3. At least a portion of the acquisition unit 101, determination unit 102, damper control unit 103, setting unit 104, and output control unit 106 may be implemented by hardware circuits such as FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) or ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit).

[0070] It should be noted that the functional units of the control device 80 shown in Figure 4 are conceptual representations of their functions and are not limited to this configuration. For example, multiple functional units shown as independent functional units in the control device 80 in Figure 4 may be configured as a single functional unit. Alternatively, the functions of one functional unit in the control device 80 shown in Figure 4 may be divided into multiple functions and configured as multiple functional units. Furthermore, each functional unit of the control device 80 does not need to be configured as a clear software module as a block as shown in Figure 4; the functions of each functional unit as a whole may be realized by the execution of a program in the control device 80.

[0071] (Operation flow of the drying system) Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation flow of the drying system according to the embodiment. The operation flow of the drying system 2 according to this embodiment will be explained with reference to Figure 5.

[0072] <Step S11> The acquisition unit 101 of the control device 80 acquires temperature information detected by temperature sensors 45a to 45f via the sensor I / F 505. Then, the control device 80 proceeds to step S12.

[0073] <Step S12> The determination unit 102 of the control device 80 determines whether the temperature indicated by the temperature information acquired by the acquisition unit 101 is greater than a first threshold. If the temperature is greater than the first threshold (step S12: Yes), the control device 80 proceeds to step S13; if the temperature is less than or equal to the first threshold (step S12: No), the control device 80 proceeds to step S14.

[0074] <Step S13> The damper control unit 103 of the control device 80 controls the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f so that the proportion of air supplied from the outdoor air supply line 42 mixed with the air supplied from the indoor air supply line 41 (air that has undergone heat exchange in the heat exchanger 60) is increased. In other words, the damper control unit 103 controls the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f so that the proportion of outdoor air supplied from the outdoor air supply line 42 in the mixed air is increased. Then the control device 80 terminates its operation.

[0075] <Step S14> The determination unit 102 of the control device 80 determines whether the temperature indicated by the temperature information acquired by the acquisition unit 101 is less than the second threshold. If the temperature is less than the second threshold (step S14: Yes), the control device 80 proceeds to step S15. If the temperature is equal to or greater than the second threshold (step S14: No), the control device 80 terminates its operation.

[0076] <Step S15> The damper control unit 103 of the control device 80 controls the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f so that the ratio of air supplied from the outdoor air supply passage 42 to the air supplied from the indoor air supply passage 41 (air that has undergone heat exchange in the heat exchanger 60) is reduced. In other words, the damper control unit 103 controls the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f so that the ratio of outdoor air supplied from the outdoor air supply passage 42 in the mixed air is reduced. Then the control device 80 terminates its operation.

[0077] The control device 80 repeats the processes described in steps S11 to S15. The determination unit 102 can perform threshold determinations for each of the temperature information detected by the temperature sensors 45a to 45f in steps S12 and S14. As a result, the control device 80 can control each of the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f in steps S13 and S15 according to the threshold determinations made for each of the temperature information detected by the temperature sensors 45a to 45f.

[0078] As described above, in the drying system 2 according to this embodiment, the drying device 20 heats the ink-coated recording paper S, the exhaust mechanism 50 draws in air from inside the drying device 20 through exhaust ports 23a to 23f provided in the drying device 20 and discharges the air through the exhaust passage 51, the heat exchanger 60 exchanges heat so as to transfer the heat of the air passing through the exhaust passage 51 to the air passing through the indoor air supply passage 41, and the air supply mechanism 40 supplies air mixed from the air passing through the indoor air supply passage 41 and the air passing through the outdoor air supply passage 42 into the drying device 20 through air supply ports 22a to 22f provided in the drying device 20, and has adjusting dampers 43a to 43f that mix the air passing through the indoor air supply passage 41 and the air passing through the outdoor air supply passage 42. As a result, the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f supply mixed air, which is a mixture of air that has undergone heat exchange in the heat exchanger 60 and unheated air passing through the outdoor air supply passage 42, into the drying device 20, thereby suppressing an increase in the temperature inside the drying device 20.

[0079] Furthermore, in the drying system 2 according to this embodiment, the control device 80 controls the mixing ratio of the air passing through the indoor air supply passage 41 in the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f and the air passing through the outdoor air supply passage 42. This makes it possible to supply air at an appropriate temperature into the drying device 20, thereby achieving drying performance and condensation suppression effects in the drying device 20, and also suppressing the temperature inside the drying device 20 from rising.

[0080] Furthermore, in the drying system 2 according to this embodiment, temperature sensors 45a to 45f detect the temperature of the mixed air by the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f, and the control device 80 controls the mixing ratio according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensors 45a to 45f. This makes it possible for the control device 80 to appropriately and precisely control the temperature of the supply air supplied into the drying apparatus 20.

[0081] Furthermore, in the drying system 2 according to this embodiment, the control device 80 includes a determination unit 102 that compares the temperature detected by temperature sensors 45a to 45f with a first threshold and a second threshold, and a damper control unit 103 that controls the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f so that the proportion of air passing through the outdoor air supply passage 42 mixed with the air passing through the indoor air supply passage 41 increases when the determination unit 102 determines that the temperature is greater than the first threshold, and controls the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f so that the proportion of air passing through the outdoor air supply passage 42 mixed with the air passing through the indoor air supply passage 41 decreases when the determination unit 102 determines that the temperature is less than the second threshold. This ensures drying performance and condensation suppression in the drying device 20, and also prevents the temperature inside the drying device 20 from becoming too high, thereby preventing the components, electrical equipment, and control devices inside and around the drying device 20 from being exposed to high temperatures.

[0082] Furthermore, in the drying system 2 according to this embodiment, the control device 80 has a setting unit 104 that sets a first threshold and a second threshold in response to an operation input to the input unit 107. This makes it possible to adjust the temperature inside the drying apparatus 20 to a desired temperature.

[0083] Furthermore, in the drying system 2 according to this embodiment, the control device 80 has an output control unit 106 that displays at least one of the following on the output device 602: the temperature detected by the temperature sensors 45a to 45f and the state of the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f controlled by the damper control unit 103. This allows the user to check the temperature state inside the drying device 20 and the operating state of the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f, improving convenience.

[0084] Furthermore, in the drying system 2 according to this embodiment, the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f may be configured to allow manual adjustment of the mixing ratio of air passing through the indoor air supply passage 41 and air passing through the outdoor air supply passage 42. This allows the user to directly adjust the mixing ratio of the adjustment dampers 43a to 43f, improving convenience.

[0085] Furthermore, in the drying system 2 according to this embodiment, the air passing through the outdoor air supply passage 42 is assumed to be outdoor air. This makes it easy to adjust the temperature of the mixed air by mixing outdoor air with the air that has undergone heat exchange by the heat exchanger 60.

[0086] Furthermore, in the drying system 2 according to this embodiment, the air that has undergone heat exchange in the heat exchanger 60 and passes through the exhaust passage 51 is discharged outdoors, and the air taken into the indoor air supply passage 41 is the indoor air in which the drying device 20 is installed. This makes it possible to use air from different spaces for both types of air that undergo heat exchange in the heat exchanger 60, thereby increasing the heat exchange efficiency in the heat exchanger 60.

[0087] In the above-described embodiment, if at least one of the functional units of the control device 80 is implemented by program execution, the program is provided pre-installed in ROM or the like. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the program executed by the control device 80 may be provided as an installable or executable file recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), flexible disk (FD), CD-R (Compact Disk-Recordable), or DVD (Digital Versatile Disc). Also, in the above-described embodiment, the program executed by the control device 80 may be provided by storing it on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and allowing it to be downloaded via the network. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the program executed by the control device 80 may be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet. Also, in the above-described embodiment, the program executed by the control device 80 has a module configuration including at least one of the functional units, and in actual hardware, the CPU 501 reads the program from the above-described storage device (e.g., ROM 502) and executes it, thereby loading and generating the above-described functional units onto the main memory (RAM 503).

[0088] The embodiments of the present invention are as follows. <1> A drying apparatus that heats a medium to which liquid has been applied, An exhaust mechanism that discharges air from the drying apparatus through an exhaust passage, A heating means that heats the air passing through a first supply passage that takes in air from outside the drying apparatus by the heat of the air passing through the exhaust passage, An air supply mechanism supplies into the drying apparatus a mixture of air passing through the first supply passage heated by the heating means and air passing through the second supply passage that takes in air from outside the drying apparatus, A mixing mechanism is provided in the air supply mechanism for mixing the air passing through the first supply passage and the air passing through the second supply passage, It is a drying system that has [a certain feature]. <2> The mixing mechanism further includes a control device for controlling the mixing ratio of air passing through the first supply passage and air passing through the second supply passage. <1> This is the drying system described in [reference]. <3> The system further includes a temperature detection unit for detecting the temperature of the air mixed by the mixing mechanism, The control device controls the mixing ratio according to the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit. <2> This is the drying system described in [reference]. <4> The control device is A determination unit that compares the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit with a first threshold and a second threshold, A mixing mechanism control unit controls the mixing mechanism to increase the proportion of air passing through the second supply passage that is mixed with the air passing through the first supply passage when the determination unit determines that the temperature is greater than the first threshold, and controls the mixing mechanism to decrease the proportion of air passing through the second supply passage that is mixed with the air passing through the first supply passage when the determination unit determines that the temperature is less than the second threshold. The foregoing <3> This is the drying system described in [reference]. <5> The mixing mechanism includes a first mixing mechanism that mixes air passing through the first supply passage with air passing through the second supply passage, and a second mixing mechanism that mixes air passing through the first supply passage with air passing through the second supply passage. The first mixing mechanism supplies the mixed air to the first blower, The second mixing mechanism supplies the mixed air to a second blower different from the first blower. The aforementioned <1> This is the drying system described in [reference]. <6> A first temperature detection unit for detecting the temperature of the air mixed by the first mixing mechanism, A second temperature detection unit detects the temperature of the air mixed by the second mixing mechanism, A control device that controls the mixing ratio of air passing through the first supply passage and air passing through the second supply passage in the first mixing mechanism according to the temperature detected by the first temperature detection unit, and controls the mixing ratio of air passing through the first supply passage and air passing through the second supply passage in the second mixing mechanism according to the temperature detected by the second temperature detection unit, The above further includes <5> This is the drying system described in [reference]. <7> The mixing mechanism is capable of manually adjusting the mixing ratio of the air passing through the first supply passage and the air passing through the second supply passage. <1> This is the drying system described in [reference]. <8> The air supply mechanism takes in air from the outside that passes through the second supply passage. <1> ~ <7> The drying system is one of the items described in any one of the paragraphs. <9> The air supply mechanism takes in air from the indoor area where the drying device is installed, passing through the first supply path. <1> ~ <8> The drying system is one of the items described in any one of the paragraphs. <10> A drying step involves heating the medium to which the liquid has been applied using a drying apparatus, An exhaust step for discharging air from the drying apparatus through an exhaust passage, A heating step in which the air passing through the first supply passage that takes in air from outside the drying apparatus is heated by the heat of the air passing through the exhaust passage, A supply step involves supplying into the drying apparatus an air mixture obtained by mixing the air passing through the first supply passage heated in the heating step with the air passing through the second supply passage that takes in air from outside the drying apparatus, It has, The air supply step is a drying method in which the air passing through the first supply passage and the air passing through the second supply passage are mixed by a mixing mechanism. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0089] 1. Image forming apparatus 2. Drying System 11 unwinding roller 12 Conveyor rollers 13 Liquid discharge part 13a~13d Liquid dispensing head 14. Conveyor guide member 20 Drying equipment 21, 21a~21g Heating roller 22a~22f Air supply port 23a~23f Exhaust port 24a~24e Guide roller 31 Discharge roller 32 winding rollers 40 Air supply mechanism 41 Indoor air supply path 42 Outdoor air supply path 43, 43a~43f Adjustable damper 44a~44f Intake blower 45°C, 45°A-45°F temperature sensor 50 Exhaust mechanism 51 Exhaust passage 52 Exhaust blower 60 heat exchanger 80 Control device 101 Acquisition Department 102 Judgment section 103 Damper Control Unit 104 Settings Section 105 Storage section 106 Output Control Unit 107 Input section 501 CPU 502 ROM 503 RAM 504 NVRAM 505 Sensor I / F 506 Damper drive circuit 507 Network Interface 508 Input / Output Interfaces 510 Bus Line 601 Input device 602 Output device 1001, 1001a Image forming device 1020 Drying equipment 1040 Air supply mechanism 1050 Exhaust Mechanism 1060 heat exchanger ID Indoor OD Outdoor R transport route S Record Sheet [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0090] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7185111

Claims

1. A drying apparatus that heats a medium to which liquid has been applied, An exhaust mechanism that discharges air from the drying apparatus through an exhaust passage, A heating means that heats the air passing through a first supply passage that takes in air from outside the drying apparatus by the heat of the air passing through the exhaust passage, An air supply mechanism supplies into the drying apparatus a mixture of air passing through the first supply passage heated by the heating means and air passing through the second supply passage that takes in air from outside the drying apparatus, A mixing mechanism is provided in the air supply mechanism for mixing the air passing through the first supply passage and the air passing through the second supply passage, A drying system having the following features.

2. The drying system according to claim 1, further comprising a control device for controlling the mixing ratio of air passing through the first supply passage and air passing through the second supply passage in the mixing mechanism.

3. The system further includes a temperature detection unit for detecting the temperature of the air mixed by the mixing mechanism, The drying system according to claim 2, wherein the control device controls the mixing ratio according to the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit.

4. The control device is A determination unit that compares the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit with a first threshold and a second threshold, A mixing mechanism control unit controls the mixing mechanism to increase the proportion of air passing through the second supply passage that is mixed with the air passing through the first supply passage when the determination unit determines that the temperature is greater than the first threshold, and controls the mixing mechanism to decrease the proportion of air passing through the second supply passage that is mixed with the air passing through the first supply passage when the determination unit determines that the temperature is less than the second threshold. A drying system according to claim 3, having the following features.

5. The mixing mechanism includes a first mixing mechanism that mixes air passing through the first supply passage with air passing through the second supply passage, and a second mixing mechanism that mixes air passing through the first supply passage with air passing through the second supply passage. The first mixing mechanism supplies the mixed air to the first blower, The second mixing mechanism supplies the mixed air to a second blower different from the first blower. The drying system according to claim 1.

6. A first temperature detection unit for detecting the temperature of the air mixed by the first mixing mechanism, A second temperature detection unit detects the temperature of the air mixed by the second mixing mechanism, A control device that controls the mixing ratio of air passing through the first supply passage and air passing through the second supply passage in the first mixing mechanism according to the temperature detected by the first temperature detection unit, and controls the mixing ratio of air passing through the first supply passage and air passing through the second supply passage in the second mixing mechanism according to the temperature detected by the second temperature detection unit, The drying system according to claim 5, further comprising:

7. The drying system according to claim 1, wherein the mixing mechanism is capable of manually adjusting the mixing ratio of air passing through the first supply passage and air passing through the second supply passage.

8. The drying system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the air supply mechanism takes in air passing through the second supply passage from the outside.

9. The drying system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the air supply mechanism takes in air passing through the first supply path from indoors where the drying device is installed.

10. A drying step involves heating the medium to which the liquid has been applied using a drying apparatus, An exhaust step that discharges air from the drying apparatus through an exhaust passage, A heating step in which the air passing through the first supply passage that takes in air from outside the drying apparatus is heated by the heat of the air passing through the exhaust passage, A supply step involves supplying into the drying apparatus an air mixture obtained by mixing the air passing through the first supply passage heated in the heating step with the air passing through the second supply passage that takes in air from outside the drying apparatus, It has, A drying method in which, in the air supply step, air passing through the first supply passage and air passing through the second supply passage are mixed by a mixing mechanism.

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