INK ABSORBER, PRINTING DEVICE, METHOD FOR PRODUCING INK ABSORBER, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING PRINTING DEVICE - Patent application

Abstract

To provide an ink absorbing device and a printing apparatus that are able to enhance ink permeability.SOLUTION: An ink absorbing device comprises: a plurality of ink absorbers that have a long shape and absorb waste liquid of ink ejected from a liquid droplet ejection head; and a housing container that houses the plurality of ink absorbers, and the plurality of ink absorbers are arranged so that a longitudinal direction thereof extends in a vertical direction. In addition, it is preferable that an occupancy ratio of the ink absorbers in a region where the plurality of ink absorbers are arranged in the housing container is 50% or more and 95% or less when the ink absorbers are dry.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an ink absorber. 、 printing device , a method for producing an ink absorber and a method for producing a printing device - Patents.com Regarding. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, in printing devices such as inkjet printers, waste ink is usually generated during head cleaning operations performed to prevent deterioration of print quality due to clogging with ink, and during ink refill operations after replacing ink cartridges. In order to prevent such waste liquid from accidentally adhering to the internal mechanisms of the printer, a waste liquid holding container equipped with an absorber, such as that disclosed in Patent Document 1, is used.

[0003] The absorbent disclosed in Patent Document 1 is in the shape of a block made of felt material made of synthetic fibers, pulp, etc., and is installed in a waste liquid tank built into the printing device. The waste ink supplied to the waste liquid tank is absorbed and held by the absorbent. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-65112 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, the absorber is in a block shape, and therefore the permeability and diffusibility when absorbing waste ink are insufficient. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and can be realized as follows.

[0007] The ink absorber of the present invention includes a plurality of ink absorbers each having an elongated shape and configured to absorb waste ink discharged from a droplet discharge head; a container for accommodating the plurality of ink absorbers; The ink absorbers are arranged such that their longitudinal direction is aligned along the vertical direction.

[0008] The printing device of the present invention is characterized by including the ink absorber of the present invention. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a first embodiment of an ink absorber of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing the state of the fibers and resin of the ink absorber shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the ink absorber shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a projection view of the ink absorber projected from the direction of the arrow A in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a top view of the ink absorber in the container. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a method for manufacturing an ink absorber. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a method for manufacturing an ink absorber. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a method for manufacturing an ink absorber. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a second embodiment of the ink absorber of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an ink absorber and a printing device according to the present invention will be described in detail based on preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0011] First Embodiment Fig. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a first embodiment of an ink absorber of the present invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view showing the state of fibers and resin of the ink absorber shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the ink absorber shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a projection view of the ink absorber projected from the direction of arrow A in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a view of the ink absorber in a container as viewed from above. Figs. 6 to 8 are views showing an example of a method for manufacturing an ink absorber.

[0012] In the following, for convenience of explanation, the upper side in Figures 1, 3, 4, 6 to 8 (as well as Figure 9) will be referred to as "upper" or "upper side", and the lower side will be referred to as "lower" or "lower side". In these figures, the upper side is the vertical upper side, and the lower side is the vertical lower side.

[0013] In addition, in this specification, "water absorption" refers to the absorption of inks such as water-based inks in which a colorant is dissolved or dispersed in an aqueous solvent, solvent-based inks in which a binder is dissolved in a solvent, UV-curable inks in which a binder is dissolved in a liquid monomer that hardens when exposed to UV light, and latex inks in which a binder is dispersed in a dispersion medium.

[0014] 1 is, for example, an inkjet color printer. The printing device 200 includes a droplet ejection head 201 that ejects ink Q, a capping unit 202 that prevents clogging of nozzles 201a of the droplet ejection head 201, an ink absorber 100, a tube 203 that connects the capping unit 202 and the ink absorber 100, and a roller pump 204 that sends the ink Q from the capping unit 202 to the ink absorber 100.

[0015] The droplet ejection head 201 has a plurality of nozzles 201a that eject ink Q downward. As shown by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 1, this droplet ejection head 201 is capable of ejecting ink Q to perform printing while moving relative to a recording medium such as a PPC sheet.

[0016] When the droplet ejection head 201 is in the standby position, the capping unit 202 collectively sucks the nozzles 201a by operating the roller pump 204, thereby preventing the nozzles 201a from clogging.

[0017] The tube 203 delivers and discharges the ink Q (hereinafter simply referred to as "ink Q") that has been sucked through the capping unit 202. One end of the tube 203 is inserted into the lid 8 of the storage container 1, and the tube 203 can discharge the ink Q into the storage container 1. The opening at the end of the inserted tube 203 is the discharge port 31.

[0018] The roller pump 204 is disposed midway through the tube 203, and has a roller portion 204a and a clamping portion 204b that clamps the midway of the tube 203 between the roller portion 204a and the clamping portion 204b. When the roller portion 204a rotates, a suction force is generated in the capping unit 202 via the tube 203. Then, when the roller portion 204a continues to rotate, the ink Q attached to the nozzle 201a can be sent to the ink absorber 100.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the ink absorber 100 includes a container 1 and an ink absorber 10 used to absorb the ink Q. The ink absorber 100 is detachably attached to the printing device 200, and in the attached state, is used to absorb waste liquid of the ink Q as described above. In this manner, the ink absorber 100 can be used as a so-called "waste liquid tank" or "waste ink tank". When the ink absorber 100 reaches its limit of absorbing the ink Q, the ink absorber 100 can be replaced with a new ink absorber 100. Whether the ink absorber 100 has reached its limit of absorbing the ink Q is detected by a detection unit (not shown) in the printing device 200. When the ink absorber 100 has reached its limit of absorbing the ink Q, the notification is notified by, for example, a notification unit (not shown) such as a monitor built into the printing device 200.

[0020] The ink absorber 10 is used to absorb the ink Q in the storage container 1. As shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the ink absorber 10 includes fibers 20 and a resin 30 that bonds the fibers 20 together. When the ink Q is applied to the ink absorber 10, the fibers 20 can absorb, i.e., hold, the ink Q.

[0021] The ink absorber 10 is a rod-shaped material containing the fibers 20 and the resin 30 shown in Fig. 2. The rod-shaped shape means that when projected in the direction in which the projected area is maximum, for example, in the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 3, the ratio W / L of the maximum width W to the maximum length L in the projected image 10A is 1 or less, as shown in Fig. 4. Also, the width W and the length L may vary in some parts.

[0022] In the illustrated configuration, the ink absorber 10 is in the shape of a rectangular column. That is, the ink absorber 10 is configured as an elongated body having a rectangular cross-sectional shape. However, the ink absorber 10 is not limited to this, and may be, for example, in the shape of a pyramid, a cylinder, a cone, etc.

[0023] In the ink absorber 100, a plurality of rod-shaped ink absorbers 10 are accommodated in a container 1. This will be described in detail later.

[0024] The density of the constituent materials of the ink absorber 10, i.e., the total density of the fibers 20, the resin 30 and other contents, is 0.01 g / cm 2 More than 1.0g / cm 2 It is preferable that the density is 0.05 g / cm or less. 2 More than 0.8g / cm 2 This makes it possible to ensure sufficient gaps between the fibers 20, resulting in excellent permeability and sufficient strength, and thus enabling the shape to be maintained within the container body 9.

[0025] Examples of the fibers 20 include synthetic resin fibers such as polyester fibers and polyamide fibers; natural resin fibers such as cellulose fibers, keratin fibers, and fibroin fibers, and chemically modified versions thereof. These can be used alone or in appropriate mixtures, but it is preferable for the fibers 20 to be mainly cellulose fibers, and it is even more preferable for almost all of them to be cellulose fibers.

[0026] Cellulose is a material with suitable hydrophilicity, and therefore can quickly escape from a state of particularly high fluidity, for example, a state of viscosity of 10 mPa·s or less, when ink Q is applied to the ink absorber 10. Furthermore, cellulose fiber is a renewable natural material, and among various fibers, it is inexpensive and easily available, and therefore is advantageous from the standpoint of reducing the production costs of the ink absorber 10, stable production, reducing the environmental impact, etc.

[0027] In this specification, the cellulose fiber may be any fiber that contains cellulose as a compound as a main component, and may contain hemicellulose and lignin in addition to cellulose.

[0028] Moreover, in general, fibers such as cellulose fibers, particularly fibers derived from waste paper, are relatively inexpensive and are advantageous from the viewpoint of reducing the manufacturing cost of the ink absorber 10. Moreover, since fibers derived from waste paper can be suitably used as the fibers 20, they are also advantageous from the viewpoint of reducing waste and making effective use of resources.

[0029] The average length of such fibers 20 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.1 mm to 5 mm, and more preferably 0.2 mm to 3 mm. The average width of fibers 20 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.5 μm to 200 μm, and more preferably 1.0 μm to 100 μm. The average aspect ratio of fibers 20, i.e., the ratio of the average length to the average width, is not particularly limited, but is preferably 10 to 1000, and more preferably 15 to 500.

[0030] Within the above-mentioned numerical range, the water absorption and permeability of the ink Q by the fibers 20 can be further improved, and the water absorption and permeability of the ink Q of the ink absorber 10 as a whole can be made even better.

[0031] In addition to the fibers 20, the present embodiment also contains a resin 30. The resin 30 functions as a binder that binds the fibers 20 together. Specifically, the resin 30 is solidified by cooling from a molten state, and adheres to each fiber 20 in a molten state, and is solidified by cooling to bind the fibers 20 together as shown in FIG. 2. Such resin 30 can appropriately restrict deformation of the fibers 20, making it easy to mold the ink absorber 10 into a block shape, and also enabling the block shape to be maintained within the container body 9 described below.

[0032] The resin 30 may be, for example, a thermoplastic resin, a curable resin, or the like, but is preferably a thermoplastic resin. Examples of the thermoplastic resin include polyolefins such as AS resin, ABS resin, polyethylene, polypropylene, and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, modified polyolefins, acrylic resins such as polymethyl methacrylate, polyesters such as polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polybutylene terephthalate, polyamides such as nylon 6, nylon 46, nylon 66, nylon 610, nylon 612, nylon 11, nylon 12, nylon 6-12, and nylon 6-66, liquid crystal polymers such as polyphenylene ether, polyacetal, polyether, polyphenylene oxide, polyether ether ketone, polycarbonate, polyphenylene sulfide, thermoplastic polyimide, polyetherimide, and aromatic polyester, and various thermoplastic elastomers such as styrene, polyolefin, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, polyester, polyamide, polybutadiene, transpolyisoprene, fluororubber, and chlorinated polyethylene. One or more of these may be used in combination. Preferably, the thermoplastic resin is polyester or one containing it.

[0033] The average particle size of the resin 30 is preferably 0.01 μm to 800 μm, more preferably 0.1 μm to 600 μm, and even more preferably 1 μm to 500 μm, so that the fibers 20 can be bonded well to each other.

[0034] The average particle size refers to the average particle size based on volume. The average particle size can be determined, for example, by measurement using a particle size distribution analyzer that uses the laser diffraction / scattering method as its measurement principle, i.e., a laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer.

[0035] Moreover, it is preferable that the resin 30 contains a polymeric absorbing material, i.e., a water-absorbent resin. By containing a water-absorbent resin, the amount of ink that the ink absorber 10 can absorb is further increased. In particular, when cellulose fibers are used as the fibers 20, the ink Q that has been once absorbed can be suitably sent to the resin 30. As a result, the ink absorber 10 as a whole can have particularly excellent ink Q permeability. Furthermore, since cellulose generally has a high affinity with water-absorbent resins, the water-absorbent resin can be more suitably supported on the surface of the fibers 20.

[0036] The water-absorbing resin is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include carboxymethyl cellulose, polyacrylic acid, polyacrylamide, starch-acrylic acid graft copolymer, hydrolyzate of starch-acrylonitrile graft copolymer, vinyl acetate-acrylic acid ester copolymer, copolymer of isobutylene and maleic acid, hydrolyzate of acrylonitrile copolymer or acrylamide copolymer, polyethylene oxide, polysulfonic acid compound, polyglutamic acid, salts thereof, crosslinked bodies thereof, etc. Many water-absorbing resins gel when they absorb water.

[0037] Among them, the water-absorbing resin is preferably a resin having a functional group on the side chain, such as an acid group, a hydroxyl group, an epoxy group, or an amino group.

[0038] In particular, the water-absorbent resin is preferably a resin having an acid group on the side chain, and more preferably a resin having a carboxyl group on the side chain.

[0039] Examples of the carboxyl group-containing unit constituting the water-absorbent resin include those derived from monomers such as acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, itaconic acid, maleic acid, crotonic acid, fumaric acid, sorbic acid, cinnamic acid, and anhydrides and salts thereof.

[0040] The water-absorbing resin may have any shape, such as, for example, a scale-like, needle-like, fibrous, or particulate shape, but is preferably particulate. When the water-absorbing resin is particulate, the permeability of the ink Q can be easily ensured. In addition, the water-absorbing resin can be favorably supported on the fibers 20. The average particle size of the particles is preferably 50 μm or more and 800 μm or less, more preferably 100 μm or more and 600 μm or less, and even more preferably 200 μm or more and 500 μm or less.

[0041] In this way, by including the fibers 20 and the water-absorbent resin as a polymeric absorbing material, the ink Q can be permeated by the fibers 20 and absorbed by the polymeric absorbing material, thereby improving the permeability and retention of the ink Q.

[0042] The ink absorber 10 may contain components other than those described above. Examples of such components include surfactants, lubricants, antifoaming agents, fillers, antiblocking agents, ion exchange resins, activated carbon, labonite, montmorillonite, zeolite, ultraviolet absorbers, colorants such as pigments and dyes, flame retardants, and flowability improvers.

[0043] Next, the container 1 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the storage container 1 includes a container body 9 having a storage space 93 for storing an ink absorber 10, a lid body 8 removably attached to the container body 9, and a regulating plate .

[0044] The container body 9 is box-shaped and has a bottom 91 that is, for example, rectangular in plan view, and four side walls 92 standing upward from the edges of the bottom 91. The ink absorber 10 can be stored in a storage space 93 surrounded by the bottom 91 and the four side walls 92.

[0045] The container body 9 is not limited to one having a bottom 91 that is rectangular in plan view, but may be, for example, one having a bottom 91 that is circular in plan view and having a cylindrical shape as a whole.

[0046] In this embodiment, the container body 9 is hard, that is, has a shape retention property such that the volume V1 does not change by, for example, 10% or more when internal pressure or external force acts on the container body 9. This allows the container body 9 to maintain its own shape even if the ink absorber 10 expands after absorbing the ink Q and the container body 9 is subjected to a force from the ink absorber 10 from the inside. This allows the container body 9 to be installed stably in the printing device 200, and the ink absorber 10 to stably absorb the ink Q.

[0047] The material of the container body 9 is not particularly limited as long as it is made of a material that is not permeable to the ink Q. Examples of materials that can be used for the container body 9 include various resin materials such as cyclic polyolefin and polycarbonate. In addition to the various resin materials, examples of materials that can be used for the container body 9 include various metal materials such as aluminum and stainless steel.

[0048] Furthermore, the container body 9 may be transparent, translucent, or opaque, allowing for internal visibility, but it is preferable that at least a portion of the container body 9 and the lid body 8 described below allow for internal visibility.

[0049] As described above, the ink absorber 100 includes the lid body 8. As shown in FIG. 1, the lid body 8 is plate-shaped and can be fitted into the upper opening 94 of the container body 9. This fitting can seal the upper opening 94. This can prevent the ink Q from scattering outward, for example, when the ink Q is discharged from the tube 203 and falls, and collides with the ink absorber 10 and jumps up. This can prevent the ink Q from adhering to the periphery of the ink absorber 100 and becoming dirty.

[0050] Furthermore, the lid 8 may have an absorbency for absorbing the ink Q, or may have a liquid repellency for repelling the ink Q.

[0051] The thickness of the lid 8 is not particularly limited, and is preferably, for example, 1 mm or more and 20 mm or less, and more preferably, 8 mm or more and 10 mm or less. The lid 8 is not limited to a plate-like body having such a numerical range, and may be a thinner film-like body. In this case, the thickness of the lid 8 is not particularly limited, and is preferably, for example, 10 μm or more and less than 1 mm.

[0052] As described above, the ink absorber 100 includes the regulating plate 7 that regulates the vertical movement of the ink absorber 10, i.e., regulates the longitudinal movement of the ink absorber 10. The regulating plate 7 is disposed in the container body 9 with its thickness direction oriented along the vertical direction. The regulating plate 7 is disposed above the ink absorbers 10 in the container body 9. The regulating plate 7 may or may not be in contact with the ink absorbers 10. For example, the regulating plate 7 can be placed out of contact with the ink absorbers 10 by providing a positioning portion on the inner surface of the container body 9 that determines the vertical position of the regulating plate 7.

[0053] Moreover, the regulating plate 7 has a hole 71 formed of a through hole provided in the center thereof, that is, in a position corresponding to directly below the discharge port 31 of the tube 203. By providing this hole 71, the ink Q discharged from the discharge port 31 can drip through the hole 71 onto the ink absorber 10 below.

[0054] In this manner, the storage container 1 has the container body 9 and the regulating plate 7 that is provided inside the container body 9 and regulates the longitudinal movement of the multiple ink absorbers 10. This makes it possible to prevent the ink absorbers 10 from moving excessively inside the container body 9 even when the ink absorbers 10 are arranged at a relatively low density. This allows the ink absorbers 10 to stably absorb the ink Q.

[0055] In addition, the regulating plate 7 has a hole 71 through which the waste ink Q passes. This makes it possible to prevent the ink absorber 10 from moving excessively within the container body 9 while allowing the ink Q to pass through.

[0056] The configuration of the regulating plate 7 is not limited to the above, and may be any configuration that allows the passage of the ink Q, such as a plate material made of a mesh material. Also, the regulating plate 7 does not necessarily have to have such a configuration, and the lid 8 may be configured to regulate the movement of the ink absorber 10 in the longitudinal direction.

[0057] There are no particular limitations on the materials that make up the container body 9, the lid 8, and the regulating plate 7, and various resin materials can be suitably used, for example. Examples of the resin materials include various thermoplastic resins and various curable resins such as thermosetting resins and photocurable resins. Specific examples of the resin include polyolefins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and ethylene-propylene copolymers; polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polyamide, polyimide, polycarbonate, poly-(4-methylpentene-1), ionomers, acrylic resins, polymethyl methacrylate, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymers, acrylonitrile-styrene copolymers, butadiene-styrene copolymers, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyesters such as polybutylene terephthalate; polyether, polyether ketone, polyether ether ketone, polyetherimide, polyacetal, polyphenylene oxide, polysulfone, polyether sulfone, polyphenylene sulfide, polyarylate, aromatic polyesters, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, and other fluorine-based resins; epoxy resins, phenolic resins, urea resins, melamine resins, silicone resins, polyurethanes, and the like; and copolymers, blends, and polymer alloys mainly made of these resins. One or more of these resins may be used in combination.

[0058] As shown in Fig. 1, a plurality of ink absorbers 10 are arranged in such a container 1 with their longitudinal direction aligned along the vertical direction. That is, the plurality of ink absorbers 10 are inserted in a direction aligned along the depth direction of the container 1. Here, as shown in Fig. 5, a gap G is partially formed around each ink absorber 10 between adjacent ink absorbers 10.

[0059] When ink Q is dropped onto the ink absorber 10, the ink absorber 10 takes in the ink Q, permeates it in its own longitudinal direction, i.e., vertically downward, and retains it, while also propagating the ink Q to the adjacent ink absorbers 10. As a result, the ink Q spreads to each ink absorber 10. In particular, in the ink absorber 100, the ink Q spreads so as to pass through the gaps G, and therefore, due to the formation of the gaps G, the permeability of the ink Q, particularly the permeability in the longitudinal direction of the ink absorber 10, can be increased compared to a conventional block-shaped ink absorber.

[0060] In addition, when the occupancy rate of the ink absorber 10 in the region where the ink absorber 10 is arranged in the storage container 1, that is, when the volume of the region below the regulating plate 7 in the storage space 93 is V1 and the total volume of the ink absorber 10 is V2, V2 / V1 is preferably 50% to 99% and more preferably 60% to 95% when the ink absorber 10 is dry. This can improve the permeability and the ink Q retention. If the occupancy rate is too low, the ink absorber 10 may move horizontally in the space below the regulating plate 7 and the ink Q retention may decrease. On the other hand, if the occupancy rate is too high, the gap G may not be sufficiently secured, making it difficult for the ink Q to permeate to the bottom 91, and the effect of the present invention may not be obtained.

[0061] The ink absorber 10 in a dry state refers to a state in which the moisture content of the ink absorber 10 is 5% or less. In addition, in the above occupancy rate, the gaps between the fibers 20 in one ink absorber 10 are ignored. That is, the above occupancy rate is calculated assuming that each ink absorber 10 is a solid rod-shaped body.

[0062] 5, the ink absorbers 10 are arranged with their orientations around the axis random. That is, the ink absorbers 10 are arranged in the storage container 1 with their orientations around the axis not aligned. This makes it easier to form the aforementioned gaps G between the ink absorbers 10. This makes it possible to more reliably increase the permeability of the ink Q.

[0063] Furthermore, in the ink absorber 10, the fibers 20 are oriented in the longitudinal direction of the ink absorber 10. This allows the ink Q to permeate along the fibers 20, which makes it easier for the ink Q to permeate downward toward the bottom 91. This can further increase the permeability of the ink Q by a synergistic effect with the effect of the present invention.

[0064] The state in which the fibers 20 are oriented in the longitudinal direction of the ink absorber 10 can be directly observed using a digital microscope (Keyence Corporation: VHX5000) or the like, and it is considered that the fibers 20 are oriented in the longitudinal direction if the tensile strength in the longitudinal direction is greater than the tensile strength in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

[0065] Such an ink absorber 10 can be manufactured by the method shown in FIGS.

[0066] In the configuration shown in Fig. 6, a laminate S1 is obtained by stacking a plurality of sheets S manufactured by a sheet manufacturing apparatus described in, for example, JP 2018-140560 A or JP 2014-40045 A. Then, the laminate S1 is cut at cutting positions 300 shown by dashed lines. In this way, a rod-shaped ink absorber 10 can be obtained.

[0067] 6 is the conveying direction when the sheet S is manufactured, it is possible to obtain an ink absorber 10 in which the fibers 20 are oriented in the longitudinal direction of the ink absorber 10. This is because, when the sheet S is conveyed by rollers, tension is applied in the conveying direction, causing the fibers 20 to be oriented.

[0068] 7, the second web M8 manufactured by the sheet manufacturing apparatus described in JP 2018-140560 A or JP 2014-40045 A is cut at the cutting position 400 indicated by the dashed line, thereby obtaining a rod-shaped ink absorber 10.

[0069] 7 is the transport direction of the second web M8, so by cutting in such a direction that the second web M8 is the longitudinal direction, it is possible to obtain an ink absorber 10 in which the fibers 20 are oriented in the longitudinal direction of the ink absorber 10. This is because, as in the above, when the second web M8 is transported by rollers, tension is applied along the transport direction, causing the fibers 20 to be oriented.

[0070] In this manner, the ink absorber 10 is formed by cutting the laminate S1, which is a sheet-like ink absorber base material, or the second web M8.

[0071] 8, a block-shaped molded body 10B formed by piling defibrated material into a block shape is cut into a lattice shape, and the lower part is not cut, thereby obtaining an ink absorber 10 having one end connected to each other. It is preferable to insert the ink absorber 10 so that the side where the ink absorbers 10 are connected to each other is located on the bottom side in the storage container 1. This prevents gaps G from being formed near the bottom of the storage container 1, resulting in excellent ink Q retention near the bottom. Furthermore, the ink absorber 10 can be easily inserted into the storage container 1.

[0072] As described above, the ink absorber 100 is long and includes a plurality of ink absorbers 10 that absorb ink Q, which is waste ink of ink discharged from the droplet discharge head 201, and a storage container 1 that stores the plurality of ink absorbers 10. The ink absorbers 10 are arranged such that their longitudinal direction is aligned with the vertical direction. As a result, gaps G are formed between the ink absorbers 10, and the ink Q spreads so as to pass through the gaps G. Therefore, the formation of the gaps G increases the permeability of the ink Q, particularly the permeability in the longitudinal direction of the ink absorber 10, compared to a conventional block-shaped ink absorber.

[0073] Moreover, the printing device 200 of the present invention includes the ink absorber 100. This makes it possible to obtain the printing device 200 having the advantages of the ink absorber 100.

[0074] <Second embodiment> FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a second embodiment of the ink absorber of the present invention.

[0075] Hereinafter, the second embodiment of the ink absorber and printing device of the present invention will be described with reference to this figure, but the differences from the previously described embodiment will be mainly described, and descriptions of similar points will be omitted.

[0076] 9, in the ink absorber 100 of this embodiment, the length of the ink absorber 10 arranged in the region 10C directly below the discharge port 31, i.e., the region 10C overlapping with the discharge port 31 when the container 1 is viewed from above, is shorter than the length of the ink absorber 10 arranged in the surrounding region 10D. Therefore, when the plurality of ink absorbers 10 are viewed as a whole, a recess 500 is formed on the discharge port 31 side in the region 10C directly below the discharge port 31.

[0077] According to such a configuration, the discharged ink Q can be first stored in the recess 500 and then permeates the entirety. Therefore, even if the amount of ink Q discharged temporarily increases, the ink Q does not overflow and can be stably absorbed.

[0078] The ink absorber and printing device of the present invention have been described above in terms of the illustrated embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to this, and each part constituting the ink absorber and printing device can be replaced with any configuration that can perform the same function.

[0079] Furthermore, the ink absorber and printing device of the present invention may be a combination of any two or more of the configurations and features of the above-described embodiments.

[0080] Furthermore, the density of the ink absorber 10 in the region 10C may be lower than the density of the ink absorber 10 in the region 10D. In this case, the permeability of the ink Q in the region where the ink Q is dropped and immediately absorbed can be further increased, and the ink absorption speed can be increased overall. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 1...container, 7...regulating plate, 8...lid, 9...container body, 10...ink absorber, 10A...projected image, 10B...molded body, 10C...area, 10D...area, 20...fiber, 30...resin, 31...discharge port, 71...hole, 91...bottom, 92...side wall, 93...container space, 94...upper opening, 95...void, 100...ink absorber, 200...printing device, 201...droplet ejection head, 201a...nozzle, 202...capping unit, 203...tube, 204...roller pump, 204a...roller portion, 204b...clamping portion, 300...cutting position, 400...cutting position, 500...recess, A...arrow, B...arrow, C...arrow, G...void, M8...second web, Q...ink, S...sheet, S1...laminated body

Claims

1. a plurality of ink absorbers each having a long shape and configured to absorb waste ink discharged from a droplet discharge head; a container for housing the ink absorbers; The ink absorber is characterized in that the longitudinal direction of each of the plurality of ink absorbers is aligned vertically, and the orientations of the ink absorbers around their axes are random.

2. 2. The ink absorber according to claim 1, wherein an occupancy rate of the ink absorbers in a region in which the plurality of ink absorbers are arranged within the container is 50% or more and 99% or less when the ink absorbers are dry.

3. 3. The ink absorber according to claim 1, wherein the ink absorbers are shaped like rectangular parallelepipeds.

4. 4. The ink absorber according to claim 1, wherein the ink absorber comprises fibers oriented in the longitudinal direction and a polymeric absorbent material.

5. 5. An ink absorber as claimed in claim 1, wherein the storage container has a regulating plate disposed within the container body so as to form a space between the container body, a lid, and the lid, and the regulating plate contacts the ink absorbers to regulate their movement in the longitudinal direction.

6. 6. The ink absorber according to claim 5, wherein the regulating plate has a mesh through which the waste ink passes.

7. A printing device comprising the ink absorber according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A method for conveying a sheet-shaped ink absorbent base material for absorbing waste ink, cutting the ink absorber base material so that the conveying direction is the longitudinal direction to form a plurality of long ink absorbers; A plurality of the ink absorbers are placed in a container so that the longitudinal directions of the ink absorbers are aligned in a vertical direction and the orientations around the axes of the ink absorbers are random.

13. A method for producing an ink absorber comprising the steps of:

9. A method for conveying a sheet-shaped ink absorbent base material for absorbing waste ink, cutting the ink absorber base material so that the conveying direction is the longitudinal direction to form a plurality of long ink absorbers; A plurality of the ink absorbers are placed in a container so that the longitudinal directions of the ink absorbers are aligned in a vertical direction and the orientations around the axes of the ink absorbers are random; The container is disposed so that the ink discharged from the droplet discharge head flows into the ink absorber.

13. A method for producing a printing device comprising:

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