Recording device and conveying device

Abstract

To solve the problem that adhesiveness of a conveyance belt 20 deteriorates in detection.SOLUTION: A recording device includes a recording part capable of performing recording on media, a conveyance belt which has an adhesive capable of bonding the media and can convey the media, an ultrasonic sensor which transmits ultrasonic waves to the surface of the adhesive and can receive the ultrasonic waves reflected from the surface, and a control part capable of determining the state of the surface on the basis of a detection result of the ultrasonic sensor.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a recording apparatus and a conveying apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a recording device is known that detects a change in adhesiveness by using a detection roller that comes into contact with an adhesive conveyor belt. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-315824 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the recording device described in Patent Document 1, the detection roller comes into contact with the conveyor belt during detection, which may cause deterioration of adhesiveness. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The recording device includes a recording unit capable of recording on media, a conveyor belt provided with an adhesive capable of adhering the media and capable of conveying the media, an ultrasonic sensor that transmits ultrasonic waves to the surface of the adhesive and receives ultrasonic waves reflected from the surface, and a control unit that can determine the condition of the surface based on the detection results of the ultrasonic sensor.

[0006] The conveying device includes a conveying belt provided with an adhesive capable of adhering to a media and capable of conveying the media, an ultrasonic sensor including a transmitting unit that transmits ultrasonic waves to the surface of the adhesive and a receiving unit that receives ultrasonic waves reflected from the surface, and a control unit that can determine the condition of the surface based on the detection results of the ultrasonic sensor. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of glue detection by an ultrasonic sensor. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a characteristic diagram showing an example of the relationship between the operating time of the recording device and the glue detection result by the ultrasonic sensor. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of an ultrasonic sensor and an application unit. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a control method performed by a control unit. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a transport device according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a transport device according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] 1. Embodiment Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Directions in the drawings will be described using a three-dimensional coordinate system in which the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are orthogonal to one another. Here, the direction along the X-axis is referred to as the X-direction, the direction along the Y-axis as the Y-direction, and the direction along the Z-axis as the Z-direction. For convenience of explanation, the positive direction of the Z-direction will be referred to as the upward direction or simply "up," the negative direction as the downward direction or simply "down," the positive direction of the X-direction as the rightward direction or simply "right," the negative direction as the leftward direction or simply "left," and the positive direction of the Y-direction as the forward direction or simply "front," and the negative direction as the backward direction or simply "back."

[0009] 1-1. Recording device configuration 1, the recording device 1 includes a control unit 10, a storage unit 11, an ultrasonic sensor 12, a recording unit 13, a transport unit 14, a communication unit 15, a notification unit 16, a cleaning unit 30, a wiping unit 31, a drying unit 32, and an application unit 33. The configuration of the recording device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 2 as well. 7 and 8, the transport device 2 has a configuration similar to that of the recording device 1, except for at least the recording unit 13. The configuration of the transport device 2 is the same as that of the recording device 1 described below, except for the recording unit 13.

[0010] The control unit 10 is configured to include a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that controls all parts of the recording device 1, a UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter) that manages input and output, and logic circuits such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) and a PLD (Programmable Logic Device). The CPU is also called a processor. The storage unit 11 includes a flash ROM (Read Only Memory) and an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), which are rewritable nonvolatile memories, and a RAM (Random Access Memory), which is a volatile memory. The CPU of the control unit 10 reads out programs such as firmware stored in the nonvolatile memory of the storage unit 11, and executes them using the RAM of the storage unit 11 as a working area.

[0011] The medium M shown in FIG. 2 is, for example, a long piece of fabric made of natural or synthetic fibers. A long piece of fabric is also called a raw roll. The recording device 1 records on the medium M. Recording on fabric is also called textile printing, and the medium M is also called a print-receiving material. The medium M may also be plain paper, synthetic paper, film, or the like.

[0012] As shown in Fig. 2, the conveying unit 14 includes an endless conveying belt 20, a driving roller 14a, and a driven roller 14b. The conveying unit 14 rotates the driving roller 14a counterclockwise by a conveying motor (not shown), and the driven roller 14b also rotates counterclockwise following the driving roller 14a. The conveying belt 20, which is stretched between the driving roller 14a and the driven roller 14b, also rotates counterclockwise, which is the rotation direction. The driving and driven relationship between the driving roller 14a and the driven roller 14b may be reversed.

[0013] 2, when the drive roller 14a of the conveying unit 14 is taken as the starting point, the cleaning unit 30, ultrasonic sensor 12, wiping unit 31, drying unit 32, application unit 33, and recording unit 13 are arranged in this order from upstream to downstream in the rotation direction of the conveyor belt 20. The reverse order from downstream to upstream in the rotation direction of the conveyor belt 20 is the reverse order. In addition, in the rotation direction of the conveyor belt 20, the direction from the driven roller 14b to the drive roller 14a when the medium M is loaded is the forward direction, and the direction from the drive roller 14a to the driven roller 14b when the medium M is peeled off is the return direction.

[0014] As will be described later, glue G, which is an adhesive having adhesive properties, is provided on the surface of the conveyor belt 20, and is capable of adhering the media M. The glue G contains, for example, a silicone resin. As shown in FIG. 2, the surface of the conveyor belt 20 that moves in the forward direction is referred to as a forward belt surface 20a, and the surface of the conveyor belt 20 that moves in the backward direction is referred to as a backward belt surface 20b.

[0015] The transport belt 20 can stably transport the medium M by adhesively fixing the medium M to the transport belt 20 with glue G. The transport belt 20 also allows the medium M to be easily peeled off after recording. The medium M is pulled out from the roll body M1 wound in a roll shape, and is placed on the forward belt surface 20a of the conveying unit 14 and conveyed under the control of the control unit 10. The conveying section 14 may also include at least one of a payout device that pulls out the media M from the roll body M1 at a position close to the driven roller 14b, and a winding device that winds up the media M that has been peeled off from the forward belt surface 20a at a position close to the drive roller 14a.

[0016] 2, the recording unit 13 includes an inkjet head 13a and a carriage 13b. The carriage 13b includes a carriage motor. The recording device 1 can be equipped with ink cartridges or ink tanks that store ink of various colors, such as CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black). The recording unit 13 includes a supply mechanism that supplies ink to the head from an ink cartridge, etc. The supply mechanism supplies ink of each color from an ink cartridge, etc. to the corresponding nozzles of the head 13a.

[0017] The head 13a is mounted on a carriage 13b, and is driven by a carriage motor to move back and forth together with the carriage 13b over the medium M. The head 13a ejects ink from nozzles while moving over the medium M under the control of the control unit 10 based on recording data, thereby making it possible to record on the medium M. It should be noted that the ink colors may be any combination of four or more colors, including, for example, shading colors of CMYK. The head 13a may also be configured to include nozzles that eject penetrant liquid onto the medium M. The penetrant liquid is a liquid that promotes the ink that has adhered to the front surface of the medium M to permeate to the rear surface.

[0018] The cleaning unit 30 is provided downstream of the drive roller 14a in the rotation direction of the conveyor belt 20. The cleaning unit 30 can remove ink, foreign matter, and the like that has adhered to the return belt surface 20b of the conveyor belt 20 after the recording by the recording unit 13 has finished and the medium M has been peeled off. The cleaning unit 30 includes a cleaning brush and a rotary brush motor (not shown) that rotates the cleaning brush. Under the control of the control unit 10, the cleaning unit 30 rotates the cleaning brush while spraying a cleaning liquid, such as water, onto the cleaning brush, which can be brought into contact with the return belt surface 20b for cleaning.

[0019] The cleaning container 30a stores the cleaning liquid while draining it so that the liquid level remains constant. The cleaning brush of the cleaning unit 30 is immersed to a certain depth in the cleaning liquid stored in the cleaning container 30a, so that foreign matter adhering during cleaning can be removed. The cleaning brush may be a rotating brush, a cylindrical cloth or sponge, a paintbrush, or a plate of rubber or resin.

[0020] 2, at least one ultrasonic sensor 12 includes a transmitting unit 12a, which is a transmitter that transmits a transmission wave S, and a receiving unit 12b, which is a receiver that receives a reception wave R. The ultrasonic sensor 12 uses ultrasonic waves of, for example, 30 kHz to 10 MHz. The transmission wave S transmitted from the transmitting unit 12a is reflected by the return belt surface 20b and becomes a reception wave R, which is received by the receiving unit 12b. The ultrasonic sensor 12 can detect the distance to the return belt surface 20b in a non-contact manner by utilizing the time from when the transmitting unit 12a transmits the transmission wave S until when the receiving unit 12b receives the reception wave R. The control unit 10 can easily and accurately determine the state of the return belt surface 20b by utilizing the fact that the detection result of the ultrasonic sensor 12 differs depending on the state of the return belt surface 20b.

[0021] Specifically, when the ultrasonic sensor 12 transmits ultrasonic waves from the transmitter 12a toward a glue surface GS, which is the surface of the glue G on the return belt surface 20b and will be described later, if the glue G is worn out due to peeling, the time it takes for the receiver 12b to receive the ultrasonic waves reflected off the glue surface GS becomes longer than when the glue G is not worn out, and the distance detected by the ultrasonic sensor 12 becomes longer. The glue G is worn out, for example, when the medium M is peeled off the forward belt surface 20a or when the return belt surface 20b is cleaned by the cleaner 30. The control unit 10 can determine the degree of deterioration of the glue G of the entire conveyor belt 20 by using the distance detected by the ultrasonic sensor 12 for at least a part of the return belt surface 20b. As described above, the ultrasonic sensor 12 of the embodiment uses ultrasonic waves, so it can detect the worn state of the glue G of the conveyor belt 20 due to peeling off in a non-contact manner. Therefore, the ultrasonic sensor 12 can perform detection without affecting the glue G of the conveyor belt 20.

[0022] The ultrasonic sensor 12 is configured to be able to detect a detection area 20c, which is at least a part of the return belt surface 20b from downstream of the cleaning unit 30 to upstream of the wiping unit 31 in the rotation direction of the conveyor belt 20. After the return belt surface 20b is cleaned by the cleaning unit 30, the ultrasonic sensor 12 detects the distance to the return belt surface 20b in the detection area 20c. The control unit 10 can determine the state of the return belt surface 20b, such as the state of the thickness of the glue G on the return belt surface 20b and the state of foreign matter such as droplets of cleaning liquid adhering to the return belt surface 20b, according to the detection result of the ultrasonic sensor 12, i.e., based on the detection result of the ultrasonic sensor 12.

[0023] The detection distance and sensitivity of the ultrasonic sensor 12 can be adjusted by the output power of the transmission wave S of the transmitter 12a. As described above, the ultrasonic sensor 12 is configured to detect the return belt surface 20b without contact and to adjust the detection distance. Therefore, the ultrasonic sensor 12 need only be located in a position where it can transmit and receive ultrasonic waves to and from the detection area 20c of the conveyor belt 20, and does not have to be located in the position shown in Fig. 2. For example, the ultrasonic sensor 12 may be located upstream of the cleaning unit 30, or downstream of any of the wiping unit 31, drying unit 32, and application unit 33.

[0024] Here, with reference to FIG. 3, an example will be described in which the control unit 10 determines the state of the thickness of the glue G, which is the state of the return belt surface 20b, based on the detection result of the ultrasonic sensor 12. The ultrasonic sensor 12 can detect the distance D to the return belt surface 20b, which is the target of detection, based on the speed of the ultrasonic waves used and the time from transmitting the transmission wave S to receiving the reception wave R. In addition, the control unit 10 may control the ultrasonic sensor 12 to transmit a transmission wave S and receive a reception wave R, obtain the time between them, and calculate the distance D to the return belt surface 20b based on the speed of the ultrasonic waves.

[0025] Fig. 3 shows three different thicknesses of the glue G on the return belt surface 20b. As shown in Fig. 3, when the ultrasonic sensor 12 transmits a transmission wave S from the transmitter 12a toward the return belt surface 20b, the transmission wave S is reflected by the glue surface GS, which is the surface of the glue G, and becomes a reception wave R, which is received by the receiver 12b. 3, the distance from the position of the ultrasonic sensor 12 to the return belt surface 20b to be detected is defined as a distance D detected by the ultrasonic sensor 12. The position of the ultrasonic sensor 12 is defined as (distance D=0).

[0026] The left side of Fig. 3 shows a state where there is sufficient glue G on the return belt surface 20b. For example, the thickness of the glue G is about 0.2 to 0.3 mm. This shows a new conveyor belt 20 with sufficient glue G provided thereon, or a state where the user has applied sufficient glue G to the conveyor belt 20. When there is sufficient glue G on the return belt surface 20b, the ultrasonic sensor 12 can detect the distance D from the position of the ultrasonic sensor 12 to the return belt surface 20b as the first distance D1 based on the time from the transmission of the transmission wave S to the reception of the reception wave R.

[0027] 3, the operation of the recording device 1 has progressed compared to the left-hand embodiment, and the glue G on the return belt surface 20b has worn away. For example, the thickness of the glue G has decreased to about 0.1 mm, and the conveyor belt 20 needs to be replaced with a new one or glue G needs to be applied to the conveyor belt 20. If the conveyor belt 20 continues to be used in this state, the media M on the forward belt surface 20a may slip. When the glue G on the return belt surface 20b is worn out, the ultrasonic sensor 12 can detect the distance D from the position of the ultrasonic sensor 12 to the return belt surface 20b as a second distance D2 based on the time from the transmission of the transmission wave S to the reception of the reception wave R. Note that the first distance D1<the second distance D2.

[0028] 3 shows a state where there is no glue G on the return belt surface 20b. In this case, when the ultrasonic sensor 12 transmits a transmission wave S from the transmitter 12a toward the return belt surface 20b, the transmission wave S is reflected by the return belt surface 20b itself because there is no glue G, and then becomes a received wave R that is received by the receiver 12b. When there is no glue G on the return belt surface 20b, the ultrasonic sensor 12 can detect the distance D from the position of the ultrasonic sensor 12 to the return belt surface 20b as a third distance D3 based on the time from the transmission of the transmission wave S to the reception of the reception wave R. Note that the second distance D2 is smaller than the third distance D3.

[0029] The third distance D3 can also be stored in the storage unit 11 in advance by detecting the return belt surface 20b in a state where there is no glue G by the ultrasonic sensor 12. Furthermore, as described below, the user can store the second distance D2 and the third distance D3 in the memory unit 11 using the touch panel of the notification unit 16 or the external device 3 described below so that the control unit 10 can use them when determining the state of the return belt surface 20b.

[0030] The control unit 10 compares the distance D detected by the ultrasonic sensor 12 with a second distance D2, which is a predetermined distance stored in the memory unit 11, and when the distance D is equal to or greater than the second distance D2, it can determine that the glue G on the return belt surface 20b has been worn out, and that the glue G on the entire conveyor belt 20 has also been worn out. At this time, the control unit 10 can notify the notification unit 16, which will be described later, of information that the conveyor belt 20 needs to be replaced or that glue G needs to be applied to the conveyor belt 20. Furthermore, the control unit 10 compares the detected distance D with the second distance D2, and if the distance D is less than the second distance D2, it can determine that the glue G on the return belt surface 20b is in a sufficient state, and that the glue G on the entire conveyor belt 20 is also in a sufficient state. At this time, the control unit 10 can notify the notification unit 16 of information that the glue G on the conveyor belt 20 is in a sufficient state.

[0031] The control unit 10 can also calculate the thickness of the glue G on the return belt surface 20b by comparing the distance D detected by the ultrasonic sensor 12 with the third distance D3 stored in the storage unit 11. An example in which the control unit 10 calculates the thickness of the glue G on the return belt surface 20b will be described. In the case of the left configuration in Fig. 3, the ultrasonic sensor 12 detects the distance D to the glue surface GS as the first distance D1. The control unit 10 compares this with the third distance D3 stored in the memory unit 11 when there is no glue G, and can calculate the thickness of the glue G as ((third distance D3 - first distance D1) = G1). In this case, the control unit 10 can determine that the calculated thickness G1 of the glue G is approximately 0.2 to 0.3 mm, so that there is sufficient glue G on the return belt surface 20b and that the glue G on the entire conveying belt 20 is also in a sufficient state.

[0032] Similarly, in the case of the central form in FIG. 3, the ultrasonic sensor 12 detects the distance D to the glue surface GS as the second distance D2. The control unit 10 compares it with the second distance D2 stored in the storage unit 11, and can calculate the thickness of the glue G as ((the third distance D3 - the second distance D2) = G2). In this case, since the thickness G2 of the glue G calculated by the control unit 10 is 0.1 mm or less, it can be determined that the glue G on the restoration belt surface 20b is in a depleted state, and the glue G on the entire conveyor belt 20 is also in a depleted state.

[0033] In the case of the central form in FIG. 3, as the operation of the recording device 1 progresses and the glue G on the restoration belt surface 20b is depleted with respect to the left form, the thickness of the glue G is (G2 < G1), indicating that it has become thinner. In the case of the right form in FIG. 3, as the operation of the recording device 1 further progresses, the thickness of the glue G reaches a state where there is none, indicating that ((the third distance D3 - the third distance D3) = 0).

[0034] FIG. 4 shows coordinates with the operation time of the recording device 1 on the horizontal axis as t and the change over time of the distance D from the ultrasonic sensor 12 to the glue surface GS of the restoration belt surface 20b on the vertical axis as Z. At (t1, D1) in FIG. 4, the first distance D1 detected by the ultrasonic sensor at t1 before the operation of the recording device 1 is shown. The first distance D1 indicates an initial state where there is sufficient glue G on the restoration belt surface 20b. Based on the first distance D1 detected by the ultrasonic sensor 12, the control unit 10 can determine that there is sufficient glue G on the restoration belt surface 20b.

[0035] As the recording device 1 operates, at (t2, D2), the second distance D2 detected by the ultrasonic sensor 12 at the operation time t2 of the recording device 1 is shown. The second distance D2 indicates that the glue G on the return belt surface 20b has been worn out. Based on the second distance D2 detected by the ultrasonic sensor 12, the control unit 10 can determine that the operation of the recording device 1 has progressed and the glue G on the return belt surface 20b has been worn out. The control unit 10 can also determine that, since the glue G of the entire conveyor belt 20 is insufficient after the operating time t2, slippage may begin to occur between the forward belt surface 20a and the medium M, which may result in poor recording. The control unit 10 may stop the recording unit 13 and the conveyor unit 14.

[0036] As the recording device 1 continues to operate, the time (t3, D3) is reached, and the glue G has disappeared during the operating time t3 of the recording device 1, indicating a third distance D3 from the ultrasonic sensor 12 to the return belt surface 20b. The control unit 10 can determine that the glue G has disappeared from the entire conveyor belt 20, causing frequent slippage between the forward belt surface 20a and the media M, resulting in poor recording on most of the media M. The control unit 10 can stop the recording unit 13 and the conveyor unit 14.

[0037] The storage unit 11 can store in advance the relationship between the operating time of the recording device 1 and the change over time of the distance D detected by the ultrasonic sensor 12 as shown in FIG. Based on the relationship of the change in distance D over time with respect to the operating time of the recording apparatus 1 stored in the storage unit 11, the control unit 10 can predict the overall state of the conveyor belt 20 corresponding to the future operating time of the recording apparatus 1.

[0038] Specifically, based on the distance D currently detected by the ultrasonic sensor 12, the control unit 10 can refer to the memory unit 11 and determine the time when the glue G of the entire conveying belt 20 will be worn out from the relationship between the change in distance D over time and the operating time of the recording device 1. The control unit 10 can notify information such as the operating time until the glue G is consumed, the time to replace the conveyor belt 20, and the time to apply glue G to the conveyor belt 20, using the notification unit 16 described below. Furthermore, when it is approaching the time to replace the conveyor belt 20 or the time to apply glue G to the conveyor belt 20, the control unit 10 can also notify information urging preparations for these times.

[0039] The relationship of the change in distance D over time relative to the operating time of the recording device 1 may differ depending on the type of media M. The storage unit 11 can also store the relationship of the change in distance D over time relative to the operating time of the recording device 1 for each type of media M. As will be described later, the user can specify the type of media M using the touch panel of the notification unit 16 or the external device 3. The control unit 10 can also read from the memory unit 11 the relationship between the operating time of the recording device 1 corresponding to the specified type of media M and the change in distance D over time, and predict the timing as described above.

[0040] Incidentally, when the transport unit 14 is equipped with a winding device as described above, it can be equipped with a sensor for detecting the peeling angle of the medium M peeled off from the forward belt surface 20a. This peeling angle is the angle between the forward belt surface 20a and the peeled medium M. For example, the sensor may be an ultrasonic sensor, and by non-contact detecting the distance from a predetermined position to the media M that has been peeled off, the control unit 10 can calculate the peeling angle of the media M that has been peeled off from the forward belt surface 20a. As the glue G on the forward belt surface 20a wears out and the adhesiveness of the glue G deteriorates, the media M begins to peel off from the forward belt surface 20a further upstream in the rotation direction. In other words, as the glue G on the forward belt surface 20a wears out, the peeling angle of the media M becomes smaller. Note that the peeling angle of the media M also reflects the influence of the type of media M.

[0041] The control unit 10 determines the state of the glue G on the return belt surface 20b using the ultrasonic sensor 12, and can determine the adhesiveness of the glue G on the forward belt surface 20a using the above-mentioned sensor that detects the peel angle of the media M. Using these two sensors, the control unit 10 can more reliably determine the deterioration of the glue G of the transport belt 20, taking into account the influence of the type of media M. For example, when the ultrasonic sensor 12 detects that the glue G on the return belt surface 20b is worn out and the above-mentioned sensor detects that the adhesiveness of the glue G on the forward belt surface 20a has decreased, the control unit 10 can more reliably determine that the glue G of the conveyor belt 20 has deteriorated. The control unit 10 can also issue a warning through the warning unit 16 at a more appropriate time.

[0042] Returning to FIG. 2, the description of the configuration of the recording apparatus 1 will be continued. The conveyor belt surface 20b cleaned by the cleaning unit 30 is subjected to a process in which the cleaning liquid and foreign matter adhering thereto are wiped away by the wiping unit 31. As shown in FIG. 2, the wiping unit 31 is provided downstream of the cleaning unit 30 and upstream of the recording unit 13 in the rotation direction of the conveyor belt 20. The wiping unit 31 includes a wiping blade 31a and an adjustment unit 31b. The wiping blade 31a may be made of wiper-shaped rubber or plate-shaped resin. As the conveyor belt 20 moves, the wiping blade 31a is able to wipe the moving return belt surface 20b while the tip thereof is in contact with the return belt surface 20b. The adjustment unit 31b is configured to be able to adjust the position of the wiping blade 31a up and down under the control of the control unit 10.

[0043] The control unit 10 controls the position of the wiping blade 31a using the adjustment unit 31b depending on the state of the return belt surface 20b detected by the ultrasonic sensor 12, and can adjust the load when the wiping blade 31a comes into contact with the return belt surface 20b. As the position of the wiping blade 31a moves upward, the load with which the wiping blade 31a contacts the return belt surface 20b increases, resulting in stronger rubbing.As the position of the wiping blade 31a moves downward, the load with which the wiping blade 31a contacts the return belt surface 20b decreases, resulting in weaker rubbing. In this way, the control unit 10 can adjust the wiping state of the wiping blade 31a relative to the return belt surface 20b by controlling the position of the wiping blade 31a using the adjustment unit 31b.

[0044] As described above, glue G is provided on the surface of the conveyor belt 20. As the load of the wiping blade 31a contacting the return belt surface 20b increases, the wiping effect of the cleaning liquid and the like adhering to the return belt surface 20b increases, but the glue G on the return belt surface 20b becomes more likely to wear out. Also, as the load decreases, the opposite tendency is observed. The control unit 10 controls the adjustment unit 31b to position the wiping blade 31a at a predetermined position where it can contact the return belt surface 20b with a predetermined load. The control unit 10 controls the adjustment unit 31b in accordance with the detection result of the ultrasonic sensor 12, and can reduce the load on the wiping blade 31a of the wiping unit 31.

[0045] Specifically, when the control unit 10 determines, based on the detection result by the ultrasonic sensor 12, that the glue G on the return belt surface 20b is being worn out, the control unit 10 controls the adjustment unit 31b to move the position of the wiping blade 31a of the wiping unit 31 downward continuously or in stages from a predetermined position. The control unit 10 can reduce the load of the wiping blade 31a on the return belt surface 20b continuously or in stages, depending on the detection result by the ultrasonic sensor 12. The control unit 10 can control the wiping unit 31 in accordance with the detection result by the ultrasonic sensor 12, thereby suppressing the wear of the glue G on the return belt surface 20b.

[0046] The return belt surface 20b, which has been subjected to a process of wiping off the cleaning liquid and the like by the wiping unit 31, is then subjected to a process of drying the cleaning liquid remaining on the return belt surface 20b by the drying unit 32. The drying unit 32 is provided downstream of the wiping unit 31 and upstream of the recording unit 13 in the rotation direction of the conveyor belt 20. The drying unit 32 includes at least one of a blower and a heater, and can dry the cleaning liquid adhering to the return belt surface 20b in a non-contact manner by using at least one of the airflow from the blower and the heat from the heater. The control unit 10 can control the air volume per unit time of the blower of the drying unit 32 or the wattage of the heater, etc., based on the state of the return belt surface 20b detected by the ultrasonic sensor 12, and can adjust the dryness state of the return belt surface 20b. For example, as the glue G on the return belt surface 20b wears out, cleaning liquid is more likely to remain on the return belt surface 20b, so the control unit 10 increases the air volume of the drying unit 32 or the output of the heater.

[0047] As described above, when the control unit 10 reduces the load of the wiping unit 31 on the return belt surface 20b, it can increase the output of the blower of the drying unit 32, such as the air volume per unit time and the wattage of the heater. If the contact load of the wiping unit 31 with the return belt surface 20b is reduced, the wiping effect of the cleaning liquid adhering to the return belt surface 20b will be reduced, and more cleaning liquid will remain. However, by increasing the output of the air volume per unit time of the blower of the drying unit 32 and the wattage of the heater, it is possible to promote drying of the cleaning liquid remaining on the return belt surface 20b.

[0048] Note that only one of the wiping unit 31 and the drying unit 32 may be provided as long as it is possible to remove a predetermined amount of cleaning liquid adhering to the return belt surface 20b. Alternatively, if the recording device 1 is installed in a dry environment, and depending on the installation environment, the return belt surface 20b after cleaning is transported and a predetermined amount of cleaning liquid is removed before it reaches the driven roller 14b or the recording unit 13, the wiping unit 31 and the drying unit 32 may not be provided. Similarly, if the cleaning unit 30 is not provided, the wiping unit 31 and the drying unit 32 may not be provided.

[0049] The return belt surface 20b that has been subjected to the drying process by the drying unit 32 can have glue G applied thereto by the application unit 33. The application unit 33 is provided downstream of the drying unit 32 and upstream of the recording unit 13 in the rotation direction of the conveyor belt 20. When the drying unit 32 is provided, it is preferable that the application unit 33 is provided downstream of the drying unit 32 in the rotation direction of the conveyor belt 20. The application unit 33 can apply glue G to the return belt surface 20b from which the cleaning liquid has dried. This improves the fixation of the glue G to the conveyor belt 20 compared to when the glue G is applied with the cleaning liquid remaining on the return belt surface 20b.

[0050] The application unit 33 includes an application roller 33a and a moving unit 33b. Glue G is applied to the surface of the application roller 33a. As the conveyor belt 20 is conveyed, the application roller 33a rotates while contacting the moving return belt surface 20b, and is able to apply glue G to the return belt surface 20b. Preferably, the control unit 10 rotates the conveyor belt 20 at least one revolution while keeping the application roller 33a of the application unit 33 in contact with the return belt surface 20b. The application unit 33 is able to apply glue G over the entire conveyor belt 20 in the conveying direction. The moving unit 33b is configured to be able to move the position of the application roller 33a up and down under the control of the control unit 10. When glue G is not being applied, the control unit 10 moves the application roller 33a to a lower position where it does not come into contact with the return belt surface 20b, and retracts it.

[0051] When applying glue G to the return belt surface 20b, the control unit 10 causes the movement unit 33b to move the application roller 33a toward an upper position so as to contact the return belt surface 20b. The control unit 10 causes the movement unit 33b to move the application roller 33a to a position so as to contact the return belt surface 20b, so that the glue G can be applied to the return belt surface 20b. The application unit 33 may also be configured to include a storage tank for storing the glue G, and to supply the glue G from the storage tank to the application roller 33a.

[0052] The control unit 10 can adjust the amount of glue G applied to the return belt surface 20b by adjusting the position of the application roller 33a using the movement unit 33b. The control unit 10 can apply a large amount of glue G to the return belt surface 20b by bringing the application roller 33a into strong contact with the return belt surface 20b and positioning it higher than the position at which glue is normally applied. Conversely, the control unit 10 can apply a small amount of glue G to the return belt surface 20b by bringing the application roller 33a into weak contact with the return belt surface 20b and positioning it lower than the position at which glue is normally applied.

[0053] The control unit 10 can also adjust the amount of glue G applied to the return belt surface 20b by changing the distance the conveyor belt 20 moves while the movement unit 33b keeps the application roller 33a in contact with the return belt surface 20b. The longer the distance the application roller 33a is in contact with the return belt surface 20b, the greater the amount of glue G that can be applied. The application unit 33 can also be configured to have at least one nozzle and to spray glue G from the at least one nozzle.

[0054] In this way, the control unit 10 can select whether or not to apply glue G to the return belt surface 20b by the application unit 33, based on the state of the return belt surface 20b detected by the ultrasonic sensor 12. Furthermore, the control unit 10 can also adjust the amount of glue G to be applied to the return belt surface 20b, based on the state of the return belt surface 20b detected by the ultrasonic sensor 12.

[0055] As shown in Figure 5, the multiple ultrasonic sensors 12 can detect the state of the return belt surface 20b at multiple positions in the width direction along the return belt surface 20b, which is the front-to-back direction of the recording device 1, and which is a direction that intersects with the transport direction of the media M, which is the left-to-right direction of the recording device 1. Alternatively, one ultrasonic sensor 12 may be mounted on a moving mechanism that moves in the width direction along the return belt surface 20b, which is the front-to-rear direction of the recording device 1, and may detect at multiple positions in the width direction of the return belt surface 20b. The following describes a case where multiple ultrasonic sensors 12 are installed, but the same applies to a case where one ultrasonic sensor 12 mounted on a moving mechanism detects at multiple positions.

[0056] More specifically, a plurality of ultrasonic sensors 12 are installed at a plurality of positions in the width direction of the return belt surface 20b, which is a direction intersecting the transport direction of the media M, which is the left-right direction of the recording device 1, and which is the front-rear direction of the recording device 1, and the distance D to the glue surface GS of the return belt surface 20b can be detected at these plurality of positions. The control unit 10 can then use the plurality of ultrasonic sensors 12 to determine that the glue G has worn out at a specific position in the width direction of the return belt surface 20b.

[0057] The control unit 10 controls the application unit 33 in accordance with the detection results of the ultrasonic sensors 12 at a plurality of positions in the width direction of the return belt surface 20b, and can apply glue G to the return belt surface 20b. Specifically, the control unit 10 compares the distance D detected by the ultrasonic sensor 12 with the second distance D2 stored in the memory unit 11 at multiple positions in the width direction of the return belt surface 20b, and can determine that the glue G is consumed at a specific position where the detection result is that the distance D is equal to or greater than the second distance D2. Then, the control unit 10 controls the moving unit 33b of the application unit 33 to move the application roller 33a to a position where it comes into contact with the return belt surface 20b, and can apply glue G to the return belt surface 20b.

[0058] 5, multiple application units 33 can be installed at positions corresponding to multiple ultrasonic sensors 12 in the transport direction of the medium M, which is the left-right direction of the recording device 1. In other words, multiple application units 33 can be installed at multiple positions in the width direction along the return belt surface 20b, which is the front-rear direction of the recording device 1, and which intersects with the transport direction of the medium M, which is the left-right direction of the recording device 1.

[0059] When the control unit 10 determines using the multiple ultrasonic sensors 12 that glue G has been consumed at a specific position in the width direction of the return belt surface 20b, it selects and controls the application unit 33 at the corresponding specific position, and can apply glue G to the specific position on the return belt surface 20b. In this way, the control unit 10 can select and control the application unit 33 at a specific position where the glue G has been consumed from among the multiple application units 33, based on the detection results of the multiple ultrasonic sensors 12. By selecting from the multiple application units 33, the control unit 10 can automatically and appropriately apply glue G to the portion of the conveyor belt 20 where glue G should be applied, thereby improving convenience for the user.

[0060] Instead of the application roller 33a, a blade-shaped application device may be provided, and the tip of the blade may be brought into contact with the return belt surface 20b to apply the glue G to the return belt surface 20b. A brush or the like may be provided instead of the application roller 33a. The glue G may be supplied to the blade-shaped application device from a storage tank of the glue G. When the glue G is made of a plurality of materials, a mixing device may be provided in the storage tank of the glue G to mix the plurality of materials.

[0061] The attachment unit 33 may be provided detachably in the recording device 1. When the attachment unit 33 is not in use, the user can remove the attachment unit 33. Based on a notification from the notification unit 16, which will be described later, the user can attach the attachment unit 33 to the recording device 1. The user only needs to prepare the glue G when attaching the application unit 33 to the recording device 1, and therefore the glue G can be prevented from being altered by coming into contact with air.

[0062] The communication unit 15 shown in Fig. 1 is configured to include a communication circuit capable of wired or wireless communication with the external device 3. The external device 3 is, for example, a computer or a server. The communication unit 15 receives recording data to be recorded on the medium M from the external device 3. The recording data may be stored in the storage unit 11, or may be read from the storage medium by a reading device provided in the storage unit 11.

[0063] As described above, the communication unit 15 can receive from the external device 3 by the user the second distance D2 from the position of the ultrasonic sensor 12 to the return belt surface 20b in a state where the glue G has been consumed, and the third distance D3 from the position of the ultrasonic sensor 12 to the return belt surface 20b in a state where there is no glue G. The control unit 10 stores the second distance D2 and the third distance D3 received by the communication unit 15 in the memory unit 11, and can use them when determining the state of the return belt surface 20b and the conveyor belt 20. As described above, the communication unit 15 can receive the type of media M from the external device 3 by the user and store it in the storage unit 11.

[0064] 1, the recording device 1 includes a notification unit 16 that includes a touch panel. The notification unit 16 may include a speaker. Specifically, the notification unit 16 can notify the user by displaying information such as a message on the touch panel or by sound from the speaker. As described above, the control unit 10 compares the distance D detected by the ultrasonic sensor 12 with the second distance D2 stored in the memory unit 11, and when the distance D is greater than or equal to the second distance D2, the notification unit 16 can notify the user that the conveying belt 20 needs to be replaced or that glue G needs to be applied to the conveying belt 20.

[0065] In addition, the control unit 10 can predict when the time to replace the conveyor belt 20 is approaching or when the time to apply glue G to the conveyor belt 20 is approaching, and notify the user of this information via the notification unit 16. If the distance D<the second distance D2, the control unit 10 can notify the user by the notification unit 16 that the glue G is sufficient.

[0066] As described above, the control unit 10 can obtain the second distance D2 and the third distance D3 and store them in the storage unit 11 by the user operating the touch panel of the notification unit 16. As described above, the control unit 10 can also obtain the type of media M by the user operating the touch panel of the notification unit 16 and store it in the storage unit 11. Furthermore, the user may store only one of the second distance D2 or the third distance D3 in the memory unit 11 in response to an instruction from the external device 3 or an operation on the touch panel of the notification unit 16. When the control unit 10 uses the second distance D2 to determine the state of the glue G of the conveyor belt 20, the control unit 10 can use the third distance D3 instead. In this case, the control unit 10 can multiply the third distance D3 by, for example, 90%, and use the result in place of the second distance D2 for determination. This ratio can also be set by the user in response to an instruction from the external device 3 or an operation on the touch panel of the notification unit 16.

[0067] Furthermore, even if the user stores only the second distance D2, the user may be able to set the percentage that the control unit 10 uses for judgment, and the percentage can be set by an instruction from the external device 3 or by operating the touch panel of the notification unit 16. For example, if the user sets the percentage as 90% of the second distance D2, the control unit 10 can refer to the memory unit 11 and issue a notification via the notification unit 16 when the distance reaches 90% of the second distance D2. In this way, the user can arbitrarily set the value that the control unit 10 uses to determine the state of the conveyor belt 20.

[0068] 1-2.Conveyor device configuration 7 and 8, the conveying device 2 has the same configuration as the recording device 1 except for at least the recording unit 13, and common parts are designated by common reference numerals. The conveying device 2 includes a control unit 10, a memory unit 11, an ultrasonic sensor 12, a conveying unit 14, a communication unit 15, an alarm unit 16, a cleaning unit 30, a wiping unit 31, a drying unit 32, and an application unit 33. The control unit 10 reads firmware from the memory unit 11 and controls the conveyance unit 14 to convey the media M. Furthermore, the control unit 10 controls the cleaning unit 30 to clean the return belt surface 20b, which is the surface of the conveyor belt 20 after conveyance, along the rotation direction of the conveyor belt 20, the ultrasonic sensor 12 to detect the state of the return belt surface 20b, and, based on the detection results, controls the wiping unit 31 to wipe the cleaning liquid, the drying unit 32 to dry the surface, the glue application unit 33 to apply glue, and the notification unit 16 or the communication unit 15 to notify the user. The configuration of each part of the transport device 2 is the same as that of the above-described recording device 1, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0069] 1-3. Recording device control method The control method of the recording device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, focusing on the flowchart shown in FIG. The control unit 10 acquires the record data from the external device 3 via the communication unit 15, or acquires the record data from the storage unit 11 in response to a user's operation on the touch panel of the notification unit 16. When the control unit 10 acquires the recording data, it causes the transport unit 14 to transport the medium M (S101). Specifically, the control unit 10 drives the drive roller 14a to rotate the transport belt 20 in the circumferential direction. Glue G is provided on the surface of the transport belt 20, and the forward belt surface 20a can transport the medium M by adhesively fixing it thereto.

[0070] When the control unit 10 causes the transport unit 14 to transport the medium M to the position of the recording unit 13, the control unit 10 causes the recording unit 13 to record on the medium M based on the recording data (S102). As will be described later, this process is not executed in the case of the transport device 2. The control unit 10 can further cause the transport unit 14 to transport the medium M, and can peel the medium M on which recording by the recording unit 13 has finished from the forward belt surface 20a. The return belt surface 20b from which the media M has been peeled off is cleaned by the cleaning unit 30 (S103). The cleaning unit 30 can remove foreign matter such as ink adhering to the return belt surface 20b.

[0071] The ultrasonic sensor 12 detects a detection area 20c, which is at least a part of the return belt surface 20b from downstream of the cleaning unit 30 to upstream of the wiping unit 31 in the rotation direction of the conveyor belt 20. The ultrasonic sensor 12 detects the distance D to the return belt surface 20b (S104). The control unit 10 compares the distance D detected by the ultrasonic sensor 12 with a second distance D2, which is a predetermined distance stored in the memory unit 11 (S105).

[0072] When the control unit 10 determines that the distance D is equal to or greater than the second distance D2 (S105: YES), it can determine that the state of the return belt surface 20b is a state in which the glue G is consumed, and that the entire conveyor belt 20 is also a state in which the glue G is consumed. Then, the control unit 10 can cause the notification unit 16, the adjustment unit 31b of the wiping unit 31, the drying unit 32, or the application unit 33 to operate (S106). On the other hand, if the control unit 10 determines that the distance D is less than the second distance D2 (S105: NO), it can determine that the state of the return belt surface 20b is a state in which there is sufficient glue G, and that the entire conveyor belt 20 also has sufficient glue G. The control unit 10 continues to detect the distance D to the return belt surface 20b using the ultrasonic sensor 12.

[0073] A specific description will be given of the case where the control unit 10 causes the notification unit 16, the adjustment unit 31b of the wiping unit 31, the drying unit 32, or the application unit 33 to operate (S106). The control unit 10 can notify the user by the notification unit 16 that the conveyor belt 20 needs to be replaced or that glue G needs to be applied to the conveyor belt 20. Alternatively, the control unit 10 controls the adjustment unit 31b of the wiping unit 31 to adjust the position of the wiping blade 31a so that it is lowered. This reduces the load with which the wiping blade 31a contacts the return belt surface 20b, resulting in weaker rubbing. As a result, the wiping effect of the cleaning liquid adhering to the return belt surface 20b decreases, but it is possible to suppress wear of the glue G on the return belt surface 20b. Alternatively, the control unit 10 can promote drying of the return belt surface 20b by increasing the air volume per unit time of the air blower of the drying unit 32 or increasing the output such as the wattage of the heater. Alternatively, the control unit 10 can cause the applying unit 33 to apply the glue G to the return belt surface 20b. When the control unit 10 determines that the return belt surface 20b and the glue G of the conveyor belt 20 are worn out, it can perform at least one of these operations.

[0074] Here, a detailed description will be given of the case where the control unit 10 controls the drying unit 32. First, it will be described that the control unit 10 can detect the presence or absence of cleaning liquid attached to the return belt surface 20b using the ultrasonic sensor 12. Comparing the glue G on the return belt surface 20b with the attached cleaning liquid, the thickness of the glue G is about 0.3 mm as described above, while the attached cleaning liquid is about 1 mm, which is thicker than the thickness of the glue G. The control unit 10 can distinguish between the glue G on the return belt surface 20b and the attached cleaning liquid based on the difference in distance D detected by the ultrasonic sensor 12. Furthermore, the thickness of the glue G is uniform in the conveying direction of the conveyor belt 20, which is the left-right direction of the recording device 1. Meanwhile, the cleaning liquid is locally adhered to the return belt surface 20b. When the ultrasonic sensor 12 detects the return belt surface 20b multiple times while conveying the conveyor belt 20 and the detected distance D varies depending on the detected portion, the control unit 10 can determine that the cleaning liquid is adhered to the return belt surface 20b. Meanwhile, when the detected distance D is constant, the control unit 10 can determine that this is the thickness of the glue G.

[0075] Note that cleaning fluid adhering to the return belt surface 20b may be colored by ink or cloudy due to foreign matter. When attempting to detect such cleaning fluid, a sensor that uses light may be susceptible to the influence of ink or foreign matter absorbing the detection light, and may not be able to detect accurately. However, because the ultrasonic sensor 12 uses ultrasonic waves, it is less susceptible to the influence of ink or foreign matter, and is able to accurately detect even such cleaning fluid.

[0076] The control unit 10 can distinguish between glue G on the return belt surface 20b and cleaning fluid adhered thereto based on these differences in the detection results of the ultrasonic sensor 12. Note that foreign matter such as dust adhering to the return belt surface 20b can also be distinguished in the same way as cleaning fluid. For example, if the control unit 10 determines based on the detection results of the ultrasonic sensor 12 that a large amount of cleaning liquid is adhering to the return belt surface 20b, it can promote drying by increasing the air volume per unit time of the blower of the drying unit 32 or by increasing the output of the heater wattage, etc.

[0077] The control method of the transporting device 2 is the same as the control method of the above-described recording device 1, except for the control by the recording unit 13. Specifically, the transporting device 2 has a configuration that excludes at least the recording unit 13 from the recording device 1, and therefore the control unit 10 of the transporting device 2 does not execute recording on the media M by the recording unit 13 (S102). Other controls executed by the control unit 10 of the transporting device 2 are the same as those in the control method of the above-described recording device 1, and therefore will not be described here.

[0078] As described above, the recording device 1 and the conveying device 2 can detect the state of the conveying belt 20 non-contact using the ultrasonic sensor 12, so that the detection does not come into contact with the glue G on the return belt surface 20b, causing it to be worn out, and the adhesiveness of the conveying belt 20 to the media M is not deteriorated.

[0079] These embodiments have been described above in detail with reference to the drawings, but the specific configurations are not limited to these embodiments, and may be changed, replaced, deleted, etc., as long as they do not deviate from the gist of the present invention. For example, in the above example, the recording unit 13 of the recording device 1 was described as a serial type in which the head 13a is mounted on a carriage 13b and moves, but it may also be a line type in which the head 13a is fixed without a carriage 13b. Also, in the above example, the head 13a was described as being of an inkjet type, but the recording method of the head is not important. It may also be a dye sublimation type, a transfer type, or an electrophotographic type. In the above example, the recording device 1 and the conveying device 2 are arranged in the order of the cleaning unit 30, the ultrasonic sensor 12, the wiping unit 31, the drying unit 32, and the application unit 33, from upstream to downstream in the rotation direction of the conveying belt 20, starting from the drive roller 14a of the conveying unit 14. The recording device 1 and the conveying device 2 may have these components arranged in any order. For example, the recording device 1 and the conveying device 2 may have the ultrasonic sensor 12 arranged downstream of the wiping unit 31 or the drying unit 32. The ultrasonic sensor 12 can detect the glue G of the conveying belt 20 even if it is located in either position. Furthermore, the recording device 1 and the conveying device 2 do not need to have any component. For example, as long as the cleaning liquid adhering to the return belt surface 20b can be removed by either the wiping unit 31 or the drying unit 32, it is possible to have one of them and not the other.

[0080] The following will describe what can be derived from the above-described embodiment.

[0081] The recording device 1 is characterized by comprising a recording unit 13 capable of recording on media M, a conveying belt 20 provided with glue G capable of adhering the media M and capable of conveying the media M, an ultrasonic sensor 12 that transmits ultrasonic waves to the surface of the glue G and receives ultrasonic waves reflected from the surface, and a control unit 10 that can determine the condition of the surface based on the detection results of the ultrasonic sensor 12. When ultrasonic waves are transmitted from the ultrasonic sensor 12 to the surface of the glue G, if the surface of the glue G is worn, the distance from the surface of the glue G to the ultrasonic sensor 12 becomes longer than when the surface is not worn. Utilizing this, the recording device 1 can detect the degree of deterioration, such as wear, of the glue G using the ultrasonic sensor 12. With the above configuration, the recording device 1 can detect the degree of deterioration of the glue G using the ultrasonic sensor 12, which is a non-contact sensor. Therefore, the recording device 1 can suppress the deterioration of the glue G that occurs with contact-type sensors. Furthermore, the ultrasonic sensor 12 of the recording device 1 is not affected by the color of cleaning fluids or the like during detection, as is the case with sensors that use light.

[0082] The recording device 1 is preferably equipped with an application unit 33 capable of applying glue G to a surface, an ultrasonic sensor 12 capable of detecting the condition of the surface at multiple positions in the width direction along the surface, intersecting the transport direction of the media M, and a control unit 10 controlling the application unit 33 in accordance with the detection results of the ultrasonic sensor 12. According to the above configuration, the recording device 1 can, for example, detect the part on the surface of the conveying belt 20 where glue G should be applied, and automatically and appropriately apply glue G to that part, eliminating the need for the user to apply glue G, thereby improving convenience.

[0083] The above-mentioned recording device 1 comprises a cleaning unit 30 capable of cleaning the surface of the conveyor belt 20 using a liquid, a wiping unit 31 that is located downstream of the cleaning unit 30 and upstream of the recording unit 13 in the rotation direction of the conveyor belt 20 and wipes the surface by contacting it, and an adjustment unit 31b that is capable of adjusting the load of the wiping unit 31 on the surface, and the ultrasonic sensor 12 is configured to be able to detect the state of the detection area 20c, which is at least a part of the surface from downstream of the cleaning unit 30 to upstream of the wiping unit 31 in the rotation direction, and it is preferable that the control unit 10 reduces the load of the wiping unit 31 by controlling the adjustment unit 31b in accordance with the detection result by the ultrasonic sensor 12. According to the above configuration, the recording device 1 reduces the load of the wiping section 31 on the conveying belt 20 by the adjustment section 31b in accordance with the detection results of the ultrasonic sensor 12, thereby suppressing further deterioration of the glue G due to the load of the wiping section 31.

[0084] The above-mentioned recording device 1 is provided with a drying section 32 that is located downstream of the wiping section 31 and upstream of the recording section 13 in the rotation direction and dries the surface by at least one of airflow and heat, and it is preferable that the control section 10 increases the output of the drying section 32 when the load of the wiping section 31 is reduced. When the load of the wiping unit 31 is reduced, the liquid from the cleaning unit 30 is more likely to remain on the surface of the conveyor belt 20. According to the above configuration, the recording apparatus 1 increases the output of the drying unit 32 when the load of the wiping unit 31 is reduced, thereby promoting drying of the liquid remaining on the surface of the conveyor belt 20. The recording apparatus 1 can prevent an increase in the degree of liquid remaining on the conveyor belt 20 as the load of the wiping unit 31 is reduced.

[0085] The conveying device 2 is characterized by comprising a conveying belt 20 provided with glue G capable of adhering the media M and capable of conveying the media M, an ultrasonic sensor 12 including a transmitting unit 12a that transmits ultrasonic waves to the surface of the glue G and a receiving unit 12b that receives ultrasonic waves reflected from the surface, and a control unit 10 that can determine the condition of the surface based on the detection results of the ultrasonic sensor 12. When ultrasonic waves are transmitted from the ultrasonic sensor 12 to the surface of the glue G, if the surface of the glue G is worn, the distance from the surface of the glue G to the ultrasonic sensor 12 becomes longer than when the surface is not worn. Utilizing this, the conveying device 2 can detect the degree of deterioration, such as wear, of the glue G using the ultrasonic sensor 12. According to the above configuration, the conveying device 2 can detect the degree of deterioration of the glue G using the ultrasonic sensor 12, which is a non-contact sensor. Therefore, the conveying device 2 can suppress the deterioration of the glue G that occurs with contact-type sensors. Furthermore, unlike sensors that use light, the ultrasonic sensor 12 of the conveying device 2 is not affected by the color of cleaning fluids or the like when detecting. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 1...recording device, 2...conveying device, 3...external device, 10...control unit, 11...memory unit, 12...ultrasonic sensor, 12a...transmitting unit, 12b...receiving unit, 13...recording unit, 14...conveying unit, 15...communication unit, 16...alarm unit, 20...conveying belt, 20a...forward belt surface, 20b...returning belt surface, 20c...detected area, 30...cleaning unit, 31...wiping unit, 31b...adjusting unit, 32...drying unit, 33...application unit, G...glue, GS...glue surface, M...media, S...transmitted wave, R...received wave.

Claims

1. a recording unit capable of recording on a medium; a conveyor belt provided with an adhesive capable of adhering the medium and capable of conveying the medium; 、 An ultrasonic wave is transmitted to the surface of the adhesive and an ultrasonic wave reflected from the surface is received. and an ultrasonic sensor. a control unit capable of determining the state of the surface based on the detection result of the ultrasonic sensor; an applying unit capable of applying the pressure-sensitive adhesive to the surface; The ultrasonic sensor detects the surface of the medium in a width direction that intersects with the transport direction of the medium. the surface condition can be detected at a plurality of positions within the The control unit a recording device for controlling the application unit in accordance with the detection result of the ultrasonic sensor; Device.

2. a recording unit capable of recording on a medium; a conveyor belt provided with an adhesive capable of adhering the medium and capable of conveying the medium; 、 An ultrasonic wave is transmitted to the surface of the adhesive and an ultrasonic wave reflected from the surface is received. and an ultrasonic sensor. a control unit capable of determining the state of the surface based on the detection result of the ultrasonic sensor; a cleaning unit capable of cleaning the surface using a liquid; The cleaning unit is provided downstream of the cleaning unit and upstream of the recording unit in the rotation direction of the conveyor belt. a wiping unit that wipes the surface by contacting the surface; an adjustment unit that adjusts the load of the wiping unit on the surface, The ultrasonic sensor is configured to detect the surface from downstream of the cleaning unit in the circumferential direction. The state of a detection area, which is at least a part of the area upstream of the wiping section, can be detected. And, The control unit controls the adjustment unit in accordance with the detection result by the ultrasonic sensor. a wiper unit that wipes the recording medium with a predetermined force, and a wiper unit that wipes the recording medium with a predetermined force.

3. A device for controlling the airflow and heat, the device being provided downstream of the wiping unit and upstream of the recording unit in the rotation direction. a drying unit that dries the surface by at least one of the following: The control unit increases the output of the drying unit when the load of the wiping unit is reduced.

3. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

4. a conveyor belt provided with an adhesive capable of adhering a medium and capable of conveying the medium; a transmitter that transmits ultrasonic waves to the surface of the adhesive; and a receiver that receives ultrasonic waves reflected from the surface. an ultrasonic sensor including a receiving unit; a control unit capable of determining the state of the surface based on the detection result of the ultrasonic sensor; an application unit capable of applying the adhesive to the surface, The ultrasonic sensor detects the surface of the medium in a width direction that intersects with the transport direction of the medium. the surface condition can be detected at a plurality of positions within the The control unit The application unit is controlled in accordance with the detection result of the ultrasonic sensor. A conveying device characterized by the above.

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