Printing apparatus and absorbent

Abstract

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

Description

[[Technical Field]]

[0001] The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and an absorber provided in the printing apparatus. [[Background Art]]

[0002] The printer described in Patent Document 1 includes an ejection head, a carriage, and a platen portion. The carriage mounts the ejection head and reciprocates over a sheet supported by the platen portion. Printing is performed by the ejection head ejecting ink during this reciprocating movement. [[Prior Art Documents]] [[Patent Documents]]

[0003] [[Patent Document 1]] Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-205415 [[Summary of the Invention]] [[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]]

[0004] In the above printer, part of the ink ejected by the ejection head becomes mist and may adhere to the carriage. Furthermore, the mist adhering to the carriage grows into droplets, which may fall onto a sheet serving as a print medium supported by the platen portion and contaminate the print medium.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus that can reduce the possibility of a print medium being contaminated by falling liquid, and an absorber provided in the printing apparatus. [[Means for Solving the Problems]]

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

[0007] According to the first embodiment, the absorbent provided on the support plate and exposed to the platen reduces the possibility of liquid dripping onto the printing medium placed on the platen. Therefore, the possibility of the printing medium becoming contaminated is reduced.

[0008] In the first embodiment, the nozzle surface may be located on the discharge direction side of the support plate, and the absorbent may be located between the support plate and the nozzle surface in the discharge direction.

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

[0010] In the first embodiment, the absorbent may be positioned between the support plate and the nozzle surface in the discharge direction while having absorbed the liquid.

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

[0012] The printing apparatus of the first embodiment includes a wiper for wiping the nozzle surface, and the absorbent may be located on the opposite side of the discharge direction from the wiper.

[0013] In this case, the printing apparatus can reduce the possibility of the wiper transferring the liquid absorbed by the absorbent material to the nozzle surface.

[0014] In the first embodiment, the absorbent may be located in a direction intersecting the discharge direction, at least one of the upstream and downstream sides of the wiping direction in which the nozzle surface is wiped by the wiper.

[0015] In this case, the printing device can absorb the liquid splashed from the wiper using an absorbent material.

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

[0017] In this case, the printing apparatus can absorb liquid with the absorbent when the platen moves relative to the sub-scanning direction.

[0018] In the first embodiment, the absorber may be provided in a replaceable manner relative to the support plate.

[0019] In this case, the possibility of the liquid absorbed by the absorbent dripping onto the printing medium can be reduced by replacing the absorbent.

[0020] The printing apparatus of the first embodiment includes a holding member for holding the absorbent, a magnet is provided on one of the holding member and the support plate, and the other of the holding member and the support plate may have an adsorption portion that is attracted to the magnet.

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

[0022] In the first embodiment, the support plate may include a positioning unit for positioning the absorber relative to the support plate in the main scanning direction or the sub-scanning direction.

[0023] If the absorbent is not positioned relative to the support plate, the positional relationship between the attached absorbent and the support plate may change, potentially leading to an imbalance in the attachment relationship between the absorbent and the support plate. In this case, the attachment of the absorbent to the support plate becomes unstable. In a printing apparatus, the positioning unit positions the absorbent, preventing an imbalance in the attachment relationship between the absorbent and the support plate, and ensuring that the absorbent is stably attached to the support plate.

[0024] The printing apparatus of the first embodiment may include a guide section that guides the absorbent to the mounting position on the support plate, and a restricting section that restricts the absorbent from being attached to the support plate at a position different from the mounting position.

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

[0026] The printing apparatus according to the first aspect may include a drain member that drains the liquid from at least one of the absorber and the holding member in a region other than a printing region, which is a region in the interior of the printing apparatus where the head ejects ink onto the print medium placed on the platen.

[0027] In this case, by draining the liquid adhering to at least one of the absorber and the holding member via the drain member, the printing apparatus can reduce the possibility that the liquid contaminates the print medium.

[0028] The printing apparatus according to the first aspect includes a holding member that holds the absorber, and may include a drain member that drains the liquid from at least one of the absorber and the holding member in a region other than a printing region, which is a region in the interior of the printing apparatus where the head ejects ink onto the print medium placed on the platen.

[0029] In this case, by draining the liquid adhering to at least one of the absorber and the holding member via the drain member, the printing apparatus can reduce the possibility that the liquid contaminates the print medium.

[0030] The printing apparatus according to the first aspect includes a cap that is in close contact with the nozzle surface, and the drain member may be disposed in a gap between the absorber and the nozzle surface when the cap is in close contact with the nozzle surface.

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

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

[0033] The second embodiment can produce the same effects as the first embodiment.

[0034] The absorbent in the second embodiment may be replaceable with respect to the support plate and may include a retaining member for holding the absorbent.

[0035] In this case, since the absorbent is held by the retaining member, it becomes possible to replace absorbents made of various materials, such as flexible materials, with those of the printing device.

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

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

[0038] The intermediate member may be part of the absorber.

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

[0040] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of the printing device 1. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the printing device 1. [Figure 3] This is a plan view showing the internal structure of the printing device 1. [Figure 4]This is a perspective view of the carriage 30 without the absorption device 7 attached. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of the carriage 30 with the absorption device 7 attached. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the absorption device 7. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view of the area around carriage 30, which is located at the second reference position. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view showing the absorbent device 7 in a position different from its mounting position. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view showing the absorbent device 7 in its mounting position. [Figure 10] This is a perspective view showing the second caps 41B and 42B covering the nozzle surfaces 57B and 58B. [Figure 11] This diagram shows the positional relationship between the carriage 30 in the first reference position and the wipe mechanism 6. [Figure 12] This diagram shows the state in which the first wiper 60A is wiping the nozzle surface 58A. [Figure 13] This figure shows the state in which the second wiper 60B is wiping the nozzle surface 58B. [Figure 14] This diagram shows the positional relationship between the carriage 30 and the wipe mechanism 6 after the wiping operation is completed. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0041] A printing apparatus 1, which is one embodiment of the present invention, will be described. The top, bottom, lower left, upper right, lower right, and upper left of Figure 1 correspond to the top, bottom, front, rear, right, and left sides of the printing apparatus 1, respectively. In this embodiment, the mechanical elements shown in the drawings are to actual scale.

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

[0043] In the following, the white ink among the five ink colors will be referred to as "white ink." The four inks of black, cyan, yellow, and magenta among the five ink colors will be referred to collectively as "color ink," or if none of them are specified. When referring to both white ink and color ink collectively, or if none of them are specified, the term "ink" will be used. White ink is used in printing to represent the white areas of an image or as a base for color ink. Color ink is ejected directly onto the printing medium or onto a white ink base and is used to print color images.

[0044] As shown in Figure 1, the printing apparatus 1 comprises a housing 11, a platen 12, a platen drive mechanism 14, a mounting section 16, etc. The housing 11 is box-shaped and has an opening on its front. Hereinafter, the area inside the housing 11 will be referred to as the area inside the printing apparatus 1, and the area outside the housing 11 will be referred to as the area outside the printing apparatus 1.

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

[0046] As shown in Figure 2, the housing 11 (see Figure 1) contains a frame 20, guide shafts 21A and 21B, a carriage 30, a cap mechanism 40, and a cleaning assembly 5. The frame 20 is a lattice-like structure. The frame 20 supports the guide shafts 21A and 21B at its upper end. The frame 20 supports the platen drive mechanism 14 at its center in the left-right direction and below the guide shafts 21A and 21B in the vertical direction.

[0047] Guide shafts 21A and 21B extend in the left-right direction. Guide shafts 21A and 21B are spaced apart in the front-rear direction and arranged parallel to each other. Guide shafts 21A and 21B support the carriage 30 so that it can move in the left-right direction (hereinafter also referred to as the main scanning direction). Figures 2 and 3 show the state in which the carriage 30 has moved to the right end. The carriage 30 includes ink ejection heads 31 and 32 (see Figure 3; hereinafter, when not distinguished, they will be collectively referred to as head 3). In this embodiment, head 3 has a piezoelectric element; however, head 3 may have a heater instead of a piezoelectric element as a mechanism for ejecting ink. A drive belt 210 provided along guide shaft 21A moves in the main scanning direction by the drive of a main scanning motor (not shown). The carriage 30 is connected to the drive belt 210 and moves in the main scanning direction by the drive belt 210. The area sandwiched between the guide shafts 21A and 21B from the front and rear corresponds to the movement path of the carriage 30.

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

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

[0050] The frame 20 comprises frames 22A and 22B. Frames 22A and 22B extend in the front-rear direction. Frames 22A and 22B are located below the guide shafts 21A and 21B. Frame 22A is located to the right of the printing area 20R. Frame 22B is located to the left of the printing area 20R. A cap mechanism 40 and a cleaning assembly 5 are provided to the left of frame 22B and below the movement path of the carriage 30. The cap mechanism 40 is located to the left of the cleaning assembly 5.

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

[0052] <Carriage 30> As shown in Figure 3, the carriage 30 has heads 31 and 32 and a support plate 34. Heads 31 and 32 are each supported by the support plate 34. A detailed description of the support plate 34 will be given later. Head 31 has a first head 31A and a second head 31B that share a common structure. The first head 31A is positioned to the right of the second head 31B with a gap between them.

[0053] As shown in Figure 4, the first head 31A has a protrusion 55A. The second head 31B has a protrusion 55B. The protrusions 55A and 55B protrude downward from the support plate 34. The shapes of the protrusions 55A and 55B are each rectangular parallelepipeds. Nozzle surfaces 57A and 57B are formed on the lower surfaces of the protrusions 55A and 55B, respectively. The vertical positions of the nozzle surfaces 57A and 57B coincide. Multiple nozzles (not shown) are provided on the nozzle surfaces 57A and 57B, respectively. The multiple nozzles are openings that eject ink downward.

[0054] As shown in Figure 3, the head 32 has a first head 32A and a second head 32B. The first head 32A is located in front of the first head 31A. The second head 32B is located in front of the second head 31B. The first head 32A is positioned to the right of the second head 32B with a gap between them.

[0055] As shown in Figure 4, the first head 32A has a protrusion 56A. The second head 32B has a protrusion 56B. The protrusions 56A and 56B protrude downward from the support plate 34. The shapes of the protrusions 56A and 56B are each rectangular parallelepipeds. Nozzle surfaces 58A and 58B are formed on the lower surfaces of the protrusions 56A and 56B, respectively. In the vertical direction, the positions of the nozzle surfaces 58A and 58B coincide with the positions of the nozzle surfaces 57A and 57B, respectively. Multiple nozzles (not shown) are provided on the nozzle surfaces 57A and 57B, respectively. The multiple nozzles are openings that eject ink downward. Hereinafter, as shown in Figure 3, when the first heads 31A and 32A are not distinguished, they will be collectively referred to as the first head 3A. When the second heads 31B and 32B are not distinguished, they will be collectively referred to as the second head 3B.

[0056] <Cap mechanism 40> As shown in Figure 3, the cap mechanism 40 has caps 41 and 42 that cover the head 3. Hereafter, when caps 41 and 42 are not distinguished, they will be collectively referred to as cap 4. The cap mechanism 40 has a support part 40A that supports cap 4. The support part 40A is movable up and down by a cap drive part (not shown). Cap 41 has a first cap 41A and a second cap 41B. Cap 42 has a first cap 42A and a second cap 42B.

[0057] As shown in Figure 2, the first cap 41A has a frame 411A and a covering portion 414A. The frame 411A is a rectangular tube with openings at the top and bottom. In a plan view, the inner dimensions of the frame 411A are the same as the dimensions of the protrusion 55A (see Figure 4). The frame 411A has protrusions 412A and 413A. Protrusion 412A is the left rear end of the frame 411A. Protrusion 413A is the left front end of the frame 411A. The upper ends of protrusions 412A and 413A are located above the upper end of the covering portion 414A in the vertical direction. The upper ends of the frame 411A other than the protrusions 412A and 413A are located below the upper end of the covering portion 414A in the vertical direction. The covering portion 414A is housed inside the frame 411A. The covering portion 414A has openings at the top and bottom. In a plan view, the inner dimensions of the covering portion 414A are the same as the dimensions of the nozzle surface 57A (see Figure 4). The structure of the second cap 41B, the first cap 42A, and the second cap 42B is the same as that of the first cap 41A.

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

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

[0060] <Wipe mechanism 6> As shown in Figure 2, the wipe mechanism 6 has two first wipers 60A and two second wipers 60B. Each of the two first wipers 60A and the two second wipers 60B is housed inside the cleaning fluid tank 51 (see Figure 11). Each of the two first wipers 60A and the two second wipers 60B is rotatable around an axis extending horizontally inside the cleaning fluid tank 51. The two first wipers 60A are spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction. Of the two first wipers 60A, the front first wiper 60A wipes the nozzle surface 58A shown in Figure 4. The rear first wiper 60A wipes the nozzle surface 57A shown in Figure 4.

[0061] The two second wipers 60B are positioned spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction. Of the two second wiping mechanisms 6B, the front second wiper 60B is located to the left front of the front first wiper 60A. The front second wiper mechanism 6B wipes the nozzle surface 58B shown in Figure 4. The rear second wiper 60B is located to the left front of the rear first wiper 60A. The rear first wiper mechanism 6A wipes the nozzle surface 57B shown in Figure 4.

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

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

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

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

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

[0067] Plate sections 36A and 36B are flat plates extending in the left-right direction. Plate sections 36A and 36B are arranged parallel to each other, with a gap between them in the front-rear direction, and are positioned from rear to rear. The front end of plate section 36A is connected to the rear end of plate sections 35A, 35B, and 35C. The rear end of plate section 36B is connected to the front end of plate sections 35A, 35B, and 35C.

[0068] The support plate 34 has holes 37A and 37B that penetrate vertically. Hole 37A is the space enclosed by the left end of plate portion 35A, the right end of plate portion 35B, the front end of plate portion 36A, and the rear end of plate portion 36B. Hole 37B is the space enclosed by the left end of plate portion 35B, the right end of plate portion 35C, the front end of plate portion 36A, and the rear end of plate portion 36B. The protruding portions 55A and 56A pass through hole 37A. The nozzle surfaces 57A and 58A are positioned below the support plate 34 in the vertical direction. The protruding portions 55B and 56B pass through hole 37B. The nozzle surfaces 57B and 58B are positioned below the support plate 34 in the vertical direction.

[0069] The support plate 34 includes magnets 38A to 38F and positioning parts 34A and 34B. Magnet 38A is provided on the underside of plate portion 36A and on the rear side relative to plate portion 35A. Magnet 38B is provided on the underside of plate portion 36B and on the front side relative to plate portion 35A. Magnets 38A and 38B are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-back direction. Magnets 38C and 38D are provided on the underside of plate portion 35B and are arranged in the front-to-back direction in the center of plate portion 35B in the front-to-back direction. Magnet 38D is provided in front of magnet 38C. Magnet 38E is provided on the underside of plate portion 36A and on the rear side relative to plate portion 35C. Magnet 38F is provided on the underside of plate portion 36B and on the front side relative to plate portion 35C. Magnets 38E and 38F are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-back direction.

[0070] The positioning section 34A extends downward from the plate section 35A. The number of positioning sections 34A is not limited, but in this embodiment there are two positioning sections 34A, which are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-back direction. In the left-to-right direction, the two positioning sections 34A are positioned to the right of the magnets 38A and 38B, respectively.

[0071] The positioning section 34B extends downward from the plate section 35C. The number of positioning sections 34B is not limited, but in this embodiment there are two positioning sections 34B, which are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-back direction. In the left-to-right direction, the two positioning sections 34B are positioned to the left of the magnets 38E and 38F, respectively. In this embodiment, both positioning sections 34B are positioned at the left end of the plate section 35C. The left-to-right distance between positioning section 34A and positioning section 34B is equal to the left-to-right size of the absorbent device 7, which will be described later.

[0072] <Absorbent device 7> As shown in Figure 5, an absorbent device 7 is provided on the lower side of the support plate 34. The absorbent device 7 is exposed to the platen 12 (see Figure 1). Here, "exposed" means that when no printing medium is placed on it, there is nothing obstructing the platen and the absorbent device 7 in the vertical direction. The absorbent device 7 comprises a holding member 71 and an absorbent body 72. The holding member 71 holds the absorbent body 72. The holding member 71 is a flat plate extending in the front-rear and left-right directions. The holding member 71 is made of a magnetic metal such as ferritic stainless steel. The absorbent device 7 is attached to the support plate 34 by the holding member 71 being attracted to magnets 38A to 38F. Conversely, the absorbent device 7 is removed from the support plate 34 by the holding member 71 being removed from magnets 38A to 38F. In other words, the absorbent device 7 is provided in a replaceable manner relative to the support plate 34.

[0073] As shown in Figure 6(A), the retaining member 71 has notches 711A, 711B, 712A, 712B, and holes 713A, 713B, 714A, 714B. Notch 711A is formed by cutting out the left rear end of the retaining member 71. Notch 711B is formed by cutting out the left front end of the retaining member 71. Notch 712A is formed by cutting out the front end of the retaining member 71. Notch 712B is formed by cutting out the rear end of the retaining member 71.

[0074] Holes 713A, 713B, 714A, and 714B each pass through the retaining member 71 in the vertical direction. Holes 713A and 714A are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-back direction. Holes 713B and 714B are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-back direction. Holes 713B and 714B are located to the left front of holes 713A and 714A, respectively. As shown in Figure 5, with the absorbent device 7 attached to the support plate 34, the protrusion 55A is inserted through hole 713A. The protrusion 55B is inserted through hole 713B. The protrusion 56A is inserted through hole 714A. The protrusion 56B is inserted through hole 714B.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0083] <Installation of Absorption Device 7> The absorbent device 7 is attached to the support plate 34 using auxiliary members 23A and 23B while in the second reference position. The second reference position is to the right of the printing area 20R in the movement path of the carriage 30. The position of the absorbent device 7 attached to the support plate 34 when the carriage 30 is in the second reference position is called the mounting position.

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

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

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

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

[0088] Although not shown in the diagram, when the support portion 40A moves upward, the right surfaces of the protrusions 412A and 413A of the first caps 41A and 42A, respectively, come into contact with the left surfaces of the protrusions 55A and 56A. As the support portion 40A moves further upward, the protrusions 412A and 413A pass through the gap between the inner surfaces of the holes 73A and 74A, respectively, and the sides of the protrusions 55A and 56A. The covering portions 414A of the first caps 41A and 42A, respectively, are guided by the protrusions 412A and 413A to face the nozzle surfaces 57A and 58A in the vertical direction, respectively.

[0089] The first cap 41A covers the nozzle surface 57A (see Figure 5). The first cap 42A covers the nozzle surface 58A (see Figure 5). The second cap 41B covers the nozzle surface 57B. The second cap 42B covers the nozzle surface 58B. The caps 4 cover the nozzle surfaces 57A, 57B, 58A, and 58B respectively, thereby preventing the ink from drying out when printing is not taking place on the printing medium. With the first caps 41A, 42A and the second caps 41B, 42B covering the nozzle surfaces 57A, 58A, 57B, and 58B respectively, the liquid adhering to the holding member 71 or the inner surface of the hole 74A comes into contact with the protrusions 412A and 413A. The liquid in contact with the protrusions 412A and 413A flows downward from the holding member 71 and absorber 72 along the protrusions 412A and 413A due to its own weight.

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

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

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

[0093] As shown in Figure 12(B), the printing apparatus 1 moves the carriage 30 to the right (arrow Y23). During the movement of the carriage 30, the first head 3A passes over the first wiper 60A, which is in contact with the surface. The first wiper 60A contacts the nozzle surface 58A in the order of the first foam wiper 62A and the first rubber wiper 63A. The first wiper 60A wipes the nozzle surface 58A from right to left.

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

[0095] As shown in Figure 13(B), the printing apparatus 1 moves the carriage 30 to the right (arrow Y51). During the movement of the carriage 30, the second head 3B passes over the second wiper 60B, which is at the second contact position. The second wiper 60B contacts the nozzle surfaces 57B and 58B in the order of the second foam wiper 62B and the second rubber wiper 63B. The second wiper 60B wipes the nozzle surfaces 57B and 58B from right to left.

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

[0097] <Operation and effects of this embodiment> In the printing apparatus 1, an absorbent device 7 is provided on the underside of the support plate 34. The absorbent device 7 is exposed to the platen 12. The absorbent device 7 comprises an absorbent body 72. The absorbent body 72 has water-absorbing properties. The printing apparatus 1 can reduce the possibility of liquid (for example, ink in mist form) dripping onto the printing medium placed on the platen 12 by having the absorbent body 72 absorb the liquid. Therefore, the possibility of the printing medium becoming contaminated can be reduced.

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

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

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

[0101] The first wiper 60A wipes the nozzle surfaces 57A and 58A from right to left. The second wiper 60B wipes the nozzle surfaces 57B and 58B from right to left. The absorbent material 72 is positioned to the right and left of the nozzle surfaces 57A, 57B, 58A, and 58B. Therefore, the printing apparatus 1 can absorb the liquid splashed from the wiping mechanism 6 with the absorbent material 72.

[0102] The platen 12 moves in the forward / backward direction (sub-scanning direction) relative to the carriage 30 by the drive of the platen motor. The absorber 72 is positioned in front of and behind the nozzle surfaces 57A, 57B, 58A, and 58B. Therefore, the printing apparatus 1 can absorb liquid with the absorber 72 when the platen 12 moves relative to the carriage 30 in the sub-scanning direction.

[0103] The absorbent 72 is provided in a replaceable manner on the support plate 34. Therefore, the printing apparatus 1 can reduce the possibility of liquid absorbed by the absorbent 72 dripping onto the printing medium by replacing the absorbent 72.

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

[0105] The support plate 34 is equipped with positioning sections 34A and 34B. When the absorber 72 is attached to the support plate 34, the notches 711A and 711B come into contact with the positioning section 34B, thereby positioning the absorber 72 relative to the support plate 34. If the absorber 72 is not positioned relative to the support plate 34, the positional relationship between the absorber 72 and the support plate 34 changes, which may cause excessive force to be applied to the magnets 38A to 38F that attract the holding member 71. In this case, the attachment of the absorber 72 to the support plate 34 becomes unstable. In the printing apparatus 1, the positioning sections 34A and 34B position the absorber 72, thereby ensuring that the absorber 72 is stably attached to the support plate 34. Furthermore, the positioning sections 34A and 34B each restrict the movement of the absorber 7 in the left-right direction (main scanning direction) when the absorber 72 is attached to the support plate 34. Therefore, the absorber 72 is stably attached to the support plate 34 without the holding member 71 coming off the magnets 38A to 38F.

[0106] When attaching the absorbent device 7 to the support plate 34, the user inserts the rear of the absorbent device 7 into the space enclosed by the plate portions 233A, 235A, and 236A of the auxiliary member 23A. The user then inserts the front of the absorbent device 7 into the space enclosed by the plate portions 233B, 235B, and 236B of the auxiliary member 23B. If the absorbent device 7 is located in a position other than the mounting position, the plate portions 236A and 236B restrict the absorbent device 7 from moving upward toward the support plate 34. The user moves the absorbent device 7 upward and to the left along the plate portions 233A and 233B, thereby positioning the absorbent device 7 in the mounting position. When the absorbent device 7 is in the mounting position, the notches 712A and 712B are located below the plate portions 236A and 236B. Therefore, the user can move the absorbent device 7 upward toward the support plate 34 without being restricted by the plate portions 236A and 236B. Therefore, the printing apparatus 1 can reduce the possibility that the absorber 72, which moves along the plate sections 233A and 233B, is attached to the support plate 34 at a position different from its mounting position.

[0107] The cap 4 is located to the left of the printing area 20R within the area inside the printing device 1. The protrusions 412A and 413A of the first cap 41A receive liquid adhering to the inner surface of the support plate 34 or the hole 74A of the absorbent device 7 and release it downward toward the support part 40A. By releasing liquid adhering to at least one of the absorbent body 72 and the holding member 71 via the protrusions 412A and 413A, the printing device 1 can reduce the possibility of liquid contaminating the printing medium.

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

[0109] The retaining member 71 is a flat plate extending in the front-rear and left-right directions. The left end 71A of the retaining member 71 is covered with an absorbent 72A. Therefore, the possibility of contact between the left end 71A of the retaining member 71 and the support plate 34, nozzle surface 57A, etc., can be reduced.

[0110] The left end 71A of the retaining member 71 is covered by a portion of the absorbent 72 that is folded over. The absorbent 72 can be used to form a structure that covers the left end 71A of the retaining member 71. Therefore, there is no need to provide a separate member to cover the left end 71A of the retaining member 71.

[0111] <Variation> The present invention can be modified in various ways from the above embodiments. The various modifications described below can be combined in any way as long as they do not cause contradictions. The respective moving mechanisms of the head 3 and the platen 12 are not limited to the above embodiments. For example, the head 3 and the platen 12 may be moved by moving mechanisms such as rollers and ball screws, respectively. The head 3 may also be a line head. It is sufficient that the head 3 is movable relative to the cap 4, the first wiper 60A, the second wiper 60B, and the platen 12 in the left-right direction. That is, the carriage 30 may be fixed to the frame 20, and the cap 4, the first wiper 60A, the second wiper 60B, and the platen 12 may be configured to move in the left-right direction. If the platen 12 is movable in the left-right direction, the cap 4, the first wiper 60A, the second wiper 60B, and a part of the platen 12, for example, the cap 4, may be configured to move in the left-right direction. The platen 12 may be fixed to the frame 20, and the head 3 may be configured to move in the front-rear direction.

[0112] The cap mechanism 40 and the cleaning assembly 5 may be located to the right of the printing area 20R within the area inside the printing device 1. The left-right positional relationship between the cap mechanism 40 and the cleaning assembly 5 may be changed as appropriate.

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0119] The absorbent device 7 may be attached to the support plate 34 by means of adhesive such as hook-and-loop fasteners or by fastening screws.

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

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

[0122] The retaining member 71 may have a protrusion that extends forward from its front end or backward from its rear end. The plate portions 236A and 236B may have recesses corresponding to the protrusions. When the absorbent device 7 is positioned at the mounting location, the absorbent device 7 may be attached to the support plate 34 by the protrusions passing through the recesses.

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

[0124] <Other> The lower part of the printing device 1 corresponds to the "discharge direction" of the present invention. The left side of the printing device 1 corresponds to the "wiping direction" of the present invention. The holding member 71 is the "holding member" of the present invention, and the entire holding member 71, which exhibits magnetism and is attracted to magnets 38A to 38F, is also the "adsorption part". The space surrounded by plate parts 233A, 235A, and 236A, and the space surrounded by plate parts 233B, 235B, and 236B correspond to the "guide part" of the present invention. Plate parts 236A and 236B correspond to the "regulating part" of the present invention. The protruding parts 412A and 413A correspond to the "relief member" of the present invention. The front, rear, right, and left sides of the protruding parts 55A, 55B, 56A, and 56B correspond to the "side surface" of the present invention. The left end 71A of the holding member 71 corresponds to "part of the edge of the holding member" of the present invention. The absorber 72A corresponds to the "intermediate member" of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

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

Claims

1. A platen on which the printing medium is placed, A head having a nozzle surface and ejecting ink from the nozzle surface in the ejection direction, A support plate that supports the head, An absorbent is provided on the discharge direction side of the support plate, exposed to the platen, and absorbs liquid. Equipped with, The nozzle surface is equipped with a wiper, The absorbent is located on the opposite side of the discharge direction to the end of the wiper opposite to the discharge direction when wiping the nozzle surface, The absorbent is provided in a replaceable manner with respect to the support plate. The system includes a holding member for holding the absorbent, A magnet is provided on one of the holding member and the support plate. A printing apparatus characterized in that the other of the holding member and the support plate has an adsorption portion that is attracted to the magnet.

2. A platen on which the printing medium is placed, A head having a nozzle surface and ejecting ink from the nozzle surface in the ejection direction, A support plate that supports the head, An absorbent is provided on the discharge direction side of the support plate, exposed to the platen, and absorbs liquid. Equipped with, The nozzle surface is equipped with a wiper, The absorbent is located on the opposite side of the discharge direction to the end of the wiper opposite to the discharge direction when wiping the nozzle surface, The absorbent is provided in a replaceable manner with respect to the support plate. The printing apparatus is characterized in that the support plate is provided with a positioning unit for positioning the absorber relative to the support plate in the main scanning direction or sub-scanning direction.

3. A platen on which the printing medium is placed, A head having a nozzle surface and ejecting ink from the nozzle surface in the ejection direction, A support plate that supports the head, An absorbent is provided on the discharge direction side of the support plate, exposed to the platen, and absorbs liquid. Equipped with, The nozzle surface is equipped with a wiper, The absorbent is located on the opposite side of the discharge direction to the end of the wiper opposite to the discharge direction when wiping the nozzle surface, The absorbent is provided in a replaceable manner with respect to the support plate. A guide portion that guides the absorbent to the mounting position where it is attached to the support plate, A printing apparatus characterized by comprising a restricting part that restricts the absorbent from being attached to the support plate at a position different from the mounting position.

4. A platen on which the printing medium is placed, A head having a nozzle surface and ejecting ink from the nozzle surface in the ejection direction, A support plate that supports the head, An absorbent is provided on the discharge direction side of the support plate, exposed to the platen, and absorbs liquid. Equipped with, The nozzle surface is equipped with a wiper, The absorbent is located on the opposite side of the discharge direction to the end of the wiper opposite to the discharge direction when wiping the nozzle surface, The system includes a holding member for holding the absorbent, A printing apparatus characterized in that, in a region of the interior of the printing apparatus other than the printing region in which the head ejects ink onto the printing medium placed on the platen, the apparatus is provided with a release member that releases the liquid from at least one of the absorbent and the holding member.

5. The absorbent is provided on at least one of the upstream and downstream sides of the nozzle surface in the wiping direction, which is intersecting with the discharge direction and in which the nozzle surface is wiped by the wiper. The platen moves relative to the nozzle surface in a sub-scanning direction intersecting the wiping direction, The absorber is provided on the side of the nozzle surface that is in the sub-scanning direction. A printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 3, or 4, characterized by the following:

6. The nozzle surface is located on the discharge direction side of the support plate, The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the absorbent is located between the support plate and the nozzle surface in the discharge direction.

7. The printing apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the absorbent body is positioned between the support plate and the nozzle surface in the discharge direction while having absorbed the liquid.

8. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the absorbent is provided in a direction intersecting the discharge direction, at least one of the upstream and downstream sides of the wiping direction in which the nozzle surface is wiped by the wiper.

9. The platen moves relative to the nozzle surface in the sub-scanning direction, The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 3, or 4, characterized in that the absorbent is provided on the side of the sub-scanning direction relative to the nozzle surface.

10. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, in a region of the inside of the printing apparatus other than the printing region in which the head ejects ink onto the printing medium placed on the platen, the apparatus is provided with a release member that releases the liquid from at least one of the absorbent and the holding member.

11. The nozzle surface is equipped with a cap that is in close contact with it, The printing apparatus according to claim 4 or 10, characterized in that the relief member is positioned in the gap between the absorbent and the nozzle surface when the cap is in close contact with the nozzle surface.

12. An absorbent provided in a printing apparatus comprising a platen on which a printing medium is placed, a head having a nozzle surface and ejecting ink from the nozzle surface in the ejection direction, a support plate for supporting the head, and a wiper for wiping the nozzle surface, The absorbent is provided on the discharge direction side of the support plate, is exposed to the platen, and absorbs liquid. The absorbent is located on the opposite side of the discharge direction to the end of the wiper opposite to the discharge direction when wiping the nozzle surface, The support plate is replaceable and includes a holding member for holding the absorbent, An intermediate member different from the retaining member is provided at a part of the end of the retaining member. An absorbent characterized by the following.

13. The absorbent is provided on at least one of the upstream and downstream sides of the nozzle surface in the wiping direction, which is intersecting with the discharge direction and in which the nozzle surface is wiped by the wiper. The platen moves relative to the nozzle surface in a sub-scanning direction intersecting the wiping direction, The absorber is provided on the side of the nozzle surface that is in the sub-scanning direction. The absorbent according to claim 12, characterized by the above.

14. The absorbent according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the intermediate member is a part of the absorbent.

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