Heating device for printer, and printer

Abstract

The present invention discharges steam generated from a heated medium to the outside. In the present invention, a heating device 110 for a printer 10 comprises a heating device body 111 having an upper wall 111a and a lower wall 111b, a medium inlet 112 formed in the upper wall 111a, a medium outlet 114 formed in the lower wall 111b, a heating passage 116 connecting the medium inlet 112 and the medium outlet 114 in the heating device body 111, a heater 120 positioned in the heating device body 111, and an internal intake mechanism 150. The internal intake mechanism 150 has an internal intake chamber 151 provided in the heating device body 111, an internal intake port 153 formed in the internal intake chamber 151 and communicating with the inside of the heating device body 111, and an internal exhaust port 155 formed in the internal intake chamber 151 and communicating with the outside. The internal intake port 153 is disposed closer to the medium inlet 112 than the heater 120.

Description

Printer heating device and printer

[0001] The present invention relates to a heating device for a printer and a printer.

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a printer for printing on a heat-rising medium that swells at heated positions. The printer includes an inkjet head that ejects ink that generates heat by absorbing energy rays of a predetermined wavelength, and an irradiation unit that irradiates the energy rays.

[0003] In this printer, ink is ejected from an inkjet head onto the portion of the medium that is to be raised. The portion of the medium onto which the ink has been ejected is irradiated with energy rays from an irradiation unit, causing the ink to heat up, and the portion of the medium onto which the ink has been ejected is heated, causing it to bulge.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-74930

[0005] However, when heating and raising the medium, as in the printer described above, a higher heating temperature than usual is required. At this time, the heated portion of the medium may bubble, generating steam. It is preferable that this steam be properly vented to the outside of the printer.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a heating device for a printer and a printer that can exhaust steam generated from a heated medium to the outside.

[0007] The heating device for a printer according to the present invention is a heating device that heats a medium printed by a printer. The heating device for a printer includes a heating device main body having an upper wall and a lower wall facing each other across an internal space, a medium inlet formed in the upper wall through which the medium passes, a medium outlet formed in the lower wall through which the medium passes, a heating passage disposed within the heating device main body connecting the medium inlet and the medium outlet, a heater disposed within the heating device main body, and an internal air intake mechanism that exhausts steam generated by heating the medium within the heating device main body to the outside. The internal air intake mechanism includes an internal air intake chamber disposed within the heating device main body, an internal air intake port formed in the internal air intake chamber that connects the internal air intake chamber to the internal space of the heating device main body, and an internal exhaust port formed in the internal air intake chamber that connects the internal air intake chamber to the outside of the heating device main body. The internal air intake port is disposed closer to the medium inlet than the heater.

[0008] In the printer's heating device, printed media passes through a media inlet and a heating passage within the heating device body. The media passing through the heating passage can generate steam as it is heated by the heater. Before reaching the media inlet, this steam easily passes through the internal air intake port of the internal air intake mechanism and enters the internal air intake chamber. Therefore, the steam generated within the heating device body can easily be exhausted to the outside of the heating device through the internal air intake port, internal air intake chamber, and internal exhaust port.

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a heating device for a printer and a printer that can exhaust steam generated from a heated medium to the outside.

[0010] Fig. 1 is a front view showing a printer according to an embodiment. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the printer taken along the line II-II in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a bottom view showing a schematic configuration of the bottom of a carriage and an ink head. Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the heating device shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an internal air intake port of the heating device.

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments described here are not intended to limit the present invention in any particular way. Furthermore, the same reference numerals are used to designate components and parts that perform the same functions, and redundant descriptions will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a front view of a printer 10 according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the printer 10 taken along the line II-II in FIG. 1 . In the following description of the printer 10, the terms left, right, top, and bottom refer to the left, right, top, and bottom directions, respectively, as seen from a user standing in front of the printer 10. The side of the printer 10 approaching the user is referred to as the front, and the side of the printer 10 approaching the user is referred to as the rear. The symbols F, Rr, L, R, U, and D in the drawings represent the front, rear, left, right, top, and bottom directions of the printer 10, respectively. The symbol Y in the drawings indicates the main scanning direction. In this embodiment, the main scanning direction Y is the left-right direction. The symbol X in the drawings indicates the sub-scanning direction. The sub-scanning direction X is a direction that intersects (here, is perpendicular to) the main scanning direction Y in a plan view. In this embodiment, the sub-scanning direction X is the front-to-rear direction in a plan view. Here, the sub-scanning direction X is the front-to-rear direction on a support base 16 (see FIG. 2 ), which will be described later. Here, the rear side in the sub-scanning direction X is referred to as the upstream side, and the front side in the sub-scanning direction X is referred to as the downstream side. However, these directions are merely defined for the convenience of explanation, and do not limit the installation mode of the printer 10 or the present invention in any way.

[0013] The printer 10 is an inkjet printer, or what is known as an inkjet printer. However, the printing method of the printer 10 is not limited to the inkjet method, and it may be, for example, a thermal printer or a laser printer. In this embodiment, the printer 10 is a roll-to-roll type printer in which the medium 5 is laid out on a support base 16 (see FIG. 2 ) and moved in the sub-scanning direction X.

[0014] In this embodiment, the printer 10 prints on a roll-shaped medium 5. Here, printing on the medium 5 refers to printing on a portion of the roll-shaped medium 5 when the roll-shaped medium 5 is unfolded. When the medium 5 is installed in the printer 10, the medium 5 is wound in a roll shape around a rotation axis A1 (see FIG. 2) that extends in the main scanning direction Y. The medium 5 has a shape that allows it to be wound onto a winding roller 71 (see FIG. 2) of a winding device 70, which will be described later. The medium 5 is printed on by the printer 10 in an unrolled, i.e., unfolded, state.

[0015] The medium 5 is a heat-expandable medium that expands when heated. Here, the medium 5 expands when heated at a predetermined temperature. The medium 5 includes a base made of, for example, a film, and a heat-expandable layer formed by thermally expandable microcapsules applied to the base. The heat-expandable layer contains a foaming agent and an additive. The foaming agent may be present in an amount of 0.1 to 10 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of a polyolefin material having an elastic modulus of less than 0.1 GPa. The foaming agent may be selected from azodicarbonamide and / or metal salts thereof, hydrazodicarbonamide, sodium bicarbonate, trihydrazino-sym-triazine, pp'-oxybisbenzenesulfonylhydrazide, dinitrosopentamethylenetetramine, azobisisobutyl-odinitrile, p-toluenesulfonylhydrazide, bisbenzenesulfonylhydrazide, and the like. The polyolefin material is selected from thermoplastic elastomer polyolefin, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, atactic polypropylene polymer, or a mixture thereof. The thickness of the heat-foamed layer is preferably, for example, 0.05 mm to 0.3 mm. The additive is preferably, for example, 0 to 200 parts by weight. The heated portion of the heat-foamed layer of the medium 5 foams, causing the heated portion of the medium 5 to bulge. This allows the creation of a printed matter with unevenness.

[0016] As shown in Fig. 2, the printer 10 includes a printer body 10a and legs 11. As shown in Fig. 1, the printer body 10a has a casing that extends in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in Fig. 2, the legs 11 support the printer body 10a. The legs 11 are provided on the underside of the printer body 10a and extend downward from the printer body 10a.

[0017] The printer 10 includes a support table 16 and a support roller 14. The support table 16 and the support roller 14 support the medium 5. Here, the support table 16 and the support roller 14 support the rolled medium 5 in an unfolded state. In the following description, the medium 5 includes the rolled medium 5 in an unfolded state. The medium 5 is placed on the support table 16 in an unfolded state. Printing on the medium 5 is performed on the support table 16. The support table 16 is a so-called platen. In this embodiment, the support table 16 has a support surface 16B. The support surface 16B forms the upper surface of the support table 16. The support surface 16B extends in the main scanning direction Y and the sub-scanning direction X. Here, the medium 5 is placed on the support surface 16B. The support surface 16B supports the medium 5. The upstream portion of the support table 16 (here, the rear portion) is formed with an arc-shaped cross section, curving downward as it extends rearward.

[0018] The support roller 14 is a roller that extends in the main scanning direction Y. Although not shown here, the support roller 14 is supported by the printer body 10a so as to be rotatable relative to the printer body 10a. The support roller 14 is located downstream of the support base 16 in the sub-scanning direction X. Here, the support roller 14 is located in front of the support base 16. The medium 5 is transported from the support base 16 toward the circumferential surface of the support roller 14. The support roller 14 then rotates as the medium 5 is transported. As the support roller 14 rotates, the portion of the medium 5 supported by the support roller 14 is transported downstream in the sub-scanning direction X. Note that the support roller 14 is not shown in FIG. 1.

[0019] The printer 10 includes a guide rail 17, a carriage 20, and an ink head 22. The guide rail 17 is disposed above a support base 16. As shown in Figure 1, the guide rail 17 is disposed parallel to the upper surface of the support base 16 and extends in the main scanning direction Y. A carriage 20 is engaged with the guide rail 17. The carriage 20 is slidably mounted on the guide rail 17 and is configured to be movable in the main scanning direction Y.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2, the ink head 22 ejects ink. The ink head 22 is mounted on the carriage 20. The ink head 22 is supported by the carriage 20 so that its bottom surface is exposed downward. The number of ink heads 22 is not particularly limited. FIG. 3 is a bottom view schematically showing the configuration of the carriage 20 and the bottom surface of the ink head 22. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, there are two ink heads 22. The two ink heads 22 are arranged side by side in the main scanning direction Y. Each ink head 22 has a nozzle surface 25. The nozzle surface 25 forms the bottom surface of the ink head 22. Nozzles 26 that eject ink are formed in each nozzle surface 25. A plurality of nozzles 26 are formed side by side in the sub-scanning direction X. Here, a row of multiple nozzles 26 lined up in the sub-scanning direction X is referred to as a nozzle row 28. The number of nozzle rows 28 per ink head 22 is four. However, the number of nozzle rows 28 per ink head 22 is not particularly limited, and may be any number between one and three, or may be five or more.

[0021] 3, one of the two ink heads 22 is an anti-foaming ink head 22A, and the other is a color ink head 22B. The ink heads 22 include an anti-foaming ink head 22A and a color ink head 22B. Here, the anti-foaming ink head 22A and the color ink heads 22B are positioned at different positions in the sub-scanning direction X, which is a so-called staggered arrangement. In this embodiment, the anti-foaming ink head 22A is positioned so as to protrude further forward than the color ink heads 22B.

[0022] The foam-inhibiting ink head 22A (more specifically, the nozzles 26 of the foam-inhibiting ink head 22A) ejects foam-inhibiting ink that inhibits foaming of the medium 5 (more specifically, the heat-foamed layer of the medium 5) even when heated. This foam-inhibiting ink is ejected onto portions of the medium 5 where foaming is desired and suppresses foaming even when heated. The portions of the medium 5 other than the portions onto which the foam-inhibiting ink is ejected are then heated, promoting foaming. As a result, the portions of the medium 5 onto which the foam-inhibiting ink is not ejected are heated and foamed, causing them to bulge. The foam-inhibiting ink is preferably, for example, a solvent ink suitable for the polyolefin surface on which the heat-foamed layer of the medium 5 is formed. Here, the foam-inhibiting ink is a transparent (in other words, colorless) ink, but it may also be a colored ink.

[0023] The color ink head 22B (more specifically, the nozzles 26 of the color ink head 22B) ejects color ink. An image can be formed on the medium 5 using the color ink ejected from the color ink head 22B. The color ink ejected from the color ink head 22B is, for example, one of a process color ink and a spot color ink. Here, process color inks include, for example, cyan ink, magenta ink, yellow ink, and black ink. Spot color inks are color inks of colors other than the process color inks. Spot color inks include, for example, white ink, clear ink, gloss ink, primer ink, fluorescent ink, metallic ink, orange ink, red ink, violet ink, blue ink, and green ink. Here, one color ink is ejected from one nozzle row 28 of the color ink head 22B. Note that the material of the color ink is not limited in any way, and various materials conventionally used as ink materials for inkjet printers and the like can be used. The color ink may be, for example, a solvent-based pigment ink. Unlike the above-mentioned foam-inhibiting ink, the color ink is not an ink that inhibits foaming even when the portion of the medium 5 onto which it is ejected is heated. However, the color ink may also be an ink that inhibits foaming even when the portion of the medium 5 onto which it is ejected is heated.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 2, the printer 10 is equipped with a sheet cutter 32. The sheet cutter 32 cuts the medium 5 in an unfolded state supported on the support base 16. In this example, the sheet cutter 32 is used to cut the medium 5 linearly along the main scanning direction Y. The medium 5 cut by the sheet cutter 32 is divided into two portions: one upstream of the sub-scanning direction X (here, the rear side) and one downstream of the sub-scanning direction X (here, the front side). In the following description, cutting the medium 5 linearly in the main scanning direction Y is referred to as a "sheet cut." Note that the sheet cutter 32 is not shown in FIG. 3.

[0025] 2, in this embodiment, the sheet cutter 32 is provided on the carriage 20. The sheet cutter 32 is configured to be movable in the vertical direction relative to the carriage 20. For example, the sheet cutter 32 may be attached to a solenoid (not shown) and configured to be moved in the vertical direction by turning the solenoid ON / OFF.

[0026] 2, in this embodiment, a cutter groove 16A extending in the main scanning direction Y is formed on the upper surface of the support base 16. In a plan view, the sheet cutter 32 is positioned so as to overlap the cutter groove 16A in the sub-scanning direction X. When the sheet cutter 32 cuts the medium 5, the sheet cutter 32 is configured to penetrate the medium 5 and enter the cutter groove 16A.

[0027] 1, the printer 10 includes a head movement mechanism 40 and a transport mechanism 50. The head movement mechanism 40 moves the carriage 20, the ink head 22, and the sheet cutter 32 in the main scanning direction Y relative to the medium 5 supported by the support base 16. Here, the head movement mechanism 40 moves the carriage 20, the ink head 22, and the sheet cutter 32 in the main scanning direction Y. The configuration of the head movement mechanism 40 is not particularly limited.

[0028] In this embodiment, the head moving mechanism 40 includes a pulley 41, a pulley 42, an endless belt 43, and a scan motor 44. The pulley 41 is provided around the left end of the guide rail 17. The pulley 42 is provided around the right end of the guide rail 17. The belt 43 is wound around the pulleys 41 and 42. As shown in FIG. 2, the belt 43 is fixed to the upper rear surface of the carriage 20. As shown in FIG. 1, the scan motor 44 is connected to the right pulley 42. However, the scan motor 44 may also be connected to the left pulley 41. In this embodiment, the scan motor 44 is driven to rotate the pulley 42, causing the belt 43 to run between the pulleys 41 and 42. As a result, the carriage 20, the ink head 22, and the sheet cutter 32 move in the main scanning direction Y.

[0029] The transport mechanism 50 transports the medium 5 in the sub-scanning direction X relative to the ink head 22. Here, the transport mechanism 50 transports the unfolded portion of the roll-shaped medium 5 supported on the support table 16 in the sub-scanning direction X. The transport mechanism 50 transports the medium 5 supported on the support surface 16B toward the heating device 110. Note that the configuration of the transport mechanism 50 is not particularly limited.

[0030] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2 , the conveying mechanism 50 includes a grit roller 51, a pinch roller 52, and a feed motor 53. The grit roller 51 is mounted on the support base 16. Here, the grit roller 51 is embedded in the support base 16 so that at least a portion of the grit roller 51 is exposed above the support base 16. The pinch roller 52 presses down on the unfolded portion of the rolled medium 5 from above and is positioned above the grit roller 51. The pinch roller 52 sandwiches the medium 5 together with the grit roller 51. The pinch roller 52 faces the grit roller 51. The pinch roller 52 is configured to be movable in the vertical direction. Note that the installation positions and number of the grit rollers 51 and pinch rollers 52 are not particularly limited. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , seven grit rollers 51 and seven pinch rollers 52 are provided. The plurality of grit rollers 51 are arranged side by side in the main scanning direction Y, and the plurality of pinch rollers 52 are arranged side by side in the main scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, a feed motor 53 is connected to the grit roller 51. When the feed motor 53 is driven to rotate the grit roller 51 with the medium 5 sandwiched between the grit roller 51 and the pinch roller 52, the unfolded portion of the roll-shaped medium 5 is transported in the sub-scanning direction X.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 2 , the printer 10 includes a supply device 60 having a supply roller 61. A rolled medium 5 is removably mounted on the supply device 60. The supply device 60 supplies the unrolled rolled medium 5 to the support table 16. The supply roller 61 is positioned behind and below the support table 16. As shown in FIG. 1 , the supply roller 61 has a cylindrical or columnar shape extending in the main scanning direction Y. The unprinted medium 5 is wound around the circumferential surface of the supply roller 61. The left end of the supply roller 61 is rotatably supported by a left guide plate 62L, and the right end of the supply roller 61 is rotatably supported by a right guide plate 62R. The transport mechanism 50 transports the unrolled medium 5 downstream in the sub-scanning direction X, and the unrolled portion of the rolled medium 5 is sent from the supply roller 61 toward the support table 16. In this embodiment, the printer 10 does not include a motor for rotating the supply roller 61, but may include such a motor.

[0032] 2, the printer 10 includes a winding device 70 that is supported on the support base 16 and winds the unfolded medium 5 into a roll. The winding device 70 includes a winding roller 71 and a winding motor 75 (see FIG. 1).

[0033] The take-up roller 71 winds up the unrolled medium 5. As shown in FIG. 1, the take-up roller 71 is formed in a cylindrical or columnar shape extending in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. 2, the take-up roller 71 is positioned below the support base 16 and below the supply roller 61. The take-up roller 71 is also positioned below the support roller 14. As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 includes a first left side wall 76L and a first right side wall 76R that rotatably support the take-up roller 71. The take-up roller 71 includes a support portion 71a supported by the first left side wall 76L and the first right side wall 76R, and a tubular portion 71b having a diameter larger than that of the support portion 71a. The rolled medium 5 is wound around the circumferential surface of the tubular portion 71b. The support portion 71a and the tubular portion 71b may be formed integrally or separately. The left end of the take-up roller 71 is rotatably supported by the first left side wall 76L. The right end of the take-up roller 71 is rotatably supported by the first right side wall 76R. The printer 10 includes rails 74 that support the first left side wall 76L and the first right side wall 76R. The rails 74 extend in the main scanning direction Y.

[0034] The winding motor 75 is connected to the winding roller 71 and rotates the winding roller 71. The winding motor 75 is indirectly connected to the winding roller 71 via a reduction gear or the like (not shown). The winding roller 71 rotates by receiving the driving force of the winding motor 75. In this embodiment, when the winding motor 75 is driven, the portion of the medium 5 supported by the support base 16 is transported downstream in the sub-scanning direction X toward the support roller 14. The medium 5 is then transported from the support roller 14 toward the winding roller 71 and is wound onto the circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 71b of the winding roller 71.

[0035] In this embodiment, the sub-scanning direction X when the medium 5 is transported from the supply device 60 to the support table 16 is inclined upward from the rear to the front. The sub-scanning direction X when the medium 5 is transported from the support roller 14 to the take-up roller 71 is inclined downward from the rear to the front.

[0036] 1, the printer 10 includes an operation panel 55 provided on the right end of the printer body 10a. The operation panel 55 includes a display screen 56 that displays the status of the printer 10, and operation keys 57 that are operated by the user.

[0037] The printer 10 is equipped with a control device 80. The control device 80 is a device that performs control related to printing, etc. The configuration of the control device 80 is not particularly limited. The control device 80 is, for example, a microcomputer. The hardware configuration of the microcomputer is not particularly limited, but it may include, for example, an I / F, a CPU, ROM, RAM, and a storage device. The control device 80 is provided inside the printer main body 10a. However, the control device 80 does not have to be provided inside the printer main body 10a. For example, the control device 80 may be a computer installed outside the printer main body 10a. In this case, the control device 80 is connected to a control board (not shown) of the printer 10 via a wired or wireless connection so as to be able to communicate with the control board.

[0038] In this embodiment, for example, the control device 80 is communicatively connected to the ink head 22, the head moving mechanism 40 (specifically, the scan motor 44), the transport mechanism 50 (specifically, the feed motor 53), the operation panel 55, and the winding device 70 (specifically, the winding motor 75). The control device 80 controls the ink head 22, the head moving mechanism 40, the transport mechanism 50, the operation panel 55, and the winding device 70.

[0039] In this embodiment, the medium 5 is heated to partially bulge, specifically, to foam and bulge portions of the medium 5 to which the foam-suppressing ink has not been ejected. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2 , the printer 10 includes a heating device 110 for heating the medium 5. The heating device 110 heats a portion of the medium 5 that has been transported downstream in the sub-scanning direction X from the support table 16 (specifically, the support surface 16B) and the support roller 14. The heating device 110 is disposed downstream in the sub-scanning direction X from the support table 16 and the support roller 14. In this embodiment, the heating device 110 is disposed forward of the support table 16. The heating device 110 is also disposed below the support roller 14 and above the winding device 70. In this embodiment, the heating device 110 is disposed on the transport path 105 along which the medium 5 is transported from the support roller 14 to the winding device 70.

[0040] Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the heating device 110 of Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 4, the heating device 110 includes a heating device main body 111, a heater 120, an internal air intake mechanism 150, and an external air intake mechanism 170.

[0041] The heating device body 111 is case-shaped and has an internal space 113. As shown in FIG. 1 , the heating device body 111 extends in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. 2 , the heating device body 111 is disposed midway along the conveying path 105. In this embodiment, the heating device body 111 is disposed below the support surface 16B of the support table 16. In other words, the upper end 111c of the heating device body 111 is disposed below the support surface 16B. The upper end 111c of the heating device body 111 is disposed at a position lower than the support surface 16B. The heating device body 111 is also disposed below the upper end of the support roller 14. The upper end 111c of the heating device body 111 is disposed at a position lower than the upper end of the support roller 14. Note that, in this embodiment, the upper end 111c of the heating device body 111 refers to the upper end of the portion of the heating device body 111 that constitutes the external intake mechanism 170. Here, the heating device main body 111 is disposed so as to slope downward toward the rear, and therefore the upper end 111c is the end of the heating device main body 111 that is located at the front and upper side.

[0042] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4 , the heating device main body 111 has an upper wall 111a, a lower wall 111b, and a front wall 111d. The upper wall 111a forms the upper end of the heating device main body 111. The lower wall 111b forms the lower end of the heating device main body 111. The upper wall 111a and the lower wall 111b face each other across the internal space 113. The upper wall 111a is disposed higher than the lower wall 111b. The upper wall 111a and the lower wall 111b are inclined downward and rearward. The front wall 111d forms the front end of the heating device main body 111. The front wall 111d is disposed in front of the upper wall 111a and the lower wall 111b. The front wall 111d is inclined forward and downward.

[0043] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , the heating device 110 includes a left fixing member 119L and a right fixing member 119R that fix the heating device main body 111 to the printer main body 10a. The left fixing member 119L and the right fixing member 119R are plate-shaped members fixed to the printer main body 10a. The left fixing member 119L and the right fixing member 119R are arranged side by side in the main scanning direction Y and face each other. In this example, the left end of the heating device main body 111 is provided on the left fixing member 119L. The right end of the heating device main body 111 is provided on the right fixing member 119R. The heating device main body 111 is fixed to the printer main body 10a via the left fixing member 119L and the right fixing member 119R.

[0044] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2 , the printer 10 also includes an upper cover 108. The upper cover 108 is a member that covers the heating device 110 (or, in other words, the heating device main body 111) from above. The upper cover 108 covers the heating device 110 and the support roller 14 from above. The upper cover 108 is connected to the printer main body 10a and the heating device main body 111 and covers the medium 5 transported from the support surface 16B toward the heating device 110 from above. In this embodiment, the upper cover 108 is connected to the upper front of the heating device main body 111 and a portion of the printer main body 10a located above the support base 16. The upper cover 108 extends in the main scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, the medium 5 transported downstream from the support base 16 passes under the upper cover 108 and reaches the support roller 14 and the heating device 110. Note that the upper cover 108 is not shown in FIG. 1 .

[0045] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4 , the heating device body 111 is formed with a medium inlet 112 and a medium outlet 114. Here, the medium 5 is heated within the heating device body 111 of the heating device 110. The medium inlet 112 and the medium outlet 114 are portions through which the medium 5 passes. The portion of the medium 5 transported from the support roller 14 passes through the medium inlet 112 and is transported into the heating device body 111. The portion of the medium 5 within the heating device body 111 passes through the medium outlet 114 and is transported to the outside of the heating device body 111. In this embodiment, the medium inlet 112 is formed in the upper wall 111a of the heating device body 111 and extends in the main scanning direction Y. The medium outlet 114 is formed in the lower wall 111b of the heating device body 111 and extends in the main scanning direction Y. The medium outlet 114 is located below the medium inlet 112. Here, the medium inlet 112 is located rearward of the medium outlet 114.

[0046] In this embodiment, a heating passage 116 is provided inside the heating device main body 111 (i.e., the internal space 113). The heating passage 116 connects the medium inlet 112 and the medium outlet 114. Here, the heating passage 116 extends in the main scanning direction Y and in the up-down direction. More specifically, the heating passage 116 extends obliquely from the medium inlet 112 toward the medium outlet 114. The heating passage 116 slopes forward as it extends downward.

[0047] In this embodiment, the heating passage 116 is formed by a first guide portion 116a and a second guide portion 116b. The first guide portion 116a forms the front end of the heating passage 116 and slopes forward as it extends downward. The second guide portion 116b forms the rear end of the heating passage 116 and slopes forward as it extends downward. The first guide portion 116a and the second guide portion 116b face each other across the heating passage 116. The heating passage 116 is provided between the first guide portion 116a and the second guide portion 116b. Note that the materials forming the first guide portion 116a and the second guide portion 116b are not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the first guide portion 116a and the second guide portion 116b are each formed by a plurality of wires. The wires here are rod-shaped and extend at an angle from the medium inlet 112 toward the medium outlet 114. In the first guide portion 116a, the multiple wires are arranged side by side in the main scanning direction Y so as to be spaced apart from each other. In the second guide portion 116b, similar to the first guide portion 116a, the multiple wires are arranged side by side in the main scanning direction Y so as to be spaced apart from each other.

[0048] Here, the portion of the medium 5 that has passed through the medium inlet 112 passes through the heating passage 116 within the heating device body 111. The medium 5 passes through the heating passage 116 and the medium outlet 114 and is transported below the heating device 110.

[0049] The heater 120 is disposed inside the heating device main body 111. The heater 120 is configured to heat the interior of the heating device main body 111, thereby heating the portion of the medium 5 transported inside the heating device main body 111. Here, the heater 120 heats the portion of the medium 5 passing through a heating passage 116 provided in the internal space 113 of the heating device main body 111. Although not shown, the heater 120 extends in the main scanning direction Y. The heater 120 has a size equal to or slightly shorter than the length of the internal space 113 of the heating device main body 111 in the main scanning direction Y. Furthermore, the length of the heater 120 in the main scanning direction Y is slightly longer than the length of the medium 5 in the main scanning direction Y. The type of heater 120 is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the heater 120 is configured using a ceramic heater.

[0050] Although not shown, the heater 120 may be provided with a so-called temperature sensor. The temperature sensor detects the temperature of the heater 120. The type of temperature sensor is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a thermocouple. For example, the control device 80 in FIG. 1 is connected to the heater 120 and the temperature sensor so that they can communicate with each other. The control device 80 adjusts the degree of heat generation by the heater 120 so that the heater temperature acquired from the temperature sensor falls within a predetermined range.

[0051] In this embodiment, the heating temperature of the heater 120 is preferably a temperature at which the portions of the medium 5 onto which the foam-suppressing ink has not been ejected will foam. For example, the temperature at which the medium 5 will foam is about 200 degrees. Therefore, the heating temperature of the heater 120 is preferably about 350 to 400 degrees. This allows the medium 5 to be sufficiently heated (for example, to about 200 degrees), causing the medium 5 to foam and bulge in parts.

[0052] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4, the heater 120 is fixed to the heating device main body 111. Here, the heating device main body 111 is provided with a mounting member 118 extending in the main scanning direction Y. The mounting member 118 is fixed to the front wall 111d of the heating device main body 111. The heater 120 is attached to the mounting member 118 and is fixed to the front wall 111d of the heating device main body 111 via the mounting member 118. The heater 120 is disposed forward of the heating passage 116. Therefore, the heater 120 is configured to heat the portion of the medium 5 passing through the heating passage 116 from the front.

[0053] In this embodiment, the heater 120 heats the entire internal space 113 of the heating device main body 111. The internal space 113 of the heating device main body 111 is relatively large to prevent excessive heating by the heater 120. Here, the internal space 113 of the heating device main body 111 has a first space 113a located forward of the heating passage 116 and a second space 113b located rearward of the heating passage 116. The first space 113a is located forward of the first guide portion 116a and is the space in which the heater 120 is located. The second space 113b is located rearward of the second guide portion 116b. Here, the first space 113a and the second space 113b are the same size. However, the first space 113a may be larger or smaller than the second space 113b. Here, since the second space 113b is formed behind the heating passage 116, the internal space 113 of the heating device main body 111 can be enlarged, making it difficult for the heater 120 to heat the inside of the heating device main body 111 more than necessary.

[0054] Here, the heater 120 heats and foams the portion of the medium 5 passing through the heating passage 116 in the heating device main body 111 onto which the foam-suppressing ink has not been ejected. This foaming of the portion of the medium 5 generates steam. The internal air suction mechanism 150 exhausts to the outside the steam generated by the heating of the medium 5 by the heater 120 within the heating device main body 111. As shown in FIG. 4 , the internal air suction mechanism 150 is provided within the heating device main body 111. Here, the internal air suction mechanism 150 is disposed above the heater 120. However, the positional relationship between the internal air suction mechanism 150 and the heater 120 is not particularly limited.

[0055] The configuration of the internal air intake mechanism 150 is also not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the internal air intake mechanism 150 has an internal air intake chamber 151, an internal air intake port 153, and an internal exhaust port 155. The internal air intake chamber 151 is provided inside the heating device main body 111 (here, the first space 113a of the internal space 113). The internal air intake chamber 151 is disposed above the heater 120, in other words, it is disposed closer to the medium inlet 112 than the heater 120.

[0056] Here, an internal partition wall 157 is provided in the internal space 113 of the heating device main body 111. The internal partition wall 157 is disposed above the heater 120 and extends in the main scanning direction Y. The internal partition wall 157 is fixed to the heating device main body 111. The internal air intake chamber 151 is separated from the internal space 113 (here, the first space 113a) of the heating device main body 111 by the internal partition wall 157. The internal air intake chamber 151 is a space that extends in the main scanning direction Y.

[0057] Here, the internal partition 157 includes a first partition 157a, a second partition 157b, a third partition 157c, a fourth partition 157d, and a fifth partition 157e. The first partition 157a extends rearward from the front wall 111d of the heating device body 111, above the heater 120. The second partition 157b extends upward from the rear end of the first partition 157a. The third partition 157b extends obliquely rearward and upward from the upper end of the second partition 157b. The fourth partition 157d is located rearward of the third partition 157c and extends obliquely rearward and upward. The fifth partition 157e extends from the rear end of the fourth partition 157d toward the inner and outer partitions 177 (see FIG. 4), which will be described later. Here, the upper end of the fifth partition wall portion 157e is connected to the inner and outer partition walls 177. The first partition wall portion 157a to the fifth partition wall portion 157e each extend in the main scanning direction Y.

[0058] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4 , the internal air intake chamber 151 is divided into two chambers: a first internal air intake chamber 151a and a second internal air intake chamber 151b. The first internal air intake chamber 151a constitutes the rear portion of the internal air intake chamber 151. The second internal air intake chamber 151b constitutes the front portion of the internal air intake chamber 151 and is located in front of the first internal air intake chamber 151a. An internal chamber partition 158 is provided between the first internal air intake chamber 151a and the second internal air intake chamber 151b. The internal chamber partition 158 extends in the vertical direction and the main scanning direction Y. The internal chamber partition 158 is connected to the inner and outer partitions 177 and the internal partition 157 (specifically, the upper end of the second partition 157b). The internal chamber partition 158 is continuous with the second partition 157b. The first internal air intake chamber 151 a and the second internal air intake chamber 151 b are separated by an internal chamber partition wall 158 .

[0059] A communication port 159 is formed in the internal chamber partition 158. The communication port 159 penetrates the internal chamber partition 158. The first internal air intake chamber 151a and the second internal air intake chamber 151b are in communication with each other through the communication port 159. The position, shape, number, etc. of the communication port 159 are not particularly limited. Here, the communication port 159 has a rectangular shape extending in the main scanning direction Y. The communication port 159 is longer in the main scanning direction Y than in the up-down direction. In this embodiment, although not shown, a plurality of communication ports 159 are formed in the internal chamber partition 158. The plurality of communication ports 159 are arranged, for example, aligned in the main scanning direction Y.

[0060] In this embodiment, the internal air intake port 153 is a portion through which vapor generated by heating and foaming the medium 5 in the heating device main body 111 (hereinafter, also referred to as vapor generated from the medium 5) passes. The internal air intake port 153 is formed in the internal air intake chamber 151 (more specifically, the first internal air intake chamber 151a). Here, the internal air intake port 153 is formed in the internal partition wall 157. The internal air intake port 153 is formed in the internal partition wall 157 so as to be positioned closer to the medium inlet 112 than the heater 120. The internal air intake port 153 is positioned closer to the medium inlet 112 than the heater 120. The internal air intake port 153 is positioned closer to the heating passage 116 than the heater 120. The internal air intake port 153 is positioned rearward and above the heater 120. In this embodiment, the internal air intake port 153 is formed between the third partition wall portion 157c and the fourth partition wall portion 157d of the internal partition wall 157. Here, the third partition wall portion 157c and the fourth partition wall portion 157d are spaced apart, and this space forms the internal air intake port 153. The internal air intake port 153 connects the internal air intake chamber 151 (more specifically, the first internal air intake chamber 151a) with the internal space 113 (more specifically, the first space 113a) of the heating device main body 111.

[0061] In this embodiment, the internal air intake 153 opens in the direction D1, which is the same as the extension direction of the heating passage 116. That is, the opening direction of the internal air intake 153 is parallel to the extension direction of the heating passage 116 and parallel to the extension direction of the first guide portion 116a and the second guide portion 116b. Furthermore, the opening direction of the internal air intake 153 is the same direction D1 as the opening direction of the medium inlet 112 and the opening direction of the medium outlet 114.

[0062] The shape and number of the internal air intake ports 153 are not particularly limited. Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the internal air intake ports 153 of the heating device 110. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 5, the internal air intake port 153 has a rectangular shape extending in the main scanning direction Y. The internal air intake port 153 has a shape that is longer in the main scanning direction Y than in the up-down direction. Here, a plurality of internal air intake ports 153 are formed in the internal partition wall 157. The multiple internal air intake ports 153 are arranged side by side at a distance from each other in the main scanning direction Y. However, the number of internal air intake ports 153 may be one.

[0063] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4 , a guide wall 160 is provided at the internal air intake port 153. The guide wall 160 is disposed within the internal air intake chamber 151 (specifically, the first internal air intake chamber 151a) and extends from the edge of the internal air intake port 153 toward the interior of the internal air intake chamber 151. Here, the guide wall 160 is connected to the rear end of the third partition wall portion 157c of the internal partition wall 157. The extending direction of the guide wall 160 is the same direction D1 as the opening direction of the internal air intake port 153. In other words, the extending direction of the guide wall 160 is the same direction D1 as the extending direction of the heating passage 116, and is also the same direction D1 as the extending direction of the first guide portion 116a and the second guide portion 116b. Here, the guide wall 160 is inclined rearward and upward.

[0064] The internal exhaust port 155 is used to exhaust steam and the like from the internal air intake chamber 151 to the outside. The internal exhaust port 155 is formed in the internal air intake chamber 151 (specifically, the second internal air intake chamber 151b). In this embodiment, the internal exhaust port 155 is formed in the heating device main body 111. Here, the internal exhaust port 155 is formed in the front wall 111d of the heating device main body 111. The internal exhaust port 155 connects the internal air intake chamber 151 (specifically, the second internal air intake chamber 151b) to the outside of the heating device main body 111. The internal exhaust port 155 opens toward the front, but the opening direction of the internal exhaust port 155 is not particularly limited. Furthermore, the shape, position, and number of the internal exhaust port 155 are not particularly limited. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , the internal exhaust port 155 is circular and formed in the left portion of the front wall 111d of the heating device main body 111. There is one internal exhaust port 155. However, the internal exhaust port 155 may have a shape extending in the main scanning direction Y.

[0065] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4, an internal exhaust tube section 161 is connected to the internal exhaust port 155. The internal exhaust tube section 161 is, for example, cylindrical and connected to the heating device main body 111 from the outside. The internal exhaust tube section 161 communicates with the internal exhaust port 155. Here, an internal intake fan 162 is connected to the internal exhaust tube section 161. The internal intake fan 162 is a fan that sucks in steam generated from the medium 5 inside the heating device main body 111 through the internal intake chamber 151 and exhausts it to the outside.

[0066] The external suction mechanism 170 is a mechanism that sucks in odors and the like generated outside the heating device 110. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2 , when ink is ejected onto the medium 5 on the support surface 16B for printing, odors may be generated, for example, from the foam-suppressing ink. Furthermore, in this embodiment, some of the steam generated when the medium 5 is heated within the heating device main body 111 may be discharged to the outside through the medium inlet 112. In this case, the odor outside the heating device 110 includes the steam that may be discharged through the medium inlet 112. The odor outside the heating device 110 remains, for example, in the space 108a between the upper cover body 108 and the heating device main body 111. Therefore, the external suction mechanism 170 sucks in odors and the like present in the space 108a between the upper cover body 108 and the heating device main body 111.

[0067] 4, in this embodiment, the external air intake mechanism 170 is provided inside the heating device main body 111. The external air intake mechanism 170 is disposed above the internal air intake mechanism 150. However, the positional relationship between the external air intake mechanism 170 and the internal air intake mechanism 150 is not particularly limited.

[0068] The configuration of the external air intake mechanism 170 is also not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the external air intake mechanism 170 has a configuration that is linearly symmetrical to the internal air intake mechanism 150. The external air intake mechanism 170 has an external air intake chamber 171, an external air intake port 173, and an external exhaust port 175. The external air intake chamber 171 is provided inside the heating device main body 111. Here, the external air intake chamber 171 is disposed above the internal air intake chamber 151. The external air intake chamber 171 is a space that extends in the main scanning direction Y.

[0069] Here, an inner and outer partition wall 177 is provided between the inner air intake chamber 151 and the outer air intake chamber 171. The inner and outer partition wall 177 separates the inner air intake chamber 151 from the outer air intake chamber 171. The inner and outer partition wall 177 is disposed in the inner space 113 (more specifically, the first space 113a) of the heating device main body 111 and is fixed to the heating device main body 111. The inner and outer partition wall 177 extends in the main scanning direction Y.

[0070] In this embodiment, the external air intake chamber 171 is divided into two chambers: a first external air intake chamber 171a and a second external air intake chamber 171b. The first external air intake chamber 171a constitutes the rear portion of the external air intake chamber 171. The second external air intake chamber 171b constitutes the front portion of the external air intake chamber 171 and is located in front of the first external air intake chamber 171a. An external chamber partition 178 is provided between the first external air intake chamber 171a and the second external air intake chamber 171b. The external chamber partition 178 extends in the vertical direction and the main scanning direction Y. The external chamber partition 178 is connected to the upper end of the heating device main body 111 and the inner and outer partitions 177. The first external air intake chamber 171a and the second external air intake chamber 171b are divided by the external chamber partition 178.

[0071] A communication port 179 is formed in the external chamber partition wall 178. The communication port 179 penetrates the external chamber partition wall 178. The first external air intake chamber 171a and the second external air intake chamber 171b are in communication with each other through the communication port 179. The position, shape, number, etc. of the communication port 179 are not particularly limited. Here, the communication port 179 has a rectangular shape extending in the main scanning direction Y. The communication port 179 is longer in the main scanning direction Y than in the up-down direction. In this embodiment, although not shown, a plurality of communication ports 179 are formed in the external chamber partition wall 178. The plurality of communication ports 179 are arranged, for example, aligned in the main scanning direction Y.

[0072] In this embodiment, the external air intake port 173 is a portion through which odors and the like from outside the heating device 110 pass. The external air intake port 173 is formed in the external air intake chamber 171 (more specifically, the first external air intake chamber 171a). Here, the external air intake port 173 is formed at the upper end of the heating device main body 111. As shown in FIG. 2 , the external air intake port 173 opens toward the space 108a between the upper cover body 108 and the heating device main body 111. The external air intake port 173 connects the external air intake chamber 171 with the space 108a between the upper cover body 108 and the heating device main body 111. The shape and number of the external air intake ports 173 are not particularly limited. Although not shown in the drawings, in this embodiment, the external air intake port 173 has a rectangular shape extending in the main scanning direction Y. The external air intake port 173 has a shape that is longer in the main scanning direction Y than in the up-down direction. Also, here, a plurality of external air intake ports 173 are formed at the upper end of the heating device body 111. The plurality of external air intake ports 173 are arranged so as to be spaced apart in the main scanning direction Y, similar to the internal air intake port 153. However, the number of external air intake ports 173 may be one.

[0073] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4, the external air intake port 173 is provided with an external guide wall 180. The external guide wall 180 is disposed inside the external air intake chamber 171 (more specifically, the first external air intake chamber 171a) and extends from the edge of the external air intake port 173 toward the inside of the external air intake chamber 171. Here, the direction in which the external guide wall 180 extends is the same as the direction in which the external air intake port 173 opens. In this embodiment, the external guide wall 180 is inclined forward and downward.

[0074] The external exhaust port 175 is for discharging steam and the like from the external intake chamber 171 to the outside. The external exhaust port 175 is formed in the external intake chamber 171 (more specifically, the second external intake chamber 171b). In this embodiment, the external exhaust port 175 is formed in the heating device main body 111. Here, the external exhaust port 175 is formed in the front wall 111d of the heating device main body 111. The external exhaust port 175 is disposed above the internal exhaust port 155. The external exhaust port 175 is disposed vertically adjacent to the internal exhaust port 155. The external exhaust port 175 communicates between the external intake chamber 171 and the outside of the heating device main body 111. The external exhaust port 175 opens forward, but the opening direction of the external exhaust port 175 is not particularly limited. Furthermore, the shape, position, number, and the like of the external exhaust port 175 are not particularly limited. 1, in this embodiment, the external exhaust port 175 has a circular shape and is formed in the left portion of the front wall 111d of the heating device body 111. There is one external exhaust port 175. However, the external exhaust port 175 may have a shape that extends in the main scanning direction Y.

[0075] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4 , an external exhaust tube section 181 is connected to the external exhaust port 175. The external exhaust tube section 181 is, for example, cylindrical and connected to the heating device main body 111 from the outside. The external exhaust tube section 181 is in communication with the external exhaust port 175. In this embodiment, an external intake fan 182 is connected to the external exhaust tube section 181. The external intake fan 182 is a fan for sucking in odors and the like present in the space 108a between the upper cover body 108 and the heating device main body 111 through the external intake chamber 171. In this embodiment, the external intake fan 182 and the internal intake fan 162 are separate fans. However, the external intake fan 182 and the internal intake fan 162 may be realized by a single common fan.

[0076] The configuration of the printer 10 according to this embodiment has been described above. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2 , the transport mechanism 50 supplies the medium 5 from the supply device 60 onto the support surface 16B of the support base 16. The color ink heads 22B eject color inks onto the medium 5 supported on the support surface 16B of the support base 16, thereby printing an image on the medium 5. After printing the image with color inks, the foam-suppressing ink heads 22A eject foam-suppressing ink onto portions of the medium 5 where no protrusion is desired.

[0077] After the foam-inhibiting ink and color ink are ejected onto the medium 5 on the support surface 16B of the support table 16, the medium 5 is transported downstream in the sub-scanning direction X by the transport mechanism 50. As shown in FIG. 2, the medium 5 transported from the support table 16 passes through the support roller 14 and then reaches the heating device 110. As shown in FIG. 4, the portion of the medium 5 transported downstream in the sub-scanning direction X passes through the medium inlet 112 of the heating device main body 111 and is placed in the internal space 113 of the heating device main body 111. In the internal space 113 of the heating device main body 111, the medium 5 passes through the heating passage 116 sandwiched between the first guide portion 116a and the second guide portion 116b. At this time, the heater 120 is activated, and the heater 120 heats the portion of the medium 5 within the heating passage 116. The portions of the medium 5 onto which the foam-inhibiting ink has not been ejected foam and bulge due to the heating. As a result, unevenness is formed on the medium 5.

[0078] When the medium 5 is heated by the heater 120, the medium 5 foams and generates steam. In this embodiment, when the medium 5 is heated by the heater 120, the internal intake fan 162 is activated in the heating device 110. Therefore, steam generated in the heating device main body 111 actively passes through the internal intake port 153 of the internal intake mechanism 150 before reaching the medium inlet 112. The steam then passes through the first internal intake chamber 151a, the communication port 159, and the second internal intake chamber 151b in this order within the internal intake chamber 151, and is discharged to the outside of the heating device 110 via the internal exhaust port 155 and the internal exhaust tube portion 161.

[0079] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2 , when printing is performed on the medium 5 on the support surface 16B, an odor may be generated, for example, from the foam-suppressing ink. This odor may remain in the space 108a between the upper cover body 108 and the heating device main body 111. Furthermore, some of the steam generated within the heating device main body 111 that does not pass through the internal air intake port 153 may be discharged from the medium inlet 112 into the space 108a between the upper cover body 108 and the heating device main body 111. Therefore, in this embodiment, the external intake fan 182 is activated during printing and when the heater 120 in the heating device 110 is activated. Therefore, the steam-containing odor remaining in the space 108a between the upper cover body 108 and the heating device main body 111 passes through the external air intake port 173 of the external air intake mechanism 170. Then, odors and other gases pass through the first external air intake chamber 171a, the communication port 179, and the second external air intake chamber 171b in that order within the external air intake chamber 171, and are discharged outside the heating device 110 via the external exhaust port 175 and the external exhaust tube section 181.

[0080] In this embodiment, after the medium 5 is heated by the heating device 110, the portion of the medium 5 in the heating passage 116 of the heating device main body 111 is transported below the heating device main body 111 through the medium outlet 114, for example, by driving the winding motor 75 of the winding device 70 and the transport mechanism 50. The medium 5 is then wound around the circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 71b of the winding roller 71. In this way, by heating the medium 5 and partially raising it, a printed material with concave and convex portions can be created.

[0081] As described above, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2 , the printer 10 includes a heating device 110, a support table 16 having a support surface 16B that supports the medium 5, and a transport mechanism 50 that transports the medium 5 supported on the support surface 16B toward the heating device 110. The heating device 110 heats the medium 5 printed by the printer 10. As shown in FIG. 4 , the heating device 110 includes a heating device main body 111, a medium inlet 112, a medium outlet 114, a heating passage 116, a heater 120, and an internal air intake mechanism 150. The heating device main body 111 has an internal space 113 therein. The heating device main body 111 also has an upper wall 111a and a lower wall 111b that face each other across the internal space 113. The medium inlet 112 is formed in the upper wall 111a of the heating device main body 111, and allows the medium 5 to pass through. The medium outlet 114 is formed in the bottom wall 111b of the heating device body 111 and allows the medium 5 to pass through. The heating passage 116 is disposed within the heating device body 111 and connects the medium inlet 112 and the medium outlet 114. The heater 120 is disposed within the heating device body 111. The internal air intake mechanism 150 is a mechanism that exhausts steam generated when the medium 5 is heated within the heating device body 111 to the outside. The internal air intake mechanism 150 has an internal air intake chamber 151, an internal air intake port 153, and an internal exhaust port 155 provided within the heating device body 111. The internal air intake port 153 is formed in the internal air intake chamber 151 and connects the internal air intake chamber 151 to the internal space 113 of the heating device body 111. The internal exhaust port 155 is formed in the internal air intake chamber 151, and connects the internal air intake chamber 151 to the outside of the heating device main body 111. The internal air intake port 153 is arranged closer to the medium inlet 112 than the heater 120.

[0082] As a result, the printed medium 5 passes through the medium inlet 112 and the heating passage 116 inside the heating device main body 111. The medium 5 passing through the heating passage 116 may be heated by the heater 120, generating steam. This steam tends to pass through the internal air intake port 153 of the internal air intake mechanism 150 and enter the internal air intake chamber 151 before reaching the medium inlet 112. Therefore, the steam generated inside the heating device main body 111 can be easily exhausted to the outside of the heating device 110 through the internal air intake port 153, the internal air intake chamber 151, and the internal exhaust port 155.

[0083] 4 , in this embodiment, the internal air intake 153 is disposed closer to the heating passage 116 than the heater 120. This makes it easier for steam generated from the medium 5 heated by the heater 120 in the heating passage 116 to enter the internal air intake 153 before reaching the medium inlet 112. This makes it easier for steam generated from the medium 5 passing through the heating passage 116 to be discharged to the outside of the heating device 110 through the internal air intake mechanism 150.

[0084] 4 , the direction in which the heating passage 116 extends from the medium inlet 112 toward the medium outlet 114 and the direction in which the internal air intake port 153 opens are the same direction D1. This makes it easier for steam generated from the medium 5 passing through the heating passage 116 to enter the internal air intake port 153.

[0085] In this embodiment, the internal air intake mechanism 150 has a guide wall 160 that extends from the edge of the internal air intake port 153 into the internal air intake chamber 151. The guide wall 160 extends in the same direction D1 as the direction in which the heating passage 116 extends from the medium inlet 112 toward the medium outlet 114. This makes it easy for steam generated from the medium 5 passing through the heating passage 116 to be drawn from the internal air intake port 153 along the guide wall 160 into the internal air intake chamber 151.

[0086] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2 , the printer 10 includes a printer main body 10a and an upper cover body 108. The upper cover body 108 is connected to the printer main body 10a and the heating device main body 111, and covers the medium 5 from above as it is transported from the support surface 16B toward the heating device 110. When printing is performed on the medium 5 supported on the support surface 16B, odors may be generated, for example, from the foam-suppressing ink. In this embodiment, odors generated during printing can be stored in the space 108a between the upper cover body 108 and the heating device main body 111.

[0087] For example, some of the steam generated within the heating device body 111 that does not pass through the internal air intake 153 may pass through the medium inlet 112. However, in this embodiment, the medium inlet 112 opens toward the space 108a between the upper cover body 108 and the heating device body 111. This allows the steam to be discharged through the medium inlet 112 into the space 108a between the upper cover body 108 and the heating device body 111.

[0088] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4, the heating device 110 is equipped with an external air intake mechanism 170. The external air intake mechanism 170 has an external air intake chamber 171, an external air intake port 173, and an external air exhaust port 175. The external air intake chamber 171 is provided inside the heating device main body 111. As shown in Fig. 2, the external air intake port 173 is formed in the external air intake chamber 171 and connects the external air intake chamber 171 to the space 108a between the upper cover body 108 and the heating device main body 111. The external air exhaust port 175 is formed in the external air intake chamber 171 and connects the external air intake chamber 171 to the outside of the heating device main body 111. As a result, odors including steam remaining in the space 108a between the upper cover body 108 and the heating device main body 111 can be discharged to the outside of the heating device 110 through the external intake port 173, external intake chamber 171, and external exhaust port 175 of the external intake mechanism 170.

[0089] 5 Medium 10 Printer 16 Support stand 16B Support surface 50 Transport mechanism 108 Upper cover body 110 Heating device (heating device of printer) 111 Heating device body 111a Upper wall 111b Lower wall 112 Medium inlet 114 Medium outlet 116 Heating passage 120 Heater 150 Internal intake mechanism 151 Internal intake chamber 153 Internal intake port 155 Internal exhaust port 160 Guide wall 170 External intake mechanism 171 External intake chamber 173 External intake port 175 External exhaust port

Claims

1. A heating device for heating media printed by a printer, comprising: a heating device main body having upper and lower walls opposing each other with an internal space between them; a medium inlet formed in the upper wall through which the medium passes; a medium outlet formed in the lower wall through which the medium passes; a heating passage disposed within the heating device main body and connecting the medium inlet and the medium outlet; a heater disposed within the heating device main body; and an internal air intake mechanism for exhausting steam generated when the medium is heated within the heating device main body to the outside, wherein the internal air intake mechanism has: an internal air intake chamber provided within the heating device main body; an internal air intake port formed in the internal air intake chamber that connects the internal air intake chamber with the internal space of the heating device main body; and an internal exhaust port formed in the internal air intake chamber that connects the internal air intake chamber with the outside of the heating device main body, wherein the internal air intake port is disposed on the media inlet side of the heater.

2. The heating device of a printer according to claim 1, wherein the internal air intake is disposed closer to the heating passage than the heater.

3. The heating device of a printer according to claim 1, wherein the direction in which the heating passage extends from the media inlet to the media outlet is the same as the direction in which the internal air intake port opens.

4. The heating device for a printer according to claim 1, wherein said internal air intake mechanism has a guide wall extending from the edge of said internal air intake port into said internal air intake chamber.

5. The heating device for a printer according to claim 4, wherein the guide wall extends in the same direction as the heating passage extends from the media inlet toward the media outlet.

6. A printer comprising: a printer heating device according to any one of claims 1 to 5; a support table having a support surface for supporting a medium; and a transport mechanism for transporting the medium supported on the support surface toward the heating device.

7. The printer according to claim 6, wherein the heating device body is disposed below the support surface.

8. The printer according to claim 6, comprising: a printer body; and an upper cover body connected to the printer body and the heating device body, for covering from above the medium transported from the support surface toward the heating device.

9. The printer according to claim 8, wherein the medium inlet opens toward the space between the upper cover body and the heating device body.

10. A printer as described in claim 8, wherein the heating device is equipped with an external intake mechanism, the external intake mechanism having: an external intake chamber provided within the heating device body; an external intake port formed in the external intake chamber and communicating the external intake chamber with the space between the upper cover body and the heating device body; and an external exhaust port formed in the external intake chamber and communicating the external intake chamber with the outside of the heating device body.

Images