Inkjet printer

Abstract

An inkjet printer 10 comprises: a platen 20 on which a recording medium 5 is placed; a guide member 30F which is connected to a front end part of the platen 20 and is inclined downward toward the front; and a drying device 80 which faces the guide member 30F. The drying device 80 comprises: a body case 81; a heating chamber exhaust port 93 which is provided in the body case 81 and discharges heated air toward the guide member 30F; and an air blowing nozzle 97 which is provided with an air blowing chamber exhaust port 97a opened toward the guide member 30F or the platen 20. The air blowing nozzle 97 comprises: a first flow path 97F which is provided above the heating chamber exhaust port 93 and extends rearward from the body case 81; and a second flow path 97Rr which extends downward from a rear end of the first flow path 97F and has the air blowing chamber exhaust port 97a provided at a lower end thereof. The air blowing chamber exhaust port 97a is positioned above the platen 20.

Description

Inkjet printer

[0001] The present invention relates to an inkjet printer.

[0002] Inkjet printers that print on a recording medium using an inkjet method have been known for some time. This type of inkjet printer includes, for example, a platen on which the recording medium is placed, an ink head that ejects ink onto the recording medium placed on the platen, and a guide member that is positioned in front of the platen and guides the movement of the recording medium. Depending on the type of ink used, some inkjet printers also include a drying device that dries the ink ejected onto the recording medium.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an inkjet printer equipped with a drying device arranged to face a guide member. A second embodiment of Patent Document 1 discloses a drying device including a main body case partitioned into multiple chambers, including an air blowing chamber and a heating chamber, an air blowing chamber fan provided in the air blowing chamber, a heating chamber fan provided in the heating chamber, and a heater provided in the heating chamber. The main body case is provided with two nozzles, each having a heating chamber intake port for introducing external air into the heating chamber, a heating chamber exhaust port opening toward the guide member, an air blowing chamber intake port for introducing external air into the air blowing chamber, and an air blowing chamber exhaust port for discharging air from the air blowing chamber. Of the two nozzles, the second air blowing chamber exhaust port opening toward the guide member is formed as a nozzle consisting of a pair of opposing blowing walls. This nozzle protrudes from the rear wall of the main body case toward the guide member.

[0004] International Publication No. 2022 / 163270

[0005] In inkjet printers such as the recording device described in Patent Document 1, the leading edge of the conveyed recording medium moves along the downward slope of the guide member due to its own weight. This typically guides the recording medium into the gap between the drying device and the guide member. However, if the leading edge of the recording medium does not follow the guide member due to a curling tendency of the recording medium, and moves along a path above the guide member, the recording medium may get caught on the main body case of the drying device, causing problems with the recording medium's conveyance. For example, in a case where the nozzle provided on the main body case of the drying device protrudes toward the guide member, as in the recording device described in Patent Document 1, the recording medium may get caught on the nozzle, causing problems with the recording medium's conveyance.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an inkjet printer in which the recording medium is less likely to get caught in the drying device during transportation.

[0007] The inkjet printer disclosed herein comprises a platen on which a recording medium is placed, a transport device that transports the recording medium placed on the platen forward, an ink head that is positioned above the platen and ejects ink onto the recording medium, a guide member that is connected to the front end of the platen and inclines downward toward the front to guide the movement of the recording medium, and a drying device that faces the guide member and blows air toward the recording medium on the guide member. The drying device includes a main body case extending in the left-right direction, a partition wall separating the interior of the main body case into a heating chamber and an air blowing chamber, a heating chamber fan provided in the heating chamber, an air blowing chamber fan provided in the air blowing chamber, a heater provided in the heating chamber for heating the air blown by the heating chamber fan, a heating chamber air intake port provided in the main body case for taking air outside the main body case into the heating chamber, a heating chamber exhaust port provided in the main body case and opening toward the guide member for discharging the air from the heating chamber heated by the heater, an air blowing chamber air intake port provided in the main body case for taking air outside the main body case into the air blowing chamber, and an air blowing nozzle having an air blowing chamber exhaust port opening toward the guide member or the platen and discharging the air from the air blowing chamber sent by the air blowing chamber fan from the air blowing chamber exhaust port. The air blowing nozzle is provided with a first flow path that is located above the heating chamber exhaust port and extends rearward from the main body case, and a second flow path that extends downward from the rear end of the first flow path and has the air blowing chamber exhaust port at its lower end. The air blowing chamber exhaust port is located above the platen.

[0008] According to the inkjet printer, even if the recording medium floats up from the guide member during transport and passes through a path above the guide member, the recording medium will not get caught in the air blowing nozzle unless it passes through a path above the platen. Therefore, in an inkjet printer equipped with a drying device having an air blowing chamber exhaust port, the risk of the recording medium getting caught in the drying device during transport can be reduced.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a printer according to one embodiment; FIG. 2 is a front view of the printer; FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the vicinity of a drying device; FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the drying device; FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the air flow in the vicinity of the drying device; FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the vicinity of a nozzle when a part of the air blower chamber exhaust port is provided below the platen; and FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the vicinity of a drying device according to a second embodiment.

[0010] An inkjet printer (hereinafter simply referred to as "printer") according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the embodiment described here is not intended to limit the present invention in any 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.

[0011] [First embodiment] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a printer 10 according to one embodiment. Fig. 2 is a front view of the printer 10. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a portion of the printer 10. In particular, Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the vicinity of a drying device 80, which will be described later.

[0012] The recording medium 5 is a sheet-shaped recording medium. There are no particular limitations on the recording medium 5 as long as it is sheet-shaped. The recording medium 5 may be, for example, paper, a resin sheet such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyester, or a thin metal plate.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 3 , the printer 10 includes a platen 20 on which a sheet-like recording medium 5 is placed, a suction device 25 that suctions the recording medium 5 to the platen 20, a downstream guide member 30F, an upstream guide member 30Rr, a transport device 40 for the recording medium 5, an ink head 50 that ejects ink onto the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 20, a carriage 60 on which the ink head 50 is mounted, a head moving device 70 that moves the carriage 60, and a drying device 80 that dries the ink that has landed on the recording medium 5. In this specification, when printing is performed on the recording medium 5 on the platen 20, the direction in which the recording medium 5 is transported on the platen 20 is referred to as the front, and the opposite direction is referred to as the rear. The terms left, right, top, and bottom refer to the left, right, top, and bottom, respectively, as seen from the perspective of an operator standing in front of the printer 10. The symbols F, Rr, L, R, U, and D in the drawings represent the front, rear, left, right, top, and bottom, respectively.

[0014] The platen 20 extends in the left-right and front-rear directions. The platen 20 is formed flat. Printing on the recording medium 5 is performed on the platen 20. The platen 20 has a mounting surface 20a on which the recording medium 5 is placed. The mounting surface 20a is the upper surface of the platen 20. The conveying device 40 conveys the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 20 forward. Hereinafter, in the conveying direction X of the recording medium 5 on the platen 20, the forward side will also be referred to as the downstream side, and the rear side will also be referred to as the upstream side. As shown in FIG. 2 , the conveying device 40 has a grit roller 41, a pinch roller 42, and a feed motor (not shown) that drives the grit roller 41. The grit roller 41 is embedded in the platen 20. The pinch roller 42 presses down on the recording medium 5 from above. The pinch roller 42 is disposed above the grit roller 41. The pinch roller 42 is disposed in a position facing the grit roller 41. The pinch roller 42 is configured to be movable in the vertical direction. When the feed motor is driven to rotate the grit roller 41 while the recording medium 5 is sandwiched between the grit roller 41 and the pinch roller 42, the recording medium 5 is transported in the front-to-rear direction on the platen 20.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 3 , the suction device 25 is disposed in the space S1 below the platen 20. The suction device 25 reduces the pressure in the space S1 below the platen 20. Here, the suction device 25 includes a suction fan 26 that exhausts air from the space S1 below the platen 20. The platen 20 is provided with a plurality of through-holes 21 that penetrate in the vertical direction. The suction device 25 reduces the pressure in the space S1 below the platen 20, thereby suctioning the recording medium 5 on the platen 20 to the plurality of through-holes 21. This prevents the recording medium 5 from floating above the platen 20.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 3 , the upstream guide member 30Rr is disposed behind the platen 20. The upstream guide member 30Rr guides the movement of the recording medium 5 toward the platen 20. The downstream guide member 30F is disposed in front of the platen 20. The downstream guide member 30F is connected to the front end of the platen 20. The downstream guide member 30F guides the movement of the recording medium 5 from the platen 20. The downstream guide member 30F is inclined downward toward the front. The downstream guide member 30F includes a first inclined surface 31 adjacent to the front end of the platen 20 and inclined downward toward the front, and a second inclined surface 32 connected to the lower end (front end) of the first inclined surface 31 and inclined downward toward the front at a greater inclination angle (closer to vertical) than the first inclined surface 31. After ink lands on the recording medium 5, it is transported on the downstream guide member 30F. The conveyance direction of the recording medium 5 on the downstream guide member 30F is downward and diagonally forward.

[0017] The ink head 50 is disposed above the platen 20 and ejects ink onto the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 20. In this example, the ink head 50 ejects an aqueous ink onto the recording medium 5. A preferred example of the aqueous ink is latex ink. Latex ink contains a solvent, a colorant, and a binder resin. In latex ink, the binder resin is dispersed or emulsified in the solvent. The solvent can be, for example, one or more water-soluble organic solvents (such as lower alcohols and lower ketones) that are uniformly miscible with water. The colorant can be any of the conventional colorants contained in latex ink. Examples of the colorant include dyes and pigments, such as water-soluble dyes. The binder resin can be any of the conventional binder resins contained in latex ink. However, the ink is not limited to aqueous ink and may be, for example, a solvent ink in which a colorant is dispersed in an organic solvent.

[0018] The carriage 60 carries the ink head 50. The carriage 60 is provided so as to be movable in the left-right direction. Hereinafter, the direction of movement of the carriage 60, which is the left-right direction here, will also be referred to as the scanning direction Y. The scanning direction Y and the transport direction of the recording medium 5 are perpendicular to each other.

[0019] The head moving device 70 moves the carriage 60 in the scanning direction Y, thereby moving the ink head 50 in the scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. 2 , the head moving device 70 includes a guide rail 71, left and right pulleys 72L and 72R, an endless belt 73, and a scan motor 74. The guide rail 71 is disposed above the platen 20. The guide rail 71 extends in the scanning direction Y. The carriage 60 engages with the guide rail 71 so as to be slidable in the scanning direction Y. The left and right pulleys 72L and 72R are provided at the left and right end portions of the guide rail 71, respectively. The belt 73 is wound around the left and right pulleys 72L and 72R. A scan motor 74 is connected to the right pulley 72R. However, the scan motor 74 may also be connected to the left pulley 72L. The belt 73 is fixed to the carriage 60. When the scan motor 74 is driven to rotate the pulley 72R, the belt 73 runs between the left and right pulleys 72L and 72R. As the belt 73 runs, the carriage 60 and the ink head 50 mounted on the carriage 60 move in the scanning direction Y.

[0020] The drying device 80 faces the downstream guide member 30F and blows hot air toward the recording medium 5 on the downstream guide member 30F. The hot air blown by the drying device 80 dries the ink that has landed on the recording medium 5.

[0021] [Configuration of Drying Device] The configuration of the drying device 80 will be described below. As shown in FIG. 3 , the drying device 80 includes a box-shaped main body case 81. The main body case 81 extends in the left-right direction (scanning direction Y) across its entire width in the left-right direction (scanning direction Y) so as to face the downstream guide member 30F. The main body case 81 includes a front wall 81F, a rear wall 81Rr, an upper wall 81U, a lower wall 81D, a left side wall 81L, and a right side wall 81R (see FIG. 1 ). The front wall 81F forms the front surface of the drying device 80. The front wall 81F extends in the scanning direction Y and the up-down direction. The upper wall 81U extends rearward from the upper end of the front wall 81F. The lower wall 81D extends rearward from the lower end of the front wall 81F. The left side wall 81L is connected to the left ends of the front wall 81F, the upper wall 81U, and the lower wall 81D, respectively. The right side wall 81R is connected to the right ends of the front wall 81F, the upper wall 81U, and the lower wall 81D, respectively. The left side wall 81L and the right side wall 81R extend in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction, respectively. The rear wall 81Rr is connected to the rear ends of the upper wall 81U, the lower wall 81D, the left side wall 81L, and the right side wall 81R, respectively. The rear wall 81Rr faces the downstream guide member 30F.

[0022] The interior of the main body case 81 is divided into multiple chambers by internal walls. The drying device 80 includes a first internal wall 82 that divides the interior of the main body case 81 into a heating chamber 91 and an air blower chamber 94. As shown in FIG. 3 , the first internal wall 82, together with a rear wall 81Rr, divides the heating chamber 91. The first internal wall 82 has a bent shape with two bends and forms the upper, front, and lower walls of the heating chamber 91. The rear wall 81Rr of the main body case 81 forms the rear wall of the heating chamber 91. The interior of the heating chamber 91 is further divided into upper and lower sections by a heating chamber partition wall 83. Below the heating chamber partition wall 83 is an intake chamber 91D in which a heating chamber fan 100 is disposed. Above the heating chamber partition wall 83 is an exhaust chamber 91U in which a heater 101 is disposed. The heating chamber fan 100 is attached to the underside of the heating chamber partition wall 83. A heater 101 is attached to the upper surface of the heating chamber partition wall 83. A through-hole 83a that connects the intake chamber 91D and the exhaust chamber 91U is formed in the heating chamber partition wall 83. The heating chamber fan 100 and the heater 101 are disposed opposite each other so as to face the through-hole 83a.

[0023] A heating chamber intake port 92 and a heating chamber exhaust port 93 are formed through the rear wall 81Rr (rear wall of the heating chamber 91) of the main body case 81. The heating chamber exhaust port 93 is located opposite the downstream guide member 30F and exhausts air heated by the heater 101 from the heating chamber 91. The heating chamber exhaust port 93 exhausts hot air toward the recording medium 5 on the downstream guide member 30F. The heating chamber exhaust port 93 is formed to communicate between the exhaust chamber 91U and the space A1 between the rear wall 81Rr and the downstream guide member 30F. The heating chamber intake port 92 takes in air from outside the main body case 81 into the heating chamber 91. The heating chamber intake port 92 is located downstream (here, below) of the heating chamber exhaust port 93 in the transport direction of the recording medium 5. The heating chamber intake port 92 is formed to communicate between the space A1 between the rear wall 81Rr and the downstream guide member 30F and the intake chamber 91D. Heated air in the space A1 is taken into the heating chamber 91 through a heating chamber intake port 92. Figure 4 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the drying device 80 as seen from the rear. As shown in Figure 4, the heating chamber intake port 92 is made up of a plurality of through holes 92a aligned in the transport direction and scanning direction Y of the recording medium 5 on the downstream guide member 30F. The heating chamber exhaust port 93 is also made up of a plurality of through holes 93a aligned in the transport direction and scanning direction Y of the recording medium 5.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 3, a rectifying plate 84 is provided inside the exhaust chamber 91U. The rectifying plate 84 divides the interior of the exhaust chamber 91U into a heater chamber 91F in which the heater 101 is provided and an outlet chamber 91Rr located on the downstream guide member 30F side of the heater chamber 91F and partitioned at the rear by a rear wall 81Rr. As shown in Fig. 4, the rectifying plate 84 has a plurality of through holes 84a formed therein for adjusting the flow rate and flow velocity of the hot air.

[0025] The heating chamber fan 100 is provided in the heating chamber 91 (more specifically, in the air intake chamber 91D) and generates air that is drawn in through the heating chamber air intake port 92 and discharged through the heating chamber air exhaust port 93. Here, the heating chamber fan 100 blows air upward from the air intake chamber 91D toward the heater chamber 91F. In this embodiment, the drying device 80 includes multiple heating chamber fans 100 arranged side by side in the scanning direction Y. However, the drying device 80 may include only one heating chamber fan 100. The heater 101 is provided in the heating chamber 91 (more specifically, in the heater chamber 91F) and heats the air blown by the heating chamber fan 100. In this embodiment, the drying device 80 includes multiple heaters 101 corresponding to the multiple heating chamber fans 100, respectively.

[0026] The front space of the space divided into front and rear by the first inner wall 82 constitutes an airflow chamber 94 and a non-heating chamber 95. As shown in FIG. 3 , the second inner wall 85 divides the space in front of the heating chamber 91 into upper and lower sections, with the upper section forming the airflow chamber 94 and the lower section forming the non-heating chamber 95. The airflow chamber 94 has a bent shape that bends rearward and extends forward and above the heating chamber 91. A first mounting wall 86 for mounting an airflow chamber fan 103 is provided in a portion of the airflow chamber 94 forward of the heating chamber 91. The first mounting wall 86 extends in the scanning direction Y and the up-down direction, dividing the airflow chamber 94 in the front-to-back direction. The airflow chamber fan 103 is attached to the front of the first mounting wall 86. In this embodiment, the drying device 80 includes multiple airflow chamber fans 103 arranged side by side in the scanning direction Y. However, the drying device 80 may include only one airflow chamber fan 103. A through-hole 86a is formed in the first mounting wall 86, connecting the front side and rear side thereof. The air-blowing chamber fan 103 is disposed facing the through-hole 86a. The air-blowing chamber fan 103 generates air that passes through the through-hole 86a and flows rearward. A air-blowing chamber intake port 96 is formed through the front wall 81F of the main body case 81. The air-blowing chamber intake port 96 is configured to take air from outside the main body case 81 into the air-blowing chamber 94.

[0027] 3, the drying device 80 includes an air blowing chamber exhaust port 97a that opens toward the downstream guide member 30F, and an air blowing nozzle 97 that discharges air from the air blowing chamber 94 that has been sent by the air blowing chamber fan 103 through the air blowing chamber exhaust port 97a. The air blowing nozzle 97 discharges the air from the air blowing chamber 94 that has been sent by the air blowing chamber fan 103 toward the downstream guide member 30F. The air blowing nozzle 97 is provided at the rear end of the air blowing chamber 94. The air blowing nozzle 97 is located rearward of the heating chamber exhaust port 93. The air blowing nozzle 97 protrudes from the rear wall 81Rr of the main body case 81 toward the downstream guide member 30F.

[0028] The blower nozzle 97 extends rearward from the rear wall 81Rr of the main body case 81 and then bends downward (more specifically, slightly diagonally rearward and downward). As shown in FIG. 3 , the blower nozzle 97 includes a first flow path 97F extending rearward from the main body case 81 and a second flow path 97Rr extending downward from the rear end of the first flow path 97F and having a blower chamber exhaust port 97a at its lower end. The first flow path 97F is located above the heating chamber exhaust port 93. The first flow path 97F extends substantially horizontally in the front-to-rear direction. The second flow path 97Rr is continuous with the rear end of the first flow path 97F. The second flow path 97Rr, which extends vertically, changes the direction of air taken into the blower nozzle 97 by the blower chamber fan 103 to a downward direction. In this embodiment, the second flow path 97Rr extends in a direction perpendicular to the first inclined surface 31 of the downstream guide member 30F. The air blowing chamber exhaust port 97a exhausts air toward the first inclined surface 31 of the downstream guide member 30F. The air blown out from the air blowing chamber exhaust port 97a functions as an air curtain to prevent the hot air exhausted from the heating chamber exhaust port 93 from being directed toward the ink head 50.

[0029] In this embodiment, the air blowing nozzle 97 is formed by the rear wall 81Rr of the main body case 81 and the rear end portion of the upper wall 81U, and is provided integrally with the main body case 81. However, the air blowing nozzle 97 may be formed separately from the main body case 81 and connected to the main body case 81.

[0030] 3, the air blowing nozzle 97 is configured with a pair of opposing plates 98U and 98D that extend rearward and face each other. The air blowing nozzle 97 includes an upper opposing plate 98U that forms the upper wall of the air blowing nozzle 97, and a lower opposing plate 98D that is positioned below the upper opposing plate 98U to face the upper opposing plate 98U and that forms the lower wall of the air blowing nozzle 97. The upper opposing plate 98U and the lower opposing plate 98D are each flat plate-shaped members that extend in the scanning direction Y and the front-to-rear direction.

[0031] The tip ends of the pair of opposing plates 98U and 98D are each bent downward (more specifically, in a direction perpendicular to the first inclined surface 31). The upper opposing plate 98U has a front portion 98U1 that forms the upper wall of the first flow path 97F and a rear portion 98U2 that forms the rear wall of the second flow path 97Rr. In this example, the front portion 98U1 extends substantially horizontally. The rear portion 98U2 is bent downward relative to the front portion 98U1 and is inclined downward toward the rear.

[0032] The lower opposing plate 98D has a front portion 98D1 that forms the lower wall of the first flow path 97F and a rear portion 98D2 that forms the front wall of the second flow path 97Rr. The front portion 98D1 of the lower opposing plate 98D is inclined downward toward the front. The rear portion 98D2 of the lower opposing plate 98D is bent downward relative to the front portion 98D1 and is inclined downward toward the rear. The blower chamber exhaust port 97a is formed by the tip of the rear portion 98U2 of the upper opposing plate 98U and the tip of the rear portion 98D2 of the lower opposing plate 98D. The blower chamber exhaust port 97a is a slit extending in the scanning direction Y.

[0033] The front portion 98U1 of the upper opposing plate 98U is disposed substantially horizontally, and the front portion 98D1 of the lower opposing plate 98D is inclined downward toward the front, so that the cross-sectional area of ​​the first flow path 97F of the blower nozzle 97 decreases from the connection portion with the rear wall 81Rr of the main body case 81 toward the second flow path 97Rr. Here, the vertical height of the first flow path 97F decreases toward the tip. The front portion 98U1 of the upper opposing plate 98U and the front portion 98D1 of the lower opposing plate 98D are disposed non-parallel, with the distance between them decreasing toward the rear.

[0034] As shown in Fig. 3, the lower end of the air blowing nozzle 97 is located above the mounting surface 20a of the platen 20. The air blowing chamber exhaust port 97a provided at the lower end of the air blowing nozzle 97 is located above the mounting surface 20a of the platen 20. Line L1 in Fig. 3 indicates an extension line of the mounting surface 20a of the platen 20. As shown in Fig. 3, the air blowing chamber exhaust port 97a is located above line L1.

[0035] The non-heating chamber 95 is provided with a second mounting wall 87 for mounting a non-heating chamber fan 104. The second mounting wall 87 extends in the scanning direction Y and the up-down direction, dividing the non-heating chamber 95 into front and rear sections. The non-heating chamber fan 104 is mounted on the front surface of the second mounting wall 87. A through-hole 87a is formed in the second mounting wall 87, connecting the front side and rear side of the wall. The non-heating chamber fan 104 is positioned to face the through-hole 87a. The non-heating chamber fan 104 generates air that flows rearward through the through-hole 87a. A non-heating chamber air inlet 99A is formed through the front wall 81F of the main body case 81 in a portion facing the non-heating chamber fan 104.

[0036] A non-heating chamber exhaust port 99B is formed in the bottom wall 81D of the main body case 81 (the bottom surface of the non-heating chamber 95). The non-heating chamber exhaust port 99B extends in the scanning direction Y. Air generated by the non-heating chamber fan 104 blows out from the non-heating chamber exhaust port 99B. The air blowing out from the non-heating chamber exhaust port 99B functions as another air curtain that prevents the hot air exhausted from the heating chamber exhaust port 93 from flowing around to the front of the drying device 80.

[0037] [Air Flow Near the Drying Device] The following describes the air flow near the drying device 80 when the heating chamber fan 100, the ventilation chamber fan 103, and the non-heating chamber fan 104 are driven. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the air flow near the drying device 80. As shown in FIG. 5, hot air W1 generated by the heating chamber fan 100 and the heater 101 is blown out from the heating chamber exhaust port 93 and onto the downstream guide member 30F. The hot air W1 then travels downstream in the conveyance direction of the recording medium 5 through the space A1 between the drying device 80 and the downstream guide member 30F, and a portion of it is sucked into the heating chamber intake port 92. This causes the hot air W1 to circulate. The drying device 80 improves its thermal efficiency by circulating the hot air W1.

[0038] The room temperature air W2 generated by the air blowing chamber fan 103 is blown out from the air blowing chamber exhaust port 97a of the air blowing nozzle 97 and is blown toward the first inclined surface 31 of the downstream guide member 30F. The room temperature air W3 generated by the non-heating chamber fan 104 is blown downward from the non-heating chamber exhaust port 99B.

[0039] [Operations and Effects of the Embodiment] The configuration and operation of the printer 10 according to the present embodiment have been described above. Below, operations and effects that can be achieved by the printer 10 according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0040] The printer 10 according to this embodiment includes a platen 20 on which a recording medium 5 is placed, a transport device 40 that transports the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 20 forward, an ink head 50 that is positioned above the platen 20 and ejects ink onto the recording medium 5, a downstream guide member 30F that is connected to the front end of the platen 20 and inclines downward toward the front to guide the movement of the recording medium 5, and a drying device 80 that faces the downstream guide member 30F and blows air toward the recording medium 5 on the downstream guide member 30F. The drying device 80 includes a main body case 81 that extends in the left-right direction, a first internal wall 82 that divides the interior of the main body case 81 into a heating chamber 91 and an air blowing chamber 94, a heating chamber fan 100 provided in the heating chamber 91, an air blowing chamber fan 103 provided in the air blowing chamber 94, and a heater 101 provided in the heating chamber 91 that heats the air blown by the heating chamber fan 100. The drying device 80 further includes a heating chamber intake port 92 provided in the main body case 81 for taking in air from outside the main body case 81 into the heating chamber 91, a heating chamber exhaust port 93 provided in the main body case 81, opening toward the downstream guide member 30F and discharging air from the heating chamber 91 heated by the heater 101, a blower chamber intake port 96 provided in the main body case 81 for taking in air from outside the main body case 81 into the blower chamber 94, and an air blower nozzle 97 having an air blower chamber exhaust port 97a opening toward the downstream guide member 30F and discharging air from the blower chamber 94 sent by the air blower chamber fan 103 from the air blower chamber exhaust port 97a. The blower nozzle 97 is provided with a first flow path 97F that is located above the heating chamber exhaust port 93 and extends rearward from the main body case 81, and a second flow path 97Rr that extends downward from the rear end of the first flow path 97F and has a blower chamber exhaust port 97a at its lower end. The blower chamber exhaust port 97a is located above the platen 20.

[0041] This printer 10 reduces the risk of the recording medium 5 getting caught on the air blowing nozzle 97 during transport. Normally, the leading end of the recording medium 5 being transported in the printer 10 moves due to its own weight so as to follow the downward slope of the downstream guide member 30F. As a result, the recording medium 5 is normally guided into the gap between the drying device 80 and the downstream guide member 30F. However, due to a tendency for the recording medium 5 to curl, for example, the leading end of the recording medium 5 may not follow the downward slope of the downstream guide member 30F and may move in a state where it is lifted off the downstream guide member 30F.

[0042] FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the air blower nozzle 197 when the air blower chamber exhaust port 197a is located below the platen 20. In FIG. 6, components having different configurations from those in FIG. 3 are denoted by different reference numerals, and components identical to those in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals. FIG. 6 shows the transport path of the recording medium 5 when the front end of the recording medium 5 does not follow the downward slope of the downstream guide member 30F but moves while floating above the downstream guide member 30F. As shown in FIG. 6, in such a case, the recording medium 5 may get caught on components of the drying device 80, particularly the air blower nozzle 197 protruding from the rear wall 81Rr of the main body case 81, which may cause problems with the transport of the recording medium 5. If the hot air discharged from the heating chamber exhaust port 93 prevents the recording medium 5 from following the downward slope of the downstream guide member 30F and the front end of the recording medium 5 floats up from the downstream guide member 30F during transport, the front end of the recording medium 5 is likely to get caught on the air blowing nozzle 197, which is located above the heating chamber exhaust port 93, and in particular on the second flow path 197Rr, which is located at the rear end, extends in the vertical direction, and includes the lower end of the air blowing nozzle 197.

[0043] In consideration of this, in the printer 10 according to this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3 , the air blower chamber exhaust port 97a (second flow path 97Rr) is provided above the mounting surface 20a of the platen 20. With this configuration, even if the recording medium 5 being transported floats off the downstream guide member 30F and passes through a path above the downstream guide member 30F, the leading end of the recording medium 5 will not get caught in the second flow path 97Rr unless it passes through a path above the platen 20. The leading end of the transported recording medium 5 moves, to some extent, along the downward slope of the downstream guide member 30F due to its own weight. Therefore, in most cases, the recording medium 5 moves below the platen 20. Therefore, by providing the air blower chamber exhaust port 97a (second flow path 97Rr) above the platen 20, the recording medium 5 is less likely to get caught in the air blower nozzle 97. Furthermore, in the printer 10 according to this embodiment, air is discharged downward from the air blower chamber exhaust port 97a and strikes the top surface of the recording medium 5. Therefore, the air discharged from the air blower chamber exhaust port 97a presses the recording medium 5 toward the downstream guide member 30F, making it difficult for the recording medium 5 to separate from the downstream guide member 30F. Furthermore, by raising the lower end position of the second flow path 97Rr, the entrance of the drying passage formed in the gap between the second flow path 97Rr and the downstream guide member 30F is widened, making it difficult for the recording medium 5 to get caught in the second flow path 97Rr.

[0044] In this embodiment, the air blowing nozzle 97 includes an upper opposing plate 98U and a lower opposing plate 98D positioned below the upper opposing plate 98U so as to face the upper opposing plate 98U. The upper opposing plate 98U includes a front portion 98U1 that forms the upper wall of the first flow passage 97F and a rear portion 98U2 that forms the rear wall of the second flow passage 97Rr. The lower opposing plate 98D includes a front portion 98D1 that forms the lower wall of the first flow passage 97F and a rear portion 98D2 that forms the front wall of the second flow passage 97Rr. The front portion 98D1 of the lower opposing plate 98D slopes downward toward the front. With this configuration, the cross-sectional area of ​​the air blowing chamber exhaust port 97a is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the base of the first flow passage 97F, thereby increasing the wind speed of the air blown from the air blowing chamber exhaust port 97a. This allows for the formation of an effective air curtain. Furthermore, since the front portion 98D1 of the lower opposing plate 98D is inclined downward toward the front, even if the front end of the recording medium 5 enters the space below the front portion 98D1, the recording medium 5 is likely to come out of the space below along the downward inclination of the front portion 98D1.

[0045] In this embodiment, the air blower chamber exhaust port 97a is positioned forward of the platen 20 and is configured to exhaust air toward the upper surface of the downstream guide member 30F. The leading edge of the recording medium 5 often lifts up at the downstream guide member 30F. Therefore, with this configuration, the air exhausted from the air blower chamber exhaust port 97a presses the recording medium 5 toward the downstream guide member 30F, preventing the recording medium 5 from lifting up from the downstream guide member 30F. This configuration also allows an effective air curtain to be formed forward of the platen 20. On the other hand, if the air blower nozzle 97 protrudes, the recording medium 5 is more likely to get caught on the air blower nozzle 97. To address this issue, in this embodiment, the air blower chamber exhaust port 97a (the lower end of the second flow path 97Rr) of the air blower nozzle 97 is positioned above the mounting surface 20a of the platen 20. Therefore, the gap (the entrance to the drying passage) between the downstream guide member 30F and the second flow path 97Rr can be set wider than when the air blower chamber exhaust port 97a is positioned below the loading surface 20a of the platen 20, making it less likely that the front end of the recording medium 5 will get caught in the second flow path 97Rr.

[0046] In this embodiment, the downstream guide member 30F includes a first inclined surface 31 connected to the front end of the platen 20 and inclined downward toward the front, and a second inclined surface 32 connected to the front end of the first inclined surface 31 and inclined downward at a greater inclination angle than the first inclined surface 31. The air blower chamber exhaust port 97a is configured to exhaust air toward the first inclined surface 31. With this configuration, the length of the printer 10 in the front-to-rear direction can be shortened by providing the second inclined surface 32 with a greater inclination angle than the first inclined surface 31. Meanwhile, the stiffness of the recording medium 5 causes the recording medium 5 to follow the inclination of the second inclined surface 32 and to easily float up from the first inclined surface 31. With this configuration, the air exhausted from the air blower chamber exhaust port 97a toward the first inclined surface 31 can prevent the recording medium 5 from floating up from the first inclined surface 31. As a result, the recording medium 5 is less likely to get caught on the air blower chamber exhaust port 97a.

[0047] Second Embodiment In a second embodiment, the blower chamber exhaust port 97a opens toward the platen 20 and is configured to exhaust air toward the platen 20. In the following description of the second embodiment, components that perform the same functions as those in the first embodiment will be designated by the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment. Furthermore, duplicated descriptions will be omitted or simplified.

[0048] FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the drying device 80 according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7 , in this embodiment, the first flow path 97F of the air blowing nozzle 97 extends rearward from the rear wall 81Rr of the main body case 81. The second flow path 97Rr of the air blowing nozzle 97 is disposed in a position overlapping the platen 20 in the front-rear direction (transport direction X). The air blowing chamber exhaust port 97a, provided at the lower end of the second flow path 97Rr, is disposed in a position overlapping the platen 20 in the front-rear direction (transport direction X). More specifically, the air blowing chamber exhaust port 97a is disposed so as to overlap at least a portion of the plurality of through holes 21 in the transport direction X. The air blowing chamber exhaust port 97a is disposed so as to overlap a region 20b (hereinafter also referred to as the suction region 20b) on the platen 20 where the plurality of through holes 21 are formed in the transport direction X. As in the first embodiment, the air blowing chamber exhaust port 97a is disposed above the platen 20. The blower chamber exhaust port 97a opens toward the platen 20. Here, the blower chamber exhaust port 97a exhausts air in a direction perpendicular to the platen 20 (directly downward). The second flow path 97Rr of the blower nozzle 97 extends in the vertical direction. Here, the blower chamber exhaust port 97a exhausts air toward the suction region 20b of the platen 20, where the multiple through-holes 21 are formed.

[0049] In this embodiment, the air blower chamber exhaust port 97a is disposed above the platen 20 (so as to overlap with the platen 20 in the transport direction X). The suction device 25 reduces the pressure in the space S1 below the platen 20, thereby suctioning the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 20 to the multiple through-holes 21. This makes it difficult for the recording medium 5 to float above the platen 20, greatly reducing the risk of the recording medium 5 getting caught on the air blower nozzle 97 during transport. Furthermore, the recording medium 5 is pressed against the platen 20 by the air discharged from the air blower chamber exhaust port 97a toward the platen 20. This also reduces the risk of the recording medium 5 getting caught on the air blower nozzle 97 during transport.

[0050] In this embodiment, the air blower chamber exhaust port 97a is arranged so as to overlap at least a portion of the plurality of through holes 21 in the transport direction X. In other words, the air blower chamber exhaust port 97a is arranged above the suction region 20b so as to overlap at least a portion of the suction region 20b in the transport direction X. Because the recording medium 5 does not separate from the platen 20 in the suction region 20b, by arranging the air blower chamber exhaust port 97a above the suction region 20b on the platen 20, the risk of the recording medium 5 getting caught in the air blower nozzle 97 during transport can be further reduced.

[0051] [Other Embodiments] A preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above. However, the above embodiment is merely an example, and the present invention can be embodied in various other forms. For example, the arrangement of the heating chamber and the air blowing chamber is not limited to that described above. For example, the positions of the heating chamber air inlet and the air blowing chamber air inlet are not particularly limited. The drying device may not include a non-heating chamber, and may not include a heater.

[0052] Unless otherwise specifically limited, the embodiments do not limit the present invention.

[0053] 5 Recording medium 10 Inkjet printer 20 Platen 21 Through hole 25 Suction device 30F Downstream guide member (guide member) 31 First inclined surface 32 Second inclined surface 40 Conveying device 80 Drying device 81 Main body case 81Rr Rear wall 82 First internal wall (partition wall) 91 Heating chamber 92 Heating chamber intake port 93 Heating chamber exhaust port 94 Blowing chamber 96 Blowing chamber intake port 97 Blowing nozzle 97a Blowing chamber exhaust port 97F First flow path 97Rr Second flow path 98D Lower opposing plate (lower member) 98D1 Front portion 98D2 Rear portion 98U Upper opposing plate (upper member) 98U1 Front portion 98U2 Rear portion 100 Heating chamber fan 101 Heater 103 Blower fan

Claims

1. A drying device comprising: a platen on which a recording medium is placed; a transport device that transports the recording medium placed on the platen forward; an ink head that is positioned above the platen and ejects ink onto the recording medium; a guide member that is connected to the front end of the platen and inclines downward toward the front to guide the movement of the recording medium; and a drying device that faces the guide member and blows air toward the recording medium on the guide member, wherein the drying device comprises: a main body case extending in the left-right direction; a partition wall that divides the interior of the main body case into a heating chamber and an air blowing chamber; a heating chamber fan provided in the heating chamber; an air blowing chamber fan provided in the air blowing chamber; a heater provided in the heating chamber and that heats the air blown by the heating chamber fan; a heating chamber air intake port provided in the main body case that takes in air outside the main body case into the heating chamber; and a heating chamber exhaust port provided in the main body case that opens toward the guide member and exhausts the air from the heating chamber that has been heated by the heater. an air blower chamber intake port provided in the main body case for taking in air outside the main body case into the air blower chamber; and an air blower nozzle having an air blower chamber exhaust port opening toward the guide member or the platen, for discharging air from the air blower chamber that has been sent by the air blower chamber fan through the air blower chamber exhaust port, wherein the air blower nozzle comprises: a first flow path that is provided above the heating chamber exhaust port and extends rearward from the main body case; and a second flow path that extends downward from a rear end of the first flow path and has the air blower chamber exhaust port at its lower end, and the air blower chamber exhaust port is located above the platen.

2. An inkjet printer as described in claim 1, wherein the nozzle comprises: an upper member having a front portion that forms the upper wall of the first flow path and a rear portion that forms the rear wall of the second flow path; and a lower member having a front portion that forms the lower wall of the first flow path and a rear portion that forms the front wall of the second flow path, the lower member being positioned below the upper member so as to face the upper member, the front portion of the lower member being inclined downward toward the front.

3. The inkjet printer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the air blower chamber exhaust port is disposed forward of the platen and configured to exhaust air toward the upper surface of the guide member.

4. An inkjet printer as described in claim 3, wherein the guide member comprises a first inclined surface connected to the front end of the platen and inclined downward toward the front, and a second inclined surface connected to the front end of the first inclined surface and inclined downward at a greater inclination angle than the first inclined surface, and the air blower chamber exhaust port discharges air toward the first inclined surface.

5. An inkjet printer as described in claim 1 or 2, further comprising an adsorption device that reduces the pressure of the space below the platen, wherein the platen has a plurality of through-holes that penetrate in the vertical direction, and the adsorption device adsorbs the recording medium placed on the platen to the plurality of through-holes by reducing the pressure of the space below the platen, and the air blower chamber exhaust port is positioned at a position that overlaps with the platen in the front-to-rear direction and opens toward the platen, discharging air toward the platen.

6. The inkjet printer according to claim 5, wherein the air blower chamber exhaust port is arranged so as to overlap with at least a portion of the plurality of through holes in the front-rear direction.

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