Inkjet printer

Abstract

A drying device 80 of an inkjet printer 10 comprises: a box-shaped case 81 having a facing surface 81Rr facing a guide member 30F, with an intake port 92 and an exhaust port 93 being formed penetrating through the facing surface 81Rr; a fan 100 provided in the case 81 to generate airflow drawn in from the intake port 92 and discharged from the exhaust port 93; and an anti-suction member 110 provided between the intake port 92 and the guide member 30F with respect to an orthogonal direction Z orthogonal to a conveyance direction X of a recording medium 5 on the guide member 30F. The intake port 92 is disposed downstream X1 of the exhaust port 93 with respect to the conveyance direction X. The anti-suction member 110 is provided downstream X1 of at least an intermediate position M1 between the exhaust port 93 and the intake port 92 with respect to the conveyance direction X.

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 a recording device equipped with a heating device arranged to face a guide member (a third support plate in Patent Document 1). The heating device described in Patent Document 1 includes a flow path formed within a housing, an inlet for taking air into the flow path, an outlet for blowing air out of the flow path, a blower disposed within the flow path, and a heating unit for heating the air in the flow path. The heating device blows hot air onto a medium supported by the guide member to heat it. According to the heating device described in Patent Document 1, a portion of the air blown out from the outlet and flowing along the guide member flows into the inlet and circulates within the flow path and in the space between the heating device and the guide member. In the heating device described in Patent Document 1, the inlet is located downstream of the outlet in the medium transport direction. Therefore, the circulating air flows downstream in the transport direction in the space between the heating device and the guide member and then flows into the inlet.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-107822

[0005] According to the heating device described in Patent Document 1, the air flow that flows downstream in the medium transport direction in the space between the heating device and the guide member and then flows into the inlet causes the air pressure in the space between the medium and the inlet to be lower than the air pressure in the space between the medium and the guide member. This causes a lift force toward the inlet to act on the medium. If the lift force causes the medium to float, it may block the inlet, hindering air circulation.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 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 stick to the air intake of the drying device.

[0007] The inkjet printer disclosed herein includes a platen on which a sheet-like recording medium is placed, a transport device that transports the recording medium placed on the platen forward, an ink head disposed above the platen and ejecting ink onto the recording medium placed on the platen, a guide member disposed forward of the platen and guiding the movement of the recording medium, and a drying device facing the guide member and blowing air toward the recording medium on the guide member. The drying device includes a box-shaped case having a surface facing the guide member and having an air intake port and an air exhaust port formed therethrough, a fan disposed within the case and generating air that is drawn in through the air intake port and exhausted through the air exhaust port, and a suction prevention member disposed between the air intake port and the guide member in a direction perpendicular to the direction of transport of the recording medium on the guide member. The air intake port is disposed downstream of the air exhaust port in the transport direction. The suction prevention member is disposed downstream of at least a midpoint between the air exhaust port and the air intake port in the transport direction.

[0008] In the inkjet printer, the anti-stiction member is disposed between the air intake port and the guide member in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the recording medium on the guide member, and is provided downstream of at least the midpoint between the air intake port and the exhaust port in the transport direction. The anti-stiction member disposed in this position prevents the recording medium from moving toward the air intake port, thereby preventing the recording medium from sticking to the air intake port.

[0009] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a printer according to a first 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 flow of air near the drying device; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the vicinity of a drying device according to a second embodiment; Fig. 7 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the drying device according to the 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 downstream guide member 30F, an upstream guide member 30Rr, a conveying 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 carrying the ink head 50, 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 conveyed 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 conveying device 40 conveys the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 20 forward. Hereinafter, the forward side of the conveying direction of the recording medium 5 on the platen 20 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 opposite the grit roller 41. The pinch roller 42 is configured to be movable in the up-down 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 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 guides the movement of the recording medium 5 from the platen 20. The downstream guide member 30F includes an arc-shaped portion 31 adjacent to the front end of the platen 20 and convex forward, and an inclined surface 32 that slopes downward toward the front. After ink lands, the recording medium 5 is transported on the downstream guide member 30F. The transport direction of the recording medium 5 on the downstream guide member 30F is diagonally forward and backward. The symbol X in FIG. 3 indicates the transport direction of the recording medium 5 on the downstream guide member 30F. The diagonally downward front portion of the transport direction X of the recording medium 5 on the downstream guide member 30F is also referred to as the downstream side X1. Of the transport direction X of the recording medium 5 on the downstream guide member 30F, the opposite direction of the downstream side X1 is also referred to as the upstream side X2. Note that the transport direction X of the recording medium 5 on the downstream guide member 30F may hereinafter be simply referred to as the transport direction X.

[0016] 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 typical example of an 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 may be, for example, water or one or more water-soluble organic solvents (such as lower alcohols and lower ketones) that are uniformly miscible with water. The colorant may be any of the conventional colorants contained in latex ink. Examples of colorants include dyes such as water-soluble dyes and pigments. The binder resin may be any of the conventional binder resins contained in latex ink.

[0017] 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.

[0018] The head moving device 70 moves the ink head 50 in the scanning direction Y by moving the carriage 60 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.

[0019] 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 drying device 80 is disposed forward of the downstream guide member 30F and at the same height as a portion of 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.

[0020] [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 case 81. The 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 diagonally downward and 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 is an example of an opposing surface that faces the downstream guide member 30F.

[0021] The interior of the case 81 is divided into multiple chambers by internal walls. As shown in FIG. 3 , the first internal wall 82, together with the rear wall 81Rr, defines the heating chamber 91. The first internal wall 82 has a bent shape with two bends and constitutes the upper, front, and lower walls of the heating chamber 91. The rear wall 81Rr of the case 81 constitutes the rear wall of the heating chamber 91. The interior of the heating chamber 91 is further divided into upper and lower chambers 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 lower surface of the heating chamber partition wall 83. The 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.

[0022] A heating chamber intake port 92 and a heating chamber exhaust port 93 are formed through the rear wall 81Rr of the case 81 (the rear wall of the heating chamber 91). The heating chamber intake port 92 is formed to communicate the space between the rear wall 81Rr and the downstream guide member 30F (hereinafter also referred to as the heating area A1) with the intake chamber 91D. The heating chamber exhaust port 93 is formed to communicate the heating area A1 with the exhaust chamber 91U. FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the drying device 80 as seen from the rear. As shown in FIG. 4, the heating chamber intake port 92 is made up of a plurality of through holes 92A aligned in the transport direction X and the scanning direction Y. The heating chamber exhaust port 93 is also made up of a plurality of through holes 93a aligned in the transport direction X and the scanning direction Y.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 3 , the rear wall 81Rr includes a first opposing surface 81R1 through which the heating chamber exhaust port 93 is formed, and a second opposing surface 81R2 disposed downstream X1 of the first opposing surface 81R1 in the conveying direction X and further away from the downstream guide member 30F than the first opposing surface 81R1. Here, the second opposing surface 81R2 is disposed forward of the first opposing surface 81R1. A step exists between the first opposing surface 81R1 and the second opposing surface 81R2, and the first opposing surface 81R1 and the second opposing surface 81R2 are connected by a step surface 81R3. The rear wall 81Rr bends once forward and once downward to form the step. A heating chamber air intake port 92 is formed through the second opposing surface 81R2. The heating chamber air intake port 92 is disposed downstream X1 of the heating chamber exhaust port 93 in the conveying direction X. The heating chamber air intake 92 is disposed near the end (here, the upper end) of the second opposing surface 81R2 on the upstream X2 side. The heating chamber air intake 92 is preferably disposed on the upstream X2 side of the second opposing surface 81R2, more than halfway in the conveying direction X.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 3 , the first opposing surface 81R1 extends substantially parallel to the inclined surface 32 of the downstream guide member 30F. The distance between the first opposing surface 81R1 and the downstream guide member 30F is constant. The second opposing surface 81R2 extends closer to the downstream guide member 30F the further downstream X1 in the conveying direction X it is. The distance between the second opposing surface 81R2 and the downstream guide member 30F becomes narrower the further downstream X1 it is. The downstream X1 side end of the second opposing surface 81R2 is located approximately on an extension of the first opposing surface 81R1.

[0025] 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 first opposing surface 81R1. 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.

[0026] Heating chamber fan 100 is provided inside case 81 (more specifically, inside air intake chamber 91D) and generates air that is drawn in through heating chamber air intake port 92 and expelled through heating chamber exhaust port 93. Here, heating chamber fan 100 blows air upward from air intake chamber 91D toward heater chamber 91F. Heater 101 is provided inside case 81 (more specifically, inside heater chamber 91F) and heats the air blown by heating chamber fan 100.

[0027] The second inner wall 85 divides the space in front of the heating chamber 91 into upper and lower sections. The upper section of the second inner wall 85 is a first airflow chamber 94, and the lower section is a second airflow chamber 95. The first 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 a first airflow chamber fan 103 is provided in a portion of the first 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 first airflow chamber 94 in the front-to-rear direction. The first airflow chamber fan 103 is attached to the front surface of the first mounting wall 86. A through-hole 86a is formed in the first mounting wall 86, connecting the front side and rear side of the first mounting wall 86. The first airflow chamber fan 103 is positioned facing the through-hole 86a. The first airflow chamber fan 103 generates air that flows rearward through the through-hole 86a. A first air-blowing chamber intake port 96 is formed through a portion of the front wall 81F of the case 81 that faces the first air-blowing chamber fan 103.

[0028] 3, a first air blowing chamber exhaust port 97 is formed at the rear end of the first air blowing chamber 94 (the rear end of the upper portion of the heating chamber 91). In this example, the first air blowing chamber exhaust port 97 is a slit that opens to face the downstream guide member 30F and extends in the scanning direction Y. Air generated by the first air blowing chamber fan 103 blows out from the first air blowing chamber exhaust port 97. The air blown out from the first air blowing chamber exhaust port 97 functions as an air curtain that prevents the hot air exhausted from the heating chamber exhaust port 93 from going toward the platen 20.

[0029] The second air blowing chamber 95 is provided with a second mounting wall 87 for mounting a second air blowing chamber fan 104. The second mounting wall 87 extends in the scanning direction Y and the up-down direction, dividing the second air blowing chamber 95 in the front-rear direction. The second air blowing 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 second mounting wall 87. The second air blowing chamber fan 104 is positioned to face the through-hole 87a. The second air blowing chamber fan 104 generates air that flows rearward through the through-hole 87a. A second air blowing chamber intake port 98 is formed through a portion of the front wall 81F of the case 81 facing the second air blowing chamber fan 104.

[0030] A second air blowing chamber exhaust port 99 is formed in the bottom wall 81D of the case 81 (the bottom surface of the second air blowing chamber 95). Here, the second air blowing chamber exhaust port 99 is a slit extending in the scanning direction Y. Air generated by the second air blowing chamber fan 104 blows out from the second air blowing chamber exhaust port 99. The air blown out from the second air blowing chamber exhaust port 99 functions as an 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.

[0031] The printer 10 according to this embodiment includes an airflow adjustment plate 110 for preventing the recording medium 5 from adhering to the heating chamber air intake 92. The airflow adjustment plate 110 is an example of a suction prevention member for preventing the recording medium 5 from adhering to the heating chamber air intake 92. As shown in FIG. 3 , in this embodiment, the airflow adjustment plate 110 is provided in the drying device 80. The airflow adjustment plate 110 is a member for redirecting airflow away from the heating chamber air intake 92. The airflow adjustment plate 110 is disposed between the heating chamber air intake 92 and the downstream guide member 30F in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction X (hereinafter also referred to as the perpendicular direction Z). The airflow adjustment plate 110 is disposed downstream of at least the midpoint M1 between the heating chamber exhaust port 93 and the heating chamber air intake 92 in the transport direction X. In other words, the airflow adjustment plate 110 is disposed closer to the heating chamber air intake 92 than the heating chamber exhaust port 93. Furthermore, the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 is provided so as to overlap at least a portion of the heating chamber air intake port 92 in the transport direction X. The airflow direction adjusting plate 110 extends to below the heating chamber air intake port 92. Note that the intermediate position M1 between the heating chamber exhaust port 93 and the heating chamber air intake port 92 here refers to an imaginary line extending in the scanning direction Y at the intermediate position between the downstream X1 end of the heating chamber exhaust port 93 and the upstream X2 end of the heating chamber air intake port 92 (see FIG. 4 ).

[0032] The airflow direction adjusting plate 110 is attached to the stepped surface 81R3 connecting the first opposing surface 81R1 and the second opposing surface 81R2. The airflow direction adjusting plate 110 extends from the middle of the stepped surface 81R3 toward the downstream X1 in the conveying direction X. As shown in FIG. 3 , the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 is inclined with respect to the downstream guide member 30F so that the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 approaches the downstream guide member 30F as it moves toward the downstream X1 in the conveying direction X. In this example, the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 extends approximately parallel to the second opposing surface 81R2. As shown in FIG. 4 , the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 extends in the scanning direction Y. The airflow direction adjusting plate 110 extends across the entire width of the case 81 in the scanning direction Y. However, the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 may be configured to overlap only a portion of the case 81 in the scanning direction Y. For example, the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 may be provided intermittently in the scanning direction Y.

[0033] 3, the downstream X1 side end (lower end) 110D of the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 is positioned downstream X1 (lower) than the downstream X1 side end (lower end) of the heating chamber air intake 92. In other words, the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 is provided so as to overlap the entire heating chamber air intake 92 in the conveying direction X. The case 81 extends downstream X1 in the conveying direction X beyond the airflow direction adjusting plate 110. The downstream side end (lower end) 81R4 of the rear wall 81Rr of the case 81 is positioned downstream X1 from the downstream side end 110D of the airflow direction adjusting plate 110.

[0034] [Air Flow Near Drying Device] The following describes the air flow near the drying device 80 when the heating chamber fan 100, the first air blast chamber fan 103, and the second air blast chamber fan 104 are driven. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the air flow near the drying device 80. As shown in Fig. 5, room-temperature air W2 generated by the first air blast chamber fan 103 is blown out from the first air blast chamber exhaust port 97 and blown toward the arc-shaped portion 31 of the downstream guide member 30F in the normal direction of the arc-shaped portion 31. Room-temperature air W3 generated by the second air blast chamber fan 104 is blown out from the second air blast chamber exhaust port 99 diagonally downward and rearward.

[0035] As shown in Fig. 5, the hot air W1 generated by the heating chamber fan 100 and 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 X1 in the conveyance direction X through the space (heating area) A1 between the drying device 80 and the downstream guide member 30F, and a portion of the hot air W1 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.

[0036] In this embodiment, the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 is inclined with respect to the downstream guide member 30F so that the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 approaches the downstream guide member 30F as it moves downstream X1 in the conveyance direction X. Therefore, as shown by arrow W1a in FIG. 5 , the hot air W1 blown out from the heating chamber exhaust port 93 flows toward the downstream guide member 30F as it moves downstream X1 in the conveyance direction X. Therefore, compared to a case where the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 is not provided, the hot air can be sent further downstream in the conveyance direction X than in a case where the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 is not provided. Therefore, the space (heating area) A1 between the drying device 80 and the downstream guide member 30F can be expanded toward the downstream X1 in the conveyance direction X.

[0037] In this embodiment, the hot air W1 blown out from the heating chamber exhaust port 93 flows toward the downstream guide member 30F, as indicated by arrow W1a in FIG. 5 . The recording medium 5 is subjected to a force in a direction away from the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 by the hot air W1a flowing along the airflow direction adjusting plate 110. As a result, the recording medium 5 is transported in a direction away from the heating chamber air intake port 92, i.e., pressed toward the downstream guide member 30F. The hot air W1a blown out from the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 in a direction away from the heating chamber air intake port 92 passes behind the airflow direction adjusting plate 110, and a portion of the hot air W1a returns to the upstream X2 side in the transport direction X, passes in front of the airflow direction adjusting plate 110, and is sucked into the heating chamber air intake port 92 (as indicated by arrow W1b in FIG. 5 ).

[0038] At this time, an airflow toward the heating chamber air intake 92 is generated between the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 and the second opposing surface 81R2 of the rear wall 81Rr, generating a force that draws the recording medium 5 toward the heating chamber air intake 92. However, the recording medium 5 is pushed away from the heating chamber air intake 92 by the force away from the airflow direction adjusting plate 110, and then pulled toward the heating chamber air intake 92. Therefore, the recording medium 5 can be maintained at a distance from the heating chamber air intake 92 compared to when the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 is not provided. Furthermore, because the flow of intake air toward the heating chamber air intake 92 is opposite the downstream X1 of the transport direction X, the recording medium 5 will not be drawn into the space in front of the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 unless it is bent. However, due to the rigidity of the recording medium 5 itself and the hot air flowing along the airflow direction adjusting plate 110, an airflow strong enough to bend the recording medium 5 is not generated. These factors prevent the recording medium 5 from sticking to the heating chamber air intake 92.

[0039] [Operations and Effects of the Embodiment] The operations and effects that can be achieved by the printer 10 according to the present embodiment will be described below.

[0040] The printer 10 according to this embodiment includes 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 box-shaped case 81 having a rear wall 81Rr facing the downstream guide member 30F, with a heating chamber intake port 92 and a heating chamber exhaust port 93 formed through the rear wall 81Rr. The drying device 80 also includes a heating chamber fan 100 disposed within the case 81 and generating air that is drawn in through the heating chamber intake port 92 and exhausted through the heating chamber exhaust port 93. A wind direction adjusting plate 110 is disposed between the heating chamber intake port 92 and the downstream guide member 30F in the orthogonal direction Z. The heating chamber intake port 92 is located downstream X1 of the heating chamber exhaust port 93 in the transport direction X of the recording medium 5 on the downstream guide member 30F. The wind direction adjusting plate 110 is located downstream of at least an intermediate position M1 between the heating chamber exhaust port 93 and the heating chamber intake port 92 in the transport direction X.

[0041] In this printer 10, the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 is disposed between the heating chamber air intake 92 and the downstream guide member 30F in the orthogonal direction Z, and is provided downstream of at least the midpoint M1 between the heating chamber exhaust port 93 and the heating chamber air intake 92 in the transport direction X. The airflow direction adjusting plate 110 disposed in this position prevents the recording medium 5 from heading toward the heating chamber air intake 92, and prevents the recording medium 5 from sticking to the heating chamber air intake 92.

[0042] In this embodiment, the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 is provided between the heating chamber air intake 92 and the downstream guide member 30F so as to overlap at least a portion of the heating chamber air intake 92 in the transport direction X. With this configuration, by arranging the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 so as to overlap the heating chamber air intake 92, the recording medium 5 is further prevented from sticking to the heating chamber air intake 92.

[0043] In this embodiment, the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 is inclined with respect to the downstream guide member 30F so that the closer it is to the downstream guide member 30F the further downstream X1 in the transport direction X. Therefore, the hot air W1 exhausted from the heating chamber exhaust port 93 and traveling through the heating area A1 flows toward the downstream guide member 30F. This pushes the recording medium 5 toward the downstream guide member 30F, making it less likely to be adsorbed by the heating chamber intake port 92 opposite the downstream guide member 30F. Some of the hot air W1b sucked into the heating chamber intake port 92 passes in front of the airflow direction adjusting plate 110, returning to the upstream X2 side in the transport direction X. However, this hot air W1b bends the recording medium 5, so that it is not, or at least is hardly, adsorbed by the heating chamber intake port 92.

[0044] Without the airflow direction adjustment plate 110, the flow of hot air W1 that flows downstream X1 in the transport direction X in the heating area A1 and then flows into the heating chamber air intake 92 causes the air pressure in the space between the recording medium 5 and the heating chamber air intake 92 to be lower than the air pressure in the space between the recording medium 5 and the downstream guide member 30F. This causes a lifting force toward the heating chamber air intake 92 to act on the recording medium 5. If the recording medium 5 is light, for example, and the lifting force causes the recording medium 5 to float up, the recording medium 5 may end up blocking the heating chamber air intake 92. If the heating chamber air intake 92 is blocked, the circulation of the hot air W1 is hindered. This could cause the temperature of the heater 101 to become too high.

[0045] Even without the airflow direction adjusting plate 110, it is possible to prevent the recording medium 5 from sticking to the heating chamber air inlet 92 by sending the recording medium 5 downstream X1 from the heating chamber air inlet 92 before driving the drying device 80. However, if the heating chamber air inlet 92 is located downstream X1 from the heating chamber exhaust port 93, the distance in the transport direction X between the heating chamber air inlet 92 and the platen 20 is long. As a result, a large area of ​​the recording medium 5 is wasted without being printed on. According to this embodiment, it is possible to reduce such wasted recording medium 5.

[0046] In this embodiment, the downstream end 110D of the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 is positioned downstream X1 in the transport direction X from the downstream end of the heating chamber air intake 92. With this configuration, the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 overlaps the entire heating chamber air intake 92 in the transport direction X. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the recording medium 5 from sticking to the heating chamber air intake 92.

[0047] In this embodiment, the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 is arranged to overlap the entire heating chamber air intake 92 in the transport direction X. However, it may also be arranged to overlap only a portion of the heating chamber air intake 92. Furthermore, the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 may extend only up to X2 upstream of the heating chamber air intake 92 in the transport direction X so as not to overlap with the heating chamber air intake 92. The airflow direction adjusting plate 110 only needs to be arranged downstream of the midpoint M1 between the heating chamber exhaust port 93 and the heating chamber air intake 92 in the transport direction X. For example, if the speed of the hot air flowing through the downstream guide member 30F is faster than the speed of the intake air sucked in through the heating chamber air intake 92, there is little risk that the recording medium 5 being transported along the downstream guide member 30F will be sucked into the heating chamber air intake 92. The air direction adjustment plate 110 is intended to direct the hot air W1 blown out from the heating chamber exhaust port 93 toward the downstream guide member 30F, and in the case described above, for example, it does not have to overlap with the heating chamber intake port 92 in the conveying direction X.

[0048] In this embodiment, the downstream end 81R4 of the rear wall 81Rr of the case 81 is located downstream X1 in the conveying direction X from the downstream end 110D of the airflow direction adjusting plate 110. With this configuration, the length of the rear wall 81Rr on the downstream X1 side of the heating chamber air intake 92 is longer. Therefore, the temperature of the hot air W1 is less likely to drop on the downstream X1 side of the heating chamber air intake 92 in the heating area A1.

[0049] In this embodiment, the rear wall 81Rr of the case 81 includes a first opposing surface 81R1 through which the heating chamber exhaust port 93 is formed, and a second opposing surface 81R2 that is located downstream X1 from the first opposing surface 81R1 and farther from the downstream guide member 30F than the first opposing surface 81R1, and through which the heating chamber intake port 92 is formed. The airflow direction adjusting plate 110 extends downstream X1 from the middle of a step surface 81R3 connecting the first opposing surface 81R1 and the second opposing surface 81R2. With this configuration, the starting point of the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 is farther from the downstream guide member 30F than the first opposing surface 81R1, so the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 can be tilted without protruding too far from the first opposing surface 81R1 (i.e., without the airflow direction adjusting plate 110 narrowing the heating area A1).

[0050] Second Embodiment In a second embodiment, the printer 10 includes a roller 120 as an anti-stiction member. 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, overlapping descriptions will be omitted or simplified.

[0051] FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the vicinity of a drying device 80 according to a second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the drying device 80 according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 , in this embodiment, the anti-stiction member includes rolling elements, here, a plurality of rollers 120, that are rotatable toward the downstream X1 in the conveyance direction X. Each roller 120 is disposed between the heating chamber intake port 92 and the downstream guide member 30F in the orthogonal direction Z and downstream of at least an intermediate position M1 between the heating chamber exhaust port 93 and the heating chamber intake port 92 in the conveyance direction X. Here, each roller 120 is disposed between the heating chamber intake port 92 and the downstream guide member 30F so as to overlap at least a portion of the heating chamber intake port 92 in the conveyance direction X.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 7 , in this embodiment, the anti-stiction member includes a plurality of roller support members 121 that respectively support a plurality of rollers 120. Here, each roller support member 121 rotatably supports two rollers 120 aligned in the conveying direction X. However, each roller support member 121 may support one roller 120 or three or more rollers 120. The roller support members 121 are aligned in the scanning direction Y. The roller support members 121 are fixed to the second opposing surface 81R2 of the case 81. Each roller support member 121 has a substantially triangular shape when viewed in the scanning direction Y so as to eliminate the angular difference between the extension direction of the second opposing surface 81R2 and the conveying direction X. However, the mechanism for supporting the rollers 120 is not limited to this.

[0053] In this embodiment, even if the recording medium 5 is sucked toward the heating chamber intake port 92 by the lifting force, the recording medium 5 is received by the plurality of rollers 120, so that the recording medium 5 can be prevented from being stuck to the heating chamber intake port 92. Furthermore, because the anti-stiction members are the rollers 120, damage to the recording medium 5 due to friction with the anti-stiction members can be suppressed.

[0054] The roller 120 is an example of a rolling element, and the rolling element may be, for example, a ball. A plurality of rolling elements may be arranged in a line in the transport direction X of the recording medium 5. The configuration of the rolling elements is not limited as long as they are rotatable at least toward the downstream X1 of the transport direction X, and the arrangement of the rolling elements is not limited as long as they are arranged between the heating chamber intake port 92 and the downstream guide member 30F so as to overlap at least a portion of the heating chamber intake port 92.

[0055] [Other Embodiments] Several preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the above-described embodiments are merely illustrative, and the present invention can be embodied in various other forms. For example, the anti-stiction member may be provided on a separate member, such as the printer body, rather than on the drying device. The anti-stiction member that receives the recording medium and prevents it from sticking to the heating chamber air intake is not limited to one equipped with a rolling element, but may also be one equipped with a mesh plate, for example. The drying device does not need to be equipped with a configuration that blows out air as an air curtain. Other configurations of the printer are also not particularly limited.

[0056] 5 Recording medium 10 Inkjet printer 20 Platen 30F Downstream guide member (guide member) 40 Conveying device 50 Ink head 80 Drying device 81 Case 81Rr Rear wall (opposing surface) 81R1 First opposing surface 81R2 Second opposing surface 81R3 Step surface 92 Heating chamber intake port (intake port) 93 Heating chamber exhaust port (exhaust port) 100 Heating chamber fan (fan) 101 Heater 110 Air direction adjustment plate (anti-stiction member) 120 Roller (anti-stiction member) M1 Intermediate position

Claims

1. An inkjet printer comprising: a platen on which a sheet-like recording medium is placed; a transport device that transports the recording medium placed on the platen forward; an ink head that is arranged above the platen and ejects ink onto the recording medium placed on the platen; a guide member that is arranged forward of the platen and guides 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 box-shaped case that has an opposing surface that faces the guide member and has an air intake port and an air exhaust port formed therethrough; a fan that is arranged within the case and generates air that is sucked in through the air intake port and exhausted from the air exhaust port; and an anti-stiction member that is arranged between the air intake port and the guide member in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the recording medium on the guide member, wherein the air intake port is arranged downstream of the air exhaust port in the transport direction, and the anti-stiction member is arranged downstream of at least a midpoint between the air exhaust port and the air intake port in the transport direction.

2. The inkjet printer according to claim 1, wherein the anti-suction member is provided so as to overlap at least a portion of the air intake port in the transport direction.

3. An inkjet printer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the anti-stiction member is provided with an airflow direction adjusting plate that is inclined relative to the guide member so that the anti-stiction member approaches the guide member the further downstream in the transport direction.

4. The inkjet printer according to claim 3, wherein the downstream end of the airflow direction adjusting plate is located downstream of the downstream end of the air intake port.

5. The inkjet printer according to claim 4, wherein the downstream end of the opposing surface is located downstream of the downstream end of the airflow direction adjusting plate.

6. An inkjet printer as described in any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the opposing surfaces include a first opposing surface through which the exhaust port is formed, and a second opposing surface that is located downstream of the first opposing surface and farther from the guide member than the first opposing surface, and through which the intake port is formed, and the air direction adjustment plate extends downstream from midway along a step surface connecting the first opposing surface and the second opposing surface.

7. The inkjet printer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the anti-stiction member is provided with a rolling element that is rotatable downstream in the transport direction.

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