Heating device for printer, and printer

Abstract

The present invention makes it possible to uniformly heat a medium from a heater. This heating device 100 heats a medium 5 printed by a printer 10. The heating device 100 comprises a heating device body 110 in which an internal space 118 is formed, a medium inlet 116 and a medium outlet 117 which are formed in the heating device body 110 and through which the medium 5 passes, a heating passage 120 that is disposed in the internal space 118 and connects the medium inlet 116 and the medium outlet 117, a heater 180 that is disposed in the internal space 118 and extends in a width direction Y intersecting a conveyance direction D1 from the medium inlet 116 toward the medium outlet 117, and a regulation part 150 provided between the heater 180 and the heating passage 120. The regulation part 150 has a plurality of regulation members 160 that are arranged side by side so as to be separated in the width direction Y. The plurality of regulation members 160 are arranged so as to extend in an inclination direction D3 that inclines in the width direction Y with respect to the conveyance direction D1.

Description

Printer Heating Device and Printer

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

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a printer that prints on a medium that is a heating and bulging medium where the heated portion bulges. The printer includes an inkjet head that ejects ink that generates heat by absorbing energy rays of a predetermined wavelength, and an irradiation unit that irradiates energy rays.

[0003] In the above printer, ink is ejected from the inkjet head onto the portion of the medium that is to be bulged. By irradiating the portion of the medium where the ink has been ejected with energy rays from the irradiation unit, the ink generates heat. As a result, the portion of the medium where the ink has been ejected is heated and bulges.

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

[0005] By the way, instead of the irradiation unit that irradiates energy rays, a heating device for heating the medium may be provided in the printer. This heating device includes, for example, a main body in which a heater is provided inside. A medium inlet and a medium outlet through which the medium passes are formed in the main body. The medium is heated by the heater while being conveyed into the main body through the medium inlet. The medium heated in the main body is conveyed to the outside through the medium outlet. In the above heating device, it is preferable that the medium arranged in the main body is uniformly heated by the heater.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of this point, and an object thereof is to provide a printer heating device and a printer capable of uniformly heating a medium from a heater.

[0007] The printer heating device according to the present invention is a heating device for heating a medium printed by a printer. The heating device comprises a heating device body, a medium inlet, a medium outlet, a heating passage, a heater, and a regulating section. An internal space is formed inside the heating device body. The medium inlet and the medium outlet are formed in the heating device body, and the medium passes through them. The heating passage is located in the internal space and connects the medium inlet and the medium outlet. The heater is located in the internal space and extends in a width-intersecting direction that intersects the transport direction from the medium inlet to the medium outlet. The regulating section is provided between the heater and the heating passage. The regulating section has a plurality of regulating members that extend in the transport direction and are arranged side by side so as to be spaced apart in the intersecting width direction. The plurality of regulating members are arranged to extend in an inclined direction that is inclined in the intersecting width direction with respect to the transport direction.

[0008] A restricting element is positioned between the heater and the heating passage. Therefore, the heat emitted from the heater is less likely to be transferred to the portion of the medium passing through the heating passage that overlaps with the restricting element. However, in the heating device of the aforementioned printer, the restricting element is inclined along an inclined direction relative to the transport direction. Therefore, as the medium moves through the heating passage, the portion that overlaps with the restricting element changes accordingly. As a result, the portion of the medium that is difficult to heat is not fixed, and the medium can be heated evenly and uniformly by the heater.

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a printer heating device and a printer that can uniformly heat a medium from a heater.

[0010] Figure 1 is a front view showing a printer according to an embodiment. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the printer along the section II-II in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a schematic bottom view showing the configuration of the bottom of the carriage and ink head. Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the heating device in Figure 2. Figure 5 is a view showing the heater of the heating device, as seen from the rear side of the printer. Figure 6 is a front view showing multiple guide members. Figure 7 is a front view showing multiple regulating members.

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments described herein are not intended to particularly limit the present invention. Furthermore, the same reference numerals are used for components and parts that perform the same function, and redundant explanations are omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0012] Figure 1 is a front view showing the printer 10 according to this embodiment. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the printer 10 along the II-II section in Figure 1. In the following description of the printer 10, left, right, up, and down refer to the left, right, up, and down directions as seen from the perspective of a user standing in front of the printer 10. The direction from the printer 10 towards the user is considered the front, and the direction from the user towards the printer 10 is considered the rear. The symbols F, Rr, L, R, U, and D in the drawings indicate the front, rear, left, right, up, and down of the printer 10, respectively. The symbol Y in the drawings indicates the main scanning direction. In this embodiment, the main scanning direction Y is the left-right direction. The symbol X in the drawings indicates the sub-scanning direction. The sub-scanning direction X is the direction that intersects (in this case is orthogonal to) the main scanning direction Y in a plan view. In this embodiment, the sub-scanning direction X is the front-back direction in a plan view. On the support base 16 (see Figure 2), which will be described later, the sub-scanning direction X is the front-back direction. In this embodiment, a part of the sub-scanning direction X becomes the transport direction D1. The main scanning direction Y is an example of the width direction. Here, the forward side of the sub-scanning direction X is the downstream side. The rear side of the sub-scanning direction X is the upstream side. However, these directions are defined for the sake of explanation and do not limit the installation configuration of the printer 10 in any way, nor do they limit the present invention in any way.

[0013] Printer 10 is an inkjet printer, a so-called inkjet printer. However, the printing method of printer 10 is not limited to inkjet; for example, it may be a thermal printer or a laser printer. In this embodiment, printer 10 is a roll-to-roll type printer that unfolds the medium 5 on a support base 16 (see Figure 2) and moves it in the sub-scanning direction X.

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

[0015] The medium 5 is a heat-expandable medium that expands when heated. Here, the medium 5 expands (in other words, expands) when heated to a predetermined heating temperature. Although not shown in the figures, the medium 5 has a base portion made of, for example, a film, and a heat-expandable layer made of heat-expandable microcapsules coated on the base portion. The heat-expandable layer contains a blowing agent and additives. The blowing agent may be, for example, 0.1 to 10 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of a polyolefin material with an elastic modulus of less than 0.1 GPa. The blowing agent may include, for example, an azo compound-based blowing agent, a nitroso compound-based blowing agent, or sodium bicarbonate. The foaming agent is selected from, for example, azodicarbonamide and / or their metal salts, hydrazodicarbonamide, sodium bicarbonate, trihydrazino-sym-triazine, pp'-oxybisbenzenesulfonyl hydrazide, dinitrosopentamethylenetetramine, azobisisobutyl-oddinitrile, p-toluenesulfonyl hydrazide, bisbenzenesulfonyl hydrazide, etc. The polyolefin material is selected from, for example, thermoplastic elastomer polyolefin, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, atactic polypropylene polymer, or mixtures thereof. The thickness of the heat-foamed layer is preferably, for example, 0.05 mm to 0.3 mm. The additive is preferably, for example, 0 to 200 parts by weight. When the heated portion of the heat-foamed layer of the medium 5 foams, the heated portion of the medium 5 bulges. This makes it possible to produce printed materials with uneven surfaces.

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

[0017] As shown in Figure 2, the printer 10 includes a support base 16, a support base heater 18, and a support roller 14. The support base 16 and the support roller 14 support the medium 5. Here, the support base 16 and the support roller 14 support the roll-shaped medium 5 in an unfolded state. In the following description, the medium 5 includes the roll-shaped medium 5 in an unfolded state. The medium 5 is placed on the support base 16 in an unfolded state. Printing on the medium 5 is performed on the support base 16. The support base 16 is a so-called platen. In this embodiment, the upper surface of the support base 16 extends in the main scanning direction Y and the sub-scanning direction X. The upstream portion of the support base 16 (here, the rear portion) is formed in a circular arc shape in cross-section, and curves downward as it moves towards the rear.

[0018] The support base heater 18 heats the medium 5 supported on the support base 16. The heating temperature of the support base heater 18 is, for example, around 330 to 450 degrees Celsius. Here, the support base heater 18 is located on the underside of the support base 16. When the support base heater 18 is driven and the support base 16 is heated, the medium 5 supported on the support base 16 is also heated. This promotes the drying of the ink ejected onto the medium 5. The position of the support base heater 18 is not particularly limited. For example, the support base heater 18 may be placed above the support base 16 to heat the medium 5 from above.

[0019] The support roller 14 is a roller that extends in the main scanning direction Y. Although not shown in the illustration, the support roller 14 is rotatably supported by the printer body 10a. The support roller 14 is located downstream of the support base 16 in the sub-scanning direction X. Here, the support roller 14 is located in front of the support base 16. The medium 5 is transported from the support base 16 toward the circumferential surface of the support roller 14. The support roller 14 is configured to rotate as the medium 5 is transported. As the support roller 14 rotates, the portion of the medium 5 supported by the support roller 14 is transported downstream in the sub-scanning direction X. Note that the support roller 14 is not shown in Figure 1.

[0020] The printer 10 comprises a guide rail 17, a carriage 20, and an ink head 22 (see Figure 2). The guide rail 17 is positioned above the support base 16. As shown in Figure 1, the guide rail 17 is positioned parallel to the upper surface of the support base 16 and extends in the main scanning direction Y. The carriage 20 is engaged with the guide rail 17. The carriage 20 is slidably mounted on the guide rail 17 and is configured to be movable in the main scanning direction Y.

[0021] As shown in Figure 2, the ink head 22 ejects ink. The ink head 22 is mounted on the carriage 20. In other words, the ink head 22 is mounted on the carriage 20. The ink head 22 is supported by the carriage 20 such that its bottom surface is exposed downwards. The number of ink heads 22 is not particularly limited. Figure 3 is a schematic bottom view showing the configuration of the carriage 20 and the bottom surface of the ink head 22. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, there are two ink heads 22. The two ink heads 22 are arranged side by side in the main scanning direction Y. Each ink head 22 has a nozzle surface 25. The nozzle surface 25 constitutes the bottom surface of the ink head 22. A nozzle 26 for ejecting ink is formed on each nozzle surface 25. Multiple nozzles 26 are formed side by side in the sub-scanning direction X. Here, a row of multiple nozzles 26 arranged in the sub-scanning direction X is called a nozzle row 28. The number of nozzle rows 28 for one ink head 22 is four. However, the number of nozzle rows 28 for a single ink head 22 is not particularly limited and may be one to three, or five or more.

[0022] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, one of the two ink heads 22 is a foam-suppressing ink head 22A, and the other of the two ink heads 22 is a color ink head 22B. The ink head 22 has a foam-suppressing ink head 22A and a color ink head 22B. The foam-suppressing ink head 22A and the color ink head 22B are spaced apart. The foam-suppressing ink head 22A and the color ink head 22B are arranged independently.

[0023] Here, the foam-suppressing ink head 22A and the color ink head 22B are positioned at different locations in the sub-scanning direction X, a so-called staggered arrangement. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, at least a portion of the color ink head 22B is positioned further back in the sub-scanning direction X than the foam-suppressing ink head 22A. In other words, at least a portion of each nozzle row 28 of the color ink head 22B is positioned further back in the sub-scanning direction X than each nozzle row 28 of the foam-suppressing ink head 22A. Here, the positions in the sub-scanning direction X of a portion of the color ink head 22B and the foam-suppressing ink head 22A overlap. More specifically, the positions in the sub-scanning direction X of the color ink head 22B and the foam-suppressing ink head 22A overlap by one or several nozzles 26 minutes (here, one nozzle 26 minutes). The foam-suppressing ink head 22A is positioned to protrude forward in the sub-scanning direction X than the color ink head 22B. However, the front end of the color ink head 22B may be positioned further back than the rear end of the foam-suppressing ink head 22A. In other words, the foam-suppressing ink head 22A and the color ink head 22B do not need to be in the same position in the sub-scanning direction X.

[0024] Furthermore, the foam-suppressing ink head 22A and the color ink head 22B do not have to be in a staggered arrangement. That is, the foam-suppressing ink head 22A and the color ink head 22B may be at the same position in the sub-scanning direction X. In the foam-suppressing ink head 22A, the front end may be at the same position as the front end of the color ink head 22B, and the rear end may be at the same position as the rear end of the color ink head 22B. In this case, it is preferable that at least a portion of each nozzle row 28 of the foam-suppressing ink head 22A is positioned further forward in the sub-scanning direction X than each nozzle row 28 of the color ink head 22B. However, even in this case, the nozzle rows 28 of the foam-suppressing ink head 22A and the nozzle rows 28 of the color ink head 22B may be at the same position in the sub-scanning direction X.

[0025] The foam-suppressing ink head 22A (more specifically, the nozzle 26 of the foam-suppressing ink head 22A) dispenses foam-suppressing ink that suppresses foaming even when the medium 5 (more specifically, the heated foaming layer of the medium 5) is heated. This foam-suppressing ink is dispensed to the parts of the medium 5 that should not foam even when heated and that should not be raised. Then, the parts of the medium 5 other than the parts to which the foam-suppressing ink has been dispensed are heated, and foaming is promoted. As a result, the parts of the medium 5 to which the foam-suppressing ink has not been dispensed are heated, foamed, and raised.

[0026] The foam-suppressing ink is, for example, a solvent ink suitable for the polyolefin surface that forms the heat-foamed layer of the medium 5. The foam-suppressing ink may contain, for example, benzotriazole, lattice triazole, trimellitic acid, maleic anhydride, etc. Among these, trimellitic acid or maleic anhydride is preferred as the foam-suppressing ink. In this embodiment, the foam-suppressing ink does not contain a pigment. That is, the foam-suppressing ink is a transparent (in other words, colorless) ink. However, the foam-suppressing ink may contain a pigment. The foam-suppressing ink may also be a colored ink.

[0027] The color ink head 22B (more specifically, the nozzle 26 of the color ink head 22B) ejects color ink. An image can be formed on the medium 5 by the color ink ejected from the color ink head 22B. The color ink ejected from the color ink head 22B includes at least process color ink. Here, the color ink includes spot color ink. Here, process color ink includes, for example, cyan ink, magenta ink, yellow ink, black ink, etc. Spot color ink is a color ink of a color other than the process color ink. Spot color ink includes, for example, white ink, clear ink, gloss ink, primer ink, fluorescent ink, metallic ink, orange ink, red ink, violet ink, blue ink, green ink, etc. Here, one color of color ink is ejected from one nozzle row 28 of the color ink head 22B. There are no limitations on the material of the color ink, and various materials that have been conventionally used as ink materials for inkjet printers and the like can be used. In this embodiment, the color ink includes pigment. Also, the color ink is, for example, water-based ink. Unlike the foam-suppressing ink described above, the color ink is not an ink that suppresses foaming even when the portion of the ejected medium 5 is heated. However, the color ink may also be an ink that suppresses foaming even when the portion of the ejected medium 5 is heated.

[0028] As shown in Figure 2, the printer 10 is equipped with a sheet cutter 32. The sheet cutter 32 cuts the unfolded medium 5, which is supported on the support base 16. Here, the sheet cutter 32 is used to cut the medium 5 in a straight line along the main scanning direction Y. The medium 5 cut by the sheet cutter 32 is divided into two parts: the upstream side (rear side in this case) of the sub-scanning direction X and the downstream side (front side in this case) of the sub-scanning direction X. Note that the sheet cutter 32 is not shown in Figure 3.

[0029] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the sheet cutter 32 is provided on the carriage 20. The sheet cutter 32 is configured to be movable in the vertical direction relative to the carriage 20. For example, the sheet cutter 32 may be attached to a solenoid (not shown), and may be configured to move in the vertical direction by turning the solenoid ON / OFF.

[0030] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, a cutter groove 16A extending in the main scanning direction Y is formed on the upper surface of the support base 16. In a plan view, the sheet cutter 32 is positioned so as to overlap with the cutter groove 16A in the sub-scanning direction X. When the sheet cutter 32 cuts the medium 5 into a sheet, the sheet cutter 32 is configured to penetrate the medium 5 and enter the cutter groove 16A.

[0031] As shown in Figure 1, the printer 10 includes a head moving mechanism 40 and a transport mechanism 50. The head moving mechanism 40 is a mechanism that moves the carriage 20, ink head 22, and sheet cutter 32 relative to the medium 5 supported on the support base 16 in the main scanning direction Y. Here, the head moving mechanism 40 moves the carriage 20, ink head 22, and sheet cutter 32 in the main scanning direction Y. Note that the configuration of the head moving mechanism 40 is not particularly limited.

[0032] In this embodiment, the head movement mechanism 40 includes a pulley 41, a pulley 42, an endless belt 43, and a scan motor 44. The pulley 41 is provided around the left end of the guide rail 17. The pulley 42 is provided around the right end of the guide rail 17. The belt 43 is wrapped around the pulleys 41 and 42. As shown in Figure 2, the belt 43 is fixed to the upper rear of the carriage 20. As shown in Figure 1, the scan motor 44 is connected to the right pulley 42. However, the scan motor 44 may also be connected to the left pulley 41. Here, the scan motor 44 is driven, causing the pulley 42 to rotate, and the belt 43 travels between the pulleys 41 and 42. As a result, the carriage 20, the ink head 22, and the sheet cutter 32 move in the main scanning direction Y.

[0033] The transport mechanism 50 is a mechanism that transports the medium 5 relative to the ink head 22 in the sub-scanning direction X. Here, the transport mechanism 50 transports the unfolded portion of the roll-shaped medium 5 supported on the support base 16 in the sub-scanning direction X. The configuration of the transport mechanism 50 is not particularly limited.

[0034] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the transport mechanism 50 includes a grid roller 51, a pinch roller 52, and a feed motor 53. The grid roller 51 is provided on a support base 16. Here, the grid roller 51 is embedded in the support base 16 such that at least a portion of the grid roller 51 is exposed upward from the support base 16. The pinch roller 52 presses down on the unfolded portion of the roll-shaped medium 5 from above and is positioned above the grid roller 51. The pinch roller 52, together with the grid roller 51, sandwiches the medium 5. The pinch roller 52 faces the grid roller 51. The pinch roller 52 is configured to be movable in the vertical direction. The installation positions and number of the grid roller 51 and pinch roller 52 are not particularly limited. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, seven grid rollers 51 and seven pinch rollers 52 are provided. The multiple grid rollers 51 are arranged in a line in the main scanning direction Y. Multiple pinch rollers 52 are arranged in line in the main scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the feed motor 53 is connected to the grid roller 51. When the feed motor 53 is driven and the grid roller 51 rotates with the medium 5 sandwiched between the grid roller 51 and the pinch roller 52, the unfolded portion of the roll-shaped medium 5 is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction X.

[0035] As shown in Figure 2, the printer 10 is equipped with a feed device 60 having a feed roller 61. The feed device 60 is detachably provided with a medium 5 wound in a roll shape. The feed device 60 is a device that supplies the unfolded roll of medium 5 to the support base 16. The feed roller 61 is positioned behind and below the support base 16. As shown in Figure 1, the feed roller 61 is formed in a cylindrical or cylindrical shape extending in the main scanning direction Y. The medium 5 before printing is wound around the circumferential surface of the feed roller 61. The left end of the feed roller 61 is rotatably supported by the left guide plate 62L, and the right end of the feed roller 61 is rotatably supported by the right guide plate 62R. The transport mechanism 50 transports the unfolded medium 5 downstream in the sub-scanning direction X, so that the unfolded portion of the roll of medium 5 is fed from the feed roller 61 toward the support base 16. In this embodiment, the printer 10 does not have a motor to rotate the supply roller 61, but it may have such a motor.

[0036] As shown in Figure 2, the printer 10 is equipped with a winding device 70 that winds the unfolded medium 5, which is supported on a support base 16, into a roll. The winding device 70 includes a winding roller 71 and a winding motor 75 (see Figure 1).

[0037] The winding roller 71 winds up the unfolded medium 5. As shown in Figure 1, the winding roller 71 is formed in a cylindrical or cylindrical shape extending in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in Figure 2, the winding roller 71 is positioned below the support base 16 and below the supply roller 61. The winding roller 71 is also positioned below the support roller 14. As shown in Figure 1, the printer 10 includes a first left side wall 76L and a first right side wall 76R that rotatably support the winding roller 71. The winding roller 71 includes a support portion 71a supported by the first left side wall 76L and the first right side wall 76R, and a cylindrical portion 71b with a larger diameter than the support portion 71a. The roll-shaped medium 5 is wound onto the circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 71b. The support portion 71a and the cylindrical portion 71b may be formed integrally or separately. The left end of the winding roller 71 is rotatably supported by the first left side wall 76L. The right end of the winding roller 71 is rotatably supported by the first right side wall 76R. The printer 10 includes a rail 74 that supports the first left side wall 76L and the first right side wall 76R. The rail 74 extends in the main scanning direction Y.

[0038] The winding motor 75 is connected to the winding roller 71 and rotates the winding roller 71. The winding motor 75 is indirectly connected to the winding roller 71 via a reduction gear or the like (not shown). The winding roller 71 rotates in response to the driving force of the winding motor 75. In this embodiment, when the winding motor 75 is driven, the portion of the medium 5 supported by the support base 16 is conveyed downstream in the sub-scanning direction X toward the support roller 14. The medium 5 is then conveyed from the support roller 14 toward the winding roller 71 and wound onto the circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 71b of the winding roller 71.

[0039] In this embodiment, when the medium 5 is transported from the supply device 60 toward the support base 16, the sub-scanning direction X is inclined upward as it moves from rear to front. When the medium 5 is transported from the support roller 14 toward the winding roller 71, the sub-scanning direction X is inclined downward as it moves from rear to front.

[0040] In this embodiment, the printer 10 is equipped with an operation panel 55 located at the right end of the printer body 10a, as shown in Figure 1. The operation panel 55 is equipped with a display screen 56 that displays the status of the printer 10, and operation keys 57 that are operated by the user.

[0041] As shown in Figure 1, the printer 10 is equipped with a control device 80. The control device 80 is a device that performs control related to printing. The configuration of the control device 80 is not particularly limited. The control device 80 is, for example, a microcomputer. The hardware configuration of the microcomputer is not particularly limited, but for example, it includes an I / F, a CPU, ROM, RAM, and a storage device. The control device 80 is located inside the printer body 10a. However, the control device 80 does not have to be located inside the printer body 10a. For example, the control device 80 may be a computer installed outside the printer body 10a. In this case, the control device 80 is connected to the control board (not shown) of the printer 10 via wired or wireless means so as to be able to communicate.

[0042] In this embodiment, the control device 80 is communicatively connected to the support base heater 18, the ink head 22, the head movement mechanism 40 (specifically the scan motor 44), the transport mechanism 50 (specifically the feed motor 53), the operation panel 55, and the winding device 70 (specifically the winding motor 75). The control device 80 controls the support base heater 18, the ink head 22, the head movement mechanism 40, the transport mechanism 50, the operation panel 55, and the winding device 70.

[0043] Incidentally, in the present embodiment, in order to partially raise the medium 5, specifically, in order to foam the portion of the medium 5 where the above-described anti-foaming ink is not ejected, the medium 5 is heated. Therefore, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the printer 10 includes a heating device 100 for heating the medium 5. The heating device 100 is a device that heats the medium 5 printed by the printer 10. The heating device 100 is a device that heats the portion of the medium 5 conveyed downstream in the sub-scanning direction X from the support base 16 and the support roller 14. The heating device 100 is disposed downstream in the sub-scanning direction X from the support base 16 and the support roller 14. Here, the heating device 100 is disposed in front of the support base 16. Further, the heating device 100 is below the support roller 14 and above the winding device 70. In the present embodiment, the heating device 100 is disposed on the conveyance path 105 along which the medium 5 is conveyed from the support roller 14 toward the winding device 70.

[0044] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the heating device 100 in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 4, the heating device 100 includes a heating device main body 110. The heating device main body 110 is in the shape of a hollow case. In the present embodiment, an internal space 118 is formed inside the heating device main body 110. As shown in FIG. 1, the heating device main body 110 extends in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. 2, the heating device main body 110 is disposed in the middle portion of the conveyance path 105. In the present embodiment, the heating device main body 110 is disposed below the upper surface of the support base 16.

[0045] In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the heating device main body 110 has an upper wall 111, a lower wall 112, a front wall 113, and a rear wall 114. The upper wall 111 constitutes the upper end portion of the heating device main body 110. The lower wall 112 constitutes the lower end portion of the heating device main body 110. The lower wall 112 is disposed below the upper wall 111. The upper wall 111 and the lower wall 112 face each other with the internal space 118 interposed therebetween. Here, the upper wall 111 and the lower wall 112 are parallel. The upper wall 111 and the lower wall 112 extend in the main scanning direction Y. The upper wall 111 and the lower wall 112 are inclined downward as they go rearward.

[0046] The front wall 113 constitutes the front end of the heating device body 110. The rear wall 114 constitutes the rear end of the heating device body 110. The rear wall 114 is positioned behind the front wall 113. The front wall 113 and the rear wall 114 face each other across the internal space 118. The front wall 113 and the rear wall 114 are parallel. Here, the front wall 113 and the rear wall 114 extend in the main scanning direction Y. Also, the front wall 113 and the rear wall 114 are inclined forward as they extend downward. The front wall 113 and the rear wall 114 are positioned between the upper wall 111 and the lower wall 112. The front wall 113 and the rear wall 114 are connected to the upper wall 111 and the lower wall 112. Specifically, the upper end of the front wall 113 is connected to the front end of the upper wall 111, and the lower end of the front wall 113 is connected to the front end of the lower wall 112. The upper end of the rear wall 114 is connected to the rear end of the upper wall 111, and the lower end of the rear wall 114 is connected to the rear end of the lower wall 112. In this embodiment, the upper wall 111, lower wall 112, front wall 113, and rear wall 114 are hollow. However, the upper wall 111, lower wall 112, front wall 113, and rear wall 114 may not be hollow but filled with material. Also, the upper wall 111, lower wall 112, front wall 113, and rear wall 114 may be formed integrally, or parts of them may be formed separately.

[0047] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the upper wall 111 has an upper wall inner surface 111a and an upper wall outer surface 111b. The upper wall inner surface 111a is the surface of the upper wall 111 that is located on the side of the internal space 118. Here, the upper wall inner surface 111a is the lower surface of the upper wall 111. The upper wall outer surface 111b is the surface of the upper wall 111 that is located on the side opposite to the internal space 118. The upper wall outer surface 111b is the upper surface of the upper wall 111. The lower wall 112 has a lower wall inner surface 112a and a lower wall outer surface 112b. The lower wall inner surface 112a is the surface of the lower wall 112 that is located on the side of the internal space 118. Here, the lower wall inner surface 112a is the upper surface of the lower wall 112. The lower wall outer surface 112b is the surface of the lower wall 112 that is located on the side opposite to the internal space 118. The outer surface 112b of the lower wall is the lower surface of the lower wall 112.

[0048] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the heating device 100 is provided with a left fixing member 106L and a right fixing member 106R for fixing the heating device main body 110. The left fixing member 106L and the right fixing member 106R are plate-shaped members fixed to the printer main body 10a. The left fixing member 106L and the right fixing member 106R are arranged side by side in the main scanning direction Y and face each other. Here, the left end portion of the heating device main body 110 is provided on the left fixing member 106L. The right end portion of the heating device main body 110 is provided on the right fixing member 106R. The heating device main body 110 is fixed to the printer main body 10a via the left fixing member 106L and the right fixing member 106R.

[0049] Also, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the printer 10 includes a cover body 108. The cover body 108 is a member that covers the heating device 100 (in other words, the heating device main body 110) from above. The cover body 108 covers the support roller 14 from above together with the heating device 100. The cover body 108 is connected to the printer main body 10a and the heating device main body 110, and covers the medium 5 conveyed from the support base 16 toward the heating device 100 from above. Here, the cover body 108 is connected to the front wall 113 of the heating device main body 110 and a portion of the printer main body 10a located above the support base 16. The cover body 108 extends in the main scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, the medium 5 conveyed to the downstream side from the support base 16 is configured to pass below the cover body 108 and reach the support roller 14 and the heating device 100. In FIG. 1, the illustration of the cover body 108 is omitted.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 4, the heating device 100 has a medium inlet 116 and a medium outlet 117. Here, the medium 5 is heated in the internal space 118 of the heating device main body 110. The medium inlet 116 and the medium outlet 117 are portions through which the medium 5 passes. As shown in FIG. 2, the portion of the medium 5 conveyed from the support roller 14 is conveyed into the heating device main body 110 by passing through the medium inlet 116. The portion of the medium 5 in the heating device main body 110 is conveyed to the outside of the heating device main body 110 by passing through the medium outlet 117.

[0051] As shown in Figure 4, the medium inlet 116 is formed in the upper wall 111. Here, the medium inlet 116 penetrates the upper wall 111 vertically and is formed from the outer surface 111b of the upper wall to the inner surface 111a of the upper wall. The area of ​​the medium inlet 116 is configured to decrease from the outer surface 111b of the upper wall to the inner surface 111a of the upper wall. The medium inlet 116 has an inlet inclined surface 116a. The inlet inclined surface 116a is inclined toward the center C1 of the medium inlet 116 from the outer surface 111b of the upper wall to the inner surface 111a of the upper wall. The inlet inclined surface 116a is inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the inner surface 111a of the upper wall and the outer surface 111b of the upper wall, for example.

[0052] In this embodiment, the inlet inclined surface 116a has a front inlet surface 116b and a rear inlet surface 116c. The front inlet surface 116b is the surface located in front of the inlet inclined surface 116a. The front inlet surface 116b is inclined toward the center C1 of the medium inlet 116, i.e., toward the rear, as it moves from the outer surface 111b of the upper wall toward the inner surface 111a of the upper wall. The rear inlet surface 116c is the surface located in rear of the inlet inclined surface 116a. The rear inlet surface 116c is inclined toward the center C1 of the medium inlet 116, i.e., toward the front, as it moves from the outer surface 111b of the upper wall toward the inner surface 111a of the upper wall. Here, the distance between the front inlet surface 116b and the rear inlet surface 116c becomes shorter as it moves from the outer surface 111b of the upper wall toward the inner surface 111a of the upper wall. In this embodiment, the inclination angles of the front inlet surface 116b and the rear inlet surface 116c are the same, but they may be different.

[0053] The medium outlet 117 is formed in the lower wall 112. Here, the medium outlet 117 penetrates the lower wall 112 vertically and is formed from the inner surface 112a to the outer surface 112b of the lower wall. The medium outlet 117 is located below the medium inlet 116. Also, the medium outlet 117 is located in front of the medium inlet 116. The medium outlet 117 is configured such that its area decreases from the inner surface 112a to the outer surface 112b of the lower wall. The medium outlet 117 has an outlet inclined surface 117a. The outlet inclined surface 117a is inclined toward the center C2 of the medium outlet 117 toward the outer surface 112b of the lower wall from the inner surface 112a to the outer surface 112b of the lower wall. The outlet inclined surface 117a is inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the inner surface 112a and the outer surface 112b of the lower wall, for example.

[0054] In this embodiment, the outlet inclined surface 117a has a front outlet surface 117b and a rear outlet surface 117c. The front outlet surface 117b is the surface of the outlet inclined surface 117a that is located in front. The front outlet surface 117b is inclined toward the center C2 side of the medium outlet 117, i.e., the rear side, as it moves from the inner surface 112a of the lower wall toward the outer surface 112b of the lower wall. The rear outlet surface 117c is the surface of the outlet inclined surface 117a that is located in rear. The rear outlet surface 117c is inclined toward the center C2 side of the medium outlet 117, i.e., the front side, as it moves from the inner surface 112a of the lower wall toward the outer surface 112b of the lower wall. Here, the distance between the front outlet surface 117b and the rear outlet surface 117c becomes shorter as it moves from the inner surface 112a of the lower wall toward the outer surface 112b of the lower wall. In this embodiment, the inclination angles of the front outlet surface 117b and the rear outlet surface 117c are the same, but they may be different.

[0055] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, an inlet path 105a, which is part of the transport path 105, is formed between the support roller 14 and the medium inlet 116 of the heating device 100. The portion of the medium 5 transported downstream from the support roller 14 in the sub-scanning direction X passes through the inlet path 105a and reaches the medium inlet 116. The inlet path 105a is formed by a first inlet guide portion 103 and a second inlet guide portion 104. The first inlet guide portion 103 constitutes the rear side of the inlet path 105a. The first inlet guide portion 103 extends along the inlet path 105a from the support roller 14 toward the medium inlet 116. The first inlet guide portion 103 also extends in the main scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the lower end of the first inlet guide portion 103 is inserted into the medium inlet 116. The first inlet guide portion 103 is provided with a bent portion 103a that extends from its lower end toward the rear inlet surface 116c of the media inlet 116. The bent portion 103a is substantially perpendicular to the first inlet guide portion 103. The bent portion 103a may be in contact with the rear inlet surface 116c or may be spaced apart from the rear inlet surface 116c.

[0056] As shown in Figure 2, the second inlet guide portion 104 constitutes the front side of the inlet path 105a. The second inlet guide portion 104 faces the first inlet guide portion 103 across the inlet path 105a. The second inlet guide portion 104 extends along the inlet path 105a from the support roller 14 toward the media inlet 116. The second inlet guide portion 104 also extends in the main scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the lower end of the second inlet guide portion 104 is inserted into the media inlet 116. The second inlet guide portion 104 is provided with an inlet inclined portion 104a. The inlet inclined portion 104a is inclined from the lower end of the second inlet guide portion 104. The inlet inclined portion 104a is inclined along the front inlet surface 116b of the media inlet 116. The inlet inclined portion 104a may be in contact with the front inlet surface 116b or may be spaced apart from the front inlet surface 116b.

[0057] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the heating device 100 includes a heating passage 120 arranged in the internal space 118. The heating passage 120 is a passage connecting the medium inlet 116 and the medium outlet 117. The heating passage 120 is the passage through which the portion of the medium 5 that has passed through the medium inlet 116 passes. Here, the heating passage 120 extends in the main scanning direction Y and in the vertical direction. More specifically, the heating passage 120 extends diagonally from the medium inlet 116 toward the medium outlet 117. The heating passage 120 is inclined forward as it extends downward.

[0058] In this embodiment, the heating device 100 includes a heater 180. The heater 180 is located in the internal space 118 of the heating device 100. The heater 180 is configured to heat the portion of the medium 5 conveyed into the internal space 118 by heating the internal space 118. Here, the heater 180 heats the portion of the medium 5 that passes through a heating passage 120 provided in the internal space 118. As shown in Figure 1, the heater 180 extends in the main scanning direction Y. The heater 180 is the same size as, or slightly shorter than, the length of the internal space 118 of the heating device body 110 in the main scanning direction Y. Also, the length of the heater 180 in the main scanning direction Y is slightly longer than the length of the medium 5 in the main scanning direction Y.

[0059] Figure 5 shows the heater 180 of the heating device 100, and is a view from the back side of the printer 10. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, the heater 180 has a plurality of ceramic heaters 181. The plurality of ceramic heaters 181 are arranged in line in the main scanning direction Y. The number of ceramic heaters 181 constituting the heater 180 is not particularly limited, but here there are 13. Here, the number of ceramic heaters 181 is appropriately determined according to the size of the ceramic heaters 181 and the length of the heating device body 110 in the main scanning direction Y.

[0060] In this embodiment, the configuration, shape, and size of the multiple ceramic heaters 181 are the same. Each ceramic heater 181 has a heater body 182 and a heating temperature sensor 185.

[0061] The heater body 182 is rectangular in shape when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction Y and the sub-scanning direction X. However, the shape of the heater body 182 is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the heater body 182 may be arranged such that the right and left sides extending in the vertical direction are inclined with respect to the main scanning direction Y. Here, the left and right sides of the heater body 182 are inclined to the right as they are directed downwards. Alternatively, the heater body 182 may be arranged such that the top and bottom surfaces are inclined in the vertical direction. Here, the top and bottom surfaces of the heater body 182 are inclined downwards as they are directed to the left. However, the heater body 182 may be arranged without inclination. Here, the heater body 182 is made of ceramic, but the material used to form the heater body 182 is not particularly limited.

[0062] The heating temperature sensor 185 detects the heater temperature of the ceramic heater 181. The type of heating temperature sensor 185 is not particularly limited. Here, the heating temperature sensor 185 is composed of a thermocouple. Also, the position of the heating temperature sensor 185 relative to the heater body 182 is not particularly limited. For example, the heating temperature sensor 185 is located in the central part of the heater body 182.

[0063] Although not shown in the diagram, the heater body 182 is provided with a heat source. The heat source emits heat. In this embodiment, when the heater 180 is described as being heated, it means that heat is being emitted from the heat source of the ceramic heater 181. When the heater 180 is heated by the heat emitted from the heat source, the internal space 118 of the heating device body 110 is heated. Although not shown in the diagram, the control device 80 in Figure 1 is connected to the heating device 100 (here, each ceramic heater 181 of the heater 180 (specifically the heat source described above), and the heating temperature sensor 185) in a communicative manner. The control device 80 adjusts the degree of heating of the heater 180 in the heating device 100 so that the heating temperature detected by the heating temperature sensor 185 falls within a predetermined temperature range.

[0064] In this embodiment, the heating temperature of the heater 180 (in other words, the ceramic heater 181) is preferably such that the portion of the medium 5 where the foam-suppressing ink has not been dispensed foams. For example, the temperature at which the medium 5 foams is about 200 degrees Celsius. Therefore, the heating temperature of the heater 180 is preferably about 350 to 400 degrees Celsius. This allows the medium 5 to be sufficiently heated (for example, to about 200 degrees Celsius), so that the medium 5 can be partially foamed and raised. Note that the heating temperature of the ceramic heater 181 is higher than the heating temperature of the support base heater 18 (see Figure 2).

[0065] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the heater 180 is fixed to the heating device body 110. Here, the heating device body 110 is provided with a plate-shaped mounting member 187 extending in the main scanning direction Y. The mounting member 187 is fixed to the front wall 113 of the heating device body 110. The heater 180 (more specifically, the multiple ceramic heaters 181) are attached to the mounting member 187. At this time, as shown in Figure 5, the positions in the sub-scanning direction X are the same for the multiple ceramic heaters 181.

[0066] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the internal space 118 is partitioned by a heating passage 120. Here, the internal space 118 has a first space 118a located in front of the heating passage 120 and a second space 118b located behind the heating passage 120. The first space 118a is the space in which the heater 180 is arranged. Here, the first space 118a is larger than the second space 118b. However, the first space 118a may be the same size as the second space 118b, or it may be smaller than the second space 118b. In this embodiment, by forming the second space 118b behind the heating passage 120, the internal space 118 of the heating device body 110 can be made larger. Therefore, the inside of the heating device body 110 is less likely to be heated more than necessary by the heater 180.

[0067] The heating device 100 includes a guide section 130 and a restricting section 150. The heating passage 120 is a passage formed by being sandwiched between the guide section 130 and the restricting section 150. The guide section 130 forms a part of the heating passage 120. Here, the guide section 130 forms the rear end portion of the heating passage 120. The guide section 130 is provided along the transport direction D1 from the medium inlet 116 to the medium outlet 117. This transport direction D1 is the direction in which the medium 5 passes through the heating passage 120 of the heating device 100.

[0068] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the guide portion 130 has a straight-traveling transport portion 131 and an inclined portion 132. The straight-traveling transport portion 131 is the part of the guide portion 130 that extends in the transport direction D1. The straight-traveling transport portion 131 is connected to the upper wall 111 and extends downward from the inner surface 111a of the upper wall 111 and along the transport direction D1. The upper end of the straight-traveling transport portion 131 is positioned behind the medium inlet 116.

[0069] The inclined portion 132 is located closer to the medium outlet 117 than the straight conveying portion 131. The inclined portion 132 is continuous with the straight conveying portion 131. The inclined portion 132 is connected to the lower end of the straight conveying portion 131. The inclined portion 132 is located closer to the heating passage 120 than the straight conveying portion 131. Here, the inclined portion 132 is located in front of the straight conveying portion 131. The inclined portion 132 extends diagonally with respect to the conveying direction D1. Here, as the inclined portion 132 approaches the medium outlet 117, it inclins towards the center C2 of the medium outlet 117. In other words, as the inclined portion 132 extends downward from the lower end of the straight conveying portion 131, it inclins towards the heating passage 120 side (forward in this case).

[0070] In this embodiment, the length L1 of the straight conveying section 131 in the conveying direction D1 is longer than the length L2 of the inclined section 132 in the conveying direction D1. However, the length L1 of the straight conveying section 131 may be the same as the length L2 of the inclined section 132, or it may be shorter than the length L2.

[0071] Figure 6 is a front view showing a plurality of guide members 140. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6, the guide section 130 has a plurality of guide members 140. In the guide section 130, the plurality of guide members 140 are arranged in a line so as to be spaced apart in the main scanning direction Y. Here, the plurality of guide members 140 are arranged at equal intervals. However, the spacing between adjacent guide members 140 in the main scanning direction Y may be different. The number of guide members 140 constituting the guide section 130 is not particularly limited. The number of guide members 140 is appropriately determined according to the length of the main scanning direction Y of the heating device 100. In this embodiment, although not shown, the number of guide members 140 is 13, which is the same as the number of ceramic heaters 181 of the heater 180 (see Figure 5).

[0072] In this embodiment, the multiple guide members 140 are the same in size and shape. Here, as shown in Figure 4, in a side view (when viewed from the main scanning direction Y), the direction that intersects the transport direction D1 (here, the perpendicular direction) is called the intersecting direction D2. Figure 6 is a detailed view from the intersecting direction D2. Here, the guide member 140 is a plate-shaped member that extends in the transport direction D1 and the intersecting direction D2. The guide member 140 is longer in the transport direction D1 than in the intersecting direction D2. Also, the guide member 140 extends along the transport direction D1. The guide member 140 is connected to the upper wall 111 and the lower wall 112. Here, the upper end of the guide member 140 is connected to the inner surface 111a of the upper wall 111. The lower end of the guide member 140 is connected to the inner surface 112a of the lower wall 112.

[0073] More specifically, as shown in Figure 6, the guide member 140 has an upper guide mounting portion 141 and a lower guide mounting portion 142. The upper guide mounting portion 141 is plate-shaped. The upper guide mounting portion 141 extends to the left from the upper end of the guide member 140. The upper guide mounting portion 141 is parallel to the inner surface 111a of the upper wall 111 and is attached and fixed to the inner surface 111a of the upper wall. The guide member 140 is connected to the upper wall 111 by the attachment of the upper guide mounting portion 141 to the inner surface 111a of the upper wall. The lower guide mounting portion 142 is plate-shaped. The lower guide mounting portion 142 extends to the right from the lower end of the guide member 140. The lower guide mounting portion 142 extends on the opposite side from the upper guide mounting portion 141 relative to the guide member 140. The lower guide mounting portion 142 is parallel to the inner surface 112a of the lower wall 112 and is attached and fixed to the inner surface 112a of the lower wall. The guide member 140 is connected to the lower wall 112 by the attachment of the lower guide mounting portion 142 to the inner surface 112a of the lower wall.

[0074] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6, each guide member 140 is provided with a conveying straight portion 131 and an inclined portion 132. The conveying straight portion 131 is provided at the front end and upper part of the guide member 140. The inclined portion 132 is provided at the front end and lower part of the guide member 140. Each guide member 140 is provided with a conveying straight portion 131 and an inclined portion 132 with the shapes shown in Figure 4.

[0075] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the end 117d of the outlet inclined surface 117a of the medium outlet 117 on the side of the center C2 of the medium outlet 117 is positioned closer to the center C2 of the medium outlet 117 than the end 132a of the inclined portion 132 of the guide portion 130 on the side of the center C2 of the medium outlet 117. Here, the end 117d of the outlet inclined surface 117a is the end on the heating passage 120 side of the outlet inclined surface 117a and is the lower end of the outlet inclined surface 117a. The end 117d of the outlet inclined surface 117a is the lower end of the rear outlet surface 117c. The end 132a of the inclined portion 132 of the guide portion 130 is the end on the heating passage 120 side of the inclined portion 132 and is the lower end of the inclined portion 132. In this embodiment, the end 132a of the inclined portion 132 of the guide member 140 is positioned closer to the center C2 of the medium outlet 117 than the end 117e on the outlet inclined surface 117a opposite to the center C2 of the medium outlet 117. Here, the end 117e of the outlet inclined surface 117a is the upper end of the outlet inclined surface 117a, or in other words, the upper end of the rear outlet surface 117c.

[0076] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the angle formed by the inclined portion 132 of the guide portion 130 with respect to the transport direction D1 is called the first angle R1. The angle formed by the outlet inclined surface 117a of the medium outlet 117 with respect to the transport direction D1 is called the second angle R2. Here, the first angle R1 of the inclined portion 132 of the guide portion 130 is smaller than the second angle R2 of the outlet inclined surface 117a. That is, the outlet inclined surface 117a is more inclined with respect to the transport direction D1 than the inclined portion 132.

[0077] The restricting portion 150 forms a part of the heating passage 120. Here, the restricting portion 150 forms the front end portion of the heating passage 120. The restricting portion 150 faces the guide portion 130 across the heating passage 120. The restricting portion 150 is provided along the transport direction D1 from the medium inlet 116 to the medium outlet 117. Here, the restricting portion 150 is provided between the heater 180 and the heating passage 120. The restricting portion 150 is for restricting the portion of the medium 5 passing through the heating passage 120 from coming into contact with the heater 180. The heater 180 heats the portion of the medium 5 passing through the heating passage 120. Therefore, it is preferable that the restricting portion 150 is configured to restrict the medium 5 from moving toward the heater 180 while allowing the heat emitted from the heater 180 to be efficiently transferred to the heating passage 120.

[0078] Figure 7 is a front view showing a plurality of regulating members 160. In Figure 7, the regulating members 160 are shown as viewed from the intersecting direction D2. Also in Figure 7, the dashed line indicates the guide member 140, and shows the positional relationship between the guide member 140 and the regulating members 160 as viewed from the intersecting direction D2. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the regulating section 150 has a plurality of regulating members 160. In the regulating section 150, the plurality of regulating members 160 are arranged side by side so as to be spaced apart in the main scanning direction Y. Here, the plurality of regulating members 160 are arranged at equal intervals. However, the spacing between adjacent regulating members 160 in the main scanning direction Y may be different. The number of regulating members 160 constituting the regulating section 150 is not particularly limited. The number of regulating members 160 is appropriately determined according to the length of the main scanning direction Y of the heating device 100, etc. Although not shown in the diagram, the number of regulating members 160 is the same as the number of ceramic heaters 181 (see Figure 5), and also the same as the number of guide members 140. For example, there are 13 regulating members 160.

[0079] In this embodiment, the multiple regulating members 160 are the same in size and shape. As shown in Figure 4, the regulating member 160 is a plate-shaped member extending in the intersecting direction D2 (in other words, towards the heater 180). The regulating member 160 is arranged to extend in an inclination direction D3 that is inclined in the main scanning direction Y with respect to the transport direction D1. Here, the inclination direction D3 is the direction in which the main scanning direction Y is inclined from one side to the other (here, from the right to the left of the main scanning direction Y) as one side of the transport direction D1 moves from the medium inlet 116 side (upper wall 111 side in Figure 7) to the medium outlet 117 side (lower wall 112 side in Figure 7). That is, the inclination direction D3 is the direction in which the main scanning direction Y is inclined to the left as one side moves towards the medium outlet 117 side. The regulating member 160 is inclined to the left of the main scanning direction Y as one side of the transport direction D1 moves towards the medium outlet 117 side.

[0080] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the upper end 161a of the regulating member 160 in the transport direction D1 is positioned to the right in the main scanning direction Y than the lower end 161b of the adjacent regulating member 160 in the transport direction D1. In other words, for example, the regulating member 160 has a first regulating member 160a and a second regulating member 160b adjacent to one side (in this case, the right side) of the first regulating member 160a in the main scanning direction Y. The first regulating member 160a and the second regulating member 160b are inclined from right to left in the main scanning direction Y as they move from the media inlet 116 side to the media outlet 117 side in the transport direction D1. Here, the end 161a of the first regulating member 160a on the media inlet 116 side in the transport direction D1 is positioned to the right in the main scanning direction Y than the end 161b of the second regulating member 160b on the media outlet 117 side in the transport direction D1.

[0081] In this embodiment, the restricting member 160 is connected to the upper wall 111 and the lower wall 112. Here, the upper end of the restricting member 160 is connected to the inner surface 111a of the upper wall 111. The lower end of the restricting member 160 is connected to the inner surface 112a of the lower wall 112.

[0082] More specifically, as shown in Figure 7, the restricting member 160 has an upper restricting mounting portion 165 and a lower restricting mounting portion 166. The upper restricting mounting portion 165 is plate-shaped. The upper restricting mounting portion 165 extends to the right from the upper end (here, end 161a) of the restricting member 160. The upper restricting mounting portion 165 is parallel to the inner surface 111a of the upper wall 111 and is attached and fixed to the inner surface 111a of the upper wall. The restricting member 160 is connected to the upper wall 111 by the attachment of the upper restricting mounting portion 165 to the inner surface 111a of the upper wall. The lower restricting mounting portion 166 is plate-shaped. The lower restricting mounting portion 166 extends to the left from the lower end (here, end 161b) of the restricting member 160. The lower restricting mounting portion 166 extends on the opposite side from the upper restricting mounting portion 165 relative to the restricting member 160. The restrictive mounting portion 166 is parallel to the inner surface 112a of the lower wall 112 and is attached and fixed to the inner surface 112a of the lower wall. The restrictive member 160 is connected to the lower wall 112 by the attachment of the restrictive mounting portion 166 to the inner surface 112a of the lower wall.

[0083] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, when viewed from the intersecting direction D2, the guide member 140 is positioned between two adjacent restricting members 160. When viewed from the intersecting direction D2, the guide member 140 extends along the transport direction D1 from the end 161a of the left restricting member 160 to the end 161b of the right restricting member 160.

[0084] Here, the distance between adjacent regulating members 160 in the main scanning direction Y is called the separation distance D10. This separation distance D10 is the distance between two adjacent regulating members 160 in the main scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, the separation distance D10 is longer than the length L3 of the regulating member 160 in the main scanning direction Y.

[0085] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, in a side view (when viewed from the main scanning direction Y), each restricting member 160 has a shape similar to that of the guide member 140. The restricting member 160 has a shape that is line-symmetric with respect to the guide member 140 in a side view. The restricting member 160 has a transport straight portion 151 and an inclined portion 152. The transport straight portion 151 is the part of the restricting member 160 that extends in the transport direction D1 in a side view. The transport straight portion 151 is connected to the upper wall 111 and extends downward from the inner surface 111a of the upper wall 111 and along the transport direction D1 in a side view. The upper end of the transport straight portion 151 is positioned in front of the medium inlet 116.

[0086] The inclined portion 152 is located closer to the medium outlet 117 than the straight conveying portion 151. The inclined portion 152 is continuous with the straight conveying portion 151. The inclined portion 152 is connected to the lower end of the straight conveying portion 151. The inclined portion 152 is located closer to the heating passage 120 than the straight conveying portion 151. Here, the inclined portion 152 is located behind the straight conveying portion 151. In a side view, the inclined portion 152 extends diagonally with respect to the conveying direction D1. Here, the inclined portion 152 is inclined toward the center C2 of the medium outlet 117 as it approaches the medium outlet 117. In other words, the inclined portion 152 is inclined toward the heating passage 120 as it extends downward from the lower end of the straight conveying portion 151. In this embodiment, in a side view, with respect to the regulating member 160, the length L4 of the straight conveying portion 151 in the conveying direction D1 is longer than the length L5 of the inclined portion 152 in the conveying direction D1. However, the length L4 of the straight transport section 151 may be the same as the length L5 of the inclined section 152, or it may be shorter than the length L5.

[0087] In this embodiment, the straight-ahead transport portion 151 is provided at the rear end and upper part of the restricting member 160. The inclined portion 152 is provided at the rear end and lower part of the restricting member 160.

[0088] The configuration of the printer 10 according to this embodiment has been described above. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the transport mechanism 50 supplies the media 5 from the supply device 60 onto the support base 16. Color ink is ejected from the color ink head 22B (see Figure 3) onto the media 5 supported on the support base 16, thereby printing an image on the media 5. After printing the image with color ink, foam-suppressing ink is ejected from the foam-suppressing ink head 22A (see Figure 3) onto the parts of the media 5 that are not to be raised.

[0089] Thus, after foam-suppressing ink and color ink are dispensed onto the medium 5 at the support base 16, the medium 5 is transported downstream in the sub-scanning direction X by the transport mechanism 50. As shown in Figure 2, the medium 5 transported from the support base 16 passes through the support roller 14, then through the inlet path 105a sandwiched between the first inlet guide section 103 and the second inlet guide section 104, and reaches the heating device 100. The portion of the medium 5 that has passed through the inlet path 105a passes through the medium inlet 116 of the heating device body 110 and is placed in the internal space 118. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, an inlet inclined surface 116a is formed at the medium inlet 116, so the medium 5 is transported toward the center C1 of the medium inlet 116 while being guided by the inlet inclined surface 116a. In the internal space 118 of the heating device body 110, the medium 5 passes through the heating passage 120. At this time, the portion of the medium 5 passing through the heating passage 120 is heated by the heater 180. Here, the heat emitted from the heater 180 reaches the medium 5 through the gap between adjacent restricting members 160 (see Figure 7), and the medium 5 is heated. Of the medium 5 moving through the heating passage 120, the portion that overlaps with the restricting member 160 in the intersecting direction D2 is less susceptible to heat from the heater 180. However, as shown in Figure 7, the restricting member 160 is inclined along the inclination direction D3, which is inclined with respect to the transport direction D1. Therefore, as the medium 5 moves through the heating passage 120, the portion of the medium 5 that overlaps with the restricting member 160 is appropriately changed. Thus, the portion of the medium 5 passing through the heating passage 120 can be heated uniformly. In this embodiment, the medium 5 is heated by the heater 180. Here, the portion of the medium 5 in which the foam-suppressing ink has not been dispensed foams up and bulges when heated. Thus, irregularities are formed on the medium 5.

[0090] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, after the medium 5 is heated by the heating device 100, the portion of the medium 5 in the heating passage 120 of the heating device body 110 is conveyed downwards through the medium outlet 117 by, for example, the drive of the winding motor 75 of the winding device 70 and the conveying mechanism 50. For example, the portion of the medium 5 passing through the heating passage 120 may move towards the guide portion 130. Even in this case, the portion of the medium 5 passing through the heating passage 120 is conveyed toward the center C2 of the medium outlet 117 while being guided by the inclined portion 132 of the guide portion 130. After that, the portion of the medium 5 is conveyed toward the center C2 of the medium outlet 117 while being guided by the outlet inclined surface 117a of the medium outlet 117.

[0091] The portion of the medium 5 that has been transported below the heating device body 110 is wound onto the circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 71b of the winding roller 71. In this way, by heating the medium 5 and causing it to partially rise, a printed material with an uneven surface can be created.

[0092] As described above, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the printer 10 includes a heating device 100, a support base 16 for supporting the medium 5, and a transport mechanism 50 for transporting the medium 5 supported on the support base 16 toward the heating device 100. The heating device 100 is a heating device that heats the medium 5 printed by the printer 10. As shown in Figure 4, the heating device 100 includes a heating device body 110, a medium inlet 116, a medium outlet 117, a heating passage 120, a heater 180, and a regulating section 150. An internal space 118 is formed inside the heating device body 110. The medium inlet 116 and medium outlet 117 are formed in the heating device body 110, through which the medium 5 passes. The heating passage 120 is located in the internal space 118 and connects the medium inlet 116 and the medium outlet 117. The heater 180 is located in the internal space 118 and extends in the main scanning direction Y, which intersects the transport direction D1 from the medium inlet 116 to the medium outlet 117. The regulating section 150 is provided between the heater 180 and the heating passage 120. As shown in Figure 7, the regulating section 150 has a plurality of regulating members 160 arranged side by side so as to be spaced apart in the main scanning direction Y. The plurality of regulating members 160 are arranged to extend in an inclination direction D3 that is inclined in the main scanning direction Y with respect to the transport direction D1.

[0093] Here, as shown in Figure 4, a restricting member 150 is positioned between the heater 180 and the heating passage 120. Therefore, the heat emitted from the heater 180 is less likely to be transmitted to the portion of the medium 5 passing through the heating passage 120 that overlaps with the restricting member 160 (more specifically, the portion that overlaps with the restricting member 160 when viewed from the intersecting direction D2). However, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the restricting member 160 is inclined along an inclination direction D3 that is inclined with respect to the transport direction D1. Therefore, as the medium 5 moves through the heating passage 120, the portion that overlaps with the restricting member 160 is appropriately changed. Thus, since the portion of the medium 5 in the main scanning direction Y that is less likely to be heated is not fixed, the heater 180 can heat the medium 5 uniformly and evenly.

[0094] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the regulating member 160 has a first regulating member 160a and a second regulating member 160b adjacent to one side (here, the right side) of the first regulating member 160a in the main scanning direction Y. The first regulating member 160a and the second regulating member 160b are inclined from one side to the other (here, from right to left) in the main scanning direction Y as they move from one side to the other (here, from the medium inlet 116 to the medium outlet 117) in the transport direction D1. The end 161a of the first regulating member 160a on one side (here, the upper side) in the transport direction D1 is positioned further to the right in the main scanning direction Y than the end 161b of the second regulating member 160b on the other side (here, the lower side) in the transport direction D1. This allows the portion of the medium 5 passing through the heating passage 120 to be heated more evenly and uniformly by the heater 180.

[0095] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the distance D10 between adjacent regulating members 160 in the main scanning direction Y is longer than the length L3 of the regulating member 160 in the main scanning direction Y. This makes it easier for the heat emitted from the heater 180 to pass through the regulating section 150 and reach the heating passage 120. Therefore, it is possible to easily heat the medium 5 passing through the heating passage 120.

[0096] In this embodiment, the restricting member 160 is a plate-shaped member that extends in the inclined direction D3 and toward the heater 180. This makes it easier for the heat emitted from the heater 180 to reach the heating passage 120 along the restricting member 160.

[0097] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the restricting member 160 extends diagonally with respect to the transport direction D1 and has an inclined portion 152 that slopes toward the center C2 of the medium outlet 117 as it approaches the medium outlet 117. This makes it easier to transport the medium 5 passing through the heating passage 120 toward the center C2 of the medium outlet 117.

[0098] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the regulating member 160 is positioned closer to the medium inlet 116 than the inclined portion 152 and has a straight conveying portion 151 that extends in the conveying direction D1. The inclined portion 152 is positioned closer to the heating passage 120 than the straight conveying portion 151. Also, the length L4 of the straight conveying portion 151 in the conveying direction D1 is longer than the length L5 of the inclined portion 152 in the conveying direction D1. The straight conveying portion 151 is less likely to come into contact with the portion of the medium 5 passing through the heating passage 120 compared to the inclined portion 152. Therefore, when the medium 5 passes through the heating passage 120, it is less likely to come into contact with the portion of the regulating member 160 other than the inclined portion 152, thus preventing the medium 5 from becoming too hot by coming into contact with the regulating member 160.

[0099] 5 Medium 10 Printer 16 Support base 50 Transport mechanism 100 Heating device (printer heating device) 110 Heating device body 111 Upper wall 111a Inner surface of upper wall 111b Outer surface of upper wall 112 Lower wall 112a Inner surface of lower wall 112b Outer surface of lower wall 116 Medium inlet 116a Inlet inclined surface 117 Medium outlet 117a Outlet inclined surface 118 Internal space 120 Heating passage 130 Guide section 131 Straight transport section 132 Inclined section 140 Guide member 150 Restricting section 151 Straight transport section 152 Inclined section 160 Restricting member 160a First restricting member 160b Second restricting member 180 Heater

Claims

1. A heating device for heating a medium printed by a printer, comprising: a heating device body having an internal space formed inside; a medium inlet and a medium outlet formed in the heating device body through which the medium passes; a heating passage arranged in the internal space and connecting the medium inlet and the medium outlet; a heater arranged in the internal space and extending in a width direction intersecting the transport direction from the medium inlet to the medium outlet; and a regulating section provided between the heater and the heating passage, wherein the regulating section has a plurality of regulating members arranged side by side so as to be spaced apart in the width direction, and the plurality of regulating members are arranged to extend in an inclined direction that is inclined in the width direction with respect to the transport direction.

2. The heating device for a printer according to claim 1, wherein the regulating member comprises a first regulating member and a second regulating member adjacent to one side of the first regulating member in the width direction, the first regulating member and the second regulating member are inclined from one side in the width direction to the other as they move from one side in the transport direction to the other, and the end of the first regulating member on one side in the transport direction is positioned on one side in the width direction than the other end of the second regulating member on the transport direction.

3. The heating device for a printer according to claim 1, wherein the distance between adjacent regulating members in the width direction is longer than the length of the regulating member in the width direction.

4. The heating device for a printer according to claim 1, wherein the regulating member is a plate-shaped member extending in the direction of inclination and toward the heater side.

5. The heating device for a printer according to claim 1, wherein the regulating member extends diagonally with respect to the transport direction and has an inclined portion that slopes toward the center of the medium outlet as it approaches the medium outlet.

6. The heating device for a printer according to claim 5, wherein the regulating member is positioned on the media inlet side of the inclined portion and has a transport-direction portion that extends in the transport direction.

7. The heating device for a printer according to claim 6, wherein the inclined portion is located on the heating passage side of the straight transport portion.

8. The heating device for a printer according to claim 6, wherein the length of the straight transport portion in the transport direction is longer than the length of the inclined portion in the transport direction.

9. A printer comprising: a heating device for a printer as described in any one of claims 1 to 8; a support stand for supporting a medium; and a transport mechanism for transporting the medium supported on the support stand toward the heating device.

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