JP5517492B2 - Inkjet recording device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus.

  Patent Document 1 proposes a hot air drying device for an ink jet recording apparatus. This apparatus includes a drying device and a dehumidifier that removes vapor generated from the printed recording paper. In the drying device, the recording paper is dried by hot air generated from the hot air machine. The hot air after being used for drying is dehumidified by a dehumidifier. The hot air after dehumidification is guided again to the hot air machine and recirculated. Equipped with a circulating hot air device for such recirculation, the power consumption of the hot air fan is suppressed.

JP 2002-361850 A

  In order to continuously dry an image with a large amount of ink shot, the dehumidifier alone tends to lack the ability to supply dry air. Therefore, it is necessary to make up for the dry outside air by taking it into the dehumidifier. However, when the intake of outside air at room temperature increases, it is necessary to heat the outside air from room temperature to a desired temperature necessary for drying, which leads to an increase in power consumption. Further, if the capacity of the dehumidifier is increased so that the intake of outside air can be reduced, the apparatus is increased in size and the installation area of the apparatus is also increased.

  The present invention was devised in view of the above problems, and one object of the present invention is to perform ink-jet recording capable of promoting ink drying while suppressing power consumption even in the case of continuously printing an image with a large amount of ink applied. To provide an apparatus.

According to one aspect of the invention,
A recording unit that forms an image by ejecting ink from a recording head onto a recording medium, a hot air device that blows out hot air for drying the ink ejected onto the recording medium, and at least ink to the recording head A power supply unit for supplying electrical energy for discharge, a heat exhaust supply device for supplying the hot air generated from the power supply unit to the hot air device, and after being blown from the hot air device and used for drying ink In order to make the mixing ratio of the circulating device that again guides and circulates the warm air to the warm air device, the hot exhaust gas supplied from the hot exhaust gas supply device, and the hot air circulated by the circulation device variable There is provided an ink jet recording apparatus comprising: a regulating valve; and a control means for controlling the regulating valve .

According to this, the comparatively high-temperature heat exhaust generated from the power supply unit can be supplied to the warm air device and used as the intake air of the warm air device. Therefore, the power consumption at the time of producing | generating a warm air with a warm air apparatus can be suppressed. In particular, even when an image with a large amount of ink applied is continuously printed, the ink can be dried while suppressing power consumption. In addition, since heat exhaust and hot air (referred to as recirculated hot air) used for drying ink are used as intake air for the hot air device, power consumption during drying can be suppressed as described above. . In particular, since the recirculated hot air that is still in a high temperature state is reused, power consumption can be suppressed. Further, the recirculated hot air used for drying the ink and having increased humidity can be heated and dehumidified by the hot exhaust air and the hot air device. Therefore, a dehumidifying function can be provided. In addition, the mixing ratio between the hot exhaust gas and the recirculated hot air is optimally adjusted, and drying can be performed efficiently.

Preferably, the control unit controls the adjustment valve such that the ratio of the heat exhaust increases as the amount of ink per unit time ejected from the recording head increases.

  A relatively large amount of ink adheres to the recording medium when the amount of ink ejected from the recording head increases as in the case of continuously printing images such as photographs with a large amount of ink applied. . In order to dry the adhered ink efficiently, it is preferable to blow warm air that is dried at as high a temperature as possible. Further, when such a relatively large amount of adhered ink is dried, the amount of water evaporation during drying increases, and the humidity of the recirculated hot air increases.

  Therefore, as described above, if the regulating valve is controlled so that the ratio of the heat exhaust increases as the ink discharge amount per unit time increases, the humidity is much lower than the recirculated hot air and the temperature is higher. It becomes possible to increase the ratio of hot exhaust and reduce the ratio of recirculated hot air with high humidity to efficiently perform drying.

Preferably, the control unit predicts an ink discharge amount per unit time from a head driving process data signal for driving the recording head, and controls the adjustment valve based on the predicted ink discharge amount per unit time. To do.

  According to this, when continuously printing images such as photographs with a large amount of ink applied, the adjustment valve is optimized in advance by predicting an increase in the amount of ink applied before the actual ink operation by the recording head. Can be opened at the opening. Therefore, efficient drying is possible.

Preferably, the ink jet recording apparatus further includes a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the power supply unit or hot exhaust gas generated from the power supply unit, and the control unit controls the adjustment valve based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. To do.

  When images such as photographs with a large amount of ink shot are continuously printed, the power supply unit generates heat and the temperature of the heat exhaust increases. According to this preferred embodiment, the temperature rise of the power supply unit or the heat exhaust at this time is sensed by the temperature sensor, and the regulating valve can be controlled so that the ratio of the heat exhaust increases. Therefore, efficient drying is possible.

  According to the present invention, even when an image with a large amount of ink shot is continuously printed, an excellent effect is achieved in that drying of ink can be promoted while suppressing power consumption.

1 is a perspective view of an apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing of the apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing of the apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing of the apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing of the apparatus which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this invention.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 schematically shows a cross-sectional structure of the ink jet recording apparatus.

  As shown in the figure, the ink jet recording apparatus 1 includes a recording unit R including an ink jet recording head 2 (a plurality in the illustrated example). The ink is ejected from the recording head 2 onto a recording medium, for example, onto a paper 3. An image is formed on 3. The ink jet recording apparatus 1 includes a main body 4 that houses the recording head 2 and a drying unit 5 that is disposed adjacent to the main body 4. The ink jet recording apparatus 1 transports the paper 3 recorded or printed by the main body unit 4 to the drying unit 5, dries the ink on the paper 3 by the drying unit 5, and removes the paper 3 after the drying process from the outlet 6 of the drying unit 5. It is designed to be discharged and stacked.

  Although not shown, the main body 4 is provided with a paper feeding / feeding mechanism for transporting the paper 3 to the recording head 2 and feeding it at a predetermined speed during the recording operation. The ink jet recording apparatus 1 is also provided with a paper discharge mechanism for transporting the recorded paper 3 from the main body 4 to the drying unit 5 and further to the outside of the outlet 6. The main body 4 is provided with a control unit for controlling the recording head 2, the paper feed / feed mechanism, the paper discharge mechanism, and other devices.

  The main body 4 is provided with a power supply unit 7 that supplies electrical energy for causing the recording head 2 to eject ink. The power supply unit 7 includes a power supply board unit and is disposed in the vicinity of the recording head 2. The main body 4 is provided with a heat exhaust device 8 for discharging heat generated from the power supply unit 7 when the recording head 2 ejects ink to form an image. The air heated by the heat generated from the power supply unit 7 becomes dry heat exhaust, and a fan for moving the heat exhaust away from the power supply unit 7 is provided in the heat exhaust device 8.

  On the other hand, the drying unit 5 includes a warm air device 9 that blows out warm air for drying the ink ejected onto the paper 3. Although not shown, the hot air device 9 includes a heater that heats air and a fan that blows the heated air, that is, hot air, onto the recording surface of the paper 3. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, a hot air device 9 is provided above the transport path of the paper 3, and the hot air A that blows downward the ink adhering to the upper surface of the paper 3 being transported. It is supposed to dry with.

  Further, the inkjet recording apparatus 1 is provided with a thermal exhaust supply device 10 that supplies the hot exhaust generated from the power supply unit 7 to the hot air device 9. The thermal exhaust supply device 10 includes the above-described exhaust heat device 8 and a thermal exhaust path 11 that sends the thermal exhaust discharged from the exhaust heat device 8 to the hot air device 9. The heat exhaust passage 11 includes a heat exhaust pipe 12 that connects the heat exhaust device 8 and the hot air device 9. As shown in FIG. 2, the heat exhaust B discharged from the heat exhaust device 8 is supplied to the hot air device 9 through the heat exhaust path 11 or the heat exhaust pipe 12 and used as intake air of the hot air device 9.

  According to this configuration, the heat exhaust B dried at a relatively high temperature generated from the power supply unit 7 is used as the intake air of the warm air device 9 and is heated by the heater of the warm air device 9. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the power consumption of the heater as compared with the case where heating is performed by using relatively low temperature air outside the ink jet recording apparatus 1, generally room temperature outside air as intake air. For example, when heating 50 ° C. exhaust exhausted from the power supply unit 7 to 75 ° C. with the hot air device 9, the heater power consumption is reduced by about half compared to heating the room temperature at 25 ° C. to 75 ° C. It is possible to suppress.

  Thus, it is possible to suppress the power consumption in the drying process in the drying unit 5 from the conventional level. Therefore, even when an image with a large amount of ink shot is printed continuously, the ink can be dried while suppressing power consumption. That is, by using the heat of the power supply unit 7 that increases with continuous printing of an image with a large amount of ink shot, a dry high-temperature heat exhaust is generated and used as the intake air of the warm air device, thereby removing the dehumidifier. Even without using, it is possible to efficiently dry while suppressing power consumption.

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an ink jet recording apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 schematically shows a cross-sectional structure of the ink jet recording apparatus. In addition, about the component similar to the above-mentioned 1st Embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected in a figure and description is abbreviate | omitted. Hereinafter, the difference will be mainly described.

  In the second embodiment, a recirculation device 13 that recirculates the hot air blown out from the hot air device 9 and used for drying ink to the hot air device 9 is further provided. The recirculation device 13 is provided between the heat exhaust pipe 12 and the hot air device 9 in the drying unit 5. That is, in the second embodiment, the heat exhaust pipe 12 connects the heat exhaust device 8 and the recirculation device 13. The recirculation device 13 has a mixing chamber 14 provided between the hot exhaust pipe 12 and the hot air device 9, and the mixing chamber 14 discharges the recirculated hot air C after drying from the hot exhaust pipe 12. The resulting hot exhaust B is combined and mixed. Further, the recirculation device 13 has a fan (not shown) that sends the recirculation hot air C to the mixing chamber 14.

  The hot exhaust B and the recirculated hot air C thus mixed in the mixing chamber 14 are supplied to the hot air device 9 as intake air. Then, a circulating hot air device for recirculating the hot air blown from the hot air device 9 to the hot air device 9 is formed.

  According to this configuration, since the mixed gas of the hot exhaust B and the recirculated hot air C is used as the intake air of the hot air device 9, the power consumption in the drying process by the drying unit 5 is suppressed as compared with the first embodiment. Is possible. In particular, since the recirculated hot air C that is still in a high temperature state is reused as part of the intake air, it is possible to suppress power consumption.

  Further, the recirculated hot air C used for drying the ink and having a high humidity can be heated and dehumidified by the heat exhaust B and the heater of the hot air device 9. Therefore, a dehumidifying function can be provided and a dehumidifier can be omitted.

[Third Embodiment]
FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view of an ink jet recording apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In addition, about the component similar to the above-mentioned 1st and 2nd embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected in a figure and description is abbreviate | omitted. Hereinafter, the difference will be mainly described.

  In the third embodiment, an adjustment valve 15 for making the mixing ratio of the hot exhaust B supplied from a hot exhaust supply device (not shown) and the hot air C recirculated by the recirculation device 13 variable. And a valve control means for controlling the regulating valve 15. The valve control means is formed by the aforementioned control unit.

  In the illustrated example, the adjustment valve 15 is a butterfly valve that can change the opening area of the heat exhaust pipe 12 by rotating operation, and is installed in the heat exhaust pipe 12. However, the type and installation position of the regulating valve 15 are arbitrary.

  When the opening degree of the regulating valve 15 is increased, the flow rate of the hot exhaust B passing through the regulating valve 15 is increased, and the ratio of the hot exhaust B in the mixed gas in the mixing chamber 14 is increased. The ratio of C decreases. On the contrary, when the opening degree of the regulating valve 15 is decreased, the flow rate of the hot exhaust B passing through the regulating valve 15 is reduced, and the ratio of the hot exhaust B in the mixed gas in the mixing chamber 14 is reduced. The ratio of circulating hot air C increases.

  The control unit controls the adjustment valve 15 so that the ratio of the heat exhaust B in the mixed gas increases as the amount of ink discharged from the recording head 2 per unit time increases. That is, the control unit increases the opening degree of the adjustment valve 15 as the ink discharge amount per unit time increases.

  When the amount of ink per unit time discharged from the recording head 2 increases, as in the case of printing images such as photographs with a large amount of ink applied, a relatively large amount of ink adheres to the paper 3. To do. In order to dry the adhered ink efficiently, it is preferable to blow warm air A that is dried at as high a temperature as possible. Further, when such a relatively large amount of attached ink is dried, the amount of water evaporation at the time of drying increases, and the humidity of the recirculated hot air C increases.

  Therefore, as described above, if the opening degree of the regulating valve 15 is increased in accordance with the increase in the amount of ejected ink per unit time, the humidity of the hot exhaust B, which is much lower in humidity than the recirculated hot air C, is high. The ratio can be increased and the ratio of recirculated hot air C with high humidity can be reduced. Therefore, drying can be performed efficiently.

  Here, the control unit can predict the ink discharge amount per unit time from the head drive processing data signal for driving the recording head 2. Therefore, the control unit controls the adjustment valve 15 based on the predicted ink discharge amount per unit time. That is, the control unit increases the opening degree of the adjustment valve 15 if the predicted ink discharge amount per unit time is large, and decreases the opening degree of the adjustment valve 15 if the predicted ink discharge amount per unit time is small.

  As a result, when images such as photographs with a large amount of ink shot are printed continuously, an increase in the amount of ink shot is predicted before or immediately after the actual ink shot operation by the recording head 2, and the adjusting valve 15 Can be opened in advance to the optimum opening. This also enables efficient drying.

[Fourth Embodiment]
FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view of an ink jet recording apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. In addition, about the component similar to the above-mentioned 1st-3rd embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected in a figure and description is abbreviate | omitted. Hereinafter, the difference will be mainly described.

  In the fourth embodiment, in addition to the configuration of the third embodiment, a temperature sensor 16 that detects the temperature of the hot exhaust B is further provided. The control unit as the valve control means controls the regulating valve 15 based on the temperature of the hot exhaust B detected by the temperature sensor 16.

  That is, the control unit increases the opening degree of the regulating valve 15 as the temperature of the hot exhaust B detected by the temperature sensor 16 is higher. Conversely, the control unit decreases the opening degree of the regulating valve 15 as the temperature of the hot exhaust B detected by the temperature sensor 16 is lower.

  In the example of illustration, the temperature sensor 16 is installed in the exit part of the heat exhaust apparatus (illustration omitted) of the main-body part 4. As shown in FIG. However, the installation position of the temperature sensor 16 is arbitrary. For example, the temperature sensor 16 can be installed near the power supply unit (not shown) or in the heat exhaust pipe 12.

  When images such as photographs with a large amount of ink shot are continuously printed, the power supply board unit of the power supply unit generates heat and the temperature of the heat exhaust B rises. According to the fourth embodiment, the temperature sensor 16 can sense the temperature rise of the hot exhaust B, increase the opening of the regulating valve 15, and increase the ratio of the hot exhaust B. This enables efficient drying.

  The control of the fourth embodiment can be combined with the control of the third embodiment.

  The temperature sensor 16 may be provided in the power supply unit and directly detect the temperature. This is because when the temperature of the power supply unit rises, the temperature of the heat exhaust B also rises, and there is a correlation between them. In this case as well, the above control can be similarly applied.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention can also take other embodiment. For example, the adjusting valve is not limited to the one that adjusts the flow rate of the hot exhaust B, but may be one that adjusts the flow rate of the recirculated hot air C. In this case, when the ink driving amount increases, the opening degree of the adjusting valve is decreased so as to decrease the ratio of the recirculated hot air C.

  The embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and includes all modifications, applications, and equivalents included in the concept of the present invention defined by the claims. Therefore, the present invention should not be construed as being limited, and can be applied to any other technique belonging to the scope of the idea of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Inkjet recording apparatus 2 Recording head 3 Paper 7 Power supply unit 9 Hot air apparatus 10 Thermal exhaust supply apparatus 13 Recirculation apparatus 15 Adjustment valve 16 Temperature sensor A Hot air B Thermal exhaust C Recirculation hot air R Recording part

Claims (4)

A recording unit that forms an image by ejecting ink from a recording head onto a recording medium;
A hot air device for blowing out hot air for drying the ink ejected on the recording medium;
A power supply unit that supplies at least electrical energy for causing the recording head to eject ink;
A heat exhaust supply device for supplying the hot air generated from the power supply unit to the hot air device;
A circulating device that guides and circulates the warm air blown out of the warm air device and used for drying the ink to the warm air device again;
An adjustment valve for making the mixing ratio of the hot exhaust supplied from the hot exhaust supply device and the hot air circulated by the circulation device variable;
An ink jet recording apparatus comprising: control means for controlling the regulating valve .   2. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the adjustment valve such that the ratio of the heat exhaust increases as the amount of ink per unit time ejected from the recording head increases. Inkjet recording device.   The control means predicts an ink discharge amount per unit time from a head drive processing data signal for driving the recording head, and controls the adjustment valve based on the predicted ink discharge amount per unit time. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ink jet recording apparatus is an ink jet recording apparatus.   The temperature sensor which detects the temperature of the said power supply unit or the heat exhaust_gas | exhaustion generated from this is further provided, The said control means controls the said adjustment valve based on the temperature detected by the said temperature sensor. 4. The ink jet recording apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 3.

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