JP2009073000A - Liquid jet apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid jet apparatus capable of suppressing generation of a difference between a drying degree of liquid hitting a portion supported on an upstream side portion of a support member in a target, and a drying degree of liquid hitting a portion supported on a downstream side portion of the support member in the target. <P>SOLUTION: An inkjet type printer includes a platen 48 for supporting continuous paper 12 conveyed from an upstream side in a conveyance direction of the continuous paper 12, a recording head jetting liquid to the continuous paper 12 supported on the platen 48, a heating device 80 for heating the platen 48, and a heating control part controlling driving of the heating device 80 such that heating quantity applied to the upstream portion in the conveyance direction of the platen 48 is larger than heating quantity applied to the downstream portion in the conveyance direction of the platen 48. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid ejecting apparatus such as an ink jet printer.

  In general, an ink jet printer (hereinafter referred to as “printer”) is widely known as a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects liquid onto a target (for example, Patent Document 1). In the printer described in Patent Document 1, a platen (supporting member) for supporting a printing tape (target) that is continuous paper and an ink (liquid) for jetting the printing tape supported on the platen are used. A recording head (liquid ejecting head) is provided. Then, when the printing tape is conveyed onto the platen from the upstream side in the conveying direction with respect to the platen, ink is ejected from the recording head onto the printing tape on the platen in a state where conveyance of the printing tape is temporarily stopped. It is like that. Thereafter, when the ejection of ink by the recording head to the printing tape on the platen is completed, the printing tape on the platen is conveyed downstream in the conveyance direction.

A heating means (for example, a heater) for heating the platen is provided in the platen, and heat from the heating means is transmitted to the printing tape on the platen via the platen. . As a result, the printing tape is transported from the platen to the downstream side in the transport direction in a state where the ink ejected from the recording head to the printing tape is slightly dried on the platen.
JP 2006-150723 A

  By the way, the amount of heat applied from the heating means to the platen is substantially uniform in the portion where the printing tape is arranged on the platen, so that the upstream portion and the downstream portion in the transport direction of the platen are applied to the printing tape. The heat transfer efficiency will be different. That is, the upstream part of the platen in the transport direction transfers heat to the printing tape that has not yet been heated, while the downstream part of the platen in the transport direction has already been upstream of the platen in the transport direction. To some extent heat is transferred to the heated printing tape.

  Therefore, in the upstream part of the platen in the transport direction, the heat transfer efficiency to the printing tape is better than in the downstream part of the transport direction, so the temperature of the upstream part of the platen in the transport direction is It becomes low compared with the temperature of the downstream part in a conveyance direction. Therefore, on the platen, there is a difference between the drying state of the ink landed on the upstream portion in the transport direction of the printing tape and the drying state of the ink landed on the downstream portion in the transport direction of the printing tape. There was a problem.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and the object of the present invention is to dry the liquid that has landed on the portion of the target that is supported on the upstream portion of the support member, and the target downstream of the support member. An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid ejecting apparatus that can suppress a difference between the degree of drying of liquid landed on a portion supported on a side portion.

  In order to achieve the above object, a liquid ejecting apparatus of the present invention ejects liquid onto a support member for supporting a target transported from the upstream side in the transport direction, and a target supported on the support member. The amount of heat applied to the upstream portion of the support member in the transport direction is more than the amount of heat applied to the downstream portion of the support member in the transport direction. And a control means for controlling the driving of the heating device.

  In the above configuration, more heat is transmitted to the upstream portion in the transport direction of the support member by driving the heating device than in the downstream portion in the transport direction of the support member. Therefore, when the target is disposed on the support member, the temperature of the upstream portion of the support member in the transport direction can be set to the same level as the temperature of the downstream portion of the support member in the transport direction. . Therefore, when liquid is jetted onto the target supported on the support member, the drying state of the liquid that has landed on the portion of the target supported on the upstream portion of the support member, and the downstream portion of the support member on the target It can suppress that a difference arises between the drying conditions of the liquid which landed on the part supported above.

  In the liquid ejecting apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, the heating device includes a plurality of heating units for heating the support member along the transport direction, and the control unit is disposed on the upstream side in the transport direction. The heating device is controlled so that the amount of heat applied to the support member by the heated heating device is greater than the amount of heat applied to the support member by the heating device disposed downstream in the transport direction. To do.

  In the said structure, a heating apparatus is the structure provided with the some heating means arrange | positioned along the conveyance direction of a target. Therefore, by adjusting the amount of heat transferred from each of these heating means to the support member, the amount of heat applied to the upstream portion of the support member in the transport direction is applied to the downstream portion of the support member in the transport direction. It is possible to make more than the amount of heat.

In the liquid ejecting apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, each of the heating units is disposed in the support member so that the position in the transport direction is different.
In the above configuration, since each heating unit is arranged in the support member so as to be aligned along the transport direction of the target, the support member that supports the target even during liquid ejection from the liquid ejection head to the target Can be heated.

In the liquid ejecting apparatus of the invention, the support member is formed with a suction hole extending in the thickness direction of the support member, and further includes suction means for sucking the inside of the suction hole.
In the above-described configuration, the inside of each suction hole is sucked by the suction means, whereby the target conveyed on the support member can be adsorbed to the support member. Therefore, heat can be efficiently transmitted from the support member heated by driving the heating device to the target supported on the support member.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment in which a liquid ejecting apparatus of the invention is embodied in an ink jet printer will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, when referring to “front-rear direction”, “left-right direction”, and “up-down direction”, the directions indicated by arrows in FIGS. 1 and 2 are used as a reference.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an ink jet printer 11 as a liquid ejecting apparatus sequentially prints on a feeding unit 13 that feeds a continuous paper 12 as a long target, and a continuous paper 12 fed from the feeding unit 13. A main body 14 that is performed and dried, and a winding unit 15 that winds the continuous paper 12 that has been printed and dried by the main body 14 are provided. That is, the main body portion 14 includes a rectangular parallelepiped main body case 16, and the feeding portion 13 is disposed on the left side of the main body case 16 on the upstream side in the conveying direction of the continuous paper 12 and the main body case 16 on the downstream side. The winding part 15 is arrange | positioned on the right side.

  The feeding portion 13 includes a support plate 17 extending leftward from the lower left end portion of the main body case 16, and the front surface of the support plate 17 is a vertical surface. A winding shaft 18 extending toward the front (front side in the direction orthogonal to the paper surface in FIG. 1) is rotatably supported with respect to the support plate 17 at the front end portion of the front surface of the support plate 17. A disc-shaped rotating plate 19 is provided at the proximal end of the winding shaft 18 so as to rotate integrally with the winding shaft 18.

  A continuous paper 12 previously wound in a roll shape is supported on the winding shaft 18 so as to be integrally rotatable with the winding shaft 18, and a rotating plate 19 is formed on both side edges of the continuous paper 12 wound in a roll shape. The side edge of the side is in contact with the front surface of the rotating plate 19. That is, when the continuous paper 12 previously wound in a roll shape is supported on the winding shaft 18, one side edge of the continuous paper 12 wound in the roll shape comes into contact with the front surface of the rotating plate 19. Thus, positioning in the front-rear direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the continuous paper 12 is performed. Note that glossy paper is used as the continuous paper 12 of the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the feeding portion 13 includes a plate-like feeding stand 20 that extends horizontally from the central portion of the left surface of the main body case 16 toward the left. A relay roller 21 is rotatably provided for winding the continuous paper 12 fed from the winding shaft 18 and guiding it to the upper surface of the feeding table 20.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a guide portion 24 as an elongated block-shaped guide means extending along the left-right direction is provided on almost the entire rear end edge on the rear end edge on the upper surface of the feeding table 20. . Furthermore, a guide block 25 is provided on the upper surface of the feeding table 20 as guide means disposed so as to face the left end portion of the guide portion 24. An area between the guide portion 24 and the guide block 25 on the upper surface of the feeding table 20 is a part of the transport path of the continuous paper 12, and the guide portion 24 and the guide block 25 are widths in the front-rear direction of the continuous paper 12. Are separated by the same distance.

  When the continuous paper 12 is conveyed toward the right side (the main body 14 side) along the upper surface of the feeding table 20, the front and rear side edges of the continuous paper 12 are in relation to the guide portion 24 and the guide block 25. By sliding, the continuous paper 12 is guided along the transport direction (here, the right direction). Note that the guide block 25 is movable in the front-rear direction on the upper surface of the feeding table 20, and when the width of the continuous paper 12 in the front-rear direction is changed, the guide block 24 is moved to move the guide unit 24. The distance between the guide block 25 and the guide block 25 is changed according to the width of the continuous paper 12 in the front-rear direction.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a plate-like base 30 that divides the inside of the main body case 16 vertically is provided at a position slightly above the central portion in the vertical direction in the main body case 16 of the main body portion 14. The area above the base 30 in the main body case 16 is a printing chamber 31 for printing on the continuous paper 12. On the other hand, in the area below the base 30 in the main body case 16, three compartments 33, 34, and 35 that are partitioned in the left-right direction are formed. These three compartments are, in order from the left, a first compartment 33, a second compartment 34, and a third compartment 35.

  The left wall of the main body case 16 is provided with a carry-in port (not shown) for carrying the continuous paper 12 into the first compartment 33 from the upper surface of the feeding table 20. A pull-in driving roller 36 is rotatably provided so as to face each other at a close position. That is, the pull-in driving roller 36 is disposed at the left end portion of the first compartment 33.

  A relay roller 40 is rotatably provided on the right side of the pull-in driving roller 36 in the first compartment 33. Then, the continuous paper 12 drawn into the first compartment 33 by driving the drawing drive roller 36 is wound around the relay roller 40 so as to go to a position near the left end of the printing chamber 31.

  An elevating roller 42 that moves up and down based on driving of an elevating mechanism (not shown) is provided between the drawing drive roller 36 and the relay roller 40 in the first compartment 33. The continuous paper 12 is wound around the elevating roller 42 from below.

  Here, the length of the continuous paper 12 positioned between the pull-in driving roller 36 and the relay roller 40 becomes longer as the elevating roller 42 is lowered and shorter as the elevating roller 42 is raised. . That is, the transport distance of the continuous paper 12 between the pull-in drive roller 36 and the relay roller 40 becomes longer as the lift roller 42 is positioned on the lower side, and the pull-up drive roller 36 and the relay are relayed as the lift roller 42 is positioned on the upper side. The conveyance distance of the continuous paper 12 between the rollers 40 is shortened.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the continuous paper 12 is guided along the conveyance direction (here, upward) so as to vertically penetrate the base 30 at a position facing the relay roller 40 in the base 30. A guide device 43 is provided. A relay roller 46 is provided on the upper side of the guide device 43 in the printing chamber 31, and the continuous paper 12 is wound around the relay roller 46 from the lower left side and is conveyed horizontally in the right direction. Yes.

  A platen 48 as a rectangular plate-like support member supported on the base 30 is provided in a region on the right side of the relay roller 46 in the printing chamber 31. A conversion roller 49 is provided on the right side of the platen 48 so as to face the relay roller 46 with the platen 48 interposed therebetween. In this case, the upper surface of the relay roller 46, the upper surface of the platen 48, and the upper surface of the conversion roller 49 are flush with each other.

  The continuous paper 12 conveyed in the horizontal right direction from the relay roller 46 along the upper surface of the platen 48 is wound on the conversion roller 49 from the upper left side, and the conveyance direction of the continuous paper 12 is changed from the horizontal right direction to the vertical downward direction. Has been. Then, the continuous paper 12 whose conveyance direction is changed vertically downward by the conversion roller 49 is conveyed into the third compartment 35 through an insertion hole (not shown) provided in the base 30. .

  Guide rails 50 (indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1) extending in the left-right direction are provided on both the front and rear sides of the platen 48 in the printing chamber 31, and the upper surface of the guide rail 50 is the upper surface of the platen 48. It is higher than the top surface. A rectangular plate-shaped carriage 51 is supported on the upper surfaces of both guide rails 50 so as to be capable of reciprocating in the left-right direction along the both guide rails 50. The carriage 51 moves in the left-right direction on both guide rails 50 based on driving of a drive mechanism (not shown).

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a rectangular plate-like slide plate 53 is supported on the lower surface of the carriage 51 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction with respect to the carriage 51. A recording head 54 is supported on the lower surface of the slide plate 53. In addition, a plurality of valve units 55 that temporarily store ink as liquid are provided on the upper rear wall of the main body case 16 in the printing chamber 31. Each valve unit 55 temporarily stores inks of different colors.

  Each valve unit 55 is connected to the recording head 54 via an ink supply tube (not shown), and supplies each ink to the recording head 54 via each ink supply tube. A plurality of nozzle openings (not shown) are provided on the lower surface of the recording head 54, and the ink supplied from each valve unit 55 is conveyed from the nozzle openings onto the platen 48 and stopped on the continuous paper 12. Printing is performed by jetting toward the vehicle.

  Therefore, the area from the left end to the right end of the platen 48 where the continuous paper 12 is printed, which is in the middle of the transport path of the continuous paper 12, is a printing area A as a liquid ejecting area. The conveyance path of the continuous paper 12 is intermittently conveyed by the printing area A unit.

  In the main body case 16, a plurality of ink cartridges (not shown) containing inks of different colors are provided in a detachable state. Each of these ink cartridges (not shown) is connected to each valve unit 55 via an ink supply tube (not shown) so that ink can be supplied. Further, a pressurizing pump (not shown) for pressurizing the inside of each ink cartridge (not shown) is provided in the main body case 16, and each ink cartridge (not shown) is driven by driving the pressurizing pump. ) Is pressurized and supplied to each valve unit 55 via an ink supply tube (not shown).

  Flushing boxes 58 are provided on the left and right sides of the platen 48 on the base 30 to receive ink ejected from the nozzle openings (not shown) of the recording head 54 when performing flushing as needed during printing. ing. A maintenance unit 59 for performing maintenance such as cleaning of the recording head 54 is provided on the left side of the left flushing box 58 on the base 30. The maintenance unit 59 includes a cap 59a corresponding to the recording head 54, and the cap 59a can be moved up and down.

  The inside of the cap 59a communicates with a waste liquid tank (not shown) through a discharge tube (not shown). In addition, a tube pump (not shown) capable of sucking the inside of the discharge tube from the cap 59a side toward the waste liquid tank (not shown) side is provided at an intermediate position of the discharge tube. Then, when the cap 59a is lifted with the carriage 51 moved on the maintenance unit 59, the cap 59a contacts the recording head 54 so as to surround each nozzle opening (not shown) of the recording head 54. It is like that.

  Each tube of the recording head 54 is driven by driving a tube pump (not shown) with the cap 59a in contact with the recording head 54 so as to surround each nozzle opening (not shown) of the recording head 54. So-called cleaning is performed in which ink or bubbles thickened from the opening are forcibly discharged into the cap 59a. The discharged ink discharged into the cap 59a by cleaning is collected in a waste liquid tank (not shown) through a discharge tube (not shown).

  As shown in FIG. 1, a forced drying device that is long in the vertical direction as a forced drying means for forcibly drying the continuous paper 12 that has been printed in the printing area A at a position on the left side in the third compartment 35. 60 is provided. Then, the continuous paper 12 that is wound around the conversion roller 49 and conveyed vertically downward passes through the forced drying device 60 and is turned upward to the reverse roller 61 that is rotatably provided below the forced drying device 60. It is wound around and is conveyed slightly diagonally upward to the right.

  In this way, the area from the upper end to the lower end in the forced drying apparatus 60 where the continuous paper 12 is forcibly dried in the middle of the transport path of the continuous paper 12 is defined as the forced drying area B. The distance of the forced drying region B in the transport direction (here, the vertical direction) of the continuous paper 12 is a positive integer multiple of the distance of the print region A in the transport direction (here, the left-right direction) of the continuous paper 12 (this embodiment). Is set to 1). Incidentally, in the present embodiment, the distance of the forced drying region B and the distance of the printing region A are set to be equal in the transport direction of the continuous paper 12.

  In addition, an area where the continuous paper 12 is wound around the conversion roller 49 between the printing area A and the forced drying area B in the middle of the conveyance path of the continuous paper 12 is a continuous area after printing in the printing area A. Since the paper 12 is an area that is naturally dried before being forcedly dried in the forced drying area B, the paper 12 is defined as the natural drying area C. In the present embodiment, the forced drying region B and the natural drying region C constitute a drying region.

  The continuous paper 12 conveyed from the reverse roller 61 obliquely upward to the right is wound around the relay roller 62 rotatably provided at the lower right end portion in the third compartment 35 from the lower left side. 35 is conveyed upward along the right wall of the body case 16. At the position between the reverse roller 61 and the relay roller 62 in the third compartment 35, the continuous paper 12 is placed on the lower side so as to apply tension to the continuous paper 12 after forced drying in the forced drying region B. A dancer roller 93 is provided for pressing from above.

  In addition, an unillustrated unloading port for unloading the continuous paper 12 to the take-up unit 15 side is provided at a position corresponding to the upper end of the third compartment 35 on the right wall of the main body case 16. A feed driving roller 64 is rotatably provided in the chamber 35 so as to face the carry-out port at a close position. Then, by driving the feed driving roller 64, the continuous paper 12 is fed to the winding unit 15 side through the carry-out port.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the winding unit 15 includes a rectangular parallelepiped winding frame 68, and the height of the winding frame 68 is substantially the same as the height of the feed drive roller 64. A relay roller 69 is rotatably provided at the upper end of the front surface of the winding frame 68. The continuous paper 12 sent out from the carry-out port is wound around the relay roller 69 from the upper left side and is conveyed right below.

  At a position below the relay roller 69 on the front surface of the take-up frame 68, there is a guide device 72 that guides the continuous paper 12 conveyed from the relay roller 69 directly downward along the conveyance direction (downward here). Is provided. A relay roller 73 is rotatably provided at a position below the guide device 72 on the front surface of the take-up frame 68, and the continuous paper 12 conveyed and guided downward via the guide device 72 is left on the relay roller 73. Is wound around and conveyed toward the lower right.

  A winding drive shaft 74 extending forward is supported on the front surface of the winding frame 68 diagonally to the right of the relay roller 73 so as to be rotatable with respect to the winding frame 68. The continuous paper 12 conveyed from the relay roller 73 toward the lower right is wound around the winding drive shaft 74, and the continuous paper 12 is wound around the winding drive shaft 74 by rotationally driving the winding drive shaft 74. Are wound up sequentially.

  A disc-shaped rotating plate 75 that rotates integrally with the take-up drive shaft 74 is provided at the base end of the take-up drive shaft 74, and the rotary plate 75 winds the continuous paper 12 by the take-up drive shaft 74. When taking, it functions as a guide for allowing the continuous paper 12 to be taken up accurately.

Next, the configuration of the platen 48 will be described below with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, the platen 48 is formed with a number of suction holes 48 a that penetrate the platen 48 in the vertical direction (the thickness direction of the platen 48). Each suction hole 48a is formed such that a plurality (sixteen in FIG. 3) of suction holes 48a form a plurality of suction hole rows 85 (19 rows in FIG. 3) along the front-rear direction at predetermined intervals in the left-right direction. Arranged regularly. Below the platen 48 (that is, a region between the platen 48 and the base 30), a fan 56 is provided as a suction means for sucking air in each suction hole 48a. Then, by driving each fan 56, a negative pressure is generated in each suction hole 48 a, and by the generation of the negative pressure, the continuous paper 12 is sucked through each suction hole 48 a through the platen 48, and the upper surface of the platen 48. The continuous paper 12 is absorbed.

Next, a heating apparatus for heating the platen 48 will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, the heating device 80 includes a plurality of (three in the present embodiment) heaters 81, 82, 83 embedded in the platen 48, and generates heat in each of the heaters 81, 82, 83. In order to make it possible, each of the heaters 81, 82, 83 is provided with an apparatus main body 84 for supplying current individually. These heaters 81, 82, 83 are arranged in the platen 48 so as to be arranged in the left-right direction (that is, the positions in the left-right direction are different), and current is individually supplied from the apparatus main body 84. Each generates heat. The heat from the heaters 81, 82, 83 is transmitted to the continuous paper 12 on the platen 48 via the platen 48.

  Each heater 81, 82, 83 is formed by bending a plurality of portions of one long member. That is, the heaters 81, 82, 83 extend in the front-rear direction and are arranged for each of the suction hole rows 85 that are adjacent to each other in the left-right direction (six in the present embodiment), It is set as the structure provided with the 2nd heating part 87 of multiple (this embodiment five) for connecting the 1st heating parts 86 of the arrangement | positioning aspect which pinched | interposed the one suction hole row | line | column 85 in the left-right direction. .

  Each first heating unit 86 is formed such that the length in the front-rear direction is longer than the length in the front-rear direction of the suction hole row 85. In addition, each first heating unit 86 is disposed at the center in the left-right direction of both suction hole rows 85 located on both the left and right sides. Therefore, the distance between the first heating unit 86 and the suction hole row 85 adjacent to the first heating unit 86 in the left-right direction is a predetermined distance r.

  Each of the second heating portions 87 has an arc shape centering on the suction hole 48a located at the end in the front-rear direction of the suction hole row 85 (that is, the extending direction of the suction hole row 85) that is the same position in the left-right direction. Are formed respectively. That is, the second heating part 87 located in front of the suction hole row 85 among the second heating parts 87 has a radius of curvature of a predetermined distance r around the suction hole 48a located at the front end of the suction hole row 85. It is formed so as to form an arc shape. In addition, the second heating part 87 located on the rear side of the suction hole row 85 among the second heating parts 87 has a radius of curvature centered on the suction hole 48a located at the rear end portion of the suction hole row 85. It is formed so as to form an arc shape having a distance r.

Next, a control configuration for controlling the driving of the heating device 80 will be described below with reference to FIG. 4 or FIG.
As shown in FIG. 4, the ink jet printer 11 of the present embodiment is provided with a heating control unit 88 as a control unit for controlling the driving of the heating device 80. The heating control unit 88 includes a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM (not shown).

  As shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C, current supply patterns P1, P2, and P3 for the heaters 81, 82, and 83 are stored in the ROM of the heating control unit 88 in advance. Each of these supply patterns P <b> 1 to P <b> 3 is a pattern for intermittently supplying current from the apparatus main body 84 to the heaters 81, 82, 83. That is, the first supply pattern P1 shown in FIG. 5A is a pattern for the first heater 81 arranged on the left side in FIG. 3, and the first non-energization time from the apparatus main body 84 to the first heater 81. This is a pattern for supplying a current every t1.

  The second supply pattern P2 shown in FIG. 5B is a pattern for the second heater 82 disposed in the center in the left-right direction in FIG. This is a pattern for supplying a current every second non-energization time t2 longer than the non-energization time t1. Further, the third supply pattern P3 shown in FIG. 5C is a pattern for the third heater 83 arranged on the right side in FIG. 3, and from the apparatus main body 84 to the third heater 83 from the second non-energization time t2. This is a pattern for supplying current every third long non-energization time t3.

  When the heating device 80 is driven based on each of the supply patterns P1 to P3 described above, the heat generation amount per unit time from the first heater 81 is the heat generation amount per unit time from the second heater 82 and from the third heater 83. The calorific value per unit time increases. Further, the heat generation amount per unit time from the second heater 82 is larger than the heat generation amount per unit time from the third heater 83.

  That is, the amount of heat supplied to the portion of the platen 48 that corresponds to the position of the first heater 81 in the left-right direction (the left side portion in FIG. 3 and the upstream side portion in the conveyance direction of the continuous paper 12) More than the amount of heat supplied to this part. Further, the amount of heat supplied to the portion of the platen 48 that corresponds to the position of the second heater 82 in the left-right direction (that is, the central portion in FIG. 3 and the intermediate portion in the conveyance direction of the continuous paper 12) While the amount of heat supplied to the left portion is small, the portion of the platen 48 corresponding to the position of the third heater 83 in the left-right direction (that is, the right portion in FIG. 3 and downstream in the conveying direction of the continuous paper 12). More than the amount of heat supplied to the side part). That is, in the platen 48, the amount of heat applied to the left side portion is the largest compared to the other portions, and the amount of heat applied decreases as the distance from the left side portion increases to the right.

  As a result, even if heat is transmitted from the platen 48 to the continuous paper 12 when the unheated continuous paper 12 passes over the left side portion of the platen 48, the temperature of the left side portion of the platen 48 is The temperature is about the same as the temperature at the right side of the left side. Therefore, when ink is ejected from the recording head 54 to the continuous paper 12 arranged on the platen 48, the degree of drying of the ink that has landed on the continuous paper 12 is almost the same at all locations on the continuous paper 12. Become. Therefore, when the continuous paper 12 is accommodated in the forced drying device 60 thereafter, it is possible to efficiently dry the ink that has landed on the continuous paper 12.

  In the present embodiment, the amount of heat supplied to the portion of the platen 48 that corresponds to the position of the first heater 81 in the left-right direction only needs to be greater than the amount of heat supplied to the other portions of the platen 48. Therefore, a portion of the platen 48 corresponding to the position of the third heater 83 in the left-right direction is supplied with an amount of heat equal to the amount of heat supplied to the portion of the platen 48 corresponding to the position of the second heater 82 in the left-right direction. You may do it. Specifically, a current may be supplied to the second heater 82 and the third heater 83 based on the second supply pattern P2. That is, when viewed from the whole platen 48, the amount of heat supplied to the left half region of the platen 48 only needs to be larger than the amount of heat supplied to the right half region.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) Driving the heating device 80 transfers more heat to the left side portion of the platen 48 than to the right side portion on the right side of the left side portion. Therefore, when the continuous paper 12 is disposed on the platen 48, the temperature of the left side portion of the platen 48 can be set to the same level as the temperature of the right side portion of the platen 48. Therefore, when ink is ejected onto the continuous paper 12 supported on the platen 48, the drying state of the ink that has landed on the portion of the continuous paper 12 that is supported on the left side portion of the platen 48, and the platen on the continuous paper 12. It is possible to suppress a difference from the dryness of the ink landed on the portion supported on the right side portion of 48.

  (2) The heating device 80 includes a plurality of heaters 81, 82, and 83 arranged along the left-right direction. Therefore, by adjusting the amount of heat transferred from the heaters 81, 82, 83 to the platen 48, the amount of heat applied to the left side portion of the platen 48 is made larger than the amount of heat applied to the right side portion of the platen 48. be able to.

  (3) Since the heaters 81, 82, and 83 are respectively embedded in the platen 48, the platen 48 that supports the continuous paper 12 is heated even during ink ejection from the recording head 54 onto the continuous paper 12. be able to.

  (4) By sucking the inside of each suction hole 48 a by driving the fan 56, the continuous paper 12 conveyed on the platen 48 can be adsorbed to the platen 48. Therefore, the heat from each heater 81, 82, 83 can be efficiently transmitted to the continuous paper 12 via the platen 48.

The above embodiment may be changed to another embodiment as described below.
In the above embodiment, the platen 48 need not be provided with a plurality of suction holes 48a. In this case, the fan 56 may not be provided.

In the above-described embodiment, the heating device 80 may have a configuration in which any plural (for example, four) heaters other than three are embedded in the platen 48.
In the above embodiment, the heaters 81, 82, 83 may be arranged so as to contact the lower surface of the platen 48.

  In the above embodiment, the heater embedded in the platen 48 may be a heater (corresponding to the first heating unit 86) extending in the front-rear direction. By embedding a large number of such heaters in the platen 48 along the front-rear direction, the amount of heat applied to each position in the left-right direction of the platen 48 can be adjusted more precisely.

  In the above embodiment, when only a part of the platen 48 in the left-right direction is the printing area A, the heater may be embedded in a part of the platen 48 that does not correspond to the printing area A.

  In the above embodiment, the heating means may supply heat to the platen 48 by blowing hot air to the platen 48. In this case, it is desirable to increase the amount of heat blown to the upstream portion of the platen 48 as compared with the amount of heat applied to the downstream portion of the platen 48.

  Further, the heating means may be composed of a flow path in which the fluid formed in the platen 48 can flow and a warm fluid (for example, hot water or hot air) flowing in the flow path. In this case, the temperature of the fluid that is formed on the left side in the platen 48 and is supplied into the flow path is set higher than the temperature of the fluid that flows in the flow path formed on the right side of the flow path. It is desirable.

In the above embodiment, when the ink to be used is an ultraviolet effect type ink, an ultraviolet irradiation device may be provided as the forced drying device 60.
In the above embodiment, instead of the continuous paper 12, a long plastic film or the like may be used as a target.

  In the above embodiment, the liquid ejecting apparatus is embodied in the ink jet printer 11. However, the liquid ejecting apparatus is not limited to this, and other liquids (liquids in which functional material particles are dispersed or mixed in the liquid or gel) It is also possible to embody the present invention in a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects or discharges a fluid (including such a fluid). For example, a liquid that ejects a liquid (liquid material) that is dispersed or dissolved in a material such as an electrode material or a color material (pixel material) used for manufacturing a liquid crystal display, an EL (electroluminescence) display, and a surface emitting display. The liquid ejecting apparatus may be a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects a bio-organic matter used for biochip manufacturing, or a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects a liquid that is used as a precision pipette and serves as a sample. In addition, transparent resin liquids such as UV curable resin to form liquid injection devices that pinpoint lubricant oil onto precision machines such as watches and cameras, and micro hemispherical lenses (optical lenses) used in optical communication elements. A liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects a liquid onto the substrate, a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects an etching solution such as acid or alkali to etch the substrate, and a liquid ejecting that ejects a liquid (fluid) such as a gel (for example, a physical gel) It may be a device. The present invention can be applied to any one of these liquid ejecting apparatuses.

1 is a schematic front view of an ink jet printer according to an embodiment. 1 is a schematic plan view of an ink jet printer according to an embodiment. The schematic plan view of the platen in this embodiment. The block diagram which shows the electrical structure for controlling the drive of a heating apparatus. (A) is a timing chart explaining the 1st supply pattern with respect to a 1st heater, (b) is a timing chart explaining the 2nd supply pattern with respect to a 2nd heater, (c) is explaining the 3rd supply pattern with respect to a 3rd heater. Timing chart.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Inkjet printer as a liquid ejecting apparatus, 12 ... Continuous paper as a target, 48 ... Platen as a support member, 48a ... Suction hole, 54 ... Recording head as a liquid ejecting head, 56 ... Fan as a suction means, 80 ... heating device, 81, 82, 83 ... heater as heating means, 88 ... heating control section as control means.

Claims (4)

A support member for supporting the target conveyed from the upstream side in the conveyance direction;
A liquid ejecting head that ejects liquid onto a target supported on the support member;
A heating device for heating the support member;
Control means for controlling the drive of the heating device such that the amount of heat applied to the upstream portion of the support member in the transport direction is greater than the amount of heat applied to the downstream portion of the support member in the transport direction. Liquid ejector. The heating device is provided with a plurality of heating means for heating the support member along the transport direction, and the control means is provided by the heating means disposed on the upstream side in the transport direction. The liquid according to claim 1, wherein the driving of the heating device is controlled such that the amount of heat applied to the heating device is greater than the amount of heat applied to the support member by a heating unit disposed on the downstream side in the transport direction. Injection device. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of the heating units is disposed in the support member so that the positions in the transport direction are different. The suction member that extends in the thickness direction of the support member is formed in the support member, and further includes suction means for sucking the inside of the suction hole. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to the item.

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