JP2016155292A - Printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing device that can enhance a heating efficiency of a medium.SOLUTION: The printing device comprises: a printing portion that performs printing by adhering ink to a medium M; a conveying portion that conveys the medium M; and a heating device 100 that heats the medium M printed. The heating device 100 has: a heating chamber 200, at least part of which is partitioned by a first bulkhead 210 which has an outflow port 253 which opens toward a heating area HA penetratingly formed, a second bulkhead 220 that has an inflow port 221 penetratingly formed, and a third bulkhead 230 that has an infrared radiation surface 231 facing a third support member 70 via the heating area HA; a heating portion 130 that heats the heating chamber 200; and a first fan 120 that flows gas into the heating chamber 200 via the inflow port 221.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

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

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an example of a printing apparatus, an ink jet printer that forms characters and images by ejecting ink as an example of liquid onto a medium such as paper has been known. Some of these printers include a heating device having a fan that blows gas toward the medium, and a heater that raises the temperature of the gas blown by the fan and emits infrared rays to the medium on which the ink is ejected. There is (for example, Patent Document 1).

  In the printer as described above, the solvent component (for example, water) in the ink ejected to the medium is evaporated by heating the medium by heat transfer by the heated gas (hot air) and heat radiation by the heater. I am letting.

JP 2013-28095 A

  However, in the printer including the heating device as described above, there is still room for improvement in terms of increasing the heating efficiency of the heating device when drying the medium on which the ink has been ejected.

  The above situation is not limited to ink jet printers, and is generally common in printing apparatuses that improve the fixability of ink on the medium by heating the medium to which the ink is attached.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances. The object is to provide a printing apparatus capable of increasing the heating efficiency of the medium.

Hereinafter, means for solving the above-described problems and the effects thereof will be described.
A printing apparatus that solves the above problems includes a printing unit that performs printing by attaching ink to a medium, a conveyance unit that conveys the medium along a conveyance path of the medium, and heating that heats the printed medium. And when the region between the transport path and the heating device is a heating region, the heating device includes a first partition wall through which an outlet opening that opens toward the heating region is formed. A heating chamber that is at least partially partitioned by a second partition wall through which an inflow port is formed, and a third partition wall having an infrared radiation surface facing the transport path through the heating region; A heating section that heats the heating chamber; and a gas inflow section that allows gas to flow into the heating chamber via the inflow port.

  According to the said structure, the gas in a heating chamber is heated because a heating part heats a heating chamber. And the heated gas is sprayed by the medium located in a heating area | region by making the heated gas flow out from a heating chamber through the outflow opening opened to an infrared radiation surface. Thus, the medium can be heated by heat transfer.

  Moreover, the 3rd partition which partitions a heating chamber is heated because a heating part heats a heating chamber. And infrared rays are radiated | emitted from the infrared radiation surface of a 3rd partition toward the medium located in a heating area | region. In this way, the medium can be heated by thermal radiation. Here, since the heated gas flows out from the heating chamber to the heating region, the temperature of the third partition wall is less likely to be lower than in the case where the gas is not so, and the medium from the infrared radiation surface of the third partition wall It is suppressed that the amount of infrared radiation with respect to becomes small. Thus, according to this configuration, the heating efficiency of the medium can be increased.

In the printing apparatus, it is preferable that the third partition wall is formed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and the infrared radiation surface is anodized.
According to the above configuration, the thermal conductivity of the third partition wall can be increased and the emissivity of the infrared radiation surface of the third partition wall can be increased as compared with other metal materials. Therefore, when the heating unit heats the heating chamber, the temperature of the third partition can be raised quickly, and the amount of infrared radiation from the infrared radiation surface to the medium can be increased. As a result, the heating efficiency of the medium can be further increased.

  In the printing apparatus, the first partition is provided so as to face the transport path through the heating region, and the gas inflow portion includes the third partition and the transport path in the heating region. It is desirable that the gas taken in from the sandwiched region is made to flow into the heating chamber between the region between the first partition wall and the transport path.

  According to the above configuration, the region between the third partition and the conveyance path includes a heating region, a region where gas flows out from the outlet, and a region where the gas inflow portion takes in gas that flows into the heating chamber. It becomes the area between. For this reason, in the heating region, an air flow is likely to be generated from the region where the gas flows out from the outlet toward the region where the gas inflow portion takes in the gas that flows into the heating chamber. In other words, the gas that has flowed out of the heating chamber via the outflow port easily passes through the region between the third partition and the transport path. Here, since the gas flowing out of the heating chamber is a gas heated by the heating unit, the temperature of the third partition wall is difficult to decrease. Therefore, according to this structure, it can suppress that the infrared radiation amount with respect to a medium becomes small from an infrared radiation surface.

  In the printing apparatus, the transport path is formed so as to be vertically downward toward the transport direction, and the first partition is provided on the downstream side in the transport direction with respect to the third partition. Is desirable.

  According to the above configuration, the gas flowing out to the heating region through the outlet of the first partition rises vertically upward (upstream in the transport direction) in the heating region by the amount heated by the heating unit. It becomes easy. In addition, the region where the gas inflow portion takes in the gas is located upstream of the third partition wall in the transport direction in that the first partition wall is provided downstream of the third partition wall in the transport direction.

  In this way, the gas inflow portion can take in more heated gas flowing out from the first partition wall to the heating region via the outflow port, and can cause the gas to flow into the heating chamber. Therefore, according to this configuration, the heating efficiency of the medium can be further increased.

FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating a schematic configuration of a printing apparatus. The perspective view which shows schematic structure of a heating apparatus and a 3rd supporting member. The perspective view which shows schematic structure of the heating apparatus and the 3rd supporting member which fractured | ruptured one part structure. (A) is sectional drawing in the width direction of a heating apparatus and a 3rd supporting member, (b) is an expanded sectional view of a 1st partition, (c) is an expanded sectional view of a 3rd partition. It is a figure explaining the effect | action of a printing apparatus, Comprising: Sectional drawing in the width direction of a heating apparatus and a 3rd support member.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a printing apparatus will be described with reference to the drawings. The printing apparatus according to the present embodiment is an ink jet large format printer that forms characters and images by ejecting ink as an example of a liquid onto a medium such as a long sheet.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1, the printing apparatus 10 includes a feeding unit 20 that feeds the medium M wound in a roll shape along a moving direction of the medium M, a support unit 30 that supports the medium M, and a medium M. A transport unit 40 for transporting, a printing unit 50 for printing on the medium M, a heating device 100 for heating the medium M, and a winding unit 60 for winding the medium M are provided.

  In the following description, the direction orthogonal to the paper surface in FIG. 1 is defined as the width direction X (see FIG. 2), the horizontal direction in FIG. 1 is defined as the front-rear direction Y, and the vertical direction in FIG. The width direction X, the front-rear direction Y, and the vertical direction Z are directions that intersect (orthogonal) each other.

  In the printing apparatus 10, the moving direction of the medium M from the feeding unit 20 to the winding unit 60 is a transport direction F. For this reason, for example, it can be said that the feeding unit 20 is provided on the most upstream side in the transport direction F, and the winding unit 60 is provided on the most downstream side in the transport direction F. In the following description, the direction toward the downstream in the transport direction F may be simply referred to as the transport direction F.

  The feeding unit 20 includes a holding unit 22 that holds a roll body 21 in which the medium M is wound in a roll shape. Then, the feeding unit 20 feeds the medium M unwound from the roll body 21 by rotating the roll body 21 in one direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 1).

  The support unit 30 includes a first support member 31, a second support member 32, and a third support member 70 along the transport direction F. The first support member 31, the second support member 32, and the third support member 70 have a plate shape with the width direction X as a longitudinal direction, and come into contact with the medium M over the width direction X. Support M.

  Specifically, the first support member 31 supports the medium M before printing conveyed from the feeding unit 20 to the second support member 32. The second support member 32 is provided in a region facing the printing unit 50 and supports the medium M on which printing is performed. The third support member 70 is provided in a region facing the heating device 100, and supports the printed medium M that is conveyed from the second support member 32 toward the winding unit 60.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the first support member 31, the second support member 32, and the third support member 70 constitute a part of the “transport path” of the medium M. Yes. In addition, the path of movement until the medium M fed from the feeding unit 20 is supported by the first support member 31 and the medium supported by the third support member 70 are taken up by the winding unit 60. The moving path also corresponds to a part of the transport path of the medium M.

  The transport unit 40 includes a first transport roller 41 disposed between the first support member 31 and the second support member 32 in the transport direction F, and the second support member 32 and the third transport member in the transport direction F. And a second transport roller 42 disposed between the support members 70.

  The 1st conveyance roller 41 and the 2nd conveyance roller 42 are driven by contacting with the drive roller 43 which gives conveyance force to the medium M by rotating in the state which contacted the medium M, and the medium M conveyed. And a driven roller 44 that rotates. The transport unit 40 transports the medium M toward the downstream side in the transport direction by driving the drive roller 43 in a state where the medium M is sandwiched between the first transport roller 41 and the second transport roller 42. To do.

  The printing unit 50 performs printing in which ink is ejected from a nozzle (not shown) to the medium M with a guide shaft 51 having a longitudinal direction in the width direction X intersecting the transport direction F, a carriage 52 supported by the guide shaft 51 And a head 53. The carriage 52 reciprocates in the width direction X, which is the longitudinal direction of the guide shaft 51, by driving a carriage motor (not shown). The print head 53 is supported vertically below the carriage 52.

  Then, when the carriage 52 moves in the width direction X, the printing unit 50 performs a printing operation for forming characters and images on the medium M by ejecting ink to the print head 53 at an appropriate timing. In the present embodiment, the ink ejected from the print head 53 is a water-based ink in which a coloring material including a dye or a pigment is included as a solute and the main solvent is water.

  In the following description, the printing surface of the medium M printed on the printing unit 50 is also referred to as “the front surface of the medium M”, and the supported surface of the medium M supported by the support unit 30 is “the back surface of the medium M”. Also called. In the present embodiment, the front surface of the medium M corresponds to “the other surface of the medium M”, and the back surface of the medium M corresponds to “one surface of the medium M”.

  The winding unit 60 includes a holding unit 62 that holds a roll body 61 that winds the medium M in a roll shape. Then, the winding unit 60 winds the printed medium M by rotating the roll body 61 in one direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 1).

Next, the heating apparatus 100 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the heating device 100 blows a gas (for example, air) into the case 110 that forms the exterior of the heating device 100, the heating chamber 200 that forms a closed space, and the heating chamber 200. The first fan 120, the heating unit 130 for the gas blown by the first fan 120, and the moisture absorption unit 140 for dehumidifying the gas blown by the first fan 120 are provided. The heating apparatus 100 includes a support plate 150 that supports the first fan 120 and a second fan 160 that blows gas into the case 110.

  In addition, since the heating apparatus 100 heats the medium M supported by the third support member 70, the length in the width direction X of the heating apparatus 100 is the length of the medium M to be printed by the printing apparatus 10. It is desirable that the length is not less than the length in the width direction X. In the following description, an area between the heating device 100 and the third support member 70 and for heating the medium M is also referred to as a “heating area HA”.

  As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4A, a plurality (two) of attachment ports 111 are opened on the opposite side of the case 110 from the third support member 70 side at intervals in the width direction X. ing. 4A, on the third support member 70 side of the case 110, an accommodation port 112 and an air supply port 113 are provided in the transport direction F so as to face the third support member 70. Open to line up.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the heating chamber 200 is partitioned by the side wall 114 of the case 110 in the width direction X. 3 and 4A, the heating chamber 200 includes a first partition 210, a second partition 220, a third partition 230, and a fourth partition in the direction crossing the width direction X. It is partitioned by a partition wall 240.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4A, 4 </ b> B, and 4 </ b> C, the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 are provided to face the third support member 70. Here, the first partition wall 210 is integrally connected to the third partition wall 230 so as to be located downstream of the third partition wall 230 in the transport direction F. Further, the first partition wall 210 and the third partition wall 230 have a first intersecting wall 251 and a second intersecting wall 252 extending in a direction intersecting with the medium M (transport path) supported by the third support member 70. have.

  4B and 4C, the first intersecting wall 251 is provided so as to go to the inside of the heating chamber 200 in the transport direction F, and the second intersecting wall 252 is As it goes in the transport direction F, it is provided so as to go to the outside of the heating chamber 200. Thus, the first partition wall 210 and the third partition wall 230 are configured by alternately arranging the first intersecting wall 251 and the second intersecting wall 252 in the transport direction F, so that in the transport direction F The heating chamber 200 is bent alternately inside and outside.

  Therefore, the surface area of the first partition 210 facing the third support member 70 is larger than the projected area when the first partition 210 is projected toward the third support member 70, and the third support member The surface area of the third partition wall 230 that faces 70 is larger than the projected area when the third partition wall 230 is projected toward the third support member 70. In addition, the direction which projects the 1st partition 210 and the 3rd partition 230 here is a direction orthogonal to the 3rd support member 70 (conveyance path), for example.

  Moreover, as shown in FIG.3 and FIG.4 (b), the outflow port 253 is penetrated and formed in the thickness direction of the 1st intersection wall 251 and the 2nd intersection wall 252 of the 1st partition 210 by them. ing. As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of outlets 253 are formed at intervals in the longitudinal direction (width direction X) of the first intersecting wall 251 and the second intersecting wall 252. Thus, a plurality of outlets 253 are formed through the first partition wall 210 at intervals in the transport direction F and the width direction X. 4A and 4B, one of the outlets 253 opens into the heating chamber 200, and the other opens into the heating area HA.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4B, the first intersecting wall 251 and the second intersecting wall 252 of the first partition 210 are provided so as to intersect with each other in a cross-sectional view in the width direction X. For this reason, the penetration direction of the outflow port 253 in the first intersection wall 251 and the penetration direction of the outflow port 253 in the second intersection wall 252 are different directions.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4C, the first intersecting wall 251 and the second intersecting wall 252 of the third partition wall 230 include the first intersecting wall 251 and the second intersecting wall 251 of the first partition wall 210. Unlike the two intersecting walls 252, the outlet 253 is not formed through.

  In the present embodiment, the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 radiate infrared rays to the medium M supported by the third support member 70 to heat the medium M by thermal radiation. The surface of the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 on the third support member 70 side corresponds to the infrared radiation surfaces 211 and 231 that emit infrared rays. Therefore, it is desirable that the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 be formed of a material that can efficiently heat the medium M by heat radiation.

  Here, the amount of infrared radiation (radiant energy) from the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 is proportional to the fourth power of the temperature of the infrared radiation surfaces 211 and 231 of the first partition 210 and the third partition 230. To do. Therefore, in order to increase the amount of infrared radiation from the first partition 210 and the third partition 230, the temperature of the infrared radiation surfaces 211 and 231 of the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 should be increased quickly. Desirably, the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 have high thermal conductivity.

  Also, in order to increase the amount of infrared radiation from the first partition 210 and the third partition 230, it is desirable that the emissivity of the infrared radiation surfaces 211 and 231 of the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 is high. . Specifically, it is desirable that the emissivity is high (0.8 or more) in the mid-infrared region and the far-infrared region that are the infrared absorption wavelength region of the ink. In this specification, an electromagnetic wave having a wavelength of about 0.7 μm to about 2.5 μm is a near infrared ray, an electromagnetic wave having a wavelength of about 2.5 μm to about 4 μm is a mid infrared ray, and a wavelength is about 4 μm to about 1000 μm. The electromagnetic wave is far infrared.

  Therefore, the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 are made of aluminum or aluminum alloy having a relatively high thermal conductivity among metal materials, and the infrared radiation surfaces 211 and 231 have alumite to increase the emissivity. It is desirable to perform processing. Furthermore, it is more preferable that the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 are made of Super Ray (registered trademark), which is a far infrared high radiation aluminum functional material.

  Specifically, the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 contain 0.3 to 4.3% by weight of Mn (manganese) and the balance is composed of Al (aluminum) and inevitable impurities. In addition, it is desirable to form an aluminum alloy in which an intermetallic compound of Mn and Al is dispersed and precipitated and an alumite layer formed on the surface thereof. Moreover, you may contain 0.05-6 weight% of Mg (magnesium) in such a material. Such materials are described in, for example, JP-A-4-110493.

  Incidentally, the emissivity is improved by such a material because the reflectivity of the anodized aluminum alloy surface is reduced and the surface has a porous structure, so that fine irregularities are formed and the surface area is increased. It is to become.

  As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4A, the second partition 220 extends in a direction intersecting (orthogonal) with the transport direction F so as to intersect with the third partition 230. As shown in FIG. 4A, an inflow port 221 is formed through the second partition 220 at substantially the center in the width direction X thereof. In addition, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4A, the fourth partition 240 connects the first partition 210 and the second partition 220.

  In the present embodiment, the first partition 210, the second partition 220, the third partition 230, and the fourth partition 240 may be integrally formed by extrusion in the width direction X. And it is good also as integral by welding after forming each partition into another body, or fastening with a fastening member.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the first fan 120 is provided inside the case 110 and outside the heating chamber 200 so as to block the inlet 221 of the second partition 220. The first fan 120 blows gas from the outside of the heating chamber 200 into the heating chamber 200 through the inflow port 221. In this regard, in the present embodiment, the first fan 120 corresponds to an example of a “gas inflow portion” that allows gas to flow into the heating chamber 200 via the inflow port 221. Note that the first fan 120 may be, for example, an axial fan or a centrifugal fan.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the heating unit 130 includes a cylindrical part 131 having a cylindrical shape and a heating element 132 that generates heat when a current flows. The cylindrical portion 131 has a proximal end communicating with the inflow port 221 of the second partition 220, and a distal end opened to the inside of the heating chamber 200. Further, the heating element 132 is accommodated inside the cylindrical portion 131.

  Thus, the heating unit 130 heats the gas flowing in from the inflow port 221 by circulating the gas inside the cylindrical unit 131 that houses the heating element 132. In addition, by heating the gas flowing into the heating chamber 200, the first partition 210, the second partition 220, the third partition 230, and the fourth partition 240 that partition the heating chamber 200 and the heating chamber 200. Is heated.

  The driving of the first fan 120 and the heating unit 130 is desirably controlled as follows, for example. That is, a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the heating area HA is provided in the heating area HA, and the driving of the first fan 120 and the heating unit 130 is controlled according to the difference between the actual temperature and the target temperature in the heating area HA. do it. Note that the target temperature here is a target temperature depending on how many times the temperature of the heating area HA is to be set, and is desirably determined as appropriate according to the type of the medium M and the type of ink.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the moisture absorption unit 140 is attached to the first fan 120 and removes moisture contained in the gas taken in by the first fan 120. Note that the moisture absorption method of the moisture absorption unit 140 may be an adsorption method that performs dehumidification by allowing the gas taken in by the first fan 120 to pass through a solid that easily adsorbs the solvent component (for example, water) of the ink. Further, an absorption method in which dehumidification is performed by bringing the gas taken in by the first fan 120 into contact with a liquid that easily absorbs the solvent component of the ink may be used. In this respect, in the present embodiment, the moisture absorption unit 140 corresponds to an example of a “capturing unit” that captures the solvent vapor (for example, water vapor) of the ink contained in the gas taken in by the first fan 120.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the support plate 150 has a width direction X as a longitudinal direction, and a cross-sectional shape that intersects the width direction X is substantially C-shaped. A plurality of (three in this embodiment) intakes 151 through which gas passes are formed through the support plate 150. Further, the intake port 151 is opened toward the third support member 70 via the heating area HA.

  The support plate 150 is further provided on the upstream side in the transport direction than the third partition wall 230 provided on the upstream side in the transport direction with respect to the first partition wall 210. Therefore, in the heating area HA, the area between the third partition 230 and the third support member 70 is the same as the area between the first partition 210 and the third support member 70, the support plate 150 and the third support member 70. Between the support members 70 and the region between them.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4A, the heating chamber 200 and the support plate 150 are arranged inside the case 110 with a first space 115 on the upstream side in the transport direction and a second space 116 on the downstream side in the transport direction. It is divided into. That is, in this embodiment, three closed spaces including the heating chamber 200 are formed inside the case 110.

  Here, the first space 115 is a space in which the first fan 120 and the hygroscopic part 140 are accommodated, and is a space that communicates with the heating area HA via the intake port 151 of the support plate 150. Therefore, when the first fan 120 blows gas into the heating chamber 200, the gas can be taken in from the heating area HA through the first space 115. On the other hand, the second space 116 is a space in which the second fan 160 is accommodated, and is a space that communicates with the heating area HA through the air supply port 113.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the second fan 160 is attached to the attachment port 111. The second fan 160 blows the outside air of the heating device 100 to the second space 116, thereby allowing gas to flow from the second space 116 to the downstream side in the transport direction of the heating area HA through the air supply port 113. Blow. Thus, the second fan 160 cools the medium M by blowing the outside air to the medium M heated by the heating device 100 through the air supply port 113. Note that the second fan 160 may be an axial fan or a centrifugal fan, like the first fan 120.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the third support member 70 is formed so as to go vertically downward as it goes in the transport direction F. The third support member 70 is provided to face the heating device 100. The third support member 70 supports the medium M by coming into contact with the printed medium M from the back side.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4A, the third support member 70 includes a flat portion 71 having a flat plate shape in the transport direction F, a bent portion 72 having a bent plate shape in the transport direction F, And a curved portion 73 having a curved plate shape in the transport direction F. The flat surface portion 71, the bent portion 72, and the curved portion 73 are provided so as to be arranged toward the downstream side in the transport direction. That is, as shown in FIG. 4A, the flat portion 71 faces the third partition 230 and the support plate 150 of the heating device 100, and the bent portion 72 faces the first partition 210 of the heating device 100. The bent portion 72 faces a portion where the air supply port 113 of the case 110 of the heating device 100 is formed.

  In addition, the material constituting the third support member 70 is desirably a material having low thermal conductivity. This is to prevent the third support member 70 from taking heat away from the medium M when the medium M is heated in a state where the third support member 70 supports the medium M. The third support member 70 has an infrared reflecting surface 80 facing the heating device 100 via the heating area HA. Here, the reflectance of the infrared reflecting surface 80 is preferably high (0.8 or more), and for example, it is preferably a mirror surface.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the bent portion 72 includes a first cross plate 74 that approaches the heating device 100 as it goes in the transport direction F, and a first portion that moves away from the heating device 100 as it goes in the transport direction F. The two intersecting plates 75 are alternately arranged in the transport direction F. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the first intersecting plate 74 of the bent portion 72 is opposed to the first intersecting wall 251 of the first partition wall 210, and the second intersecting plate 75 of the bent portion 72 is the first intersecting plate 75. It faces the second intersecting wall 252 of one partition 210.

  Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4A, the first crossing plate 74 and the second crossing plate 75 cause the portion that forms a mountain so as to approach the heating device 100 from the back side. It becomes the contact part 76 which can contact. On the other hand, the first crossing plate 74 and the second crossing plate 75 serve as a retracting portion 77 that cannot contact the medium M from the back side at a portion where a valley is formed so as to be away from the heating device 100.

  Thus, the bent portion 72 is formed such that the contact portion 76 and the retracting portion 77 are alternately repeated in the transport direction F. In other words, in the bending portion 72, a plurality of contact portions 76 are formed at intervals in the transport direction F, and a plurality of retraction portions 77 are formed at intervals D.

  Here, the contact portion 76 has a very short contactable length with the medium M in the transport direction F, and an area where one contact portion 76 can contact the medium M in the transport direction F is very small. In the present embodiment, the plurality of contact portions 76 come into contact with the medium M from the back side with an interval in the transport direction F, but contact the medium M from the back side with a gap in the width direction X. Alternatively, the medium M may be contacted from the back side with a gap in the other direction.

  Further, the contact portion 76 may have another shape as long as it can support the medium M by contacting the medium M from the back side. Similarly, the retracting portion 77 may have another shape as long as it cannot contact the medium M from the back side. In the present embodiment, in the bent portion 72, the interval D (= interval between the contact portions 76) between the retracting portions 77 adjacent in the transport direction F is constant, but the interval D is changed as appropriate. May be.

Next, the operation of the printing apparatus 10 will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, the thick line arrow in FIG.
In the printing apparatus 10, when printing on the medium M, the transport unit 40 transports the medium M fed from the feeding unit 20 to the second support member 32. The printing unit 50 ejects ink toward the medium M supported by the second support member 32 to form characters and images on the medium M.

  Subsequently, the printed medium M is transported to the third support member 70 by the transport unit 40 and heated by the heating device 100. In addition, since the printing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment performs printing on the long medium M, ink is ejected onto the medium M facing the printing unit 50 on the upstream side in the transport direction, while the downstream side in the transport direction. The medium M facing the printing unit 50 is heated (dried).

First, an operation when the heating device 100 heats the medium M by heat transfer will be described.
When the heating device 100 heats the medium M supported by the third support member 70, the first fan 120, the second fan 160, and the heating unit 130 are driven. That is, the first fan 120 blows gas into the heating chamber 200 via the inflow port 221 formed through the second partition wall 220. Further, the heating unit 130 heats the gas blown into the heating chamber 200.

  Then, when the heated gas flows into the heating chamber 200, the pressure in the heating chamber 200 becomes higher than the pressure outside the heating chamber 200, and the temperature in the heating chamber 200 increases. As a result, the gas heated to the heating region HA (hereinafter also referred to as “hot air”) flows out from the heating chamber 200 through the outlet 253 formed through the first partition 210.

  That is, hot air is blown from the heating chamber 200 toward the medium M supported by the third support member 70 through the outlet 253 formed in the first partition 210. Thus, the medium M supported by the third support member 70 is heated by heat transfer, and the solvent component of the ink ejected onto the medium M evaporates.

  Since the hot air blown to the medium M has a higher temperature than the outside air and a lower density than the outside air, the hot air tends to rise vertically upward. Here, since the third support member 70 (heating area HA) is provided so as to be directed vertically downward in the transport direction F, the hot air blown to the medium M transports the heating area HA. Ascends in the direction upstream.

  On the other hand, in the heating apparatus 100, a support plate 150 in which an intake port 151 communicating with the first space 115 is formed is provided on the upstream side in the transport direction of the first partition wall 210 in which the outflow port 253 is formed. It has been. A first fan 120 that blows the gas in the first space 115 to the heating chamber 200 is provided inside the first space 115 that communicates with the heating area HA via the support plate 150. For this reason, the hot air rising in the heating area HA toward the upstream side in the transport direction is taken into the first space 115 via the intake port 151 and flows into the heating chamber 200 again by the first fan 120. .

  Thus, hot air easily passes between the third partition wall 230 and the third support member 70. In the heating area HA, hot air flows out to the area facing the first partition wall 210, while hot air is taken into the first space 115 from the area facing the support plate 150. That is, regardless of the temperature of the hot air flowing out from the outlet 253 of the first partition wall 210, the heating region is also the point where the gas flows into the downstream side in the transport direction of the heating region HA while the gas flows out from the upstream side in the transport direction. An air flow toward the upstream side in the transport direction of the HA is likely to be generated.

  Further, the first fan 120 causes the gas that has passed through the moisture absorption unit 140 to flow into the heating chamber 200. Therefore, when the solvent vapor | steam of the ink is contained in the gas taken in from the heating area HA via the intake port 151, a vapor | steam is removed from the said gas. For this reason, even if it is a case where the printing apparatus 10 continues printing, it is suppressed that the amount of solvent vapor | steam contained in the gas which flows out out of the heating chamber 200 to the heating area HA increases gradually.

  Further, a portion of the third support member 70 facing the first partition 210 through which the outflow port 253 is formed is a bent portion 72 in which the contact portion 76 and the retracting portion 77 are arranged in the transport direction F. Here, in the bent portion 72, the contact area between the medium M and the third support member 70 is very small as compared with the flat portion 71 and the curved portion 73. Therefore, even if the medium M is transported in a state where the medium M is pressed against the third support member 70 by the hot air flowing out from the heating chamber 200, a frictional force (static frictional force and Kinetic friction force) is reduced. That is, an increase in conveyance resistance accompanying the conveyance of the medium M is suppressed.

  In this regard, in the present embodiment, the region where the bent portion 72 is provided in the third support member 70 is the medium M to which hot air is blown out of the region where the third support member 70 supports the medium M. This corresponds to the blown area BA that supports. In other words, the blown area BA is an area of the third support member 70 that faces the first partition 210 in which the outflow port 253 is formed.

  In the first partition 210, the outlet 253 is formed in a first intersecting wall 251 and a second intersecting wall 252 provided so as to intersect each other. For this reason, the hot air flowing out from the outlet 253 of the first intersecting wall 251 and the second intersecting wall 252 is mixed immediately after flowing out from the heating chamber 200 in the heating area HA.

  For this reason, in the 1st partition 210, when the temperature of the adjacent 1st intersection wall 251 and the 2nd intersection wall 252 differs, the outflow port 253 in the 1st intersection wall 251 and the 2nd intersection wall 252. Even when the temperature of the hot air flowing out from the outlets is different, the hot air flowing out from the respective outlets 253 is mixed, and the variation in temperature distribution in the heating area HA is eliminated.

Subsequently, an operation when the heating apparatus 100 heats the medium M by heat radiation will be described.
When the heated gas flows into the heating chamber 200 by driving the first fan 120 and the heating unit 130, the temperature of the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 is increased. Therefore, infrared rays are emitted from the infrared radiation surfaces 211 and 231 of the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 toward the medium M supported by the third support member 70 (the plane portion 71 and the bent portion 72). Radiated. As a result, the medium M supported by the third support member 70 is heated by heat radiation.

  Here, in the present embodiment, the first partition wall 210 and the third partition wall 230 alternately arrange the first intersecting wall 251 and the second intersecting wall 252 extending in different directions in the transport direction F. It is composed of that. Therefore, the surface areas of the infrared radiation surfaces 211 and 231 of the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 are projected when the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 are projected toward the third support member 70. The amount of infrared radiation with respect to the medium M becomes larger than the projected area.

  In addition, the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 are made of aluminum (aluminum alloy) having high thermal conductivity among metal materials. Therefore, the temperature of the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 rises early from the beginning when the heating device 100 starts heating, and the amount of infrared radiation with respect to the medium M increases from an early stage. Further, the infrared radiation surfaces 211 and 231 of the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 are anodized, and the emissivity in the mid-infrared region and the far-infrared region is 0.8 or more, so that infrared radiation is emitted. The amount gets bigger.

  Further, as described above, the hot air that has flowed out from the outlet 253 of the first partition 210 passes through the region between the third partition 230 and the third support member 70 (planar portion 71). For this reason, the temperature of the third partition wall 230 is unlikely to decrease, and the decrease in the infrared radiation amount from the infrared radiation surface 231 is suppressed by the decrease in the temperature of the third partition wall 230.

  In addition, the third support member 70 that supports the medium M has an infrared reflecting surface 80 that faces the heating device 100. For this reason, among the infrared rays radiated from the infrared radiation surfaces 211 and 231 of the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 toward the medium M supported by the third support member 70, the infrared rays that pass through the medium M are transmitted. Is reflected by the infrared reflecting surface 80. For this reason, at least a part of the reflected infrared light contributes to the heating of the medium M supported by the third support member 70.

Thus, according to the present embodiment, the medium M is efficiently heated by heat transfer and heat radiation, and the solvent component of the ink adhering to the medium M is evaporated.
According to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

  (1) By flowing hot air from the heating chamber 200 through the outlet 253 that opens to the first partition 210, the medium M located in the heating area HA can be heated by heat transfer. Moreover, the medium M can be heated by thermal radiation by emitting infrared rays from the infrared radiation surface 211 of the first partition 210 toward the medium M located in the heating area HA.

  Here, the infrared radiation surface 211 of the first partition 210 has a high emissivity of 0.8 or more in the mid-infrared region and the far-infrared region, and can efficiently heat the medium M to which the ink is adhered by thermal radiation. it can. Thus, according to this configuration, the heating efficiency of the medium M can be increased.

  (2) By forming the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 with a material having excellent emissivity in the mid-infrared region and the far-infrared region, the infrared radiation surfaces of the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 The amount of infrared radiation with respect to the medium M from 211 and 231 can be increased.

  (3) According to this embodiment, since the printed medium M can be efficiently heated, the medium M can be easily dried even when the ink used for printing is water-based ink. Can do.

  (4) Since the first fan 120 causes the gas taken in from the heating area HA to flow into the heating chamber 200, compared to a case where gas (for example, outside air) flows from the area other than the heating area HA into the heating chamber 200, It becomes difficult for the temperature of the heating chamber 200 and the heating area HA to fall. In this way, a decrease in the heating efficiency of the medium M can be suppressed.

  (5) In the heating area HA, the solvent M of the ink is generated by heating the medium M on which the ink has been ejected. For this reason, when the gas that has flowed into the heating area HA is allowed to flow into the heating chamber 200 again, the amount of solvent vapor contained in the gas tends to gradually increase.

  In this regard, according to the present embodiment, the moisture absorption unit 140 removes (captures) the solvent vapor of the ink contained in the gas taken in from the heating area HA. Therefore, even when printing is continued in the printing apparatus 10, the amount of solvent vapor contained in the gas flowing out from the heating chamber 200 toward the heating area HA is suppressed, and the drying efficiency of the medium M is suppressed. Can be suppressed.

  (6) The infrared radiation surface 231 of the third partition 230 faces the heating area HA where hot air flows out from the outlet 253 of the first partition 210. For this reason, the temperature of the third partition wall 230 is unlikely to decrease, and the amount of infrared radiation with respect to the medium M from the infrared radiation surface 231 of the third partition wall 230 can be suppressed from decreasing.

  (7) In the transport direction F, the support plate 150 in which the intake port 151 is formed, the third partition wall 230 having the infrared radiation surface 231 and the first partition wall 210 in which the outlet 253 is formed are arranged side by side. . For this reason, in the heating area HA, hot air flowing out from the outlet 253 of the first partition 210 easily passes through the area between the third partition 230 and the third support member 70. Therefore, the temperature of the third partition wall 230 is unlikely to decrease, and the amount of infrared radiation from the infrared radiation surface 231 to the medium M can be suppressed from decreasing.

  (8) The gas flowing out to the heating area HA through the outlet 253 of the first partition wall 210 is heated by the heating unit 130 and is vertically upward (upstream in the transport direction) in the heating area HA. It becomes easy to rise. On the other hand, the heating device 100 of the present embodiment is provided in the order of the support plate 150, the third partition 230, and the first partition 210 from the upstream side in the transport direction to the downstream side. For this reason, the first fan 120 can take in more heated gas flowing out from the first partition 210 to the heating area HA via the outlet 253 and can cause the gas to flow into the heating chamber 200. . Therefore, according to this configuration, the heating efficiency of the medium M can be further increased.

  (9) The areas of the infrared radiation surfaces 211 and 231 of the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 are larger than the projected areas when the infrared radiation surfaces are projected toward the third support member 70 (conveyance path). Is also getting bigger. For this reason, the amount of infrared radiation with respect to the medium M can be increased by the increase in the area capable of emitting infrared light with respect to the medium M. Thus, the heating efficiency of the medium M can be increased as compared with the case where the infrared radiation surfaces 211 and 231 are flat.

  (10) The first partition 210 and the third partition 230 correspond to an infrared radiation member that divides the heating chamber 200 and emits infrared rays toward the medium M supported by the third support member 70. For this reason, compared with the case where the partition which divides the heating chamber 200, and the infrared rays radiating member are provided separately, the structure of the heating apparatus 100 can be simplified.

  (11) By making the first intersection wall 251 and the second intersection wall 252 have different penetration formation directions of the outlet 253, the hot air flowing out from the outlet 253 is mixed in the heating area HA. Thus, variations in temperature distribution in the heating area HA can be suppressed.

  (12) The outlet 253 of the first partition 210 is configured so that the direction in which the outlet 253 penetrates the first partition 210 and the medium M supported by the third support member 70 are non-perpendicular. The force with which the medium M is pressed against the third support member 70 by the hot air that has flowed out of the air is reduced. For this reason, the conveyance load at the time of conveying the medium M can be reduced.

  (13) A third support member 70 (bending portion 72) that supports the medium M is formed with a retracting portion 77 that cannot contact the medium M at an interval in the transport direction F. In addition, the contact area of the medium M is reduced, and heat is not easily transmitted from the heated medium M to the third support member 70. Therefore, according to this configuration, the heating efficiency of the medium can be increased.

  (14) Since the third support member 70 has the infrared reflecting surface 80, the medium M supported by the third support member 70 from the infrared radiation surfaces 211 and 231 of the first partition 210 and the third partition 230. Of the infrared rays emitted toward the infrared ray, the infrared rays that pass through the medium M are reflected by the infrared reflecting surface 80. For this reason, at least a part of infrared rays reflected by the infrared reflecting surface 80 can be absorbed by the medium M and contribute to heating of the medium M.

  (15) The amount of heat applied to the medium M to heat the medium M is the sum of the amount of heat applied to the medium M by heat radiation and the amount of heat applied to the medium M by heat transfer. For this reason, according to this embodiment, since the amount of heat applied to the medium M by heat transfer can be reduced by improving the heating efficiency of the medium M by heat radiation, the temperature of the hot air sprayed on the medium M is lowered. Can do. Accordingly, when the medium M having low heat resistance such as a resin film having a low melting point is dried, the medium M can be hardly deformed by heat.

  (16) The hot air blown to the medium M passes through the heating area HA between at least the third partition 230 and the medium M supported by the third support member 70, and then the intake port of the support plate 150 151 is taken into the first space 115. For this reason, compared with the case where the hot air sprayed on the medium M is taken into the first space 115 immediately after being sprayed on the medium M, the heating efficiency of the medium M by heat transfer can be increased.

  (17) In the printing apparatus 10 that heats the medium M by blowing hot air onto the medium M supported by the third support member 70, when the amount of gas blown onto the medium M is large, the medium M is By being pressed against the third support member 70, the conveyance resistance of the medium M is increased. In this regard, according to the present embodiment, the retracting portion 77 that cannot contact the medium M is formed on the third support member 70. Accordingly, even when hot air is strongly blown toward the medium M supported by the third support member 70, a portion in which the medium M is not pressed against the third support member 70 is generated. An increase in resistance can be suppressed.

In addition, you may change the said embodiment as shown below.
The heating device 100 heats the medium M by blowing hot air onto the medium M supported by the bent portion 72 of the third support member 70. For this reason, the wind pressure received by the medium M supported by the third support member 70 is the largest at the portion supported by the bent portion 72, and is in a region away from the bent portion 72 (the flat portion 71 and the curved portion 73). The smaller the supported part, the smaller. In other words, the wind pressure received by the medium M is highest in the blown area BA and decreases as the distance from the blown area BA in the transport direction F increases.

  Therefore, when the retracting portion 77 and the contact portion 76 are also provided in the flat portion 71 and the curved portion 73, the distance between the retracting portions 77 in the transport direction F increases as the distance from the bent portion 72 (the blown area BA) increases. The interval D may be widened. In other words, the distance between the contact portions 76 in the transport direction F may be reduced as the distance from the bent portion 72 increases.

  According to this configuration, since the contact area with respect to the medium M per unit area becomes small in the blown area BA, the pressing force of the medium M against the support unit 30 is reduced, and an increase in the transport load can be suppressed. . On the other hand, in the area away from the blown area BA, the contact area with the medium M per unit area becomes large, so that the medium M can be favorably supported.

  In the present embodiment, the first fan 120 provided outside the heating chamber 200 is configured to heat the gas flowing into the heating chamber 200 by the heating unit 130 provided inside the heating chamber 200. A configuration may be adopted. For example, the first fan 120 and the heating unit 130 may be provided outside the heating chamber 200, and a preheated gas may flow into the heating chamber 200. The heating unit 130 may be configured to directly heat the heating chamber 200 (for example, the first partition 210 and the third partition 230).

  The first fan 120 may not be a blower fan as long as gas can flow into the heating chamber 200 from the outside of the heating chamber 200. For example, a suction mechanism such as a pump may be used.

  The heating apparatus 100 may not include a configuration related to blowing hot air. In this case, the printed medium M is heated by heat radiation from the infrared radiation surfaces 211 and 231 of the first partition 210 and the third partition 230.

  The third support member 70 may not be formed so as to go vertically downward as it goes in the transport direction F. For example, it may be provided horizontally, or may be provided so as to go vertically upward as it goes in the transport direction F.

  The infrared reflecting surface 80 of the third support member 70 may be an infrared emitting surface. In this case, it is desirable that the thermal conductivity of the third support member 70 is high so that the temperature of the third support member 70 can be easily raised early.

The heating device 100 may be provided inside the casing in which the printing unit 50 is accommodated in the printing device 10 as long as the heating device 100 is provided on the downstream side of the printing unit 50 in the transport direction.
In the heating device 100, the ratio between the amount of heat applied to the medium M by heat transfer and the amount of heat applied to the medium M by heat radiation may be changed as appropriate according to the type of ink and the type of medium M. .

When the ink includes a resin, such as when a pigment is used as the ink coloring material, the heating device 100 desirably sets the temperature of the heating area HA to a temperature at which the resin melts.
-As for the outflow port 253, the shape of the opening may not be circular. For example, an elliptical shape or a slit shape may be used.

  -The 3rd support member 70 does not need to be provided. In this case, it is desirable to heat the medium M on which the tension is applied in a state where the tension is applied in the transport direction F so that the printed medium M is not bent.

  -The 1st partition 210 and the 3rd partition 230 do not need to be bent. That is, the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 may have a flat plate shape. Further, the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 may have a plurality of irregularities toward the inside and outside of the heating chamber 200. The same applies to the bent portion 72 of the third support member 70.

  -The shape of the 1st partition 210 and the 3rd partition 230 may be changed suitably. For example, a curved plate shape that is curved in the direction of decreasing the volume of the heating chamber 200 may be used, or a curved plate shape that is curved in the direction of increasing the volume of the heating chamber 200 may be used.

  The first partition 210 may be disposed upstream of the third partition 230 in the transport direction. In addition, the third partition 230 may be provided on the upstream side of the first partition 210 in the transport direction, and another partition having an infrared radiation surface may be provided on the downstream side of the first partition 210 in the transport direction.

The bending mode of the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 of the heating device 100 may be different from the bending mode of the bending part 72 of the third support member 70.
The first partition 210 may be extended upstream in the transport direction so that the first partition 210 intersects the second partition 220 without providing the third partition 230.

  -The 1st partition 210 and the 3rd partition 230 may be formed with metal materials other than aluminum or aluminum alloy, and may be formed with the resin material which has heat resistance. In this case, the infrared radiation surfaces 211 and 231 of the first partition 210 and the third partition 230 are desirably black in order to increase the emissivity.

-The moisture absorption part 140 does not need to be provided. In this case, it is desirable that the first fan 120 allows outside air to flow into the heating chamber 200.
The printing apparatus 10 may not be an ink jet printer as long as it heats the medium M in order to fix the ink to the medium M after attaching the ink to the medium M. For example, a sublimation transfer printer may be used.

The printing apparatus 10 may be a serial printer, a line printer, or a page printer.
The material of the medium M may be resin, metal, cloth, or paper.

In the following, modifications of the ink will be described in detail.
The ink used for the printing apparatus 10 contains a resin and substantially does not contain glycerin having a boiling point of 290 ° C. under 1 atm. If the ink substantially contains glycerin, the drying property of the ink is greatly reduced. As a result, in various media, in particular, a non-ink-absorbing or low-absorbing medium, not only the density unevenness of the image is noticeable but also the ink fixing property cannot be obtained. Furthermore, it is preferable that the ink substantially does not contain alkyl polyols (excluding the above glycerin) having a boiling point of 280 ° C. or higher at 1 atm.

  Here, “substantially free” in the present specification means not to contain more than the amount that fully exhibits the significance of addition. Speaking quantitatively, it is preferable not to contain 1.0 mass% or more of glycerin with respect to the total mass (100 mass%) of an ink, and it is more preferable not to contain 0.5 mass% or more. More preferably, it is not contained in an amount of not less than 1% by mass, more preferably not in excess of 0.05% by mass, and particularly preferably not in excess of 0.01% by mass. And it is most preferable not to contain glycerol 0.001 mass% or more.

Next, additives (components) that are or can be included in the ink will be described.
[1. Color material]
The ink may include a color material. The color material is selected from pigments and dyes.

[1-1. Pigment]
By using a pigment as the color material, the light resistance of the ink can be improved. As the pigment, both inorganic pigments and organic pigments can be used. The inorganic pigment is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include carbon black, iron oxide, titanium oxide, and silica oxide.

  The organic pigment is not particularly limited. Examples include perylene pigments, diketopyrrolopyrrole pigments, perinone pigments, quinophthalone pigments, anthraquinone pigments, thioindigo pigments, benzimidazolone pigments, isoindolinone pigments, azomethine pigments, and azo pigments. . Specific examples of the organic pigment include the following.

  Examples of pigments used for cyan ink include C.I. I. Pigment Blue 1, 2, 3, 15, 15: 1, 15: 2, 15: 3, 15: 4, 15: 6, 15:34, 16, 18, 22, 60, 65, 66, C.I. I. Bat Blue 4 and 60 are listed. Among them, C.I. I. Any one of CI Pigment Blue 15: 3 and 15: 4 is preferable.

  Examples of pigments used in magenta ink include C.I. I. Pigment Red 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 30, 31, 32, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 48 (Ca), 48 (Mn), 57 (Ca), 57: 1, 88, 112, 114, 122, 123, 144, 146, 149, 150, 166, 168 170, 171, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 184, 185, 187, 202, 209, 219, 224, 245, 254, 264, C.I. I. Pigment violet 19, 23, 32, 33, 36, 38, 43, 50. Among them, C.I. I. Pigment red 122, C.I. I. Pigment red 202, and C.I. I. One or more selected from the group consisting of Pigment Violet 19 is preferred.

  Examples of pigments used in yellow ink include C.I. I. Pigment Yellow 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 24, 34, 35, 37, 53, 55, 65, 73, 74, 75, 81, 83, 93, 94, 95, 97, 98, 99, 108, 109, 110, 113, 114, 117, 120, 124, 128, 129, 133, 138, 139, 147, 151, 153, 154, 155, 167, 172, 180, 185, 213. Among them, C.I. I. One or more selected from the group consisting of CI Pigment Yellow 74, 155, and 213 are preferred.

In addition, as a pigment used for inks of colors other than the above, such as green ink and orange ink, conventionally known pigments can be used.
The average particle diameter of the pigment is preferably 250 nm or less because clogging at the nozzle can be suppressed and ejection stability (jetting stability) is further improved. In addition, the average particle diameter in this specification is based on a volume. As a measuring method, for example, it can be measured by a particle size distribution measuring apparatus using a laser diffraction scattering method as a measurement principle. Examples of the particle size distribution measuring device include a particle size distribution meter (for example, Microtrac UPA manufactured by Nikkiso Co., Ltd.) having a dynamic light scattering method as a measurement principle.

[1-2. dye]
A dye can be used as the coloring material. The dye is not particularly limited, and acid dyes, direct dyes, reactive dyes, and basic dyes can be used. The content of the color material is preferably 0.4 to 12% by mass, and more preferably 2% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less with respect to the total mass (100% by mass) of the ink.

[2. resin]
The ink contains a resin. When the ink contains a resin, a resin film is formed on the medium. As a result, the ink is sufficiently fixed on the medium, and the effect of mainly improving the abrasion resistance of the image is exhibited. For this reason, the resin emulsion is preferably a thermoplastic resin. The thermal deformation temperature of the resin is preferably 40 ° C. or higher, and more preferably 60 ° C. or higher, because the advantageous effect that the nozzle is less likely to be clogged and the medium has abrasion resistance is obtained. preferable.

  Here, the “thermal deformation temperature” in the present specification is a temperature value represented by a glass transition temperature (Tg) or a minimum film forming temperature (MFT). That is, “the thermal deformation temperature is 40 ° C. or higher” means that either Tg or MFT may be 40 ° C. or higher. In addition, since MFT can grasp | ascertain the superiority or inferiority of the redispersibility of resin rather than Tg, it is preferable that the said heat deformation temperature is a temperature value represented by MFT. If the ink is excellent in resin redispersibility, the ink is not fixed and the nozzles are not easily clogged.

  Although it does not specifically limit as a specific example of the said thermoplastic resin, Poly (meth) acrylic acid ester or its copolymer, polyacrylonitrile or its copolymer, polycyanoacrylate, polyacrylamide, poly (meth) acrylic acid, etc. (Meth) acrylic polymers, polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutene, polyisobutylene, and polystyrene, and copolymers thereof, and polyolefin polymers such as petroleum resins, coumarone-indene resins, and terpene resins, polyvinyl acetate Or copolymers thereof, vinyl acetate-based or vinyl alcohol-based polymers such as polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetal, and polyvinyl ether, polyvinyl chloride or copolymers thereof, polyvinylidene chloride, fluororesin, and fluorine-containing halogenated compounds such as fluororubber. -Based polymers, polyvinylcarbazole, polyvinylpyrrolidone or copolymers thereof, nitrogen-containing vinyl polymers such as polyvinylpyridine and polyvinylimidazole, polybutadienes or copolymers thereof, polychloroprene, and diene systems such as polyisoprene (butyl rubber) Examples include polymers, and other ring-opening polymerization resins, condensation polymerization resins, and natural polymer resins.

  The content of the resin is preferably 1 to 30% by mass, and more preferably 1 to 5% by mass with respect to the total mass (100% by mass) of the ink. When content is in the said range, the glossiness and abrasion resistance of the top coat image formed can be made further excellent. Examples of the resin that may be contained in the ink include a resin dispersant, a resin emulsion, and a wax.

[2-1. Resin emulsion]
The ink may contain a resin emulsion. When the medium is heated, the resin emulsion preferably forms a resin film together with the wax (emulsion), thereby exhibiting an effect of sufficiently fixing the ink on the medium and improving the abrasion resistance of the image. When the medium is printed with the ink containing the resin emulsion due to the above-described effect, the ink has excellent abrasion resistance particularly on a non-ink-absorbing or low-absorbing medium.

  The resin emulsion that functions as a binder is contained in the ink in an emulsion state. By including a resin functioning as a binder in the ink in an emulsion state, the viscosity of the ink can be easily adjusted to an appropriate range in the ink jet recording system, and the storage stability and ejection stability of the ink can be improved.

  Examples of the resin emulsion include, but are not limited to, (meth) acrylic acid, (meth) acrylic acid ester, acrylonitrile, cyanoacrylate, acrylamide, olefin, styrene, vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride, vinyl alcohol, vinyl ether, vinyl pyrrolidone. , Vinyl pyridine, vinyl carbazole, vinyl imidazole, and vinylidene chloride homopolymers or copolymers, fluororesins, and natural resins. Among them, either a methacrylic resin or a styrene-methacrylic acid copolymer resin is preferable, either an acrylic resin or a styrene-acrylic acid copolymer resin is more preferable, and a styrene-acrylic acid copolymer resin is more preferable. Even more preferred. In addition, said copolymer may be any form among a random copolymer, a block copolymer, an alternating copolymer, and a graft copolymer.

  The average particle diameter of the resin emulsion is preferably in the range of 5 nm to 400 nm, and more preferably in the range of 20 nm to 300 nm, in order to further improve the storage stability and ejection stability of the ink. Among the resins, the content of the resin emulsion is preferably in the range of 0.5 to 7% by mass with respect to the total mass (100% by mass) of the ink. When the content is within the above range, the solid content concentration can be lowered, so that the discharge stability can be further improved.

[2-2. wax]
The ink may include wax. When the ink contains a wax, the fixability of the ink on a non-ink-absorbing and low-absorbing medium is further improved. Among them, an emulsion type is more preferable. Examples of the wax include, but are not limited to, polyethylene wax, paraffin wax, and polyolefin wax. Among them, polyethylene wax described later is preferable. In the present specification, the “wax” means a product in which solid wax particles are dispersed in water mainly using a surfactant described later.

  When the ink contains polyethylene wax, the ink can have excellent abrasion resistance. The average particle diameter of the polyethylene wax is preferably in the range of 5 nm to 400 nm, and more preferably in the range of 50 nm to 200 nm, in order to further improve the storage stability and ejection stability of the ink.

  The polyethylene wax content (in terms of solid content) is preferably in the range of 0.1 to 3% by mass, independently of the total mass (100% by mass) of the ink, and 0.3 to 3%. The range is more preferably in the range of mass%, and further preferably in the range of 0.3 to 1.5 mass%. When the content is within the above range, the ink can be solidified and fixed satisfactorily even on a non-ink-absorbing or low-absorbing medium, and the storage stability and ejection stability of the ink are further improved. Can be.

[3. Surfactant]
The ink may contain a surfactant. Examples of the surfactant include, but are not limited to, nonionic surfactants. The nonionic surfactant has an action of spreading the ink uniformly on the medium. For this reason, when printing is performed using an ink containing a nonionic surfactant, a high-definition image with almost no bleeding is obtained. Examples of such nonionic surfactants include, but are not limited to, silicon-based, polyoxyethylene alkyl ether-based, polyoxypropylene alkyl ether-based, polycyclic phenyl ether-based, sorbitan derivatives, and fluorine-based interfaces. Examples of the surfactant include silicon surfactants.

  The surfactant content is further improved in the storage stability and ejection stability of the ink. Therefore, the content of the surfactant is from 0.1% by mass to 3% by mass with respect to the total mass (100% by mass) of the ink. A range is preferable.

[4. Organic solvent]
The ink may contain a known volatile water-soluble organic solvent. However, as described above, the ink contains substantially no glycerin (boiling point at 290 ° C. under 1 atm), which is a kind of organic solvent. It is preferable that it does not contain substantially (except the said glycerol).

[5. Aprotic polar solvent]
The ink may include an aprotic polar solvent. By containing the aprotic polar solvent in the ink, the above-described resin particles contained in the ink are dissolved, so that clogging of the nozzles can be effectively suppressed during printing. Further, since it has a property of dissolving a medium such as vinyl chloride, image adhesion is improved.

  The aprotic polar solvent is not particularly limited, but one or more selected from pyrrolidones, lactones, sulfoxides, imidazolidinones, sulfolanes, urea derivatives, dialkylamides, cyclic ethers, amide ethers It is preferable to contain. Representative examples of pyrrolidones include 2-pyrrolidone, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, and N-ethyl-2-pyrrolidone. Representative examples of lactones include γ-butyrolactone, γ-valerolactone, and ε-caprolactone. Typical examples of sulfoxides include dimethyl sulfoxide and tetramethylene sulfoxide.

  Typical examples of imidazolidinones include 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone, typical examples of sulfolanes include sulfolane and dimethylsulfolane, and typical examples of urea derivatives include dimethylurea, There is 1,1,3,3-tetramethylurea. Representative examples of dialkylamides include dimethylformamide and dimethylacetamide, and representative examples of cyclic ethers include 1,4-dioxane and tetrahydrofuran.

  Among these, pyrrolidones, lactones, sulfoxides, and amide ethers are particularly preferable from the viewpoint of the effects described above, and 2-pyrrolidone is most preferable. The content of the aprotic polar solvent is preferably in the range of 3 to 30% by mass and more preferably in the range of 8 to 20% by mass with respect to the total mass (100% by mass) of the ink. preferable.

[6. Other ingredients]
The ink may further contain a fungicide, a rust inhibitor, a chelating agent, and the like in addition to the above components.

  The second liquid is preferably a substance that accelerates the curing of the thermoplastic resin contained in the ink described above. As an example, when an acrylic polymer or polystyrene is used as the resin contained in the ink, it is desirable to use epichlorohydrin as the second liquid.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Printing apparatus, 30 ... Support part, 40 ... Conveyance part, 50 ... Printing part, 70 ... 3rd support member (an example of a support member), 71 ... Plane part, 72 ... Bending part, 73 ... Bending part, 74 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1st crossing board, 75 ... 2nd crossing board, 76 ... Contact part, 77 ... Retraction | saving part, 80 ... Infrared radiation surface of 3rd supporting member, 100 ... Heating apparatus, 110 ... Case, 120 ... 1st Fan (an example of a gas inflow part), 130 ... a heating part, 140 ... a moisture absorption part (an example of a capturing part), 150 ... a support plate, 200 ... a heating chamber, 210 ... a first partition (an example of an infrared radiation part), 211... Infrared radiation surface of the first partition, 220... Second partition, 221 .. Inlet, 230. 1st intersection wall (an example of an intersection wall), 252... 2nd intersection wall (an example of an intersection wall), 2 3 ... outlet, D ... interval, BA ... the blast area, HA ... heating area, M ... medium.

Claims (4)

A printing unit that performs printing by attaching ink to a medium;
A transport unit that transports the medium along a transport path of the medium;
A heating device for heating the printed medium,
When the area between the transport path and the heating device is a heating area,
The heating device is
A first partition wall through which an outlet opening toward the heating region is formed; a second partition wall through which an inlet port is formed; and an infrared radiation surface facing the transport path through the heating region. A heating chamber at least partially partitioned by a third partition wall having
A heating section for heating the heating chamber;
A gas inflow portion for allowing gas to flow into the heating chamber through the inflow port. The third partition wall is formed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy,
The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the infrared radiation surface is anodized. The first partition is provided so as to face the transport path through the heating region,
The gas inflow portion is configured to remove a gas taken from a region sandwiching a region between the third partition and the transport path in the heating region with a region between the first partition and the transport path. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing apparatus is caused to flow into the heating chamber. The transport path is formed so as to be directed vertically downward toward the transport direction,
The printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first partition is provided on the downstream side in the transport direction with respect to the third partition.