JP2021030519A - Ink heating mechanism and ink jet printer - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an ink heating mechanism which can prevent a sheet heater from burning even if one sheet heater in a folded state is bonded to three side surfaces of a block-like heating part body in which an ink flow channel is formed.SOLUTION: An ink heating mechanism 12 comprises: a heating part body 16 in which an ink flow channel, in which an ink flows, is formed; and a sheet heater 17 which is bonded to the heating part body 16. The sheet heater 17 is bonded to a first side face 16a, a second side face 16b and a third side face in the state that the sheet heater is folded at a first corner part 16j which becomes boundary between the first side face 16a and the second side face 16b, and at a second corner part 16k which becomes boundary between the first side face 16a and the third side face of the heating part body 16. A chamfered part 19e, which is chamfered by chamfer processing, is formed on the first corner part 16j and the second corner part 16k.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to an ink heating mechanism for heating the ink supplied to the inkjet head. The present invention also relates to an inkjet printer provided with such an ink heating mechanism.

Conventionally, an ink supply device for supplying ink to a print head chip is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The ink supply device described in Patent Document 1 includes an ink storage unit that houses ink to be supplied to the printhead chip. The ink storage portion is formed in a flat rectangular parallelepiped shape, and an ink storage space is formed in the ink storage portion. Further, the ink supply device described in Patent Document 1 includes a preheating plate and a preheating heater for heating the ink supplied to the print head chip. The ink storage unit stores the ink that flows in through the preheating plate. The preheater is formed in a flat plate shape. The preheating heater is arranged between the preheating plate and the ink storage unit, and heats the ink passing through the preheating plate and the ink stored in the ink storage unit.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-213061

The inventor of the present application includes a block-shaped heating unit main body and a sheet-shaped sheet heater attached to the heating unit main body as an ink heating mechanism for heating the ink supplied to the inkjet head. We are considering adopting an ink heating mechanism. For example, the inventor of the present application has considered adopting an ink heating mechanism including a heating unit main body formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and a single sheet heater attached to the side surface of the heating unit main body. There is. In this case, it is possible to form an ink pool inside the heating unit main body, but the inventor of the present application has stated that the ink supplied to the heating unit main body stays inside the heating unit main body for a long time. In order to prevent the ink from staying, we are considering forming an ink flow path through which the ink flows inside the main body of the heating unit.

According to the study of the inventor of the present application, when an ink pool is formed inside the heating portion main body, one sheet heater is attached to one side surface of the heating portion main body formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. If attached, it is possible to heat the entire ink pool with a single sheet heater, so it is possible to sufficiently heat the ink inside the heating unit body, whereas the heating unit can be sufficiently heated. When an intricate ink flow path is formed inside the main body, even if one sheet heater is attached to one side surface of the heating unit main body, one sheet heater can be used to connect the ink flow path. Since it is difficult to heat the whole, it has become clear that it is difficult to sufficiently heat the ink inside the main body of the heating unit.

Therefore, the inventor of the present application has three heating unit bodies formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape so that the ink inside the heating unit body in which the ink flow path is formed can be sufficiently heated. I decided to attach one sheet heater in a bent state to the side surface of the. However, it has been clarified by the inventor of the present application that when one sheet heater in a bent state is attached to the three side surfaces of the main body of the heating unit, the sheet heater is burnt.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is that even when one sheet heater in a bent state is attached to the three side surfaces of the block-shaped heating unit main body in which the ink flow path is formed, the sheet heater is attached. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink heating mechanism capable of preventing burning of the ink. Another object of the present invention is to provide an inkjet printer provided with such an ink heating mechanism.

In order to solve the above problems, the inventor of the present application has investigated the cause of burning of the seat heater. According to the study by the inventor of the present application, it has been clarified that the sheet heater is burnt at a bent portion at a corner portion which is a boundary between the side surfaces of the heating portion main body. Further, although the seat heater is relatively flexible, when the seat heater is attached to the heating part main body, the bent portion of the seat heater comes into contact with the heating part main body at the corner of the heating part main body. In some cases, a gap may be formed between the heating part main body and the seat heater at the corner of the heating part main body, and when the seat heater is attached to the heating part main body, it is heated. Even if the bent part of the seat heater can be brought into contact with the heating part body at the corner of the heating part body, the time between the heating part body and the seat heater is elapsed at the corner part of the heating part body. It has been clarified by the examination of the inventor of the present application that a gap may be formed in the heat.

Further, as a result of various studies, the inventor of the present application finds that a gap is formed between the heating portion main body and the seat heater at the corner portion of the heating portion main body. It has been found that heat cannot be transferred from the seat heater to the main body of the heating unit, and as a result, the bent portion of the seat heater becomes overheated and the seat heater is burnt.

The ink heating mechanism of the present invention is based on such a new finding, and is an ink heating mechanism for heating the ink supplied to the inkjet head, and an ink flow path through which the ink flows is formed inside. A block-shaped heating unit main body and a sheet-shaped sheet heater attached to the heating unit main body to heat the heating unit main body are provided, and the heating unit main body has a flat first side surface and a first surface. A linear first side formed at the end of the side surface is formed at the end of the first side surface and a flat second side surface which is connected to the first side surface and forms a predetermined angle with respect to the first side surface. A second side portion that is linear and parallel to the first side portion forms a planar third side surface that is connected to the first side surface and forms a predetermined angle with respect to the first side surface. The first side surface, the second side surface, and the third side surface are bent at the first corner portion that is the boundary between the first side surface and the second side surface and the second corner portion that is the boundary between the first side surface and the third side surface. The first corner portion and the second corner portion are characterized in that chamfered portions are formed by chamfering.

In the ink heating mechanism of the present invention, the chamfered portion is chamfered on the first corner portion that is the boundary between the first side surface and the second side surface and the second corner portion that is the boundary between the first side surface and the third side surface. Is formed. Therefore, in the present invention, the curvature of the bent portion at the first corner portion and the second corner portion of one sheet heater attached to the first side surface, the second side surface, and the third side surface of the heating portion main body. Even if the radius is increased, it is possible to bring the bent portion of the seat heater into contact with the main body of the heating portion in the first corner portion and the second corner portion.

Therefore, in the present invention, when the seat heater is attached to the first side surface, the second side surface, and the third side surface, in the first corner portion and the second corner portion, the bent portion of the seat heater is the main body of the heating portion. It is possible to prevent a gap from being formed between the heating unit main body and the seat heater in contact with the heating unit main body and the seat heater, and at the first corner portion and the second corner portion, the heating unit main body and the seat heater It is possible to prevent the formation of a gap over time between the two. As a result, in the present invention, the ink flow path is bent into three side surfaces (specifically, the first side surface, the second side surface, and the third side surface) of the block-shaped heating portion main body formed inside. Even when a single sheet heater is attached, it is possible to prevent the sheet heater from burning.

In the present invention, for example, the angle formed by the first side surface and the second side surface and the angle formed by the first side surface and the third side surface are 90 °, and the second side surface and the third side surface are parallel to each other. It has become.

In the present invention, the main body of the heating unit includes a block-shaped flow path forming member in which a linear flow path hole that becomes a part of the ink flow path is formed inside, and one piece fixed to the flow path forming member. A sealing plate is provided, and the flow path hole is formed from the surface of the flow path forming member on the side where the sealing plate is fixed toward the inside of the flow path forming member, and the sealing plate is formed of the flow path hole. It is preferable that at least the portion of the first side surface to which the sheet heater is attached, which closes the end portion, is composed of one sealing plate.

With this configuration, a linear flow path hole is formed from the surface of the flow path forming member on the side where the sealing plate is fixed toward the inside of the flow path forming member, and the sealing plate is formed as a flow path hole. Since the end portion of the ink is closed, it becomes easy to machine a flow path hole that becomes a part of the ink flow path. Further, in this case, since at least the portion of the first side surface to which the sheet heater is attached is composed of one sealing plate, unevenness occurs in the portion of the first side surface to which the sheet heater is attached. Hateful. Therefore, when the seat heater is attached to the first side surface, it is possible to prevent a gap from being formed between the heating unit main body and the seat heater on the first side surface, and on the first side surface. , It becomes possible to prevent the formation of a gap with time between the heating unit main body and the seat heater. As a result, even if the heating unit main body includes the flow path forming member and the sealing plate, it is possible to prevent the sheet heater from burning on the first side surface.

In the present invention, the sealing plate is fixed to the flow path forming member from the first side surface side by a plurality of screws, and the sheet heater is attached to the sealing plate at a position avoiding the plurality of screws on the first side surface. Is preferable. With this configuration, even if the sealing plate is fixed to the flow path forming member by a plurality of screws, when the sheet heater is attached to the first side surface, it is applied on the first side surface due to the plurality of screws. It is possible to prevent the formation of a gap between the warming part main body and the seat heater, and on the first side surface, aging between the warming part main body and the seat heater due to a plurality of screws. It becomes possible to prevent the formation of a gap. As a result, even if the sealing plate is fixed to the flow path forming member by a plurality of screws, it is possible to prevent the sheet heater from burning on the first side surface.

In the present invention, for example, a chamfered portion is formed on the sealing plate. Further, in the present invention, a chamfered portion may be formed on the sealing plate and the flow path forming member. When the chamfered portion is formed on the sealing plate and the flow path forming member, a large chamfered portion is formed on the first corner portion and the second corner portion as compared with the case where the chamfered portion is formed only on the sealing plate. It becomes possible to form a part. Therefore, even if the radius of curvature of the bent portion of the seat heater at the first corner portion and the second corner portion becomes larger, the bent portion of the seat heater is added at the first corner portion and the second corner portion. It becomes possible to contact the hot part body. That is, in the first corner portion and the second corner portion, the bent portion of the seat heater can be easily brought into contact with the heating portion main body.

The ink heating mechanism of the present invention can be used in an inkjet printer including an inkjet head that ejects ink supplied from the ink heating mechanism. In this inkjet printer, it is possible to prevent the sheet heater from burning even when one sheet heater in a bent state is attached to the three side surfaces of the heating unit main body.

As described above, in the present invention, even when one sheet heater in a bent state is attached to the three side surfaces of the block-shaped heating unit main body in which the ink flow path is formed, the sheet is attached. It is possible to prevent the heater from burning.

It is a perspective view of the inkjet printer which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic for demonstrating the structure of the inkjet printer shown in FIG. It is a perspective view of a part of the peripheral part of the carriage shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing for demonstrating the structure of the heating part main body shown in FIG. It is a perspective view of a part of the heating part main body shown in FIG. It is a front view of a part of the heating part main body shown in FIG. It is a perspective view of a part of the heating part main body which concerns on other embodiment of this invention. It is a front view of a part of the heating part main body shown in FIG. 7.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Outline configuration of an inkjet printer)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an inkjet printer 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic view for explaining the configuration of the inkjet printer 1 shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a part of the peripheral portion of the carriage 4 shown in FIG.

The inkjet printer 1 of the present embodiment (hereinafter, referred to as "printer 1") is, for example, a commercial inkjet printer, and prints on a print medium 2. The printing medium 2 is, for example, printing paper, cloth, resin film, or the like. The printer 1 has an inkjet head 3 (hereinafter, referred to as “head 3”) that ejects ink toward a print medium 2, a carriage 4 on which the head 3 is mounted, and a carriage 4 in a main scanning direction (FIG. 1, etc.). A carriage drive mechanism 5 for moving the carriage 4 in the Y direction), a guide rail 6 for guiding the carriage 4 in the main scanning direction, and a plurality of ink tanks 7 for accommodating ink supplied to the head 3. ..

The head 3 ejects ultraviolet curable ink (UV ink). Further, the head 3 ejects ink downward. A nozzle surface (ink ejection surface) on which a plurality of nozzles are arranged is formed on the lower surface of the head 3. The head 3 includes a piezoelectric element (piezo element) that ejects ink from a nozzle. A platen 8 is arranged below the head 3. A print medium 2 at the time of printing is placed on the platen 8. The carriage drive mechanism 5 includes, for example, two pulleys, a belt that is bridged over the two pulleys and a part of which is fixed to the carriage 4, and a motor that rotates the pulleys.

Further, the printer 1 includes a pressure adjusting mechanism 11 for adjusting the pressure of the ink supplied to the head 3, and an ink heating mechanism 12 for warming the ink supplied to the head 3. The ink heating mechanism 12 is arranged between the pressure adjusting mechanism 11 and the head 3 in the ink supply path to the head 3. The head 3 ejects the ink supplied from the ink heating mechanism 12. The pressure adjusting mechanism 11 and the ink heating mechanism 12 are mounted on the carriage 4.

In the following description, the main scanning direction (Y direction) is defined as the "left-right direction", and the sub-scanning direction (X direction in FIG. 1 etc.) orthogonal to the vertical direction (Z direction in FIG. 1 etc.) and the main scanning direction is defined as ". In the front-back direction. " Further, the Y1 direction side of FIG. 1, which is one side in the left-right direction, is the "right" side, and the Y2 direction side of FIG. 1, which is the opposite side of the right side, is the "left" side, which is one side in the front-rear direction. The X1 direction side of FIG. 1 and the like is the "front" side, and the X2 direction side of FIG. 1 and the like, which is the opposite side of the front side, is the "rear" side.

Ink is supplied to the pressure adjusting mechanism 11 from the ink tank 7. Specifically, the ink tank 7 is arranged above the pressure adjusting mechanism 11, and ink is supplied from the ink tank 7 to the pressure adjusting mechanism 11 due to the head difference. The pressure adjusting mechanism 11 is, for example, a mechanical pressure damper having the same structure as the pressure damper disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-232595.

An ink flow path through which ink flows is formed inside the pressure adjusting mechanism 11. The pressure adjusting mechanism 11 includes, for example, a thin film arranged so as to be in contact with the ink flow path, a spring for urging the thin film, and the like. The pressure adjusting mechanism 11 mechanically adjusts the pressure of the ink supplied to the head 3 without using a pressure adjusting pump. Further, the pressure adjusting mechanism 11 adjusts the pressure of the ink supplied to the head 3 so that the ink chamber formed inside the head 3 becomes a negative pressure.

In this embodiment, two heads 3 are mounted on the carriage 4. The two heads 3 are mounted on the carriage 4 with a gap in the left-right direction. Further, the carriage 4 is equipped with two ink heating mechanisms 12 so as to correspond to the two heads 3. The two ink heating mechanisms 12 are mounted on the carriage 4 at intervals in the left-right direction. The ink heating mechanism 12 is arranged above the head 3. Further, the pressure adjusting mechanism 11 is mounted on the ink heating mechanism 12. Specifically, two pressure adjusting mechanisms 11 are mounted on the upper surface side of one ink heating mechanism 12.

(Structure of ink heating mechanism)
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the configuration of the heating unit main body 16 shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a part of the heating unit main body 16 shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a front view of a part of the heating unit main body 16 shown in FIG.

The ink heating mechanism 12 is an out-of-head ink heating device arranged outside the head 3. The ink heating mechanism 12 has a function of lowering the viscosity of the ink supplied to the head 3 by warming the ink supplied to the head 3. The ink heating mechanism 12 includes a heating unit main body 16 formed in a block shape and a sheet-shaped sheet heater 17 attached to the heating unit main body 16. In this embodiment, one sheet heater 17 is attached to the heating unit main body 16. The seat heater 17 heats the heating unit main body 16.

The heating portion main body 16 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The heating portion main body 16 is formed with a flat front side surface 16a, a flat right side surface 16b, a flat left side surface 16c, and a flat rear side surface 16d (see FIG. 4). The front side surface 16a and the rear side surface 16d are planes orthogonal to the front-rear direction. Further, the front side surface 16a and the rear side surface 16d are formed in a rectangular shape. The left and right ends of the front side surface 16a and the left and right ends of the rear side surface 16d are parallel to the vertical direction. The right side surface 16b and the left side surface 16c are planes orthogonal to each other in the left-right direction. That is, the angle formed by the front side surface 16a and the right side surface 16b and the angle formed by the front side surface 16a and the left side surface 16c are 90 °, and the right side surface 16b and the left side surface 16c are parallel to each other.

The front side surface 16a of this embodiment is the first side surface. Further, the right side surface 16b is connected to the front side surface 16a by a linear first side portion 16e formed at the end portion (specifically, the right end portion) of the front side surface 16a which is the first side surface, and is connected to the front side surface 16a. It is a second side surface that forms a predetermined angle with respect to the surface. Further, the left side surface 16c is a linear second side portion 16f formed at an end portion (specifically, the left end portion) of the front side surface 16a which is the first side surface and parallel to the first side portion 16e. It is a third side surface that is connected to the side surface 16a and forms a predetermined angle with respect to the front side surface 16a.

As shown in FIG. 4, an ink flow path 16g through which ink flows (passes) is formed inside the heating unit main body 16. In this embodiment, the two ink flow paths 16g through which the ink supplied to the head 3 flows from the pressure adjusting mechanism 11 of one of the two pressure adjusting mechanisms 11 mounted on the upper surface side of the ink heating mechanism 12. A total of four ink flow paths 16g, including two ink flow paths 16g through which ink supplied from the other pressure adjusting mechanism 11 to the head 3 flows, are formed inside the heating unit main body 16. Further, the heating unit main body 16 is formed with an ink inflow portion into which the ink supplied from the pressure adjusting mechanism 11 flows in and an ink outflow portion in which the ink flows out toward the head 3.

The heating unit main body 16 includes a flow path forming member 18 formed in a block shape and a single sealing plate 19 fixed to the flow path forming member 18. Further, the heating unit main body 16 is provided with a plurality of screws 20 for fixing the sealing plate 19 to the flow path forming member 18. Specifically, the heating unit main body 16 includes four screws 20. The heating unit main body 16 of this embodiment is composed of a flow path forming member 18, a sealing plate 19, and four screws 20.

The flow path forming member 18 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and constitutes most of the heating portion main body 16. The right side surface of the flow path forming member 18 is the right side surface 16b of the heating portion main body 16, and the left side surface of the flow path forming member 18 is the left side surface 16c of the heating portion main body 16. The rear side surface of the forming member 18 is the rear side surface 16d of the heating portion main body 16. Further, the front side surface 16a of the heating portion main body 16 is composed of a front side surface of the flow path forming member 18 and a front surface 19b of the sealing plate 19 described later. The flow path forming member 18 is formed of, for example, a metal material having high thermal conductivity such as an aluminum alloy. The flow path forming member 18 of the present embodiment is composed of an upper flow path forming member 23 and a lower flow path forming member 24 which are divided in the vertical direction.

As shown in FIG. 4, a linear flow path hole 18a that is a part of the ink flow path 16g is formed inside the flow path forming member 18. The flow path hole 18a is formed from the front surface of the flow path forming member 18 toward the inside of the flow path forming member 18. Specifically, the flow path hole 18a is formed linearly from the front surface to the rear side of the flow path forming member 18. The flow path hole 18a is formed in a round hole shape. Further, the flow path hole 18a is formed by, for example, drilling a hole from the front surface of the flow path forming member 18.

The sealing plate 19 is made of a resin material or a metal material. The sealing plate 19 includes a flat plate portion 19a formed in a flat plate shape. The flat plate portion 19a is arranged so that the thickness direction and the front-rear direction of the flat plate portion 19a coincide with each other. The flat plate portion 19a is fixed to the front surface of the flow path forming member 18. The width of the flat plate portion 19a in the left-right direction is equal to the width of the flow path forming member 18 in the left-right direction. The front surface (specifically, the front surface of the flat plate portion 19a) 19b of the sealing plate 19 constitutes a part of the front side surface 16a of the heating portion main body 16, and the front surface 19b is a plane orthogonal to the front-rear direction. ing. The front surface 19b of this embodiment constitutes a lower portion of the front side surface 16a.

The flat plate portion 19a is fixed to the front surface of the flow path forming member 18 by four screws 20. That is, the sealing plate 19 is fixed to the flow path forming member 18 by four screws 20 from the front side surface 16a side. Further, as described above, the flow path hole 18a is formed from the front surface of the flow path forming member 18 toward the inside of the flow path forming member 18. That is, the flow path hole 18a is formed from the surface of the flow path forming member 18 on the side where the sealing plate 19 is fixed toward the inside of the flow path forming member 18.

Two of the four screws 20 fix the upper end of the sealing plate 19 to the flow path forming member 18, and the remaining two screws 20 flow the lower end of the sealing plate 19. It is fixed to the road forming member 18. Specifically, two screws 20 out of the four screws 20 fix the upper end portion of the sealing plate 19 to the upper flow path forming member 23, and the remaining two screws 20 are sealing plates. The lower end of 19 is fixed to the lower flow path forming member 24. The sealing plate 19 and the four screws 20 also serve a function of connecting the upper flow path forming member 23 and the lower flow path forming member 24.

As shown in FIG. 4, the sealing plate 19 closes the end portion of the flow path hole 18a. Specifically, the sealing plate 19 closes the front end portion of the flow path hole 18a. On the rear surface of the flat plate portion 19a, a sealing portion 19c projecting toward the rear side is formed. The sealing portion 19c is formed in a columnar shape and is arranged in the front end portion of the flow path hole 18a. An O-ring 25 is arranged between the inner peripheral surface of the front end portion of the flow path hole 18a and the outer peripheral surface of the sealing portion 19c.

Chamfered portions 19e formed by chamfering are formed at both ends of the sealing plate 19 in the left-right direction. That is, the corner portion 16j as the first corner portion which is the boundary between the front side surface 16a and the right side surface 16b and the corner portion 16k as the second corner portion which is the boundary between the front side surface 16a and the left side surface 16c are chamfered. A chamfered portion 19e is formed by processing. In this embodiment, the convex curved surface chamfered portion 19e formed by the R chamfering process is formed at the corner portions 16j and 16k.

The sheet heater 17 is a print heater including a conductive pattern and an insulating sheet (insulating film) that sandwiches the conductive pattern from both sides. The seat heater 17 is formed in a rectangular shape. The vertical width of the sheet heater 17 is narrower than the vertical width of the flat plate portion 19a of the sealing plate 19. The seat heater 17 is attached to the front side surface 16a, the right side surface 16b, and the left side surface 16c in a state of being bent at the corners 16j and 16k. That is, the seat heater 17 is attached to the three side surfaces 16a to 16c of the heating portion main body 16 in a state of being bent at the corner portions 16j and 16k.

On the front side surface 16a, the sheet heater 17 is attached to the front surface 19b of the sealing plate 19. That is, at least the portion of the front side surface 16a to which the sheet heater 17 is attached is composed of one sealing plate 19. Further, on the front side surface 16a, the sheet heater 17 forms a flow path with two screws 20 for fixing the upper end portion of the sealing plate 19 to the flow path forming member 18 and the lower end portion of the sealing plate 19 in the vertical direction. It is arranged between the two screws 20 fixed to the member 18. That is, the seat heater 17 is attached to the sealing plate 19 on the front side surface 16a at a position avoiding the four screws 20.

(Main effect of this form)
As described above, in the present embodiment, in the heating portion main body 16 to which one sheet heater 17 is attached to the front side surface 16a, the right side surface 16b, and the left side surface 16c, the boundary between the front side surface 16a and the right side surface 16b. A chamfered portion 19e is formed at the corner portion 16j and the corner portion 16k serving as a boundary between the front side surface 16a and the left side surface 16c. Therefore, in the present embodiment, even if the radius of curvature of one sheet heater 17 attached to the front side surface 16a, the right side surface 16b, and the left side surface 16c becomes large at the corners 16j and 16k, the corners are cornered. In the portions 16j and 16k, the bent portion of the seat heater 17 can be brought into contact with the heating portion main body 16.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the seat heater 17 is attached to the front side surface 16a, the right side surface 16b, and the left side surface 16c, the bent portion of the seat heater 17 is attached to the heating portion main body 16 at the corner portions 16j and 16k. It is possible to prevent a gap from being formed between the heating unit main body 16 and the seat heater 17 by making contact with each other, and at the corners 16j and 16k, the heating unit main body 16 and the seat heater 17 are brought into contact with each other. It is possible to prevent the formation of gaps over time. As a result, according to the study of the inventor of the present application, in the present embodiment, even when one sheet heater 17 in a bent state is attached to the three side surfaces 16a to 16c of the heating unit main body 16, the sheet heater 17 is attached. It becomes possible to prevent burning of 17.

In this embodiment, a linear flow path hole 18a is formed from the front surface to the rear side of the flow path forming member 18, and the sealing plate 19 closes the front end portion of the flow path hole 18a. Therefore, in this embodiment, it becomes easy to process the flow path hole 18a which is a part of the ink flow path 16g. Further, in the present embodiment, the portion of the front side surface 16a of the heating portion main body 16 to which the sheet heater 17 is attached is composed of one sealing plate 19, and the front surface 19b of the sealing plate 19 is front and rear. It is a plane orthogonal to the direction. Therefore, in the present embodiment, there is no unevenness on the portion of the front side surface 16a to which the seat heater 17 is attached.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the seat heater 17 is attached to the front side surface 16a, it is possible to prevent a gap from being formed between the heating portion main body 16 and the seat heater 17 on the front side surface 16a. At the same time, it is possible to prevent a gap from being formed over time between the heating unit main body 16 and the seat heater 17 on the front side surface 16a. As a result, in the present embodiment, even if the heating unit main body 16 includes the flow path forming member 18 and the sealing plate 19, it is possible to prevent the sheet heater 17 from burning on the front side surface 16a.

In this embodiment, the seat heater 17 is attached to the sealing plate 19 on the front side surface 16a at a position avoiding the four screws 20. Therefore, in this embodiment, even if the sealing plate 19 is fixed to the flow path forming member 18 by the four screws 20, when the sheet heater 17 is attached to the front side surface 16a, the four screws 20 are attached to the front side surface 16a. It is possible to prevent a gap from being formed between the heating unit main body 16 and the seat heater 17 due to the screws 20, and the front side surface 16a is heated due to the four screws 20. It is possible to prevent a gap from being formed over time between the hot portion main body 16 and the seat heater 17. As a result, in the present embodiment, even if the sealing plate 19 is fixed to the flow path forming member 18 by the four screws 20, it is possible to prevent the sheet heater 17 from burning on the front side surface 16a.

(Modification example of the heating part body)
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a part of the heating unit main body 16 according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a front view of a part of the heating unit main body 16 shown in FIG.

In the above-described form, flat chamfered portions 19e by C chamfering may be formed at both ends of the sealing plate 19 in the left-right direction. Further, in the above-described form, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the chamfered portion 16r may be formed on the flow path forming member 18 and the sealing plate 19 instead of the chamfered portion 19e. In the modified example shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the chamfered portion 16r includes the first chamfered portion 18f and the second chamfered portion 18g formed on the front end portions of the left and right side surfaces of the flow path forming member 18, and the sealing plate 19 It is composed of a first chamfered portion 19f and a second chamfered portion 19g formed at both ends in the left-right direction of the above.

The first chamfered portion 18f is formed by C chamfering, and is formed in a flat shape. The second chamfered portion 18 g is formed by R chamfering, and is formed in a convex curved surface shape. The front end of the second chamfered portion 18g is smoothly connected to the rear end of the first chamfered portion 18f. The first chamfered portion 19f is formed by C chamfering, and is formed in a flat shape. Each of the lateral outer ends of the two first chamfered portions 19f is smoothly connected to each of the front ends of the two first chamfered portions 18f. The second chamfered portion 19 g is formed by R chamfering, and is formed in a convex curved surface shape. Each of the left-right outer ends of the two second chamfered portions 19g is smoothly connected to each of the left-right inner ends of the two first chamfered portions 19f.

In the modified examples shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, it is possible to form a large chamfered portion 16r at the corner portions 16j and 16k as compared with the case where the chamfered portion 19e is formed only on the sealing plate 19. Therefore, even if the radius of curvature of the bent portion of the seat heater 17 at the corners 16j and 16k becomes larger, the bent portion of the seat heater 17 comes into contact with the heating portion main body 16 at the corners 16j and 16k. It becomes possible to make it. That is, in this modified example, at the corner portions 16j and 16k, the bent portion of the seat heater 17 is easily brought into contact with the heating portion main body 16.

In the modified examples shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, only one chamfered portion formed by C chamfering or R chamfering may be formed on the flow path forming member 18, or the sealing plate 19 may be formed. In addition, only one chamfered portion formed by C chamfering or R chamfering may be formed.

(Other embodiments)
The above-described embodiment is an example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be carried out without changing the gist of the present invention.

In the above-described form, the width of the flat plate portion 19a of the sealing plate 19 in the left-right direction may be narrower than the width of the flow path forming member 18 in the left-right direction. However, as in the above-described embodiment, when the width of the flat plate portion 19a in the left-right direction is equal to the width of the flow path forming member 18 in the left-right direction, the sealing plate 19 of the flow path forming member 18 is fixed. Since the processing of the portion becomes easy, the processing cost of the flow path forming member 18 can be reduced.

In the above-described embodiment, the vertical width of the flat plate portion 19a may be equal to the vertical width of the seat heater 17. Further, in the above-described form, the entire front side surface 16a of the heating portion main body 16 may be composed of the front surface 19b of the sealing plate 19. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the angle formed by the front side surface 16a and the right side surface 16b and the angle formed by the front side surface 16a and the left side surface 16c may be an acute angle or an obtuse angle. Further, in the above-described form, the heating unit main body 16 may be composed of one member formed in a block shape.

In the above-described embodiment, the printer 1 may include a sub-tank in which the ink supplied to the head 3 is housed, instead of the pressure adjusting mechanism 11. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the number of ink heating mechanisms 12 mounted on the carriage 4 may be one or three or more. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the printer 1 may include a table on which the print medium 2 is placed and a table drive mechanism for moving the table in the front-rear direction instead of the platen 8. Further, in the above-described form, the printer 1 may be a 3D printer for modeling a three-dimensional modeled object. Further, in the above-described form, the ink discharged by the head 3 may be a water-based ink or a solvent ink.

1 Printer (Inkjet printer)
3 heads (injection heads)
12 Ink heating mechanism 16 Heating unit body 16a Front side surface (first side surface)
16b Right side (second side)
16c left side (third side)
16e 1st side 16f 2nd side 16g Ink flow path 16j Corner (1st corner)
16k corner (second corner)
16r, 19e Chamfered part 17 Sheet heater 18 Flow path forming member 18a Flow path hole 19 Sealing plate 20 Screw

Claims (7)

It is an ink heating mechanism for heating the ink supplied to the inkjet head.
It is provided with a block-shaped heating unit main body in which an ink flow path through which ink flows is formed, and a sheet-shaped sheet heater attached to the heating unit main body to heat the heating unit main body.
The heating portion main body is connected to the first side surface by a flat first side surface and a linear first side portion formed at an end portion of the first side surface, and is predetermined with respect to the first side surface. The first side surface is connected to the first side surface by a second side surface having a flat surface and a second side surface formed at the end of the first side surface and parallel to the first side surface. A planar third side surface formed at a predetermined angle with respect to the side surface is formed.
The seat heater is in a state of being bent at a first corner portion that is a boundary between the first side surface and the second side surface and a second corner portion that is a boundary between the first side surface and the third side surface. Attached to one side surface, the second side surface, and the third side surface,
An ink heating mechanism characterized in that a chamfered portion is formed in the first corner portion and the second corner portion by chamfering. The angle formed by the first side surface and the second side surface and the angle formed by the first side surface and the third side surface are 90 °.
The ink heating mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the second side surface and the third side surface are parallel to each other. The heating unit main body includes a block-shaped flow path forming member in which a linear flow path hole that becomes a part of the ink flow path is formed inside, and a single seal fixed to the flow path forming member. Equipped with a stop plate
The flow path hole is formed from the surface of the flow path forming member on the side where the sealing plate is fixed toward the inside of the flow path forming member.
The sealing plate closes the end of the flow path hole and
The ink heating mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least a portion of the first side surface to which the sheet heater is attached is composed of one sealing plate. The sealing plate is fixed to the flow path forming member by a plurality of screws from the first side surface side.
The ink heating mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the sheet heater is attached to the sealing plate at a position where a plurality of the screws are avoided on the first side surface. The ink heating mechanism according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the chamfered portion is formed on the sealing plate. The ink heating mechanism according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the chamfered portion is formed on the sealing plate and the flow path forming member. An inkjet printer comprising the ink heating mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 6 and the inkjet head for ejecting ink supplied from the ink heating mechanism.

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