Liquid discharge apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10953680-B2
Application number	US-201916577483-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2019
Priority date	Sep 27, 2018
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

A liquid discharge apparatus includes a head configured to discharge a pretreatment liquid from nozzles formed on a nozzle surface of the head onto a medium, a holder configured to hold the medium with a gap between the nozzle surface of the head and the holder, and a heater configured to heat the medium held by the holder. The head discharges the pretreatment liquid onto the medium held by the holder with the gap of 4.0 mm or more.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid discharge apparatus, comprising:
a head configured to discharge a pretreatment liquid from nozzles formed on a nozzle surface of the head onto a medium;
a holder configured to hold the medium with a gap between the nozzle surface of the head and the holder; and
a heater configured to heat the medium held by the holder,
wherein the head discharges the pretreatment liquid onto the medium held by the holder with the gap being 4.0 mm or more.

2. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the holder includes the heater.

3. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the holder includes:
a first holding area that includes the heater; and
a second holding area that does not include the heater,
wherein the head does not discharge the pretreatment liquid at a position facing the first holding area.

4. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the first holding area has a temperature gradient in which temperature decreases toward the second holding area.

5. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the second holding area includes:
a first area that faces the head; and
a second area that does not face the head,
wherein temperature at the first area is lower than temperature at the second area.

6. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the holder is configured to convey the medium, and
the first holding area is disposed upstream of each of the second holding area and the head in a direction of conveyance of the medium.

7. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a pressing member configured to press the medium onto a part of the holder before the head discharges the pretreatment liquid onto the medium.

8. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the pretreatment liquid contains a polyvalent metal ion.

9. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the medium is 3.5 mm or less.

10. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an exhaust configured to exhaust gas between the head and the holder,
wherein the exhaust is disposed upstream of each of the holder and the head in a direction of conveyance of the medium.

11. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a carriage configured to reciprocally move the head, and
an exhaust mounted on the carriage on a side upstream of the head in a direction of conveyance of the medium.

12. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:
a first head configured to discharge a pretreatment liquid from first nozzles formed on a first nozzle surface of the first head onto a medium;
a second head configured to discharge an ink from second nozzles formed on a second nozzle surface of the second head onto the medium;
a holder configured to hold the medium with a first gap between the first nozzle surface of the first head and the holder and with a second gap between the second nozzle surface of the second head and the holder; and
a heater configured to heat the medium held by the holder,
wherein the first gap is larger than the second gap.

13. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the first head discharges the pretreatment liquid onto the medium held by the holder with the first gap being 4.0 mm or more.

14. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the first head is disposed upstream of the second head in a direction of conveyance of the medium.

15. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 14 , further comprising:
a shield disposed between the first head and the second head.

16. A liquid discharge apparatus, comprising:
a head configured to discharge a pretreatment liquid from nozzles formed on a nozzle surface of the head onto a medium;
a holder configured to hold the medium with a gap between the nozzle surface of the head and the holder; and
a heater configured to heat the medium held by the holder,
wherein the head discharges the pretreatment liquid onto the medium held by the holder with the gap being 4.0 mm or more, and
wherein the holder includes a holding area that does not include the heater, and the head discharges the pretreatment liquid at a position facing the holding area.

Assignees

• Sekiguchi Satoyuki
• Kobashi Toshiyuki
• Hatakeyama Taku
• Watanabe Takashi
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sekiguchi Satoyuki
• Kobashi Toshiyuki
• Hatakeyama Taku
• Watanabe Takashi

Classifications

• B41J11/0015 Primary

  for treating before, during or after printing or for uniform coating or laminating the copy material before or after printing (selective coating B41J2/2114) · CPC title

• B41J11/0024

  using conduction means, e.g. by using a heated platen · CPC title

• B41M5/0017 Primary

  Application of ink-fixing material, e.g. mordant, precipitating agent, on the substrate prior to printing, e.g. by ink-jet printing, coating or spraying · CPC title

• B41J11/002

  Curing or drying the ink on the copy materials, e.g. by heating or irradiating · CPC title