Conveying apparatus and printing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12115773-B2
Application number	US-202318174763-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2023
Priority date	Feb 28, 2022
Publication date	Oct 15, 2024
Grant date	Oct 15, 2024

Abstract

A conveying unit conveys a medium by moving a glue belt. The conveying unit includes a vapor application unit and a cleaning unit. The vapor application unit applies heated vapor to a front surface of the glue belt separated from the medium. The cleaning unit cleans the front surface to which the vapor is applied by the vapor application unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A conveying apparatus comprising:
a plurality of rollers;
a conveying belt being coated with an adhesive on a surface and wound around the plurality of rollers, the conveying belt being configured such that a medium is attached to the surface;
a vapor application unit configured to apply heated vapor to a front surface of the conveying belt separated from the medium; and
a cleaning unit configured to clean the front surface to which the vapor is applied by the vapor application unit.

2. The conveying apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a cooling unit configured to cool at least a portion of a target region, the target region being from a first region to which the vapor is applied to a second region cleaned by the cleaning unit on the front surface.

3. The conveying apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the cooling unit cools the second region.

4. The conveying apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a control unit configured to control an operation of the vapor application unit, wherein
the control unit controls the operation of the vapor application unit based on a state of the front surface.

5. The conveying apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a control unit configured to control an operation of the vapor application unit, wherein the control unit controls the operation of the vapor application unit based on a moving speed of the conveying belt.

6. The conveying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the medium is a recording medium on which an image is recorded,
the conveying apparatus includes a control unit configured to control an operation of the vapor application unit, and
the control unit controls the operation of the vapor application unit based on a duty of the image.

7. The conveying apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising:
an airflow generation unit configured to generate an airflow toward a back surface opposite to the front surface of the conveying belt, wherein
the control unit adjusts an amount of airflow generated by the airflow generation unit based on an amount of vapor generated from the vapor application unit.

8. The conveying apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a heating unit configured to heat an arrival region at which the airflow arrives on the back surface, wherein
the control unit controls a heating temperature of the heating unit based on the amount of airflow generated.

9. The conveying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning unit includes:
a scraping member configured to scrape off a foreign matter adhered to the front surface while coming into contact with the front surface and
a collection unit configured to collect the foreign matter scraped off by the scraping member and
the scraping member includes a guide portion configured to guide the foreign matter to the collection unit.

10. The conveying apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein
the cleaning unit includes an air blowing unit configured to blow air toward the collection unit and
air is blown to at least a portion of the scraping member between the air blowing unit and the collection unit.

11. The conveying apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the cleaning unit comprises an air nozzle configured to direct air toward a cleaning brush.

12. A printing apparatus comprising:
a conveying apparatus that includes a plurality of rollers, and a conveying belt being coated with an adhesive on a surface and wound around the plurality of rollers, the conveying belt being configured such that a medium is attached to the surface; and
a recording unit configured to perform recording on the moving medium, wherein the conveying apparatus includes:
a vapor application unit configured to apply heated vapor to a front surface of the conveying belt separated from the medium and
a cleaning unit configured to clean the front surface to which the vapor is applied by the vapor application unit.

13. The printing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein
the cleaning unit comprises an air nozzle configured to direct air toward a cleaning brush.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Nishizawa Shuhei
• Sato Koji
• Horikawa Yoshihisa

Classifications

• B65H2301/531

  Cleaning parts of handling machine · CPC title

• B41J2/01

  Ink jet · CPC title

• B65G45/12

  comprising scrapers · CPC title

• B65G45/24

  comprising plural diverse cleaning devices · CPC title

• B65G45/22

  comprising fluid applying means · CPC title