Holding unit and liquid discharge device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12291046-B2
Application number	US-202318185188-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2023
Priority date	Mar 17, 2022
Publication date	May 6, 2025
Grant date	May 6, 2025

Abstract

A holding portion is held by a main body portion. The holding portion includes at least one recording head, a carriage, a cover portion, and a blowing unit. The recording head is capable of discharging ink. The carriage has a bottom wall portion to which at least one recording head is attached, and accommodates the at least one recording head. A cover portion has a facing surface facing the bottom wall portion. The blowing unit blows an air toward the facing surface so that the air reaches the recording head.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A holding unit held by an device main body, the holding unit comprising:
at least one discharge unit configured to discharge liquid;
an accommodating unit including an attachment portion to which the at least one discharge unit is attached, the accommodating unit being configured to accommodate the at least one discharge unit;
a facing portion having a facing surface facing the attachment portion; and
a blowing unit configured to blow a gas toward the facing surface so that the gas reaches the discharge unit.

2. The holding unit according to claim 1 , comprising
at least one changing unit configured to change, to a direction toward the attachment portion, a flow direction of the gas blown toward the facing surface.

3. The holding unit according to claim 2 , wherein
a through hole is provided at the changing unit, the through hole extending through the changing unit.

4. The holding unit according to claim 2 , wherein
the at least one discharge unit includes a first discharge unit and a second discharge unit, the first discharge and the second discharge unit being attached to the attachment portion side by side with each other, and
the at least one changing unit is disposed extending across the first discharge unit and the second discharge unit when the attachment portion is viewed in plan view.

5. The holding unit according to claim 1 , wherein
an electronic element portion is accommodated in the accommodating unit, the electronic element portion being configured to generate heat when the electronic element portion is driven, and
a cooling portion is provided at the facing portion, the cooling portion being configured to cool the facing portion.

6. A liquid discharge device comprising:
a holding unit;
a device main body configured to hold the holding unit; and
a transport unit configured to transport the medium to a position facing the discharge unit,
the holding unit including:
at least one discharge unit configured to discharge liquid onto a medium;
an accommodating unit including an attachment portion to which the at least one discharge unit is attached, the accommodating unit being configured to accommodate the at least one discharge unit;
a facing portion having a facing surface facing the attachment portion across the at least one discharge unit; and
a blowing unit configured to blow a gas toward the facing surface.

7. The liquid discharge device according to claim 6 , comprising:
a moving unit provided at the device main body, the moving unit being configured to move the holding unit in a width direction intersecting a transport direction of the medium; and
a control unit configured to control the blowing of the gas by the blowing unit, wherein
the blowing unit includes a first blowing unit provided on one side in the width direction and a second blowing unit provided on another side in the width direction, with respect to the at least one discharge unit, and
when the moving unit moves the holding unit to the one side in the width direction, the control unit operates the second blowing unit and stops operation of the first blowing unit, and when the moving unit moves the holding unit to the other side in the width direction, the control unit operates the first blowing unit and stops operation of the second blowing unit.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Tanaka Katsumasa
• Ota Takuya
• Santo Hiroyuki
• Hanawa Keita
• Kojima Kenji

Classifications

• B41J11/00222

  Controlling the convection means · CPC title

• B41J2202/20

  Modules · CPC title

• B41J2202/19

  Assembling head units · CPC title

• B41J2202/08

  dealing with thermal variations, e.g. cooling · CPC title

• B41J29/377 Primary

  Cooling or ventilating arrangements · CPC title