Liquid ejecting apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9809030-B2
Application number	US-201615065536-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2016
Priority date	Mar 20, 2015
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

A liquid ejecting apparatus which includes an ejecting unit which ejects liquid, and a collecting unit which collects mist which occurs along with ejecting of the liquid from the ejecting unit from a collecting port, in which the collecting unit includes a backflow prevention unit in the collecting port. By adopting such a liquid ejecting apparatus, it is possible to suppress backflow of mist of the liquid from the collecting unit which collects mist of the liquid which occurs along with ejecting of liquid from the ejecting unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising:
an ejecting unit which ejects liquid onto a recording medium; and
a collecting unit which collects mist which occurs along with ejecting of the liquid from the ejecting unit from a collecting port, the collecting unit being disposed upstream of the ejecting unit in a conveying direction of the recording medium; and
an air blowing unit which blows air from the outside of the collecting unit toward the collecting port;
wherein the collecting unit includes a backflow prevention unit in the collecting port, wherein the backflow prevention unit is disposed in a path of the air such that air blown from the blowing unit reaches the backflow prevention unit prior to the collecting unit.

2. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the backflow prevention unit includes a rotating unit, and a regulation unit which regulates rotating of the rotating unit in a direction which goes toward the outside from the inside of the collecting unit, and
wherein the rotating unit is configured to open or close the collecting port by being rotated, the collecting port is closed due to the rotating unit when the rotating unit is at a position of being regulated by the regulation unit, and the collecting port is opened when the rotating unit is at a position of not being regulated by the regulation unit.

3. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein a backflow prevention space in which backflow of mist which is caused by an occurrence of turbulence in an air current which is generated along with collecting of the mist from the collecting port is suppressed is provided inside the collecting unit.

4. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an inducing unit which induces the mist toward the collecting port.

5. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the collecting unit includes a suctioning unit which generates an air current from the collecting port toward the inside of the collecting unit.

6. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the ejecting unit is configured to eject the liquid while reciprocating in the reciprocating direction, and
wherein the suctioning unit maintains a suctioning state in both cases of a case in which the ejecting unit is moving in the reciprocating direction and a case in which the ejecting unit is stopped.

7. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the ejecting unit is configured to eject the liquid while reciprocating in a reciprocating direction, and
wherein the air blowing unit stops air blowing when the ejecting unit is moving in the reciprocating direction, and performs air blowing when the ejecting unit is stopped.

8. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an air blowing unit which blows air from the outside of the collecting unit toward the collecting port,
wherein the collecting unit includes a suctioning unit which generates an air current from the collecting port toward the inside of the collecting unit, and
wherein a wind velocity of an air current which goes from the outside of the collecting unit toward the collecting port by interposing the collecting port is lower than a wind velocity of an air current which goes from the collecting port toward the inside of the collecting unit.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Suzuki Manabu
• Sasaki Tsutomu
• Katagami Satoru
• Fujishima Kazutoshi

Classifications

• B41J2/185

  Ink-collectors; Ink-catchers · CPC title

• B41J2/1714 Primary

  Conditioning of the outside of ink supply systems, e.g. inkjet collector cleaning, ink mist removal (B41J2/08, B41J2/16517, B41J2/18 take precedence) · CPC title

• B41J2/16517 Primary

  Cleaning of print head nozzles (B41J2/16505, B41J2/1707 take precedence) · CPC title

• B41J2002/1853

  ink collectors for continuous Inkjet printers, e.g. gutters, mist suction means · CPC title

• B41J2/01 Primary

  Ink jet · CPC title