Ink-jet printer

Abstract

A head holder has an opening through which a space between the head holder and a conveyer communicates with an inside of the head holder. Ahead cooler includes a blower configured to blow air into the head holder from an outside of the head holder with a flow rate of blow air and a suction unit configured to suction air from the head holder with a flow rate of suction air. The head cooler generates cooling air for cooling an ink-jet head inside the head holder by the blower and the suction unit. A controller controls the flow rate of blow air and the flow rate of suction air such that air containing ink mist is suctioned into the head holder through the opening.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An ink-jet printer comprising:
 a conveyer configured to convey a printing medium; 
 an ink-jet head configured to eject ink onto the printing medium conveyed by the conveyer; 
 a head holder in a box shape configured to hold the ink-jet head, the head holder having an opening through which a space between the head holder and the conveyer communicates with an inside of the head holder; 
 a head cooler including:
 a blower configured to blow air into the head holder from an outside of the head holder toward the ink-jet head with a flow rate of blow air; and 
 a suction unit configured to suction air from the head holder with a flow rate of suction air, the head cooler being configured to generate cooling air for cooling the ink-jet head inside the head holder by the blower and the suction unit such that the cooling air generated by the head cooler flows into the head holder in a flow direction parallel to a conveying direction surface of the conveyer; and 
 
 a controller configured to drive the conveyer to convey the printing medium while driving the ink-jet head to eject the ink onto the printing medium to perform printing and driving the head cooler to generate the cooling air, 
 wherein the controller is configured to control the flow rate of blow air and the flow rate of suction air such that air containing ink mist generated by ink ejection by the ink-jet head is suctioned into the head holder through the opening, and 
 the flow direction is perpendicular to a conveying direction of the printing medium along the conveying surface. 
 
     
     
       2. The ink-jet printer according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller selectively uses a first mode and a second mode, 
 in the first mode, the controller controls the flow rate of blow air and the flow rate of suction air such that the cooling air in the head holder has an air volume required to cool the ink-jet head corresponding to a conveyance speed of the printing medium by the conveyer, and 
 in the second mode, the controller controls the flow rate of blow air and the flow rate of suction air such that the cooling air in the head holder has an air volume that is smaller than the air volume of the cooling air in the head holder in the first mode and airflow flowing into the head holder through the opening has an air volume that is smaller than an air volume of airflow flowing into the head holder through the opening in the first mode and capable of suctioning the ink mist. 
 
     
     
       3. The ink-jet printer according to  claim 2 , wherein, in the second mode, the controller drives the conveyer to reduce the conveyance speed of the printing medium upon a temperature of the ink-jet head reaching a threshold. 
     
     
       4. The ink-jet printer according to  claim 2 , further comprising an ink circulator configured to supply the ink to the ink-jet head while circulating the ink,
 wherein the controller drives the ink circulator such that an ink circulation flow rate in the second mode is higher than an ink circulation flow rate in the first mode. 
 
     
     
       5. The ink-jet printer according to  claim 2 , further comprising an ink circulator configured to supply the ink to the ink-jet head while circulating the ink, wherein
 the ink circulator includes an ink cooler configured to cool the ink, 
 in the first mode, the controller drives the ink cooler to start cooling of the ink upon an ink temperature of the ink being a first temperature, and 
 in the second mode, the controller drives the ink cooler to start cooling of the ink upon an ink temperature of the ink being a second temperature lower than the first temperature. 
 
     
     
       6. The ink-jet printer according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the ink-jet head comprises a plurality of head modules each configured to eject the ink, and 
 the head holder has a hollow interior space for housing the plurality of head modules inside the head holder. 
 
     
     
       7. The ink-jet printer according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the opening of the head holder includes openings arranged along the a conveying direction of the printing medium. 
 
     
     
       8. The ink-jet printer according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the ink-jet head comprises a head module configured to eject the ink, 
 the conveyer comprises a conveyer belt, 
 the head holder comprises a bottom plate having the opening and a lower surface facing the conveyer belt, and 
 the head module has an ink ejection surface arranged in between the conveyer belt and the lower surface. 
 
     
     
       9. An ink-jet printer comprising:
 a conveyer configured to convey a printing medium; 
 an ink-jet head configured to eject ink onto the priming medium conveyed by the conveyer; 
 a head holder in a box shape configured to hold the ink-jet head, the head holder having an opening through which a space between the head holder and the conveyer communicates with an inside of the head holder; 
 a head cooler including:
 a blower configured to blow air into the head holder from an outside of the head holder with a flow rate of blow air; and 
 a suction unit configured to suction air from the head holder with a flow rate of suction air, the head cooler being configured to generate cooling air for cooling the ink-jet head inside the head holder by the blower and the suction unit; and 
 a controller configured to drive the conveyer to convey the printing medium while driving the ink-jet head to eject the ink onto the printing medium to perform printing and driving the head cooler to generate the cooling air, wherein 
 the controller is configured to control the flow rate of blow air and the flow rate of suction air such that air containing ink mist is suctioned into the head holder through the opening, 
 the controller selectively uses a first mode and a second mode, 
 in the first mode, the controller controls the flow rate of blow air and the flow rate of suction air such that the cooling air in the head holder has an air volume required to cool the ink-jet head corresponding to a conveyance speed of the printing medium by the conveyer, and 
 in the second mode, the controller controls the flow rate of blow air and the flow rate of suction air such that the cooling air in the head holder has an air volume that is smaller than the air volume of the cooling air in the head holder in the first mode and airflow flowing into the head holder through the opening has an air volume that is smaller than an air volume of airflow flowing into the head holder through the opening in the first mode and capable of suctioning the ink mist. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The ink-jet printer according to claim 1, wherein
 the suction unit is arranged to face the blower with the ink-jet head therebetween, and   the head cooler is configured to generate the cooling air such that the cooling air flows from the blower to the suction unit.    
     
     
       11. The ink-jet printer according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control an air volume of airflow flowing into the head holder through the opening depending on a difference between the flow rate of blow air and the flow rate of suction air.  
     
     
       12. The ink-jet printer according to claim 1, further comprises a plurality of the ink-jet heads,
 wherein the head holder holds the plurality of the ink-jet heads.    
     
     
       13. The ink-jet printer according to claim 1, wherein, during printing, the controller controls the flow rate of the blow air and the flow rate of the suction air such that the air containing the ink mist generated by the ink ejected by the ink-jet head is suctioned into the head holder through the opening.  
     
     
       14. An ink-jet printer comprising:
 a conveyer configured to convey a printing medium;   an ink-jet head configured to eject ink onto the printing medium conveyed by the conveyer;   a head holder in a box shape configured to hold the ink-jet head, the head holder having an opening through which a space between the head holder and the conveyer communicates with an inside of the head holder;   a head cooler including:
 a blower mounted to the head holder and configured to blow air into the head holder from an outside of the head holder toward the ink-jet head with a flow rate of blow air; and 
 a suction unit mounted to the head holder and configured to suction air from the head holder with a flow rate of suction air, the head cooler being configured to generate cooling air for cooling the ink-jet head inside the head holder by the blower and the suction unit such that the cooling air generated by the head cooler flows into the head holder in a flow direction parallel to a conveying surface of the conveyer; and 
   a controller configured to drive the conveyer to convey the printing medium while driving the ink-jet head to eject the ink onto the printing medium to perform printing and driving the head cooler to generate the cooling air, wherein   the controller is configured to control the flow rate of blow air and the flow rate of suction air such that air containing ink mist generated by ink ejection by the ink-jet head is suctioned into the head holder through the opening.    
     
     
       15. The inkjet printer according to claim 1, wherein
 the head holder comprises:
 a first sidewall with at least one first vent hole; and 
 a second sidewall with at least one second vent hole, 
   the first sidewall and the second sidewall face each other in the flow direction,   the blower comprises a blowing chamber with at least one blowing hole arranged at a position corresponding to the at least one first vent hole, the blower being configured to blow the air into the head holder through the at least one blowing hole and the at least one first vent hole, and   the suction unit comprises a suction chamber with at least one suction hole arranged at a position corresponding to the at least one second vent hole, the suction unit being configured to suction the air from the head holder through the at least one second vent hole and the at least one suction hole.    
     
     
       16. The ink-jet printer according to claim 9, wherein
 the blower is configured to blow the air toward the ink-jet head,   the suction unit is arranged to face the blower with the ink-jet head therebetween, and   the head cooler is configured to generate the cooling air such that the cooling air flows from the blower to the suction unit.    
     
     
       17. The ink-jet printer according to claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to control an air volume of airflow flowing into the head holder through the opening depending on a difference between the flow rate of blow air and the flow rate of suction air.  
     
     
       18. The ink-jet printer according to claim 9, further comprises a plurality of the ink-jet heads
 wherein the head holder holds the plurality of the ink-jet heads.