Drying apparatus, printing medium anti-drop method and non-contact support member position adjusting method

A printing medium anti-drop method of preventing drop of an elongated strip-shaped printing medium having a printing surface on which ink is adhered and a non-printing surface on the reverse side from the printing surface in a drying apparatus comprising:

• a first transfer part that transfers the printing medium toward one side of a horizontal direction with the printing surface pointed downward;
• a first non-contact support member that changes a traveling direction of the printing medium having been transferred from the first transfer part toward the one side from a direction toward the one side of the horizontal direction to a downward direction;
• a second non-contact support member that changes a traveling direction of the printing medium having been transferred downward from the first non-contact support member from the downward direction to a direction toward the other side of the horizontal direction on the reverse side from the one side;
• and a second transfer part that transfers the printing medium having been transferred toward the other side of the horizontal direction from the second non-contact support member toward the other side of the horizontal direction with the printing surface pointed upward,
• the printing medium anti-drop method comprising:
• a first anti-drop step of preventing drop of the printing medium from the first non-contact support member by two first anti-drop members provided at corresponding both ends of the first non-contact support member in a width direction of the printing medium when the printing medium travels obliquely while deviated from the first non-contact support member to the first anti-drop member;
• and
• a second anti-drop step of preventing drop of the printing medium from the second non-contact support member by two second anti-drop members provided at corresponding both ends of the second non-contact support member in the width direction of the printing medium when the printing medium travels obliquely while deviated from the second non-contact support member to the second anti-drop member, wherein
• the first transfer part includes a plurality of first upper nozzles arranged in the horizontal direction above the printing medium and a plurality of first lower nozzles arranged in the horizontal direction below the printing medium, and injects gas onto the printing medium from the first upper nozzles and injects gas onto the printing medium from the first lower nozzles,
• the first non-contact support member includes a first support peripheral surface to face the printing surface of the printing medium having been transferred from the first transfer part toward the one side and a plurality of first injection holes opening at the first support peripheral surface, and supports the printing surface of the printing medium in a non-contact manner by injecting gas from the first injection holes onto the printing surface of the printing medium,
• the second non-contact support member includes a second support peripheral surface to face the printing surface of the printing medium having been transferred downward from the first non-contact support member and a plurality of second injection holes opening at the second support peripheral surface, and supports the printing surface of the printing medium in a non-contact manner by injecting gas from the second injection holes onto the printing surface of the printing medium,
• the second transfer part includes a plurality of second upper nozzles arranged in the horizontal direction above the printing medium having been transferred toward the other side of the horizontal direction from the second non-contact support member and a plurality of second lower nozzles arranged in the horizontal direction below the printing medium, and injects gas onto the printing medium from the second upper nozzles and injects gas onto the printing medium from the second lower nozzles,
• each of the first anti-drop members includes a first anti-drop peripheral surface adjoining the first support peripheral surface of the first non-contact support member in the width direction,
• each of the second anti-drop members includes a second anti-drop peripheral surface adjoining the second support peripheral surface of the second non-contact support member in the width direction,
• in the first anti-drop step, the gas injected from the first injection holes at the first support peripheral surface flows through a clearance between the first support peripheral surface and the printing surface of the printing medium facing the first support peripheral surface toward the first anti-drop peripheral surface to form a clearance between the first anti-drop peripheral surface and the printing surface of the printing medium facing the first anti-drop peripheral surface, and
• in the second anti-drop step, the gas injected from the second injection holes at the second support peripheral surface flows through a clearance between the second support peripheral surface and the printing surface of the printing medium facing the second support peripheral surface toward the second anti-drop peripheral surface to form a clearance between the second anti-drop peripheral surface and the printing surface of the printing medium facing the second anti-drop peripheral surface.

A drying apparatus comprising:

• a first transfer part including a plurality of first upper nozzles arranged in a horizontal direction above an elongated strip-shaped printing medium having a printing surface on which ink is adhered and a non-printing surface on the reverse side from the printing surface, and a plurality of first lower nozzles arranged in the horizontal direction below the printing medium, the first transfer part injecting gas onto the printing medium from the first upper nozzles and injecting gas onto the printing medium from the first lower nozzles, and transferring the printing medium toward one side of the horizontal direction with the printing surface pointed downward;
• a first non-contact support member including a first support peripheral surface to face the printing surface of the printing medium having been transferred from the first transfer part toward the one side, and a plurality of first injection holes opening at the first support peripheral surface, the first non-contact support member changing a traveling direction of the printing medium from a direction toward the one side of the horizontal direction to a downward direction while supporting the printing surface of the printing medium in a non-contact manner by injecting gas from the first injection holes onto the printing surface of the printing medium;
• a second non-contact support member including a second support peripheral surface to face the printing surface of the printing medium having been transferred downward from the first non-contact support member, and a plurality of second injection holes opening at the second support peripheral surface, the second non-contact support member changing a traveling direction of the printing medium from the downward direction to a direction toward the other side of the horizontal direction on the reverse side from the one side while supporting the printing surface of the printing medium in a non-contact manner by injecting gas from the second injection holes onto the printing surface of the printing medium;
• a second transfer part including a plurality of second upper nozzles arranged in the horizontal direction above the printing medium having been transferred toward the other side of the horizontal direction from the second non-contact support member, and a plurality of second lower nozzles arranged in the horizontal direction below the printing medium, the second transfer part injecting gas onto the printing medium from the second upper nozzles and injecting gas onto the printing medium from the second lower nozzles, and transferring the printing medium toward the other side of the horizontal direction with the printing surface pointed upward;
• a body frame supporting the first transfer part and the second transfer part;
• a first positioning part positioning the first non-contact support member relative to the body frame;
• and
• a second positioning part positioning the second non-contact support member relative to the body frame, wherein
• the first positioning part includes a first rotary support and a first position adjuster, and supports both ends of the first non-contact support member by the first rotary support and the first position adjuster,
• the first rotary support supports the first non-contact support member relative to the body frame in a manner allowing the first non-contact support member to rotate in each of a rotary direction about a first horizontal rotary axis parallel to the horizontal direction and a rotary direction about a first vertical rotary axis parallel to a vertical direction,
• the first position adjuster supports the first non-contact support member relative to the body frame in a manner allowing the position of the first non-contact support member relative to the body frame to be adjusted in each of the horizontal direction and the vertical direction,
• the second positioning part includes a second rotary support and a second position adjuster, and supports both ends of the second non-contact support member by the second rotary support and the second position adjuster,
• the second rotary support supports the second non-contact support member relative to the body frame in a manner allowing the second non-contact support member to rotate in each of a rotary direction about a second horizontal rotary axis parallel to the horizontal direction and a rotary direction about a second vertical rotary axis parallel to the vertical direction, and
• the second position adjuster supports the second non-contact support member relative to the body frame in a manner allowing the position of the second non-contact support member relative to the body frame to be adjusted in each of the horizontal direction and the vertical direction.

A non-contact support member position adjusting method in a drying apparatus comprising:

• a first transfer part that transfers an elongated strip-shaped printing medium having a printing surface on which ink is adhered and a non-printing surface on the reverse side from the printing surface toward one side of a horizontal direction with the printing surface pointed downward;
• a first non-contact support member that changes a traveling direction of the printing medium having been transferred from the first transfer part toward the one side from a direction from a direction toward the one side of the horizontal direction to a downward direction;
• a second non-contact support member that changes a traveling direction of the printing medium having been transferred downward from the first non-contact support member from the downward direction to a direction toward the other side of the horizontal direction on the reverse side from the one side;
• and a second transfer part that transfers the printing medium having been transferred toward the other side of the horizontal direction from the second non-contact support member toward the other side of the horizontal direction with the printing surface pointed upward,
• the non-contact support member position adjusting method comprising:
• a first position adjusting step of adjusting the position of the first non-contact support member by a first positioning part positioning the first non-contact support member relative to a body frame supporting the first transfer part and the second transfer part;
• and
• a second position adjusting step of adjusting the position of the second non-contact support member by a second positioning part positioning the second non-contact support member relative to the body frame, wherein
• the first transfer part includes a plurality of first upper nozzles arranged in the horizontal direction above the printing medium and a plurality of first lower nozzles arranged in the horizontal direction below the printing medium, and injects gas onto the printing medium from the first upper nozzles and injects gas onto the printing medium from the first lower nozzles,
• the first non-contact support member includes a first support peripheral surface to face the printing surface of the printing medium having been transferred from the first transfer part toward the one side and a plurality of first injection holes opening at the first support peripheral surface, and supports the printing surface of the printing medium in a non-contact manner by injecting gas from the first injection holes onto the printing surface of the printing medium,
• the second non-contact support member includes a second support peripheral surface to face the printing surface of the printing medium having been transferred downward from the first non-contact support member and a plurality of second injection holes opening at the second support peripheral surface, and supports the printing surface of the printing medium in a non-contact manner by injecting gas from the second injection holes onto the printing surface of the printing medium,
• the second transfer part includes a plurality of second upper nozzles arranged in the horizontal direction above the printing medium having been transferred toward the other side of the horizontal direction from the second non-contact support member and a plurality of second lower nozzles arranged in the horizontal direction below the printing medium, and injects gas onto the printing medium from the second upper nozzles and injects gas onto the printing medium from the second lower nozzles,
• the first positioning part includes a first rotary support and a first position adjuster, and supports both ends of the first non-contact support member by the first rotary support and the first position adjuster,
• the first rotary support supports the first non-contact support member relative to the body frame in a manner allowing the first non-contact support member to rotate in each of a rotary direction about a first horizontal rotary axis parallel to the horizontal direction and a rotary direction about a first vertical rotary axis parallel to a vertical direction,
• the first position adjuster supports the first non-contact support member relative to the body frame in a manner allowing the position of the first non-contact support member relative to the body frame to be adjusted in each of the horizontal direction and the vertical direction,
• the second positioning part includes a second rotary support and a second position adjuster, and supports both ends of the second non-contact support member by the second rotary support and the second position adjuster,
• the second rotary support supports the second non-contact support member relative to the body frame in a manner allowing the second non-contact support member to rotate in each of a rotary direction about a second horizontal rotary axis parallel to the horizontal direction and a rotary direction about a second vertical rotary axis parallel to the vertical direction, and
• the second position adjuster supports the second non-contact support member relative to the body frame in a manner allowing the position of the second non-contact support member relative to the body frame to be adjusted in each of the horizontal direction and the vertical direction.