# US 12,759,315 B2 · Printing apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,759,315 B2 - Document ID: US12759315B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/433,096 - Filed: 2024-02-05 - Published: 2024-08-08 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2023-02-06 - Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation - Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation - Inventors: Shinya Yamazaki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12759315B2 ## CPC - B41J 11/0022: {using convection means, e.g. by using a fan for blowing or sucking air} - B41J 11/0024: {using conduction means, e.g. by using a heated platen} - B41J 11/0025: {Handling copy materials differing in width} - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract A printing apparatus includes a conveying unit that conveys a medium, a printing unit that ejects ink onto the medium, and a drying unit dries the ink ejected from the printing unit to the medium. The drying unit includes a support portion that supports the medium, an airflow generating unit that generates an airflow, a blowout port for airflows that is disposed at a position facing the image forming surface of the medium conveyed by the conveying unit and blows out the airflow, and an airflow direction determining portion that determines an air blowing direction that is a direction toward which the airflow blown out from the blowout port is directed. The air blowing direction is inclined with respect to an opposing direction in which the blowout port faces the image forming surface as viewed from the conveying direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A printing apparatus comprising: a conveying unit that conveys a medium; a printing unit that ejects ink onto an image forming surface of the medium conveyed by the conveying unit; and a drying unit that is disposed downstream of the printing unit in a conveying direction of the medium and dries the ink ejected from the printing unit onto the image forming surface, the drying unit extending in a width direction transverse to the conveying direction of the medium with a first width end and a second width end, wherein the drying unit includes a support portion that supports the medium, an airflow generating unit that generates an airflow, a blowout port that is disposed at a position facing the image forming surface of the medium conveyed by the conveying unit and blows out the airflow, and an airflow direction determining portion that directs the airflow in a plurality of air blowing directions, wherein the blowout port faces the image forming surface of the medium conveyed by the conveying unit in an opposing direction, and the airflow direction determining portion comprising louvers to direct the airflow in a first air blowing direction of the plurality of air blowing directions that is inclined in the width direction with respect to the opposing direction and a second air blowing direction of the plurality of air blowing directions that is parallel to the width direction at one of the first width end and the second width end. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the airflow generating unit includes a plurality of fans arranged in a direction intersecting the conveying direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the blowout port and the airflow direction determining portion are provided for each of the plurality of fans. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first air blowing direction is inclined from upstream to downstream in the conveying direction when viewed from the opposing direction, and the airflow direction determining portion associated with one of the plurality of fans is located more upstream in the first air blowing direction and more upstream in the conveying direction than another airflow direction determining portion associated with another one of the plurality of fans. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first air blowing direction is inclined from upstream to downstream in the conveying direction when viewed from the opposing direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a first medium and a second medium having different lengths in a width direction intersecting the conveying direction are configured to be used as the media, and the media are conveyed while the first medium and the second medium are positioned at the same position on one side in the width direction, the air blowing direction is inclined from the one side to the other side in the width direction when viewed from the conveying direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a medium heating unit that heats the medium from a side opposite to the image forming surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an airflow heating unit that heats the airflow. ### Claim 9 A printing apparatus comprising: a conveying unit that conveys a medium; a printing unit that ejects ink onto an image forming surface of the medium conveyed by the conveying unit; and a drying unit that is disposed downstream of the printing unit in a conveying direction of the medium and dries the ink ejected from the printing unit onto the image forming surface, the drying unit extending in a width direction transverse to the conveying direction of the medium with a first width end and a second width end, wherein the drying unit includes a support portion that supports the medium, an airflow generating unit that generates an airflow, a blowout port that is disposed at a position facing the image forming surface of the medium conveyed by the conveying unit and blows out the airflow, and an airflow direction determining portion that directs the airflow in a plurality of air blowing directions, wherein the blowout port faces the image forming surface of the medium conveyed by the conveying unit in an opposing direction, and a first air blowing direction of the plurality of air blowing directions is inclined in the width direction with respect to the opposing direction and a second air blowing direction of the plurality of air blowing directions is perpendicular to one of the first width end and the second width end, wherein the airflow generating unit includes a plurality of fans arranged in a direction intersecting the conveying direction, wherein the blowout port and the airflow direction determining portion are provided for each of the plurality of fans, wherein the first air blowing direction is inclined from upstream to downstream in the conveying direction when viewed from the opposing direction, and the airflow direction determining portion associated with one of the plurality of fans is located more upstream in the first air blowing direction and more upstream in the conveying direction than another airflow direction determining portion associated with another one of the plurality of fans. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The printing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first air blowing direction is inclined from upstream to downstream in the conveying direction when viewed from the opposing direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The printing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a first medium and a second medium having different lengths in a width direction intersecting the conveying direction are configured to be used as the media, and the media are conveyed while the first medium and the second medium are positioned at the same position on one side in the width direction, the air blowing direction is inclined from the one side to the other side in the width direction when viewed from the conveying direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The printing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a medium heating unit that heats the medium from a side opposite to the image forming surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The printing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising an airflow heating unit that heats the airflow.