Gas-liquid separator and inkjet recording apparatus using the same

An inkjet recording apparatus comprising:

• an ink container for accumulating an ink stored in a main body;
• a nozzle for discharging the ink as an ink particle for printing on an object to be printed;
• an ink supply flow channel for supplying the ink to the nozzle from the ink container;
• a gutter for recovering the ink particle discharged from the nozzle, which has been unused for the printing;
• an ink recovery flow channel for recovering the ink particle recovered by the gutter into the ink container;
• an exhaust path connected to the ink container for discharging a solvent gas from the ink container;
• and
• a gas-liquid separator for subjecting a condensate of the solvent gas formed owing to a temperature drop to gas-liquid separation in the exhaust path,
• wherein the gas-liquid separator includes a casing with a chamber which accumulates gas and liquid inside, a gas-liquid 2-phase inlet pipe attached to the casing and connected to an inner chamber, a gas outlet pipe for discharging gas of a gas-liquid mixture flowing into the chamber, and a gas-liquid 2-phase outlet pipe for discharging liquid of the gas-liquid mixture flowing into the chamber, and
• the gas-liquid 2-phase outlet pipe is protruded into the chamber, and a gap is formed between the protruded gas-liquid 2-phase outlet pipe and the chamber.

An inkjet recording apparatus which has a main body and a print head comprising:

• an ink container for accumulating an ink stored in the main body;
• a nozzle, which is provided to the print head, for discharging the ink as an ink particle for printing on an object to be printed;
• an ink supply flow channel for supplying the ink to the nozzle from the ink container;
• a gutter, which is provided to the print head, for recovering the ink particle discharged from the nozzle, which has been unused for the printing;
• an ink recovery flow channel for recovering the ink particle recovered by the gutter into the ink container;
• an exhaust path connected to the ink container for discharging a solvent gas from the ink container;
• and
• a gas-liquid separator located on the exhaust path, which is connected to the ink container and provided to the print head, for separating liquid and gas passing through the exhaust path.