Inkjet recording apparatus
A bellows section of a suction air passage includes a first portion, a second portion located on one side in a first direction with respect to the first portion, and a third portion located on one side in a second direction with respect to the first portion and the second portion. A partitioning member includes a first partitioning section defining the first portion on the one side in the second direction, a second partitioning section defining the second portion on the one side in the second direction, and a third partitioning section defining the third portion on the other side in the second direction. The first partitioning section, the second partitioning section, and the third partitioning section overlap each other in the first direction.
1 . An inkjet recording apparatus comprising:
a recording head that records an image by discharging ink to a recording medium being conveyed;
a waste ink container located in such a manner as to face the recording head in a certain direction across a conveyance path of the recording medium, having a reservoir region therein, and storing the ink in the reservoir region, the stored ink being discharged from the recording head and not to be used for recording of the image; and
a suction mechanism that sucks gas from the waste ink container, wherein
the waste ink container includes:
a receiving opening for receiving the ink discharged from the recording head;
a suction opening located at a position spaced at an interval from the receiving opening as viewed from the certain direction and connected to the suction mechanism;
a suction air passage forming communication between the receiving opening and the suction opening to cause a suction airflow to pass therethrough generated in response to driving of the suction mechanism; and
a partitioning member located in the reservoir region and defining the suction air passage,
the suction air passage includes a bellows section folded in a bellows shape,
the bellows section includes:
a first portion causing the suction airflow to flow toward one side in a first direction;
a second portion spaced at an interval from the first portion and located on the one side in the first direction with respect to the first portion, and causing the suction airflow to flow toward the one side in the first direction; and
a third portion located adjacent to the first portion and the second portion and on one side in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction with respect to the first portion and the second portion, connected to an end of the first portion on the one side in the first direction, connected to an end of the second portion on the other side opposite the one side in the first direction, and causing the suction airflow to flow from the first portion to the second portion,
the partitioning member includes:
a first partitioning section defining the first portion on the one side in the second direction;
a second partitioning section defining the second portion on the one side in the second direction; and
a third partitioning section defining the third portion on the other side opposite the one side in the second direction, and
the first partitioning section, the second partitioning section, and the third partitioning section overlap each other in the first direction;
wherein:
the first direction is a horizontal direction and the second direction is a top-bottom direction,
the partitioning member is composed of a plurality of layers stacked in the second direction,
the plurality of layers each has an opening penetrating the corresponding layer in the second direction,
space composed of a combination of the respective openings at the plurality of layers is extended from the receiving opening to the suction opening by stacking the plurality of layers in the second direction and forming communication between the openings adjacent to each other in the second direction,
the suction air passage is formed by the space composed of the combination of the respective openings at the plurality of layers,
the plurality of layers includes:
one layer having the opening to function as the first portion and the opening to function as the second portion;
the other layer having the opening to function as the third portion; and
an intermediate layer located between the one layer and the other layer in the second direction, and forming communication between the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion, and
the first partitioning section, the second partitioning section, and the third partitioning section are provided in the intermediate layer.
2 . The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the partitioning member is composed of a material to absorb the ink.