Liquid discharge device, and liquid discharge apparatus and dyeing apparatus including same

1. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:

a head including a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzles lined in a row and configured to discharge a liquid;

a conveyor defining a conveyance passage of a liquid application target to which the head applies the liquid, the conveyor configured to convey the liquid application target;

a liquid receptacle configured to receive the liquid discharged from the head, the liquid receptacle having an opening through which the liquid discharged from the head passes, the opening having:

a longitudinal direction along a movement direction of the liquid application target; and

a width greater than a width of the liquid application target in a direction orthogonal to the movement direction; and

a head conveyor configured to move the head, at least, between a discharge position opposite the conveyance passage, the discharge position at which the head discharges the liquid, and a dummy discharge position away from the conveyance passage in a direction orthogonal to a nozzle row direction in which the plurality of nozzles is lined in the row,

wherein the opening of the liquid receptacle has a width greater than a distance from the discharge position to the dummy discharge position in the direction orthogonal to the nozzle row direction, and

wherein the discharge position is shifted to one side from a center in a short-side direction of the opening, and the dummy discharge position is shifted to the other side from the center in the short-side direction of the opening.

2. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the liquid application target is a linear object.

3. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the liquid receptacle is at a distance from the conveyance passage of the liquid application target.

4. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the conveyance passage of the liquid application target is between the head and the opening of the liquid receptacle in a height direction of the liquid discharge apparatus, and

wherein a distance from the conveyance passage to the liquid receptacle is longer than a distance between the head and the conveyance passage in the height direction.

5. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a maintenance device configured to maintain the head,

wherein the liquid receptacle is detachably attached to the maintenance device.

6. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the movement direction of the liquid application target matches the nozzle row direction, and

wherein the head is one of a plurality of heads arranged along the movement direction of the liquid application target.

7. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 6 ,

wherein the liquid receptacle is one of a plurality of liquid receptacles respectively for the plurality of heads.

8. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:

a head including a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzles lined in a row and configured to discharge a liquid;

a conveyor defining a conveyance passage of a liquid application target to which the head applies the liquid, the conveyor configured to convey the liquid application target;

a liquid receptacle configured to receive the liquid discharged from the head, the liquid receptacle having an opening through which the liquid discharged from the head passes, the opening having a width in a direction orthogonal to a nozzle row direction greater than a width of the liquid application target in a direction orthogonal to a movement direction of the liquid application target; and

a head conveyor configured to move the head, at least, between a discharge position opposite the conveyance passage, the discharge position at which the head discharges the liquid, and a dummy discharge position away from the conveyance passage in a direction orthogonal to the nozzle row direction in which the plurality of nozzles is lined in the row,

wherein the opening of the liquid receptacle has a width greater than a distance from the discharge position to the dummy discharge position in the direction orthogonal to the nozzle row direction, and

wherein the discharge position is shifted to one side from a center in a short-side direction of the opening, and the dummy discharge position is shifted to the other side from the center in the short-side direction of the opening.

9. A liquid discharge device comprising:

a head including a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzles lined in a row and configured to discharge a liquid; and

a liquid receptacle configured to receive the liquid discharged from the head, the liquid receptacle having an opening through which the liquid discharged from the head passes, the opening having:

a longitudinal direction along a movement direction of a liquid application target; and

a width greater than a width of the liquid application target in a direction orthogonal to the movement direction; and

a head conveyor configured to move the head, at least, between a discharge position opposite a conveyance passage, the discharge position at which the head discharges the liquid, and a dummy discharge position away from the conveyance passage in a direction orthogonal to a nozzle row direction in which the plurality of nozzles is lined in the row,

wherein the opening of the liquid receptacle has a width greater than a distance from the discharge position to the dummy discharge position in the direction orthogonal to the nozzle row direction, and

wherein the discharge position is shifted to one side from a center in a short-side direction of the opening, and the dummy discharge position is shifted to the other side from the center in the short-side direction of the opening.

10. A dyeing apparatus comprising the liquid discharge device according to claim 9 .