A recording medium support device includes a recording medium support, a holder, and a support heater. The recording medium support supports a recording medium on which liquid is discharged. The holder holds the recording medium support, the holder including an air chamber and a duct. The support heater heats the recording medium support. A linear expansion coefficient of a bottom surface of the air chamber or a bottom surface of the duct away from the recording medium support is larger than a linear expansion coefficient of the recording medium support.

Ink dryers of the present technology include a heated platen configured to pivotally attach to a digital printer, and a controller that controls the temperature of the heated platen. The ink dryers may also include a current sensor that allows the controller to determine if whether the printer is active or asleep. The controller may turn on the heated platen when the printer is active, and turn off the heated platen when the printer is asleep.

An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of heaters, a plurality of temperature sensors, an object sensor, and control circuitry. The temperature sensors are formed at positions corresponding to the heaters. The object sensor is configured to detect an overlap region of a medium and the heaters. The control circuitry is configured to correct temperature information acquired by the temperature sensors, according to the overlap region detected by the object sensor and the positions of the temperature sensors, and control the heaters based on the corrected temperature information.

A printing apparatus includes an ejection unit including a nozzle surface configured to eject a liquid droplet, the nozzle surface facing a printing surface of a medium, a transport unit configured to transport the medium in a transport direction, a steam application unit configured to apply steam to the printing surface, the steam application unit being provided upstream of the ejection unit in the transport direction, and a medium compression unit configured to compress the medium, the medium compression unit being provided upstream of the ejection unit in the transport direction and downstream of the steam application unit in the transport direction.

To perform high-quality printing more appropriately, a printing apparatus (10) configured to print on a medium (50) by inkjet includes: an inkjet head (102); and a UV light source (104) as an energy ray emitting unit. The UV light source (104) emits the ultraviolet rays to the ink adhered to the medium (50), causing the ink to generate heat to evaporate at least a part of a solvent in the ink. The ink ejected by the inkjet head (102) includes a polymerizing substance that polymerizes when irradiated with the energy rays, and the solvent. The ink on the medium (50) is in a state in which planarization of the ink progresses with a lapse of time at a time point after 100 ms has elapsed since the UV light source (104) emitted the ultraviolet rays.

A liquid discharge apparatus is provided that includes a transport unit configured to transport a medium, a discharge unit configured to discharge a liquid onto the medium, a housing including therein the discharge unit, a humidifying unit configured to humidify an interior of the housing, and a humidity detection unit configured to detect a humidity. When the humidity detection unit detected a humidity less than a lower limit value (one example of a first predetermined value) (positive determination in step S12), the interior of the housing is humidified by the humidifying unit during transport by the transport unit or during discharge by the discharge unit (step S16).

A liquid discharge apparatus is provided that includes a discharge unit configured to discharge a liquid onto a medium, a support portion configured to support a portion of the medium, the liquid being discharged from the discharge unit onto the portion of the medium, a housing including therein the discharge unit, a humidity detection unit configured to detect a humidity, and a display control unit configured to display an indication prompting adjustment of a temperature or humidity when the humidity detection unit detects a humidity less than a lower limit value, and configured to display an indication prompting adjustment of a temperature or humidity when the humidity detection unit detects a humidity exceeding an upper limit value greater than the lower limit value.

A printing apparatus includes a transporting unit that transports a printing medium, a transporting unit encoder that outputs a movement amount information indicating a movement amount of the printing medium, a medium winding unit disposed downstream of the guide member with respect to the transporting unit and winds the printing medium, a tension applying unit including a tension bar that presses the printing medium at a location between the transporting unit and the medium winding unit while the tension bar is moving between an upper limit position and a lower limit position and applies tension to the printing medium, a tension applying unit encoder that outputs a rod member location information indicating a position of the tension bar, and a control unit that determines a movement state of the printing medium at the tension applying unit, based on the movement amount information and the rod member location information.

A medium heating device is provided, which is configured to heat a medium that is conveyed in a state where liquid is ejected onto the medium, and which includes: a support unit configured to support the medium that is conveyed in a state where the liquid is ejected onto the medium; a first heater configured to heat a first surface, of the medium, onto which the liquid ejected; and a second heater configured to heat a second surface of the medium opposite from the first surface. A region heated by the second heater includes a region downstream from a region facing the first heater.

An apparatus for ink contaminant drying includes a marker platen having a topside and a bottom side, and a plurality of heating elements located beneath the topside of the marker platen. The plurality of heating elements provides heating with respect to a surface of the marker platen, which prevents ink contaminants on the surface from remaining in a viscous fluidic state over a period of time.